had need bee able to swallow all kinds of invectives reproaches reprehensions dispraises bitter taunts many wry lookes and as Iuglers devour Knives by cleanly conveiance so these are constrained to indure and take downe whether they will or no many bitter and stinging words indeed They have their detracters corrivals adversaries malevolent and envious antagonists yet notwithstanding they are driven to make low congees to them to kisse their hands to reverence them with a thousand ceremonies and pleasing gestures or else to renounce the service of the world Neither yet doe they want cares vexations perturbations and troubles at home All these things taken together would be like a fat Oxe cut in pieces so that fire were not wanting so that a right intention like the coelestiall flame would licke them up But now because many beare such things but impatiently they beare but not offer them to God they suffer these things but without a right intention they suffer not for Christ but for themselves for their owne and the worlds sake hereupon no desert or reward is to be thought of in this case they beate the ayre they sow upon stones they deserve no favour from God Of these people elegantly and truely Bernard Woe be to them saith hee which carry the crosse not as our Saviour did his but as that Cyrenean another mans For they are broken with a double contrition which are of this sort both for as much as they temporally afflict themselves here for temporall glory and for their inward pride are drag'd to eternall punishment hereafter They labour with Christ but they reigne not with Christ They drinke of the brooke in the way but they shall not lift up their head in the gate they mourne now but they shall not be comforted Bern. in Apol. ad Gul. abb initio So that reviling Theefe was Crucified indeed by Christ but he did not goe with Christ from the Crosse to Paradise In like manner many take much paines but in vaine sustaine much but also in vaine they exercise vertue likewise as it seemeth but all in vaine yea with losse because they want a right intention in all these things Oseas the Hebrew Prophet deciphering these very people An Heifer Osc 10.11 saith he that is taught to tread out the Corne. They which labour without a sure and right intention are like Oxen which tread out the Corne these though they be loosed from their worke yet returne of their owne accord they are already growne perfit in this labour which also they enjoy for thereby they fill their mouths full of Provender and so willingly perpetuate this businesse and put on the yoke againe very easily No otherwise doe these Schollers of the world whom Gregory notably setting forth They willingly toyle and moyle for the glory of the world and likewise how their necks with all devotion to the yoke of hard labours And what wages have they for their worke a mouth full of Provender but not a purse so well fild with monies They bee Heifers indeed taught to tread out the Corne they labour like Beasts that draw or grinde or like blind horses in a Fullers Mill they are driven by one boy with a whip and run all day And whither doe they come at length in the evening they are in the very same place because they goe round in a Circle so they which want a right intention are starke blind and make no progresse at all in vertue this day to morrow the next day comes without any difference to them These Oxen alwaies plough in the same path and have this labour for their paines therefore they can expect nothing else from God This is the cause why Paul so contentedly exhorteth Whatsoever yee doe in word oâ— deed doe all in the name of the LORD IESVS giving thankes to GOD and the Father by him Colossians 3.17 The same Apostle as earnestly pressing it againe Whether yee eate saith hee or drinke or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glory of GOD. All all which must so eate so drinke so doe every thing else that GOD may bee honoured no man hurt or offended Chrysostome explaining this precept of Paul Although a thing saith hee be spirituall yet if it bee not done for Gods sake it hurts him very much that doth it Chrysostome Tom. 5. Orat. Calendis dictâ And even as Masons doe carry their Rule from Angle to Angle so let that Divine saying of Paul bee our rule Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glory of God Most rightly therefore Laurentius Iustinian Let the first Word the first Thought the first Affection sound of the divine praise let it direct a Supplication inkindled with zeale to GOD. Iust de discipl et perfect Mon. c. 10. Fine A thing well begun is as good as halfe done Dimidium facti qui bene coepit haber The end of the first Booke The Second Booke declareth who are both the favourers and foes of a good intention but chiefly Vaine glory and rash Iudgment the Signes Practise and reward thereof CHAP. I. That a Right Intention is that good will commended by the Angels GOod will is the Soule of action good will it never but rich good will can doe all things The night which Christ was borne Genij the heavenly ministers sung a wonderfull Song on earth they which heard these Musitians from Heaven were Shepheards the Quire Et in terra pax hominibus bona volungat the Field the Song iâ— selfe And in earth peace god will towards men Luk. 2.15 I beseech you let us take so much time as to enquire this very thing of all those which dutyfully stood about the strawen Cradle of Christ what Good wilâ— is Let us begin first to demand of the Angels themselves O most pure and blessed Spirits why doe yee come downe in troups unto our Cottages what seeke yee in earth that can be wanting in Heaven we have no lodging worthy of you To this our question this is the voyce of all the Angels at once O mortals we know well the condition and inhabiters of the place Neither indeed doe wee seeke famous adventures rare inventions exotick Arts strange fashions nor Gold or Iewels by this our comming but Good Will which is more precious and deare to us then gold and all kind of Iewels And surely herein the Angels seeme in my mind to have done so as Great men sometimes use to doe when they come in their Iourney to a poore Ale-house For the tâ—pster when hee seeth an honourable Baron or noble Earle to bee his Guest first of all he purposeth to excuse the meannes of the house that they can find no delicates or dainties there no Beds fit enough for so great a stranger that they have bread and drinke in a readinesse but are without almost every thing else and that indeed the manner of living in the Country is no otherwise yet if hee please to stay
hee could number Chest-nuts in that Sacke Pope Benedict that he might fit an Answer to such Barbarous menaces as these sent backe a large Bag full of wheat Milium and charged it should be told him againe That if he came he should find so many armed men in Italy as there were graines of Corne contained in that Bag. Baronius relateth the same Tom. 11. Anno 1016. This Sacke and this Bag being thrust full not of Saffron not Pepper or Gold but ordinary ware doth excellently represent the ridiculous vanities of mans life By what meanes Christ hath taught us after what manner wee should lay up treasures in Heaven Matth. 6.19 But we contented with our own homely Cottages hord up Chestnuts and Melium for our Treasure A kind of our landish Wheat Wee heape a number of deeds one upon another but such as are little worth as being destitute of a Right Intention Thus wee are rich in Melium and Chest-nuts at length as Gregory speaketh l. 1. Dial. c. 9. The end of the work will prove that the intent of the doer was not sound Currant When death therefore shall knock at our doores when it shall fling her fatall Dart at us when it shall command us to be packing out of this World into another what Treasures shall we carry with us from hence Bags full of Melium and Sacks stuft with Chest-nuts Actions wanting a pure intention alas wares that willyeeld nothing in Heaven Therefore as Bernard hath most rightly admonished There is the greatest need of purity of intention whereby our mind may both covet to please and bee able to cleave to God onely Bern. Serm. 7. in Cant. Whatsoever wee can doe will not bee a right Action unlesse the Will be right or the intention for from this the Action proceedeth Seneca very well to the purpose Vertue saith hee hath proved thankefull to every man both alive and dead if so hee hath followed her in good earnest Bona fide if hee have not trickt and set forth himselfe in glozing colours but continued ever the same Senec. Epist 79. fine Behold I pray not so much as Seneca thinketh it enough to follow Vertue unlesse one follow her in good earnest which what other thing is it than with a good intention Shee truely suffereth no man to be so trickt and painted by his owne cunning that his doings should not as well bee as seeme to bee good all those faire shewes and glosses a Right Intention hateth extreamely She commandeth us to follow vertue but that wee follow her in good earnest not allured with vaine hope not driven by feare but for love of vertue her selfe Austin expressing this very daintily Thou shalt fulfill that saith he by love which by feare thou couldst not For hee which doth not evill by fearing had rather doe so if hee might Therefore the Will is kept although leave bee not given I doe not say thou saist Wherefore Because I feare thou dost not yet love righteousnesse thou dost not yet love sobriety not yet Chastity thou art a Servant still become a Sonne But of a good Servant is made a good Sonne In the meane space doe it not by fearing and thou shalt feare also not to doe it by loving August Tom. 8. in Psalme 32. The same most holy Bishop enveigheth against the too wrong intention of a covetous man in this manner Why gapest thou O covetous man after Heaven and Earth Better is hee which made Heaven and Earth thou shalt see him thou shalt have him Thou desirest that that Farme may bee thine and passing by it thou saiest Blessed is he which enjoyeth this possession This a great many say which passe by it and yet when they have said and passed by it they may beate their braines and long for it but doe they possesse it eare the sooner Thy words sound of greedinesse thy words found of iniquity But thou maist not covet thy Neighbours goods Happy Blessed is he which owneth this Farme which owneth this House which owneth this Field Refraine to utter iniquity and heare the truth A blessed Generation whose is what yee know already what I am about to speake Therefore desire that yee may have it then at length yee shall be happy And this onely yee shall bee blessed yee shall bee the better and with a better thing then you your selves are God I say is better then thee which made thee Aug. in conc 2. Eiusdem Psalme 31. post med Lift up thy selfe to him and what sight soever thou hast convert it onely upon him What eyes soever thou hast in thy head What therefore Tigranes his Wife did in Persia this must thou doe in every place continually through thy whole life She fastneth her eyes upon him onely which offered to lay downe his head for her the same in all right is required of thee that thou fixe thine eyes onely upon him which gave both his eyes and head and himselfe wholly and thy selfe therewithall to thee Which not onely was ready to offer his life and his blood to redeeme thee but offered it indeed But it is a small matter to imitate Tigranes his royall Consort wee are prest with more holy examples Whosoever thou art that delightest in a good intentionâ— emulate the Kingly Psalmist of Almighty God and Set the Lord alwaies before thy face Psal 16.8 Let thine eye waite upon him onely but let it waite simple and right let thine intention be directed to him onely but see that it be directed pure and sincere nor must we looke upon any other thing but through him alone or in him Therefore which I admonish thee in the last place Take heeed to thy selfe FINIS To the Reader COurteous Reader thou art intreated in the perusall of this Booke that if thou meet with any literall faults to amend them which by reason of the Authors absence from the Presse and the over-sight of the Printer thou wilt charitably passe over knowing that faults are incident to all Farewel Imprimatur Thomas Weekes February 15. 1640.
the afflicted and poore of patience the angry and quarrelsome of meekenesse the impure and intemperate of continency the idle and slothfull of industry finally let him bee such the desire of holy eyes Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes For indeede they which draw the eyes of others unto them by the example of a more holy life must themselves by no meanes cast their eyes upon their spâ—ctators that they may please them but that they may learne of them Let them lookâ— upon the honour of God alone in all things even as Aaron kept his eyes upon his frontall onely so these contemplating God onely with a stedfast looke let them refuse even praise offered and passe it from themselves to God and as much as they displease themselves so much let them desire to please God onely by a true and sincere intention in all things of which was spoke in the Chapter next before how necessary it is now it shall bee moreover shewed how none of our actions without this can please God Wedding Song 1. In the divine Epithalamium the Kingly Bridegroome from Heaven doth marvellously commend the eyes of his Royall Love but by most unlike similitudes insomuch that a man unskilfull of heavenly secrets may not without cause demand I pray is not this Bridegroome beside himselfe with what words commends hee his Spouse Thou hast Doves eyes saith hee and againe Thine eyes are like the Fish-pooles in Hesbon by the Gate of Bathrabbim Cant. 7.4 Have Doves eyes any thing with a Fish-pond what is lesse like one to another then an eye and a great wide Poole the Divine Spirit hath folded up this mystery in an elegant cover The eyes are like Doves eyes for to looke with compared to the Fish-pooles in Hesbon to bee lookt uppon Hesbon the royall City according to Hierom was twenty miles distant from Iordane at one of the Gates hereof were two most stately Fish-ponds as cleare as Christall hither the people upon holy dayes did flow in whole troopes to the spectacle of this Christall sea It was therefore almost a daily thing for these Fish-pooles to be lookt upon and from hence the Holy Ghost compareth such eyes as please him both to Fish-pooles and Doves eyes and indeed first of all hee assimilate them to Doves eyes The Dove iâ— the understanding of all Nations was a Symbole of the mutuall fidelity of man and wife when a one regards the other with equal faith And this the Heavenlâ— Bridegroome greatly praiseth in as undefiled soule that it hath Dove-like eyes Thou hast saith hee Doves eyes faithfull and chaâ— eyes which thou deflectest upoâ— mee onely and which I onely satisfie for indeed in whatsoever thou dost thou respectest no other but me and towards me is thy desire Can. 1.10 And even as either married party turning away their eyes from the other moveth suspition of an adulterous minde So the soule if she cast the eye of her intention upon any other thing then God maketh show that her will is to breake promise and to please others besides God for the faithfull soule doth daily ingeminate that saying Mine heart hath talked of thee seeke yee my face thy face Lord will I seeke Psal 29.9 Mine eyes are both of so wide and narrow capacity that besides thee my God they can receive none nor can serve the eyes of none but thine For that cause such constant Doves eyes are also compared with the Fish-pooles in Hesbon for God will have his lovers to bee seene of all men hee will have the eyes of all men to bee fastened on them that the proud man by observing them may learne what an excellent vertue Humility is that the covetous person may see what liberality can doe that the dishonest may perceive how comely Chastity is that the wrathfull may know what meekenesse and placability can performe GOD will have his friends to bee like the Fish-pooles in Hesbon which many may contemplate out of which they may draw from which they may take vertuous examples And although these Fish-pooles be seene yet let them not perceive themselves to bee seene nor let them looke upon others so as that they covet to please them altogether as Aaron which received the eyes of all upon himselfe himselfe daring to send forth his eyes upon none Therefore let him not covet to please others who covets to please God nor let him fixe the eye of his intention upon any created thing who desires to stirre up the love of the Creator towards himselfe Here is the principall matter that man continually observe God the end of all his actions Surely the duty of a Christian is not to be measured by the beginnings one may goe out of the meanest Cottage to London into the Kings Court againe he may from hence take his way to the poorest Country house and by these bounds of the way both that and this journy is to be esteemed But as a Traveller about to goe to London hath his minde continually running upon London museth with himselfe day and night on London dreames of London this cogitation forsakes him not going to bed nor rising for London is the utmost bounds of his way so in all our actions let us ever set before us our end let every man say to himselfe daily whither doe I goe what doe I seeke for what doe I weary my selfe This intention is as necessary for him that will live godly as it is necessary for him to draw his breath that will live naturally and that for a twofold cause The first to drive away vaine glory the other to encrease good deserts Vaine glory a vice most dangerous and also most subtill so diversly treacherous that it can bee hardly avoyded Other vices lay waite for us on earth but this sets traps almost in heaven it selfe it invades him on all sides that is busied in vertues Yea the more holily one liveth by this it takes to it selfe the more liberty and rushes on so much the bolder by how much the more defence it sees against it selfe it encreaseth and gets strength from our vertues Every sort of Vermine as Froggs Mice Mothes Beetles Wormes and such kind of Creatures are bred of putred matter out of the earth But this most filthy worme vaine glory proceedes out of a fresh and generous seed out of large almes out of rigid fasting out of fervent prayers takes her birth and spareth as Hierome speakes No State Order or Sexe and being overcome riseth up more vehemently against the Conquerour Vaine glory is a strong Hecticke sucking up the marrow and scarce ever if it have possest a man forsaking him the first and last vice wee have to overcome in Augustines opinion How sweet was it to the Prophet Ionah to repose at noone under his shady Gourd one little worme confounded all that amenity After this manner our good workes flourish like a tree spreading forth his fruitfull armes but as
Gods sake for from this intention they issue therefore they come home to their Originall and returne to their first fountaine they take their end and reward both from God from whom they tooke their beginning So muâ—h it maketh for advancing the most contemptible actions to greatest dignity to have the highest intention which is God himselfe And hereof wee have spoken hitherto It remaineth to shew certaine degrees therein and those three to ascend the uppermost and loftiest of all these will not bee hard to him that is willing These degâ—ees I now assigne in order The first is in all things so to attend the honour of God onely that all affâ—ction to these transitory things may be put to death by earnestly respecting that onely which may please the Lord. Hee which in hot weather comes home weary of long travaile suffers all the burden of his Garments to hang loose about him At randome puts off his Hat throwes away his Cloake openeth his Doublet undoes his Coller and his Girdle so exposeth himselfe to take the coole aire In like manner whose heart is inflamed with God hee easily puts off the affection which formerly hee bore 〈◊〉 these sading things Bernard of the inner house For how saith hee dost thou perfectly love or art loved unlesse thy mind bee carried upward in desire of true goodnesse Bern. 1. aâ—tedict c. 69. sine Collect thy selfe to thy selfe and rest in the onely desire of God And here the saying of Saint Austine is most true Hee loves thee the lesse O Lord which loves any thing beside thee Esther that mighty Empresse which had Assuerus reigning over an hundred and sâ—ven and twenty Provinces in her power which might have flowed if shee would in all kind of pleasures yet notwithstanding Thou knowest O Lord saith shee that I hate the glory of the unrighteous and abhorre the bed of the uncircumcised Neither had thine Hand maid any joy since the day that I was brought hither but in thee O Lord God of Abraham Est 14.18 And this is the first degree of a pure intention To depart from the love of created things The second is A departure from ones selfe This teacheth by what meanes one may not bee mindfull of himselfe but account it the onely pleasure to bee satisfied with the Will of God onely Even as it is a marvellous delight to the blessed in Heaven to see the Will of God taking its course through the whole world and even through Hell it selfe as it were with a still foo e Without stumbling nor any thing any where to bee found which can resist his divine purpose Yea which is most to bee admired that pleasure does not so affect them becâ—use they possesse goods which cannot bee lost as thâ—t God is most benevolent towards them beares a speciall respect to them and doth very much favour their joyes And this is it which David the King of Israel cryes out O give thankes unto the Lord for hee is good Psal 118.1 O give thankes unto the Lord not because hee hath made me of a Shepheard a King not because hee hath made me of a poore man a rich man nor therefore because hee hath promised to give mee so great things besides But confesse unto the Lord because he is good because his mercy endureth for ever This is another degree of a pure intention yet not easily to be exceeded by that which the Kingly verse thus noteth Men will praise thee when thou doest well unto them Psal 49.18 In this degree therefore one forgets and forsakes himselfe which is not so ready at hand with all men for it is not hard to forgoe ones goods but very hard to forgoe ones selfe This forgetfulnesse of ones selfe consisteth in vertue The third is when a man serveth God not onely that it may please God for yet this also hath I know not what humane respect in it but because God pleaseth him in this service or it pleaseth him to serve God in this manner or because God is good that hee vouchsafeth to accept of our endeavours and sheweth himselfe to bee taken and contented therewith The divine Psalmist I will goe forth in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousnesse onely Thou O God hast taught mee from my youth up untill now therefore I will tel of thy wondrous workes Psal 71.14 15. I truely am a man unlearned for I have not knowne Literature but I doe so well understand Gods Omnipotency and Iustice that I have nothing more frequently in my mouth I will therefore most gladly serve this so good so potent so just a Lord and for that cause will I serve him because he is so good so potent so just Bernard O pure saith hee and spotlesse purpose of the Will and indeed so much the more spotlesse as there is left in it no mixture of her owne Sic affici deificari est Qualified to bee so affected is to bee deified Bern. de dil Deo Christ about to charge the first of the Apostles very accurately stirring up this purest intention in him Peter saith he lovest thou mee This now I doe that I may commend the care of my Office to thee and commit my sheepe to bee fed but thou canst not execute this duty and undertake my part without a most pure intention Therefore my Peter lovest thou mee neither did Christ before assigne this charge to him then he had three times plainely pronounced whether his heart eyes and intention went and had said Lord thou knowest that I love thee At length Christ Therefore my Peter if I doe so much please thee and thou wilt serve mee for mine owne sake now I commit my Flocke unto thee Feed my Sheepe Ioh. 21.15 O Prelates O Bishops and Arch-bishops O Princes O Magistrates and Presidents O Iudges and Guides of the people take heede whither your eyes whither your mind and intention is carried see what yee seeke whether your selves and a prey of your subjects or else the safety and good of your Subjects Marke whether yee plead rather your owne cause or the Common Wealths consider I pray whether yee looke after God and his glory with a most pure intention in all things Be wise now therefore O yee Kings bee learned yee that are Iudges of the earth Psal 2.10 The Emperour Augustus in times past dismissed a young man from the Warre which carried not himselfe like a good Souldier and when the yong man required what answer hee should give his Father at home Augustus to him againe Tell him saith he that I doe not please thee He would have said Tâ—ou dost not please mee therefore I can very well bee without thy service Wee Christians let us doe so with God that every one may thinke thus for his owne part Lord I desire to serve thee and will serve thee to the utmost of my power because thou pleasest me exceedingly in all things for that cause my
and companion in this holy conflict being fore knowne of God is already destined to eternall flames therefore what ever he doth never so well hee doth all in vaine The old man was astonished at these speeches O terrible newes saith hee therefore must this young mans so excellent paines and endeavours come to nought ah my soule pitties it Here againe the Angel from Hell I knew saith hee that thou wouldest heare this not without sighes and groanes but yet the Divine Decrees cannot bee rescinded So vanisht out of his sight this most beautifull Bugbeare By this meanes the old man could never looke upon the young man his Companion without a deepe sigh presaging his griefe At length the young man noted it nor deferred to aske what the cause wâ—s that as often as hee lookt upon him did withall fetch a sigh whereat the old man againe shewing the same pittifull expâ—ession why dost thou enforce mee saith hee to repeate mine ineffable sorrow thou maist wish mee to hold my peâ—ce here rather then speake This same tergiversation of the old man greatly stird up the young man to extort his answer The old man therefore wearied with many entreaties Speake out that hee would declare whatsoever it were at length not without groaning It is signified unto mee saith hee that thou art to bee damned and strivest in vaine for Heaven Here the young man with a singular alacrity ô my Father saith hee let not this trouble or afflict thee Hitherto I have served GOD not as a mercenary for Heaven but as a sonne out of duty because hee is the chiefest good to whom I owe my selfe wholly whatsoever hee may finally determine of mee The elder admiring so sincere Intention of minde let us serve GOD saith hee to the uttermost of our strength that good Father cannot put off a Father hee hath care of us Neither did GOD deferre to shew his fatherly affection towards such obsequent Children Shortly after hee sent downe his true Angel to perswade the old man not to beleeve the Tales of that cheating Divell that the young man was ordained by God to eternall rewards and that he was singularly well pleased with such a generous mind in his service God will therefore be served of us not to that end that we may escape the bottomles dungeon nor to that end that we may inhabite the heavenly Temple but because hee is most unworthy of the duties of all men and Angels wherefore the greatest reward of good deeds is To please GOD. For indeed GOD is of so great goodnesse and liberality that hee doth not reject the homage even of Slaves fearing Hell or servants hoping for heaven but they which serve a plainely voluntary and free servitude these he embraceth as truely loving Children to every one of these answereth that lovely saying Sonne all that I have is thine CHAP. VIII What an ill intention is THe Waspe is a little Creature but that member which it hath strucke how doth it ake and beat and burne The Gnat is a much smaller Fly how slender a Nebb hath it yet therewith as with a Gimlet it draweth blood and the part which it hath wounded presently swelleth More subtill What is thinner then the sting of a Scorpion the eye can scarce perceive it yet therewith as with an invisible Dagger the whole man is stabb'd to death How great a lumpe of Dowe doth a little Leaven passe through in a few houres one little measure of Vineger or a drop of Gall spoyleth a whole Vessell of generous Wine An ill intention is so strong and cruell a Poison that it depraveth any good action whatsoever Wee have hitherto entreated of a good intention what it is and how necessary Now moreover we will discourse of an evill one and declare how this Leaven how this filthy poison infecteth the best things how this subtill sting of a Scorpion killeth without more adoe The Statue appearing to King Nabuchadnezer was a prodigy for price matter and magnitude an incomparable Tower of Gold Silver Brasse Iron But because the lower part thereof was not firme because the feet were of Earth and Clay therefore one little stone did so shiver this precious heape that not so much as a Tyle was left fit for use Then was the Iron the Clay the Brasse the Silver and the Gold broken in pieces together and became like the Chaffe of the Summer threshing floores and the winde carried them away Dan. 2.35 Even so an ill intention doth so batter a good worke whatsoever it be that it leaves it not the least goodnesse behind That which hath an evill end is it selfe also evill Those two hundred and fifty seditious Princes of the assembly offered incense every one of these had his Censer Thou wouldst have said there had beene as many Priests as there were heades of this Function Over-against them stood Aaron by himselfe So on both sides they did the same thing as if they had strove who should better execute this Office which part therefore overcame which did more please the Lord God was extreamely against them all not because their Censors were little worth For Aarons Censor was of the purest Gold but these mens Brasen Vide Iacob Salianum Tom. 2. Annal. vet test Anno Mundi 3547. n. 1 Numb 16. or because their Incense was lesse fragrant but because their intention was the worst whereby they endeavoured to draw Moses and Aaron into hatred with the people Wherefore they were all swallowed up by the revengefull earth And they went downe alive into the pit and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the Congregation Their Censers were madâ— broad Plates for a covering of the Altar that it might bee a perpetuall mâ—nument to the Israelites whereby they might bee put in minde that God beareth not respect to the action but to the intention That whiâ—h hath an evill end is it selfe also evill How great things have beene done in all Ages and are at this day done in the world vvhich to humane eyes may seeme most excellent most holy whereas the all discerning eyes of GOD condemne the same as starke naught And note mee I beseech you the Royall young man Absolon how humane how obsequiâ—us and how modest was hee First hee stood early in the morning at the Kings Gate like a Porter and when any one came to doe him obeysance Absolon put forth his hand and tooke him and kissed him 2 Sam. 15.5 Who ever saw a young man of the Royall Bloud equall to him in courtesie for if any one came about businesse to the Court hee called him unto him in a friendly sort asking from what City hee came which as soone as hee understood most familiarly cheares up the man thy matters saith hee seeme to mee good and right but there is no man deputed of the King to heare thee O what a clement and benigne Lord is here and how fit will hee be hereafter to fit at the
at his pleasure and maketh a man an Idolater that hee may adore his owne belly his owne mony his owne Treasure Chest or the Table whereon hee eates which is seene to bee the course in every deadly sin If thine eye be evill thy whole body shall be full of darkenesse Ah how circumspectly must we attend here that wee weary not our selves in vaine and throw away our paines least we loose all the reward to bee obtained by good deeds by an intention that is not good Therefore with the sweet Singer of Israel we must continually pray Create in mee a new heart O God and renew a right spirit within me that so I may desire to serve and please thee in all things Psal 51.10 CHAP. IX How the Publication of a worke may discover an evill Intention THe Hebrew Spyes sent by Iosua Captaine of the Warres having entred the City Hiericho tooke Rahabs house the Hâ—rlot for their Inne She received them hid them fed them They that they mâ—ght requite the kindnesse of their Hostesse after thankes promised a matter of great moment but upon that condition If say they yee utter not this our businesse but if thou utter this our businesse then wee will be quit of thine Oath which thou hast made us to sweare Iosu 2.14.20 The men were wise enough to know it could hardly come to passe that they should bee altogether indescryed And indeed the Neighbour smelling the businesse as close as it was presently brought it before the Magistrate But Iosuahs men required no more then this very thing Doe not thou betray us for if it be revealed by thee that we are here we will not pay thee a farthing for our entertainment we wil not stand to our promise Good workes are Spyes and Letter-carriers to heaven which being strangers in this world are hated of all the Citizens The world reckoneth Cousenage Iniquity Vice Deceit among her Citizens Moreover those Spyes doe promise us rewards which neither eare hath heard nor eye hath seene to bee given then by that great Iosua Christ when hee shall come to burne Hiericho that is this World But they require that condition If thou utter not our businesse When thou doest thine Almes Christ admonisheth doe not cause a Trumpet to be sounded before thee Mat. 6.2 vertues vanish in a flourish For indeed boasting and vaine glory is so full of tongue that there is nothing which it doth not at once betray and bewray Speake and spill This prating Monster therefore must have not onely her mouth but her feet and hands tyed that it may not be able to give any token of the heavenly messenger good Workes undiscovered It is often up with that precept of Christ Take heed that yee doe not your Almes before men to bee seene of them When yet in the same Sermon hee commands Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes In what sort these agree and who is the betrayer of good deeds now wee will dispatch One of Jobs friends demandeth of him Can the Rush grow up without mire or can the Flagge grow without water Iob. 8.11 Bulrushes are greene in Marshes and Ponds nor indeed can the Rush prosper without mud nor the Flag without water But these stalkes yield no fruit no Figs are gathered from hence nor any thing which is fit for humane uses So you may find many whose outward habite is neate and trimme which say and doe many things daintily but therefore because they have both Auditors and Spectators therefore they grow up and flourish whilst they are seene and praised this maketh the Rush lusty the mire of humane praise when such men as these leave off to bee commended they leave off likewise to bee in their fresh Colours For because saith Gregory Hee studied to doe rare things without right meaning thoughts hee shewes that hee flourished without a root Greg. l. 8. mor. c. 24. ante finem Which the same holy man much lamenting It is great idlenesse saith he to performe laborious matters and gape after the aire of praise with strong endeavour to follow the heavenly precepts but seeke for the reward of an earthly retribution Greg. ibi c. 25. initio For that I may so say Hee which for the vertue hee expresseth desireth the favours of men carries a thing of great worth to bee sold for a meane price Hee asketh the mony of a little transitory speech for that which might gaine him the Kingdome of Heaven Hee selleth his worke therefore at a sorry rate because he doth great matters but hath small commings in Plato when hee had invited some of his more noble friends to Supper and had commanded the Banqueting roome to bee drest up after the best fashion in rusheth Diogenes the Cynick and with his beastly and durty feet began to trample the Carpets Plato entring with his Guests What dost thou saith hee O Diogenes I tread upon Platoes pride saith hee Thou treadest upon it answered Plato but with another greater pride There was certainely a more unbridled kind of state in the mind of Diogenes because he was poore then in Platoes who presented all that bravery to the eyes of his friends not to himselfe So you may find very many both proud and poore together which in their owne eyes seeme better and holier then other men which are rich onely under this colour because they have nothing as if the Lord had commended a low estate not a lowly mind and as though it were vertue to want and not rather to take want in good part That same Diogenes suffered many things hard to bee borne but with that mind that hee might draw every bodies eyes to looke upon him Therefore when in the deep of Winter hee went into the cold water to wash himselfe and the people came in aboundance to the spectacle and some also pittying the man did as well entreat that hee would spare himselfe Plato among the lookers on cryed out Si vuitis misereri â—bite If yee will have pitty upon him get you gone Plato knew the quality of this disease which is then forsaken of its owne strength when it wants the eyes and eares of others Take heed that yee doe not your Almes before men to bee seene of them as much as others doe seeke the eyes of men so much doe you avoid them Aristotle truely accounts him magnanimous which will have neither more nor lesse honour bestowed upon him then is fit Arist l. 1. mor. c. 25. But in the Academy of Christ this precept is exploded Christ judgeeth him magnanimous which can despise all honour and himselfe moreover Surely no honour whatsoever shall bee a reward worthy enough for vertue Honour is a light and inconstant possession and playes the runagate like a stranger nor is in the power of the honoured but of the honourer Therefore Christ pittying our childishnesse so carefully warneth Take heed that yee sell not your vertues at too
at his Masters command he will be ready to bring forth whatsoever he hath in custody over all the house Is M of The Earle courteously and pleasantly to encourage the man I know saith hee my good friend what house I am come into if thou shalt bring me a couple of Eggs and a cup of thy Beere thou hast provided enough for this meane neither did I come hither to feast my selfe an unknowne Guest that desire to be private and to leave thee the richer Dost thou like this The Host full of joy and with a cheerefull countenance What else saith hee O my Lord what else but this with all my heart Charge call command I and mine will doe what you require to the utmost of our powers This forwardnes of mind this most ready will the Angels those great Powers from above did seeke in this inferiour world and that for our profit Pax Hom. bonae voluntatis that they might leave us farre richer then they found us And in earth peace good will towards men So Otho the Emperour taking occasion to visit Romualdus would not onely goe into his Cell and tast of his victuals but also in his poore and hard Bed would so great a Majesty lye Hier. Plat. l. 2. de bon stat rel c. 37. So other Kings and Prâ—nces turning sometimes into most desert Cottages have made use of the fountaine onely and bread almost as hard as stone for their Dyet not without pleasure And so Angels delight amongst us is good will and a right intention But let us enquire of Ioseph also with what intention hee came to Bethlem O religious Housholder most chast Joseph what seekest thou in this journey so long so difficult especially the time so contrary why travellest thou to Bethlem all the Innes every where are taken up not so much as a corner is empty for thee thou art every way an excluded man thou maist goe to a thousand houses to look bed and boâ—rd a thousand bars will keepe the doores shut none will let thee and thy wife come in Therefore rather goe backe againe and dwell at Nazareth Here no body will bid thee welcome much lesse entertaine thee with a cup of Wine Ioseph full of most holy resolution It is no matter saith hee that no habitation of men is free for me therefore wee will make hold with Catell neither truely did we take our Iourney hither to dwell conveniently and at ease but that wee might obey the divine pleasure we bent all our mind to this that which we seeke is obedience thither will we follow whithersoever the Will of God shall call us But by your favour Threshed O good Ioseph you seeme to be beside the matter Thiâ— is not the Will of God but the pride of the Romane Emperour It may be Augustus Caesar desired to know his strength and power therefore hee troubleth all Kingdomes and Provinces that hee may understand how great he is and be more proud by this occasion On the contrary Ioseph God saith he findeth this very pride of an Idolater to bee a fit instrument to accomplish his own Will It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth good in his fight 1 King 3.18 Forasmuch therefore as Augustus Caesar the supreme Magistrate hath by Gods Providence made a Decree throughout the whole World that every one should repaire to the City of their owne Tribe therefore wee also undertooke this Iourney that we might shew our obedience to this Edict This is mine and the Virgins intention committed to my trust which we can as conveniently performe in the poorest Cottage in the vilest corner in a Stable as in the Palace of King Herod or Annas the High Priest But aske wee likewise the Blessed Virgin her selfe concerning the same matter O most Blessed Virgin if I shall call thee the Mother of God Give thee all due praise I shall lay all praise upon thee Thou art that truely worthy Mother at whose maiden Travell the Angels should descend from Heaven What I pray divine Virgin lookst thou after in the native place of thy Lynage or art thou ignorant there is none acknowledges poore Kindred And it is much to be feared least thy Iourney be taken in vaine for the richer sort of Davids stocke have taken up every Inne of the City before hand you must either live abroad in the streets or else returne Never thinke that those that be of your race will give place to you there is none of them will come to see you wee will send meate and drinke to entertaine you which will bestow any honour upoâ— you None will bee knowne 〈◊〉 your allyance all courtesie banished from hence already nor any little Inne will receiâ— you They which bee poore as despised though they bee nevâ— so good Mortuus vivos frequentat pauper inter divites Aâ—d it is truely said poore man amongst the rich comâ— as welcome as a Ghost to the ving Vet. monast Trochaic Wherfore O most entire Virgin â—ther the open street must bee tâ— house or thou must take the saâ— way againe which thou came Hereunto the Child-bearing Viâ—gin My Ioseph saith she and seeke not after our Kinsfolke aâ— the honour of our Parentage 〈◊〉 a convenient place to lodge iâ— but the one and only Will God which God hath declarâ— unto us by Augustus Caesar Bâ— O most blessed Mother gâ— leave to a word this seemeth 〈◊〉 to be the will of God but of man which is an enemy to Goâ— for that the poore are burdened miserably and without cause done by command of Cyrinus tâ— President Wearied this is the man which disquiets and disturbs all Syria this is he which calleth all men hither and thither out of their dwellings Whereunto the Virgin But who saith shee hath permitted Cyrinus to doe that I may thinke say I Augustus Caesar The Virgin againe Hath any permitted Augustus Caesar God verily I have answered Here at last the heavenly Virgin Therefore saith she wee follow Gods permission of this man we obey his pleasure with this intention we undertooke this Iourney We are not troubled with conceit of our Inne God will provide Gen. 22.8 If men deny us place perhaps beasts will not refuse us Gods Will bee done But let it please us to enquire this of the most divine Infant himselfe O Infant wiser then any Solomon O king of Angels what seekest thou may wee presume to aske amongst poore exiles which thou maist not find a thousand times better among thy Citizens the Angels What does it please thee for thy mind sake to tast of strange and country fare what does it delighâ— thee to change thy Heavenly Tempe for this most horriâ— wood Rude forrest O Lord the world doth not know thee and unlâ—sse thoâ— discover thy selfe some other way it will tread upon thee with alâ— kind of contempt Hereunto thâ— child Christ either with a sign onely of his eyes Nutu Winke or
with teare alone gave answer enough tâ— this sense I seeke not honours nor pleasures nor desire any daintinâ— of Dyet My meat is to doe thâ— will of him that sent me that may performe his worke Ioh. 4.3 It will be easie for mee to want a other kind of meate but that mosâ— pleasant meate that meate whicâ— is truely mine I long for with 〈◊〉 greedinesse this I seeke this is 〈◊〉 end this my intention But as noâ— yee see me lye in the Manger 〈◊〉 one day yee shall see mee upon tâ— Crosse And all this shall bee doâ— according to the rule of my Father Will. For as now my Father usetâ— the pride of the Roman Emperour and discourtesie of my Kindred to that end that I may be thrust low into this filthy Cave so hee will use the envy of the Hebrew Priests that hereafter I may bee lifted up upon an ignominious piece of wood My meat is to doe the Will of him that sent me because I seeke not mine owne will but the Will of him that sent me Ioh. 5.30 Because I came downe from Heaven not to doe mine owne will but the Will of him that sent me Ioh 6.38 This is the answer of Christ to us What therefore is that Good Will whereunto the Angels give a blessing of peace Saint Leo very rightly to this demand A Christians true peace saith he is not to be divided from the Will of God Wee must say unfainedly every houre Thy Will bee done O Lord both in me and in all men most perfectly at all times as it is in Heaven This O Christians is Good Will to desire this one thing in all things with all the heart O Lord thy Will bee done This Will this intention of mind the Angels commend Truely hereof Saint Gregory No richer thing saith hee is offered then Good Will Hom. 5 in Evang. This will begets true peace This will the Shepheards brought along to the Cradle of Christ They would goe and seeke they went and sought out that very Infant whom the Angels perswaded them to seeke from hence grew their mutuall consultations Let us now goe even unto Bethlem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made knowne unto us And they came with hast This will that most crafty Foxe Herod the Ascalonite wanted altogether which promised that he would both come yea and worship him also Forsooth hee had come to cut the Childs throat not to kisse his knees Lastly in this good will and Right Intention consisteth true peace and quietnesse Doe whatsoever thou canst O Christian thou shalt find a thousand troubles in all things else there is nothing any where so quiet as it should bee without this good will Distemper and innumerable disturbances by the body by the mind by friends by Kindred by Children by Subjects by Servants by Office by Businesse troubles at home abroad at Church in the world in the waters in the woods troubles in recreations and pleasures themselves â—boundance of troubles will environ thee on all sides And though thou composest all things for peace notwithstanding thou shalt find peace no where but onely in this good will which tyeth it selfe to the will of God in an insoluble Band. And this is Heaven out of Heaven or the gate of Heaven Entry Peace to men of a good will good constant safe peace true peace and that none needs to repent One may use that speech of the Vulgar in many other things I had rather have a good quarrell then an ill quarter A good staffe then an ill stoole if the spirit will make a league with the flesh obey the lusts thereof cover every fault of stubbornnesse a very bad peace and farre worse then Warre and discord Therefore there can be no good or safe peace to any but onely to men of a good will and Right Intention CHAP. II. That the deed of a Right Intention can bee recompenced by God onely Act THe rule over the Celestiall Spheres and Starres over all orders of Angels doth not equall the dignity of an Action coupled with vertue For example a halfe penny given to a Begger but with a sound and right intention how highly suppose you is it esteemed in Heaven Put all Kingdomes of the world together both Turkish and Indian and Persian Spanish and French with all their wealth yea with all their pleasures and yet thou hast not pitched upon the full price of that halfe penny The reason hereof is most evident all those things as they had a beginning so they shall draw to their end they are kept in with close bounds on both sides But that halfe penny bestowed upon a poore Begger hath amounted to an eternall value Our light affliction which is but for a moment wor eth for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 What canst thou call lesse then that which is light and but for a moment So one sight for God one groane in earnest for our former offences a cup of cold water offered to the thirsty can I speake any thing less◠〈◊〉 doe obtaine an eternall reward Meaner and great above all measure The wo ke an eternall weight of glory The gold of all the Kings in the World brought together into one place may all be easily examined by the Scales in the space of a weeke nor indeed can it make an infinâ—â—e heape But now that encrease or a halfe penny which we spake of cannot bee weighed throughout all eternity it is infinite But how comes it to passe that this halfe penny is so precious By the grace of God Et cum Deus coronat merita nostra nihil aliud coronat quaÌ„ munera sua which August most truely affirming saith Grace onely worketh all our worthinesse in us and when God crowneth our deserts hee crowneth nothing else then his owne gifts Aug. Epist 105. ad sextum The grace of God maketh a marriage betweene God and the Soule Assuerus the mightyest of Kings which was Emperour of an hundred and seaven and twenty Provinces was yet pleased to take Hester a poore Orphan maid the kinswoman of a captive Iew to his wife and made her a Queene Nor enquire thou the cause This was his pleasure Who now can deny the Children of Assuerus and Hester to be Heires of the Kingdome Our Soule being most poore of it selfe when as wee are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves 1 Cor. 3.5 yet God makes choyce of her for his Bride through the admirable benignity of his grace From hence the Inheritance of a Kingdome is derived to our Children that is to our actions from hence we shall hereafter Be partaâ—ers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 For the spirit it selfe beareth witnesse to our spirit that wee are the Children of God and if Children then Heires Rom. 8.16 17. Therefore GOD onely can fully pay the reward of that halfe penny
goe so right to God I will ever follow thee Surely hee doth so whom he cannot delude by vaine glory them he deceiveth by anger or by sorrow or impatience or else by joy or immoderate desire or too much longing There be a thousand waies to hurt If paines succeed ill it puts out of courage what will be said of the matter thou shalt bee nothing esteemed thou shalt be a laughing-stocke to all this will certainely be great hurt to thee But if the matter fall out according to wish Hellish the Orcinian Foxe is at hand againe Behold the practitioner behold his device very well excellently passing well he could not have done better what has this or that man done like it there is none that can come neare this deed all men will commend it So the blind body seemes such a proper fellow in his owne conceit pleaseth himself so admirably he carries his eares listening every where like a Bore what people thinke of him to heare how they praise him forsooth it is a great matter in the sorry judgement of the man and a brave thing to bee pointed at and have it spoken Et pulcrum est digito enonstrari et dicter hic est Top this is the man Pers Sat. 1. v. 28. O poore Soule His enemies are the chiefe indeed The beginning and head of a worke is the intention The Divell aimes at this marke he throwes right against this forehead as David did to Goliah If this head be hurt if a good affection to God bee corrupted or extinct all the rest of the building tumbles downe David greatly rejoycing that hee kept this head safe O Lord God saith hee thou strength of my health thou hast covered my head in the day of battell Psal 140.7 Pliny reporteth that the Pelican a most crafty bird lives by roving upon the waters after this manner Shee flyeth unto those birds which swim in the Sea Dive dip themselves and catcheth at their heads with her Bill till she plucketh up her prey Plin. l. 10. Nat. Hist c. 40. Righteous men not much unlike to birds have their habitation indeed on high but they fly downe to the waters for their food and dip themselves therein they refuse not to undergoe cares vexations labours diverse troubles they carry these waves upon their backes for no otherwise are good workes made evident there is need of sweating and industry No body endureth want with vertue unlesse his body feele it No man prayeth so as hee ought unlesse hee watch and excite his mind to attention In this manner the godly get the nourishment of their soules But the Divell like a Pelican assaulteth the head of these birds Intention Doth he see one praying he plucks away the rule of a right intention and many saith he looke upon thee let them goe now and say if they can that thou art not a lover of Prayer Does he see money in the hand for the poore he snatcheth away the eyes after spectators of the almes or draweth the eares to the beggers importunate cryes that whiles hee gives almes hee may give a reproach with it and say looke here shamelesse Dogge cease to barke Most men will proclaime every one his owne goodnes but a faithfull man who can find Prov. 20.5 Doth hee perceive in thee some charity patience obedience presently hee seekes letters of commendation hee takes up the least words of them that praise thee and drops into thine eares loe thou art of a good report thy submission hath pleased this Lord in good troth this is to be reckoned among thy praises This hellish Pelican fasteneth a thousand such gripes whilst he wounds the head Till and kills a right intention Therefore in all actions let that be diligently observed of the mind To God and to his Throne Otherwise we shall not escape the Stygian Pelican unlesse every one of our Children â—ll our good actions bee caught up to God and to his Throne It is to be â—dmired which is remembred among the acts of St. Severine Bishop of Coleine Surius Tom. 5. die 23. Octobris Severinus flourished about the yeare 40â— There was in the time of Severinus the Bishop an Hermit descended of a princely stocke brought up in his youth to all kind of delights who when hee was growne of ripe yeares for a wedded estâ—te tooke a Bride not unequâ—ll to him in meanes and blood And now Hymen sounded over all the Court and now the nuptiall Bed called upon the new married Couple when â—n a sudden the Bridegroome being taken with great feare saw a young man in a most beautifull shape standing close by his side which spake to him with a cheerefull Countenance and said If I should surely promise thee greater d liâ—hts Betroth thee with and farre more illustrious beauty wouldst thou follow mee whither I goe I would saith the Bridegroome if thou promise things excelling these To whom the Angell in a mans shape More then this I promise thee saith he heavenly delights and immoâ—tall glory if so thou bee a man and knowest how to contemne these in respect of those The Bridegroome forth-with fild with greedy ambition to enjoy these promises and taken with love of the promiser Surety Behold the man saith hee passe thy word and lead mee whither it listeth thee I am ready to follow Hee said and did it neither earned away any thing else with him of all his treasure beside a woodden Bottle The Angell having brought him following so couragiously into a place remote from all company of men Here saith he bee free to God and thy selfe forbeare to care for any thing else So with-drew himselfe out of sight Vpon this Stage did this new Actor pl y the part which he undertooke exceeding well a long time where God and Angels being Spectators hee followed his austere course of life very close for divers yeeres together exhaust in a manner with continuall prayer watching and fasting At length a desire invâ—ded the men to know who should receive an equall reward with him in Heaven for he lâ—â—d a life almoâ—â— immitable Hâ— was answered from Heaven That the Bishop of Colein should bee like him in the yeare of the Bâ—â—ssâ—d The Hermite wondering at this equality of reward in such an unequâ—ll state of life Hâ—e beseecheth therefore very earnestly that this man may bee shâ—wed unto him Might h ve a sight of And without delay he very same which hâ—d conducted him thither stood before him and shewed the way whereby hee should câ—me to the very plâ—ce where this Bishop was The Hermit thus instructed upon a solemne day came to Colein and was present at divine Service after Church he was admitted into the roome where the Bishop dined to looke on Here the Anchorite saw a feast although not according to the profuse Genius of our Age Genium saliare yet sumptuous and liberall This the Bishop gave to the chiefe men of the City
faults how comes it to passe thou wast so negligent in thine owne as to passe by even great faults No otherwise then if one that lyeth sicke of a grievous Dropsie or any other incurable disease should altogether neglect this and blame him which regardeth not a little swelling in any part of his body If then it be evill not to discerne ones owne sins it is surely double or treble hurt to judge others and carry a beame in his owne eye without trouble Chry. Tom. 5. orat de provid et Tom. 2. in 7. Math. Hom. 24. post init But thus we are wont this is our fashion to over-slip our owne faults negligently and to insult unadvisedly upon other mens What dost thou O rash Iudge seeing thou canst safely trust neither thine owne eares nor yet thine eyes nay if an Angell from Heaven declare unto thee what another hath done neither so indeed canst thou alwaies give sentence against another forasmuch as an Angell himselfe cannot fully discover the secrets of another mans heart It is GOD onely The Lord that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines Ierem. 17.10 To him onely are the intentions of all men clearely knowne Whereas now it dependeth upon the intention how guilty or harmelesse every man is what strange temerity is this we use Innocent to remove GOD from his Tribunall nay thrust him out Iudgment Seat and place our selves therein with incredible presumption What strange temerity I say is this and how worthy of revengefull flames to usurpe Gods peculiar right and pronounce Sentence against any body at our pleasure Hence is that vehement admonition of the Apostle Iames Hee which speaketh evill of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evill of the Law and judgeth the Law But who art thou that judgest another Iam. 4.11.12 And indeed this is as Barbarous and cruell an offence as common and usuall The whole world is troubled with this deadly but sweet disease Sicke of It is pleasing and delightfull unto all for the most part to bee upon whose backe they list with a lawlesse censure Thus there appeareth scarce any vice more ordinary in this life no grosser darkenesse over-whelmeth the mind of man in any course greater ignorance no way For we affirme doubtfull things for certaine or if they be certaine yet certainely they belong not to us or if they doe belong we judge unknowne things for apparant or againe if they be apparant yet with what mind they are done we know not neverthelesse we prosecute them as if they were done quite amisse Contrary to all goodnes And many times we grow to that presumption that with most unjust rashnes for one Traytour Iudas we condemne all the Apostles and the whole Colledge of Christ for some naughty Prelates all Arch-bishops and Bishops for some exorbitant Schollers all scholasticall Societies for some Priests that carry themselves ill all Clergy men and Ministers for some jarring Couples all married people for some loose Virgins and Widdowes all single life for some dishonest Merchants all dealing in wares for some base Citizens and Trades-men a whole City for a few Senators or Consuls that are not good a whole Senate Vnworthy for some discommendable Princes Kings Emperours all degrees of state Alas we are too presumptuous in this case and more rash then can bee spoken Rash above measure which make it nothing to prevent the everlasting Iudge with our Iudgement Christ will come to Iudge the world whosoever commeth before him is not Christ but Antichrist Magistrates are Gods Interpreters and they as divine Oracles may not pronounce of any man Gather but what they know by sure authority from God If they doe otherwise and follow their affections Fancies they also shall incurre most severe Iudgement Men as men are forbidden to Iudge God ordained in the old Law that the Priest should not give Iudgement of the Leprosie before the Seventh day It required so great deliberation to find out a disease Was a matter of so great respite to resolve upon which yet was beheld with the eyes How then will God in his goodnes permit that one man should Iudge anothers intention which is manifest to no eye but Gods The men of Bethshewesh used no violence to the Arke of the Covenant but lookt a little too curiously into it And yet they were grievously punished for this their curiousnesse which might have seemed of no regard if not pious For there fell of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men at one slaughter 1 Sam. 6.10 How much more close I pray is mans heart then that wodden Arke and yet thou whosoever thou art dost rashly dare to open that chest of God not onely with a curious eye but also wicked Iudgement and to set it abroad likewise to be gazed upon and derided by others Chrysostome here as freely every way as fully If no other sin saith he were committed by us there were cause over and enough that we should bee cast into Hell for this onely Forasmuch as wee sit severe and most bitter Iudges in other mens faults but see not the beames which stick in our owne eyes Who search even the least matters that concerne us not to the quicke and spend the whole time of our life to Iudge others from which vice you can hardly find any Secular or Spirituall man free Yea and although so sharpe a threatning counter-check it for the Word of God defineth With what judgement yee Iudge yee shall be Iudged also your selves Seeing therefore so great a punishment is appointed for this will and in the meane time no pleasure or dâ—light can be gotten thereby as it useth in other sins neverthelesse all have run themselves heedlesly and headlong under the yoke of this vice as if they studied and strove a purpose Made a mâ—rch among themselâ—â— who should come first of all to this miâ—chiefe Chrys Tom 5. l. 1. de companâ—t cordis circa med Therefore as Seneca very excellently adviseth Suspition and conjecture must be removed out of the mind as most deceivable enticements Hee saluted me somewhat unkindly he suddenly broke off the discourse hee invited mee not to supper his countenance seemed a little coy Suspition will never want matter to cavill at There is eed of simplicity and a favourable construction of things Let us beleeve nothing but what shall be manifest and clearely obvious to the eyes and as often as our suspition shall appeare vaine let us chide this our credulity For this reproofe will bring us to a course Sen. l. 1. de â—â—a c. 24. not to beleeve easily I adde and not to Iudge rashly Moreover they that conceive ill of all men and take whatsoever thou dost in the worst sense are not unlike a cooping glasse used by Physitians which is made onely for that end to draw out corrupt bloud Thus these rash Iudges passe by all that is good but if there be
no body he hath done much whosoever could performe this Pelagius e Graeco Libeli 10. n. 51. But how many are there which will not be able to doe this although it be very easie Against whom Chrysostome being worthily incensed upon those words of the Lord Iudge not discourseth in this manner If therefore not by one but by all waies as I may so say and by all passages we run and make hast to take possession of Hell fire wee are justly condemned of wrong dealing on both sides alike not onely for those things which doe seeme to require some labour and stay whereinto we cast our selves headlong but also for those which are easie and have no necessity nor any allurement or pleasure in them For wee are convinced by these small and easie things that we offend through our owne negligence and idlenes in those things also which seeme to be full of trouble For tell me what paines is in that that thou shouldst not judge another nor examine other mens faults nor condemne the neighbour Nay rather in examining and searching out other mens offences there is great labour and exceeding difficulty to judge of anothers mind But who that heareth this will be brought to beleeve in any time that whereas we may keepe the commandement without paines we strive and take paines that we may break it If we should offend by idlenes and neglect they might perhaps be some way excused which were not able to take paines But where men take paines to offend and endeavour and earnestnes is used to transgresse the commandement who is it that can hope to bee forgiven for this wickednes For this is to contend against him which made the Statute and to offer violence to his Lawes Chrys Tom. 5. l de compunct cordis circa med Out of the matter thus debated by Chrysostome it appeareth how that rashnes of judging is therefore reckoned among the more hainous sort of sins because it wilfully over-throwes a Law which is most easie to be observed Whosoever hath obtained that onely desire of himselfe I will not Iudge hath fulfilled the Law before hand But if such a licentious humour of Iudging doe provoke thee here I pray the same Chrysostome counselling thee excellently in these words Wilt thou judge judge thine owne matters No man accuseth thee if thou condemne thy selfe but hee accuseth if thou judge not he accuseth if thou reprove not thy selfe he accuseth thee of frozen ignorance Seest thou any one to be angry to be in a rage or to commit any other horrible or unfitting thing presently also doe thou call to mind what thine owne case likewise is and by this meanes thou wilt not so much condemne him and wilt free thy selfe from a number of sins If we order our lives in this manner if we carry them thus if we condemne our owne selves Lightly we shall perhaps not commit many sins but shall perform many good and excellent matters if we be mild and sober Chrys Hom. 21. fine in Ep. ad Hebr. These things concerning rash judgment were necessarily to be inserted among the rest And it is in a manner certaine that how much the lesse one examineth his own so much the more earnestly he judgeth other mens intention but to his owne hurt which for the most part is so much the greater as it is lesse felt CHAP. VIII What the practise of a Right Intention is MAthematicians doe account the round Figure most perfect of all the end and beginning whereof are both the same All one The worthiest Actions of men are they which properly have both one beginning and end that is God and his honour He which doeth invest all his actions with such pure and candid sincerity of heart never but behaves himself in a deserving manner Highly deserving and it is very easie for such a man as this to gaine more true happines in one day then another can in a whole yeare Truely those things that we offer to God as Salvian speaketh are respected not according to the richnes but the affection This is it which that Divine said notably Phil. Bosq par 2. Acad. conc 14. n. 1. That Christians obtaine Heaven not by Verbes but by Adverbes seeing it is not so much to be regarded that the action be good as that it be well done and indeed to fast onely or to pray and give almes or to execute any other worthy matter doth not procure Heaven but to fast rightly to pray well to give almes after a godly sort to doe all things religiously there is need of a double portion of Eliahs Spirit of two Oxen to carry the Arke of two young pigeons to make a compleat Sacrifice that is to say of a good worke and a good intention Furthermore it remaineth to expresse that which is chiefly to be observed in matters concerning the Soule and salvation namely that we should not take care so much by what meanes we may understand wholsome Precepts and commit them to memory as which way wee may bring the things wee heare to effect and learne them in that manner that those which were words may become deeds and that wee may make actuall proofe of our learning Sen. Epist. 20. initio The Christian Law teacheth to doe not to say Now therefore let us dispatch this and declare how intention is to bee coupled as it ought indeed with severall actions At the happy returne of the Day Therefore let us take our beginning at the Morning Spring Let our first cogitation of all every day have recourse to GOD. Excellently Laurentius Iustinian Let the first word saith hee the first thought the first desire sound forth the divine praise and bequeath it selfe thereunto with a sincere heart Laur. Iust l. de discipl c. 10. And if we require words they may be these O my most lâ—ving God I devote all the actions of this day unto thee for thy honour and glory In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Wee may adde O good Iesu I beseech thee by thy passion preserve mee this day from all wicked intention And let the beginning of thy rest be the very same For we cannot be ignorant without offence that the Divell is most busie in this first part of the day and night considering the old Deceiver doth what hee can that hee may sweetly take up a mans mind betweene sleeping and waking with evill imaginations and sowe in him the seeds either of envy or lust or impatience which by this meanes will grow up mightily all the day after This Orcinian Foxe knowes very well that he hath dispatched hâ—lfe his businesse when hee beginneth so hand omely Therefore we must watch as at the entrance of the dâ—y so likewise at the end for the Divell hath all the night beside at his pleasure if he make the first part of the night his owne At these times therefore especially the mind must be armed with