EVil Thoughts and Imaginations, are great troublers of the World of Mankind; and it is a great plague and misery which man is accompanied and surrounded with, who is given up to follow and obey his own evil Thoughts and Imaginations; or to walk ac­cording to them: It was a fore judgment pronounced against the disobedient rebellious Jews, in the Word of the Lord by Jeremy, saying, Hear O earth, behold I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts. And the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah saith, I have stretched out my hand all day to a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts, which are thoughts of iniquity, and the act of violence [Page 2]is in their hands. Also 'tis written, Every thought and imagination of mans heart are on­ly evil, and that continually. And very great is the misery, bondage, and slavery of man­kind in this estate; he is an enemy to God, and to himself, and to his Neighbour and Brother, Wasting and destruction are in their paths, who have not God in all their thoughts.

Now reader, that which is principally on my mind, is, to set before thee a certain in­fallible way, how thou mayest come to be saved from following or obeying thy own thoughts, and to gain strength against, and get victory over all thy imaginations that are evil; and also how thou mayest attain to good thoughts, and heavenly Meditations in the room thereof; and how thou mayest come to know every good thought, and de­sire, brought into the obedience of Christ, and every evil thought and imagination de­stroyed, and consumed with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his appearing. And when thou art re­stored and brought into the same estate mankind was in before transgres­sion, Evil thoughts must be consumed, and good thoughts must be subject and obe­dient to Christ. even into the Gar­den of God, how thou must then dress and keep the Garden. Thou must then watch over, and in the Wisdom [Page 3]and Power of God, govern thy thoughts, lest the Serpent beguile thee as he did Eve.

First, Thou must understand that Many in their carnal thoughts and imagi­nations conceive and affirm that it was the outward Earth God cursed, and that it would have brought forth no bryars, thorns, nor thistles (which are good Creatures in their places) if man had not sinned, such thoughts are vain and foolish; for all Crea­tures of God are good, the Fire and Air, Earth and Water, Sun, Moon, and Stars, and all the product of them, and they all stand and remain in the blessing, and keep their place, state, and order ac­cording to the will of God, and are obedi­ent unto him, and he is the upholder thereof by the word of his power. the ground evil thoughts and imaginations a­rise from, is now that which God in the be­ginning cursed: from this ground spring all the Bryars, Thorns, and Thistles, and o­ther hurtful Weeds in the world of man­kind, in whose heart they began to spring, grow, and increase, even so soon as he be­gan to lose his Faith in God his Maker, & incline to hearken to the voice of the Ser­pent, and give credit to his lyes, which be­got a vain thought; from whence a false hope sprung, that they should by eating the forbidden fruit better their conditi­ons, [Page 4] be as Gods, according as the Serpent told the Woman (the weaker Vessel) and by this false hope, grounded upon the thoughts and imaginations, entered the first transgres­sion; then when the temptation was entred into, and sin committed thoughts and ima­ginations began to multiply and fill the dis­obedient earthly heart of mankind; who having now turned his back upon the hea­venly, slighten the voice and command of God, who was his Teacher and Lawgiver, and How man lost his state at first. Let those that are restored thereto a­gain, take warning thereby, for the same temptation & danger attends. lent his ear to the wicked one, and gave up his mind and heart to obey him, even with thoughts it was all for the best. Thus poor mankind being deceived with vain thoughts, and false hope, lost his habitation and dwelling-place in Paradice; which after he had transgress'd, he still thought to keep; for he was soon convinced he had done amiss in cating the forbidden Fruit; and fear possest his heart, when he heard the voice of God in the cool of the day, and therefore sought means to cover and hide himself from the sight of God: but herein his thoughts were vain, and his en­deavours to no purpose; the Woman, Man, and Serpent, all received the fruits of their [Page 5]own doings; nothing but life, good and bles­sing were known before; now death evil, and cursing the fruit and effect of disobedience, (which as I have said, entred first by giving place to a vain thought and desire in Wicked men and sinners of these times and ages of the world, propose not that end to themselves, the De­vil needs not lay such baits & snares to win them to his obedience, being such vassals to him, that his motions and commands are sufficient. hope to gain and better their e­state) become the daily companions of mankind, who found, and finds by woful experience, that saying true, When sin is fi­nished it brings forth death.

So man having lost his place in the Garden which God planted, through neglecting his work which God appointed him to do, which was to dress it, and to keep it; for the Garden needed dressing and keeping before the sor­bidden Fruit was eaten, before Innocency was lost, before sin was committed, hefore the Serpent became a Tempter, Devil, and Destroyer.

And this ariseth in my mind to teslifie to all the wise in heart, that after they are come to find that which was lost, to witness a Re­storation, and Regeneration, and a returning into Eden again, into Innocency again, they [Page 6]have work there to do, Dressing and Keeping are two very significant words: this was the business of mankind in the beginning, in the state of Innocency; if he had not neglected this work, slighted the Light, Power, Wis­dom, and Glory of God, with which he was replenished, he had never fell; when the tem­ptation got into a thought, if he had watched in the Light and Wisdom of God, he would have seen and discovered the tendency of it, and have prevented its coming to a desire and act: But first gi­ving The beginning, increase, and pro­gress of sin, and how to stop and prevent it. place to a selfish thought, it soon sprang to a hunger or desire, thence into act, (this is the beginning and pro­gress of sin at this day) which mankind in Innocency had, and hath power and wisdom from God to prevent, if he abide in it, and keep in his watch-tower, the light and strength of God, which is as near him as the temptation can be, and sufficient to preserve him: and where this work is neglected, men, yea, holy men fall, and sin after the similitude of Adam's Trangression, and are beguiled as the Serpent did Eve, drawn out of Inno­cency, and a sinless estate after they have at­tained unto it; therefore let none be high­minded, but fear, and take the second Adam [Page 7]for example, who when he was tempted, did not hunger or desire after the things presen­ted, though very spacious in appearance, and accompanied with very large promises; even as the first Adam had: but 'tis written, while the temptation lasted he eat nothing; he let nothing in, gave no place to selfish thoughts, and enticements of the enemy: so when the temptation was over, Angels ministred unto him: Let this be the exam­ple of all the Children of Light, and as they do thereafter, the powerful salvation of God shall surround them and neither heights nor depths, Angels, Principalities, nor Powers, things presen, or things to come, shall be able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This is as a word by the way.

Now evil thoughts and They are as the wings of the great red Dragon, who troubles Heaven & Earth, Angels and Men. imaginations are of a multiplying nature, and do mainly increase and take root in the generali­ty of mankind; who, through evil works are estranged from the life of God, remaining a degenerate plant, sprang from the seed of the evil doer, and dwells and labours in that ground which God hath cursed, and knows not the seed of the Woman to bruise the Serpents head, and to redeem and preserve [Page 8]him from following and obeying his own thoughts and imaginations, which are evil, and that continually. And indeed in that state can be no otherwise, whether they lead into self-sinning, or self-righteousness, both are an abomination to the Lord, and destructive to the well-being of mankind, both temporal and eternal: for all the wick­edness that hath been brought forth and acted in the world since the beginning, be­gan or appeared first in the thought; and the thought being cherished and joyned to by the mind, will, and understanding, it in­creased, and increaseth into words and actions. That which is clean cannot proceed from that which is unclean; the heart of man­kind in the fall is universally corrupted, and desperate wicked; and, as hath been said, the thoughts and imaginations thereof are evil, and that continually: And before it can be otherwise, there is an absolute neces­sity that every particular man and woman must know and experience: for, and in them­selves, their hearts cleansed, purged, and pu­rified, and created anew, the ground must be made good, before the seed, the heavenly plant can grow, increase, and flourish there­in; before good thoughts, heavenly thoughts, and meditations can arise, spring, and remain therein. And when this estate is known, [Page 9]witnessed; and enjoyed, then to abide with him, dwell and walk with him, who hath wrought these mighty things in thee, and for thee, and in his wisdom and power to dress and keep the Garden, the Heart, with all diligence, that that which would defile enter not again, creep in again, as it did in the beginning (which is possible.) Therefore what the Spirit of God put man upon in the be­ginning when he was a noble plant in Eden, Man was to dress and keep the Gar­den before Trans­gression entred; and when he comes to know sin and trans­gression finished, or restoration in­to Innocency again, he must be exerci­sed in the same work. wholly a right Seed, viz. to dress and keep the Garden, so the Spirit of God now in this age saith to the Disciples thereof; Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation; (take heed) lest as the Ser­pent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the sim­plieity that is in Christ.

Now this I testifie from certain know­ledge, that God hath ordained means where­by mankind, whose heart is so corrupted, that nothing that is good proceeds out of it, neither any thing that is heavenly, and of God springs up in it, that can live a moment, being so foul and so dark, (even like a foul [Page 10]dark piece of earth outwardly, on which the Sun never shines, nor the rain falls) that man in this miserable state may come to know and experienye his foul heart cleansed, purged, and sanctified, as the Christians in the Primitive times did; Though mankind may be in a state like unto dry bones scattered in a Val­ley, without mar­row and life, yet such may come to unit eagain, and fi­news and flesh to come upon them, and to receive the breath of life, and to know God also, whose work it is; who works mar­vellous things in the Earth, and in the Heavens; as those who go down into the deeps be­hold. Such were some of you, but now are you washed, clean­sed, and sanctified, &c. the fallow ground may be plowed up, and bear seed, and the wilderness may become a fruitful field, and streams may break forth in the desare, and the desart may come to rejoyce, and to blossom as a Rose; crooked things may be made streight, and rough places smooth; great heavy dark high Mountains may be brought down and removed; yea, (melted at the presence of God) and the low valleys may be ezalted; yea the wilderness may become like Eden, and the desart like the garden of the Lord. All these mighty works and won­ders hath the Lord wrought in this age, in and for a remnant, who are come to the ful­filling of the Prophesies, are living wit­nesses [Page 11]of the same, and do in his Holy Spi­rit, and Power, proclaim that the love and mercy of God towards lost man is universal, and that his hand is stret­ched Fallen man can­not help himself, therefore the eye of God pittieth him, and his hand is stretched out to help him: he is on­ly required to lay hold and depend upon the same, and it will bring falvati­on to his house. forth to help him out of the snare, pit, and deep dark dungeon, wherein he is fallen; out of which he cannot by all his strength, wisdom, and invention help himself; and so set him at liberty, that he may run the ways of his Commandments with delight, and that he may come again to stand upright, as God made man in the beginning; and lay aside all his thoughts and inventions wherein he cor­rupted himself; and to bring him into such a state and condition, that he may be able to do all things that are good, to think good thoughts, speak good words, and do good works; and to eschew and avoid the con­trary: this to know and be able to do, is the one thing needful, wihtout which all men are miserable, let their knowledge, wildom, and profession of Religion, Opinion, and In­vention be what it will.

Therefore my mind is in good will to man­kind, having received knowledge and un­derstanding [Page 12]of the means God hath ordain­ed for the good and salvation of mankind: And being something acquainted with the two great mysteries of Godliness & Iniquity, and the way and working of each, to impart and signifie something of the same in a few words, to instruct and inform those to whom this my testimony may come, how they may attain thereunto, and how they may come to be rid of those troublesome companions, (viz.) Evil Thoughts and Imaginations that do, may, or shall arise in their hearts, whila corrupted; and how the same may be puri­fied and made a holy habitation for God, as it was before sin entred, before Innocency was lost, before the Serpent deceived the weaker vessel, when all was good, yea very good.

The way that leadeth thereto, I affirm and declare to be as followeth; and whoever thou art that hast a mind or desire to find that which is lost, observe, believe, and re­ceive what I say or write, as Truth; not re­ceived or learned by Tradition, but by the ex­perimental powerful work and operation of the Spirit of Truth in my own Heart, Mind, and Conscience: and what I have said, or shall say, is, and shall be according to the Ho­ly Scriptures, and witnessed to by them; for I cannot write contrary to them, being in [Page 13]unity with them, & with the just mens spirits that wrote them. First then know thou, O man, whoever thou art, and whatever thy thoughts and imaginations are, how far so­ever thou art run into corruption, darkness, and degeneration from the state of innocen­cy, purity, and holiness; yet there is a mea­sure of Divine Light attends thee, though thou art darkness it-shines in thee, in order to show thee thy way out of it; though thou art degenerated and run from God into the earth, yet this pure light & Spirit of God follows thee, and calls thee back again; and thou mayst in this state hear it as a voice be­hind thee, saying, Return, return, this is the way, come and walk in it; this is the kind­ness and love of God to thee in his Son, who is the light of the world, and lighteth every one that cometh therein­to; If men would hear and obey the voice of the Son of God, Death, Hell nor the Grave could not hinder them from Salvation. if thou hear and o­bey this voice of the light of the Son of God, though thou wert dead in sin, and buried as in a grave, thou shalt arise and come forth, and live before him; the bars and gates of Hell shall not be able to retain thee: But if thou slight and despise the Light of God that vi­sits thee, and shut'st thy ear against its voice, it will be as a thousand witnesses against [Page 14]thee, while thou rebellest against it, and art found following thy own thoughts and ima­ginations, and doing the thing that is evil; for this Light I speak of, is the eye of the Lord, that runs too and fro through the earth, beholding the evil and the good, and that discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart; 'tis the word that's nigh in mouth and in the heart, which is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piereing even to the dividing asun­der of Soul and Spirit, and of the joynts and marrow: this is the candle of the Lord that searcheth Jerusalem, and gives light to the sides of the earth, and corners of the world, from whom the shadow of death cannot hide, nor the Rocks and Mountains cover or defend; for be that formeth the Mountains, and createth the winds, and declareth or sheweth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of Hosts is his name. This is the Spirit of truth that convinceth the world of sin, and that sets mens sins in order before them, and reproves and smites in secret for evil, and that brings to judgment the hidden things of Esau; from this eye or light of the Lord thou canst not hide thy self no more than Adam and Cain could, though thou shouldest hate the light [Page 15](which sheweth thee thy thoughts) and love the darkness so as to dwell in it, No hiding from the eye of God. yet the light or eye of God will pursue thee and find thee out; Hell nor the utmost parts of the earth, and darkness cannot se­cure thee from the Mans condem­nation is just, be­cause he hates the light, the way and means of Salvation. just condemnation of God; because thou hatest the shining of his light, and stopest thy ear against the voice and teaching of it, and lovest the darkness, and dwellost in it, while thou doest so, thou choosest the way of death, and neglectest the means of salvati­on that God hath ordained: for this is the condemnation of the world, that light is come into it, and men love darkness rather, because their deeds are evil.

Now as the first step towards restoration and everlasting happiness, thou art required The first step in the way to life, or towards ever­lasting happiness. to turn thy mind from the darkness in which thou dwellest, to the light Eye or Spirit of God, and to decline the power of Satan that works in the darkness, and em­brace the power of God; and when thou dost but begin to do so, thou wilt find the scales to fall from thy eyes by degrees, and [Page 16]the veil to be taken off thy heart, and the setters and chains of darkness to be loosed, and the prison doors opened; so when thy candle is lighted, and thy eye opened, thou wilt discern thy way out, and see the Angel of the Lord go before thee, and guide thee in the same: And thou wilt also perceive what is in thy house, and clearly understand what hath lodged in the dark room of thy heart, and when thou comest to see things as they are, Mistake in the understanding con­cerning the nature of things that do present themselves before mankind, is the cause of error. Thence it is that some call darkness light, and light darkness. thou wilt re­ceive wisdom, to give them names according to their nature, and to judge righteously concerning them: and as thou lovest this light, thou wilt be enabled by it to divide betwixt thought and thought, and begin to make conscience of a thought, and to hate every vain thought; and when thou canst not be easily rid of them, nor remove them from their old lodging-place, thou wilt breath and cry to the Lord in the Spirit, as one of old did, who was burthened and oppressed with their company: Search me and try me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thougts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and [Page 17]lead me in the way everlasting. This is the cry which the Lord hears, and will answer in due and needful time. And Jeremiah's cry to Jerusalem was, Wash thy heart from wic­kedness, that thou mayest be saved, how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Now the only way to dislodge them, and to be rid of their company, The way to be rid of evil thoughts and to see their de­struction. is to shew them no coun­tenance, make no provisi­on for them, give them no entertainment, but by the light of God which discovers them to be thy enemies, judge them, and keep thy mind exercised in the light and power of God, that it is turned to; and not in thy thoughts, and imaginations, give them no regard: and though they do and may arise, pursue and compass thee about like Bees, yet thou keeping thy eye fixed in the light and power of God, which is as nigh thee as thy thoughts are, and sheweth them unto thee, thou wilt see them in due time scattered as chaff before a fierce wind, and destroyed as stubble before a devouring fire.

Now as thou comest to be a believer in the light, and to trust in the power of God, to which thy mind is turned, thou wilt become in very deed a child of it, and soon be able to say, darkness is past, and the true light now [Page 18]shineth, by which thou canst see and judge every thought and motion that ariseth and stirreth in thy mind, whether evil or inno­cent, hurtful or harmless, and have wis­dom to order them accordingly. And this is that primitive wisdom mankind had in the beginning, but he abode not in it, through looking at the temptati­on and beauty of the thing presented to the eye of his mind, A dam's tempta­tion was inward and mysterious. or through receiving from the Woman (for he was not deceived with the beauty of an Ap­ple, or some other outward fruit, nor by the talk and perswasion of any creature; like our English Snakes, or the Devil in the shape of it, as vain man in his carnal mind ima­gines when he reads the History thereof: but the temptation was more mysterious and inward) the Woman was deceived in her Thoughts; in her Judgment and Under­standing was she beguiled before she obeyed the Tempter, it appeared good for food, Gen. 3.6.pleasant and desirable, and able to make one wise, before she eat, 1 Tim. 2.14. Rom. 8.20. or gave to her Hus­band. Paul saith, the wo­man being deceived, was in the trangression subjected to vanity; not [Page 19]willingly, but through hope; she hoped to find the Serpents words true, and to become more wise, and more happy, by taking the Serpents counsel; but instead thereof, fell into the depth of misery: the same danger attends the Children of light, the Sons and Daughters of God, (for Adam was a Son of God before Transgressi­on) The Sons and Children of God, of the light, and of the day are only capable to fall as Adam did; and not the children of the Devil & Darkness; they are to be re­stored into Inno­cency, into upright­ness, before they are in danger to fall from it as Adam did. And it is only such who are in the restorati­on, children of the light, and of the day, that are capable to fall as Adam and Eve did, and to sin after the similitude of Adam's Transgression, and to lose innocency, pu­rity, holiness and upright­ness as they did, (and be driven out of the Garden of God, as they were.) Such as were never in it, nor ever dwelt in the state of restoration, innocency, purity and holiness, cannot be said to fall from, or lose it, &c. Children of Darkness, and chil­dren of the Devil, who have gone astray from that womb, and always dwelt in dark­ness, end in the region and shadow of death, never knew what a harmless innocent estate is, what the life of purity and holiness is, [Page 20]nor what the simplicity of the Gospel and Christ is, so cannot be beguiled as the Serpent did Eve, of that they never knew, nor had as men and women now in the world) yet such are beguiled by the Serpent in another sort; not of what they have had, and did once enjoy, but of what they might have and should enjoy: And this he effects by keeping the eyes and minds of people abroad, and by perswading them to follow any thing, The way and work of the Devil to keep man in the fall, in the degene­ration, in death and darkness, slaves in his kingdom. and walk in any way, rather than to turn the eye of their minds inward to the Light, Word, Power, and Spirit of God, which shines, which speaks, which works in man, in order to lead, to teach, to guide and direct him into the way of life, and salvation, and to bring him into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, into a perfect translation from darkness to light, and from the Kingdom and power of Satan, to the Kingdom and power of the Son of God, and to know Christ made unto him Wisdom, Sanctification, and Redemption.

This is the blessed end of God in sending his Son a light into the world, The precious love of God in sending his Son. even to enlighten the Gentile, Jew, Pro­fessor, [Page 21]and Prophane; and that through him they might believe and receive eternal life, and enter into that blessed rest that God hath prepared, which the Primitive Christians who believed, entred into; where they did not speak their own words, nor think their own thoughts, nor do their own works, their heavenly Father spake in them, and their thoughts were thoughts of God, and he wrought all their works in them and for them. This is a blessed state indeed, and none are entred into the rest which God hath prepared, but such as are come to witness and experience these things now in this age, as the Primitive Christians did in ages past.

For while any are found thinking their own thoughts, speaking their own words, and doing their own works (though under a profession of Christ and Christianity) they cannot enter into the rest which God hath prepared, though they may create to them­selves false rests, and kindle a fire, and walk by the light of their own sparks, but in the end lie down in sorrow.

True rest and peace is obtained, or comes through a true self-denial: a dying to self-sin­ning, and self-righteousness, self-thinking, and self-working, contriving and inventing, self-wisdom, knowledge, and understanding also: all these things must bedenied, annihilated or [Page 22]brought to nothing, and confounded: the feeding upon these things occasioned, The seeding of the forbidden Fruit which was good in it self, though not for food, occasion­ed, and occasioneth at this day all the misery that attend monkind. and occasion­eth the Curse, add all the labour and turmoil, trou­ble, forrow, and torment that hath attended, and doth attend mankind since the fall; to the death must they all come before a sitting down in the Ringdom of God can be witnessed, or before any can cease from their own works, as God did from his.

Now thou who art a child of light, un­derstand this one thing for thy comfort and encouragement in thy warfare against evil thoughts; that notwithstanding multitude of thoughts do arise in thee, and troops thereof attend thee, which are in themselves sinful; yet if thou joyn not with them in thy mind, will, and understanding, they are not thy thoughts, neither shall the evil there­of be imputed unto thee, if thou lovest the light, and keepest thy mind joyned to the Spirit of God, or appearance of Christ in thee, that discovereth all temptations unto thee, in the very thought, and first appea­rance of them; then thou art helping the Lord against the mighty; being joyned unto him, art become one with him in thy mind, [Page 23]and spirit (though in thy members there is a law, a power that wars against thee) and as thou abidest with the Lord, waiting upon him, even as the eye of a Maid waits upon the hand of her Mistress; he will save and deliver thee and subdue all thy enemies, even those of thy own house, which are the greatest enemies.

Though temptations may, and will attend thee, yet it is no sin to be tempted, It is no sin to be tempted. though with in­ward temptations; neither art thou to account thy self, nor to be accounted a sinner, because sin and vain thoughts may present themselves in thee, in thy warfare estate, yet thou mayest say as Paul did, It is no more I, but sin that dwelleth in me; and that in me, that is in my stesh dwells no good thing: which flesh thou art now in the way to know withers as the grass, Flesh, and sin that dwells in it, may be destroved, and the earthen vessel cleansed, and the creature deli­vered from bon­dage, even on this side the grave. and the glory of it become as the saded flower of the field, and sin that dwel­leth therein destroyed, and the creature of Gods making preserved, the earthen vessel that holds the heavenly treasure sanctified and saved, and delivered from the yoak of bondage [Page 24]the whole Creation of God groans under. And this thou shalt certainly arrive at, as thou keepest thy eye upon thy Saviour, thy light, thy way, thy Captain, whom thou wilt see go before thee conquering, and to conquer, till all his and thy enemies are sub­dued, brought under, and destroyed, and thou made as a King, as a Priest to God, Lest thou shouldst stumble at those sayings, consider that John was the greatest Prophet that was born of a woman, yet the least in the King­dom was greater than he. meeker than Moses, stronger than Sampson, wiser than So­lomon, and more patient than Job; as thy elder brother was, and as the Primitive Christians were, who could say, as he is, so are we in this pre­sent world, pure as he is pure, holy as he is holy, righteous as he is righteous, harmless and inno­cent as he was, and in all resigned up unto the will of God: not my will (said the se­cond Adam) but thine, though his will was as innocent and harmless as the first Adams was before the fall, and did excel: when thou comest up hither, thou wilt understand and receive what I say, till then it will be as a mystery and hard saying to thee.

And in thy way take heed of thinking, willing, and running, that obtains not the prize, stand still and see the salvation of God; [Page 25]mind above all, the arm of his power in thee, which is able to suppress thy thoughts, mor­tifie thy will, stop thy running, and give thee perfect strength to resist the Devil, and make him flee, and to furnish thee to every good word and work, and give thee dominion over thy own spirit, whose property is to be swift in thoughts, eager in desire, and restless in the accomplishment thereof.

Now it is written, he that hath rule over his own spirit is stronger than he that rules a City; Consider the si­mily, and in the light try and com­pare thy self there­with, and thou wilt find the truth thereof.and he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a City broken down, and without walls: when the righteous bears rule, the land rejoyceth; but when the wicked, the land mourneth. These things are infallibly true, while the usurper keeps the throne, the Prince of Peace and his peaceable government is not known. Tri­bulation and anguish comes upon every soul of man that doth evil, No opinion nor profession of Reli­gion, &c. where evil thoughts and evil doings stands, avails any thing. that thinketh and imagi­neth evil, and that yields his members servants to unrighteousness, let his opinion, profession, and talk of Religion be what [Page 26]it will, he that commits sin is of the Devil: and without returning from it, a finishing or ending of it, and righteousness set up in the room thereof, will (with the Devil) have the wages and reward of the same, and pos­sess the fruit of their own thoughts and do­ings.

Now it is a heavenly estate to live under the government of Christ, to know and ex­perience him, swaying the Scepter in the heart, and established in the throne thereof: but this none comes to enjoy, till they have first known him to sit as a Refiner, with fire; and as a Fuller with soap; and as a Spirit of judgment and burning; and as the stronger man to dispossess the strong man, spoil all his goods, sweep and cleanse the house, and to furnish it again with heavenly goods, with heavenly thoughts, with heavenly desires and meditations, and all things else that becomes the house of the Lord: Holiness to the Lord was written or engraven upon the Crown and Plate of Gold, and all the furniture of the outward Temple was sanctified, of which this is the anti-tipe, or substance; as he that enjoys it well knows.

And now it is the duty of a Christian to watch in the light against evil thoughts, and to use the axe of God, which is laid to the root of them, that their springing again may [Page 27]be hindered, and the end of them prevented; so also it is the duty of every one, when good thoughts, and desires, springs in the room thereof to cherish them, to joyn with them, and to keep their eye unto the Lord that be­gat them, or raised them up in the heart: and so they may be called Gods thoughts, being of his own bringing forth, of his own begetting; being thoughts of purity, thoughts of peace and righteousness, thoughts of holi­ness and joy in the inward man, which thoughts thou of thy self cannot think; Good thoughts are of Gods own be getting, and very comfortable to a Christian, and are the fruit and effect of keeping and o­beying the Law of God within the heart, Rom. 2.14, 15 these are comfortable thoughts, justifying and excusing thoughts, thoughts that will stand approved in the light, and the end and tendency of them is good, even as pleasant fruit to the soul; so that such can say as David once did, How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O Grd, how great is the sum of them? if I should count them they are more in number than the sand; when I awake I am still with thee. As thot lovest the light, and delightest in the Law of God, and meditates therein, these good thoughts will multiply, and increase in thee, to thy great content and satisfaction: But the thoughts of the wicked [Page 28]are sin, and sin brings trouble, Proverbs 15.26. anguish and tor­ment; men are accused or excused in their thoughts. It is said Bel­shazzer was so much troubled with his thoughts, that his countenance was changed, and the joynts of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote together, Dan. 5.6. Many are the amazing, scaring, tormenting thoughts that attends the wicked, whose feet run to do evil, and make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iuiquity, wasting and destruction are in their paths; the way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their goings, &c. Isa. 59.7, 8.

Now the thoughts of the righteous are right, and those that commit their way to the Lord, their thoughts shall he established: And that's a blessed state indeed, to have good thoughts established in the heart, in the mind, The effect of good thoughts when e­stablished in the heart. such can go forth, and come in, in peace, lie down and rise up in peace, live and walk in peace, and praise the God of peace, who is blessed for evermore: And this is the peace, the inward peace, which the world with all its treasures and pleasures cannot give, nor by its frowns take away, and is the portion of all that get victory over their own [Page 29]thoughts, imaginations, lusts, defires and af­fections; and that do also keep in the wis­dom and power of God, that when good thoughts are established in them, and are so made partakers of the Divine Nature, that they naturally think good thoughts, thoughts of love, peace, and obedience, (as they did while in the degeneration think the contra­ry) yet in this state of innocency and harm­lesness to be diligent in the wisdom of God, to dress and keep the Garden, Many may eat and drink unwor­thily, deck them­selves with Gold Jewels, and play the harlot with them, &c. lest thou ha­ving found honey, eat more than may suffice to nourish the right birth, lest thou feed thy seed thy self without fear, eat and drink and rise up to play, grow idle and wanton, through plenty, and so forget the Lord, and let his benefits slip out of thy mind, and slight his Commandments, and let pride and exaltation in thy selfish spirit grow up again, as the first Adam and others did, mentioned in the holy Scriptures, which are written for our learning and admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10, 11. therefore let him that thinketh he stands, take heed lest he fall.