_Direct._ III. Above all be sure that you cleanse the fountain, and destroy those sinful inclinations of the heart, from which your evil thoughts proceed. In vain else will you strive to stop the streams: or if you should stop them, that very heart itself will be loathsome in the eyes of God. Are your thoughts all upon the world, either coveting, or caring, or grieving for what you want, or pleasing yourselves with what you have or hope for? Get down your deceived estimation of the world; cast it under your feet, and out of your heart; and count all, with Paul, but as loss and dung, for the excellent knowledge of God in Christ: for till the world be dead in you, your worldly thoughts will not be dead; but all will stand still when once this poise is taken off: crucify it, and this breath and pulse will cease. So if your thoughts do run upon matter of preferment, or honour, disgrace, or contempt, or if you are pleased with your own pre-eminence or applause; mortify your pride, and beg of God a humble, self-denying, contrite heart. For till pride be dead, you will never be quiet for it; but it will stir up swarms of self-exalting and yet self-vexing thoughts, which make you hateful in the eyes of God. So if your thoughts be running out upon your back and belly, what you shall eat or drink, or how to please your appetite or sense; mortify the flesh, and subdue its desires, and master your appetite, and bring them into full obedience unto reason, and get a habit of temperance; or else your thoughts will be still upon your guts and throats: for they will obey the ruling power; and a violent passion and desire doth so powerfully move them, that it is hard for the reason and will to rule them. So if your thoughts are wanton and filthy, you must cleanse that unclean and lustful heart, and get Christ to cast out the unclean spirit, and become chaste within, before you will keep out your unchaste cogitations. So if you have confusion and vanity in your thoughts, you must get a well furnished and well composed mind and heart, before you will well cure the malady of your thoughts.
_Direct._ IV. Keep at a sufficient distance from those tempting objects, which are the fuel and incentives of your evil thoughts. Can you expect that the drunkard should rule his thoughts, whilst he is in the alehouse or tavern, and seeth the drink? or that the glutton should rule his thoughts, while the pleasing dish is in his sight? or that the lustful person should keep chaste his thoughts, in the presence of his enamouring toy? or that the wrathful person rule his thoughts, among contentious, passionate words? or that the proud person rule his thoughts, in the midst of honour and applause? Away with this fuel, fly from this infectious air, if you would be safe.
_Direct._ V. At least make a covenant with your senses, and keep them in obedience, if you will have obedient thoughts. For all know by experience how potently the senses move the thoughts. Job saith, "I made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I think upon a maid." Mark how the covenant with his eyes is made the means to rule his thoughts. Pray with David, "Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity," Psal. cxix. 37. Keep a guard upon your eyes, and ears, and taste, and touch, if you will keep a guard upon your thoughts. Let not that come into these outer parts, which you desire should go no further. Open not the door to them, if you would not let them in.
_Direct._ VI. Remember how near kin the thought is to the deed; and what a tendency it hath to it. Let Christ himself tell you, Matt. v. 22, 28, "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." A malicious thought and a malicious deed are from the same spring, and have the same nature: only the deed is the riper serpent, and can sting another; when the thought is as the younger serpent, that hath only the venomous nature in itself. A lustful thought is from the same defiled puddle, as actual filthiness: and the thought is but the passage to the action: it is but the same sin in its minority, tending to maturity.