PREFACE To the Doctrine of the Passions. TIlt motions of the heart of man are infinitely various: The different forms and shapes, inwhich our passionsappear, the sudden and secret turns and windings of them through the heart, with the strange mixtures and com- plicationsofthem, in their continual exercise, are innumerable and nameless. It is as hard,almost, to reduce them toaperfect scheme, and to rangeall their excursions intoexact order of science, as it is to bring them under complete government in practice. Yet, since it is of such vast importance in human life, to regulate their motions, that they may not become utterly exorbitant andmischievotus, I thought it proper, for this end, to make a diligent enquiry intothe nature of thesemingled powers of flesh and spirit, to take a surveyof them in a com- prehensive view, and draw them into a little system. With no small care, I have attempted, to range them in some tolerable order and method- under general names, to trace out andobserve their causes, their effects, their in- fluences on human affairs, and the various purposes whichthey serve inthe life of man. This is not only desirable, as it is a part of the science of human nature, or theknowledge of ourselves, without which, we can never pretend to bephilosophers ; but this may also give us some assistance toward the forming proper rules for their better management, and the bringing these active and restless promoters, or disturbers of our happiness, under a moral and religious discipline ; and without this, we can neither be menof wisdom nor piety. The natural affections of man,are designed for valuableends in life,when put under due governments Theywill render difficult duties easy, and relieve many of the troubles and fatigues ofthe present state. But if they are let run loose without controul, or, if they are abused, and employed to wrong purposes, they become the springs and occasionsof much mischief . and misery. The interests of virtue and vice are greatly concerned in this matter. The regulation ofthepassions, is a thing ofunspeakable moment to us, con- sidered either as men, or as christians. Ungoverned passionsbreak all the bonds ofhuman society and peace, andwould change the tribesof mankind into brutal herds, or make the world a mere wilderness of savages. Passion unbridled, would violateall the sacred ties of religion, and raise the sons of men inarms against their Creator. Where passion runs riot, there arenone Ofthe rightsof Godor man secure from its insolences. But when these vehement powersof nature are reduced to the obedience ofreason, it renders our conduct amiable and useful to our fellow-creatures and makes virtue shine in the world in its proper ornaments ; this willgo a great way to procure our own ease and happiness, so far as it is attainable in this life, andit will tend to make our neighbourshappy as ourselves. What is the true useor abuse of the passions irk religiousaffairs, is very little men- tioned in this treatise, because it is the whole professed subject and design of those discourses of the love of God, &c. which were joined with this treatise
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