CHAP. I. In Inward Admirings and Adorings of God .

1. TO admire and adore God in Spirit and in Truth , for in such inward admirings and adorings , consists the very spirit , life , and power of Holiness , if the knowledge we have of God doth not raise our souls so high as to admire him , and humble them so low , as to adore him ; it is but carnal , and utterly unworthy of God ; this is that frame of spirit which the Angels have , Matth. 18.10 . it is not a glance of the eye , but behold , that is , looking upon with admiration ; and this is continual , they never have their eye off , they alwayes behold , though their imployments are , as to the object various , for they are Ministring Spirits , sometimes imployed about the preserving , or delivering the people of God from temporal dangers .

Now let us seriously consider , whether we have not as great cause to admire , adore , love , and praise God , as they ; it is true , they are in possession of that happiness , which we have not as yet in possession , but are as sure of , as if wee had ; wee have the Word , the Covenant , the Oath of God for it , in which it is impossible for him to fail ; if we have not strong consolation , it is not his fault , but ours , that wee do not believe him ; nor should our not having possession be thought any sufficient cause of the least abatement of our love , or thanks : To that purpose this simile hath much satisfied me , viz. Suppose there were twenty poor men , to whom some very rich man had promised , and upon his promise was actually bestowing one hundred pound apiece , the tenth , or last of those poor men , would have as much joy , and love , and high , and grateful thoughts of the rich mans liberality , ( except ) hee doubted somewhat his performance , as the first man that had the present possession . God is bestowing on his Saints , as fast as may be , the Crown of Glory , it is but a few hours , nay , but as a moment , compared to Eternity , before the Crown of Glory shall be set upon thy head . Is it not enough that thy fears and doubts rob God of the glory that thou owest to his truth , but they must be accounted a sufficient reason why thou shouldest with-hold and deny the praise and love that are due to his goodness ? nay , let me freely and truly say , that wee have much more to praise God for , and admire him , than the Angels ; For to which of the Angels said he at any time , I will pardon thy sins , and blot out thine iniquities , as a thick Cloud ; though thy sins be as red as scarlet , I will make them as white as snow . And surely he never forgave them one sin , he hath forgiven us thousands ; and that which exceedingly adds to his goodness , is to consider how dear it cost him to pardon us : Suppose a servant should rise up against his Lord , and the sword with whom he intended to slay him , should be beat back again upon his own head , but his Lord taking compassion upon him , should not only receive him into favour again , but be at the charge of his cure , though he knew it would come to more than his wages or service would amount to , though he should live a hundred years ; surely our infidelity must be exceeding great , that should make us abate God so much of his praises , because we have no actual possession , though there be but a few houres betwixt heaven and us , as the praise that is due to him , for his pardoning mercy comes to .

CHAP. II. In our high prizings of Christ .

2. THe next thing wherein the Power of Godliness consists , is in our high prizings of Christ ; very frequently the people of God have at their first conversion , proportionably higher thoughts of Sanctification , then of Justification , then afterwards they have , but as they grow in grace , so they grow in their esteem of Christ , not as if at their first conversion , they had higher thoughts of Sanctification then of Justification , nor as if the more holy they grew , the less beauty they saw in holiness , but much more positively , but not comparatively ; if at their first Conversion , their esteem of Justification to Sanctification , were as one hundred to ten , afterwards it is as many thousands to an hundred ; if they look upon Holiness alone , it is very beautiful , but if the righteousness of Christ stands by it , it is but as a foyle ; if we should hear of the holiest man that ever liv'd upon the earth , with what joy should wee go to see him , to confer and have communion with him , to hear Elias and Moses pray , to hear Apollos or Paul Preach , to see the meek and patient carriage of Job ; these were rare things . But further , suppose God should send an Angel from heaven to live amongst us , how singular would his discourse be of God ? with what feeling and relish would he speak of the things of heaven ? but Christ was far beyond these , for he was God . We never have , nor can in this world be sensible enough , or sufficiently prize , or know the wisdome and holiness of the speeches and actions of our blessed Saviour : If Christ were upon earth , what would we give to be one day with him , one hour spent in his presence and communion with him , we would account worth ten thousand worlds ? but Christians have too high an esteem of the corporal presence of Christ , and think , that because Christ in that respect is absent from them , that they have not as neer and full a way , as if he were on earth , then we could not discern his excellencies , but by the eye of Faith , and so we may now .

Never did Christ give so clear and full communications , and discoveries of himself to his Apostles while he was on earth , as after his Ascension , oh the infinite & incomprehensible excellencies and glory of Christ ; that saying of the Apostle , Phil. 3.8 . is exceedingly worthy our serious consideration ; the Apostle did account not one , but all worldly things , even his legal righteousness as loss , &c. yet many things we have a high esteem of , before experience of it , as generally it is in all worldly things ; we over-value them at a distance , but finde them to be but vanity , when we possess them , and have experience of them ; but the Apostle tells us , that his high prizings of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ , was not meerly speculative and notional , but experimental , and that his esteem of it did not abate , but encrease upon his experience ; for , saith he , I have suffered the loss of all things , and am still of the same judgement , nay , have higher thoughts of Christ than before ; for when he look'd upon the excellencies of Christ onely with the eye of Faith , he counted all things loss , but when experience is added to his Faith , he counts them dung .

Since I see Christ is the scope of the whole Scripture , that the very Angels desire to look into Gospel mysteries , and that the great work of the Spirit is to raise us to have high thoughts of Christ , John 16.14 . And considering many other things which I have made mention of elswhere , and having had some small experience of that peace and joy , in believing , which hath followed upon the drawing forth of mine affections to Christ : I have endeavoured , and set my self to consider , how one may be convinced of the excellency of Christ , and I finde that there is a great deal of difference betwixt a rational and speculative , and an experimental knowledg of this matter , and those closings with Christ , which are from love and experience , and those that are from conviction only , are far different ; and indeed one difference is this , that those sweetnesses & relishes , that joy and delight which one findes in ones experimental knowledge of Christ cannot be utter'd , nor can one communicate them so , as to make another that hath them not to understand them ; but for rational and speculative convictions , one may communicate them , and the grounds of them ; and if they do seriously consider of those grounds , upon which we were convinced , they may finde a native energy to convince them , not as if any arguments or grounds have such an efficacy as to convince in matters of this nature , except the Spirit of God do give strength and efficacy to , and open the heart to receive them . I finde that this is one difference betwixt Gospel truths , and natural truths , viz. that in natural truths , if I am fully convinc'd of the premises from which the conclusion doth naturally flow , we cannot but close with the conclusion ; but in Gospel truths , though the Spirit of God doth evidence the truth of the premises , yet there needs an assisting and supervening act of the Spirit to be enabled to give our consent to the conclusion ; for as in natural actions , as in moving ones hand , walking , &c. if we have the will , we have the deed also ; but as for Spirituals , it is God that gives both the will and the deed , of his good pleasure , not the will of his good pleasure , and the deed of our good pleasure , or the deed of common providence , and the will of free-grace , but both of free-grace , or which is all one , of his good pleasure ; and as God keeps both our will and deed in his own hand , and dispenseth them severally ; so that when he hath given us the will , he keeps the deed still in his hand , that we may know that we have not a power to do good even when wee have a will ; so that the good which wee would , wee do not , and the evill which wee would not , that wee do , that free-grace may have all the glory , so as to our faith ; the Spirit of God gives light and satisfaction , as to the premises , and yet keeps our assent to the conclusion in his own hand , as it 's evident in divers that are in desertion , though they confess , whosoever love the brethren , are past from death to life , and that they do love the brethren , yet cannot yeeld to the conclusion , viz. that they are past from death to life : For as God did by his power cause his fire to burn their cords , Dan. 3. and yet not to singe a hair of their head , or as he made light in Goshen , and darkness in Egypt : So many times God gives light to premises , and suffers his children , as in Egyptian darkness , to the conclusion , and yet abundantly satisfied , as to the premises , but to return ; because convictions may be communicated as to the grounds of them , and those grounds upon which one is convinc'd , another may be convinc'd also ; therefore I shall set down one of many reasons , which may convince one of the excellency of Christ , as for experiences in many cases it is not lawful , and in none possibly fully to be exprest ; therefore thus ; That Christ was God and Man , I take it for granted ; for if the devil should say it were so , and I know him to be the Father of Lyes , yet I hope I should not doubt it ; and though the Socinians say it 's not so , yet I lay this as a foundation , having recourse to experience , finding those precious joyes that grow from the high prizeings of Christ , and thus build upon it ; I see , and clearly perceive , what singular beauty , comeliness , and activity , and rare operations , the Soul , that is but a creature , gives unto the body ; so that the eye sees , and hand works , and feet walk , the hand and tongue make rare musick , and body lives and moves , and continues in health and strength , fourty , eighty yeares ; and when I see the self-same body dead , and observe what gastly look , instead of beauty , and that it neither moves hand nor foot , and how quickly it putrifies and rots when the Soul is gone . I conclude all these excellencies that the body had when living , were communicated to it from the Soul : For as if I should hear some rare musick , and yet when I came into the room , should see a Lute lye on the Table , but not see any one in the room , I should conclude , that this Lute did not make the musick of it self without a hand to move it , and that the Lute did not give skill to him that plaid ; for let one that hath no skill , have never so well a tuned instrument , he can make no musick ; therefore if the Soul , that is but a poor creature , can inable the body to do what of it self it is so unable to do , and this by its union with the body , what must we think ? what rare excellencies must necessarily be imparted to the Humane Nature of Christ , by that union which the Deity hath with it , and doubtless as much as a living body , as to beauty , and operations doth exceed a dead ; so , and much more did Christ , as man exceed all men , being united to the God-Head , especially the union of the Deity with the Humane Nature of Christ , being neerer than that of the Soul with the body . I leave these things to the consideration of any spirituall understanding Christian ; but this I shall adde , that one never shall be satisfied fully , unless to that conviction which wee have from arguments ; wee have that also which is to bee had from experience .

CHAP. III. In living contrary to Providences .

3. THe third thing , wherein the Power of godliness consists , is living contrary to providences , I mean , not only above , but contrary to the temptations which accompany Providences : So wee read in Job , when God had taken away from him all that he had , the temptation that was natural , considering our corruptions , which Satan pretended , and he doubted not but would certainly follow , upon this Providence , was , that Job would curse God , but Job did not only not curse God , but he blessed him , which was quite contrary to Satans expectation , and to the temptation that was incident to that Providence : if Job had been only patient under his affliction , it had been different , but not contrary to that carriage , which in such a Providence , one is generally tempted to , blessing and cursing , are the two extremes , not to murmure or repine , if one goeth no further , is not to curse , nor yet to bless , but of a middle nature ; and a Christians aimes should bee higher , than onely not to repine and murmure when God afflicts , or not to revenge whenmen injure or persecute us ; it is not enough not to curse , but wee must bless them that curse us ; it is not enough not to dispair in the time of persecution , but we must rejoyce in tribulation , and bee exceeding glad , when wee suffer for righteousness sake : The Apostle bids us to add to our patience godliness , if that with which our patience is exercised be afflictions , if injuries from men , brotherly kindness . It was a rare carriage of a good woman , who taking up her childe dead , whom she had laid down well , instead of murmuring , fell a blessing and admiring the goodness of God , that all her children were not so ; this was quite contrary to the carriage of carnal men in such a Providence ; that was also a singular carriage of one , who having had extraordinary joyes in her sickness , finding that she was a recovering , fell a trembling exceedingly ; and being ask'd whether her joyes were gone , she answered no ▪ not so much as abated , but that she trembled to think that she should live to dishonour her God that gave them .

CHAP. IV. In mortifying Temptations .

4. THe fourth thing , wherein the Power of Godliness consists , is in this , that we mortifie temptations , if I may so call it , when few things are temptations , not that a growne Christian has fewer temptations , yet fewer things are temptations to him ; 't is one thing to conquer a temptation ; so as to put it to flight , and another thing to disarm it , and destroy it , so that it shall not be able to fight against us any more ; as for example , the sight of a beautiful woman tempts one to uncleanness , but through the grace of God one resists and conquers that temptation ; but this is far better , that the sight of such a beauty should not so much as tempt one : it is better not to have ones house on fire , than quench it , a Philosopher seeing a great man , having great attendants , and abundance of the things of this world , said , See how many things I have no need of ; so a grown Christian may say , see how many things are no temptations to me , as thou grow'st this way , so thou grow'st in grace ; those words that formerly would have so provoked thee , that thou hadst much ado to prevail with thine heart not to revenge the injury ; now such words are like a bullet shot against a rock , which neither batters , nor shakes it ; consider how many temptations thou hast this way mortified ; when the devil shew'd our Saviour the Kingdomes of the world , and all the glory thereof , that sight did not so much as tempt our Saviour : for we must not think that Christ did wrastle with temptations as wee do ; the holiest man , when these sparks from hell fall upon him , they do take more or less hold upon him , though it is not alwayes with him , as in some extraordinary violent temptation , when he cannot quench that fire without as much clamour , toyle , and trouble , as a house that is on fire is quench'd . Indeed very often the people of God do quench temptations as easily , as one may put out a spark newly fallen upon Tinder , one may put it out easier than with a wet finger ; but no temptation took any hold on Christ at all , it did not at all kindle upon him , though he was cast-into a Fiery Furnace of temptations , heated by the wrath of God , and the malice of the powers of darkness , seven-fold hotter than ever yet any Saint was , not so much as the smell past upon our Saviour , nor a hair of his head was singed ; it is a rare thing to have the world crucified to us , and we unto the world ; a dead man is not tempted with the greatest Beauty in the world , though she should stand before him , nor a living man with the fairest woman in the world , that should lye dead before him , she would rather fright , than allure him ; it is a rare temper , when generally temptations are as blasphemous thoughts are to Gods people , which astonish and terrifie , but intice them not to consent , the world had base thoughts of Paul , and he was not behinde hand with that , for he had as base thoughts of the world , for he was crucified to the world , and the world was crucified to him , wee should use the world , as the world useth us , that despiseth us , we should despise it ; that wicked men can stand unshaken by all the terrours that are thundered against them out of the Law , and unmoved by all the sweet promises and offers of the Gospel ; so let the threatnings and allurements of the world be to us , now temptations are mortified , and cease to be temptations . 1. When wee are clearly convinced of the positive vanity of all those pleasures , and that sin tempts us withall , this will make us not so much as parley with sin , as wee do not so much as cheapen fruit that is wholly rotten , and worth nothing . 2. To be convinced of , and affected with the super-excellency of those things that God hath promised in the Gospel for them that love him ; for it may bee wee shall finde it a hard matter to see the creature to be nothing , but it will be easie to see God to be more ; by our understanding the greatnesse of the price that wee must pay for the pleasure of sin , it will quickly break off the bargain ; for wee do with as much indignation leave him that asks us a hundred times more than the thing is worth , as wee do him that asks us a small price for that which is worth nothing . 3. Another way to keep off most temptations from taking hold of us , is , by being convinc'd that wee have no need of that which sin offers us , for generally they are not necessaries , but superfluities that tempt us . 4. We must endeavour to encrease our love to God , for then , though it were possible , that sin should offer us something proportionable to that which God promiseth , yet love would turn the scale . 5. Alwayes to be spiritually or lawfully imploy'd , non vacat , gives generally a speedier and fuller denial to temptation , than non licet .

But there are some cases wherein temptations may become no temptations to us , and yet it may not proceed from strength of grace , nor from mortifyed corruptions : First , when tentations are so subdued by a contrary Master Sin , that they have no power at all over us : As for example , if Covetousness be our Master Sin , and has got full dominion over one , all tentations that are costly take no hold of us , such a man will not be at the charge of drunkenness , of gluttony , of vanity in apparrel , &c. But this is but casting out one devill with another , as it was with the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasses , though they were enemies one to another , yet both were more enemies to Judah ; so that those of the Tribe of Ephraim , would rather serve under the Tribe of Manasseh , than not fight against Judah : So Vices , though they be contrary one to another , yet will not by their civil wars amongst themselves , weaken that opposition that they all make against Grace .

2. The things that did formerly tempt us , may cease to be temptations , not because our lusts are mortified , but satisfied ; as when a glutton or a drunkard hath so intemperately eaten and drunken , that his stomack is over-charged , so that he loath the Honey-comb , and the Wine that gives its colour in the cup tempts him not at that time , but it is , because he hath wearied himself in his iniquities .

3. When sickness or age has made us unable to act those sins that formerly wee have committed : What if a drunkard in a violent Fever , or an old man weakened by age and sin , is not tempted with wine , or beauty , it is not because his lusts , but rather his body is mortified , and hee hath not left sin , but sin him .

4. When by reason of ignorance and infancy wee are not yet capable of being tempted with some temptations , as children with covetousness , and lust , or ambition : it had been little praise to Moses to have despised the Treasures and Honors of Egypt in his infancy ; therefore the Scripture , to shew the power of Grace in him , sayes , that when he was of full age , he was so ; but certainly in infants corruption is not mortified , but bound up in the heart of a childe , Prov. 22.15 .

CHAP. V. In the manner of conquering of Temptations .

5. THe fifth thing , whereby the Power of Godliness may be discovered , is , by the manner of conquering temptations ; as the power of godliness encreaseth , so the conquest of temptation is : 1. More easie , when wee stand wrastling and parling with temptations , and the dispute is so hot for a long while , that none doth know which way the victory inclines , it shewes grace to be weak ; but when wee are spirituall Sampsons , then wee break these cords with which Satan endeavours to binde us , as a thred of tow scorch'd with the fire . 2. By the fulness of our conquest over temptations , if the temptations presently rallies its forces , and assaults us again , it often shewes the resistance was but weak . 3. When wee can overcome a temptation with fewest motives when wee are fain to think of the glory of heaven , the love and sufferings of Christ , and many other like motives to overcome some trivial temptation , it shewes our grace to be but weak ; but when the least spiritual truth , or temporal mercy , is like Eleazer the Son of Dodo , able to scatter an whole Army of these spiritual Philistines ; he is one of Christs Worthies , the more strength the motive hath upon which wee resist , so it bee not carnall , the stronger our grace . 4. The more spirituall the motives are by which wee overcome , the more spirituall are we , the more pure the motives , the purer our grace , and the purer the stronger ; Mercies are purer motives then Judgements , Heaven than Hell , love than mercies , mercies already received , than the hope of future mercies , commands than rewards .

The fifth thing , in respect of the manner of our overcoming temptations , wherein the power of godliness appears , is , when wee quickly and speedily overcome them : To consult whether wee should do that or no to which wee are tempted , argues either , that our knowledge and understanding is dark , or our love to God is cold .

There are but two things that are to bee consulted of when wee are tempted , viz. Whether it be a sin or no that wee are tempted to ? Wee knowing it to bee a sin , whether wee should commit it ? The first argues : 1. Imperfection , in respect of our understanding in spiritual things , wee should bee filled with the knowledge of the Will of God in all Spiritual Wisdome and understanding : So that wee should in all cases bee presently able to determine what is pleasing in his sight . The second argues , the abundant want of Grace ; for when once wee know what is the Will of God , it is certainly a sin not to do it : So the Apostle , Hee that knoweth to do good , and doth it not , to him it is sin . So that to consult , and to deliberate , whether one should serve God , is sin ; for as long as hee is consulting , he doth it not . Indeed wee may consult how wee may do the Will of God , with most advantage for his Glory , but not whether wee should do it or no : Wee should utterly dislike such a Physitian , that should consult whether he should cure us : It is Gibbeufs observation . There are two things that are not fit to deliberate of , God and Sin ; for deliberatio non est nisi de mediis ; Wee deliberate only of the means , not of the end : Now God being the end of all things , is above , and sin below the nature of means : Satans first great policy , when he tempted Christ , was to tempt him with such a temptation , that might not seem to be a temptation ; so hee did in his first and second temptation , but when hee saw that Christ was of such wonderfull Wisdome , and so sharp-sighted in the things of God , that he could not spin a temptation of so fine a thread , but hee could discern it . In the last temptation hee tries what hee could do with the strength of motives , to perswade him to do that , which hee could not but know to bee a sin , since hee could do nothing by his subtill contrivances to deceive him , so that he should take that for no sin , which was one . But our Saviour breaks this Spiders Web , as well as discovers it ; they are not so fine , but hee discernes them , nor so strong , but hee breaks them ; neither does Christ use any consideration to discover that hee was tempted to a sin , nor any consultation , whether hee should do it , when hee knew it to bee so , but presently answers : For to consider what advantages wee may have , by doing any thing which wee know to be a sin , is a snare ; therefore our Saviour answers to the Temptation , not to the Motive , Matth. 4.10 . But of this more largely in my Observations upon Matthew , Chap. 4.5 , 6 , 7.

It is a question worth the determining , which is the holiest act , exceedingly to love a thing , and yet for Gods love to leave it ; or to have our heart mortified to the love of a thing , and yet to leave it : To leave a thing wee love not , seems not to be thank-worthy , and to love the things of the world is a sin , to love vanities is a sin , though to leave them for his sake is not . It was a greater act of Holiness in our Saviour , not to be affected with the glory of the World , than to be affected with it , and yet to refuse it upon such termes as it was offered ; therefore to decide this question , wee must understand there are three kindes of things ; some that wee may neither love nor have , as sin ; others , that wee may have , but not love , as riches . Other things we may have and love , as Wife and Children ; to love those things which wee ought not to love , and yet to leave them for Gods sake , is but half our duty , for , for Gods sake wee ought as well not to love them , as to leave them , since he commands us not at all to love them : It is not enough not to have a comparative love , but wee must not have so much as a positive love to them , but for our Wife and Children , &c. whom wee ought to love ; there wee are , then only not to love them , when they come in competition with God , wee may leave a positive love to many things , but comparative to none in such a case ; in such a case he that hates not Father and Mother , and House and Land , and life it self , for my Names sake , is not worthy of me .

CHAP. VI. In inward Mortifications .

6. THe next thing , wherein the Power of Godliness consists , are Inward Mortifications , for as for outward mortifications , they are either concomitants or preparatories to , rather than things wherein Holiness consists , and the cases wherein Outward Mortification are required and acceptable to God are :

1. When providences cast us upon them , as when God takes away our estates , so that we have neither food nor rayment , nor where to lay our head , to suffer these patiently , thankfully , and fruitfully , is more acceptable with God , then to give all one has to the poor ; and whether the patient thankful poor Saint , that is relieved , or he that relieves him , offers the most acceptable Sacrifice ; whether to suffer out of obedience , and love to God , or to give almes , be more pleasing to him , judge you .

2. When wee fall into them by persecutions , then the outward mortifications that we suffer , wee should rejoyce in .

3. When the duties of Holiness cannot be performed without them , as in cold Weather , when one must either lose some early publike Ordinance , or endure the Winters cold , by rising betimes to enjoy it , or any other time of the day to neglect any private or publike duty , by reason of the coldness of the Weather , if it be not prejudicial to our health , is such Epicurisme , that is unworthy of a Christian ; so then , if outward mortifications be necessary Concomitants , or singular Preparatories to duties , or if by omission of them , wee shall give just scandal to weak brethren , in such case they become duties ; but doubtless the Power of Godliness consists not in them ; many that have been much exercised in them , have had little Religion . Theodoret tells the story of one Macedonius , who was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and Gubba , because he eat nothing but barley , pulse , and stood in a ditch all his time ; for Gubba in the Syriack , signifieth a ditch . You shall see the gross ignorance of this man for Flavianus sending for him , and ordaining him Minister , the next Lords Day , being sent for to Church , said , He durst not come , for fear he should be made Minister again : Doubtless inward mortifications have great advantages above outward mortifications .

1. Inward mortifications are alwayes lawful , and necessary , outward are not so , as when they are prejudiciall to ones health .

2. Outward mortifications are very subject to degenerate into superstition , as evidently among the Papists , that wherein they most boast of , are things of this nature , as the single lives of their Priests , who although they have no Wives , yet are prodigious in their lusts , and though they boast so much of their austerities , yet the Gymnosophys amongst the Heathen , and some Hermits amongst the Turks , equal , if not exceed them in austerities .

3. When voluntarily , and out of choice taken upon us , they do rather puff up , than edifie , for outward mortifications are very glorious in the sight of the world ; and it may bee that may be one reason , why our blessed Saviour did not much use them , because he would deceive humane wisdome , for even carnal persons do honour outward mortifications , but inward mortifications are invisible , and endeavour to hide themselves even from Gods people .

4. Wee are to begin at inward mortifications ; and this was our Saviours method , hee would not put his Disciples at first upon fasting , Matth. 9. as John did , for Johns Disciples were Saints , before they were his Disciples ; but our Saviour chose such for his Disciples , as were old cloth , and old bottles , and indeed outward mortifications without inward , are like the spreading of a cold wet cloth upon the face of one who hath the Small Pox coming out , it may make , by driving in the corrupt humours , the face more beautiful , but it sends the poyson to the heart ; therefore endeavour after inward mortifications , for it is far better to mortifie our love , and desire of riches , then to cast them away , better to have them , and not love them , than not to have them .

CHAP. VII . In having dominion over our thoughts .

7. THe seventh thing , wherein the Power of Godliness consists , is , in having dominion over our thoughts , when wee can say to our thoughts , when wee go to pray , Stir not , before I have done my prayer : And so in other holy duties , for outward actions , moral principles and motives are strong enough to keep them in awe , but nothing , save grace , will fix the thoughts , and keep them unmoveable , when wee are imployed in the things of God ; and indeed it is a very hard thing to fix our thoughts , when wee set our selves about the things of God , certainly carnal motives and principles cannot do it ; indeed many , that to carry on their own interest and designes , are very frequent , and seem to be very fervent and intentive upon the things of God ; yet hee is but like one that useth Spectacles , hee fixes not his thoughts upon those spirituall duties he makes use of , but looks through them , and beyond them , upon the things of the world , Religion , that seemes so nigh their eye , doth not terminate , but transmit their sight ; or they are like one that looks upon their own face in a Looking-glass , they look not on the glass , but on themselves : So these men eye themselves , and make use of Religion , but as a glass to dress themselves by , that they and their designes may appear more beautiful , and lovely .

Hence it is that meditation is a duty of so much difficulty , since the whole business is transacted in our thoughts ; in vocal prayer the difficulty is less , because our very speaking doth help somewhat to fix our thoughts , but in meditation , where there is altum silentium , and nothing to give bounds to our thoughts , they are very subject to wander ; and therefore this is so strong an argument , of an excellent frame of heart , because it is scarce possible to have our hearts fix'd upon God except wee attain to the love and admiration of him : The Angels being flames of love , it makes them alwayes look upon the face of God , and also , because they see God with admiration ; for it is said , they behold his face , therefore they are not weary of looking on him .