fo contentedly does he perifh in Vanity and, Vexation, unless thy Grace make him wifer, and raise his Mind to better and eternal Concerns. Difciple. СНАР. L. Against a Fond and Eafy Credulity. Ord, be thou my Help in Trou- Pfal. cviii. Man. How often have I fail'd of Succour, and true Friendship, I had moft reafon to expect it? How often found it, where I entertained no fuch Expectations? 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 himfelf with fo prudent Care, and exact Circumfpection, as not fome times to be over-reached by Treachery and Trick, and involved in Difficulties and Troubles, which the most Jealous Forefight knew not how to defcry or fufpect? But he, who places no Confidence in Human Subtility, and refts in God alone, and acts with downright Honefty, and a good Conscience, is lefs fubject to fuch Inconvenience, than cunning and intriguing Men: Or, if he be furprized and impofed 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 stand by us in Adverfity and Want, is exceeding 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, Chrift; Were this my Cafe, the Fear of the Malicious would nöt 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, whose 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 efpecially, 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 unconftant, 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 Enemies fhall be thofe of his own Kindred and Houfbold; and that when Men fay; Lo, Christ 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 wifh I may grow wiser at my own Expence. Mat. xxiv. 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 repose 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 any other Perton. Silence indeed, and forbearing to concern one's self in the Aftairs of our Neighbours, is not only a Virtue, but a Convenience and a 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 fuffering 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 Wisdom. How fure and calm a Retreat does that Man make, who chufes to preserve thy Favour, by making an Escape from Pomp and Noife; preferring thy Approbations before the loudeft Fame and Applaufe; and willingly abandoning thofe painted Follies, whofe glittering Outfides impofe upon our Senfes ? Who prefers contrite Sorrow, fevere Virtue, and folitary Devotion, before the fhowey 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 unfeafonable applied, as to become its Bane and Corruption too. For the whole Life of Man, is one continual Temptation, and we have a fubtile Adverfity to deal with, who flips no Advantage of undoing us. Our Praises he improves to his own Pur ९३ 3 pose + poles, by fwelling us up with them into Pride and Self-conceit. And many Souls have perifhed by that Virtue, publifhed and celebrated, which if unknown and unobserved, 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. Chrift.ST Tand 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 fcatter 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 thyfelf, ftrengthen thy Mind in Innocence, look upon this wrongful Judgment as a Suffering for God's fake, and bear it accordingly with Patience and Contentedness. He expects that thou Should't refift even unto Blood, when called Heb. xii. 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 fhall find it a Symptom of a Soul fick and indifpofed. For how can it be otherwise accounted for, than, that thou art yet Carnal, and retainest 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 Excufes 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 inordinate Defire to recommend thyself to Man's Efteem. Which fhews, thou art 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 thoufand 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 itself can practife 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 compose thy Mind, and resolve to despise it, and all blows over. These 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, whose 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 revealed. I shall not fail to make a juft and clear Decifion between |