are Deſtin'd to Drudgery may well Change thar Maſters; but never their Condition.
He that finds himſelf in any Diſtreſs either of Carcaſs or of Fortune, ſhould do well to Deliberate upon the Matter, before he Prays for, or Reſolves upon a Change. As for Example now, what is it that Troubles me? Is there any Help for't or no: What do I want? Is it Matter of Neceſſity or Superfluity? Where am I to look for't? How ſhall I come at it? &c.
Now All our Grievances are either of Body or of Mind, or (in Complication) of Both, and either the Remedy is in our Own Power, or it is not. There are ſome Things that we cannot do for our ſelves without the Help of Others: There are ſome Things again that Other People Cannot do for Us, nor are they any way elſe to be done but by Our ſelves. In the One Caſe we are to ſeek abroad for Relief, and in the Other, Whoever Conſults his Reaſon, and his Duty, will find a Certain Cure at Home: So that it goes a Great way in the Philoſophy of Humane Life, to Underſtand the Juſt Meaſures of what we are Able to do, and what we are Oblig’d to do, in Diſtinction from the Contrary; for Otherwiſe we ſhall ſpend our Days with Æſop's Aſs in Hunting after Happineſs: where it is not to be found, without ever Looking for't where it is, 'Tis allow'd us, to be ſenfible of Broken Limbs, and Diſcated Bodies: And Common Prudence ſends us to Surgeons and Phyſicians, to Piece, and Patch them up again. But in Theſe Caſes we Examine the Why, the What, and the How of Things, and Propoſe Means Accommodate to the End. 'Tis Natural to be Mov'd with Pain, and as Natural to Seek Relief; And it is well done at laſt, to do That which Nature bids us do; But for Imaginary Evils, Every Man may be his Own Doctor. They are Bred in our Affections, and we may Eaſe our ſelves, If the Queſtion had been a Spavin, or a Gall'd Back, and the Aſs had Petition'd to Jupiter for Another Farryer, it might have been a very Reaſonable Requeſt. Now if he had but Pitch'd upon ſuch or ſuch a Particular Maſter, it might have done well enough too: But to grow Weary of One Maſter, or of One Condition, and then to be preſently Wiſhing in General Terms for Another: This is only an Inconſiderate Ejaculation thrown off at Random, without either Aim or Reaſon. Upon the Whole Matter, it is but laying our own Faults at the Door of Nature and Providence, while we Impute the Infirmities of our Minds to the Hardſhip of our Lot.
To proceed according to the Diſtribution of my Matter; it is much with Us in This Cafe, as it was with the Man that fell from his Horſe and could not get up again. He was ſure he was Hurt, he ſaid, but could not tell Where. That is to ſay, firſt our Grievances are Fantaſtical where they are not Corporal. 2ly, It is Another Error in us, that in All our Fantaſtical Diſappointments, we have Recourſe to Fantaſtical Remedies. 3ly. Providience has Allotted Every Man a Competency for his State and Bus'neſs. All beyond it is Superfluous, and there will be Grumbling without End, if we come to reckon upon't, that we want This or That becauſe we Have it Not, inſtead of Acknowledging that we Have This or That, and that we want Nothing. Theſe Things duly Weigh'd, what can be more Providential then the Bleſling of having an Antidote within our ſelves againſt all the Strokes of Fortune! That is to ſay, in the Worſt of Extremities, we have yet the Comfort left us of Conſtancy, Patience, and Reſignation.
'Tis
