this, Recollect and Compos’d, holding our Minds in as even a poise as
ever we can between Mirth and Melancholy, one of which Stupifies the
Soul and the other Dissolves it; and both of ’em weaken and dispose it
for Passion. Nothing but what feeds the ill humor will make Impression
whilst it is under the power of _this_, nor any useful thing stay
in it, but it lies open to all manner of evil, when it is violently
agitated by _that_. Too much of either rendring us unfit to Converse
with our selves or others; such a mixture of both as makes us Serious
without Sourness, and Chearful without Levity, being the happy Temper.
It is by surprize that the Passions injure us, they violently attack
our Reason when she is not prepar’d to receive them, so that the Will
is determin’d all of a sudden by Confuse Perceptions and Sensations.
Nor is it easie to repulse them when once they have gain’d ground,
because they often bribe our Guard, and get the Mastry of us by those
very Considerations which shou’d have been arm’d against ’em. But
Recollection, a sedate and sober frame of Mind, prevents this Mischief,
it keeps our Reason always on her Guard and ready to exert her self;
it fits us to Judge truly of all occurrences, and to draw advantage
from whatever happens. This is the true Art of Prudence, for that
which properly speaks us Wise, is the accommodating all the Accidents
of Life to the great End of Living. And since the Passiveness of our
Nature makes us liable to many Sufferings which we cou’d wish to avoid,
Wisdom consists in the using those Powers, which GOD has given us the
free disposal of, in such a manner, as to make those very things which
befal us against our Will, an occasion of Good to us.
For if we do not live like Machines, but like Reasonable Creatures,
that is if we Observe, Examine and Apply whatever comes under our
Cognizance, every Turn in our own and our Neighbours Life will be
Useful to us. It is not to be deny’d that we’re generally Critical
Observators on our Neighbours, but I’m afraid it is with an Ill not a
Good Design. We do’t to feed our Pride by an ungenerous insulting over
their Infirmities, or thinking to Excuse and Justifie our own Faults by
theirs. But we seldom set a mark on the Precipices from whence they
fell that we may avoid ’em, or note their False Steps, that ours may be
more Exact.
And indeed as things are usually manag’d, since Modesty, Breeding, or
Sheepish Cowardise, restrains even those who are capable of bettering
Conversation, from Edifying Discourses, the only use we can make of
that Time which the World borrows of us and Necessary Civility exacts,
is to lay in Matter of Observation. I do not mean that we shou’d make
Ill-natur’d Remarks, or Uncharitable Reflections on Particular Persons,
but only that we take notice of the several workings of Human Nature,
the little turns and distinctions of Various Tempers; there being
somewhat peculiar almost in every one, which cannot be learn’d but by
Conversation and the Reflections it Occasions. For as to the main, we
learn it by looking into our own Hearts, one Person being but the
Counterpart of another, so that they who thorowly Know themselves have
a right Idea of Mankind in general, and by making reasonable allowances
for Circumstances, may pretty well guess at Particulars.
But even the Knowledge of our selves is not to be had without the
Temper here recommended. For since the Passions do mostly depend on the
Constitution of the Body, Age, Education and way of Living; so that
the same Object does not only Affect several Persons differently, but
variously moves the very same Person at several Seasons; and there was
once a time perhaps, when that which puts us now in a ferment had no
power to move us: We must therefore to the general consideration of
Human Nature already spoken of, add a more minute inquiry into our own;
Observing our Particular Passions, that especially to which we’re most
inclin’d by Nature, on which all the rest in a manner depend; and all
the Peculiarities that are to be found in our own Temper. Very great
things many times depending on a trivial Humour; nor is it so often
Reason, as our particular way of using it that determines our Thoughts
and Actions. Now nothing less than a continual Watch and Application
can procure us a sufficient Acquaintance with our selves, we cannot
well discern what Objects most sensibly touch us; which is our weakest
side; by what means it is Expos’d or Strengthened; how we may Restrain
or rightly Employ a Passion we cou’d not Prevent; and consequently grow
strong by our very Infirmities, whilst we make them an occasion of
Exercising and Encreasing our Vertue unless we’re always in a watchful
Frame, unless we make Remarks even whilst the Passion is working,
and Constantly attend the least beatings of our own Heart. Our own
Heart which is indeed one of the best Books we can Study, especially
in respect of Morality, and one principal Reason why we’re no better
Proficients in useful Knowledge, is because we don’t duly consult it.
Again, we shou’d endeavour to render Spiritual and Future things as
Present and Familiar as may be, and to withdraw as much as we can from
sensible Impressions, especially from such as attack us violently.
She whose Mind is busied about the former will find ’em of Weight and
Moment sufficient to employ all her Passions, whilst the other will be
scarce taken notice of; or be look’d on with Indifferency, because they
appear to deserve very little Admiration, Joy, or Sorrow, and are not
of value enough to discompose the Mind. And tho we have not Ambition
to aspire to St. _Paul_’s Perfection, who was _Crucified to the World
and the World to him_, a greater Character than that of _Universal
Monarch_; tho we think it impossible to be wholly Insensible to it
whilst we live in it: Yet sure we can’t deny that it is Possible, and
very much our Duty, to be more indifferent to the Objects of Sense than
the most of us are. For we certainly do amiss if we fix our Eyes and
Thoughts so constantly on ’em, as that at last we take them for the
most considerable things, and imagine that our Happiness is here; or,
tho we can’t be so gross as to _believe_ this, yet if we _act_ as if
we did; It wou’d become us much better to argue, that the Possession
of these Worldly Advantages which Mankind so much contend for, is Good
if it can procure us Eternal Felicity; and that the Want of ’em is an
Evil, if it exclude us from the Kingdom of Heav’n.
By which we learn how necessary it is to Retire and Meditate
frequently; and how much it becomes us to keep out of the way of
Theatrical Shows and inordinate Merriments, and not so much as to
enter into a Parley with those Pomps and Vanities we renounc’d in our
Baptism. For tho some extraordinary Tempers may make use of these to
stir up the Powers of their Soul, and to give them a greater aversion
to Vanity, as some Poysons are said to be Antidotes against others,
yet for the most part they have an ill Effect: Because they deprive
the Soul of real Joy and divine Serenity, by making too strong an
Impression on the Senses, whereby the Animal Spirits are very much
Mov’d and Exhausted, and being spent on trifles the Mind is left Dull,
Unactive, and Melancholy too, especially if it Reflect on its Actions
as it ought; so natural and necessary is it, that Vain Mirth shou’d
conclude in Heaviness.
[Sidenote: _Les Passions de l’Ame._]
Again, the Passions consider’d as Bodily Impressions only, excite us
many times to the Gratification of the Animal in prejudice of the
Rational Nature. For tho Mankind had Originally no Appetites but what
might Innocently be satisfied; yet since our Degeneracy, and that we
have lost the true Relish of Good and Evil, they often give us false
alarms, stirring us up to Pursue or Avoid what indeed we Ought not,
if we consult our Good in the Main, and not the pleasing of a Part,
nay the Worst part of us. But if we consider ’em as attending our
Inclinations, they can do no hurt, let ’em be as Brisk and Active as
they can, provided they fix on their Proper Objects. Now what these are
is to be found by the Nature of the Passions, by which we are led to
the Use of ’em, since every thing ought to be employ’d about that which
it is fitted for. But this being already accounted for by _Des Cartes_
and _Dr. More_, in his excellent _Account of Vertue_, I cannot pretend
to add any thing to what they have so well Discours’d. Only as a
further confirmation of what has been already said we may observe; That
Admiration gives Rise to all the Passions; for unless we were Affected
with the Newness of an Object, or some other remarkable Circumstance,
so as to be attentively engag’d in the Contemplation of it, we shou’d
not be any wise mov’d, but it wou’d pass by unregarded. And therefore
’tis very necessary not to be struck with _little_ things, or to busie
our Minds about ’em, but to fix all our Attention on, and to keep all
our Admiration for things of the greatest moment, such as are those
which relate to another World.
We may further observe, that there is a leading Passion almost in
every one, to which the Temper of their Body inclines, and on which
the rest do in a manner wholly depend, especially if it be confirm’d
by Education and Custom, so that if we duly manage _this_, we have
the Command of all. Some are more subject to _Fear_, some to _Hope_,
to _Joy_, _Sorrow_ or the like, than others; but _Love_ seems to be
the predominant Passion in every one, and that which makes one of
the former more remarkable than another, is only because it has been
oftner mixt with Love. And indeed, since this is at the bottom of
all the Passions, one wou’d think they’re nothing else but different
Modifications of it, occasion’d by some Circumstance in the Subject
or Object of this Passion. Thus _Desire_ is a Love to Good consider’d
as Future; _Hope_ the Passion that disposes us to believe we may, and
_Fear_ that we shall not obtain it. _Joy_ is a pleasant Commotion
of the Soul in the Fruition of the Good we Love; and _Sorrow_ a
disagreeable one occasion’d by the want of it, or presence of its
contrary. The like may be said of the rest, for even _Hatred_ tho it
appear directly opposite to Love, may be refer’d to it, the very same
motion that carrys the Soul towards Good, carrying her also from those
things which wou’d deprive her of it, which on that account are call’d
Evils, and why do we Hate any thing, but because it does some way or
other hinder our Enjoyment of what we Love?
If therefore our Love be Right, the rest of our Passions will of course
be so; and our Love which is _a motion of the Soul to joyn it self to
that which appears to be grateful to it_, will then be right when our
Notions of Good and Evil are; That is, when we do not take up with
Imaginary or Particular, but pass on to the Sovereign Good, to GOD who
is the only proper and adequate Object of our Love, as Sin is of our
Hatred, all things else being no otherwise to be Pursued or Avoided,
than in proportion to the Relation they bear to these. So that if we
Love GOD with _All_ our Soul, as He certainly Deserves, and as we
certainly Must if we wou’d be Happy; we shall be so taken up with the
Contemplation and _Admiration_ of his Beauties, have so boundless an
_Esteem_, such an awful _Veneration_ for, and so great a _Contempt_ of
all things in Comparison of Him; that our _Desires_ will be carried
out after nothing but GOD, and such things as may further our Union
with Him. His Favour, and the Light of His Countenance will be the
Object of our _Hopes_, nor shall we much _Fear_ any thing but His
Displeasure. No _Grief_ will pierce our Heart but for our many Offences
against, and our Imperfect _Enjoyment of Him_. _We shall perfectly
Hate all evil ways_, be _Jealous_ of Sin at the remotest distance, and
_suspect_ every thing that has the least appearance of a Temptation. We
shall be extremely Watchful over all our Actions, and never Resolve
upon any till we’re fully assur’d it is conformable to his Will and
Pleasure. Whither will not our _Emulation_ rise, what Difficulties
won’t our _Courage_ surmount, when th’ Enjoyment of a GOD is what
we aspire to! The defects of our Services, and our failings in our
Duty towards Him, will be the only occasion of _Shame_; for Reproach
from Men when suffer’d for His sake will be counted a high Encomium,
and his Approbation our only _Glory_. If ever we are _Angry_ it will
be when His Laws are Contemn’d and Right Reason violated; a just
_Indignation_ will arise when the Worthless are Prefer’d, and Merit
is left unregarded. His Favourites will be ours, we shall dispense
our _Good-will_ to every one proportionably as they are dear to Him;
and shall think our _Gratitude_ can never enough express it self, to
that Bountiful Being from whom we receiv’d our All. And Oh! with what
_Joy_ and _Satisfaction of Mind_ shall we proceed in every step of
this! how pure and exalted is that Pleasure, how highly entertaining,
which results from the right use of our Faculties, and Fruition of the
Sovereign Good! Happiness is the natural Effect as well as the Reward
of an Ardent Love to GOD, and what necessarily flows from it, Universal
Piety: That Holy Soul is always serene, and full of unutterable Bliss,
whose Reason Directs, and whose Passions readily Obey, whilst both are
Guided by his Will and Spirit who is Infallible. She tasts a Pleasure
which the World can neither give nor take away, nor can Worldly Minds
so much as Imagine it: She is satisfied with the Past, Enjoys the
Present, and has no Solicitude for, but a Joyful Expectation of what’s
approaching. For why the Dawnings of a Blisful Endless Day, break
forth already in that Happy Mind, whose Temper and Constitution is
Heavenly; it has a Foretaste, and thereby a well-grounded Assurance, of
never-ceasing Joys to Come!
So far (by the way) is Religion from being an Enemy either to Nature
or Pleasure, that it perfects the one, and raises the other to the
greatest height. It teaches us the true Use of the Creatures, keeps
us from expecting more in them than we can ever find, and leads us to
the Enjoyment of the Creator who only can satisfie us. For I wou’d
fain know of any experienced Person, whether any of the Delights of
this World did ever answer Expedition when Enjoy’d, and whether the
Joys of Religion do not exceed it? We come to the first with mighty
hopes and are always Disappointed, to the last we approach with Fear
and Trembling, supposing it will rob us of all the Satisfactions of
Life, we shrink at the Pain and Difficulty, and thats the only thing
in which after a little Trial we find our selves much mistaken. Good
Christians being indeed the truest _Epicures_, because they have the
most tastful and highest Enjoyment of the greatest Good.
[Sidenote: Ladies Calling.]
For GOD is too Kind and Bountiful to deny us any Pleasure befitting
our Nature; he does not require us to relinquish Pleasure, but only
to exchange the Gross and Insipid for the Pure and Relishing, the
Pleasures of a Brute for those of a Man. He wou’d not have us enslav’d
to any Appetite, or so taken up with any Created Good whatever, as not
to be able to maintain the Empire of our Reason and Freedom of our Will
and to quit it when we see occasion. And this is all that the Rules
of Self-Denial and Mortification tend to so far as they are Rational,
they mean no more than the procuring us a Power and Disposition to do
that which we come now in the last place to recommend, which is, To
sanctifie our very Infirmities, to make even the disorderly Commotions
of our Spirits an occasion of producing Holy Passions. It were better
indeed if they were rais’d upon a right Principle; that the Passions
did not move the Mind, but the Mind the Passions; and that the Motives
to Religion were not Sensitive but Rational. However in the Infancy
of our Vertue, it may not be amiss to make some use of our Vices, and
what we advise if it serve no other end, ’twill help at least to break
Ill-Habits and that’s a considerable benefit. Agreeable to which did
an excellent Author bespeak the Ladies sometime ago: _Let her that
is Amorous, place her Love upon him who is the Chiefest among ten
thousand; she that is Angry turn her edg against her Sins; she that is
haughty disdain the Devils Drudgery; she that is Fearful dread him who
can destroy, both Body and Soul in Hell; and she that is sad reserve
her Tears for her Penitential Offices._ Which, with the rest of that
Authors Ingeniuous and Kind Advice, I heartily wish were not only to be
seen in their Closets, but transcrib’d in their Hearts and Legible in
their Lives and Actions.
Now in order to this, if our guard has been surpriz’d, and some
sensible Impression has strongly broke in upon us, so that we find our
selves all in a ferment, let us manage the Opportunity discreetly,
change the Object and hallow the Passion. Which is no very difficult
thing, for when a Passion is boyling it will spend it self on any
Object that we please to fix it on. And the Proper Objects of our
Passions, being most considerable in ’emselves, and naturally most apt
to move us if we’ll but give them fair play, that is allow ’em a place
in our Thoughts, they’ll work out the other, and make our Passions what
they shou’d be: We have a plain Instance of this in Afflictions, in
which our _Grief_ is at first excited by some outward Cause, and when
that has softned us, the Spirit of GOD who is never wanting unless we
Neglect or Quench him, improves this Worldly into a _Godly Sorrow_ that
worketh Repentance not to be Repented of.
Besides, as there is a Pleasure in the Passions as well as in all the
genuine Operations of Nature, so there’s a Pain accompanying ’em when
misplac’d, which disposes the Mind to a readiness to rectifie them,
that so it may enjoy the Pleasure without mixture of Pain. If therefore
we assist it with a little Meditation, it will readily come over; and
tho we may find it difficult absolutely to quash a Passion that is once
begun, yet it is no hard matter to transfer it, so that it may pour
forth it self in all its pleasing transports, without fear of danger,
or mixture of uneasiness.
But a Caution will not be amiss, which is, that we don’t mistake the
Fits of Passion for a Spirit of Piety and Devotion. They are good
beginnings ’tis true, but if we’re only wafted up to Heaven in our
Closets, and shew forth nothing or very little of it in our Lives
and Conversations, we may cheat our selves with the conceit of being
Holy, but neither GOD nor Man will be so impos’d on. She who mourns
for her Sins, tho never so bitterly, and yet returns to them at the
next occasion, gives a very good Evidence of her Weakness, but none of
her Repentance. She who pretends to never so great transports of Love
to GOD, and yet is wedded to the world, can part with nothing for his
sake, nor be content and easie when He only is her Portion, gives Him
good words, and makes Him many fine Complements and that’s the whole
of the matter. She who makes shew of great Awe and Reverence towards
the Divine Majesty at Church and has no regard to Him in the World
his larger Temple, as good as declares that she thinks his Presence
confin’d to a place, or that she hopes to commute a Days neglect for
an Hours Observance, and expresses her Contempt of GOD much more than
her Veneration. How can she profess to Hope in Him who is Anxious and
Solicitous about the least Event? Or say that her Desires are fix’t on
GOD who has a great many Vanities and Sensual Aptites to be Satisfied?
Nor are we less out of the way when we tincture our Religion with our
Passions, and fashion an Idea of it according to our own Complection
not the tenor of the Gospel. Hence comes that great diversity we meet
with both in Practice and Theory, for as there is somewhat Peculiar
almost in every ones Temper, so is there in their Religion. Is our
Disposition Sad and Cloudy, are we apt to take Offence, Suspicious
and hard to be pleas’d? we imagine GOD is so, Religion is not our Joy
but our Task and Burden, we become extremely scrupulous and uneasie
to our selves and others. And if Resolution and Daring be joyn’d with
our Melancholy, and Temptations fall pat in our way, we discard such
a troublesome Religion and set up for Atheism and Infidelity. On the
other hand, if we’re Fearful and Timerous our Superstition has no
bounds, we pay less regard to those Laws our Maker has prescrib’d, than
we do to those Chimera’s our own Fancy has invented to reconcile Him.
A mistake which the Brisk and Jovial are sensible of, but not of the
contrary extreme they run into; they discern that GOD’s ways are ways
of Pleasantness, and all his Paths are Peace, that Good Christians
live the Happiest Lives, ’tis their Duty to Rejoyce evermore, and all
the good things of the World are at their service. All which is very
true, but then it is as true, that their Pleasures are not Sensual
but Rational and Spiritual, which is not a lessening, but an Addition
to their Character; that we are to Use the World so as not to abuse
either our selves or it, to testify on all occasions our Moderation and
Contempt of it, to be ready to quit it, nay even to part with Life it
self when ever they come in competition with our Duty. In a word, if
our Anger against our own Sins provokes us to be Peevish with others,
tho not so good as they shou’d be, it goes too far. If our Zeal finds
fault with all who do not come up to our Heights, or who don’t express
their Devotion in our way, it is not according to Knowlege, that is, it
is not Discreet and Christian. If our great Love to GOD takes us up so
much, that we think we may be morose and ill-natur’d to our Neighbour,
we express it in a very disagreeable way: And I dare say it wou’d be
more acceptable to Him, if insted of spending it all in Rapture and
Devotion, a part of it were employ’d in Imitating his Beneficence to
our Fellow-Creatures.
To wind up all; The Sum of our Duty and of all Morality, is to have a
Temper of Mind so absolutely Conform’d to the Divine Will, or which is
the same in other words, such an Habitual and Intire Love to GOD, as
will on all occasions excite us to the Exercise of such Acts, as are
the necessary consequents of such a Habit. This frame and Constitution
of Soul is what we must all our Life time Labour after, it is to be
begun, and some Proficiency made in it whilst we stay on Earth, and
then we may joyfully wait for its Consummation in Heaven, the reason
why we cannot be perfectly Happy whilst we tarry here, being only
because we can have this Temper but Imperfectly. The want of which is
the Hell of the Damn’d, the degree of their misery bearing a proportion
to their opposition to the Divine Will. For Happiness is not _without_
us, it must be found in our own Bosoms, and nothing but a Union with
GOD can fix it there; nor can we ever be United to Him any other wise
than by being like Him, by an Intire Conformity to his Will.
Now she who has obtain’d this blessed Temper, whose Will is Right, and
who has no Passion but for GOD’s Service, is pleas’d that his Wisdom
shou’d Chuse her Work, and only prepares to dispatch it with the
greatest Diligence and Chearfulness. She keeps All his Precepts, and
does not pick and Chuse such as are for her turn, and most agreeable
to her own Humor; but as she does every thing for His Sake, so is she
easy and pleas’d under all his Dispensations; is truly indifferent to
Applause, and fully content with GOD’s Approbation. Indeed the Conquest
of our Vanity is one of our last Triumphs, and a Satisfaction in all
GOD’s Choices for us, from a full Conviction that they are most for our
advantage, the best Test of a Regular Will and Affections. For these
are heights to which we can’t arrive till we have travers’d over all
the Paths of Vertue, and when once our Passions are reduc’d to this, I
know not in what they can oppose us.