Sociable Letters 257 



be but a metal still; so likewise the most refined man 

 would be but human still, he would be still a man, and 

 not a God ; nay, take the best of godly men, such as 

 have been refined by grace, prayer, and fasting, to a 

 degree of saints, yet they were but human and men 

 still, so long as the body and soul were joyned to- 

 gether, but when these were separated, what the soul 

 would be, whether a God, a devil, a spirit, or nothing, 

 I could not tell; with that she lifted up her eyes, and 

 departed from me, believing I was one of the wicked 

 and reprobate, not capable of a saving grace, so as 

 I believe she will not come near me again, lest her 

 purity should be defiled in my company, I believe 

 the next news we shall hear of her, will be, that she 

 is become a preaching sister; I know not what 

 oratory the spirit will inspire her with, otherwise 

 I believe she will make no eloquent sermons, but I 

 think those of her calhng do defie eloquence, for the 

 more nonsense they deHver, the more they are 

 admired by their godly fraternity. But leaving her 

 to her self-denying, I return to acknowledge my self. 

 Madam, 



Your very faithful friend and servant. 



ON MODE-MINDS 



Madam, — I have observed, there are amongst 

 mankind as often mode phrases in speech as mode 

 fashions in cloaths and behaviour, and so moded 

 they are, as their discourse is as much deckt with 

 those phrases as their cloaths with several coloured 

 ribbands, or hats with feathers, or bodyes with 

 affected motions, and whosoever doth discourse out 

 of the mode, is as much despised, as if their cloaths 



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