CHAP. I.

I. THe thing I have pro­pounded in this Dis­course, is to bring the Reader to Heaven, that is to say, unto that per­fect state of Bliss, to which we are all di­rected by a Natural Impulse, as the princi­pal End of our Being; and wherein there [Page 2] remains nothing further to be desired. As to the matter of Happiness; it is the com­mon wish and business of Mankind: But such is the blindness of our depraved Con­dition, that instead of the True and Sove­reign Good, we apply our selves to vain Ap­pearances and Counterfeits. Some will have it to be in Wanting of Nothing, and consequently in Riches: Others place it in Dominion and Power: Some again, in Vo­luptuousness and Pleasure, a mean and most ignoble Mistake. Thus we labour and toil to no purpose, and (like men in a wrong way) the more haste we make, the further from our Journeys end; hardly in any thing more unhappy, than in not being sensible of our unhappiness.

II. And this, in truth, is our great Mis­fortune, that we purpose we know not what. Every man would fain live and die happy: But what true Happiness is, or how to com­pass it, there is not one of a thousand that understands. So that in all our Actions, Wishes and Endeavours we cross our selves, without any regard to that Immense Good, which ought to be the only and ultimate Object of our Consideration. The life we lead, is like that of the Pismire, a perpe­tual and fruitless Ramble and Agitation; one while up, another while down, and still empty. The great Creator of all things [Page 3] made Man out of nothing, and he that gave us all, expects all, and to be beloved and served without a Rival, as the Author of our Being: And it is all but time lost, that we employ any other way. And yet, Alas! How small a part of our Thoughts and Acti­ons do we bestow upon that God unto whom the whole ought to be directed! A Christi­an should do in his life, as a Traveller does upon the way: He propounds to go to such a place, to take up his rest when he comes there, and so makes every step he sets an advance towards it. The only Resting Place we can promise to our selves, is Heaven, and we are to bend all our motions and stu­dies that way. Whatsoever withdraws us from it, misleads us to our eternal De­struction.

III. We ought to behave our selves in this life, as in a Sea-voyage, when the Ship stops for fresh Water, a man goes ashore, and en­tertains himself with shells and trifles by the by, but his mind is still at Sea, and so soon as ever the Master calls, away he goes, leaves all, and returns to the Vessel. So in the use and enjoyment of external things, (which are but as shells and trifles) we are still to hearken after the call of our Master, and never to be so intent upon this world, as to forget the business of the next. Out­ward things serve us, to the end that we [Page 4] may serve God; without which we f [...]ll from the Divine Unity, and by giving up our selves to many unnecessary things, we set up as many Idols, as there are Creatures which we love with an inordinate Affection, unto which, by a foul Sacriledge we offer up (not an Ox or a Goat, but) our selves and our Salvation. God will have no sharers, and it is against the Law of Love, to love any thing with him, but in him, and for him. It is no less than Damnation, to leave the Creator, and adhere to the Creature.

IV. We may say of Minds, as the Prince of Physicians says of impure Bodies: The more meat you give them, the more hurt you do them. For in passing from an ill habit to a better, the Poison of a wicked life must be first vomited up, to prepare the Mind for receiving the more effectual Aliments of Vertue, which Purgation is to be wrought after this manner: There must be a kind of Expiation of sins committed; all Af­fections toward them withdrawn, all evil Customs rooted out, all vicious Inclinations, and unruly Appetites are to be subjected to the Government of Reason: The Flesh is to be kept under; the Necessities of Na­ture are to be provided for with Modera­tion; the Tongue and the Senses are to be bridled; and whatsoever may give a check or Interruption to the speedy gaining of [Page 5] Vertue, is to be utterly exterminated. And why should not all this be done? Where's the difficulty we fancy? what are we afraid of? A thing that we have in our own power: (He assisting us indeed, who is all in all, and our beginning and end) But we must first go out from our selves, before we can come at him, and the further we remove from the one, the nearer will our approach be to the other.

V. In the first place, we are to resolve within our selves, whither we are to go, and what it is we would have. The next Point will be, to learn out the way; and then to take notice from time to time how we pro­ceed, and what progress we make in our pas­sage. In order to this, we are impartially to examine our Consciences, and observe the difference betwixt what we are, and what we ought to be. It will be too late to consider, when we are in the Snare. We are to study how to Tame our raging Lusts; how to curb our tormenting Fears: We are to enure our selves to the contempt of earthly things, by leaving them, before they leave us, and to part willingly with what we cannot long possess, to the end, that when our last hour comes, there may be the less matter even for Death it self to work upon. But whatever else we do, let us be sure to look to the man; and see that the Soul, [Page 6] which is first in Excellence, be not last in our Care and esteem. What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own Soul? There can be no gain, where there is loss of Salvation.

CHAP. II.

I. AS the Service of God is the chief End of the very Being of Man; so is there not any thing more necessary for him that would make his Duty his Business, than to apply himself to the Counsel and Government of a Prudent Master. Does a­ny man venture to travel in an unknown way without a Guide? Or so much as to take up a difficult Trade without an In­structor? There may be indeed some Ge­neral Rules set down in writing for the be­nefit of the Absent, or of Posterity; but in the Particulars of When and How, there is no advising at a distance; nor without taking in all the Circumstances, and delibe­rating with the things themselves. It is in the Diseases of the Mind, as in those of the [Page 7] Body: A Physician can never prescribe so properly to his Patient, What Diet, what Physick, by Letter, as by word of mouth, upon feeling of the Pulse, and enquiring in­to the state and accidents of his Distemper. And this holds as well in the Maladies of the Soul. Some there are, which are not to be redressed, nor in truth discovered, but upon a Personal Conference and Observa­tion. St. Paul himself (the designed Do­ctor of the Gentiles) was sent to Ananias, after his Conversion, that he might learn from him the way of Life. He that under­takes upon his own single strength, to over­come the Perverseness of corrupt Nature, to wrestle with spiritual Impieties, and to break through all Obstacles and Impedi­ments, to make his way to Vertue, will find it a hard and a laborious Task. It will con­cern us therefore, to call in some charitable Assistant to our Aid, that may lay open to us the Dangers we are to encounter, the Frauds and Stratagems of the Enemy, and teach us how to win the Field in the Day of Battel. If you ask, What kind of Man must this be? Let him be a Person of Wisdom and Fidelity: One that has both a Will and a Power to do us good: One for whom we have a Reverence without Dread: One that seeks rather our Amendment than our Pu­nishment, and that lives better than he speaks. He that preaches one thing, and [Page 8] does another, is not worthy of this Trust.

II. He must be no Flatterer neither; no Cajoler of the People, on the one hand, nor a Frequenter of Great Mens Tables, or the Courts of Princes on the other. I would have him as well skill'd in Manners, as the Goldsmith is in Moneys; shew him any Coyn, any Affection, he shall tell you what it is; or like an experienced Physician, presently make a Judgment of the Disease, and prescribe you the Remedy. Such a one he must be, as is able to dive into the Se­crets and Recesses of the Inward Man, and to suit himself to the Humors and Dispositi­ons of those he has to do withal, in order to their spiritual advantage. One that is not transported by his Passions, but teaches and invites Offenders in the Spirit of Meekness: One that has learn'd how to detect, and dis­appoint all the Artifices and Crafts of the Devil: One to whom a man may securely commit the most recondite Privacies of his Soul, and Confess himself without a blush: One in fine, that can distinguish betwixt good and evil. And happy is he that finds such a Treasure.

III. With such a Friend we are to com­municate in all Conditions, and upon all Occasions, without any Scruple or Reserve, [Page 9] and to take his Opinion along with us, in all cases, whether good or evil. Now we are to conjure him to tell us freely of our faults, wherein we do amiss, without any sort of Difficulty. And when he spares us, as if we had none, we are not presently to take for granted, that we are innocent: But rather to impute his silence, either to his lothness to disoblige us, or to his despair of reforming us. And we are then to press him with more earnestness, and to shew him by our actions, the desire we have to profit by his Reproofs, and to square our Lives for the fu­ture, according to his Direction. It will be a good sign, if we love him the better for his Reprehensions, and take delight in them: When we are come to that pass once, we shall still part with him, either better than he found us, or in a fair way to it. In the Distempers of the Mind, [...]t goes far, if one has but a good will to be cur'd.

IV. These are the mutual Offices of the Master, and of the Scholar; that the one be well dispos'd to confer a benefit, and the other to receive it: And truly the former can hardly fail, without the extreme Obsti­nacy, Impatience, or Incapacity of the lat­ter. There are some people so over-con­ceited of their own Abilities, that they will never endure to be advis'd by any body else. All this (they cry) is no m [...]re than what [Page 10] I could have told you: To what purpose do you trouble me with what I knew before? But I say on the other side, that it is to very great pur­pose. There are many things we know, which we do not at all times so well heed and consider; and in such cases, the Admo­nition is not so much intended to inform the Understanding, as to quicken the Me­mory; and rather to do the Office of a Re­membrancer, than of a Tutor. In other cases, there is nothing so evident, but men will pretend Ignorance: So that the Sug­gestion of Matters (even the most Manifest) must not be omitted, sor Vertue does then more vigorously exert her self, when she is touch'd and provok'd. Some people there are that have not the Face to acknowledge an Error; (a most ridiculous and unmanly sort of Modesty!) Others have not the Heart to do it, but fret inwardly, and smoo­ther all in a stomachful silence, falling soul, like Bedlams, upon the Physician that would cure them. This mischievous Secre­sie and Reserve, proceeds undoubtedly from the Temptation of the Devil, who needs never despair of gaining his end, so long as he can keep himself close and un­discover'd, Our Ulcerated Bodies, let them be never so offensive and loathsom, we can expose to the Chirurgion or Physician, in hope of Remedy, even without a blush: But what a stir we make, to hide the ble­mishes [Page 11] and infirmities of our Souls, as if to conceal them, were really to take them a­way? when yet we are not able to hinder them, even from betraying themselves. He that will not own himself to be wounded, shall never be cur'd.

V. Let a Physician tell us: You have such or such a Disease, you are dangerously ill. Have a Care, you neither eat nor drink any thing to day, but this or that: So far are we from taking this Liberty amiss, that on the con­trary, we reckon it for a favour, and give him thanks and money for his pains. But let any man tell us, that we are sick of Bur­ning Lusts, Vain Opinions, Inordinate Af­fections, it puts us into a Rage, as if it were an Affront to be reveng'd with Fire and Sword. Never such a Dishonour! To tell me that I am Proud, Lustful, Covetous, &c. An Indignity not to be born by Flesh and Blood! And where lies the Injury now? Wretched Creatures that we are! Why may we not as well quarrel with a Glass, that shews us an Ill Face, as with a Friend that shews us a Vicious Mind? It should be our Business to correct what is amiss, to a­mend our Lives, and cleanse our Hearts from all Corruption; and so to live, that the World sha [...]l not condemn us.

CHAP. III.

I. SIN is the cause of all Evils, and he that commits it, is out of his way to his last End. It is the Seed of all our Mise­ries, and the Poison of Humane Nature. The Malignity of it is better understood af­ter the doing of it, than in the Act it self. The Binding of the Living together with the Dead, to destroy the one with the Stench of the other, is not much unlike the Punishment which Divine Justice has allot­ted to heinous Sinners. They are ty'd up to their Plague, and there's no escaping. A bad Action is no sooner conceived, than it brings forth its own Torment: So that he that will not endure something, that he may not do evil, must endure a great deal be­cause he has done it. This it is, that brought Death into the World, and kindled Hell-fire. We are therefore to cleanse our [Page] Consciences by Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction: Neither are we to shun the more grievous sins only, but even those too, which we esteem as the least and slightest; which though they do not hurry us imme­diately to destruction, they do yet, insensi­bly dissolve our strength, weaken us, and bring us to ruine in the end. And if the Vessel miscarry, what matters it, whether it be swallow'd up at once, or by taking in wa­ter drop after drop, which being neglected, carries it to the bottom at last. The easier the prevention, the more shameful is the disaster; and the weaker the adversary, the greater is the dishonour of being over­come.

II. We must never expect to graft Ver­tue in the mind, till we have given over Hankering after even the smallest Vices. It signifies nothing, to have the Body in the Wilderness, and the Mind in Egypt. It is not enough to forgive injuries, and to relin­quish our more notorious and beastly lusts, if we still take pleasure in lewd communi­cation, and the vanities of this World. Ill habits must be torn up by the Roots, that they may never shoot again: It is not the bare lopping of the Branches that will serve the turn. In some religious fits, we are apt to say (yes, and perchance to think so too) that we are now absolutely resolved upon a [Page 14] new life, and to quit the World with all the Corruptions and Vanities that attend it. Why do we not bolt the door then against them, but only put it to? Oh how we are troubled to think of the course we have led! And who is not? I beseech you, Is there any man so wicked as not to disallow him­self in his most beloved sins, even in the ve­ry act of committing them? But what a­vails it to renounce them in discourse, and yet to embrace them in practice? No man has a Conscience so seared, as not at some time or other to reflect upon his wickedness with detestation: But then they are soon friends again; whereas, he that is truly converted, lays the Ax to the root, and leaves not the least string behind him. He grows so jealous of his frailty, and so suspi­cious of himself, that he starts at the least occasion, at the very shadow of evil.

III. Why do we so ridiculously cavil then, and urge the frailty of Humane Na­ture, in Plea against the Commands of the Almighty? Does not he that made us what we are, and gave us what we have, know best what we are able to do. Blind and im­pious Temerity! That Dust and Ashes should presume to expostulate with the most high God! As if he imposed more upon us, than we are able to perform; and designed [Page 15] rather our Misery than our Salvation. By this perverseness, of pretending difficulties where there are none, we provoke the dis­pleasure of the Lord against us; who hath enabled us to do much more than we ima­gine; as would appear, if we did put the strength he hath given us to the Experi­ment. Our Task is not hard in it self, but our Fears and Apprehensions make it seem so. How many acccidents and encounters, that were terrible to us at first, hath custom made familiar and easie! Wherefore, let us not undervalue our selves, God will not desert his Souldiers, but give them (even for the asking) ability sufficient for any war­rantable undertaking.

IV. The readiest way to master our Corruptions, is to propound to our selves, that every day is to be our last; for there is nothing that so much engages our Affecti­ons to this World, as the want of conside­ration, how soon we are to leave it. Can any man be so forgetful, as to behold the daily Funerals that pass before his eyes, with­out thinking of his end! And yet even a­mong the dead themselves, we think of no­thing less, than we do of Death. There is not any thing so frequently seen, and so soon forgotten. But the time is coming that shall deliver us from the beastly fellow­ship of the Flesh; dispel this Cloud of Ig­norance, [Page 16] and enlighten our darkness. Let the oldest man alive look back into the time past, and (if he can) pick but any one day out of his whole life, that was not tainted with some blemish or defect. Our Child­hood we have consumed in hobby-horses and bawbles; our Youth in levities and lusts; our Manhood in crimes of a deeper dye; and when we have put all together; from our Cradle, to our grey hairs, there remains nothing to us but anxiety of thought, and the sad fruit of our iniquity. Alas! how miserable is that man, that can­not look backward, but with shame; nor forward without terrour. Let him go to his Bags and his Coffers, that have cost him so much sweat, and trouble: What comfort will they speak to him in his extremity? or what will all his sensual Pleasures, his vain and empty Titles, Robes, Dignities and Crowns avail him in the day of his distress? what would a man give when that dismal day comes, that he might begin the World again, to lead a new life? but wishes are then too late. We are to make use of time while we have it; and to forbear doing those things now, which we shall wish un­done hereafter; It is no great matter to deny our Appetites for a moment, that we may be happy for ever.

V. If a man upon his Death-bed were [Page 17] asked his opinion of his past Life, and what he thought of Riches, Dignities, and World­ly Delights; you should hear him tell you quite another tale, than he did in his health; for at that hour men consider what they say, and speak what they think. Now al­though this Wisdom comes with the latest, for him that is upon his exit: It may yet be of great benefit to us, if we will but learn from other peoples miscarriages, to correct, or to prevent our own. Who but a mad man, when he may put to Sea in fair wea­ther, will linger for a storm? or defer all care of himself, till the last extremity, when he may save all at present, without any haz­zard? Caution comes too late when a man is under water, and so does Prudence too, in the Grave. Those great and holy men that have utterly renounced this World, and all that's in it, for the love of a better, have made it the study of their whole lives, to understand how to live, and how to die: And so hard a Lesson have they found it un­to flesh and blood, that many of them, at their last breath, have not stuck to confess their ignorance. But we (forsooth) ac­count it time enough in all conscience, to betake our selves to that which is good, when, in truth, we are fit for nothing at all; and to begin our lives, at an age, to which few people have prolonged theirs: A pro­digious folly, certainly, for a man to begin at the wrong end!

[Page 18]VI. Monstrous heedlesness! to believe all this, and yet to live on, as we do: What is Time, but the passing of a shadow? Life, but a point? or less, if possible. How small a distance is there betwixt the Cradle and the Tomb! Try if you can make the Sun stand still but one day, one hour, one mo­ment. No, no, it will not be; Time is in­exorable, and will hold on its course till it has brought all created Nature to destructi­on. And yet so besotted a Blindness pos­sesses us, that we prefer this wretched in­stant, before a glorious Eternity. In the case of our frail and perishable bodies we lay out for necessaries, and provisions, and spare for no pains to procure them: But in that of our immortal Souls, we behave our selves, as if they were none of our concern. Let the Body be out of order, and there is nothing so troublesome, but we can readily undergo to remove it; but in the distem­pers of the Soul, we are not only neglectful, but insensible. When was it ever said to us, Save your selves by Sea, or you are lost, and we protracted it? Take off this Potion; 'tis bit­ter, but 'tis wholsome, and we refused it? It is less than this, that God prescribes to us, for our eternal good, and we give no heed to it. If we happen to have a Law Suit, what a bustle we make with our Solici­tors, and Breviates, feeing of Council, and tampering with Judges, to carry on the [Page 19] Cause? But in the great tryal of our Souls at the day of Judgment (which is at hand) and where Heaven or Hell is the question: There is no care taken, but we live on laughing and fooling, till we lose our selves beyond all Redemption, for want of Pre­paration. Let us therefore betake our selves to our wits, and put our affairs in order, as if we were every moment to be called to a reckoning. This is true Philosophy, to se­parate Soul and Body by wisdom, before they come to be parted by necessity.

VII. The thing we are principally to intend, (whether busie or idle, in labour or at rest) is this; to deliver our selves out of the power of Time and Casualties, by the anticipation of Eternity; which places us in a state of Tranquillity, that is steady and invariable. The Glutton in the Gospel is still begging the relief but of one drop of water to cool his Tongue, and condemned so to beg it to perpe­tuity, without obtaining it. Eternity is an everlasting instant, not to be thought upon, or mentioned, without horror: It is a restless Wheel, it is a continued, and end­less, and a still commencing beginning, The serious thought of it is as Worm­wood in our cups of pleasure. It strikes us with astonishment and sadness; it tames our rebellious spirits, and raises up the [Page 20] slothful Voluptuary to the love of Ver­tue; it facilitates all difficulties, sweet­ens all our afflictions, and makes our mis­fortunes seem not only short, but easie. It is not in the power of man to express or conceive this boundless Eternity. Were the whole Universe fill'd with numeral Figures, and as many Years (nay Ages) taken from Eternity, as there would be found Unites in the whole sum, Eternity would be still the same, without any di­minution. He that considers the pains of Hell (as they are) to be ever beginning, and yet never at an end, must have a heart of Flint, not to trouble and repent at the thought of it.

CHAP. IV.

I. THE first Vice we are properly to encounter, is Gluttony. This is the Sin that brought Death into the World, and ministers matter in a great measure to the rest. It was the Eating of the Forbid­den Fruit, that ruin'd the whole Race of Mankind, even before they had a Being: And it is still the weak side where the De­vil lays his most dangerous temptations. From hence proceeds dulness of spirit, sloth, weariness of every thing, scurrility, babling, debauchery, heaviness of mind, and the dissolution of all Vertues, prodiga­lity, beggery, a long train of Diseases, and Death it self in the conclusion: This is it that swells our Bills of Mortality; for vici­ous humours contracted from excess in meats and drinks, are the food of almost all Diseases. Other accidents may attempt, and threaten us, but this cuts us off. Glut­tony kills more than the Sword.

[Page 22]II. Oh the infamy of being a slave to a mans Belly! a wretched carkass, with an insatiable appetite! Our bodies are none of the largest; and yet in greediness, the vast­est, and the most voracious of living Crea­tures come not near us, One Wood (we see) maintains a great many Elephants; and a Pasture of a few Acres, a great many Bulls: But for us, one World is hardly suffi­cient. The Air, the Seas, and the Forrests must be all rifled, to please our Palates. He that looks into the Offices of a luxurious Pa­lace, and sees the Troops of Servants sweat­ing, and hurrying up and down; the mas­sacre of Beasts, Flesh and Fowl; and every thing a float in the richest Wine; some to order the Plate, and cover the Table, o­thers to serve up the Meat, so many to mar­shal the Dishes, others again to carve, and every man ready at his part: He that sees, I say, the magnificence, and variety of these Entertainments, cannot but wonder at so horrible a profusion for the Guts of one Fa­mily. Not that I would advise any man to starve himself; for the Belly is importu­nate, and must have daily food, But here lies the snare, we do the business of Plea­sure, under the pretence of Necessity. If we would inform our selves how small a matter satisfies Hunger, let us consider what we are capable of, and what we have need of; we shall then understand, that no man is driven [Page 23] upon excess, by necessity. Nature contents her self with a little, but the cravings of Luxury are boundless.

III. Hunger takes no pleasure at all in complement, or ostentation; let it be satis­fied, and no matter with what: So soon as the Relish is off from the Palate, the preci­ous and the common are both alike. Let but him eat, that is hungry, and drink, that is a thirst; whether his Bread be white or brown; or his Drink plain water out of the next Brook, or the choicest Wine refresh'd with Snow, it is all one to Nature: Stay but the stomach, and quench the thirst, she looks for no more. All the quarters of the World must be hunted for Fish and Flesh, several sorts of Wines for the Gusto, and pro­voking sawces, to gratifie our phantastical Appetites: And what are all these far­fetch'd Curiosities and Delicates in the end; but the Torments of a miserable Surfeit! Epicurus recommends Temperance to us, if it were for nothing else but the very plea­sure of it. There's a great deal of diffe­rence, betwixt the plainest meat in the World to a good stomach, and the most deli­cious to one that is crop-sick. He that would discharge himself of all superfluous care for the Belly, let him but consider the end of all, and that he is only preparing a Treat for the Worms: This me-thinks [Page 24] should make a man so order his Body, as that his Mind may be never the worse for't. That's the best Diet undoubtedly, which is every where to be had, and without trou­ble, and neither burthensome to a mans Purse, nor to his Body. He is a great ma­ster of himself, that commands his Belly. The Body requires Nourishment, not Dain­ties; and we have been convinced of the superfluity of many things, by the want of them.

IV. But 'tis no such mighty business nei­ther, to contemn Superfluities; give me the man that can chearfully dispense even with Necessities, that can content himself with Bread and Water, and with the Herbs of the Field, as well for Mans meat as for Beasts; that eats only to sustain and streng­then nature, and to glorifie God; that takes his meat as a sick man does his Physick, merely for healths sake, without any re­gard to the taste; that declines voluptuous Treats and Entertainments; and (at least) moderates himself in the Pleasures of the Palate, since he cannot totally extinguish them; and preserves himself in purity both of Body and Spirit. The perfection of Chastity is a better proof of Abstinence, than the bare taking down of the Body.

CHAP. V.

I. LUxury is a Brutal vice: and that, which of all others, puts a man the most out of countenance? Nor is it so shameful only in the practice, but the A­postle forbids us the very naming of what concerns it. The foulness of it may ap­pear in this: That a man (if he has but the least spark of modesty or good nature in him) cannot forbear Blushing at the ve­ry thoughts of any Uncleanness committed, if he does but imagine that any body else knows of it. Nay, there are many people fo tender and scrupulous in this point, that they'l run any hazard, rather than trust their very Confessors with so scandalous a secret. He that falls into this bog, very rarely gets out again; and there's little hope of him that's infected with this Dis­ease: For alas! what can man do in the case of Continence, which is the only Gift of God?

[Page 26]II. The first Remedy must be fervent Prayer to the Almighty, for Grace and Strength: And we are next, to resist the very first motions to Impurity, and to shake them off, as we would do a burning coal from our Garments. If we come but once to deliberate, we are lost If we parly, we are upon the point of yielding. We must have a care of Idleness, High-feeding, Las­civious Objects, loose and wanton Compa­ny. Nothing (in short) is to be omitted in this difficulty. Nay the very best of men are not without their infirmities; certain latent dispositions, which though we cannot properly call sins, we find many times to prove the preludes to Wickedness, and if they gain but never so little upon us, it will be hard quitting them. He that will be great, must not despise little things. The least spark is enough to fire the largest City.

III. Let every man have a care of too much confidence in himself. He that goes on, without doubting, is fallen already. How many Instances have we of brave and eminent men, that after solemn Confessions, Victories and Exploits, even to admiration, have yet been surprized, and lost at the sight of a Woman! I do not speak of Samp­son, David and Solomon, those ancient and famous examples of Humane frailty, but o­thers of fresher date, and which we see dai­ly [Page 27] before our eyes. And if there were no­thing else but a mans own weakness, me­thinks he should be so conscious of it, as to be humbled, and suspect himself. What greater madness, than after so many expe­riments of the errours of all Ages and Na­tions, still to expose our selves to be worsted, in confidence of our own strength! But this is the fate of our incredulous and stubborn Nature, to give no heed or credit to the Falls of others, till we are in the Pit our selves. God made Woman for a helper to Man, but by the subtilty of the Serpent, she was wrought upon to be his destroyer: She wounds, burns, and consumes him. There is no Hyaena, no Basilisk, to what she carries in her Voice and Eyes: Have a care of her Charms, as you love your Soul. The whole Sex follows the old trade of driving man out of Paradise.

IV. It is an ordinary thing, I know to excuse our selves, by saying, We cannot avoid it; she's of our Acquaintance, we mean no hurt in't. But under these plausible pretences, there lies more mischief than we are aware of: For we fall by degrees into dangerous Liberties, unwary Discourses, loose Beha­viour, Wanton Meriments, enterchanging of Presents, &c. till in the end, by little and little, we come, from the neglect of Mo­desty, to just none at all. This License [Page 28] grows upon us by degrees, and he that blushes and trembles at the very appearance of a Woman to day, shall look Babies in her Eyes to morrow; play with her na­ked Breasts, and feel the Poyson at his Heart, before he is sensible of the danger. Thus by degrees, from dim-sighted, our Reason comes to be stark blind, and the di­vine Soul lies groveling upon the ground, without any consideration, either of Hea­ven or of it self, till the fire of our Lusts shall be swallowed up in that of Hell itself. The sad and miserable end of a beastly and mo­mentary pleasure: As if we were all drunk with the juice of that Herb which is said to make people die laughing.

V. Fools that we are! what would we be at? that have neither Wit enough to ad­vise our selves, or to take counsel of others. Is it Pleasure we seek? God hath provided Pleasures eternal for us in Heaven. Those of the World are deceitful, transitory and uncertain; shall we lay hold of these then, and quit our title to those of the next? Where's our Reason? What is become of our Understanding? If we look upward to­ward those that are gone to Heaven before us; we shall find them such, as here upon earth, mingled their bread with ashes, and their drink with their tears; beset on eve­ry side with persecution and contempt; [Page 29] holding no intelligence at all with worldly comforts; and making prayers and tears their daily exercise. Their way to Hea­ven lay through Torments and Crosses. But on the other hand, if we look downward in­to Hell, among the Troops of the damned, we shall there see (which they feel too late) the end and the reward of trusting to the false joys of this World, the delights of the Flesh, and carnal Pleasures. We should do well to meditate upon this, if we be­lieve it.

VI. But if Pleasure in this World be the thing we covet, why do we not then give it our selves in the blessing of a well-com­posed and vertuous Mind? And that's a Pleasure substantial, sincere, unchangeable, and untainted: whereas the enjoyments of the Flesh are weak, short-lived, only var­nish'd over, bedawbed wi [...]h Wine, and Perfumes, both afraid and ashamed of the Light: lying most in Bawdy-houses, and Taverns, and such other places as common­ly find work for the Constable. If they are glorious without, they are yet most wretch­edly sordid within: They begin and end al­most in the same moment, they perish even in the very enjoyment. But the Pleasure of the Mind is gentle, noble, invincible, steady and secure; and attended neither with Satiety, nor Repentance. It is nei­ther [Page 30] accompanied with shame, nor followed with remorse or sadness; nor does it ever desert him that professes it. The way to this Pleasure is to renounce all other; for to contemn Pleasure is the greatest Pleasure.

CHAP. VI.

I. IT is the great cheat of Avarice, that it disclaims it self: For there is not any man will confess himself to be covetous. I have a Family to provide for, says one: I would fain do some good among my poor Neigh­bours, cries an [...]ther: A third is for building of Alms-houses and Hospitals. And these are our pretences for hoarding up Riches; and when we have gotten them, we go on to get more, and spend our lives in the bare acquisition of what was at first pre­tended for our comfort or support, but part with nothing. What is a thirsty man the better for the sight of a pleasant Brook, or dabbling in it perchance with his finger, unless he take some of it into his stomach to relieve his drought? Just this is the case [Page 31] of an avaricious man with his money; he sees it, and handles it, but his mind is no vessel to receive it, and so never the better for it. God made the Soul only for himself, and it is he alone that can fill it.

II. Give the covetous man the Treasure of the whole earth; let him not only possess, but trample upon all that is rich and preci­ous, all that is curious and costly in the U­niverse. Alas! the having of all this will but serve him for an Incentive to desire more. Nature is bounded, but Imagina­tion is infinite. It is not a pin matter, what Money in the Coffer, or what Corn in the Barn, to him that is only intent upon what he has not, without computing what [...]lready he has. The World it self is too little for him, whom the whole World can­not satisfie. If we did but consider the mis­chiefs that accompany great Fortunes, and the Benefits they deprive us of, we should soon find, with the blessed Apostle, that Co­vetousness is the root of all evil. Thence come Frauds, Wars, Perjuries, Treason, Discord, Ambition, Robberies, Piracies, publick Tu­mults, domestick Treacheries, Corruptions in the Seat of Judgment.

III. Look but the poor and the rich man in the face, and compare their Counte­nances, and you shall see that the one, in [Page 32] the sowreness of his looks, betrays the anxi­ety and solicitude of his thoughts: The o­thers Brow is clear and open, in testimony of an honest and chearful mind. The rich mans happiness is but from the teeth out­ward, a counterfeit satisfaction, with a Worm in his heart; when the poor man, without any mixture of trouble, enjoys a continual repose. The one betwixt the de­sire of getting, and the fear of losing, lyes exposed to all the assaults of Fortune; (for the more he has, the more he covets.) The other is rich even in his poverty. His wishes are squared to his necessities: He fears nothing, for he hath nothing to lose that he cares for. He spends the day merrily, and sleeps soundly at night: Whereas the other, on the contrary, is never at ease, and the less sense he has of his condition, the greater is his danger.

IV. A word now to the insatiable Miser, with all his Hoards, brave Houses and Pos­sessions: The time will come, (the time appointed from Eternity) when he must part with all his splendid Acquisitions, Life and all; when all those things must perish too, for which he himself is likewise to perish. He will then see the errour of ad­miring what he should have despised, and of setting a value, so childishly, upon Trifles: Childishly, I say, saving only that Children [Page 33] play the fool upon cheaper terms. Their dotage is employed upon some pretty Shells, perchance, or Pibbles, that they find by the Sea-side; ours upon Gold and Preci­ous Stones. I do not say, that where Pro­vidence hath given a man a plentiful For­tune, the Owner of it should not make use of it: But I would have it honestly gotten; not by Fraud, Extortion, or Injustice, nor with more carking and caring than the thing is worth: We may take Money into our Coffers, but not into our Hearts, to the end that we may chearfully resign our selves to the Will of God, either to want, or to a­bound. No man so rich as he that needs not riches. We are not to wait for the loss of all by Thieves, perhaps, or Casu­alties; but to strip our selves by Anticipa­tion; which is done, if we do but take a­way from our selves, by an indifference, whatsoever we might otherwise lose by vio­lence. No man is master of himself, so long as he is a slave to any thing else.

V. As to matter of State and Ceremony, we are to lay it utterly aside, and to con­form in our Cloaths and Diet, not so much to example, as to Christian Moderation and Vertue. Poverty it self, with good Husbandry, may be emproved into Plenty. Let us but keep our selves from Thirst, Hunger and Cold, Nature asks no more. A [Page 34] may keep a man as warm as a Palace; and there is no absolute necessity of cover­ing our Bodies with Silk. Is there no quenching of our Thirst, but in Chrystal? no cutting of our Bread, unless the Knife has an Agat Handle? We may wash as clean in an Earthen Vessel as in a Silver and see as well by a Candle in a Pewter-socket, as in a Plate. He that values himself for his Gold, is inconsiderable without it: How much better were it for us, to set our hearts up­on those Riches▪ which neither Fortune nor Death it self can ever take from us? Why should any man fear Poverty, that has the Treasure of a Kingdom within himself? There is the Kingdom of Heaven, in a good Conscience. He that seeks his own good, let him seek God alone, who is the only Good, the only Possession, and the only Treasure. The World is of no value to him that dedicates himself wholly to God.

VI. Oh the emptiness and Imposture, of all that we account delicate and glorious in this World! To see a man wrapt up in Gold, and Embroidery, with a long Reti­nue at his heels, and in a splendid equi­page; how wonderfully are we taken with the Spectacle? And yet alas? All this is but a mere pomp, and oftentation of vani­ties, that leave us in the very moment that they please us: And it is not from the [Page 35] Schools of the Philosophers, nor from the Cross of Christ, nor from the eternal Wis­dom alone, that I draw this Observation; but from the World it self, and those that have most courted and adored it. What satisfaction had Haman in all his Wealth, Power and Dignity? No, no, says he (in a full Audience) I reckon all this as nothing, so long as I see Mordechai sitting at the Kings Gate. What a Mockery, what a Blindness is this! I have often read and heard in­deed, that the Pleasures of the Flesh and of this World are as nothing, compared with those of Vertue and Eternity; but to pronounce them to be as nothing, in re­spect even of nothing it self, this goes a great deal further: So that in effect, in the contempt of nothing, we do nothing. But that we may not want matter to work upon, let us contemn and repress our Lusts, that we may be better acquainted with Poverty, and learn to measure the true value of things by the use of them. Now the way to bring our selves with ease to a contempt of the World, is to think daily of leaving it.

CHAP. VII.

I. TO be angry at Anger, is almost the only justifiable exercise of that Passion: For it is against a most execra­ble and outragious Monster; an Affection so unquiet and turbulent, that if it once seises us, it unmans us. It is, in one word, a short Madness, that carries a man head­long to Blood and Revenge, without any regard to Friends, good Manners, or in­deed to his own Security; for, to take a­way another mans life, he'l run any hazard of his own, and (as in the fall of a House) dash himself to pieces upon the ruines of what he carries down before him. Neither is it a brutal only, but a most ungraceful Passion. The Eyes burn and sparkle, the Veins swell, the Hair stands on end, the Teeth grating, the Mouth all in a some, the Voice shrill and piercing, the Countenance fierce and terrible, the Brow frowning, the Head joggling and nodding, and the whole Body in a continual and most uncomely A­gitation: [Page 37] To say nothing of the menacing Actions and Gestures, clutching and striking of the hands, beating the Breast, stamping and tearing the Hair, rending the Cloaths, and all the Blood in the Body boiling in the Face. How abominable must this be in the Mind, that shews it self so detestable in the Countenance? The Poets draw the Furies with Fire-brands and Snakes, howling and yelling, with hideous out-cries, which might serve for no ill Picture of a Man in choler; if I may call him a Man, who by his beastual-cruelty, and salvage-fierceness, seems to have cast off all the Advantages and Affecti­ons of Humanity. One may keep other Vices private, but this breaks out at the Eyes, and discovers it self in the Air of the Face: Like fire, it devours all before it, and the more we strive to suppress it, the more furiously it burns. An angry man is utterly uncapable either of Moderation or Re­proof.

II. As for other Vices, they are confin'd, we see, to certain Bounds and Limits; but Anger flies at all, and there is not any thing that scapes it, be it never so sacred. Do we not invade Heaven it self, both with open Blasphemies, and secret Murmurings, against the Power, Goodness, and Provi­dence of the Almighty? And our Anger extends it self not only to those that we [Page 38] think have done us an Injury, but to those too, that possibly may hereafter do us one: So ingeniously do we improve our vain Ima­ginations, that we fall upon any man that has the power to disoblige us, as if he had done it already. Nay, we are many times in a Rage, we know not at whom, or for what, but yet we bluster and fret; and for want of other matter to work upon, we fall upon our selves. Nor is it the Injury only that moves us; for we do frequently wreak our spight upon things inanimate, that can­not (properly either disoblige or affront us. As, for a Man to cut his Cloak to pieces, throw Dishes and Candlesticks about the House, split Pens in a Rage, and tear Paper, because things will not go as he would have them: What can be more ridiculous? The breaking of a Glass is enough to put many a man out of his Senses; The mislaying of a Napkin, the Screek of a Table drawn upon the Floor, and a thousand other things, which do neither deserve our Anger, nor feel it. A Resty Jade, a Barking Cur, the Buzzing of a Flie in our Ears, the Stinging of a Gnat: These forsooth, are Provocati­ons to transport us beyond all Patience, and Death without Mercy, to the poor Animal that offends us. How great a Madness is it, to punish Brutes and things insensible, for the Transgressions of Reasonable Creatures!

[Page 39]III. If we proceed now to take a view of Anger in the Effects, we shall find it the greatest Plague that ever infested Humane Nature: How many Murthers, Towns laid waste, whole Nations utterly depopulated, Heaps of slaughter'd Bodies, (as if the Sword vy'd with the Pestilence) and the Rivers running Blood. Look upon the Ruines of the Noblest Cities of the World, unpeopled Deserts, Conflagrations, poy­son'd Fountains, extinguish'd Families. Consider all this, and you have here before your eyes; the Fruits and Works of Anger, I should think, that we are no longer a So­ciety of Men, but a Multitude of Beasts, were it not that I find Beasts of the same kind to agree among themselves, whereas Men are still worrying of one another. Now there there is this further Mischief in Anger; It defaces the Image of God in us, whose Works are altogether peaceable and calm. It casts a Mist before our eyes, so that we are not able to discern the Truth our selves; and it makes us stubborn and uncounselable towards others. It disturbs and distracts all the Faculties of the Soul, and let the Dis­ease be never so foul, the Reputation it has gotten with the People, keeps it yet in coun­tenance; for with the Rabble, Anger passes for the Mark of a Man of Honour. But let us rather consider now, what Remedy in the Case; and if we cannot utterly take it away, [Page 40] how we may bring it at least, to some sort of Reason and Moderation.

IV. The best way will be to begin with the Contempt or Neglect of the first Mo­tive to it; for if we once lose ground, it will be hard recovering it: We are at the mercy of That, and not That at Ours; when the Enemy is within the Gate, he'l hardly take Conditions of his Prisoner. It is a much easier matter to keep him out, than to Govern him when he's entred. In the upper Regions of the Air, we find nei­ther Clouds nor Tempests, but altogether Serenity and Quiet; the Thunder is below. So is it with a great and generous Mind; It stifles the very first Motions to Displeasure; It gives not way so much as to a licentious word, but stands firm in a Station of Tran­quillity and Composure; very well under­standing, that by Transports of Anger, E­vils are not remov'd, but made worse. It is with Cholerick men, as with Birds that are lim'd, the more they flutter, the faster they are, and the more they struggle, the more entangled. The Anger does us more hurt than the Injury. He that is angry upon the Apprehension that another man contemns him, does his Adversary too much Honour, if he values it; and thinks too meanly of himself, if he revenges it. Revenge is a Con­fession of Trouble, and it is the part of a narrow [Page 41] Soul, to meditate a serious Revenge for an Ima­ginary Mischief.

V. In the Case of lying under a Slander, the question is not, What becomes another man to say or do; but what we are to say or do our selves. Because another man is waspish and perverse: Am I to break my peace for't, and to be froward too, my self? We are to imitate our Maker. How many impious Wretches does God suffer to enjoy the common Benefits of Nature? And yet among Mortals, one wicked man will not be perswaded to endure another. Let us apply our selves to mend all at home; which we may do, without concerning our selves so much for the Reforming of others, which we cannot do. Are we not Sinners? How little then is that we suffer, in compa­rison of the Hell which we have deserved? Are our Ears so delicate, that we cannot bear a Reproach? The Fault (and the Shame too) is his that does an Injury, not his that suffers it. The Sufferer is only to look upon his Affliction as a Portion allot­ted him from Eternity for his greater Good. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven, is the Word of God himself. He that wakens not at this Thunder, is not asleep but dead. It is our Interest to pardon others, as the Conditi­on of being pardon'd our selves.

[Page 42]VI. Among many Incentives to Anger, I reckon Suspicion to be the sliest and most insinuating of all. Let us away with it therefore upon any terms. Good Lord (we cry) how coldly, how strangely such a one look'd upon me! He would hardly take any notice of me. He gave me a word or two, and so went his way. Of this we may be certain, he that is jealous, shall never want matter or co­lour for it; most people being apt to be­lieve the worst. An ill Construction of things goes a great way in the very Injury we complain of: We are therefore to deal plainly, and judge charitably. And we are to say to our selves on the behalf of the Ab­sent: Who knows but this may be all a Story? In ill Reports it is not good to be over-credu­lous, and to take up a Pique at a venture, before we fully understand the matter. Time and lei­sure will discover all. In a Trial at Law, no man is cast without a proof, let the Cause be never so trivial: And shall we dare then to condemn a Friend without a Hearing? He must be a very weak man, that presently believes all he hears. Some there are that spread false Reports with an Intention to deceive; others again, do but tell what they hear, and are deceived themselves.

What is spoken in private, is almost not spoken at all. What can be more unrea­sonable, than to suppress the cause of our Displeasure, and yet publish the effects of [Page 43] it? It is good sometimes to see and not see, and to hear and not hear. He that seems not to know of an Injury, is not bound to take no­tice of it.

VII. When I am told that any body speaks ill of me, my course shall be, to ask my own Conscience, if I did not speak ill of him first; and then to make it my own case, How many have I spoken Ill of my self? This Reflection will make a man moderate; if not for the love of Vertue, yet for his own sake at least. Shall I play the Epicure my self, and inveigh against Luxury in ano­ther? put a Knight of the Post to declaim against Perjury? Be my self perfidious, and challenge exact Fidelity from my neigh­bour? Why should not other People talk as freely of me, as I do of them? I am to be­think my self, not only what I suffer, but what I do; and not to reprehend that in a­nother, which I find in my own breast. We are all bad enough, and to bear with one a­nothers infirmities, is but common Equity. Nay, suppose that we are not as yet guilty, who knows how soon we may be so? Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.

VIII. The Wounds of an Enemy, the Of­fences of a Friend, the Disobedience of a Child, the Carelesness or the Treachery of [Page 44] a Servant, are things so familiar, that we may as well wonder at a Rose in the Spring, or an Apple in Autumn, as at any of them. A man that walks the streets of a populous City, must expect to meet with a slip in one place, a stop in another, the Dash of the Kennel in a third: Just such are the Ad­ventures of Life, and with the same Con­sideration are they to be undergone. When a lewd person casts a Reproach upon a Good Man, let them but both do their parts, and there's no hurt done. It is in the Nature of the one to do Mischief, and it is the Duty of the other to requite Evil with Good. We are to try if we can mend him; which is never to be effected by Re­venge, but rather by Patience and Obliga­tions. It may perchance work a thorow Reformation upon him; but very proba­bly, it will quiet and sweeten him at the least: Or however, we our selves shall most certainly be the better for it, if he be not. Well! There's such a one is my mortal Enemy, he has spoken the basest and the most dishonou­rable things of me.—How am I now to behave my self in this case? Why truly, according to the Rules of Charity, and of good Discretion: I have this but at second hand; I can hardly believe it. Or, if he did say it, some body has abus'd him: I am confi­dent he had no ill meaning in it. Nay, it may be, he said it on purpose that I should hear on't [Page 45] again, and be the better for't. The truth on't is, he hath right on his side, for I cannot much deny the thing; and I'm e'en well enough serv'd for beginning with him. But after all this, what if it shall be found to be mere Malice, and a Design upon an Innocent Person? Was not my Saviour more innocent, and incomparably a greater Sufferer? I am to say with the Prophet, I was dumb, and open­ed not my mouth, because it was thy doing. Let us all look to our own ways, and have a care, that what other People say or do amiss, prove not unto us an occasion of falling.

IX. But what is it that troubles us? Opi­nion? If so; It is but removing that Opi­nion, and we are secure; and this methinks might be done by a very ordinary way of Reason. Nothing can hurt us, unless we joyn with it to hurt our selves. The mind is safe and inaccessible; out of the reach of Injuries and Accidents. It moves it self, and in judging of Externals, it makes every thing only to be, as it is taken. My Adver­sary (says one) is certainly the vilest Creature upon the Face of the Earth. Let him alone then, say I, and leave him to be punish'd by some other hand: Or however, he has his Torment already in his Transgression. He's a man of Reason, and I wonder he can allow himself in these Liberties. I prethee wonder at thy self too, and begin the Reformation at [Page 46] home, upon thy own Impatience, and learn to overcome Evil with Good. But we have o­ther mens faults in sight, and our own behind us. Oh the Pleasure of Revenge, says the Vin­dictive man. Let him take it then, say I; upon condition, that he fall upon his great­est Enemy first. Let him begin with his extravagant fury and rage. Is not he a mad man that runs into the Streets to beat Boys for breaking his Windows, when he has Thieves in his House, that are ready to rifle h [...]m, and cut his Throat? When Plato's hand was up in Choler, to strike an unto­ward Servant, he consider'd better of it, and checked himself; Sirrah, says he, I would box ye, if I were not angry with you: Judging it more for his credit to chastise his Passion, before he meddled with his Man; and giving to understand, that a Cholerick Ma­ster deserves the Lash better than a Negli­gent Servant. You shall very rarely find any man Brave, that is Furious.

X. Judges and Publick Magistrates may be allowed to put on a Countenance of Se­verity and Displeasure; but if at any time it comes up to Anger, let it be so ordered, as only to wait upon Reason, but not to preclude it. Offenders are to be repre­hended, and corrected too, but without Passion. So long as there are bad men in the World, there will be Villany in it; and [Page 47] he that is resolved to fret himself for what­soever he sees amiss, shall never have one quiet hour while he breaths. We are not angry at the Heats and Colds in their proper course and season: No less natural are the Indignities we suffer from wicked men, and no otherwise ought we to concern our selves for them. A wise and a good man should deal with Malefactors, as a Physician does with mad Men; do them all the good he can, and let their Extravagancies go for no­thing. The only Revenge for a Slanderer, is to let him alone, as if he were not worth a Revenge. The less his Calumny works upon another, the more it works upon him­self, by disappointing him of the end and pleasure of his Contumely. But 'tis a shame, you'l say, for a man to be contemn'd, and not to vindicate his Honour. How great a shame is it then, to fear to be contemned? for no man fears Contempt, but he that deserves it. A wise man reckons nothing disgrace­ful but sin; for he governs himself, not ac­cording to the judgment of men, but of God. If any man despise me, if any man hate me, let him look to it; it shall be my care not to deserve either. Patience is in­vincible, and triumphs in the end over Na­ture it self. It is a kind of Imitation of God himself, who forgives all, suffers all, and with his Mercies transcends our Iniquities, It is more glorious to take no notice at all of an In­jury, than to pardon it.

CHAP. VIII.

I. THE Envious man is not only the first, but the greatest Plague to himself, He preys upon his own Bowels, before he meddles with his Neighbours Goods; and it is not in this, as in other Vices, where the Punishment follows the Sin, for here it goes before it, and yet keeps it company too, for they go hand in hand together. A Diabolical Affection! That another mans Happiness must be my Tor­ment; and that which makes him fat, must make me lean. In other sins, we find only an opposition to this or that particular Ver­tue: But Envy perverts the very nature of things, and professes open Enmity to all Goodness. First, to God himself, whose Nature it is (humanely speaking) to com­municate all his Mercies and Blessings. Next, to the Saints and Angels, who re­joyce in the Comforts of their Companions, as if they were their own. Thirdly, to Christian Charity, which bids us do good even to our Enemies. And lastly, to the [Page 49] Law of Nature, which commands us to wish other people as happy as our selves. Envy is a kind of blear-ey'd Affection, it can­not endure to look against the Light.

II. Satan indeed is envious, but it is a­gainst Men, not his Fellow-Devils: Where­as in our Envy, (worse than the Devils themselves) we fall foul one upon another: A sign of a mean and abject mind; for we envy nothing but what we think above us. He that would deliver himself from this Di­stemper, must take his heart off from this transitory World, and fix it upon a better. The love of Eternity is the death of Envy. He that has set his heart upon Heaven, can ne­ver envy any mans Enjoyments upon Earth. It were as if a Prince should envy a Cobler. He reckons the World, and all the Glories of it, not worth a serious thought. We have enough to do (a man would think) to strug­gle with our own Afflictions, without vexing our selves at the prosperity of o­thers. No man shall ever be Happy, so long as the sight of a Happier man than him­self can make him miserable. If by envying the Wealth, the Abilities, the Dignity of our Neighbours, we could transfer all to our selves, it were something: But this is never to be done by Envy; by Love, in some measure, it may: For by loving what's good in another, we make it our own.

[Page 59]III. We may couple Envy and Sloth to­gether; for they both agree in an abject Heaviness of Mind. The Envious mans Trouble is to see any body else happy; and the Slothful mans, to despair of being so himself: And none but pitiful Wretches are subject to either of these Passions. Sloth is the Vice of a languishing Spirit, that's wea­ry of every thing that's good; and for fear of blocks and difficulties in the way, shrinks at the very thought of any Generous Enter­prize. It will, and it will not. The Slug­gard is various and unconstant; a burthen to himself, a trouble to others: He's perpe­tually wishing himself out of the World, weary of his Life, and the Contriver of his own Misfortunes. He's like a Top, in con­tinual Agitation; the Whip drives him a­bout, but 'tis only round, not forward. He stops still at half-way, and goes through with nothing. All his Works are insipid, and (like warm Water) a Vomit both to God and man. This stupid Drowsiness must be shak'd off, and a generous Resolu­tion taken up in the place of it, or we are undone for ever. As the Bird is made to fly, so is Man born to labour: And since Labour and Travel are our Portion, why should we not rather take pains to be happy, than to be miserable? Let us be never so lazy to Godward, the World will yet find us work enough to do. One man labours for [Page 51] an Estate, another for a Title, or an Office; when half that trouble and diligence would secure us a blessed Eternity, and no body looks after it: But Vices and Vanities come to a better Market: The greater is our shame, to be so dull and careless in a mat­ter of that Importance, as not to endure the Labour of one Moment, for an Eter­nal Reward. There is nothing so hard, but Courage, with Gods Blessing, may o­vercome. We fancy Difficulties, where there are none. Whatever the Mind im­poses upon it self, it obtains. He that does what he can, does as much as he needs to do. God helps the willing.

CHAP. XI.

I. PRide, Ambition, and Vain Glory are Vices that are very near akin: And they are to other sins, as the Sea is to the Rivers, the Source and Fountain of them all. When a man comes once to be blown up with this Tumour of Adoring Himself, farewel all Reverence and Respect, both to God and Man: And if there be no way to Glory, but by Villany and Fraud, by the Ruine or Death of his Brother; That's the way he'l take, without any difficulty or scruple. The Proud man is abominable to God, and intolerable to Mankind: All his faculties and studies are bent upon Popular Applause. He takes wonderful Delight in the Contem­plation of his own Abilities, and to think what pity 'tis, such Men as he are not em­ployed at the Helm. He's as bold as blind Bayard; and puts his Oar into every mans Boat; [Page 53] ever magnifying himself, and despising all others. And yet all this is done under a Mask of Humility, for fear he should be suspected of Ambition. If he miss his end, or fall into disgrace, the whole World is too little to hear his Story, and he makes it his business to stir up brawls and disputes No man so insolent and domineering to his Inferiours; nor so arrant a Slave to those that are above him. He'll fawn upon ye like a Spaniel, and you shall find him as tame a Mutton. If there be any thing in him that's good, he has the Arrogance to challenge it to himself, as if God Almighty had no hand in't. He loves to be in at e­very thing, and to talk loud and Magiste­rially of matters that he understands no more than a Goose. He is a great meddler in other peoples affairs; rash in his Judg­ment, and severe in his Censure. He's much better at spying out his Neighbours Faults, than his Vertues. He has a kind of disdainful Singularity in his Port, Words, Looks, Actions, and Ways. He is not to be wrought upon either by Correction, Cau­tion, or good Advice. He wants abundance of good things, which he fancies he has; and those which really he is possest of, are nothing so great as he imagines them. And this it is that makes him gall and fret him­self; as who should say, Good Lord! What an Age are we fallen into, when Men of Parts are [Page 54] ready to beg their bread, and such as I am, come to be neglected! He is afflicted with a perpetual Palpitation of the heart; and it can hardly be otherwise with one that is continually upon the Tip-toe, and streining at (Honour) a thing which is out of his reach. Pride is the Foundation of all Evil.

II. If we will know the Difference be­tween the smallest Particle of Eternal Bliss, and the whole sum of what appears to be desirable in this World (Kingdoms, Em­pire, nay the intire Universe it self) let us but lay them in the Scale, one against the o­ther, and the Earth, with all the Pomps and Pleasures of it, are not so much as a Leaf, or a Feather in the Ballance Let us look upward then, and address our selves to the end, for which we were created, and laying aside all vain Opinions of our own Excellencies, let us examine our selves, and take a true estimate of our Worth and Va­lue. He that is proud in a mean Condition, certainly if he had been born to a Crown, there would have been no enduring him. Now I would have every Christian to prize himself, not as the Son of Caesar, but (which is more) as the Son of God, redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ. This is an Extraction that is truly Honourable: Why do we not glorifie our selves upon this ac­count, but tather lie groveling upon the [Page 55] Earth, to the scandal of our Divine Origi­nal? God is our Father, who hath elected us to the Dominion of the Heavens, and the Stars, and given us an Assurance of an everlasting Possession. Here lies our Glory, our Nobility, our Comfort: Here we may lawfully boast. Let us therefore raise our Eyes and our Hearts, and frame our Lives and manners to the Likeness of our Father which is in Heaven. This is the way that leads to True, and to Immortal Honour.

III. As for Crowns and Scepters, what are they but Golden Fetters, and glaring Miseries? which, if men did but truly un­derstand, there would be more Kingdoms than Kings to govern them. A great Fortune is a great Slavery; and Thrones are but uneasie Seats, and so they find them that possess them, let the Multitude conceive of them what they please. That Felicity cannot but be troublesome to the Ruler, that makes him burthensome to his People. And when it comes to that once, how sick they grow of that Splendor which charmed and dazled them before! What Contempla­tions and Philosophising upon the Blessings of Privacy and Freedom, and the Vanity of Earthly things! They look then with Terror upon Death and the Last Judgment: And all the Greatness that they have pur­chas'd with so much Sweat and Blood, [Page 56] shrinks to nothing at the very thought. Let us therefore so live, that we may appear with Comfort before the Great Tribunal. He that humbles himself now, shall be exalted hereafter.

IV. He that thinks he shall be safe and quiet, when he is great, is directly out of his wits. Many Liberties may be taken in a private Condition, that are dangerous in a Publick. The higher we are raised, the more eminent are our Infirmities: There's no concealing of any thing upon the top of the House. We have lost even the Tran­quility that we had before. There's not a day, not an hour, that we can call our own. And then the Fall is in a manner from Hea­ven to Hell. How can we then expect Peace and Repose in a Station, where all that ever went before us, have encountered Hazards and Trouble, if not Death it self? How many Princes have been poysoned at their very Tabls, betray'd in the Arms of their Mistresses? Caesar was murthered in the Senate-house. He that stands high up­on a slippery place, and the brink of a Pre­cipice, God have mercy upon him: But the man that stands below, upon the firm Ground, needs not fear falling. In our Greatnesses we are to consider, that every man that admires and flatters us, envies us too in his heart. What with our open, and [Page 57] our secret Enemies, we are never secure. We are betray'd by our Servants, our Friends, our Relations. But these are the sins and miseries of Courts, not of Cottages. He that lies close, lives quiet. He fears no bo­dy, of whom no body is afraid.

V. A man could hardly forbear laughing, to see a Horse or a Dog take upon himself an Authority over the rest of his kind: And is it not more ridiculous for a Man to do it, because he has more Money perhaps, or more Power? Proud Dust and Ashes! to exalt himself upon his own Bottom, when he has nothing good in him, but what he has received from above. We can call no­thing our own, but our sins. Let us render Glory then, for what we have received, un­to him that gave it. Do we prefer one Horse before another, because he has more Meat, or gayer Trappings? No, by no means; but we reckon him to be the better, that's the fleeter. No more is a Man to be esteemed for any thing apart from himself. But I am a Person of Quality, says one, and the best man in the Company. The very saying of such a thing, is a Forfeiture of the Honour he pretends to; for no man is truly Ho­nourable, but a Good man▪ with whom this Titulor Honour is of no Accompt. True Nobility does not advance it self, and the great Ornament of an Illustricus Life is Mo­desty. [Page 58] Humility goes a great way in the Cha­racter even of the most Glorious Prince.

VI. If we would but take a measure of our little Bodies, and make a Search into our Infirmities, we should find much to humble us, and very little or nothing to brag of. The Philosophers tell us, that the World is but a Point: And yet we must be dividing even of this Point into Kingdoms and Dominions. The Earth we trample upon shall ere long be laid upon us; and of all our Possessions, we shall have only so much left as will serve to cover a cold and rotten Carcase. And is not here a goodly Foundation, think ye, for all our great and mighty Projects? This Consideration me­thinks, should put a Check to our furious and insolent Passions: There's no designing of Conquests, and ranging of Armies in the Grave. When the mad Humour is over, we shall come then (though too late I fear) to understand the Emptiness of Names and Titles; and that they are like Glass, the Brighter, the Britler; and the more they shine, the sooner they are broken. The Oak that has been an Age a growing, is cut down in an hour.

VII. He that withdraws himself from Company, has cut off one dangerous Temp­tation▪ For Pride shews it self more or [Page 59] less, in proportion to the number of Specta­tors. People dress and trick up themselves to be seen. Are not all the excesses of Luxury, and Magnificence, for Ostentation? Did ever any man expose the Pomp of his Vanity and Riot in a Desert? Ambition loves to shew it self in the Face of the World; and is never so well pleased as with a Popular Applause. When the Bee has made her Honey; the Horse finish'd his Course; the Tree brought forth its Fruit, their Business is at an End: But the Man that is struck with Vain-Glory, ac­counts all the rest as nothing, without ma­king himself the Idol of the Multitude, and to be adored, flattered, and pointed at by the Rabble. But certainly did we but daily consider who they are that commend us, we should hardly think them worth our Courtship. They are a vain and fickle sort of men, the dregs of Mankind, and made up of Phrensie and Contradiction. They are short-liv'd, both the Bestowers and Re­ceivers of these Applauses. The Earth it self is but a Point, and this is done but in a corner even of that Point. There were divers Dissenters too, and scarce a man of all the rest that knows his own Mind▪ But 'tis a brave thing for a Man to make himself fa­mous to Posterity; that is to say, to those whom we never did see, nor ever shall. Why are we not as well troubled, that no [Page 60] body talk'd of us before we came into the World, as delighted to think how we shall be spoken of after we are gone out of it. Nay, let us give it for granted, that our Memories shall be perpetuated, and our Names live for ever. What then? what shall we be the better for this when we are dead? Or to come nearer, what are we the better for this same thing called Fame, e­ven while we are living? A man is many times commended, where he is not, and tormented where he is. The Value of eve­ry thing is in it self; and it self: and it is neither the better for a good word, nor the worse for wanting it. The Sun would be every jot as glorious without Spectators, as with them. The Rose is never the sweeter, nor the pleasanter; the Diamond is never the brighter, for an Encomium. It is a strong proof of a generous Mind, for a man to be content with himself, and not to de­pend upon the Breath of the Common Peo­ple for his Satisfaction. He that covets Praise, does not deserve it; for what is there in us, that is Praise-worthy? Frail and miserable. Wretches that we are! (and at the best, but Unprofitable Servants.) If there be any man that has the Confidence to justifie himself, and say he has done his duty; let him have a care that he be really what he would be thought to be; and that he approve himself in that which the World [Page 61] esteems him for. Our Being, Life and Rea­son, we owe to Almighty God, and the only thing we can claim to our selves, is our Ini­quity. Nothing we are, and nothing we have to boast of; and till we acknowledge this, we shall never be any thing.

CHAP. X.

I. IN the Entertainment of our Bodies, we are to take care that they be kept in Obedience to the Mind, on the one hand; and want nothing that is necessary for Health, on the other. We are to provide for them, but not wholly to serve them. Give me Meat to lay my Hunger; Drink to quench my Thirst; Clothes to keep me warm; and Lodging, to shelter me from the Weather; I'll ask no more: Nay, we are to suspect all Superfluities; for, Whatso­ever is beyond a Competence, is a Snare. He that is over-solicitous for his Body, is thecontra­ry for his Soul: And certainly we are born to Nobler Ends, than to be Slaves to our Car­cases; [Page 62] which we are no otherwise to consi­der, than as the Cages and Prisons of our Minds. A wise and a good man does not so behave himself, as if his Body were the main end of his Being; but he takes care of it, because he cannot live without it. The Body is the Instrument of the Soul; and 'tis not for a Workman to neglect his Trade, and spend his whole time in order­ing his Tools. It is the sign of a Sot, to be always tending of the Body.

II. Since it is by the Windows of the Senses, that Death enters into the Soul, we are to draw them, as much as may be, from the earthly Life, to the Heavenly, and to keep them from being altogether taken up with worldly Delights. (For we are to use them as Servants, not as Masters.) In the first place, we are to set a Guard upon our Eyes. There is not any thing that more powerfully moves the Imagination, stirs the Appetite, or works upon the Mind, than a wandring Glance; and the Mischief is done in a moment. Wherefore let the inward Eye accompany the exterior, that we may see God in every thing we look upon; and when we shall have once learn'd to adore him in his Creatures, our next step will be the Contemplation of his Divine Majesty, and to worship him in Himself. A delicate well-drest Woman, is an elaborate Luxuy. [Page 63] There's Death in her very Looks, and if you stand to gaze upon her, you're undone. Comedies, Balls, and Publick Spectacles do but weaken the Mind, and fill it with Toys, that take us off from the Consideration of better things. One Error in the Eye begets a­nother in the Affections.

III. Hearing is the Sense of Discipline; the Gate by which the Notions of Truth and Wisdom are convey'd into the Mind. If the Passage of the ear be not narrowly watch'd, we shall entertain Lies and Fables for Verities, and Folly for Wisdom. We must keep out all Slanderers, Tale-bearers, New mongers, Babblers, Busie-bodies, Idle Impertinents, and whatsoever else is beside our main Business. As in Musick, a Man is not only affected upon the very Instant of hearing it, but the Harmony leaves an Im­pression behind it, that works upon him when it is over; so in Conversation, a lewd Discourse, though it does us no hurt per­chance at present, will be yet running in our heads afterward, and create in us evil Dispositions. The less we hear Men about our ears, the more shall we hear God in our hearts. As to Perfumes and precious Odors, they are an effeminate kind of Luxury. Let us sweeten our Manners, for it is more no­ble and manly, to indulge our Souls, than our Nostrils. The Taste is to be humbled [Page 64] by Abstinence and Sobriety. The Touch by Discipline, Mortifications, and Austeri­ties. Is it not bitter to punish the Body, and preserve it, than so to flatter and indulge it, as to ruine both Body and Soul for ever?

IV. One may give a shrewd guess at the humour of a Man by his Clothes: There is some regard therefore to be given to the decency of our Apparel and Dress. A Fool is known by his Coat. The ancient Sages a­mong the Heathen would not suffer a man so much as to hold up his finger, without giving a Reason for it. Now though I would not be so strict, I could wish yet, that men would be a great deal more care­ful in many cases than they are. I do not like profuse Laughter, Scurrility, Loose Be­haviour, Antick Motions and Gestures a huddling Gate, nor any thing whatsoever that may give Offence; as, foul Linen, a greasie Doublet, an unpleasant Counte­nance, waggling the Head, or making Apes faces, yawning and looking about, as if one were weary of the Company; nor (in Conclusion) any thing to make them weary of us. Many things may be well enough done, that are not fit to be seen.

V. Man was created naked, and he was not ashamed; for he knew no shame in it. [Page 65] But after his Transgression, came in his shame; he lost his Innocence, and kept him in Countenance before, and made him­self Breéches to cover his Nakedness. But that which was originally a Mark of Guilt and Shame, is now become a Badge of Dignity and Honour. Our Garments, now adays, are not so much for Covering, as for Ornament, and to entertain the Eyes and Curiosities of others. The Trimming and Dress is the index of the Mind. It is a scan­dalous Effeminacy for a man to spend his time betwixt the Comb and the Glass. If he that's proud, or enamour'd of an out­side, did but well consider what's under it, I am perswaded, it would take down his stomach. He that has Vertue in his Mind, never troubles himself about Lace for his Back. Vertue is best in her native Beauty, without Arts or Fucusses; and so glorious in her self, that if she were covered with Jewels, they would but serve her for a Foil, It is a miserable mistake in men, to bestow so much Cost and Care upon the Body, and leave the Soul in all manner of Pollu­tion and Uncleanness. To see men load themselves with Chains, and because they are of Gold, to glory in them too, without any sense of Infamy or Contempt; as if the Metal made the difference. We are Princes in Golden Fetters, and Slaves in Iron. Some are only shackled with Gold, [Page 66] others are riveted and fastened to it. Their ears are bored, where they carry a whole Patrimony in a Pendent; and that which was in old time a Punishment, is now be­come a piece of Vanity and Ambition. There is more pains taken about the order­ing of a Perruke, than for the Security of the very Head it self. And so far has Folly prevailed upon the World, that we set the highest value upon those things that ought to be our Scorn. I would have my Clothes plain and fit for my Condition; such, as I would be neither proud nor asham'd of; not for Ostentation, but Necessity. It is not Gold and Pearl that will keep any man from being deformed, who is not clothed with Christ's Righteousness. This is the everlasting Beauty that shines in the Soul, when the Flesh is Worms-meat. Who but a Mad-man will be at the Charge to gild a Dunghil?

CHAP. XI.

I. THE Tongue has in a manner the Power of Life and Death; and it is of so great moment, the Government of it, that we are to look very narrowly to it. A Tongue without a Guard upon it, is like a City without a Wall. There is no taming of it, without the special Grace of God. Lions, Bulls, Bears, are a thousand times more easie to be reclaim'd. Men are na­turally given to be talkative, and presently to communicate their thoughts, as soon as they have conceiv'd them: And then, be­ing so near the Brain, the Fancy conveys it self down, and distils it self into Words im­mediately. It is not for nothing, that Na­ture her self thought fit to enclose the Tongue with the double Fence, both of the [Page 68] Teeth and Lips. Open the Mouth of a Glass, and the Spirits evaporate: Open the Mouth of a Man, and so does the Vigour of his Mind. He looks but ill to himself, that let his Tongue run at random.

II. We are to consider before we speak, and not be blurting out, without fear or Wit, whatsoever comes at our Tongues end. Let a man deliver himself candidly and clearly, without any Mystery or Disguise. God Al­mighty hath bestowed the Faculty of Speech upon us, for the Testimony and Propaga­tion of the Truth. He that gives Licence to his Tongue, when he is in a Passion, will speak that in a moment, that he may re­pent all his life after: Let him therefore examine himself, and forbear till the storm is over. When a mans Mind is at quiet, 'tis an easie matter to keep his Tongue so too, for there is naturally a fair Correspon­dence between them. A sober and reason­able Discourse, is an Argument of a sound, temperate, and well-composed frame of Mind. And on the other side, the one blasts the other. The Value of a man is best known by his Discourse.

III. Better not speak at all, than to no pur­pose. We can make choice of our Meats, why not of our Words too? We can exa­mine what goes into our mouths, and why [Page 69] not what comes out of them as well? for the latter is more dangerous in a Family, than the other in the Stomach. He that con­verses much with himself, and little with other people, is the wisest and the happiest man; for more have repented themselves of their speaking, than of their silence. Nay, even of Animals, the most apprehen­sive among them are the least clamorous. Women and Children are the most given to Babling. Many vain and unprofitable words are the certain Indication of a weak and a worthless man. If we lov'd God, and study'd our own Salvation as we ought, our Dis­course would be altogether of Him, of Ver­tue and Perfection. Love can neither dis­semble nor conceal it self, and where we truly love, we can talk of nothing else. We are not willing to treat of Heavenly things, because our Affections are not yet taken off from the Corruptions of the Flesh. And then for want of Reading and Mediation, we are at a loss even for matter, if we had never so good a will to the Discourse. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

IV. When Company meets, the better half of the Conversation is commonly spent in talking of other Peoples affairs: Where every man has almost as many Judges to sit upon him, as there be Heads in the Town: But not a Creature that looks homeward. [Page 70] We are all of us as blind on that side, as we are sharp-sighted on the other. In cases of Reproof and Scandal, our ears are open to every idle Srory; but let any thing be spo­ken to the Honour and Vindication of our Neighbour, we take no notice of it at all. Detraction is a common Fault, and the com­moner, (like an infectious Disease) the more dangerous. But what have we to do with other peoples Faults, when every man has work enough at home, to mend one? Have a care of blabbing Secrets on any terms: or of committing Secrets rashly to any body; for it has been many a mans ruine. And whether a man be betrayed by one, or by more, it is the same thing. For a word passes from one to another, till it comes to all at last. This Facility is com­monly found among people that are full of Discourse, and that love to hear themselves talk: They are possest with a kind of Drun­kenness, and when their Tongues are once going, they can hold nothing, be it never so private and sacred. They interchange their Secrets by turns; first the one, and then the other requires him as a Seal of the Confidence. If the one keeps Counsel, the other tells all perchance to the next man he meets, till every body comes to know that under the Rose, which no body seems to know openly. But in the conclusion, it goes on so long in a Whisper, till at length [Page 71] the Secret overflows, and becomes a pub­lick Rumour. There is scarce any Evil un­der the Sun which the Tongue has not had a share in: We should therefore weigh our Words, and bridle our Mouths, for fear of bolting somewhat that had been better let alone. It is much more commendable to be sparing of our words, than of our money. He that squanders away his Estate, though he does himself hurt, yet others are the bet­ter for him; but the Profusion of the Tongue, every body is the worse for it. To hear much and speak little is a divine Vertue.

V. There is not any thing that scapes the Lash of a Licentious Tongue. No, not the Princes of the Earth with all their Power. Not the holy Saints and Martyrs, with all their Sanctity and Innocence. Nay, our blessed Saviour himself, when he was upon Earth, suffered under Contumely and Re­proach. So that we are not without great Examples, to encourage and excite our Pa­tience. He that behaves himself as he ought to do, under the Persecution of ill Tongues, may reap an advantage from them; for De­traction is a kind of Provocation to Vertue, and as good as a Bridle, to keep a man in the right way; and though it be a grea [...] Wickedness it self, in him that uses it, there is not yet (in the Confequence) a greater Enemy to Wickedness in another. When [Page 72] any body speaks ill of us, we are to make use of it as a Caution, without troubling our selves at the Calumny. He that would disappoint the Malice of a venemous Tongue, let him slight it; let him but hold his peace, and it does him no hurt. If my Conscience tells me that I am Innocent. What do I care who tells the World that I am Guilty? He's in fine case, that values himself upon other peoples Opinions, and depends upon the Judgment of Fools, for the peace of his life. When any man is ill spoken of, let him consider; if I have not deserved it, I am never the worse; if I have, I'll mend. If a Jewel be right, no matter who says 'tis a Counterfeit. It is not the decrying and discrediting of a Cry­stal Brook, that will turn it into a Puddle: Nay, if you throw dirt into it, you shall see it clear again presently. Let us learn Ver­tue then from the very Fountains and Ri­vers, and maintain Tranquility of Mind, in despight of Censure and Opposition. It is a womanish Weakness and Levity, to be startled at every Report. To see a Child in the Mothers Arms tearing of her Hair, striking her, pinching her Breasts, clawing and slavering of her Face; there is not a­ny body that will take this for an Affront, because the poor Creature cannot intend it so, and knows not what it does. No more ought we to be moved in the case of a Ca­lumny, [Page 73] then Parents are at this behaviour of an Infant. He that lets himself down to be wrought upon by an Injury, does too much honour to his Adversary: For where it vexes me to be despised, it would won­derfully please me to be esteemed. This is the humour of a narrow Mind; And no man shall ever be happy, whom Contempt can make miserable.

CHAP. XII.

I. IT is a main point of Wisdom, not to admit of any Opinion into the Mind, which is not consonant to Nature or Rea­son: Wherefore we are to set our selves a­gainst all the Inordinate Motions of Phansie, as the Logicians do against the Quirks and Fallacies of Sophistry. My Son's dead: I'm not to blame for't; I could not help it. My Father has disinherited me: And that's the same case with the other. Well! There's [Page 74] something that I take very ill: Now this is not well done, for 'tis my own Act, and a thing in my own power to prevent. Such a man bears his Misfortunes with great Honour: He does well in't; for it was in his own power, and the thing it self is good. My Friend is carried away to Prison: That's no great matter. Oh but he has very hard mea­sure (you'll say:) correct Opinion, and there's no hurt in that neither. We should deal with the Imagination, as we do with a Madman, keep it in Chains for fear of mis­chief. For otherwise a wild Beast is not so ungovernable. It flies out, rambles, ex­travagates, hunts after Novelties, takes no rest, and knows no such thing as Modera­tion. We are to restrain and fix it, if we can; for otherwise, instead of a clear and constant Reason, all our thoughts and reso­lutions are to be steered only by Uncer­tainty and Opinion. Whatsoever falls not within the Compass of the Mind, is beside our business.

II. Whensoever any thing presents it self to our thoughts, we are thorowly to exa­mine the matter within our selves, First, as to the nature of the thing, simply and in it self abstracted from all things else. And then, as to the Proprieties, the End, Cir­cumstances, Benefit: How far it may con­cern us; Whether it be in our Power, or [Page 75] no? without which we are to give it no Admittance; but on the contrary, as much as possible, to oppose it. Let every man remember, that there is a Sear [...]her of hearts, and take heed of exposing to Almighty God, those Corruptions in his Soul, which he would blush to own to a familiar Friend in an honest Conversation. Let our thoughts be peaceful, sincere, pure, and void of Ma­lice: such (in fine) as if any man should ask us (on the sudden) what they are, we need not scruple to own them. We are not so much as to think what we are a­shamed to speak. The best way to keep out wicked thoughts, is to be always employ'd upon good ones.

III. The greatest Opposite and Enemy to the Reasonable Soul, is the Brutal and Sensitive Appetite: The Fountain of all Sins and Imperfections, the Adversary that we are always to fear and struggle with, till we have brought him (as far as may be in this life) under the Government of Reason, This is a Combat that admits neither Quiet nor Truce. We have a restless Enemy to deal withal, and it must be a restless Con­flict. An Enemy that lurks in our own Veins; nay, the one half of us is in a Con­spiracy against the other. We are to rescue our Souls from our Bodies, and to assault our selves: He that subdues his Passions, does [Page 76] a greater thing than he that conquers a City. I do not ask an Impossibility, and that we should utterly extinguish our depraved Af­fections; let us only learn to govern them: I am not for a Stoical Apathy, but for a Rea­sonable and a Christian Moderation. Na­ture was never guilty of any thing that is vain and superfluous. Take away all Af­fections, and you take away all Vertue. Where there is no Combat, there can be no Victory.

IV. This Dispute, I must confess, is both difficult and doubtful: For our Passions are a great deal older than our Reason. They came into the World with us, but our Rea­son follows a long time after: And when our Affections have a good while domi­neered and carry'd our Wills (blindfold, as it were) into all sorts of specious Mistakes, under the colour of Good: Then up steps Reason (in process of time, and fortifi'd by Experience) to claim her right of Autho­rity and Jurisdiction, and to put a check to the Tyranny of our Brutal Appetites. As to the first Motions of Nature, there's no preventing, no avoiding of them; but then it concerns us to keep a strict Watch over them, that they do not grow upon us; and if we find them unruly or impetuous, to subject them to the Government of Reason. We may better struggle with Beginnings [Page 77] than with Habits. If we be but circumspect, we may easily keep our selves quiet: For he that fore-casts what may happen, shall never be surpriz'd. 'Tis too late to begin to Arm, when the Enemy is in our Quar­ters. In the multiplicity of our Words and Actions, how much is there that might be spar'd! Let us therefore contract our selves; the less we have to do with the World, the less will be our trouble. And it is not for us to say, This or that is a small Business; for I tell ye, let it seem never so small, It is a great advance, the very first Step that leads to Vertue and Perfection.

V. If we may compare to a Tree, the old man in us, that derives his Original from the infected Seed of Adam; we may re­semble Self-Love to the Root, a Perverse Inclination to the Trunk, Perturbations to the Branches; Vitious Habits to the Leaves, Evil Works, Words, and Thoughts, to the Fruit. Now the way to hinder all subse­quent Corruptions and Wickedness, is to lay the Ax to the Root, and to begin with Self-Love. Take away that, and the whole Off-spring of Carnal Appetite is destroy'd at one Blow. And this is done by Humility and Contempt of our selves. We must be lowly in our own Eyes, and not fear either the Scorn or the Displeasure of Men: We must chearfully submit to what condition [Page 78] soever God hath appointed for us: He that hates himself as he ought, shall be sav'd; He that loves himself as he ought not, is in dan­ger to perish.

CHAP. XIII.

I. LOve is a certain Delight or Satis­faction we take in that which is Good: The first Impression that affects the Appetite, proceeding from the Pleasure we take in a known Good. It is the Ce­ment of the World; the most powerful of all our Passions; subdue this once, and the rest are easily overcome. The Love which is divine, aspires naturally toward its Ori­ginal. All Good comes from the Soveraign Good, and thither it tends. Let every man call his own Soul to a Shrift, and see what it is that his Heart is most set upon: For it is either the God which he should worship, or the Idol which he should not. It is the Command of God, that we love him with the whole heart, and without a Rival. He that loves any thing else, with his whole heart, makes that his God.

[Page 79]II. Beside the ordinary Motives to Love, which are Vertue and Beauty, there is also a certain Agreement and Congruity of Minds and Manners; together with several Graces and Advantages both of Body and Mind: As, Modesty of Behaviour, Industry, Nobility, Learning, Sharpness of Wit, &c. But the great Attractive of Love, is Love it self; which, if accompany'd with Benefits, is sufficient to turn, even the strongest A­version into a Kindness. Men of clear Spi­rits, warm and sanguine Constitutions, mild and gentle Natures, are much given to Love.

III. So great is the Power of Love, that it does in a manner, transform the Lover into the thing belov'd. It is a kind of a willing Death, a voluntary Separation of the Soul and Body. He that is in Love, is out of himself; he thinks not of himself, he provides nothing for himself, and effectu­ally, he is as good as no where at all, if he be not with the thing he loves: His Mind is in one place, and his Body in another. How miserable is that man that loves, and loves not God! What Proportion is there betwixt a corruptible Object and the Im­mortal Soul! The end of such Love is Va­nity, and Vexation, and Disappointment: Whereas he that loves God, lives always where he loves; in him, in whom all things [Page 80] live; and in a secure possession of an un­changeable Good. In Carnal Love there is a mixture of Bitterness and Violence; but the Love of God is altogether humble and calm. The one is full of Jealousies, the other has none. Here we are afraid of Ri­vals, and there we pray for them. We are to love God, if we love our selves; for we are only the better for it, not He. Man is changeable and mortal, but there's no losing of God, unless we forsake him.

IV. If we would have the love we bear to our Neighbour sincere, it must be wholly sounded upon Piety and Religion; ab­stracted from all the common Considera­tions of Wit, Likeness, Good Humour, &c. The Platonic Love, which pretends from the sight of a Corporal Beauty, to raise the Soul to the Contemplation of the Divine, proves in the end to be the very Bane of Vertue. It is very rarely that a man stops at the view of a lovely Woman, without a desire to come nearer; and whether it be a Ray only, or some kind of Fascination with it, that passes from the Eye to the Object; somewhat there is that dissolves a man, and ruines him. There's more danger in a slip of the Eyes, than of the Feet. The Cure of Love is the more difficult, because the more we oppose it, the stronger Resistance it makes: And if it be not checkt at the ve­ry [Page 81] beginning, it comes so insensibly upon us, that we are in before we are aware; but if we begin with it betimes, the Remedy is not difficult. One way of Cure may be by Diversion, and plunging a mans self into business, to put the thought of it out of his head: But then we must avoid all occasions and Circumstances, that may mind us of the Person we love. For if we relapse, there will be no Remedy, but Time and Ab­sence; and we must expect to be perpe­tually seized with it, till in the end it's weary'd out, and falls asleep. Many have been cur'd out of mere shame, to see them­selves pointed at, and made Town-talk, and then perhaps, they may have been brought to a better understanding of the Dishonour and Hazzard of their Pro­ceeding. Others have relieved themselves by finding out of Faults and Inconveni­encies, and by enquiring into the Errors and Imperfections of the thing they love. But the last and surest Remedy, is to drive out a Carnal Love with a Spiritual; and to turn our Affections to God, to Vertue, to Heaven, and to Eternity, which are truly amiable. A generous Mind cannot but be asham'd to set his heart upon a Dunghil, Evil Love corrupts good Manners.

V. What is it but a kind of Natural Love-Chain, that ties the whole World together, [Page 82] and the several parts of it? The Stars of the Firmament in their Motions, the Birds of the Air, and the Beasts of the Field. Now this Sacred Bond is only dissolv'd by Ha­tred, which leads to Division and Dissen­sion, as Love does to Union. The most subject to this Vice are the Slothful, the Fearful, and the Suspicious; for they fancy themselves to be threatned with Mischief, which way soever they look. There are some people of so unsociable a Nature, that like Birds of ill Omen, they both hate and fear all things together. These men are a Burthen to themselves, and to Mankind, and to be avoided by all means, but with Pity, not Hatred. And in truth, there will be no place for Hatred, if we turn every thing to the best; for there is no man so ill, but he has some mixture of Good in him. There is nothing truly detestable, but Sin and Damnation. If we turn our Hatred any other way, the harm is to our selves, and not to the thing we hate. For if we are com­manded to love our Enemies, we are like­wise implicitely commanded not to hate a­ny body. The Wickedness, I confess (but not the Man) we may and ought to hate, and it is there only that we can justifie our Hatred. But if a man we must needs hate, let us begin at home, for there it is (even in himself) that every man may find his greatest Enemy.

CHAP. XIV.

I. HE that submits himself to God, that desires nothing but with Resigna­tion, that accommodates himself to his Con­dition; that says, Whether I be sick or well, rich or poor, here or elsewhere; Be it, as it pleases God, his will be done. This is a happy man. But when we come once to expostu­late, and say, When shall I go thither? When shall I have this or that? We are in the rea­dy way to be miserable. For he that covets what's out of his reach, is condemned to a Wheel, ever pursuing what he shall never catch. Opinions, Thoughts, Affections, and some Actions too, are in our own power; but our Bodies, Riches, Honour, Preferments are not so. No man will pre­tend to forbid or hinder the former; but the latter are liable to Impediments, and hinder the Jurisdiction of another: So that we are either not to desire them at all, or otherwise, to take them only during Plea­sure, and as transitory Benefits which can­not long continue with us. There is no­thing [Page 84] in this World desirable, for the Figure of it passes away. Nay, if we had our very Wish, Death will come, and then we must leave all behind us. But within us, is an inexhaustible Fountain of Comfort, if we will but take the pains to dress it, and keep it open.

II. It was the great business and wisdom of some of the Ancient Philosophers, the Government of the Passions; and upon the Consideration of the Powers granted by God unto Man, they came to this Conclu­sion, that there was nothing properly to be ac­counted our own, but our Thoughts and Af­fections: And by frequent Meditation upon this matter, they got so absolute a Dominion over the Motions of the Mind, that by vir­tue of that Command, they did not stick to pronounce themselves (and with some Reason too) the only Rich, Powerful, and Happy men alive: Insomuch, that having exempted themselves from the Empire of Fortune, while their Bodies were even a­gonising in the Extremity of Torment, their blessed Souls were yet calmly exer­cised upon the Contemplation of Beati­tude. But it was by daily Labour and Practice, that they brought themselves to this state of Indifference, for external things: And he that has gain'd this point, does no more trouble himself for the want [Page 85] of any thing which he has not, than because he is not Emperor of Tartary, or has not Wings to flie. Those things that are without us, do not concern us.

III. This may serve to put a check to our Appetites; which if they be not kept with­in Bounds, will run out into endless Ex­travagancies; and the more we grant them, the more they will crave. What does it signifie, to pour. Water down the Throat of a man in a Fever? when his Grief is not a Thirst, but a Disease. He that squares his Desires to his Reason, is upon some cer­tainty, but when they lash out into Vice and Luxury, there is no end of their Im­portunity. He that contents himself within the limits of Nature, shall not need to want any thing he would have, but he that ex­ceeds those limits, shall be a Beggar even in the greatest Abundance. A very little suffices Nature, but Appetite is insatiable.

IV. We should do in our Lives, as we do at a Banquet; when any thing is brought a­bout and presented us, we are modestly to take part: If it pass by us, to let it go; if it be not yet come to us, to wait with Ci­vility and Patience, till it does come. The like Affections ought we to have for Riches, Honours, and other External things; at least, if we will pretend to the enjoyment [Page 86] of such a Serenity of Mind, as no Accidents shall be able to discompose. We are ar­rived at a blessed state of Tranquillity, if we can but advance thus far: But if we bring our selves once to a Neglect and Refusal of whatsoever the World can pretend to offer us, our work is done, and we are effectu­ally (even upon Earth) in Heaven already. Every mans Happiness is in his own power, if he will but keep his Desires within Com­pass. He is the happy man that can have what he will, and that may every man, by confining his Desires to what he can have.

V. There are many things we dread and abominate, as the greatest Miseries and Misfortunes that can befal us, which in the end prove the very contrary. They are Troublesom, it may be, and go against the Hair, but they are instructive. Death, Banishment, Want, Disgrace, Labour, Sick­ness, and the like; they are neither Evils in themselves, nor in our Power, nor are they properly our Concern. They are ter­rible only in Opinion, and not worthy of our Aversion. Socrates (aptly enough) calls them Bug-bears; only Vizours to fright Children, and the whole Business is but a Masquerade. Death it self, is it any more than a Bugbear? How has it been courted (even in the most hideous forms) by Multi­tudes [Page 87] of the blessed Saints and Martyrs! Nay by Pagans as well as Christians; by So­crates, and divers others of the Heathen Philosophers! There is not any thing in it so formidable, but only conceit and Opi­nion. It is the Fear of Death, and not the Death it self, that is so dreadful; and so it fares too in many other cases. Let us turn all our Fear, and all our Hatred, to the Fear and Hatred of Sin.

CHAP. XV.

I. JOY, when it passes the bounds of Mo­desty, draws on a kind of Dissolution of the Mind. We must have a care of that, and so to moderate our Chearfulness, that if need be, without any Difficulty, we may dispose our selves from Mirth to Sadness. Our Saviour (who was the best Judge of things) says not, Blessed are they that laugh, but they that mourn. It were a strange In­decency for a Christian, that professes him­self [Page 88] a Follower of Eternity, among so many perils both of Soul and Body; so many just grounds of Sadness, to spend his life in Gigling, and making Fools Faces, and transporting himself for Trifles. That fu­gitive earthly Pleasure and the Joys we talk of, are very many times the near Fore­runners of Sadness. There is no true Ioy, but that of a good Conscience. He that che­rishes, and takes care of the one, shall ne­ver want the other; for it grows in his own breast. All other rejoycing is but Merri­ment and Frolick, without any Substance at all, and many a man laughs with a heavy heart. True Ioy is a serious matter; and there must be a good Conscience, honest Purposes and Actions; a Contempt of Plea­sure, and the peaceful Tenour of an unspot­ted Life to maintain it. There can be no perfect Joy without Justice, Courage and Temperance. This is the Method of Ver­tue, first to mourn, and then to rejoyce.

II. Sadness is a Perturbation of the Mind, by reason of some present Evil, either real or appre­hended: But we do often-times find more trouble in the Opinion of things, than in the things themselves. Wherefore be not too inquisitive into the Qualities of things; as concerning Servants, (for the purpose) Lands, Moneys, Business; but rather take into consideration the Opinion and Esti­mate [Page 89] we have of them. It is not in a mans power to prevent Disgrace, Robbery, Vio­lence; but to make a right Judgment of these things, and to satisfie himself, that they are not simply evil, but often profita­ble; this is in his power. He that suffers under a present trouble, let him but turn his thought to a good Conscience, which is a continual Comfort, and there's his Cure. Nothing can fall amiss to a good Man: Not that he does not feel it, but he masters it; and considers all Adversity, only as matter for his Patience to work upon, as the In­strument of Divine Grace, and that which opens him a way to eternal Glory. A good man may be reputed unhappy, but he can never be so.

III. It does very much abate the edge of a Misfortune, to fore-see it; and to say to our selves, Whatsoever may be, shall be; for he that is prepar'd, can never be surpriz'd. Dis­appointments fall heavy upon people that are agog upon Prosperity. What if a man should lose half his Estate? What if all? What if his House should fall? his Corn be all blasted? his Friends forsake him? What if his Credit should be endanger'd? his Office taken away? his Gown turn'd over his ears? And to all this, let us add Sick­ness, Bondage, Ruine, Fire; It comes to no more than what every wise man is pre­par'd [Page 90] for. There is no Calamity, which he has not thought upon before-hand, and made as easie to him by long Meditation, as others make it by long Sufferance. That which happens to any man, may be every mans case. Where's the Rich man that can secure himself from Hunger and Beggery? Where's the Great man that may not fall into Disgrace and Contempt? Where's the Kingdom or Nation that may not be over­turned and utterly unpeopled? Have not we our selves liv'd to see the Head of a great and glorious Prince under the Hand of the common Hang-man, and struck off by the command of his own Subjects? A most execrable Villany, and beyond all Precedent! And these pro­digious Changes are not the work of much time neither; There's but a moment be­twixt Plenty and Beggery; the Court, and the Cottage; a Throne, and a Scaffold. This is the mutable Condition of Humane Affairs; What was another mans Lot to day, may be mine to morrow. No man bears ill Fortune, better than he that always expects it.

IV. In Prosperity, Vertue has little or no occasion of shewing her self; but in the time of Adversity, her power is manifested in our Patience. We are become a Spectacle (saith the Apostle) to God, Angels and Men. And it is a Spectacle in which God takes delight, [Page 91] to see a brave Man grappling with ill For­tune, and leading all his Enemies Foreign and Domestick (Passions and Casualties) in Triumph. 'Tis nothing to govern a ship in a smooth Sea, and a gentle Gale. He that is not try'd, lives in Ignorance. Most unfor­tunate men, (we cry) that ever it should come to this! But on the other side, Most fortu­nate men (say I) that have had the benefit of this Experiment! that we have supported our selves with Honour and Constancy, where others perchance would have shrunk under the Burthen. We are not therefore to yield and render up our selves in Crosses and Disasters; but to make good our Ground, and stand firm upon any Accident that can befal us: For 'tis but breaking of the first Shock, and we shall find the rest to be only Fancy and Opinion. The Works of Na­ture are found in us alike; but for Poverty, Discredit, Contumely, and what else the common People call Evils; some there are that bear them with Patience, and others without so much as taking the least notice of them: So that it is not the force of any Natural Impression that we labour under, but the Influence of a perverse Opinion. Why should a man belie himself then, and call any Calamity Insupportable, which he may make easie when he pleases, only by changing his Opinion of it? Every man is just as unhappy as he thinks himself, and [Page 92] let him complain of what he will, His Impa­tience is the greater Mischief of the two.

V. Is there any Sickness, or any Pain so obstinate and stubborn, but Time will ei­ther abate it, or take it away? Now the Question is, Whether we shall put an end to it our selves, or stay till it comes to an end without us? For Time will most cer­tainly do that at last, which ordinary Pru­dence might better do at present. Nay, if we had never so great a mind to entertain and cherish Melancholy, it would leave us at length in spight of our hearts. Grief, 'tis true, when 'tis fresh, may find Tender­ness and Compassion; but as it grows old, it grows ridiculous, and nothing more o­dious. If a miserable Wretch were ever the better for sobbing and lamenting, he should have my consent to spend day and night in Sighs and Groans, beating of his Breast, and in all the Outrages that were e­ver exercis'd by a disconsolate Creature. But if Howling and Crying be to no purpose, let us betake our selves to an invincible Re­solution, and struggle with our Calamities. The Pilot deserves to be thrown over­board, that quits the Helm in a Storm, and sets the Ship adrift, at the Mercy of the Billows: But he that stands to his Tackle, and bears up against foul Weather, (though he sinks with the Vessel) perishes yet [Page 93] with Honour, and the Comfort of having done his Duty.

CHAP. XVI.

I. THat Hope which is not plac'd upon Almighty God, is vain and deceit­ful, and in effect, but a waking dream. Why should any man torment himself with the Expectation of things to come? He that desires nothing, hopes for nothing; and he that contemns all earthly things, desires no­thing; for no man can desire what he despises. Nor is it enough for any one to tell me, that the thing he hopes for is easily com­pass'd, or that his Hopes never deceived him as yet; for let them be what they will, they carry great Trouble, Uncertainty and Anxiety along with them. A man should no more hanker after, or grasp at things out of his Reach, than leave the plain Way, to wander among Thorns and Precipices: No less uneasie is the one to the Mind, than the other is to the Body. He that lives in Hope, has not one moment of quiet, so long as the Will wants the thing it hopes for.

[Page 94]II. We should never cast an eye upon any thing, either without us, or about us, but with this Consideration: It is all tran­sitory and frail. How strangely do we for­get our selves! Are we not born Mortal? And this day, nay this very hour, what assurance have we of it? Do we not live upon Trust, and is not Death at the very heel of us? It is by Gods Power and Mercy that we live and have a Being. From him we have re­ceived all, and when he calls, to him it is that we are to render all without repining. He's an ungrateful Debtor, that speaks ill of his Creditor. There is not any thing under Heaven, that we ought to hope for: And Heaven it self is the only warrantable Sub­ject of our Hope.

III. Despair proceeds from a sluggish Ab­jection of Mind; too great an Apprehen­sion of Difficulties; a criminal Distrust of our selves, and a Defect both of Resolution and Industry. This weakness may be o­vercome by suggesting Encouragements drawn from the Examples of those that have extricated themselves out of greater Straits. Let us begin then, and press forward; for God will assist our Endeavours, and all Difficulties will be made easie to us, so soon as we shall have relinquish'd the false Opinions that have misled us. There is not any thing befalls us, but what [Page 95] was allotted us from Eternity, and it is either tolerable or otherwise. If it may be born, we are not to despair, but to endure it: If not, it will make a quick end both of it self, and of us too, and we are not to despair there neither. If we cannot endure it, 'tis short; if we can, 'tis light. It is in our own power, to make many things tolerable, by ba­lancing them with the benefit and con­venience that attends them. Affliction is the occasion of Virtue.

CHAP. XVII.

I. I Have known many people without a­ny visible, or so much as probable danger, run raving up and down, as if they were stark mad, upon the bare Apprehen­sion of some Imaginary Mischief to befal them. The Torment they endure is un­speakable; what betwixt the Impression of a present, and the Apprehension of a mis­chief to come. There are many Misfor­tunes which we create, and have a Being only in the Imagination. There are others which threaten us indeed, but a far off, and they'll come soon enough of themselves, without being drawn on before their time. There are some so weak, as to govern them­selves by Dreams and idle Phansies, with­out any reasonable ground of Conjecture at all; and to be startled at every foolish Ru­mor. A word mistaken is enough to break their sleep; and the Apprehension of a Great Mans Displeasure, puts them directly [Page 97] out of their Wits; not so much for the Dis­pleasure it self, as for the Consequences of it. But these are vain Thoughts, and the vainer, the more Troublesome. For Truth has its Measure and Limits, but Ima­gination is boundless. And the main Dif­ference I find betwixt the Sufferance of a Misfortune, and the Expectation of it, is this: The Grief for what hath befaln us, will over; but the fear of what may befal us, hath no end.

II. He that would deliver himself from the Tyranny of Fear, let him take for gran­ted, that what he fears will come to pass; and then enter into a Computation upon the whole matter. Upon this Deliberation, he will certainly find, that the things he fears are nothing so terrible in themselves, as in the false Opinion of them. 'Tis a hard case for a man to be banished, or laid in Irons. 'Tis a terrible pain to be burnt a­live. And yet we have many instances, not only of Christians, but Infidels also, that have Despised and Triumphed over all this; and more indeed, than this amounts to. Stephen suffered death with a quiet Constancy of mind, and pray'd for his Per­secutors. Laurence rejoyces upon the Grid­iron, and braves the Tyrant. The Virgin Appollonia, leaps into the Fire. Anaxarchus is chearful in the Morter, under the very [Page 98] stroak of the Hammer. Socrates takes off his Cup of Poyson, as if it had been a Fro­lick, and drinks the Health to Critias. What is there now so terrible in the Faggot, or the Gibbet, or in the train of Executioners, and Officers of Justice that attend it? under this Pomp and Formality, which serves on­ly to fright Fools, there lies Death: That, which so many thousands of Men, Women and Children, have not only Welcom'd, but Courted. Set aside the noise, the hurry, and the disguise in these Cases; and let e­very thing appear in its own shape, we shall find there is nothing terrible in the matter, but the mere Apprehension of it: And that it fares with us great Boys, as it does with little ones; our very Nurses, and our Play­fellows, if they be but drest up with a white Sheet, or a Vizard, are enough to put us out of our Senses. Nay, and we are the sillier Children of the two, for we are struck with a Panique Terrour, not only at the Counterfeit of a Reality; but the very Counterfeit of a Counterfeit torments us.

III. Bring it now from a particular to a common Cause; and let every man say to himself, I have a frail and mortal Body, liable to distempers, sickness, and in the conclusion, to death it self. All this I have known from a Child, and the many ill Ac­cidents that threaten me. What have I [Page 99] now to fear? Bodily sickness? My Soul will be the better for't. Poverty? My Life will be the safer, and the sweeter for't. Loss of Fortune? Why then farewel all the Cares and Dangers that accompany it. Loss of Credit? If I suffer deservedly, I shall de­test the Cause, but approve the Justice: If wrongfully, my Conscience will be my Comforter. Shall I fear a Repulse? or a Disappointment? there never was any man, but wanted something or other that he de­sired. Banishment? I'll Travel, and Ba­nish my self. Loss of my Eyes? It will deliver me from many Temptations. What if men speak evil of me? It is but what they are us'd to do, and what I deserve. Shall I fear Death? It is the very condition I came into the World upon. Well! But to dye in a strange Country! All Countries are alike, to him that has no abiding-place here. But for a man to die before his time! As if a man should complain of ha­ving his Shackles knock't off, and being discharged of a Prison before his time. We are not to look upon Death or Banishment, as causes of Mourning, as Punishments, but only as Tributes of Mortality. It is a senseless thing to fear what we cannot shun.

IV. Let us take heed of being over-con­fident; and venturing at things beyond our strength; for, no man is more liable to mis­carriages, [Page 100] than he that presumes too much upon himself. All our sufficiency and strength comes from above, and we can do nothing of our selves, without Gods assi­stance: Our Presumption arises from too high a conceit of our selves, too mean a one of our Adversaries; together with a rash headiness of Nature, that understands nei­ther Reason nor Business. The wise man is cautious, and adventures upon nothing, without first taking the measure of his own Abilities: Whereas he that is over-hasty, and presumptuous, falls on without any consideration; and, after the first effort, when he finds the difficulty greater than he imagined it, his courage falls and faints: And he comes at last, to an acknowledg­ment of the vanity and unadvisedness of his mistake. Security is the fore-runner of Calamity.

V. He that would govern his Anger, must begin with a contempt of the pretended Causes of it: For it is not the supposed In­jury, but the false opinion of it, that does us the mischief: We provoke, teize and en­flame our selves, and then cast the blame upon others. No man is injur'd, but by himself. We should do well to cokes and flat­ter our Minds, as Nurses do their Children, Be quiet, and thou shalt have it; be not An­gry, do not struggle, and make a noise, and [Page 101] thou shalt see, things will be well enough yet. I would have a man set apart some certain days, and say to himself, I am re­solved, that nothing shall make me angry this day, whatever it be. Let him but proceed then, from a day to a week; from a week to a moneth, and so on; he shall soon grow so much the Master of himself, as to make that his Diversion, which for­merly was his Torment. A gentle and peaceable Humour, is a very agreeable Comfort in Society; but to him that is endued with it, incomparably a greater Blessing: For in all Difficulties, it is still chearful, and in all Conflicts victorious.

CHAP. XVIII.

I. OUr Understanding was given us by Almighty God, to the end that we might know him, and love him: But sin has given it two wounds, Ignorance and Blindness; for we are at a loss, first, in the knowledge of Truth; and then, in the knowledge of Good and Evil. We are therefore (in this state of danger) to take at least as much care, what we admit into the Understanding, upon the Recommen­dation of the Senses; as whom we receive into a Town, in time of a close Siege, or a raging Pestilence. The Senses make the Tender, and the Understanding takes, and whatsoever the Judgment allows, is pro­pounded to the Will. But the Sense pre­sents [Page 103] both Good and Evil; and it belongs to the Mind, either to entertain, or re­fuse.

II. We are in the first place, to keep the Understanding from amusing it self up­on vain Subtilties and Curiosities: It was given us for Divinity, and substantial Wis­dom; and it is our part to Husband it, and not squander away so excellent a gift upon Trifles. He that ventures upon an un­known Herb, to learn the Temper and Qualities of it, if it prove a strong Poyson, his Life is hazarded in the very scrutiny, without attaining his end: Such is the case of those that will be prying into imperti­nent and abstruse Curiosities; they are lost beyond recovery, even before they so much as know what they would be at To know that which a man is never the better for, is next door to down right Ignorance. He that would be truly wise, does not study to get a Name, but to order his Life; and how to relieve his Mind, rather than how to delight it. What is any man the better for knowing the influences of the Stars, if he be still a stranger to his own Infirmities? for all the Flowers and Excellencies of Elocution, if he has not yet learned to hold his Tongue? Let him that delights in Novelty, renew himself: That takes upon him to refute o­ther mens Errours, begin with his own. [Page 104] Let him that delights in History, to see what other People have done, consider in the first place, what he is to do himself. Let him that makes it his business to com­pound differences among his Neighbours, not forget to pacifie his own Tùmultuary Passions. We spend so much time upon Superfluities, that we have none left for things necessary. That's the necessary know­ledge, that makes us rather Good, than Learned.

III. To what end is it, that we puzzle and perplex our selves about Controversies, which, for the most part, would be more for our Credit, to contemn than to resolve. It is the better half of our study, to learn those things, which we are, in honour, to forget, as soon as we have them. But there is an Intemperance of Knowledge, as well as of other things. There is no end of Books: Our Libraries are furnish'd for Sight and Ostentation, rather than for Use. The very Indexes are not to be read over in an Age. And in this multitude, how great a part of them are either dangerous, or not worth the reading? It may be well enough to take a taste of many; but when that's done, we are to set up our rest upon a few. It is not so much from Books, as from Practice and Examples that we are to expect the Improvement of the Mind.

[Page 105]IV. Oh the Vanity of Mortals! to spend our Lives and our Spirits upon Humane Arts and Sciences, (as if we were never to die) without any regard at all to the thought of a Life everlasting, which is not to be acquired by profound Learning, but by Probity of Manners, and Simplicity of Ver­tue. What are we the better for the Vo­luminous History of the World, even if we had it all without Book? for the Records of all the Tyrannies and Rebellions that ever past from the Creation of the Universe, to this Instant? How much better were it to check the growth of our own Iniquities, than to transmit the story of other Peoples. Geometry teaches us to measure our Lands; but why do we not first learn to measure our Necesfities? Arithmetick teaches us to count what we have got, but why do we not rather learn to contemn it, and chear­fully to part with that, which with so much carking and caring we have scrap'd toge­ther? Musick shews us how to make up a Harmony of several Voices; but it were much more for our benefit, to learn the Art of Reconciling our Sense and Reason: No [...] is the skill of Flats and Sharps near so much to our purpose, as the Science of mo­derating the Affections; so as neither to be puft up with Prosperity, nor dejected in Adversity. Not that I dislike the know­ledge of these things; for I esteem them [Page 106] to be very Laudable Accomplishments: But in the second place, and after we have studied our selves, and what more con­cerns us. He that knows every thing but himself, knows in effect as much as comes to nothing.

V. It is a sordid and infamous humour, to be prying into, and medling with other Peoples matters; to be observing and de­scanting, upon Lives and Manners; and to make the worst of every thing. What have I to do with the Servant of another, who is to stand and fall to his own Master? The great Iudge of the world, has reserv'd Iudg­ment to himself; and he that presumes to judge his Neighbour, invades the Throne of the Al­mighty: Let every man enter into the Pri­vacies of his own Conscience, and see what Good is wanting in him, what Ill abounds; and he'll find work enough at home to im­ploy his Pragmatical Spleen upon, without hunting after the faults of others. And there's no Protection neither, against the Sting of a Malevolent Wit, and a Licenti­ous Tongue. Was not our Saviour himself, taunted and traduced by the Jews? And is not the Holy Gospel daily perverted by He­reticks? It is with distemper'd minds, as with Melancholick Bodies; whatsoever they take, turns to Corruption. The Action is most commonly qualified by the Intention; [Page 107] and Good or Bad accordingly: But this is only known to him that searcheth the heart and the reins. But let the Action we Censure be never so Foul, and the Person never so Guilty; what is it yet to us? How Unchri­stian an Indecency is it, to expose the Nakedness of our Brother for a publick Spectacle? Why do we not rather observe our selves? Judge and condemn our selves? and turn the point of our Malice upon our own Hearts? He that's a severe Iudge to him­self, shall escape the Iudgment of the most High God.

VI. They that are so quick-sighted, to discover other Peoples failings (out of a desire to be thought shrewd men) are com­monly as jealous of being paid in their own Coyn; and of being Hated, Contemned, ill thought of, and ill spoken of by others. Toward the subduing of this Vice, we are first to Moderate the Pleasure we take in the Acclamations and Applauses of the Multitude, and then utterly to cast away all curiosity of knowing what the World thinks or says of us; for we are many times possest with a suspicion, that such or such a man talks slightly, and has a mean opinion of us, who is so far from speaking amiss, that he says nothing at all of us, nor has us so much as in his thought. Let a man say with the Apostle, If I pleased men, I were not [Page 108] the Servant of Christ. 'Tis little to me that I am judged by you, &c. Such as we are with God, such we truly are; and neither the better nor the worse for the Opinion or Discourse of Men. 'Tis much better to be good, than to be so esteemed.

VII. If we would have nothing fall out contrary to our Will, we must absolutely lay it down, and Will nothing at all, but in submission to the Will of God. This is the way that leads to a true Tranquillity of mind, and to a lasting peace. He that wishes for nothing but what he should, may live as he would. It is the only Feli­city of this Life, to square our Wills to the Will of God. He who from all Eternity has appointed the end, has likewise ap­pointed the means; and whether the way be smooth or craggy, through Prosperity, or Adversity, it is still what God has allot­ted us, in order to our Eternal Bliss He that obeys Divine Providence, and follows it chearfully, does well and wisely: For let him lag and hang off never so much, he'll be forced to follow in spight of his Teeth. (Beside the Impiety of his Disobedience.) God Almighty leads the willing, and draws the unwilling.

CHAP. XIX.

I. IT is a good step toward Vertue, for a man to be Conscious of his own Ini­quities, and to desire to mend: Without which, we go backward every day, from bad to worse. When we are once in the way, we must go on as we began; and the more haste we make, the sooner shall we enjoy the Serenity of Mind which we aim at. It is a good sign, when a man comes to see his failings better than he did: As it is in a Patient, when he comes to be sensible that he is sick. Every man is apt to flatter him­self, and therefore let us have a care of be­ing over-credulous. If, upon the sifting and examining of our Hearts and Thoughts, we find an Abatement of our Lusts, a greater firmness of mind than ordinary, and a more absolute command of our selves, we are in a fair way of Proficiency and Emprove­ment. It is an inestimable Blessing, for a man to be Master of himself, and to be at [Page 110] Unity with himself. A good man is un­changeably the same. A wicked man is perpe­tually at variance with himself.

II. It is but one days work to arrive at the highest pitch of Holiness, if we would but turn with our whole hearts, from the Creature to the Creator. Now whether our Conversion be sincere, or no, we shall know by these marks: If we be out of love with Vanities and transitory things: If we delight in Solitude and Contemplation: If that please us best, that is perfectest: If we prefer a good Conscience to God-ward, be­fore an empty Reputation among men. If we do all this, it goes well with us: But the most powerful inducement to Vertue of all the rest, is the daily Meditation of the Life and Passion of Christ. That Story is the Book of life; and sufficient to bring us to Heaven, if all the Libraries in the World, Authors and all, were utterly destroyed. But it is not yet enough, barely to know Christ, and meditate of him, unless we likewise imitate him, and lead our lives in a Conformity to his word and example. The way to recti­fie that which is crooked, is to bring it to the Rule.

III. It was well said of some-body, That good order is as necessary to the Mind, for the gaining of Vertue, as it is to the Body [Page 111] for the recovery of Health; for there are a thousand things in the way else, to divert and retard us. As, the inordinate love, ei­ther of our selves, or of any thing else: Im­patience in Losses; the over-much indulging of our selves in our Appetites and Pleasures, whether in Meat or Drink, Conversation, or the like; the plunging of our selves over head and ears in the affairs of this World, and being too much wedded to our own Opinions; rejecting the motions and in­spirations of the good Spirit within us. These obstacles must be removed, and we are to encounter them, with Resolution and Vigour; we are to proceed with Readiness, Alacrity, and a good Intention, and with an industry answerable to the excellency of the work in hand. It is not the number of our Exercises, but the thorow doing of them; not so much the thing it self, as the manner of doing it, that avails us.

IV. Our days are upon the wing; Time flies away, and there is no recalling of what's past: Our life depends upon the Future, and is still looking forward; and we consume it in mere Preparation, till Old Age and Death it self over-take us, un­provided for it. It is in our Lives as upon the way, in good Company. The time passes away in Chat and Discourse, and we are at the end of our Journey before we are [Page 112] aware. For, sleeping or waking, we still keep on our pace, and pass insensibly to our last end, even before we think on't: What is it then that we trifle for? why do we linger and dally? Time must be laid hold on immediately, or it is gone for ever. The value of a day, nay, of an hour, is in­estimable, and the loss of it irreparable. If a man comes to enter upon our Estates, or there falls out any dispute about a Land­mark, we must presently to Law and Arms. But our time and our life is open for any man to take that pleases; so Prodigal are we in the only case where we may be ho­nestly covetous. We are not to compute Life by the number of Years, but by the well employing of them; and let the oldest man alive discount for the time he has spent in Sleep, Luxury, Quarrels, Visits, Lazy sauntrings up and down; in doing just no­thing at all, or at best, nothing to the pur­pose, without so much as minding what he did, and he shall find, that at the end of a hundred years, he dies a Child. We are apt enough to lament the loss of our Time­past, and yet we lose more still in the La­mentation: Why do we not rather im­prove the present, while we have it, to pre­vent a late Repentance? why do we lose this instant, which is our own, and pretend to dispose of the Future, which is out of our power? In effect, Life is but a moment, [Page 113] and delay is absolute loss. He that puts off to day, comes too late to morrow.

V. It is to Almighty God, that we are to direct all our Thoughts, Words and Deeds; to the exclusion of any other Object, apply­ing our selves wholly to his blessed will. He that takes God for his Guide, shall be sure ne­ver to miss his way: Nor shall he miscarry in any of his affairs, who directs all to Gods glory; and lives, as in his holy presence: Neither is it possible for any man to avoid his All-seeing eye, which reaches not only to our Words and Actions, but pries into the Thoughts of our Hearts. And He's in a great mistake, that when the Door is bolted, and the Curtains drawn, reckons himself to be alone; for there is no place so dark, or so retired, as to exclude the Omni-pre­sence of God, in whom we Live, Move, and have our Being: Whether we Eat or Drink, Walk, or Discourse, our thoughts are to be always upon him; we are to do our utmost, to tender our selves worthy of the favour of his Countenance, and not to do those things in the sight of an All-seeing God, which even before a Temporal Judge, we would be ashamed of. Every man should live, as if there were only God and him­self in the World; and chearfully imbrace the lot which Providence hath set out for him, whether Prosperity or Adversity. We [Page 114] are to seek God, and whether we find him by this or that way, it matters not, provided that we find him at last.

CHAP. XX.

1. IT is a great Argument, of a clear and well composed Mind, when a man is at Unity with himself; for he approaches in some degree, to the Felicity of God him­self, who, in himself is blessed for ever­more. Neither can he be said properly ever to be alone, that is, never separated from Christ. If so it be, that we cannot hold our Tongues, we may talk to our felves, but let us be sure then that we talk to honest men. If you would know now, what a man should say to himself; why tru­ly, the same things that he is used to say to others of his Neighbours. Let him speak ill of himself, to himself; let him call him­self to an account for all his sins, and punish [Page 115] himself for whatsoever he finds amiss, and he'll never want matter to work upon. Let him retire and give himself leisure for Con­templation; but let him then conceal his very Retirement. He that makes Procla­mation of his Solitude, retires only to be more publick, which is a kind of slothful Ambition. Now there must be a Retirement of the Mind too, as well as of the Body, to make it Beneficial and Com­fortable. We must withdraw our selves from all vain Employments, and not only from Company, but from all things too which do not concern us; we must not ad­mit so much as any Creature, no nor the very Image or Idea of any creature, into our thoughts, we must blot out of our minds, all the toys and fooleries of this World, and in the most secret recess of our Souls, ad­dress our selves to God alone. In this Pri­vacy of mind, in this Oblivion of all idle and impertinent things, we shall gain peace of Heart, true Tranquillity and Repose. Let this be our retreat then, and this our busi­ness: For we shall certainly find God there, where the Creature is abandon'd.

II. It is rarely seen, that any man is good himself who keeps ill Company: For there is nothing so destructive of good Manners, as to Herd with the Multitude, who do commonly leave a man worse than they [Page 116] found him. It is not for a tender and un­settled mind, to resist the force of ill ex­amples, that break in upon a man, with a kind of Authority and Credit; for men are apt to run over to the stronger side. The man of the Gusto, gains upon us by de­grees, and takes us by the Palate. A rich Neighbour strikes us with Envy, or Ava­rice, and many a man has been undone by an ill example. Our very Parents, our Companions, our Servants, draw us some way or other into mischiefs. The whole World is full of snares and hazzards, and we are no sooner out of our Mothers belly, but we are encompast with dangers, as if we were dropt into the Quarters of an E­nemy. There is not any man living hard­ly, that does not either recommend some Wickedness to us, or imprint it upon us, or at least infect us with some evil dispositi­on, before we are aware. O the delicious sweetness of those blessed hours that a man spends in his Private Family or Study; a­part, from the noise and business of the People! How calm! How gentle! not so much as a Cloud, or a Breath of Wind, to disturb the Serenity of his Mind. But, by and by, some body calls him out; away he goes, gets more Company, makes up a Club, and never fails of falling into some excess or other, and returning worse than he went out. This is the Fruit of Publick [Page 117] Conversation; but we are not sensible of the damage we receive in Company, till we come afterward to reflect upon it in Soli­tude. Let us make what hast we can then into our selves, before we are overcome with the Contagion of the Vicious Multi­tude. The Mind that is most contracted, is most chearful.

III. Let a man but imagine himself upon the top of an high Mountain, and there taking a prospect of the miserable World, he shall quickly see enough to put him out of love with it, and all that's in it. Nothing but Robberies at Land, Pyracies at Sea, the Tumults and Horrors of War, Humane blood spilt like water; Sin and Iniquity broken loose, and beating down all before it: Look into the Cabinets of great men, and you shall there see such spectacles of Brutal Lust, as cannot but disgust and nauseate the very Actors themselves; and every where else, so boundless a License and Disorder, that we would almost swear the whole world were a Bedlam (but the mad-men are too many for the sober) and their Number is their Justification. The Laws themselves are turn'd into snares, and In­nocency is there invaded, where it ought to be protected. The Not-guilty is in more danger than the Guilty: and the Judge more criminal than the Prisoner: For [Page 118] where there is money, there can be no trans­gression. A pack of Calumniating Knaves in one place; a troop of Fawning Parasites in another; here Feuds, there Flatteries; one man wallowing in his Wine, another stretching himself upon his Bed. Insatiable Avarice on the one side; Slavish Ambition on the other. In all Publick Assemblies, more Vices than Men: Sins of irreverence toward God, Injustice toward our Neigh­bour, and Abuse of the Creature: So that being guilty of all sins, they are to expect that all▪ sins will rise in judgment against them. One would think that this view of the World, might be sufficient of it self, to take off any mans heart from the love of it: But when a man considers the difficulty of mastering so many Temptations, and bearing up against so many ill and powerful Examples, certainly he cannot chuse but bethink himself of a Retreat. It is a hard matter for a man to love Innocence, where Wickedness is in Authority and Credit: If it does not absolutely corrupt us, it will yet puzzle and hinder us. The only way to be safe and quiet, is to retire into our selves, were we may look upon the World, with­out being endanger'd by it. He that has renounced external things, and withdrawn into himself, is Invincible; the World is to him as a Prison; and Solitude, a Paradise.

[Page 119]IV. But we are never the better for quitting the World, if we do not vigorously apply our selves to the study and practice of Vertue; without which we can have no Comfort, no Repose; and having that, we can want nothing. There are three things that seem to have a fair Analogy, one with the other, in all things, and above all things, is God himself: Among Sensibles, is Light, and among the perfections of the Mind, is Vertue. God is the Light and Vertue of all things: Light is the Vertue of the World, and the Image of God: Vertue is the Light of the Mind, by which we are called, and become the Children of God. Without a pure mind, there is no attaining of this Perfection; for Vertue is the Perfection of a man, that repairs all our failings, and fills us with delight; she raises up our fleshly Nature, in things spiritual. She is the Rule of Life, a light to the Blind: She beats down sin, and brings us to Eternal Life. In the study of Vertue, we are to learn what it is (in the first place) both in general and in particular: For no man seeks he knows not what. We are then to keep our selves in the continual practice of it: Like Souldiers that will be still exercising and skirmishing, even in time of Peace, and without an Enemy: Very well under­standing, that these Encounters, though but represented, and in jest, keep them in [Page 120] breath and readiness for Assaults in earnest. Let a man suppose himself under all the Oppression and Indignity imaginable; stript to his Shirt, and thrown upon a Dung­hill, and let him then make tryal of his Patience, as if this were his very case indeed. He that exercises himself before the Battel, will be more resolute in it: He that has often lost Blood, goes chearfully to the Combat.

V. The Habits of Vertues, are the work of Time: And we shall know when we are possest of any of them, by these To­kens. We have made a good Progress to­ward any Vertue, when we have extin­guish'd, or at least in a large measure, supprest the contrary Vice; when we have brought all our Passions to a submission and obedience unto Reason; when the practice of Vertue is become not only easie, but delightful to us; when in contempt of Temporizers, we stand up with a gene­rous Freedom, in the Vindication of Ver­tue, against all opposers; when we come once naturally to abominate those things, which formerly we doted upon, with a depraved Inclination; when the love of Vertue is grown so habitual to us, that we allow our selves in nothing that is ill, no, not so much as in a dream; when we come to imitate what we approve in others, [Page 121] and to abstain from what we reprehend; when nothing that is amiss seems little to us, but worthy of our greatest care and di­ligence to avoid; when we can see our Equals preferred, without Envy; when we have the honesty to confess our faults, and submit them to correction and re­proof; when we can content our selves in the Testimony of a good Conscience, without making publication of our good Works. (Which in the very doing, are their own reward,) when the whole busi­ness of our life is Vertue, which is always in Act, and never tir'd.

CHAP. XXI.

I. FAith is the Basis of all other Vertues, and the Foundation of Christian Life; without which, no man can please God. This is the Wisdom that has subdued the World, [Page 122] to which we are firmly to adhere, without any unnecessary Curiosity or Disquisition. But we are to do, as well as to believe; for Faith without Works is dead. Now while we are Christians in Profession and Dis­course, let us have a care, not to be Infidels in our Lives and Manners. If we believe the Gospel, why do we not obey it? If we do believe an Eternity, why do we prefer a momentary Life and Pleasure before it? What are we the better for believing that which is True and Good, if in our Actions we be false and wicked? A good Faith, and an ill Life will hardly stand together: For he that believes aright, will practise what he believes.

II. Since most certain it is, that all things are ordered and governed by an Over-ruling Providence, insomuch, that not a Bird of the Air, nor the Leaf of a Tree, falls to the ground without it: This me­thinks should give us Courage and Confi­dence in all Extremities; and a full Assu­rance that our Heavenly Father will never fail us at a time of need. Let us therefore cast our selves wholly upon the Mercy and Good pleasure of Almighty God; and not depend upon the help and counsels of man, which are deceitful and uncertain. What if matters go cross, and beside our expecta­tion, so as to unsettle the whole course of [Page 123] our Thoughts and Affairs? What if we should be visited with Sickness, threatned with false Accusation; perhaps worse Acci­dents? Our trust is in God, our dependence upon him: And who knows but the Divine Wisdom has made choice of these Afflicti­ons, as the means to bring us to Eternal Glory? The Afflictions of this Life, are as nothing to him, that has his heart fixed up­on the blessings of a better: Whatsoever a man hopes for, he may compass, and reckon himself as possest of what he be­lieves.

III. Charity is the Mistress of all Vertues, and is directed either to God, or to our Neighbour. To God in the first place; whom we are to love with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength; (merely for himself, and for his infinite Goodness) above all things that are ami­able: For, it is to his Grace and Mercy, that we are indebted for our Being, Life, Motion, Sense and Understanding. He it is that hath delivered us from the Bondage of Satan, dignified our Souls with infinite Priviledges, and prepared Eternal Life for us, of his own free Goodness, without any antecedent Merit. The Heaven, the Earth, the Air, the Water, and the whole Uni­verse, call to us aloud, to love and serve that God, who has made all these things [Page 124] for our service. If the good of the Soul be the thing we look for, what need we go further than to God himself? who is the only, and the Sovereign good, great and desirable beyond imagination. It is only by Love (though in a vast disproportion) that we can acquit our selves to the Al­mighty, in kind. Love is Active, not Idle: It does not seek its own: It surmounts all difficulties; and, He that loves truly, may dye, but cannot be overcome.

IV. Nature has implanted in all reasonable Creatures, a love of Society, Which ought to work more really in Christians, who are called to the same Faith and Glory, and are Members of the same Body. No man can love God, that does not love his Neigh­bour. Now this Love to our Neighbour is exercised in conferring of Benefits, doing all sorts of good Offices, and going before others in Humility and Kindness. The grace and value of a Bounty lies much in the chearful and the speedy applying of it: For there must be no stop, but in the mo­desty of the Receiver; there needs no more to the relief of a necessitous person, than that we know his wants: For, it breaks the heart of a Generous man, to be put to beg it; and the Favour is ten times is great, when it prevents the asking of it. It is rather a purchase than a gift, when a [Page 125] man receives a Benefit upon a Request. He that gives a Prayer, or a Blush, for a good turn, pays dear for't. In cases where we could not fore-see, or prevent a suit, we are however to shew, that we would have done it, if we could, by our manner of granting it; which ought to be speedy and chearful. There must be good words, as well as good deeds: It must be done frank­ly, and without either Vanity or Reproach. It is a great kindness to put a Petitioner quickly out of his pain, by stopping his mouth, and doing his business, so soon as ever we know it. And then, we are not to blow a Trumpet, when we give an Alms. The thing will speak it self; and he that sies in se­cret, will reward us openly.

V. Among the Acts of Christian Charity, there is not any thing more acceptable to God, nor any more effectual proof of our Faith, than that compassion to the poor, which we exercise in giving of Alms. Let us therefore have a care of despising the poor; who, though necessitous themselves, have it yet in their power to make us rich. It is a kind of redeeming our selves with our money; and turning an instrument of Avarice, into an occasion of Mercy: Shall we give more for a place in a Play-house, than for a place in Paradise. We pay Du­ties and Taxes to Temporal Princes, let [Page 126] there be never so great a Dearth; And can we not afford, out of our Abundance, a morsel of Bread to the King of Heaven, in his poor Members? He that is close-handed to the needy in his Distress, is guilty of his Brothers Blood. He that does not feed him, murthers him. Our thoughts are so much taken up with providing for our Heirs, that we never so much as think what shall be­come of our Selves: But we had better a­bate a little of their Patrimony, than to hazzard the main of our own Salvation. But let us come to a Reckoning, and see what are our possessions in this World? What do we pretend to in the Next? In Death we have nothing left us, but what we have sent to Heaven before-hand, by the hands of the Needy. Men of little Faith! There's our Treasure. A Thief may pick a Lock, and break open our Cof­fers here below, but Heaven is impreg­nable.

CHAP. XXII.

I. AS a Workman is nothing without his Line and Level; so, neither are We, without Prudence. It is the eye of the Soul, the art of life, the guide of all our Actions, and the Rule of other Ver­tues: There is no living comfortably with­out it; but exceedingly difficult it is, and obscure. It is difficult: First, in regard of the Comprehension of it; for, it takes cognizance of the whole Universe, in it self, and in every part of it. Secondly, In respect of the Uncertainty of Humane Af­fairs; which, by reason of infinite Variati­ons and Accidents, and their dependencies upon divers circumstances, are hardly re­ducible to a Rule: Nay, there are many times such contrarieties and disagreements, as are almost impossible to be reconciled. The Obscurity lies in this, that we see only the Appearances of things, when the Springs and Causes that move them, are in the dark: We see only the top of the [Page 128] Building, but the Foundation is out of sight: Beside, that the good or bad event of things is concealed in the Unsearchable Decree of the Almighty; so that there are very few men wise enough, to make the best of their business.

II. Wisdom is the Product of Experi­ence and Memory. The one teaches us what is best to be done; and the other minds us when we are to do it. He that commits himself to general experiences, and does not venture out of his depth, is safe. To do wisely, a man should first take a measure of himself; and next, of the matter he takes in hand, for fear of o­ver-valuing his own strength. One man is undone by presuming too much upon his Eloquence. Another runs himself out of his Fortune, for want of proportioning his Expence to his Estate! A third, kills him­self with laying more upon an infirm Body, than it is able to bear: Wherefore we are to compare our Force with our Undertaking; and to have a care of Burthens that are too heavy for our shoulders. We should not meddle with any thing neither, but what we may hope to go thorow withal. The next thing is the choice of our Companions; for, we had need have a very good opinion of those people, with whom we propound to divide our Lives: And to look narrowly [Page 129] into their Conversation, that we be not ruin'd for our good will. We are (in Con­clusion) to examine our selves how we stand inclin'd to the thing in Question; for, 'Tis lost labour, to go about to force Na­ture.

III. It is a hard matter for a man in Passion, to distinguish Truth and Honesty from Errour and Delusion; so that it is a point of Prudence, not to enter upon any considerable Action in a Distemper of mind: For there is no greater Enemy to Wisdom, than Precipitation, which brings many a man to destruction, beyond reco­very: Wherefore nothing is to be done Headily, or without good advice. Men are naturally unstable, and irresolute: Providences uncertain; Events dubious: and Experience it self proves many times deceitful. In the multi­tude of Counsellors, there is safety. There are many easie people that judge of things by the Gloss and Out-side only; and so fall in­to great mistakes: But the wise man passes a strict enquiry into the things themselves, abstracted from all Artifice and Imposture; into the Qualities, and not only into the Names of things. For, what is Money, Re­putation, Title, but a superficial Vernish to dazle Children and Fools? We are to place our selves, as upon a Watch-Tower, where we may discover all Accidents afar [Page 130] off, without danger of being surpriz'd, and and crying out with the senseless Multitude; Who would have thought it! We are like­wise to proceed with deliberation, matu­rity of judgment, and diligent examina­tion of things; for fear of ill Circumstan­ces: For there is so near a resemblance betwixt Vice and Vertue, that we may ve­ry well mistake the one for the other; and entertain that for Wisdom, which is no­thing in the world but Craft and Cunning. When we have once made our Election, we are without delay, to put our purpose in execution: For, good Counsel, without Exe­cution, is of no effect.

CHAP. XXIII.

I. JUstice is a Glorious and a Communi­cative Vertue; ordained for the Common good of Man-kind, without any regard to it self. This is it that keeps men from worrying one another, and preserves the World in peace. It is the Bond of [Page 131] Humane Society, a kind of Tacit Agree­ment, and Impression of Nature; without which there is not any thing we do, that can deserve commendation. The just man wrongs no body, but contents himself with his own; Does good to all; Thinks and speaks well of all: Gives every man his due, and is not a­ny mans hindrance. Where he is in Autho­rity, he commands righteous things; lies open to all; prefers a publick good before a private; punishes the Wicked, rewards the Good, and keeps every man in his duty. Where he is in subjection, he preserves Concord, lives in Obe­dience to Laws and Magistrates; contents himself in his station, without hankering after Offices and Preferment; and is no medler in other peoples matters. He is just for Justice­sake, and asks no other reward than what he receives in the comfort of being just.

II. Religion is the most excellent of Mo­ral Vertues; and is exercised immediately upon the Honour and Worship of God: Of which this is the first point, to know and believe him; and then to adore him for his Majesty and Goodness. Barely to know God, is not sufficient; for, the Devils them­selves do as much that hate him: There must be Love and Adoration, as well as Knowledg. I wish we did but discharge our duty, as well as we understand it. There's none of us, but acknowledges Gods [Page 132] Providence in the ordering and governing of the world; his Omnipotency, Glory, and Goodness, and from his Mercy it is, that we hope for Eternal Happiness. Why do we not pay him that Veneration then, which belongs to him? but prefer a little pitiful dirt before him? Religion lies not so much in the Understanding, as in the Practice. He that is truly Religious, walks as in the presence of God, and studies per­fection. The most acceptable Worship of God, is the imitation of him, which does, in a manner, unite us to God, and God to us; but it must be free then from wan­drings, negligence and sin. It is to no pur­pose to talk like Christians, and live like Infidels. This was it that made a famous Heathen Philosopher to say, that, There was nothing more Glorious than a Christian in his Discourse; nothing more miserable in his Actions.

III. Repentance is that which brings us [...]o a Detestation of sin, with a full resolution of Amendment, which reconciles us to God. To a Detestation, I say, of our past sins, wherefore the pleasure likewise is past; but the Guilt, the Torment, and the Con­demnation, sticks by us. To conceal our Iniquities, is to no purpose; for, A Guilty Conscience passes Sentence upon it self. Consci­ence is a kind of Tribunal which God Al­mighty [Page 133] hath set up in all reasonable Souls, where every man is his own Accuser, and both Witness and Judge against himself. Let us therefore enter into a strict and daily Examination of our selves, and with­out hiding, mincing, or slipping of any thing, call all our thoughts, words, and deeds to a strict account. He that says, Lord be merciful to me a Sinner, finds mercy. What am I the better for concealing my faults from other people, so long as I am conscious of them to my self? Unless I had rather be damned in private, than absolv'd in publick: Whatever we do with our Bo­dies, there's no avoiding of our Conscien­ces; when we come once to cast off that regard, we are most miserable.

IV. Our Life is divided into what's past, present, and to come. The present is but a moment, and in the same instant, begin­ning and ending The future has no Be­ing, but only in prospect; but whatsoever is past, we can summon and call before us at pleasure. Many people are afraid of their own memories, because if they look back, their sins flie in their faces. But this should not be. Frequent Reflexion is the readiest way to Reformation. The more we consider our Transgressions, the more shall we abhor them, and the less will be our danger of a Relapse. Nothing more ordi­nary, [Page 134] than for a man that has scap'd Ship­wrack in a Storm, to renounce the Sea up­on it, and to bless God for the Mercy eve­ry time he thinks of the danger. It would be well, if we had the same sense in the hazard of our Souls, which we have in that of our Bodies; and say, It was a great scape: Let us take it for a warning, and run our selves no more upon the same Rock. God hath spar'd us as often as we have offended; and shall we presume then, and be the worse for his infinite Goodness? We are many times plodding and forecasting what we are to do for the future: And why can we not as well bethink our selves of what we have done already? For we must take counsel of the time past, if we intend to govern our selves as we should, for the time to come. Many a man might have come to be wise in the end, if he had not thought himself so before his time. In the way of Vertue there is no standing at a stay: He that does not daily advance, loses ground.

CHAP. XXIV.

I. IT is a point of Glory, beyond ex­pression, when a man shall be able to say, I am the Son that never disputed his Fa­thers command; but whether it were easie or hard, submitted to it with Chearfulness and Re­verence: I am the man that never fail'd in his duty to his Country, to his Brethren and Relati­ons; but made it the business of his Life to ob­lige and serve them. These we call Offices of Piety, where a mans Country, Parents and Kindred are in the concern. And what is Piety in this case, we call Obser­vance and Respect in others; that is to say, in what relates to our Superiours, in Ho­nour, Wisdom, Age, Religion, Holiness; as Princes, Prelates, Tutors, and the like, to whom we render all sorts of Reverence; whether by Rising, uncovering the Head, giving the Way, Alighting, Kneeling, Kissing the Hand or Robe, according to the usage [Page 136] and custom of the place. Now the higher esteem we have of them, the greater will be our Reverence; for it strikes us in an aw, and keeps us at such a distance, as ma­nifests the sense we have of the dispropor­tion betwixt us. All Power is from God; and what respect soever we render to our Superiours, it falls very much short of what we owe them, if we consider that we Re­verence God in them.

II. As by the Disobedience of our first Pa­rents, Misery came into the World; so by the Obedience of the Son of God, are we reduced into a capacity of Happiness, if we will but be obedient our selves. Obedience is the perfection of all things, and the firmest Connexion of them with their Ori­ginal; passing by a most admirable Circu­lation from God, unto God. Our Saviour gave it a preference, above all other Ver­tues, and parted with his own life to pre­serve it. It is a kind of Immolation of the Will, which is said to be better than Sacri­fice. When my Superiour, or the Law commands me, I am not to reason the mat­ter, and dispute it, or desire to be excused; but candidly, and without delay, to submit, and to do what I am bidden, with an equal readiness and alacrity, whether it be agree­able or unpleasant; provided always, that there be no clashing with the Will and Law of God; for in that case, we may be al­low'd [Page 137] to be Refractory and Disobedient; but in all others we are to submit, without expostulation or murmur.

III. Gratitude is the sense of a Debt, for a Benefit received. In the first place, we are to set an Estimate upon the Benefit which we are to value; partly, for the thing it self; and in part, for the Kindness and Intention of the Benefactor. He that lies under an Obligation, should be often thinking of it, that it may never out of his mind; for the man that forgets a Good­turn, will hardly requite it; and he that remembers it as he ought, has, in effect, requited it already. In the point of Gra­titude, there's no need of Money, Labour, Felicity; but the Will passes for the Deed, be the Benefit never so considerable. Let the Receiver behave himself Chearfully, and in such a manner, as that the Bene­factor may read his satisfaction in his Coun­tenance, and so reap some fruit of his boun­ty in the very act of conferring it. It is a great delight for a man to see his Friend happy, much more to make him so. The frank, kind and thankful entertainment of a Favour, is a good part of payment. Some people cannot endure to think of their debts, and those never had a mind (from the very beginning) to be Grateful; but he that extols a kindness, and wishes he [Page 138] could requite it, though he despair on't, has as good as requited it. I have seen some people look askew, and squeamishly (I know not how) when they have borrowed mo­ney, and take it in so odd a careless fashion, as if they would have it thought the greatest favour in the World for them to accept of it. He that is not sensible of an Obligation, does not deserve it; and a cold Acknow­ledgement is worse than none at all. It is the part of an honest man, in the very instant of receiving a Benefit, to bethink himself of a Return; for he's a Betrayer of his Trust, that will not restore what he has received. Nor is it enough to give a man his own a­gain; but Kindnesses are to be repaid with Interest. There is a Gratitude even in the Earth it self, that yields us our Grain again with interest. And yet we must not be too quick neither in our Returns: Some there are, that so soon as ever they receive one Present, will be sure to send back another; as who should say, Now I'm out of your dirty debt: But this is rather an Affront, than a Requital.

CHAP. XXV.

I. WHatsoever we speak, write, or by any acti [...]n hint, or gesture give to un­derstand, let it be Truth; or nothing can be more scandalous than a false tongue in the mouth of a Christian. It is a vulgar, and an unmanly sin, to speak one thing, and think another. He that is Generous, will deliver things simply as they are, without aggravating, amplifying, palliating, shifting or jugling. Plain Truth must have plain Words: She is Innocent, and accounts it no shame to be seen Naked: Whereas the Hypocrite or Double-dealer, shelters and hides himself in Ambiguities and Reserves. The Evil-speaker hates the light, as well as the Evil-doer. We are not to shift our O­pinions, as we do our Clothes, and to carry one appearance in private, another in pub­lick; one thing in the face, and another in the heart. Nature her self has an Abhor­rence for it, as we see in Children, even [Page 140] before they come to the full exercise of their Reason. The Lye is one of the first Reproaches they are sensible of, merely by the impulse of an In-bred Aversion to Fals­hood; wherein is remarkable the Provi­dence of God, that has implanted those Principles in our Souls, and made those Vertues natural to us, which are of absolute necessity for the support of Humane Life and Society. It is an abominable thing to belie the Truth, even in words; but the Lie of Life is the most pernicious of all others. With what face then can we exclaim against the baseness of a Lying Tongue, when our whole Practice and Conversation is but one continu'd Lie all through? It's a great matter for a man to consist with himself.

II. Simplicity is a Vertue, scarce known among men, but of great worth and value in the Acceptation of God; who being In­tegrity and Simplicity in the Abstract him­self, requires likewise simplicity of heart, in those that worship and serve him. By this Simplicity, is understood, an invaria­ble Tenour of Life; which without any dis­guise, or hypocrisie, is really what it seems to be. He that is indu'd with this Vertue, makes no scruple of frankly confessing his Imperfections, where there is occasion. He deals candidly and clearly, without any fraudulent or crafty design and interest in [Page 141] his proceeding: He believes all men ho­nest, and suspects no body. But still under the guard of a prudential circumspection, he makes it his study to be wise to God­ward, though the World calls him Fool for his pains; and the single business of his life to please God. Why do we trouble our selves then about many things, when there is but one thing necessary? which is, that by an undivided affection, we may become acceptable in his sight, who is Unity and Simplicity it self. There is but one way, to one and the same end.

III. I look upon Fidelity as one of the greatest and most valuable advantages of Mankind. Take away this, and you destroy Commerce, Friendship, Leagues, and even Government it self. So necessary is this Vertue, and yet withall, so scarce, that it is hardly to be found upon the face of the Earth. Witness our Voluminous Convey­ances; the infinite cautionary circumstan­ces of Witnesses, Hands and Seals, the numberless Provisions of Security, to make a Contract firm and binding, and all little enough yet, to prevent Subornation and Fraud: So sordid are most people, that their Faith is not so dear to them as their profit. How shameful a Confession is this of our Deceit and Wickedness, that we can neither trust, nor be trusted without Wit­nesses [Page 142] and Securities! That we rather com­mit our selves to our Parchments, than to our Souls. But a man of Honour and Inte­grity will sooner break his Heart than his Word; he will betray no mans secrets; he will not forfeit his Parole even to an Ene­my; no, not if he had a thousand Crowns and Lives at stake. He is not easie to pro­mise any thing upon the sudden, because he knows that hasty Promises are commonly followed with speedy Repentance. But when his Word is once past, he stands as firm as a Rock, unmovable, unalterable; that is to say, unless the Promise were unlawful, and in that case the Obligation ceases.

CHAP. XXVI.

I. THere is not any thing more neces­sary, more commodious, or more delightful in the course of Humane Life, than Friendship. It is the kindness of two Persons grounded upon Vertue, and sup­ported by a mutual Communication of all Comforts and Benefits. Now how great a [Page 143] Blessing this is, let any man judge, when two minds are so prepar'd and disposed, that my Friends Breast is as my own; my secrets as safe there: And in case of my particular good, my own Soul is the less tender of the two. He is my Companion in Solitude, my Counseller in Difficulties, my Relief in Sadness, and the joy of my eyes when ever I look upon him. He is my Confessor in all my Scruples; and I never meet with him (so much as by chance) but I'm the better for him. There are some little Creatures that a man takes no notice of at the present, till he finds afterward, by a Tumour or Inflammation, that they have stung him; And so it is in the Con­versation of a true Friend; we find the Bles­sing of it in the Effects, but when or how we received the Impression, we know not. Friendship to be perfect, must be Reci­procal; but it is nobler to love, than to be beloved; and therefore we are to con­sider Benevolence as the foundation of it. The secondary part, of loving again, may have as much of Justice and Gratitude in it, as of Kindness. The most Illustrious Friendship of all, is that which is cimented by a Religious fear and love of God▪ without any regard to Interest, Passion, Personal Kindness, Flattery or the like. There can be no susbtantial and lasting Friendship between wicked men.

[Page 144]II. In the choice of a Friend, we cannot be too wary. The Proverb bids us eat a bushel of Salt together, before we resolve upon't. But there are four Qualifications however, which are essentially necessary to the per­fecting of a Friendship; that is to say, Faith, Intention, Prudence and Patience. The first is a matter of great difficulty and hazard; for there is hardly that man upon Earth, whom we can safely entrust with the privacies and concernments of our Lives and Fortunes; and then, if we be deceiv'd, we're lost. In the second place, the In­tention must be pure; for otherwise, under the colour of a Celestial Friendship, there may be advanced some common and beast­ly design. There must be great Prudence too, for there occur many niceties in the enterchange of amicable offices and duties. The fourth Requisite is Patience or Con­stancy of Mind, which will enable a man to endure any thing, rather than forsake a Friend in his distress. If it shall be our good hap to meet with a person whom we judge to be thus qualified, we are not to rest upon that opinion without a further search. But to enquire what Friends he has had before, and how he has used them, and expect that he will hereafter be the same to us, which he has been formerly to others. A Faithful Friend is a Living [Page 145] Treasure; Inestimable while we have him, and never enough to be lamented when he's gone. There is not under the Canopy of Heaven so great a Blessing, as to be link'd in a Friendship with a person that loves a man only for himself, without any respect to the Circumstances of Fortune, Table, good Humour, or the like; that sets us right in our mistakes, encourages, relieves and supports us in all Extremites. There is nothing more ordinary than to talk of a Friend, nothing more difficult, than to find one. There is not one man of a million, tha [...] loves Gratis; and he that loves for By-ends, cannot properly be said to be a true Friend. His kindness is only governed by his profit. Take away the Cause of his Friendship, and that goes too. True Friend­ship is there most wanting, where we imagine it does most abound.

III. We are to treat a Friend that stands in need of Reproof, as a Physician does his Patient; he spares neither Fire nor Lance to cure him. We must behave our selves with Liberty, Boldness, Constancy, without neglecting or dissembling any thing. It is a damnable kind of respect, to pay a Reverence to Wickedness. But still, let the Admonition be private, and manged with all possible softness, both of Language and Behaviour. Before the Friendship is contracted, we do [Page 146] well to pause upon it, and deliberate; but when the League is struck, there must be nothing but freedom and confidence. He that speaks to his Friend, does but talk to him­self. The truth of it is, a man should so live, as not to trust even his own heart with what he might not safely commit to an Ene­my. But seeing that there are many things, which Custom and Decency have made Private, there is yet subject matter enough for the Trust and Confidence of Friendship. Some people I have known so sick of a se­cret, that they's still throw it up to the next man they meet; and publish in the Market-place, what was only fit for the ear of a particular Friend. Some again are so scrupulous on the other side, that they'll smother all, rather than trust the nearest Friend they have in the World: (no not themselves neither, if they could help it.) They are both in the wrong, as well for trusting every body, as no body; only the one is the honester mistake, and the other the safer. But the former is safe enough too, if we would but turn our care from the Concealment of what we have done, to the doing of nothing that we care who knows.

IV. There is some Affinity betwixt Friendship and Courtesie, or Affability, which is a great sweetner of Conversation, and keeps it within the bounds of modesty and few words. A good man has his ears [Page 147] open, and his mouth shut; and desires rather to inform himself, than to publish himself; and to be a gainer by the Com­pany, rather than to squander away of his own. We should to well to acquaint our selves with the ways and humours of those we converse with, how irregular soever, and not to take notice of every trivial chil­dish Impertinence we meet with. It is a low and womanish weakness, only to fre­quent those that say as we say, and blow us up with Flatteries and Applause. I would have a man to speak sparingly of himself, and his own Affairs: not to be over-stiff in defending his own opinion; nor to talk too magisterially in a stile of Authority. When we encounter any thing that dis­pleases us, let us but try, before we con­demn it in others, if we be not guilty of it our selves. By so doing, from whatsoever we see or hear, we may draw some ad­vantage. And things are at a good pass, when one man is the better for a another mans faults.

V. There are a sort of men, that, if they do but see any thing out of the mode of the place where they live, will presently stand gaping and laughing at it; and a man of the fashion, passes for little better with them, than a Monster. This is a most inhumane Levity of mind, to adore our selves, and [Page 148] make a scorn of others. For we should set an esteem upon every thing, for what it is, and not for what it seems to be. It is the Novelty, the Artifice, the Rarity, the Difficulty, the Pomp, the Reputation, and the outward appearance, that enhances the price of every thing with the people: Whereas the wise man rates it according to the Intrinsick value, and reckons as nothing, all the rest, which is so much the Wonder, and the Idol of the Brainsick Rabble. If we do not pinch and streighten our selves, it is our own fault if we make not some profit of whatever happens. Why do we not imitate the Comedians? They can Weep without Grieving; Purchase, without Possessing; Command, without Authority; Threaten, without Revenge; and Chide, without Indignation. The bu­siness is, they Act other mens lives without any concern of their own; and why we should not order our selves in Society with the same Indifference, I know not: The whole World is but a great Theatre, where there are as many Playres as Men. Let it be our care, as much as in us lies, to be rather Spectators than Actors; for the latter take all the pains, and do but make sport for the other.

CHAP. XXVII.

I. I Do not call that man Liberal, who does (as it were) pick a quarrel with his money, and knows not how either to par [...] with it, or keep it. (For he does not give it, but throws it away.) He is the Li­beral man that disposes of it according to Discretion and Reason. He proportions his Bounty to his Ability: He bestows it upon those that want it, and picks his time too, when it may do them most good. Liberality is a Vertue that may be ex­tended to the receiving, as well as to the conferring of Bounties, but the latter is here intended; for it is more Honourable to Give, than to receive. It is not for any man to say, If I had a Fortune, I would do so, or so; for where there wants power and means, the very will is sufficient. So suffi­cient, that in truth, it is the main point of the Obligation; Which lies not so much in the profit of the Receiver, as in the Inten­tion [Page 150] of the Donor. Does any man thank the Sea for letting him sail upon't? or his Or­chard for a basket of Apples? or the Wind for a favourable gale? and yet these are all Benefits, but not conferr'd upon us by Vo­luntary Agents. Moreover when we are in the Bountiful Humour, the Quick-doing is the Grace: We must not say to a Friend, Come again to morrow; and so torment him with delay and expectation. He that gives heartily and kindly, gives speedily. A Ge­nerous nature thinks he can never make haste enough. The Favour is twice as wel­come, that meets the Receiver at half way. A Courtesie comes so hard from some people, accompanied with so much sowreness and insolence, that a man had better be with­out it.

II. He that lives only to himself, without any regard to the Good and Utility of his Neighbour, can never be happy. What is there, that any man shall pretend to spare, as his own? when all men of Estates, are in effect, but Trustees for the Benefit of the Needy. The Bags that we keep under so many Bolts, and which we have extorted from the Fatherless and Widow, by Violence and Blood: If we reckon upon them as ours, we are exceedingly mistaken: For alas! They are but deposited with us for the relief of others. Or however, 'tis but the rifling of [Page 151] our Coffers to night, and they change their Master to Morrow. If we would secure them, and make them our own, we must bestow them. Nor is it so much a Bounty, as a Purchase, the parting with them. For he that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord; and (for the temporal advantages of Money, Land, Houses, and the like) secures him­self of a blessed Eternity in Exchange. Mo­ney is never of so much value in the Hord, as when it is communicated, and thrown among the poor.

III. Where the expence is moderate, we call it Liberality; where it is high and splendid, Magnificence; which arise both of them from the same principle in the mind: But as to the World, the one shews it self in small things, and the other in great. A man may be Liberal out of a small For­tune, but to be Magnificent, there must be Opulency, and Plenty; for Magnificence lies properly in the glory of the work. If a man should sell a Jewel, and give the product of it to Charitable uses, this man is rather said to be Liberal then Magnificent: But if he should bestow the value of that Jewel upon the building of a Church, a Chappel, or any other splendid and pub­lick Structure, he is then said to be Mag­nificent. Under this Head are compre­hended all works of great expence, which [Page 152] relate to Divine Worship, common Utility, publick Exercises and Entertainments. In things of this quality, there must be a pro­portion kept betwixt the Charge and the Estate. For where a man Borrows to Build, and runs himself in Debt, for the Reputation of a great Name; such a work is not to pass for a Magnificence, but a Folly. He is the only Liberal and Magnificent person, who takes from himself, whatsoever he bestows, or expends upon others.

CHAP. XXVIII.

I. SUch is the softness, and the Infirmity of Humane Nature, that if it were not for this Vertue of Fortitude, we should all of us most shamefully abandon our Sta­tions, and never so much as dare to look Danger in the face. It is commonly divided into Active and Passive; the one embold­ning us to encounter all difficulties, and the other enabling us to support them. It is not the part of a man of true courage, rashly to throw himself into unnecessary hazards, but generously to bear up against Misfor­tune [Page 153] when it comes. He does not pray for terrible encounters, but he laughs at them; when others are dejected, he holds up his head, and keeps his legs when others are at their length upon the ground. It is not Dishonour, Repulse, Exile, Oppression; no, not Prisons, Tortures, nor even Death it self that can startle him: He has a great­ness of mind, that sets him above all Passi­ons, Distempers and Calamities whatso­ever. He is not to be wrought upon to do an ill thing, by all the fair and foul means imaginable; Let there be never so many Rubs in his way, he presses forward still; acquits himself of duty, and goes thorow with his work, in despight of all Impedi­ments. He stands upright under any bur­then whatsoever, and scorns to go before, when Power, Terrour, and Violence shall have done their worst upon him. His Vertue carries him through all dangers; and what he suffers by the way, he matters not, so he comes at last to his journeys end.

II. As men at Sea, in fair weather, are still fitting and providing for a storm, so should we in Good Fortune, be still pro­viding and fortifying our selves against the injuries of Bad. And this is to be done by putting the case at worst before-hand, and trying our selves upon the supposition, as [Page 154] if we were upon the real experiment. My Children are all dead, The Vessel's lost, I am Banished, Wounded, Tormented, Diseas'd, Ca­lumniated, Disgraced. Well! and what does all this now amount to, more than what I have foreseen and contemned before? Our Joys and our Tears are allotted us from Eternity; and what variety soever there may appear in the Circumstances and Ac­cidents of our lives, all comes to this in the up-shot; such as we are our selves, such are the things we have received, Transitory and Mortal. Now what cause is here of displeasure or complaint, if when we have lost all that belongs to us, we are yet our selves, whole and entire? Life it self is a Debt, and when God calls for it in, is it not better to make a voluntary payment, than to be forced to't? Epicurus is of opi­nion, that a Wise man may be happy upon the Wrack, and take pleasure even in Phalarus his Bull. This is a bold word, and yet no more than we find verified in the constancy of divers of our Martyrs; who have died at the Stake with so much chearfulness, as if they had felt nothing at all of the Torment. To him that truly loves God, all Pains are turned into Comforts.

III. The thing, which of all others, most staggers our Resolution, is Death; and I do not at all wonder at the difficulty of [Page 155] bringing the mind to a contempt of Life, considering that (short of Heaven) it is of all comforts incomparably the greatest Bles­sing. And yet it is not either for a Wise man, or for a Christian, to reckon Death in the number of Evils; which is, it self, the end of Evils; and the beginning of Life everlasting. Why should any man be afraid to die, that is to live again? Or why should he be afraid to die, that is sure to die? In matters that are doubtful, we may be al­lowed our hopes and fears: But Certainties are only to be expected, and none but Mad­men, will struggle with invincible Necessity. Children, and stark Fools, we see, have little or no apprehension of Death; and shall not our Reason then carry us as far as their Folly? Death is one Condition of Life; and he that has entred into the Obligation, must submit to the Condition.

IV. Nature has been so kind, as to allow us the use and benefit of all her Creatures for a certain season; when the time is out, let us contentedly depart; and according to the course of Providence, let one Gene­ration make room for another. Where is the Wise man, that if it were offered him at the last gasp, to live his life over again, and to run through all the smother of his Mothers Belly, the crudity and folly of his Infancy, the Terrors of his Childhood, the [Page 156] hazards of his Youth, the cares of his Riper state, and the laborious irksomeness of Old Age. Where is the Wise-man, I say, that would accept of life again upon these terms? Let us therefore consider whether we are going, and what we leave behind us. If we were in despair of a better Life, we might then be pardoned the dread we have of the end of this. The truth of it is, we have mispent our time in Vanity and Sin, without laying up any thing in this World, to give us a hopeful prospect of the next: We should not otherwise stand trembling upon the brink of Eternity; if it were not for Death, a good man had better never have been born.

V. No man entettains Death so chear­fully, as he that has been a long time pre­paring himself for it; for frequent Medi­tation makes it familiar and easie to us, (I had almost said, and welcome.) It is not the number of days and years that makes a long Life, but a well composed mind. A Soul that rejoyces to think of leaving the Body, and returning to him that gave it. He that dies well, has liv'd long enough; and no man can fail of dying well, that has liv'd well. He that would die in peace, must wean himself from all the satisfactions of this World before-hand. What has he to fear, that has already stript [Page 157] himself of more than Death could have taken from him? If we would make Life pleasant, we must cast off all care of that too, and then let Death come in any shape and welcome, whether we are dispatch'd by a Sword, or a Fever, it is the same thing. No man is so happy both in Life and Death, as he that can every day say to himself, I have lived; for all that follows, is another Life to him in surplusage. He that would live comfortably, must die daily.

CHAP. XXIX.

I. MAgnanimity is an Heroical Vertue, of an indefatigable force, and undaunted courage, and never without some glorious design: There is somewhat extraordinary, methinks, in the very sound of it. If it were not for this Vertue, most of the rest would fall short of their ends, for want of Resolution to grapple with the difficulties they are to encounter. This is it that inspires us with great and generous Inclinations, that animates and supports us in all hazards and Extremities, and, with God's assistance, breaks through all opposi­tions, till it has placed us in the possession of what we desire. He that would make himself considerable, must offer at some­thing that is so. The more Danger, the more Honour. Man, when he is truly himself, can do more than we think for.

II. Great minds are always intent upon great matters: Not what the common peo­ple [Page 159] call great, for that they look upon as despicable. Their care is to do things that are Honourable in the sight of their own Consciences, but whether the World gives or refuses them the Honour they deserve, it matters not; unless in case where duty, or the glory of God requires the contrary. Their business is Vertue, nor Ostentation; and the reward of well-doing, they find in the Action it self, without depending upon the voice of the people. They are Eminent above others, and Invincible, and unalte­rably steady in all Fortunes; no Intruders into high places, but content in their own Stations. They are above Submissions and entreaties to other people, for they need nothing but what they find in themselves. They know neither Fear nor Flattery; and when they put themselves forward, to be taken notice of, it is not for Vanity sake, but to justifie the cause of Religion and Vertue. And yet in all this height of Spirit, and Resolution toward men, they are to God-ward the humblest and the meekest of all Mortals. To him it is that they ascribe all, from whom they have received all; acknowledging, that of themselves, they have nothing, they can do nothing, they are nothing. Provided that a man thinks soberly and humbly of himself, he may be allowed to take some delight (with modesty) in the good opinion of other [Page 160] people. It is not well to hunt or court Applause; but if it follows us, neither are we to reject it.

III A great Mind presses to his end, thorow the thickest of his Enemies, and upon the very points of their Weapons, without any stop or hesitation. His beha­viour toward his Equals or Inferiors, is Temperate and Modest. Towards his Su­periors, he is neither slavish nor insolent: He never passes the bounds of Decency and Respect; but on the other side he is not to be trampled upon. Where he Loves or Hates, he owns it publickly, and takes the same freedom in his Actions and Dis­courses; for there is nothing in this World, that he either hopes for, or fears. He does many things that other people do, but not the same way, and therefore he's upon the Reserve with the Multitude, for he takes no pleasure at all in their acquain­tance. He does not willingly remember Injuries, and where they cannot be avoided, bears them without any complaints or sub­missions. There are not many that he com­mends, nor many that he would be com­mended by; but his care is nevertheless, to do things that are worthy of Commen­dation. No man has him at his beck but his Friend, or his Superiour. He wonders at nothing, and the reason is, he meets not [Page 161] with any thing which appears to him, either Great or New. In case of Accidents. he is safe within himself, and so the event of things never troubles him. In his mo­tion, spirit and stile, he is grave, slow, steady and composed. He that has but little to do, may do it at leisure; and there is no place for much earnestness, where a man is content within himself.

CHAP. XXX.

I. PAtience is a Vertue that enables us to bear Adversity with Equality of mind; but because there are several sorts of Adversities, there are likewise several Names given to Patience, answerable to the variety of evils which it is to be exercised upon. Patience, properly so cal­led, is the gift of bearing Injuries, with­out perturbation, and with courage. When it relates to the loss of Goods and For­tune, it is called AEquanimity: And that which keeps up the heart, in the delays and disappointments of some expected Good, we call Longanimity. But the Ver­tue which fortifies us to all other purposes, and supports us in all Afflictions and Cala­mities, Foreign or Domestick, Publick or Private, is known by the name of Con­stancy; the Vertue of all others that we [Page 163] have most occasion for. It is not for no­thing that the Life of man is called a War­fare, considering how we are beset with Adversaries, and what troops of mischiefs break in daily upon us. Not a moment passes without an Assault, without a Combat; and if we had no Enemies abroad, we should yet find work enough to do with those in our own bosoms. We breed, and we harbour Enemies within our selves, that crucifie and torment us. We come weep­ing into the World, and so we live in it, and so we leave it. It is the first thing we learn, and we can find tears, when we are capable of nothing else. We have heard of divers that never laugh'd, but not of any man yet that never wept, It concerns us therefore to arm our selves with Patience, without which, we can neither be resolute nor perfect: No man knows the value of it, till he reads it; that is to say, till he falls into Tribulation. Never was any wise man Impatient.

II. He that never experimented ill For­tune, has the more to fear. Physicians tell us, that there may be too good a habit of Body, and that nothing is more dangerous than a Plethory. So at Sea, a dead calm is commonly the fore-runner of a Storm. If we lie under the lash of cross Accidents, we are not to reckon upon it as a Cruelty, [Page 164] or a Persecution; but a contest: Without a skirmish, there can be no victory; and without a victory, no triumph. Now if Christ himself was to suffer, and so to enter into his Glory, shall we pretend to go scot-free, and be made partakers of what another has purchased, Gratis? He that thinks to go to Heaven any other way▪ does most misera­bly deceive himself. To do good, and to suffer ill, is the Sacramental Oath of a Christian. To come now to the signs of a perfected Pa­tience. He that has attained that point, bears whatsoever befalls him, without re­luctation; he does not murmur under the rod, nor return evil for evil. He loves his Enemies, and prays for those that per­secute him: He sees the hand of God in his Afflictions; and either says nothing at all, or appeals only to Heaven for relief, with a submission to suffer, whatsoever the Almighty shall see fit to lay upon him, with joy and thanksgiving. To conclude, It is a high degree of Patience, to bear with the imperfections of a weak Brother.

III. In the loss of worldly goods, it is no small comfort, to consider the frail and uncertain condition of them. Whatsoever we possess, whatsoever we love, is Naturally Fugitive. It is with us indeed, but it is not properly ours: And we are not to fool our selves into a passion for an imaginary stabi­lity, [Page 165] we our selves are not firm to any thing, neither can we expect that any thing should be so to us, Vertue only excepted, which Immortalizes, even our Mortality; all other things carry their death along with them. Let us therefore keep a distance betwixt our Possessions and our selves: For when they come to mingle and incorporate, he that takes our Estate, takes heart and all. A good man cannot be properly said to lose any thing; for whatsoever can be taken from him, is no part of himself; but an Acces­sary or circumstance, that whether it stays or goes, he esteems himself neither the richer, nor the poorer for. What a deal of pudder we make, what outcries and la­mentations, for the loss of a sum of money, the death of a Child, the firing of a House! but we can part with our Modesty, our Honesty, our Constancy, and never so much as change colour for't: And yet here we lose a substantial good; and what' our own too; whereas in the other case we lose neither: He that grieves for such a loss, deserves no better. If it were not for an inordinate love, we should not accompt that we had lost any thing. What are out­ward things to the inward man? or what correspondence betwixt Wisdom and Mo­ney?

[Page 166]IV. It would do very well, in whatsoever we go about, to take in all the Adjuncts that attend it, for there are many circum­stances, that for want of foresight and pre­caution, may come to trouble us. I call my servant, it may be he's out of the way, or does not do as I would have him. I'm to make a visit, who knows but the man may lock himself up? or shut the door against me, and refuse to be seen? Suppose this before hand, and all's well. It is the wam­bling of a Nauseous mind (the Ladies disease) to stand pittering, because (forsooth) I could not be admitted, as well as such an one: I could not get so much as one word with him: I was even crowded down to the lower end of the Table, &c. He that is not affected with this, takes no notice at all of it; and he that does not understand it to be mere matter of course, is a very great stranger certainly to the affairs of Humane life: If we can amend it, let us: if not, let us bear it. We are apt to exclaim against the Ma­lice, the Wickedness, the Impudence of the Age we live in: And we do very well in it, if we can but reform the World, and drive before us all the Fools and Knaves out of it. But if this will not be, we had even as good say nothing: It is no new thing for people to go on in their own way: Why do we not rather turn the Blame upon our selves, [Page 167] for expecting any better? The World was never otherwise, nor ever will be; but faults there must be, as long as there are men.

V. He that labours under any Affliction, should consider, not so much what he suf­fers, as what he has done; and what he now takes for a severity, will be then found to be a mercy: And that it is laid upon him, by Almighty God, for his good; that is to say, that God chastises him to humble him, try him, harden him, and bring him to himself. They that take their fill of plea­sure in this World, are commonly reser­ved for torments in the next. He that wal­lows in Abundance and Plenty, who knows how he would behave himself in a condi­tion of Want and Penury; or with what constancy any man would abide [...]he Rage and Odium of the people, that has grown old in the enjoyments of popular Honour and Applause? we are forward enough to offer Consolation, and give good Counsel to others in distress: Why do we not rather apply to our own discontents, and turn the advice upon our selves? In the case of the Body, we can part with a limb to a Surgeon, and give him thanks too, and a reward for his pains: Affliction is Gods remedy, and no less necessary to the Soul, than burning or starving is to the body: And yet here we are apt to mutter and repine; and to mistake [Page 168] that for a loss, or a misery, which both in the intention, and in the effect, is a cure. If Poverty, Sickness, and whatsoever else we call evil, might but be supposed to enter into an Expostulation, and should ask us, Gentlemen, what's your quarrel to us? what hurt have we done you? have we taken away any of your Prudence, Iustice, Fortitude, or any thing else that was good, and you could call your own? may you not live as merrily with us, as without us? we must lay our fingers upon our mouths, and answer only in Silence. The matter duly weighed, we take good for evil, and evil for good. And the greatest of our misfortunes is our impatience.

VI. In another Bodies case, one may dissemble a Resolution and Constancy of mind, but hardly in our own. We are to weep with those that weep; but though our Tears be in common, it does not follow, that the cause of them must be so too. We are as much as in us lies, to comfort and succour the afflicted. If any man does us an injury, let us consider, that, Every thing has two handles; a right and a wrong; and take it by the right. The man is unjust. If we take it by that way, there follows Ani­mosity and Violence. But then on the other side, he's one for whom Christ died; redeemed by the same precious Blood with our selves, and called out to the same glory. The turning of [Page 169] our thoughts this way, quiets all. We like­wise pass this reflection upon it; in the matter of reproof, we may sooner hear the truth from an Enemy, than from a Friend; for it is his business to find faults, and to explore our infirmities, even more than we do our selves. If we do any thing that we should not do, or neglect any thing that we should do, we shall be sure to hear of it from him, and to have the Town ring on't. Let us therefore make profit of his enmity, and look to our selves, we shall be the more circumspect, when we know that we have a spy upon us.

VII. Perseverance is the Crown and Perfe­ction of all Vertues. The reward is promised to beginners, but is delivered to those that per­severe. Wherefore, above all things, let us be firm to our selves; in the mounting of a steep Hill, if we come once to stop, we slip; and instead of standing our ground, we slide down again. Let us resolve what we are to do, and pursue it; for 'tis to no purpose at all, to do any thing by fits. It is a great weakness of mind, to be always upon the ramble, and in quest of new com­pany, new exercises, new places; when the fault's in our selves, not in the Climate, or other Circumstances. The Plant that's often removed, withers; and the very change of Remedies, turns into a Disease. [Page 170] If the blessed Apostle found himself at a loss, in the Contemplation of his duty; what will become of us then, whose Vertues are scarce comparable even to his Imperfecti­ons? The love of Learning is never to be extinguished. The love of Riches never to be satisfied. The love of Honour, never to be allayed: So that there's no end of our greediness after things that are in them­selves, short-liv'd and uncertain; but when we come to the divine and everlasting Wis­dom, the least touch and relish of it, cloys us. This is not according to his Precept, that says, Be you perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. He that looks up to that pattern, shall never want place for the in­crease of his Vertue.

CHAP. XXXI.

I. THE pleasures that arise from the Taste and Touch, are under the Government of Temperance; which only approves of those that are necessary, and according to right Reason; and declares against all that's Artificial and Superfluous. The Infallible Rule she proceeds by, is this: To take that for a measure in what con­cerns the Body, which Nature has made necessary; and never for pleasures sake, to admit of any pleasure. This is it, that keeps a man from degenerating into a Beast: To this of Temperance, the Vertue of Modesty does very much conduce. It is the Bridle of corrupt Motions, the Index of good Nature; the Guardian of purity; the witness of Innocence: Where Modesty has taken possession, there enters not so much as an unclean thought; much less an unlawful act. It teaches us to stand in aw of the presence of God within us, and [Page 172] of our own Consciences: And charms us with the Contemplation of those Celestial Beauties, that illustrate all the works of Temperance. The man that is truly and perfectly Modest, will not endure so much as the name of Intemperance; his house serves him only for a Covering, not a Concealment; as it does to some others, who lock them­selves up, not that they may live more se­curely, but sin more privately. But alas! what does it avail us, to shun the eyes, and the ears of men; when God sees us; and our Consciences accuse us.

II. The Vertues of moderating the use of meat and drink, we call Abstinence, and Sobriety: But as to what concerns the Touch, we call it Chastity and Modesty. In the use of Meats, it is no easie thing for a man to keep himself within the bounds of bare Necessity; for the Belly has no ears, hears no counsel, and will be still craving and calling upon us for daily relief; but at how easie a rate we might discharge our selves of that importunity, not one man of a thousand takes into his thought. Instead of gratifying the Necessities of Nature, we are on the other side putting a force upon her, to make her subservient to us in our Luxury; by Irritating that Hunger and Thirst with Artificial Provocatives; which should rather have been laid, and pacified, [Page 173] by Remedies Plain and Natural. The Ver­tue of Chastity is yet of greater difficulty among so many incentives to Lust, without the singular Grace of God. We must keep our selves out of all Temptations; set a Guard upon our senses, and preserve a profound Reverence for our selves; for he that has no respect for himself, will hardly have it for any body else. Let us have a care of our eyes; for many a man has been engag'd ere he was aware, to love in spight of his heart. If it be Beauty, or Woman, that we love, there is nothing certainly in the World, that is so false and fading. Take her in all her Charms and Glories, and 'tis but the work of one single moment, to turn all her Graces into Deformities; all her Sweetness into Corruption, and her very self into worse than nothing. We must flie ill Company too, and Idleness, and mortifie our Bodies by Fasting and Discipline. In a very ill con­dition is the Soul of that man, that takes too much care of his Carkass.

CHAP. XXXII.

I. IT is the Office and the Property of Meekness or Gentleness, to mode­rate the violence of Anger, and keep it within the limits of Humanity and Reason. Anger is as a Sword in the hand of Nature, for the terrour and punishment of Offen­ders. Now it is as great a Cruelty to spare all, as to spare none; for Impunity gives an encouragement to Villany. When mat­ters are come to an Extremity, and that Justice is to be done upon a Malefactor, there is yet place for Meekness and Cle­mency; and we are to shew a kind of Un­willingness and Compassion, even where there is a necessity of Punishment. We are grievous sinners our selves, and as God hath dealt with us, so are we to behave our selves toward others; that is to say, with Tenderness and Forbearance, in hope of Amendment. God Almighty does not al­ways proceed to Severity, but contents himself many times with our Repentance. It is a disparagement to the Physician to [Page 175] despair of the Patient; for according to his kindness and skill, we are to judge of the facility of the Cure. Gentleness of Nature, to Anger, is like a Rock to the Sea, it breaks the fury of it. The Billows may rage and fome, but the Rock stands firm, and they do but dash and spend themselves against it to no purpose. Come unto me, and learn of me; says our blessed Saviour. And what are we to learn? not to cure the Sick; cleanse the Lepers; give sight to the Blind; or raise the Dead. But, learn of me, says he, for I am meek. Such is the Excellency of Meekness, as if the whole duty of Christia­nity were comprehended in that Lesson.

II. As Meekness moderates Anger, so Clemency moderates Punishment. The one is competible to all men, the other belongs properly to Princes and Magistrates, in whose power it is to mitigate the severity of Laws upon Offenders, and which they are to do without any respect to Fear, Profit, Friendship, or the like; but purely upon a principle of Generosity and Good Nature. Clemency is not only the Priviledge, the Honour, and the duty of a Prince, but it is likewise his Security; and better than all his Garrisons, Forts, and Guards, to preserve himself and his Dominions in safety. When a Prince comes to be fear'd, he's hated; and when he comes once to [Page 176] be hated, the People wish him out of the World. His strength lies not so much in his Arms and Magazines, as in the Hearts of his Subjects: For whoever contemns his own life, is Master of another mans. Many Executions are as great a Reproach to a Government, as many Funerals to a Physician. That Prince is truly Royal, who Masters himself; looks upon all Injuries as below him; and Governs by Equity and Reason, not by Passion. The greatest minds are ever the most Serene and Quiet.

CHAP. XXXIII.

I. THere is not any thing, that does bet­ter become a well qualified mind, than Modesty. It is the Beauty of Honesty, and the Check of Wickedness; and shews it self in the very Habit and Gesture, with­out a word speaking: 'Tis a strange disco­very that a man makes of himself, even in the smallest things; in a look, a smile, a cast of the Eye, a particular manner of walking: But whatever the World may gather from these Circumstances, let us be sure that they may read Christianity in our Lives. In all our Motions, Gestures, Words, Countenances, there is a certain Graceful­ness or Medium to be observed, betwixt Affectation and Effeminacy on the one side, and a Clownish Harshness on the other. True Modesty passes from the Mind, into the Body, and influences all our External Actions, with its Internal Gravity of Man­ners. A modest man is the lively image of God; his very lo [...]ks compose us. There is [Page 178] both Beauty in it, and Benefit. There is a Modesty to be used in our very Cloaths, Houshold-stuff, Furniture, number of Ser­vants; which are all to be suited to our condition. These may pass for the Or­naments of our Bodies and Houses, but they are the Impediments of our Minds; why do we glory then in Misfortune and Vanity, and in the multitude of our Distractions? A man has as many Enemies as Servants: There are so many Spies upon him; their business is to pry into our Actions, not to wait upon our Commands. They come humble into a Family; they grow insolent in it, and most odious when they go out of it.

II. There are two ends of Studiousness. The one is to attemper the Inordinate de­sire of Knowledge; the other is to quicken and excite us, to the learning of things profitable and necessary: We are all of us given to be searching and curious, by Na­ture; who knows well enough the Beauty and the Artifice of her own work, in the Structure of the Universe; and therefore has made us Spectators of it, that so much excellency might not lie dead and fruitless in Solitude. But instead of improving this Goodness of Nature, we abuse it; and spend those faculties upon Impertinent and dangerous Curiosities, which were given us [Page 179] for nobler ends. Wisdom does not consist in knowing much, but in knowing things that we are the better for; and those things in the first place that concern our Salva­tion: Not that I am against Humane Lear­ning neither; provided, that a good use be made of whatever we read toward the ordering of our Lives and Manners. In the reading of many Books, we are apt to take up a Rambling humour of skipping from one thing to another, and swallowing abun­dance; but we digest nothing. Whereas we should rather pitch upon some certain Authors; take what's good out of them; read them over and over, and study them, if we would have any thing stick by us. Variety of reading, may be pleasant; but it is the steady and certain Application of our Studies, that improves us.

III. And yet we are not to be so intent upon our Studies neither, as never to give our selves breath and respit. The Mind is to be sometimes unbent; for there is no living without Intervals of Rest. We see that in all places, there are days of Recrea­tion set apart, by Authority, for the Re­freshment and Relief of the people. Now the mind may be several ways divertised, according to the disposition of the person, and according to the occasions. Some peoples thoughts and spirits are raised by [Page 180] nothing more than a pleasant walk in the open Air; others again are for the delight of Rivers and Groves; some for a Country-Retreat, out of the dust and tumult of the City; others, are for Hawking, Hunting, or the more harmless sport perchance of Fishing. Nay, the very passing from one Study to another, as from Mathematicks, for the purpose, to a Consort of Musick, is a great Relief. Some are for Entertain­ments of Wit, as Comedies, or honest Games, as Chess, Tables, &c. But nothing better than a Chearful and Ingenious Con­versation, that keeps it self within the bounds of Honour and Modesty: Some there are, of so sowre and critical a tem­per; so Morose and Insociable, that they'd sooner be guilty of a Mortal sin, than of a Jest Others, on the contrary, are never out of Company; but perpetually upon the Droll, and playing the Buffoons. Now these extremes are stark naught, unless they be so qualified and temper'd that the one may serve as a cure to the other. To be always in company, or always alone, is not well; but when we are weary of the one, we may have recourse to the other. And so it is with Labour and Idleness; when we are weary of working, let's lie down and rest; when we are sick of doing no­thing▪ let's up and work. Some there are, that have no Government over themselves [Page 181] at all; but when they are upon the fit of studying, day and night is too little for them, till they have read themselves faint and blind: And as soon as that humour is spent, they fall into the contrary extreme of Dissolution and Laziness; and are as hard now to be reclaimed from the one, as they were before, to be diverted from the other. This comes to pass, because we pro­ceed by leaps, and fly from one Contrary to the other; for want of setting to our selves certain Rules and Bounds, which we are not to transgress. Excess, or the over­doing of any thing, is enough to turn even good into evil.

CHAP. XXXIV.

I. HUmility is a Vertue, that comes from Christ himself, who pub­lished it by his Doctrine, and taught it by his Example. Next to Vertues Theologi­cal and Intellectual, it holds the first place; for it overthrows Pride, which is the foun­tain of all evil. It makes us acceptable to God, whose communication is with the humble: Without this foundation, our whole spiritual building falls to the ground. The name of it, 'tis true, does not seem to import any great matter; but it is the Vertue nevertheless, without which no man can be either great or perfect. It is that which puts us upon Illustrious Exploits, without danger of being pust up; upon dif­ficulties and hazards, without fear; nay, and without so much as a change of coun­tenance or temper. Humility does not lie (as the people imagine) in the mere con­tempt and abjection of our selves; but also, [Page 183] in the just and moderate pursuit of Honour and Glory: Of Glory, not for Ostentation, but for the Vertue it self: of which, that Glory is the reward; all other Glory is false and spurious, and not worthy so much as of his thought, that knows the value of things, and perfectly understands himself. The Humble man knows too well, (to affect Honour in it) how little it is that he can contribute out of his own, to the works of Vertue: Beside that, he is afraid of seek­ing, even the Honour that he deserves, for fear of being insensibly drawn in, to covet more than his due. There can be no less in despising of Honour, since it is great Honour to refuse it; and greater yet, to contemn it.

II. The reason why we are not humble is, because We do not know our selves: And we will sooner believe a mistake in our own breasts, than if it came to us from the fur­thest quarters of the Earth. What is man? a weak and sickly body; a pitiful, helpless Creature, exposed to all the Injuries of Times and Fortune; a mass of Clay and Corruption, prone to all wickedness, and of so perverse and deprav'd a judgment, as to prize Earth above Heaven; Temporal Pleasures, before Eternal Felicities: Every man living is altogether Vanity. He is one of the most frail, one of the most furious, lustful and timerous Creatures of the Crea­tion: [Page 184] What have we then to be proud of? considering our misery and shame, which we should most certainly consider, if we had but the least spark of Reason in us. We can never be perfectly humble, till we come to a perfect understanding of our selves.

III. It is not enough for us to be humble, but we must be vile in our own eyes, di­strustful of our selves, and ascribe all Glory and Honour to God. He that is humble, takes pleasure in the contempt of himself, and is only proud of not being affected with applause. He judges of himself, by what's his own, and he values others, by what they have received from God; so that he always lessens himself in the com­parison. This is his practice, to set his own faults against his Neighbours Vertues; by which Rule, the perfectest man alive, shall think worse of himself than of another. He is obedient to his Superiours, not wed­ded to his own will: He confesses his infir­mities; he bears all indignities with pa­tience; he does any good office, be it never so mean; he is neither singular nor talka­tive. He loves privacy, without any desire to be taken notice of, he draws himself into a narrow compass; and he places him­self both above the World, and below it. He is modest and circumspect, and speaks little, but when he needs must, and that [Page 185] too with a countenance, rather disposed to sadness than mirth: One may read the humility of his heart, in his outside; his face is grave and modest; his eyes cast down, like those of a guilty person before the great Tribunal: And betwixt the con­science of his sins, and the uncertainty of his pardon, not daring to lift them up to Heaven: He stands afar off, with the Pub­lican in the Gospel, crying, Lord be merciful to me a sinner. To conclude, he trembles at the thought of himself; he despises the World, and all the glories of it; for the whole Earth is as nothing to him that does not first over-value himself.

CHAP. XXXV.

I. HE that wants nothing, may be pro­perly said to be perfect. And what can that man want, who is cleansed and purged from his sins, beautified with all divine Vertues, whose heart is set upon God, and his soul united to him to Eter­nity? This is the top of Christian Perfe­ction, and the last end of Christianity it self, to be united to him who is the End and Author of our Being. But it is not for man to attain this End, without the special aid and assistance of God; and therefore there are but few that arrive at this perfection; for there are not many that entertain the Grace when 'tis offered them: But how­ever, some there have been in all Ages.

II. We may pronounce that man per­fect, whom we see unshaken in dangers; untainted, with Lusts; chearful, in Adver­sity; happy, under Reproach; quiet, in a [Page 187] Storm; Free, Equal, Constant, Resolute, Generous, Empty of himself, and Full of God: And so much above the things of this World, that the Hopes and Fears, which are the Anxiety of other people, do but serve him for Divertisement and Sport, His Comforts are out of the reach of Vio­lence; and his very Misfortunes are for his good: He fears neither Disappointments nor Accidents: He values things by the Nature of them, and not by Opinion: He sees the World at his feet; he studies, con­templates, and despises it, with an invin­cible tranquillity of spirit; and yet his Soul keeps still her station, where she had her Original. It is with the Conversation of a Good man, as with the Beams of the Sun; which, though they strike the Earth, are nevertheless at the same time in the great Luminary that sends them; and so is the Soul of a perfect Christian in Heaven, at the same time that we enjoy his Company here below. His mind is like the stare of the World above the Moon, ever serene and quiet. He knows neither Defects nor Variations; all Ages serve him. The Sun it self does not look upon the World more impartially than he does, and without cum­bering his thoughts about many things; he takes up his rest in the simplicity and uni­ty of God himself. He neither seeks nor wishes for any thing without himself; for [Page 188] he carries his happiness in his own breast. It is to God alone that he dedicates both his actions and life. He that walks by this Rule, knows what it is to be perfect.

III. It not for flesh and blood to arrive at this pitch without his helping-hand, who says, Without me you are able to do nothing. But there is likewise a necessity of precious Dispositions. An intimate union with God, is the Accomplishment of a perfect Life; and we must first cast off the darkness of the Creature; ere we presume to appear before him that dwells in an unaccessible Light. How shall any man think to partake of the joys of Heaven, so long as he carries the corruptions of Earth and Flesh about him? Every Pleasure, every Vanity, every Vicious Affection, is a Remora to him: It stops him in his full course, endangers the whole Lading, and keeps him from his Port. God is unity, and takes no joy in a Soul that is divided.