Directions for the Government of the Thoughts 002

Directions for the Government of the Thoughts 002

Taken from "Christian Directory" (1673) by Richard Baxter.

This is chapter 6 of this book. It will be in 3 parts of which this is part one. Three parts will be following:

- directions for the avoiding of sinful thoughts

- directions for the exercise of good thoughts

- directions for the improvement of good thoughts, that they may be effectual

PART 2. Directions for the exercise of good thoughts.

Direct. 1 Understand well your own interest and great concernments and be well resolved what you live for, and what is your true felicity and end.

Direct. 2. Know God aright and behold him by the eye of an effectual faith, and you shall never want matter for holy thoughts.

Direct 3. If you have but an eye of faith to see the things of the unseen world, as revealed in the sacred word, you cannot want matter to employ your thoughts.

Direct. 4. Get but the love of God well kindled in your heart, and it will find employment, even the most high and sweet employment, for your thoughts.

Direct. 5. Soundly understand the wonderful mystery of man's redemption, and know Jesus Christ, and you need not want employment for your thoughts.

Direct. 6. Search the holy Scriptures, and acquaint yourselves well with hte oracles of God, which are able to make you wise unto salvation, and you will find abundant matter for your thoughts.

Direct. 7. Know thyself well as thou art the work of God, and in thyself thou wilt find abundant matter for thy meditations.

Direct. 8. Be not a stranger to the many sins, and wants, and weaknesses of thy soul, and thou never needest to be empty of the matter for thou meditations.

Direct. 9. Be not a stranger to the methods, and subtleties, and diligence of Satan, in his temptations to undo thy soul, and thou wilt find matter enough to keep thy thoughts from idleness.

Direct. 10. The world and every creature in it, which thou daily seest, and revealeth to thee the great Creator, might be enough to keep thy thoughts from idleness.

Direct. 11. Be not a stranger to, or neglectful disregarder of, the providence in God's administrations of the world, and thou wilt find store of matter for thy thoughts.

Direct. 12. Understand all the lineaments and beauty of God's image upon a holy soul, the excellency and use of every grace, and the harmony of all...

Direct. 13. if thou be not a stranger to the Spirit of grace, or a neglecter of his daily motions, and persuasions, and operations on thy heart, the attendance and impovement of them will keep thy thoughts from rusty idleness and vagrant course.

Direct. 14. Be not ignorant or neglective of that frame and course of holy duty to God and man, in which your all your lives should be employed...

Direct. 15. Overlook not that life full of particular mercies which God has bestowed on yourselves...

Direct. 16. Foresee that exact and righteous judgment, which shortly you have to undergo...

Direct. 17. If all this will not serve the turn, it is strange if God call not home your thoughts by sharp afflictions.

Direct. 18. Be diligent in your callings, and spend no time in idleness, and perform your labours with holy minds, to the glory of God, and in the obedience to his commands, and then your thoughts will have the the less leisure and liberty for vanity or idleness.

Direct. 19. You have all God's spiritual helps and holy ordinances to feed your meditations, and to quicken them...

Direct. 20. If all these do not sufficiently furnish your meditations, look throught the world, and see what a multitude of miserable souls do call for your compassion and daily prayers for their relief.