IMAGE THE THIRTIETH.

OBSERVE IN EVERY THOUGHT, WORD, AND ACTION, FOR WHOM THOU DOEST IT, WHETHER IT BE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD, OR FOR THINE ENEMIES.

In this life thou art situated in a place between God on one side, and on the other the devil and thine enemies; consider this, and diligently ascertain to which thou belongest; which in every thought, word, and work, thou servest, and desirest to please. Is it not to please God? and to fulfil entirely His perfect will? offer therefore unto Him thine heart (A) and all thy works, of whatever kind they be. The Angel shall bear them from earth (B) and present them before the throne, in the presence of His Divine Majesty; and He Himself in His mercy will crown with His gracious acceptance all thy works (C). But But if thine actions are from thine own will, and not from the will of God or the desire of pleasing Him, if they are actuated by Avarice (D), or by Concupiscence (E), or by Pride of life (F), or the desire of Glory and Fame (G), then thou wilt greatly deceive thyself. For thou shalt receive nothing more for all this than a little handful of smoke; and all thy works thou wilt offer up and devote to the Devil (H), and these, if thou perish, will only serve as fuel to the flames (I), in which thou thyself shalt for ever burn and be tormented.

An Exercise

CONCERNING PURITY OF INTENTION.

In the first place observe, that purity of intention consists in a man's doing a thing because it is pleasing in God's sight, because What purity of intention God approves and wills it, Who is worthy, by reason of His infinite goodness, that all things should be done unto His

is.

Twofold.

honour. And this purity of intention may be of two sorts, the one by the very act itself, when any work hath direct reference to God; the other virtual, when either in the beginning of a transaction, or in the beginning of our day, all our actions are addressed to God by general purpose, so that this purpose influenceth them all.

The actual sort, however, must be often called into use, for this reaThe actual son, that it not unseldom happens that a man's purpose may

sort to be

frequently

resorted to.

change, even though he should in the morning have resolved to do all things unto God's glory; as happens also with other good intentions, as for instance, of acting so and so, because it is agreeable to reason, that we may attain to virtue, may copy the Saints, may root out vices, may grow in grace, may outstrip our neighbour, may obey those who are over us, may save our souls. But all these are to be referred to their ultimate end; that is, the glory of God, for Whom all were made, and for Whose glory all things were created; for He hath made all things for Himself a. And so, though we may seek for ourGraces to be selves goods, and gifts, and glory, yet if we be faithful sersought that vants, and our souls chaste brides unto Christ, they ought to please God. seek no ornament for the neck, except because it pleaseth the Bridegroom, and He so willeth; nor should Christ's soldier put on any sort of ornament or weapon, except such as He assigns for our defence. Whence David saith unto the Lord, Thou art my worship, Thou art my praise; his strength he kept for Him, unto His service, and besought b Psalm lviii. 9. Vulgate.

we may

a Prov. xvi. 4.

graces and abilities, that all in himself should praise God alone, and the glory of the servants should do honour to their Lord; to this end he invited all, and desired to tell them what God had done for his soul.

of use.

Yet observe that it is not unprofitable to propose several ends and intentions, or motives of obedience, of mortification, of zeal, of Several ends obtaining blessings of God, of gratitude, at the beginning of or purposes any work; since a variety of virtues is thereby exercised, and our work goeth up on high, like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, and with all the varied sweetness of the merchant's rich odours. And yet the love of God both sufficeth by itself, and holdeth the first place, since in it all are embraced, for charity "suffereth long and is kind,” and the like, and in this manner containeth in itself many various attributes.

Purity of in

cessary.

ferent made

good by the

Note secondly, that rectitude of purpose is so essential, that works of an indifferent nature without it are never good; nay, that works good in themselves, yet without it cannot be good; tention neand indeed evil works may in themselves be good, that is to say, when they are not at the time known to be evil, but are, when performed, done with a pure intention; for we are never to do evil that good may come. Works indifferent, therefore, such as traf- Things indif fic, labour, study, and even amusement, a right purpose maketh to be good; as indeed they could have no merit, if done purpose. without it, as when one giveth alms out of mere natural compassion: for God is no recompenser of works which are neither wrought for Him in His vineyard, nor otherwise for His service. Whence the great value of purity and holiness of purpose is manifest, since it turneth all indifferent actions whatsoever into good, like Midas' wand overlaying all with a golden charity, and giving life and shape to all a man's thoughts, and words, and works. A good purpose, therefore, is of more value than the work itself; it is a mine of true gold, which is charity; it is the best of preservatives; it is the foundation of all good things. Now if the The purpose foundation be only of earth, as in the image which Nebuchad- dation of acnezzar saw, the whole work will easily fall to pieces. Whence tion. stress is to be laid, especially in matters of religion, not on what is done, but with what mind and temper. Therefore Scripture saith, God had respect unto Abele, i. e. to the temper of mind, and only afterwards adds, and to his offering. For gifts derive their value, even with Gifts estimaus, only from the disposition and person of the giver; so that mind of the we should be unwilling to receive gifts from an enemy. In giver. like manner the whole burnt-offerings and the incense of ungodly men find no favour in the sight of God, as plainly appeared in the instance of e Gen. iv, 4.

Cant. iii. 6.

d Dan. ii. 34.

is the foun

ted by the

Intention in action of

three kinds.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. A right purpose, on the other hand, maketh our very least actions of great price with God, as appears in the widow's case, who offered but two mites. To do a thing only to avoid hell and its torments, even though it may be good, is but the obedience of a slave; to do it in order to obtain a reward, that of an hireling; but to do it out of love, and to please God, this is the obedience of a son. Consider how thou wouldst thyself like to be served; wouldst thou wish to be beloved, as St. Augustine saith, by a wife, merely because thou impartest unto her worldly goods: in such a case would there not be danger of her deserting thee in a time of poverty? Note thirdly, that in order that an action should merit aught at God's hands, it is requisite, first, that it be good in all its circumstances; secondly, that the doer of it be acceptable in God's sight; thirdly, that it be done with a right purpose, which by the common consent of Virtual inten- theologians is to be understood at the very least of such virtual tion, what. purity of purpose, as arises from that act of a just man's will by which he decrees to make God the ultimate end of all his thoughts, words, and works, and determines to serve Him and please Him in all things. And thus when there is an absence of any wrong aim, the works of a righteous man, even without any actual devotion of them, are directed to God; if at least there be no circumstance in the work to vitiate it. But indifferent actions should be ennobled by a good purpose and aim, as because God hath willed them to be done, because they are either essential or serviceable to some good end, or at the least because our natural reason prescribes their performance.

Note fourthly, that as in the beginning of an action the purpose may be faulty, so also may it become so in the course of it, or be vitiated. sometimes in its ending. Therefore we must watch always,

How it may

that the tares of vanity spring not up, that our wine be not mixed with water, that we stray not from the way.

how injuri

ous.

Note fifthly, that nothing so vitiates the purpose as self-love, or Self-love and motives of self-interest, or self-gratification, which make a man vain glory attend to his own profit in all things, to seek his own, and the estimation of the world. But other affections also, indeed any other, if not moderated, often vitiate the purpose, and outrun reason, but most of all the passion of vain-glory, and the desire to please, or fear to offend others.

Note sixthly, that although the frequent reiteration of a right purpose To do all has been recommended, yet this must not be done in a forced quietly. manner; and it will be sufficient at first to renew it in the morning, at night, before our devotions, before self-examination, the Communion, exercise or bodily labour, meals, relaxation, and chiefly at

each of the hours, or at certain places and fixed times, as each may find most convenient.

pose.

Note seventhly, degrees of singleness of purpose. The first, to do or forbear nothing on worldly respects; the second, for a man Degrees of a to do all he has to do throughout in the strength of his first single purintention in the morning; the third, to renew his purpose frequently and actually, although without gust of devotion; the fourth, not only to renew it, but with fervent love; the fifth, having done something with another end, presently, as if compelled in himself by some necessity, to offer it unto God, and to return into the way with a generous love, which chooseth to please none but Him.

Note eighthly, eleven tokens of it. First, for a man to set about things without hurry or discomposure; secondly, to proceed Tokens of the in any work with such affection, that if it be asked to what

same.

end it is done, what it tends to, as a traveller might answer to a like question, that he was going to such and such a place, so his may be, my end, my aim is God's glory; and if he perceives himself to swerve ever so little in his journey, presently to return into the way thirdly, not to be of anxious mind, nor drawn hither and hither on account of what he has to do; fourthly, after aught done, to be of composed mind, nor over solicitous what others may think of it; fifthly, not to be disturbed at an unprosperous issue; sixthly, not to entertain idle thoughts afterwards; seventhly, not to look carefully, whether many or few praise, behold, hear of, what he doeth; eighthly, to despise men's judgment; ninthly, in all gratifications of sense to be very temperate, and willingly to forbear all delicateness and effeminacy; tenthly, to do what he hath to do just as diligently in private as in public; eleventhly, to be resigned to all things, and neither to wish nor to fear aught.

Meditation the First, on Purity of Entention.

By way of place, imagine to thyself the Universe, and God in the midst of Heaven, filling all things with blessing; and close at hand Hell and the foul demon, the flesh, the world, and self-will, striving to fill all things with confusion, by drawing us back from God, our Lord and chief Good.

FIRST POINT.

CONSIDER that thou must needs work for one of the four, and that if thy works be not done for God's sake, they shall all, seem they out