For párdon has reference only to the guilt of fin. None but a guilty criminal needs a pardon. Men therefore may be guilty of fin in their thoughts, or they could need no pardon of them. Thus for the first question. Queft. 2. What thoughts are finful thoughts?

Anfw. 1. Atheistical thoughts, are finful thoughts. Though nothing be more evident than the being of God, yet finners are ready to call it in queftion. There is fecret atheism lurking in their hearts, from whence they do fometimes think there is no God. Pfal. xiv. 1. The fool bath faid in his heart, There is no God. This may fometimes be the language of his thoughts; though it is fcarce fuppofable, that it fhould be the fettled perfwafion of his mind. Sinners indeed do wifh, that there were no God; and what they fo paffionately wifh, they may, at times, think to be true. Now, fuch atheistical thoughts, are moft horrid and wicked. They are worfe than devilish. For there are no fuch thoughts in the very devils. Jam, ii. 19. The devils do believe, there is a God, and tremble. They have fuch a firm belief of God's exiftence, as fills them with terror and dread of God.

Anfw. 2. Unbecoming thoughts of God, are finful thoughts. Though men do not think that there is no God, yet oftentimes they think God to be fuch a one as he is not. They take up unfuitable thoughts of God, which carry in them a denial of fome of his glorious perfections. Ex. gr. Sometimes finners think, God is a finite being, limited and circumfcribed by place. Thus fome imagine God to be contained in and bounded by the heavens. Job. xxii. Thou fayeft, He walkeib in the circuit of heaven, i. e. he is confined to heaven and the affairs thereof. Again, fometimes finners think, that God is ig norant of the things done in this lower world. Job. xxii. Thou fayeft, How doth God know? Can he judge through the dark clouds? Thick clouds are a covering to him that he feeth not. So, Pfal. xciv. 7. Yet they fay, The Lord fall hot fee, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. They thought, God did not fee nor mind their wicked doings.

Hence

Hence it is, that finners embolden themselves to fin in fecret, as if God faw them not.-Again, fometimes finpers think that God approves of their fins. Because he forbears to punish their fins, they think he is not difpleased at them, but likes them, as they do themselves. Pfal. 1. 21. These things thou didst, and I kept filence, i. e. providentially, by nor bearing teftimony against them in a way of punishment thou thougbteft, hereupon, that I was fuch a one as thy felf, one that approved fin as thou doft.Thus do finners frame in their minds falfe notions and wrong conceptions concerning God. These are moft finful thoughts, reflecting difhonour upon God, and denying his perfections.

Anfw. 3. Proud thoughts, are finful thoughts. Though fallen man has nothing to be proud of, yet no fin is more predominant in him, than that of pride. Sinners are very felf-conceited creatures, puffed up with proud thoughts of themselves. Sometimes they proudly think themselves poffeffed of thofe excellencies, which they have not. They think themselves to be fomething, when they are nothing,Gal. vi. 3. Thus the church of Laodicea thought themselves rich and needing nothing, when they were poor and miferable, Rev. iii. 17. Again, fometimes men think their excellencies greater than they are. They think more highly of themselves than they ought to think, Rom. xii. 3.Again, fometimes finners have proud thoughts of their parentage, or wealth, or preferments, or parts and gifts. In thefe things they pride themselves, in their hearts; thinking highly of themselves on these accounts, and defpifing others, whom they apprehend inferior to them in fuch refpects. Again, fometimes men have proud thoughts of their own duties and performances, in religion. Thus the Pharifees were conceited of themselves; thinking, that they out did all others in religious matters. Luk. xviii. 11. The Pharisee food and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, İ am not as other men are. All fuch proud thoughts as thefe, are finful thoughts: and thofe that harbour them,

are

are therefore hated of God. Prov. xvi. 5. Every one that is proud in beart, is an abomination to the Lord.

Anfw. 4. Impure thoughts, are finful thoughts. Men may be guilty of fornication and adultery in the very thoughts of their hearts, as our Lord declares, Matth. v. 28. To look or think on a person with impure defires, is heart-uncleannefs. All fuch filthy imaginations are exceeding finful at all times, especially on holy time, the Lord's day; and more especially in the time of God's holy worship. Such unchaft thoughts, are an abomination to that God, who is of purer eyes, than 10 bebold evil; they do grieve the holy Spirit; they turn the fouls of men into a very Sodom; and fit them to be an habitation for unclean fpirits, and difpofe them to the vileft practices.

Anfw. 5. Revengeful thoughts, are finful thoughts. When finners have received any real or fuppofed injury, it is ufual for them to meditate revenge. They think and contrive how they may retaliate or recompence evil, for the wrong done to them. Now fuch thoughts of rendring evil for evil, are finful thoughts; and therefore cautioned againft, Prov. xxiv. 29. Say not (fo much as in thy heart) I will do fo to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his work.

Anfw. 6. Cenforious thoughts, are finful thoughts. It is an ufual thing for men to pafs a rafh and wrong judgment upon the fate and the actions of others.-Sometimes they do, without fufficient grounds, think really good men to be ungodly men. They think them to be in a ftate of fin, when they are in a state of grace.Sometimes they think, without reafon, that the good allions of others, are evil actions: that they proceed from a bad principle, and are defigned for an evil end, when it is not fo. Such rafh, unjust and uncharitable thoughts, are finful thoughts. They are contrary to that chriftian charity which thinketh no evil. 1 Cor. xiii. 5. Such rafh. and fevere judging of others in our hearts, is what Christ cautions us against, Matth. vii. 1. Judge not.

Anfw.

Anfw. 7. Anxious thoughts about the world, are finful thoughts. Men are oftentimes exercised in perplexing and difquieting thoughts, about getting and keeping the things of this world. Indeed, the thoughts of men may lawfully be employed about the world. It is their duty to think how to get things neceffary for this prefent life, in the way of diligence and honefty. But when men's thoughts about the world, do diflract and disturb their minds, through fears of lofing what they have, or not getting what they need, then their thoughts are finful. For all fuch anxious thoughts proceed from a diftruft of divine providence, as if God would not take care of us and provide for us. Such diftruftful thoughts of God our Lord condemns and cautions againft, Matth. vi. 25. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what se shall drink, &c.

Anfw. 8. Difhoneft thoughts,are finful thoughts. Sometimes finners think and contrive, how they may cheat, defraud and over-reach their neighbours, in their dealings with them. Such thoughts are finful, being tranfgreffions of the eighth commandment, in the heart.

Anfw. 9. Unfeafonable thoughts, are finful thoughts.' Things are beautiful in their feafon but when out of feafon, they are deformed and diforderly. Thus it may be as to men's thoughts. There are fome thoughts which are in themselves lawful, às thoughts about the managing our worldly affairs. Yet if we entertain fuch thoughts as thefe on the Lord's day, or in the time of the worship of God, they are out of season, and fo finful.-There are also fome thoughts which in themselves are good; yet out of their proper place and time, they do become finful. Thus when publick or focial worship is performing, if men's hearts do not join therein, but are taken up with other thoughts, their thoughts are finful, though in themselves ever fo good. For these are not the thoughts which God then calls them to employ their minds about, and fo they are not doing their prefent duty. They are

doing one thing, when God calls them to the doing another thing, and this is faulty. Thus for the first Propofition.

PROP. 2. Sinners must for fake their finful thoughts, in order to their finding mercy with God. If they would have God to be merciful to them, they muft for fake, both their finful way of life, and finful thoughts of heart. The promise of mercy is made to fuch only. Prov. xxviii. 13. Whofo confeffeth and forfaketh his fin, fhall have mercy. Here the only thing that may be enquired into, is this, viz.

Queft. What forfaking of finful thoughts is it, that is neceffary in order to the finding mercy with God?

Anfw. 1. Negatively: Not a perfect ridding the mind of all finful thoughts. A ftate of full and abfolute freedom from finful thoughts, is referved for heaven. When the faints fhall be brought to that most holy place, there fhall not be in their hearts, one finful, vain, foolish, impertinent thought, throughout all eternity. But it will be quite otherwife with them, as long as they are in this world. While they are here, they have in them a body of fin, which is active, and striv ing in them, and working towards evil continually." So that the moft holy men on earth, will unavoidably have more or lefs of finful thoughts in them. In this cafe that demand may be made, Prov. xx. 9. Who can fay, I bave made my heart clean, I am pure from my fin? No one can truly fay fo. The beft of men do experimentally find the motions of fin in them. When they fet themselves to do any good duty, they find indwelling fin active to hinder them from the well-perform ing of it, and too often diverting their mind from it. Thus fpeaks that eminently holy apoftle Paul, Rom. vii. 18, 19, 21. To will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil that I would not, that do I. I find a law, that when I would do good, evil is prefent with me. He could not discharge duties in fo exact a