Right Thoughts, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Proves that the Judgment that God paſſeth upon Men is by their Thoughts.
Sect. I.
WOuldſt thou then, O Man, Try thy ſelf by the ſame M aſures that God will try thee, and judge of the ſtate, as He judgeth of thee, who judgeth not according to the appra a…, but judgeth righteous judgment; Let me trie thy thoughts and thee together again. For the Lord ſearch th th… h…a t and t…y…th the reins, Jer. 17.10. and 11.20. Pſal. 16.7.thoſe reins the Pſamiſt ſpeakes of, My rein…s ieſt uct me in the night ſeaſon, His ſolemn thoughts and ſetious ſelf-reflections. Thoſe are they that God tryed, and thee by them.Pſal. 139.1.2. O Lord thou haſt ſearched me and known me, thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afar of; As Chriſt ſaid to Nathaniel, John 1.48.I may ſay to others in other caſes, before that Philip called th…e, I ſaw th…e when thou waſt under the Fig-tree, ſo before others called thee to the Ale-Bench, or into the …hore-ho…ſe, he ſaw thee, he knew the pr…p…ſions of thy Thoughts, the motions in thy mind, the tendency of thine heart, He underſta…deth the thoughts afa… off, and by theſe He dooms, ſentenceth, and judgeth thee, though (to ſpeak ſtrictly) God judgeth of us or knows us by pure and ſimple intuition… abſtractly as well from thought as from words and actions, that is, He needs no more any thought or thing, then he doth any man, to teſtify of man, for He knows,John 2.25. as what is in man, ſo what man is, by a more perfect way then diſcurſive inference, or argumentation. He knows all things in their prin…iples before they operate, For known unto the Lord are all his workes f…o… the beginning.Acts 15.18:
Sect. II.
THoughts have feet, they have a tendency, be they good or evil.Thoughts have feet. Prov. 21.5. can go. Eph. 4.17. Jer. 7.24. Tongues. Math. 3.9. Lam. 3 60. The thoughts of the diligent tend to plenteouſneſs, the Lord takes notice of the tendency of thy thoughts, and counts thee go…e the ſame way that they go. The Gentiles are ſaid to walk not onelyonly after but in the vanity of their mind. And the wicked Jewes not onelyonly after but in the imaginations of their evil Hearts. Thoughts can ſpeak as well as go, Think not to ſay within your ſelves, &c. and God hears them, (thou haſt heard all their imaginations againſt me, ſaith the Church) when the voice is not hard Hannah prayed in her heart, and her lipes moved, Can pray, 1 Sam. 1.13. Verſe 14.But her voice was not heard. Old Eli that meaſured her by the bare moving of her lipes, misjudged her; but God had an eye to the Motion of her Hea…t, Thoughts can Curſe too, Curſe not the King, no not in thy thought. And curſe, Eccl. 10.20, 19 Prov. 23 33. And lie, Acts 5.3, 4.The Heart of the wicked is ſaid to utter perverſe things. The Holy Ghoſt heard An…as thoughts tell the he before Peter and the reſt heard his tongue do ſo, Why hath Satan filled thine Hea…t to lie unto the Holy Ghoſt; thou haſt not lyed unto men but unto God. Thoughts have Ha…s too as well as Tongues and Feet in Gods account.And hands. The hea…t of the vile pe…ſon is ſaid to work Iniquity, Iſa. 22.6. can work.and to pra…tice hypo…riſy. Therefore ſaith God of the falſe witneſs, thou ſhalt do to him, as he thought to do to his Brother. David thought to build God at Houſe, and thus God reckons,Deut. 19.19: 1 Kings 2.26. thou didſt well in that it was in thine heart. When Eſau thought to ſlay his Brother if his Father were but once dead, (Eſau ſaid in his heart, Gen. 27.41.the dayes of mourning for my Father are at hand, then will I ſlay my Brother Jacob); God Books it down, though he never did it. How are the things of Eſau ſearched out, Obadiah 6.how are his hid things ſought up? and ſo ſhall all mens be,1 Chro. 28.9. for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and underſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts.
Sect. III.
Thought, Adultery. Mat. 5.28. Prophaneſs, Pſal. 50.21.IF a man looking on a woman do but ſend after her an Impure thought, God writes down Adultery committed already, if he look, ſaith Chriſt, to Luſt after her. If thou do but think profanely, he notes it, thou thoughteſt I was altogether ſuch an one as thy ſelf, But I will reprove thee; I ſay, he obſerves it, and accordingly judgeth thee. If preſumptuouſly, he dooms it, and thee for it.Preſumption, Deut. 29.19, 20. If a man hearing the words of this curſe, bleſs himſelf in his heart (that is, in his own thoughts) ſaying, I ſhall have Peace, though I walk in the Imagination of mine heart: the Lord will not ſpare him, &c. If thy thought be vain and fooliſh,Vanity. wicked and worldly, God will pronounce thee ſuch as he finds that. The grounds of a certain rich man brought forth plenteouſly, Luke 12.16, 17, 19, 20.and he thought within himſelf what ſhall I do, &c. I will ſay to my Soul, Soul, thou haſt much goods laid up for many years, take thine eaſe, eat, drink, and be merry; But God ſaid unto him, thou fool, &c. If thy thoughts be Viperous and Venomous,Venome. blaſphemous and malitious againſt the Lord and His Chriſt. He will damn thee for ſuch as he finds them.Mat. 12.25. compared with verſe 34. Pſal. 2.4, 5. Jeſus knew their thoughts, and ſaid, O Generation of Vipers, &c. Why do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? they take Councel againſt the Lord, and againſt his Anointed, &c. The Lord ſhall ſpeak to them in his wrath, &c. The Conſult, He condemns, they Think, and He Speaks; that is to ſay, ſpeaks in judgment.
Sect. IV.
THis was the Condemnation of the old world, as we have ſeen,Evil men characterized by their thoughts. Gen. 6.5. Gods proof of mans wickedneſs was from the Thoughts of his heart, and the puniſhment thereof was proportioned thereunto, an over flowing ſcourge upon them for that ſuperfluity of naughtineſs that was in them. Yet were there many amongſt theſe that becauſe of their profeſſion were called the ſons of God.Gen. 6.2. The ſons of God ſaw the daughters of men, &c. 'Tis not what our profeſſions are, or what our Names are, but what our thoughts are that the Lord looks at, and accounts of us by. 'Tis ſaid of our Lord Jeſus that though many believed on his Name, when they ſaw the Miracles which he did, Joh. 2.23, 24, 25.yet did not Jeſus commit himſelf to them, becauſe he knew all men, and needed not that any man ſhould teſtifie of man, for he knew what was in man. The Text ſaith, he judgeth of Man, by what was In Man: Our words proceed out of us, our profeſſions are on us, but our thoughts are in us; and theſe are they that the Lord Chriſt looks at,Luke 2.3, 35. and was himſelf ſet (amongſt other ends) for the manifeſtation of, That the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed.
Sect. V.
ON the other hand,So the Godly. thoſe bleſſed Souls whom the Lord Crowns with ſo high a teſtimony, and ſo Honourable a Character of being his,Mal. 3.16, 17 whom he will ſpare, his Jewels which he will make up, for whom a Book of Remembrance was written before him, they are briefly thus deſcribed, ſuch as feared the Lord, and that Thought upon his Name. 'Twas not the Name of God upon them, but the Name of God in them, 'twas not the bare ſpeaking of his Name, though (no doubt) they did that too, (for they ſpeak often one to another,) but their thinking upon his Name, that God Characterizeth them from; whereas be the wicked groſly ſuch,Pſal. 9.17. Job 8.13. or Hypocrites, they are ſtigmatized for ſuch as forget God.
Sect. VI.
THere are two things that God is ſaid to know afar off. God is ſaid to know thoughts afar off, Pſal. 13.8, 6. a…d 139.2. Ezek. 38.10.The Pride of man, and the Thoughts of man. He hath it ſeems a ſevere eye upon each of theſe. I know their Imaginations which they go about (ſaith God of Iſrael) even now before I have brought them into the Land which I ſware, and of Gog, thus ſaith the Lord, it ſhall alſo come to paſs, that at the ſame time ſhall things come into thy mind, and thou ſhalt think an evil thought. God minds our thoughts before they come into our minds; and knows what we are about to think, before we think it; Then needs muſt he know what we think, when we think; and what to think of us too whilſt we are a thinking, before we ſpeak or act.Pſal. 94.11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wiſe, that they are vain, ſaith the Apoſtle.2 Cor. 3.20. The variation in the verſion ſpeaks thus much, Amongſt all the vain Children of men, there is not one wiſe enough to hide his thoughts from being known to God, and himſelf by them. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. He cannot keep the noiſom ſtench of them from the Almighties noſtrils;Prov. 15.26. Yet abhors evil thoughts though at a diſtance. Prov. 11.20. nor can God endure them without declaring his abhorrence of them. Who ſmells them at a diſtance (afar off) and abhors them, ſo they that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord, If thy thoughts be froward, though thy words (through thy ſubtil or hypocritical reſtraint of them) be not ſo; as appears by the Antitheſis, but ſuch as are upright in their way are his delight. You ſee then how God reckons men by their Thoughts.
Sect. VII.
WE value men according to their Poſſeſſions, and God according to their Thoughts: We value men by their poſſeſſions, Our thoughts are ſo.A man of mean parts, of low acquirements, of mean Poſſeſſions, we reckon a mean perſon: A man of high Improvements, of large Acquiſitions, of great Poſſeſſions, we reckon a Great Man, a ſubſtantial perſon; now Mens thoughts a…e their Poſſeſſions; and 'tis obſervable that one word in the Hebrew expreſſeth both, therefore when the Text in Job reads,Job 17.11. My purpoſes are broken off, even the Thoughts of my heart; The Margin (according to the Hebrew) reads the poſſeſſions of my heart. Luke 21.19.'Tis by patient thoughts that we poſſeſs our Souls, under Affliction: By Chaſt and pure thoughts that every one ſhould poſſeſs his veſſel in Sanctification and Honour, 'Tis by believing thoughts, 1 Theſ. 4.4.we poſſeſs the Lord Jeſus, put him on, dwell in him, Rom. 13.14. Col. 2.6. Job 7.3, 4.walk in him having received him. On the other part; when Jobs thoughts were reſtleſſe and unquiet, toſſing and tumbling from morning to evening, from evening to morning, from week to week, from monethmonth to monethmonth, then it is ſaid, God made him poſſeſſe moneths of vanity, When God preſented all his youth-ſins (as ſo many frightful Ghoſts) freſh to his Thoughts, then it is ſaid,Job 23.26. God made him to poſſeſſe the iniquities of his youth. So when the Heart is full of good Thoughts, God calls that the good treaſure; if of evil Thoughts, the evil treaſure of the heart; Math. 12 35.and we value Men to be, as their treaſures and poſſeſſions are.
Sect. VIII.
WE Judge men by their conſtant Companions. We judge men by their companions. Our thoughts are ſo.Noſcitur ex ſocio qui non dignoſcitur ex ſe. Now our thoughts are our eonſtant Company, They are ever with us at Bed and Board. Company draws out anſwers from us (ſometimes, when we have no great mind to ſpeak,) ſo do our Thoughts. Therefore do my thoughts cauſe me to anſwer ſaid Zophar. Job 2.2. 1 Kings 12.8.Theſe are as Rehoboams Councellours, that were brought up with him from his youth; ſo the Imaginations of mans heart are ſaid to be;Gen. 9.21. Jer. 4.14. Theſe are our Inmates and Intimates (be they good or evil, Divine or vain). They lodg… with us, nay within us; theſe are gueſts that never part with us, till we bid adue to our ſelves. 'Tis not till that very day, Pſal. 146.4.that our thoughts periſh: no nor then neither in ſome ſence, but they go with us into another World, and there God will judge them, and us by them. Prov. 13.20.He that walketh with the wiſe (the word, Men, is not in the Hebrew) ſhall be wiſe. He that walks with God, who gives wiſdom, and he that walks with the word of God which is able to make a man wiſe to Salvation. 2 Tim. 3.15.He that hath that dwelling richly in him, and dwells upon it by wiſe and holy Thoughts and Meditations (as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, I have more underſtanding then all my teachers, Pſal. 119.9. Good thoughts good company. Prov. 6.21, 22.for thy teſtimonies are my meditation) as well as he that converſeth with wiſe and holy perſons, ſhall be wiſe. If thou bind them continually upon thine heart, when thou goeſt it ſhall lead thee, when thou ſleepeſt it ſhall keep thee, and when thou awakeſt it ſhall talk with thee, that is, wiſdom ſhall. Under God thou canſt not have better Company then good thoughts; God cannot be had without Theirs.nay, thou canſt not have His without theirs. Thou mayſt have his Company when thou canſt not have good mens; but thou canſt not have His, except thou have good thoughts. But the companion of fools (ſaith another Proverb) ſhall be deſtroyed; Prov. 24.9.of fooliſh ſinners without us, of fooliſh thoughts within us, (for even the thought of fooliſhneſs is ſin.) If we chooſe either for our Companions, eſpecially the later, they will undo us, and bring us under that doom of Deſtruction. This made holy, David choice of his Company, Pſal. 26.4.but curious of his Thoughts▪ I have not ſat… with vain perſons, ſaith he, but I hate vain thoughts, when his Company was bad his thoughts were good; Even while the wicked was before him, …ſal. 39.1.his heart was hot within him, while he was muſing, the Fire burned: his Thoughts inflame his affections with godly Zeal; and this Holy Fire, as by an Anteperiſtaſis, burnt ſo much the hotter for the Froſt of curſed Contrariety that was about it. When the careful Magiſtrates or Officers of a City break into a ſuſpected houſe in the Night time, the great queſtion is, what Company have you here? ſo when God breaks in upon our dark hearts, the Inquiry is, what Thoughts have you here? Gods inquiry in mans heart, What thoughts have you here? Luke 24.38. James 2 4.why do Thoughts ariſe in your Minds? Are ye not become Judges of evil thoughts?
Sect. IX.
FIrſt, God made Man to think of his Maker, Remember thy Creatour, God made man to think of his maker, Eccleſ. 12 1. We value things as they ſuit their ends.there is Mans end and duty ſumd up in ſhort. God gave man a mind higher then oth…r Animals, that he might mind high…r then they; a mind above other things, that he might mind things above; An Heathen could ſay, Os ho nini ſublime dedit, Cael…mque tu…ri juſſit. We chiefly eſtimate things as they ſuite their Ch if end, as Fewel by its burning, a Knife by its Edge, an Horſe by his good heels, &c. Otherwiſe though they look well, if they do not …urn well, or cut well, or go well, we like them not: So God will have none of thy (Naphthali like) goodly words without Godly thoughts. Gen. 49 21.We do not reckon Parrats or Mag pies men; becauſe they are taught to talk; We know they have not Thoughts like Men, though they have words like Men; And is it poſſible that for a little profeſſions ſake, God ſhould have good thoughts of thee, whoſe thoughts are not good? Let me tell thee once for all, He thinks better of thy Oxe or Aſs that in its kind minds thee its Owner, then of thee who mindeſt not Him whom thou calleſt thy Lord and Maker, (and ſo perhaps often ſweareſt by him, when thou doſt not once think of Him.) 'Tis a diſmal Charge and Challenge that,Iſaiah 1.5. But my people do not conſider; They call themſelves Mine, but they MIND not Mo; Deut. 32.18, 19.Of the Rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful, and haſt forgotten God that formed thee, And when the Lord ſaw it, he abhorred them, becauſe of the provoking of his Sons and his Daughters. Alas, how little do Names, Titles, Priviledges, Profeſſions ſtand for in Gods Account, where God Himſelf is not minded? Jud. 16.15.As ſhe ſaid, How ſayeſt thou that thou loveſt me, ſeeing thy heart is not with me? how is it that thou pretendeſt to God, ſeeing thy mind is not with him, Pſal. 10.4.God is not in all thy thoughts?
Gods good will to us ſet out by his thoughts, Pſalm 115.12. Pſalm 111.5. Neh. 5.19. and 13.22. Luke 23.4. Pſalm 4….9. Cant. 1.4. Pſalm 44.17, 18, 20, 21. Iſaiah 64.5. So ours to God.As Gods good will towards men in Scripture is called his being mindful, his remembring, his thinking upon them. He is ever mindful of his Covenant. Think upon me, O my God: Lord, remember me when thou comeſt into thy Kingdom! So ours alſo to God-ward. We have thought of thy loving kindneſs, O God! We will remember thy love more then Wine. …f we have forgotten thy Name, ſhall not God ſearch this out? All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee; our heart is not turned back. Therefore it is ſaid, thou meet ſt them that remember thee. A good God will be ſure to be even with them: They remember him, and he minds them. He is in their thoughts, and they are in his. But on the other hand, Think not, O man, to be regarded by him that is forgotten by thee; or that God ſhould have any good thoughts of thee, who never harboureſt any good thoughts in thee, And our evil will, by our not thinking of him. Pſalm 9.17. and 50, 22.or that God ſhould mind thy good, who never mindſt God nor good? No, no, if God think upon thee, it will be to deſtroy thee, for not remembring him that made thee. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, And all the Nations that forget God; Now conſider this all ye that forget God, leſt he tear you in peices while there is none to deliver you. Even ſuch are the paths of all that forget God, and the Hypocrites hope ſhall periſh. Job 8.13.In vain is hope in God harboured where thoughts of God cannot be.
Sect. X.
Secondly,
GOd looks eſpecially to mans thoughts, Becauſe if there be any Grace,Grace firſt ſtirs in thoughts. 1 John 3.9. 1 Peter 2.2. foreign. which is called the ſeed of God in Man, it firſt ſtirs there. The new-born babe (as the Apoſtles expreſſion is,) it firſt breaths in Prayer, but it firſt ſtirs in thought, and its ſtirring (as in Nature) is before its breathing. Nay even that privation, which according to the Old Philoſophy) is as it were a kind of principle of this Spiritual Generation, begins there. This is called a Caſting down Imaginations, 2 Cor. 10.5.and a bringing of every thought of the heart into captivity to the obedience of Chriſt. Grace, I ſay,Pſal. 119.59. firſt ſtirs in the Thought. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teſt monies. Luke 15.17, 20. Deut. 30.1. 1 King. 8.46, 47, 48, 49, 50.The Prodigal came to himſelf before he came to his Father. Firſt, thought of his Fathers houſe, and then turned his feet thither-ward: Solomon in his Prayer (a Type of Jeſus Chriſt our Lord in his Interceſſion) ſpeaks thus, If they ſin againſt thee, &c. Yet if they ſhall be think themſelves, &c. and ſo return to thee, &c. Then bear thou their Prayer, &c. and forgive thy People, &c. Firſt, they bethink themſelves, and then return. Thus the Accompliſhment of the new Covenant in the work of Grace is called the putting of Gods Laws into mens minds, and the writing them in or upon their hearts. Hebr. 8.10. foreign. 1 Cor. 10.5. 1 Pet. 1.23. Hebr. 4.12.The Greek word ſignifies, I will give them into their Thoughts, and write them upon their hearts. Thoughts are the Gate and In-let to all the affections. Grace firſt knocks at this door. Therefore alſo the word of Grace, which is the great Engine for the foreſaid Privation, and the very Seed of Regeneration is called foreign a ſtrict and curious obſerver of the thoughts and intentions of the Heart. And if Gods Word be ſuch, ſure God is ſo.
Sect. XI.
THirdly, God principally requires the heart, and therefore eſpecially looks at the Thoughts. Thoughts to the Heart are as motion to the Watch, Therefore eſpecially looks to the thoughts. Prov. 23.28. Deut. 32.46, 47. Pſal. 119.41.Sailing to the Ship; and 'tis thoſe that render theſe valuable. My Son give me thy heart. We muſt give God our Hand too, and our all, but out heart in All, and above All. Thus ſet your Hearts unto all th… words, &c. for is it not a vain thing for you, becauſe it is your life. We muſt lift up our Hands too to Gods Commandments (ſaith David) but eſpecially our Hearts and Thoughts, and therefore he adds, and I will meditate in thy Statutes. Thoughts can reach farther than deeds can, and God requires our moſt. Pſalm 137.1, 5, 6. Rom. 7.24, 25.Our Thoughts can reach farther, than our Deeds can, and God requires and looks for our utmoſt. The poor Captivated Souldier when he cannot get to his party, he can think of his party. As the Captives in Babylon could think of Sion, nay, could not but think of it: the Apoſtle captivated to the Law of ſin by the Law in his Members, did yet with his MIND ſerve the Law of God. And God minds carefully how your minds ſtand, which way they ſerve, to the World or Heaven, Sin or Holineſs, Chriſt or Belial.
Sect. XII.
Thoughts the Hearts primary productions. Exod. 13.1. Firſt born Gods part. Job 5.7.Fourthly,
THoughts are the primary productions of the Mind, and Heart, therefore God principally eyes theſe. Of old times, the firſt born were under Gods eſpecial eye. The Hebrews call ſparks, the Sons of the burning coal, as you may ſee by comparing that Text in Job with the Margin. The Thoughts are the ſparklings of mans Mind, the very Iſſue of it, if it be enkindled with Heavenly Fire, Mat. 3 11.that inward Baptiſme, what numberleſs numbers of theſe Divine ſparks are there daily flying upward; if with Fire of Hell (as the Apoſtle James ſpeaks of the Tongue,James 3.6.) thy very thoughts, as it were, ſtink of Brimſtone, and look like Hell in Gods eye; they are earthly, Ver. 14.15, 16.ſenſual, and Deviliſh, there is confuſion, and every evil work. Thoughts, I ſay, are the proper Iſſue, nay the firſt born of the heart,Mat. 15.19. for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, Murthers, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, Blaſphemies; Mark, Firſt Evil thoughts, and then all the reſt. Evil Thoughts are the File-leaders, theſe ſtand in principal view. Evil Thoughts are the hearts firſt begotten, which no ſooner are they born, but the heart inceſtuouſly begets on them again, Murthers, Adulteries, Thefts, Blaſphemies, what not? Thoughts you ſee lie next to the heart; and if we would judge of a Fountain, we judge of it by the waters that flow next and immediately from the ſpring head; going farther,Fountain to be judg'd by what flows moſt Immediately from it. they may come to be altered from their natural taſte or look. The waters of a ſalt ſpring by being diſtreined and percolated through the freſh earth may looſe their brackiſhneſs. So that which is hatred in heart, and every Brine in the Thoughts may ſeem ſweet in the mouth through the intermediation of the diſſembling tongue of him, whoſe hatred is covered by deceipt: he that hateth diſſembleth with his lipes, maketh his voice gracious, Prov. 16.24. Verſe 26.ſo the Hebrew, Hail Maſter! may be in the mouth while Bloud and Treaſon are in the thoughts, and the very Devil and All in the Heart. Contrariwiſe, the waters of a pure and wholſome Fountain may receive ſome other kind of tincture from the Channel they paſſe through, and thus too often Holy thoughts ſpringing from an Heavenly heart, may ſeem loſt as it were in the croud of wordly occaſions, temptations and perturbations. Thus Iſaac went to MEDITATE in the Field in the evening tide, Gen. 24.63.and behold the Camels. 'Tis not ſaid he went out to meet the Camels, and ſome good thought dropt in, (as a good Thought may now and then fall in a wicked mans way, as the Angel in Balaams) But he went out to meditate, and the Camels fell in. Rebeckah, Verſe 65. God eyes …he hearts firſt ſetting our. Jerem. 2.2.ſhe thought (as ſhe ſaid) he came to meet her; but the Lord ſaith, he went out to meet God. God will take notice whether our hearts ſet rightly out with him, though after in the journey we may for ſome ſeaſon looſe our way. Thus, ſaith the Lord, I remember thee, the kindneſs of thy youth, the love of thine Eſpouſals, when thou …enteſt after me, Pſalm 110.7.&c. Chriſt hath a dew of youth in a gracious heart, as well as Holy Church, and this Divine and early dew of pretious thoughts is faireſt when freſheſt, Coin faireſt out of the Mint-houſe.as from the Womb of the morning. Gods Coin is brighteſt when it firſt comes out of the Mint-houſe of mans heart (for ſuch is mans Mind, a Mint-houſe for thoughts) when it paſſeth farther, it comes to be diſcoloured, to contract blackneſs, eſpecially by lying for ſome time in the Earth, and ſo ſometimes to grow ſuſpicable to others, perhaps hardly diſcernable to our ſelves, without much rubbing, &c. Repentance and Reformation; yet if it were right for mettal and ſtamp at its firſt ſetting out, when we our ſelves dare hardly truſt it, yet God (that knows its Original) will own it. It is ſaid of King Aſa, 2 Chro. 15.17.that his heart was perfect all his dayes, perfect with the Lord, yet the poor man took many a wrong and wretched ſtep, 1 King. 15.14.for a man of a right heart; yea how was Gods ſtamp ſometimes, as it were, worne off? little left of his Image or Superſcription to be ſeen: for beſides that the high places were not remo…ed, which was a blot upon his Government; In the buſineſs of Baaſha, 2 Chron. 16. Verſe 8.19.He relyed on the King of Syria, and relyed not on the Lord his God; And when he (that had eminent experience of God in the buſineſs of the Ethiopians and Lubims) had done thus fooliſhly, and Hanani the Seer had reproved him faithfully, Verſe 10.he was wroth, yea in a rage with him, and put him in Priſon. and oppreſſed ſome of the people at the ſame time; nay, in the very evening of his dayes, and towards his very E…t, 'tis ſaid, that in his Diſeaſe he ſought not to the Lord, Verſe 13.…but to the Phyſitians; yet there was ſomething found at bottom notwithſtanding all this. Contrariwiſe,2 Chr…. 25.2. Amazia did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, but (ſaith God) not with a perfect heart. Like ſome counte…ſe pieces now abroad, that being …aſed or plated over with Silver, are obſerved to have fewer cracks and flaws in the Edges, perhaps than the Kings own Coin, and yet they are but Copper-hearted.
The gratious ſoul is the Spouſe of Chriſt,Cant. 6.8. who as ſhe is attended with a number of Holy and Royal affections as ſo many Queens, ſo alſo with pure thoughts, as with Virgin without number; And our Heavenly Solomon eyes them moſt that wait next and immediately, as it were, upon his Queens perſon; now our thoughts, as you have heard, they he next to our hearts.
Sect. XIII.
Fifthly,
IT cannot but be granted, that God judgeth as man cannot, We look at each others outſides,God judges as man cannot, therefore by the thoughts. Luke 6.45. Prov. 26.23. 1 Sam. 16.7. and oftentimes are not deceived, for ordinarily the abundance of the heart will break out either ſome ti…e or other, by the tongues clinking what the heart thinks, (as the Proverb hath it,) or ſome way or other, ſo that the wary obſerver may come to diſcern the Potſheard, notwithſtanding the covering of Silver droſs: oft times, I ſay, but not alwayes, That's Gods, Prerogative; ſo: the Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth, How then? for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. We hear mens words, He ſeeth their thoughts; we weigh their Actions and Appearances, Prov. 24.12. Chap. 16.2.the Lord ponders their hearts, and weigheth their ſpirits (as the wiſe man ſpeaks.)
In the Levitical Law the Swan was pronounced unclean, a Bird whoſe Feathers are excceeding white, Lev. 11.18. God judges moſt by what is in moſt. 2. Cor. 11.14. Ma…. 23.27. Verſe 28. Verſe 25.but her Skin black. God judgeth moſt by what is In-moſt. God can eaſily diſcern the trans-formed Devil, under the Angel of Light; the rottenneſs within, through the whited Tomb, and painted Sepulchre. Wee unto you Hypocrites, ſaith Chriſt, for ye make clean the outſide of the Cup and of the Platter, but within they are f…ll of Extortion and Exceſs; Even ſo ye alſo appear outwardly righteous unto men, but within ye are full of Hypocriſy and Iniquity. Oh what horrid Spectacles were the moſt of men, even of many that deſire to make a fair ſhew in the fleſh, Gal. 6.12.as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, if their Inſides were but turned out-ſide; But alas! They are all out-ſide to him that is All eye.
Sect. XIV.
Conſcience Gods Deputy judgeth by our Thoughts, Rom 2 13. Verſe 16.LAſtly, That God ſentenceth and Dooms us by our Thoughts, is hereby evident, in that Conſcience, that is, Gods Vicegerent in mans breſt, doth ſo, which ſhew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their Conſcience bearing witneſs, and their Thoughts the mean while accuſing, or excuſing one another: it follows, In the day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt according to my Goſpel; God, and Chriſt, and the Goſpel, they will judge men by their Conſciences; and their Conſciences they will judge them by their Thoughts in the great day; Judge we therefore our ſelves now, as then we muſt be judged.