deceived; for instead of real satisfaction, I met with little else but empty noise, and downright folly. This made me look out elsewhere, and seek for contentment in what mistaken men call grave and solid, which I thought was easy to be met withal in the society of men of age and experience: But, indeed, I quickly found, that the subtile spirit of the world was mistaken for prudence, and that haughty reservedness passed for wisdom; and I really perceived that the man, who, by the cunning management of a large estate, and an affected air of greatness, makes the world take him for a prudent man, is indeed but a busy trifler, that vainly spends his time in seeking that which is of no continuance, and may (with

out severity or abuse) be compared to a child flying bladders in the air, or hunting butterflies.

Leaving, therefore, these objects of pity (without envying their reputed prudence), I took myself to another course, and sought for that content in learning and disputes, which I had in vain sought for in heaping up wealth, or mirth and pleasure. I knew the soul of man was uaturally inquisitive and greedy after knowledge, as well for the satisfaction as the credit of it; but here I was disappointed too. I found such unchristian heats in controversies, such indecent sallies of reproach and passion, so much disingenuous artifice to cover and evade the truth, rather than undergo the shame of confessing

an error, that I plainly saw every man was engaged to defend, not so much the truth, as his own reputatation; so that here was a Babel of confusion, where all spoke a contrary language, whilst humility, brotherly love, common ingenuity, and truth itself, were all swallowed up in anger and passion. Thus, like Noah's dove, I found no resting-place but in the ark of God, and the paths of heaven, where thou art now, O my quiet soul! secure in the enjoyment of such delights and satisfaction as the world knows nothing of. I was before miserably frustrated of my expectation in all attempts after contentment; here I clearly saw, that great Solomon's wisdom consisted only in his knowing, that in this world there

F

was nothing (except the care of a future state,) but what was vanity, and infinitely beneath the concern of our immortal souls.

O foolish and distracted world! why all this hurry, noise, and business? Whither is it that ye run? what mighty concern are ye all with so much earnestness in the pursuit of? Alas! my soul, they are busy, I see, about their own ruin, and eagerly exchanging away eternity for temporal enjoyments, and contriving, in this life, how to be miserable hereafter. Behold yonder rich man, taken up with the management of a good bargain, securing his title to a late purchase, putting out his heaps to usury, sweating in the crowded courts of law, grasping at all advan

tages, advising, plotting, and contriving, till at last he has gathered up vast heaps of wealth, and then dies, and loses it all. Thus, just thus, O my soul! is the world employed. This is their mortifying the deeds of the body; this is their being crucified to the world; this is their using the world as though they used it not; this is the way they take to have their conversation in heaven; and thus, just thus, was the man employed in the dismal parable; he had bags enough, and those well filled with money; he had land in abundance; his plenteous harvest had yielded him great stores of corn, which was all secure in his barns; nay, his greedy heart was satisfied, and confessed he had enough; so that he gave over all