afraid, and durst not shew you my opinion. I said, days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding: therefore hearken to me: I also will shew you my opinion *.

7. A seventh instance of sobriety of mind, yet more important than the former, indeed so visibly important, that a few words will suffice about it, is guarding carefully against rashness in conduct. Words may pass over, and prove of small importance; but actions are always of moment: and yet the young too commonly act without scruple or distrust. Sometimes this arises from the pride of thinking, that they cannot act amiss: but sometimes also from mere thoughtlessness, or a lively impatience of deliberation, joined with that peculiar enterprising disposition, and unwillingness to believe any harm will follow, which youth inspires, and riper years find bitter reason to lament. For indeed, what one thing is there dreadful in life, which this adventurous giddiness doth not frequently bring on men, in the very beginning of their days, and it may be fix down upon them to the end? You, of all others, ought to be cautious: for you have much to lose, even in this world; and to plunge at the first step into misery is a deplorable thing. You must be sensible, that multitudes have done so, and multitudes are doing so every day, through mere negligence, perhaps but a little negligence: and if you are guilty of as much or more, how can you hope to escape better? It will cost you far less time and trouble to avoid errors, than to retrieve them. Some cannot be retrieved at all: others, but imJob xxxii. 6, 7, 8. 10.

perfectly. With your best care you will find it hard enough to keep entirely clear of them: and what then must become of those, who professedly take no care at all, but give up their lives to fancy and chance?

8. Another point, in which it is very uncommon, and yet very needful for young people to be soberminded, is, in moderating their natural hastiness of temper, and readiness to take offence. It is in vain to think of reckoning up all the occasions, on which this fault appears in them: but some ought to be mentioned particularly.

One is, that they are too commonly provoked at receiving advice, and resent it as an affront. Now if it be given, as it certainly is for the most part, solely or chiefly from good will to you: what a monstrous, what a barbarous thing it is, to wound the hearts of your best friends doubly: first by your indiscretions, then by your ingratitude: to tell them, that it is no concern of theirs, which they cannot help being most tenderly concerned about; and insist on the right you have to ruin yourselves, if you please! But perhaps they take upon them, not only to advise you, but be angry with you: and that you cannot bear. Now it is very possible, their anger, or however the degree, or time, or manner of expressing it, may be improper: or, on the other hand, it may be more necessary, than you imagine, or care to own. But at least, it is a proof that they mean you well: else, why should they give themselves any disquiet about you? And even if they do mistake in some things, or go too far in their fears for you, still the reason of their solicitude is so kind, that the excess of it may well be excused. Or suppose it not to proceed from affection, but from what you

will, conceit, censoriousness, hatred, if you please; it will be well worth your while, to attend to it so far however, as to make your advantage of it, by amending or vindicating or guarding yourself. And if they, who give you good advice, be your enemies, it will be much better to grieve them by taking it, than to please them by persisting in sins or follies.

There is a farther instance of warmth of temper in young people, which frequently hath very bad consequences, though it proceeds from an excellent principle. They set out with the liveliest sense of right and wrong in many cases: would God it were the same in all! They have usually a strong abhorrence of doing unworthy things for the sake of interest and it is great pity, they have not an equal abhorrence of doing as unworthy things for the sake of pleasure and applause. But this aversion to baseness and unfairness, (though it can never be too deeply rooted, and to begin the world with indifference in these respects is a very bad sign, yet,) if they are naturally of eager spirits, hurries them on into most grievous errors. In public affairs they grow hot-headed and outrageous; inattentive to the weight of those reasons, and the merit of those persons that are against them; impatient to take the worst of methods, that promise but the attainment of their imagined good ends; in short, excessively unreasonable and injurious; and all with an intention of acting the honestest and noblest part that can be. In private life the same immoderate warmth prompts them to conceive sudden and furious antipathies on the slightest foundations: to magnify small faults or none into unpardonable crimes; and pursue the supposed offender with most unrighteous resentment, mistaking it all the while for just indig

nation. Now men of such vehement dispositions, which exert their vehemence chiefly in the season of youth, if they have any reflection, cannot help knowing their danger: and therefore should conscientiously and perpetually be on their watch against it should think seriously in their cooler hours, how much the misrepresentations of others, much more the violence of their own natures, may disguise things to them; and, it may be, have actually done it many times already: think what imperfections there are, in the minds and behaviour even of those who are well disposed, in their own amongst the rest; think, even supposing the things, or the persons, they are angry with, very bad, whether the bitterness of their anger may not be as bad: think how much better and safer it is to lean towards the milder side; and how exceedingly blameable they will have been, should all this heat, or a considerable part of it, prove at last to be groundless and unjust. But, next to the danger of unreasonable aversions, ought to be mentioned,

9. That of unreasonable fondnesses: against which the young, if they will preserve a due sobriety of mind, must always be strictly on their guard. They have had little opportunity for, and therefore can have little skill in, a part of knowledge, that requires a great deal, judging of characters. And yet they will enter all at once into such bosom friendships with almost mere strangers, as a prudent person would scarce contract with those whom he had known longest. Sometimes these sudden intimacies end in as sudden quarrels. And when they last longer the case is often yet worse. The favourites, chosen so hastily, are for the most part ill chosen; and when a confidence without reserve (for youth hath very

little reserve) is placed in those, who either design, or only judge amiss; in how many respects may they misguide, to what contempt may they expose, to what fatal errors may they lead, their inconsiderate admirers! Therefore beware of plausible insinuations and agreeable appearances: allow none to put themselves upon you for what they please; but examine them well, and always consult your old and sure friends in the choice of new ones. Indeed if you never choose any, perhaps it may be no harm. Familiar acquaintance you may have with many. A proper degree of trust you may repose in some. But your life may pass, without meeting with one, to whom you can with safety open your heart entirely. And most of the pretended strict friendships are mere interested combinations in the elder, and a mixture of fond fancy and affectation in the younger. Therefore keep on the watch; and particularly against those, whom perhaps you are least apt to suspect, who express the most complaisance to you, and are the fullest of your praises, especially to your face. If this behaviour be owing to weakness, they are unworthy of your esteem: if to design, they are dangerous. For the Scripture hath said, a man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet*. Instead therefore of running into the arms of such, keep them at a distance. And with whomsoever you enter into a closer connection, continue still to observe, with candour indeed, but with vigilance too, how they conduct themselves, what impressions they are making upon you: nor think it any breach either of fidelity or good-nature, to part with the dearest friend upon earth, rather than endanger your piety, your virtue, your happiness,

* Prov. xxix. 5.