An essay to promote virtue by example in a collection of excellent sayings (divine and moral) of devout & learned men, in all ages, from the apostles time, to this present year, 1689 / By William Whitcombe, gent.

Will of God.

SOME have satisfied themselves with this single Thought, that 'tis in vain to be troubled, since things must not be as we will, but as the Almighty Being pleases. Cold comfort! But God be thanked, we have much better to Comfort us. viz. That the World is not governed meerly by God's Will, but by his Wisdom; he disposeth of all things, according to his good Pleasure, but it pleaseth him to dispose of all things to the best: He ruleth the World, not only as an absolute Lord, but as a loving Father.

It is a poor center of a Man's Acti∣ons, Himself, it is Earth; for that only stands fast upon its own Center; where, all things that have Affinity with the Heavens, move upon the Center of another, which they be∣nefit. L. Bacon.

Seeming wise Men may make shift to get Opinion, but let no Man chose them for Employment; for certainly, you had better take for Business, a Man somewhat absurd, than over for∣mal. Bacon 148.

A Noble Lord, at the time of his Death, told his Son, That he would leave him a Legacy out of David's Psalms: Lord, lead me into a plain Path; for, said he, I would have you a plain Honest Man. To which I may add that excellent saying, of the same No∣ble Lord, The Wisdom of those young Men is most Excellent, who by Provi∣dence and Discourse of Reason, do so Order their Affairs, that they stay not till Necessity and Experience force them to that Order, which fore-sight would much sooner have taken.