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periaci, and in the fame parallel with

them.

XXIV. Be not a Hercules Furens abroad, and a poltroon within thyfelf. To chafe our enemies out of the field, and be led captive by our vices; to beat down our foes, and fall down to our concupifcences; are folœcifms in moral schools, and no laurel attends them. To well manage our affections, and wild horses of Plato, are the highest Circenses:* and the nobleft digladiation is in the theatre of ourselves; for therein our inward antagonists, not only like common gladiators, with ordinary weapons and downright blows make at us, but also like retiary and laqueary combatants, with nets, frauds, and entanglements, fall upon us. Weapons for fuch combats are not to be forged at Lipara; † Vulcan's art doth no

* Plato speaks of man as a charioteer driving two refractory fteeds, given to quarrel; one being immortal and heavenly, the other mortal and of the earth. Χαλεπὴ δὴ και δύσκολος ἐξ ἀνάγκης ή περι ἡμᾶς voxos. Phædrus. xxv.

+ Lipara where Vulcan's ftithy was faid to be.

thing in this internal militia, wherein, not

And,

the armour of Achilles, but the armature Eph. vi. 11 of St. Paul, gives the glorious day, and -17. triumphs, not leading up into capitols, but up into the highest heavens. therefore, while fo many think it the only valour to command and mafter others, ftudy thou the dominion of thyself, and quiet thine own commotions. Let right reafon be thy Lycurgus, and lift up thy hand unto the law of it: move by the intelligences of the fuperior faculties, not by the rapt of paffion, nor merely by that of temper and conftitution. They who are merely carried on by the wheel of fuch inclinations, without the hand and guidance of fovereign reason, are but the automatous part of mankind, rather lived than living, or at least underliving themfelves.

xxv. Let not fortune, which hath no name in Scripture, have any in thy divinity. Let Providence, not chance, have the honour of thy acknowledgments, and be thy Edipus in contingencies.

Mark well the paths and winding ways thereof; but be not too wife in the conftruction, or fudden in the application. The hand of Providence writes often by abbreviatures, hieroglyphicks or short characters, which, like the Laconifm on Dan. v. the wall, are not to be made out but by a hint or key from that Spirit which indited them. Leave future occurrences to their uncertainties, think that which is present thine own: and fince it is easier to foretel an eclipfe than a foul day at some distance, look for little regular below. Attend with patience the uncertainty of things, and what lieth yet unexerted in the chaos of futurity. The uncertainty and ignorance of things to come, makes the world new unto us by unexpected emergencies; whereby we pass not our days in the trite road of affairs affording no novity; for the novelizing fpirit of man lives by variety, and the new faces of things.

XXVI. Though a contented mind enlargeth the dimenfion of little

things; and unto fome it is wealth enough not to be poor; and others are well content if they be but rich enough to be honest, and to give every man his due : yet fall not into that obfolete affectation of bravery, to throw away thy money, and to reject all honours or honourable stations in this courtly and fplendid world. Old generofity is fuperannuated, and fuch contempt of the world out of date. No man is now like to refuse the favour of great ones, or be content to fay unto princes, Stand out of my fun. And if there be any of fuch antiquated refolutions, they are not like to be tempted out of them by great ones and 'tis fair if they escape the name of hypochondriacks from the genius of latter times; unto whom contempt of the world is the moft contemptible opinion; and to be able, like Bias, to carry all they have about them, were to be the eighth wife man. However, the old tetrick philofophers looked always with indignation upon fuch a face of things; and, obferving the unnatural current of riches, power, and honour in the world, and

withal the imperfection and demerit of perfons often advanced unto them, were tempted unto angry opinions, that affairs were ordered more by stars than reason, and that things went on rather by lottery than election.

XXVII. If thy vessel be but

small in the ocean of this world, if meannefs of poffeffions be thy allotment upon earth, forget not those virtues which the great Difpofer of all bids thee to entertain from thy quality and condition; that is, fubmiffion, humility, content of mind, and industry. Content may dwell in all stations. To be low, but above contempt, may be high enough to be happy. But many of low degree may be higher than computed, and fome cubits above the common commensuration; for in all states virtue gives qualifications and allowances, which make out defects. Rough diamonds are sometimes mistaken for pebbles; and meanness may be rich in accomplishments, which riches in vain defire. If our merits be above our ftations, if our intrinsical

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