Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

ment; I now come to my Second Point, that is, to treat of the Art of governing them, or to lay down the neceffary Rules and Directions, which are to be observed in order thereunto.

And we shall not need to go far for thefe Rules, for they will all naturally flow from the Principles I have already laid down. And I think, they may conveniently enough be reduced likewife to thefe Five following.

First, From what hath been faid, it appears, that the First and great Point to be done by us, if we would keep our Hearts in a good Frame, and order our Thoughts to good Purposes, is, that we rightly pitch our main Designs; that we chufe that for the great Bufinefs of our Lives, that really ought to be fo.

Now what that is, can bear no Difpute with any Man that will fairly use his Reason. For certainly, that which is our greatest Concernment in the World, ought to be our greateft Business and Design in the World.

And it is evident to every one, that believes he hath a Soul to fave, that his greateft Concernment of all, is to approve himself to that God who made him, and difpofes of all his Affairs; and who accordingly as we fincerely endeavour, or not endeavour to ferve him, will make us either very Happy, or very Mi-' ferable, both in this Life and the other. So that there can, as I faid, be no Difpute about what ought to be the greatest Business and Defign of our whole Lives, and to which all other Bufineffes muft yield.

Now if we be fo wife, as really to propofe this as our main End, and refolve to mind it,

and

and follow it as fuch; I fay, if we be fo wife as to do this; we have made a very great Step towards the obtaining a Security to ourselves, that the greatest Part of our Thoughts and Defires, and Affections, will be fuch as they should bę; fuch as will be acceptable to God, and fatisfactory to ourselves.

For, as I told you before, whatever is our main Bufinefs, be it what it will, it will, in a great measure, draw all our Thoughts to it. Our Natures are fo contrived that we must always be thinking of fomething or other. But then they are fo contrived likewife, that we think most of that, which is moft in our Eye, moft in our Efteem, moft in our Purfuit. And this is that which our Saviour tells us; Where

your Treafure is, there will your Heart be allo. Whatever it be that you place your Happiness in, upon that will your Thoughts run; upon that will your Defires, your Inclinations, your Affections, be fixed.

We have a World of Inftances of the Truth of this every Day before our Eyes. If a Man hath fet his Heart on Money, and propofeth it to himself, as the Bufinefs of his Life, to be Rich; why, I dare fay, fuch an one will own to you, that moft of his Thoughts are upon that Project; and that he finds it fo far from being difficult to keep his Mind clofe and steady to his main Intereft, as he calls it; that it is rather difficult to him to think of any other Matters.

If a Man be given up to Pleafure, and thinks nothing worthy his living for, but Wine and Women, and good Eating, and good Company;

Is it not natural to fuch an one to bend all his Thoughts that way? Or doth he put any Force or Violence upon himself, in thinking and contriving all the Day long, how to bring to pass the Gratification of his Lufts or his Appetites?

"

Why, my Brethren, if we did all of us in good Earneft make the Service of God, and the purchafing Heaven and Happiness to ourfelves, as much our Bufinefs, our End, our Design, as thefe Men make Wealth or Pleasure to be theirs, we fhould certainly be thus affected. The common Courfe of our Thoughts would naturally and eafily, without the least Conftraint, run upon thofe Objects: And we fhould take as great Delight in Thinking of our Treasure, and Contriving for the obtaining of it; as they do in Thinking and Projecting for theirs.

Ifay, Thus it would be with us. For I cannot for my Life apprehend, what Charms there can be in Worldly or Senfual Things, to attract a Man's Mind; what Fetters there can be in them, to bind his Thoughts, and tye them to themselves: But that there are the fame, or greater, in Vertue and Goodnefs; in the Love and Favour of God; in a Pure Conscience here, and Eternal Glory hereafter Always provided, that they are as much made the Ob jects of our Choice and Purfuit, as the other..

And therefore I cannot but, fufpect, where we fee Men fo very cold and backward to Spiritual Things; and fo apt to fpend all their Thoughts upon trifling, vain, or worldly Matters, that it is with a great deal of Pains

and

[ocr errors]

and Reluctancy, that they can bring themfelves to think of their Everlafting Concernments: I fay, I cannot but fufpect that these Perfons have not yet laid up their Treasure in Heaven, as our Saviour expreffeth it; they have not yet so wholly devoted themselves to the Service of God, as to make it their Main Bufinefs. When once they have done that, I dare affure them, they will find it fo far from being a Force upon them, to think of good Things, that it will be very natural to them; and they will find the greatest Pleasure in the World in fo doing.

Secondly, Whoever would keep his Heart always in a good Frame, and be able to give a good Account of his Thoughts to God, muft have an especial Care to avoid Two Things, viz. Idlenefs, and loofe Company: For both of thefe do ftrangely unhinge a Man's Mind and difarm it of that Severity, which is its best Guard and Defence againft evil Thoughts; and make it become an eafie Prey to every Temptation that will attack it.

[ocr errors]

A wife Man fhould never be at fych a pafs, as to fay, I have nothing to do, I do not know how to spend my next Hour: But fhould fo order the Courfe of his Life, that all the Portions of his Time, as much as is poffible, may be filled with fome ufeful, or at least fome innocent Employment.

It is Idleness, and having nothing to do, that is the Mother of moft of thofe vain, and unprofitable, and finful Fancies, in which fome Men fpend their Days. And whereas Temptations do now and then come in the way of

.....

other

other Men; the Idle Man is forc'd to feck out Temptations for the Shipwreck of his Vertue. And therefore no wonder, if he that seeks them, finds abundance of them.

And truly, loofe and impertinent Conversation, which was the other Thing I named, though it looks fomething with a better Grace, yet is not much better than Idlenefs. For whereever it is much ufed, it will fo emafculate a Man's Mind, and take off the Edge and Vigour of it, as to ferious Things, that he cannot eafily get it into a good Frame again. Evil Communication (faith St. Paul) doth corrupt good Manners. And therefore thofe People, a great Part of whofe Life is taken up in gadding up and down; in Play; in merry Meetings; in telling or hearing idle Stories, and the like: it is impoffible but their Thoughts and Inclinations, and the whole Frame of their Hearts will be fuitable; that is to fay, very frothy; very light and foolish; not to fay, profane, and wicked, and Atheistical too, if the Company they much converfe with, be of that strain.

Thirdly, Another Thing of great Moment, for the keeping our Hearts, is, to be as attentive as is poffible to the first Motions of our Minds; and whenever we find that they tend toward fomething that is forbidden, to stop them, as foon as we can.

We cannot, as I told you before, often prevent irregular Defires, or Paffions, or Inclinations, from arifing in our Minds, upon fundry Occafions. But this we can do: As foon as we are aware of them, we can refufe our Confent to them; (and in that Cafe, I hope, they

« AnteriorContinuar »