A sermon about the government of the thoughts, preach'd before the King & Queen, at White-Hall, the 4th of March being the 2d Sunday in Lent, 1693/4 / by ... John, Lord Archbishop of York. Sharp, John, 1645-1714. 1694 Approx. 39 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 18 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A59552 Wing S2980 ESTC R5119 12898848 ocm 12898848 95223 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A59552) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 95223) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 728:13) A sermon about the government of the thoughts, preach'd before the King & Queen, at White-Hall, the 4th of March being the 2d Sunday in Lent, 1693/4 / by ... John, Lord Archbishop of York. Sharp, John, 1645-1714. [2], 5-35 p. Printed by Tho. Warren for Walter Kettilby ..., London : 1694. Half title: The Archbishop of York's sermon about the government of thoughts, before the King & Queen, at Whitehall, March iv, 1693/4. Reproduction of original in Duke University Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Church of England -- Sermons. Bible. -- O.T. -- Proverbs IV, 23 -- Sermons. Thought and thinking. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2003-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-07 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Archbishop of YORK's SERMON About the Government of the Thoughts , Before the King & Queen , At Whitehall , March iv . 1693 / 4. A SERMON About the Government of the Thoughts , Preach'd before the King & Queen , AT WHITE-HALL , The 4 h of March , being the 2 d Sunday in Lent , 1693 / 4. By the Most Reverend Father in God , IOHN Lord Archbishop of YORK . Publish'd by Their Majesties Especial Command . LONDON , Printed by Tho. Warren , for Walter Kettilby , at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard , MDCXCIV . A SERMON About the Government of the Thoughts , Preach'd before the King and Queen . PROVERBS IV. 23. Keep thy Heart with all diligence , for out of it are the issues of life . THE Argument with which this Audience was entertained the last Lord's Day , being the Government of the Tongue ; I cannot think it improper or unseasonable for me , who have the Honour to come next , to treat about the Government of the Thoughts : There being a near relation between these two , and a necessary dependence of the one upon the other . Our Words indeed are more easily governed than our Thoughts , because they are more in our power . But it will be impossible either to govern our Words or our Actions , as we should , unless we first bring our Thoughts in some measure under Government . I must confess this Argument of the Government of the Thoughts , though it be a very useful ; yet it seems also a very nice and difficult one , through the great variety of Cases , arising from Mens different Tempers , which will not come under the same Rules , and yet ought to be provided for . But however this shall not discourage me from undertaking this Argument ; it shall only make me more careful as to what I say about it . That is , to have respect , as much as I can , to all sorts of Tempers , and to deliver what I have to say with so much plainness , that every body may go along with me . The Words upon which I ground my Discourse are those of Solomon , which I have read unto you , and which contain one of those Precepts that he lays down for the Religious Conduct of our Lives . Keep ( saith he ) thy Heart with all diligence , for out of it are the issues of life . Not to trouble you with what others have said upon this Text , I take the true Meaning of it to be this . By the [ Heart ] here , which we are exhorted to keep , we are to understand the Inward Thoughts and Motions , and Affections of our Souls or Spirits ; all which in the inspired Writings are constantly said to be seated in the Heart . This undoubtedly is the Scripture-Notion of the Heart . And when we are here bid to keep our Hearts with all diligence , I think there is no question to be made , the Meaning is , That we should diligently attend to the Thoughts and Motions and Affections of our Minds ; that we should watch them narrowly , lest at any time we should give our Consent to some thing we ought not . This is the Meaning of keeping our Hearts with all diligence . And then a Reason is added , why it concerns us thus to keep them . And that is this . Because out of the Heart are the issues of life . What is the Meaning of that Phrase ? Plainly this . The Issues , the Fruits , the Effects that are shewn in our Lives and Conversation , do certainly proceed from the Heart , and therefore accordingly as that is well or ill guarded or kept , so will our Lives and Conversations be . The Goodness or Badness of our Lives doth altogether depend upon the attending or not attending to the Thoughts , and Motions , and Inclinations of our Minds . As our Caution and Watchfulness in this point is greater or less , so will our Course of Life be better or worse . And therefore it concerns us all , that mean to live well , to be infinitely careful in this matter . This is a plain account of the Advice that is here given us . So that you see if I mean to discourse pertinently to my Text , my Argument must be ( what I said ) the Care , and Management , and Government of our Thoughts , as they fall under a Religious Consideration . In treating of this Argument there seem to me Two things needful to be done . First , To give an account what Power a Man hath over his own Thoughts . Secondly , To shew wherein the Art of governing of them doth consist . It is indeed this second thing which my Text naturally leads me to speak to : But I cannot speak to that to any purpose till I have made way for it by clearing the first . It is in vain to give Rules about the Government of our Thoughts , till we know how far we have Power over them ; how far they fall or do not fall under our Conduct and Management . And I must needs say , that most of those I have met with , that have discours'd about the Government of Thoughts , by not enquiring into , and setling this Point , have been so far from benefiting all their Hearers , that desired to receive benefit by their good advices , that to several of them they have done harm ; Because as to them their advices have been perfectly unpracticable . Now those that by their own Experience found them to be so , instead of considering that the Teacher might be in a mistake , or that He did not sufficiently weigh and examine the Case of all Persons he gave his advice to , have peremptorily concluded that they themselves were in the fault , and therefore they were in an evil condition because they found themselves not able to live up to what was advised them . The first Question then is , How far a Man hath power over his own Thoughts . There is not indeed any single Answer to be given to this Question , that will fit all Men. For that is impossible . It would be as unreasonable to demand it , as it would be to require of a Workman to make a Garment , that should fit all sorts and sizes of Men. Some Men by the very Principles of their Make and Constitution , are much better able to govern their Thoughts than others . Some that are naturally weaker , have by long use and many tryals obtained a greater power over their Thoughts than others . Again , the same Persons that at some times have a greater Power over the motions of their Minds , may at other times have a less Command over them ; and this according as their Health , or their Business , or a hundred Contingencies of outward things do affect them . So that all that can be done , as to this matter , is to lay down some general Propositions , which every Body is to apply to himself , as there is Occasion . And Five of this kind I have to offer , and which , I think , will take in all , or the greatest part of what belongs to this Argument . The first Proposition I lay down is this , That the First Motions of our Minds are very little , if at all , in our Power . By the first Motions of our Minds , I mean those sudden Thoughts , or Apprehensions , or Passions , or Desires , which are excited in our Minds by any Object that is at that time presented to our Imagination . As to these , I say , we are not so much Masters of our selves as to be able to stop them ; nay , though perhaps they be very irregular . And the Reason is , because they are produced so quick , that there is not time enough given for Reason to interpose . There is no necessity indeed that a Man should give Consent to these Motions ; but as for their coming into his Mind , he can no more help it , than he can help his present Temper , or the present Circumstances he is ingaged in . Thus for Instance . Do you think it possible for a Man that is of a Fiery Passionate Temper , to avoid the feeling a sudden resentment of Anger arising in his Mind if he meets with any unexpected affront , or other great Provocation ? Or for a Man that desires to be well thought of , not to entertain some vanity of Imagination , when he hears himself commended or flatter'd ? Or for a Man that is addicted to Pleasures , not to feel some irregular Inclinations in himself towards the gratifying his Appetites in those things , when he hath all the Temptations before him ? and thus in all other Cases . I grant indeed that a Man by long Consideration , and a serious exercising himself in the ways of Vertue and Piety , may bring himself to that Temper , that he shall not have so many irregular undecent Motions in his own Mind , upon any occasion whatsoever , as he was wont to have ; and that those that were formerly Temptations to him , will at last be none : But still I say , the first Motions and workings of his Mind however they be occasioned , are in a great mea●ure out of his Power ; he cannot stop them ; and therefore the Art of governing his Thoughts doth not ly there . The second Proposition I lay down is this , When a Man's Mind is vigorously affected and possessed , either with the outward Objects of sense , or with inward Passions of any kind , in that case he hath little or no Command of his Thoughts . His Mind at that time will be in a manner wholly taken up with that it is then full off : Nor will he be able till those Impressions be worn off , to think freely of what he pleaseth . Thus for Instance , When a Man is under a sharp , tormenting Pain ; as he cannot avoid the feeling of that pain , so neither can he avoid the thinking of it . When one is full of grief for the loss of a dear Relation ; or transported with Passion for some unworthy usage he hath met with : It is in vain to say , Pray think not of these matters ; for these things must and will in a great measure employ his Thoughts , till his Passions do cool , and the Impressions that caused them be vanished . Thus , for a Man to come from some Business in which he is more than ordinarily concerned ; or from the hearing some very good or very bad News ; I say to come fresh from this to the saying his Prayers : I do not , I cannot wonder , that in this case his Mind will be much upon his Business , or his News , notwithstanding all his Endeavours to the contrary . For the nature of Man is such , that he cannot so of a sudden turn his mind from one Business to another ; but that if he did closely and vigorously apply himself to the first Business , his Thoughts will for some time run upon it , even after he hath applyed his Mind to the other . I do not deny , but that a Man may often so order his affairs , as to be able to keep his Mind clear and free from such Prepossessions as I am now speaking of , so as that when he comes to apply himself to any Business he hath a mind to , he may intend it with his whole might . But this I say , If our Minds be once engaged with warm Thoughts about any thing ; it is very hard , if not impossible to get them disengaged of a sudden . So that the Art of Governing our Thoughts doth not much lie in that neither . Thirdly there are some Cases likewise , where a Man's Thoughts are in a manner forced upon him , from the present Temper and Indisposition of his Body . So that though he be in no Passion , though there be no unusual Objects of sense that excite those Thoughts in him , nay though he never so much resolve not to think upon those things ; yet so long as that Habit of Body lasts , he cannot avoid those kind of Thoughts : So that in this Case also , there is little room left for the Government of Thoughts . That which I now say , happens frequently , not only in all sorts of distempers where the Brain is visibly disturbed , as in Feavers and the like , which often cause a thousand delirous Fancies , and sometimes down-right Madness and Distraction : But also in other Cases where there seems to be no Feaver , or other visible Distemper ; nor doth the Brain as to other matters seem to be at all disorder'd ; But the Persons in all appearance are sound both in Body and Mind . And this is the Case of some deeply Hypochondriack Persons ; many of which will be haunted with a Sett of Thoughts and Fancies , that they can by no means get rid of , though they desire it never so earnestly . Sometimes they cannot get it out of their Heads , but that they are Atheists and Infidels ; They neither believe in God nor in Jesus Christ , nor have any sense at all of Religion . Sometimes they are tormented with Blasphemous Thoughts , and they cannot set themselves to the performance of any Office of Devotion , but a thousand impious Fancies will come in and spoil all . Sometimes they fancy they are guilty of several grievous Crimes , which it is to be hoped , it was hardly possible they should be guilty of ; nay you cannot convince them but that they do every day commit some of these Crimes , because they imagine they give consent to them . And whilest these sorts of Thoughts fill their Imaginations , there is not a Passage in the Bible that they read , nor a Sermon that they hear , but they find something in it , which they do so perversly apply to their own Case , as thereby to encrease their trouble , but not to get any relief . I have known several well-disposed Persons , and some of them sincerely Pious , that have been in this Condition . What now is to be said to this ? Why , it is very certain that all these Thoughts and Fancies are thrust upon them , and are not the free , natural , voluntary Operations of their own minds ; but the effects of Vapours or Hypochondriac Melancholy . Nor can the Persons themselves any more help their thus Thinking , or Fancying ; than they can help the Disturbances of their Dreams when they have a mind to sleep quietly . Indeed we may properly enough call these Fancies of theirs , their waking Dreams ; as their Dreams are their sleeping Fancies . Well but now of all Persons whatsoever , these People are most desirous to have Rules given them for the Government of their Thoughts . And I cannot blame them , because their Thoughts are certainly very Troublesome . But truly if we would speak pertinently to their Case ; instead of giving them Advices for the regulating their Thoughts , they should rather be advised to look after their Bodies , and by the help of good Prescriptions to get rid of those Fumes and Vapours which occasion these Fancies . When the Cause is removed , the Effect will soon cease . I do not in the least doubt , what ever these People may think of their own Case , but that this is as properly a Bodily Disease , as a Feaver , or Fits of the Falling Sickness . In the mean time while they are in this Condition , whatever Rules are proper to be given to other Persons for the Government of their Thoughts , of all People living those Rules do the least concern them . For those Thoughts which they complain of , do not at all fall under Regulation or Government ; because they are suggested to their minds whether they will or no. And for my part , I think it a great deal more advisable ( if it could be ) to neglect and despise them ; than to be perpetually strugling and disputing with them , and vexing themselves about them . But you will say , if Men be such Slaves to their Thoughts , and are thus necessarily passive under them , Where is the Freedom of Thought ? To this I Answer , In the Fourth place , out of these three Cases I before mentioned , we have Liberty of Thinking , and may chuse our own Thoughts . And that Liberty and Freedom we have in Thinking doth , to my apprehension mainly consist in this , viz. That all of us ( who are not in the Circumstances I have been hitherto speaking of ) can , if we please , apply our Minds more vigorously to one sort of things than to another ; and accordingly , as we do thus apply our Minds , so will the most of our Thoughts be . It is in our power among the multitude of Objects which present themselves to our Minds , ( as for Instance , God , Vertue , Holiness , Heaven , Wealth , Power , Greatness , Preferments , Fine Cloths , Splendid Equipage , Sensual Pleasures , Recreations , Divertisements , Knowledge , Learning , Arts , and the like : I say , that among all this multitude of Objects that present themselves to our Minds , ) it is in our power to determine our selves , which of them we will dwell upon , and make a Business of . And accordingly , when at any time we have pitched upon any of them , as a Business , it is in our power to mind that Business , either more or less diligently . And if it be such a one , as that we mean in good earnest to concern our selves about it , it will then so fill our Minds , as that by attending to that , we shall either prevent in a great measure other Thoughts from coming into our Heads ; or if they do come in , they will not long stay there , but will very speedily give place to that which is our main Business at that time . And the reason of this is plain ; Because our Natures are of that Make , that two things at once cannot well possess our Minds ; and therefore if we be intent about one thing , we cannot have much room or leisure for Thoughts of another nature . But then Fifthly and lastly , Though this that I have said be the true Nature of that Power we have over our Thoughts , as to the directing them to a particular Object : Yet there is another Power we have over them that ought here more especially to be considered ; because in it are laid the very Foundations of Vertue and Vice , and upon account of it , all our Thoughts become either morally good or evil . That which I mean is this . Though we cannot , in many Cases , think always of what we would ; Nay , though we cannot hinder abundance of Thoughts from coming into our Minds against our will : Yet it is always in our power to assent to our Thoughts , or to deny our Consent to them . And here it is that the Morality of our Thoughts begins . According as we Assent or Dissent to the Motions that are made in our Minds ; so will our Thoughts have the Notion of Vertuous or sinful Thoughts . When any Temptations are presented to us from without , we cannot perhaps ( as I said before ) avoid the feeling an irregular Passion , or Motion , or Inclination stirring within us upon occasion thereof : But yet at that very time it is in our power whether we will comply with those Passions and Inclinations , or not ; whether we will consent to them , or not ; whether we will pursue them further , or not . Now if we do not consent to them , but endeavour to stop , and stifle , and resist them as soon as we are aware of them ; There is yet no harm done . Our Thoughts how undecent or irregular soever they were , are rather to be accounted the Infirmities of our Corrupt Nature , than our Sins properly so called . And thus it is likewise as to our Wandring Thoughts in our Prayers . If we strive against them , and endeavour to keep our Minds in a Devout Composed Temper , and attend as well as we can to the Duty we are about : I say , if we do this , I hope Those Distractions and Wandrings will never rise up in Judgment against us . And as for the frightful Blasphemous Fancies , which , as I told you , some even Pious Persons are tormented with : As to them I say , They of all other irregular Thoughts have the least danger of Sin in them , though they be not so solemnly and formally disputed with , and contested against . Because indeed they are so terrible in their own Nature , that no Man in his Wits , and that hath any sense of God or Goodness , can be supposed to consent to them . They are indeed great Infelicities , but by no means any Sin , any farther than we approve of them ; and to approve of them for any tolerably good Man is impossible . But then on the other side , If we consent to any wicked Motion or Inclination that we feel in our selves ; let it come in how it will , never so suddenly , never so unexpectedly ; if we close with any Thought that prompts us to Evil , so as to be pleased with it , to delight in it , to think of pursuing it , till it be brought into Action : In that Case we are no longer to plead our Original Corruption ; for in that very instant we become Actual Sinners , Actual transgressors of the Law of God , the Obligation of which reaches to our very Hearts and Thoughts as well as our Actions . Though yet we are not so great Transgressors , so long as our Sin is only in Thought or desire , or purpose ; as if it had proceeded to Outward Action . All this is taught us for true Divinity , by no less . an Author than St. Iames , in the first Chapter of his Epistle , v. 13 , 14 , 15. Let no man say when he is tempted , I am tempted of God ; for God tempteth no man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust , and Enticed . Then when Lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth Sin , and Sin , when it is finished , bringeth forth Death . Which passage of the Apostle doth plainly contain these three Propositions . First , That no Man is drawn to commit Sin by any State or Condition that God hath put him into ; no nor by any Temptation , either outward or inward that is presented to him . It is not a Sin to be Tempted ; no nor to feel that we are tempted by some disorderly Inclination that arises in our Minds thereupon . But secondly then our Sin begins , when we yield to the Temptation , when we are drawn away by our own Lusts , and enticed , when they get the Victory over us , and we do consent to them . Then Lust hath conceived and bringeth forth Sin. But Thirdly , Though the very consent of our Wills to a Temptation , be a Sin in us : Yet that Sin is not so great as it will be afterwards , if it be brought to Action . Sin in the desire or purpose , is but an Embryo ; it is but the first Rudiments of Sin ; but when it comes to be acted , it is then a Sin in its full dimensions ; and the Consequents of it may be Fatal without Repentance . Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death . Having thus given some Account how far our Hearts or Thoughts do fall under Government ; I now come to my second Point , that is , to treat of the Art of Governing them , or to lay down the necessary Rules and Directions which are to be observed in order thereunto . And we shall not need to go far for these Rules , for they will all naturally flow from the Principles I have already laid down . And I think , they may conveniently enough be reduced likewise to these Five following . First , From what hath been said , it appears , that the First and great Point to be done by us , if we would keep our Hearts in a good Frame , and order our Thoughts to good purposes ; is , that we rightly pitch our main Designs ; that we chuse that for the great Business of our lives , that really ought to be so . Now what that is , can bear no dispute with any Man that will fairly use his Reason . For certainly , that which is our greatest Concernment in the World , ought to be our greatest Business and Design in the World. And it is evident to every one , that believes he hath a Soul to save , that his greatest Concernment of all , is , to approve himself to that God who made him , and disposes of all his affairs ; and who accordingly as we sincerely endeavour , or not endeavour to serve him , will make us either very Happy , or very Miserable , both in this Life and the other . So that there can , as I said , be no dispute about what ought to be the great Business and Design of our whole Lives , and to which all other Business must yield . Now if we be so wise as really to propose this as our main End , and resolve to mind it and follow it as such ; I say , if we be so wise as to do this ; we have made a very great step towards the obtaining a security to our selves , that the greatest part of our Thoughts , and Desires , and Affections will be such as they should be ; such as will be acceptable to God , and satisfactory to our selves . For as I told you before , what ever is our main Business , be it what it will , it will in a great measure draw all our Thoughts to it . Our Natures are so contrived , that we must always be thinking of some thing or other . But then they are so contrived likewise , that we shall think most of that , which is most in our Eye , most in our Esteem , most in our Pursuit . And this is that which our Saviour tells us ; Where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also . What ever it be that you place your Happiness in , upon that will your Thoughts run ; upon that will your Desires , your Inclinations , your Affections be fixed . We have a World of Instances of the truth of this every day before our Eyes . If a Man hath set his heart on Mon●y , and proposeth it to himself as the Business of his Life to be Rich : Why , I dare say , such a one will own to you , that most of his Thoughts are upon that Project ; and that he finds it , so far from being difficult to keep his Mind close and steady to his Main Interest , as he calls it ; that it is rather difficult to him to think of any other Matters . If a Man be given up to Pleasure , and thinks nothing worthy his living for , but Wine and Women , and good Eating , and good Company ; Is it not natural to such an one , to bend all his Thoughts that way ? Or doth he put any force or violence upon himself , in thinking and contriving all the day long , how to bring to pass the Gratification of his Lusts or his Appetites . Why , my Brethren , if we did all of us in good earnest make the Service of God , and the purchasing Heaven and Happiness to our selves , as much our Business , our End , our Design ; as these Men make Wealth or Pleasure to be theirs ; We should certainly be thus affected . The common course of our Thoughts , would naturally , and easily , without the least constraint , run upon those Objects : And we should take as great delight in Thinking of our Treasure , and Contriving for the obtaining of it ; as they do in Thinking and Projecting for Theirs . I say , Thus it would be with us . For I cannot for my life apprehend , what Charms there can be in Worldly , or Sensual things to attract a Man's Mind ; What Fetters there can be in them , to Bind his Thoughts , and tye them to themselves : But that there are the same , or greater , in Vertue and Goodness ; in the Love and Favour of God ; in a Pure Conscience here , and Eternal Glory hereafter : Always provided , that they are as much made the Objects of our Choice and Pursuit , as the other . And therefore I cannot but suspect , where we see Men so very cold and backward to Spiritual things ; and so apt to spend all their Thoughts upon trifling , vain , or worldly Matters , that it is with a great deal of Pains and Reluctancy , that they can bring themselves to think of their Everlasting Concernments : I say , I cannot but suspect that these Persons have not yet laid up their Treasure in Heaven , as our Saviour expresseth it ; They have not yet so wholly devoted themselves to the Service of God , as to make it their Main Business . When once they have done that , I dare assure them , they will find it so far from being a force upon them , to think of good things , that it will be very natural to them ; and they will find the greatest Pleasure in the World in so doing . Secondly , Whoever would keep his Heart always in a good Frame , and be able to give a good account of his Thoughts to God , must have an especial care to avoid two things , viz. Idleness , and loose Company . For both of these do strangely unhinge a Man's Mind ; and disarm it of that Severity , which is its best Guard and Defence against Evil Thoughts ; and make it become an easie Prey to every Temptation that will attacque it . A wise Man should never be at such a pass , as to say , I have nothing to do , I do not know how to spend my next Hour : But should so order the Course of his Life , that all the Portions of his Time , as much as is possible , may be filled with some useful , or at least some innocent Employment . It is Idleness , and having nothing to do , that is the Mother of most of those vain , and unprofitable , and sinful Fancies , in which some Men spend their days . And whereas Temptations do now and then come in the way of other Men ; the Idle Man is forced to seek out Temptations for the shipwrack of his Vertue . And therefore , no Wonder , if he that seeks them , finds abundance of them . And truly Loose and Impertinent Conversation , which was the other thing I named , though it looks something with a better Grace , yet is not much better than Idleness . For where-ever it is much used , it will so emasculate a Man's Mind , and take off the edge and vigour of it , as to serious things , that he cannot easily get it into a good Frame again . Evil Communication ( saith St. Paul ) doth corrupt good Manners . And therefore those People , a great part of whose Life is taken up in gadding up and down ; in Play ; in merry Meetings ; in telling or hearing idle Stories , and the like : It is impossible but their Thoughts and Inclinations , and the whole Frame of their Hearts will be suitable ; that is to say , very frothy ; very light and foolish ; not to say , profane , and wicked , and Atheistical too , if the Company they much converse with , be of that strain . Thirdly , Another thing of great moment , for the keeping our Hearts , is , to be as attentive as is possible to the first Motions of our Minds ; and whenever we find that they tend toward something that is forbidden , to stop them as soon as we can . We cannot , as I told you before , often prevent irregular Desires , or Passions , or Inclinations , from arising in our Minds , upon sundry occasions . But this we can do : As soon as we are aware of them , we can refuse our Consent to them ; ( and in that case I hope they will not be imputed to us as Sins ; ) Nay , not only so ; but we can refuse their breaking out , or shewing themselves in our Words , or our Actions . For the Motions of our outward Members are all at our Command , though the first Motions of our Minds be not . Here therefore will lie a main Point in the Art of well governing our Minds and Thoughts . You cannot perhaps , for instance , prevent a sudden Passion of Anger from rising in your Minds upon twenty Accidents : But as soon as you feel this Passion , you can thus far stifle it ; you can seal up your Mouth , so that the Passion shall not vent it self in unseemly Words ; And if you will withdraw that Fuel from the new-kindled Fire , it will soon be extinguished , and die . Whereas if you suffer it to break out in bitter Speeches and Expressions , it will flame beyond measure . Thus again , If any undecent , impure Fancies or Desires should be excited in you upon any occasion : It was not perhaps in your power to keep them from coming into your Minds : But it is in your power to withdraw from the Temptation that caused them ; and to endeavour to direct your Thoughts to some other Object ; at least not to proceed one step in any outward Action towards the Accomplishing of those Desires . If you take this Course , the Disturbance of your Mind will soon cease , and you will return presently to your ordinary Temper . And let me tell you this further ; That by your being thus careful to resist and smother the first beginnings of Sin ; You will not only preserve in a great measure the Innocency of your Minds under the present Temptation ; But you will also have this farther advantage , that by this means , you increase your Power over your Thoughts , against the next time that the Temptation returns . Every check you give to the first Motions of Sin , makes the next Assault of them the less furious . And if you do constantly use your selves , thus to Guard and Watch over your Hearts ; you will in time obtain such a Command over them , that you will not be troubled with a quarter of those irregular desires , and passions , which heretofore upon several Occasions used to be kindled in you . By this Method you will strengthen your Faculties , and enlarge your Powers ; and by degrees bring your selves to that happy Temper of Soul , that there will be no great War between the Law of your Member s , and the Law of your Minds : But the World and the Flesh will be Crucified to you , as you are to them ; that I may use St. Paul's Expressions . But then Fourthly , That you may be able not only to keep bad Thoughts out of your Minds ; but also to have a constant Spring of good ones ; there are some particular Exercises very proper for this purpose to be recommended . Such I mean as these , Converse with discreet and pious Persons ; Reading good Books , especially the Holy Scriptures ; Taking times of Meditation and Recollection ; And above all , Fervent and Constant Prayer to God. It is not to be told how every one of these things doth help to inspire us with good Thoughts and Purposes . A little passage now and then , though but occasionally dropt in a Conversation , that is to the business of Vertue and Goodness , will supply us some times with matter for good Thoughts for a considerable while after . What lasting Impressions then , do you think , would be left upon our Minds , if we made it our constant Exercise every day , to read or hear something out of the Bible , or some other good Book , with a design to grow Better thereby ? But above all things we must take care to be diligent and serious in our Applications to the Throne of Grace : It is Hearty Prayer and Devotion , that when all is done , will prove the most Effectual Means , for the keeping our Hearts steady to that which is Good , and securing them from the Pollutions of the sensible Earthly Objects that do surround us . O therefore let us be constant in our Religious Offices . Nay , let us take every opportunity that our Affairs will allow us of raising our Minds to God , and thanking him for his infinite Love and Goodness to us , and imploring the Continual Influences of his Grace and Holy Spirit , and re-inforcing our Vows and Purposes of persevering in his Service . By this means we shall come to lead Spiritual Lives indeed . Our Souls will be a perpetual Fountain of Good Thoughts . And while we live here , our Conversation will be in Heaven . For God and Christ , and the things above will have our Hearts , though the World hath our Bodies . But then , in the Fifth and last place , Notwithstanding what I have hitherto said , concerning the Diligence with which we are to keep our Hearts ; Yet this is always to be remembered , That with our Diligence we must be careful to join Discretion . My Meaning is this , We must have a care not to intend our Thoughts immoderately , and more than our Tempers will bear , even to the best things : But we must so keep our Hearts , as at the same time , to preserve our Healths , and keep up the Vigour of our Minds . And the way to do that , is , Not to put them too much , or too long , upon the stretch at any one time : But to relax them when there is occasion , and to let them run out , and entertain themselves upon any thing that comes next to hand , so long as it is Innocent . It is a vain thing to imagine , that we can always be thinking of our great Business ; or that we can be always a Praying , or Reading , or Meditating ; or , that , as our Condition is in this World , even the greater part of our Thoughts , should be such as we call Devout and Religious Thoughts . God hath provided a great deal of other Business for us to apply our Minds to , so long as we live in this World. And by minding that diligently , and conscientiously , we do serve God as acceptably , as if we were Reading or Praying . Nay even then , when we have no urgent Business upon our hands to take up our Minds , it is not necessary that we should be always thinking of Religion . Nor would I call every Thought , a vain , or an idle , or a sinful Thought , that hath not God , or our Spiritual Concernments for its Object . Even the most Spiritually-minded among us , must oftentimes be content to be entertained with such Thoughts as our Company , or our Temper , or the present Circumstances we are in , do suggest to us . And provided those Thoughts be innocent , and do not intrench upon the Laws of Piety , and Purity , and Charity ; be they otherwise very trifling and impertinent : I say , I would not look upon them as ill Thoughts , nor have any one angry at himself upon account of them . The truth of it is , So long as we consist of Bodies and Souls , we cannot always be thinking of Serious things . They indeed are the Wisest that think of them most , but it is even dangerous to attempt to think of them always . For as most Mens Constitutions are , that is the ready way to spoil the Habit of our Bodies , and by that means to render our Minds perfectly unfit for Thinking at all , to any good Purposes . Thus have I laid before you the Main Things wherein , as I do believe , the right Governing our Thoughts doth consist . And I doubt not , they are so safe , and so effectual , that whosoever will sincerely practise them , as far as he can , will so keep his Heart , that the Issues from thence in his Life and Conversation will be Happy and Prosperous . I conclude all with the Collect of this Day . Almighty God , who seest that we have no power of our selves to help our selves ; Keep us both outwardly in our Bodies , and inwardly in our Souls ; that we may be defended from all Adversities which may happen to the Body , and from all EVIL THOUGHTS which may assault and hurt the Soul , through Jesus Christ our Lord. FINIS .