[SERM. II. And that this is agreeable to the Senfe of the Holy Ghost in other Paffages of Scripture, both of the Old and New Teftament, I come now to fhew in the next Place; which I confefs would be a fuperfluous Labour, it being the Proving of a Thing denied by no Chriftian, if it were not that, though granted by all, it is minded or put in Practice by fo very few. And therefore it is of good Use to entertain the Mind with the frequent Meditation of fuch Truths, on purpose to beget a livelier Sense of them, and to cause them to make a deeper Impreffion on our Minds and Memories. There are Two Things then, which I shall briefly endeavour to prove from the Holy Scriptures on this Subject. First, That where Duty is required, or Vice forbidden, fuch Precepts reach the Heart and Thoughts, as well as the external Behaviour. And Secondly, That where any Duty is commanded, or Vice forbidden, there the neceffary Means for attaining the Duty, or for avoiding the Vice, are required likewise.

1. First then, That God's Precepts reach the Government of the Heart and Thoughts, appears from that Sum and Subftance of the Law, those two great Commandments, which require the moft Intense Love to God and our Neighbour. It appears plainly from the Wording of these Commandments; the placing the Duty in Love, and that the moft intenfe Love, that the inner Man of the Heart is the chief Thing that God aims to govern: and that it is not only the Acting of Wickedness, but the thinking of it with Approbation and Confent, that is Sin. If a Man could externally keep the whole Law, without this inward Purity of Heart, or this inward Love

of

of God, it would be of little or no Value in his Sight. For as our Saviour fays elsewhere, it is what comes from the Heart that defiles the Man, Matt. xv. 11. the Heart is the chief Seat both of Purity and Impurity.

2. But, Secondly, where any Duty is commanded, or Vice forbidden, there the Neceffary Means for attaining the Duty, or for avoiding the Vice, are required likewife: as here, Inward Anger, and Uncivil Words, which are the ufual Occafions of Murders, are exprefsly forbidden; and elsewhere, the pulling out of the Right-Eye, and the cutting off of the Right-Hand, which by all are owned to be figurative Expreffions, fignifying the Avoiding the Occafions of Sin, tho' never fo near and dear to us; are commanded. I could bring a great many Proofs of Scripture for these Things; but fearing I fhall not have Time for the other Things propofed; I go on,

III. In the Third Place, to confider what Reafon there is that the Laws of God fhould be interpreted in this comprehenfive Sense.

1. First then, It is but reasonable that God's Laws fhould be more perfect than Man's. Man's Laws are neceffarily confined to outward Words and Actions, because in this State of Imperfection we cannot penetrate into Man's Thoughts, but as we guess at them from his Words and Actions; and therefore Human Laws reach no further than to Mens overt-Acts; that is, fuch Acts as are done before Witneffes; fo that a Man may be bad enough, and yet come off clear before human Judicatures; which fhews the Imperfection of the Law-Makers, and the Law too: but it is not fo with the Laws of God; he fees not as Man fees,

[SERM. fees, nor judges as Man judges; he can follow us not only into the fecreteft of Places, but can fee through the darkest and most intricate of our Contrivances; and therefore has a Right to fet Laws to our Thoughts as well as to our Words and Actions.

2. Man being a Creature endued with Reason and Choice, he has this Privilege above other Animals, that he can govern his Thoughts, which they cannot and therefore the Thoughts of Man being a Subject capable of Government, are for that very reafon capable of Law; not of Man's Law, because above his Cognifance; therefore of God's.

3. If we confider the Nature of Duty, the Exteriour is but the Cruft and Shell of it; and the Interiour is the Kernel; or, the Exteriour is but the Body, and the Interiour is the Soul of it. And therefore the lefs there is of the Heart in any Duty, of fo much the less Value it is in the Sight of God; and the more Heart there is in it, fo much the more valuable it is.

4. If we confider the Difference between Sincerity and Hypocrify, we fhall find an abfolute Neceffity of Interpreting the Laws of God in fuch a Senfe as to reach the Thoughts of the Heart. Hypocrify is an external Acting a Part, when the Heart is no Way concerned; but Sincerity is the Heart's joining in the Duty: and it is always joined with Freedom and Choice; whereas the Exteriour is moved by feveral extrinfick Causes, which like fo many Machines, pull it up, tho' it has no Principle of Life in itself.

5. It is further to be confidered, that the Government of the Heart and Thoughts, if care

fully

fully performed, is a Duty which facilitates all other Duties; and if neglected, it opens a Door to all manner of Temptations, and expofes us to all Sin and Vice. First, I fay, this Duty, if carefully performed, facilitates all other Duties. When the Heart is well replenished with good Thoughts, it is no hard Matter for the Tongue to be fupplied with good Words, and for the Life to abound in good Actions; for out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks, fays our Saviour, Luke vi. 45. and, keep thy Heart with all Diligence, faith the wife Man, Prov. iv. 23. for out of it are the flues of Life. But if the Heart is neglected, then there is an open Door left for all Temptations to enter; the Heart being the Pafs, through which they must march, before they can attack or overcome the Man.

IV. So now I am come to the Fourth and laft Thing which I propofed, namely, to confider by what Ways and Means we may be affifted in the Regulation of our Thoughts, and in cutting off the Occafions of Sin. This is a Study of the greatest Use and Importance; and therefore I hope ye will afford it the moft ferious Attention and Confideration. I fhall digeft it into a few Advices, the Benefit of which will be best known by putting them in Practice.

1. First then, because our Thoughts do commonly fall in with what is the main Design of the Heart and Soul, the principal Rule for the Government of the Thoughts is to fet our Heart on the right Object, namely, to purfue the Favour of God; and to place our Happinefs in the Enjoyment of him to all Eternity.

If this be the great Treasure we aim at, where our Treasure is, there will our Heart be alfo. Daily Experience confirms this Obfervation. If a Man's Heart is chiefly fet on the World, then his Thoughts do naturally run upon Projects of Getting, and Methods of Saving, and Ways of Improving an Eftate. Such a Man is fruitful in Invention, and dextrous in Execution of all fuch I worldly Defigns; and with the greatest Ease imaginable, he multiplies and diverfifies thefe Things by innumerable Turnings and Windings in his ownThoughts. And all this is pleasant and natural as it were to him, because it is nothing else but the Following the bent and principal Inclination of his Heart and Soul. And fo it is in Ambition; fo in Amour; fo in Revenge; fo in every Thing a Man fets his Heart upon. His Thoughts run eafily towards it, and with Pleasure and Delight are converfant about it. Thus if we had firmly fixed our ultimate Design on the ferving, pleafing, and enjoying of God; if our Hearts were in Heaven, this alone would mightily contribute to the Sanctifying of our Thoughts with good Projects and Meditations, fubfervient and fuitable to fo good a Defign.

2. Because like Weeds in a neglected Garden, bad Thoughts come up Rank in Idleness; let us take Care to have our Time fo well employed, that we may never lie open to Temptati ons, for want of fome Bufinefs. And therefore we are not to think that Time ill fpent, which is bestowed in contriving how to spend the Reft. Idleness, as it has a great many other bad Effects, in rusting our Faculties, and enfeebling

our