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and that no man may think more needful than really are, I obferve here, that as there are very few who have not in their nature very confiderable infirmities, so are there as few who have not in their fortune very confiderable inconveniences: and if they would apply themselves to the mastering of both thefe as they ought, they would ftand in lefs need of the difcipline of arbitrary aufterities There are many things too trifling to be taken notice of, which yet do prove fufficient to disturb the quiet of molt, and betray them to many paffions and indecencies: nay, the weaknesses of good men are fometimes fed by temptations of very little moment Now, to furmount thefe temptations, and to frame and accommodate the mind to bear the little fhocks and juftles which we daily meet with, without any difcompofure or dif pleasure, is a matter of great ufe to the tranquillity of life, and the maturity of virtue. To be able to bear the pride of one, and the ftupidity of another; one while to encounter rudeness, another. while neglect, without being moved by either; to fubmit to noife, diforder, and the distraction of many little affairs, when one is naturally a lover of quietnefs and order, or when the mind is intent upon things of importance; in a word, to diget the perpetual difappointments which

we meet with, both in business and pleafure, and in all the little projects, which not the elegant and ingenious only, but people of all stations and all capacities purfue; to fuffer all the humours and follies, the errors, artifices, indecencies, and faults of those we have to do with, with that temper we ought, that is, with a calmnefs which proceeds, not from an unconcernment for the good of others, but a juft dominion over our own fpirits: this is a great height; and to train our felves up to it daily with much patience, vigilance, and application of mind, is the best difcipline: tho' I do not mean hereby to exclude all voluntary impofitions; for, in order to mafter the evils which we cannot avoid, it may be of good ufe now and then to form the mind by voluntary tryals and difficulties of our own chufing. 3. Laftly, We must ever have a care not to lofe the fubftance for the fhadow; not to reft in the means, and neglect the end; being much taken up in difcipline, without producing any fruit of it For this is ta

king much pains to little purpose; travelling much without making any progrefs.

But much more muft we take care in the

next place, that the difcipline we put our felves upon, do not produce any ill fruit. To which end, we must carefully observe three things. 1. That we keep to that mo

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deration which fpiritual prudence requires; neither expofing nor entangling our felves, nor difcouraging others by exceffes and extravagancies. 2. That our felf-denial never betrays us into pride or uncharitablenefs; for if it tempts us to over-rate our felves and to despise others, this is a flat contradiction to one of the main ends of Chriftian difcipline, which is, the humiliation of the heart. 3. That we ever preferve, nay, increase the fweetness and gentle, ness of our minds; for whatever makes us four and morofe, or peevish and unfociable, makes us certainly fo much worse; and, inftead of begetting in us nearer re femblances of the Divine Nature, gives us a very strong tincture of a devilish one. Athanafius therefore, in the life of Anthony the hermite, obferves, amongst other his great virtues, that after thirty years spent in a ftrange kind of retired and folitary life, 25 'x ws oper Teape's nḍnd repor γενόμλυΘ, ἄγριον εἶχε τὸ ἦθΘ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κα εχεις ην, και πολιτικός. He did not appear to his friends with a fullen or favage, but with an obliging fociable air: and there is indeed but little reason, why the look fhould be louring and contracted, when the heart is filled with joy and charity, goodness and pleasure. A ferene open countenance, and a chearful grave deportK 3 ment,

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ment, does best fuit the tranquillity, purity, and dignity of a Chriftian mind.

§. 5. Laftly, Some kinds of life are better fuited and accommodated to the great ends of religion and virtue than others. I fhall not here enter into an examination. of the advantages or difadvantages there are in the feveral kinds of life with reference to religion. The fettling this and feveral other things relating to it, was one main defign of my last book. All therefore that I have here to do, is but to make one plain inference from all that has been advanced in this chapter. If Perfection and happiness cannot be obtained without a frequent and ferious application of our felves to the means here infifted on; then 'tis plain that we ought to caft our lives, if we can, into fuch a method, that we may be in a capacity to do this. To fpeak more particularly and clofely; fince meditation, prayer, and holy converfation are so neceffary to quicken the confcience, excite our paffions, and fortify our refolutions; it is evident that it is as neceffary fo to model and form our lives, that we may have time enough to bestow on thefe. For they, whofe minds and time are taken up by the world, have very little leifure for things of this nature, and are very little difpofed to them, and as ill qualified for them. As to converfation, as

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the world goes now, 'tis not to be expected that it fhould have in it any relish of piety, unless between fuch as have entered into a clofe and ftrict friendship. But the worldly man is a ftranger to true friendship; 'tis too facred, too delicate a thing, for a mind devoted to the world, to be capable of. A regard to intereft, to fome outward forms and decencies; the gratification of fome natural inclination, the neceffity of fome kind of diverfion and enjoyment, may invite him to more familiarity with fome, than others. But 'tis hard to believe, that there fhould be any thing in fuch combinations, of that which is the very life and foul of friendship, a fincere and undefigning paffion, increased by mutual confidences and obligations, and fupported and ftrengthened by virtue and honour. As to prayer, men of business do, I doubt, oftener read or fay prayers, than pray; for 'tis very hard to imagine, that a foul that grovels perpetually here upon earth, that is inceffantly follicitous about the things of this world, and that enters abruptly upon this duty without any preparation, fhould immediately take fire, be filled with heavenly vigour, and be tranfported with earneft and impatient defire of grace and glory. Ah! how hard is it for him, who hungers and thirfts perpetually after the profits of this world, to hunger and

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