Stout and great things be like Manlius stout to Execute great commands It is a great blemish in Sovereignty when the Will roars and the Power whispers If thou canst not Execute as freely as thou Commandst Command no more than what thou mayst as freely Execute MAX. 86. If one Prince desire to obtain any thing of another let him if occasion will bear it give him no time to advise let him endeavour to make him see a necessity of sudden resolution and the danger either of denial or delay He that gives times to resolve gives leisure to deny and warning to prepare MAX. 87. Let not thine Army at the first Encounter be too prodigal in her assaults but husband her strength at a dead life When the Enemy hath abated the fury of his first heat let him then feel thou hast reserved thy Forces for the last blow So shall the honour he hath gained by his Valour encrease the Glory of thy Victory Fore-Games when they prove are speediest but After-games if wisely plaid are surest MAX. 88. It is very requisite for a Prince to keep the Church always in proportion to the State If the Government of the one be Monarchical and the other Democratical they will agree like Metal joyned with Clay But for a while durable is that State where Aaron commands the People and where Moses commands Aaron but most happy in the continuance where God commands both MAX. 89. Let not the Covetousness of a Captain purloyn to his own own use or any way bereave his Soldiers of any profit due unto their service either in their means or spoils Such injuries being quickned by their daily Necessities are never forgot What Soldiers earn with the hazard of their Lives if not enjoyed prophesies an Overthrow in the next battle MAX. 90. If a Prince expect Virtuous Subjects let his Subjects have a Virtuous Prince and so shall he the better punish the Vices of his degenerate Subjects so shall they trulier prize Virtue and follow it being exemplified in their Prince MAX. 91. It is the property of a Wise Commander to cast an Eye rather uponActions than upon Persons and rather to reward the Merits of Men than to read the Letters of Ladies He that for favour or reward prefers a worthless Soldier Betrays a Kingdom to advance a Traytor MAX. 92. Where order and fury are well acquainted the War prospers and Soldiers end no less Men than they begun Order is quickned by Fury and Fury is regulated by Order but where Order is wanting Fury runs her own way and being unthrift of its own strength failing in the first assault cravens and such beginning more than Men end less than Women MAX. 93. It is the quality of a wise Commander to make his Soldiers confident of his Wisdom and their own Strength If any danger be to conceal it if manifest to lessen it Let him possess his Army with the Justness of the War and a certainty of Victory A good Cause makes a stout Heart and a strong Arm. They that fear an Overthrow are half Conquered MAX. 94. It is requisite in a General to mingle Love with the severity of his Discipline They that cannot be induced to Fear for Love will never be inforced to Love for Fear Love opens the heart Fear shuts it that Encourages this Compels and Victory meets Encouragement but flees Compulsion MAX. 95. It is the part of a well-advised State never to entrust a weighty service unto whom a noted Injury or dishonour hath been done he can never be Zealous in performance of service the height of whose Expectation can rather recover a lost Name than gain a fresh Honour MAX. 96. Three ways there be to begin a repute and gain Dignities in a Common wealth The first by the Virtue of glorious Parents which till thou degenerate too much may raise thee upon the wings of Opinion The second is by associating with those whose actions are known Eminent The third by acting some Exploit either Publick or Private which in thy hand hath proved Honourable The two first may miss boing founded upon Opinion The last soldom fails being grounded upon Evidence MAX. 97. If thou art called to the Dignity of a Commander dignify thy place by thy Commands and that thou mayst be the more perfect in Commanding others practise upon thy self Remember that thou art a Servant to the Publick-weal and therefore forget all private respects either of Kin or Friends Remember thou art a Champion for a Kingdom Forget therefore all private affections either of Love or Hate He that would do his Country right must not be too sensible of a Personal wrong MAX. 98. It is the part of a wise Commander to read Books not so much as Men nor Men so much as Nations He that can discern the Inclinations Conditions and Passions of a Kingdom gains his Prince a great advantage both in Peace and War MAX. 99. And you most high and mighty Princes of this Lower World who at this Intricate and various Game of War vye Kingdoms and win Crowns and by the death of your reverend Subjects gain the Lives of your bold hearted Enemies Know there is a Quo Quarranto whereto you are to give account of your Eye-Glorious Actions according to the Righteous rules of Sacred Justice How Warrantable it is to read Imperial Crowns from off the Sovereign Heads of their too weak Possessors or to snatch Scepters from out the hand of Heaven Anointed Majesty and by your vast ambitions still to enlarge Dominions with Kingdoms ravish'd from their Natural Princes Judge you O let your brave designs and well weighed actions be as Just as they are Glorious and consider that all your Wars whose ends are not to defend your own Possessions or to recover your dispossessions are but Princely Injuries which none but Heaven can right But where necessity strikes up her hard alarms or wrong'd Religion beats her Zealous marches go on and prosper and let both Swords and Stratagems proclaim a Victory whose Nois'd Renown may fill the World with your Eternal Glory MAX. 100. Piety and Policy are like Martha and Mary Sisters Martha fails if Mary helps not and Mary suffers if Martha be Idle Happy is that Kingdom where Martha complains of Mary but most happy where Mary complys with Martha where Piety and Policy go hand in hand there War shall be Just and Peace honourable The End of the First Century INSTITUTIONS AND MAXIMS Moral and Divine c. CENT II. MAXIM 1. A Promise is a Child of the Understanding and the Will the Understanding begets it the Will brings it forth He that performs it delivers the Mother He that breaks it Murthers the Child If he be begotten in the absence of the Understanding it is a Bastard but the Child must be kept If thou mistrust thy Understanding Promise not If thou hast Promis'd break it not It is better to maintain a Bastard than to murther a Child MAX. 2. Charity is a
his reproof to be Just if thou acknowledge his reproof to be Just thou secretly confessest thy Anger to be unjust He that is angry with the Just Reprover kindles the fire of the Just Revenger MAX. 43. Do well whilst thou mayst least thou do evil when thou wouldst not He that takes not advantage of a good power shall lose the benefit of a good will MAX. 44. Let not Mirth be thy profession lest thou become a make-sport He that hath but gained the title of a Jester let him assure himself the Fool is not far off MAX. 45. In every Relative action change Conditions with thy Brother then ask thy Conscience what thou wouldst be done to being truly resolved exchange again and do thou the like to him and thy Charity shall never err It is injustice to do what without impatience thou canst not suffer MAX. 46. Love thy Neighbour for God's sake and God for his own sake who created all things for thy sake and redeemed thee for his mercy sake if thy love have any other object it is false love if thy object have any other end it is self-Love MAX. 47. Let thy conversation with Men be sober and sincere let thy Devotion to God be dutiful and decent let the one be hearty and not haughty let the other be humble and not homely so live with Man as if God saw thee so pray to God as if Men heard thee MAX. 48. God's pleasure is the wind our actions ought to sail by Man's will is the stream that Tides them up and down if the wind blow not thou mayst take the advantage of the Tide if it blow no matter which way the stream runs If with thee thy Voyage will be the shorter if against thee the Sea will be the Rougher It is easier to strive against the Stream than to fail against the Wind. MAX. 49. If thou desire much rest desire not too much there is no less trouble in the preservation than in the acquisition of abundance Diogenes found more Rest in his Tub than Alexander on his Throne MAX. 50. Wouldst thou multiply thy Riches diminish them wisely or wouldst thou make thy Estate entire divide it charitably Seeds that are scattered encrease but hoarded up they Perish MAX. 51. How cam'st thou by thy Honour by Money How cam'st thou by thy Money by Extortion compare the Pennyworth with the Price and tell me truly how truly Honourable thou art It is an ill purchase that is Cumbred with a Curse and that Honour will be Ruinous that is built on Ruines MAX. 52. If thy Brother hath privately offended thee reprove him privately and having lost himself in an injury thou shalt find him in thy forgiveness he that rebukes a private fault openly betrays it rather than reproves it MAX. 53. What thou desirest inspect throughly before thou prosecute cast one Eye upon the Inconveniencies as well as the other upon the Conveniencies weigh the fulness of the Barn with the charge of the Plough weigh Honour with her burthen and Pleasure with her dangers so shalt thou undertake wisely what thou desirest or moderate thy Desires in undertaking MAX. 54. If thow owest thy whole self to thy God for thy Creation what hast thou left to pay for thy Redemption that was not so cheap as the Creation In thy Creation he gave thee thy self and by thy self to him in thy Redemption he gave himself to thee and through him restored thee to thy self Thou art given and restored now what owest thou to thy God If thou hast paid all thy Debts give him the Surplusage and thou hast merited MAX. 55. In thy Discourse take heed what thou speakest to whom thou speakest how thou speakest and when thou speakest What thou speakest speak truly when thou speakest speak wisely A Fool 's Heart is in his Tongue but a Wise man's Tongue is in his Heart MAX. 56. Before thou act a Theft consider what thou art about to do if thou take it thou losest thy self if thou keep it thou disenablest thy Redemption till thou restorest it thou canst not be restored when it is restored` it must cost the more Sorrow and Pain than ever it brought thee Profit or Pleasure It is a great Folly to please thy Palate with that which thou knowest must either be vomited or thy Death MAX. 57. Silence is the highest Wisdom of a Fool and Speech is the greatest Trial of a Wise man if thou would'st be known a Wise man let thy Words shew thee so if thou doubt thy Words let thy Silence feign thee so It is not a greater point of Wisdom to discover Knowledge than to hide Ignorance MAX. 58. The Clergy is a Copy-book their Life is the Paper whereof some is purer some courser their Doctrine is the Copies some written in a plain hand others in a flourishing hand some in a Text hand some in a Roman hand others in a Court hand others in a Bastard Roman If the choice be in thy power choose a Book that hath the finest Paper let it not be too straight nor too loosely bound but easie to lye open to every Eye Follow not every Copy lest thou be good at none among them all choose one that shall be most legible and useful and fullest of just Writing But if the Paper chance to have a Blot remember that Blot is no part of the Copy MAX. 59. Virtue is nothing but an Act of loving that which is to be beloved and that Act is Prudence from whence not to be removed by constraint is Fortitude not to be allured by Enticements is Temperance not to be diverted by Pride is Justice the declining of this Act is Vice MAX. 60. Rebuke thy Servant's Fault in Private publick Reproof hardens his Shame if he be past a Youth strike him not he is not fit for thy Service that after wise Reproofs will either deserve thy Stro aks or digest them MAX. 61. Take heed rather what thou receivest than what thou givest what thou givest leaves thee what thou takest sticks by thee he that presents a Gift buys the Receiver he that takes a Gift sells his Liberty MAX. 62. Things temporal are sweeter in expectation things eternal are sweeter in the fruition the first shames thy hopes the second crowns it It is a vain Journey whose end affords less pleasure than the way MAX. 63. Know thy self that thou may'st fear God know God that thou may'st love him in this thou art initiated to Wisdom in that perfected The Fear of God is the Beginning of Wisdom the Love of God is the fulfilling of the Law MAX. 64. If thou hast Providence to foresee a Danger let thy Providence rather prevent it than fear it the fear of future Evils brings often times a present Mischief whil'st thou seekest to prevent it practise to bear it He is a wise man can prevent an Evil he is a patient man that can endure it but he is a valiant man can conquer it MAX. 65. If
King in his own Kingdom If Reason command and Passion obey his Government bespeaks a good King if thine inordinate Affection rules it shews a proud Rebel which if thou destroy not will depose thee There is no mean between the Death of a Rebel and the Life of a Prince MAX. 23. A Vow a Promise and a Resolution have all one Object only differ in respect of the Persons to whom they are made the first is between God and Man the second between Man and Man the third between Man and his own Soul they all bind if the Object be lawful to necessity of Performance if unlawful to the necessity of Sin They all take thee Prisoner if the Object be lawful thy Performance hath redeemed thee if unlawful Blood and Fears must ransom thee MAX. 24. If thou hast any business of Consequence in agitation let thy Care be reasonable and seasonable Continual standing bent weakens the Bow too hasty drawing breaks it Put off thy Cares with thy Clothes so shall thy Rest strengthen thy Labour and so shall thy Labour sweeten thy Rest. MAX. 25. When thy inordinate Affections do flame towards transitory Happiness quench them thus think with thy self if my Prince should give me what Honour he hath to bestow or bestow on me what Wealth he hath to give it could not stay with me because it is transitory nor I with it because I am mortal Then revise thy Affections and weigh them with their Objects and thou wilt either confess thy Folly or make a wiser Choice MAX. 26. With three sorts of Men enter no serious Friendship the ingrateful man the multiloquious man the Coward the first cannot prize thy Favours the second cannot keep thy Counsel and the third dare not vindicate thy Honour MAX. 27. If thou desire the time should not pass too fast use not too much pastime thy Life in Jollity blazes like a Taper in the Wind The blast of Honour wastes it the heat of Pleasure melts it If thou labour in a painful Calling thou shalt be less sensible of the Flux of time and sweetlier satisfied at the time of Death MAX. 28. God is the Alpha and Omega in the great World endeavour to make him so in the little World make him thy Evening Epilogue and thy Morning Prologue practise to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest so shall thy Fancy be sanctified in the Night and thy Understanding rectified in the Day so shall thy Rest be peaceable thy Labours prosperous thy Life pious and thy Death glorious MAX. 29. Be very circumspect in the Choice of thy Company In the Society of thine Equals thou shalt enjoy more Pleasure in the Society of thy Superiours thou shalt find more Profit To be the best in the Company is the way to grow worse the best means to grow better is to be the worst there MAX. 30. Think of God especially in thy Devotion in the Abstract rather than in the Concrete If thou conceive him good thy finite Thoughts are ready to terminate that Good in a conceiv'd Subject if thou think him great thy bounded Conceit is apt to cast him into a comprehensible Figure Conceive him therefore a diffused Goodness without Quality and represent him an incomprehensible Greatness without Quantity MAX. 31. If thou and true Religion be not as yet met or met unknown by these marks thou shalt discover it First it is a Religion that takes no Pleasure in the Expence of Blood Secondly it is a Religion whose Tenents cross not the Book of Truth Thirdly it is a Religion that takes most from the Creature and gives most to the Creator If such an one thou meet with assure thy self it is the right and therefore profess it in thy Life and protect it to thy Death MAX. 32. Let another's Passion be a Lecture to thy Reason and let the Shipwrack of his Understanding be a Sea-mark to thy Passion So shalt thou gain strength out of his weakness safety out of his danger and raise thy self a Building out of his Ruines MAX. 33. In the height of thy Prosperity expect Adversity but fear it most if it come not thou art the more sweetly possess'd of the happiness thou hast and the more strongly confirm'd if it come thou art the more gently dispossest of the happiness thou had'st and the more firmly prepared MAX. 3.4 To tremble at the fight of thy Sin makes thy Faith the less apt to tremble The Devils believe and tremble because they tremble at what they believe Their Belief brings Trembling thy Trembling brings Belief MAX. 35. Authology is the way to Theology Until thou see'st thy self empty thou wilt not desire to be fill'd He can never truly relish the sweetness of God's Mercy that never tasted the Bitterness of his own Misery MAX. 36. Is any outward Affliction sallen upon thee by a temporary loss Advise with thy self whether it be recoverable or not if it be use all lawful means the Violence and Unseasonableness whereof may not disadvantage thee in the pursuit to recover it If not recoverable endure with Patience what thou can'st not recover with Pains He that carnally afflicts his Soul for the loss of a transitory Good casts away the Kernel because he hath lost the Shell MAX. 37. Natural Anger glances into the Breasts of wise men but rests in the Bosom of Fools In them it is Infirmity in these a Sin there is a natural Anger and there is a Spiritual Anger the common Object of that is the Person of this his Vice He that is always angry with his Sin shall seldom sin in his Anger MAX. 38. If any hard Affliction hath surprized thee cast one eye upon the hand that sent it and the other upon the Sins that brought it If thou thankfully receive the Message he that sent it will discharge the Messenger MAX. 39. All Passions are good and bad according to their Objects Where the Object is absolutely good there the greatest Passion is too little where absolutely evil there the least Passion is too much where indifferent there a little is enough MAX. 40. When thou dost Evil that Good may come thereby the Evil is surely thine if Good should happen to ensue upon the Evil which thou hast done the Good proceeds from God If therefore thou do Evil thereby to occasionate a Good thou lay'st a bad Foundation for a good Building and servest the Devil that God may serve thee Where the end of Evil is Good in the Intention there the end of that Good is Evil in the Extension MAX. 41. Be as far from desiring the Popular Love as fearful to deserve the PopularHate Ruine dwells in both the one will hug thee to Death the other will crush thee to Destruction To escape the first be not ambitious to avoid the second be not seditious MAX. 42. When thou seest misery in thy Brother's Face let him see mercy in thine Eye
Giver He that confers his Gift upon a worthy receiver makes many Debtors and by giving receives He that gives for his own ends makes his Gift a Bribe and the receiver a Prisoner He that gives often teacheth requitance to the Receiver and discovers a crafty confidence in the Giver MAX. 86. Hath any wrong'd thee bravely reveng'd slight it and the Work is begun forgive it and it is finisht He is below himself that is not above an Injury MAX. 87. Let not thy Passion miscall thy Child lest thou Prophesy his misfortunes let not thy Tongue curse him lest it return from whence it came Curses sent in the room of Blessings are sent back with a double Vengeance MAX. 88. In all the Ceremonies of the Church which remain indifferent do according to the Constitution of that Church where thou art The God of Order and Unity who created both the Soul and the Body expects Unity in the one and Order in both MAX. 89. Let thy Religious Fast be a voluntary Abstinence not so much from Flesh as fleshly Thoughts God is pleased with that Fast which gives to another what thou deniest to thy self and when the afflicting of thy own Body is the repairing of thy Brother 's he fasts truly that abstains sadly grieves really gives cheerfully and forgives charitably MAX. 90. In the hearing of mysteries keep thy Tongue quiet five Words cost Zacharias 40 weeks Silence In such heights convert thy Questions into Wonders and let this suffice thee the Reason of the Deed is the Power of the Doer MAX. 91. Deride not him whom the looser World calls Punitan lest thou offend a little one if he be an Hypocrite God that knows him will reward him if zealous that God that loves him will revenge him if he be good he is good to god's glory if evil let him be evil at his own Charges He that judges shall be judged MAX. 92. So long as thou art ignorant be not ashamed to learn he that is so fondly modest not to acknowledge his own Defects of Knowledge shall in time be so foully impudent to justifie his own Ignorance Ignorance is the greatest of all Infirmities and justified the chiefest of all Follies MAX. 93. If thou be a Servant deal justly by thy Master as thou desirest thy Servant should deal by thee where thou art commanded be obedient where not commanded be provident let Diligence be thy Credit let Faithfulness be thy Crown let thy Master's Credit be thy Care and let his Welfare be thy Content Let thine Eye be single and thine Heart humble be sober that thou may'st be circumspect He that in Sobriety is not his own man being drunk whose is he Be neither contentious nor lascivious the one shews a turbulent Hcart the other an idle Brain A good Servant is a great Master MAX. 94. Let the Foundation of thy Affection be Virtue then make the Building as rich and as glorious as thou canst if the Foundation be Beauty or Wealth and the Building Virtue the Foundation is too week for the Building and it will fall Happy is he the Palace of whose Affection is founded upon Virtue wall'd with Riches glaz'd with Beauty and Roofed with Honour MAX. 95. If thy Mother be a Widow give her double Honour who now acts the part of a double Parent Remember her nine months Burthen and her ten months Travel forget not her Indulgence when thou didst hang upon her tender Breast call to mind her Prayers for thee before thou cam'st into the World and her Cares for thee when thou wert come into it remember her secret Groans her affectionate Tears her broken Slumbers her daily Fears her nightly Frights relieve her Wants cover her Imperfections comfort her Age and the Widow's Husband will be the Orphan's Father MAX. 96. As thou desirest the Love of God and Man beware of Pride it is a Tumour in thy mind that breaks and poisons all thy Actions it is a Worm in thy Treasure that eats andruines thy Estate it loves no man is beloved of no man it disparageth Virtue in another by Detraction it disrewards Goodness in it self by Vain Glory the Friend of the Flatterer the Mother of Envy the Nurse of Fury the Band of Luxury the Sin of Devils and the Devil in mankind It hates Superiours it scorns Inferiours it owns no Equals in short till thou hate it God hates thee MAX. 97. So behave thy self amongst thy Children that they may love and honour thy presence be not too fond lest they fear thee not be not too bitter lest they fear thee too much Too much Familiarity will embolden them too little Countenance discourage them So carry thy self that they may rather fear thy displeasure than thy correction when thou reprovest them do it in season when thou correctest them do it not in Passion As a wise Child makes a happy Father so a wise Father makes a happy Child MAX. 98. When thy hand hath done a good Act ask thy heart if it be well done the matter of a good action is the deed done the form of a good action is the manner of the doing in the first another hath the Comfort and thou the Glory in the other thou hast the Comfort and God the Glory That Deed is ill done wherein God is no Sharer MAX. 99. Should'st thou purchase Heaven advise not with thy own ability The Price of Heaven is what thou hast examine not what thou hast but what thou art give thy self and thou hast bought it If thy own Vileness be thy Fears offer thy self and thou art pretious MAX. 100. The Birds of the Air dye to sustain thee the Beasts of the Field dye to nourish thee the Fishes of the Sea dye to feed thee our Stomacks are their common Sepulchres Good God! with how many Deaths are our Lives patch'd up how ful of Death is the miserable Life of momentary Man The End of the Second Century INSTITUTIONS AND MAXIMS Moral and Divine c. CENT III. MAXIM 1. IF thou take pains in what is good the Pains vanish the Good remains if thou take pleasure in what is evil the Evil remains and the Pleasure vanisheth What art thou the worse for Pains or the better for Pleasure when both are past MAX. 2. If thy Fancy and Judgment have agreed in the choice of a Wife be not too fond lest she surfeit nor too peevish lest she languish Love so that thou may'st be feared rule so that thou may'st be honoured be not too diffident lest thou teach her to deceive thee nor too suspicious lest thou teach her to abuse thee If thou see a fault let thy Love hide it if she continue it let thy Wisdom reprove it Reprove her not openly lest she grow bold rebuke her not tauntingly lest she grow spiteful proclaim not her Beauty lest she grow proud boast not her Wisdom lest thou be thought foolish shew her not thy Imperfections lest she disdain thee pry not into her Dairy
Mites as Zacheus did for half his Estate The Price of that Purchase is what thou hast and is not lost for what thou hast not if thou desire to have it MAX. 31. With the same height of Desire thou hast sinned with the like depth of Sorrow thou must repent thou that hast sinned to day defer not thy Repentance till to morrow He that hath promised thee Pardon to thy Repentance hath not promised Life till thou repent MAX. 32. Take heed how thou receivest Praise from men from good men neither avoid it nor glory in it from evil men neither desire it nor expect it To be praised of them that are evil or for that which is evil is equal Dishonour he is happy in his Worth who is praised by the good and imitated by the bad MAX. 33. Proportion thy Charity to the strength of thy Estate lest God proportion thy Estate to the weakness of thy Charity Let the Lips of the Poor be the Trumpet of thy Gifts lest in seeking applause thou losest thy Reward Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a close mouth MAX. 34. Dost thou want things necessary Grumble not perchance 't was a necessary thing thou should'st want endeavour lawfully to supply it If God bless not thy Endeavours bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee thou art God's Patient prescribe not thy Physitian MAX. 35. If another's Death or thy own depend upon thy Confession if thou canst say nothing if thou must say the Truth It is better thou lose thy Life than God his Honour it is as easie for him to give thee Life being condemned as Repentance having sinned It is more Wisdom to yeild thy Body than hazard thy Soul MAX. 36. Cloath not thy Language either with obscurity of affectation in the one thou discoverest too much darkness in the other too much lightness He that speaks from the Understanding to the Understanding is the best Interpreter MAX. 37. If thou expect Death as a Friend prepare to entertain it if thou expect Death as an Enemy prepare to overcome it Death hath no advantage but when it comes a Stranger MAX. 38. Fear nothing but what thy Industry may prevent Be confident of nothing but what fortune cannot defeat It is no less folly to fear what is impossible to be avoided than to be secure when there is a possibility to be deprived MAX. 39. Let not the necessity of God's Decree discourage thee to pray or dishearten thy Prayers do thou thy Dury and God will do his Pleasure If thy Prayers make not him sound that is sick they will return and confirm thy health that art sound If the end of thy Prayers be to obtain thy Request thou confinest him that is infinite if thou hast done well because thou wert commanded thou hast thy Reward in that thou hast obeyed God's Pleasure in the end of our Prayers MAX. 40. Marry not too young and when thou art too old marry not lest thou be fond in the one and dote in the other and repent for both Let thy Liking ripen before thou love let thy Love advise before thou chuse and let thy Choice be first before thou marry Remember that the whole Happiness of thy Life depends upon this one Act remember that nothing but Death can dissolve this Knot He that weds in haste repents oftentimes by leisure and he that repents him of his own Act either is or was a Fool by Confession MAX. 41. If God hath sent thee a Cross take it up and follow him use it wisely lest it be unprofitable bear it patiently lest it be intollerable behold in it God's Anger against Sin and his Love towards thee in punishing and chastising the other If it be light slight it not if heavy murmur not Not to be sensible of a Judgment is the symptom of a hardned Heart and to be displeased at his Pleasure is a sign of a Rebellious Will MAX. 42. If thou desire to be magnanimous undertake nothing rashly and fear nothing thou undertakest Fear nothing but Infamy dare any thing but Injury The measure of Magnanimity is neither to be rash nor timorous MAX. 43. Practise in Health to bear Sickness and endeavour in the strength of thy life to entertain Death He that hath a Will to dye not having Power to live shews Necessity not Virtue It is the Glory of a brave mind to embrace Pangs in the very Arms of Pleasure What name of Virtue merits he that goes when he is driven MAX. 44. Be not too punctual in taking place If he be thy Superiour 't is his due if thy Inferiour 't is his Dishonour it is thou must honour thy place not thy place thee It is a poor Reward of Worth that consists in a Righthand or a brick Wall MAX. 45. Pray often because thou sinnest always repent quickly lest thou dye suddenly He that repents it because he wants power to act it repents not of a Sin till he forsakes it He that wants power to actuate his Sin hath not forsaken his Sin but his Sin him MAX. 46. Make Philosophy thy Journey Theology thy Journey 's end Philosophy is a pleasant way but dangerous to him that either tires or retires In this Journey it 's safe neither to loyter nor to rest till thou hast attained thy Journey's-End He that sits down a Philosopher rises up an Atheist MAX. 47. Fear not to Sin for God's sake but thy own thy Sin o'erthrows not his Glory but Good He gains his glory not only from the Salvation of the Repentant but also from the confusion of the Rebellious There be Vessels for honour and Vessels for dishonour but both for his honour God is not griev'd for the glory he shall lose for thy Improvidence but for the horror thou shalt find for thy Impenitence MAX. 48. Insult not over Misery nor deride Infirmity nor despise Deformity The first shews thy Inhumanity the second thy Folly the third thy Pride He that made him miserable made thee happy to lament him He that made him weak made thee strong to support him He that made him deformed gave thee favour to be humbled He that is not sensible of another's Unhappiness is a Living Stone but he that makes Misery the object of his triumph is an Incarnate Devil MAX. 49. Make thy Recreations servants to thy business lest thou become slave to thy Recreations when thou go'st up into the Mountain leave this Servant in the Valley when thou goest to the City leave him in the Suburbs and remember the Servant is not greater than his Master MAX. 50. Praise no man too liberally before his face nor censure him too lavishly behind his back The one savours of Flattery the other of Malice and both are Reprehensible The true way to advance another's Virtue is to follow it and the best means to cry down another's Vice is to decline it MAX. 51. If thy Prince command a lawful act give him all active Obedience If
he command an Unlawful act give Passive Obedience What thy well-grounded Conscience will suffer do cheerfully without repining where thou may'st not do Lawfully suffer couragiously without Rebellion Thy Life and Livelihood is thy Prince's thy Conscience is thy own MAX. 52. If thou givest to receive the like it is Exchange If to receive more 't is covetousness If to receive thanks it is Vanity If to be seen 't is Vain-Glory If to corrupt 't is Bribery If for Example 't is Formality If for Compassion 't is Charity If because thou art Commanded 't is Obedience The affection in doing the work gives a name to the work done MAX. 53. Fear Death but be not afraid of Death To fear it whets thy Expectation to be afraid of it dulls thy Preparation If thou canst endure it it is but a flight pain if not 't is but a short pain To fear Death is the way to Live long To be afraid of Death is to be long a Dying MAX. 54. If thou desire the love of God and Man be humble for the proud heart as it loves none but it self so it is beloved of none but by it self The Voice of humility is God's Rhetorick Humility enforces where neither Virtue nor Strength nor Reason can prevail MAX. 55. Look upon thy burning Taper and there see the Emblem of thy Life The flame is thy Soul the Wax thy Body and is commonly a span long the Wax if never so well temper'd can but last his length and who can lengthen it If ill temper'd it shall waste the the faster yet last his length an open Window shall hasten either an Extinguisher shall put out both Husband them the best thou canst thou canst not lengthen them beyond their date Leave them to the injury of the Wind or to the mercy of a wastful hand thou hastnest them but still they burn their length But puff them out and thou hast shortned them and stop'd their passage which else had brought them to their appointed End Bodies according to their Constitutions stronger or weaker acoording to the equality or inequality of their Elements have their dates and may be preserved from shortning but not lengthned Neglect may waste them ill Diet may hasten them to their Journey 's End yet they have lived their length a violent hand may interrupt them a sudden death may stop them and they are shortned It lies in the power of Man either permissively to hasten or actively to shorten but not to lengthen or extend the Limits of his Natural Life He only if any hath the art to lengthen out his Taper that puts it to the best advantage MAX. 56. Demean thy self in the presence of thy Prince with reverence and chearfulness That without this is too much sadness this without that is too much boldness Let thy Wisdom endeavour to gain his opinion and labour to make thy Loyalty his Confidence Let him not find thee false in Words unjust in thy Actions unseasonable in thy Suits nor careless in his Service Cross not his passion Question not his pleasures Press not into his secrets Pry not in his prerogative Displease him not lest he be angry appear not displeased lest he be jealous The anger of a King is implacable The Jealousie of a Prince is Incurable MAX. 57. Give thy heart to thy Creator and reverence thy Superiors Give diligence to thy Calling and ear to good Counsel Give alms to the Poor and the Glory to God Forgive him that ignorantly offends thee and him that wittingly offended thee seeks thee Forgive him that hath forcibly abused thoe and him that hath fraudulently betray'd thee Forgive all thine Enemies but least of all thy self Give and it shall be given to thee Forgive and it shall be Forgiven thee the sum of all Christianity is Give and Forgive MAX. 58. Be not too great a Niggard in the Commendations of him that professes thy own Quality If he deserves thy praise thou hast discovered thy Judgment If not thy Modesty Honour either returns or reflects to the Giver MAX. 59. If thou desire to raise thy Fortunes Encourage thy delights to the casts of Fortune be wise betimes lest thou repent too late what thou gettest thou gainest by abused Providence what thou losest thou losest by abused Patience what thou winnest is prodigally spent what thou losest is prodigally lost It is an Evil trade that prodigally drives and a bad Voyage where the Pilot is blind MAX. 60. Be very wary for whom thou becomest Security and for no more than thou art able to discharge if thou lovest thy Liberty The Borrower is a Slave to the Lender the Security is a Slave to both whilst the Borrower and Lender are both eased the Security bears both their burthens He is a Wise Security that recovers himself MAX. 61. Look upon thy Affliction as thou dost upon thy Physick both imply a Disease and both are applied for a Cure that of the Body this of the Soul If they work they promise health if not they threaten death He is not happy that is not Afflicted but he that finds happiness by his Affliction MAX. 62. If the knowledge of good whet thy desire to good it is a happy knowledge If by thy ignorance of Evil thou art surpriz'd with Evil it is an unhappy Ignorance Happy is he that hath so much Knowledge of Good as to desire it and but so much Knowledge of Evil as to fear it MAX. 63. When the Flesh presents thee with delights then present thy self with dangers Where the World possesses thee with vain Hopes there possess thy self with true Fear When the Devil brings thee Oil bring thou Vinegar The way to be safe is never to be secure MAX. 64. If thy Brother hath offended thee forgive him freely and be reconciled To do Evil for Evil is humane Corruption to do Good for Good is civil Retribution To do Good for Evil is Christian perfection the Act of Forgiveness is God's Precept the manner of Forgiveness is God's President MAX. 65. Reverence the Writings of Holy Men but lodge not thy Faith upon them because but Men They are good Pools but no Fountains Build on Paul himself no longer than he builds on Christ If Peter renounce his Master renounce Peter The word of Man may convince Reason but the word of God alone can compel Conscience MAX. 66. In Civil things follow the most in matters of Religion the fewest in all things follow the best so shall thy ways be pleasing to God so shall thy behaviour be plausible with Men. MAX. 67. If any loss or misery hath befallen to thy Brother dissemble it to thy self and what Counsel thou givest him Register carefully and when the case is thine follow it so shall thine own Reason convince thy Passion or thy Passion confess her own Unreasonableness MAX. 68. When thou goest about to change thy Moral Liberty into a Christian Servitude prepare thy self to be the world's laughing stock if thou overcome
her Scoffs thou shalt have double honour if overcome double shame He is unworthy of a good Master that is ashamed of a bad Livery MAX. 69. Let not the falling of a Salt or the crossing of a Hare or the crying of a Cricket trouble thee They portend no evil but what thou fearest He is ill acquainted with himself that knows not his own Fortunes better than they If evil follow it it is the Punishment of thy Superstition not the fulfilling of their Portent All things are lucky to thee if thou wilt nothing but is ominous to the Superstitious MAX. 70. So behave thy self in thy course of Life as at a Banquet Take what is offered with modest Thankfulness and expect what is not as yet offered with hopeful Patience Let not thy rude Appetite press thee nor a slight carefulness indispose thee nor a sullen discontent deject thee Who desires more than enough hath too much and he that is satisfied with a little hath no less than enough MAX. 71. Is thy Child dead He is restored not lost Is thy Treasure stoln It is not lost it is restored He is an ill Debtor that counts Repayment loss but it was an ill chance that took thy Child and a wicked hand that stole thy Treasure What is that to thee It matters not by whom he requires the things from whom he lent them what Goods are ours by Loan are not lost when willingly restored but when unworthily received MAX. 72. Censure no man detract from no man praise no man before his Face traduce no man behind his back Boast not thy self abroad nor flatter thy self at home If any thing cross thee accuse thy self if any extol thee humble thy self Honour those that instruct thee and be thankful to those that reprehend thee Let all thy Desires be subjected to Reason and let thy Reason be corrected By Religion Weigh thy self by thy own Ballances and trust not the Voice of wild Opinion Observe thy self as thy greatest Enemy so shalt thou become thy greatest Friend MAX. 73. Endeavour to make thy discourse such as may administer Profit to thy self or Standers by lest thou incur the danger of an idle Word Above all Subjects avoid all those that are scurrilous and obscene Tales that are impertinent and improbable and Dreams MAX. 74. If God hath blest thee with a Son bless thou that Son with a lawful Calling chuse such Employment as may stand with his Fancy and thy Judgment if his Country claims his Ability towards the building of her Honour if he cannot bring a Cedar let him bring a Shrub He that brings nothing usurps his Life and robs his Country of a Servant MAX. 75. At thy first Entrance into thy Estate keep a low Sail thou must rise with Honour thou canst not decline without Shame He that begins as his Father ended shall end as his Father begun MAX. 76. If any obscene Tale should chance to slip into thine Ears among the Varieties of Discourse if opportunity admit reprove it if otherwise let thy Silence or change of Countenance interpret thy dislike The smiling Ear is Bawd to the lascivious Tongue MAX. 77. Be more circumspect over the Works of thy Brain than the Actions of thy Body these have Infirmity to plead for them but they must stand upon their own bottoms these are but the Objects of few they of all these will have Equals to defend them they have Inferiours to envy them Superiours to deride them all to censure them It is no less danger for these to be proclaimed at Paul's-Cross than for them to be protested in Paul's Church-yard MAX. 78. Use Common-Place-books or Collections as Indexes to light thee to the Authors lest thou be abused He that takes Learning upon Trust makes him a fair Cupboard with another's Plate he is an ill advised Purchaser whose Title depends more on Witnesses than Evidences MAX. 79. If thou desire to make the best advantage of the Muses either by reading to benefit thy self or by writing others keep a peaceful Soul within a temperate Body A full Belly makes a dull Brain and a turbulent Spirit a distracted Judgment ' The Muses starve in a Cook 's Shop and a Lawyer 's Study MAX. 80. When thou communicatest thy self by Letters heighten or depress thy Stile according to the Quality of the Person and Business that which thy tongue would present to any if present let thy pen represent to him absent The Tongue is the Mind's Interpreter and the Pen is the Tongue 's Secretary MAX. 81. Keep thy Soul in exercise lest her Faculties rust for want of Motion to eat sleep or sport too long stops the natural course of her natural actions To dwell too long in the Employments of the Body is both the Cause and Sign of a dull Spirit MAX. 82. Be very circumspect to whose Tuition thou committest thy Child every good Scholar is not a good Master He must be a man of invincible Patience and singular Observation He must study Children that will teach them well and Reason must rule him that would rule wisely he must not take advantage of an ignorant Father nor give too much ear to an indulgent Grandmother The common Good must outweigh his private Gains and his Credit must out-bid Gratuities He must be diligent and sober not too familiar nor too reserv'd neither amorous nor phantastick just without fierceness merciful without fondness If such an one thou meet with thou hast found a Treasure which if thou know'st how to value is invaluable MAX. 83. Let not thy Laughter handsel thy own Jest lest whil'st thou laugh at it others laugh at thee neither tell it often to the same Hearers lest thou be thought forgetful or barren There is no Sweetness in a Cabbage twice sodd or a Tale twice told MAX. 84. If Opinion hath lighted the Lamp of thy name endeavour to encourage it with thine own Oyle lest it go out and stink The Chronical Disease of Popularity is Shame If thou be once up beware from Fame to Infamy is a beaten Road. MAX. 85. Cleanse thy Morning Soul with private and due Devotion Till then admit no business the first born of thy Thoughts are God's and not thine but by Sacrilege Think thy self not ready till thou hast praised him and he will be always ready to bless thee MAX. 86. In all thy actions think God sees thee and in all his actions labour to see him that will make thee fear him this will move thee to love him The Fear of God is the beginning of Knowledge and the Knowledge of God is the Perfection of Love MAX. 87. Let not the Expectation of a Reversion entice thy heart to the wish of a Possessor's Death lest a Judgment meet thee in thy Expectation or a Curse overtake thee in thy fruition Every wish makes the a murtherer and moves God to be an accessary God often lengthens the Life of the Possessor with the days of the Expector MAX. 88. Prize not