CONCLUSION. Upon the whole Survey of Things, the Paffions are of admirable and most important Ufe in the Life of a Man, and a Chriftian: For though they were not given to tell us what is good, and what is evil, yet when our Reason, upon a calm Survey, has paffed a juft Judgment concerning Things, whether they are good or evil, the Paffions (as I before mentioned) are thofe lively, warm, and vigorous Principles and Powers in our Nature, which animate us to purfue the Good, and avoid the Evil; and that with vaftly greater Speed and Diligence than the more calm and indolent Dictates of Reafon would ever do. By this means when the Paffions are once fet right, they become exceeding ferviceable to us in Things that relate to God, and to our Neighbour, as well as to ourselves: It is on this Account they are fo useful to us in Affairs of the utmost Importance that concern this Life, and the Life to come.

Hence it follows, that the Stoics were much in the wrong, to perfuade us to root out and destroy all Paffions in general, and to nullify (if poffible) thofe

*How-seloght? Don Will

active

active and useful Powers which the God of Nature has planted in us for excellent Purposes in human Life. Stoical Apathy is not Chriftian Virtue. Reafon and Re'ligion teach us to regulate and govern our Paffions wifely, but not to erafe and abolish them.

SECT. XV.

Of the Regulation and Government of the Paffions, wherein it confifts.

THE whole Art of regulating the Paffions confifts in thefe four Things, namely, 1. A Power to prevent and fubdue all thofe which taken together with their Objects can be called unlawful. 2. To excite thofe which are innocent and useful to a juft Degree on proper Occafions. 3. To withhold or fuppress them when they go out towards improper Objects. And 4. To moderate them when they rife to an irregular Degree, or exceed a proper Duration, even when the Object is lawful.

But it must be confeffed, that with regard to Things of this Life, and the Objects of Flesh and Senfe, our Paffions

for.

for the most part want to be fuppreffed and moderated, rather than to be excited or indulged. Thence it comes to país, that the Government of the Paffions is much more frequently defcribed by the Power to moderate and fubdue them, than by the Art of raifing them.

Since the Paffions are made up of the Ferments of the Blood, and the Commotions of animal Nature, as well as the Operations of the Mind, they do not lie entirely under the Command of the Will; we cannot ftir up and fupprefs thefe Ferments of animal Nature by a fovereign Act of Volition when we pleafe. But it may be done by the Confideration of Truth: For as the Palons are railed by Percep tions of the Mind, fo we may by degrees raise or fupprefs the Paffions, by applying our Minds to the Perception of thofe Objects, or thofe Truths, which are suited to thefe Purposes.

If a Soldier is affaulted by an Enemy, he cannot fupprefs his Fears, nor raise his Courage by a mere Act of his Will; but when he confiders what is his Character, and his Poft, how weak the Enemy is, and how much nobler it is to

defend

defend himself than to fly, and what Honour is gained by Victory, and what Shame attends Cowardice and Submiffion, these Truths represented to the Mind, difperfehis Fears, raife his Courage, and he refolves upon the Fight.

But fince there are many ways of re-. gulating these active Powers of Nature, I fhall propose fome of the chief of them in this Order. (1.) I shall mention a general Rule or two for the Regulation of the three primitive Paffions. (2.) Propose some particular Truths and Ruleswith which the Mind fhould be ever furnished, as Prefervatives against the Rife, the Excefs, or Irregularity of fome: particular Paffions. (3.) Lay down fome univerfal Directions, which relate to all the Paffions, and the Regulation of them.

SECT. XVI.

General Rules about the three Primitive

I.

LE

Paffions.

ET me mention A general Rule or two for the Regulation of the three Primitive Paffions.

We

We have seen in the foregoing Pages that the moft general primitive Paffions are Admiration, Love, and Hatred; and the Objects that raise them must appear to us to be either uncommon, or good, or evil.

The way to guard us against exceffive Admiration, or a foolish gazing and wondering at every Thing, is to get a large Acquaintance with Things, namely, to learn the various Works of Nature, the Appearances of Providence, the Occurrences of human Life, and the Affairs of Mankind, both by Obfervation and diligent Reading, and by free and public Converfation. When we have attained fuch a general Knowledge, fewer Things will ap pear new, rare, and uncommon; and we fhall not be fo ready to ftare and wonder at every thing, nor be furprised fo often as we were when our Knowledge was 'lefs.

Yet fince Admiration or Wonder, when well regulated, is a very pleafing Paffion, we may always find fomething fufficient and worthy to raise this agreeable Senfation, if we will proceed ftill, and make further Searches into the Works of God,

and