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nefs. She will indulgently cherish her Husband, nourish his Children, and nurse them both in all Conditions of Life, or Circumftances of Indifpofition. As to their Souls, fhe will take Care to make them all religi ous, after her own Likenefs: watchful in Prayer, and fervent in Devotion, vigilant in Piety, and induftrious in good Works; perfectly upright, holy and heavenly-minded. Thus fhe becomes the very careful Manufacturer of all Felicity in her fleecy and well-cloath'd Family fo that by diligently cultivating the Genteelnefs of their Habits, the Prefervation of their Bodies, and the Profperity of their Fortunes, as well as the Peace of their Minds and the Confolation of their Souls; fhe makes her felf the most compleat Housewife of the World.

VERSE XIV.

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SHE is like the Merchant-Ships; fhe bringeth her Food from a-far.

PARAPHRASE.

Virtuous, careful, trading Wife, may well be compar'd to the ftout and full-fraighted Ships of induftrious Merchants, that go to Sea in Quest of fome honeft Gain and good Advantage. They fail Abroad through the vaft Ocean in all Winds and Weathers, to bring Home the richeft Goods and most curious

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Merchandise of both Indies. Upon their fafe Return, they furnish furnish our Houfes not only with excellent Food and Rayment, but alfo better Things fometimes; as Gold and Silver, Pearls and precious Stones, Jewels and Diamonds: enough to adorn a whole Kingdom, or make a Court appear illuftriously fine and fplendid. The Gold of Ophir is not more valuable in Commerce, than fuch an ingenuous merchandising Woman is in her happy Family, by her notable Adventures, or rare Inventions for raifing the Honour and inriching the State of her Husband, to the last Degree of Commendation. She will deal to the fartheft Parts of the Universe, by Sea or Land, to do him Good, and maintain her Children handfomly in the World. She never fticks at any honeft Hazard or laudable Hardship, upon an Undertaking of Profit and Advantage, to get them their daily Food, either from afar or nearer Hand; either in Foreign Climates, or the most diftant Places of her Native Country, for their Welfare, their Benefit and Satisfaction. She trades, as it were, with her Wisdom, Piety and Diligence. She fpreads her Fame, and diffufes her Industry fo far, that at last she brings Home the rich Cargo, or the golden Fleece (as I may fay) fufficient not only to feed and maintain, but likewife to advance and glorify the Fortune of her wealthy Family. Her Goodness is known far and near, over the Alps and beyond Hercules's Pillars, as well as at Home, or throughout her own Native Country. Her Beauty, Prudence and Fortitude, are celebrated all over the Earth as well as the Ocean. In fhort, fhe fears no Shipwracks by violent Storms or Tempests;

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dreads neither Scylla nor Charybdis, neither. Gulphs, Sands, Sholes, Shelves nor Rocks, either within or without the Streights; and never mifcarries, either in her Voyage or her Virtue, for the better Injoyment of her happy Spouse at Home: having the fpecial Infurance of Heaven for her Safety and Success. She ventures at All by her Courage, through the greatest Dangers and Difficulties. Nothing venture, nothing have, fhe knows by the Proverb. No faint Heart ever won fuch a fair Lady,. or fuch a fine Lord, in either Respect. Divine Providence bleffes all her thriving and industrious Indeavours, for her Care, Conftancy and Fidelity. Humane Prudence directs and profpers all her Doings or Imployments, In fine, the Sun, Moon and Stars feem to favour her diligent Traffick, incourage her honeft Enterprizes; and fecure her lawful Import into the Haven of Happiness, as well as Wealth, Riches and Honour, upon her glorious Arrival, and fafe Return to her fortunate Iland.

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REMARKS.

A N is naturally inclin'd first to find out his most Sovereign Good, and after that, is forcibly drawn into the Search of all other Things; which he esteems most advantageous in this World, either for his Pleasure or Pro fit. Every one has his own Delight and peculiar Election. His natural Affections carry him to the Defire of Variety. Curiofity indeed tending to the Benefit of a right Understanding in humane Affairs, is not only requifite, but profitable and absolutely necessary

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to fhew our Prudence. Nevertheless it must not be imploy'd upon vile Things, vain Superfluities, or vicious Novelties. Novelty often caufes the greatest Error of the Judgment, in preferring thofe Dainties or Fancies that are far fetch'd and dear-bought, before better Things of a more folid and fubftantial Value; of a more cheap, common or familiar Ufe. Ladies indeed may be allow'd to judge thus ; but Men ought to have more Reason in their Choice. A good Life requires no fuch Vanities; according to that excellent Precept in Apollo's Temple, nothing too much. Solon advifes us to love nothing more than enough. Pittacus defires us to do all Things by a Mediocrity; that is, with Moderation. These wife Sayings well understood and practis'd, might regulate our Prudence, both in our fpiritual Gitts and Goods, either of Body,Soul or Fortune, with perfect Difcretion. They would prevent a great many vain Curiofities, in fearching and prying into Supernaturals, far above the Reach of humane Capacity, Knowledge or Compre henfion. A Man blinds himself by too near an Infpection into the Sun's Beams. Too curious a Search deprives him both of the Light within and without, and leaves him at laft in utter Darkness. Myfteries of Faith are veil'd from our weak Eyes. The Arcana's of God are not to be pluckt out of Heaven by Angels, and much lefs by Men. His Secrets Cannot be difcover'd or betray'd by Mortals. Such vain prying Tempers, and over-curious Researches, are never laudable or religious, They are too inquifitive that feek for any other Beginning of all Things, than God. It is fporting with Divinity, and making a Ban

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ter of Eternity by their wild Notions as if any Thing could be from it felf, or before it was, which proves the firft Original, Eternal Caufe and Creator of all Beings. Of Three fuch bold Inquirers, One is fure to be an Atheift; as the Proverb fays of the Phyficians. Let them remember Ariftotle's Fate of drowning himself at Euripus in Eubea, for want of understanding the Reafon of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea; or Pliny's, of being burnt to Death at Mount Mongibel in Sicily, for want of knowing the Caufe of thofe terrible Fires and flaming Eruptions in the Country: Both undone by their own pernicious Curiofities and Conceits. Chriftian Philofophers and Wiler The ologues, ought to know themselves better than to make too near Approaches to the Deity ought to remain ignorant or reft in Faith, rather than be too curious or unbelieving, and to study their own finite Imperfections, more than Infinites or Incomprehenfibles., The tranfcendent Perfection of God, is fufficient for all Things that do not imply a flat Contradiction to his effential Nature; from whence arofe the general true Belief of the bleed Trinity which, for that very Reafon, as well as Revelation, ought to be to be univerfal against all

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fuch deluded credulous Hereticks. Much

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Good may their vain Novelties do them! If they can digeft thofe Arian, Socinian, or Athei fical Doctrines, that have been broach'd of late Days

TRAVELLING indeed is fometimes attended with its Inconveniencies, as well as Advantages of Knowledge. Abroad. It often prevents the good Husbandry of our own Houfes, Lands and Affairs, at Home, which Ο 4

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