Some Short and brief Defcriptions of Perfons that will never Thrive; at least, not while they continue fuch.

1.

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'IME and Opportunity is the chief thing to be regarded in all business, for Time and Tide ftays for no Man; and thofe that don't

obferve it, fhall never thrive.

2. For a man to be always punctual to his word, gives him a great reputation; and is of that confequence in all our affairs, that they that have no regard to it, can never thrive.

3. Thofe can never thrive, whofe minds are always fluctuating and inconftant, and are never ftedfaft to their refolutions.

4. Those who fuccumb under, and are cowed down by their misfortunes, and have not prefence of mind enough to encounter with disappointments, and are presently fhocked at the meeting with any thing that croffes their defigns, can never thrive.

5. One that is too eafy and credulous, and ready to be drawn to any thing by fair words, without confidering the importance of what he is a doing, may quickly do that which will ruin his family, and confequently can never thrive.

6. They will not thrive, who are not watchful over their pockets, as to little expences: for, as the Proverb tells us, Many Littles make a Mickle: and he that has no regard to a little, may foon lose a great deal.

7. Those will hardly ever thrive, fo as to be worth much, who never take and keep an exact account of what they spend.

8. It is impoffible that those should thrive, who every day spend more than they get; for they muft

needs

needs run in debt, and fo are never out of danger of being ruined.

9. Thofe to be fure can never thrive, but are in the high road to ruin, who neglect their Shops, Trades, and Bufinefs, day after day, week after week, and are all that while drinking and spending their time and money at the Tavern.

10. Those can never thrive who are given to gaming, especially when it is immoderate; for fuch men many times will hazard an Estate upon one throw.

11. Those can never thrive that have no regard to their promifes: 'tis far better not to promife, than to promife and not perform. And yet thofe are moft ready to make promises, that make least conscience of performing them.

12. They can never thrive, that make a common practice of fwearing, and taking the holy name of God in vain; for fuch God will not hold guiltless; and how then can they thrive?

13. Thofe can never thrive, that keep company with lewd and whorifh women, for fuch will bring a man to a piece of bread: and Solomon, (who had as much experience of them, as moft men in the world) tells us, That a whorish woman is a deep ditch; and thofe that are abhorred of the Lord, fhall fall therein.

Lastly, Those men will never thrive in what they undertake, that undertake more than they are able to manage: and this has been the ruin of many an honeft (though not wife) man, who undertaking too much, has thereby loft all."

Excellent RULES of THRIVING, in Verfe.

F

LY Idlenefs, which yet thou canst not fly, By dreffing, miftreffing, and compliment: If thofe take up thy Day, the Sun will cry

Against thee, for his light only was lent.

God gave thy Soul brave Wings, put not those feathers
Into a Bed to fleep out all ill weathers.

Art thou a Magiftrate? Then be fevere:

If Studious, Copy fair what Time hath blurr'd; Redeem Truth from his Jaws: if Soldier,

Chafe brave Employments with a Naked Sword
Throughout the World: fool not; for all may have,
If they dare try, a glorious Life or Grave.

When thou doft purpose ought within thy power,
Be fure to do it, though it be but fmall,

Conftancy knits the Bones, and makes us ftowre,
When wanton Pleasures beckon us to thrall:
Who breaks his own Bond, forfeiteth himself,
What Nature made a Ship, he makes a Shelf.

Do all things like a Man, not sneakingly,

Think the King fees thee ftill, for his King does; Simp'ring is but a lay Hypocrify;

Give it a corner and the Clue undoes: Who fears to do ill, fets himself to task:

Who fears to do well, sure should wear a Mask.

Slight thofe that say, amidst their fickly healths
Thou livest by Rule; what doth not fo, but Man?
Houfes are built by Rule, and Common-wealths:
Entice the trufty Sun, if that you can,
From his Ecliptic Line: beckon the Sky:
Who lives by Rule then, keeps good Company.

Who keeps no guard upon himself, is flack,
And rots to any thing at the next great thaw:
Man is a Shop of Rules, a well trufs'd Pack:
Whose every Parcel under writes a Law.
Loose not thyself, nor give thy Humour way,
God
gave them to thee under Lock and Key.

Be thrifty, but not covetous; therefore give
Thy Need, thine Honour, and thy Friend his due:
Never was Scraper brave Man: get to live,
Then live and ufe it; elfe it is not true
That thou haft gotten: furely use alone
Makes Money hot a contemptible Stone.

Never exceed thy Income: youth may

make

Even with the Year; but age, if it will hit,
Shoots a bow fhort, and leffens ftill his state,

As the Day leffens, and his Life with it.
Thy Children, Kindred, Friends, upon thee call;
Before thy Journey, fairly part with all.

By no means run in Debt; take thy own measure:
Who cannot live on Twenty Pounds a Year,
Cannot on Forty; he is a Man of Pleasure,

A kind of thing that's for itself too dear.
The curious Unthrift makes his Clothes too wide,
And spans himself, but would his Taylor chide.

Spend not on hopes; they that by pleading Clothes
Do fortunes feek, when worth and service fail,
Would have their Tales believed for their Oaths,
And are like empty Veffels under fail;
Old Courtiers know this; therefore fet out fo,
As all Day-long thou may'ft hold out to go.

In Clothes cheap Handfomness doth bear the Bell;
Wisdom's a Trimmer-thing than Shop e'er gave:
Say not then, This with that Lace will do well;

But, This, with my Discretion, will be brave:
Much Curioufnefs is a perpetual wooing,
Nothing with labour: folly long a doing.

Play not for gain, but sport; who plays for more
Than he can lofe with pleasure, ftakes his Heart,
Perhaps his Wife's too, and whom the hath bore;
Servants and Churches alfo play their part,
Only a Herald who that way doth pafs,

Finds his crack'd Name at length in the Church Glafs.

If yet thou love Games at fo dear a rate,

Learn this, that hath old Gamesters dearly coft:
Do'ft lofe? Rise up: do'ft win? Rife in that state:
Who ftrive to fit out lofing Hands, are loft:
Game is a civil Gun-Powder in Peace,
Blowing up Houfes with their whole increase.

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Wholly

1

Wholly abftain or wed: thy bounteous Lord
Allows thee choice of Paths, take no bye-ways,
But gladly welcome what he doth afford:

Not grudging that they Luft hath bounds and stays.
Continence hath its Joy: weigh both, and fo
If Rottennefs have more, let Heaven go.

Drink not the third Glafs, which thou canst not tame,
When once it is within thee; but before
May'ft rule it as thou lift, and pour the shame
Which it would pour on thee, upon the floor.
It is moft juft to throw that on the Ground,
Which would throw me there, if I keep the Round,

He that is drunken, may his Mother kill,

Big with his Sifter; he hath loft the Reins, Is out-law'd by himself; all kind of ill

Doth with his Liquor flide into his Veins, The drunkard forfeits Man, and doth divest All wordly right, save what he hath by Beast.

Shall I, to please another's Wine-sprung mind,
Lofe all mine own? God hath giv'n me a Measure,
Short of his Can and Body: must I find

A Pain in that wherein he finds a Pleasure ?
Stay at the third Glafs: if thou lofe thy hold,
Then thou art modeft, and the Wine grows bold.

If Reason move not, bravely quit the Room;
All in a Shipwreck fhift their feveral way:
Let not a common ruin thee intomb;

Be not a Beaft in courtefy; but stay,

Stay at the third Glafs, or forego the place;
Wine above all things doth God's Stamp deface.

Take not his Name, who made thy Mouth, in vain ?
It gets thee nothing, and hath no Excufe:
Luft and Wine plead a Pleafure; Avarice gain;
But the cheap fwearer, through his open Sluce
Lets his Soul run for nought, as little fearing;
Were I an Epicure, I could bate Swearing.

Lye not: but let thy heart be true to God,
Thy Mouth to it, thy Actions to them both,
Cowards tell Lies, and thofe that fear the Rod,
The ftormy working Soul, fpits lies and froth:
Dare to be true; nothing can need a Lie,
A fault which needs it moft, grows two thereby.

Be