- Holy Obfer"JJationi. eqmlity; and tels us, that he which is the Author ofgood, fhould have the bdl; and A he which gives all!hould have his choyce. jO. When we go about an evil! bnfineffe,it is llrange howready the devil! is to fetus forward;how carefull,that we fhould want no furrherances. So that ifaman would be lewdlywitty, he !hall be fure to be fumifhed with llorcofprophane jells,wherein a Ioofc heart hath double adv>ntage ofthe confcionable.Ifhe wouldbe voluptuous,he !hall wantneither objects nor opportunities. The currant paffage ofill enterpriCes is fa f.me from giving caufe of encouragement, that it lhould jullly fright a man to looke bock to the Author; and to confider that hee therefore goes fall, be. caufnhe devill drives him. • 3'· In the choyce ofcompanions for ourconverfation,it is good dealing with men af B good natures: for though grace exercifeth her power in bridling nature,yet,(fith we are llill men, at the bell)f< me fwinge.ihe will have in rhemoll mortified.Aullerity, fullenneffe,or llrangeneffeofdifpofition,•nchvhatfocverqualiti.s may make a man unfociabk, clea,•e faller to our nature , than thofe which are morally evill. Tme Chrillianlove may be feparatd from acquaintance, and acquaintance from intireneffe: Thefe are not qualities to hinderour love, but oar familiaritic. 3•· Ignorance, as itmakes bold, intruding men carelefly intounknowne dangers; fo alfo it makes men oft-times caufelefly fe>refull. Herod feared Chrills commina,becaufc he millooke it : ifthat Tyrant had knowne the mannerof his fpirituall Reai. ment, be had fpared both his ownefrightandthebloud ofother. And hence i~is that we feare death, becaufewee are not acquainted with the venue ofit. Nothing C but innocency and knowledge cangive found confidence to the heart. 33· Where are divers opinions,they may be all falfe; there can be but one true: and that one truth oft-times mull bee fctcht by peece-meale out ofdivers branches of contrary opinions. For, it falls out not fddomc::,that Truth is through ignorance or rafbvehemency,fcartered into fundryparts;and like to alittleSilv<r mdtedamongll the ruinesofaburnt houfe,mull be tried out from heapesofmuch fuperfluous afl1es. There is much paines in the fearch ofit;much skill in finding it: the valueof it once found, requites the coil ofboth. 34· · Affectation offuperAuiry,is in allthings a figneofweakneffe:As,in words,hethat ufeth circumlocutions to expreffe himfdf,fhews want ofmemory and want ofpro- D per fpeech: And much talkeargues a brainefeebleand dillempered.What!!Ood can any earthly thing yeeld us befide his ufe ~ and what is it but vanity, to affe<ft that which doth us no good~ and what ufe is in that which is fuperAuous ~ It is agreat skill to know what is enough, and greatwifdome to care for no more. 35 · Good things,which in abfence were defired, now offering thcmfelves to our prefence,are fcarce enrrrrained;or at lea{\ not with our purpofed cheerefulncffe.Chrills comming to us, and our going to him,areinour profellion well elleemed, much wi· flJCd: but when he fingleth us out byadirect meffage ofdeath,or by fome fearefull figne giveth likelihood ofa prefent returne, wee are as muchaffected with feare, as beforewith defire.AII changes,although to the better,are troublefomeforthe time, untill our fetling : There is no remedy hereof but inward prevention : Our minde E mull change, beforeour ellate be changed. 36· Thofe are greatell enemies toReligion, that arenot mollin·eligious. Atheills , though in themfelves they bethe worll, yet arefddome found hot Perfecutors of others:whereas thofewhich in fome one fundamental! point behereticall,are corn. monly moll violent in oppofitions. One hurts by fecrec infeCtion , the other by open refillance : One is careleffe of all truth, the other vehement for fame un· truth.
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