Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n
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A81748
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A right intention the rule of all mens actions. Converted out of Drexelius to our proper use. / By John Dawson ...; Recta intentio omnium humanarum actionum amussio. English. 1655
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Drexel, Jeremias, 1581-1638.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing D2185A; ESTC R231958
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220,422
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649
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pray made such an unequall division betweene them equally guilty and having equall execution Intention Besought Hee desired Christ to accept of his submission the other turning away from Christ ended in impatience This is the way from the very like crosse to contrary Kingdomes if the intention be so different Therefore wee must take great heed that we be not the Worlds Martyrs the Divells Confessors the Disciples of Mamon and the Schollars of Venus Selfe-love finds out a thousand cunning trickes shee most smoothly perswadeth what she list and takes for hee scope private Iudgement Determination curiosity selfe-will this it doth that it may make intention wrong unsound farre from God and such from which God justly turnes himselfe away If you offer one that is very hot and thirsty the best Creame that can be to drinke yet if it be out of such a Cup wherein a great many flyes are swimming doe you thinke you shall doe him a courtesie who will presently drinke although hee bee sore a-thirst the snow-white licour invites him indeed but the Creatures that swim up and downe make him affraide first throw out the little blacke birds Bugs afterward bring the milky Nectar to him So good workes like a white and sweet potion like the daintiest Dishes shall for all that never be pleasing to God if Vaine glory selfe-will curiosity covetousnes Selfe-love and conceit defile them Dead Flyes spoyle the Apothecaries Ointment Eccle. 10.1 So all intention which is not right and sincere corrupteth and destroyeth the most excellent deeds that can be who would not laugh at that Inne-keeper which inviting a stranger into his Taverne with most gallant words Good Sir I pray turne in hither I have very rich and delicate wine indeed but that it is a little sower Out upon you with this your delicate wine which is either sower or water-washt or dull GOD in times past makes this very complaint by the Prophet Esay Thy Wine is mixed with water Esay 1.22 The same may bee spoken of many This deed of his these workes this service of his this industry this endeavour would be good wine unlesse it were mingled with the water of an ill intention when the intention which goeth before is untoward every worke which followeth after is wrong although it seeme to be right Greg. l. 1. Dial. c. 9. In the old Law when any person that had the Leprosie was to bee made whole Clensed the tippe of his right eare and the thumbe of his right hand and the great toe of his right foot were to be anoynted with Oyle Levit. 14.17 What doth God more commend unto us by this observation then when we are about to use the oyle of mercy or give almes or performe any deed of Charity and Religion that wee touch nothing that belongs to the left side that no ambition no boasting or wrong intention intermixe it selfe Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth Two Women strove about a Child before Solomons Iudgement-Seate both of them indeed had a Child but one a living Child the other a dead for she had oveâ—-laid it in her sleepe This contention instructeth us if we marâ—e it Wee indeed pray give almes assist with counsell and hand use abstinence and other things good Action begets these Children as it were but unlesse we watch over all these things unlesse a most sincere intention alway defend these Infants wee over lay them with carelesse sleepe our prayers our Almes-deeds our abstinence and all kind of suffering wee destroy with drowsinesse and so take away what life and strength soever was in them before For as Richardus Victorinus excellently That which the body is saith he without the soule the same is an action without a good intention Victor tract 1. De statu inter Hom. If therefore these Children of ours bee deare unto us if wee will not labour in vaine let us alwaies labour so as to doe those things not because it so pleaseth and agreeth with our humour nor because it is the fashion or because it is done of others but because it pleaseth God so Let a single eye aime at the one and onely honour of God in all things wherein it refuâ—eth to erre Let God be the cause why wee doe these things avoyd the other endure those things If now as it falleth out many times they bee more slacke in recompencing our paines upon whom it is bestowed we have God for our Surety and Pledge what God said to Abraham let all that are of a good intention account the same to bee spoken to them I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 CHAP. XI That Great Herod the Ascalonite was a notable example of an evill Intention President IVo a man learned and religious of the Order of Saint Dominicke was sent Embassadour by Lewis King of France to the Sultan of Damascus A marvellous thing happened to him in his journey and as is credible was done on purpose for the instruction of many in this manner An old Woman met Ivo in a certaine place carrying a Pitcher full of water in one hand and a Copper Vessell full of fire coales in the other Burning Ivo wondering at the strange approach of the old Wife bearing fire and water enquireth what these things meant to whom the old woman I carry Coales saith shee that I may set Paradise on fire with them and burne it up I carry water that I may quench the infernall flames and destroy Hell And now Ivo wondering more at such a desperate answer demandeth farther to what end shee went about such things and for what good That hereafter saith shee all intention which is not right and pure may cease that no man may be righteous onely in hope of Heaven and reward no man also may hate sinne for feare of punishment and horror of Hell but for the onely love of God and desire to please him There came three great Princes from the East to the Manger and strawye Cradle of the Babe Christ In all their Iourney as well in Herods House as other places Palace they were heard to answer things so frequently Readily Et venimus adorare eum as that of a most right intention And wee are come to worship him Mat. 2.2 But Herod also pronounceth the very same with sober mouth That I may come and worship him also Earnest ibi v. 5 Here no hope of reward or feare of punishment intermixt it selfe nor indeed is there any mention made either of Heaven or Hell the onely end of the Bethlemiticall Voyage is Divine Worship and Adoration As well Herod as his Guests seeme to agree upon this truely sacred intention The Worshipers are ready They are ready to goe to worship being provoked neither by any feare of punishment or hope of reward And who can say Herod determineth not the same as those pious strangers But now wee will demonstrate that