Institutions, essays and maxims, political, moral & divine divided into four centuries. Enchiridion Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. 1695 Approx. 181 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 156 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A56988 Wing Q99 ESTC R21810 12407523 ocm 12407523 61436 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. A56988) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61436) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 289:4) Institutions, essays and maxims, political, moral & divine divided into four centuries. Enchiridion Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. [23], 286, [3] p. Printed for Sam. Briscoe ..., London : 1695. A reprint of his Enchiridion with slight differences in arrangement of material. Issued in 1698 as the work of George Savile, 1st marquis of Halifax. Advertisements: p. [1]-[2] at end. Reproduction of original in Yale University Library. Includes index. 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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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 Maxims. 2005-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-10 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-07 Ali Jakobson Sampled and proofread 2006-07 Ali Jakobson Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion INSTITUTIONS , Essays and Maxims , POLITICAL , Moral & Divine . DIVIDED Into Four CENTURIES . LONDON : Printed for Sam. Briscoe , at the Corner of Charles-street in Russel street , Covent-Garden . 1695. THE INDEX . CENT . I. ALteration Max. 5 Auxiliar Max. 48 Ambitious Men Max. 78 Ambitious Natures Max. 58 Assault Max. 87 Advice Max. 71 Conquest Max. 2 Climatical Advantages Max. 10 Calumny Max. 11 Composition Max. 12 Conspiracy Max. 18 Correspondency Max. 20 Custom Max. 34 Conquest Max. 35 Civil Commotion Max. 36 Courage Max. 42 Castles Max. 44 Clergy Max. 53 Covetousness Max. 89 Counsellors Max. 23 , 59 Commanders Max. 64 , 97 Clemency and Severity Max. 69 , 80 Commission Max. 82 Church Government Max. 88 Confidence . Max. 93 Demeanour Max. 14 Deliberation Max. 15 Disposition Max. 28 Discovery Max. 30 Design Max. 40 Debt Max. 63 Discontents Max. 66 Delay Max. 67 Deserts Max. 91 Experiments Max. 25 Exactions Max. 27 Exuls Max. 49 Encouragement Max. 70 Fortresses Max. 29 , 61 Foolish confidence Max. 37 Foreign King Max. 65 Foreign Humours Max. 84 Foreign Inclinations Max. 98 Hearts of Subjects Max. 41 Hierarchy Max. 60 Hunting Max. 79 Invasion Max. 1 Just War Max. 19 Idleness Max. 21 Liberality Max. 16 League Max. 75 Love and Fear Max. 94 Mixt Government Max. 6 Money Max. 9 Manufacture Max. 46 Neutrality Max. 22 Nobility Max. 24 , 57 Necessity Max. 68 New Gentry Max. 76 Opinion Max. 74 Order and turn . Max. 92 Piety and Policy Max. 100 Peace Max. 39 , 62 Pillars of State Max. 45 Prevention Max. 51 Pleasures Max. 55 Popular Sects Max. 83 Power Max. 85 Quo Warranto Max. 99 Rebel Max. 3 Rewards and Punishments Max. 13 Reformation Max. 38 Religion Max. 47 , 56 Resolution Max. 54 Repute Max. 96 Strength of Parts Max. 4 Successor Max. 26 Strength to keep Max. 36 Scandal Max. 43 State-change Max. 50 Secrecy Max. 73 Scruples Max. 77 Situation Max. 80 Sudden Resolution Max. 86 Times Max. 7 Timely War Max. 17 True Temper Max. 31 Treachery Max. 72 Variance Max. 52 Virtue Max. 90 War in League Max. 8 War Offensive and Defensive Max. 32 Weighty Service Max. 95 CENT . II. Action Max. 4 , 5 , 98 Affections Max. 16 , 25 , 94 Afflictions Max. 36 , 38 Anger Max. 37 , 60 , 67 Acquaintance Max. 43 , 45 Advancement Max. 49 Advantage Max. 54 Avarice Max. 64 Apparel Max. 79 Brother Max. 42 Charity Max. 2 , 70 Care Max. 24 Company Max. 29 Custom Max. 65 Confession Max. 76 Censure Max. 81 Child Max. 87 , 97 Ceremonies Max. 88 Daughter Max. 56 Death Max. 100 , 84 Evil Max. 40 , 78 Enemy Max. 68 Faith Max. 11 , 59 Fancy Max. 15 Friendship Max. 26 Friend Max. 52 Haste Max. 89 God Max. 28 , 30 Gift Max. 63 Grace Max. 65 Giver Max. 85 Honour Max. 21 , 47 , 72 , 82 Happiness Max. 83 Heaven Max. 99 Ignorance Max. 8 , 92 Love Max. 7 , 14 Loss Max. 53 Luxury Max. 74 Money Max. 10 , 55 Moderation Max. 73 Mysteries Max. 90 Mother Max. 95 News Max. 51 Oppression Max. 61 Promise Max. 1 Pleasing Max. 6 Pride Max. 9 Possession Max. 20 Passion Max. 32 , 33 , 46 Prosperity Max. 33 , 57 Popularity Max. 41 Prayer Max. 62 Puritan Max. 91 Pride Max. 96 Riches Max. 17 Reason Max. 19 , 22 Religion Max. 31 Recreation Max. 80 Redemption Max. 75 Sinful custom Max. 12 Souls Progress Max. 18 Sin Max. 48 , 71 Swearer Max. 50 Servant Max. 93 Time Max. 27 Trembling Max. 34 Theology Max. 35 Thy self Max. 43 Treasure Max. 77 Vndertaking Max. 3 Vow Max. 23 Valour Max. 59 Work Max. 13 Wrong Max. 69 , 86 CENT . III. ARgument Max. 22 Alms Max. 38 Actions Max. 48 Apparel Max. 67 Argument Max. 69 Adversity Max. 89 , 97 Banishment Max. 7 Beauty Max. 9 Brother Max. 45 Censure Max. 13 , 78 Child Max. 18 Children Max. 37 Conversation Max. 47 Copy-Book Max. 58 Charity Max. 71 Conscience Max. 90 Consideration Max. 94 Discourse Max. 5 , 55 Drunkenness Max. 14 Danger Max. 64 Doubt and Opinion Max. 86 Eucharist Max. 34 Esteem Max. 87 Exercise Max. 91 Familiars Max. 27 Fasting Max. 79 Festival Max. 83 Gift Max. 61 God Max. 63 , 92 Harlot Max. 26 Heir Max. 28 Honour Max. 51 Hope Max. 62 Hope and Fear Max. 77 Idiot Max. 16 Journey Max. 30 Intention Max. 36 Justice Max. 74 Innocence and Wisdom Max. 82 Knowledge Max. 73 , 81 Laughter Max. 3 Lyer Max. 4 Law and Physick Max. 19 Love Max. 46 , 95 Library Max. 85 Mysteries Max. 20 Mercy Max. 23 Money Max. 31 Multitude Max. 41 Mirth Max. 41 Merit Max. 54 Magistrate Max. 65 , 98 Obloquy Max. 17 Pains Max. 1 Poor Max. 15 , 21 Priest Max. 24 Patience Max. 34 Palat Max. 75 Providence and Experience Max. 88 Repentance Max. 25 Resolution Max. 35 Reproof Max. 42 Rest Max. 49 Riches Max. 50 Reproof Max. 52 Saviour Max. 6 Sin Max. 12 Silence Max. 57 , 93 Servant Max. 60 Sabbath Max. 76 Soldier Max. 84 Treasure Max. 29 Tongue Max. 32 Traffick Max. 40 Theft Max. 56 Table Max. 66 Theology Max. 72 Truth Max. 99 Virtue Max. 8 , 59 Vanity Max. 33 Vndertaking Max. 53 Wife Max. 2 Wedlock Max. 11 Well-doing Max. 43 Words Max. 68 , 96 Wages Max. 80 Wisdom Max. 80 , 100 CENT . IV. ACtion Max. 12 Affection Max. 61 Banquet Max. 70 Contentedness Max. 10 Content Max. 13 , 20 Church Max. 33 Confession Max. 35 Cross Max. 41 Commendations Max. 58 Calling Max. 74 Circumspection Max. 77 Common-place-book Max. 78 Complaint Max. 94 Child Max. 99 Demeanour Max. 1 , 56 Drunkenness Max. 2 Death Max. 37 , 53 Discourse Max. 73 Devotion Max. 85 Envy Max. 24 Example Max. 66 Exercise Max. 81 Estimation Max. 88 Fear Max. 15 , 38 Folly Max. 22 Forgiveness Max. 64 Frugality Max. 75 Friend Max. 100 God Max. 86 Giver Max. 8 Glory Max. 47 Gift Max. 52 Give and Forgive Max. 57 Gaming Max. 59 Humiliation Max. 11 Heaven Max. 30 Humility Max. 54 Humane Writings Max. 65 Heir Max. 98 Infamy Max. 5 Impropriations Max. 19 Ignorance Max. 23 Idleness Max. 27 Jest Max. 83 Knowledge Max. 4 , 26 , 62 Loss Max. 67 , 71 Letters Max. 80 Language Max. 36 Last Sin Max. 90 Magistracy Max. 6 Man Max. 21 Marriage Max. 40 Magnanimity Max. 42 Misery Max. 48 Mysteries Max. 91 Name Max. 92 Obedience Max. 29 , 41 Obsceneness Max. 76 Opinion Max. 84 Painting Max. 28 Praise Max. 32 Prayer Max. 39 Practice Max. 43 Place Max. 44 Philosophy Max. 46 Praise and Censure Max. 50 Reputation Max. 25 Repentance Max. 31 , 45 Recreations Max. 49 Rules Max. 72 Reversion Max. 87 Sin Max. 3 Security Max. 60 Safety Max. 63 Superstition Max. 69 Scoffs Max. 68 Scripture Max. 89 , 93 Style Max. 97 Truth Max. 9 Theft Max. 14 T●por Max. 55 Temperance Max. 79 Tuition Max. 82 To Day Max. 45 Times Max. 96 Virgin Max. 7 Vain-Glory Max. 16 Vse of Creatures Max. 17 Wicked Max. 18 Want Max. 34 INSTITUTIONS AND MAXIMS Political and Moral , &c. CENT . I. MAXIM 1. LET not Civil Discords in a foreign Kingdom encourage thee to make Invasion : They that are factious among themselves , are jealous of one another , and more strongly prepared to encounter with a common Enemy . Those whom Civil Commotions set at variance , foreign Hostility reconciles : Men rather affect the Possession of an inconvenient Good , than the Possibility of an uncertain Better . MAX. 2. If thou hast made a Conquest with thy Sword , think not to maintain it with thy Sceptre , neither conceive , That new Favours can cancel old Injuries : No Conquerour sits secure upon his new got Throne , so long as they subsist in Power that were despoiled of their Possessession by this Conqueror . MAX. 3. Let no Price , nor Promise of Honour , bribe thee to take part with the Enemy of thy Natural Prince ; assure thy self whoever wins , thou art lost : If thy Prince prevail , thou art proclaimed a Rebel , and branded for Death ; if the Enemy prosper , thou shalt be reckoned but as a meritorious Traytor , and not secure of thy self . He that loves the Treason , hates the Traitor . MAX. 4. If thy strength of Parts hath raised thee to eminent Place in the Commonwealth , take heed thou sit sure ; if not , thy Fall will be the greater . As Worth is fit matter for Glory , so Glory is a fair mark for Envy . By how much the more thy Advancement was thought the Reward of Desert , by so much thy Fall will administer matter for Disdain . It is the ill fortune of a strong Brain , if not to be dignified as meritorious , to be deprest as dangerous . MAX. 5. It is the Duty of a Statesman , especially in a free State , to hold the Commonwealth to her first frame of Government , from which the more it swerves the more it declines ; which being declined , is not commonly reduced without that Extremity , the danger whereof rather ruines than rectifies , Fundamental Alterations being inevitable Perils . MAX. 6. There be three sorts of Governments , Monarchical , Aristocratical , Democratical ; and they are apt to fall three several ways into Ruine ; the first by Tyranny , the second by Ambition , the last by Tumults : A Commonwealth grounded upon any one of these is not of long continuance , but wisely mingled , each guard the other , and make the Government exact . MAX. 7. Let not the Proceedings of a Captain , though never so commendable , be confined : As the Times alter , so must they ; if these vary , and not they , Ruine is at hand . He least fails in his Design , that meets Time in its own way ; and he that observes not the Alteration of the Times , shall never be a Conqueror . He is a wise Commander , and only he , that can discover the Change of Times , and changes his Proceedings according to the Times . MAX. 8. If thou desire to make War with a Prince with whom thou hast formerly ratified a League , assail some of his Allies rather than himself ; if he resent it , and come or send in , then thou hast a fair Gale to thy Desires : If not , his Infidelity in not assisting his Allie will be discovered . Hereby thou shalt gain thy self Advantage , and facilitate thy Designs . MAX. 9. Before thou undertakest a War , let thine Eye number thy Forces , and let thy Judgment weigh them . If thou hast a rich Enemy , no matter how poor thy Soldiers be , if couragious and faithful . Trust not too much the Power of thy Treasure , for it will deceive thee ; being more apt to expose thee for a Prey , than to defend thee . Gold is not able to find good Soldiers ; but good Soldiers are able to find out Gold. MAX. 10. If the Territories of thy equal Enemy are situated far South from thee , the advantage is thine , whether he make Offensive or Defensive War : If North , the advantage is his ; Cold is less tolerable than Heat ; this is a Friend to Nature , that an Enemy . MAX. 11. It is not only uncivil , but dangerous , for Soldiers by reproachful Words to throw disgrace upon their Enemy : Base Terms are Bellows to a slacking Fury , and Goads to quicken up Revenge in a fleeing Foe . He that objects Cowardice against a failing Enemy , adds Spirit to him , to disprove the Aspersion at his own Cost . It is therefore the part of a wise Soldier to refrain it , or of a wise Commander to punish it . MAX. 12. It is better for 2 weak Kingdoms , rather to compound an Injury ( tho' to some loss ) than seek for Satisfaction by the Sword ; lest while they 2 weaken themselves by mutual blows , a third decide the Controversy to both their Ruines . When the Frog and the Mouse could not take up the Quarrel , the Kite was Umpire . MAX. 13. Let that Commonwealth which desires to flourish be very strict both in her Punishments and Rewards , according to the Merits of Subjects , and Offence of the Delinquents . Let the Service of the Deserver be rewarded , lest thou discourage Worth ; and let the Crime of the Offender be punished , lest thou encourage Vice. The neglect of the one weakens a Commonwealth ; the omission of both ruines it . MAX. 14. It is Wisdom for him that sits at the Helm of a settled State , to demean himself toward his Subjects at all times , so that upon any evil . Accident they may be ready to serve his Occasion . He that is only Gracious at the approach of a danger , will be in danger when he expects Deliverance . MAX. 15. In all Designs which require not sudden execution , take mature Deliberation , and weigh the convenients with the inconvenients , and then resolve ; after which neither delay the execution , nor betray thy Intention . He that discovers himself , till he hath made himself Master of his Desires , lays himself open to his own Ruine , and makes himself Prisoner to his own Tongue . MAX. 16. Liberality in a Prince is no Virtue , when maintained at the Subject's unwilling cost . It is less reproach , by Miserableness , to deserve the popular Love : than by Liberality , to deserve private Thanks . MAX. 17. It is the Excellent Property of a good and wise Prince , to use War as he doth Physick , Carefully , Unwillingly , and Seasonably ; either to prevent approaching Dangers , or to correct a present Mischief ; or to recover a former Loss . He that declines Physick till he be accosted with the Danger , or weakned with the Disease , is bold too long , and wise too late : That Peace is too precise that limits the Justness of a War , to a Sword drawn , or a blow given . MAX. 18. Let a Prince that would beware of Conspiracies , be rather jealous of such whom his Extraordinary Favours have advanced , than of those whom his Pleasure hath discontented . These want means to execute their pleasures ; but they have means , at pleasure to Execute their desires . Ambition to Rule is more vehement than Malice to Revenge . MAX. 19. Before thou undertake a War , cast an Imperial Eye upon the Cause . If it be Just , prepare thy Army , and let them all know they fight for God and thee : It adds fire to the Spirit of a Soldier to be assured that he shall either prosper in a fair War , or perish in a Just Cause . MAX. 20. If thou desire to know the Power of a State , observe in what Correspondence it lives with her Neighbouring State : If she make Alliance with the Contribution of Money , it is an evident sign of Weakness : If with her Valour , and repute of her forces , it manifests a Native Strength ; It is an unfallible sign of Power to sell Friendship , and of weakness to buy it . That is bought with Gold will hardly be maintained with Steel . MAX. 21. In the Calms of Peace , it is most requisite for a Prince to prepare against the Storms of War ; both Theorically , in reading Heroick Histories , and Practically , in maintaining Martial Discipline . Above all things , let him avoid Idleness , as the bane of Honour ; which in Peace Indisposes the Body , and in War Effeminates the Soul. He that would be in War Victorious , must be in Peace Laborious . MAX. 22. If thy two Neighbouring Princes fall out , shew thy self either a true Friend , or a fair Enemy . It is indiscretion to adhere to him whom thou hast least cause to fear , if he Vanquish . Neutrality is dangerous , whereby thou becomest a necessary Prey to the Conqueror . MAX. 23. It is a great argument of a Prince's Wisdom , not only to chuse but also to prefer Wise Counsellors , and such are they , that seek less their own advantages , than his ; whom Wise Princes ought to reward , lest they become their own Carvers , and so of good Servants , turn bad Masters . MAX. 24. It much conduces to the dishonour of a King , and the Ill-fare of his Kingdom , to Multiply Nobility in an over proportion to the Common People : Cheap Honour darkens Majesty , and a Numerous Nobility brings a State to Necessity . MAX. 25. It is very dangerous to try Experiments in a State , unless extreme Necessity be Urgent , or popular Utility be palpable . It is better for a State to Connive a while , at any Inconveencies , than too suddenly to Rush upon a Reformation . MAX. 26. If a Valiant Prince be succeeded by a weak Successor he may for a while maintain a happy State , by the remaining Virtue of his Glorious Predecessor ; but if his Life be long , or dying , he be succeeded by one less Valiant than the first , the Kingdom is in danger to fall to ruine : that Prince is a true Father to his Country that leaves it the rich Inheritance of a brave Son. When Alexander succeeded Philip , the World was too little for the Conqueror . MAX. 27. It is very dangerous for a Prince or Republick to make continual practice of Cruel Exaction : For where the subject stands in sense or Expectation of Evil , he is apt to provide for his safety , or for the Danger he fears : and growing bold in Conspiracy , makes Faction , which Faction is the Mother of Ruine . MAX. 28. Be careful to consider the Good or Ill Disposition of the People towards thee upon Ordinary Occasions ; if it be Good , labour to continue it ; if Evil , provide against it . As there is nothing more terrible than a dissolute Multitude without a head ; so there is nothing more easily reduc'd , ( if thou canst endure the first shock of their Fury ) which if a little appeased , every one begins to doubt himself and think of home , and secure themselves either by flight or agreement . MAX. 29. That Prince who stands in fear more of his own People , than Strangers , ought to build Fortresses in his Land. But he that is more afraid of Strangers , than his own People , shall build them more secure in the affections of his Subjects . MAX. 30. Carry a watchful Eye upon dangers before they come to Ripeness ; and when they are ripe , let loose a Speedy hand . He that expects them too long , or meets them too soon , gives advantage to the Evil ; Commit their beginnings to Argus his hundred Eyes , and their end to Briareus's hundred Hands , and thou art safe . MAX. 31. Of all the difficulties of a State , the temper of true Government most felicifies and perpetuates it . Too sudden alteration distempers it . Had Nero tuned his Kingdom as he did his Harp , his harmony had been more honourable and his Reign more prosperous . MAX. 32. If a Prince , Fearing to be assailed by a Foreign Enemy , hath a well armed People , well addrest for War : Let him stay at home and expect him there ; but if his Subjects be unarmed , or his Kingdom unacquainted with the stroke of War , let him meet the Enemy in his Quarters . The farther he keeps the War from his own home the less Danger . The Seat of War is always miserable . MAX. 33. It is a necessary Wisdom for a Prince to grow in Strength as he encreases in Dominions . It is no less Virtue to keep than to get ; Conquests not having power answerable to their Greatness , invite new Conquerors to the Ruine of the Old. MAX. 34. It is great prudence in a Statesman to discover an Inconvenience in the birth , which so discovered , is easie to be supprest . But if it ripen into a Custom , the sudden Remedy thereof is often worse than the Disease ; In such a case it is better to temporise a little , than to struggle too much . He that opposes a full aged Inconvenience too suddenly , strengthens it . MAX. 35. If thou hast Conquered a Land , whose Language differs not from thine , change not their Laws and Taxes , and the two Kingdoms will in a short time incorporate and make one body . But if the Laws and Language differ , it is difficult to maintain thy Conquest , which that thou mayst the easier do , observe three things ; First , to live there in Person , ( or rather send Colonies . ) Secondly , to assist the weak Inhabitants and weaken the mighty . Thirdly , To admit no powerful Foreigner to reside there . Remember Lewis XIII . of France , how suddenly he took Milan , and how soon he lost it . MAX. 36. It is a gracious Wisdom in a Prince , in Civil Comotions rather to use Juleps than Phlebotomy , and rather to break the Distemper by a wise delay , than to Correct it with too rash an Onset : It is more honourable by a slow preparation to declare himself a gracious Father , than by a hasty War to appear a furious Enemy . MAX. 37. It is Wisdom for a Prince in Fair Weather , to provide for Tempests : He that so much relies upon his People's Faith , to neglect his own Preparation , discovers more Confidence than Wisdom . He that ventures to fall from above , with hopes to be catch'd below , may be dead e'er he come to Ground . MAX. 38. He that would reform an ancient State in a free City , buys Convenience with a great danger . To work this Reformation with the less mischief , let such a one keep the shadows of their ancient Customs , tho' in substance they be new . Let him take heed when he alters the Nature of things , they bear at least their antient Names . The Common People that are naturally impatient of Innovations will be satisfied with that which seems to be as well as that which is . MAX. 39. Upon any difference between Foreign States , It is neither safe nor honourable for a Prince , either to buy his Peace , or to take it up at Interest . He that hath not a Sword to command it , shall either want it , or want honour with it . MAX. 40. It is very requisite for a Prince not only to weigh his Designs in the Flower , but likewise in the Fruit. He is an unthrift of his Honour , that enterprises a design , the failing wherein may bring him more disgrace , than the Success can gain him Honour . MAX. 41. It is much Conducible to the happiness of a Prince , and the security of his State , to gain the Hearts of his Subjects . They that Love for Fear , will seldom Fear for Love ; It is a wise Government which gains such a tye upon the Subject , that he either cannot hurt , or will not . But the Government is best and most sure , when the Subject joys in his Obedience . MAX. 42. Let every Soldier arm his mind with hopes and put on Courage , whatsoever disaster falls , let not his Heart sink . The passage of Providence lies through many Crooked ways ; a despairing Heart is the true Prophet of approaching Evil. His actions may weave the Webs of Fortune , but not break them . MAX. 43. It is the part of a wise Magistrate to vindicate a Man of Power or State-Employment , from the malicious Scandals of the Giddy-headed Multitude , and to punish it with great severity . Scandal breeds hatred , hatred begets Division , Division makes Faction and Faction brings Ruine . MAX. 44. The strongest Castles a Prince can build , to secure him from Domestick Commotions , or Foreign Invasions , is in the Hearts of his Subjects ; and means to gain that Strength is , in all his actions to appear for the Publick Good. Studious to contrive and resolute to perform . MAX. 45. A Kingdom is a great Building whose two main Supporters are the Government of the State , and the Government of the Church . It is the part of a Wise Master , to keep those Pillars in their first posture Irremoveable . If either fail , it is Wisdom rather to repair it than to remove it . He that pulls down the Old , to set up a New , may draw the Roof upon his head and ruine the Foundation . MAX. 46. It is a necessary Wisdom in a Prince to encourage in his Kingdoms Manufacture , Merchandise , Arts , and Arms ; in Manufacture , lies the Vital Spirits of the Body-Politique ; In Merchandise the Spirits Natural ; In Arts and Arms , the Animal . If either of these Languish the Body droops ; as these flourish the Body flourishes . MAX. 47. True Religion is a Settler in a State , rather than a Stickler ; while she confirms an Established Government , she moves in her own Sphere ; but when she endeavours to alter the old , or to erect a new , she works out of her own Vineyard : When she keeps the Keys , she sends Showers of Milk : But when she draws the Sword , she fails in Seas of Blood. Labour therefore to settle Religion in the Church ; and Religion shall settle Peace in thy Land. MAX. 48. If thou entertain any Foreign Soldiers into thine Army , let them bear thy Colours , and receive thy pay , lest they Interest their own Prince . Auxiliary Soldiers are most dangerous : A Foreign Prince needs no greater Invitation to seize upon thy City , then when he is required to defend it . MAX. 49. Be cautious in undertaking a design , upon the report of those that are banish'd their Country , lest thou come off with shame , or loss , or both . Their end expects advantages from thy actions ; whose miseries lay hold of all opportunities , and seek to be redrest by thy Ruines . MAX. 50. If thou endeavourest to make a Republick in a Nation where the Gentry abound , thou shalt hardly prosper in that Design ; and if thou would'st erect a Principality in a Land where there is much equality of People , thou shalt not easily effect it . The way to bring the first to pass , is to weaken the Gentry . The means to effect the last , is to advance and strengthen ambitious and turbulent Spirits ; so that being placed in the midst of them , their Forces may maintain thy Power , and thy Favour may preserve their Ambition . Otherwise there shall be neither Property nor continuance . MAX. 51. It is more excellent for a Prince to have a provident Eye for the preventing future mischiefs , than to have a potent Arm for the suppressing present Evils . Mischiefs in a State are like Hectick Feavers in a Body , in the beginning hard to be known , but easie to be cured : But let it alone a while , it becomes more easie to be known , but more hard to be cured . MAX. 52. If a Kingdom be apt to Rebellion , it is Wisdom to preserve the Nobility and Commons at variance ; where one of them is discontented , the Danger is not great . The Commons are slow of motion , if not quicken'd with the Nobility : The Nobility is weak of Power , if not strengthen'd by the Commons . Then is Danger when the Commonalty troubles the Water , and the Nobility steps in . MAX. 53. It is very requisite for a Prince to have an Eye , That the Clergy be elected , and come in , either by Collation from him or particular Patrons , and not by the People ; and that their Power hold Dependance upon home and not foreign Authority : It is dangerous in a Kingdom where the Crosiers receive not their Power from the Regal-Sword . MAX. 54. It is a perillous Weakness in a State , to be slow of Resolution in the time of War : To be irresolute in Determination is both the sign and the Ruine of a weak State. Such Affairs attend not time . Let the wise Statesman therefore abhor Delay , and resolve rather to do , than advise what to say . Slow Deliberations are Symptoms either of a faint Courage , or weak Forces , or false Hearts . MAX. 55. If a Conqueror hath subdued a Country or a City abounding with Pleasures , let him be very circumspect to keep himself and his Soldiers temperate . Pleasures bring Effeminacy , and Effeminacy foreruns Ruine : Such Conquests , without blood or sweat , sufficiently do revenge themselves upon their intemperate Conquerors . MAX. 56. It is an infallible sign of approaching Ruine in a Republick , when Religion is neglected , and her establisht Ceremonies interrupted . Let therefore that Prince that would be Potent be Pious ; and that he may punish Loosness the better , let him be Religious . The Joy of Jerusalem depends upon the Peace of Sion . MAX. 57. Let that Prince that desires full Sovereignty temper the Greatness of too potent a Nobility : A great and potent Nobility quickens the People , but presses their Fortunes : It adds Majesty to a Monarch , but diminishes his Power . MAX. 58. It is dangerous for a Prince to use ambitious Natures , but upon necessity , either for his Wars , or to be Skreens to his Dangers , or Instruments for the demolishing insolent Greatness ; and that they may be the less dangerous , let him choose them rather out of mean Births than noble , and out of harsh Natures rather than plausible , and always be sure to ballance them with those that are as proud as they . MAX. 59. Let Princes be very circumspect in the choice of their Councellours , choosing neither by the greatness of the Beard , nor by the smoothness of the Face . Let him be wise , but not crafty ; active , without private ends ; couragious , without malice ; religious , without faction ; secret , without fraud : One better , read in his Prince's Business than his Nature ; and a Riddle only to be read above . MAX. 60. In a mixt Monarchy , if the Hierarchy grow too absolute , it is Wisdom in a Prince , rather to depress it than suppress it ; all Alterations in a Fundamental Government being apparent Dangers ; but too sudden Alteration threatens inevitable Ruine . When Aaron made a molten Calf , Moses alter'd not the Government , but reproved the Governour . MAX. 61. Before thou build a Fortress , consider to what End : If for Resistance against the Enemy , it is useless ; a valiant Army is a living Fortress : If for suppressing the Subject , it is hurtful ; it breeds Jealousies , and Jealousies beget Hatred . If thou hast a strong Army to maintain it , it adds nothing to thy Strength : If thy Army be weak , it conduces much to thy Danger . The surest Fortress is the Hands of thy Soldiers ; and the safest Cittadel is the Hearts of thy Subjects . MAX. 62. It is a Princely Alchymy , out of a necessary War , to extract an Honourable Peace ; and more beseeming the Majesty of a Prince , to thirst after Peace , than Conquest . Blessedness is promised to the Peace-maker , not the Conqueror . It is an happy State , whose Prince hath a Peaceful Hand , and a Martial Heart ; able both to use Peace , and to manage War. MAX. 63. It is a dishonourable thing for a Prince to run in Debt for State-service ; but to pay it in the Pardon of a Criminal Offence , is most dangerous . To cancel the Faults of Subjects , with their Deserts , is not only the Symptom of a disorder'd Commonwealth , but also of her Ruine . MAX. 64. Let not a Commander be too forward to undertake a War , without the Person of his Prince . It is a thankless Employment , where Mischief attends upon the best Success : And where ( if a Conqueror ) he shall be in danger , either through his own Ambition , or his Prince's Suspicion . MAX. 65. It is a great Oversight in a Prince , for any Respect , either Actively or Passively , to make a foreign Kingdom strong . He that gives means to another to become powerful , weakens himself , and enables him to take the advantage of his own weakness . MAX. 66. When the humours of the People are stirr'd by Discontents or popular Grief , it is Wisdom in a Prince to give them moderate Liberty to evaporate . He that turns the Humour back too hastily , makes the Wound bleed inwardly , and fills the Body with Malignity . MAX. 67. If , having levied an Army , thou findest thy self too weak , either thro' the Want of Men or Money , the longer thou delayest to fight , the greater thy Inconvenience grows . If once thy Army falls asunder , thou certainly losest by thy Delay . Where , hazarding thy Fortunes betimes , thou hast the advantage of thy Men , and mayst by Fortune win the Day , it is less dishonour to be overcome by Force than by Flight . MAX. 68. It is the part of a wise Commander , in Wars either offensive or defensive , to work a Necessity of Fighting into the Breasts of his Soldiers . Necessity of Action takes away the Fear of the Act , and makes bold Resolution the Favourite of Fortune . MAX. 69. Clemency and Mildness is most proper for a Principality , but Reservedness and Severity , for a Republick ; but Moderation in both . Excess in the one breeds Contempt ; in the other Hatred : When to sharpen the first , and when to sweeten the last , let Time and Occasion direct thy Judgment . MAX. 70. It is very requisite for a Prince that desires the Continuance of Peace , in time of Peace to encourage and respect his Commanders . When brave Spirits find Neglect to be the effect of Quiet , they devise all means to remove the Cause ; and by suggesting Inducements to new Wars , disturb and unsettle the old Peace , buying private Honour with publick Danger , MAX. 71. Be not covetous of Priority in Advising thy Prince to a doubtful Attempt , which concerns his State. If it prosper , the Glory must be his ; if it fail , the Dishonour will be thine . When the Spirit of a Prince is stopped in the Discharge , it will recoile & wound the first Adviser . MAX. 72. If , being the Commander of an Army , thou espiest a gross and manifest error in thine Enemy , look well to thy self ; for Treachery is not far off . He whom desire of Victory binds too much , is apt to stumble at his own Ruine . MAX. 73. It is the height of a Provident Commander , not only to keep his own Designs indiscoverable to his Enemy , but likewise to be studious to discover his : He that can best do the one , and nearest guess at the other , is the next Step to a Conqueror ; but he that fails in both , must either ascribe his Overthrow to his own Folly , or his Victory to the hand of Fortune . MAX. 74. If thou be ambitious of Honour , and yet fearful of the Canker of Honour , Envy ; so behave thy self , that Opinion may be satisfied in this , That thou seekest Merit , and not Fame ; and that thou attributest thy Preferment rather to Providence than thy own Virtue . Honour is a due Debt to the Deserver ; and who ever envied the Payment of a Debt ? A just Advancement is a Providential Act ; and who ever envied the Act of Providence ? MAX. 75. It behoves a Prince to be very circumspect before he makes a League , which being made , and then broke , is the Forfeiture of his Honour . He that obtains a Kingdom with the Rupture of his Faith , hath gained the Glory of a Conquest , but lost the Honour of a Conqueror . MAX. 76. Let States that aim at Greatness , beware lest new Gentry multiply too fast , or grow too glorious : Where there is too great a Disproportion betwixt the Gentry and the Common Subject , the one grows insolent , the other slavish . When the Body of the Gentry grows too glorious for a Corslet , the Heads of the Vulgar wax too heavy for the Helmet . MAX. 77. Upon the Beleaguering of a City , let the Commander endeavour to take from the Defendants all Scruples which may invite them to a Necessity of Defence . Whom the Fear of Slavery necessitates to fight , the boldness of their Resolution will disadvantage the Assailants , and difficilitate their Design . Sense of Necessity justifies the War , and they are hopeful in their Arms , who have no other Hope , but in their Arms. MAX. 78. It is good for States and Princes ( if they use ambitious Men for their advantage ) so to order things , that they be still Progressive rather than Retrograde . When ambitious men find an open Passage , they are rather busie than dangerous ; if well watch'd in their Proceedings , they will catch themselves in their own Snare , and prepare a Way for their own Destruction . MAX. 79. Of all Recreations , Hunting is most proper for a Commander ; by the frequency whereof he may be instructed in that necessary Knowledge of Situation with Pleasure , which by earnest Experience would be dearly purchased . The Chase is a fair Resemblance of a hopeful War , proposing to the Pursuer a flying Enemy . MAX. 80. Expect the Arms of thy Enemy on plain and easie ground , and still avoid mountainous & rocky places and strait Passages to the utmost of thy Power . It is not safe to pitch any where , where the Forces cannot be brought together . He never deserved the Name of a good Gamester , that hazards his whole Rest upon less than the strength of his whole Game . MAX. 81. It matters not much whether in Government thou tread the Steps of severe Hanibal , or gentle Scipio , so thy Actions are Honourable , and thy Life Virtuous : Both in the one and the other there is both Defect and Danger , if not corrected and supported by the fair Repute of some extraordinary Endowments . No matter whether black or white , so the Steed be good . MAX. 82. It is the safest Way , in martial Expedition , to commit the main Charge to one . Companions in Command beget Confusion in the Camp. When two able Commanders are joyned in equal Commission , each is apt to think his own way best , and by mutual thwarting each other , both give opportunity to the Enemy . MAX. 83. It is a high Point of Providence in a Prince to observe Popular Sects in their first rise , and to nip them in the bud ; But being once full aged , it is Wisdom not to oppose them with too strong a hand , lest in suppressing one , there arise two . A soft Current is soon stopt ; but a strong Stream resisted breaks into many , or overwhelms all . MAX. 84. It makes very much to thy advantage , to observe strictly the National Virtues and Vices and humours of Foreign Kingdoms , whereby the times past shall read useful Lectures to the time present . He that would see what shall be , let him consider what hath been . MAX. 85. If like Manlius thou command Stout and great things , be like Manlius stout to Execute great commands . It is a great blemish in Sovereignty when the Will roars , and the Power whispers . If thou canst not Execute as freely as thou Commandst , Command no more than what thou mayst as freely Execute . MAX. 86. If one Prince desire to obtain any thing of another , let him ( if occasion will bear it ) give him no time to advise ; let him endeavour to make him see a necessity of sudden resolution , and the danger either of denial or delay . He that gives times to resolve , gives leisure to deny , and warning to prepare . MAX. 87. Let not thine Army at the first Encounter be too prodigal in her assaults , but husband her strength at a dead lift . When the Enemy hath abated the fury of his first heat , let him then feel thou hast reserved thy Forces for the last blow . So shall the honour he hath gained by his Valour , encrease the Glory of thy Victory . Fore-Games when they prove are speediest , but After-games , if wisely plaid are surest . MAX. 88. It is very requisite for a Prince to keep the Church always in proportion to the State. If the Government of the one be Monarchical , and the other Democratical , they will agree like Metal joyned with Clay . But for a while durable is that State where Aaron commands the People , and where Moses commands Aaron ; but most happy in the continuance where God commands both . MAX. 89. Let not the Covetousness of a Captain purloyn to his own own use , or any way bereave his Soldiers of any profit due unto their service , either in their means or spoils : Such injuries ( being quickned by their daily Necessities ) are never forgot : What Soldiers earn with the hazard of their Lives ( if not enjoyed ) prophesies an Overthrow in the next battle . MAX. 90. If a Prince expect Virtuous Subjects , let his Subjects have a Virtuous Prince , and so shall he the better punish the Vices of his degenerate Subjects ; so shall they trulier prize Virtue , and follow it being exemplified in their Prince . MAX. 91. It is the property of a Wise Commander , to cast an Eye rather upon Actions than upon Persons ; and rather to reward the Merits of Men , than to read the Letters of Ladies . He that for favour or reward prefers a worthless Soldier , Betrays a Kingdom to advance a Traytor . MAX. 92. Where order and fury are well acquainted , the War prospers , and Soldiers end no less Men than they begun : Order is quickned by Fury , and Fury is regulated by Order : but where Order is wanting , Fury runs her own way , and being unthrift of its own strength , failing in the first assault , cravens ; and such beginning more than Men , end less than Women . MAX. 93. It is the quality of a wise Commander , to make his Soldiers confident of his Wisdom , and their own Strength ; If any danger be , to conceal it ; if manifest , to lessen it . Let him possess his Army with the Justness of the War , and a certainty of Victory . A good Cause makes a stout Heart and a strong Arm. They that fear an Overthrow are half Conquered . MAX. 94. It is requisite in a General to mingle Love with the severity of his Discipline . They that cannot be induced to Fear for Love , will never be inforced to Love for Fear ; Love opens the heart , Fear shuts it ; that Encourages , this Compels , and Victory meets Encouragement , but flees Compulsion . MAX. 95. It is the part of a well-advised State , never to entrust a weighty service , unto whom a noted Injury or dishonour hath been done ; he can never be Zealous in performance of service , the height of whose Expectation can rather recover a lost Name than gain a fresh Honour . MAX. 96. Three ways there be to begin a repute , and gain Dignities in a Common-wealth . The first , by the Virtue of glorious Parents , which till thou degenerate too much may raise thee upon the wings of Opinion . The second , is by associating with those whose actions are known Eminent . The third , by acting some Exploit , either Publick or Private , which in thy hand hath proved Honourable . The two first may miss , being founded upon Opinion : The last seldom fails , being grounded upon Evidence . MAX. 97. If thou art called to the Dignity of a Commander , dignify thy place by thy Commands , and that thou mayst be the more perfect in Commanding others , practise upon thy self . Remember that thou art a Servant to the Publick-weal , and therefore forget all private respects either of K●n or Friends . Remember thou art a Champion for a Kingdom : Forget therefore all private affections either of Love or Hate . He that would do his Country right , must not be too sensible of a Personal wrong . MAX. 98. It is the part of a wise Commander to read Books , not so much as Men ; nor Men so much as Nations : He that can discern the Inclinations , Conditions , and Passions , of a Kingdom , gains his Prince a great advantage both in Peace and War. MAX. 99. And you most high and mighty Princes of this Lower World , who at this Intricate and various Game of War , vye Kingdoms and win Crowns ; and by the death of your reverend Subjects gain the Lives of your bold hearted Enemies : Know there is a Quo Quarranto , whereto you are to give account of your Eye-Glorious Actions , according to the Righteous rules of Sacred Justice . How Warrantable it is to read Imperial Crowns from off the Sovereign Heads of their too weak Possessors , or to snatch Scepters from out the hand of Heaven : Anointed Majesty , and by your vast ambitions still to enlarge Dominions with Kingdoms ravish'd from their Natural Princes , Judge you . O let your brave designs , and well weighed actions be as Just as they are Glorious , and consider , that all your Wars , whose ends are not to defend your own Possessions , or to recover your dispossessions , are but Princely Injuries , which none but Heaven can right . But where necessity strikes up her hard alarms , or wrong'd Religion beats her Zealous marches , go on and prosper , and let both Swords and Stratagems proclaim a Victory , whose Nois'd Renown may fill the World with your Eternal Glory . MAX. 100. Piety and Policy are like Martha and Mary , Sisters : Martha fails if Mary helps not , and Mary suffers if Martha be Idle . Happy is that Kingdom where Martha complains of Mary , but most happy where Mary complys with Martha : where Piety and Policy go hand in hand , there War shall be Just , and Peace honourable . The End of the First Century . INSTITUTIONS AND MAXIMS Moral and Divine , &c. CENT . II. MAXIM 1. A Promise is a Child of the Understanding and the Will : the Understanding begets it , the Will brings it forth . He that performs it , delivers the Mother ; He that breaks it Murthers the Child . If he be begotten in the absence of the Understanding , it is a Bastard ; but the Child must be kept . If thou mistrust thy Understanding , Promise not ; If thou hast Promis'd , break it not : It is better to maintain a Bastard than to murther a Child . MAX. 2. Charity is a Naked Child , giving Honey to a Bee without Wings ; Naked , because Excuseless and Simple ; a Child , because tender and growing ; giving Honey , because Honey is pleasant and comfortable : To a Bee , because a Bee is laborious and deserving , without Wings , because helpless and wanting . If thou deniest to such , thou killest a Bee ; if thou givest to other than such , thou preservest a Drone . MAX. 3. Before thy Undertaking of any design , weigh the Glory of thy Action with the Danger of the Attempt : If the Glory outweigh the Danger , it is Cowardise to neglect it : If the Danger exceed the Glory , it is rashness to attempt it : If the Ballances stand pois'd , let thy own Genius cast them . MAX. 4. Wouldst thou know the Lawfulness of the action which thou desirest to undertake ? Let thy Devotion recommend it to Divine Blessing : If it be Lawful , thou shalt perceive thy Heart Encouraged by Prayer : If Unlawful , thou shalt find thy Prayer discouraged by thy Heart . That action is not Warrantable , which either blushes to beg a Blessing , or having succeeded , dares not present Thanksgiving . MAX. 5. If Evil men speak good , or good men Evil of thy Conversation , Examine all thy actions , and suspect thy self . But if Evil men speak Evil of thee , hold it as thy honour , and by way of thankfulness Love them , but upon condition , that they continue to hate thee . MAX. 6. If thou hope to please all , thy hopes are vain ; If thou fear to displease some , thy fears are Idle . The way to please thy self is not to displease the best ; and the way to displease the best , is to please the most . If thou canst fashion thy self to please all , thou shalt displease him that is all in all . MAX. 7. If thou Neglectest thy Love to thy Neighbour , in vain thou professest thy Love to God ; for by thy Love to God , the Love to thy Neighbour is begotten , and by the Love to thy Neighbour , thy Love to God is nourish'd . MAX. 8. Thy Ignorance in unreveal'd Mysteries , is the Mother of a Saving Faith ; and thy Understanding in reveal'd Truths is the Mother of a Sacred Knowledge : Understand not therefore that thou mayst Believe , but believe that thou mayst Understand : Understanding is the wages of a Lively Faith , and Faith is the reward of an humbler Ignorance . MAX. 9. Pride is the Ape of Charity , in shew , not much unlike ; but somewhat fuller of action . In seeking the one , take heed thou light not on the other ; they are two Parallels ; never but asunder . Charity feeds the Poor , so does Pride : Charity builds an Hospital , so does Pride : In this they differ ; Charity gives her Glory to God , Pride takes her Glory from Man. MAX. 10. Hast thou lost thy Money , and dost thou Mourn ? another lost it before thou hadst it ; Be not troubled ; perchance if thou hadst not lost it now , it had lost thee for ever : Think therefore What thou hast rather escaped than lost : Perhaps thou hadst not been so much thine own , had not thy Money been so little thine . MAX. 11. Flatter not thy self in thy Faith to God , if thou wantst Charity for thy Neighbour ; and think not that thou hast Charity for thy Neighbour , if thou wantst Faith to God ; where they are not both together , they are both wanting ; they are both dead if once divided . MAX. 12. Be not too slow in breaking of a sinful Custom : a quick Couragious Resolution is better than a Gradual Deliberation : In such a Combate , he is the bravest Soldier that lays about him without fear or wit. Wit Pleads , Fear disheartens ; He that would kill Hydra , had better strike off one Neck than Five Heads : Fell the Tree , and the Branches are soon cut off . MAX. 13. Be careful rather of what thou dost , than of what thou hast : for what thou hast is none of thine , and will leave thee at thy death , or thou the pleasure of it , in thy sickness : But what thou dost , is thine ; and will follow thee to thy Grave , and plead for thee , or against thee , at thy Resurrection . MAX. 14. If thou enjoyest not the God of Love thou canst not obtain the Love of God , neither until then canst thou Enjoy a desire to Love God , nor relish the Love of God : thy Love to God is nothing but a faint reflection of God's love to thee : till he please to Love thee , thy Love can never please him . MAX. 15. Let not thy Fancy be guided by thine Eye , nor let thy Will be govern'd by thy Fancy : Thine Eye may be deceived in her Object , and thy Fancy may be deluded in her Subject . Let thine Understanding moderate between thine Eye and thy Fancy ; and let thy Judgment Arbitrate between thy Fancy and thy Will ; so shall Fancy apprehend what is true , so shall thy Will elect what is good . MAX. 16. Endeavour to subdue as well thy irascible as thy concupiscible Affections : To endure Injuries with a brave Mind is one half of the Conquest ; and to abstain from pleasing Evils with a couragious Spirit , is the other . The Sum of all Humanity , and height of Moral Perfection , is Bear , and Forbear . MAX. 17. If thou desire not to be too poor , desire not to be too rich : He is rich , not that possesseth much , but he that covets no more ; and he is poor , not that enjoys little , but that wants too much . The contented Mind wants nothing which it hath not ; the covetous Mind wants not only what it hath not , but likewise what it hath . MAX. 18. The outward Senses are the common Cinque-Ports , where every Subject lands towards the Understanding . The Ear hears a confused Noise , and presents it to the Common Sense ; the common Sense distinguishes the several Sounds , and conveys them to the Fancy ; the Fancy wildly discants on it : The Understanding ( whose Object is Truth ) apprehending it to be Musick , commends it to the Judgment ; the Judgment severally and jointly examines it , and recommends it to the Will ; the Will ( whose Object is Good ) approves it ; or dislikes it , and the Memory records it : And so in the other Senses , according to their Subjects , observe this Progress , and thou shalt easily find where the defect of every Action lyes . MAX. 19. The way to subject all things to thy self , is to subject thy self to Reason ; thou shalt govern many , if Reason govern thee : Would'st thou be crowned the Monarch of a little World ? Command thy self . MAX. 20. Tho' thou givest all thou hast for Charity 's sake , and yet retainest a secret desire of keeping it for thy own sake , thou rather leavest it than forsakest it . He that hath relinquish'd all things , and not himself , hath forsaken nothing : He that sets not his Heart on what he possesses , forsaketh all things , tho' he keep his Possessions . MAX. 21. Search into thy self before thou accept the Ceremony of Honour : If thou art a Palace , Honour , ( like the Sun-beams ) will make thee more Glorious ; if thou art a Dunghil , the Sun may shine upon thee , but not to sweeten thee ; Thy Prince may give thee Honour , but not make thee honourable . MAX. 22. Every Man is a King in his own Kingdom : If Reason command , and Passion obey , his Government bespeaks a good King ; if thine inordinate Affection rules , it shews a proud Rebel ; which if thou destroy not , will depose thee . There is no mean between the Death of a Rebel and the Life of a Prince . MAX. 23. A Vow , a Promise , and a Resolution , have all one Object , only differ in respect of the Persons to whom they are made ; the first is between God and Man ; the second between Man and Man ; the third between Man and his own Soul ; they all bind , if the Object be lawful , to necessity of Performance ; if unlawful , to the necessity of Sin : They all take thee Prisoner ; if the Object be lawful , thy Performance hath redeemed thee ; if unlawful , Blood and Fears must ransom thee . MAX. 24. If thou hast any business of Consequence in agitation , let thy Care be reasonable and seasonable : Continual standing bent weakens the Bow ; too hasty drawing breaks it : Put off thy Cares with thy Clothes ; so shall thy Rest strengthen thy Labour , and so shall thy Labour sweeten thy Rest . MAX. 25. When thy inordinate Affections do flame towards transitory Happiness , quench them thus ; think with thy self , if my Prince should give me what Honour he hath to bestow , or bestow on me what Wealth he hath to give , it could not stay with me , because it is transitory ; nor I with it , because I am mortal : Then revise thy Affections , and weigh them with their Objects , and thou wilt either confess thy Folly , or make a wiser Choice . MAX. 26. With three sorts of Men enter no serious Friendship ; the ingrateful man , the multiloquious man , the Coward ; the first cannot prize thy Favours ; the second cannot keep thy Counsel ; and the third dare not vindicate thy Honour . MAX. 27. If thou desire the time should not pass too fast , use not too much Pastime ; thy Life in Jollity blazes like a Taper in the Wind : The blast of Honour wastes it ; the heat of Pleasure melts it : If thou labour in a painful Calling , thou shalt be less sensible of the Flux of time , and sweetlier satisfied at the time of Death . MAX. 28. God is the Alpha and Omega in the great World ; endeavour to make him so in the little World ; make him thy Evening Epilogue , and thy Morning Prologue ; practise to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest , and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest ; so shall thy Fancy be sanctified in the Night , and thy Understanding rectified in the Day ; so shall thy Rest be peaceable , thy Labours prosperous , thy Life pious , and thy Death glorious . MAX. 29. Be very circumspect in the Choice of thy Company . In the Society of thine Equals thou shalt enjoy more Pleasure ; in the Society of thy Superiours thou shalt find more Profit . To be the best in the Company is the way to grow worse ; the best means to grow better , is to be the worst there . MAX. 30. Think of God ( especially in thy Devotion ) in the Abstract , rather than in the Concrete : If thou conceive him good , thy finite Thoughts are ready to terminate that Good in a conceiv'd Subject ; if thou think him great , thy bounded Conceit is apt to cast him into a comprehensible Figure : Conceive him therefore a diffused Goodness without Quality , and represent him an incomprehensible Greatness without Quantity MAX. 31. If thou and true Religion be not as yet met , or met unknown , by these marks thou shalt discover it : First , it is a Religion that takes no Pleasure in the Expence of Blood. Secondly , it is a Religion whose Tenents cross not the Book of Truth . Thirdly , it is a Religion that takes most from the Creature , and gives most to the Creator . If such an one thou meet with , assure thy self it is the right , and therefore profess it in thy Life , and protect it to thy Death . MAX. 32. Let another's Passion be a Lecture to thy Reason , and let the Shipwrack of this Understanding be a Sea-mark to thy Passion : So shalt thou gain strength out of his weakness , safety out of his danger , and raise thy self a Building out of his Ruines . MAX. 33. In the height of thy Prosperity expect Adversity , but fear it most ; if it come not , thou art the more sweetly possess'd of the happiness thou hast , and the more strongly confirm'd ; if it come , thou art the more gently dispossest of the happiness thou had'st , and the more firmly prepared . MAX. 34 To tremble at the sight of thy Sin , makes thy Faith the less apt to tremble : The Devils believe and tremble , because they tremble at what they believe : Their Belief brings Trembling ; thy Trembling brings Belief . MAX. 35. Authology is the way to Theology : Until thou see'st thy self empty , thou wilt not desire to be fill'd . He can never truly relish the sweetness of God's Mercy , that never tasted the Bitterness of his own Misery . MAX. 36. Is any outward Affliction fallen upon thee by a temporary loss ? Advise with thy self , whether it be recoverable or not ; if it be , use all lawful means ( the Violence and Unseasonableness whereof may not disadvantage thee in the pursuit ) to recover it : If not recoverable , endure with Patience what thou can'st not recover with Pains . He that carnally afflicts his Soul for the loss of a transitory Good , casts away the Kernel because he hath lost the Shell . MAX. 37. Natural Anger glances into the Breasts of wise men , but rests in the Bosom of Fools : In them it is Infirmity ; in these a Sin ; there is a natural Anger , and there is a Spiritual Anger ; the common Object of that is the Person ; of this , his Vice. He that is always angry with his Sin , shall seldom sin in his Anger . MAX. 38. If any hard Affliction hath surprized thee , cast one eye upon the hand that sent it , and the other upon the Sins that brought it . If thou thankfully receive the Message , he that sent it will discharge the Messenger . MAX. 39. All Passions are good and bad , according to their Objects : Where the Object is absolutely good , there the greatest Passion is too little ; where absolutely evil , there the least Passion is too much ; where indifferent , there a little is enough . MAX. 40. When thou dost Evil , that Good may come thereby , the Evil is surely thine ; if Good should happen to ensue upon the Evil which thou hast done , the Good proceeds from God : If therefore thou do Evil , thereby to occasionate a Good , thou lay'st a bad Foundation for a good Building , and servest the Devil , that God may serve thee . Where the end of Evil is Good in the Intention , there the end of that Good is Evil in the Extension . MAX. 41. Be as far from desiring the Popular Love , as fearful to deserve the Popular Hate : Ruine dwells in both ; the one will hug thee to Death , the other will crush thee to Destruction . To escape the first , be not ambitious ; to avoid the second , be not seditious . MAX. 42. When thou seest misery in thy Brother's Face , let him see mercy in thine Eye ; the more the Oyle of mercy is poured on him by thy Pity , the more the Oyle in thy Cruise shall be encreased by thy Piety . MAX. 43. Read not Books alone , but Men , and amongst them chiefly thy self : If thou find any thing questionable there , use the Commentary of a severe Friend , rather than the Gloss of a sweet lipt Flatterer . There is more Profit in a distastful Truth than deceitful Sweetness . MAX. 44. If the opinion of thy Worth invite any to the desire of thy Acquaintance , yeild a Respect suitable to his Quality : Too great a Reservation will expose thee to the Sentence of Pride ; too easie Access will condemn thee to the Censure of Folly. Things too hardly endeavoured discourage the Seeker ; too easily obtained , disparage the thing sought for : Too easily got , is lowly prised , and quickly lost . MAX. 45. When Conveniency of time hath ripened your Acquaintance , be cautious what thou say'st , and courteous in what thou dost : Observe his Inclination ; if thou find him weight , make him thine own , and lodge him in a faithful Bosom : Be not easily exceptious , nor rudely familiar ; the one will breed Contention , the other Contempt . MAX. 46. When Passion is grounded upon Fancy , it is commonly but of short Continuance : Where the Foundation is unstable , there the Building is not lasting . He that will be angry for any Cause , will be angry for no Cause ; and when the Understanding perceives the Cause vain , then the Judgment proclaims the Effect void . MAX. 47. If thou desire to purchase Honour with thy Wealth , consider first how that Wealth became thine ; if thy Labour got it , let thy Wisdom keep it ; if Oppression found it , let Repentance restore it ; if thy Parent left it , let thy Virtues deserve it ; so shall thy Honour be safer , better , and cheaper . MAX. 48. Sin is a Basilisk whose Eyes are full of Venom ; if the Eye of thy Soul see her first , it reflects her own Poison and kills her : If she see thy Soul , unseen , or seen too late , with her Poison , she kills thee : since therefore thou canst not Escape thy Sin , let not thy Sin escape thy Observation . MAX. 49. If thou expect to rise by the means of him , whom thy Father's Greatness rais'd from his service to Court-preferment , thou wilt be deceived , for the more in esteem thou art , the more sensible is he of what he was , whose servitude will be Chronicled , by thy Advancement and Glory obscured by thy Greatness : However , he will conceive it a dead service , which may be interpreted by thee , as a merited reward , rather than a meritorious benefit . MAX. 50. Trust not to the Promise of a Common Swearer , for he that dare Sin against his God , for neither Profit nor Pleasure , will trespass against thee for his own advantage . He that dare break the precepts of his Father , will easily be perswaded to violate the Promise unto his Brother . MAX. 51. Let the greatest part of the News thou hearest be the least part of what thou believest , lest the greatest part of what thou believest be the least part of what is true ; where Lies are easily admitted , the Father of Lies will not easily be excluded . MAX. 52. Deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend , and when thy impartial Judgment concludes him worthy of thy Bosom , receive him Joyfully and entertain him Wisely , impart thy secrets boldly , and mingle thy thoughts with his ; he is thy very self and use him so , if thou firmly thinks him faithful thou makes him so . MAX. 53. As there is no Worldly Gain , without some Loss , so there is no Worldly Loss without some Gain ; If thou hast lost thy Wealth , thou hast lost some trouble with it ; if thou art degraded from thy honour , thou art likewise freed from the stroke of Envy ; if sickness hath blur'd thy Beauty , it hath delivered thee from Pride , set the allowance against the loss and thou shalt find no loss great , he loseth little or nothing that reserves himself . MAX. 54. If thou desire to take the best advantage of thy self , especially in matters where the Fancy is most employed , keep temperate Diet , use moderate Exercise , observe seasonable and set hours for Rest ; let the end of thy first sleep raise thee from thy repose : then hath thy body the best temper , then hath thy Soul the least incumbrance , then no noise shall disturb thy Ear , no object shall divert thine Eye ; then if thy sprightly Fancy transport thee not beyond the common pitch , and shew thee not the Magazine of high Invention , return thee to thy wanton Bed , and there conclude thy self more fit to wear thy Mistresses favour than Apollo's Bays . MAX. 55. If thou art Rich , strive to Command thy Money , lest she Command thee : if thou know how to use her , she is thy Servant , if not , thou art her slave . MAX. 56. Bring thy Daughter a Husband of her own Religion , and of no Hereditary Disease ; let his Wisdom out-weigh his Wealth ; let his Parantage excel his Person , and let his Age exceed hers ; let thy Prayers recommend the rest to Providence : If he prove good , thou hast found a Son , if not thou hast lost a Daughter . MAX. 57. So use Prosperity that Adversity may not abuse thee ; if in the one security admits no Fear , in the other despair will afford no hopes : He that in Prosperity can foretel a Danger , can in Adversity foresee Deliverance . MAX. 58. If thy Faith hath no Doubts , thou hast Just Cause to doubt thy Faith ; and if thy Doubts have no Hope , thou hast Just Reason to fear Despair ; when therefore thy Doubts shall exercise thy Faith , keep thy Hopes firm to qualify thy Doubts , so shall thy Faith be secured from Doubts , so shall thy Doubts be preserved from Despair . MAX. 59. If thou desire to be truly Valiant , fear to do any Injury . He that fears not to do Evil is always afraid to suffer Evil ; He that never Fears is desperate , and he that fears always is a Coward ; he is the true Valiant man that dares nothing but what he may , and fears nothing but what he ought . MAX. 60. Anger may repast with thee for an hour , but not repose for a Night ; the continuance of Anger is Hatred , the continuance of Hatred turns Malice , that Anger is not warrantable that hath seen two Suns . MAX. 61. If thou stand guilty of Oppression , or wrongfully possest of another's Right , see thou make restitution before thou givest an Alms ; if otherwise , what art thou but a Thief and makest God thy Receiver . MAX. 62. When thou Prayest for Spiritual Grace , let thy Prayer be absolute ; when for Temporal Blessings add a Clause of God's pleasure ; in both with Faith and Humiliation , so that thou undoubtedly receive what thou desirest , or more or better ; never Prayer rightly made was made unheard , or heard ungranted . MAX. 63. He that gives , all tho' but little , gives much , because God looks not to the quantity of the Gift , but to the quality of the Givers : He that desires to give more than he can hath equalled his Gift to his desire , and hath given more than he hath . MAX. 64. Be not too greedy in desiring Riches , nor too eager in seeking them , nor too Covetous in keeping them , nor too passionate in losing them ; the first will possess thy Soul of Discontent , the second will dispossess thy Body of Rest , the third will possess thy Wealth of thee , the last will dispossess thee of thy self : He that is too Violent in the Concupiscible , will be as Violent in the Irascible . MAX. 65. Be not too rash in the breaking of an inconvenient Custom , as it was gotten so leave it by degrees ; danger attends upon too sudden alterations : He that pulls down a bad Building by the great , may be ruin'd by the fall ; but he that takes it down brick by brick , may live to build a bettter . MAX. 66. If thou desire that inestimable grace of Saving Faith , detest that insatiable Vice of damnable Covetousness ; it is impossible one heart ( though never so double ) should lodge both : Faith possesseth thee of what thou hast not , Covetousness disposesseth thee of what thou hast , thou canst not serve God , unless Mammon serve thee . MAX. 67. Beware of him that is slow to Anger , Anger when it is long in coming is the stronger when it comes , and the longer kept : Abused Patience turns to Fury : When Fancy is the ground of Passion , that understanding which composeth the Fancy qualifies the Passion , but when Judgment is the ground , the Memory is the Recorder . MAX. 68. He that professeth himself thy open Enemy , arms thee against the Evil he means thee , but he that dissembles himself thy Friend , strikes beyond caution and wounds beyond cure . From the first thou mayst deliver thy self , from the last Good Lord deliver thee . MAX. 69. If thou hast wrong'd thy Brother in thought reconcile thee to him in thought , if thou hast offended him in words , let thy reconciliation be in words , if thou hast trespassed against him in deeds be reconciled to him : that Reconciliation is most kindly which is most in kind . MAX. 70. Not to give to the Poor is to take from him ; not to feed the hungry if thou hast it is the utmost of thy power to kill him : That therefore thou mayst avoid both Sacrilege and Murther , be Charitable . MAX. 71. So often as thou Remember'st thy Sins without Grief , so often thou repeatest those Sins for not grieving : He that will not mourn for the Evil that he hath done , gives earnest for the Evil he means to do ; nothing can asswage that fire which Sin hath made , but only that water which Repentance hath drawn . MAX. 72. Look well before thou Leap into the Chair of Honour , the Higher thou Climest the lower thou fallest ; If Virtue prefer thee , Virtue will preserve thee ; if Gold or Favour advance thee , thy honour is pinn'd upon the Wheel of Fortune , when the Wheel shall turn , thy Honour falls , and thou remainest an Everlasting Monument of thy own ambitious folly . MAX. 73. We are born with our Temptations ; Nature sometimes presseth us to Evil , sometime provokes us unto Good ; If therefore thou givest her more than her due , thou nourishest an Enemy : if less than is sufficient , thou destroyest a Friend ; moderation will prevent both . MAX. 74. If thou scorn not to serve Luxury in thy Youth , Chastity will scorn thy service in thy Age ; and that the will of thy Green Years thought no Vice in the acting , the Necessity of thy Grey Hairs makes no Virtue in the forbearing ; where there is no Conflict there can be no Conquest , where there is no Conquest there is no Crown . MAX. 75. Thou didst nothing toward thy own Creation , for thou wert Created for thy Creator's Glory ; thou must do something toward thy own Redemption , for thou wert redeemed for thy own Good ; he that made thee without thee , will not save thee without thee . MAX. 76. When thy Tongue and Heart agree not in Confession , that Confession is not agreeable to God's Pleasure ; He that confesseth with Tongue and wants Confession in his Heart , is either a Vain Man or an Hypocrite ; He that hath Confession in his Heart and wants it in his Tongue , is either a Proud Man or a Timorous . MAX. 77. Gold is Caesar's treasure , Man is God's , thy Gold hath Caesar's Image , and thou hast God's ; Give therefore unto Caesar those things which are Caesar's , and unto God which are God's . MAX. 78. In the Commission of Evil , fear no Man so much as thy own self ; another is but one witness against thee , thou art a thousand ; another thou mayst avoid , but thy self thou canst not ; wickedness is its own punishment . MAX. 79. In thy Apparel avoid singularity , Profuseness , and Gaudiness ; be not too early in the fashion , nor too late , Decency is the half way between Affectation and Neglect ; the Body is the shell of the Soul , Apparel is the Husk of that shell , the Husk often tells you what the Kernel is . MAX. 80. Let thy Recreation be Manly , Moderate , Seasonable , Lawful ; if thy Life be sedentary , more tending to the exercise of thy Body , if active , more to the refreshing of thy Mind , the use of Recreation is to strengthen thy Labour and sweeten thy Rest . MAX. 81. Be not Censorious , for thou knowest not whom thou Judgest ; it is a more dextrous error to speak well of an Evil Man , than Ill of a Good Man , and safer for thy Judgment to be misled by simple Charity , than Uncharitable Wisdom : He may tax others with Privilege that hath not in himself what others may Tax . MAX. 82. Take heed of that Honour which thy Wealth hath purchased thee ; for it is neither lasting nor thine own ; what money creates money preserves ; If thy Wealth decays thy Honour dies : It is but a slippery happiness which Fortune can give and Frowns can take , and not worth the owning which a Night's Fire can melt , or a Rough Sea can drown . MAX. 83. If thou canst desire any thing not to be repented of , thou art in a fair way to Happiness ; if thou hast attained it , thou art at thy way's end : He is not happy who hath all that he desires , but that desires nothing but what is good ; if thou canst not do what thou need not repent , yet endeavour to repent what thy Necessity hath done . MAX. 84. Spend an hundred years in Earth's best pleasures , and after that an hundred more , to which being spent add a thousand , and to that ten thousand , the last shall as surely end as the first are ended , and all shall be swallowed with Eternity : He that is born to day is not sure to live a day ; He that hath lived the longest is but as he that was born yesterday ; the happiness of the one is , that he hath lived ; the happiness of the other is , that he may live , and the lot of both is , that they must die : It 's no happiness to live long , nor unhappiness to die soon : Happy is he that hath lived long enough to die well . MAX. 85. Be careful to whom thou givest , and how ; He that gives him that deserves not , loseth his Gift , and betrays the Giver ; He that confers his Gift upon a worthy receiver , makes many Debtors , and by giving receives ; He that gives for his own ends , makes his Gift a Bribe , and the receiver a Prisoner ; He that gives often teacheth requitance to the Receiver , and discovers a crafty confidence in the Giver . MAX. 86. Hath any wrong'd thee ? bravely reveng'd , slight it , and the Work is begun ; forgive it , and it is finisht : He is below himself that is not above an Injury . MAX. 87. Let not thy Passion miscall thy Child , left thou Prophesy his misfortunes ; let not thy Tongue curse him , lest it return from whence it came : Curses sent in the room of Blessings are sent back with a double Vengeance . MAX. 88. In all the Ceremonies of the Church which remain indifferent , do according to the Constitution of that Church where thou art . The God of Order and Unity , who created both the Soul and the Body , expects Unity in the one , and Order in both . MAX. 89. Let thy Religious Fast be a voluntary Abstinence , not so much from Flesh as fleshly Thoughts : God is pleased with that Fast which gives to another what thou deniest to thy self , and when the afflicting of thy own Body is the repairing of thy Brother 's ; he fasts truly that abstains sadly , grieves really , gives cheerfully , and forgives charitably . MAX. 90. In the hearing of mysteries , keep thy Tongue quiet ; five Words cost Zacharias 40 weeks Silence : In such heights , convert thy Questions into Wonders , and let this suffice thee ; the Reason of the Deed is the Power of the Doer . MAX. 91. Deride not him whom the looser World calls Puritan , lest thou offend a little one ; if he be an Hypocrite , God , that knows him , will reward him ; if zealous , that God that loves him will revenge him ; if he be good , he is good to god's glory ; if evil , let him be evil at his own Charges . He that judges shall be judged . MAX. 92. So long as thou art ignorant , be not ashamed to learn ; he that is so fondly modest , not to acknowledge his own Defects of Knowledge , shall in time be so foully impudent , to justifie his own Ignorance . Ignorance is the greatest of all Infirmities , and justified , the chiefest of all Follies . MAX. 93. If thou be a Servant , deal justly by thy Master as thou desirest thy Servant should deal by thee ; where thou art commanded , be obedient , where not commanded , be provident ; let Diligence be thy Credit ; let Faithfulness be thy Crown ; let thy Master's Credit be thy Care , and let his Welfare be thy Content : Let thine Eye be single , and thine Heart humble ; be sober , that thou may'st be circumspect : He that in Sobriety is not his own man , being drunk , whose is he ? Be neither contentious nor lascivious ; the one shews a turbulent H●art , the other an idle Brain , A good Servant is a great Master . MAX. 94. Let the Foundation of thy Affection be Virtue , then make the Building as rich and as glorious as thou canst ; if the Foundation be Beauty or Wealth , and the Building Virtue , the Foundation is too week for the Building , and it will fall . Happy is he , the Palace of whose Affection is founded upon Virtue , wall'd with Riches , glaz'd with Beauty , and Roofed with Honour . MAX. 95. If thy Mother be a Widow , give her double Honour , who now acts the part of a double Parent ; Remember her nine months Burthen , and her ten months Travel ; forget not her Indulgence when thou didst hang upon her tender Breast ; call to mind her Prayers for thee before thou cam'st into the World , and her Cares for thee when thou wert come into it ; remember her secret Groans , her affectionate Tears , her broken Slumbers , her daily Fears , her nightly Frights : relieve her Wants , cover her Imperfections , comfort her Age , and the Widow's Husband will be the Orphan's Father . MAX. 96. As thou desirest the Love of God and Man , beware of Pride ; it is a Tumour in thy mind , that breaks , and poisons all thy Actions ; it is a Worm in thy Treasure , that eats and ruines thy Estate ; it loves no man , is beloved of no man ; it disparageth Virtue in another by Detraction ; it disrewards Goodness in it self by Vain Glory ; the Friend of the Flatterer , the Mother of Envy , the Nurse of Fury , the Band of Luxury , the Sin of Devils , and the Devil in mankind : It hates Superiours , it scorns Inferiours , it owns no Equals ; in short , till thou hate it , God hates thee . MAX. 97. So behave thy self amongst thy Children , that they may love and honour thy presence ; be not too fond , lest they fear thee not ; be not too bitter , lest they fear thee too much : Too much Familiarity will embolden them , too little Countenance discourage them . So carry thy self , that they may rather fear thy displeasure than thy correction ; when thou reprovest them , do it in season ; when thou correctest them , do it not in Passion . As a wise Child makes a happy Father , so a wise Father makes a happy Child . MAX. 98. When thy hand hath done a good Act , ask thy heart if it be well done ; the matter of a good action is the deed done , the form of a good action is the manner of the doing ; in the first , another hath the Comfort , and thou the Glory ; in the other , thou hast the Comfort , and God the Glory . That Deed is ill done , wherein God is no Sharer . MAX. 99. Should'st thou purchase Heaven , advise not with thy own ability : The Price of Heaven is what thou hast ; examine not what thou hast , but what thou art ; give thy self , and thou hast bought it : If thy own Vileness be thy Fears , offer thy self , and thou art pretious . MAX. 100. The Birds of the Air dye to sustain thee ; the Beasts of the Field dye to nourish thee ; the Fishes of the Sea dye to feed thee ; our Stomacks are their common Sepulchres . Good God! with how many Deaths are our Lives patch'd up ? how ful of Death is the miserable Life of momentary Man. The End of the second Century . INSTITUTIONS AND MAXIMS Moral and Divine , &c. CENT . III. MAXIM 1. If thou take pains in what is good , the Pains vanish , the Good remains ; if thou take pleasure in what is evil , the Evil remains , and the Pleasure vanisheth : What art thou the worse for Pains , or the better for Pleasure , when both are past . MAX. 2. If thy Fancy and Judgment have agreed in the choice of a Wife , be not too fond , lest she surfeit , nor too peevish , lest she languish : Love so that thou may'st be feared ; rule so that thou may'st be honoured ; be not too diffident , lest thou teach her to deceive thee ; nor too suspicious , lest thou teach her to abuse thee . If thou see a fault , let thy Love hide it ; if she continue it , let thy Wisdom reprove it : Reprove her not openly , lest she grow bold ; rebuke her not tauntingly , lest she grow spiteful ; proclaim not her Beauty , lest she grow proud ; boast not her Wisdom , lest thou be thought foolish ; shew her not thy Imperfections , lest she disdain thee ; pry not into her Dairy , lest the despise thee ; prophane not her Ears with loose Communication , lest thou defile the Sanctuary of her Modesty . An understanding Husband makes a discreet Wife ; and she a happy Husband . MAX. 3. Wrinkle not thy Face with too much Laughter , lest thou become ridiculous ; neither wanton thy Heart with , too much Mirth , lest thou become vain . The Suburbs of Folly is vain mirth ; and profuseness of Laughter is the City of Fools . MAX. 4. Let thy Tongue take Counsel of one Eye , rather than of two Ears ; let the News thou reportest be rather stale than false , lest thou be branded with the Name of a Lyar : 'T is an intollerable Dishonour to be that , which only to be called so , is thought worthy of a Stab ▪ MAX. 5. Let thy Discourse be such as thy Judgment may maintain and thy Company may deserve ▪ ●n neglecting this , thou losest thy Words ; in not observing , the other , thou losest thy self . Give wash to Swine , and Wort to Men ; so shalt thou husband thy Gift to the advantage of thy self , and shape thy Discourse to the advancement of the Hearer . MAX. 6. Dost thou roar under the Torments of a Tyrant ? Weigh them with the Sufferance of thy Saviour , and they are no Plague . Dost thou rage under the Bondage of a raving Conscience ? Compare it to thy Saviour's Passion , and it is no Pain ? Have the Tortures of Hell taken hold of thy despairing soul ? Compare it to thy Saviour's Torments , and it is no Punishment . What Sense unequally compares , let Faith interchangeably apply , and thy Pleasure have no Comparison ; thy Sins are the Authors of his Sufferings , and his Hell is the Price of thy Heaven . MAX. 7. Art thou banish'd from thy own Country ? Thank thy own Folly : Hadst thou chosen a right home , thou hadst been no Exile ; hadst thou commanded thine own Kingdom , all Kingdoms had been thine own . The Fool is banished in his own Country ; the Wise man is in his own Country , though banished : The Fool wanders , the Wise man travels . MAX. 8. In seeking Virtue , if thou find Poverty , be not ashamed , the Fault is none of thine ; thy Honour or Dishonour is purchased by thy own Actions : Tho' Virtue give a ragged Livery , she gives a golden Cognizance ; if her Service make thee poor , blush not ; thy Poverty may disadvantage thee , but not dishonour thee . MAX. 9. Gaze not on Beauty too much , lest it blast thee , nor too long , lest it blind thee , nor too near , lest it burn thee ; if thou like it , it deceives thee ; if thou love it , it disturbs thee ; if thou lust after it , it destroys thee : If Virtue accompany it , it is the Heart's Paradice ; if Vice associate it , it is the Soul's Purgatory : It is the Wise man's Bonfire , and the Fools Furnace . MAX. 10. If thou would'st have a good Servant , let thy Servant find a wise Master ; let his Food , Rest , and Wages be seasonable ; let his Labour , Recreations , and Attendance , depend upon thy Pleasure ; be not angry with him too long , lest he think thee malicious , nor too soon , lest he conceive thee rash , nor too often , lest he count the humorous ; be not too fierce , lest he love thee not , nor too remiss , lest he fear thee not , nor too familiar , lest he prize thee not . In brief , whil'st thou givest him the Liberty of a Servant , beware thou losest not the Majesty of a Master . MAX. 11. If thou desire to be chast in Wedlock , keep thy self chast before thou wed'est ; he that hath known Pleasure unlawfully , will hardly be restrained from unlawful Pleasure : One Woman was created for one Man. He that strays beyond the limits of Liberty , is brought into the Verge of Slavery : Where one is enough , two is too many , and three is too few . MAX. 12. If thou would'st be justified , acknowledge thy Injustice : He that confesseth his Sin , begins his Journey toward Salvation ; he that is sorry for 't , mends his Pace ; he that forsakes it , is at his Journey 's end . MAX. 13. Before thou reprehend another , take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend : He that cleanseth a Blott with blotted Fingers makes a greater Blur. MAX. 14. Beware of Drunkenness , lest all good men beware of thee : Where Drunkenness reigns , there Reason is an Exul , Virtue a Stranger , God an Enemy ; Blasphemy is Wit , Oaths are Rhetorick , and Secrets are Proclamations . Noah discovered that in one hour , drunk , which sober , he kept secret Six hundred Years . MAX. 15. What thou givest to the poor , thou securest from the Thief ; but what thou witholdest from his Necessity , a Thief possesses . God's Exchequer is the poorman's Box ; when thou strikest a Tally , he becomes thy Debtor . MAX. 16. Take no pleasure in the Folly of an Ideot , nor in the Fancy of a Lunatick , nor in the Frenzy of a Drunkard ; make them the Object of thy Pity , not of thy Pastime , when thou beholdest them , behold how thou art beholden to him that suffer'd thee not to be like them ; there is no difference between thee and them , but God's Favour . MAX. 17. If being in an Eminent place thou hast incurr'd the obloquy of the Multitude , the more thou endeavourest to stop the Stream , the more it overflows : Wisely rather divert the course of the Vulgar humour , by divulging and spreading some ridiculous Novelty , which may present new matter to their various fancy , and stave their Tongues from off thy worried name ; the first subject of the common Voice is the last News . MAX. 18. If thou desire to see thy Child Virtuous , let him not see his Father's Vices : Thou canst not rebuke that in them that they behold practis'd in thee . Till Reason be Ripe , Examples direct more than Precepts : Such as thy behaviour is before thy Childrens Faces , such commonly is theirs behind their Parents backs . MAX. 19. Use Law and Physick only for necessity ; they that use them otherwise , abuse themselves into weak Bodies and light Purses . They are good Remedies , bad Businesses , and worse Recreations . MAX. 20. Be not over curious in prying into Mysteries , lest by seeking things which are needless , thou omit things which are necessary ; it is more safe to doubt of uncertain Matters than to dispute of undiscovered Mysteries . MAX. 21. If what thou hast received from God thou sharest to the Poor , thou hast gained a blessing by the hand : If what thou hast taken from the Poor thou givest to God , thou hast purchased a Curse into the bargain : He that puts to Pious Uses what he hath got by Impious Usury , Robs the Spittle to raise an Hospital , and the Cry of the one , will out-plead the Prayers of the other . MAX. 22. Let the end of thy Argument be rather to discover a doubtful Truth , than a Commanding Wit ; in the one thou shalt gain substance , in the other Froth : That Flint strikes the Steel in vain that propagates no sparkles . Covet to be Truth 's Champion , at least to hold her Colours : He that pleads against the Truth takes pains to be overthrown , or if a Conqueror , gains but a Vain-Glory by the Conquest . MAX. 23. Take no pleasure in the death of a Creature ; if it be harmless or useless destroy it not , if useful or harmful destroy it mercifully : He that mercifully made his Creatures for thy sake , expects thy mercy upon them for his sake , mercy turns her back to the unmerciful . MAX. 24. If thou art called to the Dignity of a Priest , the same Voice calls thee to the honour of a Judge : If thy Life and Doctrine be Good , thou shalt Judge others ; if thy Doctrine be Good and thy Life bad , only thy self : If both be Good , thou teachest thy People to escape Condemnation : If this be good , and that bad , thou teachest God to Condemn thee . MAX. 25. If thou be not a Prometheus to adivise , before thou dost be an Epimetheus to examine what thou hast done , when the want of Advice hath brought forth an improvident act , the Examination may produce a profitable Repentance . MAX. 26. If thou desire the happiness of thy Soul , the health of thy Body , the prosperity of thy Estate , the preservation of thy Credit , converse not with a Harlot ; her Eyes run thy Reputation in debt , her Lips demand the Payment , her Breast arrest thee , her Arms imprison thee , from whence believe it thou shalt hardly get forth till thou hast either ended the days of thy Credit , or paid the utmost farthing of thy Estate . MAX. 27. Carry a watchful Eye upon those Familiars that are either silent at thy Faults , or sooth thee in thy Frailties , or excuse thee in thy Follies , for such are either Cowards , or Flatterers , or Fools : If thou entertain them in prosperity , the Coward will leave thee in thy Dangers ; the Flatterer will quit thee in thy Adversity ; but the Fool will never forsake thee . MAX. 28. If thou hast an Estate and a Son to Inherit it , keep him not too short , lest he think thou livest too long ; what thou givest let him receive from thy hand as Gifts , not from thy Tenants as Rent ; keep the Reins of thy Estate in thy own hand , lest thou forsaking the Sovereignty of a Father , he forget the Reverence of a Child ; let his liberty be grounded upon thy permission , and keep him within the compass of thy Instructions : Let him feel thou hast the Curb , though occasion urge thee not to Check : Give him the choice of his own Wife if he be wise , Counsel his affection rather than Cross it ; if thou be'st wise let his Marriage-bed be made in secret , or depend upon thy Grave . If he be given to Lavish Company endeavour to stave him off with lawful Recreations : be cheerful with him that he may love thy presence , and wink at small faults that thou mayst gain him ; be not always chiding lest thou harden him , neither knit thy brow too often lest thou dishearten him : Remember the discretion of a Father oft times prevents the destruction of a Child . MAX. 29. If thou hide thy Treasure upon Earth , how canst thou expect to find it in Heaven ? canst thou hope to be a sharer where thou hast reposed no stock ? That thou gavest to God's Glory and thy Soul's Health is laid up in Heaven , and is only thine : That alone which thou exchangeth or hidest upon Earth is lost . MAX. 30. Regard not in thy Pilgrimage how difficult thy passage is , but whither it tends ; nor delicate thy Journey is , but where it ends ; if it be easie , suspect it ; if hard , endure it ; He that cannot excuse a bad way , accuseth his own sloth ; and he that sticks in a bad passage , can never attain a good Journey 's end . MAX. 31. Money is both the Generation and Corruption of Purchased Honour ; Honour is both the Child and Slave to Potent Money : The Credit which Honour hath lost , Money hath found ; when Honour grew Mercenary , Money grew Honourable ; the way to be truly Noble is to Contemn both . MAX. 32. Give not thy Tongue too great a liberty , lest it take thee Prisoner ; a word unspoken is like the Sword in thy Scabbard , thine ; if vented , thy Sword is in another's hand : If thou desire to be held wise , be so wise as to hold thy Tongue . MAX. 33. If thou be a subject to any great Vanity , nourish it not : If it will be entertained , encourage it not ; if it grow strong , more strongly strive against it ; if too strong , Pray against it ; if it weaken not , joyn Fasting to the Prayer ; if it shall continue , add perseverance to them both ; if it decline not , add Patience to all , and thou hast Conquered it . MAX. 34. Hath any wounded thee with Injury , meet them with Patience ; hasty words rankle the wounds , soft language dresses it ; forgiveness cures it , and Oblivion takes away the scar ; it is more noble by Silence to avoid an Injury , than by Argument to overcome it . MAX. 35. Be not instable in thy Resolutions , nor various in thy Actions , nor inconstant in thy Affections ; so deliberate , that thou mayst resolve ; so resolve , that thou mayst perform ; so perform , that thou mayst persevere : Mutability is the badge of Infirmity . MAX. 36. Let not thy good intention flatter thee to an evil action ; what is essential Evil , no circumstance can make Good : it matters not with what mind thou didst that which is unlawful being done ; if the act be good the intention crowns it , if bad it deposeth thy intention ; no evil action can be well done . MAX. 37. Love not thy Children too unequally , or if thou dost , sh●w it not , lest thou make the one Proud , the other Envious , and both Fools ; if Nature hath made a difference , it is the part of a tender Parent to help the weakest : That tryal is not fair where Affection is the Judge . MAX. 38. In giving of thy Alms , enquire not so much into the Person as his Necessity ; God looks not so much upon the Merits of him that requires , as into the manner of him that relieves ; if the Man deserves not , thou hast given it to Humanity . MAX. 39. If thou desire the Eucharist should be thy Supper , let thy Life be thy Chaplain ; If thy own worthiness invites thee , presume not to come ; If the sorrowful sense of thy own Sins forbid , presume not to forbear ; If thy Faith be strong , it will confirm it , if weak , it will strengthen it : He only that wants Faith is the forbidden Guest . MAX. 40. Wouldst thou traffick with the best advantage , and crown thy Virtues with the best return , make the Poor thy Chapman , and thy Purse thy Factor ; so shall thou give trifles , which thou couldst not keep , to receive treasure which thou canst not lose : There is no such Merchant as the Charitable Man. MAX. 41. Follow not the multitude in the evil of Sin , lest thou share with the multitude in the evil of Punishment ; the number of the offenders , diminisheth not the quality of the offence ; as the multitude of Suiters draws more favour to the suit , so the multitude of Sinners draws more punishment on the Sin , the number of the Faggots multiply the fury of the Fire . MAX. 42. If thou be angry with him that reproves thy Sin , thou secretly confessest his reproof to be Just : if thou acknowledge his reproof to be Just , thou secretly confessest thy Anger to be unjust ; He that is angry with the Just Reprover , kindles the fire of the Just Revenger . MAX. 43. Do well whilst thou mayst , least thou do evil when thou wouldst not : He that takes not advantage of a good power , shall lose the benefit of a good will. MAX. 44. Let not Mirth be thy profession , lest thou become a make-sport : He that hath but gained the title of a Jester , let him assure himself the Fool is not far off . MAX. 45. In every Relative action change Conditions with thy Brother ; then ask thy Conscience what thou wouldst be done to ; being truly resolved exchange again , and do thou the like to him , and thy Charity shall never err : It is injustice to do , what without impatience thou canst not suffer . MAX. 46. Love thy Neighbour for God's sake , and God for his own sake , who created all things for thy sake , and redeemed thee for his mercy sake : if thy love have any other object , it is false love ; if thy object have any other end , it is self-Love . MAX. 47. Let thy conversation with Men be sober and sincere ; let thy Devotion to God be dutiful and decent ; let the one be hearty and not haughty ; let the other be humble and not homely ; so live with Man as if God saw thee , so pray to God as if Men heard thee . MAX. 48. God's pleasure is the wind our actions ought to sail by , Man's will is the stream that Tides them up and down ; if the wind blow not , thou mayst take the advantage of the Tide ; if it blow , no matter which way the stream runs ; If with thee , thy Voyage will be the shorter ; if against thee , the Sea will be the Rougher . It is easier to strive against the Stream , than to sail against the Wind. MAX. 49. If thou desire much rest , desire not too much ; there is no less trouble in the preservation , than in the acquisition of abundance ; Diogenes found more Rest in his Tub , than Alexander on his Throne . MAX. 50. Wouldst thou multiply thy Riches , diminish them wisely ; or wouldst thou make thy Estate entire , divide it charitably ; Seeds that are scattered encrease , but hoarded up they Perish . MAX. 51. How cam'st thou by thy Honour ? by Money ; How cam'st thou by thy Money ? by Extortion ; compare the Pennyworth with the Price , and tell me truly , how truly Honourable thou art : It is an ill purchase that is Cumbred with a Curse , and that Honour will be Ruinous that is built on Ruines . MAX. 52. If thy Brother hath privately offended thee , reprove him privately ; and having lost himself in an injury thou shalt find him in thy forgiveness ; he that rebukes a private fault openly , betrays it , rather than reproves it . MAX. 53. What thou desirest inspect throughly before thou prosecute ; cast one Eye upon the Inconveniencies , as well as the other upon the Conveniencies ; weigh the fulness of the Barn with the charge of the Plough ; weigh Honour with her burthen , and Pleasure with her dangers ; so shalt thou undertake wisely what thou desirest , or moderate thy Desires in undertaking . MAX. 54. If thow owest thy whole self to thy God for thy Creation , what hast thou left to pay for thy Redemption , that was not so cheap as the Creation ? In thy Creation he gave thee thy self , and by thy self to him ; in thy Redemption he gave himself to thee , and through him restored thee to thy self : Thou art given and restored , now what owest thou to thy God ? If thou hast paid all thy Debts , give him the Surplusage , and thou hast merited . MAX. 55. In thy Discourse , take heed what thou speakest , to whom thou speakest , how thou speakest , and when thou speakest : What thou speakest , speak truly ; when thou speakest , speak wisely : A Fool 's Heart is in his Tongue , but a Wise man's Tongue is in his Heart . MAX. 56. Before thou act a Theft , consider what thou art about to do ; if thou take it , thou losest thy self ; if thou keep it , thou disenablest thy Redemption ; till thou restorest it , thou canst not be restored ; when it is restored ' it must cost the more Sorrow and Pain , than ever it brought thee Profit or Pleasure . It is a great Folly to please thy Palate with that which thou knowest must either be vomited or thy Death . MAX. 57. Silence is the highest Wisdom of a Fool , and Speech is the greatest Trial of a Wise man ; if thou would'st be known a Wise man , let thy Words shew thee so ; if thou doubt thy Words , let thy Silence feign thee so : It is not a greater point of Wisdom to discover Knowledge than to hide Ignorance . MAX. 58. The Clergy is a Copy-book ; their Life is the Paper , whereof some is purer , some courser ; their Doctrine is the Copies , some written in a plain hand , others in a flourishing hand , some in a Text hand , some in a Roman hand , others in a Court hand , others in a Bastard Roman . If the choice be in thy power , choose a Book that hath the finest Paper ; let it not be too straight nor too loosely bound , but easie to lye open to every Eye : Follow not every Copy , lest thou be good at none ; among them all choose one that shall be most legible and useful , and fullest of just Writing : But if the Paper chance to have a Blot , remember that Blot is no part of the Copy . MAX. 59. Virtue is nothing but an Act of loving that which is to be beloved , and that Act is Prudence ; from whence not to be removed by constraint , is Fortitude , not to be allured by Enticements is Temperance , not to be diverted by Pride is Justice ; the declining of this Act is Vice. MAX. 60. Rebuke thy Servant's Fault in Private ; publick Reproof hardens his Shame ; if he be past a Youth , strike him not ; he is not fit for thy Service that after wise Reproofs will either deserve thy Stroaks or digest them . MAX. 61. Take heed rather what thou receivest , than what thou givest ; what thou givest leaves thee , what thou takest sticks by thee ; he that presents a Gift , buys the Receiver ; he that takes a Gift , sells his Liberty MAX. 62. Things temporal are sweeter in expectation , things eternal are sweeter in the fruition ; the first shames thy hopes , the second crowns it : It is a vain Journey whose end affords less pleasure than the way . MAX. 63. Know thy self , that thou may'st fear God ; know God , that thou may'st love him ; in this thou art initiated to Wisdom , in that perfected : The Fear of God is the Beginning of Wisdom ; the Love of God is the fulfilling of the Law. MAX. 64. If thou hast Providence to foresee a Danger , let thy Providence rather prevent it than fear it ; the fear of future Evils brings often times a present Mischief ; whil'st thou seekest to prevent it , practise to bear it : He is a wise man can prevent an Evil ; he is a patient man that can endure it ; but he is a valiant man can conquer it . MAX. 65. If thou hast the place of a Magistrate , deserve it by thy Justice , and dignifie it with thy Mercy : Take heed of early Gifts ; an open hand makes a blind Eye . Be not more apt to punish Vice , than to encourage Virtue ; be not too severe , lest thou be hated , nor too remiss , lest thou be slighted : So execute Justice , that thou may'st be loved ; so execute Mercy , that thou may'st be feared . MAX. 66. Let not thy Table exceed the fourth part of thy Revenue ; let thy Provision be solid , and not far fetch'd , fuller of Substance than Art : Be wisely frugal in thy Preparation , and freely cheerful in thy Entertainment : If thy Guest be right , it is enough , if not , it is too much . : Too much is a Vanity ; enough is a Feast . MAX. 67. Let thy Apparel be decent , and suited to the Quality of thy place and purse : Too much punctuality , and too much morosity , are the two Poles of Pride . Be neither too early in the Fashion , nor too long out of it , nor too precisely in it ; what Custom hath civilized is become decent , till then ridiculous . Where thy Eye is the Jury , thy Apparel is the Evidence . MAX. 68. If thy Words be too luxuriant , confine them , lest they confine thee : He that thinks he never can speak enough , may easily speak too much ; a full Tongue and an empty Brain are seldom parted . MAX. 69. In holding of an Argument , be neither cholerick nor too opinionate ; the one distempers thy Understanding , the other abuseth thy Judgment . Above all things decline Paradoxes and Mysteries : Thou shalt receive no Honour either in maintaining rank Falshoods , or medling with secret Truths . As he that pleads against the Truth makes Wit the Mother of his Error , so he that argues beyond Warrant makes Wisdom the Midwife of his Folly. MAX. 70. Detain not the Wages from the poor man that hath earn'd it , lest God withold thy Wages from thee : If he complain to thee , hear him , lest he complain to Heaven , where he will be heard ; if he hunger for thy sake , thou shalt not prosper for his sake : The poor man's Peny is a Plague in the rich man's Purse . MAX. 71. Be not too cautious in discerning the fit Objects of thy Charity ▪ l●st a Soul perish through thy Discretion : What thou givest to mistaken Want , shall return a Blessing to thy deceived Heart ; better in relieving Idleness to commit an accidental Evil , than in neglecting Misery to omit an essential Good ; better two Drones be preserv'd than one Bee perish . MAX. 72. Theology is the Empress of the World , Mysteries are her Privy Council , Religion is her Clergy , the Arts are her Nobility , Philosophy her Secretary , the Graces her Maids of Honour , the moral Virtues the Ladies of her Bedchamber , Peace her Chamberlain , true Joy and endless Pleasures are her Courtiers , Plenty her Treasurer , Poverty her Exchequer , the Temple is her Court. If thou desire access to this great Majesty , the way is by her Courtiers ; if thou hast not Power there , the common way to the Sovereign is by the Secretary . MAX. 73. It is an evil Knowledge to know the Good thou should'st embrace , unless thou likewise embrace the Good thou knowest : The Breath of Divine Knowledge is the B●llows of Divine Love ; and the Flame of Divine Love is the Perfection of Divine Knowledge . MAX. 74. If thou desire Rest unto thy Soul , be just ; he that doth no Injury fears not to suffer Injury : The unjust mind is always in Labour ; it either practiseth the Evil it hath projected , or projects to avoid the Evil it hath deserved . MAX. 75. Accustom thy self to what is most usual : He that delights in Rarities must often feed displeased , and sometimes lye at the mercy of a dear market ; common food nourisheth best , Delicates please most ; the sound Stomack prefers neither ; what art thou the worse for the last year's plain Diet , or what now the better for the last great Feast ? MAX. 76. Whoever thou art , thou hast done more evil in one day than thou canst expiate in six , and canst thou think the evil of six days can require less than one ? God hath made us rich in days by allowing six , and himself poor by reserving but one ; and shall we spare our own Flock , and sheer his Lamb ? He that hath done nothing but what he can justifie in the six days , may play the seventh . MAX. 77. Hope and Fear , like Hypocrates's Twin's , should live and dye together ; if Hope departs from Fear , it travels by Security , and lodgeth in Presumption ; if Fear depart from Hope , it travels to Infidelity , and Inns in Despair ; the one shuts up Heaven , the other opens Hell ; the one makes thee insensible of God's Frowns , the other incapable of God's Favour ; and both teach God to be unmerciful , and thee to be most miserable . MAX. 78. Close thine ear against him that shall open his mouth secretly against another ; if thou recieve not his words , they fly back , and wound the Reporter ; if thou receive them , they fly forward , and wound the Receiver . MAX. 79. If thou would'st preserve a sound Body , use fasting and walking ; if a healthful Soul , Fasting and praying ; walking exerciseth the Body , praying exerciseth the Soul ; fasting cleanseth both . MAX. 80. Wouldest thou not be thought a Fool in another's Conceit ? be not wise in thine own ; he that trusts in his own Wisdom , proclaims his own Folly : He is truly wise , and shall appear so , that hath Folly enough to be thought not worldly wise , or Wisdom enough to see his own Folly. MAX. 81. Desirest thou Knowledge ? Know the end of thy desire : Is it only to know ? then it is Curiosity ; is it because thou mayst be known ? then 't is Vanity ; if because thou mayst edifie , then 't is Charity ; if because thou mayst be edified , it is Wisdom . That Knowledge turns to mere Excrement , that hath not some heat of Wisdom to digest it . MAX. 82. Wisdom without Innocency is Knavery ; Innocency without Wisdom is Foolery ; be therefore wise as Serpents , and innocent as Doves : The Subtilty of the Serpent instructs the Innocency of the Dove ; the Innocency of the Dove corrects the Subtilty of the Serpent . What God hath joyned together , let no man separate . MAX. 83. The more thou imitatest the Virtues of a Saint departed , the better thou celebratest the Saint's day : God is not pleased with surfeiting for his sake , who with his Fasting so often pleas●d his God. MAX. 84. Chuse not thy serviceable Soldier out of soft Apparel , lest ●e prove effeminate , nor out of a full Purse , lest he grow ●morous : They are more fit for action that are fiery to gain a Fortune abroad , than they that have Fortunes to lose at home . Expectation breeds Spirit , Fruition brings Fear . MAX. 85. God hath given to Mankind a common Library , his Creatures ; and to every man a proper Book , himself ; being an abridgement of all the others . If thou read with Understanding , it will make thee a great Master of Philosophy , and a true Servant to the Divine Author ; if thou but barely read , it will make thee thy own wise man , and the Author's Fool. MAX. 86. Doubt is a weak Child , lawfully begotten between an obstructed Judgment and a fair Understanding . Opinion is a bold Bastard , gotten between a strong Fancy and a weak Judgment . It is less dishonourable to be ingeniously doubtful , than rashly opinionate . MAX. 87. As thou art a moral man , esteem thy self not as thou art , but as thou art esteemed . As thou art a Christian , esteem thy self as thou art , not as thou art esteemed : Thy Price in both rises and falls as the market goes ; the market of a moral man is wild Opinion ; the market of a Christian is a good Conscience . MAX. 88. Providence is an Exercise of Reason , Experience an Act of Sense ; by how much Reason excels Sense , by so much Providence exceeds Experience : Providence prevents that Danger which Ezperience repents ; Providence is the Rational Daughter of Wisdom , Experience the Empirical mistress of Fools . MAX. 89. Hath fortune dealt thee ill Cards , let Wisdom make thee a good Gamester ; in a fair Gale every Fool may sail , but wise behaviour in a Storm commends the wisdom of a Pilate ; to bear adversity with an equal mind , is both the sign and glory of a brave Spirit . MAX. 90. If any speak ill of thee , flee home to thy own Conscience , and examine thy heart ; if thou be guilty , 't is a just Correction ; if not guilty , 't is a fair Instruction : make use of both , so shalt thou distill Honey out of Gall , and out of an open Enemy , create a secret Friend . MAX. 91. As the exercise of the body Natural is moderate Recreation , so the exercise of the body Politick , is Military-Discipline ; by that , the one is made more able ; by this , the other is made more active : where both are wanting there wants no danger ; to the one , through a humorous supply ; to the other , by a Negligent security . MAX. 92. God is above thee , Beasts are beneath thee ; acknowledge him that is above thee , and thou shalt be acknowledged by them that are under thee ; whilst Daniel acknowledge God to be above him , the Lyons acknowledge God to be above them . MAX. 93. Take heed , whilst thou shewest Wisdom in not speaking , thou betrayest not thy own Folly in too long silence ; if thou art a Fool , thy silence is Wisdom ; if a Wise man , too long silence is Folly : As too many words from a Fool 's mouth , gives a Wise man no leave to speak , so too long silence in a Wise man gives a Fool the opportunity of speaking , and makes thee guilty of his Folly. MAX. 94. Consider what thou wert , what thou art , what thou shalt be , what is within thee , what is above thee , what beneath thee , what is against thee , what was before thee , what shall be after thee ; and this will bring to thy self Humility , to thy Neighbour Charity , to the World Contempt , to thy God Obedience . He that knows not himself positively , cannot know himself relatively . MAX. 95. Think not thy love to God , merits God's love to thee ; his acceptance of thy Duty crowns his own Gifts in thee . Man's love to God is nothing but a faint reflection of God's Love to man. MAX. 96. Be always less willing to speak than to hear ; what thou hearest thou receivest , what thou speakest thou givest . It is more glorious to give , more profitable to receive . MAX. 97. Seeft thou good days , prepare for evil times ; no Summer but hath its Winter : He never reapt Comfort in adversity , that sow'd it not in prosperity . MAX. 98. If being a Magistrate thou connivest at Vice , thou nourishest it ; if thou sparest it , thou committest it ; what is not by thee punished in others , is made punishable in thee ; he that favours present Evils , entails them upon his Posterity : he that excuseth the Guilty condemns the Innocent . MAX. 99. Truth haunts no Corners , seeks no by-ways ; if thou profess it , do it openly ; if thou seek it , do it fairly : he deserves not to profess Truth that professeth it fearfully : he deserves not to find the Truth that seeks it fraudulently . MAX. 100. If thou desire to be wiser yet , think not thy self yet wise enough ; and if thou desire to improve knowledge in thy self , despise not the Instructions of another : He that Instructs him that thinks himself wise enough , hath a Fool to his Scholar ; he that thinks himself wise enough to Instruct himself , hath a Fool to his Master . The End of the Third Century . INSTITUTIONS AND MAXIMS Moral and Divine , &c. CENT . IV. MAXIM 1. DEmean thy self more warily in thy Study than in the Street ; if thy publick actions have an hundred witnesses , thy private have a thousand ; the Multitude look but upon thy actions , thy Conscience looks into them ; the Multitude may chance to excuse thee , if not acquit thee ; thy Conscience will accuse thee , if not Condemn thee . MAX. 2. Of all Vices , take heed of Drunkenness ; other Vices are but fruits of disorder'd affections , this disorders , nay banisheth Reason ; other Vices but impair the Soul , this demolisheth her two chief Faculties , the Understanding and the Will ; other Vices makes their own way , this makes way for all Vices : He that is a Drunkard is qualify'd for all Vice. MAX. 3. If thy Sin trouble thee , let that trouble comfort thee ; as pleasure in the Remembrance of Sin exasperates Justice , so sorrow in the Repentance of Sin mollifies Mercy : It is less danger to Commit the Sin we delight in , than to delight in the Sin we have Committed ; and more Joy is promised to Repentance , than to Innocency . MAX. 4. The way to God is by thy self , the way to thy self is by thy own Corruptions ; he that baulks this way , errs ; he that travels by the Creatures , wanders : the motion of the Heavens shall give thy soul no rest ; the virtue of Herbs shall not encrease thine ; the height of all Philosophy both Natural and Moral , is to know thy self , and the end of this Knowledge is to know God. MAX. 5. Infamy is where it is received ; if thou art a Mud-wall , it will stick ; if Marble , it will rebound ; if thou storm at it , 't is thine ; if thou contemn it , 't is his . MAX. 6. If thou desire Magistracy , learn to forget thy self : If thou undertake it , bid thy self farewel . He that looks upon a Common Cause with private Eyes , looks through false Glasses . In the exercise of thy Politique Office thou must forget both Ethicks and Oeconomicks : He that puts on a publick Gown , must put off a private Person . MAX. 7. Let the words of a Virgin , though in a good Cause , and to as good purpose , be neither violent , many , nor first , nor last ; it is less shame for a Virgin to be lost in a blushing silence , than to be found in a bold Eloquence . MAX. 8. Art thou in Plenty , give what thou wilt ; art thou in Poverty , give what thou canst : as what is received , is received according to the manner of the Receiver , so what is given is priz'd according to the measure of the Giver : He is a good work-man that makes as good Work , as his matter will permit . MAX. 9. God is the Author of Truth , the Devil the Father of Lies ; if the telling of a Truth shall endanger thy Life , the Author of Truth will protect thee from the Danger , or reward thee for thy Damage ; if the telling a Lie may secure thy Life , the Father of Lies will beguile thee of thy Gains , or traduce the Security : Better by losing of a Life to save it , than by saving of a Life to lose it . However , better thou perish than the Truth . MAX. 10. Consider not so much what thou hast , as what others want ; what thou hast take heed thou lose not ; what thou hast not , take heed thou cover not : If thou hast many above thee , turn thy Eye upon those that are under thee . If thou hast not Inferiors , have patience a while , and thou shalt have no Superiors ; the Grave requires no Marshal . MAX. 11. If thou seest any thing in thy self which may make thee proud , look a little and thou shall find enough to humble thee ; if thou be Wise , view the Peacock's feathers with his Feet , and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections : he that would rightly prize the man , must read his whole story . MAX. 12. Let not the sweetness of Contemplation be so esteemed , that action be despised . Rachel was more fair ; Leah more fruitful ; as Contemplation is more delightful , so is it more dangerous : Lot was upright in the City and wicked in the mountain . MAX. 13. If thou hast but little , make it not less by murmuring ; if thou hast enough , make it not too much by unthankfulness ; he that is not thankfully contented with the least favour he hath received , hath made himself incapable of the least favour he can receive . MAX. 14. What thou hast taken unlawfully , restore speedily ; for the Sin in taking it is repeated every minute thou keep'st it ; if thou canst , restore it in kind ; if not value ; if it may be , restore it to the Party ; if not , to God ; the Poor is God's Receiver . MAX. 15. Let the fear of a Danger , be as a spur to prevent it ; he that fears otherwise gives advantage to the Danger ; it is less folly not to endeavour the prevention of the evil thou fearest , than to fear the Evil which thy endeavour cannot prevent . MAX. 16. If thou hast any Excellence which is thine own , thy Tongue may glory in it without shame ; but if thou hast received it , thy Glory is but Usurpation , and thy Pride is but the Prologue of thy Shame ; where Vain-Glory Commands , there Folly Counsels ; where Pride Rides , there Shame Lacquys . MAX. 17. God hath ordained his Creatures not only for necessity but for delight ; since he hath Carv'd thee with a bountiful hand , fear not to receive it with a liberal heart ; he that gave thee Water to allay thy thirst , gave thee Wine to exhilerate thy heart : Restore him for the one , the necessity of thanks ; Return him for the other , the cheerfulness of Praise . MAX. 18. If the Wicked flourish and thou suffer , be not discourag'd ; they are fatted for destruction , thou art dieted for health ; they have no other Heaven but the thoughts of a long Earth ; thou hast nothing on Earth but the hopes of a quick Heaven : If there were no Journey 's end , the Travel of a Christian were most Comfortless . MAX. 19. Imp not thy Wing with the Church's Feathers , lest thou fly to thy own Ruine ; Impropriations are bold Metaphors , which continued are deadly Allegories ; one foot of Land in Capite encumbers the whole Estate ; the Eagle snatch'd a Coal from the Altar , but it fir'd her Nest . MAX. 20. Let that Table which God hath pleased to give thee , please thee ; he that made the Vessel knows her burthen , and how to ballast her ; he that made all things very good , cannot but do all things very well ; if thou be content with a little , thou hast enough ; if thou complainest , thou hast too much . MAX. 21. Wouldst thou discover the true worth of a Man , behold him Naked , distreasure him of his ill got Wealth ; degrade him of his dear bought honour ; disrobe him of his purple habit ; discard his pamper'd body ; then look upon his Soul , and thou shalt find how great he is : Natural sweetness is never scented but in the absence of Artificial . MAX. 22. If thou art subject to any secret folly , blab it not , lest thou appear impudent ; nor boast of it , lest thou seem insolent ; every man's Vanity ought to be his greatest shame ; and every man's Folly ought to be his greatest secret . MAX. 23. If thou be Ignorant , endeavour to get Knowledge , lest thou be beaten with stripes : If thou hast attained Knowledge , put it in practice , lest thou be beaten with many stripes ; better not to know what we should practice , than not to practice what we know ; and less danger dwells in unaffected Ignorance , than unactive Knowledge . MAX. 24. Take heed thou harbour not that Vice called Envy , lest another's happiness be thy torment , and God's blessing becomes thy Curse : Virtue corrupted with Vain-glory turns Pride ; Poison'd with Malice becomes Envy : Joyn therefore Humility with thy Virtue ; and Pride shall have no footing , and Envy shall have no entrance . MAX. 25. If thy endeavour cannot prevent a Vice , let thy Repentance lament it ; the more thou remember'st it without hearts-grief , the deeper it is rooted in thy heart : Take heed it please thee not , especially in cold blood , thy pleasure in it makes it fruitless , and her fruit is thy destruction . MAX. 26. The two knowledges of God and of thy self , are the high-way to thy Salvation ; that breeds in thee a filial Love , this a filial Fear . The Ignorance of thy self is the beginning of all sin ; and the Ignorance of God is the perfection of all Evil. MAX. 27. Rather do nothing to the purpose than be Idle , that the Devil may find thee doing . The Bird that sits is easily shot , when flyers ' scape the Fowler ; Idleness is the dead Sea that swallows all Virtues , and the self made Sepulchre of a living man : The Idle man is the Devil's hireling , whose Livery is Rags , whose Dyet and Wages are famine and diseases . MAX. 28. Be not so mad , as to alter that Countenance which thy Creator made thee ; remember 't was the work of his hands ; if it be bad how darst thou mend it ; if it be good , why dost thou mend it ? art thou asham'd of his work , and proud of thy own ? he made thy face to be known by ; why desirest thou to be known by another ? It is a shame to adulterate Modesty , but more to adulterate Nature ; lay by thy Art , and blush not to appear what he blushes not to make thee . It is better to be his Picture than thine own . MAX. 29. Let the Ground of all thy Religious actions be obedience ; Examine not why it is Commanded , but observe it because it is commanded ; true Obedience neither Procrastinates nor Questions . MAX. 30. If thou would'st buy an Inheritance in Heaven , advise not with thy Purse , lest in the mean while thou lose thy Purchase . The Widow bought as much for two Mites as Zacheus did for half his Estate . The Price of that Purchase is what thou hast , and is not lost for what thou hast not , if thou desire to have it . MAX. 31. With the same height of Desire thou hast sinned , with the like depth of Sorrow thou must repent ; thou that hast sinned to day , defer not thy Repentance till to morrow . He that hath promised thee Pardon to thy Repentance , hath not promised Life till thou repent . MAX. 32. Take heed how thou receivest Praise from men ; from good men , neither avoid it , nor glory in it ; from evil men , neither desire it nor expect it : To be praised of them that are evil , or for that which is evil , is equal Dishonour ; he is happy in his Worth who is praised by the good , and imitated by the bad . MAX. 33. Proportion thy Charity to the strength of thy Estate , lest God proportion thy Estate to the weakness of thy Charity : Let the Lips of the Poor be the Trumpet of thy Gifts , lest in seeking applause thou losest thy Reward . Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a close mouth . MAX. 34. Dost thou want things necessary ? Grumble not ; perchance 't was a necessary thing thou should'st want ; endeavour lawfully to supply it : If God bless not thy Endeavours , bless him that knoweth what is fittest for thee ; thou art God's Patient , prescribe not thy Physitian . MAX. 35. If another's Death , or thy own , depend upon thy Confession , if thou canst , say nothing ; if thou must , say the Truth : It is better thou lose thy Life than God his Honour ; it is as easie for him to give thee Life being condemned , as Repentance , having sinned : It is more Wisdom to yeild thy Body , than hazard thy Soul. MAX. 36. Cloath not thy Language , either with obscurity or affectation ; in the one thou discoverest too much darkness , in the other too much lightness : He that speaks from the Understanding to the Understanding , is the best Interpreter . MAX. 37. If thou expect Death as a Friend , prepare to entertain it ; if thou expect Death as an Enemy , prepare to overcome it : Death hath no advantage , but when it comes a Stranger . MAX. 38. Fear nothing but what thy Industry may prevent : Be confident of nothing but what fortune cannot defeat . It is no less folly to fear what is impossible to be avoided , than to be secure when there is a possibility to be deprived . MAX. 39. Let not the necessity of God's Decree discourage thee to pray , or dishearten thy Prayers ; do thou thy Dury , and God will do his Pleasure : If thy Prayers make not him found that is sick , they will return , and confirm thy health that art sound : If the end of thy Prayers be to obtain thy Request , thou confinest him that is infinite ; if thou hast done well because thou wert commanded , thou hast thy Reward , in that thou hast obeyed God's Pleasure in the end of our Prayers . MAX. 40. Marry not too young ; and when thou art too old , marry not , lest thou be fond in the one , and dote in the other , and repent for both : Let thy . Liking ripen before thou love ; let thy Love advise before thou chuse ; and let thy Choice be first , before thou marry : Remember that the whole Happiness of thy Life depends upon this one Act ; remember that nothing but Death can dissolve this Knot : He that weds in haste , repents oftentimes by leisure ; and he that repents him of his own Act , either is or was a Fool by Confession . MAX. 41. If God hath sent thee a Cross , take it up and follow him ; use it wisely , lest it be unprofitable ; bear it patiently , lest it be intollerable ; behold in it God's Anger against Sin , and his Love towards thee in punishing and chastising the other . If it be light , slight it not ; if heavy , murmur not : Not to be sensible of a Judgment , is the symptom of a hardned Heart ; and to be displeased at his Pleasure is a sign of a Rebellious Will. MAX. 42. If thou desire to be magnanimous , undertake nothing rashly , and fear nothing thou undertakest : Fear nothing but Infamy ; dare any thing but Injury . The measure of Magnanimity , is neither to be rash , nor timorous . MAX. 43. Practise in Health to bear Sickness , and endeavour in the strength of thy life to entertain Death . He that hath a Will to dye , not having Power to live , shews Necessity , not Virtue : It is the Glory of a brave mind to embrace Pangs in the very Arms of Pleasure . What name of Virtue merits he that goes when he is driven ? MAX. 44. Be not too punctual in taking place : If he be thy Superiour , 't is his due ; if thy Inferiour , 't is his Dishonour ; it is thou must honour thy place , not thy place thee . It is a poor Reward of Worth , that consists in a Righthand , or a brick Wall. MAX. 45. Pray often , because thou sinnest always ; repent quickly , lest thou dye suddenly : He that repents it , because he wants power to act it , repents not of a Sin till he forsakes it : He that wants power to actuate his Sin , hath not forsaken his Sin , but his Sin him . MAX. 46. Make Philosophy thy Journey , Theology thy Journey 's end : Philosophy is a pleasant way , but dangerous to him that either tires or retires : In this Journey it 's safe neither to loyter , nor to rest , till thou hast attained thy Journey's-End : He that sits down a Philosopher , rises up an Atheist . MAX. 47. Fear not to Sin , for God's sake , but thy own ; thy Sin o'erthrows not his Glory , but Good : He gains his glory not only from the Salvation of the Repentant ; but also from the confusion of the Rebellious . There be Vessels for honour , and Vessels for dishonour ; but both for his honour . God is not griev'd for the glory he shall lose for thy Improvidence , but for the horror thou shalt find for thy Impenitence . MAX. 48. Insult not over Misery , nor deride Infirmity , nor despise Deformity . The first shews thy Inhumanity ; the second , thy Folly ; the third , thy Pride ; He that made him miserable , made thee happy to lament him : He that made him weak , made thee strong to support him ; He that made him deformed , gave thee favour to be humbled ; He that is not sensible of another's Unhappiness , is a Living Stone ; but he that makes Misery the object of his triumph , is an Incarnate Devil . MAX. 49. Make thy Recreations servants to thy business ; lest thou become slave to thy Recreations ; when thou go'st up into the Mountain , leave this Servant in the Valley ; when thou goest to the City , leave him in the Suburbs ; and remember , the Servant is not greater than his Master . MAX. 50. Praise no man too liberally before his face ; nor censure him too lavishly behind his back . The one savours of Flattery ; the other , of Malice , and both are Reprehensible : The true way to advance another's Virtue , is to follow it ; and the best means to cry down another's Vice , is to decline it . MAX. 51. If thy Prince command a lawful act , give him all active Obedience : If he command an Unlawful act , give Passive Obedience . What thy well-grounded Conscience will suffer , do cheerfully , without repining ; where thou may'st not do Lawfully , suffer couragiously without Rebellion : Thy Life and Livelihood is thy Prince's , thy Conscience is thy own . MAX. 52. If thou givest to receive the like , it is Exchange : If to receive more , 't is covetousness : If to receive thanks , it is Vanity : If to be seen , 't is Vain-Glory : If to corrupt , 't is Bribery : If for Example , 't is Formality : If for Compassion , 't is Charity : If because thou art Commanded , 't is Obedience : The affection in doing the work , gives a name to the work done . MAX. 53. Fear Death , but be not afraid of Death . To fear it whets thy Expectation ; to be afraid of it dulls thy Preparation : If thou canst endure it , it is but a slight pain ; if not , 't is but a short pain : To fear Death , is the way to Live long ; To be afraid of Death , is to be long a Dying . MAX. 54. If thou desire the love of God and Man , be humble ; for the proud heart , as it loves none but it self , so it is beloved of none , but by it self : The Voice of humility is God's Rhetorick . Humility enforces , where neither Virtue , nor Strength , nor Reason , can prevail . MAX. 55. Look upon thy burning Taper , and there see the Emblem of thy Life : The flame is thy Soul ; the Wax thy Body , and is commonly a span long ; the Wax , ( if never so well temper'd ) can but last his length ; and who can lengthen it ? If ill temper'd , it shall waste the the faster , yet last his length ; an open Window shall hasten either ; an Extinguisher shall put out both : Husband them the best thou canst , thou canst not lengthen them beyond their date : Leave them to the injury of the Wind , or to the mercy of a wastful hand , thou hastnest them , but still they burn their length : But puff them out , and thou hast shortned them , and stop'd their passage , which else had brought them to their appointed End. Bodies according to their Constitutions , stronger or weaker , according to the equality or inequality of their Elements , have their dates , and may be preserved from shortning , but not lengthned . Neglect may waste them , ill Diet may hasten them to their Journey 's End , yet they have lived their length ; a violent hand may interrupt them ; a sudden death may stop them , and they are shortned . It lies in the power of Man , either permissively to hasten , or actively to shorten ; but not to lengthen or extend the Limits of his Natural Life . He only ( if any ) hath the art to lengthen out his Taper that puts it ●o the best advantage . MAX. 56. Demean thy self in the presence of thy Prince , with reverence and chearfulness . That , without this , is too much sadness ; this , without that , is too much boldness : Let thy Wisdom endeavour to gain his opinion , and labour to make thy Loyalty his Confidence : Let him not find thee false in Words , unjust in thy Actions , unseasonable in thy Suits , nor careless in his Service : Cross not his passion ; Question not his pleasures ; Press not into his secrets ; Pry not in his prerogative : Displease him not , lest he be angry ; appear not displeased , lest he be jealous . The anger of a King is implacable : The Jealousie of a Prince is Incurable . MAX. 57. Give thy heart to thy Creator , and reverence thy Superiors : Give diligence to thy Calling , and ear to good Counsel : Give alms to the Poor , and the Glory to God : Forgive him that ignorantly offends thee , and him that wittingly offended thee , seeks thee . Forgive him that hath forcibly abused thee ; and him that hath fraudulently betray'd thee : Forgive all thine Enemies ; but least of all thy self : Give , and it shall be given to thee ; Forgive , and it shall be Forgiven thee ; the sum of all Christianity is Give and Forgive . MAX. 58. Be not too great a Niggard in the Commendations of him that professes thy own Quality : If he deserves thy praise , thou hast discovered thy Judgment ; If not , thy Modesty : Honour either returns , or reflects to the Giver . MAX. 59. If thou desire to raise thy Fortunes , Encourage thy delights to the casts of Fortune ; be wise be times , lest thou repent too late ; what thou gettest , thou gainest by abused Providence ; what thou losest , thou losest by abused Patience ; what thou winnest is prodigally spent ; what thou losest is prodigally lost : It is an Evil trade that prodigally drives ; and a bad Voyage where the Pilot is blind . MAX. 60. Be very wary for whom thou becomest Security , and for no more than thou art able to discharge , if thou lovest thy Liberty . The Borrower is a Slave to the Lender ; the Security is a Slave to both : whilst the Borrower and Lender are both eased , the Security bears both their burthens . He is a Wise Security that recovers himself . MAX. 61. Look upon thy Affliction as thou dost upon thy Physick ; both imply a Disease , and both are applied for a Cure ; that of the Body , this of the Soul : If they work , they promise health ; if not , the threaten death : He is not happy that is not Afflicted , but he that finds happiness by his Affliction . MAX. 62. If the knowledge of good , whet thy desire to good , it is a happy knowledge : If by thy ignorance of Evil , thou art surpriz'd with Evil , it is an unhappy Ignorance . Happy is he that hath so much Knowledge of Good , as to desire it ; and but so much Knowledge of Evil , as to fear it . MAX. 63. When the Flesh presents thee with delights , then present thy self with dangers : Where the World possesses thee with vain Hopes , there possess thy self with true Fear . When the Devil brings thee Oil , bring thou Vinegar . The way to be safe , is never to be secure . MAX. 64. If thy Brother hath offended thee , forgive him freely , and be reconciled : To do Evil for Evil is humane Corruption ; to do Good for Good , is civil Retribution : To do Good for Evil is Christian perfections ; the Act of Forgiveness is God's Precept ; the manner of Forgiveness is God's President . MAX. 65. Reverence the Writings of Holy Men ; but lodge not thy Faith upon them , because but Men : They are good Pools , but no Fountains . Build on Paul himself , no longer than he builds on Christ : If Peter renounce his Master , renounce Peter . The word of Man may convince Reason ; but the word of God alone can compel Conscience . MAX. 66. In Civil things follow the most ; in matters of Religion , the fewest ; in all things , follow the best ; so shall thy ways be pleasing to God , so shall thy behaviour be plausible with Men. MAX. 67. If any loss or misery hath befallen to thy Brother ; dissemble it to thy self ; and what Counsel thou givest him , Register carefully ; and when the case is thine , follow it : so shall thine own Reason convince thy Passion , or thy Passion confess her own Unreasonableness . MAX. 68. When thou goest about to change thy Moral Liberty , into a Christian Servitude , prepare thy self to be the world's laughing stock ; if thou overcome her Scoffs , thou shalt have double honour ; if overcome , double shame . He is unworthy of a good Master that is ashamed of a bad Livery . MAX. 69. Let not the falling of a Salt , or the crossing of a Hare , or the crying of a Cricket , trouble thee : They portend no evil , but what thou fearest . He is ill acquainted with himself , that knows not his own Fortunes better than they : If evil follow it , it is the Punishment of thy Superstition , not the fulfilling of their Portent : All things are lucky to thee , if thou wilt ; nothing but is ominous to the Superstitious . MAX. 70. So behave thy self in thy course of Life , as at a Banquet . Take what is offered with modest Thankfulness ; and expect what is not as yet offered with hopeful Patience . Let not thy rude Appetite press thee , nor a slight carefulness indispose thee , nor a sullen discontent deject thee . Who desires more than enough , hath too much ; and he that is satisfied with a little , hath no less than enough . MAX. 71. Is thy Child dead ? He is restored , not lost . Is thy Treasure stoln ? It is not lost , it is restored : He is an ill Debtor , that counts Repayment loss ; but it was an ill chance that took thy Child , and a wicked hand that stole thy Treasure : What is that to thee : It matters not by whom he requires the things from whom he lent them ; what Goods are ours by Loan , are not lost when willingly restored , but when unworthily received . MAX. 72. Censure no man ; detract from no man ; praise no man before his Face ; traduce no man behind his back : Boast not thy self abroad , nor flatter thy self at home : If any thing cross thee , accuse thy self ; if any extol thee , humble thy self : Honour those that instruct thee , and be thankful to those that reprehend thee . Let all thy Desires be subjected to Reason , and let thy Reason be corrected By Religion . Weigh thy self by thy own Ballances , and trust not the Voice of wild Opinion : Observe thy self as thy greatest Enemy ; so shalt thou become thy greatest Friend . MAX. 73. Endeavour to make thy discourse such as may administer Profit to thy self , or Standers by , lest thou incur the danger of an idle Word : Above all Subjects , avoid all those that are scurrilous and obscene , Tales that are impertinent and improbable , and Dreams . MAX. 74. If God hath blest thee with a Son , bless thou that Son with a lawful Calling ; chuse such Employment as may stand with his Fancy and thy Judgment : if his Country claims his Ability towards the building of her Honour ; if he cannot bring a Cedar , let him bring a Shrub : He that brings nothing , usurps his Life , and robs his Country of a Servant . MAX. 75. At thy first Entrance into thy Estate , keep a low Sail ; thou must rise with Honour ; thou canst not decline without Shame . He that begins as his Father ended , shall end as his Father begun . MAX. 76. If any obscene Tale should chance to slip into thine Ears , among the Varieties of Discourse ( if opportunity admit ) reprove it ; if otherwise , let thy Silence or change of Countenance interpret thy dislike : The smiling Ear is Bawd to the lascivious Tongue . MAX. 77. Be more circumspect over the Works of thy Brain , than the Actions of thy Body ; these have Infirmity to plead for them , but they must stand upon their own bottoms ; these are but the Objects of few , they of all ; these will have Equals to defend them , they have Inferiours to envy them , Superiours to deride them , all to censure them : It is no less danger for these to be proclaimed at Paul's-Cross , than for them to be protested , in Paul's Church-yard . MAX. 78. Use Common place-books , or Collections , as Indexes to light thee to the Authors , lest thou be abused : He that takes Learning upon Trust , makes him a fair Cupboard with another's Plate ; he is an ill advised Purchaser , whose Title depends more on Witnesses than Evidences . MAX. 79. If thou desire to make the best advantage of the Muses , either by reading to benefit thy self , or by writing others , keep a peaceful Soul within a temperate Body : A full Belly makes a dull Brain , and a turbulent Spirit a distracted Judgment . The Muses starve in a Cook 's Shop and a Lawyer 's Study . MAX. 80. When thou communicatest thy self by Letters , heighten or d●press thy Stile according to the Quality of the Person and Business ; that which thy tongue would present to any if present , let thy pen represent to him absent . The Tongue is the Mind's Interpreter ; and the Pen is the Tongue 's Secretary . MAX. 81. Keep thy Soul in exercise , lest her Faculties rust for want of Motion ; to eat , sleep , or sport too long , stops the natural course of her natural actions . To dwell too long in the Employments of the Body , is both the Cause and Sign of a dull Spirit . MAX. 82. Be very circumspect to whose Tuition thou committest thy Child ; every good Scholar is not a good Master . He must be a man of invincible Patience and singular Observation : He must study Children , that will teach them well , and Reason must rule him that would rule wisely ; he must not take advantage of an ignorant Father , nor give too much ear to an indulgent Grandmother : The common Good must outweigh his private Gains , and his Credit must out-bid Gratuities : He must be diligent and sober , not too familiar , nor too reserv'd , neither amorous , nor phantastick ; just , without fierceness ; merciful , without fondness : If such an one thou meet with , thou hast found a Treasure , which if thou know'st how to value , is invaluable . MAX. 83. Let not thy Laughter handsel thy own Jest , lest whil'st thou laugh at it , others laugh at thee ; neither tell it often to the same Hearers , lest thou be thought forgetful or barren . There is no Sweetness in a Cabbage twice sodd , or a Tale twice told . MAX. 84. If Opinion hath lighted the Lamp of thy name , endeavour to encourage it with thine own Oyle , lest it go out , and stink . The Chronical Disease of Popularity is Shame : If thou be once up , beware ; from Fame to Infamy is a beaten Road. MAX. 85. Cleanse thy Morning Soul with private and due Devotion : Till then admit no business ; the first born of thy Thoughts are God's , and not thine but by Sacrilege . Think thy self not ready , till thou hast praised him , and he will be always ready to bless thee . MAX. 86. In all thy actions , think God sees thee ; and in all his actions labour to see him ; that will make thee fear him , this will move thee to love him . The Fear of God is the beginning of Knowledge , and the Knowledge of God is the Perfection of Love. MAX. 87. Let not the Expectation of a Reversion entice thy heart to the wish of a Possessor's Death , lest a Judgment meet thee in thy Expectation , or a Curse overtake thee in thy fruition ; Every wish makes the a murtherer ; and moves God to be an accessary : God often lengthens the Life of the Possessor , with the days of the Expector . MAX. 88. Prize not thy self by what thou hast , but by what thou art : He that values a Jewel by her Golden Frame , or a Book by its Silver Clasps ; or a Man by his vast Estate , errs : If thou art not worth more than the World can make thee , thy Redeemer had a bad Peny-worth , or thou an uncurious Redeemer . MAX. 89. Let not thy Father , nor the Fathers , nor the Church , thy Mother's belief , be the ground of thine : The Scripture lies Open to the humble Heart , but Lock'd against the proud Inquisitor : He that believes with an Implicite Faith , is a meer Empyrick in Religion . MAX. 90. Of all Sins , take greatest heed of that which thou hast last , and most repented of : He that was the last thrust out of doors , is the next readiest to croud in again ; and he that thou hast forest battled , is likest to call more help for a Revenge . It is requisite for him that hath cast one Devil out , to keep strong hold , lest seven Return . MAX. 91. In the meditation of Divine Mysteries , keep thy Heart humble , and thy Thoughts holy ; let Philosophy not be ashamed to be Confuted , nor Logick blush to be Confounded ; what thou canst not prove , approve ; what thou canst not comprehend , believe ; and what thou can'st believe , admire ; so shall thy Ignorance be satisfy'd in thy Faith , and thy doubts be swallow'd up with wonders : The best way to see Day-light is to put out the Candle . MAX. 92. If Opinion hath cryed thy Name up , let thy modesty cry thy heart down , lest thou deceive it , or it thee ; there is no less danger in a great Name than in a bad ; and no less honour in deserving of Praise , than in the enduring it . MAX. 93. Use the Holy Scriptures with all Reverence ; let not thy wanton fancy carry it out in Jests , nor thy sinful wit make it an advocate to thy Sin ; it is a subject for thy Faith , not Fancy : Where Wit and Blasphemy is one Trade , the Understanding's Bankrupt . MAX. 94. Dost thou complain that God hath forsaken thee ; it is thou that hast forsaken him ; 't is thou that art mutable ; in him there is no shadow of Change ; in his light is Life : If thy will drive thee to a Dungeon , thou makest thy own darkness ; and in that darkness dwells thy death ; from whence if he Redeem thee , he is merciful ; if not , he is just ; in both , he receives Glory . MAX. 95. Make use of Time if thou lovest Eternity ; know yesterday cannot be recalled ; to morrow cannot be assured ; to day is only thine ; which if thou procrastinate , thou losest ; which loss is lost for Ever ; one to day is worth two to morrow . MAX. 96. If thou be strong enough to Encounter with the times , keep thy Station ; if not , shift a foot to gain advantage of the times : He that acts a Beggar to prevent a Thief , is ne'er the Poorer ; it is a great part of Wisdom sometimes to seem a Fool. MAX. 97. If thou intend thy Writings for the publick View , lard them not too much with the choice Lines of another Author , lest thou lose thy own Gravy ; which thou hast read and digested , being delivered in thy own stile , becomes thine ; it is more decent to wear a plain suit of one intire Cloth , than a gaudy Garment , chequer'd with other rich Fragments . MAX. 98. If God hath bless'd thee with Inheritance , and Children to Inherit , trust not the staff of thy Family to the hands of one . Make not many Beggars in the building of one great Heir , lest if he miscarry through a prodigal will , the rest sink thro' a hard necessity : God's allowance is a double portion : when high bloud and generous breeding , break their fast in plenty , and dine in poverty , they often fup in Infamy : If thou deny them Falcon's Wings to prey on Fowl , give them Kite's Stomachs to seize on Garbage . MAX. 99. Be very vigilant over thy Child in the April of his Understanding , lest the frost of May nip his blossom ; whilst he is a tender twig , streighten him ; whilst he is a New Vessel , season him ; such as thou makest him , such commonly thou shalt find him ; let his first lesson be Obedience , and the second shall be what thou wilt ; Give him Education in good Letters , to the utmost of thy ability and his capacity ; season his Youth with the love of his Creator , and make the fear of his God , the beginning of his Knowledge ; if he have an active Spirit , rather rectifie than curb it ; but reckon Idleness amongst his chiefest faults ; above all things keep him from vain Lascivious and Amorous Pamphlets , as the Primer of all Vice. As his Judgment ripens , observe his Inclination , and tender him a Calling that shall not cross it : Forced Marriages and Callings seldom prosper ; shew him both the Mow and the Plough , and prepare him as well for the danger of the Skirmish , as possess him with the honour of the Prize . If he chuse the profession of a Scholar , advise him to Study the most profitable Arts : Poetry and Mathematicks take up too great a Latitude of the Soul , and moderately used , are good Recreations , but bad Callings ; being nothing but their own Reward . If he chuse the Profession of a Soldier , let him know withal , Honour must be his greatest Wages , and his Enemies his surest Pay-master : prepare him against the danger of War , and advise him of the greater mischief of a Garison : let him avoid Debauchedness and Duels , to the utmost of his power , and remember he is not his own Man ; and ( being his Countries Servant ) hath no Estate in his own Life : If he chuse a Trade , teach him to forget his Father's and his Mother's Wing ; advise him to be conscionable , Careful , and Constant ; this done , thou hast done thy part , leave the rest to Providence , and thou hast done well . MAX. 100. Convey thy Love to thy Friends , as an Arrow to the Mark , to stick there ; not as a Ball against the Wall , to rebound back to thee ; That Friendship will not continue to the End that is begun for an End. Meditation is the Life of the Soul , Action is life of Meditation , Honour is the Reward of Action ; so Meditate that thou may'st do ; so do that thou may'st purchase Honour : For which Purchase , Give GOD the Glory . FINIS . Some Books Printed for Sam. Briscoe , at Corner of Charles street , Covent-Garden . 2. THe History of Polybius the Megalapolitan ; Containing a Geneneral Account of the Transactions of the World , and principally of the Roman People , during the first and s●cond Punick Wars , &c. Translated from the Original Greek , by Sir H. Sheres : 2 Vol. 8 vo . 2. The Satyrs of Titus Petronius Arbiter , a Roman Knight ; with their Fragments recover'd at Belgrade : made Engglish by Mr. Burnaby of the Middle-Temple . 3. The Young Lawyer 's Recreation ; being a Collection of the most unusual and pleasant Customs and Passages in the Law , as well for the use as diversion of the Reader . 4. Letters of Love and Gallantry , together with the pleasant Adventures of a young Lady , and Nuns Memoirs ; with several other Letters that passed between Ladies and Gentlemen both in Town and Country . In two Vol. 120 5. The Religious Stoick , or a brief Discourse on these several Subjests , viz. Atheism , Superstition , World's Creation , Eternity , Providence , Theology , strictness of Churches , of the Scriptures , of Moral and Judicial Law , of Man and his Creation , of the immortality of the Soul , of Faith and Reason , of the Fall of Angels , and what their Sin was , of Man's Fall , of the Stile of Genesis , a Refutation of the Millinaries , &c. with a friendly Address to the Fanaticks of all Sects and Sorts . By Sir George Mackenzey .