The gentile sinner, or, Englands brave gentleman characterized in a letter to a friend both as he is and as he should be.

§. 7. His Inside.

It is now time to take a short view of his Inside, and it must indeed be a very short and Imperfect one; for you cannot but imagine what would be the unfortunate event, if such weak eyes as mine are, should gaze too long and intently upon the Glorious body of the Sun. I shall onely therefore be so officious to such (if any such there be) as need my help, as to set open the windowes for them, the Sun (I am sure) will shine in of it selfe. And truly his rayes dart in soe thick and fast upon us, we shall hardly know which to take notice of first: An understanding here we meet withall, so clear and unclouded; a Will so regular and uncorrupted, Affections so well refined, so orderly, and uninterested. that 'tis wholy evident, that as Nature found Materials, and Education built the House and set all in Order; so do Religion and Morallity Governe within, and betwixt them keep all clean and handsome.

His vertues seem to be so much the Ne∣cessary and Naturall Emanation of his most Active and boundlesse soul, that he is in dan∣ger by beeing altogether Good to lose the praise and honour due to so eminent a Good∣nesse: If he could Leave off to be vertuous, the world might then seem to have some excuse for being vicious. But his Goodnesse is too absolute, to grow out of love with it selfe, and too knowing to lie obnoxious unto such a cheat, as to part with her own face in ex∣change for the fairest of Vices. I wish the world would forbeare to love Vice, till he be∣gin to forsake vertue; and that all our Gen∣try would endeavour to be like him, till he become like them, or esteem any thing truly Noble, which he cannot prove to be really Good.

As for his Intellectuall Excellencies, so farre as he owes them purely and Immedi∣atly to God and Nature, I think it not fit so much as to touch any further upon them; lest I should not beare up even in that great variety, wherein they are distributed among the many Individuals; God having pro∣portion'd them out unto the severals in so different a measure, as nothing but his own

Infinite wisedome can give a particular rea∣son of it. Onely this I may safely say, that whatsoever his talent is, the Gentleman Digs not in the Earth to hide it; but so traffiques with it, till Art and Industry have Brought in an Encrease some way propor∣tionable to the Stock of Nature: at lest to that degree which may intitle him to the Euge of his Lord; and the Glorious welcome of a Good and faithfull Servant. He makes use of God's Bounty, not as a Warrant for his sloath or an Indulgence to his Idlenesse; but as a Spurre and motive to a gratefull Care and Industry: Not as a treasure to be prodigally spent, but a stock to be thriftily hus∣banded and Improved: He accounts it a thing most unworthy in a Gentleman, to be an Il husband, especially where the treasure is God's, and he but his Steward; yet such a steward, as has the use, as it were, of his Lord's purse for his Incourage∣ment.

His acquired Intellectuall accomplish∣ments, are too numerous and various to be here characterized, something must be said of them hereafter in his study, though but very little; for I chuse rather to insist upon

what Denominates him Good and Noble, then Great and knowing: for though the latter be usefull and excellent, yet the former are more praise worthy and Necessary.