CttAf. «.] ACTIVE INDIVIDUAL GOOD. 275 



it, and supported by that inseparable affection of human 

 nature — the love of novelty or variety. But this aflection is 

 greatly limited in the pleasures of the senses, which make 

 tlie greatest part of passive good. To consider how often 

 the same things come over in life, — as meals, sleep, and diver- 

 sion, — it might make not only a resolute, a wretched, or a 

 wise, but even a delicate person wish to die.° But in actions, 

 enterprises, and desires, there is a remarkable variety, which 

 we perceive with great pleasure, whilst we begin, advance, 

 rest, go back to recruit, approach, obtain, &c. : whence it is 

 truly said, " That life without pursuit is a vague and languid 

 thing ;"^ and this holds true both of the wise and unwise 

 indifferently. So Solomon says, "Even a brain-sick man 

 seeks to satisfy his desire, and meddles in everything." « And 

 thus the most potent princes, who have all things at com- 

 mand, yet sometimes choose to pursue low and empty de- 

 sires, which they prefer to the greatest affluence of sensual 

 pleasures: thus Nero delighted in the harp, Commodus in 

 fencing, Antonius in racing, &c. So much more pleasing is 

 it to be active than in possession ! 



It must, however, be well observed, that active, individual 

 good differs entirely from the good of communion, notwith- 

 standing they may sometimes coincide; for although this 

 individual active good often produces works ot beneficence, 

 which is a virtue of communion, yet herein they difier, that 

 these works are performed by most men, not with a design 

 to assist or benefit others, but wholly for their own gratifi- 

 cation or honour, as plainly appears when active good falls 

 upon anything contrary to the good of communion ; for that 

 gigantic passion wherewith the great disturbers^ of the world 

 are carried away, as in the case of Sylla .\nd others, who 

 would render all their friends happy and all their enemies 

 miserable, and endeavour to make the world carry their 

 image, which is really warring against heaven, — th;s passion, 

 I say, aspires to an active individual good, at least in appear- 



«= Seneca. ^ Seneca, Epist. xxiv. § 23—25. « Prov. xxi. 25. 

 ' So Barrow, " Sermon iii. on Redemption." There are some person? 

 of that wicked and gigantic disposition, contracted by evil practice, that 

 should one offer to instruct them in truth or move them to piety, would 

 exclaim with Polyphemus — 



N/yTTtog elg, tu Khp', V ri]\66iv eiXnXovOaQ, 

 "Off /if Qeovi KiXiai n dfihfjiv^ f; aXeacQai.—Odyafi, ix. 273. 

 T2 



