To the humble he inclines himself: To the humble he gives a larger portion of grace, and after his felf-abafement exalts him to glory. To the humble he reveals his fe crets, and fweetly draws and invites him to himself with the cords of love. The humble man receives reproach and affronts without any great disturbance to his peace; because his hope and dependence is in God, and not in the world. Count not thy felf to have made any proficience, till thou think thy felf the leaft and lowest of all mortals.

{

CHAP. III.

Of the good and peaceable Man.

ECURE the peace of thy own breast in the first place; and then fhalt thou be able to reconcile and make peace among others. A quiet peaceable man is more ufeful, than a learned man. A paffionate contentious man turns even good into evil, and eafily believes ill of o thers. The good and peaceable man makes a fair and kind interpretation of all things. The foul that is established in peace, has

no

no jealousy, or fufpicion of any body: But the difcontented, and turbulent perfon is toffed and tormented with a thousand fufpi cions; and is neither at rest himself, nor fuffers other people to be fo. He often speaketh that which he ought not to speak; and omitteth doing what were more expe1 dient for him to do. He is a diligent obferver of his neighbour's duty, and in the mean time negligent of his own. First therefore let thy zeal be exercis'd upon thy self, and thy own manners; and then thou mayst with reafon extend it to thy neighbour.

II. Thou art expert enough at excufing and colouring thy own actions, but art not willing to admit the excufes of others. It were more juft and reasonable for thee to accuse thy felf, and to excufe thy brother. If thou wouldst be born with thy felf, bear alfo with others. Confider how far thou art ftill from true charity, and humility; which knows not how to be angry, or difpleas'd with any one but itself only. To keep up a good understanding with men of goodness and temper, is no great matter: For this is naturally pleafing unto all, and every one defires peace and quiet, and is fond of those who fall in, and agree with him. But with the churlish, and the perverfe, or with

the

diforderly and undifciplin'd, or fuch as are ever thwarting and oppofing us; to be able to live peaceably with thefe, fhews a high degree of grace, and is an exceeding commendable and heroick attainment.

III. Some there are that keep peace with themselves, and with others alfo. And there are fome who are neither at peace with themselves, nor fuffer others to be fo: They are a torment to others, but a greater torment always to themselves. And there are a third fort, who preferve themfelves in peace, and make it their bufinefs to restore peace unto others. Yet after all, our whole peace, in this wretched and miferable life, must be concluded to confift rather in meek and humble fuffering, than in an exemption from adverfities and troubles. The man that hath learnt to fuffer beft, fhall poffefs his foul in the greatest peace. Such a perfon is conquerour of himself, and mafter of the world, a friend of Chrift, and an heir of Heaven.

CHAP. IV.

Of Purity of Heart, and Simplicity of

TH

Intention.

HERE are two wings upon which man foars above earthly things; and thole are Simplicity, and Purity. Simplicity must be in the intention, Purity in the affection. Simplicity intends and reaches after GOD; Purity takes hold of, and taftes him. No good action will be trou Blefome or painful to thee, if thou art inwardly free from all inordinate affection! And if thou haft no other aim of life, but to pleafe GOD, and to benefit thy neighbour, thou shalt furely enjoy this inward freedom. If thy heart were right within thee, then the whole Creation would be as a glafs to thee to contemplate the Creator in, and as a book of holy inftruction to regulate thy life by.There is no creature fo mean and despicable, but it represents the goodness of GOD.

II. If thou wert inwardly good, and pure, then wouldest thou fee all things without lett or hindrance, and fully comprehend them. A pure heart penetrates Heaven, and Hell. Such as a man is in his inward frame and

difpofition of mind, fuch is his judgment of outward things. If there be fuch a thing as joy in this world, the pure in heart infallibly poffefs it. Again, if there be tribulation and anguifh to be found any where, no one is better acquainted with it than the guilty confcience. As iron being caft into the fire is fcoured from its ruft, and becomes all bright and fparkling: So the man that turns entirely to GOD, is deliver'd from all his floth and numbnefs; and is transform'd into a new man.

III. When a man begins to grow lukewarm, then he boggles at a fmall difficulty, and gladly admits outward confolation. But when he begins to gain a perfect conquest over himself, and to walk manfully in the way of God; then he makes nothing of those things, which before feemed grievous to him.

1.

CHAP. V.

Of the Confideration of one's felf.

"W

E cannot have any mighty confidence in our felves; because

we many times want both grace and un

L 2

derstanding.