66

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866.

"A perfon, in whom his eminent virtues, and deep learning, have long managed a conteft for the fu"periority, which is not decided to this day; nor will it ever be determined, I suppose, which fhall get the upper hand. A perfon that has fat in this court these many years, of whose actions there, I have been an eye and ear witness, that by the greatness of his learning always charmed his auditors to reverence and "attention: a perfon, of whom, I think, I may boldly fay, That as former times cannot fhew any fuperior "to him, fo I am confident, fucceeding and future time will never fhew any equal. Thefe confiderations, heightened by what I have heard from your lordship concerning him, made me anxious and doubtful, and put me to a stand, how I fhould fucceed fo able, fo good, and fo great a man: it doth very much trouble me, "that I, who, in comparison of him, am but like a "candle lighted in the fun-fhine, or like a gloe-worm at "mid-day, thould fucceed fo great a person, that is, and "will be fo eminently famous to all pofterity; and I must ever wear this motto in my breast, to comfort me, and "in my actions, to excuse me.

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Sequitur, quamvis non paffibus æquis.

Thus were panegyricks made upon him while yet alive, in that fame court of justice which he had fo worthily governed. As he was honoured while he lived, fo he was much lamented when he died: and this will ftill be acknowleged as a juft infcription for his memory, though his modesty forbid any fuch to be put on his tomb-stone.

THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST PATTERNS THIS AGE HAS AFFORDED, WHETHER IN HIS PRIVATE DEPORTMENT, AS A CHRISTIAN, OR IN HIS PUBLICK EMPLOYMENTS, EITHER AT THE BAR OR ON THE BENCH.

Sir MATTHEW HALE's First Epistle to his CHILDREN.

I

Dear CHILDREN,

INTENDED to have been at Alderley this Whitfuntide, defirous to renew those counfels and advices which I have often given you, in order to your greatest concernment; namely, the everlasting good and welfare of your fouls hereafter, and the due ordering of your lives and conversations here,

And although young people art apt, through their own indiscretion, or the ill advice of others, to think these kind of entertainments but dry and empty matters, and the morofe and needlefs interpofitions of old men; yet give him leave to tell you, that very well knows what he fays, these things are of more importance and concernment to you, than external gifts and bounties; wherein, nevertheles, I have not been wating to you, according to my ability.

This was my intention, in this journey; and tho' I have been disappointed therein, yet I thought good, by letters and meffages, to do fomething that might be done that way for your benefit, that I had otherwise intended to have done in person.

Affure yourselves therefore, and believe it from one that knows what he says, from one that can neither have any reason, or end to deceive you, that the best gift I can give you, is good counfel; and the best counsel I can give you, is that which relates to your greatest import and concernment; namely, religion.

And, therefore, fince I cannot, at this time, deliver it to you in perfon, I fhall do it by this letter; wherein i fhall not be very large, but keep myself within the bounds proper for a letter; and to thofe things only, at this time, 4 which may be most of present use and moment to you: and, by your due obfervance of thefe directions, I fhall

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have a good character, both of your dutifulness to God, your obedience to your father, and alfo of your discretion. and prudence; for it is most certain, that as religion is the best means to advance and rectify human nature, so no man shall be either truly wife, or truly happy without it, and the love of it; no, not in this life, much less in that which is to come.

1. Therefore every morning and every evening, upon your knees, humbly commend yourfelves to almighty God in prayer, begging his mercy to pardon your fins, his grace to direct you, his providence to protect you; returning him humble thanks for all his difpenfations towards you; yea, even for his very corrections and afflictions; intreating him to give you wisdom and grace, to make a fober, patient, humble, profitable use of them; and, in his due time, to deliver you from them; concluding your prayers with the Lord's prayer. This will be a certain means to bring your mind into a right frame; to procure you comfort and bleffing, and to prevent thousands of inconveniencies and mifchiefs, to which you will be otherwife fubjected.

2. Every morning read seriously and reverently a portion of the holy fcripture, and acquaint yourself with the history and doctrine thereof: it is a book full of light and wifdom, will make you wife to eternal life, and furnish you with directions and principles, to guide and order your life fafely and prudently.

3. Conclude every evening with reading fome part of the fcripture, and prayer in your family.

4. Be ftrict and religious obfervers of the Lord's day; refort to your parish church twice that day, if your health will permit, and attend diligently and reverently to the publick prayers and fermons: he cannot reasonably expect a blefling from God the reft of the week, that neglects his duty to God, in the due confecration of this day to the fpecial fervice and duty to God, which this day requires.

5. Receive the facrament, at least, three times in the year, and oftner, as there is occafion, in your parish church. The laws of the land require this, and the law of your Saviour requires it, and the law of duty and gratitude requires it of you. Prepare yourselves feriously for this fervice before-hand, and perform it with reverence

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and thankfulness: the neglect of this duty procures great inconvenience and ftrangeness; and commonly the neglect hereof arifeth froin fome conceited opinion that people inconfiderately take up; but most ordinarily from a fluggishnets of mind, and an unwillingness to fit and prepare the mind for it; or to leave fome finful and vain course, that men are not willing to leave, and yet condemn themselves in the practice of it.

6. Beware of thofe that go about to feduce you from that religion wherein you have been brought up hitherto; namely, the true Proteftant religion: it is not unknown to any that oblerves the state of things in the world, how many erroneous religions are fcattered abroad in the world; and how industrious men of false perfuafions are to make profelytes. There are Antinomians, Quakers, Anabaptifts, and divers others that go about to mislead themselves and others; nay, although the laws of this kingdom, and especially the ftatute of 23. Eliz. cap. 1. have inflicted the feverest penalty upon thofe that go about to withdraw perfons to the Romish religion, from the religion established in England, as any man that reads the ftatute, may find; yet there are scattered up and down the world divers factors and agents, that, under feveral disguises and pretences, endeavour the perverting of weak and easy perfons: take heed of all fuch perfuaders. And that you may know and observe the better, you fhall ever find these artifices practifed by them.

1. They will ufe all flattering applications, and infinuations to be mafter of your humour, and when they have gotten that advantage, they that feemed before to ferve you, will then command you.

2. They will ufe all poffible fkill, to raise in you jealousy and diflike towards thofe that may otherwise continue, and keep you in the truth; as to raise dislike in you against your minifter; nay, rather than fail, to raife diffention among relations; yea, to caft jealoufies and furmifes among them, if it may be inftrumental to corrupt them.

3. They will endeavour to withdraw people from the publick miniftry of God's word, encourage men to flight and neglect it and when they have once effected this, they have a fair opportunity to infufe their own corrupt principles.

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4. They

4. They will engage you, by fome means or other, to them; either by fome real, but more ordinarily by some pretended kindnefs or familiarity; that, in a little time, you fhall not dare to displease them; you must do and fpeak what they will have you, because fome way or other you are intangled with them, or ingaged to them; and then they become your governors, and you will not dare to contradict, or disobey them.

Thefe are fome of thofe artifices whereby crafty and fubtile feducers gain profelytes, and bring men under captivity.

7. Be very careful to moderate your paffions, especi- ally of choler and anger; it inflames the blood, disorders the brain, and, for the time, exterminates not only religion, but common realon; it puts the mind into confufion, and throws wild-fire into the tongue, whereby men give others advantage against them; it renders a man uncapable of doing his duty to God, and puts a man upon acts of violence, unrighteousness, and injustice to men : therefore keep your paffions under discipline, and under as ftrict a chain as you would keep an unruly curst mastiff: look to it, that you give it not too much line at first. But if it hath gotten any fire within you, quench it presently, with confideration; and let it not break out into paffionate, or unruly words or actions; but, whatever you do, let it not gangrene into malice, envy, or spight.

8. Send your children early to learn their catechism, that they may take in the true principles of religion betimes, which may grow up with them, and habituate them both to the knowlege and practise of it; that they may escape the danger of corruption by error or vice, being antecedently feasoned with better principles.

9. Receive the bleffings of God, with very much thankfulness to him, for he is the root and fountain of all the good you do, or can receive.

10. Bear all afflictions and croffes patiently; it is your duty, for afflictions come not from the dust. The great God of heaven and earth is he that fends thefe meffen. gers to you, though poffibly evil occurrences may be the immediate inftruments of them: you owe to almighty God an infinite fubjection and obedience, and to expoftu-> late with him, is rebellion; and as it is your duty, fo it is