Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII. Of Examination of our selues, and of all things by their issues: and how to gouerne the Eyes.
IF when God doth crosse vsus with punishments, we doe not examine the whole processe of our proceedings and imaginations, wee profite not.
2 Wee must search our owne hearts carefully, how well soeuer others report of vsus: for wee may speake of our selues of knowledge, when others doe speake of charitie.
3 If wee will truly examine our selues, then let vsus set our selues before the Lord, who shall and will examine quick and dead: for to him wee must render a iust account, and then let vsus tremble and feare, and so trie whether the Lord doth allow of our doing: if he doe, and we hauehave a warrant out of his word, then mayHeart. we hauehave comfort though trouble come thereof. But if we cannot tremble nor cannot see our hearts, and if the Lord looke not to vsus, to shewe vsus our hearts, wee hauehave to feare and know that our cause is not right. Therefore when we will effectually performe this dutie, let vsus set Gods feare before vsus, which may subdue our affections & reasons, otherwise our affections will controll vsus, and our reason will carry away our hearts, which in it hath many starting holes. But if we feele that our affections are subdued, and that our reason willAffection. subscribe to those things that are contrary thereto: then let vsus trie our worke by the word; whereto if it be agreeable, then will the Lord allow of it, though not as perfect, yet in his sonne Christ. This is the way to raise vsus when we are fallen, to strengthen vsus when we stand, and euer to maintaine the peace of our consciences.
4 It is a blessed rule, to learne to iudge our selues, that we be not iudged of the Lord, if we (considering any sinne in vsus) then straightway by the word learne to amend it. But if we doe it not, then certainly the Lord will iudge either in this world, or in the world to come: for sinne cannot be allowed, but must needes be iudged. Then if we by Gods spirit bee notSinne must hauehave iudgement. taught to iudge our selues, and so to lament our sinnes, wee cannot preuent Gods iudgement, but the Lord will take the cause into his owne hands; and then if we be his, hee will not cease till he hath brought vsus to him; and if wee belong not to him, then will it be corruption in our bones, till it hath consumed vsus.
5 Iob. chap. 21. from the seuenth vers. to the fourteenth, doth describe the vaine conuersationGregor. and merie li…es (as they say) of impious men. Whereon an old writer saith thus: OMoral. Iob, thou hast well described the life of wicked men: now let vsus heare what is their ende,O Iob bene enumerasti vitam impr…borum: dic finem quaeso. whereby wee bee taught to hauehave a speciall respect to the end. Philosophie teacheth vsus to iudge of eueryevery motion, by the terme or point wherein it tendeth: wee may not so much regard the way, for a man may goe through a faire ci…e to execution, and that is an ill motion. And againe a man may goe to a feast through a blind lane, and this we count a goodT…minum ad quem. motion. It is our common prouerbe, That is well which endeth well. We must therefore carefully examine the end of all our wayes: A man may goe for a time by the gallerie ofSimile. merrie deuices, but they helpe not long, for the end of them is iudgment. Eccles. 11. In theNon qua sed quo. latter end, wee shall see all vaine delights come to iudgement. Now therefore let vsus preuent that iudgement (as we be warned) by iudging our selues, and the continuall meditations of iudgement. This is a medicine whereby if we profit, it is bitter and wholesomeIudgement. as the treacle: but if we doe not, it is a poyson bitter and deadly. Let vsus remember iudgement in the midst of the desires of our hearts, and delights of our eyes.How we must order our eyes.
6 Let vsus learne how to order our eyes: for we know in what case Cham was, when hee saw his fathers nakednesse. Such are the senses as are the thoughts that arise by them. The eye is not euill, but we iudge of it by the effects, Prou. 17. 1. 1. Sam. 18. Prou. 3. Psal. 101. 5. if good things can cleare thy sight, vse them. Let vsus make conscience of our eyes: our SauiourNoli mihi dicere pudicum oculum impudicum cor. Christ saith, If thine eye offend thee, plucke it out: if thou doest not vse thine eye well, thou wilt wish thou hadst plucked it out in good earnest, make cōscience of motes, Mat. 7. Iob saith, I hauehave made a couenant with mine eyes. Psal. 119 part. 5. Lord turne away mine eyes, least they behold vanitie. Lament. 3. Ieremie crieth out, Death hath entred into my soule (as) by windowes. And againe, Mine eye is my Death▪ Dauids song is to be noted: Thy iudgements are euer in my sight. God commaunded Lot that he should not looke backe to Sodome: but Abraham Oculus videns non videt.looked towards it, and hee saw the smoke ascend. Let vsus keepe our mindes well exercised, and our eyes may goe whether they will: for then the eye in seeing seeth not, the minde seeth, and the minde heareth. But if a man be inwardly affected, as Dauid was, after his after-noone sleepe, wee thinke of things that neuer were nor shall be. And yet otherwhiles though a man bee in great contemplation, yet such is our corruption, that if there1. Impera, 2. Caue. 3. Tutus eris. 4. Tutior si lignum non aspexeris. stand an euill thing before vsus, we must needes looke on it. Therefore wee had neede make a couenant with our eyes, that is the surest way. We will end this with that good counsell: Gouerne thy selfe, take heede, and be safe: but yet more safe, if thou doest not fasten thine eye vponupon the tree of life.
7 That we may the better know ourselues, let vsus learne also to examine and know our sinnes well, which are often cloked and couered vnderunder nature and grace: We doe not fall at the first into grosse sinnes, but by degrees, as Christ reckoning the retentiues, Matth, 22. which keepe vsus from the meanes, as farmes, oxen, mariage, &c. And Paul reckoning the workes of darknes, peraduenture would not satisfie a carnall man in his computation, hee maketh mention of banquetings, feastings, &c. These things seeme lawfull, but certainly and of a truth, sinne lies hidden in them, and these things may turne to our ruine. Sin is a cunning and skilfull suiter, shee playeth as Harlots, who seeing and obseruing the grauitie and modestie of former ages, as though they were very demure matrons, would not atRom. 13. 13. the first shew their faces, as we may see in Thamar: but the world groweth bigger and prouder in sinne, they began to withdraw their vailes, and were not ashamed to become shamelesse and impudently bold. So sinne at the first modestly insinuateth herselfe vntounto vsus, vnderunder the vaile of things lawfull, which no man can denie, vntill hauing by little and little corrupted vsus, she doth boldly vncouer her selfe in things vnlawfull vntounto vsus. And that shee might find the more courteous entertainment at our hand, she commeth not alone, but either she getteth into the companie of nature, or she creepeth into familiaritie with grace: that being with these, for her companions sake at the least, shee may not hauehave repulse. As Achab said, so saith shee, I would not hauehave come hither, but for Iehosaphat. For wee know it often comes to passe, that we are content to admit and receiue some for their companions sake, who if they came alone should scarsely bee welcome at our hands. This sinne knoweth well, and therefore sometimes she comes hand in hand with nature, that is, in such behauiour as naturally we like and are affected with; as sometimes in ioyes, if we be of a lighter mould; sometime in griefe, if we be of a sadder sod: sometime she commeth cheeke by cheeke with grace, as our Sauiour Christ sheweth vsus, hypocrisie, to come in prayer, fasting,Note. and almesgiuing, &c. It is not like that Salomon at the first lept into idolatry, nay by degrees his heart was stollen away with the immoderate and excessiue vse of things, in their owne vse and nature lawfull. And therefore the Saints of God hauehave rather chosen to sit a little on this side of them, than to iumpe and iustle hard by them; as we may see in Timothie and in Elias, 1. King. 19. who was faine twice to be called vponupon by the Angell to rise vp and eate Salomon did begin to build, yea he began to build the Lords house, 2. King. 6. & 7. &c. and yet (as all good writers agree) excessiue building was the beginning of his falling away. He was building the Lords house seuen yeeres, but in building his owne house hee was thirteene yeeres. This growing in proportion, when he would exceed the Lords work, this drawing out of his building was the onelyonly thing that the Scriptures hauehave left vntounto vsus, as a note of his falling away, to teach vsus that by the vse euen of lawful things our hearts beHeb. 3 12. 13. seduced, and by degrees hardened to fall away from the liuing God. For if we louelove a thing excessiuely, our louelove groweth to lust, and our lust drawes on to the often vse, and brings on custome, custome at the length brings necessitie. Thus when we find too much reliefeVilla. in things, we fall in such a louelove with Aegypt, and in such a disliking of Canaan, that we will neuer depart, but we will still dwell by our flesh-pots. Well then wee say thus, the farme is no sinne: but when the farme holdeth vsus backe from grace, and the meanes of grace, then is it sinne vntounto vsus.