and return and purchase, and spend and leave my sons such estates:  all which, if it succeed, he thanks himself; if not, he blames not himself.  His purposes are measured, not by his ability, but his will; and his actions by his purposes.  Lastly, he is ever credulous in assent, rash in undertaking, peremptory in resolving, witless in proceeding, and in his ending miserable, which is never other than either the laughter of the wise or the pity of fools.

OF THE DISTRUSTFUL.

The distrustful man hath his heart in his eyes or in his hand; nothing is sure to him but what he sees, what he handles.  He is either very simple or very false, and therefore believes not others, because he knows how little himself is worthy of belief.  In spiritual things, either God must leave a pawn with him or seek some other creditor.  All absent things and unusual have no other but a conditional entertainment; they are strange, if true.  If he see two neighbours whisper in his presence, he bids them speak out, and charges them to say no more than they can justify.  When he hath committed a message to his servant, he sends a second after him to listen how it is delivered.  He is his own secretary, and of his own counsel for what he hath, for what he purposeth.  And when he tells over his bags, looks through the keyhole to see if he have any hidden witness, and asks aloud, Who is there? when no man hears him.  He borrows money when he needs not, for fear lest others should borrow of him.  He is ever timorous and cowardly, and asks every man’s errand at the door ere he opens.  After his first sleep he starts up and asks if the furthest gate were barred, and out of a fearful sweat calls up his servant and bolts the door after him, and then studies whether it were better to lie still and believe, or rise and see.  Neither is his heart fuller of fears than his head of strange projects and far-fetched constructions.  What means the state, think you, in such an action, and whither tends this course?  Learn of me (if you know not) the ways of deep policies are secret, and full of unknown windings; that is their act, this will be their issue:  so casting beyond the moon, he makes wise and just proceedings suspected.  In all his predictions and imaginations he ever lights upon the worst; not what is most likely will fall out, but what is most ill.  There is nothing that he takes not with the left hand; no text which his gloss corrupts not.  Words, oaths, parchments, seals, are but broken reeds; these shall never deceive him, he loves no payments but real.  If but one in an age have miscarried by a rare casualty, he misdoubts the same event.  If but a tile fallen from an high roof have brained a passenger, or the breaking of a coach-wheel have endangered the burden, he swears he will keep home, or take him to his horse.  He dares not come to church for fear of the crowd, nor spare the Sabbath’s labour for fear of the