Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A58514
|
The true conduct of persons of quality translated out of French.; Véritable politique des personnes de qualité. English
|
Rémond des Cours, Nicolas, d. 1716.
|
1694
(1694)
|
Wing R958A; ESTC R14388
|
62,565
|
216
|
Vehemence of his Carier The Fiftieth recommends Regular Conduct of Life and shews where 't is inoffensive it should be All of a piece The Fifty first plainly makes it appear that the quickest Understanding cannot pronounce judiciously of a Man unless they have seen him under the Gawdy Temptations of a Full Fortune or the pressing Necessities of a Scanty The Fifty second prefers that Man of Quality as deserving the most ample Commendations who can steer evenly betwixt both with an easie Indifference The Fifty third sets down the Inconvenience there is in reaching forth Credential Letters to every one who has the Confidence to request 'em and if that renders Men of Honor liable to be put upon signing 'em with Blanks carries 'em into double Danger The Fifty fourth stints Curiosity and discovers where its true Use is to be fix'd The Fifty fifth puts an Incapacity upon two Sorts of People for Companions which are Deboshees and Cowards In the Fifty sixth all Tricking is arraign'd besides what is necessary to countermine the Trickers In the Fifty seventh you are told what a fatal Stroke the Death of a Friend is and which is the best way to heal the Wound it makes The Fifty eighth bids a Man of Quality seriously consider what ticklish Ground he stands on at Court and how many are at work to trip up his Heels The Fifty ninth gives us to understand what a Provocative to Laughter the Motly Figure of a Grey-headed Gallant is The Sixtieth specifies what Counsels a Man of Quality is not only to excuse but to encourage and what he is oblig'd in Honor to reject and to punish the Broacher The Author in the Sixty first seems to be sensible what a number of untraceable Spirits a Man advanc'd to a high Statior has to conjure down and therefore he proportions suitable Qualifications either to carry on the Attack agaisnt 'em or at least resolutely to stand upon the Defensive Because Froth is always ways uppermost the Sixty second Section adviseth never to answer when you are in a Ferment for when the Matter is of Moment 't is good to stay for a becalm'd Temper The Sixty third clears that Truth that he who has already a profligate Bias ought to have no Patron by the Authority of his Reputation to countenance him farther to out-run his Duty The Sixty fourth teaches a Man of Quality thus to deal with the Ungrateful not to be suddenly vindictive but by the wonted Tenour of soft Treatment to shame 'em into a Sense of their own Omission In the Sixty fifth you are given to understand that because there are no petty Consequences which attend Great Undertakings 't is stark Nonsence to bring an ordinary Application to ' em The Sixty sixth leads a Person of Quality into a Belief how necessary Secresie is to him that it is a mighty false step to proclaim his Steerage to the World and so arm his Adversary to undo him and that nothing can dispense with his divulging of a Secret but where the concealing of it would affront his God betray his King and naturally tend to the Ruine of his Country In the Sixty seventh the Author makes it a proof of a Mishapen Mind that it must either be flush'd with extravagant Hopes of Things that are out of its reach to determine upon or else with as irregular a Motion to be immediately toss'd into the Depths of scandalous Despair The 68th Section endeavours to convince a Great Man that it is his Duty to deter Vice and to take Virtues Part let the Attempt cost what it will The 69th makes it appear how wretchedly Trivial that Humour is to be continually hovering about Business and entering upon none spinning out Time so long till the Lucky Minute for executing a Design is slip'd by and can by no Art be brib'd to return The 70th give secure Directions to moderate that over-boiling Heat by which Men are precipitated to pass fatal Sentences on themselves by making a wrong Judgment both on Persons and Things The 71st Head decyphers both how unmanly and impolitick that Conduct is where two have been Partners in an Undertaking that has succeeded for one to usurp all the Praise and to rob the other of his Share The 72d marks out the Road a Man of Quality must pursue when he is urpriz'd by a sudden Accident which is just upon the Verge of breaking all his Measures The 73d Section is a little Medley of Moral Lessons about Good Turns Rewards and the wise Disposal of Employments The 74th derives down to us the Knowledge of what a Power there is in some Mens Method of obliging their Kindness flows so easily that it insinuates it self with Variety of Charms into the Soul of the oblig'd 't is here you learn the Knack how some Men of Quality can lend away Petitioners satisfi'd at the same time they are refus'd The 75th points out to you both the Advantages that a Man in Solitude has to discover Truth and the Comforts which finish the Repose of his Mind in that Thinking State but yet discovers that all are not to be of this Bookish Flegmatick Form this Machine of the World can never be turn'd but by Wheels that move with mone Vigour and therefore as the Shoulders of Men of Quality are loaded with the Weight of publick Affairs they deserve at least Commendation to help 'em to support it The 76th unveils to us what noble Thoughts may be extracted from a quick Inspection into the Creatures we daily converse with The 77th draws Banishment in such fair Colours that a State-Officer disgracd may fetch Armour eno ' from this little Magazine to defend him from any harsh Resentment of such a Change The 78th sets forth this Consolation that if a Man of Quality keeps up but those three Springs of Innocence Patience and Resolution in his Frame he can never have one uneven Motion in a Prison In the 79th the Author bids you step off the Stage of a tumultuous World and to make a Christian-like Preparation for the Climes of Bliss puts you upon this single Duty to give Wings to your Devotion and to be inflam'd wâ—th such a resin'd Love of your dearest Saviour Jesus Christ as may exert it self in a suitable Imitation of his bright Example And now to wind up all this kind Hand that has led you rhro ' all the Mazes of a tedious Life would not forbear accompanying you to the last Apartment the Chambers of what has been call'd the King of Terrours and Grisly Death But with the truest Stamp of Friendship tells you you may make it as desirable as you please and tho there may be a little Violence at the first separation of two so nearly ally'd as the Soul and the Body yet upon an antecedent pious Provision the Reunion of those dear Companions will be attended with such Extasies of Joy that no Man living need stand shivering on the Brink of Eternity at the Minute
Weather-beaten Vessels into that Port of Happiness he has promis'd us and that which ought particularly to touch us to the quick is that a pure and disinterested Charity was the Foundation of all that he did for us that God who found in himself the never flowing Fountain of his own Felicity needed none of the impotent Company of his Revolted Creatures yet he with God-like Mercy was willing to unite himself to our Nature and to suffer Death for Sinners worthy of the deepest Lashes what Tenderness what Love was visible in that God who did in some sort humble himself to save us How proper is this Motive to affect generous Minds and how difficult is it when we think seriously of the Benefits we have received from our Lord how difficult is it I say to refuse him a Heart to which his Title is so antecedently Just Ah! if we are so sensible of the good Offices which are done us where commonly the Actors look asquint on their own Interest what Acknowledgment ought we not to pay for so many Gratuitous Bounties as Jesus Christ has conferr'd on us only because he lov'd us This adorable Saviour has given us in his Life and Death a perfect Model of all the Virtues which can lead us up to that Immortal Crown he designs us and he is desirous that we should not deviate from his Steps but yet surveying our Weakness he has promis'd us a Reinforcement of his own Succours with which we need not decline to combat those formidable Enemies that have vow'd our Destruction Let us charge then with Confidence under so great a Leader we may well be undaunted under so good a Master let us inviolably imitate the Brightness of his Example and that our Wills may not be biass'd by the publick Obliquity of the 〈◊〉 let us judge of things as he judg'd of 'em let us pronounce that those Riches Pleasures and Honors which he despis'd do not deserve our constant Attendance on 'em let us believe also that the Sufferings which he lov'd to that heighth as to die upon a Cross are less to be fear'd than wish'd for and let us remember that the way which he march'd to his Glory that is now Triumphant is not surcharg'd with the Gaiety of Flowers but yet looks Graceful tho 't was dy'd with Blood and water'd with Tears LXXX Of Death AFter having propos'd my Thoughts about what we are to do and what we are to avoid whilst we wander in this Lower Region methinks 't is pat to the purpose to say something of Death which gives the finishing Stroke and is the most important Moment of fleeting Life I know very well that the Separation of the Soul from the Body can be no Friendly Parting and that the most resolute Minds cannot behold it without some Discomposure that borders upon Fear nevertheless I do not think it is so hard a Task as some fearful Souls who multiply their Terrours imagine 't is to bid the World adieu with the same Generosity with which we liv'd in it indeed why should we dread the Passage thro' this Streight that has been open'd by other Columbus's so many Ages ago Is it not better with Bravery to stand the Shock of that Danger which we know before-hand is unavoidable and from which not the subtlest of all Mankind by any evasive Tricks can bolt the Hope of Happiness which is assur'd to us if we die with holy Dispositions to be capable of it ought sooner to quicken us to search for Death than to increase our Fear of losing Life If we are jealous that we shall be rack'd with some painful Agony let us reflect that often 't is light eno ' or at least that 't is quickly adjourn'd and if the Severity of God's Judgments frights us the Blood of Jesus Christ shed for our Salvation and the infinite Love which he has for Souls that have cost him so dear ought to still our Fears and inspire us with much Confidence of Reconcilement If we are just which yet a Man ought not to persuade himself that he is let us hope he will breath immortal Love on us and crown those Works which are the Results of his own Grace and if we are Sinners let us not despair of his Mercy seeing that knows no Bounds and that the Scripture tells us that a broken and a contrite Heart he will not despise The Grace of such a happy Repentance which we ought to ask with Faith Humility and Perseverance is eno ' to give us new Life after Death Nevertheless it must be own'd that those who neglecting the Obligations of their Religion degrade themselves by immersing their Lives in sensual Fruitions have reason to apprehend Death as a King of Terrours for besides that their Ruine is certain if they are catch'd unawares by it which God knows is too often as we are assur'd by our Redeemer put case a Distemper should leave such Men some Dregs of Time to think upon their Salvation either they flatter themselves that it will not prove mortal and so stop short even in the Tendency to a Preparation for a dying hour or if seeing themselves at the last Gasp they desire to receive the Sacrament to huddle up a mispent Life commonly 't is more the Effect of a slavish Fear than any Fruit of a true Conversion they do not sincerely renounce the Pleasures of the World nor abandon the Objects of their criminal Passions which they have always doted on with so much vehemence for that Love fortifi'd by long Custom has branch'd it self in their Hearts with such stubborn Roots that it must be only a Miracle of Grace that can divorce such a cemented Acquaintance and will God vouchsafe this extraordinary Grace to those who for so many years have impudently violated and contemn'd his holy Laws The surest Means then to be arm'd against the Fears of Death is for Gentlemen to prepare themselves by a pure and innocent Life timely to draw off from that which one day they must part withal for ever to reflect often that in that critical Moment where Eternity begins the Pleasures of Sense expire a Veil is drawn over all human Greatness every glistering temporal Advantage is vanish'd Lastly they have no more to do but to persuade themselves convincingly that there is no other Bottom to stay their Consolation upon but the Remembrance that they have lov'd God and that they have serv'd him with an invariable Stedfastness in spight of the over-bearing Corruption of a profligate Age. FINIS THE CONTENTS I. AN Honest Man Page 4 II. Honoring of Parents Page 10 III. The Importance of Education Page 12 IV. What a Young Gentleman ought to Learn Page 15 V. What ought to be the Scope of his Studies Page 19 VI. To make a right Use of Knowledge Page 21 VII What a Man is to do for his Relations Page 23 VIII To be subject to the Laws of the Country Page 24 IX The Duty of Allegiance