The five days debate at Cicero's house in Tusculum between master and sophister.

(a) I fear we must rather pray for Happiness, than aspire to it in any assurance of Vertue.] That man was ordain'd to Vertue and Happiness is evident; that our Nature was ori∣ginally perfect, and to act according to it, had been suffi∣cient to the attaining to that end, cannot, I think, justly he deny'd, that our Reasons and Wills are yet the Powers and Faculties by which only we can act as Men. What is said here, I fear we must rather pray for Happiness, than aspire to it in any assurance, is undoubtedly a Proverbial Loquntion to this purpose. We must cry out God help us, and surcease all endeavours of our own; which is unwar∣rantable, as tending to discourage Industry. In a Storm the Pilot must not quit the Stern, nor other Sea-men their Quarter, as they expect the Ship should ever be safe. Since our Nature is deprav'd, could we retrieve lost Perfection, it were not of it self sufficient to the recovery of Happiness, because the non-incurring a new Debt, doth not quit the old Arrear; yet have we grounds of hope, that sincerity of endeavours shall not want acceptance, through another Co∣venant vouchsafed to Man-kind.