and great mercy; but if we go to try ourfelves we may mean well but not wifely. For as it is fimply unlawful for weak perfons to seek a temptation, fo for the more perfect it is dangerous. We have enemies enough without and one of our own within; but we become our own tempter when we run out to meet the world, or to invite the Devil home, that we may throw holy water upon his flames, and call the danger nearer, that we may run from it. And certainly men are more guilty of many of their temptations than the Devil; through their incuriousness or rashness, doing as much mischief to themfelves as he can. For he can but offer, and fo much we do, when we run into danger. Such were thofe ftories of Saint Anthony provoking the Devil to battle. If the ftories had been as true as the actions were rafh and ridiculous, the story had fastened a note of indiscretion on that good man; though I think there is nothing but a mark of fiction and falfehood on the writer.-Ibid.

5. THE chain worn by Simeon Stylites the pillar-faint and his followers might be

equally injurious as falutary. The iron in itself was neither falutary nor injurious, but was one or the other, according to the difpofition of the wearer. Such ascetics should beware of fham holinefs, as the main point is to draw nigh unto God with a fincere humility, that he may draw nigh unto thee. They must be on their guard against condemning others, fhould avoid arrogance and haughty language and wear the cross not merely on the furface but in his inmost foul; and labour for the benefit of others. People of both fexes, learned and unlearned, high and low affemble around him. Towards these he must act in a right manner, or, in one word, apoftolically, for he must be all things to all men, that he may gain all, for the glory of God. He muft not flatter, left he injure the cause of Truth; nor be rude to any one, that he be not accused of unbecoming freedom of fpeech, but confider himself a channel of nothing but of good. ARCHBISHOP EUSTATHIUS.

Unprofitable Occupations.

CANNOT but think as ARISTOTLE (lib vi.) did of Thales and Anaxagoras, that they may be learned but not wife; or wife but not prudent, when they are ignorant of fuch things as are profitable to them. For fuppose they know the wonders of nature and the fubtleties of metaphyfics and operations mathematical, yet they cannot be prudent, who spend themselves wholly upon unprofitable and ineffective contemplations.

JEREMY TAYLOR.

2. On the celebrated difpute between Dr. Bentley, then mafter of Trinity College Cambridge, and Dr. Hare, Bishop of Chichefter concerning the metres of Terence, SIR ISAAC NEWTON obferved that "two dignified Clergymen, instead of minding their duty, had fallen out about a play-book."

CUMBERLAND.

T

Useful Knowledge.

ONTEMPLATE three things

and thou wilt avoid fin.

Know

whence thou comeft, whither thou goeft and before whom thou art hereafter to render a refponfible account. Whence comeft thou? From a perishable atom. Whither goeft thou? To a place of ashes, worms and maggots. Before whom art thou hereafter to render a responsible account? Before the Sovereign of the King of kings, the HOLY ONE. Bleffed be his name.-RABBI AKABIAH.

Ufelefs Knowledge.

OME there are that know the reforts and falls of bufinefs, that cannot fail into the main of it; like a house that hath convenient ftairs, but never a fair room. -LORD BA

CON.

Ufury.

SURY bringeth the treasury of a realm into few hands; for the ufurer being at certainties and others at uncertainties, at the end most of the money will be in the box. -Ibid.

2. THE Ufurer lives upon the labour of the induftrious; he eats his bread in the fweat of another man's brow.-JEREMY COLLIER.

Utterance.

ANY a man thinks admirably well, who has a poor utterance; while others have a charming manner of fpeech, but their thoughts are tri

fling.-ISAAC WATTS.