The gentile sinner, or, Englands brave gentleman characterized in a letter to a friend both as he is and as he should be. Ellis, Clement, 1630-1700. 1660 Approx. 408 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 141 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A39252 Wing E556 ESTC R26096 09354328 ocm 09354328 42817 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A39252) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 42817) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1307:39) The gentile sinner, or, Englands brave gentleman characterized in a letter to a friend both as he is and as he should be. Ellis, Clement, 1630-1700. [14], 261 p. Printed by Henry Hall for Edward and John Forrest, Oxford : 1660. Dedication signed: C.E. Reproduction of original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Christian life. 2003-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2003-12 Aptara Rekeyed and resubmitted 2004-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-01 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Gentile Sinner , OR , England's Brave GENTLEMAN : Characterized In a Letter to a Friend , Both As he is , and as he should be . 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many Noble are called . — Sanctus haberi , Justitiaeque tenax , factis dictisque mereris ? Agnosco procerem . Iuv : Sat. 8. OXFORD , Printed by Henry Hall , for Edward and Iohn Forrest , 1660. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL , MY HONOURED FRIENDS Sr ▪ PHILIP MVSGRAVE Knight and Baronet , AND Sr GEORGE BENNYON Knight , The Author vvishes all Grace , Health , and Honour here , & Happiness hereafter . Right Worshipfull , YOu who have beene so long a time sharers both in the same great Vertues , and , for them , in the same great Sufferings : be pleased too , to share in this small tribute , for which I have been long indebted to your Goodnesse . Your Names , I confesse , are either of them too great to stand in the front of so inconsiderable a paper as this , wherewith I here present you ; and might make a suitable Frontispice to some farre more excellent Tract . Whatever this be , which begs your Candid acceptance , it may perhaps need , but I fear it deserves not , I am sure it does not now come abroad to seek a Patron . The reason why I addresse it to you , is an Ambition I have , to bring the world better acquainted with so great a part of it 's own Treasure : & to make it know , there be yet ( after all these dreining times ) some such Worthy Persons as your selves ; whom even they , who are ( to a Christian Stoicisme ) enemies to the present VVorld , dare both love & honour . Were it my businesse to seek out an Instance of the Genuine , or a Patterne whereby to correct the Spurious and degenerate Gentleman , I should despaire to fit my selfe better , then I may in You : in whom after so many killing Afflictions the World may yet behold a true Religion and Loyalty surviving your Fortunes . I might well fear , should the Reader know you as well as I , his expectation by the view of your praefixed Names , would be raised too much above the Contents of the following Letter ; and therefore I shall , no lesse out of Charity to mine own Infirmities , then from a due Reverence to that knowne Modesty which Crowns your many other Noted Vertues , forbear any further to display your Merits : only this I would have the World to know , and do beg you to believe , that I shall ever be industrious to manifest my selfe Right Worshipfull Yours in all Christian Services C. E. To the REEDER . IT is a Formality very much in Fashion of late amongst Writers , to Complement the Reader , and give him a view of his following Entertainment , in a large Praeface to every little Pamphlet . I intend not to usher abroad this rude Letter in so great State ; neither will I play the Gentleman so much , as to tyre out my Reader with feigned Apologies for that Course faire he is like to have anon . I am not without some of those Common Sanctuaries , wherein many Writers can Phancy themselves so secure from all Censure ; but I dare not pretend to those I have not , and those I have I Slight . Reader , the plain truth is , this Letter is not now sent● out , to prevent or decry any Surreptitious Copy , neither meerly to satisfie the Importunity of my friends : Nor yet am I willing so much to Humour either thy Curiosity , or the Common Vanity , as to tell thee what Inducements I had to this Publication ; If what thou shalt here read , either Concern or Content thee not , I am sure those cannot . Perhaps thou art one of those , who may read their Names and Characters in the former part of the following Letter ; If so , it would be time and paines ill lost to talke with thee now . If thou canst be so much the Master of thy Passion , as to read thy selfe over therein with Patience , and without either Oath or Curse , for the Paper or it's Author ; I shall begin to hope there may yet be a Possibility of a returne to thy felfe and to thy God. 'Till then , what ever cause thou hast to Carp at the Book , or Revile the Author ; I am bold to tell thee , I have much more , to Slight thy Speeches , and Pitty thy Folly . I value as little thy Censure , as I have reason to Envy thy Conversation ; I dread as much thine Applause as I scorne thy Derision ; and this I do no l●sse then I abhorre thy life , or pray for thy Conversion . When thou art willing to understand what may do thee Good , it will be seasonable for mee to say more ; and tell thee , that if thou would'st be a Gentleman , there is a Booke extant , which for that End , well deserves thy Study , and thy Practice . At present it is too noble a Jewel to be thrown to such a Swine . If the Courser and more homely Diet I here offer thee , may beget in thee ( though by loathing it ) a liking to that far richer Dish ; It will be then enough for my Ambition , as it is now too much for my Hopes . That most Singular piece of Impartiall Truth , and unparallell'd Ingenuity ; of most Cogent Reason , and Iusinuating Rhetorick ; of most sage Advice , and Religious Instruction ; which abundantly Commends it selfe to thy serious perusall , and it's Author ( were not his strange Modesty , as much our Enemy , in Concealing his Name ; as his Piety and Ingenuity our friends , in discovering his worth ) to thy Intimate acquaintance ; bears for it's Title , what thou by thy Practise labourest to prove a Contradiction , THE GENTLEMAN' 's CALLING . This Book would Certainly teach thee to bee , did'st thou not think thy selfe too wife to learn , all that becomes a Christian Gentleman : as another Practicall piece which for it's Excellency is rationally supposed the work of the same Pious and Ingenious hand , would make thee , if used aright , a Christian Man : I mean that Book , the Title whereof speaks much , yet noe more then the Contents doe verifie THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. Read these two soberly , and practise them Constantly ; and , though thou burn'st this paper , thou shalt never perswade me not to think thee a Man , a Gentleman , and a Christian . But if in some or other of thy Mad Moods : thou shalt rage and foame against what here I send thee , play the Critick upon it amid'st thy Potts , or make it thy sport and merriment amongst those who cannot think themselves men except they be Frolick and Jolly : the Paper may suffer , and thou may'st spit in my face ; but know , I have a Christian name , thou can'st not stain ; and a Charitable Intention ; thou can'st as little vitiate , as thou hast hitherto deserved it . But if ( Sir ) you be one of those brave souls , whose Merits are above their Names ; whose Honours are not dumb Idolls , neither their Vertues shadows ; and yet vouchsafe to east an Eye , upon this flat and unstudy'd piece of meer Obedience : Your Candor will save me the Customary Ceremony of a long Apologie ; seeing I am assured you can sooner pardon an Hundred faults , then the other find one ; your Goodnesse by a constant practise of all vertues being as much augmented , as his Judgment by an Endlesse succession of most sottish debaucheries is daily Impared . Whosoever you be , who chance to hit upon this paper ; let it suffice you to know , that it is but a Letter ; and that , an Imperfect birth after a Fortnight's labour . It had never ventured so farre abroad , had not better eyes then , the Author 's directed it forth . The best on 't is , Censures I regard not , Frowns I fear not , Criticismes I smile at , and Derisions I laugh at . The Stile ( 't is true ) is rough ; I had rather be told of it , then lose so much time as to smooth it : Many things are Blunt and ●lat , It is my Humour , often to prefer a plain truth , before a Witty Phancy : The Phraise in many places is tart , and provoking ; I hope it will appear in all my Actions , that I study not to please , but profit . Reader , Call me what thou wilt , Stoick , or Fool , or Clown , or Madman , I am willing , with all my heart , to seem any or all of these , to reforme a Sinner . If in any place thou think'st I deal uncivilly with thee ; give me leave to ask thee where ? If in the former part , What businesse hadst thou there . Either thou art indeed the man there described , and then , why art thou angry , that I say the truth ? Or else thou art one of the Better st& keep thee then in thine own place , and , I am Confident , I shall doe thee right . Art thou the true Gentleman ? thou canst not so far mistake thy selfe , as to think the Character of the false will fit thee : Art thou the False ? Thine own Confession quits me of the Scandall : And I hope thou shalt here find thy selfe so much in thine own Colours , that thou shalt be so farre out of love with thy selfe , as to know the least Commendation of thee could be no lesse then a flattery . If this little labour of mine may do thee good , it is therefore worthy of thine acceptance , and I bid thee heartily welcome : If thou seest nothing in it worth the reading , use thy fredome , I may lose my labour , neither thou nor I shall ever lose my charity . Instead of a longer preface , I commend to thy reading the words of a Reverend Doctor , whose exemplary Piety , Learning , Iudgment , Moderation are sufficiently known to the greatest part of our English Nation . Dr SANDERSON in his Sermon on the 1 Cor. 7. 24. As for our ( meer or parcel ) Gallants , who live in no setled course of life , but spend halfe the day in Sleeping , half the night in gaming , and the rest of their time in other pleasures and vanities , to as little purpose as they can devise ; as if they were born for nothing else but to eat and drink , and snort and sport ; who are spruce and trimme as the Lillies ( Solomon i● all his Royalty was not cloath'd like one of these : ) yet they neither sow , nor reap , nor carry into Barn ; they neither labour , nor Spin , nor do any thing else for the good of humane society : Let them know , there is not the poorest Contemptible Creature , that crieth Oysters and Kitchinstuffe in the streets , but deserveth his bread better , than they ; and his course of life is of better esteem with God , and every sober wise man , than their's . A Horse , that is neither good for the way , nor the cart , nor the race , nor the Wars , nor any other service ; let him be of never so good a breed , never so well marked and shaped ; yet he is but a Iade : his Master setteth no store by him , thinketh his meat ill-bestow'd on him ; Every man will say , better knock him on the head then keep him ; his skin , though not much worth , is yet better worth then the whole beast besides . Consider this , you that are of Noble and Generous birth . Look unto the Rock , whence you were hewen ; and to the pit , whence you were digged . Search your Pedigrees ; Collect the Scatter'd Monuments and Histories of your Ancestors : and observe by what steps your worthy Progenitors raised their houses to the height of Gentry and Nobility . Scarce shall you find a man of them , that gave any accession , or brought any noted eminency to his house ; but either serving in the Camp , or sweating at the Barre , or waiting at the Court , or adventuring on the Seas , or trucking in his Shop , or some other way industriously bestirring himselfe in some setled Calling , and Course of life . You usurp their Armes , if you inherit not their Vertues : and those ensignes of honour and Gentry which they by industry atchieved , sit no otherwise upon your shoulders , than as rich trappings upon Asses backs ; which serve but to render the poor beast more ridiculous . If you by brutish sensuality , and spending your time in swinish luxury , stain the colours , and embase the mettals of those badges of your Gentry and Nobility , which you claim by descent : think , when we worship or honour you , we do but flout you ; and know , the titles we in Courtesy give you , we bestow upon their memories , whose degenerate off-spring you are , and whose Arms you unworthily bear ; and they do no more belong to you , than the reverence the good man did to Isis ; belong'd to the Asse that carry'd her Image . The CONTENTS . SECT . 1. THe Gallant . pag. 9. § . 1. His names . p. 10. § . 2. His Nature in Generall . p. 15. § . 3. His Calling or Imploiment . p. 20. § . 4. His Education and Breeding . p. 23. § . 5. His Habit and Garbe . p. 28. § . 6. His Language and discourse . p. 31. § . 7. His Religion and Conversation . p. 39. § . 8. An Apology for this part of the Character . p. 44. SECT . 2. § . 1. THe Second sort of degenerate Gentlemen . p. 48. § . 2. Severall sorts of such Gentlemen . p. 50. § . 3. The Provident Gentleman . p. 53. § . 4. The Prudent Gentleman . p. 60. § . 5. The Peaceable Gentleman . p. 69. § . 6. The Stately Gentleman . p. 75. § . 7. The Conclusion of this part . p. 83. § . 8. A more particular Application of this Character . p. 85. § . 9. The Winner and loser in these times p. 88. § . 10. How good●Englishmen these Gentlemen are . p. 94. SECT . 3. THe true Gentleman . § . 1. An Apologeticall Introduction . p. 98. § . 2. His generall Character . p. 100. § . 3. His chief Honour and dignity . p. 105. § . 4. His Outside and Apparell . p. 108. § . 5. His Discourse and Language . p. 113. § . 6. His Behaviour and Civility . p. 122. § . 7. His Inside . p. 126. § . 8. His Command over himselfe . p. 129. § . 9. His Magnanimity and Humility . p. 133. § . 10. His Charity and Temperance p. 139. § . 11. His Valour and Prudence . p. 144. § . 12. His Behaviour in both Fortunes . p. 149. § . 13. His Respect and Affection for his Country . p. 156. § . 14. His Studies and Recreations . p. 162. § . 15. His Good-husbandry . p. 170. § . 16. His Religion . p. 172. § . 17. The Conclusion of this Charactér . p. 178. SECT . 4. § . 1. HOw few true Gentlemen now in England . p. 182. § . 2. An Enquiry into the more Civil sort of our English Gentry . p. 191. § . 3. An Appeal to the Gentleman's Conscience . p. 199. § . 4. Motives to the Gentleman to be Indeed Religious , and first of Common Civility . p. 204. § . 5. A second motive from Shame and Disgrace . p. 212. § . 6. A third Motive from Aequity . p. 218. § . 7. A fourth motive from Honour and Reputation . p. 234. § . 8. The Conclusion and sum of all . p. 242. THE GENTILE SINNER , OR England's Brave-Gentleman . Honoured Sir , I Am very much indebted to your most obliging Goodnesse , for that great and undeserved Freedome , you were pleased to allow me in our last Discourse : And I am so Confident to meet with the same Goodnesse still , that I shall not feare to expresse as great a Boldnesse in these following lines . With Gentlemen , I very much love to be talking of Gentlemen ; with him that is a Gentleman indeed , that in his language ( for in better , I am sure , I cannot ) I may learne how to shame his Counterfiet ; and with him too , who has no more then the bare Name , that I may thereby gaine an opportunity of proposing to him something better then himselfe , as a fit object of his Love and Imitation . I confesse I am often apt , more then well becomes me in the presence of Persons of your Quality , to inveigh somewhat Satyrically against such as this wanton Age of the World loves to miscall by so good a name ; which might give any man of lesse Cand●r and Courtesy then Your selfe ( Sir ) a just occasion of judging me more Bold then Wise. What your resentments were of my last unponder'd expressions , I know not ; But if in any of them I gave offence , I dare hope you will make your late Commands passe for my Sentence , and let this prosecution of that too Inconsiderate discourse ( I beseech you ) serve for my penance . You were pleased to require a Summary of my thoughts concerning our Pr●sent English Gentleman , both as to what he is , and what he should be . I must not taxe you of Indiscretion , by telling you how ill you have placed your Commands ; and therefore I shall rather choose to show you your Charitable mistake , by my ready Obedience ; then by an unseasonable Modesty , seem to question your judgment : The taske injoyn'd me is in it selfe so odious , that nothing lesse then that highest respect I have for the worthy Imposer , could make it welcome ; and it carries so great a disproportion to my weaker Faculties , that nothing , but too great an affection in you ( Sir ) could make it appeare possible . To tell you , what the Gentleman is , requires an experience ; and to say what he should be , must suppose a Breeding farre above mine . If by the Gentleman , you meane him whose reall virtues are such as have indeed merited him the name ; I could goe a very compendious way to worke , and show you him in as faire a peece as Virtue can draw , or the World imitate , by directing your eye to that object which best deserves it ▪ You must needs know your selfe too well , ( Sir ) to be Ignorant whom I meane . But for the other , whom wee then tooke the boldnesse to talke of , you cannot , I hope , imagine , that one so little acquainted with the present Garbes and Modes of the world , as without blushing I dare confesse my selfe to be , should be able to present you with his perfect portraiture . To be short , Sir , You are too well acquainted with the true Gentleman , to think you shall ever read him any where better described then you find him at home ; and I am too little acquainted with his counterfeit , to presume I may be able to give you an exact Character of him , 'till I use to goe more , then I hope in hast I shall doe , abroad . However , I had rather betray my . Ignorance of what I could never yet esteem well worth my knowledg ; then the least disrespect to a Person , whose long-experienced Goodnesse hath abundantly meritted the best of my services . Such a prospect therefore as I could have of him , whilest immured up within the narrow compasse of a Darke Study , I shall make bold to lay open before your eye ; and , in as plaine English as I can , tell you what I thinke both of the Man and his shadow . But before I begin to discribe him , I find it necessary for me to premise unto you this cautious request — That you would be pleas'd to believe I doe not make nor take pleasure to see those wounds , which you have perswaded me to uncover ; for I cannot but foresee too many of them , through Imprudence and Negligence , so altogether fester'd and Nauseous , that as they will try your patience to behold them , so will they even dare your faith to believe them : And this I shall further beg of you , that seeing to serve you I am forced to take the Liberty of a more open , and sometimes biting expression ; you would not debarre me of the Priviledg of an Impartiall , yet friendly , Censurer ; one who had much rather lose a friend , then tolerate a fault : Or the beneficiall Severity of a Faithfull Chirurgeon , who is allow'd often to make the smart the fore-runner of the Cure , and is excusable , though sometimes he seeme so hard-hearted as to disregard the lamentable out●ries , and most moveing groans of his afflicted patient ; not sparing his Probe , 'till he have throughly search'd the wound . I must in Good Earnest tell the Gentleman , how much my Pitty and Commiseration outgoe my Reprehensions and reproofes : And that my hearty prayers both now are , and ever shall be much more for him , then my unpleasing Invectives can be against him . The later are onely sent out to invite him to take some Knowledg and Compassion of himselfe ; but the former ascend as high as Heaven to Implore God's Mercy and Pitty towards him . For I know it ( let him entertaine as flattering thoughts as he will of himselfe ) the world has not had since the fall of Adam a more miserable Spectacle , then this poore wretched Leper , the Debauched Gentleman : who , doubtlesse , were he not so Complacently accessary to his own Misery , So obstinately bent upon and solicitously studious of his own overthrow , would be no oftner beheld then pittied . But seeing his daily practice perswades me , that his main industry is a Designe to ruine himselfe , his Constant Profession an open D●fiance to his Happin●sse ; seeing his chiefe d●light seemes to be placed in looking upon his own sores , and his Continuall Study is how to increase them : Seeing he esteemes nothing so dangerous as reall goodnesse , and every day proclaimes open Hostility against whatever shall bring along with it that unwelcome charity of preserving him from Hell : Seeing he labours to expresse a deadly feud betwixt himselfe and his own soule , and dreads no torments so much as the joyes of Heaven : Seeing the businesse of his whole life is to spoile a Gentleman : Without all doubt , the safest way now to be his friend is to seeme his enemy , the readiest means of making the Christian is to vex the Gentleman , and the hopefull'st method of healing his sores , is first to seratch them 'till they smart . There 's no way to deale with a man in a Swoon , but to pinch him by the Nose , and to dash Cold water in his face , when he is thus brought to himselfe , he may be capable of a Cordiall : Thus indeed must we be constrain'd to deale with the Gentleman , who is not onely void of all spirituall life , but even of all common sense : We must handle him a little more roughly then what he will think Civility , that so we may at length force him to open his eyes , to see how much he is mistaken in what he calls so . If after all this he will persist to call me his enemy , I shall onely professe my sorrow for this , that he has l●st the benefit intended him by my pains ; Not at all that I have miss'd the reward of his Commendati●n and thanks ; these I shall then first be ambitious of enjoying , when I shall be assured that he is so much become a New man , that I need not feare his Commendations may prove Scandalls , or his thanks reproaches . 'Till when here he has my Confession , I am his utter Enemy : and let him take my Resolution too along with it , so I am resolved to continue 'till I can see him , more then yet he is , his own friend : Then , I am sure , he will without a prompter acknowledg , that thus to appeare his Enemy was the onely way he had left me to befriend him . With this resolution ( Sir ) and Confidence , I shall venture , first to give you a short Character of him as it stands legible in his common practise and Conversation ; where , that he may not have so much as a pretence to be angry , I shall onely write after that Copy himselfe has set me , and le ts lye every where wide open to the view of the world : And having done this , I shall in a very few words characterize the man I would see , and tell you what I suppose , you know , God Expects , and his own Name and profession do witnesse he ought to be . SECT . I. The Gallant . TO give you My sense of the Gentleman in a word , He is , I know not what . I no sooner cast my eye upon him , but ( alas ) I see too little to love , enough to Pitty , more to abhorre , and in all too much to be express'd . 'T is usuall with us to call man a little world , and truely the Gentleman may well be compared to that which is more ancient , the Old Chaos , when the numerous parts of this larger world , lay confusedly therein , intermixed and jumbled together , without Forme or Order ; Before the Omnipotent Wisedome of the Great God had created any such thing here below as Method or Beuty : Such an undigested Masse and heape of Every thing , have we here met withall , and nothing perfect : Onely herein the Similitude fails , for supposing such an unformed heap , yet had there been nothing therein but what were to be confessed the worke of God's hands and therefore very good ; But here ( alas ) is almost nothing left that God created , but every thing so altogether evill , that hardly so much of that we call goodnesse appeares , as a bare possibility of becoming so . §. 1. His Names . If there be such a Sin in the abuse of words as some do think there is ; and if it be true , that a great part of this abuse lies in giving names unto things contrary to their Natures , never was there a greater error of this kind committed then here , for never Honest name was more abused , then this of Gentleman ; Indeed it is to be fear'd , that having been so long misapplied , it will at last find the like hard measure , with those other once more Honest Names of Tyrant and Sophister ; and from a Title of Honour degenerate into a terme of the greatest disgrace and Infamy . It is indeed allready made to be of no better a signification then this , to Denote a Person of a Licentious and an unbridled life ; for though it be as 't is used , a word of a very uncertaine and equivocall sound , and given at Randome to Persons of farre different , nay Contrary both Humours , descents , and merits , yet if we looke upon him that in this sad age comes first in play , and carries both the Feather and the Bell , as the first Horse in the Team , away from all the rest ; a Gentleman must be thought only such a man , as may without Controle doe what he lists , and sinne with applause : One that esteems it base and ungentile , to Feare a God , to own a Law , or Practice a Religion ; One who has studied to bring Sin so much into Fashion , and with so much unhappy Successe , that he is now accounted a Clown that is not proud to be thought a Sinner ; and he as ridiculous as an Antique , who will not , without all Scruple , proclaime himselfe an Atheist . Some of the wisest in the present world , have of a long time , ( ashamed , I suppose , to be known by the same name with such a Monster ) thought it more fit to call him Sparke or Raunter ; and indeed the former Name carries so much of the Fire of Hell in the ●ignification , the other so much of the noyse of Hell in the sound , as may almost suite with the Gentleman's Actions . But the proudest vice is ashamed to weare it 's own face long ; Nor dare I believe the Devill to be much in love with his own Name ; I am sure neither is willing to be thought such as in truth they are ; but wickednesse has worne vertue 's mask quite thread-bare ; and Sathan hath so often appeared like an Angell of Light , that 't is now evident , he is not enamour'd of his own Forme . And thus had the Gentleman too , rather deserve then weare the Devill 's Livery ; though he be willing enough to be the man , yet he abhorres the Name . Thus he thinks vertue and vice , like his Honour and Reputation , no more , but the creatures of Popular breath ; and that his eternall Happinesse ( as his Temporall estate ) is entailed upon the bare Name alone ; and by a little alteration of that , he may ( when he pleases ) translate his Title from Hell to Heaven : So fondly Sollicitous he is ( that I may use his own Language ) to Trapan his own Soule , and by the Lamentable Imposture of a Borrow'd Name cheat her out of a most Glorious Inheritance . Hence he endeavours a little more to Civilize the Title , and calls himselfe in a more pleasing language Gallant . In this he is apt to Phancy charme enough to bring even Heaven it selfe in love with him ; and make it as the trees did Orpheus , to follow him whithersoever he goeth ; and certainly so it must , and with some speed too , or he shall never see it , seeing he is alway running , as fast as he can , the quite Contrary way . But , alas , this is all he is like to gain by the pittifull exchange ; that whereas the ungratefull sound of the former names , did so startle the Divell , that he was ready to quit his habitation , either as jealous of a Rivall in the very words , or else afraid of a Discovery , hearing his own names become so Common ; he is now bribed to stay by the Flattery of this later , and securely Lodges in the Gallant 's brest , without the lest feare of Disturbance . But seeing the Gallant is so great a lover of New Names , I hope he will not be troubled , If I make bold to adde one more , and call him with no lesse reason , but in more words , The Divel's Ghost . For whilest Sathan is put to a large expence of Time and Pains to Haunt and Seduce others , Here he meets with one not halfe so coy , but such an one as by his unseasonable kindnesse , seems to be a trouble rather , to the very Fiend , by haunting the Divell . And doubtlesse , if he goe but on halfe so fast a while longer , as he has done of late yeares , He will tire and Puzzle the whole numerous H●ste of Hell to Invent a variety of objects answerable to that of his Humours . To speake him out a little more plainly ; our English Gentleman , as now a daies we commonly meet him , is such a strange kind of thing , that no one name will fit him . Such an Heterogeneous Soule he is , that no lesse then a Combination of all the vices in the World must be summon'd in to make up a Partiall Description of him : Of an Essentiall Definition I dare hardly think him Capable , lest thereby granting him a Compleat Essence , I should be forced , at lest in a Metaphysicall Notion , to call him Good. Good-man is a title he hath ever much scorned , and it is that which ( If yet his pride will afford him any ) he very truly thinks the fittest Compellation for the poore honest Labourer . The same he will sometimes vouchsafe to bestow upon those few Tenants his Prodigallity has spared him . Such a Complicacy of Evils goes to his Constitution , that ere we shall be able to fit him with a name , wee must borrow it from Sathan himselfe and call him Legion . As sinne and vanity make up his very Essence ; so can nothing but wonder and shame Compose his Character . §. 2. His Nature in Generall . You have heard his name , and now take a farther Generall description of him thus . The Gallant is a Pretty , neat , Phantasticall Out-side of a man , and if you dare alway believe your eye , 't is not unlikely you may ( now and then ) be so much deceived , as to think him Something . But a true man you can never Imagine him , he hath too long agoe shaked hands with his Reason , and now counts it the greatest degree of Basenesse in the world , to live what Nature made him , or to seeme beholding for any thing unto ought but his own Humour . He is a well-digested bundle of most Costly vanities , and he is evermore tumbling up and down the streets to gather more of that same Chargeable Dirt : as if he should have enough to excuse his sinne , when he can at once say , it is both glorious and Costly . You may call him a Volume of Methodicall Errataes bound up in a gilt Cover , and his onely commendation is this , that his disorders seem to be orderly ; and his Errors not Casuall but Studied , and he can tell how to sinne most Ingeniously . He is a Curiously wrought Cabinet full of Shels and other Trumpery , which were much better quite Empty , then so emptily full . He is a piece of ordinary clay stuck round with Bristol Diamonds , Pritty sparkling things , which for a time might perhaps make a gay show in a foole 's Cap , or on a Dunghill , But in a Lapidary's shop amongst true stones , have onely so much lustre left as will prove themselves to be but Counterfeit . Such a Silly Gloworme may looke like a little Starre in the Darke , but it 's Splendor is alwaies sure to be benighted with the Rising Sunne . 'T is no small advantage for this fine Sir to live in this Night of the world , where that very darknesse of Ignorance which obscures the great vertues of so many good men , is the onely thing that makes his wild-fires so visible as to be taken notice of . He is the Rich Scabbard of a Leaden Spirit , and that very dulnesse of mettall , makes him endure so long in the world , whilest the keener zeale of nobler Soules , soone makes their way for them through the Scabbard into Heaven . I doe heartily wish he would give us no reason to call him , the painted Sepulchre of a Soule Dead and Rotten in Trespasses and sins : If this Comparison will ever fit any man that is no Hypocrite , certainly 't is the Swaggaring Gentleman . He is a man's skin full of prophanenesses , a Paradise full of weeds , an Heaven full of Devills , or Sathan's Bedchamber too richly hung with Arras of God's Own making : such an Excellency would he faine hold in the basest Iniquity . He can be thought no better then a Promethean Man , at best but a lump of animated dirt kneeded into Humane Shape , and if he have any such thing as a Soule ( which he shall hardly be able to perswade any man to believe that sees how little care he takes to save it ) it seems to be patch'd up of vice and Bravery . If you would come acquainted with his pedigree , let Sin be your Herald , and it will be sufficient to tell you , he was the Sonne of an Offender . His very name's enough to blast the Nobility of all that went before him , and to breath a perpetuall disgrace upon the sleeping ashes of his worthy Progenitors . There may be some question made , whether he needs feare going to Hell or no at his death ; because he has been so well acquainted with it in his life-time ; whither if he have not leave every day to take his full Carier , he think , his Soul bereav'd of her Christian Liberty ; as if he had no other way left him of Imitating the blessed Savi●ur of mankind , but by often descending into Hell. O what a piece of Gallantry is it now a dayes for a man to give his Soul to the Divell in a Frolick ! It is the part of a Gentlemen to out-brave Damnation , and not to be daunted with the thoughts of a future Iudgment : A retreat into Sobriety would betray such an Effeminacy of spirit , as might argue him in love with a Religion ; and make the world believe he were such a Coward as might be Frighted into Piety . Every petty sinner can outface an Earthly , hee 'l doe his best to out-vapour an Heavenly Tribunall ; and make it appeare unto all , that a Gentleman has a Spirit , dares goe to Hell , before he will be said to feare it . Indeed he alone seems to have the art of turning Nature upside-down , and will onely be a perfect man at the Pap , when he is wean'd he gives both his humanity and Innocence to his Nurse for her wages , I am sure he is rarely , if ever , after that time , seen to have either about him . In short , The Gentleman is nothing that he should be : His whole life is a flat Contradiction to his duety ; His constant study is to teach his Body how to put affronts upon his soul , and to give him the lie who dares tell him there are any hopes it may be saved ; He laughs at him that tells him there is any other Heaven then that of his own creating , any other happinesse besides his pleasures , or an Hell diverse from that which Christianity has objected to the Coward 's Phancy . He has the Courage to be any thing but what he should be , an Honest man or a Good Christian. §. 3. His Calling or Imploiment . The Gallant 's Generall Calling and Emploiment is , to scorne all businesse , but the Study of the Modes and Vices of the times : and herein he spares not to rack his brains , and rob his soule as much of her Naturall as her Spirituall rest , to supply the wanton world with variety of Inventions . He takes an especiall care that nothing may ever appeare old about him , but the Old Man of Sin , and him he every day exposes to Publick view in a severall Dresse , that ( if it be possible ) he may perswade the world to believe that all there is New too . Indeed so miserably happy is he in Inventions of this sinfull Nature , that any man , who had not a Spirituall eye , to discerne the same Proud and Luxurious Divell in all his Actions , would almost think he had a new Nature as well as a New Suit for every day throughout the Yeare . Thus he that thinks it so much below him , to be reckon●d amongst the Labourers in God's House or Vineyard ; and disdaines to receive his Penny , with those he should call his brethren , either as a Reward , or a Gratuity ; but seems rather to expect it as a Debt , or Portion due by Inhaeritance : Yet is he Content to sit all day long in Sathan's Shop , one of his Slavish Prentices or Iourny-men , who feeds him with course and Empty Husks here , and will reward him with an Hellfull of torments for his labour hereafter . He is all but a Proud and Glistering Masse of Swaggering Idlenesse : and he makes it his chiefe Study to Demonstrate to the world , how many severall wayes Idlenesse has found out to be busy . He takes this for granted ( as well he may ) that he is not Idle but Dead that does just Nothing . It is his task ever to be doing , Nothing to a Good but much to a bad or no Purpose . Though he may often seem to sit still , and not to move so much as a little finger , yet even then is his soule close at worke , plotting and Contriving how he may for the time to come be most Pausibly Idle . He acts so little for the Publick Good , as if he were afraid he should be thought a Member of Mankind ; or as if the onely businesse God intended him , were but to take care , that he continue breathing . He lives indeed as if he meant to prove , that God Almighty had made him to no other End but this , to show the world that he could make something whereof he had no need when made ; as if whilest he created other men for use and Service , he intended him onely , as Artists doe some of their neat●st but Slightest pieces of work to stand upon the stall , or hang out for a signe at the Shop-windowes , to show passengers with what the Shop is furnish'd within . Or if you will , you may looke upon him as upon the painted signe of a Man hung up in the Ayre , onely to be toss'd to and fro , with every wind of Temptation and Vanity . Such a vain shadow or Picture is he , that were there no more but himselfe I should take the boldnesse to Affirme there were no such Creature as a Man in the world . To me he seems of no more worth then a Piece of Out-cast Iron , lying uselesse upon the face of the Earth , 'till his soule be even eaten away with Rust and Sleath . God made him a Man , but to prove himselfe his own God by a Second Creation , he endeavours to make himselfe a Bruit , nay a senselesse Carkasse that only Cumbers the Earth , & is fit for nothing but to dung the ground it lies upon , and Stink in the Nostrils of the most High. If ever he Sweat , it is in pursuit of a feather , at his play and sport , in running away from his Worke , and in the chase after his Ease : And yet even in that he can never rest , this indeed being the Naturall fruit of Idlenesse , that it makes the Sluggard weary , not onely of whatsoever he doth , but even of Idlenesse it selfe . §. 4. His Education and Breeding . So soone as his age is capable of Instruction and Discipline he is sent to School , or rather by reason of too great an Indulgence in his fond Parents , the School is brought home to him ; where if the foolish Mother do not more awe the School-master , then he his Schollar , the Rod and an empty purse together do for a while preserve him himselfe : But it shall not be long , ere he find roome enough abroad in the world , wherein he may lose himselfe again . Yet truely it is a great rarity in this age , to see the earliest Morning of Youth , unclouded by the fumes and vapours of lust . It being too usuall a thing with the debauch'd father , to make his child , as we use to say , over early his Father 's own Sonne . Most Gentlemen seem to make it a speciall piece of their fatherly care to stave off their Children as long as they can from Virtue and Religion ; lest therein resembling better men then their Fathers , some might take occasion to think them Spurious . To infuse so early into the Young Child the graver Notions of God and Goodnesse , were to make him Old before his time , and these would look no better then so many wrinkles and furrowes in the fresh cheeks of an infant : alas , what were this but an unspiriting of the Child and laying an unseasonable Damp upon the comely sprightfulnesse of youth ? 'T is fit he should be mann'd up by bold and daring exercises , and as men use their Hounds , be blooded now ▪ when he is young . Divinity & Morality are supposed to much to mollifie and emasculate the brave soule of a Young Gentleman , and make it of too soft and facile a temper for Noble and Generous actions . To instruct him how hereafter he should manfully resist his Enemies , he shall first be taught to fight against God and Goodnesse . It is indeed most lamentable to consider how very few of those we call Gentlemen endeavour to make their Children either Honest men or Good Christians : as if it were their onely businesse to beget them , and when they are come into the world , to teach them by their own example , how they may most unprofitably spend the short leavings of their own Luxury . Thus at their death leave they them doubly Miserable in bequeathing them , first , little to live upon , and secondly , many waies to spend it . Indeed the greatest Charity and providence in such Prodigall Parents , were either not to beget Children at all , or to beget them meer beggars , that so they might not give them , with their estates , so many unhappy opportunities of becomeing altogether as bad as themselves . But the Hopefull Youth must be a Gentleman , and in all hast he must be sent to see the Vniversity or Innes of Court ; and that before he well knowes what it is to goe to School . Whither he comes , not to get Learning or Religion , but for breeding , that is , to enable himselfe hereafter to talke of the Customes and Fashions of the Place . Here he gets him a Tutor , and keeps him ( as he doth all things else ) for Fashion's sake . Such an one who may serve at least , as poore Boyes doe in some Princes Courts , to sustain the blame of the Young Gentleman's Miscarriages , and whom the father may chide and beat when the Son is found in a fault : Indeed this care is taken for the good Tutor , that if his Schollar chance to returne home ( as too seldome he does ) with either Schollarship or Piety , he shall then have the Credit or Discredit ( call it which you will ) of making the Schollar , or spoiling the Gentleman ; seeing his parents had taken order he should bring neither of the two along with him . Here perhaps he is permitted to continue a yeare or two , if he have no mother upon whom he must bestow at least three parts of that time in visits , else his Father knows not well where he may with more Credit loose so much good time , or is it may be afraid it will be a greater trouble to keep him at Home . In this time he will , in all probability have learn'd how to make choise of his boon Companions , how to raile at the Statutes and break all good Orders ; How to weare a Gaudy Suite and a Torne Gowne ; To curse his Tutor by the name of Baal's Priest , and to sell more books in halfe an Houre then he had bought him in a yeare ; To forget the second yeare what perhaps for want of acquaintance with the Vices of the place he was forced for a Passe-time to learne in the first ; and then he thinks he has learning enough for him and his heirs for ever . And now that he may be able to maintain his title to so wretched an estate , it is time he should be hasten'd away to some Inne of Court , there to study the Law as he did the Liberall Arts and Sciences in the Colledg . Here his pretence is to study and follow the Law , but it 's his Resolution never to know or obey it ; If in any measure he do apply himselfe to it , it is to this one end , that he may know how to plead for himselfe when he breaks it : or to attain at last to so much more Law then Honesty , as to Cozen him that has more Honesty then Law. Here indeed he learnes to be ( in his Notion of the Man ) somewhat more a Gentleman then before , having now the Mock-happinesse of a Licentious life , and a Manumission from the Tyranny ( as he termes it ) of a School-master and Tutor . This he reckons the happy year of his Enfranchisement , and in Commemoration whereof his whole life-time is to be one continued day of rejoycing . From this time forward he resolves to be a Gentleman indeed , and now begins to cleare himselfe from all Suspicion of Goodnesse , which Constraint and Feare , made some believe there was a Possibility of before . §. 5. His Habit and Garbe . As his Condition of life seems now to be New , so does he endeavour that all should appeare New about him except his vices and his Religion ; He is too much in love with those , to change them , and the latter he cannot change , because he never had any . Pride and Wantonnesse have a very rare and ready invention : here 's a New Garbe , New Cloathes , and a New body too , O could he but once get him a New Soule or no Soule he might be thought happy . When you look upon his Apparell , you will be apt to say , he wears his Heaven upon his back ; and truely ( 't is too much to be fear'd ) there you see as much of it , as he ever shall . He is so trick'd up in Gauderies , as if he had resolved to make his Body a Lure for the Divell , and with this Bravery would make a bate , should tempt the Tempter to fall in love with him . He looks as if he had prevented our first Mother in sinning , and wanting patience to stay for the fruit , had pluck'd the very blossomes , and now wore them about him for Ornaments . His Suite seems to be made of Lace or Ribbon , trimm'd with Cloath . By his variety of Fashions he goes nigh to cheat his Creditors , who for this reason dare never sweare him to be the same man they formerly had to deale withall . His Mercer may very well be afraid to loose him in a Labyrinth of his own cloath , which yet sits , or hangs ( shall I say ) for the most part so loosely about him , as if it were ever ready to fly away for feare of the Serjeant . Alas , how often is he proud of a Feather in his hat , which a silly Bird was but a while agoe weary of carrying in her tayle ? Doe but take him in that condition wherein you may commonly be sure to find him , he will make a compleat walking Tavern . His head and Feather will serve both for signe and Bush. If you observe but a little his strange Garbe and Behaviour , either that wherein he walks the streets , or that other more set and affected one reserved for his forme of Complement ; You would conclude he were going to show Tricks ; I am sure he wants nothing but a stage erected for the purpose . He takes as much care and pains to new-mold his Body at the Dancing-School ; as if the onely shame he fear'd were the retaining of that Forme which God and Nature gave him . Sometimes he walks as if he went in a Frame , again as if both head and every member of him turned upon Hinges . Every step he takes presents you with a perfect Puppit-play . And Rome it selfe could not in an Age have shown you more Antiques then one of our Gentlemen is able to imitate in Halfe an houre : whose whole life is indeed no other then one studied imitation of all the vanities Imaginable ; and by his daily practice , a man would guesse there could be no such ready way invented of becoming a Gentleman , as to degenerate first into that Beast , which now , if ever , is most like a man , an Ape . Such an Honourable creature has he made himselfe , who accounts it below him to be number'd among the ordinary sort of men . §. 6. His Language and Discourse . His Language and Discourse are altogether suitable to his Habit and Garbe ; All affected and Apish , but indeed for the most part much more vile , sinfull and Abominable . When it is most Innocent , then is it Idle and Light , and then most quaint and Rhetoricall , when Drolling or prophane . Although he make it his whole businesse whensoever he dares be Bookish ( which indeed he dreads as much as any thing but to be Good ) to furnish himselfe with an Elegant and Courtlike expression ; yet will all but amount to this at most , that sometimes he may be able to talke well , and show us how much he is a better Speaker then a man : That he shall be able to carve out his Language into some of the most Modish and Dissembling Complements , and to Interlard an affected discourse , with many an Impertinent Parenthesis . And then amidst all this his Time-observing hand and foot do so point , accent and Adorne all with Curious and Phantastick flourishes , that his words are often as much lost in his Actions , as his sense in his words . A piece of noisy Bombast denominates him one of the great Wits , where the Substance of his discourse ( if it have any ) is dress'd up in so rude and Antique a forme ; that staring ( as it were ) the hearer in his face , it goes nigh to scare him out of his Wits . If Don Quixot or some Romance more in Fashion , can but furnish him with a few New-Coyn'd words , and an Idle tale or two to make up his talke at the next Ordinary ▪ In his own fond Conceit and by the votes of his simple Companions , he is carried up to Heaven ; a wanton piece of Drollery will send him beyond it . To be truly Ingenious is not the way to Humour his Frollick Companions , and therefore he is put to study out something else which must serve for a while instead of wit , and 't is strange , he can think of nothing will doe this so well as flat fo●lery ; for most perfectly such is that Dr●lling veine wherein he is so frequently industrious to show himselfe a witty foole ; What a learned age is this we live in , when he is the best Companion for a Gentleman , who can best act the Rustick , and most facilely Imitate the rudenesse and Flatnesse of his language ? and when he alone must be esteem'd the Wit , who can neatliest play the fool to Humour Mad-men ? To be sober or serious in the Gentleman's Dictionary , signifies just as much as to be Dull and Bl●ckish . A Phancy which dares not roave about , beyond the limits of Sobri●ty and Discretion , nor proclaime her selfe to be most affectedly prophane , or as industriously vaine and Idle , is a Bird that has no note sweet enough for his Cage . T is a wonderfull thing to see , how the Apish Ingenuity of this Age , has cut the very throat of all sober Invention , and Genuine wit. A Mimicall tone , a Phantastick action , a Couchant sense , and a Phrase Rampant , quarter the Coat of our Modern Gentile Wit. Such are the Spungy Eares of most Companions , that they will suck in nothing but froth : And the Gentleman looks upon him as a poore solitary foole , who will not thus make himselfe on Asse for Company . But ( alas ) all these are but he Innocent recreations of his Tongue , wherein it sports it selfe in it's Infancy , e're it attaine to that nimblenesse and volubility of expression which becomes a Gentleman . Hee is not alwayes delighted in these soft walkes ; but as he grows more a man , hee chooses him rougher paths , and more manly exercises . By degrees hee steps up from Idlenesse , and Emptinesse , foolery & Drollery , to Scurrility & ●bloquy ; when at every step he tramples some Good Man's Honour in the Dust ; at each word he spits in the face of his Betters , and labours to bespatter with the Dirt of Infamy and Disgrace , every name and reputation , that stands above his owne : And you may be sure he will ever throw the blackest dirt upon the fairest face , where it may certainly do the greatest mischiefe , and be most conspicuous . Like an experienced Archer , he never misses the white ; but ( as good luck is ) such is the Impenitrability of Innocence , when darted at by the poyson'd arrowes of Envy , he never holes it . If this black breath of his could blow out , or eclipse those lights that shine brightest , wee should not have one starre left in vertue 's Heaven : And those lights which were sent into the world to guide him timely and truly out of it into a better , he first endeavours to extinguish , that so he may without check or shame wander through all the workes of darknesse into Hell. What so often in his mouth , as that which he never names but with the deepest accent of scorne and disdain , a Paltry Parson ? And he does not stick often to tel him to his face , that when he comes to have as much wit as zeall , he will begin to tell him another tale then that of Heaven ; that he may doe well to keep him to his tub , and tell a precise story once or twice a week , to his Ignorant Auditors in his Countrey-Church , and forbear to read lectures of Godlinesse to persons whom he should be afraid to looke upon but at a Distance . That he brought more learning from school with him , then all the Canonicall Cassocks and Girdles in the Nation , with all their tough Logicall Notions and knotty Metaphysicks shall be ever able to Contain . With a thousand more such like raveings of a wild and Atheisticall brain . I shall willingly forbeare to personate him any farther in them , lest he might think me able ( as I hope I shall never bee ) to reach the Frantick strain of his loose and prophaine Railleryes . Neither are his Discourses less Beastly then Devillish , less Filthy then Malicious . So foul , obseane , and nauseous for the most part are his words , that some one or other as little acquainted with a God as himsefe , will be apt to conclude , that nature spoyl'd him in the making , and set his Mouth at the wrong end of his Body . Certainly there must be a Corrupted and putrified Soul within , whence there dayly steames out so much odious and stinking breath . Indeed so strangely is the Gentleman's Palate distemper'd by this same loathsome Disease , that he can now rellish just nothing but the very Excrements of Discourse . He is not onely taken with the wanten language and Lascivious Dialect of Love , wherein to accomplish himselfe , he makes it too much his buesyness to collect what he can out of all the loose past●ralls , Beastly Poems , and Baudy pieces of Drollery , which by their number seem to turne our Booksellers shops into so many Iakes : But he takes a great deal of pleasure to lick with his tongue , the Nauseous Botches , and Putrified sores , and the Infectious Leprosies of wit. O how does he delight to dwell upon the sore place of an obscene Poem ▪ and he neuer Commends the Poet for any thing but his Infirmityes . He is no Company for the Gallant of late , who will not once at least before the close of every Period Commit Lip-Adultery . As there is not any more filthy vice of the tongue then this ; so neither do I ever find the Gentleman more in Love with any other ; Except it be that one which I am now to name . And that is it , which indeed I tremble to mention , though he esteems it the greatest Grace and Ornament of his Discourse . I mean , Swearing . For as the Gentleman seems Continually to measure out his time by sins insteed of Minutes ; so his louder Oaths , were they not so very frequent , might well be Compared to the Great Clocke , which gives us notice how his houres passe . This is that pleasing part of his language , wherein he so ordinarily bids defiance to his God , and so powerfully Courts the Devill ; with whom by this means he has as frequent Converse as if he were his Familiar . And he has so great a variety of these Hellish Complements , that the Maister of that Language Sathan himselfe , may in a little time stand in need of an Interpreter to understand him . This is a sin to which there are so few colourable Inducements or prov●cations , that herein , or not at all , the Gallant shows his Proficiency under that Good Master he serves , and proves how straight he can goe to Hell and how fast , without a guide or baite . Here indeed he seems to cry out upon Eve for a Lazy and dull sinner , whilst in Every Oath he loudly swears , that soul not to be worth a damning , which cannot sin without a temptation . T is here he expresses his great Charity to the Devill , for as if he were afraid the tempter should have to great a load of other men's sins at the last and great day of acounts , he freely exempts him from putting his helping hand to some of his sins , and openly professes he is able to goe farre enough out of the way to Heaven without a seducer . How many Horrible and hideous Oathes does he daily invent , onely to swell up his cheekes , and make his words sound high and bigge in the Eares of those that tremble not to heare him ? with what boldnesse and pride does he abuse God's most Holy and tremendous Name , by making it a cloake and varnish to set off his most false , loose , and prophane speeches . As if indeed he had this desperate designe upon Almighty God , to render his sacred Name Odious to the world , by taking it so often into his prophane lips . Unto this we may here adde that other as Common extravagancy of his tongue , which is the abusing and making a Mock of God's Word , as well as his Name . His Rhetoricke seemes all Low and Flat so long as his Metaphors lye on this side Prophanenesse ; but when he has once got a trick to heave up his cheekes , and set his face against the Heavens , and to embosse his discourse with a Rumbling Oath , then hee begins to think himselfe an Oratour with a witnesse . §. 7. His Religion and Conversation . I am afraid it is now too late to tell you what is the Gentleman's Religion , seeing hee has so very little either of Honesty or Humanity . The sad truth is , he is so farre from being indeed Religious , that he is ashamed of nothing so much as that any man should have the charity to think him so , Against this Ignominious brand of a Godly man , he takes the readiest Course he can to vindicate himselfe , that is , openly to deride all those that owne it ; Laughing aloud at all such as have more religion then himselfe . The chief Ceremony of his Religion next to that of Blaspheming his God , is lustily to Curse the Devill : and to declaime both against Heaven and H●ll in a breath . It is below a Gentleman to be a Beggar , though at the Gates of Heaven and the Throne of Grace , and he does as much scorne to say his prayers , as to beg his bread . Nothing but Necessity can perswade him to do either . Devotion and Humility are names wholly inconsistent with Nobility and Gallantry ; These become not that Brave Heroick Spirit , which had rather chuse to starve even his soul to all eternity , then to receive salvation it selfe at the expence of a petition . T is for such faint hearted creatures as have not the Courage to undergoe with Al●●ri●y the torments of Hell-fire , to stoop so low , as to beg an Heaven on their knees , Alas he sees no such lovelynes in the things above , as may oblige him to so submissive a Courtship : And yet he is so Confident to Enjoy them all at last , as if he thought God would be beholding to him for accepting his blessings , or as some foolish lovers take occasion to double their addresses from the unkindness of a Coy Mistres , God would the more Earnestly importune him to be saved , the more disdainfully he lookes upon salvation . If ever the Gentleman appeares at Church , it is but to give you a testimony of his courage , whereby he shows how he dare sometimes venture upon what he most feares . But then he behaves himselfe so proudly there , as if he would Command the Great God of Heaven and Earth to keep his distance , and he may be sure , so he will , for he will draw nigh unto none but such as will first draw nigh unto him . But some times his appearance in the Holy Assembly argues more Cowardice then Courage , and shews that he fears the Constable more then God ; and to be religious more then to appear so . Here if he stay long , he is no lesse pain'd in hearing the Sermon , then if both his Eares were fast nailed to the Pillory . To prevent tediousness and to give himselfe as much Ease as may be ; he picks up here and there something from the Preacher to make merry with , at the next meeting ; Or else he meditates upon the Ladies as they set in their Sunday's-Beuties ; and then he returnes from the Church , as most doe , who come thither with no better intentions , ten-times more an Atheist then he came . But as fast as the Gentleman's Atheisme has taught him to jeer and laugh at all those who are so soft-hearted , as to profess a Religion , so well has their Religion taught them to pitty and pray for him that has none . If the Gallant have no estate ( as many who think themselves Gentlemen have none ) he makes his vices his trade , and so traffickes first for a liveing , and then for damnation . The Tavern for the most part is his Exchange , where haveing prepared the way for one wickedness by another , some drunken cheat is usually the Enriching Bargain ; and this , when discover'd , must pass by the name of an Ingenious frolick . Here he lyes drinking out the Day , except he be forced to sleep out the last night's Intemperance . This is the stage of his Wit and wantonnesse : where he thinkes himselfe a Champion , when he can kick two down staires at once , the Drawer & his Bottle , and sound the Alarme to the Skirmish in a Loud peal of New-fashion'd Curses . Afterall's done there , he walkes the streets as light in his head as his Purse , and much oftner salutes the Pavement then the Passengers . He Drinks as stoutly , as if he meant to carry liquor enough with him in his Belly to quench the flames of Hell ; or rather as if he meant to drink himselfe so farre into a Beast , as he might thereby become uncapable of Damnation . When he has Drunk his fill , he studies how to make the next young heir he meets with , pay the reckoning . If he chance to meet with some poore Innocent Lady , whom a sweet word or two may make his miserable prey , he makes a shift to scrue a ring or two off her finger , and this will both pay the shot , and his Common she for his next night's lodging . In a word , this Ranting Gentleman is a Golden or at least a Gilded sinner , a Royall stave , a Prodigall sparke ; one who hates no name so much as that of Christian ; because he is afraid it would make him Melancholy . He travails over the wide world of sin , 'till he have as little money as Religion , and no more Credit then money . So that he is usually at last constrain'd either to lie hid , and so become his own Prisoner , or to pawn his Body to his Gaoler for his chamber , or else to become a Citizen of the World , and so at last is every where at home , because he is indeed at home no where . §. 8. An Apologie for this part of the Character . Perhaps you may here expect my apologie for making so bold with the Gallant as in the foregoing lines I have done , which I am so farre from acknowledging my selfe obliged to doe ; that I shall hardly obtaine mine own pardon for being no bolder . 'T is out of no other respect then a tender Compassion to his Person , and a most perfect hatred of his waies , that I here take leave of him . In good earnest ( Sir ) I have not the patience to follow him any farther , no not in those paths wherein he walkes with so much Pride and Complacency . If he think I have used him too unkindly , I shall onely answer , that it is not halfe so ill as he uses himselfe : who by being so much his own enemy , has found out a very easy way for his b●st friends to be so too , and yet solve the Contradiction by an obvious distinction betwixt his Spirituall and his Carnall selfe . I thank God , I have learn'd to hate a vice in my best friend , and the more I hate it the better I love my friend , whom I shall ever wish so well , as that he may continue for ever Vertuous , that so I may for ever have his friendship . And I have as well learn'd to love the soule of my most vicious Enemy , and the rather because I know my Saviour did as much for me . I dare not think a Sinner needs my prayers one , jot the lesse , but much more my Pitty , because he pretends to be a Gentleman . I am sure he would say as much himselfe , if he could but seriously consider what distinction of blood or Degrees there is to be expected in Hell , or what respect will there be shew'n to the Son of a Prince more then to a Beggar . Which was best rewarded , the Noble Dives , or the poore and so long despised Lazarus ? A Captive is still to be look'd upon as a Captive , though it be his lot to lie bound in Fetters of Gold , and to have a stately Palace for his Prison ; Nor shall I think that Malefactor's torments much the lesse who has the honour at his execution to have his Fatall Pile made up of all the richest Spices of Arabia . How great an happinesse found he in his death , whose sentence it was to be smother'd to death in a Bed of Roses ? That Prisoner may be in a merry , but in no very good Condition , who , when he should be singing Psalms unto his God , and so with the Captive Apostles set his soule at liberty ; when he should on the wings of Devotion send her out with Noah's Dove , to fetch in the Olivebranch of Peace and liberty from Heaven ; when he should do all this , can yet in a rough Note , and some wild disjoynted Catch , Crown his cups , and Invoke the Curs'd Inhabitants of Hell in an Health to the Divell : whatever others better bred and of a more Gentile Education may think of him , I shall never be able to Commend such a man's Courage and Alacrity : But this I shall ( I hope ) be able to doe , with all the due affections of a Charitable Christian , bewaile his madnesse , Lament his Folly , and earnestly pray that God would at length in great mercy , restore him to his lost selfe and senses . Thus would I hold my selfe bound to pray for a Mad-man , and truly no otherwise for our English Gallant : For were it my purpose to show how Easily a man might be , rather then how hard it is for him , not to be Satyricall upon so foule a Subject ; or did I not more desire with ●yle to heale then with salt and Vineger to vex his wounds , I could without the least wresting fully apply unto the P●rson we speak of , all the Symptomes and degrees , of the most extreem Madnesse or Brutish Folly Imaginable . But I leave him here , and for those others which are behind I shall study more Brevity if not lesse Bitternesse . SECT . II. §. 1. The Second sort of Gentlemen not to be reckon'd amongst those which are truely such . I Would not have you think ( Sir ) that I have done with the Spurious Gentleman , when I have done with the Gallant . I should do some violence to the true Gentleman's vertues , should I say all that are not included in the foregoing Character are just such as he , and deale somewhat too severely with him of whom I am now to speake , if I should Conclude all that are none of the Best , to be the very worst . I find my selfe therefore necessitated to say a little of another , who , though he may be thought by many degrees above the former , yet have I no reason to call him a Saint . If we eie the Common Course of his life , and his Ordinary Conversation ; we may perhaps discover in him something more of Modesty and the man , then in the former , yet shall we not find much more then what is to be read in those two names , of Religion or the Christian : At best , he has in him onely so much of Christianity as may save him Credit in this world not his soule in the other . And of this sort is ( alas , I may too truely say ) the farr greatest part of our English Gentry ; I must include very many of our Nominall Nobilityi and not a few of the Reall too , I mean as farre as blood alone will make them so , under this Head. This indeed is that Gentleman , whether of Citty of Country , whom his neighbours , as well as himselfe , do too often , for want of a better , flatter into Some-body . One , who though he has more discretion then to be stark mad ; and more sobriety than to dwell in a Taverne , or to transforme his own house ( as too many chuse to do ) into a perfect Bedlam ; I am sure there wants very little of it in many , but the Correction and Discipline ; Though he be not fully arrived at the very height of Vanity , nor can yet take a Pride , by the idle expence both of estate and Honour , to purchase an irremediable Poverty to his heires , and to himselfe the Empty title of Spark and Gallant : Yet he can hardly perswade me to believe , the Principles whereby he is kept within these bounds of Modesty and Sobriety , such as may merit him the Name of Gentleman or Christian. Indeed the greatest Difference betwixt him and the Gallant seems to be this , that whereas the Gallant is the very Spume and Froth of Nobility , which ever workes upwards , impatient of a Confinement within any limitts whatsoever , but alwaies flies out by reason of it's extraordinary Levity into Emptyness and Ayre ; this other Gentleman like the Lees or Dregs , by reason of too great a mixture and participation of more Grosse and Terrene parts , settles wholy downwards till he come to the very bottom of all Baseness : Such Lees though at present of some more use then the other , yet will they at length prove good for nothing but to be thrown away . § 2. Severall sorts of such Gentlemen . Such a Gentleman as he who hath a good estate and a full Chest ; and these , excepting a Coate of Armes , and a few old Pictures hung up in his Parlor or Gallery to let strangers see who were his Father and Mother , are all he has to show for his Nobility : and yet his too great Care in preserving these , is for the most part , that wherby he forfeits his Honour : For as the Former freely spent his estate to make him a Gallant , so this later as freely parts with all Gallantry to save his estate . If Nature have bless'd him with some Good parts and Faculties , and if the care of his Parents have added many more excellent Ornaments and accomplishments of a Gentleman ; yet there alwayes appeares some abatement or other in his Bearing , which Disgraces all : And there is that base alloy of ( I know not what ) drosse , in his best Gold , which renders it uncurrent , and altogether useless both to himselfe and all the world besides . In some this is Covetousness , and a love of the world ; in others 't is Cowardice and a Poor-spirit ; In a third sort Lazyness and a Love of Ease ; and in many others Pride and a vain-glorious Humour . Though in favour to the Gentleman , or rather to the world , lest it might seem to be quite voyd of all such things as true Gentry and Nobility ; men are willing very often to bestow upon them too Good-Names ; Calling the first Providence and a Naturall Care ; The second Prudence and a Commendable Policy ; The third a Good-Nature and a Peaceable mind ; and the last a Noble and brave Spirit , and a piece of Necessary state . I Confesse I am as ready as any man to cast into him all the allowances , he can in any reason demand , or I with safety grant him , and all will be little enough to make him full weight for a Gentleman . But he must pardon me , if I love not to hear Good-names thus grosly abused ; nor to see the most beloved and plausible vices passe so Currently and unquestion'd for Vertues . Call them what we will , and make them as Good as we can , as they are enough to sink the Gentleman as farr below his name as Hell is below Heaven ; so have they been too effectuall and prevalent of late , to the choaking up all breathings of true Religion and Piety , and to the bringing a Glorious Church and flourishing Kingdome , to say no worse , into a very low and ruinous Condition . And this I dare be bold to affirme , though I take not my selfe for a Politician , that let us all pretend and Endeavour too what we can , till we can make these Gilded vices to be known and owned by their owne names , we shall have small reason to hope for a setled Church , or peaceable state . I wish I had a salve which applyed to the Gentleman 's blind Eye might take off the Pearle and make him see this truth . § 3. The Provident Gentleman . The Provident Gentleman ( as he loves to heare himselfe miscall'd ) is one who is ever putting the question with him in Iob. What profit is there in the Service of the Almighty ? If you could once perswade him to beleeve that every Good gift comes from above , and that Whosoever askes shall indeed rec●ive , you would soon see him grow Religious , and heare him saying his prayers in good Earnest : But alas , so long as he can make a shift to fill up his Coffers by delving in the Dirt , you must give him leave to Continue Infidell in these particulars . He is Content to heare of Glorifying God , till you come to tell him he must do it with his Substance , but then it becomes an hard saying , and hee 'l heare you of that at a more Convenient time ; perhaps he means it upon his death-bed . So little is he in love with , or sensible of what you call Honour , that allow him the gaine and profit , let God or any one else ( it 's all one to him ) take the other . This Gentleman has just as much God and Religion as a full Chest will hold , his God and his Gold like Hippocrates his Twinnes , live and thrive , and are sick and dye together : and yet it were much to be wish'd he were but halfe so industrious to preserve the one , as he is to keep the other . Insteed of laying up his treasure in Heaven , he lays up his Heaven in his Treasury ; and , if God will be content with it soe , he shall be sure to have his heart there too . Covetousness , I dare say , in such as hee , is the greatest Idolatry ; I am confident he would fall downe and worship the Image of a Nero , nay of a Devil , rather then want the single penny that beares it . You will have much adoe to convince him of the truth of the Apostle's Proposition , That Godlinesse is great gaine , except you will grant him that this is a Logical Conversion , and not to be question'd that Great gain is Godlyness . If with the Silver-smith he can by his craft get his wealth , then shall Religion become his trade , and the Church his forge : But till then you must give him leave to be a worshipper of his great Goddesse Diana . So farre is he from putting in practice that good and wholesome advice , to be Carefull in nothing , but in every thing to give thanks ; that he dares never read the text but backwards , Give thanks for nothing but in every thing be carefull , He cannot esteem it a true piece of providence to make the daie Content with it's own labour , but on the Contrary he gives every day the trouble of careing for many yeares ; and therefore is ready to Phancy himselfe farr from the Rich Fool 's Condition in the Gospell , because he never yet could allow his Soul her Requiem , or think that he had enough for many yeares . He takes much more paines to leave his Children Rich then Good , and had rather give them a Portion then a blessing . The main advice he gives them is to be thrifty and Good - husbands , let them make themselves Godly and Good-Christians . All the learning he intends to bestow upon them , is so much Latine as will fit them for understanding a Bond and so much Arithmetick as may secure them from the Dishonesty of an unjust Steward ; If he suppose the Book may be made a thrifty diversion to keep them from the greater expense of the Taverne or their Game , he may perhaps allow something towards a study . And ( be sure ) he will be carefull enough , to give them so much Law as may be sufficient to maintaine their owne rights , and rack their Tenants . If he go Constantly to Church , t is more to serve himselfe then his God. Often because he hopes by being his frequent Auditor , he may oblige the Parson to let him his tithes at a low rate , or to believe him a man of Conscience , that so he may defraud him of his dues without suspicion . For the most part this Gentleman is the Patron or has the Impropriation , and yet , whilest he and his family grow fat by feasting upon the bread of the Altar , he grudges him who dispenses freely of the bread of life the very Crums that fall from his table . The Church of God thus often starves for want of food , whilest such Dogs Eat up the Children's bread : Such men's whole Lives are but so many Continued Sacriledges , and all they can alledge for themselves comes but to this , that they hold their sin as their land by right of Inheritance , from their Ancestors : Their Coffers grow full by robbing the Sanctuary , and at every meal with their sacrilegious teeth , like so many ravenous wolves or vultures , they teare in pieces the Body of Christ's languishing Spouse : But let her dye , the Provident Gentleman had rather see her Carkasse then his Chests grow Empty ; and if by her death he may peaceably enjoy her revenues , he will hardly mourn , but as such enriched heires use to doe , at her funeralls . It is long since this Good man turn'd Charity out of dores , as an unthrifty Hous-wife , and one that made it her busyness to throw all away . The Poor come and goe about his gates , as hungry birds about a painted Vine , at best they meet with an hard Crust and harder language . He loves not thus to lend his money , though it be to the Lord , except he would give him bond to returne him Eight in the Hundred here in this world . When our Saviour tells him of an Hundred for one here below , and eternall life hereafter in Heaven , he hath as little faith to believe , as patience to waite for such a reward : Yet he could almost wish upon Condition the former part of the promise might be made good to him , without Persecution ; that the later might be reserved for such who can Phancy a God in Heaven better then a thousand pound in hand . If this Gentleman can but so farre deny himselfe as to do no open violence or Injury to any man ; if he can arrive at that degree of Christianity ; which will enable him to reach the Negative part of Iustice and charity , he is apt to think he has made a faire progresse in the way to Heaven . And yet ( God knows ) he ordinarily mistakes this part too . For to win another's estate by some quillet in the Law , or by bribing a Judge ; to over-reach his poor neighbour in an hard Bargain ; to take advantage of a needy person's present necessity , and accordingly raise the price of his Commodity ; to exact first more then he is able to pay , and then make him pay use for his disability ; to send a poore naked soul to bridewell insteed of an Hospitall , to the stocks insteed of a Bed , to call him knave and Vagabond , that he may have a pretence not to relieve him : to suffer a languishing Creature to dye in the street , whilst he had enough to spare wherewith to feed and cloath him ; Or to permit a breach in the walls of Ierusalem , when a small summe out of his purse would repare it ; These he can by no means reckon amongst the species of Injustice , or as defects in Charity ; but therefore counts all good duties as things unnecessary and no way obliging , indeed because chargable and seemingly Burthensome ; and such as contradict that thrifty forecast , and necessary providence he holds himselfe tyed to maintain . He thinks it a greater degree of wisedom to trust God's providence now for some miraculouse reliefe of the present poore , then to rely upon it for the after-enrichment of his posterity . Certainly this is the thing that passes so Currently for Providence , even amongst those who are counted the wiser and more religious sort of our English Gentlemen : But if this can belong to Christianity , then must Covetousnesse and a Worldly minde , be reckoned amongst our Christian vertues . It is ( alas ) too evident what good friends such vertues and such Gentlemen have been of late to our Ierusalem ; whilest our richest Gallantry have all along , in these calamitous times , chosen rather , by a kind of Constrained bounty to reward the Demolishers ; then voluntarily to part with a farthing to pay the builders of our ruinated Sion . Besides this , it is not a little to be fear'd that those many Contrary Oathes and Engagements , Vowes and protestations , which with the help of this sauce of providence have been so readily swallowed ( I fear I may say ) by the greatest part of our Gentry , will at last expose their soules within no lesse to Corruption , then the Contrary Qualities do their Bodies without . O how happy might this poore Nation have been even to this day , had not the Rich Gentleman under a pretence of a Naturall affection and a Necessary Providence , set an higher aestimate upon his own Chest , then the Arke of God ; upon his owne Barne , then the Lord's Temple ; Had he not loved his Interest more then his Religion , the safety of his Body more then the Salvation of his Soul , his Naturall children more then his Heavenly Father , and his money above them all . §. 4. The Prudent Gentleman . By this short view I have given you of the Provident Gentleman , I suppose you will grant him to be none of those we may call the best , or such as it might be wished , wee had many of in our Nation ; And truly the Prudent Gentleman , I mean him who is now adayes knowne by that name , is not of a much Nobler dye : very often you shall find him to be the very same , alwayes very neer of kind to the former . Cowardice is as much afraid to be known , and therefore as loath to walk without her maske as Covetousness ; and would as gladly arrogate to her selfe the never more abused names then now of a wise caution , and a Christian Prudence ; as that other of a vertuous thrift and necessary Providence . Insteed of being ( as wisedome commanded his Disciples ) wise as serpents , Gentlemen are become meer Serpents in wisedom ; and have render'd themselves very capable of that Commendable Character , which was long agoe given to the Serpent , They are more subtile then all the beasts of the field ; and the Prudence they boast of , and under which they vaile a Carnall mind , and a Carking Cowardly soul , is nothing else but a worldly Policy , or rather a Devillish Subtilty . They have made one halfe of the text quarrel with , and justle the other quite out of their Bibles , advancing the wisedome of the serpent to so high and Intense a degree , that it cannot admit the least proportion of the Holy Doves more necessary Innocence . Such a foraminous piece of Net-worke has Christian Prudence been made of late , that these Glib serpentine Politicians can soe wind themselves in and out at pleasure , as if they meant neither God nor Man should ever know certainly where to have them . It is a very famous piece of the Gentleman's prudence to Endeavour to Out-wit an All-wise God , and to go about to put Fallacies upon him out of his owne word , often makeing even God's most righteous precepts the Topicks of his disobedience . How frequently endeavours he to cloak the violation of one law , by a pretended obedience to another , and by setting God's Commands at variance one with another , thinks to steal away his beloved sin , and not be taken notice of ? He dares not take up his Crosse and follow Christ , lest he should become Felo de se , accessary to his owne death ; Nor knows he how to forsake Father and Mother for Christ's sake , without a breach of the Fifth Commandment , which binding him to Honour both , he cannot see how he may in any sence forsake either . He dares not part with houses and lands , for fear he might seem to Dispise God's good Blessings ; nor hazard his estate in the vindication of his Religion and his Loyalty , lest he should be said to have thereby thrown away the opportunities of expressing his bounty and his Charity ; He knows how much he is obliged not to deny Christ before men , and to give an account of his faith to such as demand it of him ; but then he produces a text which tells him of daies wherein the Prudent shall keep silence , and these daies he supposes still present , whensoever his person or estate may be endanger'd by an open heart or an Ingenuous tongue . He will be ready to suffer Persecution for the Gospell of Christ , and , with St Paul , to be bound and to dye ; but this must onely bee when his Prudence is at a losse and he can find out no way just or unjust to avoyd all this . As long as there are shifts enow left him , such as dissembling language , Covert Engagements , Cunning flatteries , treacherous Compositions , petty Contributions , Vnderhand Compliances , in things both Civill and Religious , he thinks he wants no honest Evasions , to secure both Life and livelyhood , Thus he is Content to set him down in quietnesse , whilest the Enemies of God's Church advance in troops and Armies against her ; and thinks it enough , when he can say he wishes all well , and praies for the Peace of Ierusalem . It were no Prudence openly to declare his opinion , or to act on any side ; alas , he is but one single man , and one's as good as none against the stream of the multitude , not Considering that where one does not joyne with one , there can be no multitude . There are other Champions enow in the world to vindicate her quarrell , such as have no estates to look after , No families to provide for , when if all were of his mind there would not be so much as one ; and besides who has greater reason to labour then he that has already received so great a share of his wages . What though he freely gives away a large portion of his goods to the Enemies of God ? It is but the way to secure the rest for better purposes . What though he be constrain'd with faire speeches to flatter up the transgressors in their Iniquities ? His heart for all this shall be for God , his prayers for the Church , and he is as Good a Christian and as Loyall a Subject within as the best . Alas , 't is no great matter to Comply a little in outward things , to lay an hand upon a Bible , to invoke the sacred Name of God , and seemingly to Renounce Religion and Loyalty ; God knows , he intends no such matter , but onely takes this Course to keep his Family from ruine , and to preserve himselfe safe and whole to doe God and his Church more service heareafter . It is all one with him to goe to Church or C●nventicle , so he may by frequenting either be thought to favour the Religion in Fashion , and so not be suspected an Enemy to the God that rules , the man in power with a sword in his hand . He can take a great deal of pains , rise early , and go farre , to encourage a seditious Lecture , and when Sermon 's done with an Hypocriticall face smile upon the preacher , and inviteing him home with him witness his thankes and approbation in a Good dinner ; But he holds it imprudence to frequent that true worship and service of God , which the excellency thereof and the Command of his superiours commends to his Conscience , lest he should be thereby thought ill-affected to that Religion , which he would have Good men believe his soul abhorres . He dares Countenance Rebellion and Sacriledge both with his tongue and Purse ; but aesteems it dangerous , and therefore ( without all doubt ) Imprudence , to Contribute so much as a Good look to the Encouragement of the truly Religious and vertuous , lest he should be suspected by the prosperous sinner , an Enemy to Treason , and Wickednesse . Till we can find a way how to cast out this Prudent Devill , which ( as the Prophet tells us ) is wise to doe evill but to doe Good has no understanding ; we shall ever heare this possess'd Gentleman crying out with the Daemoniack in the Gospell , what have we to doe with thee Iesus thou son of God ? Why art thou Come to torment us before our time ? Such a perfect Gout is this prudent Cowardise , that the lame Gentleman ever cries out at the very sight of any thing looks like Religion , as if it would come too neer him , and touch him upon the sore place . So sad a thing is it to stand in feare of health , lest it should make us sick ▪ to tremble at the sight of what would bring us to Heaven , lest we should lose our Earth ; and to take so much anxious care to praeserve the Body whole , for fear a Courteous wound should set open the dore , and give the soul leave to fly out into Heaven and be at rest . If such men be truely prudent , then are all true Christians undoutedly fools : Or if this over-warynesse be no more but a prudent and Religious Caution , then are most of our English Gentlemen ( which I have not yet Charity enough to beleeve ) Prudent Christians . But ( alas ) Neutrality hangs too much betwixt two , ever to come so high as Heaven ; and a Cold Indifferency comes so farre short of that necessary zeal which is the unfailing Consequent of true Piety ; that it is impossible it should ever be Crown'd with aeternall Happinesse . He that is not deeply in love with his God , cannot place his absolute felicity in the fruition of God ; and he that is afraid to do any thing , or think 's it prudence to suffer nothing for him , is not in Love with him . God has long agoe told the Gentleman , and all others , how much of another temper he must be who will live for ever , instructing him what an immediate Contrariety there is betwixt being for God and against him , soe that there can be no mean left for such a prudent Indifferency : betwixt fighting Vnder Christ's Banner , and being the Devill 's Souldiers . Moderation , 't is true , in things of Indifferency is a Commendation ; but the Gentleman needs feare as little that he can be over zealous in a Good matter here upon Earth , as that he may be over happy in Heaven . As there be no Angels but such as are either very good , or very bad , so every Gentleman is either a Saint indeed , or else stark naught . He that sitts still shall come as soone to Hell as he that sweats in pursuite of it . But whosoever hopes to Come to Heaven , he must ever run and with his face that way if he will be sure to obtaine . I would wish that Gentleman who has not the heart to Confesse Christ before men , to Consider , how he can have the Courage to hear Christ denying him before his Father which is in Heaven , or to Endure those torments in H●ll which he shall be sure to undergo for not Confessing him here upon Earth . Such a Lukewarme soul is so Nauseous unto God , that he must at last Spue him out into the Bottomelesse pit . If this be Christian Prudence , to secure an Estate or preserve a Family , or save a life , by being frigid , and so Spiritlesse in our Profession , as may make us nauseated by God , and set us at such a distance from Heaven ; a true Christian shall have as little reason to Envy the G●ntleman his Prudence , as the poore Church of England has cause to be proud of his Courage . §. 5 The Peaceable Gentleman . The Peaceable and Honest-natur'd Gentleman ( as many call him ) is one to whom the poore ▪ Church of England is not much more indebted for his kindnesse then to either of the former : this is he that is so farre from being Cordially sensible of the Afflictions of Ioseph , or the dessolations of Ierusalem , that he seems to have hardly so much of an humane spirit in him as to understand the meaning of those two words , Happiness and Misery . Three parts of his time at least , he spends in sleep , as if he were resolved to die all his life long ; or by this course to keep himselfe Ignorant of the Concerning affaires of the world , being loath to come acquainted with the truth of those evills which he is resolved not to take any pains to remove . The other quarter of his time he carefully divides betwixt his meales & his sports , and this●e ●e calls , liveing a Good , honest , quiet , and harmlesse life , such as hurts no body . Sometimes he seems even to Envy the very stones that Constant rest which Nature has indulged them , whereby they are made incapable of any motion but what is occasion'd , and that but rarely , by some violence from without them . If he had so much of that Philosophy , which tells us the caelestiall bodyes are in a perpetuall motion , as to believe it for a truth , he would for that very cause be unwilling to go to Heaven . When he hears of an aeternall Saboth of rest for all those that goe thither , he is almost perswaded to become a Christian , yet is he in a great straight betwixt two , for though he love his rest too well , yet he hates the very name of Saboth much more , especially when he hears St ▪ Iohn telling him , that , the Angells and Glorified Saints never cease Day nor Night from praising God Sometimes again he seems to grudg the poore bruit Animals their Irrationalitie , and to share with them , endeavours by a Sordid sensuality to degrade himselfe into a Beast ▪ or at least , to become as like one as humanity will permit him . That he may be better acquainted with their Natures and dispositions , his Dog and his Horse , or his Hawke , henceforward become his Principall Companions ; with these he plaies , and with these he discourses , and towards these ( if you seriously consider all his termes of Art , you will be ready to say ) he has his set formes of Complement : and indeed his whole study is to learne readily to speak that language wherein he may be understood by the silly animals . When the weather or his health or the like will not befriend him in these exercises abroad ; then he sits at home , numbring his minutes by the turnes of his die , or the playing of his Cards ; or perhaps gets so much liberty abroad , as to measure out his houres by the motions of his bowle . Such a mercilesse Tyrant is he to that ( which he feares he shall never loose or destroy fast enough ) his precious time ; that he allwaies studies to invent variety of Executions for it . Now he delights to drown it in his Cups , anon he burnes it in his Pipe , by and by he tramples it under his horse's h●ofes ; again he knocks it in the head with his Bowl , teares and devours it with his Hawks and his Hounds ; there is nothing he will leave unexperimented , 'till he have certainly found out a way to prevent it's naturall , Honest and Commendable departure . These Courses he willingly allowes himselfe in , and desires to have all thought noe more or worse then his Contempt of the world , and his study of retirednesse from those Distracting Cumbrances thereof , which are unworthy of a Christian , or a Gentleman . Sometimes he delights to consume a great part of his time in unnecessary visits , but studies withall to make them so unprofitable , as if he were desirous to have it thought men were made onely now and then to look upon one another : his discourse ( what there is of it ) being so idle and impertinent , that it serves to no other end , then to exercise his tongue and keep it by much motion voluble ; lest for want of use he should in a short time ( as he does by most good things ) forget to speak . Sometimes you shall have a Complement from him , but puff'd up with so many hyperbolicall expressions of your worth , and of the incredible respects he has for your person , that you cannot chuse but suspect he only labours how to be disbelieved ; or has learn'd of his Dogges how to fawn and flatter . And thus when he has made a shift to lose an houre or two , and to trouble his friends with much Impertinent talke , he returnes home again to eat and play , and sleep , and spend the remainder of his time as Idly as he can . In a word this sort of Gentlemen borders so closely upon him we first described , the Gallant , that I shall not need to say more of him , then only this , that he has some degrees lesse of Madnesse then the other ; he seems as yet but to hang about the dores , and has not gain'd an admission into the Society of Raunters : Nor is this because he wants a Genius or Inclination to evill in the Generall , but rather he is beholding to one vice to keep him from another , and being wedded so much to this , is forced to abstain from it's Contrary . Either he is tyed to his Chest with a Golden chaine , which will not allow him the liberty of ranging into so many costly riots ; or else a l●aden dulnesse so much oppresses his soule , that she cannot Soare so high in the vast Region of Debauchery : So that if you find him free from any one vice , he is to thank the Contrary vice and not the vertue for it ; or at best , he owes it to an Infirmitie of Nature that he is free from both . Indeed for the most part this Gentleman is ( as the Philosophers use to say of their first matter ) though not perfectly formed into all those Noble qualifications ( as they are usually miscall'd ) of the Compleat Gallant , yet is he , at lest , in a remote Disposition to all or any of them : As the Polypus is said to be alwaies of the same colour with the neighbouring object ; or as the Looking-glasse reflects as many different faces as are obviated to its own superficies : So is this Gentleman not properly one , but any Body ; of the Religion , and the Humour , and the fashion of his Companions , as neer as his own weaknesse will permit him to Imitate them . And this is it which Commonly purchases him the repute of a Civill , a Courteous , an Affable , a Good-natured and sweet-disposition'd person : Only because he know●s as little how to be angry with a vice , as how to be guilty of a vertue . Such a Ductile , soft and Compliant soul he has , that as the Wax to the Seal , he would fain smile upon every man in his own face , and speak with every one in his own language ; He Complements , and Praises , and Flatters , and performes all the offices of a Gentleman , as his shadow in the Glasse , only by reflection . For a fair word he will part with his own soul , and with a fair word he does often occasion the ruine of many more : whilest he loves as much to flatter others up in their wickednesse , as to be flattered up by others in his own . Say and doe what you will ( so you injure not his person or estate , nor rob him of his beloved ease ) you are sure to have his approbation , and if for this he may have yours , he thinks it a reward and encouragement great enough . But I leave him . §. 6. The Stately Gentleman . There is yet another that challenges a roome in this paper , and truely deserves his place as much as any : If he will not be angry , and in a rage swear to burne the paper , when he finds himselfe set in the last and lowest place , all 's well enough . And this is that Stately and Majestick he , whom I dare hardly name lest he should take it as an affront , for though he hunts after a name and reputation amongst all men , yet he looks upon it as a kind of Disparagement of his vertues , and an undervaluing of his Honour , to heare his name from any mouth but his own . But most of all he esteems it pr●phaned , when mention'd by persons so inconsiderable , as all those of our Colour , unto such as himselfe have ever appear'd . This is he who thinks himselfe as much too good to be a Christian , as he thinks all Christians too mean to be accounted Gentlemen . His onely God is his Honour , and to give it something of a Deity , he Phancies it to be singular , and that there is none other besides it ; when ( alas ) this Idoll too is just nothing . But such is the strange Omnipotence of Pride and Ambition , this Gentleman can first create to himselfe a God out of nothing , and then fall down and Worship the Idolized Vanity which his own Ridiculous Phancy has thus set up . That he does indeed more esteem this Shadow then the true God , he too loudly affirmes in all his Oaths ; for when he intends what he saith shall unquestionably passe for serious and creditable , he swears by his Honour and Reputation : Other Oaths he hath enow , by the Glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth , which are but too litterally the Burthen of his discourse ; these ( as we said of the Gallant ) he uses not for Confirmation of the truth , but as the sportive recreations of his tongue , and the graces and Ornaments of Good Language . He it is , that ( wheresoever he be ) will see that all men doe their duties , but himselfe . And he doth something well herein , except , when by a proud mistake he calls an unmerited respect to his own Supposititious vertues , their indispensible Duty . He looks that all men should observe as great a distance from his person , as he is resolved to doe from their vertues ; or as if allready he were ( where I wish by the much despised grace of Humility he may at last be found ) in heaven . He expects no lesse observance and reverence from his Tenants , then as if he were not only Lord but Creator of the Mannor : as though he would be thought as much Master of the Vniverse , as he is the slave of his own Ambition . He walks up and down so wantonly and affectedly , as if he intended thereby principally to Demonstrate to the world his great perfections and Excellency , that he must take much pains to do amisse . This Lordly Sir , so long as he can but get a Cap and a knee from his Inferiours , and the chair at every meeting with his betters ; he thinks that all the blessings of Heaven ( though a Crown of Glory be one of them ) can adde nothing to his Honour : Were it but for this one reason , he would never make it his businesse to come thither , because he may justly despaire of ever being the best man there . If it may be conferred upon him as an Honorary reward , and upon the meritorious claime of his vertues , he will perhaps be Content to weare the Crown ; but as a Gift he scornes it , lest he should draw upon himselfe an obligation to the Donor by accepting it : And as his wage he scornes no lesse to acknowledg it , for as he has not by any labour Earn'd it , so is he afraid to be look'd upon to his God in the relation of a servant . In short this Gentleman Phancies himselfe endow'd with such a transfigurative excellency , that ( as the Philosophers stone , once found , should turne all things it touch'd into Gold ) he supposes it able to turne all things into Gentile and excell●nt which he is in love with : All his vices , whatever deformity the dull eye of the world apprehends to be in them , his over-weaning humour looks upon as no lesse then the most absolute of all vertues : and he conceits himselfe so Immoveably fixed and setled upon the highest Pinacle of Honour , that Basenesse it selfe shall never have any power to degrade him . Thus ever conceiting himselfe placed at so great a height , it is no great wonder if he become so giddy at length in all his actions ; and beholding others at so great a distance , I marvell not , that he begins to see men like Moles upon the earth , and to think them all so blind , that they cannot discerne his vanity . This indeed it is that makes him think neither Church nor State worth his reguarding , he can with Dry eyes behold both vessels split at once , and in the mean time flatter himselfe up with the Divellish hopes of Enriching his Ambition by the miserable wrack . This is he , that can think it no Injustice to rob the whole world , and rifle the store-house of Nature , to adorne his Body and humour his Palate ; to weare the portions and livelihoods of ( I know not how many ) Orphans and Widdowes in a Bandstring ; and carry the lives and Fortunes of many languishing Souls upon his Little-finger . I wish that whilest he casts ●o scornefull an eye upon these poore naked Beggars , he would but seriously consider how many of their Contemptible rags he hath pick'd up together , to patch up all that bravery upon his own back ; whilst either his oppression occasion'd , or his uncharitablenesse prolong'd their lamentable condition . He makes indeed almost the whole creation Club to maintane his Ambition , and returnes a derision in requitall . This Gentleman 's chiefe pastime and sport whereby he makes himselfe merry , is to laugh at two sorts of men , The Godly and the Po●r , the one as a Praecisian , and he that has unmann'd himselfe by too much Religion ; the other as the out-cast of Fortune , or a man intended by Nature for nothing else , but by his labour to make him rich , and by his Ignorance to make him merry . The Black-coate or Parson ( for by these names he thinks he does sufficiently pay the Divine and Schollar ) he ever looks upon with as much Superciliousnesse and disdain , as if the very Colour of his Coat were odious and an Eye-sore to him , or as if because shame and feare keep him from Immediate and Direct Blasphemy , He were resolved to expresse his splene against God himselfe , by despighting his servants . He is seldome or never his Auditor but when he has a mind to sleep , or is disposed to be merry , and then he comes to Church and there worships God just as he honours his Ministers out of it : Nay he is unwilling to allow his God that ordinary Civillity , which and much more he expects from his own Chaplain , that of a Cap and a knee : Or if his Breeding have taught him more manners , then his Piety has Reverence ; then shall all his Religion be pent up into this one poor Ceremony , and so he makes his Worship all one with his Complement . This is he , whose intollerable Pride makes every thing , that is not the very basest kind of Flattery , passe for an Affront , and an high piece of Disrespect unto his Person . For this immediatly he studies a revenge , which he has learn'd to call a necessary vindication of his Honour . What an excellent Chimistry is there in such deluded Nobility , which can extract a Spirit of Honour out of the very Dunghill of Vnworthynesse ; and find so admirable a sweetnesse , in that which cannot be thought better then the very Ordure and Excrement of Ambition , Malice and Envy , I mean , Re●enge ! Let but the least Circumstance of that Respect , he supposes due , be omitted , and presently there flies out a Challenge , and for the most part so vauntingly worded as if he meant his breath or his Ink should doe more execution then his sword By this meanes he makes his first thrust at his adversaries very heart , that so he may wound his courage before they meet , and cause his heart to faile him before the Encounter ; for this indeed is often the onely way his late repented temerity uses to leave him , for the securing of his Reputation . But is so be his courage stand upon the same levell with his Ambition , 't is nothing but the death or disgrace of his Antagonist , will asswage his Fury● in the Field therefore he often sends his Body to the Grave , and his owne Soule to Hell at a Blow . This is his Gallantry , and this the necessary vindication of that Honour , which is so tender , that every thing except it have in it the unworthy softnesse of the most servile compliance with his owne unconstant Humour , rends , sp●ts , or grieves it : and which nothing can wash clean , or make whole again : but the Heart-blood of him who durst give the Affront . I hope he will not take it as such , if I make bold here to take my leave of him ; I have neither leisure nor patience to trace him through the wild Labyrinth of his Pride , wherein he has long agoe with no small complacency lost himselfe , and all things which looke like vertue . I wish all men , whom he studies to provoke into an madnesseequall with his owne , may ever have that high charity for this Gentleman , which I have now ; then should they answer all his challenges with this prayer , That God would give him more courage , then to suffer himselfe to be thus basely Affronted and domineer'd over by so dangerously insulting a Passion , without the least Essay : towards the just vindication of that Name and Honour which alone are Valuable . §. 7. The conclusion of this part . I should as much tyre you ( Sir ) as my selfe , should I run ( though with never so much haste ) over all the particulars of the Gentleman's vanity and madnesse ; which are so inseparably , for the most part , interwov●n one within another , that I feare I may already seeme too absurd , by dividing them into so many Sects or Species . The plaine truth is , Vice seemes to be that very blood which Gentility so much boasts of ; that which conveyes it selfe through all the Gentlemans veines , and is dispersed into all the severall members of the body , in a measure suitable to the capacity of each . Or rather you may call it the common-soule which informes and actuates the whole body of Gallantry ; and which is Communicated to the particular members thereof , not by an extention , or Distribution of parts and degrees , but ( to borrow once more the Philosoph●r's Phrase ) it is wholly in the whole , and wholy in every part of the whole . If the great variety and diversity of operations will yet needs plead for a further Distinction , we must say , what we use to say of the various actings of the same soule , This Diversity ariseth not from a Multiplicity of Soul●s or Principals , but from the many powers and faculties of that one soule , and the various dispositions and qualities of the Materiall Organs . Really , Sir , the Gentleman we have hitherto spoken of , is but the more curious and costly instrument of Sin , and would appeare such a breathlesse thing without it , that a man might well question whether or no he would be found an animated beeing . For ought that I can yet discover , he has no more motion then what vice gives him , excepting that which he expresses when he is asleepe , which ( setting aside his excess therein ) is almost the onely thing wherein hee lookes like a man. To give you therefore the Conclusion of this whole character ; call him any thing but what hee would be call'd , and you can hardly miscall him ; for indeed he is almost any thing but what he would be thought to bee . A Gentile thing , made to weare fine cloathes , and throw away much money : to eat the best , and drinke the best , and doe the worst : one that seemes to have been sent into the world , to help away with the superfluities of Nature ; and by his Intemperance to devour all those temptations which might allure others to the like Sinne. He knowes no shame but that which arises from singularity , nor any singularity , but in doing and living well . §. 8. A more particular application of this Character to our present English Gentleman . It has , alas , been but too true in all Ages , that to be Great , and to be Good , are two : and never was there a more undenyable Demonstration of this truth , then in the praesent Gentleman of England ; to the no lesse dishonour of the whole Nation , then Disparagement of his own name in particular . Whilest there is nothing more his talke and his boasting , then his blood and his Breeding , and yet nothing lesse his Care then to Dignifie the one , or make a right use of the other , How few of those Gentlemen have we now to show , who dare make it their buesinesse , and their Glory to be serviceable to their God , their Country , or the Church ; or that have breasts full of that Heroick Courage and magnanimity , that may embolden them to renounce a sin that is profitable or in Fashion ? How rarely are the men to be met with , who indeed have a reall sense of any thing , but their Meat , their Drink , their Apparell , and their Game ! Except you will Instance in some of their most notorious vices , wherein indeed they do too truly aemulate , and labour to outvie each other . Heretofore when this shatter'd Nation was a well cemented Kingdome , and enjoy'd those ( then slighted , but now much desired ) blessings of peace and plenty ▪ how by a study'd abuse of those great mercies did the Gentleman even Dare Allmighty God to punish him or his Nation ! And now that a sad and long experience of their Contraries , has made him feel , though he will not yet be truly sensible of , the lamentable Consequents and effects of his former Bold Wickednesses ; how does he insteed of Confessions , petitions and vowes , draw up , as it were , his Remonstrances against his God , and wages an open warre with Heaven , endeavouring to force the Almighty unto a Composition and that upon the most unacceptable termes in the world ? It is too manifest ( alas ) to any eye , how little Holinesse has been the Product of those Iudgments which have doubtlesse , among other sins , been the especiall punishments of the Gentleman's Luxury and prophanenesse . Wee here him indeed very frequently crying out upon these sad times , but too seldome reflecting upon those much worse men who occasion'd them . Like a Churlish Dog , Snarling at him that beats him , but never considering whose the fault was that caused the beating . I know not I confesse what should make the Gentleman so Atheisticall in all his Actions , as either formerly he has been , or now is ; Except God's mercy on the one hand perswaded him he could never be provoked unto Iudgment ; or his Iudgments on the other that he can never be reconciled in mercy ; except he dares think the Benefits he formerly enjoyed greater then a just God could possibly conferre upon so unworthy a sinner ; or the present Iudgments he now smarts under , rather the Crossenesse of an unkind fortune , then the tokens of the Incensed wrath of an Angry God. Whence else should he be either so stupid or unnaturall , as neither to live thankfully under the former , nor penitently under the latter ? §. 9. The Winner and the Looser in these times . I find two sorts of such Gentlemen , one is the Winner the other is the Loser in this late game ( for indeed we have all along sported our selves in our own Miseries ) which has been plaid in England . The former of these thinks himselfe much too happy already , to become now Holy. The Fortunate successe which he hath had in his sins , makes him onely repent that he practised them no sooner ; and the taking way of Religious pretences , makes him sorry for nothing but that he was no Earlier an Hypocrite : It is a very sad thing to Consider what foul tricks this Politick Jugler every day plaies behind the glorious hangings of these Religious pretences : what deadly poysons he has sent abroad into the world in this perfumed breath . This Gentleman 's onely Religion is his Art of Dissimulation ; the faire gilt which makes his Copper Coyn to passe so Currently . O what a Chargable commodity has this Legerdemain been to our little world ! Whilest they who have it , purchased it at no lower rate , then that of all sincerity and honesty ; and they that will live safe by them , must become as very knaves as themselves . That Garment of Religion which is now worne and in Fashion with these men , is of a very slight stuffe , and indeed by long wearing and often piecing is so very full of diversly colour'd patches , that it is hard to say which is that , which belong'd at first to the whole : And whence is all this , but from the Gentleman 's scorning the good and strong lineing of Morality ( so much now adaies decried by the most ) which would have held all much Longer together : he is the onely Saint in the world ( if you 'll believe himselfe ) and the Morall-man is no companion for him . O how many faire Estates and Glorious Churches has this man's furious zeale reduced to ashes ? and yet , alas , the long promised Phoenix of Reformation appeares not yet . How many Palaces and Temples has his Piety defaced ? How many rich treasuries has his self-denyall plunder'd ? And whence all this , but because Robbery and Sacriledge are much more profitable appendages of his Religion , then the more castly formalities , and expensive superstitions of the other ? To how many Sons of Rebellion has that one plausible pretence of Christian liberty , by this Gentleman , beene made the Mother ! And yet for all this is our Freedome but still an Idaea , and our happinesse a Phancy . How dearly has the Church paid for the New-coyning of this Language , and refining his prophanenesse and Ribaldry into Dissimulation and Canting ? O what an enriching Commodity is Hypocricy , which has set up so many Broken tradesmen in the world Compleat Gentlemen ? And extracted our most refined Nobility ' out of the very drosse of the People ▪ Indeed if to be rich , be to be a Gentleman ; if to be Crafty be to be Prudent ; if to dissemble be the highway to be Sainted ; and to be Fortunate the sole Foelicity , which terminates the hopes , and must crowne the endeavours of a Christian : If the feares and cowardice of fools and sinners , and the scorne and pitty of the wise and good , will make a man truly Honourable , who hath no foundation of his owne wherupon to build a Reputation ; then is this prosperous and thriving Gentleman , and none but such as he , the true Gentleman of our Nation . But the Gentleman on the losing side will , I know , think it too much ( and well he may ) that another should grow so honourable at his cost and charges , and give him so few thanks for his honour when he has it . He is no lesse troubled to thinke how hee shall yield him so much Honour now , then he was to part with his estate to him a while agoe . But then , alas , what does this Gentleman , who ( with no small passion ) calls himselfe a loser , towards the regaining of what hee has lost ? truly just the same , which at first occasion'd the losse it selfe : as if not being Evill , but Evill to a lesse degree had beene the onely cause of all his sufferings ; and the way to remove his afflictions were to be ten times more a sinner then before : He so behaves himselfe under the correcting hand of God , as if he thought , the mercifull God did onely chastise his children to make them cry and complaine of his unkindnesse , not at all to make them sensible of their errours , or forsake their wickednesse . Certainly such a resentment of God's dealings with us is a stubbornnesse , not a poenitence ; and such a praeposterous improvement of God's deserved judgements , is the way to provoke him unto more and greater , not to perswade him to withdraw the lesse and lighter . O that the suffering Gentleman would but seriously think of this ! who growes daily ( as 't is visible in all his actions ) worse by Correction ; and only swears at , and Curses his Oppressors , insteed of fasting and praying for the pardon of his Offences . He takes it to be an undeniable priviledg of Loosers to talk what they list , though never so prophanely : and looks upon this time of his sorrowes as the chiefe opportunity of serving himselfe , and easing his heart by all kinds of merriment : and therefore he makes hast to drink and play away his Cares and the scant reliques of his estate together . Neither yet can I believe he would be halfe so bad as he is , were it not more in opposition to his Enemy , then out of love to his own vices . He often abhorres and abstains from the vices of other men , not ( as good Christians doe ) for the sin's sake but for the sinner's ; from whom he endeavours to set himselfe at such a distance , that he never rests 'till he be gotten into the Contrary extreme , and often into the more Scandalous though not alwaies the more dangerous of the two . As if vice could have no opposite but of it 's own name , nor any means were left him to become one way better then his adversaries , but by being another way worse . Was the former an Hypocrite ? He , left he should be thought so too , will be Openly prophane . If the one will not sweare or kisse the booke when call'd to it by a lawfull Authority ; the other to be Crosse will sweare a thousand Idle Oaths against God's expresse Command . Thus betwixt them doe they labour to show the world what a Latitude there is in Atheisme . I might to these very seasonably here adde a third person , one that has plaid his Cards so well , that he is neither Loser nor Winner in this Sad Game . One , who ( I am sure ) has done as little Good , as he thinks he has done hurt to any body : who still makes a shift to lie lurking in some hole or other 'till the sport ( as he calls it whilest it touches not him ) may be over , so he can but sleep in an whole skin , and with a full purse , he takes no thought how the world goes : What my thoughts are of this Quiet Soul , I shall have told you sufficiently by saying thus much , he loves his ease and safety better then his God. If you desire to read him more at large , I must intreat you to cast your eye a little back , and with the Provident , Prudent or Peaceable Gentleman you will be sure to find him . §. 9. How Good English men such Gentlemen are . And now ( Sir ) how much reason the poore Church or Kingdome of England has to brag of her Gentry , I think I have abundantly told you . Her richest Sons doe not alwaies prove the most affectionate and Naturall to their Disconsolate Mother . But indeed daily aggravate her griefe and Sorrow , by their prodigall courses and most Barbarous behaviour . What do they lesse then with the ungratefull Mule , hourly kick at the paps which gave them Suck ? And with the bloody Tyrant whose Character it was , to be a lump of dirt kneeded up together in blood , they have torne out the very Bowels of a most Compassionate and Indulgent Mother . Our Church may very well complain of some who would be thought her own Sons , as God of his ungratefull people of old , She has brought up Children and they have rebelled against her , and among all the sons she has nursed up , there is none to pitty her or lead her by the hand . When they were full and waxen fat , then they forgat God ; and now that some of them are leane enough , nay as the fat kine in Pharaohs vision , even eaten up of the very leanest Cattell in the Nation ; yet being so many waies smitten they do but revolt more and more . It will be a mercy rather then a Iudgment , if God vouchsafe to smite them once again . Thus , whilest one is Ignorant and can doe nothing , another Lazy and will do nothing , a third Cowardly and dare do nothing : whilest one is so Prudent he thinks it not wisedome , another so Covetous he holds it not providence , a third so Lordly he accounts it below him to doe any thing but what may foment his own sinfull inclinations : Whilest one is too voluptuous , another too worldly , a third too ambitious ; whilest one has a Wife , another a Farme , a third a Dog , and the fourth a Pot ; It will ever either misbeseem their Dignity , or Crosse their Interest , or hinder their Calling , or Injure their Families , or thwart their Humours ( and indeed there 's the main let of all the rest ) to follow Christ or take care of his Spouse . God give them grace betimes to love her better in whose armes alone they can hope to be safe from the roaring Lion ; and to abandon those Dal●laes which so long as they Court , they can neither love Her , nor secure themselves ! In a word , I shall put up for them a short prayer but a full one , if they would but understand it — God make them all such as Gentlemen should be ! And what that is , I shall now endeavour , to the best of my skill , to tell you : though both for want of Age and breeding , I must necessarily come as farre short of him I would describe , as I have been all this while above that other , whom our Nation had been more happy never to have known . The Gentleman's vertues are as much above my reach , as the Gallants braveries below his Imitation . SECT . III. The True Gentleman . §. 1. An Apologeticall Introduction . BEing now ( Sir ) to give you the True Gentleman's character , you might very justly expect to meet with something truely like the Subject , High and Noble . He is indeed too sacred a thing to be touch'd by so Common a Pen ; every slip whereof can be deem'd no lesse then a Prophanati●n of his worth , who is the liveliest Image which God has left us of himselfe upon any of his Creatures . However , seeing where there is so venerable an Excellency , as all Encomium's may be thought Folly and Praesumption , so can silence be judged no lesse then a Sacriledg : seeing we use to offer unto Heaven , not so much what we owe as what we may : I think it much better becomes me to say that little I can , then just nothing ; and to tell you , if not what the Gentleman is , yet at least so much of his greatnesse , as falls to my share to understand . I had much rather be censured for committing such a pious errour , then be Condemned for the wilfull omission of so necessary a duty . I dare not suspect the Gentleman's Goodnesse to be of a lesse extent then My Ignorance ; and therefore I doubt not but he can pardon as often as I through weaknesse shall offend . Where I ▪ erre , let him think it was the brightnesse of my subject which dazled my eyes , and occasion'd me to stumble . Where my expressions fall low and flat , I do beg of him , that he would impute it to that Reverence which I beare unto his virtues , which Commands my Pen to to keep it's Distance . I hope you will not blame me for this Apology , for I would gladly keep off as long as I can , when I cannot draugh nigh without a necessity of Erring . Even in this short Praeamble you may be pleased to read something of the Gentleman's Character ; to wit , such a Greatnesse as Commands a Distance and reverence , and such a Candor as can pardon a failing ; and ( which is indeed the summe of all I have to say ) such a Man as is truly a Gentleman . Which name speaks all that bears a Contrariety to the thing we lately spoke of , whose very name is such a Compleat Summary of all Vices , that there is but one thing lest to Denominate the true Gentleman ; I mean , as absolute a Combination of all virtues . All which I can conferre to his Character will amount to no more then an Imperfect paraphrase upon his Name ; and as much as I understand of this , take as followes . §. 2. His Generall Character . The True Gentleman is one , that is as much more , as the false one is lesse , then what to most he seems to be . One who is allwaies so farre from being an hypocrite , that he had rather appeare in the eyes of others just nothing , then not be every thing which is indeed truly vertuous and n●ble . He is a man whom that most Wise King , he best resembles , has fitted with a Character — A man of an Excellent Spirit . This is he whose brave and noble Soule sores so high above the Ordinary reach of Mankind , that he seems to be a distinct species of himselfe . He scornes so much the vices of the world , that he will hardly stoop to a vertue which is not Heroick ; or if he doe , it is by his good improvement of it , to make it so . He is one to whom all honour seems cheap , which is not the reward of virtue , and he had much rather want a name then not deserve it . This Gentleman is indeed a Person truly Great , because truly Good ; His Honour is of too excellent a Nature to be supposed the Creature of any thing besides his own vertues ; and those vertues too Eminent to be esteemed lesse then the most refined actions of so great a soule . He is no lesse the Glory of Mankind then man the Glory of the whole sublunary Creation . One that would every way deservedly be accounted more then what is humane , were not one part of him Mortall ; However it is his first care and endeavour to make this mortall part of him such , as may make it apparent to the world , how Great an Excellency may be the Companion of so much frailty . 'Till he may be so happy as to enjoy the Heaven he hopes for , he does what he can to be an Heaven to himselfe ; and by his extraordinary pains , so beutifies his soule with all Coelestiall accomplishments , that he needs only die to be in Heaven ; and seems to want nothing of those Glorious Spirits which dwell there , but onely to be without a Body and as high as they . He looks upon himselfe whilest in this world as no more then a Probationer in the School of Honour ; and makes it his businesse so to behave himselfe at present , that he may be sure of an admission into that true Honour ( when the Day comes ) which will be as certaine and Durable , as true and Great : Well knowing that the onely way to be Lord of Many things , is to be faithfull in these few wherewith he is now intrusted . His Soul is so truely great and Capacious , that nothing but an Heaven and aeternity can fill it : So nobly high are all his thoughts , that he is ever aiming at a Crown : So active and mounting his Holy Ambition , that it disdains to pearch longer then a Breathing space , upon the most exalted spire of all Sublunary Glories . He is so throughly sensible of the Coelestiall Nature of his Soule , that ( did he not think it one great part of his Happinesse , to suffer any kind of Misery in Submission to his God ) he could not think his life lesse then one Continued torment ; and so long a detention here upon the Earth , a meer restraint and Confinement from all Comfort and blisse . As for the Blessings of this world , he looks upon them , as the Child should doe upon his farthings or his Counters , small things indulged him for the recreation not the businesse of his soule . Yet ( such a Good Housewife is Vertue ) he reaps no small advantage to himselfe , from these subordinate enjoyments ; which by their frequent Cousennages perswade him the more to be in love with what 's both more precious and more usefull . Knowing that his Mansion is prepared in Heaven , he can esteem the world no better then the handsome frontispice to that most Glorious building ; where he beholds a great many Fine flattering objects , and pretty Curiosities both of Art and Nature ; but all 's no more then an Earnest and kind Invitation to him to Enter in and possesse those unspeakably excellent Mansions , which these things so dimly shadowed out unto his eye ; these well dressed Dainties which he enjoyes here , he dares but tast at most , to prepare him an Appetite ; he intends to feast himselfe in Heaven . To give you the summe of what I think of him in the Generall ; He is every way so much more then a man , that he is no lesse in all things then himselfe . One whose rarest Excellencies are such , as would make us believe his breeding had bin amongst the Angels in another world , rather then amongst Gentlemen here in this : and that he were onely lent us a while , an universall patterne for Mankind to Imitate ; And to let us see how much of Heaven ( if we will receive it ) may dwell upon Earth . He is so refined from all Mixture of our Courser Elements , as if he were absolutely Spiritualized before his time ; If ever he were proud of any thing , it was of being the Conqueror of that , and all other Vices . He scornes and is ashamed of nothing but Sin. He lives in the world as one that intends to shame the world out of love with it selfe : and he is therefore Singular in all his Actions , not because he affects to be so , but because he cannot meet with Company like himselfe to make him otherwise . In a word , he is such , that ( could we want him ) it were pitty but that he were in Heaven ; and yet I pitty not much his Continuance here , because he is already so much an Heaven to himselfe . §. 3. His Chiefe Honour and Dignity . His first Honour in this world , is to be borne the most noble of God's creatures here below ; His next is to live one of his most Obedient and laborious servants , like those above : His greatest to Die his beloved Son , that so he may reign with him for ever . It was the Honour of his Infancy onely , to have Noble Parents ; It is the Honour of his riper yeares , that he can Imitate their Vertues , and it will be the Crown of his Old-Age to be as good a father as his own . Blood and Birth then stood him instead , when his tender years had not yet render'd him Capable of vertue and Worth. When he comes to Age , He Enters upon his Honour , not as upon his estate , by the will or title of his Ancestors , but by the claime of his merits ; looking upon it not as his lot or Inheritance , but as his choise and purchase . He has an Especiall care that his Honour and his Person may both live and Grow up , but never die together . He accounts it much below a person of his Quality , to owe all that Respect which is given him when he is a man , to his full Coffers ; or all the Reverence which is paid him when an Old-man , to his Gray-haires : But he so provides for his Honour , that whatever Respect is offered him , may be esteemed a Debt and not a Present ; and that his future Goodnesse may not be thought the Product of the Old , but rather an Obligation to New respects : Such he Civilly accepts when paid him , but seldome challenges when delay'd or withheld ; so farre I mean , as they Concerne his person , not his Office. For though it be one Honour to deserve , yet is it another Contentedly to want them . He needs never goe abroad to seek himselfe , and therefore he hearkens with more safety to his own Conscience , then the people's Acclamations ; and he had much rather know himselfe Honourable , then be told that he is soe . His highest Ambition is to be a Favourite in the Court of Heaven ; and to this end his Policy is to become not a Great but a New Man : and to dresse up himselfe in all those Spirituall Ornaments , which may make his Soule truly amiable in the eyes of the Great King. He considers how that he owes himselfe unto God , as he is his Creature ; and he endeavours to discharge that Old debt , by a most earnest and importunate suite for New favours ; ever praying that God would make him fit to serve him , by making him first a New-Creature . He Could never yet think the Old-Man fit to make a Courtier of Heaven ; and therefore he uses to walke in his white-Robe , and his Wedding-Garment , that so he may be admitted into the King's Praesence . He furnisheth himselfe betimes with such Apparell as this , and he fits and settles it to his soule before-hand , knowing that the longer it is worne , the more Splendid it Growes , and the more it is used , the longer it will last ; the onely way to wear it out , is , not to wear it at all : but having once attired himselfe in this Habit , now Every day is with him an Holy-day , and he is henceforward every where at Court. But that which he esteems his great Honour indeed , is this , that he can with Confidence , and truly , call God his father , His Saviour his friend and his brother , the Church his Mother , and the Angels his fellow servants . Such Parents , such kinred , and such Company he may safely boast of ; but this he does no other way , then by his Obedience and Gratitude . He behaves himselfe as a King's son ought to doe , that is , he does nothing misbecoming his birth and Dignity . §. 4. His Out-side and Apparell . If we may spare so much time from the Contemplation of those richer Excellencies of his inner man , as to take notice of his Outside , we may there behold the Ingenious Embleme of his better selfe : so much Good care he takes that there be nothing found about him , but what may speak him indeed a Gentleman ; and present you ( so farre as the Matter will bear it ) with the faire picture of a Noble Mind . He would gladly so polish and adorne his body , as becomes the lodging of so great a Soul. He looks upon it as a thing onely so farre deserving his care and paines , as it is a necessary Instrument of her Operations : and yet he rather could wish himselfe ( might it so be ) freed from the Cumbersome Company of his Flesh , because it proves often so great a Clog and hinderance to the more Active and vigorous inclinations of his better part . So long as he is Confined to his Tabernacle of clay , he makes the best that can be made of a Necessary Evill : so feeding his body that it may have strength enough to serve his Soule ; and so cloathing it , that the other part may be kept from freezing , and fit for more sprightly actings . Indeed he never makes much of his Earthly part , but in subserviency to his Spirituall ; that so he may the better , as he is Commanded , Glorify God both with body and Soul , which are his . Hence is it , that you may alwaies observe in his Habit , such a Gravity as beseems a Christian ; and yet such a Decency as becomes a Gentleman . He chuses rather to have his distinction from other Men founded in his vertues then in his Cloaths . Herein he showes that he looks more after what 's serviceable and usefull , then what 's pleasing and Fashionable . So much Curiosity he has , as not to be Slovenly ; and so little , as it cannot show that he is vaine or wanton . He had rather have his Apparell Rich then Gaudy , and yet rather warme then Rich. It is neatnesse not bravery , a Decent not a Gorgeous attire , which , next unto what 's usefull , he aimes at . In every suite he buyes he hath as great a regard to the poore man's necessities as to his own humour , and makes choise of that Cloath or Stuffe which may please God hereafter upon the Beggar 's back , more then what he knowes may now flatter the wanton eye of the World upon his own . He has much better thoughts of Vertue , then to hope his fine Cloaths may gaine him a respect where that could not ; nay on the other side , he knowes that Goodnesse is enough of it selfe ; to advance the Ragge above the Robe , and a Leatherne Cap above the Golden Diademe . He Pitties the unskilfull wantonnesse of the world , which allwaies ( as Children and Fools use to doe ) sets an higher value upon the Varnish and the gilded Frame , then on the lively features and excellent Art in the rich Piece they adorne : and he calls it a blindnesse , at least , a weak sight , which cannot behold a vertue , but ( as we do a dull picture ) through the Glistering Glasse of Vanity . He esteems his penny in the Poor man's purse a much greater Ornament , then a faire Plume in his own Hat. Neither knowes he how he may with a Good Conscience weare that , which might be made many a poore man's livelihood ( as too many now love to doe ) in a Band and a paire of Cuffes . He is more pleas'd to see his own Cloaths cover another's Nakednesse , then displaying his lusts : and thinks it more honourable to weare the Charity then the Bravery . If his Place or Office challenge an Habit above his desires , by what he is forced to doe , he showes what he would chuse to doe ; and most lively expresses his singular humility , in his necessitated Gallantry : showing how he can Condescend even to any thing , so it be Innocent ; though by a Conformity contrary to his naturall Inclinations . And even herein he takes care to Provide himselfe such Apparell , that his cast suite ( as we call it ) may not be quite cast away : and to this end he chuses rather to swaggar it in Gold then Tinsell , in Cloath then Stuffe : that so it may be sullied before it be torne , and unfit for him to weare , before it be worne out ; and then most becoming the Poverty and mean Condition of another , when it shall be below the State and Dignity of his Place and Person . It is most certaine ( and the Gentleman knowes it as well ) that the Temper and Disposition of the Soule , is no way better Discernable , then through the Habit and Garbe of the Body : He that longs after New fashions , will not be backwards in embracing New Religions : both proceeding from one and the same dangerous Principle , an unconstancy of mind , and a Desire of Novelty . The True Gentleman knowes it by experience , that where there is no levity in the thoughts , there appears no alteration in the Body ; where no inconstancy and Pride of Soule , there 's no change or flaunting in the cloaths . And therefore that the world may know that he has a fixed and resolved soule ; he has one Constant Garbe and Attire ; and he will never yield that to be out of Fashion , which is both Serviceable and Frugall . Alas , the poore Body ( he knowes ) Desires nothing but what may preserve it alive and in health ; It is the lascivious Soule which calls for all those other Superfluities ; and the Gentleman accounts it below him to gratifie his lusts , and to be at so vast an expence to cloath his Humour . He could never , since he was a child , play with a Feather , or think himselfe happy in the Glistering of a Lace or Ribband . He leaves these toyes to those silly Creatures who are resolved to Continue for ever in their Childhood or Infancy , and dare be so foolish as to think a bread band and a slaunting Cuffe , as necessary as Heaven . He can think himselfe a man without such a vanity ; and know himselfe a Gentleman without any such Mark or bravery : alwaies wearing such Cloaths , as his Body may in Old-age have good reason to blesse the moderation of his soule ; and the Needy may have no lesse cause to pray for the health of of his body . §. 5. His Discourse and Language . When you heare him speak , you will think that he intends no lesse , then to give you a tast of his Soul at every word : Nor indeed is it possible you should in any thing plainlier Discover the Noblenesse of his Spirit , then in his sweet breath , so Divinely moulded into most excellent discourse . Every word he speaks , speaks him ; and gives you a saire Character at once both of his Abilities and his Breeding . If you respect the Quality of his Discourse , it is Grave and Noble , Serious and Weighty ; and yet alwaies rather what is fit to be spoken , then what he is able to speak . His Words are most Proper and Genuine , but not affected ; His Phrase high and lofty , but not Bombastick ; His Sentenses close and full , but not obscure or Confused . His Discourse is neither Flashy nor Flat , neither Boyish nor Effaeminate , neither rude nor Pedantick : It is alwaies Sober , yet Ingenious ; Virile , strong and Masculine , yet sweet and Winning : He loves a Smooth expression , but not a Soft one : a Smart or Witty saying , but without a Clinch or Iingle . His words are those which his Matter will best beare , not such as his Phaney would readily est suggest . No poor halfe starved Iests , no drie Insipid Quibbles can get any room in his Rhetorick : hardly a word in all , but what hath it's Emphasis , nor any sentence without it's full weight . If you would eye the Quantity of his Speech , it is not Long but Full ; not Much but Great : He speaks not alwaies , but when he speaks he saies All. He as often showes how well he can be silent , as how well he can speak ; and others alwaies love more to hear him talke , then he himselfe . He makes no lesse use of his Eare in all Companies , then of his Tongue ; and by his serious harkening to the more impertinent discourses of his Companions , plainly proves he has no lesse Patience then Rhetorick . He makes it evident , that he has his tongue ( that unruly Beast in most men's Mouthes ) as much at his Command , as his Wit , and that he is able to make both rest , as well as both move at his pleasure . His sayings are never long or taedious , but they alwaies reach Home ; and he will very seldome take any thing lesse then a Necessity , for an Opportunity of speaking . But then usually he delivers all with that facility and perspicuity , as if his words were not the elect and voluntary , but the ready and Naturall emanations of his Soul. No Passion shall at any time more Disturbe the Order of his words , then it can Cloud the Serenity of his forehead . He cannot make himselfe merry , much lesse proud , with his own Inventions ; nor does he ever catch at the applause , but aimes at the Edification of his Auditers . If you will look upon the Matter and Substance of his Discourse ; you shall see , 't is alwaies what he finds , not what he makes : Not what he supposes may afford the fairest field for his Phancy and Invention to roave in ; but the Best-Garden of such choise fruits as the Stomacks ( Not the Palates onely ) of his Company shall be best able to beare : Or such as may prove most Medicinall , when seasonably applied to the severall Diseases of those that heare him : These he alwaies studies rather to heal then Discover , and yet rather to Discover then Flatter . Hence he often distributes amongst them the Bitter as well as the Sweet : and rather that which may nourish , then what may please . And yet here it is , if ever , that he acts the part of the Tempter : for he makes even the Sourest Apple ( which he knowes to be wholsome ) so pleasant to the Eye , that he forces such as need it , by a Pious Fraud , into a reall love of what naturally they most hate . Indeed the onely way which for the most part in such Company is left him to prevent the losse of his own time , is to make others with whom he Converses gainers by his Society : and he does his utmost endeavour , that every one that heares him , may by what they heare , either gaine a vertue , or lose a Vice. This is it , which makes him very carefull to avoid , whatsoever might rationally be supposed able to vitiate either his own Discourse or the M●nds of his Auditors . And very good reason he has to be more cautious in this respect then other men , seeing the most Odious vice from his Language would gaine so great a Lovelinesse as would probably make it one of the strongest temptations . But his Rhetorick has too sweet a face to be made the Mother or Midwife to any thing that has the Monstrous shape of Sinne : he should fouly ▪ Adulterate so great a Purity , who should goe about to match it with any thing lesse then Piety and Virtue . Obloquy and Scurrility are too deformed and wryfaced to gain any place in his Affections ; He that is able , when he will , to create to himselfe a Reputation not inferiour to the highest , scornes as much , as he needs little to Rob any other man of his . His fingers are too clean to be fouled by throwing dirt in other mens faces . He is as much afraid to discover a Blemish in another man's eye , as he is to suffer a greater in his own ; and will rather charitably condescend to lick out the Mote with his tongue , then deridingly to talke of it . He holds it too much below a man to imploy his Nayles in vexing an Old Sore , and scratching 'till he make a New one . He leaves it to Dogs and Ravens to prey upon Carrion . Alas , it is a very hungry wit , which is fain to feed upon such Nauseous Diet. Other Men's Infirmities , especially if Naturall or accidentall , are much more the objects of his Charity and Pitty , then of his Merriment and Derision . He judges it a Cruelty proper to weaknesse alone to Murther the Sick ; no true Ingenuity can be so Barbarous as to sport it selfe in the Misfortunes of the Miserable . He esteems that ( as well he may ) a meer Dwarfish wit which cannot tell how to show it selfe to the world but by trampling ( and so advancing it selfe ) upon the Reputation of others . It is a Barren Phancy , or at least has alwaies a very Hard Labour , which can be mother to nothing but to what Misfortune must be the Midwife . The True Gentleman has both more wit , more Honesty , and more Charity , then to permit his tongue to be so foolishly , so unworthily , so Tyrannically busied . Nor doth he lesse abhorre to come neere that filthy Puddle of obscaenity ; 't is a Sow and no Minerva that can be for such nasty food . He never carried the Goat's tongue in the Gentleman's head , but wishes that all who do so would for ever use it as Goates doe , that is , continue allwaies Mute . All his discourses are as Chast as faire , and the sweet Loves in recitall whereof he so much pleaseth himselfe and all those Good men which heare him , are no other then those betwixt God and his own Soul. He is too just to himselfe and his own unusurped Majesty , to suffer his talke to flag into an idle much lesse a wanton strain of Drollery : that 's too Plebeian and Vulgar for a Gentleman , and this no lesse too foul and Beastly even for a Man : and he must be more then both these in every expression , a Christian. He cannot but with as much wonder and astonishment as pitty and Compassion , hear those puny Souls , which can invent no other Method of Gracing their Discourse , and make it takeing , but by a Complacent rehearsall of their own and other men's uncleannesses ; nor can find matter for an Houre's talke , without being beholding for it to a Mistresse or an whore ; Or at best by dressing , up some Empty piece of Folly in fine words . Thus can they never be merry , but as Children use to be , with a Baby or a Rattle . His Soul presently boyles up in a pious Agony within him , whensoever he heares a vaine Oath or any thing that sounds like prophanenesse : He never mentions the dreadfull name of Almighty God , but with that due Reverence both of Soul and Body which suits with it's greatnesse . He is too much the friend of God , and is every way too neerly related unto him , to heare him Dishonoured with patience ; or to suffer his Name to be made so vile and cheap , as to be used ( as too Commonly it is ) onely as an Expletive particle to prevent a Chasme , or make up a Gap in the sentence , or to make all run more smoothly . He has the like Holy respect for God's Word as his Name . He is too much in love with Scripture to see her prostituted to every licentious Phancy , and by an impudent wresting made the subject of every Atheisticall wit. The Gentleman looks with a more reverent eye upon this sacred Fountaine : not as set open to be troubled and made Muddy by the Wanton Goates , but to water and wash the tender Lambes . He useth it further as a wholesome Bath for his White Soule , which will preserve her both clean and whole . I should Injure the Gentleman , to dwell any longer upon his Negative vertues . Onely , this is an Indulgence given to our Ignorance , that we are allow'd to speak in the Negative of all Great perfections , and say what they are not , when we cannot , as we should , expresse what indeed they are . If you will heare what I have to say more of his Discourse in short , then know , that all his words are not onely the pretty pleasing , yet Empty bublings of a restlesse Phancy , a rageing lust , or a wanton and Frollick Humour ; But all of them the Grave , weighty , and well proportion'd Breathings of his great and Holy Soul. §. 6. His Behaviour and Civility . His whole Behaviour and Carriage is Masculine and Noble ; such as becomes his Heroick spirit ; and yet alwaies accompany'd with a wonderfull Humility and Courtesy . His Body is only made straight , and the more it selfe , not ( as most men's are ) New-moulded by Art : He has just so much of the Dancing-School as will teach him how to laugh at those that have too much . He has made more use of the Vaulter and Fencer , then the Dancer ; for his desire was more to be a Man , then a Puppit , and to be a servant to his Country rather then his Lady . If in things of this Nature he sometimes studies another's satisfaction more then his own , he will show how much he can be more then a man , not how much lesse , and how Active he can be , not how Apish . He so behaves himselfe , that by what he does , you may rather Conclude he can do more if he will , then that he hath done all he can do . In these , as in all things else of the like Indifferency , he manifests his greatest power there where most men have the least , in refusing to doe , what he is sure would gain him the empty Applause of the Multitude : Though , so farre as he can judge the sport or Recreation Innocent and lawfull , he had rather manifest a slighting and a disreguard , then an hatred towards them . His Complements are not ( as in others ) the wild extravagances of a Luxuriant Language , but the naturall breathings of a sincere kindnesse and Respect ; His Civility is alwaies one , with his Duety , his Frindship , or his Charity . A Court-dresse cannot bring him in love with a Lie ; nor can he look upon a Fashionable Hypocrisy with a more favourable eye , then upon a Glorious cheat ; He judges of all Dissimulation , as in it selfe it is , for though in Complement the Practice of it may seem Princely , yet in its own Nature he knowes 't is Devillish , and in the Issue will prove Damnable . He Scornes to be Sathan's Schollar , though for so profitable a lesson : for it was He indeed was the first Master of this Ceremony ; when he Complemented our first Parents out of their Innocence and Paradice at once ; tickling their Ambition with this High straine — Ye shall be like Gods. It is his care , that all the Obedience and Honour his Inferiours are obliged to render unto him , may seem no more then an Imitation of that he payes unto his Superiors : And that the Courtesy and Civility of his equals may be thought nothing else but the reflection of his towards them . But if anothers kindnesse chance to get the start in showing it selfe , he makes it appeare that his Backwardnesse proceeded not from any want of Good-will but Opportunity ; and he endeavours to requite the earlinesse of his friend's Courtesy , by the measure of his own . His Inferiors may behold in him how well Humility may consist with Greatnesse , and how great an Affability , Authority will admit of : By his Practice our licentious world might easily be convinced , that Freedome and subjection may dwell together like friends . All his words , and all his Actions are so many Calls to vertue and Goodnesse , and by what he himselfe is , he shewes others what they ought to be . If Heaven were such a thing as stood in need of an assistant Temptation ( which a man would almost believe when he sees how little men love it for it selfe ) certainly it would make choise of the Gentleman as the loveliest baite to draw others thither , were not the Generality of Mankind grown so stupid in their sins , as to fall in love with Hell ; were they not infatuated even to a Confidence in those vanities , which are worse then nothing , and besotted into a sensuality below what 's Bruitish ; who would not make hast to Heaven , were there no greater Happinesse then the fruition of such a Companion as is the true Gentleman ? And truly thither with all speed he must resolve to go that intends to enjoy him long ; for he makes too much hast to that place of happinesse , to stay long by the way . Such Good men indeed are soon taken away , and this is so little laid to heart by us , that we have great reason for our own sakes to fear , that they are taken away from the Iudgments yet to come upon this sinfull and Rebellious Nation . The world growes so thin of such as he , that we may too truly now say he is but one of a thousand ; and then 't is no lesse then a thousand to one that very shortly whosoever would find him , must go to Heaven to seek him . And indeed it were an high injury to perswade him to a longer stay here , except we would assure him of our Company thither at last . §. 7. His Inside . It is now time to take a short view of his Inside , and it must indeed be a very short and Imperfect one ; for you cannot but imagine what would be the unfortunate event , if such weak eyes as mine are , should gaze too long and intently upon the Glorious body of the Sun. I shall onely therefore be so officious to such ( if any such there be ) as need my help , as to set open the windowes for them , the Sun ( I am sure ) will shine in of it selfe . And truly his rayes dart in soe thick and fast upon us , we shall hardly know which to take notice of first : An understanding here we meet withall , so clear and unclouded ; a Will so regular and uncorrupted , Affections so well refined , so orderly , and uninterested . that 't is wholy evident , that as Nature found Materials , and Education built the House and set all in Order ; so do Religion and Morallity Governe within , and betwixt them keep all clean and handsome . His vertues seem to be so much the Necessary and Naturall Emanation of his most Active and boundlesse soul , that he is in danger by beeing altogether Good to lose the praise and honour due to so eminent a Goodnesse : If he could Leave off to be vertuous , the world might then seem to have some excuse for being vicious . But his Goodnesse is too absolute , to grow out of love with it selfe , and too knowing to lie obnoxious unto such a cheat , as to part with her own face in exchange for the fairest of Vices . I wish the world would forbeare to love Vice , till he begin to forsake vertue ; and that all our Gentry would endeavour to be like him , till he become like them , or esteem any thing truly Noble , which he cannot prove to be really Good. As for his Intellectuall Excellencies , so farre as he owes them purely and Immediatly to God and Nature , I think it not fit so much as to touch any further upon them ; lest I should not beare up even in that great variety , wherein they are distributed among the many Individuals ; God having proportion'd them out unto the severals in so different a measure , as nothing but his own Infinite wisedome can give a particular reason of it . Onely this I may safely say , that whatsoever his talent is , the Gentleman Digs not in the Earth to hide it ; but so traffiques with it , till Art and Industry have Brought in an Encrease some way proportionable to the Stock of Nature : at lest to that degree which may intitle him to the Euge of his Lord ; and the Glorious welcome of a Good and faithfull Servant . He makes use of God's Bounty , not as a Warrant for his sloath or an Indulgence to his Idlenesse ; but as a Spurre and motive to a gratefull Care and Industry : Not as a treasure to be prodigally spent , but a stock to be thriftily husbanded and Improved : He accounts it a thing most unworthy in a Gentleman , to be an Il husband , especially where the treasure is God's , and he but his Steward ; yet such a steward , as has the use , as it were , of his Lord's purse for his Incouragement . His acquired Intellectuall accomplishments , are too numerous and various to be here characterized , something must be said of them hereafter in his study , though but very little ; for I chuse rather to insist upon what Denominates him Good and Noble , then Great and knowing : for though the latter be usefull and excellent , yet the former are more praise worthy and Necessary . §. 8. His Command over himselfe . His Will and Affections he makes the Instruments and servants , not the Guides and Mistresses of his Soul. He subjugates His Will unto Reason , and this to Religion ; and and by this means it comes to passe that he never misses of having his own free Choice in all things . He both Doth and Hath what he will , because he never wills but what is according to reason , nor thinks any thing Reasonable but what 's honest and Lawfull : thus by making God's will his own , he is never Crost in his desires . Thus he exercises the first and main act of his Authority at home ; and that he may be more expert in Governing others , he first practises upon himselfe ; and learns to command his Inferiour Soul. He will not submit in the least to the Tyranny of a Passion , nor hearkens he further to the most tempting Suggestions of his Sensitive part , then he sees that subject to the grave and sober dictates of its lawfull Emperesse Right Reason . His Affections when prepared and fitted by an unprejudiced Iudgment for his service , he delaies not to put into exercise , but imployes them as so many wings , whereon his soul may be Carried up above the reach of Vulgar men . It would be too great an Indulgence in him , to suffer his Passions to be their own carvers , and chusers of their own objects : for these beeing the Naturall Daughters of his untamed sensitive Appetite , have too much of their mother in them , to be discreet in their choise ; like wanton and imprudent Girles , they would pitch upon the fairest rather then the best , and more labour to flatter the Sense , then obey the Reason : As their Lord and Soveraine , therefore he appoints , and Reason Cuts them out their work , and assignes every one it 's proper taske ; and by this means at length they become the Beauty , ornament and strength , which otherwise had naturally been , the Blemishes , Disorders , and Infirmities of the Man. He desires in all things to be above the world , that 's his Ambition ; and therefore he sets his Affections on things above , and points them out the way to Heaven , that 's his prudence . The soule without them would be lame and unable to goe ; and they without it's eye of Reason , are blind and know not which way to goe : but ( as the Cripple upon the blind man's back ) let but the judgment direct them in the right path , and then they will carry the soul to Heaven . The Gentleman is too much a Man to be without all Passion , but he is not so much a Beast as to be governed by it . In this Moderation and Empire over himselfe , where he gives Law to his Affections , and limits the extravagances of Appetite , and the insatiable cravings of sensuallity ; the just rule he goes by is not Opinion but knowledg ; not that leaden one , which is so easily bent and made Crooked , or melted and dissolved by the heat of Passion , or the arts of Sophistry , into error and Skepticisme ; but that other Golden one , which lies as close and firme , as 't is made straight and even . When he would imprint the true lovelinesse of any Object upon his affections , he takes it into a true light , and has a care to remove from before his eye all those Cunningly wrought Glasses , or other instruments of Sathan and Lust , set so frequently to prejudice and deceive the sight ; whatsoever might cause him to mistake a false object for a true , or to see a true one amisse : so endeavours he to be as free from error as from vice : esteeming it as a sin to act against his knowledg , so a shame at least to be deceived in his Opinion . He judges of things , as he does of men , not by what they promise , but by what they prove ; and so he trusts , and Loves , and feares them , not for what in appearance they seem to be , but for what in the use and triall of them he finds that in truth they are . He accounts not an Oxe therefore more terrible then a Lion , because he is greater : nor a Pebble more desirable then a Pearl because 't is heavier : But he first collects the Excellency of every thing from it's usefulnesse , and tendency unto that end he aimes at in the pursuit after or use of it , and then he proportions his affections according to that degree of Excellency , he has thus rationally concluded to be in it . After this manner does he in the first place Lord it over his Passion , 'till in a long obedience she have served out her apprenticeship to his Reason : then is she deservedly enfranchised into a vertue , and so becomes at length her Lord's Mistresse ; and 't is she will get him a reward for his service in Heaven . §. 9. His Magnanimity and Humility . There is a Brave Heroick Vertue , which is as a second soul unto the true Gentleman , and Enspirits every part of him , with an admirable Gallantry ; I mean , Christian Magnanimity and Greatnesse of Soul. This presently heaves him up to that size that the wide world seems too strait and narrow to contain him , or afford room enough for him to expresse the activity of his Spirit . This is it which teaches him to laugh at small things , and disdain to goe lesse then his Name . Being carried up on high , upon the wings of this Vertue , he casts down his eye upon those little Happinesses , which seem enough to satisfie the Narrow Souls of other men , with no little Contempt and Scorne : but on those poor starvelings themselves , whose Earthly Appetites can make such trash their Diet , with as much Pitty and Compassion . It is this Vertue which so ennobles all his actions that they beare a just proportion to the largenesse of his thoughts ; and permits him to engage in nothing which is not truly Honourable . And it is this same Vertue which makes his own Bosome his Treasury , and that so rich and selfe sufficient , that all the externall felicities this world has or can cast in to the Bargain , are look'd upon by him with as slender a reguard , as the Widowes Mite would have been by the great Lord of the Temple , without a large Augmentation from her Piety and Devotion . It is this Virtue which makes him a Calme in his own brest when the whole world besides rages like a troubled Sea round about him . Let the storme and tempest threaten never so loudly a splitting and a wrack to other unballanced souls ; he knowes not how to fear , whilest his Courage is his Anchor , and Innocence his safe Harbour . This is it which makes him conclude their Labour very ill spent , who for the cherishing of a Childdish humour , use to sweat , and Consume their strength and Spirits in pursuit of a Feth●r ; or strain their backs to take up every straw that Glisters in their way . It ought to be a much Nobler Game then such a silly fly , that this Eagle vouchsafes to Stoop to . But as this brave Virtue thus teacheth the Gentleman , to he enough to himselfe , and rest Content and Satisfied with what he hath at home ; so does it likewise teach him to be too much for himselfe and Commands him not to vindicate all of himselfe wholy to his own use and service . It were pitty so great a Goodnesse should be thus Confined within one subject , as not to be able to Distribute something of it selfe to every one of it's neighbours . Nay this Christian Magnanimity doth so stretch out his Soul , that even that too seems to be Communicated unto others besides himselfe : It is a kind of violence and restraint to her to be pinned up within the narrow Province of one Individuall Body , and therefore she studies how she may enlarge if nother Empire yet her Charity ; and make a number by being the Objects of her bounty , the witnesses of her Greatnesse . Indeed so Diffusive and spreading is Vertue , when she growes in so rich a soyle , that of a little she soon becomes great , and of One a Multitude . This grain of Mustardseed growes up so fast , and so great , that many may reap the benefit of it's grouth , by partaking of it's branches . And such a Cloud , as at first might appear but of an hand breadth , will suddenly make a Nation happy in that refreshing dew , which by it's plenty , will argue a strange increase after so small an appearance . Indeed the Gentleman acts as if he intended , that his soul should in a short time animate the Vniverse , and make it more then ever the poor Philosopher could dream of , One great Gentleman ; and the severall Individuals therein but the numerous members of his own body . Though the indocile and untractable spirits of the Common sort of men be such as force him against his will to be singular ; yet to show us how unwilling he is to remain so , his vertues are too charitable to be long alone : and hence are all his Breathings such , as might well be thought intended by him to inspire his Company with something like himselfe ; and all his Actions so many earnest Essayes towards the assimilating of their Natures unto his own . He is Master of so inexhaustible and Miraculous a treasury of Goodnesse , that he may very well afford every man a little and yet keep all unto himselfe . He knowes not how to be good ; and not to doe good , and therefore one halfe of his study is to give himselfe away . Neither his brest nor his purse are ever shut to such as need him , and ( God knowes ) more need him , then will make use of him . The Gentleman may well be Compared unto a Great Book , which alwaies lies wide open to the world ; that whosoever wants advice or Counsell , may freely Consult him at pleasure : there they may read , what himselfe , as opportunity served him , has taken great pains to Coppy out faire in all his Actions , whatever is both safe , great , and Good ; thus in one and at once they may behold both the rules of a Good life , Praecept and Example . Nor doth this virtue more manifest it selfe in a liberall distribution and Instruction , then in as free and Impartiall a Correction and reproofe , whensoever it is requisite , chusing much rather to crosse the humour of his friend , then flatter his vice ; and to lose his friendship here , then his Company ( if it may be possible for him to have it ) in Heaven another day . He is not afraid to call every Man by his own name , or adde the Epithete which is due unto it ; that so every one that comes into his presence , may be afraid to bring a bad name along with him . He can envy no man because he cannot see any one better then himselfe ; neither yet can he despise any man , because he really desires every one might be as good as himselfe . So that , what 's most of all Commendable , this most excellent vertue is accompanied with a most exemplary humility ; and there is nothing can more deservedly exalt him in the thoughts of all men , then this , that he is such a Diminutive in his own . Nor does this proceed from an Ignorance of his own excellencies , but rather hence , that he knowes whence he had them : Neither does he therefore praeferre every man in Honour before himselfe , because he knowes not what other men are , but because he knowes not what they may be . He is really so high that he may with ease reach Heaven , but he makes himselfe so low that he may go in at the strait gate . When he looks upon his own vertues ( which he had rather show then see , and have then show ) he will not think them great , because he intends to make them yet much Greater ; neither can he tell how to applaud himselfe when he sees them great , because he knowes well how little he either made or deserved them . It is this vertue that makes him much more desire the friendship of a vertuous Beggar , then the favour of a vicious and licentious Prince ; because this he must assuredly lose , seeing he knowes not how in a Compliance to his humour to become wicked ; but that shall never end , but last as long as his Heaven . He chuses his Companions not by the outward habit of their Body , but that internall of the Soul ; and sets an higher value on them for their Merits then their Births . He is so little proud of what he is , that he is indeed very humble for what he is not . He will never be persuaded ( as most of those we call Gallants doe ) to pride himselfe in his Vanity , Beast of his folly , and Glory in his Prophanenesse . §. 10. His Charity and Temperance . The Gentleman's Charity , is no other then his Soul draw'n out to his finger's ends . Every piece of money he hath , beares as well the Impression and Image of this Vertue , as that of his Prince ; and this is it which makes him value the Coyne more , and the Silver l●sse . He is indeed that true Briaraeus , which has as many hands , as he meets with receivers : and for this cause he is look'd upon as a Monster in these later dayes , and very rarely to be met with . The course he takes to ayre his Bags , and keep them from moulding , is to distribute freely to all that are in need . If he take some pains to become richer then others , it is onely to put a cheat upon that which men miscall Fortune , and to manifest he hath a power as great as her's ; that is , to make himselfe poor again at his pleasure ; and to show that Charity can entertain as rich servants as she . Though God hath indulged him the priviledge and inheritance of an Elder brother in the world , yet he wisely Considers that the youngest of all may in equity challenge a Child's portion . He esteemes it a very high Honour , that God has vouchsafed to make him one of the Stewards in His great Family : and he is nothing ambitious of his Epithete to his Name , or reward of his pains who is recorded in the Gospell for his Injustice . When by giving to the poor , he lends to the Lord , the Honour of being the Lord's Creditor is all the Interest he expects ; and doubtlesse this Happinesse is not every man's , to have God his Debtor . He accounts it much the safer way , to trust his Charity then his Luxury with the Bag ; the former will bring in an even reckoning in Heaven ; the latter perhaps a jolly one in the Taverne , but a very sad one in Hell. He delights not to see any thing starve but his Lusts , he lets these crave without an Answer , and die without Compassion . I would to God , there were many in the world such as he , we should then see fewer Beggars , and more Gentlemen . Men's backs and Bellies would not then so frequently rob and undoe their souls : Now adayes , the Gentleman's cloaths wind about his Body , and his Body about his Soul , with no greater kindnesse , then the twining Ivy about the Oake ; the Apparell sucks away the nourishment which is due to the Body , and this that other which we owe to the Soule . Where he is not able to make his Estate adaequate to his deserts ; he takes a better Course , and Levels his desires to his fortune : though he seldome have all that he deserves , yet he alwaies has whatsoever he Covets . He never wants much of that which is needfull , because he enjoyes all that he is in love with . He makes his life and health not his Estate or ambition the standard , his Reason and not his Humour the judge of his Necessities . Such is his Temperance and Sobriety in the use of those Creatures , of which by God's blessing , he is made owner ; that he sacrifices very much to his God in the reliefe of the Indigent , nothing to sin , in satisfying the importunate cravings of his Carnall lusts . Above all , he is ashamed , when Fortune hath used him very hardly and spoil'd him of many opportunities of exerciseing his Bounty and his Charitie , to permit his lusts to use him yet worse , and leave him nothing at all . He scornes first to swaggar and swill away his estate , and then Curse his fortune for useing him so roughly ; first to make himselfe a Beggar , and then cry out upon his poor Condition ; or to Complain he is as poor as Iob , when every day he fares as Deliciously as Dives . When he has the least , he showes that he is able to live with lesse ; and when he is brought into a low Condition , he tries how he could bear up in a lower ; and proves by his cheerfulnesse in that some would call want and Misery , that Happinesse does not Consist in superfluities . He is Content with any thing , and by this means enjoyes all things ; and is so Charitable of a little , that it is evident in that little he wants not much . He chuses rather to be well in the Morning , then drunk over night ; and at any time had rather be free from the Sin , then please his Companions with the Frollick . His Money is too little to love , but too much to throw away : and he had much rather give it then lose it ; preferring his charity before his Game ; and the poor man's life , before his own Wantonnesse and Riot : Though he had never so much , he could never have more then enough , because he sees so many that want what he has , and pitties all he sees in want . He looks upon his estate as that which was given him for use and not for wast ; and upon so much of it as he loses at play , as that whereby he has rob'd himselfe of a vertue , and another of a Comfortable livelihood , and he cannot sport himselfe with such losses . §. 11. His Valour and Prudence . Having spoken allready of the Gentleman's Magnanimity , I shall need to adde very little of his Valour ; which he exercises more in Obeying his God , then Opposing his Brethren . His highest piece of Fortitude is that whereby he Conquers himselfe and his sin ; and in this he is alway practising . He knowes that by thus becoming his own Captive , he shall not want the usage of a Gentleman ; and thus being made his own Lord too , he is sure to be free from all the world besides . He looks upon it as the basest degree of Cowardice , to yield unto those feeble Passions , which , did not both Reason and Religion step into their Succour , would certainly become the prey of every light and Empty toy . His Christian Fortitude is such , that he fears not to Encounter the Great Goliah of Hell , or an whole Army of such Philistins as have set themselves in array against his Happinesse , all at once : not though they be such , as by their Cunning have allready got within him : He never gives over Resisting the Divell till he have put him to flight . He hath that greatest Courage which is so rarely found in others , who would be call'd Gentlemen , he dares be Religious in spite of the World. He sets himselfe , without betraying the least timidity , against that great Bugbeare , which so scares most men not onely out of their wits but out of all good actions , Shame , or Derision . These are they which , as the Elephants in King Pyrrhus his Army terrified the Romans with their prodigious Bulk , do so affright the greatest part of our Gentry , that they never leave flying till they tumble into the Bottomlesse Pit together . The True Gentleman , like the stout Minucius , has by experience proved these Monsters to be of more Bulke then Mettall , and to want nothing but an Adversary , to bring them into Subjection . The true Gentleman has so much true valour , as not to fear the brand of a Coward , where his Courage would be his sin , and his Conquest his ruine . He is ever the fugitive in such a chase , and dare boast of nothing but being routed . 'T is then alone he feares not Death , when he is sure there is no Hell will follow it . His life is more dear to him , then that he should be Content to part with it for any thing lesse then Heaven . He has an Honour , and that 's his Religion , a Mistresse too to vindicate and defend from all injuries and affronts , and that 's his own Soul : For the sakes of these two he is engaged in many a Duell , with those Heresies and those Sins , which would stain and Corrupt the one , or steal away and deflower the other . He thinks that Honour too dear which must be bought with a Murther ; and a Name which is never to be worne , but by his Monument , none of the cheapest , when purchased with his life . He has much Honester thoughts of his Mistresse , then to think her such a Proserpine , that either he or his Rivall must be sent to Hell , before either can enjoy her . There is indeed a Beauty , for which the Gentleman thinks it no losse to die ; but such an one as is often black , though alwaies lovely : I mean , his own Mother and his Saviour's spouse ; the Church of God : and there is an Honour which he holds cheap enough when bought with the high price both of Life and Livelihood , though ( if he might have his choise ) he had rather preserve both to maintain it , then lose either to purchase it , Loyalty to his Prince , and Fidelity to his Country : For these he does not fear to Embrace a Stake , to make the Scaffold his Bed , and a Block his Pillow ; seeing he is assured , that whosoever thus lies down to rest at night , shall without faile rise again to Glory in the Morning . He holds it much more desireable to live a Beggar , then to die a Traytor : And that his Honour and Conscience should expose him to Tyranny and Violence , then his Treachery or Hipocrisy buy out his temporall security . He thinks it no great matter to trust that God with his Person and his Family , who hath trusted him with his spouse and his Children . Hence is the Gentleman's Prudence , the Legitimate Daughter of Loyalty and Conscience , not the Bastard of Covetousnesse and Cowardice ; 't is mixt of Discretion and Wisedome , not Craft and Knavery . He was never yet so blindly zealous , as to worship a Golden Calfe for a God , that so he might keep his Chest from being broken open : Nor was he ever so absolute a Statesman , as to call Rebellion Reformation , for fear of Poverty or an Halter . His naturall affection to wife and children is such that he would enjoy them for ever in happinesse ; and therefore his ●are is so to part with them now , that he may meet them again in Heaven , not in Hell , hereafter : His whole Policy is to avoid an aeternall , though by incurring a temporall , misery . Such a Politician onely he thinks fit for Heaven , that hath prudently managed his Lord's affaires upon Earth ; he cannot call him either a prudent or a faithfull Ambassador , who prosecutes his own designe with more earnestnesse then his Master 's ; or acts more vigorously for the advancement of his own particular Interest , then the Publick Good , or his Prince's Honour . It is his Prudence to secure what 's best , by the losse of what 's Indifferent , whensoever he is necessitated to part with one of the two ; and he chuses rather freely to part with that which he is only sure once to lose , and by that l●sse become eternally happy ; then to throw away that which in spight of violence he might for ever have kept , and can never part with , without his utter ruine : If tares must spring up amongst the good Corne in that field . wherein God has intended him a labourer , he had rather show by his activenesse that they were not sowne whilest he slept ; then by a covetous lazinesse give the Enemy an opportunity of Compassing his designes ; or occasion the disheartening of his brethren , by withdrawing his shoulder , and leaving them alone to beare the burthen in the heat of the Day . He can think it a greater prudence with the Disciples of his Lord , to leave his Father and his Net , to follow a Saviour through Persecution into Heaven ; then with the Carking Fool , to lie modelling out a Barne which may contain his wealth , and in the mean time suffer his Soul to be stolne out of his Body by the sedulous craft of the seducer . §. 12. His Behaviour in both Fortunes . If Fortune smile upon him , and be indeed such as he dare call her Good , he makes it his businesse to be altogether as good as she ; and will be sure as well to deserve as to wear her Livery . His care is that her good usage of him may be rather deem'd the just reward of his own Moderation and Good-Husbandry ; then the unmerited Bounty of so blind a Mistresse . He makes his Prosperity a motive to his Piety , not ( as others ) the opportunity of displaying his Vanity . He proves by his example , that he most happily enjoyes the World , that Glories lest in the enjoyment of it . He looks upon his present flourishing Condition , rather as that which is not without ingratitude to be refused , then with egernesse to be desired ; and upon what he now possesses , as that which he knowes not how soone he may lose ; and therefore he makes himselfe now so carelesse an owner , that ( if the wind chance to turne ) ●e may prove a cheerfull and Contented loser . He dares not Phancy himselfe one jot the neerer Heaven , for being thus mounted on the Deceitfull wings of Fortune , lest when the contrary wind of adversity dismounts him , and his unexpected fall awakes him from his pleasant dreame , he should find himselfe to be really as low , as he was before but seemingly high . If Fortune be content to lodge with him as his ghest , she is welcome ; But he cannot be so dotingly enamour'd of her , as to entertain her , either as his wife , or his Harlot ; lest either an untimely divorce should break his heart , or she should bring a Bastard for a Son , and so at length shame and disgrace him . He can neither so farre flatter her as to call her Goddesse , which he knowes of her selfe to be no more but a name ; nor so farre Honour her as to aske her blessing , because he knowes that whatsoever Goodnesse men are apt to ascribe unto her , is but one of the meanest blessings of a Greater then she . Laugh she never so heartily , her pleasantnesse shall never overjoy him , seeing ( for ought he knowes ) she either does or may ere long laugh at him ; and if she Frown , he can frown as fast as she , and that for her kindnesse . He never relies upon her , because he knowes she is naturally so unconstant : nor can he see any reason why he should be proud of beeing her favourite , because he may every where behold many of the most undeserving altogether as much in her Favour as himselfe . To speak the whole , the true Gentleman hath so slight an esteem of Fortune , that he cannot vouchsafe her the Honour of a Beeing , but leaves that to those poor Heathens who were indeed as blind as they supposed her to be . Whatsoever blessings he enjoyes he received them , as indeed they are , as the bounties of an indulgent father , with thanks and love ; and he useth them to that end , for which he supposes so Good and Prudent a father would bestow them on a Beloved Son ; so that he may make them as much Instruments of his own Good , as they are testimonies of his father's affection . He looks upon his Prosperity , not so much as a reward for doing well , as an encouragement to do more , and an opportunity of doing better : Much lesse can he think his flourishing condition , as many seem to doe , a piece of Heaven's flattering Courtship , where no more is intended , then the affording him an opportunity of pampering up his lusts , and making himselfe a Glorious sinner . Seeing he has already received so bountifull a reward for doing so little , he accounts it a shame for the future not to make himselfe a fit object for a greater , by doing both more and better . Such an Ingenuous Spirit hath the Gentleman , that he thinks every reward for what 's past , an obligation to future good services ; and he had rather wait with patience for all his arreares together , then ever be thought to have received the last payment here . If it be his lot to groan out his daies under the heavy pressures of affliction : he is not like the Inconsiderate Drunkard , who in the morning after his double Intemperance in drinking and sleeping , complaineth that his head akes , and begins to Curse his Pillow , and his Bed-maker , for his want of ease ; forgetting to turne that sinne out of dores which occasion'd all this the day before : Nor like a Wretched and Impenitent Malefactor , who when he is hurried away to a just Execution , does nothing but cry out upon the hard-heart of his Iudg , and the Rigour of the Lawes ; Cursing the Executioner , but forgetting to repent him of the Murther or the Robbery which brought his Body into the hands of this executioner , and will , unrepented of , deliver his Soul into the farre lesse mercifull of another hereafter : But like a Naturall and hopefull child ▪ he seriously Considers his own Errors , which provoked his father thus to Chastise him ; and so by stroking the hand , and kissing the Rod , and humbly begging pardon for his offence , he sets his father's affections , which before he had turn'd aside , not lost , into their own proper Channel again . He looks upon his Afflictions with one eye , as Corrections , and so blames himselfe for the Occasion , but blesseth God for the Charity ; with the other , as Tryals , and so makes it his care that he come not all Drosse out of the Furnace . The same Fire which Consumes others , doth but refine his soul , and separating from it , the more grosse and Terrene Mixtures , makes it the fitter for Heaven . He grudges not to undergoe the Winnowing , so he may be sure to loose the Chaffe , and be made all wheat , such as his Lord may think fit to receive into his Garner . He is ashamed to think that God should lose his paines , and the more he thrashes , find onely more straw but lesse Corne : rather , like good grain from the Mill , he comes forth from the grinding , more in measure , purer in Colour , and readier for use and service . Though a Bryar or a Thorne , may scratch or prick his heel a little , in his way to Heaven , and draw a little uselesse blood ; though he may sometimes be so intangled in the Brambles , that he may be forced to part with something of his fleece , and perhaps so much of the skin too , as may make it smart a while ; Yet has he too high a soul , to fall so much within the reach of these Creeping brambles , as to receive from them the least Scratch in his face . He alwaies carries an head as erect as his hopes are high ; and takes great care that neither his Religion , his Honesty , nor his Honour be made to suffer by it . He dares not make either a Base Compliance with the vices of his persecutors , the refuge of his Cowardice ; or the wings of the Potent , by bribing their Ambition with Flattery and Dissimulation , his Sanctuary of protection . He will not attempt the light●ning of his sufferings by a voluntary casting any part of his estate into the devouring Treasury of the Churche's Enemy ; nor hope to appease the wrath of a displeased God , by bringing an oblation to the Avarice of his oppressors ; neither doth he essay to drown his sorrowes in the Bottome of his Cup : But he flies , and takes Sanctuary at the Hornes of the Altar : and by a Magnanimity which becomes a Gentleman , showes that true Honour , is a Iewel indeed , such as will not break with the Hammer : His Religion , like the Flint , never so much discovers those Holy fires of zeale and devotion , which were not before so apparent , as when it most experiences the violence of the hardest steel : And his Innocence is so perfectly Malliable , that the more you beat it , the broader it growes . In short , the Gentleman carries himselfe ●o evenly betwixt these Contrary windes , that he is neither shaken by the one , nor puff'd up with the other : He is such in prosperity , that he does not fear Adversity ; and such in adversity , that he needs not to wish for Prosperity ; such indeed in both , that it shall never repent him , that he hath tasted either . §. 13. His respect and affection for his Country . The true Gentleman is no lesse Serviceable to his Countrey , then Honourable in himselfe . He cannot Phancy himselfe so great , as to forget that he is but a creature , and so made for something ; and 'till he can perswade himselfe to be a God ( who is his own End and Happinesse ) he cannot think that he was made onely to serve himselfe . He that made him , made him a Brother to many , and he owes a duty of love unto them all . He is not like a lump of Gold in the Bowels of the Earth , which is neither for sight nor service ; but like that which having once received the stamp of the Prince , is ever after Current , and usefull to many . Neither resembles he the Glow-worme or a Rotten stick in the Dark , which hath no more light then will show it selfe to be something ; though no body by that light alone knowes what ; but illuminates nothing else about it : no , he rather emulates the Sun in the Firmament , from which this Inferiour World receives all it's life and vigour . Thus the Gentleman is continually scattering the rayes and Influence of his vertues round about him , quite through all that lies within the Wide Sphere of his Motion . As amongst the Elements , the most Noble and Pure , is alwaies the most active too ; and most profitable , as well as most High and Distant : And as the highest of Bodies , to wit , the Caelestiall cannot naturally rest , but indeed by their Continuall and swift motion , do never faile to labour for the Benefit of the whole world besides : So is this Little Heaven and Glory of Mankind , never without some commendable businesse and Employment , and such as shall assuredly at last tend unto the great good and advantage , of as many as lie within the Compasse of his Influence . The Gentleman ( without doubt ) is made for some other end , then to stand , like a fair and goodly Tulip , in a painted Pot , in some window or other Corner of the Chamber , onely to grace the roome , without either smell or other apparent virtue ; He is rather like the sweet and lovely Rose , which perfumes the Aire all about it , and is besides , no lesse Medicinall , then fragrant . If ever the Gentleman seem to be Idle , he does no more but seem so . He onely sets himselfe down a while , as he would doe a Bottle of precious Water , which has been troubled by much motion , that so it may by a settling of it's heavier parts become clear again : Thus does he order his Soul , that after she hath been violently shaken to and fro , and much troubled with the affaires of the world ; he may by this rest , give leave to the more terrene parts therein to draw towards the bottome , that so the Grosser descending , his best and clearest thoughts may again be uppermost and at Liberty . He carries not his fine Body up and down the streets , as men use to doe their Dancing-horses in a Fair , onely to be seen , and make sport for the Spectators : No , though never so gloriously trick'd up , and accoutned , yet does he freely stoop , to take some part of that weighty burthen of the Commonwealth upon his back ; and never walkes with more ease , nor showes more reall state , then when thus Loaden . He cannot call him a man that is without all calling , knowing that every servant ( and every man ought to be God's servant ) how proud soever must have his worke ▪ Seeing God hath so blest him with abundance , that he needs not worke for his own bread , he will in gratitude to his God , Worke for his Countrie 's peace and safety . He scornes to have it thought , that He is the onely Cumbersome thing in the Nation , the onely Wen in the Body Politick , which growes great onely by sucking away that nourishment , which should feed and strengthen the serviceable members ; and is good for nothing at length , but to Improve the Chirurgions skill , and the patience of the Diseased . Those parts and members of the man which are uppermost in the Body , and most Honourable , are alwaies most busied too for the Good of the whole : In the Head are placed the Eye and the Eare , and the Organs of sense ; there too is the Vnderstanding , Phancy and Iudgment , to see , to heare , discerne , contrive , plot and direct : and as he knowes it is his Honour to be made a part of the Head of his Countrey ; so doth he own it his duety , not to refuse the exercise of that Office which belongs unto him . Hence he thinks it an unworthinesse in him , not only , to do ill , but to doe no Good ; and these two he can very hardly distinguish , as some would fain doe , seeing undoubtedly that which doth no good , is good for nothing , and this is to be starke naught . — He holds it to be ( as indeed it is ) a crying shame , whilest the Taylor , and the Cobler are justly reckon'd among the Necessary members of a Commonwealth , that the Gentleman , who takes it as an affront not to be thought much better then such Mechanicks , should not be so much as usefull to the place where he lives : or at most , but as the trimming is to a good suit , or the haire to the head , which may be Cut off and thrown away , and no great hurt done to either . This indeed is the Gentleman's priviledg , not to be a servant to any one particular Member , but to the whole body ; and that whilest others in their Inferiour Condition , are onely made capable of serving a few , his fortune is such as will allow him to be truly serviceable unto all . Herein consists his Honour , that he is not put to work as a drudg or journy-man ; but is a Freeman indeed , and Master of his trade ; and whilest others toyle hard , and receive a scant pittance when their worke 's done ; He is able to worke gratis , and so oblige a great part of the world by his service . Indeed this must needs be the greatest obligation can be laid upon the Gentleman , to labour harder and doe better then other men , because he is beforehand not onely furnished with good tooles , by an Ingennous education , to worke withall ; but hath ( as was said ) received so great a part of his reward already , and yet is assured of an infinitely greater yet behind . How is he ashamed to deceive him by his Idlenesse , who of his great goodnesse hath so farre already trusted to his honesty ? As he refuseth no Employment , which may render him according to the measure of his Abilities serviceable to his Countrey ; so is he no way ambitious of that which he knowes to be above his strength and reach . As his great love to his Country perswades him not to refuse the higher , so doth his humility Command him to accept the lower : he accounts no burthen heavy which he is able to beare ; nor any light which is either beyond , or not worth his bearing . He makes not his Ease an excuse , nor the Difficulty an apology for his refusall . He dischargeth his trust with that fidelity , which will be sure to gain him , though perhaps the hatred of the Bad , yet the applause and love of the Good , and the unanimous thanks of his Countrey . §. 14. His Studies and Recreations . That he may in good time be fitted for the Calling he intends , he begins to think upon it early in the Morning of his age ; and accustomes himselfe to the yoak whilest he is young , that so he may bear it without galling his neck when he growes old . He makes it now his businesse to gather the thyme , which he intends shall prove Hony hereafter ; and to lay up in the Spring what may stand him in stead when his winter is come . That he may indeed be young in Old-age , he learnes to be Old in his youth ; and he sucks so much out of every science now , as Experience and years may by degrees hereafter improve into that Prudence which becomes a Gentleman . Having in his greener yeares onely so much discretion , as to find the want of what he should have , he is willingly directed by the prudence of another , 'till he can get enough for himselfe . He is not Impatient of Subjection now to that wise and grave Instructor , from whose both dictates and example he hopes to gain so much as may make him the Instructor of others hereafter : And he learnes so betimes to obey , that the world may never have reason to say he began to Command too soon . It is his choice to live under a severe discipline , rather then to be left to himselfe as his own Master ; lest perhaps failing in his first Command , whereby he should have Govern'd himselfe , he might despaire of better successe in his second of Commanding others . His first care therefore now is to be wholy guided by him to whose prudence he is intrusted ; lest by rejecting him , he might seem to disparage the judgment of his parents , who made that choise for him . Where the Commands laid upon him seem to him irrationall , so long as he knowes them not sinfull , he had rather distrust his own judgment , then neglect his director's counsell : and he never thinks himselfe ( as very many doe ) a better man then his guide , 'till he be sure he knowes the way to that he aimes at , better then he . He never showes himselfe more to be his own man , and at his own disposall , then by this unconstrained act of resigning himselfe up unto another . When he is come to that maturity of Age and Discretion , as to be able to benefit himselfe by his Company , he will be sure to make choise of such Companions as may serve him instead of Books ; and of such Books as he intends shall often serve him for Companions : He is not ashamed to be now the worst man in that Company , wherein he may learne from his betters , how to be the best in another : this is much more honourable , then to be the best man there , where he can never learne to be better , but often worse then he was before . The Studies whereunto he cheerfully applies himselfe , are such as will more make the man , then please the Boy . He takes delight in nothing which will send him back again towards his Infancy , but Innocence . As for Poëtry and such like pleasing studies , he does not wholy neglect them , but uses them as good sauces to make others more substantiall and nourishing rellish the better . He loves not to spend his time in cracking Empty Nuts without a Kernell ; nor to break his tender teeth by gnawing upon Saples bones . Neither Nice Criticismes nor tough Notions , can recompense him for the vast expence of that precious time , he should be at in making himselfe the Master of either . When he is entred into the faire garden of the Muses it is not his onely businesse to pick up here and there a few leaves to hide the Nakednesse of his discourse ; or to adorne it with Blossomes and flourishes out of some Poetick figment , or Romantick story ; but he gathers , eats and digests , that which is fruit indeed , and such as is truly wholsome and nourishing : Nor doth he , as the Emperour's Army , lie loytering , and picking up Cockle-shels upon the shores of good litterature , but he boldly launches out into the main Ocean , and there Contemplates the wonders of the deep . It is not his designe to be call'd a Witty Gentleman , and such an one as can talk high , and breath flashes , and thunder out big words , and store himselfe with so many jests , and so much Bombast , as may tickle some , and stupifie others ; he studies more to make himselfe a man then a Companion ; and more how to live and do well , then talke finely . True Histories , and Sound Politicks , and grave Morall discourses , are the fruitfull Gardens where his Muses doe ordinarily recreate themselves : that so by his Pleasures as well as Pains , both the Commonwealth may in due time be happy in him , and he in himselfe . As for those lighter and more ayery studies , such as too frequently by their lovely paint and dissembled beauty , steal away the amorous and unfixed youth of most Gentlemen , he makes the same use of them which he does of his Galleries or his Arbours ; whither , now and then he comes to take a turne or two for Recreation's sake , and as he passes along sometimes casts a carelesse eye , upon those many pretty blossomes or pictures which he finds there . These may for a moment or two command his eye , but never ●is affection . Of such toyes he had rather 〈◊〉 hereafter that he has seen them , then that he knowes them . He would be ignorant of nothing , but he would onely be acquainted with the b●st . He has a more Masculine stomack , then to f●ed upon that which is all sauce , but if there be a little in the Dish , to make him rellish his meat the better , he is not displeased with it , though so long as his meat of it selfe is good , he doth not greatly desire it . Divinity can never lie out of the true Gentleman's way , because he is alwaies going towards Heaven : For notwithstanding she seems so pale-faced , and of so soure a Countenance to those that love her not , because they do not know her ; yet is there so much heavenly beauty , and so many noble features discernable in her face , by the Gentleman 's undistemper'd eye , that he soon begins in earnest to love her , and he can never go on farre in any other path whatsoever , but he must often cast a longing eye back upon her . Still bearing in mind the happy place whither he is travaling with so good a will , he calls in at other Arts and Sciences as at so many Innes , to take a short repast by the way : or he stands looking upon them a while as upon so many way markes set up at the severall turnings and Crosse paths , that from them he may receive directions which way to turne : But the knowledg of his God , that 's the way he constantly walkes in , and that which will certainly bring him at last to that home , where he shall meet with a Welcome , which will abundantly recompence the tediousnesse of his journy ; and an entertainment suitable to the Quality of a Gentleman . His way being long , it is not amisse that he allowes himselfe sometimes a recreation and diversion . But then his recreation shall be alwaies such as he dares not make his businesse , and yet such as he dares safely make his play : It hath alwaies so much of Innocence as to be blamelesse , and so much Brevity as to be no Hinderance . It has so much Youthfulnesse , as not to be a Businesse , and yet so much Businesse as not to be Boyish . It shall bring with it so much reall pleasure as may make it a refreshment , and yet so little lovelinesse , as may spoile the temptation . He may step over the hedg into the pleasant Meadow , and pluck a sweet flower or two to smell to as he goes along , but he dares not lie him down , or rowle himselfe upon the tender grasse , lest he should be tempted to too long a stay , and thereby be benighted in his journey . He thinks it no prudence to fall in love with any sport , which like a Cunning thiefe , smiles him in the face , whilest it cuts his purse , steals away his time , and cheats him of a good Conscience . If Agar once begin thus to insinuate her selfe into those affections , which are only due to her Mistresse ; out of dores she shall goe : He intends not to sell his Charity at so cheap a rate , as the false pleasure of his game ; Nor has he so little either thrift or Religion , as to make so foolish an Exchange , and part either with his Soul or his Time for the transitory delight of a dangerous temptation . His usuall Recreation therefore is , to make a play of his Study . He makes one study , like a shooing-horne , to draw on another , and makes the variety the recreation . Thus he takes the surest course that may be , for making his Study so much his Delight , he saves himselfe the labour of studying for a Passe-time . §. 15. His Good-husbandry at Home . When the Gentleman comes to have the manageing of his own Estate , he takes pains to instruct the world , how farre a man may be Frugall with Honour ; and a Good-husband without a suspicion of being worldly or Covetous ; and again how freely a man may spend his Estate , and yet be no prodigall . He hath so circumspect and watchfull an eye upon all his affaires , that you may see he had much rather give away his estate , then be cheated of it . He would be cozen'd of nothing , for fear of loseing the opportunity of bestowing much . As he would not allow the unfaithfulnesse of a servant , to prevent the Bounty of the Master ; so neither would he have the Master's negligence to occasion the servants dishonesty . His Table is moderate , that so his Charity and Hospitallity may exceed : as he studies to be good himselfe , so endeavours he to make every member of the Family as good as he ; and he will have his servants to be his Disciples , no lesse then his Children . Neither ever does he so wholy vindicate their service to himselfe , but he allowes them time enough to pay what they owe both to God , and their own soules . If his condition of life be single , he so behaves himselfe therein , that no man shall thence be able to conclude , either that he wants a Wife , or his house a Mistresse ; So much chastity has the one , and so much good order is there in the other . But if he think it fit to change his Condition , he endeavours to chuse a second selfe , that may suite with the former ; that so they may be ( as neer as he can effect it ) one Spirit , as well as one flesh . Whom , not long agoe , he courted rather as a Vertue then a Mistresse , he now uses as a wife and not as a servant ; not ( as 't is usuall of late ) calling her Mistresse and Lady before she be his wife , whom he intends to make his drudge all her life time after . Nor does he ( as too many ) marry onely for Money ; knowing that such are in danger of Committing Adultery after Marriage , seeing they never Marry'd the Woman , but her Portion . With him Vertue and Love , not Money and parentage , make the Match : and the question he askes , is not — What has she ? but — What is she . He makes Prudence and Religion the guides of his Love ; and so he becomes as good an Husband and Father , as before he was a man. §. 16. His Religion . I have told you ( Sir ) already that the Gentleman is not ashamed to be call'd a Religious man ; although that Epithete be thought no better then a terme of debasement , by the degenerate Gentry of our age . He ownes a God , and he Worships him , and makes that Honour which he observes others to render unto God , the ground of his respect to them . He looks upon no man as a Gentleman , but him alone , who derives his pedigree higher then from Adam , even from Heaven : and he accounts all those who can brook any Dishonour or Contempt of their God that one Common father of us all , as a Bastard and no Son. It would be no Honour for him to seeke an acquaintance here upon Earth , and therefore by his frequent Devotions he often goes to seek out a better in Heaven ; where he may be sure to meet with such , as shall be worth his keeping . He dares call every man a Fool to his face who with David's Fool , suffers either his tongue or his heart to say There is no God. If you aske him , what Religion he is of , his answer is ready , of his mother's ; that is , he is a true Son of the Church : And yet is he onely so farre her Son , as he sees her willing to continue his Saviour's Spouse . Neither is he content to be still an Infant in Religion , and to be taught onely ( as mothers use to teach their young children ) to say his prayers and his Creed by rote , but he prayes and believes and practises all truely by heart : Notwithstanding , he never forgets his Mother , nor neglects to Honour her with his Life and Substance . He is alwaies more ready to take her Directions for the Forme and Method of all his duties , then to be Disciplined by all those Chatting Dry-nurses which are so busy about him , such as indeed have talk enough , but ( alas ) no Milke ; whose whole businesse is indeed to make him undutifull to his own mother , and to set light by all her Councells and Commands : perswading him to believe that a true Child of God , not subject to a Mother in any thing ; And they never show their venemous teeth more plainly , then when they goe about to make him forget what this Mother of all Christians by a strict Command from her Dearest Lord has ever been most carefull to teach all her children , to say — OUR FATHER . He goes not to Church to save his Credit or his Purse , to see his friend or speak with his Tenent , but to meet his Heavenly Father , and Commune with his God , and to take Directions from him how to behave himselfe the following week or Day . When he is there , he makes his heart accompany his tongue , and his Eare keep time with the Preacher . Every Morning and Evening , like a Dutifull sonne , he in private Confesseth his faults , and begs his Father's pardon and blessing ; and for the better ordering of his following duties , reads over with Care and Humility some part of those Directions , which he had long since Commanded his servants to set down in writing for his use . He chuseth his Religion , not by it's Commonnesse but it's truth : and often weighs each branch of it in the Balance of the Sanctuary , that he may be sure it is full weight . He takes it not up by votes , nor ( as it is most evident too many do ) thrusts his hand at all peradventure into an Hat-full of Lots , being content with whatever he hits on first ; for should he goe the first way to work , he knowes , he should be sure to have , not what 's Best and Soundest , but the Easiest , and most Gainfull ; if the later , it is an hundred to one that he shall draw a blank , and be made an Atheist for his labour . Here he dares not by any means follow or embrace what 's most in Fashion , for that ( 't is clear ) is Hipocricy the cunning Sister of Atheisme , or Atheisme shamed or frighted into conformity ; but he professes that which is most Ancient , for that ( he may be sure ) will at last be found most true . His Religion is not such a Young , Light and Wanton Girle , as pleases the vain Phancy of every giddy Interested professor ; but such a Grave Matron whose naturall Beauty , and Constancy , the Gray-hairs of Prudence and Sobriety , have ever judged to be truly Venerable , and most deserving of the Christian's embraces . This is that worthy Lady , which he dayly Courts , to make her the Mistresse and Protectresse of his Soul , and she it is alone that can give him a breeding fit for Heaven . He showes how freely he can goe on in the , wayes of Godlinesse without a Spurre ; and how base a thing it is and unbecoming his Quality to be driven into Heaven by force . By his hast and cheerfulnesse in his race , he evidences his sense of the Worth of what he aimes at ; And by his egernesse in the pursuit of another world , endeavours to confute the folly of those , who would linger out an eternity ( were it possible ) amongst the Onyons and Fleshpots of this Aegypt . As he was borne a man , so he had his Inheritance upon Earth ; but as he is New-borne a Christian , he leaves this trash to the Prodigall younger Brother , expecting a Possession durable in the Heavens . He feares as little the names of Precise and zealous , wherewith the Divell in the Mouths of his Disciples , thinks to fright him out of all Holinesse ; as they understand them , who thus too frequently abuse them . That Boysterous breath which the prophane world sends forth to deride and Crosse him in his intended voyage , he , like a skilfull Pilote so orders by the right Composing of his Sayles , that he makes that his greatest advantage and furtherance , which was intended for his ruine . He can go to Heaven with any wind and with any Name , where he is so sure to meet with a title of Honour , a name written in the book of life , even the Honour of all his Saints . He cannot Phancy that to be any debasement of his spirit , which carries him out upon so High and Noble atchievements ; but thinks it an Happinesse to goe into Canaan , though it be through a Red sea , and a rude Wildernesse ; whilest others ( alas ) feed so greedily upon the Quailes , that they never say grace , but in a murmuring , that they have not more and better cheer ; He feeds more upon his hopes , then his enjoyments , and blesses his God for both . And now this Religion , which he has thus wisely espoused , and entirely loves , he dares not prostitute to Interest or Humour : But as any man accounts the enjoyment of one thing which he principally loves , enough to recompence him for all that he has been constrain'd to part with in his pursuit after it : so the Religious Gentleman can freely part with both Humour and Interest , with all he enjoyes , and all he hopes for here , for his Religion's sake , being sure to find them all again hereafter , in the fruition of Her , whom he so sincerely loves . Like a Prudent lover , he removes all occasions of Iealousy from his beloved ; His Religion shall never have cause to fear , that either his Pleasure or his Honour , or his Profit , shall gaine so much upon his affections , as to become her Rivall . §. 17. The Conclusion of this Character . Thus ( Sir ) Whilest I goe about to give you the Character of a true Gentleman , I am falne into that of a Christian ; and indeed no wonder , for there is such a necessary Connexion betwixt these two , that they seeme to be no more then the Different Names of the same man. If you desire to have his picture in a lesse Compasse here it is . The true Gentleman , is one that is God's servant , the World's Master , and his own Man. His Vertue is his Businesse , his Study his recreation , Contentednesse his rest , and Happinesse his reward . God is his Father , the Church is his Mother , the Saints his Brethren , all that need him his Friends , and Heaven his Inheritance . Religion is his Mistresse , Loyalty and Iustice her Ladies of Honour ; Devotion is his Chaplain , Chastity his Chamberlain , Sobriety his Buttler , Temperance his Cook , Hospitallity his Houskeeper , Providence his Steward , Charity his Treasurer : Piety is Mistresse of the House , and Discretion the Porter , to let in and out as is most fit . Thus is his whole Family made up of Vertues , and he the true Master of his Family . He is necessitated to take the world in his way to Heaven , but he walkes through it as fast as he can ; and all his businesse by the way , is to make himselfe and others happy . Take him all in two words , he is a Man and a Christian. And here ( Sir ) 't is time that I beg both the Gentleman's pardon and Your's , for thus abusing his name ; and presuming to give you his Character , whose excellencies are not to be Comprehended , much lesse expressed , by any one lesse then himselfe . I have an Apology at hand , for giving you this rude and Imperfect draught of his Picture : that I give it you at all , it is my obedience to your Command ; that you receive it so Mishapen and ill proportion'd , besides the little experience and lesse skill of the Painter , he has this to say for himselfe ; he could hardly tell where , being absent from such as you Sir , to find a true Gentleman to draw it by : But either he was Constrained to take it from the Dead , and then no wonder if his work fall short both of Complexion and life ; or by that faint Idea he had in his own mind , and therefore he hopes he is excusable though he sometimes mistake in the Feature . If you meet in any place with too deep a shadow , where there should be more light , he desires , that beside the weaknesse of his eye , you would consider the Darknesse of the Time , and the uncertain light he saw by . For we live so much in the Evening of the world , when the thick and foggy mists of Ignorance darken the ayre ; and that fading light we have is so variously refracted by our Glittering Vices ; and so often reflected by the Disfigured glasses of Phancy and Humour ; that there is nothing troubles him so much , as that he is unhappily furnished with so many excuses to plead for his Errour . But if any will not be satisfied with this , he yet layes claime to a further Priviledg of a Painter , that is , to be a little more talkative , and to say something more in vindication of what he has done ; and thereby demonstrate , that the excellent Originall he would have Coppy'd , is either not at all , or very rarely to be met with , at this day , in England . SECT . IV. §. 1. How few of the true Gentlemen are now to be found in England . I Need not tell you ( Sir ) who have paid so dear for the sad changes ; that it is our hard hap to live in a reforming Age , wherein most things grow every day new , but very few things better . And I do heartily wish it were as seriously Consider'd by themselves , as it it well known to most , rejoyced at by some , and sadly lamented by others , what a decrease and waning there has been in the Gentry of England within a few of the last yeares ; and that not only in the number of their Persons , and largenesse of their Estates ; but even in the Excellencies of their Soules , and the greatnesse of their Vertues . As if it had been a small thing for them to live so long the Despised vassels of their Hypocriticall Adversaries , the good Masters that have so long ruled us ; except they had been permitted , by the severest kind of Cruelty to take vengeance of their own vertues , and render themselves ten times more the wretched Captives , and despicable slaves , of their own Tyrannicall Lusts , and Atheisticall Humours then before . Indeed an Atheist and a Gentleman in the opinion of many , have for a long time been either Synonymous or at ▪ least Convertible termes : I dare not , I confesse , have such hard thoughts of all , though I could heartily wish , they would rather take some pains by their lives and Conversations to prove this to be an absurd , then stretch their lungs to cry out upon it , and swear it to be a rash and uncharitable Censure . Indeed , if on the oneside , in a feigned show of Religion to exclaim against Drunkennesse and Swearing , and other such like lowd and Open Prophanenesses , will suffice to Denominate the Saint : Or if on the other side to Cry out upon Hipocricy and Injustice , Rebellion and Sacriledg , Lying and Perjury , may be thought sufficient to constitute a true Son of the Church of England : then have we all enough to say for our selves , and to prove that most of our Gentlemen are indeed Christians . But , alas , it is too manifest , that on the one hand , all this Canting and superficiall sanctity ; all these strained sighs and Greanes , and turn'd-up Eyes , are no better then Sathan's Sunday's Garbe , or the painted Maskes and vizards , which Avarice , Ambition and Interest love to be seen in abroad . These are the Enriching Crafts , whereby our Demetriuses get their wealth . Many who have passed for Saints along time ( experience has shown it us ) have been just such as he , who had rather make Silver shrines for Diana , so they may be sure to be well paid for their work , then build Temples for the Worship of a Crucified Iesus in hopes of an Heaven , and meet with his Crosse for their pains . And on the other hand all those raveings which we dayly hear against Oppression , Hipocricy and Tyranny , I am afraid , they are not so often the seasonable overflowings of a Devout Spirit , a sincere soul , and a Loyall heart ; as the wild outrages of a boyling Passion , of a Confined , vice , and a restrained lust , which makes the sufferer like a Mad man to gnaw upon his chains and fetters : or else they are the violent motions of a revengfull Soul , which frets it selfe at the prosperity of the wicked , and had rather see it's enemies miserable , then it selfe sober and good . This is in truth that which many have thought enough to give either party the title of religious : but how they make good their claim to this title in their Actions , it is but too visible . Certainly if the Gentleman's life and ordinary Conversation may be thought ( as it ought to be ) the best index to point us out to his opinion ; we shall have much a doe to meet in most of those that own that name , with a Good Opinion either of God or Religion . Most of them ( I am sure the younger sort ) do grudg either of these the least place in their discourse , and therefore , it is to be fear'd as little in their thoughts . They would as soon , nay much sooner make choise of a Tinker or a Fidler , then of a Religious man for their Companion . Alas , such an one would spoyl all their Mirth , and make their very lives , by plunging them into a Malancholy Mood , meer torments to them . Any thing that 's grave and serious they perfectly loath and utterly reject , as that which cannot at present suit with their more sprightly and flourishing yeares : Age and scarcity of their Iuvenile blood , will hereafter ( they think ) make this a businesse of Course , and so they had rather have it then make it now a matter of choise : what need they be Religious now , who shall ( as they think ) whether they will or no , be so before they die ? If we should but a while take notice how many Riots , the Gentlemen of our times dayly commit , all those wanton Frolicks and Revellings they are not onely guilty of , but Glory in ; especially when they are at the Taverne or some other Good house of expence and Merriment , we should be readier to lose our selves in Admiration of their Madnesse , then to find out any thing of reall Honour and Nobility in them . To behold them there Contending for the Victory over a pot , and taking the measure of their Gallantry by the strength of their Brains , or Capacity of their Bellies : to hear them there drawing up with so much complacency an Inventory and Catalogue of all their sinfull extravagances , and in a double proportion intermixing their prophanenesses with their wine : whilest they drink wine with a song and prove themselves mighty to drink strong drink : To hear them roaring themselves out of breath , never taking leave of their wine , but of their senses too : nor forbearing their Oaths 'till they be able to speak no more ; would you believe these men could ever be so sober , as to mention the names of Christian or Gentleman ? And yet 't is most certain as well as sad , that you can never be more sure to meet with our Gentry in any place , then at these Academies of sin , and Nurseries of uncleannesse , there exercising their abilities , and making themselves expert in all those arts whereby they may most gratifie Sathan , and as it were , in so many open Bravadoes , challenge the Almighly into the field , and dare him to doe the worst he can . But ( alas ) we need not seek so great an advantage over them , as to take them there , where they have so often lost themselves , and it heartily grieves me , as certainly it must do every Charitable Christian , to see them so desperately madded with the fear of being accounted Holy ; and so ravenously greedy of eternall destruction , as thus to swallow it down by whole Bowles , and make their Companions Merry at the working out of their own Damnation . Doubtlesse Sathan hath but two much Power over these men when they are most Sober , they need not give him the advantage of finding them so often drunk . Except in a Gallantry they desire to show the world how boldly they dare desie Heaven , and how much they Scorne to owe their ruine to any but themselves . At such good places as these , is it , that our Gentlemen make all their Bargains , entertain all their friends , treat all their Ladies : here they Consult about the weightiest affaires of the Commonwealth ; Seal and Confirme all their agreements in the very hight of their Intemperance ; as if they were afraid they should know or remember hereafter what then they did ; or as if they were Confident then to be in a Capacity of doing all things best , when they were lest of all themselves : There can be no meeting , at least , no parting without a Cup ; as if there could be no surer pledg of friendship , or tie of a Civill Correspondence and Familiarity , then by being thus Drunk together , or at left , next dore to it . And now all this Madnesse , must be thought no worse then the Demonstration of that Civillity and Courtesy which they owe one another ; a necessary kindnesse or an handsome treatment : And who so refuses either to goe along with them , or to doe as they do when he is there , he is no better then an uncivill fellow , and no Companion for Gentlemen : what a disgrace is it held for a man to leave a drop in the bottome of his Cup ? What an affront is it to the Company , not to pledge every man his wholeone ? And not to admit every Health , it is no lesse then the greatest disrespect and Injury can be offer'd to the person in remembrance ; whosoever refuseth it , especially if it be a Lady or a Minion is remembred , shall be sure to hear of it with an Oath now , and perhaps a Challenge anon . More Ceremony is used , and more Reverence by halfe , to set off their drunken Revels , then to grace the Worship and service of their God : All must be bare , and all upon their knees , and a Catch instead of an Hymne : this is their morning and their Evening Devotion ; but whether this be the true service of their God , or the businesse of Gentlemen , I dare appeal to those Consciences of their's , which they now endeavour so to silence and Drown both by their Drinking and their Roaring . Nay , it seems very evident , that even these Gentlemen themselves make this Sottish passe-time the most infallible marke of true Gallantry : and account him a person of worth , and without all exceptions fit for their Company , whosoever can but take off his Cups handsomely , and is versed in all the Methods and Maximes of this Hellish Art. Indeed they have made it a kind of Science , and have given it so many rules and lawes of late , that he that will now be expert in it , had need to serve out an Apprenticeship to learne all the Circumstances and termes , though he be never so perfect in the Substance before . Any person how Contemptible soever shall not be thought unworthy of their Company , if he be but the Master of this Art. Even he whom they would almost scorne to own for a man when Sober and in his right wits , when he is Drunk or Mad , though but a Tinker or a Cobler , he is a Companion for Gentlemen . I do not grudg the poor fellowes the Honour of such Society , nor indeed can I think it any : But I am more the Gentleman's friend , and more tender of his reputation then he himselfe : ●I do therefore make it my prayer , as it is doubtlesse much the griefe and trouble of all good men to see them otherwise at present , that they may at last become more charitable to themselves , then thus to debauch and unman their own soules , and fall as much below the Nature of men , as the Quality of Gentlemen . §. 2. An Enquiry into the more Civill sort of our English Gentlemen . But let us look upon our Gentlemen in a more sober Posture ; though , I am afraid they will take it as an Injury done them , to consider them thus abstractedly from the highest degree of Debauchery : take away their Pot and their Pipe , and you rob the most of them , of the most delightsome method they know , of spending their time , which is such a trouble to them . This is it , which is their burthen , and their disease , that as the Stag with the Arrow in his side , they run , and shift , and throw themselves about from place to place , and are alwaies mad to be rid on 't ; 'till the sad moment appear wherein they are call'd out of the world , and then their time and life , both equally desired , vanish together . This wasting of their time , they esteem a thing so innocent in it selfe , that they seem to apprehend a Goodnesse in it , great enough to make them a pretence for all their other vices , and sinfull employments , shrouding them all under the generally approved names of Necessary Passe-times and diversions . Cards , or Dice , Bowling or Hunting , or Fidling , or any thing that has but a Motion in it to delude the tediousnesse of their Houres ; shall be welcome to them , and thought to be things not onely Harmelesse and Honest , but as invented to this good end of passing away the time , things desireable by most , and very Commendable in a Gentleman . In these they merrily spend , both their Nights and their Daies , their livelihoods and the greatest part of their lives ; whilest the poor neglected Soul all this while , cannot be allowed so much as halfe an hour's time in the Morning , by her Devotions , and viewing her face in the Glasse of God's word , to dresse her selfe for Heaven . Into how many Gentlemen's Families shall you come , where they do not ordinarily by sleeping out all the Morning , make it night till noone ? They rise from their Beds just so Early as their Dinners may prevent their Devotions : When they are thus removed from Bed to Board , they feed there their Lusts better then their Bodies , and yet their Bodies more then their Soules . The table is the Altar where they Sacrifice their Healths to their Appetites ; and Temperance to Luxury . They chuse their meat , by it's Cost and rarity , not use and wholsomnesse ; and it is too true a Proverb , that what 's farre fetch'd and dear bought , is meat for Gentlemen . After they have thus satiated for a while their lusts , and gratified the Delicacy of their Pallates , they must sit out an houre 's Impertinent and Idle tattle to digest their excesse : when they have done this , they are ready for another Nap , and that prepares them for another meal , except the Taverne or their Game prevent it . If they chance to hear of some Pamphlet , Libell or Pasquill , wherein some honest name is a sufferer , or where Chastity is put to doe penance in an obscene sheet ; any piece of Drollery , or wanton Ballad upon a Mistresse , a New Romance or a Play , presently the Newes of it is dispatch'd from one to another , these shall be read and ponder'd over and over , and be their Discourse and Passe-time at every meeting ▪ For mine own part it hath very rarely been my Fortune to meet with a Club of Gentlemen , but as often as I have , I have been frighted out of it again , or have had good Cause to repent me afterwards ; that I was not so , by that wild kind of behaviour , and loosenesse of talk I heard or saw amongst them . The best of their talk at any meeting , is but to aske and impart the Newes then stirring , or to give their judgments of the Ladies and the Fashions of the times ; to find fault with their own Taylors , or to commend another's ; to Droll out the time , or vie Wits by abusing each other , but every man most of all himselfe . If any man in the Company can ( and there be not many that can do so much ) by some slight probleme , make a shift to pose his fellowes ; he thinks he has done wonders , and has sufficiently vindicated his credit from the imputation of Ignorance or Idlenesse for ever . Alas ( Sir ) what is it that even the Prime of our Gentlemen pride themselves in ? even they whom we are prone to esteem highly ; and stile Civill and Ingeniaus persons● what but a little vain and Glittering Apparell ? and hee 's the Compleatest Gentlem●n for the most part , who wears the best suit , and shines most in a tinsell bravery . Who is thought the man of the highest inward accomplishments , but he that can talk volubly of the Customes ▪ and vices of the Court , or that which is most like it now there is none ? He that can tell you how much he is courted by the Ladies , and how much he is in favour with our Great Folks . He that can expresse himsele modishly in a Complement , that can speak much , and dance well ; and hand his Lady with the greatest grace along the streets ; these are the brave Gentlemen that are every where cry'd up as they go for Gallant and well accomplish'd persons . Or if you would goe higher yet , then he must be the man , that has laden his Memory with a few broaken Ends and Chippings of History ; or can tell you strange stories of the fashions and Customes of other Nations , and tell you where he has been , and what rarities he has seen ; and at once perhaps both discommend and practice their vices . Or if he be yet a more through Schollar , and generally acquainted both with books and men , so farre as to applaud and Censure and talk Skeptically : If he be an exquisite Mathematician , or Musician , or the like ; We think we have reason enough to suppose him company for the best ; and certainly he were so , would he but labour to be one of them , when he is amongst them . But , alas , what 's become of his God and his Religion all● this while ? If you can find a little of either in his Discourse , 't is much , though there be just nothing of them in his life : All those other accomplishments were truly commendable , were they thus accompanied , but not being so ( alas ) they are stark naught . Let us passe on to those who are thought by many the most Sober and serious persons of all others , and even amongst these ( I fear ) we shall find too many , on whom we can onely bestow this poor Commendation , that they are more Grav●ly wicked , more Cautiously sinfull , and more Soberly Atheisticall . Such are the men , who ( as I have told you before ) flatter themselves up in a kind of Negative Iustice ; and thereby with those whose persons and estates , they have not actively violated or diminished , are esteem'd persons of much worth and Honour ; and yet these are no better then the tamer sort of Sathans servants , whom by a long usage he has made somewhat lesse wanton , and brought up to his hand ; and has taught them to Cozen and Dissemble almost as well as himselfe . I need not tell any affectionate Son of the Distressed Church of England , how good friends and servants , these Good , Honest , Civill , Sober and prudent men have all along been to his poor Mother : How many of them have quietly stood by , and look'd on , if with no delight , yet ( I am sure ) with a great deal of unworthy patience , and base C●nnivance , whilest she has been mercilesly torne in pieces , by the cruel teeth of those raveneus beasts , which pretend●d to watch and defend her : and yet not so much as an Arrow shot out of any other Quiver then their mouths in a Chimney-Corner , against any of them . Whilest the Younger Gentlemen want true Prudence , and the old have too much of that they miscall so , they all prove very bad Souldiers , for such as pretend to fight under Christ's Banner , and on the behalfe of his Church ; which truly now if ever may be call'd truly Militant , and that too for want of Good Souldiers . If our English Gentlemen be made to stay for , and expect their Honours till they shall be knighted in the field for that Good service which they have done the Church of which they would be thought Members ; It will I fear be a sad and unwelcome sword must Dub them . It is too plainly apparent , that very few of them have so much reall Honour , as may make them sensible how they lose it . For if they had , could you Imagine it Possible , that so many Horrid Murthers and rapines , so many incredible Treasons and Blasphemies , such as their Posterity will not find faith enough to believe , should be thus openly acted and frequently vented even in their faces ; and not a man so much as move his hand to revenge what 's past , or prevent what 's to come ? Nay how often have the greatest part of them , by a base Compliance with those men who have allwaies struck at the very root of that Religion , which they so solemnly ( some of them more then once ) swore to defend , given themselves not onely the lie , but t●e perjury ? Alas , their Ho●ours are so jaded by drawing after them the Dung-Carts of their estates , that they now brook any rider whatsoever . Had but one ●enth part of all those vast summes of Money , and those many excellent parts , which these s●pposed Good-husbands , have prodigally lavih'd out in the Taverne or at their Game , be●n put to that good use it might have been , The Church might have received her own with usury ; England might yet have had the face of England , and they deserved the Name of Gentlemen . §. 3. An Appeal to the Gentleman 's own Conscience . For Confirmation of all this that hath been said , I shall dare to make my appeal to the Gentleman's Conscience , though I dare not think it to be one of the Best , or most impartiall in this case . I heartily wish he could in earnest and in truth tell me , that whosoever saith England has now but few true Gentlemen , is guilty of a Scandall . I confesse I could almost willingly be guilty of the Sin , upon condition his Innocence would once prove me a liar . If he can think it possible to be a tru● Gentleman without any sense of true honour or Religion ; or if he dares call him Religious and think him desirous of Heaven , wh● ( though his whole life be little enough 〈◊〉 prepare for it , yet ) grudges to spend o●e Minute of his time to gain it : If he ha●e the Charity to account him pious , w●o suffers his Soul to Starve for want of Sprituall food , and yet can feast and pamper up his lusts every houre : if he can have a true sense of Honour , who can Phancy himselfe Happy in Sathan's service , and is oftener upon his knees to him then to his God ; who makes his Soul the very drudg of his Body , and his carnall appetite the Mistresse of h●s life ; and every one of his members the sl●●e of some lust or other : If that man can rationally be thought , to set a just estimate upon an Honest Reputation , who had rather lie dabling in the Dirt , and Wallowing in the Mirc of Sin , then walk in the pleasa●t paths of Holinesse ; the high-way to Heaven : If it be a mark of Religion , to drein out a vast estate , by a vain ambition placed in Fine Cl●aths , delicious meats , rich wines , wasting Games , and other such like expensive sins , as are now the mode ; and all this while , not one mite cast into God's exhausted treasury , not a Rag designed to cover the poor man's nakedn●sse : If to behold God's own peculiar servants and Ambassadors lie starving in the streets for want of some few morsells or Crumbs of that bread which they grudg not by whole loaves to throw to their Dogs : If to see God's House all on fire , occasion'd by the outrages of their own flaming passions ; and God's children frying in the midst of the flame , and yet not so much as move a foot to fetch a little water to quench the one or stretch out an arme to save the other : if any man can judg these things to be the tokens of Religion or Honour : If to sit still all the day Idle , and laugh at those who are working in the Vineyard ; if to come into a Church with a long train of gaudy attendants , and to shine a while there in a little garish pomp ; if to sit in the highest pue , and to make this the chiefe part of their Devotion ( without so much as the Pharisee's Lord I thank thee ) that they are better then other men ; if to justle a poor neighbour out of their presence , with a stand off , for I am more Honourable then thou ; if to scoffe at all those who make any show of Piety , or to deride all those who think it necessary to have more then a show , be the infallible characters whereby we may know a Gentleman , then indeed I must of necessity confesse we have yet more then enow such Gentlemen in this poor England . I had rather mourn in secret , and in sadnesse of Spirit , si●h out the rest unto my God , then proceed at present any further in so unpleasant a the●e . O that the spilt blood of Christ's poor languishing spouse , cry not too loud in Heaven at the last day , not onely against those bloody souls , who have most barbarously thrust their spears into her side , and with inhumane hands torne out her very Bowels ; but even against all those too who could have a Calme upon their Spirits , whilest the tempest continued in the Church , and could hold it prudence to sit still , and not come forth to the help of God's spouse and his anointed one against the Mighty ; and therefore onely because they appeared Mighty . My prayers are , that an Early , and an Active repentance , may seasonably prevent their threatned ruine ; and a timely understanding of their own names , may make them before it be too late , truly sensible of their duties , and in earnest endeavour to regain that Honour , which they have been too remisse hitherto in preserving spotlesse . This is my great Charity to the Gentleman's soule ; and the highest respect I can conceive any man owes to his person , is to wish that part of him best , which he seems to reguard least . I would to God he could once , though late have so great a Charity and respect for himselfe , that so he might not one day be found , with weeping , and wailing , and Gnashing of teeth , crying out upon himselfe with no lesse reason , then despair and Horrour , even as that once-glorious Church , to the untimely ruine whereof his sins have in so large a measure Contributed , cries out upon him now with sorrow and amazement . Had he not shown himselfe all along so stupidly senselesse of , and Bruitishly unconcern'd , in the afflictions of Ioseph ; I might have had the Charity , to think him capable of Councell and advice , and to wish him one better able then my selfe to serve him herein . However give me leave to mention one or two of those Considerations , before I conclude this letter , which ( doubtlesse ) if he have not quite forgot himselfe , must needs sink deep into his thoughts , and provoke him , if any thing can do it now he is at such a distance , to returne to himselfe . §. 4. Motives to the Gentleman to be indeed Religious , and first of Common Civility . To perswade the Gentleman to be good , a man would think were no hard taske , seeing he takes it so ill out , that any man should suspect him to be otherwise : and yet notwithstanding , it may well be thought a very difficult and bold undertaking , when it shall be consider'd how much he is in love with his present selfe ; for as selfe-love is blind whensoever it should look upon it's own faults ; so is it altogether as deaf when it should hearken to instruction . Yet because the Difficulty lies not so much in making him understand what he should be , as in making him see how much he is at present what he ought not to be ; for that he ought to be good and Religious I know he will readily grant , but that he is not so allready we shall have much adoe to persuade him to believe : Seeing one halfe of our work is already done to our hand in his own Conscience , we may have the greater encouragement to proceed in the other yet behind : I am Confident , that by reading what goes before , he cannot chuse but behold himselfe in his own shape , at least in one so like it , that the very sight must of necessity bege● in him an hatred of the old object and a love to the New : and therefore at present I shall confidently suppose , that I have no more to doe but this , to let him see in some measure how rationall a thing it is for him to be , what he himselfe so well knowes , he should bee . I intend not here to trouble you or him with any large Encomium of Vertue or Religion , which would swell up this Discourse much above the just proportion of a Letter , neither is it my purpose to call in all those Auxiliaries I might from severall Common-places be supplied withall , to compleat my conquest over the Gentleman's Affections ; I shall only mention one or two of those motives which I hope may be , I am sure in another would infallnbly be prevalent and Effectuall . The first and slightest which I shall here most humbly offer to his serious Consideration , is an argument which he too often makes use of to a worse purpose , and thereby suffers his sensuall to gain the victory over his Spirituall selfe . And this is taken from that Topick of Common Civility , which naturally obliges him to make suitable returnes to those many reall kindnesses and respects which the best of his friends have ever had for him . I shall beseech him to remember , how whensoever he is by the swing of his own dominering lusts , no lesse then by the attractive vices of his acquaintance drawn to a Taverne , or carried on to any other excesse or riot , it is to this one pretence be confidently betakes himselfe for Sanctuary ; that he was meerly drawn in by the Civility of others , and that he was not able to resist the Importunity of his friends ; that Common Courtesy did strongly oblige him , not to show himselfe reguardlesse of his acquaintance , by forsaking their Company who had expressed themselves so desirous , and had taken so much pains to enjoy his . I wish he would but call to mind what weight this argument hath when pressed upon him by his lewdest companions , and assisted by his own forward Inclinations to that which is evill ; and how infinitely more force then it ought to have , when made use of by such as really desire his happinesse , and applied to that which in it selfe is so deservedly Commendable ? Would the Gentleman but open his ears , how many reall friends might he hear , and those such whose Courteous Invitations he cannot either with Civility or Gratitude refuse , every where with no small importunity wooing him into Heaven , and to walk along with them in those paths which will lead him thereunto . I might here tell him how heartily God himselfe calls and Invites him , and daily sends abroad his Messengers early and late to beg and intreat him to accept of his Invitation ; how he has prepared his Oxen and his Fatlings , and made ready his Supper , how he bids him to a Feast of Fat things , and to drink wine and milk without Money and without price : How he stands with his armes of mercy spread wide open , to receive , embrace , and kisse his returning Prodigalls , with a new Robe and a Ring , nay with a Crown and a Kingdome to welcome them . Can it now be judged Civility to refuse and slight the Invitation of so Bountifull and Indulgent a father ? I might tell him how the Angels in Heaven even long for his Company , and will be overjoy'd to see him , and to hear him exercising that voice so long abused in warbling out his lascivious . Love-songs , or roaring it in his wild Catches , by bearing a part in their Holy Quire , in perpetuall Halelujahs to the King of Heaven : And can he think it Civility to make void the Hopes , and prevent the joyes of such Heavenly Company . I might further mind him how the poor Church of England his mother , longs to receive him again with joy into her Bosome , and to kisse him with the kisses of her Love , and to uncover to him her breasts of Consolation ; whence he needs not draw the Wind of False Doctrine , nor fear to tast the blood of Tyrany and Oppression , but may suck in that sincere milk which is his souls only true nourishment : She whose tender care and wholsome instructions , like an unwise child he hath so long despised , longs yet once again to rejoyce in his Love , and would be proud of so Glorious a Son , which might not onely cherish and defend , but grace aud Credit his mother : And can he call it lesse then an Incivility , to envy Her this Honour , which wisheth him that happinesse ? can he chuse rather to augment her Sorrowes , and provoke her teares , and bite her breasts , and suck out her blood , then cherish her and be nourish'd by her ? All the Good men in the World , all the most Honourable of God's servants , his speciall Ambassadours , doe with all the power of their Rhetorick , and moveingnesse of Passion , cry aloud , calling upon him , and beseeching him to come home , and live happily in his Father's house ; these who have had the high charity for him , to take the care and charge of him , and night and day to watch for his soule , and must be accountable for it at the Great and Dreadfull Audite : Upon Him they look with a more vigilant and tender eye , as upon the very Best and fairest of the flock , whose straying would be not onely the losse of one , and him the fattest and chiefe of all the rest , but such an one , as by his influence upon the others , may probably occasion the loosing of many more : These perswade and intreat him , and that for Christ's sake , for his who loved him so well , that he did not grudg to purchase him with the best treasure in Heaven , his own most precious blood : And now , how can the Gentleman who pretends so highly to all manner of Civility , think it lesse then an unworthinesse in him , to set so light by all this Care , and this kindnesse ? He that would be thought all Courtesy , all Civility , O let him not now onely be unkind and discourteous , to his God , and God's Church , God's Angels , and God's Ministers , unto God's Son and his Saviour . He that expressed so remarkable a kindnesse to a false friend , who is most certainly the greatest and most Dangerous of all enemies , to him who was only set by the Devill in a friend's habit to Decoy him out of the way , and watch his opportunity to murther his soul ; let him not now for shame be so unnaturall to himselfe , and unkind to them , as to slight those reall and sincere friends , who make it the greatest part of their study to save him from eternall torments : He that would not be bought out of his Civility , though but to a sin , and sinner , by the high price of an Heaven and eternity ; shall he now any longer be bribed to offer so many affronts to his God , with an Hell , and it 's Endlesse torments ? Certainly , if any Importunity could ever prevail , as alas too often it hath , even to the melting of his Soul into Sin and Vanity ; what must it now doe ? never so great , never back'd with so many obligations to Civillity as here ; for where ever did there appear so much and so earnest wooing , and Intreating , and begging , and watching , and dying ? Again , In civility to the Nation wherein he lives , and which he should labour both to Serve and Credit ; he is her Hopes , and he should be her Honour : She calls him her choise Treasure , her strongest Pillar , her potent Protector ; and shall he not think it base to evacuate her hopes , and detect her too charitable Errour , by neglecting to deserve and maintain his name ? Shall it be to his Honour when he shall hear it said by others , that the Pretious stones and Iewels of England are all but vile and unprofitable pebbles ; that all her purest Gold is full of Drosse ; her best Pillars quite rotten ; and her Guardians her principall underminers and destroyers ? that with the least wind that blowes , her pillars shake , and the building tumbles ? The Gentleman is that great and faire White , at which all men aime and direct the Best of their Respects ; and on whom they think the greatest of their Honours not misplaced : And is this his Civility to all his Lovers and Admirers ; to leave them embracing a shadow for a substance , and to pay home their affection and respects to him , with Neglect , and Disgrace , and too often with misery and Ruine to themselves ? Is this his care , to provide that no man shall ever be deceived in him , but he that thinks well of him ? If this be the Gentleman's Civility , then what , I pray Sir , is his Vnkindnesse ? §. 5. A second Motive grounded upon Shame and Disgrace . The next thing which I shall propose to his Consideration , is that which usually has too powerfull an operation upon him ; I mean Shame and Disgrace . The pretence of securing his Name and Reputation from these blurres , being another of those Fig-leaves , wherewith he would fain hide his most foul and deformed Vices : He had rather throw himselfe headlong into the grossest sin Imaginable , then by chuseing what is best , but out of fashi●n with the Multitude , expose himselfe to the laughter of fools and Sinners . O what torment , what affliction is it to him , to be feer'd and Mock'd , and Hooted at by a Company of Mad-men , for behaving himselfe with more sobriety and wisdome then they ? Here I shall most earnestly beseech the Gentleman to Consider , how miserably he befools himselfe , and how inconsiderately he runs himselfe upon those rocks he endeavours so carefully to avoid ; whilest nothing can lay him more open to shame , then that which was the first parent of it , his sinne : which makes him a meer Laughing-stock to all but those that pitty him . Let him remember how he daily provokes that God , who is the onely Fountaine of all true Honour here , as well as Happinesse hereafter , to Laugh at him and have him in Derisi●n Will it be no shame for him to be found , at last , one of those wretched and Contemptible Creatures , which shall have the door shut upon them , and be forced to stand knocking at the Gates of Heaven , with sighs and tears , and like so many miserable starving beggars in bitternesse of spirit , craving admission , and yet for all their selfe-conceited Greatnesse , be vouchsafed no more respectfull an answer , then a — Depart ye cursed , and — Be gone I know you not . What shame and Disgrace can the Gentleman fear to suffer like this , when he who pranced it up and down with no lesse security then Pride and vanity , and laugh'd to see others take so much pains to goe to Heaven , shall even then , when he thinks himselfe so sure of all , meet with a Scornfull repulse ? But if the Gentleman will venture this Disgrace , because he phancies it to be yet at so great a distance ; yet I must tell him he is much mistaken to think he shall speed much better here below . Is it no shame , to be justly accounted by all , who understand themselves , a poor , silly , ignorant fool , such an one as can please himselfe with a toy , a rattle ; and can think himselfe the onely wise man in the world , when alas all they who are wise indeed , look upon him and Pitty him , as the most silly , despicable wretch under Heaven ? It is thus men commonly make triall of the Fool 's Genius , they propose at once to his choise , a piece of painted Glasse and a Diamond , a Feather and a suit of Cloaths ; that so by preferring the gayer●toy , before the pretious or the serviceable substance , he may betray his Ignorance and Simplicity . Alas , Sir , what can we judg the Debauched Gentleman to be better or Wiser , then such a silly Deluded Idiot , or ( as we call him ) a meer Naturall , that sports himselfe with his own shadow and places his Happinesse in Dancing about in his party-colour'd Coat , his Cap and his Feather ? Did the Gentleman but know his friends , or durst he be so much his own , as to entertain fewer Flatterers , who Cover his eyes and stop his Eares , so that he neither sees nor hears of himselfe , what otherwise he might ; how soon would he grow ashamed of his own face ! Did he but know how even all they , whose tongues are bridlea either by his power or Prodigality in his presence , talke of him when they are out of it , at their severall meetings , doubtlesse this would bring him out of love with his own Gayety , and Prettinesse . The Stoick talkes of him with Contempt and Derision ; the Charitable Christian with as much Pitty and Compassion ; and what a shame is it for the Gentleman who alwaies thinks himselfe both the Best and Happiest man in the world , either to deserve the one , or need the other ? If he yet reguard nothing of all this , but Contents himselfe with this Phancy that he can do as much for them , and that he can think others as very fools as they think him ; and pitty them as much : Alas , how is he to be pitty'd for these thoughts ! whilest like a man in an high Fever , he makes a Felicity of his Distemper , and in the Lightnesse of his head , Phancies he is amongst Angels , and in as Glorious a Condition as they . Let him consider how great a shame even this is , to say , he can laugh at , or he can pitty he knowes not what : Others know ( alas too well ) what in him they pitty ▪ They have , most of them , some time or other , tasted of his sweets to their sorrow , but found them at last bitter to their present joy and Comfort ; Let him then first tast of their's , and then let him chuse , whom he will make the Object of his Pitty . I am Confident he would in the first place be thus Charitable to himselfe . But this is not all the reason the Gentleman hath to be ashamed of his present course of life . Is it not a disgrace for a man therein to be cheated wherein he hath ever thought himselfe to be the wisest of all men ; and to have such tricks put upon him , by what he most Confides in , as will cast a damp upon all his Iollity at once ? There 's no man but will confesse it an high degree of indiscretion in himselfe without a very strong temptation indeed , to place his great Confidence , and best Affections upon a meer cheat : and yet that Gentile Sinner we speak of ( if ever any ) is highly guilty of this Folly. He may assure himselfe , if he repent not in due time , Sathan will put the same cheat upon him , whereby he so sadly beguiled his wise Brother in the Gospel ; whom in that very night , when he Lullaby'd his soul into a groundlesse security , by presenting to her eye the abundance of his riches ; he suddenly snatches away into the place of Torments , and makes this addition to the rest of his Sorrowes , that he derides his former security , and laughs at his present misery . But this is too Common and Copious a Theme to dwell any longer upon ; I durst not altogether omit to mention it , because I have not yet met with any thing more frequently prevalent with the Gentleman , to perswade him to sin , then this fear of shame and Disgrace ; and if it have been so powerfull to hurry him on to his ruine , I hope , rightly apprehended , it may have some efficacy in drawing him to his Felicity . §. 6. A third Motive drawn from Aequity . I shall but propose two Considerations more , and these are such , as much concern the Gentleman to entertain , viz : of Aequity and Honour . And first , in all aequity and justice the Gentleman ought to proportion his Gratitude , to the Bounty which enrich'd him ; and to live a Gentleman is as little as can , with any reason , be thought a just requitall of his Goodnesse who made him more Honourable then others . For it was not he himselfe by whom he was made better then another man , neither hath he any thing which he hath not received . It cannot therefore be Gratitude in him like a Spongy substance , to suck in all which is proffer'd it , but to return nothing again without a Squeezing : Or like a black and heavy clod of earth , to receive the most Courteous and enlivening rayes of Heaven , and yet requite the Bounty neither by a present cheerfull reflection , nor a future seasonable fructification : neither yet to lie like a rotten Dunghill , which repaies all the sweet Influence it participates of , in a stenchy fume , or a generation of Vermine . He should rather labour to resemble the true Christall , whose property it is either to transmit or reflect those rayes it receives , with great advantage of light to the darker objects about it ; and of a more visible splendor and Glory to the light it selfe . A true Diamond will not cease to sparkle in the darkest night , and the true Gentleman too , will take care , that his light so shine before men , that they may behold his works rather then his person ( as the Sun gives us a clearer prospect of the other parts of the world , then of it's own Body ) and teach them much more to Glorify his God in Heaven , then to pay him a Reverence upon Earth . The Gold was not made so excellent a Mettall , that it might lie hid and rust in the Bowels of the Earth , but by a reception of the Prince's Image , administer to the Necessities of Commerce amongst the severall members of the world . It would be a poor thing to Imagine God should make the best of Creatures for the worst of uses ; or the Noblest of Men to be Sathans Instruments now , his Companions and his prey anon . The Gentleman I know will easily grant himselfe to be a Vessell created for Honour ; but 't is strange he should goe about to prove himselfe so , by continuing alwaies Empty , or refusing to hold any thing , but the worst of poysons : by standing ( as some of those do which cost most pains in the making , most mony in procuring , most time in scouring ) idle and uselesse , onely to adorne and grace the Cup-board , and shine there , 'till they become Dusty again . As all Flesh is Grasse , so is the Gentleman the Flower of the Grasse ; but let it not appear in this , that the grasse is more usefull , though the flower more beutifull ; neither let the leafe smell sweeter then the Rose . Though all Mankind be but Dust and Earth , yet certainly we may in reason think the Gentleman a part of the Richest soyle , and from which the Husband-man or Gardener may justly expect both the fairest flowers and fullest Crop , as from that ground which in it selfe is fattest , and in the Cultivating and Manuring whereof , has been spent both the most money and the most sweat . Farre be it from the Gentleman to be call'd ( as we do sometimes our most fertile fields ) onely the Proudest ground , such as swaggers it out with Poppy and Cockle , and flatters the eye with many fine Blew and Yellow Flowers , but such as are neither for use themselves , nor will suffer the good Corne to thrive and grow 'till it may be so . The Gentleman , I am sure , would be troubled to be thus requited for his Care and pains by his field , and shall not God be justly angry for the like bad usage from the Gentleman ? Certainly he cannot in equity expect the largest wage , who doth the least work , or think he can ▪ merit the most Honourable reward , by standing all the day Idl● ; nay for hindering and Deterring others who were going to labour in the Vineyard . Shall the Steward be the greatest loyterer , and most Careless● servant in the whole Family ? And is it fit the Heire should be the meerest Prodigall ? I am Confident the Gentleman would think it an injury to be thought so ▪ and is it not then as great an injustice to be so ? I should not have breath enough to enumerate halfe those many Honours and Dignities , those severall Priviledges , and Advantages , Endowments and Possessions which the Gentleman is blest with above his poorer Brethren , and can we think all these , not encouragements to be better , but rewards and Bribes to and for being Idler then others ? The Gentleman is apt to boast himselfe much of his Noble Ancestors and Vertuous Progenitors , and is it not therefore equity , that all men should expect from that tree the best fruit , which hath the Noblest root ? Men do not of Thistles expect grapes , nor of Brambles Figs ; but even of the wild Olive tree when but grafted into the true Olive tree , God expects the Naturall fruit . That Noble person who Adopts a Clown his heir , will expect he should henceforward become a Gentleman , and how much more is this to be expected from him who is born the true Son and heir ? The Gentleman will pull his Cock's head off , if he degenerate from his kind ; and why should his God use him better ? The Gentleman , again , is apt to talk very much of his good Breeding , and Ingenuous Education ; and certainly it is the greatest happinesse which can so early betide him , that usually he hath Parents which are as tender of his Honour as of his life , and very often more ▪ carefull of his soul , then of their own : who howsoever they live themselves , yet will be sure to reprove the least vice in the Child , and it is a very ordinary forme of blessing him , to pray he may be a better man then his Father . Now the Gentleman will expect this from his Horse or Spaniel , to behave himselfe hereafter , as he has been taught when he was young . Alas , how many brave and Generous dispositions are flatted and lost , how many Ingenious spirits are dull'd and besotted , how many keen wits are blunted and lose their Edg , by being put to Delve in the Earth , being altogether Cow'd and Enslaved , by the Tyranny of Poverty and an Adverse Fortune ; whilst they could not be allowed that timely and Noble Nurture and Cultivation , whereby they might have been weeded and improved to a very high degree of Excellency and fruitfulnesse ? How much good and tractable earth has been lost meerly for want of a Skilfull Potter , or spoiled upon the wheel of one unskilfull ? Whilest the Gentleman has all the aid and assistance that Prudent Parents or a rich-purse can afford him ; and shall he , whom God has thus blessed with that which may procure him as well what 's Best as what 's Necessary , grow more Barren under all this care and Good-husbandry , which is bestow'd upon him ? Shall he like a stubborne and unwieldly branch , so soon as ever he is from under the wise hand which would have pruin'd and straighted him , start back into his Naturall rudenesse , and Deformity again ? Shall he be like the Viall or Watch , one whereof will onely continue it 's even and Certain motion , so long as the owner forgets not to wind him up ; and the other gives us its sweet sound no longer then the Musician's hand provokes and beats it ; but so soon as the hand rests , the Motion and the Musick ceases , and in a short time , the strings crack , and the Pegs fall , and the Noble Instrument growes mouldy and worm-eaten ? Is it not most unnaturall , that he who has all these great advantages in his youth , which others do often in vain , and he himselfe too often when it is too late , wish to enjoy , should not doe something whereby he might shew all that care and cost , not quite thrown away and mispent ? And yet much more , that he should only so behave himselfe , as one that knowes how readily to forget , whatever had cost him so much time , and pains , and Money in acquiring ; and one that can now make that a part of his glory , which indeed is no small argument of shame , that he once had a little learning , and Might have been a Christian , had he not had wit enough to befool himselfe , and so become a Gentleman . It troubles me to say that very many of our English Gentlemen do thus Commence ( as it were ) and take Degrees in Ignorance and Vanity , I wish it troubled him as much to doe so . Again , it were but just , our Gentlemen should think upon their large portions and fair Inheritances , and so take the Measure of their Duties , by their liberall allowances . To have an estate makes not man Happy , but to use an estate wisely may bring a man very farre on his way towards it . O let it never be said of the Gentleman , what is recorded to the perpetuall dishonour of the Young Man ( he knowes [ I hope ] where ) that he departed from Christ because he was very rich . It is certainly a mistake in any man , to think , a man's soul may no way feed and grow fat , upon his wealth : or to say a man may not become a Better man , by having greater possessions . Wisedome's seven Pillars are most readily erected , and firmly grounded upon a Basis of Gold : And Vertue cannot there have the best fair , and thrive most , though she may have a kind welcome , where Poverty keeps the house . Though the treasures of Wisdome and knowledg lie not in the Chist , yet are they for the most part so lock'd up , that he who would at any time come readily at them , must not sail to carry the Key in his Pocket . Though Vertue and Piety may live Quietly and Contentedly under a thatch'd roof , and may meet with such entertainment as may preserve life ; yet , alas , they are but there as in Prison , and shall hardly obtain the Liberty to walk much abroad except there be something in the purse to purchase their freedome : Without this they may have what fetter'd Captives may enjoy , their hearts and tongues , but very seldome their hands or feet at liberty . What rare perfections might be attain'd to , and what wonders wrought , had but either the Rich Gentleman the poor man's soul , or the Poor man the Rich Gentleman's purse ? What a shame is it , that he whom God hath blessed with enough to buy the Precious Pearl , should rather chuse to lay it out upon an Hobby-Horse ; that he should suffer either Himselfe to be a Fool , or Vertue a Beggar , when it is in his power to prevent both ? If his wealth know not what to doe with his Vertue , let him give Vertue the key , and she knowes how to make use of his wealth . What an ungratefull fool is he , who with what is given him will neither fulfill the Donor's will , nor make use of the gift to his own advantage ? How might the Church become truly Glorious , and her rayment literally of wrought Gold , how might the Poore man grow Rich , and the Rich man Good and Happy , did the Gentleman study to make that improvement , which he ought to make of this one talent , and not either with the Raunting Prodigall waste his inheritance by riotous living ; or with the other Ill-husband and foolish servant , wrap it up in the Napkin of a lazy , or hide it in the Earth of a Worldly mind ? There is a third obligation whereby the Gentleman in equity is bound to outgoe his Inferiours , no lesse in Goodnesse then in Wealth and Pomp. I mean an Immunity from the Drudgeries of the World : Nature and Fortune both seem to consent in granting him a Dispensation from those Brick-kilnes , to which by the Pharaoh-like Cruelty of a Necessitous Condition , many a better Israelite is sentenced . He tugs not at the Oares , nor delves in the Dirt , nor washes his face , and Bathes his body in his own sweat ; nor lives , as other men are often constrain'd to doe , almost by a wearisomenesse of living : But seems to plead an Exemption from that part of Adam's Curse , whereby he was condemned in the sweat , of his Browes to eat his bread . Whilest many others by their continuall labour , seem from meal to meal to kneed their own dough ; and other men's too ; and , like the poor Israelites , when driven out of Aegypt , to run up and down with their kneeding-troughs upon their Shoulders . They carry both their Lives and livelihoods to and fro in their hands ; and by a toilesome improvement of the Gentleman 's vast estate , pick up for themselves a very scant subsistence . He eats the fat , and drinks the sweet , and has one part of him alwaies provided for to his hand ; and ought not this to lay a strong obligation upon him , to take more pains about the other ? Ought not this to bind him to the ready service of his God , who has made the whole world in a manner to serve him ? Certainly he never had a generall Dispensation granted him from all labour , but onely from the more slavish and drudging part of it ; that the lesse he has to care for besides , the more time he should have to care for his soul and Heaven . It was Adam's growing wanton in Eden , where the Earth freely brought forth all things of it selfe , and where his taske of labouring was but his Recreation not his toyl , which sent him first abroad to sweat in the World , and to wage a Constant warre with Bryars and Thistles . And if the Gentleman will not take some pains to dresse the Garden of his Soul , when all the world seems to be so much his own round about him , that one part of it is his Steward , the other his Estate , he can expect no lesse then to be driven out at last with a flaming sword to seek a Miserable killing livelihood in another . Could the Gentleman be truly sensible of his extraordinary priviledges he enjoyes , more then the rest of his labouring brethren doe , in this one particular , doubtlesse we should see him more thankfull , and lesse Idle ; for though leisure be a very great blessing yet is lazin●sse a meer Canker , which will in a short time , if not seasonably cured , eat out both Purse and Soul. Let him not thus turne the Opportunities of doing good , into encouragements to sinne , nor the Means of Happinesse , into the Instruments of Misery . O what an inestimable advantage is this , for any man that would either learn much or do well , to have alwaies a Soul so tranquil and Serene , that all 's Smooth and calme within him ? What would many a brave Ingenious spirit , which could never yet obtain one smile from fortune , but lies alwaies under the black cloud of Poverty , and tossed upon the tumultuous waves , of much bucsinesse and more sufferings , what would it not give to be blest with such a Sun-shine , and to have so long a vacation from the world and it's sorrowes ? None of those distractiois which come from the affairs of the vorld without him , which with so much e●●rnesse and irresistable Importunity , ●dl and pull , and haile away many a good soul from his Study and devotion , need to be so much as hearkn'd to by the Gentleman ; vho if he would but understand , the easy distinction , betwixt being carefull and being ●iesy , betwixt Idlenesse and leisure , we should find him betaking himselfe to another and more cheerfull course of life , having much time to use , but none to lose . And suppose you should ask the Gentleman this question , and wish him to answer it according to Conscience-Whether , if he had a servant whom he had designed for some more honourable and extraordinary empoyment ; and to this end , had exempted hin from all Common businesse and works proper to an Inferiour calling ; and not only so , but furnish'd him also , with whatever he could suppose instrumentall to his work ; and for his better incouragement had given him a considerable summe of Mony before-hand ; if after all this , this servant should neglect this businesse , and throw away all t●e time allotted him , in matters of small concernment , or in meer Idlen●sse , goe and spend his allowance , and waste his Master ' mony in Bad Company , and in pampering up his own humours and lusts ; let him tell you in good earnest , whether he would not think himselfe slighted and abused , and for ● reward , turne that servant out of dores o● into Prison ? And why then should th● Gentleman flatter himselfe up with fair● hopes ; his charge I am sure is as great , 〈◊〉 care much lesse , and therefore his case can 〈◊〉 no better . I may here very seasonably adde , as another branch of this Motive , the Gentleman 's fair opportunity , not only of doing good to himselfe , but others also : and such an Opportunity it is , as is indeed a Necessity of doing either much good , or much hurt by his Example . For the Gentleman stands upon t●e top of an Hil , and being advanced to that considerable an height , is thereby made 〈◊〉 Conspicuous to the eye of the world , that his actions have an influence upon the Inh●bitants of the vales round about him . 〈◊〉 His Tenents must for fear Flatter him , and many others will for his favour humour him , an● there be yet more , who have an Ambition 〈◊〉 be like him . Every sin in him is like an Eclipse in the Sun , whereby not onely his own lustre and brightnesse is obscured and hid , but his rayes are withheld from the world below , and a Malignant Influence scatter'd abroad upon Inferior Bodies . It is a very hard matter for a Gentleman to be bad alone ; I dare say , his heart will bear witnesse , that he owes not a few of his own sins to the powerfull Example of his superiours ; and that he has very often resisted the more sober and vertuous inclinations of his own soul , and the more rationall dictates of his own judgment , onely out of an Ambitious humour to make himselfe Company for great ones ; and because he was ashamed to be found lesse then a Gentleman in any thing , though in Sin it selfe . Let him therefore consider how much it will Concerne him , who is the true Loadstone of the Nation , whose Motion the poor Iron soules of the multitude with trembling expect ; and perceiving follow , to turne himselfe alwaies to the right Pole. I wish the Gentlemen of our Island would remember this , that by their vices they prove not onely Bad in themselves , but unjust to their Neighbours : that so they may see how much in equity they are obliged to amend their lives . §. 7. A fourth Motive from Honour and Reputation . The other mark to which I would gladly perswade the Gentleman to turne his eye , is that which he pretends to aime at most ; his Honour or Reputation ; things ( If you 'l believe him ) whereof he is more tender then his life ; but let us see how he will endeavour to make this good , for I cannot believe he values much , what he takes to pains to preserve . The main Character of an Honourable person , is a great care in him , never to doe any thing below his Name , or which may reflect upon his Progenitors or his Family with shame and disparagement . He therefore can admit no emploiment which is base or low , but as his Honour was at first raised , so he studies to maintain it at that height , by some noble and Gallant atchievement . But how truly tender is he of his Honour , who thus ( as we have said before ) is willing to degrade himselfe into a Beast , and to trample upon his Dignity and humanity at once ? He that can bend his proud neck to the most galling Yoak which Sathan can put upon him ; and patiently kneeles him down to receive so many loads of Dirt upon his back ? who scornes not to drudg for the Worst and Basest of Masters , and that in his meanest and most Beggarly service , when he sends him out ( with the Young Prodigall ) into the field of Carnall pleasures , there to feed a few swinish lusts : and all this too , upon hopes of the slenderest reward here , a few deceitfull Husks , and in dayly fear and expectation of the most dreadfull punishment hereafter , that of Endlesse torments . The Gentleman that values his honour , will be sure not to mix with any Company , but such , from whom he may reap both Credit and profit ; such as will be no lets to him in his vertuous progresse , nor blemish to his desired Reputation . But alas how little do those Gentlemen reguard either of these , who indeed care for no Companions but such as have made themselves altogether the Creatures of their vices , and the neerest Pandors of their Lusts. The truly Honourable Gentleman , is alwaies most faithfull and punctuall in the performance of his promises , and showeth himselfe to be as Good as his word , esteeming no disgrace like that of deserving the Lie. Every promise he makes , he pawns his Honour and Reputation , to secure the performance ; and looks upon no disrespect as comparable with that , of not being thought a person fit to be trusted . But how little care do our Gentlemen take to maintain this support of their Credit ; who swear so frequently to , they know not , or heed not what , that they cannot possibly so much as remember , much lesse discharge one third part of their Oaths . These upon every slight or no occasion they send out in such Volleyes , and with so much Inconsideration and temerity , that they cannot have time to Consider whether one halfe of what they swear be true or false . Nay there is one solemne Vow , and that the most sacred one that ever they made , and to a person with whom it most Concernes them to be punctuall and deal faithfully , I mean that at their Baptisme ; which , alas , they so well performe , as that they hardly ever call to mind , or can believe there was any such thing done by them : Was it not this that then they promised , to Forsake the Divell and all his works , the vain pomp and glory of the World , with all the Covetous desires of the same , and all the Carnall desires of the flesh , so that they would neither follow nor be lead by them ? In which , the engagement of their Honour would not serve the turne , but they brought their sureties and Bondmen , who promised ( as much as in them lay ) to see all made good ; I tremble to think how this vow has been fulfil'd by all those persons who would be thought so sensible of Honour , that their bare word might at any time serve for their Bond. What they vow'd to forsake , they with all earnestnesse follow ; and that whereby they would not be led , they sweat to Outgoe . Hugging and embracing those temptations they promised to abandon , and making the Vaine Pomp and Glory of the World the onely Gods they dare love and adore . If the Gentleman be thus carelesse in maintaining his Credit , thus false in his promises to God and his Soul , I hope he will not think it strange , if others be so scrupulous and weak-faith'd , as not to believe him to be a Gentleman upon his own bare word . Further yet , he that desires to be truly Honourable , and esteem'd soe ; Will so provide for his Honour , that the world may have no just cause to throw the miscarriages and sins of his Country upon his shoulders , or that all the Miseries thereof should be found the Daughters of his Vices . But whether or no we have any reason to blame the English Gentleman for the Calamities of his Nation , I appeal to himselfe , let his Conscience determine it . To whom shall we impute the Blindnesse , the Ignorance , the Giddinesse of the People , but to him that pretends to be the eye and the head ? We know it is the Lightnesse of the head , which often makes the heels stand uppermost ; And when we see a Drunkard reel and staggar , we all know it is the Giddinesse of his head which causes his uneven motion . It were happy for us , if all those who would be thought the Heads of this Headlesse Nation , would daily consider their office ; and how much of the Crazinesse and Distemper of this Infatuated people , is to be imputed to the unsetlednesse of their own Brains , and want of a due Government of themselves . O that the World might no longer have just cause to say ( as now many are apt to doe ) that the sad disease of this poor Kingdome , wherein it has well nigh Cough'd out it's very heart , proceed from a cold it has taken in the Noblest members of its Body : and that indeed is Atheisme . If therefore our Gentlemen ever intend to deserve that honour , they so egerly desire , let them learn to be and Act like themselves , so shall they assure themselves of true Honour both before God and amongst men . Let them pluck up their Courage , and make it appeare to the World , that they have yet something of a Noble and Generous Spirit within their breasts ; that they dare yet own a God , in despight of Atheisme and Blasphemy , and stand up for his Church in opposition to Tyranny and Sacriledg : that they have Spirits above the reach of Swords , and Souls not to be out-braved by the terrours of the Grave ; nor blown out of their bodies with the proud and threatning breath of those that can but seem mighty . Let it once be seen that they have espoused a Religion which has a Majesty enough to Daunt a Nebuchadnezar with the hottest furnace in his Mouth : and an Holy zeal , which ( as the Brighter Sun beams doe upon the fainter light of a Candle ) can prey upon , and Consume to nothing , the most scorching flames of Persecution . When they have learn'd to take the roaring Lion by the Iawes , and pull out his teeth ; when they can ( with the stout Champion of Israel ) defend the endanger'd Church against that great Goliah of Atheisme , which now or never appeares with the Weaver's Beam in his hand ; when they have once got the Courage , to slight and pitty all the Cursing Shimeahs and railing Rabshakahs of the land ; to scorne the Barkings of reproach ; and not to be afraid of the teeth of Poverty ; when they dare goe with Abraham to sacrifice their lesse lovely Isaacks at the Mountain of the Lord : In a word , when they dare be good without fear of Shame or Want , and Religiously Loyall without dreading either Beggary or Death : Then shall they have Honours without stain or Blemish ; and Names venerable in the Mouthes of all men : then shall they set their feet upon the Necks of the Mighty , and Tyrants shall bow down under them , and they shall be set up on high with the Rulers of the People : then shall they have the acclamations of the Saints , and the Bended knees of the poor at the throne of Grace , for their long life and Happinesse ; Then shall they be fear'd by their enemies , and loved by their friends ; They shall have the Motherly Blessing of the Church , the joyfull welcome and plaudite of Angels , and the Bountifull reward and Euge of their God and Father ; a Glorious Robe , an immarcessible Crown , a perpetuall kingdome : for indeed this Honour have all his Saints . I am really ashamed , and heartily sorry , that either the Gentleman 's unnaturall Behaviour , that strange Meander of all vices , or the sad and deplorable condition of this poore Church and Nation , to which in all Reason , Honour , and Conscience , he ought to show a more filial respect and Affection , have provoked me to this unusuall length of a Letter : But the Copiousnesse of the Theme , which you first proposed to my thoughts , will I know be my sufficient excuse ; though the unpleasantnesse of it , together with those many other businesses which are never wanting to You , but now incumbent upon me , might afford you an opportunity of being more profitably imploy'd and me more suitably to my present calling , then in reading or writing of what here I send you . I shall therefore in a very few lines more , give you a Breviate of what I have allready said , or have more to say concerning the Mix'd theme of this letter . §. 8. The Conclusion and summe of all . I shall allwaies with all readinesse Confesse that I dare not have a low esteem of any of those Worthy Persons , whom the All-wise God by advancing them to the Top of the Pinacle , seems to Commend both to me and others , as the most fit objects of our Admiration and Reverence : Onely I hope the Gentleman will give me leave to make it a part of my Prayers ( and too sad experience dayly showes us what great reason we have so to pray ) that they who stand both so high and so Ticklishly may ever take heed lest they fall . Sathan had the Confidence upon as high a place ( though at that height he met with the most exemplary Humility that the world ever heard of ) to venture a temptation upon the Lord of Life : where certainly his hopes of prevailing must rationally be thought to have been as low , as his attempt was high : It is therefore too much to be fear'd he hath very often his wish'd for successe in overturning the Bravest Sinner . The Subtile Serpent , though he despair of Heaven , is alwaies crawling upwards , and can as easily twist and wrap himselfe about the Gilded spire of Honour and Nobility , as once he did about the fairest tree in Eden ; and questionlesse not seldome with as much unhappy successe , as malicious Subtilty . Here , I am sure , he hath the same or surer holds to fasten upon , and Climb up by , which there he had ; Even the wild protuberances of Pride and Ambition . The first assault he made , was upon an unspotted Innocence but match'd with an over facile and flexible Humanity ; and meeting there with the Hoped Issue of his temptation , he takes the Boldnesse to venture on an Infinite Wisedome in the Bosome of Omnipotence : and though there he was foyl'd , yet being the more madded with the Shamefull repulse , 't is likely he will fall the more desperately , and so with the greater violence , upon that Prudence , which is at best much abated by the base mixture and too excessive alloy of a Beloved Folly. I wish it might be the Gentleman 's good Fortune or Courage to ward the stroak , and come of unhurt . When I hear this inferior world wherein we are to breath out our Minority , compared ( and not unfitly ) to an Inne or Diversory ; whereinto Man , whose life is a journey or Pilgrimage , onely turns in to take a night's lodging , that so he may fit and dresse himselfe against the Morning for a Better Countrey ; I am ready to take the Boldnesse to prosecute the Metaphor a little farther , and I would fain say , that those Glittering , spangled soules , are most Noble and Honourable , which Wise Nature treats with the greatest respect and Ceremonie ; those , for whom , as her Chiefe Guests she hath reserved her most stately , and fairest roomes : that these , if any , are to be thought the Gentlemen of the world , to whom Nature as well as Fortune seems to pay a reverence . These are the Men who enter into the world with that Ceremonious state and Pomp , that would almost perswade us they were sent hither on an Ambassy from Heaven . They are indulged an Honour seemingly too great for Mortallity . They are admitted into the world by the most beautifull gate of a Renowned Parentage , they are usher'd along with all that Pompe and Magnificence , which use to attend our highest hopes and most teeming Expectations ; and are most significant of our greatest joyes : Their births are congratulated , and they welcomed hither , with a long and Methodically order'd train of solemne and Honourable both Civill and Religious Ceremonies . They are honourably placed in the most richly furnished , and neatly contrived Lodgings , of Comely and wel-featured Bodies ; in adorning whereof the Divine Art of Better Nature , hath best shown it selfe ; these are Gloriously set forth by all those most lively Images of Majesty and Honour , which Corrupted Nature can be thought capable of receiving : All these are more sweetned , by a lovely prospect into the world abroad , where an Indulgent fortune , to give the better rellish to the gifts of Nature , presents her selfe in all variety of Dresses , of Riches , Pleasures , Preferments ; ever creating such store of New-delights as may soonest win upon the sense , and best recreate the soule . And now , Sir , would any man seeing all this , think it possible , that after Nature , and Fortune , and the Great God of Both , by so long a Succession of no lesse truly Delectable then indeed inestimable blessings , have been so industriously Solicitous for the Gentleman's welfare ; and with so much Charitable Importunity , have Constantly Courted his soul , to be in love with that fair hand which made it ; to invite it to an early sense of it's own worth and excellency , and to set a due estimate upon it selfe ; to possesse it with the true Apprehensions of that , which is certainly the highest Honour that can befall a mortall here or Crown him hereafter , I mean his neer Relation to Heaven , and the God of Heaven his Maker : Would any man believe it possible after all this , that the Gentleman should be either so uncharitable to himselfe , or so ungratefull to his Creator : either so much a Churle or a Fool , or Both : as neither to yield to those Importunities of a Wooing Heaven : nor Embrace the Courteous Invitations of an endlesse Felicitie ? Would you believe , that when he is intrusted by the King of Glories , upon so honourable an Expedition as that of winning a Crown ; he should be tyred and foot-sore at the very first step ; and sit down to rest him upon the first cold stone in his way , there flattering his Childish Humour , in the Empty fruition of some Garish but fading vanity ? Could any man with a rationall soule in him , Hope to find an Happinesse in such toyes adequate to the Immense desires of an Heaven-borne substance ? Alas , who is ignorant , that these pretty Glories , and little felicities , which so please us here , cannot in any reason be thought more ( seldome so much ) then the smaller tokens of a Father's Love , or an Earnest penny to a future Inheritance ; something for the Child to keep his purse with whilest he is here at school : Nay , they are so often lesse then this , that they amount not to so much , as those lesse tokens , which we use to call the Mother's Blessing ; but are rather like the deceitfull Gifts of a Stepdame , such as a brasse shilling , or a Gilded Nutmeg , the slight kindnesse not of a Fond but a dissembling Fortune : whereby the unwary Child is very often bribed and Flatter'd out of his due Portion and Inheritance . Doubtlesse , if the Gentleman find himselfe to be so much Fortune's Darling , or ( as he would rather have us think ) the Favourite of Heaven : as to be afforded a more tender and delicate Education then his poorer brethren : I dare hardly believe all this an Indulgence to sin , but an encouragement unto Holinesse , and to go on with Cheerfulnesse to see what that Good Father has in store for him in Heaven , who is so liberall to him here upon Earth . The Comfortable warmth of his Prosperous Condition , is indulged him , thereby to preserve his soule , more tender , and pliable , zealously forward to receive both more Generous and more pious impressions : not to scorch or dry it up into a rebellious obstinacy : neither to give him the opportunity of melting it away in the soft embraces of more wanton and lascivious delights : or to Dissolve his happinesse into the Aëry and shadowy vanity of a Carnall pleasure . The Golden Foundation being laid , God expects , he should not so abuse it , as to erect thereupon any meaner structure then an Heaven . The right use of what he allready enjoyes , ought to dispose his soule into a Capacity of receiving more and better , even of those spirituall blessings which will set him up above the reach either of an adverse Fortune , or a Malicious Divell . If the Gentleman would be perswaded to cast a Religious eye upon the Excellent Symmetry and lovely features of his own Body , wherewith it is no strange thing to find him beautified above other men ; certainly he would presently consider with himselfe , that this fine Outside was not the onely or best piece of worke intended , but there should be a suitable Inside too , such as may make the man a fit temple of the Holy Ghost to reside in : that this stately and well-wrought Body should be but the externall Embleme of a more Beutifull and Majestick soule . If it be his Good luck to find his way to Paradise straw'd all over●with Roses : whilst other poor soules are forced to run Bare footed through Bryars and thistles , stints and Pibbles ; whereby their feet are often so gall'd , that their pace proves slow , and so prick'd and scratch'd that you may trace them , as they their Saviour , into Heaven by their blood ; he ought wisely to consider , that this entertainment should not retard him in his journey , neither make him Phancy that he is already in the Garden ; and therefore may sit down , or rolle his soule upon these sweets to a satisfaction ; alas , the more he thus tumbles upon them , the sooner will these tender Blossomes fade and wither : They are onely scatter'd in his paths , that by their fragrancy his decaying Spirits may be restored and cherish'd , that he faint not ere he reach that garden where growes the Tree of life , and never-perishing Flowers of sweetest pleasures , even at God's right-hand for evermore . If the Gentleman may boast of his honourable descent , from a vertuous and if so , a deservedly renowned family ; how much will it concerne him in Honour and Duty , to provide that his Children by his vertues , may be enabled to brag of as much as he ? It will certainly be a greater disgrace to him , when his Son shall be constrain'd to say , he had a Worthy Grandfather , then it can now be his Glory , that he himselfe can tell the world he had a Deserving father . Can he Imagine it halfe so Creditable , to swaggar it out with the Old Name and Title of his rotting Ancestors ; as to manifest their yet surviving Virtues in himselfe their Genuine off-spring ? What a pittifull Credit must it needs be for him , to show a stranger a firme and substantiall foundation , laid by his Ancestors many years agoe , towards an intended Heroick and sumptuous building , if all this while he have neglected by his own virtues to adde a superstructure , proportionable to such a Ground-work ? I am Confident the Gentleman needs not a remembrancer to mind him of his Name ; nor any other Herald to perswade him he has a right unto it , then his own Ambition and Conceit : But how unlikely he is by the means he uses to make the world believe him , he seems not so well to Consider . Is it a matter of such Credit , to show us , how well he can put on his Fathers old Cloaths , or play his Ape in his Silver Ierkin ? Is this the main Badg of his Gentilitie , that he has never a Coat but what was given him by the Herald ; or that he lives as Beggars doe , upon the Charity and Almes of the Parish ? Let him say , what other title it is he can pretend to , who by his own personall merits cannot purchase his name ? What does he lesse then Pick up his Crumbs under the Old-man's table : Nobility without Virtue has just so much life , as it can Borrow ; and onely breaths by the common and Ignoble breath of the People . What does the unworthy Gentleman , but goe from dore to dore for an Almes of Honour ? One throws him in a Sir , another a Master , a third a Good-your-Worship ; and with these few scraps he makes a shift to preserve alive his meagre and raw-boned Reputation . A name that thus feeds onely upon the fragments of charity , is not like to grow truly great in hast : And a Reputation so long worn allready without mending , is too vile and cheap for a true Gentleman to appear abroad withall . The Cloak must needs be very thread-bare , that is so old , and has bin so ill used ; It were more Noble to weare a New one of his own buying , then that of his Great-grandfather which at best he can by his scantling virtues onely fill full of patches . His Father's Honour can be his but at Second-hand : and to be proud of an Hereditary title onely , is but to raunt it in a Dead-man's suit , and like him , whom he too often Imitates , after his father's death , to fright the world by appearing in his likenesse ; for when we come more narrowly to examine the Reallity of what we think we see in him , we find nothing but a cheat and Delusion of the sense ; we catch at a bare Apparition for a substance ; or at best grasp a senselesse clod of cold clay insteed of a Man. What is it to be thus Sollicitous after an Old Coat of Armes , but to wish the Herald were a Broaker , And that he might buy old scutcheons , as he may old Cloaks , because his Merits will not amount to the price of New ones . Whilest he thus opens his Presse , and showes it to be well-lined with the rich apparell of those who lived before him , he does no more then what often his father's Page or Lacquey is able to doe : Nay I shall be bold to say it , whatever the Gentleman may therefore think of himselfe or me , that he who showes his Father's Bearing , without some Honourable Addition , due at lest , if not given , to his own vertues , has but little more reason to boast of his Gentility , then his Father's Fool or Fidler , whom I have often observed to bear his Master's Coat upon his Livory . O that the Gentleman would in good earnest Consider , how much all Wisemen laugh at him , even in his Finest Cloaths ; and how much more all Good men doe pitty him , when they see him with all his Borrow'd Bravery delight to tumble in the Mire ! He that will be a Gentleman indeed , must look no lesse carefully before him , on what yet remains for him to doe , to maintain his Honour , then behind him , on what has been allready done by his Ancestors to purchase it . Honour has a very delicate palate , and loves to feed upon fresh Diet ; and very much Nauseates the Moulded Offals of Antiquity . No broken Dishes come to her table , neither can she subsist by Chewing the Cud after the largest feasting upon the Grandfather's deserts . The sharp teeth of Time will at length enter deep into the Marble Monument under which the Fathers Ashes are laid to rest , or at least the Injurious Dust will fill up and hide the fair Characters thereupon in which perhaps alone the Honour of the Son stands legible : It can be no long-lived Honour , where the Patent is onely a Dead-man's Epitaph . It will therefore highly concerne the Gentleman in due time at least to lay a New gilt upon the Old letter , that so he may transmit an Honourable Memory of his name to late Posterity , rather under his own hand , then his father's Zeal . The Stateliest Pile , yields and stoops by little and little to the importunities of Age : And 't is rare to see a building left by the father so firme and weather-proof , but it will require some repairing before the Death of the Son. A Good-husband will therefore make hast even to prevent his fears , and not expect an Invitation from a visible ruine ; knowing that it is a Necessity not deserving the name of Providence to under-prop the declining wall ; Neither will a Prudent person cover a dangerous breach in the wall of his house with a superficiall plaister or paint , thereby to Cozen the World into a false Opinion of his Counterfet thrift and Providence , 'till a sudden fall of the whole house discover at once his folly and his Policy ; In vain shall the Gentleman by the bare shadow of a vertue endeavour to make the world believe he wants not the substance : He must by the reall and undissembled excellencies of a Generous soul , sincerely devoted to the service of Religion and Vertue , both adde many Sollid Pillars to support the Old , and lay a firme Basis for a New structure . A Fathers good name deserves a reverent memory in after ages , but will never be injured or grow lesse renowned , by being out-shone in the Son's virtues : It is rather proud thus to grow young again . There can be no perpetuall entailment of Honour upon all succeeding posterity ; The best Gentleman holds his Nobility but by Lease from Heaven , which is to be renew'd once at least in every life ; when a good round summe of Heroick Actions are expected as his Fine . God hath his Stewards alwaies ready to receive the Gentleman's rent , the Church and State , and he that payes not at his day , to either of these , forfeits all . It is no slight sin to suppose God so vainly Prodigall of his Iewels , as to think them well disposed of when placed in Swines snouts , where they onely serve to root up the Earth , and delve in the Dirt. Common , Rustick , and Plebeian spirits fitted by the hardnesse of their Nature , to Dig and plow the ground , these are the Out-labourers of God's great Houshold , who by the greatnesse of their Necessary Drudgery , take off much of the Burden from the more refined sort of Mankind : The Gentleman God has chosen to be as it were the steward of his Family , and Guardian to his Church ; and therefore in all Prudence and Gratitude he ought to endeavour a due discharge of so great a trust . No Loyterer , much lesse , a Spend-thrift , can be a member of his Family , we know the certain wages of such unfaithfull servants . He then that thinks himselfe exempted from all that hardship which many others by a leaden soul and an Iron Body , besides the course usage of an unkind Fortune , are Naturally or Casually sentenced to , takes a very preposterous course , when he arrogates to himselfe a licence to do ill or to doe nothing : If the Gentleman would be valued above others , it is but reason if we require him to make it appear , that he is of better Mettall then others which is to be judged of , not by the Colour , but service . I would not see the Gentleman's Soul sitting in his beautifull Body , like a Breathless Idoll of Gold in a Temple of Silver , there to be worship'd by all , but doe good to none : It is not fit it should be thought onely such a fine gay thing , as is sometimes by the choisest of Naturall endowments and Artificiall accomplishments , embellish'd into something more then ordinary , or burnish'd over into such a slight superficiall gloss , as may make it , as well as his Body , admired and gazed upon by a few Ignorant worldlings ; Neither should it be his businesse to get his Body alwaies New-molded to the varying humours of the Court , and trick'd up in all the late invented Gauderies , Gorgeous Accoutrements , and Gingling trappings , wherewith the Levity of Art has made bold to overload and abuse the Modesty of Honest Nature : He that has no Nobler a Soul or Body then these , may still be no more then a meer Carcasse , such as , if it expresse any motion , seems rather to be actuated by the multitude of crawling vermine within it , sprung from it's own Corruption , then by a true Rationall soul inspired by God Allmighty . All the Salt of Wit and Ingenuity which such a person usually so much brags of , will not be enough to preserve so putrid a Lump from stinking above ground . In a word , Sir , the true Gentleman will labour so to qualify his soul , that he may be disposed to doe a service to his God , in some proportion answerable to those severall tokens of favour and Honour , whereby he has so blest and grace'd him in the eye of the world : Seeing God has been pleas'd to advance him some degrees above the Multitude , he takes care to raise his soul too to that spirituall hight and pitch of true Piety and Holinesse , that when thus advanced in outward Dignity , he may not seem a Dwarfe on Horse-back . And because the Common Gifts of the most Bountifull Nature will not put a man into a Capacity of performing his part to the full in such an employment , much lesse will Idlenesse and Negligence : It should be every Gentlemans care in his Youth to give and resigne himselfe wholy up with all his pleasures and Interests , to the Care of his Soul ; that so by the Prudent Industry of a Learned and Godly Instructor , seconded with his own Indefatigable pains and patience , he may have his Golden parts made truly bright , and be , as it were , midwised afresh unto such a perfection , that he may not , by the low and beggarly condition of a rude and Ignorant Soul , be a Discredit to his Lord , or a Scandall to that calling he professeth . God Delights in H●nourable , though not in pr●nd attendants ; and although he is many times pleased to fill up his house , and make up the number of his Family , with those who have not been very much befriended either by nature in a Noble birth , or by Fortune in a Plenteous and prosperous life ; yet doth he long to see his Religion graced and Credited , with a long train of such as the King hath delighted to Honour . And ( blessed be God! ) the Care of our Ancestors has been such , that we want not Nurseries both of Learning and Piety in this Nation ; such as may afford a breeding to our Young Gentry not unsuitable to their Quality and intended emploiment . It is my hearty prayer , that these may never be unstocked with such hopefull and Generous Plants , as may there grow and thrive , 'till they arrive at that Maturity both of Grace and good Literature , as well as of Years , that they may in due time become , not onely strong but also Curiously polished Pillars for the support of those two Glorious Fabricks of Church and State. That , as by the speciall Indulgence of God they were Honourably borne ; so by his speciall Grace too , they may indeed live , both truly profitable to his Saints here , and as truly Glorious with them hereafter . Thus ( Sir ) have I done my best to obey your Commands ; and , as largly and fully , as a little time , lesse leisure , and yet fewer abilities would give me leave ; I have given you my present thoughts and wishes concerning our English Gentleman . I have sent you ( I fear ) a very little Kernell in a large Shell ; but now you have it , you may chuse whether you will take the pains to Crack it , or throw it into the Fire . Whatever it be that here you receive , as your Commands gave it birth , and my Confidence of your Goodnesse , has taught it to speak and goe abroad ; so does it now submissively expect your sentence , whether of life or death . Doe what you will with all the rest , so you doe but vouchsafe to read thus much in it , that I am — Sir , Your most humble and Obedient Servant . The END . The ERRATA . The reader will frequently meet with a small Errata , which he may be pleased either to mend with his pen , or with lesse paines to pardon : one or two of the Grosser sort I have here noted to his hand . Pag : 50. Sect : 2. l : 1. pro as r. is . p : 141. l. 22. r : He owes . p : 142. l : 5. r : State. p : 159. l. 4. r. accoutred . p : 174. l : 1. r : is not . p : 240. l : 12. r : Shimeis . p : 249. l : 10. r : for . p : 254. l : ●enult : r : Seal .