that I may pray; fo fhall the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy fight; and thou fhalt have the praife of thine own work

in me!

MEDITATION. V.

Upon the contentment I have in my
Books and Study.

HE

Ere is the best folitary company in the World: and in this particular cheifly excelling any other, that here I am fure to converfe with none but wife men; but abroad it is impoffible for me to avoid the fociety of fools: what an advantage have I by this good fellowship, that befides the help which I receive from hence, in reference to my life after this Life, I can enjoy the life of fo many Ages before I lived? that I can be acquainted with the paffages of three or four thousand years ago, as if they were the weekly occurrences! here, with

out

out travelling fo far as Endor, I can call up the ableft fpirits of thofe times; the learnedft Philofophers, the wifeft Courfellours, the greatest Generals, and make them serviceable to me; I can make bold with the beft Jewels they have in their treasury, with the fame freedome that the Ifraelites borrowed of the Egyptians, and, without fufpition of Felony make use of them, as mine own. I can hear, without tref paffing, go into their Vine-Tards, and not only eat my fill of their Grapes for my pleasure; but put up as much as I will in my Veffel, and ftore it up for my profit, and advantage.

How doth this prospect at once fet off the Goodness of God to me, and dif cover mine own weakness? his Goodness in providing these helps for the improvement of mine understanding; and my weakness in needing them.What a pitiful fimple creature am I, that cannot live to any purpose, without the help of fo many other mens brains? Lord, let this be the first Leflon that I learn

from

from these filent counsellers, te know my own ignorance: other knowledg puffeth up, this edifieth.

It was a scoffing, and unhandsome fpeech in Feftus to Paul, that much learning made him mad: but it was seriously, and fadly faid by the prophet Jeremy, that every man (every idolatrous wicked man) is foolish, or brutish, (which is mad almost) by his own knowledg. It is poffible for a man to know fo much, that at last, by overvalluing his knowledg, he may come to know nothing, as he ought to know; and we have an unhappy proof of this, in the example of our first parents; who, out of a fond desire to know more then came to their share, tranfgreffed, and thereby brought themselves to that pafs, that they know only their own shame, and were ashamed of their own knowledg. Whilft others please themselves in high notions, and speculations, it shall be my study to follow the Apostles rule, and to be wife unto fobriety.

But we have a generation of people

in

in the world, that are fo far from putting themselves upon the hazard of knowing too much, that they affect a kind of Socratical knowledg (though it be the clear contrary way) a knowledg of knowing nothing they hate learning, and wisdom, and understanding with that perfect hatred, that if one could fancy fuch things to be in paradife, one would think (if I may speak it, as I mean it without profanefs) that the Devil could not tempt them to come neer the tree of knowledg; I cannot fay thefe are in a State of innocency, but I am fure they are in a ftate of fimplicity. But among thofe few perfons (especially thofe of quality) that pretend to look after bookes, how many are there that affect rather to look upon them then in them? fome covet to have Libraries in their houses, as Ladies defire to have Cupboards of plate in their Chambers, only for fhew; as if they were only to furnith their roomes, and not their mindes; if the only having of ftore of Bookes, were fufficient to improve a man, the Sta

2

tioners

1

tioners would have the advantage of all others; but certainly bookes were made for ufe, and not for oftentation; in vain do they boast of full Libraries, that are contented to live with empty beads.

In oppofition to these extreams, I meet with another fort of people, that delight themselves in reading, but it is in fuch a defultery way, running from one book to another,as Birds skip from from one bough to another,without defign, that it is no mervaile if they get. nothing but their labour for their paines, when they feek nothing, but change, and diverfion: they that ride poft, can obferve but little.

It is in reading, as it is in making many bookes; there may be a pleafing distraction in it, but little or no profit. I would therefore do in this, as Merchants use to do in their trading ; who in a coafting way, put in at feveral ports, and take in what Commodities they afford, but fettle their factories in thofe places onely, which

are