Horfe, and the Soul the Body. Which is not much unlike unto that of Aristotle ; That the Soul naturally rules the Body, (at least it ought fo to do) as a Mafter his Servant. But he faid this alfo upon fome other Occafion; That the Divine Senfe in us, as a fort of Heavenly Flame, must be fann'd by frequent Meditation and Devotion, to keep it duly alive (or to that Senfe): And that the Torch without knocking would be apt to go out.

For One that had not been long Initiated in the School of Virtue, but had made a Hopeful Beginning, he defir'd a Friend to bid him remember, that he was Zaov METÁConov, a Creature Mutable. By which he intimated to him the Changeableness of the Hearts and Purpufes of Men; and that the great thing would be to Perfevere in a Virtuous and Religions Courfe. And this calls to my remembrance another Saying of his, which was this; That a Man might reel to and fro between good Purposes and Temptations to evil, till at last he was laid on a Dunghil; and fall from one Stair to another, till at length he came to the bottom.

He exprefs'd a Kind and Melancholiz'd Concern for one that he knew, in thefe Words; That he thought once that Party would have come to Coolness and Humility: But he faw the Heat went on, and he must take his Fate.

If the Reader would not think me Tedious, I would give him here at least the greatest Part of a Letter I have feen to a certain Perfon, on fuch like Subjects as these.

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む

"What

"What I intimated in my last to you, touching Coolness and Humility, I am fo "certain it is a neceflary Foundation for "Chriftian Prudence and Difcretion as to "Men, and to put a Man in a Capacity of "truly judging of the State of his own

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Mind, that you may be fure I was your "Faithful Friend, that I took the Bold"nefs (as I do ufually take it with all my "Friends) to intimate what I did to you. "The Light of Imagination and of Reafon "are but the middle Faculties of the Soul, "and are in a readiness, as a Lawyer that pleads upon a Fee, for the Party that hath feed him: And fo for the prefent "State a Man is in, his own abovefaid Fa"culties will make very goodly and fpeci(( ous Remonftrances, that may puzzle both "the Party himself and others to anfwer; "and it is fcarce in the Power of any "Man to undeceive one thus impos'd upon "by his own Wit, Fancy, and Subtilty "of Reafon. Nothing can unloofe the So"phiftries of the felfish Animal Life, but a "real confiderable Participation of the "Divine: Nor can any perceive the De"lufions of his prefent State till he hath "emerged above it. He cannot judge of "himfelf, nor receive the Judgment of a"nother; but fo far forth as he gets out "of himself, or above himself, and is "Dead to his own Will and Appetite, and "whatsoever would enthral him, or Cap"tivate him; making it his Business to take up the Crofs continually, and demolish, or

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"annihilate, by perpetual refifting and fuppreffing them, the Self-impetuo"fities of his own Mind or Will; and "not feem to pleafe himself in any thing, "but fo far forth as is neceflary for the "Maintenance of his Health, and to keep “ up himself in a Capacity of following "his Calling. He that lays his Hand to the "Plough, and looks back, is not fit for the Kingdom of God. Wherefore we are " entirely, and without any Referves, to "watch over all our Propenfions and Mo"tions; and when they would be stirring "out, to examine who they are for, and " what they aim at; and fuffer none to pafs "but fuch as can fhew the Ticket of unSelf-interested Love; if that be not his Er"rand, he is to be dealt with as an Ene"my. To keep to this Self-dead nefs, and "Watchfulness over the Motions in us, "will have a glorious Iffue in the Conclu"fion: But ftrong Heats and high Imagi"nations are a perpetual Intoxication of "the Mind, and toffing the Soul, as it were, "in a Blanket. These things are experi"mentally true to thofe that are in a real "Difpenfation of Life. But how much "of this belongs to any One, his own "Senfe and Confcience must discover: For "it is inward Senfe, not outward Words "or Letters, whereby these things can be "communicated.

I will Note now the Senfe and Judgment he exprefs'd touching the Governing of our felves in the Procefs of the Divine Life:

As that we must not expect to be Good on a fudden, or think, that we can immediately attain unto Virtue: When as there is Time and Experience, and much repeated Watchfulnefs requir'd in this Work; and a due Regard to be had to the Abilities of both our Bodies and our Minds; and a Prudence as well as Faithfulness to be us'd in the Purfuit of it. For otherwise, it was his Saying, that if any Man mended fuddenly, he died for it. His meaning was, that if he immoderately afpir'd, or beyond his Strength, after Truth and Perfectness, he would bring Death or Disorder upon himself.

I cannot end the whole of all this better than with that Elegant Conclusion of his Def. of Mor. Own in a certain place thus ; Behold "therefore, O Man, what thou art, and

Cab, Ch. I.

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whereunto thou art call'd; even to be a "mighty Prince amongst the Creatures of "God, and to bear Rule in that Province "he hath affign'd thee; to difcern the "Motions of thine own Heart, and "to be Lord over the Suggestions of "thine own Natural Spirit; not to liftt en to the Counfels of the Flesh, nor "confpire with the Serpent against thy "Creator; but to keep thy Heart free "and faithful to thy God: So may'ft thou "with Innocency and Unblameableness fee "all the Motions of Life; and bear rule

with God over the whole Creation com"mitted to thee. This fhall be thy Pa

radife, and harmless Sport on Earth,

<< till

" till God fhall tranfplant thee to an "higher Condition of Life in Heaven. Thefe Greater Things being over, it will be time now to proceed to Others.

AS to the ufual Frame of his Conver- His Temper, fation and Temper, it was highly Serious and and ConverPleafant at once. He was profoundly Pious ; fation. and yet without all Sourenefs, Superftition, or Melancholy. It was a Serene Thoughtfulness he was generally in: And his Outward Converfation was, efpecially to his Friends, and fuch as came to fee him, for the most part exceeding Free and Facetious. He was highly Courteous to either Strangers, or others, that came at any time to visit him; and receiv'd them with all the Liberality and becoming Decency of his Station and Character. They had the Learned and Pleafant Entertainments (I will add Pious too) that One fo hand fomely in a certain place fpeaks of, and calls them the clear Witneffes of a Benign Nature; an Innocent Confcience, and a Satisfied Understanding. Few or none but will give Teftimony to the great Affa-. bility of his Genius, the eafy Freedom" he would use with them, and, as Occafion was, the Kind Advice he would offer to them : Though he would not be alfo at fome times, as the Matter requir'd, without his Severer Counfels and Reproofs.

He was obferv'd by one to have an Exact Character of all his Friends; and alfo of many Great Perfons of Publick Note: And what Wit or Candour could adorn them with,