A GUIDE TO HEAVEN.  
Containing the MARROW OF THE Holy Fathers, AND Ancient Philosophers.  
Written in Latin by John Bona, a Cistercian Abbot: and in English, by T. V. a Benedictine Monk.  
Printed in the Year 1672.   modern bookplate 
Ex libris Bibliothecce Domesticce 〈◊〉 TOWNELEY de Towneley 〈◊〉 Lancastren●i Armigeri Anno Aetatis: 73 Anno Domini 1702   

A PREFACE TO THE READER.  
I Am here to tell you two things, Courteous Reader, in the Frontispiece of this little Book: For in the first place, I fear lest some will accuse me of Impudence and Rashness, saying, How presumest thou to lead men to Heaven, who art totally tied to the Earth? Or with what Confidence canst thou undertake to describe Virtue to others, who thyself dost not practise it? Moreover, what New Thing dost thou bring us in this thy Composition? Surely thou fastidiously and rudely repeatest the same Old Matter, which hath been already Learnedly and Elegantly treated of, by almost a numberless number of Writers; and by a proud Lie, makest Ostentation of other men's Riches, as if they were thy own.  
By these and such like expressions, some will perchance strive to undervalue my endeavours: But first of all, I will excuse myself with that Prudent man's saying; I take upon me the property of a Whetstone, which although it self cannot cut, can sharpen the Iron. Then I will make use of another Wise man's Words; I am not so presumptuous, as being myself Sick, to undertake the Cure of others; but as one lying in the same Hospital, I discourse with you concerning our common Distemper, and communicate my Remedies. Do you therefore so hear me, as if I talked with myself; for I admit you into my secrecy. I here profess myself a learning Disciple, instructing my own self, and not a teaching Master: for these are done mutually, and whilst men Teach, they Learn.  
As to what is objected in the second place, I can not otherwise answer it, than by ingenuously acknowledging, that here is little of my own, much of others. I have heaped many things together, either which I learned by my own Experience, or which I perceived would profit me, as I perused the Writings of the Holy Fathers, and of the Ancient Philosophers. But after the manner of Bees, I reduced the several Sweets into one Savour, intermixing some things in the proper Words of the Authors, and adding the rest in my own stile, which I desired should be facile, and devoid of ornament: for I here teach to Do, not to Speak.  
You have then in this small Volume, a certain Abridgement and Breviate, of all the Moral Institutions delivered by the Holy Fathers, in order to live well and happily. You have the best Resolves of Seneca, Epictetus, Antoninus, and the rest of the Sages. And I thought good to set down in brief such wholesome Admonitions, as I found efficacious in the Cure of my own Maladies, omitting the citation of the places from whence I collected them. These are the Souls Remedies, not the Wits Recreations; nor do I here intent pleasure, but profit. The sick Person questions not who mingled his Potion, or where the Ingredients were gathered, so long as they cure his distemper. I have omitted many things which I could have produced; many which I might have more subtly explicated: but 'tis better to have a few Precepts of Wisdom in a readiness for present use, then to learn many, and not to have them at hand for your daily practice. He hath learned much, who knows, how much is enough for his Salvation.  
God Grant, that this my labour, such as it is, may be highly profitable to all, but chief to myself; lest my Say, not seconded by my Actions, may make me ashamed.   

ERRATA.  
Page 10. l. 15. add him.  
Page 46. l. 19 broke.  
Page 159. l. 7. another's.  
Page 159. l. 8. there's, read there.  
Page 159. l. 11. apprehend, read reprehend.  
Page 159. l. 18. Wisman, read Wise man.   

A GUIDE TO HEAVEN. CONTAINING The Marrow of the Holy Fathers, and of the Ancient Philosophers.  

CHAP. I. Of Man's last End. What an Evil it is, to swerve from it. The Means and Method to come to it.  
1. MY design is, to direct you, (whosoever you are that read this) to Heaven; to that good (I say) which being obtained, you can desire no more. This is the main Mark and Butt, at which all men's Vows are by a natural propension leveled. All have a will to be happy: but through the fault of the first Parent, many becoming purblind, have left the true and prime good, and unfruitfully applied themselves to the pursuit of false and sophisticated Objects. And these mistaken persons, fancying the chief Good to consist in wanting Nothing, have given this Name to Riches; others, placing the chief Good in greatest Power, strive either to King it themselves, or to get near to them who Govern. And some there are, who descending to sordid matters, imagine it the highest happiness to wallow in pleasures, measuring the possession of the Supreme Good, by the Ell of Carnal delights, and Gluttony: So basely do these men judge of Beatitude. Thus labouring in vain, and wand'ring as it were in a labyrinth, by how the swiftlier they hasten to Good, by so much the farther they are from it; in this most unhappy, because they know not their unhappiness.  
2. This is the thing, miserable man, which involves thee in great evils, that thou indeed desirest to live happily, and to die happily; but art foolish and blind in seeing what true happiness is, and how it may be had, vainly seeking it by many byways. Whatsoever thou dost, whatsoever thou desirest, whatsoever thou endeavourest is against thee. For thou eyest not that immense Good, wherein thy Will should rest, because there is nothing above the highest: but thou roamest abroad without design, like the Aunts creeping up and down amongst the Shrubs, climbing up to the top, and then descending empty to the bottom. God the maker of all things, created thee of Nothing, that thou shouldest love him only, serve him only, with thy whole intention, with thy whole affection: As 'tis necessary for him to be, so 'tis necessary he should be thy last End. Think seriously how great a part of thy life thou givest to him, to whom thou shouldst give the whole. Thy Studies and Counsels err, if they are not to him directed. As the end of thy Journey is the place to which thou tendest, whither being arrived thou reposest; so the end of thy life is God, to whom thou art to refer whatsoever thou thinkest, whatsoever thou speakest, whatsoever thou actest, till he being obtained, all thy tendencies are completed. Whatsoever withdraws thee from this thy last End, draws thee to eternal destruction.  
3. As in a Sea, if perchance the Ship stopping, thou leapest overboard to refresh thyself on the shore, and there in the mean time gatherest Shells or Bulrushes; yet thy mind will still be solicitously attentive to the Ship, lest the Governor should call thee away; for then quitting all, thou must speedily repair to the Vessel: Even so thou must behave thyself in thy Life: Having thy Mind evermore fixed upon God, thou art to use external things in such sort, as never to let them touch thy heart, nor divert thy attendency to thy proposed End: They serve thee, that thou mayst serve God. Otherwise falling from the Divine Unity, thou art scattered abroad amongst many not necessary things, and worshippest as many Idols, as there are creatures which thou adherest to, with a disordered affection. These are thy Gods, to whom by a foul Sacrilege thou sacrificest not an Ox, not a Goat, but thyself, and thy Salvation. The law of Love permits not any thing to be beloved with God, but only in God, and for God. 'Tis the highest damage, to deflect from the chiefest Good, and adhere to the Creatures.  
4. That which the Prince of Physicians pronounces of impure Bodies, By how much the more they are nourished, by so much the more they are endamaged, is to be said also of Souls: For they who begin to pass from a bad custom to a better condition, must first vomit up the Venom of their wicked life, and then ingest into their purified Minds, the solid Aliments of Virtues. And this Purgation is thus to be performed: All committed sins are to be expiated; all affections towards them are to be banished; all vicious Customs are to be eradicated; all evil Propensions and immoderate Appetites, are to be subjected to the Empire of Reason: The Flesh is to be chastised: Corporal Necessities are to be reduced to a just moderation: The Tongue and Senses are to be bridled: whatsoever may put a stop or delay to the speedy ascending to the mountain top of Virtue, must be totally exterminated. What dreadest thou, and why dost thou fancy the way showed thee to Felicity, to be so full of difficulties? Thou mayst make thyself happy; he supplying thee with strength, who is thy Beginning and thy End. But thou must go forth of thyself, that thou mayst get to him. Thou wilt be to him so much the nearer, by how much thou art from thyself more remote.  
5. The first thing thou art to propose to thyself, is, What thou desirest, and Wither thou tendest; Then the way is to be considered, by which thou mayst obtain that chief Good; and in thy journey thou wilt understand what progress thou daily makest. Take a serious survey of thy Conscience, and opening thy dim eyes, see impartially what thou art, and what thou oughtest to be. 'Twill be too late to discover the deceit, when thou canst not avoid it. Learn by what Remedy the madness of Cupidities is tamed; with what Bridle the cruelty of Fear is kerbed. Practise the contempt of earthly things, and departed freely from what thou canst not long possess. Leave all, before thou art left by all; that when death shall come, it may find nothing in thee, which it can destroy: But be sure to employ thy chief care upon thy Soul, and let not that which is first in excellency, be the last in thy solicitude; What avails it for a man to gain the whole world, and suffer shipwreck of his Soul? There's no Gain, where there is a loss of Salvation.   

CHAP. II. Who so desires to live well, must make choice of an Instructor. What manner of man this aught to be. The Duties of a Disciple.  
1. NOthing is more necessary to one beginning to serve God, than to permit himself to be governed and directed by a discreet Master. For who adventures upon an unknown Journey, without a Guide? Who can learn a difficult Trade, without a Teacher? Thou shalt find very few, who without any one's help, have raised up themselves to the height of Virtue. What ought generally to be done by all, may be communicated to persons who are absent, and transmitted to posterity by Writings: but when and how each particular thing is to be practised, cannot be directed at a distance; deliberation must be made with the things themselves. A Physician cannot by Letter prescribe to his Patient the just measure of his Diet, and time of taking his Potion: the Vein must be touched, and the Pulse felt. So also in curing the Souls maladies, there are certain Symptoms which cannot be perceived but by one present. St. Paul, the designed Doctor of the Gentiles, after he was converted by Christ, was directed to Ananias, that he might learn from him the way of life. Thou hast undertaken a hard and laborious task, to conquer the perversity of Nature, to wrestle with Spiritual wickednesses, and to bring thyself to Virtue, amidst so many impeding obstacles: it therefore behoves thee to call in some charitable Neighbour to thy aid, who may lend thee his helping hand, who may show thee the dangers, who may discover the deceits, and in the doubtful day of battle instruct thee how to gain the victory. But whom (sayest thou) must I call in to my help? Surely a man both Faithful and Prudent; one who is both willing and able to assist thee; one whose presence thou reverencest, not dreadest; one who will not chastise thy failings, but redress them; one whose life is more approved on by the Eyes, than by the Ears. He commands ill, who commands and acts not.  
2. Make choice of him for thy Helper, who will not flatter thee; who intrudes not into vulgar conversation; who frequents not the Rich men's Feasts, nor the Prince's Courts; who hath in his Life and Manners some such thing as the Goldsmith hath in his moneys, so that he can say, show me any Coin, I can discern it; bring before me any Affection, I will judge and censure it: who like a well-experienced Physician, can discover internal discases, and apply proper Remedies to redress all the Souls distempers. Let him be such a one, as can by a subtle scrutiny discern the secrets of all Spirits, distinguish between Virtues and Vices, accommodate himself to every one's manners, dive into all the Recesses of thy Interiour, is free from all depraved affection, aiming only at thy Spiritual advancement. One (I say) who in the Spirit of Meekness knows how to instruct and allure, how to detect and elude all the Devils crafts and stratagems; and finally, one to whom thou needst not be ashamed to lay open all the secrets of thy heart and soul. 'Tis a great part of thy Happiness, to find out such a Friend.  
3. With him discourse willingly; and commit to his prudent examination, and discussion, whatsoever thou hast within thee of perverse propension, and not only whatsoever thou dost amiss, but also whatsoever good thou performest, and whatsoever thou conceitest to be communicated unto thee from Heaven. Entreat him earnestly, that if he observes in thee any turbulent affection, he will vouchsafe to show it unto thee; and that he will please to do it frequently and freely, not dissembling thy Vices, out of shamefacedness or fear of reproving thee. But if he denies to see in thee any thing worthy his severer censure, beware lest thou thereupon fancy thyself inculpable: For he is silent, either as apprehending thy hatred, or as despairing of thy amendment. Then do thou urge him with greater instance and vehemency; and show by thy actions, how much thou desirest to profit by his reprehensions. Begin to depose with thy imperfections, and compose thy Life according to his Prescript. Rejoice that he reviles thy impiety; and depart always from him either sound, or in the way to it. Amongst so many maladies, 'tis something to have a Will to be cured.  
4. These are the mutual offices, of the Teacher and of the Learner, that the one should have a will to profit, the other a desire to practise: That the Instructor should not profit, scarcely any thing can hinder, but the refractoriness of the Disciple, who may want patience to learn, or a capacity to be cured. For some there are, who relying upon their own prudence, refuse to follow any other man's dictamen: All these things (say they) which you inculcate, I know already: What avails it then to tell me what is before manifest? Yes, very much: For thou sometimes knowest, but dost not attend, reflect, consider. This new Admonition intends not to inform thy Understanding, but to excite thy Memory. The Mind ofttimes dissembles things which are apparent, and therefore the knowledge of things most known, must be often suggested unto it: For Virtue is erected when 'tis touched and pressed. A  shamefacedness withholds some; which is surely a Childish Vice, and unworthy a man: Others, as if they were frantic, suppress their inward maladies by a pertinacious silence, and grow angry at the Physician who goes about to cure them. This noxious taciturnity, proceeds undoubtedly from the persuasion of the Internal Enemy, hoping to hurt so long as he lurks undiscovered. And surely thou blushest not to expose thy bodily wounds to the open view of such beholders as may cure them; but thou industriously coverest thy Souls Ulcers, as if to conceal them, were to cancel them; and yet it can hardly be avoided, but that notwithstanding thy endeavours to the contrary, they will betray themselves. Who so covers his wound, can never be cured.  
5. Doth the Physician injure thee, if he shows thee thy infirmity? If he tells thee, Thou art dangerously sick, Thou hast a Fever, Thou must this day abstain from such and such food, this day thou must drink water: This plain dealing is esteemed a favour, and thanks are given him for his freedom. But if any one tells thee, Thy Appetites are exorbitant, Thy Opinions are vain, Thy Affections are immoderate, thou presently exclaimest, O affront not to be endured! Unhappy man! what damage or detriment doth this zealous Admonisher and Instructor bring unto thee? That surely, which a Looking-glass doth to a deformed Face: It shows thee what thou art. Correct then what he reproves, amend thy manners, scour off thy filthiness. Thou mayst easily, if thou wilt, render thyself to all beholders eyes, irreprehensible.   

CHAP. III. Of Purgation from sin. All affection to sin is to be laid aside, and Vice is to be rooted out. No remedy is more efficacious against Vice, than the consideration of Death and Eternity.  
1. MAn deviates from his last end, when he commits Sin, which is the cause of all Evils. From this seed, springs all that torments us: with this Poison the whole world is infected. It lies closely hidden whilst it is doing, but when 'tis done, thou wilt understand how bad it is. Some there were, who joined the bodies of dead men to the living, to torment them with the stench: A like punishment befalls sinners; their torment is fast tied to them, they know not whither to fly from it: Unless thou wilt endure something that thou mayst not do evil, thou wilt endure much because thou hast done it. A bad action is scarcely conceived, and presently it becomes the Parent of its own punishment. From thence Death derives its birth, from thence Hell-fire is enkindled. The Conscience is therefore to be cleansed from all crimes, by Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction. Nor are the more grievous faults only to be avoided, but the very least and lightest, which though they bring not Death, yet by degrees they dissolve the strength, and insensibly dispose to mortal impiety: And what's the difference in a Shipwreck, whether the Vessel is overwhelmed with one wave, or whether the water soaking in drop after drop, and carelessly let alone, fills it at last, and sinks it to the bottom? And these give by so much a greater blemish to our manners, by how much they might more easily have been avoided. The weaker the Enemy is, the greater is the shame to be overcome by him.  
2. Thou wilt never be able to plant Virtues in thy mind, and to re-establish thyself in thy former state of Liberty, unless thou puttest off all affection towards Sin, although the very lest: lest thy body being in the wilderness, thy mind should be in Egypt. It fares ill with thee, if after thou hast dismissed all injuries, after thou hast abandoned all beastly loves, thou yet givest ear to bad discourses, and art yet delighted with earthly beauties. For the evil habits of Vices, which still remain, though the fault is remitted, must be entirely rooted out, as being the bad progeny of thy former prevarication. If thou only loppest off the Branches, the Root will again put forth new Scions of Iniquity. Thou sayest, thou wilt cut off Vices: 'Tis false, for thou shutest not the door against them, but only puttest it too. Thou sayest, thou art offended at the foulness of thy former life; I believe it, for who is not offended at it? Bad men both love and hate their Vices; yea, they detest them even when they do them: But what avails it to reject them in words, and in deeds to embrace them? No man hath a Conscience so seared, but that he sometimes loathes his Vices, and yet he soon after shakes hands with them. But he who is truly converted to God, applies the Hatchet to the Root, and pares away the smallest hairs of his Vices: And then reflecting upon his frailty, he industriously shuns all occasion of sinning; and at every object of evil, he tremblingly leaps back and abhors it.  
3. Why dost thou vainly trifle, and opposest the infirmity of Nature to God, commanding the extermination of Vices? None better knows the measure of thy forces, than he who freely bestowed them: Why then dost thou not presently obey, since not the Commanders profit, but thy own is intended? O blind, and impious temerity! Thou darest cast dirt in God's face, by affirming that to be hard which he enjoins; as if he should impose Precepts upon thee, which thou canst not perform, and seem by commanding thee, not to have intended thy Salvation, but thy punishment: Such is man's perversity, to deserve ill of God, and to feign to himself labour in his Precepts. But if thou wilt make trial of thy strength, thou shalt find thyself able to do more than thou imaginedst: Not because the contest is difficult, thou darest not; but because thou darest not, the contest seems difficult: Many things which before seemed terrible, have by use been made easy and familiar. Begin and do not undervalue thyself. God deserts not his Soldiers. Thou shalt have as much strength as thou desirest.  
4. Thou wilt easily vanquish all Vices, if thou believest every Day to be the last of thy Life. What is it that fastens thee to this world? 'tis that thou seldom considerest how soon thou must leave it. Dead Carcases pass daily to the Graves before thy eyes, which force thee, who forgettest thy Mortality, to look upon Death: And yet thou, amidst these frequent Funerals, thinkest of nothing less, than thine own departure: Thou beholdest nothing more commonly, and forgettest nothing more easily: But the day will come which will separate thee from the fellowship of thy stinking Belly: This cloud will then be dispersed; and thou wilt then perceive thou livedst in darkness, when thou beholdest the light. Produce, if thou canst, of so many elapsed years, one only day to witness thy sincere Virtue, which was not blemished with some defect: Thy Younger Age was spent amongst Play-games, Nuts, and Nifles; thy Youthful days amongst Lusts and Fopperies; thy Manly time amongst greater crimes, and wickednesses: and after all the Years, which have flowed from thy Cradle to thy grey Hairs, nothing now remains but the sad fruits of Iniquity. Ah! what straits wilt thou be in, when what is past will shame thee, and what is to come will affright thee? What will thy Riches then profit thee, got with such sweat, kept with such solicitude? What fleshly and filthy Pleasures, what the vain and empty Names of Honours and Dignities, what Purple Robes, Sceptres, and Crowns? O, were it permitted to return to thy Childish Innocence, and to begin the spinning of a new Thread, how much better wouldst thou behave thyself? But these vows and wishes are unseasonable in that fatal moment. If thou wilt make use of time, begin even now: and forsake such things, as thou wilt then wish thou hadst forsaken. 'Tis a small matter to renounce momentary trifles, for the obtaining of eternal Treasures.  
5. Ask, if thou pleasest, of a dying person, what he thinks of his past life: thou shalt hardly find one, who hath not then a far different opinion of Riches, Dignities, and Worldly Vanities, than he had whilst he was healthy: At that time all things are weighed in a more equal Balance, and are judged of as they truly are. Thus their over-late wisdom may turn to thy great profit, if thou wilt learn by other men's Errors to correct thy own. Thou mayst now sail safely, why stayest thou till the weather grows tempestuous? Thou mayst during the calm, withdraw thyself from calamity, why dost thou reserve thyself for extreme danger? Precaution is too late when thou art drowned, and Prudence is to no purpose when thou art already perished. The greatest and holiest Men, having put away all impediments, and bid adieu to themselves and to the whole world, made it their only study, during the remainder of their Earthly Pilgrimage, to learn how to live and how to die: and yet many of them professing their ignorance, departed this life; so difficult a matter it is to understand this Art. And wilt thou delay till Old Age the laying hold of wholesome Counsels, and there begin thy life, where few have produced theirs? 'Tis a great Folly to begin then to live, when we must necessarily cease to live.  
6. Whither dost thou throw thyself, unwary man? Dost thou believe thus, and dost thou thus live? Thy time is the passing-by of a shadow, thy life is a Point, and can any thing be less than a Point? Scarcely born, thou ceasest to be. Stop one only day, forbidden one only hour from flowing, command time to make only a short stay: Vain is thy endeavour; for it will sooner snatch thee along with it, then cease to run most swiftly to the destruction of thee and all other things whasoever. And dost thou prefer this moment before Eternity which hath no period? O Folly! O Frenzy! thou omittest not to get for thy Body, which is quickly to perish, what appertains to it, and there is no end of thy acquisition: but for thy Soul, which never dies, thou makest no provision for the future, as if it were none of thine? Thy Body languishes, and thou art ready to undergo any danger to cure it: Thy Soul languishes, and thou neglectest it, and art insensible of its sickness? When was it told thee, Hoist thy sails lest thou perish, and thou delayedst to do it? Take this bitter Physic, and thou refusedst? God enjoins easy things, that thou mayst live for ever, and wilt thou not obey? Hadst thou a Lawsuit, all thy thoughts, all thy discourses would be employed about it, nor wouldst thou omit any means, whereby the Judge might be moved to give sentence on thy side: and the last Judgement drawing near, upon which an Eternity depends, dost thou laugh, dost thou trifle, dost thou sin, being to perish eternally? Ah! leave at last to be mad, and getting forth of the Puddle of thy impieties, put thyself daily in such a posture, as if thou wert arrived at the last end of thy life. This is true Philosophy; to lead this soul out of the body with all possible security.  
7. Let this be thy business, this thy Cessation, this thy Labour, this thy Rest, to withdraw thyself from Time and drown thyself in Eternity. That stands always fixed and unmovable, which is asserted into the rights of Eternity. The covetous Glutton after so many Ages, demands still a drop of water, and he shall vainly ask it with a perpetual bellowing. Eternity is an evermore present duration, never to be named without a sigh and horror: 'Tis a Wheel always turning: 'Tis a continued, unterminated, and still commencing Beginning. The serious thought of it, mixes Wormwood with the World's delights; and dejects astonished, and (as it were) Planet-strucken men with deadly sorrow. This tames the stubborn Soul, and from the vain cares in which it lies slumbering, rouses it up to Virtue: This seasons hunger and thirst, makes all labour seem easy, all sorrow sweet, all punishment pleasant, and all difficulties of short durance. Let the vast spaces of Heaven, as they are every where immensely extended, be filled with Numerical Notes; who besides God himself, will be found able to express this almost Infinite series of Numbers? Yet these innumerable Numbers are not so much as the Beginning of Eternity. Let so many Years, so many Ages slide away, as there are Unites in all those Numbers, nothing yet is cut off from Eternity. Those most unfortunate Mortals, who lie perpetually frying in Hell-fire, are not yet arrived at the beginning of this astonishing Eternity. If thou tremblest not at this Consideration, if thou fallest not upon a ferious amendment of thy life, thou surely out-viest the hardest Flint in obduracy.   

CHAP. IU. Of Gluttony. Its Evils. Its Remedies. The signs of its being conquered.  
1. THe first War thou art to wage, is against the vice of Gluttony, which furnishes matter to the rest. Gluttony gave a beginning to the death both of our Bodies and Souls: For our first Parents by eating the forbidden Apple, slew all men before they begot them. Now the Enemies of Souls make use of the same Bait, that by weakening all our vigour, they may worry us, and trample on us. Hence spring Stupidity, Tepidity, Tediousness: hence Scurrility, Loquacity, Dissolution: hence Vneleanness, Brawls, Contentions: hence dulness of mind, drowsiness of spirit, destruction of all virtue: hence profusion, poverty, a long chain of diseases, and death itself, hastened by an over-heavy burden of undigested victuals. There are few infirm persons, whom Gluttony drove not to their diseases: For if the Body abounds not with bad humours, engendered by the excess of meat and drink, although it may be attempted by a sickness, yet it cannot be subdued by it. Gluttony kills more than the Sword.  
2. O the base servitude of the Belly! O insatiable Cupidity! Nature has given thee no great body, and thou exceedest the greediness of the greatest and most gluttonous Animals. A Bull is fed with the herbage of a few Acres: one Wood nourishes many Elephants: but the World seems little to thee; whatsoever flies in the Air, whatsoever swims in the Sea, whatsoever runs in the Forests, do not satisfy thy ravenous appetite. Cast an eye into Nobleman's Kitchens, and contemplate the Cooks running busily up and down amongst those many fires; look upon the sweeting numbers of Men and Maidservants; consider the slaughters of the Fowl, and the Sauces swimming in Wine; observe with what industry they order the Plates, with what art they marshal the Messes, place the Dishes, and execute their respective employments: You would scarcely believe it were to feed one only Family, that the Wine of so many Consuls and Kingdoms is drawn out, that the Table is furnished with so great magnificency. I do not advise thee to withdraw nouriture from thy Belly: It is froward, it may not be contradicted, it stands in need of daily sustenance: But a subtle and deceitful snare of Concupiscence lies here concealed, which frequently fetters the Soul, and upon pretence of Necessity, provides Fuel to foment Pleasure. Wilt thou know with how little Hunger is extinguished? Count thyself, measure thy body, consult thy stomach. Thou wilt find that not to be necessary, which exceeds the measure. A little suffices Nature, nothing satisfies Luxury.  
3. Hunger is not ambitious, but is content to leave off, not caring wherein it ceases. The momentary judgement of the  being past, the precious relishes no better than that which is common, and good cheap. If thou art hungry, thou must eat; if thirsty, thou must drink: but whether the Bread is made of ordinary Corn, or of the finest Flower; whether the Water is fetched from the next Fountain, or refreshed with cooling Snow, Nature is not at all concerned. This one thing she commands, that Hunger be appeased, that Thirst be quenched; Fishes, caught in the upper and lower Sea; sought in the Lakes and Rivers; Birds, brought down from Heaven; Beasts, surprised in the Woods and Forests; several sorts of Tast-pleasing Wines; and all the curious seasonings of Apicius, are the torments of unhappy Luxury. Epicurus commends a sober Diet, even for pleasure's sake. Nothing is so dainty, which satiety renders not insipid: nothing so unsavoury, which hunger makes not delicious. Wouldst thou be freed from all superfluous care of Meat and Drink? Consider thy end. Thou must shortly die, and this Body pampered with such variety of curiosities, must serve for food to filthy Worms. Ponder for what Guests thou preparest a Feast; and so nurture thy Flesh, as not to oppress thy Mind. Make use of such meat as may easily be had, and every where met withal, without impoverishing thy Patrimony, or prejudicing thy Health. A mannerly and well-tutored Belly, is a great part of Liberty. We understood not how many things are superfluous, till they began to be wanting. The Body stands in need of nourishment, not of Junkets or Dainties.  
4. But there's no cause to praise thyself, if thou only despisest superfluities. Then thou art praiseworthy, when thou contemnest necessaries: when thou canst persuade thyself, that brown Bread, and Wine weakened with Water suffice for thy sustenance; when thou hast learned, that Herbs were not provided only for Beasts, but for men also. Then I admire thee, when in taking thy Refection, thou intendest the bare necessity of Nature, the only reparation of thy Forces, the sole glory of God: when thou comest unwillingly to the Table, and takest thy meat as sick persons take a Medicine: when thou strivest to curb and moderate (since thou canst not totally hinder) the pleasure of thy Taste: when 'tis irksome to thee to admit any thing which is extraordinary, by reason of thy infirmity: when finally, thou hast obtained perfect purity both of Mind and Body. For the proof of Abstinence, consists not in the attenuation of the Body, but in the perfection of Chastity.   

CHAP. V Of Luxury. How foul a vice it is. How easy is the Relapse into it, and how it may be avoided. The Pleasure of the Mind, which is solid, is to be sought after.  
1. NO Vice is filthier than this, nor of which we may be more ashamed. The very Name of it is not without ignominy, as the Apostle intimated, when he commanded, that such matters should not so much as be named amongst us. Hence proceeds that shamefacedness, which seizes upon ingenuous and modest persons, if they suspect, that having committed any such crime of Uncleanness, it is come to the knowledge of others. Hence it is, that some conceal the slippery Errors of their Youth, from the Minister of Christ in the Tribunal of Penance; choosing rather to undergo eternal torments with eternal disgrace after their Death, than the imaginary infamy of this Vice in their Life-time. He that is mired in this Puddle, scarcely gets lose from it. His Salvation is desperate, who is infected with this disease. For what can hurmane forces here do? No one can be Continent, unless God gives it.  
2. The first Remedy therefore of this Malady, is fervent Prayer to the Divine Majesty; that he, who only hath the power, will please to purify and preserve thee. Then thou art to repress all impure imaginations in their very first access, with such speed, as thou wouldst shake off a burning Coal from thy Garment. The Castle is ready to be delivered up, when the Governor gives way to discourse with the Enemy. All occasion of Evil is also to be cut off, proceeding from Idleness, from Gluttony, from all impure Objects, from the Society and Conversation of bad people; nor is there any thing to be neglected in this wrestling conflict. There are certain Relics of this Vice, remaining even in Just men, which must be entirely rooted out: There lies hid a certain hissing Serpent, there are certain petty-affections, which although not absolutely evil, yet they are Preludiums to Sin; to which, (if thou dost not presently break them off) thy bewitched fancy will insensibly adhere. Thou wilt never become Great, if thou slightest these small things. Great matters take their beginnings from little occasions.  
3. Above all, thou must beware, lest an overgreat Confidence in thyself deceives thee: Whosoever fears not, is already fallen. How many, and how great Men, after Confessions and Conquests, after Signs and Wonders, have suffered Shipwreck, by the unwary aspect of a Woman? I produce not here the so often spoken of Examples of Samson, David, and Solomon: There are others more recent and daily. And were there none abroad, thou hast within thy own breast enough to blush at, enough to teach thee not to be highly Wise, but to Fear. Is it not an extreme madness, amongst so many documents of all Ages and Nations, yet to presume, and not to shun the danger? But this is evermore the incredulity of Humane obstinacy, never to give credit to other men's fall, till he sees himself perishing. God made the Woman to be Man's helper; but by the Serpent's cunning, she acts the person of an Enemy. There's nothing in her but what strikes, what scorches, what murders. There's no Hyaena, no Basilisk can be compared with her Voice and Eyes. Ah, fly from her sight, avoid her discourse, whosoever thou art that desirest thy own Salvation. She retains her old custom, always driving Man out of Paradise.  
4. 'Tis a common thing here to pretend many excuses of Necessity, of Custom, of Pure Intention: But great Evils lurk under the show of Good: For from thence burst out hurtful liberties, unwary speeches, light behaviours, a neglect of modesty, frequent gifts, and certain merriments; by all which purity is by degrees laid aside, and at last all shame is quite put off. These things increase by internals; and he who blushingly abhorred the bare footsteps of a Woman, now beholds her lascivious eyes, and her discovered breast with a constant countenance; and the blandishing poison working within him, he first suffers the damage, before he was sensible of the danger. Thus the eye of Reason gins by little and little to grow dim, and afterwards becomes totally blinded. Thus the Soul formed for Heaven, is fastened to the Earth, unmindful of God, forgetful of its own good, till the flame of Concupiscence is at last swallowed up in the Fire, which is to burn for all Eternity. O wretches! whose loathsome and momentary pleasures, have so sad and lamentable an end! I think they are all drunk with the juice of Sardonian Herbs; they die, and they laugh.  
5. What seekest thou, Fond Man, devoid of counsel at home, and despising that of others abroad! Pleasures? God hath laid up eternal Pleasures for thee in Heaven. Wilt thou have the deceitful ones of this world, and be excluded from the Eternal? Where's thy Reason, where thy Prudence? Look into Heaven, and contemplate all its most blessed Inhabitants. They heretofore mingled their Bread with Ashes, their Drink with Tears. Thou mightst have seen them in the world oppressed on every side with anguishes, drowned always in Tears, evermore watchful in Prayer, separated from all earthly joy and pleasure: They made their way to Heaven by Gibbets, Swords, and Crosses. Then cast an eye into Hell, and take a view of that desperate crew of the damned, lying there buried in that dark dungeon of perpetually burning fires. These heretofore embracing the world's false Joys, and following their fleshly delights, now too late acknowledge how pernicious were all their pleasures. Contemplate seriously these things; and if thou believest, be afraid. That which delights, is momentary; that which torments, eternal.  
6. But if pleasure is the thing thou look'st for even in this life: why dost thou not rather embrace that which is pure, solid, substantial, permanent, proceeding from a well composed mind, that so thou mayst take delight in what is truly thy own? The Pleasure of the Flesh is soft, frail, farded, evermore moistened with Wine and Ointments, and dreading to be published. It's station, the Stews, Taverns, and such places as fear the Censor. If it outwardly shines, 'tis within most miserable. When it gins, 'tis gone: and in the very use of it, it perisheth. Whereas the peaceable, sublime, unconquerable pleasure of the Mind, is always secure and permanent, neither accompanied with satiety, nor followed with Repentance. No shame waits on it, no sorrow pursues it, nor doth it ever forsake its possessor. If thou desirest to enjoy this, all Carnal allurements must be conquered. For true Pleasure consists in despising all Pleasure.   

CHAP. VI Of Avarice. It's malice is sharply reproved. The comparison between a Poor and a Rich person. The deceit and vanity of Riches.  
1. THis is the greatest imposture of Avarice, which thou art to foreknow, that thou mayst not be cheated: It hides itself; nor shalt thou find any one who will confess himself to be Covetous. That man gathers riches together, that he may make a provision for himself and his Children: This man, that he may have wherewithal to help the Poor in their necessity: Another, that he may redeem his sins by Works of Charity. But none of these distribute their heaps of Gold; on the contrary, they make new additions daily unto the former, and whilst time is spent in these acquisitions, their Life slides away, for the support whereof these Riches were intended. As the water which the sick person beholds running down the River, doth not at all quench his thirst, unless he puts his Mouth to it and swallows it: So nothing can satiate a Covetous man, because his Mind, in which Avarice resideth, can never be filled with his Gold and Treasures. A mind capable of God, can be filled with nothing but God.  
2. Let all the Riches of the whole Earth, O Govetous man, be cast into thy clutches; let fortune raise thee far above Solomon's plenty; hid the ground with Marble, the walls with Gold, the roofs with precious Stones; do not only possess, but trample upon Riches: Add to this, all manner of statuas, Pictures, and whatsoever Art hath invented to please Luxury: Thou wilt learn from these to covet more. Natural desires have limits, but they which spring from an erroneous opinion, are Infinite. What matters it how much thou hast in thy Coffers, how much in thy Barns, if thou computest not what is gotten, but what is to be gotten? He wants the whole world, whose Cupidity the world doth not satisfy. Would to God thou wouldst consider how great Evils Riches bring with them, how great Goods they bereave thee of: thou wouldst undoubtedly see the truth of that Apostolical sentence, Covetousness is the root of all Evils: Thence spring Couzenages, thence arise Wars, thence are hathed Treasons. Take away Avarice, and there's no Discord: banish Covetousness, and Ambition ceases. This fills the Land with Thievel, the Sea with Pirates, the Towns with Tumults, the Houses with Deceits, the Tribunals with Injustice. There is a certain affinity and vicinity, almost in the very Name of Vitia and Divitiae, Vice and Avarice.  
3. Compare together, if you please, the Poor, and the Richman: observe both their countenances. This, being brimful of solicitudes, betrays by his froward Aspect, the sadness of his mind: the other, shows by his calm and serene looks, the sincere joy of his Soul. This man's felicity, amidst the griefs which gnaw his heart, is only (as it were) plated over: the other man's mind, free from sorrow, enjoys the solid pleasures of inward tranquillity. This being still anxious to get, and fearful to lose, is exposed to all the injuries of Fortune; and the more he hath, the more he desires: the other being rich in his poverty, and seeking only what is sufficient, fears nothing, because he hath nothing that adheres to him, nothing that can be taken from him. What pleasant days doth the Poor man lead? what peaceable nights? whereas the Rich man being sick in mind, bears his disease always about him, and is encompassed with Thorns, wheresoever he goes. That slumber is deadly, which renders one insensible of sharp pricks.  
4. Listen, thou wretch, who art insatiably Covetous: although thy Houses are stately; although thou possessest vast hoards of Money; although thou hast extended thy Purchases farther than the Ocean extends its waters: yet the day will come, yes, the day decreed from all Eternity will come, when all these things, together with thy Life, will infallibly be taken from thee: they will be gone, they will perish, and thou wilt perish with them. Then at last thou wilt understand what contemptible things thou admiredst, and how like thou wert to Children, who highly prise every Play-game: They are delighted with little Pebbles found upon the shore, as having in them something of variety; and thou runnest mad in the inquest of Ingots of Gold, and Oriental Stones; playing the Child and Fool, at a dearer rate. I do not tell thee, thou art to have no Riches at all, if God hath made thee wealthy; but that thou every not thyself with what is wrested from others, that they be not gotten by injuring of any one, by any sordid gain, by superfluous care and solicitude: That thou admit them into thy House, not into thy Heart; being ready to want them when God will have it so. He is truly Rich, who wants not Riches. Expect not till a these or some Accident bereaves thee of thy wealth; but do thou prevent all such misfortunes, by robbing thyself (and bearing a mind indifferent to all exterior things) of whatsoever others can take from thee. Thou wilt be thine own, if these things are not thine.  
5 Learn to lay aside all Pomp, and to regulate thy Habit and Diet, not by the example of others, but by the morals of Christianity Poverty may raise itself to Plenty, by calling in the assistance of Frugality. Nature desires little, being content not to be Hungry, not to be Thirsty, not to be Cold. Thou mayst dwell out of a Marble Palace; thou mayst be clothed though not in Silks. Canst thou not quench thy thirst, unless the Cup be made of precious Gems, or Crystal, that so thou mayst both drink and fear together? Will not a knife cut Bread, if the Haft thereof is not Ivory or Agath? Will not an Earthen Basin receive the filth of thy washed hands? Or will not the Candle afford light, unless it stands in the Goldsmith's work? He is a slave to Gold, who thinks himself adorned by it. How much were it more laudable to love true Riches, which render their owners better, of which no crossness of Fortune, nor Death itself can bereave them? Why dreadest thou Poverty, bearing about thee a whole Kingdom in thy heart? The Kingdom of God is within thee. Far be it from thee to be greedy of any other Good. Seek thy own Good. No one is Good but God alone. Let him be thy possession and thy Kingdom, in whom alone all Good things, all rich Treasures are found. To whom God is All, the World is Nothing.  
6. Whatsoever appears Neat and Great in the World, is vain, frivolous, nothing. Why admirest thou to see a man brave it in Gold and Purple, and attended by a numerous troop of Servants? This is but a pompous Ostentation. All these things are showed, not possessed: and whilst they please, they pass away. I learn not this in the Philosopher's Schools; I have it not from the Cross of Christ, nor from God's eternal Wisdom; but from the World, from the very Bondslaves of Vanity. Harken to Haman, a person elevated in wealth, in power, in honour, above all the mortals of his time. He summons Auditors together, and plainly tells them, That all things are nothing. I think myself to have Nothing, (says he) and he adds the cause: So long as I shall see Mordocheus sitting at the gate of the King's Palace. O Mockery! O Blindness! I have often read, and heard, that all things are Nothing, being compared to those Good things, whereof Virtue is the Parent, and Eternity the Nurse; but here they are more vehemently depressed, where in the presence of Nothing they seem to be Nothing. Wherefore thou dost Nothing, if thou despisest Nothing. Something which is in thyself, must be despised. Cupidity is to be curbed, and kept as it were in chains and fetters, that thou mayst accustom thyself to court Poverty, and to measure things by the use of them. Thou wilt easily despise all, if thou always thinkest of Dying.   

CHAP. VII. Of Anger. The Character of an Angry person. The Effects, Causes, Remedies of Anger.  
1. I Am angry at Anger. This only Anger is just, being against a rabid and execrable Monster, against a most implacable and turbulent affection; which if it once invades and seizes upon a man, it scarcely leaves in him any footsteps of humane Nature. Anger is a short madness, without power over itself; it thirsts after Arms, Blood and Revenge; it forgets all Decorum, is unmindful of all civility and friendship, and rushes headlong into all sorts of dangers, that it may hurt another, much like to Ruins, which themselves are broken in pieces, upon that which they oppress. All comeliness leaves the Choleric person: his Eyes flame and sparkle, his Veins swell, his Hair stands on end, his Lips shake; he grinds his Teeth, foams at Mouth, and stretches forth his Neck to belch forth his rage and fury. No other Passion so much discomposes the whole man: the Face is deformed, the Forehead wrinkled, the Head is tossed, the Feet falter, the Hands clap, and all the Body moves hither and thither with an unbecoming jactation. Add to all this the threatening Gestures, the beating of the Breast, the stamping on the Ground, the tearing of their Hair, the rending of their Garments, and the boiling of the Blood from the bottom of the entrails into the Countenance. What a Mind, thinkest thou, is there within, when as the exterior Image appears so ugly? Such as the Poets feigned the Infernal Monsters to be, Flaming with Fire, begirt with Serpents, and making a hideous noise with their horrid bellow: Such is the guise of an Angry person; filthy, bloody, burning, cruel, and degenerating into a savage and beastial fury. Other Vices may be concealed and covertly cherished: Anger puts itself forward and flies in the Face, and like Fire seizes upon all: And by how much the more studiously thou desirest to cover it, it breaks out by so much the more violently. He whom Anger possesses, neither knows any Mean, nor endures any Curb.  
2. So likewise other Vices are contained within certain bounds and limits; but Anger leaves nothing untouched, nothing unattempted: Our Anger falls upon Heaven itself. Hence are those horrid Blasphemies, hence those Complaints against God, hence those Controversies, set on fool by impious wretches, concerning the Divine Providence. Nor are we Angry with them alone, whom we conceive have injured us; but we are also offended upon a fancy of future injury; and he, who as we persuade ourselves (most commonly by a false surmise) will do us wrong, hath already done it: So ingenious we are in Vices. Oftentimes we know not with whom we are Angry; yet we are in a Rage: And if all others, upon whom to vent our Splenatick violence, are absent, we turn it upon ourselves. And that thou mayst know, that this Passion springs not only from injuries; such things feel sometimes the fury of our indignation, as can neither offend nor affront us. Thus we cut Garments, we throw down Vessels, we mangle Pens, we tear Paper, when they serve not our use according to our Will. Thus an overturned Glass, a Table unhandsomely covered, the screeking noise of an unwarily drawn Stool or Chair, and many other things, which neither have deserved our Anger, nor feel it. Thus a refractory Horse, a barking Dog, an importune Fly, a Gnat buzzing about our cars and biting us, excite our Cheller, and are punished for our impatience. See how mad thou art: Thou inflictest punishment upon senseless Creatures and brute Beasts, whereas it were more meet thou shouldst be severely chastised for thy Frenzy.  
3. If thou wilt now behold the damages, and sad effects of Anger; no Plague ever cost mankind dearer. Thou shalt see Slaughters and Saccages of Towns and Cities, and utter destructions of whole Nations. Thou shalt see a Hand-made Pestilence, in a vast heap of murdered bodies, from which run streams of blood, discolouring the Rivers. Look upon the Foundations now scarcely visible of the most Noble Cities: Anger overturned them. Behold the Solitudes now emptied of all Inhabitants: Anger exhausted them. Contemplate the fair Houses consumed with Fire, the Fountains infected with Poison, the Families extinguished with Sword, and Famine: Anger did all this mischief. Thou mayst say, 'Tis a meeting of Wild-Beasts, not of Men; but that they agree amongst themselves, these tear one another in pieces. This Evil moreover accompanies this Vice, that it bereaves Man of the likeness he hath with God, whose works are peaceable. It blinds the understanding, so that it sees not the Truth; nor yields to the advice of others: It puzzles and perverts all the faculties of the Soul; and although it extremely hurts the whole Man, yet 'tis hardly believed that there's any harm in it: So glorious a thing it is in the esteem of the vulgar, to be Angry. But 'tis better we should descend to the Remedies, whereby this bad affection may, if it cannot be entirely canceled, at least be constrained to submit to the Empire of Reason, and to a fit Moderation.  
4. The first and best Remedy against Anger, is to despise its first irritations, and to resist its very lest beginnings: for when the tempest is once raised, 'twill prove a difficult matter to return to a calm. It will do what itself pleases, not what thou permittest. When the Enemy is gotten within the Gates, he receives no Laws from the Captive City. 'Tis easier not to admit things which are pernicious, than to moderate them after their admittance. The Superior part of the World, and that which is nearest to the Stars, is neither driven into a Cloud, nor forced into a Tempest, but remains free from all tumult; These lower things are those which Thunder: So a man of a high and elevated Mind, being evermore quiet and composed, and settled in a peaceable station, suppresses within himself all such evils as provoke to Anger, and gives very little liberty to his words: as well knowing, that to be Angry, takes not away the Evil, but aggravates it: as Birds, whilst they tremblingly flutter their wings to shake off the Birdlime, besmear all their Feathers; So all Anger adds to its own Torment. Anger hurts more than the Injury. He that is Angry with another, conceives that he contemns him; but he that judges impartially of himself, doth not revenge it, because he doth not feel it. Revenge is a confession of Grief. He hath no great Soul, who bites him again that bites him.  
5. When thou hearest what the Slanderer hath said of thee, reflect presently not what is fit for him to hear, but what is proper for thee to speak. Thou oughtest not to give so much power to another's perversity, as to trouble thy Serenity. God, who can do all things, endures so many wicked men; thou who art worst of all, canst thou not suffer one? 'Tis ridiculous that thou correctest not thy own Malice, which is in thy power to do; and wouldst correct that of others, which is out of thy power? If thou art guilty of so many Crimes, what thou now sufferest is Nothing in comparison of Hell, which thou deservest. Who art thou, that it should be such a heinous offence to hurt thy Ears? He commits a sin; but to thee what has happened? That surely which was decreed from all Eternity for thy good. Listen to what God says; If you forgive, I will also forgive you. Dost thou not awaken at this Thunderclap? Thou sleepest not; but thou art dead. Thou must give pardon to the faults of others, that thou mayst obtain it for thy own.  
6. Suspieion is to be banished out of thy mind, the most fallacious incitement to Anger. That man did not courteously salute me; this person quickly break of the begun discourse; his countenance showed an aversion from me. Nor will there be wanting Arguments, and Conjectures, as we are evermore credulous in that which is evil. The major part of the Injury, proceeds from the fault of the Interpreter: and therefore Simplicity is necessary, and a favourable estimation of all passages. Plead thou against thyself the cause of him that is absent; and suspect that crime which is in question, because what we unwillingly hear, we willingly believe, and are Angry before we Judge. Time is evermore to be given, leisure lays the Truth open. Wert thou to judge of a small matter, thou wouldst not pronounce Sentence without a Witness; and condemnest thou thy Friend before thou hearest him? To give presently credit to what is reported, is the part of an imprudent man. Many men lie, that they may deceive; many, because they are deceived. He that tells a thing privately, almost tells it not. What is more unjust than secretly to believe, openly to be Angry? Finally, 'tis not expedient to see all, to hear all. He receives no Injury, who knows it not.  
7. When thou art assured that any one speaks ill of thee, question thy own Conscience whether thou spak'st not first of him: Then think of how many thou hast spoken. The respect thou bearest to thyself, will render thee more moderate, if thou consultest thyself. For why pardonest thou not another's Luxury, who deniedst nothing to thy own Sensuality? Why dost thou persecute Liars. thyself having been a Perjurer? Why thyself being Perfidious, dost thou so severely exact Fidelity from others? Why takest thou leave to talk of others, and wilt not give it to be thyself talked of? Let not only what thou endurest, but what thou hast done, secure thee. Thou wilt find in thy own Bosom, whatsoever thou reprehendest in another. We are all bad, and a common fault must be winked at. If thou hast done no such thing, thou mayst do it. He that stands, let him take heed lest he fall.  
8. What new thing is it, if an Enemy hurts, a Friend offends, a Son swerves from his duty, a Servant commits a fault? All these things are as usual, as a Rose in the Spring, an Apple in Summer. As one who walks hastily through the most frequented Streets of a City, must needs slip sometimes, be hindered somewhere, and be somewhere dirtied: so in the uncomposed and vagabond course of this life, there happen many complaints, many impediments. Why art thou in wrath, when thou sufferest an injury from a wicked man? He did what belonged to him; and do thou, if thou art Good, play the part of a good man, endeavouring to make him Good. But this is not done by Revenge, but by Patience and Benefits: whereby if thou makest him not Good, thou wilt at least render him Quiet: if neither, thou wilt undoubtedly make thyself better. He detracted from thy fame, he is vehemently bend against thee. What art thou here to do? I do not believe it: If he said any such thing, he spoke it as deceived by error, with no evil mind; with an upright zeal, with a desire to profit me; or surely I had offended him. This Injury is not equivalent to what thou formerly didst him. I committed the fault, I am guilty, 'tis fit I should yield to Justice. But I am impugned gratis, and not deserving it. What then? I will imitate Christ, and say with the Prophet; I was dumb, and would not open my mouth, because you, O Lord, did it. Other men's sayings, or do, will not be evil to thee, although they are indeed Evil, unless thou makest ill use of them. They are such, as is the use of them.  
9 What's the Cause of thy being offended? Opinion. Take away the Opinion of thy harm, and nothing will hurt thee. There's nothing that touches the Mind, or moves it, or enters into it: 'tis it alone that moves itself; and according to the judgement it gives, such are the things which happen. Nothing will hurt thee, unless thou hurtest thyself. But he (sayest thou) who persecutes me, is a bad Man. Expect, he will pay to some other the punishment he owes thee; yea, he hath already ready punished himself, because he has committed a Sin. But he is endued with Reason, why doth he not amend? And thou who art endued with Reason, why dost thou not correct thy own Impatience? Why overcomest thou not Evil with Good? Other men's faults are in thy Eyes, thy own upon thy Back. But go too, whosoever thou art who fanciest Revenge to be so sweet a thing; leave is given thee to take this thy desired Revenge, yet upon these most just terms, that thou begin with the greater. Let the order of the Injury, prescribe the manner of thy Revenge. Thine own Anger is the greatest of thy Enemies; this most offends thee; from this begin thy Revenge. Adversaries are not to be sought in the Streets, when as the greatest lurks in thy own house. Plato, being incensed against his Servant, stayed his hand, lifted up to strike him, saying; I would beat thee, but that I am Angry: He would first chastise his own Anger, before he corrected his Servant; judging a passionate Master more worthy of punishment, than a negligent Servant. The better a Man is, the more he restrains his Passion.  
10. Judges, and they who preside over the people, must sometimes both show and execute their Anger; yet so, as not to permit it to prevent their Reason, but to wait upon it as a Handmaid Criminals are to be corrected and chastised, but without Anger. If a Good man were bound to be Angry at all Bad deeds, he should pass his whole life in Anger: For what Moment would pass, in which he would not find Things fit to be reprehended? He would faint, should he force Anger from himself, as often as just cause would require it. Remaining therefore in himself quiet and impartial to all offenders, he is to behave himself towards them, as a Physician towards his Lunatic Patients. As thou art not moved at the Heats and Colds, which are induced by the Seasons, performing their natural courses: So neither oughtest thou be Angry at the Injuries, which proceed from wicked men according to their perverse nature. Sick persons are intemperate, nothing that is sound is to be expected from them. 'Tis a sufficiently cruel Revenge against a Contumelious Enemy, to take no Revenge at all against him. He hurts that he may grieve thee; if thou grievest not, he will grieve, seeing himself frustrated of the pleasure of his Injury: So surely the fruit of the inferred Injury, consists in the feeling and indignation of him who suffers it. Affronts, if thou art angry at them, appear; if contemned, they vanish. But, sayest thou, 'tis a bad matter to be undervalved, and not to repair one's wounded honour: Yes, but 'tis worse to fear to be undervalved, for no one fears it, but he that deserves it. A wise man looks not upon what men judge ugly and disgraceful: nothing is to him ugly but Sin. I am slighted, sayest thou, and contemned by such a one? Let him look to it. I will henceforth take care not to do or speak any thing deserving his contempt. Such a one hates me? Well, I will strive to be pleasing and affable to all. Thus Invincible Patience, worsts and wearies the Malice of wicked men; and imitates God, whose property is to Pardon, who is most meek and patiented, and who conquers our Crimes by his Benefits. 'Tis a greater Generosity, not to take notice of an Injury, than to pardon it.   

CHAP. VIII. Of Envy and Sloath. The Description, and the Cure of both.  
1. ENvy is its own Executioner, raging first against its owner's Bowels, before it falls foul upon its neighbour's Goods. Punishment follows other Vices, but it precedes this: For an Envious wretch turns another man's Felicity to his own Torment, and pines away as his Neighbour grows fat. He both sins and is punished together, who is infected with this Plague. Other Vices are contrary to some one or other certain good; this is opposite to all goodness, perverting the nature of all things. 'Tis contrary to the Divine goodness, whose property is to communicate all its goodness: 'Tis contrary to the state of the Blessed, who enjoy the happiness of others as their own: 'Tis contrary to Christian Charity, which rejoices at the good even of Enemies: 'Tis finally contrary to the Law of Nature, which commands us to wish all our own Good to others. As the Eye infected with the Disease called by Physicians Ophthalmia, (Inflammation) is offended with all glittering Objects; so the Envious is afflicted at the sight of others Virtue and Charity. Envy is so named, because it too much pries into the Excellency of another.  
2. Satan envies, but Men, not his Companions: whereas thou being a Man, enviest Men, which the Devil himself does not. This surely is the property of a mean Spirit, and of one who in his own Judgement, abjects himself to baseness; for thou wouldst not envy others, but that thou judgest him better than thyself, and above thee. Wilt thou be free from Envy? Despise the lading Goods of this world, and love the Eternal. The Love of Eternity, is the Death of Envy. He cannot envy Mortal goods to others; who covets only the Immortal. What Prince ever envied the Cobbler, or the Butcher? A Mind busied about sublimer matters, descends not to such meanesses. Is't not enough to be tormented with thine own miseries, which are so many, unless thou be also troubled with another's prosperity? Thou wilt never be happy, if another more happy contristates thee. Dost imagine, that the good things thou enviest can be taken from their possessors, and transferred to thee? Thy Neighbour hath Riches, flourishes with Knowledge, is eminent in Dignity. All these shall be thine, if thou wilt love him. He abounds with all Goods, who loves them in others.  
3. To Envy I join Sloth, because they both are Sadness: that for another's Good, this for its own. They both belong to little Spirits, for Envy kills the little one: and Sloth is the Vice of a languishing mind, grown weary of spiritual goods, and thereupon terrified with the greatness and difficulty of acquiring them, never enterprises any thing worthy a Man. The Slothful person will, and will not, he is always variable and unconstant, grievous to himself, troublesome to others, and out of a continual irksomeness of himself, sits brooding upon his own punishment. He is like a Top, which is indeed driven round, but rids no ground, and is so moved by the Scourges force, as not to stir far from the same place. Thou wilt perceive he would have done something, but that he did it not. All his operation is inspid, and like lukewarm water, provoking Vomit not only to men, but to God himself. 'Tis vain for thee to hope for health, unless shaking off this sluggishness, thou assumest a generous courage, and forcest thyself with sharper spurs to undertake greater matters. As the Bird is made to fly, so Man is born to labour. And were there no labour to be undertaken for God, the World imposes sufficient pains upon every one. How doth that man toil to obtain wealth? How much doth this man suffer to gain Honour? Vices are prized at a high rate. But if thou purchasest perishable Goods with so much sweat, why usest thou not a like industry to get a most happy Eternity? Ah! Let it shame thee to be sluggish in a matter of so great moment. Very short is the Labour, eternal the Reward. Nothing is so hard and difficult, which man's industry, with God's help, may not compass. Dare valiantly, and the Hobgoblins of difficulties will disappear. Whatsoever the Mind commanded itself, it obtained it. Do what thou canst, and thou wilt be able to do all things. God helps the Endeavourer.   

CHAP. IX. Of Pride, Ambition, and Vain-glory. The image of a Proud man. The Vanity of Dignities, and their Dangers. The Evils of Hautiness, and the Cure of it.  
1. PRide, Ambition, and Vainglory, are Vices near of kin; from whence, as from the Ocean, flow the Rivers of all Evils. For when a man proposes to himself his own Excellency for his End, he directs all thither; slighting the Divine worship, and neglecting his respects to men. If he can have no access to Glory, but by Wickedness; by Wickedness he will climb to it; and will open his way to his intended Honours, by frauds and deceits, and by the ruin and destruction of his Neighbour. The Proud man is odious to God, and insufferable to all Mankind: He bends all his studies and endeavours to obtain men's praises and applauses. He thinks himself worthy of higher honour, and pleases himself in that thought. He rashly sets upon things above his forces; thrusts himself uninvited into all manner of businesses; impudently extols himself upon all occasions; and arrogantly despises all others. He cunningly feigns Humility, hoping thereby to avoid the suspicion of being Ambitious. When he is frustrated of his design, he fills all men's ears with his complaints, and excites brawls and heart-burnings. His behaviour towards Inferiors is harsh and imperious; towards Superiors fawning, nor is there any Slave more observant and obsequious than he is. The Good that is in him, if there is any, he attributes not to God, as he ought, but arrogates it to himself. He affects to seem knowing in all things; and he subtly discourses of the highest matters, (of which he is ignorant) as from his own experience. He curiously pries into the actions of others, rashly censures them, severely condemns them, exaggerating their crimes, extenuating their praises. In his talk, and gate, there appears a certain hautiness, and a contempt of others. He hates Correction, refuses Counsel, yields to no advice. He fancies he hath such perfections as he wants; and those he hath, he feigns to be greater than they are. He grows angry and discontented, if he is not preferred before others, as the more worthy, if he suspects himself and his say neglected. His Heart is tossed with perpetual motions; for since Honour, which he aims at, is in the power of others, he must of necessity be continually agitated with turbulent affections. The beginning of all Sin, is Pride.  
2. If thou art wise, place in an equal Balance all that thy heart can desire upon Earth, Kingdoms, Empires, and in brief, the whole World, and compare them with the least parcel of Eternal Felicity; and thou wilt find, that this, will weigh down that vast mass of pomps and pleasures, which will appear light as a Leaf which is tossed to and fro with a puff of wind. Rouse up thyself therefore to eternal good things, and render thyself worthy of Heaven, to which thou art designed. Shake off the proud fancies of thy own Excellency, and measure thyself by the things which are truly good. If Caesar had adopted thee for his Son, who could have endured thy Supercilious carriage? But now thou art God's Son, Redeemed with Christ's precious Blood; why reflectest thou not upon thy Origine? Why debasest thou thyself to things altogether unbeseeming thy noble birth? Thy Father calls thee to the command over Heaven and the Stars; to a possession which will endure for ever. Here put on thy lofty looks, be proud of this promise, from this Father brag of thy Nobility, conform thy life to his likeness. This is the way, which leads to true Glory.  
3. What are Sceptres, what Crowns? Glittering Shackles, shining miseries; which if fully known to men, they would never fall out for the Throne. There would be more Kingdoms than Kings. A great Fortune, is a great Slavery. They whom the Vulgar think happy, think far otherwise of themselves; for their happiness is heavy, which renders them burdensome to the people. Then they praise a gentle retreat, and the man who is his own Master. Then the Splendour is hateful to them, which before they admired. Then with astonishment, and trembling, they philosophise of the Vanity of all earthly things. Then they are apprehensive of Death, and Gods dreadful Judgements, before whom, their Dignity sought with so much diligence, obtained with so much difficulty, bought at so dear a rate, will nothing at all avail them. Do thou therefore so lead thy life, that thou mayst stand secure before that Tribunal. He that is here humbled, shall there be exalted.  
4. Thou ravest, if thou conceivest thou shalt be safe and quiet, when thou canst get high Dignities: for then, what was formerly lawful, will be unlawful: there's less liberty in great places. The higher thou art, the more thy Vices will appear. He cannot lie hidden, who sits on the top. If before thou wert quiet, thy quiet is now canceled. No corner will be free to thyself: No day at thy own disposal. The fall from an elevated place is great. 'Tis vain to seek for peace, where all have found danger and disquiet, and many a miserable end of their lives. The Royal Tables are not furnished with secure Dainties, Poison is drunk in Golden Goblets. How many Kings have purpled their Throne with their own blood? The high station is slippery, all things hang there, and threaten a Fall. 'Tis safer to tread in the plain pathway. As great as is the number of admirers and applauders, so great is the number of Enviers. What multitudes of underminers and oppugners? How unsecure and suspected are all things? Faith is not to be given to a Servant, not to a Friend, not to a Son, not to a Brother. But no Treachery enters into the house which lies flat on the ground. He lives secure, who lies secret. He fears no man, whom no man fears.  
5. Shouldst thou see a Horse or a Dog assume the principality over the other Individuals of his own Species, wouldst thou not laugh? Yet thou more deservest to be laughed at, if thou extollest thyself above other men, because thou art wealthier than others, or more powerful. What art thou proud of, earth, and ashes? No man can glory but in his own proper good: And what is thy Good, if thou hast all from God? Nothing is thine but Sin. And if thou hast received all, render all the glory to the Giver. Is one Horse preferred before another, because he hath more Hay and Provender; because his Bridle is gilded, and his Trappings gorgeous? No surely, but because he is swifter. So a Man, unless he is a Fool, seeks no Glory from that which is without him. But I am better, sayest thou, and more Noble than the rest. If thou sayest so, thou art unworthy of all honour; because none are worthily honoured but good men, who contemn all honour and glory. True Nobility knows not what it is to be extolled; and where there is real Splendour, there also is Modesty. The greatest Glory of High persons, is to humble themselves to the Lowest.  
6. Mark the weakness of thy Condition, measure thy little Body, thou wilt there observe many things for which thou mayst well be depressed, nothing for which thou canst be extolled. Scorn not the Geometricians and Philosophers, all the Earth is a Point. How miserably dost thou err, if thou placest Kingdoms in a Point, and dividest Governments? In a little thing, no man is Great. This Earth which thou proudly pressest with thy feet, will shortly press thee; nor shalt thou possess any more of it, than will serve to cover thy cold and rotten members. Go now, and in this Nothing, build great and immortal monuments. Here give vent to thy furious passions and haughty insolences: afford here to thy appotites and cupidities their full scope; here array Armies, and wage Wars. When thou hast been mad long enough, thou wilt know (when 'tis too late) how empty were the names of Dignities, how vain and deceitful the titles of Honours. Whatsoever shines here with such seeming splendour, is Glass; whilst it glitters, it breaks. Great Trees are a long time growing, but cut down in an hour.  
7. Thou hast prevented a great provocation to Pride, if thou keepest thyself closely concealed. No man pretends to show his Pride and loftiness to his own Eyes, or to the view of a few and familiar Friends; but he exposes the magazine of his Vices to please the multitude of Spectators. Who puts on gay , which he would have no one see? Who sets forth Dainties in a Golden dish, in secret? Who being all alone, exposes the pomp of his Luxury, under the shadow of a Countrey-tree? Ambition desires the public Stage; nor doth it any where more freely make ostentation of its forces, than amidst men's applauses. The Bee, if she hath gathered Honey; the Horse, if he hath run his Race; the Tree, if it hath produced its Fruit, seek nothing farther: Man, looks for applause, loves to be pointed at with the Finger, and to have it said of him, This is he. But if thou attentively observest who they are, from whose mouths thou expectest these praises, thou wilt easily contemn all such applauses of the Vulgar people. They are both vain and variable; Men, who (thy self will say.) are sometimes mad; who condemn themselves every hour of frenzy, and frequently reprove their own Counsels. The life of them who praise, and of him who is praised, is but short, and it is done in a corner of the Earth, which is but a Point: and even there also, all do not consent to thee, nor any one to himself. But 'tis a brave thing to be praised by Posterity: Yes, by such as thou hast never seen, nor ever shalt see. Why doth it not grieve thee, that thou wert not praised by them who lived in the Ages before thee? But fancy them to be immortal who will hereafter remember thee, and that thy future fame shall be perpetuated: what will this avail thee, when thou art dead? what doth it avail thee, now thou art alive? One may often be praised where he is not, and punished where he is. The true value of each thing is in itself; neither is it better, if praised, nor worse, if it wants praise. The Sun, if it hath no beholders, doth it therefore lose any part of its Light? Is the Fig deprived of its sweetness, the Flower of its beauty, the Gem of its brightness, unless their perfections are praised and admired? 'Tis a great argument of a high and heroic mind, to slight men's praises, and to content himself with himself. Thou losest thy praises if thou lookest for them: for what in thee is praiseworthy? How great is thy Frailty? how much thy Misery? how uncertain thy Salvation? Shouldst thou perform all that thou art obliged, thou art still an unprofitable Servant: but with what Face darest thou aver, that thou hast done all to which thou wert obliged? Fear therefore, that thou art not within, what thou art said to be without: and reflect, whether that is not praised in thee, for which thou art displeasing to thyself. Render to God what thou hast received from him, to Be, to Live, to Understand: nothing will be left thee, but Sin. Since therefore thou art Nothing; of Nothing thou canst not glory. Thou wilt begin to be Something, when thou shalt know thou art Nothing.   

CHAP. X. Of the Government of the Body. Of the Custody of the Senses. How far the Body is to be indulged. The liberty of the Eyes, is to be kerbed. The excess in Apparel, condemned.  
1. KEep close to this found and wholesome form of Life, to give to thy Body so much as is enough to preserve thy Health. It is to be harshly treated, lest it should not well obey thy mind. It is to be indulged, not served. Let Food assuage Hunger, Drink quench Thirst,  keep from Cold, a House shelter from the injuries of the Wether: as for other things, which useless industry hath added as it were for ornament, avoid and dread them; for by them deceits are prepared against thy Soul. Thou art Greater, and designed for Greater matters than to be a base slave to thy Body; which surely thou oughtest not otherwise to look upon, than as a Prison of thy Mind, and a Fetter of thy Liberty. An honest and prudent man, provides for it, not as if he lived for it, but because he cannot live without it. The Body is the Instrument of the Soul: And what Artist, neglecting his Trade, spends his time in whetting his Tools. 'Tis the property of a dull spirit, to be employed in the Body's services.  
2. Since by the windows of the Senses Death enters into the Soul, strive to lead them from the Earthly life to the Heavenly, and wean them by little and little from an over-serious attention to the work they are upon, that they may not too greedily immerse themselves in the delights of worldly Objects. The Senses ought to serve, not command. The licence of the Eyes is in the first place to be chastised; for they being very quick in their action, and speedily transmitting the Images of many things to the Fantasy, and from thence to the Mind, will sow the feeds of grievous sins in the Appetite, if they be not strongly barrocaded. If the purity of the interior Eye, accompanies the rectitude of the exterior; thou wilt every where find the footsteps of God: and when, thou hast learned to worship God in his Creatures, thou wilt sweetly raise up thy mind from them to the Contemplation of his Divine Majesty. A trick'd-up Woman, is an elaborate Luxury; never fix thy sight upon her, for thou wilt perish. Frequent not Comedies, Balls, Dances, stageplays; for they dissipate the mind, and so possess it with vain solicitudes, that it cannot erect itself to Heaven. When the Eye errs, the Affection will be faulty.  
3. The Hearing is the sense of Discipline, by which, as by the Gate, the notions of Truth and Wisdom enter into the Mind. Hedge thy Ears therefore with a provident circumspection, lest Falsehoods instead of Truths, and Folly instead of Wisdom should break into the Storehouse of thy Heart. Shut them against Slanders, shut them against Murmurers, shut them against Toys, Idle talk, and every thing which conduceth nothing to thy Soul's profit. As one who hath heard a Consort of Music, bears away with him that sweet Modulation in his Ears, even after he is departed from the place where he heard it: So a bad Discourse, although it hurts not presently, yet it leaves seeds in the Mind, which stick longer, and by intervals return. Thou shalt by so much the more frequently hear God speaking in thy interior, by how much the less frequently thou hearest the talk of men. All Odoriferous Perfumes made by Art, belong to effeminate persons; wherefore rejecting all sophisticated Odours, endeavour by thy holy conversation to exhale the sweet fragrancy of Virtues. Thou shalt check thy Taste, by Abstinence and Sobriety: Thy Touch, by Hair-cloaths, Disciplines, uneasy Lodgings, and other asperities. 'Tis better to afflict the Body and preserve it; than by hurtful blandishments to destroy both Body and Soul eternally.  
4. Since the inward state of the Soul, is most commonly manifested by the outward Dress and Clothing of the Body; remove far from thee such things as are the usual marks of a depraved and unsettled Mind. Those Heathens, who in old times were reputed Wisemen, would not permit their Disciples to put forth so much as a Finger without some reason: I enact not of thee so strict a rectitude; but I wish (and I here declare it) that thou wouldst abstain from loud Laughter, from Scurrility, from dissolute Behaviour, from gesticulations of Hands, from an overhasty gate; to the end, nothing may appear in thee which may give offence to the beholders; not the sordidness of thy Garments, not the wrinkles of thy Forehead, not the incomposition of thy Manners, not any signs of Contempt, or of a Mind, averse from the Company, not any thing which may beget a loathsomeness or distaste. Many things which may be honestly done, may not honestly be seen.  
5. Man was created Naked, and was not ashamed; for his unknown nakedness could not make him blush: But after he had sinned, and cast off the Cloak of Innocency which sufficiently covered him, an outward Garment was necessary to veil his shame: What was then inflicted as a Punishment, is now made use of as a Prerogative of Dignity. Garments are fought after, not to cover but to adorn, and such as may please the Eyes and Lusts of others. The Habit is the Index of the Mind: To be overcurious in , and to compose the countenance out of a Box, and by a Looking-glass, is a Womanish Vice. The outward dress will confound thee, if thou wilt reflect what it covers. He who hath within, the ornaments of Virtues; values not the external garnishments of his attire. Virtue rejoices to be showed without any coloured disguise; whatsoever thou addest to it, is less than it. 'Tis one of men's vain Errors, to be fine in Apparel, filthy in Mind. Some load themselves with Chains, but because their Fetters are made of Gold, they fear not the infamy of Servitude. Some others are not fettered with Gold, but fastened to it; for by Wounds it is fixed to their Ears, at which there oftentimes hangs a whole Patrimony: and those which in times past were the names of Punishments, are now of Ambition. There are not a few, who spending their time between the Comb and the Looking-glass, are more solicitous to make their Heads handsome, than to save their Souls. And the depraved judgements of foolish people hath so far prevailed, that they fancy themselves adorned by such things, as they ought to tread under their feet. Let thy Attire therefore be without Art, not for Pomp, but for Necessity; beneath Pride, above Beggary; and in brief, accommodated to the condition of thy life and calling. Although thou deckest thyself with Gold and Margarites, without Christ's beauty thou art deformed. This is the graceful dress which is never out of fashion, and which adorns not thy Flesh, which is to die shortly; but thy Soul, which is to last for an eternity. 'Tis a mad kind of Ambition, to cover a Dunghill with Gold.   

CHAP. XI. Of the Custody of the Tongue. Of how great moment it is, and how difficile. What is to be observed in speaking; what to be avoided. How the bad Tongues of others, are to be endured.  
1. TO manage the Tongue, is a matter of so great moment, that it ought to be kept more charily than the Apple of the Eye; For life and death is in the hands of the Tongue. He that cannot bridle it, may be compared to an open City, which hath no Walls to fence it. But it can hardly be tamed, without God's special assistance. A Man can tame a Lion, he can tame a Bull, he can tame a Bear; but not his own Tongue: for Loquacity is an inborn brat of humane nature, egging him on to vent by his Tongue, whatsoever he desires and conceives in his mind. Moreover the Tongue neighbours to the Brain, and the Mouth to the Fantasy; so that what the Fantasy thinks, is presently derived to the Mouth, and driven out by Words. Nature has taught thee, how necessary the custody of thy Tongue is, when she guarded it with a double Bulwark, of the Teeth, and of the Lips. But as the Odour of an Ointment evaporates, if the mouth of the Pix is not stopped; so the Mouths door being left wide open, all the Minds vigour is dissipated. He attend ill to himself, who attends not continually to his Tongue.  
2. Be cautious in all thy Discourses; and carefully suppress that immoderate Itch, which urges many to blurt out rashly their scarcely conceived opinion, without examination, without election. Avoid Duplicity and Dissimulation; and deliver simply the sense of thy Mind, without all Coverture and Ambiguity. God hath given thee the faculty of Speaking, that therewith thou shouldst candidly tell the things as they truly are. Being to speak, consult thyself, whether any immoderate affection broils within thee, and permit nothing to thy Tongue, till that commotion is appeased; otherwise thou wilt pour forth what thou wilt afterwards repent. Thou wilt easily hold thy peace, if no perturbations clamour in thy Heart; if there is in thy Soul a solitude and serenity. There cannot be one colour to the Words, another to the Mind. If the Mind is sound, if temperate, if composed; the Speech will also be sober: that being vitiated, this will be infected. What manner of man one is, his Speech will declare.  
3. Let there pass no idle discourse. As thou choosest what meat thou eatest, so make choice of what words thou utterest. Thou examinest the Meat which is to go into thy mouth, why not the Word which is to go out of it, which oftentimes raises greater Tragedies in thy House, than thy Meat doth in thy Stomach? Accustom thyself to speak much with thyself, little with others. Prudent men have frequently repent their Speaking, never their Silence. Garrulity is the Vice of Children and of Women, who have less Reason than Men. There's nothing of Virtue in that person, out of whose Mouth proceed only vain and unprofitable Words. Didst thou love God, wert thou studious of thy Salvation; all thy Discourses would be of God, of Virtue, of Perfection. Love cannot lie, it cannot be concealed. Every one is profuse towards that he loves; and what is in his Mind, recurrs most frequently to his Tongue. Thou therefore less willingly discoursest of Divine things, because thou hast not yet washed away the Dregs of Vices: besides, thy seldom Reading and Meditating of such things as appertain to thy Salvation, leaves thee unfurnished with matter, though thou hadst a mind to it. Out of the Heart's abundance the Mouth speaks.  
4. men's ordinary talk, when they meet together, is of other persons lives, manners, actions. Every man hath as many Judges, as there are Heads in the City. There's scarcely any one who hath Eyes at home: The major part of us is purblind in discerning our own Vices, sharp-sighted to censure those of our Neighbours. We admit their Reproaches into our open doors, there's hardly a chink left open to receive their Praises. This Vice, by how much 'tis more common, by so much 'tis more carefully to be avoided. Thou hast enough to do with thy own Crimes; carp at them, and correct them. Secret ones, whether thy own or others, divulge not abroad. Many have fallen into great perplexities, by having imprudently entrusted their secrets to indiscreet people. Whether thou tellest it to one, or to more, 'tis the same thing. A word slips easily from one to another, and from him to all. This easiness proceeds chief from an overlong protracted discourse; whereupon, a certain pleasure of talking insensibly stealing in, and affecting the mind after the manner of Drunkenness, leaves there nothing so sacred and secret, which breaks not forth. He lays open to thee his secrets, and thou having received this pledge of his Faith, communicatest thine in like manner to him: but thou perchance, concealest what thou hast heard, he relates it to all he meets; so that every one seeming to be openly ignorant, all privately know it. You would say, that Tongues fly privately by all men's Ears, till at last the secret overflows, and becomes a common Rumour. Whatsoever Evil is under Heaven, the Tongue either brought forth or promoted. Make therefore a Balance for thy Words, and a Bridle for thy Mouth: And speak nothing, which had better been kept in silence. The sparing of Words, is more laudable than of Money. He that is prodigal of his Money, whilst he hurts himself, helps others; he that is prodigal of his Words, hurts both himself and others. He approaches near the Divinity, who can hear much, and speak little.  
5. Nothing is inaccessible to the Tongue. The Princes of the Earth are not exempt from Criminations, though power has placed them beyond the fear of the Sword. There are none so excellent in Sanctity, as that their innocence hath preserved them from Censure. Christ himself, when he lived amongst men, escaped not the scourge of the Tongue. By these Examples, raise up thy Patience. Slander is the Spur of Virtue; 'tis a Curb, which keeps thee from swerving out of the right path. There's not a more capital enemy to Vice than Censure: for when thou art ill spoken of, thou art taught what thou art to take heed of. Wilt thou avoid the bites of a venomous Tongue? Contemn it. Thou wilt receive no Wound if thou hold'st thy peace; attributing more to the judgement of good men, than to the insolence of a Slanderer. It matters but little what others think of thee: there's a more certain and more uncorrupted witness within thee, in thy own Soul: Interrogate thy own Conscience, and give credit to it. What is base, than to depend upon the report of foolish people, and to place the esteem we have of ourselves, in the judgements of others? Whatsoever others say of thee, it behoves thee to be good. If any one should defame a sweet and clear Fountain, will it therefore cease to drill out its pure streams? And if any one casts dirt into it, will it not soon wash it out and dissipate it? So neither oughtest thou to trouble the peaceable state of thy Mind, although bad men asperse and calumniate thee. 'Tis too mean an esteem of ones self, to be moved at every flying Report. Children strike the Faces of their Parents, the Infant has discomposed his Mother's hair, he hath bitten her Nipples, he hath scratched her Cheeks, and spit upon her Bosom; and none of this is esteemed a contumely, because he that did it cannot contemn any one: the same mind therefore which Parents have towards their Children, do thou have towards them who calumniate thee. If thou once yieldest to trouble thyself at the injury, thou wilt honour him that did it. For thou must necessarily rejoice to have the esteem of him, from whom thou takest contempt so heinously. And this is the Vice of a Mind contracting itself, and descending. Thou wilt always be unhappy, if thou thinkest thou canst be despised.   

CHAP. XII. Of the internal Senses. The use of Opinions. The Mind is to be stored with good thoughts. Of restraining the Sensitive Appetite: and of its depraved Affections. Several Precepts to that purpose.  
1. UPon this the chief Hinge of Wisdom turns, That no Opinion be introduced into thy Mind, which is inconsequent to Nature or Reason. Wherefore rejecting them all, thou art to exercise thyself against the Motions of thy Fantasy, as the Logicians do against captious Sophistries. My Son is dead? This is not in thy power; It is no Evil. Such a Father disinherited his Son? This also, since 'tis out of our power, is not Evil. But he took such a thing ill? That's in our power, and therefore Evil. He took it courageously? That's in our power, and consequently Good. If thou accustomest thyself to these things, thou wilt reap profit by it. My Friend is led away into Prison. What hath happened? Nothing, but that he is in Prison. But every one adds of his own, that he is ill dealt with. Correct the Opinion, and all is at quiet. As we tie up a furious person, that he may do no harm to others; so the Fantasy is to be restrained, that it may not overwhelm the Mind with false Opinions. This like an untamed Beast, gets lose, and licentiously wanders wheresoever it pleases; 'tis a Prattler, a Runagate, impatient of quiet, glad of new things, and not knowing any Moderation. Thou art therefore to employ all thy diligence in this study, how thou mayst lay hold on it, bind it, and fix it to one thing; that so thy thoughts and the decrees of thy Mind may not always be pinned upon Opinion. Whatsoever is without thy Mind, doth not at all belong to thee.  
2. Whatsoever offers itself to thee to be thought on, examine it throughly; that so thou mayst dispute with thyself, what the Nature of that thing is, as 'tis naked and separated from all others, what its properties, what its end, what circumstances, what profit; whether or no it concerns thee, and is in thy power: otherwise give it no access, but resist it as much as thou canst. God is intimately present, most clearly beholding the darkest secrets of thy heart; nor is there any thing so concealed, which lies not open to his allseeing Eyes: Look then, that thou reyolve not in thy Mind any such thing, as thou wouldst be ashamed to mention before an honest man. Let thy Thoughts be quiet, simple, pure, and free from all Malice. Let them be such, that if thou wert suddenly asked what thou thinkest, thou canst without blushing lay open what lies hid in thy Heart. Be ashamed to think, what thou art ashamed to speak. Thou wilt banish evil Thoughts, if thou art always busied with good.  
3. Nothing is more hurtful to a Soul, nothing more contrary, than the Inferior Brutal, and Sensitive Appetite. This is the source of all Wickednesses and Imperfections. Let this Enemy, whom thou art always to fear, always to fight against, be subdued. Here no rest must be taken, no respite given. The Conflict must be without end, and without measure; because the Adversary hath neither end nor measure. The Enemy lurks within thee; yea, thou thyself art an Enemy to thyself, more potent than the Army of Xerxes. Keep thy Soul from thyself. 'Tis a greater valour to invade thyself, than Cities; to get the Victory over thyself, than over all other things. I require not, that thou shouldst totally destroy all depraved affections, and reduce them to nothing; but that thou learn to govern them. Reason hath done enough, if it bridles and moderates them. The Stoics were over-harsh, in defaming all affections as Evil. The Householdstuff of Nature is neither evil nor unnecessary. He takes away all Virtue, who takes away all Affections. There's no Conquest, where there's no Combat.  
4. This strife is indeed very difficult, and the Battle doubtful: for Affections are born with us, and Reason follows many years after, when they have already got the Dominion, and the Will without resistance yields them Obedience, being deluded with the vain show of good: till Reason in success of time, and Experience getting strength, begin to know their right of governing, and to resist the tyranny of the Affections: And surely the first motions of Nature cannot be amended; but yet thou art to look to thyself with great vigilancy, and when first thou perceivest thyself troubled, thou art presently to restrain that commotion with the bridle of Reason. 'Tis easier to resist beginnings, than to govern an impetuosity. Thou wilt attain to great tranquillity of Mind in a short time, if thou castest an eye upon all chances before they happen, that so the Enemy may find thee prepared. 'Tis too late to furnish the Mind with Remedies, after the Dangers. Learn to do little, and speak little; for if of the many things thou speakest and dost, thou takest away what is not necessary, thou wilt find fewer perturbations in thy Mind. And say not, this is a small matter: For that which is the beginning of Virtue and Perfection, is very great, though it seems but little.  
5. The Old man drawing his Origine from the infected seed of the sinner Adam, is to be considered as a certain Tree, having for its Root, Self-love; for its Trunk, a Propension to Evil; for its Branches, Perturbations; for its Leaves, Vicious Habits; for its Fruits, Works, Words, and Thoughts, which are contrary to the Divine Law. Wherefore, to hinder the Branches of bad Affections from breaking forth into Leaves and Fruits, apply the Axe to the Root, and extirpate that worst Love of thyself. If thou takest this away, thou hast with one stroke cut off the whole vicious Offspring of thy Inferior Appetite. And thou wilt take it away, and root it out, if thou contemnest thyself: if thou truly believest thyself to be one of those thousands, who are endued with no singular dowry and perfection; and that thou art destitute of all knowledge and virtue: if thou fearest not to displease men, and to be by them scorned, and despised: if thou art willing to want all sorts of comforts and conveniences. Thou wilt preserve thyself, if thou well hatest thyself: thou wilt lose thyself, if thou ill lovest thyself.   

CHAP. XIII. Of Love. Its Nature, Causes, Effects. Its Remedies. Something added of Hatred.  
1. LOve is a complacency in that which is Good: to wit, that first impression, wherewith the Appetite is affected, when the known Good pleaseth it. By this, the whole World coheres together; and this being brought under, which holds the prime place amongst the Affections, the whole troop of the rest will easily be quelled. The Love which is good, tends thither from whence it had its beginning: It goes to Good, because it proceeds from the Sovereign Good. Discuss thy Life, and weigh thy Heart in the Balance of a strict Examination. Observe what Love is there predominant: for that which weighs down in the Scale of Love, is to thee a God; that's the Idol thou worshippest. Therefore God hath commanded thee to love him with thy whole Heart, to prevent thereby the Affections of thy Mind; because whatsoever thou Lovest with thy whole Heart, that is the thing thou adorest as God.  
2. Besides Goodness and Beauty, a certain sympathy and agreement of minds and manners, excites Love: as also outward Modesty, Industry, Nobility, Learning, quickness of Wit, and other such like Ornaments of Body and Mind. Love itself is the Loadstone of Love; to which if Benefits are added, he is then constrained to return Love, who would not bestow it. There are moreover some things, naturally provoking Love: for they who have clearer Spirits, a warmer Heart, a more subtle Blood, and are of an easy and meek Disposition, are more prone to Love.  
3. Great is the power of Love: It transforms the Lover, into the thing Beloved. Love is a certain going out of itself, a certain Pilgrimage from itself, a certain voluntary Death. He who Loves is absent from himself, he thinks not of himself, he provides nothing, he doth nothing: and unless he is received by his beloved, he is no where. O how unhappily doth he love, who loves not God for he cannot be in the beloved, who loves earthly Objects, which cannot satiate the Soul, as being subject to Vanity and Death: But he that loves God, is in God; and ceasing to live in himself, lives in him, in whom all things live, who is our Centre, and our unchangeable Good. Humane love is violent and bitter; the Divine is evermore humble and peaceable. Jealousy torments that, but this hath no Rivals: that fears lest another should love; this wishes all would love. wherefore, if thou lovest thyself, love God; for that thou lovest him, is thy own profit, not his. Man may be altered, and perish; thou never losest God, unless thou leavest him.  
4. That the love which thou perchance bearest thy Companion, may be sincere; lay aside all humane causes of Wit, Jocundness, Likeness; and seek only them which consist in Piety and Sanctity. The Love which they call Platonical, is the bane of Virtue, whereby they feign, that from the beholding Corporal Comeliness, the Soul is raised to the contemplation of the Divine Beauty. The steadfast eyeing of a fair Face, excites the Concupiscence to touch it; and that which goes out by the Eyes, whether it is Light, or a certain Flux, melts the Man, and destroys him. 'Tis better the Feet should slip, than the Eyes. But the Remedies of Love are of great difficulty, because when 'tis chastised, it more eagerly presses on, and unless thou resistest its beginnings, it so insensibly creeps in, that thou wilt first feel thyself to Love, before thou hadst any design of Loving. But if thou absolutely repugnest to the beginnings, the cure will be easily compassed. The Mind also must be busied about other matters, which being accompanied with care, will remove the memory of the thing beloved. Then all mention of the person affected is to be avoided, because nothing more easily returns than Love; which if it hath once seized on thee, it will so pertinaciously vex thee, as that it will not be removed but by the lingering Remedy of time and absence; that is, till it being tired, expires. Shame hath cured many, when they saw themselves pointed at, and become the common talk of the people; and withal considered the foulness of the thing, full of disgrace, full of danger, and subject to future Repentance. It hath profited others, to inquire attentively into the Evils and inconveniences of the thing beloved, which might diminish its amiableness and beauty. Lastly, a conversion of our Love to God, to Virtue, to eternal Objects, that is, to things which are truly Lovely, will much conduce to the cure; that so a good Love may expel the bad, and the generous mind of man may grow ashamed to debase itself to the vile love of the earth. Bad loves, infect good manners.  
5. Nature hath bound all things together with a certain Love-Chain. This drives and couples the dances of the Stars in Heaven, the flocks of Birds in the Air, the Herds of Oxen in the Meadows, the Droves of  in the Mountains, the companies of Wild Beasts in the Woods. This Sacred Bond is broken only by Hatred: for as Love tends to Union, so Hatred aims at Division and Dissension. They are most subject to this bad affection, who are sluggish, timorous, and suspicious, and apprehensive of loss on every side. There are moreover some men so born, that they hate all others, like that horrid sort of Fowls, which hate even their own darkness. If thou meetest with any of this Note, do not hate them, but pity them. As in wrestling, thou watchfully lookest to thy Play-mate without any anger; so in all thy Life, decline from him without hatred, who is contrary to thy disposition. And thou wilt hinder hatred, by exciting thy mind to love, upon the consideration of some good in the hateful object. There will be no place for hatred in thee, if thou interpretest all things in the best sense. Then, Hatred is to be applied to the things which truly deserve it; which are the deformity of Sin, and eternal Damnation. If thou turnest it to any thing else, thou hurtest not the thing thou hatest, but thyself. For if thou art commanded to love even thy Enemies, whom canst thou justly hate? Thou must pass out of the privileged City, to find one against whom thou mayst practise thy hatred. That Evil is without the nature of things, against which only hatred may lawfully be exercised: But if thou must needs hate a man, let it be none but thyself: For no one can hurt thee so much, as thou dost thyself.   

CHAP. XIV. Of Desire, and Flight. What is to be Desired, what to be Fled from.  
1. HAppy he, who is subject to God: who desires nothing earnestly; who accommodates himself to things as they occur; who says, God will have me to be safe, he will have me to be sick; he will have me to be rich, or poor; he will have me to pass from hence, or to stay here: I am prepared for either. If thou once sayest, When shall I go thither? When shall I get that thing? Thou wilt be miserable. For if thou covetest that which is without thee, thou wilt be tormented with perpetual anxiety, and as in an orbicular Machine, thou wilt always pursue, never possess. In thy own Power are thy own Opinions, Thoughts, Affections, Actions; without thy Power are the Body, Riches, Glory, Dignities, and whatsoever thyself doth not. Those can neither be prohibited by any one, nor hindered: These are aliens, and subject to impediments. Wherefore do not at all desire those, or at least so desire them, as considering them to depend upon the arbitrament of others, and that they cannot long continue with thee, because their condition so requires. No external thing is to be desired; For the Figure of this World passes away. Look within: within is a Fountain of Good, always distilling, if thou always diggest.  
2. In this one thing was placed the wisdom of some ancient Philosophers, who being exempt from the Empire of Fortune, amidst the sharpest torments of their Bodies, disputed with their blessed Minds about Felicity. For contemplating the limits of that Power which God hath given to Man, they became fully persuaded, that nothing besides their own thoughts and affections belonged unto themselves. And thereupon, by the use of this meditation, they got such an absolute dominion over them, and so well governed the motions of their minds, that not without some reason, they boasted themselves to be the only Rich, the only Powerful, the only Happy men. But an assiduous exercitation is necessary to learn this lesson of despising the things which are without thee, as not at all belonging to thee. If thou canst come to this, thou wilt never grieve at the want of external things; as thou grievest not, that thou art not King of the Tartars, or that thou art destitute of wings to fly withal. What is without us, is nothing to us.  
3. With this Bridle, Desires are to be kerbed; which unless thou moderatest, thy unsatiable mind will never be satisfied with whatsoever thou afford it; all will but irritate, not end its Cupidity. No moisture suffices him, whose bowels are inflamed with a burning heat; for that's not a Thirst, but a Disease: So it befalls them who recall not their desires to Reason, which hath certain bounds; but leave them to Vice, and Looseness, whose limits are immense and incomprehensible. Thou wilt feel no incommodities, nor wilt thou want any thing thou desirest, if thou conteinest thyself within the measure of Nature: if thou exceedest this measure, thou wilt be poor, even amidst the greatest plenty. To Cupidity, nothing is enough; to Nature, few things are sufficient.  
4. Remember so to behave thyself in thy Life, as thou wouldst at a Feast. If Dainties are carried about, and come to thee, put forth thy hand modestly and take a share of them. If he who bears them passes by thee, detain him not. If he is not yet come up to thee, extend not thy appetite to things afar off, but stay till he is present. If thou standest thus affected towards Riches, towards Dignities, and the rest of things which are without, thou wilt be worthy to feast with the Saints; and thou wilt enjoy such a serenity of mind, as will raise thee above all Chances. But if moreover thou wilt slight and refuse the things which are offered, thou shalt not only be a Guest of the Saints, but a Partner in their Felicity, and wilt begin to foretaste upon Earth, that happiness which they enjoy in Heaven. 'Tis in thy own power to make thyself happy, by desiring nothing which is without thee. Who is blessed and happy? He, who hath what he will. He hath whatsoever he will, who wills nothing but what he may.  
5. We eat and abhor many things as hurtful, which are indeed profitable. For it falls out for the most part, that they are contrary to the Mind. That which hurts, instructs. Death, Exile, Poverty, Disgrace, Labour, Sickness, and the rest of the same kind, which are not in thy Power, belong not unto thee. To these therefore thou art not to oppose Flight, not detestation; but a Neglect of the Opinion conceived of them. Socrates fitly named all these things, Goblins: For as Goblins affright Children, whereas nothing is in them horrible but their outward show: So it happens in things, which thou art wont to apprehend, not as they are, but as they appear. What is Death? A Hobgoblin. Observe how sweet it was, not only to the Saints, and persons of high virtue and perfection, but to Socrates, and to other Heathen Sages. What then is so terrible in Death? Opinion. The Fear of Death is horrible, not Death itself. The same thou wilt find in other things, which thou art wont to abominate. Correct Opinion, and thou wilt perceive there's nothing besides Sin, which thou art to abhor.   

CHAP. XV. Of Joy, and of Sadness. How a good man ought to rejoice. He who foresee all things, is not contristated. Several Antidotes against Grief.  
1. THou art so to rejoice, as that Modesty may appear in the midst of thy Mirth; and that thy Mind be not so dissolved, but thou canst freely, if it be needful, pass from gladness to sadness. Christ our Lord, the best Esteemer of things, calls not Laughers blessed, but Mourners. For it very much mis-becomes a Christian man, who professes to look after eternal things, amongst so many dangers of Soul and Body, amongst so many most just causes of Sadness, to delight in vain Laughter after the manner of Fools, and to rejoice excessively at perishing trifles. Earthly pleasure fleets away, and what we call Joys, are oftentimes the beginnings of Sadness. True Joy springs only from a clear Conscience. No one can be said to have solid Joy, but he who is Just, Valiant, Temperate. That Joy may never be wanting to thy mind, see that it be born at home. And it will be there born, if it is within thyself. Other rejoicings are light, they fill not the Breast; nor doth he always rejoice, who laughs. Sincere joy is a severe thing: It springs from a good Conscience, from honest Counsels, from upright Actions, from a contempt of Pleasures, and from the peaceable tenor of an unspotted Life. This is the true Law of Virtue; that thou mayst truly Rejoice, thou must a long time Mourn.  
2. Sadness, detests the Evil which is present, (either really, or in the apprehension) with a certain trouble and disquiet. But 'tis our usual custom to be troubled for the most part not at things, but at the Opinion of things. Search not therefore over-narrowly into things, not into thy Servants, not into thy Fields, not into thy Moneys, not into thy Affairs: rather consider what thy Opinion is of them. That thou art disgraced, that thou art robbed, that thou art beaten, is not in thy power: but to think rightly of these things, that they are not Evils, but sometimes profitable, is in thy power: Thou wilt never grieve, if pulling away thy thought from the present trouble, thou there placest it where true Joys are to be found. To a good man, nothing happens amiss, not because he doth not feel it, but because he overcomes it. For he looks upon all Adversity, as an occasion of exercising his Patience, as an instrument of the Divine Grace, as the way to an everlasting Glory. A good man may be said to be miserable, but he cannot be so.  
3. Whatsoever may be, do thou forefee as if it will be. Thus thou wilt abate the violence of all Evils, which bring no new thing to them who are prepared; but will prove grievous to them who expect nothing but prosperity. What wilt thou do if an accident should bereave thee of one half of what thou hast? What if of All? What if thy House falls? if thy Friends forsake thee? if thy Fame is endangered? if by calumny thou art cast down from thy Dignity? A Disease, Captivity, Ruin, Fire, nothing of these is sudden to a Wise man. He communes with himself of future Misfortunes, and mitigates the Sorrow by meditating long upon it, which others do by long sustaining it. That may happen to any one, which happens to any one. What Riches are there, which Hunger and Beggary follow not at the back? What Dignity, which is not accompanied with Infamy, and extreme Contempt? What Kingdom, for which Destruction is not prepared? Hath not this Age of ours seen an unparallelled Example, of a Royal Head cut off by the Sword of the Hangman; and this by command of his own Subjects? Nor are these things far distant from one another: the moment of an hour is between Plenty and Poverty, between the Palace and the Cottage, between the Throne and the Axe. Know then that every Condition is changeable, and whatsoever befalls any man, may also befall thee. He easily bears adverse Fortune, who always expects it.  
4. Virtue rouses not itself, when the life proceeds with a prosperous course; Then it appears how great it is, when Patience manifests what it can do. We are made a Spectacle (says the Apostle) to God, to Angels, and to Men. And behold a Spectacle worthy of God's aspect: behold a Pair fit to be presented to the Divine Majesty; a Valiant man oppressed with Adversity, triumphing over himself and over all his Calamity. A calm Sea and a prosperous Gale, show not the Art of the Pilot. Who so is not tempted, what knows he? Some one says, I am unhappy, to whom this sad misfortune befell. But I say, thou art happy, because thou hast the opportunity to try thyself: For the same thing might have befallen any one; but to accept of it without grief, was not for every one. Be not therefore dejected in sinister events; but rather on the contrary take firm footing, and sustain whatsoever burden falls from above upon thee. For the first violence being broken, thou wilt see nothing horrible in these things, besides Opinions. Such things as have their force from Nature, retain the same in all men: but many suffer Poverty, Disgrace, Reproach, and the rest which the Vulgar call Evils, with much patience, many do not so much as feel them; 'tis not therefore natural to grieve at these things, but it proceeds from a perverse Opinion. Why dost thou lie to thyself? Thou mayst render all Calamity easy, by enduring it. All Grief is light, if Opinion adds no weight to it. Do not thou make thy Evils more grievous unto thee, by thy impatience. Every one is as miserable, as he esteems himself.  
5. All Sickness lessens at length by delay, and though the pain is most violent, yet time either takes it away, or weakens it. Wilt thou therefore expect the day, in which thy Grief will cease whether thou wilt or no; or wilt thou thyself put an end to it? Why preventest thou not that with Council, which time will bring about? Although thou keepest thy sorrow, yet it will slide out of thy custody. For nothing is sooner hated than Sadness, which when 'tis new finds a Comforter, when grown old is deric●●d. Now if Calamity is overcome by Grief, let every day be spent in lamentation, let sadness consume the nights without sleep, let the hands fall upon the breast, and let sorrow exercise upon itself all sorts of cruelty: But if Cries are bootless, if no tears or complaints can mitigate Adversity: Learn to rule thyself, and with invincible Constancy resist all Calamity. He is a pitiful Governor of a Ship, who loses his skill in every Storm, and permits his tottering Boat to the fury of the Tempest. But he deserves praise, even in a Shipwreck, whom the Sea overwhelms, whilst he holds the Helm, and wrestles with the Waves.   

CHAP. XVI. Of Hope, and of Despair. How we are to moderate them both.  
1. VAin and false is that Hope, and the mere Dream of a man broad awake, which is not placed in God, by whose sole beck all difficulties may be overcome. Why art thou vexed with the expectation of a future event, and extendest thy thoughts to things a far off? Thou wilt hope nothing, if thou desirest nothing, if thou despisest all Earthly things. No one hopes what he contemns. Although thy hopes should never deceive thee, although they tend to things easily obtained; yet so long as any hope hankers within thee, thou wilt be solicitous, uncertain of thyself, and full of doubts and anxieties. As thou runnest not with thy Feet into uncooth and uneven Paths; so neither art thou to roam with thy Mind upon such things, as are not within the reach of thy own power. 'Tis a misery to have that wanting to the Will, which is hoped for.  
2. The Mind is frequently to be admonished to look upon all things which are without thee, and about thee, as perishable, and hanging by a slender Thread. Why forgettest thou thy own Condition? Thou art born Mortal: Nothing is promised thee of this Day; nothing of this Hour. Death stands at thy back: whatsoever thou hast is but borrowed: the use of it is thine, so long as it pleases the supreme Arbiter of all things. When he calls, all is to be rendered up without complaint. 'Tis the part of a perverse Debtor, to injure his Creditor. There's nothing therefore under the Sun, which thou oughtest to hope for. That only is a true Hope, which is rightly conceived of the true and chief Good.  
3. Despair is caused by Sloathfulness, Dejection of mind, an overgreat apprehension of Difficulties, a faulty Diffidence of ones self, and of the defect of his own Forces and Industry. 'Tis conquered, by exciting the Mind to imitate their Example, who being in far greater anguishes, generously overcame all Obstacles. Begin and drive on thyself, for God helps them who do what they can; and thou wilt find that most easy, which seemed most hard, if the false Opinion concerning it is deposed. Whatsoever happens to thee, that all was designed from Eternity. Now, that either falls out as thou by Nature art disposed to endure it, or otherwise: if the first, despair not, but bear it: if otherwise, yet do not despair; for whatsoever it is, it will soon have an end, and make an end of thee. That's light which thou canst bear; short, which thou canst not. But remember, that it is in thy own Power to render many things tolerable, if thou wilt apprehend them as profitable and convenient. Calamity is the occasion of Virtue.   

CHAP. XVII. Of Fear. How Vain it is, and how to be Vanquished. Boldness to be avoided. Something again of Anger.  
1. MAny there are, who when there is no present Evil, nor any assuredly to come, do nevertheless rage's and run about, and either feign a Misfortune to themselves, or increase it. Humane cruelty hath not invented so many torments, as a Mind endures which is ever anxious of the future, which is over-solicitous to preserve his present Goods, and over-apprehensive of future dangers. Many things which would not be Evils, are so because we fear them. What profits it thee to be troubled before the time: and by a vain providence to meet thy own Miseries? Must thou needs be now miserable, because thou mayst be so hereafter? 'Tis the part of a Fool, to give up his reason to other men's relations; and when no apparent signs foretell the Mischief, to be terrified with false imaginations. Oftentimes thou being deceived with a sinister conjecture, wrestest a Word of doubtful signification, to the worst sense. Sometimes thou conceivest the offence of a Nobleman to be greater than indeed it is; and thinkest, not how far forth he is angry, but what he may do being angry. But these Fears are vain; and therefore trouble more, because vain. For true things have their measure; but what comes from uncertainty, is left to the conjecture and liberty of the timorous Mind. It little differs, whether thou endurest adverse fortune, or expectest it; but only there is a measure of grieving, none of fearing. Thou grievest for as much as thou know'st has happened, thou fearest for as much as may happen.  
2. If thou wilt put off all Fears; propose, that whatsoever thou dreadest lest it should come, will certainly come; then measure that Evil with thyself, and tax thy Fear; thou wilt soon perceive that the thing thou fearest, is not in itself great, but in thy Opinion. Can any harsher misfortune befall thee, than to be thrust into Banishment, cast into Prison? Can thy Body dread any thing more, than to be burnt to death? Discuss these particulars, and reduce them to thy true Fear: thou wilt find many, even Infidels who contemned all these things. Stephen amongst the Stones, prayed to God with 〈…〉 Mind. Laurence triumphs in the Flames, and insults over the Tyrant. The Virgin Apollonia casts herself into the prepared Fire. Anaxarchus smiles in the Mortar, being beaten to pieces with Iron Malls. Socrates cheerfully drinks a health to Critias, out of his poisoned Cup. Why dreadest thou Flames and Fires, and the frowning looks of the Executioners who encompass thee? Under all that pomp, which affrights Fools, Death lies hid, which so many Boys and Girls have with joyful minds embraced. Take away tumults from things, put off their vizards, restore to every thing it's own Countenance, thou wilt see nothing terrible in them, besides the terror itself. That happens to us greater Children, which does to little ones: They, if they see them whom they love, with whom they live, with whom they play, personated and disguised, are affrighted: But thou more silly than Children, art arrived at that height of Folly, as not only to be vexed at grief, but with the Panic Fear of it.  
3. Led thy Mind from the private to the Common Cause. Think thou hast a frail and mortal Body, subject to many Diseases, and at last to Death: And say to thyself, I knew long since that many adverse verse Accidents hung over my Head: What therefore do I now dread? I shall be Sick? The Sickness of my Body, will conduce to the Health of my Soul. I shall be reduced to Poverty? My Life will be safer and more quiet. I shall lose my Riches? And with them many Cares, and perpetual Danger. I shall suffer Disgrace? If the cause is just, I will execrate it; if unjust, I will comfort myself with my own Conscience. I shall be frustrated in my expectation of the thing I hoped for? Neither do Kings obtain all they desire. I shall be sent into Banishment? I will go of my own accord, and make it a Pilgrimage. I shall become Blind? The occasions of many Cupidities will be cut off. Men will speak ill of me? They will do what I deserve, and what they are wont. I shall Die? Upon this Condition I entered to go forth. But I shall Die in a Foreign Nation? No Land is Foreign to him, who hath here no permanent City. I shall Die before my time? None but a Madman complains to be freed from his Fetters before the time, and to be released out of Prison. Death, Exile, Grief, are not punishments to be dreaded; for they are but the tributes of our Mortality. 'Tis a Folly to fear the things thou canst not avoid.  
4. Beware of overmuch Boldness, and do not rashly set upon any thing above thy strength; for none are sooner oppressed, than they who presume too much of themselves. Small are our Forces without God's help, from whom proceeds all our sufficiency. Boldness springs from the great value we put upon our own Virtue, from a contempt of our Adversaries, from a precipitate Wit, and from the little practice and experience we have in the transaction of affairs. He is least forward, who is most prudent: For he measures his own strength; diligently casting about what he can do, and considering what he shall be unable to compass. Audacious persons, when they meet with greater difficulties than they before apprehended, flag and fall back; acknowledging (when too late) how uncertain men's providences are, how vain their imaginations. The beginning of future Calamity, is unwary Security.  
5. Anger will never get the Mastery over thee, if thou takest away the Opinion of the esteemed Injury. Thou thyself art the Ringleader of all the crimes thou committest. Thou bringest upon thyself all the Mischiefs which befall thee. Why dost thou charge others with the cause of thy perturbations, if thou thyself drivest them on headlong? No one is hurt, but by himself. What Nurses say to Children, Do not cry, and thou shalt have it; thou mayst more rightly say to thy boiling Mind, Be not Angry, Do not strive and clamour, and what thou intendest will be better brought to pass. Appoint certain Days, in which thou proposest, not to fall into Anger, what occasion soever urgeth thee: then try thyself for one or two Months after the same manner: thou wilt find in process of time, that thou hast so far profited, as to laugh at all such things, which before provoked thee to Anger. Pleasing manners are not so grateful and agreeable to any of them with whom one lives and converses, as they are to himself who is induced with them. A peaceable and pacified Mind hath this Happiness: It is always joyful, it evermore triumphs.   

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Powers of the Rational Soul. The Understanding is to be restrained from Curiosity. To what Study one should chief apply himself. How bad a thing it is to inquire into other men's Manners. The Judgements of others, are to be contemned. Of the denial of our Will.  
1. GOd hath given thee the faculty of Understanding, that thou mightest know him, and by knowing him Love him: but Sin hath maimed this Faculty with a double Wound; with Ignorance, and with Blindness. For thou errest in the Notion of Truth; and art for the most part ignorant what is to be done or to be avoided. Now with what care a City is to be kept in the time of a raging Pestilence, or a Castle being besieged by an Enemy, lest some unknown person should creep in; with so great and far greater diligence we must watch, lest our Understanding should lie open to any bad thing suggested to it by the Senses. For the Senses represent the Species of things, the Understanding admits them, and having judged them, proposes them to the Will. But the Senses offer both good and bad, and it belongs to the Mind either to embrace or exclude them.  
2. In the first place, the Understanding is to be contained from Curiosity. Why distractest thou thy Mind, made for solid Wisdom and for God himself, with vain trifles? As he that tastes Woolfbane, to find out its quality, perishes before he feels the savour of it; So they who dive into matters which belong not to them, undo themselves before they know what they desired. To know that which profits not, is the next to Ignorance. Who so desires to be truly Wise, doth not learn for his Opinion, but for his Life: nor doth he seek in knowledge the delight of his mind, but the remedy. Wouldst thou gladly know the force of the Stars? Thou wilt show thyself foolish, if after thou hast found that out, thou art ignorant of thy own weakness. Wilt thou speak well and elegantly? 'Tis much better thou wouldst learn to hold thy peace. Desirest thou to know new things? What is newer, than to renew thyself? Learn that. Thou wilt confute other men's errors? Why correctest thou not thy own? It delights thee to run over Histories, and to know the deeds of others? Well, if in the mean while thou art not ignorant of what thou thyself art to do. Thou wouldst accord the differences of them who are at strife? And why not thy own tumultuous affections? Didst thou not seek after what is superfluous, thou wouldst easily find what is necessary. Now that knowledge is necessary, which makes thee rather Good than Learned.  
3. Why dost thou trouble and torment thyself with such Questions, as would for the most part better be despised than solved? Why labourest thou with pertinacious study to learn such things, which if thou knewst them, aught to be forgotten? But as the intemperance of other things, so also that of Learning vexeth us. There's no end of Books. Libraries are furnished, more for Ornament, and to please Spectators, than for the use of Readers. Thou wilt scarcely be able to read the Indices of Books in thy whole life time, although thou shouldst live many years. Amongst these, many are pernicious; many unworthy to be read; many vain and frivolous, which after thou hast long perused, thou wilt be never the wiser. Thou mayst salute many of them (as it were) from the Threshold, lest thou mayst imagine some great and secret good lies concealed within them. But thou art to stick close to a few, and those choice ones. We want few Books, to inform a good mind.  
4. O the vain thoughts of Mortals! We tyre ourselves in turning over Books and Papers, and extend our Wit to many Arts and Sciences, as if we were to live many Ages: but we neglect the care of eternal Life, which is not acquired by the skill in Sciences, but by the practice of Virtues. What profits it to inquire into the Acts of Foreign Kings, and to describe in large Volumes what the people did and suffered? How much better would it be for thee to extinguish thy own Evils, than to explicate those of other men to posterity? Geometry teaches thee to measure Fields; let it rather teach thee to measure what is sufficient for thyself. Arithmetic teaches thee to number, and to count thy Incomes; let it rather teach thee to contemn them, and to be willing to lose the things which are acquired with so great solicitude. Music shows thee how Voices agree together; let it show thee how thy Mind may agree with itself, and how thy Senses and Reason may not make a discording sound. It informs thee which are the flat, which the sharp Moods and Notes; let it instruct thee not to be extolled in prosperity, not to be dejected in adversity. These and other things will be profitably known, when thou know'st thyself. Thou knowest nothing at all, notwithstanding that thou knewst all things, if thou know'st not thyself.  
5. 'Tis an infamous and sordid Vice to pry into the actions of others, to inquire into their manners, and rashly to interpret all things. For who art thou, that thou shouldst presume to judge another's Servant? 'Tis to his Lord, that be must stand or fall. He who hath reserved all judgement to himself, is to judge all. With what face darest thou invade the Divine Tribunal? Look to thyself, and search into the secrets of thy own Conscience; See what evils are there, what good is there wanting, and turn not thy Eyes upon other men's lives and actions. Thou wilt find a sufficient plenty of bad weeds to be pulled out of thy own ground; Faults, which thou mayst boldly fall upon with a severe censure. There's scarcely any thing so justly done, but that a depraved spirit may wrest it to an ill sense. Heretics abuse the very Gospels; The Jews calumniated Christ's actions. As Bodies of a melancholic and malevolent humour, turn all the food they eat into Choler; so an ill-disposed Soul, mis-interprets all it sees, all it hears. A good or bad Intention, makes things oftentimes good or bad: but this is known to him alone, who searches the reins and the heart. If another persons do can by no means be defended; what's that to thee? Art thou not ashamed to bring filthy things out of corners, and expose them to public view? Why dost thou not observe thyself, who art worse than others? Practise thy Slanderous tongue against thyself, detract thyself to thyself, accuse thy own crimes, judge them, condemn them. Thou wilt avoid God's Judgement, if thou art a severe Self-censurer.  
6. As we are commonly very ingenious in observing the actions of others, seeking thereby to be esteemed prudent: so we easily suspect that others in like sort think and speak ill of us; and that we are to them odious and despicable. That thou mayst quell this, cut off in the first place all desire of pleasing Men, and of being by them highly esteemed: then endeavour to cast away the very thought of knowing what others think or speak of thee: especially since it often happens, that they do not so much as once think of thee, whom thou fanciest to speak ill of thee and observe thee. Say to thyself with the Apostle; If I pleased men, I were not Christ's Servant. Say to others; 'Tis little to me, that I am judged by you, or by the day of man. Thou art truly such, as thou art with God. The Opinion and Talk of men adds nothing to thy goodness, takes nothing from thy malice. 'Tis better to be Good, then so esteemed.  
7. Nothing will fall out contrary to thy Will, if thou totally deniest it, and transformest it into the Divine Will. Thus thou wilt enjoy a solid Peace of Mind, thus thou wilt attain to a true tranquillity. Thou wilt live as thou pleasest, if thou wilt learn to will what thou oughtest. And thou oughtest to will what God will. This is the only felicity of this Life, to will, that whatsoever is done may be so done as God will, and not as we ourselves will. God leads thee on to the End, whereto thou wert eternally designed, by sweetnesses and bitternesses, by prosperities and adversities. Obey the Divine Providence, and follow with Alacrity: for shouldst thou resist, yet thou must follow, and thou wouldst be wicked. God leads the Willing, draws the Unwilling.   

CHAP. XIX. Of the state of Proficients. Several helps to Proficiency. The value and use of Time. The Presence of God, Necessary.  
1. IF thou desirest to be Good, first believe that thou art Bad. Thou wilt never profit, if thou leavest off the desire to profit. To have no will to go onwards, is to go backwards. Persevere therefore as thou hast begun, and make what haste thou canst, to the end thou mayst quickly enjoy a quiet and composed Mind. 'Tis an argument of a Mind changed into a better Condition, if thou seest thy Crimes, which before thou knewest not. So we are wont to congratulate sick persons, when they are sensible that they are sick. Do not easily give credit to thyself; but discuss and observe thyself, and take a trial of thy Proficiency from the firmness of thy Mind, and the diminution of thy Cupidities. Thou mayst esteem thyself to be in the Form of Proficients, when thou shalt have obtained an absolute power over thyself. 'Tis an inestimable good to possess one's self, and to be one. A good man, is always the same; a bad man, always another.  
2. Thou mayst, if thou wilt, in one day climb to the top of Sanctity, if averting thy whole Heart from Creatures, thou convertest it to thy Creator. Now, whether thou leadest a life inwardly with God, thou wilt know by these signs: If transitory things displease thee, if solitude delights thee, if thou aimest at what is most perfect, if thou valuest not men's Judgements and Opinions. Moreover the continual Meditation of Christ's Life and Passion, will afford thee a great help to attain to all Virtue. He is the Book of Life, in which alone, as in a rich and well stored Library, thou wilt find whatsoever appertains to Salvation, although all other Books with their Authors perished. But it sufficeth not to know and meditate Christ, unless thou also imitatest him, and so livest, as he taught by his Word and Example. Crooked things cannot be corrected, but by the Rule.  
3. One said excellently well, That they who will profit, ought so to live, as if they were perpetually under cure. For many things are continually to be observed, which put a stop to one hastening to the Citadel of Perfection; as, when thou lovest thyself or any creature inordinately; when thou standest so affected to external things, as that thou wouldst be troubled at their being lost or taken away from thee; when thou too much seekest thy own ease and content in Meat, Drink, Talk, wand'ring abroad; when thou embusiest thyself more than is necessary in temporal affairs; when thou pertinaciously adherest to thy own judgement and opinion; when thou observest not God's inward motions, and refusest to listen to him, speaking in thy interior by his secret Inspirations. These are the chief Impediments which detain thee in thy journey; which thou art to remove with all vigilancy and diligence, and set thyself manfully to thy work. Let Virtue animate thee in all thou undertakest; let the most perfect End encourage thee to proceed with promptitude and alacrity; let a pure Intention comfort thee in thy progress: and so apply thyself to the work, as that it may fully equal the prenotion thou hast of its perfection. Proficiency consists not in the multitude of Exercises, but in doing those perfectly which thou daily performest. For praise is not so much due to the deed, as to the manner of doing it.  
4. The Days fly, Time hastens, and what is past, no man can recall, and give it back to thee. Thou dost not live, but thou art to live; for thy life looks always on the Morrow. So thy Life slides away, whilst thou art studying to prepare instruments to preserve it: and in the mean while Old age steals upon thee, Death seizes on thee, and finds thee unprepared. As men journeying together, and deceiving the time with mutual Colloquies, arrive at their journey's end before they apprehended themselves near it: even so the continued journey of this Life, in which thou marchest on, both sleeping and waking, in the same tract, will not appear what it is to thee being employed and distracted, till thou arrivest at the end of it. Why then dost thou stay, why dost thou idle? Put a Value upon Time, make use of it speedily: prise highly this Day, yea this Hour, for the loss of it is irreparable. Thou sufferest not thy Inheritance to be invaded by any one; if a small contention arises about the Limits, thou runnest presently to Arms and Lawsuits: but thou permittest thy Life and Time to be taken away by any one; being most prodigal of that thing, of which thou mayst only honestly be Covetous. Compute thy Age, call thy past years to a just account, although thou should add to them an hundred more, thou wilt find thou hast yet fewer than thou numberest. For how much of these hath Sleep, Gluttony, Friends, and idle ramblings abroad snatched from thee? How much hath lain without use? How much hath slipped away from thee doing nothing, or worse than nothing, whilst thou wert insensible of thy loss? Thou wilt understand how little is left thee of the whole, and confess that Death takes thee before thy time. Thou frequently complainest of the days past and gone, which thou hast unadvisedly lost: why endeavourest thou not so to spend the time present, that when it is also gone, thou mayst say, I see not how I could better have employed it? Each single day is only present, and that also by Moment's. Why losest thou this day, which is thine; and disposest of the day to come, which is none of thine? The greatest impediment of living, is Delay. Live to day, 'tis late to live to morrow.  
5. Look evermore upon God, in each thought, word, and work, excluding all other Ends whatsoever: and follow his only Will. He never swerves from the right path, who chooses God for his Guide. Thy affairs will be in a good condition, if thou directest all thou dost to God's Glory; and so performest each particular action, as if he were thy Spectator, who sees all things, sustains all things, provides for all things. Thou canst never shun his Sight; for he is present not only to thy words and actions, but to thy most inward cogitations. When thou hast shut the doors, and sittest in Darkness, do not fancy thyself to be alone, God is with thee. His presence should render thy secret more sacred. To him nothing is shut. In him we live, move, and are. Eat and Drink before him; Walk with him; Talk with him of all thy affairs; Raise to him thy whole Life and Conversation. Render thyself a worthy Object for him to fix his Eyes upon, and whom he may always amiably behold. There's a great necessity of being good imposed upon thee, since thou actest before the Eyes of an allseeing Judge. So live, as if there were none in the world, but God and thyself: Whatsoever, howsoever his Providence shall dispose of thee, embrace it willingly, whether it be adverse or prosperous. Thou seekest God, what matters it whether thou comest to him by this or by that way? And he grant, that thou mayst at last come to him.   

CHAP. XX. Of the Good of Solitude. Evil Society is to be shunned. What, and how many the World's Vices are. The study of a Proficient is the acquisition of Virtues. Certain Signs of Virtue's being obtained.  
1. 'TIs a great argument of a Mind well composed, and cleansed from depraved Affections, that it can dwell with itself. As God, who with himself alone is blessed, remains always in himself; so thou wilt come nearest to God's Felicity, if thou canst learn to remain with thyself. And surely if thou wilt, thou needst never be Solitary, if thou wilt never be separated from Christ. Now if thou hast an Itch of talking, talk with thyself; but beware thou talk not with an Evil person. Wouldst thou know with what Colloquies thou mayst entertain thyself? With such as men most willingly talk of with others: speak ill of thyself, to thyself. Lay open thy Vices, and chastise whatsoever thou findest in thyself worthy of punishment. Some Vice or other will never be wanting, which will require to be cured. Hid thyself in a peaceable vacancy, but hid also thy vacancy. To Glory in Solitude, is a slothful Ambition. And that thy Solitude may be both pleasing and profitable to thee, join an internal recollection to thy Corporeal abstraction. Withdraw thyself from vain occupations, and depart not only from men, but also from such things as do not concern thee. Be free from every Creature, and exclude their images out of thy Heart. Cast off all solicitudes concerning frail and transitory things, all impertinencies of thoughts; and attend to thyself, and to God alone, in the secret recess of thy Heart. In this Silence of Mind, in this Oblivion of all things, and in this Nakedness, consists the Hearts true rest and tranquillity. Fly hither, here hid thyself, aim always at this: for God is there found, where all Creatures are forsaken.  
2. If thou wilt be Good, eat the company of the Bad. Nothing is so pernicious to good manners, as to commit one's self to the people. Thou shalt never carry back the manners thou broughtest in. A mind which is tender and facile, cannot bear the violence of Vices, ushered in with so many attendants. We easily pass to the major Part. A Table-Companion who is delicate, mollifies by little and little: A Rich Neighbour irritates the Cupidity. Thou mayst perish, by one example of Luxury or Avarice. Parents draw to badness, Associates draw, Servants draw. All things are full of Dangers, full of Snares, and Deceits. As soon as we are brought forth into Light, we are presently surrounded with all manner of depravedness, and perverse Opinions. There's scarcely any one in the world, who either commends not some Vice, or impresses it not; or infects not some ignorant person with it. Thou containest thyself sometimes within thy own Closet, separated from the Market and Commerce of Men: Oh, how sweet and desirable is this retreat! All things within are calm, all things quiet, without a Cloud, without a Tempest. One comes by chance and calls thee abroad; thou followest him. Others join themselves, a Company is made up, you march away together, Sin is committed by some one or other excess; and thou who went'st forth good, returnest very bad. But thou perceivest not the Wounds of thy Soul, till thou art again in thy solitude. Go back therefore into thyself as soon as thou canst, lest the multitude infect thy mind with its Vices and Errors. That Mind is most joyful, which is distracted with fewest Objects.  
3. Fancy to thyself, that thou art translated for a short time to the top of a high Mountain: Take from thence a view of this wretched World; and thou wilt learn to hate it, and love to retire out of it into thy Solitude. Thou wilt behold the ways beset with Thiefs; the Seas infested by Pirates; Kingdoms molested with Wars; the Fields flowing with Humane Blood, and every where Vice and Wickedness abounding. Thou wilt see such things done in secret by lewd persons, which surely cannot please the very Actors themselves. Thou wilt find things so unworthy, so unbeseeming, that no one would doubt but that the doers of them are Mad, were there only a few which did otherwise: but the multitude of mad people, patronizes them from being so reputed. Amongst the Laws themselves crimes are committed; nor is Innocence there out of danger, where it is defended. The Guiltless perishes, the Guilty is pardoned; and the Crime seems a less matter than the Absolution. There's no fear of the Laws, for that which may be redeemed is not dreaded. The Tongues of Slanderers are bitter, the Mouths of Flatterers are fraudulent; there Hatred rages, here Falsehood deceives. One lies soaked in Wine; another absorped with Sluggishness. Insatiable Avarice detains this man, and Ambition depending always upon the opinion of others, tires that man. Look into the Marketplace, swarming with people; thou'lt say, there are so many Vices as men. All offend against their Neighbour, by Injuries; against God, by Contempt; against things, by Abusing them. They gather all things together against themselves in judgement, being guilty of all. And how canst thou securely keep thy footing, and have recourse to thyself, amongst so many Vices urging on every side; which as soon as thou desirest to arise and lift up thy Eyes, depress and drown thee? 'Tis a hard matter for any one to be innocent, where Troops of bad men reign: for if they cannot alter thee, they will at least hinder thee. There is one way to a stable tranquillity, which is, to withdraw thyself from so many evils, and retreat into a station, where free from all contagion, thou mayst securely behold the world's raging Pestilence. That Mind is unconquerable, which hath forsaken external things, and attending to himself alone, contents himself in his own Castle. To such a one, the World is a Prison, and Solitude is a Paradise.  
4. 'Tis a vain thing to sequester thyself from Men, unless thou forcest thy Mind to be attentive to itself, and to be diligent in the exercise of Virtues. Man hath nothing that is Good, if Virtue is wanting: There's no rest, no felicity, but from Virtue. There are three things, which mutually correspond with each other in the Universe: amongst all and above all, God; amongst sensible things, Light; amongst the perfections of the Mind, Virtue. God is the Light and Virtue of all things: Light is the Virtue of the World, and the Image of God: Virtue is the Light of the Soul, by which we are named, and are the Children of God. Thou art to approach this with a purged Mind, if thou desirest to arrive at the expected height of perfection. For Virtue is the perfection of Man, the restorer of innocency, full of all joy and sweetness. 'Tis the supplement of Nature, which of itself is unable to get the supernatural good. It facilitates good works, it makes us live uprightly; by it we, who are (as it were) blind, are illuminated, by it we resist Sim by it we are stored with merits, by it we deserve eternal life. In this study, 'tis in the first place necessary thou shouldst foreknow the Nature and Acts of each Virtue; because no one loves what he knows not. Then thou art never to cease from the Act and Exercise; and if occasions are wanting, thou art to imitate the Soldiers, who in the midst of Peace, prepare themselves by feigned Skirmishes to future Battles. Imagine that most enormous Crimes are laid to thy Charge, think thyself reviled with all sorts of Reproaches, fancy that thou art violently bereft of all thou possessest, and exercise thy Patience, as if it were truly so. Thou wilt not tremble when the thing itself happens, if thou thus exercisest thyself before it happens. The Soldier brings a great courage to the Battle, who hath often dipped his Sword in blood.  
5. The Habits of Virtues are not acquired without long exercise. And whether thou hast gotten any one of them, thou mayst guests by these signs: to wit, If thou feelest the Vices opposite to Virtue to be extinguished, or for the most part suppressed. If thou findest, that the motions of bad affections will endure to be curbed by the bridle of Reason, and that thou canst easily compel them to obey thy Mind. If thou exercisest acts of Virtue without difficulty, yea, and with delight. If thou valuest not the say of Tepid persons, and with a full liberty of spirit, rousest up thyself to perform those things which displease the Imperfect. If thou abhorrest with a certain connatural loathsomeness those bad acts, to which thou wert before habitually inclined. If thou seemest not to be delighted (no, not so much as in thy Dream) with any filthy thing, or that thou approvest not any unjust thing. If thou strivest to imitate those things which thou praisest and admirest in others; and abstainest from those which thou reprehendest. If thou thinkest no fault to be little, and studiously avoidest and observest every imperfection, be it never so small. If when thou seest or hearest that thy equals flourish with Riches and Dignities, thou neither enviest them, nor art troubled at it. If thou ingenuously acknowledgest thy errors, desiring to be by all corrected and reprehended. If being content with the testimony of thy own Conscience, thou reservest and hidest thy good works within thyself: for the Reward of a thing that is well done, is to have done it. If finally, thou appliest thyself to the study of Virtue without intermission: for true Virtue never flags, but is evermore in Action.   

CHAP. XXI. Of the Theological Virtues. Faith is to be approved by Works. Confidence is to be placed in God alone. Motives to love God. The love of our Neighbours is manifested by Benefits. An Exhortation to Alms-deeds.  
1. THe Groundwork of all other Virtues, and the foundation of the whole Christian Life, is Faith; without which no one can please God. This is the wisdom, which hath tamed the World; to which we must firmly adhere, rejecting all inquisition and curiosity. Believe then, and act accordingly: for Faith without Works is dead. Thy Say and thy Profession brag of Faith: take heed that thy Life and Manners preach not Infidelity. Thou believest the Gospel, why obeyest thou not the Gospel? Thou believest an eternal Life, why preferrest thou this short time, before unending Eternity? What profits it to believe true and good things, if thou art false, and actest bad things? It can hardly be persuaded, that he believes well, who lives ill. For he truly believes, who practices what he professes.  
2. Whereas it is most certain, that all things are disposed and governed by God's Providence; in so much as not a Sparrow alights from the Air, nor a Leaf falls from a Tree without his permission and will: do thou therefore deliver up to him thy whole self, with a generous Mind, and a great Confidence, nothing at all doubting, but that thou shalt receive fit assistance for the management of all thy affairs. Know that all humane helps and advices are deceitful and uncertain; and suffer thyself to be governed and guided by God without any anxiety. Although things unexpected happen, whereby the whole order of thy actions and counsels, may seem to be quite cut off and destroyed; (as with Diseases, with false Accusations, or with other more grievous Accidents) yet be not dejected; but fortifying thyself with Divine Hope, leave all to his disposal: For by these chances, by these disasters, the Divine Wisdom leads thee to that End, which from all Eternity he designed for thee. He feels not present Evils, who hopes for future Goods. So much a man can, and so much he hath, as he Hopes and Believes.  
3. Charity, the Form and Queen of all Virtues, beholds both God and the Neighbour. And surely God is to be beloved with thy whole Heart, with thy whole Soul, with thy whole Strength, above all that is amiable, purely for himself, and for his own infinite goodness. That thou Art, that thou Livest, that thou Movest, that thou Feelest, that thou Understandest, is the Grace and Favour of God. He Redeemed thee from the Bondage of the Devil: he hath ennobled thy Soul with innumerable Prerogatives: he hath prepared for thee an eternal Life, no Merits of thine preceding. Heaven, Earth, Air, Water, and all that is in them, cry daily to thee, to render to him thy greatest Love, who for thee created them. Why roamest thou abroad to seek thy Souls good? Love that One, which is all Good. Seek that Simple Good, which is the Sovereign Good, than which nothing can be imagined greater, nothing more Lovely. 'Tis Love alone, which enables thee to repay, though not equally, a mutual return to thy Creator. But Love is not Idle, nor doth it seek itself; It works great matters, if it is. No Difficulty is inaccessible to Love. A true Lover may die, but he cannot be conquered.  
4. Nature hath ingraffed Love in all men, and made them sociable: for we are all members of the great Body, called to the same Faith, to the same Glory. He Loves not God, who Loves not his Brother. Now, the Acts of Affection towards our Neighbours, are; to confer Benefits upon all, to profit all, to prevent all with love and officiousness. Thou art therefore to bestow Benefits upon the needy, with a prompt and joyful Mind; without delay, unless it be in the shamefacedness of the Receiver. Let it suffice thee for the affording of thy remedy to such as suffer by any sad disaster, that thou know'st their indigency. I crave, is a troublesome and burdensome word: if thou forestallest and preventest the desire of thy Friend, before thou art asked, thou multipliest thy Gift. He had it not gratis, who when he had asked it, received it. If thou couldst not prevent him, cut off many words of the Asker, that thou mayst not seem to be entreated: and make it appear by thy promptitude in giving, that thou wouldst have done it, though it had not been demanded. Then join good Words to good Deeds, and intermix no sad thing with thy Benefit, not a seeming unwillingness, not a slowness, not an exprobration, not finally any vain boasting. The thing itself will speak, though thou hold'st thy peace; and he who beholds in secret, will reward thee.  
5. Amongst the Acts of Christian Benevolence, Almsdeeds hold the chief place; for thereby Faith is proved, Sins are redeemed, Heaven is purchased. Take heed therefore of despising a poor man, since though himself is poor, he can make thee Rich. Thou art sold by thy Sins, redeem thyself with thy Money: Make of the instruments of Avarice, a means to obtain Mercy. A Player, provoking thee to laughter, goes away rewarded; shall Christ promising thee the Kingdom of Heaven get nothing? Thou payest Tribute to the Prince whether thou wilt or no, even although thou receivest no fruit from thy Fields; and wilt thou refuse a bit of Bread, out of what thou hast over and above, to Christ thy King? Take heed, lest sparing thy Money, thou becomest guilty of spilling thy Brother's blood. If thou hast not succoured him, thou hast slain him. Thou thinkest how well others may live after thee; thou thinkest not how ill thyself mayst die. 'Tis better something of thy Patrimony should be wanting to thy Heirs, than thou to thyself in thy Salvation. Look into thy Accounts: Observe, what in thy Eternal Country, what here thou possessest. Of all thy Goods and Chattels, thou wilt find that only in Death, which thou hast sent before thee into Heaven, by the hands of the Poor. Reproach thy Infidelity. The Enemy may invade thy House, but Heaven he cannot.   

CHAP. XXII. Of Prudence. It's Necessity and Difficulty. The Duty of a Prudent man.  
1. AS no Work can well be brought to perfection by Architects, without the Line and the Level; so neither by us, without Prudence. This is the Square of other Virtues, the right Rule of our Actions, the Eye of the Soul, the Art of living. That Life cannot be pleasant, from which Prudence is absent. All confess this Art to be of greatest difficulty: And 'tis also obscure. The Difficulty arises from this, that it embraces within the compass of its consideration, all things as well in general as in particular. And also, that there is no certain state of humane things; which being always variable, contingent, and depending upon divers Circumstances, it is not for every ones Wit, to settle in them a certain Rule, and to join together and mingle such things by a certain uniform temper, which are oftentimes repugnant in themselves. Now the Obscurity proceeds from that darkness, wherein the Causes of doing things are involved. The Tops indeed appear, but their Foundations lie hid. The Divine Decree of the prosperous or unsuccessful event of things, lies also concealed; so that few have this Virtue. Few can foresee what in any affair is most expedient.  
2. Use and Remembrance beget Prudence. For the single things which it governs, are made known to man by Use and Experience. Thou wilt be safe, if thou givest credit to thy own and others experiment, and puttest not thyself upon such high matters, where thou must tremble, and from whence thou must fall. But that thou mayst prudently dispose all things, thou art first to look into thyself; then, into the affairs thou undertakest; next, into them for whom or with whom thou art to act. And thou art to take an exact estimate of thyself, lest thou seemest to thyself more able than thou art. One fell, out of a confidence in his Eloquence; another, burdened his Patrimony with more than it could bear; a third, oppressed his weak Body with a laborious Office. In the next place, thou art to weigh the things thou undertakest, and compare together thy own forces, and the things which are to be done. The Loads which are bigger than the Bearer, beat him down. Thou art also to put thy hand to such things, which thou either master or hopest to make an end of. Afterwards, a choice of the men is also to be made; whether they are worthy upon whom thou shouldst bestow a part of thy Life: their Manners are to be examined, lest thou shouldst hurt thyself, whilst thou studiest to profit others. Lastly, it is to be considered, whether thy nature is proper to bring about these things, and thou art to incline that way to which the strength of thy Wit carries thee. Where there is a reluctancy in Nature, the Labour comes to nothing.  
3. A Prudent man enterprises nothing, so long as his Mind is agitated with any perturbation; for a Spirit which is shaken and deluded with the enchantments of a depraved affection, cannot discern what is true and honest. Also Precipitation is a great enemy to Prudence, and hath drawn many into grievous and inextricable Mischances. Therefore a Wise man doth nothing Rashly, and submits his own Judgement to the Counsel of others. men's thoughts are timorous, their Providences unconstant, the issue of their affairs dubious, and their experiences fallacious. There is safety, where are many Counsels. It belongs also to a Prudent man, to lay the thing nakedly open, and to look acutely into it, as it is without colour and covering, which are wont to deceive the unwary. Set aside Money, Fame, Dignity: search into the thing itself; inquire what it is, not what it is called. 'Tis the part of a Fool, to be cheated with images and shadows. Then thou art to spy, as from a Watch-Tower, whatsoever may fall out; lest thou mayst be afterwards forced to pronounce that fond word, I did not think it. A long Consultation is to be adhibited, a mature judgement, and a subtle examination, lest some bad circumstance may vitiate the action, lest Prudence may degenerate into Craftiness, and lest in so near a Neighbourhood of the true and counterfeit Good, thou mayst not embrace Vice for Virtue. Thy Election being at last made, cut off all delay, and fall presently to execute what thou hast decreed. There's no place for lingering in good Counsel, which cannot be praised till 'tis performed.   

CHAP. XXIII. Of Justice, and of Religion. The Acts of Both. What Penance is, and wherein it consists.  
1. JVstice the highest Virtue, ordained for others, not for itself, transfuses all it hath into its Neighbours, ask nothing but the use of itself. This averts men from mutual injuries, and settles the whole World in peace. This is a certain tacit Convention of Nature, and the tye of humane Society, nor can there be any thing praiseworthy without it. A Just man hurts no one, he Challenges not what is another's, he profits all, he thinks and speaks well of all, he gives to every one his due, he hinders not another's good. If he presides, he commands just things, he suffers all to have access to him, he prefers the good of his Subjects before his own profit; he restrains Vices by punishments, he encourages the virtuous by rewards, and thus retains all in their duties. If he is an Underling, he preserves Concord, he obeys the Laws, and the precepts of his Superiors; and resting content with his own condition, he desires neither Offices nor Dignities, nor thrusts himself into things not belonging unto him. He is Just for justice sake, for he knows no greater reward of a Just action, than to be Just.  
2. Religion, the most excellent of the Moral Virtues, looks immediately upon God, and upon his worship and honour. Now, the first Worship is to believe and acknowledge him; then, to render to him his own Majesty, his own Goodness. 'Tis but little to know God, which the Devils do, who hate him: love is moreover exacted, consisting in these things, (which would to God they were as well accomplished as known.) Thou know'st that God is he, who presides over the World, who preserves Mankind, who rules all things: thou confessest him the only Powerful, the only Good, the only Immense: thou expectest from him, as from thy Sovereign Good, and thy last End, everlasting Beatitude. Why then dost thou not (as thou oughtest) worship him? Why yieldest thou not to him the highest Veneration? Why dost thou prefer a vile clod of Earth before him? Vain is thy Religion, unless thou provest it by thy do. Wilt thou be truly Religious? Walk before God, and be perfect. He sufficiently worships him, who imitates him. True Religion ties thee to God, God to thee. Keep it untouched from Negligence, from Errors, from Sin. 'Tis a great Folly to preach Faith with the Tongue, Infidelity with the Manners. Men of this note were long since derided by the most famous Philosopher amongst the Heathens: There's nothing (says he) more glorious than the Christians, when they talk: nothing more wretched, when they act.  
3. Penance is the repairer of the Divine Rights violation; which inclines to a Detestation of Sin, with an efficacious Will to satisfy God who is thereby offended. For this is Penance, to detest Sins past, to expiate them, to consent no more unto them. That which pleased, is past: that which Reproaches, which Racks, which Damns, remains. What avails it to hid thy former filthiness? No Criminal, himself being his own Judge, is absolved. Nature hath appointed a certain Tribunal in the very Mind of Man; where every one is the Accuser, Witness, and Judge of his own Wickedness. Compel thy Senses to be every day here present, to render an Account. Plead thy Cause at thy own Bar, and argue as much as thou canst against thyself. Spend the whole day in this scrutiny: and measure exactly all thy say, all thy do, and thy very thoughts, hiding nothing, passing by nothing. If thou acknowledgest thy impiety, God pardons it; if thou confessest it, he cures it. What matters it that no one knows thy crime, since thou know'st it? Dost fancy that 'tis better to be damned in secret, than openly to be absolved? Wheresoever thou liest concealed, thy Conscience is with thee, thou canst not fly from it. Thou art most miserable, if thou despisest it.  
4. Life is divided into three Times, what is, what was, and what is to come. The present is momentary, ending before 'tis come: the future is not yet: but the past days will be all present when thou commandest, and will permit themselves to be looked in to as oft as thou pleasest. Fear not thy Memory, nor be ashamed to retort it back upon what is past, and to upbraid thyself with thy own Errors. By how much more frequently thou shalt do it, by so much the sooner thou wilt be amended. Take Revenge upon thyself; and do not again admit, what it grieveth thee to have committed. Many men being delivered from Shipwreck, bid for evermore adieu both to Sea and Ship, and honour God's benefit by the perpetual memory of the danger. I desire thou also mayst have this good Solicitude, not to adventure to try again, what thou hast once dreaded. Thou hast escaped a very great danger, do not expose thyself any more to it. God hath spared as oft as thou hast sinned: take heed thou growest not therefore worse, because God is so good. If thou sometimes thinkest what thou art to do; why not rather what thou hast done? For the Council of the future, is taken from the past. Many would come to Wisdom, did they not think they were come already. Unless thou daily amendest, thou wilt daily grow worse.   

CHAP. XXIV. Of Piety and Observance. Obedience is commended, and also Gratitude. How a Benefit is to be Received and Repaid.  
1. NO force of Words can express, how laudable a thing it is, when a man can say, I have yielded to my Parents, and always obeyed them: I have ever submitted to their Command, whether easy or harsh: I have behaved myself towards my Country, as beseemed a faithful Citizen: I have never ceased to do good to my Brethren and Kindred: I have endeavoured to outvie all men in Benefits. These surely are the Offices of Piety, by which we give due respect to our Country, Parents, Brethren, and Friends. And what Piety performs to them, Observance performs towards Prelates, Princes, Masters, and others who any way excel us in Dignity, Wisdom, Age, Religion, and Sanctity. To such, we are wont to arise, to bare the Head, to give way, to fall down at their knees, to kiss their hands or garments, to show all sort of Honour, according to each Country's custom. Now, thou wilt perform all these External Ceremonies with an open and reverend Mind, if there precedes in thy Understanding a high esteem of their quality. For from hence there will spring up in thy Will a certain awful Fear, which will incline thee to avoid an overgreat familiarity with them, and make thee as it were to leap back from their Greatness, to thy own Littleness. All power is from God. Whatsoever honour thou givest to thy Betters, will be within their due, if in them thou considerest God.  
2. As our Calamity sprung from the Disobedience of our first Parent; so we are reduced to Felicity by the Obedience of God's Son, if we also render ourselves Obedient. Obedience is the perfection of all things, and a most firm connexion of them to their beginning: for by an admirable Circle it draws all things to and fro, from God into God. Christ commended this Virtue above the rest, who lest he should lose it, lost his Life. This is said to be better than Sacrifice, because by it we offer up the Sacrifice of our own proper Will. The Edict of a Superior, is to be received as a Voice sent from Heaven; without enquiring the Cause or Motive of the Command. He knows not how to Judge, who hath perfectly learned to Obey. Let the Superior warn me, let the Law command me what I am to do; I dispute not; I excuse not, but I simply and speedily Obey: being prepared to execute all things, whether easy or hard, with a like cheerfulness and promptitude. There's but one thing in which thou mayst be refractory and stubborn, to wit, If any one withdraws thee from Good, and forces thee to infringe Gods Law. All other commands, thou art constantly and without contradiction to put in execution.  
3. Gratitude, looks upon a Debt which is due for a received Benefit. And surely nothing is to be more regarded, than the esteem of a Benefit, if not from the greatness of the thing, at least from the bestowers Mind and Affection. Then a continual Mindfulness of the good turn is necessary. He cannot return thanks, who remembers not the courtesy; and he who remembers it, even than pays it. This requires not riches, not industry, not felicity; every one hath it in a readiness. Howsoever abilities may be wanting, yet a Will cannot, wherewith thou mayst repay even Kings themselves. When thou receivest a Benefit from any one, receive it joyfully, and profess thy joy, that it may be manifest to the Donor, and that so he may reap the fruit of his Gift. 'Tis a just cause of Joy, to see a Friend joyful, a more just to have made him so. Who so receives a Benefit gratefully, willingly, graciously, hath paid the first pension for it. He never had a Will to be grateful, who cast the Benefit so far from him, as that it was out of his sight. He who extols it, who professes himself unable to render thanks, hath already rendered them. He who receives it disdainfully and negligently, seems to set a small value upon it. He who scarcely makes show to be sensible of it, hardly moves his lips, is more ungrateful, than if he held his peace. A good man, when he receives a Benefit, thinks presently of restoring it. For what is so contrary to ones duty, as not to restore what one hath received? Nor is the Restitution to be made in an equal measure, but in a larger; as the Earth renders the received Seed with a more plentiful Harvest. Yet beware you makest not an over-speedy return of thy Gratitude. Some, when any small Token is sent them, unseasonably return another; thereby testifying they are nothing indebted. This is a kind of rejecting the Gift, when thou suddenly blottest out its memory by another Gift.   

CHAP. XXV. Of Truth, and the Use of it. Simplicity is praised. Acts of Fidelity.  
1. LEt Truth be found in all thy discourses, gestures, writings, and other external Signs. A Lying lip, doth not become a Christian man. 'Tis a Womanish and base Vice, to shut up one thing in the Breast, and utter another with the Mouth. A generous man tells things simply as they are, without exaggerations, without amplifications; he deceives not, dissembles not, and avoids all idle circumstances and cover of words. Simple Truth loves simple words. It desires to be seen naked, because 'tis Innocent. But he who lies or deceives, obscures the matter with a double meaning, that it may remain concealed. He who speaks ill, as well as he who doth ill, hates the Light. Beware therefore that thy Speech be not as thy Clothing is, one for the City, another for the Campaigne, that there be not an ostentation of Truth in thy Tongue, an occultation of it in thy Heart. Nature hath a horror against this Vice. Look upon Children, not yet arrived at the use of Reason: They object a Lie to their Play-mates, amongst their first approaches; and although out of a certain levity they admit them, yet by an inborn rectitude of judgement, they condemn them. In which, we are to admire God's Providence, in inserting such Virtues in the Mind, without which humane life and society cannot subsist. Now a Lie, is of all Vices most pernicious to man's life. For if thou abominatest all falsehood of speech, as a thing unworthy an heroic mind; why fearest thou not to be thyself a Lie, and to live a Lie? 'Tis a great matter to act One Man.  
2. Simplicity, a Virtue little known to men, is of so great dignity, that God himself is greatly delighted therewith: for With the Simple is his communication. He being most Simple and Entire, will have the Souls to be Simple which come to him. Now, he is Simple, who is not divided into various things; who without duplicity and hypocrisy, shows himself such a one exteriorly, as interiorly he is; who candidly and sincerely acknowledges his own defects, when occasion is offered; who is a Child in malice, and detests all Political manner of proceeding; who (not excluding the circumspection of Prudence) conceives all to be sincere, and suspects no evil of any one: who refuses not to seem to be a Fool amongst Men, that he may be Wise in the sight of God: who preserving himself free from all multiplicity, performs all things with a Simple intention to please God. Why (O unhappy Craftiness!) art thou troubled about many things? One thing is necessary, that is, to get to him who is one, and most Simple. Thou wilt never arrive at the Mark, if thou marchest in a double Pathway.  
3. Fidelity is to be embraced amongst the greatest and chiefest goods of Mankind: For take this away, and thou tak'st away the use of Commerce, Friendships are dissolved, Covenants are broken, the whole Commonwealth is confounded. Yet this also is a rare Virtue, and almost unknown to the world. So many Witnesses adhibited to Contracts, so many strengthening of Bargains, so many cautious Conditions; do every where accuse man's Perfidiousness: Yet all this industrious wariness can hardly suffice, to make the Contracts firm and indisputable. So sordid are many Men, that Gain is to them more sacred than Fidelity. O Confession of public fraud and wickedness, disgraceful to Mankind! We give credit to no one without a Witness, without a Surety; and we conceive Faith will be more safely kept in written Instruments, than in the Chapel of man's Heart. But a Faithful person constantly performs whatsoever he promised; carefully conceals whatsoever is committed to his secrecy; keeps his pledged Faith even to Enemies, and prefers it before Kingdoms, and Life itself. He indeed promises slowly, because he knows that speedy Repentance waits upon hasty Promises: but if he hath once passed his Promise, he fails not, he violates it not, unless the state of Affairs chance to be changed, or that he may fall into the danger of Sin by his performance. That Promise obliges no man, which cannot be fulfilled without wickedness.   

CHAP. XXVI. Of Friendship. With what Offices it is to be entertained. Certain Precepts appertaining to mutual Conversation.  
1. NOthing is more necessary to man's life, than Friendship, nothing more commodious, nothing more pleasant. Friendship, is a mutual Benevolence, of two persons, founded in Virtue, and joined to a communication of Goods. How great a Good is this, where Breasts are prepared into which every secret may safely descend, whose Conscience thou fearest less than thy own, whose Company eases thy Solitude, whose Counsels strengthen thy Resolutions, whose Cheerfulness disperses thy Sadness, whose very Presence delights and glads thy Heart? What is sweeter, than to have a man to whom thou fearest not to confess what thou hast committed, whom to meet withal may be part of thy Cure? Certain diminutive Animals, when they by't are not felt, so slender and cozening is their force; yet the ensuing swelling shows the morsure: The same will befall thee in the Conversation of a good Friend; thou wilt not feel how and when he profits thee, thou wilt find he hath profited thee. But there can be no true Friendship, unless there intervenes a Reciprocal Love: To love is more principal than to be beloved; and therefore Benevolence is established for the Foundation, Return of Love for the Concomitant. That also is true Friendship, and coupled with the Glue of Christ, which is not grounded upon any private interest and profit, not upon the sole corporal presence, not upon lying obsequiousness, not upon deceitful flattery; but which is contracted in the fear of God, and to improve ourselves in the study of Divine Learning. There can be no solid Friendship in Evil.  
2. Great caution is to be used in choosing a Friend: according to that common saying, Many Bushels of Salt must be eaten together, to make Friendship complete. But four qualities are chief requisite to him, with whom thou desirest to join in Friendship. Faith, that most difficult thing, the bare shadow whereof is now only found upon Earth, that thou mayst safely commit to him thyself and thy concerns. Intention, that Friendship may have an honest end, and that so divine a thing may not degenerate into filthiness. Discretion, that thou mayst know what thou art to perform, and what to expect. Patience, that thy Mind may be prepared to suffer for thy Friend all occurring Adversities. When thou hast experienced him to be thus qualified, thou art moreover to search in what manner he hath used his former Friends. For, thou mayst hope, he will be such a one to thee, as he hath proved himself to have been to others. A faithful Friend is a living Treasure, to be with great care preserved, and with great grief, if he perishes, to be lamented. Happy art thou, if thou hast met with such a one, who loves thee, not thy Riches, not thy Table, not thy Wit; who will correct thee when thou errest, raise thee when thou fallest, warn thee as thou runnest. Thou wilt not find one like him, under the large Canopy of Heaven: There are many who are called Friends, but very few who truly are so. No one loves another gratis. Who so hath regard to himself, who so proposes external things for his end, can be no true Friend. He will so long love thee, as he shall find thee beneficial to him. The Table being taken away, he will fail thee, and will end as he began. True Friendship, for the most part, is there wanting, where 'tis believed most to abound.  
3. As a Physician being to Cure his dearly beloved Patient, spares neither the Iron nor the Fire: so art thou to carry thyself towards thy Friend, standing in need of Correction, freely, boldly, constantly, neglecting nothing, dissembling nothing. 'Tis a damnable Obsequiousness, by which Vices are cherished. But let thy Admonition be secret, let it be accompanied with all manner of sweetness, let it be free from all bitterness of expressions. Deliberate long, whether thou art to admit any one into thy Friendship: when 'tis resolved upon, receive him with thy whole Heart, and talk with him as freely as with thyself. Thou oughtest surely to lead such a Life, as to commit nothing to thyself, which thou mayst not commit to thy Enemy: But because some things intervene which custom hath made secrets, cast all such cares, all such thoughts into thy Friend's bosom. Some, tell such things as are to be entrusted only with Friends, to all they meet; and thrust that which afflicts them into every one's Ears: others are apprehensive of their nearest Friends Conscience, and suppress within their own breasts all their secrets; so wary, that if it might be, they would not believe themselves. Both is a Vice, to believe All, and to believe None: but the one is more honest, the other more secure. Now if thou desirest to talk with all men without danger, thou shalt easily compass it; Not by hiding what thou hast done, but by doing nothing which thou desirest should be hidden.  
4. Affability, is nearly allied to Friendship, which moderates humane nature. In this, Modesty is to be observed, and silence. It becomes a Prudent man to hear many things, but to speak few. 'Tis Vicious to desire rather to be known, than to know; to be known to others, rather than to know others; to spread abroad unprofitably one's own wares, rather than to buy other men's. Thou art to accustom thyself to the incomposed words and manners of them with whom thou livest; and because many men speak many things which are false, foolish, childish, and impertinent to the matter; these thou art prudently to dissemble. 'Tis an argument of an abject and effeminate Spirit, to be willing to converse only with such as give way, applaud, and flatter. Speak sparingly of thyself, and of thy own affairs; stick not pertinaciously to thy own opinion, and abstain from lofty words, which may savour of Authority and Mastery. When thou meetest with any thing which is against Decorum, interrogate thyself whether thou art guilty of any such Vice. Pick always something for thy own profit, out of all thou seest and hearest. It fares well with thee, if by another crime thou correctest thy own.  
5. When there's occurs any unusual, unexpected, exotic thing, which is contrary to thy Country's custom; do not presently apprehend it: for 'tis the sign of a light mind, to wonder at and deride strange things, and to be a slave to ones own ways. Things are to be esteemed as they are, not as they seem. The Vulgar judge all things by their newness, artifice, rarity, difficulty, report, and outward pomp and appearance: A wiseman, looks upon the intrinsic value and goodness of the thing, and slights all such things as the frantic multitude admires. Whatsoever shall happen, 'tis in thy power to make thy profit of it. Do not thou therefore straiten thyself, and limit thy incom. 'Tis lawful for thee to put on a Vizard, and to imitate the Actors of a Fable: they when they Weep, do not Grieve; when they Purchase, do not Possess; they command without power, reprove without revenge, chide without anger; for they Act the life of another man: Would to God thou also wouldst so behave thyself in thy society with others, without affection and propriety. The World is a great Theatre, in which are as many Actors as men. Let it be thy care, as near as thou canst, to be a Spectator, not an Actor of the Fable. They who exhibit the Play upon the Stage, take pains: they who behold it, laugh and are delighted.   

CHAP. XXVII. Of Liberality. What it is, and how to be exercised. Wherein it differs from Magnificency.  
1. I Call not him Liberal, who is angry at his Money; who neither knows to give nor to keep; who bestows not, but throws away. He is Liberal, who gives rightly, and rationally, and according to the measure of his Means, bestows as much as is convenient, when and to whom it is proper, regarding not his own but another's good and profit. Liberalety is a virtue distributing benefits, exercised in the bestowing and acceptation of Moneys; but bestowing and acceptation of Moneys; but bestowing is principally intended, because 'tis better to give than receive. Now, the Will suffices, when the Faculty to give is wanting: yea, this is chief considered, that thou not only dost good, but that thou hast a Will to do it. No one gives thanks to the Rivers or Sea, for suffering the Ships to swim upon them: nor to the Trees, for producing Fruits; nor to the Wind, for affording a prosperous Gale: for although all these are Benefits, yet the Will of benefiting is wanting to them. Moreover, that which is to be given to any one, receives its value from the speediness of the performance. Some there are, who bestowing their Gift, corrupt all the grace of it, by turning away their face, by wrinkling their forehead, by deferring it to a future day. Thus they tyre their Friend with delay, they torment him with expectation: and whereas it is the property of a willing Giver, to give quickly, he who did it not till after a long time, did it not with a willing mind. All Bounty makes haste, and the Gift is grateful which meets us.  
2. No one can lead a happy life, who looks only on himself, who converts all things to his own Commodity. Thou must live to another, if thou desirest to live to thyself. Why sparest thou as it were thy own? Thou art a Factor. All thou keepest in thy Iron Coffers, the things sucked from the blood of others which thou defendest, are none of thine. They were deposited with thee, and now they belong to another Lord. Either an Enemy, or a Successor of an hostile mind, will invade them. Dost thou ask how thou mayst make them thy own? By giving them. What is the thing wherein thou fanciest thyself Rich? A House, Money, Land: If thou giv'st it to thy Neighbour, 'twill be a Benefit, 'twill be a Virtue, which will remain with thee for ever. Then Money is precious, when by the use of giving, it ceases to be possessed.  
3. Because great things cannot be done with small charges; as Liberality governs moderate expenses, so Magnificence rules the great and sumptuous layings out. These two Virtues, in the rest alike, differ in this; that the former appears in little things, the other only in great and excellent. He who hath a mean fortune, may be Liberal; but he only can be praised for Magnificence, whose wealth is considerable. Magnificence is properly seen in the admirableness of the work. For if any one bestows a high-prized Jewel to the use of God's Servants; he is to be esteemed rather exceedingly Liberal, than Magnificent: but if with the price of that Jewel he builds a Chapel, a Church, or some other gorgeous and wonderful monument or work, he will be called Magnificent. Now, by the name of Works upon which great Costs may be employed, those are understood which appertain to the Worship of God, to the Profit of the people, to the Public joy, and to the honourable performance of certain Offices of Man. In these a Decorum is to be observed, both in respect of the Worker, and also of the Faculties. He is not Magnificent, who profuses more than he possesses; who runs himself and his Relations into Debt, that he may obtain the praise of Magnificence. He is truly Liberal and Magnificent, who withdraws from himself what he gives and spends.   

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Fortitude. Its Offices. That Death is to be contemned by a Valiant man.  
1. THe Minds of men are soft, and Nature is weak, which therefore must be armed with Fortitude, lest terrified with dangers we should recede from Honesty. Fortitude hath a double Office; one, and the chief, to endure Labours and Dangers: the other, to set upon them when 'tis fitting. A Valiant man thrusts not himself rashly into Evils, but when they come, he constantly suffers them: he desires not dreadful things, but he despises them: he's there lifted high, where others are depressed: there he stands up, where others lie down: no disgrace, no repulse, no exile, no injury daunts him: not a Prison, not Torments, not Death itself terrifies him: he dashes against his greatness all sorrow, all sickness, all trouble: he permits not himself to be wrested from what is right, by any Threats, or Entreaties: he loses not his Courage, although many obstacles impede his well begun erterprises: he faints not under the burden, nor struggles with the Office he hath once undertaken, but persists till he hath perfected it: he stands upright, under any weight: no Force, no Power, no Terror makes him less: he neither throws down his Virtue, nor hides it, when Dangers on all sides surround him. He evermore considers whither he goes, not what he endures.  
2. As one sailing with a prosperous Gale, furnishes himself with several helps wherewith to entertain the Tempest: so it will behoove thee, whilst Fortune is favourable, to seek safeguards to shelter thee against its future frowardness. Feign to thyself, that whatsoever finister chance can happen, is already fallen upon thee, Shipwreck, Banishment, Wounds, Torments, Diseases, Disgraces, Contempt: and behave thyself in such sort, as if thou wert now in the very midst of these miseries; that exercised by this Praeludium, thou mayst say in any future event, I have had these things already in my mind, I have foreseen them, and have despised them. 'Tis decreed from Eternity what thou shalt rejoice at, for what thou shalt weep: and although each man's Life seems to be distinguished with great variety; all comes to one sum: We received perishable things, ourselves being to perish. Why art thou Angry? At what complainest thou? Although all things perish, nothing of thine perishes: 'Tis better to give what God demands back, than to be forced to pay it. Epicurus himself professes, that a Wise man may be happy even in his Torments: Were he in the Belly of Phalaris' Bull, says he, he will say, How pleasant is this? How little doth it concern me? Surely a great word, but not incredible to us, who have extant amongst us so many examples of Martyrs, whose Constancy in their torments, whose Alacrity in their fiery trials was so great, that they seemed to have no feeling of their sufferings. To him who loves God, all Punishments are Pleasures.  
3. The excellency of Fortitude, appears no where more illustriously, than in the danger of Death. 'Tis a difficult thing to persuade the Mind to a contempt of Life, with which most men are so enamoured, that they esteem nothing more happy, nothing more precious: But if thou art Wise, as thou oughtest to be, thou wilt cease to account Death amongst Evils, which surely is the end of Evils, and the beginning of Life. Thou art therefore to go forth with a willing mind, being to return again. Death hath no invincible Necessity: so that to fear it, is the part of a Madman: for things which are doubtful, are dreaded; but things which are assured, are expected. Consider that Children, and people fallen from their Wits, fear not Death: 'Tis a pitiful thing, that Reason should not afford thee so much security, as Foolishness gives them. Life was given thee, with the exception of Death: He would not have Lived, who will not Die.  
4. Nature hath gratified us, in that it hath granted us for a certain time the use of its Objects to be looked upon: that time being now expired, we must departed. What Wise man, at his last gasp, if his Life were again given him, would be willing to re-enter the Prison of his Mother's womb, to resume the follies of Infancy, the fears of Childhood, the dangers of Youth, the cares of Virility, the labours of Old-age? No one hath lived so happily, as that it would please him to be born again. Observe therefore whither thou goest, and from what thou departest: The cause of thy fear, is the emptiness of good works, which thou beginnest to desire at the end of thy life: otherwise thou wouldst not tremble, standing upon the threshold of Eternal Felicity. It were a punishment for a just man to be born, unless Death followed.  
5. No one received Death cheerfully, but he who for a long time before disposed himself for it. Render it familiar to thee by frequent reflections, that when it comes thou may'st with alacrity entertain it. Not the Days, not the Years, make thee to have lived long enough; but a Mind glad to go forth, and to fly back to its beginning. He hath lived long, who dies well. He dies well, who hath lived well. Wilt thou prepare for thyself a peaceable Death: Accustom thyself to despise all things. He cannot fear Death, who hath already deprived himself of more than Death can bereave him. Wilt thou make thy life pleasant? Cast off all solicitude concerning it: Stand prepared for any kind of Death; let it be to thee indifferent whether a Sword or a Fever cuts off thy Life: and so dispose it, that thou mayst daily say, I have Lived. He Lives securely, and Dies cheerfully, who every day carries himself out to his burial, to whom it is granted when his Life is ended. Thou canst not Live well, unless thou Diest daily.   

CHAP. XXIX. Of Magnanimity. The Description of a Magnanimous Man.  
1. MAgnanimity. sounds some great thing in its very name; 'tis a high Virtue, whose strongest force tends evermore to great matters. Without this, all the endeavours of the other Virtues fall down to nothing: For since in practising them, many difficulties occur, the mind is to be erected, and emboldened to proceed against them; nor ought it to desist, till having broken through all interposed obstacles, it generously gets the possession of the proposed Good. This Magnanimity performs, which evermore inclines man to high and heroic actions, and supported by God's Assistance, securely and promptly sets upon all sorts of difficulties. Something is to be attempted, if thou wilt be any thing. A great matter cannot be achieved with little labour, Man is a great thing, when he is truly a Man.  
2. A great mind aspires always to great things; and contemns all those things as little, which the Vulgar look on as greatest. He performs works which deserve high honour; but as for the honour itself, he neither seeks it when 'tis denied, nor, scorns it when 'tis offered, unless God's honour and Obedience otherwise require. He doth nothing for Ostentation, all for Conscience; and expects the reward of his well done action not from the People's applause, but from the deed itself. He stands always aloft, eminent, invincible, like to himself in all accidents and occasions: nor doth he thrust himself into higher places, content with his own Greatness. He's above all, being the Lord of all, and therefore he submits himself to no one; He craves nothing, because out of himself he wants nothing. There's nothing that can terrify him, or make him crouch. He puts himself forward, and is willing to be looked on, not out of Vanity, but in consideration of the degree in which he lives, and of the Gifts of God wherewith he is endowed. Yet with all these things his profound Humility stands unshaken before God, because he renders back to him all the Good, all the glory, as certainly knowing that he of himself hath nothing, can do nothing, is nothing. This is to know the ends of Virtue, to have an humble esteem of ones self and of ones own proceed; and yet with modesty to admit the Honours done unto them. Glory is to follow, not to be affected.  
3. He receives into his open Breast all the Darts of opposition without reluctancy, that he may get up to the highest eminency of Virtue. With men of mean and low condition, he converses with modesty and moderation: before Princes and Rich people, he neither falls down nor Flatters; nor doth he permit his own liberty to be oppressed by their Power. Such things as deserve hatred or love, he openly hates, openly loves; and such things as ought plainly to be said or done he freely speaks and acts, because he neither Fears nor hopes for any thing. He does the same as other men, but not in the same manner; and therefore he dissembles amongst the Vulgar people, and doth not easily intermix himself with them. He remembers no Injuries; and in those which must necessarily be endured, he is neither a Complainer, nor an Entreater. He praises few, nor doth he desire praise, but to do things praiseworthy. He lives not at the beck of another man, unless it be of his Friend and of his Superior; nor is he apt to admire things, because nothing seems to him Great or New. In every Accident he being safe in himself, is moved with no events of things. He hath a slow motion, a grave voice, and a constant and sober speech: for he makes no haste who looks after few things; and he contends not vehemently, who is content with himself.   

CHAP. XXX. Of Patience. The Occasions and Effects of it. The signs of perfect Patience. An Admonition and Instruction to Endure all Adversity. The Necessity of Perseverance.  
1. PAtience is a Virtue, whereby we suffer the Evils of this world with an equal and indifferent Mind. And because these Evils are many, it hath many Names, according to the variety of the Evils which it is to sustain. It is properly named Patience, when it Valiantly receives Injuries: Equanimity, when it is employed in bearing the loss of External Goods: Longanimity, when it fortifies the breast against the delay of the thing which is expected: Constancy, when it arms the Will to endure all other Evils whatsoever, our own or our Neighbours, private or public. There's no Virtue which hath more frequent occasions to be exercised. For so many Troops of Evils rush in upon us, so many Adversaries besiege us, that Man's life is rightly said to be a Warfare upon Earth. There scarcely slides by us any moment, in which we are not to fight stoutly. Where outward Enemies are wanting, every one is to himself sufficiently troublesome. From ourselves and in ourselves spring up such things, as will both afflict and exercise us. From Weeping we begin our lives, unskilled in all things but Tears. This we first learn, to this we apply ourselves even till Death. Many are found, who have not laughed; None, who never Wept. Patience therefore is necessary, to arm the breast, to strengthen the Spirit, to perfect Virtues. No one can tell what he is worth, till he is tried by Tribulations. He is not Prudent, who is not Patiented.  
2. It goes ill with that man, who never had the experience of adverse Fortune. Physicians say, there's nothing more to be feared than an over healthy constitution of body: and a too quiet Calm is suspected by Mariners. If Calamity scourges and tares thee, 'tis not a Cruelty but a Combat. Unless thou Fightest, thou wilt not Conquer: unless thou Conquerest thou wilt not Triumph. Now, If Christ was to suffer, and so to enter into his Glory: Wilt thou presume to be made partaker of another's felicity without any Tribulation. Thou errest most grossly, if thou feignest to thyself any other way to go to Heaven. The Sacraments of Virtue are these, to do good and to suffer Evil. The signs of thy having already obtained Patience, are, to bear contentedly other men's Evils; Not to murmur at God's Chastisements; Not to shun the Conversation of them who bring afflictions upon thee, Amongst contempts to keep thyself from Hatredi, To ascribe to the Divine will whatsoever afflicts thee; To be silent in Evils; to love them who bring Evils upon thee; to complain to God alone of the Injuries thou endurest, and to offer thyself to him, as one prepared to suffer all Miseries with joy and thanksgiving. Finally he is acknowledged to be truly patiented, who is not angry at his Neighbour's imperfections.  
3. In the loss of External Goods, 'tis a great Comfort to reflect upon their unfaithful condition. Whatsoever thou possessest, whatsoever thou lovest, retains a natural fleetingness: it is with thee, but it is not thine. Do not mock thyself with a desire of an imaginary stability. Nothing is firm to an infirm person; nothing is eternal to a frail Creature, besides Virtue: This is the one immortal thing which belongs to mortals; the rest bring their Deaths along with them. Put therefore all thou hast in such a place, as that there may be a great distance between them and thee. Nothing is taken from a Good man, because he possesses nothing as his own. Why lamentest thou the loss of a little Money, the burial of a Son, the burning of a House: but at the loss of Modesty, of Fortitude, of Virtue, thou weepest not? Those things are neither Good, nor Thine: but these are both good, and thy own. If thou grievest, when thou losest them, thou show'st thyself worthy of the loss. Thou wouldst conceive thyself to have lost nothing, if thou lovedst nothing inordinately. External things trouble not a Wise Man; because they touch him not.  
4. When thou enterprisest any Work, consider all its adjuncts; thou wilt find many things which may trouble thy Mind, if not foreseen. Thou Callest a Boy? He perchance is not ready at hand, or doth not what thou desirest. Thou go'st to give a visit to some one? It may be he is close shut up, the Doors are made fast against thee, he within neglects thee. Foresee these accidents and all will fall out prosperously. He, this day refused to admit me, whereas he admitted others; He showed an aversion from my discourse: He placed me in the lowest seat: These are the complaints of a sickly mind. He observes no such things, who is not affected to them, who knows all such things are the Tributes of this Life. 'Tis best to endure, what thou canst not amend. If thou art offended at the Malice or Impudence of any one; think whether 'tis a likely matter that there should be no impious or impudent persons in the World. But if this cannot be imagined, what new thing hath now happened, if a bad man after his manner doth amiss? See whether thou thyself art not rather to be reprehended, who foresawest not that he would thus offend. The World was ever constant to itself; there are Vices where are Men.  
5. When thou art afflicted, attend not to what thou sufferest, but to what thou hast done. If thou wilt speak truth to thyself, thou wilt confess thou art worthy of more severe punishments. 'Tis God, from whom all things come. He chastises thee, that he may cure thee, that he may exercise thee, that he may harden thee and prepare thee for himself. He reserves them for future pains, whom he seems now to indulge. From whence can I discern what courage thou hast against Poverty, if thou flowest with Riches? How can I come to know thy constancy against disgraces and the people's hatred, if thou art grown old amidst their Applauses? I have heard thee giving Comfort to others in their tribulations; I desire to hear thee comforting thyself, and commanding thyself not to be grieved. If thou givest both Thanks and a Reward to thy Physician, burning and cutting thy Members; why dost thou not acquiesce to the Medicine which God administers? 'Tis a madness to think those are Damages, which are Remedies. If Poverty, if Sickness, and the rest which thou callest Evils, could contend in words with thee; they would insult over thee, and say: Why, O Man, art thou so much against me? Art thou through my fault deprived of any good? of Prudence, of Justice, of Fortitude? Mayst thou not with me enjoy a cheerful mind? Those things will be good which thou fanciest are Evil, if thou wilt courageously show thyself to be above them. 'Tis a great Evil, not to be able to endure Evil.  
6. In other men's Cases, thou mayst sometimes dissemble thy Constancy, but never in thy own. Let thy Tears accompany the afflicted weepers, not for the Tears sake. Descend and stoop down to the afflicted, that thou mayst raise them up. No one can lift him up who lies on the ground, unless he bows low to his assistance. But because all things have a double handle, the one tolerable, the other intolerable; if any one hath done thee an Injury, take not thy hold on that part, in which the Injury is done, for this is the handle in which he cannot be endured: but consider him as redeemed with the same Blood of Christ, and called to the same Glory? So thou wilt lay hold on him on the side in which he is tolerable. And because Friendship hath a very small voice in giving free Reprehensions, always endeavour to hear Truth from thy Adversary. He being perpetually watchful, pries into thy actions; and thy miscarriages will more easily deceive thyself than him. He will traduce thee to thy Neighbours, and in the Streets, and being incensed against thee, will lay open the disease of thy Mind, which thou either concealest or neglectest. Strive to make thy profit from him: He more attentively watches over himself, who knows he hath an Adversary always ready to censure him.  
7. Perseverance is the Crown and Consummation of all Virtues. A Reward is promised to Beginners, but it is given to Perseverers. Wherefore before all things take care of this, that thou be constant to thyself. Nothing which is in its passage, is so profitable. Thou slidest back again, if thou strivest not to go onward: and if thou beginnest to stand, thou sinkest down. Appoint what thou wilt, and persevere in it till thy end. 'Tis the property of an unconstant Mind, to assume daily new Exercises, to seek oftentimes new dwellings. It doth not behoove thee to be in another place, but to be another Man. The Tree which is often transplanted, dwindles away at last: and the frequent change of Remedies, hinders the Health. If the Apostle, the Vessel of Election, not looking upon what he had already done, but what he ought to do, judged that he had in no sort comprehended: what wilt thou do, who mayst wish that in thy End, thou mightst be compared to his Beginning? The desire of Learning cannot be satisfied, the love of Riches is insatiable, the thirst after Honours is not to be quenched. Things which are shortly to have an end, are sought after without End: and if thou hast had only a light taste of the Divine Wisdom, wilt thou imagine thyself presently full? He invites thee to perfection after another manner, who said, Be ye Perfect, as your Heavenly Father is Perfect. This Mark is proposed to thee, to give thee to understand, that there is always a place above thee, for the increase of thy Virtue.   

CHAP. XXXI. Of Temperance How much shamefacedness conduceth to it. Of Abstinence, and of Chastity.  
1. TEmperance rules the pleasures which are taken in Tasting and Touching: it hates and drives away all such pleasures as are superfluous, and admits only such as are necessary, as far forth as right Reason permits. This Rule of Temperance is Infallible; To take mere Necessity for its measure in what belongs to the Body; and never to admit Pleasures for Pleasure's sake. By this Virtue it is brought to pass, that thou dost not degenerate from a Man into a Beast. To it, Modesty very much contributes, which is the Bridle of bad manners, the Badge of a good disposition, the Guardian of Purity, the Witness of Innocence. If this hath gotten the possession of thy Mind, it will teach thee to fear all Filthiness, to abstain from all unlawful Actions, to reverence God's Commandments, to stand always in an apprehension of thy own frailty, and to be evermore in love with that intelligible Beauty, which appears chief in the works of Temperance. And thou wilt then perceive thyself to be modest, when thou tremblest at the very name of Intemperance; when thy Chamber-walls cover thee, and do not hid thee, with which many conceive themselves to be encompassed, not that they may live more safely, but that they may Sin more secretly. But to what purpose dost thou shut up thyself, to avoid the Eyes and Ears of Men? God is always with thee, who every where beholds thee: Thy Conscience is with thee, which every where accuses thee.  
2. Abstinence and Sobriety, moderate the use of Meat and Drink; but that which concerns the Touch, is ruled by Chastity and Pudicity. And surely 'tis a matter of very great difficulty, not to be drawn beyond the bounds of Necessity, in the use of Food. The Belly hath no Ears to admit commands: It demands, calls and exacts a daily tribute. But with how little it may be put off, with how small a stipend it may be satisfied, few consider. We force Nature to serve Vices; and we irritate Hunger and Thirst, which may easily be appeased with natural Remedies, by various Sauces and Seasoning. Chastity is also hard to be preserved amongst so many provocations of Lust, unless it is held in with the Fear of God, with a Flight from all Occasions, with a careful custody of the Senses, and with a great reverence towards ones self. He who fears not himself, cannot fear others. Wilt thou be ? Contain thy Eyes, lest thou mayst love unwillingly, what thou hast behold unwarily. Why admirest thou the fleeting and false beauty of the Creature? Expect a little while, and it will be no more. Ugly Wrinkles will furrow the smooth Forehead, a sad Cloud will orecover the sparkles of the Eyes, a scurvy Mossiness will cover the Ivory of the Teeth. Avoid also the company of the Bad, fly from all Effeminateness, tame thy Flesh with Fast, and treat it rigorously; He is lost, who too tenderly loves his Sepulchre.   

CHAP. XXXII. Of Meekness, and Clemency. The Offices and Excellency of them both.  
1. TO mitigate the violence of Anger, Meekness is necessary; lest thou shouldst transgress the bounds of what is right, either on one side or the other. Anger is the Dart of Nature, which thou mayst lawfully make use of, when thy Office obliges thee to reprove and chastise Offenders: and when Discretion dictates, that thy own or another's injury is to be in due manner repressed; lest impunity should give increase to the licentiousness of the wicked. He is equally cruel who pardons all, and who pardons none at all. Now, when Justice so requiring, the guilty are to be punished; be thou then Mindful of Meekness and Clemency. Punish as it were unwillingly; and be thou such a one towards Offenders, as God hath been to thee. As he supported thee that he might make thee better: So do thou support them that they may be corrected. Thou despisest the Physician, if thou despairest of the Patient. The Sick man's cure is as easy, as is the Prudence and Benignity of the Physician. A Meek man appears as a Rock in the Sea of Anger, dissolving the Waves which dash against him; being not always content with punishment, but sometimes with penitence. The Saviour of the World exclaims to the collected multitude of Mankind; Come ye all and learn of me, not to cure the Sice, not to cleanse the Lepers, not to restore light to the blind, or life to the Dead. But what? Learn (says he) of me, to be Mcek. He seems to have reduced all the treasures of his Wisdom and Science, that we should Learn of him the Lesson of Meekness. So Excellent a thing is Meekness.  
2. As Meekness Moderates Anger, so Clemency tempers Punishment. That belongs to All; this to Princes and Superiors. It's Office is, to mitigate the punishments which the Laws exact, not for Fear, Gain, Friendship, or out of any other such like Motive; but out of a gentleness of Mind. There's no need to delve into the sides of Mountains, and build Castles in the high Tops of Hills: Clemency will render the Prince safe in the open plain. This is an unexpugnable Fortress, which secures his Empire. A bad Prince is hated, because he is feared; and he will be feared because he is hated. Now the subjects hate him they fear, and would willingly have him perish whom they hate. He is Master of the King's Life, who is a contemner of his own Life. He vainly strengthens himself with power, who is not guarded with the good will of his people. Many punishments are shameful to a Prince, as many Funerals are to a Physician. If a King keeps back his strength; if he looks down from above upon all injuries and offences with contempt; if he sacrifices some to the anger of others, none to his own: then he shows himself to be truly a King. 'Tis the part of a Magnanimous man, to be pleasing and peaceable.   

CHAP. XXXIII. Of Modesty. The Double Office of Studiosity. What Rule is to be observed in Mirth.  
1. MOdesty wonderfully adorns the rest of the Minds Dowries. 'Tis the form of Honesty, and the Curb of Viees. Though thou sayest not a Word, thy Habit and Gesture will speak what thou art. An Argument of Virtue may be taken from the least things. The Countenance, the Laughter, the Gate, the Glance of the Eyes, show oftentimes what a man is. Live so, as that all men may know thou belongest to the fellowship of Angels. Observe a decorum in all the Motions of thy Members, in thy behaviour, in thy Voice, in thy Looks, that nothing may appear Effeminate and remiss, nothing that is harsh and clownish. True Modesty flows from the Mind into the Body, from the inward gravity of Manners into the outward carriage; that so the mind may behold abroad as it were, it's own householdstuff. A Modest Man is the lively Image of God: for his sole Aspect composes the beholders. And what a good is this, to be seen and to profit? It belongs also to Modesty, not to exceed the condition of thy State, in Garments, in Movables, in the Ornaments of thy house, and in the multitude of Attendants. These are the Impediments of thy Mind, wherewith not thou, but the things without thee, are garnished. Why therefore dost thou joy in thy Evil? Why admirest thou vain things, and gloriest in the multitude of impediments? Thou mayst rightly call this troop of Servants which environ thee on every side, an Hostile Army, from which thou canst scarcely be secure. They will know what thou dost, not what thou Commandest. There's nothing more humble than their Ingress, nothing more insolent than their Progress, nothing more odious than their Egress.  
2. Studiosity hath two Offices; One is to temperate and moderate the appetite of knowing, which for the most part is greater than justly it ought to be: The other is, to shake off sluggishness, and to excite the Minds industry to learn things necessary. Nature hath given man a curious Wit, and being conscious of her Art and Beauty, hath brought us forth to be Spectators of her works; for she would lose the fruit of herself, if she should show only to a solitude, such great, such glorious such curious Products. But we abuse Nature's goods, by diving subtly into such things, as were better unknown, He is not Wise who knows many things, but who knows what makes to his purpose. Those Things are first to be learned, which belong to thy Salvation: nor do I debar thee from reading the rest, so thou referrest to Manners whatsoever thou readest. But see whether the reading of many Books, savour not something of evagation and instability. Thou art to dwell upon certain Wits, and be nourished by them, if thou desirest to draw from them what may stick fast in thy Mind. Various Reading pleaseth, but 'tis the Certain which profits.  
3. A Relaxation is sometimes to be granted to the Mind; and Rest is to be intermixed with labour; for that cannot long continue which wants convenient repose. The makers of Laws appointed certain days, in which the People should meet together in public for their recreation, to repair their forces. Now there are divers actions which contribute to this Relaxation of Mind: As walking in a pleasant and open Field, where in the free Air, the Mind may raise itself to Heaven, and the Members get new vigour. A Country Recess, remote from the smoke and noise of Cities; Hawking or Hunting, and such Divertisments as misbecome not thy condition, and Fishing which is more innocent: Studies which are more calm and pleasant: A consort of Music, and some honest Play: Finally, harmless Jests, and facetiousness, which must be evermore free from the least injury and undecency. Some there are, who are too severe, who are men-haters, and who sit brooding upon their own darkness, never permitting a merry word to be wrested out of their Mouths: Others, addicted overmuch to Jesting, seldom apply themselves to serious thoughts, and never withdraw themselves from the people. Now these extremes are to be interwoven and alternated; for Solitude will beget a desire of Company, and Frequency, of thyself; and so one will be a Remedy to the other. Remission will cure the hatred of labour, and labour the tediousness of Remission. S●●● also there are, who not knowing how to dispense their own forces, exercise an immoderate Empire over themselves. The Mean is wanting to them. They can neither tell when to remit their Studies nor when to retake them. When they settle themselves to Labour, the Days are joined to the Nights; nor do they desist, till themselves are destroyed. Again, when they give way to Recreations, they so engulf themselves, as that they can scarcely be brought back to their former Customs. Wherefore an Interval is so to be afforded to the Mind, that it may be remitted not Resolved. To this end, Eutrapely, that is, Festivity, and civil Mirth, is very necessary, which is to prescribe certain Limits, not to be transgressed without a crime. The Best things become bad, if the Mean is exceeded.   

CHAP. XXXIV. Of Humility. Wherein it consists, Of Self-knowledge. The Character of a truly humble Man.  
1. FRom Christ comes Humility. He promulgated it by his Word, taught it by his Example. This, after the Theological and Intellectual Virtues, hath the prime place amongst the rest; for it removes Pride, which is the Root of all Evil. This renders us amiable to God, because with the Humble is his Discourse. Without this, which is the Foundation of Virtues, whatsoever Superstructure is raised in the Spiritual Edifice, will neither be solid nor stable Now although it's very Name seems to betoken some base and mean thing, yet it is the Virtue of the Magnanimous, and of the Perfect, and raises up the Mind to high matters. It enterprises illustrious actions, without danger of being puffed up, heroic actions without apprehension of difficulties, continuing always stout, courageous, and unalterable. Humility, doth not (as the Vulgar Imagine) consist in a self-despisal and abjection; but in that moderate appetition of Glory and Honour, which both avoids Excess, and recedes from Defect. The Humble man desires Glory as the stipend of Virtue, with a mind directly intent, upon the Action, not for Ostentation, but for Virtue alone, and as much as it demands. Unlawful is all Honour, which Virtue brings not forth. But because an humble man, being of a discerning Spirit, is an impartial Judge of himself, he is averse from almost all Honour; both because he knows how little it is that he contributes of his own to the works of Virtue: and also because he fears lest out of a desire of due Honour, he may condescend to admit that which is not due. 'Tis most safe to despise Honour; for the amplisies it who refuses it, he increases it who contemn it.  
2. Thou art therefore not Humble, because thou knowst not thyself. There's no Country so remote, of which thou wilt more easily believe a false Relation. What is Man? A weak and frail Body of itself unarmed, wanting the help of others, and cast out to all the injuries of times. A lump of Dirt, a filthy animal, prone to all Evil, and of so perverted and depraved a disposition, that it prefers earthly things before the Heavenly, transistory before the eternal. Every living Man is an universal Vanity. No Animal hath a Life more frail, a Madness more fierce, a Fear more confused, a Lust more violent. Whence then this Pride, O thou Miserable Creature; and of others the most unhappy? Look upon thy own wretehedness, and if there remains any spark of Reason in thee, reflect upon thy own baseness and unworthiness. Then thou wilt be perfectly Humble, when thou hast perfectly learned Self-knowledg.  
3. A truly Humble man totally despises himself; nor is he willing to be reputed Humble, but of no account: he refers to God all the honour which is due to himself, and distrusts himself in all things: He rejoices in being contemned; in this only proved, that he Sleights humane praises. He considers himself according to what he hath of himself, and others according to what they have of God, and so comparing himself with them, he judges himself the very worst of all: for this is the Genius of Humility to compare ones own Evils with the Goods of others; from whence even he who is most Perfect, may without a Lie, esteem himself more Imperfect than others. Furthermore, a truly Humble Man subjects himself with all Obedience to his Superiors, performs not his own desires, discovers freely his defects, sustains patiently all injuries, embraces joyfully the meanest things, avoids carefully all singularity, abstains always from much talking, desires still to lie concealed and unknown, places all things beneath himself, and himself beneath all, and shuts up himself within his own Nothing. He is shamefaced and circumspect: He speaks not but when necessity urges him, and then modestly, being willing rather to weep then to Laugh. He shows the Humility of his Heart, in his Body, in his Eyes fixed on the ground, in his grave and composed gate, in his cast-down Countenance, like a guilty person ready to be summoned before God's dreadful Tribunal: Conscious of the Crimes he hath committed, uncertain of Grace, and fearful of his Salvation; and therefore not daring to lift up his Eyes to Heaven, he stands aloof off with the Publican, imploring with fervent Prayer, pardon for his Offences. Finally, he dreads all his own do, he despises all earthly things, he tramples upon all worldly Pomps and Vanities. For he thinks the whole world to be Nothing, who believes himself to be Nothing.   

CHAP. XXXV. Of the state of the Perfect. The Image of a Perfect man. The End of a Perfect Life, it Union with God.  
1. HE is faid to be Perfect, to whom nothing is wanting. And what can be wanting to him, who being purged from Sin, cleansed from Vices, and adorned with Virtues, intimately adheres to his God, and becomes one Spirit with him for evermore? This is the top of Christian Perfection, the last End to which thou art to aspire. For whereas every thing is then judged to be perfect, when 'tis joined to its End, and God is thy End; thou art then necessarily perfected, when perfectly adhering to God, thou returnest to him from whom thou hadst thy beginning. But no one is thus perfect, without God's special Help. And because there are few found amongst Mortals, who dispose the superior part of their Mind to receive Gods singular illapses and inlocutions, therefore there are so few Perfect. Each Age hath produced few of them.  
2. Thou mayst call him a Perfect man, whom thou seest undaunted in Dangers, untouched with Cupidities, happy in Adversity, content in Disgraces, quiet amidst Tempests, Laughing at whatsoever others Fear and Desire, passing by all things as Little, shining with no good but his own, evermore free, always constant to himself, still like himself, erected, elevated, empty of himself, and full of God: from whom no Violence can force his Goods, who turns Evil into Good, who is frustrated of nothing, who is hurt by no Accident: who puts a value upon things, not from men's Opinion, but the things of Nature: who being eminent above all, casts himself into the whole World, and extends his contemplation into all its proceed, himself remaining peaceable and unshaken: who for the major part of him, dwells perpetually there from whence he descended. As the Sunbeams, although they touch the Earth, yet are there from whence they are darted: So a Perfect man converses indeed with us, but he is absent in his better part, and adheres always to his End. His mind is such as the state of the World is above the Moon; there's a perpetual Calm. He is ignorant of any defect of things; he knows not what a various Mind is; all ages serve him; he views all things round about, equally as the Sun doth, and rejecting all multiplicity, he quietly reposes in the most simple Unity. He desires nothing, he seeks for nothing out of himself, having no need to call in that Felicity from a far off, which he bears about him enclosed within his own Heart. He works for God alone, he lives to God alone, being always ready to departed. Apply this Line and Level to thy Life, and thou wilt understand how far thou art from Perfection.  
3. This is a greater and higher matter, than thou canst reach, unless he draws thee upward, who said, without me, you can do nothing. And moreover, there are precedent dispositions which are necessary. The End of a perfect Life, is an intimate Union with God. And since he dwells in an unaccessible Light, thou wilt never get to him, unless thou drivest away from thee the darkness of the Creatures. Man cannot be made partaker of the Divine Nature, except he transcends himself and all created things in Mind and Affection. Every Adhesion, even the least, to any thing whatsoever, is like to the little Fish Remera, which if it bites the Keel of the Ship, stops it, and detains it in the middle of its course. It happens not otherwise to many Souls, which like Ships fraught with Heavenly: Riches, would happily sail to the Haven of blessed Union, were they not detained by some Vicious Affection. God is one, and most Simple; A Soul can never be fit for Union, unless it becomes One, and most Simple.   
FINIS.   

THE INDEX.  
A Preface to the Reader.  

Chap. 1. Of Man's last End. What an Evil it is to swerve from it. The Means and Method to come to it. Pag. 1.  
Chap. 2. Who so desires to live well, must make choice of an Instructor. What manner of man this aught to be. The Duties of a Disciple. Pag. 7  
Chap. 3. Of Purgation from Sin. All Affection to Sin is to be laid aside, and Vice rooted out. No Remedy is more efficacious against Vice, than the consideration of Death and Eternity. Pag. 13  
Chap. 4. Of Gluttony. Its Evils. Its Remedies. The Signs of its being conquered. Pag. 22  
Chap. 5. Of Luxury. How foul a Vice it is. How ensie the Relapse into it, and how to be avoided. Pag. 27  
Chap. 6. Of Avarice. It's Malice is sharply reproved. The Comparison between a Poor, and a Rich man. The deceit and vanity of Riches. Pag. 33  
Chap. 7. Of Anger. The Character of an Angry person. The Effects, Gauses, Remedies of Anger. Pag. 40  
Chap. 8. Of Envy and Sloath. The Description and Cure of Both. Pag. 53  
Chap. 9 Of Pride, Ambition, and Vainglory. The Image of a Proud man. The Vanity of Dignities, and their Dangers. The Evils of Hautiness, and the Cure of it. Pag. 57  
Chap. 10. Of the Government of the Body. Of the Custody of the Senses. How far the Body is to be Indillged, etc. Pag. 67  
Chap. 11. Of the Custody of the Tongue. Of how great moment it is, and how difficile. What is to be observed in Speaking, what to be avoided. How the bad Tongues of others, are to be endured. Pag. 73  
Chap. 12. Of the Internal Senses. The Use of Opinions. The Mind is to be stired with good Thoughts. Of restraining the Sensitive Appetite: and of its depraved Affections. Several Precepts to that purpose. Pag. 80  
Chap. 13. Of Love. Its Nature, Causes, Effects, Remedies. Something added of Hatred. Pag. 85  
Chap. 14. Of Desire, and of Flight. What is to be desired, what to be fled from. Pag. 91  
Chap. 15. Of Joy, and of Sadness. How a good man ought to rejoice. He who foresees all things, is not contristated. Several Antidotes against Grief. Pag. 96  
Chap. 16. Of Hope, and Despair. How we are to mederate them both. Pag. 102  
Chap. 17. Of Fear: How vain it is, and how to be vanquished. Boldness to be awided. Something again of Anger. Pag. 105  
Chap. 18. Of the Powers of the Rational Soul. The Understanding is to be restrained from Curiosity. To what Study one should chief apply himself. How bad a thing it is to inquire into other men's Manners. The Judgements of others, are to be contemned. Of the denial of our Will. Pag. 111  
Chap. 19 Of the State of Proficients. Several Helps to Proficiency. The value and use of Time. The Presence of God, Necessary. Pag. 118  
Chap. 20. Of the good of Solitude. Evil Seciety to be shunned. What, and how many the World's Vices are. The study of a Preficient, is the acquisition of Virtues. Certain Signs of Virtue's being obtained. Pag. 124  
Chap. 21. Of the Theological Virtues; Faith is to be approved by Works. Confidence is to be placed in God alone. Motives to love God. The love of our Neighbour is manifested by Benefits. An Exhortation to Alms-deeds. Pag. 132  
Chap. 22. Of Prudence. It's Necessity, and Difficulty. The Duty of a Prudent man. Pag. 137  
Chap. 23. Of Justice, and of Religion. The Acts of both. What Penance is, and wherein it consists. Pag. 141  
Chap. 24. Of Piety and Observance. Obedience is commended, and also Gratitude. How a Benefit is to be Received and Repaid. Pag. 146  
Chap. 25. Of Truth, and the Use of it. Simplicity is praised. Acts of Fidelity. Pag. 150  
Chap. 26. Of Friendship. With what Offices it is to be entertained. Certain Precepts appertaining to mutual Conversation. Pag. 154  
Chap. 27. Of Liberality. What it is, and how to be exercised. Wherein it differs from Magnificency. Pag. 160  
Chap. 28. Of Fortitude. Its Offices. That Death is to be contemned by a Valiant man. Pag. 164  
Chap. 29. Of Magnanimity. The Description of a Magnanimous Man. Pag. 169  
Chap. 30. Of Patience. The Occasions and Effects of it. The signs of perfect Patience. An Admonition and Instruction to Endure all Adversities. The Necessity of Perseverance. Pag. 172  
Chap. 31. Of Temperance. How much shamefacedness conduceth to it. Of Abstinece, and of Chastity. Pag. 182  
Chap. 32. Of Meekness and Clemency. The Offices and Excellency of them both. Pag. 185  
Chap. 33. Of Modesty. The double Office of Studiosity. What Rule is to be observed in Mirth. Pag. 188  
Chap. 34. Of Humility. Wherein it consists. Of Self-knowledge. The Character of a truly Humble man. Pag. 193  
Chap. 35. Of the state of the Perfect. The Image of a Perfect man. The End of a Perfect Life, is Union with God. Pag. 198