[3.] The carnality and fleshliness of our thoughts: Phil. iii. 19, ' They mind earthly things.' How sweet is it to us to be thinking of v/orldly matters, how to grow great, to advance ourselves here ! This carnal mind is very natural to us. We are in our element, and do with a great deal of savour and sweetness think of these things ; it makes our heart merry : but when we come to think of that which is good, we are tired presently, and it is very tedious to spend our thoughts upon them. Good things come upon us like a flash of lightning, soon gone, but on carnal things we can spend our thoughts freely. These carnal musings are stirred up by carnal desire or carnal delight ; sometimes by a desire of worldly things, so they are forming images and suppositions of those things they hope for ; as faith works in a godly man, forming images and suppositions of that happy time when they shall be gathered to God, and all holy ones, and rejoice in his presence. He hath a faith, ' the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,' Heb. xi. 1, which represents his hopes to him. So carnal men dream of preferment, riches, honours, vain- glorious applause ; they are looking out after their hopes, they send their thoughts as messengers of the soul to forestall the contentment of those carnal things which they do expect. Sometimes they are employed by carnal delight, when the thing we muse upon is enjoyed. The complacency men take in any carnal enjoyment, it is part of this vanity when we go musing upon our own worth and our own excel- lency ; as that king, Dan. iv. 30, ' Is not this great Babel that I have built for the honour of my mnjesty ?' Men take some time every day to worship the idol of self, and dote and gaze upon their own excel- lencies and achievements, their wisdom and wit : Hab. i. 15, ' They gather them in their drag, therefore they rejoice and are glad.' Or else pleasing themselves in their estates, dialogisiug within themselves, as the word is, Luke xii. 13, ' Soul, take thine ease ; thou hast goods laid up for many years,' &c.
[4.] By the impiety and apparent filthiness of them. When men
IGO SERMONS uroN rsALM cxix. [Ser. CXXIY.
are talvcn up with sin so as to act it over in their own minds, de- lighting themselves in fancying of sin, either by way of revenge or lust, or any other such thing, as an unclean person sets up a stage in his own heart : 2 Peter ii. 14, 'Eyes full of adultery,' or the adulteress; their fancy is upon tlie beauty of women, their soul is set upon it.
3. The third thing is voi]/j,aTa, devices. There are many de- vices and carnal inventions in the hearts of men which the scripture takes notice of ; as — •
[1.] When men devise, debate in their judgments by carnal means, without complying with God: James iv. 8, 'Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.' By vain thoughts they mind carnal projects, how to get from under the judgment without reformation, humiliation, and complying with God, by human means or sinful shifts, without God's warrant and allowance : Isa. ix. 10, when it was ill with them they hope to mend it . ' The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones ; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars." The state of our affairs is bad, but we can work it into better.
[2.] When men spend their time wholly to compass their carnal end ; as he, Luke xii. 18, ' I wnll pull down my barns, and build greater,' &c. When they sacrifice their precious thoughts to their interest and lusts, and catering and progging how to satisfy carnal nature, making provision for the flesh to fulfil it in the lusts thereof. Or—
[3.] When men's designs are plainly wicked, and tend to the mischief of others : Prov. xvi. 30, ' He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things ; moving hislips, he bringeth evil to pass.' Moving the lips and shutting the eyes are gestures and postures of men that are pensive and musing : Micah ii. 1, ' Woe unto them that devise evil upon their beds;' when men seek to spin and weave out a web of wickedness, and carry on their sins with the greatest secrecy. This, in short, is some taste of the vanity of our thoughts.
Secondly, What are the sins that do most usually engross and take up our thoughts ? I answer —
1. Uncleanness. Speculative wickedness makes way for active : 'He hath committed adultery in his heart,' Mat. v. 28. There is polluting ourselves by our thoughts, and this is a sin usually works that way.
2. Kevenge. Liquors are soured when long kept ; so when we dwell upon discontents they turn to revenge : Prov. xiv. 17, ' He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly, and a man of wicked devices is hated.' He that is passionate and soon angry is a fool ; but when a man is not only angry but malicious, that puts him upon wicked devices ; when he doth concoct his anger, he is a fool to purpose. Piu'poses of revenge are most sweet and pleasant to carnal nature : Pi"Ov. xvi. 14, ' Frowardness is in his heart ; he deviseth mischief continually.' When men are full of revengeful and s[)iteful thoughts.