Right Thoughts, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Sheweth the Thoughts of man to be the Souls Pulſe, and that they evidently diſcover his Inward Eſtate.
Sect. I.
YOu ſee then where this wiſdom is to be found, Thoughts the Souls pulſe.and where is the place of ſelf-underſtanding. Reader, Thou art before the Lord, doſt thou unfeignedly deſire to know thy ſelf truly? then ſay not in thine heart, who ſhall aſcend, or who ſhall deſcend to tell thee, whether of the two, Heaven or Hell ſhall be thy place and portion; As the words are nigh thee, Romans 10.6, 7, 8.even in thy mouth; ſo the Thoughts are nigh thee, even in thy mind; for what Chriſt ſaith of thy words, I may ſay of thy Thoughts, Mat. 12.37. Verſe 34.By thy words (ſaith the text) and by thy thoughts (ſaith the reaſon of the text) Thou ſhalt be juſtified, and thou ſhalt be condemned. For out of the abundance of the heart doth the mouth ſpeak; If then thy Thoughts be Right, Thou art Right. The thoughts of the Righteous are Right. All the Righteous have Right Thoughts; and All, whoſe Thoughts are Right, are Righteous.
'Tis a Laudable fairneſs in our Law, Thoughts our Neighbourhood.that it puts All Tryals for Life and Death, upon God and the countrey; that is, the Neighbourhood. This little Book allowes thee the Birth-right of thy Native Law in thy greateſt tryal, more Important then for Life and Death. 'Tis for Salvation or Damnation. Tryal by them fair.Thy Thoughts are thy Neighbourhood, they walk and talk with thee, they know thy lying down, and thy riſing up; Put thy Soul tryal upon God and them, and God ſend thee a good deliverance.
Sect. II.
Inſtances of churliſhneſs. 1 Sam. 25, 26. Iſaiah 32.5. Iſaiah 32.5. Iſaiah 31.8. Liberality.A Nabal-like Heart may ſeem ſometimes to put forth a liberal hand, and make a Feaſt like a Prince, yet ſhall not a Churl be the more called liberal, The liberal man deviſeth liberall things. He onelyonly is the liberall man that hath the liberall mind, whoſe thoughts are free in a better ſence, then the old ſaying hath it; Tis not the drawing of the Purſe to the Poor though that muſt be too where there is a Purſe, but the drawing out the Soul to the Hungry that is true Charity,Iſaiah 58.10. Mark 12.21. Two mites beſtowed with one truly Generous and Liberal thought, is a righter Almeſgiving then the giving of the two Hemiſpheres of the whole world, would be without it.
Sect. III.
Envy. Prov. 26.25. Pſal. 55.21.THe Envious may carry ſmooth, and ſpeak fair, yet never a whit the more to be truſted if there be ſeven abominations in the heart, The Oyl of ſmooth words may float at top, whilſt Waters of ſtrife are at bottome, war in his heart: His words kind, his thoughts Cruel; now He is what his thoughts are. 'Tis not ſaid as a man ſpeaketh with his tongue, but as a man thinketh in his heart ſo is He. Nay ſuch are Evil whoſe thoughts are ſo, though God turn the fruit of their heart to good, to thoſe to whom they intend evil,Gen 50.20. as in Joſephs caſe, (Ye thought Evil againſt me, ſaith He, But God turned it to good), and to His own Glory, Iſaiah 10.7.to whom they intend diſhonour; as in the Aſſyrians (howbeit He meaneth not ſo, neither doth He think ſo, Goodneſs.) He was what his thoughts were: on the other hand, Joſeph was a good Brother to them, that had been otherwiſe to him, though his carriage were courſe, and his ſpeaking rough, for He thought them good, and meant them well. And thus God himſelf,Iſai…h. …0.3. when He ſheweth his People hard things, and (it may be) incurs their hard thoughts, yet then he approves himſelf to be a merciful Father, and a tender Friend by his gracious thoughts and tender purpoſes, I know the thoughts that think towards you, Jer. 29.11.thoughts of peace; And as He thinks in His Heart ſo is he, (though they think hardly of him) his thoughts are of Peace, and He is the God of Peace.Rom. 15.33.
Sect. IV.
THe Impatient are not alwayes Clamorous, Impatience.but ſometimes like froward Children that declare their doggedneſs by not ſpeaking at all, Job 36.19. Prov. 23.39.as well as by ſpeaking doggedly. 'Tis ſaid of the Hypocrites in Heart, they cry not when God bindeth them, He ſtrikes them, yet they will not be thought ſick, and beats them, yet they ſeem not to feel, they have not grieved, Jerem. 5.….they make their face, harder then a Rock, yet are never the more quiet; never the more patient; for, mean while,Habak. 2.4. their minds fret, their thoughts boil within them, their Hearts are lifted up, therefore they are not upright. Their thoughts are froward, and ſo are they, for as a man thinketh in his Heart ſo is he.Prov. 19.3. The fooliſhneſs of man perverteth his way, and his Heart fretteth againſt the Lord. He frets in Heart and thought, though not in word.Patience.
On the other hand, you have heard of the Patience of upright Job, yet how often did His Impatience (like ſome Mens ſickneſs) break out at his lips, when the diſtemper had made no mortal ſeiſure upon his heart; for ſearch but his Heart and his Hiſtory to the bottom, and you ſhall find it full fraight with thoughts of Penitence, of Patience, of Piety, of Humility, full of God-exalting, ſelf-abaſing thoughts, thoughts of calmneſs and ſweetneſs towards God, and onelyonly of bitterneſs and Indignation againſt ſinful ſelf.Job 40.4. and 42, 2, 3, 6. Behold I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? and again, I know that no thought can be with-holden from thee: who is be that hideth Councel without knowledge: I have uttered that I underſtood not, wherefore I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes.
Sect. V.
Uncleanneſs. Prov. 30.20. Prov. 7.14. Verſe 18.SOlomons ſtrange woman keeps a ſtir about wiping of her mouth, whilſt ſhe never regardeth the cleanſing of her thoughts; She can talk of Pe ce-Offe ings, and of Her paying her Vows in the day, and think the ſame moment, of pleaſing her bruit…ſh Luſt all the night, Come let us take our fill of loves till the morning. Her thoughts were unclean, and ſo was ſhe. Whatever mens garbes and pretenſions are, how demure ſoever their deportments,Rom. 13.14. and 8.5. Chaſtity. Job 31.1, how mortified ſoever their appearances, they whoſe profoundeſt thoughts, are how to make proviſion for the Luſts of the Fleſh, are fleſhly, and they that do mind the things of the Fleſh are after the Fleſh: On the contrary, Chaſt Job will not only make a Covenant with his Eyes, but will not allow himſelf ſo much as to think upon a Maid. His thoughts were Chaſt and clean, and ſo was He.
Sect. VI.
Covetouſneſs.THe Covetous walk not alwayes in open and naked view for every one to ſee, perhaps not for themſelves; but often wear a Cloak (as the Apoſtle calls it) a Cloak of zeal, and ſeeming ſanctity, as Iehu, 1 Theſ. 2.5. John 12.10.and others. Their thoughts boil, but the fervour of their ſpirit is, for the ſerving of themſelves, not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Judas talks of the Poo, but he think… of the Purſe, 2 Pet. 2.1.and of his Prey; yet he carryed it ſo plauſibly, that the Eleven ſuſpected themſelves more than Him. Mens Hearts may be exerciſed with covetous practices, Jer. 23.31. Jer. 22.17.whilſt their hands ſeem not ſo, They come and ſit before the Lord as his People, but their hearts run after their covetouſneſs; nay, their hearts are not but for their covetouſneſs, as the Prophet ſmartly expreſſeth it. They may talk of better things, but their thoughts are for no other, their tongues may run of heavenly things, but their thoughts ſtill run after their e…vetouſneſs. Their thoughts are for to morrow, Mat. 6.31. Pſal. 49.11.what they ſhall eat, and what they ſhall drink, and wherewith they ſhall be cloathed. Their Inward thoughts are, that their Houſes and Inheritances are to them and their Heirs for ever. Such are the thoughts that they drown their Souls in, and bury themſelves in alive, working like Moles under-ground, Phil. 3.19.and if they ſometimes app ar above ground, they are not in their Element, till rooting in the earth again,Mat. 10.17. they mind earthly things, The young man in the Goſpel, His tongue ran of Heaven, What muſt I do that I may inherit Eternal life? but his thoughts ran after Earth, if I go with this Chriſt, I muſt forgo my Eſtate, if I cleave to Him, I muſt leave that:Deut. 15.7. He went away ſorrowful, for he had large Poſſeſſions. But ſaith God to his People, Beware there be not in thy wicked heart a thought, &c. which he there cautions in this caſe of Covetouſneſs. A Covetous thought reigning in the heart, Allowed, Loved, Liked, Maintained, cuſtomarily entertained there, is the Evidence of a wicked heart, of a bad man, for as a man thinketh in his Heart, ſo is He.
Sect. VII.
THe Proud perſon may be tryed by his Thoughts,Pride. be he never ſo much in the diſguiſe of his voluntary humility. Iſaiah 58.53.His thoughts do ſwell and riſe high, whilſt He cringeth low; like thoſe in Iſaiah, who hung down their heads like Bulruſhes, yet their Hearts were lifted up in proud thoughts againſt God, as if He were in their Debts for their formal devotions; wherefore have we faſted, ſay they, Luke 18.11.and thou takeſt no notice? The Phariſee was the worſe for his good thoughts of himſelf; God I thank thee, that I am not as other men; Yea, and thouſands in the world have cauſe enough to think ill of themſelves, if they had no more then their thinking too well of themſelves: God will puniſh the fruit of mens ſtout hearts; Iſaiah. 10.18. compared with the 12.now the fruit of the ſtout heart is in the ſame place, explained to be the proud Thought. The Pſalmiſt complains, the wi…ked through the pride of their countenances will not ſeek after God, Pſal. 18.4. Ezek. 28.16.God is not in all their thoughts. He fetcheth proof of their wicked pride from their Godleſs thoughts. The proud Prince of Tyrus did ſet his heart as the heart of God, in high thoughts of Himſelf, as the Sequel there ſhews.Humility. But the beſt Men on the contrary are leaſt and loweſt in their own thoughts. Thus Abraham, Gen. 18 27. and 23.10. Pſal. 22.6. Pſal. 73.22. Prov. 30.2. Iſaiah 6.5. 1 Cor 15.9. Col. 3.12. Mat. 11.29.but duſt and aſhes; Jacob, leſs than the leaſt of Gods mercies; David, a worm and no man. Aſaph, a beaſt before thee. Agar, more bruitiſh then man. Iſaiah, a man of unclean lips. Paul, the very leaſt of the Apoſtles, but the chiefeſt of Sinners. Put on humbleneſs of mind, ſaith the Apoſtle. The Humble man is humble in mind, and lowly in heart and thought as Chriſt was, for as a man thinketh in his heart ſo is He.
Sect. VIII.
Purity. Matth. 5.3.BLeſſed are the pure in heart, ſaith our Saviour, they ſhall ſee God. Are thy thoughts holy? then thou art happy. In a good mans heart there is a good treaſure, Mat. 12.35. Pſal. 139.17. and 10.4 Prov. 10.20.and the Pſalmiſt tells you what it is, How pretious are thy thoughts, O God, unto me? But for the wicked, God is not in all his thoughts, therefore the heart of the wicked is little worth, and he, whoſe Heart is little worth, is wicked.
Sect. IX.
To draw this head towards a concluſion, let me perſwade thee, O man, but to judge of thy ſelf, which thou canſt, by the ſame way, that thou wouldſt judge thy Neighbor if thou couldſt. If anothers thoughts lay as fair to thine eye, as his words do ſound to thine ears, thou wouldeſt try his thoughts towards thee, before thou wouldſt too much truſt his words, for the wiſe man obſerves, theſe too may be very wide each from other, Eat and drink ſaith he to thee, and yet his heart is not with thee. But God hath purpoſely lockt up thy Neighbours thoughts from thee,Prov. 23.7. to correct thy curioſity and over eager propenſion to Cenſoriouſneſs abroad, and hath ſaid, Iudg not that ye be not Iudged, Math. 7.1. 1 Cor. 11.32.but hath made thee Tur…-k…y to thy own, becauſe its beſt for the to turn often in at thine own door, for if we wo… judge our ſelves we ſhould not be judged. Mans Law doth what it can in the triall of thoſe that are under Inqueſt, for diſcovery not onelyonly nor chiefly of the Act, but the Mens …a, the Intent and thought of the Heart in the Act, whether a Traiterors, Malitious, Felo…ious Intent, and of M…lice fore-thought or no? When ſmooth-tongued Simon Magus came with Honey in his mouth, and his well-tuned tongue had a fair freedom to make a plauſible profeſſion, he was received and Baptized, Acts 8.12. Verſe 22.but as ſoon as the Apoſtle Peter came to diſcern his thought (Repent and pray God, ſaith he, if perhaps this thought of thine may be forgiven thee) he preſently perceives that his heart was not right, and that his ſtate was nought, for he ſaith not, I perceive that the …a… of bitterneſs is in thee only, but that thou art in it a…d in th… bond of Iniquity.Verſe 23.
Sect. X.
IN one word, as the Pulſe ſo the Thoughts derive immedia e…y from the heart, both as to Temper and Diſtemper, the one in a Phyſi…al, the other in a moral notion & reſpect, and wert thou but as careful and S…i…fu to obſerve thy flowing thoughts, as thy Phyſitian is to examine thy gliding pulſe, thy Thou…hs would …ſ…ſte… deceive thee, then thy Pulſe him, and thou needeſt not be ſo much at a loſs as the moſt are for the knowledg of thy ſpiritual and everlaſting ſtate, haveing ſo fair as Index to Eternity ſo near at hand, Commune then with thine own hea…t upon thy b d, and be ſtill. Pſalm 4.4.'Tis Scripture Councel, and it will never hurt thee to take it. Thy thoughts may talk with thee when none elſe will, when none elſe can, when there is none but God, and thou, and they together. Thy faculty will be true to thee, if thou be ſo to it, thy Thought will not flatter thee if thou do not daub with them; but and if thou doſt, God will not. And ſo I paſs to the next.