any obligation to endeavour to extirpate this Principle or Affection out of our minds any more than we are those of Love Desire Joy Grief Hope Fear and such like we are not obliged to things impossible But we are under the strongest Obligations in the World to endeavour to correct in them whatever tends to abuse or excess And this is not only possible but is indeed one of the grand businesses of our Life As for the Affection of Self-esteem I am persuaded the Vertue or Principle of Generosity which I am about to treat of will be of great use to regulate it and I think I may say without fallacy most of the other Affections too Now in handling the present Argument I shall endeavour to do these three things First To explain the Nature of Generosity Secondly To shew the usefulness of the Principle for the due government of our Actions Thirdly To shew how Generosity may be acquired or afterwards improved in our Minds First I shall try to shew the Nature of Generosity Now Generosity may in general be considered under a twofold respect 1. As a Passion or Affection in Man and this is the more narrow and restrained Notion of it And next As a Power or Principle immediately founded in the rational Nature and this is the more large and comprehensive Notion of it So far as it is attended with a Commotion in the Blood and Spirits or with a Sensation more immediately relating to the Body so far it has the nature of a Passion or Affection And so far as it depends purely on the rational Nature of a Man and is attended with such Cogitations as immediately relate to the Soul so far it may be considered as an intellectual or rational Power Nor need we think it strange that having but one Name it should under different respects have the nature of an Affection and likewise of an intellectual Power The Names we give to things are not always adequate and it s scarce possible they should be in Matters of this kind There is so strict an Union betwixt the Soul and Body of Man and such a reciprocal operation of the one upon the other that sundry of his Acts are compounded partly of Sensations referring to the Animal Nature and partly of Cogitations referring to the Rational Since therefore those Cogitations of the Soul which either produce a Vertue in Man or accompany it are in most Cases either attended with or confirmed by some Perception or Affection of the Animal Nature And since on the other hand some Perfections or Affections of the Animal Nature dispose the Soul to certain Cogitations helpful to the producing in it the acts of some particular Vertues It is easie to believe there will be in the effect of this reciprocal Operation a mixture of the Vertue and Affection and so we find it falls out Humility is a known Vertue and Pride a known Vice yet each of these are in some sense a Passion or Affection as well as upon other accounts a Vertue and a Vice Humility for instance has the nature of a Vertue so far as it is a Power or Principle referring purely to the Soul and producing such Cogitations and Actions as are commendable by the Laws of the rational Nature but is still a Passion or Affection so far as it is accompanied with a commotion in the animal Spirits or in general with any corporeal Impression The like might be said of several other Vertues and mutatis mutandis of several Vices Generosity then considered as an Affection consists in a just Self-esteem whereby a Man values himself just so much as he lawfully and fairly may And under this respect it is a Species of the general Affection called Admiration and holds the Medium between the two Passions of vitious Humility and Pride correcting what is amiss in each But there are likewise certain other Dispositions or Habitudes worth remarking because they are of great use and ornament which may be referred to Generosity of which sort are a masculine Firmness and Constancy Presence of Mind and Sweetness of Temper This Firmness and Constancy is of force to compose a Mans Spirits to establish his Thoughts and to preserve him steady and consistent with himself and by those means secures him not only from many of the Livities and Imbecilities which they are apt to fall into who are guided by impulse and fortuitous impression but also from several of those errors and preposterous actings to which fear or feebleness of Spirit are wont to expose Men. And so Presence of Mind operates in much the same manner in case of sudden emergencies and by preserving the mind intrepid undisturbed and present to it self on such occasions secures the Man from being surprized into things hurtful or indecent So likewise the Sweetness of Temper which accompanies Generosity serves to render Men pacifick agreeable and easie to themselves and others And as it tends to overcome the humorous and sour Qualities which make Men uneasie to themselves and disagreeable in Conversation so it likewise disposes them to all the decent Expressions imaginable of Civility and Complaisance It is true the several Dispositions aforesaid may be many times owing to Mens natural Temperament But yet if Men have them not by the gift of Nature 't is in great measure within their power to acquire them or to cultivate and improve them when acquired and to correct the contrary Qualities Some Men indeed have the happiness to be naturally of an ingenuous Disposition Candid Sincere Modest and of a firm and masculine Temper having by the particular vouchsafement of God Almighty a loveliness and sweetness of Spirit which cannot be express'd and such a Command over their Spirits as is of extraordinary advantage to them They who have these and the like Qualities implanted in them by Nature are in a sort born to Generosity And even they who have them in a lower degree are altogether unexcusable if they do not endeavour to cherish and improve them since the acquisition of Generosity would be so easie where there is such a natural aptitude for it On the contrary some Men are particularly unhappy in their composure being naturally of a rough and feral Temper dark and solitary in their Minds stubborn haughty or of feeble and impotent Spirits He who is concerned in any of these or such like ill Qualities for one cannot with a good Grace suppose them all in one Man is its true under peculiar difficulties as to the acquiring of Generosity But as that ought to quicken his diligence and care to overcome those Impediments which his natural Temper puts him under so if he does overcome them his Conquest will be the more glorious But I am not to insist upon that in this place But from the different Dispositions of People we may observe in what manner Generosity resides in Mens Tempers and how it mixes it self with their other Affections and Dispositions And this I think does
it therefore in it self culpable If it be mischievous in its Abuse may it not be advantagious in its right and regular use If it produce this effect in us it does not as I have already said do this naturally and unavoidably but by accident and by our own Fault There are several Principles or Propensities that belong to our Nature which will certainly run into extreams if they be not ballanced and rightly managed especially those which are as this is vehement and of powerful influence upon us And if we are not wont to think that they are in themselves culpable and unmanageable why should we think this to be so Let us turn our Eyes but to a few Instances Every Body knows we have in us a Principle of Self-preservation Which is indeed both innocent in it self and also of great and necessary use But this is likewise apt to exceed its just bounds If Men should give it a lose Rein and follow without reserve its blind Dictates it would in all probability throw them into such an excess of Fear and Solicitude for themselves as would render them useless to their Friends or their Country as would disable them to pursue the Rules of Justice Charity Fortitude and all other Vertues the practice whereof may be attended with danger and hazard and would perhaps sometimes destroy the very end for which this Principle seems designed as it befalls them who hurl themselves into Danger or Death through excessive Fear of it and Solicitude to avoid it There is also in Men a vehement desire of Procreation And that Propensity is innocent in it self and both may and ought to be so governed as to answer its end without exceeding the just bounds Yet should Men let themselves loose to follow its impulse without fear or wit no doubt but it would carry them into the last Extravagancies So likewise the innate desire of Happiness that is in Men is capable of being directed rightly and we ought to make use of it as may be subservient to the end for which it was given us But Men may misapply it and when they do so it will by the prevailing influence it has upon them carry them far into the Extream and inspire them with as great a Fervency in the prosecution of a false or imaginary Good as of the real and true One. In short these and other vehement and operative Principles or Propensities are given Men for wise and good Purposes some of which we are able easily to discover and if they be rightly managed will be of great use But if we do not endeavour to conduct them by our Reason and the Laws which God hath given us for that purpose the blame will justly fall upon our own selves It will not therefore I conceive either turn to so good account or so well become us to bequarrel and find fault with our own Nature and Composure as it will to endeavour all we can to attemper and conduct the Principles and Propensities that are in us by the Laws of Reason and Revelation But I am now concerned only with the Principle of Self esteem and therefore shall proceed to consider how it is mixed with Generosity and conducted by it Whoso exactly observes the Nature of Mankind will find that there is nothing which can so properly and absolutely be called a Man's own as the free disposal of his own Will And that generally speaking a Man cannot justly be either praised or dispraised but for those Actions which depend on this freedom of his Nature because he has nothing else so entirely in his own power Now agreeably hereto the Character of a Generous Man will be such as follows The Generous Man finds in himself a Resolution to use that Freedom of his Will rightly and thereupon is always enclined to undertake and execute what he shall judge best and most fitting to be done And then he values himself upon nothing so much as upon the sincere use of his Natural Freedom and the firm purposes he makes to prosecute Vertue with an extream application He does not value himself upon account of any of those things which are wont to beget Pride in Men such as Honours Riches Wit Beauty Success or the like but upon account of that which no Man can properly speaking be proud of because it is not an Excellency peculiar to himself above other Men but a Property of the Human Nature in general to wit The Free Disposal of his own Will And by this means he is secured from Pride On the other hand he is very sensible of the Failings and Imperfections incident to Human Nature by reason whereof he knows himself to be liable to those Errours and Offences which he sees in other Men. And he considers at the same time that other Men as having the free disposal of their own Wills as well as himself has of his may use that freedom as well as himself does or better if they be not themselves in fault And therefore he is not enclined to entertain big thoughts of himself or to prefer himself before other Men. And this preserves him in an humble and modest temper of Mind But in regard he finds in himself as I have said a steady Purpose of using his Natural Freedom rightly and of doing always as near as he can that which is really and absolutely best which he thinks is the main thing that gives Men a real value or worth He is satisfied that he ought not to be contemned though he want several of those External Considerations for which Men are generally valued in the World such as Honours Wealth Beauty or the like Nor does he much care if he be contemned for the want of them Much less is he concerned if he fortune to be disvalued for a defect in some of those trivial things which in the opinion of some People pass for Recommendations of a Man such as Garb Air Mien Accent or the like And thus he is placed above the reach of Contempt and secured from a vicious Humility or abjectness of Spirit And when he surveys according to the best of his skill be it greater or less both the Human Nature in general and Himself in particular he becomes sensible that he has no absolute need of any thing which it is not in his own power by the help of God to acquire and keep And therefore he is not much disquieted though he want several of the Ornaments and Accommodations of Life which others have Thus if he have not those External Things which Men are ordinarily valued for he does not upon that account think himself much inferiour to those that have them And if he have he does not think himself superiour upon that account to those that have them not He has a low value for External things and is perswaded that the possession of them cannot justly advance or the want of them justly sink a Man's real Price And therefore in estimating either
look in them as proper Objects not only of Justice but also of Kindness and Beneficence a serenity of Mind mixt with the Perceptions of Kindness and Gratitude and a sense of Decorum which kind of Sentiments serve to open his Heart and to dispose him as well to make suitable acknowledgments of Favours and Obligations as likewise to do these and other things in such a manner as may seem most becoming a great Mind To Generosity do likewise belong Sincerity and Rectitude of Spirit Of which I shall have occasion to speak more particularly anon And to it likewise belong Dispassionateness and Tranquility 'T is well known that Mens Passions and unbridled Appetites do ruffle and disorder them to a very great degree and by disturbing the regular use of their natural Freedom and raising Storms and Tempests in their Minds impel them to the commission of many foolish extravagant and wicked things which afterwards bring upon them shame regret remorse of Conscience and many other Inconveniences Now Generosity is adapted to remedy these Evils For the Generous Man by the Command he has over his own Spirit and the Government he maintains over his Passions and Inclinations is the better secured in that Tranquility which the regular use of Mens natural Freedom is wont to produce And since he endeavours to do nothing whereof he shall have just cause afterwards to Repent he is the more likely to escape Remorse of Conscience than which there is nothing that gives the Mind a more sharp and tormenting Pain Evenness of Temper in Judging and Acting is another Property of Generosity This is much the same with that which is sometimes called in one word Moderation And is produced or maintained by that Firmness of Mind and Tranquility which I have before mentioned It is easy to discern that the due government of a Man's Spirit and of his Passions corporeal Impressions and Inclinations the irregularities whereof do so much pervert Mens Judgments concerning things and betray them into so many weak and wicked Actions must needs conduce very much to establish him in this even Temper of Mind Exact observation of Decorum is likewise another Property of Generosity We know there are several things either Lawful or at least countenanced by the general Practice of Men which yet are really not expedient or fitting to be done as being against Decency and good Grace In such Cases the Generous Man considers not barely what is lawful or practicable but withal what is decent and seemly The respect he has for the Humane Nature enclines him to conceal its imperfections to cover what is uncomely with the vail of Modesty and to submit quietly to the laws of the animal nature without violating Purity or Decency internally in his Mind or openly in his words or actions He will not offer unhandsome things to Matrons or Virgins or put modest persons to the blush and endeavours in general to avoid such words and gestures as are ungraceful So likewise he is not apt to be assuming impertinent or troublesome in company to put the banter and ridicule upon others to reflect upon them or insult over their weakness and imperfection to pry into other Mens secrets or meddle with matters which do not concern him He bears with many things connives at and passes many things over in silence In a word he considers his sex his age his station his character and the circumstances of his condition and endeavours with respect to them all to comport himself as neer as he can by the rules of Decorum And since Decency is a thing of a refined and delicate nature and the perfection as it were of Right and Lawful as Equity is the perfection of Justice The Generous Man who resolves to do to his power that which is best and most becoming and to attain as high a degree in Vertue as he can must neeeds find himself under an obligation to observe the rules of Decency In short Generosity imports an extreme Love and Veneration for Vertue The Generous Man looks upon Vertue and Goodness to be the most honourable and becoming thing in the World and the greatest Ornament and perfection of the Human nature It is to him the great index and rule of Honourable and Dishonourable And therefore when he looks round about him he can see nothing that deserves to be the object of his esteem and ambition in comparison of it Being satisfied that there is nothing so worthy of his care and regard as that which tends to advance him to a conformity unto the supreme and most perfect Being and which leads him in a direct line to the truest and highest Felicity his nature is capable of So that when he resolves to use his natural Freedom rightly and to prosecute with all his might that which is simply and absolutely best he does so for the sake of Vertue That is the secret Spring of his motions and the Butt of his Ambition This may serve for a general explication of the nature of Generosity In the next place I am to speak somewhat to shew the agreement and affinity there is between it and several other Vertues which have been deservedly esteemed of the first rank and likewise between it and some of those excellent rules of conduct which have been approved by the common consent of mankind in most ages of the World And after that I would consider briefly the influence it has even upon what is more strictly called Piety and Religion By all which it may appear that the sentiments and dispositions of mind which Generosity is attended with all do entirely correspond and are in effect the same with those sentiments and dispositions which the most eminent Vertues and approved rules of Action serve to produce in us And the doing of this will I conceive not only afford us a fuller interpretation of the Principle which we are now considering but likewise be of considerable use to us in our Practice Now there are six Principal Vertues which I shall take particular notice of in this place to wit Prudence Sincerity and Patience which are called Primitive Vertues And Justice Fortitude and Temperance which are called Derivative ones Prudence is a Vertue whereby a Man judges rightly of things And this no Man can well do who is not competently free from the power of Prejudice Passion and the other imbecillities which hinder Men from the clear discernment of what is good and true Now it is the generous Mans constant endeavour to overcome and keep his Mind free from those impediments as I have before noted And by that means he is very much secured from several of those errors which are opposite to Prudence such as Rashness Precipitance Levity Credulity Obstinacy blind Zeal Partiality and the like And on the contrary is disposed and enabled to judg and chuse rightly To explain this I shall at present only make use of the following instance waiving others which might be given We find there
is a sort of Imprudence which Men are betrayed into by an unaccountable gayety of temper that sometimes befalls them And though this be commonly most incident to young People who by reason of the fire and briskness that is in their Blood and Spirits are most apt to be carried away by vehement and sudden emotions yet there are many who retain this levity and gayety of temper till they come to be far advanced in years Now Generosity helps to correct the Irregularities of this temper as it ballasts and poises the Mind and excites Men to do those things only which are grave manly and discreet that is to act according to the rules of Prudence And in regard 't is part of the character of a Generous Man firmly and advisedly to resolve to prosecute in all his actions as neer as he can that which is ultimately and simply best Whilst we suppose him to do that we must suppose him to be competently conusant and capable of judging what is best that is to be at least a competently Prudent Man Sincerity is a Vertue whereby a Man is disposed sincerely and uprightly to prosecute that which he deems to be simply best This Vertue is one of the brightest characters of the Soul 'T is the life and Spirit of other Vertues And that which is in a particular manner pleasing and acceptable to God Almighty as we may judg from the nature of the thing and as sufficiently appears from several express Declarations in the Gospel of our Saviour So that 't will be a great Recommendation to Generosity if that be found to have a Cognation with it Now Sincerity has an especial relation to the Will It consists in a simplicity of Mind and a Rectitude of Will and intention It is that Purity and uncorrupt Chastity of the Will whereby a Man is engaged to adhere unto that which appears to be best But Generosity is likewise accompanied with the same disposition of Mind which Sincerity produces in Men. For Generosity has in like manner an especial relation to the Will It is attended with that Rectitude of the Will whereby a Man is continually engaged to endeavour to use his Natural Freedom rightly and to chuse and do to his power in all cases that which appears to be best The very description of these two correspond mutually and enter into one another Since that which appears to be best is for an inviolable Law both to the sincere and to the Generous Man these two Vertues must needs have the strictest Connexion imaginable As for Patience which is a Vertue of the Soul whereby a Man for the sake of Vertue and Goodness is contented to endure those things which are difficult and unungrateful to the Animal nature This Vertue evidently appertains to Generosity and may in partitular be referred to the Masculine Firmness of Mind which makes part of that character For Patience do's not reside in a feeble Spirit or in a Breast agitated with untamed and impetuous Passions It dwells in Masculine and firm Minds which are able to endure the shock of Hardships and think it inglorious to shrink when they are engaged in the Cause of Vertue Thus also the Generous Man confirms himself in a resolution to bear the injuries of Men and other misfortunes that may befall him And though he does not throw himself rashly into dangers or misfortunes yet he resolves to go through them with an even and undaunted Spirit Nor indeed can the Generous Man without a due Proportion of the Masculine Vertue of Patience execute those resolutions which he makes of pursuing the highest good Without it the formidable prospect of Death Pain Poverty Shame on the like would quickly break his Measures and dissolve his Resolutions And therefore he thinks he is obliged to arm himself with this Vertue that he may be able the more constantly and steadily to put in are the just Resolutions he makes of acting upon the Principles of Honour and Vertue So likewise we may observe that there are a great many things which put Men into disorder and impatience that do befall them unavoidably and without their own choice such as neither their Industry or Foresight can prevent And that on the other Hand Men do oftentimes by their own folly and peevishness create Vexations to themselves when it is in their power to be in quiet And whether Men are under misfortunes of the First or Latter sort we find by experience that the greatest part of the uneasiness they endure in those cases is owing to the impatience and ungovernableness of their Spirits by means whereof that which would otherwise be easy to be endured becomes intolerable to them Now as to the vexations which we voluntarily bring upon our selves I need not say that Generosity helps us to endure them for which is much better it does really help to prevent them It tends to cure Men of those little freaks and imbecillities of Spirit which are the cause of them And so by taking away the cause takes away the effect And as to the other sort of misfortunes which 't is less in our power to prevent Generosity which helps us to govern our Passions and Appetites which arms our Minds with Masculine Resolutions in a Word which makes us sensible that there is all the reason in the World to submit patiently to the soveraign and wise Government of Almighty God whether he distribute sweet or ungrateful things and to suffer hardships for the sake of Vertue I say Generosity which operates within us in this manner must needs conduce very much to beget in us a patience and constancy of Mind Next consider Justice which is a constant and uniform purpose of giving to every one his due Now the Generous Man pursues the dictates of this Vertue And is willing to do right both to himself and likewise to every body else For he neither envies nor hates any body He thinks it a dishonourable part to do an unjust thing to another either by detracting from his just desert or by wronging him in his Estate his Bed or his Person And so he is kept from several Vices which are opposite to Justice such as Slander false Testimony and Subordination Bribery and unjust Judgment Covetousness Extortion Murder Adultery Rapine Oppression fraud Cruelty and the like Nay he is not content to do strict Justice to other Men But chuseth to render them more than what is in strictness due rather than less He relaxes and qualifies as far as he lawfully may what is rigorous and extreme and exerciseth Justice with that Moderation and Equity which is indeed the Flower and perfection of it And since it is part of his character that he has no mighty value for Honour Riches or the like external things he is under the less temptation to wrong others in order to advance or enrich himself with their spoils So likewise he esteems it a mean and abject thing to be ungrateful to such as
have obliged him or done him good offices And therefore is careful to shew upon all fit occasions his gratitude to his Benefactors accounting it a piece of Justice and Honour so to do And he is likewise careful to demonstrate an entire Fidelity to those who have committed to him a Trust accounting it both unjust and mean-spirited to be treacherous or unfaithful And whilst he considers the strait alliance and consanguinity there is between Man and Man upon account of the common nature they are all partakers of and likewise the just Title that all Men who are not fallen from the common Rights of their nature have not only to his esteem and good will but also to all those good offices which 't is in his power upon reasonable terms to render to them He finds himself engaged even in point of Justice to be courteous affable easy of access humane candid and obliging to all Men and to exercise as far as he fairly may the respective offices of Charity Beneficence Hospitality and Philanthropy towards them And as he thinks himself obliged to do those things which Justice requires with respect to mankind So he considers also the Justice that is due to Almighty God And this engages him to the exact performance of the respective Offices of Piety which relate to Almighty God So likewise he remembers that he ows a duty and Respect to Truth also And this obliges him to an entire Veracity and makes him punctual to his promises and contracts as far as lies really and bona fide in his power And considering that Lying Equivocating or Dissembling are mean and rascally actions and for the most part the tokens of an abject Spirit he finds himself obliged to avoid these and such like little Arts if he would pursue the Character of a Just and Generous Man As for Fortitude whereby Men are enabled for the sake of Vertue and Goodness to atchieve and undergo great and difficult things and even to suffer Death it self with a firm and intrepid Mind It is so neerly allied to Generosity that several of the Characters of Generosity have been wont to be ascribed by Moralists to it and to be represented under the name of Fortitude or Magnanimity Now Fortitude or Magnanimity consisting in that true Gallantry of Mind which qualifies Men for great undertakings which enables them to encounter with a constant and serene mind the difficulties and dangers that attend elevated imployments both in Peace and War and all this in general for the sake of Honesty and Vertue and in particular for the good and safety of their Country Generosity and It appear to have an undivided cognation And as Fortitude has in most ages been esteemed and honoured in a peculiar manner insomuch that the other good habits or powers of the Soul are called Vertues from the proper name of this So the Generous Man has a Genius peculiarly suited to make good the characters of that Vertue And though he be as sensible of Pain and misfortunes as other Men yet he endeavours to keep his Spirit from being oppressed or softned by them and in a word to support himself under all with a steadiness and constancy becoming his character Then for Temperance which is a Vertue whereby Men are restrained in the use of sensitive pleasures that they may the better pursue things more sublime and noble This is evidently of kin to Generosity which likewise suggests that we ought to postpone all manner of sensitive Gratifications to those other exercises of the Mind whereby it is led to that which is simply and absolutely best He cannot prosecute that which is absolutely best with a just Vigour who is continually enclined to gratify the Body in its several Appetites because there is nothing that does more than that hinder Men in the pursuit of Vertue and Goodness But the Generous Man is sensible that 't is unbecoming the dignity of the Rational nature for a Man to indulge himself too much in corporeal pleasures or gratify the extravagant desires of the Body That this would be to set the Rational and the Animal nature upon the same Level or perhaps to prefer the Latter before the Former And being satisfied it is no part of true Humility to condescend so low he endeavours to maintain the dignity of that rank and order wherein God Almighty hath placed him And all this he does not out of a Contempt of other Creatures more ignoble than himself but out of a just esteem of the Dignity of his own Order and out of a sincere regard to Vertue And when he observes how much Voluptuousness tends to bewitch Mens Minds to render Men soft terrene and degenerate and to extinguish the Seeds of goodness in them He concludes that if he be not temperate and discreet in the use of sensual pleasures he shall be in apparent danger of forfeiting those Vertuous habits and dispositions of Mind wherein he places his greatest Honour and Happiness And thus he is armed against several Vices that are opposite to Temperance such as Lasciviousness Excess in Meats and Drinks Vanity in Behaviour or Apparel and other softnesses wherein there is any thing of Luxury or Abuse But further as touching those excellent Rules of conduct which I before took notice of let us see how Generosity stands with respect to them Of this sort there are two principally to be considered Do as you would be done by And Know thy self As for the former of these Do unto others as you would they should do unto you and Do not to others what you would not they should do unto you They are so easy to be understood and applied that I need say no more of them than that they contain the Sum of Natural Justice and Equity and being of a comprehen five and delicate nature do not only direct us to act according to the Ordinary Rules of Justice but likewise serve to guide us by the Rules of Equity and Mercy where those of Justice seem to be either obscure or defective And this is one great use of Generosity which is also a Principle so comprehensive that as I have already observed it imports in it the Sum of that Justice and Equity which Men ow to one another and is of so fine and delicate a nature that it restrains Men from doing many things which according to human Laws or the ordinary Rules of Justice may appear lawful and enclines them oftentimes as the circumstances of things may be to do more than those ordinary Rules in strictness require at their hands As to the latter Precept Know thy Self This we are told was formerly had in great Reverence insomuch that 't was supposed to have been immediately communicated unto Men from Heaven E Coelo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it well deserves to be esteemed and observed at this day Now the Knowledge of our selves is of use principally two ways To wit As it makes us sensible on the one
own tryal and experience that is it which I shall principally recommend to them And there is the greater encouragement to make a Tryal because they cannot reasonably think that supposing it be not a help it will be any impediment to them in a vertuous course or that the measures it puts them into will be harsh and undelightful when the Principle it self is so congenial and so agreeable to the purest and most uncorrupt Sentiments of their Minds In sum If this Principle were well pursued there would in all appearance be a great deal more Justice Order Quiet and good Agreement in the World than now there is It is in its nature extreamly accommodated to produce these auspicious effects And being of a very large and extended nature it reaches to all orders and degrees of Men. It enters into the Laws of Nature and of Nations Which cannot well subsist without a regard to the Rules of Humanity Decency and Honour It mixes it self with the Laws of particular Polities and by disposing Men to a regular performance of the respective Duties relating to Government and Subjection tends to preserve that Order and Quiet which is the last end of Government Thus a Generous Prince will endeavour to administer his Government with an even and steady hand to protect his Subjects strenuously to maintain the just Honour of the Crown and Faith of the Treasury to shun those little Arts which are sometimes made use of to amass Wealth or to encroach on the Rights of Subjects or Neighbours He will think himself obliged to avoid whatever is mean dishonourable and unbecoming his Character And by how much he is elevated in Power and Dignity above other Men will esteem himself by so much the more engaged to observe as near as he can the Rules of Conduct and Honour And on the other side Generous Subjects will not be peevish and ill-natured towards their Prince or rashly put on his Actions an unfavourable Construction They will not envy him for his Greatness or his just Rights and Prerogatives They will chearfully render him his Tribures and Duties In a word they will honour his Person and obey his Commands and where they cannot bona fide in Law or Conscience do the latter they will meekly submit and pay a Deference to his Authority tho' they cannot actively obey it chusing rather to suffer in their own private Concerns than by opposition to affront their Prince or disturb the repose and tranquility of the Publick Thus the Principle of Generosity is of great benefit to the State And so it is likewise to the Church It will dispose the Clergy to be Manly Grave and Discreet in discharging the Offices of their Function to exercise Discipline with a Courage and Exactness mixed with Temper and Moderation to be vigilant and careful in looking to their respective Charges to perform the Offices of divine Worship with such a Decency Order and Devotion as may be suitable to the nature of the thing and helpful to maintain it in that just esteem which it ought to have in the World to shut out of their Discourses and Instructions precarious Hypotheses pious Frauds Pedantry and Ostentation of pretended Learning indecent Expressions and whatever is disagreeable to true Reason and the holy Scriptures to avoid Simoniacal Arts and mean Compliances and in a word whatever is really unbecoming their Order And on the other side a Generous Man of the Laity will respect and esteem the Clergy for their Office-sake he will neither envy them their Revenues nor defraud them of their Dues he will cover their Faults and candidly receive their Instructions he will not for slight and trivial pretences make or countenance a Separation from the Church under which he was born or break its Communion and disturb its Peace for the sake of things confessedly harmless and indifferent in themselves and as he is not in his Temper inclinable to oppose his Governors so he has no Temptation either to think himself exempt from their Authority or to imagine that a thing indifferent in it self can meerly by the command of a Superiour be rendred unlawful In short Generosity opens Mens Minds to such Sentiments as dispose them to Modesty Peaceableness and Goodness of Temper Which cannot but be of great Benefit both in Church and State But Generosity is also of great use to the Publick by its suitableness to influence all Orders and Degrees of Men. It is indeed a Principle in which the Nobility and Gentry seem to have in some sort a more peculiar Interest than other Men. Yet there is no Man tho' of meaner Fortunes but he is more or less concerned in it All Men have equally a natural freedom of acting and are as far as relates immediately to the Laws of Vertue equally engaged to use that Freedom rightly being equally entituled to the Rewards of using it rightly and subject to the Punishments which ensue the Abuse of it And so also all Men who are not fallen from the Rights of the human Nature are interessed in that Reputation and Esteem which is due to vertuous and worthy Actions and are concerned to maintain a Reputation accordingly However there seem to be additional Obligations lying upon the Nobility and Gentry to act upon the true Principles of Honour which affect them more peculiarly than other Men The honourable Style and Titles that belong to them as well as the Eminence of their Station and Degree should put them continually in Mind of acting upon these Principles and of endeavouring to surpass others therein For what can be more disagreeable than for a Gentleman or Man of Quality to be of a pitiful sordid Spirit to be rough and ill-bred and destitute of all sense of Honour and Vertue And on the contrary it must needs be a great Ornament to such Persons to have that firmness and rectitude of Mind that candour and goodness of Temper that Civility and decent Address and that conformity to the Laws of Decorum Honour and Vertue which are Properties of Generosity And herein those of ancient Families and those of later Creation are both concerned He that is Noble by Descent has great Obligations to spur him on to Generous and Worthy Actions He has the Obligations that arise from the Dignity in which he is placed and likewise the Example of his brave Ancestors which ought to inspire him with a just emulation of their Vertue and make him afraid of incurring the Character of Degenerous Magnorum indignus Avorum And he that has acquired Nobless by his own Merit has not only the Obligations which arise from the Dignity of his present Station but also those concurrent Reasons which should engage him to act suitably to the Character he has gained lest he should afterwards forfeit by Ignoble Actions the Esteem and Dignity which he had before so worthily acquired and should as it were degenerate from himself These are Considerations which as they more particularly affect
State of Life or Relation that Men stand in to one another which excludes the exercise of it Thus it is very ample and extended in its Influence and helps Men to govern their Actions in such manner as is very conducive to preserve Vertue Order Quiet and good Agreement amongst Men. As to several other particular Uses of this Principle they may many of them be so evidently collected from what has been spoken in the Description and Interpretation of it which I am not willing to repeat and others may be so easily supplied from any Man 's own Observation that I think it needless to enter upon detailing them So much then for the Usefulness of this Principle But after all if any Man upon comparing the Temper of Mind and Course of Action of those who are or pass for Generous Men with the Description which I have given of Generosity should pretend that Generosity as I have described it looks rather like an airy Idea than a thing practicable by Mankind since it would be hard if not impossible to find a Man endued with all those Qualities which I have ascribed to it I say if any Man should object in this manner he may please to observe that I do not say he cannot be a Generous Man who has not every particular Qualification which I have ascribed or which may be ascribed to that Character A Man may no doubt be a Generous and Vertuous Man though he be not perfect in Generosity and Vertue The Habits of the Mind are capable of several degrees or receive as they speak Magis Minus There is confessedly a great deal of difference between Vertue considered formally or in its pure Nature and considered subjectively or under that Allay in which it is wont to appear in human Actions It were indeed much to be wish'd that Mankind could as easily express the Purity and Sublimity of Vertue in their Spirits and Actions as they can represent it in Words and Descriptions But this is not to be expected For my part I am as ready as any one to acknowledge the Imbecillity of our Nature since I find so many sensible Proofs of it in other Men but particularly in my self And I believe it is a subject of great Grief to those who sincerely aspire after Vertue to find so many Obstructions and Impediments in their Progress arising from their own Nature To find themselves divided as it were against themselves so that whilst one part of them is enclined to make its Efforts after Vertue another part of them retards and hinders by its revulsive Motions This is the conflict of the Flesh and Spirit which gives Men so many difficulties and renders their practice of Vertue so feeble and imperfect But as this shews only the Imperfection of our Nature so it can be no just Argument against the excellency of this or any other Vertue considered in it self If then we would take an Idea of any Vertue we must not take it barely from the practice of particular Men or the feeble Representations which they are wont to give of it in their Spirits and Actions but from that and from the nature of Vertue it self together We are to consider the nature of things and to frame a Notion of the excellency of the Principles of our Minds by the consideration of their abstracted Nature and of their Conformity to that Exemplar of Perfection which is in the divine Mind If therefore we find the Characters of Generosity agreeable to the noblest and divinest Principles of our Minds in conformity to that original Perfection which is in the divine Nature it self to which all Vertues and good Qualities that are in Men are in their measure and degree conformable and correspondent otherwise they could not be such We cannot reasonably deny it to be in it self of that Excellency and Usefulness which I have mentioned how faintly or imperfectly soever it may be exhibited in the Spirits and Practice of particular Men. But it ought to be thought sufficient that all the Characters which I have attributed to it are to be found upon some one 's or others of that Body of great and good Men which have been or are in the World and consequently have had and now have a real Existence From hence then we may conclude that there is in reality such a Principle and that it is in some degree attainable by us And the more excellent a Principle it is in it self we ought in reason the more earnestly to endeavour to attain as great a Perfection in it as 't is possible for us Not fainting though we cannot make good in our Spirits and Actions all the Characters of it but endeavouring to make good as many of them as we are able and labouring throughout the course of our Life which will be a noble Ambition to make continually further Advances Having thus given a Description of Generosity I think it superfluous to use Arguments to engage Men to the Love and Practice of it If it be of so lovely and excellent a Nature as I have set it forth to be that is the most forcible Argument in the World why we should endeavour after it One need not take pains to incite Men to love a beautiful Object they do it naturally and cannot help it Demonstrating that a thing is such is beyond all the collateral Arguments of Persuasion that can be used If in the process of this Discourse I have done that with respect to Generosity there will be no need of further Persuasions And if I have not Persuasions would be insignificant III. In regard therefore Generosity is a thing so excellent in its Nature and so beneficial in its use 't is like to be worth our Pains to enquire How it may be acquired or afterwards improved in our Minds Now when I speak of acquiring it I do not suppose that there is any Man by Nature totally void of it or at least of some Predisposition to it All Men have the Seeds and Rudiments of it so far as they have a sense of Good and Evil Decency and Indecency Honour and Shame But since those Rudiments cannot properly of themselves give Men the denomination of Generous for nothing can do that but some degree of the habit of Generosity He who would acquire that Character must improve those Rudiments to that degree at least which may be effectual to denominate him such Now to discover how this may be done there is not I conceive need of any extraordinary Art The thing is plain and obvious to any Mans Understanding First therefore we must address our selves in a due manner to God Almighty beseeching him to bestow upon us this Vertue And Secondly we must firmly and maturely resolve to do all that we can possibly to attain it The Consideration that God Almighty is the Soveraign Author and Giver of all Vertues shews the necessity of the former And the Consideration that Men cannot ordinarily become Vertuous or