IX. he apprehends the matter he is fitting for, and capa- s E R M. ble to manage, neither too mean and unworthy of him, nor too high and difficult for him; and those applying his care to, he tranfacts eafily, cheerfully, and fuccefsfully. So being neither puffed up with vain and over-weening opinion, nor dejected with heartlefs diffidence of himself; neither admiring, nor defpifing; neither irkfomely hating, nor fondly loving himself; he continues in good humour, maintains a fure friendship and fair correfpondence with himself, and rejoices in the retirement and private converfàtion with his own thoughts: whence flows a pleature and fatisfaction unexpreffible. XI. Wisdom procures and preserves a conftant favour and fair, refpect of men, purchases a good name, and upholds reputation in the world: which things are naturally defirable, commodious for life, encouragements to good, and preventive of many inconveniences. The compofed frame of mind, uniform and comely demeanour, compliant and inoffenfive converfation, fair and punctual dealing, confiderate motions, and dextrous addreffes of wife men, naturally beget efteem and affection in thofe that obferve them. Neither than these things is there any thing more commendable to human regard. As fymmetry and harmony to the animal fenfes, fo delectable is an even temper of foul and orderly tenour of actions to rational apprehenfions. Folly is freakish and humorous, impertinent and obftreperous, inconftant and inconsistent, peevish and exceptious ; and consequently faftidious to fociety, and productive of averfation and difrefpect. But the wife man is stable in his ways, confonant to himself, fuiting his actions to his words, and thofe to his principles, and all to the rule of right reafon; fo that you may know where to find him, and how to deal with him, and may easily please him, which makes his acquaintance acceptable, and his perfon valuable: befide that real worth of itself commands refpect, and ex N 3 torts IX. SER M. torts veneration from men, and ufually prosperity waits upon his well-advised attempts, which exceedingly adorn and advance the credit of the undertaker: however, if he fail fometime, his ufual deportment falves his repute, and easily makes it credible it was no fault of his, but of his fortune. If a fool profper, the honour is attributed to propitious chance; if he miscarry, to his own ill management : but the entire glory of happy undertakings crowns the head of Wifdom; while the difgrace of unlucky events falls otherwhere. His light, like that of the fun, cannot totally be eclipfed; it may be dimmed, but never extinguifhed, and always maintains a day, though over-clouded with misfortune. Who lefs efteems the famous African captain for being overthrown in that laft fatal battle, wherein he is faid to have fhewn the best skill, and yet endured the worst of fuccefs? Who contemns Cato, and other the grave citizens of Rome, for embracing the juft, but improfperous caufe of the commonwealth ? A wife man's circumftances may vary and fluctuate like the floods about a rock; but he perfifts unmoveably the fame, and his reputation unthaken : for he can always render a good account of his actions, and by reafonable apology elude the affaults of reproach. XII. Wisdom inftructs us to examine, compare, and rightly to value the objects that court our affections, and challenge our care; and thereby regulates our paffions, and moderates our endeavours, which begets a pleasant ferenity and peaceable tranquillity of mind. For when, being deluded with falfe fhews, and relying upon ill-grounded prefumptions, we highly efteem, paffionately affect, and eagerly purfue things of little worth in themselves, or concernment to us, as we unhandfomely prostitute our affections, and prodigally misfpend our time, and vainly lofe our labour; fo the event not anfwering our expectation, our minds thereby are con founded, IX. founded, disturbed, and diftempered. But when, S ER M. guided by right reason, we conceive great esteem of, and zealously are enamoured with, and vigorously strive to attain things of excellent worth, and weighty confequence, the confcience of having well placed our affections, and well employed our pains, and the experience of fruits correfponding to our hopes, ravishes our mind with unexpreffible content. And fo it is prefent appearance and vulgar conceit ordinarily impose upon our fancies, difguifing things with a deceitful varnish, and representing thofe that are vaineft with the greatest advantage; whilft the nobleft objects, being of a more fubtile and spiritual nature, like faireft jewels inclofed in a homely box, avoid the notice of grofs fenfe, and pass undiscerned by us. But the light of Wisdom, as it unmasks fpecious imposture, and bereaves it of its falfe colours; fo it penetrates into the retirements of true excellency, and reveals its genuine luftre. For example, corporeal pleasure, which fo powerfully allures and enchants us, Wifdom declares that it is but a prefent, momentary, and tranfient fatisfaction of brutish fenfe, dimming the light, fullying the beauty, impairing the vigour, and reftraining the activity of the mind; diverting it from better operations, and indifpofing it to enjoy purer delights; leaving no comfortable relifh or gladfome memory behind it, but often followed with bitterness, regret, and difgrace. That the profit the world fo greedily gapes after is but a poffeffion of trifles, not valuable in themselves, nor rendering the masters of them fo; accidentally obtained, and promifcuously enjoyed by all forts, but commonly by the worst of men; difficultly acquired, and eafily loft; however, to be used but for a very fhort time, and then to be refigned into uncertain hands. That the honour men fo dote upon is ordinarily but the difference of a few petty circumstances, a peculiar name or title, a determinate place, a distinguishing enfign; things of N 4 only SER M. only imaginary excellence, derived from chance, and IX. conferring no advantage, except from fome little influence they have upon the arbitrary opinion and fickle humour of the people; complacence in which is vain, and reliance upon it dangerous. That power and dominion, which men fo impatiently ftruggle for, are but neceflary evils introduced to reftrain the bad tempers of men; most evil to them that enjoy them; requiring tedious attendance, diftracting care, and vexatious toil; attended with frequent difappointment, opprobrious cenfure, and dangerous envy; having fuch real burthens, and flavish incumbrances, fweetened only by fuperficial pomps, strained obsequioufnefs, fome petty privileges and exemptions fcarce worth the mentioning. That wit and parts, of which men make fuch oftentation, are but natural endowments, commendable only in order to use, apt to engender pride and vanity, and hugely dangerous, if abused or mifemployed. What should I mention beauty, that fading toy; or bodily ftrength and activity, qualities fo palpably inconfiderable? Upon thefe and fuch like flattering objects, so adored by vulgar opinion, Wisdom exercifing fevere and impartial judgment, and perceiving in them no intrinfic excellence, no folid content fpringing from them, no perfection thence accruing to the mind, no high reward allotted to them, no fecurity to the future condition, or other durable advantages proceeding from them; it concludes they deferve not any high opinion of the mind, nor any vehement paffion of the foul, nor any laborious care to be employed on them, and moderates our affections toward them: it frees us from anxious defire of them; from being transported with exceffive joy in the acquifition of them; from being overwhelmed with difconfolate forrow at the miffing of them, or parting with them; from repining and envying at thofe who have better fuccefs than ourselves in the procuring them; from immoderate toil in getting, and care in preferving them: them and fo delivering us from all thefe unquiet S E R M. anxieties of thought, tumultuous perturbations of IX. paffion, and tedious vexations of body, it maintains our minds in a cheerful calm, quiet indifferency, and comfortable liberty. On the other fide, things of real worth and high concernment, that produce great fatisfaction to the mind, and are mainly conducible to our happiness, fuch as are a right understanding and strong fenfe of our obligations to Almighty God, and relations to men, a found temper and complexion of mind, a virtuous difpofition, a capacity to discharge the duties of our places, a due qualification to enjoy the happiness of the other world; thefe and fuch like things, by difcovering their nature, and the effects refulting from them, it engages us highly to esteem, ardently to affect, and industriously to purfue; fo preventing the inconveniences that follow the want of them, and conveying the benefits arifing from the poffeffion of them. XIII. Wisdom diftinguishes the circumstances, limits the measures, determines the modes, appoints the fit seasons of action; fo preferving decorum and order, the parent of peace, and preventing confufion, the mother of iniquity, ftrife, and difquiet. It is in the business of human life as in a building; a due proportion of bignefs, a fit fituation of place, a correfpondency of fhape, and fuitablenefs of colour, is to be observed between the parts thereof: a defect in any of which requifites, though the materials hap to be choice and excellent, makes the whole fabrick deformed and ugly to judicious apprehenfion. The best actions, if they fwell, and exceed their due measure, if they be unfkilfully misplaced, if in uncouth manner performed, they lose their quality, and turn both to the difgrace and difadvantage of life. It is commendable to pray; but they that would always be performing that duty, by their abfurd devotion procured to themfelves the title of hereticks : and they that will stand praying in publick con course, |