第2章

Sect。VII。 IFAvaricebethyVice，yetmakeitnotthyPunishment。Miserablemencommiseratenotthemselves，bowellessuntoothers，andmercilessuntotheirownbowels。Letthefruitionofthingsblessthepossessionofthem，andthinkitmoresatisfactiontoliverichlythandyerich。Forsincethygoodworks，notthygoods，willfollowthee； sincewealthisanappertinanceoflife，andnodeadManisRich；tofamishinPlenty，&；livepoorlytodyeRich，wereamultiplyingimprovementinMadness，&；useuponuseinFolly。 Sect。VIII。 TRUSTnottotheOmnipotencyofgold，&；saynotuntoitThouartmyConfidence。KissnotthyhandtothatTerrestrialSun，norborethyearuntoitsservitude。ASlaveuntoMammonmakesnoservantuntoGod。CovetousnesscracksthesinewsofFaith； nummestheapprehensionofanythingabovesense，andonlyaffectedwiththecertaintyofthingspresentmakesaperadventureofthingstocome； livesbutuntooneWorld，norhopesbutfearsanother；makestheirowndeathsweetuntoothers，bitteruntothemselves；bringsformalsadness，scenicalmourning，andnoweteyestothegrave。 Sect。IX。 PERSONSlightlydipt，notgrain’dingenerousHonesty，arebutpaleinGoodness，andfainthuedinIntegrity。 Butbethouwhatthouvertuouslyart，andletnottheOceanwashawaythyTincture。StandmagneticallyuponthatAxis，whenprudentsimplicityhathfixtthere；*andletnoattractioninvertthePolesofthyHonesty。ThatVicemaybeuneasy&；evenmonstrousuntothee，letiteratedgoodActs&；longconfirmedhabitsmakeVirtuealmostnatural，orasecondnatureinthee。Sincevirtuoussuperstructionshavecommonlygenerousfoundations，diveintothyinclinations，&；earlydiscoverwhatnaturebidstheetobe，ortellstheethoumay’stbe。Theywhothustimelydescendintothemselves，andcultivatethegoodseedswhichnaturehathsetinthem，provenotshrubsbutCedarsintheirgeneration。AndtobeintheformofthebestoftheBad，ortheworstoftheGood**，willbenosatisfactionuntothem。 *[\"whereprudentsimplicityhathfixtthee\"：inthetextofLettertoaFriend。] **Optimimalorumpessimibonorum。 Sect。X。 MAKEnottheconsequenceofVirtuetheendsthereof。BenotbeneficentforanameorCymbalofapplause，norexactandjustinCommercefortheadvantagesofTrustandCredit，whichattendthereputationoftrueandpunctualdealing。FortheseRewards，thoughunsoughtfor，plainVirtuewillbringwithher。Tohaveotherby—endsingoodactionssowersLaudableperformances，whichmusthavedeeperroots，motives，andinstigations，togivethemthestampofVirtues。 Sect。XI。 LETnottheLawofthyCountrybethenonultraofthyHonesty；northinkthatalwaysgoodenoughwhichtheLawwillmakegood。NarrownottheLawofCharity，Equity，Mercy。JoynGospelRighteousnesswithLegalRight。BenotamereGamalielintheFaith，butlettheSermonintheMountbethyTargumuntotheLawofSinai。 Sect。XII。 LIVEbyoldEthicksandtheclassicalRulesofHonesty。PutnonewnamesornotionsuponAuthentickVirtues&； Vices。ThinknotthatMoralityisAmbulatory；thatVicesinoneagearenotVicesinanother；orthatVirtues，whichareundertheeverlastingSealofrightReason，maybeStampedbyOpinion。Andthereforethoughvicioustimesinverttheopinionsofthings，andsetupanewEthicksagainstVirtue，yetholdthouuntooldMorality；&；ratherthanfollowamultitudetodoevil，standlikePompey’sPillarconspicuousbythyself，andsingleinIntegrity。AndsincetheworstoftimesaffordimitableExamplesofVirtue；sincenoDelugeofViceisliketobesogeneral，butmorethaneightwillescape；EyewellthoseHeroeswhohaveheldtheirHeadsaboveWater，whohavetouchedPitch，andnotbeendefiled，andinthecommonContagionhaveremaineduncorrupted。 Sect。XIII。 LETAgenotEnvydrawwrinklesonthycheeks，becontenttobeenvy’d，butenvynot。EmulationmaybeplausibleandIndignationallowable，butadmitnotreatywiththatpassionwhichnocircumstancecanmakegood。Adisplacencyatthegoodofothersbecausetheyenioyit，thoughnotunworthyofit，isanabsurddepravity，stickingfasttmtocorruptednature，andoftentoohardforHumilityandCharity，thegreatSuppressorsofEnvy。ThissurelyisaLyonnottobestrangledbutbyHerculeshimself，orthehigheststressofourminds，andanAtomofthatpowerwhichsubduethallthingsuntoitsel£； Sect。XIV。 OWEnotthyHumilityuntohumiliationfromadversity，butlookhumblydowninthatStatewhenotherslookupwardsuponthee。Thinknotthyownshadowlongerthanthatofothers，nordeligkttotaketheAltitudeofthyself。BepatientintheageofPride，whenMenlivebyshortintervalsofReasonunderthedominionofHumor&； Passion，whenit’sinthePowerofeveryonetotransformtheeoutofthyself，andruntheeintotheshortmadness。IfyoucannotimitateJob，yetcomenotshortofSocrates，&；thosepatientPaganswhotiredthetonguesoftheirEnemies，whiletheyperceivedtheyspittheirmaliceatbrazenWallsandStatues。 Sect。XV。 LETnottheSuninCapricorn*godownuponthywrath，butwritethywrongsinAshes。DrawtheCurtainofnightuponinJuries，shutthemupintheTowerofOblivion**andletthembeasthoughtheyhadnotbeen。ToforgiveourEnemies，yethopethatGodwiIlpunishthem，isnottoforgiveenough。Toforgivethemourselves，&；nottoprayGodtoforgivethem，isapartialpieceofCharity。Forgivethineenemiestotally，andwithoutanyreserve，thathoweverGodwillrevengethee。*EvenwhentheDaysareshortest。 **AlludinguntotheTowerofOblivionmentionedbyProcopius，whichwasthenameofaTowerofImprisonmentamongthePersians； whoeverwasputthereinwasasitwereburiedalive，anditwasdeathforanybuttonamehim。 Sect。XVI。 WHILEthousohotlydisclaimesttheDevil，benotguiltyofDiaboIism。FalInotintoonenamewiththatuncIeanSpirit，noracthisnaturewhomthousomuchabhorrest；thatistoAccuse，Calumniate，Backbite，Whisper，Detract，orsinistrouslyinterpretothers。Degenerousdepravities，andnarrowmindedvices！notonlybeIowSt。Paul’snobleChristianbutAristotle’strueGentleman*。Trustnotwithsomethatthe；EpistleofSt。JamesisApocrypkal，andsoreadwithlessfearthatStabbingTruth，thatincompanywiththisvicethyReligionisinvain。MosesbroketheTabIeswithoutbreakingoftheLaw；butwhereCharityisbroke，theLawitseIfisshattered，whichcannotbewhoIewithoutLove，whickisthefulfillingofit。LookhumblyuponthyVirtues，&； thoughthouartRichinsome，yetthinkthyselfPoorandNakedwithoutthatCrowningGrace，whickthinkethnoevil，whickenviethnot，whichbeareth，hopeth，believeth，endurethallthings。WiththesesureGraces，whilebusyTonguesarecryingoutforadropofcoldWater，mutesmaybeinhappiness，&；singtheTrisagion**inHeaven。*SeeAristotie’sEthicks，chapterofMagnanimity。 **Holy，Holy，Holy。 Sect。XVII。 HOWEVERthyunderstandingmaywaverinthetheoriesofTrueandFalse，yetfastentheRudderofthyWiIl，steerstraituntogoodandfallnotfoulonevil。Imaginationisapttoroveandconjecturetokeepnobounds。Somehaverunoutsofar，astofancytheStarsmightbebutthelightoftheCrystallineHeavenshotthrougkperforationsonthebodiesoftheOrbs。OthersmoreIngeniouslydoubtwhethertherehathnotbeenavasttractofLandintheAtlantickOcean，whichEarthquakes&；violentcauseshavelongagodevoured。SpeculativeMisapprehensionsmaybeinnocuous，butimmoralitypernicious；TheoricalmistakesandPhysicaI DeviationsmaycondemnourJudgments，notleadusintoJudgment。ButperversityofWill，immoralandsinfullenormitieswalkwithAdrasteandNemesisattheirBacks，pursueusuntojudgment，andIeaveusviciouslymiserable。 Sect。XVIII。 BIDearlydefianceuntothoseViceswhichareofthineinwardFamily，&；havingarootinthyTemperpIeadarightandproprietyinthee。RaisetimeIybatteriesagainstthosestrongholdsbuiltupontheRockofNature，andmakethisagreatpartoftheMiIitiaofthyIife。DeIudenotthyseIfintoiniquitiesfromparticipationorcommunity，whichabatethesensebutnottheobIiquityofthem。Toconceivesinsless，orlessofsins，becauseothersaIsoTransgress，wereMoraIIytocommitthatnaturalfaIlacyofMan，totakecomfortfromSociety，&； thinkadversitiesless，becauseothersalsosufferthem。ThepoIiticknatureofVicemustbeopposedbyPolicy。AndthereforewiserHonestiesprojectandplotagainstit。Whereinnotwithstandingwearenottorestingenerals，orthetriteStratagemsofArt。Thatmaysucceedwithonewhichmayprovesucceslesswithanother：ThereisnocommunityorcommonwealofVirtue： Everymanmuststudyhisownoeconomy，andadaptsuchrulesuntothefigureofhimselfSect。XIX。 BEsubstantiallygreatinthyself，andmorethanthouappearestuntoothers；&；lettheWorldbedeceivedinthee，astheyareintheLightsofHeoneofthoseviolentoneswhichforce*theKingdomofHeaven。IfthoumustneedsRule，beZeno’sKing，&；enJoythatEmpirewhicheveryMangiveshimselfHewhoisthushisownMonarckcontentedlyswaystheScepterofhimself，notenvyingtheGloryofCrownedHeadsandElohimsoftheEarth。CouldtheWorlduniteinthepractiseofthatdespisedtrainofVirtues，whichtheDivineEthicksofotherSaviollrhathsoinculcateduntous，thefuriousfaceofthingsmustdisappear，Edenwouldbeyettobefound，andtheAngelsmightlookdownnotwithpity，butJoyuponus。*MatthewXI。