Ecclef. i. 8.

us wifer, The Eye is not fatisfied with Seeing, nor the Ear filled with Hearing. Ufe then thy utmost diligence, to wean thy foul from the Love of Things that are feen, and fet thy affections on Things that are not feen. For, be affured, that they, who follow their own fenfual appetites, do lofe, not only their labour and expectation, but also their innocence and purity, the peace of their own confcience, and the favour of Almighty God.

CHAP II.

MODESTY.

HE defire of knowledge is natural to every man, but what advantage is it to be knowing, if that knowledge be not feafoned with virtue and religion? The vileft peasant, and he, whom we in fcorn think leaft removed from a brute, if he ferve God according to the best of his mean capacity,

is

yet a better and more valuable man, than the proudeft philofopher, who bufies himself in confidering the motions of the heavens, but beftows no reflection at all upon those of his own mind. The certain confequence of knowing a man's felf truly, is a mean opinion of himself, and not being exalted with the commendations of other people. And fuppofing my knowledge. fo vaft and extenfive, that nothing this world contains were hid from it; yet what would all this avail me in the fight of God, who, when he comes to judgment will try me upon the iffue, not of what I have known, but what I have done?

2. Restrain that extreme defire of increafing learning, which at the fame time does but increafe forIow, by involving the mind in much perplexity and.

falfe

false delufion. For fuch are fond of being thought men of wisdom, and refpected as fuch: and yet this boafted learning of theirs confifts in many things, which a man's mind is very little, if at all, the better for the knowledge of. And fure, whatever they may think of the matter, he who beftows his time and pains upon things that are of no fervice for pro moting the happiness of his foul, ought by no means to be esteemed a wife man. Words and notions in themselves give no real fatisfaction; but a virtuous life never fails to comfort and refresh the mind, and to minister the best antidote against all manner of difficulties; for fuch is a good confcience, and a well grounded confidence to Job.iii. 21. wards God, which is its infeparable attendant.

3. The more a man knows, and the better those subjects are, upon which his ftudies have been employed; the heavier fhall his account be, unless his piety and virtue be proportionably eminent and exemplary. How little reason then have we to be exalted with our attainments, when we know our account will be larger, as we improve more in know-. ledge. And what improvements indeed can poffibly be fo great, as to juftify our being proud of them? For no man can ever want this mortification of his vanity that what he knows is but a very little, in comparison of what he ftill continues ignorant of. Confider this, and, instead of boafting of thy knowledge of a few things, confefs and be out of countenance for the many more which thou art ignorant of. And why fo forward to prefer thyfelf before others, when there are fo many perfons whofe learning, and skill in the rules of living, give them an undoubted right to be preferr'd before you? If you would attain to

ufeful

useful learning indeed, learn to conceal your

attainments, and be content that the world fhould think meanly of you: for lowlinefs of mind, and not thinking of a man's felf more highly than he ought to think, is the most difficult, but withal the most profitable leffon; and the preferring others before ourfelves, is a point of true wifdom and high perfection. Nor ought our opinions of this kind to be changed, though we should fee another guilty of fome egregious folly, or very grievous wickednefs, fince we ourselves are men of like paffions and frailties; nor can we tell how long our own virtue may continue unfhaken. Remember then, that infirmities are common to all mankind; and fo remember it, as to perfuade yourself, or at least to fufpect, that thefe are dealt to thee in as plentiful a measure, as to any other perfon whatsoever.

い

BL

CHA P. III.

The Doctrine of Truth.

Leffed is the man, whom truth condescends to teach; not by dark figures, and words quickly forgotten, but by a full and familiar Pfal. xciv.12. communication of itself. Happy should we be, could we but fee things as they are, free from the errors of our fond opinions, and the falfe estimates we form from thence. How high a value do we fet upon the knack of diftinguishing and difputing nicely, in matters hid from common apprehenfions; but matters too, which to know nothing of will not render a man's cafe one whit the worfe at the day of judgment? Egregious and elaborate folly! over-look ufeful and neceffary points, as things not worthy our regard; and bend our indu

stry

ftry to find out thofe, which either turn to no account, or what is worse than none. Thus

we take pains to be ignorant at laft, and Pfal. cxv. verify in our own felves, the prophet's defcription of the heathen idols, which have eyes, and yet fee not.

Why should we then, with fuch eager toil, ftrive to be mafters of logical definitions? Or what do our abstracted speculations profit us? He, whom the divine word inftructs, takes a much fhorter cut to truth; for from this word alone all faving knowledge is derived, and without this no man underftands or judges aright. But he, who reduces all his ftudies to, and governs himfelf by this rule, may establish his mind in perfect peace, and reft himself fecurely upon God. O thou, whofe very effence is truth, unite me to thy felf in perfect love! The variety of other fubjects tires and diftracts my foul; in thee alone I find the fum of all my wishes and defires. Should all our teachers be for ever dumb, and this great volume of the creatures continue fhut to us, we might difpenfe with all the reft, if thou would'ft vouchsafe thy own information, and teach us by thy felf.

The better acquainted any man is with himself, the more he converfes with, and retires into his own breaft; and the lefs he wanders abroad, and dwells upon things without him, the more extenfive and fublime is his knowledge, and the more easily attained. Because this man receives, and is directed by a darted from heaven into his foul. A mind fincere

ray

and pure, and firm, is not diverted by multiplicity of objects. For the honour of God is its conftant aim; and, having but one end to purfue, it is in perfect peace and unity with it felf, and does not divide its thoughts

thoughts with vanity and self-love. For what can be a greater hindrance than our own ambitious and ungovern'd paffion? A truly good and pious man firft orders and difpofes all his business regularly, before he enters upon the execution of any defign: he fuffers no vicious inclination to divert him, but makes every undertaking fubmit to the dictates of reafon and religion. The sharpeft as well as the nobleft conflict is that, wherein we labour to gain a conqueft over ourfelves; and this should be our principal and conftant care, to get ground every day, by bringing our paffions more and more under, and becoming more mafterly proficients in virtue and goodness.

Nor may we fuppofe any degree of virtue fo exalted, that it should cease to be a state of proficiency; for fuch is the condition of mortals, that their utmoft poffible perfection in this life, is ever embased with an allay of imperfection; and their brightest notions are clouded with fome confufion and obfcurity. But in the study of ourselves we are beft capable of avoiding mistakes. Therefore a true fenfe of what we are, and that humility, which cannot but proceed from such a sense, is a furer way of bringing us to God, than the most laborious and profound enquiries after knowledge: not that learning is in its own nature blameable; for the understanding of any thing whatsoever, confidered fimply, and as it really is, ought to be acknowledged commendable and good; the gift and ordinance of God. But the danger is, when we give this the precedence in our efteem, before things abundantly better; I mean a good confcience, and a virtuous converfation. The true reafon then why, in an age where learning is had in univerfal admiration, fo little profit is made;

and