Meditations miscellaneous, holy and humane

Meditations .

MAke the word of GOD the Rule , and God Himselfe the Paterne of all thy actions ; contemplate God and thy selfe ; what He is , what Hee requires thee to be , like him in a degree , though not a perfection ; in a perfection of sincerity , though not of degrees . Doe nothing against thy word , and let thy word be regulated by God's word ; doe not ill for company , nor good only for company .

Let thy talke not bee much , and that profitable : bee sparing of oaths and promises , and performe both : shun jests in holy things , and abhorre lyes though in jest : speake to the capacities , but not to the humours of men ; so frame thy talke , as one that is going shortly to give an account of his words : detract from no man but thy selfe , speak well of all men till thou knowest otherwise , and where thou canst not speake well , be silent : meditate often upon the shortnesse of thy life , and be carefull so to employ it , as that thou doest not make thy account long ; measure the length of it as the Scripture doth , by a buble and a shadow , and a flower light & vanishing ; but yet to comfort thy self in this present state with the remembrance of the future ; that if this life which thou hast be short , yet that which thou hopest for is eternall .

My life is like a bubble , but — a blast . At first God breath'd into — me , and I live ; And like a bubble I doe daily — waste , And am like water powr'd into — a sive : Lord , since I am thy bubble , — when I dye , Like to a bubble let me ascend — on high . Or if you will , my life is like — a flower , And like a flower for a while — I stand ; I am , and am not in another — houre , For I am gathered by the owners — hand ; Since I am so , why am I so — corrupt , That doe not know how — soon I shall be pluckt ? But of all flowers , most of all — me thinks , Resembled in the Marie gold — am I ; And l●ke the Marie-gold — that wakes and winkes Still as it sees the Sun , am — borne and dye ; But here 's my comfort , — with that flower , when The Sun appeareth , I shall — blow agen .

Affect not to set out thy selfe to the World , nor to thy selfe ; speak not thine owne praise , nor greedily heare it from others , nor too easily believe it ; spend thy time rather in pressing forward to what thou should'st be , than in idely contemplating or contenting thy selfe with what thou art ; think meanly of thy selfe , and that thought will both make thee modest ( for he that suspects himselfe is not bold ) and eager in the pursuit of that goodnesse or knowledge wherein thou supposest thy selfe defective ; be ready rather to give , than to take an applause ; and if thou art apt to thinke thou deservest well , check it , with thinking how many deserve better .

Let thy thoughts bee such to thy selfe , that if it should be suddenly ask'd , what thou think'st on , thou mightest not blush to tell ; stifle sin in the first warmth and quickning , before it shape too far : a twig may bee pluckt up with one hand , which the whole body cannot wag , when it is a tree ; even evill thoughts are evill , and though yet they bee not , yet cherished , will spread into evill actions .

Be not easily provoked , and easily be friends ; give no occasion of exceptions thy selfe , and doe not easily take exceptions at others ; and bee ready to make satisfaction to those that have just exceptions against thee ; it is a greater vertue to forgive one injury , than to doe many curtesies ; because it is harder : and it is harder , because more against nature ; for many a man will doe for another , that wil not suffer for him ; therefore it is a greater perfection to bee contented to suffer , than to be willing to doe , unlesse it bee to doe for those of whom we have suffered , for our enemies , which is the highest .

Affect the company of those who are abler than thy selfe , and desire rather to partake of others sufficiency , than to publish thine own ; in meaner company thou mayest be admired more , but in this thou shalt profit more : it is better to learne wisdome from those that are wise , than to be thought wise by those that are ignorant : be studious rather of being able , than of being so accounted ; not to pick up thy knowledge , especially thy opinions , from other mens discourse ; but with paines and industry rather to search out the knowledge of truth thy selfe , than lazily to take it up from others .

In Religion examine , but not broach opinions ; ever incline to Antiquity , and suspect novelty ; in middle things ever submit to the Authority thou livest under , and let the Churches opinion be thine .

Measure not equity and right by friends and profit , nor doe wrong , either to get , or to do a curtesie ; not upbraid others with the kindnesses thou doest for them , nor forget the kindnesses which others do for thee : be sparing of receiving a curtesie where it is an ingagement , and of doing one where it is dis-honorable .

Be not wilfull nor wavering , not change but upon good reason , not obstinate against reason ; not believe every report , not to report every thing thou believest ; not grant every thing which thou canst not answer , but suspect rather thine owne insufficiency that cannot defend it , than cry down the matter as not to be defended .

Be sparing of thy commendations , especially of thy selfe ; commend no man undeservedly , that is flattery ; nor thy selfe , though never so deserving , it is vaine-glory .

Doe not admire or applaud what thou understandest not ; do not seem to understand where thou doest not ; it is better to acknowledge thy ignorance , and learne ; than falsely to professe learning , and be still ignorant .

Desire rather to do wel , than to heare well ; if thou canst , preserve to thy selfe a good report , but be ambitious onely of a good conscience ; doe not measure thy selfe by other mens reports , nor measure other men by thy selfe ; ask thine owne heart , and not their tongues , what thou art .

Labour to reforme thy selfe first , let other mens sins rather be the subject of thy griefe , than of thy discourse ; so speake of other mens sins , as that thou detract not from the person ; and so excuse or mitigate the slip of any person , as that thou seeme not to countenance the sin .

Doe not thinke thou art good enough , so long as thou art not knowne to be otherwise , and never thinke thy life so good , as not to need mending .

Say nothing but what thou meanest , and promise nothing but what thou art able ; not to intend what thou speakest , is to give thy heart the lye with thy tongue ; not to performe what thou promisest , is to give thy tongue the lye with thy actions .

Doe not greedily finde fault in any , nor reproachfully publish it ; but rather by a hidden and oblique way to insinuate his errour to him , than detractingly to blaze it ; seek not the advancement of thine owne wit by another mans folly ; not alwayes comply with the fortune , and censure him that is downe , not ever judge of things by the event , nor condemne that as unadvísedly undertaken which succeeds ill .

Put not off devotion and the duties of Religion with want of leisure ; nor the needy , and duties of charity with want of ability ; in both , though never so straightned , thou mayest doe somewhat , though the lesse ; a sigh or a groane in the one , and a cup of cold water in the other thou canst not be without .

When thou promisest , think thou mayest be taken at thy word ; be nothing in a complement , which thou darest not stand to in earnest : as there is lesse sin , so there is lesse wrong in denying than in not performing ; to deny is at most but a discurtesie ; not to performe is an injury ; for if thou denyest , hee may seeke to others ; if thou deceivest he fails of all ; it is lawfull for thee not to promise , it is not lawfull for thee to breake promise .

Observe what is good in any man , & learn it ; what is evill , and eschew it ; if any thing good in thy self , to be thankfull for it ; or evill , if evil of punishment , to beare it ; if evill of sin , to repent of it ; nor deride any mans imperfections , but thanke God that they are not thine ; not to scorne any friend for an errour ; but be sorry that he is wrong , and be so much his friend as to endeavour to set him right .

For a servant ever to speake well of his Master ; if ill , to speake the best ; if ill to him , to impute it to his ill deserving , is a duty , yet a commendations ; to thinke obedience a vertue , not servitude , and that it is not the least mastery , so far to command ones selfe , as to be contented to submit to the commands of others .

Doe curtesies for others as gifts , not looking for requitall ; receive curtesies of others as loanes , and meaning to repay ; what favours thou doest for others , to forget them ; if thou receivest any , ever to remember them ; not to requite the injuries of an enemy with the like , nor the good turnes of a friend only with the like .

Speake not censoriously of thy betters , not scornefully of thy inferiours , not vain-gloriously of thy self , not to boast of thy selfe that which thou never didst , nor to assume to thy selfe the praise of that learning and wit , which is not thine owne ; not slightly and undervaluingly to speake of other mens vertues , and not at all of their vices ; not to think superciliousnesse majesty , or a grave reservednesse wisdome , as if thou would'st bee therefore thought wise , because thou sayest little ; not be a ridle which is rather to puzzle curiosity , than to benefit society , which man was made for ; and therefore be such rather as men may make use of thee , than be troubled to know thee .

Be covetous of nothing but of doing good , and be prodigall of nothing but good counsell ; be slow in believing ill of any , but slower in speaking it .

In place of judicature , looke not whose cause comes before thee , but what ; and judge even thy brother , not as a brother , but a Iudge ; not measure the sentence by the relatition ; not sell judgement , nor do a profitable wrong ; it will never repent thee that thou art the poorer for doing right .

Be milde to all , but know when to be severe ; there is an unseasonable meekness : I know not which is worse , to be angry unjustly , or not to be justly angry ; if by the first thou mayest wrong an innocent person , by the other thou mayest a guilty ; sometime to be silent at , is to encourage a fault ; it may be a due chiding would reforme that offence which takes heart with sufferance .

Affirme not any thing out of humour , or because thou hast affirm'd it ; it is a greater disparagement to stand in a lye , than to recant an error ; to erre is but a weaknesse , and the case of all ; to acknowledge an error is a vertue , and the praise but of a few ; but to maintaine an error is a sin , and it is a greater offence to justifie a sin , than to fall into it .

Love , but not bee fond of the body ; to love it is a duty , to be fond of it is a sin ; let the fare bee such as may neither impaire the health of it , nor the devotion ; the apparell neat , not chargeable , not mimically in , nor ridiculously out of fashion ; such as may agree with thy estate , thy yeares , thy profession ; not at all to invent , and slowly to take up a fashion , and that rather because thou would'st not be singular , than because thou likest it , and as may shew thee willing to be constant , but not obstinate .

Let thy recreations bee short and diverting , such as may rather fit thee for businesse , than rob thee of time ; long and tedious sports do rather take away the stomacke to serious things than whet it ; he that makes recreation a businesse , will think businesse a toyle .

Submit to every fortune , and like it , not place felicity in wealth & greatnesse ; to be without , and yet not to want these ; or to want , and yet not desire them ; to be able to manage a great estate , and to beare a mean ; to like Gods will even when it crosseth thine ; cheerefully to passe over crosses , yet to take notice of them ; to be patient , but not without sense ; to bee sorrowfull , but not without hope ; not to grow great by corruption , not to grow proud with greatnesse ; not to grow strange to others in a high estate , or think God so to thee , or you so to him in a meane ; not to ebbe and flow with thy condition , and be either supercilious or dejected ; to take the changes of this world without any great change in thy selfe ; he that is contented ever with what hee is , makes himselfe happy without a fortune .

Thinke of death as a thing certaine , ( it may be ) at hand ; that Physitians dye ; that Kings in this are Subjects ; some like crude fruit are pluckt off by casualty , others like over-ripe , drop off with age ; old & young , there are graves of all sizes ; to endeavour therfore rather to procure eternall life , than to prolong this ; and use meanes rather to sweeten death , than to defer it .

Learne not to thinke of the things of this world as of things of continuance ; and to use the things of this world , not as an owner , but a Steward ; so thou wilt bee neither loth to leave them , nor afraid to account for them .

Doe curtesies to thy friend , not with hope to receive greater ; and receive curtesies of thy friend , as if thou hadst done none ; think of requiting the good which thou receivest , though thou deservest it ; expect no requitall of that good which thou doest , though undeserved , lest failing of what thou expectest , thou repent of what thou hast done , and losest the praise of thy goodnesse , by looking after the reward of it .

Commend no man to his face , and censure no man behinde his back ; if thou knowest any good thing of him , tell it others ; if any ill , or vice , tell it himselfe ; so by telling others of his good parts , thou wilt procure for him a good opinion ; and by telling him and admonishing him of his faults , thou wilt make him deserve that good opinion .

Abstaine not only from ill , but from the appearance of it , lest thou heare ill undeservedly , or doe ill unawares .

Let thy discourse be neither light nor unseasonable ; such as may call either thy goodnesse in question , or thy judgement : if thou canst not speak wel , say nothing : so if others be not bettered by thy silence , yet they shall not be made worse by thy discourse .

Thinke meanly of thine owne sufficiency , though others thinke not so ; look much upon thy defects , and little upon thy good parts ; and think that thou art short , not only of what thou oughtst , but of others ; that that which thou know'st , is nothing to that of which thou art ignorant ; and therefore to labour rather truly to know thy selfe , than to make those small parts superficially knowne to others .

Scorn not to be better'd by the good example of others , and be carefull not to make others worse with thine ; do nothing in which thou would'st not be imitated ; and imitate nothing which thou know'st is not fit to be done ; it is a fault to do what thou should'st not , it is none , to learne what thou should'st doe of any .

Thinke in the morning what thou hast to do this day , and at night what thou hast done ; and doe nothing upon which thou mayest not boldly aske Gods blessing ; nor ( as neer as thou canst ) nothing for which thou shalt need to ask his pardon ; let thy first care be , not to do ill ; thy next care to repent of it ; account often with thy selfe , thy last account will be the lesse , be not afraid to looke upon thy score , but be afraid to increase it ; to despaire because thou art sinfull , is to be worse , because thou hast beene so bad .

Bee thy life like his that must Account , and hath it but in trust ; Let the actions of thy youth , Answer not the times , but truth ; Let thy words be modest , few , Thy opinions firme , not new ; Thy mirth plausible , not vaine , Not abusive , not profane ; Live not onely to the eye , Sin is sin , though none be by ; Witnesses doe onely prove , Not make guilty ; and true love Of virtue , more esteemes in ought So to bee , than to bee thought ; 'T is weaknesse to eschew the scarre , Not the ulcer , & preferre Esteeme to truth ; deeds must be Such as God approves , not we ; Bee in private what you seeme In publick view ; and not deeme All things lawfull , that are hid , Not what s seen , but what s forbid , — is unjust ; And onely what wee may we must .

Be not wicked with advantage , nor be drawne to doe a gainefull sinne ; not thinke that godly which is gainefull , but thinke that gain enough which is with godlinesse ; he that makes his commodity the measure of his actions , for a morsell of bread that man will transgresse .

Ever learne to be ever contented with what thou hast , in as much as there is nothing which by the appointment of God doth not happen unto thee ; and to dislike what God doth , is to do what God dislikes ; and make that a sin , which was before but a punishment , and , as it might have beene used , a blessing ; to finde fault with God , is to make a fault in our selves ; that which God doth may be harsh , it cannot be unjust ; or if that state which thou hast be bad , yet that which thou hopest for , is better .

Thinke not well of thy selfe , though others think so ; yet to give no occasion to any to thinke otherwise , and give the glory of both to God , both of thy good parts , and their good opinion .

Every morning take leave of the things of this World , as thinking thou mayest part with them before night , and every night to examine the imployment of that day , as thinking thou mayest account for it before morning ; he that is ever providing for his going , wil lesse increase his account by tarrying ; we doe not commend his providence , that hath his furniture to buy when he should take horse .

Make not a neighbours fault greater to men than it is , nor thine owne lesse to God ; to excuse thine own sin , is to double it ; detractingly to aggravate anothers fault , is to make it thine owne .

Busie not thy selfe in searching into other mens lives ; the errors of thine owne are more than thou canst answer for ; it more concernes thee to mend one fault in thy selfe , than to finde out a thousand in others .

Be carefull not to fall into sin , being fallen , not to lie in it ; being surprized , not to stand in it ; confession is some part of satisfaction ; by denying a little sin , thou makest it great , by truly confessing a great sin to GOD , thou makest it none .

If thou hast liv'd long , thinke thou hast the longer account , thinke thou hast had the longer time to provide for thy account , and therefore hast the greater sin , if unprovided ; where GOD forbeares a great while , he expects a greater increase ; as where men give long day , they expect larger payment .

Performe not the things of Religion , either out of vaine-glory , or custome , since the goodnesse of these is not measur'd by what is done , but by what minde we do it with ; Cursed bee he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently ; there is that curse upon negligent doing , which upon unwilling leaving of it undone , is not ; there is little difference betweene not doing what thou shouldest , and not doing it as thou shouldest ; to doe thy duty for shew only , or in shew only , is to doe thy duty , and be stil undutiful ; if that which thou doest be right , if the mind with which thou doest it be not so , al is wrong , and thou forfeitst the acceptation of what was good , by the ill performance .

Two things do not trouble thy selfe to know , other mens faults , nor other mens estates ; the estate of thine owne soule , and the amendment of thine owne faults , let that be thy study ; not thinke any sinne lesse because it is hid ; remember that to him that shall judge thee it is open , and that in the last day God will not measure his judgement by ours , the day of judgement will condemne many a man whom wee have quitted .

Do not practise Religion in shew only , yet shew it in thy practise ; think no sinne little ; nor no good which thou doest great , it is from the acceptance of God that it is good at all ; hope for , but not challeng a reward of thy wel doing , yet not for it selfe , but for what Christ hath done ; measure thy selfe not by what others are , but by what thou oughtest to be ; remember thy sinnes with griefe , and thy goodnesse , the one , for that thou hast beene so bad , the other , that thou canst be no better ; and though thou canst not attaine to perfection on earth , yet aime at it .

Labour not only to know what thou shouldst bee ( that most men doe ) but to be so ; nor at all to know what other men are ; thou shalt not answer for it ; be carefull , if thou canst , to make others better by thy good counsell , or at least , not to make them worse by thy example .

Be ever contented with thy present estate , but , if thou canst , better it ; do not corruptly thrust thy selfe into any place ; and being in , doe nothing that may thrust thee out ; make the execution of thy office , a discharge of thy conscience , not an improvement of thy estate ; and desire any place rather to doe good , than to grow rich ; give no bribes to procure an unjust thing , nor take none to do one ; and if thou art in the place of judicature , remember thy office is to give sentence , but not sell it .

Doe not make any sinne lesse by custome ; for as men doe at first lesse like sinne , so with continuance they doe lesse feele it ; as those that are accustomed to carry burdens , are lesse sensible of the weight ; and if thou doest now the same things with more ease , doe not thinke that the sinne is more light , but that thou art more hardned ; and thy case is so much more desperate , by how much want of sense is neerer to death , than paine ; feeling is an argument of life , thou art a dead member if thou hast lost thy feeling ; but here 's the misery , that thou hast lost thy feeling in regard of sin , but not of punishment .

Fix thy desires upon such things as may not shame thee in the obtaining ; and compasse thy desires by such meanes as may not shame thee to own ; though that which thou seekest for be good , yet while the way by which thou seekest for it is evill , thou shamest the end by the way ; and shamest thy self in the end .

Thinke no sin little , and make it not great by iteration ; what is a Mountaine of earth , but an accumulation of many little dusts ? What is a floud , but a concurrence of many little drops ; a little prick being neglected , may fester to a Gangroin ; by how much that in which thou sinnest is lesse , by so much thy sin is the greater , that wouldst dishonour God for so little a thing .

Think of death as a thing thou must meet with ; and of thy life , as a thing thou must part with ; and not to love too well that life , that keepes thee from a better ; nor at al to feare that death that leads thee to a better life ; this life is a journey , and the world an uneasie horse , that with much jolting , and some fals , brings you to your home , and why art thou unwilling to alight ; love rather that passage that leads to eternall happinesse , than that life which keepes thee from it , and not without continuall misery .

Study rather to make thy selfe fit for any employment and place , than to thinke thy selfe so ; and be preferred by thy desert , not by purchase ; slip no lawfull meanes to doe thy selfe good , and use no unlawfull ; he which groweth great by buying , doth likely continue that greatnesse by selling .

Measure thy wealth by thy minde , not by thy estate ; a contented minde is ever rich ; but measure thy expence by thy estate , not by thy minde ; not what thou would'st doe , but what thou art able to doe ; think not frugality a disparagement , nor out-run thy selfe to keepe pace with others ; this is to procure that which thou fearest ; and lest thou shouldst be thought meane , to become so ; many times a slow pace performes that journey , whil'st galloping tyres by the way .

Let thy thoughts bee such to thy selfe , as thou art asham'd to have God know them ; and thy words such to God , as thou art not afraid to have men heare them ; and let thy whole life be such toward God and Man , as that thou neither dishonour God by thy il life , nor draw others to the same dishonour of him by thy ill example .

Pleasure not thy selfe by wronging others ; nor with the unjust Steward , make thee friends with other mens monies ; left while thou would'st buy other friends , thou fell GOD ; comen to promotion , if thou canst by friends , not by money ; if thou deservest it not , thou wrongest others ; if thou dost deserve it , thou wrongest thy selfe .

The goodnesse of the minde , is witnessed in the outward actions ; the goodnesse of the outward actions , is determined by the intention and minde ; inward goodnesse without outward showes of it , is like a Tree without fruit , uselesse ; & outward shewes of goodnesse without inward sincerity , is like a Tree without heart , livelesse ; that thou art good inwardly in thy heart , is thine owne comfort ; that thou dost outwardly prosesse this goodnesse in thy life , is others benefit ; thou thy selfe are not the better for that goodnesse which thou dost not make shew of , others are not the better for that goodnesse of which thou makest no shew ; so inward sincerity is required in respect of God , outward profession onely in respect of men ; by the first thou art a true Christian ; by the other it doth appeare that thou art so .

Neither undertake much , nor talke much , and that to the purpose ; deliver thy minde rather in profitable language , than curious ; by this , happily , thou wilt gaine more applause , but by the other thou wilt doe more good , and it is a greater vertue to do well , than to heare well .

Do nothing which thou disallowest ; disallow thy selfe some things which thou mayest doe , but nothing which thou oughtst to do ; give no liberty to thy selfe in unlawfull things ; use not the utmost of that liberty which is given thee in other things ; and so use thy liberty in what thou art permitted , as that they may not hinder thee in the things thou art commanded .

Promise nothing which may prejudice thee in the performance ; performe what thou hast promised , though to thy prejudice ; thinke thy selfe bound by thy word , though without oath or witnesse ; if thou art not well able to performe , consider thou wert able not to promise ; a good man measurs his promises by his ability , but he measures his performance by his promise .

Account it the greatest knowledge truly to know thy selfe ; and the greatest conquest to subdue thy self ; not give way to thine own lusts ; nor boast of thine owne parts ; to do nothing that is ill , nor vaine gloriously to tell of what thou doest well ; in all things to approve thy selfe a good man and a Christian , but not boast of it .

Place not Religion in talke only ; it is an easier matter to give counsell , than to follow it ; sometimes wee have knowne men to fall into those sins from which they have with great paines converted others ; but Christianity ( as we say of Charity ) begins at home ; it was Christs to S. Peter , Art thou converted ? strengthen the brethren , but first be converted himselfe ; hee may happily save others that is not saved himselfe , yet he will sooner save another that goes in the way of salvation himselfe ; good doctrine is weakned much with ill life ; he that will do good upon others , must first be good himselfe .

Speake nothing which thou would'st wish to recall ; and do nothing which thou shalt need to repent ; condemne nothing in a humour ; nor maintaine nothing out of fashion ; never defend a false cause , either to revenge a wrong , or to doe a pleasure .

Think only the present time thine , for that which is past is none of thine ; and that which is to come , it is a question whether ever it shall be thine ; so the certaine time of thy life is very little , and the account which thou shalt certainly give of this life very great ; and thy account is made greater by tarrying , but thy life lesse ; so that to put off the finishing of this account till a farther time , is to make thy selfe a greater account , and have lesse time to do it in ; nay , thou shalt answer for the neglect of that time wherein it might have beene done , and it may be denyed another time to do it .

Measure not goodnesse by good workes onely : a Parrat may be taught to speake well ; good words cost us nothing ; and men are for that Religion that is cheapest ; it is an easie matter to speake like a Christian ; Satan himselfe can talke Scripture ; Charity consists not barely in knowing , or discoursing of what is good , but in practising what we do know ; in Religion not to doe as thou sayest , is to unsay thy Religion in thy deeds .

Ever expect death , though not wish for it ; let thy last houre finde thee rather willing to goe , than contented to tarry ; put not off amendment till another day , thou art not sure to see an end of this ; provide that thy death bed may rather finde thee fitted for God , than fit thee ; and so order thy estate , and thy soule in thy health , that when death comes , thou mayest have nothing to do but to dye .

In point of reformation , first pluck out thy owne More ; spend not thy time in exhorting others to the keeping of the Commandements , and breake them thy selfe ; measure not thy goodnes by anothers want of it ; nor measure thy want of goodnesse by others store of it ; God doth not so : though thou art not so good as the best , yet while thou endeavour'st to be so , thou art good enough ; God who workes in us both to will and to doe , doth in some case accept the will for the deed .

Reckon nothing which thou hast , thine owne ; nor nothing which thou doest , at thine owne disposing ; and use all , not as a Master , but a servant , remembring thou must one day answer for them to their Master .

Do not murmure at thy condition , if meane ; nor measure Gods blessings by thy wants , but by thy deserts ; if God be better to others than he is to thee , yet while hee is better to thee than thou deservest , he is good enough .

In Christianity , not thinke to attaine the end , without the meanes ; and if the same meanes do not in al produce the same effect , not to impute it to any alteration or deficiency in the meanes , but in the subject ; the meanes is the same , the parties are not ; all men are not alike hardned in sin , therefore all are not alikehard , or easie to be converted ; sins are compar'd to diseases ; all diseases are not mortall , some humours spend themselvs , others are not recovered , but with expence and danger ; and the same sicknesse is not remov'd with the same ease in all bodies , because there is not in all the same temper ; that physick doth but stir the humour in some bodies , which in others would utterly expell it ; it is with the sicknesse of the soule , as of the body , al sins are not equal ; all men are not equally sinfull ; either the sins may be lesse , or of lesse continuance ; for custome , as it begets a greater liking of sin , so it leaves a deeper root ; continuation of things makes them partly naturall , therefore we call custome another nature ; setled impieties , like setled humours , doe not easily stir ; though the meanes are the same , yet while the subject is no● , it is no wonder that the effects are not ; there must be the same disposition of the matter , as well as of the agent ; it is not enough that the word be the same , if the hearers be not ; as the same physick doth not worke or cure alike , nor the same seed thrive alike in all grounds , so neither doth the same word save alike , or prevaile alike with all . Sodome would have repented with those meanes which CoraZin did not ; in thine impenitency therfore not to accuse God or the meanes , but thine owne selfe ; in thy conversion , not to thank thy ownselfe , or the meanes , but God , and the meanes under God .

Remember that as there is one death which thou must prepare to meet , so there is another death which thou must study to avoide , the death of the soule ; the naturall death consists in the dissolution of the soule from the body ; the spirituall death , in the dissolution of the soule from God : and one day , of soule and body from God , which is the second death : now as we say of the naturall body , that the way to bee young long , is to be old betimes , so the way to live not long , but ever , is to dye betimes ; if thou dye but once w●●e thou livest , the death of sinne ; thou sh●lt live eternally after thou art dead .

Love nothing in this world too well , no , not thy selfe ; think of the pleasures of this World , either as sinnes , or occasions of it ; and the other more necessary things of it ; though they have thy presence , let them not have thy heart ; & use them , rather because thou want'st them , than because thou likest them ; and so provide , that thy death may bee the beginning of thy happinesse , not the end of it .

Ever suspect , ever feare For to bee too happy here ; Lest in Heaven thou have lesse , ( If any ) for this happinesse ; Seldome any have I knowne To have Heavens more than one ; All the pleasures of this life They are usefull , but a knife ; I may warme me by their fire , But take heed of comming nigher ; Yet in this is danger still , He that warmes , is after chill ; Oh IEHOVAH , but with thee , Is there true felicitie ; All this sublunary treasure Yeelds but counterfeit of pleasure ; Silken cares ; Kings of clouts ; Ful of torments , fears , and doubts ; Trifles , dangers , baited hookes Shadowes , only shape and lookes : Of what we call them , worse than naughts , Snares ; temptations , if not faults ; Whether it bee birth , or place ; Beauty , and the pride of face ; Honour , wealth , or higher yet , That they call a Favourite ; Like a shaddow on the Sunne , Have their being , and are done , From anothers like or frowne ; So they rise , and so goe downe ; They are got and kept with feares ; And are parted with , with teares ; And accounted for with horror , And then Dives is the poorer ; When that finall day shall come ; ( A dreadfull day indeed to some ) And wee answer for their use , Then to want them wee would choose ; So then , much of these to aske , Is to begge thy selfe a taske , A beggery , for thus to be Is the greatest poverty : All thou hast is on the score , What is that but to bee poore ? Adde to this , it doth not last ; And happiness , is torment , pass'd . It may bee present , so thy boast Is but may bee at the most : In Heaven onely is their blisse , That ever shall be , ever is ; Worldly laughter is not mirth , Borne and buried in the birth ; Where ô God there wants thy grace , Mirth is onely in the face : O God thou art , onely thou , Tomorrow , yesterday , and now ; To thee my selfe , my time , I give , All that I have , all that I live .

Deliberately to move to any businesse is proper to man ; headily to be carried by desire , is common to beasts ; in civill actions be led by thy reason , not thy appetite ; in divine actions , by Religion ; and doe nothing that may forfeit either thy reason , or thy honesty ; measure the goodnesse of things by their lawfulnesse , not by their profit ; nor bee drawne to doe ill for advantage ; not intend thy particular good , with the forfeiture of the generall .

In Religion publish nothing which thou darest not stand to ; nor libell against the truth ; if thou think it is not the truth , why doest thou publish it ? if thou thinkest it is the truth why art thou ashamed of it ? such are betweene two Rocks , either of which splits them ; for either they sinne in publishing that which is a lye ; or else having published it , they sin in being asham'd or afraid to stand to it , which they think is the truth : true gold flyes not the Touchstone , a good mans actions are such as he feares not to be discovered ; it is a signe their workes are ill , when they dare not owne them ; Oderunt lucem , is our Saviours note of such ; if it bee the truth , they ought not onely ( in some case ) to owne it , but to dye in it ; if it be a lye , they ought not to live in it , much lesse to give it life ; every lye is a sin , but to print a lye , is to justifie a sin ; and in Religion to print a lye for truth , is to father a lye upon God ; a good Man will publish nothing in God's Name , to which he dares not set his owne .

Measure not thy selfe by what men say of thee ; they may mistake thee ; it is their sin , not thine , if others slander thee ; to be ill spoken of , and undeservedly , is neither thy fault , nor alone thy case ; Christ himselfe was thought a Wine-bibber ; and S. Paul mad ; if ill tongues could make men ill , good men were in ill taking ; never regard what any can say against thee , but thine owne conscience ; though all the World condemne thee , while God and thy self do not , thou art innocent enough ; the wickednesse of ill tongues doth but dirt themselves ; the mire that is cast upon thee is not thine ; care not to have ill men speake well of thee ; it may bee if thou wert worse , thou should'st heare better ; Parcit cognatis maculis similis fera ; the divell doth not accuse his owne ; if thou wert one of them they would speak more favourably ; be carefull to be cleane to God , what ever thou art to the world , and bee slow in soyling and blacking others ; if they are not so clean as thou couldst wish , their foulnesse be to themselves ; let them bee never the fouler for thy mouth ; they that are forward in censuring and accusing others , are usually such themselves .

To al thy promises need no other bond but thy word ; nor no other witnesse but God ; be carefull never to promise any thing of which thou shalt wish to bee forgiven the performance ; nor plead either want of ability or testimony ; an honest man doth not promise more than he meanes ; nor a wise man more than he is able .

Be not a servant to those things which thou shouldst command ; thy money , thy body , and thy appetite , or thy sensitive part ; but use thy estate , to serve thy body , and thy occasions ; and thy body to be subservient to thy soule ; and thy soule to serve God ; thus while either of these serve in their proper office , God is serv'd in all ; if thou art commanded by the first of these , thou art neither thine owne Master , nor fit to be Gods servant .

Resolve nothing but upon good ground , nor alter thy resolution but upon good reason ; not inconstantly to waver , nor obstistinately to persevere in things ; to heare others judgements besides thine owne , and if right , to submit to them ; not to thinke it a disparagement , that there are wiser than thy selfe ; to think it a fault rather to stand in an errour , than to fall into one ; not choose to defend a lye , rather than descend to yeild to others in that which is the truth ; to maintaine an opinion because it is thine , not because it is true , is to maintaine thy selfe , not the truth ; and to preferre thy selfe to the truth .

So farre intend thy profit , as that thou still subject it to your religion ; not make thy commodity the sterne of thy conscience ; he was not the best Disciple that had the bag ; so procure or continue to thy selfe a place upon earth , as that thou lose not thy place in heaven .

Learne not to examine thy selfe by what thou art not ; as the Pharisee , not like other men ; and while some others are worse , to think thou art wel enough ; we measure crooked things by that which is straight , not by that which is more crooked ; the rule of goodnesse is Gods Word , not other mens deeds ; not to measure the straitnesse of thy life , by the crookednesse of anothers ; he that measures his beauty by anothers deformity , may stil be unhandsom enough ; if a drunkard shall measure himselfe by some debauchednesse , he will seeme a sober man : in the day of judgement , God will not examine thee by what others were , but by what thou wert commanded to bee .

Plead not for licentiousnesse of life , under liberty of conscience ; as if Christian liberty consisted in doing what they lift ; or that Christ hath so freed thee from the yoke of the Law , as that thou art not stil subject to the commandements ; not thinke that Christ was therefore obedient unto the death , that thou shouldst be tied to no obedience of any thing during thy life ; that the merits of our Redeemer hath obtain'd , not that the Commandements of God should not stil be observ'd ; but that the not sufficient observing of them , should not be imputed .

Make not other mens sinnes thine by imitating than ; nor thine other mens , by teaching of them ; doe nothing in which thou wouldst not be follow'd ; follow nothing of which thou canst not well justifie the doing .

Affect not much business , especially of other mens ; yet to hate idlenesse ; to use recreations , but not dwell in them ; to affect rather what is needfull , than curious ; not to overdoe ; and in all these things to suffice nature , not humour it .

Be slow in choosing a friend , but slower in changing him when thou hast chosen ; be curteous to all , but inward onely with a few ; thou mayest use that freedom to a friend , which thou wilt not to every acquaintance ; thy acquaintance is but thy neighbour , but thy friend is thy selfe .

Scorne no man for his meanenesse , and humour no man for his wealth ; do nothing to please any whereby thou shalt displease God ; never be drunk to please the company , or thinke it uncivility to part sober ; or cease to bee a good Christian , that thou mayest be thought a good companion .

Be displeased with nothing which God doeth , and as neere as thou canst , doe nothing wherewith God is displeased , doe all thou doest as in Gods presence , and speake all as in his audience ; and let neither thy words nor actions be such , as to which thou mayest willingly desire Gods absence , or not desire his assistance .

It is the goodnesse of God to us , that is the cause of the love of God to us ; and it is the goodnesse of God in us , that is the cause of the love of God in us ; confesse that the good which thou receivest is not for thine owne sake , nor the good which thou doest is not by thine owne power ; it is the mercy of God that moves him to doe for us ; that inables us to doe that which pleaseth him .

Account that good which is lawful , not which is profitable ; and endeavour rather to serve God than thine own turne in al ; make these two the rule of thy self , justice and godlinesse , and thou shalt fullfill the dutys of both Tables , God and thy neighbour .

Not repiningly to complaine of thy sufferings of this life ; since it is partly in thy power to make them blessings ; and if to make them blessings bee in thy own power , then that they are otherwise it is thy own fault ; God intends amendment in it , if it doe not amend thee , thou makest it a punishment , not he .

Labour to see thy owne mortality in other mens deaths ; and thy own frailty in other mens sins ; and since thou must shortly die , be afraid to sin ; and so order thy sins , as thou mayest not be afraid to die ; that thy sins doe not bring thee to a worse death , and that this death may lead thee to a better life .

Do what thou art commanded , not what others doe ; make no mans example a rule , not the best mans ; all may erre ; and he that in all things followes him that may erre , will be sure in some things to fall into errour .

Call to thy minde often what thou hast done ; and then compare with it what thou hast suffered ; & what thou hast received ; and when thou shalt finde , that thou hast received more good than thou hast done ; and hast done more evill than thou hast suffered ; fear that there is lesse good behinde for thee , and more evill ; and therefore betake thee to repentance , and a new life ; and by that thou mayest prevent the evill which thou hast deserved to suffer , and procure to thy selfe , though not deserved , a reward of that good which thou hast done .

Let it not trouble thee that some others have livd longer than thy selfe ; not the length of thy life , but the goodnesse is the measure of thy happinesse ; if thou hast lived well , thou hast lived long enough ; if thou hast not lived well , thou hast lived too long .

Never think it too soon to repent , thou doest not know how soon thou mayest dye , and after death it is too late ; he that puts off his amendment with hope of living , loseth eternall life in a presumption of this .

Intend rather the effecting of a publike good , than a particular , for by intending onely thy particular good , thou mayest doe wrong to the publike , whereas thou canst not effect a publike good without thine own good in particular ; for what ever is beneficiall to the whole , cannot be prejudiciall to the parts ; so then thou being a member of the whol in performing a generall good , even by that thou art so farre good to thine own particular , as thou hast an interest in the generall ; whereas by seeking thy private good with the neglect of the publike , thou dost both decline from the common nature of things , and from the nature of goodnesse , which is by so much the more good , by how much it is good to more , and doest rather that which is good to thee , then what is truly good in it selfe ; this is to make thine owne selfe and thy advantage the rule of goodnesse , that should'st make goodnesse the rule of thy selfe and thy actions .

Think that in death thou dost not lose a life , but exchange one ; death is but a change ; and therefore not to feare a change , that art every day so acquainted with changes ; every chang is a kinde of death , in as much as that which it changeth from , doth die to what it was ; if the beasts and creatures themselves did not change from what they are , how should we be fed ? Nay , if their skins and clothing did not change from it's naturall use to them , how could it be usefull to us ; if the Sun it selfe did not change his place ; if the yeere , and the parts of the yeere , did not change , how should wee either have life or necessaries ? thou then that doest thus subsist by changes , why doest thou feare a change ? especially considering that other things being ever altering in themselves , doe yet ever continue alterable ; whereas we changing but once , and for the better , shall ever after remaine immutable ; so that to be loth to change , is to contradict what thou doest ; to feare a change , and yet love a life that is full of changes .

If God have made thee handsome , let not that make thee proud ; beauty is an ornament , doe not thou make it a snare ; why should'st thou have cause to wish that thou had'st beene ill favour'd : show nothing naked of thy selfe to others but thy face , and that only that thou mayest be knowne , not seene ; be curteous to all , but no● familiar ; stay not to heare thy handsomenesse prais'd ; much lesse to praise it ; think no time so ill spent about thy selfe , as in dressing ; nor no money , as in fashions , yet in neither be ridiculous , allow for both ; acknowledge no beauty in thy selfe , but of the mind , nor strive for none ; if God have made thee beautifull in others eyes , let it be thy care to make thy selfe so in his ; beauty without grace , is the greatest deformity .

In Gods house and businesse forget thine owne ; be there as a member of the Church , not of the Common-wealth ; empty thy selfe of this world , thou art conversant in the next ; let al thy senses have no other object but God ; let thy eares be open , but thy eyes shut ; if anothers beauty draw thy eyes from God , that beauty is become thy deformity , and hath turn'd God's eyes from thee .

Love no woman , but a wife , and use no familiarity with her , but in publike ; thou knowest not whither it may grow ; many have thought no hurt in the beginning of those things that after have proceeded to impiety : and in all thy behaviour , examine not what thou doest , but with what minde thou doest it , else that which happily in it selfe was indifferent , is to thee unlawfull ; to a good minde , all company is safe , and all familiarity is harmlesse .

T is the minde that makes a fault , Else such things would not be naught ; Hee that can ( and is no lyer ) Sporte and talke without a fire ; Can be curteous , can be kinde , And not kindle in his minde ; And can touch a womans skin As his owne , not stirre within Doth salute without delight , And more would not , if he might , Nor scarce that ; whom thus to bill Manners teacheth , not his will : Nor with hand , nor lip , nor eye , Doth commit adultery ; But see and salute each other Woman , as he doth his mother ; As the Nurses harmelesse kisse To her childe is , such is his , Without pleasure , without taste , With a minde , a thought as chaste As Turtle ; till thy minde be such , Doe not looke , nor sport , nor touch ; Or at least till this thou can , Sport , and talke , and play with man ; Not with woman , for if faire , Thou wilt finde , or make a snare ; Nay , although thy minde be such , Doe not toy , nor sport , nor touch ; For although thy thoughts be good , Yet thoughts are not understood But by actions ; so therein May be scandall , if not sinne : Who exactnesse will fulfill , Must forbeare things seeming ill , Not that are , but might have beene , Or that may be construed sinne : Men judge thee ill or innocent , By what 's seene , not what is meant : Then untill all mindes be such Thinke a Looke , a smile too much .

Love thy Neigbour as thy selfe in the kinde , unfainedly ; but love thy friend as thy selfe in the degree ; doe as much as thou canst , but love more than thou canst doe ; he that doth but little for his friend , because his ability is so , loves more , than hee which doth much , but lesse than he is able .

Revenge no injury though thou canst ; and require every curtesie if thou canst ; yet shew that thou art willing to requite a curtesie where thou art not able ; and shew that thou art able to revenge a wrong ( if thou canst ) though thou art not willing ; so by shewing that thou couldst revenge this , thou wilt happily prevent another ; and by not revenging it thou wilt prove thy selfe better then thou shouldst ; for to revenge a wrong done , is to doe a wrong to God ; so thou wilt be guilty of doing that which thou complainest of , and therefore unjustly complainest of that which thou thy selfe doest .

Let thy conceit of thy selfe bee low , but thy desires high , even as high as heaven ; think thy selfe not worthy of the least good , yet by the grace of God capable of the greatest : thinke often upon Christs death , it wil sweeten thine ; and account it his , he accounts it so ; he dyed not for himselfe , but for thee , and if thou live not to thy selfe , but to him , then he lives not for himselfe neither , but for thee , to make thee partaker of eternall life , which already thou hast in the certainety , though not in the fruition , and believest all this and more , very humbly , but very confidently .

That thou mayest avoid sin , avoid the occasion of it ; as he that complaines of heat removes farther from the fire : omit no oportunity of doing good ; & do no evill though thou hast oportunity ; it is a greater commendations of thy goodnes , that thou mightst and wouldst not .

Meditate often upon thy death , thou wilt like it the better ; and often upon the next life , thou wilt like this the worse ; thinke of this World as a thing in trust , and provide to discharge it ; account nothing thine owne , but as being shortly to give an account of it to the right owner .

Be not angry without cause ; bee merry without offence ; admit a seasonable anger ; and shun an unseasonable jest ; be moderate in both ; do not forget thy selfe in thy anger , nor thy friend in thy mirth ; by the one thou wilt be burthensome to thy selfe , by the other to the company .

Love the body , but subordinate to the soule ; the Tenant is more noble than the House : the most beautifullest body is but a body of earth ; and the Iewels which adorne it are but stones in the earth ; and the gold and silver which it prides in , are veines in this earth ; the clothes which thou wearest , were the cloathing of some beast , or the labour of some Worme , or at the best , of a man like thy selfe ; think then with what vile things thou art made fine ; which yet do but make thee so in the esteeme of others , not truly so in thy selfe ; and doe but hide those parts which thou art ashamed to shew , not adorne that inner part which doth truly shew thee ; therefore to bee so much a Christian to prefer that part which thou hast common with Christ in respect of his humane nature , thy reasonable soule ; or so much a man , not to preferre that part which thou hast common with the beast , an earthly body .

If thou art a Master , let thy family be aw'd rather by thy example , then thy word ; be angry for small faults , it will prevent greater : commend and encourage those that doe well , they will do better ; commendations of former goodnesse is a provocation to more .

Thinke upon this life as a current , ever running ; do not hope to live long , but be assur'd not to live still , and account it thy comfort that thou shalt one day dye ; to wish thy selfe ever upon earth , is to wish thy selfe ever out of heaven .

Be imploy'd only in such wayes as thou wouldst not blush to be met in ; Thamar goes disguis'd , when to play the harlot : tell nothing of another which thou wouldst not have told him ; believe nothing of another which thou mayst not tell ; doe not construe seriously what is spoken but in jest , and forbeare those jests , which may be construed to earnest : heare no ill of a friend , but reply and speake no ill , though of an enemy .

In thy house , let thy entertainment bee free , not costly ; bid thy friends welcome to thy ability , not beyond it ; never make one meal so , as thou must be faine to fetch it up out of many ; be hospitable , but provident ; thinke nothing too much for thy friends , which is not too much for thy estate ; hospitality bids thy friends welcome ; and providence makes thee able to bid them welcome ; if hospitality be the life of neighbour-hood , providence is the life of hospitality ; he is not thy friend that expects more than thou art well able ; thou art not thine owne friend if thou doest lesse ; to live above thy meanes is folly ; to live too farre below thy means , is a disparagement ; doe all like thy selfe , so as may neither weaken thy respect , nor thy estate .

Love not ill company , left thou learn the ill of the company ; it is hard , not to bee like the company thou keepest ; it is rare , if we deny not Christ in Caiphas his house ; with Solomon , it is hard having the Ethiopian without her Idols ; we see people change their complexion with the Climate ; Vessels smell of the liquor they containe ; by ordinary communication in the wayes of sinners without a great deale of care you will communicate with their sinne ; With the froward , thou wilt learne frowardnesse ; he that goes to the meetings of wicked men , will come a wicked man out ; or to say the best , worse than he went in : for thy conversation , let this bee thy rule , if thy company bee better , imitate them ; if worse , convert them ; if equall , and as thou art , joyne with them .

Feed the poore often at thy dore , sometime at thy Table ; whatsoever thou givest to Christ in his members , he will one day give back againe to thee in thy person ; it is but just if God deny thee thy daily bread , if thou daily deny him the crummes .

Let it not trouble thee what is talk'd of thee when thou art absent , more than what will be talk'd of thee when thou art dead ; an ill report doth not make thee an ill man ; be carefull to doe nothing that deserves to be ill spoken of , let it not trouble thee to bee ill spoken of undeservedly .

Let thy prayers be frequent , thy wants are so ; and thy thanksgivings frequent , thy blessings are so : pray daily at home , and if thou canst , at Church ; God is every where , but there hee hath promised to be ; misse not the confession and absolution , unlesse thou hast no sinnes to confesse , or carest not to bee forgiven them .

Thinke not the worse of the ordinances of God for the sinnes of the Preacher ; those that are ill themselves , may yet be instruments of good to others , God hath promised his blessing to the thing , not to the person ; the sacrifices of Elies sons were effectuall for the people ; it is not the peoples fault that the Preacher is wicked , and as it is without their fault , so it is without their prejudice ; it was our blessed Saviours of the Pharisees , After their sayings doe ye ; wee must follow their sayings whose deeds we may not ; thou mayest not refuse the word of God from any , if they teach what they should , though they doe not what they teach ; the wickednesse of the messenger doth not abate the power of the meanes ; as the intemperance and debauchednesse of the Physitian doth not hinder the working of the physick .

Remember often that thou art a Christian , and doe nothing that may disprove it ; be not a law to thy selfe , but be regulated by that which is a law to us all , the word of God ; study not much how to make thy life longer , but better ; consider that the longer thou art here , the longer thou art from God : let it be thy care rather to lead a good life , than a long ; endeavour to thy ability to do wel , and grieve that thou canst not do better ; doe not wrong to others ; forgive the wrongs which others doe thee ; strive what thou canst to keepe a good name ; but rather a good conscience ; if men mistake thee , comfort thy selfe that God which shal reward thee , doth not ; looke upon the necessities of others , not as a stranger , but a member , as thou would'st have God looke upon thine ; be good to all , God is so ; but with a difference , Especially to the houshold of faith ; cherish no sin in thy selfe , & countenance none in another ; acquaint thy selfe rather with the commandements of God , than the decrees ; and conclude of thy salvation to thy selfe , rather by a diligent observing of his reveal'd will , than by searching into his secret will ; let not the changes of this World , to preferment or want , make thee either fond of thy life , or weary of it ; be contented to live , but be desirous to dye , To bee dissolv'd , and to bee with Christ ; and if thou canst not attaine to perfection upon earth , aime at it .

Let thy first care be to be good thy selfe , thy next care to make others so ; be not a Christian in shew only , yet in every thing shew thy selfe a Christian ; doe nothing but what is good , and speake nothing but what is truth ; hee is the best Christian that speakes well , and doth as hee speakes .

If thou would'st know who is a Christian , he Whose holy words are seconded with deeds ; For by the fruit we must judge of the tree ; Men doe not gather Grapes , or Figs of Reeds ; We judge of what he is , by what he beares ; And beare he doth not only blade , but eares , Slow to revenge a wrong , not to forgive ; Whose goodnesse is not onely to the eye ; Thinkes rather how to dye , than how to live ; And yet is dead to sin before he dye : And who lives here on earth , and dyes to sin , When he is dead , his life doth but begin . Who doth , not what he likes , but what he may ; And askes , what may I , to , not of himselfe , But of Religion and the Scriptures say , Who is his owne rule , runs upon a shelfe ; Who though he might , he would not be deboise , Is good , not of necessity , but choyce . That makes not opportunity his Bawd ; ( Occasion sometimes doth invite a sin ) To may and will not , is the Christians laud ; He 's guilty that is out , but would be in ; But being tempted , or but not withstood , Not to be evill is a double good . That can revenge a wrong , but doth forbeare it , And to be slow to malice , is not sloath : Speakes only what is truth , but will not sweare it ; Nor second every trifle with an oath ; That likes no vice , though follow'd with a throng , Who measures truth by voices doth it wrong . Some good he doth , yet faine he would doe more ; To would be better is an act of grace ; His minde is rich to Christ , his power is poore ; God mend his power , and he will mend his pace : Meane time God likes the will , and in his Sonne What we would do , is in the acceptance done . If yet he doe , ( as who did never ill , Who is without his errors ? ) yet is this The error of his frailty , not his will ; He doth indeed , but grieves to doe amisse ; To sigh and grieve for what we cannot doe , Is to come short , and yet to do it to . You 'l say then Christianity is hard , What good was ever easie ? where the gaines Are greatest , likely there the way is barr'd ; Double renowne is had with double paines : Who so doth follow Christ , doth pitch a field , T is lesse praise not to fight , then not to yeild . Worldly advancements are not had with ease ; And want is the inheritance of sloth : Wouldst thou do lesse for Heaven then for these ? T is fit who would have one , he should have both : The gaine with hardnesse , thus it is lesse hard ; The danger 's great , but so is the reward .

Let it trouble thee more to do a fault , then to heare of it ; if thou art ill spoken of by another , first call thy selfe to account ; before him , it may be thou deservest it ; be more sorry that it is true , than that it is knowne ; if false , it is not thy fault that thou art bely'd ; it is thy comfort that it is a lye ; doe not think to be ever free from censure , here , nor sometimes from faults ; he is the best man that erres seldomest , he is more than a man that never erres .

In Religion receive no opinion upon credit , and vent none upon discontent ; bee of that opinion that may save thee , rather than that may raise thee ; let not the doores of thy lips move upon the hinges of another mans tongue ; speake what thou thinkest , not what others speake : so follow good men , as remembring they are but men ; goe rather the way which you ought , than the way that is gone ; make others companions but not copies , or so farre copies as they agree with the Original .

Take whatsoever God doth , thankfully ; and doe whatsoever he commands cheerefully ; labour to make a good use of ill accidents ; hate every mans sin , love every mans person , and love no mans sin for the persons 〈◊〉 .

Feare rather to doe ill , than to suffer for thy ill doing ; he that truly feares sinne shall never feare punishment ; think upon the goodnesse of GOD and thou wilt love him , and thinke upon the justice of God , and thou wilt feare him , & so by consequence , love that which may free thee from this feare ; and so betweene these two , thou wilt feare to doe any thing against him whom thou lovest , and thou wilt at ( least ) not love to doe any thing against him for feare .

If the actions of another reflect to thy harme , examine not what is done ; but what was intended ; and if hee intended no ill , thinke hee hath done thee none , though in effect hee have ; willingly doe no wrong ; winke at those wrongs that are unwillingly done thee , GOD ▪ doth so , and measures what wee doe by what we meant to doe ; he that shot at a marke and kill'd a man , by the Law of God was not held a murderer ; God that workes in us both to will and to doe , as hee doth sometimes accept the will for the deed ; so hee doth usually measure the deed by the will .

Doe not easily entertaine a friend , nor easily part with him ; thinke him no true friend , whom one injury can make thine enemy ; or that accounts every errour an injury ; he must have no friends , that will have a friend with no faults ; make no man thine enemie by doing him wrong ; become not an enemy to every one that wrongs thee , account every man thy neighbour , though thine enemie , that needs thee .

In Religion look to the end but by the meanes ; thinke not to partake of what God hath promis'd , but by doing in some measure what hee hath commanded ; though heaven bee had without our desert , yet it is not had without our paines ; then mayest thou hope that God will be as good as his word to thee , when thou sincerely endeavourest to bee as good as his Word commands thee to bee towards him .

Doe nothing which is ill , nor every thing which is lawfull ; measure not thy liberty by the lawfulnesse of the thing , but the expediencie ; many times an unseasonable good , though it bee not ill in it selfe , yet it is , in the occasion of it ; hee which will at no time forbeare to doe something which hee may , will at sometime doe something which he may not .

Be content to heare of anothers prayses before thee without repining ; and to tell of anothers praises without detracting ; to speak well of all men , or not at all ; for as it is flattery to speake that good of another which is false ; so it is detraction , to speak that ill of another unnecessarily which is true .

Forgive the wilfull injuries of any , yet tell him of them ; by shewing him his fault , thou shewest him his duty ; doe not love him lesse for it , but trust him lesse ; but if hee bee thorowly sorry for it , bee thou thorowly satisfied ; GOD askes no more for thine ; consider that to suffer wrongs is common to thee with Christ , and to forgive wrongs is proper to thee as a Christian ; GOD doth suffer such wrongs to bee , that hee may exercise thy patience ; and he commands thee to forgive those wrongs , that thou mayest exercise thy charity .

So live as thou mayest not bee afraid to dye , as thou mayest bee assur'd of a better life after death ; doe nothing which shall need an excuse , or feare a witnesse , and so use this world , as remembring you must account for it in the next .

Let thy discourse bee ever of goodnesse , but not of thine owne ; or of the good which thou hast received of God , not which thou hast done ; if thy talk be good , thou doest at once both shew goodnesse , and teach it .

Be good without much noise ; be provident without perplexedness ; be merry without lightnesse ; be bountifull without waste ; live to the benefit of all , but to the service only of GOD.

If now thou art not perfect yet with these , ( As where is their perfection here below ) Yet they may doe enough to make thee please , God accepts what we can , for what we owe ; Whilst thou endeavour'st to be what thou should'st , If thou want'st power , t is enough thou would'st . The cleerest water is not free from mud ; She Sunne is not exempted from ecclips ; Here our perfection is but mingled good ; And he is more than man that never slips : In all we doe , we something doe amisse , And our perfection imperfection is : For the condition of our present plight Is , that we would be better than we are , Not a perfection ever but a height , And we are good , but not without a scarre ; All things are like our selves , a mixture , then God doth not looke that we should not be men . FINIS . Gloria Deo .