Sect. 17. It telleth us, also, that he must not be worshipped with sin or cruelty, or by toyish, childish, ludicrous manner of worship, which signify a mind that is not serious, or which tend to breed a low esteem of him, or which are in any way contrary to his nature or his will.

Sect. 18. Nature telleth us, that such as are endued with an eminent degree of holy wisdom, should be teachers of others, for obedience to God and their salvation.

As the soul is more worth than the body, and its welfare more regardable, so charity to the soul is as natural a duty as to the body, which cannot better be exercised than in communicating holy wisdom, and instructing men in the matters of highest, everlasting consequence.

Sect. 19. Yea, nature teacheth, that so great a work should not be done slightly and occasionally only, as on the by, but that it should be a work of stated office, which tried men should be regularly called to, for the more sure and universal edification of mankind.

Nature telleth us, that the greatest works of the greatest consequence, should be done with the greatest skill and care, and that it is most likely to be so done when it is made a set office, entrusted in the hands of tried men, for it is not many that have such extraordinary endowments, and if unfit persons manage so great a work, they will mar it, and miss the end; and that which a man taketh for his office, he is more likely to take care of, than that which he thinks belongeth no more to him than others; and how necessary order is, in all matters of weight, the experience of governments, societies, and persons, may soon convince us.

Sect. 20. Nature telleth us also, that it is the duty of such teachers to be very diligent, serious, and plain; and of learners to be thankful, willing, studious, respectful, and rationally obedient, as remembering the great importance of the work.

For in vain is the labour of the teachers, if the learners will not do their part; the receiver hath the chief benefit, and therefore, the greatest part of the duty, which must do most to the success.

Sect. 21. Nature telleth men, that they should not live tionem sacerdotum nullum justæ religionis genus prætermittit. Nam sunt ad placandos Deos alii constituti, qui sacris præsint solennibus: ad interpretanda alii prædicta vatum; neque multorum ne esset infinitum, neque ut ea ipsa quæ suscepta publicè essent, quisquam extra collegium nosset.-Cic. de Leg. 1.2. p. 241.

loosely and ungoverned, but in the order of governed societies, for the better attainment of the ends of their creation, as is proved before.

Sect. 22. Nature telleth us that governors should be the most wise, and pious, and just, and merciful, and diligent, and exemplary, laying out themselves for the public good, and the pleasing of the universal sovereign.

Sect. 23. It teacheth us also, that subjects must be faithful to their governors, and must honour and obey them in subordination to God.

Sect. 24. Nature telleth us that it is the parents' duty, with special love and diligence, to educate their children in the knowledge, fear, and obedience of God, providing for their bodies, but preferring their souls.

Sect. 25. And that children must love, honour, and obey their parents, willingly and thankfully receiving their instructions and commands.

Sect. 26. Nature also telleth us, that thus the relations of husband and wife should be sanctified to the highest ends of life; and also the relation of master and servant; and that our callings and labours in the world should be managed in pure obedience to God, and to our ultimate end."

Sect. 27. Nature teacheth all men to love one another, as servants of the same God, and members of the same universal kingdom, and creatures of the same specific nature.

There is somewhat amiable in every man, for there is something of God in every man, and therefore something that it is our duty to love; and that according to the excellency of man's nature, which showeth more of God than other inferior creatures do, and also according to their additional virtues. Love

Autoritate nutuque legum docemur domitas habere libidines, coercere omnes cupiditates, nostra tueri, ab alienis mentes, oculos, manus abstinere.— Cic. 1. de Orat.

Nihil interest utrum vir bonus scelestum spoliaverit, an bonum improbus : nec utrum bonus an malus adulteratus sit: sed lex damni solum spectat dissimilitudinem, utiturque pro paribus, si alter violavit, alter violatus est.Aristot. Ethic. 5. c. 4. Vide Plutarchi Roman.' quæst. 65. Temperautia libidinum inimica est.-Cic. When an adulterer asked Thales whether he should make a vow, he answered him, Adultery is as bad as perjury;' intimating that he that made no conscience of adultery, would make none of perjury.-Laert. Cyrus is praised by Plutarch, de curiosit. that would not see Panthæa: and they are by him reproved that cast a wanton eye at women in coaches as they pass by, and look out at windows to have a full view of them, and yet think that they commit no fault, suffering a curious eye and a wandering mind to slide and run every way.

liness commandeth love, and love maketh lovely. This, with all the rest aforementioned, are so plain, that to prove them is but to be tedious.

. Sect. 28. Nature telleth us that we should deal justly with all, giving to every one his due, and doing to them as we would be done by.

Sect. 29. Particularly it telleth us that we must do nothing injuriously against the life, or health, or liberty of our neighbour, but do our best for their preservation and comfort.

Sect. 30. Man being so noble a creature, and his education so necessary to his welfare, and promiscuous, unregulated generation tending so manifestly to confusion, ill education, divisions and corruption of mankind; and unbridled exercise of lust, tending to the abasement of reason, and corruption of body and mind, Nature telleth us that carnal copulation should be very strictly regulated, and kept within the bounds of lawful marriage; and that the contract of marriage must be faithfully kept, and no one defile his neighbour's bed, nor wrong another's chastity, or their own, in thought, word, or deed.

This proposition, though boars understand it not, is proved in the annexed reasons. Nothing would tend more to household divisions and ill education, and the utter degenerating and undoing of mankind than ungoverned copulation. No one would know his own children, if lust were not bounded by strict and certain laws; and then none would love them, nor provide for them; nor would they have any certain ingenuous education. Women would become most contemptible and miserable, as soon as beauty faded and lust was satisfied; and so one half of mankind made calamitous, and unfitted to educate their own children, and ruin and depravation of nature could not be avoided. They that think their choicest plants and flowers fit for the enclosure of a garden, and careful culture, weeding and defence, should not think their children should be educated or planted in the wilderness. It is not unobservable that all flying fowls do know their mates, and live by couples, and use copulation with no other; and that the beasts, and more terrestrial fowl do copulate but only so oft as is necessary to generation and shall man be worse than beasts?

Sect. 31. Nature bindeth us not to violate the propriety of our neighbour, in any thing that is his, by fraud, theft, or robbery, or any other means; but to preserve and promote his just commodity as our own.

Sect. 32. Government and justice being so necessary to the order and welfare of the world, nature teacheth us that bribery, fraud, false witnesses, and all means that pervert justice must be avoided, and equity promoted among all."

Sect. 33. The tongue of man being made to be the index of his mind, and human converse being maintained by human credibility and confidence, nature telleth us that lying is a crime, which is contrary to the nature and societies of mankind.

Sect. 34. And nature telleth us that it is unjust and criminal to slander or injuriously defame our neighbour, by railing, reviling, or malicious reports; and that we ought to be regardful of his honour as of our own.

Sect. 35. Nature telleth us that, both in obedience to God, the just Disposer of all, and for our own quietness, and our neighbour's peace, we should all be contented with our proper place, and due condition and estate, and not to envy the prosperity of our neighbour, nor covetously draw from him to enrich ourselves.

Because God's will and interest is above our own, and the public welfare to be preferred before any private person's; and therefore all are to live quietly and contentedly in their proper places, contributing to the common good.

Sect. 36. Nature teacheth us that it is our duty to love human nature in our enemies, and pity others in their infirmities and miseries, and to forgive all pardonable failings, and not to seek revenge, and right ourselves by our brother's ruin: but to be charitable to the poor and miserable, and do our best to succour them, and help them out of their distress.t

All these are our undeniable duties to God, and our neighbours.

Sect. 37. Nature also telleth us, that every man, as a rational lover of himself, should have a special care of his own felicity, and know wherein it doth consist, and use all prudent diligence to attain it, and make it sure.

Sect. 38. Nature telleth us, that it is the duty of all men to keep reason clear, and their wills conformable to its right apprehensions; and to keep up a constant government over

Aristotle, Ethic.' 4. saith, "Every lie is evil, and to be avoided." The Roman laws against perjury, and false witness, and bribery, tell us what nature saith thereabout. Read, in Lamprid., how vehement Alexander Severus was against bribery; Fundamentum justitiæ est fides, id est, dictorum conventorumque constantia et veritas.-Cicer.

De altero temere affirmare periculosum est, propter cccultas hominum voluntates, multiplicesque naturas.-Cicer.

their thoughts, affections, passions, senses, appetite, words, and actions, conforming them to our Maker's laws, u

Sect. 39. Nature telleth us, that all our time should be spent to the ends of our creation, and all our mercies improved to those ends; and all things in the world be estimated by them, and used as means conducing to them.

Sect. 40. Nature commandeth us to keep our bodies in sobriety, temperance, and chastity; and not be inordinate or irregular in eating, drinking, lust, sleep, idleness, apparel, recreation, or any lower things.

Sect. 41. It commandeth us, also, watchfully and resolutely to avoid or resist all temptations, which would draw us to any of

these sins.

Sect. 42. And it teacheth us patiently to bear our crosses, and improve our trials to our benefit, and see that they breed not any sinful distempers in our minds or lives.

Sect. 43. And nature telleth us, that this obedient pleasing of our Maker, and holy, righteous, charitable, and sober living should be our greatest pleasure and delight; and that we should thus spend our lives, even to the last; waiting patiently in peaceful, joyful hopes for the blessed end which our righteous Governor hath allotted for our reward. *

"A man that loved his belly, desiring to be admitted into Cato's family; Cato answered, "Non possum cum tali vivere, cujus palatum plus sapit quàm cerebrum."-Erasm. Nullus mihi per otium dies exit. Partem noctium studiis vendico, non vaco somno sed succumbo.-Sen. "What mean you to make your prison so strong?" said Plato, to one that pampered his body.-Ficin. in Vit. Plat. Vires corporis sunt vires carceris, inquit Petrarch. 1. 1. dial. 5. Cato, homo virtuti simillimus--qui nunquam rectè fecit ut facere videretur, sed quia aliter facere non poterat; cuique id solum visum est rationem habere; qued haberet justitiam.-Velleius Pater. 1. 2. Magna pars libertatis est, bene moratus venter.-Sen. Plato saith, "God is the temperate man's law, and pleasure the intemperate man's. Temperantia voluptatibus imperat; alias odit atque abigit; alias dispensat, et ad sanum modum dirigit, nec unquam ad illas propter ipsas venit.-Senec. Scit optimum esse modum cupidorum, non quautum velis, sed quantum debeas sumere.-Sen. Animis tenduntur insidiæ-ab ca quæ penitus in omni seusu implicata insidit imitatrix boni, voluptas, malorum autem mater omnium; cujus blanditiis corrupti, quæ naturâ bona sunt, quia dulcedine hac et scabie carent, non cernimus satis.- Cic. de Leg. 1. p. 226. Ampliat ætatis spatium

sibi vir bonus: hoc est, vivere bis, vitâ posse priore frui.—Martial.

As a summary of what the light of uature may teach man, see the Stoics Ethics, collected by Barlaam; (much of which may be found in Seneca, and is confessed and praised by Cicero, though he chide them for their new words and schism;) where you will see, that the Stoics were wiser and better men than the Epicureaus would have men believe. Oculos vigilia fatigatus, cadentesque, in opere detineo.-Malè mihi esse malo, quam molliter: si mollis es, paulatim effeminatur animus, atque in similitudinem otii sui et pigri