Right Thoughts, Title page – Part 1
RIHGT THOUGHTS The Righteous Mans EVIDENCE: A DISCOURSE,
Proving Our ſtate (God-ward) to be as Our Thoughts are.
Directing how to try them, and Our Selves by them.
Propounding Schemes of Right Thoughts.
With Motives and Rules for keeping Thoughts Right.
In Two Parts.
By FAITHFUL TEAT.
For as a man THINKETH in his Heart, So is He, PROV. XXIII.VII.
Let the Unrighteous Man forſake his Thoughts, ISAIAH LV.VII.
Doth not He that Pondereth the HEART, Conſider? PROV. XXIV.XII.
London, Printed for George Sawbridge, dwelling on Clerkenwell Green, 1669.
The Preface.
Little Book,
I Am very ſenſible that thine Entertainment in the World is likely to be the ſame with His, on whoſe Errand Thou art ſent, who is ſaid to have endured, Hebr. 12.1.foreign, the contradiction of Sinners againſt Himſelf. For to tell men of making Conſcience of THOUGHTS, for Setting and Keeping them RIGHT, when the moſt do even hate to be reclaimed from the moſt Outward Enormities in Words and Actions, Pſal. 50.17. Gen. 27.9. compared with Gal. 4.28, 29is likely but to tickle the Spleen of too many Iſhmaels to an Impious ſcurrility, and prophane Deriſion.
But (whether they will hear, Ezek. 2.4, 5.or whether they will forbear) Go Thou and tell the wicked WITS that thou doſt meet with,Dan. 5.3. That whilſt they are Quaffing Themſelves into a drunken merriment in the Veſſels of the Temple, Verſe 25. Verſe 27. Verſe 26.(making ſport of things Spiritual) there is a tremendous MENE TEKEL upon the Wall, Their wit is weighed in the Ballances (of the Sanctuary) and found wanting; Their Dayes are numbred, and themſelves ſhortly, to give up the Ghoſt, and a ſad account therewith to God that gave them their active Phanſies for better uſe.
And here I could tell thy Reader, that I have been lately an Eye-witneſs of ſome (taken for Wits of prime magnitude in the Orb of Prophaneſs) who upon their Death-beds, could allow no reſt to themſelves, or thoſe about them, without procuring the Viſits and Prayers of ſuch as themſelves had by a mimical way of Praying, and Theatrical mock-Preaching, been wont to expoſe to Deriſion among their Companions; Unhappy Partners in their prophane LIFE, and again unhappy in that they were not Spectators of their penitent DEATHS!
Exod. 10.16. Chap. 8.8, 28. and 9.27. Hebr. 11.26.When Gods Plagues are upon Aegypt, Oh then call for Moſes and Aaron in haſt, O Pray, pray, pray ſ…r us; Yet this Moſes is the man, that at other times, muſt bear the Reproach of Chriſt in Aegypt, as the Apoſtle (to the Hebrews) teſtifieth. For though the Hearts of the Sons of men are fully ſet in them to do Evil, and Madneſs is in their Hearts whilſt they Live (as Eccleſiaſtes obſerveth) yet,Eccleſ. 9 3. Job 28.22. compared with Verſe 28. ſaith the Holy Ghoſt, Deſtruction, and DEATH ſay, We have heard the Fame of Wiſdom with our Ears, that is, of the true fear of the Lord, as the Text expounds it ſelf. Now
Mr. W…ler quoted by Mr. R. B…yl.'Tis not that which firſt we Love.
But what Dying We approve.
2 Cor. 5.11.Go thou therefore, and tell the World that thine Author, knowing the Terrour of the Lord, (and in the many years leiſure he hath had for Thinking, finding no more Noble Theme than Thoughts) hath ſent thee forth to perſwade Men, to be ſo far from daring to adventure. Their Souls in naked and open Prophaneſs, as not to reſt under the faireſt Fig-leaves of ſuperficials, or the beſt of OUTSIDES whatſoever; but to conſider ſeriouſly, That there is a Sanctifie the LORD GOD in your HEART;1 Pet. 3.15. Eccleſ. 10.12. Hebr. 4.22. foreign. and a Curſe not the KING, no not in thy Thought; That the word of God is quick and powerful, a (critical) diſcerner of the Thoughts of the Heart.
And therefore thou canſt be unfit for the Hands of none, for that all have HEARTS. Diſcourſes of other ſorts may more particularly concern ſome one ſort of Readers,Prov. 27.2…. and ſome another, but that Counſel of Solomons, Be thou diligent to know the ſtate of thy FLOCKS, concerns every one, if that of Holy Herbert be true,
My Soul's a Shepheard too, a Flock it ſeeds,Herbert in Temple.
Of THOUGHTS, and Words, and Deeds.
Let all ſorts therefore be diligent to know the ſtate of their Thoughts.
As for the Poor in this World, they have the more need to be rich in (that which our Saviour calls the good treaſure of the Heart, that is,Mat. 12.33. (amongſt other things) good THOUGHTS; and as for the Greateſt, go thou and tell them, that as the Bereans were the More Noble for wearing the precious Pearl of Gods Word at their Ear; So, Thoughts regulated by that Word, Acts 17.10.11.are the beſt Jewel that can ſparkle upon the most Honourable Breſts,Mal. 3.16. Verſe 17. to make them orient in his Eye, who hath ſaid of thoſe onelyonly, who ſo THINK upon his Name, They ſhall be Mine, in that day when I make up my JEWELS.
1 King 8.38.But if the ſick of the Plague of the Heart (which Scripture ſpeaks of as the worſt of Plagues and) whoſe Cure thou deſigneſt, will not receive thee, becauſe the Divine patience doth as yet ſuffer them to walk abroad free from Outward and bodily Maladies; Then go thou, and viſit my old Neighbours in Doleful Colcheſter, and other ſuch ſad places, where the Plague in their Houſes, hindring their freedome of converſe with others, doth the more oblige, and may perhaps the more diſpoſe them to turn in to Themſelves,Pſalm 4.5. to ſtand in aw, and not to ſin, but to commune with their Own HEARTS; And the God of all Grace go along with thee, and ſucceed thee, for the effectual Turning of many Hearts from Darkneſs to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God.
CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART.
CHap. 1. Of Self-diſcovery: its Nature and neceſſity.
Chap. 2. Dams this Principle, That Thoughts are Free; The leſs ſo in Gods Eye, becauſe free from Mans. Evil Thoughts ſin to us, Abomination to God; Damn'd in the old World, Exclude from Salvation, like Devils, and worſe.
Chap. 3. Thoughts the Souls Pulſe. In Churliſhneſs, Liberality, Envy, Goodneſs, Impatience, Patience, Uncleanneſs, Chaſtity, Covetouſneſs, Pride, Humility, Purity. Judge we Our ſelves by what we would others (if we could).
Chap. 4. God chiefly eyeth mens Thoughts, they have Feet, Tongues and Hands. Thought-Adultery, Prophaneſs, Preſumption, &c. Evil and Good Characterized from their Thoughts: known to God afar off. Our Poſſeſſions, Companions, &c. 1. God made us for Thinking. Gods Good will towards us, and Ours to Him ſet out by Thoughts, ſo Our Ill will by not thinking of Him, &c. 2. Grace firſt ſtirs in Thoughts. 3. Thoughts can reach further then our Deeds can, and God requires our utmoſt. 4. Thoughts are the Hearts firſt-born, Gods part Mans Heart a Fountain, Mint-houſe, God-eyes our hearts firſt ſetting out. 5. God judgeth (as Man cannot) moſt by what is in-moſt. 6. Conſcience (Gods Deputy) judgeth us by our Thoughts.
Chap. 5. Right Thoughts how to be known, not thoughts of, but in our ſelves. Conſcience the Lords Candle to ſearch.
Tryal 1. By their Original, not from Nature, but Grace. The occaſion and ſeaſon of Gods firſt working them. A Scheme of a Converts firſt thoughts, agree with natural motions in 1. Facility, 2. Frequency, 3. Perpetuity.
Tryal 2. By their Radication, when good thoughts are deepeſt. Rule explained, Reaſon of the Rule, Inſtances in good and bad, Godly (at loweſt) excel Hypocrites at beſt. Bodily temperament how conſiderable in this tryal.
Tryal 3. Right thoughts operative in a Right Converſation. Thoughts without Works vain and dead. Right application of this Rule.
Tryal 4. Right Thoughts are Regular, Here 1. Think there is a Rule for Thoughts. 2. Have Right Thoughts of the Rule.