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FRiends, doe not thinke that these brief Senten∣ces were drawn out of those Texts of Scripture quoted after them. For the Sayings were written some Years be∣fore any Quotations were made. And those places of Scripture were only set down to shew how near these rationall Maximes come to divine Verity, and how nigh Kin Faith and Reason are.
I Call my Fathers Golden sayings, and my own Silver, because his have the Prio∣rity, not only of Time, but al∣so of Estimate: and besides mine Excell his in Nothing but Number, as Children do the Parents, and as Stars do the Sun and Moon.
As for my own Sentences, they have little or nothing in them that I have begg'd, or borrowed. Nay I fear, it will be said, that they have too much of my Self in them. But though they are like the
Cobweb, spun out of my own Bowels, yet some of them well applyed may stench a bleeding Conscience.
They are (most of them) common Notions, but never the worse for that: For the Sun, the Day, the Ayre, the Fire, the Water, the Earth, and the Gospel are not the worse for being cōmon, but the better. Boni proprium est esse cōmune, Tis proper to that wch is good, to be common: And that which does good to many, is more excell•…•…
and more divine, (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Aristot.) then that, that does good to one only.
They are Trilineals, or three lines a piece (most of them) and so more portable for the Memory.
They are Pentad's, or just five in a Page: so that a man, (though streightned in Time, notwithstanding) may read to a Period presently, & car∣ry a Theam to think on with him, as an Antidote against worse thoughts.
The very blank Spaces between them will prove ad∣vantagious to one that has a∣ny Good-husbandry, for there he may interscribe any other compendious Apo∣thegme, at Pleasure and Leisure.
As for my failings, I hope they will prove either but ordinary, or but few. But I could wish this were the worst use I had made of my Pen, I hope 'tis not the best.
Much good may they do thee, Who ever thou art, Friend or Foe: so saies He, who is (in his Prayers to God for thee,)
Thine, (whether thou wilt or no) N. C.