safely in prosecution of what is good, and shunning what is noxious; by it our spirits are comfortably warmed and cheered, our life, consequently our health, our vigour and activity, are preserved. The like benefits doth religion, which is the light of the soul, yield to it. He is extremely mistaken, and in all his projects will be lamentably disappointed, who looketh for true profit (or for wisdom) without piety. How can he be rich, who is destitute of the most needful accommodations of life (the accommodations of a resigned spirit). How can he be happy, who constantly feedeth on the coarsest and most sordid farethe dust of pelf, the dung of sensuality? who hath no faithful nor constant friends (the versatile beings of this earth cannot be called such), who is master of nothing but dirt, chaff, or smoke? Whereas real riches do consist, not in what one enjoyeth at present, but in a presumed ability to enjoy afterward what we may come to need or desire; or in well-grounded hopes that we shall never fall into want or distress. How can that man be rich, who hath not any confidence in God

(the giver of all good things)! who hath not any interest in him, any reason to expect his blessing? yea, who (by such base ingratitude) hath much ground to fear the displeasure of Him who disposeth of all the world. There is scarce in nature any thing so wild, so untractable, so unintelligible, as a man who hath no bridle of conscience to guide or check him. He is like a ship, without anchor to stay him, or rudder to steer him, or compass to direct him; so that he is tossed with any wind, and driven with any wave, none knoweth whither-whether bodily temper doth sway him, or passion doth hurry him, or interest doth pull him, or example leadeth him, or company inveigleth and haleth him, or humour transporteth him; whether any such variable and unaccountable causes determine him, or divers of them together distract him; whence he so rambleth and hovereth, that he can seldom himself tell what in any case he should do, nor can another guess it; so that you cannot at any time know where to find him, or how to deal with him: you cannot with reason ever rely upon him, so unstable is

he in all his ways. He is in effect a mere child, all humour and giddiness; somewhat worse than a beast, which, following the instinct of its nature, is constant and regular, and thence tractable; or at least so untractable, that no man will be deceived in meddling with him. Nothing, therefore, can be more unmanly than such a person; nothing can be more irksome than to have to do with him. But a pious man, being steadily governed by conscience, and a regard to certain principles, doth both understand himself, and is intelligible to others: he presently descrieth what in any case he is to do, and can render an account of his acting: you may know him clearly, and assuredly tell what he will do, and may therefore fully confide in him.What, therefore, law and government are to the public, to preserve the world in order, peace, and safety, that is piety (the result of a full knowledge of truth) to each man's private state. It freeth his own life from disorder and distraction; and it prompteth him so to behave to others as to gain their respect and affection. In short, the study and practice of

religion, is the employment most proper to us as reasonable men: for what more proper entertainments can our mind have, than to be purifying and beautifying itself; to be keeping itself, and its subordinate faculties, in order; to be attending upon the management of thoughts, of passions, of words, of actions depending on its governance? All other employments soon become wearisome; this, the farther we proceed in it, the more satisfactory

it grows. There is perpetual matter of victory over bad inclinations pestering within, and strong temptations assailing us without; which to combat hath much delight; to master breedeth inexpressible content. The sense also of God's love; the influence of his grace and comfort, communicated in the performances of devotion and of all duty; the satisfaction of a good conscience; the sure hope of salvation; and the fore-tastes of future bliss; do all season and sweeten the life of the true Christian."

PRUDENCE.

1.

PROVISION is the foundation of hospitality; and thrift, the fuel of magnificence.

Remark.

Carelessness and extravagance are the signs of an improvident and vulgar mind; of a creature that lives but for himself, and who thinks only of the day that is passing over his head; of a waster of his substance for the poor ends. of mortifying others, and of gilding his own insignificance with the adventitious decorations of fortune. Wealth, is to be used as the instrument only, of action; not as the repre sentative of civil honours and moral excellence.

2.

The servants, in a well-managed mansion, are not so many in number as cleanly in apparel, and serviceable in behaviour; testify