r.rsf fci 
 
 University of California • Berkeley 
 
 m. 
 
V "^ . 
 
ESSAYS 
 
 UPON SEVERAL 
 
 ^o^al^bjett^e 
 
 Part III. 
 
 Of< 
 
 ''Pain. 
 
 Revenge. 
 
 Authors. 
 
 Power. 
 
 Infancy and 
 ^ Youth, 
 
 '"Riches and 
 Povert}'. 
 Whoredom. 
 Of<; Drunkennefs. 
 Ufury. 
 
 An Apoftle. 
 
 ^Solitude. 
 
 ByJEREMr COLLIER, M. A. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed by W. B. for Tp* EfjOtieS, at the Star, 
 the Corner of Brhk-Lane, b'leet Street -, and 
 C* BeUj5J0?aUfff), at the Galdcn-Ball in 
 St. Pa«/'s Church Yard. 1705;. 
 
"Mil y 
 
 A' 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 THE two former Parts 
 bdng not unkindly 
 receiv d^ have encourag'd me, 
 to this Tiiird Attempt. 
 The SuhjeBs I have choien 
 are confiderable enough to 
 Appear. They bear a great 
 Sway in the World ; And 
 the happy Iffues of Life de- 
 pend very much upon our 
 refpedive Behaviour. And 
 when the Concern is of fiich 
 weighty there muft of Courfe 
 A 2 be 
 
It 
 
 r 
 
 The P p. E F A C E. 
 
 be Matter to fuggeft, and 
 Reafonsto prove it fo. And 
 therefore if the Headers ill 
 entertain d , the barrennels 
 of the Author, and not of 
 the Argument, is to anfwer 
 for't. 
 
 To be fomewhat particu- 
 lar : The Biifinefs of tbefe 
 Papers is to fupport our Spi- 
 rits, to moderate our Cen- 
 fures^ .and pur Paflions, and 
 help us to keep our Feet 
 where the Ground is moft 
 Slippery. 'Tis to dired the 
 Critical Periods, and make 
 the Motions of our Progrefs 
 more fteady , and prevent 
 us from deftroying our fclves 
 with the unweildy manage- 
 
 ment 
 
The Preface. iii 
 
 ment of our own Strength. 
 'Tis to keep us from ftick- 
 ing in the Surface of Things^ 
 from doting upon Pagean- 
 try, and feting our Honour 
 and our Confcience to Sale. 
 I have likewife endea- 
 voured to file w the Difcre- 
 dit, the Danger, and the 
 Injuftice, of an Intemperate 
 and Licentious Pradice ; To 
 difcharge unneceflary Scru- 
 ples, and difentangle a Cafe 
 which feem'd fbmewhat per- 
 plext : And iaflly, to raiie 
 the Idea of Religion, and 
 give a ;ufl value to Things 
 and Perfons, of the sreateft 
 Dignity and Concern. 
 
 In 
 
iv The Preface. 
 
 In moft of thefe Heads ^ I 
 have pitch'd upon the Form 
 of a Dialogue ; By this Fidi- 
 on of aConferencCj theRe^- 
 ders Fancy is fbmetimes bet- 
 ter engag'd, and the ImpreC- 
 Coii goes deeper in his 
 Memory. Befides, where a 
 Queftion is to be argu'd on 
 both fides ^ the Objedions 
 appear more naturally out of 
 the Mouths of the contend- 
 ing Parties : And the Caufe 
 fcems to have the fairer 
 Tryal, when the Plaintiff' 
 and Defendant are in Court, 
 However^ all Suhje5^s wont 
 {o well bear this Method, 
 and therefore, for this rea- 
 fon, and for the fake of Va- 
 riety, 
 
The Preface. 
 
 riety, fomeof them are treat- 
 ed in a continu'd Diicourfe. 
 If any thing I have faid, 
 prevails upon the CmduB ^ 
 and proves ierviceable to the 
 Reader, I fliall think my felf 
 oblig'd in the Succefs, and 
 reckon it the beft R eward of 
 the Undertaking. 
 
 r* iV^-T-* 
 
 . li3W 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 .1 
 
 
 TABr.E. 
 
 ryF Pam. 
 
 ^ Of Revenge^ 
 
 P- ^ 
 
 ^28 
 
 Of Authors. 
 
 42 
 
 Of Power. 
 
 61 
 
 Of Infancy and Touth. 
 
 73 
 
 Of Riches and Poverty. 
 
 91 
 
 Of Whoredome. 
 
 "3 
 
 Of Drunkfinnefs. 
 
 156 
 
 Of Vfury, 
 
 178 
 
 OfanJpoJile, 
 
 22^ 
 
 Of Solitude., 
 
 ^6o 
 
 ERR ATA: 
 
 PAG. 72. Line 5, for Spirit, read Spirits, p. 7P.L14. 
 f. on, r. in. p. 103. 1. 6» f. Lyfaner^ r. Lyfander. p. 
 149. I. 27. f. ex c^rfpe, r. efcarpee. p. 182. 1. 29. f. God. 
 r. Gold. p. 220. 1.22. £ quondom, r. quondam, p. 242. !• 
 27, £, Mcais, r. Means. 
 
MORAL ESSAY, 
 
 OF 
 
 PAIN. 
 
 TO begin with a Defcription of 
 the Subjeft. Pahi is an unac- 
 ceptable Notice ariling from 
 fome Diforder in the Body. When the 
 Continuity of the Organ is disjoyn'd;, 
 the Nerves difcompofed, and the Muf- 
 cles forced into a foreign Situation 5 
 when there's a flop upon the Spirits, 
 when the Parts don't keep their Ranks^ 
 but are beaten out of the Figure which 
 Nature has drawn them up in 5 then the 
 Mind immediately receives a grating 
 Information of what has happen'd : 
 Which Intelligence is more or lefs trou- 
 blefome in Proportion to the Difad van- 
 tage of the Accident. Now this unwel- 
 come Senfation is what "we call Paw. 
 However, we are to obferve, that thefe 
 violent Impreflions are no more than 
 occafion^l Caufes of our Uneafinefss 
 
 B Thef^ 
 
A Moral Essay 
 
 There is no Natural Connexion between 
 thefe Damages done to the Body^ and 
 the Confcious Difturbances confequent 
 upon them. Our Pain does not proper- 
 ly grow out of this Diforder, nor pro- 
 ceed from the Operation of thefe Caufes 
 by way of Phyfical Neceflity. For if 
 Pain was the meer refult of Matter and 
 Motion^ the whole Creation would in 
 all likelihood be a great Sufferer, and the 
 Elements do terrible Execution upon 
 themfelves. The Sea might be frequent- 
 ly troubled without a Metaphor, and a 
 lighted Faggoty it may be, feel as much 
 as the Martyr that was burnt at the 
 Stake. But that Confcioufnefs and Thought 
 are never to be fetched out of any Re- 
 . volutions of Matter and Motion^ I have 
 fully proved elfewhere, whither I refer 
 '* Moral E/. the Reader **". But tho' Pain is not pro- 
 (ays, part perly ftruck out of any Corporeal Scuffle, 
 AThoughc. "or born of the Labour of the Limbs 5 
 yet God has pleas'd to make fuch an 
 Alliance between the Soul and Body, 
 tl I when the latter fuffers any remar- 
 kable Inconvenience, the other is gene- 
 x§\\y made fenfible of it, andobligd to 
 condole the Misfortune. If we enquire 
 into the Moral End of this Neceflity, 
 ' why the Soul is forced upon fuch unac- 
 ceptable Sympathy and tied down to 
 
 fuch 
 
upon PAIN. 3 
 
 fuch rugged ^/^y^^/V;// 5 why the Quiet 
 of Thought is made fo precarious and 
 dependent, fo liable to the Incurfions of 
 Violence, and fo fubjeft to the Fate of 
 ftupid and infenfible Matter ? 
 
 In anfwer to this Qpefiion, it may be 
 returned, that the Soul is made thus un- 
 willingly fenfible and paffive, that her 
 Interelt may prompt her to a due Care 
 of the Body's Prefervation^ that Ihe 
 may fence off Decays, and guard the 
 better againft Injury 5 befides, the Body 
 is often the worfe for the Negligences 
 and Diforders of the Mind. Tis Intem- 
 perance and Covetoufnefs, 'tis Pride and 
 Paffion, which oftentimes throws the 
 Conftitution off the Hinges, and makes 
 the Sences fuffer. For inftance, a Man 
 of Cholerand Conceit takes lire at an in- 
 fignificant Affront, rufhes into a Quar- 
 rel, has his Head broke, and it may 
 be his Limbs raked, into the Bar- 
 gain ; now when a Wound is thus im- 
 pertinently made, ought it not to put 
 the Patient to fome Trouble ? He that's 
 thus prodigal of his Perfo^, and makes 
 his Limbs ferve in an ill Caufe, ought 
 to meet with a Mortification: The Pu- 
 niftiment is but a jufl: return for the 
 Pride, and the Smart, it may be, the 
 beft Cure for the Folly. Indeed, Pain 
 
 B 2 h 
 
A Moral Es say 
 
 is oftentimes the juft Confequence of 
 -Misbehaviour: People run themfelves 
 out of Breath with their Fancies, and 
 chop too eagerly at the Bait of Pleafure. 
 Their Averfions and Defires are gene- 
 rally much too ftrong, and when the 
 Hand is over-grafp'd, 'tis apt to ach. 
 Thus Men groan under the Oppreffion 
 of their Vice 3 fet their own Limbs up- 
 on the rack, and may frequently thank 
 themfelves for the Penance of their Sen- 
 ces. Sometimes they think their Merit 
 ill enterta:in'd, and that Providence over- 
 looks their Condition ; thefe Reflecti- 
 ons overcaft and fettle into Melancholy 
 and Spleen, for that's the EngUJh of this 
 wife Difeafe; thus the Mind raifes a 
 Battery againft the Body, the Thoughts 
 are play'd upon the Health, and the 
 Conftitution battered to pieces. And 
 whence comes all this Misfortune, but 
 from over-rating our Pretenfions 5 for- 
 getting our Failings, and not confider- 
 ing the Courfe and Temper of the 
 World > Tis true. Pain is not fo pecu- 
 liarly ty'd to Mifmanagement, as not to 
 be met with elfewhere : Efforts of Ver- 
 tue are fometimcs troublefome, and a 
 Wound will fmart tho' received in de- 
 fence of our Prince and Country. Pain 
 therefore in fuch cafes feems permitted 
 
 t^ 
 
^ 
 
 upon PAIN. 
 
 to take hold of us, to try our Integrity, 
 and raife the Merit of a good Adtion. 
 'Tis granted, 'twould be a great Conve- 
 nience if we could parry againft Pain, 
 and put by a Pafs at Pleafure. If the 
 Sence of Feeling could lleep, or flip out 
 of the way, till a Wound was cured, 
 and the Caufes of Anguifti removed 5 if 
 the Soul, I fay, could difengage a little 
 from the Body, and not be at Home up^- 
 on fuch an Occafion, it would be a con- 
 fiderable Privilege: But Matters are or- 
 dered otherwife, and we mufl: not ex- 
 peft to be impregnable in this World. 
 
 However, we have no reafon to com- 
 plain of the Rigours of Providence, 
 for Life has generally an apparent over- 
 balance of Advantage. And upon a 
 Computation we (hall find the Total of 
 Satisfaction much greater than that of 
 Inconvenience: Which confidering the 
 defencelefs State of our Sences, and how 
 ftrangely they lie open to Pain, is a 
 wonderful Bleffing : I fay a wonderful 
 Bleffing; for the Poflibility of Pain 
 hangs almoft upon every Atome, we 
 may be hit at all Quarters, and ftung 
 and ftabb'd in every Pore. Now tho' 
 'tis impoffible to be Proof againft Pain, 
 the Queftion is, Whether all People are 
 equally paffive, and feel the fame de- 
 B 3 grees 
 
A Moral Essay 
 
 grees of it upon the fame Occafion: 
 May not a difference in Age, Bulk, or 
 Conftitution, make a Change in the 
 Senfation ? One would think when the 
 Sences are moft affefted with delightful 
 Perceptions, they ftiould be moft expos'd 
 to the contrary : And that when they 
 are capable of being beft pleas'd, they 
 ihould likewife be capable of being moft 
 perfecuted : In this cafe, their Keennefs 
 and Vigour feems to make them more 
 liable to be difobliged. And may we 
 not from hence conclude^ that the edge 
 of Pain muft be fomewhat turn'd in old 
 Age? The Sight and Hearing, theTafte, 
 and the Smelling, dwindle and decay 
 by the length of Time, and why then 
 {hould we fuppofe the Touch continues 
 entire and und i fabled > Are we only 
 lafting in the Faculties that punifh us > 
 To proceed to a Reply to the reft of 
 the Qieftion : 'Tis not the Brawn of a 
 Man's Arm, nor the Robuftnefs of his 
 Limbs that can proteft him from feel- 
 ing a Blow : A Giant's Wound fmarts 
 no lefs than a Dwarfs, tho' it may be the 
 firft may not think it fo decent to com- 
 plain. And yet feveral of Homers He- 
 roes make a lamentable Bufinefs of a 
 Flefh Wound: But without doubt a 
 great deal of the zi^nguilh may be fenc'd 
 
 off 
 
%ipon PAIN. 
 
 off by the force of the Mind, by a 
 ftrong Sence of Honour and Shame, 
 by a Confcioufnefs of Innocence and 
 Merit, and above all by the comforta- 
 ble Expeftations of another World, 
 
 The Stoicks were fo fanciful, as to 
 maintain that Pain was nothing of an 
 Evil : Let's hear how they go to work : 
 Nothing, fay they, but what's fcanda- 
 lous and immoral, ought to be reckoned 
 an Evil. And thus by begging a Prin- 
 ciple, equivocating in the Terms, and 
 chopping a little Logick, they think to 
 difarm the Impreffions of Violence, and 
 make the Patient infenfible of his Ma- 
 lady. You tell me there's no Vice and 
 Wickednefs in Pain : A mighty Difco- 
 very! Who knows not that there's no- 
 thing of Moral Turpitude in the Head- 
 ach, and that the Cholick, is neither Fe- 
 lony nor Treafon? But that's not the 
 point 5 pray leave off your Sophiftry, 
 and make it out to me that Torture and 
 Difeafes are no manner of Check to Sa- 
 tisfaction, and that a Man may be eve- 
 ry jot as happy with the Gout or Stone, 
 as without them. I tell you then, re- 
 plies the Stoick Philofopher, that Ver- 
 tue is of it felf a fufficient Fund for 
 Happinefs 5 but fince you prefs me I muft 
 add, that Pain is one of thofe Guefts 
 
 B 4 that 
 
8 A Moral Essay 
 
 that ought to be refufed Admiffion, and 
 fent packing as foon as may be. Why 
 fo 1 befeech you ? Becaufe 'tis a rough 
 uncourtly Perception, 'tis unfriendly to 
 Nature, it has an ugly Sting in t, and 
 'tis oftentimes hard to deal with it hand- 
 fomely. Very well! And is not this 
 Confeffion^ plain yielding of the Caufe? 
 Can there be a fuller Defcription of an 
 livtl than this amounts to ? For to fay 
 that Pain is rugged and>jr^ing upon the 
 Touch, that 'tis NatjareV Averfion, and 
 that we liaverau^^i*^ td manage it, is 
 inearneft, to mafce^ very bad thing on't. 
 And which is wo'rft of all, the Confef- 
 on^sjtrue 5 but then People fhould not 
 ^ 0^Vmaintain an imprafticable 
 give Senceand Experience the 
 e. 
 
 To pretend there's nothing GW, but 
 whaf s Juft and Honourable, nor any 
 thing Evil^ but what's bafe and unwor- 
 thy^ is a noble way of Talking : And 
 I (hould believe it too, if I found that none 
 but Knaves, Cowards, and Libertines, felt 
 any Pain. This fwaggering of the Sto- 
 icks puts me in mind of PoJJidomHs^ one 
 pfthat 6Vfi?3 this Philofopher happened 
 to be extreamly afflidted with the Gout, 
 when Pompcy the Great did him the Ho- 
 nour of a Vifit at Rhodes 5 now tho^ 
 
 Pompey 
 
upon PA I N. 
 
 PoMpey defired him to forbear difcour- 
 fing, upon the Score of his ill Health 5 
 yet be wasfo much a Gentleman, as not 
 to difappoint fo great a Perfon : He en- 
 tertains that General therefore upon the 
 Argument before us, and lying on the 
 Couch, harangues upon the Sfaical fide 
 of the Queftion. And when he was 
 moft pinch'd and worried by the Fit, 
 be would frequently break off. and fay. 
 Nihil agk . dolor 5 qnamvis fis molefiH^:, 
 nunquam te ejje confitebor Malum. Gotttj 
 yoH U not carry jour Pointy far thd you 
 art impertinent and trouhlefome^ Til ne'er 
 own y OH to he an ill thing while 1 have 
 Breath to draw. ' Now this Rhodomon- 
 tade is but a ridiculous piece of Vanity, 
 'tis little better than flouriftiing the Co- 
 lours with his Back to the Enemy, and 
 crying Quarter with an Air of Confi- 
 dence. If the Pain was not fomewhat 
 too big for him, why did he take no- 
 tice of it fo unfeafonably ? Why was he 
 fo uncourtly as to make a Halt in his 
 Le&ure, before Pompey the Great : To 
 give fuch broad Signs of Uneafinefs, and 
 confefs the Oiftemper troublefome, and 
 yet to deny it to be an ill Accident, is 
 meer Foppery and Canting. 
 
 It muft be granted then, that Pain is 
 a great Incumbrance uporf Happinefs, 
 
 but 
 
/ 
 
 lo A Moral Essay 
 
 but that 'tis the worft thing that can 
 happen to us is by no means to be af- 
 ferted : An ill Adion is a much more 
 formidable Misfortune. We ought to 
 fuflfer the utmoft Extremity of Hardfliip 
 rather than furrender our Innocence, de- 
 fert our Station, or do any thing unbe- 
 coming the Dignity of our Nature. And 
 when we are fet upon with any Tryals 
 of this kind, we ftiould take care not 
 to give way to any mean Compliance, 
 nor be over-born with the Terror of the 
 Objed : Not to murmur againft Provi- 
 dence, fly out into Impatience, or dis- 
 cover our felves overcome. To fum- 
 mon in our Spirits, and look Danger in 
 the Face, is the beft way to ward off 
 the Blow, and break the Force of Vio- 
 lence. Courage is a fort of Armour to 
 the Mind, and keeps an unwelcome Im- 
 preflion from driving fo deep into Per- 
 ception : He that ftands bold and ftrong, 
 is not fo eafily pufti'ddown. However, 
 when the Enemy ftrikes hard, and a 
 Man has a great deal to grapple with, 
 fomething will be felt in fpite of all the 
 Bravery imaginable. And here it muft 
 be faid, that to bear Pain decently, is 
 a good fign of inward Strength, and a 
 handfome proof of a great Mind. Such 
 a Perfon is well prepar'd to maintain his 
 
 Reafon, 
 
Upon PAIN. II 
 
 Reafon, and ad up to his Sentiments. 
 He is fortified againft Outrage and Ty- 
 ranny 5 and if he throws up his Honefty^ 
 and refigns to his Eafe, and his Intereft, 
 he is the more unpardonable. Indeed 
 moft People may have Courage if they 
 will but awaken their Spirits, and exert 
 therafelves. The Scandal of Misbeha- 
 viour, and the danger of a cowardly 
 Compliance, is fufficient, wiien well 
 thought on, to fright us into Refolu- 
 tion : Audaces cogimur ejfe wetu. 
 
 Thus a Woman mentioned by Enfe- 
 biufy who was going to renounce her 
 Faith, and facrifice to Idols, was Co af- 
 fefted with the Sight of a Martyr burn- 
 ing at the Stake, that (he recovered her 
 Fortitude, own'd her Chriftianity, and 
 mov'd for Execution 5 wifely confider- 
 ing that 'twas much more eligible to 
 burn a few Minutes with a good Con- 
 fcience, than for ever with a bad one. 
 To be plain ; there's no Guard for Ho- 
 nour or Confcience, unlefs the Mind is 
 well fteel'd, and hardened to a Temper 
 of Endurance. Unlefs a Man can re- 
 concile himfelf to Suffering, and keep 
 his Spirits above Water, 'tis in vain to 
 pretend to Principles : Where Fear has 
 the Afcendant all Vertue grows preca- 
 rious, and is ready to furrender at Dif- 
 
 cretion. 
 
( 
 
 12 A Moral Essay 
 
 cretion. For inftance, how can a Man 
 pretend to Prudence that toffes like a 
 Bull in a Net under his Pain j gives way 
 to the Excefles of Clamour and Defpair, 
 and rages or laments to no purpofe ? 
 What Juftice can you exped from that 
 Perfon that prefers his Eafe to his Ho- 
 nefty? Fright him with a troublefome 
 Confinement, (hew him but an Ax, or 
 a Halter 3 and he will defert his Friend, 
 betray his Truft, and go any other 
 Lengths of Meannefs, and Treachery* 
 In fhort) he that can't (land the Shock 
 of Pain, and part with his Limbs, or 
 his Life upon occafion, can never be 
 firm in his Duty, nor true to his En^* 
 gagements* 
 
 I grant 'tis no eafie Task to come up 
 to this pitch of Fortitude : However, the 
 force of Cuftom and Principle, Vigour 
 of Thought, and Noblenefs of Refolu- 
 tion, will go a great way in the Matter. 
 
 Thus Tully tells us, that the Spartan . 
 .Boys when they were lalh'd at the Al- 
 tar till their Bowels were laid bare, and 
 fometimes till they were quite dif- 
 patch*d, would never fo much as groan, 
 or whimper. After this, we need not 
 wonder at what he reports of thofe 
 that play'd Prizes at the Olympic k Games ^ 
 that when they had their Sides batter d, 
 
 and 
 
npn PAIN. 13 
 
 and almoft pounded to a Jelly, with 
 Iron Gantlets, they took no notice of 
 the Misfortune. He goes on, and re- 
 lates that the Roman Gladiators were fo 
 little afraid of their Flefti, that they 
 chofe rather to receive a Cut than avoid 
 it unhandfomely. That they valued^no- 
 thing fo much as giving Content to the 
 Company: That when they were hack'd, 
 and hew*d off their Legs, they would 
 fend to their Mafters to enquire their 
 Pleafure: Letting them know, that if 
 they had not feen Sport enough, they 
 were willing to divert them to the laffc 
 drop in their Veins. Was ever, fays 
 Tnlly^ any Fencer^ worth the naming, 
 heard to groan upon a Hit ? Which of 
 them ever changed Colour at a Wound, 
 or had the lefs Blood in liis Face, for 
 feeing it run out of his Body > Which 
 of them loft his Courage before his 
 Limbs, or fo much as tumbled with any 
 fear about him ? And even after they 
 were fallen, when did they refufe to 
 lay their Throat fair, or fhrink in their 
 Neck at the difpatching Blow > Thus 
 We fee how much Exercife, Stomach, 
 and refolute Thinking, will fortifie the 
 Mind againft Pain. 
 
 Thus Zeno fi/e^^ex fubmitted to the 
 utmoft Severity, rather than difengage 
 
 himfelf 
 
/ 
 
 14 A Moral Essay 
 
 himfelf upon the Terms of Ignominy, 
 and Fallhood. 
 
 Anaxarcfms defied the Menaces of M- 
 cocreon King of Cyprus^ and told him he 
 V might beat him in a Mortar, if he had 
 a mind to't : And Calanus an Indian Bra- 
 min, laid himfelf down upon his Fune- 
 ral Pile with fuch Compofednefs, as if 
 he could have flep d upon Fire and Fag- 
 . got. 
 
 But thefe Inftances of Fortitude among 
 the Heathen are not common : They are 
 feldom met with unlefs in People train'd 
 up to Hardlhip, Blows, and Martial Dif- 
 cipline. But among the Chrijiians this 
 fupream degree of Courage was no Ra- 
 Eufeb. Hift. rity. Here Perfons of the tendereft Age, 
 Eccief. of the moft unfortified Sex, of the moft 
 unpromifing Education, encountred the 
 Fury of wild Beafts, the Torture of 
 Racks, and Fire, without (hrinking at 
 the Terror, or fainting under the Exe- 
 La^ant. cution. They frequently did not fo 
 much as give a Groan 5 or (hew the 
 leaft Uneafinefs in Look or Pofture: 
 Tho* at the fame time their Perfecutors 
 ftrain'd their Wit and their Malice,both in 
 the Length and Extremity of the Punifti- 
 ment. To be thus refcued from Pain 
 under all the Inftruments of Cruelty, 
 was no lefs than miraculous; Twas a 
 
 vifible 
 
Hpon PAIN. 15 
 
 ■ II I " r Ill II 
 
 vifible Interpofition of Heaven, and an 
 indifpu table Evidence of the Truth of 
 Chriftianity. To ftate the Manner and 
 examine the Procefs of the Deliverance, 
 is it may be too much for ns. Howe- 
 ver we may fay in general, that either 
 the ufual Correfpondence between the 
 Soul and Body was difcontinued, the 
 Reciprocation of Motions and Thoughts 
 put by ^ or elfe the Mind was fupernatu- 
 rally hardned to fuch a prodigious de- 
 gree, as to ftand unmov'd like a Rock 
 in a Tempeft. To repel the rudeft Shock 
 without Trouble, and be rather a Spe- 
 dator, than a Partner in the damages 
 done to the Body. Thus a Man will 
 be unconcern d at a Blow, that will make 
 Children cry out, and put them beyond 
 Patience. Thus in the cafe of the Mar- 
 tyrs, tho' the Limbs were pailive and 
 defencelefs, the Settees were extraordi- 
 narily proteded, and the Mind as it 
 were privileged from Arreft. Sometimes 
 the Laws of Matter and Motion have 
 been fulpended, the force of the Ele- 
 ments chain'd up, and the occafional 
 Caufes of Pain kept at a diftance j this 
 was the cafe of the three Children who van. 3. 
 came unhurt out of Nebuchadnezzar s 
 Fiery Furnace. And fomething like it ^''MHift. 
 happen d at St- Poly carp's Martyrdom, ^''^'^•^•^• 
 
 the 
 
/ 
 
 i6 A Moral Essay 
 
 the Flames being obferv'd to ftand off, 
 and not touch his Body, which obligd 
 the Executioner to difpatch him with a 
 Sword. 
 
 Thus God has been pleas'd to appear 
 in his Omnipotence, to over-rule the 
 Creation 3 and exert his Prerogative in 
 defence of his Servants. Neither was 
 the Merit of the Martjrs thelefs for the 
 Miracle of their Proted:ion : For 'twas 
 a noble Ad of Faith to throw them- 
 felves upon Providence, to ftand the 
 Event, and face Death under the moft 
 frightful Form. They were not always 
 certain they fhould be proof againft the 
 Fire, and the Lions, that they (hould 
 flip through Torture without Pain, and 
 have a Lane made fo eafily into the other 
 World. They were not, I fay, always 
 fure of this : For fometimes the Courfe 
 of Nature was fuffer'd to go on, and 
 the Enemy let loofe upon them. 
 
 Tis true, they were firmly perfuaded, 
 that God would ftrengthen their Pa- 
 tience, and keep them from finking in 
 the Combat : But the degrees of their 
 Privilege, or how far they (hould be 
 liable to fuffer, was I believe a Secret 
 with which they were not always pre- 
 acquainted. Tis certain, they were re- 
 folv'd to ftand the Event, and prepared 
 
 for 
 
upon PAIN. 17 
 
 for the worft ; thus Shadrath^ Mejhacl^^ 
 and Abedfjego^ believed God would de^ 
 liver them out of the Kings hand : But * 
 had the Profpeft been more difmal, 
 they were refolv'd not to comply with 
 Idolatry. Their Anfwer was this, Onr ^^^' 3- 1 fi 
 God whom we ferve is able^ and will de- ^ * 
 liver us from the burning fiery Furnace 5 
 * but if not ^ he it kftown unto thee^ King^ 
 that we will not ^jerve thy Gods^ nor wor-^ 
 Jhip the Golden Image which thou haji fit 
 up. But if not ! This was a glorious 
 Refignation, and an inrtance of Cou- 
 rage much greater than charging up to 
 the Cannon s Mouth. Twas fo, becaufe 
 they were willing to fecure their Inno- 
 cence at fo high an Expence, and brav'd 
 the greateft Terror imaginable. And 
 therefore it muft be faid, that 'tis the 
 Paffivenefs of our Circumftances which 
 raifes the Merit of the Will^ and that 
 the Strength of our Vertue depends on 
 the Weaknefs of our Condition. Some 
 Beings are too big for Fortitude : With- 
 out Death, or Danger, there can be no 
 Courage properly fpeaking. The Com-- 
 mendation of the Service is in a manner 
 loft where there's nothing to feel, not 
 to fear. If a Man knows himfelf (hot- 
 free, I ftiould not wonder to fee him 
 ru(h into the hotteft of the Fire. Where 
 ♦ C there's 
 
i^ A Moral Essay 
 
 there's no Inconvenience to venture, nor 
 any thing to menace the Sences, there 
 feems to be no room for Bravery : In 
 this cafe, the Force of a noble Inclina- 
 tion is not fo fully furnifti'd with an 
 Opportunity of (hewing it felf. And 
 
 Therefore methinks the Heathen Po- 
 ets were to blame for making their He- 
 roes invulnerable. To fee them fvvag- 
 ger in impenetrable Armour, and owe 
 raoft of their Exploits to Vulcan^ ForgCj 
 is no fuch ftiining Advantage. Their 
 Courage under this Security, is much 
 the fame as it would be for a Cuirajfier 
 to fight a naked Man who had nothing 
 to ftrike with but a Bulru{h. Not but 
 that an impregnable Nature is a mighty 
 Privilege, and well worth the chufing, 
 if we could have it. But as things 
 ftand, PaJJivemfs is very ferviceable to 
 the Order and Quiet of Life. Without 
 being fubjed to the Pain of Difcipline, 
 Children would rebel betimes 5 they 
 would oftep polifti and improve very 
 heavily, be Giants in their iVill^ and 
 Dwarfs in their Underftanding 5 the 
 Fear of Gaols and Gibbets keeps many 
 a Man honeft in his Hands, that s a 
 Thief in his Heart. Without being a- 
 larm'd by the Uneafinefs of Poverty, 
 People would fleep over their Capacity, 
 
upon PAIN. i^ 
 
 Arts and Sciences would lie ftrangely in 
 the Oar^ and the World make a very 
 clumfey Figure. 
 
 And to conclude this Remark, 'tis 
 Obnoxioufnefs to fnffer, that makes Au- 
 thority praiSiicable, that gives Life to 
 Lan? y and Significancy to Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 And fince Pain bears fd great a Sway, 
 and has fuch an awful, over-ruling In- 
 fluence 5 I wonder Epicurus could be fo 
 extravagant as to affirm that his Wife 
 Man would carefs the Rack, and be in 
 Raptures with Phalariss Bull : As ifcker. Tufc^ 
 Brains could make a Man infenfible I ^''•^- ^^^" 
 As if a lucky Thought could ftop the 
 Rage of Fire, or make Pleafure emerge 
 out of Torment ! This is fcruing up the 
 Strings too high in all Confcience, and 
 carrying the Matter to the utmoft Plain- 
 nefs of Contradidtion. And befides, to 
 brag at this rate, becomes Epicur'us the 
 worft of any Body living. For he is 
 not afham'd to tell us that Pain is the 
 only Evil in Nature, and the ftrongeft 
 Objed of Averfion. And after all this. 
 Can he be fo hardy as to make a Wife ^ 
 
 Man take Satisfaftion in being roafted ? 
 If he can bear Pain with Decency, and 
 Superiority of Temper, he has given at 
 fair Inftance of his Firmness, and Phi- 
 e 2 lofophyf 
 
( 
 
 ( 
 
 ao A Moral Es say 
 
 lofophy : If he does not howl and roar 
 out ; if he does not fall into Abjeftion 
 and Impatience, 'tis enough for his Cha- 
 rader: We'll allow him his Feelings 
 and ne er find fault with him for con- 
 feffing that Torture is troublefome. Nay, 
 Tullj/ and Seneca will give us leave to 
 groan a little in the cafe. But then we 
 muft not cry craven 5 the Noife muft be 
 bold, and furlyj it miiB: be only to 
 throw more Spirits into the Mufcles, 
 and help us to repel the Attack with 
 greater Vigour. 
 
 Now fince Pain is fa troublefome a 
 Companion, who would not endeavour 
 to live without it as for as Confcience 
 and Conftitution will allow > To run 
 the risk of being plagued a great while 
 for a little Pleafure, is egregious Folly : 
 'Tis a fign our Appetites are ungoverna- 
 ble, and that Reafon runs low with us. 
 And yet this is the beft Bargain Peoples 
 Vices generally make for them : Are not 
 the prodigal oftentimes put into a long 
 coHrfe of Poverty 3 and forced to do Pe- 
 nance without Devotion > And does not 
 Intemperance punifti the Health, much 
 more than it obliges the Palate ? 
 
 To proceed 5 It may be demanded 
 within this Subjeft, whether the Repe- 
 tition of the Caufes of Pain abates the 
 
 Sence 
 
upon. PAIN. 21 
 
 Sence of it : To this it may be anfwer'd, 
 that Cuftom has no fmall fway in this 
 Matter. Women ufed to Sicknefs will 
 bear the Fatigues of it better than Men 
 of a healthy Conftitucion. How comes 
 this to pafs? Are the Organs worn up, 
 and ftupified? Or is the Mind grown 
 callous by being accuftomed to Blows, 
 and battering ? Tnllji obferves that the^ 
 Gauls^ GermanSy and Sparnards^ were 
 very brave in the Fields would hallow i^^^* 
 and ftioutaftera Wound, and yet thefe 
 Men could not ftand the approach of a 
 Difeafe, but would lie down and howl 
 upon the Bed at the raoft cowardly rate 
 imaginable 5 whereas the Gr^a'^^s?/, who 
 had not half this Fighting Mettle, would 
 work through the Gout or Sto;7e^ with 
 much more Fortitude and Temper. And 
 yet a Sword and a Surgeon generally 
 handle a Man's Limbs more ruggedly 
 than a Difeafe. What's the reafon then 
 that thofe who can ftruggle with a grea- 
 ter Difficulty, fhould give way to a lefs > 
 Becaufe their Refolution was awaken d, 
 and their Paffions warm'd in one cafe, 
 and not in the other. The Importance 
 of the Conteft. the defire of Glory and 
 Revenge had fo fortified and employed 
 their Thoughts, that they had fcarce 
 Leifure to attend to any thing but get- 
 C 3 ting 
 
< 
 ( 
 
 22 4 Moral Essay 
 
 ting the Vidory. Thus thefe Gmls^ &c. 
 were almoft too great or too bufie to 
 feel a Wound, or take notice of the 
 Fortune of their V^rfon. But when 
 they were fet upon by a Diftemper their 
 Spirits were cool, and their Mind un- 
 bent : They had no Plunder to exped, 
 no hopes of a higher P<?^, nor fo much 
 as the Advantage of Drum and Trum- 
 pet to encourage them. Befides, their 
 Brains, as they raanagd, could do little 
 for them, when they were fick. Where- 
 as the Grecians ^v^\\o were better polifti'd, 
 could make their Education ferviceable, 
 call in Reafbn to their Afliftance, and 
 reinforce their Patience with Tliink- 
 ing. 
 
 • To come towards a Conclufion. Since 
 Vain is not the neceffary refult of Mat- 
 ter and Motion ; as I think I have pro^ 
 
 mat £/- ved to a Demonftration that it is not % 
 
 M> P^c we may from hence infer, 
 
 i/2. That we may be reached by P^/>, 
 tho' we were nothing but pure Spirit : 
 For fince Corponity can never be refined 
 to 'Thought, nor Atomes made capable of 
 Confcioufnefs^ /twill follow that the Soul 
 thp never fo much difengag'd, and un- 
 compounded, may be as liable to dolo- 
 rous Senfations^ as if (he had the Body 
 pf a Giaat about her. Thvis we may 
 
 be 
 
upon PAIN. 23 
 
 be hungry without a Stomach, rack'd 
 without Limbs, and ftabb'd without ei- 
 ther the hftruments or the Organs of 
 Pain : In (hort, all thofe troublefome 
 Perceptions which now feize us through 
 our Sences, may as intelligibly afFeft us 
 without them 5 fince the whole Procefs 
 and Force of the Execution depc^nds 
 folely on the Pleafure of the Firji Cakfe. 
 For to fpeak plainly, Matter and Mo* 
 tion are but bare hookers on^ the Senti- 
 ments both oiPain^ and SatisfaSion^ be- 
 ing immediately beftow'd by God him- 
 felf. 
 
 2dly, If it be demanded whether a 
 Thought can rack a Man as much as 
 Bodily Pain, it may be anfwer'd in the 
 affirmative: For God who is perfeftly 
 Mafter of the Creature^ can ealily ftrikc 
 without the Intervention of Matter. 
 Omnipotence needs no Alliftance either 
 to punifti or to pleafe. Befides, Bvdy 
 and Spirit are fo very foreign, and un- ' 
 refembling, that they can neither aft, 
 nor fuffcr reciprocally, or entertain any 
 Commerce with each other, by virtue 
 of their refpedive Qualities and Nature. 
 And therefore the Mind can lofe no Ca- 
 pacity for Punilhment by being difin- 
 tangled from Matter. 
 
 C 4 3^(^, 
 
c 
 
 \, V 
 
 54 A Moral Essay 
 
 ^dlj. Since Pain is the immediate In- 
 flidionof th^ Divine Will, we may ex- 
 ped that in the Fnture Sute^ the De- 
 grees of it will be rais'd, and the Sen- 
 tence chargd in Proportion to the 
 Crimes of the Malefafton Then the 
 unhappy Perfon will be made more paf- 
 five in the Sence^ and ftronger for En- 
 durance. 
 
 At prefent, 'tis a great Blefling of 
 Providence, that Pain can take no fafter 
 hold of us. That when the Paroxifm 
 grows violent, and the AnguiCh outra- 
 geous, the Spirit is quickly releas'd, and 
 liifFer'd to retire. God has fo mercifully 
 order'd the cafe, that the Extremity of 
 Torment fhould quickly break the Sen- 
 ces^ and extinguifh the Puniftimento 
 Nay fometimes in the height of a Fever, 
 when the Veins are all on fire 5 when 
 the occafional Caufes of Pain are moft 
 aftive and formidable 5 the Soul is as it 
 were taken afide, and the Feeling laid 
 afleep for a little time : Juft as if a 
 Man fliould have a friendly pull out 
 of a Houfe when part of it was tumb- 
 ling, and not fufferd to go in till 'twas 
 Jbetter repaired. To lie thus under fliel- 
 ter till theStqrm of the Difeafe isfome- 
 what over, is next to a Miracle of Mer- 
 cy in the Make of us. 
 
 Were 
 
upon PAIN. 25 
 
 Were the Union of the Soul and Bo- 
 dy fo contrived that the Extremity of 
 Pain could prey upon us for Months or 
 Years together, were we 10 unhappy as 
 to grow under Torment, and like Pro- 
 metheus be renewed as faft as we wafted. 
 Patience would have a fevere Tryal : 
 In fuch a cafe the Power of ill Men 
 would be frightfully enlargd, and the 
 Practice of Vertue become much more 
 hazardous, and difficult. But God has 
 been pleas'd not to fet the Terms of 
 Obedience fo high, nor give Malice 
 and Cruelty fo great an Advantage. 
 Tyrants muft put good People out of 
 their Pain in a little tiqie, tho* never 
 fo unwilling. For Torment like a Storm 
 fpends it felf, and is deftroy'd by its 
 own Force. 
 
 The beft Enfurance againft: any Acci- 
 dent of this Nature, will be to manage 
 with that Regularity, that when wc 
 are attacked either by Difeafes with- 
 in^ or Violence from n?//^^//f, we may 
 have nothing but Corporeal Pain to ftrug- 
 gle with. When a Man is eafy in his 
 Thoughts, arid tolerably pleas'd with the 
 Courfe of his Adions, he is well pre- 
 pared for the Combat : Innocence is a 
 bold Quality, and Vertue a moft admi- 
 rable Defence. It throws Chearfulnefs 
 
 and 
 
^6 A Moral Essay 
 
 — — .Ma»— I ' 1^—^ I I ■ I'll II .1 I I ■ 
 
 and Vigour into the Spirits, and gives 
 us the Countenance of a Superior Being. 
 There^sa vaft difference between zMartyr 
 and a Malefa^or in the point of Suffer- 
 ing 3 the firft feldom feels half with the 
 other. The Caufe is a powertul Leni- 
 tive ; and rebates the Edge of the Cala- 
 mity. But remorfe of Confcience, and 
 difmal Profpeds, load the Execntiony 
 and are terrible Additions to Pain. 
 
 Sicknefs and Suffering come with 
 double Force upon Guile ; Anguifh of 
 iVlind leffens the Strength, as well as en- 
 creafes the Smart. Tis like a Wound 
 in the Sword Hand:^ the Man is difa- 
 bled in that which fnould defend him 5 
 he drops his Guard, and his Heart lies 
 Open to the next Pafs. To conclude 5 
 we ought to fummon in all our Force 
 upon this Occaiion 5 and to forrifie our 
 felves with Recolleftion and good Pra- 
 dice. To animate our Courage from 
 the Topicks of Honour and intereft, 
 from all the wdghty Confiderations of 
 this World, and the next ; To take in 
 the Auxiliaries of Religion, and implore 
 the Aliiftance of Heaven : That Pain 
 may never force us to out-live our Pa- 
 tience ^ or our Honefty. That we 
 may ftand firm againft the laft AlTault 
 of wh^t kind foever, and meet Death 
 
 with 
 
upon 
 
 PAIN. 
 
 V 
 
 with Refolution 5 as it lies in the Or- 
 der of Frovidence. In (hort, that we 
 may die, without being conquer'd, car- 
 ry a good G)nfcience along with us, 
 and leave an vikixjii Precedent behind 
 
 us* 
 
38 ^ Moral Essay 
 
 A 
 
 MORAL ESSAY 
 
 Concerning 
 
 REVENGE. 
 
 In a Dialogue between 
 
 Thilotimus and Philathetes. 
 
 PhilaL^ JTY old Friend Vhilotimus! 
 
 I \/ 1 Methinks 'tis an Age fince 
 
 ^'-*- our laft Meeting; I fup- 
 
 pofe you have been abroad, and are 
 
 lately come off your Travels. 
 
 Philot. In my Opinion, that Conje- 
 ftureupon You had been more probable 5 
 but to ftop your Enquiry, I muft tell 
 you I don't converfe with Apparitions 5 
 if People are for Darknefs, and diving 
 out of light, they may live by them- 
 felves, for I have' fomething elfe to do 
 than to dance after them. 
 
 Philal. It may be fo, but why fo much 
 plain Dealing at the firft Salute > I (hould 
 be glad to take you in )eft, but that I 
 
 perceive 
 
upon REVENGE. 2^ 
 
 perceive your Tongue and your Face go 
 together^ Philotimus does not ufe to 
 be thus fingular, pray has any thing di- 
 fturb'd you this Morning ? 
 
 Philot. Yes ; I have been affronted 
 and outraged where I had reafon to ex- 
 pert the beft Ufage imaginable : The 
 Ingratitude and provoking Temper of 
 fome People is not to be endur'd ! 
 
 Philal. I grant you the World is not 
 very engaging either as to Honefty, or 
 Humour 5 but what then ? Why (hould 
 we difturb our felves about that which 
 we can t help > 
 
 Philot. For all your Philofophy, I 
 fancy I ftiall meet with fome-body, 
 and make *em repent to purpofe e'er 
 long. 
 
 Philal. Are you going to commence 
 a Suit^ and bring an Aifion of Tref- 
 pafs ^ 
 
 Philot. No, ru venture to be my 
 own Magiftrate for once. 
 
 PhiUl. My Friend, your Spirit, to 
 be clear with you, is always pretty 
 Topping, and now you feem to lie un- 
 der a particular Difad vantage 5 if I have 
 any Skill, your Conftitution is out of 
 order, and you want a Dofe to expel 
 Choler. 
 
 Philot' 
 
50 -4 Moral Essay 
 
 Philot. Who muft be my Doftor then, 
 Socrates^ or Hippocrates^ 
 
 thiUl. The firft at prefent, if you 
 pleafe. 
 
 Philot. I perceive you are inclin'd to 
 argue againft private Revenge : I am con- 
 tented to hear you 5 but am too much 
 out of Temper to difpute, and therefore 
 you muft not expedfc I ftiduld go any 
 length with you in the Conference, 
 
 FhiUL Since you leave the Argument 
 to me, I (hall begin without any farther 
 preamble 5 and here my Aflertion is 
 this. That unauthoriz'd Reparations, 
 where the Injury is either over-look'd 
 by Lavo^ of the Injured has no publick 
 Warrant for Reprizals, are by no means 
 defenfible, or convenient. 
 
 Philot. I fuppofe now you will prove 
 your Propofition^ and (hew me the 
 Grounds upon which it ftands. 
 
 Philal. I (hall endeavour your Satisfa- 
 ftion^ by obferving in the 
 
 iji Place, That private Revenge would 
 be very dangerous to Society. Were eve* 
 ry Man his own Ma^iftrate, and truftcd 
 with the Power of puniftiing, there 
 would be ftrange Confufion in a ftiort 
 time, and the World would be ruined 
 by doing Jufiice: If Ignorance and ill 
 Nature might condemn and execute at 
 
 Difcre- 
 
upon REVENGE. 
 
 I 
 
 Difcretion 5 if Spleen and Pride might 
 play without Controul, and Refcntment 
 make a fally upon every pretence, the 
 Four Winds might better be loofe up- 
 on us, than all the Paffions of fuch a 
 Liberty. 
 
 Pki/oL Amongft other Inconvenien- 
 dics, it may be you think private Re- 
 venge would be often unfeafonably ma- 
 naged. 
 
 Philal. Yes : Was every one permit- 
 ted to carve cut his own Satisfaftion, 
 People would be apt to purfue the In- 
 jury too clofe, and ftrike immediately 
 upon receiving the Blow. They would 
 often do themfelves right at the firft 
 fmart of an Affront, when the Provo- 
 cation was frefti, and the Anguifti moft 
 ftinging. Now Heat and Impatience 
 are very ill Diredors : When the Mind 
 is thus clouded with Paffion, 'tis odds 
 but that a Man mifles his way. When 
 Violence hurries on too faft, and Cau- 
 tion does not keep pace with Revenge, 
 People generally do themfelves more 
 harm than the Enemy. Pajjing too ea- 
 gerly upon a Provocation lofes the 
 Uuard^ and lays open the Body: Calm- 
 nefs, and Leizure, and Deliberation do 
 the Bufinefs much better : To wait the 
 Opportunity, and attack with Order and 
 
 Condud, 
 
n ' ■ — -" ■ • 
 
 32 A Moral Essay 
 
 Conduft, is the way to ftrike fafe, and to 
 ftrike fure too, if we pleafe^ To pro- 
 
 ^ ceed 5 
 
 Private Revenge Would be dangerous 
 to the Peace of Society, becaufe if Men 
 were their own Judges the Puniftiment 
 would be over-proportion'd to the In- 
 jury : Moft People are apt to be favou-^ 
 table at Home, and over-rate their own 
 Pretenfions. 
 
 Philot. I'm afraid fo too : But pray go 
 $0 the bottom of the Reafon. 
 
 Philal. Why an Advantage which be- 
 longs to themfelves is more indepen- 
 dent, and within reach, than that which 
 is foreign : The Sweets of it may be 
 tafted at Pleafure: And being thus ab- 
 folute and unprecarious, there is more 
 Service in the Poffeffion than would be 
 otherwife : Now Efteem generally rifes 
 upon the degrees of Satisfaction ; and 
 that which is beft to us, we are apt to 
 think is beft in it felf too. Befides, Men 
 are not very quick in fpying out the 
 Excellency of their Neighbours, becaufe 
 fuch a Difcovery brings them under a 
 Difad vantage of Comparifon : And this 
 
 - unlefs they are generoufly inclined will 
 not pleafe. Thefe Reafons make Peo- 
 ple over-kind to their. own things: Arid 
 they who are fo, are always partial 5 
 
 and 
 
upon REVENGE. 33 
 
 and when Partiality holds the Balance 
 'tis never even. Self-conceit is a weigh- 
 ty Quality, and will fometimes fetch 
 down the Scale tvheh there's nothing 
 in't befides. Thofe who are thus pre- 
 poffefled are ftrangely ferifible upon all 
 Occafions : They magnifie a Fault be- 
 yond all Proportion ^ and fwell every 
 Omiffion into an Outrage : And while 
 they are under thefe haughty Miftakes, 
 no Damages are thought too .great for 
 them. All Crimes are Capital where 
 their Privileges are concerned 5 and no- 
 thing lefs than the Blood of their Neigh- 
 bours will fatisfie for a rugged Exprefli- 
 on, or fome fuch paultry Provoca- 
 tion. 
 
 P/nlot. I hope you don't think all 
 People arriv'd at thefe Excefles of Pride 
 and Diftradion. 
 
 Phital. No: However the Humour is 
 fpread in fome meafure through thei 
 whole Mafs: So that without Thinking 
 and Ternper, every one will be apt to 
 over-value their own Interefts. And if 
 they were their own Judges under fo 
 falfe a Perfnafion, what Iniquity would 
 there be in the Sentence^ and what Ri- 
 gour in the Execution ? And if Paffion 
 Ihould join with Covetoufnefs and Con- 
 ceit, as it often happens, the Revengd 
 
 D would 
 
^4 A Moral Essay 
 
 \yould be the greateft Injury. And thus 
 the Injuftice of the return would pro- 
 voke the Aggreflbr, and perpetuate the 
 Quarrel 5 and new Parties would be 
 niade to fupport the Difputc. The Fire 
 would fpread from Houfe to Houfe, till 
 all was in a Flame. This tolling of In- 
 juries, and bandying Revenge from one 
 private hand to another, would quick- 
 ly unhinge Society^ and make Peace and 
 Friendfhip impradicable. 
 
 For this Reafon, particular Grievan- 
 ces are referred to publick Confideration, 
 and the Arbitrage of Authority 5 to 
 Perfons of Charafter, of Knowledge, and 
 Indiflferency: And private Revenge is 
 di fallowed both in Government and Re- 
 ligion. 
 
 And fince the Concerns of Property 
 and Perfon are well guarded by Law, 
 we ought to acquiefce in the Provifions 
 of Government 5 to fly to fupplemental 
 Satisfadions of our own, is not only a 
 difregard of Authority, but proceeds 
 from a vindidive Temper: Now Vin- 
 diftivenefs is an uncreditable. Quality, 
 and argues a little Mind. 
 
 Fhilof. Make that out if you pleafe. 
 VhilaL I prove it thus. This Temper fup- 
 pofes a Man eaiily put out of Order, and 
 fcnfible of Pain upon flender Occalions, 
 
 He 
 
upon REVENGE. 35 
 
 He that's pufti'd on with a defire of Re- 
 venge, is generally prick'd with a Sence 
 of l^ain: He ;is wounded in his Fancy, 
 and bleeds inwardly. The Smart awa- 
 kens his Anger, makes him fly to his 
 Weapon, and grow eager to give a Re- 
 turn. Now to lie thus open to the Im- 
 preffions of Anguifti, to give way to all 
 Oppofitions, and cry out upon every lit- 
 tle Pinch, argues either Excefs of Fear, 
 or Childifh Tendernefs. To be eafily 
 penetrated by an Injury, is a fign w^e 
 want either Reafon to guard, or Strength 
 to endure the Blow. Whereas Fortitude^ 
 and Greatnefs of Mind, makes a Man 
 almoft invulnerable. This fences oft' the; 
 Stroke, turns the Edge of an Affront, 
 and ftupifies the Pain. They are gene- 
 rally Children, lick, and unfortunate 
 People, that are moft touchy, and re- 
 fenting : And who would be fond of 
 fo ill defcended a Quality ? A Temper 
 that grows moftdy. out of Difeafes, Ac- 
 cidents, or Infancy ; out of the Decays or 
 Immaturities of Reafon ? What Think- 
 ing Perfon would chufe an Humour of 
 Difadvantage, and perfonate Humane 
 Nature under the worft Appearance > 
 
 Befides^ There comes a great deal of 
 
 Difquiet this way : Thofe who are nice, 
 
 and exceptious, and foon thrown oif 
 
 D 3 their 
 
36 A Moral Es say 
 
 their Temper 5 thofe who can bear, and 
 pardon nothing, lie mightily expos'd. 
 Their Satisfaction is foflenderly put to- 
 gether, depends upon fo many little Cir- 
 cumftances, and requires fuch an intire 
 Obfequioufnefs of Men and Things, that 
 'tis impoffible to laft long, A Word, a 
 
 / Look mifmanagd, or mifunderftood, 
 
 is enough to difconcert them. The O- 
 miflion of a little Ceremony is a mortal 
 Injury : And nothing under a Gallows 
 
 ^ mman. of fifty Cubits ■^, and the Blood of a 
 whole Nation can make an amends. 
 They make no allowance for the Mi- 
 ftakes of Ignorance, the Freedoms of 
 Friendfhip, or the Rudenefs ofPaflion. 
 No: They fally 6ut immediately, with- 
 out diftinguifhing upon Circumftance or 
 Intention : As if every fli p vtas un'parvio- 
 nable 3 and all the Reafon of Mankind 
 w"a5 obligd to be upon Duty, to pleafe 
 their Humour, and gratifie their Pride. 
 On the other fide 5 How little do they 
 -confider their own Provocations ? How 
 often do they draw Reprizals upon 
 themfelves by their Failures in Juftice 
 and Decency > And at this rate of Ex- 
 pectation and Frowardnefs, no Engage- 
 ments, or Conterfation can pleafe them 
 long. Friends and Strangers, Bufinefs 
 and Entertainment, Prcfperity and Ad^ 
 
 verfity. 
 
upon REVENGE. 37 
 
 verfity, put them upon the Fret : And 
 in (hort, all Company, Conditions, and 
 Varieties of Life, will afford them Mat- 
 ter for Spleen, and Difguft. Before the 
 Humour is difcharg'd they are uneafy^ 
 and afterwards afraid of a return. And 
 thus the Puniftiment rebounds upon 
 themfelves either in Fad or Expeftation : 
 So that between the defire of doing, and 
 the Fear of receiving Harm, they are 
 generally out of Order: Not to men- 
 tion now and then fome home Payments 
 over and above, Revengefulnefs fits 
 like Poyfon upon the Stomach 5 it fwells 
 and convulfes Nature^ and there's 
 no good Health to be expected till 'tis 
 conquered and expeird. 
 
 Philot. Have you any thing more? 
 
 PhiUl. Yes: I obferve farther. That 
 Vindictivenefs argues a defeft of Gerie- 
 rofity and good Nature. 
 
 Philot. That I confefs is another 
 ftrong Reafbn to difluade the Practice: 
 Therefore pray go on with it. 
 
 Philal. We may obferve then, there 
 are a great many (hrewd turns done 
 meerly for want of thinking : Every 
 one has not reach enough to examine 
 all the Gircumftances of his Behaviour, 
 and to trace a Confequence to its far- 
 theft Motion. A good Intention and a 
 
 D 3 clear 
 
58 4 Moral Essay 
 
 clear Underftanding don't always go to" 
 getben And he that moves in the 
 dark, may difoblige the Intereft, and 
 crofs upon the Humour of another 5 and 
 all this without meaning any Harm, 
 Some People are warp'd by Neceflity, 
 and unjuft as it were againft their Will 
 The Preffures of Fortune, and the Force 
 of Poverty make them defert, and go 
 over to unhandfome Pradices. They 
 have no mind to forget a Friend, or in- 
 jure a Neighbour, if they could live 
 without it. But then they want Cou- 
 rage to ftand the Hardfhip, and fuffer 
 the Extremity, Tis true, thefe Failings 
 are far from being defenfible. Howe- 
 ver, a generous Perfqn will pity that in 
 another, which he will by no means 
 pardon in himfelf. Good Nature is wil- 
 ling to make Excufes, and interpret 
 things to the beft Sence ; and always 
 drives the Reafons for Clemency as far 
 they will go. Good Nature confiders 
 that Ignorance is oftentimes at the head 
 of a Fault 5 and that Fear and Plea fu re, 
 are ftrong Temptations to ftrain upon 
 Confcience and Honour : That Malice, 
 predominant Malice, is the only pro- 
 yoking Quality : And this 'tis hard to 
 difcover where the Motives to Aftion 
 gre fo compli(:aite4 and ojbfcure. Ge- 
 ^ ^ (V perofity 
 
upon REVENGE. 39 
 
 nerofity never goes to the rigour of 
 Matters, nor delights in giving Pain 
 and PuniQiment. A noble Temper re- 
 gards the Happinefs of Mankind, and 
 is governed by Sympathy and Affedion. 
 Whereas Vindidtivenefs proceeds from ° 
 the ExcelTes of Self-love, minds no In- 
 tereft but its own, and is a perfed Stran- 
 ger to Humanity, Revenge when im- 
 prov'd into Habit and Inclination, is 
 the Temper of a Tyrant : Tis a ftrong 
 Compofition of Pride and Cruelty : Im- 
 patient of the lead Provocation, and 
 unconcerned at the Mifchief of a return. 
 Now he that's fenfible of no Evil, but 
 what he feels, has a hard Heart 5 and 
 he that can fpare no Kindnefs from ^ 
 himfelf, has a narrow Soul. A Temper 
 that's generous and humane, is willing 
 to overlook, to excufe, and wait for 
 better Ufage : To pity the uneven Starts, 
 and Mifperformances of Life, and Con- 
 verfation. There's a great Backward- 
 nefs in fuch a Temper to expoftulate 
 and complain 5 to expofe Defedts, and 
 demand Reparations. Good Nature 
 will teach us to ftifie our Refentments 5 
 to diflemble the Pain, and fmother the 
 Injury, rather than let them break out 
 to the Difturbance of another : But to 
 be of a touchy, a peevifli, and pro- 
 D 4 fecuting 
 
40 A Moral Essay 
 
 fecuting Humour 5 to be quick in Difco- 
 verjng a Fault, and ready to fpring out 
 into Revenge ; to kindle and rage like 
 Gunpowder, at the leaft Sparky this is 
 a fign we are perfectly wrapt up in our 
 " own Intereft, and over-grown with Sel- 
 fiflinefs and Conceit. Now fuch a fa- 
 vage and irihofpitable Difpofition, is 
 the moft unbelov'd Quality. All the Ad- 
 Vantages of Perfon, all the Improve- 
 ' rnents of Nature, can never make a- 
 inends. When a Man is known to be 
 thus unfociable and unfympathizing • 
 to have no Principles of Friendftiip and 
 Generofity , nothing of Sweetnefs or 
 Balfam in his Blood, when this once 
 appears^ he'll find as few Friends as he 
 deferves, and little Love will be loft 
 between him and his Neighbour?. 
 * Fhilot. Moft likely 5 and becaufe I am 
 not willing to fall under the Cbarader 
 and Inconveniencies you mention, I (hall 
 endeavour to fweeten my Humour, and 
 keep the Ferment down : I confefs, the 
 World affords Provocations enough, and 
 fome Men dcferve to be mortified : But 
 I fee the Remedy is worfe than the Dif- 
 eafe: Tis more advifeable to be quiet 
 than to move for Reparation : For as 
 it happens in Law-Suits, the firft Lofs is 
 commonly the beft : And therefore I ftiall 
 
 alter 
 
upon REVENGE. 41 
 
 alter my Refolution, and leave my un- 
 friendly Neighbours to the Correftion 
 of their own FoUy. 
 
 Philal. You are certainly in the right 
 And to make us the more eafy under 
 the Expedient, let us arm our felves 
 with thinking, and keep Reafon upon 
 the Guard. Thus the Mind will be too 
 hard for a Blow, and either fence, or 
 not feel Thus we (hall difappoint the 
 Pleafure of Malice and ill Nature : This 
 is the way to break the Force of an Af- 
 front ^ and make an Injury fall upon us 
 like Hail upon Tiles, rattle without Mif- 
 chief, and tumble into Dirt. In a word. 
 Let us always look out for the bell: Con- 
 ftruftion, wifti every Body well, pity 
 Ignorance, and defpife ill Ufage. 
 
 Philot. I (hall endeavour to follow 
 your Advice. 
 
 Tour Servant. 
 
 O F 
 
42 A Moral Essay 
 
 AUTHORS. 
 
 In a Dialogue between 
 
 ius and Crito. 
 
 Eulahh^.^^Ood Morrow to you Sir, 
 1 y I'm glad to fee you : I 
 ^^ hope you are perfeftly 
 recover 'd of yo^r laft Illnefs 
 
 Crito. Sir, I thank you, I am pretty 
 wellj but fome what in hafte 5 and there- 
 fore fince we are old Acquaintance, I 
 (hall beg you to be as brief in your Qie- 
 ftions as you can. 
 
 EhUL Why in fuch a hurry? Come, 
 you muft oblige me with one Quarter of 
 an Hour. 
 
 Crit. Well ! If you are lb kind to in- 
 fift on't, that time (hall be at your Ser- 
 vice J tho* I muft tell you, Tm going to 
 meet Company upon earneft Bufinefs. 
 
 Eulabius. You have an enterprizing 
 Head, pray what Projefl: are you upon 
 now> 
 
 Crit' 
 
upon AUTHOPvS. / 43 
 
 Crit. Don't you know there's a Book 
 
 intituled, to be publilh'd this 
 
 Morning > 
 
 EhUL What then > 
 Crit. In Confidence then FU tell you, 
 we are going to bring my Gentleman to 
 the Touchftone, and try what Metal he 
 is made of: I fancy we (hall fift him to 
 the Bran^ and make him run the Gant- 
 let before he gets clear of us. 
 
 EuUL If that be all the Bufinefs, yoii 
 need not be in fuch hafte ; you have 
 time enough for Sentence and Execu- 
 tion, and may Hang and Draw at your 
 Leifure. For when the Book is once 
 out, the Rnbicon is paft, the Dye is 
 thrown, and the Chance muft be ven- 
 tured. 
 
 Crit. With Submiffion, you feem un- 
 praCtis'd in the Myftery of a Critick : If 
 you would fucceed, you muft deal with 
 an Author, as they do with an Enemy, 
 fire the Beacons, and draw down the 
 ^ojje at his firft Landing, and charge 
 him while lie is ftaggering upon the 
 Beach '^ to give him time to find his 
 Limbs, and march, may be of ill Confe- 
 quence, he may be join'd by his Friends, 
 and gain upon the Country, and then 
 'twill be too late to ftop his Progrefs. 
 
 Eulak 
 
44 ^ Moral Essay 
 
 Enlah. Methinks this is fomewhat a 
 rugged way of faluting a Man that has 
 drudg'd to entertain the Pnblick : But 
 lince you are fo hot for an Offenfive 
 War, I hope you'll take care to go up- 
 on good Grounds, and manage the Con- 
 teft within the Terms of Confcienceand 
 Honour. 
 
 Crit. To fpeak Truth, we are not al- 
 ways a Committee for Religion 5 however, 
 this I can fay, we are feldom mifled by 
 the Eafinefs of good Nature, or byafs*d 
 ' into Favour, and Flattery : In this re- 
 fped we are juft like the Pifture of Ju- 
 Jiice, as blind as Beetles. 
 
 Eulah. Great Impartiality without 
 doubt ! And as you have the Blindnefs 
 of Jnfiice, I hope you don't forget to 
 take her Balance too. 
 
 Crit. There are no Scales wanting 
 J can afibre you, we weigh to Grains^ 
 and Scruples. And I muft tell you again, 
 that we are fo far from making any Di- 
 ftindion of Perfons or being over-ruled 
 by the Regards of Ceremony 5 that fome 
 times the bare Appearance and Pretence 
 of a Book is fufficient to awaken our 
 Cenfure, and make us fall on ; and thus 
 tho' the Man may be a Friend, thq Au- 
 thor h an Enemy. 
 
 Buld. 
 
upon AUTHORS. 45 
 
 Eulab. This Diftindion is an odd 
 way offplitting the Hair 5 what may be 
 the reafon of fuch myfterious Behavi- 
 our; this cuffing a Man on one fide, and 
 ftroaking him on the other > I hope 'tis 
 no Affront to pafs the Prefs^ nor any 
 Challenge to fet ones Name on the Title 
 Page. 
 
 Crit. No : But your Writers are many 
 of them a pretending proud fort of Peo- 
 ple, and deferve to be mortified. 
 
 Eulab. True, when we catch them 
 Damage feafantj and have them at a fair 
 Advantage, not elfe. For inftance, if I 
 meet a proud Man upon the Road, I may 
 take his Pride from him if I can, but if I 
 rob him of his Money, *tis more than I 
 can anfwen 
 
 Crit. You mean the Criticks fhould not 
 leflen the Intereft, nor ftrike at the Cre- 
 dit of an Author, without fair and war- 
 rantable Motives, 
 
 Eulab. Right, No Body would like 
 fuch Ufage in his own cafe. Befides, as 
 'tis a Fault to be proud of writing a 
 Book, fo 'tis no lefs a Fault to be proud 
 of writing no Book 5 now this latter 
 Misfortune feems to be fome Peoples 
 Cafe : Without this Suppofition their 
 Livelinefs is hardly to be explained. 
 
 Crit. 
 
j^6 A Moral Essay 
 
 Crit. You may talk your Fancy 5 but 
 for all that, I believe you'll find fome 
 Writers might almoft as good (land in 
 the Pillory^ as lie upon the Bookfellers 
 Compter. 
 
 Eulab. Make it fo if you pleafej but 
 then there's this Comfort, that there's 
 nothing thrown but Dirt, and that 
 from the Hand of the Mobb : You 
 may likewife obferve, that thofe who 
 are thus bufy with their Neighbours, 
 have commonly no EfFefts of their 
 own to venture : They are privileged 
 againft Reprizats by their Poverty, and 
 lye under the Protedion of Lazinefs, 
 or Incapacity. 
 
 Crit. When you have faid all 3 a new 
 Book, like an unknown Coaft muft be 
 vjdl founded, and the Rocks, diudi Shal- 
 lows difcover'd. A Man muft not take 
 it ill to have his Failings remarked, 
 when the Fublkk may fuffer by the 
 Concealment. 
 |k Eulab. You miftake me if you think 
 
 ^^ I am againft the Tryal of an Author 5 
 ' but then let the 'jurors be throughly in- 
 form'd, and bring in their Verdi&^ with- 
 out Prejudice and DifafFedion. 
 
 ,Cr/>. Then I perceive you are not al- 
 together againft Impeachment and Pro- 
 . fecutioil. 
 
 Eulab. 
 
upon AUTHORS. 47 
 
 EhUL By no means. Provided we 
 take Jaftice and Candour along with us 5 
 neither Make^ nor Magnifie, nor trou- 
 ble the Court with Trities. Under thefe 
 Limitations I have nothing to objed: 
 againfl: the Bufinefs and Jurifdidion of 
 the Critical. 
 
 Crit. Upon this Allowance, I believe 
 you 1 grant the writing oi Books a, pret- 
 ty hazardous Undertaking, and that- it 
 ought to be manag d with proportiona- 
 ble Caution. 
 
 EulaL Without doubt 5 A Man ought 
 to move warily, if 'twere only on the 
 Score of Reputation : For if he mifcar- 
 ries any thing remarkably, he brands 
 himfelf, and makes a Monument of In- 
 famy to his Mtmory. Now 'tis no fuch 
 defireable Bufinefs for a Man to give in 
 Evidence againft his own Underftand- 
 ing, to prove himfelf 'Non Compos^ and 
 ftand upon Record for an Innocent. 
 
 Crit. You are right 5 for a Record is 
 of fo high an Authority in Lavp^ that 
 there's no pleading againft it. 
 
 Eulab. To be out of ones Wits in 
 PnV is a fcurvy Misfortunes It has al- 
 moft the ill Effects of a Commiffion of 
 Bankrupt'^ and a Man feldom recovers 
 after fuch a publick Blemilh upon his 
 Credit. However, in this cafe there's 
 
 little 
 
^8 A Moral Essay 
 
 little Mifchief done excepting to ones 
 felf 5 Weaknefs may be pitied, and par- 
 doned ^ neither is want of Sence the 
 worft Quality in an Author : For here 
 the Reader may break off his Penance, 
 and releafe himfelf at his Pleafure: 
 Your fcandalous People are your Men of 
 Thought and Capacity, in cafe they are 
 ill inclined. For nothing can be more 
 wretched than to mifemploy good Parts 
 to bad Purpofes, and draw their ^eni 
 againft Juftice and Truth. 
 
 Qrit. I'm of your mind, an Authof of 
 Figure that's all Intereft and Proftitu- 
 tion 5 minds nothing but Vay and blun- 
 der ^ and makes his Reafon ferve againft 
 his Confcience 5 fuch an Author I fay 
 does a World of Mifchief, and hiS 
 Crime rifes in Proportion to his Sence. 
 To lay out ones Talent in this manner 
 upon an ill Caufe, to murther Truth, 
 and Profelyte People to Iniquity, is a 
 thing that will not be eafily rubb'd 
 over. 
 ^lah. Tm afraid not: But then we 
 ' ought not to charge this Imputation at 
 peradventure. Now which way (hall 
 we know the ftroke of fuch a Mercena- 
 ry Pen? The Paper may look Blacks 
 when the Meaning is fair. 
 
 Crlti 
 
upon AUtHQRl 49 
 
 Crito. That is, Advantage is no good 
 Evidence of Infincerity, for Intereft and 
 Honefty lie fometimes on the fame fide : 
 I wi(h therefore you would give us fome 
 Marks of Diftindfcion, that v^e might 
 know when a Man is over-ruled by his 
 Fortune, and retain d purely by his 
 Pocket. 
 
 Eulab. Crito, Tis a difficult matter to 
 read the Heart : So that you can't ex- 
 pedlfhould bepofitive: However, we 
 may venture to fay, that when an Au- 
 thor of unqueftionable Abilities, falls 
 unexpectedly from his Speed , writes 
 out of Charader, and is almoft drown d 
 in the Ink-pot, 'tis no good Sign : For 
 when a good Workman bungles, it looks 
 as if the Matter was naught. To pro- 
 ceed: When a Man of Perfpicuity and 
 Judgment, endeavours to perplex the 
 Controverfy , dives and dodges , and 
 makes ufe of Sophiftry and Araufement: 
 When he keeps off from the Standard^ 
 and declines the ftated Meafures oi Right ^ 
 when he retreats to Principles of Lati- 
 tude and Obfcurity, when he makes for 
 the Covert aft this rate, 'tis an Argument 
 he dares not truft hioifelf upon plain 
 Ground. 
 
 Crit. Not unlikely \ For when a Man 
 
 of a ftrong Head, fails in his Logick,and 
 
 £ argues 
 
^o A Moral Essay 
 
 argues weakly 5 it looks as if he wrote 
 upon a Biafs^ and that his Will had 
 brib'd his Underftanding: When Peo- 
 ple that know Money, offer to put Brafs 
 iiport you, it does not appear altogether 
 like clear dealing. 
 
 Enlab. Another fufpicious Sign is, 
 when a Man writes againfl: his former 
 Opinion, 5 upon its growing unfervice-. 
 ablCj artd yet is not fo happy as to con- 
 quer himfelf. 
 
 Crit. It may be he thinks he has, and 
 is not that enough for tlie Point of In- 
 tegrity > 
 
 Enlab. I can t fay but it may be fo , 
 in cafe he is confcious of a difinterefted 
 Enquiry 5 and not prepoflefs'd in Favour 
 of his Inclination. But how far Learn- 
 ing may be foil'd, Reafon furpriz'd, and 
 a clear Head difturb*d by Accident, is a 
 difficult Queftion 5 and therefore I fhall 
 determine nothing upon the Confiftency 
 of Error, and Honefty in fuch Cafes. In 
 fine, to fufpend one's Cenfure, and hope 
 the beft, is generous ufage, and can ne- 
 ver hurt us. 
 
 Crit. I like your Charity well enough, 
 provided we don't grow ftark blind, and 
 lofe our Sences in our good Nature : But 
 what do you think of thofe who appear 
 in Defence of Immorality, endeavour to 
 
 blaft 
 
upon AUTHORS. 51 
 
 blaft the Credit of Vertue, and renverfe 
 the Notions of Good and Evil > Here 
 the Lines of Duty are fo plain, the 
 Crimes fo black, and the Mo^Jier fo vi- 
 (ibie and diftinguifti'd , that there's no 
 Poffibility of Ignorance, no room for 
 Miftake; and by Confequence not the 
 lead Pretence for Excufe and fair Mean* 
 irtg. 
 
 Enlab. None without doubt 5 and 
 therefore I think fuch Writers ought to 
 be purfued with Satyr, and Infamy, to 
 be check'd in their Sallies Upon Religion, 
 and lie under publick Difcountenancea 
 I wonder any Perfons of Figure, that 
 have either Money or Quality to lofe, 
 can pleafe themfelves with fuch Perfor- 
 mances: Triumphs upon 'Principle are 
 dangerous Sights : This World, Crito^ is 
 guarded by the^^^er, and kept from fly- 
 ing in pieces. Atheifm ftrikes at the Vi- 
 tals of Government; and deftroys the 
 Securities of Truft. Without a fupream 
 Being and a future Account, Appetite 
 arid Humour.are abfolute ; and all things 
 muft be governed by Convenience. In- 
 fidelity (weeps away all Diftindion 5 
 and is the beft Leveller in Nature ; for 
 what Pretence to Authority, nnlefs 'tk 
 given from above ? Why (hoiild Matter 
 and Motion infift upon Privilege, or one 
 E ^ Qod 
 
^2 y4 ly^oRAL Essay 
 
 Clod oi' Atomes be kept under by ano- 
 ther? Without Religion, Honefty and 
 good Faith are a Jeft, and all Men may 
 cheat, and murther, and debauch as 
 often as they pleafe.^ In (hort, where 
 tberQ's no Confcience there can be no 
 L^n?, and. where there's no Law there 
 can be ^no Fropertj. As for Humane 
 Laws 'tis in vain to urge them in this 
 Cafe: They bind no longer than Fear 
 and Fancy think fit. A Scheme of Athe- 
 ifm has neither Duty nor Sin, Right nor 
 Wrong ip't3 and where there's no Obli- 
 gation to obey, there can be no Fault 
 to do otherwife. Atheifm is the high 
 Road to Confufion 5 gives Licence an un- 
 limited Sway, and leaves all things to 
 Fraud and Violence. 
 
 Crk. You have faid enough to prove 
 liow dangerous 'tis to burlefque Vertue 
 and Religion 5 and that a Sceptical Wri- 
 ter is the worft Commonwealths Man 
 imaginable* 
 
 EnlaL I believe fo, but let that pafs ; 
 and to return to a more general Confi- 
 deration 5 I muft fay that thofe who 
 engage an Argument where Prmcipte 
 and Manners are concern d, ought to 
 write with great Care and Confcience, 
 and ftand clear of Prejudice and Infee- 
 
 rea ■l::^ 
 
upon AUTHORS. ^J 
 
 Crit. Yes : For he that writes placfi- 
 biy on the wrong fide, makes People 
 defert from Truth, and go over to the 
 Enemy : He that appears in this man- 
 ner for Herefy or Schifm, brings a Party 
 into the Field, and fights with Briarmss 
 Haflds : An ill Book well written, is 
 like poyfoning a Fountain that runs for 
 ever : A Man may do Mifchief this way, ^ 
 it may be as long as the World lafts. 
 He is a Nufance to future Ages, and lays 
 a Snare for thofe who are yet unborn. 
 All Infolence upon Religion ; Injuries 
 of Right, andlnfult§ of Vertue of this 
 kind, muft be publickly retraced, and 
 fubmit to open Penance 5 without this 
 Satisfadion there can be no Indempnity, 
 nor any Pardon expeded from the Court 
 Above. 
 
 EulaL There's no reafon for't ; He 
 that fpreads the Infe£tmz had need be 
 quick with his Antidote^ otherwife he 
 muft be guilty as far as the Mortality rear 
 ches : And to illuftrate the cafe farther ; 
 he that fires a Houfe, and does not play 
 all his Engines to put it out, deferves to 
 fufFer the Law. And therefore I think 
 the Opinion of the Ancients not at all 
 uncharitable in affirming that thofe who 
 leave an ill Book behind them, and 
 Murther in their Graves, will have new 
 E 3 Torments 
 
c;4 ^ Moral Essay 
 
 ^ Torments as long as the Mifchief works, 
 and lie under a growing Mifery. Thefe 
 are fad Conclufions, and I wiftiall Mer- 
 cenary and Libertine Authors would 
 confider it, 
 
 Crit. What is your Opinion of thofe 
 Bookfellers that encourage thefe dange- 
 rous Authors, take ofFtheir Counterband 
 Goods, and make them as publick as 'tis 
 poilible > Don't we fee Books written a- 
 gainft the Trinity, againft the Canon of 
 thtNevp Teftament^ againft thefirftPrin- 
 /ciples of Religion, expos'd to fale with 
 all the Liberty of the moft ufeful and 
 inoffenfive Commodities ? Not to men- 
 tion thofe numerous Pamphlets andTo- 
 ems, v^here Vertue is burlefq'd, and 
 Vice recommended with all the Art; 
 and Scandal imaginable. 
 
 Etilab. Your Obfervation is too true: 
 Nothing is more common than this Rats- 
 bane upon the Compter: Tho' they 
 know 'tis prepared for Executipn 5 and 
 made palatable to be taken down^ nay; 
 that 'tis bought for that very purpofe. 
 Now in my Opinion this is fo iiorrible 
 a Praftice, that had thefe Men kept 
 Shop in the Sicknefs Year, they had bet- 
 ter have retaird the Plague, fent it into 
 the Country by all the Carriers, and gi- 
 ven it Vent and Paffage to the beft of 
 . i their 
 
upon AUTHORS. 55 
 
 their Skill. For whatever they may think 
 on't, Atheifm and Levvdnefs is the riioft 
 fatal Mortality, and the Plague of the i Kings %, 
 Hearty the moft frightful Diflcmpcr. In- 3^- 
 feftion is fafer lodged m the Veins than 
 the Will^ and a Man had much better 
 be poyfon'd in his Bloody than in his 
 Principles. 
 
 CriL I can't fay you are over Tragical 
 upon the Occafion, unlefs their Buiinefs 
 v/ill excufe them, they fay felh'ng Bool^s 
 is their Trade , and they muft not baulk 
 their Intereft, 
 
 Eulab. In anfwer to this, I defire to 
 ask, does an Apprenticefhip difcharge 
 them from the Duties of Chriftianity > 
 Is Irreligion part of their Freedom ? Is 
 the Myftery of Trade^ and the Myfiery 
 oi Iniquity the fame? Are they to joyn 
 with Atheifts and Libertines, to attack 
 the Greedy to run down Juftice5 and ba- 
 nifti Sobriety from the Face of the Earth? 
 Suppofe felling Butter and Cheefe is my 
 Trade ; and lam offered a good Whole- 
 fale Bargain out of the Country ; if up- 
 on Information or examining the Goods 
 I find them all poyfon'd^ and that my 
 Cuftomers that take them off, mufl: ei- 
 ther be dangeroufly fick, or die of the 
 Diet: Is the Vendiblenefs of the Com- 
 modity, and the Plea of my Buiinefs^ a 
 E 4 fufKcient 
 
1^ 
 
 A Moral Essay 
 
 fufficient Warrant to clofe with the 
 Offer, and purfue the Advantage > Sup- 
 pofe Captain Hind had taken a Boy un? 
 der Indentiires, to teach him the Pra- 
 dice of the Road : And that this Youth 
 ppon his fetiwg npy fhould be indifted 
 for borrowing a little Money in his 
 
 way — 
 
 Crit. Whither are you going ! I hope 
 you don't intend to parallel the Bufinefs 
 of Towns and Cities, with Shooters Hill^ 
 or Sdisbury Plain / 
 
 EuUb. Not at all, I afTure you : I onr 
 jy mention this Inftanceto make the rca- 
 foning bear in the Application. 
 
 Crito. Why, how will the young Man 
 defend himfelf > 
 
 EulaL We'll fet him at the Bar^ and 
 then you'll hear him argue, that he has 
 ferv'd an Apprenticeftiip, that his Ma- 
 fter had Money with him 5 that he has 
 gone through the Difcipline and Fa- 
 tigue of that Condition, and hopes he 
 pay follow his Calling now his Time is 
 up t Do you fancy the Bench and Jnrj^ 
 would allow of thefe Allegations > 
 
 Crit. No : This would hardly bring 
 him oE 
 
 EnlaL Then you fee the Pretence of 
 Trade is not fufficxen}: to juftify an ill 
 practice- 
 
 Crit. 
 
upon AUTHORS. 57^ 
 
 Crit. Pray let's fhift the Sce^e a little, 
 and get out of this melancholy Walk. 
 What do you think of Dedicatory Epi- 
 jlles 3 we generally find them very di- 
 verting } 
 
 Eulab. I fancy fo, but feldom to the 
 Author's Advantage : For the Flattery 
 on thefe Occafions is often fo grofs, and 
 the Panegyrick fo much over-ftrain'd j 
 the Colours are fo very glowing, and 
 the Pencil fo much beyond the Life : 
 That were it not for the Name on the 
 Pifture, no Body could guefs for whom 
 'twas drawn. 
 
 Crito. Nothing provokes the Railery 
 of our Society more than fuch Flights as 
 thefe : We think an Author ready to - 
 jrun mad with Ceremony, that he dwin- 
 dles to a Zany^ and is civil even to Vault- 
 ing and TnmbVwg. 
 
 Eulab. This fuperlative Stuff, I fup- 
 pofe, made my Lord Bacon remark ^ that '^Advanc.of 
 the Mufes fuffer'd, and the Character of ^^^'^"'"^• 
 J^earning funk by fuch Applications. 
 
 Crit. For all that, the Author finds 
 his Account in them: And fometimes 
 the Dedication brings nwrp into the 
 Pocket than all the Book befides. 
 
 Eulab. Such returns of the Adventure 
 are not very common, but granting they 
 v/ere^ the Trade is but unreputable. To 
 
 creep 
 
A Moral Essay 
 
 creep after Money in fuch a fervile Po- 
 fture looks mean and (candalous. What 
 Man that has either Spirit or Confcience, 
 would Idolize Fortune at this rate, or 
 fall down before a Golden Image tho* 
 'twere fixty Cubits high > But of all fort 
 of Flattery, th^t which comes from a fo- 
 lemn Character, and ftands before a 5tT- 
 mon is the worft complexioad. Such 
 Commendation is a Satyr upon the Au- 
 thor, makes the Text look Mercenary, 
 and difables the Difcourfe from doing 
 Service. 
 
 Crito. Notwithftanding what you fay, 
 I fuppofe you would have ^tality fain- 
 ted in Terms of Regard : To come on 
 in a levelling way, is more like Inva- 
 fion than Addrefs : 'Tis to play the Prefs 
 againft th^Conjimtion, and raife a Bat- 
 tery againft a great Man s Caftle. 
 
 Enlab. I agree with you ^ but then 
 fuch an Author, efpecially, (hould take 
 care not to crofs upon a knpwn Cha- 
 rafter, nor Paint quite out of Likenefs: 
 Not to commend a Libertine for his Re- 
 gularity, nor flourifh upon an old L^- 
 djs Beauty, and tell her what Execu- 
 tion her Face is likely to do when (he 
 comes into the North. If 'tis asked. 
 May not a Man (belter himfelf under a 
 great Name, and intrench 3 little for 
 
 Security? 
 
upon AUTHORS. 5/ 
 
 &curity ? I know your Anfwer will be. 
 That fuch flender Lines will be eafily 
 fiird up, and are no manner of Defence 
 againft the Enemy. 
 
 Cr/>. Right: Fot, to come out of the 
 Allegory ; either the Performance is de- 
 fenfible or not 5 if the firft, FroteHion 
 is needlefs, if the fecbrid 'tis infufficient: 
 If a Book has not fenfe enough to 
 make its own way, 'tis in vain to call 
 in the Affiftance of Quality : If a 
 great Man (hould happen to mifcarry 
 in Frint^ the Patronage of his Titles 
 would fignifie little : In this cafe he could 
 not cover himfelf with his Peerage: The 
 Critick^f would be fure to prefs through 
 his Privilege, and play their Cenfure up- 
 on him : Nero^ with all his Legions^ 
 could not defend his Fuftian , and ill 
 Poetry, frorn the Satyr of his Subjefts, 
 Upon the whole 5 if a Man can't be hils 
 own Patron^ and ftand upon his own 
 Legs, he had better keep clofe, and be 
 quiet: To come abroad like a Cripple, 
 and turn Beggar in the Dedication^ is 
 but an odd Contrivance. 
 
 Eulab. In my Opinion, as the Fafhi- 
 ^ on ftands, 'tis noeafy matter to find out 
 proper Perfons iox z, Dedication'-^ there 
 being, it may be, not many that either 
 deferve the ufual Commendations, or 
 V are 
 
6o A Moral Essay, d^c. 
 
 are willing to go without them. But I 
 ^ forget my felf, and muft not detain you 
 ij^om your Company any longer: Pray 
 pat them in mind that they manage 
 fairly, and don't let fly at random, if 
 'twere only for their own fakes: A Gun 
 ovcr-charg'd, is apt to recoil : He that 
 pronounces without Thought, and cen- 
 iures without Reafon, makes an unlucky 
 Difcovery of himfelf 5 and fliews hislg- 
 -jiprance, and lean Temper at the fame 
 time. Adieu. 
 
 t 
 
 OF 
 
^ <' '-'^ . * 6i 
 
 O F 
 
 POWER. 
 
 Power belongs properly to none 
 but intelligent Beings 5 and there- 
 fore may be defcrib'd a Capacity 
 to remove Impediment, to accomplilh 
 Defire, and execute the Orders of the 
 Will. We are powerful only fo far as 
 we can fatisfie our Inclinations. Wiien- 
 ever our Fancy is difojls^eyed, and our 
 WiQies lie unperformed • we are pafs*d 
 the Limits of our Power, and got out 
 of our Dominions: And here 'tis that 
 the State of Impotence begins. For De- 
 fire always proceeds from a Judgment 
 of Advantage 5 and when the Faculty 
 remains ungratified, 'tis only Ibecau^ 
 the Obje£t hangs out of reach. Power 
 is the general Wifti both of the Goad 
 and Bai. But then th^y differ very 
 much both in the End, and the Mea^s. 
 The latter deiire Power ^o-abufe it. To 
 indulge their Vice^ tQ.p^Q^'a their Pri^ft, 
 and Iwagger over their Neighbours. 
 
 Tis 
 
Of POWER. 
 
 Tis fometimes ta make a Figure out of 
 publick Misfortune, and do as much 
 Mifchief as tiiey can think on. This 
 feems to have been fomewhat of Neros 
 Difpofition : His Empire would have 
 been infipid, had it not made him ab- 
 folute in his Frenzy, given him the Op- 
 portunity of murthering his Subjefts, 
 and fetting his Capital on fire. Then as 
 for the Methods of acquiring this Capa- 
 city, they are for tlie portcji Way : If 
 the Bufinefs lies through Fraud and Ra- 
 pine, Blood, and Barbarity, they will 
 never drop the Projed, but charge tho- 
 rough. On the other fide, Perlons of 
 Probity wifh their Power enlarg'd, to 
 difcourage Widcednefs, to flop the Pro- 
 grefs of In juftice, a^d help thafe to right 
 thatfuffer wrong. 
 
 In (hort, their Willi is to oblige th6 
 World, and make Happinefs univerfal : 
 To proportion Station and Defert, and 
 put Vertue in a Poft of Honour. And 
 then as to the Means 5 no Suggeftions 
 of Intereft , no Pretences of Neceflity, 
 Ihall ever make them remove the ancient 
 Land-marks^ or break through the Rtdes 
 of Duty. Befides, they are always mo- 
 derate and refimed, and acquiefce in 
 the Pleafure of Providence. If 'tis ask'd 
 
 why 
 
Of POWER. ^3 
 
 why Vertue has no larger a Jurifdidion, 
 and why a good With lies dead fo of- 
 ten upon a Man*s hand : To this it may 
 be anfwer'd 5 that Power is beft lodg d 
 with the fupream Being; that our Views 
 of things are imperfeft, and our Wiflies 
 not always good when we think them 
 fo. 
 
 For inftance, *tis natural to defire we 
 Gould relieve Want, and cure Difeafes 
 when we fee People fufFer : But poffibly 
 thofe we are thus willing to affift,may be 
 punifh'd for their Faults ; and can t be 
 reclaimed any other way ^ and that their 
 Refcue might prove their Ruine. It 
 may be their Patience is exercis'd, and 
 their Merit put to the Teft^ an4 then 
 to take off the Hardfhip, is to leflen the 
 Reward. 
 
 Thus, if our good Nature was al- 
 ways gratified, the Schemes of Provi- 
 dence muft be difturb'd, and the Mea- 
 fures of Juftice broken. At this rate the 
 Wifdom of Heaven muft be difappoint- 
 ed, Omnipotence attend Ignorance, and 
 Miracles be wrought for Miftakes. Not 
 but that a kind WiCh is a commendable 
 Difpofition, and ought to be pufli'd for- 
 ward as far as our Abilities will give 
 leave* To return : Power,is a noble Pri- 
 vilege 
 
^4 0/ POWER. 
 
 vilege of Being : It furni(hes the Faculty, 
 fills up the empty Spaces, and makes 
 things obfequious to defire. Tis Plea- 
 ty in Hand and Eafe in Profpefl: : And 
 , Satisfadion never fails till Power deferts 
 it. Tis want of Power which is the im^ 
 mediate Caufe of all Mifery : Tis Weak^ 
 nefs, not Jf/7/ that makes People fuffer* 
 They are not ftrong enough to difmifs 
 that they don't like, or feize that they 
 do. Tis Impotence that blafts their 
 Wilhes, leaves them in Defpair, and 
 makes them fear, and feel their Averfion* 
 Power is that glorious Attribute of 
 God Almighty, which furnifties the reft 
 of his Perfedions. Tis his Omnipo- 
 tence that makes his Wifdom and Good- 
 nefs efFedual 5 and fucceed to the length 
 of his Will. Thus his Decrees are im- 
 mutable, and all his Councils ftand. This 
 fecures his Prerogative, and guards the 
 Sovereignty of his Being : Twas his 
 Power which made his Ideas fruitful, 
 and ftruck the World out of his Thought. 
 Twas this which anfwered the Model 
 of the Creation, gave Birth to Time and 
 Nature, and brought them forth at his 
 firftjCall: Thus, He /pake the Word and 
 ikfyvpcre made^ he commanded ^ and they 
 zpen created^ Tis the Divine Power 
 
 whicia 
 
0/.:POWER. ^ ^ 6^ 
 
 which is the Bafis of all Things 5 which 
 continues the Vigour of Second Caufes, 
 and keeps the Sun and Moon in repair. 
 This holds every thing conftant to Ap- 
 pointment, and true to the firft Plan. 
 Thus the Revolutions of Seafons , the 
 Support of Animals, the Perpetuity of 
 Species is carried on, and maintained. 
 Without This, things would foon run 
 Riot, and ramble out of Diftindion, 
 the Succours of Life would te cut off, 
 and Nature drop into Decay. 
 
 Omnifcience and Goodnefs without 
 a correfpondent Power,would be ftrange- 
 iy (hort of Satisfaftion : To know eve- 
 ry thing without being able to fupply 
 Defers, and remedy Diforders, muft 
 prove an unpleafant Speculation. To 
 fee fo many noble Schemes languifti in 
 the Mind, and prove Abortive 3 to fee 
 the moll confummate Wifdom, the moft 
 generous Temper fetter'd and difarm'd, 
 muft be a Grievance, But when Omni- 
 potence comes into the Notion, the 
 Grandeur is perfeft, and the Pleafure en-' 
 tire. 
 
 And as Power fupplies Benevolence^ 
 and makes it eafie, fo *tis an Argument 
 of that Quality. One Proof of God's 
 Goodnefs may be drawn from his Om- 
 nipotence. Severity araongft Men pro- 
 F ceeds 
 
'66 Of POWER- 
 
 ceeds oftentimes from Fear : Tis Weak- 
 nefs more than Malice that makes them 
 cruel. They are afraid of Revenge and 
 Reprifals , and therefore ftrike Home 
 when they have the Advantage. They 
 wo'n t let an Enemy rife, for fear he 
 (hould grow too ftrong, and turn upon 
 them. And thus the moft Timerous 
 are generally obferved to be moft Sa- 
 vage. This Confideration fometimes ob- 
 liges Princes to difable whole Families 
 for a fingle Traitor , and punilh the 
 Children for their Fathers. A lefs ex- 
 tenfive Severity might encourage Re- 
 volt, and wreft the Scepter out of their 
 Hands. 
 
 But a Being that is abfolutely impreg- 
 tiable, that has neither Limits nor De- 
 pendance in his Strength, that is fortifi- 
 ed in his own Omnipotence, can have 
 no Motives to ftrike out of Jealoufie or 
 Prevention : He that has a Kingdom 
 r^hich cannot be fluiken^ and theUniverfe 
 at his Mercy, can't punifti beyond De- 
 fert : He that can neither be furprized, 
 nor over-powered, needs not apply to 
 unreafonable Rigour 5 and as he is above 
 Fear, fo we may conclude he is above 
 Cruelty. Thus the Wifdom of Solomon 
 argues, Becaufe thou art Lord ofalljhere- 
 fere thou art gracious mto all^ cap. 12. 
 
 On 
 
Of POWER. 6f 
 
 On the other fide, 'tis a comfortable 
 Confideration, that the beft Being is the 
 greateft^ rhar Omnipotence is lodgd 
 in the Hands of a benign Nature , de- 
 termine by milder Attributes, and as it 
 were, over-ruled by Goodnefs. There*s 
 abundance of Thought in that of the 
 Pfalmiji ; ^ The Lord is Kwg, the Earth * FfaL pjl 
 may be glad ther^f^ yea^ the Multitude 
 of the J/ks may he gUd thereof. 
 
 As for created Beings, the Limitati- 
 ons of Power are a great Bleffing. Where 
 Ignorance and Ill-will abounds, Impo- 
 tence is the beft Security. Could unbe- 
 nevolent Minds do what they pleafe, 
 honeft Men would have an ill time 
 on*t, Virtue v^^ould be exterminated, and 
 Order thrown into confufion ; What 
 ravage does Pride and Paiiion make in 
 the World, whenback'd with Force and 
 Prevalence? Were a Tyrant's Limbs 
 anfvverable to his Temper, where could 
 his Fury be ftopt > Indeed, fbr a good 
 Prince one would almoft wifti him in- 
 vincible in his Perfon, imfpenetrable in 
 his Fortune, and able, like Achilles, to 
 drive- a whole Army before him. But 
 alas ! the Power of Princes, as things 
 go, is little more than imaginary: The 
 Crowrt gives no proper Strength to thofe 
 that wear it. If Perfonal Force was 
 F a pro-^ 
 
~2% Of POWER. 
 
 proportion d to their Station, and reached 
 as far as Prerogative, 'twould be a migh- 
 ty Advantage. Then a Monarch might 
 fit fure: But as the cafe ftands, theit 
 Empire confifts chiefly in theSubmiiiion 
 of other Mens Wills ; • which is in z: 
 manner but reigning by Cotirtefie. Tis 
 true, if Right and" Confcience, if Ho- 
 nour and Good Faith fignified any thing, 
 all was well enough: But Folly and 
 Defign, when not watched, will break 
 in upon thefe Guards, and overturn the 
 Conftitution at plea fure. And there- 
 fore the AfFedion of the People is g-ene- 
 rally th6 ftrongeft, tho' not thebeft Title. 
 But to leave Princes, and come lower. 
 ' Power, unlefs managed with Gentle- 
 nefsand Difcretion, does but make a Man 
 the more hated. No intervals of good 
 Humour, no (tarts of Bounty, will attone 
 ibr Tyranny and Opprellion : For Peo- 
 ple look upon themfelves to have a 
 right to be always well ufed. He that's 
 civil but by fits, feems to do it to relieve 
 himfelf. His Pride is out of Breath, and 
 his Ill-Nature has tired him 5 and there- 
 fore he muft take up a little and change 
 Pofture, if 'twere only for his eafe. Give 
 the Difeafe but time to recruit, and you'll 
 find the Malignity will rally, the Blood 
 fermentj and the Paroxifm return. 
 
 All 
 
0/ P O W E R. 69 
 
 All Degrees of Inferiority ftiould be 
 tenderly treated 5 Men are apt to fancy 
 the lower Ground a difadvantage at the 
 beft : But if you infult their Fate, and 
 trample upon them, they'll certainly 
 grow four. No Diftinftions of Birth, 
 no Privilege of Fortune, can ever recon- 
 cile them to Arbitrary Sway ; Freak and 
 Imperioufnefs are never willingly obey- 
 ed. Thefe Grievances fuggeft mutinous 
 Thoughts. They run up uieir Pedigree 
 to Adam 5 they appeal to Original Equa- 
 lity. They cry out, that this Court of 
 Jurifdiftion is but of later Ereftion, and 
 th2itfrom ihe Beginning ^trvas not fo. 
 
 Farther, In fome Relations, particu- 
 larly defign'd for FriendQiip and Free- 
 dom, the odds of Power (hould lye con- 
 ceal'd^ and nothing but abfolure Necef- 
 fity, nothing but the Extremity of the 
 Cafe , ftiould difcover it. A Man that 
 loves to be peeviftiand paramount, and 
 play the Sovereign at every turn, does 
 but blaft the Bleffings of Life, and fwag- 
 ger away his own Satisfaftion. And 
 not to enlarge upon the Folly, not to 
 mention the Injuftice of fuch a Behaviour, 
 'tis always a fign of a little unbenevo- 
 lent Temper. Tis Dif?afe and Piicre- 
 dit all over ^ and there's no more Grcat- 
 nefs in't than in the Swelling of a 
 F 3 Dropfie. 
 
70 0/ P O W E R, 
 
 Dropfie, But fome People have the rnif- 
 fortune to think they are never fuffici- 
 cntly conliderable, unlefs when they are 
 plaguing their Friends, and playing the 
 fool with their own Intereft. 
 
 To proceed: Our Power is frequent- 
 ly confin d becaufe of our Ignorance, 
 becaufe we don't know how to make 
 the moft of Things , and put Aftives 
 and Pailives together. The Ancients 
 had Strength enough, and Materials e- 
 nough, tocafi: Mortars and Canon 5 but 
 they wanted Skill to contrive thefe mur- 
 thering Engines x, and therefore could 
 not difcharge Ruin at fuch a Diftance, 
 nor batter with the Modern Terror and 
 Execution. I might give feveral other 
 Inrtances, in which the later Ages have 
 pufti'd their Conqueft, and gain'd a great- 
 er Dominion over Nature than thofe 
 before them. Not by the Strength of 
 of their Limbs, but their Invention. Npt 
 that they are born with rriore Wit than 
 their Predeceflbrs 5 but find ing the World 
 better furnifti'd at their coming into 
 it , they have more Leifure for New 
 Thoughts, more Light to direft them, 
 and more Hints to work upon. 
 
 And tho' Power is often the confe- 
 cjuence of Knowledge, yet *tis far from 
 being the fame Tiling, as feme have af- 
 
 firm'dc 
 
Of POWER, 71 
 
 firm'd. A Man may know how to Fence 
 when his Arms are cut ofFj and yet the 
 Idea of the Art wo n't enable him for 
 the Praftice. He may know how to 
 build a Ship, when neither Wood nor 
 Iron is near him : But the Skill in his 
 Head, and his Hand, wo n't do his Bufi- 
 nefs without Materials. 
 
 In the beginning of the World, Men 
 had more corporeal Force than after- 
 wards : The reafon of this Allotment, 
 was probably to fupply their Yititdi of 
 Skill. In thofe early Ages, they were 
 much more Giants in their Limbs than 
 in their Underftandings. In this Infan- 
 cy of Science , extraordinary Strength 
 feems but neceflary : How otherwife, 
 when Invention was not come forward, 
 when they wanted Inftruments, when 
 they had little of Mathematick Diredi- 
 on , could they have cultivated the 
 Earth, built Houfes, or managed their 
 Carriages ? But when the Mind grew 
 large, the Body grew lefs, and Bufinefs 
 went on as well as formerly. 
 
 Paflion and Courage are great Addit 
 tions to the Strength of the Limbs. The 
 Mind is like Gun-powder^ and when 
 once enflam'd, difcharges the corporeal 
 Mafs with greater Force. A Thought 
 ftrongly encouraged with Juftice and 
 F 4 Duty, 
 
72 Of POWER. 
 
 Duty, well warm'd with Shame and Ho- 
 nour, with Rage and Revenge, fets the 
 Blood on Fire, and makes the Spiritr 
 rufti into the Nerves with unufual Vi- 
 gour, This fudden Effort of the Will, 
 raifes the whole Fojfe of Nature, ftrains 
 theMufcles, . and makes every Atom, as 
 it were, fally out with it. This, I take 
 it, is an Evidence that the Mind has a 
 great command over the Body 5 that it 
 can rouze, or lay it afleep at pleafure ^ 
 that Motion is either begun or ftopp'd, 
 checked or reinforc d, according as the 
 Will direds, and gives the Signal. And 
 which is more, thefe Paflions are like- 
 wife managable by Reafon, and under 
 fhe Jurifdiction of Thought. For a 
 Man that has difciplined himfelf, made 
 a progrefs in Vertue, and is fortified 
 with the Aids of Religion 5 does not 
 flie out when an Objcft prefents. For 
 inftance, he does not ferment to Fury 
 and Revenge upon a ftrong Provocati- 
 on : No 5 He is abfolute enough to 
 Over-r6le his Choler , and fupprefs the 
 Mutiny of his Blood. All which, in my 
 Opinion, is a good Argument to prove 
 the independent Liberty -of the Will, 
 iand the Diftinftion between M*^«er and 
 Spirit, 
 
 OF 
 
73 
 
 O F 
 
 Infancy and Youtk 
 
 Could we make any Obfervations 
 upon our State when we came 
 into the World, could we remark 
 the progrefs of our Growth, and the 
 dawning of our Reafon, 'twould be a 
 pleafant Employment. But the Wifdom 
 of Providence has thought fit to keep 
 this Scene out of fight. As the Cafe 
 ftands, the Furniture of Life, and the 
 Privileges of Being, grow up in the 
 dark ^ they are convey 'd, as it were, in 
 our Sleep, and the Memory has no Re- 
 cords that run back to this Antiquity. 
 Adam was a much better judge of this 
 Matter than any of his Pofterity : He 
 was made in his full Stature 5 His Mind 
 and Body came all at once, and never 
 lay under the Ignorance and Incapacities 
 of the Cradle. He was Objed and Fa- 
 culty at firft, big enough to perufe his 
 Nature, and carry his View to the Con- 
 fines of not Being. To ftep out of No- 
 thing with this Advantage ; to be a M^- 
 jor the firft Minute, and born in the 
 pioom of Underftanding , muft be a 
 
 mighty 
 
74 0/ I N F A N C Y 
 
 mighty fatisfaftion. Were a Lute ani- 
 mated, and the Skill of a great Matter 
 transfused into it, the Strings would be 
 tranfported with their own Mufick, and 
 the firft Tune efpecially,would be ftrange- 
 ly entertaining. And yet this would be 
 no more than the pleafure of a fingle 
 Sence. Adam had a greater Compafs for 
 Delight, and was fet out in a much 
 richer Equipage. But this Privilege is 
 in a great meafure funk, and determined 
 with Adam and Eve. Now we are con- 
 ceal from our felves for fome time : 
 We move flowly, and ripen by degrees 5 
 and our Limbs and Underftanding come 
 as it were by inches. The Organs of 
 Seeing and Hearing feem not perfedt at 
 firft, and it may be the Tafie and Smell 
 lye under the fame difadvantage 5 but a 
 few Years ferves to finifti the Sences : 
 For tho' a Man s Eyes and Ears grow 
 bigger after feven Years (landing, yet 
 he does not receive more Intelligence 
 from them. Should the Sences begin 
 at their ufual pitch, go forward with the 
 Bulk of the Body, and keep growing a- 
 long with the Limbs, they would have 
 a mighty Force in them. We (hould 
 fee farther than Eagles, out-fmell a Vul- 
 ture, and ly€ more in the way of Plea- 
 fure and Pain : We Ihould make a vaft 
 
 Difcpvery 
 
and YOUT H. 75 
 
 . >^ — 
 
 Difcovery in Nature, and command a- 
 bundance of Objed:s that are now out of 
 reach : But this is ordered otherwife. 
 Neither do the Sences feem to keep pro- 
 portion with Strength and Stature : The 
 Dimenfions of the Organ make no diffe- 
 rence ; nor has the Giant any advantage 
 of the Dwarf. On the other fide 5 Were 
 our Settees not to exceed their prefent 
 Condition, and yet advanc d fo flowly 
 as not to be of Age till one and twenty, 
 we (hould go on very lamely, and be 
 ftrangely cramp'd in our Capacities and 
 Pleafures. In this cafe, Children would 
 be ftupid and indocible upon the Com- 
 parifon^ and Life would look as if 
 *twere little more than half kindled : 
 This would be an incumbrance upon 
 Education 5 and make Improvement of a 
 very late Growth. The firft ten Years the 
 Animal Life is principally predominant, 
 the Powers of Reafon are feeble, and 
 the Soul fleeps as it were , in the Con- 
 ftitution : Within this Period, the Paf- 
 fions fpring wholly out of Mechanifm, 
 and are diftinguifti'd by the Intereft of 
 the Body : They turn all upon Plea- 
 fure and Pain ^ are governed by the 
 Meafures of Brutes, and we like or dif- 
 like Things only as they ftrike fmooth, 
 pr rough upon the S^nce. Being thus 
 
 retained 
 
j6 0/ IN FANCY 
 
 retaind by Appetite, and preingaged 
 to Fkjh and Bloody we are the more apt 
 to dap the Biafs on that fide. This 
 makes the Fatigues of Bufinefs, the Exer- 
 cifes of Reafon, and the Praftice of Ver- 
 tue , fomewhat more difficult than they 
 would be othervvife. For thefe Things 
 oftentimes difoblige thaBody, and can't 
 be gone through withoht Mortification 
 and Reftraint. 
 
 There's great Variety in the Humours 
 of Children ; fome feem to have their 
 Tempers made in a finer Mould than o- 
 thers* They are particularly generous 
 and difinterefted, mild and governable, 
 and eafily gain'd by gentle Ulage, And 
 fome are no lefs remarkable for Quali- 
 ties of Difadvantage. Now tho' fome 
 flender Difpofitions to this Difference 
 may take their Rife from Nature, and 
 grow out of Conftitution, yet Manners 
 are generally the refult of Education. 
 Tis the advantage or negleft of Difci- 
 pline, the difference of Management, and 
 the force of Example, which produces 
 this Variety, and makes Children fuc- 
 ceed or mifcarry. 
 
 Some People, wiien they grow good 
 for nothing, charge their Failings upon 
 their Nature, and endeavour to fence off 
 the Infamy by laying the blame upon 
 
 Pro- 
 
and Y OUT H. c<77 
 
 Providence ; But thefe are only the 
 excufes of ftrong Appetites and weak 
 Principles, and belong to .none but the 
 Lazy and the Libertine. For Probity is 
 impradicable to no Temper : There's 
 no fuch Fatality in the Humours, no 
 fuch unconquerable Stubbornnefs in the 
 Blood, as thele Men pretend. Socrates 
 had as reftiveaConftitution as his Neigh- 
 bours, and yet reclain;i'd it all by the 
 Strength of his Philofophy. Tis true, 
 thofe who are naturally mod enclin'd to 
 Vice are in moft dangen For this Rea- 
 fon they ought to move more warily, 
 take the more pains, and decline the oc- 
 cafions of Mifcarriage. And for their 
 encouragement, they have better oppor- 
 tunities of diftinguiftiing themfelves, 
 arid feem to be put in the Pojl of Ho- 
 noHr. And upon due Application, may 
 depend upon proportionate Affiftance. 
 , To return : Since fo much depends 
 upon Education, great care fliould be 
 taken to form Children to the Principles 
 of Religion : The Biafs fhould be fet 
 right at firft 5 and the Mind prepoflefs'd 
 as it were, for the intereft of Vertue. 
 This is the way to fmooth the Paffage 
 to a Happy Life 5 to reconcile Appetite 
 to Reafon, and make the AfFedions more 
 manageable afterwards. Fot tliQ Mo- 
 tion 
 
 JU 
 
78 Of INFANCY 
 
 tion is ftrongly direfted, and the Bent 
 taken from the firlt Impreflion : And 
 Cuftom will make a good Praftice as 
 eafie as a bad one. Nay , one would 
 think much eafier 5 becaufe here a Man 
 will have the Countenance of Judgment, 
 and the Applaufe of Confcience to en- 
 courage him. 
 
 For this Reafon, Children (hould be 
 treated with great Caution and Refer ve; 
 See or hear nothing that may fully the 
 Fancy, and prove dangerous in the Imi- 
 tation ; nothing that may give a wrong 
 Turn to Choice, and make them coarfe, 
 or little in their Manner. Thefe falfe 
 Steps and Indifcretions in Parents, are 
 often of very ill Confequence. Thus 
 they miflead their Children, or teach 
 them to defpife them. Thus Authority 
 becomes cheap, the Relation isdifarm'd, 
 and Inftruftion grows infignificant. And 
 tho' Things don t all work at prefent, 
 they are lodg'd in the Memory, and lye 
 ready for Judgment and Reflexion. 
 
 To proceed 2 Childhood ( I mean , 
 come forward ) is the beft time for Im- 
 provement. Now theMeniory is ftrong, 
 and the Body capable of Application , 
 there^s no need of long Intervals for Re- 
 freftiment, of putting into Port to Ca- 
 ttmy or waiting the leafure of a wea- 
 ther- 
 
and YOUTH. 79 
 
 t her- beaten Conftitution* As yet the 
 Mind is not over-charged with Cares^ 
 the Power of Interefi is not grown up, 
 and the Baits of Pleafure hang fomc- 
 what out of fight. Nqw, if ever, the 
 Paper is blank, the Scales even, and the 
 Affeftions moft indifferent. They are 
 unfeiz'd by the prevalence of Habit, and 
 the infeftion of ill Company. 
 
 However 5 We muft guard againft the 
 other Extream : For without care we 
 may polifti away the Subftance, and file 
 Things till they are ready to fnap in 
 pieces : 'Tis not beft to be always in 
 the Wheel at firft. Before the Mufcles 
 are firm, and the Bones well knit toge- 
 ther. Weight and PrefTure are very un- 
 feafonable. Health is the Bafis of Im- 
 provement, and ought to be confulted. 
 Without this, the Meafures for Educa- 
 tion are broken , the Inftruments of 
 Thought are loft, and the Progrefs of 
 Knowledge impracticable. Now, fome 
 Children are too preffing, andhigh-met- 
 led, and have more Will than Strength 
 for Drudging. This feems to have been 
 Monfieur Pafchal's Cafe. The Ardour 
 of his Genius made him over-drive 5 
 his Spirits were exhaufted by Thought, 
 and his Studies prey'd upon his Confti- 
 tution. There are othor Inftances of 
 
 Young 
 

 ^p^^ " 0/ I N F A N C Y 
 
 Young People that have raifearried this 
 way, and kill'd themfclves in their top 
 '^ager purfuits after Learning. As if 
 'twere honourable to fall a Sacrifice to 
 Se^ce^ and die for Love of the Mnfes I 
 And tho* Life is often laviQi'd away to 
 .worfe Purpofes, yet *tis not good to 
 ffrain too much, and fet Nature upon 
 the Tenters. A Man may be too cove- 
 tous of Underftanding, and a Mifer in 
 jhis Head as well as in his Pocket. 
 -^i^ Farther 5 Children fhould not be pre- 
 jdet^rmin'd to Bufinefs at peradventure. 
 T;p doom them to a Profellion in the 
 Cradle before their Capacities are infpedl- 
 ed, is but moving in the Dark : Thus 
 they are often planted in a wrong Soil 3 
 their Fancy is mifmatch'd, and their Ta- 
 lent difappointed. Before fo weighty a 
 Difpofal, the Genius fhould be nicely 
 examined 5 for to crofs upon Nature, and 
 ftrive againft the Stream , is always 
 to little purpofe. Now tho' the Genius 
 depends in great meafure,upon the Qua^ 
 lity of the Organs, and the Crafisof the 
 Blood and Spirits, yet poffibly this Dif- 
 ference does not make out all the Diftin- 
 ftion. For 'tis by no means certain, 
 that all Souls are equal ; forae may pro- 
 bably be made up of richer Materials 
 than others. They may have ftronger 
 
 Ingre- 
 
a^d YOUTH. 8] 
 
 Ingredients thrown into them 5 more 
 force of Courage, and more compafs of 
 Thought. Their being all equally Im- 
 material and Immortal , does not prove 
 them fo in every other refped. Immate- 
 riality refembles the Shell of a Building 5 
 Now there is no arguing from the Out- 
 fi(ie to the Infide : What if the cafe of 
 a Row of Houfes is the fame, does this 
 hinder the Furniture from being diffe- 
 rent ? Angels are allowed to be Spi- 
 rits of a fuperiour Kind, notwithftand- 
 ing the common Privilege of Incorpo- 
 reity : And for the fame Reafon, there 
 may , for ought we know , be fome 
 Original Difparity between Humane 
 Souls. To illuftrate the Point by ano- 
 ther Comparifon 5 Immateriality in the 
 Subjeft before us, may ftand for the 
 Field in Heraldry: Now it does not 
 follow, becaufe the Field is the fame, 
 that the Charge muft be fo too. No, the 
 Quality and Credit of the Coat^ depends 
 very much on the latter Diftinftion. 
 Farther 5 One Humane Body is made 
 better than another, and why not a 
 Soul > The difference in Gapacity and 
 Aftion feems to make this Suppofition 
 not improbable : To affirm this Hypo* 
 thefis inconliftent with the Juftice and 
 Goodnefs of God , is a miftake : For 
 O the 
 
%2 0/ INFANCY 
 
 the Bleffings of Heaven are all Favour, 
 arid may be diftributed at pleafure. God 
 is not bound to make all Creatures no- 
 ble and happy alike , neither has he 
 attually done (o. Laftly 5 This Suppo- 
 (]tion agrees with the Notion of He- 
 roifm^ fo much believ'd in the earlier 
 Ages of the World. Thefe UtroQs were 
 luppos'd to have a peculiar Alliance to 
 the Divi4ie Nature,' and that their Minds 
 as well as their Limbs; were made bigger 
 than other Mortals. 
 
 To come off this Argument, t ho' not 
 altogether a Digreffion ; If the Genius 
 of Young People was fuited in their 
 Profefiions, the World would improve 
 iafter, and there would be a greater 
 Progrefs made in Arts and Sciences. But 
 Pride and Intereft fpoils all. Nature 
 lies one way, and Friends and Prefer- 
 ment another : And \v hat's to be done 
 m the cafe ? Whv, we muft make for 
 the beft Penny, and the bcft Poft, right 
 or wrong; Our Parents will have it fo. 
 Yes : We muft flie beyond the Strength 
 of our Pinions, and be bred to bigger 
 Bufinefs than we are born : Born I mean, 
 with refped to Capacity, not Condition. 
 The Vnlptt^ andB^r, to mention nothing 
 elfe, fometimes fuffer by this Fondnefs 
 and Partiality^ 
 - ' And 
 
and YOUTH. 83 
 
 And how is this to be prevented ? 
 Mull: we ered a Court of Fryers ^ A 
 Committee to fit upon Nature, and exa- 
 mine the Will and the Power ; To place 
 Centimls at the Gate of every conlider- 
 able Profeffion, and ftop thofe that have 
 no Pafs'part^ Till fuch a Provifion is 
 fettled, 'twould be advifable in Parents 
 not to precipitate Matters , but to ftay 
 till Life is a little grown up, and ripen'd 
 to a View. Twould be advifable for 
 them not to form their Refolutions at 
 random, or be altogether govern'd by 
 their Wifhes ; Inftead of this , they 
 ftiould carefully enquire into the Diftin- 
 dtions of Talent , and the Tendencies 
 of Fancy, and always follow the courfe 
 of the Chanel. 
 
 Farther 2 To remark a little upon the 
 Conduft and Inclinations of Youth. This 
 Stage of Life, unlefs under the Direfti- 
 on of good Principles , is very dange- 
 rous to pafs through. The Paffions of 
 Young People ride them at full fpeed ; 
 they want both Experience to guide, and 
 Temper to hold them in : So that nei- 
 ther Bogs n-or Precipices can ftop them 5 
 for when they move faCteft, they fee 
 leaft. Like a Ship without a Pilot, they 
 are apt to be over-fet with the Violence 
 ofDefire. They play their Appetite at 
 G 2 largej. 
 
H4 Of INFAN CY 
 
 large , and chop at every thing that 
 comes in their way. They feize an Ob- 
 jeft with fuch an uncautious Keennefs, 
 that they are fometimes ftrangled with 
 Satisfaftion, and choak'd with the gree- 
 dinefs of their Swallow. And when 
 this does not happen, they are often 
 fated with Succefs , tire under their 
 Wifhes, and grow fick of their favourite 
 , Fancy. Thus they ramble from one Ex- 
 travagance to another, and are conftant 
 to nothing but their Folly, As for good 
 Counfel, nothing cart be more grating 
 and unacceptable. Tis either Ignorance, 
 or Envy, Dotage or Superftition ; or at 
 beft, it comes much too foon, and is 
 wonderfully mif-tim,ed. What, fay they^ 
 muft we fleep over the Spring, and let 
 the faireft Opportunities Aide off un- 
 feizd> Muft we antedate the Misfor- 
 tunes of Old Age, and bring our felves 
 under a voluntary Impotence? Thus 
 they conclude, 'tis time enough to grow 
 wife when they are good for nothing 
 elfe : At prefent Preaching is Pedan- 
 try, and Virtue no better than an Intru- 
 der : All Reftraint is an Invafion up- 
 on their Liberty, and touches them in 
 the moft fenfible Part. As for the Ac- 
 cidents of Life, the Ruins of Eftate, and 
 all after Reckoning y they are too bufie 
 
 for 
 
I 
 
 and YOUTH. 85 
 
 ~ : > m ^ 
 
 for fuch Trifles ; Such Thoughts as 
 thefe pall the Entertainment 5 they are 
 too free and prefuming , and muft be 
 kept at a diftance. And if they will 
 fometimes crowd into a Young Head in 
 fpite of Pleafure, there*s generally forae 
 Vifionary Profpeft , fome Chimerical 
 Referve, fome Roraantick Relief pro- 
 vided, to make them fignifie nothing : 
 Young People manage as if their Cir- 
 cumftances were impregnable, and fel- 
 dom fear any thing but what they feel. 
 They are as prodigal of their Perfon^ 
 and their Pockety as if their Sences could 
 not wear up, nor the Fund of Life and 
 Fortune ever decay. To go on : 
 
 Young People are obferv'd to be re- 
 markably obliging, and to part with 
 their Penny more freely than others : 
 This Difpofition , when it runs out to 
 Indifcretion, proceeds fometimes from 
 want of Thought , and a juft Value of 
 their own Intereft ; fometimes from an 
 over-kind Opinion of the World, and 
 fometimes from Vanity. I fay, feme- 
 times from Vanity. This Cafe happens, 
 as often as Pride, Sloth, or Libertinifm, 
 meet together : The firfl: makes them 
 eager for Regard, and the latter to do 
 nothing that deferves it. They would 
 gladly Ihine, but the Poliftiing Part is 
 P 3 too 
 
8(5 0/ I N F A N C Y 
 
 too rough for their Delicacy. There's 
 too much Time, Drudging, and Danger 
 in the way of Merit ; and they are loth 
 to purchafe at fo high an Expence. 
 This makes them court that with their 
 Pnrfe, which they defpair of from any 
 Performance : They think to bribe the 
 World to an Efteem , and cover their 
 Infigniiicancy with Profufion. 
 
 Thus Youth, when 'tis launched with- 
 out Ballaft, and has no compafs to fail 
 by, flotes at a miferable rate, and is 
 quickly bilg'd, ind under-waten Young 
 People, efpecially when unfortunately 
 Educated, and mifled by Flattery and 
 ill Example, when tluey are taught to 
 value the Gcfttlcman above the Chrijiian^ 
 and are better inftruded in their Pedi- 
 gree than in their Creed 5 when they are 
 ftrongly folicited by Defire , and have 
 neither Conference nor Poverty to re- 
 ftrain them, are generally in a dangerous 
 Condition. How foon are they lou in 
 Luxury and DiUblution of Manners? 
 Ho w often do they defpife their Parents, 
 and cut- rage their own Flefti and Blood > 
 How often do they pull their Fortune 
 in pieces, run their Conftitution out of 
 Breath, and prove the Infamy and In- 
 fediion of the Age > Thus much for the 
 Danger and Mifcarriages of Youth. 
 
 And 
 
and YOUTH. 87 
 
 And now a word or two about fome 
 other Qualities and Diftindiions, and 
 I {hall conclude. 
 
 Young People, when fupported with 
 the confideration of competent Skill and 
 Sufficiency, are generally hardy and en- 
 terprising. The Heat of their Blood, 
 the Strength of their Conftitution, and 
 the Eagernefs of their Delires , makes 
 them over- look Difficulty, and prefs up- 
 on Danger with unufual Refolution. 
 Tis true, they are often too un manage- 
 able in Temper, too ftiort in Thought 
 and Experience, to draw up the Scheme: 
 But wiien the Defign is well formed, 
 they are beft at^ the Execution. Old 
 Age is apt to abound in Scruples, to ob- 
 jed too far, and be over apprehenfive of 
 Accidents : And thus People are fome- 
 times prudent to Inactivity : Thus a 
 Projeft is, as it were, ftifled and over- 
 laid with Sence, and Things are made 
 impradicable by being thought fo. 
 Whereas, Youth is happy in its Igno- 
 rance, mounts the higher for being 
 ceeVd^ and efcapes a Danger by over- 
 looking it. Light and Knowledge in 
 fome cafes , ferve only to difturb the 
 Fancy, and fink the Courage, A Man 
 walks fafe over a Precipice, ^ or narrow 
 Bridge, in th^ Dark, where his Fears 
 G 4 wpuld 
 
88 Of INFANCY 
 
 would make him tumble in the Day- 
 time. 
 
 However, fuch fortunate Events ought 
 hot to be made a Rule of Praftice. For 
 none run againft a Poft fo often as the 
 Blind without a Guide. Youth, without 
 queftion, is fubjeft to great Raftinefs 
 and Precipitancy : This Age is govern'd 
 more by Appetite than Reafon, confults 
 the Heart rather than the Head , and 
 moves ftrongly by Mechanifm and Ma- 
 chine. 
 
 However, Freftinefs of Conftitution, 
 and Plenty of Spirits, makes fome People 
 very proniifing in their Youth : Their 
 Progrefs in Knowledge is wonderful, and 
 their Genius furprizing at firft : But the 
 Fire goes out in a little time ; they flag 
 upon the Courfe, and fall (hort of Ex- 
 pedation. Thus Hermogems the Rheto- 
 rician, foon after he had made himfelf 
 an ingenious Author, grew perfeftly flat 
 and infipid. His Underftanding was 
 quickly drawn off in the Laboratory. He 
 lofl: his Sence in his Study , where o- 
 ther People get it, and feems to have 
 fliifcarried under the Means of Improve- 
 ment. But fometimes the Fund is not 
 deep 5 and when the Oar lies only next 
 the Surface, the Mine muft fail after a 
 little pigging. To give. another In- 
 
 ftance. 
 
I 
 I 
 
 and YOUTH. 8p 
 
 ftaiice. The Famous Orator HorUnfius^ 
 lived to fee his Reputation tamiftij the 
 Reafon was, becaufe hemifs'd the Point 
 of Decency , and did not fuit his Stile 
 to his Age : He was Gaudy when he 
 (hould have been Grave, and Drefs'd 
 at Fifty hke Fifteen. That Florid nefs ' 
 which look'd fprightly and agreeable in 
 his Youth, was difrelifh'd as Over-fan* 
 ciful, and Affefted when he grew Old. 
 Idem manebat^ fays T»//y, non idem de- 
 cebat. 
 
 To wind up all : Thofe that have 
 Itheir Youth before them, (hould be care- 
 ful tQ m^ke the moft on t. This is the 
 feafon to take the Field for Adion, and 
 to pufti as far as Strength and Opportu- 
 nity will carry it. To throw away our 
 Time upon Trifles, to doze over an E- 
 ftate, and live only for Sleeping and 
 Digeftion, is to make our felves mean, 
 and come into the World to little pur- 
 ppfe. And if an idle Life is fo uncredi- 
 table, what muft we think of an ill One? 
 What muft it be to fpend our beft Days 
 in Infamy, to make Vice our Bufinefs, 
 and exert our felves for the Devil > Is 
 not this to turn the greateft Bleffing to 
 the worft life, to riot in the Bounty of 
 Providence, and prove falfe to the End of 
 pur Being .<? When the Funftions of Life 
 
 are 
 
po Of INFANCY, dN^. 
 
 are eafie and undifturb'd, when ourSen- 
 cesare fo frelli, and Nature fo flourifti- 
 ing and agreeable ^ when Things are in 
 this comfortable Condition, one would 
 think we could not forget our Benefa- 
 diox: But that Favour and Return 
 would hold fome Proportion ; and that 
 when Satisfaftions run bigheft. Grati- 
 tude (bould d o fo too. To defer Sobrie- 
 ty to Old Age, not to mention the Dan* 
 ger of it, is a fcandalous Refolve. Tis 
 a fign that Vertue is our Averfion 5 and 
 is fomewhat like the Temper of a Re- 
 bel, that ftands out to the length of his 
 Power, and turns Loyal only at the 
 Fright of an Execution : Not that Re- 
 formation is to be difcourag d at any 
 Age. But for all that, 'tis an unfortu- 
 nate Thing not to underfrand the value 
 of a Treafure till we are juft going to 
 lofe it. To begin our Frugality when 
 we are ready to break, is very ill Ma- 
 nagement : The retrofpedion of fuch 
 Folly, is by no means entertaining. Let 
 us therefore do that at Fir ft which will 
 pleafe us at Laft ^ for Innocence is niueh 
 better than Repentance. 
 
 O F 
 
91 
 
 O F 
 
 Riches and Poverty. 
 
 In a DIALOGUE 
 Between Fhilotimus and Fhilalethes. 
 
 Philal. 1 ^Hilotimus^lam glad to meet 
 
 i*^ you in your old Walk in 
 
 "^ the Fields 5 I was yefter- 
 
 day at your Houfe, but had not the good 
 
 Fortune to find you at Home. 
 
 Philot. Sir, I thank you for that Fa- 
 vour, and am forry I was out of the 
 way : I have been in the Country a- 
 bout a Week, to divert my felf with an 
 old Friend. 
 
 FhiUL I fuppofe then you have given 
 a Vifit to your Friend Neophitm. 
 
 Philot. You guefs right, and have 
 been entertained, I affure you, to great 
 fatisfaftion : He has a Seat fit for a No- 
 ble-Man. The Situation and Avenues, 
 the Strufture, Walks and Gardens, are 
 extraordinary : And to make the Figure 
 uniformly great, the Furniture, Equipage 
 and Eating, are all iuitable and corre- 
 
 fpondent* 
 
92 Of RICHES 
 
 fpondent. Well ! Yis a brave thing to 
 be Rich. 
 
 Philal. There is fomewhat in't , I 
 grant 5 but for my Life, I can't come up 
 to your Tranfport : Pray, what is it in 
 the Idea that affefts you to that De- 
 gree ? 
 
 Philot. What is it not > Wealth is 
 every Thing : It affords Convenience, 
 covers Defed:s, and commands Obfer- 
 vance : It gives Intereft and Power 5 
 and Credit and Satisfadion always at- 
 tend it. He that's rich, has Art and 
 Nature at his Service 5 may be beft fur- 
 nifti'd to improve his Reafon, to enter- 
 tain his Fancy, and regale his Sences. 
 He has Company or Solitude at pleafure, 
 and is raafter of Time and Place. He 
 has the choice of all Countries, may 
 travel after the Sun, and live always in 
 the Spring, if he has a mind to't. 
 
 Philal. To out-ride the rigour of the 
 Seafons, and leave Heat and Cold behind 
 us, is a notable Advantage : But to be 
 always rolling, andftiifting the Climate 
 at this rate, a Man muft have a good 
 Health, as well as a Pocket. 
 
 Philot. Let that be as it will I tell 
 you, he that is Rich needs not let his 
 Fancy wait ^ his Wifhes are foon had, 
 the Game rifes immediately, and the Ob- 
 
 jeft 
 
and POVERTY. 
 
 93 
 
 jed runs out obfequiouily to meet the 
 Defire. 
 
 PhiUl. Not always, if you pleafe : 
 There are abundance of Things the 
 Wealthy can't purchafe. All Eftates are 
 abuttal'd and bounded 5 there's always 
 a non ultra in the caie, a Profped into a 
 foreign Jurifdiftion, which the Land- 
 lord would oftentimes gladly make his 
 own. Befides, Delire is apt to encreafe 
 in proportion to Succefs : A Rich Man 
 ftands upon higher ground than former- 
 ly 3 and a larger Scene of Curiofities lie 
 open to his View. Thefe new Ob- 
 jefts folicite the Fancy, multiply his 
 Wanes, and make his Power as much 
 (hort of his Will as ever. And, thus 
 fometimes good Fortune difappoints 
 him J the Dropfy grows worfe by drink- 
 ing i and the richer he is withottt^ the 
 poorer he is within. He has fome Neigh- 
 bour that out-ftiines him 3 
 
 — Fejlinanti femper locnplctior ohjiat. 
 
 fome fine Thing hangs out of reach, 
 fome impradicable Projeft keeps him un- 
 eafie : Thus his Satisfaftions are fcarce 
 felt, and what he has grows flat upon 
 his Relifti. Wealth is a rank Soil, in 
 which , unlefs carefully manag d , the 
 Weeds will quickly fpring yp, over-top 
 
 the 
 
Jr- 
 
 P4 0/ RICHES 
 
 the Plants, and choak the Grain. Flat- 
 tery and Indulgence , common to fuch 
 Circumftances, makes the Paffions eager 
 and ungovernable 5 fo that like ill-be- 
 fiav'd Children, they are apt to cry for 
 . every thing they fee. Whereas the way • 
 to be happy, is to take our Meafures from 
 Nature, and keep within the compafs of 
 Convenience 5 to retrendi our Delires, 
 and fink them towards an IndifFerency ; 
 But when our Fancies are high-fed, they 
 are apt to grov/ FeveriQi , and rave 
 after Danger or Impoffibility. 
 
 Fhtlot. Youmayfay what you pleafe, 
 , but Fm fure my Sences are ftrangely 
 dwindled fince I came out of the Coun- 
 try 5 for I neither fee, nor fmell, nor 
 tafte with them, half fo well as I did be- . 
 fore. 
 
 'Philal. Don't trouble your felf , the 
 lower your Sences are kept , the better 
 you may govern them : Appetite and 
 Reafon are commonly like two Buckets, 
 when one is a-top, toother's at the bot- 
 tom 5 now of the two, I had rather the 
 Reafon-Bucket (bould be uppermoft. But 
 I'm forry to find you dwell fo much up- 
 on the Table : What, was your Philo- 
 fophy dilTolv'd there, like an Anchovee, 
 and is your Soul flip'd down into your 
 Palate ? Pray , have a care of Epicn- • 
 
 rifm J 
 
and POVERTY. 95 
 
 rifm-^ Don't let Niccnefs and Luxury- 
 get the Afcendant : For, not to men- 
 tion the greateft Misfortune, unlefs your 
 Purfe is very ftrong , fuch Senfuality 
 will lay you open to Difappointments, 
 bring yon into a State of Servitude, and 
 oblige you to creep after a great many 
 Humours you wo'n't like. Now before 
 I would be thus meanly Palat-ridden, 
 and facrifice my Liberty to fo defpicable 
 a Confideration 3 I would e'en try to 
 difcharge my Tafte, and go on as well 
 as I could with FourSenccs- But grant- 
 ing your Fortune large enough to fup- 
 ply you, what does all this Variety of 
 Difties, thefc High Sauces, this Learned 
 Pother in the Kitchin, fignifie > I fay. 
 What does it fignifie, unlefs to make 
 Af^petiteftrongerthanDigeftion, to kid- 
 nap your Conftitution with a Sugar- 
 plum, and betray you to fome Diftem- 
 per or other? What does it tend to, 
 unlefs to makediffimilar and difagreeing 
 Juices, and unfriendly Fermentations in 
 the Blood ? Whereas, would you give 
 your felf leave to be hungry, a plain un- 
 compounded Diet, cleanlily drefs'd, has 
 as much Pleafure, and mom Health in't- 
 Befides, expenfive and luxurious Eating 
 generally takes up a great deal of time, 
 xlogs the Spirits, and clouds the Under- 
 
 ftanding. 
 
^6 0/ RICHES 
 
 ftanding, and makes Life run ftrangely 
 to wafte. 
 
 Vhilot. For all that, I thought it went 
 off pretty pleafantly. But good Eating 
 is but part of the Advantage. Wealth 
 is wonderfully addrefs'd and compli- 
 mented every where : A Manmnr draws 
 Snit and Service along with it ; and a 
 Rich Man, like the Sun in Perfia^ is wor- 
 {hip d at his firft Rifing. I was almoft 
 affiaz d to fee the unufual Ceremony that 
 was paid to my old Friend : He was 
 formerly little taken notice of, btit now 
 he is fainted with Refpeft, he is admired 
 for his Converfation, he commands the 
 Attention of the Company, and his 
 Mouth goes for an Oracle. One would 
 think his Pocket had mended his Head, 
 that his Sence held proportion with his 
 Acres, and that he had purchaf'd a new 
 Underftanding with his Eftate. And 
 when he makes a Vifit, he is received 
 with a diftinguiftiing Civility: There 
 is fuch a Preference paid to his Perfon, 
 Inch Application to entertain him, fuch 
 Enquiry into his Fancy, fuch Carving 
 to his new WorQiip, that if I had not 
 known him, I (hould have thought hiai 
 fome conliderable Officer in the Army, 
 that he had made feveral honourable 
 Campaigns, ftorm'd the Counterfcarp, 
 
 and 
 
am 
 
 d POVERTY. 
 
 97 
 
 and planted the Colours in the Breach : 
 Whereas, before he made his Fortune, 
 he could fcarce get room at the lower 
 end of the Table 5 nobody minded him, 
 or put the lead Queftion to his Patlate. 
 But now, on my word, the cafe is aker'dj 
 now he is not only gazd at by the Mt?^, 
 and admir'd by Flatterers, but People of 
 independent Circumftances , that have 
 no Defign upon him, pay him a parti* 
 eular Regard ; Perfons of Condition, 
 are fometimes forward to court him to 
 an Intimacy, to open their Pedigree for 
 him, to take him into their Veins, and 
 give him the privilege of a younger 
 Branch 5 whereas, in reality, the Con- 
 fanguinity comes all from the Coffers, 
 and the Relation lies in the Money, not 
 in the Blood. Well ! he has a fine time 
 ont: How often have I feen Worth 
 ftand clear, and all the Moral Virtues 
 make room for iiim ? How often have 
 I feen Quality, Sence and Merit, wi- 
 ther in his Company, and be perfectly 
 eclipsed by theLuftre of his Gold ? 
 
 Philal. Vm forry to fee you fo much 
 fmitten with a little Ceremony : What 
 does all this amount to, more than the 
 Forms of Cuftom, and the Homage of 
 Ignorance or Defign ? It only fhews 
 the Ihort Thinking, the mean Fancy^ 
 
 H and 
 
p8 0/ R I C H E S 
 
 and the mercenary Spirit of the World: 
 And why any one (hould value himfelf 
 upon the Folly or Flattery of another, is 
 paft my Comprehenfion. 
 
 Fhilot. Under Favour, Riches are a 
 handfom Varnifti , they recommend 
 ftrongly to Efteem, and give a peculiar 
 Gracfc to every thing a Man does. A 
 good Seat well wooded, with a large 
 Rental^ is a charming Advantage ! 
 
 Phild. I perceive you think fo 3 But 
 if this be all you can fay for your Friend, 
 I muft tell you, that a great heap of 
 Bricks, a parcel of Logs growing, or a 
 mile or two of Clods and Dirt , are 
 Things that I (hall never worfhip while 
 I live. 
 
 Philot. Thefe Sentences of yours 
 wo'n t beat me off my Inclination : The 
 Parade of an Eftate is^ in my Opinion, 
 a very valuable Circumftance. To eat in 
 Plate, to deep in Velvet, to rattle about 
 the Streets in a fine Coach, with two or 
 three Liveries behind one, has a com- 
 manding Appearance, and calls for a great 
 deal of Refpeft. 
 
 Philal. Not a jot, unlefs the Eftate 15 
 creditably rais'd: If *tis gain'd by fur- 
 prizing the Unwary, by Opprcilion or 
 Breach of Faith, by infamous Compli- 
 ance, or fupporting Iniquity, it does 
 
 but 
 
and POVERTY- pp 
 
 but make the Owner more publickly 
 defpicable. This Figure of Wealth thus 
 ill gotten, is really leandalous. Such a 
 Man with all his Equipage, does but 
 expofe his Rapine, and lead his Knave- 
 ry in Triumph. I wonder you (hould 
 ftick fo much in the out-fide of Things, 
 and, like a Fly, be entangled in a Cob- 
 webs You put me in mind of the Em- 
 bafly into Vtopia^ fent from a Country 
 which was govern'd by quite different 
 Notions of Honour and Refpeft, When 
 the Publick Entry was made, the V^opi^ 
 am lin d the Streets to fee the Caval- 
 cade: Now the AmbaiTadors, to diftin- 
 guiCh their Quality, and fupport their* 
 Charafter, Were particularly Rich in 
 their Habit : But the Vtopians, inftead 
 of paying them a regard upon this fcore, 
 took them for the meaneft of their 
 Train 3 and fome of the Young Peo- 
 ple pointed at them for Malefactors i 
 They thought, unlefs they had been 
 guilty of fome great Villanies , they 
 would never have appeaj'd .in fuch 
 Marks of Difgrace: For 'twas their 
 cuftom to make their Felons fine, and 
 lay them by the Heels in Gold. This 
 is the cafe of an Eftate dlQioneftly got- 
 ten : The Pageantry of it is nothing 
 but Difcredit, and ferves only to blazon 
 H a tber 
 
loo Of RICHES 
 
 the Crimes, and refrefh the Injtiftke of 
 the Owner, 
 
 Philot. You may talk your pleafurej^ 
 but, Vm fure. Poverty has but an ordi- 
 nary Complexion , and a very flender 
 Interefl: in the World : Tis generally 
 Difregarded and Brow-beaten , and no 
 good Qualities can make it ftiine. Peo- 
 ple are apt to fancy, where there's no 
 Money there's no^ Merit : A poor Law- 
 yer in Juvenars time, feldom got a Fee 5 
 and therefore fome of them were glad 
 to diilemble their Condition 5 to hire 
 fomewhat of an Equipage, and go to a 
 Pawn-broker to rig themfelves out for a 
 Caufe. Pray, what did Homer make' 
 on't for want of having a Fortune with 
 his Genius? Did he not ftrole about 
 like a Ballad-finger > Was he admitted 
 into the Company of the Wealthy, or 
 countenanced by any Perfon of Faftiion? 
 I tell you, if the Mufes are in Rags they 
 are in danger of the Statute^ and of be- 
 ing taken up for Vagabonds^ and flttrdy 
 Beggars. A#disfufni(h'd Condition does 
 not promife any great matter of Talent 5 
 for who would look for a Jewel upon 
 a Dung-hill > In (hort, A Man s Credit 
 often fuffers with his Circumftances : 
 A Thread-bare Coat is a prefumption 
 of Infignificancy, and when the Pockets 
 
 low 5 
 
a?2d POVERTY. loi 
 
 low , the Brains are thought fo too. 
 
 FhiUl. I perceive, you think a Slieep 
 with a Fleece on , Jias more wit than 
 one that's (horn : But notwithftanding 
 the Force of your Logick, I have known 
 many a Man's Fortune and Underftand- 
 ing to be very unrefembling. Poverty 
 is fometimes the refult of Birth and 
 Education 5 and, like a (lender Crop, 
 grows out of the Barrennefs of the Soil, 
 Now to contemn a Perfon for the dif- 
 advantage of his Fate, is great Barbari- 
 ty, and a reproach of Providence : For 
 the Difadvantage, I fay, as 'tis comnjon- 
 ly reputed. Sometimes Poverty comes 
 upon us by unavoidable Accidents : The 
 Labour and Induftry of many Years are 
 deftroy'd on a fudden. A comfortable 
 Fortune is burnt down, carried to the 
 bottom by a Tempeft, or buried under 
 the Ruins of an Earthquake. And in 
 fuch cafes, without doubt, the Misfor- 
 tune calls more for Pity and Affiftance 
 than Difregard. And (bmetimes Peo- 
 ple are Poor, becaufe they are refolv'd 
 to be Honeft : Becaufe they wo'n't pur- ' 
 chafe on Terms of Difhonour, nor thrive 
 upon the Proftitution of Confcience^ 
 fuch Poverty as this, I take to be much 
 more creditable than Wealth, either got- 
 ttn or kept by Tricking and Preyarica- 
 H 3 tion. 
 
J02 Of RICHES 
 
 (ion. And here give me leave to tell 
 you, that the over-valuing of Money is 
 a moft unfortunate Paflion, and occafi- 
 ons unfpeakable Confufion. Does it not 
 make way for all manner of Fraud and 
 Perfidioufnefs > Does it not turn Com- 
 merce into Thievery, Juftice into Worm- 
 vpood, and make the Laws a Grievance? 
 When Intereft fpeaks Nature is filenc'd, 
 and Religion itfelf can'tbe heard: This 
 v^retched Principle boggles at no Expe- 
 dient, drives over Confcience, and rufhes 
 againft Decency and Duty ; This is that 
 which flies Children at the Face of their 
 Parents^ fets Blood againft Blood, and 
 as Shai^efpear fpeaks , 
 
 fUch. IT. X)oes Km ivith Kin^ and Kind with 
 Kindj confound. 
 
 Tint. Ly- Lycurgus was fo appreheufive of this Mif- 
 ■^^^' chief, that he cried down Gold and 
 Silver in the Spartan Dominions, and al- 
 lowed none but Iron Money. By the 
 Strength of this Provifion, and one or 
 two Laws more , Sparta grew very re- 
 markable for their Juftice, Temperance 
 and Bravery 3 and continued the chief 
 mi City oiGreece for Five hundred years to- 
 gether : Infomuch that the Lacedemoni- 
 ans were the Arbiters of Peace and War, 
 the Heads of Confederacy , and the 
 
 Judges 
 
and POVERTY. 103 
 
 Judges of Foreign Difputes. They re- 
 concil'd their Neighbours, and brought 
 them to their own Meafures, only by 
 fending a plain Man, in a Freeze Coat, 
 without any Pomp or Retinue to fup- 
 port his Embafly. And when Lyfamr^ ihtL 
 upon the taking of Athens , fent off a 
 vaft Mafs of Treafure to Sparta^ fome of 
 the wifeft of the Lacedemonians declared 
 openly ag^nft receiving it^. They'^p/«^ 
 look'd upon Gold and Silver as the great ^^^"^^'^^ 
 Debauchers of Mandind 5 That thefe 
 Metals had a general Afcendant, and 
 were too ftrong for the Morals of moft 
 People : That they were commonly 
 gotten by Avarice and Circumvention, 
 and fpent upon Luxury and Riot. But 
 not being able to prevail, the Event an^ 
 fwer'd their Fears 5 and Sparta quickly 
 declin'd, both in her Manners and Re- 
 putation. *^ Tis true, Agis afterwards * r/«^. 
 endeavoured to retrieve the Common- ^'^* 
 wealth, and bring it towards Lycurgus's ^^'^r 
 Model , but raifcarried in the Attempt. 
 Philot. LycnrgHs^ befides the Expedi- 
 ent you mention, divided the Lands in- 
 to equal Shares , and oblig d the Burg- 
 hers to eat together at Common-Halls 5 
 I fuppofe you are for the Scheme in its 
 full Latitude, in order to compafs your 
 Reformation, 
 
 H 4 Philah 
 
io4^ Of RICHES , 
 
 Philal. You tniftake me ; I am for 
 lio fuch levelling Projeft, neither do I 
 think it prafticable in all places. What 
 I mention, is only to (hew the Mifchief 
 of Idolizing Money, and what care great 
 Nkn have tormerly taken to prevent it. 
 And whatever you may think, Poverty 
 has not been always fo unfaftaionable as 
 you make it. To give fome Inftances 
 from Antiquity'; Arifiides ,»ib famous 
 for his Juftice and Valour, he who waS; 
 Archon or Chief Magiftrate^of ^/^e///,( 
 and did fuch Service at the Battels of 
 Marathon and Flat£a *^ This Arijiides- 
 was fo far above the Fancy oFan Eftate^'^ 
 that he left not Affids enough to bury 
 him 5 and his Daughters had their 
 Portion from the publick Exchequer. 
 j^iuu The Theban Epamhiondas^ who beat the 
 ^rW^d. hacedemomans 2it Leu&ra and Mantineay 
 and wrefted the Sovereignty of Greece 
 from them, was rich in nothing but Bra- 
 very and Reputation : To thefe we may 
 add Curius Dentatus and Fabritius^ among 
 the Romans ^ this latter, who was Ge- 
 neral againft Pyrrhus^ died fo poor, 
 that the Senate were at the charge of his 
 Funeral 5 and yet 'twas in his power to 
 have been otherwife : For Pyrrhus 
 tempted him very high : He promised 
 ^o make him the Second Perfon in his 
 :^ *■ Kingdom 
 
and POVERTY. 105 
 
 Kingdom, provided he would but de- 
 fert, and betray his Country* Had he 
 accepted the Offer, he might have ftuff'd 
 his Coffers to purpofe 5 he might have 
 glitter'd in Treafon, and made an illu- 
 ftrious Figure out of his Faljhoad. But 
 this Bait would not down with the .: old 
 Romans: They took Probity., good 
 Faith and Courage, for the true Marks 
 of Greatnefs. Wealth work'd put of ill 
 Pradice, was always counted difbonour- 
 able ; In fuch cafes, they did notfliine, 
 but fuffer in Pomp, and Title.; Thus 
 they drew their Infamy more i^to the 
 Light, and had a greater Croud to dcr 
 fpife them. To make a Figure out of 
 Foul Dealing, would have been juft as 
 wife a Projedt with them, as it would 
 be for a Man to put on a rich Habit, itj 
 order to (land in the Stocks or Pillorxi 
 This was the old Roman way; But 
 when they began to be fmitten witli 
 Pe/f, they, degenerated apace, as Salujl 
 obferves. This over-valuing of Money, 
 as he continues, makes People haughty 
 and barbarous, and falfe both to God 
 and Man. ' Ambition, fays this Wi^io- BeiUata- 
 " rian, has fomewhat of a handfom Co^^^"* 
 ^ lour : For Fame and Pow^r are the 
 f Wifties both of the Good and Bad. Tho' 
 f the Means of their Purfuit are diffe; 
 
 ' rento 
 
io6 0/ RICHES 
 
 * rent. Bat Covetoufnefs is all for the 
 Coin , (quam nemo fapiens concupivit,) 
 which was never the Inclination of any 
 Great Perfon. Thus Tnlly tells us , 
 
 cic.de of' c 'fj^^f nothing is a ftronger Evidence 
 
 * of a little, of a narrow Mind, than to 
 
 * dote upon Riches 5 and that nothing 
 
 * is more creditable and magnificent 
 
 * than to defpife ( I wo'n't fay the 
 
 * Want, but ) the Abfence of a For- 
 
 * tune 3 and to let it go freely for your 
 
 * Neighbours when you have it. 
 
 Philot. The Poverty you mention is 
 but comparative 5 'tis not of the hardeft 
 Kind : Your Greek/ and Romans were 
 provided with Neceflaries, and fenced 
 againft Hunger and Cold : They had 
 Honour to entertain them , and great 
 Pofts to keep them eafiej and befides. 
 Luxury and State was not fo much the 
 faftiion of thofe Ages as it has been 
 fince. 
 
 FhiUL You think, if they had been 
 clofef prefs*d, and driven towards Star- 
 ving and Contempt, they would have 
 ftrain'd their Honefty to have given their 
 Circumftances a lift. Now I am not of 
 your mind. And here give me leave to 
 tell you, that, in my Opinion, a Man 
 l^hat fubfifts upon Misbehaviour, and 
 pats and driftfcs away his (ponfcience, is 
 
 as 
 
and POVERTY. 107 
 
 as deplorable a fight as a Malefaftor in 
 Gibbets, that devours himfelf as far as 
 he can reach, and f wallows one Limb 
 to fupporc another. I grant, to feel the 
 extremity of Want, and be always un* 
 der Difcipline and Mortification , muft 
 be very uncomfortable : But then we 
 are to confider, that the World will ei- 
 ther mend, or wear off; that the Dif- 
 charge will come (hortly, and the Hard- 
 fliip turn to advantage ; that the Conteft 
 is commendable and brave, and that *tis 
 dangerous and diftionourable to furren- 
 der. But tho' Poverty is fometimes more 
 creditable than Riches, tho' as fuch 'tis 
 never any Difgrace 5 yet I muft needs 
 fay, it often lies too much under Neg- 
 led. Tis the Poor that provide the 
 Neceffaries, and maintain the Splendor 
 of Life. Tis they that give Eafe, Lei- 
 fure and Obfervance to ihe Wealthy, 
 and make them relifti their Circumftan- 
 ces. Now v/hen they have worn up 
 their Strength in drudging, and difabled 
 themfelves by their Induftry, they fhould 
 be cherifti'd in their Declenfion, and in- 
 vited to a comfortable Retreat. Thofe 
 who had done any confiderable Service 
 at Athens^ were lodg'd in the Fryta-^ 
 nmnty and maintained at the Publicly 
 pharge. And to the fame purpofe, there 
 
 are 
 
io8 Of RICHES 
 
 artlnvalides and Hofpitals in France and 
 HolUncl; Heje Soldiers and Seamen 
 are handfomly received , their Old Age 
 is fapported, and if they have loft their 
 Limbs, they can live without them. 
 
 Philot. I fuppofe you vi^ould have fuch 
 a Provifion fettled for the ppoj* Labour- 
 er, tho' in a lower proportion, 
 ::)i'Philaf. Yej 5 ^nd fgr the honeft, but 
 unfortunate Tradefman too J I fay,fome- 
 thing refembling would do well ; For 
 jPgrifli ColleZiions are oftentimes narrow 
 in the Subfiftance, and choaking enough 
 jn the Manner. 
 
 ' Fhilof. I am told, the Overfeers in 
 fome places go to the Tavern with the 
 Parifti Money, make large Treats our of 
 Colle^igns^ ^ndl get drunjc with the Poors 
 
 . Philal. Im afraid you are not always 
 mifinform'd. But this, befides the Inju- 
 ftice, is thenioft barbarous Pradice ima- 
 ginable: There's fcarcely any Name 
 too, bad, pr any Punilhment too great 
 fp^iA What can be more wretched 
 than to rob the Spittle , and to fupport 
 Luxury from the Basket ^ This is in a 
 manner to prey upon the Vitals, and 
 drink the Bfood of the Indigent. Iffuchi 
 ^ Man was ftiarp-fet, 1 fhould not que- 
 ftion his turning CumihaL 
 
 Philot. 
 
and POVERTY. 109 
 
 Philot. Your mentioning Holland puts 
 me in mind that there are no Beggars 
 there 5 Is not this a very commendable 
 Regulation ? 
 
 FhiUl. Without all doubt : Tis pi^ 
 ty the Precedent is not follow'd. 
 
 Fhilot. What would you have done ? 
 
 PhilaL I don't pretend to prefcribe : 
 But with fubmiffion, it might not be a- 
 mifs, if PariQies in great Towns were 
 carefully infpeded. Vice and Neceffity 
 better difcover'd, and the Impotent di- 
 ftinguifh'd from the Lazy. 
 
 Philot. That the firft might not have 
 the Need, nor the other the Liberty of 
 Begging. 
 
 Pkilal. Right: But as the Matter 
 ftands, 'tis hard to difcern Want from 
 counterfeiting. The Cafe being thus 
 perplex d, and Cheats breaking fometimes 
 out, the Marks of Poverty are fufpefted, 
 Compaffion grows cool, Charity is put 
 to a ftand, and many an honefl: poor 
 Body is difappointed. 
 
 Ptilot. Yes : And fometimes we mi- 
 ftake our Man 5 Good Nature is abus'd, 
 and the Money is fpent upon Intempe- 
 rance and Lewdnefs. But are we never 
 to give any thing in the Streets, till we 
 can clear the Merit, and demonljrate the 
 Neceffity > 
 
 PhiUL 
 
no Of RICHES 
 
 Fhild. I don't fay fo : The chari- 
 table fide is always the beft : Tender- 
 nefs and Humanity are Virtues 5 and if 
 a Beggar deceives me , 'tis at his own 
 peril 5 I (hall be confider'd for my good 
 Intention. Befides , crying out upon 
 Impofture , and general Declamations 
 againft the Poor, are commonly the Lan- 
 guage of the Lean Tempered , and the 
 Excufes of Covetoufnefs. 
 
 Philot. Since you are fomewhat civil 
 to the Beggars, how fhould an indigent 
 Gentleman be treated > 
 
 PhiUl. I can t anfwer you without 
 diftinguifhing upon the occafion of his 
 Decay : If ne has been reduced by his 
 Vices, and funk under his Extravagance, 
 I think he ought to be coldly receiv'd^ 
 and very little confider'd for his Condi-^ 
 tion 5 fince Poverty is his Fault , it 
 ihould be his Puniftiment too. To ca^ 
 refs a difabled Libertine, is to encourage 
 Diforder : And tho' Mifery is never to 
 be infulted, yet fuch People deferve to 
 fuffer, and be left to negleQ: in Urrorcm, 
 To go to the bottom of Matters, De^ 
 baucbery of it felf is a degrading Misbe-^ 
 haviour : Tis living below the Preten- 
 ces of Reafon, and the Dignity of Hu- 
 mane Nature: Andmoftofall, unbe- 
 coming a Man that has Privilege above 
 
 the 
 
and POVERTY. m 
 
 the Croud, and is particularly valued by 
 the Government, For this Reafon the 
 Romau Cenfors us'd to difcUim the De- 
 bauched, and ftrike fhem out of the 
 Lift of Quality. 
 
 ?hilot. I thought a Gentleman might 
 have indulgd a little more, and givea 
 his Fancy a Loofe farther than other 
 People. 
 
 Fhilal. Youareftrangely out: HeraU 
 dry is no Proteftion to Immorality. 
 Perfons of Condition have no unlimited 
 Range, no exemption from Duty, no 
 peculiar Licenfe for Folly and Diftradi- 
 on : So far from this, that Diflblution 
 of Manners is more criminal in fuch 
 Perfons than in Peafants. 
 Philot. Why fo ? 
 
 PhiUL Becaufe they are more indebt- 
 ed to God and the Government for their 
 Diftinftion 5 becaufe they mifcarry un- 
 der a better Education, and are more in- 
 fe&ious in the Example. 
 
 Pkilot. What if a Gentleman is de- 
 cayed by Cafualty or Confcience > 
 
 Philal. Then his Charafter Ihould, be 
 confider'd , and treated with a diftin- 
 guiChing Regard. Then the Manner of 
 doing him any Service, ftiould be parti- 
 cularly fmooth and engaging. 
 
 Philot. 
 
112 Of Kl CHE S^&c. 
 
 Philot. Vtn of your mind 5 but fome 
 People are ftrangely rough and unpo- 
 li(h*d in their Kindnefs : There's fo much 
 Haughtinefs and Ill-nature in the Man- 
 mr^ that they fcem glad of an Oppor- 
 . tunity to tealxe you , and to throw the 
 Civility at your Head 5 and if you hap- 
 pen to have too much Stomach to di- 
 geft the Affront , they are apt to grow 
 warm and angry. In ftiort, They hold 
 a Cane in one Hand, , and a Favour in 
 t'other 5 fo that you may be either cud- 
 geird, or ohltgd. , as you think conve- 
 nient. 
 
 "PhiUU I'm forry to hear any Body 
 ftiould fail fo far, as to offer unbeco- 
 ming Forms to People of Fafhion, and 
 ufe them unfuitably to their Condition*, 
 But I muft bid you Adieu. 
 Vhtlot. Your Servant. 
 
 <^r 
 
113 
 
 O F 
 
 WHOREDOM. 
 
 In a DIALOGUE 
 Between Erotion and Sophronijies. 
 
 Sophron!W^ TTNder Favour , Erotion , 
 
 II you muft not pafs : 
 
 ^""^ What , go by your old 
 
 Friend's Door, and neither call nor fpeak 
 
 to him ! 
 
 Erot. I ask your Excufe : I don't ufe 
 to be fo negligent, but my Head is fome- 
 what full at prefent. 
 
 Sophron. What \ Are you upon fome 
 difficult Problem in Mathematicks ? Are 
 you trying to fquare the Circle ? 
 
 Erot. No : I don't love to abjira& 
 my Fancy fo much : I trouble my felf 
 with no Lines^ excepting thofe in a good 
 Face. To fpare your farthe,r Enquiry, 
 1 have an Intrigue upon the Anvil, and 
 that you know requires Thought and 
 Addrefs. Gallantry, to manage it nice- 
 ly, is no fuch eafie Undertaking- 
 
 I Sophron^ 
 
114 0/ WriOREDOM. 
 
 Sophron. It may be fo 5 for foraetimes 
 Mifchief lies fo far out of the way, that 
 People mull: drudge to be undone. Gal- 
 lantry ! how foft and well-bred is the 
 Expreffion > But in my Opinion, this 
 Language is too ceremonious. 
 
 Erot. How would you have it caU'd ? 
 
 Sophron. Whoredom. 
 
 Erot. O fie ! that's unpolifli'd and dif- 
 couraging. 
 
 Sophron. Words are but Images of 
 Things : If you don't like the firft, why 
 do you venture upon the other ? Tis 
 wife Condud, without doubt, to ftart 
 at the Shadow and purfue the Subftance ! 
 However , this skreening carries fome- 
 thing of the Confeflion of Guilt : Wajhes 
 and Paint are always figns of a coarfe 
 , Complexion. 
 
 Erot. It may be fo : But at prefent I 
 am not at leifure for Argument and Scru- 
 ples 3 my Affair is fomewhat perplex'd, 
 and I muft try to difentangle it. 
 
 Sophron. I wi(h there is not a Husband 
 in the cafe. 
 
 Erot. That's to my felf. Tho' I muft 
 tell you, we feldom trouble our Heads 
 about the Diftinctions of fingle or niar^ 
 tied. Fancy is our Rule 5 and as that di- 
 re6ts, our Motions are govern'd. Only 
 this I muft add, That Difficulty and Dan- 
 ger 
 
0/ WHOREDOM. 115 
 
 ger heighten the Succefs, and make the 
 Conqueft more entertaining. 
 
 Sofhron. The more Wickednefs, the 
 more Satisfaction : An admirable Maxim ! 
 At this rate a Highway-Man that mur- 
 thers, ought to value himfelf more, than 
 if he had nothing to brag of but fingle 
 Robbery. 
 
 Erot. If you go to Preaching and 
 Principles, we are gone. But tho' I am 
 not mafter of my Paffions , I think I 
 have gotten my Confcience pretty well 
 under. 
 
 Sophron. Twill rife upon you one time 
 or other ; but no more of that. How- 
 ever, I hope you are in jeft : To throw 
 your Cafe therefore out of the difpute^ 
 I (hall argue the Point in general : And 
 here, I fuppofe, your Men of Gallantry 
 have not laid afide all pretenfions to 
 Juftice and Honour, 
 
 Erot. By no means: They would 
 take it for a high Affront to be queftion'd 
 upon thofe Points. 
 
 Sophron. But then , which way do 
 they defend therafelves > How can rhey 
 reconcile their Pradice to the Charader 
 of Fair-Deal ing> They rob the Wife 
 of her Vertue, and as the World goes, 
 *the Husband of his Reputation : They 
 make them both the Jeft of the Neigh- 
 I c^ bourhood? 
 
ii6 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 bonrhood ; They difturb the Harmony' 
 of. Life, and break the Friendfliip of the 
 neafreft Relation. What Confufions, what 
 Quarrels, what Deftruftion of Circum- 
 ftances, are often occafion d by fuch Li- 
 berties as thefc > Wrth what Colour 
 can the Authors of fuch Diforder pre- 
 tend to Honefty ? Has a Man no Pro- 
 perty in his Marriage > no Right to be' 
 eafie, and unblemiQi'd rn his Family? 
 When the Misfortune corhes to their 
 own doors, thefe Sparl^s are for no fuch 
 Latitude: The Infamy of their own 
 Wives ^nd Daughters touches them to 
 the quick : , They are all Rage and Re- 
 fentment 3 and no Revenge is too great 
 for fuch an Injury. And, can fuch Par- 
 tiaFity as this confift with Jufticc ? Can 
 thofe be fa id to a(3: upon the fquare, that 
 have one Meafure for themfelves, and 
 another for their Neighbour ? Is that 
 Perfon a Man of Honour that vvo'n't do 
 as he would be done by > that hates the 
 Refemblance of his Practice , and can't 
 endure his own Ufage (hould be return d 
 upon iiim ? 
 
 Erot. You make an Amour look hi- 
 deoufly black ; and in ftiort, to be no 
 better than downright Knavery. 
 
 Sophro77. You muft not take it ill, i 
 make nothing 3 I only prefent things to 
 
 your 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 117 
 
 your Vkw : And give me leave to ob- 
 ferve, That thofe who are Libertines 
 abroad, are oftentimes lU-natur'd at 
 home. The Wife grows a Nufance^ 
 and no Ruggednefs or Barbarity is too 
 coarfe for her 5 or at beft (he's but the 
 Lumber of the Hoiife. The Prbmifes 
 of Courtftiip, and the Engagements of 
 Marriage, are quite forgotten. The Title 
 o£Refpe& is transferred, and all the Breed- 
 ing and good Huniour made over to the 
 Wench : She is Miftrefs of the Man and 
 the Money : Her Apartments, and her 
 Equipage, are all Curiofity and Expence : 
 She makes her Progrefs in State, and 
 travels with her PofiilUon ^ when , it 
 may be , the poor Lady in Town^ can 
 hardly compafs a Hack^ney to remove her 
 from one Street of Smoak to another. 
 I confefs, I don't much wonder at fuch 
 Misbehaviour. He that can difpence 
 with the main Articles, will eafily gct^ 
 over the Points of Decency. What ci- 
 vility can be expefted from thofe that 
 have broken the moft folemn Covenants, 
 that ftand falfe on the PariJJd Regijicr, 
 and are perjur'd upon Record ^ 
 
 Erot. You make a mighty pother a- 
 bout Matrimony. Such Stridtncfs would 
 make us very uneafie, and move like Fe- 
 lons, with our irons about us. But we 
 .1 3 are 
 
ii8 0/ WHOREDOM. 
 
 are kinder Cafuifts to our felves : We 
 take this Holy League and Covenant up- 
 on the Scottijl) View, only for Intereft 
 and Power. The Solemnities of the 
 Form ferve handfomly to deceive, give 
 us a Title to the Bride's Fortune, an4 
 make us Tenants by Courtejie^ and that's 
 the meaning of the Matter. 
 
 Sophron. To play with Religion, and 
 make a Jeft of Juftice, is neither fafe nor 
 honourable. Have a care of fuch Sal- 
 lies 5 tho', I know, your Difcourfe is 
 the Praftice of too many- 
 
 Erot. Be not fo tragical upon our Sex: 
 Are not the Women faulty in this re- 
 fpeft ? Let them begin us a good Ex- 
 ample, and lead in the Reformation. 
 
 Sophron. Your Charge is true without 
 queftion : And I mufic own, that when 
 a Woman can prevail with her felf, to 
 fet her Confcience and her Honour afide, 
 to rufh through her Native Modefty, and 
 the Referv'dnefs of her Education, (he is 
 ftrangely degenerated, and mightily al- 
 ter'd from what God has made her. She 
 that's untrue to iier Husband, and has 
 broken the Covenant of her God^ is all Bane 
 and Blemifli : She ftains the Blood of 
 the Family, brings in a Foreign IflTue, 
 and quarters the Enemy upon the Eftate. 
 And what complicated Injuftice is all 
 this? Erot. 
 
Of WHOREDOM. up 
 
 Erot. If you talk thus, you 11 ftrike at 
 People of Fafhion : Several good Gen- 
 tlewomen are tax'd upon this fcore. 
 
 Sophron. It may be fo, and not with- 
 out reafon : But let me tell you, 'tis a 
 a great Blot in their Scutcheon. Lewd- 
 nefs, like Treafon, degrades a Woman's 
 Qijality, and makes her defpicable and 
 cheap : Thofe that are governed by 
 their Folly, lay the Reins loofe upon 
 their Fancy, and let the Bcafi get the 
 better of them, (hould be treated ac- 
 cordingly, if they were right ferv'd, 
 and forfeit the Privilege of their Kind. 
 
 Erot. I find, a Woman has great rea- 
 fon to guard her Vertue, and live with 
 her Difcretion about her. 
 
 Sophron. With her Difcretion about 
 her 5 yes , that's certain : For if (he 
 ventures at improper Freedoms, and is 
 fo hardy as to lofe her Reputation, 
 there lies ftrong Prefumptions againft 
 her. 
 
 Erot. How fo ? 
 
 Sophron. Why, foul Imputations pleafe 
 no body. All People defire to fave the 
 Appearances^ and enjoy the Credit of a 
 fair Ctiarafter. Pure Pride will carry 
 thus far. Therefore, when Women go 
 unufual Lengths in their Converfation, 
 give broad Signs of a vitious Inclina- 
 I 4 tion, 
 
I20 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 tion, and draw the Cenfure of the World 
 upon them. 
 
 Brot. What Conclufion do you make 
 from thence > 
 
 Sophron. I (hall make no Conclufion 5 
 but the general Inference will be. That 
 . fuch Women have a confideration for 
 their Infamy, and an over-balance , as 
 they reckon it, for the lofs of Reputa- 
 tion. 
 
 Erot. By your R.eafoning , a Woman 
 ought to decline all Airy Liberties, and 
 efpecially all Correfpondence with a 
 Married Man^ 
 
 Sophron. Yes^ all fach Correfpon- 
 dence as may give an occafion of Jealou- 
 fie. For Marriage creates a peculiar 
 and incommunicable Friendihip : Thefe 
 Rights are not to be invaded, nor the 
 Affedions drawn off, nor the Quiet of 
 cither Party difturb'd. Thofe Familia- 
 rities which give Umbrage , and carry 
 the Countenance of Defign , are ill-na- 
 tur'd, and un jaft, tho' they go no far- 
 ther. 
 
 Erot. Well ! I v/ould not be a Wo- 
 man for more than I'll tpeak of. Were 
 I doom'd to that Change, my Fame, or 
 my Liberty, muft be loft, and I muft fuf- 
 ferconfiderably, either in Charader or 
 Cpafinement 
 
 Sophrono 
 
0/ WHOREDOM. 121 
 
 Sophrort. Don't miftake 5 the Men have 
 no fuch Exemption as you fancy. Li- 
 berty is not entaird upon the IfTue Male 5 
 they have no Charter to live at large, 
 and run riot. They are under the fame 
 Duties of Rdigion, and oblig d by the 
 fame Laws of Sobriety with the other 
 Sex. The Matrimonial Contrad is mu- 
 tual 5 and a Failure on either fide, is 
 equally a Violation of Faith, and a Breach 
 of the Confederacy. And where the Crime 
 is the fame, why ftiould the Difgrace go 
 lefs, or the Puniftiment not keep a pro- 
 portion ? 
 
 Erot. Under favour, the Crime is not 
 the fame : When a Woman proves per- 
 fidious, the Misfortune is incorporated 
 with the Family, the Adulterous Brood 
 are fed upon the Husband, and it may 
 be run away with the Premijfes. But 
 when the Man goes aftray, the Wife 
 can t pretend to fuch great Damages. 
 
 Sophron. Fs maintaining of Strumpets, 
 and putting Baftards out to Venfion^ fuch 
 a Trifle then in your Opinion > Don't 
 thefe Suckers ftarve the main Stock, and 
 impoverifti the Family ? Thefe, I take 
 it, are Provocations of the higheft De- 
 gree, and much of the fame fize with 
 the Injuries by you mentioned. 
 
 Ipjrot. 
 
122 Of WHOREDOM, 
 
 Erot. I thought the Superiority of our 
 Sex might have given us fome Privilege 
 extraordinary. 
 
 Sophron. An Exemption from Vertue, 
 is the privilege of a Brute 5 that^s the ^ 
 mofl: I can make on*t. But what Supe- 
 riority do you mean > That of Force > 
 An Elephant is ftronger than a Man 5 
 what Confequence can you draw from 
 thence > 
 
 Erot. ril mean then a Superiority of 
 Underftanding. 
 
 Sophron. If you would have it Birth 
 and Native Advantage, I fancy you are 
 miftaken : But granting your Suppofiti- 
 on, for Argument-fake, what will you 
 get by it ? For if Men have fuch an 
 over-balance of Sence , if their Reafon 
 is fo comparatively ftrong , why don't 
 they make a better ufe on't > Why does 
 their Underftanding fleep, and their Ap- 
 petites run away with them > To mif- 
 carry under fuch a Force of Mind, does 
 but aggravate the Fault, and make the 
 Diforder more inexcufable. 
 
 Erot. Notwithftanding what you fay, 
 a Licentious Life is not fo fcandak)us in 
 a Man as in a Woman. 
 
 Sovran. That is , the Men fay fo : 
 
 But #hat does this prove more than 
 
 Confidence and PaTtiality > Were they 
 
 ' ' not 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 123 
 
 not bolder in their Crimes they would 
 not think fo. Now, is Face and Fore- 
 head fuch a Commendation } Or a Li- 
 bertine the better for the lofs of his Mo- 
 defty > I confefs, this Vice is fo very 
 bad in both Sexes^ and fo great a di- 
 fturber of Society , that I think it can 
 hardly be put under too much Shame 
 and Difcipline. i have fometimes won- 
 dered, why a Lewd Perfon is not as in- 
 famous as a Thief. Is Domeftick Quiet, 
 and the Securities of Blood and Marriage, 
 lefs valuable than a little Money ? I 
 fay, why is not he that fteals a Wo- 
 man's Honour as uncreditable as a com- 
 mon Surprif^r of Property? Is not the 
 Lofs as confiderable, and the Method as 
 indired and fcandalous > What are Pre- 
 fents and Flattery, upon this fcore, bet- 
 ter than the Tricks of Kidnapping > Have 
 they not all a treacherous and felonious 
 Intent > Are they not defign'd to fur- 
 prize and ruin 5 to charm down Difcre- 
 tion, and fpirit away the Party ? 
 
 Erot. You talk as if the Connivance 
 was too indulgent, and a publick Provi- 
 fion wanting in the cafe. 
 
 Sophron. Why, now you fpeak on't, 
 if the Honour of Families were put un- 
 der the Proteftion of the LaF> and more 
 
 guarded 
 
124 ^/ WHOREDOM. 
 
 ' ' ' ' ■ ■ . ■ _ , ^ 
 
 guarded by the Confiitution^ I humbly 
 conceive it might not be amifs. 
 
 Erot. Have you any Precedents to fup- 
 port the Bill •<? 
 
 Sophron. Enough in all Confcience. 
 I will give you fome of them. To be- 
 gin with the Mgyptians 5 Diodorus Si- 
 BibUoth, cuius reports. That in the Cafe of Adul- 
 • i- ^' 7 • i^xy. The Man was hajiinadod to a thou- 
 [and Blows ^ and the Woman had her Nofe 
 mi c. $9. cut off. He adds , That in the earlier 
 Ages of that Government, under Se- 
 fofires^ feveral Women were burnt alive 
 for that Crime. Among the Athenians^ 
 if any Perfon was convided of Adulte- 
 Tiemoji. ry, 'twas in the power of the Bench to 
 ^Lrm. ^^kp him as much an Example as they 
 fleas d^ provided the Funifiment was Jhort 
 of Death. Solon s Law went higher, and 
 left the Malefador perfectly at the Mercy 
 of him that was injur'd. To go on to 
 i^on.Att'icAht Roman's: Gel lius informs us, That 
 ^'^^-^''^^' the Husband could juflifie the killing of 
 his Wife J upon proof of fuch Misbehaviour. 
 And by the Laws of the Twelve Tables^ 
 the Adulterer, if furpriz d, might be le- 
 Fiautus in g^'^^Y difpatch'd ; for here likewife,^ Ril- 
 Pmuio. ling was no Murthen They fometimes 
 Mtrftai ^^^l^fi^d thefe Libertines for the Perpan 
 Lib. 3, ' Court, and made them fit to guard the 
 fp'^^' 43- SeragliQ. And this Puniftiment was for- 
 merly 
 
Of WHO REDOM. 125 
 
 merly the cnftom in England, efpecially 
 when the Husband had forbidden the 
 fufpefted Perfon his Wife's Company, 
 as appears by a Writ of King Jol^/ to 
 the High Sheriff of Bantjhire. The jf^- 
 /i^;/ Law pafs'd by Augnflus^ made Ba- ^^'^^ ^^^^'Z- 
 nifhment the Sentence for Aduhery rj^'^.^jj''''"' 
 And fo likewife thofe were ftrv'd, who^em^. a. 
 had debauch'd (ingle Women or Widows 
 of Condition. And here the Emperour 
 was fo ftrift and impartial, that he would 
 not pardon his own Family. The Sen- 
 tence was executed on his Daughter Ju- 
 lia, and her Highnefs tranfported to 
 T?andataria. Horace in his Panegyrick suetov. m 
 upon Auguftns, mentions this Law as a ^^^^fi^ 
 Branch of his Commendation, flourifties 
 upon the Progrefs of the Reformation, 
 and tells him, That now Families grew Horau 
 regular and unblemifti'd, Licenfe was ef- ^^^' 4* 
 feftually checked, and Infamy, as it were^ 
 chas'd out of the Co^mon-wealtL 
 
 Nnllis polluitur cafta do?^Hs jlupris^ (^am. 
 Mos^ d^ lex maciilofum cdomnit nefas :- od. 5. 
 Laudantur Jimili prole puerper£^ 
 Culpam pxna premit comes. 
 
 To proceed : Vlato bars Adulterers from yuta de 
 having any Port in the Magiftracy 5 and ^^^' ^' ^• 
 the Romans would not fometimes fufifer 
 
 them 
 
126 0/ WHOREDOM. 
 
 Menander them to (land upon the Mufier-roll. Ta^ 
 };l[ l^]"^' citHs reports, That amongft the old Ger- 
 deRe M- mans^ Juftice was done with as much ex- 
 ^de'mt^ pedition in thefe cafes, as in a Court 
 Germ. c.ip. of Pic-Porvder : ' The Husband being 
 ' the legal Executioner^ us'd to call in 
 
 * fome of the Neighbourhood and Re- 
 
 * lations, and then ft ripping his Wife 
 
 * to the Wafte, fwitch'd her in this E- 
 ' quipage through the Village. And the 
 Franks ferved the Men much the fame 
 
 ♦ Dii ^^^^^ when they found them tardy, and 
 Ji^efne Giof niade them run their Heats through the 
 jhr. inVer- Streets. '^ And liere I might add Inftan- 
 Dhmlrui ^^^ from the Poles, Saxons and Hnnga- 
 L. kit. Op- rUns ; from the Spaniards^ Bohemians 
 Thrmoli. ^^^ Mahometans 5 a mongft moft of which, 
 LucTuden-thQ, Penalties were Capital; and where 
 /x^B^w-they went lower, they were home- 
 Lit^tanL charg'd with Smart and Difgrace: I 
 
 L 6,c. k' • • ' - * 1 1 /^ • t T-. 
 
 AIco-- 
 ran, ire ^ 
 
 ^' 6. c.kip. think I had beft give you the Particu 
 
 Erot. Pray hold your hand : What 
 a Rabble of Nations have you rak'd to- 
 gether ? I find many df them are Hea^ 
 thens and Infidels : Are thefe good Evi- 
 dence in Court } 
 
 Sophron. Why not? What pretence 
 have you to challenge them > Does not 
 their appearing fo unanimous , pro- 
 nounce the Voice of Nature, and give 
 
 in 
 
I 
 
 0/ WHOREDOM. 127 
 
 in the general Decree of Mankind > 
 This Evidence, I conceive, amounts to 
 little lefs than a Jhs Gentium againft you. 
 However, to fatisfi<? you farther, and 
 compleat the Force of Authority, I (hall 
 now proceed to fhew, how deeply this 
 Vice (lands condemned by the Jewijh 
 and Chrifiian Religion. As to the jfen?/, Veut. 22. 
 Adultery was Death to both Parties by ^^j^^j^- 
 the Conftitution. Now, you know, God vxor. ' 
 was their Legijlator 5 we may be fure ^^^^^^* 
 therefore, the Puniflbment was not over- ' ^' 
 proportioned. And here we may ob- 
 ferve, that this Penalty was not pecu- 
 liar to any Circumftances of the Jemjh 
 State. There was nothing of Type or 
 Figure in t, nothing particular as to the 
 Time, Country, or Neighbourhood of 
 that Nation : This (hews the Ground 
 of the Law perpetual, that it ftands up- 
 on the Guilt of the Cafe^ and the Rea- 
 fon of the Thing : And that the Sin Numb. $. 
 might not efcape for v/ant of Proof, ^^'^^ 
 there was a Miracle kept on foot to dif- 
 cover it. Upon fufpicion 5 the Waters 
 of Jealotffie were to be drank, and thus 
 the Matter was clear'd* For when the 
 Perfon was guilty, (he rotted and fweird 
 immediately, and was a difmal Spedtacle 
 of Falfhood. And to this Teft, the 
 Wife might be oblig'd, in cafe the Huf- 
 
 band 
 
128 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 band had forewarrt'd her before wit- 
 nefs, not to have any private Convert 
 fatioa with a Perfon he did not like. 
 seiden. If after this Admonition (he was found 
 'brTc'A' .toconverfe privately with fuch a Per- 
 c.i{. ' fon, and Evidence made of it, the Trial 
 ^ 287. above-mention'd was to pafs upon hen 
 Thus this Crime was puniQi'd by the 
 Jemjh Law. And if we come on far- 
 ther, we fhall find all the Terrors of the 
 Gofpel drawn up againft it. To fay, 
 Heaven-Gates are barr'd ,. is but little 
 upon the Comparifon. Tis reckoned 
 amongft the worft Sins, rang d with the 
 worft Company, and threatned with the 
 deepeft Vengeance, rit cite you the 
 Texts by and by. In the mean time, 
 give me leave to obferve to you, how 
 Adultery was punifti'd by the Civil Laws 
 after the Empire turn'd Ghriftian. The 
 Cod. Juflin. famous Confluntim the Great ^ punifli*d 
 ^30\^: Adulterers with Death, as appears by 
 Jul. de his Kejcript or l^recept to tvagrius, da-^ 
 ^«^^- ted Anno. Dom. 326. His Sons, Conftan- 
 tim and Conflans^ give their Judges in- 
 ftruftions to burn fuch Criminals alive, 
 or elfe few them up in a Sack with 
 Dogs and Serpents, and then drown 
 L. 4. Cod. them as they did Parricides. And in 
 'm\i ^^^^ R-^ign of VaUntiman and Valens , 
 Tiu 3d/ Cathegnsy a Koman Senator, was profe- 
 
 cuted 
 
0/ WHOREDOM. 129 
 
 cuted for Adultery, and loft his Head, 
 as Ammianus Mctrcellinus informs us lAmm.Mar- 
 And in this manner, as he goes on, fe«^^^^* ^' ^af- 
 veral Women of Quality fuffer'd about * 
 the fame time. The Emperours Leo and 
 Majoriams, foften'd the Sentence to per- 
 petual BaniQiment 5 with this Provifo, 
 That if the Criminals of either Sex ven- 
 tured to return, 'twas lawful for any 
 Perfbn to kill them. Afterwards Jujii- Authent. 
 nian fettled the puniftiment in his No-fl^ll'^^' 
 vels^ and the Law made it Death to thee. 10. ' 
 Adulterer. 
 
 Erot. That's true : But then the Wo- 
 man efcap'd fomewhat better 5 for (he 
 was only fcourg d, and thtn ftiut up in /^^v« 
 a Monaftry<i 
 
 Sophron. What Reafoiis determined 
 the Emperour to the inequality of the 
 Puni(hmenr, I (han't examine. But there 
 feems to be a plain partiality in fome 
 Places on the other fide : For inftance. 
 What think you of fending a Wench to 
 Bridewell^ and doing nothing to tte 
 Fellow that debauch'd her, tho' fome- 
 times the firft is fingle , and the other 
 married? Is not this a fign the Sex is 
 crept into the Adminiftration, and that 
 we live under a Mafculine Government? 
 To proceed : In latter Ages, when the 
 Empire was divided, the Eajiem Part of 
 
 K it 
 
130 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 it punifti'd the Adulterer and Adultrefs, 
 conjlit. by cutting off their Nofe, as Earmeno- 
 ieon.^2. j^^^Ij^^ proves from the Confiitutions of 
 Leo. And as for the Weflern Nations, I 
 have mention d their Proceedings alrea- 
 dy ; I fay, of moft of them, excepting 
 Scotland , v^here Adultery is Death at 
 this Day. 
 
 And now it may not be improper to 
 throv/ in a word or two about the Dif- 
 cipline of the Church. * 
 
 And here we may obferve, That Pope 
 Zepherimis was the fir ft Bifliop that ad- 
 mitted Adulterers to Communion after 
 Penance performed : This Relaxation is 
 thought to have fo fajr fcandalizd Ter- 
 tullian^ as to make him defert theCW^^- 
 lic\s^ and turn Montaniji. 
 Can. 69. The Council of Elikris^ held An^a 
 305 , impofcs Five Years Penance on 
 thofe that had fallen but once into the 
 Can. 20. Sin cf Adultery. The Council of A^cj- 
 ra held Nine Years after, makes the Pe- 
 nance feven Years : And the Council 
 of Toledo convened A^zm 400 , ftretcli 
 it to Ten. And, to mention no more, 
 
 ^dAr ?'"'' ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^* ^'^^/ afligns Seven Years Pe- 
 %cL^^^^^' nance for Fornication, and Fifteen for 
 Adultery, 
 
 And that we may not miftakc in this 
 Matter , we muft take notice , that Pe- 
 
 fiance 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 131 
 
 nance in the Primitive Church , was a 
 State of great Mortification : The Pe- 
 nitents wore a poor Mourning i\dihk^ Mom.de 
 were difciplind at their firfl: t^ntrance^^J^*^-g^^ 
 with Sack-cloth and Afhes, and lay pro- haXur 
 ftrate on the Ground, while the Qergy^^^^^nner 
 and People pray'd for them. They ge- chriffi- 
 nerally liv'd retir'd for the whole Pe-ans,e5r«^. 
 riod, and pafs'd their time in Praying, 
 in Fafting, and other Aufterities. 
 
 I come in the next place, to cite the 
 Authorities of Scripture againft: Whore- 
 dom. Thefe Cenfures (land upon Re- 
 cord for our Inftruftion : They are the 
 Decrees of the Supreme Court , and 
 there's Omnipotence for the Execution. 
 
 I (hall begin with the Old Teflament 5 
 and becaufe I have already mentioned 
 how Adultery was punifh'd by the Jewijl: 
 Law, I (hall only produce thofe Texts 
 which afFed fimple Fornication. 
 
 In the firft Ages of the World, and 
 long before the Mofaick Inftitution, Co- 
 habitation without Marriage, was looked 
 on as great Wickednefs. This appears 
 plainly from the Cafe o^Dinah^ and the 
 deep Revenge taken for that Difhonour. 
 And when Jacob reprimanded his SonscJ^w. 34. 
 for being too hot and uncautious in their ^'^^*^^' 
 Refentment , they juftifie themfcives in 
 this Reply, Should he deal with our Sijier^^'^^^ i'- 31^ 
 K 2 as 
 
21 
 
 132 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 as with an Harlot ? And three or four 
 Chapters forward, when 'judah was told, 
 his Daughter-in-Law Tkamar had flaid 
 
 Gen. ^2. tht Harlot ^ he pre fen tly orders, Let her 
 
 ^^ he brought forth, and burnt. 
 
 To Advance to the Mofaick Law : 
 The Ifraelites are folemnly forbidden 
 
 Levtui^. Fornication in thefe words ^ Do not pro- 
 
 ^^* jiitute thy Daughter to caufe her to be a 
 
 Whore ^ leji the Land fall to Whoredom^ 
 and the Land become full of Wickednefs. 
 
 Veut. 22. And in Deuteronomy j the Damfel was to 
 he jioned to Death that had wrought Folly 
 in Jfrael, and playd the Whore in her Fa- 
 the/s Houfe. And in the next Chapter, 
 you fee how one impudent Creature is 
 mention d with another : The words 
 are, Thou Jhalt not bring the Hire of a 
 Whore ^ nor the Price of a Dog, into the 
 Houfe of the Lord thy God, for any Vow: 
 For even both thefe are an Abomination 
 unto the Lord thy God. And in the be- 
 ^'- 2- ginning of the Chapter^ 'tis faid, A Ba- 
 Jiard fjall not enter into the Congregation 
 of the Lord : Even to his tenth Genera- 
 tion^ fjall he not enter into the Congrega- 
 tion of the Lord. This is a very remar- 
 kable Law for the difcouraging of Dif- 
 order 5 and you may conclude the Guilt 
 from the Sentence. The Licentious^ are 
 puniQi^d in their neareft Intcreft. Th-eir 
 
 Iffue 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 133 
 
 Iffue are ftruck out of Privilege 5 they 
 can*t be incorporated in the State, nor 
 taken into the Society of the People of 
 God. The Bar reaches to a long Pe- 
 riod : And they are much below the 
 Advantageof meer He4/Ae//j- .• For the 
 lEgyptidns v^(^TQ admitted at the Third ^^'^-i^- 7. 
 Generation. And our own Laws have^' 
 made fome Provilion for Sobriety in this 
 cafe : For^ Bajiard cannot be Heir^ norFer{w'^ 
 have Heir, without Ijpie of his Body be- ^^'^^^^? 
 gotten. And befides, you know they have 
 another leflening Diftinftion , which I 
 need not mention. 
 
 Erot. I perceive. Illegitimacy is a great 
 Misfortune in your Opinion. 
 
 Sophron. Don t miftake me : A Man 
 can t chufe his way of coming into the 
 , World 5 neither is he to be blam'd for 
 any thing but the Abufe of his Will. 
 For this reafon, Natural Children ought 
 not to be reproached by any Mortal 5 
 if they have Merit, it mull: be own'd 5 
 and if Titles, treated accordingly. JBut 
 then, if they have any kindnefs for Vir- 
 tue or Sence, don't let them boaft of 
 their Birth 5 for that is to be proud of 
 a Difadvantage, and glory in the Shame 
 of their Parents 5 I fay, of their Pa- 
 rents: And therefore in the Language 
 of pur Statutes, :^aftartJ^ 10 faiD to l?C77'^^- 14. 
 
 K 3 a great 
 
134 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 a great ?Dt0jonour to aimtgl^t^ 
 <0oD : And that :i6aftarDj3! , begot^^ 
 ten anD ijo^n out ofiLatoful %ditxU 
 mm% ( an jfiDffence againft dDfoD^js 
 '8 ^^- 3- )tatt) ano japan'js 'Hato JtenD to efeil 
 C]rample, anD encouragement of 
 
 ItetDD }ttfe* I confefs, the Penalty of 
 the firft Statute is doggd with aProvifo 
 which looks fomewhat lingular, viz. 
 
 9if tl^e J5aftart» 10 iifeel^ to p^obe 
 cl^argeable to tl^e ^ariCii, ^^- with 
 
 fubmiflion, what if it is not ? Is Wealth 
 a Privilege for Lewdnefs > and, muft no 
 body be punifnd but chofe who have 
 no Money in their Pocket ? 1 can t help 
 faying , Little People do leaft Mifchief 
 in fuch cafes. 
 
 Erot. I hope you don't think, tire Re- 
 prefentatives threw in this Claitfe to fe- 
 cure their own Liberty ? 
 
 Sophron. Why fhouid you fancy fo ? 
 But if the Penalty lay more heavy where 
 the Example is more dangerous, would 
 not the Evil be fooner crufti'd, and the 
 Intention of the Law better provided 
 for? 
 
 Erot. What ! would you have the 
 PuniQiment proportioned to the Bulk of 
 the Perfon, and governed by the Scale of 
 
 th^ ?oll'Tux .^ 
 
 -♦ 
 
 Sophron. 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 135 
 
 Sophron. You love to ask untoward 
 Queftions : But this I fay, that if none 
 but the Vulgar were Licentious, the Sin 
 would look clownilh and defpicable, and 
 the Barrennefs of the Soil would almofl: 
 ftarve it. But when the Weeds take root 
 in a rich Mould, they (hoot up amain 5 
 when Appetite and Mode meet, the In- 
 feftion fpreads, and the Difeafe becomes 
 Epidemical. 
 
 Erot. I find by my hand, you'll ne'er 
 make a Legiflitor worth a Groat, unlefs 
 it be in Utopia. Alas ! you don't con- 
 fider how much we are in F£ce Ro/^/nli. 
 
 Sophron. If things are fo bad, there's 
 more need of a Remedy. Is the Pa- 
 tient to be neglected , becaufe the Di- 
 ftemper gains ground, and the Symp- 
 toms grow dangerous ? Should we not 
 rather ftrive to ftop the Progrefs, and 
 expel the Malignity from the Nohlcr 
 Parts ? But 'tis now time to cite the 
 'Texts of the New Tcjia^je^t. 
 
 Our BlelTed Saviour recounting thofe 
 things which come from xcithin^ and de- 
 file the Man^ mentions Fornications^ A- 
 dnlteries and Murther. And the Coun- 
 cil of jfer///^/e;j^, in their Letter which ^"l^-^^^ 72 
 runs in the Name of the Holy Ghofl 5 in 
 this Letter, Fornication is made one of '^^«' is* 
 thofe Necejfary Things which the Gen-^^* 
 K 4 tiles 
 
1^6 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 I ilcs were to abjiatn from. Let us hear 
 St, Paul in feveral of his Epiftles : Be 
 not deceivd, fays he to the Corinthians^ 
 I Coy. 6. % neither Fornicators^ nor Idolaters^ nor A- 
 '°- dulrers^ &c. JI:>all inherit the Kingdom of 
 
 God* Now the Works of the FleJJ) are 
 GaL 5. ip. thefe 5 Adultery^ Fornication^ Unclean- 
 nefs^ &C. of the which^ I tell you, as I have 
 told y on in Times paji , that they which 
 do fuch things^ fiull not inherit the King- 
 dom of God : Bnt Fornication^ and all 
 ZJncleannefs^ let it not be once named a- 
 Ephef. 5. f^ongJiyoH 5 ■ — • For this you kflow^ that no 
 3i 5« Whore-monger J nor unclean Perfon^ hath 
 any Inheritance in the Kingdom of ihrifi^ 
 I Tm. I. ^^d of God. — The Law is not made for 
 9> 10. a Righteous Man^ but for the Ungodly and 
 for Sinners ^ for the TJnholy and Pro- 
 phane , for Murtherers of Fathers , and 
 Mnriherers of Mothers^ for Man-flayers^ 
 Neb. 15. i.for Whore- mongers^ &c. — Marriage is ho-- 
 nourable in all^ and the Bed undefiled 5 
 hut Whore-mongers and Adulterers God 
 Kev, 21. will Judge. — He that overcomes j J/jall 
 *75^- inherit all things 5 and I will be his God^ 
 and hefljallbe my Son: But the Fearful 
 and Unbelieving , Murtherers , Whore- 
 mongers^ &C, fjall have their part in the 
 Lake that burns with Fire and Brimjione. 
 And mention being made of the New 
 H?^T J^^'^^J'^^^^-^'^^^^^^^^^'Bleffed are they that 
 
 •4^ 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 137 
 
 do his Qommandments^ that they may have 
 right to the Tree of Life , and may enter 
 in through the Gates of the City : For 
 rpithouty are Dozs^ and Sorcerers^ and 
 Whore-mongers^ &c. Thus you fee, as 
 I told you before, that Whoredom is 
 reckoned amongflc the word Sins, rang'd 
 with the worft Company, and threat- 
 ned with the deepeft Vengeance. And 
 by the Places I have quoted, you may 
 obferve, that Fornication and Adultery 
 are plainly diftinguifti'd 3 pray mark: 
 that. There's one remarkable PaiTage 
 behind 5 I (hall give you part of it, and 
 fo conclude my Citations. The Body, , cor. 6. 
 fays St. P^///, is not for Fornication, but for '^' i3» ^o 
 the Lord 5 — • Flee Fornication : Every ^^^ ^ • 
 Sin that a Man doeth^ is without the Bo- 
 dy 5 but he that committeth Fornication^ 
 fins againji his own Body. What ! knovp 
 ye not that your Body is the Temple of 
 the Holy Ghoji .<? Te are bought vpith a 
 Price ; therefore glorijie God in your Body^ 
 and in your Spirit , which are God's. By 
 this Reafoning, 'tis evident, the Sin be- 
 fore us is a downright Revolt from our 
 Baptifm, a horrible Ingratitude for our 
 Redemption, and a kind of Sacrilegi- 
 ous Prophanation. 
 
 Erot. Thefe Texts are very plain, and 
 very terrible too 3 had I not examin'd 
 
 them. 
 
138 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 them, I (hould have thought you had 
 imposed upon me. I confefs, I wonder 
 to find them no better minded. 
 
 Sophron. Why, fome People are all 
 Money, Pride, and Pleafure: Thefe 
 three things engrofs their Thoughts, and 
 take up the whole Soul of them; View 
 their Practice, and you d almoft think 
 they had renounced Probity in their 
 Baptifm, and folemnly engaged to the 
 Worlds the FUJI), and the Devil. 
 
 Erot. ToftopyourZeala little 5 This 
 Liberty^ which is the lubjed of our Dif- 
 courfe, is extremely common 5 yes, and 
 in the Men pretty faftiionable, and un- 
 cenfur'd too. And therefore, Vm fome- 
 vr hat furpriz d at your Reprefentation, 
 to find it fo hideous in the Praftice, and 
 fo fatal at the end of the Profped. 
 
 Sophron. I underftand you ^ you would 
 gladly believe 'tis not fo baft, becaufe 'tis 
 ib common. Under Favour, this is a 
 wrong Inference. Is not Vice like the 
 Plague, the farther it reaches, the more 
 frightful ? Is the rifing of the Bills a 
 Circumftance of Advantage > Or, does 
 the fweeping off a thoufand in a day, 
 make the Mortality lefs dangerous ? Are 
 we not rather in fuch cafes, to double 
 our Caution, to ftand off from the Dif- 
 eale, and apply to Prefervatives ^ Don c 
 
 miftake : 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 139 
 
 miftake : God's Laws will not be over- 
 ruled by a Majority : He has Juftice to 
 require, and Power to command the Pu- 
 nilhment. 'Tis true, in Human Govern- 
 ments, Defections are fafe by the Bulk 
 of the Party : When the Revolters , 
 like the %i^///, fill the Country, the J^f '^^^ '°' 
 Prince is difarm'd, the Laws are feiz d 
 by the Enemy, and turn d. like Canon, 
 upon the Conftitution. But when Right 
 has an over-balance of Force , when 
 the Sword of Juftice is in the hand of 
 the Almighty, there Numbers are no fe- 
 curity. There the commonnefs of a 
 Crime is more likely to make Vengeance 
 ftrike, and haften Deftruftion. Now, 
 fince things are thus plain , I wonder 
 what the Men of Liberty have to fay for 
 themfelves. 
 
 Erot. As full of Vidory as you Teem 
 to be, I muft tell you, they have fome- 
 thing to fence with. For the purpofe : 
 In Youth the Paffions are ftrong and 
 clamorous, the Blood is apt to boil 
 over, and the Senccs feem to call for In- 
 dulgence. 
 
 Sophron. Is there not then the more 
 need of the Guard of Religion ? Are 
 not People mortal when they are Young > 
 and may they not be fnatch'd away, and 
 loft for ever, at that Age ? And wheret 
 ' there's 
 
140 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 there's fo much hazard, the Care ftiould 
 be proportionable 5 that's all I can make 
 on't. And to expofe the Vanity of the 
 Pretence yet farther 5 Let us confider. 
 That Virtue is never imprafticable 5 that 
 Youth has fome peculiar Advantages; 
 Tis not feiz d by the Infeftion, nor un- 
 der the power of ill Habits : The Con- 
 fcience is unfubdued, and the native 
 Force of Modefty entire. This is the 
 Cafe with Young People , unlefs they 
 are poyfon d with ill Example, and bred 
 to the Contempt of Religion, Then, 
 I grant, the Event looks black, and they 
 are moft deplorably furnifti'd for Ruin. 
 
 Erot. Would you have them flip the 
 Opportunities, and lofe the moft fervice- 
 able part of Life ? 
 
 Sophron. I would have them lofe the 
 Opportunities, if you call them fo, of 
 being Miferable. And if this part of 
 Life is fo ferviceable, if their Being is fo 
 welcom and entertaining, they (hould 
 confider who made it fo. This Thought 
 might put them in mind, how ungrate- 
 ful it is to rebel upon the Bounty of 
 Heaven, and confecrate their Strength 
 to the Devil. I muft put them in mind 
 farther , That thofe who mifcarry in 
 their Youth , are not often reclaimed 
 from this Vice. This Difeafe, like a Con- 
 
 fumption. 
 
0/ WHOREDOM. 141 
 
 fumption, is difficultly cured. Cuftom 
 wears off Deformity, and reconciles us 
 even to Monfters. And when Pleafure 
 has gotten the Afcendant, and Shame 
 retires, there's little hopes of Recovery. 
 And if Confcience interpofes, and proves 
 troublefom, they difmifs it, as FtelixAasi^. 
 did St. Panl 5 Go thy way for this time 5 ^^^ 
 vphen I have a more convenient feafon , / 
 will call for thee. And if this won't do, 
 they get a Set of Principles for their 
 purpofe, and take (belter in Atheifm. 
 Had they been educated under the Old 
 Heathenifm, they might have prov'd 
 managable enough, and never difputcd 
 the common Belief. They had then 
 good countenance for their Vice, and 
 the Practice of their Gods to plead for 
 them. But Chrijiianity is fo rigid and 
 inexorable, that no fort of Immorality 
 can endure it. A proud Libertine hates 
 a Religion that ties up his Frenfie, 
 makes him Contemptible, and lays him' 
 under ExGCUtion : And thus , as Hobs 
 obferves, when Reafon is againfta Man, 
 a Man will be againit Reafon. In ftiort, 
 they are blinded by their Prejudice, and 
 argue with their IVHl, and vvo'n't fee 
 a Truth fo very difobliging. Thus 
 Deifm is bred out of Corruption of Man- 
 ners, 
 
42 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 ners , and like fome hfclis , has its 
 Being from Putrefaftion. 
 
 Erot. There are many younger Bro- 
 thers, whofe Fortune is much ftiort- of 
 their Quality , how would you have 
 them live? Marriage will (ink their 
 Figure, clog their Circumftances , and 
 keep them from coming near the Port 
 of the Family. At this rate, their Iffue 
 may dwindle to nothing, and be forced 
 down to fome Mechaniek Bufinefs or o- 
 ther. But Natural Children are educa- 
 ted cheap, and the Honour of the Fa- 
 mily is not much concerned in them. 
 
 Sophron. Vm amazd you (hould talk 
 in this maimer I Are the Menaces of the 
 Bible^ and the Flalhes of the Flames 
 Below^ fo foon difmifs'd and forgot- 
 ten > 
 
 Erot. I hope not 5 but you muft give 
 me leave to reprefent a Libertine. 
 
 Sophron. Very well. I anfwer then. 
 That if a Man is fo far in love with 
 Pageantry, if his Pride has overgrown 
 his Reafon to fuch a prodigious degree 3 
 if he is refolv'd to defie God Almighty, 
 to renounce his Creed, and venture to be 
 damnd; ifthisbehis Condition, 'tis 
 in vain to difpute : There's no good 
 to be done upon fuch People, unlefi you 
 can cure them of their Infidelity. How- 
 ever, 
 
0/ WHOREDOM. 143 
 
 ^ ■ ■ ■ — 
 
 ever, I can t help remarking, how unna- 
 tural their Vice makes them, and how 
 regardlefs of the Intereft of their Pofte- 
 rity : For, as I obferv'd, Illegitimate 
 liTue lie under great Difad vantages by 
 the Law. 
 
 Erot. That I grant. But don't you 
 confider, that PaTlions grow fometimes 
 out of Difproportion 5 and that ^^^/i- 
 ty is fmitten with thofe of Vulgar Con- 
 dition : Which v/ay mull the matter 
 be managed ? You know. Marriage is a 
 great Leveller^ and either finds People 
 equal, or makes them fo. Would you 
 have the Diftindions of great and fmall 
 confounded, and all Degrees (huffled. in- 
 to a Parity > To bring an obfcure Per- 
 fon to a Matrimonial Relation , is the 
 way to dilute the Bloody and tarniili the 
 Colours of the Heraldry. Befides, a good 
 Fortune may be loft upon fuch a Con- 
 finement. Love proceeds from Fancy , 
 but Marriage is a Point of Intereft. 
 
 Sophro?j. This is ftill arguing upon 
 the Grounds of Pride and Sceptictfm, two 
 of the moft ill-natur'd, and moft danger- 
 ous Principles in the World. A Man 
 muft forfwear Virtue and Confcience, 
 before he can bring himfelf to thefe 
 Meafures. And let" me tell yon, that 
 thofe who marry with Inclinations pre- 
 
 ingag'd 
 
144 0/ WHOREDOM. 
 
 ingagd elfewhere, are falfe in their 
 Courtlhip, and generally prove fo after- 
 wards, 
 
 Erot. Some Peoples Humours feem 
 made for each other 5 and therefore me- 
 thinks 'tis pity any prior Relations, any 
 rigours of Cuftom or Law, Ihould baulk 
 their Friendftiip, and keep them afun- 
 der. 
 JTenoph. Sophron. Don t you remember, Cyrus 
 cyropj. was difciplin'd at School for deciding the 
 Cafe upon your Argument : He gave 
 a Coat away from the right Owner, on- 
 ly becaufe it fitted another Boy better. 
 But his Mafter made him fenfible of the 
 Injuftice of fuch an Av/ard. This Pre- 
 tence of yours, gives Appetite an unli- 
 mited Range , and diffolves Property , 
 and would be a moft admirable Charter 
 for the Mob to hold by. For inftance. 
 If a Man fees a Horfe he likes, his Fan- 
 cy has transferred the Title, and he may 
 take him away without Money or Theft. 
 And thus Apprentices, and Soldiers, and 
 Subjefts, may change their Mafters, and 
 defert when they pleafe : For it feems, 
 matching of Humours , and hitting of 
 Inclinations, is the whole Matter ! This 
 is a moft admirable Principle! It gives 
 us whatever we have a mind to : Now 
 
 to 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 145 
 
 to found Dominion in Fancy ^ is much 
 better than to found it in Gract ! 
 
 Erot. Why fo ? 
 
 Sophron, Becaufe a Man fflay prove his 
 Title much eafier this way. And as for 
 the bufinefs of Friendftiip you mentioned, 
 'tis not to be had at a Weftmwfter Wed- 
 ding. The Engagement won't bear it* 
 Where Virtue is not made the Meafure 
 of a Correfpondepce, 'tis no better than 
 that of Thieves and Pyrates* Believe 
 me, Erotion, thofe that rob Women of 
 their Honour , and bring them under 
 Charaders of Scandal, can be none of 
 their Friends. I tell you. Whoredom 
 and Friendjhip are unfociable Qualities 5 
 the one is much too coarfe to incorpo-^ 
 fate with the other. 
 
 Erot. It may be fos But methinks 
 this Dialed of Whoredom, and Whore* 
 mafter, is ftrangely rugged and unfafhi-* 
 onable. 
 
 Sophron. For all that, theufe of Speech 
 is to mark the nature of Qualities ^ 
 and preferve the difference of Ideas. 
 And therefore foul Practices muft be 
 (hewed in their Colours, and treated 
 with hard Names : To punifh them 
 thus in Language, is the way to point 
 out the Deformity , to make them un- 
 creditable, and difcourage the Imitation. 
 L Termi 
 
14^ Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 Terms of Odium and Difgrace , are de- 
 fignd like Buoys, and Sea-marks, to fe- 
 cure our Voyage, and give us warning 
 againft running upon the Rocks. { cqn- 
 fefs, I can't ftrain Courtefie at your ratej 
 I (hall never underftaud your Complai- 
 lance for Lewdnefs. Methinks *tis great 
 prodigality of good Words, and ferves 
 to no purpofe, unlefs it be to miflead 
 the Unwary^ to cover the Diftinftions 
 of Virtue and Vice, and to recommend 
 Debauchery. This fmooth Phrafe of 
 Mi/irefs and Gallant^ was only invent- 
 ed to fence off Cenfure, and keep Infa- 
 my in countenance. 
 
 Erot. I remember you obferv'd, that 
 Libertinifm being fo frightfully threat- 
 ned by the NeivTeftament, took check at 
 the Reftraint : And looking out for an 
 eafier Belief, revolted to Deif^. Ndw 
 I mufi: put you in mind, that many of 
 the Perfons concerned in your Remark 
 are Men of Figure, and fhiningi Diftin- 
 ftion. . . 
 
 Sophron. If that be true, Tm extreme- 
 ly forry for't , and (hould be glad to 
 direft thiem to a ferviceable Thought. 
 And lince they are fo much governed by 
 Eafe and Pleafure , I (ball fuggeft no- 
 thing but what is (hort, and quickly ex- 
 amin*d#i. They may -pleafe then to look 
 Uim£ .. over 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 147 
 
 over Monfieur Pafcbars Thoughts againfi 
 Atheijiical Indifference : Monfieur de U 
 Brnyere Dis Efprits fortr ^^ ( 'tis tranfla-* Les 
 ted into Englifl:)) A Letter to a Dei^^^^^^Vf 
 written by the Learned Author of the 
 Snake in the Grafs. The Article Chri^ 
 fiianity in the Third Volume of More- 
 rfs Diiiionary. Thefe are all perus'd 
 in a few Hours* And when this is done, 
 I perfuade my felf , they wo'n't think 
 it lofs of time to confult Grotius of the 
 Truth of the Chrijiian Religion. 
 
 Erot. Tis friendly Advice I muft own, 
 and I think the Good Will may excufe 
 the Digreffion: But I thank God, I 
 am none of thefe Scepticks. I am fa- 
 tisfy'd about Reveal d Religion. 
 
 Sophron. Til fuppofe the ^tality of 
 your Mind 5 for if they give them- 
 felves leifure to think , I know they 
 muft be fo. How ftands the Cafe then > 
 Is Greatnefs a Difcharge from Confci- 
 ence and Sobriety ? Does it fet us above 
 the Direftions of Virtue, and the Duties 
 of Chriftianity > By no means. To 
 plead Wealth for Liberty, and Title for 
 Difobedience, would be a ridiculous, as 
 well as a prophane Prefumption : God 
 Almighty knows no Grandeur but his 
 own. He grafps the Vniverfe in his 
 Hand, fits upon the Circle of the Earthy i/a, ^0422] 
 L 2 an4 
 
148 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 and all the Inhabitants thereof are as 
 Gr a/hopper J. Farther : The Favours of 
 Providence are particular to Perfons of 
 Condition : Their Knowledge exceeds 
 that of the Vulgar^ and their Example is 
 more drawing and prevalent. Upon 
 this account, their Liberty is rather lefs, 
 and their Mifcondud more criminal and 
 provoking : But if they will live coun- 
 ter to thefe Maxims, refign to Pleafure, 
 and bring Vice into faftiion 5 there will 
 'Wifl 6. 6. certainly come a time, when n^ightj Men 
 mil be mightily tormented. Erotion ^ I 
 heartily wi(h they may reflect, and live 
 regularly, that they mayn't be degraded 
 at their Death, and be the Peafants of 
 the other World. Whereas, on the o- 
 ther fide, if they anfwer the Expedati- 
 ons of their PoU , if they encourage 
 Virtue, and help to reform a bad Age, 
 their Diftinftions will out-laft the Qrave^ 
 their Honour will prove Immortal, and 
 I had almoft faid, they'll wear their G^- 
 rvnets in Heaven. 
 
 Erot. Well ! you have told us enough 
 of the Difeafe : But can you dired to 
 nothing farther of a Remedy ? 
 
 Sophron. Yes 5 The Means to preferve 
 our Virtue^ is to avoid Idlenefs, ill Books, 
 and ill Company 5 to be temperate in 
 Eating, and other Refreftiments 5 toob- 
 
 fervc 
 
Of WHOREDOM, 149 
 
 ferve the Discipline of Le/tf^ and the o- 
 ther Fa/if of the Church. 
 
 Erot. This Advice is general to both ; 
 Sexes ; have you nothing particular 
 for Women ? 
 
 Sofhron. Yes : Their Security will be 
 to (land off in Referve, and guard againft 
 the firfl: Approaches. This retired Be- 
 haviour keeps Libertines at a diftance, 
 and difcourages Solicitation. Whereas, 
 thofe that love uncautious Freedoms, 
 and ftrive to be Airy , and over-agree- 
 able to the other Sex , converfe out of 
 Charader, lofe Ground, and invite the 
 Enemy. By thefe fteps, they are fomc- 
 times drawn into a Snare, and betrayed 
 beyond their firft Intention. Thus, as 
 Monfieur BWe^» obferves. Liberty is apt 
 to improve 5 and one Piece of Mifcon- 
 dud is commonly followed by another : 
 For when Virtue begins to tumble, 'tis 
 hard to ftop the Motion, and make a 
 ftand upon the Defcent, 
 
 Dam le crime il fuffit qn nne fois on sat ,1 
 
 debutej 
 TJn chute toujour s attire une autre chute 5 
 V Honneur eji comme une IJle es carpec 
 
 ^ fansbords^ 
 On ny peut plus rentrer^ dcfqu on en 
 
 eii dehors. 
 Vao . I^ 3 And 
 
e" 
 
 150 0/ WHOREDOM. 
 
 And to prevent their Affeftions going 
 too far with others, let them not be 
 too much in love with themfelves : To 
 be fmitten with their Perfon, lays them 
 open to Flattery, and difcovers a cruel 
 Blind-fide. Thus the Sparkf are encou- 
 raged to Flourifti , and lay out their 
 Lines : And all Cotnmendations are 
 fwallowed, tho' never fo fulfom and fo- 
 reign. And when they are thus over- 
 fet with Vanity, and as it were wildred 
 in Self-conceit, 'tis no wonder if they 
 miftake their way. Flatterers are too 
 much confider'd ; for Pride is fometimes 
 very prodigal. 
 
 Erot. What do you think of Plays^ 
 Romcwces^ and 5^/// ^<? are they to be 
 indulg d Young People in the ufual Li- 
 berty > • '■' ■■ 
 
 Sophron. To P lays I (hall fay nothing 5 
 you may read the View ofth 'Stage, &c.\ 
 if you pleafe. h^ to Romances] I can't 
 now difcourfe to a juft Length upon 
 that Subjeft. I (hall only obferve, that 
 they are dangerous Entertainment for 
 Youth : And here, not to mentidn that 
 they ftuff Peoples Heads with Vifiopa- 
 ry Profpeds, that they are a meer Land 
 of Fairies, and lie perfefHy out of the 
 Road of Hiftory and Life: Thus they 
 furnilh no ufeful Knowledge , but ferve 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 151 
 
 only to corrupt the Judgment, to baulk 
 the Expedations, and make the Humour 
 extravagant. Not to mention this, f 
 fay, they dwell fo long upon the Argu- 
 ment of Love, reprefentit with fo much 
 Novelty and Intrigue, in fuch variety of 
 Drefs, and with fo much circumftance of 
 Delufion, that the Impreffion is hardly 
 to be worn out. Thus the Memory is ill- 
 furnifti'd, and the Fancy furpriz'd ; and 
 the Youth of both Sexes inftruded to ma- 
 nage a private Adventure, to fteal a Mif- 
 fortune, and to cheat their Parents and 
 themfelves with wonderful dexterity. 
 
 Erot. You need fay no more aboat 
 Romances^ for I am fatisfy'd already. 
 But then, as to my third Queftion, I ex- 
 ped a more complying Anfwer. I hope 
 there's no harm in adjufting our Limbs, 
 and being rub'd over a little with a Dan- 
 cing-mafter. I know, you'll allow Mifs 
 to falute the Company in Form, and 
 move like a Gentlewoman. 
 
 Sophron. Yes, yes, if (he pleafes. But 
 don't let her fpend an Apprenticelhip at 
 thefe Exercifes 5 don't let her value her 
 felf upon the AccompliQiment of a Pldy- 
 er 5 nor fuffer her Hcds to get tqo mucl^ 
 into her Head. 
 
 L 4 Erot. 
 
152 Of WHOREDOM. 
 
 — ^^'— ^ ' " ' '" 'n il I II , I, ^ 
 
 Eroti'M^y (he not go to a Ball now 
 and then, to recommend her Perfon, and 
 (hew her Improvement? 
 
 Sophron. As to Balls ^ I (han't trouble 
 you with the Opinion of Divines ^ it 
 may be, you may think their Maxims 
 over-fevere. If you pleafe, we'll refer 
 our felves to a fecnlar Man of Quality : 
 A Per fon that lived in the Hurry of the 
 iWorld, and converfed with the Liber- 
 ties of the Court and Camp^ and was no 
 -Enemy at all to any innocent Enter- 
 tainment : 'Tis the Count de Bujfy that 
 I mean 5 I fuppofe you have heard of 
 him. 
 
 Erot. Yes 5 A Man of Sence and Cha- 
 rafter : Pray, let's hear what Monfieur 
 le Comte has to fay upon the Cafe. 
 
 Sophron,. In a Difcourfe diredted to his 
 Children, he expreffes himfelf in this 
 manner : ' I have always look'd upon 
 ^. J34/^ as a dangerous Diver(ion J which 
 
 * Perfuafion I am confirmed in, not only 
 
 * by Reafon, but my pwn Experience ; 
 ^ And tho' the Remonftrance of the Fu- 
 ^ thers, and Pulpits^ is con(iderably (ig- 
 
 -^ nificajit, yet, as I take it, the Autho- 
 
 k^ ixty of a Courtier is rather qf more 
 
 ■ Weight in the prefent Cafe. I am 
 
 ^ fenfible, fome People run lefs hazard 
 
 l|n |:here Places tHan others 5 yet, for 
 
 ' all 
 
Of WHOREDOM, 1^3 
 
 all that, the coldeft and moft indiffe- 
 rent Teippers, are apt to kindle, and 
 catch hold. Thefe Meetings confift 
 generally of none but Young People, 
 who find it Bufinefs enough to ftana 
 out againft Temptation when moft re- 
 tired. How much harder then muft 
 they be prefs'd , when they enter 
 the Lifts of the Combat 5 where the 
 Beauty of the Company, the Blaze of 
 the Branches^ the Charms of the Mu- 
 fick, and the Motion of the Dance, 
 are enough to make an Impreffion up- 
 on a Hermit ? Thofe who are pro- 
 tected by Old Age , and might go to 
 a Ball without damage, would be ri- 
 diculous if they ftiould appear there : 
 And as for Young People , tho' Cu- 
 ftom would allow them this Liberty, 
 yet there's too much of Accident and 
 Danger to venture upon. And there- 
 fore 'tis clearly my Opinion, that none 
 who pretend to Chriftianity ought to 
 go to Balls : And, I conceive, thofe 
 who have the Direftion of Confci- 
 ence, would do no more than their 
 Duty, if they (hould abfolutely forbid 
 their Charge the ufe o^^ thefe Diyer- 
 
 fionS. .., ,. ' Smtedes 
 
 Thus far the Noble Cowte de 5#,5f£'^ 
 who notwithftandinghewasbredto tt\Q plraji^!' 
 
 Pleafure^252,(6'c. 
 
154 0/ WHOREDOM- 
 
 Pleafure and Allowances of the Court, 
 yet, you fee, the Force of Truth, and 
 the Proof of the Experiment, hasdravvn 
 this Confeflion from him 5 and v/hich 
 he has thought fit to recommena , for 
 the Conduft of his Family* 
 
 Erot. Have you nothing 'fa^'ther. by 
 way of Prefervative ? ^' , / ^1 * 
 
 Sophron. Nothing at PreTent'; I am 
 unwilling to fatigue you with any longer 
 Difcourfe. 
 
 Eroh Then give me leave to tell you. 
 That you have forgotten one part of 
 Lewdnefs worfe than any you have 
 mentioned. 
 
 Sophron. You mean Sodom and Go- 
 morrah. 
 
 Erot. Yes, 
 
 Sophron. I muft ask your Pardon then, 
 
 if you expedt I (hould enlarge upon this 
 
 Subjeft. I (hall only in a word or two 
 
 obferve to you, that this Wickednefs is 
 
 Felony, without benefit of Clergy, by 
 
 i2$^.8.6.our Statutes. And in Ancient Times, 
 
 ¥H\r. *^^^^ Criminals were burnt by the Com- 
 
 4fi. ith^i mon Law. Indeed, fuch Monfters ought 
 
 to be the Deteftation of Mankind, pur- 
 
 fued by Juftice , and exterminated the 
 
 Earth* You may read the Guilt in the 
 
 Puniftiment Was ever Vengeance dif- 
 
 cham'din a more remarkable manner ? 
 
 -"•^^^^ ^ ^ Thefe 
 
Of WHOREDOM. 155 
 
 Thcfe Wretches had Hell ppwer'd down 
 upon them from the Side, were damn'd 
 before they were dead, and had part of 
 their Fire and Brimftone in tl|i^World^ Gen. 19.240 
 But now, if you pleafe, well 'adjourn. 
 
 Erot. I (hall recoiled what you have 
 faid, and endeavour to make the ufeof 
 jt you intended. 
 
 Tour Servant. 
 
 
 OF 
 
O F 
 
 - l!)RUNKENNESS. 
 
 In a DIALOGUE 
 Between Encratius and Oenopbilus. 
 
 B^crat. ^^^^\EnophilHs^ good Morrow to 
 
 i 1 you 5 you are outward- 
 
 ^^ bound, I perceive; won't 
 
 you take a Friend along with you this 
 
 Morning ? 
 
 Ocnoph. With all my Heart, if you 11 
 walk into the Fields ; for I want a little 
 Air to refrefh me. 
 
 Encrat. That I believe ; for you feem 
 to have a ftrange Mift about your Eyes : 
 Tm afraid, thole Vapours were all ex- 
 haled from your Stomach. 
 
 Oenoph. You guefs right : I own I 
 was fomewhat over-doz d laft Night 
 
 Encrat. Laft Night! That's a Jeft : 
 You liave gone through a Courfe fince I 
 faw you : And let me tell you , this 
 Phyfick does not agree with you j for 
 you look much worfe than you did a 
 
 Month fince, 
 
 / Oenoph^ 
 
Of DRUNKENNESS. 1^7 
 
 Oenoph. It may be fo : We have been 
 in hot Service, as it has happened. 
 
 Encrat. You have been in a Furnace^ 
 I think, and are almoft diftiird to a Q- 
 put mortmm : For to be fret with ybu, 
 you look wretchedly flat and ilifipid* 
 Your Eyes are red, and fwelFd, as if you 
 had been under fome unufiial Difcipline. 
 What ! do you drink out of Mortifica- 
 tion ? Is it enjoin'd you as a Penance? 
 For fuch, I remeniber, has formerly been 
 the Advice of a certain DireHbr. 
 
 Oenoph. I find by the Gravity of ybiir 
 Face, your Raillery has Esrneft at the 
 bottom : And to fatisfie you, I grant. 
 Intemperance is a Fauk 5 I wiQi I could 
 get above it : But, you know, I am a 
 Man of Bufinefs 5 and that wo n't go 
 on without taking a Glafs, and beirig^a 
 a little fociable- 
 
 Encrat. For all that, thei'e's a great 
 deal of Bufinefs done upon the Exchange 
 without a Bottle. The D^ach- ybu knov^, 
 are Traders : But 'tis not their cuftoih 
 to drink till their Affairs are difpatclvd, 
 and the Day is over. OenophilHs, Cof- sir WiWam 
 fee and Tea make many a good Bargain ^f^^^^s 
 in London : And I could tell you of 3/,'' 
 fome Men of Figure there, who are as 
 remarkable for their Sobriety as for their 
 Wealth. To be clear : This Drinking 
 
 m 
 
^S Of iPlRW N K E Njsj^ S S. 
 
 in.pefeqce.of our Callwg, js but a meer 
 pretence.; J VV!e are govern'd by our Pa- 
 fsite, or pvifr-bprn by the. pleafure of 
 ^ (i^e Corpf^fty^ ^nd then to fenee oifF 
 the Iniput^tion, w>e make Euftnefs our 
 gxcufe , arjd tjke (helter in Neceffity. 
 J^ thefe: Allegations are but trifling* 
 For fuppofe my GW^^ both for Quali- 
 ty and Price, are vfit for my Gbaprman's 
 purpofe, will he not deal with me, be- 
 xaufe I jp^fnfe to take Glafs for Glafs 
 with him ? Will be baulk hislntereft, 
 and punifti himfelf for fo fniall an In- 
 compliance ? Drinking^ by confeffion, 
 is but fubfeic>vient to Trade ySLud minifte- 
 rial to the Poci{et :^ and therefore, one. 
 would think it ftiould never over-rule 
 the main Defign. I don't perceive, but 
 Trades-men fell their Commodities in 
 their Shops^ well enough without fetting 
 a Bottle upon the Compter. 
 
 Oenoph. That's true : However, you 
 may fometimes work a Guftomer much 
 better at the Tavern. When a Man is 
 enter d^ he is apt to be more pliable and 
 good-naturdj he is not fo over-bur- 
 den'd with Caution 5 he does iiot haggle 
 fo hard, nor clog the Bargain with fo 
 many Scruples and Demands. Now if 
 you are fo abftemious , it may be, he 
 
 wo n'c 
 
0/ DRUNKENNESS. 159 
 
 won' t drink by himfelf, ami then you 
 lofe the benefit of his Humour. 
 
 Encrat. I fuppofe your Humour is al- 
 ways the fame. You are proof againft 
 thefe Difadvantages 5 youi; Head is a- 
 hove Water when you plunge deepeft : 
 Otherwife, it may be, you would not 
 venture fo fan Your Projed, I confefs, 
 is extraordinary. You make a Bait qf 
 the Bottle , and give youf Friend an 
 Opiate to circumvent him 5 and when 
 you find his Difcretion begins to nod, 
 you feize the Opportunity, and furprize 
 him. Will this Praftice ftand the Teft 
 of your Confcience > Is it not drinking 
 with a felonious Intent ? Does it not 
 double the Crime, and add Injuftice to 
 Intemperance ? 
 
 Oenoph. When you have faid all 5 a 
 Man that does not conform to the com;; 
 men Ufage, makes but a woodden Fi- 
 gure on t. ;i 
 Encrat. Is Cuftom then the Rule of 
 Life, and the Standard of Practice > Ani 
 are we never to do any thing without a 
 Majority on our fide ? If we are governed 
 by Numbers, we (hall live ftrangely at 
 random. If you go to the Poll, Sence 
 and Confcience will lofe it in moft 
 cafes. Certainly you don't confider the 
 
 con- 
 
i^o Of DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 confequences of Drinking, otherwife 
 you wou'd not talk at this rate. — 
 
 Oenoph. Now, I fuppofe, we muft have 
 a Declamation upon this Head. 
 
 Encrat. No, I wo'n't be tedious 5 but 
 pray, have a care you don't get too 
 much of this Rhetorick into your Bones. 
 If you continue to gorge your felf with 
 this Freedom, you will find the Tone of 
 your Stoniach weaken'd,the Acids fpoird, 
 and your Digeftion good for nothing i 
 And when you are once difabled in this 
 Faculty, your Conftitution is undermin'd, 
 and the Bufinefs commonly ends in Drop- 
 fie or Confumption* This Misfortune 
 in thcjirji Concolfion^ ruins all. Unlefs 
 the Juices are well prepar d in the Sto- 
 mach, the Blood and Spirits muft fufFer 
 of courfe^ the Nerves and Mufeles relax, 
 and the Funftions of Life lie by, and Ian- 
 guifh* How many Young People do we 
 lee mifcarry upon this Conduft, and 
 tire upon the Road before the Journey 
 ishalf reach'd > 
 
 Oenoph. I grant you, to be always 
 pouring in Oil, is the way to over-fet 
 the Flame , and extinguifh the Lamp : 
 If you lay a Country conftantly under- 
 water, you muft of neceflity fpoil the 
 Soil, and lofe the Produd: 5 but then 
 thi5 is the Folly of the Management. — 
 
 Encrate 
 
Of DRUNKENNESS. i6i 
 
 Encrat. Have a care of being an lur 
 (lance : Your lait Allegory puts me in 
 mind, how much fome People fufFer for 
 this Crime, before Execution. Have you 
 not feen Men that made a promifing Ap- 
 pearance at firft , that fet forward with 
 Genius and Improvement ? Have you 
 not i^tvL them metamorphofe themfelves 
 at the Tavern, drown their Parts, and 
 drink away their Shape to that degree, 
 as one would almoft have thought that 
 Circe had been their Drawer ? 
 
 Oetjoph. I'm fo far of your mind, that, 
 I believe, more People break their Brains 
 by Drinking than Study : For, tho' the 
 latter may be troublefom enough, yet 
 a Book, is not fo hard as a Bottle : But, 
 what are we to have next? 
 
 Encrat. Why , give me leave to re- 
 mark farther, that Intemperance is a 
 dangerous Companion. It throws Peo- 
 ple off their Guard, betrays them to a 
 great many Indecencies, to ruinous Paf- 
 lions, to Difadvantages in Fortune 3 
 makes them difcover Secrets, drive foolifh 
 Bargains, engage in Vlay^ and often dag- 
 ger from the Tavern to the Stevos. I 
 don't fay, this is every Man's cafe 5 but 
 the frequency of the Mifchief is fuffici^ 
 ent to fright you from the Pradlice. By 
 Intemperance , Wcaknefs is difcovered, 
 M and 
 
i62 Of DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 and Ill-Humour improv'd. The Heat 
 of Wine makes the Malice creep out, 
 warms the Snake, and gives Vigour to 
 thePoifon. What Misbehaviour, what 
 Out-rage^ how many Murthers may we 
 lay to the charge of this Vice } Did 
 not Alexander kill him that faved his 
 Life, and burn the fineft City in the 
 World in a drunken Fit? But we need 
 not fetch our Proof thus far 3 for there's 
 fcarcely any Time , or Place , but will 
 afford us too much Evidence. Intempe- 
 rance puts a Man out of his own power, 
 makes his Folly ungovernable, and lays 
 him at the mercy of almoft every Acci- 
 dent. To be drunk with feme People, 
 is next to the firing a Train ; they break 
 out in Flame and Thunder, blow up the 
 Houfe, and perifti in the Ruins. 
 
 Oeno^h. All Peoples Spirits are not 
 iGun-powder: However, I grant, there 
 are Inconveniences enough. But what 
 would you have us do ? We have feme- 
 times Company at our ov/n Houfes ; 
 they love to be merry with a large 
 Draught 5 now how can we acquit our 
 felves handfomly, unlefs we encourage 
 their Fancy, which can t be done witl> 
 out going too far, as you reckon it > 
 
 Encrat. I confefs, I ftiould not be fond 
 of fuch Guefts 5 but if I had the mif- 
 
 fortune 
 
Of DRUNKENNESS. 163 
 
 fortune to be troubled with them, and 
 was fo over-civil as to put them in pof- 
 feffion of the Cellar^ I would certaijily 
 referve the Liberty of my own Perfon 5 
 I would never refign my Reafon, nor 
 part with my Health to a Complement. 
 If the Company wo n't be fatisfied on 
 lower Terms , they are none of my 
 Friends, and then don t deferve to be 
 humour'd. 
 
 Oemph. Right ! But you know, in 
 the Country efpecially, a Man does not 
 think himfelf heartily welcom, unlefs he 
 has his Skin-ful, and is ready to naake a 
 falfe ftep at taking his leave. 
 
 Encrat. Yes : And fometimes Gentle- 
 men invite on purpofe to put the Com- 
 pany in this Condition. Now if the 
 Invitation was fent in a Letter, and the 
 Truth fpoken out, it muft run in the 
 Tenour following : 
 
 ' Sir, if you pieafe to do me the Fa- 
 
 * vouf to Dine with me, I (iiall do my 
 
 * bell: to drink you ouc of your Limbs 
 ' and Sences, to make you fay a hurt- 
 ' dred filly things, and play the Fool to 
 
 * purpofe, if ever you did it in your 
 ' Life. And before we part, you (hall 
 ** be well prepar'd to tumble off^ your 
 ' Horfe, to difoblige your Coach, and 
 
 * make your Family fick at the fight of 
 
 M 3 ^ ye. 
 
164 0/ DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 * ye- And all this for an Opportunity 
 ^ of (hewing, with how much Friend- 
 ' (hip and Refpeft I am 
 
 Tour humble Servant, 
 
 This is often the plain EngliJJ) of an 
 Entertainment. And tho' the Kindnefs 
 may look fomewhat odly, 'tis the main 
 Drift of the Matter y the Point is pur- 
 fued, and theConqueft boafted. 
 
 Oenopk The Conqueft ! There you 
 hit it: Tiiere's more Ambition than 
 Ill-Nature in the Enterprize 5 like fome 
 of the Roman Wars , 'tis meer Glory 
 that animates the Conteft : And with- 
 out doubt, to drink a great deal is a figii 
 of a ftrong Brain. 
 
 Encrat. It may prove as far as Stowage 
 and ill Cuftom, if you pleafe ; but as to 
 what you mention^ I think 'tis rather an 
 Argument of no Brains at all : When a 
 frefti Wind wo n't turn the Sails, 'tis a 
 iign there's fomething amifs in the Mill. 
 Ingenuity, fo far as it lies in the Confti- 
 tution, confifts in the Heat of the Blood, 
 in the Plenty and Finenefs of the Spirits ; 
 Now when fo great a Supply does not 
 make a very fenfible Alteration, you may 
 rather infer, there was a Scarcity be- 
 fore. Is it not a fign the Ground was^ 
 dry , when a Shower is hardly feen > 
 In fliort 5 This drinking down the 
 
 Company, 
 
Of DRUNKENNESS. 165 
 
 Company, is no better than a Habit of 
 Vice, or the EfFeft of Flegra and Lethar- 
 gy : And therefore , upon your own 
 Reckoning, there's nothing to brag of; 
 I fay, nothing, unlefs Men will glory ixtphu, ^^ 
 their Shame, which, Vm afraid, is the 
 Praftice of too many. 
 
 Oenoph. I fay ftill , one mud drink 
 fometimes to avoid Singularity: To 
 fit by when the reft indulge, looks like 
 cenfuring your Friends, and lying upon 
 the catch for Obfervation.' 
 
 Encrat. You mean , a Man is bound 
 in Civility to countenance the Folly of 
 the Company ; He muft link his Ua- 
 derftanding in proportion with his 
 Neighbours : For to pretend to Rea- 
 fon, when nobody elfe has any, is great 
 Rudenefs ! 
 
 Oenoph. As untoward as you n^ay 
 think it, 'tis fo interpreted. 
 
 Encrat. Very well ! And yet to have 
 more Limbs than a Cripple , more Sta- 
 ture than a Dwarf, or more Quality 
 than a Peafant, is nqt reckoned an Inci- 
 vility, tho' the difadvantagd Perfons 
 are in the Company. A Man is not 
 bound to lop his Trunck, or throw up 
 his Privilege out of coraplaifance : Nay, 
 to put the Cafe lower ^ if a Gentlemai^ 
 tuts his Finger, or breaks his Shins, 
 M 3 there*s 
 
i66 0/DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 there's no obligation of Breeding to 
 imitate the Misfortune : And why then 
 ftiould we part with our Reafon on no 
 ftronger Motive ? 
 
 Oenoph. You talk of lopping our 
 Trunk ! The Cafe is not the fame j 
 we can't recover our Limbs when they 
 are loft, and therefore we muft ftick to 
 them : But Reafon will vanilh, and ap- 
 pear again • and the Eclipfe of the Un-*^ 
 derftanding is quickly over. 
 
 Encrat. You are cunning enough to. 
 anfwer to the eafieft part of the Obje- 
 dion : But to join Iffue with you even 
 here, I muft tell you, That he who walks 
 with his Eyes (hut , tho' he does not 
 travel far, may meet with a Poji^ and 
 feel the B^ow a great while after. OenQ:^ 
 philus. When a Man drinks hard, the 
 Blood boils over, and the Paffions rife, 
 and grow mutinous : In fuch a dange- 
 rous Junfture , the Guards, (hould be 
 doubled, and twice as much Sence fum- 
 mon'd in as would ferve for an ordina- 
 ry Occafion. Now to part with one's 
 Reafon, when we have need of as much 
 more, if we could get it, is like break- 
 ing the Compafs, and throwing the Pi- 
 lot over-board in a Storm. If the Ene- 
 my's Forces encreafe, and our own grove: 
 lefs and lefs, 'tis eafie to guefs the Event. 
 " Befides, 
 
0/ DRUNKENNESS. 167 
 
 Befides, The Meannefs of fuch a Difor- 
 der, one would think, were fufficient Dif- 
 couragement, Reafon is the Life of a 
 Man ; to flop the Pulfe, or ftifle the 
 Breath , is lels Daniage than to extin- 
 guifti fo great a Faculty. Reafon is the 
 Top-Diftindion of Humane Nature : 
 What do you tell me of the odds we 
 have in Ihape ? Tis our Infide which 
 fets us moft above a Beaft. Ale/// cujuf- 
 que hoc eft quifque. Who would forfeit 
 his Honour for fo paltry a Gratifica- 
 tion ? Who would chufe to go to Grafs 
 with NebHchadne%z>ai\ or live degraded 
 from his Species^ tho' but for an Hour ? 
 Your urging, the Company will take it 
 ill, if you don't comply, and go the 
 common Length , is down-right plead- 
 ing Guilty to the Indictment : They 
 are afraid, you fay, fuch ^ Diffe^itwg 
 Brother fhould examine their Condud, 
 and remark too fa^ upon their Conver- 
 fation. And is not this a plain confef- 
 fion of Misbehaviour ? Were they not 
 confcious of an untoward Management, 
 what occafion is there for fuch prelimi- 
 nary Caution? Why, are they afraid 
 of (landing the Teft of Sobriety ? of 
 looking common Sence in the Face, and 
 of converfing with a Man in his Wits? 
 This, one would conclude, Qiould be a 
 M 4 ftrong 
 
i68 Of DRUNKENNESS 
 
 ftrong Argument againfk Intemperance 5 
 unlefs a Man can be fond of the lofs of 
 his Underftanding, and takes a pleafurc 
 in playing the Fool. 
 
 Oenofh. I hope you will give us leave 
 to recruit Nature, to chear our Spirits, 
 and refrefti them for Bufinefs 5 and pro- 
 vided we don*t turn Sots, you*lI allow 
 the reft; 
 
 Encrat. The firft part of your Motion 
 I underftand ; " and if you ftate your 
 Cafe fairly, and apply your Rule, I have 
 nothing to objeft. But as to your laft 
 Claufe, give me leave to obferve. That 
 a Man may drink too much for his 
 Health without going to the utmoft Ex- 
 cefs. His Body may fufFer , tho' his 
 Head does not. Have a care of an un- 
 fortunate Cuftom 5 it may be, it has a 
 tolerable Complexion 5 it may be, the 
 Failing is fomewhat imperceptible in the 
 fingle Inftance. Don't truft to that 5 
 'twill rife in the Sum. To go always a 
 little out of the way , makes a ftrange 
 Miftake upon the Progrefs. A Grain 
 will grow to a Burthen by.conftant Ad- 
 dition. To be a] ways dipping an Eftate, 
 is" the way to turn Beggar : And tho* 
 the Degrees may be gentle, tbe Misfor- 
 tune will come heavy at laft. Thus, he 
 that drinks but a little too much every 
 ■ - — day. 
 
Of DRUNKENNESS. 169 
 
 day, will find it too hard for him in a 
 few Ye?Lrs : A Drop that's perpetually- 
 pelting, will make a Stone give way ji 
 and grow hollow. Now, to fuffer upon 
 this {core, fuppofes a Fault, and makes 
 Bufinefs for Repentance. Bacchus will 
 be always an Idol. Have a care of cor 
 rriing near the Worfliip : Don't make 
 your Body a Heathen Temple, nor your 
 Health a Sacrifice. The beft Method 
 for Security , is to move within your 
 Liberty ; he that goes to the ut- 
 moft Extent, is in danger of a Surprize 5 
 he walks upon the Edge of a Preci- 
 pice 5 this is apt to make him giddy, 
 and then you know the Confequence. 
 Add here, over and above, let me put 
 you in mind , that he who takes more 
 than his Conftitution requires, fwallows 
 that which does not belong to him, 
 and fteals the Drink tho' it comes out 
 of his own Cellar. 
 
 Oenoph. Say you fo ! I was in hopes, 
 what a Man had bought and paid for 
 rnight have been his own. 
 
 E^crat. If you mean, it can't be taken 
 from him Xvithput his confent , . yoii 
 fpeak truth, but foreign to the Point : 
 But if you affirm, he may ufe it at plea- 
 fure,youaremiftaken. Forinftance, Sup- 
 pofe you have a large quantity of Sac^ 
 
 by 
 
I70 Of DRUNKENNESS- 
 
 by you, tho' you have paid for every 
 drop on't, yet the life ot your Property 
 is limited 5 you can't in juftice drink it 
 off at one time. For tho' the Wine is 
 your own, and the Body your own, you 
 are to abufe neitiier. A Man may have 
 the Fee Simple of a Houfe, and yet if he 
 fets it on Fire, he is a Felon by Statute. 
 In fine, No Perfon has a Right to com- 
 mit -a Fault J fuch an Authority would 
 imply a Right to do Wrong ; which, you 
 know, is a ftaring Contradiftion. 
 
 Oenoph. This cramping of Property, 
 methinks, does not relilh well with a 
 Free People : I don't like this Dodtrine 
 of being a Thief to my felf. 
 
 Encrat. That's ftrange I Don't you 
 know, a Man may fteal his own Goods 
 in feveral cafes ? But to fatisfie you far- 
 ther 5 If you exceed the Bounds of Tem- 
 perance , you intercept Refrefhment 
 from thofe that want it ; you draw the 
 Current into a wrong Channel , and 
 plunder the Poor Man's Cup-board* 
 Wine and ftrong Drinks were not fent 
 us to be fpilt to ill purpofe, to intoxi- 
 cate the Idle, and put the Wealthy out 
 of their Wits. This is to defeat the 
 Bleffing, and riot in the Bounty of Pro- 
 vidence. Thefe things were defign'd 
 for common Advantage, and general 
 
 Comfort, 
 
O f DRUNKENNESS. lyi 
 
 Comfort, and therefore the drudging 
 part of the World , efpecially , ftiould 
 have their (hare. 
 
 Oenoph. If you had all your Fancies, I 
 believe the Conduits would run Sack 
 and Claret every day. 
 
 Encrat. It may be not. But tho* I 
 am not for indulging the Lazy, yet *tis 
 my Opinion, that if the Poor v/ere more 
 cheri{h*d , and lefs complainwg in our 
 Streets^ the Produdt of the Year would 
 be better fpent. 
 
 Oenoph. I believe fo too. But you know. 
 Beggars are drunken to a Proyerb. And 
 to leave them 5 People of the lower 
 Rank are extravagant enough this way : 
 Their Palate is as ftrong, and their Rea- 
 fon as weak, as their richer Neighbours. 
 Encrat. That's true : But one would 
 think, when the Wolf is clofe by the 
 Door , their Neceffities might govern 
 them. However, this won't do : For, 
 as you obferve, nothing is more common 
 than to fee Labourers work one Week, 
 and debauch the next 5 drink off their 
 Stthfifience^ and leave their Wages at the 
 Ale-houfe. Thus the Family ftarve at 
 Home, and the Children cry for Bread. 
 
 Et fticcns pecorl , & lac fubducitur 
 
 This 
 
^4- 
 
 172 Of DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 This is great Barbarity and Injuftice! 
 Thus, Want and ill tlfage breeds Qaar- 
 rels, fets the Houfe in a Flame 5 and the 
 laft Iffue oftentimes, is extremely deplo- 
 rable. The Government has been very 
 fenfible of this Mifchief, and provided 
 * I r^f. 9, ^ Remedy accordingly * : But as long 
 $1 Jac. 7- as the Execution deeps, the Laws figni- 
 
 } Cay. I. g^ I jj-fj^^ ^5 iQ^g ^3 ^^ t^^y^ (q much 
 
 of the Licenfe , and fo little looking- 
 after, what can we expeO: > In my poor 
 Opinion, thefe Houfes of Entertainment 
 are fomewhat too numerous. 
 
 Oemph. As well as I love them , I 
 can t help faying , That if all the Ta- 
 verns and Ale-houfes in London , ftood 
 together, I believe they would make a 
 Town as big as Sodom or Gomorrah. 
 
 Encrat. I'm of your mind 5 and if 
 you had put in the other Places of /// 
 Fame , you had almoft frighted me , 
 for fear of the fame Conclufion. To 
 return 5 If the Magiftracy (hould hap- 
 pen to connive , and over-look thefe 
 Diforders, 'twould be a mighty Misfor- 
 tune. This is to betray the Lawg , to 
 difappoint the Government, and bring 
 the Guilt upon themfelves. And when 
 a Man has the Intemperance of a Pa- 
 rifti or Divijion to anfwer for , when 
 this comes to be charged with all its 
 
 Traiq 
 
0/ DRUNKENNESS. 173 
 
 Train and Dependencies, when 'tis ad- 
 ded to Perfonal Mifcarriage, I'm afraid 
 the Load will lie heavy. 
 
 Oenoph. If you (hould fee a Jujlke 
 overtaken, and lay himfelf by the Heelsy 
 you would make a Tragical Bufinefs 
 on't. 
 
 Encrat. Indeed, I ftiould think it a 
 great Aggravation of the Vice ; and 
 and that luch a Man would be cool in 
 profecuting upon the Statutes againli: 
 Drunkennefs. 
 
 Oenoph. Encratms^ this Failing has 
 gain'd fome footing amongft all Condi- 
 tions 5 Tm told, 'tis poflible to bring 
 an Inftance even from the Clergy. 
 
 Encrat. I'm forry to hear that ; I 
 hope thefe Stories are but Calumny and 
 DifafFection. I (hould be lorh to think 
 a Church-man guilty of a Pradice fo 
 unbecoming his Character, fo differ- 
 viceable to his Commiffion 5 a Praftice 
 fo terribly threatned from the Bible, mkc 21. 
 that forfeits the Privilege of our Creed, 54; 
 and lies under the Penalties of the other ^^/^^, 21? 
 World. But, fince this Body is fo nume- 
 rous, fince the Pafiions of Mortality are 
 about them, fince there was one Traitor 
 amongft Twelve Apoftles, 'tis poffible 
 the Charge. may be true : What then 
 
 IS" 
 
174 0/ DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 is to be done? Why, if the Articles 
 can be prov'd , the unhappy Perfon 
 (hould be put under Difcipline, and do 
 Penance for the Scandal of his Beha- 
 viour. 
 
 Oettoph. Vm glad I was not bred a 
 Clergy-man. 
 
 Encrat. Why fo > Have the Lait^ a 
 Licenfe for Intemperance > Don t de- 
 ceive your felf, the Bible will reach 
 you no lefs than the Statute-Book* You 
 lie under the Cenfure of the Church, 
 and the Terrors of Eternity : And wo n't 
 this make you tremble at your Difor-^ 
 der > 
 
 Oemph. If yon put me upon thinking, 
 I can t difprove what you fay: But 
 when my Spirits are down , I would 
 gladly fetch them up again 3 and this 
 fometimes carries me too far. 
 
 Encrat. It may be, you are not pleas'd 
 with the Hiftory of your Life , or the 
 Pofture of your Circumftances : And 
 here, to relieve you, you endeavour to 
 ftiut up the Scene, to take a dieting 
 Draft, and difmifs that part of your 
 Memory. But this is but a palliating 
 Cure : 'Tis but skinning over an Old 
 Ulcer. To flatter the Wound in this 
 manner, will make way for a Mortifica- 
 tion i 
 
0/ DRUNKENNESS. 175 
 
 tion : To be intemperate for the eafe 
 of one's Mind , is to cure Melancholy 
 with Madnefs. And yec this is fome 
 Peoples Ncfiruj^. When they are low 
 in Cafli , or their Affairs hang back- 
 ward, they apply to the Remedy of 
 the Bottle 5 as if Poverty could be re- 
 moved by Expence. Alas ! this Amdine 
 is quickly over ^ and then, the Anguifh 
 revives with double Force. If a Man 
 does not like his Manners, or his Purfe, 
 let him mend, and retrench, and mind 
 his Bufinefs : And not (ink himfelf 
 deeper in the Mire, multiply his Faults, 
 and throw a new Sting into his Con- 
 fcience. 
 
 Oemph. And yet fome People, when 
 they have faiVd, or fpent an Eftate, re- 
 tire with a Stock for Brandy and Spi- 
 rits :^ with this fmall Referve, They 
 make a (hift to difpatch themfelves , 
 and prevent the furviving their Mif- 
 fortune, 
 
 Encrat. They might e'en as good have 
 bought fo much Poyfon. To throw a* 
 way one World after another, is a diP- ' 
 ma 1 Relief againft Poverty. 
 
 Oemph. So 'cis, upon fecond Thoughts. 
 Well 1 1 can'nt ftand the force of your 
 Arguments , and therefore am refolv'd 
 
 to 
 
176 Of DRUNKENNESS. 
 
 to reform. And if you can fugged: any 
 thing farther againft a Relapfe, I Qiall 
 be glad to hear it. 
 
 Encrat. Arm your felf then with Re- 
 eolledion , and be always upon your 
 Guard : Make a ftrong Refolution in 
 your Defence 5 that goes a great way in 
 moft Cafes. Have a care of a weak 
 Complailance , and of being prepofter- 
 oufly Good-natur'd, as they call it. 
 You'll pardon the Expreflion 3 Ben't 
 over- born by Importunity ; never fur- 
 render to a Jeft, nor make the Compa- 
 ny mafter of your Confcience. Venture 
 to be fo morofe as to maintain the Rea- 
 fon of a Man, and the Innocence of a 
 Chriftian. 'Tis no difgrace to be Heal- 
 thy in a common Infedion. Singularity 
 in Virtue and Difcretion, is a Commen- 
 dation, I take it. Befides ; After you 
 have ftood firm a Shock or two, they'll 
 defpair of Succefs, and give you no more 
 trouble. 
 
 And for a farther Prefervative, con- 
 fider the Advantage of Temperance: 
 How clean and unembarrafs'd it keeps 
 the Senccs, and makes them feize the Ob- 
 jeft with more Keennefs and Satisfaftion. 
 It appears with Life in the Face, and 
 Decorum in the Perfon : It gives you 
 4 the 
 
Of DRUNKENNESS. 177 
 
 the command of your Head , fecui-eS 
 your Health, and preferves you in a 
 condition for your Bufinefs. Thefe 
 Confiderations, I hope, with the Grace 
 of God, which you are to dddfefs for 
 in the firft place , may prove fervice- 
 able to you: And now I muft take ray 
 leave. 
 
 Oenoph. I thank you for your friend- 
 ly Advice; 
 
 imr S^rvanti 
 
 n OF 
 
IJS 
 
 / /• '? .\ 
 
 OF 
 
 SO R Y^ 
 
 In a DIALOGUE 
 Between Mifochrejies and Alphins. 
 
 Mifoch.lf^Oenerator Alphms, Vm glad 
 i^ to fee you 5 you are very 
 ^ early mounted ; whither 
 away this Morning > 
 
 Alph. To make my Story ftiort, Vm 
 profFer'd a Land-Seedrity for a Sum of 
 Moneys and the Eftate not lying ma- 
 ny Miles out of Town, I'm going to fee 
 what fort of Terra Firma we are likely 
 to have 5 to enquire a little farther in- 
 to the Value, as well as the Title : For 
 if we engage, the Mortgage will go pret- 
 ty deep. 
 
 Mifoch. I fancy'd, when I fawyou. 
 upon your Pad , you were going to 
 ride down fome Farm or other : The 
 Mortgager won't ftand long if you get 
 the Chafe of him, I can tell him that. 
 
 *? 
 
 AlpL 
 
0/ USURY. 179 
 
 Alph. It may be , as long as you r 
 Tenant :y for I don't perceive you Let 
 fuch great Pennyworths : And if he 
 does not pay his Rent, you can recon- 
 cile your felf to a SeifHre without much 
 difficulty. 
 
 Mifoch. I can reconcile my felf to my 
 own 5 but I abominate that griping 
 PradiceofZJ/«rj/. 
 
 Alph. Since you are fuch a Plain- 
 Dealer, I muft tell you, your Opinion 
 is none of my Standard : Befides , 
 Fm no Extortioner 5 my Intereft goes 
 generally under the Statute: And, I 
 hope, there's no harm in taking the 
 Benefit of the Law. 
 
 Mifoch. That's well ! What if you 
 might roaft or boil a Mati by A&^ of 
 Parliament^ would you turn Cannibal 
 under fuch a Toleration > Don't you 
 know, the Law fometiraes permits a lef^ 
 fer Evil to prevent a greater > 
 
 Ahh. No Legifature that pretends to 
 be Chriflian, would ever be underftood 
 to permit any thing th2Lx!s malum per fe .' 
 No, not upon never fo valuable a Con- 
 fideration : This would be downright 
 doing Evil that Good might come ont :Kom.i, ^-^ 
 A flat Contradiftion to St. Paul's Do- 
 ftrine, and liable to the higheft Penal- 
 N 2 ties. 
 
8o Of USURY. 
 
 ties. Now Ufury, according to your 
 Notion, is Malum per fe. 
 
 Mifoch. That 'tis with a witnefs ! 
 The Confcience of an Infidel ftarts at it; 
 the very Tnrk.s wo*n t endure it. 
 
 Alph. Then they may let it alone : 
 Th^ Confcience of an hfidd will ftart 
 at a Glafs of Wine; but yours won't : 
 And fince you are no through-paced 
 Mttjfulman^ pray don't propofe the Alco- 
 ran for a Rule, In (hort. If Declama- 
 tion is your Bufinefs , I (ha n't ftop my 
 Journey : But if you are inclin d to de- 
 bate the Matter calmly, Til venture to 
 alight. 
 
 Mifoch. Do fo : And when I have 
 you upon the Level, we'll take a turn or 
 two, and argue the Cafe. 
 
 Alph. Agreed : This Walk is plea- 
 fant, therefore let's lofe no time : And 
 fince you made your felf the Plawtiffl 
 let me hear how the Aftion is laid. 
 
 Mifoch. You fhall have my Objedi- 
 ons : I think my Topicks are good ; 
 for I defign to argue from the Reafon 
 of the Thing, from the Authority of 
 the Scripture, from the Fathers , from 
 General and Provincial Councils 5 and 
 to engage you at your own Weapon, I 
 hope to produce fomething from the 
 Statute-Boo^. 
 
 Alph. 
 
Of USURY. i8i 
 
 Alph. You threaten a formidable At- 
 tack ; however, I muft (land the Shock, 
 for now 'tis too late to avoid it. 
 
 Mifoch. To begin then with the Rea^ 
 fon of the T hing : ' And here, in the firft 
 place, I prove the unlawfulnefs of lend- 
 ing upon Ufury, becaufe of the barrea 
 and unpropa gating Nature of Money : 
 Gold and Silver grows no where but in 
 the Mines : It never multiplies in the 
 Borrowers Pocket. If he (hould keep 
 it feven Years, 'twould rather grow 
 lighter than otherwife. If I lend a 
 Bufhel of Corn, one Grain will produce 
 a great many : Bat fince Money conti- 
 nues ftinted to the firft Weight aiid 
 Quantity, why (hould I be fo unreafon- 
 able as to demand an Increafe ? 
 
 Alph. Xm afraid you don't fef your ^ 
 beft Foot forward : This Argument 
 v^ill do you no fervife : For iuppofe I 
 have a Thoufand Pounds by me, 'tis at 
 my choice to turn it to what honeft 
 life I think fit : Granting then I pur- 
 chafe a Farm with this Sum, there's no 
 body queftipns but that I may Lett 
 this Farm to a Tenant, and receive the 
 Rent. 
 
 M'^fich. That's true. 
 
 N 3 Alpk 
 
82 Of USURY. 
 
 AlpL Very Well : Now if I may 
 receive Fifty Pounds, or more, per An- 
 num, for this Money turn'd into Land, 
 why may I not keep it in the Species 
 of Coin , and difpofe of it to Intereft 
 fcr the fame Advantage ? *Tis the Mo-^ 
 ney that bought the Land ^ and why 
 may I not take a moderate Profit under 
 the firft Form , as well as under the lat- 
 ter ? Intereji, properly fpeaking, is but 
 Rent for Money : And Rent, as we ufe 
 the word, is no better than Ufury for 
 Land. Now, that it ftiould be lawful 
 to miake an Advantage in one cafe and 
 not in the other, is to me unintelligible ?> 
 For what (hould hinder me from ma-*' 
 king my Property ferviceable , whenfr 
 lies in Crowns and Guineas, as well as ■ 
 when I convert them into Arable and^ 
 Pafture ? Is it becaufe there is an Ad^^* 
 %^antage to be made by him that hires' 
 the Land, but not by him that borrows^ 
 the Money? This is a Miftake: FoP* 
 Money taken up at Intereft , and em*- 
 ploy'd in Trade and Merchandize, o0 
 ten turns to a much better Account thar^^ 
 the Bufinefs of Husbandry. And there-- 
 fore Silver and Go^d is by no means ixi^ 
 barren a Commodity as you fuppofe. 
 Money is a ftrange fruitful Thing, pro- 
 vided 
 
Of U^URY. i8| 
 
 vided the Soil, and the Seafon-Hits ; caj:^ 
 ry it but to Turkey or the Eaji-hdie^ ;• 
 and it commonly exceeds the Produft' 
 of Grain: Cent, per Cent, is no Miracle. 
 in fuch cafes. Now if my Stock helps 
 to enrich my Neighbour, why (hould 
 not I come in for a (hare of the Gain > 
 
 Mifoch. Becaufe you don't bear a 
 part in the Fatigue and Hazard of the 
 Voyage. 
 
 Alph. Under favour, I do run a part 
 of the Hazard 5 for if the Debtor fails, 
 I lofe my Principal. Tis true, I don*t 
 run fo great a risk, but then, neither is 
 my Profit fo confiderable : And this * 
 Difference brings up the Matter to aq 
 equitable Balance. ' 
 
 Mifoch. I fay ftill, the Vfurer lives 
 upon the Labour of the Induftrious ^ 
 he eats his Bread in the Sweat of ano- 
 ther Man's Brows ^ and , you know , 
 Adam was to do it in his own. 
 
 Alph. That was Adams Fate more 
 than his Duty : He had loft Paradife^ 
 the Ground was unblefs'd, and the 
 World unfurnifh'd, and at firft he had 
 no body to work for him. But if eating 
 without Labour is a Crime, is not the 
 Landlord every jot as guilty as the 
 Ufurer ? Pray, let's have no more of 
 N 4 this. 
 
184 Of USURY, 
 
 this, unlefs you have a mind to level 
 all Conditions, and fend the Prince to 
 the Plovy. 
 
 Mifoch. I have no defign that way : 
 But I muft tell you farther , that the 
 llfurer, li^e the Envious, is perpetually 
 bufie 5 I grant, he has the difcretion 
 not to prey upon himfelf 5 but his Trade 
 is always going on, and takes no notice 
 of any Sabbath* 
 
 Alph. Then, I find, the former charge. 
 of Idlenefs is vanifti'd 5 for the Man 
 works in the Money : But he does it 
 v/ithout diftinftion of Times : And 
 whereas the harm on't > Does not the 
 Tenant pay Rent for Sundays and Holj- 
 days , as much as for the reft pf the 
 Year? 
 
 Mifoch. Let that be as it will ; I 
 think l^ifury an unreafonable Exaftion ; 
 For when a Man borrows a Sum of Mo- 
 ney, he is bound to ftand the Hazard, 
 and make it good : Now, where's the 
 Equity to prefs him with a double Bur- 
 then } To oblige him to warrant the 
 Principal^ and pay Intereft over and a- 
 bove; to pay Iiitereft, I fay, to the Len- 
 der, who has his Security, and lies un- 
 der (belter > 
 
 Alph. 
 
Of USURY. 185 
 
 Alph. Not abfolutely under (helter nei- 
 ther 5 for tbe Debtor may prove Infol- 
 vent : And therefore, to turn your Que- 
 ftipn , Why ftiould the Lender be put 
 to the Hardfhip of risking the vi^hole 
 Sum, and lofing the benefit of employ- 
 ing it into the bargain ? 
 
 Mifoch. That Turn wo*n't do. For 
 the purpofe ^ If I hire a Houfe, or a 
 Farm, I don't lie under the fame Acci- 
 deqjts, 'Tis true, I muft pay my Rent 
 as long as I occupy the Premijfes. But 
 in cafe of a Fire, or a Sea-breach, I am 
 not bound to make good the Eftate, and 
 indemnifie the Landlord. 
 
 Alph. The Inftance is not parallel : 
 I arij not liable jto the fame danger in 
 letting an Eftate, as in lending my Mo- 
 ney. A Tenant can't carry my Farm 
 upon his Back, and run away with it. 
 If he offers either to fell it, or commit 
 wafte, I have my Remedy againft him. 
 But he that borrows a Sum, has the ab- 
 folute Difpofal of it. He may Trade, 
 Purchafe or Drink, and turn it to what 
 Ufe or Extravagance he pleafes. And 
 fince my Property is thus entirely in his 
 power, is it not reafonabje he (hould 
 fecure the Fund ? 
 
 Mifoch. 
 
iU 0/ USURY. 
 
 Mtfoch. I can't deny that* 
 
 Alph. And is it not reafonable too, 
 lie ftiould allow me a confideration for 
 making my Property unferviceable, and 
 keeping it out of my own Hands ? 
 
 Mifoch. To wave the unlawfulnefs of 
 this Praftice a little, till I come to ano-» 
 ther Topick 5 At prefent I (hall only in- 
 lift upon the Inconveniency, and how 
 prejudicial it is to the Publicly Good. 
 Tho\ upon fecond Thoughts, if I prove 
 this Article, the Ufurer will be found 
 guilty. For no body can lie crofs to the 
 common Happinefs without a Fault. 
 
 Alph. Let's hear the Charge. 
 
 Mifoch. I affirm then, that were it not 
 for this grafping at Intereft , Money 
 would not lie dead fo long in the Mi-- 
 fer's Coffers 5 'twould circulate farther 
 in Trade, and flow more freely in the 
 Veins of the Commonwealth. 
 
 Alph. Qaite^ contrary. Forthofewho 
 wo'n t venture their Cafh upon an Ad^ 
 vantage, would never lend gratis. At 
 this rate, Money would fleep and ruft 
 in the Bag, much more than at prefent. 
 For , who will run Hazards without 
 Profit, and help other People to get 
 Eftates for nothing ? Who will fet his 
 Fortune a failing, and lend it over the 
 
 Line. 
 
0/ USURY- 187 
 
 Lwe, without a farthing confideration > 
 If the Owner's Money will earn nothing 
 in a Voyage , hell make it keep the 
 Houfe, and not ramble about the World 
 to no purpofe. Gonfider on the other 
 fide, how Trade fubfifts upon Credit, 
 and fets up with Crutches : So that take 
 away the Allowance oilntereji^ and you 
 flop the Courfe of Traffick, (hut up part 
 of the Exchange, and lay an Imbargo on 
 the Merchant-men in th^ River. 
 
 Mifoch. It may be not ; For tho' a 
 Cabinet or Scritoire may be robb'd, a 
 Mortgage is in no danger of Thieves : 
 Why then (hould not Men be willing 
 to lend upon the fingle Score of fuch 
 a Security > And if they are, Trading 
 will flourifhas well as ever. 
 
 Alph. Your Expedient will fall (hort: 
 For, as Honefty goes, an Iron Cheft is 
 a better Security than a Mortgage : And 
 were it not for the Profit of Inter eft ^ 
 your Monied-Men would be at the 
 charge of fuch a Defence : Befides, every 
 Trader has not Land to engage. And 
 laftly, Grafting- tb^Mannour or Farm 
 tied, if thete was hothin* allow'd for 
 the Loan^ the Af^^r/g^l^ee would be apt 
 to enter ^ when the Term was expired, 
 and the Money unpaid : And then the 
 
 Mortgager 
 
1 88 Of USURY, 
 
 Mortgager would link deeper 5 and Di- 
 fputes would arife about taking the Iflues 
 and Profits. This made a rich Churl 
 in the Country , curfe the Bufinefs of 
 ScrmMdei. Ufury : Were it not , fays he to my 
 Lord BacoHy for this vilUnous Cujiom of 
 taking Interejiy the Forfeiture of Bonds 
 and Mortgages would come eafier into our 
 hands. Farther 5 Were it not for this 
 convenience, which way could Men pro- 
 cure Money at a pinch ? How wretch- 
 edly muft they be hurry'd in the Sale 
 of their Goods and Eftate ? In fuch 
 cafes, want of Leifure is often fatal to 
 Qur Circumftances. The Expedient there^ 
 
 ml fore of borrowing upon InterefV, was 
 reckon d a great Relief by my Lord J?<z- 
 con^ and yet Money went ^t Ten per 
 Cent, in his time. This great Man tells 
 
 ibtd. us, That to tall?: pofitiyely againft Ufu- 
 ry , is ridiculous 5 and that the total 
 fupprelTipn of it is fit only for an Uto- 
 pan Government. Tis true 5 he would 
 have Inter eji reduced to Five per Cent, in 
 the Country , and Eight in Trading- 
 Towns , becaufe the Merchant is beft 
 able to give the faireft Confideration. 
 Under this Scheme he declares, there 
 would be nothing but Convenience in 
 Ufury. And now, you know, Cuftom 
 
 and 
 
Of USURY. 189 
 
 and Law has brought the Matter farther 
 than his Regulation. 
 
 Mifoch. My Lord Bacon was a great 
 Man i but before we part, I believe I 
 fhall produce a better Authority againft 
 him. At prefcnt, methinks 'tis lome- 
 what grinding and unnatural to receive 
 more than I lent : There*s no Con- 
 fumption of the Goods 5 my Money is 
 undamnified, and return'd the fame in 
 Quantity and Value : And when the 
 AJfeds are thus fafe, is it not an avari- 
 cious Humour to defire an Overplus? 
 
 AlpL Have you not all your Land a- 
 gain too, when your Tenant leaves your 
 Farm? And yet that won*t fatisfie 
 without the Payment of Rent. I fey, 
 you have all your Land again, and in 
 the fame good Condition too, provided 
 your Leafe is well drawn, and you look 
 after the Covenants. 
 
 Mifoch. But the Tenant has the Pro- 
 fits in the mean time. 
 
 Alph. And has not the Borrower the 
 Profits of your Money ? But this I have 
 anfwer'd already. As to the Avarice 
 and Unnaturalnefs of taking a Confi- 
 deration, I think there's nothing in that 3 
 for if the Borrower is to blame in not 
 offering it, the Lender may fairly receive 
 it. MifocL 
 
ipo Of USURY. 
 
 Mifoch. Prove your firft Proportions 
 Alph. Thus then : Is not Gratitude 
 part of the Law of Nature > Are we 
 not bound to acknowledge a Benefit, 
 and return an Obligation > And is not 
 the lending Money a confiderable Kind* 
 nefs > 
 Mifoch. Granting that , how then > 
 Alph. Then, I would gladly know, 
 how a Man can make his Acknowledg- 
 ment without fomething of an Over- 
 plus ? For if I return no more than I 
 borrowed, I only juft ftand clear of 
 Fraud and Stealing : But the firft No- 
 ^ tion of Gratitude reaches farther, and 
 implies fomething more than the bare 
 Acquittal from fo coarfe an Imputati- 
 on : And now pray remember, that 
 Gratitude is a Branch of Juftice. 
 
 Mifoch. I'll argue upon this Head no 
 longer, but advance to the Authority 
 of Scripture ^ and there, I believe, you 
 will be fufficiently prefs'd. And here I 
 fhall produce my firft Proof out of the 
 Old Tejiament. 
 
 Alph. Take your Method. 
 Mifoch. The Text then is very full 
 and exprefs 5 and to put the meaning 
 of the Law out of queftion, the Prohi- 
 bition is repeated in feveral places. In 
 
 Exodus M 
 
0/USURY. 191 
 
 Exodus 'tis faid, If thou lend thy Monej^^^^-^^* 
 to any of my People that is poor by thee\^'^' 
 thou fijalt not be to him as an IJfurer^ nei^ 
 ther Jhalt thou lay upon him ufury. In 
 Leviticus the 'jews are forbidden Ufury 5 
 Take no TJfury of him^ or Increafe^ but Lev. 25. 
 fear the Lord thy God that thy Brother 3<^> 37- 
 fj^ay live with thee : Thou jhalt not give 
 him thy Money upon TJfury^ nor lend him 
 thy ViSfuals for Encreafe. Deuteronomy 
 is no lefs determining than the places 
 already mentioned ; the words are, Thou Veut. 23. 
 Jhalt not lend upon %)fnry to thy Brother ; ^^' 
 Ufury of Money ^ ZJfury ofVi&uals, ZJfu^ 
 ry of any thing that is lent upon Ufury. 
 I might cite feveral other Teftimonies 
 from Nehemiah and the Pfalms^ from Nehem.^.j. 
 Jeremiah 2ind Ezel^iel^ to (hew, the Pro- ^M '5. 
 phets expounded this Law up to thefo.^'"' '^* 
 rigour of the Mofaick, Text. But — ^^^h i»^ 
 Alph. But you leave them to be con-^' 
 
 fulted at my leifure. Now to what you 
 
 alledge, I anfwer : 
 
 FirU^ That the Texts you mentioij; 
 
 are only part of the Judicial Law. 
 Mifoch. Granting your Suppofition , 
 
 what do you infer? 
 
 Alph. That the Obligation reaches n<y 
 
 farther then the Jewifl) Common- wealth. 
 
 The reft of the World are.no more tied 
 
 by 
 
1^2 Of USURY. 
 
 Deut. 1 5.1. by it, than they are bblig'd to give their 
 i>t/.25.i^. Debtors a general Releafe every feventh 
 Year, . or to retiirri a purchased Eftate at 
 the end of fifty. Municipal Laws have 
 regard to the circamftances of Place and 
 Time ; to the Difpofitions of the Peo- 
 ple they are to govern 5 and therefore 
 we can't expeft they Ihould be every 
 where the fame. 
 
 Mifoch. That's right 5 but was there 
 any thing particular in the JewiJbCon- 
 ftitution, that might occafion the for- 
 bidding of Ufury ? 
 ^eut.7. Alph. Yes 5 You know the jfeirx were 
 E^-a 9. cautioned againft cof refponding with ci- 
 ther Nations, for fear of Infection from 
 their Manners and Idolatry : Now li- 
 ving as it were within themfelves, there 
 could be little Advantage from foreign 
 Trade. Befides, at this time of day, the 
 Art of Navigation was imperfeft , the 
 Globe in a great meafure undifcover'd, fo 
 that the bufinefs of Merchandizing muft 
 be comparatively infignificant : For thefe 
 Reafons, the Jervs could not fo well af- 
 ford to give Intereft : I fay, not fo well 
 as thofe who have the benefit of vaft 
 Difcoveries, whoareunreftrain'd in t^ir 
 Commerce, live under great Improve- 
 ments of Shipping and Trade to all Parts 
 
 of 
 
Of USURY. iP3 
 
 of the World. I obferve farther, That 
 this Prohibition of Ufury is limited on- 
 ly to the Poor. The Indigence of the 
 Borrower is exprefly mentioned in 
 Exodus and Leviticus : Tis confefs'd^ Exod. 22. 
 this Gircumftance is omitted in Deutero- ^^^ 25* 
 nomy 5 but then, DenteronoMy being no 
 more than a Repetition, 'tis no won- 
 der to find fome Particulars unrccited, 
 and the Matter more briefly couched : 
 Such Abridgments, in all equitable con- 
 ftrudion, are to be interpreted by the 
 Law at large. I may add, that a Paffage 
 in this very place, determius the Sence 
 upon the Poor : For 'tis faid, Thou Jhalt Deut. 2p 
 not hnd thy Brother Victuals tipon ZJfury. ^^* 
 Now 'tis very improbable, a Rich Man 
 ftiould want Meat and Drink , and lie 
 under a neceflity of taking up Provifion 
 at Intereft : This, I fay, is very impro- 
 bable , efpecially in a Country where 
 their Wealth confifted in Land, Cattel, 
 and Husbandry. Thus, in Nehemiah^Nebem* $i 
 where Ufury is complained of, the Peo- 
 ple were newly emerg d out of Capti- 
 vity, low in their Fortunes , and Di- 
 ftrefs'd 2 So that 'twas their Poverty 
 which made fuch Ufage unreafonableo 
 To proceed 5 The Prophet Ifaiah de- 
 fcribing the Deftrudion of Jewry , gives 
 an huage of the Calamity : He lets them 
 O know. 
 
194 ^/ USURY. 
 
 p l iiii I i " i I III m il" ^1 1 iiiii-.i I. I ■ — — — — ii^M^M^ 
 
 know, that the diftinftion of Conditi- 
 ons would be loft ; and that the Beft 
 would be funk to the difadvantage of 
 
 jfT^. 24.'2. the Inferior. A^d it Jhall be^ as vptth 
 the People, fo with the Prieji • as with 
 the Servant, fo with his Majier 5 as with 
 the Lender^ fo with the Borrower 5 as with 
 the Taker of TJfitry , fo mth the Giver of 
 Ufury to him : That is to fay , The 
 Lender and the Ufurer fliould be reduced 
 to the Borrower's Indigence : From 
 whence we may conclude, that none 
 but the Poor ufed to borrow upon Ufu- 
 ry in thofe days. The Prophet Jere- 
 miah's Complaint will admit of this Con- 
 
 JeMs.ic.itrudion : Woe is me^ 7ny Mother^ thai 
 thou hajl barn me a Man of Strife, and a 
 Man of Contention to the whole Earth : 
 I have neither lent on Ufury , nor have 
 McH l^nt to me on Ufury, yet every one of 
 them does curfe me. Does it not appear 
 from hence. That Ufury of this Chara- 
 cter was a Branch of Oppreffion, and.a 
 Hardlhip upon the Poor ? Thus Solo- 
 
 Frov. lu mon tells us, That he that withholds Corn^ 
 
 ^^* tht People Jhall curfe him : That is, he 
 
 that lays up his Corn to raife the Price, 
 makes the Poor fuffer, and therefore de- 
 :ferves to be punifhed in his Reputation. 
 This Curfe, you fee, was occalion'd 
 by^ harrafTmg the Neceffitous, and pref- 
 
 fing 
 
Of USURY. 1^5 
 
 fing on the Poverty of our Neighbour. 
 
 Mifoch. Notvvithftanding your Ex- 
 pounding, Salmafius is clearly of Opini- saimaf. de 
 on, ThatUfury was abfolutely forbid- '^^"'•'•^^' 
 den the jfexr/ towards each other 5 and 
 that it was unlawful to take Intereft e- 
 ven of the Rich. He grounds the Rea- 
 fon of the Law upon Confanguinity, 
 and their being defcended from the 
 fame common Anceftor : And obferves, 
 that the Greekji and Ramans ufed to lend 
 with the fame franknefs , where there 
 was any particular Engagement of 
 Friendlhip or Relation. The Learned ^-e/^en. * 
 Sclden likewife informs us from the Rab- p^^^^f' 
 hins^ that allContrafts for Intereft were j«xr/Dl/: 
 difallow^d 5 and the Money, if paid, ^'/''•^ -s- 
 recoverable by Law. lTM. 
 
 Alph. If Salmajiuss Reafons are an ca^- 9* 
 over-balance, let them determin you 5 
 if they are not, I fuppofe you will fol- 
 low mine. Befides, this Author is none 
 of your Friend, as to the main of the 
 Queftion : And as for Selden , you 
 know the Rahhins Authority is not al- 
 ways the moft weighty : Tis frequent- 
 ly their cuftom to make Additions to 
 the Text, to ftreighten Liberty, and ex- 
 tend the Law. But let this be as it 
 will, I am ftill pofitive that the Prohi- 
 O 2 bition 
 
Of USURY. 
 
 bition of Ufury is only part of the jf«- 
 dicial Gonftitution. 
 
 Mifoch. How do you prove k no part 
 of the Moral Law ^ 
 
 Alph. Becaufe 'tis neither within the 
 Ten Commandments^ nor pin'd to them. 
 
 Mifoch. Tiio' we have it not in the 
 Letter , fome think it implied in the 
 Eighth Commandment. 
 
 Alph. How can that be ? Ufury is 
 no ftealing : Theft is a private feizure 
 of Property, without the knowledge or 
 confent of the Owner. But the conCde- 
 ration of Intereji^ is open, proffered, and 
 voluntary. And as Ufury has nothing 
 of Theft in t, fo neither can it be call'd 
 Robbery 5 for that fuppofes Terror and 
 Force. But here the Matter is generally 
 folicited by tlie Borrower, and the Con- 
 tract begins on his fide. To go on : 
 That this Jeivijk Law which difalJows 
 Ufury, does not reft upon any moral, 
 unalterable Reafon, I prove in the fe- 
 €ond place, becaufe this Praftice k fair* 
 ly confiftent with the Rule of doing as 
 we vpould be done by. If the Lender was 
 in the Borrower's Circumftances , he 
 would gladly liave his Occafions fup- 
 plied at fuch a moderate Charge: His 
 Bufinefs requires it 5 his Profit will al- 
 low it ; And, where s then the unrea- 
 
 fonablenefs 
 
Of USURY. ip7 
 
 fonablenefs of a Return for fo feafqn- 
 abb an Afliftance ? 
 
 Mifoch. For all that, if the Lender 
 was poor, he would rather borrow grar 
 tis than pay IntereO. Uiilefs therefore 
 he lends with the fame Franknefs, how 
 C^nhe be faid to do as he would he done 
 by f' 
 
 Alfh. If 1 was a Beggar, 'tis likely I 
 fiiould rather wifli a Man would give me 
 a Crown than a Penny , . in Charity : 
 But thefe Wiflies of mine, don't make it 
 my Duty to give a Crown to every one 
 that A^ks of me in the Streets. Under 
 .Favour, the Rule of doing as rpe would 
 be done bj^ is no primary l.aw, no ab- 
 folute Meafure of our Practice: And 
 therefore it muft be carefully ftated be- 
 fore 'tis applied. What if our Defires 
 have Ignorance, Covetoufnefs, or Frenfie 
 in them, muft we do as we would be done 
 by in this cafe ? At this rate , our In- 
 clinations are made paramount to Right 
 and Reafon, and our Fancy muft carry 
 all before it. If a Man was mad , 'tis 
 probable he would defire a Sword to dp 
 Mifchief: But from hence it does not 
 follovy, that 1 am bound to lend this 
 Weapon to my Neighbour under fuch a 
 Diforder. To make this Rule of doing 
 ^ we would be done by^ fafe and fervice- 
 O 3 able, 
 
ipS Of USURY. 
 
 able, our Defires muft be reafonable 5 
 we muft not ftretch our Fancy to Extra- 
 vagance, nor wi(h for any thing that's 
 immoderate or unjuft. Now to this 
 State of the Preceft^ the taking of Inte-^ 
 reft is eafily reconcil'd. As to the Poor, 
 I Gonfefs, *tis more generous, and fome- 
 tiraes a Duty too, to receive nothing for 
 the Vfe. I fay, fometimes a Duty too, 
 where the Circumftances of the Lender 
 will bear it: For without doubt, a 
 Wealthy Chriftian is obligd, as much 
 as a Jevp^ to be kind to an indigent Bro- 
 ther. 
 
 Mifoch. You grant , the Poor have 
 fometimes a right to borrow for no- 
 thing J and yet you can t deny, but that 
 a Man of an Eftate may take Money or 
 Service for a Piece of Ground of a poor 
 Tenant. Does not this Conceffion over- 
 throw your Parallel between Money and 
 Land? 
 
 Alph. Not at all 5 provided you ap- 
 prehend me rightly, and under due Li- 
 mitations. For as a Wealthy Perfon 
 may take a moderate Rent for his Land 
 of a Poor Man, provided the Poor Man 
 gets his Living by the Land 5 fo I con-^ 
 ceive he may take a moderate Intereft of 
 the Poor Man, fuppofing this latter can 
 turn the Penny, and make an advantage 
 
 of 
 
Of U^Ufi% 199 
 
 of the Borrowing: For in this cafe, 
 the Loan of the Money at Intereft is a 
 Kindnefs 5 and, I hope, to do the Poor 
 a Kiudnefe, has no manner of harm 
 
 in't. 
 
 Mifocb. Have you any thing farther 
 to urge for the Point in hand ? 
 . AlpL Yes: I prove, Ufary Hands un- 
 forbidden by the Moral Lavp, becaufe 
 theijcm were permitted this Liberty up- 
 on all but their own Country-men. 
 TJnto d Stranger^ fays the Text, thouDeut.z^* 
 mayjl lend upon Vfury. Had this Pra- ^"* 
 dice been morally Evil, we may be af- 
 fur'd God would never have indulged 
 the Allowance in any cafe. He would 
 never have granted a Privilege to con- 
 trol the Laws of Nature, to break in 
 upon Right and Juftice, and tranfgrefs 
 the everlafiing Commandment. As the 
 Son of Sirach obferves, .he gives no ManEcduf. 15." 
 a Licenfe to Sin. The Jews had no li- ^°* 
 berty to raurther^ to debauch, or cheat 
 a Heathen ; and if Ufury had been Ma- 
 him per fe, like the reft, they woi?ld have ^ 
 
 been barr'd that too. Nay, they wcje 
 ftriOJy forbidden : to -,^iex4>?; i?/?;?re/} a^^od,22. 
 Stranger -^ and yet they were allowed to^^'*^"^' 
 take Litereji of him. From whence it 
 clearly follows , that Ufury has no na- 
 P 4 tural 
 
^oo Of USURY. 
 
 tural BlemiQi, nor is any necefiary In- 
 (iance of Oppreffion. 
 
 Mifoch. And yet in the fifteenth 
 Tfalm, where the Qpeftion is put, Lord^ 
 rvho Jhall dwell in thy Tabernacled and 
 rvho Jhall rejl upon thy holy Hill <? That 
 /\ is, how muft a Man be qualified for the 
 >FavourandProteftionofHeaven > The 
 Anfwer is, He that- leads an uncorrupt 
 Life^ does the thing which is righty and 
 /peaks the Truth from his Heart : — He 
 that /wears to his Neighbour ^ and di/ap* 
 points him not^ tho it were to his own 
 binder ance 3 He that has not given his 
 lAoney upon TJ/ury^ nor taken Reward ^- 
 gainji the Innocent^ &c. In ftiort, all the 
 other Qualifications in this P/alfn^ ftand 
 upon a Moral Foot, and are unqueft ion- 
 able Duties both to Jew and Gentile : 
 From hence I inferr'd, that the abftain- 
 ing from ZJ/ury was a Precept of the 
 fame extenfive and immutable Nature. 
 The Eighteenth of Ezekiel might have 
 been cited much to the fame Advantage 5 
 but your laft Argument has wrefted 
 thefe two Places out of my Bands, and 
 therefore I muft retreat to the NewTeJia- 
 ment. 
 
 Jlph. I conceive, you have given up 
 nothing which was Tenable : For had 
 Ulury been morally Evil , this Truth 
 
 would 
 
0/ USURY. 20I 
 
 ^vould either have been difcover'd by 
 its own Light, or the Proof of it at Icaft 
 would have lain very forward in the 
 Ilnderftanding : And had this been the 
 cafe, God would never iiave permitted 
 the Jews this Pradice , only with an 
 Exception to thofe of their own Na- 
 tion. 
 
 Mifoch. In the fixth Chapter of St 
 Jbike^ which is part of our Saviours 
 Sermon upon the Mount, the Command 
 runs thus, Give to every one that ask,eth Ver. 30, 
 of thee 5 and of him that taketh away thy 
 Goods, .asl{ them not again. And here 
 the Learned Hammond tranflates 4^^'^ :, Anmt. 
 and dircaieiv ^ in the latter part of the 
 Verfe , to borrowing , and exafting pf 
 Intereft. 
 
 Alph. That's true : But then in the 
 firft place, he is not pofitive in his Opi- praB.cate- 
 nion : And, 2dly^ Granting that taking^^'f^- 
 away thy Goods is to be rendred borrow- 
 ing^ and ask them not again^ imports, 
 that we fhould not demand any Ufe for 
 the Loan : Suppofing this, I fay, Dr. 
 Hammond infers no farther againft Ufu- 
 ry, than that the Rich ought not to 
 praftice it towards the Poor. But where 
 the lending upon Interefi does not pinch md, 
 a Man s NecefTiry, wliere'qs a Service to 
 
 Trade, 
 
202 0/ USURY. 
 
 — L 
 
 Trade, and a Gain to the Borrower, he 
 has nothing to fay againfl: it. 
 ^Mifoch. Yes : He adds by way of far- 
 ther caution, that this Liberty is not to 
 be taken where it may bring a juft Cen- 
 ibid. fure ofWorldlji-mindednefs : But let that 
 pafs. Our Saviour, you may remem- 
 '^atth. 2i.ber, over-threvp the Tables of the Moneys 
 '^' changers : Thefe Bankers did not only 
 
 change foreign Coin , and give jB/7/j-, 
 but took Interejl in their Bufinefs, as ap- 
 pears from this other Text of St Mat- 
 N(ttth.2<,*thevp ^ Thou oughteji therefore to have 
 ^7* put my Money to the Exchangers , and 
 
 then at my coming I J/jould have receivd 
 my own with Vfury. Now, does not our 
 Saviour's Difcipline upon thefe Men, 
 ' plainly prove the uiilawfulnefs of their 
 Practice > 
 
 Alph. Not at all. I hope you don't 
 
 think it unlawful to fell Oxen, Sheep, 
 
 or Pigeons , and yet our Saviour drove 
 
 jQb. 2.14, them out as well as the Money-changers .<? 
 
 *^' What was the reafon then of this feem- 
 
 ing Severity ? Twas becaufe they made 
 
 a Market of the Temple^ bought and fold 
 
 in a confecrated Place, and circumvents 
 
 ed one another where they (hodd have 
 
 faid their Prayers. Your taking notice 
 
 that the Exchangers were llfurers, makes 
 
 mttih 2$. for my purpofe. For if the unprofitable 
 
 ^>^- ' Servant 
 
 i 
 
Of USURY. ao3 
 
 Servant was to blame for not putting out 
 his Lord's Money, may we not infer 
 from hence, that the Profit of Intereji 
 is fufficiently defenfible > For tho' thefe 
 Emblematical Difcourfes are not to be 
 prefs'd too clofe, yet we may fafely con- 
 clude , our Saviour would never have 
 encouraged an unlawful Gain, fo much 
 as in a Parable, 
 
 Mifoch. But, does not our Saviour 
 command us to lend^ hoping for nothing Luke ^.^$» 
 again .<? And, what room can there be 
 then for the Expedation of Intereji ^ 
 
 Alph. Yes : We are to lend, iJ^ncflv dyr^K^ 
 9^/^ov^s^ , dijintfting nothing, as Dv.Ham-InLoc. 
 mond rightly tranflates it : That is, as 
 we may learn from the Context, we are 
 not only to lend to the Rich, from 
 whom we may expeft a Return, or at 
 leaft are fecur'd from loling. No : We 
 muft be more human and charitable 
 than this comes to : The Poverty of 
 the Borrower, the Unlikelinefs of a Re- 
 quital, the Hazard of the Principal ^mvSt 
 not difcourage us from fupplying the 
 Neceflities of our Neighbours : We muft 
 venture to do the Poor a Rindnefs, and 
 expeft our Reward from God Almightyo 
 And what is there in all this againft 
 Ufury, unlefs it be to the Poor, who 
 are in no condition to pay it ? 
 
 Mifochc 
 
204 Of USURY. 
 
 Mifoch. You grant, the Jews were for- 
 bidden to lend upon Ufury to each o- 
 ther : Now the Qofpel takes away all 
 Diftinftions of Nations, and extends the 
 Notion of our Neighbour to all Mankind. 
 There's no body foreign or unallyed 
 to a ChrifiUn : And as all the World 
 are of one Family, fo he is to treat them 
 as fuch. And upon this reafoning, 
 which way can Ufury and Chriftianity 
 ftand together > 
 
 Alph. Notwithftanding the compre- 
 heniive Kindnefs of Chriftianity , you 
 know there is a Preference allow'd to 
 Gal 6. la the Houjhold of Faith. You may like wife 
 obferve , that 'tis a. Man's Neceffities 
 Lni^e 10. tf^^t fometimes makes him ray Neigh- 
 ^^* bour, and ties me to a kinder Confidera- 
 tion. You may remember too, that the 
 Prohibition of Ufury to the Jews, was 
 in favour of the Poor, that they are ex- 
 prefly mentioned, and that the intenti- 
 on of the Law was to bar Oppreffion ; 
 And that the Jervs did not underftand 
 it in the utmoft Latitude and Rigour, 
 appears by the Learned Selden 5 he tells 
 us from the Rabbins, that all direft Ufu- 
 ry, all Advantage of this Kind ftated 
 and fecur'd by ContraCt, was clearly un- 
 lawful: That's true 5 But then there 
 was an Equivalency of Intcrefi 3 Prefects 
 
 betbre^ 
 
Of USURY. 205 
 
 before, and Gratuhies zttcv the Borrow- 
 ing: Thefewere call'd P films VfHr£,seidende 
 and not reckon d within the Cenfure oi)y^ ^^^^^' 
 the Lajv. Tis granted^ the Tradihon^Ja^* 
 of the Elders made moil: of this PHlvisDifdpL 
 unlawful : Yes, and the Point was car-f^^'f'^;^^ 
 ried to that Singularity , that if a Man ' ^ ^ ' 
 fainted his Creditor more civilly than 
 ufual, or gave him a good word extraor- 
 dinary, he fell under the Penalty of an 
 Ufurer. But then the Money of Orphans, 
 the Poors Stotl^y and the Revenue of ibU. 
 the Synagogue, were exempted, and 
 left open to all the Advantage above- 
 mention d. This Franknefs puts me in 
 mind of Mufculns, v^ho, as great an md^ 
 Anti-Ufurer as he is, ventures to con- 
 fent, that Orphans, Widows, and Wo-Mifcui 
 fpitals, (hould have the benefit of /^^^-JiiTS^^ic 
 reft. And under the Equity of this Per-"' 
 miffion, a great many others may be 
 comprehended* I may add farther,"^ that 
 the Charity of the Chriftian Religion 
 never defign d to deftroy Property : And 
 if I have a right in my Money, I have 
 v^^ithout queftion a right to ufe it. And 
 why may not a Man deal in Cafti and 
 Coin as well as in Cloth and Spices , if 
 he has a mind to it ? And as to the 
 Jewijfj Law, make it as general to that 
 Country as you pleafe^ .'twill concern 
 
 u» 
 
* 2o5 0/ USURY. 
 
 us no- farther than the Reafon of it 
 reaches. Now if the Difcovery of Qonn- 
 tries., the Settling of FaSariej^nd Plan- 
 tations, and the Enlargement, of . Com- 
 merce, has alter'd the cafe, why (hould 
 the old Rigour continue > If Money be 
 a much livelier Commodity than former- 
 ly, why muft the Right and the Advan- 
 tage be parted? Why muft the Borr 
 rower engrofs the Profit, and the Owner 
 be ne'er the better? In ihort, why 
 (hould the Mofaick Reftraint oblige, 
 when the Circumftances are fo much 
 chang d 5 and the Pra(2ice be the fame, 
 where the Reafons are different ? This 
 Difference was probably the ground why 
 the Jevps were permitted to take Ufury 
 of Strangers : The Foreigners they were 
 concern d, with, were commonly either 
 Egyptians or Fhmnicians , Midianites or 
 Arabians : They lived upon the Nile 
 and Mediterranian, upon the Euphrates, 
 and the Red-Sea ^ were famous for Mer- 
 chandizing, and drove a great Trade ei- 
 '^Gen.'^y. ther by Shipping or Carravans *^ : And 
 ^^- being thus high in Bufinefs, were better 
 able to pay Inter eft than the Jews, who 
 liv'd moftly on the Produft of their own 
 .Country. 
 
 A^ Mifock I can t fay, you have explained 
 the Scriptures unplaufibiy concerning this 
 vi Point: 
 
Of trSURY. 207 
 
 Point : But this I muft tell you. The 
 Primitive Church is diredly againftyouj 
 The Fathers declaim againft Vfnry^ and 
 the Councils condemn it : And which 
 way you can ftem the Stream of this 
 Authority, is farther than I can difco- 
 ver. And here, for Order's fake, I (hall 
 mention the Fathers and Councils by 
 themfclves, and over-look Chronology 
 a little : To begin with the Fathers , 
 St. Cyprian recounting the Degeneracy oicypr. de 
 the Chriftians of his time, gives an in- ^^^^' 
 ftance in Ufury. LaUantitis treating of 
 the Meafures of Obedience, and the Du- Ept. inflit. 
 ties of a Chriftian, tells us, That a Per-*^-^- 
 fon careful about thefe Matters rvotzt 
 lend his Money upon TJfury. Non dabit 
 in ZJfnras pecuniam ; hoc efl entm de 
 de alienk malk lucra eaptare. St. Am- 
 brofe fpeaks to the fame purpofe 5 *Tis 
 an A^ of Humanity^ fays lie, to ajjiji aveoffic. 
 Man in his Want : But 'tis hard-heart- ^^^^^-^^ 
 edy to drag more from him than the Prin- 
 cipal. St. Chryfojiome is altogether of St. 
 Ambrofes Judgment 5 his words are, Ifve Je]m. 
 you pretend to Difcipline and Mortifica- "^^ ' ^ 
 tion^ take care yon dont turn TJfnrer : 
 Do you Faji .<? Why then, loofe the Bands 
 of Wickednefs^ ^ffr^o-j (iicuojv QwaKKar- 
 ixdrm x^i^-e^P'^, cancel, and give up the 
 opprejjive Centrals and Securities. And 
 
 in 
 
ao8 Of USURY. 
 
 in a Homilji upon the Corinthians^ he 
 iCor. 16. declares, That Alms grip d oiit ofUfuf-y^ 
 are as little acceptable to God, as if they 
 were gain d by Frofiitution. To proceed 5 
 Efift. 44. St. Afiguftin cries out againfi: murtheting 
 the Poor with Intereji. To thefe, 1 might 
 add the Teftimonies of St. Hierom^ St. 
 Bafil^ and others : But defirlng to be 
 as brief as may be , I (hall pafs on to 
 the Councils. 
 
 And under this Head, I (hall cite the 
 Apoflles Canons^ in the firfk place : And 
 tho' fome of them may fall (hort of the 
 Apoftolical Age and Authority, yet the 
 Codex ca- Learned Dr. Beveridge has proved the 
 p"m^n!i ColUmon made in the Second or Third 
 die. " Century, which brings them to a con* 
 fiderable Antiquity. The firft Fifty are 
 reckoned the moft Authentick 3 within 
 which Number, we have one againft 
 Ufury which runs thus : 
 Canon, 44. Any Bijhop, Prieji or Deacon, who re- 
 quires Ufe from his Debtor ,y mujl either 
 give over this Fra^ice^ or be degraded^ 
 Camn. 20. ^^^ Council of Eliberis or Elvira, 
 ' held Anno 305, decrees, That a Clergy- 
 Tfian who takes Intereji^ fhould be degrad- 
 ed' t^ That the fame Fault jhonld be par- 
 don d in a Lay-man, upon promife of ^- 
 mendment 5 bnt if he relapfes^ Excom^ 
 mnnication mufi folloTP. 
 
 The 
 
Of USURY- 2dp 
 
 The firft Council of Arles^ held An- c'^n. 12- 
 no 514, excommnmcates thofe Clergy that 
 are Z)Jhrers. 
 
 The famous General Council of JNice^can. 17, 
 held in the Year 325, ordains, That 
 thofe Clergy-Men who are Ufurers^ or takfi 
 fordid Gains ^ Jhall be fdencedy and jlript 
 of their Chara&er. 
 
 To thefe I might fubjoin the Council 
 oi Laodicea^ the firft, fecond, and fourth 
 Councils ofCarthage^ the ^inifext Coun* 
 cil in TrMo, &c. 
 
 Alph. ^is globus o Cives Caligine voU Virgi 
 vitnr atra ^ 
 
 Here*s a Cloud of Witnejfes indeed ! 
 Here's a numerous Force , and a great 
 many Worthies drawn down 5 but, I 
 hope, they are not all of them Ene- 
 mies. To fpeak to the Fathers 5 LaS" 
 an^ius and St. Ambrofe point their Cen- 
 fure only againft thofe that bear hard 
 upon the Circumftances of the Poor : 
 And St. AugHJiine , not to mention any 
 more, muft be conftrued to the fame 
 Sence. And if any of the Ancients are 
 more rigorous, we maft try to fence a- 
 gainft them another way. For the pur- 
 pofe^ If I can fatisfie your Objeftions 
 from the Councils , the Teftimonies of 
 the Fathers muft fink of courfe^ as being 
 
 P aa 
 
2IO Of USURY. 
 
 an inferiour Authority. To enter upon 
 my Defence ; 1 obferve inthefirfl: place, 
 That none of thefe Councils , either 
 Provincial or General , forbid Ufury to 
 any, excepting the Cler^. From whence 
 I infer. That the Church did not look 
 upon Vfurjf as a Practice unlawful, and 
 contrary to the Precepts of the Gofpel. 
 Had this been their Opinion, they would 
 never have permitted it all along to the 
 Laitj, as 'tis plain they did. 
 r Mifach. Notfo: You know the Coun- 
 
 cil of Eliberis brought the Laitji under 
 the fame Difcipline. 
 
 Alph. That's true: But then this 
 'Provincial Council ftands by it felf, 
 and is altogether Angular : It abridges 
 Can. 44. the Liberty of the Apofiks Canons 3 
 and which is more , the Council of 
 N/Ve comes after, and over-rules it. By 
 this Oecumenical AiTembly, the Lahy 
 are left at Difcretion , and might either 
 take Vfc or refufe it. This Permiffion 
 ftrikes the Council oi Eliberis dead, and 
 difarms the Canon. 
 
 Mifoch. You have gotten a Licenfe 
 for the Laity^ if you can hold it 5 but 
 then the Clergy are left in the lurch. 
 
 AlpL I hope to fetch them off too : 
 
 For, if I can but difengage them from 
 
 the Council of Nice , the Provincial 
 
 ^^ Councils 
 
Of USURY. 211 
 
 Councils mufl: come in, and the Bufinefs 
 
 will be difentangled. 
 Mifock How is this to be done> • 
 Alph. I obferve in the firft place, That 
 
 inter eft ran extremely high at the time of 
 
 the Council of Nice. Thy took Twelve cam tj. 
 
 and Eighteen per Cent, d^ctvei^ov^g Ixalc- 
 
 ^d^ d-TreaiSaiv jy /3/jt(oX/«r, aS the Canon QX- 
 
 prefles it. Now , becaufe they forbad 
 the Clergy receiving Twelve or Eighteen 
 in the Hundred, it does not follow they 
 would have forbidden them Five or 
 Six, if the Rate had gone no higher. 
 
 2dly, This Canon againft Vfnry is pure- 
 ly Matter of DifcipUne : By confequence, 
 'tis no difregard to a General Council to 
 vary from it : For DifcipUne is alter- 
 able, and (loops to the Cifcumftances of 
 Time : Twas never uniform in the Pri- ^''^^^ t>u 
 mitive Ages : The different keeping of Sl'„i "" 
 Eafter, to mention nothing more, may cent i. 
 fuffice for Evidence. Nay, does not our j^^^ ^^^^^-^ 
 own Church fay much the fame thing 
 in her Preface to the Common Prayer .<? 
 
 3^/y, To come clofer to the Council 
 of Nice : Does not this celebrated Af- can. 2C6 
 fembly forbid Kneeling on Sundays^ and 
 enjoins all Churches to Pray ftanding 
 on that Day ? And yet this Canon has 
 been difpenfed with long (ince ; The 
 Churches of England and Rome don't 
 P 2 think 
 
212 Of USURY. 
 
 think thetnfelves obliged by this Rule, 
 but k^eel on Sntfdays without fcruple. 
 An'd fince one Canon of DifcipUne may 
 be chang'd by the Modern Church, why 
 not another ? I argue, 
 
 4f^/y, That thefe Canons and De- 
 crees objefted, are all Ecclefiaftical San- 
 dions. Now the Jurifdiftion of Eccle- 
 fiafticks Extends only to things purely 
 Ipiritual y Tis true, they are an Inde- 
 pendent Secret)/ 5 they have a Compafs 
 lor DifcipUne and Legiflature within 
 themfelves : But then , thefe Acts of 
 Authority are confiti'd to Admiffions 
 and Excommunications, and fuch other 
 Matters effential to the Government of 
 the Church. Bilhops and Councils have 
 no Authority to bind Property, and de- 
 termine the Condition of Eftates. Now 
 the Allowance or Prohibition of Ufury, 
 is altogether a civil Queftion, concerns 
 a Branch of Meum and Thh^ , and 
 by confequence belongs wholly to the 
 Cognifance and Regulation of the State. 
 
 To put the cafe upon a Dilemma: 
 Either the taking Intereft is Malum per 
 fcy Evil in it felf , or 'tis not : If the 
 firfk, the Canons might have been fpared, 
 becaufe 'twas a Sin before their Cenfure. 
 But if 'tis not Malftm per fe, as I have 
 proved 'tis not, then the Prohibitions 
 
 of 
 
Of USURY. 213 
 
 oi Councils can't null the Permiffions of 
 the Civil Government. 
 
 I willingly grant you, there*s a great 
 Deference due to the Direftion of Eccle- 
 clefiafticks , and efpecially of General 
 Councils. But the greateft Snbmiffion 
 we owe them, is, when they engage in 
 Things purely Spiritual , and confine 
 themfelves to Matters of Faith. But if 
 they ftrike out into Property^ I humbly 
 conceive we are not oblig d to refign 
 with the fame implicit Belief: Their 
 Commiffion does not reach to determin 
 Civil Affairs! And therefore, unlefs 
 they are authorized by the Conftitution 
 to over- rule thefe Points, we may have 
 the liberty to examin their Reafons, and 
 ftate our Praftice accordingly. 
 
 Thefe Remarks , with refpeft to the 
 Councils^ may ferve to fatisfie what is 
 urg'd from the Fathers^ from a flanting 
 ftroak or two in the Homlies^ and from 
 fome Divines of our own Country ^ of 
 our own Country, I fay, fuch as BUliop 
 Andrews^ and others. To thefe laft Au- Exp^jltm 
 thorijties, I may likewifeadd. That when "l '^^^^^^ 
 lome ot our Emment Clergy wrote agauilt wents. 
 Z)fury^ the Loan of Money was Ten perT- 47 n 
 Cent. Had it funk to half the Proporti- 
 on, and gone at the prcfent Rate , 'tis 
 P 3 poffiblp 
 
ai4 Of USURY. 
 
 poffible we had heard nothing from 
 them. 
 
 Mtfoch. What you have obferv'd , 
 makes me v/onder a little, why the An- 
 cient Church (hould tie up the Clergy to 
 harder Meafures than the Laity. At 
 firft fight, one would think, they (hould 
 rather have enlarg d their Liberty. For, 
 are not Ecclefiafticks fhut out from the 
 Bdr and the Exchange ? They muft not 
 Farm, nor ufe feveral Expedients of 
 Profit allowed to their Congregations. 
 Why then were they not permitted to 
 Trade with a little Money ? Tis a Me- 
 thod which requires little of Drudging^ 
 'tis friendly to one's Time , and makes 
 few Avocations. ' I (hould almoft have 
 thought, that the Nature of their Bufi- 
 nefsy the Force of their Ce////;^, and the 
 Life oi thtix Confcience^ (hould fet the 
 Clergy upon ground of Advantage, and 
 fortifie them better againft Covetoufnefs : 
 And then 'twould follow , that they 
 might be better trufted with VJury than 
 the Laity. Thus in the cafe before us, 
 SeUen. A ScTibe ^ ov a Wife Man among the 
 ^^m!^ ^en?j, had a greater Liberty than the 
 Gent. ' reft. And thus St, Germain, in his Da- 
 ^ 758. Bor and Student, tells us. That the Ad^ 
 minijiration of the Goods of the Inteftate, 
 
 • ' was 
 
Of USURY. 315 
 
 was committed to the Bilhop , and not 
 the fecular Courts, becaufe the Law fup- 
 pos'd the Clergy better fentcd agamft 
 Temptation than the Laitji. 
 
 Alph. I think you have almoft defert- 
 ed your Poji : But in anfwer to what 
 you fay, you may pleafe to take notice, 
 That in the Primitive Church , the Of- 
 fice of the Clergy was more underftood, 
 and tlieir Intereft much greater in the 
 Laity ^ than 'tis generally at prefent: 
 This, with fome other Things already 
 mentioned, makes a vaft Difference; 
 Infomuch, that were the Ancients now 
 living , they would , in all likelihood , 
 reverfe their Canons^ and take off the 
 Imhargo. 
 
 Mifoch. Pray, how went the Permif- 
 fion and the Rate of Ufury in the Civil 
 Law ? 
 
 Alph. As to the Allowance 5 Twas 
 forbidden by none of the Chriftian Em- 
 perours excepting BapUus : And this 
 Prohibion being found inconvenient to ^^^w<, 
 the State, his Son Leo recalfd it, AsJ^'J'f;; 
 to the rate, from Auguflus down to Ju- 
 flinian^ 'twas generally Twelve per Cent. 
 Jnjiinian reduced it fomewhat lower :^saimaf, 
 allowing Merchants and Tradefmen to^^*'^- 
 take Eight, but Perfons of higher Qua- 
 P 4 lity 
 
2i6 Of USURY. 
 
 lity were to be contented with Six and 
 Four. And therefore Grotius is to be 
 underftood of the Reign of 'juftinUn^ 
 and downwards, where he tells us, the 
 Empire allowed Eight per Cent. 
 
 Grot, de Mifoch. Fm glad you have mentioned 
 
 ^^pfcS' Grotius^ he is a Friend ofminein the 
 
 lih.2. cafe. 
 
 2;/;- Alph. Not at all, if you take him 
 rightly : He is only againft Rigours 
 and Exceifes, againft dealing hardly with 
 the Poor, and over-rating the Advan- 
 tage of a Loan. And to fatisfie you 
 farther by Particulars 5 * Grotius cites 
 ' the Civil Lawyer's Diftindion with 
 
 * Approbation 3 the Diftindion, I fay, 
 
 * between Ft^nu^ and TJfura^ i. e. between 
 ' Vfe and Vfury. That Vfnry , as the 
 ' Law words it , has fomething of a 
 
 X. dm y Mifer in't 5 but Vfe is no more than 
 
 Vfd7 ' ^ confideration for being out of one's 
 
 vfuris. * Money : But becaufe Avarice had mif- 
 
 ^ managd in the Point, the v/ord ZJ/ir^ 
 
 ' likewife began to have an ill Name, 
 
 * and then the Term htereii came in 
 ' its place. 
 
 ' This Learned Author obferves, That 
 
 * feveral things, tho' they have the 
 
 * complexion of Dfurj , yet when 
 
 * throughly examin'd, are Cohtrads of 
 
 ^ 'another 
 
m- 
 
 % 
 
 Of USURY. 
 
 217 
 
 ^ another Nature. Thus he who takes 
 
 * htereji to repair the Damage he fu- 
 
 * ftains , by the Want of his Money , 
 
 * and for running the Hazard of the 
 
 * Security i he that does this, is, pro- 
 ' perly fpeaking, no Ufurer.^ 
 
 He adds farther 5 That Humane Con- 
 ftitutions which countenance Contradts 
 for Interefl ^ provided they keep within 
 a moderate Proportion of Hazard and 
 Gain, provided they don t over-value the 
 Loan of Money, nor fet the Dice upon 
 the Borrower 5 in this cafe, he acquits 
 them of all In juftice, and declares them 
 not at all repugnant to any Law, either 
 of Nature or Revelation. And yet when Grot. md. 
 Grotius wrote this, the loweft Rate for ^-2. ^. 12* 
 Intereft was Eight pr Cent, in Holland. ^ ^""'^• 
 
 Mr foe h. The Dntcb love Money, let's 
 take leave of them, if you pleafe. But 
 what do you fay to the Council of La- 
 teran, held Anna 1 1 79 ? There Ufurers 
 are excommunicated, and their Principal 
 forfeited to the Exchequer. 
 
 Alph. Do you retreat again under the 
 Cannon of the Church > But to engage 
 you 5 I grant, thefe Fathers were fevere 
 ehough in their Decree, but fomewhat 
 gentle in the Execution : For the Sen- d« ¥re[ne 
 tence was riot to be let loofe till after the^^'-^^^- 
 
 Death 
 
2i8 Of USURY. 
 
 Death of the Criminal. Befides, you 
 know, this Council is but of a Modern 
 Authority. And Roman-Catholic ks them- 
 felves, take little notice of this Prohi- 
 bition: Yox 2it Venice^ and other places 
 in Italji^ it has been the cuftom of the 
 Qovernment to lend to the poorer fort, 
 upon a Pawn, at a moderate Intereft : 
 Bomtus The delign is to relieve People at a 
 I'liH^* pinch, and keep them out of the hands 
 of Harpies. Now the Cenfure of the 
 Council not coming till after Deaths no 
 Governments need fear it 3 for they are 
 all immortal. The Genoefe lent a vaft 
 Sum upon Intereji to Philip IL and tho* 
 the Money is ftill unpaid, I don't find 
 the Crown of Spain has ever pleaded 
 the Council of Lateran as a general Ac^ 
 quittance. But becaufe llfury has had 
 hard Names in France^ there's nothing 
 caird fo, unlefs it exceeds the R.ate of 
 Jntereli fettled by the King. Nay, do 
 but gDd the Pill , and difguife the Matr 
 ter, and the Canonijis themfelves can di- 
 geft it. For, as fierce as they are a- 
 gainft llfury, do but transfer the Pro- 
 perty of the Principal^ and turn the Mo- 
 ^uret. ney into an Annuity 5 do but this, I fay, 
 and they'll allow you to make your Bar- 
 gain upon the foot of IntereU. 
 
 MifocL 
 
Of USURY. 219 
 
 Ift MifocL You may think you have 
 ""gain d your Point, but I have the Star 
 tute Book in referve againft you. By 
 $& 6 Edw. 6. cap. 20. all manner of 
 Vfury^ Encreafe^ Inter eji^ or whatever 
 you will call it, is diredly prohibited, 
 and the Penalties are very difcou- 
 raging. 
 
 Alph. Pray don't raife the Ghoft of 
 the Lavp upon me : This Statute is re- 
 pealed by 15 Eliz. cap. 8. And the 
 37 H. 8. cap. 9. is BCt)it)ClJ^ andftands 
 in full f 0?ce, ^tretrgt^ and €iim. 
 Now by this revived Statute of Henry 
 the Eighth, Ten per Cent, is exprefly al- 
 lowed. 
 
 Mifoch. Now, I think, I have met 
 with you 5 For one Branch of this Sta- 
 tute of Q, Elizabeth, ^ttUXt^ all fijftt^^^- 'S* 8n 
 
 t^ fo?i3iDnen ti^ t^e ma^xj of d^oD , 
 anD tiiat 'ttjs ^in anti ^ttt^aUt. 
 
 And in confequence of this Declaration, 
 
 'tis Enaded, cijat all Contract^ atiD 
 Wt Mmmm i^l abot)e Cetr in t^e 
 f #antJ,tei) , fijall be utterly liiiiD , 
 and that t^^ofc toi^o contract fo? Cen 
 m t!|e '^mm^?i. c? lel^, fitall be on^ 
 l^ liable to foiitit ^l^at fl)all be re^ 
 fert^su b^ tsjap of Qfurp abobe tlie 
 
 ^^iUCipaL Here you fee the Contrad: 
 
 of 
 
2;jo Of USURY. 
 
 of thofe that take above Ten per Cent. 
 is made void : And befides that, they 
 lie under the Penalties of 37 H. 8. c. 9. 
 And as for thofe who lend^ at Ten, or 
 under, their Punifhment is only to lofe 
 their htereji. Thus I have (hewn you 
 the Sence of the Legiflature^ and that 
 
 97^.8. the Statute of H. 8- is not revived in 
 
 ^'^* every Branch, as you imagind* 
 
 Alph. And yet this A&^ fays, it 0)ail 
 ftanD in full fmz : Now, one would 
 have thought, full fnitt (hould imply 
 all the Force of that Statute before the 
 Repeal. I obferve farther , That this 
 
 £413. 3, ^Q h3s a Provifo for Orphans^ they 
 {land exempted from the Penalties you 
 mention'd. Is the Condition of Orphans 
 then a Difpenfation with the KLatD Of 
 <150D i And are they to be fupported 
 by Means which are ^mful auD ?^C^ 
 teftable i Pray, don't let's conftrue the 
 qnondikm Government to this Meaning. 
 You are fenfible the Pradice went other- 
 wife : Yes, and the Law too, if you*lI 
 allow a Farliament in the next Reign, 
 
 21 Jac.i. to underftand it. For the Statute of K. 
 
 *"• '7- James L which reduces Inter eii to Eight 
 /er Ce;;/. mentions in the Preamble^ That 
 the Loan of Money COnttttUeU at tl)e 
 
 JSatc of cew itt t^z J^unajeD 5 and 
 
 ^ ' then 
 
Of USURY. ^21 
 
 .then fets forth the inconveniencies of 
 fo high a Proportion. And, can any 
 thing be more plain, than that Ten per 
 Cent, was at that time no more than 
 legal Intereft ? Indeed, how could the 
 Eight per Cent, of this A^ be reckoned a 
 Remedy, unlefs the Grievance ran higher 
 before ? 
 
 Mifoch. Pray, t^ke the Provifo of this 
 Statute along with you : Tis here J^IQ. 21 jac. u 
 
 ijtDeD, Ci^at no mo?U0 in tW Itato '• '7. 
 containeD, ftall be conftrueD ^t tp 
 pounDeu, to alloto tf)t pimict of 
 fljfurp, in ^oint otMtlisiono; Com 
 
 fCtence* what think you of this > 
 
 AlpL I think there may be fomething 
 of the Finenefs of the Council of Trent 
 in 1 5 When the Article of Original Sin 
 was debated by thofe Fathers, the Que- 
 ftion of the Imntaculate Conception came 
 of courfe upon the Board. The Domi'F.?2uVs 
 nicans denied this Privilege to the Blef-^^' 
 fed Virgin, and the Francifcanx were for 
 the Affirmative. To give both thefe 
 Parties fatisfaftion , the Council found 
 out a Temper *^ and drew up the Decree 
 in a fort of Neutral, and undetermined 
 Exprefiion ^ fo that the Matter hung 
 in fufpence. Thus, when this Bill was 
 pairing, I conceive there were fome few 
 
 Men^hcrs 
 
222 Of USURY. 
 
 Members in the Houfe of Lords ^ who Be- 
 lieved Ufury unlawful , Thefe few, 'tis 
 likely, being Perfons of great Chara- 
 cter and Intereft, the Provifo was thrown 
 in lo content them. Now, if you mind 
 it, the Language of this Provifo is much 
 more foft, ambiguous and uncenfuring, 
 £/. 13. 8. than the Statute of Q. Elizabeth. It 
 does not pronounce all Vfury forbidden 
 by the Law of God , nor call it dete- 
 Jiable 3 it only declares, %i)at tTO tX»O;tD0 
 
 in tU^ HatD, fljall tt ejcpounneti to 
 
 allotp t^e l^^acttce of Muvv , in 
 
 ' ^oint of MUsion o? Confcience* 
 
 No Words Jhall be expounded to allow it 5 
 no, nor to difallow it neither, by this 
 Claufe : I fay, nor difallow it neither : 
 For there's a medium of Neutrality be- 
 tween allowing and difallowing 5 and 
 that is, leaving the Point undecided : 
 If this wo'n t fatisfie, I muft obferve far- 
 ther. That either the Ufury in the Vro- 
 vifo^ muft be meant of extortionary In- 
 ter eji^ or elfe the Cenfure in the Frovi* 
 fo will be altogether ftrange and unin- 
 telligible. For if the Legiflators be^ 
 liev*d all Loans upon Interest, a Tref- 
 pafs upon COtlfCfelTCC, and a Violation 
 of 3Eeiio;tOtT, why (hould they make a 
 Law to ftate the Meafure, and encourage 
 
 the 
 
Of USURY. 223 
 
 M the Praftice ? Would they venture to 
 "repeal the'Cewi^, and enad a Con- 
 tradidion to the Bible ? This is too 
 black an Imputation for the Prince then 
 reigning, or any of his Parliaments. To 
 reconcile them therefore to themfelves, 
 we are to fuppofe, that by Vfnry they 
 only meant the taking a higher Inter eji cap. tf 
 than the Law allowed. To this I may 
 add, That 12 Car. 2. which is the lafl: 
 wm^ Statute about Vfnry ^ reduces Interefi to 
 K Six per Cent, without the leaft Suggefti- 
 Bens of Difcouragement. Here are no 
 m Hints of Scruple, or Glancing remotely 
 upon the Practice. Now the lafl: Aii 
 of the Government, is like a Man's laft 
 Will^ it fl:ands againfl: all the refl: ; a- 
 gainft all the refl:, I fay, upon the fup 
 pofal of any Claftiing between them. 
 
 Mifoch. If I fliould happen to change 
 my Opinion , how would you advife 
 me to manage > 
 
 Alph. To be favourable to the Poor, 
 not to prefs upon the Necellity of any 
 Perfon, nor ever to exceed the Statute 5 
 and if our Bufinefs is putting out Mo- 
 ney, we mufl: be contented with the Al- 
 lowance of Law. To go farther, is 
 down-right In)ufl:ice, 
 
 Mifoch. 
 
224 0/ USURY. 
 
 Mifdch, What does the Law allow 
 fuGh a Man for his Trouble ? 
 t2Car.2. Alph. IhQ Statute QR2L^^, %):^kt all 
 
 '3- ^mbener^, ^oltcito^is, and u?^ 
 J3er0 of J5argain0 o? Cottttactjs, fo? 
 anp iS^oner lent, tn^o (ftall Direct* 
 Ip 0? inDrrectl^ receiije aboije if itje 
 ^^tllingis fo? tl^e p^oeuring o^ fo?* 
 l)earwtg an !|uniJ?eD j&ouno^ fo? a 
 ^ear, anu fo p?opo?tionablt, toitl^ 
 refpect to otj^er ^nixi^ and Ctmes 
 0? Hjall tafie abolje ctoelbepence fo? 
 mafeing q% tenetoing of t^e jeonD 
 ti WX fo? irioan, o^ fo? fo^teanng 
 thereof, o? fo? an^ Counter*35onD 
 0? Bill concerning tlje fame, (Dall 
 forfeit fo? eDerrfuci^€>ffenee Ctnen* 
 tp l^onnDisi , anD i^afte 9Iwp?ifon^ 
 ment fo;^ !|alf a par* And one 
 
 Moiety of this Forfeiture is to be for 
 the King, ami the other for the Pro- 
 fecutor. The fame Penalty is enafted 
 by 21 Jnc. I. Cap. 17. 
 
 Notwithftanding this plain Pfovifion, 
 'tis often difregarded. What Artifice 
 is ufed to opprefs our Neighbour, and 
 
 grind tl^e face of tl^e i^QQti The 
 
 Bond 6r Mortgage is queftion'd, and 
 the Money muft be call'd in : Now all 
 this is nothing but Feint and Grimace : 
 
 A 
 
Of USURY. 225 
 
 A good Fee for Conthnation , ihall 61- 
 fpef the Procurers Scruples , and make 
 the Security as firm as the Ba?^l{ oiAm- 
 fterdam. Thus InUreJl is unreafonably 
 fcrew'd up , the Law fcandaloufly bro- 
 ken, and the Needy opprefs'd and un- 
 done. But my Journy calls me away, 
 and I muft enlarge no farther. 
 
 Mifoch. I fhall confider your Dif- 
 courfe. 
 
 Tour Servants 
 
 OF 
 
0,16 
 
 O F A N 
 
 APOSTLE. 
 
 In a DIALOGUE 
 Between Eufehim and fhilarch^m. 
 
 EtifeL ■ ^UiUrchsus , rm glad to fee 
 w-^ you : I Gome for the fatif- 
 •^ fadion of fpending a little 
 time with you. But my Vifit, I'm afraid, 
 is unfeafonable : You are engaged with 
 your Books, I perceive 5 and therefore 
 I feall take tny leave , and wait on you 
 when you are more at leifure. 
 
 F hilar ch. Eujdius^ I beg you to ftayj 
 I'm always at leifure for your Com-^ 
 pany, 
 
 Eufek Sir, I thank you : And (ince 
 you ufe to^e fo kind, as not to make your 
 Studies any Secret to me , pray , what 
 were you upon } 
 
 F hilar ch. I was reading a little Eccle- 
 Jfajiical Hifiory 5 you know, that Study 
 is my Inclination : Indeed, confidering 
 the Dignity of the SxxhytQi, and the In- 
 
 tereft 
 
Of an APOSTLE. a^; 
 
 tereft we have all in it, I think a Chri- 
 ftian can hardly employ his Thoughts 
 upon a better Argument. And here, a- 
 mongft other things, I was reflefting 
 upon the unpromifing Beginnings of our 
 Religion; with what a flender Force 
 the firft Undertakers fet forward ; and, 
 what a ftrange Difproportion there was 
 between the Caufe and the Effect ? In 
 earneft, humanly fpeaking , if twelve 
 private Men (hould make an Expedition 
 againft the Grand Signior, they would 
 be as likely to fucceed as the Appftles 
 were in their Enterprize, when our Sa- 
 viour left them. 
 
 Eufeh. You mean before the Day of 
 Pentecoft, before the Defcent of the Ho- 
 ly G/joJi, before the Comforter had for- 
 tified their Spirits , led them into all 
 Trnth, and furniih'd fupernatural Affi- 
 ftance : But when they were thus qua- 
 lified, and reinforc'd from Heaven, I 
 hope you think the feeming Impoffibili- 
 ty vani(h'd, and that the Profped was 
 much altered. 
 
 PhilarcL Without doubt. 
 
 Eufeb. Well ! fince you have brought 
 
 this Difcourfe upon the Board, methinks 
 
 the Honour of the Apoftolical Office has 
 
 a furprizing Luftre ; the Reprefentation^ 
 
 Q 2 the 
 
22% 0/^;^ APOSTLE. 
 
 the Nature of the Employment, the Evi- 
 dence of the Credentials, the Hazards of 
 the Execution, &c. are all circumltahces 
 of Greatnefs and Diftinftion. 
 
 Philarch. Tm of your mind : But, you 
 know, they had not all the Advantages 
 of Great Men 5 their Education was 
 low, and their Condition extremely pri- 
 vate and unornamented. 
 
 Enfeh. Their Commiffion was the bet- 
 ter attefted upon that Score, as we fhall 
 fee hereafter. However, their Condi- 
 tion at firilf, was not every way fo mean 
 as you feem to fuppofe it. 
 Philarch. How fo ? 
 Etifek You know, the Apoflles were 
 all Jem : Now, if length of Defcent 
 and Genealogy are Marks of Condition, 
 the Jews v/ere the beft Gentlemen in 
 the World. They kept Regifters of 
 their Families, could run their Pedigree 
 to the Head of their Tribe, from thence 
 to Abraham and Noah, and lb on through 
 the Antediluvians up to Adam, Thus 
 every Man could prove himfelf extrad- 
 Jofih 7. ed from Perfons of Figure, and had Pa- 
 mhenuiJ triarchs and Princes in his Anceftors : 
 E^nt. 2.' The Firft Part of thefe Records were 
 ^%^' preferv'd in the OldTeftament ^ and the 
 jojqh. * Kemvainder was carried on by the care 
 
 and 
 
Of an APOSTLE. 229 
 
 andcuftom of that Nation. Thus, as a 
 foreign Amballador reported, That the 
 Roman Senate look'd like an Houfe of 
 Kings jfo we may fay of the jfezrj,That 
 they were a whole Commonwealth of 
 Nobility. 
 
 Philarch. So it feems : But, to go on 
 with your Obfervation , had the Jews 
 any peculiar Reafons to be thus careful 
 in preferving the Records of their Fa^ 
 ipiiies } 
 
 I: Eufck Yes : By the Promifes made 
 %o Abraham^ and the Prophecy of Ja-Ocn. ^9. 
 cob^ they knew the Mejfiah was to def- 
 cend from their Nation : This Prom ife 
 being at firft made at large to the Jcrvs^ 
 every Family had fome Profped of the 
 Blefling , and conceived themfelves in- 
 terefs'd in it. This ExpciStation made 
 them guard the Evidences of their Def- 
 cent. For unlefs they could prove them- 
 felves extracted from Abraham, they had 
 no pretence to the Honour of having 
 the Meffiuh born in their Family. 
 
 Befides 5 Their Right to the diftin- 
 guifhing Privileges of the Mofakk Co- 
 venant^ depended on their Genealogy : 
 For to make out their Title, they muft 
 either prove themlelves Jews by Birth, 
 or Profelkijm^ which would oblige them 
 
 Q 3 tp 
 
^39 Of ^n APOSTLE. 
 
 - - ■■ ■ ■ . . 1 1, 
 
 to run up the Regifter to a full Difco- 
 very. Now the Profelites , tho' they 
 bad the Liberty of the Country, the 
 Proteftion of the Government, and the 
 Benefit of the Jeiri/S Religion, yet they 
 were not allow'd to poflefs any Eftates 
 in Land. For the Edomites and Egypr 
 tknjt^ who had more Favour than other 
 Foreigners, were not admitted into the 
 peat. 2^. S. Congregation of the Lord till theThird Gcr 
 neration : But before this Period could 
 happen, the whole Country was divided 
 by Jojhua, and by the Conftitution in- 
 taird upon the Original Ifraelites. 
 
 We may obferve farther. That as God 
 bad determined , the MeJJiah fhould be 
 born of the Tribe of Jiidah 5 fo it was 
 necefTary, that the feveral Genealogies 
 of that Tribe fhould be very publickly 
 known. That this might be more effe- 
 ctually fecured, the care of Genealogies' 
 was made the Inclination of that Peo- 
 ple, and the Civil Intereft particularly 
 Incorporated with ito 
 
 And that they had Family-Records of 
 fufficient Antiquity , appears from the 
 Hiftory of the ScriptHre'fo 
 
 Thus, when Acha^z was tried about 
 
 ]fop. 7, the accurfed Things the guilty Tribe was 
 
 throughly diftinguifh'd into Families , 
 
 Houfholds^ 
 
Of an APOSTLE. 23 
 
 Hoirfbolds, and Perfons , and all the 
 feveral Subdivifions obligd fo appear 
 before JoJIjua. Neither was this liirtin- 
 ftion embarrafs'd by length of Time, 
 as we may learn from the Book of Sa- 
 mtiel : For when all the People met i ^s*^^- 10. 
 about the Eledfcion of a King , when 
 they enquired of God about the Choice 
 of the Perfon , the Tribe of Benjamin 
 was taken : And here the branching 
 of that Tribe into their refpeftive 
 Boufesy is as clear as in the former In- 
 ftance. 
 
 Farther^ Tis faid in Deuteronomy^ 
 That a Bajiard fiall not enter into theOent. 23. 
 Congregation of the Lord to his Tenth Ge- 
 neration. How could this Diftance of 
 Defcent be known without a fort of 
 Heralds Office^ or exaft Regifter, which 
 by the Conftitution of that Nation was 
 required to be kept ? 
 
 To proceed : The Pedigrees of the. 
 Families of this Nation , are carried 
 down to the Captivity, and fome of them 
 farther, as we may fee from the Firft of 
 Chronicles , where 'tis faid , (Chap. 9.) 
 That ail IJrael and Judah were reckon d ^^^^^ 
 hy Genealogies^ and written in the Books ^l^f^[ \'^^^^ 
 of the Kings of Jfrael and Jndah. 
 
 Q 4 Phllarch 
 
^33 Of ^//APOSTLE. 
 
 Philarch. You know^ the Captivity 
 made a terrible Revolution in the For- 
 tune of the Jevps : And when Towns 
 are fack'd, and Kingdoms conquered. 
 Records are oftentimes funk in the com- 
 mon Calamity. 
 
 Eufeb. You fay welL But that this 
 
 was not the cafe of the Jews^ we may 
 
 colled from the Account we have of 
 
 nxya. 2. their Return from Babylon i where, a- 
 
 cfjap, ^^ mong other things, we may take notice, 
 
 r-^3><^4- That the Children of Habaiah^ &c. 
 
 were put from the Priefthood , becaufe 
 
 they could not prove- their Defcent 
 
 from Aaron. Neither need we wonder 
 
 at this Exadnefs 5 for now the coming 
 
 of the Mejfiah drew nearer , and the 
 
 Promifes were more cxprefs. 
 
 Befides 5 Tho' they loft their Coun- 
 try by Nebuchadnez^zar ^ they knew the 
 Storm would blow over 5 they had 
 Prophets to fupport their Spirits, and 
 alTure them of a Return. Now, with- 
 out preferving their Pedigrees, Proper- 
 ty would have been ftrangely perplex'd 
 at their coming Home: For after the 
 Country was canton d and apportioned 
 amongft them by Jo/hua^ 'twas irrevo- 
 cably fettled upon the refpeftive Fami- 
 lies. For tho' a Man might convey 
 
 away 
 
0/4« APOSTLE. 233 
 
 away his Land for a fmall Term of 
 Years, yet it was to revert to him or 
 his Heirs at the Year of Jubilee^ tho' 
 the Purchafe-Money was unpaid. Thus 
 their Pedigrees being a Title, and in 
 fome meafure a Terrier to their Eftates, 
 'tis no wonder to find them carefully 
 preferv'd. 
 
 Eftates being thus governed , made 
 Nehemiah much troubled to fee the 
 Lands of the Jews alienated , and the i^chem. 5. 
 Laws of Inheritances over-born. 
 
 Philarch. Truly , I think , you hsem 
 have made it pretty plain, that the Cap- 
 tivity of Babylon did not make any 
 Break in th^ Genealogical Hifiory of the 
 Jevps. 
 
 Eufeb. Not at all, in the two Tribes 
 of Judah and Benjamin^ and the Aaro- 
 nical Line of Levi "^ : In this condition * i Omn. 
 they ftood, till the Genealogies of the ^;^;^^^ .^^ 
 Great Men were firft difturb'd hy Herod^ E:^ra,kci 
 till Jerufalem wa^imrnt by Tttus, till the 
 Jews were miferably harrafs'd by Adrian 
 all the Empire over. And tho* at this 
 time of day , a Thoufand Years goes a 
 great way in a Prince's Family, and of- 
 ten drives him to the obfcurity of a Pea- 
 fant • a private Jew could ftretch this 
 Period four or five times over, and bring 
 
 the 
 
234 Of art AFOSTLE.^'^^' 
 
 the Top of his Pedigree to Paradife and 
 Heaven. 
 Thus, for the purpofe 5 St» Paul in- 
 
 Fbil.^. $, forms us of his being a Hebrew of the 
 Hebrews 5 that is, bis Anceftors were: 
 originally Jewsy not Profelites : He was^ 
 as he explains himfelf, of the Stock oflf- 
 raelj of the Tribe of Benjamin. Now 
 which way could this be known, but ^ 
 by Genealogy and Length of Record } 
 To give another Inftance : St. James 
 the Jujiy Son to Cleopas^ and Coufin Gerr- 
 
 gaI.uj^. man to our Saviour, is ftiled an Apojile-^ 
 
 by St. Pa^l : Tistrue, he was none of 
 
 ' the Twelve 5 and therefore St. Hierom 
 
 calls him the Thirteenth in that Quality. 
 
 However, he was prefer'd to be the 
 
 Eufeh.Hiji chief of the Apojiolical College, and cho- 
 
 ^^^^^^ fen by Peter , James and John^ to the 
 Chair oi Jerufalem : Now this illuftrir 
 ous Biftiop being the Son of Cleophas^ 
 Jofeph's Brother , his Pedigree muft be 
 the fame with that of our Saviour , 
 which, by the Evangelift, is carried on 
 
 fttatth. I. to the Firft of Genefis. This is a fl€a- 
 der Addition in the Charafter before us 5 
 but I mention it only, to (liew the A- 
 pojilesy even at firft, had fomething to 
 recommend them in the modern Notion 
 of Efteem, Aud noWf^M you pleafe. 
 
Of an APOSTLE. ^35 
 
 we will proceed to fomething elfe. 
 
 FhiUrch. Pray, take your Method. 
 
 Eufeb. I fay, then one Branch of Ad- 
 vantage in the Apoftolical Office, is the 
 Greatnefs of the Reprefentation : Which 
 confifts, jF/Vy?, In the Perfon reprefent;- 
 ed 5 Secondly^ In the manner of repre- 
 fenting. As to the Firji 3 You know, 
 the credit of a Reprefenting Charader 
 rifes in proportion to the Quality of him 
 that gives it. Tiie Agent is confider'd 
 for the Dignity of his Mafter. This 
 Rule dates the Honour of Commiffions, 
 and governs the Preference of Ambaf- 
 fadors. To apply this : The Apoftles 
 were fent by no lefs a Perfon than our 
 Saviour himfelf, by the Deity incarnate, 
 by him who has all Povoer in Heaven 
 and Earthy is King of Kings ^ and Lord 
 of Lords. But this is not all 5 the man- 
 ner of Reprefenting is another Circum- 
 ftance of Advantage : They had not 
 their Authority from any fubordinat^g 
 Power, from any fuperiour Minifteft 
 like Under-Officers in the State. No : 
 They adted by immediate Cbmmiffion, 
 fet out from the Seat of Majefty, and 
 had their Inftruftions from the Prince 
 himfelf: As my Father fent me^ fo fend^^- J^^^ 
 I you : Gqye therefore and teach all Na-stmttL 
 
 tions. 23. 
 
2^6 0/^« APOSTLE. 
 
 tiofis. So that whether we confider the 
 Matter, the Manner, or the Extent of 
 the Comtniffion, they are all Marks of 
 peculiar Advantage : What Train, what 
 Equipage, what Mortal Embafly can 
 pretend. to the Luftre of this ? 
 
 Philarch. You have juft touched fome- 
 thing about their Employment, Will 
 you pleafe to go on with it. 
 
 Enfeb. Yes : And from this Topick 
 you'll find their Charader will rife ex- 
 tremely 3 'tis the Bulk and Serviceable- 
 nefs of Bufinefs, and the life it has in 
 the World , which makes an Employ- 
 ment honourable. And can any thing 
 compare with the Apoftles in this Par- 
 ticular ? Were they not to form and 
 inftrud the Church, and to govern the 
 moft Noble Society upon Earth ? Were 
 they not to publifh the Myfteries of R.e- 
 demption, the Offers of the New Cove- 
 nant, and the Glories of the other World ? 
 Did they not refrefh the Laws of Na- 
 ture, reform the Standart of Worlhip, 
 and bring Life and Immortality to Light .<? 
 V/ere they not to fettle Peace and Piety, 
 to bring Juftice into Pradice and Credit, 
 and to banifh Senfuality and Pride? In 
 Ihort , Were they not to refcue tlie 
 World from Vice and Ignorance , to 
 
 bring 
 
0/^;i APOSTLE. 237 
 
 bring them from Servitude to Freedom^ 
 from Darkpefs to Light , from Satan to 
 God.^ And can there be any thing 
 more illuftrious, than to make Laws for 
 Eternity, to be Vice-Roys of Heaven, 
 the Univerfal Bleffings of Mankind, and 
 the prime Inftruments of immortal Hap- 
 pinefs ? Farther 3 Tlieir Bufinefs was 
 to inform the Underftanding, to fweeten 
 the Temper, and raife the AfFedtions to 
 a nobler pitch 5 to make the Covetous 
 Open-handed, and the Ambitious con* 
 tented with their Lott ; to difarm Paf- 
 (ion and Revenge, and fupprefs thofe 
 'mutinous Qualities which ruffle and di* 
 fturb Society 5 'that Men might beat 
 their Swords into Plow-Jhares^ and their ifa. 2. 
 Spears into Pruning-hooks , that Nation 
 might not rife againjl Nation^ nor he 
 tempted to learn War any more : Their 
 Inftruftions were to combat the Preju- 
 dices of Education , the Impoftures of 
 Dodtrine , and the Barbarities of Cp-^ 
 ftom : They had nothmgoiHolo femes' s 
 Commiffion^ to affii^ the whole Earth ^7^^^^^^ ^* 
 to carry Conquelt in one Hand, and De- 
 folation in t'other. To turn Cities in- 
 to Rubbifti, to ftain the Rivers with 
 Blood, and ftrew the Fields with the 
 Carcajffes of the Slain. TIk Heathen Ex- 
 pedition's 
 
5^8 Of an APOSTLE. 
 
 f editions had quite another View. Their 
 Generals had Terror and Deftrudion in 
 their Banners : Their Motto^ like that 
 
 ^ Afchyl. of Capaneus'^\ was -areyiVa) •aroXiy They 
 
 2S. ^^^^ 1^^^ ^^^^ Pejiilence that wal^s in 
 Darknefs ^ a Thoufand fell befide the^^ 
 and Ten Thoufand at their Right Hand. 
 
 Fp/.pr* Their Triumphs were Servitude and 
 Ruin 5 and their Lawrels grew out of 
 the Miferies of Mankind. But the A-» 
 poftles had no fuch Defign : Their 
 Progrefs was great, 'tis true 5 They con- 
 quered at a mighty Rate, but then their 
 
 MaUc.4. Vi&ory had Healing in her Wings : They 
 made no Orphans nor Widows ; Peace 
 and Plenty were undifturb'd, and Im- 
 provement kept pace with them. The 
 World was much the better for their 
 Succefs: It grew much more inofFen- 
 five and ferviceable, more acceptable 
 and engaging than 'twas before. And 
 this may ferve to fhew the Advantage 
 of their Character, from the Nature of 
 their Employment. 
 
 Philarch. I confefs, their Defign was 
 noble and beneficial in the higheft De- 
 gree : For, what can be greater than 
 to retrieve the Dignity of Human 
 Nature, to bring the World to a Para- 
 diftacal State, and oblige People, m 
 
 their 
 
Of an A?OSTLE. 23^ 
 
 their beft capacities of Happinefs? I 
 remember, you mentioned fomethir^g a- 
 bout the Evidence of their Credentials 5 
 if you mean their Miracles^ I defire you 
 would pleafe to fpeak to that Circum-^ 
 ftance. 
 
 Eufeb. That was my Meaning , and 
 therefore I (hall proceed upon what you 
 fuggeft. And here the firft Miracles wc 
 meet with, were wrought upon them- 
 felves, to demonftrate their Mijjion^ and ^ 
 
 qualifie them for their Funftion* When^ 
 the Day of Pentecojl was fully come^ and 
 they were all ajfembled , there came fud- 
 denly a Sound from Heaven ^ as of a 
 mighty ruflying Windy and filVd allthc 
 Houfe, d^c. 
 
 Philarch. The Circumftances of this 
 Narrative are all extraordinary ; The 
 Wind was fudden, without any Signs 
 to exped it ; 'twas contrary to the Sum- 
 mer-Seafon of Pentecoji ; 'twas confin'd 
 to the Apoftles Room, as appears pretty 
 plainly from the Text : And in fine, 
 like the Storm at Elijah's Cave, it h^i Kings ip;, 
 all imaginable Marks of a fupernatural 
 Prefence. 
 
 Eufeh. Then we are told, That Fire 
 in the Figure of Tongues, fat upon the 
 Heads of each of them : This was an 
 
 Emblem 
 
a40 0/^// APOSTLE. 
 
 Emblem of the Gift of Languages, and 
 the Miracle was as bright as the Flame. 
 It made a great Noife in Jerufahm^ and 
 abundance of People came to fee the 
 Apoftles, and examine the Truth. And 
 here thefe Men of Galilee^ who had 
 neither travell'd out of Jewry ^ nor been 
 bred to Letters , were qualified to con- 
 verfe with all Foreigners, and fpoke as 
 ^^^ ^ many Languages on the fudden , as 
 lo/ii'/' would take up the Study of a whole 
 Life. This was a glorious Atteftation : 
 This muft needs make their Commiffion 
 undifputed, and their Charafter inde- 
 lible. Should a Prince be proclaimed 
 from the Skie, anointed out of the Am- 
 poule and crown d by an Angel, his Au- 
 thority could not be more vifible. 
 
 Philarch. You know , St. Paul was 
 none of the Apoftles at this Defcent of 
 the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Eufeb. That's true 5 but then he had 
 an equivalent Evidence for his Mijjion, 
 When he travelled from Jernfalem to 
 Tiamafcus^ a Scene was open'd from 
 Heaven, and our Saviour himfelf con- 
 versed with him : The Company were 
 Atis p. all aftonifh'd, and St. Paul ftruck Blind 
 with the Luftre of the Vifion : And 
 being afterwards cured by Miracle 5 he 
 
 had 
 
Of an APOSTLE. 241 
 
 had no Affiftance from the reft of the^^^'^.^'. 18. 
 Apoftles 5 his Inftrudions came all from 
 his Matter's Hand, and were given by 
 immediate Revelation. And as they 
 were commiflion d by Miracles , they GaU n, 
 were likewife enabled to work them. 
 They reftor'd the Lame to their Limbs, Aih g. 
 the Blind to their Sences, with a v^ovAa^s^. 
 fpeaking : They had Life and Death 
 in their power ; their Prefence was aHs 5. 
 fometimes Mortal ; and fometimes a a^s p; 
 Retreive from the Grave. They ex- 
 peird Devils and Difeafes, without fo>^^->'i^ 
 much as feeing the Patient 5 and their a^s 5. 
 ShadoTv was look'd on as a Cure. 
 
 PhiUrch. What you obferve , puts 
 me in mind of the Cripple, A^s 3. This / 
 
 Man had been lame from his Birth, a?^ 4, 
 was difabled to the lafl: degree, and 
 more than Forty Years old 5 and yet 
 upon St. Peters taking him by the 
 Hand , and bidding him rife in the 
 Name of Jefus Chriji , he immediately 
 fprings up, and commands his Motion 
 with as much eafe and vigour as if 
 he had always been well. To have the 
 Figure and Strength of the Mufcles , 
 the Condition of the Nerves, the Cra- 
 (is of the Spirits, all fct right in the 
 turn of at Hand, is aa. amazing Con- 
 R fideration ! 
 
04^. Of an KFOStLE. 
 
 fideralion ! The Ipeed of the Perfor- 
 mance , the inftantaneous Bleffing, is 
 Ikrprizing to Thought! What a mag- 
 t. nificent thing is a Miracle I To give 
 ii^ Limbs in this manner on the fudden, 
 % is next to the Greatnefs of Creation I 
 .z Had this Poor Man been curable by 
 Surgery or Phyfick, how long would 
 he have been in cominc^ thus forward ? 
 How heavy is meer Nature in her 
 Progrefs > How feeble are the Force 
 of Drugs, and the Prefcriptions of 
 Art > 
 
 Eftfeb. Your Difcourfe gives me a far- 
 ther Thought upon our Saviour's Mi- 
 texilc , . in raifing the Widow's Son to 
 Life : He ftop d the Hearfe as the 
 Corps was going to be buried 5 and 
 did no more than pronounce this (hort 
 Expreffion, I fay unto thee^ Toiwg IsUny 
 Arife : At thefe few words, the Dead 
 fate up, and the Miracle was finilb'd. 
 And does it not almofk over-fet the 
 Mild with Admiration, .to .confider the 
 mighty Alteration ? that fo wonderful 
 an .£ffcct fnould be brought about by 
 Means^ and Time fo very uiipromifing > 
 that a fingle Moment, a Word fpeak- 
 ing, fhould be powerful enough to fetch 
 a Grjature.from Frivatmz to Habit ^ 
 , .: from 
 
^ 0/4;^ APOSTLE- 7^ 
 
 from fuch Diftance and Oppofition of 
 Condition ? to fet the ftagnant Hu- 
 mours afloat, to throw fo fudden a 
 Motion into the Blood, and make the 
 Pulfe beat after fo great an Intermilli- 
 on 5 to retrieve the Fundions of Life, 
 and revive the concioufnefs of Sen/a-- 
 tion^ when they bad all been fmother'd 
 and extind for fo long a time 5 to re- 
 build fo curious a Strudure, when 'twas 
 tumbled into Ruin, and Rubbifb : To 
 do all this in the twifikling of m Eye, 
 by pronouncing a few Syllables, and by 
 the bare force of Will and Cowmand^ 
 is an aftonifliing Operation. This is 
 plain exerting the Deity, an open Stroke 
 of Omnipotence , and a Flafh of that 
 Ught to which no Man can approach, j xjm, 6. 
 This makes me recoiled honginms Re-i^- 
 mark upon Mofesz^ iLongtnm^ I fay, an^eiy^a^* 
 great Mafter of Stile and Thinking, he 
 admires the Sublime in this Expreffion, 
 And God faid^ Let there be Lights andOen.i. 
 there was Light : He tells us, Mofes 
 was undoubtedly no ordinary Perfon ^ 
 that tho' the words were plain , the 
 Sence was extremely Noble, and de- 
 fcrib'd the Majefty of God with won- 
 derful cleaitiefs. 
 
 R 2 The 
 
■744 0/^;z APOSTLE. 
 
 Methinks the Miracle above-mentioned 
 of our Saviour, and that of St. Peter on 
 Tabitha , has a great refemblance to the 
 Ans p. Force of that Fiat ^ Let there be Lighty 
 arjd there was Light. Tis true, there 
 was Matter pre-exiftent in the iirft cafe 3 
 but to drive om. fo ftrong an EfFed at 
 an Inftant , without any compafs or 
 proportion of Time, is almoft as a^ 
 mazing as the other. Well I Tho' the 
 • Powers of Nature are admirable, yet, 
 as you obferve, fhe is very flow in 
 her March, and weak in her Motion, 
 compared with him that made her. The 
 Vigour of Second Caufes , is but Impo- 
 tence to the Firfl. The Succours of com- 
 mon Providence , are nothing to the 
 Force \YhiQh Cod has referv'd in his 
 own Hand. 
 
 Fhilarch. That's certain : And there- 
 fore Miracles are powerful Means of 
 Convidion. To make the Deaf bear, 
 the Dumb fpeak , the Dead revive, 
 without Art or Application , are evi- 
 dent Proofs of Divinity: Such To- 
 picks, one would think, might extort 
 Belief. When the Apoftles came thus 
 in thQ lyemon fir atton of the Spirit^ and 
 of Power ^ they had little need of the 
 miking Words of JSi^'s Wifdom. Mi- 
 i : ; r J: Ji racks 
 
Of an APOSTLE. 245 
 
 racles are the moft irrefiftible Rheto- 
 ricl^; This, one would imagine, muft 
 Qve;'-bear allOppofitian^ and that np 
 Ignorance, no Prejudice or PaiTions, 
 couJd ftand againfl: them. When St. Paul 
 was thus fupplied, what occafion had 
 he for the Flourilh and Tinfel of the 
 heathen 0;-ators > Tho', in my Opi- 
 nion, his Speech to King Agrippa, has A^cs 26, 
 as tnqch Force and Addrefs, and much 
 more Greatnefs of Mind , than any 
 thing I have met with ^n Demojihenes or 
 Tnlly. 
 
 EufeL Your ipentioning ^ingAgrip- 
 pa^ puts me in mind of the Splendor of-4ffj25,ij. 
 the Appearance, and of the noble Free- 
 dom with which St. Paul delivered him- 
 felf. 
 
 PhiUrch. I don't wonder at all at 
 that : For befides the Advantage of his 
 Education, he had his Caufe and his 
 Mafter to aflSft him, Eufebm, tho', I 
 hope, I pay as great a Submiflion to the 
 Charader of a Crown'd Head as ano- 
 ther, yef I can't help faying, That in 
 my Opinion, a Prince ij^ade but a lean 
 Figure in conjparifon with an Apoftle^. 
 What is the Magnificence of Palaces , 
 the Richnefs of Furniture, the Quality 
 of Atten4anjce3 what's all this to the 
 R 3 Pomp 
 
^7^ Of an AVOSThE. 
 
 Pomp of Miracles, and the Grandeur 
 of fupernatural Power > • Mines of Gold, 
 and Rocks of Diamonds, are but the 
 Glimmerings of a Glowworm to fuch 
 Luftre as this/ To reinforce , or (top 
 the Vigour of Second Caufes, to change 
 the Courfe of Nature, and make Death 
 and Difeafe give way, is a much more 
 fhining Appearance than to befurround- 
 ed with Guards and Armies, and march 
 in all the Glitter of Human Glory, 
 What a little thing is the raifing a 
 Noble Strufture, the Temple of Herod^ 
 the LoHvro or the Efcnrld^ to the rai- 
 ling a Man from the Dead I A Prince- 
 can raife a Subjeft from Poverty to^ 
 Wealth 5 He can give a Cripple Silver 
 and Gold enough, but he cant give 
 him Limbs or Sences; he cant pro- 
 nounce that powerful Sentence, Rife 
 u^ and walk* A Prince can beftow 
 Marks of Diftinftion, and Pofts of Ho- 
 nour and Authority, but he can t give 
 'Ms 8. ly.ti^e HolyGhofl, he can t regifter his Fa- 
 vourites among the Quality of Heaven, 
 nor entitle them to the Blifs of Eter- 
 nity, No : ; Thefe Powers wefre Apo- 
 . {tolick Privilege, and the Enclofure of 
 theChurcfx^: ..The Prerogative Royal 
 cknt ftrcrch • tlitis far 3 ^ thefe Jewels 
 ''- ' '^ i — ' ! • ' ' '. are 
 
Ofa?i APOSTLE. 247 
 
 are not to be foiind in the Imperial 
 Crown. 
 
 Enfeb. If you pleafe^ well take leave 
 of this Head, and go on to another 
 Circumftance of Honour in the Apofto-T. 
 lick Funftion, 
 
 PkilarcL You mean theDifficulty and 
 Hazards of the Ex.ecution. 
 
 Enfeb. I do fo. And here I think 
 the Apoftles Profpeft was as black as 
 could be: They were to oppofe the 
 Religion of the Jem ^ to alter the Cu^ 
 jioms which Mofes had delivered , and 
 decry the Expedtation of a'Tempord 
 MeJJiah : They, were to charge the Go^ 
 vernment of that Nation with the high- 
 eft Crimes imaginable 3 they were to 
 tell them to their Faces, That they had 
 betray d the Saviour of the Worlds and A^si^^zvai 
 killed the Prince of Lift : How fuch a^'^'^' 
 MefTage as this would be pntertain'd by 
 the obftinate Jevps , they migl^t eafily 
 forefce. The Jeivs , I fay , the moft 
 hardned in Prejudice, the moft bigot- 
 ted to Error and Superftition. The Pre- 
 cedent of our Saviours Ufage was fufr 
 ficient for this purpofe ; They ftood out 
 againft the Evidence of his Character, 
 flander'd his Innocence, blafphem'd his 
 Miracles^ and refolv'd to njurther hiti^ 
 
<r^- 
 
 248 Of an APOSTLE. 
 
 for rdifing l^azarus from the Dead, ^e- 
 fides, our Saviour had fore-warn d his 
 Difciples vvb^t they were to expeft i^ 
 That they JJjwld be hated of all Men 
 for his Names fake 5 that they ficuld be 
 caji out of the Synagogues^ brought before 
 Kings ; and that thofe who killed them^ 
 Jhould think they did God fervice. Thi$ 
 prediction of rugged Treatment , was 
 plainly declared ; 'twas part of their 
 Mafter's Dodlrine 5 and the Truth of 
 it was equally unqueftionable with th^i 
 reft. 
 
 Fhilarch. The Prediftions you men-- 
 tion, related to their Reception amongft 
 the Heathens as well as the Jews : In- 
 deed, what could they expedl lefs from 
 People debauch'd by Cuftom and Re- 
 ligion ; a People that could plead An- 
 tiquity for their Error , and vouch 
 their Gods for their Vice > What like- 
 lihood was there, that a Doctrine of 
 Hardftiip and Self-Denial , of diftant 
 Hopes and unpalatable Pleafures, {hould 
 be relifti'd by a World over-grown 
 with Appetite, funk in Senfuality, and 
 enflav'd to Money and Ambition ? Thusjl 
 humanly fpeaking, they had reafon to 
 expeft Difcouragement and Oppofition^ 
 and to prepare for nothing but Suffer- 
 ing. 
 
Of an APGSTLE> 249 
 
 ing. But wjien I confider them endned 
 rvith Power from on High , this alters lu\^ 24. 
 the cafe extremely. When the Com-^^* 
 forter was t^eir Guard , and Oipnipo- 
 fence appeared for them, their way wa$ 
 fmooth'd, their Courage hardned, and 
 they had, as it were, an exemption 
 from the Infirmities of their Kind. 
 
 Eufeb. Under favour , this Miracu- 
 lous Alfiftance was no Armour of Proof 3 
 'twas ne er defign'd to make them in- 
 vulnerable, or to fet them above Vio- 
 lence and Out-rage. 'Tis true , they 
 were fully qualified for the Difcharge 
 of their Funftjon. But (till common 
 Nature hung about them 5 they were 
 fenfible of Want, aqd exposed to Inju- 
 ry : Their Miracles were to prove their 
 Miffion, to make way for their Doftrin, 
 and more for others than themfelves. 
 When They were concerned in the Bene- 
 fit , the Interppfition of Heaven was 
 more immediate. Thus St. Peter was 
 refcued from Prifon by an Angel, and a^s li: 
 not by a Miracle wrought by him- 
 fclf. Indeed, by what the Apoftles fuf- 
 fer'd, 'tis moft likely they could not al- 
 ways work Miracles. Afflidions are ve- 
 ry uneafie to Flefh and Blood, and we 
 are glad (o difcharge them fair)y a? 
 
 foon 
 
250 Of an AFOSTLE. 
 
 foon as we can. Now the Apoftles 
 were perfecuted from one City to ano- 
 A^s 14: ther , prefs'd above meafure , pinch 'd 
 ^^^'^- with Hunger and Cold , made a %- 
 2 Cor. u Uach of Contempt, and harrafs'd with 
 '^''•^- all the HardQiip imaginable. They 
 v/ere fenfible of this Difadvantage 5 
 they would, 'tis likely, have thtown 
 it off too, had they been backed with 
 Permifiion and Power. Tis true, their 
 Patience was not over-fet ; they- were 
 pot tired with their Commiffion. But 
 this hinders not their willingnefs to 
 move with greater eafe. However, God 
 was pleas'd not to make them impreg- 
 nable 5 they were left under the Paf- 
 iivenefs of Human Nature ^ Ppverty 
 and Pain could reach them 5 they 
 cur'd the Difeafes of other People, but 
 felt their own. 
 
 Phllarch. The Miracles they wrought 
 notwithftanding , fhou'd , one would 
 think, have fupported their Charader, 
 and kept them from falling into Neg- 
 left. 
 
 Eufcb. I obferv'd to you before, this 
 fupernatural Light was not conftantly 
 ftreaming down , this Glory was not 
 perpetually upon their Heads, neither 
 tiid they always appear in their Rob^s 
 
Of an AVOSTLE. 251 
 
 of State. Befides , The Oppofition of 
 their Doftrine to the Corruptions of 
 Human Nature , made their Miracles 
 lefs regarded : People were unwilling 
 to own their Credentials, and furrender 
 to fuch unacceptable Truths : ' Thus^ 
 tho' they were fometimes taken fo^ 
 Gods, worftiipp'd with Sacrifice, re- A^si^. 
 ceiv'd like Chrift JefuS himfelf 5 yetG^/.4/ 
 at another time, they were counted De- 
 ceivers, imprifoned, and ftoned, and 
 no Indignity thought too heavy for 
 them. 
 
 PkilarcL I confefs, the Apoftles had 
 a very difficult Employment ; their Re- 
 fignation was put to the Proof, and 
 their Fortitude try'd to the utmoft. 
 They did not cornmand Nature for 
 themfelves, nor grow rich and eafie by 
 their wonderful Performances. And be- 
 fides, There feems to have been Inter- 
 vals of Darknefs, Breaks and Tnterrup- 
 tions, and that fometimes, like Samfons^ 
 their borrowed Strer/gth departed from 
 them 5 departed, I fay, for the height- 
 ning their Merit, and not through any 
 JFault of their own. Mofes and Jofhim 
 were put iif a PofI: much more agree- 
 able to the Inclinations of Human Na- 
 ture : They were at the Head of a nu- 
 merous 
 
352 Of an APOSTLE. 
 
 merous Nation, commanded vaft Ar- 
 roies, and had Grandeur and Power to 
 fupport their Spirits. And as for their 
 Miracles, they were conftantly fupplied, 
 and had all the Blaze and Terror ima- 
 ginable. They made ^ Road of dry 
 Land through the Sea, difiblv'd Rocks 
 into Rivers , and ftop d the Courfe of 
 the Sun : This alarm'd to a great Di- 
 fiance, and made the Heathen tremble 
 before tjhem. This Service might even 
 have been courted by Flefti and Flood : 
 Who would not have ftrove for fuch 
 Stations of Honour, and been glad of 
 fuch a fljining Diftinftion > Now tho* 
 the Apoftles Miracles were as much a- 
 bove the Force of Art, fufficjently pub- 
 lick, frequently repeated, and every way 
 as unqueftionable , yet the firft Report 
 reached not fo far, neither was the Voice 
 of Heaven altogether fo loud. There 
 was not altogether fuch an Eclat, fuch 
 Thunder, fijch renverfing of Nature as 
 in the other : The ftate of the World 
 v/as now alter 'd, and Mandkind farther 
 improved 5 there was not now the fame 
 Motives to be always Flaftiing from the 
 Skfe^ and aftoni(b People into Belief 5 
 and therefore Gpcileft fomething to pro- 
 bity of Temper , and the reafonsblenefs 
 
 of 
 
0/^;^ APOSTLE. 253 
 
 cf the Chriftian Doftrine. However, by 
 this Difpenfation , the Apoftles were 
 foraewhat lefs underftood, the Difficul- 
 ties of their Bufinefs encreas'd, and 
 they lay more obnoxious to rugged 
 Ufage. 
 
 Eufeh. Notwithftanding your Com- 
 parifon, I hope you don't think Mofef 
 or Jojhna were governed by any fecu- 
 lar View in their Obedience. 
 
 FhiUrch. Far from it 5 that wonld 
 be a moft unjuft and prefumptuous 
 Conjefture ! Eafe and Ambition had 
 no Afcendant : They would , doubt- 
 lefs , have ferv'd God in a more pri- 
 vate and difcouraging Station , with 
 the fame Zeal they did in their own. ; 
 Eiifeb. We are agreed. And by thi^ 
 time I hope 'tis plain, that the Apoftles 
 Virtue was brought to the Teft 5 that 
 they forefaw the danger of the Enter-- 
 prize 5 that they engaged notwithftand*- 
 ing the Difcouragement 5 that whetf 
 the Storm fell upon them, they bore W" 
 with the gxeateft Bravery , and diftin- 
 guiOi'd themfelves with all imaginable 
 Advantage. 
 
 Fhtlarch. Have you any thing elfe 
 relating to the manner of their Beha- 
 viour > 
 
254 0/4;^ APOSTLE. 
 
 Efffeb. Yes: Some few Particulars 
 
 which I ihali briefly touch on. 
 PhiUrch. Pray, let*s hear them. 
 Eiifeb. I might take notice, how ftrid:- 
 \y they liv'd up to their ov/n Kules , 
 how exadly their Pradice and their 
 Precepts agreed 5 how remarkable tiiey 
 were for their Sobriety, their Integrity, 
 
 I Cor. 10. their Contempt of the World, coveting 
 no Mans Silver or Gold^ corrupting no 
 Man^ defrauding no Man^ g^'^^^g Offence 
 neither to Jew, Uentile or Chrijiian ^ ap^ 
 pealing to their Converts, how holiiy, 
 
 1 Tkeff.2. how juftly, how nnblamably they had be- 
 
 ^^^^^' havd then/f elves. I might oblerve the 
 Ardour of their Charity 5 Their Kind- 
 nefs to the World was unalterable, their 
 Zeal not to be difcourag'd : No Dif- 
 ^ appointment, no Danger, no Barbarity, 
 could di(hearten them from doing Good. 
 But I (hall wave this part of their Cha- 
 Tacter, and remark, in a word or two, 
 the generous Freedom they ufed in the 
 Difcharge of their Office. 
 . Philarch. With all my Heart 5 a little 
 of that, if yiou pleafe, 
 
 Eufeb. When they were all imprifon'd 
 
 ^^^ 5- and filenc d by the Order of the Govern- 
 ment, we find them the next Day in 
 the Temple , teaching as publickly as 
 
 ever. 
 
0/^ APOSTLE. 255 
 
 ever. And when they were brought 
 before the Sanhedrim , they declared in 
 open Court, That that Jefus^ whom the 
 Bench bad niurther'd , was raisd from 
 the Dead, was a Prince and a Saviour 5 
 and that 'twas from him they were to 
 exped Remilfion of their Sins. With ^^^V. 
 this fevere Plainnefs , St. Panl treated 
 Fdix the Vice-Roy of Judea: He 
 talk'd fo home to him about Jufiice^ 
 about Temperance , and Judgment ta 
 come , that the Governour forgot his 
 Charader , drop'd his Grandeur, and . 
 trembled before his Prifoner. Atis 24. 
 
 Philarch. I think the Holy Apoftles 
 fpoke in the fame intelligible Language 
 to their Converts, upon occafion. 
 
 Enfeb. That they did : They under- 
 ftood nothing of fome Peoples modern 
 Ceremony and Addrefs ; they conceaFd ^ 
 no necefiary part of Inftrudion , for 
 fear of Difpleafure : They fcrupled 
 not to publilh their Commiflion , 
 and fee forth their Authority : They 
 told the L^r/y plainly, that they were 
 Amhjfadors of Chrifl ^ that they were j ^^^4,^^ 
 their Fathers ., that they were to rebuke 
 fiarpljf, and that no Man bad the li- 
 berty to defpife them. j-^ ,. 
 
 Eufeb. 
 
2^6 Of an APOSTLE. 
 
 Philarch. Yes : And that the People 
 Beh. ig. were to obey them and therr Sacceilbrs, 
 and fubmit thewfelves. 
 
 Eufeb. And yet this Plain Dealing 
 
 was not only with the Vtalgar r The 
 
 ApoftleS were concern d with Perfons 
 
 of Quality, as we may colled from St. 
 
 ^^jig. PauVs converting Sergius Faulus^ Lord 
 
 Lieutenant of Cyprus^ from the honoufa:- 
 
 A^s 17. ble Women oiTheJJalonica^ from Dionyfius 
 
 the AreopagitCj from the Saints of C^- 
 
 FM/^4• farsHoHjfjold, from the fame Apoftle's 
 
 I Tim. 6. Charge to Timothy concerning the Weal- 
 
 ^'^^ thy^ from his and St. l?eter\ Injundion 
 
 iF^f.g.g.about VearU and Richnefs of Habit. 
 
 However, they declared openly againft 
 
 1 T^eJ. 2. Platiery^ Over-complaifance^ and having"' 
 
 ^* any Per/on in Admiration becaufe ofAd^' 
 
 vantage. (Gal. I. 10. Jude 16.) 
 
 Philarch. Fm convinced by what yout* 
 fay. That the Apoftles were every way 
 great, and unexceptionable 5 that their 
 Manner was impartial, and their Con-^ 
 duft admirable : They did not, I per-« 
 ceive , ftiew mofl: of their Authority 
 where there was leaft need on't 3 they 
 did not palt the Poor with their Dif- 
 cipline, and let the Rich fin as much 
 as they pleas'd ; they were Strangers 
 to politick Connivance, did nothing out 
 
 of 
 
Of an APOSTLE. 257 
 
 of fecular Regards , nor were in the 
 leaft governed by Intereft or Fear. 
 
 Etifeb. Not in the leaft : Arid now^ 
 if you pleafe, for a condufion of their 
 Charader, we'll add a word or tw6 a- 
 bout their Succefs; 
 
 Philarch. That, I thint, may not be 
 amifs. 
 
 Eufeb. Tbo' when an Enterprize is 
 honourably engaged in. Well concerted, 
 and vigoirroufly purfned, Difappoint- 
 ment is no leflening of Commendation : 
 Yet that which is undertaken for the 
 Benefit of others, being really profitable 
 only fo far as the EfFeft reaches, it may 
 not be improper to mention the Succefs 
 of thefe Holy Men: For by this we 
 may fee, how much the World has been 
 oblig d by them. Now there was fcarce 
 any Place fo remote, any Peopk fo bar- 
 barous, where they did not make Profe- 
 lites. They almoft literaHy performed 
 our Saviour's Commands oi Preaching sz.myk 
 t$ every Creature. And St. Paul tells us, ^^• 
 Their Sound rcent into all the Earthy and Km- lo* 
 their Words unto the Ends of the World. 
 St. Peter ^ St. John, and St. Paul, had 
 Converts in the greateft part of the Ro- 
 man Empire. St. Bartholomew and St. 
 Matthew carried their Commiffion as 
 fsLTZSJEthiopia:^ St. Simon xhQ Canaanite^ 
 ^ S preach'd 
 
258 Of an APOSTLE. 
 
 preach'd the Gofpel in Mefopotamia^ 
 Mgypt and Ferjia : St. Andrew traveird 
 to the Coafts of the Black ^^^^ and from 
 thence went Northward into Schythia : 
 And St. Thorns ftretch'd Eaftvvard to 
 Malabar^ the Gulph of Bengale^ and as 
 far as thelfland oi Sumatra. In all thefe 
 Places, they propagated the Faith, form'd 
 Churches , and fettled a Fund for the 
 Happinefs of Pofterity. In ftiort, they 
 traveird almoft as far as the Sun, and 
 the Seafons , faw their Mafter have the 
 Pfal. 2. Heathen for his Inheritance^ and the ut^ 
 mojl Parts of the Earth for his Pojfejfion. 
 This Remark (hews, how great Benefa- 
 ftors they were to the World, how in- 
 defatigable in their Labours, and how 
 faithful in the difcharge of their Of- 
 fice. 
 
 Philarch. Yes: And it fhews like- 
 wife the Affiftance from Above, the fu- 
 pernatural Qiialifications , the miracu- 
 lous Power which went along with 
 them. Without fuch Auxiliaries^ they 
 muftall have funk in the Attempt. How 
 was it poffible for a few poor Men fo 
 low in their Intereft and Education, to 
 break through the Oppofition of Jerp/ 
 and Gentiles ^ to baffle their Learning, 
 anddefpife their Power? to make them 
 throw up their ancient Belief, and re- 
 
 ^ nounce 
 
Of an APOSTLE. 25^ 
 
 nounce that Life they were moft in love 
 with } Thus unpromifing were the A- 
 poftles in their natural Capacities, thus 
 (hort in their proper Strength 5 and 
 therefore their wonderful Succefs is an 
 illuftriousProof of an Omnipotent Con- 
 currence, afferts their Million and their 
 Doftrine beyond all difpute. 
 
 Eufeb. Your Obfervation is jufl: : And 
 now, I think, 'tis time to difmifs the 
 Argument. For I need not tell you, 
 how much they fuffer'd through their 
 Progrefs, and how glorioufly they went 
 off into the other World. But before 
 their Departure, they took care to per- 
 petuate their Authority, and provide 
 Governours for the Church. Thus the 
 Jurifdidion wasconvey'd to Bifliops and 
 Priefts : This Succeffion has continued, 
 without interruption, for above Sixteen 
 hundred Years : And, I fuppofe, you'll 
 eafily grant, it ftands upon unquefti- 
 able Records^ and is honourably de- 
 fcended. 
 
 Philarch. I mull: deny my Reafoa 
 ftrangely, and in a manner my Sences, 
 if I (hould doubt the Records : But, I 
 fee, you are fomewhat in hafte, and 
 therefore I muft take my leave. 
 
 Eufek Your Servant. 
 
 S ^ O £ 
 
hsbwuhbpp^ 
 
 260 :. J II JO' ^' 
 
 XfM 
 
 o F 
 
 ,fi2tl3C5aii 
 
 wic. -v/i ;.x».>2 ^■&'>' 
 
 Solitude pmmtfes fair,' and isa'ftmiyg 
 Entertainment to a melancholly 
 ,, ; Fancy r But were the Notion dri- 
 ven up, and try'd in its fartheft extent,we 
 fhould quickly change our Opinion. Like 
 a great many other things, 'tis better in 
 Profpeftthan PoITeffion; Like a Sura- 
 mer's Gloud in the Evening, it looks 
 fpft and fine at a Diftance, and prefents 
 u?, wi.th a great many pretty Figures .5 
 fei^t^heayou comeclofe to the Obje^^ 
 tlie Colours are rubb'd out , and the 
 Subftaiice (brinks : And there's nothing 
 remaining but empty Air 5 nothing that 
 wiirdiher pleafe the Eye, or fill the 
 Crg(p^^,,Man was never defigh'd to be 
 perfectly detach'd , and live indepen- 
 dently- of his Kind J He was not made 
 big -enough for that Gonditionv ';i>«\Vifv 
 ddm/xwa.i created in the Grow^b of 
 his Stature , in the Perfeftion of his 
 Species, and had nothing of the defence- 
 
 iefs 
 
0/ SOLITUDE. 261 
 
 lefs State of Infanxry to run thorough ; 
 There was nothing but Plenty and Plea- 
 fure, Inijocence and Security, in view: 
 He had neitiier Want to diftrefs him. 
 Danger to alarm him, or Guilt to make 
 himiineafie. But notwithftanding this 
 Paradifc, both mthont and within^ God 
 £aw his Being imperfed, and that 'twas 
 not good for him to be alone. And if 
 Happinefs is impracticable without So- 
 cktyy if Solitude, ftriftly taken, WD*n't 
 do \x\, Paradife , 'tis in vain to exped 
 from it elfevvhere. Were one's Circun?- 
 ftances never fo eafie, and well fortify 'd, 
 there's a Pleafure in tiie communication 
 of Thought , in the intercourfes of 
 Friendftiip , and the Teftimonies of 
 Efteem. Human Happinefs in a fingle 
 Breaft, is like Flame without Air, apt 
 to be fmother'd , and go out. Thus 
 Seneca declares, That ;/ ICnovpledge and Ppffl. 6. 
 Wifdom Tpas offer d him on the T^rms of 
 a Secret^ and that be mnji not f^y a vpord 
 ont^ he wonfd pofitipely rcfufe the Prefertt. 
 Tully carries the Hint foraewhat 
 higher: If a Perfon^ fay^ he, of Sence De offic. 
 and Probity was fnrmjijd with all the^^^'^'' 
 BleJJingj; of Life J and had never fo much . 
 Wealthy Leifure^ and Largcnefs of Un- 
 derjlanding, yet if he was barrd all wan- 
 ner of Company , and; never allowed fo, 
 S 2 much 
 
a62 0/ SOLITUDE. 
 
 much as to fee a Man , he had better 
 throw tip his Beings and fairly take leave 
 cf the World. Thefe great Men might 
 poflibly have fomewhat of Vanity ivt 
 in their Fancy : 
 
 TerL ^Srire tuum nihil eji nifi quod fcias hoc 
 
 fciat alter. 
 The Furniture of the ^ind muft be 
 brought out to view and comparifon : 
 Advantage is loft in the Dark. What 
 fignifies Beauty without Admirers , or 
 Finery lock'd up in a Cheft ? Thus 
 
 tacths. Germanicus^ as I remember, was forry 
 his Troops were cut off 5 he had loft, 
 he faid , fo many Witnefles of his fu- 
 ture Conduft and Courage, and wanted 
 them alive to commend him. 
 
 However, A Man well accommodated, 
 may love Company from a more gene- 
 rous Motive: To transfufe his Satif- 
 "fadion, and ftiew his Good Nature 3 
 to inftrud, to oblige and entertain. 
 
 But to take the Cafe at the hardeft 5 
 Pride is not the only unhappy Reafon 
 that makes People unwilling to live a- 
 lone. No : Solitude gives too much 
 Icifure for Reflexion, opens an unaccep- 
 table Scene, and (hews a Man the Po- 
 verty of his own Nature. For let the 
 QuM'ide look never fo fair, 'twill by 
 no means be^r the Teft of a thorough 
 
 Infpe- 
 
O/SOtlTUDE. 263 
 
 Infped:ion : The Stores, when examined, 
 will fall ftrangely ihort. The raoft 
 knowing and powerful will foon be at 
 a (land : They'll quickly perceive their 
 Underftanding puzzled, and their Will 
 check'd, in abundance of things. Be- 
 fides, The Uncertainty of the Future, 
 and the Thoughts of Death will crowd 
 in : In fhort. Nothing but the Sup- 
 ports of Religion can make a Man fit 
 to entertain himfelf : Now, Company 
 gives Bufinefs and Diverfion , draws 
 the Mind abroad , and keeps People's 
 Thoughts from preying upon them- 
 felves. 
 
 However, Nothing pleafes long to- 
 gether : Ignorance , Intereft and Hu- 
 mour, make the World fomewhat un- 
 fociable : And therefore, when we overr 
 rate our Pretenfions, and promife our 
 felves too much, 'cis odds if we are not 
 baulk'd. Now, when Expedations rua 
 high, and Paffions are laviftily let loofe, 
 Difappointment is a hard Chapter, And 
 becaufe we are not carefs'd in our Fol- 
 ly, huniourd in our Pride, and treated 
 Up to the Extravagance of our Demands, 
 we complain of ill Ufage , and grow 
 cbagrineand fick of the World. And if 
 we can t be courted, and have our Will^ 
 we'll fall intq a Fit of Retirement, and 
 84 make 
 
ci64 0/8GLltupE. 
 
 »■■—■» „ .. I . ■ I iia—— — — fcat^— H ill i w i — — .^— — 
 
 niake Company no lorigef : How ojEteii 
 does the Declenfions of Iritereft, ' the 
 Misfortunes in Love or Ambition, drive 
 People out of Bufinefs and Sight, and 
 raafce them withdraw to Privacy > Thus 
 Children, when they are crofs'd in their 
 Fancy, walk off, and ftand fuUen in a 
 corner. 
 
 Some People retire to conceal their 
 Defe(S:s. They are fufEciently acquaint- 
 ed with the lean Temper of the gene- 
 rality 5 how forward the World is to 
 fpy out a Fault , and publifh a Difad- 
 vantage : And therefore, they are un- 
 willing to have the Imperfeftions of 
 Age or Fortune gaz'd at, and remarked. 
 Too much Light difcovers the Wrin- 
 kles, which makes them chufe to fit out 
 of the Sun. U z-p . . - 
 
 Sometimes Retirement is made a Co- 
 lour for Liberty. Men withdraw as T/- 
 herws did to Caprc^e^-^ to be more at lei- 
 fure for their Vices, to debauch without 
 interruption, and be fomewhat coverd 
 from Cenfure and Obfervation. 
 
 There are feveral Degrees, and, as it 
 were. Apartments in Solitude: Thofe 
 may bjO/iaid to retire, . who break off Bu- 
 finefs, quit the Stage, ?a ad (hut up the 
 Scene: They are harrafs'd, it may be, 
 with. the Fatigues, >gr; fated with the 
 K " Pleafures 
 
 V 
 
0/ SOLITUDE, 26j^ 
 
 Pleafures of a Publick Life : It may fee, 
 riiey forefqe ill Weather, and are wil- 
 ling to put into Port. To keep out at 
 Sea may endanger the Veffel. When 
 the Junfture proves unfavourable, 'tis 
 prudence for a Great Man to draw in 
 his Figure , to furle the Sails, and take 
 himfelfa Deck lower: Voluntary Mor- 
 tification looks better than Penance en- 
 joined* In fuch cafes, 'tis more advifa- 
 ble to walk down Stairs, than to (land 
 ftill, and be thrown out at the Window, 
 Had Cardinal Woolfej managed with 
 this caution , 'tis probable he might 
 have rid out the Court-Storm. But his 
 unfeafonable Grandeur undid him; his 
 pompous Preparation for his Inftalment 
 at Tork, gave his Enemies a new Handle, 
 awaken d the King's Difpleafure , and 
 Jinifti'd his Ruin. 
 
 To retire for Quiet and Thinking, is 
 a commendable Motive. Wheii there's 
 nothing but Noife and Purfuit in the 
 open Plains, 'tis good to niake for the 
 Covert. Amici funs Temporis\ fays my 
 Lord Baco^: Converfation is a meey 
 Thief, deals off a great part of out 
 Time, and often ftuffs our Memory 
 with Rubbifh. Some People are over- 
 laid with Ceremony and Vifits, work'd 
 down: with giving Andience^ ^amd almoft 
 
 "kiira 
 
266 0/SOLITUDE. 
 
 kiird with the Kiodnefs of their Ac- 
 quaintance. Solitude is a great Relief 
 in fuch Circumftances : They are glad 
 to get clear of the Crowd for Air and 
 Breathing, and to have their Motion a 
 Jittle better at liberty. 
 
 To withdraw upon the Score of Re- 
 ligion, is a Reafon ftill higher than the 
 reft. To (hut up the Profpeft of this 
 World, that we njay take the better 
 view of the other, is a prudent Precau- 
 tion. Tis good fometimes to retreat 
 from Company, and bar the Door up- 
 on Bufinefs and Diverfion : And wlien 
 we are thus difengaged, to infpeft our 
 Pradice, to ftate our Accounts, and ex- 
 amine our Condition for Eternity. Ti? 
 good to make a ftand by our felves, and 
 confider how well we are reconciled to 
 a ftate of Separation. Death is a re- 
 markable Retirement: It tranfports us 
 into a Foreign Country, and cuts off all 
 manner of Communication : The So- 
 - ciety and Entertainments of this Life, 
 are perfectly at an end : Nay, it divides 
 pur Perfon for fome tim.e, and removes 
 us from part of our felves. Things 
 ftanding thus , we fliould endeavour to 
 difentangle before-hand, to untwift our 
 Affedions, and ilide off from the World 
 by degrees : And, finf e the Objects of 
 
 Sence 
 
0/ SOLITUDE. ^6j 
 
 Sence will ftiortly fail us, let ns lefTen 
 the Correfpondence, and try a little to 
 live without them: Let us apply to 
 a more lafting Fund; and fubiifl: our 
 Happinefs upon Thought. To retire 
 for fuch Purpofes as thefe, is the bed 
 improvement of Solitude : To be thu§ 
 alone, is the way to bring us to the moft^ 
 defirable Company, 
 
 But, fome Peoples Melancholy drives 
 them to an Excefs : They are loft in ^ 
 Miftof the Spleen. A Cloyfier is too 
 publick for their Devotion. They think 
 all Societji infectious : And, that every 
 Mortal has the Tokens upon him. This 
 was the cafe of Monfieur de la Barriere^ 
 Abbot de Femllans. He was once re- 
 folv'd to quit his Monaftery, to travel 
 into the Defarts, and get entirely out of 
 the reach of all Mankind. His Defign s 
 was pious and well meant. Twas to 
 guard his Innocence, and cover himfelf 
 the better from Temptation. Company 
 ferv'd only to throw in falfe Opinions, to 
 poifon the Paffions, and make the Mind, 
 uneafie. But, under favour, there's no 
 Security from this Danger, by running 
 av^ay from all the World. Errors and 
 ill Thoughts are oftentimes no foreign 
 Commodity , but purely of our owrt 
 Growth * Fear and Defire are trouble-" 
 
a68 0/ SOLITUDE. 
 
 fom Guefts, and will break in upon the 
 clofeft tletirement As long as the Pulfe 
 beats, the Spirits will be fometimes ir- 
 regular, and the Head over-caft : Then 
 unwelconi Ideas will intrude, and the 
 Fancy be baggd of courfe : And if we 
 have neither Phyfick nor Company , 
 how can the Conftitution be relieved, 
 f)r the progrefs of our Melancholy be 
 ftopp'd > Befides, The Mind can ex- 
 ert her felf by her own Force : There'?, 
 no need of pouring Thoughts into her, 
 like Water into a Pump : And as lopg 
 as (he can think without Company, (he 
 can plague her felf without it toa^ 
 Farther 5 To take leave of the World, 
 is not the way to be quit of thofe Fan- 
 cies which deceive : To command for- 
 getfulnefs, and blot the Memory where 
 we pleafe, is hardly to be expeded: 
 And^ it may be, leaft of al} when Peo.^ 
 pie arc alone. When the Mind is by 
 her felf, (he h?s notjiing to do but to 
 perufe her Notioi)s , and examine her 
 StocfkV Then, what.fhe has heard or 
 read j^ brought upon the Board 5 and 
 that'wliich llfept in company, is often 
 awak^h*d. Then; there s leifure for 
 cEarging the Itoginatioa, for drawing 
 the Obje£^s; and Pointing at the whole 
 length. Thus ill Humour may 6e forr 
 
 tified, 
 
0/SOLltUDE. i6^ 
 
 tified, and the Paffions enflam'd 5 and 
 Melancholy, Anger or Revenge, grow 
 more unmanageable than otherwife. Ill 
 Thoughts are moft dangerous in Soli- 
 tude i There's nothing to interrupt the 
 Mifchief, to divert the Fancy, and 
 weaken the Impreffion. To retire 
 wholly from Bufinefs and Converfatioii, 
 is a dangerous Experiment, and leaves 
 us ftrangely expos'd. But is not Vice 
 catching ? And are we not the worfe 
 for the Folly of thofe we converfe 
 with 5 and are not all People tinftiir'd 
 with unferviceable Qualities > How then 
 can we be fecure without flyitig the 
 Seat of Infeftion, and bidding Mankind 
 Adieu > In anfwe? to this, I grant that 
 bad Company gives bad Imprellions, 
 and fuggefts ili Thoughts, but poffi- 
 bly the Devil may furnifh more.. The 
 Apoftle informs us that we have more 
 formidable Enemies to encounter than 
 FhJJd and Blood, that we vpreflh mth'Ephef.'S.ji.. 
 Principalities and Fovpers^ and that the 
 Kingdom of Darknefs is in Arms a- 
 gainft us. Now tho the Devil is bufie 
 in all places, yet Solitude feems to be 
 his ground of advantage 5 and from 
 whence be plays his Batteries with 
 moft'Succcfs: Thus.we.fce he vcntuT'd 
 
t;o 0/ SOLITUDE- 
 
 to attack our Saviour himfelf when he 
 found him in the Wildernefs. 
 
 Tis true, wrong Apprehenfions warp 
 , the Morals, and bring Diforder into 
 Life : For the Will is fway'd by the 
 Underftanding, and Praftice often go- 
 verned by Principles- But what then > 
 Can't we fall into Miftakes without 
 help ? Muft we needs be infallible a- 
 lone ? " Does not the Mind often dif- 
 courfe with herfelf ? A Man may affirm 
 and deny, and reafon through Mood 
 and Figure^ without the ailiftance of 
 his Neighbours. But then all thefe 
 Operations are fubjed to Error. If 
 we joy n Notions that won't agree, of 
 part thofe which were made to be to- 
 gether 5 if we let go the Link between 
 Confequence and Principle, and draw 
 our Inferences out of the right Line 5 
 If vv^e make a falfe ftep , I fay , in 
 any of thefe Motions, we lofe our way, 
 and wander into Miftake: There's no 
 need of any Body to mifguide us, we 
 are often an ignis fatuus to our felves,.. 
 Ignorance and Error were not always 
 catch'd and copy'd. They were bred 
 like Difeafes at firft, and invented fome 
 where, tho' the Original may be out 
 of fight. And thus tho' we had never 
 
 feea 
 
0/ SOLITUDE- i^x 
 
 feen any Mortal, we might have Folly 
 enough of our own making to un- 
 do us. 
 
 But granting for Argument fake, that 
 ail falfe Reafoning, all the Mutiny and 
 Misfortune of our Thoughts, was the 
 effeft of Converfation : Muft we ftieer 
 off from every Thing Humane upon 
 this fcore > Muft we trot into the 
 Woods, and climb the Mountains,, 
 and turn Savages for our Security > If 
 I happen to be wounded with a Sword 
 or Piftol, I may certainly conclude the 
 mifchief comes from fome of my own 
 Species : But for all that, I wont for- 
 fvvear the fight of Mankind in a Pet, 
 take a Pilgrimage into the Defarts, and 
 make my Wound Mortal for want of 
 dreffing. No, Til much rather apply 
 to a good Surgeon, and fubmit to the 
 methods of Cure. But if I have adual- 
 ly received no fuch misfortune, 'twould 
 be ftill morefreakifti and fingular, fhould 
 I break Bulk and travel out of Society^ 
 only for the bare fear, and poffibility of 
 « (hrew'd Turn. Tis more prudential 
 to ftand ones Ground, to fence againft 
 the Inconveniences, and rifque theE-* 
 vent. Thus, In cafe I (hould either 
 hear, or apprehend any fcandalous Dif- 
 
 courfe 
 
^ji or S^OLITUDE. 
 
 courfc from bad Company, I wouM 
 not immediately disband my felf, and 
 abjure the World : Not at all. The 
 way is to projed for a reinforcement 5 
 ta keep clofe to Men of Virtue and 
 Senfe, and ftand carefully upon ones 
 ciuardo 
 
 To proceed. What if ill Notions 
 are now and then fcatter*d, and Man- 
 kind prove fometimes infeftiousto each 
 other? Have we not an Antidote a- 
 gainft the Poyfon ? And does not the 
 Remedy come from the lame Quarter 
 with the Difeafe > Is it not Men that 
 furni(h us with the Precepts of Virtue, 
 and the Rules of good Living ^ Don't 
 they help to form our Judgments, and 
 teach us the Diftinftions between Truth 
 and Falftiood > Is not our Genius po- 
 li{h*d, and our Reafon improv'd by the 
 Dead or the Living ? What PafEon or 
 Diforder of Mind is there that has not 
 been fuccefsfully prefcrib'd to hf one 
 hand or other > In (hort 5 There's no 
 Difcoveries of Truth, no Regulations 
 in Morality, but of which Men have 
 either been the Inventors, or at leaft 
 the Inftruments of Conveyance. But 
 none of thefe Affiftances could have 
 hz^n ipet with if this folitary Fancy 
 
 had 
 
0/SOLITUDE. 273 
 
 had grown Epidemical, and feizd the 
 Body of Mankind. There would havp 
 been no Improvements of Knowledge, 
 no Books, no Teaching by word of 
 Mouth 5 if tliis Spirit of Retirement 
 had gaind the Afcendant 5 If we had 
 been frighted from all fociable Comr 
 merce, if we had preferd Caves to 
 Houfes, and the Wildernefs to the 
 Town. Now, fince we are fupply'd 
 by Mankind with Directions for Ver- 
 tue and right Thinking, with Prefervay 
 fives agai^nft Vice and Error ^ is it not 
 more reafonablc to be friendly and conr 
 verfable, and keep Company with our 
 own Kind, for the fake of thofe that 
 are Good, rather than fall out as it 
 were with Humane Nature, and fly 
 from every Mortal, becaufe of bad Peo- 
 ple intermixt with the reft > 
 
 To urge the matter farther. Befides 
 the benefit of Inftrudion we receive 
 from the more knowing, God has furr 
 nifti'd every one of us with a (hare of 
 Judgment and Apprehenfion : We have 
 a Touchftone againft falfe Coyn, a 
 Teft for Right and Wrong, a natural 
 Faculty to take check at a grofs Fal- 
 lacy, and to encline us to the fide of 
 Truth. Si?ppofe I read a Book in 
 T which 
 
374 0/ SOLITUDE. 
 
 which there are falfe Notions, and Le- 
 dures of Immoralitie 5 I may lay it 
 afide at my pleafure : I am not at all 
 forced either to believe the Dodtrine, 
 or follow the Advice : No, nor yet to 
 difquiet my felf with the Authors mis- 
 behaviour. If I fee a Man do an ill 
 Thing, what neceffity is there either 
 for imitation, or difturbing my Head 
 about that which is out of my pow* 
 er ? A Man has Light in his Under- 
 ftanding, and Liberty in his Will. He 
 is Matter of his Condud, and by the 
 Grace of God may preferve himfelf in 
 a tolerable Innocence. By the privi- 
 lege of this Liberty, in concurrence 
 with the Affiftance of Heaven, we may 
 give Laws to our Paffions , and bring 
 them under Management and Difci- 
 pline. So that to keep our (hives 
 harmlefs and composed, there s no need 
 of footing it into the Foreji : This de- 
 fign will be better purfu'd by ftaying 
 at* Home 5 by exerting our Native 
 Strength, by informing our Under- 
 Handing, and by calling in the Aids of 
 Religion. 
 
 There's another Confideration which 
 
 will keep us from difincorporating oar 
 
 feives. We had pur Bemg from Man- 
 
 "•'' i kind 3 
 
0/SOLITUDE. 275 
 
 kind : our fupport in a ftate of Impo-^ 
 fence, and our Education,, the growth 
 of our Limbs, and the progrefs of out 
 Reafon, come all under God through 
 their Hands. In fine, all the Pleafure 
 and Conveniences of Life are convey 'd 
 to us by this Channel : And therefore 
 if Solitude could provide us Necefla-^ 
 ties, and furnilh us to our Wifties, 
 which is impoffible, yet we ought not 
 to disband, and break loofe from Hu- 
 mane Society : We (hould rather conti- 
 nue upon the fpot, and difcharge the 
 Obligation. Without this endeavour 
 at leaft, we fail in our Duty, we are 
 Un juft and Ungrateful , and don't de- 
 ferve the Favours we have received. 
 Should every Body be overgrown with 
 this Shinefs and Chagrin, fliould They 
 run off fingle, and not endure the fight \ 
 of each other, not only States and 
 Kingdoms, Arts and Sciences, Laws and 
 Religion, but even Humane Nature it 
 felf would fink and be deftroy'd. Nay^ 
 from the Faculty of Speech we may 
 conclude the Inftitution of Society : 
 Had we been made for Diftance and 
 Separation, and not to intercom mon 
 with any Mortal, thefe Organs for 
 Entertainment, the(e Diftindtions of 
 T 2 Sounds, 
 
276 0/ SOLITUDE. 
 
 Sounds, this articulate Pronunciation 
 were in Vaiii. For to what purpofe 
 (hould a Man have a Tongue to talk 
 only to himfelf ? 
 
 But Men, when you have faid all, are 
 ftrangely foolifh and wicked, I can't re- 
 concile my felf to their Humour, nor 
 endure them any longer. This is the 
 nielancholly Perfons Objeftion. Now 
 we'll grant the Complaint. Let us 
 fuppoie the World as untoward as we 
 pieafe : That we are almoft every 
 where difturb'd with Falftiood and Fol- 
 ly, with Capricioufnefs and 111 nature. 
 That People are unmanageable in all 
 Pods and Places, that they will nei- 
 ther Lead nor Drive, Govern nor O- 
 bey, as they (hould do. What of all 
 this > Muft we quit our Station, fcam- 
 per from Town and Country, and 
 grow Wild and Savage by our felves > 
 Muft we throw up our Bufinefs, and 
 fuffer no Soul to come near us, be- 
 eaufe we are not pleas'd with the Tem- 
 per, wkh the Morals and Management 
 of thofe we converfe with > Don't let 
 us take things by the wrong handle. 
 Nothing but our own Faults can afFeft 
 us, our Fate hangs only upon our 
 Wd 3 we (hall never be the worfe for 
 
 the 
 
0/ SOLITUDE. ^^j 
 
 the Mifcarriages of other People. Be- 
 fides, if Mankind are fo much Dege- 
 nerated, if the Age is fo extremely out 
 of Order, the inference Ihould work 
 the other way. This confideration 
 (hould make good People keep their 
 Ground, do their utmoft, and oppofe 
 the prevailing Evil. When an Enemy 
 Befieges and Batters a Town, and is rea- 
 dy to come on to the Aflault, what may 
 be the Duty o£ the Garrifon > Is this a 
 time to lay down their Arms, or flip 
 out in the dark at a Poftern? Are they 
 not rather to mount the Ramparts, to 
 ftand firm in the Breach, and repel the 
 Attack > Alas ! If all the honeft and 
 good part of Mankind ftiould with- 
 draw and live by themfelves 5 in fuch 
 a cafe the wicked Remainder would 
 quickly confound all, and puUDeftru- 
 ftion upon the Univerfe. 
 
 With fuch reafoning as this the 
 Cardinal UOffat prevailed upon the 
 Abbot De FeuillAns^ and diverted him 
 from his Splenetick Refolution ■^. l^^^l^cZd 
 told him, that General Kindnefs, and/cjlT^. 
 Chriftian Charity, fo ftrongly enjoyn*d 
 in the Scripture^ was utterly inconfi- 
 ftent with his Defign. For which 
 way can ^ny Vertue be exercifed with* 
 
 out 
 
278 O/SOl.ITUDE. 
 
 out Objeft or Opportunity ? All In- 
 ftances of AfFedion and Sympathy, 
 all Works of Mercy are imprafticable 
 upon this Scheme. How can he that 
 abfconds from the whole World, and 
 lives literally by himfelf , either feed 
 the Hungry, or cloath the Naked > 
 How can fuch a one be hofpitable to 
 Strangers, or vifit thofe under Sicknefs 
 or Confinement? What poflibility is 
 there of his inftrufting the Ignorant, 
 of comforting the Afflifted, or correft* 
 idg the audacious Sinner ? By arguing 
 in this manner, he gives him to under- 
 ftand, that to renounce Humane Socie- 
 ty, was in efFed to renounce Chriftia- 
 nity, and cut our felves off from the 
 Communion of the Church : Of the 
 Church which implies Company, and is 
 enough to difcourage Solitude^ by the 
 very Idea and Name of it. 
 
 To come towards a Conclufion. Tis 
 not good to run the length of a retired 
 Fancy, nor fuffer the Spleen to govern. 
 Solitude muft have a Temper as well 
 as other Things. To over-drive Na- 
 ture, and pufli the Experiment too far, 
 never turns to any Account : It ferves 
 only to draw a blemifli upon the Judg- 
 ment, and difappoint tlie Expedation : 
 
 At 
 
0/ SOLITUDE. 
 
 '•19 
 
 I At prefent, we have a neceffitous Body 
 to provide for. This part of us is no 
 Camelion : It won't be dieted with 
 Air, nor fubfift upon Scheme and No- 
 tion : And therefore thofe that reckon 
 to Aft, as far as they can Think, will 
 be ftrangely miftaken. People that re- 
 tire (hould examine the Difficulties, and 
 proportion the Undertaking to their 
 Strength : A thorow fcrutiny of the In- 
 clinations, of the Will, and the Power, 
 is no more than a neceffary precaution. 
 Without this preliminary Prudence a 
 Man may over-burthen his Shoulders, 
 and wade out of his depth : Neither 
 can the way be made back fometimes 
 without Levity and Imputation. To 
 live alone, tho* in a moderate degree, 
 will require fome tolerable provifion in 
 Books and Capacity : He that goes off 
 unfurnifti'd in the jUnderftanding, will 
 make wretched Company for himfelf ; 
 He lias only contrived a Settlement for a 
 favage Life, and retires like a Beaft to 
 his Den. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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