The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Preface 1 – Text and paraphrase 1
THE PREFACE.
I. THis Book not carrying in the front of it the expreſs Name of SOLOMON, it hath emboldned ſome to take the liberty of intitling other Authors to it. Hezekiah, for inſtance, whom the Talmudiſts make to ſpeak thoſe Words in the entrance of it, The words of the Preacher, &c. Or Iſaiah, as R. Moſes Kimchi, with ſome other Jews, fanſie: Or, to name no more, Zorobabel, whom Grotius (in his Notes upon Chap. XII. 11.) conjectures to have appointed certain men to make this Collection. For ſo he would have the word COHELETH tranſlated, a Collector; or Heaper up of Opinions, rather than a Preacher.
II. But there are ſo many paſſages in the Book which agree to none but Solomon, that it is a wonder ſo great a man as Grotius ſhould be led away from the common Opinion, by ſuch ſlight reaſons, as I ſhall preſently mention. For inſtance, there never was any Body that could truly ſpeak thoſe words which we read v. 16. of the firſt Chapter, but only Solomon. For neither Hezekiah, nor Joſiah, nor Zorobabel kept ſuch great State, as he did, much leſs excelled him in Wiſdom. And who but he could boaſt of ſuch things as are mentioned Chap. II. v. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. to repreſent the ſplendour wherein he lived, above all that had been before him in Jeruſalem? Or, on the contrary, Who had ſuch reaſon as he, to make that ſad complaint (Chap. VII. 26, &c.) of the miſchief he had received by Women? And to omit the reſt, thoſe words in the laſt Chapter, v. 9, 10. can belong to none but him, who ſet in order many Proverbs, as appears in the foregoing Book.
III. Which things are ſo convincing, that Grotius is forced to acknowledge that Zorobabel cauſed this Book to be compoſed in the Name of King Solomon (for he was no King himſelf, but a Governour under the King of Perſia) repenting of his former vain and ſinful life. Which very acknowledgment carries in it a plain ſolution of the principal Argument, whereby he was led to this odd Opinion: Which is, that he finds ſome words in this Book, that are no where to be met withal, but in Daniel and Ezra, and the Chaldee Interpreters. Which makes it probable, he thinks, that it was written after their Captivity in Babylon. But ſuppoſing Solomon to write here as a Penitent, after he had frequented the Company of many Outlandiſh Women (of whom we read 1 Kings XI. 1, 2.) it need not ſeem ſtrange to us that he had learnt the uſe of many of their words. And ſo, notwithſtanding this Objection, he may ſtill be thought to have been the Author of this Book himſelf: which the Hebrews generally conceive to have been written by him, towards the end of his Reign; after he had tried all manner of pleaſures, even to an exceſs. Beſides, in other Books of Scripture there are words, for the ſignification of which we are fain to have reſort unto other languages; and particularly the Arabick; becauſe they are not to be found elſewhere in the Scripture: and yet, for all that, might be pure Hebrew, according to the language which was then ſpoken, when ſuch Books were written.
IV. But it is not fit to ſtay any longer, in the confutation of ſuch a weak reaſon as this; which hath no force in it (though it be the beſt he hath) to make us think of any other Author of this Book, than Solomon. Who, if he did not write it himſelf it is certain ſpake the things contained in it: and calls himſelf the PREACHER, becauſe of the great gravity and dignity of the Subject, whereof he treats; of which he was wont to ſpeak frequently (Chap. XII. 9.) deſiring it might be underſtood and laid to heart, by the whole Congregation of Iſrael; as the Word Coheleth ſeems to import; which in the Aethiopick language ſignifies a Circle, or a Company of men gathered together, in the form of a Circle, as Ludolphus hath lately obſerved. For the ſcope of this Diſcourſe is concerning the chief Good or happineſs of man: the great end he ſhould propoſe to himſelf all his life long. Which is not that, he ſhows, which men generally follow: but that which is generally neglected. For moſt men mind nothing, but juſt what is before them: which they will find at laſt, as he had done by ſad experience, to be mere vanity; utterly unable to quiet their minds. Which muſt therefore ſeek for ſatisfaction in ſomething elſe; and, after all their buſie thoughts, deſigns and labours come to this Concluſion, that to fear God and keep his Commandments, is the happineſs of man: who ought therefore to uſe all the pleaſures of this World (which is the only Good it can afford us) with a conſtant reſpect to the future account, we muſt all make to God.
V. This, it appears by the beginning and the end of this Book, is the Scope of it. Ʋnto which they that will not attend, are wont to pick out here and there a looſe Sentence, which agrees with their deſires; and then pleaſe themſelves with a fancy that they have got Solomon on their ſide, to help to maintain their infidelity: Not conſidering what he aſſerts directly contrary, in other places. Where he preſſes the greateſt and moſt ſerious reverence to Almighty God, IV. 17. V. 1, 2, &c. VIII. 12, 13. XII. 13. together with a remembrance of the future Judgment, III. 17. XI. 9. XII. 14. Works of mercy and charity alſo, whereby we may do good to others, XI. 1, 2, &c. and the contempt of thoſe frivolous pleaſures, which draw our hearts from God and from good works, II. 2. VII. 2, &c. All which plainly ſhew, that thoſe words which ſeem to countenance men in their neglect of Religion, and open a Gap to licentiouſneſs, are only Opinions which he intends to confute, according to the method he had propounded to himſelf in this Book. Wherein he firſt repreſents the various ends men drive at; which in the very entrance of it (that men might not miſtake his meaning) he pronounces to be ſo vain; that he had not words ſignificant enough to expreſs their vanity; and then, their different Opinions about God, and his Providence, and their own ſouls: and what thoughts he himſelf had toſſed up and down in his mind; which at laſt came to that reſolution I mentioned before, wherewith he ends his Book. In the cloſe of which, to give the greater weight unto what he had ſaid, he adds this: That theſe were not only the reſult of his own thoughts, but the judgment of other Wiſe men, with whom he had conſulted.
Let no man therefore deceive himſelf (to uſe the grave words of Caſtalio) as ſome, I wiſh I could ſay a few, have done: who not minding the end and drift of this Book, but having met with ſome one place in it that ſeems to favour their beloved luſts, lay hold on that Scrap alone; and with that endeavour to defend their licentious courſe of life. As if they expected, they ſhould find God juſt ſuch a Judge hereafter, as they are of themſelves at preſent.
VI. To compriſe all in a few words. The ſenſe of the whole Sermon, as we may call it, ſeems to be comprehended in this Syllogiſm,
Whatſoever is vain and periſhing cannot make men happy;
But all mens deſigns here in this World are vain and periſhing:
Therefore, They cannot by proſecuting ſuch deſigns make themſelves happy.
The Propoſition is evident in it ſelf; and needs no Proof. The Aſſumption therefore he demonſtrates in the ſix firſt Chapters, by an enumeration of Particulars; as I ſhall ſhew in the Argument before, or Annotations upon, each Chapter: And then proceeds, in the reſt of the Book, to adviſe men unto the beſt courſe to make themſelves happy; evidently proving all along from this inconſtancy and vanity of all things here, that he who wiſhes well to himſelf, ought to raiſe his mind above them, to the Creator of the World: and, expecting to give an account to Him, ſo to demean himſelf in the uſe of all earthly enjoyments, that he devoutly acknowledge his Divine Majeſty, fearing, and worſhipping Him, and doing his Will.
Such indeed is the dulneſs of Mankind, that, hearing all was but vanity, they might condemn every thing as evil and hurtful; and declaim too bitterly againſt this World. Which was ſo far from Solomon's intention, that having explained the vanity of all our injoyments here, and the vanity of humane cares, ſolicitous deſires and endeavours; he perſwades all men to be content with things preſent, to give God thanks for them, to uſe them freely with quiet minds: living as pleaſantly, and taking as much liberty, as the remembrance of a future account will allow; void of anxious and troubleſome thoughts, what will become of them hereafter in this life.
VII. But it may not be amiſs perhaps to give a larger account of this Sermon; and let the Reader ſee in what method it proceeds. For many men imagine it to be a confuſed Diſcourſe, which doth not hang together: and therefore have explained this Book, only by giving an account of the meaning of each Verſe; as if it were a diſtinct Sentence, independant on the reſt; like thoſe in his Proverbs. But Antonius Corranus, a moſt excellent perſon, in a ſmall Diſcourſe of his upon this Book, written above an hundred years ago; hath drawn ſuch a Scheme of it, as I believe will ſatisfie thoſe who conſider it, that Solomon proceeds after an exact order, to deduce what he intended. And therefore I will tranſlate the ſenſe of what he ſaith, into Engliſh; which is to this purpoſe:
VIII. The deſign of the Author is to find out and to ſhew, What it is, in which the chief good and compleat felicity of man doth conſiſt. As appears by this, that reflecting upon various things in which men place their happineſs; at the end of his Diſcourſe upon every one of them, he rejects them as utterly inſufficient for that purpoſe: but continues his ſearch ſo far till at laſt he finds it, and declares in the concluding Epiphonema, that he had been ſeeking it, through the whole Diſcourſe, ſaying, the ſumm of the matter is this, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole of man.
Now there are two principal Parts of the whole Sermon, The firſt of which contains a recital, and confutation, of mens falſe Opinions about their Chiefeſt Good: the other teaches, in what our genuine, true and ſolid felicity lies; both in this life, and in the next. In both he ſhows very deligently, what is the end to which a man ſhould direct all his Counſels, Studies and Endeavours, what he ought to follow, as moſt deſirable above all things; and what to avoid, as the extreameſt of evils.
Of the firſt of theſe he treats in his VI. firſt Chapters; of the other in as many more that follow. Which is both a perſpicuous and exact method. For being to treat of felicity, it was but fitting he ſhould divide it into falſe, and true; and then define aright what that true felicity is. For we muſt firſt ſhun that which is evil, and then purſue that which is good: according to the frequent admonitions we meet withal in the holy Prophets.
The firſt Part.
IX. Now the firſt part of his Sermon relies upon a Propoſition, which no body denies, viz. That vain, frail and troubleſome things cannot make any man happy: And ſuch ſaith he in the very firſt words of the Book, are all things here, Vanity of Vanities; i. e. extremely vain.
Which Aſſumption it may ſeem hard to prove, if we conſider what account blind Mortals make of their own inventions, counſels, ſtudies and labours, by which they think to attain felicity. But to Solomon nothing was more eaſie; who having made a full and long experiment of all enjoyments here, moſt evidently demonſtrates this by an enumeration of Parts, and that in an apt, perſpicuous, and compendious order. For he neither confounds the parts; nor too curiouſly purſues them; nor mentions all the falſe Opinions of men about the chiefeſt Good (which would have been too tedious, if like Varro he had told us of two hundred, eighty five, and yet that he could not reckon all) but reducing the moſt probable Opinions unto four principal Heads, he confutes them by various Arguments; drawn chiefly from adjuncts and effects.
The firſt is of thoſe who place Bleſſedneſs in the knowledge of natural things, and in humane Wiſdom, which begins at the 12th. Verſe of the firſt Chapter, and reaches to the beginning of the ſecond. For in the precedent Verſes, he only lays a foundation for his Diſcourſe, and plains his way to the proof of what he intended.
The ſecond is of thoſe who place it in pleaſure; which he diſpatches, as unworthy of a long confutation, in the three firſt Verſes of the ſecond Chapter. But there being thoſe of this Sect, who joining theſe two together, pleaſure and knowledge, imagine they will make up a complete happineſs; he ſpends more time in ſhowing their Vanity; from the 4th Verſe of the ſecond Chapter, to the 16th Verſe of the third: interpoſing only a Parentheſis, wherein he compares Wiſdom with Folly; and from the effects of both ſhews how much the former is to be preferred before the latter.
The third touches thoſe who think Honours, Magiſtracies, and Power in the Commonwealth, to be the higheſt of all Goods. In which number are they, who ſeek to extend their Empire, though it be by a vaſt effuſion of their own Subjects blood; by which means alſo they eſtabliſh their tyranny. when they have acquired it. Which diſputation reaches from the 16th Verſe of the third Chapter, to the 9th Verſe of the fifth. Yet ſo, that from the beginning of the fourth Chapter to the 13th Verſe of the ſame, he inſerts the miſeries that grow from ſuch tyrannical adminiſtration; and the Vices which break in, upon the impunity of evil Doers, and neglect of the Laws. Particularly, he gives us a lively deſcription, of Emulation, and Covetouſneſs: two of the fouleſt and moſt cruel peſts of the Commonwealth. In the fifth Chapter alſo he inſerts a Diſcourſe of that ſuperſtitious and vain Worſhip of God; in which ſome, deſpiſing all other things, place their ſatisfaction: and moſt lamentably applaud themſelves in it. Which Diſputation contains in it ſome excellent Precepts of true Religion and Piety; which the Reader may find, in the firſt eight Verſes of the fifth Chapter.
After which follows the fourth Opinion of thoſe who propound to themſelves Riches and Wealth as their laſt end: which if they can attain, they doubt not they ſhall live very happily. Which extends it ſelf from thence to the 11th Verſe of the ſixth Chapter; where you have the general Epilogue of the firſt Part, concerning falſe felicity.
The other Part.
X. Then follows the ſecond, and moſt Elegant as well as uſeful part of the Sermon. In which he teaches, that the felicity, for which men take ſo much pains (every one going his own way to it) is not to be found any where, but in a religious and ſerious fear of God: according to that of the Pſalmiſt, Bleſſed are all they that fear the Lord; that walk in his ways; and again, Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord; that delighteth greatly in his Commandments. For other things; though they promiſe felicity, yet they cannot perform it; becauſe they have ſuch a mixture of vanity, trouble and grief with them, as will not ſuffer them to be abſolutely good; and becauſe, if they were ſincere, yet they being ſo uncertain that they may be loſt before we dye, and at the beſt are terminated within the narrow Bounds of this ſhort life; they cannot give that ſatisfaction and quiet of mind, which we deſire. But the fear of God is ſuch a Good that it both gives true contentment, ſatisfaction and tranquility of mind, as long as we live; and when we die, fills us with a ſure hope of a better life: in which true and genuine felicity is accompliſhed.
For the ſumm of what can be ſaid in this matter, may be reduced to this Argumentation:
That which can make a mans mind quiet, ſtill and calm, both in life and death; that alone can make him happy;
Now this the Fear of the Lord can do for him, and this alone:
Therefore this, and nothing elſe, will make him a happy man.
The Propoſition needs no Proof; For then we feel our ſelves happy, when our minds are ſo quiet and well pleaſed; that they neither grieve, nor fear, nor ſolicitouſly deſire, nor vainly hope for uncertain things: but reſt ſatisfied in that excellent and moſt certain joy and hope, which ariſes out of a pure Conſcience.
The Aſſumption is proved from two effects of the Fear of God, viz. Wiſdom and Juſtice. The firſt of which teaches us what to follow, and what to fly: and furniſhes us with ſuch caution, that we be not impoſed on, in the choice of that which ſeems to be good for us. The other inſtructs us to do our whole Duty, towards God, towards our Neighbour, and towards our ſelves. In which two all Religion and piety, together with ſatisfaction, tranquillity and felicity, is contained.
And becauſe effects are more known than their cauſes, and it would be uncertain what he meant by the fear of God, unleſs he explained it by thoſe things wherein it conſiſts; he begins his Diſputation on this Subject with thoſe effects; and employs himſelf wholly in ſhewing what are the Offices of Wiſdom and Juſtice: that he might inform us not only what is the Chief Good, to which we ought to aſpire; but by what ways and means we may come at it.
XI. Of Wiſdom and Prudence therefore, which is converſant in the choice of things; he treats in the firſt place; Chapter the Seventh: becauſe no man can act either righteouſly, or valiantly, or temperately, unleſs, by the benefit of Prudence, he be before inſtructed what courſe is to be held in every one of theſe, and of what force they are unto our happineſs. He explains therefore its various Offices in ſuch Documents as theſe; That a good Fame is to be deſired above all things; That Death ought to be the Subject of our frequent Meditations; That thoſe things are to be avoided, which incite to pleaſure, and the contrary to be followed, which admoniſh us to be modeſt and ſober; That ſeverity and gravity are to be preferred before mirth; Chaſtiſements and corrections to be willingly admitted; Flattery and ſoothing people to be caſhiered; Not to be too much diſturbed at calumnies and reproaches; To take no Bribes; To expect the iſſue and concluſion of things; To bridle anger, as an Enemy to reaſon; To love the uſe of money, not mony it ſelf; and ſuch like. Ʋnto which, laſt of all, he adjoins a brief commendation of Wiſdom; rejecting both the larger Explication of its effects, and its praiſes, to the end of the ninth Chapter, and beginning of the tenth.
Now this firſt Part concerning Wiſdom, is handled in the twelve firſt Verſes of the ſeventh Chapter.
XII. Then he enters upon the other, concerning Juſtice: which he divides into that which reſpects God, and that which reſpects men. The former of which (comprehended under the names of Religion, Piety, and Godlineſs) conſiſts in this: That in the firſt place, we conceive aright and judge well of God, and of his Providence in the Adminiſtration of humane Affairs; and then that we pay Him that Honour, Worſhip and Service, which is due unto His Divine Majeſty.
This Diſcourſe, which he touches upon from the 13th to the 16th Verſe of the VIIth Chapter he reſumes again in the VIIIth Chapter, and purſues it from the 9th Verſe of it, to the 13th Verſe of the IXth Chapter.
As for that Juſtice which reſpects others, it is manifold. For it is either towards men, or towards women: Which conſiſts, in a manner, altogether in ſhunning both the Extremes of it, and obſerving an foreign, moderation or equity; and hath reſpect to their offences, either againſt our ſelves or others: which we are partly to correct, and partly to bear withal. Which is the ſumm of his Diſcourſe, from the 16th Verſe, to the beginning of the VIIIth Chapter.
Where interſperſing a few things, after his manner, in the praiſe of Wiſdom, he begins another Diviſion of Juſtice: concerning the Duty of Subjects to their Princes, from the ſecond Verſe to the eighth; and on the other ſide, the Duty of Princes towards their Subjects: of both which, it may be fit to give a larger account. For this Tractate is truly Royal, and worthy to be read perpetually, in this moſt turbulent Age, both by high and low: That from hence Subjects may learn to perform Obedience, and the greateſt obſervance both in word and deed towards their Princes; chuſing rather to bear and ſuffer any thing, than to attempt Rebellion againſt them; and Kings may alſo remember, that they ought to govern their Kingdoms, according to the Rules of Law and Equity, and not according to their own will and pleaſure; God having committed unto them the Scepter of Juſtice, Clemency, and Welfare of their Subjects; not the Scepter of Cruelty, Tyranny, and Deſtruction.
In which this Wiſe King obſerving both Princes and People, to be too negligent, and that thence ariſeth a very great licenſe in ſinning, leſt well affected minds ſhould be offended at this horrible corruption of manners; he digreſſeth into a long, but very profitable and neceſſary Diſputation of God's Providence, and the Oeconomy of Juſtice. Which though the wicked deny, and deride, becauſe they ſee not ſuch manifeſt difference, as one would expect, made between the Good, and the Bad, in the Events that befal them both; yet he adviſes all that fear the Divine Majeſty not to be dejected and diſheartned at this; nor to ſearch with too much curioſity into God's ſecrets; but ſtedfaſtly reſolving, that it ſhall not be well with the wicked, though all things flow at preſent according to their hearts deſire, and that whatſoever the godly may ſuffer now, they ſhall find at laſt that God is their Friend; to look upon themſelves therefore as happy men, both in the peace of their Conſcience in this World, and in a ſure and certain hope of a better condition in the other. Ʋpon which account, he frequently inculcates this counſel, That they who are ſtudious to fear God, and do well, being ſecure of God's Adminiſtration and of the event of things, ſhould enjoy the preſent good things, which his Divine Bounty beſtows upon them; with cheerful minds, and with thankſgiving to Him. This Diſcourſe (which it muſt be confeſſed is not altogether ſo methodical as ſome other) extends) from the 9th Verſe of the eighth Chapter, to the 13th Verſe of the ninth.
And becauſe he had ſhown, that the event of things is not in our own counſel and in humane Wiſdom, but in the hand of God, leſt any body ſhould be ſo weak or perverſe, as thence to conclude, That it is the ſame thing, whether we act wiſely or fooliſhly; he again makes a Digreſſion into the praiſes of Wiſdom; ſhowing how much it excells folly, from the effects of both. It begins at the 17th Verſe, and reaches to the 4th of the tenth Chapter. Where he returns to his Diſcourſes, about the mutual Offices of Juſtice between one another; both of Princes and Subjects.
And then in the ſix firſt Verſes of the eleventh Chapter, he exhorts moſt earneſtly to Liberality, and Almſgiving; which is no ſmall part of righteouſneſs. And with that he concludes the two effects of the Fear of God; Wiſdom and Juſtice.
XIII. The reſt of the Work is his Peroration: in which he fully opens his Opinion concerning the Chief Good: which he confirms to lie wholly in a truly religious Fear of God. Which therefore he ſeriouſly exhorts every one to make their ſtudy as early as is poſſible: before dull and unactive Old Age, and Death it ſelf, (both which he elegantly deſcribes) come upon us, and, before we think of it, oppreſs us.
This is the method of this moſt excellent Sermon: which I cannot but exhort all men to ſtudy diligently, and with great intention of mind; both for the Authors ſake, and for the matter of it. Which he handles in ſuch a manner, as firſt to draw us from the deſire and love of earthly things; and from the perverſe uſe of them: and then to lead us unto the true and lawful uſe of them, without any offence to God, as well as without hurt to our ſelves. And he teaches us how we may, without a prepoſterous ſolicitude and anxiety about events, enjoy all things in the Fear of God; with tranquility and ſatisfaction of mind at preſent; and at laſt, by the ſame Fear of God and obſervance of his Commandments, arrive at a never-dying felicity.
To conclude, He interſperſes through the whole Diſcourſe abundance of Common Places, both Philoſophical and Theological; which are ſo fitted to make us every way more learned, more prudent, and more pious; that we ſhall find great uſe of them in all the paſſages of our lives.
XIV. Thus that learned Spaniard concludes his Preface: which I have contracted, that I might ſet before the Readers eyes in one ſhort view, both the deſign and the procedure of the Diſcourſe. Of the former (the Deſign) there is no doubt: and the latter is very regular, as it will further appear, in the explication I ſhall give of it. Wherein I have not followed this Author throughout, in every Part of this Diviſion of the Book; becauſe, though for the moſt part I take it to be accurate enough; yet, I think, in ſeveral places I had reaſon to differ from him; and take another way to make the connexion more eaſie and natural; and the ſenſe thereby more clear and evident.
I beſeech God, that the pains I have taken herein may not be in vain; but prove an effectual means both to make the mind of Solomon in this Book better underſtood; and to turn all our minds from theſe frivolous things, about which now they are too much employed, unto the ſolid and full Good which here he recommends to us. Who may be the better truſted in what he ſaith; becauſe he had tried what ſatisfaction could be found in all manner of enjoyments here: and it could not be objected to him that he diſparaged the World, merely becauſe he could not get any ſhare in it, or had not the liberty which was neceſſary to enjoy it. For no man ever had greater plenty, or gave a greater looſe to his deſires; but, after all the experiments he could make, came to this reſolution which he had better have taken at firſt; that Religion and Vertue are the only things can make a man happy.
And perhaps, as God ſuffered St. Thomas to doubt of our Saviour's Reſurrection, for the greater confirmation of our Faith; by the ſatisfaction he at laſt received: ſo he let this great man go aſtray, that by his dear-bought experience he might teach us this Wiſdom; to keep the cloſer to God in faithful obedience.
Which it will be a very great ſhame, it we do not learn, who live under the inſtruction of a greater Maſter than Solomon; the Son of God himſelf. By whom we are taught theſe things in a more effectual manner; not only by his Doctrine, but by his whole life, and by his death: in which he declared the greateſt neglect and contempt of this World; and that his mind was wholly ſet upon the other.
And what a bleſſed ſort of Reformation would it be, if (as Eraſmus ſomewhere admirably ſpeaks) we would all lay aſide our diſſenſions, ſtrifes, and quarrels, and ſtudy the Leſſons our Lord hath taught us. Whoſe buſineſs it was in this World, to form unto Himſelf a people that ſhould wholly depend on heaven, and placing no confidence in any Earthly ſupport or comfort, ſhould be after another manner rich, after another manner wiſe, after another manner noble, after another manner potent, in one word, after another manner happy: deſigning to attain felicity by the contempt of thoſe things, which are vulgarly admired. A people that ſhould be Strangers to filthy luſts, by ſtudying in this fleſh the life of Angels; that ſhould have no need of Divorce, by being able to mend or to bear all manner of Evils; that ſhould be wholly ignorant of Oaths, as thoſe who neither diſtruſt, nor will deceive any body; that make not the getting of Money their buſineſs, having laid up their Treaſures in Heaven; that ſhould not be tickled with vain glory, becauſe they refer all to the Glory of Chriſt alone; be void of ambition, as diſpoſed, the greater they are, to ſubmit themſelves, ſo much the more, unto all men for Chriſt his ſake; that ſhould be unacquainted with wrath, much more with revenge, as ſtudying to deſerve well of thoſe who deſerve ill of them: that ſhould be ſo innocent in their behaviour, as to force commendations even from Heathens; that ſhould be born again to the purity and ſimplicity of Infants; that ſhould live like the Birds of the Air, without care and ſolicitude; among whom there ſhould be the greateſt concord, nothing different from that which is between the Members of the ſame Body; in which mutual Charity ſhould make all things common; that whether there were any good thing, it ſhould help to ſupply him that wanted, or any evil thing, it ſhould either be removed or mitigated by the good Offices of others; who ſhould be ſo wiſe by the teaching of the Holy Ghoſt, ſo live according to the example of Chriſt, as to be the Salt of the Earth, the Light of the World, like a City on an Hill, conſpicuous to all the Country round about; whoſe abilities, whatſoever they are, ſhould make them forward to help others; to whom this life ſhould ſeem vile, Death deſirable, out of a longing for immortality; who ſhould neither fear tyranny, nor death, nor the Devil himſelf, relying upon the invincible power of Chriſt alone; who ſhould act in all things ſo, as to be ever prepared and ready for that laſt, and moſt to be wiſht for Day, when they ſhall take poſſeſſion of true and of eternal felicity.