XI.

Some children are of that nature, that they are never well, but while the rod is over them: such am I to God. Let him beat me, so he amend me : let him take all away from me, so he give me himself.

XII.

There must not be one uniform proceeding with all men, in reprehension; but that must vary, according to the disposition of the reproved. I have seen some men as thorns, which, easily touched, hurt not; but, if hard and unwarily, fetch blood of the hand: others, as nettles, which if they be nicely handled, sting and prick; but, if hard and roughly pressed, are pulled up without harm. Before I take any man in hand, I will know whether he be a thorn or a nettle.

XIII.

I will account no sin little; since there is not the least, but works out the death of the soul. It is all one, whether I be drowned in the ebber shore, or in the midst of the deep sea.

XIV.

It is a base thing, to get goods, to keep them. I see that God, which only is infinitely rich, holdeth nothing in his own hands; but gives all to his creatures. But, if we will needs lay up; where should we rather repose it, than in Christ's treasury? The poor man's hand is the treasury of Christ. All my superfluity shall be there hoarded up, where I know it shall be safely kept, and surely returned me.

XV.

The School of God, and Nature, require two contrary man ners of proceeding. In the School of Nature, we must conceive; and then believe: in the School of God, we must first believe; and then we shall conceive. He, that believes no more than he conceives, can never be a Christian; nor he a Philosopher, that assents without reason. In Nature's School, we are taught to bolt out the truth, by logical discourse: God cannot endure a logician. In his School, he is the best scholar, that reasons least, and assents most. In divine things, what I may, I will conceive the rest I will believe and admire. Not a curious head, but a credulous and plain heart, is accepted with God.

:

XVI.

No worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it; but as a bee, having honey in the mouth, hath a sting in the tail. Why am I so foolish, to rest my heart upon any of them: and

not rather labour to aspire to that one absolute good, in whom is nothing savouring of grief; nothing wanting to perfect happiness?

XVII.

A sharp reproof I account better, than a smooth deceit. Therefore, when my friend checks me, I will respect it with thankfulness: when others flatter me, I will suspect it; and rest in my own censure of myself, who should be more privy, and less partial, to my own deservings.

XVIII.

Extremity distinguisheth friends. Worldly pleasures, like physicians, give us over, when once we lie a dying; and yet the death-bed had most need of comforts: Christ Jesus standeth by his, in the pangs of death; and, after death, at the bar of judgment; not leaving them either in their bed or grave. I will use them, therefore, to my best advantage; not trust them. But for thee, O my Lord, which in mercy and truth canst not fail me, whom I have found ever faithful and present in all extremities, Kill me, yet will I trust in thee!

XIX.

We have heard of so many thousand generations passed, and we have seen so many hundreds die within our knowledge; that I wonder any man can make account to live, one day. I will die daily. It is not done before the time, which may be done at all times.

XX.

Desire ofttimes makes us unthankful: for whoso hopes for that he hath not, usually forgets that which he hath. I will not suffer my heart to rove after high or impossible hopes; lest I should, in the mean time, contemn present benefits.

XXI.

In hoping well, in being ill, and fearing worse, the life of man is wholly consumed. When I am ill, I will live in hope of better; when well, in fear of worse: neither will I, at any time, hope without fear; lest I should deceive myself, with too much confidence; wherein, evil shall be so much more unwelcome and intolerable, because I looked for good: nor, again, fear without hope; lest I should be over-much dejected: nor, do either of them, without true contentation.

XXII.

What is man, to the whole earth? What is earth, to the heaven? What is heaven, to his Maker? I will admire

VOL. VIII.

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nothing in itself; but all things in God, and God in all things.

XXIII.

There be three usual causes of ingratitude, upon a benefit received; Envy, Pride, Covetousness: Envy, looking more at others' benefits than our own; Pride, looking more at ourselves than the benefit; Covetousness, looking more at what we would have than what we have. In good turns, I will neither respect the giver, nor myself, nor the gift, nor others; but only the intent and good will, from whence it proceeded. So shall I requite others' great pleasures, with equal good-will; and accept of small favours, with great thankfulness.

XXIV.

Whereas the custom of the world is, to hate things present, to desire future, and magnify what is past; I will, contrarily, esteem that, which is present, best; for, both what is past was once present, and what is future will be present: future things, next; because they are present in hope: what is past, least of all; because it cannot be present; yet somewhat, because it

was.

XXV.

We pity the folly of the lark, which, while it playeth with the feather and stoopeth to the glass, is caught in the fowler's net: and yet cannot see ourselves alike made fools, by Satan ; who, deluding us by the vain feathers and glasses of the world, suddenly enwrappeth us in his snares. We see not the nets, indeed: it is too much, that we shall feel them; and that they are not so easily escaped after, as before avoided. O Lord, keep thou mine eyes from beholding vanity. And, though mine eyes see it, let not my heart stoop to it; but loath it afar off. And, if I stoop at any time, and be taken; set thou my soul at liberty: that I may say, My soul is escaped, even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler: the snare is broken, and I am delivered.

XXVI.

In suffering evil, to look to secondary causes, without respect to the Highest, maketh impatience: for so, we bite at the stone; a ndneglect him, that threw it. If we take a blow at our equal, we return it with usury; if of a prince, we repine not. What matter is it, if God kill me, whether he do it by an ague, or by the hand of a tyrant? Again, in expectation of good, to look to the First Cause, without care of the second, argues idleness, and causeth want. As we cannot help ourselves, without God; so God will not ordinarily help us, with

out ourselves. In both, I will look up to God; without repining at the means in one, or trusting them in the other.

XXVII.

If my money were another man's, I could but keep it only the expending shews it my own. It is greater glory, comfort, and gain, to lay it out well, than to keep it safely. God hath made me, not his Treasurer, but his Steward.

XXVIII.

Augustin's friend, Nebridius, not unjustly hated a short answer, to a weighty and difficult question; because the disquisition of great truths requires time, and the determining is perilous. I will as much hate a tedious and far-fetched answer, to a short and easy question. For, as that other wrongs the truth; so this, the hearer.

XXIX.

Performance is a binder. I will request no more favour of any man, than I must needs. I will rather choose to make an honest shift, than overmuch enthral myself, by being beholding.

XXX.

The world is a stage: every man an actor; and plays his part here, either in a Comedy or Tragedy. The good man is a Comedian; which, however he begins, ends merrily: but the wicked man acts a Tragedy; and therefore ever ends in horror. Thou seest a wicked man vaunt himself on his stage: stay till the last Act; and look to his end, as David did; and see, whether that be peace. Thou wouldest make strange Tragedies, if thou wouldest have but one Act. Who sees an ox, grazing in a fat and rank pasture, and thinks not that he is near to the slaughter? whereas, the lean beast, that toils under the yoke, is far enough from the shambles. The best wicked man cannot be so envied in his first shews, as he is pitiable in the conclusion.

XXXI.

Of all objects of beneficence, I will choose either an old man, or a child; because these are most out of hope to requite. The one forgets a good turn; the other lives not, to repay it.

XXXII.

That, which Pythagoras said of Philosophers, is more true of Christians; for, Christianity is nothing but a divine and better philosophy: Three sorts of men come to the market; buyers, sellers, lookers-on. The two first are both busy, and

carefully distracted about their market: only the third live happily; using the world, as if they used it not.

XXXIII.

There be three things, which, of all other, I will never strive for; the wall, the way, the best seat. If I deserve well, a low place cannot disparage me so much, as I shall grace it: if not, the height of my place shall add to my shame; while every man shall condemn me of pride, matched with unworthiness.

XXXIV.

I see, there is not so much difference betwixt a man and a beast, as betwixt a Christian and a natural man. For, whereas man lives but one life of reason, above the beast; a Christian lives four lives, above a natural man: the life of inchoate regeneration, by grace; the perfect life of imputed righteousness; the life of glory begun, in the separation of the soul; the life of perfect glory, in the society of the body with the soul, in full happiness the worst whereof is better by many degrees, than the best life of a natural man. For, whereas the dignity of the life is measured by the cause of it, (in which regard the life of the plant is basest; because it is but from the juice, arising from the root, administered by the earth: the life of the brute creature better than it; because it is sensitive: of a man better than it; because reasonable,) and the cause of this life is the Spirit of God; so far as the Spirit of God is above reason, so far doth a Christian exceed a mere naturalist. I thank God much, that he hath made me a man; but more, that he hath made me a Christian: without which, I know not whether it had been better for me, to have been a beast, or not to have been.

XXXV.

Great men's favours, friends' promises, and dead men's shoes, I will esteem; but not trust to.

XXXVI.

It is a fearful thing, to sin; more fearful, to delight in sin; yet worse to defend it; but worse than worst, to boast of it. If, therefore, I cannot avoid sin; because I am a man: yet I will avoid the delight, defence, and boasting of sin; because I am a Christian.

XXXVII.

Those things, which are most eagerly desired, are most hardly both gotten and kept; God commonly crossing our desires, in what we are over-fervent. I will, therefore, account all things, as too good to have, so nothing too dear to lose.