XL.

Not to be afflicted, is a sign of weakness: for, therefore God imposeth no more on me, because he sees I can bear no more. God will not make choice of a weak champion. When I am stronger, I will look for more: and when I sustain more, it shall more comfort me, that God finds me strong; than it shall grieve me, to be pressed with a heavy affliction.

XLI.

That the wicked have peace in themselves, is no wonder : they are as sure, as temptation can make them. No prince makes war with his own subjects. The godly are still enemies : therefore, they must look to be assaulted both by stratagems and violence. Nothing shall more joy me, than my inward unquietness. A just war is a thousand times more happy, than an ill-conditioned peace.

XLII.

Goodness is so powerful, that it can make things simply evil (namely, our sins) good to us: not good in nature, but good in the event; good, when they are done, not good to be done. Sin is so powerful, that it can turn the holiest ordinances of God into itself. But herein our sin goes beyond our goodness; That sin defiles a man or action otherwise good, but all the goodness of the world cannot justify one sin as the holy flesh in the skirt, makes not the bread holy that toucheth it; but the unclean, touching a holy thing, defileth it. I will loath every evil for its own sake: I will do good; but not trust to it.

XLIII.

Fools measure good actions, by the event after they are done: wise men beforehand, by judgment, upon the rules of reason and faith. Let me do well: let God take charge of the success. If it be well accepted, it is well: if not, my thank is with God.

XLIV.

He was never good man, that amends not for, if he were good, he must needs desire to be better. Grace is so sweet, that whoever tastes of it must needs long after more: and, if he desire it, he will endeavour it; and, if he do but endeavour, God will crown it with success. God's family admitteth of no Dwarfs, which are unthriving, and stand at a stay; but men of measures. Whatever become of my body or my estate, I will ever labour, to find somewhat added to the stature of my soul.

XLV.

Pride is the most dangerous of all sins: for, both it is most insinuative, having crept into Heaven and Paradise; and most dangerous, where it is: for, where all other temptations are about evil, this alone is conversant only about good things; and one dram of it poisons many measures of grace. I will not be more afraid of doing good things amiss, than of being proud when I have well performed them.

XLVI.

Not only commission makes a sin. A man is guilty of all those sins he hateth not. If I cannot avoid all, yet I will hate all.

XLVII.

Prejudice is so great an enemy to truth, that it makes the mind incapable of it. In matters of faith, I will first lay a sure ground, and then believe, though I cannot argue; holding the conclusion, in spite of the premises: but, in other less matters, I will not so forestall my mind with resolution, as that I will not be willing to be better informed. Neither will I say in myself, "I will hold it, therefore it shall be truth;" but, "This is truth, therefore I will hold it." I will not strive for victory; but for truth.

XLVIII.

Drunkenness and Covetousness do much resemble one another: for, the more a man drinks, the more he thirsteth; and the more he hath, still the more he coveteth. And, for their effects, besides other, both of them have the power of transforming a man into a beast; and, of all other beasts, into a Swine. The former is evident to sense: the other, though more obscure, is no more questionable. The covetous man, in two things, plainly resembleth a Swine; That he ever roots in the earth, not so much as looking towards heaven; That he never doth good, till his death. In desiring, my rule shall be, necessity of nature or estate: in having, I will account that my good, which doeth me good,

XLIX.

I acknowledge no Master of Requests in heaven, but one; Christ, my Mediator. I know I cannot be so happy, as not to need him; nor so miserable, that he should contemn me. I will always ask; and that of none, but where I am sure to speed; but where there is so much store, that when I have had the most, I shall leave no less behind. Though numberless drops be in the sea; yet, if one be taken out of it, it hath so

much the less, though insensibly: but God, because he is infinite, can admit of no diminution. Therefore are men niggardly, because the more they give, the less they have; but thou, Lord, mayest give what thou wilt, without abatement of thy store. Good prayers never came weeping home: I am sure I shall receive, either what I ask, or what I should ask.

L.

I see, that a fit booty, many times, makes a thief: and many would be proud, if they had but the common causes of their neighbours. I account this none of the least favours of God, that the world goes no better forward with me: for, I fear, if my estate were better to the world, it might be worse to God. As it is a happy necessity that enforceth to good; so is that next happy, that hinders from evil.

LI.

It is the basest love of all others, that is for a benefit: for, herein we love not another, so much as ourselves. Though there were no Heaven, O Lord, I would love thee: now there is one, I will esteem it, I will desire it; yet still I will love thee, for thy goodness' sake. Thyself is reward enough, though thou broughtest no more.

LII.

I see men point the field; and desperately jeopard their lives, as prodigal of their blood, in the revenge of a disgraceful word, against themselves; while they can be content to hear God pulled out of heaven with blasphemy, and not feel so much as a rising of their blood: which argues our cold love to God, and our over fervent affection to ourselves. In mine own wrongs, I will hold patience laudable; but, in God's injuries, impious.

LIII.

It is a hard thing, to speak well: but it is harder, to be well silent; so as it may be free from suspicion of affectation, or sullenness, or ignorance: else, loquacity, and not silence, would be a note of wisdom. Herein I will not care how little, but how well. He said well for this, "Not that, which is much, is well; but that, which is well, is much."

LIV.

There is nothing more odious, than fruitless old age. Now, for that no tree bears fruit in Autumn unless it blossom in the Spring, to the end that my age may be profitable and laden with ripe fruit, I will endeavour, that my youth may be stu

dious and flowered with the blossoms of learning and observation.

LV.

Revenge commonly hurts both the offerer and sufferer: as we see in the foolish Bee (though in all other things commendable; yet herein the pattern of fond spitefulness), which, in her anger, envenometh the flesh, and loseth her sting; and so lives a Drone ever after. I account it the only valour, to remit a wrong; and will applaud it to myself, as right noble and Christian, that I might hurt and will not.

LVI.

He, that lives well, cannot choose but die well: for, if he die suddenly, yet he dies not unpreparedly; if, by leisure, the conscience of his well-led life makes his death more comfortable. But it is seldom seen, that he, which liveth ill, dieth well: for the conscience of his former evils, his present pain, and the expectation and fear of greater, so take up his heart, that he cannot seek God. And now it is just with God, not to be sought, or not to be found; because he sought to him in his life-time, and was repulsed. Whereas, therefore, there are usually two main cares of good men; to Live well, and Die well: I will have but this one; to Live well.

LVII.

With God there is no free man, but his servant; though in the gallies: no slave, but the sinner; though in a palace: none noble, but the virtuous; if never so basely descended: none rich, but he, that possesseth God; even in rags: none wise, but he, that is a fool to himself and the world: none happy, but he, whom the world pities. Let me be free, noble, rich, wise, happy to God; I pass not what I am to the world.

LVIII.

When the mouth praiseth, man heareth; when the heart, God heareth. Every good prayer knocketh at heaven, for a blessing: but an importunate prayer pierceth it, though as hard as brass; and makes way for itself, into the ears of the Almighty. And, as it ascends lightly up, carried with the wings of faith; so it comes ever laden down again, upon our heads. In my prayers, my thoughts shall not be guided by my words; but my words shall follow my thoughts.

LIX.

If that servant were condemned for evil, that gave God no more than his own, which he had received; what shall become of them, that rob God of his own? If God gain a little glory

VOL. VIII.

C

by me, I shall gain more by him. I will labour so to husband the stock, that God hath left in my hands, that I may return my soul better than I received it: and that he may make it better than I return it.

LX.

Heaven is compared to a hill: and therefore is figured by Olympus, among the heathen; by Mount Sion, in God's Book: Hell, contrariwise, to a Pit. The ascent to the one is hard, therefore; and the descent of the other, easy and headlong: and so, as if we once begin to fall, the recovery is most difficult; and not one, of many, stays, till he comes to the bottom. I will be content, to pant, and blow, and sweat in climbing up to Heaven: as, contrarily, I will be wary of setting the first step downward, towards the Pit. For, as there is a Jacob's Ladder into heaven: so there are blind stairs, that go winding down into death, whereof each makes way for other. From the object is raised an ill suggestion: suggestion draws on delight; delight, consent; consent, endeavour; endeavour, practice; practice, custom; custom, excuse; excuse, defence; defence, obstinacy; obstinacy, boasting of sin; boasting, a reprobate sense. I will watch over my ways: and do thou, Lord, watch over me, that I may avoid the first degrees of sin. And, if those overtake my frailty, yet keep me, that presumptuous sins prevail not over me. Beginnings are with more ease and safety declined, when we are free; than proceedings, when we have begun.

LXI.

It is fitter for youth, to learn than teach; and for age, to teach than learn: and yet fitter for an old man to learn, than to be ignorant. I know, I shall never know so much, that I cannot learn more: and I hope I shall never live so long, as till I be too old to learn.

LXII.

I never loved those Salamanders, that are never well, but when they are in the fire of contention. I will rather suffer a thousand wrongs, than offer one: I will suffer a hundred, rather than return one: I will suffer many, ere I will complain of one, and endeavour to right it by contending. I have ever found, that, to strive with my superior, is furious; with my equal, doubtful; with my inferior, sordid and base; with any, full of unquietness.

LXIII.

The praise of a good speech standeth in words and matter: matter, which is as a fair and well-featured body; elegance of