The Gentlemans Calling, Section 4

The Gentlemans Calling · Section 4

p. 20SECT. IV. The Branches of his Calling founded in the first Advantage, that of Educacation.

1. I Presume it is by this time rendred sufficiently evident, that a Gentleman hath a Calling; it is now seasonable to advance, and shew what that is, and o… this the ground hath already been laid in the last Section by the enumeration of those peculiar Advantages he possesses; which being those Talents committed to his managery, h… Calling will be the most exactly anatomize… and distributed into its parts, by unfolding those several Branches of his Receits, and e… amining what improvements each of them … capable of, which as so many distinct Lim… make up the entire Body of his Calling.

2. This I shall do, not onelyonly in the gro… but severally, through every one of them, an… shall take the liberty of doing it with the addition of a double reflection; the one on t… contrary practice, the other on the pleasu… p. 21and satisfaction that will infallibly attend the discharge of this Duty.

3. I begin with that of their Education; the former part whereof commonly Commences as timely as the first Exercises of their Reason: It is so creditable a thing to have Children put into an early nurture, that there are few Parents so careless of their own reputation, as to neglect it, but do either by themselves, or some others to whom they assign the charge, put them under such a Discipline as may break their natural rudeness and stubbornness, mould them into some form of Civility, and teach them that first Fundamental Lesson of Obedience, on which all future Instructions must be built. And this is a huge Advantage, not onelyonly towards the succeeding parts of Education, but towards the regularity of the whole life: For by having their Infant-Passions thus checked and bridled, they become more tame and governable ever after. The next part of Education, is Erudition and Instruction, and under a Succession of this they are for many years: Scarce any that owns the name of Gentleman, but will commit his son to the care of some Tutor, either at home or abroad, who at first instils those Rudiments, proper to their tenderer years, and as Age matures their parts, so advances his Lectures, till he have let them in to those spacious Fields of Learning, which will afford them both Exercise and Delight. This is that p. 22Tree of Knowledge, upon which there lies no interdict, which instructs not, as that in Ed… did, by sad and costly experience, but by fai… and safe intuitions, and may well be looked o… as a principal Plant in that Paradise, wherei… God hath placed this rank of Men.

4. These two parts of Education united qualifie a man for many excellent purposes. It will be impossible to enumerate all, becaus… a minde thus subdued and cultivated, must y… owe the opportunities of many actions to ou… ward circumstances and occasions, which being various and accidental, can with no certainty be brought into the account, but abstracting from these, there are divers more i… trinsick benefits, which nothing but a Ma… self can frustrate; and those alone I shall i… sist on.

5. First, a Man thus Educated, is better prepared to resist all Errors that may invade h… Understanding, his discerning Faculty is mo… nimble and agile, can suddenly surround Proposition, and discover the infirm and se… ble parts; and so is not to be imposed upo… by such slight Sophisms as captivate who… herds of the vulgar. This Advantage, it apparent he hath, and it is his duty to ma… use of it, to examine cautiously the grou… of an Opinion, before he give up his ass… to it, and not to betray his Reason, either … hi… Slo…h by neglecting to give it a compet… discussion; or to his Interest, by electi… p. 23Tenents rather by their profitableness then their truth. This certainly is the least that is supposeable to be required of them in this particular, and sure it is so moderate an injunction, as the most mutinous humor can have no temptation to quarrel at; For who could think him a severe imposer, who having furnished a man with a light to direct him through some dark passage, should onelyonly require him not to blow it out?

6. And as he hath this Advantage in respect of his Understanding, so hath he in the second place, in relation to his Will; which though it be a free faculty, and consequently cannot be forcibly determined to any thing, yet it is capable of perswasions and inducements, and is usually bended and inclined by them; it must therefore be a fair step towards the rectifying of the Will, when the intellect is stored with Arguments and Incentives to goodness: And this Learning must be supposed to provide for, unless we will exclude out of the Scheme, both Morality and Divinity; for each of those will yield variety of such Arguments: Morality will present Vertue as perfectly amiable in it self, and so fit to be embraced for its own sake, and not onelyonly so, but also as highly profitable and advantagious to us, as being that which gives the sublimest perfection to our Natures, the sweetest rest and tranquility to our Mindes; and in a word, a full satisfaction to all our Rational Appetites: Divinity confirms all this, p. 24and superadds what infinitely transcends it, the assurance of those eternal and glorious rewards in another world; and these surely are such tempting allectives, as are very proper to attract the will to chuse what appears thus excellent, thus desireable, provided they be justly represented to it. And the doing that, the pressing these motives home upon the will, and that in refutation of all the contrary deceiveable pretensions of vice, is the first part of their obligation. But then there is also a second, and that is, that they permit themselves to be perswaded by such efficacious arguments, and actually conform their wills to these dictates of their understanding, that is, that they really and effectively be such men, as their education directs and requires them to be: Which being the work of their wills, 'twill be absurd to plead impossibility or infirmity, since 'tis manifest they may if they will; which is such a degree of liberty, as serves in all other instances to denominate a man a free agent, and such as all punishments and rewards both divine and humane are founded on

7. A third advantage is in relation to his Affections; which being the inferior and more brutish part of the man, are yet so impetuous and assuming, that they are very apt to usurp the dominion over the nobler faculties; and where they gain it, the event is answerable to what we see in States where the Commonpeople have wrested the Scepter, all is put into p. 25confusion. Now that which may prevent these civil broils in the soul, and secure the government to the proper Soveraign, may well be reputed an advantage And to this, nothing meerly humane is more conducing then Education. For first, that early discipline which we presumed, one part of it puts a bridle in the mouths of these headstrong passions, which by many repeated acts of restraint at last forget their native feritie, and become more calm and tractable. But then Erudition compleats this conquest, backs this unruly beast, and by a dextrous managerie not only restrains, but guides him, and makes him serve to many useful purposes, renders these mutinous Rebels not only captived Slaves, but good Subjects, obedient to the laws of Reason All this Education is of it self aptly disposed to do, if men will not take the Beasts part against it, encourage him to plunge, till he have thrown the Rider. And all that is in this particular required of them, is but to hold fast those reins that are thus put into their hands, to keep their Affections in such a just subjection, that they may receive, not give laws. Thus we see the influence which Education hath on all the essential parts of a mans mind: And were it here so immured and closed up, that it could make no sallies at all thence; did the soul, like Gedeon's fleece, ingross all this precious dew; yet whilst that received such liberal infusions, it would irrefragably evince this to be no mean inconsiderable p. 26advantage. But it is indeed impossible it should be so confin'd; for if it be permitted to make these impressions within, as heat in the center fails not to diffuse it self to the circumference, so certainly will it extend and manifest it self in the more visible effects, all the products and emanations of a mind thus regulated will own their original, bear the image of the…r parent.

8. And first his Behaviour will be affable and civil, not insolent and imperious; as one that knows humanity and gentleness is a common debt to mankind, and therefore will not think fit to contract or dam up his civility into so narrow a compass, that it shall swell into complement, and mean flattery towards those above, and not suffer one drop to descend on those beneath him; but disperse its streams so, that all channels may be filled with it. 'Tis true, the depth of some will require a greater proportion to that filling, then others; and there 'tis not to be doubted but he may be more liberal; only in the mean time the shallower are not to remain dry: Let the inequality be such as proceeds only from the capacities of the Subjects, not from the partiality of the Agent, and he prevaricates no part of his duty in this matter.

9. S…condly, his Words will be temperate and decent, the product of judgment, not of rage: For he that hath calmed his passions hath nothing to betray him to rash, angry, or p. 27rude language; this is a foam which is cast up only by the billows of a turbulent tempestuous mind, and can never be the issues of a serene composed temper. To this it is but proportionable, that they be also weighty and material. A wise mans words, saith the Son of Sirach, are weighed in the ballance; and therefore he that hath improved his Education to that pitch of proficiencie, will surely look his discourse be such, as may answer that character, which must at the least suppose it to have something of solidity, no man ever attempting to put froth and bubbles into the scales: And not only so, but it must also presume it to have something of use and value; for, who ever takes pains to weigh what for its uselesness and meanness he intends to cast out as refuse? And both these qualifications are very essential parts of a Gentlemans dialect, the one opposed to light and foolish, the other to unseasonable discourse: For as the one hath nothing of weight (unless it be that of a burden to the hearers) so the other can have nothing of use, nor consequently of worth, that being to be measured by the aptness of it to the persons to whom it is addressed. It should be the endeavor of those whom God hath endued with knowledge, to convey as much of benefit and instruction to others, as they can; in order whereunto 'tis necessary they adapt their speech to the capacities of those they treat with, otherwise let them discourse never so p. 28elaboratly, they will rather confound then edifie, and appear to affect more to boast, then communicate their knowledge.

10. Lastly, his Employments will be worthy and ingenuous. A Man that hath this inward Nobility of Minde superadded to that of his Birth, will abhor to busie himself viciously or impertinently; he hath those qualifications, which render him useful, and he must give himself those Exercises, whereby he may become the most eminently so. If by just authority he be assigned to any publick charge, he is to embrace it cheerfully; not as a prize either to Ambition or Covetousness, but as an opportunity of Vertue; a sphere wherein he may move the most vigorously in the service of God, and his Countrey. But this hapning but to few, it is necessary he have some other reserve of action, and such surely, he that industriously designs it, cannot want, wherein though perhaps his influence will not be so general as in that, yet it may fall very auspiciously on many; and when all those occasions are exhausted too, when all direct operations are at a stand, he may yet betake him to the reflex'd, imploy his activity upon himself, which will always remain a proper object of his Industry, he being, though a rich, yet still such an improveable soyl, as will incourage and reward his Husbandry, though never so often repeated. And now I shall presume it apparent, That Education is a most estimable p. 29Treasure, a precious Mine that contains so many rich veins. O, why should any that possess it, suffer themselves to be poor, meerly for want of diligence in digging out the Ore!

11. And would to God that were an impertinent complaint, such as none were concerned in: But they that look on the Manners of many that have had this happy Institution, will finde too great cause to wonder and bewail, that so hopeful a Seeds-time should produce so slender, nay, so degenerate a Crop: As if Jobs curse were here exemplified, Job 31. 40. Thistles to grow in stead of Wheat, and Cockle in stead of Barley. Plutarch tells us of a voyce frozen in the midst of a River, that became audible by the thaw, and applies it to Moral Precepts taught in youth, but actuated by age. The Simile speaks him to have lived in better times; for in these, the voyce dissolves with the Ice, leaves not so much as an e…ho behinde it. Men now make it the business of their riper years, to unravel not the follies, but the learning of their youth; no sooner are they got from under the Discipline of others, but the first act of it they exercise, is upon those notions which have been instilled into them: And here they are such severe Lictors, that the mildest infliction is to gag and binde them, deprive them both of voice and motion; nor are they ordinarily satisfied with this, but as if they feared they would, like impatient Captives, p. 30watch some advantage to break loose again, their final doom is Ostracism, they and their Linage; all sober Counsels derived from them, are utterly expulst, so totally rased out of their mindes, that not the least footsteps of them remain; and all this under the name of Pedantry, a title, which it is probable their great aversion to their Teachers, suggests to them, as the most pathetick reproach, as if they meant now to be revenged on Learning and Tutor together, for attempting to make them wise against their wills.

12. And now when the Root is thus stockt up, there is little expectation of Fruit; and therefore he that shall here look for those forementioned effects of Education, will be more disappointed, then Christ seemed to be by the Fig-tree, That, though fruitless, yet afforded leaves; but here we are not to hope for so much, no sign that ever there was such a plant in the soyl: Let us briefly review those severals, and see what of them is ordinarily to be met with.

13. And first for the resisting of Errors, we usually finde Gentlemen, no Heroes in this point, their Understandings are as pliant, as seducible, as those who never had their means of fortifying them; and if they do indeed reject Errors, it is commonly by the same Engine, wherewith they cast off Truth, viz. Their inconsideration of both, as not being able to endure so much seriousness and intention of p. 31minde, as may serve to enter them of any opinion: They have transplanted their discerning faculty from their Intellect to their Senses, and find it there so full, so incessant imployment, that it can never be at leisure to revert to Scholastick disquisitions. They can discern exactly the most minute error in their garment, hold their Artificer most rigidly to the Laws of the Mode, are most exquisite Judges in all that relates to vanity or pleasure, and can they ever think fit to trouble their heads (whose least Lock must not for a world be disturbed) with abstruser speculations, who have found out so much a more easie exercise of their faculties; if any shall think this character partakes of the Satyre, I shall beseech him to compare it with the true state of our young Gallants in this point, and then upon the same account that cold and scanty praises go for detraction, I shall expect this very imperfect and partial accusation may pass for Panegyrick.

14. Next for the regulation of their Wills, that advantage depends so much on the former, that of their Understandings, that what evacuates that, must necessarily be supposed to doe the same for this also. It is not imaginable that he who hath defaced all his principles, whether moral or divine, or at least never revolves or considers them, should receive any influence from them, since they operate not but by a distinct application. And here should I ask many Gentlemen, when they ever so much as p. 32attempted any thing of this sort, I feare they would be forced to quarrel at the incivility o… the question, to evade the necessity of answering it; But God knows their actions speak too loud, that their business is to obey, no… prescribe; to fulfill, not regulate their wills, Nay indeed 'tis too frequent, that instead o… conforming their wills to their principles, they model and transforme their principles to their wills, herein verifying Aristotles observation that Pleasures are corruptive of Principles and so by this one art of inversion, the face o… things is quite changed; Vertue which their books represented to them as lovely and honorable, is now thought to have gained that lustre only by the flattery and varnish of the painters, and so is decryed as the most unamiable, despicable creature; and on the other side, all the contrary vices are taken from under that black veile, Philosophers or Divine… have put upon them, and are furbished and trim'd up, set to open view, as the most splendid, glorious things, the most adorning accomplishments of a Gentleman.

15. And to secure this transmutation, even God himself must have his part in it, be concluded to have bin all this while misrepresented in those characters of Purity and Justice, his word has made of him, and to have laid no such severe restraints upon men, as that tell… us of. That Temperance, Chastity, Self-denial Mortification, &c. were but the creations of p. 33some melancholy Recluses, who would then enviously impose those bands upon others, wherewith they had foolishly fetter'd themselves, that God is more indulgent to Mens appetites, which they may satiate here, as they please, without those future dangers Preachers fright them with. That this is the new Gentile Divinity, we need not appeale to Mens lives, their words openly proclaiming it, not without much scorn and contempt of their easie simplicity, who govern themselves by the other; yet as if this would not sufficiently provide for impiety, as if they were conscious of that absurdity, which indeed there is in defining God an abettor and favorer of vice, many have advanced a step higher, taking a more compendious course, and since they cannot bring God over to their party, make him such as will serve their turn, will unmake him, by becoming flat Atheists; Of this there are too too many instances, and 'tis to be feared will be many more, whilst to all other sensual alurements that opinion makes to its Proselites, this is added, that it is become a creditable thing, the badge and signature of a modern Wit, thus to be one of Davids fooles, in saying there is no God.

16. In the next place, let us descend to the Affections, and see what effects of their education is discernible there. And truly tha… seems to be no other, then what is observable… of a dam, put to intercept the course of some p. 34rapid streame, which so soon as it is either removed or borne down, the torrent gushes with so much the greater violence for having had that opposition; so here when the restraints, which bridled their minority, are taken off, their passions swell to a higher degree of impetuosity, they cease to be boyes and men together, the Man is dismounted, looses the reins, and is dragg'd whither the fury of the beast directs; A sad change, yet daily too visible in many, for alas what is more ordinary then to see Gentlemen, under the dominion of these brutish appetites; sometimes transported by a Rage to the greatest Undecencies, nay Dangers; sometimes hurried by a Lust like the possest person. Mar. 9, 22, through fire and water, the most desperate distructive attempts, and have nothing but rottenness and disease as the final prize of all those difficult adventures; sometimes drowned in swinish Intemperance; and sometimes again intombed in the Earth, buried as it were alive by fordid covetuousness, as if they meant to transcribe though not the innocence, yet the sufferings of the Primitive Christians, in being torne in peeces by wild Beasts. Oh, that they might once be brought to relinquish this absur'd fortitude, that those who laugh at the precept of turning the other cheek, Mat. 5. 39 would not here infinitly over-act it; and give up themselves to be …uffeted, yea slaughter'd by these their cruellest Enemies, nor be such Platonick lovers p. 35of Martyrdom, as to chuse only this, whereto there is no Crown annexed, but what is worne in the Kingdom of darkness

17. And now since we are thus to seek of these inward effects, we can with no reason hope for any of those outward, which are the results and consequences of these. And then 'twill be no wonder to observe Gentlemen behave themselves disdainfully and imperiously, as if they could not set a just value on themselves, without the unjust contempt of others. 'Tis true indeed, this is commonly a Wind that blows but one way, down the hill, onelyonly upon those below them, upwards they breathe gentle gales; it being one of their most studied faculties, to perform all acts of the most supererogating Civility to those above them; but when that Civility is throughly scanned, it will prove a greater injury then the contrary Rudeness; 'tis made up of such hollow prosessions, such gross flatteries, as are much worse then reproaches, nay seldom fail to be actually seconded with them; there being nothing more usual, then to revile and deride those at a distance, whom, when present, they admire and adore. And these now become such essential indispensable parts of good breeding, that the want of either inevitably betraies a man to the title of a silly Rustick; Flatteries and Despisings being the two contrary elements, whereof he whom they call a Fine Gentleman, is to be compounded.

p. 3618. This gives an account also of some part of his Dialect, which thus far answers little to those requisite qualifications, Weight and Usefulness; there being nothing more trivial or useless, then these two parts of conversation, and 'twere well if no worse epithers belonged to them. But if we look also into the rest, they will ordinarily appear to carry proportion with these: 'Tis every mans observation, that no spring will rise higher then its first head; And then words being but the issues of the Mind, where that wants the ballast of sober and vertuous Notions, 'tis no wonder if the discourse be light and aery. 'Twere easie to exemplifie in the several sorts of it adapted to the several humors of men; but 'tis also so needless, that the copy would be too exact by transcribing the impertinence too. But what such frothy discourse is naturally, the most serious may become by accident: And thus we see it the infirmity of some, who so far retain their Education, as to have their Minds better replenished, to vent their plenty so unseasonably or affectedly, that it produces nothing of benefit to the hearers, but rebounds injuriously with the aspersion of vanity upon themselves.

19. But such is the misery of this Age, that it were a fair composition, if Gentlemen could be perswaded to reduce their Discourse only to a privative sort of Illness; 'twere somwhat tolerable, if as on the one side they did not p. 37minister grace, Eph. 429. so on the other they did not breathe infection on the hearers. But alas, what are all those profane scoffings at Piety, so frequent among them, but as so many blasts and malevolent vapors to nip and destroy the practice of it; and so we see it too commonly does among those whose greener resolutions set them not above their malignant influence. How does their immodest and obscene talk disperse and scatter their own impure fires, to the inflaming of others! and whilst they inscribe upon these Poisons the inviting names of Ingenuitie and Esprit, they do not only tempt men greedily to imbibe them, but even defame and prostitute that Wit they pretend to, render it a Wilderness for all savage rudeness to range in, and make as many Candidates for that reputation, as there are impious and bestial men in the world. And to this sort of Wit they have found out a very proportionable Rhetorick, I mean that of their Oaths, that hellish piece of Oratory, which so overspreads their language, that (like a prosuse Embroidery that even quite hides the Stuff) it becomes the most remarkable part of it. 'Tis not a little strange how this foulest deformity hath gotten to pass for an embellishment and ornament of Stile; but that it doth so, is very visible not only from the no pretence of other temptation to it, but also from that affected and studied variety observable among them, as if they had the same p. 38concernment for their Discourse, which they have for themselves, viz. that it may every Year appear in some new piece of Dress, have some Oaths fresh minted to set it off.

20. To all these we may add their vain Boastings and Assumings, which are often so deplorably ridiculous, that 'tis doubtful whether more of pity or contempt belongs to them. Thus oftentimes, he that has but crost the Seas to fetch a Feather and fantastick Meen, brags more of his Travels, then if he had pass'd the Line, and felt the scorchings of the Torrid Zone; and upon the strength of this he takes authority to impose on others the most absurd and incredible Relations; yet still imposing more perniciously on himself, i. e. a belief that he appears very illustrious and glorious in all this, and on that confidence the smiles which his auditors mean in scorn, shall be taken in applause of him, and so encourage those follies they deride.

21. Indeed where this vain humor dwells, it will betray it self in innumerable indecencies of speech; but never does it give it self a fuller or worse character, then when it lets loose to anger and rage, one of the most genuine and fruitful branches of this bitter root. And this we frequently see overflow in all the invenomed reproachful language imaginable, such as one would wonder should fall from the mouth of any, whose education had not been wholly barbarous; An inverted kind of Eloquence, p. 39whereto some who have been taught the rules of better Rhetorick, have a great fluencie.

22. If now we should proceed to take a view of their Imploiments, there is little doubt but that Tekel Dan. 5. 27. might be a proper inscription on them, yea a mild one too, Lightness and Vanity being many times the most innocent ingredient in them: And this is but a natural inference from the former; for since the Principles of Actions as well as Words is within, it will certainly operate alike in both; as water sent from one fountain through several pipes, is the same, and hath equal vertues or faults in each. It were too easie to give as particular an account of these as the former; but foreseeing an occasion to do that in another place, I shall transfer it thither, as not desiring to iterate the importunity on so ungrateful a subject.

23. And now he that shall consider, that all this is the but partial image and representation of those, who have had that Education we so much magnified, will sure be tempted to ask Judas's question, Ad quid perditio haec? Why was all this waste of Discipline and Literature? to what purpose was so costly a foundation laid, when the superstructure is in the Apostles phrase 1 Cor. 3. 12. nothing but hay and stubble? And I doubt many defeated Parents have cause to make this complaint; but I fear also divers of them may with justice accuse themselves as Accessories to their own p. 40disappointments, who by an overhasty desire of seeing their Sons men, do at once anticipate and frustrate their hopes, evacuate the benefit of many years Education, by taking them too soon from under its benigne influence; which though it usually spring from immoderate indulgence, is yet really the greatest severity: For what can be more so, then to tie them to all the labor and toil of the Seeds time, force their Childhood to that Study and Intention of which that giddy age is most impatient, and then snatch them away at the Harvest; suffer them to converse no more with Learning, when once they grow capable of receiving either delight or profit by it? Thus of late it hath been the method of Breeding, to post them with an inconvenient speed from one Stage to another, many times bringing them too soon to the University, but much oftner taking them too early from it, before they have near gained what they came thither to furnish themselves with; and from thence the next step is over the Sea, which soon washes away those Notions, which lie crude in their brains, but have wanted maturity of years to digest into their manners. Indeed 'tis not imaginable how they should retein them, they being at their coming abroad solemnly put in a direct course of forgetting speedily what they formerly learnt, their whole time being then by order to be taken up in other unspeculative Exercises, wherein if they do happen to attain p. 41to some eminencie, yet 'tis sure but a dry exchange for what they quit for it: But then 'tis not one in twenty, that arrives to that; the negligence of Governors, or their own headiness, when they find the rein thus slackned, often makes their progress little in any thing they are appointed to; but in stead of that, they run a full carere in all debauch Pleasures, advance there in an instant to the highest proficiencie. I say not this to decry Travelling in general, but only the unseasonable time that is chosen for it: He that would really improve his Son by that means, should send him at such a mature age, when by the help of his foregoing education his Judgment is setled, and qualified to make useful observations, his Manners well weighed and fixed, that so he may be capable of all the good Foreign climes can afford, and secured from the infection of the ill; like a Loadstone, attract things of weight only, and not, like Jet, draw nothing but chaff and straws. But I confess this a digression, and therefore return to those who have thus embezled this precious Advantage, (and who have too much of their own wills in it, to be able to transfer the guilt upon any error of their Parents) beseeching them seriously to lay to heart this their so ruinous ill husbandry, and to let at last some better fruits of that seed appear; Not to suffer a Piece of Plate, left to the School or Colledge, to be the onelyonly Testimonials that ever they were there, p. 42and so bring those societies under the reproach of extortion, or fraud, of professing learning, but imparting none, of having taken some thing from them without giving them any valuable consideration, making them any proportionable returnes. But that they would at last take up this Talent thus long buried in the napkin, and yet fall a trading with it; and though the time they have lost should render them desperate of the reward of the Ten Cities, 'tis yet motive enough to industry, to rescue themselves from the sentence of the Slothful servant, and yet that will not be all, for there being no middle state be…ween reward and punishment, he that delivers himself from the one, puts himself likewise into a certain capacity of the other. But besides all, he is to expect hereafter, he is sure at the time of a very faire Antepast of pleasure here which he will immediatly reap from it, as the first fruits of the future rich harvest, which though the Law commanded to be sacrificed, yet such is the indulgence of the Gospel, that it exacts nothing, but that men would themselves enjoy them.

24. For such is the admirable goodness of God, that he is generally pleased to adapt his commands not only to our Eternal, but Temporal concernments, for knowing the impatience of our nature, that we love not to depend wholly upon reversions, he hath bin pleased to put somewhat of present gust and relish p. 43upon every part of duty This might be evi…enced distinctly through the whole Codex of Christian Precepts, his Yoke is an easie, nay …racious Yoke; his burden, a light burden, Mat. …1. 28. and from this general ground, I may have Warrant sufficient to affirm the like of …his particular I am now upon. But it may be yet more clearly evinced, by reflecting on the …everal improvements of this Talent, which have bin mention'd, as the Duty of all those that possess it.

25. And first, for that of an acute and elevated Understanding, I need appeale no further then to common Vote, to have that pronounced a very desirable thing, it being hard …o pick out a man of such an avowed bruta…ity, that will own the despising it; even those who will be at no pains to acquire, will yet profess to esteem it, and we may beleeve them …n earnest, if from no other argument, yet from this, that every man affects the reputation of being Wise, is pleased when he succeeds in that aime, and on the contrary is not more troubled and discomfited at any thing, then to be taxed of Ignorance or Error. If any shall deny this, … shall suspend his confutation, till some body reproach him with folly, and then from the displeasure he finds in himself, leave him to conclude his own value of Wisdome; and indeed why do good men look upon a foole with so much pitty, and ill men with so much scorn, if knowledge be not both a Felicity and a Credit. p. 44Nor is this the sentence only of the vulgar who usually admire those things most, from which they stand at the greatest distance, b… especially of the more discerning sort of me… who from every tast they have had of it, hav… had their appetites so raised, that they hav… insatiably thirsted after the fuller draughts, th… made so many of the old Philosophers renounce the injoyment of those sensual Pleasures, th… offered themselves, to go in quest after this on… transcendent delight, and Solomon to prese… this in his election before Riches and Honor the two principal parts of worldly splendo… to the rectitude of which choice God himself beares Testimony. And now if this be in … self so valuable, so ravishing a thing, shall its being here connected with duty, prove such an allay, as to deprive it of all the gust; certainly if it doe, it must argue the palate ver… perverse and distemper'd; for to all other, tha… one consideration would give a relish and fla… vor to the dryest, the most unpleasant undertaking: The conscience that I am now imploy… ed as I ought is such a refreshment as is able to sweeten the severest labor, yea the greate… suffering; shame is a thing to which human… nature hath an innate abhorrence, yet th… Apostles made it matter of joy, when it befe… them for Christs sake. Acts 5. 41. and shal… this blessed Copy of theirs be transformed instead of transcribed; shall those who have no… so much Christian patience, as to beare the… p. 45slightest reproach for him, have yet so much unchristian stupidity, as to endure the greatest …n opposition to him; chuse rather to be ignorant, when 'tis both their sin and shame, …hen wise, when 'tis their duty and reward, …vert St. Pauls choice, and be fools against Christ, as he owns to be for him: If there be …ny such Antipodes in our clime, their unha…iness will yet serve to illustrate what they …fuse to partake of, viz. the felicity of having performed this part of duty in the improvement of the understanding.

26. In the next place the regularitie of the …ill is extremely both amiable and profitable, for that being an uncontroulable faculty, …f it be wrong set, what torrents of mischief …nd confusion does it let in; if in all its con…eptions it permit the sensual appetite to lay, …ke Jacob, its pilled rods before it, all its births will be ring-straked, speckled and spotted. The …uinousness of a perverse will is so generally understood, that there is nothing renders a man …ven in common account more miserable and …eplored; he whose Will runs counter to his Reason, every man is Astrologer enough to …ead his destiny, and presage his destruction. And by the undecent and pernicious effects of … disordered, we may make an estimate of the beauty and advantage of a rectified Will; the …ormer, like a vitious improvident Governor, exposes his Territories to a deluge, first of luxury, and then of ruine, but this latter like a vertuous p. 46and prudent Prince, at once secures the innocence, and felicity of his Subjects. Indeed it is this alone, that really and effectively gives us the preheminence above beasts, they have choices as well as we, and they have affections, but wanting the higher principle of reason, their choices are necessarily determined by their affections; now if we who have both, are guided onelyonly by the latter, wherein does our state differ from theirs, save only that our liberty makes us guilty, whereas their necessity leaves them innocent. I presume I need say no more, to evince the happiness of a well ordered will, since none can contest it, but he must tacitly confess himself weary of his humane nature, and emulous, not of a greater dignity, but of a degradation to tha… of the Bruits.

27. And as much may be said concerning the Affections, which if they be not curbe… and held in by the understanding, will have as free and uncontrolled a sway in men, as they have in meer animals, but with worse effects, by how much we have more objects to incite them; more instruments to actuate them then these have. If any man can b… tempted to think this no unpleasant condition, let him yet further consider, that thi… metamorphosis is not like the fancied transmigration of the soule, wherein it was supposed to assume the nature, and consequently the passions but of one beast alone, no, here p. 47is the whole Wilderness let loose upon a man, with all their contrary appetites perpetually combating one with another. He that hath the rapaciousness of a Wolf, may yet have the …imorousness of an Hare, and so is racked between the desire of having, and the fear of suffering: He that hath the lust of a Goat, may yet have the intemperance of a Swine, and be distracted to which of the appetites to give up himself. He that hath the cruelty of a Tyger, may yet have the wiliness of the Fox, which will give him the pain of many irksom delays, in attending an advantageous opportunity; and so proportionably in others: And what can be more unsupportably uneasie, then to have these continual tumults within, to be in a state of hostility not only with other men, but with himself? or what can there need beyond this consideration, to recommend the contrary condition to us? The subduing these bruitish Inclinations, is the introducing Peace into a Land, harrass'd and wasted with intestine War; and sure none need be told (at least in this Age) that that is a most ravishing pleasure: And I may with the same confidence appeal to the verdict of any who hath tried these two contrary states, and doubt not but he will from his experience confirm the most profuse and even Poetique declamation that can be made on this Theme.

28. All I shall add is, in a joint relation to this and the two former, by observing that p. 48illuminated Understandings, regulated Wills and Affections, make up a great part of the celestial happiness. The Angels of light would no longer have right to that title, without these, The spirits of just men made perfect, were improperly so stiled, Heb. 12. 22. had they not received this accomplishment of their nature: And the greater degrees hereof we arrive to here, so much the more sensible anticipation have we of those divine joys. And sure thus to partake with Angels and Saints, is to be happy, and will be acknowledged so by all, whose value and wishes of a Mahometan Paradise render them not uncompetent to estimate these purer and refined pleasures.

29. If from hence we proceed to those outward effects, which are the results of these inward, we shall find they are all full of delight and satisfaction. Courtesie and friendliness of Behaviour does not only cast a glorious lustre round about, attract the eyes and hearts of others, but it also reflects with cheerful and comfortable gleams upon our selves: For, Man being designed by God for a sociable creature, hath such propensions and Inclinations put into him, as are proper to that end; and these are gratified and pleased, when we so demean our selves, as may answer that intention, towards which nothing can be more necessary then this debonnaire and gentle carriage, for that allures people to our conversation, p. 49whereas the contrary roughness frights and deters them, (the churlishness of a Nabal makes men they cannot speak to him, 1 Sam. 25. 17.) it gives a man part of Nebuchadnezar's fate, separates him from among men, by forcing them to withdraw from him; and that the worst part of it too; the hairs like Eagles feathers, and the nails like birds claws, being much the lighter degree of the infliction, fit to pass for dress and ornament, compared with that more deforming disguise this rugged temper puts upon a man. And as on the one side, this morosity and sourness of humor is very uneasie, so on the other is that form of fawning and flattering compliance, which some call Civility: It obliges men in many circumstances to renounce their ease, their health, yea their understandings too, and keeps them in such constraint, that one may truly say, a less measure of self-denial would serve to constitute a man a good Christian, then an exact Courtier; whereas he that keeps himself in a just mean, neither drives away one sort of company, nor buyes the other so dear: He has a standardmeasure, by which to dispence his Civilities, viz. The quality and worth of the persons; and confounds not himself with those more unjust and mutable rules of their expectations. So in the first of the instances he keeps himself a Man, whilst the other is in some respect a Beast; in the second he preserves himself a Freeman, whilst the other is a Slave: And sure p. 50I may refer it to any mans decision, which is the pleasanter state.

30. Next for the Words, 'tis not to be doubted but that calm and temperate Language has the advantage of that which is passionate and rageful; and that not only in respect of decencie, but ease too; of which there needs no other testimony, then that visible perturbation and uneasiness observable in all who are under such a transportation. So in like manner, when the words are pertinent and weighty, they give not only more satisfaction to the hearer, but to the speaker also: This may be judged by the contrary displacencie men have at themselves, when they are conscious to have spoken impertinently or undecently. By satisfaction I mean not that vanity, which men too often affect of shewing their parts, but a just and sober complacencie, arising from the conscience of having regulated their discourse by the measures of a Wise man and a Christian, the having said that which may be of benefit, but cannot be of mischief to his auditors; And this surely is a much more real pleasure then any can be had in the contrary kind of dialect. If to this it be objected, that generally none are so much delighted with their own discourses, as they who talk the most vainly and absurdly: I answer, that even these are not pleased with the vanity and absurdity; their pleasure results from a mistake, supposing it to be the quite contrary. And this helps to p. 51evince, that solid and prudent speaking gives satisfaction, since even the shadow and fiction of it can be made to yield it.

31. Lastly, for the Imploiments, they surely must afford most of contentment, when they are most noble and excellent: They do so at the time, in the direct line, they having more of agreeableness to the nature and dignity of a man; but they do yet more so in the reflexion, when a man looks back upon his day or week spent, and finds his business has been worthy of him, it exhilerates and revives him, enables him to pass his own, approbation on himself, and as it were to anticipate the Euge he shall one day receive from his great Master. But he that gives himself only the idle divertisements of a Child or sets to the baser drudgeries of Vice, cannot reflect without confusion: which is so well understood by such persons, that they are fain to take sanctuary in a total Inconsideration, never daring to ask themselves. What have I done? Which bears full testimony to the excellency and felicity of ingenuous Imploiments, since they that decline those, are forced also to decline themselves, grow out of their own acquaintance and knowledge.

32. And now what Objection can there lie against this duty, which is in all the parts of it so advantagious and eligible, that it becomes duty not only to God, but even to themselves, their own present interests and satisfaction. p. 52Shall Pleasure it self lose its nature, adopt the properties of its direct contrary, and become irksom and abhorred, only because 'tis twisted with Obedience? Is there so perfect an antipathy between God and them, that 'tis impossible they should have the same objects of delight? or can no Joyes have any taste with them, that are not the causes and forerunners of eternal sorrows? This were such a degree of perversness, as common charity bids me no… to expect; and I see not what else can evacuate… the pleasure that attends the improvement of this talent of Education.

33. After all this, I foresee it not impossible that some may plead an exemption from th… Obligation, by affirming they want the ground of it, that they never had this Education. I am not willing to fancy there have been so many unjust and un…ind Parents as may qualifie any considerable number of Gentlemen for this plea: But to those few that can really make it, I shall not thick the foregoing Discourse wholly impertinent; for… by shewing them the advantages of what they say they thus want, it may incite them (not to murmur… at the negligence of their Parents, but) to attempt the repairing of it by becoming the… own Guardians, putting themselves into Discipline, and by the strict Laws of Reason governing and restraining th…se Passions, which by the liberty of their Breeding have got hea… by this means supplying to themselves the first p. 53part of Education: And the like may certainly …e done for the latter also, if they will but deposit that common error, of thinking it more manly to be ignorant then to learn, and be content to put themselves in a course of Erudition, which a man may do for himself in his Closer, as well as a Tutor may do for his Disciple in a School; and though he want many of those advantages the other hath, yet 'tis possible they may be in a good degree supplied by that industry and desire, which all those are supposed to have, who are thus their own Pupils; And there want not instances of the success of them who have thus attempted, but I confess there are too few examples of the attempt, men being too apt to sit down contentedly under this want; whereas let the same persons have an entailed Estate alienated from them by any act of their Fathers, they are not then so came, but will struggle to the … …o recover their rights; Yet certainly an Ingenuous Education is as properly the Birthright of a Gentleman, as any the most firmly setled Inheritance can be: Why should they then acquiesce in that so injurious an Alienation, and not seek by all endeavors of their own to retrieve this so precious a Possession?