>»^ 1 ^ ^% t I PERKINS LIBRARY Duke University I^re Books I. '' \ 4 t '\h I ■'^^rt^*:.- THE Gentlemans Calling. Written by the Author OF THE naijDie 2Dtttp of fl^an. I Cor. vii. xxiv. L O N D t^. Printed by R. Norton^, for Robert Tavokt:, at | the Sign ofthe Bible in Chancery- Latje^ near Fleetjireet^ i ^7 3. rk ^s^:^> ^:^:^^^^^^ TO THE SIR, IN E E D not tell you with w hat fuccefs you pubUflied the Excellent Treatite, rHJti WHOLE DUTY OF ^lMJN: It is your Felicity to be again Inllrumental to the profit of this Church and Nation, by your Edition of thefe Religious and Pru- dent Inftrudions. And although the Addrcfs be not io Univerfal in this, as in the former ; yet fhis will have a large influence upon other Conditions befides Gentlemen : Their Com>cyfey if reformed, will be exemplary, and cperativc upon others. A Gentry tha. wo aid afford an obedient Earto thefe Admonitions, and a Ciergy that would to Fietj and Lexmi^fy J3yn ^ u anility y Mode/lj and Sobriety, will be the beil: H' inane means to recover this finful N Or' ion, and uppreffed Churchy from the Miferies, Spiritual and Civil, under which we now groan. So that the Arg't-- i»^/?^ is well chofen, and it is fo managed, that i know not what a Reader that is fomev/hat morofe can defire, which is not here. The Jnthor keeps clpfe to his intended Frovince and DefigU; his ^ 5 lieafms Keajons are fine wy and convincing, hxs'Reproofs are fevere and gravej yet pleafing ; and they whom he chides, muft needs love him. There is nothing in Iiis Feriods redundant or defective ; he hath a Native 'Elegancy that invites his dea- der ; Variety of Learning couched, not vaunted ; and a Perfpicuity fuch, as will make his Reafon- ings appear to a weak Eye : A Manual which is enriched with all thefe Graces,rtiall (Itruft) not only be frequently and attentively perufed, but that it will lively affe'd, and fit clofe to the Reins, and penetrate the Heart of theK^^^^r, efpecially that Reader for whom it is defigned ; and for this Blefling on the Gentry, it is our Duty to folicite the Divine Goodnefs. S ARUM, Tour ajfured Friend, Hum. H. THE THE PREFACE ^ HE Authority ofCufiom h^hfo much a more general frevalency than that of Truth ; that he that /hall adventure to ajfauh that with this-, may he thought not to have well {liqejied the prudent Caution of our Saviour , Luke 14.31. Tofitdownandconfider whe- ; ther he be able with ten thoufand to meet him that cometh againfl him with twenty ' thoufand ; for douhleffuch, and much greater if the odds between thefe two Litigants. And to the imputation ofthiiunwarinef^l cannot but forefee the frefent Defignvery liable. ■ 2.GENTILITYW long fnce confuted Job's Afhorifm-, Man is born to labour, W in- fiead thereof, has pronounced to its Clients the 1(ich i«^*«V Requiem, Soul tale thine eafe, eat , drink ^ 4 . ^^ THE PREFACE. and be merry, A Gentleman if now fufppfed to k only a thing of pleafure, a creature [cm into the World, as the Leviathan into the deep, to take his pallime therein, (^ and the better to complete the Farallel^to devour his underlings too ") and then 'twill be no wonder if it be adjudged a ridiculouf Solcccifm to attempt to defne his Calling, whofe very Effence is thought to confifi in having none. Nay, perhaps it will be deemednot only abfurdbut malicious, a LevellingprojeBjof robbinghim of his Birth-right, of degrading him from thofe priviledges, which be^ long to his cjuality, and of moulding him again into that vulgar Maf, from which divine Frovidence and humane Laws have diflingui/fjed him. But from thujealoufie I dare trufi the enfuing Leases to he fh^ir own Vindicators, 5. I HAVE been no unconcerned {much lefi infitlting ) Spectator of the Depreffions the Gentry have fallen under in thefe latter years, but have pay' d them my juJI tribute of compaffion : yet I confefsy I thin}, tmfefcarce worthy a regret-, in comparifon with thofe voluntary defcents, too many of them have made from true worth and vertue. 'Tis fure afar lej? de- plorable fpe Back to fee aGent\cm2infpoiledof his Fortune by his Confcience^ than his Luxury, and to behold him under thejiroh of the Headfrnan, than ' ' mder THE PREFACE. under thfe more infamous Executioners, his LajU of Intemverance. Tetlfearifthe Martyrology even of thefe juffering Times were [canned-, V enus and Bacchus would be found to have had many more Martws, than God find Loyalty. 4 . BUT 1 ccnfefs it an inwertincnce thu/ to balance the two mifchiefs of dcir,^ andfufftring ill, Jince 'tis certain the latter is to be refolved into the for- mer, and has noexifierxeof itjelf, but what u de- rives from that, Funi/hments are but the refults of fin : and therefore whatever Malignity is in the EffeB, becomes intirely chargeable upon the Caufe^ and we are to look upon our Vice not only as our great- efl^but our only unhappinefs .This Conjideration Jbews w thefource of all our Sufferings, and is itfelfno hfs obvious, than thofe-^ thouqh one would think it 04 concealed a^ the head o/Nilus, that /hould only obferve how many otherOriqinals of our Calamities are aligned, whilft this isfcarce dreamt of This Jo- nzhis fufferedto fleep fecurely in the Ship, while her more innocent Fraught is cad over- board, jo- nah I. J. Every the leafi fparlle from without is charg^ed 04 an Incendiary, when alas, lile JEXn2LMr own bowels fend out that fire, which has fo near re* duced vif to a/Ij^s . But oa in Difeafes we account the Difcovery of the Caufe thefirji andmoji neceffary ' ~ "■ ■•■■ ■'"' ■ J^f THE PREFACE. JJep to the Cure ; fo certainly is it here^the comitlton of our milt is a mojl indifpenfahie Preparative to- wards the eafe of our Prefjures, and we mujl be hea- vy laden j>? theChriJtian Jenfe^ Matth. 1 1. 28. before wejhall ceafe to hefo in the Civil, 5 . B U T I fear menproceed in this affair rather like Mountebanls than good Phyftcians, ufefomepaU liatini Medicines to allay the EffeEls^or perhaps Ano- dynes to flupifie the Patient,and wholly negleEl the ^Qtofthe Malady. Nor do I appropriate this Er- ror to tht Gentry, 'tis too vifible that all forts and malities have too juft a claim to it, to let any one go. away with the Inchfure. But becaufe the prefent Defign males them my peculiar Province, I (halU waving all others,addrefs myfelfatthis time to them only, with this mofl paffionate l^eojuejly that they would not ufc that cruelty to themfelves, for which Amalek/?^w^5 branded towards Ifrael,Deut. 2 5. 18. by their perfevering Impieties fmite and deflroy thofe feeble and faint 1(emains of their former Felici- ties ; but that they would mw at la ft ferioujly advert to this their fo qreat and important concernment, and pitch up:n the true Achan, that has thuf /o«^ trou- bled their Ifrael. And that being done, thatftory direBs the next Jlep of the Procef^even the bringing him to executim, cutting that off, whicf) willelfe in-. THE PREFACE. fallihly bring down a Fatal Excijion upon ihemfekes. Nor is this to be deferred.for alas the Difeafe is come to too q^'cat a heiqlot-, too dangerous a Crifis, to admit any delay of the 'Remedy. d. W H E N Egypt had fmartedunder a fuc- ceffion of miraculous plagues for detaining the lira- elites, the Servants of Fhzr^Loli importune him to releafe them, and conclude their advice with this Pa- tloeti(]ue enforcement, Knoweft thou not yet that Egvpt is deftroyed ? And God knows I may but too properly give the fame edqe to mine ; For alasj Gentlemen, are not your Eflates wafiedyour Fri- ,viledges xiolaied-, your Splendors echp fed, your Per* fins refirained-, your Families broken and fjj altered, your Dignities trampled upon by the meanefi of the Vulgar ^and finally y our f elves quite tranfmfedinyour fiation, now made the Tail who were once the Head ,Deut. 28.44. ^^^ ^^ ^^ not yet time to dif- mifthofe Sins which are the Authors of all this ? If you are fill of Pharaoh'^ mind, and refolve to re- tain them, you are certainly no lefs obftinate than he, but much more irrational. He hadfomewhat of vi- fihle advantage to tempt him to detain the Ifraelites, they were his Slaves, wrought hard at his worhhuilt him Cities. But how far is that from the Cafe here ! They are not your Slaves, but your tashmafters, which THE PREFACE. which you arefo tmmlling to pan with, thofe thatfet you to thi vileft and moftfcrvile Drudgeries, and are fo far from bringing you in profit, that I may boldly make the Apjftki challenge^ R.om. 6.1. What fruit have you had of thofe things ? And doubt not the only account you can bring in of your Harveft, muft he the Inventory of your Miferies, We are wit- neffes of many Houfes, moi^y Cities they have demo^ lijh'd and laid wafte, but we have no ftruElure of theirs to /hew, but aBihcl of Cmfuflon. 7. B U T das, thefe your fecular "^uines are hut their modeft and petty out- rages . Take another viewofthem,anditwilllihE,zckiQ.ys Vifion, Ezek. (5.8. prefentyou with more and greater abomina- tions than t\ic{e,even the abomination of dcfo- lation in the holy place. Tour fins have not only defolated your own houfes Jbut Gods, That Beauty of his Ornament which hefet in Majefty, Ezel, 7.20. hath by thefe your deteft able things been fx- fofed to fpoil and pollution. We are not yet grown fo old in our miferies as to have out-worn the aggravati- on of rememhring our happier eftatcAnd how fad, how wounding a contemplation is it to compare the paft and prefent condition of This Church t When the Temple was rebuilding , the joy of that reftauratim could not fupprefs the grief of thofe whoremembred THE PREFACE. thefo much more Glorious Fairid of the firfty but they laid the foundation in their tears, the Text fay Sy They wept with a loud voice, Nehem .3. 1 2. But what tearsjwhat ejaculations can he hitter or loud emuohfor us , who are to lament not partial and im- ferfeB repairs, hut total ruines and vaftations, that fee the materials of our Sion now reduced to duft and ruhhiJJ)-, who once f aw them happily compared, huilt together as a City at unity in itielf. 8. AND while we thuf remember Sion, and are our fekes by the waters of Babylon //i^ fure hut proper we fit down and weep, hid, as thofe Captives^{2i\. i "^i.afolemn Adieu to all enter- tainments of joy andpleafure. And would God we all-, particularly you to whom I now fpeak,did 04 exaSlly parallel them in thif fad and piouf refentment, as we do in the motives of it, that foyour ^quarrel to fin might he accended to its full height, as that which r 00s you not only of your fpiritual, hut (^ that which many of you have moregufi of ^ your carnal joys alfo. *Tuyour fns^ I would I could fay yours alone, which have heen the perfecuting Sauls, that harethu/ made havock of the Church. The Securities, Profanenefs, and Licentioufnefs ofyourprofpe- rottf days made theftrfl breaches in her walls : and new the Impenitence and incorrigihlenef of your cola- THE PREFACE. calamitou/, fetheEdomites, cry down with her, dowtiwith her even to the ground. 'Twas amomfl the Jews a Capital Guilt to curfc a Parent, W Jhall it now pafs for an eaJie,or no crime, not only to curfe, hut dejiroy our common Mother-, to abet and maintain thofe Troops which thw defie^ yea invade her ^ why /Jjouldyou not at laft recalyour exiled Piety, and affume a holy and becoming indig- nation aqainft thefe her cruel, her implacable Ene- mies f 9. BUT thif you cannot be fuppofed to do, while fl you arraign only other mensfim, and leave your own out of the IndiBment, I doubt not many of you do with difpleafure,perhaps more than enoughy charge her ruine upon the immediate InJIruments^ac- cufe the bold Intrujion of ignorant Teachers, of ha- zing depraved her Dodltine ; Ambition and Envy of impatient lnferiours-,of fuhverting her Difciplinc ; the pride and FaBion ofbujie Spirits, ofdijiurbing her Peace ; the greedy Avarice of Sacrilegiow per. fons, of devouring her Vditrimony . And thefe I JJmU not deny to have been the Weapons that thus have mortally wounded her. But let it be remem- bred, that thefe were wielded and whetted by the more general impieties, from whence they borrowed their defiruElive power. And therefore to transfer tht THE PREFACE. tu the milt here^ U but the artifice of flaying Uriah with the Sword of the children of Ammon, which you know acquitted not David /row being a Murderer, No,God knows, here lies a Carkafi of a poor bleeding Church,^iff which of you our Elders are qualified for the purgation the Lawaffigns in that cafe^ Deut. 21.8. which of you can fay, our , hands have not flied this bloud, neither have our eyes fecn itf 10. YET the lefs capable you are of thus wafhing your hands in innocence, the greater need you have to wafh them in Penitence, and therefore fince as you are Sons to this Mother, the Office of Avenger of bloud devolves on you ; O bring forth fruits of Repentance, by dif charg- ing that part faithfully ; drag out thefe Criminals which have taken Sanduary in your breafis, and there dwell fecurely, as in a City of Refuge, and hew them in pieces, as Samuel did Agag be- fore the Lord . And as your incentives to thif are infinitely greater and more preffing, than in other murders, fo will the effeSls alfo vaflly tranfcend thofe of common Juflice.That only revenges ; but thif may repair the mifchief, recaUhe vital fpirits, and reunite thefcattered limbs of this mangled body. Such an Omnipotency is there in fincere "^epentmce^ that it THE PREFACE. it is Me eotn to effeSl a %e[urreElm. that you would he ambitious of working this Miracle, and h^ this fious Prodigy beget your Mother, that you would weep fo longorer her afies^ till that moijiure had rendred them prolificaK and you fee herffring out of her Mm, 11. THIS, this is your only way ofreverjing that extirpating Decree, which thefe Hamans ( your fins ) have procured. And if you ne^leSl this-, IVIordecaiV menace to Hefter will be too applicable to you : if God in his unfathomable mercy fJjould caufe deliverance and enlargement to anfe from foine other place to this poor deflate Church, yet your f elves can expeB mtloing but DeflruBion.lfyou havenofenfe of the deflations of Sion, no pity to fee her in the Duft, but flill chufe to cherifh thofe impieties which have brought her thither ; yet even ihey will at the lafl, avenge her quarrel-, bring You thofe miferies, thefenfe whereoj it wtll he impofjihlt for you to avoid) or extingui/h. 12. FOR alas, to reprefentyour Jins to you as the Originals meerly of Temporal, whether Private or Publick J(uines, is to give you too fair and flattering a portraiture of them : thefe are but the light prelu- fory skirmifljes to a more difmal flaughter, the Pro- logue to the Fatal tragedy . Tde their full charaSler from THE PREFACE. from the Apojik, Rom. 5. 2 i. The end of thofe things is death, even death eternal. It is ourufual comfort againjl the ferfecutions of men, that they can mrfue w no farther than to the grave : there, as Job fpeah, the weary be at reft. Em this Ty- rant in our own breafts has no fuch limits to its ma- lice , hut then efpecially begins, when all other cruel- ties ceafe, tortures infinitely by the gnawings of that worm which never dies, and the fcorchings of that fire which never JJjall be quenched . I J. AND now who canfufficiently wonder at the infatuation, that Tou Jhjuld demur upon the dif- ^nifflng of fo treacherous a Guefl, that Youjhould cheri/h this Viper in your bofoms ,. which Tou already feel eatingyour Bowels, devouring all your temporal felicities, and yet tales thofe but in the way to your Heart, your more precious and eternal part ? 'Tis the Common Maxime even of thofe that receive advantage by the perfidioufn^fs of others, to love the Treafon,but hate the Traitor : but here is that 1(jde quite inver- ted., You hate the Treafon, are impatient of the af fliEIing confequences of your fin, yet love the Traitor^ hug that in your clofeft Embraces. The Avoflle in- deed forewarns us of the Deceitfulnefs onin,l{eb, J. 13. hut fur e this is a pitch beyond that ; ths is mt deceit, but inchantment, fome powerful Philtrum it a rmft THE PREFACE. muft needs be^that can tkia male men in love not on- ly with deformity but difeafe. 14. BUT all the Magicians of Egypt are not able to (land before Mofes, this Magtci is not jo irrefijiible^hut that 1(eafonand Tleligion will yield Ton countercharms^ able to dif-inchant Touy if Tou will but ftdffer them to come in to your aid. Do tut oncejlep out of the Devils Circle, the aSlualver- tiginous vurfuit of your finful apfetites, and give your Faculties fome inter miffion^ fo much breath from that hot chafe as may qualife them for a calm confiderate view of other things, and then 'tis certain you willdif" cern, that Vertue has a much more ravijhing appear- ance, infinitely more delegable and enamouring^than all the Devils Opticks could put upon your highefl and mofl guflful fenfualities . Do you only hejiow fome attentive looks upon her ; let her once in at your eyes, and then leave her to male her own way to your heart. And this isfure a ver^ moderate requefi ; that lou will but vouchfafe to look upon what is thus ami- able. And withwhat pretence can you denyit?Xou who, to gaze on thofe tranfitory Beauties w hich are only your fnares, jiicl at no difficulty, will be content to come (thofe of you that have no other motives^ even to Church upon that errand : do not here put off your curiofity, where alone it may avail you, hut rather THE PREFACE. rather tale this ofpdrtunuy of kdloivin^ that (^hi- therto profhane^ part ojyour temper. 1 4 . I T has been none of the Devils meaneff or unluckieji Arts to infufe prejudices into mens minds againfl Chriftian Pradice,^^ reprefenting it in the mofi avertin(r^ forms. He Changes fliapes ivith it, and as he tram forms himfelf into an Angel of light, fo he does this into one of Darknefs, males it appear aflate of the mofi difmal iadnefs and hor- ror, ^region of Antipodes to all Joy and chear- fulnefs. And how much more ready men are to take the Devil at his word than Chrifl at his, wihopro- feffes his Yoke eafie and his Burden light, ap- pears tdo vifible in the general averfenefs thofe have to Piety, who never fo much as tried it^but tale up im- flicite confufed prejudices againfl it^and retain thofe asfafly as if they were the produBs of many years cofily experiences . And 'tis to be feared^ thtfc have taken the deepefl root in the richefl Soil, theyfeeming m where more to flourifi, than amon^ you of the highefl ^tality . Tet fure^of all others Jou are mofi obliged to eradicate them, they implying fuch agrofs injiftice, as any ingenuous mind muft be ajham^d of. 1 6, YOU will your felves readily pronounce that Judge not only corrupt, but impudent, that con- ^mns uperfqn whofe caufe he never heard : yet ifTou " a z " vpill THE PREFACE. will hut refieSl, you will find yeur own verdiSl re- bound upon your fekes^ with ^ Tu es homo ; jor 'tis evidently your c^.fe here . It is time for you there- fore to befojujl, if not to Vertue^yet to your own l^e- j)utatiom,cif to retraSl that condemnatory fentence, you have fafl upon her, and put onfo much at leaji oj the {ormojjujlice^ as to give her a fair Trial, But this you cannot do hy hearing the tongues of men and Angels plead for her^none but herfelj can manage her caufe-t you muji admit her into your fociety and con- lerfe-, take her into fuch a familiarity, as may bring her within dijlance of your Obfervation, before you pronounce of her. In/Jjjrt^tfyou will indeed rend er your felves competent Judges, whether a Vertmus life be a pleafant or a difmal thing, enter upon it, and let your ovM experiences be your informers . '17. I C ANN or fufpeB the digtfode- qenerous, as not to believe there are divers particular per fons among yoUj who have made the experiment^ and to their TeJIimony I dare appeal, and doubt not they will from Judges turn Advocates, and recom- mend it to you, and fur e you will have no caufe in this in [lance to waveyuur wonted Friviledn of being tri- ed by your Fctrs, to except againfl their judgment in the cafe, who bein^ placed in equal circumjlances withy Oily muH bejupp'jfed to underfl and your utmojl TemDt0- THE PREFACE. temptations to Vice, from whence alone allthefeem- ini difficulties and uneafneffes ofVertue do arife, i8. IT were the worl of many Volumes to de- fcribe the federal diftinSi Advantages towards a flea* fant Beini, which are wrap nj in this one comfre- henfize Felicity. I Jljall injlance only in that, to which the enfuing Tra6l particularly relates, and that is that it furmfhes you with a fucceffion of very Aqreeable aud Chearful Imployments. Vertue is of a bufie and aSlive Nature-, and as in its fever al Ope- rations it ha^ an oppofition to alltheftveral forts of Vice, fo in its very Conflitution and Principle it bears an avowed Antipathy to that one fertile Seminary of mofl other Sm^Jdlenefs ; and jure the refcuin^you from that is no contemptible Benefit . For though you feem to challenge it as a confiderahle part ofyoi^r Inheritance, that you may live and do Nothing, and are very tenacious of that Claim ; yet, 'tis moji evi- dent, that what you contend for, a^ yourVriviledge^ yourselves efieem your burden, yea fo much fo, that to be rid of it you cafi away Eflate, Health,Soul and all for company, imployyour [elves the mofiruinouf- ly, rather than endure to be Idle ; nay, quite confute your own Pretenfions to eafe, by thofe laborious and toilfomc Vices, which you are fain to call Pleafures, fo render them tolerable, but have certainly no pre- a 5 tmc^ _ __. I THE PREFACE. tence to that Jitlc on any other fcore^hut that they keep you doing. 19. AND now what more grateful Office can fofsibly he done for men in this Condition^than to /hem? them how they may free themfekes of this load without contraBing a worfe ; / mean the guilt of thofe things which lih Rehoboam comer ts Whips mo Scor- pions, yet are now fain to be rejorted to ; as the only inflruments of their relief. And this a Chriflian Life will hefure to do for you ; It will conflantlyfro- vide you with innocent divertifements^nay much more-, it will give you hufinefs, fo excellent^ and worthy the dimity of your Natures, fo Noble and anfwerable to the Splendor of your Qualities, fo every way agree- able to the aims of 'Rational Men, that you will have, caufe to acknowledge with Our Church, that Gods Service is perfed Freedom. 20. I SHALL not undertake to give you a particular view of all the Severals of thofe Employ - nients; Thofe FrQcefts of the Gofpel which affign your Tasksi do fufficiently inform you of the Nature and Excellency of them : my whole Scheme is com- prifedin that One, which direSIs an Attendance on that Callini wherein God hath placed men, and therefore lam to treat only of thofe particular Duties •^hichare incimbeyit 01^ yoM as Gentlemen, and THE PREFACE. ^herein /hew you that confidered zsfuchy you have a G ailing, andfo free you of that reproach and mifery of being unprofitable hurdcnsof the Earth, and then evince to you alfo that that Calling if fo far from imvlyini any thingof real toil or meaflnefs, that it is only an An of reining and fuhlimating your Flea- fures, rendring them moreguflful and exqmjite.and fo will (jf attended to ) maRe good to you in earnefl your miflahn pretence to a Life offenfuality andde-^ li^ht. Sedion ■r*» /^^ ^, ,j*», ^, •*» .^V /*» .j*\ v***, v'''', /^\ -r*». v***, v«*» J-'"' /*» •*» f** <*'» ^'*» Sed:. Page. I. /^^F Bujinep and CdW'mgs in general. J. V-/ n. OflWictfesofCaUings. S. III. T/'^ Particulars of the Gentleman's Adnjanta- ge 5 above others. IZ. IV. T^^ branches of his Callmg founded in the Firft yidvantagejthatofJiJncation ig. V. Of the Second ^Advantage, Wealth. $i, VI. Of the Third ^Advantage, that of time, ^o. yil. Of the Fourth Ad^vantage, that of Autho- rity, III. VIII. Tihe Laft Advantage^ that of 'Refutation. 1 2 3 c IX. T^he Conclujion, 14^. The Devotions. A Confejjion. i^p, A Thanksgiving, 161, jf fraycr, 163. F 2 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. 2. GOD has placed Man in the World, not as a Frcfriet^ry, but a Storard ; he hath put ma- ny excellent things into his polTcflion, but thefe in trull:, to be not only kept, but negotiated with, and by traiiick improved to the uleofthe true owner : Yet herein dealing as a moil: boun- tiful Mailer, by not only promifing tranfcendent Rewards in the future to his fidelity, but even annexing at the pre(cnt ( as to the Heifer that treadethoutthe Corn ) a mofl: liberal fubfiftence, interweaving his Intereft fo with his Duty, that the difcharge of it is his only means of being hap- py even in this world. 3. THIS certainly is the ftate of mankind in general ; every ( i mean Eaticnal ) perfon ha- ving Ibmething of this kind intrufted to him. No man that hath underftanding, be that of a higher or lower fize, but hath variety of abilities clone fort or other, and withal that aftuating power, which fliould fet them on work. And then furely he that hath not been excluded from the receipts, muft not pretend an exemption from the dif- burfcments, the tasks, but is under a ftrid obli- gation of improving what he hath thus received, of bringing in fruit to the Granary,as well in order to his own account and joy in the auditing of the Harveft, as alfo to the glory of God from whom alone he derives (andmuft impute) both the feed, and irrigation, and the very increafe. And he that on thefe Grounds and according to thefe mea- ftires decently adminifters his Province, fedu- loufly attends his duty in this matter, will find himfelf Of Callings tn u enerd, 3 himfelf placed inruch an aifliveftateofbufiners? that he ihall have httle caufe to fufped: himfelf negleded, or forgotten by God and Nature, or placed in the world without a Calling. 4. FROM what is thus indiipenfably re- quired of all men, no one m;?/' or individual of .that )^^«V^ can plead an immunity. And there- fore till thofe whom Birth, Education and l\ ealth, and the common dialed of the world hath made known by the ftyle of Gentlemen^ lliall think ht to expunge the latter part of that title and dif-' ' claim the nature oi men, as they are willing to do the duty, they mull certainly retrad: this er- ror, and acknowledge they have their Ihares in this common obligation. 5. NAY, indeed if they could fo far imitate the Frince of the morning, as to fucceed to that rank which he was w illing to leave, I mean to af- cend above Humanity and alTume the nature of Angels, yet even thither w^ould this purfue and overtake them. Among all the Orders of that divine Hierarchy they would not find one Patron or Prefident of Idlenefs. For as the fpirituality of their elfence renders them more agile and adive, fo that adivity is perpetually exercifed in employing the divine abilities they have recei- ved, to the glory of God the donor : and that not only in bearing a part in that Celeliial Quire which incelfantly lings his praifes, but in the Inore laborious and fervile offices of being mini- ftring fpirits, yea even to thofe to w^hom both in iefped of nature and innocence they are infinitely B z fuperi- 4 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. fuperior. Andthisthey do with perfed: alacri- ty and chearfulnefb", thinlring it their greateft honour and dignity to be thus bufied. Their re~ gitivc Tourer over the vcorld^ faith Gerfo;z^ isn&tfo fuitabie an ingredient for a Magnificat of their com- fofing^ ds that gre.it er dignity of receiving and fer- forming Gods commands : An evidence how much the meafures of honour differ between the Cour- tiers of Heaven, and Earth, the Inhabitants of that refined, and this grofs Region. Thus then the profpedt hes before the Gentleman : if he chufe either to look level on the fame nature with himfelf, or direct his eyes upward on that of the Glorious fpirits that encompafs Gods throne, he will not in all the Records of Earth or Heaven find ever a patent for floth, any Claufe of Ex- emption in this univerfal Law. 6. NAY, if this man in ho:mir would bid fare- well to his Birth-right, and become like the heafts thatperijhj Plal. 49. 20. if he could be content, in purfuit of this one fancied priviledge of a GentlemanyVd renounce all the real ones of a man, and make I\'ehuchadj2e:{^r\ punifl:iment his opti- on : yet neither the Held nor the forreft could give him Sandluary, afford him any number of afTo- ciates to aid, or but countenance him in his mu- tiny againft this divine decree, they would rather be his tutors and monitors to obey it. For what rank even of the moft [avage animals is there, which we can indid of the not employing thofe faculties they have received .<' Are they not gene- rally in a perpetual and regular motion to thofe ends Of Callings in General. 5 ends for which they we^e created, in continual exercileofthofe powers with which they are en- dued ? Yea Ibme of them with luch improf enient to all their neceffary purpofes, tliat it hath rai- fed a doubt whether they a(5t by inlHnd: or rca- fbn, by fancy or judgment. Fythagora-s is dif- cernably on their fide : and Ariftotle that was lefs kind to them, feems by one faying to have yield- ed the caufe, when of thofe creatures which, he faith, wmt region, he confeffeth thra fancy jup- ^lies its fUce, I need not take part in this dif- pute , whatfoever their faculties or Talents arc, none can doubt of their ufe of them, or whether this their uninterrupted obedience to the Law of their Creation refleds the proportionable glory on their Creator. 7. T O defcend one degree lower yet ; The very inanimate creatures aSord their confortto this divine harmony ; every one of them perlbrm thofe offices, fail not in the exercifc of all thofe (not unadive) qualities God hath put into them. The Sun hath received a power oFcherilhing and enlivening terreftrial bodies, and it folds not up its rays, but communicates and difpenletji them freely. The Earth has received a pow cr of fru- ctifying, giving fap and verdure to that which grows upon it, and it withholds not that vital ihoifture, but like a tender nurfe fends it forth liberally to all that exped nouriiliment from her breafts; and fo proportionably to all otiier parts of this great body. And that all this ferves to il- luftrate the glory of that omnipotent wildom B 3 which 6 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. which hath placed them in this ^o excellent a iiib- prdination, is moil: vifible without the help of a ptripedive. When the Queen of Sheba. law the magniacence and regularity of Solomons Court, flie Drake out into an admiration of his wifdom : And furely a far greater occafion is miniftred to all thofe who contemplate the admirable order of theUuiverfe, with all tranfportation of Soul to magiiineaod adore the divine Difpoferofit, as we lee frequently exemplified to us in the fubiime Captures of the holy J'falmifi, who never better approves his right to be called the fweet finger of LraeL than on this raviihing Theme. 8. AND no w can it be fancied a priviledgc and dignity, to be th&onQ jarring ft ring in this great Inftrument ? To difcompole this divine me- lody, and become the only unprofitable ufekfs part of the Creation? Shall thofe whom God h2ith.mxditlittleloyverthan the Angels j fnbdueand debafe their natures beneath the very lowef} rank of Creatures ? And lliall this ( not humble but ) fordid exinanition be look'd upon with reverence, courted as a preferment ? This certainly is fuch an abfurdity, as wants nothing to its confutation, but merely to be confidered : And therefore if Gentlemen would but foberly refle(5t, there is little doubt but they would refign at once their claim, and their value of this fo defaming a piece of honour, fo abafing an exaltation. p. W E can let down our thoughts but one flep lower, and that is into the bottomlefs pit; and from thence fure none will defire to fetch a prefident ; Of Callwgs in Gincrd. prefident; yetifhedid, even that black Region could not afford it. For though it mull: be con- felTed, thole accursed, fpirics accord not with the former inftances, in relped of the end of their actions, yet they do in the adivityitlelf: theirs is a bufie ftate, though to an ill purpofe ; Satx-a goes to And fro in the earthy Job 2. 2. and he -ivdks about fie king whom he niAy devour ^ i Pet. J. 12.. Yea he employs all his faculties too, makes dili- gent ule of all that acutenefs and dexterity,\vhic!i either his nature or experience have furnilhed him with, towards that end he purlues. So that it were a wronging,a calumniating even of the very Devil, to charge him with idlencfs : which though it be a fin which yields hmi fuch liberal crops, that he may M'ell leek both to plant and cheriili it in humane nature, yet he cannot olf^r fuch violence to his own, as to become an Exam- ple of it. 10. W E may hence make a meafure, how fcandalous reproachful a thing this is, w hich nei- ther H^^i/r^?, Earth, nor HeU it Iclf Vvill own, but is like an illegitimate birth, difclaim'd by all. How unreafonable, nay how infamous will it then be, for thofe to take up this expoied brat, to fofter this vice in their bofomes, who have of all others the greateft and moft particular obli- gation to deteft it, as having received the moft of thofe Talents which engaged them to action*' And that fuch is the Gentleman s condition ^ a flight infpewtion will ferve to demonftrate. P 4 5ECT. 8 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. SECT. II. Of Varieties of Callings, I. T^ ^ O W fince the univerfal obligation, i^^j which is incumbent upon all, and J -^1 renders it ftrid duty to have a Cai^ Ihg, refts upon this undeniable ground, Jhdt all men have received from God fome abilities to ann- ate, fome talents to improve ; it follows by all Laws of inference, that thofe who have received themoftofthefe, can of all others the leaft rea- fonably pretend to an Exemption, but mult on the contrary be acknowledged under the con- ftraint of the ftronger and more numerous ties, the general duty which herein lies upon all, ex- tending and fpreading it felf into/^i^^r^/ Branches^ according to the quality and proportion of mens 'receits. 2. HENCE it comes to pafs, that mens Callings and employments become fo various, not only by the free choices of the feveral men, but even by the direction and affignation of God and Nature, becaufe one man is furnilhed wdth an ability, which qualifies him for one fort of cal- h'ng, another is by his diftind propriety markt put for another. And hence alfo it is, that thofe callings, which are diftind in feveral perfons, may varieties ofCallif^gs, may come to be united in one man, becaufe the feveral abilities, which conflitute thofe Calliijgs, concurring in him, the duties muft by unavoid- able confequence do ib alfo. This is m feme de- gree obfervable in moft men, who befidesthe^^- neral powers common to mankind, do receive fome pe cuiiar m order to fome Tpecialend, audio are obliged not only to thofe Exerciles which be- long indifferently to their whole fpecics, but to thole alfo for which they are individually qualifi- ed. Thus thofe whom God hath called to Chri- flUnityj are by that impowred for thofe perfor- mances which that holy profeflion exads, andfo have the calling of Chnjlims fuperadded to the other, whicli cither natural or civil obligation had laid upon them; fo that the fame man may have various callings, in relation to his differing capacities, unlefs as we diftmguiih mens fouls into the vegetative, the animal, and the ratio- nal, which in flrider fpeaking may be faid to be only divers operations of the fame foul i fo in truth what we term feveral callings, be but the fame comprehenfive one, ftretching it felf into the feveral faculties of the pcrfon. J. I N EE D not attempt to evince the im- propriety of the phrafe, 'twill ferve mv end as well that they pafs for feveral, and the applicati- on I flia 11 make of it, is to fliew thofe who arc un- willing to hear of any Caliingox all, that ihey have obligations indilpcnfable to more than one. They have whatever can belong to tl.em as men, they have alfo what belongs to them, as Cha(iians\ and lo THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. and they have aUo a peculiar addition appertaiqr ing to them as Gentlemen^ that is by interpreta- tion, thole who are diftinguilhed from the vul^ gar, not only by empty names and aiery titles, but by real donatives, diftributed to them by God, as To many diftin^fl advantages, fertile and prolifical abilities, towards the bnnging him in his expeded harveft of honour and glory. 4. IT is too much to be doubted, many of them may need admonition concerning the tw^ former of theie callings j the duties even of men, much more of Chriftians being fo far worn out of pracftice, that they feem to be out of memory too ; or if they be at all refleded on, 'tis with the fame fcorn that the antiquated habits of our forefathers are, as things fit only to drefs a man up an objed of laughter and derifion. But this would be too vaft a Theme, and befides is fuper- feded by the many pious labours of others. My purpofe therefore is not to treat at all of them, otherwife than they flmll happen to be linked and interwoven, as in many particulars they are,with the third, that of the Gentleman, 5. AND here they need not fear that I meaa to put the Spade or Hammer into their hands, to require them to become either Husbandmen or Mechanicks: my whole Defign is founded in their diftindion from thefe, namely, in thofe things, wherein either in kind or degree they ex- cel them. That many fuch things there are, they will need no Monitor at another time, when the Queftion is only of the Reverence and Re- fpedl Varieties of Callings, 1 1 {peft due from fuch their Inferiors : In fuch cafes every one can make large Scrolls and Catalogues ( written^ like Ez,ekiel^s Roll, wirhin and "with- out ) of his Advantages and rrerogatives, and ftretch themto the exading the very laftmite of Tribute they can poITibly pretend to. But let them remember, that God is as jealous of his Honour, as they can be of their own : and there- fore as they make thofe Pre-eminences, inftru- ments of attrading Glory from thole below them, fo they muft alfo of reverberating and re- turning it home to that divine Pow er above them , whobeftowed them to that end, and will not fi- nally be deluded ; but if they will difappoint his primary intention, that of having his Gr/^r^ glo- rified in their faithful managery of thofe Talents, they rtiall not be able to defeat his fecondary, that of having his Jufiice magnified in the fatal doom of fuch flothful fervatits ; if they will envy him the more agreeable fatisfadion of beifou ing Rewards, they cannot defraud him of that (though inferior) of executing vengeance. SECT. 12. THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. SECT. III. Tloe Particulars of ths Gentleman s Advantages above others. U T to dwell no longer on Generals, I iliall defcend to particularize thofe Advantages, by which they are fevered and dilcriminated from the vulgar, and which confequently by being peculiar to them, devolve on them an obligation of a dijimct Duty. And here I fliall be careful to prevent difpute, and therefore take in none but what are fo obvious, as to be univerfally acknowledged ; and then having my premifes granted, I iliall hope they will not betray themfel ves fuch ill Logicians, as to refill or difclaim the Conclufion. 2. I BEGIN with that ^Advantage which they are earlieft pofTeft of, that of an ingenuous and refined Education ; of which,I hope none that hath had it, will fo far confute the Efficacy, as to defpife and undervalue it. What theApoftle urges in a higher Argument, Rom. p. maybeap- pliable here. Mens minds are naturally of the fame Clay ; Education is the Potters hand and wheel that forms them into Vejfels of honour or difionour. And though experience fhews us, it is too poflible for Men to deface thofe nobler Im- preflions Gentlemen s Advantages, 13 preflions which they have thus received, yet that makes it not ceafe to be in it felfamoft eftimable Bleffing, any more than that excellency of Gods Image wherein Man was created, could be defa- ced by his Fall. It is certain, there is no Hu- mane means more effedual towards the refining and fliarpening Mens intelleds, giving them an edge and quicknefs ; and that the more, becaufe it takes them in that age wherein their faculties are, as their joynts, pliant and tradable, and fo capable of being by exercife improved into great degrees, both of ftrength and adivity. This Ad- vantage the meaner fort generally want, theex- pencetulnefs of fuch a breeding fets it beyond their reach: The indigence of whole condition, doth on the contrary determine their purfuits to that only, which may bring them in a fubfiftence, faftens them to the Shop or Plough,and fo leaves their minds uncultivated and unapt for thofe more excellent produdions which the happier Injiitution of Gentlemen enables them for ; as we fee it obferved by the Wife-ma;i, ^.cclus. 38.25. to the end of that Chapter. ^ A SECOND Advantage is that of Wealth, which to Gentlemen feems to be, as it were, rained down from the Clouds, both in re- fped of the plenty and the eafmefs ofitsacquifi- tion. Fair Patrimonies,large Inheritances defcend on them without one drop of their fweat, one mi- nutes toil or folicitude, as if they were the un- doubted Heirs, of the Ifraelites Blcffings, Succef- fors in their Canaan, who were to fojfefi hottfes full 14 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. full of aU. good things rvhich they filled not^and Wells digged which they digged not. Vineyards and Olive- trees which they planted not, as it is Deut. 6. li. The Poet hath placed it in the front of his Inven- tory, the prime ingredient in the completeft fe- licity uf this life, hies non parta lahore fed relt^a: whereas on the other fide the lower rank of Men fetch their mere neceifaries out of the Earth, which being, as it were, hardned and petrified by Adam's lin, mufl: be mollified and fuppled with their fweat, before it w ill become pene- trable, will not yield them food, but gives them alfo a portion of forrow with it. They muft firft be torn with thofeThorns and Briars which cover her furface, before they can fetch nourifliment out of her Bowels ; they muft buy their Bread with their fweat, as if they had ingrolfed the pe- nalty of their firft Fathers fin, whilft Gentlemen fweat only by the engagement of their j^t>r^/y or by the diredion of the Phyficianj todigeft their fulnefs of Bread. Which every one mult confefs afufficient inequality. 4. A THIRD is that of lime. This de- pends by way of confequence on the former. For God having made fuch liberal provifions for them, thus prevented them with the Bieflings of his Goodnefs, they can have no need to imploy their time to gain that, wherewith they already abound ; and fo being exempted from that one devouring expence of it, have a great ftock to be- ftow on other more excellent purpofes : whereas the poor Man hath fcarce any vacant minute, or fudi Gentlemen s Advantages, i^ ■fuch as he can call his own. They are all fore- ii:alled by thofe prefling neceflities which lie un- removeable upon him. His day-hours are chal- lenged by his labour, his nights by his reft ; and theiatisfyingoftheie Claims io neceflary, that his own iupport, perhaps that alfo of a numerous family depends upon it ; and therefore he may not attempt to deteat them. So that if Time ho to be accounted a Treafure, as undoubtedly it is, here is a fecond fort of Poverty to \a- hich he is ex- pofed as a refult of the former ; and another ma- nifeft inequality between him and the Gentle- mayi, 5. A F O U R T H is that of Juthority, by which I mean not that which belongs to thole which are advanced to Publick OiEce ; for that being peculiar to fome few only, will not bear a diftindl part in my prefent confideration : but I underftand by it that more private influence which Gentlemen generally have on thofe that are their Dependents, And this alio may be reckon- ed an effed: of the former, their wealth : For in proportion to that, the number of Servants, Te- nants, and Penfioners, (yea, perhaps of Friends too) is to be meafurcd. And over all thefe they have fomewhat (though not of abfolute delpoti- cal dominion, yet) of Iway and prevalency. On the other fide, the poor Mans authority is bound- ed within the narrow circuit of his little cottage, being in effed no other than the propagation of that Power Nature hath given him over his own body, to thofe Branches which fpring from it, his i6 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. his Children; and to that Cien which is iografted into it, his Wife. And if he fliallbut peep out of this Uttle Principality, attempt to inlarge his Territories, and prefcribe to any Forreigner, he will foon be taught how httle his power is ac- knowledged, and confequently how great a di- llance he ftands in this particular alfo from the Gentleman. 6, THE fifth is that of 'Refutation and Efieem; which as the World goes, is a fhadow that waits only on the greater Bodies. Wealth and Honour are the things that render any perfon confiderable amongft Men, prepare them with anaptnefs to embrace his Didates, to confider his Counlels, to tranfcribe his Copies. And though now it often falls out to be an unjufl: mea- fure, yet perhaps it may have no unjuft OriginaL For if iuch perlbns did make ufe of thofe advanta- ges they have, to make their Mind as rich as their Fortunes, this were but their due. And therefore if it be paid them upon this fuppofitioii, it is they only that are guilty of the injuftice, by defeating the ground of it. But by what tenour foever they hold it, 'tis fure, it may be made an . apt Inftrument to many good purpofes, and therefore well deferves to be accounted into the number of their advantages. But now if you look on the poor Man, you Ihall fee him loaded with Contempts, from which, no inward Excel- lencies he poireifes can refcue him. It is the ob- fervation of the wifeft of Men, that the poor mans vptjdom is dejpifed) Ecc/ef, ^. i6. So hated and fcorned Gentlemen s Advantages. i j fcorned a thing is Poverty, that it feems the Fate of it is infedious, and cafts reproach upon the moft eftimable things that cohabit with it. The world is fo full of inftances of this truth, that we need gO no higher than our own times. But if we fliould look back, we may find one as ancient ^sjob) who in his own perfon experimented thefe diftant effects of Profperity and Adveriity.. While he was in a flourifliing condition Men gave ear to himj and waited and kept file nee at his cmn-., feli ^Afterhis words-, they J^ake not again ^ and his Jpeeeh dropped on them. Job zg. 21,22. But in the next Chapter we find the Scene quite changed, and this reverenced and adored perfon is be- come difong and a by-rvord to the bafefi efmen. I flialL, readily acknowledge this injurious treating of the poor to be a great Barbarifm. But though there can nothing be inferred from it as/^^ jurey yet its being fo de facto, proves all I am about to ailert, 'i^/si.'The great unevennefs that is (in this inftance, as well as the former ) between Gentlemen and their Inferiors. 7. HAVING given this Schedule of unde- niable Friviledges they enjoy, I lliall, before I pro- ceed farther, befeech them here to make a ftand, and foberly toconfider whether it be imaginable, that God hath put fo many excellent Inftruments of Ad:ion into their hands, only to make them lefs adive. That were to accufe the Divine Wifdom of fuch an unskilful kind of managcry, as the flialloweft Humane Providence falls not under. Will any of them be at the care and ex- C pence i8 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. penfe to furnifh ^Servant with all Materials and Utenfils for work, wdth no other Defign, but that he may fpend his time either in fleep or riot ? If they will not, I fliall ask how they would like a Servant that Ihould fo abfurdly pervert tlieir in- tentions ? And according to the anfwer they give to that, leave them to conclude of their own ac- ceptablenefs with their great Mafter; who not only in a fingle inftance, but in an habitual courfe behave themfelves as prepofteroufly. I cannot fee how fuch a refle(5tion,if made with any ferioufnefs, can mifs of being attended with a fe- vere felf condemnation. And then that being fo proper a bafis and ground- work, fhould methinks by a kind, even of natural energy, invite them to fuperftrud on it more Noble and Chriftian pur- pofes ; that they who are fo apt to expe(5t Ado- ration from others, fo willing to be Idolized, may not yet any longer be willing .to be indeed Idols (^have months and (peak not, (jrc, FfiL 135. as ma- ny unadtive powers, as thofe have Organs) but may rather afpire to fome degree of refemblance to that Divine Effence, whole operations are as Inceffant as Excellent, and by an unintermitted Indultry in employing thole advantages God hath put into their hands, anfwer his defign ia beftowingthem. SECT. Advizntage of }i:ducatio/7, jp SECT. IV. The Branches of hif Calling founded in the flrjl Advantage-, that of Education, i. T PRESUME it is by this time rend red I fuiliciently evident, that a Gentleman hath ^ a calling ; it is now feafonable to advance, and fliew -what that is. And of this the ground hath already been laid in the iaft Section by the enumeration of thofe peculiar Advantages he pof- fefles; which being thofe Talents committed to his managery, his Calling will be the moft exadl- ly anatomized and diftributed into its parts, by unfolding thofe feveral Branches of his Receits, and examining what improvements each of them is capable of, which as (o many diftind: Limbs make up the entire Body of his Calling. z. T H I S I fliall do, not only in the grofs, but feverally, through every one of them, and ihalltake the liberty of doing it with the additi- on of a double reflexion ; the one on the contrary pa^tce^ the other on thepleafure^ind fatisfad:ioii that will infallibly attend the difcharge of this Duty. j„ 3. 1 BEGIN with that of their Education ;" t!ic former part whereof commonly commences a$ tinxely as the firll Exercifes of their Rcafon, C 2: It 20 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. It isib creditable a thing to have Children put in to an early nurture, that there are few Parents fo \ carclels of their own reputation, as to negled it, but do either by themielves or fome others, to whom they aflign the charge, put them under fuch a Dijcipln/e as may break their natural rude- nefs and ftubbornnefs, mould them into fome form of Civility, and teach them that firfl: Fun- damental LcfTon of Obedience, on which all fu- ture inilruifrions muii: be built. And this is an huge Advantage, not only towards thefucceed- ing parts of Education, but towards the regulari- ty of the whole life. Tor by having their Infant- paflions thus checked and bridled, they become more tame and gov^ernable ever after. The next part of Education, is JLrudhion and Inftrudion, and under a Succeflion of this they are for many years. Scarce any that owns the name oUGentle- mm, but will commit his Son to the care of fome Tutor, either at home or abroad, who at iirft in- ftills thofe Rudiments, proper to their tenderer years, and as Age matures their parts, fo advan-- ces his Led:ures, till he have let them in tothof^ fpacious Fields of Learning, which will afford them both Exercife and Delight. This is that Iree of Knowledge, upon which there lies no inter- diifl : which inftruds not, as that in iJ.en did by- fad and coftly experience, but by fair and fafe in- tuitions, and may wellbe looked on as a principal plant in that J^aradife wherein God hath placed this rank of Men. 4. THESE two parts of Education united, qualifie Advantage of Education. 21 qualifieaman for many excellent purpofes. It will be impoflible to enumerate all, becauil- a mind thus lubdued and cultivated, mull yet owe the opportunities of many anions to outward cir- cumltances and occafions, wliich being various and accidental, can with no certainty be brought into the account. But abflrading from thelc, there are divers more intrinlick bcneiits, \N'hicli nothing but a Mans felf can fruftrate; and thole alone I Ihall infill on. 5; FIRST, a Man thus Educated is better prepared to refill: all Errors tliat may invade his Ufiderflandmg : his difcerning Faculty is more nimble and agile, canfuddenly lurround a Pro- pofition, and difcover the iuHrm and feeble parts ; and fo is not to be impofed upon by fuch ilight Sophifms, as captivate whole herds of the vulgar. This Advantage, it is apparent he hath, and it is his duty to make ule of it, to examine cautioufly the grounds of an Opinion, before he give up his affent to it, and not to betray his Rea- lon, either to his Sloth, by neglecting to give it a competent difcullion ; or to his Intercit , by electing Tenents rather by their proHtablcnels than their truth. This certainly is the leall that is fuppofable to be required of tliem i n this parti- cular, and fure it is fo moderate an injundion, as the moft mutinous humour can have no tempta- tion to quarrel at. For who would think him a fevere impofer, who having furnilhcJ a man vv-itli a light to dired him through fome dark paifage, fliould only require him not to blow it out ? C 5 ^-ANO 22 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. 6. AND as he hath this Advantage in rerpe(a of his Under (liindrng, fo hath he, in the fecond place, in relation to his Will : which though it be a free faculty, and confequently cannot be forci- bly determined to any thing, yet it is capable of perfwafions and inducements, and is ufually ben- ded and inclined by them. It muft therefore be a fair ftep towards the redifying of the Will, when the intellect is ftored with Arguments and Incentives to goodnefs. And this Learning muft be fuppofed to provide for, unlefs we will ex- clude out of the Scheme, both Morality and Di- vinity; for each of thofe will yield variety of fuch Arguments. Moralityw ill prefent Vertue as perfedly amiable in itfelf, and fo fit to be embra- ced for its own fake : and not only fo, but alfo as highly profitable and advantageous to us, as be- ing that which gives the fublimeft perfedion to our Natures, the fweeteft reft and tranquillity to our Minds ; and in a v/ord, a full fatisfadtion to all our Rational Appetites. Divinity confirms all this, and fuperadds what infinitely tranfcends it, the affuranceofthofe eternal and glorious re- wards in another world. And thefe furely are fuch tempting allectivesy as are very proper to at- tract the Will to chufe what appears thus excel- lent, thus defirable, provided they be juftly re- prefented to it. And the doing that, the pref- iingtlieCe motives home upon the Will, and that in refutation of ah the contrary deceivable pre- tenfions of vice, is the iirft part of their obliga- tion. But then there is alfo afecond^ and that is, i Advantage of Education?. 2j is, that they permit themfelves to be periwaded by fuch efficacious arguments, and actually con- form their wills to thefe di(5tates of their under- ftanding, that is, that they really and effedively be fuch men, as their education direds and re- quires them to be : Which being the work of their Wills, 'twill be abfurd to plead impofTibility or infirmity, fince 'tis manifeft they may if they will; which is fuch a degree of liberty, ^'> ferves in all other inftances to denominate a man a free agent, and fuch as all puniihments and revv^ards both divine and humane are founded on. 7. A THIRD advantage is in relation to his AJfeBions ; which being the inferior and more bruitifli part of the man, are yet fo impetuous and alTuming, that they are very apt to ufurp the do- minion over the nobler faculties ; and where tliey gain it, the event is anfwerable to what wc lee in States, where the common people have \\'refted the Scepter, all is put into confufion. Now that which may prevent thefe civil broils in the foul, and fecure the government to the proper Sove- reign, may well be reputed an ad vantage. And to this, nothing merely humane is more condu- cing than Erf^r/:/^/^;/. For firft, that early difci- pline which we prefumed, one part of it purs a bridle in the mouths of thefe head-ilrong paili- ons, which by many repeated ads of reftraint at laft forget their native ferity, and become more calm and tradiable. But then Erudition com- pleats this conqueft,backs this unruly beall, cind by a dextrous managerynot only retrains, hot C 4 g'^-H^s. ^4 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. guides him, and makes him ferve to many ufeful i pusrpofes, renders thefe mutinous Rebels not on- ly captivated flaves, but good Subjeds, obedi- ent to the laws of Reafon. All this Education is of it felf aptly difpofed to do, if men will not take the Bealls part againft it, encourage him to plunge till he have thrown the Rider. And all that IS in this particular required of them, is but to Iiold faft thofe reins that are thus put into f-heir hands, to keep their Affe(5tions in fuch a juft fubjedion, that they may receive, not give laws. Thus we fee the influence which Education hath on all the elTential parts of a mans mind. And were it here fo immured and clofed up, that it could make no fallies at all thence ; did the foul, like Gideo'as jieece, ingrofs aH this precious derv ; yet whilefl: that received fuch liberal infufions, it would irrefragably evince this to be no mean in- confiderable advantage. But it is indeed impof- lible it fliould be fo confin d ; for if it be permit- ted to make thefe imprellions \vithin, as heat in the centre fails not to diffufe it felf to the circum- ference; fo certainly will it extend and manifeft it felf in the more vifible effeds ; all the pro- ducts and emanations of a mind thus regulated will own their original : bear the Lnage of their Parent. • 8. AND firll: his Behaviour will be afiflible and civil, not infjlent and imperious ; as one that knows Humanity and gentlenefs is a com- mon debt to mankind, and therefore will not think fit to contra<5l or dam up his civility into fo '> . : . ^'; ' . •; . • \ . "" narrow Advmpage of Education. 25 narrow a compafs, that it fliall fwell into com- plement, and mean flattery towards tliofe above, and not fuffer one drop to delcend on thole be- neath-him: butdifperfe its ftreams lb, that all channels may be filled with it. 'Tis true, the depth of fome will require a greater proportion to that filling than others ; and there 'tis not to be doubted but he may be more liberal ; only in the piean time the fliallpwer are not to remain dry. Let the inequality be fiich as proceeds only from the capacities of the Subjeds, not -from the par- tiality qf the Agent, and he prevaricates no part of his duty in this matter. p. SECONDLY, kisWords will be tem- perate and decent, the produd of judgment, not of rage. For he that hath calmed his paflions hath nothing to betray him to ralh, angry, or rude language : this is a foam which is caft up on- ly by the billows of a turbulent tcmpeiluous mind ; and can never be the ilTues of a ferene compofed temper. To this it is but proportion- able, that they be alfo weighty and material. Jl wife rnrns words, faith the Son of Sirachj are weighed in the baUmce, and therefore he that hath improved his Education to that pitch of profici- ency, will furely look his difcourfe be fuch, a^ mayanfwer that character, which muft at the leaftfuppofe it to have fomething of folidity, no man ever attempting to put froth and bubbles in- to the Scales. And not only fo; but it muft al- fo prefume it to have fomething of ufe and value ; for, whoever takes pains to weigh what for its ufelefnefs 7.6 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. ufelefnefs and meannefs he intends to caft out as refufe ; And both theie quahtications are very elTential parts of a Gentlemms dialed, the one opposed to hght and fooUlh, the other to unfea- fonable djfcourie. For as the one hath nothing of weight ( unlefs it be that of a burden to the hearers) {q the other can have nothing of ufe, nor confequently of worth; that being to bemeafured by theaptnefsof it to the perfons to whom it is addrelTed. It iliould be the endeavour of thofe whom God hath endued with knowledge, to con- vey as much of benefit and inftrudtion to others as they can : in order whereunto 'tis neceffary they adapt their fpeech to the capacities of thole they treat with, otherwife let them difcourfe ne- ver fo elaborately, they will rather confound than edifie, and appear to affed more to boaft, than communicate their knowledge. 10. LASTLY, his hmpbyments will be worthy and ingenuous. A man that hath this in- ward Nobility of Mind fuperadded to that of his Birth, will abhor to buhe himfelf vicioufly or im- pertinently ; he hath thofe qualifications, which render him ufeful, and he muft give himfelf thofe Exercifes, whereby he may become the moft emi- nently fo. If by jufi: authority he be afligned to any publick charge, he is to embrace it cheerful- ly ; not as a prize either to Ambition or Cove- toufnefs, but as an opportunity of Vertue ; a fphere wherein he may move the moft vigoroufly in the fer vice of God and his Countrey. But this happening but to few, it is neceifary he have ■' Tome Ad/vmtAge of }i, duL J. I ion, i -j ^ome other referve of action. And luch furely, he that induftrioufly defigns it, cannot want : wherein though perhaps his influence w ill not be fo general as in that, yet it may tali very aufpi- cioufly on many. And when all thofe occafions areexhaufted too, when all dired operations are at aftand, he may yet betake him to the reflex d, employ his adivity upon himfelf, which will al- ways remain a proper objed: of his Indufl:ry, he being though a rich, yet ftill fucli an improve- ablelbil, as will incourage and reward his Huf- bandry, though never lb often repeated. And now I fliall prefume it apparent. That Education is a moft eftimable Treafure, a precious Mma that contains fo man^ rich veins. O, whylliould any that poflefs it, fuffcr themfclves to be poor, meerly for want of diligence in digging out the Ore ! II. AND would to God that were an imper- tinent complaint, fuch as none were concerned in. But they that look on the Manners of ma- ny that have had this happy inllitution, w^ill find too great caufe to w^onder and bewail, that fo hopeful a Seeds-time fliould produce fo flen- der, nay fo degenerate a Crop: *As if J^^^'s curfe were here exemplified, Job 31. 40. Jh//}/es to grow infiead of Wheat, and Cockle infie ad of Barley. P/wf^rc/^tellsusof a "ooice frozen in the midjiefa River J that became audible by the thavcj and ap- plies it to Moral Precepts taught in youth, but aduated by age. The Simile fpeaks him to have lived in better times: forinthefe, the voice dilTolves 28 THE GENTLExMAN'S CALLING. dilTolves with the Ice, leaves not fo much as an Eccho behind it. Men now make it the bufinefs of their riper years, to unravel not the follies, but the learning of their youth: no Iboner are they got from under the Difcipline of others, but the hrft ad: of it they excrcife, is upon thofe notions which have been inftilled into them. And here they are fuch fevere Lichrs, that the mildefb inflidion is to gag and bind them, deprive them both of voice and motion. Nor are they ordinarily fatisfied with this, but as if they feared they would, like impa- tient Captives, watch fome advantage to break loofe agaia, their final doom is Oflracifm, they and their Linage ; all fober Counfels derived from them are utterly expulft, fo totally rafed out of their minds, that not the leaft footfteps of them remain. And all this under the name o^ Pedant ry, a title, whichit is probable their great averfnefs to their Teachers fuggefts to them, as the mofl pathetick reproach ; as if they meant now to be revenged on Learning and Tutor together, for attempting to make them wile againft their wills. 12. AND now when the root is thus ftockt up, there is little expedatioa of Fruit. And therefore he that (liall here look for thofe' fore- mentioned effects of Education, will be more dif- appointed, than Chrift feemed to be hy the Fig-tree ; that, though frmkfsy yet afforded lea-ves. But here we are not to hope for fo much, no fign that ever there was fuch a plant in the foil. Let us briefly review thofe feverals,and fee what of them is ordinarily to be met with. 13. AND Advantage of Educafio;^. xp I ^. AND firfl for the refifting of Errors, we ufually find Gentlemen no Heroes in this point: their Underft an d/ngs areaspHant, asfeducible,as thofe who never had their means of fortifying them. And if they do nideed rejed: Errors, it is commonly by the fame Engine, wherewith they call off Truth, viz. their inconfideration of both, as not being able to endure io much feri- oufnefs and intention of mind, as may ferve to ^;?- r^r them of any opinion. They have tranfplant- ed their difcerning faculty from their intelled: to their Senfesy and find it there fofull, foinceifant imployment, that it can never be at leifure tore- vert to Scholaftick difquifitions. They can dii- cern exadly the moll minute error in their gar- ment, hold their Artificer moft rigidly to the Laws of the (t^^"^^, are moft exquifite Judges in all that relates to vanity or pleafure ; and can they ever tliink fit to trouble their heads ( whofe lealt Lock muft not for a world be difturbed) with ab- ftrufer fpeculations, who have found out fo much a more eafie exercife of their faculties ? If any lliall think this charader partakes of the Satyr, I fliall befeech him to compare it with the true ftate of our young Gallants in this point,and then upon the fame account that cold and fcanty praifesgofor detradion, I Ihall expect this very impcrfed and partial accufation may pafs for a Panegyrick. 14. N E X T for the regulation of their JVilisy that advantage depends fo much on the former, that of their Underftandings, that what evacuates tliati 30 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. that, muft neceflarily be fuppofed to do the fame for this alio. It is not imaginable that he who hath defaced all his principles, w^hether moral or divine, or at leaft never revolves or confiders them, fliould receive any influence from them, fince they operate not but by a diftin(5t applica- tion. And here fliould I ask many Gentlemeriy when they ever fo much as attempted any thing of this fort, I fear they would be forced to quarrel at the incivility of the queftion, to evade the ne- ceflity of anfwering it. But God knows their adions fpeak too loud, that their bufmefs is to obey not to prefcribe ; to fulfil, not regulate their Wills, Nay indeed 'tis too frequent, that inftead of conforming theit wills to their princi- ples, they model and transform their principles to their wills, herein verifying Arifiotles obferva- tion, that Fkafures are corruptive of Frinciples, And fo by this one art of inverfion, the face of things is quite changed ; Vertue, which their books reprefented to them as lovely and honou- rable, is now thought to have gained that luftre only by the flattery and varnilh of the painters, and fo is decried as the mofl: unamiable,defpicabl6 creature : and on the other fide, all the contrary vices are taken from under that black veil Phi- lofophers or Divines have put upon them, and aro furbifli'd and trimm'd up, let to open view, as the moft fplendid, glorious things, the moft adorning accompliflimentsof a Gentleman. 15. AND to fecure this tranfmutation, evert God himfelf mufl have his part iia it, be con- cluded Advantage of jiducatiof?, 51 eluded to have been all tliis while mifreprefent- ed in thofe characters oi Purity and Jnfike his word has made of him, and to have laid no fuch fevere reftraints upon men, as that tells us of. That lemferancCy Chaftityy felf-dcnUl, Mortifi- cation, &c. were but the creations of fome melan- choly Reclufcsj who would then envioufly impofe thofe bands upon others wherewith they had fooliflily fetter'd themfelves ; that God is more indulgent to Mens appetites, which they may fa- tiate here, as they pleafe, without thole future dangers Preachers fright them with : That this is the new Gentile Divinity y we need not appeal to Mens Uves, their words openly proclamiing it, not without much fcorn and contempt of their eafyfimplicity, who govern themfelves by the other. Yet as if this would not fuificiently provide for impiety, as if they were confcious of that abfurdity , which indeed there is in defining God an abettor and favourer of vice, many have advanced a ftep higher, taking a more compendi- ous courfe, and lince they cannot bring God over to their party, make him fuch as will ferve their turn, will unmake him, by becoming flat Atheifts. Of this there are too too many inftan- ces, and 'tis to be feared will be many more, whileft to all other fenfual allurements that opini- on makes to its Profelytes, this is added, that il: is become a creditable thing, the badge and fig- nature of a modern Wit, thus to be one o^ David's fools, in faying then is m God, t6. IN 32 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. i6. IN the next place, let usdefcend to the Iffcciions-, and lee what effeds of their educa- tion is difcernible there. And truly thatfeems to be no other, than what is obfervable of a dam, put to intercept the courfe of fome rapid ftream, which fo foon as it is either removed or born down,the torrent gulhes with fo much the greater violence,for having had that oppofition : io here, when the reftraints, which bridled their minori- ty, are taken off, their pallionsiwell to a higher degree of impetuofity, tliey ceafe to be boyes and men together, the man is difmounted, loofes the reins, andisdragg'd whither the fury of the beaftdiredis. A fad change ! yet daily too vifi- ble in many : for alas ! what is more ordinary than to fee Gentlemen-, under the dominion oi thefe brutifli appetites? Sometimes tranlported by a. V^a,ge to the greateft Undecencies, nay Dan-^ gers ; fometimes hurried by a hufl like the p^- fejl ferfon, Mark 9. 22. through/'r^ and water xhS' moft defperate deftrudive attempts, and have', nothing but rottennefs and difeafe as the final prize of all thofe difficult adventures ; fome^. times drowned in fwinifh Intemperance \ and fometimes again intombed in the Earth, buried . as it were alive by fordid covetoufnefs, as if they meant to tranfcribe, though not the; innocence,', yet the bufferings of the primitive Chriftiaris, in > being torn in pieces by rvlld Beafls. Oh, that they ■. might once be brought to relinquitli this abfurd .. fortitude, that thofe who laugh at the precept of turning the other cheeky Mat. 5, ^p. would not here Advantage of Educath??. j J here infinitely over-ad it; and give up them- felves to be buflfeted , yea flaughter'd by thefe their cruelleft enemies, nor be iuch VUtomck lovers of Martyrdom, as to chufe only this,where- to there is no Crown annexed, but what is worn in the Kingdom of darknefs. 17. AND nowfince we are thus tofeek of th^Q mrvard Q^&^s, we can with no reaibn hope for any of thofe outward, which are the refuits and confequences of thefe. And then 'twill be no wonder to obferve Gentlemen behave them- felves difdainfuUy and imperioufly, as if they, could not fet a jufl value on themielves, without the unjuft contempt of others. 'Tis true indeed, this is commonly a wdnd that blows but one way, down the hill ; only upon thofe below them, up-^ wards they breath gentler gales ; it being one of their moft ftudied faculties, to perform all ad:s of the moil iupererrogating Civility to thofe above them. Butwdien that Civility is through- ly fcanned, it will prove a greater injury than the contrary Rudenei's ; 'tis made up of fuch hol- low profellions, fuch grofs flatteries, as are much worfe than reproaches, nay feldom fail to be ad:ually feconded w^ith them ; there being no- thing more ufual, than to revile and deride thofe at a diftance, whom, when prelent, they admire and adore. And thefe now become fuch eilential mdifpenfable parts of good breeding, that the want of either inevitably betrays a man to the title of a filly Ruftick ; Flatteries and Defpifings being the two contrary elements, whereof he, whom 54 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. whom they call a Fwe Gef^tleman, is to be com- pounded. 1 8. THIS gives an account alfo of fome part of his Dialect, which thus far anfwers httle to thofe requifite qualifications, Weight and Ufe- fulnefs ; there beiflg nothing more trivial or ufe- lefs, than thefe two parts of con\Trration, and 'twere well if no worle epithets belonged to them. But if u^ look alfo into the refb, they will ordi- narily appear to carry proportion with thefe ; 'Tis every mans obfervation, that no jpring will rife higher than its fir fl head, ; and then words be- ing but the ilTues of the Mind, where that wants the ballaft of fober and vertuous Notions, 'tis no wonder if the difcourfe be light and aiery. 'Twere eafie to exempli fie in the feveral forts of it adapt- ed to the feveral humours of men ; but 'tis alfo fo . needlefs, that the copy would be too exad by tranfcribing the impertinence too. But v/hat fuch froth.y difcourfe is naturally, the moft ferious may become by accident *• And thus we fee it the infirmity of fome, who fo far retain their Edu- cation, as to have their minds better repleniihed to vent their plenty fo unfeafonably or affededly, that it produces nothing of benefit to the hearers, but rebounds injurioufly with the afperfion of va- nity upon themfel vts. ip. B U T fuch is the mifery of this Age, that it were a fair compofition, \{Gentlemen could be perfwaded to reduce their Difcourfe only to a privative fort of lUnefs ; 'twere fomewhat tolera- ble, if as on the one fide they did not minifier grsce Advantage of Educatwj. 3 5 ,.» — — • ^ — — — - — ■ grace, Eph. 4. 2p. fo on the other they did not breath infedion on the hearers. But alas ! what are all thofe prophane fcoffings at Piety, fo fre- quent among them, but as fo many blafts and malevolent vapours to nip and deftroy the pra- dice of it ? And fo wc fee it too commonly does among thofe whofe greener refolutions fet them not above their malignant influence. How does their immodeft aud obfcene talk difperfe and fcatter their own impure fires, to the inflaming of others ? And whilelt they infcribe upon thele Poyfons the inviting names of Ingenuity and Ejprif, they do not only tempt men greedily to imbibe them, but even defame and proititute that Wit they pretend to, render it iWiUernef {ot all favage rudenefs to range in, and make as ma- ny Candidates for that reputation, as there arc impious and beftial men in the world. And to this fort of Wit they have found out a very pro- portionable Rhetorick, I mean that of their Ojiphs, that hellilh piece of Oratory, which fo overfpreads their language, that (like a pro- fufe Embroidery that even quite hides the Stuffe) it becomes the mofl: remarkable part of it. 'Tis not a little fl:range how this fouleft de- formity hath gotten to pais for an embelliihment and ornament of Stile; but that it doth fo, is very vifible not only from the no pretence of other temptation to it, but alfo from that af- fe(ftcd and ftudied variety obfervable among them, as if they had the lame concernment for their IPifcourfe, which they haX-e for them- D 2. ^^. 36 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. , felves, viz^ that it may every Year appear in ' fome new piece of Dreis, have Ibme Oaths frefli I minted to let it off. 20. T O all thefe we may add their vain , Boafii/igs and AlTLimirigs, which are often fo de- , plorably ridiculous, that 'tis doubtful whether ; more pity or contempt belongs to them. Thus oftentimesjie that has but crois^d the Seas to fetch a Feather and /^;5'/^.'zy?/cX' 3fe/^, brags more of his Travels, than if he had pafs'd the Lme, and felt the fcorclnngs of the Torrid Zone. And upon the llrength of this he takes authority to impofe on others the mofl: abfurd and incredible Relations ; yet ftill impollng more pernicioufly on himfelf, /. e. a belief that he appears very illuftrious and glori- ous in all this, and on that confidence the fmiles which his auditors mean in fcorn, fliall be taken in applaufe of him, and lb encourage thofe follies they deride. 21. INDEED where this vain htimour dw^ells, it willbetray it felf in innumerable inde- cencias of fpecch ; but never does it give itfelf a fuller or worfe charader, than when it lets lOofe to anger and rage, one of the moft genuine and fruitful branches of this bitter root. And this we , frequently fee overflow in all the invenomed re- proachful language imaginable, luch as one would wonder fliould fall from the mouth of any, whole education had not beeawhollv barbarous ;• an inverted kind of Eloquence, whereto fome>- who have been taught the rules of better R-heto- rick) have a great fluenej^.. zi. If Advantage of Education. 3-j 22. IF now we fhould proceed to take a view of their Imfloyments, there is Uttle doubt but that Tfkel, Jja^. 5. 27. might be a proper inlcriptioa on them> yea a mild one too, Lightnefs and Va- nity being many times the moft innocent ingredi- ent in them. And this is but a natural mferencc from the ibrmer : forfmcethe principle of Acti- ons as well as Words is within, it will certainly operate alike in both ; as Water fent from one fountain through ieveral pipes, is the fame, and hath equal vertues or faults in each. It were too eafie to give as particular an account of theic as the former ; but forefeeing an occafion to do that in another place, I Ihall transfer it thither, as not defiringto iterate the importunity on fo ungrate- ful a fubje^>. 2^. AND now he that iliall confider, that all this is but the impartial Image and reprelenta- tion of thofe,wlio have had that Education \\q ih much magnified, will lure be tempted to ask Ju- <5//r:f's queition, Jd quid j?er ditto h^c? Whyvoas dl this w.ijic of Dilcipline and Literature ? To Vvdiat purpole was fo colHy a foundation laid, when the fuperftruiflure is in the /Vpollles phralc, i Coy. ^. 12. nothing ^/ parting none, of having takei; fometiiing. from them v/ithout giving them any valaaliie confide ration, making them any proportionable retiirnSy But that they would at l-'it take up. this Talent t lius long buried m the napkin.- and yet faU a-tra- p 4. ■ "- 'iding 40 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. ding with it. And though the time they have loft Ihould render them defperate of the reward of the Ten Cities^ 'tis yet motive enough to indu- ftry, to refcue thcml'elves from the ientence of the Slothfalfcrva. tit. And yet that w jll not be all, for there being no middle ftate between reward and punilhmen t, he that delivers himfeU' from the one, putsliimfelfUkewife into a certain ca- pacity of the other. But befides all he is to exped hereafter, he is fure at the time of a very fair Antepaft of pleafure here, which he will imme- diately reap from it, as the firft- fruits of the fu- ture rich harveft, which though the Law com- manded to be facrificed, yet fuch is the indulgence of the Gofpel, that it exacts nothing, but that men would themfelves enjoy them. 24. FOR fuch is the admirable goodnefs of God, that he is generally pleafed to adapt hij commands, not only to our Eternal, but Tem- poral concernments ; for knowing the impatience of our nature, that we love not to depend wholly upon reverlions, he hath been pleafed to put fomewhat of prefent guft and reliih upon every part of duty. This might be evidenced diftind- ly through the whole Codex of Chriftian Pre- cepts, \\\sToke is an eajie, nay gracious Toke ; his burden a light hurdenyMath. 11.28. And from this general ground, I may have warrant fufficient to affirm the like of this particular I am now upon. But it may be yet more clearly evinced, by re- |le(fling on the feveral improvements of this Ta- lent, which have been mention'd; as the jD^/^ of ^lithofethatpoirefsit. ay. AND Advantage of J^.ducdtion. 41 25-. AND firft, for that of an acute and cle- fvated Underfiand'mgy I need appeal no further than to common Vote, to have that pronounced a very defirable thingj it being hard to pick out a man of fuch an avowed brutaUty, that will own the defpifing it. Even thofe who will be at no pains to acquire, will yet profefs to efteem it. And we may believe them in carneft, it from no other argument, yet from this, that every man affeds the jreputation of being Wile, is pleafed when he fucceeds in that aim, and on the con- j:rary is not more troubled and difcomfitcd at any thing, than to be taxed of Ignorance or Error. Ifanyfliall deny this, I fliall lufpcndhis confuta- tion, till fome body reproach him with folly, and then from the difpleafurc he finds in himlclf, leave him to conclude his own value ofWifdom. And indeed why do good men look upon a fool with fo much pity, and ill men with (0 much fcorn, if knowledge be not both a Felicity and a Crecjit ? Nor is this the fentence only of the vul- gar, whpufually admire thofe things moll, from which they If and at the greateft diftance, but efpecially of the more dilcerning fort of men, who from every talle they have had of it, have had their appetites fo railed, that they have in- .fatiably thirfted after the fuller draughts. This made fo many of the old Fhilofophcrs renounce the enjoyment of thofe fenfual pleafures, that offer- ed themfelves, to go in queft after this one tran- fcendent delight ; and Solomo?i to prefer this in hisele(^ion before Riches and Honour, the two principc^l 42. THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. principal parts of worldly fplendor, to the re(5li- tude of which choice God himfelf bears Teftimo- ny. And now if this be in it ielf fo valuable, fo ravifliing a thing, fliall its being here conne(^ed with duty, prove fuch an allay, as to deprive it of all the guft ? Certainly if it do, it m\iA argue the palate very perverfe and diflemper'd : for to all other, that one confideration would give a re- lifli and flav^our to the drieft, the moft unpleafant undertaking. The confcience that I am now en>- ployed as I ought, is fuch a refrefliment as is able to fweeten the feverelt labour, yea the greateft fuffering. Shame is a thing to which humane nature hath an innate abhorrence, yet the Apoftles made it ma,tter of joy, vohen it befel them for Chrifis fake, A^s 5. 41. And iliall this blef- fed Copy of theirs be transformed in ftead of tranfcribed .? Shall thofe who have not fo much Chriftlm fattence, as to bear the flighted: re- proach for him, have yet fo much unchnfiUn ^u- pdity, as to endure the greateft in oppolition to him ? Chufe rather to be ignorant, when 'tis both their fin and lliame, than wife, when 'tis their duty and reward ? Invert S. l^mls choice, and be fools againft Chrift, as he owns to htfor him ? If there be any fuch Antipodes in our clime, their unhappinefs will yet fcrve to lUuftrate what they refufe to partake of, i-/'^. the felicity of ha- ving performed this part of duty in the improve- ment of the underftanding. 1.6. I N the next place the regularity of the Will is extremely both amiable and profitable. For Advantage of i.iucation, 43 ^or that being an uncontroulable faculty, if it be wrong fet, what torrents of mifchief and confufi- pn does it let in? If in all its conceptions it per- mit the fenfual appetite to lay, like Jacoh, its filled rods before it, all its births will be rin^-pA- kedy Jpecklcd a^id /potted. The ruinoufnefs ofaper- verfewill isfo generally underftood, that there is nothing renders a man even in common account more miferable and deplored. He whofeWill runs counter to bis Reafon, every man is Jfiroio- j^er enough to read his dejliny^ and prefage his de- ftrudion. And by the undecent and pernicious effeds of a difordered, we may make an eftimate pf the beauty and advantage of a retflified Will The former, like a vicious improvident Gover- nour, expofes his Territories to a deluge, firft of luxury, and then of ruine : but this latter like a vertuous and prudent Prince, at once fecures the innocence, and felicity of his fubjefts. Indeed it is this alone that really and effedively gives us the preeminence above beafts. They have choices as well as we, and they have affedions, but wanting the higher principle of reafon, their choices are neceitarily determined by then: a(fe- dions. Now if we who have both, are guided only by the latter, wherein does our ftate differ from theirs, fave only that our liberty makes us guilty, whereas their neceflity leaves them inno- cent ? I prefume I need fay no more, to evince the happiiicis of a well ordered Will, fmce none can contell it, but he mufl: tacitely confefs him- felf weary of jiis humane nature, and emulous, not 44 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. not of a greater dignity, but of a degradation to that of the Brutes. 27. AND as much may be faid concerning the Affeci'tons ; which if they be not curbed ^d held in by the underlfanding, will have as free and uncontrouled a fway in men, as they have in meer animals, but with worie effei^s, by how much we have more objeds to incite them, more inftruments to aduate them than thefe have. If any man can be tempted to think this no unplea- fant condition, let him yet further confider, that this metamorphofis is not like the fancied tranP migration of the foul, wherein it was fuppofed to affume the nature and confequently the paflions but of one beaft alone: no> here is the whole Wildernefs let loofe upon a man, with all their contrary appetites perpetually combating one with another. He that hath the rapacioufnefs* of a Wolf-, may yet have the timoroufnefs of an Hxre., audio is racked between the defire of ha- ving, andthefearoffuffering. He that hath the luftofa Gocit, may yet have the intemperance of a Swme^ and be diftraded to which of the appe- tites to give himfelf. He that hath the cruel- ty of a ligre^ may yet have the wilinels of the i'oxy which will give him the pain ofmanyirk- fome delays, in attending an advantageous op- portunity. And fo proportionably in others. And what can be more unfupportably uneafie, than to have thefe continual tumults within, to be in a ftate of hoftility, not only with other pen, but with himfelf? Or what can there need. Advantage of Education. 4 J beyond this confideration, to recommend the contrary condition to us? The fubduing thefe brutiili Inclinations is the introducing Peace into a Land , harafs'd and wafted with inteftine War : and fure none need be told ( at leaft in this Age) that that is a moftravilhing pleafure. And I may with tlie fame confidence appeal to theverdidofany who have tried thefe two con- trary ftates, and doubt not but he will from his experience confirm the moft profufe and even Poetick declamation that can be made on this Theme. 2S. A L L I fliall add is, in a joynt relation to this and the two former, by obferving that il- luminated underftandings, regulated Wills and Afifedions, make up a great part of the celeflial happmef^. The Angels of light would no longer have right to that title, without thefe. The jpi- rits of jiijt men made ferfeEt-, were improperly lb ftyled, Heb, 12.2^. had they not received this ac- complifhmcnt of their nature. And the greater degrees hereof we arrive to here, fo much the more fenfible anticipation have we of thofe di- vine joys. And fure thus to partake with Angels and Saints, is to be happy, and will be acknow- ledged fo by all, whofe value and wiihes of a Ma^ hornet an Paradife render them not uncompetent to cftimate thefe purer and refined pleafures. 2c?. I F from hence we proceed to thofe out- ward effects y which arc the refults of thef^ in- wardj we fhall find they are all full of delight and fetisfa(^ion. Courtefie and friendlinefs dt Be- havioHr ^ THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. .1 ^^i;w«r does not only caft a glorious luftre round 'I* about, attrad: the eyes and hearts of others, but i it alfo refleds with cliearful and comfortable gleams upon our lelves. For, Man being de- ligned by God for a fociable creature, hath fuch propenfions and inclinations put into him> as ar« proper to that end : and thcfc are gratified and pleafed, when we fo demean our lelves, as may anfwer that intention, towards which nothing can be more neceifary than this debonnaire and gentle carriage. For that allures people to our converfation, whereas the contrary roughnefs friglits and deters them, ( the churlilhhels of a Nabalm^kts men they cannot Jpeak to hintf i Sam, z 5^. 1 7. ) it gives a man part oi Kehuchadnezzars fate, feparates him from among men, by forcing them to withdraw from Mm ; and that the worft part of it too ; the hairs like Eagles feathers, and, the Nails like Birds claws, being much the lighter degree of the infliction, fit to pafsfbr drefsand ornament, compared with that more deforming difguife this rugged temper puts upon a man. And as on the one fide, this morofity Land four- nefs of humour is very uneafie, fo on the other is that form (£fawning and ilattering Compliance, which fome call Civility : It obligesirrchinmaiiy circumftances to renounce their eafe, their health, yea their underf^andings too, and keeps them in fuch conflraint, that ©ne may trtuly fay, a iefs meafure of felf-deniai would ferveto confti* tute a man a good Chriflian, than an exact Cour- tier ; whereas he that keeps himfelf in a yoSt meany Adrvantiige of JLducation, 47 mean, neither drives away one fort of company, nor buys the other fo dear ; He has a Standard- meafure,by which to difpenfe his Civilities, viz, the quality and worth of the perfons ; and conr ■founds not himfelf with thofe more unjuft and mutable rules of their expectations. So in the firft ot the inftances he keeps himfelf a Man, whilft the other is in fome refped a Beaft ; in the fecond he preferves himfelf a Freeman, whilefl: the other is a Slave : And fure I may refer it to' any mans decifion, which is the pleafanter ftate. 30. NEXT for the Words, 'tis not to be doubted but that calm and temperate Language has the advantage of that which is paflionate and rageful ; and that not only in refpe(5i: of decen- cy, but cafe too ; of which there needs no other teftimony, than that vifible perturbation and uneafinefs obfervable in all who are under fuch ■a tranfportation. So in like manner, when the Words are pertinent and weighty, they give not only more fatisfadion to the hearer, but to the fpeaker alfo : This may be judged by the contra- ry difplaccncy men have at themfelves, when they arc confcious to have fpoken impertinently or undecently. By fatisfadion, I mean not that vanity, which men too often affed of /he w- ing their parts, but a juft and fober complacency, arifing from the confcience of having regulated their difcourfe by the meafures of a Wile man and a Chriftian, the having faid that which may be of benefit, but cannot be of mifchiefto his Auditors, 48 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. Auditors. And this furely is a much more real pleaiure than any can be had in the contrary kind of dialect. If to this it be objeded, that generally none are fo much delighted with their own diicourfes, as they who talk the moft vain- ly and abfurdly: I anfvver, that even thefe are not pleafed with the vanity and abfurdity ; their pleafure refults from a miftake, fuppofmg ittobd the quite contrary. And this helps to evince, that folid and prudent fpeaking gives ratisfad:ion,fince even the iliado w and fidion of it can be made to yield to it. 5 1. L A S T L Y, for the Impjoyments, they furely muft afford moft of contentment, when they are moft noble and excellent *• they do fo at the time, in the dired line, they having- more of agreeablenefs to the nature and dignity of a man ; but they do yet more fo in the refledion, when a man looks back upon his day or weekfpent, and finds his bufinefs has been worthy of him, it ex- hilarates and revives him, enables him to pafs his own approbation on himfelf, and as it wxrc to anticipate the jK/^^^ he fliall one day receive from his great Mafter. But he that gives himfelf only the idle advertifem^ts of a Child, orfets to the bafer drudgeries of Vice, cannot refled without confufion : which is fo wxU underftood by fuch perfons, that they are fain to take fandu- ary in a total Inconfideration, never daring to ask themfelves. What have! done? Which bears, full teftimony to the excellency and feUcity of ingenuous ImploymentSy fince they that de- cline Advantage of Education. ^p clinethofe, are forced alfoto decline themielves, grow out of their own acquaintance and know- ledge. . 32. AND now what objed:ion can there lie ugainft this duty, which is in all the parts of it {o advantageous and eligible, that it becomes duty not only to God, but even to themfelves, their own prefent interefts and fatisfa(5tion ? Shall pleafure it lelf lofe its nature, adopt the properties of its dired: contrary, and become irk- Ibme and abhorred, only becaufe'tis twifted with Obedience? Istherefoperfed an Antipathy be- tween God and them, that 'tis impoflible they (hould have the fame objcvfts of delight/* Or can no Joys have any taft with them, that are not thecaufes and fore-runners of eternal Ibrrou's? This were fuch a degree ofpervcrfenefs, as com- mon Charity bids mc not to exped ; and I fee notwiiat elfe can evacuate the pleafure that at- tends the improvement of this Talent of Educa- tion. 33. AFTER all this, I forefee it not im- poflible that fome may plead an Exemption from this Obligation, by affirming they want the ground of it, that they never had this Education. I am not willing to fanfie there have been io ma- ny unjuft and unkind Parents as may qualiHe any confiderable number of Gentlemen fur this Plea :. But to thofe few that can really make it, I fliall not think the foregoing Difcourfe v/holly impertinent ; for, by iLewing them the Advan- tages of what they fay they thus want, it may in- E cite 50 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. cite tliem ( not to murmure at the negligence of their Parents, but) to attempt the repairing of it by becoming their own Guardians, putting them- felves into DifcipUne, and by the fl:ri(5t Laws of | Keafon governing and rcftraining thofe Paffions, I which by the liberty of their Breeding have got head, by this means fupplying to themfelves the firftpart of Education : And the like may cer- tainly be done for the latter alfo, if they will but depofit that common error, of thinking it more manly to be ignorant than to learn, and be content to put themfelves in a courfe of Erudi- tion, which a man may do for himfelf in his Clo- f^t, as well as a Tutor may do for his Difciple in a School ; and though he w^ant many of thole Ad- vantages the other hath, yet *tis poffible they may be in a good degree fupplied by that induftry and defire, w^hich all thofe are fuppofed to have, w^ho" are thus tlneir own Pupils ; and there want not in- ftances of the fuccefs of them who have thus at- tempted, but I confefs there are too few Examples of the Attempt, men being apt to fit down con- tentedly under this want; whereas let the fame perfons have an entailed Eftate alienated from them by. any ad: of their Fathers, they are not then fo tame, but will ftruggle to the uttnoft to recover their rights. Yet certainly an Ingenuous Educa- tion is as properly the Birthright of a Gentlemafty as any the moft firmly fetled Inheritance can be : Why fliould they then acquiefce in that fo injuri- ous an Alienation, and not feek by all endeavour^ of their own to retrieve this fo precious a PofTef- fion? SEGT. 5i SECT. V. Of the fecond Advantage, Wealths 1. ^"i| \ H E fecond Advantage we are to con- I fider is that of Wealth, which that it P is a blefling will I know readily be af- fented to by all, mens defires and earneft pur- luits after it fufficiently evidencing the general efteemishad of it. Yet though the Conclufion be right, it is to be doubted many infer it not upon due premiles. 'Tis not Riches fimply confidered that are the felicity, much lefs thoie luxuries, to which they are often made to mini- fter ; but they are like to a fertile ground, which if left without culture, none bears lo rank Weeds, but if rightly husbanded, yields abundant profit ; and thus to manage and improve them is not only the Interelt, but the Duty of all thofe to whom God hath committed them, this being the one defigned Advantage, for whicli they wqxc in- tirufted to them. ^. SEVERAL Improvements there are, of wliich they are capable ; but before I proceed to them, I muft mention one part of Duty, as funda- mental to all the rell. And that is the well huf- banding of them ; not in a figurative but real fence, the having fuch a provident care of thofe E z goods ^2 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. goods ai]d pofTeflions, wherewith God hath bleft a Man, as may fecure them from that Confumpti- 0D5 to which carelelheis and flotli will infallibly betray them. This ilirely is obligatory in many refpeds. Firft, in Thanldulnefs ( I had almoin faid civility) to God, who having difpenc'd them as a liberality, 'tis ingratitude, yea affront to give them no regard. Secondly, injuftice to a mans pollerity : He that has received a fair In- heritance from his Anceftors, if he fuffer his fu- pine negligence to cut off the Entail, he defrauds thoie that were to have lucceeded him in it, and becomes that trmbter of his ovon houfCf to whom Sclomonj Prov. 1 1. 29. afligns no other Inheri- tance but the Wind, which is indeed all fuch a perlbn is like to derive upon his lilue, the com- mon air being oftentimes their only Patrimony. Thirdly, in order to all thofe ends to which •Wealth was defigned by God, which depend oa this, as Accidents on thqir Subjeds, and fo are all at once evacuated and nulled by the diflipa- ting of that wherein they are founded. All which confiderations do naturally inforce upon men the neceflity of a prudent managery. 3. THIS being fuppofed, and the perfon ha- ving, as in our Law-forms is ufual, covenanted toftand feifedofthe Eftate, let us now fee what are the proper ufes, to which it is to be limited. I N the firii: place, we may rank that of Con- tented nefs in his portion; which though to one thatisfettowreftle with want it might feema haid precept, yet to him that flows with abun- dance Advantage of Wealth. ^^ dance it might be thought rather a neediels than difficult injun(5lion, if experience did not tellitie, that contentment is oftentimes as great allranger in Palaces as Cottages. 4. Of this excellent both vertue and felicity, there are two parts, the one a chearful enjoyment of fo much of his Wealth, as may decently (I fay not vainly) fupport him in that quality wherein he is placed : God does not make Rich men fuch mere Conduit-pipes of Wealth, that they muft pafs all, without retaining any thmg themfelves ; but rather like the Eartli, which though flie conveys herfprings through her veins, yet is allowed to fuck in fomuch, as may give her a competent refrefliment ; and he that does this moderately, and with a thankful reflection on that liberal Providence, which thus(^h'es him aH things richly to enjoy y \ 7im. 6. 17. falfifiesno part of his truft, nor abufeshis ftewardflup ; this being, as it were, the allowed Fees of his Place, a Penfion allotted him by the bounty of his Lord. 5. T H E other part of contentment is that, by which the defires are terminated within the bounds of his own pofFeflions, and not luffered to range wildly into other mens, like Jhahs into Naboth's Vineyard, ufmg their Wealth, as Ang- lers do their Fifli, to bait Hooks for more, by making it an Jnflrument of extorting from others ; which is fo great a guilt, that it near- ly concerns them tolecure themfelves againftic* by a perfe<5t fatisfadion in what is properly E 3 ;l)eiV 54 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. their own. Nay, even in what is faid, there is caution to be had, that there be not too eager and vehement endeavours of multiplying it, and that not only by an unlawful commixture with other mens, which is the fin either ofoppreffion or fraud, but even from its own ftock, for that may be covetoufnefs, and is furely a dire<5t op- pofition to the divine difpenfation. For wheii God hath given a man a full fortune, and by that manumitted him from thofe carkings and fo- licitudes to which needier perfons are expofed, for him to make it his grand bufinefs to pro- jed how he may add to that heap, or in the Prophets phrafe, lade himfetf vptth thick cUy^ Bab. z. 6. What is it but the degrading and pulling himfelf from that Sphere wherein God bath placed him, a voluntary fale of himfelf to the Gallies or Mines t In this refpe^t therefore I may not unaptly apply that Exhortation which- the Apoftle makes in another, G the keeping them from want ? And therefore he that will not run himielf upon that fad defeat of being difappointed in his trufts, failed in his grcateil: exigents, mufl: look out for fome firmer grounds whereon to build. But alas ! our foil affords it not : all here below was long fince pronounced, by one that wanted nei- ther wifdom nor experience, to be Vanity. Such mutations and viciffitudes attend all iublunary things, that he that attempts to ered any du-. fable fatisfadion on them, out-does the folly oC that abfurd archited Chrill: mentions , and builds not on the /^?W, but water', and in this ffence the world is ftilt under a deluge, not fo. much dry ground, as where a dove may reft her fbot. 1 5". W E are then driven by way of neceffary refuge, to that M'hich fhould be our voluntary, choice, to come home to the Jrk to fhsher our felves under his wings, where alone we mayfe- curely reft, and according to the advice which the Apoftle fubjoyns to theie cautions, to trufl m the UvingGod. And to do this amidft all the fe- ducements of Wealth, to fee through all thofe mifts which the tumes of Plenty raire,and v/hileft they enjoy the gift, to confide .only in the Giver, is indifpenfably the duty, and Ihould bethecare F of 66 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. — ,j— , _ — of every one, to whum S. P/i/z/direds this charge, Jli tlhit are rich in thi6 norld. j6. and fiich in the laft place are to take notice of another branch of their obhgation, and that is to ufe that advantage which their Wealth gives them, towards the exercife of lempera^ce : which indeed can never be known to be truly fuch, but when there are opportunities and tem- ptations to the contrary. He thtit liath nothing- wherewith to maintain a Riot, leaves it doubtful both to others and himfelf, whether his Abftinen- ces be theeflPe^fts of Poverty or Temper ; but he that lias all the fuel for Luxury, and yet permits it not to kindle^ he approves his Sobriety to be indeed his Choice, not his fate. And this is a moft excellent priviledge of Wealth : and though 'tis to be doubted it fcarce finds room in moft of our Catalogues, yet certainly it merits a principal place, as being much the greateft of all thofe, which refled only upon the perfon himfelf. This refifting of Temptations is truly that Heroick courage worthy of thofe that pre- te/id to Honour,fit to denominate a Gallant man, I wafli thofe who feek that reputation by many rafli and unv/arrantable Ad ventures, would here entertain their youthful Ardours, this being a Field where they may be alTured never to want Combatants. One while Gluttony prefents itfelf, armed with the allurements of a full and delicate Table: and though one w^ouW think him but a defpicable Aflailant, that has only the Kitchiit for his armory, yet experience fliew^s us, thofe edgelef«=^ I i: ; AdvantAge of Wealth. 6j edglefs weapons may vie with the keenefl for the mortalnefs of their effeds. At another time 'Drunkennef fends a Challenge by delicious Li- tjuor, cheerful and diverting Company, and that not without menace of infamy to him, who Ihall own fo much religious coward ife, as to fear to hazard his Sobriety in the encounter. Some- iimes again L«/ attaches him with the piercing darts, the killing glances of a proftitute Beauty. In the mean time i'ricle, the moft flie and trea- cherous of all the reft, is perpetually laying am- buflies for him in the adorations of his Flatterers, the Vanity of his Attire, and innumerable kinds of ExcefTes. And now what Knight-Errand would wifli for more Encounters? Or why fliould men range abroad to invite Quarrels, whilft they tamely fuffer fuch Troops of ene- mies to bid them daily deliance ? 'Tis, they fay, a Maxim among the Svoordmen, That he that hds once been baffled-, is ever after an incompetent Chal- lenger : I willi it might have this one fober appli- cation, that men would fufpendall other D«^//, till they have righted themf elves on their Vices, and by fome fignal Conquefts redeemed them- felves from that obloquy and defamation, which thefe mean, yet infulting Ad verfaries have expo- fed them to. 17. HAVING fliewed what Llfes are duly to be made of /f ^^//^A, let us now look back, and confider whether any of them be ordinarily dif- cernible in Jr'racfice, And here we fhall meet with one fort of men, who ftumble at the very F 2, threil]old> 6S THE GENTLEiMAN'S CALLING. tliRlliuld, that fail in that firft part of duty, on which all the reft depend ; I mean thofe who by afupine negUgence fuffer their IJIates to moul- der and confume infenfibly, for wantofaneafie infpjdion and overfight. Offuch as thefe former Ages have afforded mftances, and doubtlefs the piefent alfo, though the number of the luxuri- ous wafters do now fo over v,' helm them^that they are the lefs difcernible. And though thisfeem to be the efFcvft only of floth, yet certainly there are other concurrents to it, generally theie two: firft fuch an overweening of their wealth, that they think it inexhauftible ; and fecondly an opi- nion that it is a mean and peafantly thing for a Gentleman to give himlelf tlie trouble of looking after his fortune. The motives are too ridicu- lous to deferve a confutation ; but m the mean time it cannot but extort pity, to fee Families ruined- by fuch vain whimfies. And what tole- rable account can fuch a Parent give tohisbeg- ger'd Oif-fpring, to whom 'tis very likely he may propagate the pride and floth which made the mere managerv of an Eftate too hard for him, and yet withal bequeaths them the fadder toil of getting one? Nay, what account can he give to God, from whom he received it, in order to fe- vcral ends, if he thus at once defeat them all? 'Twas a Command to the Jevps, thatth&y fhou/d fiot cut ao-ivn I'ruit-treeSy though it were for fo necelTary an ufe as to advance a Siege ^Ocut. 20. ip. But this is the hewing down -that Stock, from which fo much good Fruit fliould fpring, and that Advantage of Wealth. 69 that without any pretence either of necedity or reaibn. 18. OUR next view will prefent us with another fort of perfidy who as much traiii'grcffes the duty of contented nefs in both the parts of it. 'Tis no prodigy to fee men, whom God liath af- forded the portion of the rich, fcarce to allow . themfelves that of the poor ; fo letting "th-ir 9'^" - h evi/ even to themfelves, hecaufc Cod is gcoJ.. The Jigyptia;ts were fuch jealous Revere r.; of thofe Creatures which they worlh.ipped. tliat he that violated them was in dagger of j/o/ju/g .hxod. 8. 16. So thefe men who have fet up their V/eahli for their God, pay it fo much veneration, that as they are impatient to have it invaded by others, fo they are afraid to offer the leaft violence to it themfelves. They have Inilirined it to receive their adorations, and it is now become Sacrilcdge (indeed the only one they fcruplc) to debafe it to the fupply of their neceilities. They are i; range auftcrities which the J 'otarie s o[ th'i^ Deity will endure, even beyond the mortiHcations of the moif rigid Jfcetuk, Their whole lives area per- })ctual contradiction to all the appetites of Na- ture ; yet alas! that infers here no compliance with thofe of Grace, but as if they meant to fet up a Jhird party' in the world, they equally op- poie thefe. And now he that thus opprclfcs him- ielf, no wonder if he do the hke to others, ifjie extort the utmoitthat either power or fraud can wring from any. And that this work may not be retardedjhe is provided of variety of inftrumcnts yo THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. ior it. Sometimes Bribery muft give him a legal colour to rob his neighbour. Or ifaWitnefs prove a h'cttQrpe/2)>-n^orth than the Judge, Subor- nation Hull do tlie bufinefs. Sometimes Extor- tion Ihall prey upon a needy Creditor, and that not only with the flower gnawings of theCanker, but w ith the more ravenous devou rings of tllq Vulture. Sometimes the Rack is brought out, and a poor Tenant faflned on it, and there fo ftrained and diilorted, that he can never knii; again to any competent fubfillence. Sometimes again a poor neighbouring Prodigal iliall be fpur- red on to farther riot, fed with money, that fo by a forfeited Mortgage he may feife on his Efl:atc. In a word, 'twere endlefs to reckon up all the en- gines of rapine which this greedy Invader hath in his magazine. And of fuch a one I prefume every man will pronounce, that he notorioufly violates the precept of Contentedncfs. 19. BUT though this be the grofTeft, yet is he not the only Tranfgreffor. There is alfo a^o- ther more plaufible fort, who though they do not thus feek to encreafe their wealth at other mens cofts, yet do it too much at their own; whofe Brains are mere forges of Projeds, perpe- tually hammering out fomenew Contrivance for gain, that continually travel in birth of fome frcili Improvement, fuffer all the pangs and throws of a carking folicitude in purfuit of it. I know this piece o*i Covetoufnef h2xh better luck than the reft, and pafles for a creditable thing, under the fpecious name of good husbandry ; but :. • ; ^ . f\ir§ Advantage of Wealth, 71 fureifit be throughly penetrated, it will appear no lefs oppofite to Contentment than the for- mer. Nor can that guilt be invaded by thole that fay, they feek to advance their Fortunes, nLitoutoftheMiicrs defign of hoarding up, but out of the more generous purpofe of hving more fplendidly. For fure he that covets more to fpend, is as little contented in his portion, as he that covets more to lay up; he that thinks his Table too fcanty, his equipage too \o\v, is as far from being fatisfied, as he that thinks his land too little, his bag too empty. So that *tis apparent thefe arrows come out of tJie fame quiver, though they be fliot at feveral marks. 20. AND between both thefe motives of griping, no wonder if the i>«/7 cf Alms-gi^in;ihQ crowded into a very narrow compafs. That ex- cellent vertue of Charity has indeed much of the Image and imprcfs of Chrifl upon it : but the World has given it a further kind of conformity with him than he ever delign'd, its crucifixion between Covetoufncfs and Luxury, being the counterpart of his hanging between the Ihlcvcs, There wants only one member of the parallel, the breaking the legs qf tliefe Malcfaclorsy which God knows our Sonldiers nay many armies of them have not been able to do. The many in- fiances thefe times have given of the fudden dip fipation of mens Idolized heaps, have not yet fo difciplined the Worldling, as to perfvvade him to lay u^ his trcafure in heaven. And the loud calls y 4 9^^ 72 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. of God to seeping and mourning d7t().gir ding vfith jackcloth, have moft prepoiteroufly been Eccho- ed back with the louder noifeofmensrevellings, and wild jollities. And tlien they who thus defpife the judgments of God, are very unlike- ly to compailionate the mi(eries of men, and I doubt there are many who thus anfver the cha- raderoftheunjuft jW^^^, Luke 18. that neither fear God nor regard manj nay that far outgo him in inexorablenefs of temper. He was to be \vrought upon by im^ortumty ; but ib petrified are thefe mens bowels, that no prayers nor tears can dilTolve them. 'Tis a much eafier task to dig Metal out of its native Mine, than to fetch it out of the covetous mans Coffer. The Earth, though Oie hide, yet fhe guards not her treafiire, ■tis acceffible to the induftry of any that will fearch for it : but he like an Argm ftands Cen- tmel about hiS; and founds an alarm upon the remoteft appearance of a poor fuppliant. With what jealoufie does he eye any that he can but fancy to come upon that ungrateful errand, and then how many arts has he to prevent " the'af- fault ? Or if by ibme extraordinary Charm all his eyes have fo flept at once, that he happen to be furprized, yet he has fo many weapons of defence, that the ailailant fhall gain little by it,, but the Ihame of an open repuTfe, being lure to find him impregnable. As for the Voluftmrj^ he has . fo many expenrivelufts to maintain, that he has difficulty enough' how' to gratifie all them in the diilribution of his wealth : they are comperi- ^Adv^intage of Wealth. 73 tors to each other, yet joyn to keep out that which would be a common one to themx all. He that grudges not the w ildeit profufions of his wealth, yet thinks an Alms will undo him. 'Tis the grand buljnels of his life to contrive ways of expence; yet when any obje^^ of Charity pre- fents onC; he becomes thrifty on the fudden, like the SenfitivefUra flirinks at that touch, and that open hand of his clutches as faft, as iffomecon- vulfion had contravfled it. Thus totally have men forgot upon what terms their wealth was given them, and thereby like rhiferable Chymifts, ex- trad Poyfon out of Cordials, a Curfe out of a BleiTing. Riches were defigned by God to be fubfervient to that Compaflion wliich he has im- planted in humane nature : but now they are be- come the means of fuppreiTmg and eradicating it. Rich men look upon poor, as if they \\xre crea- tures of ajiother Jfecies, things w herein they were perfedly unconcerned. 'Tis Siradas fan- cy, that there is fuch a jym^athy raifed between- ti\o Needles touched by the jame Loadflonej that perfi/7s at the greatejl dijl.i/jce may by the confcnt of their motion r^aintain a, correjpondency. I (hall not undertake for the truth of the Experiment, but however methinks 'tis matter of reproach to us, that thefe inanimate creatures ihould have fo much obfervable accord, as to give pretence for fuch a conjeiflure, whileft men who have fo many undoubted principles of union both from nature and grace, have quite extinguiflied all ef- feilsdfthem. That too many have fo, there needs 74 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. needs no other evidence than the many unfuc- cour'd extremities of the Poor. For how elfe can it become pofTibie, that one rank of men fhouldgluttonize, and another iiarve? That he that thinks it death to endure either the v/ant or l moderation of a Meal, (liould never confider I what are the gripings of the ftill empty fto-f mach? that he fliould without all regret lee his own humane nature pining and langaifhing in the perfon of his poor brother, w^hiieft in him- felf 'tis oppreft with the quite contrary ej^ceites, and might be relieved in both by a more equal di- ftribution ? 21. AND now who can fufficiently deplore the wants of the Poor, . (hall I fay, or rather the in- humanity of the Rich ! This furely is the fadder fpedacle of the two : the one only fuffers, the other fins. And that fuflPering too may end in eternal refrefhment> whereas the other in endlefs ttorment. Lazarus refis in ^Abrahams b of omywh^n. the uncharitable Glutton fries in perpetual/^/»^^. And oh that this were throughly weighed, that they would confider that every degree of unmer- cifulnefs theyfhew toothers,revertswith a reboun- ded force upon themfelves ! Alas, *tis not fo much the poor mans body, as their own fouls, that fue for their alms. And whenever they fliut up their . bowels of compaflxon from the one, what do they but (T<^esf'yK^v Tajic«a, fealnp Gods Horehoufes and treafuries from the other ? When they deny the crti?ns from t\mt tAble, they deny themfelves a dm of vpater to cool their tongues^ ' 2z, BUT JdJvantAge of Wealth. 7| 22. BUT Ifear this of Illiberalky maypafs for a moderate crime in this Age, when fo many- are guilty of another fo far tranfcending it. For do we not fee divers, who inliead of abating their Excelfes to relieve the poor, do mAintam their Riot upon them? If the defperate Debts of poor Tradefmen were examined, I doubt not this would appear a fad truth. 'Tis become fo falhi- onable a thing to run into Scores, and fo un^ fafliionable to pay them, that he is fcarce thought well-bred, that has not bankrupted one at leait of each Trade he deals with. Their only care is to get credulous Merchants, who fo long as they truft ftoutly ihall have fair words, but if once their faith fail, then, as if the Soltfi^im dodrine had ftretcht itfelf into Traffick as well as Di- vinity, they are pronounced Reprobates, and as folicitoufly av^oided as the Separatifi fliuns a per- fon whom he is pleafed to call carnal. Pollerns and dbfcure paffages are contrived on purpofe to efcape them ; fo that a poor Creditor muft give many days, nay moneths attendances, be- fore he can fo furprife a Gentlemany as to come but to ask his own ; an4 then the beft return he ufually meets with, is fome empty promifes to bribe a delay". But fometimes he fares much worfe, and as if *twere a crime not to ftarve ft- lently, he is reviled and reproached, and har/h and contumelious language become his only pay- ment- It has bpeii received as a Maxim, T^hu we are all kind to our orvn creatures : But this cafe ^lews 'tis no univerfal rule; for t^ofe who thus 76 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. make poor men, are of all others tlie moft bar- barous to them m their poverty. But let thofe who thus ihuifle olf their Reckonings with men, remember that there will come a day; when they Ihall not be able to decline their Accompt to God. And with what horrour and confufion muft they appear at that Audit, when'they ihall be charged not only with the mifpending their own eftates, but other mens, the having added robbery to un- mercifulnefs ? 23. IF in the next place w^e fhall refieil on the Apoftles caution of not being highrm'mded or trujiing in uncertain riches^ we mufl: turn to our ■Bibles to be fatisfied there w^as ever any fuch charge given, there is fo little of it to be read in mens pradices. Humility is a plant, that is carefully weeded out of all rich grounds, ac- counted a mean degenerous quality, that like Treafon attaints the blood, and forfeits Nobili- ty. Gentlemen, though they are for the moil part very guiltlefs of the Fharifee's abftinence, the frfting twice a weel% do yet tranfcribe the worfe part of his copy, the thinking they are not like other men-, and believe it a juftice they owe their birth to do ib. They have mounted them- felves aloft, and looking down from thofe Pma- cles of Honour, all below feem little and con- temptible, creeping things of the Earth, Vv'orrns 'and no Men. I am not fo for confounding of Qua- j lities, astoexad they fhould choofe their Inti- mates and Companions put of the loweft rank. I know Prudence as well as Pride has drawn a Advantage of Wealth. 77 Partition-wall between them ( though perhaps the latter has railed it to an unnecelTary height ) but I wifli it might be remembred, that as the Precept of Not eating Blood was defigned not for it felf, but as an Hedge againft Murder, {o that juft diftance, which Order recommends be- tween the Noble and the Mean, is valuable only as a fence againft bafe and ignoble pradiices ; true greatnefs confifting in defpifing not the perfons, but the vices of the vulgar. Yet here alas ! the fcene is quite changed, and many who look the moft faftidioufly on the one, will yet mix freely with the other ; and while they foar the high- eft in the opinion oi their fuperiority, do yet ftoop to the Ibrdid beftialities of the moft abje(5t of men. Nay, indeed this Lure does fometimes make many of them defcend even from their pundilioes, and thofe who at another meeting muft have look*dfor no other treatment but what St. James defcribes, Jam. 2. ^. Stand thou there, or fit here under my foot-ftool, fliall in the rounds of good fellowiliip be equal with the beft: fuch a Leveller is Debauchery, that it takes off all diftindions. But in the mean time how great a fliame is it, that fuch vicious motives fhall have force enough to make them thus degrade therrt- felves, when all the Engagements of Chriftianity are not able to do that which is much le(s, to abate any thing of thofe tumours, thofe fwelling conceits of their own greatnefs or (in the Ffal- miJFs phrafe ) to make them know themselves to be but tj\[en ? 24. NOIl 78 THE GENTLEMAN'S GALLING. 24. NOR has the other branch of the cau- tion any better fuccefs among tljem. 'Tis in many of them too difcerriibie, that they place that Trufi in uncertain Riches, which they flioiild repofe only in the living Go a. ; fo making his. Gifts his Kivals, and raifing him a Competitor even of his own Bounty. For this we need no other ways of probation, than only to examine, whether it is, that in any cafe ot difficulty or diftrefs they make their earlieft and mofl: impor- tunate addf effes, for there we may conclude them to fix the greateft confidence. And I fear 'tis too apparent, that where wealth makes but any the flighteft pretences, promifes the leaft aid, though but remote, and at the fecond hand, it hasmoft of their applications. Thus in cafe of Difeafcj they whofe plenty enables-themforthe coftlier methods of cure, is not their firft refort thither ? Do not their Fees fly fafter than their Prayers ? And are they not much haftier to in- vite the Phyfician than the Divine ? Nay, in- deed the latter is fcare ever admitted, till the former have forfaken them ; a flirewd indication, where their prime hopes are built. So again ih any difaftrous event, the firfl: ElTay is whether Mony will heal the Wound. ^ He that is un- der the difpleafure of a Superior, feeks to ap- peafe by Prefents, of buys the friend/hip of a E/aJlusj A6ts 1 2. 20. to mediate for him. He that is brought before a Tribunal, endeavours with the fame golden Engihe to draw off his Profe- eurof , to bend and incline his Judge. He whofe Wealth Advantage of Wealth, 79 Wealth makes him purfued as adefirable Prey, experts his fafety even from that which is the Original of his danger; and as i^XikQd. Scorpion it alone could cure its own fling, tries whether a part will fecure the whole. And in the mean time no attempt is made to call in God to their refcue; asifhewerean Idle unconcern'd Speda- tor of humane affairs, or fo inconfiderable an Ally, as not to be worth the care of engaging him on their fide. Nay even in their lalt and dreadfuUeft danger, many feem not to quit their dependence on their^Wealth ; {omeTefiamentar/ Charities muft then do wonders for them, and pals for all thofe Fruits of Repentance, whicH fliould fecure them from the Wrath to come. Even thofe that have drunk the blood of the Poor, fuffered the moft of it to incorporate into their Eftates, think by difgorging fome fmall part of it ( which perhaps lies crude, not yet fo digefted) in a Legacy y to eafe their confciences : fo adapting their Reftitutions to their Rapines, only in this one refped, that thofe as well as theie are of another mans goods ; they never com- mencing till death hath diifeized them of all pro- priety, as if the Iniquity of the Fathers were in this fence to be vifited upon the Children, Thus their Wills become their only Pafs-port, to con- vey them to ^Abrahams bofom, and by thus ca- joling the Poor at parting, they truft to extin- guirti the clamours of all former oppreilions, and in fpight oi Solomon will hope, that Riches {hall froft in the day of vprath* It will not here be per- So THE GENTLExMAN'S CALLING. pertinent to inquire how many other objeds of Truftthey have, which divert them from that one, to which the Apoftle direds them. It may lliffice in general to fay, that none can be fuppo- fed indeed to trujl on the living God, but thofe who by fmcere piety qualifie themfelves for his prote- (ftion ; according to which meafure 'tis to be fear- ed many even of the faireft pretenders will be ex- cluded. 2 5. I F now we proceed to the /^/ part of the 'Rich mms Duty y tllQ QXQYcICq oi^ Temperance, we may without an Jugur divine the return of that Inqueft. For it having formerly appeared, that they turn that ftream, which fliould flow in Cha- rity, to make the fuller current for their Luxury, *tis vifible they are far from defigning any felf- denial. But if that inference were not proof enough of it, they daily give us ocular demon- llrations: What ftudious provifions do they make for the ^Qih to fulfil the lufis thereof ? Rom. 15.14. Nature affords not Meat delicate enough for their palats; it muft be adulterated with the coftly mixtures of Art, before it can become Gen- tile nourilhment. And in this they are arrived to fuch a nicenefs, that Cookery is become a very myfterious Trade, the Kitchin has almofl: a5 many Intricacies as the Schools. And the quan- tity of their Meat is not Icfs extravagant than the kind : 'One that did but examine their "Bills of Fare, would think the Dogs appetite were the Epidemick Difeafe among them, if he did not confide r they had Eyes to be fed as well as Bellies^' jidvantage of Wealth, 8i Bellies. Nor will they be fo Ununifoim, as not to have their Drink bear a fall proportion with their Meat; and 'twere well it" it did no more, that their Drinking had but thofe fet hours of their Meals, that To there might be at Icaft fomc Intervals and Paufes in their Debauches ; where- as now many perfons allow themfelves no longer Intermillions than may juftqualihc them, for a new Excefs; recover their \vits only (o far, as may put them in capacity of loling tlicm again. 2<5. BUT befides thefe, there is a?7ether fcrt offrovifionfortheflejh, of which they are nolefs folicitousv and which many buy in at very dear rates. The embraces of a wife are as naufeous to them, as Manna, to the IjraeUtes. 'Tis Variety they hunt after ; and fo they might have the Turk's Seraglioy they would not ftick to take his Maho- met am fm\v\t\\2\. Nay if that were as agreeable to their Reafon to believe, as to their inclinations to imbrace, they would certainly reckon it a con- fiderable part of the prize, as that which to the prefent polTeflion fuperadds a liberal reverfion of thofe brutilli delights, and would think they had made a very commodious Bargain, to have fo exchanged the Chriftians prefeht purity, and future Heaven. 27. TO all thefe ExcefTes, that of their Jlp- farel does perfed:ly correfpond : fo much coft, '^^ much bufinefs goes to it, that one may almoft a > cheaply and eafily rig out a Ship, as {et out a Gentlemam in his compleat Equipage. Hov/ 8z THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. many Artinccrs go there to the piecing him up! He tliat Ihr/uld allign him one to each Limb, AvoLild mjach contrad the number, which is in- deed i'o great, that itit were computed 'twould be tbund it conftituted moft of the Trades in a Common-weilth. A Rrange diiproportion, thac the Little World (liould lb much outvie the Greater; and a lively inftance it is of the multi- plying faculty of Vanity, that can improve Na- tures iimple neceflity of covering, to fuch an exorbitant exceis, and has nurft up the firft Fig- leaves to fuch a luxuriant growth, that theii^r- cmU'/?Oaks, which ^J[leU tells inch wonders of, are but a kind of Pigmy-plant to tliemthat thus overfpread the World, and from covering of Shame, are gro\An to iliadow and darken Reafon kfelf, (o ere at ing a ■u'^lord nakedr^efs, whilft they hide a Natural. 28. T O all the reft we may add their Sprts ^x\6i Kecrea!/o;2s%, the expenfiveners whereof is no way infcrlour taall the former. Gaming, like a Quick-fand, 1 wallows up a man in a moment; and iiow many fuch Wrecks have thefe latter Ages produced? Hawksj and Houp7dsj and Horfcs, f-rc. are fomewhat flower devourers, yet as they are managed by fome, tend much to the fame end : i'o that me thinks fuch men feem to make thciame menaceto their Eftates, which Goliah did to Davidy 1 Sam. 17. 44. 1 ■will, give thee t9^ th:; fouls of the Atr^ and to the beafts of the field. Such vaft numbers of them they have, and thole kept with fuch nicenefs and curiofity, as if they had Advantage of Wealth. g ? had a defigii to debauch the poor animals, and in- fea; them with their luxury. 'Tis now no news in the hteral fence, to have the Childrens bread gwentoDogs) and it may within a while be as little, to have not only their Children, but thcm- felves want it. For Prodigality is of the naturs of the Viper, and eats out tlie bowels of that Wealth which gave it birth; and JcUo^^'s fate was both Emblem and Story, to be eaten up xyiih his ovon Dogs. 25>. W E have feen now how much their ira- Bice fwerves from their D/#^ : Let us next a lit- tle confider, whether they might not be happier^ if they were regulated by it. And firft, np-udent over fight of their }:ftates is fure far from being fuch an oppreffing burden as Ibmeare willing to fancy it. For if it be moderate, and ilich oniv I recommend, it is fuppofed to exclude all pain- ful and difquieting folicitudes, and then it be- comes only of the nature cf a Divertifement, helps them off with fome of thofe fpare hours, whofe emptinefs becomes their Load, and which they would elfe be in pain, and probably at no fmallcoft to difpoleof. And I fee not why it fliould not be full as pleafant at the inlfant, to talk of their own affairs, as of other mens, (which yet are the ufual entertainment of thofe that neg- red their own ; ) to take up Accompts at home, as Reckonings at the Tavern: And I am fure'ti^ much more lb in the confequences of it, as much as Peace is above Difcord and Tumult, Plenty abov& Indigence and Neceffity. G ^ ^o.NEXT 84 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. 30. NEXT {qx Contcntmetit, univerfal con- fent iuperfedes the labour of proving that a hap- pincis, it being unanimoully accorded to be the EHxir and Quinteflence of all that pretends to that title ; to be to all theie outward things, as the Soul is to the Body, that which animates and irifpirits thern, without which they are bu t dead, yea noifomecarcaiTes, prelTures inftead of enjoys ments. This is the true I'hilofofhers fione, that turns all it touches into Gold ; the poor man is Rich with it, and the Richeft poor without it. Whoever therefore deilres to improve his Eftate, let him begm his culture or husbandry upon his mind, plant there this Tree of Life, the fliade whereof will yield him a perpetual refrefliment, 'twill make him always as Rich as he defires to be; and he certamly knows not what he asks, that demands more. 31. THE next Duty that of Liberality, may perhaps be thought not to have fo amiable an afped ; but it is only by thole who look upon it through falfe Glaffes : men generally confider it as a piece of fpiritual rapine, an Engme framed by Divines to force open their Coffers, and plun- der them without a War. But if they would but turn the right end of the Perjpectivey 'twould then have a quite eontray appearance; they would di.'cernthat it isthe means to multiply, not di- miniih their ftore, a more profitable way of ufu- ry than any the grecdieft Extortioner hath ever found out. 'Tis a lending to the Lord, Prov. ig. n. w h4 THE GENTLEiMAN'S CALLING. After- induftry, that being ftill able to make far- ther improv^ements, bring in new acceflions to their Knowledge. And this is io inviting an en- tertainment, as may very reafonably exped their companies fume hours of the day in their Stu- dies. (5. BUT tlwughthisbeaconfiderable, yet is it not the weightieft part of that care they owe themfelves. For as the Soul confider'd in its i;/- uUecfj may thus become their PupiL fo in fts Morals It has often need to be their Patient. For though in its Original Conftitution it wasper- fe^flly pure and healthy, yet by inhabiting in this pefl-houfe the Fleili, it hath contraifted much of its contagion ; and by how much the more deli- cate and refined its compofition is, fo much the more mortal are the dileafes to which it is fub- }ect. It will therefore require a clofe and wary attendance. A Phyfician that has a nice and ten- der Patient, muft be very afliduousin his care, obfervant of all Symptoms, watchful againft all accidents. And fo certainly fliould men be here ; they fliould make daily obfervations how their ghoftly fbrength increaies or decays, what Hu- mour moft predominates, whether Choler boil iip into rage. Phlegm freez into floth ; whether the Sanguinenefs of their temper make themluft- ful, or the MelanchoUy revengeful, and accord- ingly apply their fpiritual Purgatives, the Baths, or the £aUftra, prefcribe rules of Diet and Exer- eife. And doubtlefs whoever makes thefc daily ftrid infpedions mto himielf, will by the inefti- mable M'vantage oftime. 95 mable benefit he receives from it, be taught how great a blefling his Time is, and how much a . greater to have grace thus to employ it. 7. BUT though a Mam Jelf be a Province wide enough to take up a good part of his time, yet muft he not fo ingrofs it, as to defraud his Neighbour, who has alfo a right to fhare in it : God having made man after his own Image, has (as part of that ) damped upon him the Bounty and Communicativcnefs of his nature : and there- fore when wehve wholly to ourfelves, we rale and deface that Imprefs. And when 'tis remem- bred that the hainoufnefs even of Murder is by God pronounced to arife from the vioUtton of his ImagCy Ge^. 9. 6. parity of reafon muft conclude this no light guilt. Nor is it only our Goods we are to impart (for that were a very partial Tran- fcriptof that Bounty we are to itnitate, which gives us fo much befides) but in general whatever other Abihty we have by which our neighbour may receive advantage ; and fo a man has as many employments of his time, as he either finds or can make opportunities of doing good to others. I fay make ; for fure fince God hath conftituted Love to our neighbour one of the fundamental laws to Mankind, we are not to look upon it only as an accident or cafualty, but as a main and de- liberate bufinefs of our lives ; not refer it wholly to chance whether ever we Ihall do an ad of this kind, or no, but induftrioufly feek out and im- prove occafions. Thus we find the LiberaHty of ourBlefled Lord reprcfented to us in the parable S6 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. ofthe great Supper J Lukei^.i6. where there was not only liberal provifionsmade forfuch as would come in, but importunity uled to draw them, particular invitations made to the poor and the mAtmed, the halt a^d the blind ; and when that brought not in guefts enough^ the Uigh-veays and hedges were to be ranfacked, and a general Prefs, as it were, made of men, to receive not the Ear- neft-peny of Death, (wliich is ufuallythe figni- fication of our Prefs- mony) buithe Antepallof Eternal life. O that all thofe who pretend to greatnefs of mind, would copy out this Munifi- cence, that they would prevent mens defires, and invite them to come and be obliged by them. For want of this, many occafions of doing bene- fits are loft ; the modefty of fome, perhaps the pride of others, averts them from requefting thofe alliftances they moft need. It were there- fore the noblefi Study a Gentleman could enter- tain himfelf with, to fearch the various Wants of thofe within his fphere. But then he muftbe fure to do it with a candid defign, the more op-, portunely to apply himfelf to their aid : he muft not treacheroufly inquire, who wants knowledge to deride, but inftrud them ; not hunt out a de- bauched perfon, to make him his Companion, but his Convert ; not find out quarrels to foment, but compofe them ; in a w^ord, not pry into other mens concernments, like a bufie-body, but a Friend ; not to comply with his own curiofity, but their need. And now he that pays a juft Tri-; bute of his Time to thefe three grand Duties;t. will jidvantage of "lime, g -j will (when the other dues to Nature, temporal Aflfah's, and necejGTary CiviUties are deducled ) not have much to lacriiice either to Idlenefs or Vice, but will rather thuik he wants Time than Bufmefs. 8. BUT a!ai. the full Icifure they generally find for the dircd contrary employments, wit- nelTestojirrefi'agably that they are not thus ta- ken up. It is true uideed, we iind God often in their Mouths, but it \^ rather in Oaths, than Prayers ; as if they meant their profanations lh:)uld betheonlytellimony that they believed a Deity. Hjw many are there luch profeft Vota- ries to BriCcb.'tSj that their Knees arc relcrved on- ly for him, never to be bent but in drinking of Healths ; that lecm to have enaded to them- fel ves the prophaner part of Dj.ri/is's Law, Da;?. 6. 7. tliat of .^skh'^ no }^etitton of God, only herein out-vying liioi, that theirs is for an indeiinite, not limited time ; who reckon Saying of Prayers among thofepedantick tasks of their childhood, which expire with the Rod and IcrnU^ and can never think fit to debale their more Manly ftatc to it, unlefs perhaps a relHefs night may force them to call it in to fupply the place of a more ufual and pleaiing A/^ody-ie. . Whccher this be not the pitch of many GentUmens Devotion, I appeal to any that obferv^es their Pradice. 9. N O R- have tliey much more to do in the Library, tlian the Oratory, unlefs it be ftored with yiomanccs'. any deeper fortof reading is as formidable tj them, as the Mines or Galleys; tl -AW n THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. nor do they without wonder look at thofe who can volantarily kt themfelves to tug at thofe Oars. But Divinity is beyond all others under prejudice with them, decried not only as a crab- bed; but ungenttle ftudy ; {cy that upon pain of Reproach, none are to know more of it,than may juft qualifie them to deride it ; or read the Bible to any other purpofe, than to enable them to blafpheme God in his own ftile. If thefe men may befaidat all to converfe with God, it is in the fame manner, that the Pharifees did with our Saviour, wdth the infidious defign of entangling him in his talk , M/itth. 22. And fure the more time is thus fpent, the worfe. 10. PROPORTIONABLY to this they acquit themfelves of the other parts of this Duty ; that Jime which they fhould beftow ei- ther in preventing or curing their fpiritual Ma- ladies, they layout wholly in contracHngor in- creafing them. They have made a moil ftriil league with the Flefli, and like faithful Confe- derates they omit no endeavour to ftrengthen its Party, to lupply it with freili forces, the ex- pence of the whole day is managed wholly in or- der to that end. Thus that they may be fure to keep their Lufthigh and vigorous, they give it a nouriihing breakfail of Slcth in the morning, a full meal of gluttony at noon, befides multi- tudes of collations in obfcene Difcourfe and Fan- cies, all the day: and Vv'irh thefe Auxiharies, it need no:: doubt to maintain the Field againft poor macerated Chaff ity. So again, left Sobrie- ty A dv ant Age of 7me, pp ty fliould happen to furprife them, and gain but the honour of one Day, how vigilant are they to give it the Fxrll: alTault ? Scarce a day that they 3ra .V not up in BatalU againft it, and feldom mifs giving it a total Rout; and if Sleep like a Mift befriend it to fleal upon them in tht morning again, yet that little fuccefs is but a preparation to a more (ignal Defeat in the after- noon, which is \A ith many, a time allotted whol- ly to thefe skirmiihes ; perhaps the chafe follovv- ed all night, nay, purfued ih far by fome, till an habitual Sottiflinefs fave them the labour of theib Quotidian Combats. Nor is their Pride (oaf- fronted, as to be forgot in the diftribution of their Time, a good fcantling of it is cut out to its ufe ; fome in contriving and defigning their Cloaths, and fome in putting them on; lomein admiring themfelves, and fome in projevfling to be admired by others ; fome in hearing flatte- ries, and more in refleding and ruminating upon them. II. AS for thofe broken parcels of Ttme^ which are not thus devoted to thefe or fome other fet and folemn Senfualities , they arc gleaned up by Sports and unfigniricant paifimes : nay, even fome who abftain from the former, do yet fo wholly abandon themfelves to the latter, that their lives become utterly unprofitable. Un- der this number I have no intention to include all who allow themfelves Recreations ; I know fome divertifement is fo neceffary both to the Body and Mind of a man, that if it keep within mo- H 2 derat?. loo THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. derate bounds, it is but a juft debt to himfelf, *" and cannot fall under any ill charader: but that vrlncli is reprehenfibie in this matter, is the excels and inordinacy of it, the making' that abufinefs, which fliouldbebut adiveriion. And this we fee too ufual with m'auy,who ablurd- ly ftretch this priviledge of their Gentilityy even till it break ; purfue their iports of Ha wking and Hunting, &c. fo vehemently and afliduoufly, that ere they are aware, they adopt thefe their Callings ; never confidering that a Faulconer or Huntfman is indeed as mean a Vocation, as thofe they moft defpife. Bat whatever other paRimes of this nature any man fuffers to ufur|i his tim3, he does in it extreamly reproach him- felf, tacitelyconfedes, that he is untit for gene- rous and manly imployments, and caUs himfelf Child, v/hile he thus triues and plays away his days. 12. I K N OW not whether I may rank the great and Acc^ Gamcjhrs in this File ; lor though the nature of their imploymen't belong to it, yet there are fuch confiderable ruinous efteiils of it, as feem to place it in the number of more feri- ^ ous Ills. And indeed, though Cuftom hath cal- led it Play, yer the many anxious fears and un- cafie Commotions which ufualiy attend it>evince the great impropriety of the Title, and would, morereafonably have given it a name of thedi- re(5t contrary importance. But as feigned names are commonly an art of concealing perfons, fb . this Trade allumes the ftile of Divertifement, in- i ^ '-'■"" ' deed Ad.'v^ntdge of7hnc. lot deed to difguife its true Original, which undoubt- edly is Covetoufnefs. For what imaginable cauie can there be affigned, befides the defire of Win- ing, that rtiouid make men venture what they are fo unwilling tolofe? It is certain, he that plays for a Piece, has as much of the divcrtive part, as he that (rakes a thoufand , and w ere that all were defigncd, men need not, and certainly would not fo profufcly Over-buy what offers it- felf at fo much a cheaper rate. I know this is a motive men think too Ibrdid to own, but would God they would once learn ( in this better fence) to revei'e themfclves as well as others, and de- fpife to be prevailed on by what they arc aflia- med to avow. But the event ordinarily fpeaks it as great a Folly, as Mcannefs, of v.hich there are too many lad inftanccs in tlie (lupwrackt Fortunes of thcfe Adventurers.. And indeed there is nothing wonderful in it, but that men will be fo mad as to run the hazard. F^ if they happen togctlbme fev/ good Crops, yet they quite wear out the foil with them, forfeit that ReputationAvithallconfideringmen, which fhould let them into farther opportunities," and H 3 kav© I02 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING • ' ^eave themfelves to live not fo much upon their own Wits, as other mens Follies. It is true in- i deed, that hath in thefe latter days proved a pretty large Common to graze on, andlome have leemed to thrive well upon it ; but generally fuch Cattle meet at laft with a pinching Winter,, which leaves them as bare and meagre, as ever. In fhort, Cheating has ufually a reflexed effica- cy, and deceives none more than thofe that ufe it : yet fuch a ilroke hath it novi^ got in Gaming, that in mofl: Companies it leaves men only this miferable choice, Whether they will be adive or pafiive in it. Which methinks Ihould be enough to awake men, as immoderate Tyrannies ufe to do, to vindicate their Liberties, and reduce Ga- ming from this exorbitancy to its Primitive ule, make it ceafe to be a Trade, and become a Re- creation; and that too bounded within fuchjuft limits, that it may not incroach on thofe hours whichlhould be deftined to greater concernments. But as it is between this and the reft, either Im- pertinences or Vices, all their time is fo pre-inga- ged and fore-ftalled> that their moft important intereft is left forlorn and negleded ; they have as little Leifure as Will to confider the poor Soul, or fcarce to remember that they carry any fuch trifle about them. 13. AND now they that thus forget Cod and themfelves, no wondar if they afford little confideration to their bretnren. They will not be guilty of fuch an Indecorumj or deny the Body , of fin its e^a<^ fymmetry, by making this part unpro- Advantage of Time, lo? unproportionable to the reft : and therefore tliey either allow no part of their time to others, or do it to fuch inverted perverfe purpofes, as makes the payment worfe than robbery. Thus many be- ftow Vifits on others, not out of any purpofc of . kindnefs, biit either to trifle away their own time, or to make obfervations, what they can Ipy ridiculous to entertain their laughter. A my- ftery the hondon-Vi^vc^nts are generally \vell read in, who have put this bufinels longfince into a fetled courfe ; lb that the difcoveries • of one Vi- fit fets them in a flock of defaming, backbiting- difcourfe for the next, and fo fucce/Iiv^ely ^d in- fimtum. So again, many who call themfelves Gentleme?7y much to the reproach of that title, if they can find out ^.young Heir of much v'leakh and little prudence, how officious, how diligent are they in attending him ? watching him as glad- ly as a Vulture does the fall of a Carcafs, till they hnd an advantage to rook him at Play, entangle him in Suretilhip, or perhaps betray him to ibme mean and unequal Match. So if they hear but of a beautiful Wo7nan, what contrivances, what defigns do they lay, firft to fee, and then to cor- rupt her; make it a bufmefs to themfelves ; as well as a trade to their agents and fadors, to fpring fuch game? And upon fuch occafionsas thefe can liberally facririce their lime, of which when any Charitable office would borrow from them but fome few minutes, they are then fuch bufie peribns, they can by no means afford it. hNabals blunt and churl: jh refufd, or at.beif a H 4 Felijy'a I04 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. Fel/-x's put off to n conz'cnterJt {ea^'on, are the ufa- al returns to llicli motions. But to anticipate the Propofal, to go in qucftoffuch Opportunities, looks with them like a ^\^qq.q{ }Lr.ight-crra.ntYyy has fo little of their practice, that it fcarce efcapes their fcorn. 14. AND now what a heavy Bill of Indid- ment is like one day to be brought in againft them, when God, their Souls, and their Neigh- bours Hiall alijoyninthe Charge! Oh that they would I'eafonably confider how fadly obnoxious they are to it, and that condemnation which will inevitably follow it ; that fo they may, accord- ing to Chrifts counfel, Mcit. 5. 2 5. agree rvtth thefe adverfaries rvhile they Arc in- the ve^y-, and by yielding to each of them for the future a juft portion of their t'tme^ compound the bufinefs, Hop the Procefs againft them. That they would remember, that of all their prodigalities, this of their Time is themoftde- ijperate, fuch as is moft impollible to redeem, and yet that wherein they are of all others the deeplieft concerned. And this they would cer- tainly be convinced of, if their Aery fancies could but ^o condenfe into Earth, as to bring them into any acquaintance with their Beds of dull:, give them Ibme foretail:e of their Dying terrors: for let them but fadly think what they would then give for iome few of thole Days they now ftudy to fling away, and they cannot chufe but infer theneceility of being better Husbands. We ^/dva^tage of time. 105 We read in Scripaire of the Demoniacks dwel- ing among the Homis : but the Devil has iiire changed that habitation ; for thofe whom he now polTeiTes he permits not to converfe at all there, as knowing it is the propereft preparative to his difpofleflion. And doubtlefs it would be tliemoft powerful Exorcifm, as of all others, fo of this Evil fpirit (this filching Devil, that thus Heals from men their precious hours) often to defcend into the Vault or Charnel-houfe, and by ferious confideration how lliort their time is, to inforce upon themfelves a care of redeem- ing it. 15'. NOR need they fear, that to redeem their time, theymuft fell their Pleafures, give up themfelves to a joylefs ftate of life. For though it is true they muft refign their counter- feit, they (hall hav^e real Delights in exchange ; they muft part with their Glafs, but iliall have Gold inftead of it. And as none but a rude In- didn will repine at that bargain in the Literal, fo none but a ruder Chriftian can diilike it in the Moral fence. For in the firft place, he that im- ploys his time in converfing with God, is not "on- ly more honourably and more profitably, but al- io more pleafantly bufied than he can poflibly be any other way. We all fay, that God ts the Cen- tre of Fe/kity: but he gives himfelf the lie, that does not withal confefs, that the clofer acquain- tance we have with him, the nearer approach we make to happinefs. For whoever believed the Sun io<5 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. Sun tx) be the Fountain of heat, and yet feared to freez by drawing near its Rays ? Indeed none but the down-right Atheift can with any tolerable Logick, difpute the pleafantnefs of this Duty. Forcanany whofe Faith hasfet up a God, fuffer their fancies to drefs him like a Fiend ? Put on him fuch unlovely fhapes, as may beget averfion, deter them from approaching to him ? Can they call him a Deity, to whom they will not attri- bute fo much as they will to every ingenuous man, the honour ofbeing good Company? This is to be not only prophane, but abfurd. And if there be any of fo fliort Difcourfe, I fuppofe him uncapable of conviction by Argument*, the com- mon Proverb hath affigned him his Teacher, vi^, Experience. Let him by frequent, yet reverent AddrefTes to God, grow into fome famiUarity with him, bring himfelf within diftanceof re- ceiving his refrefliing Influences, and then he will difcover how very unkind he hath been to him- felf in thus long holding off. In humane Con- verfations we ufe not to find the gufl: and relifh of them, till we arrive to fome degree of Freedom : they that converfe as ftrangers, are under con- ftraints and uneafinefs. And certainly the main caufeof that difguft men have to this Spiritual entercourfe, is their unaccuftomednefs to it. They addrefs to God perfedlly as ftrangers, now a;nd then pay him a flight Viflt, as it were by way of formality and complement ; and then no won- der if it be neither iatisfaftory to God nor them- felves. But then 'tis fure great injuftice tode- Savant age cftime, 107 fame that as iinpleafant, which becomes foonly by their own ill managery ; to fay thereis no wa- ter in the Well, only becauie they negle(5l to pro- vide a Backet for the drawing of it up. 16. I N the next place 'tis fure, their Souls mean them no malice, in exading part of their lime. Forfirft, what they beftow in improving and exalting their UnderfiandmgSy does not only bring them in vaft advantages in the end, but af- fords them alfo very fair accommodations by the way. Learning yields fuch variety of agreeable entertainments, that like the Manf^a in the Wil- dernefs it adapts itfelf to every mans tafl, he that likes not one fort may fit himfelf w ith ano- ther ; and fure he muft have a ftrangely vitiated palat, to whom none of them will relilh. lean Icarce think Nature has produced any thing fo diftempered ; but men take up general and impli- cite prejudices, and will look on Books in no other notion but as Taskmafters, whereas if they wouki but confider them as Companions, they could not mifsof one kind or other, to find a pleafant converfation among them. 17. AS for that portion ot their T/>i»?^ which is fpent in attendance on the yet more fpiritual part of them, 'tis rather a gift than a robbery ,ta help them to fuch a wxy of expence. Ingenuous men think it a prize when they meet an opportu- nity to refcue from the Ibllage of time anything that carries the ftamp of ancient worth and No- bility. But this is a piece of thegreateft Anti- quity, ofthenobleft, yeadivineil: Imprefs. How can io8 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. can mens hours be better laid out, thaninrefto" ring it to its primitive luike, in wiping ofFthat foil wherewith the fteam of boiling paflions hath obfcur'd it, and by disburdening it ot'thofe loads of noxious humours under which it labours, like good Phyficians, recover it from a languifliing', inHrm, to a vigorous athletique habit? Andfure thefatisfadion of this mufr far exceed all other entertainments. Indeed that which is ufually taken up inftead of it, can with no juftice pre- tend to any tolerable complacency. No man en- vies his felicity , but contemns his fordid and abject fpirit, that picks out the bafeft and un- worthieft company : And (liall it here pafs for pleafuretoconfortonly with the plebeian part of himfelf, thofe fenfual Appetites, which are the Common people of this Little world, to fpend all his time in Treating and Carefling of thefe, and in the interim let the Soul, which is of fo noble an extraAion, fo excellent endowments, ftand by negle^fled, nay be trodden to death in the croud of this vulgar rabble? Certainly this is a Tragedy, that no man could fee upon the Stage without indignation : yet God knows, this is it men daily ad over with applaufe to them- felves. Would God they would once fliift the Scene, and let the oppreft Soul have its feafon of triumphing: doubtlefs they w^ouid find it more pleafant to Ihare in its Conquefts than ir\ its ruine. We read indeed of fomc Nations that have by the rites of a barbarous religion been forced to make Uum^tne facrijices : yet we Advantage of'tme. 109 find not that they had fo flaughtered Humanity- it felf, as to make it matter of delight. And has our CiviUty fo far outdone their Barbarilm, thatitfliall be pleafure to do that in fj^ight of our Religion, which they did in O'^edience to tlieirs I To butcher the Man within us, and lea\ e nothing but our outward Fonii and inward Guilt to dif- ference us from Beails ? He that difclaims this, muft necefTirily confeis the i'lcafuie lies on the other fide, in refcuing the Spii it from the ufur- pations, yea tyranny of the Fleili; and confe- quently, that the Time he thus bellows is not loll:, but improved to his own grcateft prefent, as well as future advantages. 18. THE like may (in the laft place) be faid of that part of it which is laid out to the benefit of others, which is that which brings us to tafte the mod delicious of humane dehghts : the pleafure of Obliging being of all thole the moft raviihing and tranfporting. And tor this we need not the verdidofChniHanity : the Philoibpher attelts it as well as the Divine. Nay it is fo received a truth, that fcarce any man will avow fo much ill nature as to refill: it in difcourfe, how much Ibever his prad;icedifowns it. Indeed this is a pleafure of ^o exalted, fo quinteiTential a kind, that wdiat UerocCs Audi- tors faid in flattery of his Oration, we may fay in truth of this, 'Tisthe delight rather of /? God, than a man. That Soveraign Being, though he were eternally happy in himfelf, yet as if he had wanted no THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. wanted of his compleat L^icity Avhiled he enjoy 'd it alone, was pleafjd rather to create, than \'. ant objeds of his goodnefs. And a pleafure to which God himfelf has given fuch an atteftation, as to make a World in order to it; fure cannot, with- out the moft impious contradiction of his choice, be defpifed by man. And certainly 'tis none of theleaft ofthofe benefits he hath vouchfafed our nature, that he hath given us a capacity of it, by affording us thofe powers by which we may ad- vantage and oblige one another; fo pointing us out a courfe, whereby we may not only inno- cently, but fuccefsfully entertain L«^//^yj defign, of being like the moji high. It really makes Men what the Heathens vainly fancied xhtit Heroes, GVQn Demi-gods, O that thofe, who tliink it No- ble to be afpiring, would thus verifie the opinion, by terminating all their wiflies and endeavours in this one Generous Ambition? and then 'tis fure they would not need to be told the happinefs of this fo deifying an imploy ment. SECT. Ill SECT. VII. Of the Fourth Advantage^ that of hif Authority, 'N the fourth place we are to confider the Gentleman s advantage, in refped of his ^^ Authority over thofe that relate to, or de- pend on him. And this, if rightly managed, is of excellent ufe, though as capable of being per- verted, as any of the former. He who has fccu- lar ties upon men, may often, by thofe cords which bind their worldly intercff , draw them to a confideration of their ipiritual. A Tenant who thinks his livelihood concerned in the good Will of his Landlord, A Penfioner whofe lubfiftence refts upon the bounty of his Patron, will ftrive to model themfelves to fuch a form, as may beft fuit the inchnations of the perlbn they defire to endear : they are ufually Wax to him, that are Flint to others. ' But then, as variety of Seals make differing Impredions, fo this flexiblenefs of theirs may be either abufed to ill, or improved to good : this Wax may receive the Image of a Bead: or an Angel. It is therefore the duty of thofe who are polfefl: of this advantage, to ufe it to the imprefling not of Vice, but Vertue ; to contrive how they may moft effedually dif- countenance the one, and encourage the other. And 112, THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. And this they may doubtlefs have frequent op- portunitesof, towards either of thofe relations formemiciicd. 2. BUT to none fo often as to their Dome- jiicks and Menial fervants. Thefe are always fo much in theii road, that they feemtobe marked out by God as their moH: peculiar Province. Every Mailer has fomuch of the Prophet, that hQiS Jet ^ts aVVatchman, Ezek. 3.17. over his Fa- mily, and ought as jealouOy to observe the ap- proach of any Vice towards it, as a Centinel does that of an Enemy. 'Tis a very pernicious error for men to thmk themfelves no otherways con- cerned in their Servants, than they are in their HorlesorOxen, to look upon them only as ano- ther fpecies of Working-cattle, and fo they do their bufinefs care not how arrant Brutes they be. Whereas they Ihould remember, that they with themfelves are common-fervants to the one Great Mafter, and that the fubordinationofthe one to the other is bat the wife Oeconomy of their Lord, who has (as in great Families we fee it ufual) conftituted the one as Stewards orfuper- vifors, to regulate the reft: and then 'twill ap- pear apiece of enormous unfaithful nefs to neg- led this charge. To avoid which guilt, it will concern Gentlemen to have a ledulous care over thofe that are tlius intrufted to them, to make ftri(5t infpe(5lions into the manners of their fer- vants, and accordingly to apply inftrud:ions,and admonitions, reproofs, or incouragements. And that they may not tranfcribe Vharuhs tyrmny of ^Advantage of Authority, iij exacting hrick without Jlrayvj require thefuperftru- dure of Chriftiaii lives, where there wants the neceflary foundation of Chriftian knowledge, theymuft provide that none under their charge bedeftitnteof the means of laying tl. at ground- work, of knowing fo much of Religi ;n as may bring them into an acquaintaincc with their duty. But to give hfe to all thelc endeavours 'tis indif- penfably neceflary for them to avow fuch a Lovc^ to piety and vertue, and fuch a Detcltation of the contrary, that their fervants may iec, that there is but one way of approving themfelves both to their earthly and heavenly Mafter. J. I F it be here Objeded, That it is but a counterfeit vertue, which derives it felf from the care of pleafing men, and fo that this is but to teach them to convert prophanenefs to hypocri- lie: I muft yield fo far as to confefs, that where that continues the final motive, it will nevec avail any man. But as God often ufes temporal and outward occurrencies, to produce inward and fpiritual effeds, foitmay here happen, that thofe whofe firft approaches to Goodnefs were' mercenary, and out of compUance to "others, may by coming within vdew of it difcern it (o amiable, that they may after love it for its felf. And in- deed confidering the rude ignorance ufual among the vulgar, *tis learce imaginable they lliould im- brace it upon the bare ftrcngth of fpeculation,. and therefore mulV be allowed fecular invitations, as baits to allure them. As for thofe that never advance highef than flie mxcr Form ofGodli.yiejs, I Vv hat 114 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. what weight fcever it may add to their own doom, yet perhaps that may juftly be accounted kfs miichievous to the world, than the contrary extreme ; Hypocrifie being a fin that cannot well letup for Froje/ytesy becauieit never ov ns itielf of a diil:indt party from true Piety. And 'us not impoflible, that the example of a feigned Chri- ftian, may teach others to furmount their copy, and be that in fincerity,which he is but in appea- rance : whereas open Vice pretends to no iuch poflibility, breaths nothing but contagion, and like a peft infe^fts communities. We have there- fore reafon to conclude, that if this care were ge- nerally taken, 'twere a fervicenot only to God, but the Common- wealth, which has not more unprofitable, nay noxious burdens lying on her from any rank of men, than from lewd and idle Servants ; who ufing their places only as a llielter for their floth and licentioufnefs, when that Gourd withers, know not whither to retire, but ufually either live Beggars, or die Thieves : whereas if Gentlemens families were io ordered, as to become Seminaries of Induftry and Sobriety, the numberof them is lb great, that they might be able to fend out many Colonies of ufeful and civil perfons. 4. THERE is alfo another fort of KeUtivey viz. a i'riend: over whom though they liave not that Authority, which fprings from this fervile ftock of hopes & fears, yet the}' have one of a much more noble defcent, and more vigorous efficacy. Triendihip has a key to the flcart, which it may ufe not Advantage of Authority. 1 1 ^ not only to let it felf into its fecrets, but alfoto introduce its own conceptions, lentiments, and inclinations; it fornixes with the mind, that it may infenfibly convey into it any Udca. Now to \x{t this intimacy to the bringing in any tiling bafe and unworthy,is the vileft treachery, iiich as \t but impeffedly reprefented by the treafbn of Iiim, who requites his friends hoipitality, by bringing in Thieves or Murderers upon him. A guilt fo vehemently to be abhorred,that none is to think himfelf at a iiifficient and jull diftance from it, but he that induftrioufly purfues the dired contrary ; he therefore that hath a Irtend^ ought ftudioufly to contrive how he may moft promote his advantages, and thole not only his outward jtnd fecular, but alfo ( yea principally ) his in- •Cvard and fpiritual. This is the only lenfc where- in 'tis lawful to have defigns upon him, and in this he is not only licenled, but obliged to have io. He mufl: here ufe all friendly ftratagems to recommend and endear vertue to him, make his kindnefs the vehicle, wherein the more grateful- ly to adminifter whatever is moft wholfome.even i'epfoofs, when they appear {o ; and yet by ta- king his own turn in being the Patient, evince, that 'tis no alTuming humour, that creates him a Phyfician. If friendlliips w^ere thus managed; it would be indeed a moft facred relation, fuch as would be above the violations of thofe petty tri- vial diftaftes, which now adays diifolve them. Hearts that are tyed together with thefe confe- crated bands, arc like Maf^ and H/^t' joyiied toge- I z ther ii6 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. ther infeparably by God, and much for the iame end of propagation ; only herein as far fuperior to their pattern, as the mind is to the body, the divineexcellenciesofa Saint to the natural com- pofition of a man. We may reafonably believe they were FriendlLips of this making, that firft brought that name into fo much veneration, and were they again reduced to this, no Encomiums eould be too iavilli for them. Such a reducement were a work well w^orthy the fpirit and ingenuity of Gentlemen : who fince they generally profels much reverence to the word, 'tis pity they fliould cafb away their adorations on an empty flirine. The Heathens had Incantations to recal their dif- pleaied Deities into their forfaken Images. I wilh they w^ould alfo try fome holy Magick to bring back fome what of the primitive divine fpi^ rit, to animate this now livelefs trunk : that they who juftly think it an ungentile reproachful thing, not to have fome body whom they call Friend, may think it much more fo, not to pay all the real kindnefs due to that appellation. 5'. HAVING thus far given an account what ar^ the proper andjuft imployments of this Authority over their feveral Kelations, our me- thod now requires us to refled: a little on their PracHcCj and that in the moft we fliall find as far Rverving from the rule in this particular, as any of the former. So far, alas, are G^;^//?;;^^^ from making their Power inftrumental to the ikfufing good, that there is nothing more ordinary thart tafeethemdifpofe it to the dired contrary. The ^ra Advantage of Authority. 117 fcorn and contempt they publickly caft upon all piety and vertue, teaches their Dependents how dead a trade that is like to prove to them. And then 'tis very improbable that Codlinefs fliall with them call: the fcales againft Gain. He that aims to get an Exhibition, or any thing propor- tionable, will foon difcern his way lies in a quite oppofite road. He mufl: Hnd out what Vice of the Gentleman he may be moft ferviccable to. Sometimes he mufl: purvey for his Lull, fomc- times for his Intemperance ; and even when he has cloyed thofe grolTer appetites, yet his Pride will always remain infatiable. He mufl: Hill pro- vide air for that Camelion, lay out his whole breath in flatteries ( a more hellifli wind than any the Laplanders fell. ) 'Tis this enlhrining his Diana which is the craft by which he expeCf.s his ■wealth '. and therefore whatever other office he execute by fl:arts, a Parapae is to be his confl:ant trade. 6. I N like manner their Servants are di!ciplined to be the Minillers of their Luxuries, and not only to ferve but tranfcribe them. The Mafl:er's Vices feldom mifs to be taken up by the whole Houfe, as if they were to be the Cognizances and Badges to witnefs to whom they retained. And though for this they might very well trufl: to the efficacy of their bare Example, yet as if they could never be fecure enough of corrupting their Families, they too often add to it Precepts and Rules of Inftitution. Thus it is one of the Fun- damental Laws of their Hofpitality, 'That no' I I (Ira?,^i ii8 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. jlrr.nger he fent Sober aryay. So that their Houfes may well pafs for inchmted Cafi:les\ no Man icarcethat comes into them, being able to guide himfelf our. They keep, as it were, folemn J''<'fls and Hurnements of Debauchery , to challenge all comers, and have variety of Champions to deal with Combatants of all ranks. In ihort, Gemlemens Families are become fuch perfed: A- cademies of Licentioufnefs, that the moft inno- cent Puny will there in a very ihort time become proficient. And this God knows is the ordinary improvement they make of their Authority ; as if theyaffeded to outbid the tyranny of th^Turk, in fending a Halter to his ValTals, and making them their own Executioners ; or thought it a difparagement to their Qualities, to goto Hell without an honourable Retmue. 7. AS for the other fort of power, that which they have over their Friends and intimates, 'tis not difcernible that they manage that better. Who almofl is there, that feems at all to advert to the ElTential part of Friendfliip ? What a Ra- rity, I had almoft faid a Prodigy is it, to find ( even amongft thofe that profeis the greateft dearnefs ) any that hath either the Courage to give, or the Humility to receive an Admonition ? But in iiead of thofe wounds of a Friend, Frov.zj. 6. there is nothing more common among them, th^n t he ki\jes of mFt^emy, fuch mutual loothing in ill, as renders it inveterate and incurable ; and like Joxh to ^Ama^A^ zSam.zo, 10. fJjeds out the Ipovi'elsj when it pretends to kif. Nay, as if it were Adviintage of Authority. up were not fafficient for them tonourifli thofc Vi- ces they find already planted, they '^ow new Seeds, communicate their perfonal ones to each other, as if the community of Friendlhip obliged them mutually to diffufe their poifons. Were many of the clofefl: intimacies now adays ranlack- ed to the bottom, it is to be feared this would be found the bafis and ground- work of them. He that hath adv^anced above the beaten road,arrived to the more elevated myfterious parts of wicked- nefs, ( lihe dephs of Satajiy its they [peak, Rez>. 2- 24. ) would lole much of the guft, if he ll^ould not get fome Confident, to whom at once to boaft, and propagate his Proficiency. Thus fa- crilegiouily is this venerable relation of Friend- fliip prophancd, by being proflituted to the vilell and moft deteftable purpofes ; and by this accur- fed abufe fuffers the faddeft Met amor fhofisj be- comes only a Confederacy in fin, ^a Combination and League againft what they account the com- mon Enemies, God and Vertue. 8. THESE are fuch wretched perverfions of their power^thatone would guefs it were fome great and very confiderable weight o{ frefeyit h/- tere/ly that lliould thus byafs and diftort them. But when that is examind, 'twill be found to lie wholly on the other fide. The former Sedioa gave us occafion to difcern how tranfporting a de- light it is, to be the Inftruments of any good to others. But as there is no good can bear propor- tion with that which is done to the Soul, fo cer- tainly tQ be an Agent in that, muft far tranfcend ' ' 14- tte . izo THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. the pleaiure of all other Benefactions. He that fodifpenies his Bounty,as to engage Men to Ver- tue by it, is indeed the magniHcent Perlbn, out- vies the moft profufe Donations of the greateft Potentates. Tiiey can give but fome little par- cels of Earth, he gives Heaven, and like a migh- ty Monarch hath Kings to do him homage. So I he that by well ordering his Family, makes his Servants to be God's, does not only oblige the* Common-wealth, but is as it were a Patriot even to Heaven it felf ; provides it with Inhabitants, and helps to fecure it from that emptinefs and de- population, wherewith the general wickednefs of men feems to threaten it. And then in relation to fuch his Servants, he is of all other Mafters the moft bountiful and obliging: they provide perhaps fome petty Annuities, he gives a ftate of Inheritance, nay of Eternity. p. THIS is a valt Munificence, yet that which the arranteff Worldling can have no temp- tation to grudge. A man may thus without a Kiddle give much, yet part with nothing, nay, acquire that very thing to himfelf, which he dif- penfes to others. So that here is no place for the ufual ( though unjuft ) Objedion of impove- rijhing onesfelf] which is that alone which often deads the relljfii, or diverts the attempt of other Liberalities. And therefore this fort w^hich is refcued from that one polLible allay, mufi: certain- ly yield the moft vigorous and unmixt Pleafure : it being fure, that Bounty has in it felf fo much of agreement with liumane; Nature, as will ine- \.-. ,^ . . - ,.. ...-.- .' . V ■ vitably ^Advantage of Juth&rity. izi vitably produce Complacence and Delight, where it is not fo interrupted or allayed. 10. I MIGHT here add ex abundnKti, that there is likewife a /i'^/z/^ri'r^// attending it. For \{Gentlemen\\2jdi their Dependents truly conici- entious, they would be of very much more ufe to them. They might employ them fecurely, and need no other Spies upon them but their own Confciences. 'T would not then be_, fo many Servants, {o many Thieves and Harpies, but ^o many Fa(5lors and Traffickers for the Mafters advantages. So that here again their own intereft engages them to this Care: though I confefs 'tis to be wiflied, that the former more ingenuous Motive may be fo prevalent, as to fuperfede all ufe of this ; it being very unreafonable that God fliould need Auxiliaries from ^Ummon. Yet as once the Ifrae/itcs borrovced of the c>^gyptfdf7Sf foitm*ynotbeamifs to make this Inferiour con- fideration a ftep to the other more Noble : that even they who have yet no gufl: of that more He- roick Pleafure, may on the intuition of this Worldly advantage, endeavour to improve their Authority to the Spiritual good of all that belong to them. II. BUT from no part of this Performance may they reap fo rich fatisfad:ion, as from that which is exercifed towards a Friend. For as their concernment is nearer in him, than in the former more diflrant Relations, fo the Pleafure of doing good to him, muft proportionably encreafe ; as that heat is moft intenfe which is conveyed by the neareffc I2Z THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. neareft Reflexion. He who fo maintains his Vi- tal ftation in the great Body, as to fympathize with every Member of it,mull: yet neceitarily have the moft acute fenfe of v/hat befals thofe parts, to which he is moft immediately conjoyned. But there is no ftrider Union upon Earth, than that of a Vertuous Friemfljif ; and then wliat can be more fatisfadory, than to preferve or advance the Health of that, whofe Maladies himfelf is furetofeel, to improve and benefit that perfon, who is thus become a part of him ? Perfons of quality love to deck and imbelliHi the place where they inhabit, abhor to dwell in a Stie or Dungeon: but friends dwell in each other ; and therefore cannot but be delighted in beautifying and adorning thofe Minds they have thus chofen to live in, in purging them from all foulnefs and pollutions, and rendring them as pure and imma- culate ; nay, as fplendid and illuftrious, as is poflible. Certainly, there is nothing upon Earth more ravilliing, than a Friefidfljip thus entertain- ed. 'Tis fome Anticipation of Heaven, where thofe lines of Love w^hich ftretch themfelves to every part of the Circumference, do all meet in God as their Centre. It is indeed that which fur- mounts the poflibility of an exad defer iption, and referves its full difcovery to be the prize of Experience. Let it be tried, 'and then I doubt not, but he that hath made the Experiment, will readilv atteft the pleafure of thus employing this part alfo of his Authority. SECT, 125 SECT. VIII. Of the Laft Advantage, that of T(eputatm, J. ^ ■ of fin has proved, I fear there are too many thoufands of entangled Souls can witnefs. And on whom can they more properly charge their ruine, than on thofe who have advanced it to this repute in the world ? Mens natural pravity gives them propenfion more than enough to ill ^ and therefore it hath been the bufinefs of Laws both humane and divine ta put a bridle upon thofe inclinati JUS, by fear and fhame to re- drain their inordinacy: but this converts the bridle into a fpur, when thofe that iliould dif- eountenance Vice, thus animate and encourage it. lo. FOR Vv'hat a Temptation is it to the vul- gar to run to all excels of Kioty when they fee their fuperiors have beaten the path before them, and are chemfelves immerft in the moil: brutifh fenfualities? Which of them will endure to be fober, when Drunken n.fs ihall be accounted fo dignifying a quality, that it may make a Pea- fant company for a Lord ? When Gentlemen are Atheiftical, Clowns will think themfelves very modeftly wicked, if they be but prophane. And when they hear their Betters diicharge loud Volleys of Oaths, they will foon find they are as well qualified for that part of greatnefs as the beft. Jheir tongues are as much their orvn^ PfaL 12.4. and will be glad that by fuch an eafie im- ployment of them they can be Gentlemen {o good cheap. 'Twere as endlefs as unnecefTary to enu- inerate the fevcral forts of infcdion, which the Advantage of Rej^utatiof^^ l ^ i ill examples of great men have diffufed. 'Tis too obvious in the moral effeiis to need any- other way of difcovery. And I am fure it ought to be matter of the faddeft reflevfiion to all who are involved in that guilt ; it being a more direful account which they will one day have to make, who have been the Authors of iuch miferable va- ftations, turn'd Communities of Men, of Chri- fl"ians, into Herds of Beafts, nay into Legions of Devils. II. EVERY fin even of the privateft ob- fcureft perfon carries much of contempt and af- front to the Divine Majefty: but great mens vi- ces are of a yet more giantly frame, they pro- claim folemn War with Heaven, levy forces, and draw in multitudes of abettors and confede- rates in their hoftilities. And God knows this kind of Un-evangelical violence the kingdom of \^ Heaven daily frffers. Oh that the Chieftains and Leaders of thele unhappy troops, would at laft think fit to found a retreat ; that they would, in pity if not to themfelves, yet to their feduced followers, ceafe thus defperately to rufli on upon the mouth of the Canon, the Jaws of Hell ! And not only fo, but that they would allb en- deavour to bring them intofome terms of accord with that omnipotent Enemy they have provo- ked ; by their own penitent and reformed lives teach them the pofi:ures of humility and fubmif- fion, as they have formerly done that of defi- ance ! This certainly is that to which common equity obliges them? reparation of injuries being K i con- 1 32 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. confeiTedly an indifpenfable part of juftice. And certainly there can no injury exceed, nay equal this of betraying men to eternal ruine : and con- fequently nothing lefs than the ucmoft induftry to repair it can be any competent expiation. God- grant all thole, whole guilt gives them a pecu-. liar title to this admonition, may own their right to it by a particular and ferious application, fuch as may for the future engage them to the moll: zealous endeavour of reforming not only them- felves, but others, for refcuing their reputation from that tbulefb blot, of being an agent for Sa- tan, and advancing it to that higheit dignity of being ferviceable to God. 12. BUT. there is little hope they will right- ly confider the ufe, w^ho are lb utterly miftaken in the nature of true reputation. A man ofHo- ncur is now underftcod only to be one that can ftart and maintain a Quarrel, that for eveVy the trifiingell: injury expCi^ts like Lamecb, Gen./\.z^. to be aven;ied [everdy and feven fold ; that de- fpifes the Chriftian precepts of Meeknefs, Long- fuffering, and Forgivenefs, as rudiments of cowardife and unmanly pufillanimity, and has no other meafure of courage and gallantry, but by an utter oppofition to all thofe. And whileft reputation is thus hung only at the point of the fword, 'tis a very tit inftrum.'^nt todeflroy bo- dies, butfurenot to fave Souls. We find daily many occafions to complain of the Tyranny of Cuflom and Opinion, but fcarce any where fo much as in tlwfe unjuft and abfurd Laws they have Advantage ofKePutation. ^35 have impofed in this matter: which were they confidermgly weighed would furely evince thcin foch contemptible Legiflators, as would bs enough to dethrone and depofe them from that ufurpcd Empire they now maintain in .thp world , 13. T O take only a ihort and curfory view of them,we Ihall in the firft place find them to be horribly in^pious. For \\ hat can be more ib, than thus to tear off thoie fignatures of Honour, which God himfelf iiath impreif , and vilifie thole whom he hath dignified? Gcd has pronounced that it is the discretion of a man that deferretb his anger, and it is his glory topafs over a tranjgrej- /ion, Prov. ip. 11. And again, He that is florv to anger is better than the mighty-, and he that rideth his Sftrit, than he that taketh aCitj,Frov. 16. ^2. But this new notion of Honour proclaims the quite contrary ; he paffes for a Phlegmatick fool, whofe bloud boils not atthe firftglimpfe of an Affront ; and 'tis Gallantry to offer many Inju- ries, but ignominious Tameneis to bear one. It has always been the indifputable prerogative of < Kings to be the Fountains of Honour ; what an im- pious daring is it then todevefthim of that pri- vi ledge, h whom Kings reign ^ To cancel his Pa- tents, and mark them out as the cbiedts offcorn, to whom God gives fo glorious a teflimony ? Yet thus is it daily done to the men, whom the King of Kings vciil honour ; thele are all the Triumphs x}[vd^'M.ordecxy\ muftexpei5t; an evidence how much worfe they are than Haman, that allot \ \ them,, 134 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. them. Certainly there cannot be an adl of grea: ter defiance againft the Divine Majelly, than thus to reverfe hii> Decrees. And upon this hoftility and oppofition againft Heaven it is, that all the frivatc '^uarrelsy and Combates on Earth are ( as on their foundation ) fnperftruded ; fo that to initiate a Dueilifl:, his firft Challenge muft be di- rected aga inft God himfelf. 14. NOR are thefe falfe meafures of Ho- nour nture oppofite to Religion, than Prudence. The glv^lles the S-a ord-men have put upon the one fundamental Law of Not bearing an Injury, have introduced fuch a multitude of ridiculous Pun- ? Nay indeed, nont can with any pietence put it in ballance with the meet lofs of Life. "For he that is kiil'd ( as every man may be that fghts ) can have no fenfc of that pleafure- and fo becomes uncapable of the compenfationjif that were able to make it. ^ayj fliall delcend yet lower, and with ibme con- fidence a^Tiim; that theuneafie confequcnces even of the victory do quite overwhelm the fatisfadii- pn. For this I dare refer my felf to any of thofe Mdio liave had the unhappy Triumph of a Murde- rer, and dvaibt not that if they willfpeak their experiences, they will tell us that the cry of their Adverfaries bloud in their Confcience, did utterly extinguifli the relifli of it in their Fancy. Or if they were perfons who werehardn^d againft all fenfe of Divine vengeanccyet the fear of Hu- mane was abundantly enough to defeat them of that pleafure they expeded, fo impoflible is it to gather Grapes ^y' thefe thorns, to reap any con- tentment from fo unchriftian an Attempt. Their Revenge is not compleated without Bloud *• and if they have it, it proves a Torrent to carry away that imaginary Delight they projeifted from it. And then what colour of reafon can ^ny man bring, why \\t{ho\x\6. t\ms [ell his [out for nought, and become a FUvomck to Damnation ? 1 6. BUT lic-v(7ige has two ill-matcht quali- ties, Blindnefs and Impetuofity ; and {o all its darts^ thoupli they carry force and venome enough to deftroy all about them;, yet by being ^Advantage of Refutation, 137 ill aimed revert mortally on the breafb whence they were ^^.ot. Certainly there is not in the world a more prodigious Infatuation, than that which rules in this affair. What can be more fenfelefs, than for me, when a man has done me an Injury, to thinkto wipe off that by expofing my ielftomore? When he has given mc the Lye, to invite him to give me the Stab too ? Did ever any man attempt to make up a breach by widcn- ing it ? To dole his wound by tearing it further ? The Phyficians indeed talk of a method of curing fome Difeafes by M^joration : but fure Injuries are not in the number of thofe maladies, not ca- pable of that way of remedy. The greater may, 'tis poffible, overwhelm, but not cure the lels, as the more moderate Pains become infenfible by the fuperveniency of the more acute. Yet I pre- fume none will applaud his choice, that fliould call for the Rack to drown the pain of a Cut fin- ger, which yet is no hyperbolical Emblem of this fort of Revenge. 17. BUT befides all this, our modern Gal- lantry is treacherous to it felf confutes its own pretenfion, and whileft it vainly afTumes the Mo- nopoly of Courage, is indeed the meaneft Co- wardife in the World. That by which we ufeto difcriminate bafe fear from juft caution, is the formidablenefs of the objed feared. No man is reproached for not ftanding the inundation of the Sea ; but to quake at ftepping over a Gutter, would be a ridiculous timoroufnefs. 'Twould be neither wonder nor fliamp to run from ihs pur- fuit 138 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. fuit of a Lion; but to be chafed hy a barking Whelp, is the property of an Hare, not of a Man. And according to this mea.ure, what wretched Cowards arc our greateil i-iectors ? For what can be more ccntempciblc than thofe unjuft Scorns of men they (b tremble at t Which if they were fu re to be univerfal, yet what real ill can they do a man, who does nut by i.'is own fan- cy lend them an edge wherewith to wound him ? But neither can this be the Cafe, till all both Chriftianity and Sobriety be quite worn out of the world. For to a Chriftian, 'tis certain the irreligionof Fighting a Duel would be the moil infamous thing, and even to a fober Heathen the folly of it would be fo too : fo that he can be in no danger of either of their Reproaches, for de- clining it. And when thefe are let afide, who is there whofe cenfure can be at all confiderable ? Yet this fo pitiful dcfpicable thing is it, which fo terrifies and amazes them. And how fliall we define Cowardife, if this be not it? iS. AND as it has the nature, fo has it the Fate of it too, which ufually is by fleeing an ima- ginary danger, to fall into a real. Men fight, that they may not bethought Cowards; and by fighting they do not only become indeed fo, but alio rufli themfelvcs upon other far more formi- dable mifchiefs, run from a Scarcrow into a Fre- cifice. And now what a Riddle is this thing they c^\\Galla/7trvy which fo ftartles at the weakeft noife, yet ftands undauntedly the ftroke of a Thunderbolt ? They who fo dread the reproach ot advantage of Reputation, i^p ^ ' . of vain and impotent men, do yet confidently en- counter the anger of the omnipotent God 5 and if Valour and Fool-hardinefs were not very diftant things, would confute my whole argument by makmg it evident, that they dare be damned. Thus by a ftrange kind of inverted operation their Fear makes them bold : wo'JildGod that Jintipe- rtfiafis might go on to work, till that Boldnefs have again brought them to fear, I mean that penitential Fear, proper to thofe who thus deli- berately provoke the Divine Majefty. I p. AND that very Deliberation is a circum- ftancc of To great an enhancement, as unmeafu- rably heightens the fin. Sudden ads may be ca- pable of fome alleviations by the furprife they make on a mans fpirit : but contrived and preme- ditated Crimes can have no milder appearance than of obftinate Rebellion. And this aggravati- on can fcarceeverbe wanting to a Duel-, many hours, if not days intervening between the De- fignment and the Execution. And in that inter- val 'tis not pollible for all the Opiate Receipts in Satan's Difpenfatory to keep the Confcience {b drowfie, thatitfliall not ftartle, but it will un- doubtedly reprefent to a man the horror of that he is going about : which is no lefs than the enga- ging himfelf in a double Murder, his own, and his Adverfarjes. For the wilful hazard of both faften^ on him the guilt, though both happen to furvive the Combate. But if it be his own fate to fall ( as he has much reafon to expe(5i, who thus puts himfelf put of Gods protedion, nay dares 140 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. dares his vengeance ) what poflible hope can re- main for him, who thus dies in that very a6t of the gveatell: fin ? We are generally apt to think but uncomfortably of thofe who w^ke away them- felves : but certainly many of thofe defei ve to be Canonized, in comparifon with a man that dies in Duel; the Principle cf that bdng often an tx- ceilive Fear of God, which fure is lef> culpable, than a prophane contempt of him. Eefides the temptation in that cafe is ufually more \'iolent and impetuous ; it being ( if not begot, yet ) che- riflit and fomented by Melancholy; the moif un- tractableand obftinate of all humours: whereas the fuggeftion to this hathnofuch Auxiliary to aid it, the original of Quarrels being frequently from too free a Jollity. Andlaftly, that, of how heinous a kind foever, is yet but a (ingle fin, whereas this, aslfaid before, involves a twofold guilt. And of how crimfon a colour muft that . loul appear before Gods Tribunal, that is thus double-dyed in Bloud ! 20. AND now who can chufe but cry out in the Prophet i'fr/s ftile, Hear O Heavens, and hearken Earth ! What ftrain of wonder and amazement can bear proportion with the defpe- rate madnefs of men, that can thus knowingly and conhderingly rudi themlelves upon fuch un- fpeakable mifchiefs? Efpecially fince here they want even that miferable Referve, which ferves to embolden them to other fins, viz. the hope of a future repentance. For thofe that make but the flighteft mcafures of that/ can fcarce fancy apj Advantage of Kcputation, 141 any opportunities of it in this cafe : fince to him that dies, there feldom remains any ipace of in- terval between his fin and his death, no time for thofe clouds to gather, thofe penitential iliowres to defccnd, which ftiould waih away his bloud- guiltinefs; or if there did, yet what expedation is there he ihould employ it to any effed ? Such prefumptuous confiderate fins naturally work an obduration in the heart, which nothing but aa extraordinary grace can remove ; and after fuch an high and daring provocation, 'tis very reafon- able to expe(5l God lliould withdraw even the loweft degrees, but fure not that he lliould add higher. 21. THESE Confiderations are all of them fo obvious, that they naturally fuggeft them- felves. And certainly they are 10 weighty and preifing, that 'tis a Prodigy to fee they Ihould be fo univerfally incifedual : which can proceed from nothing but the wantof clofe and ferious application. Would men dare but to meet fmgle with their own fober thoughts, 'tv/ould certainly fupenede all other Duels. There remains thercr- fore nothing for me to add, but to invite them to this one Encounter, to beleech them to grapple a-while but with the force of Reafon, a Combat of all others the fecureil:, where to befubduedis more glorious than to conquer in any other : and when it has defpoiled them of that falfe courage, which expofes them to fuch diimal ruines, to permit it to re-infpirit them with a true one, fuch as may give them daring enough to ftand up againti 142. THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. againft this fo more than barbarous a cuftom ; to endeavour to banilh it out of Lhrifiendcm, and fo take off that Reproach \^ hich our profeflion lies under from fo impious a practice, which having no other Tenure but Preicription, there needs nothing but Defuetude to deft roy it. Let every man for his own part ftridly abftain from it, and avow the doing ^Oy and then by ceafing to be a Fafhion, it will ceafe to be at all. 22. BUT themifery of it is, no man will af- fume to be lea,^er in this fo noble an Enterprife, to begin this fo necelTary a Reformation: which though it have lb much more of compliance even to carnal Interefts, than its contrary, that I doubt not many wifli it were univerfal ; yet till it be fo, they think 'twill be uncreditable to any particular perfon. But were that the certain event of it, 'tis fure that reproach ought to be de- fpifed, when it comes in competition with Duty. In this cafe the refolution of David ( as great a Srvord-man as any of them ) is moft proper ; i will yet he more vile than thus, 2 Sam. 6. 22. And certainly a man cannot pafs a more glorious Mar- tyrdom, than to fuffer ignominy upon fuch an account. I am fure 'tis a real fhame to fee that men can offer violence to all their deareft com- plicated Lnterefts, to comply with that un- chriftian cuftom, yet cannot crofs a fingle imagi- nary one, to fupprefs it. 23. NAY the truth is, they create Pundli^ lio*s in this cafe, by which themfelves v.' ill not be govern'd in any other. In a common lire does any Advantage ofKefutation. 1 4 j any man fufpend his o\Yn endeavours, till lie fee the whole Tow n running to quench the flame? Or if one of thefe popular perfons had been of the Thilifiims company, when the houfe began to fall^ Jud. 16. 30. would we have fo dreaded the fingu- larity of a folitary efcape, as not to have attemp- ted it, till flioals of others had led the way ? We have had fome experience, under what prejudice a fublkk Act falls, that is by its makers preclu- ded from being a prefident. And fure thefe men do tacitly ( yet very intelligibly ) accufe the un- reafonablenefs of this fear, whileft they confine it to this Tingle inftance. And methinks 'twere butjuft, they fliouldbe required to be confenta- neous to themfelves, and a3t in other things by the fame meafures ; which would prove fo Iharp a penance, as were more likely to reduce them to fobriety, than all the force of Argument. 24. BUT befides this fevere Remedy, there is fure an ^Antidote againfl this Malady y a way ta feparate the Duty from the Contempt which their fancies have fo clofely annext to it : and that is by making their lives fo uniformly Chri- ftian, that it may be evident, *tis Confcience,not Fear that works with them. Without this I know indeed no fecurity from reproach. For to lee a man, who tramples upon all other commands of God, catch up this, as a Buckler againft a Challenger, who can be fo blindly charitable,as to impute this to any thing but Cowardife? But when the whole trad of a mans Life is one conti- nued courfe of Obedience^ no man will exped he iliould 144 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. (lioiild violate that upon this oCcafion. To this may be added achcarfal a ad free expofing him- lelf to all warrantable dangers,when any publick occafion of hazard is offered : ifhethenlhew him- felf daring, 'twill be apparent, that 'tis not the fear cf Death, but Sin, which locks up his Sword from private Duels. Or when there is no oppor- tunity of this adive valour, let him approve his paflive by a contented, nay joyful fubmiffion to any fuffering, that attends the difcharge of a good Confcience : and of this there is little fear ( in thefe days efpecially ) to want occafions. He that does this, will be in no danger to be defamed for declining Duels : but on the contrary fuch an equable piety will extort reverence from all; there being fuch a venerable amiability in it, that the moftprophane do even againft their wills bear it fome inward refped:. 25. LET not men therefore pretend the Fear of Reproachy as an Excufe, fmce here is (b ready a Salvo to that Ob jedicn : but let them by an afliduous pradice of all other Chriftian Ver- tues, render this alfo fecure to them, and quali- fie themfelves for the propagating it to others. And Oh, that we could once fee all other quarrels amongft Gentlemen converted into this one holy contention, whofliould be forwardeft in this He- roick attempt. 'Tis the falfe notion of Honoury that is one of Satan's principal Citadels, like Zi- on to the Jcbufttes : and the aflaulting of that, would be an atchievement of fo much glory, that he that could profper in it, might juftly chal= lenge jidvantage of Kepittatio^, 145^ lenge the dignity which David there promifes, xSam. ^. 8. of being Chief and Captaij'i. Here then they may lawfully quench their thirfl of Honour, yea dnd that of Revenge too!, by wreck- ing their utmoft malice on this their {b grand Enemy. Let it be remembred how long it hatli befooled and cheated the World, and be expofed to all the fliaraes and deteftation of a difcovered Impoftor. Nay let it*be brought to a folemri Arraignment, thofe innumerable Murders, of which it has been guilty, charged on it, and pro- fecuted to death, fo utterly extinguiOied, that it may never again appear in the World, whilcfl: all good men applaud the juft ice, and fay, So let allthine enemies perifhy O Lord. 1^. H A V I N G thus refle(5ted on the com- mon Mufes of Reputation.^ all that remains is to" confider how injurious men are to themfelves in their ill managery of this Talent, which might be improved not only to their final account, but even their prefcnt pleafirre. For firlf, he that by fea- fonable advice refcues any man from a courfe of fin, will infallibly feel fo unutterable a compla- cency in having done fo, that he will find he was kind to himfelf, as well as the other, and will have no temptation to think himfelf unprofitably imployed, though that were to be his only Re- ward. This bringing finners to repentance is fo noble, fo temj3ting a defign, that it drew even God himfelf from Heaven to prolecute it; and that not by cheap and eaiie rneans, but by all thofe Sufferings, which humane Nature moft L trembles 146 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. trembles at : yetfuch was the joy of Man's falva- tion, which was/?/ he fore him, as enabled him to endure the Crofy anddejpife the fhame, Heb. 12.2. How rich a bargain will it then be to a man to partake with him in that joy, 10 Hiare with him in that prize, upon fo much eafier terms, to pay but a little breath for that which exhaufted his blood, and to become (in a lower inferior fence) a Sa- viour without a Crofs ? ♦ 27. IN like manner, he that by a ftrid and exemplary converfation fets himfelf up a Und- mArk to diredmen in this turbulent and dange- rous Sea, his light, 'tis true, goes forth to others, but the warmth and cherifliing heat of it remains within his own breaft. What chearful, what exulting reflexions may he make upon himfelf, 1 that can make good St. Vml\ proteftation, A£is ' 20. 26. that he is fttre from the hlood of all men 5* That he hath not by any fcandalous Example en- Ihared any foul ; but on the contrary hath by po- ritiveillufl:riousa(5lsofVertue endeavoured foto adorn his Chriftian Profeflion, as to draw in Pro- felytes not to the Name, but the obedience of Chrift ? That hath made it his bufinefs to Itand in the Gap, not only by his Interceflions with God againft the Plagues, but by his endeavours with Men againft the fins of the Nation, and by a Heady oppoiing himfelf againft the inundation of J profanenefs and licentioufnefs , hath invited " others to give fome ftop to thofe impure torrents <* It has always been accounted fo glorious a thing to redeem ones Countrey from flavery, that men have Advantage of Kejfut at iof7, ia-j have thought their greateft hazards amply paid with the Title of a Patriot. But there is no vaf- fallage fo ignoble, no fervitude fo miferable, as that of Vice, and confequently no attempt fo worthy, fo ingenuous, fo fatistadory to the un- dertaker, as to break that yoke. He that afpires to no more than a private Innocence, is only on the defenfive part, ftands upon his guard againft Satan : but he that aiq;is at this fort of publick Reformations, maintains an invafive War againil: him, and fo more (liakes his kingdom. There-^ ducingofany fmneris thedifpollefling himoffo' much of his ufurpt territory, and weakens his Empire in the world. This is indeed the true ^Mblick Spirit : which though many have pretend- ed to, from whom we difcern nothing of thefe effe«5is: yet thofe very pretenfions bear witnefs to the excellency of the thing, and ought to ani- mate men to be indeed, what fo many have cove- ted to be thought. 28. I SUPPOSE I need not go on to the other inftance: every mans fenfe, without con- fulting either his Reafon or Religion, will be able to pronounce, that 'tis better to be m Peace than Hoftility, to have a whole than a wounded body, to keep fecurely his own ftation, than to be hunted like o, Partridge on the Mountains by the Avenger of Blood, The greater is the Miracle, that men who in all other inftances devote them- felves wholly to theiir fenluality, fhould here on- ly abjure it ; that when body and foul come in dompetition, Uveas if theyhadnalbul, yet up- L % on 148 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. on this occafion can dare, as if they had no bodies. » Oh that men lliould be luch ill husbands of their.'' iliflFerings, and thus enhance Satan's ftiarketsS^t Alas, ii^/^isaPurchafewill never be ^ta!ken out of their hands ; how many Chapmen foever they fee about it, they may fecure their Eftate there firm enough by thofe fins they have more guii« of; whylhould they be thus madly prodigal to out-bid the common rate? MuR Gc/'aleme/ihnY^- Damnation, as they ufually do Wares^ deajeer' than other men ? How is Perdition bccomerrfoi^ amiable, that like Rachael a double' [ervitude .\s' judged light for it ; whilft Heaven in the mean^ time4ikeLd'^/'3is fo much ^^j^//^^pthat 'tis'thought an injury to have that obtruded on them, though upon the eafieil: terms? Certainly they are lirange transforming O/'/'/V^^ which thefe mett make ufe of. Would God they could be buc perfwaded, if not to break, yet at leaft for a' while to lay by thofe falfe Glajfes, and behold- things in their genuine and proper fliapes ; and then I doubt not they will difcern that Honour to be infamy, which fets men at defiance with God; and that Reputation then alone becomes efti- mable, when like a River it pays its Tribute to the Ocean, promotes his glory, at whofe Feet Kings ( without diminution ) caft both thenv felves and Crowns. SECT, I4P SECT. IX. THE CONCLUSION. I. IT jJk 7"-^ have mw According to our ^ / % / propofid Method^ furvcyed di- T T pncily thofe feveral Advan- tages vphich Gentlemen e/jijoy^ and may furely give the fame teji/mony which Caleb ^nd Jolliua did of Canaa^n, Nitmh, 1 4. The Land which we pafTed thorow to fearch it, is an exceeding good Land. 'tis a rich and fertile Soil wherein thefe men are planted-, fuch as hath a natural aptitude and vigour to produce the mojt excellent bruits. 5«j^ Paradifc it jelf required dreffing^ and therefore we find Adara had that work /ffftgned him in his Innocence, jlnd furely thefe his Sons may well fuhmit to the fame Tasky by the faithful difcharge whereof they jnay make fome apprd aches towards that his prifi'ine fiate, 1. IT need not be again inculcated^ that all thefe their Receits have their fpecial and particular ends in Gods ajflgnment. 'Twill be more ufeful to remem- ber them^ how nearly they are concerned not to per- vert the Counfel of God againft themfelves^ by neg- lecfing to give them their due expelled improve- (ijf tnents. For though he be a moji liberal j yet is he not 4 negligent M-ajlery but keeps an exacf andpunHual ' L 5 account I50 THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. account of whatever he thus delivers out^and will not fail feverely to avenge the embez,eling of bis Goods, Indeed fuch an abufehas [o Fatal an JiJ]icacy, that it (^uite changes their Nature^ converts them from blej"- Jtngs to the heaviejl Curfes : would God too many men had ?20t thus exemplified their own defiru£tive l^ower, and by a kind of Anti-creation brought Darknefout of Light. ^. But 'tis pity they [hould be permitted to Jleep in that Darknef^ which themfelves have made. And therefore if this little Tx3.dfhaJl faU into any fuch hands, it mujl avow to come upon that uncivu, yet friendly "Errand^ to difturb their refi, to awake them tofome Confideration, and as Philip's Mont- tour was r (o to put them in mind-, that in the midjl of their freeli enjoyments they are fill but Stewards, and know not how foon their Lord may fummon them to. their Accounts, And with what confufion and con- jlernation mufi they appear at the great Audit, who havefo unfaithfully managed their trujl r* *tis there-- fore now no longer time to dally ^ but by an ajjiduous care and diligence to endeavour to redeem their paft iil-hinbandryy left they run the Fate of that Evil Servant mentionedy Matth. 24. befrrprH^d in the midft of their Inordinacies^ and have their portion ajfigned them in weeping and gnafliing of teeth. ■ ^. A NT) now what Obje^ion can they poffibly make againft this fo neceflary a Caution^ which is founded upon fuch Motives^ as f hould met h inks in- faliibly prevail upon all forts of tempers f If they ; ' -^ ■ • . have ^he Condujion, ij£ have any fenfe ofFear, here are thsfe terrors of the Lordy which are amaz^ing enough to fet even a Bei- ftazzar {thoiigh with the Cup at his Mouth, his Con- cubines by his fide') a trembling. Certainly he mufi not be only frozen but petrified in defier ate impiety^ vphom even a glimpfi of thofe eternal flames will not be able to dijfolve, 5*. BUI if Fear ( though of God ) be too dege- nerom a Faffion for a Gentleman to own, this advice can upon as good grounds addreji it felf to their Hope : there is as well the Joy of the L,ord fir the Faithful, as the outer Darknefs/jr the unprofi- table Servant. For though God have 'Right of ab- solute Dominion, and might exaB obedience on his bare command ; yet he is more pleafid to fljew him- felf a Benefactor than a Lord, and therefore de- fcendsto treat with men by the more gentle andinvir ting methods of Fromifes and Rewards, Nay in- deed the end of his Commands is only to make us ca- pable Subjects of thofe Fternal Felicities he defires to be flow. And this furely is enough to excite rnen to a diligent negotiating with thofe talents they have received, fince it is indeed them f elves they are tra- ding for. the fleck it is true is Gods, but all the in- crease of it will by his bounty certainly devolve on them. And therefore as Naaman's Servants thought the cure he was in purfuit of, deserved a fubmijfion to the fever efl F refer iptions, If the Pror phet had bid thee do fome great thing, would .^ thou not have done it? z Kings 5.3. Sofa-'^y we may conclude thofe endlefi Joys propofed by Licd, L 4 ar^ 15^ THE GENTLEMAN'S CALLING. are cheaply earned even hy themofexhaujimg La- koursj the mofl vigorous Tasks. 6. BUT frch is the tendernep and Indulgence of our gracious and if it be thy bleffed will, make me fome way inftrumental to the begetting the like in them, that I may be ascontributivetothcir Recovery, as I have been to their Fall : And let the confci- oufnefs of my great Sloth and Unfaithfulneis in all the parts of my Stewardfhip, excite me to a more diligent and induftrious improvement of all thofe advantages, thou haft put into my hands, lor thy glory, the benefit of my Bre- thren, and the eternal joy of my own Soul. Grant this, O gracious Lord, for his fake who came to Call finners to Repentance, Jefus Chrift our Lord. O A Thanhgiving. MOST gracious and mofl: bountiful Lord, who doft good unto all, but hall in an extraordinary meafure abounded to me thy unworthiefl: Servant. Ide- fire with all exuberant thankfulnefs of heart, to confefs and celebrate this thy great gpod- nefs. Lord, thou haft not been to me a Wil- dernefs, a Land of Darknefs, but haft caufed my Lot to fall ia a fair, ground. Thou haft M not i6z PRIVATE DEVOTIONS. not only given me a Natural, and a capacity of a Spiritual life, but halt alfo enriched me with many advantages for the comfortable fup port of the one, and the happy improvement of the other, above Vvdiat thou aflfordeft to mul- titudes of others. Thou haft liberally given me of the Dew of Heaven, and fatnefs of the Earth, an affurance of all thofe good things which may both oblige and aflift me chearful- ly to ferve Thee. O let not my Heart like Gideor/s Fleece remain dry, whileft all about it is thus plentifully watered from Heaven;. but give me, I befeech thee, fuch a fenfe of thy Mercy, as may exprefs itfelf in a con- ftant and zealous Obedience. Thou haft done fo much for this meaneft Plant in thy Vine- yard, dreft it and fenced it about with Thy Grace and Providence; and having built a V/iae-prefs, mayeft moft reafonably expe(^ fome Clufters to be brought to it at the Vin- tage. O let not fo gracious, fo equitable a demand be fruft rated ; when thou lookeft it fnould bring forth Grapes, let it not bring forth wild Grapes; let not thofe Advantages I enjoy above others, tempt me to exalt my felf, or de- Ipiie them, but grant me always to remember that^ it is Thou only that makeft me differ from another. Lord, let thy Methods be my Do- cuments, thy Difpenfations of Indulgence to- w ards me, the Engagements and Bands of the eloleft and moft inviolable Duty, that that Eminency PRIVATE DEVOTIONS. i6^ Emineacy of condition wherein Thou hall: placed . me in this world, may bean effedual Admoni- tion to me to be eminent in Vertue, that Men feeing my good Works, may gloritie Thee my Heavenly Father, through Jelus Ghrifi: our Lord 'and bieltcd Saviour. O A Prayer, THOU moft Righteous and Imparr tial Judge, who delpileft not the mean, nor accepteft the perfons of the Mighty, Make me always to remember and feri- oufly to confider, that none of thofc outward Priviledges I enjoy among men, can exempt me from thy fevere Tribunal, but that I iliall one day be brought to Judgment, as for all that I have done in the flelh, fo particularly for thofc fpecial and peculiar Advantages, whereby thou haft difcriminated me from my meaner Bre- thren : And oh let thefe Terrors of the Lord timely perfwade, yea conftrain me to a chear- ful imploying of all I have received, to thofe ends for which thou haft beftowed them. Lord grant that the Knowledge thou haft given me may have fuch an efficacy on my Pradice, that it may always guide, never upbraid me. M z And 1^4 PRIVATE DEVOT.IONS. And as thou haft opened thy hand wide to me in temporal plenty, fo enlarge my heart in Thankfulnefs towards Thee, and in Compaflion and Bounty toward thy poor Members: lam not ftraitned by thee, O let me not be ftrait- ned in my own bowels ; let neither Covetouf- nefs nor Riot make me poor in the midft of Riches, but grant me that true Enjoyment w^hich Confifts in a Charitable difpenfing of them, that forfaking all the unfatisfying nau- feated pleafures of Luxury, I may purchafe to . my felf that more folid tranfcending deUght of fuccouring the diftreffes of my fellow-Chrifti- ans. Lord, fuflfer not my wealth to be only a lading with thick Clay, nor the Ruft of it to bear witnefs againft me, but rather make me of the number of thofe that need relief, than of thofe who want hearts to give it. And fince in thy gracious Providence thou haft placed me in a condition of eafe and vacancy, O let me not pervert it into a life of Idlenefs and Senfaality, let me not be lefs, but better bufied than other men. O never furfer me to incur the guilt of reproach of being more re- mifs or indifferent in my entercourfe with Thee, than others are of their traffique with the World, of having lefs care of my Own and other mens immortal Souls, than they have of their torruptible bodies ; but make me fo in- duftrioufiy to husband every minute of that precious Time thou lendeft me here, as may PRIVATE DEVOTIONS. i6s be in order to a blefTed Eternity both of my feif, and as many more as thou ihalt put with- in my reach. O let not any perlbns ever have caule to accufe their relation to me, for be- traying them to Sin here, or Mifery hereafter ; but grant that all that are under my care or power, may receive fuch wholfome influence from me, as may nourilli all Chriltian Pradice among them ; And, Lord, grant that my Ex- ample may be fijch to all, that I never prove to any an occafion of Falling : Let me never con- tribute to that power and empire which Vice has gotten in the w orld, but with a fteady cou- rage oppofe all Impiety, how cuftomary or fuc- cefsful foever ; Let me think nothing Honour- able, but what bears thy (tamp and imprefs on it, but engage, and animate, and inflame my benumm'd breafl:,to the moft eager and vigorous endeavour of recovering difcountenanc'd Ver- tue to fome eftecm and reputation among men. And, OLord, grant that by an afl^duous Pra- dice of all Duty, I may arrive to fuch a guft and relidi of it, as may utterly fupplant any fenfual delights in my own heart, and mayal- fo qualifie me experimentally to aiTure others how fweet the Lord is, that I may be aneffe- (5tual ( though unworthy ) Infl:rument in thy hand of drawing many to the Obedience of Chrifl:, and that renouncing all the vain tor- turing Ambitions of this World, I may afpire to no other honour but that of being approved U 3 . \>Y i66 PRIVATE DEVOTIONS. by Thee as a good and faithful Servant ; that by thy mercy having my infirmities covered, ani my Sincerity accepted, I may at laft be admit- ted into the Joy of my Lord, through the me- rits of Jefus Chrifl: my bleffed Saviour and Me- diator. Jr?ter^, F I ^r s. A Catalogne of fome Beokj printed for^ and fold by Robert Pawlet,<«f the Bible /wChanccry-Lane, neAr Fleetftreet. Golden Remains of the ever Memorable Mr .7- Hales o^ Eaton- Co//eJge,&c.the fecond Imprellicn with Additions from the Auchors own Copy,airo more Letters and Exprefles concerning theSynod o'iDort, from an Authentick hand, not before publiflit. T^he Causes of the Decay of Chriflian Fkty ; Or an Impartial Survey of the Ruines of ChrilHan Religion, Undermin'd by Un- chriltian Praftice : By the Author of "the ISChole Duty of Man, A Scholadical Hiftory of the Canon ofthe Holy Scripture; Or the Certaifl and Indubitate books thereof as they are received in the Church of England : By Dr. Cojin, late Lord Bifhop of Durham. Divine Breathings, or a Pious Soul thirlling after Chrirt.inan hundred excellent Meditations. Hugo Grotius de Kebiu BcJgicU, Or the Annals andHiilory of the LoW'Countrey Wars in Englifli, wherein is maniferted, that the United Netherlands are endebted for the glory of theirConquefls to the Valour ofthe EngUfh. A Treatife of the EngUfh Particles 5 (hewing much of the variety of their fignifications and ufes in Englifh ; and how to i:ender them into Latin, according to the propriety and elegancy of that language} with a Praxis upon the fame, and a Table newly added : By ISiMam l5Calket, B. D. Schooi-mafter of Grantham. The Royal Grammar, commonly called UUUs Grammar ex- plained, opening the meaning of theRules with great plainnefs to the underlUndmg of Children of the meanelt capacity, with choice obfervations on the fame from the beft Authors : By 'ho. 'iSOalker, B. D- Author of the Treatife of Englijh Particles. A Catalogue of the names of all the Parliaments or reputed parliaments from the year 1(^40. A Narrative of fome Paffages in or relating to the Long Par- liament, by a perfonof Honour. Sober Infpedions into the Long Parliament : By fames Hozoel Efquirc. Dr. SprackUng againft the Chymil^. Nemefiuf's Nature of Man, in Englilli .• By G, 'bOithers, Gent. Incon\ eniencics of Tolcracion. A A Letter about Comprchenfion. A Colledion of Canons, Articles and Injundions of the Church o^ England : By ,^ntbony Sparrow, Lord Billiop ofExon, A Rationale on the Book of Ccmmon- prayer of the Church of England : By lAntb. Sparrow L. Bifhop ot Exon, TheBifliop of Exont Caution to his Diocele againft falfe doftrioes : delivered in a Sermon at his Primary Vifitation. A Thankfgiving Sermon prcach'd before the King,by J.Dolbcn, D.D.Dean oilSOefiminjler, andClerk of the Clofet. Bifhop Brownrigs Sermon on the Gunpowder Treafon. Mr. Chillingviorth's Realbns againft Popery . The Book of Homilies appointed to be read in Churches. ConiUtutions and Canons EcclefialHcal. A Narrative or Journal ofthe Proceedings of the Lord Hoi/cr and the Lord Coventry, Ambafladors Plenipotentiary for the Treaty at Breda : Written by a perfoo of Quality cof^cerned in that Ambaflie. A Narrative of the Burning of Lo«i?fl» 1^^^, with an account ofthe LofTes, and a moll remarkable Parallel between it and 140 SCO, both as to the Plague and Fire. Lltiellyns^three Sermons oa the Kings Murder. A Collection ofthe Rules and Orders now ufedin Chancery. Iter Lufitanicum, Or the Portugal Voy.ige, with what memo- rable paflages intervened at the Shipping, and in the Tranfporta- tionofher Sacred Ma;efty Catherine, Qtieen of Great Britain, from Lisbon to England j By Dr. Samuel Hynd. ACharge given by the moft Eminent and Learned Sir Francit Bacon, at a SefTions for the Verge, declaring the Jurifdi^ion thercof,and the offences therein inquirable, as well by the Com- mon Law as by feveral Statutes. Mr. 'hohites learned Trad of the Laws e^ England. Epifcopacy ( as eftablifht by Law in England ) not-prejudicial to Regal power, written by tne efpecial command of the late King, by K. Sanderfon, late Lord Bifhop of Z-»«m/». Fetavitu's Hillory of the World. Military and Maritime Difcipline. All forts o£ LAfT'BO OKs. r^ i 4^