3. Let us not enquire into the affairs of others that concern us not, but be busied within ourselves and our own spheres; ever remembering that to pry into the actions or interests of other men, not under our charge, may minister to pride, to tyranny, to uncharitableness, to trouble, but can never consist with modesty, unless where, duty or the mere intentions of charity and relation do warrant it.

4. Never listen at the doors or windows: for besides that it contains in it danger and a snare, it is also an invading my neighbour's privacy, and a laying that open, which he therefore inclosed that it might not be open. Never ask what he carries covered so curiously; for it is enough that it is covered curiously. Hither also is reducible, that we never open letters without public authority, or reasonably presumed leave, or great necessity, or charity.

Every man hath in his own life sins enough, in his own mind trouble enough, in his own fortune evils enough, and in performance of his offices failings more than enough to entertain his own enquiry: so that curiosity after the affairs of others cannot be without envy and an evil mind. What is it to me if my neighbour be illegitimate, that another is indebted five thousand pounds, or whether his wife be expensive? But commonly curious persons or (as the apostle's phrase is) "busy-bodies are not solicitous or inquisitive into the beauty and order of a well-governed family, or after the virtues of an excellent person; but if there be any thing for which men keep locks and bars and porters, things that blush to see the light, and either are shameful in manners, or private in nature, these things are their care and their business.

Curiosity is the direct incontinency of the spirit. Its inquisitions are seldom without danger, never without baseness; they are neither just, nor honest, nor delightful. Knock therefore at the door before you enter upon your neighbour's privacy: and re

member that there is no difference between entering into his house, and looking into it.

Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to boldness.

1. LET us always bear about us such impressions of reverence and fear of God as to tremble at his voice, to express our apprehensions of his greatness in all great accidents, in popular judgments, loud thunders, tempests, earthquakes; not only for fear of being smitten ourselves, or that we are concerned in the accident, but also that we may humble ourselves before his Almightiness, and express that infinite distance between his infiniteness and our weaknesses, at such times especially when he gives such visible arguments of it. He that is merry and airy at shore, when he sees a sad and a loud tempest on the sea, or dances briskly when God thunders from heaven, regards not when God speaks to all the world, but is possessed with a firm immodesty.

2. Be reverent, modest, and reserved, in the presence of thy betters, giving to all according to their quality, their titles of honour, keeping distance, speaking little, answering pertinently, not interposing without leave or reason, not answering to a question propounded to another; and ever present to thy superiors the fairest side of thy discourse, of thy temper, of thy ceremony, as being ashamed to serve excellent persons with unhandsome intercourse.

3. Never lie before a king, or a great person, nor stand in a lie when thou art accused, nor offer to justify what is indeed a fault; but modestly be ashamed of it, ask pardon, and make amends.

4. Never boast of thy sin, but at least lay a veil upon thy nakedness and shame, and put thy hand before thine eyes, that thou mayest have this beginning of repentance, to believe thy sin to be thy shame. For he that blushes not at his crime, but adds shamelessness to his shame, hath no instrument left to restore him to the hopes of virtue.

5. Be not confident and affirmative in an uncertain matter, but report things modestly and temperately, according to the degree of that persuasion which is or ought to be begotten in thee by the efficacy of the authority, or the reason inducing thee.

6. Pretend not to more knowledge than thou hast, but be content to seem ignorant where thou art, lest thou beest either brought to shame, or retirest into shamelessness1.

Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Indecency.

1. In your prayers in churches and places of religion use reverent postures, great attention, grave ceremony, the lowest gestures of humility, remembering that we speak to God, in our reverence to whom we cannot possibly exceed; but that the expression of this reverence be according to law or custom, and the example of the most prudent and pious persons that is, let it be the best in its kind to the best of Essences.

2. In all public meetings, private addresses, in discourses, in journeys, use those forms of salutation, reverence, and decency, which the custom prescribes, and is usual amongst the most sober persons; giving honour to whom honour belongeth, taking place of none of thy betters, and in all cases of question concerning civil precedency giving it to any one that will take it, if it be only thy own right that is in question.

3. Observe the proportions of affections in all meetings and to all persons; be not merry at a funeral, nor sad upon a festival; but " rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

4. Abstain from wanton and dissolute laughter, petulant and uncomely jests, loud talking, jeering, and all such actions, which in civil account are called indecencies and incivilities.

5. Towards your parents, use all modesty of duty

1 Ecclus. 3. 25.

and humble carriage; towards them and all your kindred be severe in the modesties of chastity; ever fearing lest the freedoms of natural kindness should enlarge into any neighbourhood of unhandsome

ness.

6. Be a curious observer of all those things which are of good report, and are parts of public honesty1. For public fame, and the sentence of prudent and public persons, is the measure of good and evil in things indifferent: and charity requires us to comply with those fancies and affections which are agreeable to nature, or the analogy of virtue, or public laws, or old customs.

7. Be grave, decent, and modest in thy clothing and ornament: never let it be above thy condition, nor always equal to it, never light or amorous, discovering a nakedness through a thin veil, which thou pretendest to hide; never to lay a snare for a soul; but remember what becomes a christian, professing holiness, chastity, and the discipline of the holy Jesus: and the first effect of this let your servants feel by your gentleness and aptness to be pleased with their usual diligence, and ordinary conduct. For the man or woman that is dressed with anger and impatience wears pride under their robes, and immodesty above.

8. Hither also is to be reduced singular and affected walking, proud, nice, and ridiculous gestures of body, painting and lascivious dressings: all which together God reproves by the prophet, "The Lord saith, Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and make a tinkling with their feet, Therefore the Lord will smite her with a scab of the crown of the head, and will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments"." And this duty of modesty in this instance is expressly enjoined to all Christian women by St. Paul, "That women

adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearl, or costly array, but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works'."

9. As those meats are to be avoided which tempt our stomachs beyond our hunger; so also should prudent persons decline all such spectacles, relations, theatres, as are against our moral interest. Our senses should not like petulant and wanton girls wander into markets and theatres without just employment; but when they are sent abroad by reason, return quickly with their errand, and remain modestly at home under their guide, till they be sent again.

10. Let all persons be curious in observing modesty towards themselves in the handsome treating their own body, and such as are in their power, whether living or dead. In all these cases and particulars, although they seem little, yet our duty and concernment is not little. Concerning which I use the words of the son of Sirach, "He that despiseth little things shall perish by little and little."

SECTION VI.

Of Contentedness in all estates and accidents. VIRTUES and discourses are, like friends, necessary in all fortunes: but those are the best which are friends in our sadnesses, and support us in our sorrows and sad accidents and in this sense, no man that is virtuous can be friendless; nor hath any man reason to complain of the Divine Providence, or accuse the public disorder of things, or his own infelicity, since God hath appointed one remedy for all the evils in the world, and that is a contented spirit: for this alone makes a man pass through fire, and not be scorched;

11 Tim. 2. 9.