who with assiduity and practice are still intent upon them, than can by those be thought on that are strangers to the profession.

And these considerations may certainly content us to hear sometimes the meaner-parted preach. The Apostle allows it the foolishness of preaching, yet it was the way that peopled all the world with Christianity. It bruised the staunch philosopher, and brought the wilful pagan off from all his idols. It topped the soaring eagle with the cross, and bowed the lofty conqueror to his knee and tears. And what know we but sometimes our corruptions may be let out by a poor brass pin, as well as by the dexterous hand that guides a silver lancet. He that is our spiritual physician is not confined to any certain instrument that he will use to cure us with. And if we, out of copper, lead, or pewter preaching, can extract pure gold, I take it is no impeachment to our wise philosophy. Surely they are not right, that, because they cannot hear such as they would, will therefore come at none. I will hear a good one if I can, but rather hear an easy one than not to hear at all. He abandons his cure that refuses to come at his chirurgeon.

That cloth can never be white, that lies where dews do never fall upon it. I observe those that leave the church assemblies, so they

even out

Now the

fools for

be not heretical, do grow at last to leave religion too. The righteous man, by the unwise actions of others, does grow wiser; of weakness he can gather strength. great King of heaven entertains not his followers. If they be not wise before they come, yet they are wise in coming, and then, for that, he makes them so for ever after. It is a prerogative belongs to his servants, those that pay him their obedience he does reward with wisdom and understanding. It was by keeping his commandments that David's wisdom did exceed his teachers'. He that hath wisdom to be truly religious cannot be condemnedly a fool. Every precept of Christianity is a maxim of profoundest prudence. It is the gospel's work to reduce man to the principles of his first creation; that is, to be both good and wise. Our ancestors, it seems, were clear of this opinion. He that was pious and just was reckoned a righteous man. Godliness and integrity was called and counted righteousness. And in their old Saxon English, "righteous" was "right-wise," and "righteousness" was originally "right-wiseness." It is the fear of God that is the beginning of wisdom; and all that seek it have a good understanding. It is to be presumed, the merchant that sold all to buy the pearl, was as well wise as rich. Those

therefore that withdraw from the means altogether, which, in ordinary, is preaching, or are long livers under it unprofitably, by degrees grow strangers to it, and dislike it.

It is an aphorism in physic, that they who, in the beginning of diseases, eat much and mend not, fall at last to a general loathing of food. The moral is as true in divinity. He that hath a sick conscience and lives a hearer under a fruitful ministry, if he grows not sound he will learn to despise the word. When food converts not into nourishment, it will not be long before the body languisheth. Blessings

neglected in the van do troop in curses in the rear and sequel; but when contemned, vengeance. Who neglects the good he may have, shall find the evil that he would avoid. Justly he sits in darkness, that would not light his taper when the fire burned clearly. Offers of mercy slighted, prepare the way for judgments. We deeper charge ourselves; yet are we more uncapable of clearing our accounts. He that needs counsel and will not deign to lend a listening ear, destines himself to misery, and is the willing author of his own sad woe. Continue at a stay we cannot; corruption neither mends itself, nor leaves to be so till it bring destruction. The fire followed Lot's neglected preaching. Capernaum's fate was heavier for

Desperate is his

her miracles. estate, that hates the thing should help him. If ever you see a drowning man refuse help, conclude him a wilful murderer. When God offers more than he is obliged to, we ought by all the ways we can to meet so glorious mercies. To the burying of such treasures there belongs a curse; to their misspending, punishment and confusion.

OF REPREHENSION.

To reprehend well, is both the hardest and most necessary part of friendship. Who is it that will either not merit a check or endure one ? Yet wherein can a friend more unfold his love, than in preventing dangers before their birth, or in reducing a man to safety, which is travelling in the way to ruin? I grant, the manner of the application may turn the benefit into an injury, and then it both strengtheneth error, and wounds the giver. Correction is never in vain. Vice is a miry deepness; if thou strivest to help one out, and dost not, thy stirring him sinks him the further. Fury is the madder for his chain.

When thou chidest thy wandering friend, do it secretly, in season, in love; not in the ear of a popular convention; for many times the presence of a multitude makes a man take up an unjust defence, rather than fall in a just shame. Diseased eyes endure not an unmasked sun; nor does the wound but rankle more, which is fanned by the public air. Nor can I much blame a man, though he shuns to make the vulgar his confessor; for they are the most uncharitable tell-tales that the burthened earth doth suffer. They understand nothing but the dregs of actions, and with spattering those abroad they besmear a deserving fame. A man had better be convinced in private, than be made guilty by a proclamation. Open rebukes are for magistrates and courts of justice, for stalled chambers and for scarlets in the thronged hall. Private are for friends, where all the witnesses of the offender's blushes are blind and deaf and dumb. We should do by them as Joseph thought to have done by Mary, seek to cover blemishes with secrecy. Public reproof is like striking of a deer in the herd; it not only wounds him to the loss of inabling blood, but betrays him to the hound, his enemy, and makes him by his fellows be pushed out of company. Even concealment of a fault argues some charity to the delinquent; and