brought to the fame level in fome kind or other with him. Hence alfo he grows bold and infolent, as ftanding up fturdily in his own defence; vigilant alfo and watchful to catch all opportunities of doing fhrewd turns. But it must be confeffed and allowed, that all deformed perfons are not thus; for fome, that they may throw off the unkindness of nature, take a quite contrary course, and, walking in the ways of virtue, humility, and perfect good-nature, merit the esteem and love of all they live and converse with. Thus crooked -men are observed to be, either notoriously bad, or moft excellently good. 3146 Look not about thee to ask another what fort of man thou art, and whether thou actest well or ill; but look inward, examine thy own thoughts and inclination: know for thyfelf and ftand by that. Opinion makes us judge and esteem ourfelves, not according to our own fenfe and consciousness, but according to the vain thoughts and talk of other men. We defer fo much to others' opinions, that except they will please to count us happy, we cannot be fo. We are not contented to live to ourselves, but we must also entertain a troublesome, imaginary life, to please we know not whom, people that perhaps know us us not, and, to be fure, care not for us; whofe judgment we flight in other things, thus neglecting that true and real life which we ourselves enjoy, we make it our care and endeavour to preserve and adorn that life which depends on others, and hath no fubfiftence but in another's fancy : and fo far doth this delufion prevail, that what we ourselves feel and know, is nothing to us except others be acquainted with it also. C 3147 Good-nature is the very air of a good mind, the fign of a large and generous foul, and the peculiar foil on which virtue profpers. But the world having a notion of it that is very wrong, and of mischievous confequences, I defire to fet them right, and let them know, that that is not to be called good-nature by which men become impotent and incapable of withstanding any importunities, be they never fo unreasonable, be they never so dangerous, or refufing any temptations; but as if they were crippled in their powers, or crazed in their minds, are wholly governed by example, and fneakingly conform themselves to other men's humours and vices; and in a word, become every man's fool that hath the confidence to impose upon them. Now this is fo far from that lovely masculine temper of true complaisance, that that it is indeed no better than a childish bafhfulnefs, a feeble pufilanimity, a filly softness of mind, which makes a man firft the flave and property, and then at laft the fcorn, of his company. 3148 Thou haft no reason to cease thy ftudy and enquiry into the word and will of God, as if thou knoweft already what is neceflary to be known. I have heard some excuse themselves from fuch ftudies by a wifh, that they could practise what they already know, and then they fhould not doubt but to do well enough. Such backwardness and excufes argue only that their confcience is already troublefome to them for their breach and neglect of duty; and they are afraid, if it should be further informed, it would give them greater difquiet, or they should be conftrained to that ftrictness of life, that would be very uneasy to them, fo that though they with they could practife what they know, yet indeed, the reafon why they defire not to increafe in knowledge is, because they have no real mind to mend their practice, nor be bound up to that exactness of holy walking, that the word requires. 3149 Thou 3149 Thou may'ft poffibly meet, fometime or other, with a certain grave, fupercilious fort of a gentleman, who, pretending great goodness to thee, but really intending great glory to himself, will be continually haunting and perfecuting thee with his wifdom and advice. I fuppofe I need not forewarn thee to keep out of his walk, for thy own uneafinefs will do it enough he is a dreadful friend; he will take the advantage of his own experience; he will propose all his coun fels as laws, and with the air of a master, that takes away the privilege of examining what he fays, will endeavour to force thy mind by autho rity, rather than win it by reafon; he will never fail to give himself for an example, and apply to all his purposes his obfervations of former times, when he was a flourishing young man; he will bring his own adventures for proofs. He has feen all that he advances; every thing that he fays is extraordinary, and worthy to be laid up: And the fear of not saying enough to persuade, makes him always fay too much to be believed or regarded. 3150 Lay afide constraint (in company) and fubtilty; it is enough in common conversation, to preserve decency and order; as to the reft, thou thou may'ft flag as low as the earth, if they seem to defire it, or do fo themfelves. The learned often stumble at this ftone; they will be always fhewing their utmost skill, and how much they excel the reft; and fo they ftrew their discourses all over with flowers of their eloquence, and quote Plato and Aquinas in things, that the first man they meet could determine as well; the learning that cannot penetrate their skulls, hangs ftill upon their tongues. : 3151 When thou wouldeft make a jeft to excite laughter, 'twill be. beft to fpeak in a cold and serious manner, that the company may be pleasingly furprized in feeing thee ferious in the midst of perfons who rend the air with laughter. Yet I have obferved fome who laughed so heartily all the way they were uttering of witty things, that they made the company the beft divertisment in the world; but then their way and manner became only themselves, and was not to be imitated by others. As I conceived, the thing which took fo much was, that they shewed nothing of pride and conceitedness, or any thing of hidden preference of themselves before the reft (which would have given difguft), but fhewed all along a wonderful sweetness of nature, and gaiety of tem per, |