Reason an essay / by Sir George Mackenzie. Mackenzie, George, Sir, 1636-1691. 1690 Approx. 141 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 84 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-08 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A50752 Wing M193 ESTC R20171 12043678 ocm 12043678 53064 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A50752) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 53064) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 570:17) Reason an essay / by Sir George Mackenzie. Mackenzie, George, Sir, 1636-1691. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Reason. 2004-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-03 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-04 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-04 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion REASON . AN ESSAY . BY Sir George Mackenzie . LONDON , Printed for Iacob Tonson at the Iudges Head in Chancery-lane near Fleetstreet . 1690. For the Honourable ROBERT BOYL , Esquire . I Know nothing ( Sir ) more inconsistent with right Reason , or which deserves more to be Reform'd amongst Learned men , than their way of Dedicating Books : And that we may the better understand what ought to be done in this Age , let us look back into what was done by the Antients . The Poets did indeed invoke their Gods or the Muses in the beginning of their Works , but that was rather to obtain their assistance , than to bestow upon them Panegyricks ; but their praising the Gods was a safe Subject in which they could not exceed : And therefore , though these Invocations were the first occasion of writing Dedications to Mortals , yet Flattery in this made them mistake their Model so far , that at last some of the Poets did likewise invoke the Assistance of their Emperours , as if they had been Gods as well as Patrons . Others of the Poets did very antiently Dedicate their Works to Men also , as Hesiod who was older than Homer , dedicates or rather addresses his first Poem to Perses ; but 't is very observable , that he and others in such like Addresses rather excite the Persons to whom they address to Vertue and Glory , than magnify them for having attain'd to the perfection of either or both . Yet some of these Poets have left us Dedications so excellent , that they are as little to be imitated as censur'd , such as : Hor. Epist. 1. Lib. 2. Cum tot sustineas & tanta Negocia solus : Res Italas Armis tuteris : moribus ornes : Legibus emendes : in publica Commoda peccem , Si longo Sermone morer tua tempora , Caesar. And others of them , such as Virgil , end their Poems with very decent and delicate Complements , as that which closes the 4th Book of his Georgicks , Haec super arvorum cultu pecorumque canebam , Et super arboribus : Caesar dum magnus ad altum Fulminat Euphratem bel●o , Victorque volentes Per populos dat Jura , viamque affectat Olympo . which exceed , in my humble Opinion , the fam'd and large Dedications of Grotius and Causabon . It was usual amongst the modest Antients , to address their Books to such as they thought able to correct them , seeking rather Advice than Patronage : And thus Plutarch tells us in the Life of Lucullus , That Scylla having wrote an History , sent it to Lucullus to be corrected ; and the Greek word used there , seems to me to import only adlocutio . And I think that the Antients have found Protection and Patronage even in those Addresses wherein Advice was sought for ; who durst have censur'd , as Tully observes , what Brutus or Pomponius Atticus approved ? Some also prefixt modest Prefaces , wherein they acknowledged the Favours done them , and told the occasion of their Writing , as Vitruvius to Augustus ; others did thereafter in imitation of the Writers of Tragedies and Comedies , address themselves in a Prologue , as Valerius Maximus to Tiberius ; and this I think he did ▪ to give his Fancy scope , as a Poet , to praise with the Latitude that Poets take ; for that is the first Debauch I find committed of this kind , for he could not have said greater things to a worse Man. To shun which Excess , some gave to their Books the Names of the Muses , as Herodotus ; or of men of great Merit , as Plato did in his Socrates , or Tully in Laelius , &c. or else omitted all Addresses , as Thucidides , Livy , Salust , or at most extended not their Addresses beyond a mere Compellation , such as that in St. Luke to Theophilus , by which possibly may be meant any Christian under this appellative Name , rather than a particular Patron or Friend , as some Books are now addressed to the Christian Reader , in imitation it may be of him ; for 't is observable that the Church-men imitated this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of St. Luke , and thus Origen dedicates his Book against Celsus , with this Compellation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : And Eusebius names his Patron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . At last the word Dedication was brought in by Flattery , and Books were dedicated to Men in imitation of their dedicating Temples , Statues , and other things to the Gods ; nor did this extravagant way of excessive praising ever appear till the World was under Tiberius corrupted in all its Morals . This depraved Custom was also much heightned by the Panegyricks , made by Pliny to Trajan , and by Eusebius to the Great Constantine , who thought that they might more justly praise the good than others might impious Emperours , tho' I am afraid the Eloquence which charms us in those two Discourses , shall never be able to account for the ill Example they have given . My design in all this is to shew , That we can as little justify our Flattery by the Practice of the Antients as by the Principles of Reason , by which they always regulated their Eloquence ; And therefore it seems to me , that Dedications should be brought back to the antient Model , either of a naked Compellation which satisfies abundantly Friendship , or of acknowledging Favours which satisfies gratitude , or of exciting the persons to whom we write , to deserve those praises which are now most unjustly bestow'd upon them , which is a Christian Duty . And I cannot but observe three very ill Consequences which arise naturally and necessarily from our late Dedications ; the first is , That they learn men to lye and flatter , and Custom hath almost legitimated this Crime , and made it a Duty Secondly , They have poison'd the very Fountains of Truth so far , that Posterity can hardly distingnish betwixt those who have deserv'd well or ill , Flattery thinking always fit to supply by its excessive praises , what is wanting in due merit ; and therefore by how much their Patrons deserve ill , they praise so much the more , and the only mark of Vertue in an Author or Merit in a Patron now is , that there is no extraordinary thing said in any Address to the one by ●he other ; for who can believe an Author speaks truth in his Book , who lyes and flatters in its very beginning ; or that a Patron has any modesty or common sense , who suffers himself to be so imposed upon ? If the Patron believe what the Author says , he must be a fool ; and if he believes him not , he must think the Author one ; and since they who lye improbably , are thought fools in all things else , why not in this too , in which they exceed the most Romantick Travellers , for they only would impose on us in things which we know not , but these in things wherein we cannot but discover them ? and I wonder why they do not as well praise the French King for having found out America , or for having vanquisht Alexander the Great , as for those things which they of late ascribe to him in their Dedications . Thirdly , Our late Dedications have really corrupted the Eloquence of the Age ; for whereas the true Ornaments of Eloquence are to be natural and decent in expressing our Thoughts , these Dedications have blown our style into a Tympany , and have ruined it's natural Beauty by fulsome and ill placed daubing Paints : Which made Chrysippus , as Laertius tells us , decry all Dedications to Kings and Princes , lest they should entice men to Flattery ; but this were to run from one Excess to another . I Design , Sir , nothing in this Essay , but to hold out a Lanthorn to those who are ready to split on a Rock ; and I wish rather that this may be one of the Works that may follow me , than one of those that may bring me Reputation : And I send this to you as Lucullus did to Scylla for Correction ; or as Cicero did to Atticus , as a token of our Friendship , and of my just esteem of your Piety and Learning . G. M. PART I. How weakly Men reason in matters of greatest Importance . IT may seem a bold Undertaking in any man to owne right Reason in this Age , it being the declared Enemy of our interests and inclinations , for it may possibly excite man to reflect upon what the World and himself does , and so inspire him with thoughts contrary to those which are generally received , and that is the only unpardonable Errour . It may likewise seem ridiculous to think , that there is any common Standard of Reason amongst men , since that charms in one Country , which is abhorred in others , and the very imaginary lines which divide Kingdoms , seem likewise to divide their way of thinking , and to make a different Geography in the Reason which they adore , as well as in the Earth on which they trample ; every Age of the World has almost had a different way of reasoning , and every Age in Man suggests to him contrary thoughts , in the present he condemns what himself formerly admir'd : So little influence has it upon the best refin'd Judicatures and Assemblies , that the most infallible Church-men , the most learned Judges , and the most zealous Patriots must trust to Voting , because they cannot to Reasoning , and they are by this likewise so often misled , that it may be expected men will one day agree to decide matters by the fewest Votes , as the wiser have always told us , that Votes are rather to be weighed , than numbred . It has often grieved me , that men could guess the decision and determination of any point to be debated , before they heard the Reasons to be produced upon either side , and to hear them laugh at such as trusted to the solidity of the Reasons they were to produce , being fully convinced that the point would be determined by Interest , and not by Reason . The Inka of Peru was much in the right , when he regreted , that his Predecessors had not obliged him to worship a reasonable Man ; yet his choice in this had been unsuccessful ; for it would have been as hard to have found him , except he had believed his Priest , who had undoubtedly told him he was the man. And tho' I believe not that French Physician who assures us , he found in his Travels a Nation that differed altogether from us in our way of reasoning , as if God design'd to shew Mankind that his Omnipotency is not tyed in this to any known measures ; yet I see , even amongst our selves , that Conveniency ( the gentler name of Avarice ) Pride , Revenge , Bigotry , Education , and every thing else pass for Reason , except Reason it self , which makes me oft-times cry out , Is this that noble Creature formed after the Image of God , for whom Christ dyed , and who is to be Co-heir with him of his everlasting Kingdoms . All which notwithstanding it is undeniably true , that there is something in man more sublime than can be ascribed to flesh and blood , that dull matter could never inspire him with these penetrating , subtil , comprehensive , generous , and elevated thoughts , which made the Pagans believe , that his Soul was particula Divinae Naturae , a parcel of that same Divine Substance of which the Gods were formed , and that men so qualified were demi-Gods , and God Almighty himself has by a surer Revelation revealed to us , that this Noble Soul was formed after his Image , and it was most consequential that God who is infinite , being to communicate himself to some of his Creatures , to the end his Greatness and Goodness might be known to them , he should in order to this breathe into them somewhat that might comprehend , at least , some Ideas of that infinite Perfection ; and therefore it was necessary that the Soul should be an image of what was infinite , and that we might understand this from some exteriour and sensible representations and things , he has formed his very body ( the Casket wherein that Noble Jewel is kept ) after a very wonderful manner , thus by small and interceptible Rays darted into his Eye , the representations of the vast Hemisphere , are imprinted so on that little Tablet , that it seems as great and distinct there , as in the Original ; all he ever heard is laid up in his memory , as distinctly as Papers in a Cabinet . And almost by the same motion of the Tongue ; or at least , without any studied variation , vast numbers of delicate words , or harmonious sounds , do , in a way unknown , and unperceptible by Flesh and Blood , sally out in mighty Swarms and Armies , which passing thus undiscovered , through the Air , enter at many thousand Ears in the same Figure , Ranks , and Files , wherein they were at first spoke ; and there , in a spiritual way , they charm some , and enrage others ; they animate some , and discourage others ; working almost as great varieties as they bring . Divine Wisdom also foreseeing that Interest would perswade men to pull all to pieces , whilst each drew all to himself , he imprest upon this Soul common Principles , which even those must reverence who neglect them , and therefore they err , not in the rule , but in the application , and cheat themselves by Subterfuges , the recurring to which infers necessarily , that these Principles are submitted to by the most stubborn , and somewhat respected by the wildest in sublunary matters ; and yet in what concerns our immortal Souls , and eternal state , we are more negligent , as will appear too clearly by these following Particulars which I have classed according to their different inferences . I have oft-times admir'd to see men busied about nothing , save external and sensual Objects ; but it is yet stranger to find , that amongst such as are convinc'd , that Knowledge is as much to be preferr'd to all other things , as the Soul is to the Body ; there are yet some so sensual , even in this point , that the knowledge they seek after is but a meer delicate sensuality . Mathematicians consider chiefly how to measure Bodies , Physicians how to know and cure men , as Souldiers do how to destroy them . But the study of Christian Morality ( which has for its Object the Soul of Man heightned by the Christian Religion , teaching him how to understand the duty of that Soul to God ) is too much neglected , as a thing obvious and easie : Whereas when our Saviour came into the World , he neither taught Mathematicks , Medicine , nor Physiology , tho' all these were much considered in that Age wherein he assum'd our Nature ; and he could have made himself as much admir'd by clearing mysterious doubts in these , as by working Miracles ; but he passing by all these as less useful Notions , and such as too frequently divert and distract , rather than inform ; he declares he was come to make Man happy , and begins his Ministry by an admirable Sermon on the Mount , whereby , in order to the making him happy , he teaches him to reason rightly upon his duty to God and Men : and it is strange , that we should think dull matter is able to afford more noble Contemplations , than that subtle , that sublime , that vast , and that nimble Soul , which retains so far the Image of its Maker , as to be inscrutable in all its faculties : and Oh what wonderful Springs and Motions , what various windings and flights , what boundless and new Spheres and Worlds are there in his Reflections , and what things are daily said , and Volumes written on the Love to Women , which is but the excursion of one of them . Our diseases cannot conceal themselves being tyed to matter , but the diseases of our immortal Souls are so concealed by Self-love , which loves to cover its own imperfections , and to hide its own retreats , that they are past finding out ; and if a little Microscope can discover to the Eye new and strange things in Objects that have been daily seen , without being considered for many Ages ; what wonderful discoveries may serious thinking men make in so immense an Object that has been so much neglected ? especially since the thoughts of Man do change and vary themselves into as many shapes , and give themselves as many colours as they please : and every Duty or Errour is really a different Object as they are in conjunction with , or in opposition to one another ; whereas all other Objects are incapable of such Variations either from themselves or others : And tho' God has design'd to be known in his Works , yet he seems on purpose to have made the knowledge of them so unsearchable to Natural Philosophers , and the success so little able to reward or honour their Endeavours , to the end they might the more relish Moral Philosophy , which is then only uncertain when like the other it grows more a Science than a Duty . In my reasoning I will use the Forms prescrib'd by God himself in his holy Scriptures ; wherein when he would convince man of his Folly , Sin , or Ingratitude , he argues with him from his own concessions , in these cases , or his own practice , on all other occasions : As for instance , when he sends Nathan to David , he asks him what the Man deserv'd , who having great Herds and Flocks of his own , took a poor Man's Lamb out of his Bosom ? And David , having in great anger sworn that he should die , Nathan then tells him , it was his case , and condemns him from his own mouth : And God says to his People , who acknowledg'd him to be their Lord and Father , but walk'd not suitably to their acknowledgment . If I be a Father , where is mine Honour , and if I be a Master , where is my Fear ? Malach. 1. 6. He calls to them , Isai. 1. 18. Come , let us reason together ; and admiring the unreasonableness of unthinking Man , he appeals to the Heavens and Earth , Hear , O Heavens , and give ear , O Earth , for the Lord hath spoken ! I have nourished and brought up Children , and they have rebelled against me ! The Ox knoweth his Owner , and the Ass his Master's Crib : But Israel doth not know , my People do not consider ! And in the several Gospels , we find our blessed Saviour , after the same manner , confuting the Iews , and convincing all his Hearers . Nor do I find so much delicate reasoning in any of those Books , highly esteem'd by our Men of Sense , who slight too much that admirable one , which God himself owns as his sacred Word : And I admire our Saviour , as much for his Reasonings as for his Miracles . Thus when he would convince Men of the folly of careing immoderately for the things of this World , he asks them , What profit shall it be to gain all the World , that soon perishes , if they lose their own Soul , which is Immortal ? And which of you , ( says our Lord ) by taking thought , can add one cubit to his stature ? And urges them , not to fear want , because , if they who are sinful know how to provide for their own Families , how much more shall your Father , which is in Heaven , know how to provide for you , if ye be his Children ? Behold , ( says our blessed Maker ) the Fowls of the air , for they sow not , neither do they reap , yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them ; are not you much better than they ? For establishing this my Position , it is fit to consider , that such as are reasonable , endeavour to shew it in the greatest concerns ; and it implies a want , or weakness of Reason , to be exact and delicate in inconsiderable and silly things , and yet to err and be careless in matters of greatest consequence : And who would not laugh at an Ambassadour or a General , who would value himself upon his Dancing or Playing upon the Lute , bestowing upon these Exercises the time due to his King , Country , and Negotiations ; which makes me admire , why in this foolish Age , we call these Men of good Senses , and strong Spirits , who can criticise Virgil , Iuvenal , Livie , Tacitus , or it may be , understand the Mathematicks , or Conversation ; whil'st we are convinc'd , that albeit they believe there is a God , yet they mind him not , and care less for their Souls than they do for any of their ordinary recreations , tho' they are forc'd to tremble at its ill condition , when they begin to consider it . One of the things which prompted me to write this Book , was the reading of a French Treatise , De la Iustesse ▪ wherein , tho' he made me expect great matters , by promising to learn us to think justly ; yet it only taught how to chuse true Epithets , or understand Criticisms , and such trivial knacks : But , alas , it is more to be regreted , that Men should have the sense to laugh at others , for not having considered the Plot and design of their Plays ; whil'st many who pass for refin'd Wits , want one in their whole life ; and where the want of it is not only a greater shame , but is of greater danger , since a Man cannot err here without being ruined to all eternity : And one of these great Wits , without a solid design in his life , appears to me , like a glorious , first-rate Ship , magnificently equipp'd , richly gilded , and abundantly provided of all necessaries ; but because it wants a Rudder , and a skilful Pilot , fluctuating in a great Storm , and near a dangerous Shore , on which it is driven with violence , threaten'd by the Wind , and overflown by the Billows ; sometimes shatter'd by one Rock , and sometimes by another , till at last it sinks down irrecoverably into an unfathomable and dreadful Abyss . Whether then is the Owner of this Ship , who looks on unconcernedly , and perhaps , would not leave his Whore , Game , or Supper ; or that Poet , who wrote his Play without a Plot , most to be contemn'd ? Yet he who has no design to save his immortal Soul from endless torments , is a much greater Fool than either ; which recommends to me the sense of a Wiser , tho' a Heathen Poet , on this subject , and which I wish the whole Tribe would seriously consider . Discite , ô iniseri , & causas cognoscite rerum , Quid sumus , & quidnam victuri gignimur , ordo , Quis datus , aut metae quam m●llis flexus & ●nde . Quis modus argento , quid fas optare , quid asper . Vtile nummus habet : patriae carisque propinquis Quantum elargiri deceat : quem to Deus esse Iussit & humana qua parte locatus es in re . It is a pleasant thing to hear us admire Men , for considering exactly the Anatomy , Specialities , and Natures of Fishes , Fowls , Flies , and other Insects ; and yet never consider whence themselves came , whither they are going , or what is their duty whilst they remain here . And I wonder why we should think it just , to look upon Men in Bedlam , tho' they be very reasonable in many things , if they be very distracted in any one ; as I know one , who seem'd a discreet Person , and could converse most pertinently in every thing , till they spoke of the Moon ; but upon hearing that nam'd , fell instantly a staring , and into great extravagancies , believing himself to be Secretary to the Moon : And others will be discreet enough , till you mention the name of such a Man or Woman ; and yet we do not conclude such mad and distracted , who , tho' they understand to measure Heaven , never design to enter into it ; and who can eloquently convince Men of eternal Torments , and fright them from the wicked course which lead to these , and yet ruine themselves on the precipices against which they guard others . And who would not think a Physician mad , for all his skill , if after he had made a learned discourse , to prove a liquor to be Poison , he should drink it off himself ; and yet more , if he would not take an Antidote , tho' ready , and which he knew would secure him . I shall but lightly touch that ridiculous and impudent extravagance of some , who , rather pretending to reason , than having it , take pains to perswade themselves and others , that there is not a God , whilst even the subtilty which they use , when they are endeavouring to prove this their Assertion , does necessarily prove his Being : It being impossible , that Matter and Chance , ( their great Idols ) could forge and polish such subtile notions : And how can they imagine , that since their own little Affairs could not be managed without foresight and conduct , that yet this Great and Glorious Universe , which comprehends so many Millions , such as they , should be so exactly and justly governed , by blind Chance ? If there were no Men but the sillie and humorous Asserters of this Opinion , I should be asham'd to bring Man as an instance of the Power and Wisdom of God : Let us then consider this Creature , form'd of I know not what , fed , breathing , and growing in the Womb , we know not how ; but from those despicable beginnings , one rises in a short time , to measure the Heavens , to calculate their Motions , and to imitate their Lightning and Thunder ; another does for his own Glory , form such Models of Religion as seduces , and draws after him Millions of Men , contrary to their former Interests , as well as former Inclinations : A Third , by his Skill , Conduct , and Courage , makes even the remotest Countries of the World to tremble , overturning , and confounding that World , whereof he is so small a part : And a Fourth , by drawing sweetly , and gently together very distant and different reflections , and thoughts , which come readily , as it were , upon his call , from their several repositories , forms an Harangue , or a Poem , which pleases or torments the hearers irresistably , as they have commission from their Author ; it being harder to resist them than to make them : Can so regular things be ascrib'd to wild Chance , or such subtile things to dull Matter , which by its Nature , moves necessarily and without choice ? The best contriv'd Machine can only repeat ; but Man chuses his own thoughts , and varies or changes them as he pleases . I desire our Wits to consider , that every thing which they see , or know , is so marvellously fitted to some use , that as they could not be wanted , so they cannot be contrived better : And it is ridiculous to answer with Epicurus , ( who , tho' he denied Providence , yet denied not a Deity ) that these things were not made for these uses , as we pretend , but were , in process of time , made use of to these ends by Wit or Necessity : For even Bruits do immediately after they are brought forth , run to those things which they need , with greater exactness than Man could teach them ; and how could Men , by Reason , make every thing useful , if so infinite a Being did not direct and supervise their almost infinitely various Necessities and Designs , and instruct them , by the use of Thinking , ( that wonderful Engine ) to accommodate every thing to its true use . The next thing I recommend to them , is to consider that all the Principles of Justice and Government , without which , the World could not subsist , depend upon the belief of this infinite Being ; for how could I convince a Man without this , that it were not fit to poyson his Brother for an Estate ; or his Prince , when he thought that by that he might step into his Throne ; which oft-times might be done covertly enough , to escape the punishment of Laws , if they could that of Conscience : Nor is it of any force to tell us , that Politicians have only invented this for their own conveniency , since even this answer presupposes that there was a pre-disposition on the Spirits of Men , to receive and submit to this impression , which is an unanswerable proof of its truth ; and this trick had not been long believ'd , had it been only such ; nor could their inventions secure us against private Treachery , tho' it could against open Force ; nor can I omit to observe from this answer , how unfit these Men would be to govern others , and how unsufferable they are under all Governments ; who thus expose to contempt that which they confess to be the great Engine of Government . I might likewise urge the consent of all Nations , which , by how much they became the more polish'd and civiliz'd , do so much the more rest on this belief . The certainty that has arisen from Predictions which are above Nature , and the wonderful Effects wrought by Miracles , even against it , are confirm'd to us , by the unerring testimony of those Senses , which our Atheists make the only and sure test of Knowledge . And do not we perceive , that that light of Reason , which by constant and penetrating reflections , in time , discover'd , overcame , and baffled every Cheat and Errour ; has notwithstanding , more fully fix'd , ascertain'd , and clear'd the Being of a God , whose Power affords us such Protection ; and whose Providence affords us such beautiful and pleasant Contemplations , that to love that life , without believing his Being , is to be without that Sense and Wit which these wild Scepticks pretend to ; who , whil'st they shun to be miserable , make themselves so , and whil'st they pretend to pass for Wits , demonstrate themselves to be Fools , and Brutish . I purposely avoid the proof of this by Metaphysical Arguments , because God's own way of proving it , is , by desiring us to consider the Sun , Moon , and Stars , and the other Objects which are obvious to all Men ; for it was fit , that what was to be universally believ'd , should be inferr'd from what was universally seen : And such as understand not those Metaphysical Notions , are apt to beli●●e that there is a design to impose upon them . But since our curiosity must be always somewhat satisfied with Arguments raised above Sense , I shall offer this one : It cannot be deny'd , but that there is something in Man that can compare two or more different things , such as , Whether the pain of the Head or the Leg be greatest ? And that this cannot be done by any thing that is material , is very clear ; for if so , it must be done by something that touches at once both the things to be compared , and no material thing can do that in the same points ; and if it be in different points , then it cannot judge of the difference betwixt the two ; for they must be touched in one common point , else there can be no application of the material Judge , to both , at the same time : And if this judgment must be made by something in Man that is immaterial , and so is able to extend its indivisible self to both the things to be compared ; then it necessarily follows , that this must be a Sprit ; for there can be nothing immaterial bur a Spirit ; and if we can once comprehend a Spirit , we can never deny there is a God : For the hardest things that are objected against his Being , are those which strike against the Being of Spirits in general . Because few or none are really distracted by this kind of Madness , tho' they could wish they were , by smothering their Reason with Illusions , that they may cover their Crimes to themselves , with the hopes of Impunity , I hasten to another kind of unreasonable Men , who , tho' they acknowledge there is a God , do yet , by a deplorable negligence , little mind how to please and obey him . And that I may enforce upon my Reader , the weakness of their Reasonings , I wish any of us would think , that if a Society of Men were Shipwrack'd upon , or sent Prisoners to an unknown Isle , were it not most unreasonable for them , to sit Reading , Discoursing , or Gaming , and not to think who were Masters of that Isle , and how they might live in it ; and if they learn'd that it belong'd to a great Prince , who had absolute power of Life and Death , were it not unreasonable , not to desire to obtain his friendship ? But much more to reject it , if he offer'd it with Riches and Preferment , upon no other condition , save that they would attend at his Court , love him , and not wrong one another ? But this is our condition in a much stronger case ; for we are here in a World created by God Almighty , in which he can kill and preserve , not the Body only , but the Soul too ; nor for some time only , but for ever ; nor requires he any harder condition of us , than that we would love the Lord our God with all our Hearts , and our Neighbours as our selves ; which are so far from being hard Lessons , that one would think we could not but take great delight in them , if they were not prescrib'd to us as our Duty : For if a Man be admir'd once for his great Courage , Conduct , or Learning , who would not be pleas'd with being allow'd to converse with him ? Who amongst us would not have taken pains to have been lov'd by Caesar , as his Friend , but more , as his Son ? But if Caesar had been as expert a Mathematician as he was a Souldier , and could have burnt his Enemies Ships , like Archimedes ; if he had invented Gun-powder for his Magazins , and found out the whole new World , as well as conquer'd a considerable part of the old : How much more would we yet have esteem'd him ? And to proceed further , if this Caesar could either have sav'd his own life , by knowing the secrets of , or by killing alone all his Assassinates , or prolong'd for many hundreds of years that of his Servants ; we should yet more have rejoyced in his Service and Adoption : But what is all this to the Infinite Perfection of the Great King of Kings , whose Servants , Friends , nay , and adopted Sons we may be ? He it is who govern'd Caesar , as he does the Flies or Ants , who , with one word made Caesar , and all the Wrld , whereof he conquer'd only a part , which he was not able to retain . By whose skill , the Heavens were stretched out , in which , vain Caesar's greatest Ambition was to be a little Star : Who not only knows , but in one moment , governs all the various , and almost infinite thoughts and designs of Angels , Men , and Devils ; and who forces them all , how contrary soever to one another , to agree in the great designs he has in governing the World. Who would not rejoyce to serve a Master , that knew when he were innocent , and who , as he is exactly just to his Servants , so could not be impos'd upon by others , to their prejudice ; and tho' even swarms of Witnesses combined against them , could see through the Mists that they threw up , which no Earthly Master , how just soever , can do ? But such is our Heavenly Master , who can also not only enrich us when we are poor , and cure us when we are sick ; but can tame our Passions , illuminate our Ignorance , strengthen our Inclinations , sweeten our Tempers , and make all these Joys compleat , by the removal of all Fears or Jealousies that can end or lessen them . Can we give any reasonable account , why we should be careful to keep the Road exactly , if we knew there were great Precipices on every hand , into which whoever fell , were irrecoverable ; and yet knowing , that in our voyage to Eternity , there are Precipices that lead to dreadful Pits of Fire and Brimstone , kindled by the wrath of an angry God : We notwithstanding , go on carelesly , laughing at such as admonish us , and minding little trifles , which we are convinc'd will please no longer than we possess them . How falsly do we reason , in reflecting on our selves and others ? For we think them mad who endeavour not to get themselves cur'd , when they find they are tormented with Gout and Gravel ; yet who amongst us is at any pains , so much as to seek remedies for his Passions and Vices , which of all other Diseases torment us most : And if we heard a Fellow in Livery , value himself upon the Richness of his Suit , would we not esteem him an airy and foolish Creature ? But if we saw a Man who were condemned , and going to the Scaffold , admire himself , and talk of his Power and Glory , would we not conclude him distracted ? And yet this is the true State of a Vain and Glorious Monarch , who has nothing but what he has receiv'd from an Infinite God , who can recal it when he pleases ; and who ▪ whil'st he talks of his Glory and Greatness , is by that God condemn'd to die , as irredeemably , as must the meanest Slave , over whom he insults . And since we would laugh at a vain Coxcomb , who whilst he were entertaining his friends in his Master's house , as if it were his own , were taken out of it by the ears , and forc'd to tremble under the lash ; how ridiculous must we conclude Belshazzar ( and which is the case of too many other great Men ) who whilst he was feasting all his Nobles , and perswading them of His independance , was seized by an irresistable horrour which shak'd him all to pieces . I doubt not for all this but Learned men will think they may justly value themselves on their own great Parts and Skill ; and you may read long Lectures made by them on this Subject ; but how unreasonable are they in this , since these Endowments are given them as external things are given to others ; and a School-Boy may more justly admire himself , because he can repeat excellent lines made by another : or a man , because the borrowed Furniture , that he would make us believe to be his own , were within , and not without doors , or were finer than that borrowed stuff which another had , whom he despis'd . If two poor men should borrow , the one ten , and the other a thousand pounds , the difference of the borrowed Summs should not cease to leave both of them equally poor . But he is really a wise and reasonable man , who knowing that what he has is borrow'd , endeavours not to boast of it as his own , but to repay as much as he can the Interest to the true Owner for the Loan . Let us then conclude this Period with the Apostle's just reasoning , 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? Now if thou didst receive it , why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ? Being once in company with a great Wit , who seeing two poor Chair-men sweat in carrying a gross corpulent vain Fellow ; he cry'd out , that he had rather be hang'd than serve so meanly such a Rogue . Whereupon I told him he was doing a meaner thing , in bearing up the Extravagancies of a violent and tyrannous Statesman , to please whose extravagant humour , I had seen him sweat more than these poor men did ; who had also in this the advantage of him , that they did so to get bread for their Family , whereas he did the other to feed that Ambition and Avarice which tended to destroy himself . Man's unreasonableness appears also in the unsuitableness of the Means he uses , to the Ends he proposes to himself . Who would not think him a Fool , who would endeavour to cure a mad Dog by putting a golden Collar about his Neck ? Or who would think to cure a Fever in a man by bestowing a great Office on him ? But are not men such Fools , when they think they can quiet their Passions by Riches , or their Minds by advancement ? Spiritual distempers are to be cur'd by spiritual means , and as the finest Thoughts cannot feed the body , so neither can the greatest Riches , or any other external thing satisfie the immaterial Soul. If I were desirous to get Preferment , would not I endeavour to please him from whom I were to expect it , and not his Enemies ? but tho' we say that we expect , or at least wish to be Favourites to God Almighty , and to be by him happy for ever ; yet we spend not our time in obeying him , but in serving openly and assiduously the World , the Devil , and our own Lusts , which are his declar'd Enemies ; and that too so resolutely , that any reasonable man cannot upon considering our actions , but conclude , That either we car'd not for what he could give , or else that we were subtle enough to cheat him , or strong enough to over-power him . If a man were going to live in another Country , would he not endeavour to accustom himself to the Customs of it , and to carry with him things that were useful in that Country ? And would we not laugh at him , if he spent his time in building and adorning that Inne which he were to leave ? But this is our condition , who bestow all our thoughts on the things of this World , from which we should expect to remove every moment , and in which we cannot stay long . It is most strange that men , to secure themselves against Fortune , should put themselves more and more into its power : For the remedies we use are to grow richer and greater , and nothing subjects us more to accidents than these do ; for it is for these that men are pursued , and destroyed , and they are oftner crimes than defences . God has promised , that if we seek we shall find , if we knock it shall be opened ; so that Prayer is the true way to attain to what is desirable : and men may pray securely at their own Bed-side , or in walking about their own Field . But yet men will leave this sure , safe , and easie way ; and sail to the Indies amidst storms , and travel through the Desarts of Arabia amongst Thieves , to get unnecessary Riches ; expose themselves to Cannons , and watch in Camps to get Honours , trusting the Seas , Winds , and Cannons more than their own kind and merciful Father , who made and governs all these . When we have Children , we are very desirous to leave them well secur'd , and consequently provide them Estates ; but tho' we take pains to breed our Colts , and Hawks , we take no pains in teaching our Children their duty to their Master , as we do those Beasts ; and probably by not being bred to a just way of reasoning , they may lose by one extravagance all that we have left them , or at least live unhappily in not knowing how to use it aright . And the same Parents which would bestow their Estates to free their Children from burning for a month in a Fever , will , to get them a little addition to that same state , breed them so , as may occasion their burning to all Eternity . If any man were guilty of Crimes , and so needed the King's Pardon , would we not think him a meer Brute , if he should instead of seeking it earnestly and sincerely , run up and down railing at him , and reviling his Laws ? Yet most of our Wits , who have indeed more guilt than wit , and are not sure what moment they shall be damn'd for ever , make it their business , rather than sport , to treat in ridicule his Divine Majesty and Laws . Let us a little examine the unreasonableness of mens arguing in matters of Honour , wherein they pretend to be so exact , and delicate , and we shall be convinc'd how weak their Reason is . And in the first place , would not right Reason dictate to us , that those things are fittest for men of Honour , which are most approv'd and recommended by that Judge whom all acknowledge to understand best what is great , glorious , and just ? Who would believe any thing to be honourable for a Souldier , which Caesar or Mareshal Turenne had condemned as unjust and mean ? And if this Rule hold , we must conclude , That it is the Almighty God , the Glorious Maker of Heaven and Earth , and of the heart of man , and not the insolent Courtier , the huffing Hector , or the unstable and ignorant Rabble , who must give the Rules to just Honour and true Grandeur . Nor should the best of moral men be able to perswade us , that any thing● is honourable , but according as it agrees with the reveal'd Will of that Omnipotent and Infallible Judge ; for if he be Infallible , it is ridiculous that his judgment should not be acquiesc'd in ; and if we think him not Infallible , we cannot think he is God. If any man should call one perjur'd , especially if he were a Person of Quality , he would resent it irreconcileably ; and yet are not all such as are guilty of Adultery , guilty of Perjury ? and to aggravate this Perjury , it is Perjury against a Lady , to injure whom , and to whom the breach of an ordinary promise would be thought a shameful Crime ; but yet much more , when it is considered , that upon that Oath the Lady had deliver'd her self up , and by the like Oath had forsaken all the rest of mankind : So then , if Perjury be a Villainy , when committed in the most trivial things , and to a person who neve● obliged us ; what can it then be , when committed in the greatest concern , and when the Oath was given in the most considerate manner , and under the greatest obligation to the most deserving person , and to one of that delicate Sex , which the most unworthy are unwilling to injure or cheat ? I doubt not , but all who pretend to Reason , will acknowledge , that Ingratitude is the most abominable of all Vices , and most inconsistent with true Honour . And if a Prince had obliged one of his Subjects , behaving himself as a kind Father to him ; would he not be a very Rogue if he were ungrateful ; but yet more , if he refused to obey him , after many Promises and Vows , nay , and after many Pardons , having several times relapsed again and again into those Crimes , and even employed the Forces , with which the King had trusted him , against himself ? And yet the King of Kings , and our Heavenly Father , having heaped hourly such favours on us , that it needs a mans whole time to repeat them , because every moment of our time makes a part of them , we ungrateful Miscreants employ all the strength of our Spirits and Bodies in offending him daily , to that height , that tho' we our selves tremble when we think with confusion upon them , and vow against , and mourn for them ; yet we reasonable men return with the Dog to the vomit , and with the Sow to the puddle ; and add the breach of our new Vows to our old sins . I know that Pride has form'd for its own defence a body of Law call'd Point of Honour ; as one instance whereof , amongst others , I urge how unreasonably men repair their Honour , in endeavouring to take a man's life for a word , damning both themselves and him , and by way of Complement drawing innocent men ( and such ordinarily as have the greatest Kindness for them ) into the same hazard and condemnation ; which in spight of all the Gallantry imaginable , does prove how little use of true Reason men have , tho' they value themselves very much , as if they were the sole Masters of it . For this is not only contrary to the Law of God , the true Fountain of Honour , as of all good , but to the Laws of our Country : And what can be more absurd , than that some private , young , and ranting Hectors should be able to make that pass for generous and gallant , which whole Nations assembled have after much reasoning and deliberation condemned as a Crime in all Ages and Countries ; and even the same men , who brag of this when enrag'd , and in the field , condemn it in Parliament and in cold blood ? But nothing discredits this Heroism more , than that those , who would not yield up their revenge to God , nor their Conscience , have been frighted from it by the French King and the Gallows . If one man give another the Lye , he must pay down his life , because a Man of Honour would rather chuse to dye than to be a Lyar , or rather thought one ; but this Man of Honour will flatter , till all Men laugh at him for lying so grosly ; and this Eloquence of Knaves must likewise make his Patron a Fool , for being capable to believe what none believes , save himself ; so that this Flatterer , who yet passes for a Man of true Honour , makes himself a Liar , and his Patron a Fool. How oftentimes also have we seen these Men of Honour lie and flatter , to promote Faction , and to please the Multitude , which they were thereby designing to cheat , as if the addition of a Cheat could make a Lie honourable . Rebellion and Pimping are Noble flights of Glory and Kindness , to which , fashionable Men , and Men of Honour can only pretend , and a Prerogative deny'd to those Men who are truly virtuous . If Men , who are tender of their Reputation , were reasonable , would they not consider , that all these their Crimes and Vices are known to that Great God , who is the Fountain of Truth , and the Rule of Purity , and shall at the Great Day be known to Men and Angels ? If a Lady considered , that all her unchast thoughts , and a Person who passes for an Honest Man , that all his Secrets and Cheats would be discover'd to their Neighbours , though as guilty as they , it would confound them : How then will all Men look , when the Sins they are endeavouring to cover , shall be laid open in that Illustrious Assembly , where Innocence and Knowledge shall be in such high perfection ? How can we then be judg'd Reasonable Creatures , when we dare do that before the Almighty God , who is of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity , which we durst not attempt before our own Servants , who depend on us , and are as frail as our selves ? And if we cannot abide the Accusation of our own Conscience , how shall we be able to hold up our Faces in so glorious a Judicature ? And can Men be Reasonable Creatures , and yet not mind so great a Concern ? Fame , that tacite acknowledgment of Immortality , even in those who believe it not , is pursued so extravagantly , that Idolatry it self is not more inexcusable : For to gain the opinion of a brutal multitude , we sacrifice to them our Duty , our Quiet and our Security ; and what design can we have , or return can we expect for all this ? For if we be not Immortal , what signifies our being esteem'd , when we are to have no being ? And why should we give our selves real Trouble for an imaginary Good ? And if we believe the Christian Religion , it teaches us , that either we must be sav'd or damn'd ; if sav'd , Fame from Men will signifie nothing , when we discover how foolish we were to adore such Worms ; if damn'd , that which made a great part of our Crime , cannot be an alleviation of its Punishment . But if a Man , believing there is a God , did argue justly , he would value highly the being esteem'd by that Wisdome that cannot err , and whose fuffrage will last to all Eternity . Men can only raise our Character , without being able to raise our Merit , but our great Master can really make us merit , and open the eyes of others to understand it , when true , which no Man can do , and his esteem brings Rewards suitable to its Greatness ; and therefore is only worthy of our pains , especially if we bestowed that pains in serving him , which we do in gaining Fame ; we might expect from his goodness what can never be valuable when obtain'd from Men , because of their meanness ; or secure , because of their Injustice or Caprice . If we saw any of our acquaintance running up and down among mean and ignorant People , to perswade them to praise and admire him , we would laugh at his folly , as well as vanity ; but this is the condition of us poor blind Sinners , who are sick and dejected , if our silly , blind Fellow-Mortals do not admire us , and praise our Actions . I have remark'd in my own time , that some , by taking too much care to be esteem'd and admir'd , have by that course miss'd their aim , whil'st others of them , who shunn'd it , did meet with it , as if it had fallen on them , whil'st it was flying from the others ; which proceeded from the unfit means these able and reasonable Men took to establish their Reputation . It is very strange to hear Men value themselves upon their Honour , and their being Men of their word in Trifles , when yet that same Honour cannot tie them to pay the debts they have contracted upon solemn Promises , of secure and speedy repayment , starving poor Widows and Orphans , to feed their Lusts ; and adding thus , Robbery and Oppression to the dishonourable breach of Trust. And how can we think them Men of Honour , who , when a Potent and Foreign Monarch is oppressing his weaker Neighbours , hazard their very lives to assist him , tho' they would rail at any of their acquaintance , that meeting a strong Man fighting with a weaker , should assist the stronger in his Oppression . The surest and most pleasant path to universal Esteem , and true Popularity , is to be just ; for all Men esteem him most , who secures most their private Interest , and protects best their Innocence ; and all who have any notion of a Deity , believe that Justice is one of his chief Attributes ; and that therefore , whoever is just , is next in Nature to Him , and the best Picture of Him ; and to be reverenc'd and lov'd : But yet , how few trace this Path , most Men chusing rather to toil and vex themselves , in seeking Popular Applause , by living high , and in profuse Prodigalities , which are entertain'd by Injustice and Oppression , as if rational Men would pardon Robbers , because they feasted them upon a part of their own Spoils ; or did let them see fine and glorious Shows , made for the honour of the giver , upon the expence of the robb'd Spectators . But when a virtuous Person appears Great by his Merit , and obey'd only by the charming force of his Reason , all Men think him descended from that Heaven which he serves , and to him they gladly pay the noble Tribute of deserved Praises . Another great Class of Arguments , to prove how ill Men reason in matters of greatest importance , may be brought from the Contradictions we are guilty of in our Conduct . As for Instance , Life is the thing in the World most valu'd , for without it , we can enjoy nothing ; and yet , so unreasonable are we , that for a Complement , we will hazard it so far , as may be rather call'd a losing of it . When time is going , we cry out against Providence , for having made it so short , and when it is gone , we would give all the World to redeem it ; and yet we are weary of it so far as to bestow Money upon any thing that will help to spend it ; and give it away in Visits , to such , to whom we would not give any thing else . We would for no Money quit one Year of our Life ; and yet for the same Money ; which we so undervalue in the express exchange , most Men do really give away very many of their best years , since they are spent in gaining Money . We exclaim against Tyranny , Usurpation and Oppression , and in this we are much in the right : But why then do we admire , and cry up such as have been great Oppressors and Usurpers , as Alexander , Coesar ? for in this , we are not only unjust upon the matter , but Enemies to our selves ; for that esteem we put upon them who have been such , invites others to make us the prey of our own Errors . Most Men do admire , and prefer themselves to all others , which is a great proof of our unreasonableness ; but yet , even these cannot stay with themselves , and by being afraid to look into their own hearts , contradict the esteem which yet at all times they have for themselves , to an unsufferable Excess . All Men desire to prefer the best Company ; and when Men prefer any Company to the being alone , they demonstrate that themselves are not the best . Most Men , when they are young , contemn Riches , and love them when they are old ; and though our Wits scorn to think , or say with the vulgar , yet even these are swayed as much , and as stronly by vulgar Vices , as those who never exclaim'd against the unthinking Crowd . All Creatures stand in awe of others , according to the esteem they have of them ; and tho' we admire our own Perfections , and value our selves far above our proportion , yet stand we not in awe to commit wickedness when alone , which we durst not commit if others were present ; and thus we are so unreasonable , that we want a due reverence and esteem for our selves , where we ought to have it , and have it excessively where we ought to want it totally . Self-love , the falsest tho' the subtilest of all Reasoners , endeavours to perswade us , that in revenge , we shall , by seeing our Enemies ruined , remain our selves the more excellent Creatures , our Rivals being thus depress'd : And this is that hid reason which justifies to us that Passion which is truly most inhumane . But what an improper Argument is this , for we are not one whit the more excellent , that another is ruined by an Accident . Another Argument brought by Revenge , is , that thus we shall secure our selves against our Enemies , and so Revenge would pass with us under the disguise of Self-defence ; but because this would seem cowardly , and be in effect , a tacite acknowledgment of Fear ; we rather say , that in Revenge , we will teach others not to attack us . But all these are false reasonings ; for no Man secures his true Quiet by Revenge , for it raises an Enemy within , which is always present , and able to disquiet : And all Men conclude themselves obliged to destroy the Revengeful Man , by the same Argument that he pursues his Revenge ; and thus a Man is tortured by it till it be satisfied , and frighted by it after he has prevail'd . Most Men desire to be in Employment , from a secret desire to be admir'd ; whereas when they are in Employments , they do not those Just and Virtuous things , for which they would be truly admir'd : And albeit Self-love makes them believe , that the being fear'd is a mark of true Dominion ; yet they consider not , that even Dominion is only at the bottom desireable , because it is a sign of Merit and innate Excellency ; and does please , because it makes us believe , by the Suffrage of others , that we are Noble and Excellent Persons , of which , even the least reasonable cannot seriously be perswaded , except they believe they have done virtuous things . And thus it were more reasonable to do what is really virtuous , than to cheat our selves , with thinking that others admire us . And it is very unreasonable not to do things rather for Virtue it self , than for the Applause which follows it , since that Applause derives its desireableness from Virtue , and so Virtue it self should be much more desired : And which shews yet more the weakness of our Reason , tho' in this we contradict the undeniable Sentiments of Mankind , yet we are cheated into it by a mistake , as if it were easier to attain to the Applause of Virtue , than to Virtue it self ; whereas , quite contrary , it must be more difficult to attain Applause , since it depends upon many thousands of Rivals and capricious Fools ; whereas Virtue springs from a Man 's own Breast , and we may have it , and keep it , in spight of all Mankind . Every Man also , may in his private Station and Employment , find thousands of Instances to confirm this Truth . And thus a Courtier should consider , that when he sees his Prince bow and pray to a Superiour , before whom , he acknowledges himself to be a Worm and a Vapour , that certainly it is fit to do nothing to displease that Superiour Power , for gaining the favour of that Prince who adores him ; and who would not think him mad , who would scorn to depend on a Monarch , but would take pains to flatter his Footman ? When a Lawyer observes that Men take such pains to secure in Law an Interest that cannot be secur'd against Accidents , he should in reason conclude , that it is brutish not to take more pains to secure that which shall never fail : And when he observes how zealously the Eldest Men defend a Life that Accidents , nay , and Nature probably will end with the Process , should he not consider , what pains should be taken to secure a Life that continues for ever , free too from that Care , and those Sicknesses , that even before Death make this Life miserable . If a Souldier who were besieg'd by his Enemies , should abandon his Watch , and spend his time in Gaming and Drinking , or should lose the glorious opportunity of defeating them , for a Feast ; or , as Mark Anthony , for a Mistress : Especially , if they be such Enemies , whom we know , would not only kill , but torment us to Death , were he not to be accounted a Fool ? But that is our case ; for being surrounded with Temptations and Devils , we spend our time in Toyes and Trifles , and whilst we hear that others have receiv'd an Immortal Crown , for having overcome their Spiritual Enemies , we , who value Fame and Glory so much , spend our time in pleasing two or three silly Courtiers , whom we despise whilst we attend them , and laugh at the Actions which we seem to admire . A Merchant were ridiculous , if he should spend his Stock and his time in buying up Wares that were unfashionable in that Country where he has his abode ; and yet most Men employ themselves wholly in gathering Riches , and getting that Knowledge , which can neither be carried to Heaven with them , nor can comfort them when they are in Hell. And I have oft applauded the remark of a Gentlewoman , who hearing a whole Society admire one of her acquaintance , for a great Wit , told them , that his Father had left him a great Estate , which he had spent amongst Whores , that he had himself married a Whore , and had chang'd the Orthodox Religion , in which he was bred up , for a worse , and was not devout in that neither ; and desir'd them to consider if that Man deserv'd to be call'd a Wit ? Nor are we only unreasonable in pursuing our Pleasures and Vices ; but the very measures we take in being Virtuous , shew how weak our Reason is , and how ill we use it . For our Friendship is for the most part but the preferring those for whom we have a kindness , to those who deserve better both our kindness and those employments ; and thus we rob the Commonwealth , to repay the debt our Gratitude owes . The Courage of many is but a hypocritical disguising of their fear , or a dull ignorance of their danger . For when a man goes to Battel , he fears to dye ; but to disguise this fear , he considers the shame of flying , and knowing certainly that his Reputation would be ruined , he fears more this certain loss , than the hazard of being kill'd : but if he cannot attain to that , he at least braves it out , and endeavours to cheat others , when he cannot satisfie himself . Liberality and Charity are oft-times but the disguised effects of Vanity , wherein men tacitely design rather their own perpetuity , than the advantage of those on whom they bestow what is given , in which they act very unreasonably : for if they lent it to God , he would restore it with a very enriching interest : But in bestowing it on Fame , they bestow it on a Cheat , which has oft deceived both them and others . And it still seems strange , that we will bestow it on that Multitude ( for Fame and the Multitude are the same thing ) to preserve any one of whom from starving , we would not bestow one farthing . And yet the World esteem those who do such things more than they do reasonable and judicious persons . It is one of the chief and fundamental Dictates of Reason , that we should do to others as we would wish them to do to us . But tho' we exclaim against our Equals , poor Mortals , if they refuse us this measure , yet we allow it not to our great King and Soveraign . If we heard that any who pretended to be our friend , did sit tamely and hear us rail'd at , and contemn'd , we would conclude them base and treacherous ; and a King would for this treat His Subjects as Rebels ; but yet we sit not only to hear impious Creatures rail at Religion , and oft-times at Providence it self , with so little resentment , that we comply and even admire the Miscreant . I remember that I suggested once to a Person of Quality , who was busie about his Accompts , to consider if our Steward should spend our Rents upon his own Affairs , or upon maintaining his own Family or Luxury , and much more if he should riot it away with our Enemies , would we not hate him as a Rogue , and at least recal the Trust we gave him . But the Great Master of the Family of the Faithful having appointed us only to be Stewards , not to appropriate , but to bestow the Estates he gave us for the use of his poor Children and Servants , preferring us kindly to as much as may satisfie our Conveniency , for so the Scripture , and even Reason it self , teaches us : ( for why should the Wise God have bestowed so much upon some , whilst others want , if he had not design'd to level all by this necessity of distribution ) yet we see his Children starve , whilst we employ the portions due to them upon the Wicked who are his Enemies . And thus we use the Almighty God at the rate we would not suffer from the meanest of our Servants . And so unreasonable are even such as are convinc'd of the reasonableness of Charity , that by doing their charitable actions in publick , they lose the reward , by not preserving the true design of it ; for as our Saviour argues , Mat. 6. 4. It is very just , that since they bestow their Charity to gain the applause of men , they should be rewarded with the applause for which they bestowed it ; And how can they expect a reward from God , to please whom it was not given ; and he is not obliged to repay what was not lent him : And they cannot expect double payment , for being paid by men , the Obligation is fully satisfied . I shall conclude these Observations with what ordinarily we conclude our unreasonable lives , and that is Death-bed Repentance , which of all things is the most unreasonable . For if we believe the Rewards and Torments which attend our future state , and make the delay so dangerous , why delay we ? And if we believe neither of these , why repent we ? The one cannot but make our present pleasures very bitter , by the fear that must thereupon haunt us ; and the other cannot but needlesly cut off the pleasures which we exclude as inconsistent with true Repentance . But which of us being condemn'd to horrible Torments , would delay to seek a remission till the last hour ? or being invited to leave our Cottage to receive a plentiful Estate , would delay to undertake his Journey ? and yet we easily delay our Repentance , which can only preserve us , condemn'd Sinners , from eternal Torments ; and which would certainly bring us , poor Wretches , to that Inheritance of immortal Glory . And tho' we condemn our selves for leaving the dispatch of our little Concerns till the last hour , yet we delay that great and necessary Work , on which a long Eternity hangs , for every trifle . And that which aggravates much this Neglect , is , that the Reasons which encourage us to it are as weak , as the thing it self is absurd and dangerous . For the hope we may live , has for its foundation a frail Body , that every accident can destroy ; and it is a wonder , that when we hear of so many unexpected deaths , we should not tremble to think , what if I had dyed ? And tho' the Mercy of God be as infinite as his Justice , yet it is insupportable insolence in us to think , that we can be sav'd when we please : this is not only to undervalue him as the last thing to be chosen , which implies that our infinitely glorious Maker is of all things least worthy of our choice , but in this we exalt our selves above him , as if we might command him to bestow upon us Heaven and Happiness when-ever we thought fit to call for it . And which of us would bestow the meanest favour upon him , who would resolve to oppose , or but neglect us as long as he pleas'd . The delaying makes us the unfitter , not only to crave , but even to receive , Mercy ; and since all our life , albeit as piously spent as humane frailty can allow , is short enough for so great a Work ; what can we expect from a few sickly hours distracted by new pains , and amazed at so many old sins ? And the Scripture having commanded us to repent , and bring forth good Works ; it has every where made good Works and a subsequent Amendment of our Lives , the mark as well as fruit of sincere Repentance : and therefore since a Death-bed Repentance must want this proof , it cannot but be by so much the more uncomfortable to us and our friends . Nor is there any generous Soul , who having receiv'd so great and undeserved a Pardon , would not desire to be able to live , that he might magnifie that Infinite God to whom he ow'd it . I know that the Thief on the Cross has been a stumbling-block to many others ; but we reason very weakly from this instance of God's Mercy : for he by believing the Divinity of our Saviour amidst all that could have been said against it , when even the Jews were desiring him to come down from the Cross , and they would believe in him , and the other Thief was reviling him ; did evidence as much Faith in that contracted Span when dying , as the best of us can do in a prolong'd Life . And it being fit for the Saviour of the World to shew his Power and Mercy when he was leading Captivity captive , that happy Thief can be no Precedent for us who remain unconverted after so many Miracles , that no reasonable man can now doubt of , especially if he never heard , as its probable , of that Gospel which we have so oft undervalued , and if he has not neglected former offers of Mercy which we have so oft contemn'd . And shall we presume on God's Goodness , because one man was sav'd , and but one , to preserve Mankind from despair ; not remembring , that as the Thief obtain'd a Pardon when he sought it , so Esau found no place for Repentance , tho' he sought it earnestly , Heb. 12. 17. And tho' those who came in at the last hour , got as much as those who had wrought at the first ; yet it is remarkable , that it is said , they came not sooner , because no man had desired them . But let me conjure any noble Soul to consider , that if God be worthy of the Adoration of Angels through all Eternity ; and that we confess , that to walk , like Enoch , with him , will be so amiable and glorious , why should we delay it for Pleasures that are unworthy of a reasonable Soul , and which last but for a moment ? For at least we lose so much unexpressible Joy and Pleasure ; and in delaying our Repentance we continue to be sick when we may be whole , to be blind when we may see , to be poor when we may be rich , to lye in Prison when we may live at Liberty , and to be Slaves to our Enemies when we may be Heirs to a Kingdom . All which induce me to believe , that they who delay Repentance , design not to repent , but flatter themselves with a false conceit of it ; for to repent is to be grieved , and no man who is grieved can put it off at his pleasure , no more than a man can be griev'd or not as he pleases . As also if a man resolv'd sincerely to repent , 't is necessary that he were convinc'd of the greatness of his danger , and were actually asham'd as well as afraid thereof ; and if he were truly touch'd with these Convictions , he would not continue in the Courses which occasion'd them . And to finish all , is it not the height of unreasonableness for a man to continue to do these things , of which he knows he must be asham'd , and for which he resolves to be exceedingly troubled and afflicted ? And if we were coming into a Room where a man were wounding himself , would we not conclude him yet madder if he told us , that he would give himself more and more , because such a man got so many Wounds , and yet was cured . Let me therefore conclude this Discourse with the noble and just Reasoning us'd by St. Peter , 2 Epist. 3. 10 , 11. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night , in the which the Heavens will pass away with a great noise , and the Elements shall melt with a fervent heat , the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up : Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved , what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness ? And what a frighted Creature will the greatest Hero be , when he finds himself in the midst of a burning World , having greater terrors within his Breast than these , rais'd by an Omnipotent God , and which will force him to cry to the Hills and Mountains to fall upon him , and cover him from the face of this angry Judge ? But these great and sad Truths need ( alas ) to be preach'd by an Angel , to Hearers standing upon the brink of their Grave , and having Heaven and Hell open'd before them . PART II. Whence proceeds it that Man is so unreasonable , and how to improve our Reason . IT is indeed very strange , that Man , who improves daily so much in all Arts and Sciences , that are neither so necessary , so easie , nor so advantageous to us , should still decrease in this excellent Study , this Noble and Useful Knowledge : Let us then enquire a little into the occasions of these Errours in his reasonings , and we shall find them so silly , that they also discover to us new Weaknesses in his Reason . I know that we generally charge this on Man's Atheism , imagining he would reason justly , if he believ'd the Principles I have laid down ; but this is a mistake , for Atheists reason most weakly , as well as others , and most inconsequentially to their own Principles : for even Atheists disquiet themselves for Fame and Money , and by Whoring and Drinking destroy their Bodies , which is all they dote upon , and should preserve , and which shews their unreasonableness , according to their own Principles ; and that Infidelity is not the cause of false reasoning , appears clearly , because such as are not Atheists , reason falsly ; and we may observe , that such as believe that by the ill Diets they use , their terrible pains will be renew'd , do yet adventure on them ; oh , that they only of all Mankind were the unreasonable Men ! But how unreasonable are they , who believing there is a Crown of Glory reserv'd for those that will run that Heavenly race , chuse rather to sit Tipling and Gaming ; that believe the Son of God stands stretching out his arms , ready to preserve them , and yet will rather sink down into that fearful Pit , from which there is no redemption ; who will rather starve than seek that Heavenly Manna , and languish of their Wounds , than seek the Balm of Gilead , from the hand of a loving Father ; whom no Judgments on others can awaken , nor Mercies to themselves can oblige ; Sick amidst so many Cures ; Poor , amidst such Plenty ; Blind , notwithstanding so much Light ; and Insensible , in spight of so many Convictions . But how can Men reason well , since they neither understand the true use of Reason , nor what Man is ? And these are the two first and great occasions of our Errours . As to Reason , let us examin our selves narrowly , and we shall find that Men think they need not Reason in the great and considerable designs of Life , as if these were matters to be taken upon trust ; And as if Reason were to be us'd only in matters of State , or in Debate or Trade . And I desire to know , who sits down to reason with himself , why he lives so or so , or to know , if what he does , is according to the Rules given him , for regulating his Actions . I have my self spent Twenty years in reasoning eagerly to secure other Mens Estates ; but I have spent very little time to consider , by a nobler reasoning , why do I spend so much time in reasoning for other Men , and yet so little for my self ? tho' in the mean time , I do but too much prefer my self to all others ? You will find some Divines very busie in arguing , whether God from all Eternity could have made Creatures , and yet these Men will never consider what shall become of them in Eternity . The cure then of this , is to consider Reason , not as a Tool , useful for Gain or Fame only , but as a Square , put in our hands , by our kind God , to instruct us how to make our Actions straight and even ; and as a Workman does first mind to have all regulated by his Square , and after his work is finished , applyes the Square to what he has made ; so ought we , when any thing is design'd by us , resolve to do all in it by the rules of Reason , and when the Action is ended , examin if it be so : And to invite us to this , God has not oblig'd us to seek for this any foreign or remote Remedy ; no , nor to owe our Remedy to any other ; but has plac'd his Candle in our Breasts , and honour'd us with the being our own Governours and Directors . Let us then think , and think of matters of Importance , and of matters that import us ; let us think as much of Heaven , which cannot be taken from us , when once we are possessed of it , as we do of temporal Estates , in the possession of which we cannot be secured . Let us think as much upon our selves , whom we value too much , as upon others , whom we value too little . We use oft-times our Reason to argue falsly for Interest , or by Pre-ingagement , and this debauches our Reason , after which it continues easily in this Errour : For this takes off that Reverence and Esteem we ought to have for just reasoning . Thus Lawyers favouring still , and being oblig'd to maintain the cause of those who have retain'd them , force their Reason to find Arguments for their own side ; Divines thinking themselves oblig'd to defend the Positions of that Church wherein they were born , reason still in its defence : States-Men , to fortifie their Partie , endeavour to perswade all Men to embrace it ; and Orators , not excepting the Philosophers amongst them , to beautifie their discourses , urge things that are meer Flourishes , having much Lustre , but no Strength ; great instances whereof are to be seen in Seneca , and generally in all the Heathens , who , as I shall shew expresly elsewhere , were forc'd , by not knowing the true Principles whereupon Reason was to be built , to maintain by false reasonings the true Principles that they design'd to recommend . We do likewise form our Morality by our Interest , and guide not our Interest by our Morals ; and after we have form'd any Design , we find out Reasons to perswade us that it is just : And thus we oft-times mistake Interest , Imagination , and Prejudices , for solid Reason ; the true cure whereof lies in being painful and curious in our first Reasonings ; and as careful not to commit Errours by false and careless Arguings , in matters of eternal Happiness , as Mathematicians are in their Demonstrations about Figures and Conclusions , which cannot secure them against one Misfortune , nor add one day to their Lives . Bigotry , and false conceptions of Religion , do also darken much our Reason ; for sometimes , by implicit Faith and Infallibility , ( those great Tyrants over Reason ) we accustome our selves to Laziness , wherein we lose the habit of Reasoning ; and sometimes by imposing upon us things inconsistent with it , and by teaching us that it is a dangerous Guide , we lessen our own esteem for it , and create insensibly in our selves a Jealousie that it is an Imposture ; and we baffle it so on these occasions , that at other times it dares not try its own strength . I confess , that it ought in a just submission yield to his commands who made it , nor should we hear the Servant when the Master speaks ; but except when the will of God does expresly ordain ones Reason to submit , we ought not to deny our selves the true exercise of it , to please Men , who understand not its true strength , or do upon designs impose on us the abandoning of it . And this has infected us so far , that by it all other Sciences did fall very low . And if some bold Defender , such as Cartes and others , had not interpos'd , we had been led by implicit Faith , in all the Objects of Knowledge as well as in all the Objects of Faith ; and every School-man would have exacted as much absolute submission to his own Dictates , as we should pay to the unerring Commands of our infallible Creator . And oft-times Self-love passing for Religion , blinds us whilst it promises Illumination : As a clear instance whereof I shall desire any wise Man to consider , that if this were true Zeal which led Men to hazard all they have for the ridiculous difference about indifferent Ceremonies or Tenets , why do they not hazard all they possess for the defence of the Christian Religion against the Turks ; since in sound Reason , and by a Mathematical certainty , the whole is to be preferred to a part ; and to prove that this is the effect of Self-love , and not of true Devotion , it is very observable , that the less the differences be in such cases , we are ordinarily the more passionate in them , being inclin'd rather to have our Sentiments sustain'd , than the Commands of God obey'd ; most men being to themselves their own only God , and being asham'd that they should err even in the meanest circumstance . Men may think me insolent when I tell them that they understand not themselves , but they should bear this from me ; who would willingly wish that they could justly tax me of a Lye in it . But for my security I must put them in mind , that Monsieur Paschal told them before me , that he had laid aside the study of the Mathematicks , because few understood to converse with him in it , and betook himself to consider Man ; as thinking that a Subject so near , and of such concern to every one , that all could not but understand it ; and yet he found this less understood than the other . But that I may contribute my mean Endeavors for clearing them in this , I must desire them to consider , that Man being created to love and admire God , it must follow by a necessary consequence , that God was to be the Center of all his Knowledge ; and right Reason was a drawing of all his Conclusions as so many Lines , to rest upon God as that Center . But Man designing to exalt himself , does by a woful mistake make himself the Center , and Self-love , as another Reason , draws all into this design . And thus , whereas we should study to understand the excellent Works of the Creation , that in them we may understand the Infiniteness of that wonderful Creator ; we study them only thereby to adorn our own Spirits , and thus to raise an Esteem in others for us : and crook in all the Conclusions we make to our selves and our Conveniency , as the Center of all our Designs . And thus we have invented new Sciences , Arts , and Recreations , such as Criticisms , Rraillery , Comedies , Tragedies , &c. meerly that our Works may be admir'd as much as his . And therefore it is impossible we can ever reason justly , since all the Lines of our Reasoning tend to a wrong Center ; but if we return to our Duty in resolving to love and admire him , and not our selves , every Conclusion being drawn from true Principles and Positions , would recover its original streightness . And thus if we ador'd God more than Kings and Princes , we would not displease God to please them , that we might be enrich'd or advanc'd by them . If we studied only to know him in his Creatures , and not to raise our own Fame by them , we would not toil and vex our selves to acquire Fame ; nor forget serving and adoring him , that we might get time to know those Sciences , and be esteem'd for , and delighted in that Learning . Self-love , amongst its other Cheats , hinders us to study Christian Morality , because that would let us see how vile and frail we are ; and therefore , as a diversion , it carries us impetuously to study other Sciences , wherein we may admire our own Wit and Sagacity : but that which seems to me the true Notion of Learning is , that it should be a design to know and admire God in his Works ; for which Natural Philosophy and Mathematicks are to be studied ; in his Providence , which we may know by History ; in his Justice to be known by Law ; and in his governing the Soul of Man , which is the Object of Moral Philosophy : but above all , in himself and the Mysteries of our Salvation , taught by Divinity when well directed . A Proof of which , as well as a new Cause of our Errours and Reasoning is , That the first Rule by which our Reasons are squared and directed , are the Writings of those Illustrious Heathens , who in our Youth are recommended to us as the only Guides and Patterns : The best of which , such as Plato , Epictetus , Seneca , and others , being absolutely ignorant of Man's great Disease , which is Original Sin , could not but mistake the Remedies of his Actual Transgressions ; and knowing nothing more excellent than their own Reason , they concluded it was sufficient . And having from their Poets and Traditions learned mean , low thoughts of their Gods , who were in those days made the chief Actors of the sins they should have punished , and describ'd as more employ'd in satisfying their own Passions , than in governing of the World. Those misled Philosophers did not only equal themselves to , but raised themselves above the Gods , whom they taught others and themselves to adore . And to that height did this mistake in their Reasoning fly , that Seneca concludes his Wise man much preferable to the Gods , because the good they did , arose from the necessity of their own Nature ; whereas man being left to a freedom in his Actions , made them good by his own wise choice . Epictetus founds his Philosophy upon that only Principle , That the things within us are in our own power , but the things without us are not . Whereas St. Paul from Heaven assures us , That of our selves , as of our selves , we can do no good . And our own Experience doth most convincingly agree with St. Paul , against Epictetus . And whereas a Principle in any Science should be an uncontroverted Truth , we find daily that this Principle is an absolute Lye. For that man who thinks that he can with an unerring hand govern his Passions , has never undertaken the subduing of them . And video meliora , proboque , deteriora sequor , agrees much better with our own Experience , as well as with St. Paul , who , tho' among the greatest of Saints , complains justly , Rom. 7. 15. That which I would , that do I not ; but what I hate , that do I : and therefore is forced to cry out , Who shall deliver me from this body of Death ? Cicero's Discourse concerning the Nature of Gods , and Plato's Dialogues of the Immortality of the Soul , may convince us how weakly those great Patterns of Philosophy do reason , even upon those Subjects where Reason was not altogether mistaken . And from those , and all the Writings of the Ancient Pagans , I do more justly conclude , That those great Ideas which our Masters have given us of them , and the Eloquence which shines every where in their Writings , have misled us from the ways that lead to the New Ierusalem ; and from admiring the Beauty of Holiness which shines in those Scriptures , which have God Almighty and the Holy One of Israel for their Author and Subject , and in which we are taught to expect more help from Heaven , than from our selves , against our innate and original Corruption , which is more to be overcome by praying than thinking , and can never be overcome without that Humility and Self-denial , which was absolutely unknown to the Heathens , as I hope to prove in another Discourse , where these thoughts shall have their full scope . I am far from designing in this to root out Self-love , but rather to direct and improve it . For certainly God has grafted Self-love in every Man's Heart , to the end , Man might thereby be the more oblig'd to love him , to whom he owes all those Excellencies which he loves in himself , and that he may be thereby oblig'd to preserve himself as a part of the Universe , and which is in general preserv'd by every Man's loving himself ; and so far has God allow'd this Self-love , that he punishes Man when he destroyes himself . But that Self-love which I here inveigh against , is a false and imposture passion , whereby Man makes himself the Spring , from which all his Designs follow , the Mark at which they aim , and the Rule by which they are to be squared , than which nothing can be more unreasonable . For how can we justifie our selves , in requiring absolute deference from all that is ours , if we yield it not to that Infinite Being to whom we owe all ; and as he brought us out of nothing , so we should still remember that we are nothing before him . If every Man made himself the Rule , and drew all to himself , what a distracted thing would this World be , and how impossible would it be for any Man to live comfortably in it ? And as a private Man would be esteem'd mad , who in a Court , would think that all things should be design'd there for his Glory and Pleasure : So much more is Man a distracted Creature , when he makes himself the chief aim of all his Actions . Whereas , if a Courtier take great care to please the Monarch , and to design his Glory and Advantage , he will thereby raise himself in a securer , as well as a juster way . And therefore because Self-love is so strong an Oratour , and is still at the bottom of all perswasion , we should examine cautiously , what is urged upon us under the disguise of Self-love , and whether we do really love our selves when we yield to those things to which we are tempted . I shall conclude this Period with a sad Assertion , That in spight of all that Men profess , yet too many really , at the bottom , mistake themselves so far , as to think that they have no original Frailties , and therefore that they are able to command their Passions , and that they need no Divine Assistance , that they are nothing else , save that body which we see , that they are not to die so soon , and that the things they are doing now are the only things to be car'd for , and will remain with them for ever . And if most Men have this Idea of themselves , I desire to know how they can draw just conclusions from such mistaken Principles . Another cause of our Reasoning so weakly , is , that the things of another World are too remote to seem great to us , and too spiritual to be discerned by carnal Eyes . The least thing , when plac'd immediately before our Eyes , will intercept , and exclude all further prospect ; and even the least conspicuous Objects , and Sensual things do , by a constant tide of emanations , flow in continually upon us , so as to fill our thoughts , and leave little room for any thing else . But as a Remedy to this , let us consider , that since even Corporeal , and Sensual Pleasures charm us only when we think much upon them , it follows , that thinking is the Source , and Origin of Esteem : tho' we see not the Riches of a golden Mine , yet our belief will make us toil for it , and the hope of succeeding to an Estate will oblige us to follow eagerly what that hope suggests . And since Faith is the evidence of things not seen , it does represent things to come , with a certainty , that makes them present ; and albeit it may be objected , that we have seen some such things as these Mines , and Worldly Successions , and therefore it is that we believe and love them more ; yet that is of no moment : For the miracles that Men have heard of , and the wonderful works of Providence which we daily see , especially when born in upon us , by the conviction of our own Consciences , seem as strong motives as any that sense can afford Conscience , that luminous Sense of the Soul , being stronger , and more perswasive to any that will hear it , than any of our dull and outward Senses , which have only assistance from stupid Flesh and Blood : Conversation also about things Spiritual and Divine , will be in place of Sensual Emanations to us , and will represent a future Life , and the World to come to a hearkning Soul , as if it were present ; nor will the Almighty fail to assist that Eloquence which has him for its only and ultimate scope . The Soul cetrtainly being a Spiritual substance , can more easily unite it self to immaterial Objects , such as a future state of Happiness , than to the terrestrial Objects , with which we fill it ; and the only fault is in us , who do not apply our selves to the thinking on these . Do we not find that such as aspire to Fame are more taken with it than any Man is with Meat or Drink , yea , and Life it self , for the conquest whereof all these are contemn'd : And yet Fame is a meer immaterial Object , that has nothing affecting the Senses otherwise than by thinking nothing Present , nothing Corporeal ; and generally , the Spirit of Man is more pleas'd with Expectation than with any present Possession whatsoever ; so far , that if we expect any little accident , it will busie more our thoughts , and fasten them more to it than a thousand things of greater value already possess'd . This then can be no such hard task as our laziness perswades it to be . Tho' we be convinc'd of the truths on which I have founded my Observations , yet we advert not to them , nor heed them . Thus tho' an Object were most conspicuous , yet if we dote so upon any other , as ▪ never to turn our eyes that way , we shall not be taken with either its Value or Beauty . We are bred up in a great esteem for the things of this World , and so are rather pre-engag'd than blind , and buy not that Pearl of price , because we have laid out our Stock on other trifles , which is a great defect in our Reason , and for which we would contemn other Merchants : And this is to be cur'd by having a true value for things , and by rectifying all our Ideas ; and therefore , he who resolves to reason justly , should begin first to consider , when any thing occurs , of what use it may be , and of what value it is . As for instance , Is this Land , for which I am sinfully providing Money , worth Heaven ? or this Man , whom I am to please , abler to make me happy than God Almighty , to whom in this I prefer him ? And so , like a skilful Chymist , resolve every thing into its true Principles , and then try its value ; and like a Merchant , who has been often cheated , resolve at last to consider what such things are worth , whether they will be fashionable where we are going , and whether they will return us the Stock we lay out upon them ? For improving this thought , we should consider , that tho' we discover truths , yet we do not take time to ponder them sufficiently : And thus , tho' we be convinc'd , yet we improve not sufficiently our convictions . Self-love , and the love of Ease has us'd us to a partial and superficial way of enquiry ; and from this also proceed these wanderings which weaken those pious Meditations , and disturb that earnestness in Prayer , by which we can only procure a just illumination in our reasoning ; desultoriness of thought grows daily when it is not lessen'd , and the next days wanderings are the punishment of those which we suffered to prevail yesterday . But should we not be asham'd , that we cannot think our Salvation worthy of some serious hours , since it is that which God Almighty has constantly design'd , and follow'd from all Eternity , tho' we are far more concerned in it . And that we can spend many entire hours upon a question of Law or Mathematicks , and yet cannot fix our thoughts upon that Infinite Being , in whom there are far more infinite Perfections ; an Object that can never be exhausted , where every thought would open a new Scene of thoughts , yet more delightful ; by which , Angels have been for many thousands of years detain'd in constant raptures , contemplating those admirable Mysteries , which the Scripture tells us , the Angels desire to pry into , finding by a constant enquiry , new matter of holy Learning , and blessed Curiosity ; and are said by God himself to have learn'd this from those happy Christians to whom those mysteries were first reveal'd , Eph. 3. 8. Learn then , O Christian , to manage thy Spirit , try first by what means thou usest to fix it on other occasions , and improving these from the obvious advantages that pious fixation will yield above all others ; beg humbly , by Prayer , a new supply to thy native Forces , acknowledge to God that thou hast taught thy own thoughts this seditiousness and tumultuariness of which thou complain'st , and hope , that as by frequent yieldings thou feddest that Vice into a habit , so that by frequent and resolute oppositions thou may'st destroy that obstinate and dangerous habit , and introduce a contrary one , which will make thy fix'dness easie and pleasant . Frequent reasonings do also not only make us argue more strongly and easily , but do warm us into a conviction first , and then into a love for that for which we contend : And thus Lawyers are oft-times convinc'd , even in the ill Causes they plead ; and Hereticks fix themselves in their Errors , by frequent contests for them . Why then should we not argue more frequently both against our selves , and with others , upon these excellent Truths , by which also we should be engag'd in honour to walk sutably to these truths , of which we profess to others that we are convinc'd ? And who could be so absurd , as after he has been debating against another for his Drinking , yet would invite him to a Debauch ? But , alas , every Man loves to debate in his own Calling , except the Christian : And it is become as much a shame to talk of Devotion as it ought to be our Glory and Delight ; and men seem afraid to debate , lest by being too much convinc'd of what they ought to do , they should be too much terrified for what they have done ; and so these Convictions beget an uneasiness to them , when to gratifie their humour ; they are tempted to renew their sins . Hypocrisie affords us a clear proof of this partiality , as well as of Man's contradicting himself ; for to confess there is a God who is Omniscient , who knows the secrets of hearts , and before whom there is nothing hid in Heaven or Earth , and yet to think that we can conceal our thoughts from his all-seeing Eye , implies a flat Contradiction ; as it also does to care for nothing but what may cause an esteem in our selves , for our selves . We really value other mens approbation , because it confirms us in our own : nor would the vainest man alive value all the flatteries imaginable , if he thought he could not deserve them . Yet in Hypocrisie we must know , that we deserve not the applause to which we pretend , and it is worthy of our thoughts to enquire impartially , how men can reconcile these in themselves ; for the most debauched Reason will not adventure upon any Contradiction without some seeming reconciliation . And tho' at the first it may seem that want of consideration is the cause of this , yet this cannot be ; for if we know not that we are masquing , it is no Hypocrisie ; and on the contrary , Hypocrisie requires great reflection , because it needs much precaution . The Reason then of the first must be , That as to God we trust our Repentance , and to his Mercy ; as if forsooth , we did him little wrong , by making his Creature appear more excellent than it is , and as if it might prejudge his Service to let others see , that we are many times more wicked than they , or that we did God good Service in encouraging others to be Pious by our good Example , and that we by Hypocrisie do only raise an esteem , or come to an employment by which we may be truly serviceable to God in our other actions . But I really think , that the Heart of Man is so narrow , that it can hold only one Scheme of thoughts at once , and therefore this little Soul being fill'd with a desire of applause , and with the shame of being silly and undeserving , it reflects indeed , but all its reflections look that way . The man is full of this , and intent upon it , and so he sees not the Contradiction , how palpable soever it be ; but yet it is so notorious and discernable , that I may justly conclude his Reason weak , if not blind , who does not discern it . The Cure then of this subtile Cheat must be by pursuing this Imposture into its secret recess , by seeing this Player before he put on his fine Cloaths and Disguises , by turning all our thoughts to God , and from our selves , adverting seriously and impartially to every little circumstance in the design that is to be considered . I have oft-times admired the prevalency of Custom above Reason ; and tho' Brutes , who want Reason , or Children , in whom it is yet scarce ripened , be led by it ; yet what a strange thing is it , that in men who have Reason in maturity , Custom becomes not only a second Nature , but overcomes Nature , and is a second Nature , because it almost extirpates Reason , which was our first Nature . For tho' the older we grow , our Reason should grow the stronger , yet it falls still weaker , and melts so before Custom , that even the vertuous and dutiful Actions we do , seem rather the effects of Custom than of Reason . For if they proceeded from Reason , the same Reason which prompted us to do them , would oblige us to act vertuously on all other occasions . And we see that we alter our Vertues as the Fashions and Customs of our Country change . But to conclude this expostulation , I cannot but wonder that a man should be call'd reasonable , after he has trusted the making Laws and Moulds for living happily and dutifully to the Multitude or Crowd , the worst of all Judges ; and which we our selves contemn as an ignorant , giddy , and capricious Rabble . Of which influence of Custom over Reason , many different Causes occur to me ; for sometimes I think that Customs establish and fix themselves in us whilst we are yet young , that Reason can neither defend it self nor us , especially as to unusual Pleasures , which are the proper and natural objects of our first years : and like Weeds that have over-grown the ground , tho' never so fertile , they hinder the better Plants from growing up . To prevent which , it is necessary that we teach young ones to reason very early , and accustom them to a Christian Logick , that is better than what they can learn in the Schools . Thus we may make Custom it self useful rather than hurtful to Reason , and teach it to serve , whereas now it governs . And I know one who cur'd his habitual Swearing by arguing with himself , That since even the King's Enemies were able to restrain themselves from speaking Treason , by reflecting on its dangerous consequences , it was strange , that he who was convinc'd that Swearing did draw on more dangerous consequences , could not abstain from a custom that was altogether hateful , without the least allay of pleasure or advantage , to which the others might pretend . Sometimes I think , that Custom having the force of the Multitude which supports it , they all concur to pull back a well resolved Man from his vertuous resolutions ; and Custom prevails rather by numbers than by strength : And to prevent this , it is necessary for a man who resolves to Reason justly , to withdraw for some time from the Crowd : Prov. 18. 1. A man , says Solomon , having separated himself , meddleth with all Wisdom ; and Seneca tells us , That sanabimur modo à caetu separemur . Jesus Christ also who has triumphed over the World , is by strong Intercessions , to be called in against this potent Enemy , who has shewn us , that he can throw out and dispossess that Devil whose name is Legion : but the Multitude is never so corrupt , but that still some are to be found who can assist us in reasoning justly upon things ; and we should also remember , that we value so little the Multitude , that we stand not in awe of what they say of us , when we are gaining Money , or satisfying our Pleasures : why then should we still spend all we have , and deny our selves all Pleasure in following Custom , or courting Fame ; since Custom and Fame are but the Dictates of the Multitude , an Homage which unthinking men are forced to pay the Rabble , because they dare not seriously reflect on what they do ? Or which designing men pay them in hopes to make them first Tools to their Ambition , and thereafter Slaves to their Tyranny . But at other times the strength of Custom flows from our laziness , who love the way that is chalked out to us , and think it safe to follow , rather than lead the crowd ; cheated to this by a cowardly Humility , which proves our never having considered the Nobleness of our own Origine : which is to be cured by a generous resolution of despising difficulties ; and of being Slaves , as all persons are , who love better to obey , than to examine the Dictates of others ; and we are most unreasonable , when we have so strong desires to lead the Multitude to our ruine , as in seditious Tumults and Factions ; and yet will be content to be tamely led by them in what is much nobler and of greater consequence . How much more do we praise those great Legislators , who govern'd the Multitude by their Vertues , than those Sycophants who adored them by submissions ? There is Light in Vertue and Religion , and there is none dares resist it ; it is able to astonish as well as convince : nor are men so wicked as not to desire to be assisted by some happy Genius , in what they are convinced is best . And every man almost stands only in awe of another , expecting and wishing some Moses to undertake their delivery . Generally Self-love seems to lead into these Sentiments , as thinking the Multitude will cry up their own inclinations , and is unwilling to check that Multitude from which it expects applause ; and whose many Suffrages it needs to maintain it , against that inward sense it has of its own weakness and silliness : and this is to be cured by a noble reflection upon the dignity of our first Creation ; and a desire to be again like to that God whose Image at first we were , and whose Sons we may yet be , if we can raise our hopes above those lower Spheres of sensual Joyes and Pleasures which poyson us when they seem sweet , and cheat us when they appear great . One of the dreadful effects of our following the Example of others , is , that we think it is sufficient to be as reasonable as they : And thus we foolish and unreasonable Mortals , stint and bound one anothers goodness ; now this we shall easily perceive to be most unreasonable , when we consider that no Man will satisfie himself in being as powerful or rich as his Neighbours ; tho' these be much less desireable for a Soul and Spirit , which is the Image of an Infinite God , and is , after all its best endeavours here , very far from attaining to that degree of perfection which is even requisite to the life of a Christian. Devotion is a Race , and who is it that when he runs with many Rivals , will content himself to be in the throng , especially if the Prize be considerable : And therefore the Apostle exhorts us to forget those things which are behind , and to reach forth to those things that are before , pressing towards the mark , for the prize of the high calling in Christ Iesus , Phil. 3. 14. We are not only obliged to press on to obtain the Crown , but being pursued by our spiritual Enemies , we are concerned to use all the speed that is possible . And would not we conclude him mad , who if he were pursu'd for his life , would not desire to be past all danger , but content himself that he were not the last amongst those who endeavoured to escape ? It is strange , that notwithstanding that Custom does so lead us when we go not where we ought to go , but where others have gone before us , yet we oft-times err to a contrary extreme , and by a contrary reason , which is as false and more dangerous than the other , reasoning weakly and falsly from a design and desire to be singular , and consequently to be admir'd ; thus even whilst in this we oppose the multitude , we design to please them too ; for no Man admires what does not delight him ; and probably , these same contradictors would have chosen rather to have gone to Fame in the beaten path , by a direct pleasing and following of them ; but finding a Crowd before them in it , which they could not pass by , they , by a long and a dangerous circuit , run before , and endeavour to keep the Pass on their Rivals , and hinder them from coming up at Fame ; and tho' they want the multitude at present , yet they hope to make them follow , else they would not differ from them ; for few would care to continue alone till the last , tho' they love to be singular at first ; yet this humour is a very great Enemy to true reasoning , for it introduces a habit of arguing falsly ; and it is difficult in this dark estate to recover our road ; if we once quit our light , one errour emboldens us to commit another , and it is the punishment of it , when committed ; even those who care not to oppose Truth , love to be consequential in their opposition ; for to do otherwise , were to be guilty of a double and more palpable vice in reasoning . Another great hinderance to right Reasoning , is Sensuality : For though I am far from being of their opinion , who think the Soul nothing but the Animal Spirits ; since we cannot conceive how matters can think so delicately and subtily , yet there is no doubt but the tempers of the Body has great influence on the Mind ; and that Sobriety does purifie the Blood , and make these animal Spirits fitter Organs for the Soul ; as on the other hand , Drunkenness drowns it , Gluttony stupifies it , and even after that time has dissipated those loads which oppress the Soul , there remains a stock of dregs which are easily inflam'd into Lust , Rage , and other brutal Passions , which in a more lasting manner inslave it . Therefore Pagans have recommended Sobriety as a Diet for the Soul as well as the Body , and the Scripture Fasting , as a Religious Duty ; and since there is none of us so Brutal , but if we were about to Preach , Plead , or assist in a publick Judicature , we would be careful to avoid all these Excesses , lest thereby our Reason might be disturbed or clouded ; we ought much more to shun them , with an Eye to the service of an Infinite God , and the preservation of our immortal Souls , minding in this the observation of the Prophet , Wine , and new wine take away the heart ; and the advice of our Saviour , See that you be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness . There remain yet two vigorous Enemies to our Reason to be subdued , Bigotry and Raillery ; which tho' they be contrary to one another ; Bigotry treating things that are ridiculous as Sacred , and Raillery treating things Sacred as ridiculous , yet they both conspire against our Reason , and are the favourite extravagancies of the times , which obliges me to insist the more upon them . I define Bigotry to be a laying too much stress upon any circumstantial point of Religion or Worship , and the making all other essential Duties subservient thereto , and got its name from an occasion extravagant like it self . Rolland first Duke of Normandy , being obliged to do homage to Charles King of France , for that Dutchy , refus'd to kiss his Foot , except the King would raise it himself to his mouth ; and when it was told him that the Solemnity consisted in his taking up the King's Foot and kissing it , he answer'd , Ne se bigot , that is to say in old Norman , Not so by God ; Whereupon the King and Court derided him , and the Normans were from that occasion called Bigots , as they who adhered pertinaciously to Ridiculous Extravagancies . These latter Ages having , in this dotage of the World , produc'd multitudes , who mistaking Reformation for Humour , and seeing some Devout Men admired for separating from Idolatrous and Superstitious Churches , because they would not reform great and fundamental Errours , imagined that every thing was to be stuck at with the same zeal which these shewed in matters of greatest consequence , and by a farther effect of the same zeal , they proceeded to force others to concur with them in their extravagancies , which surprising distraction forced Men to bestow on them the name of Bigots ; Superstition could not so well agree to them , that being only an excessive Worship paid to a Deity , true or false , from an ill-grounded fear of mischief from it : nor could dogmatising serve , that being only a positiveness in any Opinion , joyned to the vanity of thinking , that the Dogmatizer had right to dictate to others ; nor Opiniarity , because that consists only in adhering too stifly to any Opinion in spight of the best Reasons ; nor Schism , because it is an unnecessary separation ; nor Heresie , for tho' it is an obstinate Errour in some important point , yet it is always in matters of Faith ; whereas Bigotry rests only in matters of small importance ; but tho Bigotry properly relates to matters Ecclesiastical in our late acceptation , yet it is by an easie stretch used to express opiniatrities of all kinds ; and if we consider its original , we must conclude , that it has been drawn to matters Ecclesiastick , and is appropriated now to them , because they are the most remarkable and frequent instances or effects of this mischievous Principle . For we may justly say , that Bigotry is the Hypochondriacism of Reason , the Bedlam of Religion , and the Ape of Infallibility . Instances of this Bigotry , as they are very frequent , so they are very ancient . The Apostles themselves were forc'd very early to inveigh against Zeal that was not according to Knowledge ; and the chief of their Scholars , who had been so happy as to hear them preach , did yet rend the Church by a dreadful Schism , which soon after grew to that heighth , that the Western Church excommunicated the Eastern , for differing from them in the observation of Easter . The best way to deter Men from spending their time and zeal in the service of Bigotry , either as its Chaplains , or as its Emissaries or Executioners , will be to consider the great defects , under which it labours , and the sad effects which it produceth . The first pernicious effect of Bigotry , is , that it obtrudes on us things of no moment as matters of the greatest importance . Now , as it would be a great defect in a Man's sense to take a Star for the Sun ; or in an Oratour to insist tenaciously on a point which deserved no consideration ; so it must be a much greater errour in a Christian to prefer , or even to equal a meer circumstance to the solid points of Religion . But these mistakes become more dangerous , by inducing their Votaries to believe , that because they are Orthodox in these matters , they are the only People of God , and all who joyn not are Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel : And from this springs first , that they , as Friends of God , may be familiar with him , and , as Friends do one to another , may speak to him without distance or premeditation ; thence it is that we hear dreadful nonsense insolently vented in extemporary Prayers , such as would induce one to think that they do not believe him to be a God to whom they shew so little respect ; for who can think that Infinite Wisdom can consider them as Friends , who dare address to him so unsuitably ? Bigotry having thus corrupted our reasoning in matters of Religion , it easily depraves it in the whole course of our Morals and Politicks . The Bigots in the Second place proceed to fancy , that they who differ from them are Enemies to God , because they differ from God's People ; and then the Old Testament is consulted for expressions denouncing Vengeance against them : All Murders become Sacrifices by the Example of Phineas and Ehud ; all Rapines are hallowed by the Israelites borrowing the Ear-rings of the Egyptians ; and Rebellions have an hundred forc'd Texts of Scripture brought to patronise them . But I oftentimes wonder where they find Precedents in the Old Testament for Murdering and Robbing Mens Reputations , or for lying so impudently for what they think the good Old Cause ; which God foreseeing , has commanded us not to lie , even for his sake . The Third link of this Chain , is , That they fancying themselves to be the only Israel , conclude that God sees no sin in them , all is allowable to them ; and ( as one of themselves said ) They will be as good to God another way . The Fourth is , That such as differ from them are Bastards , and not the true Sons of God , and therefore they ought to have no share of this Earth , or its Government ; hence flow these holy and useful Maxims , Dominion is founded in Grace , and the Saints have the only right to govern the Earth ; which being once upon an occasion earnestly press'd in Cromwel's little Parliament , it was answered by the President of his Council , That the Saints deserved all things , but that Publick Employment was such a drudgery that it would be unjust to condemn the Saints to it , and that the securest way to make the Common-wealth happy , was to leave them in a pious retirement , interceding for the Nation at the Throne of Grace . The Fifth Errour in their reasoning , is , That seeing their opinions flow immediately from Heaven , no earthly Government can condemn any thing they do , in prosecution of these their Opinions ; thence it is that they raise Seditions and Rebellions without any scruple of Conscience , and believing themselves the Darlings and Friends of God , they think themselves above Kings , who are only their Servants and Executioners . It may seem strange , that such Principles as Bigotry suggests should be able to produce so strange effects , and many fanciful persons pretend it to be from God , because it prevails so . But this wonder will be much lessen'd if we consider first , That the greatest part of Mankind are weak or dishonest , and both these support Bigotry with all their might . Many virtuous Men also promote its Interest from a mistaken good nature , and vain Men from a design of gaining Popularity . These who are disoblig'd by the Government joyn their Forces with it , to make to themselves a Party ; and those who are naturally unquiet or factious , find in it a pleasant divertisement ; whereas on the other side , few are so concern'd for Moderation and Truth as the Bigots are for their belov'd Conceits . There is also a tinsel Devotion in it which dazles the Eyes of unthinking People ; and this arises either from the new Zeal , that like Youth , is still vigorous , and has not as yet spent it self so as that it needs to languish ; or else , from the Bigot's being conscious that his Opinions need to be disguis'd under this hypocritical Mask . Severity also encreases the number and Zeal of Bigots . Humane Nature inclines us wisely to that pity which we may one day need ; and few pardon the Severity of a Magistrate , because they know not where it may stop . I have known also some very serious Men , who have concluded , that since Magistrates have not oftentimes in other things a great concern for Devotion , their forwardness against these Errours must arise either from the cruelty of their temper , or from some hid design of carrying on a particular Interest , very different from , and oft-times inconsistent with the Religious Zeal they pretend . And generally , the Vulgar believe that all Superiours are inclin'd to triumph over those who are subjected to them ; many have also a secret perswasion that the Magistrates are still in League with the National Church , and its Hierarchy , which they suspect to be supported by them , because it maintains their Interest , and they are apt to consider Churchmen but as Pensioners , and so as Partizans to the Civil Magistrate . Many are drawn into the esteem of such Opinions as they see Men suffer difficulties for But this mistake was foreseen by the Primitive Church , who therefore declared that non Paena , sed Causa facit Martyrem . Christian Prudence does not allow a Man to sell his precious Life for an incompetent Price ; Forwardness that way does not always recommend an Opinion : Men of all Perswasions have died with firmness ; Pagans , yea , Women for their Country or Husbands have shewed a courage beyond any of these Bigots or Enthusiasts . The History of China relates a notable Instance of fantastical Bigotry ; an Hundred Thousand Chineses , who had born tamely their Nation 's being enslav'd by the Tartars , without making any Effort to recover their Liberty , chose rather to dye than conform to the Tartars , in turning up their Mustaches after their Mode ; Vanity well disguis'd can flatter Men with the Glory of Martyrdom ; and its observable that this Firmness faints often where Executions are Private ; however , this should prevail with a Wise Magistrate , never to make Religious Opinions Criminal . The true Cures then of this Disease seem to be , First , to endeavour to plant Reason early and carefully in the Hearts of Young ones , or to recover it in those of more advanced Years ; for this is a more solid and effectual way , than the immediate opposing , or offering to cure this Imperfection it self , will prove ; Men love their old and familiar Acquaintance ; Traveling abroad conduces much to this Cure ; for such as converse only with those of their own Perswasion , are daily warm'd into new degrees of Zeal ; whereas , when we see that Men of true sense differ from us , we will be inclin'd from a Christian Modesty and Humility , first to doubt our own Opinions , and then to hear Instructions : The Orthodox Clergy should by their Pious Lives conduce to this Cure ; and even Laicks should , by their serious and Devout Conversation , convince them that Sincerity and Piety are not inseparable from such humorous Conceits . These poor deluded People should consider what Mischiefs and Desolations those Vulcanos of Zeal have brought upon this Island by their dreadful Eruptions ; there being but very few Families , in which some of their Children have not been sacrificed to this Moloch : Nor can our Navies or Armies secure us while this Enemy lodgeth within us , and is cherished by us . They should also consider , that Religious Reason left to it self will at last overcome those prejudices , which , like Meteors , may shine for a time , but will at last vanish into the common and undistinguish'd Air. But the best of all Remedies , is , to consider seriously the Doctrine and Practice of our Blessed Saviour ( to form our Reason by which is the great design of this Essay ) and therefore they should remember , that our Saviour foreseeing the inconsequentialness of their Actions , did observe , that they did start at Straws , and swallow Camels ; that they tithed the Mint and Annise , but forgot the great things of the Law. Our Saviour's reasoning in the Parable of the Publican and Pharisee , should humble all spiritual Pride ; and his humble and submissive Form of Prayer should bridle the indiscretion of all rude Addressers ; He suffered the Sons of Zebedee to call for Fire from Heaven , that he might thereby instruct the World how unsuitable their Zeal was to his Gospel ; he reasoned against fighting Peter , that if his Kingdom were of this Earth , his Servants would fight for him ; and if he needed any Assistance , he might call for Legions of Angels : Nor can I think , after this Instance , our Saviour would have trusted Peter , in his absence , with two Swords , since he was so forward in his own presence , when he had but one : But if others will be so blind as not to follow our Saviour's way of reasoning , let us at least follow it , in praying for them , because they know not what they are doing ; yet I wish both they and we would consider , that we resemble too much at this time the unhappy Iews , who , by fighting amongst themsleves , for small matters , relating to their Religious Rites , occasioned their being totally destroyed , and extirpated by the Romans who besieged them . I know no greater enemy to just thoughts or Reasoning than Raillery and Satyrs , and the new way of reasoning by ridiculous Similies . Most Men are so famous for this kind of arguing , and do by it confute and baffle so much all who oppose it , that it passes for the stronger way of Reasoning , Victory being still accounted the Effect as well as the Reward of strength : But yet this way looks so sillie to Men when they retire and are alone , that they begin to wonder what it was that pleas'd them so before they left the conversation . And therefore I think it worth my pains to search a little into the causes of this vulgar errour , why Men are so much pleased with raillery , and why it prevails so in the World at this day ? The first cause of this , in my opinion , is , that Men naturally love Truth , as the Eyes do Light , or Bruits Food ; for Truth is indeed the Light and Food of the Soul ; yet missing it , after much enquiry , and a passionate search , they do either conclude there is none , and so laugh at all others who seek it , or in revenge , contemn it as a Cheat ; and this breeds at first Raillery and Satyrs ; even as we see , that when Gallants are rebuked by a severe Mistress , they please or revenge themselves in railing at her , or treating her in ridicule . As States-men and Courtiers seldom fail , when thrown off , to use the Court and Employments from which they are fall'n , after the same manner . And since too few seek after Truth it self , naked and unrewarded ; others again weary of the toils and severity required in true reasoning ; rest on this , as the easiest ; even as Men content themselves with gilded Plate , when they cannot attain to true Gold ; and Raillery has become by this as ordinary as the false Jewels , with which so many now please themselves , instead , of true ones ; and at a distance , and on the publick Theatre , even of business , the one appears brisker than the other . Raillery pleases also mens Self-love better than Truth ; for Truth is too severe to flatter our Vanity , and too honest to serve our Revenge ; whereas Raillery does tempt the Jester to flatter himself , and is an ordinary occasion for others to flatter him as a formidable Wit : Nor can the World find so fit a Tool for Revenge as Raillery ; since few durst even for fear of checks of Conscience stab their Neighbour , or for Honour wound him when his back is turn'd , if it were not in a pleasant jest , which makes Malice pass for Wit , and cheats the Satyrists into a belief that they design not to wrong him , but to please the company : The Hearers also would hate such Enemies to Mankind , if they were not so ravish'd with the way , that they had not time to think on the Malice . This misfortune also attends it , that it tempts men to do or say many things on which they would not otherwise adventure ; presuming that their Wit , which is so much admir'd , will also fright or bribe others from accusing or punishing them . Truth is a sober and equal Pleasure , free from all transports and hateing them , and so seems dull and flat to young and warm Spirits ; whereas that passion which accompanies Raillery , either in Joy or Revenge , is more vigorous and elevated ; and it is indeed a wonder to think what force and energy there is in the Soul , when the Sails of its Imagination are filled with the prosperous gale of Applause , and by what secret springs the Fancy is able to raise it to such heights when it is warmly pleas'd ; or what infinite numbers of ravishing Images appear to a strong Fancy : And how it creates so many pleasant notions out of other Mens Infirmities : And what great variety and newness it constantly produces , forming always various Scenes of Joy , to the wonder even of sober men : I deny not , but some do from good Nature , and to please the Conversation , scoff and jest , and , as I said formerly , some seeing it so much admir'd , think it is truly good , it being a kind of modesty , to believe that good which pleases others ; and some seeing Victory attend it , think it is the strongest way of arguing ; and , thus this Weed rises and spreads , and we sit with delight under the refreshing shades ; and with these raptures of Malice or Pleasure , Scoffers are so much taken , that they have not the leisure to think on what they ought to do , or even on what they are doing ; and thus they forget frequently the duty they owe to great men , to whom they have access , and can hardly keep themselves within that moderation in Conversation , Eating , Drinking , and other Exercises that are requisite for preserving Health and Quiet , or for observing the Rules of Decency and Discretion : I conclude , That Jesting and Satyrs are so far from being a relaxation of Spirit to those who are wearied with serious Employments , as is pretended , that they are oft-times rather a new and studied toil , and most of these extravagancies could scarce be pardoned ; like bitter and sour Fruits which can hardly be eaten , except when confected with great care and expence . But if we look further into the matter , we shall find that nothing wrongs more both Reason and Piety , and is more destructive to true Friendship , or more inconsistent with Sincerity . For clearing whereof we may observe , that every Faculty of the Soul contributes in a peculiar way to our reasoning : the Judgment does bring solid Arguments , the Memory Instances , Examples , and Citations , the Fancy or Imagination beautifies rather than illuminates its Objects with Similies , Metaphors , and other Rhetorical Figures ; so that Raillery neglecting the other two , sports it self lightly amidst those Flowers , without minding the great business ; and I have observed , that few who have been once bewitched with this way , ever minded any other . This suffers them not to penetrate further than the outside of things , and so it is impossible , that they who use it as their constant divertisement , can have any deep thoughts , or can search into the bottom of Affairs . I have also observed , that Raillery arises oft-times from an undervaluing of all persons and things , and nothing can be more contrary to Religion or Government than this is . To Religion , because , when a Man contemns all that God has created , he undervalues what the Almighty himself was pleased with , and rejoyced in , and scorns those great Exemplars of Piety and Devotion , whom God has called his Friends , and Men after his own heart ; and so in effect he concludes , that God ( blessed be his holy Name ) made not good choice , and knew not how to value men a-right . And therefore I stand astonish'd to hear Ballads against Moses and David so much admir'd by such as confess there is a God , that the Scriptures are his Dictates , and they the Pen-men of these Scriptures , and so Secretaries to God : Nor do such Scoffers make good States-men ; for none are such , save they who from a Principle of Conviction and Perswasion , manage publick Affairs to the advantage of those who employ them : Whereas they who believe that nothing is worth their pains , can never do any thing with affection and vigour ; and since they care not for the things themselves , and scorn such as employ them , they must never care for what Events attend them . Have we not seen some of these great Wits prove the worst of all States-men in our own days ? and as far below the meanness in management as they were above the wisest in Wit and Sharpness . What Friends also these prove is sufficiently understood to those whom they have lost for a Jest , after all the services they could have done them : And it is very observable , that if Three or Four of them be in a Room , they who remain after such Conversations will fall on him who is gone with all the malice imaginable ; and we very seldom see two such Wits true Friends . I shall end these Reflections with this Addition , that generally Satyrs are made up of Impiety , Malice or Baudery ; the First , unworthy of a Christian ; the Second , of a Gentleman ; and the last , of a sober Man ; and in which Railers have Atheists for their Masters , satyrical Wasps for their Comrades , and oft-times Fools and mad Men for their Superiours . Unhappy Men who do things that they must be asham'd of , and whereof the pleasure is lessen'd in the present time by checks of Conscience , and grows bitter afterwards by fear of Torments ; a quality our Saviour never countenanc'd , which his Favourites have ever zealously decry'd , in which Buffoons and Players have exceeded the greatest Kings , the most Renowned Hero's , and the Wisest men ; a cowardly extravagancy which ever attacks the Weak , and a merciless humour which triumphs over the Unfortunate ; upon which accounts all men make it their Interest to expose the Scoffer , as finding in his Ruine their own Self-defence ; and because they know he cannot be pleased except they be miserable , therefore they conclude , that they cannot be secured till he be humbled . I design not by this to lessen the esteem due to true Wit , and that pleasantness in conversation which arises from it as Flowers do from the Root . The Almighty certainly design'd to make all men happy , and there is no happiness without pleasure ; and as he rejoyced , when he saw that all that he had made was good , so he was desirous that Man might find out this good , both for making himself thereby happy , and for inviting him the more to magnify the Creator , and therefore to sweeten the miseries which naturally imbitter humane Life : God has illuminated some with a pleasantness of humour , which rejoyces the Society into which they come , as the Sun illuminates the Room into which it enters ; these are they who having peace of Conscience at home , are thereby allowed to be glad ; and who having Wit , employ it in turning the right side of things to them , understanding as well to find out what is pleasant in any Object as Artists do to find a Mine of Gold in a barren Mountain . This is the true use of Wit ; and if at any time they use it to treat Vice or Extravagancy in ridicule , it is not from Malice to the Person , but from desire to reform him , and Mankind by him . There is a justice in Scourging , Defaming , and Banishing Vice ; and this Jurisdiction is given by Heaven immediately to such as have sense ; of whom , upon that account , the greatest Rulers stand in awe ; and so much reverence is due to them , that the rest of Mankind bestow applause according to their inclinations : Bitterness then , and sullen Moroseness in Wit is the tyranny of this Jurisdiction : If it be insolent , it is but the wrong side of this delicate Picture , a flashing Light , which at first dazles , but thereafter blinds ; a delicious Fruit corrupted into bitterness , and a beautiful Face wrinkled by fretting humours . The Ancients term'd Wit a Salt ; and that is not fit for Food , but for Seasoning ; it may be us'd plentifully in Conversation , moderately in Business , but never in Religion . They who enter into a Faction do not properly reason weakly : but desert Reason altogether , as one does who leaves his own to go into another Country , whereof the Laws Customs and Language are different . The design and center of Faction is to drive on such a Project , and adhere to those who prosecute it . And therefore nothing must be allow'd or argu'd but with respect to these . Hence it is that in vain you reason with them ; for one may transubstantiate as soon as convert them , all that their Friends say is unanswerable , and they contemn and scorn what is said by their Adversaries when they cannot answer it ; there is no crime they dare not commit , for the Guilt seems but small when divided amongst so many bearers , they warm themselves by clubbing into a kind of belief , and they vote themselves into a shadow of Infallibility ; whilst they cry out against others as Slaves to the Government , they become really Slaves to the Faction , their Liveries and Chains being seen by all , except themselves ; but the great Salary with which their Bondage is to be rewarded , is Applause from their Friends , or it may be the Mob , to whom naturally their Appeal lies , and the getting into the Government , where they will be abhorred for practising every thing they formerly decry'd , & so have that reputation for which they toil'd , blasted by their own old Arguments ; this extravagancy is in it self so unacceptable to all devout and reasonable men , that it is forc'd to use Railery to baffle Religion by Bigotry , and Reason by Railery ; and I believe that Faction was the first introducer of the one into the Church , and of the other into the State. My chiefest wish then shall be , that God who has ennobled me with right Reason , may make me happy in the right use of it ; that I may neither sell it for Money , nor barter it for Fame ; and that it may never be dazled by the shining brightness of Favour , nor clouded by the black shadows of Fear ; and tho' the portion bestowed upon me be very small , that yet I may employ that one precious Talent so , as that I may have from my Glorious Master that only desireable Character , Well done , good and faithful servant , thou hast been faithful in a few things , enter thou into the joy of thy Lord , Matth. 25. 23. FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A50752-e90 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Notes for div A50752-e1900 Du Lange verb. Bigot .