Ros Coeli. OR, A Miscellany of Ejaculations, Divine, moral, &c.  
Being an Extract out of divers worthy Authors, ancient and modern.  
Which may enrich the mean Capacity, and add somewhat to the most knowing judgement.  1 TIM. 3.15. 
Meditate on these Things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all.  
LONDON, Printed by Richard Herne. 1648.   

TO THE RIGHT worshipful Sir EDWARD POWEL, Knight and Baronet, one of the Masters of his Mties Court of Requests.  
Noble Sir,  
THere is a double Tie upon my duty towards you, that binds me to the largest acknowledgement that can be expressed by my best abilities: Your general eminence both in Honour, and, the worthiest means to it, Desert (which duly challenge the general observance of all men) and your particular noble favours to me, that require from me a never sufficient gratitude. But as Presents derive their value as well from the esteem of the Receiver, as from their own inherent qualities; so will you make this rich by your acceptance, that is without all worth as it is my poor Donative, though it contain in itself many secret and mystical virtues, being an Enchiridion of many rare subjects, both moral and Divine, fit for the most serious observation and meditation: The industry of many excellently-learned Authors, whose several Papers were most accidentally committed to me, to be their fortunate, though unworthy, preserver and Publisher. The only end for which I beg your Noble disposition to entertain it, is that it may be understood a testimony of his due thankfulness, whose only ambition is to be known and styled,  
The humblest of your servants. R. H.   

Octob. 18. 1639.  
Imprimatur, THO: WYKES.   

Ejaculations and Meditations, Divine, Moral, Political.  
AChristian in his lowest ebb of sorrow is the child of God, as well as when he is in the greatest flow of comfort: only the sun of righteousness darts not the beams of his Love so plentifully; and he can show no more than God gives him. When God hides his face, needs must Man languish: His withdrawings are our miseries: His presence our assured joy. Sin may cast the Good man in a trance, it cannot slay him: it may bury his heat for a time, it cannot extinguish it: It may make him in the wain, it cannot change his being: it may accuse, it shall not condemn him. Though God deprive him of his presence for a time, he will one day re-inlighten him, polish him, and crown him for Ever.  
He that when he should not, spends too much, shall, when he would not, have too little to spend. Diogenes wittily asked a half penny of the Thrifty man, and a pound of the prodigal: because the first, he said, might give him often; but the other, ere long would have none to give. As to be too near, having enough, is sordid baseness; so to spend superfluously, though we have abundance, is one of Follies deepest oversights. There is better use to be made of our Talents, than to cast them away in waste; God gives them not to spend vainly, but to employ profitably.  
A Full delight in earthly things, argues a neglect of heavenly. Though the pleasures, profits, and honours of this life may sometimes shuffle a Christian out of his usual course; yet like the Needle in a dial, removed from his point, he wavers up and down in trouble, runs to and fro like quicksilver, and is never quiet, till he returns to his wonted life and inward happiness: there he sets down his rest, in a sweet unperceived inward content; which, though unseen to others, he esteems more, than all that the world calls by the name of felicity.  
PRide and Avarice usually attend great Fortunes: 'tis justly matter of amazement, for a man to grow rich, and retain a mind unaltered; yet are not all men changed alike, though all in something admit variation. The same Spider kills the man, that cures the Ape. High Fortunes are the way to high minds: Pride is usually the Child of Riches. Contempt too often sits in the Seat with Honour, causing arrogant spirits to contemn and scorn those, which but of late they thought as worthy as themselves, or better. And of all Vices, nothing doth so debase a man as Avarice; it makes a Master slave to his servant, drudge to his slave; putting him under all, whom God placed over all. Miserable is the man that so cares for Riches, as if they were his own, and yet so uses them as if they were another's: that when he may be happy in spending them, will be miserable in keeping them; and had rather, dying, leave wealth to his enemies, than living, relieve his friends. Doubtless, true nobleness esteems nothing more sordid, than for a man's mind to be his moneys mercenary.  
WHile blood is in our veins, sin will be in our nature: Our corruptions are diseases incurable; while we live, they will break out upon us; we may correct them, we cannot destroy them. They are like the feathers in a fowl, cut them, break them out, yet will they come again: only kill the Bird, and they will grow no more. A weak Christians life is almost nothing but a vicissitude of sin; he sins first, and after laments his folly: Like a negligent schoolboy, he displeaseth his Master, and then beseecheth his remission with tears. Since we cannot avoid sin, we should learn to lament it: true sorrow for sin, is the only dark Entry that leads the way to the fair Court of happiness.  
THere are no familiars so infectious, as the angry Man and the Drunkard: Anger is the fever of the soul, which makes the tongue talk idle; it puts a man into a tumult, that he cannot hear what counsel speaks: 'tis a raging Sea, a troubled water, that cannot be wholesome for the use of any. Which he well knew, that advised us, Not to make friendship with an angry man. The Drunkard hath no memory at all, excess hath utterly consumed it; so that friends and foes, familiars and strangers, are for the present of equal esteem. He forgetfully speaks that in his Cups, which if he were sober, should be buried in silence: first he speaks he knows not what, and after remembers not what he spoke; his mind and his stomach are alike, neither can retain what they receive. Whatsoever friend we make choice of, should be sure to have these two properties, mildness and Temperance; otherwise, 'tis better to want companions, than be annoyed with a mad man or a fool.  
NOthing makes us more wretched, than our own uncontrolled Wills: A loose Will fulfilled, is the way to work out a woe; for, besides the folly in beginning wrong, the greatest danger is in continuance: like a bowl running down, which is ever most violent, when it grows near its Centre and period of aim. Man's Will, without discretion, is like a blind Horse without a Bridle, that should guide him aright: he may go fast, but runs to his own overthrow; and while he mends his pace, he hastens his own mischief: when the reins are given too loosely, the affections run wildly on, without a guide, to ruin. It should be our vigilance, to curb desires betimes, that so they may not wander beyond moderation; our own Will being a blind Conductor: good Precepts to an ingenious Nature, are bits that restrain, and hurt not.  
AN eternal kingdom is often lost, for the gain of toys and vanities: Who is there, that hazards not his soul for the pleasures or profits of sin; which when they have, what have they got, but shadows and vexations? The wealthy man is like a powder-master, who hath provision against an enemy, but is ever in danger to be blown up himself. And as for the best of Earthly pleasures, they are far sweeter in the expectation, than in the enjoyment; the most excellent, we shall find but lame, and halting. It is great vanity, to cast away our souls on such transitory Trifles, which when we have, we are neither sure to enjoy, nor to find commodious.  
HE that reacheth promotion, without God's calling him, may flourish a while, but cannot thrive: He that is most fit for a place of note, seldom seeks it so much, as he is sought to for it; whereas ever the Bramble, that is low and worthless, cries out aloud, Make me a King. Many would be Magistrates, that know not how to be men: but the understanding man knows, that 'tis better to live in the Valley, where the times tempests blow over him, than to be seated on a mountain top, where every blast threatens both his ruin and fall. Howsoever others measure him, he knows his own height, and will not exceed it. It is better live honestly, though meanly, than by unlawful practices to usurp a crown.  
GReat is the wisdom and goodness of God, in hiding from evil men and spirits those means & seasons, which taken, might prove most prejudicial to his own: we had been oftener foiled, if Satan could have known our hearts. Sometimes we lie open to evils; and 'tis our great happiness, that H●●●●ely knows it, that in stead of tempting, pities us: And how just is it with God, that those that seek mischief to others, find it to themselves; and even whilst they are spreading of Nets, are ensnared; their deliberate plotting of evil, being surprised with a sudden judgement.  
EVery gracious heart is in some measure scrupulous, and finds more safety in fear than in presumption: For he whose strictness commands a restraint from things unlawful, surely dares much less take free scope to evil; and by how much that state is better, where nothing, than where all things are allowed, by so much is the strict and timorous better than the lawless Consciences. There is hopes of that man who is scrupulous of his ways, while he that makes no bones of his actions, is apparently hopeless.  
OF all moral virtue's Humility is most beautiful, she both shuns Honour, and yet is the way to it: she rocks Debate asleep, and keeps Peace waking, yet doth foster and cherish her. It is a vain thing to continue in strife: he that lives most quiet, lives most secure from death and danger. 'Tis better be accounted too humble, than esteemed a little proud: The purest gold is most ductible; 'tis commonly a good blade that bends well.  
THe Winter is far harder to the grasshopper than the Pismire, who before having stored her Garner, is now able to withstand a famine. When a mishap comes suddenly and unlooked for, it distracteth the mind, and scars both the faculties and affections from their due consultation of remedy: whereas an evil foreseen is half cured, because it giveth warning to provide for danger.  
IF there be any Nectar in this life, 'tis in the sorrows we endure for goodness: for they are but for a time, transient, and momentany. The Israelites shall not live always under the tyranny of Pharaoh, or the travels of the wilderness. That God we fight for is able enough to vindicate all our wrongs; and the more abundant our sorrows are here, the more plentiful shall our joys be hereafter; our tears shall return in smiles, our weepings in a stream of pleasures. God doth not recompense with a niggardly hand, we shall find our joys as an overflowing sea, and our glory beyond thought exuberant. Death shall be our happiest day, and as a Bridge from woe to glory: though it be the wicked man's shipwreck, it is the good man's putting into harbour, where striking sails and casting anchor, he returns his lading with advantage to the Owner, namely his soul to God, leaving the bulk still moored in the haven, who is unrigged only to be new built again, and fitted for an eternal voyage.  
GOod parts ill employed are weapons, that being meant for our defence, we madly turn their edges, and wound ourselves: they may make us fair in show, but in substance more polluted: they are but as a saddle of gold to the back of a galld horse, adorn us they may, better us they cannot; Grace only can make a man truly happy, what she affordeth can content sufficiently, and easily furnish the vast rooms of the mind. Without her all are nothing; with her even the smallest is true sufficiency. We should never think ourselves the nearer heaven, for possessing much on earth: a weak house with an heavy roof is in most danger. He that gets heaven hath plenty enough, though the earth scorn to allow him any thing: he that fails of that, is truly miserable, though she give him all she hath; for it is a poor relief in misery, to be only thought well of by those that cannot help us. Our outward gifts may win us applause with men; but inward grace wanting, we shall never gain approbation with God.  
WE are not rich or poor by what we possess, but by what we desire: for he is not rich that hath much, but he that hath enough; nor is he poor that hath little, but he that wants more. If God make us rich by store, we should not impoverish ourselves by covetousness: but if he make us poor by want, we should enrich ourselves by content.  
HE ne'er was so good as he should be, that doth not strive to be better than he is; neither will he ever be better than he is, that doth not fear to be worse than he was: For it is the greatest of all sins, always to continue in sin; and where the custom of sinning waxeth greater, the Conscience for sin grows the less. It is easier to quench a spark, than a fire; and safer to break the cockatrice's egg, than to kill the Serpent.  
IT is a competent estate only, that yields the quiet of content: Abundance, is a trouble; want, a misery; baseness, a scorn; advancements, dangerous; disgrace, odious. We should not climb, lest we fall; nor lie on the ground, lest we are trod on; we are safest, while our legs bear us. It is madness, to desire either to freeze, or burn; a competent heat is most healthful for our bodies.  
REsolution without Action, is a slothful folly; Action without Resolution, is a foolish rashness: first, know what's good to be done; then do that good, being known. If forecast be not better than labour, yet labour is not good without forecast: our actions should not be done without, nor against knowledge.  
NAture hath sent us abroad into the world, and we are every day travelling homeward: if we meet with store of miseries in our way, discretion should teach us a religious haste in our journey: and meeting with pleasures, they should pleasure us only, by putting us in mind of our celestial pleasures at home; which should teach us to scorn these, as worse than trifles. A pleasant journey is dear bought, with the loss of home; and a troublesome life is oftener a blessing than a Curse: we may as well die of surfeit, as of hunger.  
EAch Night is but the past day's funeral, and the Morning his Resurrection; Why then should our funeral sleep be other than our sleep at night? Why should we not as well wake to our Resurrection, as in the Morning? Death rather borrows our life of us, than robs us of it; and the glory of the sun finds a Resurrection, why not the sons of Glory? Since a dead man may live again, we should not so much look for an end of our lives, as wait for the coming of our change.  
COntention is very dangerous, especially with great Ones; as we may be too strong for the weaker, so we must be too weak for the stronger: we cannot so easily vanquish our Inferiors, but our Superiors may as easily conquer us. We should do much to be at peace with all men; but suffer much ere we contend with a Mighty man.  
THere is no heart of flesh that at some time or other relents not: neither flint nor marble but in some weather will stand on drops. Good motions barely better not the man; the praise and benefit of those gusts are not in the receipt, but in the retention. A good heart is easily stayed from sinning, and is glad when it finds occasion to be crossed in ill purposes: those secret checks that are raised within itself, do readily conspire with all outward retentives; it never yielded to a wicked motion without much reluctation, & when it is overcome it is but with a half consent. Whereas obdurate sinners, by reason of their full delight in evil, and having already in conceit swallowed the pleasures of sin, abide no resistance, but keep a headlong course in spite of opposition, not weighing how near their jollity is to perdition. Doubtless it is but just with God, that they who live without grace, should die without comfort.  
IT is no measuring of men by the depth of purse, by outward prosperity; for even the best deservings may want temporal rewards. Servants are oftentimes set on horseback, while Princes go on foot. Shall we contemn his necessity, who perhaps is so much more rich in grace, as he is poor in estate? Neither doth violence or casualty more impoverish a man, than his poverty sometimes enricheth him. He whose wilful folly hath made him miserable, is justly rewarded with neglect; but he that suffers for good, deserves so much the more honour from others, as his distress is more.  
MAny speak fair that mean ill: but when the mouth speaks foul, it argues a corrupt heart. Though with Saint James his verbal Benefactors we say, Depart in peace, fill your bellies; we shall answer for hypocritical uncharitableness: but if we revile and curse those needy souls we ought to relieve, we shall give a more fearful account of savage cruelty, in trampling on those whom God hath humbled. If not healing with good works be justly punishable, what torment is there for those that wound with evil?  
IT is ill hurting the children of God; for though he suffers them not to sin in revenging, yet he suffers not their adversaries to sin unrevenged. He that saith, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, repays oftentimes when we have forgiven, when we have forgotten, and calls to reckoning after our discharges. Wherefore it is dangerous offending the meanest servant of Him, whose displeasure and revenge is everlasting.  
THat God whose the earth is, makes room for His everywhere, and oftentimes provides for them a foreign Home more kindly than the Native. It is no matter for the change of our soil, so we change not our God: if we can everywhere acknowledge him, He will nowhere be wanting to us.  
THose who cannot fear for love, may chance to tremble for fear. And how much better is awe than terror? prevention than confusion? Destruction is never nearer than when security hath cast away fear. There is nothing more lamentable than to see a man laugh when he should fear: God shall laugh when such a ones fear cometh: for as in mercy he forgets not to interchange our sorrows with joy, so neither doth he the joys of the wicked with sorrow. 'Tis an unreasonable inequality to hope to find God at our command, when we refuse to be at his; or to look that he should regard our voice in trouble, when we would not regard his in peace.  
Custom makes Sin so familiar, that the horror of it by some is turned into pleasure: To make a right use of God's judgements upon others, is to bear them in ourselves, and finding our sins at the least equal, to tremble at the expectation of the same deserved punishments. God intends not only revenge, but reformation, in his execution: as good Princes, who regard not so much the smart of the evil past, as the prevention of the future; which is never attained but when we make application of God's hand, and draw common causes out of his particular proceedings.  
THe best intent cannot excuse, much less warrant us in unlawful actions: What we do in faith it pleaseth our God to wink at, and pity our weaknesses: but if we dare present him with the well-meant services of our own making, we run to his indignation: for God's business must be done after his own forms, which if our best intentions alter, we presume. There is nothing more dangerous than to be our own carvers in matters of Religion. It is better be too fearful than too forward, in those things which do immediately concern God. As it is not good to refrain from holy businesses, so 'tis worse to do them ill: awfulness is a safe interpreter of his secret actions, and a wise guide of ours.  
THe first piece of our amends to God for sinning, is the acknowledgement of our sins: he can do little, that in a just offence cannot accuse himself. If we cannot be so good as we would, it is reason we should do God so much right, as to say how evil we are. It is strange to see, how easily sin gets into the heart, and how hardly out of the mouth! Is it because sin, like to Satan, where it hath got possession, is desirous to hold it, and knows it is fully ejected by a free confession? or because thorough a guiltiness of deformity, it hides itself in the breast where it is once entertained, and hates the light? or because the tongue is so feeed with self-love, that it is loath to be drawn to any verdict against the heart or hands? Or is it out of an idle misprision of shame, which whilst it should be placed in offending, is misplaced in disclosing our offence? How ever, sure it is that God hath need even of racks to draw out Confessions; for scarce in death itself are we wrought to a discovery of our errors. O Lord, since we have sinned, why should we be niggardly of that action, wherein we may at once give glory unto Thee, & relief to our souls? Whatsoever the sore be, never any soul truly applied this remedy and died: never any soul escaped death that applied it not.  
TO know evil by others and not speak it, is sometimes discretion: to speak evil of others and not know it, is always dishonesty: he may be evil himself that speaks good of others upon knowledge: but he can never be good himself, that speaks evil of others upon suspicion. To speak all we know shows too much folly: to speak more than we know shows too little honesty. He that spends all that is his own, is an unthrifty prodigal: but he that spends more than his own, is a dishonest unthrift. We may sometimes know what we will not utter, but should never utter what we do not know.  
HEaven being our Home, and Christ our Way, we should learn to know our Way, ere we haste to travel to our Home. He that runs hastily in a Way he knows not, may come speedily to a Home he loves not. Seeing Christ is our Way, and Heaven our Home, we should rather cheerfully endure a painful walk, than sadly want a perfect Rest.  
AS it is not against reason to be passionate, so we should not be passionate against reason: as we should both grieve and joy, if we have reason for it, so we should not joy nor grieve above reason; but so joy at our good, as not to take evil by our joy; so grieve at any evil, as not increase the evil by our grief.  
THe widow's Mite was of more worth than the Riches of superfluity: he gives not best, that gives most; but he gives most, that gives best. If we cannot give bountifully, yet we should give freely; and what we want in our hand, supply by our heart. He gives well, that gives willingly.  
HE that contemns a small fault, commits a great one. Many drops make a shower; and what difference is it, to be wet either in the rain, or in the River, if both be to the skin? There is small benefit in the choice, whether we go down to Hell by degrees, or at once.  
THe devil is not more black-mouthed than a slanderer, nor a slanderer less malicious than the devil: for to have themselves thought as good as any other, they will not have any thought good that dwells near them. He is to be suspected as scarce honest, that would with a slander make us to suspect another as dishonest: the worst of tame beasts, is the flatterer; and the worst of wild beasts, is the slanderer.  
I Admire with reverence the justice and wisdom of the laws, but deplore with compassion the abused practice of them; and resolve rather to bear with patience a hail-shower of injuries, than to seek shelter at such a thicket, where the brambles shall pluck off my fleece, and do me more hurt by scratching, than the storm would have done by hailing. That physic is not to be chosen, which makes the remedy worse than the disease.  
TO be good, is now thought too near a way to contempt. He that lives virtuously and piously, the world commonly hates, and his reputation shall be traduced by the ignominious aspersion of malevolent tongues. None can scape the Lash of Censure. He that is never so profuse and vicious, shall be loved of some, though not of the best. A supposed honest man found lewd, is hated as a grown Monster. Private sins are often punished with public shame: for sin is a concealed fire, that even in darkness will so work, as to bewray itself. 'Tis impossible to have every ones good word, because howsoever we carry ourselves, some cynics will bark at our courses. I had rather live hated for goodness, than be loved for vice: he does better that pleaseth one good man, than he that contents a thousand bad ones. I care not for his friendship that affects not virtue, since it must needs be partly feigned: for diversities breed nothing but disunion, and sweet congruity only is the Mother of true Love.  
VIce is an infallible forerunner of wretchedness. All our dishonest actions are but Earnests laid down for grief, anguish, or confusion. Sin on the best condition brings repentance; but for sin unrepented is provided Hell. He is in the highest degree of madness, that desires to buy his vexation. We should force ourselves to want that willingly, which we cannot enjoy without future distaste. The Bee chooseth rather to go to the flower of the field for Honey, where she may lade her thighs securely, and with leisure, than to the apothecary's shop, where she gets more, but makes her life hazardable.  
WOrks without faith, are like a fish without water; in which, though there may seem to be some quick actions of life, and symptoms of agility, yet they are indeed but the forerunners of their end, and the very presages of death. Faith again without works, is like a Bird without wings; who, though she may hop with her companions here on Earth, yet living till the world's end, she'll never fly to Heaven: When both are joined together, then doth the soul mount up to the Hill of eternal Rest. Faith is the foundation, good works the structure: the foundation without the walls, is of slender value; the building without a Basis, cannot stand. We should first labour for a sure foundation, saving faith; but equally seek for strong walls, good works: for as the house is judged by the edifice, more than by the foundation; so not according to his faith, but according to his works, shall God judge man.  
HE lives truly after death, whose pious actions are his pillars of remembrance; though his flesh moulders to dross in the grave, yet is his happiness in a perpetual growth: no day but adds some grains to his heap of glory. Good works are seeds, that after sowing return us a continual harvest. A virtuous man shining in the purity of a righteous life, is as a light house set by the Sea side, whereby the Mariners both sail aright, and avoid danger: But he that lives in noted sins, is as a false lantern, which shipwracks those that trust it; or like one dying of the Plague, who leaves an infection to the whole city. Doubtless he runs a woeful course, that lives lewdly, and dies without repentance.  
Secrecy is a necessary part of policy; divulged intentions seldom proceed well: Things untold, are yet undone; Than to say nothing, there is not a less labour. The figtree, whose fruit is most sweet, blooms not at all, whereas the Sallow, that hath glorious palms, is continually found barren. We should first be so wise, as to be our own counsellors; and next so secret, as to be our own counsell-keepers.  
IT falls out oft in this world, that God's people are like Israel at the Red Sea, environed with dangers on all sides; and are then like poor Hagar, who when the bottle of water was spent, fell a crying, when there was a fountain close by, but her tears hindered her from seeing it. When things go ill with us in our Trades and Callings, and all is spent, than our spirits droop, and we are at our wit's end, as if God were not where he was. God will never forsake them that are his; his eyes are open, to look upon their condition; his ears are open to their prayers; a book of Remembrance is written, of all their good desires, speeches, and actions: he hath Bottles for all their tears, their very sighs are not hid from him, he hath written them upon the palms of his hand, and cannot but continually look upon them.  
TRue Religion consists in the outward duty and the inward man joined together: What the heart doth not in Religion, is not done: an empty title will bring an empty comfort at the last: it was cold comfort to the rich man in flames, that Abraham called him son; or to Judas, that Christ called him Friend: God cares for no retainers, that will only wear his livery, but serve themselves.  
THe price of the pearl is not known till all else be sold, and we see the necessary use of it: and the worth of God in Christ is never discerned, till we see our lost and undone condition without him; till Conscience flies in our faces, and drags us to the brink of Hell: then, if ever, we taste how good the Lord is, and will say, Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.  
IF Christians regenerate truly knew the power they have in Heaven and Earth, nothing would discourage them, neither were any thing able to stand against them: It is no wonder that Faith should overcome the world, if it overcome Him that made the world. God is content to be out-wrestled and overpowered by a spirit of Faith, as in Jacob and the woman of Canaan. Where unbelief is, it binds up God's power; but where Faith is, there it is between the soul and God (as betwixt Iron and the Loadstone) a present closing and drawing of one to the other.  
IF we be careful to preserve communion with God, we shall be sure to find in him whatsoever we deny for him; Honour, Riches, Pleasures, Friends, all: so much the sweeter, by how much we have them more immediately from the springhead. We shall never find God to be our God more, than when for making of Him to be so, we suffer any thing for his sake.  
IF God should bestow his mercies upon us unasked, we would forget them, and his hand would not be acknowledged in them. What blessings we win by prayer, we wear with thankfulness; and those we get without prayer, we commonly spend and use, without any lifting up of the heart to God, in praising him for the same: All God's Treasures are locked up to such as do not call upon his Name; Prayer opens the door to them all, and is effectual to furnish us with those we have occasion to use.  
I Have seen some as happy as the world could make them, but never any more discontented: for at the best they were but as a good day between two Agues, or a sunshine between two tempests: It is no great happiness, to have lost mirth, and found wealth; in which case, all we can boast of is, at once to have ceased to be merry and poor. When Satan tempts us to any evil, with All these will I give thee; we should repulse him with Saint Peter's answer, Thy Silver and thy Gold perish with thee.  
MAny had been greater, had they cared to be better: It is just, to be crossed in what we would, when we will not what we ought. Those that honour me, I will honour: It is an high favour, to have grace to honour God: but because men honour God as a duty, that therefore God should honour men, is to give, because he hath given. It is a favour of God, that Man is honoured of Man like himself; but that God allows of our endeavours as honour to himself, is a greater favour than that wherewith he requites it.  
Flattery and treachery is but one Vice, though dressed in two sundry suits of evil: treachery aims at the blood, flattery at the virtues of Princes: That takes them from others, This bereaves them of themselves; That, in spite of the actors, doth but change a crown, This steals it from them forever: So that it had been better for some great ones not to have been, than to have been in their own conceits more than men.  
God's charges are oft times harsh in the beginnings and proceedings; but in the conclusion, always comfortable. True spiritual comforts are commonly late, and sudden: God defers on purpose, that our trials may be perfect, our deliverance welcome, our recompense glorious. Isaac had never been so precious to his father, had he not been recovered from death: Abraham had never been so blessed in his Seed, had he not neglected Isaac for God. The only way to find comfort in earthly things, is to surrender them with a faithful carefulness into the hands of God. I would not do that wilfully which Jacob did weakly, on condition of a Blessing: He that pardoned his infirmity, would curse my obstinateness; I love his Blessing, but I hate his lie.  
bless me also (my Father) saith Esau: Every miscreant can wish himself well; no man would be miserable, if it were enough to desire happiness. He should have wept rather to his Brother for the Pottage, than to Isaac for a Blessing: if he had not sold, he had not needed now to buy. It is just with God, to deny us those favours which we were careless in keeping, and which we undervalved in enjoying.  
IAcob wrestled, and wrenched his thigh. It is a favour to halt from God; yet this favour is seconded with a greater: he is blessed, because he would rather halt than leave ere he was blessed. That man may go away sound, but miserable, that loves a limb more than a Blessing. Surely, if Jacob had not wrestled with God, he had been foiled with Evils.  
A Christian is a Man of another World, and here from home; which he would forget, if he were not exercised here, and would take his passage for his country. But though all Christians agree, and meet in this, That through many afflictions we must enter into Heaven; yet according to the diversity of place, parts, and grace, there is a different Cup measured to every one.  
SAtan is all for casting down: he was not ashamed to set upon Christ himself with this temptation, and thinks Christ's members never low enough, until he can bring them as low as himself. But God is often nearest to his children, when he seemeth farthest off: In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen. God is with them, and in them, though the wicked be not aware of it; even as the moon, at what time it is least visible to us, is then nearest the sun.  
HE that shuneth labour, procureth trouble. An unemployed life is a burden to itself. God is a pure At, always working, always doing: and the nearer our soul comes to God, the more it is in action, and the freer from disquiet. Men experimentally feel that comfort, in doing what belongs unto them, which before they longed for, and went without.  
WE ought not to be overhasty in censuring others, when we see their spirits out of temper: Many things work strongly upon the weak nature of man; and we may sin more by harsh censure, than they by overmuch distemper: as in jobs case, which was a matter rather of just grief and pity, than great wonder or heavy censure.  
IN all our troubles we should look first home to our own hearts, & stop the storm there: for we may thank our own selves, not only for our troubles, but likewise for overmuch troubling ourselves in trouble: if we will prevent casting down, let us prevent grief, the cause of it; and sin, the cause of that.  
A Dejected man is indisposed to good duties; it makes him like an Instrument out of tune, like a Body out of joint, that moveth both uncomely and painfully: It unfits him to duties towards God, who loves both a cheerful giver and receiver. Dejectedness makes a man forgetful of all former blessings, and stops the influence of God's grace for the time present, and that to come: it makes us unfit to receive mercies. A quiet soul is the seat of wisdom: therefore meekness is required, in receiving of that engrafted Word which is able to save our souls. It is ill sowing in a storm: A stormy spirit will not suffer the Word to take place. Men are deceived, that think a dejected spirit to be an humbled spirit: yet it is so, when we are cast down in the sense of our own unworthiness; and then as much raised, in the confidence of God's mercy.  
SAtan hath never more advantage than upon discontent, it disposeth us for entertaining any Temptation: It damps the spirits of those that walk the same way with us; when as we should as good travellers cheer up one another both by word and example. In such a case the wheels of the soul are taken off, or as it were want oil, whereby it passeth on very heavily, and no good action comes off from it as it should, which breeds not only uncomfortableness, but unsettledness in good courses: for a man will never go on comfortably and constantly in that which he heavily undertakes. So much as we are quiet and cheerful, so much we live, and are as it were in Heaven: so much as we yield to discouragements, we lose so much of our life and happiness: cheerfulness being as it were the life of our lives, and the spirit of our spirits, by which they are more enlarged to receive happiness, and to express it.  
THere is an art or skill in bearing troubles, without overmuch troubling ourselves: As in bearing of a burden, there is away so to poise it, that it weigheth not over-heavy: if it hang all on one side, it poiseth the body down: The greater part of our troubles we pull upon ourselves, by not parting our care so, as to take upon us only the care of duty, and leave the rest to God: and by mingling our passions with our crosses, and like a foolish Patient, chewing the Pills which we should swallow down.  
WHy should we dwell too much upon grief, when we ought to remove the soul higher. We are nearest neighbours unto ourselves: when we suffer grief like a Canker to eat into the soul, and like a fire in the bones, to consume the marrow, and drink up the spirits, we are accessary to the wrong done both to our bodies and souls; we waste our own Candle, and put out our own Light.  
IN great fires men look first to their jewels, and then to their Lumber: No jewel is so precious, no possession so rich as the soul. The account for our own souls, and the souls of others, is the greatest account; and therefore the care of souls should be the greatest care.  
A Godly man's comforts and grievances are hid from the world; natural men are strangers to them. If we be troubled with the distempers of our hearts, it is a ground of comfort unto us, that our spirits are ruled by a higher Spirit; and that there is a principle of that life in us, which cannot brook the most secret corruption, but rather casts it out by an holy complaint, as strength of Nature doth poison, which seeks its destruction. He wants spiritual life, that is not at all disquieted: he abates the vigour and liveliness of his life, that is overmuch disquieted.  
A Burning Ague is more hopeful than a lethargy; so is he that feels too much, more happy than he that feels not at all: for he in all his jollity, is but as a book fairly bound, beautiful to the eye while it is shut; but being opened, is full of nothing but Tragedies: despair to such, is the beginning of comfort; trouble, the beginning of peace. A storm is the way to a calm, and Hell the way to Heaven: 'Tis fit that sin contracted by joy, should be dissolved by grief. A Christian should neither be a dead Sea, nor a raging Sea. Affections are never well ordered, but when they are fit to have communion with God; to love, joy, trust, and delight in him above all things: for they are the inward movings of the soul, which then move best, when they move us to God, not from him.  
A carnal man is like a Spring corrupted, that cannot work itself clear, because it is wholly tainted; his eye and light is darkness, and therefore no wonder if he seeth nothing. Sin lieth upon his understanding, and hinders the knowledge of itself; it lies close upon the will, and hinders the striving against itself. That which a carnal man doth for by-ends and reasons, the godly man doth from a new Nature; which if there were no Law to compel, yet it would move him to that which is pleasing to Christ.  
WE cannot say, This or that trouble shall not befall; yet we may by help of the Spirit say, Nothing that doth befall, shall make me do that which is unworthy of a Christian. If we expect the worst, when it comes, it is no more than we thought of: if better befalls us, than it is the sweeter to us, the less we expected it.  
IN the uncertainty of all events here, we should labour to frame that contentment in and from our own selves, which the things themselves will not yield: frame peace, by freeing our hearts from too much fear; and riches, by freeing our hearts from covetous desires: frame a sufficiency out of contentedness. If the soul itself be out of tune, outward things will do no more good than a fair shoe to a gouty foot. A man shall never live quietly, that hath not learned to be set light by of others. He that is little in his own eyes, will not be troubled to be little in the eyes of others. Men that set too high a price upon themselves, when others will not come to their price are discontent.  
THe state of our souls ought carefully to be looked unto. What a shame is it, that so swift and nimble a Spirit as the soul is, that can mount up to Heaven, and from thence come down into the Earth in an instant, should, whilst it looks over all other things, overlook itself, and be ignorant of its own estate? What we are afraid to do before men, we should be afraid to think before God. If we cannot prevent wicked thoughts, yet we may deny them lodging in our hearts: No sin but is easier kept out than driven out. Little risings neglected, cover the soul before we are aware.  
AS in prosperity God mingles some crosses, to diet us; so in all crosses, there is something to comfort us. As there is a vanity lies hid in the best worldly good, so there is a blessing lies hid in the worst worldly evil. God usually maketh up that with some advantage in another kind, wherein we are inferior to others; and deserving nothing, we should be content with any thing.  
IT is no self seeking, when we care for no more than that, without which we cannot comfortably serve God. And because some enlargement of condition is that estate wherein we are best able to do good in, we may in the use of means lawfully desire it.  
THe disorders of the soul were not natural, in regard of the first Creation; but since the Fall, they are become natural. Adam's person first corrupted our Nature; and Nature being corrupted, corrupts our persons; and our persons being corrupted, increase the corruption of Nature, by custom of sinning, which is another Nature in us. As a stream, the farther it runs from the Spring head, the more it enlargeth its channel, by the running of lesser Rivers into it, until it empties itself into the Sea: so corruption, till it be overtopped with grace, swelleth bigger and bigger.  
Men's hearts tell them, they might rule their desires, if they would: foretell a man of any Dish which he liketh, That there is poison in it, and he will not meddle with it. So tell him, that death is in that sin which he is about to commit, and he will abstain, if he believe it to be so: if he believe it not, it is his voluntary unbelief and atheism.  
WEre it not that God, partly by his power suppresseth, and partly by his grace subdueth the disorders of man's nature, for the good of society, and the gathering of a Church upon Earth, corruption would swell to that excess, that it would overturn and confound all things, together with itself. For although there be a common corruption that cleaves to the nature of all men in general, as men, (as distrust in God, self-love, a carnal and worldly disposition, &c.) yet God so ordereth it, that in some there is an ebb and decrease; in others (God justly leaving them to themselves) a flow and increase of sinfulness, even beyond the bounds of ordinary corruption; whereby they become worse than themselves, either like beasts in sensuality, or like Devils in spiritual wickedness, Lord circumcise our hearts, and wash us with clean water; write thy Law within us, and give us thy holy Spirit when we beg it, that it may be a never-fading Spring of all holy thoughts, desires, and endeavours in us, subduing the seed of the Serpent, and drying up the issue and spring of our corrupt nature.  
MAny, out of a misconceit, think that Corruption is greatest, when they feel it most; whereas indeed, the less we see it, and lament it, the more it is. Sighs and groans of the soul, are like the pores of the body, out of which, in diseased persons, sick humours break forth, and so become less. Upon every discovery and conflict, Corruption loses some ground, and Grace gains upon it. The Doctrine of the cross hath the cross always following it, which corrupt imagination counteth the most odious and bitter thing in the World; whereas indeed it is the chief course which God takes, in bringing men to Heaven.  
IT is an evidence that a man lives more to Opinion than Conscience, when his grief is more, for being disappointed of outward good things, than for his miscarriage towards God. It mars all in Religion, when we go about heavenly things with earthly affections, and seek not Christ in Christ, but the World. Imagination is apt to breed false fears, and false fear brings true vexation.  
WE should not bring God down to our imaginations, but raise our imaginations up to God: for by forging matter out of itself without ground, the imaginary grievances of our lives are more than the real. Many good men are in a long dream of misery, and many bad men in as long a dream of happiness, till the time of awaking come; and all because they are too much led by appearances.  
A natural man is ever weaving Spiders webs, or hatching Cockatrices eggs; that is, his heart is exercised either in vanity or mischief: for not only the frame of the heart, but what the heart frameth, is evil continually. Every other creature is naturally carried to that which is helpful unto it; only Man is in love with his own bane, and fights for those lusts that fight against his soul.  
Idleness is the hour of temptation, wherein Satan joins with our imagination, and sets it about his own work, to grind his grief; for the soul, as a Mill, either grinds that which is put into it, or else works upon itself.  
THe ministering of some excellent thought, from what we hear or see, often proves a great advantage of spiritual good to the soul. Whilst S. Austin, out of curiosity desired to hear the eloquence of S. Ambrose, he was taken with the matter itself, sweetly sliding together with the words, into his heart.  
SOme conceit, they may embrace Christ, without his cross; and lead a godly life, without persecution: They would pull a Rose, without pricks: But though it may stand with their own base ends for a time, yet will it not hold out in times of change, when sickness of body, and trouble of mind shall come: empty conceits are too weak to encounter with real griefs.  
IT is a strong argument, that the Spirit hath set up a kingdom and order in our hearts, when our spirits rise within us against any thing which lifts itself up against goodness.  
THere is nothing that more moveth a godly man to renew his interest every day in the perfect righteousness and obedience of his Saviour than the sinful stirrings of his soul, when he finds something in himself always enticing and drawing away his heart from God, and intermingling itself with his best performances.  
WE may with better leave use all the comforts which God hath given, to refresh us in the way to Heaven, than refuse them. The care of the outward man binds Conscience so far, as that we should neglect nothing which may help us, in a cheerful serving of God, in our places, and tend to the due honour of our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Ghost, and companions of our souls in all performances: but the intemperate use of the creatures, is the Nurse of all passions; because our spirits, which are the souls instruments, are hereby inflamed and disturbed; and it is no wonder, to see an intemperate man transported into any passion.  
SAtan and his instruments, by bewitching the imagination with false appearances, misleadeth not only the world, but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world, whose estate is laid up safe in Christ: Who notwithstanding pass their few days here, in an uncomfortable, wearisome, and unnecessary sadness of spirit; being kept in ignorance of their happy condition, by Satan's juggling, and their own mistakes, and so come to Heaven before they are aware. Some again pass their days in a golden dream, and drop into Hell before they think of it.  
AS the distemper of fancy disturbing the act of Reason, oftentimes breeds madness, in regard of civil conversation; so it breeds likewise spiritual madness, carrying men to those things, which if they were in their right wits, they would utterly abhor.  
MEn whose Wills are stronger than their Wits, who are wedded to their own ways, are more pleased to hear that which complyes with their inclinations, than a harsh truth, which crosses them; this presageth ruin, because they are not counsellable: Wherefore God suffers them to be led through a fool's Paradise, to a true Prison; as men that will neither hear themselves, nor others, who would do them good against their wills.  
WHat an unworthy thing is it, that we should pity a beast overloaden, and yet take no pity of a Brother? Whereas there is no living member of Christ, but hath spiritual love infused into him, and some ability to comfort others. Dead stones in an Arch uphold one another, and shall not living? After Love hath once kindled love, than the heart being melted, is fit to receive any impression. Unless both pieces of the Iron be red hot, they will not join together: two spirits warmed with the same heat, will easily solder together.  
AS God loves not empty hands, so he measures fullness, not by the hand, but the heart: A widow's Mite is preferred before the temple's Treasure, by Him who never asks how great, but how good our offerings are.  
GOod fellowship doth no way so well, as in our passage to Heaven: Many sticks laid together, make a good fire; which being single, lose both their light and heat.  
REmove the beam from thine own, if thou wilt clearly see the mote in thy brother's eye: first learn, then teach. He gathers, that hears; he spends, that speaketh: and if we spend before we gather, we may soon prove bankrupt.  
THe Devil alleged Scripture, to tempt our Saviour; and therefore no marvel though hypocrites make a fair show, to deceive with a glorious lustre of holiness, since we see from whence they have it. No devil is so dangerous as the Religious devil, which turns the Tables of God into traps to catch souls.  
SAtan makes the ruggedest way seem smooth, while we tread in his paths: but turn thy feet unto holiness, he blocks up the way with temptation. For never man endeavoured a common good, without opposition; and 'tis a sign the work is holy, and the Agent faithful, when he meets with strong affronts.  
SOmetimes the world under-rates him, that finds reason to set an high price upon himself: Sometimes again it over-values a man, that knows just cause of his own humiliation. If others mistake us, this can be no warrant for our error. We cannot be wise, unless we receive the knowledge of ourselves by direct beams, not by reflection: unless we have learned to condemn unjust applauses, & scorning the world's flattery, frown on our own vileness, with, Lord, I am not worthy.  
GOd gives to his poor conscionable servants a kind of reverence and respect, even from those men that malign them most, so as they cannot but venerate whom they hate: contrariwise, no wit nor power can shield a lewd man from contempt; for the wise providence of God commonly pays us with our own choice: So that when we think we have brought about our own ends, to our best content, we bring about his purposes, to our own confusion.  
HErod had so much Religion, to make scruple of an Oath, though not of a murder. No man casts off all justice and piety at once; but whilst he gives himself over to some sins, he stops at others. It was Lust that carried Herod into murder. The proceedings of sin are more hardly avoided than the entrance: who so gives himself leave to be wicked, knows not where he shall stay.  
Our hoodwinked progenitors would have no eyes, but in the heads of their ghostly Fathers; and we are so quick-sighted in our own eyes, that we pity the blindness of our able Teachers. It is the boldness of Nature, upon an Inch given, to challenge an Ell: for finding ourselves graced with some ability, we straight flatter ourselves with a faculty of more.  
IT hath ever been God's wont, by small Precepts to try man's obedience; which is so much the more, as the thing required is less: he'll try thee with a trifle, before he trust thee with a talon; and obedience ever meets a blessing.  
IT is most seasonable in our worst, to think of our best estate: for both that thought will be best digested, when we are well; and that change best prepared for, when farthest from us.  
HOw indulgent is the wicked rich man, in studying his own misery: Famine is his food, and toil his recreation; Cares are his cheers, and Torment his glory. He remembers not, that his wealth hath wings, which plucked or cut, fly away: or that his soul hath so: but, Thou fool, this night, and it flies from thy Riches to Hell.  
I Like silent speaking well, when our actions supply the office of our tongue. Give me the Christian that's more seen than heard; for a loud tongue and a silent hand never escapes the brand of an hypocrite.  
SAtan hath most advantage in solitariness, and therefore sets upon Christ in the wilderness, and upon Eve single; and it is added to the glory of Christ's victory, that he overcame him in a single combat, and in a place of such advantage. Wherefore, those that will be alone, (being cast down by any spiritual temptation) do as much as in them lieth, tempt the Tempter himself to tempt them.  
AS we ought not to reject the comfort of our friends in adversity, so should we not build too much upon human comforts: Men being at the best, but Conduits of comfort, and such as God freely conveyeth comfort by; taking liberty often to deny comfort by them, that so he may be acknowledged the God of all comfort.  
WE must not go to the Surgeon for every scratch: opening of our estates to others is not good, but when it is necessary; and it is not necessary, when we can fetch supply from our own store: For God would have us tender of our reputations, except in some special cases, wherein we are to give him the glory, by a free and full confession.  
A Wicked man, beaten out of earthly comforts, is as a naked man in a storm, and an unarmed man in the field; or as a ship tossed in the Sea, without an Anchor, which presently dasheth upon Rocks, or falleth upon quicksands. But a Christian, when he is driven out of all comforts below, nay, when God seems to be angry with him; he can appeal from God angry, to God appeased; he can wrestle and strive with God, by God's own strength; fight with him with his own weapons, and plead with him by his own arguments, till he obtain the comfort he desireth.  
IT is an infallible rule of discerning a man to be in the state of Grace, when he finds every condition draw him nearer unto God: For thus it appears, that such love God, and are called of him, unto whom all things work together for the best. Grace dormant without exercise, doth not secure us. The soul without action, is like an instrument not played upon, or like a ship always in the haven. Even life itself is made more lively by action: and by stirring up the grace of God in us, sparkles come to be flames, and all graces are kept bright.  
WHen the soul suffers itself by something here below to be drawn away from God, 'tis his mercy tous, that we should find nothing but trouble & unquietness in any thing else, that so we might remember from whence we are fallen, and return home again: and it is a good trouble that frees us from the greatest trouble, and brings with it the most comfortable rest. The soul naturally sinks downwards, and therefore had need to be often wound up: but after that God's spirit hath touched the soul, it will rather be quiet till it stands pointed Godward; in whom there is both worth to satisfy, and strength to support it. If we resolve in God's power, and not our own, and be strong in the Lord, and not in ourselves, than it matters not what our troubles or temptations be, either from within or without: for Trust in God at length will triumph.  
GRace, like oil will ever be above: and though the soul be overborne with passion for a time, yet if grace have once truly seasoned it, it will work itself into freedom again. The eye, when any dust falls into it, is not more tender and unquiet till it be wrought out again, than a gracious soul being once troubled: The spirit, as a spring, will be cleansing itself more and more; whereas the heart of a carnal man is like a standing pool, whatsoever is cast into it, there it rests: trouble and disquietness in him are in their proper place: It is proper for the sea to rage and cast up dirt: and God hath set it down for an eternal rule, That vexation and sin shall be inseparable.  
IF Man withdraw himself from God's gracious government of him to happiness, he will soon fall under God's just government of him to deserved misery: If he shakes off God's sweet yoke, he puts himself under Satan's heavy yoke, who as God's Executioner hardens him to destruction; and so while he rushes against God's will, he fulfils it, and whilst he will not willingly do God's will, God's will is done upon him against his will.  
FOr settling our Faith the more, God taketh liberty in using weak means to great purposes, and setteth aside more likely and able means; yet sometimes he altogether disableth the greatest means, and worketh often by no means at all. Nay God often bringeth his will to pass by crossing the course and stream of means, to show his own sovereignty, & to exercise our dependence.  
THere is nothing so high, that is above God's providence; nothing so low that is beneath it. Nothing so large, but is bounded by it. Nothing so confused, but God can order it. Nothing so bad, but he can draw good out of it. Nothing so wisely plotted, but God can disappoint it; as Achitophel's counsel: nothing so weakly carried, but he can give a prevailing issue unto it. Nothing so natural, but he can suspend its operation, as heavy burdens from sinking, fire from burning, &c.  
WHere a fearful spirit, & a melancholy temper, a weak judgement and a scrupulous conscience meet in one, there Satan and his, together with men's own hearts, (which like Sophisters are continually cavilling amongst themselves,) work much disquiet, and makes the life uncomfortable. But in this case, we should wholly resign ourselves up unto God, with David's words: Here I am, let the Lord deal with me as seemeth good unto him. For God oft wraps himself in a cloud, and will not be seen till afterward. Where we cannot trace him, we ought with Saint Paul to admire and adore him; for all God's dealings will appear beautiful in their due season, though we for the present see not the contiguity and linking together of one thing with another.  
NOthing should displease us that pleaseth God, neither should any thing be pleasing to us that displeaseth him. A godly man in all estates and conditions, says Amen, to God's Amen, and puts his fiat and placet to Gods. As the sea turns all rivers into his own relish, so he turns all to his own spirit, and makes whatsoever befalls him, an exercise of some virtue. Thus he enjoys heaven, in the world under heaven: and God's kingdom comes, where his will is thus done and suffered.  
AS beasts that cannot endure the yoke at the first, after they are enured a while unto it, bear it willingly, and carry their work more easily by it: So the yoke of obedience makes the life regular and quiet. The meeting of authority and obedience together, main- the order and peace of the world.  
SAlvation comes to be sure unto us, whilst by Faith looking to God's promises, (and to God himself freely offering grace therein) the soul resigns up itself to God, making no further question from any unworthiness of its own: for doubtless he will make good whatever he hath promised for the comfort of his children. And what greater assurance can there be, than for Being itself to lay its being to pawn? and for Life itself to lay life to pawn? and all to comfort a poor soul. By the bare word of God it is alone, that the Covenant of day and night, and the preservation of the world from any further overflowings of waters, continueth: which if it should fail, yet his Covenant with his people should abide firm for ever, though the whole frame of nature were dissolved.  
GOd (simply considered) is not all our happiness, but God as trusted in; and Christ as we are made one with him. The soul cannot so much as touch the hem of Christ's garment, but it shall find virtue coming from him to sanctify and settle it: God in Christ is full of all that is good: when the soul is emptied, enlarged and opened by Faith, to receive goodness offered, there must needs follow sweet satisfaction.  
NOne can know the truth of God, so as to build upon it, but by the Truth itself, and the spirit revealing it by its own light to the soul. And that soul which hath felt the power of truth, in casting it down and raising it up again, will easily be brought to rest upon it. We must apprehend the love of God and the fruits of it, as better than life itself, and then choosing and cleaving to the same will soon follow. Perfect faith dares put the hardest cases to its soul, and then set God against all that may befall it. There is no readier way to fall, than to trust equally to two stays, whereof one is rotten, and the other sound: God will be trusted alone, or not at all: those that trust to other things with God, trust not him, but upon pretence to carry their double minds with less check.  
WHen the darkness of the night is thickest, than the morning begins to dawn: deep extremities are to the wicked a ground of utter despair; but to him that is acquainted with the ways of God they are a rise of exceeding comfort: for infinite power and goodness can never be at a loss; neither can Faith, which looks to that, ever be at a stand: in a hopeless estate a Christian will see some door of hope opened, because God is ever nearest to us, when we stand most in need of him. God's truth and goodness is unchangeable, he never leaves those that trust in him.  
AS God commands us to trust him in doing good, so should we commit our souls to him in well-doing, and trust him when we are about his own works, and not in the works of darkness: we may safely expect God in his ways of mercy, when we are in his ways of obedience.  
THe heart is never drawn to any sinful vanity, or frighted with any terror of trouble: till faith first loseth the sight and estimation of divine things, and forgets the necessity and excellency of them: when the great things of God are brought into the heart by faith, what is there in the whole world that can outbid them. Faith preserves the chastity of the soul, and cleaving to God is a spiritual debt which it oweth him: whereas cleaving to the Creature, is spiritual adultery.  
WE cast away flowers after once we have had the sweetness of them, because there is not still a fresh supply of sweetness in them: whatever comfort is in the creature, the soul will spend quickly, and look still for more, whereas the comfort we have in God is undefiled, and fadeth not away. Outward things are only so far forth good, as we do not trust in them. Thorns may be touched, but not rested on, for than they will pierce: we must not set our hearts upon those things, which are never evil to us but when we set our hearts upon them.  
WHere affections to any thing below get much strength in the soul, it will by little and little be so overgrown, that there will be no place left in it either for Object or Art, God, or Trust in him, which is (as it were) the mother root and great vein, whence the exercise of all graces have their beginning and strength. An heir doubts not but his father will provide him food and nourishment, and give him breeding suitable to his future condition. It is a vain pretence to believe that God will give us Heaven, and yet leave us to shift for ourselves in the way.  
PLants move not from place to place, because they find nourishment where they stand: but living creatures seek abroad for their food, and to that end have a power of moving from place to place; and this is the reason why trust is expressed by going to God with an humble boldness, which carries the soul out of in self, to rely wholly upon his all-sufficiency.  
THose that take liberty in things they either know or doubt will displease God, show they want the fear of God, & the want of fear shows their want of dependency, and therefore want of trust. Dependency is always very respective, it studieth contentment, and care to comply: and therefore he that commits his soul to God to save, will commit his soul to God to sanctify and guide in a way of well pleasing. Not only the tame, but the most savage creatures will be at the beck of those that feed them, though they are ready to fall violently upon others: Disobedience therefore is against the Principles of Nature.  
GOd can convey himself more comfortably to us when he pleaseth, without means, than by means: and true Trust, as it sets God highest in the soul, so in dangers and wants it hath present recourse to him (as the coneys to the rocks) patiently waiting his leisure: for God seldom makes any promise to his children, but he exerciseth their trust in waiting long before, as Abraham for a son, David for a kingdom, the whole world for Christ's coming, &c.  
A Ship that lies at anchor may be something tossed, but yet it still remains so fastened, that it cannot be carried away by wind or weather: the soul after it hath cast anchor upon God, may be disquieted a while, but this unsettling tends to a deeper settling: the more we believe, the more we are established: Faith is an establishing grace, by faith we stand, and stand fast, and are able to withstand whatsoever opposeth us: for what can stand against God, upon whose truth and power faith relies.  
IT requires a great deal of self-denial, to bring a soul either swelling with carnal confidence, or sinking by fear and distrust, to lie level upon God, and cleave fast to him: Square will lie fast upon square, but our hearts are so full of unevenness, that God hath much ado to square our hearts sit for him; notwithstanding the soul hath no true rest without this.  
A spirit set in tune, and assisted by a higher spirit, will stand out against ordinary assaults, but when God (who is God of the spirits of all flesh) shall seem contrary to our spirits, we shall then find small relief elsewhere. Needs must the soul be in a woeful plight, when God seems not only to be absent from it, but an enemy to it.  
SIn is nothing so sweet in the committing, as it is heavy and bitter in the reckoning. There is not the stoutest man breathing, but if God set his conscience against him, it will pull him down and lay him flat, and fill him with such inward terrors, that he shall be more afraid of himself than of all the world beside.  
THere is something in the very greatness of sin, that may encourage us to go to God: for the greater our sins are, the greater the glory of his powerful mercy in pardoning will appear. The great God delights to show his greatness in the greatest things, he delighteth in mercy, it pleaseth him, nothing so well, as being his chief Name. His mercy is not only above his own works, but above ours also: if we could sin more than he could pardon, than we might have some reason to despair. Despair is a high point of Atheism, it takes away God and Christ both at once. Judas in betraying our Saviour was occasion of his death as man: but in despairing he did what lay in him to take away his life as God. Wherefore we should never think the door of hope to be shut against us, if we have a purpose to turn unto God. Invincible mercy will never be conquered; and endless goodness never admits of bounds or ends. If Christ be the physician, it is no matter of how long continuance the disease be: he is good at all diseases, and will not endure the reproach of disability to cure any.  
AS in the sin against the holy Ghost, fear shows that we have not committed it: so a tender heart fearing lest the time of true repentance is past, shows plainly that it is not past. God is more willing to entertain us, than we are to cast ourselves upon him. As there is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness; as it is a living fountain of living water, that runs for ever, and can never be drawn dry.  
ALl men are not affected with a like sorrow for sin: God giveth some larger spirits, and so their sorrows become larger. Some upon quickness of apprehension, and the ready passages betwixt the brain and the heart, are quickly moved: where the apprehension is deeper, and the passages flower, there sorrow is long in working, and long in removing: the deepest waters have the stillest motion. Iron takes fire more slowly than stubble, but than it holds longer. It is fitter to leave it to God's wisdom to mingle the portion of sorrow, than to be our own choosers.  
IF we grieve that we cannot grieve, and so far as it is sin, make it our grief, it should not hinder us from going to Christ, but rather drive us to him: God delights not in our sorrow; if we could trust in him without much sorrow, than it would not be required: and though want of feeling be quite opposite to the life of grace: yet sensibleness of the want of feeling, shows some degree of the life of grace. When that which is wanting in grief for sin, is made up in fear of sinning, there is no great cause of complain of the want of grief: for this holy affection is the awe-band of the soul, whereby it is kept from starting from God and his ways. That measure of grief and sorrow is sufficient, which brings us and holds us to Christ.  
WE should grieve for our sins, and rejoice for our grief: and though we can neither love nor grieve, nor joy of ourselves as we should, yet are we often guilty in giving a check to the spirit, stirring these affections in us: which is the main cause of the many sharp afflictions we endure in this life, though God's Love in the main matter of salvation be most firm unto us.  
Grief is no farther good, than it makes way for joy: which caused our Saviour to join them together: Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted: it is one main end of God's leaving us in a sorrowful condition, that we may live and die by faith in the perfect righteousness of Christ, whereby we glorify God more, than if we had perfect righteousness of our own.  
Our corruptions are God's enemies, as well as ours: therefore in trusting to him, and fighting against them, we may be sure he will take our part in vanquishing them. The looking too much to the Anakim's and giants, and too little to God's omnipotency, shut the Israelites out of Canaan, and put God to his Oath, that they should never enter into his rest: And it will exclude our souls from happiness at length, if looking too much on these Anakim's or great corruptions within and without us, we basely despair, and give over the Field: what coward will nor fight, when he is sure of help and victory?  
THough God be of pure eyes, yet he looks upon us his poor Creatures, in him who is blameless, and without spot, who by virtue of his sweet smelling sacrifice appears for us in heaven, and mingles his odours with our services; and in him will God be known to us by the name of a kind Father, not only in pardoning our deserts, but accepting our endeavours.  
WHatsoever comfort we have in goods, friends, health, or other Blessings, it is all conveyed by God, who still remains, though these be taken from us: And we have him bound in many promises for all that is needful for us: we may sue him upon his own bond. Can we think that he who will give us a kingdom, will fail us in necessary provision to bring us thither, who himself is our portion.  
DEparture of friends should not be grievous unto us: A true believer is unto Christ as his Mother, Brother and Sister, because he carries that affection to them, as if they were so indeed to him. As Christ makes us all to him, so should we make him all in all to ourselves. If all comforts in the world were dead, we may enjoy them still in the living Lord.  
HEalth is at God's command, and sickness stays at his rebuke. The time of sickness is a time of purging from that defilement we gathered in out health, till we come purer out: which should move us the rather willingly to abide God's time. Blessed is that sickness that proves the health of the soul: we are best for most part when we are weakest. Then only it truly appears what good proficients we have been in the time of health.  
IN all kind of troubles, it is not the Ingredients that God puts into the cup, so much afflicts us, as the Ingredients of our distempered passions mingled with them. The sting and core of them all is sin: when that is not only pardoned, but in some measure healed, and the proud flesh eaten out, than a healthy soul will bear any thing: when the conscience is once set at liberty, we cheerfully undergo any burden. But it is a heavy condition to be under the burden of trouble, and under the burden of a guilty conscience both at once. When men will walk in the light of their own fire, and the sparks which they have kindled themselves, it is just with God that they should lie down in sorrow.  
IN all sorts of injuries which we suffer, we should commit our cause to the God of vengeance, & not meddle with his prerogative: he will revenge better than we can, and more perhaps than we desire. The wronged side is the safer side. If in stead of meditating revenge, we can so overcome ourselves as to pray for our enemies, and deserve well of them, we shall both sweeten our own spirits, and prevent a sharp temptation which we are prone unto, and have an undoubted argument, that we are sons of that Father that doth good to his enemies, and Members of that Saviour that prayed for his persecutors: and withal, by heaping coals upon our enemy's heads, we shall melt them either to conversion or confusion.  
We are not disquieted when we put off our clothes and go to bed, because we trust God's ordinary Providence to raise us up again: And why should we be disquieted when we put off our bodies, and sleep our last sleep: considering we are more sure to rise out of our graves, than out of our beds. Nay we are raised up already in Christ our Head, who is the Resurrection and the life; in whom we may triumph over death, that triumpheth over the greatest Monarchs, as a disarmed and conquered Enemy.  
THat which belongs to us in our calling, is care of discarging our duty: that which God takes upon him is assistance and good success in it. Let us do our work, and leave God to do his own. Diligence and trust in him is only ours, the rest of the burden is his. He stands upon his credit so much, that it shall appear we have not trusted him in vain, even when we see no appearance of doing any good. Peter fished all night & catched nothing: yet upon Christ's word casting in his net again, he caught so many Fish as broke it.  
Covetousness (when men will be richer than God will have them) troubles all, it troubles the house, the whole family, and the house within us, our precious soul, which should be a quiet house for God's Spirit to dwell in, whose Seat is a quiet Spirit. If men would follow Christ's method, and seek first the kingdom of Heaven, doubtless all other things should be cast upon them.  
GOd is nearest to us in troubles: when our enemies on earth conclude our utter overthrow, God is in Heaven concluding our glorious deliverance, usually after the lowest ebb, follows the highest springtide. Christ stands upon Mount Zion, and will work our raising by that very means by which our enemies seek to ruin us. There is no condition so ill, but there is balm in Gilead, Comfort in the God of Israel. The depths of misery are never beyond the depths of mercy. Natural men from the common light of Nature discovering there is a God, will in extremities run unto him: and God as the Author of Nature will sometimes hear them; as he doth the young Ravens that cry unto him. But comfortably and with assurance those only have a familiar recourse unto him, that have a sanctified suitable disposition unto God, as being well acquainted with Him. It is an excellent ground of sincerity, to desire the favour of God, not so much out of self-aimes, as that God may have the more free and full praise from us: considering the soul is never more fit for that blessed duty, than when it is in a cheerful plight.  
IF we seriously think of what is our Duty, God will surely think of what shall be for our Comfort: we shall feel God answering what we look for from Him, in doing what he expects from us. Can we have so mean thoughts of Him, that we should intend his glory, and he not much more intend our good. Yet many do grossly mistake, in taking God's curse for a blessing: To thrive in an ill way is a spiritual judgement, extremely hardening the heart. There can neither be grace nor wisdom in settling upon a course, wherein we can neither pray to God for success in, nor bless God when he gives it.  
WHen we are at the lowest, yet it is a mercy that we are not consumed: we are never so ill, but it might be worse with us: whatsoever is less than Hell is undeserved: and it is a matter praise worthy to God, that we yet have time and opportunity to get into a blessed Condition.  
THe Apostle thought it the first duty in affliction, to pray. Is any afflicted, let him pray: Is any joyful, let him sing psalms. Praising of God is then most comely, (though never out of season) when God seems to call for it by renewing the sense of his mercies in some fresh favours toward us. If a Bird will sing in Winter, much more in the Spring. If the heart be prepared in the winter time of adversity to praise God, how ready will it be when it is warmed with the glorious sunshine of his Favour.  
Our life is nothing but as it were a web woven with interminglings of wants and favours, crosses and blessings, standings and failings, combat and victory: therefore there should be a perpetual intercourse course of praying and praising in our hearts. We should often apply these generals of Holy-writ to ourselves, to stir up our hearts to praise God: He will never leave nor forsake us: he will be with us in fire and water: the issue of all things shall be for our good: we shall reap the quiet fruit of righteousness, and no good thing will he withhold from them that live a godly life. If we had a spirit of Faith, to apply such like general promises, we should see much of God's goodness in particular toward us. God promiseth the forgiveness of sin, and yet thou findest the burden thereof daily upon thee; nevertheless cheer up thyself, when the Morning is darkest, then comes day; after a weary week comes a Sabbath, and after a fight, victory will appear: we must endure the working of God's physic: when the sick humour is carried away and purged, than we shall enjoy desired health.  
PRaising of God may well be called, Incense: because as it is sweet in itself, and sweet to God, so it sweetens all that comes from us: we cannot love and joy in God, but he will delight in us; when we neglect the praising of God, we lose both the comforts of his Love and our own too. Our praising God should not be as sparks out of a flint, but as water out of a Spring, natural, ready, free, as God's Love to us: as Mercy pleaseth him, so should praises please us; For unthankfulness is a sin detestable both to God and man: and the less punishment it receives from human laws, the more it is punished inwardly by secret shame, and outwardly by public hatred, if once it prove notorious.  
THe living God is a living fountain, never drawn dry: he hath never done so much for us, but he can and will do more: If there be no end of our praises, there shall be no end of his goodness: by this means we are sure never to be very miserable: how can he be dejected, that by a sweet communion with God, sets himself in heaven? nay maketh his heart a kind of heaven, a Temple, a Holy of Holies, wherein Incense is offered unto God? A thankful heart to God for his Blessings is the greatest Blessing of all: But were it not for a few gracious souls, what Honour should God have of the rest of the unthankful world? which should stir us up the more to be Trumpets of God's Praises in the midst of his Enemies; because this (in some sort) hath a Prerogative above our praising him in Heaven: for there God hath no Enemies to dishonour him.  
GOd is Salvation itself, and nothing but Salvation: and though our sins for a time may stop the current of His Mercy, yet it being above all our sins, will soon scatter that cloud, remove that stop, and then we shall see and feel nothing but salvation from the Lord, all his ways are Mercy and Peace, to a repentant soul that casts itself upon him. We should not therefore so much look what destruction the devil and his threaten, as what salvation God promiseth. Canot he that hath vouchsafed an issue in Christ from eternal death, vouchsafe an issue from all temporal evils? He that brought us into trouble can easily make a way out of it when he pleaseth: this should be a ground of resolute and absolute obedience even in our greatest extremities; considering God will either deliver us from death, or by death, and at length out of death.  
CAinish hypocrites hang down their heads when God lifts up the countenance of their brethren: when the countenance of God's children clears up, than their enemy's hearts and looks are cloudy; Jerusalem's joy is Babylon's sorrow: It is with the Church and Her enemies as it is with a balance, the scales whereof when one is up, the other is down: The reason why wicked men gnash their teeth at the sight of God's gracious dealing, is, that they take the rise of God's children to be a presage of their ruin. Which lesson Haman's wife had learned.  
SAlvation is God's own work, humbling and casting down is his strange work, whereby he comes to his own work. For when he intends to save, he will seem to destroy first: whom he will revive, he will kill first. Grace and goodness countenanced by God, have a native inbred majesty in them, which maketh the face to shine, and borroweth not his lustre from without; which God at length will have to appear in its own likeness, howsoever malice may cast a veil thereon, and disguise it for a time.  
WHat comfort was it for Adam when he was shut out of Paradise, to look upon it after he had lost it: the more excellencies are in God, the more our grief if we have not our part in them: the very lifeblood of the gospel lies in a special application of particular mercy to ourselves, without which we can neither entertain the Love of God, nor return Love again; whereby we lose all the comfort God intends us in his Word, which of purpose was written for our solace and refreshment.  
PRetend not thy unworthiness and unability to keep thee off from God; for this is the way to keep thee so still. God bids us draw near to Him, and he will draw near to us. Whilst we in God's own ways draw near to Him, and labour to entertain good thoughts of Him, He will delight to show himself favourable unto us: whilst we are striving against an unbelieving heart, he will come in and help us, and so fresh light will come in. God alone must help us, and if ever he help us, it must be by casting ourselves upon him: for than he will reach out himself unto us, in the promise of mercy to pardon our sin, and in the promise of Grace, to sanctify our Natures.  
Spiritual Comforts in distress, such as the world can neither give nor take away, show that God looks upon the souls of his, with another eye than he beholdeth others: He sends a secret Messenger, that reports his peculiar Love to their hearts. He knows their souls, and feeds them with his hidden Manna: the inward peace they feel is not in freedom from trouble, but in freeness with God in the midst of trouble.  
SEchem had not sinned, if Dinah had not tempted him. Immodesty of behaviour makes way to Lust, and gives life unto wicked hopes. Lust commonly ends in loathing. But Sechem would salve up his sin with an honest satisfaction: but actions ill begun, are hardly salved up with late satisfaction; whereas good entrances give strength to the proceedings, and success to the end. Dinahs' brethren pretend Religion, (we cannot give our sister in marriage to an uncircumcised man:) here God is in the mouth, and Satan in the heart. A smiling malice is most deadly, and hatred doth most rankle the heart, when it is kept in and dissembled. Jacobs' sons think of nothing but revenge, and which is worst, begin their cruelty with craft, and end their craft with Religion. Bloodiest projects have ever wont to be thus coloured; for the worse any thing is, the better show it desires to make; and contrarily, the better colour is set upon vice, the more odious it makes it: for as every simulation adds to an evil, so the best adds most evil: Indeed filthiness should not have been wrought in Israel, nor should murder have been wrought by Israel: Cursed be their wrath, for it was fierce, and their rage, for it was cruel. To punish above the offence, is no less injustice than to offend: and to execute rigor upon a submiss offendor, is more merciless than just. The idle curiosity of Dinah bred all this mischief: what great evils arise from small beginnings? Ravishment follows her wandering; upon her ravishment, murder; and upon the murtner, spoil. It is holy and safe, to be jealous of the first occasions of evil, either done or suffered.  
IF Thamar had not put off her widow's apparel, Judah had not taken her for a whore: immodesty of outward fashion or gesture, bewrays evil desires: the heart that means well, will never wish to seem ill, for commonly we affect to show better than we are, and it is no trusting of those which wish not to appear good. Thamar's belly swells, and judah's heart swells with rage, Let her be burnt. How easy is it to detest those sins in others, which we flatter in ourselves? Even in the best men nature is partial in itself: it is good to sentence others frailties with the remembrance of our own: Judah no sooner sees the signals, but confesseth his shame; She is more righteous than I. God will find a time to bring his children upon their knees, and to wring from them penitent Confessions; and rather than he will not make them soundly ashamed, he will make them Trumpets of their own reproach. There is nothing more thankless or dangerous, than to stand in the way of a resolute sinner: that which doth correct and oblige the Penitent, makes the wilful mind furious and revengeful.  
Me thinks it is torment enough for the poor man to want, and yet I see every man ready to add to his affliction by neglect. Proud Haman was hanged, and poor Mordecai raised to his honour. There is no man so fixed in greatness, but may fall: nor any so low in misery, but may rise: why then should we slight any man's means, since we know not his destiny. Nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience as affliction: neither need we any other act of memory for sin, than misery.  
Actions salved up with a free forgiveness, are as not done: and as a bone once broke is stronger after well setting; so is Love after reconcilement. Yet as wounds though healed leave a scar behind them; so injuries (though remitted) leave a guilty remembrance in the actors, and it must be a great favour that can appease the Conscience of a great injury: for a guilty conscience seldom thinks itself safe.  
COrruption when it is checked, grows mad with rage, as the vapour in a cloud, which would not make that fearful report, if it met not with opposition. A good heart yields at the stillest voice of God; but his most gracious motions harden the wicked. Many would not have been so desperately settled in their sins, had not the Word controlled them. Any thing seems due work to a carnal mind, save God's service; nothing superfluous, but religious duties. Christ tells us there is but one thing necessary; Nature saith, there is nothing but that needless.  
REligion doth not call to a weak simplicity, but allows as much of the Serpent as the Dove. Lawful Policies have from God both liberty in the use, and blessing in the success. A wicked heart never looks inward to itself, but outward to the Reproover: if that afford exception, it is enough: as Dogs run first to revenge on the stone. What matter is it to me, who he be that admonishes me? Let me look home unto myself, and also to his advice; if that be good, my shame's the more to be reproved by an evil man. As a good man's allowance cannot warrant evil, so an evil man's reproof may remedy evil.  
NOthing but innocency and knowledge can give sound confidence to the heart. Ignorance as it makes bold, intruding men into unknown dangers, so it makes men often causelessly fearful. Herod feared Christ's coming, because he mistook it; had the tyrant known the manner of his spiritual regiment, he had spared both his own fright, and the blood of others. And hence it is that we fear death, because we are not acquainted with the virtue of it.  
Worldly Cares are fitly compared to thorns; for as they choke the Word, so they prick our souls: Neither can the word grow up amongst them, nor the heart rest upon them: spiritual Cares are as sharp, but more profitable. They pain us, but leave the soul better: they break our soul, but for a sweeter rest: we are not well, but either while we have them, or after we have had them. It is impossible to have spiritual health without these, as to have bodily strength with the other. He lives most contentedly, that is most secure for this World, most resolute for the other.  
SAtan never fears us, but when we are well employed: and the more likelihood he sees of our profit, the more is his envy and labour to distract us: he is ever busiest in our best actions, and most in the best part of the best, as in the end of prayer, when the heart should close up itself with most comfort. We should therefore strive so much the more towards our own good, as his malice strives to interrupt it. We do nothing if we contend not when we are resisted. The devil steals upon us suddenly by temptations, because he would foil us: and if we be not armed ere we be assaulted, we shall be foiled ere we can be armed.  
HE that intermits good Duties, incurreth a double loss: of the blessing that followeth good, and of the faculty in doing it. Want of use causeth disability, as custom, perfection: He that omits prayer in his closet, can hardly pray in public, but with a cold formality. He that discontinues meditation, shall be long in recovering; whereas the man enured to this exercise, performs both well and with ease.  
CHristianity is both an easy yoke, and a hard: hard to take up, easy to bear when once taken. The heart requires much labour ere it can be induced to stoop under it, and finds as much content when it hath stooped. The worldling thinks Religion great servitude: but the Christian knows whose slave he was, till he entered into this service, and that no bondage can be so ill, as freedom from these bands. Every good action hath his let, and he can never be good as he ought, that is not resolute. The regenerate Christian both is, and knows himself truly great, and thereupon mindeth and speaketh of spiritual, immortal, glorious, Heavenly things: but every Worldling is base minded, and therefore his thoughts creep still low upon the earth. The more the soul stoopeth to earthly matters, the more unregenerate it is.  
ALl our future good we hold only in hope: and the present favour of God, we have many times when we feel it not. The stomach finds the digestion, even in sleep, though we perceive it not: We are most happy when we know ourselves so: But miserable were many Christians if they could not be happy, and know it not. It is not a man's natural parts, but his graces that crown him: honest sottishness, is better than profane eminence: None ever did so much mischief to the Church, as those that have been excellent in wit and learning: others have been spiteful enough, but were not able to accomplish their malice. That Enemy is most to be feared, that hath both strength and craft to hurt us.  
THe Conscience can have no perfect peace, while sin is within to vex it, no more than an angry swelling can cease throbbing & aching, while the thorn or corrupted Matter lies rotting underneath. Time, that remedies all other evils of the mind, increaseth this: which like to bodily diseases, proves worse with continuance, and grows upon us with our age. Sin is a perpetual Make-bait betwixt God and man, betwixt a man and himself, ever working secret unquietness to the heart. The guilty man may have a seeming Truce, a true peace he cannot have: which makes the galled soul seek refreshing in variety of pleasures, places, and companies; yet after many such vain wearyings, finds no rest, but complains of remediless and unabated torment: for alas what avails it to seek outward reliefs, when our executioner is within us. Nero after so much innocent blood shed, may change his bedchamber, but his Friends being as parts of himself, will ever attend him. The soul may flee from the body, but the Conscience will not flee from the soul, nor sin from the Conscience. It is a divine Power only, that can uphold the mind against the rage of inward troubles. When therefore thy Conscience like a stern Sergeant shall catch thee by the throat, and arrest thee upon God's debt, let thy only plea be, that thou hast already paid it: Bring forth that bloody acquittance sealed unto thee from Heaven by Faith in Christ, and straight way thou shalt see the fierce and terrible look of thy Conscience changed into friendly smiles; and that rough and violent hand that was ready to drag thee to prison, shall now lovingly embrace thee, and fight for thee against all the wrongful attempts of any spiritual adversary. But the time will come when the careless sinner shall be plunged in woes, and shall therefore desperately sorrow, because he sorrowed not sooner for sin: He may feast away his Cares for a while, and bury them with himself, in wine and sleep; but after all these frivolous evasions, they will return again, nor will they be repelled, but increased hereby. Sin owes him a spite, and perhaps will pay him when he is in worse case to sustain it; Namely, up- his deathbed, which shall prove very grievous unto him, for his many wilful adjournings of Repentance.  
HE said well, who when some skilful ginger upon calculation of his nativity, had foretold him some specialties concerning his future estate; answered, Such perhaps I was borne, but since that time I have been born again, and my second nativity hath crossed my first. The Power of Nature, is a good Plea for those that acknowledge nothing above Nature: but for a Christian to excuse his intemperateness by his natural inclination, and to say, I am borne choleric, sullen, Amorous, &c. is an apology worse than the fault: For wherefore serves Religion, but to subdue or govern Nature? We are so much Christians as we can rule ourselves, the rest is but form and speculation.  
THere is no difference but continuance, betwixt Anger and madness: for raging Anger is a short madness, else what argues the shaking of the hands and lips; the paleness, redness, or swelling of the face, glaring of the eyes, stammering of the Tongue, stamping with the Feet, unsteady motions of the whole Body, wild distracted Speeches, and rash Actions, which we remember not to have done. Doubtless a mild madness is more tolerable, than frequent and furious Anger.  
Our cowardliness and unpreparedness, is death's chiefest advantage: whereas true boldness in confronting him, dismays and weakens his forces: Happy is the soul that can send out the Scouts of his thoughts beforehand, to discover the power of Death, a far off, & then can resolutely encounter him at unawares upon advantage: such a one lives securely, and dies with Comfort: Death argues not God's displeasure: Abel whom God loved best, dies first, when the murderer Cain is punished with living.  
COntentation is a rare Blessing, because it either arises from a fruition of all comforts, or a not desiring of some we have not. We are never so bare, as not to have some benefits: never so full, as not to want something, yea, as not to be full of wants. God hath much ado with us, either we lack health, or quietness, or Children, or wealth, or company, or ourselves in all these. Nature is moderate in her desires, but Conceit is insatiable. Who cannot pray for his daily bread, when he hath it in his cup-board? but when our own provision fails, than not to distrust God is a noble trial of Faith. All grudging is odious, but most when our hands are full. To whine in the midst of abundance, is a shameful unthankfulness: it is a base cowardice, so soon as ever we are called from the garrison to the field, to think of running away: then is Fortune worthy of praise, when we can endure to be miserable. O God, I have made an ill use of thy mercies, if I have not learned to be content with thy corrections.  
NO benefit can stop the mouth of impatience, if our turn be not served for the present, former favours are either forgotten, or contemned. No marvel we deal so with men, when God receives this measure from us. One moon of ill weather makes us overlook all the blessings of God, and more to mutiny at our sense of evil, than to praise him for our variety of good. It is an unfound praise that is given a man for one good action. Many distrust God in their necessity, that are ready to follow his guidance in their welfare: if we follow God and murmur, it is all one as if we stayed behind. We can think him absent in our wants, yet cannot see him absent in our sins: It is wickedness, not affliction that argues him gone: for he is most present, when he most chastises. And the sorrow of repentance comes never out of season, all times are alike unto that Eternity where to we make our spiritual moans: that which is past, and that which is future are both present with him. It is neither weak nor uncomely for an old man to weep for the sins of his youth. Such tears can never be shed either too soon or too late.  
THere is scarce a vicious man, who name is not rotten before his carcase: Contrarily, a good man's name is often heir to his life, either borne after the death of the Parent (Envy not suffering it to come forth before) or perhaps so well grown up in his life time, that the hope thereof is the staff of his age, and the joy of his death. The name of the wicked may be feared a while, but is soon forgotten, or cursed: The good man's either sleeps with his body in peace, or wakes (as his soul) in glory. Virtue is not propagated: Children naturally possess only, as bodily diseases, so the vices of their Parents. The grain is sown pure, yet comes up with chaff and husk: Hast thou a good son? he is God's, not thine: Is he evil? nothing but his sin is thine: Help by thy prayers and endeavours to take away that which thou hast given him, and to obtain of God that which perhaps thou hast, and canst not give; else Mayst thou name him a possession, but find him a loss.  
Spiritual gifts are so chained together, that who excels in one, hath always some eminency in more: Faith is attended with a Bevy of Graces: he that believes cannot but have hope: if hope, patience: he that believes and hopes, must needs have joy in God: if joy, love of God: he that loves God, cannot but love his brother: his love to God breeds piety and care to please, sorrow for offending, fear to offend. Virtue's go ever in troops, and that so thick, that sometimes some are hid in the crowd, which yet are, but appear not.  
IT is a rare evil that hath not something to sweeten it, either in sense or in hope: otherwise men would grow desperate, mutinous, envious of others, weary of themselves. The better the thing is wherein we place our comfort, the happier we live: and the more we love good things, the better they are to us: The worldling laughs more, but the Christian is more delighted: Thou laughest not at the sight of an heap of thy gold; yet thy delight is more than in a jest that shaketh thy spleen. As grief, so joy is not less, when it is least expressed. It must needs be a strong and nimble soul that can mount to heaven, possessing abundance of earthly things. If thou find wealth too pressing, abate of thy load, either by having less, or loving less: or add to the strength of thy activity, that thou Mayst yet ascend. It is more commendable, by how much more hard, to climb up to heaven with a burden.  
THe meaner sort of men would be too much discontented, if they saw how far more pleasant the life of others is: and if those of higher rank could look down to the infinite miseries of their inferiors, it would make them either miserable in compassion, or proud in conceit. It is good sometimes for the delicate rich man to look into the poor man's cupboard; and seeing God in mercy lets him not know their sorrows by experience, yet to know it in speculation. Which will teach him more thanks to God, more mercy to men, and more contentment in himself. I never saw Christian less honoured for a wise neglect of himself: If our dejection proceed from the conscience of our want, it is possible we should be as little esteemed of others, as of ourselves: but if we have true Graces, and prize them not at the highest, others shall value both them in us, and us for them, and with usury give us that honour we withheld modestly from ourselves. I never read of Christian that repented him of too little worldly delight: he that takes his full liberty in what he may, shall repent him: how much more in what he should not. The surest course in all earthly pleasures, is to rise with an appetite, and to be satisfied with a little. That man's end is easy and happy, whom death finds with a weak body, and a strong soul.  
HErein as much as in any thing the perverseness of our nature appears, that we wish death, or love life upon wrong causes: we would live for pleasure, and die for pain. Job for his sores, Elias for his persecution, Jonas for his Gourd would presently die, and outface God that it was better for him to die than to live. Wherein we are like to garrison soldiers, that while they live within safe walls, and show themselves once a day, rather for ceremony and pomp, than need and danger, like warfare well enough: but being once called forth to the field, they hang the head, and wish themselves at home.  
THe shipwreck of a good Conscience, is the casting away of all other excellencies: It is no rare thing to note the soul of a wilful sinner stripped of all her Graces, and by degrees exposed to open shame: for since he hath cast away the best, it is just with God to take away the worst; and to cast off them in lesser regards, which have rejected him in greater.  
THe tongue will hardly leave that to which the heart is enured: if we would have good motions to visit us in sickness, we must send for them familiarly in health: for such as a man's delights and cares are in health, such are both his thoughts and speeches commonly on his deathbed. And no marvel though the worldling often escapes earthly punishments: God corrects him not because he loves him not; he will not do him the favour to whip him. The world afflicts him not because it loves him: for each one is indulgent to his own. God uses not the rod, where he means to use the sword: the Pillory or scourge is for those Malefactors which shall escape execution.  
LAughing is proper to Man alone. amongst all living creatures: though indeed he ought ever to be weeping, because he ever sins; and the beasts might rather laugh to see man so much abuse his most excellent part, his reason. Doubtless if man knew before he came into the world, what should be his portion in the world, he would fear his first day more than his last: wherefore we ought to moderate our affections, and in imitation of our great Lord and Saviour (who was a man of sorrows) we should not be altogether composed of mirth.  
Seldom hath any man got either wealth or learning with ease: and the greatest good is most difficult in obtaining: he must not think to get Christ, that takes no pains for him: If men can endure such cutting, such lancing, and searing of their bodies, only to protract a miserable life for a short time; how much should we care, what we do, or what we suffer, so we may win Christ: No pain should be refused for the gaining of Eternity.  
Much ostentation, and much learning, seldom meet together: The Sun rising and declining makes long shadows, but being at the highest makes none at all. Skill when it is too much shown loseth the grace; as fresh coloured wares that are often opened, lose their brightness, and are soiled with much handling. It is better to applaud ourselves for having much of that we show not, than that others should applaud us for showing more than we have The conscience of our own worth should cheer us more in their contempt, than their approbation comfort us, against the secret check of our known unworthiness. Every man hath an heaven and a hell; Earth is the wicked man's heaven, his hell is to come: contrarily, the godly have their hell upon earth, where usually they are vexed with many afflictions and temptations by Satan and his complices; their heaven is above in endless happiness: Though they sow in tears, they shall reap in joy, though their seed time be commonly waterish and lowering, and their spring wet, they shall be sure of a clear and joyful harvest. It is no marvel if the wicked have peace in themselves, being as sure as temptation can make them. Princes wage not war with their own subjects. The The godly are still enemies, and must therefore look to be assaulted both by stratagems and violence. Wherefore nothing should more joy us than our inward unquietness. A just war is far more happy than an ill conditioned peace.  
EVery good prayer knocketh at heaven for a blessing, but an importunate prayer pierceth it, though as hard as brass, and makes way for itself into the ears of the Almighty. And as it ascends lightly up, carried with the wings of faith, so it ever comes laden down again upon our heads. In prayer our thoughts should not be guided by our words, but our words by our thoughts. Good prayers never came weeping home; and by fervent prayer we are sure to receive either what we ask, or what we should ask.  
Virtuous actions are a man's best monument. Foolish is the hope of Immortality and future praise, by the cost of senseless stone, when the Passenger shall only say, here lies a fair stone, and a filthy carcase. That only can report us rich, but for other praises ourselves must build our own Monuments alive, and write our own Epitaphs in honest and honourable actions: Which are so much more noble than other, as living men are better than dead stones. We should either procure such a Monument to be remembered by, or else wish to be buried in oblivion: for it is better be inglorious than infamous.  
NO man is so happy as the regenerate Christian; when he looks up into heaven he thinks, That is my home, The God that made it and owes it, my Father: the Angels, more glorious in nature than myself, are my attendants. Yea, those things that are most terrible to the wicked, are most pleasant to him. When he hears God thunder above his head, he thinks, This is the voice of my Father. When he remembreth the tribunal of the last judgement, he thinks, It is my Saviour that sits in it. When death, he esteems it but as the Angel set before Paradise, which with one blow admits him to eternal joy. And (which is his greatest comfort) nothing in earth or hell can make him miserable.  
AN evil man is Clay to God, wax to the devil, God may stamp him into powder, or temper him anew, but none of his means will melt him. Contrariwise, a good man is God's wax, and Satan's Clay; he relents at every look of God, but is not stirred by any temptation, knowing, that earth affords no sound contentment. For what is there under heaven not troublesome, besides that which is called pleasure? And that in the end we find most irksome of all other.  
THe spirits of Christians are like the English jet, whereof we read, that it is fired with water, quenched with oil. And these two, prosperity and adversity are like heat and cold, the one gathers the powers of the soul together, and makes them abler to resist, by uniting them: The other diffuses them, and by such separation makes them easier to conquer. The Sun more usually causeth the Traveller to cast off his cloak than the wind. I hold it therefore as praiseworthy with God, for a man sometimes to contemn a proffered honour or pleasure for conscience sake, as on the Rack not to deny his profession.  
THere is no vice doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious: clear and round dealing is the honour of man's nature. Certainly it is heaven upon earth, to have a man's mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.  
THat man which studies revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well. Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought Law to root it out. In taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy, but in passing over an injury he is superior.  
CHildren sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter: they increase the cares of life, but they mitigate the remembrance of death. Parent's joys are secret, and so are their fears and griefs: they cannot utter the one, nor will they utter the other. The perpetuity by generation is common to beasts: but memory, merit, and noble works are proper to men.  
He that hath wife and children, hath given hostages to fortune, for they are impediments to great enterprises either of virtue or mischiefs. Unmarried men are best friends, best Masters, best servants, but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away, and almost all fugitives are of that condition. A single life doth well with churchmen: for charity will hardly water the ground, where it must first fill a pool. Grave natures led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbanda. Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's Nurses.  
CErtainly great persons had need to borrow other men's opinions to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it so. Men in great place are thrice servants, to the sovereign or State, to fame, and to business: so as they have no freedom, either in their persons, actions, or time. It is a strange desire, to seek power with loss of liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self. The rising unto pains is laborious, and by pains men come to great pains. Great persons are the first that find their own griefs, but the last that find their own faults. The vices of authority are chiefly four, delays, corruption, roughness, and facility. And it is an assured sign of a generous spirit, whom honour amends: for honour is or should be the place of virtue.  
Goodness of nature is a character of the Deity, and without it a man is a busy, mischievous, and wretched thing, no better than a vermin. Goodness answers to the theological virtue, Charity, and admits no excess but error. Seek the good of other men, but be not in bondage to their faces, for that is facility or softness, which soon taketh an honest mind prisoner.  
He that denies a God, destroys man's nobility: for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body: and if he be not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature. And doubtless hypocrites are the greatest Atheists, who are ever handling holy things, but without feeling.  
He that traveleth into a Country before he hath ●●●e entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel. Things to be seen and observed in travel, are, the Courts of Princes, specially when they give audience unto ambassadors: The Courts of justice while they sit and hear causes: And so of Consistories ecclesiastic, the Churches and Monasteries, with the Monuments that are therein extant: the walls and Fortifications of Cities and towns, with their havens and harbours, antiquities and ruins: Libraries, colleges, Disputations and Lectures, where any are: Shipping and Navies, houses and gardens of estate and pleasure near great Cities, armouries, arsenals, magazines, Exchanges, Burses, Warehouses, exercises of horsemanship, Fencing, training of soldiers, and the like: Comedies, such as whereunto the better sort of persons do resort. Treasuries of jewels and Robes, Cabinets and rarities, and to conclude, whatsoever is memorable in the places where they go.  
THe mind of man is more cheered and refreshed by profiting in small things, than by standing at a stay in great. It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire, and many to fear. And yet that commonly is the case of Kings: who are like to heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times: having much veneration, but little or no rest.  
THere is no greater wisdom, than well to tune the beginnings and onsets of things, that so neither haste may harm thee, nor delay deceive thee of what thou desirest. As in races it is not the large stride or high lift that makes the speed; so in business, the keeping close to the matter, and not taking of it too much at once, procureth dispatch. True dispatch is a rich thing: for time is the measure of business, as money is of wares; and business is bought at a dear hand, where there is not dispatch.  
SEeing God hath given us an uncertain life, and a certain death, we ought to preserve the one, and shun the other, seeing the one fails us so soon, and the other infallibly will come.  
I Had rather with charity help him that is miserable, as I may be, than despise him that is poor, as I would not be: They have filthy and steely hearts, that can add calamities to him that is already but one entire mass thereof. Our estates are then best, when they are neither distended with too much, nor narrowly penned up with too little. We may be at ease in a room larger than ourselves; in a room that is less we cannot.  
He that can be a worthy enemy, will, reconciled be a worthier friend: he that in a just cause can valiantly fight against thee, can in a like cause fight as valiantly for thee. And he that wilfully continueth an enemy, teacheth a man to do him a mischief if be can.  
SOme people cozen the world, are bad, and are not thought so: In some the world is cozened, believing them ill when they are not. No man can either like all, or be liked goodness lies not hid in himself alone, he is still strengthening his weaker brother. Good works, and good instructions are the generative acts of the soul, and he ungratefully slinks away, that dies, and doth nothing to reflect a glory to heaven. Though all cannot leave alike, yet all may leave something answering their proportion and kinds. They be dead and withered grains of corn, out of which there will not one ear spring.  
Surely the world would be much happier if there were no such thing in it as gold: but since it is now the fountain whence all things flow, I will care for it as I would for a pass, to travel the world by without begging: If I have none, I shall have so much the more misery, because custom hath played the fool in making it material when it needed not. For the greatest worth without wealth, is like an able servant out of employment: he is fit for all businesses, but wants wherewith to put himself into any: he hath good materials for a foundation, but misseth wherewith to rear the walls of his fame.  
CErtainly he that thinks seriously of life's casualties can neither be careless nor covetous: like leaves on trees, we are the sport of every puff that blows, and with the least gust may be shaken from our life and nutriment: we should never care too much for that we are not sure to keep.  
THere is no greater vexation to some, than to be advised by an inferior. Strange pride, that we should be ashamed of any honest means that may benefit us: He is sick to the ruin of himself, that refuseth a cordial because presented in a spoon of Wood. That wisdom is not lastingly good, that will command and speak all, without hearing the voice of another. Even the slave may sometimes light on a way to enlarge his Master, when his own invention fails. We think not Gold the worse because it is brought us in a bag of leather: no more ought we to contemn good counsel, because it is presented us by a bad man, or an underling.  
A Discontented man is a Watch over-wound, wrested out of tune, and goes false. Grief is like ink poured into water, that fills the whole fountain full of blackness and disuse: like mist, it spoils the burnish of the silver mind. It casts the soul into the shade, and fills it more with consideration of the unhappiness, than thought of the remedy. Nay it is so busied in the mischief, as there is neither room nor time for the ways that should give us release: Nor is the mind alone thus mudded, but even the body is disfaired, it thickens the complexion, and dies it into an unpleasing swarthiness: the eye is dim in the discoloured face, and the whole man becomes as if stated in stone and earth: but above all, those discontents sting deepest, that are such as may not with safety be communicated: for then the soul pines away and starves for want of counsel that should feed and cherish it. Concealed sorrows are like vapours, which being shut up occasion earthquakes, as if the world were plagued with a fit of the colic. That man is truly miserable that cannot but keep his miseries, and yet must not unfold them. Vexations when they daily billow upon the mind, froward even the sweetest soul, and from a dainty affability turn it into spleen and testiness.  
TArt jests are never good: bitterness is for serious potions, not for health and merriment, and the jollities of a pleasant feast. An offensive man is the devil's bellows, wherewith he blows up contentions and jars. The soldier is not noble that makes himself sport with the wounds of his own companion. Flouts proceed from a kind of inward contempt; and nothing cuts deeper into a generous mind than scorn. A man may spit out his friend from his tongue, or laugh him into an enemy.  
WHosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god. Speech is like cloth of Arras opened and put abroad, whereby the Imagery doth appear in figure: whereas in thoughts they lie but as in packs. Better were it for a man to relate himself to a statue or picture, than to suffer his thoughts to pass in smother.  
Suspicions among thoughts, are like bats among Birds, ever fly by twilight. And certainly they are to be expressed, or at the least well guarded, for they cloud the mind, lose friends, and check with business, whereby it cannot go on currently and constantly. These dispose Kings to tyranny, husbands to jealousy, wise men to irresolution and melancholy. They are defects not in the heart, but in the brain, taking place in the stoutest Natures. The best means to clear the way in this wood of suspicions, is frankly to communicate them with the party we suspect, for thereby we shall be sure to know more of the truth of them than we did before, and withal shall make the party more circumspect, not to give farther cause of suspicion.  
Certain things are to be privileged from jesting, namely, Religion, matters of State, great persons, any man's present business of importance, and any case that deserveth pity. Certainly he that hath a satirical vain, as he maketh others afraid of his riot, so he had need be afraid of their memory. Speech of touch towards others should be sparingly used: for discourse ought to be as a field, without coming home to any man. Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we have to deal, is more than to speak in good words, or good order. He that questioneth much, shall learn much; but especially if he apply his questions to the skill of them whom he asketh, for he shall thereby give them occasion to please themselves in speaking, and himself shall continually gather knowledge.  
TO forsake or destitute a Plantation once in forwardness is a great sin, for besides the dishonour, it betrays many commiserable persons to utter ruin. The Planters chiefly ought to be Gardeners, Plowmen, Labourers, Smiths, Carpenters, joiners, Fishermen, Foulers, with some few Apothecaries, Surgeons, cooks, and Bakers. When the Plantation grows to strength, than (and not before) it is time to plant with women as well as men, that so the plantation may spread into generations, and not be ever pieces from without.  
AS the baggage to an Army, so is riches to virtue, it cannot be spared, nor left behind, but it hindereth the march; yea, and the care of it sometimes loseth or disturbeth the Victory. Believe them not that seem to despise riches; for they despise, that despair of them, and none worse when they enjoy them. Seek no proud riches, but such as thou Mayst get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly. A great State left to an heir is as a lure to all the Birds of prey, round about to seize on him, if he be not the better established in years and judgement.  
AMbition is like choler, as that is an humour which makes men active, earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, while it hath vent; being stopped becomes adust, and thereby malign and venomous. So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous: but if they be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and matters with an evil eye, being best pleased when things go backward. He that seeks eminence among able men hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure among Ciphers, is the decay of a whole age.  
Man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds, therefore the one should be seasonably watered, and the other destroyed. In custom, whatsoever a man commands upon himself, let him set hours for it: But what is agreeable to nature, let him take no care for any set times, for his thoughts will fly to it of themselves. A man's nature is best perceived in privacy, for there is no affectation in passion, for that puts a man out of his precepts: and in a new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him.  
A Man should not force a habit upon himself with perpetual continuance, but with some intermission, for both the pause re-enforceth the new onset; and if a man that is not perfect be ever in practice, he shall as well practise his errors, as his abilities, and induce one habit of both. He that seeks victory over his nature, should not set himself too great nor too small tasks: for the first will deject him by often failings; and the second will make him a small proceeder, though by often prevailings: at the first he should use helps, as young swimmers do bladders and rushes: but after a time let him practise with disadvantages, as dancers do with thick shoes: for it breeds great perfection if the practice be harder than the use. Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, but seldom extinguished. Force makes nature more violent in the return, doctrine and discourse makes it less importunate: only custom doth alter and subdue it.  
Men's thoughts are much according to their inclinations; their discourse and speech according to their learning and infused opinions; but their deeds are ever as they have been accustomed. Wherefore we should by all means endeavour to obtain good customs in our younger years, for those customs are most perfect, and this we call education, which in effect is but an early custom.  
FOrtune is to be honoured and respected, and it be but for her two daughter's Confidence and Reputation: for those two felicity breedeth: the first within a man's self, the later in others towards him. Certainly there are not two more fortunate properties, than to have a little of the fool, and not too much of the honest.  
Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set, and suits best in a comely body, though not of delicate feature, but hath rather dignity of presence than beauty of aspect. Neither is it almost seen, that very beautiful persons are otherwise of great virtue: As if nature were rather busy not to err, than in labour to produce excellency: And therefore they prove accomplished, though not of great spirit, and study rather behaviour than virtue. But this is not always though for the most part. Beauty like summer fruits, is easily corrupted, and cannot last, and commonly it makes a dissolute youth, and an age a little out of countenance: but again, doubtless if it light well, it makes virtues shine, and vices blush. Deformed persons are commonly even with nature; for as nature hath done ill by them, so do they by nature, being for the most part (as saith the Scripture) void of natural affection, and so they have their revenge of nature. Whosoever hath any thing fixed in his person inducing contempt, hath also a perpetual spur in himself to rescue and deliver his person from scorn: wherefore almost all deformed persons are extreme bold; first as in defence of themselves, exposed to scorn, but in process of time by a general habit. It stirs up also industry, especially of this kind, to watch and observe the weakness of others, that they may have something to repay.  
IN civil government it is good to use men of one rank equally: for to countenance some extraordinarily makes them impudent, and the rest discontented, because they may claim a like due. To be governed by one is not safe, for it shows softness, and gives a freedom to scandal and disreputation: for he that would not censure or speak ill of a man immediately, will talk more boldly being so great with him, and perhaps wound his honour. Yet to be distracted with many is worse: for it makes men to be of the last impression, full of Change. To take advice of some few friends is very honourable: for lookers on many times see more than gamesters, and the Vale best discovereth the hill.  
STudies perfect Nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study. And studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. To spend too much time in studies, is sloth: to use them too much for ornament is affectation: to make judgement wholly by their rules is the honour of a scholar. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, only wise men use them. Studies serve for delight, ornament, and ability: their chief use for delight is in privateness; for ornament, in discourse: and for ability, in judgement and disposition of business: for expert men can execute and perhaps judge of particulars one by one: but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted; not to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted only, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: That is, some are to be read only in parts, others cursorily, and few wholly and with diligent attention. Reading makes a full man, Conference a ready man, and Writing an exact man. Wherefore he that writes little had need have a great memory: he that confers little had need have a present wit: and he that reads little had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not. History makes men wise, Poetry witty, natural Philosophy deep, moral, grave: logic and rhetoric able to contend. There is no stone or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises; bowling is good for the stone and reins: shooting for the lungs and breast: gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head, &c. So, wandering wits should study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if fancy be drawn away never so little, they must begin again. Let a wit not apt to distinguish or find differences, study the School men. And he that is apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, should study Law Cases: so every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.  
Our behaviour should be like our apparel, not too straight or point device, but free for exercise or motion. Men had need beware how they be too perfect in compliments; for be they never so sufficient otherwise, their enuiers' will be sure to give them that attribute, to the disadvantage of their greater virtues.  
Opinion many times perverteth verity: Praise from the vulgar sort is commonly false: because they understand not many excellent virtues: the lowest virtues draw praise from them: Middle virtues astonish them: but of the highest virtues they have no sense or perceiving at all. Certainly fame is like a River, that bears up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid. Vain glorious men are the scorn of wise men, the admiration of fools, the Idols of Parasites, and the slaves of their own vaunts. Vain glory suits best with Commanders, and soldiers: for as iron sharpens iron, so by glory, one courage sharpeneth another.  
Judges' ought to be more learned than witty, more reverend than plausible, more advised than confident: and ought also to remember, that their office is Ius dicere, and not Ius dare; to interpret Law, and not to make or give Law. Else will it be like the authority of the Church of Rome, which under pretext of exposition of Scripture, doth not stick to add and alter, pronouncing what they do not find, and by show of antiquity do produce novelty. The principal duty of a judge is to suppress force and fraud: Force being most pernicious, when open; and fraud when it is close and disguised. One foul sentence doth more hurt than many foul examples: for these do but corrupt the stream, the other corrupts the fountain. In cases of life and death judges ought (as far as the Law permitteth) in justice to remember mercy; and to cast a severe eye upon the example, but a merciful eye upon the person. Patience and gravity of hearing is an essential part of justice: and an over speaking judge is no well-tuned Symbal. It is strange to see that boldness of Advocates should prevail with judges: whereas they should imitate God, who represseth the presumptuous, and giveth grace to the modest. The place of justice is an hallowed place, and therefore not only the Bench, but the footpace and precincts thereof ought to be preserved without scandal or corruption. For certainly (as the Scripture saith) Grapes will not be gathered of thorns, nor Figs of thistles: Neither can justice yield her fruit with sweetness, among the Briars and Brambles of catching and polling Clerks and Ministers. An ancient clerk, skilful in precedents, wary in proceeding, and understanding in the business of the Court, is an excellent finger of a Court, and doth many times point the way to the judge himself.  
ANger is certainly a kind of baseness, as it appears well in the weakness of those subjects in which it reigns. Children, women, old folks, sick folks: Only men must beware that they carry their anger rather with scorn than fear, so that they may seem rather above the injury than below it; which may easily be done, if we can master our Passion by Reason. The prime motive of anger is to be sensible of hurt: and therefore tender and delicate bodies must needs be oft angry, having so many things to trouble them, which robust natures have little sense of.  
PVblique reproof is like striking a dear in the Heard; it not only wounds him to the loss of enabling blood, but betrays him to the Hound his enemy, and makes him be pushed out of company by his fellows. To be plain in reproof argues honesty, but to be pleasing argues discretion: Sores are not to be anguisht with a rustic pressure, but gently stroaked with a Ladied hand.  
CHristian society is like a bundle of sticks laid together, whereof one kindles another: as solitary men have few provocations to evil, so again have they fewest incitations to good. So much as doing good is better than not doing evil; will I account Christian good fellowship better than an Hermitish and Melancholy solitariness.  
AMbitious men are like poisoned Rats, who having tasted of their bane cannot rest till they drink, and then rest much less till their death; for ambition affords as much discontentment in enjoying as in want. It is better to live in the wise man's stocks in a contented want, than in a fool's Paradise, to be vexed with wilful unquietness.  
Surely we deceive ourselves, to think that on earth continued joys would please: It is a way that crosses that which Nature goes: nothing would be more tedious than to be glutted with perpetual jollities. Were the body tied to one (though most delicate) dish always, after a small time it would complain of loathing, and satiety; and so would the soul if it did ever Epicure itself in joy. I know not well which is the more useful: joy is to be chosen for pleasure; but adversities are the best for profit: and sometimes these do so far help us, that we should without them want much of the joy we have.  
VAlour is then best tempered, when it can turn out of a stern fortitude, into the mild strains of pity. For though pity be a downy virtue, yet she never shines more brightly than when she is clad in steel. A Martial man compassionate, shall conquer both in peace and war, and by a twofold way get victory with honour.  
WIth a general swallow death still gapes upon the general world: It is a sleep eternal; the body's dissolution, the rich man's fear, the poor man's wish, an event inevitable, an uncertain journey, a thief that steals away Man: sleeps father, life's flight, the departure of the living, and the resolution of all.  
THe idle man is like a dumb Jack in a virginal; while all the other dance out a winning music, this like a member out of joint, sullens the whole body with an ill disturbing laziness. It is action only that keeps the soul both sweet and sound, whilst lying still doth rot it to an ordured noisomeness. There is no creature but is busied in some action for the benefit of the restless world: Nor is the teeming earth itself weary, after so many thousand years' productions. Men learn to do ill, by doing what is next it nothing: for while we want business, we are ready to drown in the mud of vice, and sloathfulness. The soul grows bright with use and negotiation: and believe it industry is never wholly unfruitful, if it bring not joy with the in-coming profit, it will banish mischief from thy busied gates: There is a kind of good Angel waiting upon diligence, that ever carries a laurel in his hand to crown her: but the bosomed fist beckons the approach of poverty, and leaves besides the noble head ungarded: while the lifted arm doth frighten want, and is ever a shield to the noble director.  
CErtainly they work by a wrong engine, that seek to gain their ends by constraint: You may struck the Lion into bondage, but you may sooner hew him in pieces than beat him into a chain. Easy nature and free liberty will steal a man into a winy excess, when urged healths do but show him the way to refuse. The noblest weapon wherewith man can conquer, is love and gentlest courtesy. Nature is more apt to be led by the soft motions of the musical tongue, than the rustic threshings of a striking arm. How many have lost their hopes, while they have sought to ravish with too rude a hand. Little fishes are twitched up with the violence of a sudden pull; when the like action cracks the line whereon a great one hangs. I have known denials that had never been given but for the earnestness of the requester: urge a grant to some men, and they are inexorable: seem careless and they will force the thing upon you.  
THe best object of bounty is either necessity, or desert: the best motive, thy own goodness: and the limit is, the safety of thy state. It is for none but him that is all, to give to all abundantly. To live well of a little, is a great deal more honour, than to spend a great deal vainly. It is not good to make our kindness to others, to be cruelty to ourselves and ours.  
CErtainly if there be any Dalilah under heaven, it is in bad society: it binds us, betrays us, blinds us, undoes us. Many a man had been good that is not, if he had but kept good company. Ill company is an engine wherewith the devil is ever practising to lift man out of virtue's seat: It is the spiritual Whore, which toys the good man to his soul's undoing. Good company should be cherished as the choice of men; or as Angels that are sent for Guardians: but we should study to lose the society of the bad, lest by keeping them, we lose ourselves in the end.  
THe jollities of the villainous man stagger the religious mind: They live as if they were passing through the world in state, and the stream of prosperity turning itself to roll with their applauded ways: when how miserable is despised virtue, and how stormy is her sea? Certainly for the present the good man seems to be in the disgrace of heaven: he smarts and pines, and saddens his incombered soul, living as it were in the frown and nod of the traducing world: so that to view the virtuous but with nature's eye, a man would think they were things that Nature envied; or that the whole world were deluded with a poisonous lie, in making only the virtuous happy. Innocence is become a stair, to let others rise to our abuse, and not to raise ourselves to greatness. How rare is it to find one raised for his sober worth and virtue. Joseph's goodness alone brought him to the stocks and irons: whereas if he had coaped with his enticer it is like he might have swom in Gold, and lived a lapling to the silks and dainties. Doubtless we may find a soul within our souls which tells we do unnobly, while we love sin more for the pleasure of it, than we do virtue for the animal sweetness she yields in herself.  
Surely cowards have souls of a courser mixture than the common spirits of men. The coward really meets with far more dangers than the valiant man: Every base nature will be ready to offer injuries where they think they will not be repaid: he will many times beat a coward, that would not dare to strike him if he thought him valiant. An unappalled look doth daunt a base attempter, and oftentimes if a man hath nothing but a courageous eye, it protects him: the brave soul knows no trembling: and indeed valour casts a kind of honour upon God, in that we show we believe his goodness, when we trust ourselves in danger upon his care only. Whereas the coward eclipses his sufficiency, by unworthy doubting that God will not bring him off, so unjustly accusing either his power or his will, while he would make himself his own Saviour, he becomes his own confounder: For, it is just with God to leave Man when he distrusts him. No armour can defend a fearful heart; when he would run away, fear arrests him with a senseless amazement, which betrays him to the pursuit of his foes. I had rather have a mind confident and undaunted, with some troubles, than a pulse still beating fear in the flush of prosperity.  
IT is comparison more than reality, that makes men both happy and miserable. Were all the world ugly, Deformity would be no Monster. In those Countries where all go naked, they neither shame at their being uncovered, nor complain that they are exposed to the violence of the Sun and winds. Many never find themselves in want, till they have discovered the abundance of some others: and many again do bear their want with ease, when they find others below themselves in happiness: Our adversity is lessened by seeing our enemies in worse estate than our selves. We pick our own sorrows out of the joys of other men; and out of their sorrows likewise we assume our joys. When we see the poor toiling Labourer, we look upon ourselves with gladness: but when we eye the distributers of the earth in their royalty, then what poor atoms do we count ourselves, compared with those huge piles of State.  
THe proud man and the choleric, seldom arrive at any height of virtue. They are sometimes borne to good parts of nature, but they rarely, are known to add by industry. It is the mild and suffering disposition that oftenest doth attain to eminence. Temper and humility are advantageous virtues for business, and to rise by. Pride and Choler make such a noise that they awake dangers, which the other with a soft tread steals by undiscovered. Temper and humility are like the fox when he went into the Garner: he could creep in a little hole, and arrive at plenty: Pride and Choler are like the fox offering to go out when his belly was full, which enlarging him bigger than the passage, made him stay and be taken with shame. They that would come to preferment by pride, are like them that ascend a pair of stairs on horseback, it is ten to one but the beast will cast them before they come to tread their chamber. Pride is an enemy to itself, the proud man cannot endure to see pride in another. Pride and Choler are both base vices, as being both awed by the most abject passion of the mind, fear: we dare neither be proud to one that can punish us; nor choleric to one much above us. Why should we live like beasts, pushed at by all the world for loftiness? or like wasps, stinging upon every touch?  
BEnefits are so long grateful, as we think we can repay them, but when they challenge more, our thanks convert to hate: it is not good to make men owe us more than they are able to pay, except it be for virtuous deserts, which may in some sort challenge it. The Malefactor which thou savest, will if he can condemn thee. Some say that Cicero was slain by one, whom his Oratory had defended when he was accused of his father's murder. Whatsoever favours thou impartest, let them be to those of desert: It will be much for thy honour, when by thy kindness men shall see thou affectest virtue. It is only in rank grounds that much rain makes weeds spring: where the soil is clean, and well planted, there is the more fruit returned for the showers that did fall upon it.  
Virtue gives us a safe conduct through all the various casualties of Mortality; and therefore when fortune means to ruin us, she flatters us first from this Altar; she cannot hurt us till we be stripped of this habiliment; then she doth both wound and laugh. It is for the most part true, Fortune first fools the man she means to foil. The virtuous man is the only cunning Fencer, no man can either give a blow so soon, or ward himself so safely.  
FOolish bashfulness betrays us to all inconveniences: it brings a fool in bond to his utter undoing: how many maids are undone by it, even blushing oftentimes brings them to their devirgination; making their faces lures to enkindle lewd men's loves, which being expressed by large gifts, do so work upon their Natures, as they know not how to deny, so rather than be ungrateful, they oft become unchaste. In friendship it is an odious vice, and lets a man run on in absurdities, for fear of displeasing by telling the fault: Yet surely the grace's sojourn with the blushing man. Modesty is an excellent virtue to curb and keep us from the stray and offence. I am persuaded many had been bad that are not, if they had not been bridled by a bashful nature; divers have hearts for vice, which have not face accordingly. Bashfulness, with a silent kind of Majesty (like a Watch at the door of a thieves Den) makes vice not dare peep out of the heart, wherein it is lodged. Modesty in women should be like the Angels flaming sword, to keep vile men out of the Paradise of their chastity.  
Suspicious thoughts, like new Wine, boil in our breasts, to the hazard of the hogshead, for want of venting. The wise and honest are never fooled with this quality; he that knows he deserves not ill, tentment royal, that we know we are always in the hands of a noble Protector, who never gives ill but to him that hath deserved it.  
VAinglory at best is but like a Window Cushion, specious without, and garnished with the tasseled pendant, but within nothing but hay or some such trash, not worth the looking on. Where the heart is full the tongue is seldom liberal: the tongue is the hollow instrument that sounds loudest. Whatsoever good work the hand builds, is again pulled down by the folly of a boasting tongue. To do well is as much as a good man labours for: The honest man takes more pleasure in knowing himself so, than in knowing that all the world approves him so. He that remembers too much his own virtues, teacheth others to object his vices. We disgrace the work of virtue, when we go about any way to seduce Voices for her approbation.  
HOpe is both a flatterer and a true friend; it is the miserable man's god, which in the hardest gripe of calamity never fails to yield him beams of comfort: It is the presumptuous man's devil, which leads him a while in a smooth way, and then makes him break his neck on the sudden, Hope is to Man, as a bladder to a learning swimmer, it keeps him from sinking in the bosom of the Waves, and by that help he may attain the exercise. But when it makes him venture beyond his height, and breaks, or a storm arises, he drowns without recovery. How many would die did not hope sustain them? How many have died by hoping too much? She dandles us into killing flames, sings us into Lethargies, and like an overhasty Surgeon, skinneth dangers that are full and foul within. Again, he that hopes for nothing, will never attain to any thing. This good comes of over hoping, that it sweetens our passage through the world, and sometimes so sets us to work, as it produces great actions, though not always pat to our ends.  
THe end of Policy is to make a man's self great: the end of Love is to advance another. Therefore a politician is one of the worst sorts of men to make a friend on: give me one that is virtuously wise, not cunningly hid and twined to himself. Policy in friendship, is like logic in truth, something too subtle for the plainness of disclosing hearts. For a friend to converse withal, let me rather meet with a sound affection, than a crafty brain: one may fail me by accident, but the other will do it out of fore intent. The soundest affection is like to be where there cannot be expectation of sinister ends: and doubtless love increaseth by adversity.  
THe Cup is the betrayer of the mind, and leaves the soul naked: Reason only distinguisheth Beast from Man, and that it robs him of: He that would anatomize the soul, may do it best when Wine hath numbed the senses: Certainly, for confession there is no such rack as Wine; nor could the devil ever find a cunninger bait to angle both for acts and meaning. Indeed drunkenness besots a Nation, and beastiates even the bravest spirits: I like a cup ad hilaritatem, but continuance dulls them: It is less labour to plough than to pot it. I had rather be disliked for not being a beast, than be good fellowed with a hug for being one. Let the drunkard's pleasure crown him, and his mirth abound, the next day he will stick in mud.  
He that is perfect and marries not, may in some sort be said to be guilty of a contempt against Nature: when the husband and wife are together, the world is contracted in a bed; and without this, like the head and the body parted, either would consume without a possibility of reviving. A wise wife comprehends both Sexes, she is woman for her body, and she is man within, for her soul is like her husbands. Questionless a woman with a wise soul is the fittest companion for man, otherwise God would have given him a friend rather than a wife. It is the crown of blessings, when in one woman a man findeth both a wife and a friend. Poverty in Wedlock is a great decayer of love and contentation: Above all, therefore the generous mind should beware of marrying poor; for though he cares least for wealth, yet will he be most galled with the want of it. Single life is to be liked in those who can suffer Continency, but should all live thus, an hundred years would make the world a desert.  
NOthing makes a man more like to God than Charity. As all things are filled with his goodness, so the universal is partaker of the good man's spreading love. Wealth in a miser's hand is useless, as a locked up treasure: It is charity only that makes Riches worth the owning. To every thing that hath sense there is a kind of pity owing: Solomons good man is merciful to his beast. Surely he that is right, must not think his Charity to one in need, a courtesy, but a debt, which nature at his first being bound him to pay; yet should we not water a strange ground to leave our own in drought.  
Music is good or bad, as the end to which it tendeth: they that wholly despise ●t may well be suspected to be something of a savage Nature: Light Notes are sometimes useful, as in times of general joy, and when the mind is pressed with sadness: whose dull blood will not caper in his veins, when the very air he breathes in frisketh in a tickled motion? We find hallelujahs are sung in heaven: and doubtless music is a helper both to good and ill: it is therefore to be honoured when it moves to virtue; as to be shunned when it would flatter into vice.  
REpentance is so powerful, that it cannot be but a gift of the Deity: he is not to be pitied in his sufferings, that may escape a torment by the compunction of a heart and tears. Sometimes a return after failing is a prompter to a surer hold. S. Ambrose doubts not to say, that Peter by his fall found more grace than he lost, his faith being thereby much stronger. The devil sometimes cousins himself by plunging man into a deep offence. A sudden ill act grows often abhorred in the mind that did it: yet a man should beware the steps he once hath stumbled at. Doubtless that is the best life that is a little sprinkled with the salt of crosses; the other would quickly be rank and tainted. There are whose paths are washed with butter, and the Rose bud crownes them: but surely it is a misery to live in oily vice, when her ways are made slippery with her own slime. Heaven is not had without repentance, and repentance seldom meets a man in jollity, in the career of lust, and the bloods lose riot.  
COmmanders in war should be wise, valiant, and experienced: Experience puts a credit on their actions, making them far more prompt in undertakings. And indeed there is a great deal of reason why we should respect him, that with an untainted valour hath grown old in arms, and hearing the drum beat. When every minute death seems to pass by and shun him, he is as one that the supreme God hath cared for, and by a particular guard defended in the hail of death. It is true, it is a life tempting to exorbitancy; yet this is more in the common sort, that are pressed, as the refuse and burden of the land, than in those that by a nobler breeding are abler to command. Want, idleness, and the desperate face of blood hath hardened them to outrages. Nor may we wonder hereat, since even their life is but an ordered quarrel, raised to the feud of killing. Wars have the same nature with offences, they must be, yet are they mightily in fault that cause them. When a just cause and a just deputation meet for war, I shall ever think this one of the noblest and most manly ways of dying.  
BLots appear fouler in a strict life, than a loose one: no man wonders at the swine's wallowing: but to see an ermine mired is a prodigy: Where do vices show so foul as in a Minister? When he shall be heavenly in the pulpit only? Certainly they wound the gospel, that preach it to the world, and live as if they thought to go to heaven some other way than that they teach the people. How unseemly is it when a grave Cassock shall be lined with a wanton Reveller? and with crimes that make a loose one odious? We should not profess that we will not strive to practise. Surely God will be severest against those that will wear his badge, and seem his servants, yet inwardly side with the devil and lusts: They spot his honour, and cause profane ones to jest at his holiness. Other offences God may punish, this he must, left the enemies of his truth triumph against him. If thou be'st unsound within, soil not the glorious robe of truth by putting it upon thy beastliness. This is to be religiously rude: and even all the Church of sincerest good men suffer in a seeming good man's fall. Let not thy actions sight against thy tongue or pen: one ill life will pull down more than many good tongues can build.  
THe best way of speech is to be short, plain, material. Tedious admonitions dull the advised, and make the giver contemptible. It is a short reproof that stays like a stab in the memory: and many times three words do more good than an idle discourse of three hours. A limitless tongue is a strange unbitted beast to worry one with: A talkative fellow is the unbraced drum, which beats a wise man out of his wits. Surely Nature did not guard the tongue with the double fence of teeth and lips, but that she meant it should not move too nimbly.  
GOod men have most right to the best of God's creatures: and seeing Wine was given to cheer the heart, why should I not use it to that end: for surely the merry soul is freer from intended mischief, than the thoughtful man: and a bounded mirth is a Patent adding time and happiness to the crazed life of man; without which he is but a mere lump of quickened care: For as there are many that in their life assume too great a liberty: so doubtless there are some that abridge themselves of what they might lawfully use: forgetting what Solomon saith, That the only profit to a man, is to eat, and drink, and delight his soul in his labour; for this is the hand of God.  
I Never yet found Pride in a noble Nature; nor humility in an unworthy mind. Arrogance is a Weed that ever grows in a dunghill; it is from the rankness of that soil she hath her height and spreadings. To be humble to our superiors is duty; to our equals courtesy; to our inferiors nobleness. If ever Pride be lawful, it is when it meets with audacious Pride and conquers: for then many times the affronting man by his own folly may learn the way to his duty, and wit.  
Vlee is a myery deepness: If thou strivest to help one out and dost not, thy stirring him sinks him in the farther. Fury is the madder for his chain. When thou chidest thy wandering friend, do it secretly, in season, in love. Certainly he is drunk himself, that profanes reason so as to urge it to a drunken man. To admonish a man in the height of his passion, is to call a soldier to council in the heat of a battle: Let the combat slack, and then thou Mayst expect a hearing. Who blows out Candles with too strong a breath, doth 〈…〉 a stink, and blow them 〈◊〉 again. And many times the tartness of speech makes a reprehension worse than the fault.  
TO find friends when we have no need of them, and to want them when we have, are both alike easy and common. And certainly it is not the least part of man's misery, that he can neither be truly happy without a friend, nor yet know him to be a true friend without his being unhappy. Our fortunes and ourselves are so closely linked that we know not to which of them our friends love al●es, till one of these two shall part, I confess he is happy that finds a true friend in extremity; but he is happier that finds not extremity wherein to try his friend.  
INfidelity is the cause of all our woes, the ground of all our sins: not trusting God, we discontent ourselves with fears and solicitations; and to cure these, we run into prohibited paths: unworthy earthen worm, to think that he that grasps the unemptied provisions of the world in his hand, can be a niggard to his Sons, unless he sees it be for their good and benefit. O my God, let me find my heart dutiful, and my faith upon trial steadfast, that I may but serve thee, and depend upon thee, and then I need beg no farther supply; for these will be ground enough for sufficient happiness while I live here.  
NEither example nor precept (Unless in matters wholly religious) can be the absolute guides of a discreet man; It is only a knowing and a practical judgement of his own that can direct him in the Maze of this life, in the bustle of the world, in the twitches and twirls of Fate: for man's life is like a State, still casual in the future: and he that lives always by book Rules, shall show himself affected, and a fool. I will do that which I see is comely, (so it be not dishonest) rather than take grave advice to the contrary.  
VIce ruleth as a god in this present evil world, and it is impossible to live and not encounter her: Wherefore it is good to be acquainted with virtue also; that the true beauty of the one may draw our affections from the ugly deformity of the other: And happy is he that makes other men's vices, steps for him to climb to heaven by.  
THe good man is he to whom life and death is indifferent: for he knows, while he is here God will protect him; and that when he goes hence God will receive him. Certainly we are never quiet in any thing long, till we have conquered the fear of death; every spectacle of mortality terrifies, and every casual danger affrights us. Fear of death kills us often, when death itself can do it but once. But he that would not die when he must, and he that would die when he must not, are Cowards alike: And why should we fear to do that at any time, which we know we must do once. But what we cannot do till our time comes, let us not seek to do before. He that hath lived well, will seldom be unwilling to die: for death hath nothing in it terrible, but what our life hath made so. Good men never die, but as the Phoenix, from whose preserved ashes one or other still doth spring up like them: for surely nothing awakes our sleeping virtues like the noble acts of our predecessors.  
COntemplation seconded by action, makes men happy; without the first the later is defective: without the last the first is but abortive. Contemplation like Rachel, is fairest; but Action like Leah, is most fruitful. I will neither always be busy and doing; nor ever will I be shut up in nothing but thoughts: yet that which some would call idleness, I will count the sweetest part of my life, and that is my thinking.  
Virtue were but a kind of misery, if fame only were all the Garland that did crown her: but in heaven is laid up a more glorious and essential recompense. For a mean man to thirst for a mighty fame is a kind of fond ambition. Great fames are for Princes and such as are the Glories of humanity; good ones may crown the private: the same fire may be in the waxen Taper, which is in the staved Torch, but it is not equal either in quantity or advancement.  
A Prince that leaveth law, and ruleth himself and others by his own appetite and affections, is of all creatures the worst, and of all beasts the most furious and dangerous: for that nothing is so outrageous as injustice armed, and no armour is so strong as Wit and Authority: whereof the first he hath as he is a Man; and the other as he is a Prince.  
LEt this be my advice, and thy instruction: Shun verbosity, speak seldom, and then to the purpose: have a pure conscience, and pray often: study much, and be familiar with few: shun superfluous discourse: follow the steps of godly and devout men: regard not from whom thou hearest what is good, and having heard it, forget it not: what thou readest or hearest, cease not till thou dost understand: be resolved of doubts, and search not too far into things which are not lawful to know.  
THose sins are greater which are committed through lust, than those which are committed through anger: for he that is angry seems with a kind of grief and close contraction of himself to turn away from reason: but he that sins through lust, being overcome by pleasure, doth in his very sin bewray a more impotent and unmanlike disposition. For the angry man sinneth by another's injury that provokes him: whereas the other doth of himself merely resolve upon any evil action.  
IT should be every man's duty to confine all his thoughts and cares to the attendance of that spirit which is within himself, namely to keep himself pure from all violent passion and evil affection, from all rashness and vanity, and from all manner of discontent: knowing that all things happen from Him from whom himself came: And with all meekness and cheerfulness to expect death, as being a thing not to be feared, because common to Nature, and nothing that is according to Nature can be evil.  
AN absolute Puritan may justly be called a Church rebel, or one that would exclude Order, that his brain might rule. But methinks the reading of Ecclesiastes should make him undress his brain, and lay off all those fanatic toys that jingle about his understanding, causing him through a needlessenicity to be a thief to himself, of those benefits which God hath allowed him. Man's wisdom connsists not in the not using, but in the well using of what God and the world affords him.  
Extreme poverty is worse than abundance: the best estate is that which partakes of both, and consists of neither: he that hath too little, wants feathers to fly withal: and he that hath too much is but cumbered with too large a tail.  
IMprisonment is nothing such a mischief as most do think it: the greatest is, in that the eye is debarred the delight of the world's vanity. And I see not but a local restraint, without want or enforced employment, may very easily be converted to a happiness, unless men will let their minds run against the tides of Reason. It is no other but a place of retiring, or sequestration from the world, which many of the wisest have voluntarily put upon themselves; and surely while a man is tossed among men and business, he cannot so freely enjoy himself as when he is secluded from them both: and it is a misery, when a man must so apply himself to others, as he cannot have leisure to account with himself. Besides, be he never so at large, he doth but run over the same things, he sees but the like world in another place. If he hath but light and any prospect, he may see by that what the rest is, and enjoy it by his boundless mind. Indeed the most burdensome imprisonment is to be prisoner to diseases; because for the most part these hold us, not without pain and the great trouble of our friends about us.  
A Perfect soul in an imperfect body, is like a bright taper in a dark lantern: the fault is not in the light, but in the Case, which curtains it with so dull an outside, as will not let the shine be transparent. And we may see this even in those that have been both able and ingenious, who after a hurt received in some vital part, have grown mopish and almost insencible, that defect keeping the intellectual so under, that it appeareth not to the outward apprehension. Inward defects also, either in Nature or Generation, do often eclipse the lustre of noble spirits: yea, even from the womb some malignant humour may interpose the true operation of the spirits internal.  
CErtainly God hath made man to dwell in doubt, that he might be awed to good by fear and expectation. We are led along by hope, to the ends that are appointed us, and by an uncertain way we come at last to a certain end, which yet we could neither know nor avoid. The great Creator wisely put things to come, in the mist and twilight, that we might neither be overjoyed with the certainty of good, nor overmuch terrified with the assurance of an unavoidable ill. If Fate be certain, it can be no good to know it, because we cannot prevent it: If it be uncertain, we search in vain to find out that which but may be. He that lives virtuously needs not doubt of finding a happy Fate: If our lives please God, the success shall surely please us. Virtue and Vice are both Prophets, the one of certain good, the other either of pain or Penitence.  
WIthout charity a man cannot be sociable: and take away that, and there is little else that a man hath to do in the world: Certainly if there be any thing sweet in mere humanity, it is in the intercourses of beloved society: a reverend humility towards God, and Christian charity toward our Neighbours, will give us a peace that shall fit us for whatsoever befalls. He that hath these graces shall not fear himself, for he knows his course is Order: he shall not fear the world, for he knows he hath done nothing that hath angered it: he shall not be afraid of heaven, for he knows he shall there find the favour of a Servant of a Son, and be protected against the malice and spleen of hell.  
AS no physician can be so abstemious, as to follow strictly all his own prescriptions, so I think there is no Christian so much his minds Master, as to keep precisely all his resolutions: they may better show what he would be, than what he is. Nature hath too slow a foot to follow Religion close at the heel: Who can expect our dull flesh should wing it with the flights of the soul? He is not a good man that lives perfect, but he that lives as well as he can, and as human frailties will let him: he that thus strives not, never began to be virtuous, nor knows he those transcending joys that continually feast in the noble minded Man. All the external pleasures that Mortality is capable of, can never enkindle a flame, that shall so bravely warm the soul as the love of virtue, and the certain knowledge of the rule we have over our own wild passions.  
I Never yet could meet the man that complained not of something. Every one hath his turn of sorrow, some more, some less, all men are in their times miserable. Wherefore it is wisdom before sorrow comes to prepare for it, when it comes to welcome it, and when it goes, to take but half a farewell of it, as still expecting its return.  
THe ill wishes of our impatience are ofttimes heard: as those good things are not granted us which we pray for without care, so those evils that we pray for and would not have, are often granted: the ears of God are not only open to the prayers of faith, but to the imprecations of infidelity. It is dangerous wishing evil to ourselves or ours. It is just with God to take us at our word, and to effect that with his will, which our lips speak against our heart.  
Sweetness of Contemplation is a great help toward the good entertainment of an admonition. Roughness and rigour many times harden those hearts, which meekness would have melted to repentance. Whether we sue, or convince, or reprove, little good is gotten by bitterness: Detestation of the sin may well stand with favour to the person, and those two not distinguished, cause great wrong either in our charity or justice: for either we uncharitably hate the creature of God, or unjustly affect the persons of Men.  
IT is madness in a man not to be warned, but to run upon the same judgements wherewith he sees others miscarry, and not to believe till he cannot recover. Our assent is purchased too late when we over-stay prevention, and trust to that experience we cannot live to redeem: Nor is it wisdom to stay till a judgement come home to us, for the only way to avoid it is to meet it half way. There is the same remedy both or war and of danger: To provoke an enemy in his own borders is the best stay of invasion: and to solicit God betimes in a manifest danger, is the best antidote against the greatest evils that can be fall us.  
IT is a good sign when God chides us: his round reprehensions are ever gracious forerunners of mercy; whereas his silent connivance at the wicked argues deep and secret displeasure. Fond Nature thinks God should not suffer the wind to blow upon his dear ones, because herself makes this fond use of her own indulgence. But wheresoever God chastises, there he is, yea, there he is in mercy: Nothing more proves us his than his stripes, he will not bestow whipping where he loves not.  
He that commonly gives us power to crave, sometimes gives us without craving, that the benefit might be so much more welcome, by how much less it was suspected; and we so much more thankful, as he is forward: When he bids us ask, it is not that he needs to be entreated, but that he may make us more capable of blessings by desiring them: and where he sees fervent desires, he seldom stays for words: but how much more will he give when we ask, that so freely gives before we ask.  
BY contrary paces to ours it pleases God to come to his own ends, looking oft the contrary way to that we move. No man can measure the conclusion of God's acts by his beginnings: he that fetches good out of evil, often raises the glory of men out of their ruin. We love to go the nearest way, and often fail: God commonly goes about, and in his own time comes surely home. Necessity will drive us to seek all helps, even those which our wantonness despised. It is a safe course to make much of those in our peace, whom we must make use of in our extremity: else it is but just that we should be rejected by them we have rejected.  
Vow's are as they are made, like unto scents, if they be of ill composition nothing offends more, if well tempered, nothing more pleasant: either certainty of evil, or uncertainty of good, or impossibility of performance, make vows of no service to God. When we vow that we cannot, or what we ought not, we mock God in stead of honouring him: It is a vain thing for us to go about to catch God hoodwinked: for there is no comfort in Peradventure I may please God.  
IT falls out often, that those times and occasions which promise most contentment, prove most doleful in the issue: as contrarily, the times and events which we have most distrusted, prove most beneficial. It is good in a fair morning to think of the storm that may arise before night, and to enjoy both good and evil fearfully.  
AS it becomes not children to be too forward in their choice, so Parents ought not to be too peremptory in their denial. It is not safe for children to outrun their Parents in settling their affections; nor for Parents, where the impediments are not very material, to come short of their children, when their affections are once settled: the one is disobedience, the other tyranny.  
THe courtesies of the world are ever hollow and thankless, neither doth it ever purpose so ill, as when it shows fairest: None are so near dangers as those whom it entertains with smiles. Whilst it frowns we know what to trust to, but the favours of it are worthy nothing but fears and suspicions: open defiance is better than false love.  
INdulgences of Parents is the refuge of vanity, the bawd of wickedness, the bane of children. How easily is that thief induced to steal, that knows his Receiver? When the lawlessness of youth knows where to find pity and toleration, what mischief can it forbear?  
GOod dispositions love not to pleasure themselves with the disadvantage of others, and had rather be miserable alone, than draw in partners to their sorrow: for the sight of another's calamity doth even double their own, and if themselves were free, would affect them with compassion. As contrarily, ill minds care not how many companions they have in misery; they can be content all the world were enwrapped with them in the same distress.  
IT is no love that cannot make us willing to be miserable for those we affect: the hollowest heart can be content to follow one that prospereth. Adversity is the only furnace of friendship; if love will not abide both fire and anvil it is but counterfeit: And in our love to God we do but crack and vaunt in vain, if we cannot be willing to suffer for him.  
THe Rich exchanging their alms with the poor for their blessings, have no cause to complain of an ill bargain; our gifts cannot be worth their faithful prayers. Therefore it is better to give than to receive; because he that receives hath but a worthless alms, he that gives receives an unvaluable blessing.  
We cannot better please an adversary than by hurting ourselves. This is no other than to honour envy, to serve the turn of those that malign us, and to draw on that malice which will weary us. Whereas lesness puts ill will out of countenance, and makes it withdraw itself in a rage, as that which doth but shame the Author, without the hurt of the Patient. In causeless wrongs the best remedy is contempt.  
Guiltiness is commonly clamorous and impatient; whereas innocence is silent and careless of misreports. It is natural to all men to wipe off from their names all aspersions of evil; but none do it with such violence, as they which for most part are faulty. 'Tis a sign the horse is galled which stirs too much when he is touched.  
EVen the best may err, though not persist in it: when good natures have offended, they are unquiet till they have hastened satisfaction. It cannot be spoken how much ease and joy the heart of man finds, in having unloaded his cares, and poured out his supplications in the ears of God, since it is well assured, that the fruit which is faithfully asked, is already granted in heaven. The conscience may well rest when it tells us we have neglected no means of redressing our affliction: for than it may resolve to look either for amendment or patience.  
THose which are dearest to God, do oft times with great difficulty work out those blessings which fall into the mouths of the careless. The just disposer of all things holds it fit to keep us short of those favours we sue for, either for the trial of our patience, or the exercise of our faith, or the increasing of our importunity, or the doubling of our obligation.  
THose hearts which are truly thankful do rejoice no less in their restraint than in their receipt; and do as much study how to show their humble and fervent affections for what they have, as how to compass favours when they want them. Their debt is their burden, which when they have discharged they are at ease.  
WIcked men are upon all occasions glad to be rid of God, but they can with no patience endure to be rid of their sins; but whilst they are weary of the hand that punisheth them, they hold fast the cause of their punishment: their false hopes cost them dear. They could not be so miserable, if their own hearts did not deceive them with misexpectations of impossible favour.  
IT is hard not to overjoy in a sudden prosperity: and to use happiness is no less difficulty than to forbear it. Nature is too subject to extremities, and is ever either too dull in want, or too wanton in fruition: it is no easy matter to keep a mean either in good or evil.  
THe mercies of God draw more tears from his children, than his judgements do from his enemies: There is no better signs of good nature and grace, than to be won to repentance by kindness. Not to think of God unless we be beaten unto it, is servile; No warning will serve obdurate hearts; wicked men are even ambitious of destruction: judgements need not go to find them out, they run headlong to meet their bane. God will never acknowledge any convert that stays in a known sin: Graces and virtues are so linked together that he which hath one hath all: the partial conversion of men to God is hateful hypocrisy, and the trial of our sincerity is the abandoning of our wonted sins.  
PRide and wantonness have marred these times: Great Parents account it a disreputation to employ their sons in courses of frugality, and their pampered children think it a shame to do any thing, and so bear themselves, as those that hold it the only glory to be either idle or wicked.  
GOd never employed any man in his service, whom he did not enable to the work he set him, especially those whom he raiseth up to the supply of his own place, and the representation of himself. It is no marvel though Princes excel the Vulgar in gifts, no less than in dignity: their crowns and their hearts are both in one and the same hand: if God did not add to their powers as their honours, there would be no equality.  
God's children cannot by any means be discouraged from their honour and love to his Ordinances, if they see thousands struck down to hell by the sceptre of God's kingdom, yet they will kiss it upon their knees; and though their Saviour be a Rock of offence, and the occasion of others falling, they feed temperately on that whereof others have surfeited to death. Nothing but grace can teach us to make use of others judgements: for wicked men are not moved with aught that falls beside them, they trust nothing but their own smart, and notwithstanding the daily representation of God's judgements, their peremptory resolution takes no more notice of them than if God had never shown a dislike of their ways.  
HOw easy is it for us to mistake our own estates? to rejoice in that which we shall find the just cause of our just humiliation: the end of a thing is better than the beginning: the safest way is, to reserve our joy till we have good proof of the worthiness and fitness of the object: what are we the better for having a blessing, if we know not how to use it?  
GOd may be angry enough with us while we outwardly prosper: It is his wisdom to take his best advantages; he suffers us to go on till we should come to enjoy the fruit of our sin, till we seem past the danger either of conscience or punishment, than (even when we begin to be past the feeling of our sins) we often begin to feel his displeasure for our sins: but this is only where he loves, for where he means utter vengeance, he lets men harden themselves to a reprobate senselessness, and make up their own measure without contradiction, as purposing to reckon with them but once for ever.  
We should ever dislike sins, but should not always show it: discretion in the choice of seasons for reproving, is no less commendable and necessary, than zeal and faithfulness in reproving. Good physicians use not to evacuate the body in extremities of heat or cold. Wise Mariners do not hoist their sails in every wind. And as all times are not fit for reproof, so all persons are not fit to be reprovers: he that casts a stone at an offendor, should be free from the offence, otherwise he condemns and executes himself in another person. The conscience stops the guilty man's mouth, and chokes him with that sin which lies in his own breast: which having not come forth by a penitent confession, cannot find the way out in a reproof: and if he do reprove, he doth more shame himself, than reform another.  
A man's heart can best judge of himself, others can best judge of his actions: As another man's conscience and approbation cannot bear us out before God, so cannot our own before men; for ofttimes those actions are censured by the beholders as wrongful, wherein we applaud our own justice. Happy is the man that can be acquitted by himself in private, in public by others, by God in both. Standers by may see more: it is very safe for a man to look into himself by others eyes: in vain shall a man's heart absolve him, that is condemned by his actions. A good conscience will make a man undauntedly confident, and dares put him upon any trial: where his own heart strikes him not it bids him challenge all the world, and all comers. How happy a thing is it for a man to be his own friend and Patron: he needs not fear foreign broils, that hath true peace at home: but he that hath a false and soul heart, lies at every man's mercy, lives slavishly, and is fain to daub up a rotten peace with the basest conditions. Truth is not afraid of any light, and therefore dares suffer her wares to be carried from a dim shopboard to the Street door. Perfect Gold will be but the purer for trying, whereas falsehood being a work of darkness, loves darkness, and therefore seeks where it may work closest.  
THe greatest earthly Monarchs ought to walk by a Rule, which if they do transgress, they shall be accountable to him who is higher than the highest, and desires not so much their precept as example. For the sins of our Teachers are the Teachers of sin: the sins of governors do both command and countenance evil.  
HYpocrites rest only in formalities; if the outward act be done, it sufficeth them, though the ground be distrust, the manner unreverence, the carriage presumption. But God will have no worship of our own devising, we may only do what he bids us, not bid what he commands not. Never did any true piety arise out of the corrupt puddle of man's brain; if it flow not from heaven it is odious to heaven: The only way to bring comforts, and to entail a comfortable prosperity upon our Posterity, is our conscionable inward obedience to God.  
The services of our love to God's Children are never thankless: When we are dead and rotten, they shall live and procure blessings to those that never knew perhaps, nor heard of their progenitors. If we sow good works, succession shall reap them, and we shall be happy in making them so. Doubtless that child is happy, whose progenitors are in heaven; for he is left an inheritor of blessings together with estate: whereas wicked Ancestors lose the thanks of a rich Patrimony, by the curse that attends it.  
A Good heart hath learned to frame itself unto all conditions, and can change his estate without change of disposition, rising and falling according to occasion: whereas the worldly mind can rise easily, but knows not how to descend either with patience, or safety.  
OF all creatures, Christians should have least interest in themselves, but should live as given to benefit of others: not caring much for what they have, and nothing for what they have not: seeing all worldly things, though they require long labour in getting, yet afford but a short pleasure in enjoying them.  
WIcked men that know the filthiness of their souls, dare not so much as view them, but shift off all checks of their former iniquity with vain excuses of good fellowship. Whence it is that every small reprehension galls them, because it calls the eyes of the soul home to itself, making them see a glimpse of what they would not: Like a foolish and timorous Patient, who knowing his wound very deep, cannot endure the Surgeon should search it: whereof what can ensue but a festering of the part, and a danger of the whole body. The old proverb is true, Oft and even reckonings make long friends. Many prodigal wasters run so far in books, that they cannot abide to hear of a reckoning. Happy is he that sums up his estate often with God: he shall thereby know what he hath to expect and answer for: neither shall his score run on so long, that he shall not know his debts, or fear an account, or despair of payment.  
FEw men fear to do ill, every man to suffer ill: wherein if we consider right, we shall find that we fear our best friends: for Prosperity usually makes us forget our death; Adversity on the other side makes us neglect our life. Now if we measure both of these by their effects; forgetfulness of death makes us secure, neglect of this life makes us careful of a better: So much therefore as neglect of life is better than forgetfulness of death, and watchfulness better than security, so much more beneficial should we esteem Adversity than Prosperity.  
'tIs a base thing to get goods only to keep them: we see that God (who is only infinite rich) holdeth nothing in his own hands, but gives all to his Creatures. But if we will needs lay up, where should we rather repose it than in Christ's Treasury, which is the poor man's hand: There should all our superfluity be hoarded up, where doubtless it shall be safely kept, and surely returned us: If our money were another's we could but keep it, only expending it shows it our own: 'tis better to lay it out well, than to keep it safely.  
NO worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it, but as a Bee, having honey in the mouth, hath a sting in the tail. Why then should we be so foolish to rest our hearts upon any of them? and not rather labour to aspire to that one absolute Good, in whom is nothing savouring of grief, nothing wanting to perfect happiness.  
EVery man acts his part upon this world's Theatre: The good man is a Comedian, who however he begins, ever ends merrily: but the wicked man acts a Tragedy, and therefore always ends in horror. Who sees an ox grazing in a fat and rank pasture, and thinks not that he is near to the slaughter? whereas the lean beast that toils under the yoke is far enough from the shambles. The best wicked man cannot be so glorious in his first shows, as he is miserable in the conclusion.  
THat affection which is grounded on the best and most Heavenly virtue must needs be the safest; for as it unites man to God so inseparably, that no temptations, no torments, no not all the gates of hell can sever him: so it unites one Christian soul to another so firmly, that no outward occurrents, no imperfections in the party loved can dissolve them. He that loves not the child of God for his own and his father's sake, more than a friend for his commodity, or a kinsman for blood, never received any spark of true heavenly love.  
IT happens to Christians in their pilgrimage to a better life, as it doth to Travellers, who meet with many hosts, but few friends. Good friends are a great happiness, and therefore should not easily be lost; nor must they be used as suits of apparel, which when we have worn threadbare we cast off and call for new. Nothing but death or villainy should divorce us from an old friend, we should still follow him so far as possibility or honesty can guide us, which if he chance to leave, we should yet leave him with sorrow.  
THere is no man so pure in whom we may not mislike somewhat: and who may not as justly mislike somewhat in us? Our friends faults therefore, if little, should be swallowed and digested: if great, they should be smothered, at least winked at to others, yet lovingly notified to him.  
WHy should we vex ourselves because another hath vexed us? Injuries hurt not more in the receiving, than in the remembrance. A small injury should go as it comes: great ones may dine or sup with us, but if they lodge with us, we shall find them very irksome.  
A Friends death as it may moderately grieve us, so it may another way much benefit us in recompense of his want, for it should make us think more often and seriously of earth and of heaven: of earth, for his body which is reposed in it; of heaven, for his soul which possesseth it before us: of earth, to put us in mind of our like frailty and mortality; of heaven, to make us desire, and after a sort emulate his happiness and glory: and it is a true saying, he which hath himself hath lost nothing.  
IT is better not know, than by knowledge to be made miserable: he that never tasted the pleasures of sin, longs least after those deceitful contentments. 'Tis easier to deny a guest at the first, than to turn him out having stayed awhile. The senseless man knows not what joy he loseth, when he fondly lasheth into new offences. While the Conscience is unspotted it can make us smile even on the Rack, and in Flames; but that once wounded, our joys are buried at once, and we throw a jewel from us which is richer than the world's wealth: happy is he that desires to die unexperienced in the sweets of such sin he knows not.  
HE is not worthy of thanks that professeth kindness for his own ends: he that loves me for my gift sake, loves my gift above myself; and if I should happen to light on Adversity, I should not find him then to appear, there being no hope of a gainful requital: friendship won by large gifts resembles a straw fire, that having matter to feed upon burns brightly, but let new fuel be neglected, it dies, consumes, and quite goes out.  
A Good life is a fortress against shame, and a good man's shame is his benefit; the one keeps it away, the other when it comes makes it prove profitable: for nothing more saddens the soul of a good man, than the serious apprehension of a just shame: and by how much his honesty was more noted, by so much will his shame and grief be more; because all will now be ready to brand him with the odious and stygmaticall name of an hypocrite. We should first strive to be void of the act may bring shame, and next not to cast it in the dish of the penitent. If our sufferings be unjust, we shall be sure in the end to find them comfortable.  
Between friends it cannot be but discourtesies will appear, though not intended by a willing act, yet so taken by a wrong suspect, which smothered in silence increase daily to a greater distaste, but once revealed in a friendly manner, oft meet with that satisfaction which doth in the disclosure banish them: There is not any thing eats out friendship sooner than concealed grudges: Conceits of unkindness harboured and believed, will work even a steady love to hatred. If a private thought of unkindness arise between my friend and myself, I presently tell it, and be reconciled: If he be clear, I shall like him the better when I see his integrity: if faulty, confession gains my pardon, and binds me still to love him. Fire almost quenched, and laid abroad, dies presently; put together, it will burn the better: a little shaking helps the trees growth; every such breach as this may unite affection faster.  
HOnour and high place upon earth can confer nothing unto us that may make our life more truly happy: if it add to our joys, it increaseth our fears: if it augment our pleasure, our trouble and care is the more: great persons are like flags in the tops of Shipmasts, as more high and more visible, so more and ever open to the wind and storms. What a snare hath wealth proved to many? that like the Sun, have in the morning of their time mounted themselves to the highest pitch of perspicuity and brightness; which when they have once attained, they decline, fall, vanish, and are gone, leaving nothing behind them but dark night, black reputation. The thief that meets with a full purse, takes away it, and returns a stab; whilst the empty pocket makes the life secure. He is not a complete Christian that cannot be content with what be enjoys: we should rather settle our minds to a quiet rest in that we find, than let her wander in a wearied solicitude after ungotten plenty: we should ever esteem that estate best which God gives us: though we cannot think so, yet doubtless it is so, and to think against knowledge is a foolish suspicion.  
AS Providence is the mother of happiness, so Negligence is the parent of misery: No vice so soon steals on us as the abuse of things in themselves: It is good the Vine should flourish, but let it alone, and it ruins itself in superfluous branches. Our pleasures are sometimes the inlivenings of a drooping soul, but they easily steal away our minds, making us with a mad affection dote upon them to our destruction: We should ever be most circumspect in things veiled either with goodness or sweetness: for nothing steals more souls from God, than lewd courses that are outwardly glorious.  
THe formal amity of the world is confined to a face, or to the possibility of a recompense, languishing in disability, and dying in the decease of the party affected: It is true love, that, overliving the person of a friend, will be inherited of his seed: but to love the posterity of an enemy, in a friend is the miracle of friendship: That love was ever false, that is not ever constant, and the most operative, when it cannot be either known or requited.  
WE should not nourish the same spirits in our adverse estates, that we found in our highest prosperity: what use have we made of God's hand, if we be not the lower in our fall? God's intent is, we should carry our cross, not make a fire of it to warm us by: It is no bearing up of sails in a Tempest, nor is there a more certain way to glory and advancement, than a lowly dejection of ourselves under God's chastisements.  
IT is one of the mad Principles of wickedness, That it is weakness to relent, and rather to die than yield: even ill Causes, once undertaken, must be upheld, although with blood: whereas the gracious heart, finding its own mistaking, doth not only remit of an ungrounded displeasure, but studies to be revenged on itself, and to give satisfaction to the offended.  
THere can be no fitter invitation to temptation, than the down-bed of idleness: the industrious man hath no leisure to sin; the idle hath neither leisure nor power to avoid sin. Exercise is not more wholesome for the body, than for the soul, the omission whereof breeds matter of disease in both: the water that hath been heated, soonest freezeth; and the most active spirit soonest tyreth with slacking: The earth stands still and is all dregs; the heavens ever move and are pure. We have no reason to complain of the assiduity of work; the toil of action is answered by the benefit: if we did less we should suffer more. Satan, like an idle companion, if he finds us busy flies back, and sees it no time to entertain vain purposes with us: We cannot please him better, than by casting away of our work to hold chat with him; we can not yield so far & be guiltless.  
THere can be no safety with that soul, where the senses are let loose; he can never keep his covenant with God, that makes not a covenant with his eyes. It is an idle presumption to think the outward man may be free, while the inward is safe: he is more than a man, whose heart is not led by his eyes: he is no regenerate man whose eyes are not restrained by his heart.  
THe grief that goes before an evil, for remedy, can hardly be too much; but that which follows an evil past remedy, can never be too little: Even in the saddest accident, Death, we may yield something to Nature, nothing to impatience. Immoderation of sorrow for losses past hope of recovery, is more sullen than useful: our stomach may be bewrayed by it, not our wisdom.  
THere is no enmity so dangerous as that which comes masked with love: open hostility calls us to our guard, but there is no fence against a trusted treachery. We need not be bidden to avoid an enemy, but who would run away from his friend? Thus spiritually deals the world with our souls, it kisses us, and stabs us at once: if it did not embrace us with one hand, it could not murder us with the other. Only God deliver us from the danger of this trust, and we shall be safe.  
WIcked politics care not so much for the commission of villainy, as for the notice: Smothered evils are as not done: If oppressions, murder, or treasons may be hid from view, the obdurate-hearted offender complains not of remorse: So vast are the gorges of some Consciences, that they can swallow the greatest crimes, and find no strain in the passage.  
THe perfections of speculation argue not always the inward powers of self-government: the eye may be clear, whilst the hand is palsied: it is not so much to be heeded how the soul is informed, as how she is disciplined: the lighted of knowledge doth well, but the order of the affections doth better: there can be no safety upon that soul where there is no strait curb upon the desires: if our lusts be not held under as slaves, they will rule as Tyrants: nothing can prevent the extremity of our miscarriage, but early and strong denials of our concupiscence: A competent estate well husbanded, is better than a vast patrimony neglected.  
THere is no presuming upon time, or means, or strength: how many have begun, and proceeded well, who yet have shamed themselves in their last stage: If God uphold us not we cannot stand, if God uphold us we cannot fall: when we are at the strongest, it is good to be weak in ourselves: and when at our weakest, strong in him in whom we can do all things. Lord be thou strong in our weakness, that our weak knees may be steady in thy strength.  
THere are some whose speeches are witty, whilst their carriage is weak; whose deeds are incongruities, whilst their words be apophthegms. It is not worth the name of wisdom that may be heard only and not seen; Good discourse is but the froth of wisdom, the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions: and knowing these things, happy are we if we do them.  
AS he is a fool that hath a price in his hand to get wisdom, and wants a heart; so is he unthankful that hath a heart to get wisdom, and hath no price in his hand, a price not countervailable to what he seeks, but retributory to him of whom he seeks: It is a shame to come with close hands to them which teach us the great mysteries of salvation.  
EXpectation is no better than a kind enemy to good deserts: We lose those things we overlook: Many had been admired, if they had not been overmuch befriended by Fame, who now in our judgement are cast as much below their ranks, as they were fore-imagined above it.  
EVen our very permission appropriates our ruin: we need no more guiltiness of any sin, than our willing toleration: Every accessary to sin is filthy, but the first authors of sin are abominable. And if the followers and abettors of evil be worthy of torment, no hell is too deep for the leaders of public wickedness.  
GEtting and saving are not ever the ways to abundance, but sometimes giving: the merciful God crownes our beneficence with the blessing of store: It is a good sign of a well meant devotion, when we can abide it chargeable: as contrarily, in the affairs of God, a niggardly hand argues a cold and narrow heart.  
SOmetimes God strikes in favour, but more often forbears out of severity: the best are fittest for heaven, the earth is fittest for the worst: this is the region of sin and misery, that of immortality: It is no argument of disfavour to be taken only from a well fed life, as not of approbation to age in sin.  
GOd oft winks at weaknesses, where he sees Truth: O how pleasing a thing is sincerity, that in favour thereof the mercy of a God digests many an error. Lord let our hearts go upright, though our feet slide, the fall cannot (through thy grace) be deadly, however it may shame or pain us.  
We cannot easily put upon God a greater wrong than the alienation of our trust: earthly means are for use, not for confidence: we may, we must employ them, we may not, we must not rely upon them. Policy and Religion do as well together, as they are ill asunder; the Dove without the Serpent is easily caught: the Serpent without the Dove stings deadly: Religion without Policy is too simple to be safe: Policy without Religion is too subtle to be good: being matched they make themselves secure, and many happy.  
THere is not always the greatest efficacy where is the greatest noise: God loves to make way for himself by terror, but he conveys himself to us in sweetness: It is happy for us, if after the flashes and gusts of the Law, we have heard the soft voice of Evangelical mercy: It is fit they should be first humbled by his terror, that would be made capable of his mercy; and by both won to repentance.  
NOthing is more odious to God, than a profane neutrality in main oppositions in Religion: To go upright in a wrong way is a less eyesore to God, than to halt betwixt right and wrong. The Spirit wisheth that the Laodiceans were either hot or cold: either Temper would be better borne than neither, than both. In reconcilable differences nothing is more safe than indifferency, both of practice and opinion: But in cases of so necessary hostility, as betwixt God and Baal, he that is on neither side, is enemy to both: less hateful are they to God that serve him not at all, than they that serve him with a rival.  
FOolish men are plagued for their offences, and it is no small part of their plague that they see it not. The only common disturber of Men, Families, Cities, kingdoms, Worlds, is sin: There is no such traitor to any State as the wilfully wicked: the quietest and most plausible offender is secretly seditious, and stirreth quarrels in heaven. Our hearts are Wells of bitter and venomous Water; our actions are the streams: In vain shall we cleanse our hands, while our hearts are evil. If the fountain be redressed, the streams cannot be faulty; as contrarily the purity and soundness of the stream avails nothing to the redress of the fountain: Reformation must begin at the Well head of the abuse: the order of being is a good guide to the method of amending.  
AS there are sometimes beardless Sages, so are there oft times gray-headed Children: not the ancient are wise, but the wise is ancient. It is vain to look for good of those Children we have neglected; and as vain to grieve for those miscarriages in elder age, which our care might have prevented betimes. Children are such as their institution: Infancy is led altogether by imitation: it hath neither words nor actions but infused by others; their full growth in good or ill is but borrowed, and the shame or thank is due to those that lent it. Next to being good, is the happiness of conversing with them that are so: for if we be not bettered by their example, yet are we often blessed by their protection.  
THe contempt of honest callings in those which are well borne, argues pride without wit: humble resolutions are so much the more heroical, as they fall into higher subjects. We may freely come to God, but we may not come too near him: when we meditate of the great mysteries of the Word, we come to him: we come too near him when we search into his counsels. A man may be too lowly in his dealings with men, even unto contempt: with God he cannot, but the lower he falleth, the higher is his exaltation: And I never find that any man bragged to God, although in a matter of truth, and within the compass of his desert, and was accepted.  
IT is a great skill to know what is enough, and great wisdom to care for no more. As in words, much talk argues a brain feeble and distempered; so affectation of superfluity, is in all things a sign of weakness.  
IN all human things indifferency is safest: if our doubts be equal to our desires, our disappointment shall not be grievous, because our expectation was not peremptory.  
DEceit is gracious company, for it always studies to be fair and pleasant: but then like a thief, having trained us from the road, it robs us; where all the benefit we have left is this, that if we have time to see how we are cozened, we may have so much happiness as to die repenting.  
SEeming wise men may make shift to get opinion, but I would wish no man to choose them for employment: for certainly you were better to take for business a man somewhat absurd, than over-formal.  
THere is but one way wherein a man may commend himself with good grace, and that is in commending virtue in another, especially if it be such a virtue whereunto himself pretendeth.  
HE that resteth upon gains certain, shall hardly grow to great riches: and he that puts all upon adventures, doth oftentimes break and come to poverty. It is good therefore to guard adventures with certainties, that may uphold losses.⁂  
FINIS.   


A description of true happiness.  
LOng have I sought the wish of all  
To find, and what it is men call  
True happiness; but cannot see  
The world has aught which it may be,  
Or with it hold a sympathy.  
He that enjoys what here below  
Frail Elements have to bestow,  
Shall find most sweet, bare hopes at first,  
Fruition by fruition burst:  
Sea-water so allays the thirst.  
Whoever would be happy then,  
Must be so to himself: for when  
Judges are taken from without,  
To judge what we fence close about,  
They err, judge not, but guess and doubt.  
He must have reason store, to spy  
Natures hid ways, to satisfy  
His judgement: So may he be safe.  
From the vain fret; for fools will chafe  
At that which makes a wise man laugh.  
Wealth to keep want away, and fear  
Of it, not more: Some friends still near,  
And chosen well. Nor must he miss  
A calling, yet some such as is  
Employment, not a business.  
His soul must hug no private sin,  
For that's a thorn hid by the skin;  
But Innocence: she, being nursed,  
Plants valiant peace. So Cato durst  
Be godly good, when Rome was worst.  
God-built he must be in his mind  
So deeply, that his faith no wind  
Can shake, when boldly he relies  
On one so noble, he out flies  
Low Chance, and Fate of Destinies.  
Life, as a middle way, immured  
twixt joy and grief to be endured,  
Not spurned and wantoned hence: he knows,  
In crooked banks a spring so goes  
Over stone, mud, weeds, yet still clear flows.  
And as springs rest not till they lead  
Meandring high, as their first head;  
So souls rest not till Man has trod  
Death's height; then by that period  
They rest too; raised as high as God.  
Summe all: He happiest is that can  
In this world's jar be honest Man.  
Be, since perfection is so high,  
Beyond Lives reach; he that would try  
True happiness indeed, must die.   
Laus Deo.