languishing Confeffors of the true Faith: Thofe that cannot change their Principles of Integrity for a Livelihood, upon every Turn of the Times, nor veer their Religion with every Wind of new Do&rine that blows North-ward, and the revolutionary Weather-Cocks of State-Policy. She thinks, when the orthodox Minifters of the Gospel reafon of Righteoufnefs, Temperance, and Judgment to come, in their Preaching, that Felix ought to tremble at hearing the Truth. Their facred Commiffion is as unalterable as their fpiritual Function, and can never be fuperfeded by the fecular Authority of any commanding Felix's, Feftus's, or Agrippa's in the World. Her innumerable Charities always find-out proper Objects. If the fees a grave and gray-headed Perfon bending under the Burden of Old Age; her Bufinefs will be to get him a Staff, and make him go as upright as poffible. If fhe fees a Cripple either of Hands or Feet; fhe will find him a Crutch, and fome Help or other for his Lamenefs. If the fees a blind Man groping along even in the Light; fhe will look upon him with an Eye of Pity, lead him into the right Way, or provide him with fome better Affiftance. If The fees a fick Patient languishing_about_the Streets, or in Private, for Want of fome wholefome Medicines, fhe will afford him a ready Remedy, either for his Comfort or his Cure. If The fees a Prifoner labouring to Death under his Confinement for Want of Bread, fhe will take Care to furnish him with better Subfiftence, or procure his Liberty. Prifoners either for Debt or State-Affairs, (especially thofe that lie there confin'd for Life) are the moft moving Objects of her generous Compaffion. How unnaturally do the jingling Fetters of the One ring in her mer

ciful Ears? How difagreeably do the lamentable Cries of the Other found in her charitable Hearing? Infomuch that the defires nothing more at Heart, than a general Fayl-Delivery of fuch poor Infolvents, and an univerfal Inlargement of fuch poor fuffering perfecuted Malecontents. There are, without doubt, a great many common begging Cheats, pretended Lazarus's, or artificial Cripples, in this Age of Falfhood and Counterfeit. But the reality of the Object, among the Lame and the Blind, as well as other forlorn Indigents, &c. always makes her as really charitable upon Conviction. They fhall not only take her good Will for the Deed, but have her own Act and Deed alfo to prove her good Will. Wishes and Works, fhe knows, are different Things. What fignifies a Sigh or a Groan? It will neither fet a broken Bone, nor buy a wooden Leg upon Amputation. It will not recover Sight, nor pay the Oculift for couching a Cataract. It will not buy Bread, nor purchase any Provifion for a ftarving moneylefs Houshold. She is none of thofe empty flattering Wishers and Woulders; but acts as well as prays; and immediately falls to Work, how fhe may effe&ually relieve fuch diftreffed Starlings, with real Succours and fubftantial Supports of Money or other Supplies, according to their feveral Neceffities. Her Alms-giving becomes fupereminently glorious among the many meritorious Receivers. In a Word, this is the that appears Bountiful, almoft beyond humane Imagination or Expectancy, by her communicative Goodness.

VERSE XXI.

SHE is not afraid of the Snow for her Houfbold: for all her Houshould are cloathed with Scarlet.

S

PARAPHRASE.

UCH is the great Prudence of our virtuous Houfholder, that her Family and Domeftick Servants are in no Danger of Suffering, by her provident Care of their Cloathing, in the hardest Winter or feverest Weather. She furnishes them with feveral Sorts of Rayment, fit for the feveral Seafons of the Year, and provides them with double Garments for a Change, when the Air grows extremely cold. And befides, fhe does not only cloath them conftantly in decent Habits for private Service; but alfo adorns them fometimes with Scarlet, or the gaieft Colours, for a more fplendid Appearance, when they are to wait upon her, and make the nobleft Figure by their publick Attendance. The most piercing Weather, either of Froft or Snow, cannot hurt them Abroad. When they are at Work in the Fields, fhe is in no great Pain for the Safety of their Conftitutions. She knows they are well-fed, and warmly clad, to defend them from the Coldness of the Seafon, and preferve their Bodies from the Injuries of Hail, Rain or Snow, in a tempeftuous Conjuncture. She does not much fear that any of her Houfhold, either

Hus

Husband, Children or Servants, fhall ever have Reason to complain of catching Cold, getting Coughs, or falling into Confumptions, through any careless Neglect of her good Linen-Housewif'ry, or Wollen-Handy-Works. Let the Wind or Weather blow what it will Abroad, fhe always fortifies them well within and without, against the fouleft Change a coming, to endure an unfeafonable Tempeft, and fafely ride out the Storm; or to bear-up againft all the Severities of Winter, and arrive at the Spring of Life with greater Health and Vigour. She continually keeps her Houfe in good Repair, both against Wind and Water; and does not only provide generously well, for their warm Food and Rayment by Day, but alfo for their fleeping in warmer Beds, and fecuring their better Reft a-nights, against the growing Labours of To-morrow. Infomuch that the comes to be efteem'd hereby, the prudenteft Houfholder of her Sex, as well as the kindeft Miftrefs of her Family, in this Respectof Apparel. REMARKS,

A

PPAREL is of as old a Date almost as our firft Parents; and a commendable Fafhion of covering our Nakedness, out of common Modefty, or protecting our Bodies from external Injuries, out of common Prudence and Self-Prefervation. 'Twas necessary to hide our original Sin, and decent to conceal our Shame; without forgetting the Fall, cloking the Crime, or palliating the wilful Difobedience. Both Neceffity and Decency plead for the primitive Inftitution of a plain, fimple, modest Attire. But Excefs in Apparel is only an additional Fault, and fetting an unneceffary Glofs upon our old Pride,Ambition, and Vain-glory, at fecond Hand. How do we glory now-a-days in fuperfluous

a-la

a-la mode Trifles? What a Folly is it to put our Brutes, as well as our Bodies, in the finest Trappings, only to fet-off the natural Infignificancy of Both! What Neceffity is there for adorning the Enemy, decking-up the Prifon, and gilding (as I may call the Body) the Poison of the Soul! That nobler Part, which is Subje& to no Sepulchre, or Burying-Place in the ChurchYard! This requires the most cultivating, which is above all Worms, but that of Confcience and immortal Remorfe. Erafmus fays, that Excefs of Apparel argues the Incontinency of the Soul. It rather allures the Eyes of Beholders to wanton Defires, than charms their Minds to any modeft Admiration of Wisdom, Innocency and Simplicity. Epictetus advises us not to deck our Houses fo much with useless Tables and fine Pictures, but to paint them with Temperance and Moderation. For thofe only feed the Eye with Vanity, which foon fade in Glory; but these are lafting Ornaments, and can never be defac'd. The great Auguftus himself wore no other Gar ments either iu Time of Peace or War, than fuch as his Wife and Daughters made him; or what were plain, modeft and serviceable. Agefilaus made no difference betwixt Winter and Summer, in his homely wearing Apparel. Epaminondas was contented with one fingle Suit, or humble Gown, for the whole Year-round. Their Retinues alfo were as remarkably modeft, and wor thy of Imitation; free from all Pride, Pomp, or fuperfluous Magnificence. Cato the Elder chose but the necessary Attendance of Two or Three. Servants, when he took a Tour to visit the Provinces of his Government. Scipio Africanus, one of the greatest Captains in the World, being delegated into Afia upon an extraordina ry Occafion, to negotiate a Pacification among

the