Again, what is said of Submission and a perfect acquiescence in the Divine Will, is not to be so understood as if it were a fault to change our Circumstances when we’re fairly and honestly call’d to’t, or that we might not seek by honourable ways to enlarge them if they sit too strait. But it is design’d to correct that Complaining humor, which makes us always dissatisfied with the Present, and longing after a Change; which, how Religious soever we wou’d appear, is a very sure sign that our Passions are not mortified nor our Will reduced to a due Regularity: As hers is without doubt who can be pleas’d when even her most innocent Desires are denied, when she is disappointed in what she thinks her Best Designs. For such an one has nothing in her Temper that Sensible Impressions can so strongly fasten on, as to discompose her Mind; and what can she meet with to seduce her to Unlawful, who desires not to be her own Chuser in Lawful and Indifferent things?
The Laws of GOD have a Natural and Inward Goodness, which wou’d recommend them to a Rational Mind tho they were not injoyn’d, and therefore no wonder that Temper inclines one, Conveniency another, and Reputation a third to the Practise of some of them. But a Will duly regulated passes over these and is acted by a higher Motive, she who is Religious upon a Right Principle regards the Will of GOD only, for that and that alone is able to carry her Uniformly and Constantly thro all her Duty. Thus Acts of Beneficence, Liberality and Charity, are full of Lustre, they procure for their Possessor a lofty Character, and therefore whether we Value them or no, we’re willing however to seem to be fond of ’em. We fancy what mighty things we wou’d do were we in such or such a Persons Circumstances, and long to be Rich and Great that we may Relieve the Needy and Rescue the Oppressed. But we are not so forward in aspiring after Poverty, tho nothing shews a Braver Mind than the bearing it Nobly and Contentedly; we care not to be the Oppressed Person, that we might exercise Meekness and Forgiveness, Patience and Submission. Not but that the Vertues of Adversity are as lovely in themselves, and as Acceptable to GOD as those of Prosperity, or rather more so, because they express a greater Love to GOD, are more opposite to Vicious Self-Love, and do more eminently declare the Veneration we have for the Divine Wisdom and Goodness, which we can Adore and Delight in, which we can Justify and Applaud even in the most uneasy Circumstances. But they don’t make so great a Figure in the World, they don’t feed our Vanity so much, nor are so agreeable to Flesh and Bloud, and that’s the reason why we care not for them.
’Tis true we profess that we desire Riches and Honour, a great Reputation and Theater in the World, on no other account but to do GOD Service. But if we are real in this, why don’t we perform so much as we might in our Present Station? Alas! we Cheat our selves, as well as endeavour to impose on others; and under Pretence of seeking GOD’s Glory, in Reality pursue nothing but our own. For had we indeed that Esteem for GOD and Intire Conformity to his Will, which is at once both the Duty and Perfection of all Rational Beings, we shou’d not complain of his Exercise of that Power, which a Prince or even an Ordinary Master has a Right to; which is, to set his Servants about such work as he thinks them fittest for. If we allow that GOD Governs the Universe, can we so much as imagine that it is not Govern’d with the Greatest Justice and Equity, Order and Proportion? Is not every one of us plac’d in such Circumstances as Infinite Wisdom discerns to be most suitable, so that nothing is wanting but a careful observation whither they lead us, and how we may best improve them? What reason then to complain of the Management of the world? and indeed except in the Morals of Mankind which are visibly and grossly deprav’d, I see not why we shou’d so much as wish for any alteration. The Wicked Prosper sometimes and what then? shall we grudge them their Portion here, since that’s their All, and alas a very sorry one!
Besides, this world is not a soil for perfect Happiness to Grow in, Good and Evil are blended together, every Condition has its Sweet and Bitter, we maybe Made by Adversity and ruin’d by Prosperity according as we manage them. Riches and Power put opportunities of doing Good into our hands, if we have a Will to Use them, but at the same time they furnish us with Instruments of doing Evil. They afford us at once the Conveniences of Life and fuel for irregular Appetites. They make us known to others, but many times hinder us from being acquainted with our selves. They set us in view, so that if our Example be Bright it becomes the more Illustrious; but we must also remember that our Faults are as conspicuous as our Vertues, and that Peoples eyes are most intent on those, and most inquisitive to find ’em, so that even our innocent Liberties are many times misconstrued.
By Obscurity, and a Narrow Fortune, we’re depriv’d of somewhat Necessary or Commodious to our Present Living, but are quickned to a more diligent concern for a Life to Come; we don’t find our Good things here, and common Prudence will teach us to take care that we may enjoy them hereafter. If we do not Possess much, we have not much to Lose, nor such great Accounts to make; have little Business and less Authority with others, but hereby the more Command of our own Time and Thoughts. Our Vertue is plac’d in an ill-light, and our Wisdom rejected with a What Impertinents are these, who pragmatically attempt to Instuct their Betters? but we have fewer Temptations to shock the one, and greater Advantages, as things are commonly manag’d to improve both. We’re expos’d to the Contempt and Outrage of the World, but that makes us less in love with it, and more ready to welcome Death, whene’er it brings the kind Releasing Summons.
It may be thought a considerable omission that no directions have bin given, any further than the management of our Own Inclinations and Passions; tho’t be very advantageous to know how to deal with other Peoples, both in regard of Education, and of the Influence that they have on ours. But I have this to say, that Education is a beaten Subject, and has been accounted for by better Pens than mine: And that in this as in all other things, we are to treat our Neighbours as we do our selves, shew ’em the unsuitableness of those Objects which Irregular Affections pursue, and persuade them to a willing use of such methods as we take to Cure our own. It requires I confess, no little Skill to do this to purpose, and to convince them that, we’re really their Friends, whilst we strive to divorce them from such Objects as they’re endear’d and fastned to by a thousand tyes: And this is so nice a matter, so laborious a task, that the more I consider it the more unable I find my self to give sit Directions for the performance of it. They who wou’d do that, must have a more exact Knowlege of Human Nature, a greater Experience of the World, and of those differences which arise from Constitution, Age, Education, receiv’d Opinions, outward Fortune, Custom and Conversation, than I can pretend to. And perhaps there is no need of Directions since few will attempt to practise them; for if a Passion that is young and tender gives us work enough, as the difficulty of Education plainly shews it does, they had need be very Kind, very Good, and very Wise, who set about the Cure of an Old and inveterate one. Nor can they who have so much Divinity in their Mind as to design such a noble work, be thought to stand in need of any advice how to perform it.
However, I’ll venture to say in general, that we must never oppose Commotion with Commotion, nor be in Passion our selves if we wou’d reform anothers, else we lose many good Opportunities and seem to seek the gratification of our own humor rather than our Neighbours good. No discouragements shou’d shock us, no ungrateful returns shou’d lower our Temper, but we must expect and be prepar’d to bear many repulses and wild disorders, and patiently sustain that greatest uneasiness to a Christian Mind, the bitter appearance that our Hopes are lost, and that all the Labour of our Love is ineffectual! We must abound both in Good-Nature and Discretion, and not seldom make use of quite contrary Means to bring about the End we aim at. Removing all Fuel from the Passion sometimes; and sometimes Indulging it as far as Innocently we may; and if nothing else will do, give it line enough, that so it may destroy it self in its own Excesses.
But ah! will any one drive us to such a desperate Remedy as often Kills, and cannot Cure without a very great Care, and a more than Ordinary assistance of GOD’s Grace, which they have little reason to hope for, who abandon themselves to Temptations, and push things to such Extremities! Will nothing less than Temporal Ruin which unreasonable Passions naturally end in serve to prevent Eternal? and it were well if even that wou’d do, for they usually involve in both. If therefore such as are in Passion are capable of hearing any thing but what soothes ’em in their own way, I wou’d beg of ’em for GOD’s sake and their own, to grant but this one very easy and equitable Request, which is Calmly to Hear and to Consider what may be said against their darling Passion. For if it be Right it will stand the test of all that can be urg’d against it; if it be not, is it Good for them to retain and cherish it any longer? And if they refuse to listen to the Kind, tho according to them, unseasonable and mistaken advice that is given, and seek no further than for Arguments to Justifie themselves, do they not by so great a Partiality secretly confess that they are in the Wrong, and wou’d not have it discover’d that they are so, because they’re resolv’d with or without Reason to continue their irregular Passion?
And the cause of this strange Resolution seems to be this, That a Passion of any sort having got the hank of one, it becomes so Natural, so Agreeable, that the going about to wean them from it, looks like an attempt to deprive them of all their Joy; and they’re hardly persuaded to part with what’s a Present Delight, let its Consequences be what they may, and tho the quitting of it be in order to th’ enjoyment of that much Sweeter, as well as Nobler Pleasure, which arises from the due use of Reason; and with which those Wise and Holy Souls are entertain’d, who prefer the relishes of a Rational before those of an Animal Life.
But they ought not to think us their Enemies, when we endeavour their Cure, tho we happen to Lance and Scarifie them. They who are Sick of Passion are like People in a Lethargy, insensible of their Danger; nay they’re fond of their Disease, and set themselves against our Medicines; tho the greater unwillingness they show to be Disturb’d, so much the more need of Rousing ’em out of their pleasing slumber. The more secure they think themselves, the more wretched is their Condition, for that’s a sign that the Passion has got an intire Possession of their Soul, and has fortified all its Avenues against Reason and Wholesome Advice. And ’tis worth being remarqued, that our Inclinations how Innocent and Harmless soever they appear, are always to be suspected if the Passions that accompany them are violent. For Violence does not Answer but Destroy the Use of Passion, it hinders th’ Operations of the Soul, insted of disposing the Body to follow her Directions Vigorously.