I did not observe those inward motions and fuggeftions; yea, and almost plain and apparent inftructions and admonitions of God) was the only cause of it.I that understand. the nature of that which is good, that it is to be defired; and of that which is bad, that it is odious and fhameful: who know moreover, that this tranfgreffor, whofoever he be, is my kinfman, not by the fame blood and feed, but by participation of the fame reason, and of the fame divine particle, or principle: how can I either be hurt by any of thefe, fince it is not in their power to make me incur any thing that is reproachful, or be angry or ill-affected towards him, who, by nature, is so near unto me? For we are all born to be fellow-workers, as the feet, the hands, and the eyelids; as the rows of upper and under teeth: for fuch therefore to be in oppofition, is against nature.' He faith, It is high time for thee to understand the true nature, both of the world, whereof thou art a part, and of that Lord and Governor of the world, from whom, as a channel from the fpring, thou thyfelf didft flow. And that there is but a certain limit of time appointed unto thee, which if thou shalt not make ufe of, to calm and allay the many dif tempers of thy foul, it will pass away, and thou with it, and never after return.-Do, foul, do abuse and contemn thyself yet awhile, and the time for thee to repent thyfelf, will be at an end. Every man's happiness depends upon himfelf; but behold! thy life is almoft at an end, whilft, not regarding thyfelf as thou oughteft,

doft make thy happiness to consist in the

fouls and conceits of other men. Thou must also take heed of another kind of wandering; for they are idle in their actions, who toil and labour in their life, and have no certain fcope, to which to direct all their motions and defires. As for life and death, honour and difhonour, labour and pleasure, riches and poverty, all these things happen unto men indeed, both good and bad equally, but as things, which of themselves are neither good nor bad, because of themselves neither fhameful nor praife-worthy. Confider the nature of all worldly, vifible things; of thofe efpecially, which either enfnare by pleasure, or for their irksomeness are dreadful; or for their outward luftre and fhew, are in great efteem and requeft; how vile and contemptible, how bafe and corruptible, how deftitute of all true life and being they are. There is nothing more wretched than that foul, which in a kind of circuit compaffeth all things; fearching even the very depths of all the earth, and, by all figns and conjectures, prying into the very thoughts of other men's fouls; and yet of this is not fenfible, that it is fufficient for a man to apply himfelf wholly, and confine all his thoughts and cares to the guidance of that Spirit which is within him, and truly and really serve him. For even the least things ought not to be done without relation unto the end: and the end of the reasonable creature is, to follow and obey him who is the reafon, as it were, and the law of this great city, and most ancient commonwealth. Philofophy doth confift in this, for a man to preferve that fpirit which is within him, from all

manner of contumelies and injuries, and above all pains and pleafures, never to do any thing either rafhly, or feignedly, or hypocritically: he that is fuch is furely, indeed, a very priest and minifter of God, well acquainted, and in good correspondence with him efpecially, that is feated and placed within himself; to whom alfo he keeps and preferveth himself; neither fpotted by pleasure, nor daunted by pain; free from any manner of wrong or contumely. Let thy God that is in thee, to rule over thee, find by thee, that he hath to do with a man, an aged man, a fociable man, a Roman, a prince, and that hath ordered his life, as one that expecteth, as it were, nothing but the found of the trumpet, founding a retreat to depart out of this life with all readinefs. Never esteem of any thing as profitable, which fhall ever conftrain thee, either to break thy faith, or to lofe thy modefty; to hate any man, to suspect, to curfe, to diffemble, to luft after any thing that requireth the fecret of walls or veils. But he that preferreth, before all things, his rational part and fpirit, and the facred myfteries of virtue which iffue from it, he shall never want either folitude or company; and which is chiefeft of all, he fhall live without either defire or fear. If thou fhalt intend that which is prefent, following the rule of right and reason carefully, folidly, meekly; and fhalt not intermix any other business, but shalt study this, to preferve thy fpirit unpolluted and pure; and as one that were even now ready to give up the ghost; fhall cleave unto him, without either

Af

hope or fear of any thing, in all things that thou fhalt either do or fpeak, contenting thyfelf with heroical truth; thou fhalt live happily: and from this there is no man that can hinder thee. Without relation to God, thou fhalt never perform aright any thing human; nor on the other fide any thing divine. At what time foever thou wilt, it is in thy power to retire into thyfelf, and to be at rest: for a man cannot retire any whither to be more at reft, and freer from all business, than into his own foul. ford then thyfelf this retiring continually, and thereby refresh and renew thyself. Death hangeth over thee, whilft yet thou livest, and whilst thou mayeft be good. How much time and leisure doth he gain, who is not curious to know what his neighbour hath said, or hath done, or hath attempted, but only what he doth himself, that it may be just and holy. Neither must he use himself to cut off actions only, but thoughts and imaginations also that are not neceffary; for fo will unneceffary confequent actions the better be prevented and cut off. He is poor that stands in need of another, and hath not in himself all things needful for his life. Confider well, whether magnanimity rather, and true liberty, and true fimplicity, and equanimity, and holinefs, whether thefe be not most reasonable and natural. Honour that which is chiefest and most powerful in the world, and that is it which makes ufe of all things, and governs all things: fo alfo in thyfelf, honour that which is chiefeft and most powerful, and is of one kind and nature with

that; for it is the very fame, which being in thee,' turneth all other things to its own ufe, and by whom alfo thy life is governed.-What is it that thou doft ftay for? An extinction or a tranflation; for either of them, with a propitious and contented mind. But till that time come, what will content thee? What else, but to worship and praise God, and do good unto men? As he lay a dying, and his friends about him, he fpake thus: Think more of death, than of me, and that you and all men muft die as well as I.' Adding, I recommend my fon to you, and to God, if he be worthy.'

§. IX. Pertinax, alfo emperor, being advifed to fave himfelf from the fury of the mutineers, anfwered, No: what have I done that I should do fo?' Shewing that innocence is bold, and fhould never give ground, where it can fhew itself, be heard, and have fair play.

§. X. Pefcennius feeing the corruption that reigned among officers of justice, advised, That judges fhould have first falaries, that they might do their duty without any other bribes or perquifities.' He faid, 'He would not offend the living, that he might be praised when he was dead.'

peror,

§. XI. Alexander Severus having tasted both of a private life, and the state of an emhad this cenfure; Emperors,' fays he, are ill managers of the public revenue, to feed fo many unufeful mouths;' wherefore he retrenched his family from pompous to ferviceable. He would not employ perfons of quality