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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A49388 Humane life: or, A second part of the enquiry after happiness. By the author of Practical Christianity; Enquiry after happiness. Part 2 Lucas, Richard, 1648-1715. 1690 (1690) Wing L3398; ESTC R212935 101,152 265

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little troublesome in the beginning do soon grow easie and delightful too In this sense must we understand that of the Author of Ecclesiasticus Chap. 4.17 18. thô rendered a little harshly For at the first she that is Wisdom will walk with him by crooked ways and bring fear and dread upon him and torment him with her Discipline until she may trust his Soul and try him by her Laws Then will she return the straight-way unto him and comfort him and shew him her secrets Secondly Impertinence or being busied and imployed in Trifles is indeed as different from Sloth as Motion from Rest but yet such a wretched Consumption of Time cannot deserve the Name of Life for this is not Activity of Soul but a poor and mean debasing of it Fancy and that a silly and extravigant one may be said to live but Reason cannot That Idleness which consists in heavy Passive Dulness is like a state of Sleep without Dream or Fancy that which consists in a fluttering and impertinent Activity is nothing else but a giddy Ferment of the Spirits and Agitation of the Fancy the incoherent disjoynted Thoughts the confused and fruitless Projects and Attempts of a Dream and we may almost as properly say of him that Dreams that he Eats and Drinks Fights or Travels or whatever he Fancies himself to do as we can of this sort of Sluggard that he lives 'T is true could a Man be for ever Impertinent this sort of Idleness would seem to some Men to have no great Evil in it but how could such a Mind bear the shock of Humane Misfortunes How could such a Soul discharge the great Duties of Humane Society How could it entertain it self with Objects agreeable to a Rational Nature And if it could do none of these things 't is impossible to conceive how it could be other than miserable for thô we could suppose such a Creature to be so meer a Trifle as never to be nearly concerned in any Changes of Fortune nor ever called upon by that Community he belongs to that is I should almost say never to be regarded or minded either by God or Man yet still such a one did no way live up to the Excellence of his Nature his Business and Enjoyment were not Manly and Rational and his Childish Life were therefore only pretty and pleasing to him because he had a childish and silly Soul Nor is the Grave much better than the gay Impertinent or the Man of Business if he neglect the main the one thing necessary to be preferred before the Man of Mode Sensuality 't is true softens and Drudgery hardens the Mind but both alike intoxicate it both wed it to this and alienate it from the other World It imports very little to what Idol one do Sacrifice whether Ashtaroth Molock or Mammon if we Sacrifice not to the true God In vain do they pretend to any other Art who are ignorant of the Art of Living to plod or drudge intriegue or trade canvas and court 't is all but solemn Impertinence if Vertue and Religion be neglected Ah! what Phantoms and Clouds and Dreams do Men pursue and hunt after instead of Life and Peace of Rest and Pleasure Thirdly Remisness or Lukewarmness in Religion a sort of Neutrality between Vice and Vertue is the next thing to be avoided We can never truly Live unless we be intirely Uniform unless we be wholly given up and without reserve to the Conduct of Reason There is little Pleasure in Religion if there be no ardour and fervency in it 't is Love makes the Duty easie and the Prospect delightful If there be no Strength in Faith no Life in Devotion no Spirit in Duty ●o Desire in Hope this is Religion without a Soul 't is the Carcas of an unanimated Vertue what Peace what Assurance what Joy what Transport can ever be the Portion of such a Christian Fourthly Levity and Inconstancy is the last thing I will now mention and the most irreconcileable Enemy to Life For this does not only interrupt the Course of Life or like Sleep or Sloth make a vast Casm or Gap in it but puts us more back than we had advanced forward an unhappy gust of Wind that throws us off to Sea again when we were almost come to Shore if we will reap the Fruit of Victory we must pursue it if we will find rest we must be stedfast and unmoveable if we will enjoy Vertue we must unite and incorporate it with us 't is impossible that the unconstant unstable Proselyte of Vertue should either have a pleasant Life or a comfortable Death for if he build to day what he pulled down yesterday if he practice one hour what he condemns another 't is impossible he should please himself much less his God To shun the Evils and make the most of the Goods of Life is none of the least important Rules conducing to Happiness and might properly enough be insisted on here But I begin to tire and since this may better be reduced under the Heads of Indolence and Fruition I will defer the Consideration of it till I come to treat of them which I may one time or other do if I see Reason for it if not I would not willingly be impertinent if I cannot serve the World I will not trouble it FINIS ERRATA PAge 13. line 12. read contemptible p. 68. l. 21. r. single p. 90. l. 6. r. ease p. 134. l. 12. r. ripen p. 134. l. 15. r. places A Catalogue of Books Printed for and and sold by Samuel Smith at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard ENquiry after Happiness Vol. in Octavo The Duty of Servants Containing first their Preparation for and Choice of a Service Secondly Their Duty in Service towards God their Masters and themselves Together with suitable Prayers to each Duty and some Direction peculiarly to Servants for the worthy Receiving the Holy Sacrament Both written by the Author of Practical Christianity Octavo A Treatise of Self-Examination in order to the worthy Receiving of the Holy Communion Twelves Price 1 s. A Sermon about frequent Communion preached before the University of Oxford By Tho. Smith D. D. Quarto Of the high Veneration Man's Intellect owes to God peculiarly for his Wisdom and Power By the Honourable Robert Boyle Octavo A Sermon preacht at the Funeral of Mr. Tho. Lamb July 23. 1686. by Rich. Lucas M. A. Vicar of St. Stephen's Coleman-street 1686. The History of the Persecutions of the Protestants by the French King in the Principality of Orange from the Year 1660. to the Year 1687. Written by Mr. P. Chaplain to his Highness the Prince of Orange In Quarto 1689. Price 1 s. A Discourse about Discerning and Trying the Spirits c. To which is prefixed the Life of Saint Mary Magdalen de Pazzi a Carmelite Nun. With a Preface concerning the Nature Causes Concomitants and Consequences of Ecstasie and Rapture Octavo 1688. Remarks upon Popery Represented and