Sea â—ill bee the rougher it is safer to strive against the Stream then to sayle against the Wind. CHAP. XLIX IF thou desire much Rest. desire not too much there is no lesse trouble in the preservation then in the acquisition of abundance Diogenes found more rest in his Tub then Alexander on his Throne CHAP. L. 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 CHAP. LI. HOw cam'st thou by thy Honouâ— By Mony How cam'st thou by thy Mony By Extortion Compare thy penny worth with the price and tell me truly how truly 〈◊〉 uâ—able thou art It is an ill purchase that 's encumbred with a curse and that Honour will be ruinous that is built on Ruines CHAP. LI. IF thy Brother hath privately offended thee reprove him privately and having lost himselfe in an injury thou shalt find him in thy forgivenesse He that rebukes a private fault openly betrayes it rather then reproves it CHAP. LIII WHat thou desirest inspect througly before thou prosecute Cast one eye upon the inconveniences as well as the other upon the Conveniences Weigh the fulnesse of the Barne 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 CHAP. LIV. IF thou owest thy whole selfe to thy God for thy Creation what hast thou left to pay for thy Redemption that was not so cheap as thy Creation In thy Creation he gave thee thy selfe and by thy selfe to him In thy Redemption hee gave himselfe to thee and through him restor'd thee to thy selfe Thou art given and restor'd Now what owest thou unto thy God if thou hast paid all thy debts give him the Surplusage and thou hast merited CHAP. LV 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 Fools heart is in his Tongue but a Wise mans Tongue is in his heart CHAP. LVI BEfore thou act a Theft consider what thou art about to doe if thou take it thou losest thy selfe if thou keep it thou disenablest thy Redemption Till thou restorâ—st it thou canst not be restored When it is restor'd it must cost thee more paine and sorrow then ever it brought thee pleasure or profit It is a great folly to please the Pâ—late with that which thou knowest must either be vomited or thy death CHAP. LVII SIlence is the highest wisdome of a Fool and Speech is the greatest criall of a Wise man if thou would'st â—e known a Wise man let thy words shew thee so if thou doubt thy words let thy silence seign thee so It is not a greater point of Wisdome to discover knowledge then to hide ignorance CHAP. LVIII 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 choise be in thy power chuse a Book that hath the finest Paper let it not bee 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 chuse one that shall be most Legible and Vseâ—ill and fullest of instructions But if the Paper chance to have a Blot remember the Blot is no part of the Copy CHAP. LIX VErtue is nothing but an act of loving thâ—t which is to be beloved and that act is Prudenceâ— from whence not to be removed by coâ—â— straint is â— ortitude not to be alluâ—â—d by enticements is Temperance not to be diverted by Pride is justice The declining of this act is Vice CHAP. LX REbuke thy Servants fault in private publique reproof hardens his shame if he be past a youth strike him not he is not fit for thy service that after wise reproofes will either deserve thy strokes or digest them CHAP. LXI TAke heed rather what thou receivest then what thou givest What thou givest leaves thee what thou takest sticks by thee He that presents a gift buyes the Receiver he that takes a gift sels his liberty CHAP. LXII THings Temporall are sweeter in the Expectation Things Eeternall are sweeter in the Fruition The first shames thy Hope the second crownes it it is a vain Journey whose end affords lesse pleasure then the way CHAP. LXIII KNow thy selfe that thou maist Fear God Know God that thou maist Love him in this thou art initiated to wisdome in that perfected The Feare of God is the beginning of Wisdome The Love of God is the fulfilling of the Law CHAP. LXIV IF thou hast Providence to foresee a danger let thy Prudence rather prevent it then feare it The feare of future evils brings oftentimes a present mischiefe Whilst thou seek'st to prevent it practice to beare it He is a wise man can avoyd an evill he is a patient man that can endure it but he is a valiant man can conquer it CHAP. LXV IF thou hast the place of a Magistrate deserve it by thy Justice and dignifie it with thy Mercy Take heed of early gifts an open hand makes a blind eye be not more apt to punish Vice then to encourage Vertue Be not too severe lest thou be hated nor too remisse lest thou be sleighted So execute Justice that thou mayst be loved so execute mercy that thou mayest be feared CHAP. LXVI LEt not thy Table exceed the fourth part of thy Revenue Let thy provision be solid and not farre fetcht fuller of substance then Art Be wisely frugall in thy preparation and freely cheerfull in thy entertainment If thy guests be right it is enough if not it is too much Too much is a vanity enough is a Feast CHAP. LXVII LEt thy apparell be decent and suited to the quality of thy place and purse Too much punctualitie and too much morositie are the two Poles of Pride Be neither too early in the Fashion nor too long out of it nor too precisely in it what custome hath civiliz'd is become decent till then ridiculous Where the Eye is the Jury thy apparell is the evidence CHAP. LXVIII IF thy words be too luxuriant confine them lest they confine thee He that thinks he never can speake enough may easily speake too muchâ— A full tongue and an empty braine are seldome parted CHAP. LXIX IN holding of an argument be neither cholericke nor too opinionate The one distempers thy understanding the other abuses thy judgement Above all things decline Paradoxes and Mysteries Thou shalt receive no honour either in maintaining ranke falshoods or medling with secret truths as he that pleads against the truth makes wit the mother of his Errour so he that argues
good to Gods Glory if evill let him be evill at his own charges He that judges shall bee judged CHAP. XCII SO long as thou art ignorant be not asham'd to learn He that is so fondly modest not to acknowledge his own defects of knowledge shall in time be so fouly impudent to justifie his own ignorance ignorance is the greatest of all infirmities and justified the chiefest of all Follies CHAP. XCIII IF thou be a Servant deal just by thy Master as thou desirest thy Servant should deale with thee Where thou art commanded be obedient where not commanded be provident Let diligence be thy Credit Let faithfulnesse be thy crowne Let thy Masters credit be thy care and let his welfare be thy content Let thine Eye be single and thy heart humble Be Sober that thou maist be circumspect He that in Sobriety is not his owne man being drunk whose is he Be neither contentious nor Lascivious The one shewes a turbulent Heart The other an idle Brain A good Servant is a great Master CHAP. CXIV LEt the Foundation of thy Affection be Vertue then make the Building as rich and as glorious as thou canst if the Foundation bee Beauty or Wealth and the building Vertue the Foundation is too weak for the Building and it will fall Happy is he the Pallace of whose affection is founded upon Vertue wal'd with Riches glaz'd with Beauty and Roof'd with Honour CHAP. XCV IF thy mother be a widow give her double honour who now acts the part of a double Parent Remember her nine moneâ—hs burthen and her tenth moneths travell forget not her indulgence when thou didst hang upon her tender breast Call to minde her prayers for thee before thou cam'st into the world and her cares for thee when thou wert come into the world Remember her secret Groans her affectionate teares her broken slumbers her dayly feares her nightly frights Relieve her wants cover her imperfections comfort her age and the widowes husband will be the Orphans Father CHAP. XCVI AS thou desirest the love of God man beware of Pride it is a tumor in thy minde that breakes and poysons all thy actions it is a worm in thy treasure which eates and ruines thy estate it loves no man is beloved of no man it disparages vertue in another by detraction it disrewards goodnesse in it selfe by vain glory the friend of the flatterer the mother of envy the nurse of fury the baud of luxury the sinne of devils and the devill in mankinde it hates superiours it scornes inferiours it owns no equals in short till thou hate it God hates thee â—HAP XCVII SO behave thy selfe among 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 feare thee too much too much familiarity will embolden them too little countenance will discourage them so carry thy selfe that they may rather feare thy displeasure then thy correction when thou reprov'st them doâ— it in season when thou correct'st them do it not in passion as a wise child makes a happy father so a wise father makes a happy child CHAP. XCVIII VVHen thy hand hath done a good act aske thy heart if it be well done the matter of a good action is the deed done the forme 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 CHAP. XCIX VVOuld'st thou purchase Heaven advise not with thy owne ability The prâ—ze of Heaeen is what thou hast examine not what thou hast but what thou art give thy selfe and thou hast bought it if thy own vilenesse be thy feares offer thy selfe and thou art precious CHAP C. THe Birds of the aire dye to sustaine thee the Beasts of the field dy to nourish thee the Fishes of the Sea dye to feed thee Our stomacks are their common Sepulcher Good God! with how many deaths are our poor lives patcht up How full of death is the miserable life of momentary man The 〈◊〉 of the second Century THE Third Century CHAP. I. IF thou take paines in what is good the paines vanish the good remains If thou take pleasure in what is evil the evill remaines and the pleasâ—â—e vanishes what art thou the worse for paines or the better for pleasure when both are past CHAP. II. IF thy fancy and judgement have agreed in the choice of a fit wife be not too fond lest she surfeit nor too peevish lest she languish love so that thou mayst be fear'd rule so that thou mayst be honour'd 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 wisdome reprove it reprove her not openly lest she grow bold rebuke her not tauntingly lest she grow spitefull proclaim not her beauty lest she grow proud hoast not her wisedome lest thou be thought foolish shew her not thy imperfections lest she disdaine thee pry not into her Dairy lest she desprise thee prophane not her eares with loose communication lest thou defile the sanctuary of her modesty an understanding husband makes a discreet wife and she a happy husband CHAP. III. WRinckle not thy face with too much laughter lest thou become ridiculous neither wanton thy heart with too much mirth lest thou become vaine the suburbs of folly is vaine mirth and profusenesse of laughter is the City of fooles CHAP. IV. LEt thy tongue take counsell of one eye rather then of two ears let the newes thou reportest be rather stale then false lest thou be branded with the name of lyer It is an intolerable dishonour to be that which onely to be call'd so is thought worthy of a Stabbe CHAP. V. LEt thy discourse be such as thy judgement may maintaine and thy company may deserve In neglecting this thou losest thy words in not observing the other thou losest thy selfe Give wash to swine and wort to men so shalt thou husband thy gifts to the advantage of thy selfe and shape thy discourse to the advancement of thy hearer CHAP. VI DOst thou roar under the Torments of a Tyrant weigh them with the sufferance of thy Sâ—viour and they are no plague Dost thou rage under the Bondage of a raving Conscience compare it to thy Saviours passion and it is no paine Have the tortures of Hell taken hold of thy dispairing soule compare it to thy Saviours torments and it is no punishment what sense unequally compares let faith enterchangeably apply and thy pleasures have no comparison Thy sinnes are the Authors of his sufferings and his hell is the price of thy heaven CHAP. VII ARt thou banisht from thy owne Country thanke thy owne folly hadst thou chosen a right home thou hadst been no Exul hadst thou commanded thy
owne Kingdome all Kingdomes had been thy owne the foole is banisht in his owne Country the wiseman is in his owne Country though banisht the foole wanders the wiseman travels CHAP. VIII IN seeking vertue if thou find poverty be not ashamed the fault is none of thine Thy honour or dishonour is purchased by thy owne actions Though vertue give a ragged livery she gives a golden Cognizance If her service make thee poore blush not Thy poverty may disadvantage thee but not dishonour thee CHAP. IX GAze not on Beauty too much lest it blast thee nor too long lest it blind thee nor too near lest it burne thee if thou like it it deceives thee if thou love it it disturbs thee if thou lust after it it destroies thee if vertue accompany it it is the hearts paradise if vice associate it it is the soules purgatory it is the wisemans Bonefire and the fooles Furnace CHAP. X. IF thou wouldst have a good servant let thy servant find a wise master let his food rest and wages be seasonable let his labour recreations and attendance depend upon thy pleasure be not angry with him too long lest he thinke thee malicious nor too soone lest he â—onceive thee rash nor too often lest he count thee humorous Be not too fierce lest he love thee not nor too remisse lest he feare thee not nor too familiar lest he prize thee not In briefe whil'st thou giv'st him the liberty of a servant beware thou losest not the Majesty of a Master CHAP. XI IF thou desire to be chast in Wedlocke keepe thy selfe chast before thou wedd'st he that hath knowne pleasure unlawfâ—lly will hardly be restrained from unlawfull pleasure One woman was created for one man He that straies beyond the limits of liberty is brought into the verge of Slavery Where one is enough two is too many and three is too few CHAP. XII IF thou would'st be justified acknowledge thy injustice he that confesses his sinne begins his journy towards salvation he that is sorry for it mends his pace he that forsakes it is at his journies end CHAP. XIII BEfore thou reprehend another take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend He that cleanses a blot with blotted fingers makes a greater blur CHAP. XIV BEware of drunkennesse â—lest all good men beware of thee where drunkennesse reigns there reason is an Exul vertue a stranger God an Enemy Blasphemy is wit Oathes are Rhetoricke and Secrets are Proclamations Noah discover'd that in one houre drunke which sober he kept secret six hundred years CHAP. XV WHat thou givest to the poore thou securest from the Thiefe but what thou withhold'dst from his necessity a Thiefe possesses Gods Exchequer is the poore mans Box when thou strik'st a Tally he becomes thy debtor CHAP. XVI TAke no pleasure in the folly of an Idiot noâ— in the fancy of a Lunaticke nor in the frenzie of a Drunkard Make them the object of thy pity not of thy pastime when thou behold'st them behold how thou art beholding to him that suffered thee not to be like them There is no difference between thee and them but Gods favour CHAP. XVII IF being in eminent place thou hast incurâ—'d the Obloquy of the multitude the more thou endeavourest to stop the streame the more it overâ—owesâ— wisely rather divert the coâ—â—e of the vulgar humour by divulging and spreading some ridiculous novelty which may present new matter to their various fancy and stave their tongues from off thy worried name The first subject of the common voice is the last news CHAP. XVIII IF thou desire to see thy child vertuous let him not see his fathers vices Thou canst not rebuke that in them that they behold practis'd in thee till reason be ripe examples direct more then precepts Such as thy behaviour is before thy childrens faces such commonly is theirs behind their parents backs CHAP. XIX VSe Law and Physicke onely for necessity they that use them otherwise abuse themselves into weake bodies and light purses they are good remedies bad businesses and worse recreations CHAP. XX BE not over curious in prying into mysteries lest by seeking things which are needlesse thou omittest things which are necessary it is more safe to doubt of uncertaine matters then to dispute of undiscover'd Mysteries CHAP. XXI IF what thou hast received from God thou sharest to the poore thou hast gained a blessing by the hand if what thou hast taken from the poore thou givest to God thou hast purchased a Curse into the Bargaine He that puts to pious uses what he hath got by impious Usury robs the Spittle to raise an Hospitall and the cry of the one will out-plead the prayers of the other CHAP. XXII LEt the end of thy argument be rather to discover a doubtfull Truth then a commanding Wit In the one thou shalt gaine substance in the other Froth that flint strikes the steele in vaine that propagates no sparkles covet to be Truths champion at least to hold her colours he that pleads against the truth takes paines to be overthrown or if a conquerour gaines but vain-glory by the conquest CHAP. XXIII TAke no pleasure in the death of a creature if it be harmelesse or uselesse destroy it not if usefull or harmefull destroy it mercifully He that mercifully made his Creatures for thy sake expects thy mercy upon them for his sake Mercy turns her backe to the unmercifull CHAP. XXIV IF thou are call'd to the dignity of a Priest the same voice cals thee to the honour of a Judge if thy life and doctrine be good thou shalt judge others if thy doctrine be good and thy life baâ—â— onely thy selfe if both be good thou reachest thy people to escape condemnation if this be good and that bad thou reachest God to condemne thee CHAP. XXV IF thou be not a Prometheus to advise before thou dost be an Epâ—metheus to examine when thou hast done when the want of advise hath brought forth an improvident act the act of examination may produce a profitable Repentance CHAP. XXVI IF thou desire the happinesse of thy soule the health of thy body the prosperity of thy estate the preservation of thy credit converse not with a Harlot her eyes runne thy reputation in debt her lips demand the payment her breasts arrests thee her armes imprison thee from whence beleeve itâ— thou shalt hardly get forth till thou hast either ended the dayes of thy credit or pay'd the utmost farthing of thy Estate CHAP. XXVII CArry a watchfull eye upon those familiars that are either silent at thy faults or sooth thee in thy frailties or excuse thee in thy follies for such are either cowards or flatterers or fooles if thou entertain them in prosperity the Coward will leave thee in thy dangers the Flatterer will quit thee in thy adversity but the foole will never forsake thee CHAP. XXVIII IF thou hast an Estate and a sonne to inherit it keep him not
beyond warrant makes wisedome the midwife of his folly CHAP. LXX DEtaine not the wages from the poor man that hath earn'd it lest God withhold thy wages from thee If he complaine to thee heare him lest he complaine to Heaven where he will be heard if he hunger for thy sake thou shalt not prosper for his sake The poore mans penny is a plague in the rich mans purse CHAP. LXXI BE not too cautious in discerning the fit objects of thy Charity lest a soule perish through thy discretion What thou givest to mistaken want shall returne a blessing to thy deceived heart Better in relieving idlenesse to commit an accidentall evill then in neglecting misery to omit an essentiall good Better two Drones be preserv'd then one Bee perish CHAP. LXII THeology is the Empresse of the world Mysteries are her Privy Councell Religion is her Clergy The Arts her Nobility Philosophy her Secretary The Graces her Maids of Honour The Morall vertues the Ladies of her Bedchamber Peace is her Chamberlaine True joy and endlesse pleasures are her Courtiers Plenty her Treasurer Poverty her Exchequer The Temple is her Court If thou desire accesse to this great Majesty the way is by her Courtiers if thou hast no power there the common way to the Soveraigne is the Secretary CHAP. LXXIII IT is an evill knowledge to know the good thou shouldst embrace unlesse thou likewise embrace the good thou knowest The breath of divine knowledge is the bellowes of divine love and the flame of divine love is the perfection of divine knowledge CHAP. LXXIV IF thou desire rest unto thy soule be just He that doth no injury fears not to suffer injury The unjust mind is alwayes in labour It either practises the evill it hath projected or projects to avoid the evill it hath deserved CHAP. LXXV ACcustome thy palat to what is most usuall He that delights in rarities must often feed displeased and sometimes lie at the mercy of a deare market common food nourishes best delicates please most The sound stomacke preferres neither What aâ—t thou the worse for the last yeares plaine diet or what now the better for thy last great Feast CHAP. LXXVI VVHo ever thou art thou hast done more evill in one day then thou canst expiate in six and canst thou thinke the evill of six dayes can require lesse then one God hath made us rich in dayes by allowing six and himselfe poore by reserving but one and shall we spare our owne flocke and sheare his Lambe He that hath done nothing but what he can justifie in the six dayes may play the seventh CHAP. LXXVII HOpe and Feare like Hippocrates Twins should live and dye together If hope depart from feare it travels by security and lodges in presumption if feare depart from hope it travels to infidelitie and Innes in despaire the one shuts up heaven the other opens hell the one makes thee insensible of Gods frownes the other incapable of Gods favours and both teach God to be unmercifull and thee to be most miserable CHAP. LXXVIII CLose thine eare against him that shall open his mouth secretly against another If thou receive not his words they flye back and wound the Reporter if thou receive them they flee forward and wound the receiver CHAP. LXXIX IF thou wouldst preserve a sound body use fasting and walking if a healthfull soule fasting and praying Walking exercises the body praying exercises the soule fasting cleanses both CHAP. LXXX VVOuldst thou not be thought a foole in anothers conceit Be not wise in thine owne He that trusts to his owne wisedome proclaimes his owne folly He is truly wise and shall appeare so that hath folly enough to be thought not worldly wise or wisedome enough to see his owne folly CHAP. LXXXI DEsir'st thou knowledge know the end of thy desire Is it only to know Then it is curiosity Is it because thou mayst be knowne then 't is vanity If because thou mayst edefie it is charity If because thou mayst be edefied it is wisedome That knowledge turnes to meere excrement that hath not some heate of wisedome to digest it CHAP. LXXXII VVIsedome without innocency is knavery Innocency without wisedome is foolery Be therefore as wise as serpents and innocent as doves The subtilty of the serpent instructs the innocency of the dove The innocency of the dove corrects the subtilty of the serpent What God hath joyn'd together let no man seperate CHAP. LXXXIII THe more thou imitatest the vertues of a Saint departed the better thou celebrat'st that Saints day God is not pleased with surfetting for his sake who with his fasting so often pleas'd his God CHAP. LXXXIV CHuse not thy serv'ceable souldier out of soft apparell lest he prove effeminate nor out of a full purse lest he grow timorous They are more fit for action that are fiery to gaine a fortune abroad then they that have fortunes to lose at home Expectation breeds spirit Fruition brings feare CHAP. LXXXV GOd hath given to mankinde a common Library his creatures and to every man a proper booke Himselfe being an abridgement of all the others If thou reade with understanding it will make thee a great master of Philosophy and a true servant to the divine Authouâ— If thou but barely reade it will make thee thy owne Wise man and the Authours foole CHAP. LXXXVI DOubt is a weake childe lawfully begotten between an obstructed judgement and a faire understanding Opinion is a bold bastard gotten betweene a strong fancie and a weak Judgement it is lesse dishonourable to be ingenuously doubtfull then rashly opinionate CHAP. LXXXVII AS thou art a morall man esteem thy selfe not as thou art but as thou art esteem'd As thou art a Christian esteeme thy selfe as thou art not as thou art esteem'd Thy price in both rises and fals as the market goes The market of a morall man is wild opinion The market of a Christian is a good conscience CHAP. LXXXVIII PRovidence is an exercise of reason experience an act of sense by how much reason excels sense by so much providence exceeds experience Providence prevents that danger which experience repents Providence is the rationall daughter of wisedome experience the Empiricall mistresse of fooles CHAP. LXXXIX HAth fortune dealt the ill Cards let wisedome make thee a good Gamester in a faire Gale every foole may sayle but wise behaviour in a storme commends the wisdome of a Pilot To bear adversity with an equall minde is both the sign and glory of a bave Spirit CHAP. XC IF any speake ill of thee flee home to thy owne conscience and examine thy heart if thou be guilty 't is a just correction if not guilty 't is a faire instruction make use of both so shalt thou distill Hony out of Gall and out of an open enemy create a secret friend CHAP. XCI AS the exercise of the body naturall is moderate recreation so the exercise of the body politicke is military discipline by that the one is made more