CHAP. I.

LEt God be the AL­PHA and OMEGA, of every day, of eve­ry duty, of every act, and of every enterprise; make [Page 2] him thy first morning thought, when thou dost awake, and thy last evening thought, when thou liest down to sleep; in all thy actions and undertakings eye his command, implore his assistance, and aime at his glo­ry; so shall thy labors prosper, thy rest be peacefull, thy life pious, thy death blessed, thy resurrection joyous, and thy eternal Being glorious.

CHAP. II.

VVHen thou prayest let thy words be few, and endeavour rather a sence of thy own necessity and divine bounty, then elegancy of phrase. God that knoweth thy thoughts, needs not thy Elo­quence [Page 3] for his information; and he that plentifully feedeth the young Ravens when they cry unto him, will not deny his Child daily bread. Never prayer rightly made but was heard, never prayer was heard, but was granted; and he who hath proclaimed him­self a God hearing prayer, hath promised to teach thee to pray.

CHAP. III.

SIn is a deceitful poyson, fair in colour, sweet in tast, but deadly in operation; look not upon it with delight, lest it hurt thee; tast it not lest it wound thee; feed not, on it, lest it kill thee; and as thy Sa­viours [Page 4] blood is thy only cure, so thy sorrow for it, is the best cordial and thy greatest com­fort; for so often as thou re­memberest thy sins past with­out grief, so often thou repeat­est those sins for not grieving; he that will not mourn for the evil he hath done, gives earnest for the evil he intends to do. Nothing can asswage that fire which sin hath made, but the water which repentance hath drawn; and more joy is pro­mised to repentance, then to innocency: consider when thou sinnest heaven is grieved, and canst thou rejoyce? hell re­joyceth, and canst thou be merrie? thy best friends are provoked to turn thine ene­mies, [Page 5] and thy worst enemies, are espoused for thy friends; how then comes sin to please thee, when it displeaseth God thy Father, when it profits thee so little, and hurts thee so much? it wounds thy soul, it decays thy health, it impairs thy estate, it intailes a curse upon thy children unto the fourth generation; in short, it will exclude thee from all felicity, it will involve thee in all misery, and for ever ru­ine thee: Oh therefore sin not.

CHAP. IV.

BEfore the undertaking of a­ny designe, weigh well the glory and advantage of it, with [Page 6] the danger and disgrace that may ensue; if the glory out­weigh the danger, it is cowar­dise to forbear it; if the danger outweigh the glory, it is rash­ness to attempt it; if the bal­lance stand equally poised, let thy own genious cast it; if thou doubt the lawfulness of thy action, commend it in thy devotion to divine blessing; if it be lawful, thou shalt find thine heart encouraged by thy Prayer; if unlawful, thy Pray­er will be discouraged by thy heart: that action is not war­rantable, that either blush­eth to beg a blessing, or hav­ing succeeded dares not return thanksgiving.

CHAP. V.

FLatter not thy self in thy faith towards God, if thou wantest charity to thy neighbour, and think not thou hast charity to thy neighbour, if thou want'st faith towards God; where these two are not together, they are both want­ing, and both dead, if once di­vided. In thy faith 'tis not whether it be strong or weak, but whether it be true; God hath not promised eternal life to him that believeth much, but to him that believeth; 'tis not the eldest shall have the whole inheritance, Gods chil­dren are all coheirs. In thy charity 'tis not how much, nor [Page 8] to whom, but with what heart thou givest; he that giveth all he hath, and yet retaineth a secret desire of keeping part, though he hath parted with all hath given nothing at all. God loveth a cheerful giver. Not to give to the poor is to take from him; and to deny God the loan of what he hath gi­ven thee, and of what is in his power to take from thee, not to feed the hungry when thou hast it, is the utmost of thy power to kill him; that there­fore thou mayst avoyd both sacriledge and murther, be charitable; and remember there is no soyl so fruitful as the poor mans back, and belly: What thou givest in charity, [Page 9] will return an hundred fold in­to thy own bosome, or entayle a blessing upon thy childrens children.

CHAP. VI.

GIve thine heart to thy Creator, reverence to thy superiors, honor to thy Pa­rents, thy bosom to thy friend; give diligence to thy calling, and ear to good counsel; give almes to the poor, and glory to God; forgive him that ig­norantly offends thee, and him that having wittingly offend­ed thee seeks forgiveness of thee; forgive him that hath forcibly abused thee, and him that hath fraudulently betray­ed thee; forgive all thine ene­mies, [Page 10] but least of all thy self: he is below himself, that is not above an injury, and he that spares himself, teacheth God not to spare him. Give and it shall be given thee, forgive and it shall be forgiven thee; to give and forgive is the sum of all Christianity.

CHAP. VII.

IN thy apparrel avoyd pro­fuseness, singularity, and gaudiness; let it be decent, and suted to the quality of thy place, and purse. Too much punctuality, and too much morosity, are the extreames of pride; be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custome hath civiliz'd is be­come [Page 11] decent, till then ridicu­lous. Where the eye is the Jury, thy apparrel is the evidence; the body is the shell of the soul, apparrel is the husk of that shell, the husk often tells you what the kernel is; sel­dome doth solid wisdome dwell under fantastick appar­rel; neither will the pantaloone fancy be immured within the walls of grave habit; the fool is known by his pyed coat.

CHAP. VIII.

LEt thy discourse be plea­sing and profitable; be cau­tious what thou speakest, to whom, how, and when; let what thou speakest be neither false, nor impertinent, nor too [Page 12] much; not false, for God is the Author of truth, the Devil is the Father of lyes. If the tel­ling of a truth shall endanger thy life or credit, the Author of truth will protect thee from that danger, or reward thee for thy damage; if the telling a lye may secure thy life or credit, the father of lies wil beguile thee of thy gaines, or traduce the security; bet­ter by losing of thy life to save it, then by saving of thy life to lose it; however, bet­ter thou perish then the truth. Be sure thy discourse be to purpose, lest thou be counted foolish, and thy discourse a burden; let it not be too much, God hath given thee two ears [Page 13] and one Tongue, to the intent thou shouldst hear much, and say but little; what thou hearest thou receivest, what thou speakest, thou givest; it is more glorious to give, more profitable to receive; and it is less shame to be lost in a blushing silence, then to be found in too bold Elo­quence. Sute thy discourse to thy company: all meats please not every palat, all kind of discourse pleaseth not eve­ry company. Neatly entice every one to that he knows, to that which likes him best, and may profit him most; so shall thy company be desir'd, and thy discourse priz'd; but cloath not thy language either [Page 14] with obscurity, or affectati­on, in the one thou discoverest too much darkness, in the o­ther too much lightness. He that speaks from the under­standing to the understand­ing doth best: and know when to speak, least whilst thou shewest wisdom in not speak­ing thou bewray thy folly in too long silence; if thou art a fool, thy silence is wisdom; if thou art wise, thy long si­lence is folly. As too many words from a fool's mouth gives one that is wise no leave to speak, so too long silence in him that is wise, gives a fool opportunity of speaking, and makes thee guilty of his folly. To condude, if thou be [Page 15] not wise enough to speak, be so wise as to hold thy peace.

CHAP. IX.

IF thou wouldest have a good servant, let thy ser­vant find a wife Master; let his food, rest, and wages, be seasonable; let his labour, re­creation, and attendance, de­pend upon thy pleasure. Be not angry with him too long, lest he think thee malicious, nor too soon, lest he conceive thee rash, nor too often, lest he count thee humorous; be not too fierce lest he love thee not, nor too remiss, lest he fear thee not, nor too familiar, lest he prize thee not; in brief, whil'st thou givest him the li­berty [Page 16] of a servant, beware thou lose not the Majesty of a Ma­ster; rebuke his faults in pri­vate, publick reproof hard­ens him; if he be past a youth, strike him not: he is not fit for thy service, that after wise reproof, will either deserve strokes, or bear them: the wages he hath earned detain not from him, lest God with­hold thy wages from thee; if he complain to thee, hear him, lest he complain to heaven where he will be heard; if he hunger for thy sake, thou shalt not prosper for his sake. The poor mans penny is a plague in the rich mans purse.

CHAP. X.

IF thou be a servant deal just­ly by thy Master, as thou de­sirest thy servant should deal by thee: where thou art com­manded be obedient, where not commanded be provident, let diligence be thy credit, let faithfulness be thy Crown, let thy Masters credit be thy care, and let his welfare be thy con­tent; let thine eye be single, and thine heart be humble. Be sober that thou may'st be circumspect; he that in sobrie­ty is not his own, being drunk whose is he? be not contenti­ous nor lascivious, the one shews a turbulent heart, the o­ther an idle brain. A good ser­vant [Page 18] is a great master; and the best way to become a great and good master, is to be a good and faithful servant; he that is faithful in a little, shall be ruler over much.

CHAP. XI.

MArry not too young, and when thou art too old marry not, lest thou be fond in the one, and dote in the o­ther, and repent of both; let thy liking ripen before thou love, let thy love advise be­fore thou choose, and thy choyce be fixed before thou marry. Remember that the whole happiness or unhappi­ness of thy life depends upon this one act; nothing but death [Page 19] can dissolve this knot. He or she that weds in hast, repents oft-times by leasure. Whoever repents him of his own act, is or was a fool by his own con­fession. In thy choyce, or rather in thine acceptance of an hus­band, let him be one that is di­screet, and wise, lest when thou hast him, disallowing his parts, thou despise his person, and make thy life uncomfortable; let his breeding and behavi­our be answerable to thy qua­lity, and disposition, lest thou be weary of him at home, and ashamed of him abroad. Mar­ry not too far above, nor too far below thy quality and fortune, lest in the one thou be upbraided with thy first con­dition, [Page 20] or lest in the other thou expect more observance then will be given, both which create discontent. Let not his years be short of thine, nor far exceed them; if he be much el­der, he may fancy thee, but thou wilt take no pleasure in him; if he be younger, the burden of business will lye upon thy shoul­der; thou wilt dote on him, but he will disregard thee. By no means chuse one that is given to excess in drinking: the drunkard is qualified for all vice, and a stranger to all vertue; with him, Blasphemy is Wit, Oaths are Rhetorick, Adultery but a Frolick, In­cest a venial sin, Quarrels are Manhood, Murther is Valour, [Page 21] Friends are Enemies, and Se­crets are Proclamations. Noah discovered that being drunk which he had kept secret six hundred years. Lot did that being Drunk for which he did abhor himself being sober. Let not his recreation be his business, for business is elder brother to recreation, and com­plement, and ought firstly to be attended, otherwise folly and penury will be the issue of both. As near as may be choose one of thy own com­plexion, and disposition; for where nature hath put anti­pathy, marriage may, but sel­dome doth create a perfect Union. The severe melanchol­ly humour condemns the fro­lick [Page 22] Sanguine complexion, for too much lightness, and vain; the Sanguine complexion con­demns that for too much Auste­rity; these but seldom do agree. If thou marry'st him only for his estate, thou marry'st his estate, not him; if his estate be small, his prudence and providence with thy help will encrease it: There is more danger of wast­ing an estate left us, then of im­pairing an estate we have got­ten; he that knows how to get, knows best how to keep, and how to improve what he hath gotten. Be careful that he be religious, and that he be of thy own religion. That enmity that is grounded upon difference in religion, is very hardly recon­ciled, [Page 23] hath sometimes parted, and often disturbed near Re­lations. Be not over-curious in his person, so it be comely; if he be deformed, upon view of fairer objects thou mayest dislike him; if exceeding fair, others may fancy him to thy hurt. Let him have no here­ditary disease; for that disease we bring with us into the world, doth u­sually make our life uncom­fortable in it, and take us out of it. If thou meet with such a one as is here described, wisely accept him, and yeeld him a sutable respect to his quality; too great a reserva­tion will expose thee to the sentence of pride; too easie [Page 24] access will condemn thee to the censure of folly. Things too hardly endeavoured dis­courage the seeker, too easi­ly obtain'd disparage the thing sought for, too easily got is lowly prized; when thou hast him, let him know thou art his, and that he may safely confide in thee, and commit his se­crets to thee, even as to his own heart; thou can'st not enjoy peace so long as he is discontent; neither can he be at rest, so long as thou art dis­quiet; you are now no more two but one. Think not to enrich thy self out of his estate without his consent, or privacy, it is the way to ruine both. He is no good husband [Page 25] that denies his Wife conveni­ent allowance, answerable to his estate and quality; she is no discreet Wife, that desires more. In short, an understand­ing Husband makes a discreet Wife, and she an happy Hus­band.

CHAP. XII.

DEliberate long before thou consecrate a friend; and with four sorts of men have no serious friendship, with the Ingrateful, the Mul­tiloquious, and the Coward, and the Passionate angry Man; the first cannot prize thy fa­vors, the second will not keep thy counsel, the third dare not vindicate thy honor, the [Page 26] fourth is hardly kept and quickly lost; but if thou finde one whom thy impartial judg­ment concludes worthy of thy bosome, know thou hast found a jewel, receive him joyfully, and entertain him wisely; be cautious what thou sayst, and courteous in what thou dost: observe his inclination; if thou find him weight, lodg him in a faithful bosome, impart thy secrets boldly to him, and mingle thy thoughts with his, he is thy very self, and use him so; yet be neither rudely familiar, nor rashly excepti­ous; the one will breed con­tention, the other contempt; if thou firmly think him faithful, thou makest him so; [Page 27] the more trust and confidence thou dost repose in him, the greater obligation dost thou put upon him, to be true to thee; and be to him as thou desirest he should be to thee, disclose not his secrets, flatter him not in his mistakes, deny not his reasonable requests, let nothing but death part thy friend and thee.

CHAP. XIII.

WHat thou desirest, con­sider throughly before thou prosecute, weigh the conveniences with the incon­veniences, the charge of the Plow, with fulness of the Barn; when thou art come to a resolve, neither delay exe­cution, [Page 28] nor bewray thy in­tention. Delayes are dan­gerous, and he that discover­eth himself, till he hath made himself master of his desires, lays himself open to his own ruine, and makes himself pri­soner to his tongue; a word unspoken, is like the Sword in the scabbard, thine, if vented, thy Sword is in anothers hand; if thou desire to be held wise, be so wise as to hold thy Tongue.

CHAP. XIIII.

LEt that Table which God hath pleased to give thee please thee; accustome thy palat to that which is most u­sual consulting rather thy health then thy appetite. He [Page 29] that delights in varieties, must often feed displeased, and sometimes lye at the mercy of a dear market. Com­mon food nourishes best, deli­cates please most; the sound stomach prefers neither: what art thou the worse for the last years plain diet, or what now the better for thy last great feast? if thou be content with a little, thou hast enough; if thou complain, thou hast too much. In the entertainment of thy friend, let thy provision be solid, and fuller of sub­stance then of Art; be wisely frugal in thy preparation, and freely cheerful in thy enter­tainment; if thy guests be right, it is enough, if not, it is [Page 30] too much; too much is vani­nity, enough is a feast.

CHAP. XV.

BE very circumspect in the choice of thy companions. Those we frequently converse with, have a great influence upon us; either to improve and better us, or to make us worse. Joseph by being in Pharaoh's Court, learned to swear by the life of Pharaoh. And ever associate thy self with thy betters. In the soci­ety of thine equals thou shalt find more pleasure, in the socie­ty of thy superiours thou wilt find more profit; to be the best in the company is the way to grow worse; the best means to grow better is to be [Page 31] the worst there. And keep no company with the flatterer, the tale-bearer, and him that is branded with notorious vice; by the flatterer thou can'st take no just account of thy self, for he is ever silent at thy faults, doth sooth thee in thy frailties, and excuse thee in thy follies. From the talebearer thou can'st receive no just account of thy neigh­bour: he that loves to carry tales, reports them after his own humor, and to please him he makes his report to. If thou keep company with the third, thou wilt be supposed to partake with him in his vice, or at least to connive at him; for be as reserved as thou [Page 32] canst be, yet such as thy com­panions are, such wilt thou be thought be be.

CHAP. XVI.

LEt thy recreation be mo­derate, seasonable, lawful, and such as doth become thee; let it be moderate, therefore spend not too much of thy strength, nor too much of thy time, nor too much of thy estate, in recreation, thy time is short and precious: Eterni­ty depends upon thy good improvement of this moment; yesterday cannot be recalled, and to morrow is not sure. Spend not too much of thy strength, the end and use of recreation being to sweeten [Page 33] thy rest, and to renew thy strength for labour. He that wasts his estate to recreate himself, makes a sport of his own ruine. Let thy recreation be seasonable and a servant to thy business, lest thou be a slave to it; and remember the servant must not be greater then his master. Let it be law­ful. He that makes a jest of that which is unlawful, shall be punished in earnest. And last­ly, see that thy recreation be such as doth become thee. It becomes not the grave Sena­tor to dance the Antick, nor Ladies of honor to frisk about a May-pole.

CHAP. XVII.

IF ever God vouchsafe thee Children, and thou desire to see them vertuous, let them not see their Parents vices. Thou canst not rebuke that in them, which they behold practiced in thee. Till reason be ripe, examples teach more then precepts: Such as thy be­haviour is before thy Chil­drens face, such commonly is theirs behind thy back; be sure thy passion miscall them not, lest thou prophesie their fortunes, and curse them not, lest thy curse returne from whence it came; curses sent in the room of blessings are dtiven back with a double [Page 35] vengeance: If thou hast a Son, and an estate for him, keep him not too short, lest he think thou live too long; and what thou allowest him, let him re­ceive from thy hand as gift, not from thy Tenants as Rent: keep the reins of thy estate in thy own hand, lest thou for­sake the soveraignty of a Pa­rent, he forget the reverence of a Childe; let his liberty be grounded upon thy permis­sion, and keep him within the compass of thy instruction; let him feel thou hast the curbe, though occasion urge thee not to check; give him the choise of his own Wife, if he be wise; counsel his af­fection rather then cross [Page 36] it, if thou beest wise, lest his mar­riage bed be made in secret, or depend upon thy grave: If he be given to lavish com­pany, stave him off with lawful recreation; be cheerful with him, that he may love thy pre­sence, wink at small faults that thou mayst gain him; be not always chiding lest thou har­den him, neither knit thy brow too often, lest thou dishearten him. Remember the discre­tion of a Parent oft times pre­vents the destruction of a Child. Love not thy Chil­dren too unequally; if thou dost, shew it not, lest thou make the one proud, the other envious, and both fools. If nature hath made a difference, [Page 37] it is the part of a tender parent to help the weakest; that try­al is not fair where affection is judge. And choose such im­ployment for thy son, as may stand with his fancy and thy judgment, lest thy country loose a servant, and thou a child. To conclude, so behave thy self amongst thy children that they may fear thy displea­sure, rather then thy correcti­on; too much familiarity will embolden them, too little coun­tenance will discourage them; when thou reprovest them do it in season, when thou correct­est them do it not in passion. As a wise child makes happy parents, so wise parents make happy children.

CHAP. XVIII.

INsult not over misery, nor deride infirmity, nor despise deformity; the first shews thy inhumanity, the second thy folly, the third thy pride: he that made him miserable, made thee happy, that thou mightest lament him; he that made him weak, made thee strong to sup­port him; he that made him deformed, gave thee favour to be humbled. He that is not sensible of anothers unhappi­ness, is a living Stone; but he that makes misery the object of his triumph, is an incarnate Devil. Take no pleasure in the folly of an idiot, nor in the fancy of a Lunatick, nor in the [Page 39] frenzy of a drunkard; make them the object of thy pity, not of thy pastime; when thou dost behold them, consider how thou art beholding to him that suffered not thee to be like unto them: 'tis not thy merit, but Gods favour alone, that puts a difference between thee and them.

CHAP. XIX.

HAth Fortune dealt thee ill Cards, let wisdom make thee a good Gamester. In a fair Gayle every fool may sayl, but wise behaviour in a storm commends the wisdom of a Pilot. To bear adversity with an equal mind, is both sign and glory of a brave spi­rit. [Page 40] As there is no worldly gain without some loss, so there is no worldly loss without some gain; if thou hast lost thy wealth, thou hast lost some trouble with it; if thou art degraded of thy honour, thou art likewise freed from the stroke of envy; if sickness hath blurr'd thy beauty, it hath de­livered thee from pride; set the allowance against thy loss, and thou shalt find no great loss. He loseth little or nothing who keeps the favour of his God, and the peace and free­dom of his conscience. But hast thou lost any thing, ad­vise with thy self whether thy loss be recoverable; if it be, use all such speedy and lawful [Page 41] means (the violence and unsea­sonableness whereof may not disadvantage thee in thy pur­sute) to recover it; if it be not recoverable, endure with patience what thou canst not recover with pains. He that carnally afflicts his soul for the loss of a transitory good, casts away the kernel because he hath lost the shell.

CHAP. XX.

LEt not the falling of Salt, the crossing of an Hare, the chattering of a Pie, the flying of a Crow, or the crying of a Cricket trouble thee; they portend no evil but what thou fearest; he is ill acquain­ted with himself that knows [Page 42] not his own fortunes better then they; he hath little know­ledg of God, and less faith in him, who knoweth not his power, or believeth not his providence to be above the portent of these silly things: if evil follow, it is the punish­ment of thy superstition, not the fulfilling of their predicti­on; all things are lucky to thee, if thou love God, and live in his fear; nothing but is ominous to the Superstiti­ous.

CHAP. XXI.

AS thou desirest the love of God and man, beware of Pride, it is a tumour in thy mind, that breaks and poysons all thy actions; it is a worm [Page 43] in thy treasure that eats and ruines thy estate; it loves no man, is beloved of no man; it disparages vertue by de­traction; it disrewards good­ness in it self, by vain glory; the friend of the flatterer, the mother of envy, the nurse of fury, the baud of luxury, the sin of Devills, and the Devil in mankind: it hates Superi­ours, it scornes inferiours, it owns no equalls; 'till thou hate it, God hates thee; there­fore be humble. The voice of humility is Gods musick, the silence of humility is Gods Rhetorick; humility en­forces, where neither vertue, nor strength, nor reason, can prevail. Wouldst thou be plea­sing [Page 44] to God, and worthily pray­sed of men, be humble; wouldst thou lay a sure foun­dation for preferment, and lasting glory, be humble. That foyl which lyeth low, is ever most fruitful, and of greatest value. The tall Cedars are ex­posed to the strong gusts of every wind, when the low trees grow secure in the val­ley. Humility is the root, and nourisher of vertue, pride is the root of vice and ruine.

CHAP. XXII.

OF all endowments which God hath given the sons of men, wisdom is the princi­pal: seriously to deliberate be­fore [Page 45] we attempt any thing; and having resolved, neither to delay, nor unseasonably to hasten execution; but accute­ly to compare times, persons, places, and things, together. That may be seasonable now, which will not be so hereafter; that may please and profit this person, which will displease another; but if thou wouldst be wise, see that the foun­dation upon which, the rule by which, and the end for which thy designes are un­dertaken, be right; so shalt thou either find success in thy attempt, or a blessing in thy disappointment. Be careful to know, and take thy opportunity to foresee and [Page 46] prevent future danger, but especially to secure thy princi­pal concerns, through all chan­ges. The heart being whole, the rest of the body will do the better; the principal being safe, other damages are reco­verable. In short, be as wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves. Wisdom without inno­cency, is knavery; innocency without wisdom is foolery; the innocency of the Dove, corrects the subtilty of the Serpent, the subtilty of the Serpent, instructs the innocen­cy of the Dove; what God hath joyned, let no man sepa­rate; and if thou desirest to be wiser, yet, think not thy self yet wise enough,; if thou [Page 47] desirest to improve knowledg in thy self, despise not the in­struction of another. He that instructs him that thinks him­self wise enough, hath a fool to his Scholar; he that thinks himself wise enough to instruct himself, hath a fool to his Ma­ster. If thou be not a Pro­metheus to advise before thou dost, be an Epimetheus, to ex­amine what thou hast done; when want of advice hath brought forth an improvident act, the act of examination may produce a profitable re­pentance.

CHAP. XXIII.

HAst thou any business of consequence in agitation, [Page 48] let thy care, and endeavour to accomplish it, be reasonable and seasonable. Continual standing bent weakens the Bow, too hasty drawing breaks it. Put off thy cares with thy clothes, so shall thy rest strengthen thy labour, and thy labour sweeten thy rest. And in the diligent use of such law­ful means as may conduce to effect thy design, have an eye to him who alone speeds every action after the pleasure of his own will: remember the race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong; 'tis not the prediction of those things that are accounted ominous, nor the influence of the stars so much insisted on, in Judici­all [Page 49] Astrology, nor thy best en­deavours, that gives the cer­tain event; but every mans Judgment is from the Lord; commit thy way therefore un­to him, and he will give thee the desire of thine heart; ac­quiesce in that issue he gives to all thy endeavours, so shalt thou be the subject of peace, and the object of his favour, whose loving kindness is bet­ter then life it self.

CHAP. XXIV.

RAther be doing nothing to purpose, then be idle, that the Devil may find thee doing; for whom he finds idle, he im­ployes. The Bird that sits, is easily shot, when flyers escape [Page 50] the fowler. Consider the hea­vens are in continual motion, the winds blow, and the rivers hasten from whence they came; and shall Man be idle, who hath such an unwearied principle of Action, as is his immortal spirit! Idleness is the dead Sea that swallows up all vertue, and the self-made se­pulcher of a living man. The Idle man is the Devils hire­ling, whose livery is raggs, whose diet and wages are Fa­mine and diseases. Idleness is prodigal of precious time, dulleth the understanding, nourisheth corrupt humours in the body, weakens the brain, and displeaseth God; there fore be not idle.

CHAP. XXV.

REad not Books alone, but Men; and that thou mayst better understand the persons thou dost converse with, know there be three principles or motives which move and incline most men in their principal actings. The first and greatest is Religion: if thou find a person zealously affected to Religion, thou shalt ever find this person active to propagate and promote his Religion; and although he may be interrupted by the in­fluence of times, or necessity of his condition, yet this is the mark he aims at, and as far as opportunity serves him, he will [Page 52] serve it. The second grand principle of Action like to this, yet inferiour, is temporal in­terest. Interest will not lye; every wise man will be true to his own interest. If ever thou discern the interest of such a one wherein it lyeth, thou mayst be sure where to find him; for all his actions are but as so many circumferential lines, which ever center in this point. If his interest lye in honour, he will ever be pro­jecting what may preserve and encrease his honour; the like of wealth, pleasure, &c. The third thing which doth sway and byass men in their actings is their natural inclination and complexion. The Melancho­ly [Page 53] is ever austere, reserved, si­lent, envious, not easily pro­voked to anger, but if angry, hard to be reconciled, Super­stitious, Jealous; and seldom merry, but when merry, very merry; black and swarthy. The Sanguine is affable, cour­teous, pleasant and merry, not easily provoked to anger, nor long continuing so, fair and ruddy. The Phlegmatick is dull and slow in all his motions of few words, not curious, but plain and peaceable, not amo­rous, but rather the contrary, pale, and white, and enclined at least to be corpulent. The Cholerick is unconstant, free, and liberal, soon angry, and soon pleased, not to be trusted [Page 54] with secrets, quick of inventi­on, but not so sollid in judg­ment, bold, audacious, and gi­ven to boasting, of a yellow or tawny colour. Now as any person partakes of any of these, more or less, so is he more or less subject to the qua­lities and conditions before mentioned; and although the byass of his condition, the ge­nious of the time, the influence of his companions, or the ne­cessity of his imployment, may draw, or drive, him besides his natural temper, yet in this he dwells, and according to this he is and acts most certainly, and constantly. If thou be to deal with a Chollerick man, and stir him perchance to some [Page 55] passionate out-stray or inde­cency, neither let thy passion kindle with his, nor be dis­may'd; his good nature, when the hot blood retires, will be apt to yield and gratifie so much the more; if with a ti­morous man, thou mayst awe him with thy interest in some grandee; if with a Melancho­ly man, thou may'st oblige him by intrusting him with some secret, whereby thou wilt not only create in him a confi­dence of thy being his friend, but thou wilt make him firm­ly thine; if with a covetous man, thou must gain him with gifts, or with hopes at least of gaining by thee. And mark it, thou shalt find for the most [Page 56] part, young men prodigal, the middle-aged proud, and old men covetous. If thy design be upon a proud man to make him thine, let him know thine and the worlds admiration of him; this will oyl and supple him, that thou may'st bend him at thy pleasure; but to the Drunkard commit no secrets, and of the Envious have a care; for who can stand be­fore Envy? The injured man doth sometimes forget; but the envious man will never cease secretly to persecute.

CHAP. XXVI.

IF thou be strong enough to encounter with the times, keep thy station; if not, shift [Page 57] a foot, to gain advantage of the times. He that to prevent a thief acts the beggar, is not the poorer. It is a great part of wisdom sometimes to seem a fool; he least fayls in his de­signes that can meet time in its own way; yet it is not al­wayes safe to comply with every thing the time brings forth, but adhere to the un­doubted principles of equity and reason, alwayes and in every thing using modera­tion; for as violence never holdeth long, so it exposeth the person guilty of it to ma­ny inconveniencies.

CHAP. XXVII.

BE not censorious, for thou knowest not whom thou judgest. It is a more dextrous errour to speak well of an evil man, then ill of a good man; and safer for thy judgment to be led by simple charity, then by uncharitable wisdom. And before thou reprehend ano­ther, take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend. He that cleanseth a blot with blotted fingers, makes a greater blurr. He may tax others with privi­ledge that hath not in himself what others may tax; the cen­sorious will ever be censured. And censure not him whom [Page 59] the looser world calls Puritane; if he be an Hypocrite, God that knows him will reward him; if zealous, God that loves him will revenge him; if he be good, he is good to Gods glo­ry, if evil, let him be evil at his own charges; he that judg­eth shall be judged.

CHAP. XXVIII.

IN thy pleading with ano­ther, ever use calmness; for the stronger thy passion is, the weaker will be thy argument, and thou the less able to main­tain it. Let the end of thy Argument be rather to disco­ver a doubtful truth, then a commanding wit: in the one thou shalt gain substance, in [Page 60] the other f [...]oth. Covet to be truths Champion, at least to hold her Colours. He that pleads against the truth, takes pains to be overthrown; or if a conquerour, gains but vain glory by the conquest. Though time or argument may seem to cut the sinews, and clip the wings of truth, yet even then when it seemeth dead, it riseth as immortal, with greatest lustre, and is that firm centre wherein all things repose, that chart by which every wise Pi­lot doth sayl, that rock where­on we rest, that Lamp which lighteth our paths that we may go aright, that shield which will defend us, and that foundation whereon we may [Page 61] safely build all our actions and expectations.

CHAP. XXIX.

LEt thy religious fast be a voluntary abstinence; not so much from flesh, as from fleshly thoughts. God is plea­sed with the fast, which gives to another, what thou denyest to thy self, when the affliction of thy own body is the repair­ing of thy Brothers. He fasts truly that abstaines sadly, grieves really, gives chearfully and forgives charitably. And in all religious acts, for thy manner of performance, be not too much wedded to thy own opinion; but in those ceremonies of the Church [Page 62] which remain indifferent, do according to the constitution of that Church where thou art. The God of Order, and Unity, who created both Soul, and Body, expects Unity in the one, and order in both. 'Tis not ceremony, but substance, that best pleaseth God, who being a Spirit delights most in that service, which is most spiritual and according with his will revealed in his word.

CHAP. XXX.

BEware of him that is slow to anger. Anger when it is long in coming, is the stron­ger when it comes, and the longer kept; abused patience turnes to fury. When fancy is [Page 63] the ground of passion, that understanding which compo­ses the fancy, qualifies the passion; but when judgment is the ground, the memory is the Recorder, and this passion is long retained.

CHAP. XXXI.

HE that professeth himself thy open enemy, armes thee against the evil he means thee; but he that dissembles himself thy friend, when he is thy secret enemy, strikes be­yond caution, and wounds above cure: from the first thou mayst deliver thy self; from the last good Lord deliver thee.

CHAP. XXXII.

SEarch into thy self, before thou accept the ceremony of honour: if thou art a Pa­lace honour (like the Sun-beams) will make thee more glorious, if thou art a dung­hill the Sun may shine upon thee, but not sweeten thee; thy Prince may give thee ho­nour, but not make thee ho­nourable; if vertue prefer thee, vertue will preserve thee; but that honour which thy wealth hath purchased, is neither lasting, nor thy own, but is pinned upon the wheel of Fortune; when the wheel shall turn, thy honour falls, and thou remainest an everlasting [Page 65] monument of thy own ambi­tious folly. What money cre­ates, money preserves; if thy wealth decay, thy honour dies; and consider, that is but a slip­pery happiness which fortunes can give, and frowns take a­way; and not worth the own­ing, which a nights Fire can melt, or a rough sea can drown; honour thy Creatour, and he will give thee honour that will endure for ever.

CHAP. XXXIII.

IF thou study Law or Phy­sick, endeavour to know both, and to need neither; temperate diet, moderate and seasonable labour, rest, and re­creation, with Gods blessing, [Page 66] will save thee from the Physi­cian; a peaceable disposition prudent and just behaviour, will secure thee from the Law; yet if necessity compel, thou mayst use both; they that use either otherwise then for ne­cessity, abuse themselves in­to weak bodies, and light pur­ses; they are good remedies, bad business, and worse recre­ations.

CHAP. XXXIV.

BE not so mad as to alter that countenance which thy Creatour made thee; re­member it was the work of his hands; if it be bad, how darest thou mend it? If it be good, why doest thou mend it? Art thou ashamed of his work, and [Page 67] proud of thy own? God made thy face, to be known by; why desirest thou to be known by an other; it is a shame to adul­terate modesty, but more to adulterate nature; lay by thy art, and blush not to appear what he blusheth not to make thee; it is better to be his picture then thy own; that addition which thou makest of thy own adds to thy de­formity, and provokes God to make thee yet more deform­ed.

CHAP. XXXV.

IMp not thy wings with the Churches feathers, lest thou fly to thy own ruine. That God who chose the Tribe of [Page 68] Levi for his Inheritance, pro­mised to be theirs, and will protect them; if thou deprive him of his blessing, he will pursue thee with his curse. Impropriations are bold Me­taphors, but being continued are deadly Allegories. One foot of Land in Capite en­cumbers the whole estate. The Eagle snatched a cole from the Altar, but it fired her Nest.

CHAP. XXXVI.

BE not unstable in thy re­solutions, nor various in thy actions, nor unconstant in thy affections; so deliberate that thou mayst perform; so perform, that thou mayst per­severe. [Page 69] Mutability is the badge of infirmity.

CHAP. XXXVII.

SIt down content with Gods allowance, what ever thy condition be; he knoweth best what is best for thee; let thy endeavour be to please him in what thou dost, and to be plea­sed with what he doth. Dost thou want things necessary, grumble not, perchance it was necessary for thee to want; endeavour lawfully to supply it; if God bless not thy en­deavours, bless him that know­eth what is necessary for thee: hast thou but a little, make it not less by murmuring; hast thou enough, make it not too [Page 70] much by unthankfulness; he that doth not contentedly and thankfully accept the least fa­vour he hath received, is un­worthy of the least favour he can receive; and that thou mayst the better be content; consider thy own merit, thou dost enjoy far more and far better then thou canst de­serve; and remember thy self with all thy concerns to be at the wise, gracious, and absolute dispose of the omnipotent and omniscient God, whose purpo­ses thou canst not vary with all thy fretting and discontent; thereby thou dost only make thy being the more uncomfor­table, and add to thy burden; dost thou look on thy right [Page 71] hand, and find some above thee; look on thy left, and thou shalt see some below thee; but if thou hast no inferiour, wait but a while and thou shalt have no superiour; the grave (which hastneth to come up­on all living) makes all equal, and puts a period to all thy pressures.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

ARt thou subject to any great vanity, or secret folly, nourish it not; if it will be entertain'd, encourage it not; if it grow stronger yet, more strongly strive against it; if too strong, pray against it; if it weaken not, joyn fasting to the prayer; if it shall con­tinue, [Page 72] add perseverance to both; if it decline not, add patience to all, and thou hast conquered it; however blabb not thy folly, lest thou appear impudent; nor boast of it, lest thou seem insolent; every mans vanity ought to be his greatest shame, and every mans folly ought to be his greatest secret.

CHAP. XXXIX.

TAke heed thou harbour not that vice called En­vy, lest anothers happiness be thy torment, and Gods blessing thy curse; it being the property of envy ever to maligne an others prosperity. Vertue corrupted with vain­glory [Page 73] glory turnes Pride; Pride poy­soned with malice becomes envy: joyn therefore humili­ty with thy vertue, and pride shall have no footing; vain­glory shall find no entrance.

CHAP. XL.

PRovidence is an exercise of reason; experience an act of sence; by how much reason excells sence, by so much providence exceeds ex­perience; Providence is the rational Daughter of wisdom; Experience the Empirical Mi­stris of Fools: if thou hast providence to fore-see a dan­ger, let thy prudence rather prevent it then fear it; the fear of future evils often­times [Page 74] brings a present mischief: whilest thou seekest to pre­vent it, practise to bear it; he is a wise man that can avoid an evil; he is a patient man that can endure it; but he is a valiant man that can con­quer it. Never fear any thing but what thy industry may prevent; be confident of no­thing, but what fortune cannot defeat. It is no less folly to fear what is impossible to be avoided, then to be secure when there is a possibillity of being deprived.

CHAP. XLI.

IF God hath sent thee a Cross, take it up and follow him; use it wisely, lest it be unpro­fitable; [Page 75] bear it patiently, lest it be intollerable; behold in it Gods anger against thy sin, and his love towards thee, in punishing the one, and chasten­ing the oth [...]s▪ if it be light, sleight it not; if heavy, mur­mur not. Not to be sensible of a judgment, is the symptome of an hardned heart; to be displeased with Gods pleasure is the sign of a rebellious will: And to faint in the day of ad­versity, argues thy strength to be but small.

CHAP. XLII.

BE ever mindful of thy lat­ter end, lest Death come upon thee unawares, and find thee unprepared; and thou repent that thou hast lived, [Page 76] being now to dye, and to dye eternally; expect it, for it will come: if thou expect it as a friend, prepare to entertain it; if as an enemy, prepare to over­come it; Death hath no ad­vantage but where it comes a stranger, yet come it will, for spend an hundred years in Earths best pleasures, and af­ter that, an hundred more; to which, being spent, add a thousand, and to that ten thou­sand more, the last shall as surely end, as the first are end­ed, and all shall be swallowed up in Eternity: he that is born to day, is not sure to live a day; he that hath liv'd the longest, is but as he that was born yesterday; the happiness of the [Page 77] one is, that he hath lived; the happiness of the other is, that he may live, and the lot of both, that they must die: it is no happiness to live long, nor unhappiness to dye soon; hap­py is he that hath lived long enough to dye well, he shall live for ever: look upon thy burning taper, and there see the Emblem of thy life, the flame is thy soul, the wax thy body, and is commonly a [...] long, the wax (if [...] tempered) can [...]ut [...] length, and who can [...] it? if ill tempered, it [...] the faster, yet last his length; an open window shall h [...]s;t [...]n either; an extinguisher shall put out both; husband them [Page 78] the best thou canst, thou canst not prolong them beyond their date; leave them to the injury of the wind, or to the mercy of a wasteful hand, thou dost hasten their end, but still they burn their length; but puff them out, and thou hast shortned their passage, which else had brought them to their appointed end: bodies accor­ding to their constitution, stronger or weaker, according to the quality or inequality of their Elements, have their date, and may be preserved from shortning, but they can­not be lengthened; neglect may wast them, ill diet may ha­sten them unto their journey's end, yet they have lived their [Page 79] length; a violent hand may interrupt them, a sudden death may stop them, and they are shortned: it lies in the pow­er of man either permissively to hasten, or actively to shor­ten, but not to lengthen, or extend the limits of his natu­ral life; he only if any hath the Art to lengthen out his Taper, that puts it to the best advantage.

CHAP. XLIII.

TAke heed rather what thou receivest, then what thou givest; what thou givest leaves thee; what thou receiv­est sticks by thee. He that presents a gift buyes the re­ceiver; he that receives a gift [Page 80] fells his liberty; if thou givest, give to a right end; if thou givest to receive the like a­gain, it is exchange; if to re­ceive more, it is covetousness; if to receive thanks, it is vani­ty; if to be seen, it is vain­glory; if to corrupt, it is bri­bery; if for example, it is for­mality; if for compassion, it is charity; if because thou art commanded, it is obedience; the end and affection in doing, the work gives name to the work done, whether it be good or bad.

CHAP. XLIV.

CEnsure no man, detract from no man, praise no man before his face, traduce [Page 81] no man behind his back; boast not thy self abroad, and flat­ter not thy self at home; if any thing cross thee, accuse thy self; if any one extol thee, humble thy self; honour those that instruct thee, and be thankful to those that reprove thee: let all thy desires be sub­ject to reason, and let thy rea­son be corrected by Religion; the way to subject all things to thy self, is to subject thy passi­ons unto reason, and thy rea­son unto God; weigh thy self by thine own ballances, and trust not the voice of wild opinion; observe thy self, as thy greatest enemy, so shalt thou become thy greatest friend.

CHAP. XLV.

IF Opinion have cryed thy name up, let thy modesty cry thy heart down, lest thou deceive it, or it thee. There is no less danger in a great name then in a bad; and no less ho­nour in endeavouring praise, then in deserving it; but if opinion hath lighted the Lamp of thy fame, encourage it with thy own oyl, lest it go out and stink: the chronical dis­ease of popularity is shame; if thou be once up beware, the way from fame to infamy is a beaten road.

CHAP. XLVI.

LEt the Holy Scripture be thy delight, and daily me­ditation; let not thy wanton fancy carve it out in jests, nor thy sinful wit, make it an ad­vocate to thy sin; it is a sub­ject for thy faith, not fancy; where wit and blasphemy is one trade, the understanding is bankrupt: and ever use it with reverence for the Au­thors sake, who is God over all, blessed for ever, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost: we are apt to value, study, and desire to understand the books of godly, learned, and judicious mens making; how much more should we value, and endea­vour [Page 84] to the utmost, to under­stand these books which are of Gods making: mens writings are too much mingled with vanity, ignorance, folly, mi­stakes, imperfections, infirmi­ties, and corruptions, savou­ring too much of a carnal spi­rit, when most spirirual; but Gods word is satisfactorily full without all vanity; most wise, faithful, and true, without all falshood, or folly; compleatly perfect beyond all imperfecti­on; most pure and exceeding­ly refined, without all corrup­tion: the Pen-men thereof not being contemptible or or­dinary, but incomparable and Extraordinary persons. Moses the meekest man on Earth, the [Page 85] peculiar favorite of God, with whom he talked face to face. King David, that sweet sin­ger of Israel, that man after Gods own heart. Solomon the King, that most exquisite Master­piece for all kind of wisdom, Natural, Political, and The­ological, whom God honoured with the building of his Tem­ple, the like whereof was ne­ver seen. Daniel, in whom was found an excellent spirit, and great dexterity in ex­pounding mysteries and se­crets. Paul, who was caught up into third heavens; in a word, all of them holy men of God, moved by the holy Ghost. These being the Pen-men, how excellent and past compare [Page 86] must their writings needs be? Who would not value, study, and earnestly pry into them? If thou consider the manner of Holy Scripture, it is the most inviting, able to allure the hearts of men and Angels to the study of it; yea to ravish and transport their spirits in the understanding of it; here­in are revealed most profound and inexplicable mysteries; the nature of the blessed God, simple, without composition; All-sufficient, without any ex­ternall addition; immutable, without all shadow of altera­tion; eternal, immense, incom­prehensible, omnipresent, and wholly infinite, without all li­mitation; the unity of essence, [Page 87] the Trinity of Persons, the Fa­ther not being the Son, nor ei­ther of them the Holy Ghost, yet all of them one, and the most holy God. The secrets of Gods eternal counsels, e­specially touching the Electing of his own in Christ, predesti­nating them to the adoption of Children, when all others are passed by: The curious or­der of the Creation to bring his purposes to pass: the per­mission of mans fall from the pinacle of his natural integri­ty, that thereby he might take occasion to glorifie the height of his Justice, and Mercy, in raising them up by Christ to a farr higher pitch of super­natural felicity. The person [Page 88] and office of Jesus Christ the Mediatour, both altogether wonderfull; God and man u­nited in one person, to unite God and man in one covenant; The Son of God became the Son of man, that the Sons of men might become the sons of God: A King, to subdue all our enemies to us, and us to himself: A Prophet, to un­veil the bosome secrets of his father unto us; a Priest, of­fering up himself for us, upon himself, by himself; offering up himself the Sacrifice as man, upon himself the Altar as God, by himself the Preist as God-man; Christ was hum­bled, thereby we are exalted; Christ accused, we cleared: [Page 89] Christ condemned, we justified and acquitted; Christ accur­sed, we blessed; Christ slain, and we live: Christ was con­quered, that we might be more then conquerors through him that loved us. What shall I say! in Scripture is revealed, how enemies are reconciled; sin­ners justified; aliens adopted; beggars made heirs, and co-heirs with Jesus Christ; and dust and ashes shall be glorifi­ed for evermore: here are un­folded the Covenant of Grace wholly made up of heavenly cordials; the promises of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, exceeding great and precious: The com­forts of God able to coun­terpoyze [Page 90] our deepest discon­solations, and commands sur­passing all the Laws in the World, in holiness, justice, and goodness. Here are discover­ed the miseries of all in the first Adam; the felicities of all that are in the second Adam; and the way how poor Souls are translated from those mi­series to these felicities. Here you shall find God descend­ing to man, in preparing all spiritual priviledges for sinners in and by Jesus Christ, our Saviour; in rendring richest grace by Covenant Promises, and Ordinances; and apply­ing these preparations and renders actually to the Soul by the Spirit; and man ascending [Page 91] to God by the spirituallizing of his nature, acting of his faith, aspiring of his desires, fervency of his prayers, and holy tendency of his conver­sation; yea, both God and man sweetly closing together, in a most intimate communi­on in Christ Jesus, which is another Paradise, and Heaven upon Earth: In a word, what is there not in the holy Scrip­tures? Are we poor? here's the only way to content, which is the greatest riches. Are we Sin sick? here's a shop of Soul medicines. Are we faint­ing? here's a Cabinet of cor­dialls. Are we Christ-less? here's the Star that leadeth unto Christ. Are we Christi­ans? [Page 92] here's the band that keeps us in Christ. Are we afflicted? here's our solace. Are we persecuted? here's our Protection. Are we desert­ed? here's our recovery. Are we tempted? here's our Sword and Victory. Are we young? here's our beauty. Are we old? here's our wisdom; while we live, here's the rule of our Conversation; when we dye, here's the hope of our Glorification. Oh bles­sed Scriptures! Who can know them, and not love them? who can love them, and not delight to meditate in them day and night? who can meditate in them, and [Page 93] not desire to love them; love to desire them, and both de­sire and love to understand them? The Sacred Scripture is the Book of Books; the book of Life, whose original is eternal; whose essence is incorporeal; whose knowledg is life; whose writing is inde­lible; whose respect is desira­ble; whose doctrine is easie; whose depth is unsearchable; whose words are innumera­ble; and only one word All. To conclude, take one instance of the experience of Mrs. Ka­tharine Bretergh of Breterg­holt in Lancashire, Who was wont to task her self to read eight Chapters a day at least; who in her sickness before her [Page 94] death fell into great distress of Soul, through an apprehension of the severity of Gods Justice the greatness of her Sins, wa [...] of Faith in and love to God; sometimes she would cast he [...] Bible from her, and say, It was indeed the book of Life, but she had read the same unpro­fitably, and it was become to her the book of Death. Some­times she would say, Her sins had made her a prey to Satan, a spectacle to the World, a dis­grace to Religion, and a shame to her Husband, Kindred and all to true Christians; and here she would weep bitterly; she wish­ed she had never been born, or that she had been any other Creature then a Woman; she [Page 95] cryed out oftentimes, Wo, wo, wo, a weak, a woful, a wretch­ed, a forsaken woman; and such like pitiful complaints against her self, with tears trickling down her cheeks; but at last she was restored to joys and comforts unspeakable by means of the holy Scriptures: Oh (said she) My Soul hath been compassed about with terrours of death, fear with­in, and fear without; the sor­rows of Hell were upon me, knots and knors were upon my Soul; a roaring Wilderness of wo was within me: but Blessed! blessed! blessed be the Lord my God, who hath not left me comfortless. One time she took Bible in her hand, and joyfully [Page 96] kissing it, and looking up to­wards Heaven, (she said) Oh Lord, it is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes; the law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of Gold and Silver: She desired her Husband to read some part of Scripture, he read the 17 of John, as he read vers. 9. I pray not for the World, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine; She interrupted him saying, Oh Lord Jesus dost thou pray for me? Oh blessed and sweet Saviour, dost thou pray for me? Oh how wonderful! how wonderful! how won­derful are thy mercies! [Page 97] read on, said she, the blessedst reading that ever I heard, the comfort whereof doth sweeten my Soul. When he came to ver. 34. Father I will, that they whom thou hast given me, be one with me. Stay, said she, and let me meditate on the good­ness of the Lord, for now I perceive and feel the counte­nance of my Redeemer, Christ is turned towards me, and the bright shining beams of his mercy are spread over me. Oh! happy am I that ever I was born, to see this blessed day: Praise! praise! Oh praise the Lord for his mercies; he hath brought me out of dark­ness, and the shadow of death. Oh sweet Saviour, shall I be [Page 98] one with thee, as thou art one with thy Father? and wilt thou glorifie me with that glory which thou hadst with the Father before the World was? And dost thou so love me who am but dust and ashes, to make me partaker of thy own glory? What am I poor wretch, that thou art so mind­full of me? Oh how wonder­ful is thy love, &c. Thus she continued ravished in Spirit, and triumphing in Gods pray­ses till her last. At last with a sweet countenance and still voice, she said, my warfare is accomplished, and mine iniqui­ties are pardoned; Lord, whom have I in Heaven but thee? and I have none on Earth but thee; [Page 99] my flesh faileth, and mine heart also; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever; He that preserveth Jacob, and defendeth Israel, he is my God, and he will guide me unto Death; guide me O Lord my God, and suffer me not to faint, but keep my Soul in safety: And with that she presently departed this life. Thus we see how useful the holy Scripture is to every Christian Soul; and how God thereby gives comfort to those who are his, when all other comforts fail them: make it ever therefore thy delight, and thy daily companion; for take all the rarest writings now ex­tant in the world, none of [Page 100] them all can thus raise up a drooping Spirit, or disconso­late Soul, from the depth of wo and horror; none of them can fill the heart thus brimful of sweetest peace; none of them all can thus enlarge and entranse the Spirit to extasies of Heavenly Joy, and ravish­ments, through apprehensions of Gods love, and mercy; above grief, above temptation, above sin, above all fear of Death, that King of Terrours; as this blessed word of God can: who would not now la­bour to understand the Scrip­tures; who would not trea­sure up, and kiss, and embrace, and greedily swallow down these Soul-reviving Cordials.

CHAP. XLVII.

IN Civil things follow the most, in matters of Religi­on the fewest, in all things fol­low the best; so shall thy ways be pleasing to God; so shall thy behaviour be plausible with men; but follow not a multitude in the evil of Sin, lest thou share with the mul­titude in the evil of punish­ment; the number of the offendors diminisheth not the quality of the offence. As the multitude of suiters draws more favour to the suit; so the multitude of sinners draws more punishment upon the sin; the number of Fa­gots encreaseth the fury of the fire.

CHAP. XLVIII.

HAth any wounded thee with injuries, meet them with patience; hasty words rankle the wound, soft lan­guage dresses it, forgiveness cures it, and oblivion takes away the scar. It is more no­ble by silence to avoid an in­jurie, then by Argument to overcome it.

CHAP. XLIX.

LEt not mirth be thy pro­fession, lest thou become a make-sport: he that hath but gained the Title of a Ge­ster, let him assure himself the fool is not far off: wrinckle not thy face with too much [Page 103] laughter, lest thou become ridiculous. The Suburbs of folly is vain mirth, and pro­fuseness of laughter is the Ci­ty of Fools; yet be not too sadd, lest thou be thought sullen; nor too austere, lest thou be thought male content; not too demure, and precise, lest thou distast the company, and incline to melancholly, then which nothing can be more hurtful to body or mind.

CHAP. L.

VErtue is nothing but an act of loving, that which is to be beloved; and that act is prudence, from whence not to be removed by con­straint is fortitude; not to be [Page 104] allured by inticements is tem­perance, not to be diverted by pride is justice, the declin­ing of this act is vice.

CHAP. LI.

LOve thy neighbour for Gods sake, and God for his own sake, who created all things for thy sake, and re­deemed thee for his mercy sake; if thy love hath any other object, it is false love; if thy object hath any other end, it is self love.

CHAP. LII.

IF thou desirest rest unto thy soul, be just; he that doth no injury, fears not to suffer injury; the unjust mind is alwayes in labour, it either [Page 105] practiseth the evil it hath pro­jected; or projects to avoid the evil it hath deserved.

CHAP. LIII.

COnsider what thou wast, what thou art, and what thou shalt be; thy first being was rude and indigested clay, thy now being is clay refined, but decaying, and thou hast­nest to return from whence thou art, for dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return. Con­sider what's above thee, what's beneath thee, and what's within thee: God's all-seeing Eye is above to observe thee; his Almighty hand to protect, punish, or reward thee, accor­ding to thy doings; Hell is be­neath to tempt thee here, [Page 106] and to torment thee hereafter; within thee is thy conscience, a thousand witnesses against, or for thee. These considera­tions will bring to thy self humility, to thy neighbour charity, to the world con­tempt, and to God obedience, which will Crown thee with eternal felicity.

CHAP. LIV.

CHarity is a naked Child, giving honey to a Bee without wings; naked, because excuseless, and simple; a Child, because tender and growing; giving honey, be­cause honey is pleasant and comfortable; to a Bee, because a Bee is laborious, and deserv­ing; [Page 107] without wings, because wanting and helpless: if thou denyest to such, thou killest a Bee; if thou givest to other then such, thou preservest a drone.

CHAP. LV.

LEt anothers Passion be a lecture to thy Reason; and let the Ship-wrack of his Understanding be a Sea-mark to thy Passion, so shalt thou gain strength out of his weak­ness, safety out of his danger; and raise thy self a building out of his ruines.

CHAP. LVI.

IF thou expect to rise by the means of him whom thy [Page 108] Fathers greatness raised from his service, to court prefer­ment, thou wilt be deceived; for the more in esteem thou art, the more sensible is he of what he was; whose former servitude will be Chronicled by thy advancement, and glo­ry obscured by thy greatness; however he will conceive it a dead service, which may be interpreted by thee as a meri­ted reward, rather then a me­ritorious benefit.

CHAP. LVII.

IF thou desirest to take the best advantage of thy self, especially in matters where the fancy is most imployed, keep temperate diet, use mo­derate [Page 109] exercise, observe sea­sonable and set hours for rest, let the end of thy first sleep raise thee from thy repose; then hath thy body the best temper, then hath thy soul the least incumbrance, then no noyse shall disturb thine ear, no object shall divert thine eye; then, if ever, shall thy sprightly fancy transport thee beyond the common pitch, and shew the magazeen of high invention.

CHAP. LVIII.

SO use prosperity that ad­versity may not abuse thee. If in prosperity thy security admits no fear; in adversity thy despair will afford no [Page 110] hope, he that in prosperity can foretel a danger, can in adversity fore-see delive­rance.

CHAP. LIX.

IF thou contend with any, let thy contention be rather forced then voluntary, rather to defend thy self, then to offend; and on thy part, see that the cause of contention be just, lest the just God con­tend with thee; strive not in a matter which concerns thee not, lest the issue be thy shame, and just reproof; be ever cau­tious how thou strivest with a mighty man, lest thou fall into his hands, and he crush thee. The Iron rod doth easi­ly [Page 111] break in pieces the Earthen Pitcher. Be not at variance with a rich man, lest he over­throw thee; for Gold hath destroyed many, and pervert­ed even the hearts of Kings. Strive not in words with him that is full of tongue, for there is no end of his babling. And strive not with an hasty man, lest he do thee a sud­dain mischief, which thou canst not prevent, and he himself repent when it is too late. In short, as much as in thee lyeth be at peace with all men, and the God of peace shall be at peace with thee.

CHAP. LX.

LEt not thy Fancy be guid­ed by thine eye, nor let thy Will be governed by thy fancy; thine eye may be de­ceived in her object, and thy fancy may be deluded in her subject; let thy understand­ing moderate between thine eye and thy fancy, and let thy judgment arbitrate be­tween thy fancy, and thy will; so shall thy fancy apprehend what is true, so shall thy will elect what is good.

CHAP. LXI.

IF thou desire not to be too poor, desire not to be too rich; he is rich, not that pos­sesseth [Page 113] much, but he that co­vets no more; and he is poor, not that enjoys little, but he that wants too much; the con­tented mind wants nothing which it had not; the cove­tous mind wants not only what it hath not, but like­wise that which it hath; be not therefore too greedy in desiring riches, nor too eager in seeking them, nor too co­vetous in keeping them, nor too passionate in loosing them; the first will possess thy Soul of discontent; the second will dispossess thy body of rest; the third will possess thy wealth of thee; the last will dispossess thee of thy self: thou canst not serve God, un­less [Page 114] Mammon serve thee.

CHAP. LXII.

IF evil men speak good, or good men evil of thy con­versation, examine all thy actions, and suspect thy self; but if evil men speak evil of thee, hold it as thy honour; and by way of thankfulness love them, but upon condition, that they either cease to be evil, or continue to hate thee; however a good conscience without a good name, is bet­ter then a good name, without a good conscience.

CHAP. LXIII.

IN thy recited Meditations, when thou hast neither fit [Page 115] companion, nor good book, to imploy thy active fancy, admire the curious works of thy Creatour in his wonder­ful dispose of all things; cast thine eyes upon the Sun, that glorious Lamp of Heaven, whose near approach doth cloath the mournful Earth in her summer hue; consider the constancy, the universal bene­fit of his light and heat, and admire his Maker; the lesser Stars though they borrow their light, have their influence upon our Peace, and War, our health, and diseases; the proud Ocean, whose restless waves threaten a Deluge to the neighbouring Coasts, receives its checks from the small, and [Page 116] shutle sand; and though it seem a bar to the passenger, yet by a ship is made the spee­dier passage; the blustering Winds, who think to controul the Marriner, by Art are made to serve his purpose.

But if the contemplation of these Creatures excellencies seem too low; let thy divine fancy carry thee to the top of Mount Nebo; and thence take a prospect of the Land of pro­mise: [Page 127] view those Mansions of Glory purchased for thee with the precious Blood of God; hear the heavenly Chore of glorified Saints and Angels, singing Hallelujah to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever. Consi­der how the Angels, those glorious Spirits, ready and mighty Messengers, whose number is innumerable, are sent to encamp about the ser­vants of the most High, for their protection and safety; let thy Soul bath it self in those rivers of pleasure, which flow from the refreshing presence of thy al-sufficient God, and Saviour; believe that heart-ravishing complacency which [Page 128] the Holy One of Israel taketh in his Spouse the Church, and in every part and member thereof; unto whom he hath confirmed his love for ever, by the death of his dear Son, by the everlasting Covenant of his Grace, and by his ma­ny faithful Promises of what­soever may conduce to her felicity here, or hereafter. These Meditations will stay thy busie mind that it run not out to vain Companions, or unprofitable exercise, for its sa­tisfaction; and will fill thy Soul brim-full of Heavenly Joy.

CHAP. LXIV.

LEt not thy expence exceed thy income, lest thou run in debt; and spend not too much on hopes, lest thou be disappointed of thy hope, and never recover thy expence. As 'tis miserable to live upon the bounty or benevolence of another, so 'tis the highest aggravation of this misery to live a servant, in continual fear of an exacting Creditor; better it is that thou continue in that Estate wherein God hath set thee, though but mean, then for a time to live above it, and after to be brought low. He that falls from on high is in great danger, and shall re­ceive [Page 130] more damage then he that keeps low. Remember if God hath given thee Chil­dren, or other near Relations, they claim a share in what thou hast; and before thou departest hence, fairly part with all; it being the proper­ty of every good man, not to deceive, or disappoint any, even in Death; if thy estate mend, thou mayst live up to it, but not above it.

CHAP. LXV.

LEt the greatest part of the news thou hearest, be the least part of what thou believest, lest the greatest part of what thou believest, be the lest part of what is true; and [Page 131] report nothing for truth in earnest or in jest, unless thou know it, or at least confidently believe it to be so: neither is it expedient at all times, or in all Companies, to report what thou knowest, or knowest to be true; sometimes it may avail thee, if thou seem not to know, that which thou knowest. Hast thou any secret, Commit it not to many, nor to any, un­less well known unto thee.

CHAP. LXVI.

HAst thou a Friend, use him friendly, and abuse him not in jest, or earnest, conceal his infirmities, privately re­prove his Errours; Commit thy secrets to him, yet with [Page 132] caution, lest thy friend become thy enemy and abuse thee.

CHAP. LXVII.

IF any thing befal thee which thou hast neither prudence to foresee, nor power to pre­vent, nor means to alter, blame not him that sent it, but bear it patiently; for look abroad into the World, and thou shalt fee some persons, who neither want discretion to contrive, nor means to effect their designes, yet fail in their success; others who have neither that power nor wisdom, yet prosper in what they take in hand: some impute this success to the in­fluence of the Starrs Predo­minant in their Nativity; [Page 133] others to blind fortune; but 'tis safe for thee to acknowledge him, who is the cause of cau­ses, who oftentimes doth give success to the impious and im­provident, disappointing the wise and prudent, that he him­self may be acknowledged to be All in All, and that vain man may have nothing after him; yet the wicked shall not alwayes prosper, but the pious and prudent shall at length prevail.

CHAP. LXVIII.

NEither despise, nor over-much value any small thing; despise it not, for thou knowest not whither it may grow; even those things, whose [Page 134] beginnings have been low, have grown great; and thou knowest not of what use or disuse it may be unto thee. The Lyon having caught a Mouse, upon intreaty, let her go; not long after, this Mouse hearing the Lyon roar, sought him out, and found him taken in a Net, creeps to the Net, and bites the cords asunder, and so in requital gives the Lyon an escape. Thou knowest not how far a small matter may hurt or help thee; yet re­gard it not over-much, lest thy mind be over-filled with fear and care: if thou hast an enemy whose power is small, fear him, and have alwayes a watchful eye upon him, lest thy want of [Page 135] fear make thee secure, and thy security give him strength, and this strength enable him to overcome thee.

CHAP. LXIX.

OF all the passions of thy mind beware of Love, then which, none is more un­ruly, especially, when the Ob­ject is unsuitable, or difficult to be obtained; it will fill thy mind with fear, anxiety, care, and jealousie.

Yet if the object of thy af­fection be truly desireable, and facile, thou mayest love, yet so, that friends be thy Coun­sellours, and reason thy con­duct, so shalt thou seldome [Page 137] miscarry; Sed vix deo conce­ditur & amare & sapere; It is scarce allowed to the Gods, to be in love, and to be wise.

CHAP. LXX.

ABove all things shun Me­lancholy, as that which will both impare thy health, delude thy fancy, and discom­pose thy mind. The Melancho­ly person is apt to think that to be which is not, and things to be as they are not, excel­lently described by Democritus Junior.

[Page 146]'Tis hard to be cheerful without levity, or serious with­out Melancholy; we verge to extreams; inconveniencies and snares attend all constitutions and complexions, (and like Sylogismes Sequimur deterio­rem partem) Cheerfulness is most like to do the body good, and the Soul hurt: that there­fore soul and body may re­ceive good, and no hurt, be cheerfully serious, and seri­ously cheerful; while cheer­fulness is the sayl, let serious­ness be the ballast of the Vessel; if thou want ballast, thou wilt move too swiftly; if thou want sayles, thou wilt move too slowly.

CHAP. LXXI.

IF through the variety of Objects, and the diversity of occasions, thou canst not take an exact account of thy temper, and inclination, when thou art awake, consult thy dreams, which though super­stitiously abused by some, yet have their signification; for God revealeth secrets in thoughts from visions of the Night, when deep sleep fal­leth upon men. If thou fre­quently spend thy sleep in dalliance, with stolen salutes, and sweet embraces, thy con­stitution is Sanguine, and thou [Page 148] hast cause to suspect thy self of wantonness; if in chiding, quarrelling, and finding fault, thy disposition is contentious; if thy dreams be revengeful, remembring and requiting old antiquated injuries, they point out thy malice; if they run upon Gold and Silver, con­tracts, and projects, for the gaining and encreasing of an estate, they argue thy cove­tousness: some by dreams have understood the death of Friends at a great distance; yea the very month and day of their own death; thy ge­nius, if hearkned to, will shew thee strange things when thou [...] asleep, things to come, and [...] which concern thee, [Page 149] though in agitation at a great distance; yet in this be cauti­ous, though it be the certain experience of many.

CHAP. LXXII.

IF thou be deficient in estate and thy strength be but small, let thy discretion sup­ply this defect; gather honey with the Bee from every flow­er, not regarding the colour of the flower, nor the soyle wherein it grows; yet with this caution, that thou leave it as fair and sweet as before. Pru­dence is oftentimes of force where force prevaileth not; if thou canst not have a [Page 150] straight wind to carry thee to thy desired haven, make thy best use of a side wind; yea rather strike Sayle, then perish in the storm: what thou canst not effect by thy self, possibly thou mayst bring to pass by another, or by another way; that Fort which cannot be ta­ken by storm, may by a long siege or supprize be forced to yild. The Dolphin finding him­self unable to hurt the Croco­dile, by reason of the hard Scales upon his back, which no weapon can pierce, diveth under him, and with his sharp Fins striketh him into the bel­ly, being soft and tender, and so killeth him: attempt what thou canst, and leave [Page 151] things impossible unattem­pted.

CHAP. LXXIII.

IN all thy ways keep in Gods way, and God will keep thee in all thy wayes. If a man travelling in the Kings high way be robbed between Sun and Sun, satisfaction is recove­rable upon the Countrey, where the robbery was committed; but if he take his journey in the night, it being an unseaso­nable time, then it is at his own peril, he must take what falls. If thou keep in Gods way, thou shalt be sure either of Gods protection from dan­ger, or of satisfaction for [Page 152] thy damage; but if thou stray out, thou dost expose thy self to danger.

CHAP. LXXIV.

BE neither too ambitious of, nor too confident in the favour of great men, for there­by thou wilt create many in­conveniences to thy self (yet disoblige none) Sometimes their favour is bought at so dear a rate, that 'tis not worth the having; frequently 'tis but of short continuance, and when his favour is gone, thou art exposed more the object of his displeasure then before; or perhaps this great one com­ing [Page 153] into disfavour with those who are greater then he, thou art brought down with him; whereas thou mightest have stood longer, hadst thou stood upon thy own leggs. A passen­ger in a Storm, for shelter, be­takes himself to the Covert of a fair spreading Oake, where for a time he findeth relief, till at length, he receiveth more damage by the dropping of the boughs, then if he had been exposed to the weather; or a suddain gust of wind happen­ing, teareth down a main Arme of the Oake, which falling up­on the poor passenger, maim­eth or mischieveth him that fled to it for shelter.

CHAP. LXXV.

MAke Gods glory the ulti­mate end of all thy acti­ons; and God shall give thee his everlasting glory when all thy actions have an end. A friend gives me a Ring, i'le wear it for his sake; A Book, i'le use it for his sake; A Jew­el, i'le keep it for his sake, that is, so as may best express my love, and report his goodness. were we truly thankful to our God, we would then use all his tokens for his sake, and do all things to his glory: we would eat our meat to him, wear our cloathes to him, [Page 155] spend our strength for him, live to him, and die for him: however see thou use not his blessings as Jehu did Jeho­rams Messengers, or David Go­liahs Sword, to turn them against their Master; and fight against Heaven, with that health, wit, wealth, friends, means and mercies, that thou hast from thence received.

CHAP. LXXXVI.

SEE thou practise, what thou knowest of the will of God, and that God who hath given thee an heart to do according to what thou knowest, will give thee an un­derstanding [Page 156] to know what thou shouldest do; but ever let thy inquiry be after those truths which God hath re­vealed, and not after curiosi­ties. Where God hath set a boundary (as to the mount of old) seek not thou to pass, lest it be to thy ruine: Curiositie in this kind hath been the Mo­ther of many heresies; when men hath been busily witty, rather to pry into, then believe the profound Mysteries of God. Think not to dive into the My­stery of Christs Incarnation, till thou understand thy own Regeneration: be not like those who busie themselves to know, where Lazarus his Soul was, when his body lay three [Page 157] dayes in the Grave, and in the mean time care not what be­comes of their own Souls; rather bewail, then imitate the many intrusions upon God and the things of God that have been of late. As there needs a spurr unto good and saving knowledge; so abri­dle unto that knowledge which is curious and pre­sumptuous. Blessed is that knowledge which maketh wise to sobriety.

CHAP. LXXVII.

SIn not against thy consci­ence, lest that which should be thy chief comforter, prove [Page 158] thy tormenter; and if thy con­science condemn thee, God who is greater then thy con­science, shall much more con­demn thee; be assured, there is no action, though never so se­cret, though never so small, that can escape the pen of this ready Scribe; but all thou dost shall be recorded, and that so clear and evident, that go where thou wilt, and do what thou canst, the chara­cters thereof shall never be cancell'd or raced out, till God appear in Judgment. And as there is no greater peace on this side Heaven, then the peace of Conscience; so there is no greater torment on this side Hell then a wounded Consci­ence. [Page 159] Though the World should rattle about thine ears, and the waves of affliction beat never so hard upon thee, yet thou may'st sit merry at the feast of a good Conscience, as secure as that child which in a Ship-wrack was with his Mo­ther upon a planck securely sleeping, whom when she awa­ked, with his pretty counte­nance sweetly smiling, asked a stroake to beat the naughty waves, as if they had been his play-fellows; Oh that sweet harmonious melody, when this Bird in the bosome sings clear! Oh the Peace and Comfort of innocency, the tranquility of a spotless mind! Oh the serenity! No Spanish skie so [Page 160] clear as a good Conscience. On the contrary Philo Judaeus re­porteth, that Flaccus play'd all the parts of cruelty that he could invent against the Jews, for their Religion; but when the doom of Calligula fell up­on him, and he was banished to Andros, an Island near Greece, he was so tormented with the memory of his bloo­dy, iniquity, and the fear of suffering for it, that if he saw any man walking softly near unto him, he would say to himself, this man deviseth to work my destruction; if he saw any go hastily, surely this is not for nothing, he maketh speed to kill me; if any man spake him fair, he suspected [Page 161] that he would cozen him, and sought to entrap him; if any talked roughly to him, then he thought that he contemned him; if meat were given him in ample manner, this is but to fat me as an Ox for the slaugh­ter: thus his Conscience, that he had so often abused, did ever mind him, that some ven­geance was to follow either from God or Man, or both. If thou sin often against thy Conscience, at length it will remember thee, (and all the consorts of Musick in the World cannot stop its cry) that nothing but destruction wait­eth on thee; if thou walk abroad, Sonus excitat omnis suspensum, thou wilt be afraid [Page 162] of every leaf that shakes; if thou stay at home nothing but horrour attends thee; in the day thou art struck with vari­ety of sad apprehensions, in the night thou art troubled with fearful dreams, and strange apparitions: Such is the Hell of a guilty Consci­ence.

CHAP. LXXVIII.

BE neither too much affect­ed with the vaine applause of the multitude, nor too con­fident in their uncertain opini­on; for whom to day they cry up, they will cry down to mor­row. None ever more careful [Page 163] in Gods house then Moses, none deeper in his favour, none more graced with Miracles, none more careful of the peo­ples good, or more honoured by them, yet if they be once distressed and straightned in their provisions, they will stone Moses to death, and set up a new Governour. How did the people at first entertain Paul? even as an Angel of Light, and were ready to pull out their eyes for him: not long after, hearkning to Seducers, St. Paul was accounted their enemy, and they ready to pull out his eyes, and give them to their false Apostles: Our Saviour Christ shall have Ho­sannah to day, and the next [Page 164] day they cry out Crucifie him. Nothing more unconstant, then the Multitude; thou canst not tell where to find them, nor when thou hast them; no­thing more ungrateful, thou canst make no account of any recompence from them; in short, therefore be as far from desiring their love, as fearful to deserve their hatred; ru­ine lies in both; the one will hugg thee to death, the other will crush thee to destruction; to escape the first, be not am­bitious; to avoid the second, be not seditious.

CHAP. LXXIX.

LEt the providence of the Ant, and the prudence of [Page 165] the worldly wise instruct thee for thy Souls health; the Ant by Natures instinct layeth up her store for winter; the wise provide a cloak for the wet, a staff for old age, a scrip for the Journey, and a banck of money to flye to, when occa­sion serveth; see thou lay up for thy self treasures in heaven, which cannot be spoy­led by hostile invasion, nor wrung from thee by power, nor won by law, nor mortgaged by debt, nor impaired by publick calamity, nor changed by Kings or Parliaments, nor violated by death it self: get assurance of Gods favour by the lively exercise of unfeigned faith, the daily practice of serious [Page 166] Repentance, and the frequent use of fervent Prayer, where­by thou mayst be enabled to stand in the evil Day, and bear up with joy and peace in the worst of times, the hour of Death, and the day of Judg­ment.

CHAP. LXXX.

SEe thou promise not to thy self more felicity, peace, or comfort from this world then it can give. A Velvet slipper cannot cure the Gout, neither can a down bed give ease in an Ague fitt; all second cau­ses move in a subserviency to the cause of Causes: whatso­ever [Page 167] is here below, is but a pipe of conveyance from God the fountain of all good, and there be many wayes whereby these pipes become stopt, many in­terruptions, crosses, and disap­pointments attend us in our best estate. Jonah's condition was but bad at best, to be tos­sed too and fro in a dangerful Ship, the bones whereof aked with the violence of every surge, that assayled it; the An­chors, Cables, and Rudders ei­ther thrown away, or torn in pieces; at length he is cast in­to the Sea, a merciless, and im­placable Sea, roaring for his life, more then ever Lyon roared for his prey, the bot­tom whereof seemed as low to [Page 168] him as the bottomless pit, and no hope left to escape, by Ship, or Boat, no Tabula naufragii, no plank or piece of board ap­pearing whereby to recover the Land; beside all these, to fill the measure of his sorrow up to the brim, the burning of Gods anger against his sin, like a river of Brimstone; this is our case in this vail of misery; we are tumbled and tossed in a vessel as frail as Jonah's Ship, which every stream of calami­ty is ready to dash in pieces; every storm of disease able to split; where oftentimes nei­ther Anchor nor Rudder is left, neither head, nor heart, nor hand, in case to give any com­fort, where though we have [Page 169] the kindness of Friends, the duty of Children, the obedi­ence of Servants, the conveni­ence of wealth, and the advice of Physicians, we cannot use their service; where we have a grave before us greedy to receive, but never to return us till Worm's have consumed us: But if the anger of God for our sins accompany all these, it will be a woful ad­venture for that man, when the sin of his Soul and the end of his Life, shall meet together, as the trespass of Jonah, and his being cast out of the Ship.

CHAP. LXXXI.

DEfer not thy Repentance, lest thou be denyed Par­don. [Page 170] Late Repentance is seldom true. He that hath promised thee pardon upon thy repen­tance, hath not promised life till thou repent; and every day thy Repentance is defer­red, thou hast a day more to Repent of, and a day less to repent in. 'Tis folly beyond ex­pression, while the Ship is sound, the tackling sure, the Pilot well, the Saylors strong, the Gale favourable, and the Sea calm, to lye idle at road, carding, dicing, drinking, burn­ing seasonable weather; and when the Ship leaks, the Pilot is sick, the Marriners faint, the storm boysterous, and the Sea tumultuous, then to lanch forth, and hoyst up sayl for a [Page 171] voyage into far Countries. Such is the skill and case of e­vening repenters, who in the morning of youth, soundness of health, and perfect use of reason, will not weigh Anchor, hoyst up Sail, and cut the Ca­bles that with-hold them from seeking God, but feed themselves with a fond per­swasion that when their rea­son is distracted, their senses astonied, all the powers of their mind and parts of their body distempered, they shall leap into heaven with a Lord have mercy upon us in their mouths, and become Saints at their death, who have de­meaned themselves like De­vils all their life. But think [Page 172] not if thou serve Satan, and thy youthful lusts, with full dishes; that God will accept the ab­ject scraps of old age. 'Tis ea­sier to pass the Foard in the morning when the water is low, then in the evening when the banks are full. By delay thy account is encreased, thy debt augmented, thy enemy grows stronger, thy self the more enfeebled, and all the difficulties of conversion dai­ly more and more multiplied upon thee.

CHAP. LXXXII.

AS the wise Physitian gives not the same physick to all Patients, nor in the same proportion, but he fitteth it [Page 173] in quantity and quality to e­very ones constitution, strength and disease; giving to one a Pill to purge him, to another a cordiall to restore him; one must be lanced, another must be healed; one must have sauce to quicken his appetite, ano­ther must fast it out, and be cured by abstinence. Thus the Lord in wisdom dealeth with the sons of men, he giveth that allowance to every one that he knoweth to be most requisite, respecting the person of none, but doing good to all, as their state and condition doth re­quire; one is bettered by li­berty, another by restraint; one being ingenious by nature is made better by benefits, ano­ther [Page 174] of a more servile dispo­sition is made worse, and on­ly mended with threats, and punishments; one man is fit to be rich, another to be poor; one for the Court, another for the Cart; thus every one hath his Portion, his Station allot­ted him by God in his wisdom and goodness. See thou pay God that tribute of praise and acknowledgment which is due for the portion he hath given thee, lest thy ingratitude de­prive thee of his benefits, or lest they prove pernitious. Rivers receiving their fullness from the Ocean, pay their Tri­bute by returning back their streams; which homage, if they should deny, their swel­ling [Page 175] waters would break down their banks, and drown the Country.

CHAP. LXXXIII.

HAve frequent and seri­ous thoughts of the last and dreadful day of Judgment, when thou must appear, and when all thy actions, with all their circumstances, will be weighed in the ballance of equity, by the impartial judge of all; whom thou canst not pervert with bribes, nor per­swade with Rhetorick, nor move with tears; but thy doom shall pass according to thy desert: and if sentence pass [Page 176] against thee, it can never be re­versed, for from this high Court of Justice there lyeth no appeal; and as the Sentence, so shall be the Execution, which will neither be delayed, nor can be avoided. And think not to appear before this Tri­bunal in thy scarlet Robe, thy rich attire, or with thy Golden Scepter. Those spark­ling Diamonds, and that curi­ous dress, which may commend thee to the blind world, will not be valued here; this Sin revenging-Judge knoweth no distinction, but of good and bad. It is reported of a Chri­stian King of Hungary, that being sad and pensive at the remembrance of his sin, and [Page 177] the thoughts of his appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ; his brother a resolute Courtier observing him, and understanding the Cause, made a mock of it, (as gallants use to do) accounting it nothing but a melancholy dump: The King replies not at present; but the custom being that if the Executioner sound a Trumpet before any mans door, that man without delay or further tryal, is had away to Execution; hereupon the King commands his death's-man in the dead time of the night to sound his Trumpet before his Brothers door; who hearing the Messenger of death, springs in, pale, and trembling, [Page 178] into his Brothers presence, be­seeching the King to let him know, wherein he had offend­ed him; Oh Brother (replies the King) thou hast not offend­ed me; but if the sight of thy Executioner be so dreadful to thee, shall not we miserable sinners tremble to appear be­fore Gods Tribunal?

CHAP. LXXXIV.

AVoid as well the occasion and appearance of evil, as the evil it self. The appea­rance of evil will blast thy good name, for men judge ac­cording to appearance; and an evil occasion frequently [Page 179] produceth an evil action. Look what a clear Fountain is to the thirsty, what the shade is to the weary Travelour, such is occasion to corrupt nature. St. Augustine maketh mention of his friend Alipius, that hav­ing resolved never to look up­on the Fencers Prizes, was through the importunity of friends drawn along to the Theatre, where these bloody sports were performed, pro­testing, that he would keep his eyes shut all the while he was there; the people giving a suddain shout, he looked about to see what the matter was, whereupon he became pleased with the sport, which before he had abandoned. He [Page 180] that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled therewith. Remem­ber Dinah the Daughter of Lea, who went forth a Virgin to see the Daughters of the Land in their sports, and May­games, but was defiled before her return.

CHAP. LXXXV.

BUsie not thy self in matters which concern thee not; if they succeed well, thou art not concern'd; if ill, thou shalt have blame for thy inter­medling. God hath given to every Tree its proper work, to bring forth its own fruit; [Page 181] every Bird to build her own nest; to every man a Calling, which if attended, will find him employment, and yield him profit; but observe, he that's busie abroad; either wanteth business, or neglect­eth his business at home. See thou hasten not to give counsel in any case, the event where­of is doubtful; if the event happen according to expecta­tion, it will be imputed to the discretion and industry of him that managed it; if otherwise, it will be fathered upon thy ill counsel.

CHAP. LXXXVI.

LEt thy care be to secure thy principal concerns. Lesser dammages are recove­rable. Get thy eternal Inheri­tance made sure, and the evi­dence thereof sealed, and it will abundantly answer all the discouragements or allure­ments this world can put up­on thee. Henry the Fourth late King of France, being told of the King of Spains ample Do­minions, that he was King of Castile; and I (quoth Henry) am King of France: That he was King of Navarre; and I [Page 183] am King of France: That he was King of Naples; and I am King of France: That he was King of both the Cicilia's, Nova Hyspania, of the Western India's; and I am King of France. He thought the King­dom of France equivalent to all these. One hath more wit and learning then thy self, yet thou art a Christian; another hath more Gold and Silver, yet thou art a Christian; a third hath more honour and better preferment in the World, yet thou art a Christi­an; a fourth hath richer at­tire, goodlier possessions, fair­er buildings, and more delici­ous fair, yet thou art a Chri­stian; which consideration [Page 184] alone, weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, will weigh down all the excellencies and glory this world can give, bear up against all the necessi­ties, perturbations, and disap­pointments, this world can in­flict upon thee.

CHAP. LXXXVII.

WHom thou canst not know by himself, thou mayst learn in part by his com­panions, for as is the man, such will be his companions, whom he chooseth, and in whom he delighteth. As light and dark­ness agree not, but mutually [Page 185] expel each other, so the unjust man is an abomination to the just, and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked. As the chased Deer will not be admitted of the Heard, for fear the Hounds in pursute of him, fall on them; in like manner a knot of bad-good-fellows perceiving one of their society to become ano­ther man, they will decline him, preferring his room be­fore his company; he shall no longer be welcome in their company, then he is willing to sing his part in the jovial con­sort. Augustus Caesar desirous to know the inclination of his Daughters Livia and Julia, diligently observed who came [Page 186] to Court them, and perceiv­ing that grave Senatours talk­ed with Livia, Riotous and wanton youths with Julia, he presently discerned their se­veral humors.

CHAP. LXXXVIII.

BE not too ambitious of be­ing a Court favourite, nor too confident in Court promi­ses, nor too proud of Court preferment; the first will va­nish upon the least disgust; the second is easie to be for­gotten; the third doth often end in ruine. Look upon a gallant Ship well rigg'd, trim'd, and tackl'd, and man'd, and [Page 187] munition'd, with her top and top gallant, and her spread Sayles swelling with a full gale in fair weather, putting out of the Haven into the smooth Main, and drawing the spectators eyes with a well-wishing admiration; but soon after the same Ship is split upon some dangerous Rock, or wrecked by some disastrous Tempest, or sunk by some Leak sprung in her by accident: Such is the Court favourites condition. To day like Sejanus he dazleth all mens eyes with the splendour of his glory, and with the proud beak of his powerful prosperity cutteth the waves, and ploweth through the press [Page 188] of the Multitude, scorning to fear any remora at his Keel below, or any cross winds from above; and yet to morrow in some storms of unexpected disfavour, springs a leak in his honour, and sinks in the quick­sands of disgrace, or dash'd against the Rocks of displea­sure is split and wreck'd in the charybdis of Infamy, and so concludes his Voyage in mise­ry and misfortune.

CHAP. LXXXIX.

LEt thy serious thoughts of Eternity like a perspe­ctive-glass, present it near; con­sidering thou art alwayes upon [Page 189] the verge of that estate, where time and change shall be no more. Xeuxis that famous Pain­ter being slow at his work, and suffering no Piece of his to go abroad without often reviewing; and being demand­ed why he was so curious, and so tedious in the use of his Pensil, answered, that what he Painted, he Painted for Eternity; even so what thou dost shall be transmitted to Eternity; but what thou hast will perish with the using; be careful therefore rather of what thou dost, then what thou hast; neglecting rather thy Temporal then thy Eter­nal concerns.

CHAP. XC.

NEither contemn, nor su­perstitiously fear the Constellations and Signes of Heaven! God hath set them above thee, to the end, thou shouldst observe them; he himself sits above them, to the end, thou shouldst not fear them, but him who is Lord of all; 'tis true, they are Gods voice, but not easie to be un­derstood, either what they mean, or whether judgment, or mercy, if Judgment, whe­ther Sword, Plague, or Fa­mine, or some other effect of [Page 191] the Divine displeasure; or whom they mean, what Kingdom, Family, or Person; or when they mean it, whether this or the next, or many years hence; rather hearken to his voice in the Holy Scripture, which is most certain, and tells thee plain, that he is long suffe­ring, and of great pity, yet will at length plentifully re­ward the wicked doer, and re­lieve the oppressed.

CHAP. XCI.

TAke heed lest being desi­rous to become a wit in jest, thou become a fool in [Page 192] earnest; for commonly they are the trifling things of this World, which serious men have to do withal, when they have nothing else to do; their greatest business then being to laugh, and their reward to be laught at. Some are so unhap­py in having happy wits, that they make their wits their happiness, jesting themselves out of all that is earnest.

CHAP. XCII.

I Conclude, these my mean Animadversions with the authentick Adagies of the wisest that ever writ, which if [Page 193] well understood, and duly ap­plyed, will serve and satisfie thee in most of thy concerns, being of Divine Authority.

1. A Prudent man conceal­eth knowledge, and keepeth his mind till afterwards; but the heart of the fool proclaim­eth foolishness, he uttereth all his mind.

2. He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be broken.

3. Devise not evil against [Page 194] thy neighbour, seeing he liveth securely by thee; debate thy cause with thy neighbour him­self, and discover not a secret to another, lest he that hear­eth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

4. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbours house, lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

5. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit ex­alteth folly.

[Page 195]6. A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.

7. The wrath of a King is as the messengers of Death, but a wise man will pacific it; for by long forbearing is a Prince perswaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

8. Many seek the Princes favour, and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts; a gift in secret pacifieth anger, and a reward in the bosome strong wrath.

9. Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a fu­rious man thou shalt not go; [Page 196] lest thou learn his wayes, and get a snare to thy Soul.

10. He that answereth a matter before he hear it, it is folly and shame to him. Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

11. A prudent man fore­seeth the evil, and hideth him­self; but the simple pass on, and are punished. Happy is the man that feareth alwayes, but he that hardneth his heart falleth into mischief.

12. Remove not the old Land-mark, neither enter into the field of the fatherless, for [Page 197] their Redeemer is mighty. Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the Gate; for the Lord will plead their Cause, and spoyl the Soul of those that spoyled them.

13. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrarth from him.

14. Whoso keepeth his mouth and tongue, keepeth his Soul from trouble.

15. The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower [Page 186] is servant to the lender.

16. Let another man praise thee, and not thy own mouth; a stranger, and not thy own lips.

17. He that delicately bring­eth up his servant from a Child, shall have him become his Son at length.

18. Accuse not a Servant to his Master, lest he curse thee, and thou become guilty.

19. Look not upon the Wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the Cup, when it moveth it self aright: at the last it biteth like a Ser­pent, [Page 197] and stingeth like an Ad­der.

20. There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor Counsel against the Lord.

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