7. Vain Thoughts in Duty

BY caſting in a multitude of vaine thoughts, whilſt the ſoule is in ſeeking of God, or in waiting on God, and by this device he hath cooled ſome mens ſpirits in heavenly ſervices, and taken off (at leaſt for a time) many precious⁴¹⁸ ſoules from religious performances. I have no heart to heare, nor no heart to pray, nor no delight in reading, nor in the ſociety of the Saints, &c. Satan doth ſo dog, and follow my ſoule, and is ſtill a caſting in ſuch a multitude of vaine thoughts concerning God, the world, and my own ſoule, &c. that I even tremble to think of waiting upon God in any religious ſervice; oh! the vaine thoughts that Satan caſts in, do ſo diſtaſt my ſoule, and ſo grieve, vex, perplex, and diſtract my ſoule, that they even make me weary of holy duties, yea, of my very life; oh! I cannot be ſo raiſed and raviſhed, ſo heated and melted, ſo quickned and enlarged, ſo comforted and refreſhed as I ſhould be, as I might p. 183 be, and as I would be in religious ſervices, by reaſon of that multitude of vain thoughts that Satan is injecting, or caſting into my ſoule, &c.

1. 418. Vellem ſervire Domine ſed cogitationes non patiuntur, Lord now how fain would I ſerve thee, & vaine thoughts will not ſuffer me.

THe firſt Remedie againſt this device⁴¹⁹ of Satan, is, to have your hearts ſtrongly affected with the greatneſſe, holineſſe, Majeſty, and glory of that God, before whom you ſtand, and with whom your ſouls do converſe in religious ſervices; Oh! let your ſouls be greatly affected with the preſence, purity, and majeſty of that God before whom thou ſtandeſt. A man would be afraid of playing with a feather, when he is ſpeaking to a King; ah! when men have poor, low, light, ſlight, &c. thoughts of God, in their drawing neer to God, they tempt the Devill to beſtir himſelfe, and to caſt in a multitude of vaine thoughts to diſturb and diſtract the ſoul in its waiting on God. There is nothing that will contribute ſo much to the keeping out of vaine thoughts, as to looke upon God as an omniſcient God, an p. 184 omnipreſent God, an omnipotent God, a God full of all glorious perfections; a God, whoſe Majeſtie, purity, and glory wil not ſuffer him to behold the leaſt iniquity. The reaſon why the bleſſed Saints, and glorious Angells in Heaven have not ſo much as one vaine thought, is, becauſe they are greatly affected with the greatneſſe, holineſſe, majeſty, purity, and glory of God.

1. 419. 1 Remedie. When Pompey could not keep his ſouldiers in the camp by perſwaſion, he caſt himſelfe all along in the narrow paſſage that lead out of it, and then bid them goe if you will, but you ſhall firſt trample upon your Generall, and the thoughts of this overcame them; you are wiſe, & know how to apply it to the point in hand.

The ſecond Remedie againſt this Device⁴²⁰ of Satan, is, to be peremptory in religious ſervices, notwithſtanding all thoſe wandering thoughts the ſoule⁴²¹ is troubled with. This will be a ſweet help againſt them for the ſoul to be reſolute in waiting on God, whether it be troubled with vain thoughts, or not; to ſay, wel, I will pray ſtill, and heare ſtill, and meditate ſtill, and keep fellowſhip with the Saints ſtill; many precious ſoules can ſay from experience, that when their ſoules have been peremptory in their waiting on God, that Satan hath left them, and hath not been ſo buſie in vexing their ſoules with vaine thoughts; when Satan perceives that all⁴²² thoſe trifling vain thoughts that he caſts into the ſoule, do but vex the ſoule into greater diligence, carefulneſſe, watchfulneſſe, and peremptorineſſe in holy and heavenly ſervices, and that the ſoul p. 185 looſes nothing of his zeale, piety, and devotion, but doubles his care, diligence, and earneſtneſſe; he often ceaſes to interpoſe his triflles, & vain thoughts as he ceaſed to tempt Chriſt, when Chriſt was peremptory in reſiſting his temptations.

1. 420. 2 Remedy. [dropped from the edition]
2. 421. It is a rule in the civil Law, (nec videtur actum, ſiquid ſuperſit quod agatur) nothing ſeems to be done, if there remains ought to be done.
3. 422. Si dixiſti ſuffiſit periiſti, if once thou ſayeſt ‘tis enough, thou art undone, ſaith Auguſtin.

The third Remedie againſt this device⁴²³ of Satan, is, to conſider this, that thoſe vaine and trifling thoughts that are caſt⁴²⁴ into our ſoules, when we are waiting upon God in this or that religious ſervice, if they are not cheriſhed, and indulged, but abhorred, reſiſted, and diſclaimed; they are not ſins upon our ſoules, though they may be troubles to our mindes, they ſhall not be put upon our accounts, nor keep mercies and bleſſings from being injoyed by us; when a ſoule in uprightneſſe can look God in the face, and ſay, Lord, when I approach neer unto thee, there be a world of vain thoughts croud in upon me, that do diſturb my ſoule, and weaken my faith, and leſſen my comfort, and ſpirituall ſtrength; oh! theſe are my clog, my burden, my torment, my hell; oh! do juſtice upon theſe; free me from theſe that I may ſerve thee with more freeneſſe, ſingleneſſe, ſpiritualneſſe, and ſweetneſſe of ſpirit. Theſe thoughts may vexe that ſoule, but they ſhall not harm that ſoul, p. 186 nor keep a bleſſing from that ſoule; If vaine thoughts reſiſted and lamented, could ſtop the current of mercie, and render a ſoule unhappy, there would be none on earth that ſhould ever taſt of mercy, or be everlaſtingly happy, &c.

1. 423. 3. Remedy. [dropped from the edition]
2. 424. ‘Tis not Satans caſting in of vaine thoughts that can keepe mercie from the ſoule, or undoe the ſoul, but the lodging, and cheriſhing of vaine thoughts; oh Ieruſalem! how long ſhall vain thoughts lodg within thee ( Jer 4. 14.) Heb. in the midſt of thee; they paſſe through the beſt hearts, they are lodged and cheriſhed only in the worſt hearts.

The fourth Remedy againſt this device⁴²⁵ of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that watching againſt ſinfull thoughts, reſiſting of ſinfull thoughts, lamenting and weeping over ſinfull thoughts, carries⁴²⁶ with it the ſweeteſt, and ſtrongeſt evidence of the truth, and power of grace, and of the ſincerity of your hearts, and is the readieſt and the ſureſt way to be rid of them; many low and carnal conſiderations may worke men to watch their words, their lives, their actions; As hope of gaine, or to pleaſe friends, or to get a name in the world, and many other ſuch like conſiderations; oh! but to watch our thoughts, to weep and lament over them, &c. this muſt needs be from ſome noble, ſpiritual, and internal principle, as love to God, a holy fear of God, a holy care and delight to pleaſe the Lord, &c. The Schools do well obſerve, that outward ſinnes are of greater⁴²⁷ infamy; but inward heart ſinnes are of greater guilt, as wee ſee in the Devills. There is nothing that ſpeaks out a man to be throughly, and kindly wrought p. 187 upon, as his having his thoughts to be⁴²⁸ brought into obedience, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Grace is growen up to a very great height in that ſoule, where it prevailes, to the ſubduing of thoſe vaine thoughts that walk up and down in the the ſoule; well, though you cannot be⁴²⁹ rid of them, yet make reſiſtance and oppoſition againſt the firſt riſings of them; when ſinfull thoughts ariſe, then thinke thus; the Lord takes notice of theſe thoughts, he knows them afar off, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks; he knew Herods bloody thoughts, and Judas his betraying thoughts, and the Phariſees cruell and blaſphemous thoughts afarre off; oh! think thus, all theſe ſinfull thoughts, they defile and pollute the ſoule, they deface and ſpoyle much of the inward beauty, and glory of the ſoule; if I commit this or that ſinne, to which my thoughts incline me, then either I muſt⁴³⁰ repent, or not repent; if I repent, it will coſt me more griefe, ſorrow, ſhame, heart-breaking, and ſoul-bleeding, before my conſcience will be quieted, divine Juſtice pacified, my comfort and joy reſtored, my evidences cleared, and my pardon in the Court of Conſcience ſealed, then the imagined profit, or ſeeming ſenſuall pleaſure can be worth; What fruit had you in thoſe things whereof you are now aſhamed?

1. 425. 4 Remedie. [dropped from the edition]
2. 426. Pſal. 139. 23. Thoughts are the firſt born, the bloſſomes of the ſoul, the beginning of our ſtrength, whether for good or evill, and they are the greateſt evidence for, or againſt a man that can be.
3. 427. Majoris infamiae. Majoris reatus.
4. 428. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.
5. 429. Pſal. 139. 2. Iſa. 59. 7. ch. 66. 18. Mat. 9. 4. ch. 12. 25. Zeno a wiſe heathen affirmed, that God even beheld the thoughts, Mat. 15. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.
6. 430. Tears in ſtead of Gems were the ornaments of Davids bed, when he had ſinned, & ſo they muſt be thine, or elſe thou muſt lie downe in a bed of ſorrow forever.

If I never repent, oh then my ſinfull⁴³¹ thoughts will be the Scorpions that wil eternally vex me; the rods that will eternally laſh me; the thorns that will everlaſtingly prick me; the dagger that will be eternally a ſtabbing mee; the worme that will be for ever a gnawing me; oh! therefore watch againſt them, be conſtant in reſiſting them, and in lamenting and weeping over them, and then they ſhall not hurt thee, though they may for a time trouble thee, and remember this; he that doth this, doth more then the moſt gliſtering and bluſtering Hypocrite in the world doth.

1. 431. Inward bleeding kils many a man; ſo will ſinfull thoughts, if not repented of.

The fifth Remedie againſt this device⁴³² of Satan, is, to labour more and more to be filled with the fulneſſe of God, and to be inriched with all ſpirituall and heavenly things; what’s the reaſon that the Angells in heaven have not ſo much as an idle thought? ‘tis becauſe they are filled with the fulneſſe of God; take it for an experienced truth, the more the ſoule is filled with the fulneſſe of God, and inriched with ſpirituall and heavenly things, the leſſe room there is in that ſoule for vaine thoughts. The fuller the veſſel is of wine, the leſſe room there is for water; Oh! lay up much of God, of Chriſt, of precious promiſes, and choiſe experiences in your hearts, and p. 189 then you wil be leſſe troubled with vain thoughts; A good man out of the good treaſure⁴³³ of his heart bringeth forth good things.⁴³⁴

1. 432. 5. Remedy. Epheſ. 3. 19. The words are an hebraiſme; the Hebrews when they would ſet out many excellent things, they add the name of God to it, City of God, Cedars of God, wreſtlings of God, ſo here, that ye may be filled with the fulneſſe of God.
2. 433. Mat. 12. 3.
3. 434. 6. Remedy. [dropped from the edition]

The ſixth Remedie againſt this device of Satan, is, to keep up holy and ſpirituall affections; for ſuch as your affections are, ſuch will be your thoughts; Oh!⁴³⁵ how I love thy law, ‘tis my meditation all the day; what we love moſt, we moſt muſe upon; when I awake, I am ſtill with thee. That which wee much like, wee ſhall much mind; them that are frequent in their love to God and his law, wil be frequent in thinking of God, and his⁴³⁶ law; a childe will not forget his mother.

1. 435. Pſal. 119. 97. Pſal. 139. 8.
2. 436. Simile. [dropped from the edition]

The ſeventh Remedie againſt this device⁴³⁷ of Satan, is, to avoid multiplicity of wordly buſineſſe; oh! let not the world take up your hearts & thoughts at other times; ſoules that are torne In pieces with the cares of the world, will be alwayes vexed and tormented with vain thoughts in all their approaches to God; vain thoughts will be ſtill crouding in upon him that lives in a croud of buſineſſe. The ſtars which have leaſt circuit, are neereſt the Pole; and men that are leaſt perplexed with buſineſſe, are commonly neareſt to God.

1. 437. 7. Remedie. 2 Tim. 2. 4. ἐμπλέκεται, is entangled, it is a compariſon which St Paul borroweth from the cuſtome of the Roman Empire, wherein ſoldiers were forbidden to be proctors of other mens cauſes, to undertake huſbandry or Merchandize.