Right Thoughts, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Diſc vers what thoſe Right Thoughts are, that are the Righteous mans Evidence: and how to be known.
Sect. I.
Objection. Pſal. 64.6. Jer. 17.9.BUt alas! may ſome one ſay, Is not Mans heart a great deep, and deſperately wicked, and deceiptful above all things? I am afraid of Judging my ſelf by my Thoughts of my ſelf, leaſt I ſhould Miſ-judge of my ſelf, finding my ſelf ſo apt to think amiſs; doth not the Apoſtle ſpeak of ſome that meaſuring themſelves by themſelves are not wiſe. 2 Cor. 10.12. Prov. 16 2. and 21. 2.There is ſo much Pride, Partiality, and Self-love, that almoſt every way of man will ſeem clean and right in his own eye, if his own Thoughts may but be his Judges.
Why all this is true;Solution. Not what Thoughts we have of our ſelves, but in our ſelves. Gal. 6.3, 4. yet all that hath been ſaid before true alſo, We never ſaid that every mans Caſe is, as his thoughts are of himſelf, but yet by his thoughts that are In himſelf, he may come to diſcover his own ſtate. For if a man Think himſelf to be ſomething, (ſaith the Apoſtle) when he is nothing, he deceiveth himſelf. But yet let every man prove his own works, and then he ſhall have rejoycing In himſelf alone, and not in another. This he ſpeaks in reſpect of Sincerity, not of Righteouſneſs, or Juſtification in the ſight of God, for of the later, he ſaith, we rejoy…e only in Jeſus, and have no other Confidence; Philip 3.3. 2 Cor. 2.12.But as to the former, this is our rejoycing, even the teſtimony of our Conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity, &c.1 John 5.10. ſo alſo he that believes on the Son of God, hath the witneſs in himſelf.
Nay in as much as the Apoſtle condemns him for a ſelf deceiver, who is in ſome reſpect the worſt kind of deceiver (as ſelf-Murther is the worſt kind of Murther), that thinks himſelf to be ſomething when he is nothing; even this makes it evident, that his high thoughts of himſelf were evidences againſt himſelf, had he but rightly conſidered them.
Sect. II.
WHereas Reader, on the other hand,Self ſuſpition a better ſign than hi h thoughts of our ſelves. if thou be but honeſt in what thou pretendeſt, and not Hypocritically humble-tongued, as many men are, when thou complaineſt of thy ſelf, and declareſt thy jealous thoughts that thou haſt of thine own heart; Here is ſomething like a token for good; For even right jealouſy falls much in with that Carefulneſs, Indignation, 1 Cor. 7.1.Fear, &c. that were approved ſigns of godly ſincerity. But and if it be thus with thee, right gladly wilt thou go along with me in the following particulars, and ſay as David, O Lord, thou haſt ſearched me, Pſalm 139.1, 2, 23.and known me, and thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afar off; and yet again, ſearch me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts; Search me, O ſearch me, thou bleſſed word of God, that canſt not lie; Thou Meſſenger of Chriſt that dareſt not flatter me, O try me and know my Thoughts. Thou wilt receive Gods ſpies with peace, Hebr. 11.31. Lend Gods Servants the Lor… Candle. Prov. 20.27. Conſcience to ſearch thee by.as Rahab did) yea wilt willingly lend me the Candle of thine own Conſcience to hold to thee, whilſt we are together ſearching the ſecrets of thy own ſoul; for the ſpirit of man is the Candle of the Lord, ſearching all the inward parts of the belly. And the reaſon why ſo many Hearers and Readers of the moſt ſearching Books and Sermons, are yet ignorant of, or miſtaken in themſelves, is becauſe they deny the Lords ſervants the Lords Candle to do his work by.