Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Cristian life

Occasional Thoughts in
Reference to a Vertuous or
Cristian life

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Title: Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian life
Author: Lady Damaris Masham
Release Date: August 25, 2004 [EBook #13285]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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VERTUOUS OR CHRISTIAN LIFE ***

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OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS
In reference to a
Vertuous or Christian

LIFE.

LONDON,
Printed for A. and J. Churchil at the Black Swan in Pater-noster Row.
1705.

THE PREFACE.

_The following discourse was written some Years since, not without
the thought that, possibly, it might be of farther use than for the
entertainment of the Writer: Yet so little express Intention was there of
Publishing the Product of those leisure Hours it employ'd, that these
Papers lay by for above two Years unread, and almost forgotten. After
which time, being perus'd and Corrected, they were communicated to
some Friends of the Authors, who judging them capable to be useful,
they are now sent into the World in that Hope.
There is nothing pretended or suppos'd to be in them which is not
obvious: but Truths the most evident, are sometimes overlook'd, or not
sufficiently and universally attended to: And where these are Truths of
moment, it is no ill Service, by frequent representations of them, to
procure them attention.
I think there can be few heartily concerned for the Vice and Immorality
that abounds amongst us, who have not sometimes reflected upon loose
or careless Education, as one cause thereof: But yet the great weight
that right Instruction and Discipline of Youth, is of, in respect both of
Peoples present and future Felicity, is (as I take it) far from being
generally so settl'd in the Minds of Parents, as to be steadily look'd
upon by them as the one thing to that degree necessary, that without
due care taken thereof, all other indeavours, to render their Children
happy, either in this Life, or in that which is to come, are likely to be
very inefficacious.
That right Instruction, in regard of Vertue, consists in joining together,
inseparably, good Principles with early Habits, either of these being
insufficient without the other, is likewise, I presume, no new Thought:
But is yet what appears to me to be very little reflected upon. When this
is duly consider'd, People cannot, I think, but be soon convinc'd from

what Hands the right Instruction spoken of, ought to come; for nothing
can, in my Opinion, be more obvious than that is. If these_
OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS _shall produce better digested ones from
any other Hand; or shall themselves be any way serviceable to the
reducing or directing of one single Soul into the paths of Vertue, I shall
not repent the Publishing them: And however useless they may be to
this end (sincerely aim'd at) yet the very Design will intitle them to no
unfavourable reception: For but to indeavour to contribute, in the least
degree, to the Honour of God, or Good of Mankind, can never stand in
need of Pardon. And such a Modesty or Fear of displeasing any as
withholds Men from enterprising the one, or the other of these, where
nothing but their own Credit is hazarded, should the design not succeed,
is, on the contrary, very blameable.
Besides these two Motives, could I need any other to ingage me in the
defence of Vertue, I should find yet a very powerful one in that dutiful
Affection which I pay, and which every Subject ows to a_ GOOD
PRINCE: Since the QUEEN, _I am fully perswaded, would not so
much rejoyce in the Accession of great Kingdoms to her Dominions, as
to see the People, already happy in Her Government over them,
indeavouring to make themselves and one another so, in following the
great Example which She sets them of Vertue and Piety._
* * * * *

OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS
In reference to a
Vertuous or Christian
LIFE.

There is no so constant and satisfactory a Pleasure, to those who are
capable of it, as Rational Conversation gives: And to me, depriv'd of
that Enjoyment, the remembrance thereof, is, in my present Solitude,
the most delightful Entertainment: Wherein some of my leisure hours
will not, I hope, be mispent, should this engage me to prosecute such
Thoughts as were lately