affections and passions, and then no temptation will be too strong. "A wise man, and a full resolution, and an earnest spirit, can do anything of duty;" but every temptation prevails when we are willing to die; and we usually lend nothing to devotion but the offices that flatter our passions: we can desire and pray for anything that may serve our lust, or promote those ends which we covet, but ought to fear and flee from; but the same earnestness, if it were transplanted into religion and our prayers, would serve all the needs of the spirit; but for want of it we do "the Lord's work deceitfully."

Signs of Humility.

1. The humble man trusts not to his own discretion, but in matters of concernment relies rather upon the judgment of his friends, counsellors, or spiritual guides.

2. He does not pertinaciously pursue the choice of his own will, but in all things lets God choose for him and his superiors in those things which concern them.

3. He does not murmur against commands.

4. He is not inquisitive into the reasonableness of indifferent and innocent commands; but believes their command to be reason enough in such cases to exact his obedience.

5. He lives according to a rule, and with compliance to public customs, without any affectation of singularity.

6. He is meek and indifferent in all accidents and chances. 7. He patiently bears injuries.

8. He is always unsatisfied in his own conduct, resolutions, and counsels.

9. He is a great lover of good men, and a praiser of wise men, and a censurer of no man.

10. He is modest in his speech, and reserved in his laughter. 11. He fears when he hears himself commended, lest God make another judgment concerning his actions than men do.

12. He gives no pert or saucy answers when he is reproved, whether justly or unjustly.

13. He loves to sit down in private, and if he may he refuses the temptation of offices and new honours.

14. He is ingenuous, free, and open in his actions and dis

courses.

15. He mends his fault, and gives thanks when he is admonished.

16. He is ready to do good offices to the murderers of his fame, to his slanderers, backbiters, and detractors, as Christ washed the feet of Judas.

17. And is contented to be suspected of indiscretion, so before God he may be really innocent, and not offensive to his neighbour, nor wanting to his just and prudent interest.

A Letter to John Evelyn, Esq.

DEAR SIR,—If dividing and sharing griefs were like the cutting of rivers, I dare say to you, you would find your stream much abated; for I account myself to have a great cause of sorrow, not only in the diminution of the numbers of your joys and hopes, but in the loss of that pretty person, your strangely hopeful boy. I cannot tell all my own sorrows without adding to yours; and the causes of my real sadness in your loss are so just and so reasonable, that I can no otherwise comfort you but by telling you, that you have very great cause to mourn : so certain it is that grief does propagate as fire does. You have enkindled my funeral torch, and, by joining mine to yours, I do but increase the flame. "Hoc me malé urit," is the best signification of my apprehension of your sad story. But, sir, I cannot choose but I must hold another and a brighter flame to you: it is already burning in your heart; and if I can but remove the dark side of the lantern, you have enough within you to warm yourself and to shine to others. Remember, sir, your two boys are two

LETTER TO EVELYN.

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bright stars, and their innocence is secured, and you shall never hear evil of them again. Their state is safe, and heaven is given to them upon very easy terms; nothing but to be born and die. It will cost you more trouble to get where they are; and, amongst other things, one of the hardnesses will be, that you must overcome even this just and reasonable grief; and, indeed, though the grief hath but too reasonable a cause, yet it is much more reasonable that you master it. For, besides that they are no losers, but you are the person that complains, do but consider what you would have suffered for their interest: you would have suffered them to go from you, to be great princes in a strange country; and if you can be content to suffer your own inconvenience for their interest, you commend your worthiest love, and the question of mourning is at an end.

But you have said and done well, when you look upon it as a rod of God; and He that so smites here will spare hereafter and if you, by patience and submission, imprint the discipline upon your own flesh, you kill the cause, and make the effect very tolerable; because it is in some sense chosen, and therefore in no sense insufferable. Sir, if you do not look to it, time will snatch your honour from you, and reproach you for not effecting that by Christian philosophy which time will do alone. And if you consider that, of the bravest men in the world, we find the seldomest stories of their children, and the apostles had none, and thousands of the worthiest persons that sound most in story died childless; you will find it a rare act of Providence so to impose upon the worthy a necessity of perpetuating their names by worthy actions and discourses, governments and reasonings. If the breach be never repaired, it is because God does not see it fit to be; and if you will be of this mind, it will be much the better. But, sir, you will pardon my zeal and passion for your comfort; I will readily confess that you have no need of any discourse from me to comfort you. Sir, now you have an opportunity of serving

God by passive graces; strive to be an example and a comfort to your lady, and by your wise counsel and comfort, stand in the breaches of your own family, and make it appear that you are more to her than ten sons. Sir, by the assistance of Almighty God, I purpose to wait on you some time next week, that I may be a witness of your Christian courage and bravery, and that I may see that God never displeases you as long as the main stake is preserved-I mean your hopes and confidences of heaven. Sir, I shall pray for all that you can want —that is, some degrees of comfort and a present mind; and shall always do you honour, and fain also would do you service, if it were in the power, as it is in the affections and desires of, dear sir, your most affectionate and obliged friend and servant, (Signed) JER. TAYLOR.

Festival Hymns.

FOR CHRISTMAS-DAY.

THE blessed virgin travail'd without pain,

And lodged in an inn,

A glorious star the sign;

But of a greater guest than ever came that way:
For there He lay,

That is the God of night and day,

And over all the powers of heaven doth reign.
It was the time of great Augustus' tax,

And then He comes,

That pays all sums,

Even the whole price of lost humanity,

And sets us free

From the ungodly empery

Of sin, and Satan, and of death.

O! make our hearts, blest God, Thy lodging-place,

And in our breast

Be pleased to rest,

For Thou lovest temples better than an inn;

And cause that sin

HYMNS.

May not profane the Deity within,

And sully o'er the ornaments of grace.

CHRIST'S COMING TO JERUSALEM.

Lord, come away:

Why dost Thou stay?

Thy road is ready: and Thy paths, made straight,
With longing expectation wait

The consecration of Thy beauteous feet.
Ride on triumphantly; behold we lay
Our lusts and proud wills in the way.

Hosannah! Welcome to our hearts. Lord here
Thou hast a temple too, and full as dear
As that of Sion, and as full of sin :

Nothing but thieves and robbers dwell therein.
Enter, and chase them forth, and cleanse the floor:
Crucify them, that they may never more

Profane Thy holy place,

Where Thou hast chose to set Thy face.

And then if our stiff tongues shall be

Mute in the praises of Thy Deity,

The stones out of Thy temple-wall

Shall cry aloud, and call,

"Hosannah!" and Thy glorious footsteps greet.

A MEDITATION ON DEATH.

Death, the old serpent's son,

Thou hadst a sting once, like thy sire,

That carried hell and ever-burning fire:

But those black days are done; Thy foolish spite buried thy sting In the profound and wide

Wound of our Saviour's side:

And now thou art become a tame and harmless thing;

A thing we dare not fear,

Since we hear

That our triumphant God, to punish thee

For the affront thou didst him on the tree,

Hath snatch'd the keys of hell out of thy hand,

And made thee stand

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