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TREATISE
O N
Chrijiian Prudence.
Extracted from Mr. NO R R IS.
By John Wesley, M. A.
Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxon.
The Second Edition.
% -
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C 3 ]
A
T RE ATISE
. j.
Of the End propofcd by Christian Prudence, >
and the General Means of obtaining it,
i. T| Y Prudence I here mean, the fame with Wif-
§L«Jj' dom, a pradical Knowledge of the belt End
P J and the bell Means to attain it, actually di-
^ reding us to the Choice of that End, and
the Ufe of thofe Means.
2- T he End of every reafonable Creature is God :
For he alone is the true Objed of our Happinefs: All
the Happinefs we defirc, or are capable of, being to
be found in him, and him only.
3. That the Happinefs of Man is not to be found
in any Thing but in God, is ufually proved by Ihew-
ing that it cannot confiil in' fenfual Pltafure, Riches,
Honour or Power. But the Ihortell Way of proving it
is, by {hewing at once that it cannot confilt in any cre¬
ated Good. For as by Happinefs we mean a State
wherein the Mind totally acqu.efces, and takes full
Reil and Satisfadion, fo that which is the Gbjed of
Happinefs mull be fuch a Good, as perfedly fatisfies
the Mind, contents all its Defrres, and gives it an abfo-
lute Tranquillity and Repofe. But that no Creature
does this is plain from Experience, from the Vanity
O N
CHAP. I.
A 2
which
2S1A
i
which we find in all Things, and that Reftlefncfs and
Define of Change which is confiequent upon it. We try
oae Tiling after another, as the fiearching Bee wanders
from Flower to Flower ; but we go offilrom every or?e
with Difappointment, and a deluded Expectation ; _at-
molt every Thing promifes, but nothing anfwers, and
even the Succeffion ofnevvEnjoyments) the belt Remedy
for the Emptinefs we find in each) amufes, but does not
fatisfy. And as no created Good aftually does this,'lb
Ms plain by Reafon none can. For as none but infinite
Truth can fatisfy the Underftanding, fo only infinite"
Good can fatisfy the Will. But this the Creature is
not. As its Being is, fo is its Goodnefs, both of a limit¬
ed Extent, and fo by no Means fit to fatisfy the Capa¬
city of that Mind, which afpires aftqr all Good. Every
Creature therefore muft confefs its utter Infufficiency to
be the ObjeCt of our Hippinefs : Nay, the whole Col¬
lection and Amafment off created Good, muft acknow'-
ledge the fame ; the very Depth and Abyfs cf it rnuft
lay, It is not in me.
4. It is in God alone: He is the Fountain of eter¬
nal Blefitdnefsj all the Springs of our Happinefs are in
h m : He is our Good, and our End, as being every
Way fufficient for our Flappincfs. For he is all Good¬
nefs j he is that infinite Good which is the entire and a -
dequate ObjeCt of cur Will ; and which being the pro¬
per ObjeCt cf all its Inclinations, muft needs be able to-
fatisfy them. They cannot afpire to any Thing be-
vend him, and therefore muft needs center and acq'ui-
cfee in him. When I awake up after thy Likenefs, I
ftrall be fatisfied with it. Then, and not before, which
all refolves into that pious Saying of St. Auftin, Thou
haft made us for thyfelf, and our Heart has no Reft till
it ref s in thee.
5. It muft therefore be the firft Office of Chriftian
Prudence, to make God our End. For indeed not to
do fo, is the greateft Felly that any Man can poffibly be
guilty of. For what can we expeCt but Vanity and Dif-
af pointment all over, a fruitlefs Labour, and a deluded
and abortive FIopc, if we place our Happinefs any
where but in him who is the true ObjeCt of it ? 'Tis like
leaning with cur full Force upon what cannot bear our
Weight.,
[ 5 ]
Weight, theConfequence of which is,to fall withViolence.
And what an Imprudence is this, efpecially for a Chri-
ilian, fince the ciear Revelation of the Gofpel, con¬
cerning the true End and final Happinefs of Man:
Wherein our Saviour hath plainly declared, 'This is Life
eternal to kno-uo thee, the only true GOD! Since God
has not only given us a Nature capable of Happinefs,
but has alfo indued us with Faculties and Defires, which
nothing but himfelf can fatisfy, and he both can and
will ; and above all, fince he has been pleas'd, left we
fhould mifs theEpd of our Being, to point it out to us,
and to tell us that himfelf is the Good which we fo
pafiionately defire, and fo blindly feek; it mull be the
very Fooliihnefs of Folly for any Chriftian not to make
God his End ; much more, fo to lorget himfelf and him,
as to place it in any Thing of this vain World : Whe¬
ther it be direftly and profefledly, according to the Lan¬
guage of the rich Epicure, Soul, take thy Eafe, or con¬
sequentially, by purfuing the World, and cleaving to its
Interefts, as if it were his End. And befides the Folly
of this Conduft, it befpeaks alfo fuch a Contempt, of
God, and of his immenfe Greatnefs and Goodnefs, as
nothing can either parallel or excufe ! Efpecially fince
the Son of God hath been pleafed to concern himfelf fo
far for our Happinefs, as to make this great and excel¬
lent End attainable to us, preparing and providing, and
procuring an Union and Communion of Gcd with Man,
by uniting them both in his own Peifon. Whether,
therefore, we confider the Excellency, or the Attain-
ablenefsof this Good, or the Manner or Price whereby
it becomes attainable, God, by all Means, is to he
made our End, the End of all our Defires, and the
the End of all our Defigns, the End of all our Under¬
takings, all our Aftions, and all our Hopes, to which
we aie to refer whatever we think, whaterer we
fpeak, and whatever we aft, and, in one Word, to
which our whole Life is to be dire died.
6. What a thorough Concern then ought every Chri¬
ftian to feel, how hearty a Care ought he to take for the
(.braining and fecuring this his Right and only End, the
Fruition ofGoD ? This our Saviour calls %'bg one Thing
needful, in Oppofttion to the many Things that are
A 3 apt
i6)
apt to trouble and diftradt us in this bufy Life, which utl-
lefs fo far as they fall in with this, are all mere Trifl'4
and Amufement. Even thofe Affairs which carry the
Face of the greateff Serioufnefs, and pretend to be or
the weightieft Confequence, if they are not fo many
Parts of this, are lighter than Vanity and nothing. For
indeed a Man has but one Bufinefs in the World, and
that is, to make fure his everlaffing Happinefs, and to
fecure to himfelf the Fruition of that excellent Good,
which is the true End of his Being. This is the whole
of Man, his only confiderable Intereft, and that upon
which all depends. 'Tis not neceffary, that he fhould
be born to an Eftate, or that he ihould acquire one.
'Tis not neceffary that he fhould fucceed in his At-
. tempts, for this or that Dignity or Preferment ; that he
- fhould livelong to enjoy his Wealth or Greatnefs, or e-
ven that he fhould live at ail. But it is absolutely ne¬
ceffary that he fhould arrive at his End, that he fhould
attain to the Fruition of God, whofe Loving-Kindnefs
is better than Life, and without whom he cannot be
happy. All the reft may be fpared, but there i? no
difpenfing with this. Should he lofe all befides, and
gain this one Thing, yet ftill he would be happy. And
ihould he gain all befides, and lofe this one Thing, yet .
ilill he would be miferable : For what Gain will ever
make amends for fuch aLofs ? Not thatofthe whole World",
if we believe our Saviour. What floall it profit a Man,
if he fin all 'gain the whole World, and lofe his own
Soul? Which is then only loft, when it lofes God.
'Tis therefore one great Part of the Prudence of every
Chriftian, after he has fixed this his right End, to en¬
deavour, by much Confiderauon, to pofftfs his Mind
with a dueSenfeof its Moment and Importance ; and
of what Confequence it is, that he fhould fucceed in this
Affair, whatever he mifcarries in befide : Which
v/hen he is once throughly convinced of he will then
diligently apply himfelf to the Ufe of fuch Means as
are neceffary thereto.
7. All the particular Atts of Prudence with regard to
thefe Means, may be fum'd up in one general cue, and
that i-> to chufe thofe very Means to this our gre t
Er.d»
[>]
End, which God has chofen for us already. Ti? fol¬
low his is indeed an implicit Choice, but at the fame
Time 'tis a very fafe and a very wife one. For he
cannot but know what Means are molt fit to procure
the End for which he made us. And he wi'l not im-
pofe upon our Weaknefs, or do what he hath forbidden
us, Make the Biir.d go out of his IVay And therefore-,
without enquiring into its intrinfick Natu:e, we may
fecurely depend upon this in general, that the Way
which he has prescribed, muft be the very beft, and
-confequently, that it is our Wifdom to walk in it.
8. Now the Me ns which God hath chofen for us
are no other than his Commandments, which were in¬
tended by God for our Direction to Happinefs. As he
made hs for Himfelf, fo- the Laws which he prefcribes
to us are but a Purfuance of the fame kind Defign, *
namely, to bring us to Himfelf.. For fince we can't
fuppofe him to propofe any Advantage of his own, by
giving us Rules of Life ; and fince we can as little fup¬
pofe that he does it for fo poor a Reafon as only r©
fhew his Authority, and much lefs that he does it for
no Reafon at all, we cannot but conclude, that the
Laws of God are given us with this Defign, to fhew
ns the Path of Life, the true Way to that great End
for which we were made, the everlalling Fruition of
God. A Confideration which, by the Way, ought
greatly to endear the Laws of God to us, and invite ui
to yield a free, ready, and chearful Obedience to them.
Efpecially if we add,
9. That as they were given for our Direction to
Happinefs, fo they a&uallv lead to it: If thou ivilt as¬
ter into Life, faith our Saviour, keep the Cimmand-
rnents. This is the Path of Life, the Way of the
Kingdom, the diredt Road that leads to Happinefs, de-
fcrib'd to us by him who is himfelf the Way, the
Truth and the Life. Men may employ their Wits,
confult their Eafe, and flatter their Plopes in the In¬
vention of other Ways ; but if we will believe our
Guide, the Way of Happinefs is the Way of ObeJI.
snce-
10. Thai
t 8 ]
io. That it is fo by the pofitive Order and Ap-
pointment of God, is plain from the whole 1 enor or
the Golpel. And equally plain it is, that he there¬
fore appoiuted thefe Means, becaufe they naturally
conduce to our Happinefs. For fome Things are, by
the very original Conllitution of their Being, condu¬
cive to our Good, as others are to our Hurt ; the for¬
mer he commands, and the latter he forbids. 1 hat
there is this Difference in Things with regard to our
prefent Happinefs, is evident from Experience. Tem¬
perance, for Inftance, is more conducive than Intem¬
perance to the Health of the Body, and confequen ly
to the Health of the Mind too, as depending upon the
other. The Power which Plants have varioufly to
affeft our Bodies, either by Way of Phyfick or Poi-
fon, is not more plain and certain than the different In¬
fluence which different Difpofitions have upon the
well or ill-being of our Souls. And God in his Laws
concerning thefe Things, does but what a Phyfician
does for thole whole Health he takes Care of; he
prefcribes the wholfom Diet or Phyfick, and forbids
thePoifon.
ii. The fame Obfervation will hold as to future
Happinefs ; which refuhing (as all Happinefs does)
from a certain Proportion and Agreement between the
Faculty and the Object, muft depend upon, and re¬
quire a certain Temper and Dilpofuion of the Mind,
as a natural Qualification for it. We find it is fo even
in the Pleafures of Senfe. Let the Ear be unmufically
difpofed, and the fweeteft Sounds put together with the
greatell Art, will give it no Entertainment. And if
the Organs of Take are indifpofed, either naturally or
by a DifeTe, the moll delicious Food is brought in
vain, which, as it finds no Take, will give no Relilh.
And if it be thus in the loweft Pleafures, can it be o-
therwife in the higheft ? If a Gueit fit idle at a nice and
plentiful Table, merely becaufe he wants a Stomach
to eat, or a Palate to relilh what he finds there, fihall
an indifpofed Soul enjoy God ? Is there no Difpofiti-
on req Afire to make it relilh the heavenly Banquet ?
Are thefe the jnly Pleafures that are to be enjoyed
at
[ 9 ]
at' any Kate, and however difpofed we come to them ?
No, without dpubt there are Difpofitions for this, as
well as for other Enjoyments, a certain Temper of
Mind, which as the Apoftle fpeaks, is to make us
meet Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.
i 2. Now this Temper that qualifies us for Happinefs
irtuft be in general, to be like Him who is the Oj'efl
of it, to have our Minds conformable to his Mind, and
our Wills conformable to bis Will; to refemble Him
as far as he is imitable by u?, to have a Godlike Frame
of Spirit, or as the Apoftle exprefles it, to be Partakers
of the Divine Nature. And that for this clear Reafon,
becaufe without being in fome Meafure like God, 'tis
not pcrfLble we fhould enjoy him, or take any De¬
light in beholding his excellent Glory. But when L
awake up after thy Liken ef, I fall be fatisfcd with it.
Lord, what a fatisfying Likenefs is Thine ? cur Like-
nefs to the World makes us Love it, but the Love of
it dees not fatisfy. O make us like unto Thee, that
vve may be fati fied with Thee.
i 2. More particularly, the Temper that qualifies us
for Happinds, confifts in thofe virtuous Difpofitions^
which the Gofpel enjoyns to all Chriftians, fuch as
Truth, Juftice and Mercy : Becaufe in thefe confifts
that Part of the Divine Nature, wherein alone we can
belike Him • His other Perfections leing peculiar ta¬
li imfelf, and fuch as no Creature can partake of. And
accordingly we are exhorted to be Holy, as the Lord our
GOD is Holy ; to be Followers of GOD, as dear Children ;
to be PerfeB, as our Father which is in Heaven is PerfeB.
There is therefore a Necefllty for u , as to be like
God, that we may enjoy him, fo to be endued
with virtuous Habits, without which we cannot be like
hirr, nor confequently enjoy him.
iq.. But there are two DTpofitions, which are more
particularly neceflary to qualify us for the Fruition of
God, Charity and Purity ; that Charity, as it figni-
fies the Love of our Neighbour, is a necefif ry Qualifi¬
cation is plain, becaufe without this we can't be like
Gcd, who is all Love' and Goodnefs, overflowing,
with Kindnefs to all his Creatares, and continually'
doing
[ 10 ]
doing Good to them all, as far as they are capable of
receiving it. If ever therefore we mean to be happy
with and in Him, we muft be of the fame good and
loving Spirit. And as to Charity, taken in its proper
primary Senfe, for the Love of God, this is fo im¬
mediate a Qualification for Happinefs, that nothing
can be more fo, fince all Enjoyment depends upon the
Love of what we are poflefs'd of, and therefore unlefs
we love God, 'tis impoffible v/e fhould enjoy him.
And for this Reafon it is, that the Love of God is fo
ltridly enjoyn'd, and in fo high a Meafure, no Ids
than that of our whole Heart and Soul, and Mind
and Strength, and that the Precept which requires it
is call'd, The Firft and Great Commandment: Firft
and Great in many Refpeds, and particularly in this,
that'tis the fundamental Qualification for Happinefs,
as immediately refpeding the C'bjed of it, which if
we do not love, we can never enjoy.
i 5. The other great Qualification for the Enjoyment
of God is Purity ; that Part of it efpecially which re¬
lates to the Pleafures of Senfe. Now the Reafon why
this is fuch a Qualification for our final Happinefs is
this: God the Objed of it is a fpiritual Being, and
the Happinefs of Heaven which confifis in the Fruition
of Him, is all over of a rational and intelledual Nature :
Being indeed no other than this, the Pleafure of the
Underftanding contemplating the Supreme Truth, and
of the Will tranfported with the Love of the Sovereign
Good. And therefore a Love of fenfual Pleafure muft
indifpofe us for the Love of a Good fo purely Spiritual.
And if ever it rifes fo high as to become the prevailing
and governing Affedion of the Soul (the Cafe and
Charader of thofe who are Lovers of Pleafure more than
Lovers of GOD J it muft utterly unqualify us for it.
For what can a feniualized Soul find in Heaven, that
will fuit with his diftemper'd Tafte ? A Mahometan
Paradife would fuit fuch AfFedions well; but in Hea¬
ven they would meet with nothing but Difappoint-
mcnt; and therefore St. Peter with a prefling F.arneft-
nefs cautions us againft them : Dearly Beloved, / I efee eh
you as Strangers and Pilgrims, a/ft a in from flefbf D fires
if at
[11 1
that whr againft the Soul. They war againft the Soul,'
not only by betraying us into Sin, either by confent-
ing to them in unlawful Circumftances, or by indulg¬
ing them in an immoderate Degree, but chiefly by
indifpofing us for the Enjoyment of a far nobler Hap¬
pinefs. And accordingly St. John, among all vir¬
tuous Difpolitions, Angles out Purity as a Preparation
for Heaven. Every Man, fays he, that bath this Hope,
purifieth bimjelf as he is pure. And our Saviour applies
this Purity to the Heart, to (hew how that ought to be
difpofed for Happinefs. Bhjfed are the Pure in Heart
for they Jhall fee GOD. O infinite Purity, what Heart
will be fit to fee Thee, if Thou doft not purge and
tleanfe it ? O purify us by thy Grace, and fo fit us for
thy Glory!
17. By all thefe Confiderations it appears, that the
Commandments of God are the Means that lead us to
Happinefs. And for this Reafon it is, that God who
is willing we Ihould be happy, having made us for that
very End, requires them of us, and obliges us to them
by all the Authority he has over us. For this Reafon
it is, for inftance, that he commands us to love Him.
What is our Love to Him ? Nothing at all. But tho'
it be nothing to Him, yet it is to ourfelves, as being a
neceflary Qualification for our Happinefs. This God
knows, and therefore requires us to love him; nay, to
love him with all our Heart and all our Strength, be-
caufe he knows a lefs Degree of Love is neither worthy
of Him, nor will qualify us to be happy in Him. And
fo in every other Inftance, God makes thofe Things
our Duty, which have a clofe Connexion with our
Happinefs; and this is that which makes his Laws fo
good and fo excellent, and his Service a truly reafonable
Service; for certainly nothing can be more reafonable,
than for a Man to purfue his own Good, nor confe-
quently than to ferve and obey God, fince this is a
certain Means to that End, and his own Good is the
natural Fruit of that Obedience; and .how Ihould this
(as was intimated before) endear the Service of God to
us ? How Ihould it make us in love with our Duty to him,
and glad to be fubje£t to his Government ?. How ihould
{ 12]
it incite us, to yield the molt free, ready, chearfnl
and zealous Obedience to his Laws? In a Word, to do
his Will on Earth as the Angels do it in Heaven, fince
-our own Advantage is both the Reafon of hi . Laws,
and the fure Confequence of keeping them. Every
prudent Chriftian therefore looks upon the Command¬
ments of God, not as fo many imperious Curbs and
Retrenchments of his Liberty, nor as fo many arbi¬
trary Impofitions, much lefs as Burthens and Grie¬
vances (as Human Laws fometimes are, for Want of
Wifdom or.Gooanefs in thofe that make them) but as
fo many kind Provifions for our Happinefs, and fo
many merciful Initrudtions to bring us to our true
End: And in this View, he yields them Obedience,
not fuch as is forced and violent, fervile and extorted
by Fear, fuch as Slaves pay to Tyrants, but fuch as is
Liberal and Ingenuous, and wherein Love is the pre¬
vailing Principle ; as becomes one who is under a Go¬
vernment fo Good and Gracious, and fo every Way
direded and admir.illered for the bed Advantage of the
Subjed as that of God is.
18. And now fince it appears that the Means that
lead to cur End, the great Highway to Happinefs,
are no other than the Commandments of God, itap-
pears with equal Clearnefs, that the One Bufinefs of
every prudent Chridian is, to pay a due Obedience to
all thefe Commandments This is our Wifdom, and
indeed the only wife Thing we can do, not to indulge
cur own Fancies, not to fulfil our own Will, or to fol¬
low the Devices and Defires of our own Hearts, but
to apply ourfelves to the Law of God, to lay hold
of thofe Paths of Lfe which he hath dcfcrib'd to us.
By doing this, we fhall give a better Proof of our
Wifdom, than by all the fine-wrought Plots and cun¬
ning Intrigues of worldly Policy, or by the mod acute
Reafon,ngs of Philofophy, or deeped Trea'ures of
Learning. Thefe Things call indeed a d;.zling Light,
and make a Figure in the World: But after all, the
Wifdom of Man is, to attain to his End, and confe-
quently to find and ufe the true Means of attaining it.
And dnce the Commandments of God are thofe true
Means,
... t J3 ]
Means, to keep and do them is our Wifdom and Under-
Jlanding, Or as "Job exprefles it, Behold, the Fear of
the LORD, that is Wifdom, and to depart from Eajil
is Under/landing.
19. It is not only Wifiom, but our Wifdom, the
Wifdom of Mna, the Wifdom that belongs to his Na¬
ture, as being made for Happinefs; that belongs to the
prefent State and Condition of his Nature, as having
Capacities to qualify himfelf fully for this, whereas his
Faculties will carry him but a very little Way in fpecu-
lative Knowledge : It is the Wifdom that belongs to his
prefent Circumfances in this World, which is wholly
in Order to the other, and is no farther confiderabie
than it is a Preparation for Eternity : And after this I
need not fay, it is the Wifdom that belongs to his In-
tereft, nothing being more evident, than that it is every
Man's greatell Interell to be everlaftingly happy. Upon
all which Confiderations it appears, that the Stu ly and
Praftice of God's Commandments, the devoting him¬
felf to his Service, and to the Obedience of all his Laws,
is the true and proper Wifdotn of Man, in which alone
he is concern'd to employ and improve himfelf, and to
which all his other Learning, Knowledge and Bufinefs,
all he thinks, fays or does, is to be refer'd.
CHAP. II.
How far Chriftian Prudence is concerned in
- the Manner of keeping G 0 D's Command¬
ments.
• I 3
1. A S to the Manner of keeping God's Command-
j[\. nrents, the main Difficulty is in the doing,
and not in determining what in Prudence ought to be
done. Prudence doubtlefs (as well as Duty) requires,
that we Ihould keep them in as gcod a Manner as we
can. For iince the Commandments of Qod are tvident-
B Jy
[ H ]
1 y the Means that qualify us for Happinefs, it fallows,
that the better they are kept by us, the more we a
by qualified by them. Now tis unquelbonably the tart
of every prudent Man, to obtain as much Happinefs as
he cart : and confpquently to do his belt to ferve ^jOD'
and keep his Commandments, in the molt perktt
Manner he is able; becaufe the better he keeps them,
the- happier he will be ; and no wife Man would be
lpfs happy when he may be more fo.
2. Setfing a fide therefore all Inducements of either
Love or Fear, all Arguments of Gratitude or Genero-
fity, all the Reafonablenefs and Jufiice. of ferving God,
and living in Obedience to his Laws, all the 1'leafures
of Religion, and the prefent Advantage of it both
to our Souls and Bodies: I fay, tha' we (bould fet
afide all thefe Copfiderations, yet there is a prudential
Confideration, fufficient to engage every wife Chriltian
to do his bell, and to be as holy as he can, <viz. That
the better he is, the happier he will be; every Addition
to his Virtue being fo much Stpck laid in for his future.
Happinefs. The Quefiion concerning Degrees of Glorj,
feems to have heen put meerly for Argument's fake,
for it can't be put ferioufly, but hy one that is as igno¬
rant of the Nature of Things as of Divine Revelation :
Were the Scripture filent, yet the very Nature of the
Thing infers it; for fince Holinefs is a natural Qualifi¬
cation for Happinefs, it necellarily follows, that thet
more Holinefs the more Happinefs; and confequently,
that the belt mull be the hap'piefl: Map ; and therefore
'tis great Prudence for every Chriilian, to labour to be
excellently Good-, as good as he can be, apcordipg to
theMeafure of Grace imparted to him. To reduce this
to an Inftance, our Saviour has a.nnex'd to Purity of
Heart a particular Bleflednefs, even that of feeing God :
Whence we may gather, that this is a particular Quali¬
fication for the beatifick Vifion, and accordingly, that
thofe who have moil of this Purity, will be moft happy,
as either feeing more of God, or as being more de¬
lighted with what they fee of Him; and therefore
every prudent Chriltian that hath this Hope, will fludy
to punfy h'mfelf as much as he can, that fo he may be
a more
[ '5 1
a more meet Partaker of that Happinefs, which is pro-
mifed to the Pure in Heart. '
3. Let not therefore any Chriftian content himfelf
with his prefent State, or his pall: Attainments in Good-
nefs; much lefs let him defignedly aim at a flender De¬
gree, fuch as he thinks may juft carry him to Heaven.
He may be millaken in his Meafure, and when laid in
the Balance be found wanting : But fuppofe he be not,
yet he Hands in his own Light, and is frugal to his own
great Lofs : For, tis but an ill Thrift to deal hardly for
Heaven, and to think to go thither the cheapeft Way ;
lince befide the Danger of Mifcarrying, fo much as
he abates of his Holinefs, fo much he abates of his own
Perfection, and cuts lhort his own Happinefs: And
where is the Gain or the Wjfdom of fuch a Thrift ?
his Folly and Lofs all over. Let us not therefore relt
fatisfied with narrow and fcanty Meafures, much hfs
exprelly defign them: For befides, that 'tis not eafy
to perfevere in fuch a weak and languilhing State of
Piety (every little Blaft of Temptation being ready to
blow out a Lamp that is fed with fo little Oil.) Sup-
pofe we Ihould perfevere in it, yet there is no getting
over this Cpnlideration, that the more we come lhort
in Goodnefs, the more we lhall fall lhort in Happinefs;
that every Abatement in the former is fo much deduct¬
ed from the latter, a Jewel taken out of their Crown.
Therefore let no one who pretends to Chrifiian Prudence,
fit down with a lew Infant-State of Goodnefs, but let
him endeavour to grow in Grace, and always to abound
in the Work of the Lord : Not contenting himfelf with
his prefent State, but always lludying to excel himfelf,
to grow better and better, and to make a conllant Pro-
grefs in Religion, correcting what is amifs, and fupply-
ing what is Wanting, and afpiring after the largell Mea¬
fures and fullelt Degrees of Holinefs, always remera-
bring, that all the while he is thus ferving God, he is
confuting his own In'tereft, and that the more Goodnefs
he brings with him to Heaven, the more Happinefs he
will find there.
4. In Confequence of this, a prudent Chriltian will
begin betimes, and fet out early in the Ways of Piety ;
B 2 not
r >6 ]
not only that he may have the Advantage of the Morn¬
ing, the proper Time far Travelling, and the Satis¬
faction of ferving God in the Prime of his Age, and
the Vigour of his Strength: Cut alfo that he may
lengthen his Day, and have the more Time to feive
God in, and to prepare himfelf for the Fruition of Him
in Glory j that he may have the more 1 ime before
him, to correft his Diforders, to fill up his Deficiencies,
to regulate his Paffions, to purify his Heart, to perfeCt
his Habits, to adorn his Soul with all Chriftian Virtues ;
in a Word, to compofe the State and Frame of his Mind
for Happinefs, and to put himfelf in a due Order for
Fleavcn. For thefe Reafons 'tis Chriftian Prudence to
to begin betimes, to run the Way of God's Command¬
ments, and not to defer that Work to the declining
Part of Life, which is the One Bufinefs of the Whole.
5. Cut if it be Prudence, as to keep the Command¬
ments of God, fo to keep them in the very befl Man¬
ner we can, what fhall we think of thole who ferve
Gcd by Halves, who halt between two Mailers, the
almofl Chriflians ? Becaufe this is fo common a Cafe it
may be proper to bellow forne Reflections upon it. I
fhail therefore confider more at large,
Firfl, what is it that hinders their rifing any higher
than to be almofl Chriflians. And
Secondly, the Imprudence of this lame Way of
ferving God, of being Chriflians by Halves.
6. Firil, The general Hindrance to our being more
tnan Almofl Chriflians, is the corrupt Perverfenefs of
Human Nature : This it was that made the fair In¬
clinations of King Agrippa proceed no farther than thty
did ; than to extort from him that ingenuous Confef-
f:on, Aim oft thou perfuaded me to be a Chriftian. Then,
it items, he was not abfolutely perfwaded, tho' he was
inclining toward it. Poor Agrippa! Fie had heard
Sr. Paul giving an Account of his Manner of Life
from his Youth, and of his miraculous Converfion to
Chriflianity, with great Plainnefs, Modefly and Simpli¬
city, and was not a little affeCted with the Difccurfe;
efptcially with the Conclufion, King Agrippa, believed
thou
[ '7 1
ihou the Prophets P / know that thou believe ft. This
nearly touch'd him, and left a very fenfble I m predion,
upon his Heart. And yet there was fomething more
prevalent within him, that would not fuffer him quite
to yield. He had a good Mind to be a Chriilian, but
Fear, Interefl arid Prejudice outweigh'd that Inclination,
and after fome uncertain Sufpenfes, the Scale turn'd on
the other Side. And this is the Cafe of too many :
They have feveral good Thoughts and Purpofes ; but
their Thoughts and Purpofes are too much like the En¬
deavours of thofe that are trying to wake cut of a deep
Sleep, into which they fink back again, overcome by
the dead Weight that hangs upon them. There is a
Weight, an Impediment in their Will, that flops the
Wheels of virtuous Adtion, fo that there can be no Mo¬
tion, tho' the Springs of Religion bear ever fo hard up¬
on them. Sometimes indeed Confcience works ftrongly,
that fhe wants but little of gaining her Point. But e-
ven that little, it feems, is too much; fhe is like a Bowl
thrown up againfl a keep Bank, which it nimbly
climbs, till it is juft about to lodge and fettle at the
Top: But wanting fome Degrees of Force to overcome
the Refiftance, it cannot reach it, and rolls buck again.
7. Thou art not far fro?n the Kingdom of GOD, was
juft fuch a Call as this: And yet lackeft thou one Thing,
was fuch another. Thefe Men's Religion had carried
them a good Way, and they were well onward in their
Journey to Heaven ; but it tired, arid grew faint in the
latter Stages of the Road, which was found either too
narrow or too long, and fo they fiop'd fhort, and made
an eternal Halt, when a little more Refolution would
have carried them through. The fame Thing we now
fee every Day ; there are many who have a Liking to
Religion, who have had a good natural Difpofition, af-
fifted by a religious Education. Nor are they only in¬
clined to Religion, but partly practice it; they do many
Things, and forbear others. All goes on hopefully to¬
ward a thorough Converlion ; they are already pall the
molt painful Part of it, and are now upon the critical
Point; fo that a Grain or two more would turn the
Scale ; infomuch, that there begins to be Joy im Hea-
B 3 ven,.
[ '8 ]
wen, and the Angels are tuning their Harms '. Yet tnere
Wants a little more Weight on the Side of Religion,
for Want of which the Counter-Weight prevails agam
it; againft Reafon, Religion, and divine Grace to¬
gether. They have indeed the Workings of Religion
upon them ; they feel feveral Pangs of the New-B.rth ;
but after all, they want Strength to bring forth.
8. The Imprudence of this lame Way of fervmg
Gon (which I was to fhew in the fecond Place) ap¬
pears firft from this, that it is infufficient. Such a Half
Religion can never hold Weight in the Balance of the
Sanctuary. Such Men, 'tis true, are almoft good ; but
almolt to hit the Mark is really to mifs it. For Religi¬
on confifts in an entire Love of God, and an e'ftedlual
Refolution to obey him. Even a bad Man may love
■what is good in fome Degree, but not with an effe&ual,
prevailing Love. This therefore is what denominates a
Man good, when Religion is the commanding Biafs of
Iris Soul. And none but thofe who are thus throughly
good, are fo good as to be fit for Happinefs. To make
us capable of that, there muff be a peculiar Frame of
Mind, to effedt which in us is the one Bufinefs of Reli¬
gion. And if it does this only almoft, and by Halves,
as it can never bring us to Heaven, fo neither if it
could, would it be able to make us happy there.
9, This imperfedt Piety is farther condemn'd by
Chriftian Prudence as very abfurd. If we did not in¬
tend to go through, why did we fet' out ? If we did,
■why do we flop ? If we think there is no Reafon in Re¬
ligion, why do we do any Thing ? But if we think,
there is, why don't we do enough ? For the fame Rea¬
fon that we do fo much, why don't we do more ? For
either Religion has Truth on its Side, or not. If not,
why do we take fo much Labour needlejly ? But if it has,
why do w e take fo much Labour in wain ? 'Tis, I own,
a ft range Piece of even brutal Indifference, to do no¬
thing in order to our eternal Happinefs : And yet, me-
thinks, to do a Part only, has fomething in it more ex¬
travagant than the other. He that does nothing, what¬
ever he lofes fceftdes, has yet no Labour to lofe." But to
labour by Halves, is to lofe the- fame Good, and
all
[ J9 ]
all that we do in order to it. The Atheift and Liber¬
tine has fomething to pretend ; but the Half-religious
hasnoExcufe; fince that very Religion he has will
condemn him as an unconfiftent, unprincipled Fool.
10. The kft Cerifure of Chriftian Prudence upon
the Half-way State of Piety, is, that it is very unhappy,
I mean even in this World. The Almoft Chriftian is
the Double-minded Man St. James fpeaks of, who has
two Wills, one for God and another for the World, be¬
tween which he varioufly fluctuates. Such an one is
nnfable in all his Ways: He is a mix'd, doubtful, un-
fettled, wavering Creature, never out of Perplexities and
Intanglements, always difconformable to himfelf, doing
what he would not, and not doing what he would and
Ihould, never long fatisfied with himfelf. He has in¬
deed a Kindnefs for Religion, but he has a greater
Kindnefs for fomething elfe i fo that his Religion juft
ferves to difturb the Enjoyment of his Lufts, as his Lufts
to deprive him of the Comfort of his Religion. Nor
can he be perfeftly at Peace with himfelf, but by being
throughly wicked or throughly good. So wicked as
to ha<ve his Confcience fear d with a hot Iron, or fo
good as to aft up to his Principles. He rnuft be of a
iingle Mind, one Way or the other, before he can be
at Reft. And yet this Double-mindednefs is the State
in which moft Men chufe to live and die, having Religi¬
on enough to difturb them in their Sins, but not enough
to engage them to part with them.
i r. And novv,methinks, I hear one faying within him*
felf, Almofl thou perfwadefl me to be a Chrijlian. Adas ?
why not quite? Is it that we want the Art ofAddrefs,that
we do not touch the right Spring of your Scul ? But
fure our Caufe has Weight enough to bear i.felf out,
and to fupply any Deleft in the Management of it.
For is there not Truth and Reafon enough in'Religion,
to gain a reafonable Creature ? Or can any Motive
have a greater Force or Perfuaflon, than the Joys of
Heaven, and the Pains of Hell ? Or do you quefticn
whether God be able to reward your entire Love and
compleat Obedience ? If you indeed believe that GOD
is, and that he is a Revoarder of them that diligently
[ 20 ]
feekhim, as even your indifferent Way of ferving hitn-
feems to fuppofe, then you muff needs think it Wifdom,
to lift up the Hands that hang down, and ftrengthen
the feeble Knees; to be heartily and throughly Reli¬
gious, and not to be guilty offo inconfiftent a folly as
to take fotne Pains all your Life for Heaven, and yet
goat'laft to Hell.
12. Confidering then the Infufficiency, the Abfurdity,
and the Unhappinefs of a Half-Religion, let us inftant-
ly labour to fill up the Things that are behind, that are
wanting to the Meafure of our Righteoufnefs. Let us
earneilly endeavour to bring ourfelves under the full
Power and Influence of Religion, that it may have its
due Work upon our Hearts and Lives, that we may be
perfect, entire,' and nvanting nothing: Always implor¬
ing the holy Spirit of God, by the vidorious Sweetnefs
of his divine Grace, to give the laft finifliing to that •'
holy Birth he is forming in us, that it may come to a
perfieSl Man, to the Meafure of the Stature of the Fulnefs
of Chrift : That fo, according to the Apoftle's Wifh,
we may be both almoft, and altogether Chriflians! ,
CHAP. III.
Of the fubordimte Means that ferve to affi[t
us in keeping the Commandments of GOD.
l'"W7^ *iaVe ^een' t^e ]rnme^iat:e Means to
VV Happinefs are the Commandments of God.
We come now to conflder the fubordinate Means to it,
which ferve to affift us in the keeping of thofe
Commandments. And thefe are of two Sorts : Either
fuch as are appointed and commanded by God, or
fuch as are recommended by human Prudence.
2. Of the firft Sort is Prayer. This is a glorious
Means, to withdraw our Thoughts and AfFedions
from fenfible Objeds, and to fix them upon God and
the
[ 21 ]
the Things of Heaven : To ftir up in us a Senle of out*
Wants and Infirmities, and to quicken our Defires ©f
what we pray for : To maintain a religious Warmth
in our Minds, and to keep up there a Spirit of Devoti¬
on, the Flame of which would foon be extind without
the Bre things of Prayer to fan it, and give it Motion :
Tonourilh our Communion with God, and make us
continually mindful of him, in whom we live, move,
and. have our Being. It is alfo a Key to open the
Store Houfes of God's Treafures to us, whereby we
may obtain a Supply of all our Wants, and particularly
Grace to help in Time of Need, to enable us to refill all
Temptations.
3. A prudent Chrifiian will therefore pray often :
For temporal Things conditionally, as not knowing
whether, or how far thefe may be for his Good, or
ferve asMeans to his End: But for fpiritual,fuch asParden
of Sin, ani Grace to leave it, he will pray not only
with greater Earnefinefs, but alfo absolutely, and with¬
out any Condition, becaufe he knows that GOD would
have all Men to he faved, to attain the Happinefs for
which he made them ; ; nd that thofe (if he be not
wanting to himfelf) are certain Means to his Salvation.
4. Reading of the Scriptures is the next Means which
God has ordained to affilt us in keeping his Command¬
ments. And an excellent Means it is, both to en¬
lighten our Underfianding, and to compofe our Minds
intQ a religious Temper. All Scripture is prof table for
Dodlrine, for Reproof\ for CorreBion, for Infraction in
Righteoufnefs ; that the Man of GOD may be perfeB,
throughly furniff d unto all good Works. And therefore
every prudent Chrifiian gives all Attendance to reading
it. And that, not out of Curiofity, or for Speculation
only, but with a pradical Defign, to learn and do the
whole Will of God. And accordingly he will not lay
them afide, when he thinks he underfiands them, but
will renew and continue his Perufal of them, for his
confiant and greater Edification. His Delight will er-
ver be in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law will he
meditate Day and Night.
5- A
t 22 ]
5. A third Means of Religion appointed by God, is
the hearing the Word preach'd.. This is a Handing Pro-
vifion which God has made for the Edification 01 his
Church; therefore a prudent Chriftian, who never
thinks himfelf too wife to learn, or too good to be bet¬
ter, and who never omits any Means that may bring
him nearer his End, is careful to pay his due Atten¬
dance to it, humbly waiting for the Grace and Bleffing
of God in the Ufe ofhis own Ordinance.
6. Neither will the Sacraments, fourthly, be ever
undervalued or negledted by a Prudent Chriftian,
who never thinks himfelf either too wife or too good
for any Inftitution of God. As to the Lord's Supper
in particular, he never omits any Opportunity of re¬
ceiving it, knowing the excellent Ends for which it
ferves, and its great Ufefulnefs to ferve them. It ferves
as a fenfble Image of the Death of Chrift, and of our
fpiritual Communion with him ; as a Memorial of his
Atonement for our Sins, adlually applying it to our-
felves. In fhort, it ferves as a Channel to convey all
the BlefTings of Go d to us, and as a Pledge to allure us
of them. And in all this he admires the Wifdom and
Goodnefs of God, in making this merciful Provifion
for his Church, who, confidering our Frame, and how
large a Share Senfe has in our Compofition, was pleas'd,
in Conriefcenfion to our Infirmity, to addrefs himfelf to
us by that weaker Side of our Nature : And left, in
luch a Croud of fenlible Objedts as we daily converfe
with, we Ihould (as we are too apt) be tempted to for-
et him, was pleas'd, by tliofe very Objedts, to bring us
to himfelf, by making Ule of fome of them as his
Remembrancers, and as Steps whereby we might af-
cend to the Contemplation of the molt fpiritual and.
heavenly Myfteries.
1 Cbwrch-Commutiidn, in the laft Place, is an excel¬
lent Means for the mutual Edification of Chriftians; for
the I refervation of the Chriftian Faith and Dblftrfoe,
and tor the Encouragement of Chriftian Praftice. And
, e and the Jike Reafons, God,by his Son Je-
SorLtv" ^:reded and conftituted that fpiritual
Society call d a Chunk, whereof the fame Jesus
Christ
r 23 ]
Christ is the Head, as that is his Body, according to
the Apoitle ; Chriitian Prudence obliges every Man not
to look upon himfelf only as a private or independent
Chriitian that is at Liberty to ferve God as he pleafes,
in his own folicary Way, but as a Member of this one
Church, whereof Christ is the Head, and confequent-
ly bound to hold Communion with it. This,therefore,
a prudent Chriitian will be fure to do, and think it a
great Happinefs and Privilege to have fuch a Help, to
to enjoy the Communion of Saints, and worlhip God
in the Alfemblies of his People. From thefe he will hy
no Means excommunicate ^himfelf: But as he is in Spirit
united to the whole Chriitian Church, fo he a&ually
communicates with that particular Branch of it, where¬
of he is a Member : And hereby he Ihews his Union
with the whole, in which he will be careful to make no
Schifmj left, by dividing from that Church whereof
Christ is the Head, he be divided from Chr ist,
End as well as his Way.
CHAP. IV.
T'be Conduct of a Prudent Chrijlian, with re¬
gard to the Government of himfelf
1. T TItherto we have been conducting, our prudent
£1 Chriitian to his End, by the Chief of the
Ways that lead to it, 'viz. by the direCt and immediate
Means of Happinefs, firft, the Duties of the divine
Law, and then by the Means, to thofe Means, fuch of
them in particular, as are of divine Appointment. For
the Application of which, it may now be convenient to
draw a little nearer, and confider the Conduft which a
prudent Chriitian ufes in the Government of himfelf.
2. And firli let us confider how a prudent Chriitian
purfues Img^ovement by the Government of his Senfes.
He does not ftudy the pleafing of his Senfes. This in¬
deed
[ 24 ]
deed many make the great End of their Lives, which
are almoft wholly devoted to the Purfuit, and (pent in
the various Entertainments of Senjible Pleafure-, as if
they thought (and perhaps fome of them do) that tj1611"
fupreme Happinefs confifted in it. But this a prudent
Chriftian will not do; for he knows we are already
too much in love with fenfible Pleafure, the great Dil-
eafe of our Nature, and therefore will not by indulging
it inflame a Paflion which is already too violent. He
finds that as the more we abftain from thefe Pleafures,
the more cold we grow ta them, fo by indulgence
our Appetite acquires a new Edge, and grows the more
lharp and keen : He that drinks of this Water (hall
not only thirft again, but the more he drinks, he Ihall
thirft the more. He confiders likewife, how entirely
different from thefe, are the intelledlual Pleafures of Hea¬
ven, and how apt the Love of them is to indifpofe us for
thefe, and in this Senfe to alienate us from the Life of GOD.
He is therefore fo far from feafting his Senfes (as the
the Manner of the World is) by all the Variety of flu-
died Entertainments, that he endeavours by all Man¬
ner of Ways to mortify them, and inftead of fetting up
for a foft, voluptuous Life, he (according to St. Paul's
Advice to "Timothy.) inures himfelf to Hardjhip, as a
good Soldier of Jefus Chrijl: Not indeed by any fuch
rigid Aufterities, as would deflroy or impair his Health,
but by fuch a fparing Ufe of. and well-govern'd Ab-
flemioufnefs from, even thofe Pleafures which are law¬
ful in themfelves, as may deaden his Love to them,
and make him more indifferent to the Enjoyment of
them.
4. He will likewife keep a ftridt Guard over his
Senfes themfelves; as knowing they are the Inlets of
Temptation, the Landing-Ports of our fpiritual Enemies,
and the feeble Parts of our Nature, which expofe us
to continual Danger: Particularly, what can be more
dangerous then an unguarded Eye or Ear, while there
is every Day fo much to be feen and to be heard,
to provoke to Wickednefs, and fo little to Encourage
Holinefs? Over thefe therefore he keeps .,a conftant
Guard, to prevent Invaflon and Surprize, efpecially
over
r2 5 ]
over the Eye, the moll dangerous of the Two, as
being concern'd with more Objects: Praying alio to
God, without whofe keeping the City the Watchman
waketh but in vain, To turn away his Eyes leji they he-
hold Vanity, and to quicken him in his Way ; that no¬
thing he either lees or hears in this his Pilgrimage, may
either turn him out of it or hinder him in it.
5. We may, Secondly, obferve, how a prudent
Chriftian purfues Improvement by the Government of
his Underftanding. Confidering, in thefirft P.ace, what
an excellent Faculty and great Endowment Underitand-
ing is, and for what great Ends it was given him by
God, he thinks himfelf concern'd not to let it lie idle,
but to employ and improve it as much as poflible, that
he may hereafter give a good Account of his Talent:
But were no Account of it to be given, yet confidering
himfelf farther as a Traveller in his Way to his End,
and his Underftanding as a Torch that is to light him
in it, he would think it very proper to take Care of it,
and that not only to preferve it from going out, but to
feed it with fuch Supplies of Oil, that it might fhine the
more brightly and clearly.
6. But yet as much as he is for improving his Under¬
ftanding, he does not affeft univerfil Knowledge, as
well knowing the Vanity of pretending to it, by one
whofe Capacity is no greater and whofe Life is no lon¬
ger: Neither is he for filling his Head with little Things,
no nor with fuch great Things as do not conduce to his
End, and whofe Impertinency to his Bufinefs renders
them as very Trifles to him as the other: Nor will he
apply himfelf to the Study of vain and unprofitable Sci¬
ences, nor yet of fuch Theories as exceed the Propor¬
tion of his Underftanding: But as he muji be ignorant of
great many Things, fo he will not fo much as endea¬
vour to know fuch as are not to be comprehended : In¬
deed if God reveals them, he does not think their
being above his Underftanding, any Reafon why they
fhould not be believ'd. But tho' he believes them, yet
he can fee no Caufe, to engage his Thoughts or em¬
ploy his Time in the Search and Study of fuch Things,
only to lofe himfelf in unfathomable Depths, to the
C neglett
neglect of other Matters which he can comprehen .an
is more concern'd fo to do. And for the fame -m e
declines prying into the hidden Scenes of 1 rovidence,
thofe fecret Things that belong to God, which, tio
not abfolutely incomprehenfible in thenifelves, yet being
lock'd up in the Womb of Futurity, are, by that Vv all
of Partition, as inacceflibie to us as the other.
7. The fame Wifdom diredts him not to ftudy fuch
Things as require great Expence of Time and Labour
to mailer them, unlcfs they bring him in an Advan¬
tage anfwerable to the Time and Pains which he bellows
upon them. For as he has fo little Time, and fo great
an Interell depending, he can't think it frugal to throw
away a Moment. Upon the fame Ground he does not
regard what is in Reputation, and in the Vogue of the
World paffes for Learning, but what is true and real
Knowledge, and fit to perfeCt the Mind of Man. And
even in purfuing this he is on his Guard, not buffering
himfelf to be tranfported by an immoderate Thirft of it:
But as his Enquiries into Truth are modeft, fo he is dif-
creet and feled in making them, applying himfelf to
thofe moll which are of greatell Importance, moll fer-
vicable to his moral ConduCl j efpecially to the Know¬
ledge of God and of himfelf, wherein is contain'd the
Sum of human Wifdom.
8. In all his Studies he takes Care to avoid the two
great Diforders incident to lludious Men, Curiofi-
ty and. Vain-glory: Curiofity, which puts them upon
ufelefs Enquiries, only to pleafe themfelves ; and Vain¬
glory, which puts them on many dry and infipid
Studies, only to pleafe and procure the Admiration of
others. Nor does he make any Knowledge an End, but
refers all to the great Ends of Virtue andHappinefs : In
all his intellectual Applications making this his one
Care, to love God, and to be loved by him.
9. After the Regulation of his Underllanding, the
next Work of a prudent Chriflian is, the Government
of his Wjll and Affedtions. Thefe of themfelves are
in the utmoll Diforder, caus'd by the general Corrupti¬
on of our Nature : And unlefs this is removed, no Man
can be either good here, or happy hereafter.
10. His
[ 27 ]
io. His firfl Step toward this, is to teach his Will to
follow in all Things, not natural Inclination, but
the Will of God revealed to us in his Word: For
the Will of God fways more with a prudent Chriftian
than any Inclination of his own, which he is ready at
all Times, and in all Cafes, to facrifice to his Duty ;
and his only Care is to conform his Will to the Will
and Word of God, as knowing that God, being in¬
finitely wife as well as good, cannot poffibly command
any Thing, but what, upon the whole Account, it is
bell for him to do. Mod chearfully therefore does he
depofe his own Will from the Throne, and fets up the
Will of God.
i i. Nor is he lefs obedient to the Providential than
to the written Will of God. Not adhering to any
private Fancies, Opinions or Wifhes of his own, he ab¬
solutely refers himfelf to God, to his gracious and all-
wife Difpofal. He lodges all his Concerns in his
Hands, and is willing he lhould chufe for him ; and
when he does fo, concluding it bell that Things lhould
be as the Governor of the World would have them, he
thankfully accepts his Choice, and humbly acquiefces
in the Wifdom of his Providence : And accordingly,
inftead of cheriihing any Thought, or ufing any Lan¬
guage of Difcontent, he is in all Things ready to fay
with his Lord, Not as 1 will, but as thou vuilt• Lord,
thy Will was an innocent Will, and yet thou d-idft re-
hgn it. How much more lhould we refign our per-
verfe and corrupt Wills?
CHAP,
[ 28 ]
CHAP. V.
A Perfwajive to the Study of Chrifiian Pru¬
dence, with fome Advices relating to the
P raff ice of it.
i. TTAving thus laid the Principles of Chriftian Pru-
O dence, what remains but to perfwade Men to
the Study ofit. And the firft Confideration I (hall offer
to recommend the Study of this Wifdom, is, That it is
attainable. Many Things employ the Search of ftu-
dious Men, which, after all, they can [never matter,
but mutt fit down, if not with a contented, yet with an
unavoidable Ignorance of. But it is not fo with Wif¬
dom : 'Mte Acauifkion of this depends not upon great
Parts, but ppoti a willing Mind. Speculation indeed is
infinite, and the Well of Truth has no Bottom, and be-
ttdes, Many bane nothing to dratv nvitb. But Wifdom,
like a Fountain, iies open, and within common Reach.
Some Care and Pains and Diligence only it takes to
drink of it; an eafy Price for fo precious aTreafure.
Now this Certainty of Smccefs is an encouraging Motive
to Larch after it in gpcd Etrneft. Men may feek for
Silver, and not find it, and fearch for hid Treafures,
without being able to break in upon their dark Retire¬
ments. And yet they fearch on; How much more
fhould we fearch for Wifdom, when we are fure not to
be difappointed in our Search ?
2. But may we not be fo in our finding? Many
1 kings nae attainable by our Labour, which are not
worth our Labour to attain. But Wifdom is not of
thofe ; on the contrary, nothing is fo well worth at-
ta ning. v/ifdom it is that keeps the World in order,
and makes living in it a Blelttng, that is the Parent of
Laws, the Foundation of Government, and the great
Upholder and Sweetner of all Society. Wifdom it is
tnat teaches a Man now to cbey, and how to govern
I 29 J
even that ungovernable Creature himfelf: To mode¬
rate his Paflions, to compofe his Manners, to behave
well in all Circumltances of Life. In a Word, that
teaches a Man to know God and himfelf, and by the
fhining Paths of Virtue leads him to everlalling Glo¬
ry and Happinefs.
3. Therefore it is that Solomon exhorts us with fo
paffionate an Earneftnefs, With all thy get tings, get Wif¬
dom. As much as to fay, Whatever thou gettelh, or
with the Expence of all thou hail; gotten, get Wif-
dom, as being of infinitely more Value than all. It is
a Pearl of fo great Price, that the Merchant who finds
it, will buy it with the Price of all,that he has. And a
wife Merchant he is who buys it even at this Price,
for it can never be bought too dear. Honour and
Greatnefs may ; nay and fo may the whole World, if
the Price be a Man's Soul. But Wifdom cannot ;
therefore again, get Wifdom, and with all thy Gettings
get Underjlanding. If we get Wifdom 'tis no Matter
what elfe we lofe, and if we lofe it, 'tis no Matter
what elfe we get. And indeed it matters not what we
get or lofe, fo we get that which diredls us in the
Way to Happinefs, which giveth Life to them that
have it, and teaches them how to live.
4. Another Confideration to perfwade us to the fe-
rious Study of Wifdom, is this, That if we do not now
apply curfelves to it, we fhall hereafter earneftly wifh
we had. I know hardly any other Study, the Negledt
of which we fhall finally repent of. He that has not
fludied Mathematicks, fuppofe, tho' he may perhaps
fometime while lie lives, refiedl upon himfelf with fome
Blame for the Negleft of fuch an Accomplilhment, yet
when he comes toward the concluding Scene of Life,
and that of Eternity begins to open, 1 prefume he will
not then think this a Neglefl worth repenting of. And
fo as to other Studies. But he who has not fludied Wif¬
dom, will then moll certainly wifh he had, and think
it the greatell Gain, could he exchange ali the Sciences
he is Mailer of, for this one, The Science of Life. This
is the Science that receives ourlall and bell Approbation,
when otherThings that make a greater Shew and Noife,
C 3 and
[ 3° ]
r.nd which perhaps we liked better when we knew
lefs, do not find fo great a Share in our Ekeern. Ule-
lefs Notions and new Sykems and fine fpun 1 heories,
will not always pleafe us. The Days will come when
we firall fay, We have no Pleafure in them. But
Wifdom will relifh with us-to the very lak, and. more at
fak than ever. When other Things leave us, Wif¬
dom will llay behind, and more than liipply their Lois :
And when we have outlived the Pfeafuresof the World,
then will it be in the greatek Ekeem with us, as being
the only Thing of all our Acquirements, whofe Pof-
fekion and Enjoyment too is immortal.
y When the Gaieties and Follies of Life are over
(forFolly will not always pleafe) when even the more fe-
rious Entertainments of Manhood appear to us as more
folemn Titles; when Covetoufnefs itfelf, the lak Folly
that forfakes us, becaafe it begins fo late, that often
fettles upon the Dregs of Life, as upon a firm and im¬
movable Ground, when even this cleaving Folly fhall
uncling and drop from us, when the World itfelf fhall
be a Burden to us: Then fhall the Remembrance of
Wrfdom be fweet unto us, and we fhall delight in her
Converfation, and every Step in her Ways will give us
more Comfort than ail the little Things of the World.
Thofe who have been Strangers to V/ifdcm before, Will
be ready enough to claim Acquaintance with her then
to fay unto Wifdom, Thoa art my Sifter, and to callUn-
ilerji an ding their Kiilfwotnan, But fhe will not then be
fo forward to own them. And therefore happy is he
that has contradled a Friendfhip with her in the Days
of his Youth and Strength, that he may not be o'if-
own'd by her in that Hour wherein he mok wants-
her Favour; that he may not have Wifdom then to
learn, when he fbould be a&ually wife, and have the
Eeneht and Comfort of her Light to guide him thro'
the \ ale of the Shadow of Death. In order to which
we kiould always remember that excellent Advice of
St. Bernard, cfo rejoice in thofe things when we are
young, which wejkall not repent of when we are old. a
6. I have now only to add a few prudential Advijes
relating to the Pratfice of Chrifiian Life. Of which
the
[ 3* 11
the firft fhall be that of the Apoftle, To walk circtim-
rpeftiy, that is warily, arid heedfully, with all poflible
Care, Caution and Exadtnefs. This is fuch Walking
as fhews we are duly apprehenflve of our Condition :
The Danger of which mull: be allowed to be exceed¬
ing great, fince befides our own corrupt Nature, and
the Wickednefs of the World that furrounds us, we
have the Prince of Darknefs for our profelt Enemy ;
tven our yldverjary the Devil, who as a roaring Lion
walketh about, feeking whom he may devour. He does
not flay till the Prey comes in his Way, but feeks after
it, but walks about feeking who is fit to be made a
Prey of; whofe Idlenefs or whofe Bufinefs, whofe
Temper or Conftitution, whofe Age or whofe Carelef-
nefs may give him any Advantage. He begins with
us very early, laying his Siege againll us in our very
Infancy. Then he tempts us with fenfible Objedts,
and eafily increafes our natural Propenfion to them.
For Reafon is then in a dead Sleep, and Senfe alto¬
gether awake, being in its greatelh Perfedtion, by
Reafon of the Finenefs of the Blood and Spirits, and
the Tendernefs of the Parts, which eafily yielding to
the Impreffion of fenfible Objedls, endear them more
and more to us, and fo confirm that Friend/hip oxitb the
World, which is Er.mity with GOD. This tboughtlefs
Age is fucceeded by Childhood and Youth ; and then
indeed Reafon begins to awake ; but fo flowly, thai
we are all this Time, as it were, between lleeping and
waking ; the Weight Hill hangs upon our Temples.
Our Pafiions are much too flrong for cur weak Reafon
to govern, which accordingly our Enemy makes his
Advantage of, and tempts us with the Baits of Senfu-
ality, with thofe youthful Lujls which 'tis then hard to
fly. This boifterous Seafon alfo blows over, and is
fol.'ow'd by Manhood. And now indeed Reafon is
ftronger and Paflion cooler, and fo the Devil changes
his former Bait for that ofPride and Ambition, where¬
by himfelf fell, and wherewith he aflaulted even the
Sop of God. Now he lifts us up to, and Ihews us
the Grandeur and Glory of the World, and tries to
peffwade us what a Happinefs it would be, caild we
make
f 32 ]
make a Part of that glittering Scene. Well, out
neither will thislaft always; our Sun foon begins to de¬
cline, and old Age coines on, the Winter of our 1 ear,
or rather the Evening of our Ihort Day. And novv our
Reafon grows heavy and fleepy again, and our Pafiions
alfo flag with it, hang their Wings, and make your
Flight nearer the Earth, as not being able to bear up
in the higher Regions. We are novv no longer fit^ for
our former Entertainments, and having feen what little
Dependance there is on the World, having loft fome of
our Friends, and proved the Infincerity of others, this
Experience, together with the natural finking of our
Spirits, makes us grow timorous, jealous and dillruftfuJ,
and follicitous to fecure ourfelves in this forlorn State,and
fo we ftand fairly difpos'd for Covetoufnefs. And accord¬
ingly the Devil now draws us into this Snare, which
reigns the more abfolute over us, as having us almoft
entirely to itfelf, without Competition from other Vices.
Thus our Adverfary is always intent upon cur Ruin,
meeting us at every Turn of our Lives, and fuiting
his Temptations to the feveral States and Conditions of
them. And therefore it highly concerns us to walk cir-
cumfpeftly, as knowing both the infinite Worth of our
Souls, and the numberlefs Hazards they are expofed to,
from which (next to the Grace of God) nothing but
an extraordinary Caution can fecure them.
7. And becaufe thefe Hazards are chiefly from fen-
fible Objefts, my next Advice fhall be, To walk by
Faith, not by Sight; to order your Converfation not by
what ycu fee of this World, but by what you believe
of the next. Not to look at the Things which are feen,
but at the Things that are not feen becaufi the Things that
are feen are temporal, and fo doth not arfeft our final
State: But the Things that are not feen are eternal, and
fo the proper Objedls of an Happinefs that is never to ex¬
pire. A Chriftian then ought to keep his Eye always
fix'd on this Happinefs; to walk continually in View of
this his End, and have it before him as near as he can, 1
in every Aftion and Word, in every deliberate Step of
his Chriftian Progrefs : Not to content himfelf with
having refer'-d all he does to it once in general j but to
renew
[ 33 ]
renew and repeat the Propofal of it, as often as conve¬
niently he can. Befide the habitual Reference of his
Actions to their End, let every prudent Chriilian be
more and more diligent to have an actual Regard to it,
as far as is poflible, in every Step of his Life. For the
having before us that eternal Weight of Glory, that
Crown that fadeth not away, mull needs quicken
our Devotion and inflame our Zeal, and infpirit
us with new Life and Vigour in| the running our
Chriflian Courfe, and help us with Eafe to overcome
all thofe vain Impediments, which the World, the
Flefh and the Devil throw in our Way. Nothing fhall
be able to feparate us from cur End, or turn us out of
the right Way to it, if we keep our Eye intent upon it,
and have it in our View all the Way of our Chriilian
Walk. For indeed the Excellence of it is fo tranfcen-
denr, that nothing of this World can ftand together
with it, or fhine in its Light, any more than a feeble
Star can fbineinthe Prefence of the Mid-day Sun. The
greater Light fwallows up the lefs ; we mull lofe the
one before we can be dazzled with the other ; we mufl
intermit the View of our chief Good, before any other
can appear confiderable enough to tempt us.
9. And now we are got into the right Way, there is
no better Means of fixing ourfelves there, than to keep
toward the Middle of it, pretty far within the Lines,
fo as not to tread upon the Edges: Not to go to the
Outfide cf what is lawful, but rather fet ourfelves in
all our Actions at the greatell Diilance from Sin, by
abstaining from all the Appearances and Beginnings of
it. But chiefly from the Beginnings. The full Ac-
complifKments of. Wickedneis we have a Horror of. But
we have not the fame Dread of the Beginnings, and
of the Tilings that have a Tendency to grofs Crimes.
So we are eafily perfwaded to begin ; and when we have
once made an Entrance, the Progrefs grows eafler and
cafter. For the next Degree being but a Degree be¬
yond it, carries as little Horror in it as the firft.; and fo
the next to that, being but a Degree- farther, carries the
like Appearance : And fo the reit that follow, we mea-
furing every Degree not (as we fhould do) by all the
pre-
[ 34}
preceding ones which it contain?, but only by the lair,
which it immediately exceeds, confidering it only as a
Degree farther than that, and fo as a fmaU Thing, till
by Degrees we Hide unawares into the Co mm in ion of
thole Sins, which look'd frightful, and vvouid have
cheat?d us in the Lump, but being thus taken by Piece
meal are eafily fwallow'd.
10. And no Wonder, fince the firft Liberties we
take, the firft Approaches we make to any Sin, inflame
our Paflions, raife our Appetites, which were before
quiet, and increafe our Defines of the forbidden Objedr,
So that ourTask is now harder than it was at firft,and we
might much eafier have forborn the whole, Beginning
and all, than forbear making a further Progrefs, when
we have once begun. And why fliould we make
our Duty more difficult and painful than it is ? There¬
fore the wifeft Way i?, not to begin ; that being true
of all Sin, which Solomon obferves of Strife, The Begin¬
ning of it is as hen one letteth cut Water, which is ea¬
fily prevented from running at firft, but being once
let out, the Paflage grows more open, and the Stream
more difficult to command. Therefore, fays he, Leave
off Contention before it be meddled vuith, i. e. Do not
meddle with it at all, it being much eafier to have no¬
thing to do with it, than to govern yourfelf in it. They
that once begin, are infenfibly carried to do what at
firft they never defign'd, and then vainly complain, that
God did not preferve them from falling, when they
placed their own Feet on llippery Ground.
ii. To conclude: If we will be truly wife, let us fet
the Gofpel and Example of Chrift before us, and endea¬
vour to be wife in our Generation, as the Men of this
World are in their's, be as diligent in purfuing cur true
and great End,as they are in purfuing their falfe and little
ones. They are intent upon the Prefent, and follicitous
to provide for the fliort Future of an uncertain Life.
Let us be intent upon providing for that future Life,
which will foon be prefent, and never paft. For this
Purpofe we fliould retire as much as we can conveni¬
ently from the World, and have as little to do with it ;
we fhould lay afide every Weight, and every Incum
brance,
[ 35 ]
bra nee, and not be troubled about many Things, that we
may the more quietly and entirely attend upon the one
Thing needful. Not that I plead for a Hermit's Solitude,
not underftanding the Agreement of fuch a State to hu¬
man Nature, nor what Authority Men have thus to
bury themfelves alive, and to excommunicate them-
felves from human Society. But fo much of Solitude as
difengages us from the Affairs and Incumbrances of the
World, and places us out of the Noife, Hurry and
Buftle of it, and out of the Way of its Temptations,
mall certainly be of vaftly great Advantage to a truly
Chriilian Life. Being much abroad may teach us to
know the World; but Retirement only can teach us to
know our/elves. For to know ourfelves, we mull con-
verfe much with ourfelves. Let us therefore retire, and
when we are alone, let us remember, that we are not
alone, for God is with us. And while we think and
atl as in his Prefence, Solitude has all the Safety of
Company, without the Temptations and Interruptions.
And here let us think much of Eternity, and of our
Nearnefs to it, of the future Judgment, and the two fi¬
nal Sentences of that Day, of the glorious Things that
are fpoken of the City of God, and the unfpeakable
Mifery of being for ever banifh'd from his Prefence; and
laftly, of the Thoughts which we lhall have of all thefe
Things when we come to die. Every Man is wife then,
and has a right Senfe of Things; let us endeavour to
have the fame nmu, and to live as we lhall then wilh
we had, which is the Sum of all Chrillian Prudence.
FINIS.
X
REFLECTIONS
UPON THE
C ON DUCT
O F
Human Life :
With Reference to
Learning and Knowledge.
Extracted from Mr. N 0 R R IS.
The Second Edition.
LONDON:
Printed by W. Strahan, and Sold by Thomas
H a rris, at the Looking-Glafs and Bible, o 1 London-
Bridge i and at the Foutidery, near Upper-Mior-Fields,
MDCCXLI.
(Price Three Pence.)