Religio Jurisprudentis: OR, THE LAWYER'S ADVICE to His SON. IN COUNSELS, ESSAYS, and other MISCELLANIES.  
Calculated chief to prevent the Miscarriages of YOUTH, and for the Orthodox Establishment of their Morals in Years of Maturity.  
Per PHILANTHROPUM.  
Pudet haec opprobria nobis & dici potuisse, & non potuisse refelli.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Macte nova virtute, puer, sic itur ad astra,  
Sacculus è coelo descendit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
London, Printed for J. Harrison at Lincolns-Inn-Gate, and R. Taylor in Amen-Corner. Anno Regni Regis Jacobi II. Primo, 1685.   

 blazon or coat of arms 
I'ESPERE BIEN    

Viro praenobili, nec non Reverendo admodùm in Christo Patri HENRICO Dom. Episc. LONDINENSI.  
Indagator, hicve (plus minus) Juris Peritus,  
Salutem plurimam internam, externam, aeternamqúe (Religionis ergô) cum toto valdè dicit, Hasee suas Lucubrationes (Patronorum de Jure Reverende) quantae quantae sint de facto, candidè vestri Patrocinii Clementissimi, nec non Eruditi Tutamine decorari valdè velit.  
Tuorum Servorum omnium humillimus, & Juris-prudentium minimior, PHILANTHROPUS.   

Panegyrics.  

To the Jurisprudent Author.  
DRaw near (my Muse) how can I silent be,  
When I these learned Works of Plato see?  
We have seen many Books, let's admire this,  
All that's praiseworthy, here comprised is.  
Learning and Wit, Philosophy and Grace,  
Together dwell (sage Author!) in thy face.  
Per Anonymum.   

SCripsit (at ingenuè) Lector parvo hocce libello,  
Causidicus, mentem scripsit (at ingenuè.)  
Scripsit (at ingenuè) qua religione fruatur,  
Quos sequitur mores scripsit, (at ingenuè.)  
Scripsit (at ingenuè) quos veros credat amicos,  
Quosque putat fictos scripsit, (at ingenuè.)  
Scripsit (at ingenuè.) graviter leviterque 〈◊〉 veram,  
Et placid in mentem scripsit, (at ingenuè)  
Scripsit (at ingenuè) quae sint prudentia docti  
Verba viri, quid non scripsit? (& ingenuè)   

Upon the Author of Religio Juris Prudentis.  

I.  
GO, Atheist, go, with all thy Worlds repine,  
The Lawyer's now commenced Divine,  
Has alterd's Gown, and for a moral Fight,  
Schools both Des Cartes, and the Stagyrite:  
Marching at Fame's Trumpet's call,  
More politic than Hannibal,  
Through Rocks of Vice our Author melts the way  
With poignant Council, vinegard Essay.   

II.  
Who, maugre spies, dares boldly speak his Mind,  
Not unto Words, but Sense confined,  
Who slights false Colours, scorns the husky shape,  
And whilst his Critics pick the painte● Grape,  
Presents us here with solid Fare,  
Viands, which substantial are:  
Non-suits acquaint Phrases, Transports lew● Romance;  
Makes That, and Error cross the Seas t● France.   

III.  
Vice now, methinks, tho' full mooned to the Sense  
Within her bright Circumference,  
Will hourly wane, then leave her dusky shell,  
No more a Link, no more a Guide to Hell.  
The Virtues they succeed, and all  
Within one Peck concentrical,  
Embrace each other, whilsh eyed Justice spies,  
And glides once more down from the lofty Skies.   

iv  
Dull Earth, cheer up, here, here's the heavenly Fire,  
Thy tender Plants for to inspire  
With lively heat, due moisture, growth and all  
To make thy Offspring truly Sensible.  
Here Prudence with her Angel's Quill  
Points out the Labyrinths of Ill,  
Shows wand'ring Youth, nay, gouty Age their way,  
Felicities great Road, Et caetera.  
R. J.    

A few Thoughts on Religio Jurisprudentis.  
THey that peruse this little Book may find  
The sage Suggestions of the Lawyer's mind,  
How learnedly the Author does impart  
His Sentiments, with Judgement and with Art;  
In Language solid, singular, acute,  
Authentic Resolutions (sans dispute.)  
His Subject's weighty, and his Lines concise,  
The Juris-Prudent doth philosophise;  
In stile most elegant, in sense profound,  
In morals practical, and Doctrine sound;  
Agreeable to all, candid, upright,  
Pleading at once for Profit and Delight.  
Avoid the Court Detraction, since you see  
The Lawyer gives Advice without his Fee,  
A Precedent of Generosity.  
R. B.   

In Authorem Juris-Prudentem. per Sir J. H.  
CAusidicus bonus hic nequeat benè perdere causam,  
Nam, quae non prosint singula juvant  
Dogmata Causidici (Jove consule, dogmata digna.)  
Salve, disce, doce, vive, senesce, vale.    

A Prefatory Line TO THE READERS.  
POssibly (Sirs) the very Title of this brief Rhapsody of Sentiments and Opinions of a Jurisprudent (or Man of Law) may disgust the Palates of some kind of its Perusers; who presume, that a Person of that Character, commonly is little or nothing acquainted with, or at least ties not himself up to the Rules and Practices of real Virtue and Religion (and I wish there were not so much weight in that Objection) whereunto I hold it here both reasonable and seasonable to make you this Reply, ss. that admitting the facto, such a violent Presumption, be tantamount to an half proof of the Point; yet that de Jure, it ought by no means to be the Case or Condition of one, that in sano Sensensu, is a Jurisprudent, or Sage of the Law; of the Truth whereof, we have a renowned Precedent on Record, among some others, viz. of that incomparable and Religious Jurisprudent lately deceased, Sir Matthew Hales, Lord Chief Justice of England, in his Moral Considerations, and other as Learned, as Religious Suggestions of his in print. But we use the Jurisprudent Word in a larger and more indefinite Sense, than applicable to the Professor or Practiser of the Municipal Laws of our Realm; as the true Etymology thereof imports. ss. A Man of Sense or Prudence, a Man of moral Conduct, that distinguishes well between, and judges well of Right and Wrong, for generally the Mobile, or Vulgar (we truly say) non Distinguit; but the Proverb saith, as the Bell Clinks, so the Fool (or Jurisimprudent) thinks. To the intent and purpose, therefore, that by relation to the Counsels or Essays, and other Miscellanies herein, afterwards exerted, it may more fully and particularly appear, that an immoral, or irreligious Person, young or old, Puny or Ancient, is neither a Man of Law, Prudence, nor good Sense, and to represent in several fundamental particulars; the Character and Complexion of such an one, as all Intellectual voluntary Agents ought to be, and to obviate, and anticipate, as far as may be, the Epidemical Miscarriages that happen to less thinking and considerate ones of all Ages and Sexes in this Conjuncture of time especially, and to encourage all Actings for the reason of the things, and consequently to smooth our Path through this Wilderness of the World, unto the Land of promise, which is, or aught to be in our constant Prospect, is the Tenor and Effect, true Scope and Drift of these ensuing Suggestions of Philanthropus; which he violently presumes, and hearty hopes will be acceptable unto all Mankind, until fuller and further Discoveries and Auxiliaries be exhibited, pro bone publico; by more learned and elaborate Heads and Hands than is pretended to, or owned by,  
SIR, Your well meaning Man of Law, Philanthropus,   

PHILANTHROPUS AD Filiolum Pythagoram Juris-prudentem.  
QVanquam sibi te charissimum, indolisque spei Filiolum, etsi non admodum (forte) spectabilitate corporis indutum, paterculus tuus tam per Patricium, quam quendam Peripateticum Carthusianum jamdudum (bonis avibus) in Artibus & Scientiis quibusdam liberalibus institutum & per modulo tuo de bene esse imbutum summopere curave●rit; attamen, ut ad Herculis columnas in omnimoda Virtu●te nova faelicissime pervenire videaris, Haec (suis in annis, ni fallor, provectioribus excogitata, ipse dixit tibi documenta: ut pote quos scopulos ille vix (& ne vix quidem) evaserit post ipsius (saltem Metampsycosin aut) obitum, Tu ipse faeliciter effugias.  igitur haec sua lucubratiuncula, quanta quanta sint, aequ● bonique consules Lex ita postulare videatur. Quo minus reliquis tribus, ut opinor, adhuc superstitibus tui ipsius fratribus tam exemplo tuo, quam concilio animadvertere videaris; hoc praecipue aenigmatico, 
Aio, tres Fratres, unum Don vincere posse.   
Quippe quoniam Tuo clementissimo Paterculo praedicto malesano, contigisse mihi videtur (utique bona fide fertur) ut in arcta & salva custodia Legis retineretur (cum quibusdam secum Cantabrigiensibus in Arenam Cancellariam descendentibus Euphoniae potius quam meriti gratia) donec quorundam nummorum summa ab ipso solveretur praefatis Cantabrigiensibus conquerentibus, quae quidem absque debita causa, & de injuria sua propria, non sibi solum, verum etiam aliis Jurisprudentibus expostulari aut ista summa soluta esse non posse videbatur. At vero quod luit admodum in corpore, quia non habnit in aere, neque habituro Fas aut Jus redditura, vel potius reddita; aliunde, ni fallor, satis superque patet per Recorda, utcunque pro supposito praedicto contemptu, in non solutionem circumcirca centum Marcarum Summam; poenas dedit, & dabundus erit; tecum autem quoniam per aliquot dierum spatium incarceratus ipse peculiare habuit Consortium (licet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Donec erat faelix multos numerabatamicos.  
Parvus ad amissas ibat amicus opes.  Ideoque tibi Filiolo praeclaro (ni maxime fallor) partim Gratitudinis, partim Amoris ergo dedicari velit haec sua conamina, ut nec oleum, nec operam suam (omnino) perdidisse videatur. Mihi revera non innotescere admodum confiteor (charissime Pythagoras!) suavem sibi esse Fratris tui penultimi memoria, etiamsi probe intellexi de isto, Impiger extremos currit Mercator ad Indos. Vltimi vero non minus obsequii parentalis, quam indefatigabilitatis ergo, paulisper gratior. Antepenultimi, autem (nisi maximopere fallor) degenerationis ergo minime grata. Tui ipsius, denique licet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 memoria (ut mihi videtur) est sibi suavissima, tantoque caeteris Triumviris eximior memoria, quanto Te liberalium Artium & Scientiarum Virtutumque novarum Encyclopaediam assequi pro virili tuo conari semet ipsi proculdubio valde videaris; viz Deo Optimo Maximo, Dominoque nostro Regi, necnon parentibus (in loco positis) reverendas mores geris & praestiteris. Verum enimvero denique (mi Pythagoras amicissime) cave sis ab amicis, ne tam temporis, quam nummorum aeque ac Libertatis fures esse videantur, de inimicis autem eadem non indigeas cautela— ipsi ssima namque (prout tui amabundi Paterculi Diagrammata se habent) FLETA ARMA MINISTRANT; utique (spero de) Te ex meliore Luto finxit praecordia Titan, Pythagoras sperabunde, vive & vale; Deus Opt. Max. Te tuaque diu servet incolumia, in omnimoda nova Virtute dirigat, Roreque coelesti conamina madesca● faci atque (precor) omnia Tui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paterculi, tibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sic obtestatur,  
Tuus Amicorum, non minimus, licet ANONYMOUS.   

To Jurisprudent Philanthropus.  
SUre Plato's redivived— Philosophy,  
Law, Gospel, and true Morals, all agree.  
Doubtless he ne'er can (bona fide) be  
A Jurisprudent, that approves not thee,  
Who reconcilest Learning altogether,  
Either take Law and Gospel, or take neither.  
For Jurisprudence really comprizes  
Them both, and he that don't divide them, wise is.  
Thou hast philosophised, and as a Friend  
To all Mankind hast acted, MARK  
The End.  
Per Anonymum.   

Twenty Moot-points or Queries put by PYTHAGORAS to the Jurisprudent PHILANTHROPUS, to be argued and determined in the next Edition.  
Quaerere, dat sapere quae sunt legitima vera.  
Qu. 1. AN? Scientia habet nullum immicum, nisi ignorantem?  
Q. 2. An? Filiatio non potest probari?  
Q. 3 An? Bene qui latuit, bene vixit?  
Q 4. Anon? Sponte virum mulier fugiens, & Apostata facta, dote suâ careat?  
Q. 5. Anon? Jurisprudens captus in vetito Namio sit replegiabilis?  
Q. 6. An? Unicuique in Arte sua perito credendum est?  
Q. 7. Anon? Touts vient appoint, que puet attiendra?  
Q. 8. Anon? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Q. 9 Anon? Laesa patientia b●n● fiat furor?  
Q. 10. Anon? Omnis Protectio trahit Subjectionem?  
Q. 11. An non? Divortium a Mensâ & Thoro, sit Divortium a vinculo?  
Q. 12. An? Qui condovat peccatori, de Jure debet oblivisci?  
Q. 13. An? Mendaci de facto credatur in re verâ de Jure?  
Q. 14. An non? Ictus perfidiosus, aut Secretorum detectio, sit dissolutio de vinculo amicitiae?  
Q. i 15. An non? Filius (non sui Juris) ducit in uxorem mulierem Dispar gabilem absque consensu, vel notitiâ utriusque Parentis adtunc superstitum sit de Jure Repudiandus?  
Q. 16. An non? Frustrà fit per plura, quo● fiat per Pauciora?  
Q. 17. An? Res humanae Succedant? ub● negliguntur Divinae.  
Q. 18. An? Edere Libros, vel edere Liberes sit Jurisprudentius?  
Q. 19 An non? Est virtus placidis abstin● isse bonis?  
Q. 20. An non? Interest Regno, ut sit Lotium  
FINIS.   

Religio Jurisprudentis: OR, THE LAWYER'S ADVICE to His SON.  
In XX. COUNSELS.  
THAT every Man in the World starts into it, (at first) under more apparent characters of a Divine impress, than any other sublunary Creature, is obvious to all contemplative understandings; ●nd that not only in reference to the con●●ture and frame of his Body, which the Heathen Philosophers of old had well observed, in saying, 
Pronaque cum spectant animalia caetera terram  
Os Homini sublime dedit, coelumque videre jussi●  
Et erectos ad sidera tollere vultum.  
All other Creatures looking down,  
Man's countenance, of more renown,  
More lofty's made with darting Eyes  
Erected to the Starry Skies.   
But also and chief in regard to th● composure and shape of his mind, or intellectual faculties, whose spontaneous an natural operations and motions are sublime and generous, indefatigable and transcendently comprehensive of the knowledge of his Maker, of the Universe, an● of Himself; which endowments are mo●● highly improvable by contemplation, reflection, and ratiocination, which endowments and accomplishments are no whe●else extant below Angelical Being's. H● nature as we are very well assured being but a very little lower than the holy Angels themselves.  
Man thus entering on this stage of t● World, as Abrasa tabula, a blank paper becomes at second-hand obnoxious to su● impressions on his Intellectuals, as Example's, Customs, and Education happen ● make upon them, and inscribe; being ye● while, but Udum & molle Lutum, soft Cl● and for some considerable time, hath not ● use of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Reason, and Conscience, to discriminate between right and wrong, good and bad notions or actions; nor to understand his own constitution, concerns, or origination; nay, not so much as to know what to make or do with himself, till he walk and converse with Men; which is the lesson he is to learn in this his Pilgrimage: Namely, first, To take cognizance of Himself; and secondly, Of his Creator, Sovereign Proprietor, and Benefactor. As for example, His Eyes and his Ears begin to teach him what is his business here below; the former of which makes the quickest and most tenacious impressions upon him, the latter more uncertain and tedious; as that Divine Philosopher Seneca tells us, Longum & incertum est ●ter per praecepta; breve & efficax per exemplu: The reason whereof is because Man is naturally most Mimical. Hence arises his greatest hazard as to his moral Principles, that he sucks in almost with his Milk; which commonly (for the forementioned causes) proves radical and veterate by tract of time and inward habits, that such prepossessions of his mind can very hardly, by all moral arguments imaginable be ever extirpated, or removed. From which grounds it was that I could not in a long time prevail with my own will to comply with the ultimate dictates of my best and maturer understanding, in disbelieving that weighty position which my juvenile faculties were prepossessed withal, that much of Mankind are eternally damned upon the account of Adam's original Apostasy, till I found it so manifestly repugnant to, and inconsistent with, the nature of Divine Philanthropy to destroy any of his Creatures, whom he made voluntary intellectual agents, before ever they had or could sin, after the similitude of our forefather's transgression; to wit, commit actual obliquities. And until I clearly discerned that the plaster of our blessed Saviour's atonement, was broader than the sore of Adam's apostasy, or of Mankind's original or actual delinquencies: His grace hath superabounded in our recovery; and that by him we are reduced into a greater capacity of Eternal Happiness, than by the first Adam we were in danger of Everlasting Ruin. Wherefore,  
I. Council. I advise all Parents to be superlatively careful in the first rudiments o● Knowledge, that they may happen to be instrumental to the infusion of, into their Children, at their early minorities of years.  
II. Council. Is as soon as your Son is o● years of discretion, that he superstitiously addict and betake himself to a Calling o● Profession, which his own Genius and hi● Parents judgement best suits withal, whereby he may be useful and adjuvant to the community of Mankind, for whose sake (in a great measure) he came into Being; as the old Philosophers well observed, Non nobis solum nati sumus, partem Patria, partem Parents; partem amici sibi vendicant.  
Our Country, and our Parents, and  
Our Friends, some part of us demand.  
Hereby also (besides the particular improvement of his Talon, and augmentation of Estate, and Provisions for himself or dependants) he will secure himself against the snares of idle and unreasonable Men, that have not Faith nor Truth to ●…ear by; and likewise keeps his Mind in Tranquillity, his Body in Health and Ease, and his Soul in Cheerfulness and in Safety, from allurements of Sin and Vanity, that Mankind is in hazard daily to be demolished by; for it's well becoming the Richest ●…o be, and unaccountable in the Poorest, not ●…o be engaged in a Profession: wherefore ●…he Grand Sultan himself is renowned for his principle of Politics, for he will make ●…rrow-heads rather than be counted one ●…f no Employment. A vulgar Error, I ●…ave observed, that many if not most of ●…arents will bias their children's inclina●…ons herein. Another frequent fault of ●…any, I have observed, that would quit ●…eir Trades, and forsake their Professions, before their Age, or improvements laudably require it; which I wholly disapprove.  
III. Council. Is to cherish your Invention in all points where the Utile is in conjunction with Dulce, to wit, profit an● pleasure are united, although it operate collaterally and not directly upon your particular employ; for though it be difficile inveni● yet its facile inventis addere; its easy to 〈◊〉 on where another Virtuoso leaves off; 
At nihil invita dices, faciesve Minerva.  
Against your Genius (I warn you)  
One thing, nor other, say nor do.   
iv Council. Tho you study ne'er so ha● or to purpose, acquiess not in that Laboratory; but converse as well (though not much) with the Living, as with the De● I mean with Men and Manners, as well Books, and yourself. 
Hence 'tis that if you Wickam's motto s●  
You'll not find meat, but manners make a M●  
Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire, hoc sciat a●  
Your knowledge signifies not that,  
Unless others know, you know what.   
Study accurately the humours and ●pers both of Men, and Times, and course you will then understand Wo● and Wine.  
Uno namque modo vina, venusque nocent.  
I recommend (in the scarcity of this joyment) such Books as exert the Lives Moral endowments of brave Heroes, Worthy, Learned and Wise Men, especially of modern impression, that have been most useful upon the stage of the World. A taste of History, Poetry, Music, and the Mathematics is enuff. If his Trade be Navigatory or Seafaring, be critically careful of Maritine Observations, and to keep a Journal. If Merchandizing, to study the nature of that Commerce, and those Commodities that are all a mode, and agreeable to the present Traffic of those Countries wherein you adventure, or with whom you deal; and what the respective Climates most adequately and naturally afford. If in Land-trade be your Province, well remark the rates, qualities and condition of the Wares you most deal in, and the variation of the Market compasses, and exactly to keep your Books of account, as to profit and loss; a journal or diary of Memoirs and accidents as well as expenses. ● vigorously recommend to you what ever point of the compass your employ stands at. Ab Jove principium Magni Jovis omnia ple●a. Can the wiser Heathen say and practise.  
V Council. Wherefore be sure to keep an early and particular account of eminent and remarkable occurrences of providence, ●oth of mercies or judgements, all your Life ●ong, and frequently reflect on and animadvert them. This early and late, sick and well, abroad and at home, is an essential and easy practice, and both delightful and wonderfully beneficial for both Soul and Body, a little time will convince you. It will create in you often venerable and grateful sentiments of your heavenly Father's benefactions, which the commonness of the enjoyment renders us less mindful off: though perhaps you will find them that we most frequently enjoy none of the least in value.  
VI Council. Let the first and last of you● Thoughts and Considerations, waking and going to sleep, be more or less of the Mos● High, and of your circumstances and relation to him who is, intimior vobis intim nostro, the intimatest thing to us, original and final; let his Goodness melt you into intense Love of him, his Greatness into filial Fear and Reverence, his Wisdom and Faithfulness into an entire resignation o● all you are and have, to his will and disposal, imprecate his conduct and countenance, deprecate his displeasure; daily▪ hourly, and thankfully, ejaculate to him acknowledge him as your Sovereign Lor● and Proprietor, as well as Creator an● Benefactor; adore him for his Divine Philanthropy; and implore his direction particularly in every enterprise of moment▪ Be not highminded, but fear; especially in Company you can't be too circumspect, nor cautious; Abundans cautelae non nocet. Lest you be trepan'd or bubbled, or engaged in feuds or debates of public importance, in this Age and conjuncture especially.  
VII. Council. In the Election of your acquaintance, besure they be such as you are like to be benefited by, or them by you, or else you will find them to be pilferers of both your time and money; and remember the old Rule, That 
Turpius ejicitur, quam non admittitur hospes.   
Preventive Physic is ever best; and you can't so easily be rid of an ill Companion, as you can decline his acquaintance, ab initio— Ill acquaintance is the epidemical bane of Mankind; and as to Morals an honest Tailor or Cobbler is better than a profligate Don John of Austria, or Libertine. Let your deportment, with whatever of Mankind you happen to be Conversant, (and as little as possible converse with Women and Children) be complaisant, humble, and with an unaffected charity, universal affability, and modest generosity; be just and generous unto all Mankind— to superiors (especially Parents and Masters, reverently observant, courteous and cheerful to inferiors and equals, which will conciliate or beget both interest and friendship, and (which is most to purpose of all) God's blessing and good providence, besides a high satisfaction of Mind, and peac● of Conscience (which is a constant Feast.)  
VIII. Council. Your time is the greatest talon (one of them) that you are entrusted withal; and therefore be very thirsty thereof, the rather because feeding, sleeping, sickness, and other inevitable Ceremonies of humane Life will sponge upon you a great share of it; and remember that, 
Solius Temporis honesta Avaritia:  
Cover nothing in your prime,  
Unless it be your precious Time.   
IX. Council. Parsimony or Frugality of ●oin is a fundamental Council; for Seneca said very truly, Magnum est vectigal parsimonia; that is Frugality is a great fortune, for it's not how much comes into your fund, but how little goes out that inriches any Man; and a penny in the pocket (to Cross the Proverb) is worth two Friends at Court. The attainment will infallibly and quickly qualify a Man to be bountiful, opulent, and considerably regarded in the World, and in short its the key of Industry and Virtue, or Learning; for observe, 
Haud facile emergunt quorum  
— virtutibus obstat  
Res angusta Domi—  
Nil habet infoelix paupertas durius in se  
Quam quod ridiculos homines facit.  
This Indigence is such a scurvy School,  
Nothing makes Man to look more like a Fool.   
X. Council. Rarely or never exert a passion what ever provocation you meet withal either of Love, Fear or Anger; to which end be as fearful to give, as careful not to take any provocation, for it's as true of Amor and Timor as Ira. That furor brevis est, & Res est solliciti pl●na timoris Amor.  
That is, 
As Anger is a dreadful madness,  
So Love is a most fearful sadness.  
Especially beware of an incensed Woman.  
Cui pronum dedit natura pectus  
Et instruxit dolis; sed vim negavit  
Ne inexpugnabilis esset.  As Seneca the Tragedian saith Philosophically. 
Nature h'as given her craft and Breast  
Fit for the purpose, but the rest.  
ss. Power he has denied her, lest  
She'd b'an unconquerable beast.   
XI. Council. Exercise and Recreation, are as necessary and advisable, as employment and a regular Profession, but to be used only as Salt or Sauces with Meats, to make them wholesomer and palatable; but great caution must be taken, of what kinds, what times, and what places are most prudent to be used.  
And the variety of such divertions being so numerous and great, its easy to habituate yourself unto such as are most innocent, expedient, and significant; as Riding, Rowing, Walking, Singing, Dancing, Swinging, etc. which I account most laudable, natural, and expedient for the preservation of health, and exhilaration of the mind and spirits; but Gaming with Cards or Dice, or hazard of Coin and Credit, by Horse-racing, Bull-baiting, , etc. I explode and utterly disapprove▪ being a kin to witchcraft, and the highway to ruin both Estate, Reputation and Conscience.  
Mathematics and Music, I recommend as the most innocent and intellectual recreations, and such is Poetry; the Italians say, 
Quem non amat Deus, non amat ille Musas.  
Whom God loves not, that Man loves not Music.   
Not that I value myself a jot the more, that I in fifty years never played at Cards or Dice, which perhaps none else at those years can truly say; nor that I hold them absolutely unlawful, but generally very inexpedient and mischievous, especially for such as are endued with an Athletic habit of Body; and may habituate themselves much better to other Exercises and Recreations many ways.  
XII. Council. As I can advise few or none to, so dare I not dissuade all from Marrying, wherein they cast a Dice for their felicity (at the best) but I verily believe that few or none ere repent that they died Virgins; and few or none that had issue but have (upon a double experiment). I must needs say, it is not a condition indifferent, but much mends or mars the parties, be their circumstances what they will, young or old, rich or poor, etc. Perhaps (if Utinam were not too late) I could have wished (as St. Paul did) that I had taken the more eligible side in keeping my Virginity still: I'm sure for the present distress, which by means of marriage, I can truly say, I lie under, as well as for many other weighty causes, I had done better and been wiser, for not to have touched a Woman in that sense: yet because all that is lawful is not expedient; I must needs think that as those that with great agreeableness of years, Principles, Tempers and Fortunes, and with approbation of Parents are married, may be happy and do well; yet such as have power over their own wills and refraign, do much better: and of this opinion was our Saviour himself, when his Disciples put him the case, though he superadded that all can't bear that Doctrine, as to castrate themselves for the Kingdom of Heaven sake; or devote themselves to a (Caelibate or) single life; A Fabis Abstineto, was great Pythagoras' Doctrine to his Proselytes also, and Solomon thought not one amongst ten thousand of that Sex scarce to be found fit for a true help meet unto Man; but because I refer the Reader in this point to my Essay, De Conjugio, for a fuller account of my opinion. I will only add this further remarkable saying, De sapientia veterum satius est cavere semper, quam perire semel. It's better always to avoid dangers, than once to be destroyed.  
XIII. Council. Guard your Mouth and disclose not a secret, except to one that is nearer than a Brother.  
XIV. Council. Contract no friendship with a very near relation, nor Matrimony especially without the confent as well as privity of your Parents.  
XV. Council. Be as punctual in your word, and appointments with all mankind, as is possible, the benefit redounding to you thereby is unimaginable.  
XVI. Council. Lie not upon any account, but rather deny to speak the truth, which you are afraid or ashamed to reveal; for he that lies of course will not be believed when he speaks truth. There's no more necessity to tell a lie, then for any Man to burn, that so he may pretend to mar himself by an extempore Marriage.  
XVII. Council. Use an exact method in all your motions and negotiations, or employs (be they what they will) which will facillitate all business much, and incredibly; the Creation was in number, weight, method and measure: In your least as well as biggest affairs speak and act ever, pro ratione rei; never pro imperio, if you'd be easy, or successful.  
XVIII. Council. In Eating and Drinking no exact rule can be given in particulars; wherefore observe your own Body as to proportion, and your own occasions as to times; my rule is, ut sit mens sana, in Corpore sano, sic ede, bibe, lude.  
So Eat, so Drink, Carouse and Play,  
That Strength, & Sense may ne'er decay. But rather take too little at some time, than too much at any time, valetudinis ergo.  
XIX. Council. To be continually very busy, and very cheerful (unless upon sacred Duties, or upon your Recreations) which unless guilt obstruct you cannot be warrantably otherwise: for you are obliged to rejoice ever more; construe it as you please; and also to be very diligent and assiduous in business, which assiduity indeed is but pleasure and profit in conjunction; and your greatest security against Temptations unto Degeneration: and a mighty preservation also against extravagant expenses of time or money; which if you comply not withal you will with an heavy Heart say, (if death do not surprise you) What fruit have I had in those things whereof I am now ashamed; and whereat upon reflection I am (if not undone) astonished. You may think this very hard and ruinous, but upon practice remember you'll find this true, that periisses, nisi (ita) periisses.  
XX. Council. To be very charitable, so far as the tenth part at least of your improved acquirements shall extend to; but let your Charity not be confined to common petitioners (for that seldom proves truly Eleemosinary or Charitable) but where you are very probably satisfied, in your judgement, that the case is Compassionate, if ever you be profuse in any thing be so there; for I have found (and you may be sure that you will also) that such benefactions turn to better account to you, and are more pleasant to yourself, than to the recipients, though never so indigent. For to Charity and Frugality, you must ever remember nothing is your own property, so much, but what you must be seriously accountable for. God lends to you, besure lend you (this way) to the Lord, than will you be blessed; in sempiterna secula, sine Fine.   

Religio Jurisprudentis: OR, THE LAWYER'S ADVICE to His SON.  

De Religione & Virtute. Of Religion and Virtue.  
REligion (ex vi termini,) Etimologically, imports Allegiance, or a Natural (as well as Moral) obligation or Duty to God, to ones Self, and to all Mankind. To God, as our Sovereign Maker, Lord and Proprietor, and constant and Eternal Benefactor: To own and acknowledge him, so to be Ruled entirely by him, to Depend sincerely upon him (in the use of the means of his own prescription to us) and to Resign up ourselves unto him, as both Original and Final to us in all points. To ourselves, to be Just, Chaste, Temperate and Charitable, for neither are our Bodies, nor our Souls our own. To the rest of God's family, both Man and Beast, we own the Tribute of Justice, Respect, Love, Charity, to behave ourselves toward them all according to the dictates of Natural Light, and superadded Reason (God's Candle) and Divine Revelation, couched in Holy Writ: Homo homini Deus, and not Lupus; we should act towards our fellow Creatures after that Copy that God blessed for ever hath set us, in his Philanthropy, or kindness to us; that is, to help, instruct, respect, and compassionate them upon all occasions and emergencies that happen; and not at all hurt, injure, defraud, or disquiet any one part or member of his Family in the World: This is real Religion or true Virtue.  
So that real Religion consists in an humble, just and generous Disposition or Temper of Mind, that habitually prompts and inclines a Man to Love and Goodwill, towards the whole Family of God, to visit and relieve such as are distressed, or uneasy, to deal fairly and honestly withal Mankind, even Foes as well as Friends and Allies; and to preserve ourselves, and (as far as we can) others from the pollutions of the Mind and Body, to do Justly, walk Humbly (that is Holily) and to love Mercy. And it doth by no means consist in those things which (is an Epidemical mistake of well affected persons in the World) are not the End, but the means of acquiring it, as Hearing, Reading, Praying, and Christian conference and meditation; but a frame and constitution of Heart, vigorously actuated by an energetical Faith, a lively Hope, and an universal Charity. For to love and respect only Benefactors, and to revenge indignities and affronts offered to us, without any just provocation given, etc. 
Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum.   
Scribes, Pharisees and Heathens, arrived to that pass; but Evangelical Precepts and Precedents extend a great deal further, as to teach us to embrace a common Enemy; and neither to give, nor yet receive provocations to wrath. To deny ourselves in many things indifferent, and to restrain our appetites and passions in many cases where not exorbitant. To be as cunning as a Serpent, and harmless as a Dove in the whole course of our Conversations; to become all things to all Men, that we may gain upon some; and in some cases, and for some persons, even to venture our Lives and Fortunes for them.  
Revealed Religion no where enterferes with, or controls, that natural Religion, or Law of Nature which we are endued with, upon our entrance into the World; but all the Rules and Directions thereof are in affirmation and in enlargement of them; which is worthy our Observation.  
Religion (in sano sensu) extends itself all over the World, (as well as the Gospel doth all over Christendom) and is seated in the Conscience, which is God's Vicegerent, that approves or condemns, accuses or excuses, all the actions of intellectual voluntary Agents; read Rom. 1. The fundamental part of Religion is co-natural to, and as inherent in, an Intelligent Agent, as Reason itself is; wherefore whoever of them lives without some sense of his subjection to, or dependence upon his Maker, is a moral Monster; (which is the greatest prodigy in the whole World) for an Ox to know his Owner, and an Ass his Master, and yet for a Man of higher senses, and intellectual faculties, framed on purpose to reflect on, grope after, and understand his own Constitution, Duty, and Dependence; to disown or be ignorant of a Deity, is an unaccountable thing in Morality.  
Religion is (in short) that thing which does distinguish a Man from a Brute. And Virtue or Piety is that which makes a Man appear to be an intellectual voluntary Agent, for nothing else can be such; to wit, a thing that can choose or refuse good or bad; and that owns his dependence upon a Sovereign goodness: without whose Care, Conduct, and Authentication, he could neither have nor continue in a Being. Men and Angels are only such a sort of existency; and Virtue or Religion belongs properly to no body else in Nature, some shadows and umbrages there are of a seeming Religion in inferior Entities, but they cannot amount unto true Religion, because they are only prompted by Instinct, or natural Laws, that oblige them to choose, or refuse, what only is Decorous and Healthy, which are their summa bona, or chief good.  
But he that is truly Religious or Virtuous, takes a real delight in regular motions and rational operations, as homogeneal and connatural to his Constitution and Nature. This is a right Jurisprudent; for it is a true Maxim, as well as an old one, that Plures sunt quos cogit Timor, sed Meliores, quos ducit Amor; or in Metre thus, 
Oderunt peccare mali, formidine poenae,  
Oderunt peccare boni, virtutis amore.   
That is, 
A good Man's so for goodness sake,  
A bad Man fears (not Love) so make.   
A Jurisprudent in our sense is radically Religious, that is, ready to do all good Offices unto all Mankind, and loves so to do. And I am of Opinion, that Animal Religiosum, a Religious Animal is a more proper Definition of a Man, than Animal Rationale, or a Reasonable Creature; for as much as Virtue or Religion is an inseparable property, as the Logicians call it Quarto Modo, or four ways. That is, 

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

II. De Deo & Eternitate. Of God and Eternity.  
WHereof who can speak without a Solecism, or write without a Barbarism, or think without an Extacy. Deus optimus, maximus intimior nobis est intimo nostro; could the Heathen say: Est Deus in nobis, agitante calescimus ipso,  
That is, 
God, the best and greatest thing,  
Animates us with his Wing:  
Nothing in us is so near,  
Nor any object half so dear.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Man is his offspring, derives from him, subsists by him, and lives in him, and returns to him; he is both original and final to him: The Fountain and Father of Love, Life, Power, Wisdom and Immortality; whereupon the best Philosophers assert and hold, That Animus cujusque est is quisque▪ the mind is the Man: He is that he is which is the best definition that he hath given us of himself, who cannot conceive aright of him, but (ex post facto,) by his Backparts or the results and effects of his glorious and transcendent Attributes of Wisdom, Power, Goodness and Patience so long as we stand committed to a Body, from which when emancipated and released possibly we may enjoy a more adequate knowledge of him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, à parte ante & à parte post. Our fullest apprehensions both of him and of Eternity, while incarcerated with Flesh and Bone, consisting principally in Negative notions of his Nature, and incomprehensible excellencies and perfections. Howbeit, our Dignity and our Duty it is, here below, to ruminate very frequently, and pathetically, upon those eternal enjoyments that are so radical to our very constitutions; for want of the lively hopes whereof (whereunto we are begotten by the Resurrection of our blessed Emanuel) we had been the most miserable part of all God's Creation. Our topping attainments here are to Copy out his imitable Attributes and Perfections, as the genuine Child doth patrissare, that is imitate his Parent, and strives to be as exquisite as his Father in all accomplishments and perfections that he is capable off: Homo homini Deus, is a certain Rule, Man's made, framed, and designed to be in the foresaid regards, a God to the rest of his heavenly Father's family here in the World, as the holy Angels in that upper-family are subservient Spirits unto the Heirs of Salvation.  
It's high time for us to begin so to Ruminate and Consider (as aforesaid) as soon as ere we are capable to prevaricate after the similitude of our Forefather Adam's enormity or trespass.  
Nullum numen abest ubi sit prudentia, quamqu●,  
Nos colimus (Faustine) Deam, coeloque locamus.  
God is eternal Prudence or Wisdom, and the only source and original of all other existencies and excellencies, and also final and ultimate of all: the serious and digested consideration whereof; that we must terminate in Eternity either in point of happiness or misery, is enuff to astonish any intellectual voluntary agent that is created, who hath not a deep sense of his relation to and dependence on him fo● ever. He is by no means a Jurisprudent, who aims not in all his Counsels, Cogitations and Contrivances at Eternity; and has not a mediate or immediate regard to it in omnibus; and that considers not universally, and handles all points of humane affairs accordingly; that he is here but as it were by the By, and at best in a state of Probation and Pilgrimage, for a spurt of time not worth a thought, were it not in order to, and in persuance of, and preparatory for Eternity. God's infinite Love, the dwelling upon which contemplation for some considerable time, would animate and steer the course of Mankind by the true compass, and prevent an innumerable company of destructions and irreparable mischiefs, which daily happen unto stupid or unconsiderate Men. Time, as one (wittily but truly) called it, is the needle that draws after it the long thread of Eternity, but for the enjoyment whereof, it were worth no Man's while to be hurli-burlied here in the World. A calm and steady notion, or conception of Eternity, is alone sufficient to a Jurisprudent to make him weary of the World's achievements and blandishments, and utterly wean him from an eager pursuit of any temporary acquisition, it will direct him to serve himself of (and not to be enslaved to) the present World; and to be a Council in no Cause which hath not a prospect of an Eternal Fee or Reward. Prudent was the practice of that Heathen Poet, who declared, 
Et mihi res, non me rebus submittere conor.  
My business is, to take care, and to see  
That business evermore stoop unto me.  Prudens incipit à fine, say Philosophers, A wise Man gins at the End, that is, its first in intention, though last in execution. To square our means and methods so, as they may be sure to tend (ad Infinitum) toward Eternity, which is our ultimate End, is the genuine character and practice of our Jurisprudent, ss. Eternal weal, not woe; which principles of his reduced into practice, will seal his conveyance thither for certain; since one of his best principles is, 
Id certum est, quod certum reddi potest:  
That hath enuff of Certainty  
Which doth demonstrate ere we die  
The prospect of Eternity.   
That the felicity of Heavenly enjoyments is Eternal, was never yet a Moo●-point (as I know) though the Eternity o● Torment hath; howbeit it's agreed on al● Hands, by Sage and Religious Jurisprudents that à parte post, or for the future ever voluntary and intelligent agent, as Man is must expect an Eternal duration, whe● united again, after a mortal divorce o● Soul and Body: Wherefore we hold that Satius est cavere semper, quam perire semel It's much more adviceable to be always Cautious, than once to be ruined either i● Time, or Eternity. Summum Jus, is God and Eternity; that is, the supreme Righ● and Law, and the proper centre of i● mortal Souls; therefore all the lines 〈◊〉 our circumferences regularly aught to t●minate there. That is, all our contriva●ces and transactions here in time, should be framed and steered by that Eternal compass: 
For we are here but by the by,  
Only to be tried and to try,  
What 'tis to live, and how to die,  
Sleep, dream, and wake t'Eternity.  I am fully of opinion, that this one Po● or Consideration of God and Eternity (which we can't easily separate in our thoughts) well and daily weighed and digested duly, will prove the best Panpharmacon, or universal Antidote, against all extrajudicial and degenerate deportments of ourselves, unbecoming the Rank and Quality of our State and Profession here below; and our Relation that we stand in unto God and Man.  
He that well understands that he is not sui Juris, not his own property, nor put into Being only to serve himself, or to control others; but to be ruled and managed by the Laws of his Creation, and is but a precarious and dependant Creature, tho' in the uppermost form here. And that he hourly is continued and supported in Being, to the end that he may be obsequious to the Laws of his Sovereign Benefactor, and Auxiliary and useful to the rest of Mankind, according to his capacity and qualification from above; in promoting his own and their both Temporal and Eternal welfare, will easily be persuaded, that he is divinae particula aurae: that is, a spark of an Eternal flame, and a divine offspring; and that his principal interest, concern and acquaintance is vested in the next World, whither he is swiftly hastening out of this unto God and Eternity; and consequently make use of this but as of a Scale or Ladder to climb up to that, withal all reasonable and prudent expedition and security. Now to conceive a right of Eternal Goodness, Wisdom, and Power, that the notion may best affect and influence our minds, which are not capable to comprehend so vast an object; we may judiciously collect in our serenest imaginations the abstract of his imitable perfections, of Love, Power, Wisdom, Patience, Justice and Mercy, etc. by those glorious instances that his Word and Works exert. And then adore and admire what you possibly cannot comprehend, the Clemency, Glory and Eternal goodness of that God that hath allied you to him so transcendently, and been so superlatively beneficent to you and all Mankind, in your narrow tract of time, whom Eternity itself will be a pattern straight enuff to bless and magnify when time shall be no more. Having not only made a World for us, and planted us as Vicegerents to him in it; but after we made defection from him, by our violation of his original Sanction in Paradise, to contrive that the seed of the Woman (that was the occasion of our Degeneration and Apostasy) should break the Serpent's head that was the fundamental cause of our failing: For as the Logicians distinguist well, Satan was the Causa procatarctica, o● original cause of our Lapes; but the Woman Causa proegumene, or main inducement thereof; and that after the fullness of time was accomplished, for the said breaking his Head, that had bruised our Heel; that still that Divine and adorable Philanthropy, or Love to Mankind, should further extend itself, as after our Saviour's Ascension and departure from us, to commissionate his Holy Spirit to succeed him, and to comfort and encourage Mankind in all the ways of new obedience, that nothing supernatural (as well as rational) should be wanting to perfect our both Temporal and Eternal felicity. This is worth our while a little further to ruminate upon, and to consider how far we are supplied with a further Auxiliary, how the Divine Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, negotiates with Mankind, in persuance of his Eternal happiness; is a noble Point, and worthy of the contemplation of a Jurisprudent to purpose, and (with submission to greater Theological Judgements) we are of Opinion that it operates not Enthusiastically, (as many hold) or indirectly and imperceptibly influencing of the minds of Men, out of the usual course of means, prescribed to us in the Gospel, or Divine revelation for our acquiring of Eternal happiness, which we call Salvation; but by the mediation of our rational faculties, and diligent pursuit of such means of Grace and Glory, we are obliged to entertain as consideration, conference, instruction, and applications by Prayer, and thankful Recognitions of, and Praising for, and rejoicings in such Benefactions, Comforts, and Aids Divine, which we daily and hourly enjoy, by that miraculous undertaking of our Saviour's passion, and intercession, together with the subsequent negotiations of the Holy Ghost, by the ministration of Angels, and the co-operations of him with our sincere and rational, operations, in and about the accomplishment of our Salvation or Eternal felicity. He it is that works in us and for us, both a velleity, or willingness; and excites and helps us forward to action, as St. Paul expressly declares, The same Holy Spirit doth doubtless help our infirmities, and animates us in our defects of humane frailties; and as well in meditations of, as in application to him, prompts us to and prevents us in our persuits after Eternal happiness. He that lives without God in the World, surely lives without any sense of this Divine superintendence over and in us all; how can else our Saviour's words be verified, That this Comforter (which is himself under another notion) should teach and conduct us in the knowledge of whatsoever may conduce unto Eternal life. If we heed and regard him, questionless he is at hand, rebuking, reinforcing, and inciting us to every good Word or Work. But this is a new (or rather unconsidered on) Doctrine, since our Saviour's departure from us, who told us when he went away, that he would not leave us destitute of the like aids and supplies, (as he afforded us when he was among us) to inform, to encourage, and to direct us in the dark, how to grope out our way to everlasting happiness. He sometimes by the Ministry of good Angels prompts us, sometimes by the mediation of our rational and considerate faculties suggests and influences us, sometimes by the interposition of evil Angels suffers us to be tempted and prevented from many a good enterprise, or undertaking, of his good pleasure and free condescension; all which Divine aids and influences, as procured for us, by the prodigious merits and intercession of our Redeemer, whereof no man can give a particular account any more than of the motion of the Wind, that blows when and where it listeth, the impression whereof we mortals find and feel, but can't unfold whence it comes, or whether it goes; but are sure that every regenerate person do perticipate of those operations, to all good effects and purposes, and without them are wholly impotent: This is that Light that is kindled in all that are born, this is that Dove that brooding on the Waters, in six days, hatched the visible World; and this is that Spiritus intus alens, that Energy that stimulates Mankind to all good Works; as the Poet himself of old darkly discerned, 
Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo.  
God is within us actuating, and  
We tepifie by feeling his warm Hand.  Hereupon lies a Jursprudent his stress, that if he be true to himself, he's secure of Divine aid in his Study and Practise of the Canon, Civil, or the Common Law of Mankind, be it Secular or Supernatural, and further acquiesces herein also; that the Humane Verdicts or Judgements, whether for the Plaintiff or Defendant, in the cause of his Client, will be Arrested and set aside one day or other, if not entered, or given according to the pattern of sound words; which is his original Warrant for all his Sentiments, Pleas, Opinions and Practices, from the first day of his Practice to his life End.  
Deo optimo maximo sit Gloria in sempiterno secula sine Fine.  
To God the Best, the Greatest, send  
Thanks and praises World without End.   

III. De Angelis & Animis. Of Angels and Souls.  
THe Soul (in statu seperato) unbodyed is very near a Kin to an Angel, and in point of Constitution, but a little lower. It's the Duty and Dignity of them both, to be particularly subservient and ministerial Agents unto Mankind's eternal Interest and Happiness, the one as Spirits commissionated from Heaven to negotiate for the Heirs of Salvation, the other to imitate his Maker in becoming (Homo Homini Deus) God's Proxy to his fellow Creature, for it's truly said, Animus cujusque est is quisque; 'Tis the Mind that is the Man, the Care and charge or Commission aforesaid of the Angels, the Father of Lies himself owned to be true before the blessed Archangel of the new Covent in the Wilderness, Luk▪ 4.10.  
But, whether every Individual Man and Woman have a Tutelar Angel, which hath by worthy and learned Divines, and others, from that expression in holy Writ of Peter's Angel; been so long controverted, that it remains a Polemical or moot-point to this day. All that I therefore judge adviseable as yet to assert therein is that it's valde probabile, non probatum very probable, but not proved; Howbeit both the new and especially the old Testament demonstrate their general care of, and concern for the Church of God, and every numerical member thereof, and that with eagerness and outstretched necks they pry into the mysterious Contrivance of Divine Philanthropy, and our Saviour's Incarnation for the Redemption of the lapsed Creation, and the Immortality of our Souls hath more probable and pregnant Jndications than the Existence, nature, or operations of the holy Angels out of the holy Writ; as the inadequateness (sensibly to be perceived by us) of any sublunary or created enjoyment in point of plenary satisfaction to the powers and faculties of our Souls we still discern a plus ultrà, or a further reach and aspiration after more, both in quantity and quality, than we can upon our highest pitch of attainment meet withal here below; as the Poet said, 
Quo plus sunt Potae, plus sitiuntur aquae.  
The more of these waters we drink,  
The thirstier we grow, we think.  Also the indefatigability of our Minds and Souls, ex vi termini, imports an Immortal temper and Constitution of them, all thing else by toils and fatigues languish and require recruits by rest, but the more vigorous and athletic our Souls are, without repose or intermissions, the more they improve and prosper, Sleep, nor Sickness prevents not their nimble and strenuous operation, though they clog them.  
Whether they are propagated or infused has been another Polemical (or moot) point time out of mind, but (for my part) I can't imagine any good reason to evince the Infusion, nor to invalidate the belief that they are (ex traduce) propagated; the original fiat of Almighty Power may reasonably be supposed to infuse at first such an Energy as to produce an Homogeneal Derivation of the whole Compositum, and as a Candle kindles ten thousand more by the same Light, which it receives by another Hand, without any diminution of its own flame: so may the production of infinite pluralities, of the same species, be apprehended, to commence without any miraculous or supernatural concurrence, since the Work of God's Creation is ceased.  
And as to the Transmigration of them, which the Pythagorean Philosophers of old, and many other Modern Virtuosoes since, have tenaciously asserted: I can by no means reconcile that Notion, to the Principles of Reason or Religion, and therefore hold it not operae pretium to attempt the refutation thereof.  
How and in what manner its subsistence is, after separation from, until its reunion unto the Body natural; some probable conjectures from Divine Writ, and reason may be plausibly made, as that it is in a passive condition, or lesser degree of happiness than after the Resurrection of the Body, and their mutual glorification, it can be capable of enjoying, from that expression of our blessed Saviour on the Cross, to the Malefactor in his Crucifiction, That he should be that very day with him in Paradise; which word we meet not with elsewhere in Scripture save once, 2 Cor. 12. and may seem therefore to import some other degree of happiness than may reasonably be presumed, Soul and Body in conjunction may perceive and enjoy, it's certainly received (if a sanctified Soul) into Abrams bosom, or into its Creator's custody, care and possession, as the surrendering thereof into his Hands clearly implies; and must therefore needs be in ease, and happiness; but we are as uncapable here to comprehend distinctly the nature and quality of its felicity, as we are of our circumstances upon Earth, whilst in the Womb. That the degrees of future happiness are as various as of our present atainments here in (Statu viatorum) our pilgrimage, is evident enuff to intellectual Optics, both from Scripture and Reason there be least and there be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Gospel declares; and Thomas Aquinas his Rule may reasonably be understood as well de futuris as praesentibus, of our future as well as present capacities, that Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis; that is, according to the capacity of the subject must all be received to its utmost. Happiness includes full satisfaction; and such an enjoyment implies an exemption from further desires or expectations, and (Si magnis componere parva licebit) if the comparison be not odious, we may take some measure (methinks) of the nature and quality of future bliss and happiness, by the highest degree of humane felicity which (we know) doth consist in a plerofory, or exuberance of Health, Wealth, Peace, Power, Love and Delight, to such a pitch and degree, that there remains no more room for further wishes, or desires within the confines of Mortality.  
And the more intellectual and refined, are the results of our satisfaction, in and from these sensible objects and fruitions the nearer is their resemblance, and affinity to those Eternal and increated felicities and enjoyments in Reversion in the other World. Angels are proper Company for immortal Souls, by Divine Designation, as well as agreeable Constitutions; but the nature of either the one or the other, we are not here in Circumstances or Capacities to understand, but darkly, and by conjecture; though we are well enough assured of their Employments and supernatural Existencies, and Words would b● wanting to express if their Faculties wer● not to conceive of the future State of either of their Felicities, that are filled with the fruition of the beatifical Visions of the most High.  
Of the Souls immortality, many of the Jurisprudent Heathens were sensible: Witness one of their final Ejaculations.  
Animula, vagula, blaudula  
— quo vadis? etc.  
Thou volatile, affable, little Soul of mine,  
Whether art thou going? Oh most Divine   

IU. De Coelo & Foelicitate. Of Heaven and Happiness.  
QUestionless, Happiness, is Heaven and neither of them are Local, bu● are a State and Condition of Existence with the best Advantages and Circumstances that human or Divine Nature is capable of; which Enjoyments consist of rarified and intellectual Pleasures and Satisfactions. And very remarkable it is, that as Felicity and Heaven consists in a Frame and Temper of Mind and Spirit agreeable to the Company wherewith the Party is circumstantiated out of all reach of Danger, Pain, or Disturbance.  
So that Happiness arises from the reflection of our Minds upon past and present actions, and rumination on the future. A good and a wise Man must needs be happy (be he where he will), but a wicked Man (and a fool) can't be truly so, let the World smile upon him never so much, for the Reason's aforesaid, that it's no local thing, nor depends not (wholly) upon athing without us, but a Temper and Constitution of Mind, Religious and Virtuous Inclinations and Actions; whence it observably happens, that such a man takes more pleasure and delight really in all that he doth to, or suffers unjustly from other Folks, than they can do that receive his Benefactions, be they never so indigent; or that inflict Pain or Scorn upon him, be they never so potent or malicious.  
Happiness being our Summum Bonum, or topping Attainment here as well as hereafter. Rather than miss of the main Chance, all sorts of Mankind flatter themselves with the Picture and Shadow of it, where they cant meet with the Substance, and strive to cheat themselves with Wine or Women, Gaming, or counterfeit Friendship, and other Enjoyments (or Experiments in Consort, for Felicity is not genuine, nor can subsist in Egoity or Selfishness) rather than endure the Fatigue and Misery that a sense of Unhappiness naturally produces.  
Happiness is the Quintessence of all true and rational Pleasure and Delight, it's resolved unanimously by almost all the Philosophers in the World, that its better not to be at all, than not to be happy more or less. So lies it within the reach and compass of every individual, considerate, intelligent Agent (of what Rank or Quality soever) to be happy, and at ease (if they be in a right and healthy temper and constitution;) whence it follows, that Heaven and Happiness are not things wholly in Abeyance or future, but may and often do commence in this Life; and differ not essentially (but gradually) from eternal Felicity, and as the Schoolmen say, Quoad magis & minus, more or less, as the Sun differs from the Stars; and as the Spirit (or intellectual Faculties) of Man is a Lamp or Candle of his Creators lighting up (as the Sophy Solomon assures us) Prov. 24, So are all our sublunary Felicities, but Lightning-flashes, (as it were) derived from the Father of Lights, and Homogenial, with those eternal Heavenly Flames of Happiness; above which, as well as ourselves, may truly be called his Offspring; for Happiness (in sano sensn) is utterly inconsistent with Uncleanness, and depravity of Mind and Temper.  
Denominatio fit à Majori, as the Schoolmen observe; that is, a Denomination (or Character must ever be made or deduced from the greater part of the Constitution; as for instance, no man lives who is not emfatically sinful, nor scarce any man in being, that sometime or other doth not exert and discover virtuous and commendable Acts and Inclinations; but we must not call or account him a Religious or a Virtuous man, that makes the Course of his Life generally a Trade and Practice of Immorality and Villainy; nor him an irreligious and profligate Wretch, that in the main Course of his Conversation, acts uprightly, and walks humbly and honestly and conscientiously before and towards God and Man; so neither can we pronounce him an happy man, who steers his general Conversation counter to all virtuous Precepts and Precedents, though he seem to enjoy and possess great Affluence and Health in the World; nor him miserable or unhappy, that is just and generous, compassionate and well affected toward all Mankind, though he seem to be indigent, and his Foot often slip, but he recovers himself, and runs his true Course of Virtue with Resolution and Delight.  
Happiness consists not at all in the Quan●um but the Quale of Enjoyment; not in Quantity but Quality of our Attainments, and particularly in the Mind. Whoever is at ease in his Mind, under a rational sense of his own Sincerity, and of Divine Benefactions to him, is questionless the happy Man, and without such well grounded Apprehensions, and intellectual Reflections, no man (adult) can be possibly happy: Let his other Circumstances and Concerns in the World be what you can imagine them to be, notwithstanding. As for that (improperly so called) Happiness, which is chief sensual, but laudable, and often adjuvant or contributory to the true intellectual and immortal Happiness of the Soul or Mind. Solomo● gives me the best account in the World o● it, and assures us with all, that its a singular divine Benefaction, to wit, for a Ma● to taste and enjoy the sweet of all his Pains and Fruit of his Endeavours, by eating and drinking his Bread and Wine with a cheerful Heart, and grateful Resentment of the Bounty of the most High, who hath been pleased to create much more abundance for man, his Delight, than necessity of support, and is pleased with the cheerfulness of his Creature, filling their Heart with Joy and Gladness, as well as furnishing them with fruitful Seasons, upon which consideration, I conceive is, that Jotha● tells us, Wine cheers the Heart of God an● Man.  
And the Wise Man (Prov. ult.) advises his Son Lemuel to give to such as are Sorrowful and Chagreen, Wine and strong Drink (to choose, rather than to others that live at a Luxurious Rate already) to the end that they may divert or forget their Poverty and Sorrow, and be happy. If the greatest of all the Apostles was translated out of the Body into the third Heaven, and when returned, was not able to describe the excellency of it; but negatively, all Mankind after him may well be at a Loss, to express what no man's mind is able to conceive of future happiness. Heaven in the Abstract (methinks) can be nothing else but a State of Enjoyment, which can neither admit of alteration or addition of further Satisfaction, and that must needs be the Centre of infinite Goodness. That great Egyptian Philosopher Moses, seemed to commit a great Solecism, when he desired with mortal Eyes to view the Face of ●he most High, for we know that Ingens visibile destruit sensum, the vastness and disproportion of the Object confounds the Sense, as the Sun dazzles the Eyes that stairs upon it.  
Happiness contains therefore an adequat proportion of Joy or Delight, upon the Reflection of the good Circumstances that ●ny one is sensible he is in, and therefore ●o Creature but Angels and Men can properly be counted happy for; Faelicitas fundatur in intellectu, Felicity is founded in Intellectuals; so that its a State or Condition incompetent to, non Intelligent, or sensual Agents; who acquiess in being easy and at rest, and free from Pain, or a negative Happiness; in which sense they are happy that are unconcerned. True Happiness is begotten, conceived and brought forth between the Sentiments of doing, and o● receiving good; reciprocally, as between God and Man, and between Man and Man, or Man and Woman, and is not a mere passive Enjoyment, but active and diffusive; in which sense I apprehend the genuine Meaning of those Words of our Creator (who continued Man's Happiness ab initio, and promotes it the futuro) that it is not good for him to subsist alone, tha● is not a State of true Happiness until h● had accompanied him with an Helpmeet, that is commensurate in all points to Man● Circumstances and Condition not only o● prolification, but chief of Conversation and Correspondence. God only is capable of Happiness within himself; all Creatures uncapable, but ab extra, by Derivation, or Communication from, without himself, I am persuaded, that the happiest condition of humane Life in this World, is where, and when he finds the least noise, and pains, and most quiet and peace, for we cant pretend here to arrive at more than a passive or negative Felicity at best; to be free from Cares and Fears and Pains; (actual or active Felicity is a dainty reserved for Eternity) as the Lyric Poet expresses it: 
Faelices ter & amplius,  
Quos irrupta tenet copula,  
Nec malis divulsa querimoniis,  
The greatest Happiness to us,  
Is for to want Obstreperus  
Complaints, and Litigations; hence  
We maintain good Correspondence.   
The ready way to arrive at this Point, is to be as unconcerned in the World as may be possible; especially in giving Hostages to Fortune, as a wise and learned Jurisprudent Lord Bacon of the last Age expresses it, that is, prolification; generally such seeming Cordials become Corrosives; for the Confirmation whereof, I'll only appeal to general Experience, though I might quote the Opinion of that Sage Lawyer St. Paul (in this point) who was Pupil to Gamaliel. The less any one is immersed in the Affairs, Cares, and Hurliburlies of Life, the more advantage he has abundantly to be happy, easy, and quietly affected. In short, no Man or Woman in the World are happy, except they are morally sure that their proper and best Interest is secure; that is, that they are exempted and freed from any contracted Gild that will be charged upon them, for want either of regularly acting according to the Principles of their Creation, or else for lack of recanting and revoking in sincerity what e'er they have done amiss, which is Tantamount to a non-Peccance; for the Heathen said truly.  
Quem penitet peccasse, pènè est innocens.  
Who e'er doth really repent and rue  
What he hath failed in, doth renew.  
All Felicity, both above and below, is founded in Innocence and sincerity, and according to the genuine meaning of all Words and Actions must be the right Acceptation and Construction on a moral account.  
Honi Soit qui mal y pense,  
The Evil belongs to him that takes it so.  
Happiness lies in a little room, and he that would obtain it, must never think amiss of any thing or person that he ca● reasonably think well on; this Jewel is not to be procured ab extra, from without us, but ab intrà, from within. All outward accidents can never make any on● happy or unhappy, but Happiness and Felicity lie within our own reach; in the temper of Mind, and the good Discipline, Order and Decorum of the intellectual Faculties, and to all effects and purposes when all's done.  
Nemo ante obitum, supremaque fnnera faelix.  
There's no man truly happy till  
He's hence translated from all ill.   

V De Diabolo & Gehenna. Of the Devil and Hell.  
NEither of which can I conceive to be any particular Place or Person; the later being evidently a state of all imaginaginable extremity of misery, contracted by contumacious Impenitence, under the irrecoverable and endless sense of Divine Displeasure, upon a guilty Conscience, exactly opposite every way to divine Happiness. The former may be therefore most probably described to be the Apostate Angels, influencing the Faculties of man's Soul, who hath by ill Customs and Principles, depraved and thereby rendered himself liable and obnoxious to the Impressions and Temptations of those envious and incorrigibly wicked and tormented Spirits; who being under the desperate sense and pains of Divine Vengeance, make it their whole business, finally to ruin Mankind; in pursuance of the first insolent Invasion made upon our Forefather in Paradise. They are Legions, and their Quarters not Local. Devil, is nomen Collectivum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Destroyer of, or common Enemy to Mankind, none of those evil Spirits can hurt us, till they have gained our Consent; wherefore, so long as we retain the Power over our own Wills, we are out of danger of their Temptations, so that as a wise man cannot love, so he need not at all fear them while he stands upon the Guard of his Reason and Religion, which (by that all-sufficient and divine Grace, that is not wan●ing unto any man, who is not grossy negligent of, and wanting to himself) are hi● Shield and Buckler against all Assaults for all Diabolical Advantages upon us, an● gained by Fraud and Treachery, and almost always by Surprisal, before we tak● a little time to consider on the Temptation, which is very observable; but the● must we be sure to hold on, and persevere in well doing, or we cheat our self worse than we were cheated before, which reminds me of the old Saying.  
The Devil was sick, the Devil a Monk would be;  
The Devil was well, the Devil a Monk was he.  
Without our Consent to obliquity, th● evil Spirits which haunt us, have no Pow● over, or Influence on us, because we a● both Intellectual or Rational, and voluntary or free Agents. Deliberate but a whil● and your Reason will convince you th● his Temptations are weak; and if you act not against your own Judgement, Almighty Grace, that is ever cooperating with you in your Determinations, will infallibly make you too hard for them all. A serious and thorough Persuasion of the Torments of Hell, one would think, should be the most cogent Argument in the World, to frighten an intelligent and immortal Agent from the greatest Pleasures that he can imagine (if they were never so real) may be enjoyed in the ways of Obliquity and Vice. Plures sunt quos cogit timor, sed meliores quos ducir Amor. More are they that fear drives, but better they whom Love leads, said a wise Father of old. As (ex Ungue Leonem) a Lion may be conjectured at by his Claw; so may the dreadful Pains of Hell hereafter, by the Flashes and Twitches of a guilty Conscience, under a thorough Sense of God's high Displeasure, and Desperation of Pardon, after final Obstinacy and Impenitence, which undoubtedly many Desparadoes in ●his World feel the smarts of bitterly; and that is truly Hell in its Inchoation, or Beginning; when a guilty Conscience is thoroughly awakened, and those Divine Terrors stuck like Arrows of eternal Vengeance. ●nto the Soul of such a Malefactor.   

VI De Vitio & Peccato. Of Sin and Vice.  
IN the Sense and Opinion of a Jurisprudent, whatsoever is irregular or obliquity, is castigable or reprimandable; that is whatever deviates or swerves from its Original Constitution is Vice, and is morally monstrous; if it be an intellectual Agen● that departs or transgresses. It is very remarkable, that all inferior Agents kee● their Course better and more steadily that Man doth: Sense and Instinct is the● Conduct; but Reason and Opinion an● Humour induces man to degenerate, which i● strange it should (if duly considered.) Depravation of Appetite and of Desire's seduc● him, for that which is most useful to him and most agreeable for him, he seldo● complies withal, because of that Pravi● that the Guise and Custom of his Education or Examples disposes him unto, ● inconsiderately folllows and pursues.  
This vulgar Error is easily corrected 〈◊〉 our Jurisprudent, If he doth but serious consider, that there can be no real and intellectual Pleasure in Obliquity, and a certain shame, Remorse and Pain will be su●● to follow. All Experience evinces th● Truth, that while a Man keeps his Min● company, the very present and sensual Enjoyments are truly unpleasant and uneasy, as well as unwarrantable and vicious. Reflection upon a vicious Word or Deed, will give any one the best Account of this Consideration, and of the Deformity of that, it is altogether Nonsense upon a Rational or Moral account, for any one to say 
Video meliora, proboque,  and yet, 
Deteriora sequor—  That is, 
I see what's better, and approveed;  
But yet what's vicious, I loved.  As Plato said of Virtue, that if we did but view Her naked, we should all be in love with her Features; so may we as truly say of Vice, that if we narrowly contemplated Her Deformity and ill Consequences, we all should primâ Fancy, detest her at the first View, renounce and defy Her; and it's a mere palpable Cheat by Her Dress and Attire, that at any time She beguiles and seduces a thinking well-affected Agent. And observe it well, it is unnatural, as well as improper and unaccountable, for an intelligent and voluntary Agent to consent unto Obliquity, that is, to what is plainly pernicious and ruinous to his very Constitution and Principles. It's also less pains for any one to keep himself to rights, than it is to be Eccentrick and extravagant. To determine ourselves (in the use of our Liberty) to that which is right, or which is wrong, is that that denominates any Man Vicious or Virtuous, and its the frivolous Suggestions and Guises of the inconsiderate part of the World, that biasses and perverts such settled Determinations.—  
Sin and Vice interrupts the Intercourse that would otherwise be considerable between God and Men, between Men and Angels, between Man and Man; for it's the greatest Deformity in the whole Creation; Man had never been acquainted with Pain, Sorrow, or with Death, but for this.  
To be Vicious or Sinful, is to deviate and swerve from the Rule of Right, which is implanted in us radically as soon as we come into being. By that Hegemonicon, our Reason, we come to discern, and discriminate judiciously between Wrong and Right, Good and Bad, Virtue and Vice; it is not a Quality that we bring with us into the World; but by ill Habits or Examples we take it up here; although we are all Born and Conceived of sinful Parents, yet we come into the World at first (as the Platonists well observe) as abrasa tabula, like a white piece of Paper, and no more inclinable to Vice than to Virtue, nor possibly half so much, if well considered. So that (the Taint of Adam's Defection, notwithstanding,) I am of Opinion, that were it not for the contracted Contagion of ill Examples, ill Customs, and ill Educations that quickly become Habits (for the Logicians rightly assert, that Habits are acquired by repeated Actions.) A Man (that is naturally Animal, Mite, Rationale, & Religiosum too) would easier receive virtuous Impressions (ab incunabulis) from his Cradle, than vicious, for the former are more homogeneal to his nature than the latter, for vicious Men themselves, disapprove (in cool Blood, we find) vicious Courses in others, and choose to entrust or to deal with virtuous rather than vicious ones in any Matters of importance; which very thing makes it out plainly, that Vice is Heterogeneal to the Nature and Constitution of Mankind, as well as every way pernicious. What a Disease or Sickness is to the Body, that is an Obliquity to the Mind, a Man's Cropsick and uneasy under Gild of Sin; let him say what he please, if his intellectual Sentiments are awake, and his Conscience not seerd and stupefied; but a just and sincere man's as bold and healthy as a Lion; whereas a Man of a vicious Conversation is never easy, but when in a Hurry, and imposes upon, and cheats his own best Understanding; and whensoe'er he gives himself time to consider and reflect, he's at his Wits End, and confounded; I will but appeal to individual persons on Experience in this Point. Every one hath a Conscience, and every one's Conscience that listens to its Language doth unquestionably accuse and excuse him by fits and turns, according as he is Virtuously or Viciously affected in the general Course of his Life: Allowances are and will hereafter be made to Humane Failings and Miscarriages by Surprisal, or Inadvertency in many cases; but 'tis the Tenor and Coarse of Life, in the main, that does denominate any Virtuous or Vicious. If Honesty and Sincerity be at the bottom, a Man has much to say for himself that miscarries; but if Hypocrisy or obstinate Humou● conduct him, he's a moral Prodigy, and emphatically Vicious and Sinful: For it's the Consent of the Mind, and the Allowance of a Man's self in a Course of Prevarication or Obliquity, that makes him properly bear the Character of a Wicked or Vicious Person, for there's no Man lives that is not Extravagant and Sinful, pro hoc Cunum, as the Schoolmen distinguish (now and then) nor the most Lewd and Vicious, but sometimes says or doth that which is Orthodox and Regular, but the Habit, or general wont of any one's Conversation is the main Point that denominates; I say, him one or the other, and generally we may observe, that half the Pains and Cost and Care that men take to deboach themselves, would serve turn to keep themselves up to the Rules of Right and of Virtue; remarkable further 'tis, that Uno dato absurdo infivita sequuntur, that is, Enormities are very prolifical, for admit but one profound Absurdity or Obliquity, and ten thousand follow of Course. So that a Sinner of this sort cannot tell where to stint himself; such is the Concatenation of Cardinal Vices; the like may be said of Cardinal Virtues, and therefore Plato said very well, that there's but one Virtue in the World; to wit, Sanity of Mind, or an healthy Constitution in the Soul. And 'tis very observable, that the most vicious People are the idlest of all sorts, the Heathens could make this Remark, Otia daunt Vitia, and without that.  
— Periere Cupidinis Aruis,  
Contemptaeque jacent, & sine Luce faces.  
It's Idleness that makes a Vicious Man,  
Vices a busy Man seldom trappan;  
For he despises Cupid's Darts and Bows,  
And Sins and Vices vain, & guilded shows. For a thinking and well employed Person has neither Leisure vacare exiguis, to play with Babbles and little Impertinencies, nor has so little a Soul, as if he were at leisure to debase himself therewith. Reverence yourself, could the Heathen say, and he that doth so well understand himself, and value his Constitution, would scorn to prostitute his Intellectuals to the greatest Debauchery, were there not other weighty Motives to dissuade him from so mean, so fearful, so unaccountable a thing as Desection and Degeneration from the Laws of his Maker? and of his Being is, for that's the least that can be said of Profligation and Vice. If there were not a future Punishment entailed upon it, the present Mischiefs, Shame, Pain, Infamy and Damages attendant are enough to frighten from it any serious and considerate moral Agent in the World; how illiterate or otherwise than by common Reason, unaccomplished he be notwithstanding.   

VII. De Homine & Mundo. Of Man and the World, and Time.  
THe World and Mankind commenced together, and therefore being so very near of Kin, I choose to treat of them promiscuously; Man was made neither for the World, nor for the Sabbath; but both for Him, and both he and it, for the Celebration of their Creator.  
Man is truly the World's Epitome, and properly therefore called a Microcosm or little World (for as David long before us observed) (he as it is) is fearfully and wonderfully composed; insomuch, as the wisest Man that yet hath ever lived (I may boldly say) never competently to his Capacity, understood either the one, or the other. But therefore doubtless was he planted here, that he might know and admire both the Workmanship and the Worker. The World is but a little elder than Man, and it's a Question whether it will last longer than Mankind; for we may infallibly believe, that before (or upon) its Dissolution Mankind will be translated from it.— But while we are embodied, it's our Business to know and practise so much of it, and of our Concerns within it, that we may (cum toto valde, which few do) be thoroughly prepared and qualified to leave it somewhat better than we found it. Our Pilgrimage or State of Probation and Trial here, is only designed for an honourable Exit, or Departure out of it. Our main Affair within it, is to be doing all the Good which the narrow Confines of our Being's or Lives here will afford, in points of Justice and Generosity, Compassion and Charity. Do but observe how, and what our Lord and Master (that is our grand Exemplar) did, and behaved himself for thirty years together, and we shall quickly understand what we are, and what to do, before we go hence to be seen no more.  
1. Contrive not to be Rich and great, if it happen to us, we have the bigger Talon to account for.  
2. Be contented with what overruling and good Providence allows you, and manage that to the best Advantage. Envy not, nor covet Aliundè.  
3. Be not slothful in your Calling, but vigorously contrive to be rich in good Works, and exemplary in your Conversation, for Talking is not your principal Concern here. Observe an excellent Notion of Seneca's, Sic loquere, sic vive; sic vive cum Hominibus tanquam Deus videat; sic loquere cum Deo tanquam Homines audiant. So converse with Men, as that you may be sure God is a Spectator; so apply yourself in Colloquies to God, as that you may suppose all Men to be your Auditors.  
Remember (and be sure to believe) that both Mankind and the World are speedily to part, and therefore make use of it accordingly. The Veins and Blood in our Bodies, do import the Rivers in the Sea▪ the Rocks and Stones imply the Bones▪ the Nerves and Sinews intimate the Mines the Hairs the Grass and Trees, etc. The Analogy whereof, expresses to us, that 〈◊〉 the Rivers run into the Ocean, the Stone and Rocks resolve to Earth, the Mines and Trees and other Herbage, blend and moulder into Dust again; so must most quickly, Mankind be dissolved into, Chicantee. 
Whilst therefore we converse with it,  
Let us approve ourselves, as fit  
For our Dominion here; and  
As useful as the Sea or Land,  
By naturally serving th' Ends  
Of the Creation and our Friends.  That is in plainer English, to act in pursuance of your true and proper Interest, which is to be conversant about, and palpitate after our Sovereign Proprietor or Creator, for this peculiar Faculty implanted in Man, is his peculiar Property and Reserve, that planted him here in the World, for God and his good Pleasure, which is our Duty, is most knowable of any thing in Nature; propter plenitudinem Entitatis (as the Schoolmen say) because of the fullness of his Existence; whereas shallow Notions avoid our Understandings, not Comprehensible, but Cognoscible, I say it's Demonstrable; thus because we are sure we could never put ourselves into (in as much as we can't continue ourselves in our) being, wherefore somewhat bigger and better every way must do it; and also because we can't give any account of many fundamental parts of our Constitutions, as of our Walking, Talking, and of the Variety and Adequatness of one thing to another; but by resorting to an intelligent Agent, of infinite and transcendent Perfections— The peculiar Instinct of human Nature, is to know that he hath a God; upon the same ground that we disown him, we must deny ourselves, for he's not preceptible materially, but intellectually. Ignorance of him, were not culpable, nor to live without Sense of him Criminal, if he were not knowable, nor to be found out; for our Faith is founded upon natural Knowledge, for its impossible that we could ever give credit to we know not who, nor what; nor can there be any Obligation to that whereof we can't be sensible and intelligent; and in truth, we can ne'er be at Hearts ease one hour in the World, without a Sense of, and Regard to him, nor without that, is any sublunary Object available, adequat or satisfactory; in sano Sensu, and our very Faculties themselves will shrivel up, and dwindle away, if not exercised on, and drawn out towards him; for to know him is Life eternal, in his Works as well as Appointments and Institutions. This Argument every Man carries in his own Breast, that his Mind was made to move towards, and to delight in, and be conversant with him and his Workmanship in the World; but all this is not much to purpose, without a Submission and Reconciliaton to him, from whom we have so desperately apostacied; this is our Enjoyment of him in the World, which Fruition consists not in Contemplation of, but in Motion and Action towards him whom we hold all under.  
Man discerns not that (Spiritus intus alens) Original Author of his Being and Subsistence by any sensual Contract, but by the Virtues and Qualifications of his Mind, and we are not locally distant from him, while in the World, but by Disaffection and Disloyalty. It's the last Form that makes and denominates any Creature what it properly is, as the Induction of a Rational Soul upon the Sensitive Faculties makes us intellectual and moral Agents: So the Superinduction of Divine Graces makes Christians. It's in vain therefore to name or own him, and not to departed from Obliquity and Vice.  
Now consider of the World, what it truly is, and what use 'tis off to Men, and we shall find it generally mistaken; it's an admirable Fabric, and contrivance of infinite Wisdom and Power, erected and framed or an Instance of Divine Omnipotence and Wisdom, that Man may receive from it all reasonable Helps and Advantages, in order to his Adoration and Service of his Sovereign Lord and Proprietor, and of reasonable Accommodations for his Relief, Support, and easy Passage through his Pilgrimage here, unto an eternal Mansion of Happiness and Glory, after his Dissolution; and whoever makes another use thereof, mistakes and misunderstands both himself and it. Wherefore our blessed Creator has made many more Creatures for Man's Delight and Recreation, than Necessity for his absolute Subsistance, that we might be the easilier induced to Praise, Honour and Adore such a Benefactor, and not to be swallowed up in sensitive Enjoyments, but use them as Auxiliaries, to our main ends of God's Honour, and our Duty to preserve good Health and Serenity both of Mind and Body.  
The World was made for Man, and so was the Sabbath, and not Man for them, or their Sakes; wherefore, though it be every Man's Temptation, as well as his Accommodation in Statu Viatoris; that is, so long as he sojounrs in it, yet was it not designed to be any Man's whole Business, either to employ him about, or divert him: but to point him out unto, and to assist him considerably in other manner of subsequent and immortal Attainments. We serve a kind of an Apprenticeship here to learn the Trade that we are to follow, World without End: And the youngest of all Mankind will be soon enough out of his Time, to be well enough qualified for next Stage. He that thoroughly understands himself, will be sure to understand the World to all Effects and Purposes, in pursuance of an approaching Eternity.   

VIII. De Coelibatu & Conjugio. Of a Single, and of a Married Life.  
CRitical it concerns us to be in the right Understanding, which of these two contrary Conditions of Life are most Eligible and Advantageous, especially since we are bound to believe that it is not good for a Man to be alone, and that it is good for a Man not to touch a Woman; for doubtless in some cases, 'tis best for a Man to be alone; and in other cases, good enough to touch Women in Sano Sensu, and not only lawful, but expedient and adviseable to cleave unto her Intus & in cute.  
But a Sage Jurisprudent will narrowly look on the Mare before he leap into the Saddle, for abundance of Enjoyments, Postures and Conditions of Life, that are lawful enough, are woundily inconvenient, and bloodily inexpedient. And it was the Opinion of our Lord and Saviour, and likewise of the greatest of all the Apostles in this point, that an Eunuch or Celibate Condition is most Eligible; if a Man have Power over his own Will, having no necessity thereunto, better of two Evils, to choose the lesser, saith that great Apostle; that is, to Marry, than to Burn; But I could never find a Necessity for either Conjugal and Prolifical Cares and Pains are very rarely, if ever recompensed with the Sweets of Expectation or Fruition; and that's St. Paul's chief Reason against Matrimony. 1 Cor. 11. And another is given by him there too. ss. Restraint of their Liberty, which next to Health, is the richest Enjoyment; the Hazard of a Shipwreck in the Adventure of Wedlock, is so great, that very few Wise and Jurisprudently Religious Persons will run the Risk, without extraordinary Prospects of more than probable collateral Advantages; for as the wise Italians say proverbially, there's more goes to House-keeping than four bare Legs in a Bed (Innumerable are the Instances of such aforesaid Wrecks and Ruins of Families and Persons, by inadvertent Attempts of that nature.  
Faelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautem.  
Happy's the Son that takes warning from Brother,  
And the Misfortunes of Father and Mother.  
The common Inducements to that heavy though honourable Yoke, are,  
1. To prevent Fornication, which often fails us, as Experience assures us.  
2. An Establishment of Name and blood, which also seldomer hits than misses; it commonly happens with such begotten Progenies, as the Poet Laureate of old observed truly of ill gotten Fortunes. ss. 
De malè quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres.  
Estates that are not honestly  
Got— before the Grandchild die.   
How perfunctory Inducements are such to a Jurisprudent, to make him fling a die for his haphazard Felicity, whereof he is already seized in his Demesn (if he think fit) and if it happen otherwise, let any wise Man dwell but a few Minutes upon the Thoughts of the Insignificancy to himself of such piece of Heraldry, and he will soon resolve the Point; and for an Authority or Precedent in this Point, I will quote the positive Opinion of the Sagest Jurisprudent, and Religious Philosopher in the World; Ecclesiastes himself, who upon all imaginable Scrutiny and fullest Experiments, made of all Matters sublunary, or subsolary (to use his own Phrase) and more particularly, our Case in hand, could not discover one among ten thousand fit for the the Purpose, to be touched accordingly; and whether in our days they are more Numerous, or we more Sagacious; Credat Judaeus Appella, non ego; and very good Reason have we to think that St. Paul had the Spirit of God (as he did verily think himself) when he declares 1 Cor. 7 that that Man that thus resolves in his own Mind, that he will be Celibate, is the Wiser and Happier of the two. But to make that Yoke as easy (when worn) as may be, the same authentic Author, doth by particular Command from Heaven, enjoin them not to part.— Let not him, says he, put away Her, but if She depart from him, let her be sure to continue unmarried, or be reconciled to her Husband, whom it is, or aught to be her principal worldly Care and Business to please, and to comply with, and to yield Homage and Fealty to him, as her Lord, her Superior, her Crown; as 'tis his Part to Honour and Cherish, and tenderly Protect and Regard her; until by her Separation, Treachery, Defiance, or notorious and profligate Exorbitances, she do forfeit that Allegiance, Countenance and Protection: which you plainly perceive by the Premises, amounts unto a Dissolution of the Marriage Contract, pro tanto if not pro toto, in part, if not wholly; for a Divorce a Mensâ & Thoro, as our Municipal Lawyers determine it, is not a Divorce a Vinculo, viz. a Bed and Board separation, is not a Cancelling the Bond of Wedlock. Such Considerations questionless as these, made the Disciples of our great Gamaliel to conclude, that it is best for a Man not to Marry; which their Blessed Lord and Master (not denying their Inference) replies unto, by waving a close Answer to that Conclusion, that all Men have not Power over their own Wills in that Matter. Several Expediencies confessedly, may induce a wise Man often (and oftener Fools) to wear a Conjugal Yoke, which at best, aught in my Opinion, in one at least, if not on both sides, to be very well lined, to prevent a bloody Gawling. Wittily and appositely hereupon, said a Facetious Poet in the Days of Yore.  
Quid plumâ Levius? Pulvis: quid pulvere? ventus.  
Quid vento? Mulier: Quid Muliere? nihil.  
Fons irae est Mulier; sed habes duo tempora laeta.  
Cum jacet in Thalamo, cum jacet in Tumulo.  
What's lighter than a Feather? Dust  
Lighter than that be Wind needs must,  
Lighter than Wind, is a Woman,  
But what's lighter than her, knows no Man,  
Displeased and angry always,  
Only you have two joyful Days;  
The Day when she becomes your Bride;  
The Day wherein this Woman died.  
The best Antidotes against an Uxorious Contagion, that my Genius and Experience can at present suggest, are these six.  
1. A full Employment, or vigorous Profession.  
2. Constant and competent Exercises Athletic.  
3. Physic and Phlebotomy, or Ascetique Discipline.  
4. Frequent Fasting, and Nocturnal Vigilations.  
5. Diversions by intellectual Recreations.  
6. Frequent and fervent Ejaculations and Meditations, under Retirements, and declining Feminine Conversations.  
Which last Suggestion alone, well managed and pursued, will prove (you will soon find) of itself a Panpharmacon against that triple Venom of Humanity, ss. the Lust of the Flesh, of the Eyes, and Pride, or self-affectation, while you impassionately and unprejudicately weigh in the Balance of your Reason, how short of your Expectations, and how insignificant in their utmost Prospect, such sensual Fruitions must infallibly prove in proportion to the Hazard and Pains in acquiring and continuing them, and to those noble Satisfactions and solid Titillations that intellectual and rarified Enjoyments and Delights render and afford to the Soul and Mind of an intelligent and voluntary Agent (as Man is) who is contrived and framed on purpose for other manner of Delights and Pleasures; even i● this our short and present State of Probation and Trial upon Earth; which Notion possibly might promp that facetious Virtuoso of our Age, Sir Jo. Suckling thus uncouthly to express himself, ss.  
That Monster Expectation feeds too high  
For any Woman e'er to satisfy.  
Wherefore, in sober Sadness (Thom) I die,  
If once I hear my Mistress say but I,  
Its Lechery for Her Me to deny.  
It was a considerable Philosopher and Jurisprudent of mine Acquaintance, his Motto, which to my knowledge, he, to astonishment, in the prime of his Years, accordingly practised with admirable Success. ss. Est virtus placidis abstinuisse bonis.  
Thus applied.  
Hurt not your Head with Venus, or Adonis,  
Knock not your Brains out against where no Bone is.  
St. Hierom, in one of his Epistles to his Nephew, inserts a Facetious Apothegm hereupon. ss.  
Adam, Sampsonem, Davidem, Petrum, Salomonem,  
Decepit Mulier: Quis modô tutus erit?  
Woman deceived Adam, Peter, Samson.  
(Who can be safe) after great Solomon?  
Another modern Author eximious enough, gravely glosses thus upon the same Text.  
Good Wines are unadulterate,  
Of Women the contrary State,  
Most of which are Sophisticate.  
With all our servile Pains, what do we win,  
But (an ill-favoured and uncleanly) sin?  
A thing so fordid and short-lived,  
(If all Mankind may be believed)  
That Venus' Joys (as well as She)  
☞ May very well be said to be  
From the neglected Foam derived.  
Whom would (that painted Toy, called) Beauty move  
Whom could it e'er persuade to Court, and Love?  
That once a Woman's Heart had seen  
(Oh! but no Light does thither come)  
And viewed her perfectly within,  
When he lay shut up in her Womb.  
Or I'm a very Dunce, or Womankind  
Is a most unintelligible thing.  
I can no Sense, nor no Contexture find;  
Nor their lose Parts to any Method bring  
I can't tell what the Learneder may see,  
For my Part, they're strange Hebrew things to me.  
Howbeit, if it happen by Seduction, o● Inadvertency, or otherwise, that a Ma● be so indiscreetly overtaken and entangle let him look forward (like a Waterman though he row backward, as its miraculous if he do not, unless both Interest, Industry and a Patrimony like stiff Sails be● him up against the Tide of unforeseen contingent Miscarriages and Crosses.  
Let him resolve to make the best he c● of a bad Bargain, but be very wary ● prevent a common Contrivance now ● days in Fashion, called separate Main●nance, which if he live to see any of t● Hostages, he perhaps has given to Fortune his Legitimate Issue arrive at twenty years of age, he, ten to one, will find violently attempting to wrest out that Staff out of his Hands, which often proves the speedy Demolishment of the whole Family; especially where they rashly and jurisimprudentially marry Parentibus inconsultis, without the Privity or Consent of Parents; nor be not by any means Wife-ridden, to be wheedled out of your Wealth and Wits at once, from such Experimental Treachery and Baseness, Libera te Domine— I pray God deliver thee.   

IX. De Ratione & Opinion. Of Reason and Opinion.  
ALL Persuasions and Opinions that are not founded in Reason, are but Chicanree or Nugatory, and consequently all Actions performed in pursuance of them, pernicious and morally unaccountable; and upon reflection on them, renders any intellectual voluntary Agent very chagreen, disagreeable and uneasy; when As the Bell clinks (as the Proverb saith) so the Fool thinks; that is, one that acts pro Imperio, and not pro Ratione Rei, out of Humour or Fancy, and not according to his Judgement and Reason, as the Poet excellently expresses it, Video meliora proboque, yet Deteriora sequor.  
While I discern, and well approve  
The better things, yet worse I love.  
This often happens where wilful Humour and fond Imaginations are predominant and usurp (over Reason) the Government of our intellectual Faculties, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by which we are only to be controlled. The wisest Man of the World assures us, that the Spirit (or Reason) of a Man, is the Candle of the Lord, that is, the Superintendent Luminary or Directory. One of the Fathers hath very well observed that Opinionum Varietas, & Opinantium Unitas non sunt ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Variety of Opinions, and the Unity of the Opiniators are not inconsistent with good Will and accord, although it generally happens otherwise; that is, that difference in Sentiments, begets a distance in Affection, which comes to pass for want of good and rational Consideration of our own Constitutions; for it is as natural, and as necessary and behooveful for the common Interest of Mankind; that their Conceptions should be as various almost as their Countenances, whereof you never are to expect to meet with any two exactly alike in all Lineaments and Proportions: neither in Minds nor in Faces. For an Opinion of Want breeds a greedy Desire in the midst of Plenty, he that reckons more upon what he would have, or fancies he wants then what we already have or enjoy, there's no end of that Reckoning, and even that which he hath (in possession) he actually wants, when he's of Opinion that its not enough; the Opinion or Imagination, and the Appetite, help to cozen one another.  
2. Be therefore ruled by your rational Senses, their simple Report of what's enough, allowing very little for Custom and Convenience, and for things within your easy Reach, and then you'll not be amused about things remote and hard to come by. To be content with a little, is an unspeakable Treasure. He that eagerly seeks for Satisfaction without himself, makes his Content to depend upon things that are quite out of his Power. Bona si sua norit. Here's your Felicity that our Spirits need not tyre themselves in, seeking for the full Satisfaction of its reasonable Desire; if we have but so much Discretion and Jurisprudence, as to desire only so much as is reasonable and fit for us to enjoy.  
Take a short Scheme of the complete and best Condition of a Jurisprudent, viz. a Contemplative, Active & Fruitive, Life, Leisure enough to speculate things that are Good, Great and Delightful; Business enough to render you Just, Useful, and not fatigueing below the Souls Dignity. A Competency of Accommodations, freedom from Contempt and Oppression, with Peace and Prudence, Temperance and Innocence, tasting Human Life's Contentments, and not cleaving to them; all this seasoned with a serene Mind, and healthy Body, and a good Conscience, ever aspiring to a further Felicity, and possessing it in part already by a lively Hope and Sense of Divine unintelligible Peace. A Jurisprudent's Work's not to frame a Fanatical Felicity here below, but to take Matters as he finds them, and to use them accordingly.  
It's a moral Madness to be sharp set for any thing but what's really our own, and which, when once we are possessed off, we can't be disseised or divested off against our Will. viz. the right and genuine Knowledge and Love of our Creator, and Union to him, Friendship with him, which naturally breeds a Resemblance of him, a Serenity and Satisfaction of Mind, and unwearied Constancy in well doing.— Hear (if any where) we may let lose the Reins to Passion, Appetite and Desire, and err in that Love, if you can, the quite contrary State, whereunto is Diabolical and Hellish, to wit, ever uneasy, and in a Hurry of Mind, fluctuating under a stinging Sense of Gild and Pain of Conscience, doubting, if not despairing of any Comfort or Ease, and thereby running on into desperate Courses. This is truly Hell upon Earth. and such a Person may be really said to be possessed, forlorn, and agitated by Devils, having let go his Hold of God and a good Conscience, and made Shipwreck of rational Hopes and well grounded Persuasions, which nothing upon Earth can restore him unto, till he return to Duty, and sincerely defy all immortal Acts and Contrivances, and thereby give check Mate unto Satan.  
Reason is a wise Man's Rudder, that steers him in every Motion, and all Affairs, Secular or Spiritual, but Opinion, Humour or Fancy, will run him upon a thousand quick Sands before he is ware; common Experience every where convinces every thinking Man of the Truth hereof. Nothing in or out of the World is against Reason (though above it) but a Sot; as that Saying is very remarkable and true; that Scientia nullum habet inimicum praeter ignorantem.  
Knowledge (know thou this for once)  
Ne'er had a Foe, but what's a Dunce.  
We commonly despise an Opiniator more than any body, and truly count him ● Fop in Effigy, because he consults not at all the Reason of the Thing, but acts ex improviso, or extempore; that is, inconsiderately and rashly, whereas Reason would conduct him to Modesty and Discretion, and at least, to act with a Warrant and judicious Impress, so that then the Conclusion will correspond with the Premises, which otherwise it can't.  
An Opiniator has nothing to say for himself, but an arbitrary Impetuosity, that gives him an Enthusiastical Impulse, so that he can't as a moral Agent, expect any other Consequence, than hap at a Venture may produce; but a serious rational Agent hath other motives Ends and Expectations; whether he be mistaken by his Measures or not, he may plausibly look the World of Mankind in the Face, and expect to be further encouraged, which an Opiniator has no pretence unto at all.  
But on the other side, a Man of Sense (as we now phrase it) or rather a Man of Reason and Jurisprudence, as we call it, scorns to comply with any fond Imagination of his own (either Conception or Adoption) that is not founded upon the Square of Reason and Jurisprudence, for we say, and will justify it that Lex (or Reason which we call all one) plus Lauditur quando Ratione probatur. He's worse by half than a Madman, that explodes the Suggestions of Reason, because they that are non compotes, or Mad, understand not Reason, if they did, they would not deviate so much into fond Imagination and Opiniatorism, or Fanaticism; which is bonâ fide, Madness (in sano sensu) in the proper Notion, its proper for them to act pro imperio, Arbitrarily; but to Men in their Wits, pro Ratione rei, Rationally. Not but that an Opinion grounded upon solid Reason, is the greatest Oracle extant in the visible World; but we treat of Opinion, as a thing generally in statu separato from Reason; for no question but an Exert, or an Opinion exhibited upon very fundamental and mature Considerations; a Person of Jurisprudence, is (beyond the Pope's Infallibility) a Veracity at least, till it be controverted and laudably disapproved; for its Nonsense to suppose that any thing in the World Moral which is not Radical, or a fundamental Verity, may not be suspected till violently discussed; for all Mankind are under the Laws of Reason, (think what you will) and whosoever he be that swerves from that Rule, is a clear Apostate; not that herein we deny, but profoundly assert the Concurrence of the Divine Superintendency all along, for subintelligitur quod non deest, saith the Jurisprudent, that is, it is to be presupposed without whom, we can neither come into, nor continue in, nor go out of being; but that Thought or Conceit that is founded in, or upon the Reason of the Party, let it be what it will, is pardonable if amiss, and if not amiss, 'tis right; so that Quacunque viâ datâ, (id est) take it which way you will, a man of such a Temper, as is resolved to be ruled by Reason, that is, the best thoughts he can acquire, is a man of Sense, and may appear upon the Theatre like a moral Entity boldly.  
An Opiniator steers by no Compass at all, and therefore is but Ridiculus Must, a ridiculous Mouse, and not fit to keep a Man of Sense or Reason company. But who ere gives himself and others a good account of his Management, is a Companion for an Angel himself: God himself so deals with us; do but observe how he parlys with Cain upon his Fratricide; What ail'st thou to look so bloodily? have you not reason to think you should be acceptable as well as your Brother if you do Reason, (or do well? and otherwise does not sin lie at your door? And so appeals to the House of Israel, whether their Courses they took were not unequal or irrational, and whether his ways and proceed with them were not fair and equal, Jer.  
Wherefore for the easier rectification of false Opinions, and better improvement of righter and rational Conceptions, please to entertain a few Suggestions, to prevent your Dejection or Degeneration by adverse, as also Transportation, or Corruption, or Prevarication, by prosperous Occurrences that happen.  
1. That the true and real Cause of every good or bad Case or Circumstance, arises ab intra (from within us) except some few Casualties, where Prudence takes no place to help or hinder. And therefore be provided with a firm temper of Spirit, and stumble at no Stone; for it's truly said, that a wise man never wonders, but makes the best of every thing. 
Et mihi Res, non me rebus submittere conor.  said the sage Poet Horace of old. That is, 
To serve himself of each Affair,  
And suffer none to be his Snare.   
All Occurrences have two Handles, and some good is extractable out of the worst; which is presupposed by St. Paul's Injunction, To Rejoice evermore; and to count it all joy when we fall into many tribulations, to wit, when we wittingly bring them not upon our own Heads, but they are the results of other folk's Contrivances. Things that depend not upon us, have no reason to make violent Impressions in us, as Riches, Friends, Honour, Beauty, Life, etc. But as Epictetus' very well observes, All our Actions are in our own power, as Opinion, Desire, Aversion, etc. So that if we look on all that depends not on us, to be nothing to us, we can lose nothing, nor need be much afflicted by any thing in this World without, or about us: but as to the World above and within us, the Case is otherwise. Desires or Wishes are the Fontanels of our Weal or Woe; and therefore we may be well assured, that besides Nature, there can be no necessity at all of any thing.  
So that (upon the whole Matter) tho' some, and that very considerably literate in some Sciences, can't tell how to allow Reason a considerable place of Conduct in Religion, for want of their due Philosophical Consideration of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Calvin and others perhaps are tardy in, without reflection upon them, yet without all peradventure in the Judgement of our Jurisprudent, he that goes on further in any sort of Knowledge or Practice, be it Law, Gospel, or medics, than the reason of the thing will amount to, is not at all a man of Science, or Sense, or Sanity, in our apprehension. Let the World or himself in due time reprimand him, and set him to rights; for quoad nos he is not Rectus in Curio. He's by no means orthodox, till he resolves to be controlled in all Causes, and among all Persons, Civil, Military, or Ecclesiastical, by the Suggestions of, not Opinion, but Reason. Prov. 24. Reason is that Spirit of a Man that Solomon calls God's Candle in him, by the Light whereof every man is obliged by all Laws Divine and Humane, to conduct and steer himself in all Cases. But Opinion which abstracted from Reason, is but Humour or Fancy, which like an Ignis fatuus will run a man into a thousand Bogs, and intoxicate him unawares.  
In a wise man Voluntas semper sequitur ultimum dictamen Intellectùs, as the Schoolmen say: but rash and inconsiderate men's Wills run foremost, like to Canis festinans, as the Proverb expresses it, which coecos parit Catulos; that is, The Whelps of the heedless or overhasty Dogs are therefore born blind. Such are the abortive or blind Issues of an hare-brained moral Entity, that looks not with the Eyes of his intellectual Faculties, before he leaps into any Enterprise, and is therefore generally blundered and baffled in his expectation of Success, or a good End.   

X. De Superbia & Humilitate, & Patientia. Of Pride, and Humility, and Patience.  
THE Logicians say well, That Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt. Contraries placed in opposition do best illustrate themselves: whence it is that I make the Antithesis between Humility and Pride, viz. the best and worst Adjuncts that belong to humane Nature. Of the first, we have the greatest Pattern that ever was in the World, our Lord and Saviour. Of the latter, the Devil is the best Instance that I can think of, who lost eternal Happiness (upon that account) irrecoverably. An humble man is too hard for the Devil. A proud man is the Devil's Darling, and fit for any thing of monstrous Immorality, and as easily tempted to prevaricate, as the other difficult. He that is not a very humble Person, can neither be a wise man, nor a true Christian. Even to a proud man himself is an humble man acceptable, but a proud man to none but the Devil; for it's our Saviour's Motto, ss. meek and lowly, but it's Lucifer's Emblem, ss. proud and lofty: And tho' this be Communis eruditio, that is, vulgar Learning, yet is it as hard to find a man of that Character, as it was in Solomon's days to find a virtuous Woman, to wit, not one of a thousand.  
An humble man is tractable and docible, conversable and useful; but a proud is Telluris inutile pondus; insignificant and troublesome; one that can't tell what he would be at; a nothing to purpose. A proud man is a moral Prodigy, and the most unaccountable Excrescence in Nature; a thing senseless and irrational; an highminded Author; fears nor loves not God nor Man, but is his own Centre, and Eccentrick to the whole World besides.  
The most High defies and scorns the proud, but hath declared to espouse the humble, and to teach and encourage the meek and lowly. A thinking serious man might well wonder what any man can be proud of, if he considers but whence and how he came into Being, and of what compounded, and how quickly he will be reduced to Dust, and what that is which he can call his own, and what an indigent Creature he is, and every way dependant, and a borrower. Pride is an usurped Affectation, of somewhat or other that we have no property in at all; but Humility is a due sense and opinion of our precarious and necessitous Constitutions and Circumstances. Besides it is as well unnatural, as unwarrantable and ridiculous, for any man under any Circumstances to be proud and self-conceited, as if he were or had somewhat more than any of his fellow-Creatures can pretend to; but Humility renders a man useful and acceptable unto himself, and to all Mankind. It's rarely to be found that a proud man lives happily, or dies honourably; he's uneasy to himself, (upon reflection) as well as to all that he converses with, for he's naturally contentious; but an humble man is at peace and in safety with the whole World. A proud man is impatient; an humble very patiented under all kind of Circumstances, which is next to Charity, the predominant Virtue of all: wherefore it's truly said, 
Superanda omnis Fortuna ferendo est.  Ill Accidents are conquered by enduring.  
And to this purpose Horace dictates excellently: 
Durum est; sed levius fit patientiâ  
Quicquid corrigere, est nefas.  Tho' it's a difficult Lesson, yet thereby are all Burdens made lighter abundantly. An impatient or proudman is a moral mad man, Laesa patientia fit furor: when his patience is worn out, he becomes furious or mad; hence they are conjoined by our Saviour, Be humble and bear my yoke. But a proud and impatient Sinner grows of course fearless, desperate, and haughtier, indocible, and troublesome both to himself, and the whole Family of God.  
Pride is the first and worst Sin in the World, and older than the World itself; Humility the last (tho' not the least) Virtue: we put it on to be clothed with it; it's like a Girdle, that fortifies and preserves all the other, to which a promise of Instruction is annexed; but the proud rejected, and sent away empty. An humble man is fit Company for any man; a proud for none, because he really (whatever he pretends) accounts himself to every man better: the humble and patiented is willing to converse with any man, Publican or Sinner, tho' he be counted a Glutton, or a Wine-bibber, all's one.  
It's much to the purpose to suggest to you the Motto of my Lord Chief Justice Cook, Patiens qui prudens, that is, He that is a patiented man, is a right Jurisprudent. Of the same Religion is (no doubt of it) our Author, that thus exerts himself to his Son. Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia juris, here seems very applicable. A man of Patience or Humility (which at this time of day is all one) is one that has the advantage of the whole World; but a proud and impatient Fellow is not fit Company for a Tailor, or an honest Cobbler. Let but any man observe the Temper of a man greatly proud and impatient, (for he that is one must be the other) and he'll find that he neither steers an easy Course to his own satisfaction, nor his Neighbours; so that the World may truly count him a burden to them, and have a good riddance of him, whensoever he is departed: but a patiented humble man is lamented and missed.  
Patience, I confess, is a hard Chapter to read in some Cases; as when one's exasperated and justly incensed by his own Flesh and Blood, especially Dependants and Inferiors, after perhaps he hath a long time exerted all the Clemency, Indulgence, and hospitality imaginable, however the Lyric Laureate Heathen Poet has long before us observed it, that as I said before 
Durum est,  
— Sed Levius fit patientiâ,  
Quicquid corrigere, est nefas.   
To bear what we can't justify ourselves to correct, nor the Aggressors to inflict, is very hard, but yet our Load becomes much the lighter, by enduring it with humble Patience, and till an humble man's Patience be stretched upon the tenterhooks excessively, he will not be outrageous, notwithstanding the old Maxim of Laesa Patientia fit furor.  
When Patience has been long time hurt,  
Mildness itself will have a flirt.  
Humility and Patience is the greatest Possession in the World, to purchase a Man Credit and Ease both within and without him. But an Impatient proud Fellow, is scorned both by them that are his Rivals, and all Men else, and is really telluris inutile pondus, the most insignificant Tool in Nature, and a Burden to the Universe.  
No Man can be Wise, nor at heart's Ease, no Happy, either in this nether World, nor in the upper Regions hereafter, that is not Humble and Patiented, both in Prosperity, as well as Adversity. In all Circumstances, and there's less to be said in Vindication of Pride, than any Vice and Obliquity; besides he's a Tyrant, an Usurper, and every ways uncouth and unacceptable, who is Impatient and Proud, and no good colour of reason can be given for it; as for Covetousness, and Wantonness, and Prodigality, and other Enormities there in many cases may be some given.  
So then, a right Jurisprudent is a Man of Sense and Reason; an intellectual moral Agent, that is well acquainted with, and practices the Laws of God, of Nature and of Reason, that acts not pro imperio, arbitrarily, but humbly, honestly, and conscientiously converses with all sorts of Clients, whether in formâ Pauperis, or Divitis, Rich, or Poor, Publicans or Sinners, studies the future and eternal, as well as the secular and present Cases and Concerns of both himself and them, pro Ratione rei, according to the Reason of the Thing. He is Just and Generous, Compassionate and Charitable, and well affected to all Men, and Sometimes arrives to that Attainment of Jurisprudence, as to make him an Eunuch for the Kingdom of Heaven; upon which Principles and Practice, is founded that inward and outward Peace, Content and Satisfaction of Heart in all his Possessions and Reversions, as well as Progress and Improvement in the Municipal Laws of that Realm, where he Resides, Professes and Practices.   

XI. De Pace & Contentatione. Of Peace and Content.  
THE Crown of all Earthly Enjoyments, is Quiet and Satisfaction; Man was never contrived for a Hurliburly or Storm. This is the Corner (as well as Top) Stone of all our Attainments.  
Content is all we aim at with our Store,  
If that be had with little, what needs more?  
This State or Temper of Mind doth not consist in Quantity but Quality; for we can't but observe, that generally they that enjoy the least in quantity have most Peace and Satisfaction.  
Without Peace and Content, all that any Man is or hath, is irksome and trouble some; and if this be in conjunction with our Enjoyments, we can't but be happy enough to pity Caesar— witness Alexander the Great his Distemper, Aestuat infoelix augusto in limit mundi; his unsatiable Humour could not be (at ease and) contented with the whole Universe. We need not tell you, that he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Prince of Peace, gave this Bequest unto his dearest Friends in the World, whom he left at his Departure behind him, as the choicest Legacy he could think fit to leave with, and give to them And the blessed Tidings thereof unto Mankind, is called the Gospel of Peace, which Word in the Hebrew Tongue imports all manner of good.  
To acquire which Thing, bad and good Men do frequently, we know, run the Risque of both their Lives and Fortunes for pax quaeritur Bello, 'tis the end of War; Rest or Peace is the Centre of all kind of Fluctuations and Litigations, Military and Civil.  
whoever would obtain this invaluable Gem, must have the Command both over his own Passions and Appetites also, and learn to divert (or cautelously extricate) himself from all Provocations unto Feuds or Animosities of all sorts. Prov. 14.44. A Man that once has arrived to this Temper, will be satisfied from himself, if you'll believe the wisest Man in the World.  
This is a Principle, will steer any Man that has it comfortably and confidently thorough any danger, and enable him with a decent Equanimity to entertain good and ill Successes and Events, that happen to him in his Pilgrimage.  
True Peace and Content, is God's Kingdom within us. This was a principal Lineament in the Portraiture of God's Image, impressed on Man in Paradise; till he broke that Peace, he maintained an excellent Intelligence with his Lord and Master. It's impossible to express this true Divine Peace and Content, because it surpasses all Understanding, and all other counterfei●… Peace's are mere Cheats. That's only true Hearts-ease, Content and Peace tha●… we mean and talk of, that is founded in a rational Sense of our Friendship with, o●… Reconciliation to our Creator, by the Passion and Intercession of our Redeemer and of the Enjoyment of his Love an●… Kindness, and Reciprocality of Return to him, by hearty Ejaculations towards, an●… Ruminations upon him; which Sentimen●… aforesaid, must be united to real sincerit●… of Mind, which makes us a good Conscience, and gives us mighty Assurance i●… our Applications unto, or Conversation with both God and Man.  
Note, that true Peace with God, an●… Discord with our Neighbours are incomp●…tible, without Peace on Earth, and  unto all Mankind; I can't imagine ●…ny Man can be truly at peace with Go●…nor consequently content in his Min●… The former is an Argument rather of h●… latter; he that is not Friends with his Br●…ther, must needs be at Enmity with 〈◊〉 Maker; but 1 Cor. 6. St. Paul's Lesson h●… need of some Distinction to hold water (●… every general Rule has some Exceptions) ●… that it's more adviseable to be defraud●… than to go to Law.  
A peaceable and a wise man his Character is, To hear all, to edify by most, to reflect upon none, to determine nothing, nor be moved (except what we do ourselves) at any thing. Jam. 3. The fruits of Righteousness are sown in peace, by all (that care for it.) It's an old and authentic Apothegm, 
— Pacem te poscimus omnes!  
Pax animi! quam cura fugit.  Content and Peace are Correlatives; so that no body can be contented, that is not at quiet, and every body covets (or pretends) to be at peace; and whoever is at rest and quiet in his own mind, (upon good grounds) is indisputably contented and satisfied, for he can't devise what further he rationally aught to desire, or have a mind to.  
Disquiet, Hurliburlies, and Discord, are the very Stings in humane Nature, and no body were or would be able to endure them, but in pursuance of Peace, Rest, and subsequent Harmony.  
Peace and Content (which are synonymous) are truly Hieroglyphics of eternal Happiness, and in the opinion of a Jurisprudent, are bonâ fide Heaven in Effigy, because they include Love, Joy, and Satisfaction to the brim. All which Ingredients do compound the Quintessence of this Creation, and as far as we can yet apprehend, are the greatest Ingredients of the glorified State which is approaching: for we well know, that Veracity itself has assured us, that a wicked man can have no Peace or true Content at all, let him say or do what he will. This topping Attainment, as all other considerable Felicities, are founded in true Virtue and Religion, and is, as the Logicians say, Proprium quarto modo, that is, Convenit omni pacifico soli & semper: only, and ever, and to every such a person 'tis an inseparable Incident, or Essential, as 'tis virtuous or religious, and to none other in the World; but always to all such, and only to such doth true Felicity appertain.  
Grace and Peace was the Apostolical Benediction; that is, in other terms, Godliness and Content; they are inseparable Adjuncts, so that he that is destitute of either, wants both: Beati pacifici, said our blessed Saviour in his first Sermon that ere he preached. This is not only a wise man's Rau. but Coll. to allude to Jacob and Esau's Compliments: when Jacob would have made his Brother Esau a Present, he replied he had enough, Rau. when Esau would have presented Jacob, he replied, he had enough too, that is Coll. or All; so is this Grace and Peace the Summum totale, the whole Matter, or all in all. It was also a remarkable Valedictory of the Primitive Christians, Peace be with you, Joy in Jerusalem, and Peace unto Zion; for Joy is a natural issue of Peace to all Mankind: whoever is satisfied, or really contented, and at ease, must of necessity be cheerful and pleased.  
A wise man takes no inordinate care for future supplies of Subsistance or Accommodation, but an ordinate, De diein diem only; day by day his Bread for all his anxiety, can't make him one cubit the taller: if divine Providence tells the very hairs of his Head, much more doth it ease him of the carking thoughts of Events and Effects, that lie buried in the Causes in an higher hand, where they are securely lodged. Our Concerns aught to be for present Circumstances only, and that for Necessities, and not Superfluities of Life, but to secure our main Chance in Heaven, and all the rest will be cast into the Bargain; for he in whose hands are reserved the Issues of Life and Death, takes the present care of us also, and if we seek principally our proper and true Happiness, in our alliance to him, he will be sure to see us want for nothing that's fit for us, of which he is the most competent Judge: for Piety has the Promises both of this World and of the next; and on this Consideration dwells the best Method of our present Peace and Contentment, as well as of our future Happiness.  
Time and Chance (or Providence rather) happening to all, and all our carking Cares and inordinate Contrivances being utterly unavailable, to superadd what we are absurdly apt to fancy we are short of. It's our wisdom as to this World to look but a very little way before us: if ever we'd be easy here, and happy hereafter, we shall want neither Grace, Glory, nor any thing else good for us.  
He that regards the Main, must be unconcerned for Matters that are but by the By; that is, whosoever would be quiet and at peace within, and expects a better Place and Posture, (and that quickly) ought in common prudence to be contented with what he hath, because he has more than reasonably he deserves.  
Our religious Jurisprudent is of such a Constitution, as a Constable ought to be, that is, to keep the Peace as far as he can, both in his own Breast, and between Man and Man; to propagate good will in the World, as far as possible, and to follow peace with all.  
As the end and design of all Motion is to obtain Rest and Quiet at last, so is the design and drift of all wholesome Laws and sound Sages of the Law, to prosecute with all care and expedition Peace and Rest, as the ultimate end of all Litigations and Commotions moral; and as well and soon as can be, to compromise Feuds and Differences between Party and Party, or prevent all fiery Contests and froward Animosities: A peculiar Benediction being annexed unto men of that Profession, that do practise accordingly, viz. Beati pacifici, Blessed be all Advocates, or Lawyers, that is, Peacemakers, in the World. Patiens qui Jurisprudens, was Sir Edw. Coke his Motto.   

XII. De Ira, & Odio, & Aciâ. Of Anger and Hatred.  
IRa Furor brevis est, That all Wrath is a degree of Madness, is an observation of very ancient Date and Veracity, but must be understood with a distinction of Excess or Immoderation: for I question not but its a duty to be angry, (but not upon trivial Occasions) but not with a continuando, or long duration, nor with an exertion of furious Words or Actions. Once we read of our Saviour's looking about him on the Mobile, or Multitude, with Indignation, when he wondered at their prodigious Infidelity, because the Honour of Omnipotence lay at stake, by the mighty Miracles that he wrought to convince them. In this case chief (if not only) is there room for Indignation; for it's an eternal Truth, That man's wrath works not God's Righteousness. A very worthy and learned Divine of this Age, not long since deceased, hath often asserted, That upon any other Accounts, it's generally unaccountable to give or to receive a Provocation, and by Anger to rectify what he holds amiss, commonly proves a Remedy worse than the Disease we'd cure.  
It's better to endure the greatest Affront● and Indignities from abroad, than by Displeasure and Anger to put ourselves into their power, to dispossess us of our Tranquillity, whereby we so much injure ourselves. This Passion more exposes and betrays a man than any other; and therefore a wise and generous Soul much easier pardons an Aggressor than himself, for his Resentment and Discomposure. If you'd imitate our grand Exemplar, you must be slow to wrath, full o● compassion. Envy and Jealousy are 〈◊〉 the same Extract with Anger and Hatred, and one Greek word serves for them both.  
To hate the Sin, and love and pity the Sinner for God's sake, is Godlike; he enjoins it. It's a general and a true Observation, That he that can't be angry, can't be pleased; but the most passionate, are not the worst Tempers, provided they dwell not in wrath, or give way to the Devil, by which means many men hurry themselves headlong into inextricable Dangers and Disasters.  
To conceal, sergeant, and restrain a Passion, is a high piece of Prudence, and ●n Conversation gives any man a vast advantage over others. It's mighty remarkable, that Words do more usually prove greater provocatives than Actions, because the surprisal by them, and time taken of deliberation on them, is more sudden. Wherefore a Jurisprudent binds his Tongue as much as his Hands to its good Behaviour; tho' (we say) Actions speak louder ●han Words, and we say true; as to many purposes they notoriously intimate the Displicence of the Aggressor. But yet if you observe it, Words make a greater noise and hurly-burly, and are the Prodromi or Harbingers of a succeeding Boutefeau or Quarrel, and are more provocative in sensu ●iviso, that is, where nor accompanied with a Battery, than Blows without Words, especially of Indignation; for that is Anger with a vengeance, which is utterly Ju●isimprudential, and unwarrantable, out of the course of Justice, either Military or Civil.  
Hatred is the utmost degree of Anger and Malice, and belongs to none but in●ernal Fiends and Devils, as to a personal Object.  
A Jurisprudent hates nothing but Sin and Obliquity, Vice and Enormity, and not the Persons either of the Plaintiffs or Defendants.  
A Tort or Wrong is only odious in itself, and not the Malefactor. Our eternal Sovereign hates none of his Creatures, nor is displeased with any thing in the World, but a violation of his own indisputable Sanctions. When man doth voluntarily consent to Obliquity or Vice, which he knows he has full power to choose or refuse, all the Reason imaginable there is for his Protector and Coadjutor, as well as Creator and Conservator, to take it very ill, and be highly disgusted, and to hol● him to be an Hetroclite, till he has sincerely revoked and renounced it. Wherefor● much less Reason hath any mortal man t● be wrath with, or hate any of his fellow infallible Creatures, especially if they d● not affront the Original of their Being, and that directly, and not by Implication because himself by Surprisal, or Inadver●tency, often (and perhaps sometimes o● of Malice prepense) does disoblige, provoke, and affront others, and is sensible ● parte post, (afterwards) of his Fallibility an● Miscarriage. Solomon declares, Anger re● in Fools bosoms: there's no room for so unclean Fowl to roost in the Breast of a ge●nuine Jurisprudent, that understands himself. Besides, it's common Policy, and a man's own Interest, to inhibit Anger, and to pass by a provocation to Wrath; for he commonly, if not constantly, suffers the greatest Injury by it, in the discomposure of his Mind, and confusion of his Faculties, and pain and perplexity of his Intellectuals; and there's nothing in Nature big enough or worthy to put a wise man out of order for an hour.  
To dissemble a violent Passion of this sort, may be expedient, and often adviseable on some Occasions; but actually to exert it, very imprudent, unprofitable, and at best injurious, (if not on both sides) on one. So we read, as I said before, that once our Lord and Saviour looked about him on the unbelieving Jews with Indignation; but if ever we found him to exert this Passion, it was upon their desecration of the Temple, when he whipped them out, and overturned the Money-mongers Tables, where the Honour of our heavenly Father was more directly at stake. Not but that we hold it possible (but not so probable) for a man to be angry, and not be a Delinquent, or peccant in so being; because the great Gentile Apostle cautioneth us, that we sin not when we become angry: but we conceive with submission to better Judgements, that that Passion having more appearance of evil Consequences and Effects in it, than perhaps any one of all the other have, that we are in prudence obliged to inhibit and restrain as often as is possible, the Influences of it, as having so notorious an appearance of Evil in it; whether we consult our own Particular, or the public Peace and Quiet. Pleasant is the Notion to this purpose of that Plagiary, or Schoolmaster, who often in his Corrections would say to the chastised Person, Castigo te, non quod odiam, sed quod amem te. 
Therefore must thou punished be,  
Because I love (and not hate) thee.  The municipal Laws of our Realm have provided and allowed to every Subject, that happens to be imprisoned by a false Conspiracy, and no Indictment against him exhibited, 
Coke 2. Inst. p. 42.  a Writ called, De Odio & Aciâ, supposing his Commitment is out of Anger or Malice, and by a Jury of twelve men he is to be discharged. Such is the Antipathy or Aversion which our English Laws do bear unto all Hatred and Anger, or its Consequences; which the old Philosophers called, Furor brevis, A Fit of Frenzy, or Madness.  
When any one is highly incensed, and allows the sudden Influences of that indomitable Passion to prevail, he is transported beyond the Compass of his Reason and serene Understanding, and is in jeopardy of making shipwreck of his Posse Corporis & animi, too, ss. all the principal Essentials of his Nature, inward Faculties, and outward; Life, Limbs and Fortunes. For Acts of Outrage and Indignation, we may observe, are generally, if not always, perpetrated ex improviso, on a Push; that is, a rash and sudden Attempt, which a short Deliberation of Thoughts frequently prevents and Stifles, quod nota bene!   

XIII. De Amore & Amicitia. Of Love and Friendship.  
TRue Friendship with God and Man, is our highest Privilege and Attainment. John. 15.15. Our Saviour calls his Disciples Friends, that is, such unto whom he'll communicate his Secrets; its the end of all Gospel Dispensations, to continue in his Love, and to comply with his Will and Commands, for amicorum preces sunt imperio, a Friends Requests have the force of a Command. Friendship is the most sacred and inviolable Bond in the World, and far more considerable than any natural Tie whatever.  
No greater evidence can be of our true Love to God and Religion, than our Love to our Neighbour. All true Friendship is founded in Virtue or Religion; our Friend Lazarus sleeps, said our Saviour, and God calls Moses his Friend. Prov. 17. A Friend loves at all times, and is nearer than a Brother, said Solomon. What greater Copy can we write after than our blessed Saviour, who took our Nature (and not Angels) on him; who died for us, while his Enemies; who helped and healed both Soul and Body; who intercedes for us in our Absence, and who, in his Absence, sends a Proxy to be our Comforter as well as Conductor in our Journey toward those heavenly Mansions? So should we love one another, he has given us, 1 Jo. 5.10. an Understanding that we may know him, and 1 J. 3. A Power, (by entertaining of him) to become the Sons of God, and be Friends with him and the whole Family of God below. Take we a very short view of his frank and friendly Conversation in the World, for our Example and Imitation.  
1. His Doctrine (all along) was to (undeceive Man, and) convince him of the Truth, to free him from Errors, and Impostures, and vain Traditions, healing Bodies, informing the Minds in the true Way to Life and Happiness, Temporal and Eternal, by public Teaching, by private Conference, praying with and for them, Sympathising with them in Troubles, grieving at their Obstinacy and Exorbitancies, enduring all Indignities that Malice could inflict. Here's true Love and Friendship to purpose, and after all, to lay down his Life to reconcile Man to God and to one another. Well might St. John be amazed, and cry out, Behold what manner of Love and Friendship? This Love and  extends to all Men; but Friendship must needs be restrained to fewer, and such as we are very well acquainted with, for it's the Elixir, or the Quintessence of Love and Kindness, and a topping Branch of the Tree of Charity.  
Amicitia semper pares accipit aut facit, is an old and a true Axiom, Friendship either finds or makes an Equaliiy between the Parties so engaged; no Priority nor Litigation takes place in such a sort of Union of Affections as this consisteth in; it was the Saying of a late incomparable Divine deceased, That the Face of his Friend was (to him) the Sun in the Firmament; and surely, but for the sake of Friendship, and the Satisfaction accrueing by it, it were not worth the while to be here for nothing on Earth, that has not an Eye of that in its Contexture, can be grateful and agreeable to Man's Mind.  
God is Love in the Abstract, and every thing that tastes not of it, is most unsavoury and insignificant. Magnes amoris Amor, we commonly find to be true; that is, Love is the Loadstone of reciprocal Love; we can hardly choose but love him, that first loves us; but that degree of Love that makes true Friendship, has so many Ingredients requisite to make it right, that its very rare to fiind a real Friend among a million of good Christians now a days; self Interest and Jealousy is so prevalent and Epidemical, though in good earnest, it's the truest and most warrantable Self-Love in the World, to love our Brother as ourselves, which is a mighty Indication of our Love to God, and to ourselves (in the best Sense) 4 Eccles. 9 Solomon assures us, that two are better than one, plus vident Oculi, quàm Oculus. Two Eyes discern better than one and a By-stander, sees (often) more than a Gamester, and a Man being commonly the worst Judge in his own Case, hence it follows, that a Friend is most Necessary in point of Council and Direction, and in point of Regulation of Passions; for with the Frenzy of Anger and Vexation, or the Ague of Hopes or Fears, or the Fevor of Love, or the Consumption of Envy; a Mind (when he's alone) is seldom undistempered; the sociable friendly Life, is also beneficial for our Assistance in our Labours, which are promoted thereby with greater Safety, Cheerfulness and Success, 27 Prov. As Perfumes cheer the Heart, so doth the Sweetness of a Friend; for as a learned Bishop well observes, the Communion of Saints, is (next to the Favour of God, and the Comforts of a good Conscience) the greatest Privilege and Happiness we can enjoy on this side Heaven. And that conjugal Relation of Man and Wife (for which, all other Relations are to be quitted) is only valuable upon this account, as they are Friends, and without this, they are but empty Names, as Bishop Wilkins well observes; who reckons four principal Qualifications of true Friendship.  
1. True Love (which is the Bond of Perfection.)  
2. A wise Freedom of imparting Thoughts.  
3. Patience, for angry Men are neither good Councillors nor Comfortors, and Solomon dissuades the contracting of Friendship with such an one.  
4. Constancy, to adhere in Adversity, as close or closer than in Prosperity; the Witch of Endors Example to Saul, 1 Sam. 28. is a just Reproach to a perfidious unconstant Friend.  
Love by the Schoolmen is distinguished three ways.  
Amor, Benevolentiae, that is good liking of.  
Amor, Complacentiae, that is, better pleased with.  
Amor Amicitiae, that is, firm Friendship, which is the Superlative Degree of Love and Kindness.  
Benevolence is due to all Mankind.  
Complacence and Delight to Relations and Neighbours.  
Friendship, only to such as are intimate with us, as our own Souls, and tempered exactly to us in Disposition and Principles.  
Ullus ad amissas ibit Amicus opes; though a real Friend will appear (to choose) in greatest Exigencies and Indigencies. It's so rare and different to find such Friends (in this Age) that it's commonly supposed by the Vulgar, that it's but a Chimaera, and no such thing in rerum Natura. It's the Advice and Opinion of a learned Bishop of the Church of Ireland, lately deceased, that there's two Faults only that are not Venial and Pardonable in true pretended Friendship (for to real it belongs not)  
1. The revealing of a Secret.  
2. A Treacherous Blow, which ruins the Vitals, and dissolves the Union, and is a Divorce a Vinculo; for true Friendship is the greatest practical Honesty, and Ingenuity in the World.  
It's the Nerves and Sinews of Humane Conversation, insomuch that you find no Body without a pretended Friend; but one that is a Frigate of the first Rate in Friendship, is rarely to be met withal. However, herein I appeal to all Mankind, the very Bruits have among themselves a considerable Semblance of true Friendship, Saevus inter se Convenit Ursus, the very Bares and Boars have a League of Amity between themselves, and therefore it would be miraculous (to purpose) if moral and intellectual Agents should not inter se convenire in aliquo tertio, as the Schoolmen say, that is, have a Confederacy of Friendship with a third Party at least.  
True Friendship is the very Vitals and Radicality of Commerce and Correspondence; so that there can be no Deal amongst Men without a violent Presumption (which our Law calls a half-proof) of it every where; but for a Man to dare to sacrifice both Life and Limb for another, is not (now a days) to be found, perhaps out of Utopia. However, that such a Degree of Concord and Amity is both proper and expedient (though not common) is a Veracity beyond all dispute. It's an old Trite, but not despicable Axiom, that Amicus certus in re incertâ cernitur. A true substantial Friend is experimentally found and tried, when a Man's at a Nonplus, or at a Loss what to do next. Council and Conduct are the two chief Particularities of Friendship, and that is chief requisite when a Man is in Distress and Adversity; although in Prosperity there be singular Use and Advantages of this kind of Love. But remember withal, that he that is not his own Friend, can't have another, for there are a sort of degenerate Souls in the World, that will neither be their own Friends, nor any bodies else. Such as are sunk into Sense, and hate to (or delight not in the) exercise of their Homogeneal and intellectual Faculties, but centre in themselves and their own Humours; whereas (in sano Sensu) on a true account, it's the rightest Self-Love in the World, to love God and your Neighbour, and especially your Friend, your (next) Self.   

XIV. De Solitudine & Carcere. Of Solitude and a Prison.  
A Prisoner is a living Man's Grave, whilst he continues (in arcta Custodia) under close Confinement: we may truly say of him, as we do of one entered into Religion, that he's Civiliter Mortuus, Dead in Law. Howbeit, as to several Intents and Purposes, such Restraints or voluntary Recesses are more eligible and expedient than a Peripatetical Liberty, as for Secrecy, and for Security; whence the best and biggest Philosophers of old cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Qui benè latuit, benè vixit, he that hath lived retiredly, hath lived well, for they accounted such an one that delighted in Solitude or Retirement, to be aut Deus, aut Daemon, a God or a Devil, having so extraordinary Advantages of becoming the best or worst of moral and intellectual Agents. Aude aliquid brevibus Gyaris & carcere Dignum; si vis esse aliquid. Says an ambitious and a valiant Boanerges. 
If you to be Great, would not fail,  
Dare to do what deserves a Gaol.  Others, for the Advantage of Divine Speculation, and Intellectual Accomplishments, choose to devote themselves unto an Anchoretick Life, and frequently prove thereby eximious. Unto some Latitudinarian Tempers; such Restraints and Recesses often prove Antidotes and Restoratives. A well composed Mind is free and easy under the closest Confinement, and may say bonâ Fide, with Scipio (of old) that Nunquam minus solus, quam cum solus.  
He never can be less alone,  
Than then, when there is with him none.  
Hence did that sage Philosopher Pythagoras make a voluntary Recess into a Cave, for a whole year round, and Scipio Africanus, and many others, withdrew from the greatest of public Affairs. And Pinnacles of of Honour, and indeed he must be profoundly fond of the Fatigue and Drudgery of public Employs, whom a Confinement for any considerable time can't wean and disengage.  
Solitude and Durance will not appear to us in so uncouth and strange a Posture, if we do but duly consider, how naturally our Maker inures us to it, and is agreeable with it from first to last, for we can't come into Being but (per Limbum uterinum) by being strained through the Lymbeck or Grates of our Mother's Womb, after forty Weeks Solitude and Imprisonment, and a great while longer by the Law of Nature ('tis as natural for to die as to be born) must we lie incarcerated close Prisoners in the World's Womb (the Grave) before we come to ourselves, and obtain the Liberty of the Sons of God, and confined are we all the while, that our Souls are embodied and subjugated to their numerical Measures, Humours and Inclinations; yea, are we not habituated daily to a thousand Ceremonies and Customs in formal and impertinent Addresses, Euphoniae Gratiâ, more for Fashion-sake than the reason of the things? Are not these all moral Captivities and Confinements? Are not Honours golden, and Trades and Business iron Fetters or Manacles of Restraint, and political, and Oeconomical Feuds, and factions, Silver Chains or Shackles to considerable Interests, when probably oft times, no better Expedient can be found to extricate us, than a Counter, or a Fleet. Most apposite and Emphatical therefore I remember is that Wish of excellent Abraham Cow, ss.  
Let gay & toilsome greatness others please,  
Give me the homely Littleness of Ease.  
If there be any one I'm bound to hate,  
Dependence and Attendance be their fate;  
Still let them busy be, and in a Crowd,  
Both very much a Slave, and very proud:  
I'll only safe from danger choose to dwell,  
In a small Room, but a convenient Cell.  
And what a Paradox is it, for a Man to love himself above all Mankind, and yet not love to keep himself Company, so well as any body else in the World. Doubtless to a thinking and a literate Man, the best and pleasantest condition of Life is to dwell Incognito; for such as contract (and engage into) numerous Acquaintances, open the Doors to the Invaders of the best (if not most) of their precious Time: for Amici temporis Fures, Visitants are Time-stealers; Cujus solius est honesta Avaritia, Whereof only (as a celebrated ancient Philosopher says) Covetousness is warrantable. Whereas one in Solitude or Recess, being but a By-stander and unconcerned Person, (for Totus mundus agit Histrioniam, as one said well) has the Advantage of others, and discerns better than the Gamesters, whether the Dog bites the Bear, or the Bear bites the Dog.  
Numerous and great are the Prerogatives of Recess and Solitude, (which are not to be met withal abroad) four of the principal whereof are, To be Sovereign of his own Time, his own Company, his own Business, and to be out of Harms way: And accordingly we find these four are the securest and innocentest Junctures of our Lives: 1. The Womb. 2. The Cradle, or Swathling-bands. 3. The School. 4. Our Apprenticeships, or Minorities; and who can be more safe, or serious, or secret, than in a Closet, a Library, a Shop, or a Grotto, or (if not a Criminal) in a Prison.  
Whither tends the ultimate Ambition of the most industrious and indefatigable wealthy Citizen, after many years' Fatigues and Toils, in the sweat of their Brows and Brains, with hazard of Life and Limb, but to purchase a quiet, tho' short Recess, (at the fag end of their Pilgrimage) in some obscure corner in the Country, out of the Noise, and Crowd, and hurly-burly, of the unthinking and envious Mobile, before they expect their Quietus est in the Grave.  
It's the matter or merit (not the manner) of any Confinement, that makes it uneasy to a wise man, as when occasioned by either malicious Contrivance, or mistake of the merits of the Cause, or designed by the Fraud and Treachery of pretended Friends, etc. To make a Virtue of such Necessity, is a wise man's Province; and to rejoice (and not be dejected) under such fiery Trials, as generously as if it had been the matter of his own Choice, and no Coercion put upon him.  
Bonum agere, & Malum pati, is not only Regium, but Christianum and Jurisprudentum. Observable also 'tis that generally most men's Disasters happen to proceed from such, to whom he has been most beneficent. A wise man hath less cause to be concerned at such unwarrantable Usages, (by half) than at his own Inadvertencies, Obliquities and Failings, in overacting (as some do, or under-acting, as most do) their duty of Benevolence unto any part of Mankind. Nor is my Mischief or hard Usage from others, any warrant for me to retaliate, misuse, or oppress my Oppressors: Lex Talionis in this sense is long since antiquated; and rather render good for ill Usages of any sort, at least be unconcerned with your worst Malefactors.  
If a Sparrow flies not this or that way, without a particular Providence, doubtless not sincere (tho' ne'er so weak) Christian, can be supposed to suffer a Seclusion from his Country, Kindred, or Family, and Friends, without a remarkable Finger from Heaven, pointing out his solitary Mansion; and therefore must that needs be his best Place and Posture, both in reference to this World and the next: and he ought to take it for granted, as a fundamental Veracity, That whatsoever happens in the regular use of any rational means, is the result of infinite Jurisprudence, and aught to be embraced as that which is best, in the opinion of him that is higher than the highest.  
Our blessed Saviour conversed as often in the Deserts, as with the Multitude: whence we may naturally infer, That Solitude or Retirement is of as vast use and advantage, (by turns at least) as universal Converse with the World, for which purposes chief we came into Being. Every body becomes abundantly worse or better by his Solitude and Retirement; the uninterrupted exercise of his Mind, and inward Faculties, improve him strangely: but we are of such a Make and Composition, as that a total Recess, or a total immersing ourselves from, or into the Stage of Humanity, renders us Sots or Fools, and insignificant to the Community of Mankind.  
Refuse not therefore, if you would be a Jurisprudent, any public Overtures, that seem to (praebere ansam) give you any opportunity of public Service to the World; but choose (if you have power over your Will) rather to dwell in the Shade, than the Sun; but strive to be Versatilis ingenii, participant of both, in utrumque paratus, well provided both ways, as your Genius and the Matter prompts you to.  
If you really consider of your own Constitution, and tendency to another increated Habitation, you will easily perceive more need to covet, than decline as much as possible a Solitude and Retirement, that you may be thoroughly qualified both to serve the Ends and Purposes of your main Chance here and hereafter. No Conferences are so considerable, as what a man maintains with himself. simplify yourself, said a wise Philosopher. Contract and circumscribe yourself, if you would make the best use and advantage of the World: private and retired Thoughts edify most, provided that you follow the Conduct of Reason and Religion, else you will be Daemon instead of a Deus, A Devil or a God, as Aristotle held every retired Man to be.  
The greatest Advantage of Solitude, is to give a Man the best Accomplishment and Advantage to converse in Society; for either one or the other, without an interchanging or alternation of Postures, are very pernicious: for variety of Places and Postures in the World is highly contributory, to both the World's Good in general, and every Individual in particular; when all's done, quae non prosunt singula juncta juvant: Company relieves Solitude, and vice versâ, the contrary.   

XV. De Otio & Negotio. Of Employment and Idleness.  
OTia dant vitia, is an old and true Saying, that Idleness occasions Illness; wherefore learned Seneca was of Opinion, that praestat aliud agere quam nihil; that any Man had better do that that's not to purpose, than to do nothing at all; to say truth, it's scarce possible (in that Sense) for an intellectual Agent to be absolutely idle; for a Man awake, must needs talk, or move, or think and contrive Good or Ill; but we mean by Idleness, to be out of a Course of Employment one way or other, which is a dangerous Point of the Compass, and the Bane of most Men. Innumerable are the Advantages of any sort of steady Employment; it diverts a Man from mischievous and expensive Hazards; it refreshes his Mind with reflection on Pains and Time laudably spent and accounted for, besides the Profit Apprender, as our Sages call the getting of Money.  
An idle Fellow can't tell what to be at next, which is a worse sort of Pain than a Fatigue or Toil at an Oar of Business. He can't properly be counted Idle, that is (for want of present Action) vigorously contriving what to do next, in the Province he has undertaken, the Italians say proverbially, Di me guard, etc. God defend me from that Man that has but one Thing (or Business) to do; but I say, from a Man that has nothing at all to do, Libera me Domine. Absit, ut unquam mihi contingat vacare; said an excellent Divine of old, ss. God forbidden that I should Ere be at Leisure; to wit, have nothing to do. No ingenuous Man in the World, in Health, and in the use of his Limbs, can pretend to be downright Idle; every body in the World may find enough to do to good purpose, and yet there are a sort of People that will pretend they have nothing to do in the Earth, which to a Man of Sense (and Health) is Nonsense. But it's a topping Point of Jurisprudence, to be very well employed, though it's every ones Duty to follow some or other Employment, for we came not into the World to be idle; that's both unnatural and immoral; every way unaccountable; and it's a topping Point of Jurisimprudence (to be so far at a Loss at any time, as) to contrive how to drive away our Time impertinently. Precious Time, the best Talon and Commodity we are entrusted withal. A Calling or Profession, be it what it will, that is not vicious, is an Honour to any Man in the World; the Grand Signior himself, will pretend to make Arrows Heads, rather than not be intitulled to an Occupation; for all the French Monsieurs account it a mechanic and ungentile Business, to Trade, to Buy or sell by Retail, or to Merchandise; Only the Sword or long Robe are their laudable Callings and Non-pedantick. Our Britain Jurisprudents are quite of another Opinion, ss. that it's Creditable or Reputable to be Characterised by a Profession, that any authentic Calling is better than to be a Gentleman at Large, without the Badge or Distinction of a Profession; that it's an Obligation both natural and moral upon all Mankind to pretend to Business and Employment one way or other, be they never so Rich; that of Idleness comes no Goodness; that a Jurisprudent is most honourable; that a Physician more profitable, and that Astronomers, Poets, and Philosophers most commonly the most indigigent. Agreeable to the old Apothegm, viz. Dat Gallenus opes; that Justinianus Honours, Astronomus, Logicus semper egenus erit. Physic gives Wealth, but the Law more Honour; Philosophy makes Poor; that a plump Employment with a narrrow Fund is more eligible than a plump Patrimony without a plausible Profession, which keeps a Man out of Harms-way, and administers high Satisfaction of Mind, if not Increase of Fortunes, the Want whereof, exposes Men to infinite Hazards and Temptations, Frustra fit potentia, say Logicians, quae non traducitur in actum, that is, a Qualification is frustrameous and insignificant, unless the principle or accomplishment exert itself into Practice consonant to the old Adage; Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter.  
It is to no purpose to know,  
Unless with it you somewhat do.  
Adam the Protoplast was a Gardener or Husbandman, Abel a Shepherd, and King David too, before inaugurated and espoused a greater Profession of Protection and Government of Israel. Nor was it any real Reflection (though intended so by the scornful Jews) upon Joseph of Arimathea that he was a Carpenter, and used a Trade. So did the grand Apostle St. Paul himself, make Networks, and makes Manufacture, or a Trade, to be of Apostolical Injunction; and withal, declares such a Man as accounts himself above such a Dispensation, not fit to Eat or Live. Let la●y Lurdans think or say what they will to contrary. Not but that some Occupations or Professions exercise the Heads, and others the Hands or Feet, or both; but Negotiations, or a Method of Action, both Theoretical or Speculative, as well as Practicable, are not only Laudable, but necessary and expedient also, for the Benefit as well of the Universality, as for the Individuality of Mankind. Drones are odious among sensitive and abominable (● fortiori) much more among Rational and Intellectual Agents. An idle Person becomes not only a Burden to the World, but to himself too at last; the very Heathens themselves were Orthodox in this Point, while they assure us unanimously, that, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  That is, 
The Gods have ordered Sweat and Pains,  
To antecede Virtue and Gains.  
Whilst a lazy Lentulus may starve,  
Your busy men their Fortunes carve.  
Non volat in buccas assa Columbatuas.  
A roasted Pigeon ne'er will fly  
Into their Mouths that gaping lie.  No Man in Health, can justify himself to be totally out of all Employment or Negotiation; for there is not any Man whatever that's good for nothing, nor any thing in Nature, but is good for something; and may be useful and significant one way o● to the Community of Mankind, as well as helpful to himself. Every Jurisprudent will betake himself to one or other Method of Action or Negotiation, whether it turn to an expected Account or not, though its confessedly a choice piece of Skill and Prudence, to make a proper Choice, and most adequate to his Genius and Accomplishments, for ex quolibet Ligno, non fit Mercurius. Mercury is not made of any Stick. Yet is it wholly unanswerable, and utterly unaccountable for a Man to be destitute of any manner of Employment, Trade or Profession; though he be the greatest Dunce in the World, he must in Conscience, play one part or other, while he walks upon the Stage of mortality, for Totus mundus agit Histrioniam; the whole World acts, as we may say, an Interlude, and every numerical Person hath a Part to act among his Fellow Creatures. Non nobis nati sumus, said the Philosopher very judiciously, that no body alive was born only to serve himself, for as he goes on pergetically, and to purpose, Partem Patria, partem amici, partem parentes sibi vendicant; our Country, our Parents, our Friends do all very justly challenge a Share of us; which an idle Person little considers, but stupidly and uselessly sacrifices the whole Interest the World hath in him, to his own Net.  
Ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcet.  
Pride and Idleness commonly associate, and the best end commonly of them both, is Discontent and Beggary.   

XVI. De Avaritiâ & Liberalitate. Of Covetousness and Liberality.  
THE most sordid, or the most splendid Characters a Jurisprudent can bear, for the one is down right Idolatry, said St. Paul, the other is Delicium Humani generis, or the Darling of Nature; every Man loves and honours a Liberal and generous Man, though, he be never so Covetous himself. Whereby 'tis demonstrable, that Generosity or Liberality (which is the same thing) is one of the most commendable Accomplishments that belongs to any Man in the World; for a Liberal Man is necessarily Charitable and Hospitable, which Sacrifices are such as we are (jure Divino) assured God is well pleased with, wherefore did St. Paul, who affirms the same, give us a great Caution to be sure not to forget this Faculty of Communicating.  
Prodigality and Nigardliness or Covetousness, are the two Extremes of Liberality. If any one ask me a Character of that Man that I would choose to make a Friend off, it would be one that is Just and Generous; tow short Words, but very comprehensive; for the former Appellation implies one that is only exact in commutative Justice, not to defraud or cheat you (as in common parlance, & ex vi termini, it imports) but one that is universally Sober, Righteous and Godly; and thus far a Publican, a Scribe, or a Pharise might proceed in Jurisprudential Learning; and yet miscarry at last; but to be Generous and Liberal, as well as Just and righteous, implies Hospitality and Charity intensely; which Properties, he that wants, can never on good grounds expect to be happy, because, whate'er besides he is wanting in, if he be defective here, he's a Nugatory Thing, a tinkling Cimbal, and a thing of no value; nor in a sperate Condition. A generous Jurisprudent is a Person of Honour and Conscience, Generosity and Charity, which is but one Branch of the Tree of Liberality (but a great one) we cannot (scarce) in any quality, more imitate our Sovereign Lawgiver than herein, that shines and reins on Good and Bad; but a Man that's Covetous, is both profoundly injurious to himself, and to all the World about him, for he hordes up, and inhibits that Talon which is none of his own, to that purpose. Every Man in the World has a surplus: the generous Widow in the Gospel, that cast her Mite (her All) into the Bank of Charity, was recorded justly for a Generous, as well as very Charitable Soul, for our Example, nothing is more odious in Law, nor more heterogeneal in Nature, than engrossing of what is communicable (pro re natâ) in the nature of the Thing, and that is Wealth, which is no farther useful to any Man, than diffused by the Regrators and Ingrossors thereof. The speculative Lechery of a Covetous Person, is an unintelligent thing to a Jurisprudent, or a Man of considerate Sense and Reason; not but that it's absolutely adviseable to provide against the misadventurs and contingences of humane Affairs, but yet with Jurisprudence, and due Consideration, and Mathematical Measures, our Saviour said it was next unto an Impossibility, for a Rich, that is (in his Sense there) a Covetous Man, to go to Heaven, as it was for a Camel or (rather to follow the Original) a Cable to be threaded in a Needle's Eye. For in good earnest, the liberal Man is only rich, that is, hath enough for his present Accommodation, and future Expectancies, and to spare for the universal Interest of Mankind, with whom he corresponds; which, is doubting of God's Providence, diffident of all Success, and jealous of every body about him. A Jurisprudent of for its well known, who assured us, that Riches consisted not in abundance, without a Heart to make a proper use of it, which most overgrown Wealthists want.  
The true Rich Man, is he that hath enough to bond his Appetites and to spare, that's a great Soul, and a right Jurisprudent. It's Diffidence and Distrust, and it's a pusillanimous Soul that's Hidebound, Penurious and Covetous, for its Con-tranatural and Ignoble, Sordid, and unworthy of so Magnanimous a Creature as Man (ab Origine) was made, and its observable, that the Remains of a Covetous Man seldom or never prosper in their Successions; vix gaudet tertius heres, scarce the third Generation enjoy them; but (vice versâ) the contrary is as remarkable of a Liberal Man's, because the former is gross Impiety, and the latter true Piety; whereunto are annexed the Promises and Benefactions as well of this World as the next.  
A Liberal Man (Solomon tells us) will be Fat, the other contrariwise, Lean as a Rake; or (as the Cheshire Proverb is) as if he sucked his Dam through an Hurdle. He dotes on, and pants after the Dust of the Earth upon the Head of the Poor, and is Solomon's great Fool, and the most egregious Slave in the World; the Ground of what Degree or Fortune soever he be, hath a Surplus for Liberality, both as Hospitable and Charitable (like the generous Widow in the Gospel) if he hath but (one Mite) any thing at all, he'll have something to spare. Yet is our Jurisprudent a thrifty Man, and by generously casting his Bread upon the Waters, finds it turn to a better Account than the miserable Covetous Man's Opus & Usus; who though rediculed by every body, but such as are as sordid as himself; yet hugs himself in his Hoards like a Hog in a Ditch, as Horace lively portrays and describs him. 
— Populus me sibilat; at mihi plaudo,  
Ipse Domi simul ac nummos contemplor in arcâ.  
Though the poor Mobile do make a Jest,  
And ridicule me, yet I'll hug my Chest.  Observe but the tenth Law of Moses, how very particularly he gives the Charge against all sort of Covetousness imaginable, House, Wife, Man nor Maid-Servant, Ox nor Ass, nor any thing else about him you can think on. The Rich Poor Man's emphatically poor, as eximious Cowley tells us of the Miser; one thing only is avarice allowable in, ss. of Time. Solius Temporis honesta avaritia, said the old Jurisprudent Philosophers. Covetousness is not warrantable of any thing, but only Time. The unjust Steward's Servant in the Gospel was applauded for making himself Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness, by a generous Act (though Knavish) in bubbling and cheating his Master's Creditor, and liberally handling his Debtors.  
A Covetous Man can be good for nothing, I'm positively of that Opinion, because the Love of those his little Idols, is resolved by that great Gamaliel (and competent Judge) St. Paul, to be the Root of all sorts of Evil. He is rude and uncivil to himself, in not affording necessary Supplies, for supporting his natural Contentment, and cruel and tyrannical to his better Part (if he have e'er a one) his Soul by distorting and perplexing and debasing it Night and Day in sordid Anxieties, and unaccountable Drudgeries, and to all his Neighbours and Conversants in the World Uneasy, Fraudulent, and Unsociable, and Unintelligible, and worse. And remarkable (I take it to be) that splendid Instance and Precedent of Mary Magdalen, in bestowing a considerable sum of most precious Ointment to wash our Saviour's Feet withal; which no body but covetous Judas (the Bag-bearer) grudged, and would have pretended himself to have been so Charitable or Liberal, as to have wished it had been (ad Valorem) to the Value rather given to the Poor. ss. The Cashkeeper that was so bloodily Covetous, as for thirty (Shillings) or Pieces of Silver, to betray his Lord and Master. A stingy narrow Soul can't be a Jurisprudent to all Effects and Purposes (if to any at all) for a Liberal Man considers of the Universe, and and dispenses accordingly, quoad hunc & nunc, as to time and Person properly; but the other minds no body but himself, and in good earnest, therefore is most his own Enemy, though a common Enemy too to the World about him. That a Man, who is Deputy Lieutenant of the whole World, should not act like a Prince within his Territories, is a thing to be counted more a Matter of Prodigy than Proof. That Soul that confines itself to itself, and loves not to dilate, is the greatest Heteroclite (in rerum Naturâ) (in the visible World) and such is he that is profoundly Covetous; for a Man that's never so Covetous, is on some occasions liberally affected; to wit, towards himself, but regards not the rest of the Family of God, and is therefore a spurious and degenerate Monster amongst Mankind, and not worthy to be owned by them as a rational or intellectual Agent, but an Excresence of Humanity, or a Creature, not a Kin to Generous Mankind.   

XVII. De Vitâ & Morte. Of Life and Death.  
MAnes suos quisque patimur, said the great Horace. Our Urns and Ends are as certain as our Beginnings: Orimur, morimur, All of us that live must die; which fatal word to the unthinking Vulgar is the most formidable in Nature, and by the Heathen called so; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But some of the more thinking of them have had a rarer Notion of it, viz. 
Dii celant homines, ut vivere durent,  
Quam sit dulce mori.  
That Men may endure to lives the Reason why,  
The Gods conceal, how sweet it is to die.  And the divine Philosopher Seneca seemed to be much of that Mind, when he saith, that, Pompa Mortis magis terret quam mors ipsa, that the Circumstances of our Departure, are more frightful than Death itself: and Dr. Brown wonders any wise Man was afraid of it; he professes himself to be rather ashamed to see so sudden and considerable a Change made in a Carcase: it's as natural to die as to be born, saith Sir Fra. Bacon, and therefore ought not to be so dreadful. So that a Jurisprudent being well apprized of the Law of Mortality, so lives, that he's neither afraid nor ashamed to die, whensoever his great Sovereign, that put him into Being, thinks fit to recall him out of it.  
It's true that Life is a mighty Blessing, and a living Dog is better than a dead Lion; but in comparison with the Ends of Life, and Consequences of Death, it's not worth the talking of. 
Quis propter Vitam vivendi perdere Causas  
Velle potest?  could a Heathen say. 
Who for Life's sake, would ever quit the Cause  
Of Living, by his fundamental Laws.  Especially believing, that a better Life, and infinitely more to purpose, will be subsequent to every one that dies a Jurisprudent. 
Illi Mors gravis incubat,  
Qui notus nimis omnibus,  
Ignotus moritur sibi.  said the Tragedian Seneca excellently well, ss. Death cannot be really formidable to any, but such as are too well (and notoriously) known to the World, and understand not themselves. Cogi qui potest, nescit mori, (said he too.) That Man can't tell how to die, that can be compelled thereunto, (note that!) For in many Cases Death is more eligible than Life to a Jurisprudent; but a Jurisimprudent, or Ignoramus, is afraid of his own Shadow, and can't tell you why he does dread to die.  
He that lives well, need not fear to die,  
Because he knows good reason why,  
He leaves Time for Eternity.  
While a Jurisprudent is present in the Body, he is (all that while) absent from the Lord; which I take to be the chief Reason, why that Chief Justice of the Gentiles, St. Paul, desired rather to be dissolved than not, as to himself; but as to the care of the Churches, and their edification by his Function (for a season) which was the great Province he was charged withal, he was contented to endure to live a while longer. The sager sort of the Heathen themselves had arrived to this Metaphysical Point, That to be in Statu seperato, from the cumbersome Body, was much more eligible, in itself singly considered, from the benefit of Mankind, than their longer residence in the Body.  
Wherefore duly considered, and jurisprudentially, what we are, and whither we tend, we can show no cause why we should be at all dismayed at Death. Indeed if we had no further Assurances of future Felicity, the Case were altered; but who can be happy too soon? or who that prudentially considers all the Weal and Woes of humane Life together, does not judge him the happiest man that is well extricated out of the body? There's more perhaps than we are ware on, primâ fancy, in that Saying, ss.  
Nemo ante obitum, supremaque funera faelix.  
No Man is truly happy till he dies,  
This is no Riddle unto him that's wise  
Life indeed is all in all, (when all's said) but to exchange a worse for a better Life, is more than all that can be said, è contra, against it. It's better not to be, than to be miserable all agree; but if we are morally certain of an eternal Life, he must needs be (non Compos mentis) out of his Wits, that is loath to die. As Death is an extinguishment of all our Faculties, and a divorce of Soul and Body; indeed it's formidable; but if we as Jurisprudents look on't but as an Emancipation, or Gaol-delivery, and as a future State, to which (ab initio) at first we were framed, it is rather what we should long for and covet, than be shy of, or dread. A Jurisprudent argues thus: 
If I am here but by the By;  
If it's impossible (long) Death to fly;  
If Life eternal be to me hard by;  
If no man can 'gainst it show good Cause why;  
Within a little while I must needs die:  
To be translated hence, wherefore should I  
Be all a mort beforehand, or be shy.  
If Solomon and Paul approved best  
Of Dissolution, why should not the rest  
Of the sage Jurisprudents, and men wise,  
Resolve the Point? It is but a Demise,  
No Prince or Jurisprudent ever dies.  
Seneca said very true, that  
Non est vivere, sed valere vita.  
He that's in pain, and no health hath,  
His Life may properly be called Death.  The Life that now is (as much as we make of ourselves) is not a thing worth the taking up, were it not in pursuance of, and in order to something better, as the vulgar Note well observes: 
Can Life be a Blessing,  
And worth the possessing,  
If Love were away? O no, etc.  The Practice of which principal part of Piety, or Jurisprudence, upon this Stage of Philanthropy, and the full fruition of the beatific Vision, who is defined to be Love in the Abstract, is that which is our main Business here, and which only makes Life considerable, and Death not so dreadful as desirable.  
The very heathen Philosophers, that had not so clear a Prospect of the future State, made no Bones (as we say Proverbially) of it, as Sir Fra. Bacon in his learned Essays gives us many Instances: Fear induced some to court it; Love and Friendship others; others in Compliments and generous Bravadoes, as Augustus Caesar parting with his Wife Livia, at his Execution takes his leave of her and the World together, thus: 
(Livia!) memor sis nostri Conjugii, vive, valeque  That is to say, 
Remember (Livia) our things Conjugal,  
Live and prosper, far thee well.   
It's the Consequences of it are so formidable and astonishing, and not itself, which is nothing but a deprivation of something, which is as natural and as necessary for us to part with as to enjoy. Whoever leads a Jurisprudent Life, need never dread never so sudden Death. It's for Fools (and guilty Knaves) to be afraid of their own Shadows, and not for men of Temper and Discretion. Life is here a thing only considerable in order to somewhat better and future; Death is (if rightly considered on) at best but a transition to another State (not Place) if applied to Intelligent or jurisprudent Agents. 
Sera nimis vita est crastina, vive hodie.  said an Elegant heathen Poet to purpose, viz. 
What you mean to do, do to day,  
Dream not to live to morrow, pray.  
Nec propter vitam, vivendi perdito causam.  said another appositely, and emphatically.  
Dote not so much on this Life, as to make  
The Reason why you live here, a mistake.  
Life is a very pretty pleasant thing,  
(If health attend it) to Beggar, or King.  
But all the wealth and honour in the world,  
If at once into your arms they were hurled,  
Can never make you be so much in love  
With Life below, if you're secure above  
Of such a Posture as you're now beneath,  
To which nothing can you conduct but Death,  
By God's permission, when you'v lost your Breath.  
We commonly wonder, (which is a vulgar Error) when we hear of any body's Death; whenas we have much more reason to wonder, that any Individual is in Life and Health, if we do but consider, how small a matter serves to turn the strongest Constitution out of Being, and how many millions of those accidental Matters we meet withal in a little time, besides the incurable Disease of old Age.  
We ar' no sooner born, than we begin to die,  
Take Time by the Forelock then, there is good reason why  
For she behind is bald, and swiftly does she fly.  
And eximious is that Saying of the heathen Philosopher, 
— Vitae nimis avidus quisquis,  
Non vult mundo secum moriente, mori.  
That Man's abominably covetous  
Of Life, that's loath to die with us;  
The rest of all the Universe about,  
Will keep him quickly company no doubt.   
I close this Essay, as Sir Wa. Rawley does his History of the World, p. 776. who then had a close Prospect of his untimely End. O Eloquent, just and mighty Death! whom none could advise, thou hast persuaded; what none has dared, thou hast done; and whom all the World has flattered, thou only hast cast out of the world, & despised, thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched Greatness, all the Pride, Cruelty, and Ambition of Man, and covered it all with these two narrow words, Hic jacet.   

XVIII. De Societate & Conversatione. Of Society and Converse.  
MAn is defined very properly to be Animal sociabile, a sociable, or conversible Creature, more than any other inferior Animal whatever: the Tongue and Discourse gives him that Pre-eminence, to make better guesses at another's meaning and mind, and the complexion of their Thoughts, than other Animals overt Actions indicate. Without Conversation (Society is nonsense, and) the World would not be like itself.  
Solomon, the grand Jurisprudent, has long ago remarked it, That infinite Wisdom created one thing to correspond with another; and it was told us, ab initio, first in Paradise, that it was not fit or good for Man to be without Society, and thereupon his Maker did superadd Eve for his companion, or associate, that nothing might pretend to be Independent but himself. Whence it follows necessarily, That anchoretick Doctrine and Discipline is quite out of doors, both heterodox and immoral, as well as unnatural and selfish. Hence said the same sage and authentic Author, That two are better than one, for the sake of reciprocal Aids, as well as Enjoyments; even Affliction is sweetened by Society, much more Prosperity; according to the true old Saying, 
Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris.   
And a Man is known and understood by his Company that he frequents, when he is not by his own Deportment. So is the trite Saying, 
Noscitur ex comite, qui non cognoscitur ex se.  
By Company that Men do keep,  
They're known to such as wisely peep.  Hermitages, and Cells, and Solitudes, help much to qualify a Man (vicibus alternis) by fits and turns for Conversation. So did our grand Exemplar Emanuel, often withdraw into Deserts and other Recesses, but it was to recollect himself, with more advantage to appear upon the Stage, and to converse with the Multitude, Publicans and Sinners, with whom we know he was so frequent and familiar, as well as with Magistrates, and Persons of better Quality, otherwhiles that he was by the highminded Scribes and Pharisees, reproached with the Character of being a Friend of theirs of meaner Extract.  
But wholly to sequester a man's self from all manner of Conversation abroad, as those do that pretend to enter into Religion, (which indeed is more properly taking their leaves of it) is altogether against the Principles of our Jurisprudent, and his Practice too. Both Extremes are odious and dangerous, Never to be out of a Crowd, and never to be out of a Cell, or Dormitory; and it's as much to a man's own Edification and Improvement as others, that he exert, impart, converse, and communicate. Qui docet, discit: Whoever teaches others, learns himself; but he that hides himself in a Hole, or buries his Talon in a Napkin, is a Sot, and doth that which as a moral Agent is unaccountable. 
Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter.  
'Tis to no purpose what you know,  
Unless some good with it you do.   
But we must be very cautelous and circumspect (on the other side) what sort of Company we keep; for as Conversation generally is the quickest, most natural and laudable way of Improvement, if well managed, so nothing is more pernicious than ill Company; that's the Bane of most men, for want of Jurisprudence, or Judgement; not but that a man by the help of (Lingua penna mentis muta) that silent tongue of the Mind, as a Pen is called, may render himself sociable and conversable, when he perhaps can't personally appear among Company, as it's many a Man's case besides my own, in such cases Mahomet's will walk to the Mountain, where the Mountain can't come to them to converse. Abraham Cow has well observed, that an honest Jurisprudent Interest in the Campaign or crowded Company, (which is worse of the two Extremes than perfect Solitude) must either make himself sometimes appear like a Knave, or they'll make him appear like a Fool; besides he is in danger of Infection with them, or to be trodden down by them, wherefore this Extreme of Conversation, is worse than a Seclusion. It's a critical point therefore of Jurisprudence, to avoid the two foresaid Extremes; the Society of, and humane Converse with intellectual voluntary Agents (such as Angels and Men are, if we take them in puris naturalibus, and not in a lapsed or degenerate Notion, as both of them may be) is the greatest Dignity and Duty of Mankind; the Jurisprudent Gamaliel of all the Apostles, intimates his Opinion fully in the Point, where he exorts us strenuously to Hospitality, and annexes that singular Motive to it, that some Folks have thereby accidentally conversed withal, or given Entertainment to Angels; but saith he, what e'er you do, do not forget to communicate, or converse liberally, for such are excellent and highly acceptable to the most high, whereby appears plainly our Honour and our Duty. Who was more Sociable, Affable, Hospitable and Generous than the Lamb of God that takes away the Obliquities of Man? The first Miracle that he ever wrought, was at a Wedding Feast, where it appears the Guests eat and drank plentifully, which, together with his blessed Company, did much promote the Freedom and Benefit of their Society and Conversation; a morose and cynical Man no body minds or much regards, because he is of an Heterogeneal Temper and Converse, self-affected and singular, and that Conversation which is most Frank and Cheerful, is abundantly more Useful, most Healthy, most Innocent, and most Jurisprudential; and the contrary, when a Person is Chagreen and Melancholy, or (as we Phrase it now adays) out of Humour.  
Much more Good or Harm is daily done by Conversation among Men, than by all the Speculation or Information, otherwise in any thing in the World, for the Impressions made by Discourse or Example, are very much stronger than what is made by Precept, or Instructions any other way; and possibly that may be the reason for the Institution of that great and standing Public Ordinance of Preaching and Conference, and especially of the Fundamental Article of a Jurisprudent's Faith, ss. Christian Communion, or Church-fellowship (as some phrase it) for it's a very true Rule of the School-men's, Omne bonum, eô melius, quô communicabilius, 
Whatever is good's communicable,  
And therefore the more Venerable.   
To which Rule possibly there's no exception but one, and that is of a particular Secret, and it's hard to say, whether more Profit or more Pleasure be perceived by every such Communicant, of whatever good Notion and Action is imparted to another Body.  
So radical a thing is Society and Conversation in all Sensitive as well as Intellectual Agents, that the very Devils themselves, and the worst, and most degenerous parts of the Creation, delight to practise, according to that instinct— Saevus inter se convenit ursus, The Beasts of Prey are together Sociable as well as Men and Angels Naturally. 
The Savage Bears so far agree,  
As to maintain Society.  Nay (which is most Prodigious of all) none generally are less Sociable and Conversable than such as should be most exemplary herein, even the greatest and nicest Professors of Religion and Virtue themselves.  
Yet are we fully of Opinion, that there's no better way in the World to propagate Jurisprudence, or any thing that is of kin to Virtue and Religion, than a Sociable Conversation, and frank intercourse with one another; and we peremptorily affirm it to be the Interest of States and Commonwealths in general, as likewise of every Individual Person in particular, always in the World to maintain and encourage Society and Converse among each other (pro virili) to the utmost, in little matters, as well as greater; Cum socio mingas, vel saltem mingere fingas (say the boni socii of the World) That is, 
With his Companion one Sociable is,  
That (either seems to do it or) doth piss.  
Longum iter est (saith Seneca) per praecepta, breve & efficax per exempla.  
Example and Converse, the shorter way, and sweet;  
Rules and Precepts tedious, all of us daily see't.   
Without a reasonable proportion of Converse a Man rusts, and his accomplishments shrivel up, and his Faculties grow feeble and insignificant, Probatum est; it plainly appears in such as are mere Scholars (as we term them) and Recluded Persons, who sensibly dis-improve for want of Negotiation and exerting their Parts. Men might have propagated as Plants and Trees do (which Naturalists observe are like a Man topsie turvy, or reversed) had not his Creator contrived him to be Sociable as well as Propagable; and his Wife Eve was Originally designed him for an helpmeet Friend and Companion, as much as to be prolifical, or more; and whoever renounces good and Sociable Converse with his fellow Creatures, I declare him to be a Common Enemy both to himself and all Mankind; and in the highest degree a Jurisimprudent, or Ignoramus at the best.  
Who was more Sociable than our Lord and Saviour in the Flesh, Night and Day going about to find Opportunities of doing good to Man, whose Copy in this very particular all Divines, and other Jurispru●ents agree, we are all bound to write after, ●o far as we are able to be useful to the whole World within our reach; and when ●l's done, the best use and benefit of Recrement, is to qualify a Man or Woman ●or Public good.  
No greater Sot in Nature than he that will put his Candle under a Bushel, and ●ot let it shine so as others may be behol●n to him; and be provoked the better to erve and honour their Sovereign Proprie●r and Creator.   

XIX. De Actione & Varietate. Of Variety and Action.  
ACtion, said Sir Rich. Baker (in his Preface to the History of England) is the Life of a Prince, Speculation of a Scholar; but (under Correction) it ought to be of both, for all Speculation that's not in order to Action is nugatory, (and chicanree.) Frustrà fit potentia quod non traducitur in actum. That is but a frustraneous, or impertinent Power (say the Schoolmen) which is not exerted into Action: And whosoever is most capable of variety of laudable Action, is indisputably the most eximious and useful Member of any Commonwealth, or Kingdom.  
One that is versatilis ingenii, (as we say) that is, can turn his Hand or Head to variety of Services, is the most accomplished and valuable Person in the World; which made Sir Francis Bacon (and some others) so Useful and Venerable in their Times he being a topping Jurisprudent, a Learned a Divine, great Physician; and, as hi● Encomium that surrounds his Effigies hath deservedly Recorded him to be tertius ● Platone, Philosophorum Princeps, the third Prince of Philosophers since Plato lived.  
Actions speak louder than words: Thi● is agreed on all hands, and in all cases good or bad. Hence is that Sage and Jurisprudent Counsel given by the Heathen Poet. 
Hoc age, tutus eris,  
Action better is by half  
Than words: Be doing and you're safe.  And Horace plainly avers the same thing in his Advice to a Son, De Arte Poeticâ, etc. 
Qui studet optatam cursu contingere metam,  
Multa tulit fecitqúe puer, sudavit & alsit.  
The Lad that would obtain his ends,  
His Mind to do and suffer bends;  
He must be vigorous and bold  
In business, bearing heat and cold.   
Nor is any thing in Nature more pleasant (whatever happens to be profitable) than Variety. Certa lectio prodest, said Learned Seneca, sed varietas delectat; Though a steady Method of Study is profitable; yet, says he, it's Variety which is delightsome or pleasant. Nothing is more irksome and uneasy to an ingenious Agent, than one sort or series of Action, or expressions; it makes the Intellectuals giddy and obtuse, like a Horse in a Mill, whom to prevent that consequence, we blind. Besides the Pleasure which Variety affords, it improves the Faculties that exercise themselves therein, as experience (on our Reflections) will demonstrate plainly. Mens hominum novitatis avida, is an undeniable Principle, That Man's Mind is Naturally greedy of Novelty; which in plainer English, is Variety that Man's Constitution so eagerly and naturally affects; and therefore of Necessity it's more eligible and advisable to habituate ourselves thereunto. All things in Nature delight in and are full of Variety of Motion and Action; as well the Sun, Moon, and Planets above us, as inferior Animals below; Winds, Weathers, and Tides of Water; all which may plainly indicate to us Humane Agents, the Expediency, Use, and Necessity thereof. Yea, the greatest part of the Creation is contrived for Variety and Delight, more than Necessity, by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or infinite Wisdom variegated, as the great Apostle Phrases it.  
Neither is there a livelier Emblem (perhaps in the whole World) of Eternity and Immortality than variety of Actions here on Earth. No one single enjoyment very often repeated, but cloys and surfeits Humanity; but a variety whets or creates new Appetites.  
So great a Darling of Nature is Variety, that she never exerts two Persons or things exactly alike; no Man's Face, nor Mind, or inward Faculties are Mathematically parallel to another. And as no Man lives to purpose that is not active and vigorous, so none is to good purpose active, who is not addicted to Variety of Motion or Action.  
Among the Barbarian Naturalists, he that is least listless, and most active and strenuous, is their Chieftain or King, to whom they render readily and voluntarily all Homage and Allegiance imaginable.  
A genuine Jurisprudent is (ad omnia quare) squared and cut out for all laudable effects and purposes; and his Principles are to be vigorous and active, and to be full of Variety and Action, as well as Speculation. 
Hîc bene conveniunt, & in unâ sede morantur  
Majestas & amor—  
Here sagely do accord great Majesty  
And Love together; & good Reason why:  
Here's (Wisdom) Action, and Variety.   
I dare Challenge any Jurisprudent to give me a Precedent of any Man that ever was a Celebrated Author, or that earned a competent Fortune by doing (next to nothing that is) only one thing, or dealing in only one Commodity, without circuity, as we say, or variety of Action: And I further declare it to be my Opinion, That no Man in the use of his Health, Limbs, and Wits, can be at a loss utterly, for want of one or other Lawful Action; and (if it be not his own fault) variety. So great a Latitude of Action doth Humane Necessities afford and crave, were the World much more Populous. And it's more Honourable and Religious, and Rational to practise for pauper's without any Fee or Salary at all, than to be Idle in the Marketplace.  
But if no more were in it of motive than the Health of the Body, and the tranquillity and satisfaction of the Mind, and the prevention or diversion of a thousand of Snares and Temptations, that else will be sure to put us at least in exquisite Jeopardy; it is well worth the while for a Jurisprudent, or Jurisimprudent to be concerned with variety of Action. It's better far to play at small Games here, than to stand out; and it's not a moot point, whether Action will turn to account, for I am (against the common Proverb) fully of Opinion, that such a rolling-stone will gather Moss; and that a regular and prudent crusing about the Creation (when you can't hoist your Topsail) terra, terra, from Coast to Coast, as the Phrase is of our Maritine Authors) will turn to a good account. As Demosthenes the great Orator of Old and profoundly Eloquent (eâ ratione) for that reason must needs be presumed to be, being asked, Quid primum? Quid deinde? Quid denique praecipuum in Oratore? What's the first and main point of an Orator? His Compass. And what's the next great point, and what's the last, and most considerable part or point? Answered to them all three, Action. So to the Case, if it were put to a true Jurisprudent, what's the best Council to be given to any Man to live honestly, and thrive hearty by; be would give it under his hand for a reasonable Fee Action. Action, Action, against the World, and the more variety of them the better. Always provided they are of that sort as enterfere not, or are inconsistent one with another; which in truth was employed before in the Words prudent and regular Motions and Actions, and such as are agreeable (more or less) to the reason of the things aimed at; for a little Discord in Music helps frequently the Harmony; and by the same reason, may a little casual eccentricality of Accord, help more than hinder a prudent Enterprise, as a little Trip in a Race, often quickens and helps a Man by his Recovery to mend his Pace, and more vigilantly pursue the Cause and Concern of his main Chance, and win the Prize at long run.   

XX. De Voluptate & Paenâ. Of Pleasure and Pain, or Joy and Sorrow.  
TO conceive in Sorrow or Pain, and to earn our Bread in the Sweat of our Brows, is an original Curse notorious enough, and is entailed on Man and Womankind; insomuch, that we may truly say to smart, is a thing connatural to Humanity, and Excess whereof, withers and weakens the Flower and Vigour of both Mind and Body; but a Tincture of it adjuvant, as an Eye of Melancholy or Seriosity mends the Constitution, but a Redundancy mars it, and renders it chagreen or morose. It's a pusillanimous Soul that's dejected and depraved by Calamity, which spurs the Generous to Industry and Puissance; the over Valuation of any thing which we lose, is the occasion of our Vexation and Sorrow immoderate. Extirpate once these roots of Mistake, that we lay too great a stress of Enjoyment on them, or apprehend them to be more considerable than they prove upon experiment and trial, and then no Cross or Loss in the World would be able to break our Hearts to pieces; immoderate Sadness is ingratitude to God, Pleasure and Cheerfulness is the Opposite hereunto; if you will take the wisest Man's Word in the World. Eccles. 5. It's our Portion, it's a peculiar Gift of God, than it there's nothing in the World better, ss. to eat and drink your Bread and Wine with a merry Heart, and so enjoy the good Fruit of your Pains and Labour.  
We may and aught to sigh and groan, in many cases besides our own; but not be tired nor overlong disquieted.  
Our Duty and our Happiness never more apparently meet together, than in our rejoicings, which is the noblest and innnocentest Pleasure in the World; it's an old saying, and much of Veracity in it, that iniquissima pax est justissimo bello anteferenda, the most ill-favoured Peace more eligible than the most beautiful War; so may we say the Pleasure of Joy on any good account, doth far surmount the Pain and Mischief of Sadness and Sorrow. Pleasure is the Varnish of the Creation, it makes all Enjoyments illustrious and relishing, as Pain renders them unsavoury and irksome, even Life itself is a Burden under acute pain; whereof poor Job is a signal Instance and Example. Yet are there some sort of Pain that promotes and advances Pleasure; besides prolification Pangs, which a Jurisprudent may have met withal in the Acquisition of a Profit Apprender, or Emolliment, and to say true, the greatest of humane Pleasures are generally the results of Smart and Pain, according to the Saying, Difficilia quae pulcra. And that other, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. God has planted Sweat and Labour or Pain in the Road to Virtue, so that pleasant attainments can't be enjoyed without proportionable Pain and Difficulty, so that they are nearer of Kin than we are commonly ware of; Hazard and Pains are usually antecedent to every noble and pleasant Acquisition; Trahit sua quemque voluptas.  
We all have a peculiar Pleasure,  
Which we account our greatest Treasure.  
To taste of Pain (however) is as proper and connatural to our present State here, as to perceive Pleasure; if duly considered, for none that are beloved of their Heavenly Father, must expect exemption from Punishment or Pain; the heathen Poet was sensible of this Veracity, who tells us, 
Albus ut obscuro detergit nubila coelo  
Saepe notus; neque parturit imbres perpetuos,  
Sic tu (Sapiens) finire memento.  
Tristitiae, vitaeque labores.  
The North Wind drives the Clouds away,  
Which the South makes a rainy Day;  
So Jurisprudents must remember,  
To compare July with December.  
Pains without Pleasure succeeds sad,  
Pleasure, without some Pain's, as bad.   
Joy and Pleasures without any mixture or alteration of Pain and Sorrow, is only a peculiar Dainty reserved for the next world's Felicity and Enjoyment, and not to be expected to be met withal in this. But there is a Jurisprudential Joy or Pleasure many times to be met with here, in suffering Pain, and loss of Goods, as of old we read of many that did, and in Self-denial for Righteousness sake; yea, to be overjoyed in such cases, for the prospect of the Reward.  
A pleasant and cheerful person is most acceptable to God and Man, whether he be the giver or receiver of a Benefaction; ever more rejoice, while you maintain Mens inscia culpae; as the Poet said well, nil conscire sibi, nullâ pallescere culpâ; a good Conscience is a constant Feast, and that is the Foundation of all Pleasure; that's worth the Name of Pleasure. All pains in such a case, will neither be long nor severe, but short and light, and not worth further mentioning or taking notice of, in comparison of both the present, as well as future intellectual Streams and Rivers of Pleasure, that a true Jurisprudent can never miss of the Enjoyment of. 
Res est solliciti plena timoris Amor.  Is as true, as old, a Saying, that Love itself is a very painful thing, and fearful. 
To love, it is a grievous pain,  
And not to love, a greater is again;  
But of all Pains, there's no such Pain,  
As for to love, and not be loved again.   
This is properly verified of Effeminate Pleasure, but a Masculine Jurisprudent's Genius and Complexion is of an other guest Mould; for his Love renounces Fear and Pain; he loves any thing or Person according to the Merits of the Cause only, a Wrong or Tort pains him more than a broken Shin, and a righteous Sentence pleasanter to him than a Rose in June. Sensual Titillations or Pleasures little affect him, but he's ravished with Intellectuals; his tickling Motto therefore is 
Currat Lex, fiat Justitia; Ruat Caelum.  
Let Right prevail, Reason take place,  
What e'er becomes of humane Race,  
This Lechery has no Disgrace.   
But to see Right run down in Forma Pauperis, makes him roar with Pain; for no greater occasion can be given to a Jurisprudent of Uneasiness and Pain, than to see Might overcome Right; which is common, or to perceive by Tricks and Evasions, eccentric to all Rules of Prudence, any body to be morally massacred.  
In fine, the greatest Pleasure, and the greatest Pain,  
Is to love, and to hate the same again;  
Both of which things are intellectual,  
A Jurisprudent Minds not sensual.  
He very rarely can afford the Leisure,  
To taste them; or knows how to count them Pleasure.  
If any man in nature feeleth Pain,  
Jurisimprudence is first cause and main.  

A Confession of the Jurisprudent's Faith.  
I Firmly am persuaded (in my mind)  
(The truth whereof upon Record I find)  
That the true God eternals only one,  
Besides whom (save Son and Spirit) there's none.  
That these (great Elohim!) the Worlds did make,  
And still preserve them, for their own Namesake.  
That in the highest Heavens ever are,  
And of his Sacred Truth do Record bear.  
And that for Man, God was Incarnated  
In his Nature on Earth, and once was dead,  
And buried (not in Hell) but now long since  
Rose again up to Heaven (departing hence)  
To reconcile lapsed Man to God again.  
I hold one visible Church (in the main:)  
And Saints Communion's a true Position,  
And will again rise to th' beatific Vision.  
And verily believe that God hath sent  
Forgiveness of sins to each Penitent.  
And that Man's Soul a thing Immortal is,  
And Bodies to the next World after this  
Will raised be; and that the Holy Ghost  
To Man's Recovery now conduces most;  
And doth negotiate with him instead  
Of Christ, who ever lives (tho' once was dead)  
To intercede on High for poor Mankind,  
Whom when he did ascend, he left behind.   

The Jurisprudent's Common-Prayer.  
UNto thee (O Heavenly Father) who art the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, and a God, hearing Prayer, shall all Flesh come, being promoted by thine Assistance, and Encouraged by thine Acceptance, through Jesus Christ am I emboldened to make my most humble Applications in all due and filial acknowledgements of my Derivation from thee, Dependence upon thee, and Submission to thee; who art both Original and Final, and more intimate to us, than any thing else within us, or without; wherefore, I humbly own the Continuance of thy Fatherly Care, Countenance, Conduct, and Protection every moment, in, and through Jesus Christ; by whom we are encouraged to call thee Father. I hearty recognize and own the to be my Sovereign Lord and Proprietor, and adore thee for thine infinite Condescension, in sending of thy Son to become a Ransom for the lost World, and for all the blessed Fruits and Benefactions thereby redounding to me, I humbly commit, and surrender to thee my Soul and Body so dearly purchased by the Blood of the Eternal and Incarnate Word; and in the use of that Liberty thou hast afforded me, do make a voluntary Dedication and Resignation of this most reasonable Sacrifice to thine holy Majesty. I confess and acknowledge, that I am less than the least of all thy Mercies, and have grossly degenerated, and apostatised from the Law of thy Creation. I have sinned and miscarried unaccountably, and am altogether unworthy to be owned by thee; but thou hast been graciously pleased to lay help upon one that is mighty, and able, and willing to save unto the uttermost all that come unto thee, in, and through his Name. O Lord, I do unfeignedly therefore deprecate thy Displeasure against me for those innumerable Failings and Obliquities all my Life long, whereby I am most justly become obnoxious to thy divine Challenge and Rebuke; more especially those manifold Relapses and Defections of mine, after renewed Purposes and Resolutions of better Obedience, as into inordinate Anger, Impatience, Intemperance, Immodesty, and divers other exorbitant and vile Inclinations and Passions; and I hearty revoke, and renounce all wherein I have done amiss; and humbly beseech thee for thy Son's sake graciously to pardon both all mine own Delinquencies against thine Holy Majesty, and all those that have any manner of ways disobliged (or dealt injuriously with) me, especially my nearest Acquaintance. O Father forgive them (as I sincerely do) for they know not what they have done; and vouchsafe, I beseech thee, not only to divert thy further Judgements that have not already taken hold of them and me, (for our Iniquities have found us out) but also to Sanctify both to them and me, thy present Judgements, and severe (but Fatherly) Corrections; that (since thy tender Mercies have not) those bitter Dispensations may hereafter teach us all to learn Righteousness. I humbly pray thee to root out of all of us all malignity of Mind, and lead none of us into further Temptations that may be too hard for us; but deliver us from all evil Consequencies, and the causes of them; and by thine Omnipotent Arm preserve us from all Pollutions both of Flesh and Spirit, unto thine approaching and everlasting Kingdom, which is our Salvation.  
Be good to the whole World, please to recover thy lapsed Creation; control all Atheism, Idolatry, and Malignity in the Sons of Violence, that daily make havoc and disorder in the Family of God. And to the rest of those manifold Favours which thou hast afforded us in Life, be pleased to superadd this, that I may not be hence removed, but with all advantages for Eternity, with a mind freed from the Snares, and under a perfect Renunciation of all the sinful and lewd Guises and Customs of this mad World, and under a sense of a thorough Reconciliation with, and Resignation to thee, and fully qualified and accomplished for an eternal Enjoyment of thee, that whensoe'er thou callest me hence, I may be fully assured of a blessed Departure, in the Faith and Fear of thine Elect.  
Be propitious I entreat thee (in a particular manner) to thy Servant, and our Sovereign Lord the King, whom thou hast miraculously appointed in the Throne over us, preserve him in Peace and Safety from all the Sons of Belial, and endue him with Wisdom and all Grace's requisite for the Discharge of so great a Trust, and grant that we may lead quiet and prosperous Lives, in all Godliness and Honesty under him. Bless all inferior Magistrates and dispensers of thy Word and Sacraments, with suitable Accomplishments for so great Functions; Mercifully compassionate all the Sons and Daughters of Affliction; every where suppress and discountenance Antichrist and all Impostors, and let the Gospel be propagated from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof, and ●hen hasten the coming of our Blessed Saviour; and (O bountiful Father!) accept (I humbly beseech thee) of my hearty Thanks and Praise for that Health and Welfare, Liberty and Advantages thou daily art pleased to vouchsafe to me, of doing or receiving any good Offices in the World, for the Enjoyment in Peace and Safety of the Conversation of good Men, and for the Benefit received by their Examples and Instructions; particularly, I sensibly and gratefully acknowledge the innumerable and extraordinary Deliverances from Deaths and Dangers all my Life long; and for the Mercies and good Providences thou hast remembered me withal, in the midst of so many Judgements and Calamities thou hast seen good to exercise me and mine withal; and for the remarkable Returns thou hast been pleased to make to my poor Prayers early and late, through the Intercessions of mine only and most blessed Advocate and Mediator the Lord Jesus; and for the additional Suplies of Comfort by the Holy Ghost, unto whom, with thyself, be Praise, Homage, and Obedience, World without End, Amen.   

A Jurisprudents Ejaculation before Meat.  
O God be merciful unto, and bless me with the Pardon of all my Sins, and a Sanctified Use of these thy good Creatures, of thine infinite Bounty provided for me, through Jesus Christ my Saviour.   

His thankful Recognition after Meat.  
PRaised be thy Name, O Heavenly Father, for the Supplies of this my present Refreshment by thy good Creatures, and grant I beseech thee, that I may improve the Advantages by them received, to thy Service, Praise, and Glory, through Jesus Christ my Redeemer.   

The Character, or Effigies of a downright Jurisprudent.  
HE is a Man of sense, of profound Reason,  
He's Loyal, foyal, & he hates all Treason.  
He's not Mercurial, but a solid thing;  
He loves and honours his Country & King.  
He is not busied about Chicanrees,  
He studies Men & Manners (& not Trees.)  
He Courts not Women with his Cap or Knees,  
He troubles not his Head about such Bees.  
He teaches all Men, how to keep the Peace.  
He likes his Client, and he loves his Books,  
He values no Man on account of looks.  
He's punctual, and very diligent,  
He practices true meaning and intent.  
He well considers his Opinion;  
He will not be bribed by any one.  
He is a Man of tender Conscience,  
He's not a Man of very small Expense.  
He never is penurious,  
He's ever just and generous.  
He's for the Reason of the Thing;  
He's Counsel for Subject, or King.  
He scorns to plead a paltry Cause;  
He sticks to Fundamental Laws,  
He when he talks (first) makes a pause.   

The Jurisprudent's Hymn.  
To the Tune of the 148th. Psalm.  
LEt's Praise  
Our God the Lord,  
Whose goodness far exceeds,  
Both in thought, deed, and word,  
Our praises, and our needs.  
Let all things praise  
His Name always:  
Both Old and Young,  
With Heart and Tongue.  
For why  
His Workmanship  
And care is all Mankind,  
When e'er our feet do slip,  
Let's then keep him in Mind.  
None of us let  
His Love forget,  
But thankfully  
To him reply.  
Rejoice  
Continually,  
Before him Sing and Pray  
Aloud unto him cry,  
And to him Homage pay.  
Whose Mercies sure  
Do still endure;  
He will not fail  
Us Mortals frail.   

Epiphonema ad Pythagoram Allegoricum Martiale.  
RVmpitur Invidiâ quidam, (charissime Fili!)  
Quod me Rura Legunt: Rumpitur Invidiâ.  
Rumpitur Invidiâ, Quod sum Jucundus amicis,  
Quod Conviva frequens; Rumpitur Invidiâ.  
Rumpitur Invidiâ; Quod Rus mihi Dulce sub Vrbe est,  
Parvaque in Vrbe Domus: Rumpitur Invidiâ,  
Rumpitur Invidiâ Quod amamur, quodque probamur,  
Rumpatur quisquis, Rumpitur Invidiâ.   

Thus Translated.  
I'm Ridiculed, or envied (dearest Son!)  
For all that I have written, and have done,  
That I'm so Frank and Complaisant; and that  
I Juncket so much of I can't tell what:  
That I have so much leave to take the air,  
And have a little House; I can't tell where;  
And that we are beloved, and approved,  
Much good may do 'em, that yet never Loved.   

Martial Epigram.  
Non amo te Sabidè, nec possum dicere quare:  
Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te.   

Metamorphozed thus.  
Valde amo Pythagoram, quià possum dicere quare.  
(Hoc verum possum dicere Pythagorae)  
I Love Pythagoras well (and can tell wherefore,  
And hope to love him still much more and more)  
Both as a Jurisprudent, Son and Friend,—  
To love him all along unto    
The END.