The right government of thoughts, or, A discovery of all vain, unprofitable, idle, and wicked thoughts with directions for the getting, keeping, and governing of good thoughts, digested into chapters for the ease of the reader : whereunto are added four sermons / by ... John Angel ...

CHAP. V.

HItherto I have discovered some er∣rours of thoughts, as dulnesse, and vanity: which last appears. First, when the mind is busied about vain objects. Secondly, when the mind it self is loose and unstayed. Thirdly, When the mind propounds no pro∣fitable end. Fourthly, When the thoughts are disordered or confu∣sed.

I shall now speak of some other vani∣ties of our thoughts, which go far be∣yond these hitherto mentioned; be∣cause they have not errour onely joyn∣ed with them, but also apparent wick∣ednesse. Those already spoken of are native infirmities, in all men; and there∣fore also the best of men are faulty more or lesse in them: but there remain yet two other exorbitancies of thoughts which are incident to the minds and

thoughts of the worst men, espe∣cially; and from which regenerate persons are in a great measure set free.

Let us come to speak of the first sort of these wicked thoughts. I call them wicked, for they have not onely vanity in them, but also sin: and this is, when thoughts of evil draw in the will and affections to a complacency, to a wishing and longing, and sometimes a faint∣ing desire to enjoy some unlawlfull thing: suppose an unlawful pleasure, or some unjust gain, ungodly honour, un∣warrantable victory, bloody spoyle, or such like.Gen. So Eve saw the forbidden fruit, as a thing to be desired: so Am∣non lusted after his sister Thamar, till he became as one of the fooles of Israel. So Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard, till he was sick with desiring, and wick∣ed in gaining the possession. So Ab∣solon thought of a kingdom, and is and so ambitiously covetous of it, that he attempts to usurp the Crown, though by unnatural rebellion against his Father: This is that which the Apostle calls

the lust of the flesh, the

lust of the eyes, and the pride of life:

1 John 2. 16. which are the three great idols of the world.

This wickednesse in thoughts so farre pleaseth some, that when they cannot enjoy the thing desired, yet they account it a speculative happiness, to have the thing desired in their minds, though it be but an image there∣of: it pleaseth the covetous man to dream of his Bonds, Bills, Morgages, Assurances, dayes of payment; and this earthly mindednesse, will let him mind nothing else: so another tosseth fleshly pleasures from one thought to another, and from one desire to another, & when the power of the flesh perisheth in them, they grow to feed their phansies with contemplative fornications; in the like case the contentious man dreams of wrangling suits, the man of blood of fire and faggots, swords and battels. Thus the great mans thoughts are ta∣ken up with his honours, revenues, at∣tendancies; the Gallant with his gay clothes, the old man pleaseth his phansy with remembrances and discourses of what he hath been, and what he hath

done, the young man with what he may be: his hopes and possibilities de∣light him, as if they were present enjoy∣ments: thus the imagination of things that are not, work upon us the same affections, as if they were. Jacob doth as feelingly grieve for the sup∣posed death of Joseph, as if he had been dead indeed, and so men take the same delight in their supposed wick∣ednesses, as if they were really effected.

These and such like thoughts in the heart, are the things which defile a man; whether they be proud imagi∣nations, or covetous thoughts, thoughts of revenge against others, or thoughts of Blasphemy against God; of what kind soever our thoughts are, if they draw in the will to consent unto their evill, they are wicked thoughts; they are wicked, suo genere, in their own nature: but when they work the will into co-partnership, they are higher in the degree of wick∣ednesse; it is sin but to think that which is evil, but to think of it with liking and consent, is a greater degree of sin: God reproves him, and setteth

his sins in order before his face,

who saw the thief and consented unto him, and was partaker with the adulterer.

Psal. 50. 18. 23.

The second sort of wicked thoughts come to passe, when the thoughts ha∣ving gained upon the heart to delight in evil, and with a kind of roveing de∣sire to expect it; the understanding also is drawn in, by an opinion of an imagi∣nary happinesse to plot and bestirre it self unto the furthest of its natural or acquired invention, to produce by all means the evil thought upon, into action.

This in every kind is the height and extremity of evill thoughts, this per∣son so devising to do mischief is proba∣bly the man whom Saint John puts into the Devils mouth, saying;

He that com-commits sin, is of the Devill:

1 Joh. 3. 8. That is, not only thinks of it, and delights in it, but also plots for it; so the Devil sins from the beginning, desiring, plotting, contriving, acting it himself, and tempt∣ing others to it: of such a remarkable person, the wise man saith,

he that devise∣eth evill, (that is, by resolved devising all means, and leaving no stone unturned)

men shall call him the Authour of sin,

Prov. 24. 8. or a mischievous person, against these thoughts, and the thinkers of them; the Prophet Micha exclaimes,

Woe unto them, that devise iniquity, and work evill upon their beds, when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hands.

Micah 2. 1. Such are the thoughts of the men of this world, their hearts are filled with an hidden treasure of evil inventions how to do mischief, and when they have done it, they lay plots how to dawb over their unanswerable actions and endeavours with witty and deceitful Apologies, to prevent the evil opinions and speeches of men; for though the thoughts of the just are Righteous, yet the coun∣sels of the wicked, are deceipt.

These wicked thoughts have much of their Father the devil, in them; for he is full of devices or wiles, whereof the righteous are not ignorant,2 Cor. 2. 11. and so are all wicked men; and more, when they are men of parts and place in the world; Solomon notes,

that there is a a man of wicked devices, that is, one that desires and plots wickednesse,

Prov. 12. 2. so

the Churle deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor.Isa. 37. 2. And David speaks of his enemy,

that he devised mischief upon his bed;

Psal. 36. 4. if that enemy there meant was Saul, 'tis manifest, that he often∣time thought in his heart to kill Da∣vid, and laid many snares for him to take away his life: some ignorantly think that nothing is sinful, that is not acted by the bodies instruments, but alas, 'tis but their ignorance, and therefore also the vanity of their thoughts; for a Prophet records it for a truth,

the heart of a vile person will work iniquity:Isa 〈…〉〈…〉.

in sin there is heart-work, and head-work, as well as hand-work.