Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A25117
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A Treatise of civil bonds and obligations shewing the nature, use, and dangers of such contracts : with cautions against suretiship / by R.A.
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R. A.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing A28; ESTC R4069
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83,886
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209
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for the utmost improvement of our Nature and the building of us up in all goodness which can better all Relations and sweeten all conditions I cannot pretend that this Brief is a full Description of the best course but I cannot think any way well worthy of the Name of Religion that comes short of it And by this small pointing the Christian Reader may guess at the whole body of practical Divinity But when I look upon the Genuine Excellences of true Religion the manifold advantages and most comfortable priviledges that grow upon it or are annexed thereto Methinks I am descending very low when I would bow this great and Sacred thing to my present undertaking Yet tho' it be but a small Benefit if a real truth I may represent Religion as a means to preserve men from Suretiship For First This gives them the true measures of that Justice which respects themselves and their Families which being timely thought on and kept in remembrance can make a Strong Defence against all the solicitations of needy Borrowers who would make their Friends great Debtors for them He that gave being to the World hath made his Wisdom and Goodness manifest by implanting Laws in the things which he hath made for their well being He hath built our Nature with an instinct for our own preservation and this Law which as it were is incorporated in our â—rame is not abrogated but highly improved by our Religion and as Nature prompts us to a vigilant care of our â—elves so it propagates this care to the â—ranches that issue from us The very â—ame natural principle which obliges us â—o our own good diffuses it self proporsionably to the encrease and extent of our Families in consideration whereof we must avoid whatever may be damageable to our selves or to those we have a natural influence upon and therefore should not consent to the Imposition of any such Yoke upon us the bearing whereof iâ— inconsistent with the Dictates of that principle our Nature is furnished with Secondly Religion teaches us to be wise as Serpents as well as harmless aâ— Doves and allows us to avoid all thingâ— hurtful to our selves so far as we can with safety to our innocence which justly claims our principal care When no contract is concluded or promise made wâ— have our Liberty and in prudence should shun all such Contracts and promise which are either apparently detrimentaâ— or suspicious as to our lawful interest But when we have freely contracted with others in matters prejudicial to our selves and within our power and have madâ— promises to our own hurt we cannot râ—treat with safety to our integrity Foâ— we have given away a right which waâ— once in our power and they to whoâ— the right is given may justly demand whaâ— is their due That Wisdom which is without innocence may be injurious to otheâ— that innocence which is without Wisdoâ— â—ay be hurtful to our selves If we hurt â—ur selves we must bear it if we injure â—thers we must make satisfaction It is â—uch better to suffer harm than to do wrong but best of all to be clear from â—oth and so to save our selves as to keep â— pure Conscience still And the Wisdom â—f the Serpent is a good preservative of â—he innocence of the Dove as fencing Mens condition from such difficulties and â—reights whereby many are tempted to â—he practice of frauds and immoralities A prudent conduct of all concerns might â—ave them the trouble of contriving many â—hifting tricks which their rash and heedâ—ess folâ—y makes them guilty of Had Aâ—anias of whom we read in the Acts of â—he Apostles been wise for himself Acts 5.1 c. he might have kept the possession that was in his own power and saved himself from a sudden Death But willing to reserve part of the Price for which it was sold â—nd yet to appear as generously kind to the Church as other Christian Disciples â—n his time he was tempted to lie unto God upon which he was immediately struck with a fatal judgment Such who will act well for themselves should consider what they are going to do For it is a true saying that delay hath undone multitudes for the other World and hast hath undone many for this But seasonable consideration and time well manageâ— saves all in both The neglect whereof bâ—trays them either to a pensive remembrance of their foolish rashness or to remediless Misery That Wisdom is beâ— placed which is at the head of all buâ—ness that which comes after either degenerates into craft or sinks into Repentance For dear bought experience is a very dry Seed that can yield little Fruit unless iâ— be bathed in Tears and then it maâ— grow up for anothers use but rarely ripen time enough for him that sowed it Iâ— all matters of moment a precipitant setting out commonly runs down to a sorrowful conclusion Better then be Wisâ— at First and always prosperous than tâ— learn Knowledge by the amazing lighâ— which flashes out of a sad miscarriage Iâ— is much more healthful and pleasant to walk out into the clear Air when the Sun begins to gild the Mountains with hiâ— cheerful Beams than to catch our way when the day is gone by the lightening which is darted from a Terrible Cloud That Light is most seasonable which shews us the safe and right Path when we begin to move The greatest Lustre â—ines too late when by a tedious wanâ—ing we are quite gone out of our own â—owledge Being we are made capable â— deliberation it well becomes us to â—ink over the matters that are before us â—nd never to undertake any thing of imâ—ortance without such consideration â—hich is proper thereto for so doing â—ell suites with the honour of that reason â—e are endowed with Thirdly True and Right Religion aâ—ounds with Graces that are of a thriving â—ertue as Faith in God and Devotion â—his Name Temperance in the use of â— things accommodate to our Natural â—ecessities or suitable to our politick caâ—acities Discretion and diligence in all â—siness Justice and equity in all civil â—ansactions Meekness Peace and sweet â—oncord in Society Loyal submission to â—overnment Patience and Fortitude in â— such difficulties and afflictions which â—e common to mankind Contentedness â— every condition In Sum a most taking â—imility and an Universal Love breathâ—g in all words and stirring in all actions â—hese are Vertues that can win Fortunes â—d when obtained can keep them in subâ—ction A firm perswasion that God is a â—ost bountiful Rewarder of those that diligently seek him makes frequent Addresses to the Throne of his Grace whereby men are rendered capable of hiâ— Blessing and consequently are filled with hope of success in all good undertakings Temperance cuts off all luxuriant suckers all inordinate excesses and vain superfluities and gives fair limits to all expences Discretion finds out the most advantagious Methods in business And diligence improves an handful of Seed to a greaâ— encrease Justice links
us with all person whose faculties may be useful to us and equity Adorns our conversation with aâ— acceptable presence Meekness moderate the passions which are excessively wasteful in their extravagance and the Suâ— can rise to his comfort which has never gone down upon his Wrath. Peace is the common Original of plenty and keepâ— Men out of all such Contentions and Brawls which prove costly to those that follow them A Loyal submission to superiour powers renders Men worthy of their protection that they may safely go about their own business and enjoy their rights and properties in Peace Patience hath the best command over all troubles makes them easie while they last and gives them the best remove Contentment of mind keeps all mens powers in life and action warms their Vitals and distends their Sinews so that they are fit for a laborious continuance in their profitable Employs Humility takes deep Root for a great growth and by stooping low finds the Key of Paradice it self full of most delicious Fruits And an Universal Love streaming out of Mens Breasts procures reciprocal kindness from others whereby Men reap no small advantage Thus these ingredients are of so strong a Spirit as to turn all things as it were into Gold. It were a large task to Discourse so fully of the advantage of every particular Vertue as it deserves But this brief account may satisfie the attentive Reader that a truly Religious is a very profitable course of Life and upon this ground it is a good fensure from Suretiship For they that are sincere therein shall enjoy the sundry advantages of the Graces thereof and so taking the best way to thrive either shall have no need to borrow or if an urgent occasion happen they shall probably be trusted without a Surety And so they are free from one cause of Suretiship very common in the World which is that Men needing Sureties for themselves must return that civility and kindness whenever it shall be desired That peculiar people named Israel upon their due observance of and obedience to all Divine Commandements had good assurance of this Blessing Deuter. 15.6 Chap. 28.12 That they should lend to many Nations but should not borrow Though their Encouragements to a course of Life conformable to Divine Rules consisted much of promises of this Nature which cannot be equally extended to all Nations Yet since true Religion is full of thriving Vertues they that are Faithful therein shall probably be Lenders rather than Borrowers and so shall be free from that exigence which commonly craves Sureties And therefore shall be out of the reach of one great and almost irresistible Temptation to become Sureties for others True Religion needs not any private mans Letters of commendation It is in all respects most acceptable giving Men the best and most valuable comfort in this as a Pledg and earnest of the highest Glory and most transporting fullness of joy in the other World. That present benefit I have spoke of is one of the smallest fruits that grow upon it But whoever shall consider what is suggested in these few lines will readily allow that right Religion is a means to save men from the trouble of Suretiship as making them just to themselves and Families Wise Circumspect and Prudent in all their affairs and preserving them from the indigency of borrowing whereby many are drawn to give their security in compensation for anothers which they themselves have been compelled to make use of Secondly Another means to prevent the danger of Suretiship is a careful shunning of the customary Temptation to excess and idleness commonly called good Fellowship For some have no greater device to catch the unwary than to liquor them to such a degree as to make them flexible to any design and to fill â—hem with so much moisture that they â—ay take their opportunity to mold them according to their pleasure In this vitious practice many trains are layed to blow â—p the Fortunes of easie and compliant â—ools particularly Suretiship and that which is most dangerous is set forward whereby too many are merrily undone We need not Study much to read their destiny who make stout and jovial drinkâ—ng the great pleasure of their Lives For besides the Treasure that is wasted the health that is impaired the business that is neglected and the time that is lost by this folly Men that follow it are over reached in bargains and taken in sundry traps and snares which they do not diâ—cern before they are caught It is thâ— opinion of good fellows who are mightâ— men at Wine and Ale that such corâ— of Love are best twisted that are first we moistened therewith There is a Generation whose temper enclines them to bâ— mighty loving in their Drink and wiâ— then readily yield to any thing that shalâ— be desired or if they seem to be somâ— what cautious it is but alluring them tâ— take the other Glass and that will makâ— them bend This is monstrous Low which is pregnant with nothing more thaâ— Frauds and delusions This is most ridiculous Friendship that invites Men to dâ—stroy their Estates The modest and venerable Authoâ— of the whole Duty of Man tells us That some Men say it is necessary for them to drink in this one respect of Trading with their Neighbours Bargains being most conveniently to be struck up at such meetings buâ— the bottom of it is an aim of cheating and defrauding others For when Meâ— are in drink they shall the better be able to over-reach them and so they â—dd the sin of cozenage and defraudâ—ng to that of drunkenness Now that this is indeed the intent is manifest for if it were only the dispatch of bargains were aimed at they should choose to take Men with their Wits about them therefore the taking them when Drink hath distempered them can be for nothing but to make advanâ—age of them It is as a most false so a most absurd â—retence of the drunken Clubs of this inâ—mperate Age that meeting at the Pot â—most convenient for business as if it â—ere necessary that they should become â—easts that they might act as Men And â—xpedient for them to besot distemper â—r drown their understandings that they â—ight come off with Honour in every â—ing they undertake By the same Reaâ—on a man may lame himself that he may â—n well and the Labourer may wound â—is hands that he may the better fulfil â—is daily task So far is business from justiâ—ing intemperance that it rather obliges Men to be sober But there is just cause â— suspect that many carry on the Trade of â—xcessive drinking upon fraudulent deâ—igns for they can indulge their purposes by the compliance of others distempered and clouded brains which they could nâ—ver effect by any service which their sâ—rene and clear Reason would afford Sâ— they heap iniquity upon drunkenness anâ— as it were put out their Neighbouâ— Eyes that they may pick their Pockets and cast a mist before