594.

595.

¶ The PLEASURE of the body is commonly the poison of the mind.

Look not upon worldly pleasures at their approach, but at their farewel, and you'll find them mean, servile, transitory, tiresom, sickly, and scarce outlive the tasting, yet condemn their over eager pursuers to infinite cares, troubles, and inconveniencies.

596. Say then to them as DEMOSTHENES to the Corinthian LAIS-pœnitere tanti non emam-I'll not purchase repentance at so dear a rate.

597.

598.

599.

All sensual excess, as it goes beyond the limits of nature, begets bodily pains and diseases, making the face look pale, wan, or yellow, weakening the joints, understanding, and memory; drying up the body, causing sciaticas, gouts, cholics, dimness, leprosy, and pox.

WHORES participate so far of the nature of devils, that they are not only instrumental in the sin, but many times in the punishment.

When PLEASURE fawns, LUST provokes, LUXURY invites, the FLESH rebels, the SPIRIT fails, occasion of SIN offers, or that there is danger of falling into SIN, remember that That which DELIGHTS is momentary, but that which TORMENTETH is eternal.

Do. The pleasure of the mind, arising from the peace of a good conscience, is gentle, noble, invincible, steady, and secure, neither accompanied with shame or sadness, nor attended with satiety or repentance.

I.

¶ Use STUDY for delight, ornament, and ability, and LABOUR, if not for food, for physick.

2. Books are noble companions, HISTORIES make men wise, POETRY witty, the MATHEMATICKS subtile, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY deep, MORAL grave, LOGICK and RHETORICK able to contend, &c.

3. STUDY and LEARNING refines our minds and manners, makes a young man thinking, attentive, industrious, and wary, an old man chearful and resolv'd; it is an ornament in prosperity, a refuge in adversity, an entertainment abroad, a companion at home, it chears in solitude and prison, and moderates in the height of fortune.

Whether CHYMISTRY has its philosophers stone, GEOMETRY its squaring the circle, ASTRONOMY its longitude, or the MECHANICKS their perpetual motion, may be a question; but doubtless by seeking after them many solid and useful things have been found out.

"Happy the man who studying nature's laws,
Thro' known effects, can trace the secret cause."

606.

The whole universe is a library.—The treasury of nature entertains us with an inexhaustible variety of matter: And since the discovery of the use and vertue of the loadstone, it seems as if there were nothing but what use and industry may find out However, navigation, fortification, architecture, culture, fireworks, waterworks, staticks, are studies fit for gentlemen to imploy their time in, the better to render them useful and profitable to their country; to which Hive every one, Beelike, should bring honey, and not Drone it upon the heroick labour of others.

607. ¶ Honour is only acquired by action, pains and labour are the price of every noble pleasure.

608. LABOUR dissipates and expels the black fumes and vapours of melancholy, and is a good antidote against the temptations of the devil.

609. GOD often withdraws ABILITIES that are not well employ'd, he hates the slothful, witness the foolish virgins,' and the unprofitable servant.2

610. Do nothing without FORESIGHT, Or FORECAST, a little Wariness prevents much Weariness.

611.

Cardinal RICHLIEU used to say, that unfortunate and imprudent were but two words for the same thing.

2 Mat. 25. 30.

1 Mat. 25. 10.

2. ¶ Learn when to spare, and when to spend to

3.

good purpose.

"You may be gen'rous, and yet not profuse,

Vain squandering differs wide from cheerful use."

Your estate requires servants, yet keep not too great a train. Many by their footmen have been unhors'd.

. It's less dishonourable to abridge petty expences, than stoop to petty gettings.

5. Parsimony is a great patrimony, but profuseness leads to an unpity'd poverty worse than death.

"Want is the scorn of every wealthy fool,

And wit in rags, is turn'd to ridicule."

. They who care not what they spend, are usually forc'd not to regard how they get it.

The end of profuseness is generally a prison, or an halter.

Whatever our expectations may be, it's best to keep always within the compass of what we actually possess.

Who lives by hope, will die by hunger.

He that proposeth to himself any thing but what may naturally arise from his own property or labour, and goes beyond the desire of possessing above two thirds even of that, lays up heaps of

623.

afflictions and disappointments, and exposes himselt to much scorn and derision.

Better leave to an enemy, than live to beg of a friend. Yet,

624. Let not parsimony withhold from works of mercy-proportion your charity to others neces

625.

sities and your own ability.-Where the object is doubtful, rather relieve a Drone than let a Bee perish.

The Mahometans say, that an Alms before it comes into the receiver's hands, utters five sayings to the donor, viz. (1.) I was little, and you have made me great. (2.) I was small in quantity, and you have multiplied me. (3.) I was an enemy, but you have render'd me amiable. (4.) I was a passenger, but you have made me permanent. (5.) You were my guardian, but now I am your guard.

626. It's one of the characters of a Christian to dis_ pense liberally, and enjoy abstinently the goods he knows he may lose and must leave.

627. Yet so light another's candle as not to extinguish your own.

628.

Be neither hasty nor lavish in PROMISING, the performance may be troublesome.

629. What KINDNESSES you do, Do seasonably; and let