are of special note: I would by the by, allow my felf a traffick with fundry authors, as I happned to light upon them, for my recreation; and I would make the best advantage that I could of them; but I would fix my study upon those only, that are of most importance to fit me for action, which is the true end of all learning, and for the fervice of God, which is the true end of all acti1 on. Lord teach me fo to study other mens works, as not to neglect mine own; and so to study thy word, which is thy work, that it may be a lamp unto my feet, and alight unto my path; my candle to work by. Take me off from the curiofity of knowing only to know; from the vanity of knowing only to be known ; and from the folly of pretending to know more then I do know; and let it be my wisdome to study to know thee, who art life eternal. Write thy law in my heart, and I shall be the best book here. M E MEDITATION. V I. Upon an entertainment of WH "Hat a deal of Heaven is there in in this company? methinkes, like Abraham, I entertain Angels; the comfort, and illumination that I receive from them, hath fo much of that fociety in it. Certainly there is no pleasure in this world comparable to the enjoyment of the Communion of Saints; where good people are compacted, and united together in affecti on and judgment, and intereft, as. fellow members of one body, which (though many) have but one heart, and one head; and are so one another, that they are members one of another, that they are all one in Chrift. But in the name of wonder, what is it that should be fo taking in this company? where is the wine, and the Strong Strong drink? where are the coftly ointments, and the Crowne's of refebuds? the Mufick, dancing, laughing? the world understands the language of these jok lities without the help of an interpreter: But for people to meet, only to talk one another into gravity, and to fpend time in fpeculative difcourses of another world, when they might give themfelyes the pleasure of this: if this be mirth, what doth it? It may feem a ftrange and an impertinent advice of this great Moralift to his friend Lucilius, that above all things, he should be careful to learn, how to be merry; one would think there fhould go no great matter of Philofophy to that: But there is a mistake in it: True mirth is Metaphyfical, and fupernatural. It is not the crackling of thornes under a pot z a blaze, and a noife, and a nothing; (the laughter of a mad man is not mirth); but it is a fevere, and (I may fay) a Divine thing. It is an anticipation of the joyes of Heaven in the delightful fociety of a good confcience, D when we are alone; and (together with that) of conscientious friends, when we are in company. They are the merry hearts, that keep the continual Feaft. It is one of the Devils lyes, and that of which he hath made as great advantage, as of any, that Religion is a dull flat melancholy thing; whereas in truth, there is no fuch cleere, defecate mirth, as that which cometh from the Springs above. The Prophet Isaiah, fpeaking of the coming of our Saviour in the flesh, gave this Character of him, That he Should not be fad, (fo it is rendered in the vulgar tranflation) that he fhould not be of a fullen, retired difpofition, but amicable, and free; and it was verified in his converfation. He was anointed with the oyle of gladness, and we have that Spiritual undion from him. Let the men of the world deride this heavenly mirth, as the Covetous Pharifees derided the true riches, which Chrift fpake of, as a, fantastical thing; they do but like thofe, that make themfelves merry, at the fight of a com pany pany dancing a farr off, when they cannot bear the mufick whereby their geftures and motions are directed, and therefore judge them to be antick, and ridiculous: They take this mirth to be no other then a folly, and laugh at they know not what; because being at fuch a diftance from the godly, they cannot take notice of the heavenly barmony, and accord, that is between their orderly converfation,and the aires of Gods Spirit, quickening, and inlivening them with joyes unspeakable, and full of glory. Nothing but ignorance is the mother of this mifopinion. But what are thefe friends, that are fo wellcom? are they perfons of honour, or intereft; is there any thing to be gotten by them? the fashion of the world is, to ferve the Ball only to thofe that can return it; and to bid the only, that can bid againe. It is a fad word, Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God hath chofen the foolish, weak, base inconfiderable things of the world, things D 2 that |