T H E S I XT D E C A D· To my Lord D E N N v. E p r s T. I. v! particu/., •ccorml _how ••r d•yes .,,, "fbould ~r f}rnt, /;11h common .,dholy. . ,iil~!i8!~~~~;m Very day is a little life; and our whole life is but a day repeated: whence it is that old l4Cih numbors his life by dai.s, and c.M•fis defires to be taught this point ofboly Arithmeticke, To number not his yeares, but his dayes: Tbofe therefore that dare lofe a day, are dangeroufiy prodigall; thofe that dare mif-fpend it,defperate.We can beft teach others by our fdves: let be tell your Lordfhip, how I would palfc mydayes, whether common or facred; that -~S~~i~~~~ you (or whofoever others, over-hearing me) may either ~ ~ approve my thriftinelfe,or corretl my errors: To whom is the account ofmy houres either more due,or more knowne~ All daies are his,who gave time abeginning, and continuance; yet fome he bath made ours, not to command, but to ufe. In none may we forget him : in fome we muft forget all, befides D him. Firft therefore, I defire to awake at thofe houtes, not when I will, but when I muft; pleafure is not a fit rule for reft,but health1neither doth I confult fo much with the Sunne, as mine owne necdlity, whetherofbody, or in that, ofthe mind. If this va!fall could well ferve me waking, it fhould never fleep: but now,it muft be pleafed, that it may be fetviceable. Now, when fleep israther driven away, then leaves me; I would ever awakewithGodlmy firft thoughtsare for him,who bath made the night forreft,and the day fortravell: and as he gives, fv ble!fes both. If my heart be early feafoned with his prefence,itwill favour of him all day after.While my body is drefGng, nonvith an effeminate cutiofity, nor yet with rude neglect; my mind addrdfes itldfeto heronfuing taske; bethinking what isto be done, and in what order; and marOJalling(as it may) my houres with my work : That done, after fome whiles meE dication, I walk up to my ma!lers and companions, my books; and fitting downe among!l them,withthe beftcontentment,I dare'nor reach forth my hand to fa lute any of them, till! have fit!llooked up to heaven, and craved favour of him to whom all my !ludiesare duly referred : without whom, I can neither profit, nor bbour. After this, out ofnoover-great vadety,I call forth thofe, which may bell fit my occafions; wherein,! am not too fcrupulous ofage: Sometimes I put my fdfe to fchoole,to one of thofe Ancients, whom the Church bath honoured with the name of Fathers; whofe Volumes, I confe!fe not to open, without a fecret r<verenceoftheir holines, and gravity : Sometimes to rhofdaterDotlors,which wane nothing but age to make them clallicall: alwaies,to Gods Booke. That day is loft, whereof fome houres are nor improved in thofe Divioe Monuments : others I turne over out ofchoice; thefe out ofduty.Ere I can have fate unto wearine!fe,my family, havingnow overcome all houlhold ---'--c....-
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