Works, Chapter 5 · Section 2
SECT. II.
THirdly, Consider,3Motive. It will be some evidence of uprightness. The exercising thy self to godliness in solitude, will be a probable evidence of thy uprightness. Men are wi…h-held in company from doing evil by the iron curb of fear or shame, and provoked to do good by the golden spurs of praise or profit; but in solitariness there are not such rub… in the way of lust to hinder our passage, nor such baits in the way of holiness to encourage our progress. The naked lineaments, and natural thoughts of the soul are best discerned in secret. The darkest night may afford us light enough to see our selves by; when outward objects and occasions do not interpose to hinder our sight or discompose our souls. No mans temper can be discovered by his carriage in a crowd of affairs, no more then his countenance in a troubled water. When the mind is stated in a due repose, it bewrayeth her truest affections, which in the midst of business, she either doth not shew, or not observe. If many servants, and several masters be together, busie and active, we can hardly tell to what Masters the particular servants belong; but when the Masters be alone, and walk singly, their servants attend on them, and are known. Our Affections are the servants of our souls, both rational, and sensual; whilst both these Masters are employed, as in company it sometimes falls out, and they wait, its not easie to judge which they serve; in solitude one takes upon it self the government, and then its visible what attendants it hath.
As its said of grief, Ille dolet vere qui sine teste dole…, He grieves truly, that weeps, without a witness; so it may be said of godliness, he is sincere in his godliness, who is godly in secret. The best characters, and truest pictures which can be drawn of the minds of men, are to be taken from the bent of their thoug…ts, rather then from their works; Wicked men cannot do the mischief they conceive, for lack of the Midwifery of fit instruments and opportunities to bring it forth; Good men are unable to act all the good they would, because they want power and ability for Execution; As Paul acknowledgeth that he was better at willing then performing; but every man hath liberty to devise and meditate, to study and contrive what he will… Though a mans hand or actions may be over awed and over-ruled against his own will, yet his heart and thoughts cannot. As he thinks in his heart (saith the wise man) so is he, Pov. 13. 7. Practice… may be swayed by outward ends, but the thoughts are always genuine and natural. Violence may cause the former, but love carrieth the latter in its own way. Hence good men have been signalized for Saints, from the holiness of their thoughts. (They thought upon his name, they meditate in his law day and night, and they have even appealed to God with comfort, upon their confidence of their uprightness, from the goodness of their thoughts, Try me O God, and know my thoughts,) as being the purest and most unfeigned issues of the soul, Mal. 3. 17. Psalm 1. and such as have least danger of infection from forreign aimes. Its observable also, that wicked men are set forth by this secret mark, They devise mischief, they imagine wickedness; the thoughts and imaginations of his …eart are evil; God is not in all his thoughts; because, as Adam begat a son after his own likeness, so doth the heart of every man beget thoughts according to its own likeness, whether it be spiritual or carnal.
The Bowl runs as the Bias inclines it. The Ship moves as the R…dder steereth it; and the mind thinketh according to the predominancy of vice or vertue in it; The more the fire of grace burns clear in the soul, the more of these sparks will ascend towards Heaven. The more earthly a soul is, the more his thoughts will tend downward, the more he will mind earthly things, Philip. 3. 17, 18.
Naturalists tell us of the Gnomon, commonly called the Mariners needle, that it always will turn to the North…star; though it be closed and shut up in a Coffer of Wood or Gold, yet it loseth not its nature; So the true Christian is always looking to the star of Iacob, whether he be shut up in a Prison, or shut himself up in his Closet, he is ever longing after Jesus Christ. A true lover delights most to visit his friend alone, when he can enjoy privacy with him.
Our blessed Saviour doth not without cause call the Pharisees Hypocrites, though they fa…ted and prayed, and gave much almes, because they performed those duties chiefly, if not onelyonly in company, and to be seen of men. The applause of others, was the weight that set their clocks a going; when that was taken off (as when they were alone,) they stood still. Therefore Christ adviseth his Apostles to take another course, if they would evidence the truth of their Christianity. Enter into thy closet, shut thy door, and pray to thy father in secret. One fervent prayer in secret, will speak more for our sincerity then many in publique, Mat. 6. …it.
When a Prince passeth by in the streets, then all, even strangers will flock about him, and look upon him; but his Wife and Children think not this enough, but follow him home, and are not satisfied, unless they can enjoy him there. A false Christian, and one that is a stranger to God, if he have but a superficial view of him in his Courts, is pleased; but the true believer, and one that is nigh to him in Christ, must have retired converses with him in his Closet, or he is not contented.