virtuous and religious education: he sets them in their way, corrects their exorbitances, restrains their wild desires, and labours to frame them to all holy dispositions, and so bestows his fatherly care upon and for them, as one that would rather they should be good than rich, and would wish them rather dead than debauched. He neglects not all honest means of their provision, but the highest point he aims at is to leave God their patrimony. In the choice of their calling or match, he propounds but forces not, as knowing they have also wills of their own, which it is fitter for him to bow than to break. Is he a son? he is such as may be fit to proceed from such loins.

Is he a servant? he cannot but be officious; for he must please two masters, though one under, not against the other: when his visible master sees him not, he knows he cannot be out of the eye of the Invisible, and therefore dares not be either negligent or unfaithful. The work that he undertakes he goes through, not out of fear, but out of conscience; and would do his business no otherwise than well, though he served a blind master. He is no blab of the defects at home, and where he cannot defend is ready to excuse. He yields patiently to a just reproof, and answers with an humble silence; and is more careful not to deserve than to avoid stripes.

Is he a subject? He is awfully affected to sovereignty, as knowing by whom the powers are ordained. He dares not curse the king; no, not in his thought; nor revile the ruler of his people, though justly faulty: much less dare he slander the footsteps of God's anointed. He submits, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake, to

every ordinance of God; yea, to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake: not daring to disobey in regard of the oath of God. If he have reached forth his hand to cut off but the skirt of the royal robe, his heart smites him. He is a true paymaster, and willingly renders tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, honour to whom honour is due; and justly divides his duties betwixt God and Cæsar.1

Finally, in whatever relation he stands, he is diligent, faithful, conscionable; observant of his rule, and careful to be approved such both to God and

men.

SECTION VII.

His resolution in matter of Religion.

He hath fully informed himself of all the necessary points of RELIGION; and is so firmly grounded in those fundamental and saving truths, that he cannot be carried about with every wind of doctrine. As for collateral and unmaterial verities, he neither despiseth, nor yet doth too eagerly pursue them.

He lists not to take opinions upon trust: neither dares absolutely follow any guide, but those who he knows could not err.

He is ever suspicious of new faces of theological truths, and cannot think it safe to walk in untrodden paths.

1 Eccles. x. 20; Exod. xxii. 28; Is. lxxxix. 51; 1 Pet. ii. 13; 1 Sam. xxiv. 5; Rom. xiii. 7; Matt. xxii. 21.

Matters of speculation are not unwelcome to him, but his chief care is to reduce his knowledge to practice; and therefore he holds nothing his own but what his heart hath appropriated, and his life acted.

He dares not be too much wedded to his own conceit; and hath so much humility, as to think the whole church of Christ upon earth wiser than himself. However he be a great lover of constancy, yet, upon better reason, he can change his mind in some litigious and unimporting truths, and can be silent where he must dissent.

SECTION VIII.

His Discourse.

HIS DISCOURSE is grave, discreet, pertinent; free from vanity, free from offence.

In secular occasions, nothing falls from him but seasonable and well-advised truths; in spiritual, his speech is such as both argues grace and works it.

No foul and unsavoury breath proceeds out of his lips, which he abides not to be tainted with any rotten communication, with any slanderous detraction. If in a friendly merriment he let his tongue loose to a harmless urbanity, that is the furthest he dares go; scorning to come within the verge of a base scurrility.

He is not apt to spend himself in censures; but as for revilings and cursed speakings against God or men, those his soul abhorreth.

He knows to reserve his thoughts, by locking them up in his bosom under a safe silence; and when he must speak, dares not be too free of his tongue, as well knowing that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.'

6

His speeches are no other than seasonable, and well fitted both to the person and occasion. Jiggs at a funeral, lamentations at a feast, holy counsel to scorners, discouragements to the dejected, and applauses to the profane, are hateful to him.

He meddles not with other men's matters, much less with affairs of state; but keeps himself wisely within his own compass, not thinking his breath well spent where he doth not either teach or learn.

SECTION IX.

His Devotion.

He is so perpetually resident in heaven, that he is often in every day before the throne of grace; and he never comes there without supplication in his hand, wherein also he loves to be importunate; and he speeds accordingly, for he never departs empty; while other cold suitors, that come thither but in some good fits of DEVOTION, obtain nothing but denials.

He dares not press to God's footstool in his own name; he is conscious enough of his own unworthiness; but he comes in the gracious and powerful name of his righteous Mediator, in whom he knows he cannot but be accepted, and in an humble boldness, for his only sake craves mercy.

No man is either more awful' or more confident. When he hath put up his petition to the King of heaven, he presumes not to stint the time or manner of God's condescent; but patiently and faithfully waits for the good hour, and leaves himself upon that infinite wisdom and goodness.

He doth not affect length so much as fervor; neither so much minds his tongue as his heart.

His prayers are suited according to the degrees of the benefits sued for. He therefore begs grace absolutely, and temporal blessings with limitation, and is accordingly affected in the grant.

Neither is he more earnest in craving mercies, than he is zealously desirous to be retributory to God when he hath received them; not more heartily suing to be rich in grace, than to improve his graces to the honour and advantage of the be

stower.

With an awful and broken heart doth he make his addresses to that infinite Majesty, from whose presence he returns with comfort and joy.

His soul is constantly fixed there, whither he pours it out. Detraction and distrust are shut out from his closet; and he is so taken up with his devotion, as one that makes it his work to pray. And when he hath offered up his sacrifices unto God, his faith listens, and looks in at the door of heaven to know how they are taken.

1 Under the influence of awe.-ED. 2 Acquiescence.-ED