Book I. OfjESUSCHRlST.

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k^t'ion his great End, muft imitate the BlelTed Jefus, and often withdraw himfelf from t'e Multitude. No one is qualified to converfe in publick^ who is not highly contented w'^hout fuch Converfation ,• nor to entertain, or receive Entertainment from Others, who cannot entertain himfelf alore with fatisfadion. No Man is fit to govern, who hath not learned how to obey : No Man can enjoy Mirth with fafery, who is not at the fame time in a Condition of rejoicing in a Good Confcience : None is fit to fpeak freely, but he who can, without any violence to himfelf, refrain his Tongue, or keep Silence altogether.
Accordingly we may obferve, that the Pleafures and inv/ard Security of the beft Men have always been tempered with the fear of God. Nor was their Hu- mility or their Care one whit abated, in confideration of thofe extraordinary Virtues, and abundant Mea- fures of Divine Grace, in which they excell'd common Chriftians. But the Security of Wicked Men, and that Satisfacflion they take in themfelves, fprings from Pride and Haughcineis of Temper ; and therefore the con- ftant Effects of it are an undue contempt of others, and a falfe Opinion of themfelves.
Never flatter your felf with an Expedation of abfo- lute Safety in this Life, whatever your Condition, how far retired from theWorld, or out of the way of Tem- ptation it may feem to be. For it often happens, that thofe ,• whom the World efteenis in Strength and Virtue above Common Men, have been involved in Dan- gers proporcionably greater than Theirs, merely up- on the account of the too confident Opinion they had of their own Abilities. And this Confideration makes the being tempted fometimes a Blefling, greater than that of living altogether eafy and free from Tempta- tion. For the ofrner we are attacked, the greater Check this gives to our Self-conceit and Spiritual Se- curity ^ and the more we are afflided , the lefs
apt
46 iS>( ttie gimitatton Book i.
apt we fhall be to love or ufe the external Advantages of this Worlds beyond the Bounds of Decency and Moderation. And if a Man could fo perfectly draw off his Mind from thefe, as never to purfue any tranfi- tory PJeafure ,• never to engage himfeif with the World ; O what bleffed, what perpetual Peace of Con- fcience would that Man feel, and even be raviflied with ! Nay, could we but cut off all our unprofitable and groundlefs Fears and Cares, and employ our Thoughts upon fuch Objeds only, as are weighty and ufeful, fuch as promote the Honour and Service of God, our own Salvation, and the Good of others ; How eafy and quiet, how free from all Reproach, would fuch a one's Breaft be to him !
No Man deferves inward and heavenly Comforts, who does not diligently examine, and willingly afflid himfeif. To be qualify 'd for this Solitude, it is abfo- lutely need full to obferve that Method recommended
by the Pfalraift, Commumwith your own Heart hi h ^^ ^'^^ y^^^^ chamber y and he fiili. Enter into thy
Clofety and fl)Ht thy Door about thee, fays our Saviour. Advice, which can never be more feafona- ble, than upon thefe Occafions : For the Clofet will give you the Satisfadion, which it is fcarce poflible not to lofe in a more pubiick Place. And if the Clo- fet be not pleafant, the only Reafon is. That it hath been lefs frequented than it ought. To thofe who at firft ufe this Retirement carefully, it minifters a Plea- fure and fecret Confolation, above what any Compa- ny or Diverfion in the World can pretend to.
It is by filent and folitary Study, that the Soul gets acquainted with the hidden Myfteries of Scripture. Here fhe finds thofe Floods of pious Tears, by which holy Men wafh themfelves Day and Night ; here fiie contrads a Familiarrity and free Intercourfe with God, fo much the clofer and more intimate, as fhe removes to a greater diftance from the Noife and Hurry of the
World.