seemeth yet more accurate and elaborate than the reft, and is built upon this ground; that the minds of all men are at some times in a state more perfect, and at other times in a state more depraved. The purpose therefore of this practice is, to fix and cherish the good hours of the mind, and to obliterate and take forth the Evil. The fixing of the good hath been practised by two means, vows or constant resolutions, and observances or exercises ; which are not to be regarded fo much in themselves, as because they keep the mind in continual obedience. The obliteration of the Evil hath been practifed by two Means, fome kind of Redemption or expiation of that which is past, and an Inception or account de Novo, for the time to come. But this part seemeth facred and religious, and juftly; for all good Moral Philosophy, as was said, is but a handmaid to Religion.

Wherefore we will conclude with that last point, which is of all other means the most compendious and fummary, and again, the most noble and effectual to the reducing of the mind unto virtue and good eftate; which is, the electing and propounding unto a man's felf good and virtuous ends of his life, fuch as may be in a reasonable sort within his compass to attain. For if these two things be fuppofed, that a man fet before him honeft and good ends, and again, that he be refolute, constant, and true unto them; it will follow that he shall mould himself into all virtue at once. And this indeed is like the work of nature; whereas the

other course is like the work of the hand. For as when a carver makes an image, he shapes only that part whereupon he worketh, (as if he be upon the face, that part which shall be the body is but a rude stone still, till fuch time as he comes to it ;) but, contrariwise, when Nature makes a flower or living creature, fhe formeth rudiments of all the parts at one time: fo in obtaining virtue by habit, while a man practiseth Temperance, he doth not profit much to fortitude, nor the like: but when he dedicateth and applieth himself to good ends, look, what virtue foever the pursuit and paffage towards thofe ends doth commend unto him, he is invested of a precedent difpofition to conform himself thereunto. Which state of mind Ariftotle doth excellently express himself, that it ought not to be called virtuous, but Divine: his words are these : Immanitati autem`confentaneum eft opponere eam, quæ fupra humanitatem eft, heroicam five divinam virtutem: and a little after, Nam ut feræ neque vitium neque virtus eft, fic neque Dei: Sed hic quidem ftatus altius quiddam virtute eft, ille aliud quiddam a vitio. And therefore we may see what Celfitude of honour Plinius Secundus attributeth to Trajan in his funeral oration; where he said, That men needed to make no other prayers to the gods, but that they would continue as good Lords to them as Trajan had been; as if he had not been only an Imitation of divine nature, but a pattern of it. But these be heathen and profane passages, having but a fhadow of that divine state of mind, which

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Religion and the holy faith doth conduct men unto, by imprinting upon their fouls Charity, which is excellently called the bond of Perfection, because it comprehendeth and fasteneth all virtues together. And it is elegantly said by Menander of vain love, which is but a false Imitation of divine love, Amor melior Sophifta Lavo ad humanam vitam, that Love teacheth a man to carry himself better than the Sophift or Preceptor; which he calleth Left-handed, because, with all his rules and precepts, he cannot form a man so Dexterously, nor with that facility to prize himself and govern himfelf, as love can do: fo certainly, if a man's mind be truly inflamed with charity, it doth work him fuddenly into greater perfection than all the Doctrine of morality can do, which is but a Sophist in comparison of the other. Nay further, as Xenophon obferved truly, that all other affections, though they raise the mind, yet they do it by distorting and uncomeliness of ecftafies or exceffes; but only Love doth exalt the mind, and nevertheless at the fame instant doth fettle and compose it: so in all other excellencies, though they advance nature, yet they are subject to excefs; only Charity admitteth no excess. For so we see, aspiring to be like GOD in power, the Angels tranfgreffed and fell; Afcendam, et ero fimilis altiffimo: by aspiring to be like GOD in knowledge, man tranfgreffed and fell; Eritis ficut Dii, fcientes bonum et malum: but by aspiring to a fimilitude of God in

goodness or love, neither Man nor Angel ever tranfgreffed, or shall tranfgrefs. For unto that imitation we are called: Diligite inimicos veftros, Benefacite eis qui oderunt vos, et orate pro persequentibus et calumniantibus vos, ut fitis filii Patris veftri qui in cœlis eft, qui Solem fuum oriri facit fuper bonos et malos, et pluit fuper juftos et injuftos. So in the first platform of the divine Nature itself, the heathen Religion speaketh thus, Optimus Maximus: and the facred Scriptures thus, Mifericordia ejus fuper omnia opera ejus.

Wherefore I do conclude this part of Moral knowledge, concerning the Culture and Regimen of the Mind; wherein if any man, confidering the parts thereof which I have enumerated, do judge that my labour is but to Collect into an Art or Science that which hath been pretermitted by others, as matter of common Senfe and experience, he judgeth well. But as Philocrates sported with Demofthenes, You may not marvel, Athenians, that Demofthenes and I do differ; for he drinketh water, and I drink wine; and like as we read of an ancient parable of the two gates of fleep,

Sunt gemina fomni portæ : quarum altera fertur
Cornea, qua veris facilis datur exitus umbris:
Altera Candenti perfecta nitens Elephanto,
Sed falfa ad cœlum mittunt insomnia manes :

so if we put on fobriety and attention, we shall find it a fure Maxim in knowledge, that the more pleafant Liquor of Wine is the more vaporous, and

the braver gate of Ivory fendeth forth the falfer dreams.

But we have now concluded that general part of Human Philofophy, which contemplateth man fegregate, and as he confifteth of body and fpirit. Wherein we may further note, that there seemeth to be a Relation or Conformity between the good of the mind and the good of the Body. For as we divided the good of the body into Health, Beauty, Strength, and Pleasure; fo the good of the mind, inquired in Rational and Moral knowledges, tendeth to this, to make the mind found, and without perturbation; Beautiful, and graced with decency; and Strong and Agile for all duties of life. These three, as in the body, fo in the mind, seldom meet, and commonly fever. For it is easy to obferve, that many have Strength of wit and Courage, but have neither Health from perturbations, nor any Beauty or decency in their doings: fome again have an Elegancy and fineness of Carriage, which have neither foundness of honefty, nor fubftance of fufficiency and fome again have honest and reformed Minds, that can neither become themselves nor manage Bufinefs and fometimes two of them meet, and rarely all three. As for pleasure, we have likewise determined that the mind ought not to be reduced to stupidity, but to retain pleasure; Confined rather in the subject of it, than in the ftrength and vigour of it.