;

fons when you are calm and fedate, and free from the Influence of any Paffion and according to the Rank of Worth or Goodness in which your unbiaffed Reafon has placed all thefe Things in your Efteem, let your Actions in Life be conducted, and all your Paffions be regulated thereby.

Prefervatives against the irregular Exercife of fome particular Paffions.

II. THE fecond Thing which I propofed in order to regulate the Paffions, was to exhibit fome special Truths, and fome particular Rules, with which the Mind fhould be ever furnished, against the Excefs or Irregularity of particular and dangerous Paffions. But I fhall not fet all thefe Truths and the Rules in different Ranks, fince many of the Rules are but a Confideration of fome proper Truths.

The particular Paffions to which our Natures are very prone, and which lead us often far aftray from Virtue, Piety and Happiness, are chiefly thefe, namely,

Pride in ourselves, and Scorn of others, Malice and Envy against our Neighbour, exceffive Love and Fondness of particular Objects, Fear and Sorrow, Anger and Revenge. Some of these are to be prevented or fuppreffed entirely, namely, Fride, Malice, Envy, Revenge; others must be governed by the Principles of Reafon and Religion, namely, Fear, Anger, Sorrow, &c. If we can regulate all thefe wifely, it will go a great way toward a pious and happy Life. And if we would allow ourselves once a Year to read over the following Sections of this Book, which contains Rules for the Exercife and due Government of our Paffions, perhaps we should not complain of loft Labour, nor regret the Hours fpent in such a Review of Matters which ought to be kept in perpetual Practice; and which relate to our Peace and Happinefs through the whole Course of this Life, and our Preparation for a better.

SECT.

SECT. XVIII.

Rules to fubdue Pride and Scorn.

1.THINK often what you were, and what you shall be.

Confider what you were. What was your Original different from others? Are you not formed of common Earth? Made of one Flesh and Blood with other Men? Shall a little finer House or finer Clothes make a Worm vain among his Fellow-worms, and tempt him to scorn his Kindred?

Confider what you fhall be. Your Flesh returns to Corruption and common Earth again; nor fhall your Duft be diftinguifhed from the meaneft Beggar or Slave; no, nor from the Duft of Brutes and Infects, or the moft contemptible of Creatures. And as for your Soul, that muft ftand before God in the World of Spirits, on a level with the reft of Mankind, and divefted of all your haughty and flattering Circumftances. None of your vain Diftinctions in this Life fhall attend you to the Judgment-feat. Keep

this Tribunal in view, and Pride will wither, and hang down its Head. 2. If you have any fancied Advantages above others, remember whence you derived them. Who is it made you differ from the meaneft and vileft of Mortals?

If

you have received all from God, Why do ye boast, and look big, as though you had not received?

3. Set yourself often in the Prefence of the great God. Think how mean and contemptible you are in his Sight. Learn Humility this way, as Job did, who abborred himself in Duft and Afbes, when he faw God in his Majefty and Glory.

4. Think on the glorious Condefcenfion of Jefus the Son of God, who was the exprefs Image of his Father, and the Brightnefs of his Father's Glory, and yet put on our feeble Flesh and Blood, to dwell with Men, and to die for them. The Man Jefus united to God, is the highest of Creatures, and yet the humbleft. Fix your Thoughts on the amazing Inftances of his Humility, and imitate fo fair and divine a Pattern.

5. Survey the Things that raife your Pride, and confider how vain they are. Is

Is it Silver and Gold? The Duft of the Earth? Perishing Treasures! Poor Comforters in an Hour of inward Diftrefs, of Sickness or Death!

Is it Beauty, and Youth and Strength? What withering Flowers are all these! What gay and dying Vanities, that are wafting hourly, and may be blafted with an Eaft Wind!

Is it Honour and Fame among Men? What an empty Thing is the Breath of Mortals! How fubject to change! How unjust and feeble a Foundation for Pride! It is fometimes given to the worst of Men without due Merit; and even when it is beft merited, and moft juftly given, it is but a Sound that vanishes into empty Air.

Is it high Birth that makes you proud and fcornful? This is the Honour of your Ancestors more than your own, and perhaps it was not raised at firft upon Virtue or true Merit; then it is a worthless Thing indeed.

Is it your Knowledge and Wifdom that puffs you up with Conceit? It is a Sign you want one large Branch of it, that is, F 2

the