the devil; than which nothing makes a man more like him, and nothing can be more opposite to the temper which Christianity was designed to promote. If your revenge be not satisfied, it will give you torment now; if it be, it will give you greater hereafter. None is a greater self-tormentor than a malicious and revengeful man, who turns the poison of his own temper in upon himself.

5. Drive from the mind all silly, trifling, and unseasonable thoughts; which sometimes get into it we know not how, and seize and possess it before we are aware, and hold it in empty idle amusements, that yield it neither pleasure nor profit, and turn to no manner of account in the world, only consume time, and prevent a better employment of the mind. And, indeed, there is little difference, whether we spend the time in sleep, or in these waking dreams. Nay, if the thoughts which thus insensibly steal upon you, be not altogether absurd and whimsical, yet if they be impertinent and unseasonable, they ought to be dismissed, because they keep out better company.

6. Cast out all wild and extravagant thoughts, all vain and fantastical imaginations. Suffer not your thoughts to roam upon things that never were, and perhaps never will be; to give you a visionary pleasure in the prospect of what you have not the least reason to hope, or a needless pain in the apprehension of what you have not the least reason to fear. The truth is, next to a clear conscience, and a sound judgment, there is not a greater blessing than a regular and well-governed imagination: to be able to view things as they are, in their true light and proper colours; and to distinguish the false images that are painted on the fancy, from the representations of truth and reason. For, how

common a thing is it for men, before they are aware, to confound reason and fancy, truth and imagination, together! to take the flashes of the animal spirits for the light of evidence! and think they believe things to be true or false, when they only fancy them to be so; and fancy them to be so, because they would have them so; not considering that mere fancy is only the ignis fatuus of the mind; which often appears brightest when the mind is most covered with darkness, and will be sure to lead them astray who follow it as their guide. Near akin to these are,

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7. Romantic and chimerical thoughts. which I mean that kind of wild-fire, which the briskness of the animal spirits sometimes suddenly flashes upon the mind, and excites images that are so extremely ridiculous and absurd, that one can scarce forbear wondering how they could get admittance. These random flights of fancy are soon gone; and so differ from that castle-building of the imagination before-mentioned, which is a more settled amusement. But these are too incoherent and senseless to be of long continuance: and are the maddest sallies, and the most ramping reveries of the fancy that can be. I know not whether my reader understands now what I mean; but if he attentively regards all that passes through his mind, perhaps he may, hereafter, by experience.

8. Repel all impure and lascivious thoughts, which taint and pollute the mind; and though hid from men, are known to God, in whose eye they are abominable. Our Saviour warns us against these, as a kind of spiritual fornication, Matt. v. 28, and inconsistent with that purity of heart which his Gospel requires.

9. Take care how you too much indulge gloomy

and melancholy thoughts. Some are disposed to see every thing in the worst light. A black cloud hangs hovering over their minds, which, when it falls in showers through the eyes, is dispersed, and all within is serene again. This is often purely mechanical; and owing either to some fault in the bodily constitution, or some accidental disorder in the animal frame. However, one that consults the peace of his own mind will be upon his guard against this, which so often robs him of it.

10. On the other hand, let not the imagination be too sprightly and triumphant. Some are as unreasonably exalted as others are depressed; and the same person, at different times, often runs into both extremes, according to the different temper and flow of the animal spirits. And, therefore, the thoughts which so eagerly crowd into the mind at such times, ought to be suspected and well guarded, otherwise they will impose upon our judgments, and lead us to form such a notion of ourselves, and of things, as we shall soon see fit to alter, when the mind is in a more settled and sedate frame.

Before we let our thoughts judge of things, we must set reason to judge our thoughts; for they are not always in a proper condition to execute that office. We do not believe the character which a man gives us of another, unless we have a good opinion of his own; so, neither should we believe the verdict which the mind pronounces, till we first examine whether it be impartial and unbiassed; whether it be in a proper temper to judge, and have proper lights to judge by. The want of this previous act of self-judgment is the cause of so much self-deception and false judgment.

Lastly, with abhorrence reject immediately all

profane and blasphemous thoughts, which are sometimes suddenly injected into the mind, we know not how, though we may give a pretty good guess from whence. And all those thoughts which are apparently temptations and inducements to sin, our Lord hath, by his example, taught us to treat in this manner, Matt. iv. 10.

These, then, are the thoughts we should carefully guard against. And as they will (especially some of them) be frequently insinuating themselves into the heart, remember to set reason at the door of it to guard the passage, and bar their entrance, or drive them out forthwith when entered; not only as impertinent, but mischievous intruders.

But, II. There are other kinds of thoughts which we ought to indulge, and with great care and diligence retain and improve.

Whatever thoughts give the mind a rational or religious pleasure, and tend to improve the heart and understanding, are to be favoured, often recalled, and carefully cultivated. Nor should we dismiss them, till they have made some impressions on the mind, which are like to abide there. And to bring the mind into a habit of recovering, retaining, and improving such thoughts, two things are necessary.

1. To habituate ourselves to a close and rational way of thinking. And, 2. To moral reflections and religious contemplations.

(1.) To prepare and dispose the mind for the entertainment of good and useful thoughts, we must take care to habituate it to a close and rational way of thinking.

When you have started a good thought, pursue it; do not presently lose sight of it, or suffer any trifling suggestion that may intervene to divert you

from it. Dismiss it not till you have sifted and exhausted it, and well considered the several consequences and inferences that result from it. However, retain not the subject any longer than you find your thoughts run freely upon it; for to confine them to it when it is quite worn out, is to give them an unnatural bent, without sufficient employment; which will make them flag, or be more apt to run off to something else.

And, to keep the mind intent on the subject you think of, you must be at some pains to recal and refix your desultory and rambling thoughts. Lay open the subject in as many lights and views as it is capable of being represented in; clothe your best ideas in pertinent and well-chosen words, deliberately pronounced, or commit them to writing.

Whatever be the subject, admit of no inferences from it, but what you see plain and natural. This is the way to furnish the mind with true and solid knowledge; as, on the contrary, false knowledge proceeds from not understanding the subject, or drawing inferences from it which are forced and unnatural, and allowing to those precarious inferences, or consequences drawn from them, the same degree of credibility as to the most rational and best established principles.

Beware of a superficial, slight, or confused view of things. Go to the bottom of them, and examine the foundation; and be satisfied with none but clear and distinct ideas (when they can be had) in every thing you read, hear, or think of: for, resting in imperfect and obscure ideas, is the source of much confusion and mistake.

Accustom yourself to speak naturally, pertinently, and rationally, on all subjects, and you will soon learn to think so on the best; especially if