23. Let all these things he done prudently and modeTately; not with fcruple and vexation. For these are good advantages, but the particulars are not divine commandments; and therefore are to be used as fhall be found expedient to every one's condition. For, provided that our Duty be fecured, for the degrees, and for the inftruments, every man is permitted to himself, and the conduct of fuch who fhall be appointed to him. He is happy that can fecure every hour to a fober or a pious employment; but the duty confifts not fcrupulously in minutes and half hours, but in greater portions of time; provided that no minute be employed in fin, and the great portions of our time be fpent in fober employment, and all the appointed days and fome portions of every day be allowed for Religion. In all the leffer parts of time we are left to our own elections and prudent management, and to the confideration of the great degrees and differences of glory that are laid up in Heaven for us, according to the degrees of our care, and piety, and diligence. The Benefits of this Exercife. This Exercife, befides that it hath influence upon our whole lives, it hath a special efficacy for the pre venting of, 1. Beggarly fins, that is, those fins which idlenefs and beggary ufually betray men to; fuch as are lying, flattery, ftealing and diffimulation. 2. It is a proper antidote against carnal fins, and fuch as proceed from fulness of bread and emptiness of employment. 3. It is a great inftrument of preventing the fmalleft fins and irregularities of our life, which ufually creep upon idle, difemployed and curious perfons. 4. It not only teaches us to avoid evil, but engages us upon doing good, as the proper bufinefs of all our days. 5. It prepares us fo against fudden changes, that we fhall not eafily be furprised at the fudden coming of the day of the Lord: For he that is curious of his time, will not easily be unready and unfurnished. SECT. SECT. II. The fecond general Inftrument of Holy Living, THAT we fhould intend and defign God's glory in every action we do, whether it be natural or 1 Cor.10.31. chofen, is expreffed by S. Paul, Whether ye eat or drink do all to the glory of God. Which rule when we observe, every action of nature becomes religious, and every meal is an act of Worship, and fhall have its reward in its proportion, as well as an act of prayer. Bleffed be that goodness and grace of God, which, out of infinite defire to glorifie and fave Mankind, would make the very works of nature capable of becoming acts of vertue, that all our life-time we may do him fervice. This grace is fo excellent, that it fanctifies the moft common actions of our life; and yet fo neceffary, that without it the very best actions of our devotion are imperfect and vitious. For he that prays out of cufrom, or gives alms for praise, or fafts to be accounted religious, is but a Pharisee in his devotion, and a Beggar in his alms, and an Hypocrite in his faft. But a holy end fanctifies all these, and all other actions which can be made holy, and gives diftinctions to them, and procures acceptance.. For, as to know the end diftinguishes a Man from a Beaft; fo to chufe a good end diftinguishes him from an evil Man. Hezekiah repeated his good deeds upon his Sick-bed, and obtained favour of God; but the Pharifee was accounted infolent for doing the fame thing: Because this Man did it to upbraid his brother, the other to obtain a mercy Atticus eximiè fi coenat, lautus babetur, he he doubted of God's power, or the truth of the meffenger; but the only of her own incapacity. This was it which diftinguifhed the mourning of David from the exclamation of Saul; the confeflion of Pharab from that of Manaffes; the tears of Peter from the repentance of Judas: "For the praife is not in Seneca. "the deed done, but in the manner of its doing. If a "Man vifits his fick-friend, and watches at his Pil"low for charity fake, and because of his old affecti on, we approve it; but if he does it in hope of LeCC gacy he is a Vulture, and only watches for the car"cafs. The fame things are honeft and difhoneft: "The manner of doing them and the end of the de"fign makes the feparation." Holy Intention is to the actions of a Man that which the Soul is to the Body, or form to its matter, or the root to the tree, or the Sun to the World, or the Fountain to a River, or the Bafe to a Pillar: for without these the body is a dead trunk, the matter is fluggish, the tree is a block, the world is darkness, the river is quickly dry, the pillar rushes into flatness and ruine; and the action is finful or unprofitable and vain. The poor Farmer that gave a difh of cold Water to Artaxerxes was rewarded with a golden goblet, and he that gives the fame to a Difciple in the name of a Difciple fhall have a crown; but if he gives water in despite when the Disciple needs Wine or a Cordial, his reward thall be to want that Water to cool his tongue. * But this duty must be reduced to Rules. Rules for our Intention. 1. In every action reflect upon the end; and in your undertaking it, confider why you do it, and what you propound to your felf for a reward, and to your action as its end. 2. Begin every action in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft: the meaning of which is, 1. That we be careful that we do not the action without the permiffion or warrant of God. 2. That Sect. 2. 2. That we design it to the glory of God, if not in the direct action, yet at least in its confequence; if not in the particular, yet at least in the whole order of things and accidents. 3. That it may be fo bleffed, that what you intend for innocent and holy purpofes may not by any chance or abuse or mif-understanding of men be turned into evil, or made the occasion of fin. 3. Let every action of concernment be begun with prayer, that God would not only blefs the action, but fanctifie your purpofe; and make an oblation of the action to God: holy and well intended actions being the best oblations and prefents we can make to God; and when God is intitled to them, he will the rather keep the fire upon the Altar bright and fhining. 4. In the profecution of the action, renew and reinkindle your purpose by fhort Ejaculations to those purpofes: [Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name let all praise be given: ] and confider [ now I am working the work of God: I am his fervant, I am in a happy employment, I am doing my Master's business, I am not at my own difpofe, I am using his talents, and all the gain must be his] for then be fure, as the glory is his, the reward fhall be thine. If thou bringeft his goods home with increase, he will make thee Ruler over Cities. 5. Have a care that while the Altar thus fends up a holy flame, thou doft not suffer the Birds to come and carry away the facrifice: that is, let not that which began well, and was intended for God's glory, decline, and end in thy own praise, or temporal fatisfaction, or fin. A ftory told to represent the vileness of unchastity is well begun: but if thy female auditor be pleafed with they language, and begins reather to like thy perfon for thy ftory, than to dislike the crime, be watchful, left this goodly head of gold defcend in filver and brafs, and end in the iron and Qui furatur clay, like Nebuchadnezzar's image; for from the end tur, mechu, it fhall have its name and reward. ut mache. eft magis guam fur. Arift. Eth. 6. If any accidental event which was not first intended by thee come to pass, let it not be taken into thy thy purposes, not at all be made use of: as if by telling a true ftory you can do an ill turn to your Enemy, by no means do it; but when the temptation is found out, turn all thy Enmity upon that. 7. In every more folemn Action of Religion, join together many good ends, that the confideration of them may entertain all your Affections; and that when any one ceafes, the purity of your Intention may be fupported by another fupply. He that fafts only to tame a rebellious Body, when he is provided of a remedy either in Grace or Nature, may bet tempted to leave off his Fafting. But he that in his Faft intends the Mortification of every unruly Appetite, and accuftoming himself to bear the yoke of the Lord, a contempt of the pleafures of meat and drink, humiliation of all wilder thoughts, obedience and humility, aufterity and charity, and the convenience and affiftance to devotion, and to do an act of Repentance, whatever happens, will have reafon e nough to make him to continue his purpose, and to fanctifie it. And certain it is, the more good ends are defigned in an Action, the more degrees of excellen cy the Man obtains. 8. If any temptation to spoil your purposes hapens in a religious duty, do not presently omit the Action, but rather ftrive to rectifie your intention and to mortifie the temptation. S. Bernard taught us this Rule: For when the Devil, obferving him to preach excellently, and to do much benefit to his hearers, tempt ed him to vain-glory, hoping that the good Man to avoid that would ceafe preaching, he gave this anfwer only, I neither began for thee, neither for thee will I make an end. 9. In all actions which are of long continuance, deliberation and abode, let your holy and pious intention be actual, that is, that it be by a special prayer or action, by a peculiar act of refignation or oblation given to God: but in fmaller actions, and little things and indifferent, fail not to fecure a pi ous habitual intention; that is, that it be included within your general care that no action have an ill C end; |