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grieving at any worldly matter, I am prepared to diflodge, whenfoever. he fhall please to call me. I am every where free: My farewell is foon taken of ⚫ all my friends, except of myself. No man did ever prepare himself to quit the world more fimply and fully, or more generally lay aside all thoughts of it, • than I am fully affured I fhall do. All the glory I pretend in my life, is, that I have lived Quietly: Quietly, not according to Metrodorus, Arcefilaus, or Ariftippus; but according to Myfelf. Since philofophy could never find any way for tranquillity, that might be generally good;'"Let every man in "his own particular feek for it." Let us not propose "Let fo fleeting and fo wavering an end unto ourselves, as ⚫ the World's Glory: Let us conftantly follow Reason: And let the Vulgar Approbation follow us that way, if it pleafe. I care not fo much what I am with others, as I refpect what I am IN MYSELF: I will be rich in myself, and not by borrowing. Strangers fee but external appearances and events: Every man can fet a good face upon the matter, when within he is full of care, grief and infirmities: They fee not my heart, when they look upon my outward countenance. We are nought but Ceremony; Ceremony • doth transport us, and we leave the Subftance of things: We hold faft by the boughs, and leave the trunk or body, the Subftance of things, behind us.

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§. VIII. CARDINAL WOLSEY, the most abfolute and wealthy minifter of state this kingdom ever had, tha in his time feemed to govern Europe as well as England when come to the period of his life, left the world wit this clofe reflection upon himself; Had I been as dili gent to serve my God, as I was to please my king he would not have left me now in my grey hairs A difmal reflection for all worldly-minded men; bu thofe more especially who have the power and mear of doing more good than ordinary in the world, an do it not; which feems to have been the cafe and r flection of this great man.

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§. IX. Sir PHILIP SIDNEY (a fubject indeed of England; but, they fay, chofen king of Poland; whom queen Elizabeth called HER PHILIP; the prince of Orange, HIS MASTER; whofe friendship the lord Brooks was fo proud of, that he would have it part of his epitaph, "Here lies Sir Philip Sidney's friend:" Whose death was lamented in verse by the then kings of France and Scotland, and the two univerfities of England) repented fo much at his death of that witty vanity of his life, his Arcadia, that to prevent the unlawful kindling of heats in others, he would have committed it to the flames himself; and left this farewel amongst his friends, Love my memory; cherish my friends; their

faith to me may affure you that they are honeft: But ' above all, govern your will and affections by the • Will and Word of your Creator. In me behold the End of this World, and all its Vanities.' And indeed he was not much out in faying fo, fince in him was to be feen the end of all natural parts, acquired learning, and civil accomplishments. His farewel seems spoken without terror, with a clear sense, and an equal judgment.

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§. X. Secretary WALSINGHAM, an extraordinary man in queen Elizabeth's time, towards the conclufion of his days, in a letter to his fellow fecretary, Burleigh, then lord treasurer of England, writes thus; We have lived enough to our Country, our Fortunes, our Sovereign: It is high time we begin to live to Ourselves, and to our God.' Which giving occafion for fome court-droll to vifit, and try to divert him; Ah! (faith he) while we Laugh, all things are serious 'round about us; God is ferious, when he preferveth us; and hath patience towards us; Chrift is ferious, < when he dieth for us; the Holy Ghoft is ferious, • when he striveth with us; the whole creation is ferious, in ferving God and us; they are ferious in hell and in heaven: And fhall a man that hath one foot in his grave, Jeft and Laugh? O that our ftatesmen would weigh the conviction, advice, and conclufion of this great man; and the greatest man, perhaps, that VOL. II.

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has borne that character in our nation. For true it is, that none can be serious too foon, because none can be good too foon. Away then with all foolish talking and jefting, and let people mind more profitable things!

§. XI. JOHN MASON, knight, who had been privycounsellor to four princes, and fpent much time in the preferments and pleafure of the world, retired with thefe pathetical and regretful fayings: After fo many years experience, SERIOUSNESS is the greatest Wisdom'; TEMPERANCE the best Phyfic; a GOOD CONSCIENCE is the best Estate. And were I to live again, I would change the court for a cloister, my privy-counsellor's bustles for an hermit's retirement, and the whole life < I lived in the palace, for one hour's enjoyment of God in the chapel. All things elfe forfake me, befides my God, my Duty, and my Prayers.'

§. XII. Sir WALTER RALEIGH is an eminent instance, being as extraordinary a man as our nation hath produced: In his perfon, well defcended; of health, ftrength, and a masculine beauty: In understanding, quick; in judgment, found; learned and wife, valiant and fkilful: An Historian, a Philofopher, a General, a Statesman. After a long life, full of experience, he drops these excellent fayings a little before his death, to his fon, to his wife, and to the world, viz. Exceed

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not in the humour of Rags and Bravery; for these will foon wear out of fashion: And no

efteemed for Gay Garments, but by Fools and • Women. On the other fide, seek not Riches basely, nor attain them by evil means: Deftroy no man for his Wealth, nor take any thing from the Poor; for the cry thereof will pierce the heavens: And it is most deteftable before God, and most dishonourable be⚫fore worthy men, to wreft any thing from the needy and labouring foul: God will never profper thee, • if thou offendeft therein; but ufe thy poor neighbours ⚫ and tenants well.' [Amoft worthy faying! But he adds] Have compaffion on the Poor and Afflicted, and God ⚫ will bless thee for it: Make not the hungry foul forrowful; for if he curfe thee in the bitterness of

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his foul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him. Now, for the world (dear child) I know it too well, to perfuade thee to dive into the practices of it: Rather ftand upon thy own guard against all those that tempt thee to it, or may practise upon thee; whether in thy Confcience, thy Reputation, or thy Eftate: Refolve, that no man is Wife or Safe, but he that is Honeft. Serve God; Let him be the author of all thy actions: Commend all thy endeavours to him, that muft either wither or profper them: Please him with prayer; left if he frown, he confound all thy fortune and labour, like the drops of rain upon the fandy ground. Let my experienced advice, and fatherly inftruction, fink deep into thy heart: So God 'direct thee in all thy ways, and fill thy heart with his ' grace.'

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Sir WALTER RALEIGH's Letter to his WIFE, after his Condemnation.

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OU fhall receive, my dear wife, my last words, in these my last lines. My Love I fend to you, That you may keep when I am dead; and my Counsel, that you may remember it when I am no more. • would not, with my will, prefent you Sorrows, dear Befs; let them go to the grave with me, and be buried in the duft: and feeing that it is not the will of God that I fhall fee you any more, bear my deftruction patiently; and with an heart like yourself. • First, I fend you all the thanks which my heart can conceive, or my words exprefs, for your many tra⚫vails and cares for me: which, though they have not taken effect, as you wished, yet my debt to you is not the lefs; but pay it I never fhall in this world. Secondly, I beseech you, for the love you bear me living, that you do not hide yourself many days; but by your travails feek to help my miferable fortunes, and the right of your poor child; your mourning cannot avail me, who am but duft. Thirdly,

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you fhall understand, that my lands were conveyed (bona fide) to my child; the writings were drawn at Midfummer was a twelve-month, as divers can wit'nefs; and I truft my blood will quench their malice, who defired my flaughter, that they will not feek to 'kill you and yours with extreme poverty. To what ⚫ friend to direct you, I know not; for all mine have ' left me in the true time of trial. Most sorry am I, that being furprized by death, I can leave you no better eftate; God hath prevented all my determinations, that great God which worketh all in all. If you can live free from want, care for no more; for the reft is but a vanity. Love God, and begin betimes; in him fhall you find true, everlasting, and ⚫ endless comfort: When you have travelled, and ⚫ wearied yourself with all forts of worldly cogitations, you fhall fit down by forrow in the end. Teach your fon alfo to Serve and Fear God, whilft he is young, that the fear of God may grow up in him; then will God be an Husband to you, and a Father to him; an Hufband and a Father, that can never be taken from you. Dear Wife, I beseech Dear Wife, I befeech you, for my foul's fake, Pay all Poor Men. When I am dead, no doubt but you will be much fought unto; for the world thinks I was very rich: have a care of the fair pretences of men; for no greater mifery can befal you in this life, than to become a prey unto the world, and after to be despised. As for me, I am no more yours, nor you mine: Death hath cut us afunder; and God hath divided me from the world, and you from me. me. Remember your poor child, for his father's fake, who loved you in his happiest estate. I fued for my life, but (God knows) it was for you and yours that I defired it: For know it, my dear wife, your child is the child of a True Man, who in his own refpect defpifeth death, and his mishapen and ugly forms. I cannot write much; God knows how hardly I fteal this time, when all are asleep: And it is alfo time for me to feparate my thoughts ⚫ from the world. Beg my dead body, which living

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