have to enquire after it, and to know and reflect on our own minds, we
shall rescue our selves out of that woful incogitancy we have slipt
into, awaken our sleeping Powers and make use of that reason which GOD
has given us. We shall then begin to wonder at our Folly, that amongst
all the pleasures we formerly pursued, we never attended to that most
noble and delicious one which is to be found in the chase of truth;
and bless our selves at last, that our eyes are open’d to discern, how
much more pleasantly we may be entertain’d by our own Thoughts, than
by all the Diversions which the world affords us. By this means we
are fitted to receive the influences of the holy Spirit and are put
in a due frame of Devotion. No doubt but He has often knock’d at the
door of our hearts, when the croud and noise of our Vanities would
not suffer us to regard or hear him, and could find no admittance
when our house was so fill’d with other company. Here therefore is
the fittest place for his Entertainment, for being freed from outward
disturbances, we are entirely at leisure to attend so divine a Guest.
Our Devotions will be perform’d with due attention, those Objects that
used to distract being now remov’d from us; simplicity of desire will
beget simplicity of thought, and that will make our mind most intense
and elevated, when we come to address our selves to the Throne of
Grace. Being dead to the things of this world, we shall with greatest
fervour petition for those of another; and living always in a lively
and awful sense of the divine Majesty, our hearts will ever be dispos’d
to approach him in the most solemn, serious and reverent manner. ’Tis
a very unseemly thing to jump from our Diversions to our Prayers; as
if when we have been entertaining our selves and others with Vanity,
we were instantly prepar’d to appear in the sacred presence of GOD.
But a Religious Retirement and holy Conversation, will procure us a
more serious Temper, a graver Spirit, and so both make us habitually
fit to approach, and likewise stir us up to be more careful in our
actual preparations when we do. For besides all other improvements of
Knowledge, we shall hereby obtain truer Notions of GOD than we were
capable of before, which is of very great consequence, since the want
of right apprehensions concerning him, is the general cause of Mistakes
in Religion, of Errors in Speculation, and Indecorums in Practice; for
as GOD is the noblest Object of our Understanding, so nothing is more
necessary or of such consequence to us as to busie our thoughts about
him. And did we rightly consider his Nature, we shou’d neither dare to
forget him, nor draw near to him with unclean hands and unholy hearts.
From this sacred Mountain where the world will be plac’d at our feet,
at such a distance from us, that the steams of its corruptions shall
not obscure our eye-sight, we shall have a right prospect of it and
clearly discern that all its Allurements, all those Gaities and
Pageantries which at present we admire so much, are no better than
insignificant Toys, which have no value but what our perverse Opinion
imposes on them. Things which contribute so very little to our real
Good, that even at _present_, which is their only season, we may live
much happier without than with them; and which are so far from being
necessary to our Felicity, that they shall vanish and be no more when
that is consummate and perfect. Many are the Topic’s from whence we
might declaim against the vanity of the world, but methinks Experience
is so convincing that it supersedes all the rest, and wou’d certainly
reclaim us from the immoderate love of earthly enjoyments, did we
but seriously hearken to it. For tell me, Ladies, if your greatest
Pleasures are not attended with a greater sting; when you think to
grasp them, do they not either vanish into Air, or gall your fingers?
To want or to enjoy them, is equally tormenting; the one produces in
you the Pain of Hunger the other of Loathing. For in reality, there
is no good in them, nothing but the Shadow and Appearance; if there
were, you cou’d not so easily loath your old Delights and be so fond
of variety, what is truly desirable never ending in disgust. They are
not therefore Pleasures but Amusements which you now pursue, and which,
through your ignorance of better Joys pretend to fill their place,
toll you on with fair pretences and repay your Labour with defeated
Hopes. Joys not near so lasting as the slightest toy you wear, the
most capricious Humorist among you is more constant far than they.
Come hither therefore and take a true view of ’em, that you may no
longer deceive your selves with that which profits not, but spurning
away these empty nothings, secure a portion in such a Bliss as will
not fail, as cannot disappoint you! A Felicity which depending on GOD
only and your own Minds, is out of Fortunes reach, will place you
above the Batteries of the world, above its Terrors and Allurements,
and enable you at once to triumph over and despise it. And what can
be more glorious, than to have a mind unshaken by the blandishments
of Prosperity, or the rough shocks of Adversity; that passes thro’
both with the same indifferency and integrity, is not to be tempted by
either to a mean unworthy and indecent Action?
Farther yet, besides that holy emulation which a continual view of
the brightest and most exemplary Lives will excite in us, we shall
have opportunity of contracting the purest and noblest Friendship;
a Blessing, the purchase of which were richly worth all the World
besides! For she who possesses a worthy Person, has certainly obtain’d
the richest Treasure. A Blessing that Monarchs may envy, and she who
enjoys is happier than she who fills a Throne! A Blessing, which next
to the love of GOD, is the choicest Jewel in our Celestial Diadem;
which, were it duly practis’d wou’d both fit us for Heav’n and bring it
down into our hearts whilst we tarry here. For Friendship is a vertue
which comprehends all the rest; none being fit for this, who is not
adorn’d with every other Vertue. Probably one considerable cause of the
degeneracy of the present Age, is the little true Friendship that is to
be found in it; or perhaps you will rather say that this is the effect
of our corruption. The cause and the effect are indeed reciprocal; for
were the World better there wou’d be more Friendship, and were there
more Friendship we shou’d have a better World. But because _Iniquity
abounds_, therefore the _love of many_ is not only _waxen cold_, but
quite benumb’d and perish’d. But if we have such narrow hearts, be so
full of mistaken Self-love, so unreasonably fond of our selves, that
we cannot spare a Hearty Good-will to one or two choice Persons, how
can it ever be thought, that we shou’d well acquit our selves of that
Charity which is due to all Mankind? For Friendship is nothing else
but Charity contracted; it is (in the words of an admired Author)
a kind of revenging our selves on the narrowness of our Faculties,
by exemplifying that extraordinary Charity on one or two, which we
are willing, but not able to exercise towards all. And therefore
’tis without doubt the best Instructor to teach us our duty to our
Neighbour, and a most excellent Monitor to excite us to make payment
as far as our power will reach. It has a special force to dilate our
hearts, to deliver them from that vicious _selfishness_ and the rest of
those sordid Passions which express a narrow illiberal temper, and are
of such pernicious consequence to Mankind. That institution therefore
must needs be highly beneficial, which both disposes us to be Friends
our selves and helps to find them. But by Friendship I do not mean any
thing like those intimacies that are abroad in the World, which are
often combinations in evil and at best but insignificant dearnesses, as
little resembling true Friendship, as modern Practice does Primitive
Christianity. But I intend by it the greatest usefulness, the most
refin’d and disinteress’d Benevolence, a love that thinks nothing
within the bounds of Power and Duty, too much to do or suffer for its
Beloved; And makes no distinction betwixt its Friend and its self,
except that in Temporals it prefers her interest. But tho’ it be very
desirable to obtain such a Treasure, such a Medicine of Life as the
wise man speaks, yet the danger is great least being deceiv’d in our
choice, we suck in Poyson where we expected Health. And considering
how apt we are to disguise our selves, how hard it is to know our
own hearts much less anothers, it is not advisable to be too hasty
in contracting so important a Relation; before that be done, it were
well if we could look into the very Soul of the beloved Person, to
discover what resemblance it bears to our own, and in this Society we
shall have the best opportunities of doing so. There are no Interests
here to serve, no contrivances for another to be a stale to; the Souls
of all the _Religious_ will be open and free, and those particular
Friendships must be no prejudice to the general Amity. But yet, as in
Heav’n that region of perfect Love, the happy Souls (as some are of
opinion) now and then step aside from more general Conversations, to
entertain themselves with a peculiar Friend; so, in this little emblem
of that blessed place, what shou’d hinder, but that two Persons of a
sympathizing disposition, the _make_ and _frame_ of whose Souls bears
an exact conformity to each other, and therefore one wou’d think were
purposely design’d by Heaven to unite and mix; what shou’d hinder them
from entering into an holy combination to watch over each other for
Good, to advise, encourage and direct, and to observe the minutest
fault in order to its amendment. The truest effect of love being to
endeavour the bettering the beloved Person. And therefore nothing
is more likely to improve us in Vertue, and advance us to the very
highest pitch of Goodness than unfeigned Friendship, which is the most
beneficial, as well as the most pleasant thing in the world.
But to hasten; such an Institution will much confirm us in Vertue and
help us to persevere to the end, and by that substantial Piety and
solid Knowledge we shall here acquire, fit us to propagate Religion
when we return into the World. An habitual Practice of Piety for some
years will so root and establish us in it, that Religion will become
a second Nature, and we must do strange violences to our selves, if
after that we dare venture to oppose it. For besides all the other
Advantages that Vertue has over Vice, this will disarm it of _Custom_,
the only thing that recommends it, bravely win its strongest Fort and
turn its own Cannon against it self. How almost impossible wou’d it
be for her to sin, whose _Understanding_ being clearly illuminated
with the knowledge of the Truth, is too wise to be impos’d on by those
false _Representations_ that sin wou’d deceive it with; whose _Will_
has found out and united it self to its true _Centre_; and having
been long habituated to move in a _right_ line, has no temptation
to decline to an _Oblique_. Whose _Affections_ have daily regaled
on those delicious Fruits of Paradise which Religion presents them
with, and are therefore too sublime and refin’d to relish the muddy
Pleasures of sensual Delights. It must certainly be a Miracle if such
an one relinquish her Glory and Joy; she must be as bad as _Lucifer_
himself, who after such Enjoyments can forsake her Heaven. ’Tis too
unreasonable to imagine such an Apostacy, the supposition is monstrous
and therefore we may conclude will never, or very rarely happen. And
then what a blessed World shou’d we have, shining with so many stars
of _Vertue_, who not content to be happy themselves alone, for that’s
a narrowness of mind too much beneath their God-like temper, would
like the glorious Lights of Heaven, or rather like him who made them,
diffuse their benign Influences where-ever they come. Having gain’d an
entrance into Paradise themselves, they wou’d both shew the way, and
invite others to partake of their felicity. Instead of that Froth and
Impertinence, that Censure and Pragmaticalness, with which Feminine
Conversations so much abound, we should hear their tongues employ’d
in making Proselytes to heaven, in running down Vice, in establishing
Vertue and proclaiming their Makers Glory. ’Twou’d be more genteel to
give and take instructions about the ornaments of the Mind, than to
enquire after the Mode; and a Lecture on the Fashions wou’d become as
disagreeable as at present any serious discourse is. Not the Follies
of the Town, but the Beauties and the Love of JESUS wou’d be the most
polite and delicious Entertainments. ’Twould be thought as rude and
barbarous to send our Visitors away uninstructed, as our foolishness at
present reckons it to introduce a pertinent and useful Conversation.
Ladies of Quality wou’d be able to distinguish themselves from their
Inferiors, by the blessings they communicated and the good they did.
For this is their grand Prerogative, their _distinguishing Character_,
that they are plac’d in a condition which makes that which is every
ones _Chief_ business, to be their _Only_ employ. They have nothing to
do but to glorifie GOD, and to benefit their Neighbours, and she who
does not thus improve her Talent, is more vile and despicable than the
meanest Creature that attends her.
And if after so many Spiritual Advantages, it be convenient to mention
Temporals, here Heiresses and Persons of Fortune may be kept secure
from the rude attempts of designing Men; And she who has more Money
than Discretion, need not curse her Stars for being expos’d a prey
to bold importunate and rapacious Vultures. She will not here be
inveigled and impos’d on, will neither be bought nor sold, nor be
forc’d to marry for her own quiet, when she has no inclination to it,
but what the being tir’d out with a restless importunity occasions.
Or if she be dispos’d to marry, here she may remain in safety till
a convenient Match be offer’d by her Friends, and be freed from the
danger of a dishonourable one. Modesty requiring that a Woman should
not love before Marriage, but only make choice of one whom she can love
hereafter; She who has none but innocent affections, being easily able
to fix them where Duty requires.
And though at first I propos’d to my self to speak nothing in
particular of the employment of the _Religious_, yet to give a Specimen
how useful they will be to the World, I am now inclin’d to declare,
that it is design’d a part of their business shall be to give the
best Education to the Children of Persons of Quality, who shall be
attended and instructed in lesser Matters by meaner Persons deputed to
that Office, but the forming of their minds shall be the particular
care of those of their own Rank, who cannot have a more pleasant and
useful employment than to exercise and encrease their own knowledge, by
instilling it into these young ones, who are most like to profit under
such Tutors. For how can their little Pupils forbear to credit them,
since they do not decry the World (as others may be thought to do)
because they cou’d not enjoy it, but when they had it in their power,
were courted and caress’d by it, for very good Reasons and on mature
deliberation, thought fit to relinquish and despise its offers for a
better choice? Nor are mercenary people on other accounts capable of
doing so much good to young Persons; because having often but short
views of things themselves, sordid and low Spirits, they are not like
to form a generous temper in the minds of the Educated. Doubtless ’twas
well consider’d of him, who wou’d not trust the breeding of his Son to
a Slave, because nothing great or excellent could be expected from a
person of that condition.
And when by the increase of their Revenue, the _Religious_ are enabled
to do such a work of Charity, the Education they design to bestow
on the Daughters of Gentlemen who are fallen into decay will be no
inconsiderable advantage to the Nation. For hereby many Souls will
be preserv’d from great Dishonours and put in a comfortable way of
subsisting, being either receiv’d into the House if they incline to
it, or otherwise dispos’d of. It being suppos’d that prudent Men will
reckon the endowments they here acquire a sufficient _Dowry_, and that
a discreet and vertuous Gentlewoman will make a better Wife than she
whose mind is empty tho’ her Purse be full.
But some will say, May not People be good without this confinement? may
they not live at large in the World, and yet serve GOD as acceptably
as here? ’Tis allow’d they may; truly wise and vertuous Souls will do
it by the assistance of GOD’s Grace in despite of all temptations;
and I heartily wish that all Women were of this temper. But it is
to be consider’d, that there are _tender_ Vertues who need to be
screened from the ill Airs of the World: many Persons who had _begun_
well might have gone to the Grave in peace and innocence, had it not
been their misfortune to be violently tempted. For those who have
honest Hearts have not always the strongest Heads; and sometimes the
enticements of the World and the subtil insinuations of such as lie in
wait to deceive, may make their Heads giddy, stagger their Resolutions,
and overthrow all the fine hopes of a promising beginning. ’Tis fit
therefore, such tender _Cyons_ shou’d be transplanted, that they may be
supported by the prop of Vertuous Friendship, and confirm’d in Goodness
by holy Examples, which alas! they will not often meet with in the
World. And, such is the weakness of humane Nature, bad People are not
so apt to be better’d by the Society of the Good, as the Good are to be
corrupted by theirs. Since therefore we daily pray against temptation,
it cannot be amiss if we take all prudent care to avoid it, and not
out of a vain presumption face the danger which GOD may justly permit
to overcome us for a due correction of our Pride. It is not impossible
for a man to live in an infected House or Town and escape with Life and
Health, yet if he have a place in the Country to retire to, he will
not make slight of that advantage; and surely the Health of our Souls
is of greater consideration than the health of our Bodies. Besides,
she has need of an establish’d Vertue and consummated Prudence, who
so well understands the great end for which she came into the World,
and so faithfully pursues it, that not content to be wise and good her
self alone, she endeavours to propagate Wisdom and Piety to all within
her Sphere; But neither this Prudence nor heroic Goodness are easily
attainable amidst the noise and hurry of the world, we must therefore
retire a while from its clamour and importunity, if we generously
design to do it good, and having calmly and sedately observ’d and
rectify’d what is amiss in our selves, we shall be fitter to promote a
Reformation in others. A devout Retirement will not only strengthen and
confirm our Souls, that they be not infected by the worlds Corruptions,
but likewise so purify and refine them, that they will become Antidotes
to expel the Poyson in others, and spread a salutary Air on ev’ry Side.
If any object against a Learned Education, that it will make Women
vain and assuming, and instead of correcting encrease their Pride: I
grant that a smattering in Learning may, for it has this effect on
the Men, none so Dogmatical and so forward to shew their Parts as
your little _Pretenders_ to Science. But I wou’d not have the Ladies
content themselves with the _shew_, my desire is, that they shou’d
not rest till they obtain the _Substance_. And then, she who is most
knowing will be forward to own with the wise _Socrates_ that she knows
nothing: nothing that is matter of Pride and Ostentation; nothing but
what is attended with so much ignorance and imperfection, that it
cannot reasonably elate and puff her up. The more she knows, she will
be the less subject to talkativeness and its sister Vices, because she
discerns, that the most difficult piece of Learning is to know when to
use and when to hold ones Tongue, and never to speak but to the purpose.
But the men if they rightly understand their own interest, have no
reason to oppose the ingenious Education of the Women, since ’twou’d go
a great way towards reclaiming the men, great is the influence we have
over them in their Childhood, in which time if a Mother be discreet and
knowing as well as devout, she has many opportunities of giving such a
_Form_ and _Season_ to the tender Mind of the Child, as will shew its
good effects thro’ all the stages of his Life. But tho’ you should not
allow her capable of doing _good_, ’tis certain she may do _hurt_: If
she do not _make_ the Child, she has power to _marr_ him, by suffering
her fondness to get the better of discreet affection. But besides this,
a good and prudent Wife wou’d wonderfully work on an ill man; he must
be a Brute indeed, who cou’d hold out against all those innocent Arts,
those gentle persuasives and obliging methods she wou’d use to reclaim
him. Piety is often offensive when it is accompanied with indiscretion;
but she who is as Wise as Good, possesses such Charms as can hardly
fail of prevailing. Doubtless her Husband is a much happier Man and
more likely to abandon all his ill Courses, than he who has none to
come home to, but an ignorant, froward and fantastick Creature. An
ingenious Conversation will make his life comfortable, and he who
can be so well entertain’d at home, needs not run into Temptations
in search of Diversions abroad. The only danger is that the Wife be
more knowing than the Husband; but if she be ’tis his own fault, since
he wants no opportunities of improvement; unless he be a natural
_Block-head_, and then such an one will need a wise Woman to govern
him, whose prudence will conceal it from publick Observation, and at
once both cover and supply his defects. Give me leave therefore to
hope, that no Gentleman who has honourable designs, will hence-forward
decry Knowledge and Ingenuity in her he would pretend to Honour; If he
does, it may serve for a Test to distinguish the feigned and unworthy
from the real Lover.
Now who that has a spark of Piety will go about to oppose so Religious
a design? What generous Spirit that has a due regard to the good of
Mankind, will not be forward to advance and perfect it? Who will think
500 pounds too much to lay out for the purchase of so much Wisdom and
Happiness? Certainly we shou’d not think them too dearly paid for by
a much greater Sum, did not our pitiful and sordid Spirits set a much
higher value on Money than it deserves. But granting so much of that
dear Idol were given away, a person thus bred, will easily make it
up by her Frugality & other Vertues; if she bring less, she will not
waste so much as others do in superfluous and vain Expences. Nor can I
think of any expedient so useful as this to Persons of Quality who are
over-stock’d with Children, for thus they may honourably dispose of
them without impairing their Estates. Five or six hundred pounds may be
easily spar’d with a Daughter, when so many thousands would go deep;
and yet as the world goes be a very inconsiderable Fortune for Ladies
of their Birth, neither maintain them in that _Port_ which Custom makes
almost necessary, nor procure them an equal Match, those of their own
Rank (contrary to the generous custom of the _Germans_) chusing rather
to fill their Coffers than to preserve the purity of their Blood, and
therefore think a weighty Bag the best Gentility, preferring a wealthy
Upstart before the best Descended and best Qualified Lady; their own
Extravagancies perhaps having made it necessary, that they may keep up
an empty shadow of Greatness, which is all that remains to shew what
their Ancestors have been.
Does any think their Money lost to their Families when ’tis put in
here? I will only ask what course they can take to save it, and at
once to preserve their Money, their Honour and their Daughters too?
Were they sure the Ladies wou’d die unmarried, I shou’d commend their
Thrift, but Experience has too often shewn us the vanity of this
expectation. For the poor Lady having past the prime of her Years in
Gaity and Company, in running the Circle of all the Vanities of the
Town, having spread all her Nets and us’d all her Arts for Conquest,
and finding that the Bait fails where she wou’d have it take; and
having all this while been so over-careful of her Body, that she had no
time to improve her Mind, which therefore affords her no safe retreat,
now she meets with Disappointments abroad, and growing every day more
and more sensible, that the respect which us’d to be paid her decays
as fast as her Beauty; quite terrified with the dreadful Name of _Old
Maid_, which yet none but Fools will reproach her with, nor any wise
Woman be afraid of; to avoid this terrible _Mormo_, and the scoffs that
are thrown on superannuated Virgins, she flies to some dishonourable
Match as her last, tho’ much mistaken Refuge, to the disgrace of her
Family and her own irreparable Ruin. And now let any Person of Honour
tell me, if it were not richly worth some thousand Pounds, to prevent
all this mischief, and the having an idle Fellow, and perhaps a race of
beggarly Children to hang on him and to provide for?