By JOHN RAY, late Fellow of the Royal Society.
Printed by W. and J. Innys, Printers to the Royal Society, at the Prince’s-Arms at the West End of St. Paul’s Church-Yard. MDCCXIX.
Having been desired by my learned
and pious Friend Mr. Edmund Elys, to draw up such a Persuasive
as I now present the Reader with;
finding my self well at leisure from other Business, and considering that it
was suitable to my Profession, and present Condition; as being conducive to
my preparation for that change, which
the pains and infirmities I laboured
under, seemed to threaten the near approach
A CATALOGUE of Mr. Ray’s Works.
Historia Plantarum, Species hactenus editas aliasque insuper multas noviter inventas & descriptas complectens. Tomi duo. Fol. 1686.
Ejusd. Tomus tertius, qui est Supplementum duorum præcedentium; cum accessionibus Camelli & Tournefortii, 1704.
Catalogus Plantarum circa Cantab. nascentium. 8vo. Can. 1660.
Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ, &c. 8vo. 1670, & 1677.
Fasciculus Stirp. Britann. post editum Catal. præd. 1688.
Catalogus Stirpium in ex. region. observat. 1673.
Methodus Plantarum nova cum Tabulis, 1682, 1703.
Eadem Methodus emendata & aucta, 8vo. 1703.
Synopsis Methodica Stirp. Britann. in quâ tum Notæ Generum Characteristicæ traduntur, tum Species singulæ breviter describuntur, &c. 1690.
Ead. Synop. multis Stirpibus & observ. curiosis passim insertis, cum Muscarum Methodo & Historia pleniore, &c. 1696.
Epistola ad D. Rivinum de Methodo Plantarum in qua Elementa Botanica D. Tournefort tanguntur, 8vo. 1696.
Dissertatio de variis Plantarum Methodis, 8vo. 1696.
Stirpium Europ. extra Britan. nascentium Sylloge, 8vo. 1694.
Synops. Methodica Animal. Quadrup. & Serpen. Generis, 8vo. 1693.
Franscisci Willughbeii Historia Piscium cum Fig. recognovit, digessit, supplevit Jo. Raius, Oxon. Fol. 1686.
Ejusd. Ornithologia cum Fig. edente eod. Fol. 1676.
The same much enlarged, in English, 1678.
Observations Topographical, Moral, and Physiological, made in a Journey thro’ several Parts of Europe, 8vo. 1673.
Collection of unusual or local English Words, 12º. 1673, 1691.
Collection of English and other Proverbs. Camb. 1678.
Methodus Infectorum, 8vo. 1705.
Historia Infectorum. Opus Posthumum. Lond. 1710. 4to.
The Wisdom of God manifested in the Work of the Creation. In two Parts. 8vo. the 7th Edition. 1717.
Three Physico-Theological Discourses, &c. the 3d Edition, 8vo. 1713.
Dictionarium Trilingue, 8vo. 1672. 1689, 1696.
Synopsis Methodica Avium & Piscium, opus posthumum, quod vivus recensuit & perfecit ipse insigniffimus Author; in quo, multas species, in ipsius Ornithologia & Ichthyologia desideratas, adjecit, Methodumque suam Piscium naturæ magis convenientem reddidit. Cum Appendice & Iconibus. Edente W. Derham, 8vo. 1713.
Some Mistakes about the Object of Happiness.
HAPPINESS is that which all Men
desire, and yet but few obtain:
One reason is, because they mistaken their Object, placing it in something
wherein it is not to be found; some in Bodily Pleasures, whom Aristotle
calls ἀπολαυστικοί others in Riches, whom
the same Author calls χρηματιστικοί. Others
1. They are not in our Power, but may forcibly be taken away from us; and should they continue with us during Life, at Death we must necessarily part with them.
2. They make us not better, being common to good and bad. Now if bad Men may possess them, they cannot render us happy; because, as the Poet truly saith, Nemo malus felix, No wicked Man can be happy.
3. They cannot satisfie the vast desires, or fill the Capacity of the Soul. The Soul of Man is spiritual and immortal, and therefore Bodily Pleasures, or Temporal Enjoyments are no way suitable to it, nor of answerable duration,
My business in the following Discourse, shall be, to prove that a Holy Life is the only Happy Life, even in this World, advancing us to as high a degree of Happiness as we are capable of in this Imperfect State, and the only preparatory to a State of Eternal Felicity in the World to come.
Before I proceed to prove this, it will be requisite to explain the Terms.
1. What is meant by Holiness. 2. What by Happiness.
What Holiness is.
Holiness (as I have shewn in a former Treatise) is a Word of various significations in Scripture.
When it is attributed to God, it signifies (as Dr. Owtram well Lib.
1. de Sacrific. Cap. 1.
2. His glorious Majesty, which manifests it self in all Excellencies and Perfections, infinite
Wisdom, infinite Power and
Might, sovereign Dominion over all things;
in respect whereof he is worthy of all Praise
When Holiness is attributed to other things besides God, it signifies either, 1. A relative or outward Holiness, which results from a Separation from common and profane use, and application to a religious. God being the Sovereign Lord of all things, and himself holy, whatever is in a peculiar manner related to him, and appertains to his Worship and Service, whether Person or thing, hath a kind of relative Holiness, and upon account thereof an esteem and respect is due to it. Or, 2. An inherent or inward Holiness, or perfect conformity of heart and life to the Law and Will of God: Which kind of Holiness is proper only to rational Beings.
You will say, If Holiness be such a perfect conformity, &c. then no Man ever was,
is, or shall be holy in this Mortal Life.
I answer, It is true, that perfect and sinless Holiness is not attainable by mortal Men in this present Life, and therefore God is pleased to accept of sincerity of Obedience instead of Perfection; and so we may define Holiness, so far as it is attainable in this imperfect state, to be a sincere and constant desire and endeavour to obey God in all his Commands. More than this, we cannot perform, and less than this God will not accept.
1. This Obedience must be universal,
without reserve or exception of any Command. Whatsoever we shall be convinced
to be God’s Will, and our Duty, we must set about it, and do it, be it never so uneasy to
Flesh and Blood:
Whatsoever we
shall be convinced to be contrary thereto,
though never so pleasing, never so customary to us, we must resolutely shun and avoid it. God
must have the whole Heart;
he admits no rival; Zeal for one Commandment will not compensate for the
breach of another. We must with the
Psalmist,
2. This desire and endeavour must be
sincere and hearty; we must not harbour
or entertain any secret inclination to any
evil way. We must withdraw all degrees
of Affection from whatever is sinful, or unlawful, or prohibited by God. The love
or liking of any sin, or even wishing it
were lawful, cannot consist with the love
of God, which is the spring and source of
sincere Obedience. Quis coram Deo innocens invenitur, qui vellet fieri
quod vetatur, si
subtrahas quod timetur. Ac per hoc
What Happiness is.
Happiness in general may be defined to be the secure and constant presence and enjoyment of whatsoever is really good, desireable and delightful; together with the absence of whatever is afflictive and tormenting.
It is described by Boetius, to be Status
omnium honorum aggregatione perfectus: An Estate perfect by the
confluence of all good things. And by Cicero, Secretis malis omnibus cumulatum bonorum possessio: An accumulated possession
of good things, all evil things being withdrawn. The holy Psalmist himself makes the happiness of the
Beatifick Vision to consist in fulness of Joy,
and Eternal Pleasures,
Happiness is usually distinguished into Objective and Formal.
Objective Happiness is that Object or thing which renders us happy.
Formal Happiness is the union with, or enjoyment of that Object.
The supreme Objective Happiness of Man, his chief good, or last end, is the ever blessed Deity.
His Formal Happiness is the Enjoyment
of this Object, which consists in the knowledge and love of God, and that joy
an delectation which naturally and
necessarily flows
therefrom;
You will say, If the happiness of Man consists in the love of God, how can holiness of life be said to render a Man happy?
I answer, Because holiness or obedience
to the Commandments of God, is in effect
the same thing with the love of God. By
the Apostle John it is made to be the very same,
Love is by some Divines distinguished into Appreciative and Sensible, or rather Passionate.
Appreciative Love is such an affection whereby we prize or value any one Object above another.
Sensible or Passionate Love is that which hath a greater influence upon the Body, and doth more strongly move and affect it.
Our Love to God in this state is of the first kind, such an affection or disposition of Soul, whereby we prize him above all things; so that neither Father nor Mother, nor Wife, nor Child, though they may more sensibly and passionately affect us, are so much esteemed by us, we can be content to part with them when God pleases, and quietly to submit to his Will. No Worldly advantage, much less the gratifying any Lust, can prevail with us to break any one of his Commandments. Yet ought we not to rest contented with this degree of love to God, but to labour after that which is more ardent and passionate; else how can we satisfie our selves in a Time of Temptation, that our Obedience to God’s Commands proceeds not rather from a Principle of Fear, or Self-love, than of love to God.
Of the Division of Happiness.
Though the supreme and chief Happiness of Man consists in the knowledge and love of God, yet there are other things which contribute to the completion of it, especially in this World, viz. Those which tend to the making our present condition easy and comfortable to us; such as Health, Wealth, Friends, Reputation; the contrary whereto; as Sickness, Bodily-pain, Hunger and Thirst, Disgrace, &c. would render it grievous and unpleasant. The former of these are eagerly pursu’d by a great part of Mankind, as their chief good and happiness. Could we therefore demonstrate (and I think it not difficult to do) that Holiness or obedience to God’s Commands, is the most effectual means to procure and secure these outward Enjoyments to us, so far as there is any good in them; I think we should need no other consideration to recommend a Holy Life and Conversation to all sorts and conditions of Men.
Which that we may do the more clearly and satisfactorily, it will be convenient to make a division of Happiness according to the several states of Man, and his several parts, and the particular ingredients, which make up the happiness of each part, in each state.
And because I cannot think of a better, I shall make use of that of Dr. Wilkins, late Lord Bishop of Chester, in his Treatise of Natural Religion.
The Happiness then of Man is either that of this present Estate, which determines at Death; or that of a future Estate, which commences at Death, and continues to all Eternity.
The Happiness of this present Estate may be divided into, 1. External, or, that of the Outward Man: Or, 2. Internal, or that of the Inner Man.
External Happiness consists principally in, 1. Health, 2. Safety, Liberty and Quiet. 3. Riches. 4. Pleasures. 5. Honour and Reputation. 6. Friends. Under which Name I comprehend also Natural Relations; As Wife, and Children, and Parents, who are usually called so in common speech; as when we say, Such a Man hath good Friends, or his Friends are well to live.
Internal Happiness consists in the knowledge and love of God, manifested by our obedience to his Commands; the improvement of all our Faculties; inward peace of Conscience, Joy and Tranquillity of Mind.
The Happiness of the future Estate, is
the clear Vision of God, likeness to him,
and union with him by perfect love:
Before I run over these Heads in particular, I shall premise two things in general.
First, That keeping of God’s Commandments is every way
for the good, benefit and advantage of the whole world, and Mankind in general.
Sin, 1 which is the breach of God’s Law, is the only procuring and productive
cause of all the Evils and
Miseries, Troubles and Distresses that are
in the world. Did Men generally obey
God’s Laws, the whole Earth, which is
now for the most part an Akeldama, or
Field of Blood, would be turn’d into a very Paradise, into a Heaven: Men would
then beat their Swords into Plowshares,
and their Spears into Pruning-hooks. Men
who now are Wolves and Tygers one to
another, who bite and devour one another,
Secondly, The Commandments of God are not grievous or uneasy; his Law is holy, and just, and good, his Precepts equal and reasonable; nay, so suitable and agreeable to the Nature and Reason of Man, that I will be bold to say, They ought upon their own account to be observed and obeyed by us, were there no Heaven to reward our Obedience, no Hell to punish our Disobedience.
This is the foundation of that Stoical Doctrine, That
Virtue is its own Reward, and that Happiness consists in the very doing of Virtuous Actions: And therefore a
wise Man is satisfied with the Conscience
of well-doing, and will not do any dishonest or wicked thing, to avoid any Suffering or Torment
whatsoever. The reason is,
because God hath imprinted in our Nature
an aversation from Vice, and dislike of it;
But our gracious God hath not put us
off with such a Reward as this; (which notwithstanding the Apostle saith of the
Christians of his time, That if in this life
only they had hope, they would be of all men
the most miserable:) but hath promised to recompense our Obedience with Eternal
Of Health.
Health is a Blessing so necessary to our
Well-being in this World, that without it we cannot enjoy any thing else, no
not our own selves: And therefore the
common salutation among us at every meeting of Neighbour or Friends is this, How
do you? that is, are you in Health or no?
And the Answer Well, or Ill; that is, in
health or not: As if Health were the chief
or only good thing worth the enquiring after, in the presence or enjoyment whereof
we could not be miserable whatever else
we wanted: Nor in the absence, happy or
well, whatever besides we possessed. Indeed there is no taste or relish, no comfort
Health is such a just temper and constitution of all the parts of the Body, both
solid and fluid, as may inable the several
Members and Faculties duly to perform
their natural Functions, from whence proceeds not only an indolency or freedom
from Pain and Sickness, but also vigor and
activity, alacrity and light heartedness, a
pleasant and delicious sympathy in the Soul.
To this head I refer freedom from Bodily
Pain, the extremity whereof is altogether
inconsistent with Happiness: St. Augustine confesses, That he was compelled to consent to
Cornelius Celsus, who affirmed Bodily Pain to be the
greatest Evil. Neither
(saith he) did his Reason seem to me absurd, viz. That Man being compounded
of two parts, Soul and Body, of which the
first is the better, the latter the worser; the greatest good must be the best thing belonging
to the better part; that is, Wisdom: And the greatest Evil the worst thing
belonging to the worser part; that is, Pain.
Whether this Reason be solid and conclusive,
There is indeed a degree of Bodily Pain, which may be said to be κατ᾽ ἄνθρωπον, not exceeding the measure of Man’s Patience; and there is a degree which we are not able to bear, which takes up the whole Mind, not suffering it to divert its thoughts one Minute to any other Object.
Away then with the foolish vaunts of the
proud Stoicks, who boast that their Wise
Man is happy in Phalaris his Bull; whom
Epist. 52.
You will say, Did not the holy Martyrs endure the greatest Bodily Torments with invincible patience, yea some of them with joy and exultation.
I answer, ’Tis true indeed they did so;
but then I suppose, that as their Temptations
I proceed now to prove, that this. Blessing is the portion of those who lead a godly Life, who keep God’s Commandments, and abide in his Love: And that, 1. From the Promises of God: 2. From the natural consequence of several Virtues commanded by him. Such are, 1. Temperance and Sobriety, 2. Labor and Industry. 3. A due government and moderation of our Passions.
1. Health and Long Life, (I put them
together, the one for the most part being
the consequent of the other) are in Scripture promised as rewards to the obedience
of the Commandments of God.
2. Health and Long Life are the natural consequents of some Virtues commanded by God: As,
1. Temperance and Sobriety in the use of Meats and Drinks: That this is a most effectual means to preserve Health, I appeal to the general consent of Physicians, who are the most competent Judges in this Cafe, all unanimously prescribing a moderate Diet, not only as a principal means to continue Health, but also to cure many Diseases, Hence Hippocrates saith, 6 Epid. Sect. 4. Aph. 10. Ἄσκησις ὑγιὴς ἀκορεσίη τροφῆς, ἀοκνίη πόνων: The exercise of preferring health is, not to eat to satiety, not to be slothful in labor.
That a very spare and ascetick Diet conduces much to Health
and long Life, may be confirmed by many eminent Examples: St. Paul, the first
Hermite (as St. Jerome
in his Life reports) arrived to the Age of
115 Years, an hundred whereof he spent in
the Wilderness, sustaining himself daily the
first forty with a few Dates, and a draught
of Water; and when Dates failed, with
half a Loaf of Bread, which a Raven brought
him. St. Anthony (as Athanasius witnesseth)
lived 105 Years, of which he spent 90 in
the Desert, supporting his Body with Bread
and Water only, to which in his extreme
old Age he added a few Sallet Herbs. Arsenius, the Emperor Arcadius his Tutor,
Moreover, It is very remarkable, which the same Riverius adds, That if an exact Diet cannot quite take away some chronical and incurable Diseases, yet doth it much alleviate them, and render them more tolerable, so that the sick Persons may live a long time under them. So we see not a few daily, who produce their Lives many Years under an Ulcer of the Lungs, a Scirrhus of the Liver or Spleen, a Stone in the Reins or Bladder. Aristotle in his Problems witnesseth, That there was a certain Philosopher in his time, named Herodicus, who though he laboured under a Consumption, yet by a strict observation of Diet, attained to 100 Years.
The. Benefits of Temperance will best appear from the Mischiefs and Inconveniencies the contrary Vices of Intemperance and
Excess bring upon us; especially as to the
impairing and ruining of our Health, which
is a natural consequent thereof. For the
Stomach by immoderate repletion being
overcharged or clog’d, with more than it
can digest, must needs flubber over its
That most diseases owe their original to excess in eating and drinking, appears in that they are cured by blood-letting, purging vomiting, sweating, and other Evacuations, whereby the abundance of superfluous Humours is exhausted. It is a Proverbial Saying, Plures occidit gula quàm gladius: The Throat hath slain more than the Sword. Rioting and drunkenness offer such violence to Nature, do so inflame the Blood, the vehicle of Life, waste and dissipate the Spirits, that Men guilty of them seldom live out half their days: Insomuch that (as Bishop Wilkins well observes) no Man of ordinary prudence, who is to take a Lease for Lives, will be content (if he can well avoid it) to choose one whom he knows to be vicious and intemperate.
It may be objected, that some who daily exceed all bounds in eating and drinking, feeding themselves (as the Apostle saith) without fear, do yet live to an extreme old Age.
I answer, That there are but very few of
these, and those of exceeding firm strength
of Parts and temperament of Body; who
yet if they live temperately, might holdout
much longer, and would be more fit for all
the Actions of the Mind and Understanding: For (saith Riverius) Those who live
intemperately, must needs be fill’d with many noxious Humours, and often troubled
with Sickness; neither can they, without
prejudice to their Health, be long intent
on the difficult Functions of the Mind;
both because in them the whole force of
Nature, and of the Spirits is spent in the
concoction of Meats; from which, if by
any contention of mind, they be violently withdrawn, concoction will be depraved, and many crudities
ensue; and also
because they have need of frequent Bodily
Exercise to dissipate, or Medicaments to
purge out their ill Humours they daily accumulate. So that though such men seem
to live long in the Body, yet in effect they live but little to their mind, and
to those
And yet even in these the Body is not made of Steel or Adamant, the strength of their Natural Temper cannot always resist and hold out against the rude shocks and batteries of so many excesses and debauches, but must needs by degrees be weakened and impaired, and. at last utterly marred and subverted.
I might add further in commendation of this Grace of Temperance, that it conduces much to the preservation of the External form, and comeliness of the Body, an Endowment highly valued by all men: Whereas on the contrary, vicious Courses, but especially Intemperance, defacing the inward pulchritude of the Soul, do change even the outward Countenance into an abhorred hue; as I have else where noted out of Dr. Moor.
I should now dismiss this Particular,
did not the great prevalency of this Vice
of Intemperance, especially in drinking
invite me to superadd something further
1. First, Then this Vice hath a very ill influence upon the Spirit and Soul of Man, degrading it, and subjecting it to the Body. The generality of Heathen Philosophers (as Bishop Wilkins observes) agree in this, That Sin is the Natural Cause of debasing the Soul, immersing it into a state of sensuality and darkness, deriving such an impotency and deformity upon the mind, as the most loathsome Diseases do upon the Body. I shall add, but especially Intemperance, which Clouds the understanding, disabling it to any Studies of sublime and subtile Speculation; the gross fumes of strong and inebriating Liquors, having a like effect upon the Understanding, as thick Foggs and Mists upon our bodily Eyes, hindring them from seeing things at a distance, or discerning clearly Objects that are near. Neither doth it only darken the Understanding, but mightily weaken the Memory, dulling also and impairing all the Parts and Faculties of the Soul; depressing and fastning down to the earth that Particle of the divine Breath:
Atque affigit humi Divinæ particulam auræ:
Stupifying and infatuating the Man by degrees, till at last there be little left of him but the outward shape, and that too very much marred and deformed.
2. This Sin not only sows the Seeds of
future Diseases, but very often is the occasion of many present Quarrels, and Fightings, and Wounds, and even Death it
self.
3, It occasions an unaccountable expence
of time, which by all Wise Men is esteemed
a most precious and inestimable Jewel; Cujus
When at the great day of account, the
Supreme Judge of all Men shall demand of
us, How we spent such an Afternoon, or
such a Night, Think we, that we shall have
4. Intemperance is a chargeable and expensive Vice, unaccountably wasting the
outward Estate.
5. Intemperance is a Vice contrary to
Charity and Justice, disabling us to relieve
the Poor, or contribute to any good Work.
Can we think that he hath the least spark
of Charity, or indeed common Humanity
in him, who will spoil and destroy that,
which will serve to support and maintain
the indigent and necessitous; who will rather mischief himself, than benefit others;
who will rather abuse and ruine his own
Body, than refresh the fainting Spirits of
his Brethren. Surely God intended that
all that are born into the World, should
But if he be unjust who relieves not the
poor, though nothing related to him, what
shall we call them of the poorer sort, who spend that at the Alehouses, which should
serve to maintain their Families? who have
Wives and Children at home that want Necessaries, and they consume upon their
Lusts what should support them: these Men
are something more than unjust, barbarous
and inhumane. We find them in the black
List of those whom the Apostle,
6ly. I might add, That this Vice is injurious to posterity, entailing Diseases upon them: Children do very often inherit the Distempers and Infirmities of their Parents, as well as the Shape and Lineaments of their Bodies. And therefore let men, as they love their Children, and tender their ease and well-being in this World, have a care lest by their debauches and excesses they contract diseases and ill habits of body on themselves, and derive them to their Issue; which if of the more painful sort, as Gout or Stone, may give their Children (I will not say just) cause to curse the day wherein they were born, and the Parents which begat and brought them forth.
Lastly, This Vice blasts a Man’s Reputation, Honour and
Esteem in the World.
As Virtue is honourable in the sight of all
Men, there being scarce any Nation so salvage and barbarous, but pays some
respect
and veneration to it: So is Vice reproachful, and vicious Persons despicable; and
among other Vices, especially Drunkenness,
which makes a man a laughing-stock, a
Drunkenness doth both inflame and
discover other Vices, removing that Modesty
Here some may possibly demand, What measures of eating and drinking are we to
observe? I answer, What are most agreeable to the ends of eating and drinking; those are the support of our Bodies, and
preserving them in the most perfect state of
Health, I need give no more severe Rules
1. Ἀκορεσίη τροφῆς before mentioned out of Hippocrates; Never eat to satiety, but always rise from the Table with an Appetite; because in those who are in perfect health, the Appetite is strong, and lasts till the Stomach be too much filled; which repletion is very hurtful and prejudicial to Health.
2. If you ordinarily take so much Meat and Drink, that afterward you feel a certain Torpor, heaviness and sluggishness of body, when as before you were active, brisk, and cheerful, it is a sign that you have exceeded the convenient measure of eating; and the quantity of Food is so long to be diminished, till the foresaid inconveniencies appear no more.
3. If after Meat you find your self unfit for Study, Meditation, Contemplation, and other Functions as well of the Mind, as of the Body, it is clear that you exceed the just measures of eating and drinking.
These Rules are to be observed chiefly by Scholars and Gentlemen, who are not exercised in continual bodily Labor.
Secondly,
Moderate Labour and Exercise conduces much to the maintenance and preservation of Health, ἀοκνίη πόνων as Hippocrates calls it not being slothful in labor: And Galen for that purpose prefers it before a spare Diet. It puts the Blood in motion thereby, increasing the natural heat, facilitating concoction and rendring it more thin and fluid, less apt to stagnate or coagulate, and more, easy to pass the capillary extremes of the Veins and Arteries, and so to irrigate and enliven all the Muscles and Members of the Body; by which means the Body becomes more robust, less obnoxious to external Injuries, and fit for any Action.
Moreover, keeping the Blood in a due temper and degree of heat, it inables it by insensible perspiration, to cast off any noxious Particles, which might spoil its crasis, and put it into irregular motions, and breed divers diseases: Want of perspiration being the cause of almost all diseases. But of labor and diligence in our Callings, I shall have occasion to speak further under another Head.
I might add something concerning rest
or sleep, the moderation whereof hath
Thirdly,
A Third thing requisite to the preservation and continuance of Health, is a due government and moderation of our Passions, the excess of which hath great force in altering the temper of the Body, and in bringing on grievous diseases, and some times death it self. I shall instance in three.
1. Anger, Which if not supprest at first but suffered to kindle in the Breast, breaks out suddainly into a violent flame, bearing down all before it, dethrones Reason, and turns the man into a Phrenetick: Ira furor brevis est: Anger is a short Madness, and if it be indulged and becomes unbridled, it may by the violent commotion of the Spirits, so alter and pervert the very crasis and temper of the Brain, as to introduce a lading and perpetual one. The like happens sometimes also in other passions; as grief, fear and love.
2. Fear: What paleness and trembling doth it often cause? subverting the whole Oeconomy of the Body: Fear of poverty or disgrace hath driven many men to that extremity, as to lay violent hands upon themselves. Fear of death hath sometimes brought upon men that they feared. But above all, fear hath a very bad influence upon the Body in infectious diseases, especially in the Plague; in which a Reverend and Learned Person faith upon experience, It is a mortal Companion: And a late famous Physician in his Treatise upon that Disease: Pestis non est Pestis nisi adsit terror: The Pestilence is no Pestilence unless it be attended with terror.
3. Sorrow and Sadness, the excess whereof is no less injurious to the health of the body than the forementioned Passions, abating the natural heat, and by degrees introducing a general languor and wasting; or by incrassating the humors for want of a due motion of the Blood, bringing on Melancholick and delirous effects.
These and the like Passions the Scripture
commands us either wholly to extirpate, or
at least to moderate and subdue. 1 Anger,
Fortior est qui se quàm qui fortissima vincit.
And doubtless whosoever shall subdue and matter this Passion, shall experience much joy and delight in the victory.
As for Fear, if of Poverty or Want, we
have God’s promise for our security, That
provision shall be made for us of all things
necessary: Our Saviour tells us. That if we
seek the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, these outward things shall be added to us.
Immoderate Sorrow even for our dearest Relations and Friends is forbidden us by the Apostle, and yet this is an Affliction that wounds as deep as any. The uselesness of sorrow for any worldly loss, setting aside the ill influence it hath upon our health, is a sufficient argument against giving way to this Passion; Sorrow being so far from helping us, that it doth but add to our burthen. For what we bring upon our selves by our own default or negligence, so much trouble may be useful as to make us more careful for the future, and no more,
—Flagrantior æquo
Non debet dolor esse viri, nec vulnere major: Juvenal. Sat. xiii.
A Man’s Grief ought not to be immoderate, not to exceed the cause of it.
Of Safety, Liberty and Quiet.
Secondly, Safety, Liberty and Quiet conduce much to the Happiness of the outward Man.
I refer these to one Head, because I find them linked together in Bishop Wilkins his Treatise of Natural Religion; and before him in Bishop Andrews his Manual of Devotions more than once, and because they are of near affinity one to another.
1. By Safety I understand, 1. Freedom
from force and violence, captivity, loss of
Goods by Enemies, foreign or domestick,
by Pirates and Robbers. For our security from these we have many promises
in Scripture,
2. Freedom from perils and dangers,
and sad accidents; as Fire, Tempest, contagious Diseases, Terrors by Night; for
our security from these also we are not without
promises of the divine protection.
II. By Liberty is meant, being at our own disposal, and not under Bondage, restraint or imprisonment; from which, obedience to the Commandments of God secures us. For the most usual causes of Sufferings of this nature are neglect of our duties, or vicious and illegal acts; as Murthers, Adulteries, Theft, Sedition, and the like, which are all contrary to God’s Commandments; these enjoining us to obey Laws, to submit to Government, to do our own business, and not to be busy-bodies in other mens matters, &c.
III. By Quiet is understood immunity
from Troubles, and molestations proceeding from Enmity, Contentions, Law-suits,
Immoderate Care and Anxiety about worldly things; Obedience to the Law of God
doth in a great measure secure us from
these: That commands us to love even our
Enemies. Now who can be so barbarous and inhumane as to injure them that truly
love him, and seek his good? Moreover the Scripture tells us, That when a mans
ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him,
Of Riches.
Thirdly, Riches are esteemed a great
ingredient of our happiness
and well-being in this world: though some
are of opinion, that they contribute nothing thereto, but that a mean estate is the
best; and therefore Agur prays,
—Si ventri bene, si lateri est, quid
Divititæ possunt regales addere majus?
If we are well provided with Food and
Clothing, what more can Kingly Riches add
to us? And the Apostle,
You will say. If Riches have such an ill influence upon Mens Manners, why then are they proposed in Scripture as rewards to virtuous actions? why are they made the effects and fruits of God’s Blessing?
I answer, Riches if well used, and it is Our own fault if we use them not well, are real Blessings, enabling us to do much good in the World; to be rich in good Works, to relieve the Necessities of others, to feed the Hungry, to cloath the Naked, to redeem Prisoners and Captives, to deliver the Oppressed, to minister to the Sick convenient Diet and Physick, &c. And our Saviour tells us, That it is a more blessed thing to give, than to receive; and consequently to have whereof to give.
I should now proceed to shew, That Riches are a Blessing
promised to our Obedience,
and likewise a natural consequent and effect of it: And in the first place to explain
what is meant by Riches; but I find this so
well done to my hand by Treatise of Natural Religion.
The Word Riches is capable of a twofold sense.
| { | Absolute, |
| Relative. |
1. In the more absolute sense it may be defined to consist in such a measure of Estate, as may be sufficient to serve a Man’s occasions and conveniencies; when his Possessions are so proportioned as fully to answer all the necessities of his condition, and afford him a comfortable subsistence according to his Quality, and the station wherein he is placed. In which sense men of all ranks and degrees are capable of being rich. A Husbandman or an ordinary Tradesman may as truly be styled a Rich Man, as a Gentleman, a Lord, or a King. Though perhaps what these can very well afford to fling away upon their Diversions be more than all the Estate and Possessions that the other can pretend to.
And upon this ground all men grant,
that a man may be as truly liberal in giving
Now though this be the true notion of Riches, yet in the opinion of Moralists and Philosophers is it not enough to denominate a man rich; but there is further required an Acquiescence of Mind, Contentment or Satisfaction with such a Sufficiency: Dives est, non qui plus habet, sed qui nihil cupit: He is not rich who hath much, but who covets no more. Aristotle affirms, That the true nature of Riches doth consist in the contented use and enjoyment of the things that we have, rather than in the possession of them. Those that out of penuriousness can scarce afford themselves the ordinary Conveniencies of Life, out of their large Possessions, have been always accounted poor: Such men may be truly said to want those things they have, because lying by useless, it is all one as if they had them not.
Moreover, That Man who is not content with what is in it self
sufficient for
2. Riches may be taken in a more relative sense, and so they may be described
to consist in having large Possessions, when
a man’s Estate and Revenue is of such a
proportion as is commonly esteemed great;
whether with relation to the generality of
other men; and so only those at the upper
end of the world are capable of being counted rich; or else with respect to others of
the same rank and order and so all such
are accounted rich, who do in their Possessions exceed the common sort of those
that are of the same rank with them; this
kind of Wealth consisting properly in comparison; there being not any one determinate
sum or proportion of revenue to which
the name of Riches may be appropriated,
but that it may be as much below the occasions
Those that are rich in this comparative sense, may rather be
styled proprietors of
great Possessions, than truly rich; because
though such Possessions be in themselves
great, yet they may not be sufficient to free
the owner of them from want and poverty,
whether in respect to his real or imaginary
occasions for more: And that is not Riches
which cannot free a Man from being poor;
and want of Necessaries is as truly Poverty
in him that hath much, as in him that hath
but little. He that in any one Condition
of Life, hath enough to answer his Conveniencies, such a Man is more truly rich
than he whose Revenue is a thousand times
greater, if it be not equal either to his Occasions or his Mind. Riches in this
second
comparative sense are no where promised
to our obedience to the Commandments
of God, or to any particular Grace and
Virtue; nor are they the natural effects and
consequents of such Obedience; as if he
that were godly, should be thereby advanced to the greatest Possessions that any man
else doth enjoy; but only that Religion will
be a means to supply him with such a sufficiency
1. Riches are proposed in Scripture as a
Reward or Blessing to them that fear God,
and keep his Commandments. It is said of
Wisdom, that is the fear of God, which in
several places of Scripture is said to be the
beginning of Wisdom, or the chief Wisdom;
nay, Wisdom it self,
2. The fear of God, and the practice of several Virtues commanded by him, are the most effectual means to gain and increase Riches: As
1. Diligence and Industry in our Callings, The hand of the diligent maketh rich,
2. Justice and Honesty in our Dealings: It is commonly said, That honesty is the best Policy; and so in this particular we find it in experience to be; those Tradesmen having the greatest custom, and quickest returns, who are noted for their just and honest Dealings,
3. Temperance and Sobriety: These conduce as well to the encreasing of our Estates, as the health of our Bodies, cutting off all superfluous Expences in gratifying our Sensual Appetites and Desires: Whereas the contrary Vices of Voluptuousness and Luxury, to which we may add Idleness, Prodigality, Pride, are known waiters of Estates, often bringing men to a morsel of bread, and clothing them with rags, as Solomon saith.
But besides the having a sufficiency of
all things necessary and convenient in reference to our rank and order in this world;
to denominate us truly rich, as I said before,
there is required contentment and satisfaction of mind with such a sufficiency, and
a free use of the things we have, which is
attainable only by Religion; that teaches
and enables us to be content with our Estates, and to live comfortably without
such
things as others know not how to want,
Now that the fear of God, and practice
of those Virtues he commands us, is a real
means of procuring and preserving a sufficiency of worldly Goods, and contentment
therewith, we find confirmed by experience: Let any man impartially consider,
what kind of persons those are, among the
generality of Men, who in their several degrees and orders are accounted most able, and
most wealthy; and it will appear that they
are such as are most diligent in their Callings, most just and honest in their Dealings,
most regular and sober in their Conversations, most liberal towards any good Work:
Upon which account it is that such places,
where men have the opportunity of being
instructed in, and excited to the Duties of
Religion, do thereupon thrive and flourish most; it being one property of Religion to
civilize men, and make them more inquisitive in Learning, and more diligent in
practising their several Professions. And as
for contentment of Mind, it is not to be
obtained but upon the account of Religion,
Piety and Virtue: Such men need not fear
But it may be objected, 1. That there are some kinds of Virtue which seem to have a contrary tendency, as Charity to those that want, Bounty and Liberality to any good Work. To which I answer,
That these Acts may very well consist
with Riches in the most proper Notion of
it, as it denotes a sufficiency for our Occasions; the ability of contributing in
some
proportion towards any worthy and charitable Work being in the esteem of every
good Man one Of those occasions and conveniencies required to such a sufficiency,
and cannot any more be a prejudice to it,
than it would be for a Man to lay up some part
of his Estate in the safest place, to lend it
out upon the best interest, to part with it
for the purchase of the same favour and
assistance from others in the like exigencies; to lay it out upon his pleasure, with
respect to that inward comfort and satisfaction
Obj. 1. There are some kinds of Vice that seem to have a tendency to the enriching of men; as Fraud, Extortions, Sordidness, all kinds of unlawful ways of getting and keeping an Estate. But to this it may be said,
1. That these Vices may tend to the encreasmg of Mens Possessions, but not to the making of them truly rich; and it is a plain Argument that such persons do not think themselves to have a sufficiency, who can apply themselves to such wretched Courses for the getting more.
2. ’Tis commonly seen in experience, that
there is a secret Curse attends such Practices,
a Canker that eats into such Gain, a Hole
in the bottom of the Bag, by which it insensibly drains out, and wastes away;
Malè
But if a man who by Extortion or unjust gain raises an Estate, happens to transmit it to his Posterity, he usually entails upon them a Curse together with it, it decaying by degrees, and coming to nothing: De malè quæsitis vix gaudet tertius hæres: The third Heir scarce ever enjoying an ill-gotten Estate.
Obj. 3. It may be objected, That there
are some good Men that are poor; and that
God hath chosen the poor of this world
to receive the Gospel, and to be rich in
1. That the Providence of God may so order it sometimes, as to reduce good Men to great exigencies, to wander up and down in Sheeps-Skins, and Goats-Skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented: But then these are particular exempt Cases, such as are not suitable to the most usual and general course of things. But besides, such as are good Men may sometimes be defective in several of those Duties which Religion doth oblige them to, as Diligence, Caution, &c. And the poverty of such may justly be ascribed to their defect in Religion.
2. As for that Scripture, That God hath chosen the poor in this world; it is not to
be understood in the more absolute sense
for such as want Necessaries; because it’s
plain from other Texts, That though some
of the Primitive Believers were by reason
of the Persecution of those times, reduced
to great exigencies, yet the generality of
the rest were very liberal in their Contributions towards them. But it must be understood in the Relative Sense, concerning
such as might be styled comparatively poor;
that is, such as were of a lower rank, and
It may further be objected by those of the lowest rank of poor: We are as it were condemned to perpetual Poverty; our condition is so mean, and our charge so great, and the gain so small and inconsiderable, which comes in by our utmost Labor and Industry, that it will scarce suffice to provide things absolutely necessary for the support of our selves and dependents; so far are we from any possibility of mending our Estates, or growing rich.
To These I answer, That we do not say,
That all that are truly religious shall certainly grow rich, let their Circumstances be
what they will; but only that obedience to
God’s Commands is the most likely way
of improving and advancing a man’s Estate,
that hath means and opportunities of gaining; which though God hath denied thee,
yet hast thou no reason to be discontented
with thy Condition, or to complain that Bishop Wilkins.
Of Pleasure.
Fourthly;
I Proceed to Pleasure, which is either bodily or spiritual, sensual, or intellectual. But first I shall endeavour to explain what is meant by
Pleasure is that agreeable and delightful Sense that is excited in the Soul, either by an impression or motion made upon the outward Organs or Sensation, by any suitable Object, and conveyed by the Nerves to the Brain; or else by internal consideration and reflection upon any Object or Action by the understanding. Those are called pleasant Tastes or Smells which are apt to cause such a gentle motion of the Nerves belonging to the Organs of those Senses, the Tongue and Nose; as is naturally destined to excite a grateful and delicious sense in the Soul: Those delectable Sights, which in like manner affect our Eyes, as curious Pictures and Statues, artificial Engines, elegant and regular Motions: Those agreeable Sounds which have a charming influence on our Ears, as Musick and Harmony. The Touch or Feeling is gratified and delighted by various Motions of those Nerves which do not minister to the other Senses.
To the Senses of Touch and Taste, appertain those Pleasures, which by the wise Providence of God are annexed to the satisfaction of our natural Appetites.
These Appetites implanted in us, and all Animals, are to those Things or Actions, which serve either to the support and preservation of the Individuum, or each particular Animal; or to the propagation of the Kind. Those which serve to the support and preservation of the Individuum, are the Appetites of Meat and Drink, or the Actions of Eating and Drinking: To which the Divine Providence hath not only premised a painful Sense of Hunger to be a Monitor to us when we have need of Meat and Drink, and compel us to the use of them; but hath also annexed Pleasure to the very Actions of Eating and Drinking, which otherwise would have been no very grateful Exercise.
This Pleasure of eating and drinking abides no longer than till the
Necessities of
Nature are satisfied, and so far Religion
doth allow of it. When our Hunger and
Thirst are well appeased, all that follows is
but a faint kind of Pleasure, if it be not rather to be styled Satiety, or Glutting: Yet
doth not the use of Meats and Drinks consist in an indivisible point; there is a
more moderate and restrained use of them:
When we keep within the bounds of our
Appetites; ἀκορεσίη τροφῆς as Hippocrates
As for those Appetites and Actions which tend to the propagation and continuance of the Species and the Pleasures that attend them, God hath not denied us a moderate and regular satisfaction and use of them; nay, in some cases commanded it.
Now the most sincere Pleasure proceeds
from such a moderate, regular, seasonable,
well circumstantiate use; such an enjoyment as may be reflected upon without horror, fear of Punishment, or
consciousness
of guilt, which attends the excessive, irregular, unseasonable use, or rather, the
abuse
of them, and renders the thought and memory of them very bitter and grievous:
But of this particular I have written in a
former Dissolution of the World. pag. 390.
But here it may be objected, That our Saviour in the Gospel hath abridged us of some Pleasures of this kind, which are not in themselves sinful or unlawful, as having been permitted by God to the Jews, and practised by the Ancient Patriarchs, and other men eminent for Piety, without reproof, I mean, the use of many Wives.
To which I answer, That granting Polygamy not to be in it self unlawful, or to have any natural turpitude in it; yet is our Saviour’s Prohibition grounded upon good Reason, viz. because God at the first created Mankind Male and Female; that is, one Female only, as well as one Male; and in effect he doth so still; there being as many, nay more Males than Females born into the World: And therefore it is unreasonable that some men should have many Wives, because they cannot have them unless others lack.
That there are more Males than Females born, appears, by the Catalogues in all places, where accounts have been taken of the number of each Sex: And I doubt not but the case is the same in all places where such accounts have not been taken.
It may here be asked why these Appetites are so vehement and importunate?
I answer, To secure the great end of continuing the Species, and carrying on the World: For had they been weak and languid, it might have come to pass, that through inadvertency, or to avoid the labor and trouble of bringing up Children, and maintaining of Families, the greatest part of men might have abstained from such Actions, and so the Race of Mankind by degrees have been extinct, and the World dispeopled.
That these Appetites are so extravagant
and irregular, and not without great difficulty to be moderated and ruled, or kept
within bounds, is an effect of the Apostasy
of Man: That God permits them so to
continue, one cause may be, that they may
be matter wherein to exercise Virtue: For
were these vicious Inclinations, and inordinate Appetites taken way, were men left
in absolute indifferency to Good and Evil,
there could be no such thing as Virtue and
Vice, nothing praise, or blame-worthy, no
place for Rewards or Punishments. For the exercise of Virtue consists in resisting, and
striving against vicious Appetites, subduing Passions, and mortifying of Lusts; and
those that labour herein, are virtuous Persons. Those that are slothful, that lay the
You will say, Are not these Exercises painful and repugnant to our natural Appetites and Inclinations, and consequently contrary to Pleasure? Is. not the subduing of Lusts compared to the cutting off of Members, which cannot be done without pain?
I answer, It must be granted, that there
is difficulty at first in the New Birth, in
passing from one state to another, all Excellent things being hard to obtain,
Difficilia quæ pulchra. Indeed we are
so made
as not much to value that which cost us no
pains; and on the contrary, as Dr. Cockburn well observes, the Mind of Man is
never so well pleased, as when it useth its
Reason, and always takes most delight in
the things which it self hath wrought. And
therefore, as he proceeds, it was, and is
wisely provided, to set the Necessaries, the
Comforts, and Conveniences of Life at some distance from Laziness and Sloth, and
to hedge them about with some difficulties,
that while we search and labour for them,
we may at the same time, and by the same
means improve our Intellectual Faculties,
And, not only bodily Necessaries, but
the knowledge of the Mysteries of Nature
and the Works of God, and curious Mathematical Speculation, is to be obtained
with Study and Industry. For by this use
and exercise of our Intellectual Faculties,
our Mind and Understanding is highly advanced and improved to such a degree, as
suddenly to penetrate and comprehend the
most abstruse and subtile Inventions and
Notions of Naturalists and Mathematicians.
And as Weapons and Utensils by lying by
unoccupied do contract a Scurf or Rust,
but do usu & tractatione spendescere; become bright by handling and use; so do
our Understandings also. And though this study and contention of mind be laborious
and painful, yet the enlarging the Understanding, and acquisition of Knowledge,
and hitting upon useful Discoveries and Inventions, do abundantly compensate for
No wonder then that Virtue which is
the most excellent of all acquisitions should
be difficult to attain. Indeed the difficulty and labor of attaining and exercising of it, makes it to be commendable or rewardable. And therefore though it be in
it self an excellent thing, and may be said
to be its own reward, yet because it is difficult and uneasy to Flesh and Blood, in
this our lapsed and degenerate Estate, God
is pleased for our encouragement, to propose to us an ample reward, no less than
eternal Life and Happiness. He hath promised to give grace and glory, and to withhold no good thing from them who lead a
holy life. And if this be not sufficient to
Τῆς δ᾽ ἀρετῆς ἱδρῶτα θεοὶ προπάροιθεν ἔθηκαν
Ἀθάνατοι· μακρὸς δὲ καὶ ὄρθιος οἶμος ἐπ᾽ ἀυτήν,
Καὶ τρηχὺς τὸ πρῶτον.
The Gods have set Sweat before Virtue, the way to which is long, steep and rough at the first: But afterward that becomes easy and delightful, which was at first difficult; and a great deal of pleasure and joy attends the very contention with, and
conquests of our Lusts and Passions; and that godly sorrow that is required as one of the first
acts in the change of our condition, is always accompanied with secret pleasure: And as it is said of wicked Men,
That in the midst of laughter their heart is sorrowful; so may it be said of good Men,
That in the midst of their sorrow their heart is joyful. On the other hand, there are far greater difficulties and pains to be undergone in the Service and Drudgery of impetuous Lusts. Bishop Wilkins.
Besides, in all Pleasures we are to consider, whether the subsequent pain and sorrow do not outweigh the present enjoyment;
which if it do, the voluptuary Philosophers themselves advise to abstain from
them. Now the Pleasures of sin, (as the
Scripture calls them) as Intemperance and
Impurity do often bring upon the committers of them Pain and Sickness, and
sometimes noisome Diseases in this Life; but, to
be sure, eternal Misery and Distress in the
World to come: Between which, and a
short and transient Pleasure, there is no
proportion. I might add hereto the Judgment of Seneca, concerning the filthiness
and unmanliness, of these Vices of Intemperance and Lust: Nulli (saith he) turpitùs occupati
sunt: No Men are more sordidly employed. Etiamsi vanâ gloriæ imagine teneantur,
speciosè tamen errant: Licet avaros mihi, &c. If Men be taken
with a vain image of glory, they err, but
yet speciously. Should you enumerate to me
covetous Persons, or angry Men, or such as
Of the Pleasures of the Senses of Seeing, Hearing, and Swelling I shall say nothing, but that if duly circumstantiated, and placed upon proper Objects, they have no turpitude in them, but may lawfully be enjoyed. Of Seeing and Hearing I have said something in a former Discourse.
As for those things which we call by the
name of Sports and Diversions, Religion
doth likewise admit of a moderate use of
these: And what is beyond such a use doth
rather tire Men, than recreate them: Bishop Wilkins.
Of Intellectual Pleasures we shall speak when we come to treat of the Happiness of the inward Man.
Here it may be objected, That the Life
of a Christian is a melancholy and mournful
This is a great prejudice against a holy Life, and deters many Men from venturing up it. They are loath to part with all Mirth and Jollity and Pleasure, which they esteem the chief Happiness of their Lives, and to live more retrained and regular Lives; at least they desire to enjoy them a little longer, till they are tired and glutted with them, deferring their Repentance to Sickness or old Age.
To this I answer, That innocent mirth
and joy, or even feasting it self, are not absolutely forbidden. The same Author tells
us, That there is a time to weep, and a
time to laugh: A time to mourn, and a time
to dance: And that every thing is beautiful in its Season; nay, Christians are commanded to rejoice evermore. But in this
Of Honour and Reputation.
Fifthly,
A Fifth thing conducive to the happiness of the outward
Man is Honour and Reputation a Blessing highly to be valued, and
much to be preferred before Riches or Pleasures, or even Life it self. A. Bp. Tillotson. Bishop Lloyd.
You’ll say, What is Honour?
It is very Well defined by the Dr. Wilkins.
Now this so valuable a good is the peculiar reward of Virtue and Piety,
Against what is generally said, That there
is nothing truly honourable but Virtue, it
may be objected, that Learning and Knowledge is honourable, and yet it is not always
accompanied with Virtue, there being some
learned Men vicious, as St. Augustine also supposes in that Saying,
Quid prodest esse peritum & periturum? I answer, That the
acquisition of Learning and Knowledge is by something virtuous and commendable,
viz. Labour
That it doth so, appears further from the contrary, that is, Ignorance and Folly, which is among all Men very dishonourable and reproachful; insomuch, that Men abhor nothing more than the imputation of Folly; esteeming it a greater disgrace to be accounted Fools, than to be accounted vicious; though indeed wicked Men be the greatest Fools, and on the contrary, godly Men the only wise Men.
Here I cannot but wonder, that there should be such an
unsatiable thirst after Honour, implanted in the nature of Man:
Why Men should be so jealous of losing the reputation of any new Invention; so troubled
I cannot conceive any other reason than
what I intimated before, that it might be a
powerful spur to incite them to the practice and exercise of religious and virtuous
Actions; If it be objected that Men
are as jealous of their Reputation in point
of Knowledge, as they are in point of Virtue; I answer, It is an error, and a fault,
and they ought not to be so; though for
the reasons before alledged, I deny not
Knowledge to be an excellent quality, which
enlarges and advances the Understanding,
and renders a Man capable of greater Employments, and doing more good than
And further, that it is not Virtue alone to which Honour is due; as appears in that we are commanded to honour Parents, Magistrates, Ministers in general, as such, without any restriction or exception of those that are vicious. It is enough that they have an Authority derived from God, and a kind of divine Impress and Character upon them, to make them venerable.
Of Friends.
Sixthly,
Friends are no small comfort
and addition to our Happiness or Well-being in this World: Scarce
any outward Blessing is so desirable, useful,
and beneficial as Friendship. Cicero saith,
Non aquâ non igni pluribus in locis utimur
quàm amicitiâ: We have not more frequent use of Fire and Water, than we have
of Friendship. Nothing so agreeable to
Nature as it, (saith the same Author) nothing
But besides the pleasure and delight which Friendship affords us, we reap many and great Benefits from it. As,
1. Faithful Counsel and Advice, which
is of great moment in any doubtful Matter; it being true, Plus vident oculi quàm oculus: Many Eyes see more than one: Or
any Matter of weighty concernment, wherein it is not safe to trust to our own Judgments,
2. Seasonable Reproof: This (saith the
Author of the Whole Duty of Man) is of
all others the most peculiar Duty of a Friend.
I might add, the greatest benefit he can bestow upon his Friend, it being indeed that
3. Condolence and Consolation in any Adversity, Affliction, or Suffering; as Sickness, the Death of any near Relation or
Friend, loss of Worldly Goods by Fire, Shipwrack, Inundation, Invasion of Enemies, or the like. He that condoles with
his Friend in such Accidents, doth as it
were bear part of his Burthen, and by consolatory
4. Relief and Supply of Want in case of Poverty and Necessity; a true Friend as well as a Brother is born for adversity, and will rather rejoice in contributing liberally to the support of his Friend, than desert him, or deny his assistance. In this case Friends may be a snare to us, tempting us to put our confidence in Man rather than God, and to think our Security greater in the multitude of Friends, than the providence and protection of God.
5. Prayers to God for us, recommending us to him for all Blessings, both Spiritual and Temporal.
Now all true Friendship is grounded upon Virtue:
Virtus amicitiam & gignit & continet, nec sine virtute Amicitiâ ullo pacto
esse potest, Cic. de Amicitia. Virtue doth
both beget and maintain Friendship; nor
can there possibly be any Friendship without Virtue. True Friends are such as
sincerely desire and endeavour each others real
Of the Happiness of the Inward Man.
I Proceed now to treat of the Happiness of the Inner Man, the Soul or Spirit, and that consists in the love of God, and of our Neighbour; whatever makes the Soul happy, must be suitable and agreeable to the Nature of it. Now the Soul is a spiritual substance, and therefore its Objective Happiness must be so too. The Soul is immortal, and therefore the Object which makes it happy must be of eternal duration. The desires of the Soul are very vast and extensive; nay, infinite; and therefore not to be satisfied but by an Infinite Good.
From the Love of God flows an universal Obedience to all his holy Commandments,
Now Holiness of Life, and Obedience
to the Commandments of God, hath the
promises of all good things both for the
Soul and Body; for this Life, and a better,
Moreover those that love God, cannot
but be happy, because they that love him, shall be beloved of him, both of the Father, and of the Son,
As for the Love of our Neighbour, that
is commanded us by God,
Children, Subjects and Inferiors would yield to their Parents, Magistrates and Superiors, all that. Honour, Reverence and Obedience, which themselves would expect and desire from their Inferiors, were they in the same Relations and Circumstances.
No Man would willingly have his own Body killed, or wounded,
or any way tormented and put to pain; because no Man ever yet hated his own
flesh, but nourisheth
Every Man is jealous of the Loyalty of his Wife, and impatient of having his Enclosure invaded, and made common, because he sets a high value on her Love and Fidelity, and looks upon it as a great dishonour, as well as an injury done him, to be robbed of it. Think we then he would offer such an abuse and wrong to his Neighbour, did he love him as himself, and were as tender of his Reputation as his own.
Did Men love their Neighbours as themselves, there would be no need of Locks and Bars to secure their Goods from rapine and surreptions by Thieves and Robbers, because there would be no such; so that every Man might lie down securely, and there would be none to make him afraid: Love is so far from invading another’s right, that it is liberal and communicative, and willing rather to part, with its own.
The like, if it were needful, might easily be shewn in, the rest of the Commandments relating to our Neighbour.
It remains now that we speak of the Effects and Consequents of a Holy Life upon the Soul or Inward Man.
They are,
I. The regulating and exalting of our Faculties, and inabling them for their proper Functions.
II. The Peace, Tranquillity and Joy attendant to, and consequent thereupon.
I. As for the regulating and exalting of our Faculties, they are, 1. The Understanding. 2. The Will. 3. The Affections.
1. The Understanding: As Sin and Vice
do stupifie and blind it, and disable it to judge aright; so the Commandments of
God when obeyed do enlighten it, and enable it to discern and approve things that
are excellent,
2. The Will: The Perfection whereof consists in a perfect resignation to the Will of God; and true liberty, that is, freedom from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption, from the slavery of Satan, from the dominion of every vile Affection.
Wicked Men are real Slaves and Vassals to their Lusts: This the very Heathen acknowledged; as Cicero and Horace, Juvenal, Persius, and others.
From this Bondage the Son of God delivers us,
3 . The Affections or Passions: The Law of God
requires and commands us to moderate and rule them, to place them upon their
proper Objects, and to keep them within their due bounds; and good reason there
is we should hold a strict hand over
them: Animum rege, qui nisi paret imperat.
If they be given way to, and the Bridle let
loose, they become the great disturbers of
Mens peace, quiet, and tranquillity; Anger,
Hatred, Envy, &c. What storms and tumults do they raise in the Breast? What
On the contrary; where the Passions are duly governed and moderated, kept within their proper bounds and chanels, the Soul is calm and serene, and fit for any Employment or Exercise civil or religious.
II. The Happiness of the Inward Man consists in that peace, joy and tranquillity that is attendant upon, or consequent to our obedience to God’s Commands.
1. Pleasure and Delight attends the performance of our Duties. Virtuous and pious
Actions are agreeable to the Nature
and Inclinations of good Men: It is as
grateful and pleasing to a good Man to do
good, as to an hungry Man to eat, or a
thirsty Man to drink. It is as great a satisfaction to his rational Inclinations, as
those
other are to the sensual Appetites. Nothing can be more delightful and welcome to a generous Mind, than an opportunity of
Dulce & decorum est pro Patriâ mori.
It is a sweet and comely thing even to die
for ones Country: Which yet I suppose is
too high a flight or pitch of Charity for a
Heathen to attain to; and that there must
be something of glory to carry them so far.
To overcome evil with good, and return
Kindnesses instead of Injuries, thereby melting the Hearts of our Enemies, and making them our Friends, is certainly a more
pleasant thing, and much more for our peace
and ease, than revenging our selves of them. To return good for evil is a
Godlike quality; our Saviour commanding us to love our enemies, and do good
to them that hate us, &c. to engage us thereto, proposes
God’s Example; who causes his sun to shine on the evil, and on the good; and
sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust. Who
2. Peace and Joy, and confidence towards God is a necessary
consequent of Obedience to his Commandments,
—Hic murus aheneus esto,
Nil conscire sibi, nullâ pallesere culpâ.
I shall conclude this Particular with the
Words of Dr. Wilkins, Bishop of Chester,
the most rational, solid, sublime, compleat,
durable Delights of all others do flow from
the Conscience of well-doing. ’Tis a chief
part this, of that Heaven we enjoy upon
Earth; and it is a principal part of that
Happiness which we hope to enjoy in
Heaven; next to the Beatifical Vision and
Fruition of God, is the Happiness of a
good Conscience, and next to that, the
Society of Saints and Angels, Solomon saith
of Wisdom, that is the fear of God, Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her
paths are peace,
On the other side, no Man can be happy that keeps not a good Conscience: But
without Holiness of Life, and Obedience
to God’s Commandments, a good Conscience
—Rubet Auditor cui frigida mens est
Crimmibus, tacitâ sudant præcordia culpâ.—He whose Spirits feel
Cold guilt, his Crimes laid open,Blushing hears
His conscious Intrails sweat.
Nay, sometimes they are in such distress,
as to be a burthen to themselves, as holy
Job
Neither yet do the Troubles of Mind arismg from in evil Conscience, determine in Death, but continue for ever. This is that Worm which dieth not; a sad reflection upon our own desperate madness and folly in leading such wicked Lives, as have brought this Misery upon us; and a perpetual indignation against, and condemnation of our selves.
I have often wondred that the very Heathens, who had no clear Revelation of a
future Estate after this Life ended, nor any
more than an ancient Tradition of Rewards
and Punishments then to be received or
suffered, accordingly as Men had lived virtuous or wicked Lives should be so terrified
with a sense of guilt; and that the consciousness of secret Crimes should be so grievous and insupportable to them, arming their
—Quos diri conscia facti
Mens habet attonitos, & surdo verbere cædit,
Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum.
I cannot but think that this great terrour and anxiety of Mind attending the consciousness of any heinous Sin, is more than the effect of an expedition of punishment, grounded only upon an ancient Tradition; but that the sense of a connexion between Sin and Punishment is deeply imprinted upon the Soul of Man, by the Finger of God; and is one great Argument of the existence of a Deity.
Against what we have said concerning
the Happiness that attends the godly in this present State, it may be objected: Is it not
said in Scripture,
To all this I answer, that we speak according to the natural and usual course of things. But there are some exceptions from general Rules, peculiar and exempt Cases; some righteous persons, whom for weighty and wise Reasons God is pleased to permit to be exercised with great and sore Afflictions and Distresses; either perhaps to manifest his own Power in supporting them; or to set them forth as illustrious Examples of Fortitude, Faith and Patience. Did not righteous Men sometimes conflict with adversity and Misery, there would be no use of such a Grace as Patience; nay, it could not be known that there were any such; or, to enhance their future reward. The Martyrs who seal the Truth with their Blood, shall in the judgment of Divines, be advanced to a higher degree of Glory than ordinary Christians, and be crowned with Aureolæ suitable to their deserts.
But those two latter places of the Apostle are to be understood of the Primitive
Those Afflictions which God is pleased
to lay upon his Children and Servants as fatherly Corrections for their Miscarriages,
serving as Physick to purge out the Reliques of Corruption, and to embitter Sin
to them, and quicken them to the performance of their Duty; are no prejudice to
our Assertion, because we bring them upon
our selves by own default; and ’tis not holiness of Life, but the want of it, and
neglect of our Duties, which is always the procuring, and often the productive
cause of
them. For God doth not willingly afflict nor
grieve the Children of men,
Of the Happiness of the Future Estate, or of Eternal Life.
IT remains that we say something concerning the Happiness of the Future Estate after this Life is ended.
The Happiness of this Estate is called
Eternal Life, and consists in the Knowledge
and Love of God, and his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, and the joy and delectation that necessarily results therefrom,
Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter;
And truly I am apt to think there may
be something of truth in it. Those Men
that exercise their Wits in curious Mathematical Speculations, could they be
allured that their Inventions and Discoveries should never come to the knowledge of any Creature but themselves, I
doubt whether the pleasure of the Intention, would in their own esteem compensate
But in the World to come the Vision of God cannot be separated from his Love. Such a knowledge of God will transform the blessed Souls to whom it shall be communicated into his holy Image; We shall be like him (saith the Apostle) for we shall see him as he is. None shall be admitted to this sight, but those that are pure in heart; Without holiness no man shall see God. And to these the clear understanding of all the Works of God, both of Creation and Providence, will stir up the most exalted Affections of Admiration, Love, and Joy.
But I shall not proceed further in my own
Words to describe the Happiness of a future Estate, or eternal Life, because I find
it so fully and clearly done by the Right
Reverend Dr. Patrick, now Lord Bishop
of Ely, in his Treatise of The Witnesses to Christianity, Part 2d. that I have
nothing material to add to it. Therefore I shall
And if (saith he) the Nature of this Life
be further examined, you will find the
Mind [of which he had spoken before] is
not the only Faculty that shall be gratified,
but the Will shall conceive a Love as great
as the Knowledge of which I have discoursed. For as God is the highest Object
of the Understanding, being the prime
Truth, so he is the chiefest Object of the
Will, being the first and best Good. And
therefore as the Understanding then shall most clearly know him, so the Will in
like manner shall most ardently love him, and find perfect satisfaction in that
Love. There is a necessary connexion between these things, and it cannot be
otherwise, but that from the best Good clearly known there will flow the
greatest Love, drawing along with it the greatest delight, and the most perfect repose. And therefore to see God contains in its Notion both Love and
Delectation, with Rest, and Satisfaction, Love naturally flows from thence, as
from its Fountain; and the other naturally flow from Love, which is the highest
Act of
that Faculty which we call the Will, as
The Will therefore having such a glorious Object always before it, will be wholly employed in Love, and spend it self without any decay in flames of affection towards this universal Good, which shines so fairly and brightly in its Eyes. It will apply it self to the enjoyment of it, with as great a vehemency as it can; and laying its Mouth (as St. Augustin teaches me to speak ) to the Spring of all Happiness, do more than taste the sweetness of it: We; may expect to have it fill’d with those delicious Pleasures which we know attend on Love, and which in that State will be proportionable to the greatness of the good that is embraced, and to the strength and Ardency of the embracement.
And whereas, here in this World, Men
are apt to love beyond all reason, whereby
And whereas in this World, Mens Affections flow to things that are not near
so
big as themselves (i.e. as their own Desires) and so they languish, and faint, and
fall sick; even in the enjoyment of the best
good it affords, because they find it is not
a supply proportionable to their want, or
to their expectation: There will be no such
emptiness, or want of satisfaction in those
Coelestial Enjoyments; because we shall
embrace not only our proper good, but
that which is commensurate to our desires,
and beyond our hopes: Our Affections will
not fall then upon that which cannot sustain the whole weight of them; but feeling themselves born up to the greatest
height of Love, by a good so full, that it
will leave no room for complaint or uneasiness,
Do but conceive them in your Minds, what a pleasure it is, here in this Life, to love, and to be beloved; and you will have some notion whereby to take a measure of the Life we are speaking of, which will consist in such mutual Love, and delightful correspondencies. And they who have neither Father nor Mother, Wife nor Children, near Kindred, nor Relations, whereon to place their Affection, let them consider, if they have but a singular Friend, what the pleasure is that two persons, who sincerely and purely love, take in the sweet Company and Conversation of each other. Or if I must suppose any Man to be so unkind and so unhappy, as to have no love for any body but his own self, let him think what contentment he hath, and how he is pleased if he can arrive any thing near to a quiet enjoyment of his dear self. And such a delightful state may be a small Image of Heaven, where holy Souls will love God with a far greater flame than ever they did (or shall then) love themselves; because he will appear infinitely more lovely, and to bear also a far greater love to them, than it is possible for them to do to themselves.
Now none can tell how transporting it will be to a good Soul, when it feels it self the beloved of God, as well as full of love to him; because we cannot think how great the Love of the Almighty is, unless we could know how great he is himself. This is a thing that cannot fail to have a strange power over our affections, and to matter them; so that we shall be quite taken out of our selves, for we all extremely love to be beloved.
If any Neighbour (hews us an unexpected
and undeserved Kindness, we are apt to think he is the best person in the World:
and the poorest wretch in the World,
if we see in him the undoubted signs of an
hearty love to us, we cannot chuse but requite it with some Expressions of kindness
back again; nay if a Dog, or such a dumb
Creature do but fawn upon us, or delight
in our Company, and with a great deal of
observance follow us wheresoever we go,
we cannot but be so far pleased with his
inclination towards us, as to make much
of it, and to be troubled to see any harm
befall it, and to love to see it play, and
be well pleased. Judge then what a pleasure it will be to pious Souls to find themselves beloved of him, who hath put
these
He proceeds to speak of the love of Saints and Angels: The pleasure, joy, and delegation that naturally and necessarily flows from this knowledge and love of God, the Happiness which the Body shall be exalted to, and the eternal duration of all these.
This Eternal Life our Blessed Saviour
hath brought to light through the Gospel,
and hath promised to all those who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory,
and honour, and immortality,
Some perchance may say, The great disproportion that is between the Services
and Rewards makes this Promise of Eternal Life difficult to be believ’d: For who
To this I answer; That though indeed it cannot consist with God’s Justice to punish any Creature without, or beyond its demerit; yet nothing hinders but that he may be as bountiful as he pleases, and in his Rewards exceed all the deserts, and even expectations of his Creatures, an hundred or a thousand fold.
Let us then admire the transcendent and unmerited goodness and love of God, in doing such great things for us, as fending his Son into the World to take our nature upon him, to suffer Death for our Sins, and to give us the great Promise of Eternal Life; and let us endeavour in some measure to answer this Love by suitable Affections of the most ardent Love and Gratitude.
Let us also love the Lord Jesus Christ
in sincerity, which we have all the reason
in the World to do, considering the greatness of his Love to us manifested by the
great things he hath done and suffered for
us,
To this purpose Seneca, Epist. 81.
In hoc
fidei populi credamus, Nihil esse grato animo honestius. Omnes hoc urbes, omnes etiam ex Barbaris regionibus gentes
conclamabunt: In hoc bonis malisque conveniet. Erunt qui voluptates laudent, erunt qui labores
malint, erunt qui dolorem maximum malum dicant, erunt qui ne malum quidem appellent;
“In this let us believe what People generally agree in, That there is nothing more honest and commendable than a grateful Mind. All Cities, all Nations, even of Barbarous Countries; all Men, both good and bad, consent in this. There are some who commend Pleasures; others prefer Labours: Some there be, who say that pain is the greatest Evil; others, who will not grant it to be any Evil at all: One will admit Riches to be the chiefest good; another affirms them to be the Mischief of human Life; and that none can be richer than he upon whom Fortune cannot find any thing which she may bestow. In such a diversity of Judgments about other things, that thanks are to be returned to those who have deserv’d well of us, all with one Mouth affirm: In this these Dissenting Parties are all agreed.”
We are by Nature inclined to requite
kindnesses; non docti sed facti, non instituti sed imbuti sumus: And if we cannot do
that, to retain, at least, a grateful sense
and memory of them, and upon all occasions to acknowledge our obligations to
such
Benefactors, as we are not able to recompense, to honour and love them, and to
do all we can to please and gratifie them.
Ingratum si dixeris, omnia dixeris: You
cannot say worse of a Man, than that he is
ungrateful; Ingratitude being an unnatural
Sin. Seeing then we cannot requite this
transcendent kindness of our Saviour to
us, nor make him any amends for that great
Salvation he hath wrought for us, and those
inestimable Benefits he hath bestowed on
us, let us not be wanting to dc/ what in us
lies, to express our gratitude, by acknowledging, and celebrating his goodness to us,
and the great things he hath done for us,
singing with the holy Psalmist,
Let not the difficulty of obeying God’s
Commandments, and leading a holy life,
deter or discourage us from endeavouring
it: We know that neither Learning nor
Riches, nor any thing that is excellent is
to be obtained without pains-taking. Now
nothing so excellent, so desirable, so worthy our utmost endeavors as Eternal Life;
this will abundantly recompense all our labour and travel; nay, though we were put
to suffer Persecution, Imprisonment, or
even Death it self, for Conscience sake,
and bearing witness to the Truth, we should
have no need to repent it: Our Reward shall be answerable to, nay far exceed our
To sum up all in brief: Since then, 1. A
Holy Life and Conversation here secures to
us an interest in a Future State of Eternal Bliss and Happiness, Glory and Immortality in the World to come, and thereby delivers us from the fear of Death, that
King
of Terrors, as it is denominated,
2. Since also it conduceth much to the
well being and happiness of the outward
Moreover (3.) Since this Holiness and Obedience is even in the judgment, and by the confession of vicious Persons themselves better and more eligible than the life they lead.
And Lastly, Since it is more facile, easy and pleasant than the Slavery and Drudgery of Sin and Satan.
Since, I say, all this is true and certain,
surely it is the greatest folly and madness
imaginable, for a little false and transient Pleasure, and to gratify some deceitful Lust,
as the Apostle justly calls them,
Mark what a Seneca, Epist. 27.
As for Riches or Honours, or any other worldly good, they are also unsatisfactory. We find our Expectations in the pursuit of them, frustrated in the acquisition and enjoyment; being presently full and weary of that, which we did most eagerly and impotently desire and long after.
And yet were there never so much worth
and goodness in them, they are, 1. Uncertain, as the Apostle calls them,
Exodus
Leviticus
Deuteronomy
1 Samuel
1 Kings
Job
5:19-20 7:20 10:18 18:14 28:28
Psalms
16:11 34:9 34:10 34:12 34:19 84:11 91:3 91:5 103:1 111:10 112:6 119:67 119:98 119:99 119:100 119:128 145:17
Proverbs
1:33 2:22 3:7-8 3:16 3:16 3:17 3:23 3:35 4:8-9 6:9-11 8:18 8:21 10:4 10:7 11:19 11:24 12:21 13:11 13:22 16:7 16:32 20:9 20:13 22:1 22:16 23:20-21 23:29 24:33 27:9 28:8 30:8
Ecclesiastes
3:13 5:11 5:18 7:1 7:2 7:3 7:4 7:10
Isaiah
Lamentations
Matthew
Luke
John
8:34 8:36 14:13 14:15 14:21 14:21 14:23 14:25 15:9 15:13 17:3 17:3
Romans
1:28 2:7 2:8-9 5:7-8 7:12 8:28
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
1 John
1:8 2:5 2:25 3:2 3:3 3:21 4:21 5:3
Revelation
i ii iii iv v vi vii viii 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126