6 'To conclude,' faith he, Live worthy of praife, fo wilt thou die bleffed.' 6 §. VI. Bias, one of the feven wife men, being in a ftorm with wicked men, who cried mightily to God; Hold your tongues,' faith he, it were better he knew not you were. here:' a faying that hath great doctrine in it; the devotion of the wicked doth them no good: it answers to that paffage in fcripture, The prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord." An ungodly man afking him what godlinefs was, he was filent; but the other murmuring, faith he, What is that to thee, that is not thy concern?' He was fo tender in his nature, that he feldom judged a criminal to death, but he wept; adding, One part goeth to God, and the other part I must give the law. That man is unhappy,' faith he, that cannot bear affliction. It is a difease of the mind, to defire that which cannot, or is not fit to be had. It is an ill thing, not to be mindful of other men's miferies.' To one that afked what is hard, he anfwered, To bear cheerfully a change for the worse.' Thofe," fays he, who bufy themselves in vain knowledge, refemble owls that fee by night, and are blind by day; for they are fharp-fighted in vanity, but dark at the approach of true light and knowledge.' He adds, Undertake deliberately; but then go through. Speak not haftily, left thou fin. Be neither filly nor fubtle. Hear much; speak little, and feasonably. Make profeffion of God every where; and impute -Lacrt, Stob. ■. Prov. v. 8. the good thou doft not to thyfelf, but to the power of God.' His country being invaded, and the people flying with the best of their goods, afked, why he carried none of his; I,' faith he, carry my goods within me.'Valerius Maximus adds, in his breaft;' not to be feen by the eye, but to be prized by the foul; not to be demolished by mortal hands; prefent with them that stay, and not forfaking thofe that fly. §. VII. Cleobulus, prince and philofopher of Lyndus: he would fay, that it was man's duty to be always employed upon fomething that was good. Again, be never vain nor ungrateful. Beftow your daughters virgins in years, but matrons in difcretion. Do good o thy friend, to keep him; to thy enemy, to gain him. When any man goeth forth, let him confider what he hath to do; when he returneth, examine what he hath done. Know, that to reverence thy father is thy duty. Hear wildingly, but truft not haftily. Obtain by perfuafion, not by violence. Being rich, be not exalted: poor, be not dejected. Forego enmity. Inftruct thy children. Pray to God, and perfevere in godlinefs. S. VIII. Pittacus heing asked what was beft, he anfwercd, to do the prefent thing well. He would fay, what thou dost take ill in thy neighbour, do not thyfelf. Reproach not the unhappy; for the hand of God is upon them. Be true to thy truft. Bear with thy neighbour love thy neighbour. Reproach not • Laert. Plut. Sympof. Sap. Sep. Stob. Ser. P Plutarch. Stob. xxviii, thy friend, though he recede from thee a little. He would fay that commonwealth is beft ordered where the wicked have no command; and that family, which hath neither ornament nor neceffity. To conclude: he advifed, to acquire honefty; love difcipline; obferve temperance; gain prudence; mind diligence; and keep truth, faith and piety. He had a brother, who, dying without iffue, left him his eftate; fo that when Crofus offered him wealth, he answered, I have more by half than I defire.' He alfo affirmed that family the best, who got not unjustly, kept not unfaithfully, fpent not with repentance; and, that happiness confifts in a virtuous and honeft life; in being content with a competency of outward things, and in ufing them temperately. And to conclude, he earnestly enjoined all to flee corporeal pleafure; for,' fays he, it certainly brings forrow: but obferve an honeft life, more ftrictly than an oath : meditate on ferious things.' q f. IX. Hippias, a philofopher: it is recorded of him, that he would have every one provide his own neceffaries; and that he might do what he taught, he was his own tradefman. He was fingular in all fuch arts and employments, infomuch as he made the very bufkins he wore. A better life than an Alexander's. г §. X. The Gymnofophifta were a fect of philofophers in India, that fo defpifed gaudy apparel, and the reft of the world's intemperance, Plin. vii. 2. Cic. Tufc. Quest. 2, Cic. lib. de Orat. that they went almoft naked; living poorly, and with great meannefs; by which they were enabled against all cold, and overcame that luft by innocence, which people, that are called Chriftians, though covered, are overcome withal. §. XI. The Bambycatii' were a certain great people, that inhabited about the river Tygris in Afia, who, obferving the great influence gold, filver, and precious jewels had upon their minds, agreed to bury all in the earth, to prevent the corruption of their manners.They ufed inferior metals, and lived with very ordinary accommodation; wearing mostly but one very grave and plain robe to cover nakednefs. It were well if Chriftians would mortify their unfatiable appetites after wealth and vanity any way; for Heathens judge their excefs. §. XII. The Athenians had two distinc numbers of men, called the Gynæcofmi, and Gynæconomi. These were appointed by the magiftrates to overlook the actions of the people; the first was to fee that they apparelled and behaved themselves gravely; efpecially, that women were of modeft behaviour: and the other was to be prefent at their treats and feftivals, to fee that there was no excefs, nor diforderly carriage; and in cafe any were found criminal, they had full power to punish them. When, alas! when fhall this care and wifdom be seen amongst the Christians of these times, that fo intemperance might be prevented? But it is too evident they love the power and the * Plin. • Vid. Suid. profits, but despise the virtue of government, making it an end, instead of a means to that happy end, viz. the well ordering the manners and converfation of the people, and equally diftributing rewards and punishments. §. XIII. Anacharsis, a Scythian, was a great philofopher; Creefus offered him large fums of money, but he refused them. Hanno did the like, to whom he answered, ‹ My apparel is a Scythian rug; my fhoes, the hardness of my feet; my bed, the earth; my fauce, hunger; you may come to me as one that is contented; but thofe gifts which you so much esteem, beftow either on your citizens, or in facrifice to the immortal gods." §. XIV. Anaxagoras, a nobleman, but true philofopher, left his great patrimony to feek out wisdom; and being reproved by his friends for the little care he had of his eftate, answered, It is enough that you care for it.' One asked him why he had no more love for his country than to leave it; Wrong me not,' faith he, my greateft care is my country,' pointing his finger towards heaven. Returning home, and taking a view of his great poffeffions, 'If I had not disregarded them,' faith he, I had perished.' He was a great clearer and improver of the doctrine of One Eternal God, denying divinity to fun, moon, and stars; faying, God was infinite, not confined to place; the eternal wisdom, and efficient caufe of all things; the divine mind and understanding; who, when Cic. Tufc. Queft. 5. Clem. Alex. Stro. * Plut. contra Ufur. |