De Religione & Virtute. Of Religion and Virtue.

REligion (ex vi termini,) Eti­mologically, imports Allegi­ance, or a Natural (as well as Moral) obligation or Duty to God, to ones Self, and to all Mankind. To God, as our Sovereign Maker, Lord and Proprietor, and con­stant [Page 18] and Eternal Benefactor: To own and acknowledg him, so to be Ruled in­tirely by him, to Depend sincerely upon him (in the use of the means of his own prescription to us) and to Resign up our selves unto him, as both Original and Fi­nal to us in all points. To our selves, to be Just, Chaste, Temperate and Chari­table, for neither are our Bodies, nor our Souls our own. To the rest of God's fa­mily, both Man and Beast, we owe the Tribute of Justice, Respect, Love, Cha­rity, to behave our selves toward them all according to the dictates of Natural Light, and superadded Reason (God's Candle) and Divine Revelation, couch­ed in Holy Writ: Homo homini Deus, and not Lupus; we should act towards our fellow Creatures after that Coppy that God blessed for ever hath set us, in his Philanthropy, or kindness to us; that is, to help, instruct, respect, and compassio­nate them upon all occasions and emer­gencies that happen; and not at all hurt, injure, defraud, or disquiet any one part or member of his Family in the World: This is real Religion or true Virtue.

So that real Religion consists in an humble, just and generous Disposition or Temper of Mind, that habitually prompts and inclines a Man to Love and Goodwil, towards the whole Family of God, to [Page 19] visit and relieve such as are distressed, or uneasie, to deal fairly and honestly with­al Mankind, even Foes as well as Friends and Allies; and to preserve our selves, and (as far as we can) others from the pol­lutions of the Mind and Body, to do Just­ly, walk Humbly (that is Holily) and to love Mercy. And it doth by no means consist in those things which (is an Epi­demical mistake of well affected persons in the World) are not the End, but the means of acquiring it, as Hearing, Read­ing, Praying, and Christian conference and meditation; but a frame and consti­tution of Heart, vigorously actuated by an energetical Faith, a lively Hope, and an universal Charity. For to love and respect only Benefactors, and to revenge indignities and affronts offered to us, with­out any just provocation given, &c.

Scribes, Pharisees and Heathens, arrived to that pass; but Evangelical Precepts and Presidents extend a great deal further, as to teach us to imbrace a common Ene­my; and neither to give, nor yet receive provocations to wrath. To deny our selves in many things indifferent, and to restrain our appetites and passions in ma­ny cases where not exorbitant. To be as cunning as a Serpent, and harmless as a Dove in the whole course of our Con­versations; [Page 20] to become all things to all Men, that we may gain upon some; and in some cases, and for some persons, even to venture our Lives and Fortunes for them.

Reveal'd Religion no where enterferes with, or controuls, that natural Religion, or Law of Nature which we are endued with, upon our entrance into the World; but all the Rules and Directions thereof are in affirmation and in inlargement of them; which is worthy our Observa­tion.

Religion (in sano sensu) extends it self all over the World, (as well as the Go­spel doth all over Christendom) and is seated in the Conscience, which is God's Vicegerent, that approves or condemns, accuses or excuses, all the actions of in­tellectual voluntary Agents; read Rom. 1. The fundamental part of Religion is co-natural to, and as inherent in, an Intelli­gent Agent, as Reason it self is; where­fore whoever of them lives without some sense of his subjection to, or dependance upon his Maker, is a moral Monster; (which is the greatest prodigy in the whole World) for an Oxe to know his Owner, and an Ass his Master, and yet for a Man of higher senses, and intel­lectual faculties, framed on purpose to reflect on, grope after, and understand [Page 21] his own Constitution, Duty, and De­pendance; to disown or be ignorant of a Deity, is an unaccountable thing in Mo­rality.

Religion is (in short) that thing which does distinguish a Man from a Brute. And Virtue or Piety is that which makes a Man appear to be an intellectual voluntary Agent, for nothing else can be such; to wit, a thing that can chuse or refuse good or bad; and that owns his dependance upon a Sovereign goodness: without whose Care, Conduct, and Au­thentication, he could neither have nor continue in a Being. Men and An­gels are only such a sort of existency; and Virtue or Religion belongs properly to no body else in Nature, some shadows and umbrages there are of a seeming Re­ligion in inferior Entities, but they can­not amount unto true Religion, because they are only prompted by Instinct, or natural Laws, that oblige them to chuse, or refuse, what only is Decorous and Healthy, which are their summa bona, or chief good.

But he that is truly Religious or Vir­tuous, takes a real delight in regular mo­tions and rational operations, as homo­geneal and connatural to his Constitution and Nature. This is a right Jurisprudent; for it is a true Maxim, as well as an old [Page 22] one, that Plures sunt quos cogit Timor, sed Meliores, quos ducit Amor; or in Metre thus,

That is,

A Jurisprudent in our sense is radically Religious, that is, ready to do all good Offices unto all Mankind, and loves so to do. And I am of Opinion, that Anima [...] Religiosum, a Religious Animal is a more proper Definition of a Man, than Anima [...] Rationale, or a Reasonable Creature; for as much as Virtue or Religion is an inse­parable property, as the Logicians call it Quarto Modo, or four ways. That is,

• 1. It belongs unto all Men.
• 2. It belongs only unto Mankind.
• 3. It belongs at all times unto Man.
• 4. It belongs necessarily to Men; but Sociabillity or Rationality possibly do to others besides Man.

Religion is so co-natural and essential to an humane constitution, that the most Barbarous, as well as Moralized Nations under Heaven, ever own some kind o [...] other of a Religation or Religion, or re­ference to a Deity, or Supream Being that gave them a Commencement or Be­ginning, and is conservative of them in [Page 23] Being; and final and ultimate to them after their expirations. For Religion and Virtue must be considered off two ways; there's a Natural Religion, or Law of Nature ingrost upon all Mens minds in the World, that discovers to them their derivation from and dependance upon a Supream Proprietor, and Benefactor to all effects and purposes; and persuant thereof, is the reveal'd Religion in Holy Writ; and in Works of Divine Provi­dence, not at all thwarting or controul­ling but confirming the Religion we call Natural. Wherefore I infer that (tho there be too too many Practical yet) there is not one Speculative Atheist in the whole World; tho some fools have been so silly as to say so, or would if they could conceive so, yet none have been so mad as to think and really believe (tho they lived without regard of him in the World) that there is no God. A Man can view nothing within him or without but what hath palpable indicati­ons of Religion and Virtue, namely a relation to a Sovereign Goodness and Greatness; and consequently more or less must induce him to acknowledge his De­pendance upon, and Subordination to an infinite Independency; which concepti­ons of his are radical Religion, and prompt him to Adoration, Homage and [Page 24] to Fealty by virtue of the tenure of his Being: But for the understanding that which is the quintessence of all Religion, which is the Divine Philanthropy, o [...] God in Christ reconciling the lapsed Creation to himself again; we are whol­ly beholden here to Divine Revelation, which is the glad tidings, to that effect and purpose, disclosed to us by the Go­spel; the sound whereof perhaps two thirds of the habitable World have not heard of or known to this day, yet un­derstand to do justly, converse humbly, and act compassionately to the rest of God's family below: And that by the [...], the written Law of natu­ral Religion within them, Rom. c. 1. makes this a plain case; whosoever steers not by this compass is a Jurisprudent, in the worst sence. Whatsoever a Man is for parts or other accomplishments or en­dowments, that hath not a real sense of Virtue and Religion, he is the greatest prodigy; and despicablest thing in Na­ture. And yet which is to me one of the (magnalia naturae) wonderfullest thing in Nature, that no part of the Creation pre­varicates so much, or deviates from their Homogeneal Principles or Instincts, as doth Mankind; an Oxe understands and complies with his Owners intimations and pleasure, and an Ass with his Feeder's [Page 25] conduct; but Man (the top of the Crea­tion) swerves from his Sovereign Proprie­tor's Rules and Principles, and runs retro­grade (of course) in so much that its al­most as hard to find a truly Religious Ju­risprudent amongst mankind; as it was for Solomon to find a Prudent and Virtuous one among a Thousand Women. Religion and Virtue are the Varnish of the Creati­on, and renders it Illustrious; but Vice and Enormity blots and stains it. A Wise or Religious Man keeps the Peace, but an Irreligious Person is like a common Barre­tor, that sets the Family of God together by the Ears; a Boutefean or Incendiary. The former is a Man of Councel and of Conduct; the latter is a common Nusance, not to be countenanced or endur'd with patience. Of the former that authentick Maxim is verified, scil. Homo homini Deus; he's a God (upon Earth) to Mankind. Of the latter, the other part of it, too true, scil. Homo, homini Lupus; he is a Wolf among Mankind, a destroyer. The former is a Man of sense, of honour, and every way eximious; but the latter is a Dunce, and a Bruit in Morality. A Religious Man is a Sage in the Law, and the best Jurisprudent in the Land of the Living.

II. De Deo & Eternitate. Of God and Eternity.

WHereof who can speak without a So­lecism, or write without a Barbarism, or think without an Extacy. Deus optimus, maximus intimior nobis est intimo nostro; could the Heathen say: ‘Est Deus in nobis, agitante calescimus ipso,’

That is,

Man is his offspring, derives from him, subsists by him, and lives in him, and re­turns to him; he is both original and final to him: The Fountain and Father of Love, Life, Power, Wisdom and Immortality; whereupon the best Philosophers assert and hold, That Animus cujusque est is quisque▪ the mind is the Man: He is that he is which is the best definition that he hath given us of himself, who cannot conceive aright of him, but (ex post facto,) by his Backparts or the results and effects of his glorious and transcendent Attributes of Wisdom, Power, Goodness and Patience so long as we stand committed to a Body, from which when emancipated and re­leas'd [Page 27] possibly we may injoy a more ade­quate knowledge of him, [...], à parte ante & à parte post. Our fullest ap­prehensions both of him and of Eternity, while incarcerated with Flesh and Bone, consisting principally in Negative notions of his Nature, and incomprehensible ex­cellencies and perfections. Howbeit, our Dignity and our Duty it is, here below, to ruminate very frequently, and patheti­cally, upon those eternal injoyments that are so radical to our very constitutions; for want of the lively hopes whereof (where­unto we are begotten by the Resurrection of our blessed Emanuel) we had been the most miserable part of all God's Creation. Our topping attainments here are to Co­py out his imitable Attributes and Per­fections, as the genuine Child doth patris­sare, that is imitate his Parent, and strives to be as exquisite as his Father in all ac­complishments and perfections that he is capable off: Homo homini Deus, is a certain Rule, Man's made, framed, and designed to be in the foresaid regards, a God to the rest of his heavenly Father's family here in the World, as the holy Angels in that upper-family are subservient Spirits unto the Heirs of Salvation.

Its high time for us to begin so to Ru­minate and Consider (as aforesaid) as soon as ere we are capable to prevaricate [Page 28] after the similitude of our Forefather Adam's enormity or trespass.

God is eternal Prudence or Wisdom, and the only source and original of all other existencies and excellencies, and also final and ultimate of all: the serious and digest­ed consideration whereof; that we must terminate in Eternity either in point of happiness or misery, is enuff to astonish any intellectual voluntary agent that is created, who hath not a deep sense of his relation to and dependance on him fo [...] ever. He is by no means a Jurisprudent, who aims not in all his Councels, Cogita­tions and Contrivances at Eternity; and has not a mediate or immediate regard to it in omnibus; and that considers not uni­versally, and handles all points of humane affairs accordingly; that he is here but as it were by the By, and at best in a state of Probation and Pilgrimage, for a spurt of time not worth a thought, were it not in order to, and in persuance of, and prepara­tory for Eternity. God's infinite Love, the dwelling upon which contemplation for some considerable time, would animate and steer the course of Mankind by the true compass, and prevent an innumerable company of destructions and irreparable mischiefs, which daily happen unto stupid [Page 29] or unconsiderate Men. Time, as one (wittily but truly) call'd it, is the needle that draws after it the long thread of Eter­nity, but for the injoyment whereof, it were worth no Man's while to be hurli-burlied here in the World. A calm and steady notion, or conception of Eternity, is alone sufficient to a Jurisprudent to make him weary of the World's atchievements and blandishments, and utterly wean him from an eager persuite of any temporary acqui­sition, it will direct him to serve himself of (and not to be enslaved to) the pre­sent World; and to be a Councel in no Cause which hath not a prospect of an Eternal Fee or Reward. Prudent was the practise of that Heathen Poet, who de­clar'd,

Prudens incipit à fine, say Philosophers, A wise Man begins at the End, that is, its first in intention, tho last in execution. To square our means and methods so, as they may be sure to tend (ad Infinitum) to­ward Eternity, which is our ultimate End, is the genuine character and practise of our Jurisprudent, ss. Eternal weal, not wo; which principles of his reduced into pra­ctise, will seal his conveyance thither for certain; since one of his best principles is,

That the felicity of Heavenly injoy­ments is Eternal, was never yet a Moo [...]-point (as I know) tho the Eternity o [...] Torment hath; howbeit its agreed on al [...] Hands, by Sage and Religious Jurisprudents that à parte post, or for the future ever voluntary and intelligent agent, as Man is must expect an Eternal duration, whe [...] united again, after a mortal divorce o [...] Soul and Body: Wherefore we hold that Satius est cavere semper, quam perire semel Its much more adviceable to be alway [...] Cautious, than once to be ruin'd either i [...] Time, or Eternity. Summum Jus, is God and Eternity; that is, the supreme Righ [...] and Law, and the proper center of i [...] mortal Souls; therefore all the lines [...] our circumferences regularly ought to t [...] ­minate there. That is, all our contriva [...] ­ces and transactions here in time, should be framed and steered by that Eternal co [...] ­pass:

I am fully of opinion, that this one Po [...] or Consideration of God and Eternit [...] [Page 31] (which we can't easily separate in our thoughts) well and daily weigh'd and di­gested duly, will prove the best Panphar­macon, or universal Antidote, against all extrajudicial and degenerate deportments of our selves, unbecoming the Rank and Quality of our State and Profession here below; and our Relation that we stand in unto God and Man.

He that well understands that he is not sui Juris, not his own property, nor put into Being only to serve himself, or to con­trole others; but to be ruled and managed by the Laws of his Creation, and is but a precarious and dependant Creature, tho' in the uppermost forme here. And that he hourly is continu'd and supported in Be­ing, to the end that he may be obsequious to the Laws of his Sovereign Benefactor, and Auxiliary and useful to the rest of Mankind, according to his capacity and qualification from above; in promoting his own and their both Temporal and Eternal welfare, will easily be perswaded, that he is divinae particula aurae: that is, a spark of an Eternal flame, and a divine off-spring; and that his principal interest, concern and acquaintance is vested in the next World, whither he is swiftly hastning out of this unto God and Eternity; and consequently make use of this but as of a Scale or Ladder to climb up to that, with­all [Page 32] al reasonable and prudent expedition and security. Now to conceive a right of Eternal Goodness, Wisdom, and Power, that the notion may best affect and influ­ence our minds, which are not capable to comprehend so vast an object; we may judiciously collect in our serenest imaginati­ons the abstract of his imitable perfections, of Love, Power, Wisdom, Patience, Justice and Mercy, &c. by those glorious instances that his Word and Works exert. And then a­dore and admire what you possibly cannot comprehend, the Clemency, Glory and E­ternal goodness of that God that hath allied you to him so transcendently, and been so superlatively beneficent to you and all Mankind, in your narrow tract of time, whom Eternity it self will be a pattern strait enuff to bless and magnifie when time shall be no more. Having not only made a World for us, and planted us as Vicegerents to him in it; but after we made defection from him, by our violati­on of his original Sanction in Paradise, to contrive that the seed of the Woman (that was the occasion of our Degeneration and Apostacy) shou'd break the Serpents head that was the fundamental cause of our failing: For as the Logicians distinguist well, Satan was the Causa procatarctica, o [...] original cause of our Lapes; but the Wo­man Causa proegumene, or main inducement [Page 33] thereof; and that after the fulness of time was accomplish'd, for the said breaking his Head, that had bruised our Heel; that still that Divine and adorable Philanthropy, or Love to Mankind, should further ex­tend it self, as after our Saviour's Ascensi­on and departure from us, to commissio­nate his Holy Spirit to succeed him, and to comfort and incourage Mankind in all the ways of new obedience, that nothing supernatural (as well as rational) shou'd be wanting to perfect our both Temporal and Eternal felicity. This is worth our while a little further to ruminate upon, and to consider how far we are supply'd with a further Auxiliary, how the Divine Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, negotiates with Man­kind, in persuance of his Eternal happi­ness; is a noble Point, and worthy of the contemplation of a Jurisprudent to pur­pose, and (with submission to greater Theological Judgments) we are of Opi­nion that it operates not Enthusiastically, (as many hold) or indirectly and impercep­tibly influencing of the minds of Men, out of the usual course of means, prescri­bed to us in the Gospel, or Divine revela­tion for our acquiring of Eternal happi­ness, which we call Salvation; but by the mediation of our rational faculties, and diligent persute of such means of Grace and Glory, we are obliged to entertain as [Page 34] consideration, conference, instruction, and applications by Prayer, and thankful Re­cognitions of, and Praisings for, and Re­joycings in such Benefactions, Comforts, and Aids Divine, which we daily and hourly injoy, by that miraculous under­taking of our Saviour's passion, and in­tercession, together with the subsequent negotiations of the Holy Ghost, by the ministration of Angels, and the co-ope­rations of him with our sincere and ratio­nal, operations, in and about the accom­plishment of our Salvation or Eternal fe­licity. He it is that works in us and for us, both a velleity, or willingness; and ex­cites and helps us forward to action, as St. Paul expresly declares, The same Holy Spirit doth doubtless help our infirmities, and animates us in our defects of humane frailties; and as well in meditations of, as in application to him, prompts us to and prevents us in our persuits after Eternal happiness. He that lives without God in the World, surely lives without any sense of this Divine superintendence over and in us all; how can else our Saviours words be verified, That this Comforter (which is himself under another notion) should teach and conduct us in the knowledge of whatsoever may conduce unto Eternal life. If we heed and regard him, questionless he is at hand, rebuking, reinforcing, and [Page 35] inciting us to every good Word or Work. But this is a new (or rather unconsidered on) Doctrine, since our Saviours depar­ture from us, who told us when he went away, that he wou'd not leave us destitute of the like aids and supplies, (as he affor­ded us when he was among us) to inform, to incourage, and to direct us in the dark, how to grope out our way to everlasting hapiness. He sometimes by the Ministry of good Angels prompts us, sometimes by the mediation of our rational and conside­rate faculties suggests and influences us, sometimes by the interposition of evil An­gels suffers us to be tempted and prevented from many a good enterprise, or under­taking, of his good pleasure and free con­descention; all which Divine aids and in­fluences, as procured for us, by the pro­digious merits and intercession of our Re­deemer, whereof no man can give a par­ticular account any more than of the mo­tion of the Wind, that blows when and where it listeth, the impression whereof we mortals find and feel, but can't unfold whence it comes, or whether it goes; but are sure that every regenerate person do perticipate of those operations, to all good effects and purposes, and without them are wholly impotent: This is that Lite that is kindl'd in all that are born, this is that Dove that brooding on the Waters, in six [Page 36] days, hatched the visible World; and this is that Spiritus intus alens, that Energy that stimulates Mankind to all good Works; as the Poet himself of old darkly discerned,

Hereupon lyes a Jursprudent his stress, that if he be true to himself, he's secure of Di­vine aid in his Study and Practise of the Canon, Civil, or the Common Law of Mankind, be it Secular or Supernatural, and further acquiesces herein also; that the Humane Verdicts or Judgments, whe­ther for the Plaintiff or Defendant, in the cause of his Clyent, will be Arrested and set aside one day or other, if not entred, or given according to the pattern of sound words; which is his original Warrant for all his Sentiments, Pleas, Opinions and Practises, from the first day of his Practise to his life End.

III. De Angelis & Animis. Of Angels and Souls.

THe Soul (in statu seperato) unbodyed is very near a Kin to an Angel, and in point of Constitution, but a little lower. It's the Duty and Dignity of them both, to be particularly subservient and ministerial Agents unto Mankind's eternal Interest and Happiness, the one as Spirits commissi­onated from Heaven to negotiate for the Heirs of Salvation, the other to imitate his Maker in becoming (Homo Homini Deus) God's Proxy to his fellow Creature, for it's truly said, Animus cujus (que) est is quisque; 'Tis the Mind that is the Man, the Care and charge or Commission aforesaid of the An­gels, the Father of Lyes himself own'd to be true before the blessed Archangel of the new Covent in the Wilderness, Luk▪ 4.10.

But, whether every Individual Man and Woman have a Tutelar Angel, which hath by worthy and learned Divines, and others, from that expression in holy Writ of Peter's Angel; been so long controverted, that it remains a Polemical or moot-point to this day. All that I therefore judge adviseable as yet to assert therein is that it's valde pro­babile, non probatum very probable, but not proved; Howbeit both the new and espe­cially [Page 38] the old Testament demonstrate their general care of, and concern for the Church of God, and every numerical mem­ber thereof, and that with eagerness and outstretched necks they pry into the miste­rious Contrivance of Divine Philanthropy, and our Saviours Incarnation for the Re­demption of the lapst Creation, and the Im­mortality of our Souls hath more proba­ble and pregnant Jndications than the Ex­istence, nature, or operations of the holy Angels out of the holy Writ; as the inade­quateness (sensibly to be perceived by us) of any sublunary or created enjoyment in point of plenary satisfaction to the powers and faculties of our Souls we still discern a plus ultrà, or a further reach and aspirati­on after more, both in quantity and quali­ty, than we can upon our highest pitch of attainment meet withal here below; as the Poet said,

Also the indefatigability of our Minds and Souls, ex vi termini, imports an Immortal temper and Constitution of them, all thing else by toyls and fatigues languish and re­quire recruits by rest, but the more vigorous and athletick our Souls are, without repose or intermissions, the more they im­prove and prosper, Sleep, nor Sickness pre­vents [Page 39] not their nimble and strenuous opera­tion, tho they clog them.

Whether they are propagated or infused has been another Polemical (or moot) point time out of mind, but (for my part) I can't imagine any good reason to evince the In­fusion, nor to invalidate the belief that they are (ex traduce) propagated; the original fiat of Almighty Power may reasonably be supposed to infuse at first such an Energy as to produce an Homogeneal Derivation of the whole Compositum, and as a Candle kindles ten thousand more by the same Light, which it receives by another Hand, without any diminution of its own flame: so may the production of infinite plura­lities, of the same species, be apprehended, to commence without any miraculous or supernatural concurrence, since the Work of God's Creation is ceased.

And as to the Transmigration of them, which the Pythagorean Philosophers of old, and many other Modern Virtuosoes since, have tenaciously asserted: I can by no means reconcile that Notion, to the Prin­ciples of Reason or Religion, and there­fore hold it not operae pretium to attempt the refutation thereof.

How and in what manner its subsistence is, after separation from, until its reunion unto the Body natural; some probable conjectures from Divine Writ, and reason [Page 40] may be plausibly made, as that it is in a passive condition, or lesser degree of hap­piness than after the Resurrection of the Body, and their mutual glorification, it can be capable of injoying, from that ex­pression of our blessed Saviour on the Cross, to the Malefactor in his Crucifiction, That he shou'd be that very day with him in Para­dise; which word we meet not with else­where in Scripture save once, 2 Cor. 12. and may seem therefore to import some other degree of happiness than may rea­sonably be presumed, Soul and Body in conjunction may perceive and injoy, its certainly receiv'd (if a sanctifi'd Soul) into Abram's bosom, or into its Creators custody, care and possession, as the surren­dring thereof into his Hands clearly im­plies; and must therefore needs be in ease, and happiness; but we are as uncapable here to comprehend distinctly the nature and quality of its felicity, as we are of our circumstances upon Earth, whilst in the Womb. That the degrees of future hap­piness are as various as of our presen [...] atainments here in (Statu viatorum) our pilgrimage, is evident enuff to intellectual Opticks, both from Scripture and Reason there be least and there be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Gospel declares; and Thomas Aquinas his Rule may reasonably be understood as well de futuris [Page 41] as praesentibus, of our future as well as pre­sent capacities, that Quicquid recipitur, reci­pitur ad modum recipientis; that is, according to the capacity of the subject must all be receiv'd to its utmost. Happiness includes full satisfaction; and such an injoyment implies an exemption from further desires or expectations, and (Si magnis componere parva licebit) if the comparison be not odious, we may take some measure (me­thinks) of the nature and quality of fu­ture bliss and happiness, by the highest de­gree of humane felicity which (we know) doth consist in a plerofory, or exuberance of Health, Wealth, Peace, Power, Love and Delight, to such a pitch and degree, that there remains no more room for fur­ther wishes, or desires within the confines of Mortality.

And the more intellectual and refined, are the results of our satisfaction, in and from these sensible objects and fruitions the nearer is their resemblance, and affinity to those Eternal and increated felicities and injoyments in Revertion in the other World. Angels are proper Company for im­mortal Souls, by Divine Designation, as well as agreeable Constitutions; but the nature of either the one or the other, we are not here in Circumstances or Capaci­ties to understand, but darkly, and by conjecture; though we are well enough [Page 42] assured of their Imployments and superna­tural Existencies, and Words wou'd b [...] wanting to express if their Faculties wer [...] not to conceive of the future State of ei­ther of their Felicities, that are filled with the fruition of the beatifical Visions of the most High.

Of the Souls immortality, many of the Jurisprudent Heathens were sensible: Wit­ness one of their final Ejaculations.

IV. De Coelo & Foelicitate. Of Heaven and Happiness.

QUestionless, Happiness, is Heaven and neither of them are Local, bu [...] are a State and Condition of Existence with the best Advantages and Circum­stances that human or Divine Nature is capa­ble of; which Enjoyments consist of rari­fy'd and intellectual Pleasures and Satis­factions. And very remarkable it is, that as Felicity and Heaven consists in a Frame and Temper of Mind and Spirit agreeable to the Company wherewith the Party is [Page 43] circumstantiated out of all reach of Dan­ger, Pain, or Disturbance.

So that Happiness arises from the reflecti­on of our Minds upon past and present acti­ons, and rumination on the future. A good and a wise Man must needs be happy (be he where he will), but a wicked Man (and a fool) can't be truly so, let the World smile upon him never so much, for the Reasons aforesaid, that its no local thing, nor depends not (wholly) upon a­thing without us, but a Temper and Con­stitution of Mind, Religious and Virtuous Inclinations and Actions; whence it ob­servably happens, that such a man takes more pleasure and delight really in all that he doth to, or suffers unjustly from other Folks, than they can do that receive his Benefactions, be they never so indigent; or that inflict Pain or Scorn upon him, be they never so potent or malicious.

Happiness being our Summum Bonum, or topping Attainment here as well as hereaf­ter. Rather than miss of the main Chance, all sorts of Mankind flatter themselves with the Picture and Shadow of it, where they cant meet with the Substance, and strive to cheat themselves with Wine or Women, Gaming, or counterfeit Friendship, and other Enjoyments (or Experiments in Consort, for Felicity is not genuine, nor can subsist in Egoity or Selfishness) rather [Page 44] than indure the Fatigue and Misery that a sense of Unhappiness naturally produces.

Happiness is the Quintessence of all true and rational Pleasure and Delite, its re­solv'd unanimously by almost all the Phi­losophers in the World, that its better not to be at all, than not to be happy more or less. So lies it within the reach and compass of every individual, con­siderate, intelligent Agent (of what Rank or Quality soever) to be happy, and at ease (if they be in a right and healthy tem­per and constitution;) whence it follows, that Heaven and Happiness are not things wholly in Abeyance or future, but may and often do commence in this Life; and differ not essentially (but gradually) from eternal Felicity, and as the Schoolmen say, Quoad magis & minus, more or less, as the Sun differs from the Stars; and as the Spi­rit (or intellectual Faculties) of Man is a Lamp or Candle of his Creators lighting up (as the Sophy Solomon assures us) Prov. 24, So are all our sublunary Felicities, but Lightning-flashes, (as it were) derived from the Father of Lights, and Homogenial, with those eternal Heavenly Flames of Happiness; above which, as well as our selves, may truly be called his Off-spring; for Happiness (in sano sensn) is utterly in­consistent with Uncleanness, and depravi­ty of Mind and Temper.

Denominatio fit à Majori, as the School-men observe; that is, a Denomination (or Character must ever be made or deduced from the greater part of the Constitution; as for instance, no man lives who is not emfatically sinful, nor scarce any man in being, that sometime or other doth not exert and discover virtuous and commendable Acts and Inclinations; but we must not call or account him a Religi­ous or a Virtuous man, that makes the Course of his Life generally a Trade and Practice of Immorality and Villany; nor him an irreligious and profligate Wretch, that in the main Course of his Conversati­on, acts uprightly, and walks humbly and honestly and conscientiously before and towards God and Man; so neither can we pronounce him an happy man, who steers his general Conversation counter to all vir­tuous Precepts and Presidents, though he seem to injoy and possess great Affluence and Health in the World; nor him mise­rable or unhappy, that is just and gene­ [...]ous, compassionate and well affected to­ward all Mankind, though he seem to be indigent, and his Foot often slip, but he recovers himself, and runs his true Course of Virtue with Resolution and Delight.

Happiness consists not at all in the Quan­ [...]um but the Quale of Enjoyment; not in Quantity but Quality of our Attainments, [Page 46] and particularly in the Mind. Whoever is at ease in his Mind, under a rational sense of his own Sincerity, and of Divine Benefactions to him, is questionless the happy Man, and without such well grounded Apprehensions, and intel­lectual Reflexions, no man (adult) can be possibly happy: Let his other Circumstan­ces and Concerns in the World be what you can imagine them to be, notwithstand­ing. As for that (improperly so called) Happiness, which is chiefly sensual, but laudable, and often adjuvant or contribu­tory to the true intellectual and immortal Happiness of the Soul or Mind. Solomo [...] gives me the best account in the World o [...] it, and assures us with all, that its a singu­lar divine Benefaction, to wit, for a Ma [...] to taste and enjoy the sweet of all his Pains and Fruit of his Endeavours, by eating and drinking his Bread and Wine with a chearful Heart, and grateful Resentmen [...] of the Bounty of the most High, who hath been pleased to create much more aboun­dance for man, his Delight, than necessity of support, and is pleased with the chear­fulness of his Creature, filling their Heart with Joy and Gladness, as well as furnish­ing them with fruitful Seasons, upon which consideration, I conceive is, that Jotha [...] tells us, Wine chears the Heart of God an [...] Man.

And the Wise Man (Prov. ult.) advises his Son Lemuel to give to such as are Sor­rowful and Chagreen, Wine and strong Drink (to chuse, rather than to others that live at a Luxurious Rate already) to the end that they may divert or forget their Poverty and Sorrow, and be happy. If the greatest of all the Apostles was translated out of the Body into the third Heaven, and when return'd, was not able to describe the excellency of it; but negatively, all Man­kind after him may well be at a Loss, to express what no mans mind is able to con­ceive of future happiness. Heaven in the Abstract (methinks) can be nothing else but a State of Injoyment, which can nei­ther admit of alteration or addition of fur­ther Satisfaction, and that must needs be the Center of infinite Goodness. That great Aegyptian Philosopher Moses, seemed to commit a great Solecism, when he de­sired with mortal Eyes to view the Face of [...]he most High, for we know that Ingens visibile destruit sensum, the vastness and dis­proportion of the Object confounds the Sense, as the Sun dazles the Eyes that stares upon it.

Happiness contains therefore an adequat proportion of Joy or Delight, upon the Reflexion of the good Circumstances that [...]ny one is sensible he is in, and therefore [...]o Creature but Angels and Men can pro­perly [Page 48] be counted happy for; Faelicitas fun­datur in intellectu, Felicity is founded in In­tellectuals; so that its a State or Condition incompetent to, non Intelligent, or sensual Agents; who acquiess in being easie and at rest, and free from Pain, or a negative Happiness; in which sense they are happy that are unconcern'd. True Happiness is begotten, conceiv'd and brought forth between the Sentiments of doing, and o [...] receiving good; reciprocally, as between God and Man, and between Man and Man, or Man and Woman, and is not a meer passive Injoyment, but active and diffusive; in which sense I apprehend the genuine Meaning of those Words of our Creator (who continu'd Mans Happiness ab initio, and promotes it de futuro) that it is not good for him to subsist alone, tha [...] is not a State of true Happiness until h [...] had accompanied him with an Help-meet, that is commensurate in all points to Man [...] Circumstances and Condition not only o [...] prolification, but chiefly of Conversation and Correspondence. God only is capa­ble of Happiness within himself; all Crea­tures uncapable, but ab extra, by Derivati­on, or Communication from, without himself, I am perswaded, that the happiest condition of humane Life in this World, is where, and when he finds the least noise, and pains, and most quiet and peace, for [Page 49] we cant pretend here to arrive at more than a passive or negative Felicity at best; to be free from Cares and Fears and Pains; (a­ctual or active Felicity is a dainty reserved for Eternity) as the Lyrick Poet expresses it:

The ready way to arrive at this Point, is to be as unconcern'd in the World as may be possible; especially in giving Hostages to Fortune, as a wise and learned Jurisprudent Lord Bacon of the last Age expresses it, that is, prolification; generally such seeming Cor­dials become Corrosives; for the Confirma­tion whereof, I'le only appeal to general Ex­perience, though I might quote the Opinion of that Sage Lawyer St. Paul (in this point) who was Pupil to Gamaliel. The less a­ny one is immerst in the Affairs, Cares, and Hurliburlies of Life, the more advan­tage he has abundantly to be happy, easie, and quietly affected. In short, no Man or Woman in the World are happy, except they are morally sure that their proper and best Interest is secure; that is, that [Page 50] they are exempted and freed from any con­tracted Guilt that will be charged upon them, for want either of regularly acting according to the Principles of their Crea­tion, or else for lack of recanting and re­voking in sincerity what e're they have done amiss, which is Tantamount to a non-Peccance; for the Heathen said truly.

All Felicity, both above and below, is founded in Innocence and sincerity, and according to the genuine meaning of all Words and Actions must be the right Ac­ceptation and Construction on a moral ac­count.

Happiness lies in a little room, and he that would obtain it, must never think a­miss of any thing or person that he ca [...] reasonably think well on; this Jewel is not to be procured ab extra, from without us, but ab intrà, from within. All out­ward accidents can never make any on [...] happy or unhappy, but Happiness and Fe­licity lye within our own reach; in the temper of Mind, and the good Discipline, Order and Decorum of the intellectual Faculties, and to all effects and purposes when all's done.

V. De Diabolo & Gehenna. Of the Devil and Hell.

NEither of which can I conceive to be any particular Place or Person; the later being evidently a state of all imagina­ginable extremity of misery, contracted by contumacious Impenitence, under the [...]rrecoverable and endless sense of Divine Displeasure, upon a guilty Conscience, exactly opposite every way to divine Hap­piness. The former may be therefore most probably described to be the Apostat Angels, influencing the Faculties of man's Soul, who hath by ill Customs and Prin­ciples, depraved and thereby render'd himself liable and obnoxious to the Impressions and Temptations of those en­vious and incorrigibly wicked and tor­mented Spirits; who being under the de­sperate sense and pains of Divine Ven­geance, make it their whole business, fi­nally to ruine Mankind; in pursuance of the first insolent Invasion made upon our Fore-father in Paradise. They are Legions, [Page 52] and their Quarters not Local. Divel, is nomen Collectivum, [...], a Destroyer of, or common Enemy to Mankind, none of those evil Spirits can hurt us, till they have gain'd our Consent; wherefore, so long as we retain the Power over our own Wills, we are out of danger of their Temptations, so that as a wise man can­not love, so he need not at all fear them while he stands upon the Guard of his Rea­son and Religion, which (by that all-suffi­cient and divine Grace, that is not wan [...] ­ing unto any man, who is not grossy neg­ligent of, and wanting to himself) are hi [...] Shield and Buckler against all Assaults for all Diabolical Advantages upon us, an [...] gain'd by Fraud and Treachery, and almost always by Surprizal, before we tak [...] a little time to consider on the Temptation, which is very observable; but the [...] must we be sure to hold on, and perseve [...] in well doing, or we cheat our selve worse than we were cheated before, which re-minds me of the old Saying.

Without our Consent to obliquity, th [...] evil Spirits which haunt us, have no Pow [...] over, or Influence on us, because we a [...] both Intellectual or Rational, and voluntary or free Agents. Deliberate but a whil [...] and your Reason will convince you th [...] [Page 53] his Temptations are weak; and if you act not against your own Judgment, Almigh­ty Grace, that is ever cooperating with you in your Determinations, will infallibly make you too hard for them all. A seri­ous and thorow Perswasion of the Tor­ments of Hell, one wou'd think, shou'd be the most cogent Argument in the World, to frighten an intelligent and immortal Agent from the greatest Pleasures that he can imagine (if they were never so real) may be injoy'd in the ways of Obliquity and Vice. Plures sunt quos cogit timor, sed meliores quos ducir Amor. More are they that fear drives, but better they whom Love leads, said a wise Father of old. As (ex Ungue Leonem) a Lion may be con­ [...]ectured at by his Claw; so may the dreadful Pains of Hell hereafter, by the Flashes and Twitches of a guilty Consci­ence, under a thorow Sense of God's high Displeasure, and Desperation of Pardon, after final Obstinacy and Impenitence, which undoubtedly many Desparadoes in [...]his World feel the smarts of bitterly; and that is truly Hell in its Inchoation, or Be­ginning; when a guilty Conscience is tho­ [...]owly awakned, and those Divine Terrors [...]tuck like Arrows of eternal Vengeance. [...]nto the Soul of such a Malefactor.

VI. De Vitio & Peccato. Of Sin and Vice.

IN the Sence and Opinion of a Jurisprudent, whatsoever is irregular or obliqui­ty, is castigable or reprimandable; that is whatever deviates or swerves from its Original Constitution is Vice, and is morally monstrous; if it be an intellectual Agen [...] that departs or transgresses. It is very remarkable, that all inferior Agents kee [...] their Course better and more steddily that Man doth: Sense and Instinct is the [...] Conduct; but Reason and Opinion an [...] Humor induces man to degenerate, which i [...] strange it should (if duly consider'd.) Depravation of Appetite and of Desires seduc [...] him, for that which is most useful to him and most agreeable for him, he seldo [...] complies withal, because of that Pravi [...] that the Guise and Custom of his Education or Examples disposes him unto, [...] inconsiderately folllows and pursues.

This vulgar Error is easily corrected [...] our Jurisprudent, If he doth but serious consider, that there can be no real and intellectual Pleasure in Obliquity, and a ce [...] tain shame, Remorse and Pain will be su [...] to follow. All Experience evinces th [...] Truth, that while a Man keeps his Min [...] [Page 55] company, the very present and sensual Enjoyments are truly unpleasant and un­easie, as well as unwarrantable and vicious. Reflexion upon a vicious Word or Deed, will give any one the best Account of this Consideration, and of the Deformity of that, it is altogether Nonsense upon a Ra­tional or Moral account, for any one to say

and yet,

That is,

As Plato said of Virtue, that if we did but view Her naked, we should all be in love with her Features; so may we as truly say of Vice, that if we narrowly contemplated Her Deformity and ill Consequences, we all should primâ Facie, detest her at the first View, renounce and defie Her; and it's a meer palpable Cheat by Her Dress and Attire, that at any time She beguiles and seduces a thinking well-affected Agent. And observe it well, it is unnatural, as well as improper and unaccountable, for an intelligent and voluntary Agent to con­sent unto Obliquity, that is, to what is plainly pernicious and ruinous to his very Constitution and Principles. Its also less pains for any one to keep himself to rights, than it is to be Eccentrick and extravagant. To determine our selves (in the use of our [Page 56] Liberty) to that which is right, or which is wrong, is that that denominates any Man Vicious or Virtuous, and its the frivolous Suggestions and Guises of the in­considerate part of the World, that biasses and perverts such setled Determinations.—

Sin and Vice interrupts the Entercourse that wou'd otherwise be considerable be­tween God and Men, between Men and Angels, between Man and Man; for it's the greatest Deformity in the whole Crea­tion; Man had never been acquainted with Pain, Sorrow, or with Death, but for this.

To be Vicious or Sinful, is to deviate and swerve from the Rule of Right, which is implanted in us radically as soon as we come into being. By that Hegemonicon, our Reason, we come to discern, and discri­minate judiciously between Wrong and Right, Good and Bad, Virtue and Vice; it is not a Quality that we bring with us into the World; but by ill Habits or Ex­amples we take it up here; although we are all Born and Conceived of sinful Pa­rents, yet we come into the World at first (as the Platonists well observe) as abrasa tabula, like a white piece of Paper, and no more inclinable to Vice than to Virtue, nor possibly half so much, if well consi­dered. So that (the Taint of Adams De­fection, notwithstanding,) I am of Opini­on, [Page 57] that were it not for the contracted Contagion of ill Examples, ill Customs, and ill Educations that quickly become Habits (for the Logicians rightly assert, that Habits are acquir'd by repeated Acti­ons.) A Man (that is naturally Animal, Mite, Rationale, & Religiosum too) wou'd easier receive virtuous Impressions (ab incu­nabulis) from his Cradle, than vicious, for the former are more homogeneal to his na­ture than the latter, for vicious Men them­selves, disapprove (in cool Blood, we find) vicious Courses in others, and chuse to en­trust or to deal with virtuous rather than vitious ones in any Matters of importance; which very thing makes it out plainly, that Vice is Heterogeneal to the Nature and Constitution of Mankind, as well as ev'ry way pernicious. What a Disease or Sickness is to the Body, that is an Obli­quity to the Mind, a Man's Crop-sick and uneasie under Guilt of Sin; let him say what he please, if his intellectual Senti­ments are awake, and his Conscience not seerd and stupified; but a just and sincere man's as bold and healthy as a Lyon; whereas a Man of a vicious Conversation is never easie, but when in a Hurry, and imposes upon, and cheats his own best Understanding; and whensoe're he gives himself time to consider and reflect, he's at his Wits End, and confounded; I will [Page 58] but appeal to individual persons on Expe­rience in this Point. Every one hath a Conscience, and every one's Conscience that listens to its Language doth unquesti­onably accuse and excuse him by fits and turns, according as he is Virtuously or Vi­ciously affected in the general Course of his Life: Allowances are and will hereaf­ter be made to Humane Failings and Mis­carriages by Surprisal, or Inadvertency in many cases; but 'tis the Tenor and Cours [...] of Life, in the main, that does denomi­nate any Virtuous or Vicious. If Honesty and Sincerity be at the bottom, a Man has much to say for himself that miscarr­ies; but if Hypocrisie or obstinate Humou [...] conduct him, he's a moral Prodigy, and emphatically Vicious and Sinful: For it's the Consent of the Mind, and the Allow­ance of a Man's self in a Course of Preva­rication or Obliquity, that makes him properly bear the Character of a Wicked or Vicious Person, for there's no Man lives that is not Extravagant and Sinful, pro hoc C­unum, as the School-men distinguish (now and then) nor the most Lewd and Vicious, but sometimes says or doth that which is Orthodox and Regular, but the Habit, or ge­neral wont of any one's Conversation is the main Point that denominates; I say, him one or the other, and generally we may observe, that half the Pains and Cost and [Page 59] Care that men take to deboach themselves, wou'd serve turn to keep themselve up to the Rules of Right and of Virtue; remar­kable further 'tis, that Uno dato absurdo infi­vita sequuntur, that is, Enormities are very prolifical, for admit but one profound Ab­surdity or Obliquity, and ten thousand fol­low of Course. So that a Sinner of this sort cannot tell where to stint himself; such is the Concatenation of Cardinal Vi­ces; the like may be said of Cardinal Vir­tues, and therefore Plato said very well, that there's but one Virtue in the World; to wit, Sanity of Mind, or an healthy Con­stitution in the Soul. And 'tis very ob­servable, that the most vicious People are the idlest of all sorts, the Heathens cou'd make this Remark, Otia dant Vitia, and without that.

And Sins and Vices vain, & guilded shows. For a thinking and well imploy'd Person has neither Leisure vacare exiguis, to play with Bables and little Impertinencies, nor has so little a Soul, as if he were at leisure to debase himself therewith. Reverence your self, could the Heathen say, and he that doth so well understand himself, and value [Page 60] his Constitution, wou'd scorn to prostitute his Intellectuals to the greatest Debauche­ry, were there not other weighty Motives to diswade him from so mean, so fearful, so unaccountable a thing as Desection and Degeneration from the Laws of his Maker? and of his Being is, for that's the least that can be said of Profligation and Vice. If there were not a future Punishment en­tail'd upon it, the present Mischiefs, Shame, Pain, Infamy and Dammages attendant are enough to frighten from it any serious and considerate moral Agent in the World; how illiterate or otherwise than by com­mon Reason, unaccomplished he be not­withstanding.

VII. De Homine & Mundo. Of Man and the World, and Time.

THe World and Mankind commenced together, and therefore being so very near of Kin, I chuse to treat of them pro­miscuously; Man was made neither for the World, nor for the Sabbath; but both for Him, and both he and it, for the Cele­bration of their Creator.

Man is truly the Worlds Epitomy, and properly therefore called a Microcosm or [Page 61] little World (for as David long before us observ'd) (he as it is) is fearfully and wonderfully composed; insomuch, as the wisest Man that yet hath ever liv'd (I may boldly say) never competently to his Ca­pacity, understood either the one, or the o­ther. But therefore doubtless was he plant­ed here, that he might know and admire both the Workmanship and the Worker. The World is but a little elder than Man, and it's a Question whether it will last lon­ger than Mankind; for we may infallibly believe, that before (or upon) its Dissoluti­on Mankind will be translated from it.— But while we are embodied, it's our Busi­ness to know and practise so much of it, and of our Concerns within it, that we may ( cum toto valde, which few do) be thorowly prepared and qualified to leave it somewhat better than we found it. Our Pilgrimage or State of Probation and Tryal here, is only designed for an honou­rable Exit, or Departure out of it. Our main Affair within it, is to be doing all the Good which the narrow Confines of our Beings or Lives here will afford, in points of Justice and Generosity, Compassion and Charity. Do but observe how, and what our Lord and Master (that is our grand Exemplar) did, and behav'd himself for thirty years together, and we shall quickly understand what we are, and what [Page 62] to do, before we go hence to be seen no more.

1. Contrive not to be Rich and great, if it happen to us, we have the bigger Ta­lent to account for.

2. Be contented with what over-ruling and good Providence allows you, and ma­nage that to the best Advantage. Envy not, nor covet Aliundè.

3. Be not slothful in your Calling, but vigorously contrive to be rich in good Works, and exemplary in your Conversa­tion, for Talking is not your principal Concern here. Observe an excellent Noti­on of Seneca's, Sic loquere, sic vive; sic vive cum Hominibus tanquam Deus videat; sic lo­quere cum Deo tanquam Homines audiant. So converse with Men, as that you may be sure God is a Spectator; so apply your self in Colloquies to God, as that you may suppose all Men to be your Auditors.

Remember (and be sure to believe) that both Mankind and the World are speedily to part, and therefore make use of it ac­cordingly. The Veins and Blood in our Bodies, do import the Rivers in the Sea▪ the Rocks and Stones imply the Bones▪ the Nerves and Sinues intimate the Mines the Hairs the Grass and Trees, &c. The Analogy whereof, expresses to us, that [...] the Rivers run into the Ocean, the Stone and Rocks resolve to Earth, the Mines and [Page 63] Trees and other Herbage, blend and moul­der into Dust again; so must most quick­ly, Mankind be dissolved into, Chicantee.

That is in plainer English, to act in pursu­ance of your true and proper Interest, which is to be conversant about, and pal­pitate after our Soveraign Proprietor or Creator, for this peculiar Faculty implant­ed in Man, is his peculiar Property and Reserve, that planted him here in the World, for God and his good Pleasure, which is our Duty, is most knowable of any thing in Nature; propter plenitudinem Entitatis (as the School-men say) because of the fulness of his Existence; whereas shallow Notions avoid our Understandings, not Comprehensible, but Cognosci­ble, I say it's Demonstrable; thus because we are sure we cou'd never put our selves into (in as much as we can't continue our selves in our) being, wherefore somewhat bigger and better every way must do it; and also because we can't give any account of many funda­mental parts of our Constitutions, as of our Walking, Talking, and of the Variety [Page 64] and Adequatness of one thing to another; but by resorting to an intelligent Agent, of infinite and transcendent Perfections— The peculiar Instinct of human Nature, is to know that he hath a God; upon the same ground that we disown him, we must deny our selves, for he's not preceptible materially, but intellectually. Ignorance of him, were not culpable, nor to live with­out Sense of him Criminal, if he were not knowable, nor to be found out; for our Faith is founded upon natural Knowledge, for its impossible that we could ever give credit to we know not who, nor what; nor can there be any Obligation to that whereof we can't be sensible and intelli­gent; and in truth, we can ne're be at Hearts ease one hour in the World, with­out a Sense of, and Regard to him, nor without that, is any sublunary Object a­vailable, adequat or satisfactory; in sano Sensu, and our very Faculties themselves will shrivel up, and dwindle away, if not exercised on, and drawn out towards him; for to know him is Life eternal, in his Works as well as Appointments and Insti­tutions. This Argument every Man car­ries in his own Breast, that his Mind was made to move towards, and to delight in, and be conversant with him and his Work­manship in the World; but all this is not much to purpose, without a Submission [Page 65] and Reconciliaton to him, from whom we have so desperately apostacied; this is our Injoyment of him in the World, which Fruition consists not in Contemplation of, but in Motion and Action towards him whom we hold all under.

Man discerns not that (Spiritus intus alens) Original Author of his Being and Sub­sistence by any sensual Contract, but by the Virtues and Qualifications of his Mind, and we are not locally distant from him, while in the World, but by Disaffection and Disloyalty. It's the last Form that makes and denominates any Creature what it properly is, as the Induction of a Ratio­nal Soul upon the Sensitive Faculties makes us intellectual and moral Agents: So the Superinduction of Divine Graces makes Christians. It's in vain therefore to name or own him, and not to depart from Obli­quity and Vice.

Now consider of the World, what it truly is, and what use 'tis off to Men, and we shall find it generally mistaken; its an admirable Fabrick, and contrivance of in­finite Wisdom and Power, erected and framed or an Instance of Divine Omni­potence and Wisdom, that Man may re­ceive from it all reasonable Helps and Ad­vantages, in order to his Adoration and Service of his Soveraign Lord and Proprie­tor, and of reasonable Accommodations [Page 66] for his Relief, Support, and easie Passage through his Pilgrimage here, unto an eternal Mansion of Happiness and Glory, af­ter his Dissolution; and whoever makes another use thereof, mistakes and misun­derstands both himself and it. Wherefore our blessed Creator has made many more Creatures for Man's Delight and Recreati­on, than Necessity for his absolute Sub­sistance, that we might be the easilier in­duced to Praise, Honour and Adore such a Benefactor, and not to be swallowed up in sensitive Injoyments, but use them as Auxi­liaries, to our main ends of Gods Honour, and our Duty to preserve good Health and Serenity both of Mind and Body.

The World was made for Man, and so was the Sabbath, and not Man for them, or their Sakes; wherefore, though it be e­very Man's Temptation, as well as his Ac­commodation in Statu Viatoris; that is, so long as he sojounrs in it, yet was it not de­signed to be any Man's whole Business, ei­ther to employ him about, or divert him: but to point him out unto, and to assist him considerably in other manner of sub­sequent and immortal Attainments. We serve a kind of an Apprenticeship here to learn the Trade that we are to follow, World without End: And the youngest of all Mankind will be soon enough out of his Time, to be well enough qualified for [Page 67] next Stage. He that thorowly under­stands himself, will be sure to understand the World to all Effects and Purposes, in pursuance of an approaching Eter­nity.

VIII. De Coelibatu & Conjugio. Of a Single, and of a Married Life.

CRitical it concerns us to be in the right Understanding, which of these two contrary Conditions of Life are most Eligible and Advantagious, especially since we are bound to believe that it is not good for a Man to be alone, and that it is good for a Man not to touch a Woman; for doubtless in some cases, 'tis best for a Man to be alone; and in other cases, good enough to touch Women in Sano Sensu, and not only lawful, but expedient and advise­able to cleave unto her Intus & in cute.

But a Sage Jurisprudent will narrowly look on the Mare before he leap into the Saddle, for aboundance of Injoyments, Postures and Conditions of Life, that are lawful enough, are woundily inconveni­ent, and bloodily inexpedient. And it was the Opinion of our Lord and Saviour, and likewise of the greatest of all the Apostles [Page 68] in this point, that an Eunuch or Celibate Condition is most Eligible; if a Man have Power over his own Will, having no ne­cessity thereunto, better of two Evils, to chuse the lesser, saith that great Apostle; that is, to Marry, than to Burn; But I could never find a Necessity for either Conjugal and Prolifical Cares and Pains are very rarely, if ever recompensed with the Sweets of Expectation or Fruition; and that's St. Pauls chief Reason against Matrimony. 1 Cor. 11. And another is gi­ven by him there too. ss. Restraint of their Liberty, which next to Health, is the richest Injoyment; the Hazard of a Ship­wrack in the Adventure of Wedlock, is so great, that very few Wise and Jurispru­dently Religious Persons will run the Risk, without extraordinary Prospects of more than probable collateral Advantages; for as the wise Italians say proverbially, there's more goes to House-keeping than four bare Legs in a Bed (Innumerable are the In­stances of such aforesaid Wrecks and Ruins of Families and Persons, by inadvertent Attempts of that nature.

The common Inducements to that heavy though honourable Yoke, are,

[Page 69]1. To prevent Fornication, which often fails us, as Experience assures us.

2. An Establishment of Name and blood, which also seldomer hits than mis­ses; it commonly happens with such be­gotten Progenies, as the Poet Laureat of old observed truly of ill gotten Fortunes. ss.

How perfunctory Inducements are such to a Jurisprudent, to make him fling a Dye for his hap-hazard Felicity, whereof he is already seiz'd in his Demesn (if he think fit) and if it happen otherwise, let any wise Man dwell but a few Minutes upon the Thoughts of the Insignificancy to himself of such piece of Heraldry, and he will soon resolve the Point; and for an Authority or President in this Point, I will quote the positive Opinion of the Sa­gest Jurisprudent, and Religious Philoso­pher in the World; Ecclesiastes himself, who upon all imaginable Scrutiny and ful­lest Experiments, made of all Matters sub­lunary, or subsolary (to use his own Phrase) and more particularly, our Case in hand, could not discover one among ten thousand fit for the the Purpose, to be touch'd accordingly; and whether in our days they are more Numerous, or we more Sagacious; Credat Judaeus Appella, non ego; [Page 70] and very good Reason have we to think that St. Paul had the Spirit of God (as he did verily think himself) when he declares 1 Cor. 7 that that Man that thus resolves in his own Mind, that he will be Celibate, is the Wiser and Happier of the two. But to make that Yoke as easie (when worn) as may be, the same authentick Author, doth by particular Command from Hea­ven, injoyn them not to part.— Let not him, says he, put away Her, but if She de­part from him, let her be sure to continue un­married, or be reconciled to her Husband, whom it is, or ought to be her principal worldly Care and Business to please, and to comply with, and to yield Homage and Fealty to him, as her Lord, her Superior, her Crown; as 'tis his Part to Honour and Cherish, and tenderly Pro­tect and Regard her; until by her Separation, Treachery, Defiance, or notorious and profli­gate Exorbitances, she do forfeit that Allegi­ance, Countenance and Protection: which you plainly perceive by the Premises, a­mounts unto a Dissolution of the Marriage Contract, pro tanto if not pro toto, in part, if not wholly; for a Divorce a Mensâ & Thoro, as our Municipal Lawyers deter­mine it, is not a Divorce a Vinculo, viz. a Bed and Board separation, is not a Cancel­ling the Bond of Wedlock. Such Consi­derations questionless as these, made the Disciples of our great Gamaliel to con­clude, [Page 71] that it is best for a Man not to Marry; which their Blessed Lord and Master (not denying their Inference) re­plies unto, by waving a close Answer to that Conclusion, that all Men have not Power over their own Wills in that Mat­ter. Several Expediencies confessedly, may induce a wise Man often (and oftner Fools) to wear a Conjugal Yoak, which at best, ought in my Opinion, in one at least, if not on both sides, to be very well lined, to prevent a bloody Gawling. Wit­tily and appositly hereupon, said a Faceti­ous Poet in the Days of Yore.

The best Antidotes against an Uxoriou [...] Contagion, that my Genius and Experi­ence can at present suggest, are these six.

1. A full Employment, or vigorou [...] Profession.

[Page 72]2. Constant and competent Exercises Athletick.

3. Physick and Phlebotomy, or Asce­tique Discipline.

4. Frequent Fasting, and Nocturnal Vi­gilations.

5. Diversions by intellectual Recrea­tions.

6. Frequent and fervent Ejaculations and Meditations, under Retirements, and declining Feminine Conversations.

Which last Suggestion alone, well mana­ged and pursued, will prove (you will soon find) of it self a Panpharmacon against that triple Venom of Humanity, ss. the Lust of the Flesh, of the Eyes, and Pride, or self-affectation, while you impassionately and unprejudicately weigh in the Ballance of your Reason, how short of your Expecta­tions, and how insignificant in their utmost Prospect, such sensual Fruitions must infal­libly prove in proportion to the Hazard and Pains in acquiring and continuing them, and to those noble Satisfactions and solid Titillations that intellectual and rarified In­joyments and Delights render and afford to the Soul and Mind of an intelligent and voluntary Agent (as Man is) who is con­trived and framed on purpose for othe [...] manner of Delights and Pleasures; even i [...] this our short and present State of Probati­on and Tryal upon Earth; which Notion [Page 73] possibly might promp that facetious Virtuo­so of our Age, Sir Jo. Suckling thus un­couthly to express himself, ss.

It was a considerable Philosopher and Jurisprudent of mine Acquaintance, his Mot­to, which to my knowledge, he, to astonish­ment, in the prime of his Years, according­ly practised with admirable Success. ss. Est virtus placidis abstinuisse bonis.

Thus applied.

St. Hierom, in one of his Epistles to his Nephew, inserts a Facetious Apothegm hereupon. ss.

Another modern Author eximious e­nough, gravely glosses thus upon the same Text.

Howbeit, if it happen by Seduction, o [...] Inadvertency, or otherwise, that a Ma [...] be so indiscreetly overtaken and intangle let him look forward (like a Water-ma [...] though he row backward, as its mirac [...]lous if he do not, unless both Interest, I [...]dustry and a Patrimony like stiff Sails be [...] him up against the Tide of unforeseen co [...]tingent Miscarriages and Crosses.

Let him resolve to make the best he c [...] of a bad Bargain, but be very wary [...] prevent a common Contrivance now [...] days in Fashion, called separate Main [...]nance, which if he live to see any of t [...] Hostages, he perhaps has given to Fortu [...] [Page 75] his Legitimate Issue arrive at twenty years of age, he, ten to one, will find violently attempting to wrest out that Staff out of his Hands, which often proves the speedy Demolishment of the whole Family; espe­cially where they rashly and jurisimpru­dentially marry Parentibus inconsultis, without the Privity or Consent of Parents; nor be not by any means Wife-ridden, to be wheedled out of your Wealth and Wits at once, from such Experimental Trea­chery and Baseness, Libera te Domine—I pray God deliver thee.

IX. De Ratione & Opinione. Of Reason and Opinion.

ALL Perswasions and Opinions that are not founded in Reason, are but Chicanree or Nugatory, and consequently all Actions performed in pursuance of them, pernitious and morally unaccounta­ble; and upon reflexion on them, renders any intellectual voluntary Agent very cha­green, disagreeable and uneasie; when As the Bell clinks (as the Proverb saith) so the Fool thinks; that is, one that acts pro Impe­rio, and not pro Ratione Rei, out of Humour or Fancy, and not according to his Judg­ment [Page 76] and Reason, as the Poet excellently expresses it, Video meliora proboque, yet De­teriora sequor.

This often happens where willful Hu­mour and fond Imaginations are predomi­nant and usurp (over Reason) the Go­vernment of our intellectual Faculties, the [...], by which we are only to be con­trouled. The wisest Man of the World assures us, that the Spirit (or Reason) of a Man, is the Candle of the Lord, that is, the Super-intendent Luminary or Directo­ry. One of the Fathers hath very well ob­served that Opinionum Varietas, & Opinan­tium Unitas non sunt' [...]. The Variety of Opinions, and the Unity of the Opinia­tors are not inconsistent with good Will and accord, although it generally happens otherwise; that is, that difference in Sen­timents, begets a distance in Affection, which comes to pass for want of good and rational Consideration of our own Consti­tutions; for it is as natural, and as necessa­ry and behoofful for the common Interest of Mankind; that their Conceptions should be as various almost as their Coun­tenances, whereof you never are to expect to meet with any two exactly alike in all Lineaments and Proportions: neither in Minds nor in Faces. For an Opinion of [Page 77] Want breeds a greedy Desire in the midst of Plenty, he that reckons more upon what he would have, or fancies he wants then what we already have or injoy, there's no end of that Reckoning, and even that which he hath (in possession) he actually wants, when he's of Opinion that its not enough; the Opinion or Imagination, and the Appetite, help to couzen one ano­ther.

2. Be therefore ruled by your rational Senses, their simple Report of what's e­nough, allowing very little for Custom and Convenience, and for things within your easie Reach, and then you'l not be a­mused about things remote and hard to come by. To be content with a little, is an unspeakable Treasure. He that eager­ly seeks for Satisfaction without himself, makes his Content to depend upon things that are quite out of his Power. Bona si sua norit. Here's your Felicity that our Spi­rits need not tire themselves in, seeking for the full Satisfaction of its reasonable Desire; if we have but so much Discretion and Jurisprudence, as to desire only so much as is reasonable and fit for us to enjoy.

Take a short Scheme of the compleat and best Condition of a Jurisprudent, viz. a Con­templative, Active & Fruitive, Life, Leisure enough to speculate things that are Good, [Page 78] Great and Delightful; Business enough to render you Just, Useful, and not fatigue­ing below the Souls Dignity. A Compe­tency of Accommodations, freedom from Contempt and Oppression, with Peace and Prudence, Temperance and Innocence, tasting Human Life's Contentments, and not cleaving to them; all this season'd with a serene Mind, and healthy Body, and a good Conscience, ever aspiring to a further Felicity, and possessing it in part already by a lively Hope and Sense of Di­vine unintelligible Peace. A Jurispru­dent's Work's not to frame a Fanatical Felicity here below, but to take Matters as he finds them, and to use them accord­ingly.

Its a moral Madness to be sharp set for any thing but what's really our own, and which, when once we are possest off, we can't be disseis'd or divested off against our Will. viz. the right and genuine Know­ledge and Love of our Creator, and Uni­on to him, Friendship with him, which naturally breeds a Resemblance of him, a Serenity and Satisfaction of Mind, and unwearied Constancy in well doing.— Here (if any where) we may let loose the Reins to Passion, Appetite and Desire, and err in that Love, if you can, the quite contrary State, whereunto is Diabolical and Hellish, to wit, ever uneasie, and in a [Page 79] Hurry of Mind, fluctuating under a sting­ing Sense of Guilt and Pain of Conscience, doubting, if not despairing of any Com­fort or Ease, and thereby running on into desperate Courses. This is truly Hell up­on Earth. and such a Person may be really said to be possest, forlorn, and agitated by Devils, having let go his Hold of God and a good Conscience, and made Ship­wrack of rational Hopes and well ground­ed Perswasions, which nothing upon Earth can restore him unto, till he return to Duty, and sincerely defie all immortal Acts and Contrivances, and thereby give check Mate unto Sathan.

Reason is a wise Mans Rudder, that steers him in every Motion, and all Affairs, Secular or Spiritual, but Opinion, Humour or Fancy, will run him upon a thousand quick Sands before he is aware; common Experience every where convinces every thinking Man of the Truth hereof. No­thing in or out of the World is against Reason (though above it) but a Sot; as that Saying is very remarkable and true; that Scientia nullum habet inimicum praeter ig­norantem.

We commonly despise an Opiniator more than any body, and truly count him [...] Fop in Effigie, because he consults not [Page 80] at all the Reason of the Thing, but acts ex improviso, or extempore; that is, inconsi­derately and rashly, whereas Reason would conduct him to Modesty and Dis­cretion, and at least, to act with a War­rant and judicious Impress, so that then the Conclusion will correspond with the Premises, which otherwise it can't.

An Opiniator has nothing to say for himself, but an arbitrary Impetuosity, that gives him an Enthusiastical Impulse, so that he can't as a moral Agent, expect any other Consequence, than hap at a Venture may produce; but a serious ratio­nal Agent hath other motives Ends and Ex­pectations; whether he be mistaken by his Measures or not, he may plausibly look the World of Mankind in the Face, and expect to be further incouraged, which an Opiniator has no pretence unto at all.

But on the other side, a Man of Sense (as we now phrase it) or rather a Man of Reason and Jurisprudence, as we call it, scorns to comply with any fond Imagina­tion of his own (either Conception or A­doption) that is not founded upon the Square of Reason and Jurisprudence, for we say, and will justifie it that Lex (or Reason which we call all one) plus Laudi­tur quando Ratione probatur. He's worse by half than a Madman, that explodes the Suggestions of Reason, because they that [Page 81] are non compotes, or Mad, understand not Reason, if they did, they would not devi­ate so much into fond Imagination and O­piniatorism, or Fanaticism; which is bonâ fide, Madness (in sano sensu) in the pro­per Notion, its proper for them to act pro imperio, Arbitrarily; but to Men in their Wits, pro Ratione rei, Rationally. Not but that an Opinion grounded upon sollid Reason, is the greatest Oracle extant in the visible World; but we treat of Opinion, as a thing generally in statu separato from Rea­son; for no question but an Exert, or an O­pinion exhibited upon very fundamental and mature Considerations; a Person of Jurisprudence, is (beyond the Popes Infalli­bility) a Veracity at least, till it be con­troverted and laudably disapproved; for its Nonsense to suppose that any thing in the World Moral which is not Radical, or a fundamental Verity, may not be sus­pected till violently discussed; for all Man­kind are under the Laws of Reason, (think what you will) and whosoever he be that swerves from that Rule, is a clear Apostate; not that herein we deny, but profoundly assert the Concurrence of the Divine Superintendency all along, for su­bintelligitur quod non deest, saith the Juris­prudent, that is, it is to be presupposed without whom, we can neither come into, nor continue in, nor go out of being; but [Page 82] that Thought or Conceit that is founded in, or upon the Reason of the Party, let it be what it will, is pardonable if amiss, and if not amiss, 'tis right; so that Quacun (que) viâ da­tâ, (id est) take it which way you will, a man of such a Temper, as is resolv'd to be ruled by Reason, that is, the best thoughts he can acquire, is a man of Sense, and may appear upon the Theater like a mo­ral Entity boldly.

An Opiniator steers by no Compass at all, and therefore is but Ridiculus Mus, a ridiculous Mouse, and not fit to keep a Man of Sense or Reason company. But who ere gives himself and others a good account of his Management, is a Compa­nion for an Angel himself: God himself so deals with us; do but observe how he parlys with Cain upon his Fratricide; What ail'st thou to look so bloodily? have you not reason to think you shou'd be acceptable as well as your Brother if you do Reason, (or do well? and otherwise do's not sin lye at your door? And so appeals to the House of Israel, whether their Courses they took were not unequal or irrational, and whether his ways and proceedings with them were not fair and equal, Jer.

Wherefore for the easier rectification of false Opinions, and better improvement of righter and rational Conceptions, please to entertain a few Suggestions, to prevent [Page 83] your Dejection or Degeneration by ad­verse, as also Transportation, or Corrup­tion, or Prevarication, by prosperous Oc­currences that happen.

1. That the true and real Cause of every good or bad Case or Circumstance, arises ab intra (from within us) except some few Casualties, where Prudence takes no place to help or hinder. And therefore be provided with a firm temper of Spirit, and stumble at no Stone; for it's truly said, that a wise man never wonders, but makes the best of every thing.

said the sage Poet Horace of old. That is,

All Occurrences have two Handles, and some good is extractable out of the worst; which is presupposed by St. Paul's Injuncti­on, To Rejoyce evermore; and to count it all joy when we fall into many tribulations, to wit, when we wittingly bring them not upon our own Heads, but they are the re­sults of other folks Contrivances. Things that depend not upon us, have no reason to make violent Impressions in us, as Riches, Friends, Honour, Beauty, Life, &c. But as Epictetus very well observes, All our Actions are in our own power, as Opini­on, Desire, Aversion, &c. So that if we look on all that depends not on us, to be [Page 84] nothing to us, we can loose nothing, nor need be much afflicted by any thing in this World without, or about us: but as to the World above and within us, the Case is otherwise. Desires or Wishes are the Fon­tanels of our Weal or Woe; and therefore we may be well assured, that besides Na­ture, there can be no necessity at all of any thing.

So that (upon the whole Matter) tho' some, and that very considerably literate in some Sciences, can't tell how to allow Reason a considerable place of Conduct in Religion, for want of their due Philosophi­cal Consideration of the [...], as Calvin and others perhaps are tardy in, without reflexion upon them, yet without all peradventure in the Judgment of our Jurisprudent, he that goes on further in any sort of Knowledge or Practice, be it Law, Gospel, or Medicks, than the reason of the thing will amount to, is not at all a man of Science, or Sense, or Sanity, in our appre­hension. Let the World or himself in due time reprimand him, and set him to rights; for quoad nos he is not Rectus in Curio. He's by no means orthodox, till he resolves to be controuled in all Causes, and among all Persons, Civil, Military, or Ecclesiastical, by the Suggestions of, not Opinion, but Reason. Prov. 24. Reason is that Spirit of a Man that Solomon calls God's Candle in [Page 85] him, by the Light whereof every man is obliged by all Laws Divine and Humane, to conduct and steer himself in all Cases. But Opinion which abstracted from Rea­son, is but Humour or Fancy, which like an Ignis fatuus will run a man into a thou­sand Bogs, and intoxicate him unawares.

In a wise man Voluntas semper sequitur ul­timum dictamen Intellectùs, as the Schoolmen say: but rash and inconsiderate mens Wills run foremost, like to Canis festinans, as the Proverb expresses it, which coecos parit Catu­los; that is, The Whelps of the heedless or over-hasty Dogs are therefore born blind. Such are the abortive or blind Issues of an hair-brain'd moral Entity, that looks not with the Eyes of his intellectual Faculties, before he leaps into any Enterprize, and is therefore generally blunder'd and baffl'd in his expectation of Success, or a good End.

X. De Superbia & Humilitate, & Patientia. Of Pride, and Humility, and Patience.

THE Logicians say well, That Contra­ria juxta se posita magis elucescunt. Con­traries placed in opposition do best illu­strate themselves: whence it is that I make the Antithesis between Humility and Pride, [Page 86] viz. the best and worst Adjuncts that be­long to humane Nature. Of the first, we have the greatest Pattern that ever was in the World, our Lord and Saviour. Of the latter, the Devil is the best Instance that I can think of, who lost eternal Hap­piness (upon that account) irrecoverably. An humble man is too hard for the Devil. A proud man is the Devil's Darling, and fit for any thing of monstrous Immorality, and as easily tempted to prevaricate, as the other difficult. He that is not a very hum­ble Person, can neither be a wise man, nor a true Christian. Even to a proud man himself is an humble man acceptable, but a proud man to none but the Devil; for it's our Saviour's Motto, ss. meek and lowly, but it's Lucifer's Emblem, ss. proud and lofty: And tho' this be Communis eruditio, that is, vulgar Learning, yet is it as hard to find a man of that Character, as it was in Solo­mon's days to find a virtuous Woman, to wit, not one of a thousand.

An humble man is tractable and docible, conversable and useful; but a proud is Tel­luris inutile pondus; insignificant and trou­blesom; one that can't tell what he would be at; a nothing to purpose. A proud man is a moral Prodigy, and the most un­accountable Excrescence in Nature; a thing sensless and irrational; an high-mind­ed Author; fears nor loves not God nor [Page 87] Man, but is his own Center, and Eccen­trick to the whole World besides.

The most High defies and scorns the proud, but hath declared to espouse the humble, and to teach and encourage the meek and lowly. A thinking serious man might well wonder what any man can be proud of, if he considers but whence and how he came into Being, and of what compounded, and how quickly he will be reduced to Dust, and what that is which he can call his own, and what an indigent Creature he is, and every way dependant, and a borrower. Pride is an usurped Af­fectation, of somewhat or other that we have no property in at all; but Humility is a due sense and opinion of our precarious and necessitous Constitutions and Circum­stances. Besides it is as well unnatural, as unwarrantable and ridiculous, for any man under any Circumstances to be proud and self-conceited, as if he were or had some­what more than any of his fellow-Crea­tures can pretend to; but Humility ren­ders a man useful and acceptable unto him­self, and to all Mankind. It's rarely to be found that a proud man lives happily, or dies honourably; he's uneasie to himself, (upon reflexion) as well as to all that he converses with, for he's naturally conten­tious; but an humble man is at peace and in safety with the whole World. A proud [Page 88] man is impatient; an humble very patient under all kind of Circumstances, which is next to Charity, the predominant Virtue of all: wherefore it's truly said,

Ill Accidents are conquer'd by enduring.

And to this purpose Horace dictates ex­cellently:

Tho' it's a difficult Lesson, yet thereby are all Burdens made lighter abundantly. An impatient or proudman is a moral mad man, Laesa patientia fit furor: when his patience is worn out, he becomes furious or mad; hence they are conjoyn'd by our Saviour, Be humble and bear my yoke. But a proud and impatient Sinner grows of course fear­less, desperate, and haughtier, indocible, and troublesom both to himself, and the whole Family of God.

Pride is the first and worst Sin in the World, and older than the World it self; Humility the last (tho' not the least) Vir­tue: we put it on to be clothed with it; it's like a Girdle, that fortifies and pre­serves all the other, to which a promise of Instruction is annext; but the proud reject­ed, and sent away empty. An humble man is fit Company for any man; a proud for none, because he really (whatever he pretends) accounts himself to every man [Page 89] better: the humble and patient is willing to converse with any man, Publican or Sinner, tho' he be counted a Glutton, or a Wine-bibber, all's one.

It's much to the purpose to suggest to you the Motto of my Lord Chief Justice Cook, Patiens qui prudens, that is, He that is a patient man, is a right Jurisprudent. Of the same Religion is (no doubt of it) our Author, that thus exerts himself to his Son. Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia juris, here seems very applicable. A man of Pa­tience or Humility (which at this time of day is all one) is one that has the advan­tage of the whole World; but a proud and impatient Fellow is not fit Company for a Tailor, or an honest Cobler. Let but any man observe the Temper of a man greatly proud and impatient, (for he that is one must be the other) and he'l find that he neither steers an easie Course to his own satisfaction, nor his Neighbours; so that the World may truly count him a burden to them, and have a good riddance of him, whensoever he is departed: but a pa­tient humble man is lamented and miss'd.

Patience, I confess, is a hard Chapter to read in some Cases; as when one's ex­asperated and justly incensed by his own Flesh and Blood, especially Dependants and Inferiors, after perhaps he hath a long time exerted all the Clemency, Indulgence, and [Page 90] hospitality imaginable, however the Ly­rick Laureat Heathen Poet has long before us observed it, that as I said before

To bear what we can't justifie our selves to correct, nor the Aggressors to inflict, is very hard, but yet our Load becomes much the lighter, by enduring it with humble Patience, and till an humble man's Patience be stretched upon the Tenter­hooks excessively, he will not be outragi­ous, notwithstanding the old Maxim of Laesa Patientia fit furor.

Humility and Patience is the greatest Possession in the World, to purchase a Man Credit and Ease both within and without him. But an Impatient proud Fellow, is scorn'd both by them that are his Rivals, and all Men else, and is really telluris inutile pondus, the most insignificant Tool in Nature, and a Burthen to the U­niverse.

No Man can be Wise, nor at hearts Ease, no Happy, either in this neather World, nor in the upper Regions hereafter, that is not Humble and Patient, both in Prospe­rity, as well as Adversity. In all Circum­stances, and ther's less to be said in Vindi­cation [Page 91] of Pride, than any Vice and Obli­quity; besides he's a Tyrant, an Usurper, and every ways uncouth and unaccepta­ble, who is Impatient and Proud, and no good colour of reason can be giv'n for it; as for Covetousness, and Wantonness, and Prodigality, and other Enormities there in many cases may be some given.

So then, a right Jurisprudent is a Man of Sense and Reason; an intellectual moral Agent, that is well acquainted with, and practises the Laws of God, of Nature and of Reason, that acts not pro imperio, arbi­trarily, but humbly, honestly, and con­scientiously converses with all sorts of Cli­ents, whether in formâ Pauperis, or Divitis, Rich, or Poor, Publicans or Sinners, stu­dies the future and eternal, as well as the secular and present Cases and Concerns of both himself and them, pro Ratione rei, according to the Reason of the Thing. He is Just and Generous, Compassionate and Charitable, and well affected to all Men, and Sometimes arrives to that Attainment of Jurisprudence, as to make him an Eu­nuch for the Kingdom of Heaven; upon which Principles and Practise, is founded that inward and outward Peace, Content and Satisfaction of Heart in all his Possessi­ons and Reversions, as well as Progress and Improvement in the Municipal Laws of that Realm, where he Resides, Professes and Practises.

XI. De Pace & Contentatione. Of Peace and Content.

THE Crown of all Earthly Enjoyments, is Quiet and Satisfaction; Man was ne­ver contriv'd for a Hurli-burly or Storm. This is the Corner (as well as Top) Stone of all our Attainments.

This State or Temper of Mind doth not consist in Quantity but Quality; for we can't but observe, that generally they that enjoy the least in quantity have most Peace and Satisfaction.

Without Peace and Content, all that a­ny Man is or hath, is irksom and trouble some; and if this be in conjunction with our Injoyments, we can't but be happy enough to pity Caesar—witness Alexander the Great his Distemper, Aestuat infoelix augusto in limite mundi; his unsatiable Hu­mour could not be (at ease and) content­ed with the whole Universe. We need not tell you, that he who is [...], the Prince of Peace, gave this Bequest un­to his dearest Friends in the World, whom he left at his Departure behind him, as the choisest Legacy he could think fit to leave with, and give to them And the blessed Ti­dings [Page 93] thereof unto Mankind, is called the Gospel of Peace, which Word in the Hebrew Tongue imports all manner of good.

To acquire which Thing, bad and good Men do frequently, we know, run the Risque of both their Lives and Fortunes for pax quaeritur Bello, 'tis the end of War; Rest or Peace is the Center of all kind of Fluctuations and Litigations, Military and Civil.

Whoe're would obtain this invaluable Gem, must have the Command both over his own Passions and Appetites also, and learn to divert (or cautelously extricate) himself from all Provocations unto Feuds or Animosities of all sorts. Prov. 14.44. A Man that once has arrived to this Tem­per, will be satisfied from himself, if you'l believe the wisest Man in the World.

This is a Principle, will steer any Man that has it comfortably and confidently thorow any danger, and inable him with a decent Equanimity to en­tertain good and ill Successes and Events, that happen to him in his Pilgrimage.

True Peace and Content, is Gods King­dom within us. This was a principal Linea­ment in the Portracture of Gods Image, imprest on Man in Paradise; till he broke that Peace, he maintained an excellent In­telligence with his Lord and Master. Its im­possible [Page 94] to express this true Divine Peace and Content, because it surpasses all Un­derstanding, and all other counterfei [...] Peaces are meer Cheats. That's only true Hearts-ease, Content and Peace tha [...] we mean and talk of, that is founded in a rational Sense of our Friendship with, o [...] Reconciliation to our Creator, by the Passion and Intercession of our Redeemer and of the Enjoyment of his Love an [...] Kindness, and Reciprocality of Return to him, by hearty Ejaculations towards, an [...] Ruminations upon him; which Sentimen [...] aforesaid, must be united to real sincerit [...] of Mind, which makes us a good Consci­ence, and gives us mighty Assurance i [...] our Applications unto, or Conversation with both God and Man.

Note, that true Peace with God, an [...] Discord with our Neighbours are incomp [...] tible, without Peace on Earth, and Good­will unto all Mankind; I can't imagine [...] ny Man can be truly at peace with Go [...] nor consequently content in his Min [...] The former is an Argument rather of h [...] latter; he that is not Friends with his Br [...] ther, must needs be at Enmity with [...] Maker; but 1 Cor. 6. St. Pauls Lesson h [...] need of some Distinction to hold water ( [...] every general Rule has some Exceptions) [...] that it's more adviseable to be defraud [...] than to go to Law.

A peaceable and a wise man his Chara­cter is, To hear all, to edifie by most, to reflect upon none, to determine nothing, nor be moved (except what we do our selves) at any thing. Jam. 3. The fruits of Righteousness are sown in peace, by all (that care for it.) It's an old and authentick Apothegm,

Content and Peace are Correlatives; so that no body can be contented, that is not at quiet, and every body covets (or pre­tends) to be at peace; and whoever is at rest and quiet in his own mind, (upon good grounds) is indisputably contented and satisfy'd, for he can't devise what fur­ther he rationally ought to desire, or have a mind to.

Disquiet, Hurliburlies, and Discord, are the very Stings in humane Nature, and no body were or would be able to endure them, but in pursuance of Peace, Rest, and subsequent Harmony.

Peace and Content (which are synony­mous) are truly Hieroglyphicks of eter­nal Happiness, and in the opinion of a Ju­risprudent, are bonâ fide Heaven in Effigie, because they include Love, Joy, and Satis­faction to the brim. All which Ingredi­ents do compound the Quintessence of this Creation, and as far as we can yet appre­hend, [Page 96] are the greatest Ingredients of the glorified State which is approaching: for we well know, that Veracity it self has as­sured us, that a wicked man can have no Peace or true Content at all, let him say or do what he will. This topping Attain­ment, as all other considerable Felicities, are founded in true Virtue and Religion, and is, as the Logicians say, Proprium quar­to modo, that is, Convenit omni pacifico soli & semper: only, and ever, and to every such a person 'tis an inseparable Incident, or Es­sential, as 'tis virtuous or religious, and to none other in the World; but always to all such, and only to such doth true Felicity appertain.

Grace and Peace was the Apostolical Benediction; that is, in other terms, God­liness and Content; they are inseperable Adjuncts, so that he that is destitute of ei­ther, wants both: Beati pacifici, said our blessed Saviour in his first Sermon that ere he preach'd. This is not only a wise man's Rav. but Coll. to allude to Jacob and Esau's Complements: when Jacob would have made his Brother Esau a Present, he re­ply'd he had enough, Rav. when Esau would have presented Jacob, he reply'd, he had enough too, that is Coll. or All; so is this Grace and Peace the Summum totale, the whole Matter, or all in all. It was also a remarkable Valedictory of the Pri­mitive [Page 97] Christians, Peace be with you, Joy in Jerusalem, and Peace unto Sion; for Joy is a natural issue of Peace to all Mankind: whoever is satisfied, or really contented, and at ease, must of necessity be chearful and pleased.

A wise man takes no inordinate care for future supplyes of Subsistance or Accom­modation, but an ordinate, De diein diem on­ly; day by day his Bread for all his anxiety, can't make him one cubit the taller: if di­vine Providence tells the very hairs of his Head, much more doth it ease him of the carking thoughts of Events and Effects, that lye buried in the Causes in an higher hand, where they are securely lodged. Our Con­cerns ought to be for present Circumstan­ces only, and that for Necessities, and not Superfluities of Life, but to secure our main Chance in Heaven, and all the rest will be cast into the Bargain; for he in whose hands are reserv'd the Issues of Life and Death, takes the present care of us also, and if we seek principally our proper and true Happiness, in our alliance to him, he will be sure to see us want for nothing that's fit for us, of which he is the most compe­tent Judge: for Piety has the Promises both of this World and of the next; and on this Consideration dwells the best Method of our present Peace and Contentment, as well as of our future Happiness.

Time and Chance (or Providence ra­ther) happening to all, and all our cark­ing Cares and inordinate Contrivances be­ing utterly unavailable, to superadd what we are absurdly apt to fancy we are short of. It's our wisdom as to this World to look but a very little way before us: if ever we'd be easie here, and happy hereafter, we shall want neither Grace, Glory, nor any thing else good for us.

He that regards the Main, must be un­concern'd for Matters that are but by the By; that is, whosoe'r would be quiet and at peace within, and expects a better Place and Posture, (and that quickly) ought in common prudence to be contented with what he hath, because he has more than reasonably he deserves.

Our religious Jurisprudent is of such a Constitution, as a Constable ought to be, that is, to keep the Peace as far as he can, both in his own Breast, and between Man and Man; to propagate good will in the World, as far as possible, and to follow peace with all.

As the end and design of all Motion is to obtain Rest and Quiet at last, so is the design and drift of all wholsom Laws and sound Sages of the Law, to prosecute with all care and expedition Peace and Rest, as the ultimate end of all Litigations and Commotions moral; and as well and soon [Page 99] as can be, to comprimize Feuds and Diffe­rences between Party and Party, or pre­vent all fiery Contests and froward Animo­sities: A peculiar Benediction being an­next unto men of that Profession, that do practise accordingly, viz. Beati pacifici, Blessed be all Advocates, or Lawyers, that is, Peace-makers, in the World. Patiens qui Jurisprudens, was Sir Edw. Coke his Motto.

XII. De Ira, & Odio, & Aciâ. Of Anger and Hatred.

IRa Furor brevis est, That all Wrath is a degree of Madness, is an observation of very ancient Date and Veracity, but must be understood with a distinction of Excess or Immoderation: for I question not but it's a duty to be angry, (but not upon tri­vial Occasions) but not with a continuando, or long duration, nor with an exertion of furious Words or Actions. Once we read of our Saviour's looking about him on the Mobile, or Multitude, with Indignation, when he wonder'd at their prodigious Infi­delity, because the Honour of Omnipo­tence lay at stake, by the mighty Miracles that he wrought to convince them. In this case chiefly (if not only) is there room [Page 100] for Indignation; for it's an eternal Truth, That man's wrath works not God's Righ­teousness. A very worthy and learned Divine of this Age, not long since decea­sed, hath often asserted, That upon any other Accounts, it's generally unaccounta­ble to give or to receive a Provocation, and by Anger to rectifie what he holds amiss, commonly proves a Remedy worse than the Disease we'd cure.

It's better to endure the greatest Affront [...] and Indignities from abroad, than by Dis­pleasure and Anger to put our selves into their power, to dispossess us of our Tran­quility, whereby we so much injure our selves. This Passion more exposes and be­trays a man than any other; and therefore a wise and generous Soul much easier pardons an Aggressor than himself, for his Resentment and Discom­posure. If you'd imitate our grand Exem­plar, you must be slow to wrath, full o [...] compassion. Envy and Jealousie are [...] the same Extract with Anger and Hatred, and one Greek word serves for them both.

To hate the Sin, and love and pity the Sinner for God's sake, is God-like; he en­joyns it. It's a general and a true Observa­tion, That he that can't be angry, can't be pleas'd; but the most passionate, are not the worst Tempers, provided they dwell [Page 101] not in wrath, or give way to the Devil, by which means many men hurry themselves headlong into inextricable Dangers and Di­sasters.

To conceal, counterfeit, and restrain a Passion, is a high piece of Prudence, and [...]n Conversation gives any man a vast ad­vantage over others. It's mighty remarka­ble, that Words do more usually prove greater provocatives than Actions, because the surprizal by them, and time taken of deliberation on them, is more sudden. Wherefore a Jurisprudent binds his Tongue as much as his Hands to its good Behavi­our; tho' (we say) Actions speak louder [...]han Words, and we say true; as to many purposes they notoriously intimate the Dis­ [...]licence of the Aggressor. But yet if you [...]bserve it, Words make a greater noise and hurliburly, and are the Prodromi or Harbingers of a succeeding Boutefeau or Quarrel, and are more provocative in sensu [...]iviso, that is, where nor accompany'd with a Battery, than Blows without Words, [...]specially of Indignation; for that is An­ger with a vengeance, which is utterly Ju­ [...]isimprudential, and unwarrantable, out of the course of Justice, either Military or Civil.

Hatred is the utmost degree of Anger and Malice, and belongs to none but in­ [...]ernal Fiends and Devils, as to a personal Object.

A Jurisprudent hates nothing but Sin and Obliquity, Vice and Enormity, and not the Persons either of the Plaintiffs or De­fendants.

A Tort or Wrong is only odious in it self, and not the Malefactor. Our eternal Soveraign hates none of his Creatures, nor is displeased with any thing in the World, but a violation of his own indisputable Sanctions. When man doth voluntarily consent to Obliquity or Vice, which he knows he has full power to choose or re­fuse, all the Reason imaginable there is for his Protector and Coadjutor, as well as Creator and Conservator, to take it very ill, and be highly disgusted, and to hol [...] him to be an Hetroclite, till he has sincere­ly revoked and renounced it. Wherefor [...] much less Reason hath any mortal man t [...] be wrath with, or hate any of his fellow infallible Creatures, especially if they d [...] not affront the Original of their Being, and that directly, and not by Implication because himself by Surprizal, or Inadver [...]tency, often (and perhaps sometimes o [...] of Malice prepense) does disoblige, provoke, and affront others, and is sensible [...] parte post, (afterwards) of his Fallibility an [...] Miscarriage. Solomon declares, Anger re [...] in Fools bosoms: there's no room for so un­clean Fowl to roost in the Breast of a ge [...]nuine Jurisprudent, that understands him [...]self. [Page 103] Besides, it's common Policy, and a man's own Interest, to inhibit Anger, and to pass by a provocation to Wrath; for he commonly, if not constantly, suffers the greatest Injury by it, in the discomposure of his Mind, and confusion of his Facul­ties, and pain and perplexity of his Intel­lectuals; and there's nothing in Nature big enough or worthy to put a wise man out of order for an hour.

To dissemble a violent Passion of this sort, may be expedient, and often advise­able on some Occasions; but actually to exert it, very imprudent, unprofitable, and at best injurious, (if not on both sides) on one. So we read, as I said before, that once our Lord and Saviour looked about him on the unbelieving Jews with Indignation; but if ever we found him to exert this Passion, it was upon their desecration of the Temple, when he whipt them out, and over-turn'd the Money-mongers Tables, where the Honour of our heavenly Father was more directly at stake. Not but that we hold it possible (but not so probable) for a man to be angry, and not be a Delinquent, or peccant in so being; because the great Gentile Apostle cautioneth us, that we sin not when we become angry: but we con­ceive with submission to better Judgments, that that Passion having more appearance of evil Consequences and Effects in it, than [Page 104] perhaps any one of all the other have, that we are in prudence obliged to inhibit and restrain as often as is possible, the Influences of it, as having so notorious an appearance of Evil in it; whether we consult our own Particular, or the publick Peace and Qui­et. Pleasant is the Notion to this purpose of that Plagiary, or Schoolmaster, who of­ten in his Corrections would say to the chastised Person, Castigo te, non quod odiam, sed quod amem te.

The municipal Laws of our Realm have provided and allow'd to every Subject, that happens to be imprison'd by a false Conspi­racy, and no Indictment against him exhibited, Coke 2. Inst. p. 42. a Writ call'd, De Odio & Aciâ, supposing his Commit­ment is out of Anger or Malice, and by a Jury of twelve men he is to be discharged. Such is the Antipathy or Aversion which our English Laws do bear unto all Hatred and Anger, or its Consequences; which the old Philosophers call'd, Furor brevis, A Fit of Frenzy, or Madness.

When any one is highly incensed, and allows the sudden Influences of that indo­mitable Passion to prevail, he is transported beyond the Compass of his Reason and se­rene Understanding, and is in jeopardy of making shipwrack of his Posse Corporis & [Page 105] animi, too, ss. all the principal Essentials of his Nature, inward Faculties, and outward; Life, Limbs and Fortunes. For Acts of Outrage and Indignation, we may ob­serve, are generally, if not always, perpe­trated ex improviso, on a Push; that is, a rash and sudden Attempt, which a short Deliberation of Thoughts frequently pre­vents and Stifles, quod nota bene!

XIII. De Amore & Amicitia. Of Love and Friendship.

TRue Friendship with God and Man, is our highest Priviledge and Attain­ment. John. 15.15. Our Saviour calls his Disciples Friends, that is, such unto whom he'l communicate his Secrets; it's the end of all Gospel Dispensations, to continue in his Love, and to comply with his Will and Commands, for amicorum preces sunt imperio, a Friends Requests have the force of a Command. Friendship is the most sa­cred and inviolable Bond in the World, and far more considerable than any natu­ral Tye whatever.

No greater evidence can be of our true Love to God and Religion, than our Love to our Neighbour. All true Friendship is [Page 106] founded in Virtue or Religion; our Friend Lazarus sleeps, said our Saviour, and God calls Moses his Friend. Prov. 17. A Friend loves at all times, and is neerer than a Brother, said Solomon. What greater Copy can we write after than our blessed Saviour, who took our Nature (and not Angels) on him; who dyed for us, while his Enemies; who help't and healed both Soul and Body; who inter­ceeds for us in our Absence, and who, in his Absence, sends a Proxy to be our Comforter as well as Conductor in our Journey toward those heavenly Mansions? So shou'd we love one another, he has gi­ven us, 1 Jo. 5.10. an Understanding that we may know him, and 1 J. 3. A Power, (by entertaining of him) to be­come the Sons of God, and be Friends with him and the whole Family of God below. Take we a very short view of his frank and friendly Conversation in the World, for our Example and Imitation.

1. His Doctrine (all along) was to (un­deceive Man, and) convince him of the Truth, to free him from Errors, and Im­postures, and vain Traditions, healing Bodies, informing the Minds in the true Way to Life and Happiness, Temporal and Eternal, by publick Teaching, by pri­vate Conference, praying with and for them, Sympathizing with them in Trou­bles, [Page 107] grieving at their Obstinacy and Ex­orbitancys, induring all Indignities that Malice could inflict. Here's true Love and Friendship to purpose, and after all, to lay down his Life to reconcile Man to God and to one another. Well might St. John be amazed, and cry out, Behold what manner of Love and Friendship? This Love and Good-will extends to all Men; but Friendship must needs be restrained to few­er, and such as we are very well acquaint­ed with, for it's the Elixir, or the Quin­tessence of Love and Kindness, and a top­ping Branch of the Tree of Charity.

Amicitia semper pares accipit aut facit, is an old and a true Axiom, Friendship ei­ther finds or makes an Equaliiy between the Partys so ingaged; no Priority nor Li­tigation takes place in such a sort of Union of Affections as this consisteth in; it was the Saying of a late incomparable Divine deceased, That the Face of his Friend was (to him) the Sun in the Firmament; and surely, but for the sake of Friendship, and the Satisfaction accruing by it, it were not worth the while to be here for nothing on Earth, that has not an Eye of that in its Contexture, can be grateful and agree­able to Man's Mind.

God is Love in the Abstract, and every thing that tastes not of it, is most unsavo­ry and insignificant. Magnes amoris Amor, [Page 108] we commonly find to be true; that is, Love is the Loadstone of reciprocal Love; we can hardly chuse but love him, that first loves us; but that degree of Love that makes true Friendship, has so many Ingre­dients requisite to make it right, that its ve­ry rare to fiind a real Friend among a mil­lion of good Christians now a days; self Interest and Jealousie is so prevalent and Epidemical, though in good earnest, it's the truest and most warrantable Self-Love in the World, to love our Brother as our selves, which is a mighty Indication of our Love to God, and to our selves (in the best Sense) 4 Eccles. 9. Solomon assures us, that two are better than one, plus vident Oculi, quàm Oculus. Two Eyes discern better than one and a By-stander, sees (of­ten) more than a Gamster, and a Man being commonly the worst Judge in his own Case, hence it follows, that a Friend is most Necessary in point of Councel and Direction, and in point of Regulation of Passions; for with the Frenzy of Anger and Vexation, or the Ague of Hopes or Fears, or the Fevor of Love, or the Con­sumption of Envy; a Mind (when he's a­lone) is seldom undistemper'd; the socia­ble friendly Life, is also beneficial for our Assistance in our Labours, which are pro­moted thereby with greater Safety, Chear­fulness and Success, 27 Prov. As Perfumes [Page 109] chear the Heart, so doth the Sweetness of a Friend; for as a learned Bishop well ob­serves, the Communion of Saints, is (next to the Favour of God, and the Comforts of a good Conscience) the greatest Privi­ledge and Happiness we can injoy on this side Heaven. And that conjugal Relation of Man and Wife (for which, all other Relations are to be quitted) is only valua­ble upon this account, as they are Friends, and without this, they are but empty Names, as Bishop Wilkins well observes; who reckons four principal Qualifications of true Friendship.

1. True Love (which is the Bond of Perfection.)

2. A wise Freedom of imparting Thoughts.

3. Patience, for angry Men are neither good Councellors nor Comfortors, and So­lomon disswades the contracting of Friend­ship with such an one.

4. Constancy, to adhere in Adversity, as close or closer than in Prosperity; the Witch of Endors Example to Saul, 1 Sam. 28. is a just Reproach to a perfidious un­constant Friend.

Love by the Schoolmen is distinguisht three ways.

Amor, Benevolentiae, that is good liking of.

Amor, Complacentiae, that is, better pleas­ed with.

Amor Amicitiae, that is, firm Friendship, which is the Superlative Degree of Love and Kindness.

Benevolence is due to all Mankind.

Complacence and Delight to Relations and Neighbours.

Friendship, only to such as are intimate with us, as our own Souls, and tempered exactly to us in Disposition and Principles.

Ullus ad amissas ibit Amicus opes; though a real Friend will appear (to chuse) in greatest Exigencies and Indigencies. It's so rare and different to find such Friends (in this Age) that it's commonly supposed by the Vulgar, that it's but a Chimera, and no such thing in rerum Natura. It's the Advice and Opinion of a learned Bishop of the Church of Ireland, lately deceased, that there's ‘two Faults only that are not Venial and Pardonable in true pretended Friendship (for to real it belongs not)’

‘1. The revealing of a Secret.’

‘2. A Treacherous Blow, which ruines the Vitals, and dissolves the Union, and is a Divorce a Vinculo; for true Friend­ship is the greatest practical Honesty, and Ingenuity in the World.’

It's the Nerves and Sinues of Humane Conversation, insomuch that you find no Body without a pretended Friend; but one that is a Frigat of the first Rate in Friendship, is rarely to be met withal. [Page 111] However, herein I appeal to all Mankind, the very Bruits have among themselves a considerable Semblance of true Friendship, Saevus inter se Convenit Ursus, the very Bares and Bores have a League of Amity between themselves, and therefore it would be miraculous (to purpose) if moral and intellectual Agents should not inter se convenire in aliquo tertio, as the Schoolmen say, that is, have a Confederacy of Friend­ship with a third Party at least.

True Friendship is the very Vitals and Radicality of Commerce and Correspon­dence; so that there can be no Dealings amonst Men without a violent Presumpti­on (which our Law calls a half-proof) of it every where; but for a Man to dare to sacrifice both Life and Limb for another, is not (now a days) to be found, perhaps out of Utopia. However, that such a De­gree of Concord and Amity is both pro­per and expedient (though not common) is a Veracity beyond all dispute. It's an old Trite, but not despicable Axiom, that Amicus certus in re incertâ cernitur. A true sub­stantial Friend is experimentally found and tryed, when a Man's at a Non-plus, or at a Loss what to do next. Councel and Conduct are the two chief Particularities of Friendship, and that is chiefly requisite when a Man is in Distress and Adversity; although in Prosperity there be singular [Page 112] Use and Advantages of this kind of Love. But remember withal, that he that is not his own Friend, can't have another, for there are a sort of degenerate Souls in the World, that will neither be their own Friends, nor any bodies else. Such as are sunk into Sense, and hate to (or delight not in the) exercise of their Homogeneal and intellectual Faculties, but center in themselves and their own Humours; whereas (in sano Sensu) on a true account, it's the rightest Self-Love in the World, to love God and your Neighbour, and espe­cially your Friend, your (next) Self.

XIV. De Solitudine & Carcere. Of Solitude and a Prison.

A Prisoner is a living Man's Grave, whilst he continues (in arcta Custodia) under close Confinement: we may truly say of him, as we do of one entered into Religion, that he's Civiliter Mortuus, Dead in Law. Howbeit, as to several Intents and Purposes, such Restraints or volunta­ry Recesses are more eligible and expedi­ent than a Peripatetical Liberty, as for Secrecy, and for Security; whence the best and biggest Philosophers of old cry­ed [Page 113] [...], Qui benè latuit, benè vixit, he that hath lived retiredly, hath lived well, for they accounted such an one that delighted in Solitude or Retirement, to be aut Deus, aut Daemon, a God or a Devil, having so extraordinary Advantages of be­coming the best or worst of moral and in­tellectual Agents. Aude aliquid brevibus Gyaris & carcere Dignum; si vis esse aliquid. Says an ambitious and a valiant Boanerges.

Others, for the Advantage of Divine Spe­culation, and Intellectual Accomplish­ments, chuse to devote themselves unto an Anchoretick Life, and frequently prove thereby eximious. Unto some Latitudinari­an Tempers; such Restraints and Recesses often prove Antidotes and Restoratives. A well composed Mind is free and easie under the closest Confinement, and may say bonâ Fide, with Scipio (of old) that Nunquam minus solus, quam cum solus.

Hence did that sage Philosopher Pytha­goras make a voluntary Recess into a Cave, for a whole year round, and Scipio Africa­nus, and many others, withdrew from the greatest of publick Affairs. And Pinnacles of of Honour, and indeed he must be pro­foundly fond of the Fatigue and Drudgery [Page 114] of publick Employs, whom a Confine­ment for any considerable time can't wean and disingage.

Solitude and Durance will not appear to us in so uncouth and strange a Posture, if we do but duly consider, how naturally our Maker inures us to it, and is agreeable with it from first to last, for we can't come into Being but (per Limbum uterinum) by being strain'd through the Lymbeck or Grates of our Mothers Womb, after forty Weeks Solitude and Imprisonment, and a great while longer by the Law of Nature ('tis as natural for to dye as to be born) must we lye incarcerated close Prisoners in the World's Womb (the Grave) before we come to our selves, and obtain the Li­berty of the Sons of God, and confined are we all the while, that our Souls are embo­died and subjugated to their numerical Measures, Humours and Inclinations; yea, are we not habituated daily to a thousand Ceremonies and Customs in for­mal and impertinent Addresses, Euphoniae Gratiâ, more for Fashion-sake than the rea­son of the things? Are not these all moral Captivities and Confinements? Are not Honours golden, and Trades and Busi­ness iron Fetters or Manacles of Restraint, and political, and Oeconomical Feuds, and factions, Silver Chains or Shackles to consi­derable Interests, when probably oft times, [Page 115] no better Expedient can be found to extri­cate us, than a Counter, or a Fleet. Most apposite and Emphatical therefore I remem­ber is that Wish of excellent Abraham Cow­ly, ss.

And what a Paradox is it, for a Man to love himself above all Mankind, and yet not love to keep himself Company, so well as any body else in the World. Doubtless to a thinking and a literate Man, the best and pleasantest condition of Life is to dwell Incognito; for such as contract (and engage into) numerous Acquaintances, open the Doors to the Invaders of the best (if not most) of their precious Time: for Amici temporis Fures, Visitants are Time-stealers; Cujus solius est honesta Avaritia, Whereof only (as a celebrated ancient Philosopher says) Covetousness is warrantable. Where­as one in Solitude or Recess, being but a By-stander and unconcerned Person, (for Totus mundus agit Histrioniam, as one said well) has the Advantage of others, and discerns better than the Gamesters, whe­ther [Page 116] the Dog bites the Bear, or the Bear bites the Dog.

Numerous and great are the Preroga­tives of Recess and Solitude, (which are not to be met withal abroad) four of the principal whereof are, To be Soveraign of his own Time, his own Company, his own Business, and to be out of Harms way: And accordingly we find these four are the securest and innocentest Junctures of our Lives: 1. The Womb. 2. The Cra­dle, or Swathling-bands. 3. The School. 4. Our Apprenticeships, or Minorities; and who can be more safe, or serious, or secret, than in a Closet, a Library, a Shop, or a Grotto, or (if not a Criminal) in a Prison.

Whither tends the ultimate Ambition of the most industrious and indefatigable wealthy Citizen, after many years Fa­tigues and Toyls, in the sweat of their Brows and Brains, with hazard of Life and Limb, but to purchase a quiet, tho' short Recess, (at the fag end of their Pil­grimage) in some obscure corner in the Countrey, out of the Noise, and Crowd, and Hurliburly, of the unthinking and en­vious Mobile, before they expect their Quie­tus est in the Grave.

It's the matter or merit (not the man­ner) of any Confinement, that makes it uneasie to a wise man, as when occasion'd [Page 117] by either malicious Contrivance, or mi­stake of the merits of the Cause, or de­sign'd by the Fraud and Treachery of pre­tended Friends, &c. To make a Virtue of such Necessity, is a wise man's Province; and to rejoyce (and not be dejected) un­der such fiery Tryals, as generously as if it had been the matter of his own Choice, and no Coertion put upon him.

Bonum agere, & Malum pati, is not only Regium, but Christianum and Jurisprudentum. Observable also 'tis that generally most mens Disasters happen to proceed from such, to whom he has been most benefi­cent. A wise man hath less cause to be concern'd at such unwarrantable Usages, (by half) than at his own Inadvertencies, Obliquities and Failings, in over-acting (as some do, or under-acting, as most do) their duty of Benevolence unto any part of Mankind. Nor is my Mischief or hard Usage from others, any warrant for me to retaliate, misuse, or oppress my Oppressors: Lex Talionis in this sence is long since anti­quated; and rather render good for ill Usa­ges of any sort, at least be unconcerned with your worst Malefactors.

If a Sparrow flyes not this or that way, without a particular Providence, doubtless no sincere (tho' ne'r so weak) Christian, can be supposed to suffer a Seclusion from his Countrey, Kindred, or Family, and [Page 118] Friends, without a remarkable Finger from Heaven, pointing out his solitary Mansion; and therefore must that needs be his best Place and Posture, both in reference to this World and the next: and he ought to take it for granted, as a fundamental Ve­racity, That whatsoever happens in the re­gular use of any rational means, is the re­sult of infinite Jurisprudence, and ought to be embraced as that which is best, in the opinion of him that is higher than the high­est.

Our blessed Saviour conversed as often in the Deserts, as with the Multitude: whence we may naturally infer, That So­litude or Retirement is of as vast use and advantage, (by turns at least) as univer­sal Converse with the World, for which purposes chiefly we came into Being. Eve­ry body becomes abundantly worse or bet­ter by his Solitude and Retirement; the uninterrupted exercise of his Mind, and in­ward Faculties, improve him strangely: but we are of such a Make and Compositi­on, as that a total Recess, or a total im­mersing our selves from, or into the Stage of Humanity, renders us Sots or Fools, and insignificant to the Community of Man­kind.

Refuse not therefore, if you wou'd be a Jurisprudent, any publick Overtures, that seem to (praebere ansam) give you any op­portunity [Page 119] of publick Service to the World; but choose (if you have power over your Will) rather to dwell in the Shade, than the Sun; but strive to be Versatilis ingenii, participant of both, in utrum (que) paratus, well provided both ways, as your Genius and the Matter prompts you to.

If you really consider of your own Con­stitution, and tendency to another increa­ted Habitation, you will easily perceive more need to covet, than decline as much as possible a Solitude and Retirement, that you may be thorowly qualified both to serve the Ends and Purposes of your main Chance here and hereafter. No Confe­rences are so considerable, as what a man maintains with himself. Simplifie your self, said a wise Philosopher. Contract and circumscribe your self, if you wou'd make the best use and advantage of the World: private and retired Thoughts edi­fie most, provided that you follow the Conduct of Reason and Religion, else you will be Daemon instead of a Deus, A Devil or a God, as Aristotle held every retired Man to be.

The greatest Advantage of Solitude, is to give a Man the best Accomplishment and Advantage to converse in Society; for either one or the other, without an in­terchanging or alternation of Postures, are very pernicious: for variety of Places and [Page 120] Postures in the World is highly contributo­ry, to both the World's Good in general, and every Individual in particular; when all's done, quae non prosunt singula juncta ju­vant: Company relieves Solitude, and vice versâ, the contrary.

XV. De Otio & Negotio. Of Imployment and Idleness.

OTia dant vitia, is an old and true Say­ing, that Idleness occasions Illness; wherefore learned Seneca was of Opinion, that praestat aliud agere quam nihil; that any Man had better do that that's not to pur­pose, than to do nothing at all; to say truth, its scarce possible (in that Sense) for an intellectual Agent to be absolutely idle; for a Man awake, must needs talk, or move, or think and contrive Good or Ill; but we mean by Idleness, to be out of a Course of Employment one way or o­ther, which is a dangerous Point of the Compass, and the Bane of most Men. In­numerable are the Advantages of any sort of steddy Employment; it diverts a Man from mischievous and expensive Hazards; it refreshes his Mind with reflection on Pains and Time laudably spent and ac­counted [Page 121] for, besides the Profit Apprender, as our Sages call the getting of Money.

An idle Fellow can't tell what to be at next, which is a worse sort of Pain than a Fatigue or Toil at an Oar of Business. He can't properly be counted Idle, that is (for want of present Action) vigorously con­triving what to do next, in the Province he has undertaken, the Italians say proverbi­ally, Di me guard, &c. God defend me from that Man that has but one Thing (or Bu­siness) to do; but I say, from a Man that has nothing at all to do, Libera me Domine. Absit, ut unquam mihi contingat vacare; said an excellent Divine of old, ss. God forbid that I should Ere be at Leasure; to wit, have nothing to do. No ingenuous Man in the World, in Health, and in the use of his Limbs, can pretend to be down­right Idle; every body in the World may find enough to do to good purpose, and yet there are a sort of People that will pretend they have nothing to do in the Earth, which to a Man of Sense (and Health) is Non-sence. But it's a topping Point of Jurisprudence, to be very well employ'd, though it's every ones Duty to follow some or other Employment, for we came not into the World to be idle; that's both unnatural and immoral; every way unaccountable; and its a topping Point of Jurisimprudence (to be so far at a Loss at any [Page 122] time, as) to contrive how to drive away our Time impertinently. Precious Time, the best Talent and Commodity we are intrusted withal. A Calling or Profession, be it what it will, that is not vicious, is an Honour to any Man in the World; the Grand Seignior himself, will pretend to make Arrows Heads, rather than not be intitulled to an Occupation; for all the French Monsieurs account it a mechanick and ungentile Business, to Trade, to Buy or sell by Retail, or to Merchandize; Only the Sword or long Robe are their laudable Callings and Non-pedantick. Our Brittain Jurisprudents are quite of another Opinion, ss. that it's Creditable or Repu­table to be Characteriz'd by a Profession, that any authentick Calling is better than to be a Gentleman at Large, without the Badge or Distinction of a Profession; that it's an Obligation both natural and moral upon all Mankind to pretend to Business and Employment one way or other, be they never so Rich; that of Idleness comes no Goodness; that a Jurisprudent is most honourable; that a Physitian more profita­ble, and that Astronomers, Poets, and Phi­losophers most commonly the most indigi­gent. Agreeable to the old Apothegm, viz. Dat Gallenus opes; dat Justinianus Ho­nores, Astronomus, Logicus semper egenus erit. Physick gives Wealth, but the Law more [Page 123] Honour; Philosophy makes Poor; that a plump Employment with a narrrow Fund is more eligible than a plump Patrimony without a plausible Profession, which keeps a Man out of Harms-way, and administers high Satisfaction of Mind, if not Encrease of Fortunes, the Want whereof, exposes Men to infinite Hazards and Temptations, Frustra fit potentia, say Logitians, quae non traducitur in actum, that is, a Qualification is frustrameous and insignificant, unless the principle or accomplishment exert it self into Practise consonant to the old A­dage; Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter.

Adam the Protoplast was a Gardner or Husbandman, Abel a Shepherd, and King David too, before inaugurated and espous­ed a greater Profession of Protection and Government of Israel. Nor was it any re­al Reflexion (though intended so by the scornful Jews) upon Joseph of Arimathea that he was a Carpenter, and used a Trade. So did the grand Apostle St. Paul himself, make Net-works, and makes Ma­nufacture, or a Trade, to be of Apostolical Injunction; and withal, declares such a Man as accounts himself above such a Dis­pensation, not fit to Eat or Live. Let la­ [...]y Lurdans think or say what they will to [Page 124] contrary. Not but that some Occupati­ons or Professions exercise the Heads, and others the Hands or Feet, or both; but Negotiations, or a Method of Action, both Theoretical or Speculative, as well as Practicable, are not only Laudable, but necessary and expedient also, for the Be­nefit as well of the Universality, as for the Individuality of Mankind. Drones are o­dious among sensitive and abominable ( [...] fortiori) much more among Rational and Intellectual Agents. An idle Person be­comes not only a Burthen to the World, but to himself too at last; the very Hea­thens themselves were Orthodox in this Point, while they assure us unanimously, that,

That is,

No Man in Health, can justifie himself to be totally out of all Imployment or Negotiati­on; for there is not any Man whatever that's good for nothing, nor any thing in Nature, but is good for something; and may be useful and significant one way o [...] [Page 125] to the Community of Mankind, as well as helpful to himself. Every Jurisprudent will betake himself to one or other Method of Action or Negotiation, whether it turn to an expected Account or not, though its confessedly a choice piece of Skill and Prudence, to make a proper Choice, and most adequate to his Genius and Accom­plishments, for ex quolibet Ligno, non fit Mercurius. Mercury is not made of any Stick. Yet is it wholly unanswerable, and utterly unaccountable for a Man to be de­stitute of any manner of Employment, Trade or Profession; though he be the greatest Dunce in the World, he must in Conscience, play one part or other, while he walks upon the Stage of mortality, for Totus mundus agit Histrioniam; the whole World acts, as we may say, an In­terlude, and every numerical Person hath a Part to act among his Fellow Creatures. Non nobis nati sumus, said the Philosopher very judiciously, that no body alive was born only to serve himself, for as he goes on pergetically, and to purpose, Partem Patria, partem amici, partem parentes sibi vendicant; our Country, our Parents, our Friends do all very justly challenge a Share of us; which an idle Person little considers, but stupidly and uselesly sacrifices the whole Interest the World hath in him, to his own Net.

Pride and Idleness commonly associate, and the best end commonly of them both, is Discontent and Beggery.

XVI. De Avaritiâ & Liberalitate. Of Covetousness and Liberality.

THE most sordid, or the most splen­did Characters a Jurisprudent can bear, for the one is down right Idolatry, said St. Paul, the other is Delicium Humani generis, or the Darling of Nature; every Man loves and honours a Liberal and ge­nerous Man, though, he be never so Covetous himself. Whereby 'tis demon­strable, that Generosity or Liberality (which is the same thing) is one of the most commendable Accomplishments that belongs to any Man in the World; for a Liberal Man is necessarily Charitable and Hospitable, which Sacrifices are such as we are (jure Divino) assured God is well pleased with, wherefore did St. Paul, who affirms the same, give us a great Caution to be sure not to forget this Faculty of Communicating.

Prodigality and Nigardliness or Cove­tousness, are the two Extreams of Liberali­ty. [Page 127] If any one ask me a Character of that Man that I would chuse to make a Friend off, it would be one that is Just and Generous; tow short Words, but very com­prehensive; for the former Appellation implies one that is only exact in commuta­tive Justice, not to defraud or cheat you (as in common parlance, & ex vi termini, it imports) but one that is universally So­ber, Righteous and Godly; and thus far a Publican, a Scribe, or a Pharise might proceed in Jurisprudential Learning; and yet miscarry at last; but to be Generous and Liberal, as well as Just and righteous, implies Hospitality and Charity intensly; which Properties, he that wants, can ne­ver on good grounds expect to be happy, because, whate're besides he is wanting in, if he be defective here, he's a Nugatory Thing, a tinkling Cimbal, and a thing of no ualue; nor in a sperate Condition. A generous Jurisprudent is a Person of Ho­nour and Conscience, Generosity and Charity, which is but one Branch of the Tree of Liberality (but a great one) we cannot (scarce) in any quality, more imi­tate our Soveraign Law-giver than herein, that shines and rains on Good and Bad; but a Man that's Covetous, is both pro­foundly injurious to himself, and to all the World about him, for he hords up, and inhibits that Talent which is none [Page 128] of his own, to that purpose. Every Man in the World has a surplus: the generous Wi­dow in the Gospel, that cast her Mite (her All) into the Bank of Charity, was record­ed justly for a Generous, as well as very Charitable Soul, for our Example, nothing is more odious in Law, nor more heteroge­neal in Nature, than ingrossing of what is communicable (pro re natâ) in the nature of the Thing, and that is Wealth, which is no farther useful to any Man, than dif­fused by the Regrators and Ingrossors thereof. The speculative Letchery of a Covetous Person, is an unintelligent thing to a Jurisprudent, or a Man of considerate Sense and Reason; not but that it's abso­lutely adviseable to provide against the misadventurs and contingences of humane Affairs, but yet with Jurisprudence, and due Consideration, and Mathematical Measures, our Saviour said it was next un­to an Impossibility, for a Rich, that is (in his Sense there) a Covetous Man, to go to Heaven, as it was for a Camel or (rather to follow the Original) a Cable to be threaded in a Needles Eye. For in good earnest, the liberal Man is only rich, that is, hath enough for his present Ac­commodation, and future Expectancies, and to spare for the universal Interest of Mankind, with whom he corresponds; which, is doubting of God's Providence, [Page 129] diffident of all Success, and jealous of eve­ry body about him. A Jurisprudent of for its well known, who assured us, that Riches consisted not in abundance, with­out a Heart to make a proper use of it, which most overgrown Wealthists want.

The true Rich Man, is he that hath e­nough to bound his Appetites and to spare, that's a great Soul, and a right Jurisprudent. It's Diffidence and Distrust, and it's a pu­sillanimous Soul that's Hidebound, Penuri­ous and Covetous, for its Con-tranatural and Ignoble, Sordid, and unworthy of so Magnanimous a Creature as Man (ab Ori­gine) was made, and its observable, that the Remains of a Covetous Man seldom or never prosper in their Successions; vix gaudet tertius heres, scarce the third Gene­ration enjoy them; but (vice versâ) the contrary is as remarkable of a Liberal Man's, because the former is grose Impie­ty, and the latter true Piety; whereunto are annexed the Promises and Benefactions as well of this World as the next.

A Liberal Man ( Solomon tells us) will be Fat, the other contrariwise, Lean as a Rake; or (as the Cheshire Proverb is) as if he suckt his Dam through an Hurdle. He dotes on, and pants after the Dust of the Earth upon the Head of the Poor, and is Solomons great Fool, and the most egregi­ous Slave in the World; the Ground of [Page 130] what Degree or Fortune soever he be, hath a Surplus for Liberality, both as Hospita­ble and Charitable (like the generous Wi­dow in the Gospel) if he hath but (one Mite) any thing at all, he'l have some­thing to spare. Yet is our Jurisprudent a thrifty Man, and by generously casting his Bread upon the Waters, finds it turn to a better Account than the miserable Cove­tous Mans Opus & Usus; who though re­dicul'd by every body, but such as are as sordid as himself; yet hugs himself in his Hoards like a Hog in a Ditch, as Horace lively portrays and describs him.

Observe but the tenth Law of Moses, how very particularly he gives the Charge a­gainst all sort of Covetousness imaginable, House, Wife, Man nor Maid-Servant, Ox nor Ass, nor any thing else about him you can think on. The Rich Poor Man's em­phatically poor, as eximious Cowley tells us of the Miser; one thing only is avarice allowable in, ss. of Time. Solius Temporis honesta avaritia, said the old Jurisprudent Philosophers. Covetousness is not warran­table [Page 131] of any thing, but only Time. The unjust Steward's Servant in the Gospel was applauded for making himself Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness, by a generous Act (though Knavish) in bubling and cheating his Masters Creditor, and liberally handling his Debtors.

A Covetous Man can be good for no­thing, I'm positively of that Opinion, be­cause the Love of those his little Idols, is resolv'd by that great Gamaliel (and com­petent Judge) St. Paul, to be the Root of all sorts of Evil. He is rude and uncivil to himself, in not affording necessary Sup­plies, for supporting his natural Content­ment, and cruel and tyrannical to his bet­ter Part (if he have e're a one) his Soul by distorting and perplexing and debasing it Night and Day in sordid Anxieties, and unaccountable Drudgeries, and to all his Neighbours and Conversants in the World Uneasie, Fraudulent, and Unsociable, and Unintelligible, and worse. And remarka­ble (I take it to be) that splendid Instance and President of Mary Magdalen, in be­stowing a considerable sum of most preci­ous Oyntment to wash our Saviours Feet withal; which no body but covetous Judas (the Bag-bearer) grudged, and would have pretended himself to have been so Chari­table or Liberal, as to have wisht it had been (ad Valorem) to the Value rather gi­ven [Page 132] to the Poor. ss. The Cash-keeper that was so bloodily Covetous, as for thirty (Shillings) or Pieces of Silver, to betray his Lord and Master. A stingy narrow Soul can't be a Jurisprudent to all Effects and Purposes (if to any at all) for a Libe­ral Man considers of the Universe, and and dispences accordingly, quoad hunc & nunc, as to time and Person properly; but the other minds no body but himself, and in good earnest, therefore is most his own Enemy, though a common Enemy too to the World about him. That a Man, who is Deputy Lieutenant of the whole World, should not act like a Prince within his Ter­ritories, is a thing to be counted more a Matter of Prodigy than Proof. That Soul that confines it self to it self, and loves not to dilate, is the greatest Hetero­clite (in rerum Naturâ) (in the visible World) and such is he that is profoundly Covetous; for a Man that's never so Co­vetous, is on some occasions liberally af­fected; to wit, towards himself, but re­gards not the rest of the Family of God, and is therefore a spurious and degenerate Monster amongst Mankind, and not wor­thy to be owned by them as a rational or intellectual Agent, but an Excresence of Humanity, or a Creature, not a Kin to Generous Mankind.

XVII. De Vitâ & Morte. Of Life and Death.

MAnes suos quisque patimur, said the great Horace. Our Urns and Ends are as certain as our Beginnings: Orimur, morimur, All of us that live must die; which fatal word to the unthinking Vulgar is the most formidable in Nature, and by the Heathen called so; [...]. But some of the more thinking of them have had a rarer Notion of it, viz.

And the divine Philosopher Seneca seem'd to be much of that Mind, when he saith, that, Pompa Mortis magis terret quam mors ipsa, that the Circumstances of our Depar­ture, are more frightful than Death it self: and Dr. Brown wonders any wise Man was afraid of it; he professes himself to be ra­ther asham'd to see so sudden and conside­rable a Change made in a Carcass: it's as natural to die as to be born, saith Sir Fra. Bacon, and therefore ought not to be so dreadful. So that a Jurisprudent being well apprized of the Law of Mortality, so lives, that he's neither afraid nor asham'd to die, [Page 134] whensoever his great Soveraign, that put him into Being, thinks fit to recal him out of it.

It's true that Life is a mighty Blessing, and a living Dog is better than a dead Li­on; but in comparison with the Ends of Life, and Consequences of Death, it's not worth the talking of.

could a Heathen say.

Especially believing, that a better Life, and infinitely more to purpose, will be subse­quent to every one that dies a Jurispru­dent.

said the Tragedian Seneca excellently well, ss. Death cannot be really formidable to any, but such as are too well (and notori­ously) known to the World, and under­stand not themselves. Cogi qui potest, nescit mori, (said he too.) That Man can't tell how to die, that can be compell'd there­unto, (note that!) For in many Cases Death is more eligible than Life to a Juris­prudent; but a Jurisimprudent, or Ignoramus, is afraid of his own Shadow, and can't tell you why he does dread to die.

While a Jurisprudent is present in the Bo­dy, he is (all that while) absent from the Lord; which I take to be the chief Reason, why that Chief Justice of the Gentiles, St. Paul, desired rather to be dissolv'd than not, as to himself; but as to the care of the Churches, and their edification by his Function (for a season) which was the great Province he was charged withal, he was contented to endure to live a while longer. The sager sort of the Heathen themselves had arriv'd to this Metaphysical Point, That to be in Statu seperato, from the cumbersom Body, was much more eli­gible, in it self singly consider'd, from the benefit of Mankind, than their longer resi­dence in the Body.

Wherefore duly consider'd, and jurisprudentially, what we are, and whither we tend, we can shew no cause why we shou'd be at all dis­may'd at Death. Indeed if we had no further Assurances of future Felicity, the Case were alter'd; but who can be happy too soon? or who that prudentially considers all the Weal and Woes of humane Life to­gether, does not judge him the happiest man that is well extricated out of the body? [Page 136] There's more perhaps than we are aware on, primâ facie, in that Saying, ss.

Life indeed is all in all, (when all's said) but to exchange a worse for a better Life, is more than all that can be said, è contra, against it. It's better not to be, than to be miserable all agree; but if we are morally certain of an eternal Life, he must needs be (non Compos mentis) out of his Wits, that is loth to die. As Death is an extin­guishment of all our Faculties, and a di­vorce of Soul and Body; indeed it's formi­dable; but if we as Jurisprudents look on't but as an Emancipation, or Gaol-delivery, and as a future State, to which (ab initio) at first we were framed, it is rather what we should long for and covet, than be shy of, or dread. A Jurisprudent argues thus:

The Life that now is (as much as we make of our selves) is not a thing worth the taking up, were it not in pursuance of, and in order to something better, as the vulgar Note well observes:

The Practice of which principal part of Piety, or Jurisprudence, upon this Stage of Philanthropy, and the full fruition of the beatifick Vision, who is defined to be Love in the Abstract, is that which is our main Business here, and which only makes Life considerable, and Death not so dreadful as desirable.

The very heathen Philosophers, that had not so clear a Prospect of the future State, made no Bones (as we say Prover­bially) of it, as Sir Fra. Bacon in his learn­ed Essays gives us many Instances: Fear induced some to court it; Love and Friend­ship others; others in Complements and generous Bravado's, as Augustus Caesar part­ing with his Wife Livia, at his Execution [Page 138] takes his leave of her and the World together, thus:

That is to say,

It's the Consequences of it are so formi­dable and astonishing, and not it self, which is nothing but a deprivation of something, which is as natural and as ne­cessary for us to part with as to enjoy. Whoever leads a Jurisprudent Life, need never dread never so sudden Death. It's for Fools (and guilty Knaves) to be a­fraid of their own Shadows, and not for men of Temper and Discretion. Life is here a thing only considerable in order to somewhat better and future; Death is (if rightly consider'd on) at best but a transi­tion to another State (not Place) if ap­plied to Intelligent or jurisprudent Agents.

said an Elegant heathen Poet to pur­pose, viz.

said another appositely, and emphatically.

We commonly wonder, (which is a vulgar Error) when we hear of any bo­dy's Death; whenas we have much more reason to wonder, that any Individual is in Life and Health, if we do but consider, how small a matter serves to turn the strongest Constitution out of Being, and how many millions of those accidental Matters we meet withal in a little time, besides the incurable Disease of old Age.

And eximious is that Saying of the hea­then Philosopher,

I close this Essay, as Sir Wa. Rawley does his History of the World, p. 776. who then had a close Prospect of his untimely End. O Eloquent, just and mighty Death! [Page 140] whom none cou'd advise, thou hast perswaded; what none has dared, thou hast done; and whom all the World has flatter'd, thou only hast cast out of the world, & despised, thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched Greatness, all the Pride, Cruelty, and Ambition of Man, and co­ver'd it all with these two narrow words, Hic jacet.

XVIII. De Societate & Conversatione. Of Society and Converse.

MAn is defined very properly to be A­nimal sociabile, a sociable, or conver­sible Creature, more than any other infe­rior Animal whatever: the Tongue and Discourse gives him that Preheminence, to make better guesses at another's meaning and mind, and the complexion of their Thoughts, than other Animals overt Acti­ons indicate. Without Conversation (So­ciety is non-sence, and) the World wou'd not be like it self.

Solomon, the grand Jurisprudent, has long ago remarked it, That infinite Wisdom created one thing to correspond with ano­ther; and it was told us, ab initio, first in Para­dise, that it was not fit or good for Man to be without Society, and thereupon his Maker did superadd Eve for his companion, or asso­ciate, [Page 141] that nothing might pretend to be In­dependent but himself. Whence it follows necessarily, That anchoretick Doctrine and Discipline is quite out of doors, both hete­rodox and immoral, as well as unnatural and selfish. Hence said the same sage and authentick Author, That two are better than one, for the sake of reciprocal Aids, as well as Enjoyments; even Affliction is sweetn'd by Society, much more Prosperi­ty; according to the true old Saying,

And a Man is known and understood by his Company that he frequents, when he is not by his own Deportment. So is the trite Saying,

Hermitages, and Cells, and Solitudes, help much to qualifie a Man (vicibus alternis) by fits and turns for Conversation. So did our grand Exemplar Emanuel, often with­draw into Deserts and other Recesses, but it was to recollect himself, with more ad­vantage to appear upon the Stage, and to converse with the Multitude, Publicans and Sinners, with whom we know he was so frequent and familiar, as well as with Magistrates, and Persons of better Quality, otherwhiles that he was by the high-minded Scribes and Pharisees, reproached with the [Page 142] Character of being a Friend of theirs of meaner Extract.

But wholly to sequester a man's self from all manner of Conversation abroad, as those do that pretend to enter into Reli­gion, (which indeed is more properly ta­king their leaves of it) is altogether against the Principles of our Jurisprudent, and his Practice too. Both Extreams are odious and dangerous, Never to be out of a Crowd, and never to be out of a Cell, or Dormitory; and it's as much to a man's own Edification and Improvement as o­thers, that he exert, impart, converse, and communicate. Qui docet, discit: Whoever teaches others, learns himself; but he that hides himself in a Hole, or buries his Ta­lent in a Napkin, is a Sot, and doth that which as a moral Agent is unaccountable.

But we must be very cautelous and cir­cumspect (on the other side) what sort of Company we keep; for as Conversati­on generally is the quickest, most natural and laudable way of Improvement, if well managed, so nothing is more pernicious than ill Company; that's the Bane of most men, for want of Jurisprudence, or Judge­ment; not but that a man by the help of (Lingua penna mentis muta) that silent [Page 143] tongue of the Mind, as a Pen is call'd, may render himself sociable and conversa­ble, when he perhaps can't personally ap­pear among Company, as it's many a Man's case besides my own, in such cases Mahomets will walk to the Mountain, where the Mountain can't come to them to converse. Abraham Cowly has well ob­serv'd, that an honest Jurisprudent Interest in the Campaign or crouded Company, (which is worse of the two Extreams than perfect Solitude) must either make himself sometimes appear like a Knave, or they'l make him appear like a Fool; besides he is in danger of Infection with them, or to be trodden down by them, wherefore this Extream of Conversation, is worse than a Seclusion. It's a critical point therefore of Jurisprudence, to avoid the two foresaid Extreams; the Society of, and humane Converse with intellectual voluntary A­gents (such as Angels and Men are, if we take them in puris naturalibus, and not in a lapsed or degenerate Notion, as both of them may be) is the greatest Dignity and Duty of Mankind; the Jurisprudent Ga­maliel of all the Apostles, intimates his O­pinion fully in the Point, where he exorts us strenuously to Hospitality, and annexes that singular Motive to it, that some Folks have thereby accidentally conversed with­al, or giv'n Entertainment to Angels; but [Page 144] saith he, what e're you do, do not forget to communicate, or converse liberally, for such are excellent and highly acceptable to the most high, whereby appears plainly our Honour and our Duty. Who was more Sociable, Affable, Hospitable and Gene­rous than the Lamb of God that takes a­way the Obliquities of Man? The first Miracle that he ever wrought, was at a Wedding Feast, where it appears the Guests eat and drank plentifully, which, together with his blessed Company, did much promote the Freedom and Benefit of their Society and Conversation; a mo­rose and cynical Man no body minds or much regards, because he is of an Hetero­geneal Temper and Converse, self-affect­ed and singular, and that Conversation which is most Frank and Chearful, is a­boundantly more Useful, most Healthy, most Innocent, and most Jurisprudential; and the contrary, when a Person is Cha­green and Melancholy, or (as we Phrase it now adays) out of Humour.

Much more Good or Harm is daily done by Conversation among Men, than by all the Speculation or Information, o­therwise in any thing in the World, for the Impressions made by Discourse or Ex­ample, are very much stronger than what is made by Precept, or Instructions any other way; and possibly that may be the [Page 145] reason for the Institution of that great and standing Publick Ordinance of Preach­ing and Conference, and especially of the Fundamental Article of a Jurisprudent's Faith, ss. Christian Communion, or Church-fellowship (as some phrase it) for it's a very true Rule of the School-men's, Omne bonum, eô melius, quô communicabilius,

To which Rule possibly there's no ex­ception but one, and that is of a particu­lar Secret, and it's hard to say, whether more Profit or more Pleasure be perceived by every such Communicant, of what­ever good Notion and Action is imparted to another Body.

So radical a thing is Society and Con­versation in all Sensitive as well as Intel­lectual Agents, that the very Devils them­selves, and the worst, and most degenerous parts of the Creation, delight to practise, according to that instinct — Saevus inter se convenit ursus, The Beasts of Prey are together Sociable as well as Men and An­gels Naturally.

Nay (which is most Prodigious of all) none generally are less Sociable and Con­versable than such as should be most ex­emplary herein, even the greatest and [Page 146] nicest Professors of Religion and Virtue themselves.

Yet are we fully of Opinion, that there's no better way in the World to propagate Jurisprudence, or any thing that is of kin to Virtue and Religion, than a Sociable Conversation, and frank intercourse with one another; and we peremptorily affirm it to be the Interest of States and Com­mon-wealths in general, as likewise of every Individual Person in particular, always in the World to maintain and encourage So­ciety and Converse among each other (pro virili) to the utmost, in little matters, as well as greater; Cum socio mingas, vel saltem min­gere fingas (say the boni socii of the World) That is,

Without a reasonable proportion of Converse a Man rusts, and his accomplish­ments shrivel up, and his Faculties grow feeble and insignificant, Probatum est; it plainly appears in such as are meer Scho­lars (as we term them) and Recluded Persons, who sensibly dis-improve for want [Page 147] of Negotiation and exerting their Parts. Men might have propagated as Plants and Trees do (which Naturalists observe are like a Man topsie turvy, or reverst) had not his Creator contrived him to be Soci­able as well as Propagable; and his Wife Eve was Originally design'd him for an help-meet Friend and Companion, as much as to be prolifical, or more; and whoever renounces good and Sociable Converse with his fellow Creatures, I declare him to be a Common Enemy both to himself and all Mankind; and in the highest de­gree a Jurisimprudent, or Ignoramus at the best.

Who was more Sociable than our Lord and Saviour in the Flesh, Night and Day going about to find Opportunities of doing good to Man, whose Copy in this very particular all Divines, and other Jurispru­ [...]ents agree, we are all bound to write after, [...]o far as we are able to be useful to the whole World within our reach; and when [...]l's done, the best use and benefit of Re­ [...]rement, is to qualifie a Man or Woman [...]or Publick good.

No greater Sot in Nature than he that will put his Candle under a Bushel, and [...]ot let it shine so as others may be behol­ [...]n to him; and be provoked the better to [...]rve and honour their Soveraign Proprie­ [...]r and Creator.

XIX. De Actione & Varietate. Of Variety and Action.

ACtion, said Sir Rich. Baker (in his Preface to the History of England) is the Life of a Prince, Speculation of a Scholar; but (under Correction) it ought to be of both, for all Speculation that's not in order to Action is nugatory, (and chi­canree.) Frustrà fit potentia quod non tradu­citur in actvm. That is but a frustraneous, or impertinent Power (say the Schoolmen) which is not exerted into Action: And whosoever is most capable of variety of laudable Action, is indisputably the most eximious and useful Member of any Com­mon-wealth, or Kingdom.

One that is versatilis ingenii, (as we say) that is, can turn his Hand or Head to va­riety of Services, is the most accomplished and valuable Person in the World; which made Sir Francis Bacon (and some others) so Useful and Venerable in their Times he being a topping Jurisprudent, a Learned a Divine, great Physitian; and, as hi [...] Encomium that surrounds his Effigies hath deservedly Recorded him to be tertius [...] Platone, Philosophorum Princeps, the third Prince of Philosophers since Plato liv'd.

Actions speak louder than words: Thi [...] [Page] is agreed on all hands, and in all cases good or bad. Hence is that Sage and Jurispru­dent Counsel given by the Heathen Poet.

And Horace plainly avers the same thing in his Advice to a Son, De Arte Poeticâ, &c.

Nor is any thing in Nature more plea­sant (whatever happens to be profitable) than Variety. Certa lectio prodest, said Learn­ed Seneca, sed varietas delectat; Though a steddy Method of Studie is profitable; yet, says he, it's Variety which is delightsome or pleasant. Nothing is more irksome and uneasie to an ingenious Agent, than one sort or series of Action, or expressions; it makes the Intellectuals giddy and obtuse, like a Horse in a Mill, whom to prevent that consequence, we blind. Besides the Pleasure which Variety affords, it improves the Faculties that exercise themselves there­in, as experience (on our Reflexions) will demonstrate plainly. Mens hominum novi­tatis avida, is an undeniable Principle, That Mans Mind is Naturally greedy of Novelty; [Page 150] which in plainer English, is Variety that Man's Constitution so eagerly and natu­rally affects; and therefore of Necessity it's more eligible and advisable to habituate our selves thereunto. All things in Nature delight in and are full of Variety of Mo­tion and Action; as well the Sun, Moon, and Planets above us, as inferior Animals below; Winds, Weathers, and Tides of Water; all which may plainly indicate to us Humane Agents, the Expediency, Use, and Necessity thereof. Yea, the greatest part of the Creation is contrived for Va­riety and Delight, more than Necessity, by that [...], or infinite Wisdom variegated, as the great Apostle Phrases it.

Neither is there a livelier Emblem (per­haps in the whole World) of Eternity and Immortality than variety of Actions here on Earth. No one single enjoyment very often repeated, but cloys and surfeits Hu­manity; but a variety whets or creates new Appetites.

So great a Darling of Nature is Variety, that she never exerts two Persons or things exactly alike; no Mans Face, nor Mind, or inward Faculties are Mathematically parallel to another. And as no Man lives to purpose that is not active and vigorous, so none is to good purpose active, who is not addicted to Variety of Motion or Action.

Among the Barbarian Naturalists, he that is least listless, and most active and strenuous, is their Chieftain or King, to whom they render readily and voluntarily all Homage and Allegiance imaginable.

A genuine Jurisprudent is (ad omnia quare) squared and cut out for all laudible effects and purposes; and his Principles are to be vigorous and active, and to be full of Va­riety and Action, as well as Speculation.

I dare Challenge any Jurisprudent to give me a President of any Man that ever was a Celebrated Author, or that earn'd a competent Fortune by doing (next to no­thing that is) onely one thing, or dealing in onely one Commodity, without cir­cuity, as we say, or variety of Action: And I further declare it to be my Opinion, That no Man in the use of his Health, Limbs, and Wits, can be at a loss utterly, for want of one or other Lawful Action; and (if it be not his own fault) variety. So great a Latitude of Action doth Hu­mane Necessities afford and crave, were the World much more Populous. And it's more Honourable and Religious, and Ra­tional to practice for pauper's without any [Page 152] Fee or Sallary at all, than to be Idle in the Market-place.

But if no more were in it of motive than the Health of the Body, and the tranquility and satisfaction of the Mind, and the prevention or diversion of a thou­sand of Snares and Temptations, that else will be sure to put us at least in exquisite Jeopardy; it is well worth the while for a Jurisprudent, or Jurisimprudent to be con­cern'd with variety of Action. It's better far to play at small Games here, than to stand out; and it's not a moot point, whe­ther Action will turn to account, for I am (against the common Proverb) fully of Opinion, that such a rolling-stone will gather Moss; and that a regular and pru­dent crusing about the Creation (when you can't hoist your Top-sail) terra, terra, from Coast to Coast, as the Phrase is of our Maritine Authors) will turn to a good account. As Demosthenes the great Orator of Old and profoundly Eloquent (eâ ra­tione) for that reason must needs be pre­sumed to be, being asked, Quid primum? Quid deinde? Quid denique praecipuum in Ora­tore? What's the first and main point of an Orator? His Compass. And what's the next great point, and what's the last, and most considerable part or point? An­swer'd to them all three, Action. So to the Case, if it were put to a true Juris­prudent, [Page 153] what's the best Councel to be gi­ven to any Man to live honestly, and thrive heartily by; be would give it un­der his hand for a reasonable Fee Action. Action, Action, against the World, and the more variety of them the better. Al­ways provided they are of that sort as en­terfere not, or are inconsistent one with a­nother; which in truth was imply'd before in the Words prudent and regular Motions and Actions, and such as are agreeable (more or less) to the reason of the things aim'd at; for a little Discord in Musick helps frequently the Harmony; and by the same reason, may a little casual eccen­tricality of Accord, help more than hinder a prudent Enterprize, as a little Trip in a Race, often quickens and helps a Man by his Recovery to mend his Pace, and more vigilantly pursue the Cause and Concern of his main Chance, and win the Prize at long run.

XX. De Voluptate & Paenâ. Of Pleasure and Pain, or Joy and Sorrow.

TO conceive in Sorrow or Pain, and to earn our Bread in the Sweat of our Brows, is an original Curse notorious e­nough, [Page 154] and is intailed on Man and Wo­mankind; insomuch, that we may truly say to smart, is a thing connatural to Huma­nity, and Excess whereof, withers and weakens the Flower and Vigour of both Mind and Body; but a Tincture of it ad­juvant, as an Eye of Melancholy or Serio­sity mends the Constitution, but a Redun­dancy marrs it, and renders it chagreen or morose. It's a pusillanimous Soul that's dejected and depraved by Calamity, which spurs the Generous to Industry and Puis­sance; the over Valuation of any thing which we loose, is the occasion of our Vexation and Sorrow immoderate. Extir­pate once these roots of Mistake, that we lay too great a stress of Injoyment on them, or apprehend them to be more considera­ble than they prove upon experiment and tryal, and then no Cross or Loss in the World would be able to break our Hearts to pieces; immoderate Sadness is ingratitude to God, Pleasure and Chear­fulness is the Opposite hereunto; if you will take the wisest Man's Word in the World. Eccles. 5. It's our Portion, it's a peculiar Gift of God, than it there's no­thing in the World better, ss. to eat and drink your Bread and Wine with a merry Heart, and so injoy the good Fruit of your Pains and Labour.

We may and ought to sigh and groan, in many cases besides our own; but not be tired nor overlong disquietted.

Our Duty and our Happiness never more apparently meet together, than in our Rejoycings, which is the noblest and innnocentest Pleasure in the World; it's an old saying, and much of Veracity in it, that iniquissima pax est justissimo bello antefe­renda, the most ilfavoured Peace more e­ligible than the most beautiful War; so may we say the Pleasure of Joy on any good account, doth far surmount the Pain and Mischief of Sadness and Sorrow. Plea­sure is the Varnish of the Creation, it makes all Injoyments illustrious and relish­ing, as Pain renders them unsavory and irksome, even Life it self is a Burden under acute pain; whereof poor Job is a signal Instance and Example. Yet are there some sort of Pain that promotes and advances Pleasure; besides prolification Pangs, which a Jurisprudent may have met withal in the Acquisition of a Profit Ap­prender, or Emolliment, and to say true, the greatest of humane Pleasures are gene­rally the results of Smart and Pain, ac­cording to the Saying, Difficilia quae pulcra. And that other, [...], &c. God has planted Sweat and Labour or Pain in the Road to Virtue, so that pleasant attain­ments can't be enjoyed without propor­tionable [Page 156] Pain and Difficulty, so that they are nearer of Kin than we are commonly aware of; Hazard and Pains are usually antecedent to every noble and pleasant Acquisition; Trahit sua quemque voluptas.

To tast of Pain (however) is as proper and connatural to our present State here, as to perceive Pleasure; if duly considered, for none that are beloved of their Heaven­ly Father, must expect exemption from Punishment or Pain; the heathen Poet was sensible of this Veracity, who tells us,

Joy and Pleasures without any mixture or alteration of Pain and Sorrow, is only a peculiar Dainty reserv'd for the next worlds Felicity and Enjoyment, and not to be ex­pected to be met withall in this. But there is a Jurisprudential Joy or Pleasure many times to be met with here, in suffering Pain, and loss of Goods, as of old we read [Page 157] of many that did, and in Self-denial for Righteousness sake; yea, to be overjoy'd in such cases, for the prospect of the Re­ward.

A pleasant and chearful person is most acceptable to God and Man, whether he be the giver or receiver of a Benefacti­on; ever more rejoyce, while you main­tain Mens inscia culpae; as the Poet said well, nil conscire sibi, nullâ pallescere culpâ; a good Conscience is a constant Feast, and that is the Foundation of all Pleasure; that's worth the Name of Pleasure. All pains in such a case, will neither be long nor se­vere, but short and light, and not worth further mentioning or taking notice of, in comparison of both the present, as well as future intellectual Streams and Rivers of Pleasure, that a true Jurisprudent can never miss of the Injoyment of.

Is as true, as old, a Saying, that Love it self is a very painful thing, and fearful.

This is properly verified of Effeminate Pleasure, but a Masculine Jurisprudent's Genius and Complexion is of an other guest Mould; for his Love renounces Fear and Pain; he loves any thing or Person ac­cording [Page 158] to the Merits of the Cause only, a Wrong or Tort pains him more than a broken Shin, and a righteous Sentence pleasanter to him than a Rose in June. Sensual Titillations or Pleasures little affect him, but he's ravisht with Intellectuals; his tickling Motto therefore is

But to see Right run down in Forma Pauperis, makes him roar with Pain; for no greater occasion can be given to a Ju­risprudent of Uneasiness and Pain, than to see Might overcome Right; which is com­mon, or to perceive by Tricks and Evasi­ons, excentrick to all Rules of Prudence, any body to be morally massacred.