fo contentedly does he perish in Vanity and Vexation, unless thy Grace make him wifer, and raise his Mind to better and eternal Concerns.

CHA P. L.

Against a Fond and Eafy Credulity.

Difciple.] Ord, be thot my Help in TrouL Pfal. eviij. ble, for vain is the Help of Man. How often have I fail'd of Succour, and true Friendship, where I had most reason to expect it? How often found it, where I entertained no fuch Expecta tions? So vain and uncertain is all Truft in Man, fo entirely does the Safety of Good Men depend upon Thee alone. Bleffed therefore, and for ever admir'd, be that Good Providence, which orders and difpofes all Events, to thy Impotent and Fickle, thy Ignorant and Silly, thy Deceitful and Deceivable Creatures!

Who among all the Sons of Men ever behaved him felf with fo prudent Care, and exact Circumfpection, as not fometimes to be over-reached by Treachery and Trick, and involved in Difficulties and Troubles, which the moft Jealous Forefight knew not how to defcry or fufpect? But he, who places no Confidence in Human Subtilty, and refts in God alone, and acts with downright Honefty, and a good Confcience, is lefs fubject to fuch Inconvenience, than cunning and intriguing Men: Or, if he be furprized and impo fed upon, yet is his Deliverance generally more fpeedy and effectual, and his Comforts in the mean while more fenfible and fupporting. For Thou, Lord, never forfakeft thofe utterly, who put their Truft in Thee. A faithful Friend, and fuch as will ftand by us in Adverfity and Want, is exeeding hard to be found; but Q 2

Thou

Thou art always the fame, and no Change of Circumstances can change Thee, or abate thy Affection. Happy is the Soul that is built upon the Rock, Christ; Were this my Cafe, the Fear of the Malicious would not diftract, nor the Calumnies of the Envious disturb me.

But who can foresee all future Inconveniencies, or prevent all that he may forefee? And, if the Ills we are aware of, and provide againft, are fo grievous to be born; how much more heavy will be thofe Wounds, whofe Smart and Terror are doubled by Surprize? We often blame our felves for not being wifer, and have reason to condemn our too eafy Credulity; That especially, which greedily affents to the Flatteries and Commendations of Men, and relies upon their mighty Profeffions of Friendship and Efteem. For, tho' they call and think us Angels, yet we cannot but be confcious to our felves, that we are no better than Men, frail and wretched Men. Whom therefore fhall I believe ; whom indeed but Thee, O Lord? For thou art Truth it felf, incapable of deceiving, or

of being deceived. But as for Men, they Pfal. cxvi. are all Lyars, weak and inconftant, frail and treacherous; efpecially, in what they fay, fo exceeding fabulous and vain, that it is a Point of Prudence to fufpend our Faith, and thou haft wifely taught us to beware of their falfe Infinuations. Thou haft forewarned us of their Treachery

and Malice, told us, that a Man's EneMat. xxiv. mies fhall be thofe of his own Kindred and Houfbold; and that when Men fay, Lo, Chrift is here, or lo, he is there, we ought not to believe them. The Truth of thefe Predictions I have learnt by fad Experience, and wish I may grow wiser at my own Expence.

Be fure (fays one) you keep this private which I tell you; and yet that very Man in the next Company divulges what he had imparted juft before, under

the

the Seal of Secrefy. From fuch unfincere Dealers as thefe I beg to be delivered, and from their treacherous Ways; that I may neither come within their Power of betraying and abufing my Confidence, nor injure any who repofe the like in me; Make me then, Lord, a rigid Obferver of Truth, and religiously firm to my Word: For what I cannot but refent, when done to Me, it never can become me to put upon ahy other Perfon. Silence indeed, and forbearing to concern one's felf in the Affairs of our Neighbours, is not only a Virtue, but a Convenience and Benefit. Caution in Crediting, Referve in Speaking, and Revealing one's felf to very few, are the best Securities both of Peace and a good Understanding with the World, and of the Inward Peace of our own Minds. Endeavouring to approve our felves to the Knower and Searcher of Hearts, and not suffering every Blast of idle Report, or empty Profeffion, to carry us about, but guarding our Converfation carefully, and labouring to conform every Thought, Word and Action to the Divine Will; Thefe are a good Man's Safety, and Satisfaction, and Wifdom, How fure and calm a Retreat does that Man make, who chufes to preferve thy Favour, by making an Escape from Pomp and Noife; preferring thy Approbations before the loudest Fame and Applaufe; and willingly abandoning those painted Follies, whofe glittering Outfides impofe upon our Senfes ? Who prefers contrite Sorrow, fevere Virtue, and folitary Devotion, before the fhowy Pleafures of the World, or that empty Admiration, which Ambition and Vain-glory affect. Praife is indeed the Confequence and Encouragement of Virtue, but it is fometimes fo unfeafonably applied, as to become its Bane and Corruption too. For the whole Life of Man is one continual Temptation, and we have a fubtle Adversary to deal with, who flips no Advantage of undoing us. Our Praifes he improves to his own Pur

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pofes,

pofes, by fwelling us up with them into Pride and Self-conceit. And many Souls have perished by that Virtue, published and celebrated, which, if unknown and unobferved, had come to mighty Perfection; and been infinitely happy, by the Advantage of Secrefy

and Silence.

CHA P. LI.

Of Trufting in God, when Men fpeak Ill of us.

Cbrift.] Stand faft, my Son, and be not terrified

with the Shock of Calumny and Reproach, but let me be thy Refuge and fure Confidence. Alas! what are Words but empty Sounds, that break and fçatter in the Air, and make no real Impreffion? If not Report alone, but thy own Confcience too reproach thee; bewail thy Guilt, and reform what hath been amifs. But, if upon Examination thou find no Ground of accufing thy felf; ftrengthen thy Mind in Innocence, look upon this wrongful Judgment as a Suffering for God's fake, and bear it accordingly with Patience and Contentednefs. He expects that thou Heb. xii. fhould't refift even unto Blood, when called

to it; But how will the Man be able to endure Wounds and Blows, who is not yet a Match for Words and Affronts ? Enquire a little into the true Grounds of fuch Impatience, and thou fhalt find it a Symptom of a Soul fick and indifpofed. For how can it be otherwife accounted for, than, that thou art yet Carnal, and retaineft a greater Regard for the Opinion of Men, than can be well confiftent with a Person who hath renounced the World, and profeffes to dedicate himself entirely to God? Whence is Reproof fo grating

and

and uneafy? Whence that follicitous Care to contrive Excuses? whence that forward Zeal in thy own Vindication, if not from a Dread and Abhorrence of that Contempt, to which thy fuppofed Miscarriages would expose thee? Fondness of Honour and Reputation lies at the bottom, and an inordinate Defire to recommend thy felf to Man's Efteem. Which shews, thou are not yet fo humble, fo refigned, but that a Principle of Vanity lurks ftill within; nor is the World yet dead to Thee, or Thou to the World.

Attend diligently to my Inftructions, and the Cenfures of ten thousand Men will not be able to disturb thee. Let them proceed in their Envy and Malice, and blacken thy Name after the moft fpiteful manner that Hell it felf can practise or invent, yet what art thou the worse? Can all this change thy Perfon? Or hath thy Head one Hair the lefs for it? Do but compofe thy Mind, and refolve to defpife it, and all blows over. Thefe Scandals vanish and fly away, like Motes in the Sun, and are neither more nor lefs, than what Refentment makes them. To be provoked with every flanderous Word, argues a Littlenefs of Soul, a Want of due Regard for God; but the brave generous Mind, whofe All is in God, and who refers himself entirely to his Judgment, is above the Terrors and Difcouragements of Men, and lays no Strefs upon Their Notions of Things. For their Notions are frequently rafh and falfe; they feldom do, and fometimes cannot, enter into the real Merits of the Caufe but to Me all Hearts are open, and from my piercing Eyes no Secrets are hid. I know diftinctly, both in what Manner, and with what Intention, every Thing is done. The Perfon who receives, and does the wrong, are both under my Cognizance; and even the wrong it felf is done by my Permiffion; that by this means the Thoughts of many Hearts may be reveald. I fhall not fail to make a juft and clear Decifion

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between