fidereft how closely the Generality of Men are wedded to their own Conceptions, and how fondly they doat upon the Brats of their own Fancy, and how unwilling they are to be accounted ignorant; and withal, how uncomely a Thing it is to contend about a Goat's Beard, or a Lock of Wool (and truly moft vehement Altercations are commonly of no higher Concernment) and what a Disturbance all this is to the Company; thou wilt (I doubt not) be extremely cautious how thou engageft in a verbal Combat.

3139 Many bear patiently imaginary Croffes which never happen; they fanfy to themselves great Evils to come, and they go thro' them with great Courage, and upon this Account reckon themselves patient: Yet in the mean while the little Vexations that occur daily diffolve them into Peevishness, and fretful Anger, and they cannot bear the least Cross or Contradiction when it is prefent. But thou muft beware of this Illufion, and confider that great Occafions of Patience happen but feldom, whereas the leffer are very frequent: Almost every Hour thou wilt have Opportunities of exercising this Virtue, either by bearing with others, or by checking and correcting thyself. And thou fhouldest alway bear more chearfully that Crofs which is of God's fending, than that which is thy own Choice; for that which God appoints is always beft, whereas thou art ignorant, and often deceived.

3140 None can be faid to die fuddenly, but he that hath not thought of it enough. Thoi haft carried Death about thee ever fince thou waft born. Thou haft been entertained with dai

ly

Ty Spectacles of Carcaffes and Funerals. Thou haft heard and read fo much of the Frailty of Life, and Certainty of Death; doft thou not know, that every Moment thou liveft brings thee nearer thy End? Thy Cloaths wear out, thy Houfes decay, and all Things perish, and doft thou look that thy Body fhould be immortal? What are the common Accidents and Diseases of Life, but fo many Warnings to thee to prepare for a Remove? Thou haft Death at thy Table, in thy daily Food and Nourishment; for thy Life is maintained by the. Death of other Creatures, and thou haft the lively Picture of it every Night for thy Bedfellow in Sleep: With. what Face then canft thou charge thy Misfor tunes with fudden Death, that haft spent thy whole Life both at Bed and Board among fo many Remembrances of thy Mortality?

3141 It will not fuffice that thou in general endeavoureft to keep under thy Appetites, and unruly Paffions; for corrupt Nature is well enough pleased with all the Apparel of Formalities of Mor tification, Self-denial, and Victory over Paffions; and Philofophers grow in Love with the fair Ideas of Virtue in this pompous Attire; and many in this have deceived themselves, and boafted of Conqueft over their evil Inclinations, becaufe they find not in themselves an Averfion to Virtue and good Defires: But when it comes to Trial indeed, and they are no longer to fight with a Notion of Sin in general, but with a prefent urging Luft, with a present Uneafinefs and Neceflity, with fome Provocations to Anger, or to Impatience; then it appears how

vain, how weak and infignificant were their great Thoughts and fine Refolutions.

3142 What wonder if Men are furprized with Death's fudden Call, when they have to deal with a painful Disease, that will fuffer nothing else to be tended? With Heirs, with Legatees, or Expectants, with Creditors, or Debtors, with Wife and Children, with Kinsfolks and Servants, with Friends or Enemies, and moreover with the World; which because he hath loved too much, he leaves fore against his Will. Befides, he hath to deal with the Death of the Body, for which he is not duly prepared; and laft of all with Satan, who then attacks him with all his Forces, with Hell, which then appears in the most dismal Shape, and in all its Terror. But know thou, that Moment of Time will not be fufficient for fuch a Multitude of Bufinefs, therefore thou oughteft to be in earnest and diligent, to take great Care before-hand, that thou comeft well provided to the last and sharpest Combat.

3143 Break not off Friendship for a fingle Heat, nor continue it against Reafon. Paffion, Anger and Unkindness, may give a Wound that fhall bleed and fmart, but it is Treachery only that makes it rankle and mortify. The Reason of the Difference is manifeft; for hafty Words or Blows, either may be only an Effect of a fudden Paffion, during which a Man is not perfectly himself; but no Man goes about to deceive and enfnare another in a Paffion, nor to lay Trains, and fet Traps, and give fecret Blows in a prefent Huff:. No, this is always done with Forecaft and Design, with a fteddy Aiming, and a long

a long projecting Malice, affifted with all the Skill and Art of a managed Hypocrify; and perhaps, not without the Pharifaical feigned Guise of Self-denial, and Mortification, which are Things in which the whole Man, and the whole Devil too are employed, and all the Powers and Faculties of the Mind are exerted and made ufe of.

3144 Love not Virtue more for its Glory than its Goodnefs fake. Some afpire after Good, because it is a Thing high and tranfcendent: They live a ftrict and fevere Life, because it denotes a brave Spirit They preferve inward Peace, because it is pleasant: They enquire after the Way to Heaven, and to that Purpofe confult many Books, that they may enlarge their Knowledge, and fatisfy their Curiofity; and they walk in the narrow Way to Perfection, that they may Delight in themselves, and admire their own Excellencies; all this these Men do for to pleafe and magnify themfelves. When they think moft to ferve God, they only ferve their own Pride; and when at laft they fhall expect great Rewards, they fhall find their Hands empty of good Works, and their Hearts full of nothing but Self-love. Therefore thou oughteft to feek God with Humility, with Singlenefs of Heart, and a fincere Spirit, to love him above all Things, and for his own fake.

3145 Cave illos quos notavit Deus. Beware of those whom God has marked. He that hath any Thing fixed in his Perfon that doth induce Contempt, hath alfo an ardent Defire to rescue and deliver himfelf from Scorn. Upon this he be cometh envious and malicious, as defiring others

may be brought to the fame Level in fome Kin3 or other with him. Hence alfo he grows bold and infolent, as standing up sturdily 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 Unkindnefs of Nature, take a quite contrary Courfe, 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 obferved to be, either notorioufly Bad, or most excellently Good.

3146 Look not about thee to afk another what Sort 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 ourselves, not according to our own Senfe and Confcioufnefs, 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 muft alfo entertain a trouble fome, imaginary Life, to please we know not whom, People that perhaps know 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 ourfelves enjoy, we make it our Care and Endeavour to preferve and adorn that Life which depends on others, and hath no Subfistence but in another's Fancy: And fo far doth this Delufion prevail, that what we ourselves

feel