Cent. Ill. Meditation• attdVowei. A Vcffdl that fcemed very [mall upon the Main, fecmcs a ralllhipupon the Thames; Astbcrc arcmany better for dtate thenmy fdf,fo there arc fome worfe;and if I were yet worf" yet would therebe fome lower:and if!were fo low , that I accounted my toll the w~rO: ofall,yct fome would account themfelvcs in worfc cafc.A mans opinion is in others, his bdngis in himfdf, Let me know !UY fc~f, let others gucf,fe at eh e. Let others either envy or pitymc,I care not fo long as I enJOY my fdf, s6 He can never wonder enou~h at GodsworkmanR1ip, that knows not thefra.me of theworld: for he can never dfe conceive ofthe hugenelfe, and !lrange propomon of the creator<. And he that knowes this, cannever wonder more at any thing elfe. I will learn to know, that I may admire; and by that little I know,I will more wonder B at thatl know nor. 57 There is nothing belowbut toyling,gri<ving,wilhing, hoping, fearing; and wearineffe in all thefe. What fooles are we to bebefotted with the love ofour own trou. ble and to hare our liberty and rdl~The love ofmifery,is much worfe then mifery it rcu'. We rnu!t firft pray,that God would make us wife,before we can wifh he would make us happy. . . 58 Ifa man referre all things to himfcl~iqing f<emes enough: If all things to God, any meafure will content him of ~arthl;wing~; but i~ g.race he is infatiable:World· lings ferve themfdves altOgether mGod, makmg Rehgton but to ferve rherr rurnes, c as acolourofrhcirambition,. andcoveroufaelfe. The Chriftian fecks Godonly in feeking himfelf, ufing all other things but as fubordinardy tohim ; not caring whetherhimfelfwin or lofe, fothatGod may win glory in both. I will not fulfermine eyes and mind ro be bounded with thefe vifible things 1 bur ftilllook through thcfe matters at God which is the urmoft fcope of them : accounting them only asa rhorow-fare to paffe by,noras an habitation to reil in. 59 He is wealthyenough,thatwanterh nor.He is great enough,that is his own Mafter. He is happy enough,tharlivcsrodie weli.Orherthings I will not care for; nor roo much for thcfe,fave only for the !aft,which alone can admit ofno immoderation. 6o D Aman ofextraordinary parts , makes himfelfby I! range and fingullr. behaviour more admircd;which ifa man ofbut common facultiedoeimitatc, he makes himfclf ridiculous: fotthar which is conftrued as narurall to the one, is difcried robe affeded in the other. And there is nothing forced by affeCtation can be comely. I will ever ftrive togoe in the common road:fo wh1le I am not notable,I lh~ll not be notorious. 61 . Gold is the bell metall ,and for the purity not fubjetl to ruft, as all others: and yet the bcft gold h~th fome droffe. I elleeme not that man that bath no faults: I like him well that barb bur afew,andthofe not great. · . 6z · Many •. ma~ ~ars a g?od e~ate,for want of s~ill t~ proportion his carriageanfwe· E ra~lyro h1sabJhry. A l.rrtle falle to a large -:effell, ndsno }V ay, though the wind be fme.A large fal(e to a htrle Barke drownes rt.A top.faile to a lhip ofmeone burthen in arough weather, is dangerous. A low faile in an eafie gale, yeelds little advantage, This difproporr!on cauferh ~ome to live miferably ina good eftate:and fome to make agood eftatem,ferable. I w1ll fitft know what I maydoefor fafety, and then I will try what I can doe for fpeed. The rich man bath many friends;alth:Jgh in truth riches have them and not the man. As theAffe that carried the£gyprian Goddeffe,had many bowed knees,yet not tothe beaO:!bur to the butthen.For,feparare theriches from the perfon,and thoulhalr !cc fnendlh1p leave the man,&follow that which was ever her objeCt: while he may command,and can eirh:r give,or concroll,hc bathattendance,& proffer oflove at all F~ · hands; 51
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