Forty Sermons, Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII. THE LIGHT OF THE BODY is the Eye.
Matt. 6. 22, 23.
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evill, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?
IN daies that above all others so pretend to light, yet then in which the Church was scarcely ever more involv'd in darkness, wholly overspread with error and confusion, and these new lights prove but like those fires that do mislead them that are overtaken by the night; guide them only out of their way into dangers and precipices, and make them loose themselvs in many wandrings; only Religious meteors: It cannot be unseasonable or needless to try what kind of light it is that Christ would have us follow; if all were true those others do pretend, 'twould give them but enlightned brains: but Christs light here will give us shining lives, make our whole bodies full of light; and which light if men want, notwithstanding all their wild illuminations, they are still in the most amazing darkness. For the light of the body is the eye. &c.
The words are clearly the former part of a comparison, only hinting at, and leaving us to guess and to draw out the latter; which hath by divers been assign'd diversly. In their direct view they say thus much, The Eye is the candle of the body: that is, as in the body of man the Eye is the director, do's that office to it that a lamp dos in the dark, shews it which way it should walk, what it should do, and by its guidance the body can discerningly set about its offices and perform its functions: and if the Eye be as it ought, pure and right, it directeth well; but if not, the body not being able to discern, not only cannot exercise its functions as it ought, but also may walk on in dangerous errors, and stumble upon precipices into ruin. So also it fares in our spiritual estate. But the particulars thereof are not by all agreed upon, and are very variously rendred. The single and the evil eye being exprest by such words as do assure us that a spiritual eye is here intended, yet leaves place for enquiry into what it is: and tho several meanings have been pitch't upon, and but one was meant, yet each having either large authority or reasons, I know not why I may not apply it too, and treat of every one: seeing each way afford's us true and good instructions. And first that which hath most generally been adhered to is that the singleness of the Eye should mean the singleness or simplicity of heart, & purity of intention. So Abimelech Gen. xx. 5, 6. when he had taken Sarah to him, pleads for himself he did it in the simplicity of his heart, and God acknowledges he did so; with an honest intention, meaning to make her his wife, not knowing that she was so to another man. And then the second part of the comparison says thus: So also if thy heart be single and sincere, thy intentions right to God, if in all thy actions thou intend his service and Glory, that thy good meaning will derive a goodness into all thy doings, thy whole body will be full of light, all thy actions holy; but if thy intentions be vitiated, if in the duties I named before, alms, praier, fasts thou aime not at my service, but the praise of men, if thy heart be impure, mudded with the desire of earthly things, which I did last forbid thee; thy actions must needs be dark and foul: yea indeed how. great a spiritual darkness, how much unholiness must needs dwell upon thy doings, if the only thing, that should give light, and shed an holiness into them, thy intentions be dark and evil? To this sense I shall first speak, and divide my text into subjects rather then parts.
1. The first shall be this, the lamp of the body is the eye, a good intention a well meaning must enlighten & direct every action to make it not reprovable.
2. I shall lay before you a single eye, shew you what is required to make a Religious intention singly and purely so.
3. That from such a single eye the body shall be light, that such good hearty meanings do either break out into holy actions, or are accepted as such.
4. That such a single eye makes the whole body light, that by such pure religious intentions a man may sanctify all the actions of his life.
5. The remaining part of the text, but if thine eye be evil &c. being but the affirming all the contraries to these of the evil eye, the bad meaning, the intention that is not honest and pure, must needs be prov'd and press'd in pressing of the former part; and therefore that shall only furnish me with application.
First of the first, the candle of the body is the eye, a good intention; a well meaning must enlighten and direct every action to make it not reprovable. I mean in actions that are any way matter of duty▪ I know only an innocent harmless intention, if there be no other unhandsom circumstance, will serve to make the common actions of life innocent and not blameable; but without the Religious intention the action cannot be accounted duty, and upon this score 'tis in Religion reprovable.
Among all creatures here below man is the only one that hath a faculty to chuse his ends, & consequently that can direct his intentions. Things without life are carried only to the makers ends, not to their own; the stone however by its own weight it hurry downwards to it's sphere of rest, and as it does approch goes faster still and faster, as if there were it's inclination, and that inclination were more sensible as it came nearer, and so increas'd upon it; yet 'tis determined to it's line, 'tis bound to move by plummet, and cannot possibly turn one point aside, not make the smallest crook to meet a nearer knob of earth that stretches up it self to give it soonest rest: and all it's hast is only weight not inclination, not choice, but natural violence as it were. Things that have life and sense, have inded aims, and these do prosecute those aims with eager strong intentions; but they also are limited, determinantur ad unum, as the Schools speak; their end is set to them, nor do they pick and chuse upon comparative considerations; that which strikes their present sense with strongest relish, that they necessarily fix upon: and therefore Buridan tells us of an Asse that was so justly plac'd between two bottles of hay of so exact and equal sent and goodness, that neither of them being able to determine his appetite to the one more then the other, his inclinations stood divided equally betwixt those equal invitations, and being not able to preferr, nor consequently chuse any, he wanted both, and two bottles sterv'd him whom one would have preserved. But 'tis not so with man, for as there is as great a difference betwixt his ends as does distinguish Hell from heaven in obedience on one side, and transgression on the other; life and death, eternity of blessedness, and immortality of misery are set before his choice; one of these everlastingnesses sets out it self before every action of his that is not merely indifferent, and offers it self to be his aim. So also he hath (as it mostly proves) a most unhappy privilege, that he can chuse his ruine: and as by the assistance of that Grace, which God does not deny, he can intend those actions that look directly towards happiness; so he can by the power of his will prosecute his own destruction. Now then as for him that can thus chuse his ends, that can direct his intentions either to good or evill, to limit this his freedom to the choice of evill would be most unreasonable; God knows 'tis too much so for him to let the lawful delights of his senses according to their degrees and strengths fix and determine much of his intentions; and to employ his soul to spring and start such pleasures, and let his appetite still hover over them, and the fairest quarry alwaies engage it in the pursuit, tyed to that object that does strike his sense with greatest vigor of temtation: for this is to live merely a life of sense, 'tis to degenerate from man into the rank of lower creatures; for just these are their aims, and so they make their choices: and did God place an immortal and Angelic Spirit in a man only to make him be a more sagacious brute? But then much more then brutish would it be when as two objects court his choice, as different as Hell and Heaven in desireableness; for him to chuse the terrors, to pursue that which carries with it inconsistency to all his happinesses. The beasts cannot do so, they cannot chuse the worse, but man will preferr misery, and make his choice of wretchedness. And truly thither every action of man does tend, that is not otherwise level'd and directed by honest intentions. It is the meaning that distinguisheth the deeds, and as the mind intends, so it alters the exterior action into good, bad or indifferent. If I do take a walk to the next town, whether I do it for fresh aire and recreation, or else to make a charitable Christian visit, so to relieve or help a weak sick soul, or go to meet companions of my sin and to appoint or execute a vice, the walk is still the same, but those so different ends do make the action tend to consequences of an eternal difference. Nay the aim hath so great an influence upon the deeds, that tho the action be an action of a vertue or Religion, yet according to the quality of the mans meaning that performs it, so it may either lose its vertue, or transmute into a vice, and the very Religion become sin. The first part of this chapter is all demonstration of this: 'tis lawful without question by all good humane means to seek to advance my reputation, but he that does endeavor it by his devotions, tho his life be all strictnesses, and he do spend himself in alms and fasts and praiers, by all these holy practices he does not purchase the reward of piety, but only praise of men; so that all that Religion ceaseth to be holy, and if it mainly aim at that, becomes hypocrisy. And all the reason in the world it should be so; for he that merely in order to his ends does chuse and practise such means, 'tis certain he does love those means no otherwise then as they serve that end, and therefore tho the means be vertue, he does not love the Religion of that vertue, but the convenience of it as it does contribute to his aim. Now if it be convenient to an ill end, 'tis an evill convenience, and so in chusing vertue he chuseth evill; if but to an indifferent end, 'tis an indifferent convenience; and so the Religion becomes insipid and indifferent; and tho there be honesty in the thing, yet 'tis by accident as to his mind, 'tis not for that he chuses it, but for its usefulness; and ordinarily 'tis not that males it convenient or useful for ends, or if it do, yet the appearance of it is as good as it is it self; and so 'tis clear, howsoever he chuse vertue, yet the vertue hath no interest in his performance, not in his intention, nor election. Thus he that is charitable to one in distress on purpose to oblige him afterwards for some designs he hath in using him, he does contract, not give, and 'tis not alms, but commerce, 'tis rather earnest of wages, then a liberality. She that abstains from vicious and suspected company, and observes strictest chastity merely to avoid an ill name or worse consequences, does not fear God, but shame and being undone, and 'tis not vertue this but care of reputation: she's no more chast as to the Religion of it, then she that does abstain from places suspected of diseases, that would spoil her face or do her other injury: she does avoid uncleanness, as she does small pox or breaking of her limbs; and she that will not lame or deform her self is every jot as vertuous. They that make long praiers for a pretence to cover their devouring widows houses, that their opinion of their Religion may palliate some other wickednesses they have; their prayers only pull down woes upon them Matth. 23.
They that go to the place of Gods Worship and Service and to the exercises of devotion, intending there to offer up some eyes and thoughts to some object, which their vicious inclinations have service for, their very Religion is Idolatry; and truly they who do good actions to an ill intent, their wickedness is multiplied, they do not only sin in the intention, but they defile the means, they make Piety serve their vice, and Christ Minister unto Belial. Occasion enough to perswade us to look to our intentions, and have a care our meanings be purely and singly religious; which when they are I am now next to shew you.
Now for this intentions may be considered either precisely in order to the end they aime at, without taking in the consideration of the means, by which I must prosecute that end; as for instance, from this time forward I intend strictly and duly to observe my private and the public hours of prayer; nothing but such an occasion, as God shall interpose, shall hinder me. Or I intend according to my ability to practise charity to the distressed. Or secondly the man considers also what means there are for him to pursue that intention, and chuseth what he thinks the most convenient, and by that means intends to compass his designs. So in order to my constant keeping prayers, I will be sure to rise so early, as that the hast of any business I shall have, shall not hurry me from my private morning devotions; I will be up timely enough for both: and I will so and so order my business of the day, and so cut off, or so dispose my pleasures as that they shall not enterfere with prayers, shall not intrench on my Religious hours, but doing so and so I will have void spaces left for them, that are so much more my concerns; and will not suffer trifles to detain me from them; or from any part, such as I may easily shake off, or defer for so much better interests then trifles, as the business of my prayers is; which yet truly 'tis to be doubted they do scarce believe, that let trifles turn them either from all or part, or slacken them in coming. And for my charity I do intend out of such my revenue, or my wages, or out of the superfluity of my expences (from which I do discern I could spare somthing, and be never the worse) to lay aside constantly for the uses of that virtue. And so any man intends to set upon the serious practise of sobriety and temperance or chastity; and then considers that 'tis necessary for him to avoid such and such engaging practises, or such and tempting companions, and occasions, and thereupon intends that too: where we see the means come in with the end to make up the intention; as where they do not, God knows the bare intention of the end is but imagination and fancy.
1. Now as to both these intentions: First for the precise intention of the end; that in religious aims that may be single and pure, I must 1. take heed that neither temporal nor vicious aims do mixe in any degree with my Religion in my thoughts, nor that the pious meaning do decline unto any such intention. For any either mixture or defilement, makes a thing not pure and single. Do not mistake me, temporal ends such as profit, recreations; reputation are not only lawful, but necessary for our intentions, provided they do not transgress their bounds of time ot mesure, but they must not in any degree come into your obediences to God. To intend both in that, were to endeavor that which Christ saies we cannot do, 'twere to serve God and Mammon, or God and pleasure, or the Lord and Honor: yea 'twere to serve them with the Lords Religion, to make the very worship of my God be the Idolatry of my covetousness, 'tis one of the worst kinds of sacrilege to alienate his own service from him. Nay I must take a care that an intention piously begun, do not decline into any degree of such meanings. I may out of a real sense of my imperfections or detestation of some of my former practises begin a confession, and complaint against my self, and have the thoughts of emtyness and of humility of heart, when this intention springs within me, but if I then find some have a better opinion of me for it, and speak well of my modesty or my humility, and that opinion do begin to tickle me, that air to fill me (and I shall easily discover it, if there be any thing of such an aim, for if I cannot wel endure another should say that of me which I say my self, then it is sure that my confessions were either dissimulation, or fishing after praise:) here the humble intention declines, & now 'tis time to have a care and turn my thoughts from other mens opinions to my own guilty consciousness.
So for vice, if the same confessing man acknowledg sadly former loosnesses, or out of a good meaning tell some story to aggravate the vileness of such fault, and doing this before a female auditor makes her pleas'd with the expression of it, and as she begins to like the person for the story, so the contagion spreads, and the relator from such a liking (as it quickly will) contracts a mutual kindness, and refreshes decaied desires; here the good meaning is sunk and drown'd in sin; desinit in piscem, 'tis but a Mermaid intention, the fair upper part, however beauteous, ends in monster, the Saint declines into a feind.
2. If none of this, yet if I can foresee some casual unconcern'd evil accident will happen and come in; then I must either free my good intention from that, or change it. If I intend to reprove my Superior towards whom I have some office of so doing, for his vice, and do foresee that probably upon that his just respect and authority may decay with some others; I will then take some other way of doing it. If by aggravating the guilty hainousness of some practices of those that do profess the strictness of Religion, I can guess my doing so will cast a dash upon the profession of Religion it self in the esteem of som that hear me; I will forbear a good of so ill consequence, except such aggravation be necessary upon some other score, as to take off the opinion of those that may be mislead by those persons into guilt.
If I foresee my laying open of a false opinion (provided that it be not fundamental as to practise) in a man of pious learning and of reverend esteem, may chance to stagger the beliefs of some that must receive their knowledg from instruction and cannot do it better then from such; and make them thinkalas from whom shall we learn truths, or what assurance have we that any thing we have given credit to is so: sure my intention is more noxious then his false opinion and to be turn'd aside.
If by telling a true story intended for the disparagement of vice, I think aspersions may come upon a person (which are not at all necessary for my hearers avoiding of the vice,) yea tho he be mine enemy, the story and my intentions would be much better spar'd.
A meaning then is purely good, when it hath nothing else but good in view of it; and that intention is not truly single, that hath two ends, altho but one be mine, and the other chances only; for if I foresee it, I some way adopt it, and do make it mine. So for the first intentions.
2. The intire intentions as they take in the means succeed into our consideration; and here I would be plain because I know it is the common plea and ground of most whereby they excuse actions otherwise very blameable by saying that they did it with a good intent: and this they think will stop the mouths of their impleaders and their conscience. On this score Phineas's zeal is grown a Christian principle (tho the like zeal were blamed by Christ in his disciples) yea and that stretcht now much beyond the original; such a zealous intention shall execute real murders, and all the bloudy hainous consequences of a war undertaken upon no other appearing ground: when not upon a visible confest Idolatry, and impudent whoredom, as that in Phineas case, but upon only controverted doubts, or indeed fancied stains in an established happy Church; their zealous intention must warrant them to let out those taint's together with the life, to bloud them with the sword; and if they cannot call for fire from Heaven to purge away the dross, yet they will make the reformation with fire and faggot, prune the worship by cutting up both root and branch: Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum. And Religion must perswade and warrant all these mischeifs.
A like good meaning shall engage men to defy the persons and authority of their most just Superiors, to both which they were bound by laws and oaths; but they are nothing to a good intention: and while they prosecute the ruine of their Governors, and desolation of their Nation, yet they can mean well to them both, and be still innocent.
So the ends of self-preservation, or which is much worse, preservation of a little wealth or dignity, shall justify perjury and doing things against the conscience: and those things look't upon as slight transgressions in order to that end, when the pride of an estate, or of a wife and family is in the intention.
I could make divers other instances in common actions of our lives, in which whatever men do practise, if they have a good meaning, they believe themselves excusable. Therefore
1. That an intention may be good, 'tis absolutely necessary, that it do not take in any forbidden means to bring about its end; for if it do, however the end were good, the intention will be sinful. The reasons clear, because that particular intention do's especially respect and include that particular means; which means is evil, that is to say, it do's especially respect and include evil, and consequently is so. Nay if I use ill means, tho to advance an end of noblest Religion, yet in so intending that intention do's not do God service, nor obey his commands for it is impossible that the same action of the mind should in it self be both commanded and forbid by God.
Now as the intention takes in and pursues the evil means so 'tis forbid, and consequently is a sin, and therefore cannot be service to God nor obedience to his command. If that this reason will not do, example and command shall do it. Saul did intend to sacrifice when he did spare the fattest of the sheep and oxen: 'tis true he was commanded to slay all, but he intended to preserve the best for God, his meaning was Religion and worship; but yet that good intention of worship did condemn him, and he and his posterity lost the Kingdom for this Religion.
God do's not require any action, which he sees I cannot compass without sin; for the requires no man to sin, for that were to require that we should break his commands, and 'twere a strange obedience to the Lord to disobey him for his own sake; shall I speak wickedly for God, saith Job, Job. 13. 7. and talk deceitfully for him? will ye accept his person? and plainer yet S. Paul. Rom. 3. 5, 6, 7, 8. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded thro my lie unto his glory; why also yet am I judged as a sinner? And not rather as we are slandrously reported, and as some affirm that we say, Let us do evil, that good may come: whose damnation is just. The argumentation runs thus, If Gods way of grace may be thus set out, and more illustriously seen by the sins of men; why should God thus punish their sins which so tend to his glory (Irecite the objection of some men) or if he do's, is it not injustice in him so to doe? v. 7. For (say they) if the faithfulness, and mercifulness of God in performing his promises to Abraham giving the Messiah hath appear'd more abundantly, and tended more to his glory by occasion of the Jews sins or infidelity, there will be then no reason why they that are guilty of such sins so much tending to Gods honor should be complained of or proceeded with in judgment; but on the other side men might do well to commit such sins, from which so much good or glory to God might come. I recite, saies the Apostle, a damnable doctrine, and in opposition say, that no one sin is to be committed, tho in order to and contemplation of the greatest good, Gods glory. And this is proof enough, and therefore
2. tho an intention that sets it selfe an holy and Religious end, the glory of God, the purity of Religion, the peace and flourish of Jerusalem, nay Church and nation, or some particular service to God, while it looks only at the end is good and holy, yet when it comes to think of means in order to that end, if he can find there is only one within his compass, and that forbidden, as he is bound to renounce the means, so also he must desert the intention instantly: for if he go on to intend good, which he knows he cannot compass but by doing ill, 'tis clear he do's intend the doing ill; as he that know it is not possible, that he should shoot at such a mark, behind which a man stands, but he must kill the man, if he intend to shoot, he do's intend to kill. No, he may pray for such an end that God would find expedients to bring it about, but must not set wickedness on work to do it; God do's not need the aids of sin to promote his glory or service. And therefore
3. A truly Religious intention of a good end purely as it is good cannot suffer a man to chuse an evil means of working towards it. It is not possible that he should do it; for he that do's chuse a means unto an evil end, intends it only as 'tis useful to that end, and otherwise he could not like nor pitch upon it; but sin cannot be useful to a vertuous action as it is vertuous, but perfectly repugnant to it. I may exact, and gripe, oppress deceive, and many more such things, that so I may be rich, and have to give to them that want; but I cannot do those things truly intending the Religion of charity, because that would not suffer me to do them. Those actions are perfectly contradictions to its nature, they ruinate the very being of a vertue, as it is in obedience to God; for a man cannot disobey God in obedience to him, and therefore are not useful to it, as it is a virtue, nor chosen so but on some other motive. The man that heaps by fraud and by oppression intending to build hospitals, intends thereby to build himself a monument, and leave as great a name behind him, as he do's treasure may be, but if he truly had intended charity, he had not been uncharitable for charity.
The man that do's intend to be a daily constant person in the public exercises of Religion, and travail up and down to get the opportunities, if when he do's begin to think how he is to prosecute those intentions, and so considers that then he must neglect his calling greatly and impoverish, may be break himself and family, if he then set down with himself; I may allow my self some arts of thriving, take ways of getting greater gains in my commodities then are fit for others that do not give God so much of their time; or I will restrain my hand as to the poor; for if Religion to God take away so considerable a part of what I should gain, charity to the poor, hath no reason to have a great share too in what I have; and so leave off to be a doer, that he may be a hearer, or do that which is not justifiable, use some deceitful methods, or be not merciful (and these are no strange things they say) 'Tis clear this man do's not intend towards the real power of religion, for that would not allow him such waies to it, which are so far from useful to it, that they are perfect oppositions to its nature, but either the repute of a professor, or the being own'd as of a party, or some such motive lurks under the visor of Religion; it may be undiscern'd by him who minds that fair appearance of a good end, so intently as not to search, and try the whole intention, the means as well as aim. For such means, however they may contribute to the action of Religion and vertue in the general, yet they cannot be useful to the Religion, or the vertue of the action, nay do they not contribute sin more then their own to the intention? 'Tis a hard question; and tho indeed it be apparent, that he that chuseth an ill way only to bring about a good intent; do's not like or chuse that ill for it self, and would not embrace it if it were not drest and varnisht with the adornments and the paint of a well meaning, and consequently is not so malicious, as they that chuse sin barefac't in its own shape and colours; yet when to do so is so directly against the very nature of piety, against reason and command, and hath so harsh a sentence as S. Paul do's thunder out against them, that shall entertain such a doctrine, that truly I do not know what to say to them, that notwithstanding that dare practise it. I'am sure the wise man saith Eccles. 34. 20. He that bringeth an offering of the goods of the poor, doth as one that killeth the Son before the Fathers eyes; an offence that to the Father, that hath more then his sons death in it, it strikes him also thro the eyes and would make his own sight his murderers, do's make it to be his torment; and defies his displeasure, chusing to spite him to his face: and some such aggravation it should seem vice carries in it, when it comes into Religion, as it do's, when it thrusts into our holy intentions, as means to pious ends. However it be, I'me sure I've said enough to prove that truly good intentions cannot take in evil means, and that such means when they are taken in, make the intention mixt and unholy, and therefore far from pure: and so have don the second thing, and let you know what is required to make a Religious intention singly & purely so. The third follows
3. That from such a single eye the body shall be light, that such good hearty meanings do make the actions good and holy, or are accepted as such actions. The former part, that actions regulated by intentions compleatly Religious are Religious, needs no proof; because our actions derive theis guilt or their Religiousness from thence: there can be nothing there to blame; for when the end is good, and the means good, then all is so. But I would tell you such intentions have a privilege beyond this of making outward actions acceptable to the Lord: for where we do endeavor in pursuance of such intentions, and cannot bring them into act there those intentions are in Gods sight as the actions themselvs, he do's so value them, and so he will reward them. For God accepts the will for deed, and if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not, 2 Cor. 8. 4. Here thy good meaning if it put forth it self according to thy power is compleat performance; here is a way the meanest soul may be an Heroe in Religion: there is no bounds that can be set to holy meanings. My actions may be fetter'd in, ty'd by impossibilities, that I cannot perform such holy deeds as others, but my intentions are free as Angels; I can mean heartily and intend to the utmost, and by such an art the poor widow, that gave nothing but the expression of the meanest poverty, did yet give more then they that bestow'd treasures, because in two mites she meant to give her utmost; and at such rates God will reward them too.
Those good intentions that sincerely mind Gods glory shall themselvs reap glory, even before the action shall. From resurrection to eternity is time enough to reward holy actions, but before that, betwixt death and judgment, the soul shall be rewarded with the blessing of its intentions. As it did often do its part in piety without the body, so it shall have a crown before the body, shall forestal happiness, and for a while it shall alone be blessed, as oftentimes it hath been vertuous alone in good intentions, when it could not act.
4. But all this is not strange, that the great mercy of our God should so interpret to our advantage our designs of piety, as to impute good meanings to our glory as if they were good doings, and consequently where the intentions are holy, the actions must be holy, and where this eye is clear, the body must have light: but 'twill be very strange if a clear eye make the whole body full of light, illustrate those performances which have no relation to the soul. Most of the actions of our life are common and indifferent, serve only the necessities or recreations of nature, and how can these be holy? Why yes, by pure Religious intentions a man may sanctify all the actions of his life, and if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God, saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 31. Every therefore the most common action may be intended to Gods glory, and then 'tis sanctified. That the Lord should look for honor from the devout performances of our strictest Religion, 'tis no wonder, for therefore he requires them: but that when in the meanest instance I do serve my self, in doing so I should be able to give glory to my God, is sure by vertue of some strange stratagem, some Divine elixar that will so transmute things: why a good meaning will do this. To shew thee how, when thou goest about the employments of thy lawful calling, have but good thoughts about thee, good intentions in them, and the actions of thy calling are for the uses of grace, and thy necessities do prove thy vertue. As for instance, when thou labourest do but consider to what pains sin hath put thee, sells thee thy bread for sweat; for if man had not sin'd, Eden had furnish't him with all the delicacies of Paradise, without his care or contribution, and he had had the fruits of the tree of life without the pains of planting any thing: 'tis sin that gives thee all this toil; and then do but resolve to use this as an argument to thy self to make thee hate the cause of so much trouble: I will sure labour most against that, which hath so chang'd and debas'd my condition, and which do's aim to make me far more miserable to eternity. If I am weary of my work e're night, what shall I be of everlastingness of torment? If little thirsty heats and drops of sweat offend me, what will unquenchable feavors, and what a lake of brimstone? And think again upon the mercies of thy God, who offers thee at the rate of easier endeavors the food that lasteth to eternal life; the calling of a Christian being the least painful, and yet it brings the greatest fruits, the price of that high calling being blessedness, if thou but labor in it.
If thou be sustaining the necessities of nature in meat and drink, look up to him that do's provide for them, and resolve only not to use his blessings to his dishonor by excesses, not to spew his mercies out into his face again; but use them as assistances of nature to enable thee for such emploiments as his providence hath assign'd to thee.
And in thy recreations also do but take notice thankfully how God hath provided for delights too, how he hath not only brought forth bread to strengthen man, but wine to make his heart glad, and oyl to make him a cheerful countenance, and instruments of sport to delight him: and but acknowledg all these things to God, and intend with thy self to use them only to his ends. Thy calling either to provide for thy subsistence here, that thou may'st serve him, or to do good to others. Thy meals for preservation of that life which he hath lent thee for his uses; and recreations for refreshment and for health; and make no doubt if nothing do interpose to spoil these instances, that thou art serving God in all of these, that thy most secular actions are thus make spiritual imploiments by being dedicated so to God undertaken in his fear, and intended for the uses of his providence: so that if whensoever thou art going about any thing, thou do but ask thy self, why thou do'st set upon it, and can'st but make a good intention look towards it, and resolve only to let it serve such ends, resolve not to transgress in it the bounds that God hath set thee either of time or measure, and to make all subordinate and to assist towards piety some way or other; and then sometimes with eyes lift up, call for, and look for a blessing down upon thee in it: and by this means the action is sanctified, so thou dost consecrate thy deeds to God and he accepts thy meaning in it, as an offering to him, the action is adopted into the stock of Religion meant to God, and so thy whole life may be made pious by such good intentions, and thus thy single eye makes thy whole body full of light.
And this consideration alone might apply it self with pressingness upon us. Shall I think God not easy to be serv'd when I may teach my recreations to serve him? Shall I think Heaven placed out of my possibilities, when I can learn my sports to wing me towards it? Religion sure is not so very difficult, when a good honest meaning can transmute every action of my life into Religion; and then who would not at such easy rates change his imployments, which he must do, and his sports which he will do, into pieties; when it is don by putting good intentions into them, by good thoughts and ejaculations engaging God along in them? But the last words do urge an application which I promised in one word.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body is full of darkness. My brethren, if ill intentions have so destructive an influence upon our actions, that when the end is foolish, tho the action I practise be a vertue, yet that aim do's defeat it of its vertuosness, it loseth all its tast of piety, and an ill enddo's debauch it into vice, as I have prov'd; and so for want of a good meaning I either lose my Religion, or my Religion becomes sin unto me: Unhappy I that when with such intentions I practise duty, I lose the pleasures or the profits of the sins I might have practis'd every jot as innocently, and much more usefully, as to those ends; and I lose the duty, and by the very duty I purchase condemnation; enjoy neither the vice I do omit, nor yet the piety I practise, nor any thing, but the sad sentence of they have their reward.
And on the other side, if my ends be never so pious, if I intend to compass them by unlawful means, and do evil tho that good may come thereof; what do's the justice of my ends do for me, but only make damnation just to me? Alas! then in one word what is their doom, who do by evil means intend to compass evil ends, whose intentions are intirely singly wicked, that design only the plesures or the profits of iniquity, that level directly at sin both all the way and at the mark too, whose aimes and whose contrivances are wickedness, thy purpose such an evil action, and care not by what means they compass it, so they acquire their ends? Our Savior had no way to express the condition fo these, but that of an admiring question: If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? The Sinner notwithstanding all his pomp of shine and splendor, that he thinks himself cloth'd with, drest up with guilded profits or with a glory of pleasures; yet he is still in the dark, his life is all night, and that condition, which three days made intolerable to Egypt, is always on the Sinners soul; he is envelop't in thick darkness like theirs that may be felt by any thing but by a soul of such stupidity as the sinners is; a darkness such as Christ had not a fit word for, nor did know how to phrase but by being astonish't at it. How great is that darkness! a state indeed that is most proper for his deeds and intentions of darkness that need a night to cover them: a darkness, that do's border on the regions of utter darkness, that shall never have any dawne, but such as flaming brimstone strikes into it: and O How great is that darkness? O blessed Savior, who art the day spring from on high, that came to visit us, deliver us from those dark regions. O thou Eternal Sun of righteousness that camest to enlighten the darknesses of the world by thy example and by thy doctrine, and the illuminations of thy Holy Spirit, let these thy methods shine powerfully upon our souls to scatter all the clouds and mists that dwell upon our hearts; that we may have no misapprehensions of our duty, that our intentions may be clear, our affections pure, and all our actions regular and holy. Wee know, O Lord, we were created for thy glory, and our own eternal happiness: We beseech thee direct all the purposes of our minds, the inclinations of our hearts and actions of our lives unto these blessed ends. Teach us to mind thee in every thing we do, that so whatever we shall do in our whole lives, may work towards our future happy life. Let no unholy aims mixe with any of our actions, no forbidden contrivances or purposes creep into, and make sinful our performancs. Let not self-ends of pride, vain-glory, gain, revenge, or any vice make our Religion hypocrisy of sin, nor any poor low ends of little pleasure or of profit rob the actions of our callings or recreations of that Religion, which a good intention may put into them: but make all our actions so orderly and temperate, and so subordinate to holy ends, that they may all turn into duty: make us heartily intent on our Religious performances in their seasons, and submitting all our other works to the occasions of Religion, and making them serve and assist towards it, and thereby become Religion; that so our whole lives may be consecrated unto thee, and our whole conversation become holy. And do thou prevent us in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further them with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and after an age of doing so may be glorisied with thee in thy Kingdom, thy power and thy glory for ever &c.