Chap. V. it. What have we to do with frivolous and captious Queftions, and impertinent Niceties? Let us rather ftudy how to deliver ourselves from Sadnefs, Fear, and the Burden of our fecret Lufts: Let us pass over all our moft folemn Levities, and make haste to a good Life, which is a thing that preffes us. Shall a Man that goes for a Midwife, ftand gaping upon a Poft, to fee what Play today? or when his Houfe is on Fire, ftay the curling of a Periwig before he calls for Help? Our Houfes are on Fire, our Country invaded, our Goods taken away, our Children in danger, and 1 might add to these, the Cala mities of Earthquakes, Shipwrecks, and whatever elfe is most terrible. Is this a time for us now to be playing fast and loofe with idle Questions, which are, in effect, but fo many unprofitable Riddles ? Our Duty is the Cure of the Mind, rather than the Delight on't; but we have only the Words of Wisdom, without the Works; and turn Philofophy into Pleasure, that was given for a Remedy. What can be more ridiculous than for a Man to neglect his Manners and compofe his Style ? We are fick and ulcerous, and must be lanced and fcarify'd, and every Man has as much Business within himself, as a Phyfician in a common Peftilence. Misfortunes, in fine, can. not be avoided; but they may be sweetned, if not over. come; and our Lives may be made happy by Philofophy. CHAP. V. The Force of Precepts. Twisdom, Philofophy, and good Counfels, that it HERE feems to be fo near an Affinity betwixt is rather Matter of Curiofity, than of Profit, to divide them; Philofophy being only a limited Wifdom; and, good Counfels a Communication of that Wisdom, for the Good of others, as well as of ourfelves; and to Pofterity, as well as to the Prefent. The Wisdom of the Ancients, as to the Government of Life, was no more, than certain Precepts what to do, and what not; and Men were much better in that Simplicity; for as they came to be more learned, they grew lefs careful of being good. That plain and open Virtue, is now turned into a dark, and intricate Science; and we are taught to difpute, rather than to live. So long as Wickednefs was fiple, fimple Remedies also were fufficient against it; but now, it has taken Root, and spread, we must make ufe of stronger. *The best of us are yet the better for Admonition and Pres cept. THERE are fome Difpofitions that embrace good things as foon as they hear them: but they will still need quickening by Admonition and Precept. We are rath and forward in fome Cafes, and dull in others: And there is no repreffing the one Humour, or raising of the other, but by removing the Caufes of them; which are (in one word) false Administration and falfe Fear. Every Man knows his Duty to his Country, to his Friends, to his Guefts; and yet when he is called upon to draw his Sword for the one, or to labour for the other, he finds himself distracted betwixt his Apprehenfions, and his Delights: He knows well enough the Injury he does his Wife, in keeping a Wench; and yet his Luft overrules him: So that 'tis not enough to give good Advice, unless we can take away that which hinders the Benefit of it. If a Man does what he ought to do, he'll never do it conftantly or equally, without knowing why he does it. And if it be only Chance or Custom, he that does well by Chance, may do ill fo too. And farther, a Precept may direct us what we ought to do, and yet fall fhort in the manner of doing it. An expenfive Entertainment may, in one Cafe, be Extravagance or Gluttony; and yet a Point of Honour and Discretion in another. Tiberius Gafar had a large Mullet presented him, which he fent to the Market to be fold: And now (fays he) my Malters, to fome Company with him, you shall fee, that either Apricius or Octavius, will be the Chapman for this Fish: Octavius beat the Price, and gave about 30%. Sterling for't. Now there was a great Difference between Octavius, that bought it for his Luxury, and the other that purchased it for a Compliment to Tiberius. Precepts are idle, if we be not taught what Opinion we are to have of the Matter in Question; whether it be.. Poverty, Riches, Difgrace, Sickness, Banishment, &c. Let us therefore examine them one by one; not what they are called, but what in Truth they are. And fo for the Virtue: 'Tis to no Purpose to fet a high Efteem upon Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance. Juftice; if we do not first know what Virtue is: whether one or more; or if he that has one, has all; or how they differ. The Power of Precepts and Sentences. PRECEPTS are of great Weight; and a few useful ‡ ones at hand, do more towards a happy Life, than whole Volumes of Cautions, that we know not where to find. Thefe f litary Precepts fhould be our daily Meditation, for they are the only Rules by which we ought to fquare our Lives. When they are contracted into Sentences, they ftrike the Affections; whereas Admonition is only blowing of the Coal; it moves the Vigour of the Mind, and excites Virtue: We have the Thing already, but we know not where it lies. It is by Precepts, that the Understanding is nourished, and augmented; the Offices of Prudence and Justice are guided by them, and they lead us to the Execution of our Duties. A Precept deliver ed in Verfe, has a much greater Effect than in Profe; and those very People that never think they have enough, let them but hear a fharp Sentence against Avarice; how will they clap and admire it, and bid open Defiance to Money? So foon as we find the Affections ftruck, we must follow the Blow: not with Syllogifms, or Quirks of Wit; but with plain and weighty Reason: and we must do it with Kindness too, and Refpect: for, there goes a Bleffing along with Counsels, and Discour• fes that are bent wholly upon the Good of the Hearer: And those are still the most efficacious, that take Reafon along with them; and tell as well why we are to do this or that, as what we are to do. For, fome Underftandings are weak, and need an Inftructor to expound to them what is good, and what is evil. It is a great Virtue to love, to give, and to follow good Counsel ; if it does not lead us to Honefty, it does at least prompt us to't. As feveral Parts make up but one Harmony, and the most agreeable Mufic arifes from Difcords; fo fhould a wife Man gather many Acts, many Precepts, and the : Examples of many Arts, to inform his own Life. Our Forefathers have left us in charge to avoid three things: Hatred, Envy, and Contempt; now it is hard to avoid Envy, and not to incur Contempt; for in taking too much Care not to ufurp upon others, we become many times liable to be trampled upon ourfelves. Some People are afraid of others, becaufe 'tis poffible that others may be afraid of them: but let us fecure ourselves on all hands For Flattery is as dangerous as Contempt. It is not to fay, in cafe of Admonition, I knew this be fore: For, we know many things, but we do not think of them; fo that 'tis the part of a Monitor not so much to teach, as to mind us of our Duties. Sometimes a Man overfees that which lies juft under his Nofe; other while he is carelefs, or pretends not to fee it: We do all know, that Friendship is facred, and yet we violate it; and the greatest Libertine expects that his own Wife should be honest. *Good Counsel is the best Service we can do to Mankind. GOOD Counsel is the most needfal Service that we can do to Mankind, and if we give it to many, it will be fure to profit fome: For, of many Trials, fome or other will undoubtedly fucceed. He that places a Man in the Poffeffion of himfelf, does a great thing; for Wisdom does not fhew itself fo much in Precept, as in Life; in a Firmnefs of Mind, and a Mastery of Appetite: It teaches us to do, as well as to talk ; and to make our Words and Actions all of a Colour. If that Fruit be pleasantest which we gather from a Tree of our own planting, How much greater Delight fhall we take in the Growth and Increase of good Manners of our own Forming? It is an eminent Mark of Wisdom for a Man to be always like himself. fhall have fome that keep a thrifty Table, and lavish out upon Building; profufe upon themselves, and fordid to others; niggardly at home, and lavish abroad. This Diverfity is vicious, and the Effect of a diffatisfied, and uneafy Mind; whereas every wife Man lives by Rule, This Difagreement of Purpoles, arifes from hence, either that we do not propound to our felves what we would be at: or if we do, that we do not pursue it, but pafs from one Thing to another: and we do not only You change neither, but return to the very Thing which we had both quitted, and condemned. In all our Undertakings, let us our own Strength; the Enterprize next; and thirdly, the Perfons with whom we have to do. The first Point is most important; for Three Points first examine to be examined in all our Undertakings we are apt to over-value ourselves, and reckon that we can do more indeed than we can. One Man fets up for a Speaker, and is out as foon as he opens his Mouth; another over charges his Eftate perhaps, or his Body: A bashful Man is not fit for Business: Some again are too ftiff, and peremptory for the Court: Many People are apt to fly out in their Anger; nay, and in a Frolic too, if any thing sharp fall in their way, they will rather venture a Neck, than lofe a Jeft. These People had better be quiet in the World than bufy. Let him that is naturally choleric, and impatient, avoid all Pro-. vocations, and those Affairs alfo that multiply and draw on more; and thofe alfo from which there is no Retreat. When we may come off at Pleafure, and fairly hope to. bring our Matters to a Period, 'tis well enough. If it fo happen that a Man be tied up to Bufinefs, which he can neither loofen nor break off; let him imagine those Shackles upon his Mind to be Irons upon his Legs.: They are troublefome at first, but when there's no Remedy but Patience, Cullom makes them easy to us, and Neceffity gives us Courage, We are all Slaves to Fortune; fome only in loofe and golden Chains, others in ftrait ones and coarfer: Nay, and they that bind us, are Slaves to themselves, fome to Honour, others to Wealth, fome to Offices, others to Contempt, fome to their Su periors, others to themfelves: Nay, Life itfelf is a Servitude: Let us make the best on't then, and with our Philofophy mend our Fortune. Difficulties may be softned, and heavy Burdens difpofed of to our cafe. Let us covet nothing out of our Reach, but content ourselves with things hopeful, and at hand; and without envying the Advantages of others: For Greatness ftands upon a craggy Precipice; and 'tis much quieter and fafer living upon a Level. How many great Men are forced to keep their Station upon mere Neceffity; because they find |