converse most.

And hence it comes to pass, that Men do really value themselves, and place their top Character and Perfection in things, which, were they to confider them, would appear the most beaftly, fhameful, and unworthy, the most destructive of their own and other Men's Happinefs, of any they could have fingled out. This Affection therefore calls us to our Guard, as it yields us many Pleasures, many that are deceitful and dangerous, and which of consequence must be examined warily, and chofe or rejected with great Caution. Much is due to Society, much Complaifance and Compliance. A ftiff and churlish Behaviour is odious and insupportable, it neither gives nor receives Pleasure. But too cafy a Temper, a Promptness to oblige others without Referve, gives indeed and receives Pleasures, but fuch as are closely followed by Misery and Ruin. Such

a Con

a Conduct, our own and other Men's Happiness forbid. And should it so happen, and fo it will happen in the greatest Part of the Converfation of the World, that we muft fall under their Contempt, unless we conform to their Manners, the Regard we owe to them as well as ourselves, will induce us to chufe the Difgrace as the lefs Evil, and we must deny ourselves the Pleasures of Conversation, where they cannot be purchas'd but at too dear a Rate. It is indeed a fevere Cafe, when things are fo circumftantiated as to demand of us an almost total Restraint of fo delectable an Affection; an Affection fo fruitful of Pleasure, fo adapted to Publick and Private Intereft. But when the Exercife of it is fo perverted, there is no Remedy: We have more Affections than one to gratify, and are so conftituted, that an exceffive Indulgence of any one must impair and weaken

the

the rest in proportion to its Degrees and Duration, and in fome Inftances close up and destroy the very Sources of Pleasure themfelves, and cancel fome other Capacities of Enjoyment. In our Converfation with the World therefore, in difplaying our own Excellencies, and recommending ourselves mutually to each other's Favour and Efteem, and furnishing out our feveral Shares of Pleasure and Entertainment, we must well confider, what things are really excellent and creditable, what is, upon the whole, pleafant and entertaining, and what is most so, in its Degrees; otherwife we fhall fall in with every extravagant Humour, applaud and be applauded for, the most dishonourable and scandalous Atchievements, and administer Pleasures, which will too foon, and perhaps too late for any remedy, thew themselves to be the greatest of

Evils.

VOL. I.

K

There

There is a third Affection, which how necessary and good foever it be in it felf, has and ftill does cause the greateft poffible Irregularities and Diforders: We fee Men daily hazard all to provide for the undue Gratification of it. An Affection, which is cafily gratify'd, in the Order of Nature, but out of this Order, does not only defeat the Design of its Inftitution, but is attended with innumerable other Evils and Mischiefs. What I mean, is that which is emphatically stiled the Luft of the Flesh. The Regulation of this Affection is fo well known, that nothing particular need be faid of it. All who offend in this point, offend not through Error but Wilfulness.

I come in the last place to confider the Relations we ftand in to God, and the Acts of Self-Denial, which may arife out of those Rela

tions.

As

As God is a Being of infinite Wif dom and Goodness, fo we may affure our felves, that he can place his Creatures in no Relation to himfelf, but what must be wife and good. Whether we confider his abftract Nature, or the Manifeftations of himself in his Works, or his Word, Infinite Perfection difplays it felf; All is Grace and Truth and Wisdom. That there is much Evil in the World, both natural and moral, is not to be diffembled or denied. But the moral is wholly of our own making, and much of the natural does evidently proceed from it; and tho' we cannot diftinctly fee, how the other Kind of natural Evils, viz. those which we are no ways the Authors of, are intended us for Good, and are really Favours and Bleffings; yet have we the utmost Reason to conclude in general, that they are fuch. Because it is impoffible, that a Being, whofe Bounty and Beneficence is fo K2 fen