_Direct._ XI. Set yourselves to do all the good you can to the miserable people in the places where you come. Furnish yourselves with the aforesaid books and arguments, not only to preserve yourselves, but also to convince poor infidels and papists. And pity their souls, as those that believe that there is indeed a life to come, where happiness and misery will show the difference between the godly and the wicked. Especially merchants and factors, who live constantly among the poor ignorant christians, Armenians, Greeks, papists, who will hear them; and among heathens (in Indostan and elsewhere) and Mahometans (especially the Persians, who allow a liberty of discourse). But above all, the chaplains of the several embassies and factories. Oh what an opportunity have they to sow the seeds of christianity among the heathen nations! and to make known Christ to the infidel people where they come! And how heavy a guilt will lie on them that shall neglect it! And how will the great industry of the Jesuits rise up in judgment against them and condemn them!
_Direct._ XII. The more you are deprived of the benefit of God's public worship, the more industrious must you be, in reading Scripture and good books, and in secret prayer and meditation, and in the improvement of any one godly friend that doth accompany you to make up your loss, and to be instead of public means. It will be a great comfort among infidels, or papists, or ignorant Greeks, or profane people, to read sound, and holy, and spiritual books, and to confer with some one godly friend, and to meditate on the sweet and glorious subjects, which from earth and heaven are set before us; and to solace ourselves in the praises of God, and to pour out our suits before him.
_Direct._ XIII. And that your work may be well done, be sure that you have right ends; and that it be not to please a ranging fancy, nor a proud, vain mind, nor a covetous desire of being rich or high, that you go abroad; but that you do it purposely and principally to serve God abroad, and to be able to serve him the better when you come home, with your wit, and experience, and estates. If sincerely you go for this end, and not for the love of money, you may expect the greater comfort.[164]
_Direct._ XIV. Stay abroad no longer than your lawful ends and work do require: and when you come home, let it be seen that you have seen sin that you might hate it; and that by the observation of the errors and evils of the world, you love sound doctrine, spiritual worship, and holy, sober, and righteous living, better than you did before; and that you are the better resolved and furnished for a godly, exemplary, fruitful life.
One thing more I will warn some parents of, who send their sons to travel, to keep them from untimely marrying, lest they have part of their estate too soon: that there are other means better than this, which prudence may find out: if they would keep them low, from fulness and idleness, and bad company, (which a wise, self-denying, diligent man may do, but another cannot,) and engage them to as much study and business (conjunct) as they can well perform, and when they must needs marry, let it be done with prudent, careful choice; and learn themselves to live somewhat lower, that they may spare that which their son must have: this course would be better than that hazardous one in question.
[156] Whether the consequent be good or hurt is like to be greater, must be well considered.
[157] Exod. xx. 21, "Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him." Exod. xxiii. 9, "Thou shalt not oppress a stranger," &c. So that usury to a stranger was no oppression.
[158] Of recreations, see before.
[159] Leg. Steph. Vinan. Pigh. in Hercule prodigo, pag. 130-132. Cui peregrinatio dulcis est, non amat patriam: si dulcis est patria, amara est peregrinatio. August.
[160] Lege Eurycic. Pateani Orat. 9.
[161] Read Bishop Hall's "Quo Vadis" on this subject.
[162] Peregrinatio levia tædia quædam animorum et veluti nauseas tollit: non tollit morbos qui altius penetrarunt, quam ut externa ulla medicina huc pertingat. Id. ib.
[163] Congressus sapientum confert prudentiam: non montes, non maria. Erasm.
[164] Peregrinatio omnis obscura et sordida est iis quorum industria in patria potest esse illustris. Cicer.