telling a true story you can do an ill turn to your enemy, by no means do it; but when the temptation is found out, turn all thy enmity upon that.

7. In every more solemn action of religion, join together many good ends, that the consideration of them may entertain all your affections; and that when any one ceases, the purity of your intention may be supported by another supply. He that fasts only to tame a rebellious body, when he is provided of a remedy either in grace or nature, may be tempted to leave off his fasting. But he that in his fast intends the mortification of every unruly appetite, and accustoming himself to bear the yoke of the Lord, a contempt of the pleasures of meat and drink, humiliation of all wilder thoughts, obedience and humility, austerity and charity, and the convenience and assistance to devotion, and to do an act of repentance; whatever happens, will have reason enough to make him to continue his purpose, and to sanctify it. And certain it is, the more good ends are designed in an action, the more degrees of excellency the man obtains.

8. If any temptation to spoil your purpose happens in a religious duty, do not presently omit the action, but rather strive to rectify your intention and to mortify the temptation.

9. In all actions which are of long continuance, deliberation and abode, let your holy and pious intention be actual, that is, that it be by a special prayer or action, by a peculiar act of resignation or oblation given to God; but in smaller actions, and little things and indifferent, fail not to secure a pious habitual intention; that is, that it be included within your general care, that no action have an ill end; and that it be comprehended in your general prayers, whereby you offer. yourself and all you do to God's glory.

10. Call not every temporal end, a defiling of thy intention, but only, 1. When it contradicts any of the ends of God; or 2. When it is principally intended in an action of religion. For sometimes a temporal end

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is part of our duty: and such are all the actions of our calling, whether our employment be religious or civil. We are commanded to provide for our family: but if the minister of divine offices shall take upon him that holy calling for covetous or ambitious ends, or shall not design the glory of God principally and especially, he hath polluted his hands and his heart. And it is a great unworthiness to prefer the interest of a creature before the ends of God the Almighty Creator.

But because many cases may happen, in which a man's heart may deceive him, and he may not well know, what is in his own spirit; therefore by these following signs we shall best make a judgment, whether our intentions be pure, and our purposes holy.

Signs of Purity of Intention.

1. It is probable our hearts are right with God, and our intentions innocent and pious, if we set upon actions of religion or civil life with an affection proportionate to the quality of the work; that we act our temporal affairs with a desire no greater than our necessity; and that in actions of religion we be zealous, active and operative, so far as prudence will permit; but in all cases, that we value a religious design before a temporal, when otherwise they are in equal order to their several ends: that is, that whatsoever is necessary in order to our soul's health be higher esteemed, than what is for bodily; and the necessities, the indispensable necessities of the spirit be served before the needs of nature, when they are required in their several circumstances: or plainer yet, when we choose any temporal inconvenience, rather than commit a sin, and when we choose to do a duty, rather than to get gain. But he that does his recreation or his merchandise cheerfully, promptly, readily and busily, and the works of religion slowly, flatly and without appetite, and the spirit moves like Pharaoh's chariots when

the wheels were off, it is a sign that his heart is not right with God, but it cleaves too much to the world.

2. It is likely our hearts are pure, and our intentions spotless, when we are not solicitous of the opinion and censures of men; but only that we do our duty, and be accepted of God. For our eyes will certainly be fixed there, from whence we expect our reward: and if we desire that God should approve us, it is a sign we do his work, and expect him our paymaster.

3. He that does as well in private between God and his own soul as in public, in pulpits, in theatres, and market-places, hath given himself a good testimony that his purposes are full of honesty, nobleness and integrity. For what Elkanah said to the mother of Samuel, "Am not I better to thee than ten sons?" is most certainly verified concerning God, that he, who is to be our Judge, is better than ten thousand witnesses. But he that would have his virtue published, studies not virtue but glory. "He is not just that will not be just without praise: but he is a righteous man that does justice, when to do so is made infamous; and he is a wise man who is delighted with an ill name that is well-gotten. And indeed that man hath a strange covetousness, or folly, that is not contented with this reward, that he hath pleased God. And see what he gets by it. He that does good works for praise or secular ends, sells an inestimable jewel for a trifle; and that which would purchase heaven for him, he parts with for the breath of the people, which at the best is but air, and that not often wholesome.'

4. It is well also, when we are not solicitous or troubled concerning the effect and event of all our actions; but that being first by prayer recommended to him, is left at his dispose: for then in case the event be not answerable to our desires, or to the efficacy of the instrument, we have nothing left to rest in but the honesty of our purposes; which it is the more likely we have secured, by how much more we are indif

If thy labours prove

ferent concerning the success. unprosperous, if thou beest much troubled at that, it is certain, thou didst not think thyself secure of a reward for thine intention, which thou mightest have done, if it had been pure and just.

5. He loves virtue for God's sake and its own, that loves and honours it, wherever it is to be seen; but he that is envious or angry at a virtue, that is not his own, at the perfection or excellency of his neighbour, is not covetous of the virtue, but of its reward and reputation, and then his intentions are polluted. It was a great ingenuity in Moses, that wished all the people might be prophets; but if he had designed his own honour, he would have prophesied alone. But he that desires only, that the work of God and religion shall go on, is pleased with it, whoever is the instrument.

6. He that despises the world and all its appendant vanities is the best judge, and the most secure of his intentions, because he is the furthest removed from a temptation. Every degree of mortification is a testimony of the purity of our purposes: and in what degree we despise sensual pleasure, or secular honours, or worldly reputation, in the same degree we shall conclude our heart right to religion and spiritual designs.

7. When we are not solicitous concerning the instruments and means of our actions, but use those means which God hath laid before us, with resignation, indifferency and thankfulness, it is a good sign that we are rather intent upon the end of God's glory, than our own conveniency or temporal satisfaction. He that is indifferent whether he serve God in riches or in poverty, is rather a seeker of God than of himself; and he that will throw away a good book because it is not curiously gilded, is more curious to please his eye than to inform his understanding.

8. When a temporal end consisting with a spiritual, and pretended to be subordinate to it, happens to fail and be defeated, if we can rejoice in that, so God's glory may be secured and the interests of religion, it is

a great sign our hearts are right, and our ends prudently designed and ordered.

When our intentions are thus balanced, regulated and discerned, we may consider, 1. That this exercise is of so universal efficacy in the whole course of a holy life, that it is like the soul to every holy action, and must be provided for in every undertaking; and is of itself alone sufficient to make all natural and indifferent actions to be adopted into the family of religion.

2. That there are some actions which are usually reckoned as parts of our religion, which yet of themselves are so relative and imperfect, that without the purity of intention they degenerate and unless they be directed and proceed on to those purposes which God designed them to, they return into the family of common, secular, or sinful actions. Thus alms are for charity, fasting for temperance, prayer is for religion, humiliation is for humility, austerity or sufferance is in order to the virtue of patience: and when these actions fail of their several ends, or are not directed to their own purposes, alms are mispent, fasting is an impertinent trouble, prayer is but lip-labour, humiliation is but hypocrisy, sufferance is but vexation; for such were the alms of the Pharisee, the fast of Jezebel, the prayer of Judah reproved by the prophet Isaiah, the humiliation of Ahab, the martyrdom of heretics; in which nothing is given to God but the body, or the forms of religion, but the soul and the power of godliness is wholly wanting.

3. We are to consider that no intention can sanctify an unholy or unlawful action. Saul the king disobeyed God's commandment, and spared the cattle of Amalek to reserve the best for sacrifice and Saul the Pharisee persecuted the Church of God with a design to do God service; and they that killed the Apostles had also good purposes, but they had unhallowed actions. "When there is both truth in election and charity in the intention, when we go to God