could not be a true-hearted Subject It 's an excellent Character of great Men In honore sine tumore To be lifted up with Honour but not to be puffed up with Pride Sr. Henry Wotton directed that this only should be written on his plain Marble Hic jacet hujus sententiae Primus Auctor Disputandi Pruritus fit Ecclesiarum Scabies Nomen aliàs Quaere Choice Examples Apothegms and Sayings of very Wise men A Lexander the Great when Antipater made great Complaints to him of his Mother replyed knowest thou not that she with one Tear will blot out all thy Complaints Much more available with God are the Tears of his Servants which as precious Liquor he preserveth in his Bottles Agis King of Sparta thus answered a wicked man that ask'd him Quis Spartanorum est Optimus Who of the Spartans is the best Qui tui dissimilimus Even he that is most unlike unto thee Lysander's saying was Vbi Leonina pellis non sufficit assumenda Vulpina Where a Lyon's skin will not serve a Foxes skin must eke it out When the Grecians boasted of their seven liberal Arts the Romans told them that they had two Arts worth all their seven namely the Arts of Commanding and Obeying Tacitus tells us that these are somewhat difficult at the First but being studied and Practised they become as easie as they are safe and useful Two Parthian Ambassadors were sent to Rome whereof the one was troubled with the Megrim and the other with the Gout whereupon Cato said That that Ambassy had neither Head nor Foot Alexander the Great used to say that his hungry Dinner was his Suppers Sawce Pythagoras said That in two things we resemble God 1. In telling the Truth 2. In bestowing Benefits It was the prayer of an Heathen that God would give what he knew would be good for him tho not asked in particular and keep Evil from him tho desired In Mr. Farrel's time who had been so much oppofed and threat'ned in reforming Geneva and some other Cities they coyned Medals with this Posie on the one side Lux post tenebras Light after long Darkness And on the other side Deus noster pugnat pro nobis Our God fights for us Mr. Hooper when he was B B. of Worcester took for his Arms a Lamb in a flaming Bush incircled with the Raies of the Sun beams which may thus be Blazoned The Lamb signified an innocent Christian and the burning Bush the Fire of Persecution And the Sun-beams the Glory and Beauty of the innocent Christian in those sufferings Duarenus saith of such as come to the University That the first Year they are Doctors in their own conceit at least The next Year they come to be Masters The third Year they are content to be Bachelors And the fourth Schollars Horace the Poet had blear and Watry Eyes and Virgil used to sigh much whereupon Augustus Caesar sitting between them said that he sat inter Suspiria Lachrymas Between Sighs and Tears Sabellic Diogenes being asked why men used to give to the Blind and Lame but not unto Philosophers Answered because they think that themselves may one day come to be Blind or Lame But never hope to be Philosophers So mens Affections being Blind and Lame and their Phantasies vainly bent must needs delight in vain and frothy Pamphlets which feed their Humours but cannot brook such as would Purge them out One of Terence his Comedies called Eunuchus was valued at eight Thousand pieces of Silver which made two Hundred Crowns This was more than all Tullie's Orations and all his learned works were prized at Ex Aelii Donati praef in Terentium But said a Wise man the choice of Books should be as the choice of Physicians Medicus non jucundior sed utilior eligitur A man will have a Physician rather for his Profit that can do him good than for his Pleasure that will feed him with fine Words It was wise Counsel which Crates gave unto the Thebans If he which hath wronged thee be Weaker than thy self pardon him For it 's no Honour for a man to strive against a Child Nor for a Rich man to go to Law with a Beggar If he be more Mighty than thou art pardon thy self For thou shalt never gain any thing by going to Law with a Mighty man And if he be thine Equal pardon both thy self and him For you shall both live by the loss and shall hardly know who is the Gainer And therefore strive with no Man But if it be Possible as much as in you is Live peaceably with all men Heb. 12. 14. I once saw painted on a Table saith Beza where a Noble man had this Posie By my Sword I defend you all The Clergy-man By my Prayers I preserve you all The Country-man by my Labour I feed you all Lastly the Lawyer By my Policy I devour you all Daniel Heinsius History-Professor at Leiden Secretary and Library-Keeper of that University and appointed Notary in the Synod of Dort said at last Alas As to humane Learning I may use Solomon 's Expressions that which is crooked cannot be made strait Me thinks said he I could bid the World farewel and immure my self among my Books and look forth no more if this were a Lawful Course but shut the Doors upon me and as in the lap of Eternity among those Divine Souls imploy my self with sweet Content and Pitty the Rich and great ones that know not this Happiness Sure then it is a high delight indeed which is enjoyed in the true lap of Eternity Sr. Christopher Hatton a little before his Death advised his Relations to be serious in the search after the Will of God in his Holy word For said he it is deservedly accounted a Piece of excellent knowledge for a Man to understand the Law of the Land and the Customs of his own Country How much more to know the Statutes of Heaven and the Laws of Eternity Those immutable and eternal Laws of Justice and Righteousness To know the Will and Pleasure of the great Monarch and universal King of the World I have seen an end of all Perfection But thy Commandments O God are exceeding broad Could a man by a vast and imperious Mind and a Heart as large as the Sand upon the Sea-shore command all the knowledge of Art and Nature of Words and Things could he attain to be a Master in all Languages and sound the depth of all Arts and Sciences Could he Discourse the Interest of all States the Intrigues of Courts the Reasons of all Civil Laws and Constitutions and give an account of all Histories and yet not know the Author of his Being and the Preserver of his Life his Soveraign and his Judg His surest Refuge in troubles His best Friend and worst Enemy the Support of his Life and the Hope of his Death his future Happiness and his Portion for ever he doth but Sapienter descendere in Infernum with a great deal of Wisdom
Sanders to run over the Irish Mountains quite out of his Wits till he perish of hunger In brief it so oppresses that it causeth the sweating Soul to cry with David Oh my Bones are broken And with Moses who know's the power of his Wrath And to joyn with Soloman a wounded Spirit who can bear what Man what Angel Who under Christ Nay this stroke upon the Soul seperated from all Sin drew from the Lord of Life those sad cryes My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That which a Thousand taunts ten Thousand racks could not have done this one alone apprehended and felt wrested from him And shall such a thing as this so near so great a Neighbour be offended Be we then of St. Paul's mind Set Conscience at an high Price Consider what it will be worth in the Day of trouble of Death of Judgment and resolve to begg starve burn dye a Thousand deaths to save Consciences life As a good Conscience next to God its Master is our best Friend in the World so Conscience offended is our forest Enemy The greatest Friends are bitterest Foes when divided No Wars to Civil Wars to domestical Wars The nearer the worse and therefore the Conscience being nearest if it become an Enemy is the heaviest of all others For First It 's an unavoidable Enemy other Enemies may be kept off with strength or put off with skill but so cannot Conscience No Barrs no Bolts no Bulwarks can keep that from thy Table or Bed Dan. 5. 5. Belshazzar may sooner keep out ten Thousand Medes and Persians than one Conscience That will pass through all his Guards and Officers to his presence and in the Face of his Nobles and Concubines arrest him and shake him in despight of his security Nor will this Officer be bob'd with a bundle of Distinctions and Evasions When God sets it a work it marches furiously like Jehu and will take thee up with his answer What Peace so long as thy Whoredoms and sins remain As there is no Respondent like Conscience so there is no Objector like to that A man may make a shift with a wrangling Sophister yea with the Devil himself better than with his Conscience For no Devil knows that by me which I do by my self And the Conscience shall have the hearing when the Devil shall not For Conscience is the Kings Solicitor and speaks for the great King Secondly This Enemy is unsufferable It strips us at one stroke of all other Comforts a sick Stomach makes that meat which before much pleased now to encrease the Disease So doth a sick Conscience It takes away the relish of all natural Comforts and of all spiritual Exercises and Ordinances and makes a man a burden and terror to himself It fills one full of Horrors and unhappiness the Violentest diseases may be born but when the Pillers are shaken when that which bears up all is wounded when the Heavens fight against a man and a poor Creature must wrestle against infinite justice and power Oh how hard a thing is this The wrath of a King is terrible and the rage of Seas of Fire of Lyons but still here is Creature against Creature Weak to Weak but who knows the power of Gods anger Who can stand before that consuming Fire Not man Not mountains Not Angels The terrors of God and anguish of Spirit cast's the Devil himself into a frenzy and makes him mad As those parts of the Nail next to the flesh at first are softer than the rest but after a while they grow into that hardness which is in the remoter parts So the Consciences of all men have those seeds of insensibility in them which makes them at last deaf to every Charm and secure against all the thundering Judgments which are denounced against them As the operation of the Sun is always strongest there where it is not at all seen to Wit in the Bowels of the Earth So the judgments of God do oft lye heaviest there where they are least perceived to Wit in an hard Heart and seared Conscience When men go about to extinguish and darken the light of direction which God hath put into their Hearts and Consciences to guide their paths by he puts out their light of Comfort and leaves them to Darkness and Sorrow Other afflictions are but the taking some stars of Comfort out of the Firmament when others are left still to shine there But when God's countenance is hid from the Soul the Sun it self the fountain of Light is darkned to such and so a general Darkness befalls them A light Load upon a raw Shoulder is very grievous So is a little outward grief to a wounded Conscience Every fowl that hath a beautiful Feather hath not the sweetest Flesh Nor doth every Tree that beareth a goodly Leaf bring good Fruit. Glass gives a clearer sound than Silver and many things glister besides Gold The wicked man's jollity is but the Hypocrisie of mirth It may wet the Mouth but cannot warm the Heart Smooth the Brow but not fill the Breast In the midst of his greatest mirth he hath many a secret gripe in his Conscience and little knows the World where his shooe pinches him As Jezabel no doubt had a cold Heart under a painted Face So many a mans Heart akes and quakes within him when yet his Face counterfeits a smile We have a cloud of Witnesses Prophets Apostles Martyrs who would hazard themselves upon the angry Seas Lyons Flames rather than upon a displeased Conscience Collected out of the Works of B. Reynolds Dr. Harris and Dr. Stoughton by S. C. Some choice Sentences and Sayings concerning the Blessings and Benefits which accompany a pure peaceable and good Conscience COnscience is a Prime faculty of the reasonable Soul there set to give notice of its spiritual Estate in what Terms it stands with God Conscience saith St. Austin is like a Wife the best of Comforts if good the worst of naughts if bad Deal friendly with Conscience and next to God it will prove thy best friend in the World First Thy truest Friend that will never flatter thee but make thee know thy self Secondly The surest Friend that will never start from thee It wll Ride with thee It will lye with thee sleep with thee Wake with thee It will Walk with thee Be with thee in every place beyond all times Thirdly The sweetest Friend in the World If natural cheerfulness be so good an House-keeper to a good man that it Feasts him daily as Solomon saith Oh then what will be the Banquets of a Conscience sanctified purified and pacified What joys those that will carry a man above ground and make him forget the best of Natures Comforts what Comforts those that will make him sing under the Whip in the Stocks at the Stake in despite of the Fire Oh what the strength of Conscience that can sooner tyre the Tyrant than the Martyr And can carry weak Strength as weak as Water
Zacheus Cornelius Gaius Onesiphorus Dorcas c. Artaxerxes Longimanus was wont to say That he had therefore one Hand longer than another that he might be readier to give than to receive Of Cyrus it 's said that he took more delight and content in giving than in receiving It was a greater trouble to Severus the Emperor to be asked nothing than to give much When any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him in that kind he would call him and say Quid est cur nihil petes What meanest thou that thou askest me nothing He is worthily miserable that will not make himself happy by asking They who are Divites opibus must be Divites operibus too Their Fruit must be plentiful as well as their Estates There may be a narrow Heart and a starved Charity where there is a large Estate as in Nabal And there may be a large and bountiful Heart where there is but a poor and narrow Estate as in the Poor Widdow Mat. 12. 43. And in the Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. 2. God's mercy to us should be a strong Argument to provoke us to shew mercy to our Brethren His was to Enemies ours is to Brethren His to Debtors ours to Fellow-Servants His of Free-grace to me mine a just Debt to a Brother Rom. 13. 8. His for ever to me mine but for a moment to my Brother His in Talents to me mine but in Pence to my Brother His in Blood to me mine but in Bread to my Brother His mercy enriches me mine leaves my Brother poor still If I then live by the mercy that I do enjoy and must be saved by the mercy that I do expect shall so much mercy shine on me and none reflect from me upon my poor Brother Shall all the Waters of Life run from Christ unto me as those of Jordan into a dead Sea to be lost and buried there Wherefore doth the Sun shine and the Rain fall upon the Earth but that it may be Fruitful Christ is the Fountain Rich men the Conduit and Poor men the Vessels which are there and thence supplied God gives us all things Richly The Earth empties into our Coffers her Silver and her Gold The Pastures send us in Cattel The Fields Corn The Sea Fish The Air Fowl One Country sends us in Wine Another Spices One Silk and another Furs One Delicates and another Ornaments God gives us the light of the Sun the influences of the Stars The protection of Angels The righteousness of his Son The Graces of his Spirit and the hope of his Glory Yea himself and the All-sufficiency of his power for our Portion and shall not all this move us to imitate his Example in being Rich in good Works If we do not give we shall not live If we do not do good we shall not receive good If we do not lay out we shall not lay up If we keep our Money we shall perish with our Money If we return it unto Heaven we shall be gainers by it Wares laid up in a low moist Room will Rot and corrupt but those that be laid up in high Lofts will be kept sound and safe So if we lay up our Treasures only in this World they will perish and come to nothing but those which by Charity we Treasure up in Heaven will be ever sure and safe Mat. 6. 20. William Warham A. B. of Canterbury was so bountiful to the Poor in his Life time that at his Death he had in all his Treasury but thirty Pieces of Gold which when he heard of it pleased him so well that he said It is well I always desired to die no Richer Philip Melancthon was so bountiful even in a mean Estate that every hour something was given to the Poor at his Door The Motto of the good Emperor Tiberius Constantius was Stips Pauperum the-saurus Divitum The rich man's Treasure is the Poor man's Stock Basil the Great in a time of Famine did not only liberally relieve the Poor himself But earnestly exhorted all others especially the Rich to open their Barns and do the like Some of Dr. Harris 's Speeches COncerning a good Woman under great Temptations and spiritual Desertion that could find no Comfort after all means used for the obtaining of it he would often say that the difference was not great whether Comfort came at Death or an hour after since Comfort would come assuredly In his last Sickness being desired to admit of Company he said I am alone in Company 'T is all one to me to be left alone or to have Friends with me My work is now to arm my self for Death which assaults me and I apply my self as I am able for that great encounter To all that came about him his frequent Counsel was that above all things they should get Faith For said he 'T is your Victory your Peace your Life your Crown and your chief piece of spiritual Armour Howbeit get on all the other Pieces and then go forth in the Lord's might stand to the Fight and the issue shall be glorious Only forget not to call in the help of your General Do all from him and under him Being asked where his Comfort lay He answered in Christ and in the free Grace of God Some telling him that he might have much Comfort in his Labours c. He replied all is nothing without a Saviour without him my best Works would condemn me Oh! I am ashamed of them being mixed with so much Sin Oh! I am an unprofitable Servant I have not done any thing for God as I ought Loss of time sits heavy upon my Spirit Work work apace Assure your self that nothing will more trouble you when you come to dye than that you have done no more for God who hath done so much for you Sometimes he used thus to breath out himself I never in all my Life saw the worth of a Christ nor tasted the sweetness of God's love in that measure as now I do When he was asked what should be done for him his Answer was Do not only pray for me but praise God for his unspeakable mercy to me and in particular that he hath kept off Satan from me in this day of my Weakness Oh! how good is God! Entertain good thoughts of him However it be with us we cannot think too well of him nor too bad of our selves A reverend Doctor being to pray with him asked him what he would have chiefly remembred He answered I praise God he supports me and keeps off Satan from me Beg that I may hold out I am now in a good way home even quite spent I am now at the Shore I leave you tossing on the Sea Oh! It 's a good time to Dye in Another time being asked how he did He answered In no great pain I praise God only aweary of mine unuseful Life If God hath no more Service for me to do here I could be gladly in Heaven where I shall serve him better
free from Sins and Distractions I pass from one Death to another yet I fear none I praise God I can Live and I dare Dye If God hath more Work for me to do here I am willing to do it tho my infirm Body be very weary Being asked whether Sickness Pain c. caused him to desire Death he answered no But I now do no good and I hinder others which might be better imployed if I were gone Why should any desire to Live but to do God service Now I cease from that I do not Live His usual saying was that he valued no man for his Gifts but for Humility under them Neither should he expect much from any man were his Parts never so great till he was broken with Afflictions and Temptations His Observation was that the humblest Preachers converted most Souls not the choicest Schollars whilst unbroken He sometimes said that it 's better to be an Humble Devil than a proud Angel Which tho a seeming Contradiction yet hath it much Truth in it He often said that he had rather pour Liquor into his Boots than into his Mouth between Meals The Rule which he gave to his Children was this When you are Youths chuse your own Callings when you are Men chuse your own Wives only take me along with you It may be an Old man may see further than you He used to say that a Preacher hath three Books to study First the Bible Second himself And thirdly the People That Preaching to his People was but one part of a Pastor's duty He was to live and dye in them as well as for and with them His counsel to young Preachers was that they should rather Preach one Sermon ten times over than to speak any thing new without Preparation Concerning himself he said that he never came off with less Comfort and worse Content to himself than when he was in appearance best provided And he gave this reason for it Not because he had used such diligence in preparing for that was his Duty but because he was then aptest to depend upon himself and to neglect his dependance upon God Of the antient Fathers his saying was that unless it were for their Polemical and Historical parts their Writings were more for Devotion and Affection than for their judgment and understanding Concerning the Times wherein he lived some things lay sadly upon his Spirit As 1. He complained that the Power of Godliness and Exercise of Love and Self-denial were much abated in these latter Days And he much bewailed the vast difference both in Garb and Practice between New and Old Professors 2. That the Indulgence which was shewed to tender Consciences was much abused to Profaneness whilst men of no Conscience most pleaded that Liberty of choosing their own Churches and Teachers when indeed on the Matter they abandoned all 3. That Liberty of prophecying which some pretended to was abused to meer Licentiousness and Confusion whilst some would have none and others all Prophets and Preachers 4. That in the Universities few could be called constant Students in those times but the most made a short work of it and Posted into the Pulpit before they understood their Grounds So that few were able to encounter with the growing Errors of those times 5. That in the Church men were in their extreams some pressing nothing but the Law others Preaching nothing but the Gospel and Christ 6. He complained of the want of Catechizing and instructing Youth in the Principles of Religion the want of which he saw by experience was a great occasion of the Peoples giddiness 7. But most of all he bewailed the readiness of many to side and to make Divisions And himself loved not either to use or to hear used dividing Names and Titles He observed that such as often changed their Principles and Faith professed usually fell from Scepticism to Atheism That so much Humility any man had so much Grace and worth he had and no more That nothing was to be accounted good in or to any man but that which was his proper Fruit and done by vertue of his Calling from a Principle of God and for God That the best man hath no security from any one Sin or fall or Temptation any further or longer than he is held up by God's hand and Christ's Mediation That God doth oftentimes leave us to own Satan's suggestions for our own because we do not own God in his holy Motions and breathings That it 's just with God to deny us the Comfort of our Graces when we deny him the Glory of them In himself he observed that what he forgot in the Week-days would unseasonably press in on the Lord's Day so that he could if he durst contrive more Worldly businesses upon the Lord's Day than he could dispatch all the week after That he found no greater Enemy than Discouragement which he called the Child of Pride and unbelief He used to say that some Duties which were oft in mens Mouths as easy he found very difficult to him As 1. To deny himself in all his Selfs was a Work to be learning whilst he lived 2. To live only by Faith and a bare Promise without a Pawn is a great work 3. To give all to Free-Grace and to Christ alone is a mighty Work 4. To love where we meet with unlovingness and Contempt is no easie matter 5. To do ones proper Work without some present Pay and Countenance from God and Man is a hard Task 6. That it 's a far harder work to adopt other mens Comforts than their Sorrows and to hold ones self exalted in anothers Exaltation 7. That to dye in cold Blood and to be active in it as an act of Obedience is the work of a Christian indeed In his last Sickness upon sundry Occasions he thus vented himself It 's a hard thing to think ill of our selves and well of God at the same time It 's a hard thing for a Child of God to forgive himself some Faults even when God hath forgiven them It 's hard to retain holy Thoughts long and to confine them to another Man's Prayers We know but little of Christ's Love till all be perfected and spread before us in Heaven His advice to his Wife was that if she married again she should remember her own Observation which was this that second Husbands are usually very Uxorious and second Wives very prevalent Therefore said he take heed that you do no ill Offices by estranging your Husband from his former Children or Kindred For you shall draw upon him a great Sin and judgment if you kill natural affections towards them His advice to his Children was First For your Souls Trifle not in the main Point Your Souls are immortal You have to deal with an infinite Majesty You go upon Life and Death therefore here be serious Do all to God in a serious manner When you think of him speak of him Pray to him any way make your addresses
to his great and glorious Majesty be in good earnest For have God and have all More particularly Get your pardon in Christ It is not Impossible to get it assured to you if you will learn 1. To deny your selves 2. To live by Faith 3. To understand the nature of the new Covenant Settle your judgments in these Points and the thing is feasible Secondly Having gotten it be still adding to your Evidences and enjoy your present Assurance Do all to God as to your Father Next to this think how you and I shall endure the sight the thought one of another at the last Day if you appear in the Old Adam Much less shall you stand before Christ unless you shew the Image of Christ in you And therefore never cease till you be made New Creatures and study well what that is In the last place strive for those Graces most which concern your Places and Conditions and make head against those Sins which most threaten you As 1. Hereditary sins 2. Sins of the Times and Places where you live 3. Of your Constitutions and Age 4. Of your Callings In short do not talk and make a noise to get a Name of forward men but do the thing Be constant in secret Duties and act Religion in your Callings For it is not a Name or Notion 'T is a frame of Nature and habit of living by the divine Rule What it is you will then know when you have it in Truth first and in Power next and not before Only this for the present 'T is that which you must Live and Dye by that which you must rise and reign by Therefore my Children Be more than you seem Do more than you talk of in Point of Religion Satisfie your own Consciences in what you do All men you shall never satisfie Nay some will not be satisfied tho they be convinced For your Bodies To prevent Hereditary Diseases 1. Disclaim Hereditary Sins 2. keep Heads clean Feet warm and Hearts cheerful 3. Be frequent in some bodily Exercise 4. Shun late drinking or studying 5. Use light Suppers For your Callings First Chuse well 1. A profitable Calling for the Publick 2. A full Imployment 3. A Calling fit for your parts and means 'T is better to be a rich Cobler than a poor Merchant Secondly Use your Calling well 1. Make it an help not a snare to your Souls 2. Be 1. Diligent 2. Skilful any honest Calling will honour you if thus you honour it For your Company Abandon all infectious flattering Self-serving Companions When you have once found them false trust them no more Sort with such as are able to do or receive good Solomon gives you the best Counsel for this in many places Read the Proverbs and remember him in these 1. For sake not an Old Friend 2. Be friendly and faithfull to your Friends 3. Never trouble or trust Friends unless there be a necessity 4. Be long in closing with Friends and loth to lose them upon Experience of them For your Marriages In Marriages you lay the Foundation of your present Wo or Weal Therefore here be not rash Go not alone Yet remember what St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 7. 2. Nevertheless to avoid Fornication let every man have his own Wife c. First study whether you have a Calling to marry yea or no and advise well of that If none forbear If so advise with Friends before your Affections be engaged In your choise aim at 1. Grace 2. Good nature and Education The best Woman is not ever the best Wife 3. Good parts of understanding Huswifery c. As for Portion be it more or less be upon Certainties and trust not Words And for Parentage let not the distance be too great lest you despise or be despised However be sure that the Person likes not your fancy but your judgment For your Children Make it your chiefest Work to make them First Godly 2. Useful Bestow most of their Portions in their Education And if Grace make no difference do you make none in your Affections Countenance Portion Partiality this way ends in nothing else but envy strangness c. For your selves among your selves My desire hath been to carry an even hand towards you all and have laboured to reduce you as near as I could all Circumstances considered to an equality and therefore my last request and Charge is that you will live together in an undivided bond of Love You are many and if you joyn together as one man you need not want any thing what Counsel what Comfort what Money what Friends may you not help your selves unto if each will contribute his aid Wherefore my dear Children I pray I beseech I command I adjure you by all the Relations and dearness that hath ever been betwixt us that you know one another Visit as you may one another Comfort Counsel Relieve Succour Help admonish one another Whilst your Mother lives meet there if it be possible yearly When she is Dead pitch upon some other place if it may be let it be your elder Brother's House and if you cannot meet yet send to and hear one from another upon all occasions And when you have neither Father nor Mother be so many Fathers and Mothers each to other So you shall understand the blessing mentioned Psal 133. 1. Behold how Good and how Pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity c. For your Estates Be not troubled that you are below others it may be of your Kindred Get more Wisdom Humility Goodness and you will be above them Only this do 1. Study Work more then Wages 2. Deal with your Hearts to make them less 3. Begin low 4. Joyn together to help one another 5. Rest upon the Promises which are many and precious this way 6. Sow mercy and if all other means fail you that shall maintain you Object not but trust in God For the Publick Bless God that you are born Englishmen and Women and bear your selves dutifully and Conscionably towards Authority See God in the Magistrate and hold Order a precious thing And for the Church neither set her above her Husband Christ nor below her Children Give her that Honour Obedience and Respect that is her due Be neither Authors nor Fautors of any either Faction or Novelty It is true This is not a rising way but it is a free fair and comfortable way for a man to follow his own judgment without warping to either hand A great Man told King Henry the 8 th that Reason of State was reason of Law That the King should never stick at Law in case of Publick good and yet that all his Acts for Publick good should come as near as possible to the Law Thomas Marquess of Dorcet finding King Henry the 8 th pensive told him boldly That never was that Man merry that had more than one Woman in his Bed more than one Friend in his Bosom and more than one Faith in his Heart