as alfo deprecating things moft beneficial and ufe- s ER M. 1 ful, and healthful to our fouls; neglecting to return XVIII. thanks for what God difpofeth in mercy (fo are many things at present bitter and unfavoury to our carnal appetite and fancy); thus from ignorance of ourselves, and what we truly need, are we apt to pervert our devotions, not only defeating ourselves of the advantages they might yield us, but (if God be not more gracious than to hearken to us, and to grant our wishes *) bringing lamentable mifchief on ourfelves. Many examples of thefe confufions and perverfe mifapplications of devotion both Scripture affords, and experience will fuggeft, if we obferve them. You know the comparison in the Gofpel between the devotions of the Pharifee and the Publican, with Luke xviii. the different acceptance they found: the one was prompt enough to give thanks for the graces he had received, and the advantages he conceived that he had in his qualities, and in his performances above others; but not having duly ftudied himself, did not perceive, that he was rather bound to ask pardon for the pride of his heart, and the vanity that adhered to his performances, which rendered his thanksgiving very improper and unfeafonable. The other being confcious of his demerits and wants, with a manner fuitable to his condition, in words few, but full and fit, did confefs his unworthinefs (which to do did beft befeem him), and implored mercy "(which was the thing he chiefly needed); fo was his difcreet prayer better accepted, than the other's impertinent thankfgiving: I tell you, faith our Saviour, Luke xviii. this man went down to his houfe juftified rather than the 14other. The two fons of Zebedee, conceiting that our Lord would fhortly become a great prince, and affecting to become favourites then, did confidently fue for the next place of dignity about him our * Evertere domos totas optantibus ipfis Bb 2 Juv. Sat, 10. Lord Matt. xx. 22. Luke ix. 55. For SER M. Lord repreffed their fond ambition by downright XVIII. telling them firft, that they knew not what they asked; then by demanding of them whether they were able to undergo the trials they fhould meet with; implying what they should rather have requested, that they more needed humility and patience, than pomp and pleasure and it was the fame two perfons, whofe intemperate zeal he otherwhere checked with an ἐκ οἴδατε οἵα πνεύματος, Ye know not of what fpirit ye are and no wonder, if they, who knew not what they were, did afk they knew not what; that, being ignorant of their own hearts, they fhould endite abfurd petitions; that in fuch a cafe they fhould defire things not only incongruous and inconvenient, but dangerous and deftructive to themselves. to make a right diftinction of these duties; to be able difcreetly and pertinently (if I may so speak) to converfe with God, it is requifite to look into our hearts; and from them to take fit matter, due meafure, right feafon of requeft, and of acknowledgment refpectively; things commonly not being as they appear to our prefent fenfe, or to our grofs conceit, in themselves, or in their degree, good or bad; but according to the difpofition of our hearts, and the effects they work upon them. That is not good, which pleafeth our fenfe and fancy; nor that bad, which difgufts them: but that is good, which rendereth our heart wifer and better, which correcteth our inclinations, compofeth our affections, informeth our judgments rightly, and purifieth our intentions; that is bad, which hath contrary effects within us. We, it is likely, fhould pray with greatest seriousness and earneftnefs for the removal of thofe infirmities, for eafe from thofe afflictions, which we fee the holy Jam. i. 2. Apoftles (being better inftructed in things, being Rom. v. 3. more acquainted with themfelves) did rejoice, did glory in, did give thanks for; as finding the wholeGalvi: 14 Tome operations they had upon their hearts; that by 1 Pet. i. 6. them their virtues were exercised and improved, 2 Cor. xii. 9. their faith tried, their patience increafed, their hopes ER M. confirmed; that (to ufe the Apoftle's words) they xvIII. did in the fequel return the peaceful fruit of righteoufness to those who were exercifed by them: but leaving this Heb. xii. point, though deferving perhaps farther confideration, I proceed, and fay farther, that II. II. The continual vifitation of our inward parts. doth not only yield much advantage (as in fome measure hath been fhewed) at the long run, by influence at the fpring-head upon the principles and caufes of action, but doth immediately conduce to good practice, preventing and ftifling in the very birth many finful and vain practices: that fo many indifcreet and impertinent, fo many irregular and unfavoury, fo many unjuft and uncharitable speeches do iffue from our mouths, it is efpecially because we are not then employed upon this duty; are not watching over our hearts, and obferving those inward fountains (levity and wantonnefs of thought, precipitancy and diforder of paffion), from whence they overflow: were we intent there, we should perhaps endeavour to ftop the current, and contain these inward bad motions from venting themselves. The like we may fay concerning many unwarrantable actions, into which we inconfiderately plunge ourfelves, not heeding whence they fpring: did we regard that fuch actions were arifing from ambitious, covetous, froward difpofitions, or from certain illgrounded prejudices lurking in our minds, we should often furely forbear them: but while we keep none, or bad fentinels; while in the cuftody of our hearts we fleep, or are drowsy; while we neglect to examine and weigh our actions, what they are, and whence they come, they (although very bad and hurtful) do fteal by us, and pafs as friends, and we hear no more of them, but in their woful confequences. What efficacy the confideration of God's omniprefent eye, beholding all our doings, hath, and how all wife men do prefs it as a powerful means to contain Bb 3 SER M. contain us from bad action, you cannot but well XVIII. know; as likewife that some of them, in order to the 25. fame purpose, direct us to conceive ourselves always Sen. Ep. xi. under the infpection of fome perfon efpecially venerable for his worth, or for his relation to us, whom we should be afraid or afhamed to difplease: and furely were the faith concerning God's prefence, or the fancy concerning the prefence of a Cato, or a Lælius, ftrong enough, they could not but have great effect: however, did we but live, even in our own prefence, under the eye of our own judgment and confcience; regarding not only the matter and body, but the reafon and ground, that is the foul, of our actings; even that would do much; the love and reverence of ourselves would fomewhat check and control us; we should fear to offend, we fhould be afhamed to vilify even ourselves by fond or foul proceedings; it would, in the Philofopher's efteem, fupply the room of any other keeper or monitor, if we could thus keep ourselves; * If, faith he, we have fo far profited, as to have got a reverence of ourselves, we may then well let go a tutor, or pedagogue. 12. This practice doth much conduce to the knowledge of human nature, and the general dispositions of mankind, which is an excellent and most useful part of wisdom: for the principal inclinations and first motions of the foul are alike in all men ; whence he that by diligent ftudy of himself hath observed them in his own foul, may thence collect them to be in others; he hath at leaft a great advantage of eafily tracing them, of foon defcrying them, of clearly perceiving them in those he converfeth with; the which knowledge is of great use, as directing us how to accommodate ourselves in our behaviour and dealing with others. No man indeed can be a good instructor or ad * Cum jam profeceris tantum, ut fit tibi etiam tui reverentia, licebit dimittas pædagogum. Sen. Ep. 25. viser in moral affairs, who hath not attained this S ER M. fkill, and doth not well understand the nature of XVIII. man his precepts and rules will certainly be fallacious, or mifapplied without it: this is that, which rendered the dictates of the Stoicks and other fuch Philofophers fo extravagant and unpracticable, because they framed them not according to the real nature of man, fuch as is exiftent in the world, but according to an idea formed in their own imaginations. Some caution indeed is in this matter to be used, that thofe motions of foul, which proceed from particular temper and complexion, from fupervenient principles or habits, may be diftinguished from those which are natural and common unto all which diftinction to make is of great use and benefit, in order to the governing, reftraining, or correcting them. If there be any in us, which are not obfervable in any other men; or in other men, which are not in us, those do not arise from common nature, but from the particular difpofition of one or other respectively. 13. I add lastly, that univerfally this practice is requifite and neceffary for the well governing of our heart. Politicians inculcate much, that to the well governing of a people, fquaring fit laws for it, and keeping it in good order, the nature and humour of that people fhould be chiefly heeded and well underftood; for that the grave Romans, and light Greeks; the foft Perfians, and ftout Germans; the fubtle Africans, and grofs Scythians, would not be well managed in the fame manner. So to govern any man's heart (fince the hearts of men, as their faces, vid. Naz. and as their voices, differ according to diverfities of Orat. 1. complexion, of age, of education, of custom and manner of living) it conduceth to know how it is disposed from any of those, or the like caufes. But how we are to guide and govern our hearts, and what particular influence this practice hath thereupon, B. b 4 |