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Let the heart be cleansed from all admixture of sinful affections, and so brought into such a frame, that it may be apt to look only upon one object, upon God alone. And this I take out of Matth. 6.22. The light of the body is the eye, if then the eye be single, the whole body shall be light, &c. even as the eye guides all the members of the body, the hands, feet, &c. so doth the heart or mind guide all the actions of a man. Now as the eye, if it be vitiated or distempered with drunkenness, or surfeit, or the like, it doth not represent things single, but double, and treble, and so makes a man to walk unevenly: so sinful affections, which are contrary to the simplicity of the mind, do so distemper it that it cannot look upon God alone, as upon one single object, but it hath an eye to other objects with him, and he is distempered between them, and so he walks unevenly. As for example, fear will make a man to walk in a double way; all miscarriage and double-dealing carriage comes from fear; were it not for fear, men would be plain, and simple: therefore fear of men, or any creature, loss of credit, life or ⟨p. 63⟩liberty, this is a snare, and distempers the eye; and till the heart be cleansed of these, you will never walk evenly. And so doth covetousness distemper us, and voluptuousness, or any [Greek or Hebrew] in any kind, any over-eager desire, or too much haste to accomplish the end which a man propounds to himself. So Jacobs too much hasting after the blessing made him not to look single upon God; but to go a double and uneven way in using unlawful means to obtain it. And Jeroboam's too greedy desire of the Kingdom, made him to join God and the Calves together: for two several principles cause two several motions. And so is it when there is any inordinate affection, be it what it will be, there is not a simplicity of heart; and if there be not, you will never look upon God alone, but upon some creature, upon some object or other. Therefore, James 4.8.¹ Cleanse your hearts you wavering-minded. As if when the heart was cleansed from corruption, the mind would be freed from wavering, and brought to simplicity: were the heart purged, there would be a constancy and evenness in our mouth, and in all our ways.