Thus she who sees her self and others respected in proportion to that Pomp and Bustle they make in the world, will form her Idea of Honour accordingly. She who has relish’d no Pleasures but such as arise at the presence of outward Objects, will seek no higher than her Senses for her Gratification. And thus we may account for that strange insensibility, that appears in some people when you speak to them of any serious Religious matter. They are then so dull you’ll have much ado to make them understand the clearest Truth: Whereas if you rally the same persons, or chat with them of some Mode or Foppery, they’ll appear very quick, expert, and ingenious. I have sometimes smil’d betwixt scorn and pity, to hear Women talk as gravely and concernedly about some trifling disappointment from their Milliner or Taylor, as if it had related to the weightiest concerns of their Souls, nay, perhaps more seriously than others who wou’d pass for Good, do about their eternal Interest; but turn the talk that way, and they grow as heavy and cold as they were warm and sensible before. And whence is this, but because their heads are full of the one, and quite destitute of such Ideas as might give them a competent notion of the other, and therefore to discourse of such matters, is as little to the purpose as to make Mathematical Demonstrations to one who knows not what an Angle or Triangle means. Hence by the way, will appear the great usefulness of judicious Catechizing, which is necessary to form clear Ideas in the mind, without which it can receive but little benefit from the Discourses of the Pulpit, and perhaps the neglect of the former, is the reason that the great plenty of the latter has no better effect. By all which it appears, that if we wou’d not be impos’d on by false Representations and Impostures, if we wou’d obtain a due knowledge of the most important things, we must remove the little Toys and Vanities of the world from us, or our selves from them; enlarge our Ideas, seek out new Fields of knowledge, whereby to rectify our first mistakes.
From the same Original, viz. the constant flattery of external Objects, arises that querulousness and delicacy observable in most Persons of fortune, and which, betrays them to many inconveniencies. For besides that it renders them altogether unfit to bear a change, which considering the great uncertainty and swift vicissitudes of worldly things, the Greatest and most established ought not to be unprepar’d for; it likewise makes them perpetually uneasy, abates the delight of their enjoyments, for such persons will very rarely find all things to their mind, and then some little disorder which others wou’d take no notice of, like an aching Tooth or Toe, spoils the relish of their Joys. And tho’ many great Ladies affect this temper, mistaking it for a piece of Grandeur, ’tis so far from that, that it gives evidence of a poor weak Mind, a very childish Humour, that must be cocker’d and fed with Toys and Baubles to still its frowardness, and is like the crazy stomach of a sick Person, which no body has reason to be fond of or desire.
This also disposes them to Inconstancy, for she who is continually supply’d with variety knows not where to fix; a Vice which some Women seem to be proud of, and yet nothing in the world so reproachful and degrading, because nothing is a stronger indication of a weak and injudicious mind. For it supposes us either so ignorant as to make a wrong Choice at first, or else so silly as not to know and stick to it, when we have made a right one. It bespeaks an unthinking inconsiderate Mind, one that lives at Random, without any design or end; who wanting judgment to discern where to fix, or to know when she’s well, is ever fluctuating and uncertain, undoing to day what she had done yesterday, which is the worst Character that can be given of ones Understanding.
A constant Scene of Temptations and the infection of ill company, is another great danger which conversing in the world exposes to. ’Tis a dangerous thing to have all the opportunities of sinning in our power, and the danger is increas’d by the ill Precedents we daily see of those who take them. Liberty (as some body says) will corrupt an Angel, and tho’ it is indeed more glorious to conquer than to fly, yet since our Vertue is so visibly weakened in other instances, we have no reason to presume on’t in this. ’Tis become no easy matter to secure our Innocence in our necessary Civilities and daily Conversations, in which if we have the good luck to avoid such as bring a necessity on us, either of seeming rude to them, or of being really so to GOD Almighty, whilst we tamely hear him, our best Friend and Benefactor affronted and swallow it, at the same time, that we wou’d reckon’t a very pitiful Spirit to hear an Acquaintance traduc’d and hold our Tongue; yet if we avoid this Trial, our Charity is however in continual danger, Censoriousness being grown so modish, that we can scarce avoid being active or passive in it; so that she who has not her pert jest ready to pass upon others, shall as soon as her back is turn’d, become a Jest her self for want of Wit.
In consequence of all this, we are insensibly betray’d to a great loss of time, a Treasure whose value we are too often quite ignorant of till it be lost past redemption. And yet considering the shortness and uncertainty of Life, the great work we have to do, and what advantages accrew to us by a due management of our time, we cannot reconcile it with prudence to suffer the least minute to escape us. But besides our own lavish Expences concerning which one may ask as Solomon does of Labour, What Fruit have we of all that Sport and Pastime we have taken under the Sun? so unreasonable is the humour of the World, that those who wou’d reckon it a rudeness to make so bold with out Money, never scruple to waste and rob us of this infinitely more precious Treasure.
In the last place, by reason of this loss of time and the continual hurry we are in, we can find no opportunities for thoughtfulness and recollection; we are so busied with what passes abroad, that we have no leisure to look at home, nor to rectifie the disorders there. And such an unthinking mechanical way of living, when like Machines we are condemn’d every day to repeat the impertinencies of the day before, shortens our Views, contracts our Minds, exposes to a thousand practical Errors, and renders Improvement impossible, because it will not permit us to consider and recollect, which is the only means to attain it. So much for the inconveniences of living in the World; if we enquire concerning Retirement, we shall find it does not only remove all these, but brings considerable advantages of its own.
For first, it helps us to mate Custom and delivers us from its Tyranny, which is the most considerable thing we have to do, it being nothing else but the habituating our selves to Folly that can reconcile us to it. But how hard is it to quit an old road? What courage as well as prudence does it require? How clear a Judgment to overlook the Prejudices of Education and Example and to discern what is best, and how strong a Resolution notwithstanding all the Scoffs and Noises of the world to adhere to it? For Custom has usurpt such an unaccountable Authority, that she who would endeavour to put a stop to its Arbitrary Sway and reduce it to Reason, is in a fair way to render her self the Butt for all the Fops in Town to shoot their impertinent Censures at. And tho’ a wise Woman will not value their Censure, yet she cares not to be the subject of their Discourse. The only way then is to retire from the World, as the Israelites did out of Ægypt, lest the Sacrifice we must make of its Follies shou’d provoke its Spleen.
This also puts us out of the road of Temptation, and very much redeems our Time, cutting off those extravagancies on which so much of it was squandered away before, and furnishing us constantly with good employment, secures us from being seduc’d into bad. Great are the Benefits of holy Conversation which will be here enjoy’d; As Vice is, so Vertue may be catching; and to what heights of Piety will not she advance, who is plac’d where the sole business is to be Good, where there is no pleasure but in Religion, no contention but to excel in what is truly commendable; where her Soul is not defil’d nor her Zeal provok’d, by the sight or relation of those Villanies the World abounds with?
And by that Learning which will be here afforded, and that leisure we 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?