A mighty fortune wants not mighty feare Nor glorious state from danger goeth free What ere is high long staies not in that spheare But will by envy or time ruind be Apollod Trust not too much unto thy self nay even nothing at all whosoever thou art And carefully pluck in the Saile Proâ—osirique mâ—mor contrane vâ—la tui Ovid. lib. 3. Trist Of that which with thy mind prevailes The end of an aspiring life hath usually bin to fall Let him which feareth a fall take a right intention for his Guide hee which wanteth this profiteth neither himselfe nor others He bestoweth not a kindnes which doth good with an evill mind He seeketh his owne ruine which graceth not his actions with an upright end hee laboureth in vaine which aimeth not at God in his labour Of all Servants he is the most wretched that wanteth a right intention Sowe not therefore O Lord Palatines O what Courtiers soever yee bee Sowe not among thorres Ierem. 4.3 Mixe not so much basenes with your deserts as to defraud them of an heavenly reward Perform I beseech you not for ambition not for fame or outward sight whatsoever the conditions of your charge lead you unto and whatsoever in conclusion commeth to be undergone undergoe not for favour and affection not for mony and riches not for ostentation and glory but for God to whom no man ever approved himself otherwise then by a right intention To all Estates of men Diogenes seemes to me to have spoken excellently who sâ—yed That men seeke with greatest diligence after those things which belong to life but those things which conduce to good living they neglect and nothing esteeme Stob. Ser. 2 Even so it is we all take this course to doe our own busines but how well or with what intent we doe it few there are which use a serious mind about that O Christians not onely what we doe but with what mind we doe it is of exceeding moment Hereupâ—n thâ—t Apocalypticall Angell St. Iâ—hn against the Prelate of the Church of Sard s. Revel 3.2 was commanded thus grievously to complaine I know saith he thy workes how thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead For I have not found thy woâ—kes perfect before God The workes of this Bishop did indeed seeme compleat and rare unto men but they were not such before God which lookes upon the inward meaning of man therefore they are accused as altogether empty and vaine for they tooke their aime amisse And even for this cause is the same Elder of the Church of Sardis pronounced dead though by others he were reckoned among the living O how great a number of such dead men is to be beleeved live in the world Which have a name that they live and yet are dead whose workes indeed may seeme perfect but because they bee destitute of a Right Intention are altogether fruitlesse and like a pipt Nut very night and meere darknes inwrap all things wheresoever the light of a right intention shines not No body without this eye is faire none with it foule Lucerna corporis tui est oculus tuus The light of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light But if thine eye be evill thy whole bâ—dy shall bee full of darknesse We hâ—ve said before To doe well onely that thou maist escape Hell is the pâ—rt of a Slave to obtaine Heaven the part of a greedy Merchant to please God this alone the part of a loving Sonne A good man out of the good treasure of his heaâ—t bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things Mat. 12.35 The drift of the thoughts is verily the treasure of the heart It is the intention saith St. Austine lib. 2. de Serm. Dom. c. 21. whereby we doe whatsoever we doe which if it bee pure and upright considering that which is to be considered all our workes which wee worke according to that must needs be good In which respect it skilleth not so much what we give what we doe or what we endure as with what mind and intent For vertue consisteth not in that which is giveâ— which is done or endured but in the very mind and intention of the Giver Doer or Sufferer Wherein wee must weigh saith Greg. l. 1. 1. in Ezech. Hom. 4. that every good which is done bee lifted up by a Right Intention to heavenly ends It is the intention which extolls small matters illustrates poore but debaseth such as are great and had in reputation even as she her selfe is right or wrong Slight The things which are desired have neither nature nor of good nor of evill The matter is whither the intention drawes them for this gives things their forme All vertues fall to the ground without a Right intention which is the life of vertues and source of all deserving actions St Bernard upon those words of the Lord But when thou fastest annoynt thine head and wash thy face By this saith hee that he bids thee wash thy face he instâ—ucteth us to keepe a right meaning Pure because as the beauty of the body is in the face so the grace of the Soules operation consisteth wholly in the intention Bernard in Sentent The heavenly King commending his Spouse for her height This thy stature saith he is like to a Palme Tree Cant. 7.7 In this Encomium doeth hee most fitly decipher the uprightnesse of a good intention which advanceth her selfe alwaies constant and directly towards God which is proper to the Palme Tree namely to shoot her branches upward and to be eminent amongst Trees The Spouse so praised least shee should be of an ingratefull mind replyes All manner of fruits both new and old I have laid up for thee O my Beloved I yeeld my selfe and all mine to thy most holy Will Wholly I doe consecrate my selfe to thy honour Mine eyes shut to all other things I onely open to thee To thee alone I lift them up Yea all my memberâ— I apply to thy service onely Furthermore how cuâ— members are to bee employed in Gods service notably St. Chrysostome He made saith hee thine eye for thee offer thine eye to his use not to the Divells But how shalt thou offer thine eye to him if seeing his Creatures thou shalt glorifie him and withdraw thy sight from the lookes of women He made thee hâ—nds keepe these for thy self not for the Dâ—vell exercising and stretching them forth not to theft and covetousnes but to his command and pleasure as also to continuall prayer and to helpe such as hâ—ve need He made thee eares lend these to him not to obscaene Tales to lascivious Songs but let all thy meditation be in the Law of the most H gh Hee made thy mouth let this doe none of those things which are displeasing to him but sing Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Odes He made thee
that yee doe not your almes before men Have a care to your feet there creepes a Sharke behind you ready to plucke off your Cloak as soone as you looke backe hee will fawne upon you he will kisse your hand hee will counterfet a thousand services What who is this Thiefe who this Sharke Intention but that wrong one of pleasing men of satisfying the eyes of men of striving for humane praises therefore Christ significantly added To bee seene of them Take heede that yee doe not your almes before men to be seene of them Mat. 6.1 Augustine Let them see saith hee your good workes and glorifie not you but God for if you doe good workes to glorifie your selves it is answered to you what hee himselfe spoke of some such Verily I say unto you they have their reward a present reward of worldly praise not of future glory Therefore thou wilt say ought I to hide my works that I doe them not before men I command not saith the Lord contrary things take heede to the end sing to the end see for what end thou dost them If therefore thou dost them to glorifie thy selfe this I have forbidden but if therefore that God may be glorified this I have commanded Sing therefore not unto your owne name but unto the name of the Lord your God Sing you let him be praised live you well let him bee glorified August Tom. 8. in Psal 65. St. Gregory expounding that precept of the Lord touching the concealing of our almes Let the worke saith hee be so in publick as that the intention may remaine in private that we may both give an example of the good worke to our neighbours and yet by the intention whereby wee seeke to please God onely we wish it alwaies secret Greg. Hom. 2. in Evang. Therefore a good intention is necessary which onely knowes best how to avoyd these Cut-purses Therefore take heed 3. Amongst the ceremonies of the old Testament which God required of the Israelites for commending the Sacrifices this was one of the chiefe To lay the hand upon the Oblation Thus the Lord commanded He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering and it shall bee accepted Levit. 1.4 Expositors enquire for what reason God exacteth this imposition of hand that so the Sacrifice might be both gratefull to him and availeable for the offerer Oleaster God would have saith hee that the party about to sacrifice should not onely offer a burnt offering but moreover should adjoyne himselfe his heart will and intention All this together is necessary for beasts onely are neither acceptable to God nor beneficiall to the offerer Hence Augustine upon that of the Kingly Prophet In me sunt Deus vota tua Thy vowes are in or upon me O God Psal 56.12 enquirest thou saith he what thou must give unto God not beasts offered upon Altars out of the Cabinet of thy heart out of the closet of a good conscience out of thy selfe bring forth thy selfe Even so offer thy will thy minde thy heart say unto God in me O my God are thy vowes for those things which thou requirest of me are within my selfe these things thâ—u O Lord demandest of mee for an offering not those outward tâ—ings voyd of a heart and intention August in Psal 56. In â—he judgement of Chrysostome â—â—e tâ—ue Sacrifices of Christians are Almes-deeds Prayers and temperance but God will not have these naked but that a man adde himselfe thereto whereby it may bee an offering full of marrow and fatnesse for the Royall Psalmist determining thus with himselfe I will offer saith he unto thee fat burnt offerings Psal 66.13 What is saith Austine fat or full of marrow I will hold fast thy love within that which I tender shall bee not in the outward parts but in the marrow then which nothing is more inward The bones are within the flesh within the very bones the marrow Whosoever therefore worships God outwardly Out side will rather please men then God for hee which hath other thoughts within offereth not burnt offerings of fatlings but whose marrow God beholdeth him hee wholly accepteth Aug. Tom. 8. in dict Psal Those workes therefore are fat burnt offerings wherein is a good will and Intention By no meanes will God have dry starveling saplesse bones You may finde many who frequently say their prayers and are present at holy duties sometimes hunger-bite themselves give the common dole but alas how little marrow is in these workes these indeed are like smooth white bones but there wants juyce spirit a right intention a pious affection which should lift up these deeds to God Amongst all the Sacrifices the burnt offering was chiefe others made also for the good of the Offers but this was wholly burnt to God and to his honour And even as the offerings in times past were distinguished so now our workes Some are also a benefit to us as to eate to drinke sleepe walke reade write make accounts these workes bee good if well done and as they ought Others use to be contrived to the honour of God alone in the manner of burnt sacrifices as to pray to endure want to waite upon divine Service to purge ones selfe by hearty consession to come to the Lords Table Those of the first sort with most men have seldome any marrow in them for when the houre comes they goe to their meales and have no further thoughts when sleepe invites them they make hast to bed nor does any thing else take up their mind but rest when faire wether calls them into the field their heart is set upon nothing else then pleasant walking thus many eate drinke prattle goe about their matters and looke no other way it is enough for them that these things bee done in these they unite not their mind with God they lift not up their meaning to God These are not fat burnt Sacrifices they are not but it is more to bee admired and more grievously blamed that the burnt offerings themselves have no fatnesse that prayer is without attention fasting without amendment almes without commiseration the communion of the Lords Body without devotion out of the lips we poure prayers Common rates out of the purse money for the poore but where are the fervent affections where the ardency of minde where the earnest desire of pleasing God where the marrow Therefore you that will offer any thing gratefull to the heavenly power offer fat burnt Sacrifices Poure out your hearts before him Psal 62.8 Honour God with a full and whole Intention Cyrill of Alexandria moves the question Why did God forbid the bloud of the Victime to be eaten in these hee so answereth The bloud is the seate of the life hee which takes away the bloud takes away the life also God hath therefore required in every Sacrifice that the heart will and intention should bee poured out like blood before him not so much as a drop being reserved for other
soone as the worme of Pride bites this Tree all things in a moment wither This little worme knowes how to hide her selfe so so privily to gnaw that they themselves which swell with vaine glory not onely take no notice of it but not so much as beleeve him which notes and gives them warning of it This worme suffers it selfe to bee driven away and gives place to the Charme but presently returnes It is not sufficient that vaine glory hath once flowne away she returnes a hundred times a thousand times she returnes and often with the greater assault Therefore this venemous Serpent is daily and more often to be laid at with sacred Inchantments A true Charme against this plague is that of the Kingly Prophet Non nobis Domine non nobis Not unto us Lord not unto us but to thy name give the praise Psal 115.1 Whilst wee live as Bernard admonisheth Let not this Sacred Charme of the Hebrew King goe out of our heart and mouth But who is so cheerefull to sing this alwaies Hee which in all things is of sincere and right intention this exciteth and makes quicke this teacheth to doe well and daily to sing forth Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give the glory to thine O Lord not to our name nor to our merits but thine all things for the greater glory of God So necessary is a right intention that without this no man can avoyd vaine glory which rightly Cyprian calleth a most subtill evill which penetrates the more hidden secrets of the heart and infuseth it selfe insensibly in more spirituall minds Cypr. De â—ent et ieiun initio elegantly Peter Chrysologus Vaine glory saith hee is a secret poison the staine of vertues the moth of sanctity Chry. Sermon 7. Excellently Iohn Chrysostom O strong kinde of calamity saith hee O this furious disturbance what the Moth cannot corrode nor the Thiefe breake into those things vaine glory quite consumeth This is the Canker of the heavenly treasure this is the Thiefe which steales eternall Kingdomes which takes away from us immarcessible riches which like a contagious disease corrupteth all things So because the Divell foresees it to bee an inexpugnable Fortresse as well against Theeves and Wormes as other warlike Engines he subverts it by vaine glory Châ—y in c. 22. Mat. Hom. 27. Behold even Heaven is not safe from these wormes Christ perswads Lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven Matt. 6.20 and yet neither so indeed are the things altogether secure which are laid up there vaine glory creeping behind with a thievish pace privily a sporteth the treasures already laid up in Heaven unlesse a right intention bee set for their Keeper which yet may not goe a nailes breadth from the riches committed to her trust what good soever we have done at any time whatsoever wee shall doe hereafter let us fence on all sides with a most right intention unlesse it delight us to spend our labour in vaine The most difficult as also the most excellent workes are of no moment unlesse a good intention accompany all labour is vaine which a right intention commends not This God lookes upon in all our actions to this hee will aime the reward Scarcely is there a greater or more memorable designe then for one to spend his life for another But although one cloath a hundred Gibbets with his body put on sixe hundred torturing Wheeles purple a thousand Axes and dye a thousand times unlesse that bee done for Christ in Gods cause with a holy intention hee may dye but he shall never bee a Martyr that shall profit him nothing unto heavenly glory Not paine but the cause but the purpose maketh Martyrs as Hierom witnesses Hier. in c. 5. ad Gal. The same reason is in other things of greatest moment Since therefore the intention is of so great nobility rightly in the divine Leaves is it called the heart The heart is the beginning of life such a life as a heart A man turnes into a beast if a beasts heart bee planted in him a beast turnes into a man if a mans heart bee added to him God would have Nebuchadnezer the King to bee made a Beast and to live among them as one of them therefore hee commanded Let his heart be changed from mans and let a Beasts heart bee given him Dan. 4.16 but GOD would that this Beast should againe bee changed into a man it was done and it stood upon his feet as a man and a mans heart was given to it Dan. 7.4 Such is the intention the heart of all things which we doe Consider me here I pray you the same sentence pronounced in two Courts In the Court of Hierusalem Caiphas the High Priest being President in a full assembly of Senators it was said It is expedient for us that one man dye for the people and that the whole Nation perish not Ioh. 11.50 This the chiefe Priest Decreed the rest subscribed The very same thing was Decreed in the Court of Heaven by the most Holy Trinity It is expedient that one man dye for the People But this same decretory Sentence was indeed in the Counsell of Hierusalem a thing of greatest folly and injustice in the heavenly Counsell of greatest Wisedome and Iustice there the Savage heart of Caiphas and the Senatours by his malice and envie was stirred up against this one man but here the Divine Heart was carried with exceeding love towards this man Thus the heart is the beginning of life and even as the heart being hurt death is nigh to all the faculties of the same so no worke of man can bee tearmed living which wants this heart which is not for God all labour is as good as dead whatsoever is destitute of this living intention Appianus Alexandrinus relates a marvelous thing of two heartlesse Sacrifices Iulius Caesar the same day which hee fell in Court before hee went into the Senate made the accustomed Offering the beast opened there was no heart The Southsayer Prophecying I know not what of the Emperours death Iulius laught and commanded another to be brought and this also wanted a heart Marvellous indeed twice marvellous Cicero l. 2. de Divin And by what meanes could a Creature live without a heart whether then at first consumed or else wanting before if before and how did it live if then and how was it consumed Whatsoever the matter bee a Beast offered in Sacrifice without a heart was a sure messenger of Death so also a worke without a right intention is a dead worke unprofitable none Therefore keepe thy heart above all keeping for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4 23. Therefore how often soever wee undertake any businesse either about to pray or to heare divine Service or to give almes or to doe any other thing let us care for this onely and before all things that such a heart as this bee not wanting to us in these actions that by a right
as a most subtile and cunning Theefe in the Art of stealing Therefore Take heede All goodnesse which is openly shewed out of a desire of commendation is enslaved to the power of this lurking enemy saith Greg. l. 8. Mor. c. 30. Spoliari vult quisquis ab hominibus vult videri He desiâ—eth to be robbed of all whosoever will be seene of men CHAP. VI. Certaine Questions concerning a Right Intention TO Serve GOD is agreeable not onely to all Lawes and all reason but also is the most noble and best Office in thâ— World and a thing altogetheâ— necessary for the obtaining 〈◊〉 Heaven Moreover that sweetneâ—â— of solace which many feelâ— thâ—â— doe serve God is honey froâ— Heaven and a thing very pretâ—ous Neverthelesse to serve Gâ—â— for that end to gaine this sweeâ—nesse of mind is little praise woâ—thy and this intention was aâ—waies accounted vitious by mâ— of a more holy judgement Sâ— delicate a thing is Pure Intentioâ— and never but an enemy to selfâ—-love which way soever it mâ—â— insinuate it selfe But selfe-love the friend of all delights aâ— even of them which are esteeme in no wise prophane Are in no prophane estimation And becauâ—â— God cannot otherwise choose bâ— drop some of this honey froâ— Heaven for his more faithfull seâ—vants private love suddenly takâ— it up and for this very tast profereth it selfe to be at greater seâ—viâ—es But this is not to seeâ— God but ones selfe nor to taâ—â— paines for the Givers but the gifâ— sake which is esteemed a thinâ— not throughly free from sin and indeed is no other then if a Man-servant or Maid should goe into a Victualers service because he hopeth for tit bits either of gift or by stealth and relicks more ordinary of his Masters Dishes or if one became bound to an Apothecary or Comfit-seller or one that dresseth Feasts that hee may have sweet scraps to licke more usually This self-love worketh so privily for it is a most suttle Artificer that sometimes so close an imposture Can may not bee found out a great while even of a man that is very industrious Circumspect Yet may it bee found out and then especially when prayers and paines when whatsoever is vertuous beginneth therefore to be in disdaine because that honey faileth And if you should demand of such a one why dost thou not pray why dost thou not labour as thou didst lately he will answere because it relisheth not I loath it prayer is an unpleasant thing I am weary of labour But now he that is of a sincere Intention is nothing moved with the things although he be wearieâ— labour yet he holds out to 〈◊〉 paines although he distast pâ—â—er yet he ceaseth not to pray though troubles be heaped up him yet he endureth them 〈◊〉 indeed hee serveth God not 〈◊〉 Heaven but for God And 〈◊〉 is the property of a pure and â—â—â—cere intention which seemeth to be expounded more through therefore now we will propoâ—â— some short questions concernâ— this very point 1. Briefe question What can God require lesse more easie of us then this veâ—â— thing a Right Intention Tâ— speak truly he desireth that 〈◊〉 us which no man of what staâ—â— order or seâ—e soever how poâ—â— or sick soever hee be can deâ—â— what can a creditour demand leâ—â— of his debtor then this particâ—lar thing that he should be williâ—â— in earnest to pay the debt Gâ—â— asketh the very same of us aâ—â— thou willing to pay what thou owest thou hast already payed the greatest part for with me but to be willing is to doe And who hath not free leave to be Willing this treasury of Will every one that is sickest and poorest this he that is most afflicted hath in his power God in times past worthily complaineth against them which refused to performe but this most gentle Charge This Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off neither is it in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall goe vp for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may heare it and doe it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall goe over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that wee may heare it and doe it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist doe it Deuter. 30.11.13 14. The very same may be said of a Right Intention It is very nigh thee that Intention is in thy mouth and in thy heart but what is nearer unto thee theâ— thy mouth and thy heart Aâ— thou not able to cloath a pooâ— body give two halfe penieâ— adde thereunto a mighty and eaâ—nest desire of releeving all thâ—â— are in want for Gods sake aâ— thou hast cloathed the poore Is beyond thy strength to poâ—â— forth long prayers doe whâ— thou art able but withall adde strong desire of praising God aâ—waies and thou hast prayed 〈◊〉 him as long as can bee I brinâ— Chrysostom before thee for a compleat witnesse in this poynt whâ— elegantly confirming the same These things saith hee are noâ— provided by cost nor labour noâ— sweat it is enough to bee willing and all things are discharged Chrysost Hom. 24. in Epist â— Hebr. fine 2. Briefe Question Can a man exercise diverse good Actions at one and the same time he can absolutely and with small trouble onely by intention It is not easie indeed for all men to finish two white walls with one Tray of Morter to seeth diverse broths together in one Pipkin to take severall colours out of the same Shell But it is very easie for a good intention to over lay not onely two but ten walls with the same Vessell of plaister It is very commodious indeed at the beginning of every worke to set before one diverse ends or intentions Let this bee for example I goe to Divine Service and to the Church 1. Out of obâ—dience to my Master whom by place I ought to accompany as the Court Nobility her Prince 2. I will have my respect to be sincere I will not onely conduct my Master a long as it is the fashion of some presently they withdraw themselves and at the end stand before their Master againe as if they had been alwaies present Such an hypocrite will I not play 3. Out of obedience to the Church to which I owe this upon Sundayes and Holydaies 4. Out of a gratefull minde to God that I may give him thankes for so many benefits received 5. Wherâ—as it is cold weather to day aâ— very sharpe season I will exert patience 6. Whereas they â— not wanting that cruelly hate 〈◊〉 J will earnestly entreat the â— mighty for these mine enemies 7 will trust in God Without cause I might indâ— find businesse enough at home 〈◊〉 God will recompence this abseâ—â— from home with a secret advâ—â—tage Behold here seaven Intâ—â—tions at once or seaven Acts Vertue of double obedienâ—â—
of judging â—urteâ—h no man more then the Iudge himself Aug. l. 2. de Serm. Domini Abbas pâ—â—tor in mont c. 6. One said very fitly There are some that may hold their peace and not trouble their mouthes but because they are not quiet within and censure in he art therefore their tongues run without ceasing but they benefit no body and injure themselves very much Pelagius Libell 10. n. 5 1. And it comes to passe ordinarily that we fall into the same things our selves which we condemned before in others that at least by this meanes we may learne to be ashamed of our folly So that old Mechetes as Cassian reporteth complaining against himselfe said I have found fault with my Brethren in three things and have grievously transgressed my selfe in the very same Cass l. 5. Instit c. 30. But this is very common that he which is such a quick-sighted Iudge in other mens faults Lynx-like is an Owle and a Mole in his owne Hee pulleth out the least mote that sticks in anothers eye with great care but is so far from casting the beame out of his owne that he doth not so much as see it This is the manner of rash judgement to spare no bode to lay a censure on every one that comes in the way to suspect the worst that can be of others to search out and examine all mens intentions not to know himselfe at all Which Gregory deploring Fooles saith he doe judge so much the more earnestly of others as they are possest with greater ignorance in their owne matters Greg. l. 14. Mor. c. 1. Most truely the Son of Sirach A foolish mans foot saith hee is soone in his Neighbours house Eccles 21.25 because he runneth in and searcheth his neighbours houses Other mens and looketh not to his owne Hereunto it agreeth very well which one spake in times past of the assemblies of the Athenians Wise men and Learned propose matters but fooles and ignorant men judge and determine The case is all one here Modest and prudent people doe indeed observe many things but alwaies they represse and suspend their judgement the foolish and rash understand few things and without delay give Sentence upon all By this evident token it is very easie to distinguish men and women of sober discretion from fooles And even as Bees when the weather is raynie and stormy cloudes hover in the aire betake themselves into their Hives to make honey so men of a good mind and no venemous mouth descend into themselves they live privately within and make the honey of good thoughts and fly not abroad at their perill when as they see the world all over surrounded with tempestuous cloudes just as the case requires for what is involved with thicker cloudes then the intention of mans heart Wee heare the words we see the actions but the intentions lye hid nor can any Lynx his eyes ever pierce into the same Intention is the Iudge to try whatsoever men doe To those that are troubled with the Iaundies and generall over-flowing of the Gall all things seeme to be of a waxy and yellow colour for the cure of this disease the hearbe Salendine is put under the sole of the foot There is a Iaundise disease of the mind which to all that are troubled with this disease representeth all things not in their owne but in a false colour He that desireth to be recovered let him begin the cure at his feet that is at his affections Let him beare a mind towards others not peevish not obdurate not disdainefull not odious not inhumane not hostile but rather gentle courteous facile which may paste over all things with a milder interpretation which hateth the sin not the sinner which saith His intention may bee otherwise and better then his action but has he done amisse perhaps he hath already repeated of his errour This is a very excellent kind of mercy to shew ones selfe benevolent towards another not so much by giving many things as by Iudging nothing They that drinke the juyce of Ophiusa an herbe growing in Aethiope imagine that they see Serpents and I know not what terrible monsters They that have swallowed the juyce of pride ambition envy or hatred will carpe at and condemne all that they shall see or heare they will admire and extoll themselves onely being so precious in their owne conceit that they doubt not to say with the Pharisee I am not as other men Luk. 18.19 A very cruell disease in this respect that for the most part it despiseth all remedies And this is it which Saint Paul presseth so strongly this same is it from which hee so earnestly disswadeth us crying out Therefore judge not judge not before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darknes and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts 1 Cor. 4.5 Why doe yee judge too hastily the matter is still depending and lyeth in the Iudges hands Whilst yet every secret counsell of the hearts is locktup in Gods Exchequer Among Gods Records whereinto no man â—an enter the day of hearing is not yet nor the witnesses yet produced or the Causes pleaded But let there be a time of giving Iudgment yet this is not at your appointment but Gods God wilbring to light the hidden things of darknes In the meane time therefore till the Iudge of all things come forbeare your censures Christ himselfe uttereth the very same with a most earnest voyce Iudge not and yee shall not be Iudged condemne not and yee shall not be condemned forgive and yee shall bee forgiven Therefore Iudge not conster not wrong of doubtfull words and actions neither aggravate small offences or make a common speech of faults although they be certaine or cast reproches upon good deeds or say peremptorily of a delinquent that he will never be good for this vice of judging rashly is most ordinary with Pharisees which pardon all things in themselves nothing in others Iudge not for whosoever is a curious severe unjust censour of other men shall find such censours also of his owne life as he hath bin of other mens Iudge not otherwise yee shall undergoe an exact severe rigid Iudgement in like manner at GODS hands Iudge not for God is so full of kindnes that he is ready to remunerate this very Negative will of yours most liberally this shall be your reward Yee shall not bee judged At the last day of all the Iudge of the world will speake courteously to you not as Malefactors to be cast into Hell but as friends to be endowed with Heaven A certaine Monke asked a question of Ioseph an Abbot to this purpose I pray good Father what shall I doe I have no almes to bestow I endure so many troubles very hardly what course therefore dâ—est thou perswade mee to take Hereunto Joseph If thou be able saith he to doe none of these things doe this at least and Iudge