THOUGH Trades (as well as Nations) have Scandals fastn'd up­on them in the Lump, yet there are some in all Professions to whom the abusive Character is not due. Booksellers in the Gross are taken for no better than a [...] of [...] (tho' thanks to our few Kindred among the Stars, 'tis only by prejudic'd men) yet among them there is a Re­ [...]ail of men who are no Strangers to Religion and Honesty. I, that am one of that Calling, [...]m bold to challenge the Title of a Christian, neither am I asham'd to expose my Morals.

I have no reason to tax my Education, or blame those who had the Care of my Juvenile Years. My Tutors were Learned and Ortho­dox, and made it their Business to form my Mind, and square my Soul by the best Precepts and purest Examples. Yet when I arrived at Years of maturer Judgment; I found occasion to prune my self, and lop off many Excrescen­cies; to wipe out the early Impressions of my Infant years, and unlearn the N [...]tions I suck'd in with my Mothers Milk. Tho' there were no Legends in the Nursery, nor Heresies in the Schools where I was brought up: Yet my blooming Phancy was fertile in Errors, and sprouted forth in many Luxuriant Thoughts. It was the Task of my Riper Judgment to cor­rect These, and reduce my self to the Standard of Reason and Faith.

Having therefore got the Weather-gage of Youthful Mistakes, by diligent Scrutinies, and proper Remarks; Having put in the Balance and weigh'd my Native Religion with all others that are extant, I now make that the Object of my Choice, which before was only the Effect of Prepossession; and as I was listed a Soldier of Christ in my Baptism, so now I decl [...]re my sel [...] a Volunteer in his Service: What was then done without my Knowledge, I now ratifie by my free Consent. And I resolve not to change my Banner as long as I live.

'Tis no Solecism in Divinity to say, That the Prince of Peace is the Lord of Hosts. The Church Militant is his Army composed of many [Page 3] Bartalions, in different Posts, and under vari­ous Orders. So long as they all serve the great Captain of our Salvation, and practise well the Discipline of their Arms, I refuse not to give the word of Peace to any, let him be of what Company or Troop soever. The variety which we behold in the Universe is not its deformity, but its beauty. As the Eye is more ravisht with a Landskip which invites it with the grateful interpositions of Hills and Vallies, Woods and champian Grounds, than if it were let out to lose it self in the Ʋniformity of a waste Horizon or empty Prospect. So is the truly pious Soul more surpriz'd with the Glory of the Christian Re­ligion when various apprehensions agree in the same substantial Holiness, ( one Star differing from anoth [...]r in Glory,) yet all shining with a light borrow'd from the same Fountain. And doubtless he is the Man who is most likely to be a Member of the Church Triumphant, who cor­dially embraces with the extended Arms of good-will, who ever are dignifi'd with the Image of Piety, tho' not distinguish'd with his own Superscription.

I profess my self an impartial Lover of all good men, and do presume every man to be good till I find him otherwise. I have as little Zeal about things that are manifestly indifferent, (either pro or con) as any man in the World, for 'tis a Principle I receiv'd from my Education, that the real differences of good and intelligent People are not so wide as they seem, and that through prejudice and interest they do many [Page 4] times contest about words, whilst they do heartily think the same thing.

I am not fond of the Names which distin­guish one Party from another in the Church. I esteem not a man the better for being regi­mented in this Communion, rather than in that. And for ought I know in the Camp of God, a Reformade may be as acceptable, as in those of Men. However a Mutineer in either is odious, and to raise Factions about Religion, is to adore Mars instead of Christ, and to commence a War for the sake of Peace. I cannot approve of their bitter Zeal, who, if they cannot call down Fire from Heaven, will kindle it on the Earth against all that think not as they do. He is an ill Disputant for Christianity, who uses no other Topicks than Gun-powder and Steel. The Logick of Mahomet becomes not a Disciple of Jesus; and I should make but an Hypocritical Convert, were I to be Dragoon'd into Religion by the Domineering Arguments of Booted Apostles.

To perswade to Conformity by Prisons and Confiscations, is in my apprehension something like demonstrating a proposition in Euclid, or apologizing by a Beetle and Wedges, and I con­ceive they will equally produce their Effects; when any Mathematitian shall do the one, the Spiritual Court may perform the other. We find few edified by a Dungeon, or instructed by the spoiling of their goods. Force hath as little power on Souls as a Chirurgions Knife on the Understanding and Affections of men: [Page 5] Remedies must have some Analogy with the Sick and their Diseases. 'Tis sound Reason (which is of our Essence and Constitution) with some little intermixtures of Kindness and Love, that must make men Proselytes to the Church of England, or nothing.

The use I make of this Variety in Religions is fa [...] different: Truth is Homogeneous, and at­tracts to it self all that is of its own Nature, wheresoever dispers'd or separated, rejecting the rest as not pertaining to it. Thus I over­looking the Errors and Mistakes of those who differ from me, at the same time embrace their Orthodox Tenets, and shunning their Vices, I imitate their Vertues. This is to take Things by the right handle, and like the Bee to suck Honey out of every Weed. It is of the Nature of the Sun, who has commerce with many Pollutions, yet remains himself undefiled.

I abhor that mercenary Course of joyning my self with any Party of Christians that is uppermost, to abet the prevailing Faction, and assert the Opinions most in Fashion. This is to be a Weather-cock in Religion, pliable to every fresh Gale of Interest. Neither on the other side do I think it good Manners or Pru­dence to affront the Religion of the State, and by a sawcy Impertinence condemn those who worship God in the manner prescrib'd by the Laws of the Land. In my Travels I learn'd this Moderation, and he that knows not how to practise it, is not fit to stir out [Page 6] of his Chimny Corner. Religion does not authorize Rudeness, neither is Arrogance com­patible with Devotion. It is difficult to find a Company of four or five men together, where there is not at least a Triumvirate of Religions, and he that will set up for a Dictator among them, shall have all their Forces united against himself.

I do not value any mans Religion by his starch'd looks or supercilious Gravity. I hate to put on an unsociable Face, or screw my self into an ill-humour'd Riddle; I do not angle for the Character of a Saint, by magi­sterially declaiming against the Innocent Diver­tisements of Humane Life, and ranking things indifferent among the greatest Crimes. Above all I cannot approve of those who are prone to fasten Gods Judgments on particular Occa­sions, as if they alone cou'd unlock the Se­crets of the Almighty, and were the Privy-Counsellors of Heaven. No mans misfortune shall escape their Censure, but forgetting what our Saviour said of those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell, they condemn all alike, and presume to distribute the Divin [...] Justice by their own false Weights and Measures. I am in Love with that Saying o [...] Plato; There is no Envy in the Deity. Assuredly that Immense Ocean of Goodness never ceases to show'r down his Favours and Blessings on all that are capable of receiving them, and he is not partial to any of hi [...] Creatures. Like the Sun he imparts his In­fluence [Page 7] to all the World, and if any [...]joyce not in his Beams, the Cloud that hind [...]s them is of their own raising. Those men will hardly proselite me, who dress the Deity in a frightful Figure, and then wou'd per­swade the World 'tis his Essential Complexion. While they exclaim against Pictures and Ima­ges, they themselves commit Idolatry: They set up an infinite Tyrant, morose, arbitrary and cruel, instead of the Original, Increated Beauty and Goodness, worshiping the Idol of their own Imagination, instead of the Indul­gent Father of all things.

I do not take Prayer to consist in bab­ling o're the devoutest Collects and Oraisons of the Church without a due Application of Spirit. This is the Sacrifice of Fools, with­out Salt or Fire; and therefore must needs be unsavory to God. The bended Knee, sub­miss Looks, and even a Body prostrate to the Ground, unless accompanied with a proporti­onate Fervour and Humility of the Soul, are but Religious Compliments, and a Pious Ban­ter. Such Mock-Addresses, I doubt, are not graciously receiv'd in the Court of Heaven.

An equal dislike I have for those who of­fer up strange and unhallowed Flames; burn­ing Incense, whose Composition is not war­rantable; who hold not fast the Form of sound Words, but giving the Reins to their Tongue, suffer it to commit a thousand In­decencies in the Hearing of Him who made the Ear. These, as well as the Former, are [Page 8] guilt [...] [...]f Crimen laesae Majestatis; while they affron [...] Heaven with Tautologies and vain Re­petitions. The one through Inadvertency, the other through Presumption. This bringing Form without Matter, That offering Matter without Form; and Both wanting the Spirit and Life of sincere Devotion. Yet I neither censure such as use an allowable Form, provided it be accompanied with attentive Devotion: and less those who address themselves to Heaven in words of their own choosing, provided it be sea­son'd with Discretion and a modest Sobrie­ty of Spirit. For when a man fitly qualifi­ed, endued with Learning too, and above that, adorn'd with a go [...]d Life, breaks out into a warm and well deliver'd Prayer be­fore his Sermon, it hath the appearance of a Divine Rapture, he raiseth and leadeth the Hearts of the Assembly in another man­ner than the most compos'd or best studied Form of words can ever do: And the Pray­wees who serve up all the Sermon with the same garnishing, would look like so ma­ny Statues, or Men of Straw in the Pulpit, compar'd with those who speak with such a powerful Zeal, that men are tempted at the moment to believe Heaven it self hath directed their words to them.

On the other side, I think not that to be the only Authentick Prayer, which is attend­ed with Sensual Raptures, and melting En­tertainments: This is but the Smoke of Pas­sion, and soon vanishes; a mere Vapour or [Page 9] Ebullition, a pleasing warmth of good Na­tures, and frequently the proper Result of a Sanguine Complexion.

Prayer is the Exaltation of the Soul, the Flight of a Sublimated Spirit: It makes Man an Angel pro Tempore, while his abstracted Mind takes the Wing, and soars aloft, hover­ing on the Borders of Paradise. He then breaths immortal Airs, burns like a Seraphim, and flames out with Holy and defaecate Fires, like the most extasi'd Orders of the Coelestial Court.

For my own part, I can Pray Kneeling, Standing, or Sitting; either at my Business, or at my Repast; with or without Words and Ceremonies. And this I take to be the only Method of complying with St. Paul's Counsel, when he bids us Pray without ceasing. A swift and Pious Ejaculation ma­ny Times does the Office of a multitude of Words (tho' the most apposite and elegant [...]n Humane Language) since God understands the Dialect of the Heart as well as that of [...]he Tongue, being the Architect of both.

The Posture which Pythagoras enjoyn'd his Disciples, when they appeared before the Gods, was not without a Mystery. He bid [...]hem hold their Tongues revers'd; intima­ [...]ng thereby that they should observe a de­ [...]out Silence in such Tremendous Company, [...]nd utter no Words which were not dipt [...]n the Heart. And I could wish the Advice [...]f Solomon, instead of a Nosce Teipsum, were [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] engraven on the Frontispiece of our Churches. ‘My Son, when thou enterest the House of God, let thy words be few, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the Sacrifice of Fools.’ In all this, I aim at a Devotion that is Masculine and Solid; Discreet and Humble, Sincere and Modest; full of Primi­tive Revorence, and the Fervor of the first Ages.

In proper speaking our very silent Necessi­ties are eloquent Prayers, and the wants which are hardest to be uttered, are such a pre­vailing Rhetorick with God, as oft times bring down swifter Relief from Heaven, than our loudest Letanies. Even we our selves are more apt to dispose of our Alms to a dumb Person, who by being disabled to make his Address any other ways than by mute Signs, does by that Pathetick kind of Complaint, challenge our Charity, than to the common Beg­gars, who make a Trade of Haranguing Peo­ple out of their Money. Indeed every In­nocent Action of our Lives is a Prayer: but the more extraordinary Performances of He­roick Vertue, pierce the Clouds, storm the Regions above, and plunder Heaven it sel [...] (if I may so speak) of its choicest Blessings.

As to Publick Prayer, I own there is a Necessity of using some Forms and Ceremo­nies; and those are the best which have the greatest Efficacy to excite and regulate our Devotion. Not too Pompous and Theatri­cal, nor slovenly and mean, but such as be­come [Page 11] the House of God, and give it an ex­ternal Beauty not a mere Pageantry of Ho­liness.

That Custom of the Greek, and other Ea­stern Churches to separate the Men from the Women in the Publick Assembly, seems to have something of Antiquity for its Plea, tho' the disuse of it in these Western Parts may make us think it a Singularity. I en­vy not that Sex the Liberty of Worship­ing God, and being present at the Publick Solemnities; yet I grudge them a Priviledge which is so manifest an Impediment to our Devotion, as is their prating over the Psalms, Responses and other Portions of the Common-Prayer. I cou'd stand beside the fairest of that Sex in the Church unmov'd as Marble, their brightest Charms serving but as Foils to se [...] off the incomparable Eminency of that Majesty and Glory who is adored in that Place. But when I hear them break the Bounds of Female Modesty, whose greatest Ornament is Silence; when I hear their Tongues running over the Prayers as loud, if not louder than the Men, either with a care [...]ess wantonness, or affected Gravity their Eyes divided betwixt an amorous Glance and a devout Ogle. This, I must confess, gives me Offence; 'tis an Obstacle to my De­votion, and makes [...]e think the Grecians are not without Reason in assigning a particular Place of the Church to the Women, where they can neither be seen or heard. And this will [Page 12] not seem uncourtly or austere, if we remem­ber that St. Paul himself has said, I permit not a Woman to speak in the Church. And in another Place, Let Women have Power on their Heads [that is, be covered or veil­ed] because of the Angels, or as some in­terpret it, because of the young men.

I wish for a purer Reformation in the Church than we have hitherto seen; yet I am not for tearing up Christianity by the Roots. I could be glad to see the House of God purged and cleans'd, the Building Repair'd and Beautified without Removing it from the Foundations. The Office of a Bishop and a Presbyter, to me, seems no other ways differenc'd than thus; I look upon a Presbyter as a Parochial Bishop, and a Bishop as a Diocesan Presbyter. Their Digni­ty equal in Quality, tho' not in Quantity. The one has Power of administring the Sa­craments as well as the other: only for the sake of Order and good Government in the Church, one is invested with a Jurisdiction and Superiority, of which the other is as ca­pable, if duely Elected to it.

I envy not the Bishops or Ruling Presbyters, their Temporal Honours and Riches, nei­ther wou'd I be a Leveller in the Church of God: Yet it were a desirable thing, if there were a more equal Distribution of Ecclesia­stical Benefices, that the poorest Preaching Presbyter might have an Income that should free Him from the Temptation of envying a Journey-man Carter, and other inferior Trades, [Page 13] who many times can boast of a larger Stipend than some of the Ministry.

Pluralities and Non-Residents were never heard of in the Primitive Ages, and it is a shame there should be so many fat Parsonages, and yet so many lean Parsons. It is the Devil's Market where Church-Livings are bought and sold, and such Spiritual Hucksters deserve to be whipt out of the Temple.

I refuse not to bow at the Name of Jesus, yet can give no Reason why I should not as well bow at the Name of Joshua, they being both one and the same in the Hebrew. And that Scripture, which is made to countenance this Ceremony, seems to me to speak no more than that in the Name of Christ all addresses should be made to God the Father. For if it were to be literally taken, why do they who so receive it, bow the Head instead of the Knee? Besides, I see no Reason why I shou'd not also bow at the Name of Messias, Christ, Emanuel, since the Redeemer of the World is called by all these Names? Nay, why should not I pay the same Reverence to all the Names of God in all Languages? especially to that tremendous Name Jehovah, which the Jews think it unlawful to utter? 'Tis true indeed, I can comply with the Custom of the Church in a thing not directly opposite to any positive Com­mand, but I protest at the same time, my wishes [...]re, that a Custom acknowledg'd to be indiffe­ [...]ent, even by those who most zealously plead for [...]ts practice, were rather disus'd, than impos'd [Page 14] on men of tender Consciences, since it gives so much Scandal, and has no Authority but that of Tradition to back it.

I am naturally a Lover of Musick, and be­lieve it has an efficacy in composing or ruffling the Spirits, according to the various kinds of it. But I find its most immediate Operation is on the Phancy, and sensual Affections, not on the Superiour Faculties of the Soul. And therefore I see no use of it in the Church, where we come not to pay Homage to God in the strength of an exalted Imagination, or to present him with the First-Fruits of our Passions, tho' never so refin'd, but to offer up our selves a Living Sacrifice, which is our Rational Service, since God is to be worship'd in Spirit and Truth, and not with aiery Noti­ons, and carnal Raptures.

Tho' the Ear is a Member consecrated to the Service of Religion since Faith comes by Hear­ing, yet I cannot observe that my Faith is a [...] any time encreas'd by the most Harmonious Lessons on the Organ or other Instruments of Musick used in Divine Service. Neithe [...] do I admire at the Country-man's Freak, who the first time he had ever been in a Cathedral hearing the Organ strike up, fell a dancing a [...] tho' he had been in a Musick-house. To spea [...] freely, I know not why we may not praise Go [...] as acceptably in a Dance as with Musick, since the Jews, from whom we borrow our Ar­guments for the latter, did as usually practise the former; there being but little use of th [...] [Page 15] one without the other. To me a Chapter in the Bible is the best Musick in the World, and no Melody like that of a good Sermon where the Preacher like a skilful Artist recon­ciles the Discords of the Law and the Gospel, and between the Emblems and Types of the one, and the Substantial Truths and Mysteries of the other strikes up such a grateful Harmony, as far exceeds the best Consort in the World, tho' it were as charming as Nebuchadnezzar's, and made up of the whole Family of Mu­sick.

So I am a great Admirer of good Painting and Sculpture, yet can never find them Helps, but Hinderances to my Devotion, since it is impossible for the greatest Master that ever profess'd those Arts, to draw or carve to the Life, what was never expos'd to any of his Sences, or to contrive a Figure of that which has no Resemblance, the Invisible Divinity. Indeed a Man's own Phancy in such Cases is the best Painter; and if it be lawful to make use of any Pictures or Images, 'tis of such as our own Imagination frames: yet this is the way to become Anthropomorphites, and worship God under the Similitude of a Man, or to follow the Pagan Vanities and adore Him under the likeness of a Beast, or some other sensible Fi­gure, since all the Ideas of that Mimick Faculty, are but the Transcripts of External Objects, Aristotle's Maxim being truer of this than of the Intellect, That there is nothing in it which was not first in the Sence. The only way to [Page 16] have a true Idea of God is to suppress the Ope­rations of this busie Faculty, and by withdraw­ing into the most inward Recess of the Mind, there as in a Mirrour to contemplate that Infi­nite Essence, who is hid behind Himself (if [...] may so speak) and cannot be discover'd but by his Back-parts.

It is with Pleasure that I behold Him in his Rays which shine in all his works, and he has cast his shadow throughout the Ʋniverse, but I should be oppress'd with Glory, were I capable of fixing my Eyes on that Abyss of Splendors, before which the most Illustrious Spirits in Heaven cover their Faces, as if they were asham'd of their comparative Imperfections, and were not able to behold that Original and Increated Purity without a Blush.

I have no ambition to become an Eagle in Divinity, neither do I emulate the towring Flights of such as pretend to extraordinary Re­velations. I had rather walk under the Piazzas of Gods Church, than on the Battlements of the Devils Chappel, lest my Head should grow gid­dy with Enthusiasms, and I be blown off from those Heighths and Pinnacles with some wind of vain Doctrine. That Father of the Arrian Heresie was an Icarus in Religion, he had lofty Thoughts and soaring Speculations, but he flew without a Guide, he forsook the Path of his Mother the Church, his Wings melted, and he had a terrible Fall, which at once bereft him of his Life, and ('tis to be fear'd) of his Salvation.

I take great Pleasure sometimes to find my self entangled in Difficulties and Dangers, out of which I have no Skill to extricate my self. I never think my self safer than in such a La­byrinth of thwarting Events, as no Clue of my own Reason or Experience can lead me out. 'Tis then I can be chearful and triumph, know­ing my Deliverance is near at hand. And herein lies the quintessence of my Comfort, that I am thus particularly, and demonstratively as­sur'd of the Divine Favour and Protection, since nothing below a Miracle of Providence could untie so knotty a juncture of Misfortunes.

Were all the Passages of my Life publish'd, it wou'd be taken for more than a Romance. It is so full of Adventures which surpass the sto­ries of Gyants, Monsters, Enchanted Castles, and the whole System of Knight Errantry. Such strange and unexpected Escapes as I have made from the very Jaws of Death, exceed the Fa­bles of Poets. And had I no other Reason but the Remembrance of my own Perils and Deli­verances, it were more than enough to convince me of an unerring Eye that watches over Man­kind. This makes me chearful and easie in all humane Circumstances, and reconciles me to the Stoicks. I look on all things to be govern'd by a fix'd Law and Eternal Destiny; and there­fore cou'd quietly sit down with George Withers, and say, Nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo. I con­ [...]ider my self as a Part of the Ʋniverse, and [...]herefore am never troubl'd at any thing which happens to me, since it comes not to pass [Page 18] without the Knowledge and Will of him who in all his Dispensations has Regard to the Good of the Whole; from which I am not excluded as a Member, and therefore must needs parti­cipate of the Common Benefit, even when I think I suffer Damage. I am not peevish at a Calumny, nor waspish at a loss. When any one does me an Injury, I take a singular Plea­sure in forgiving him. There is such a Noble Pride attends this generous Conquest of an Ene­my, as far surpasses the celebrated sweetness of Revenge. I hate to gratifie my Passion the com­mon way; and because he has acted the part o [...] an ill Man, I must do so too or worse, by gi­ving scope to my Rage, and executing the se­verest Dictates of my Fury. He is but a Tin­ker in Morality, who to repair one Breach, makes another▪ and perhaps wider than the first. Besides, 'tis the most profitable kind o [...] Revenge, when I turn a Wrong to an Advantage by cancelling it: since thereby I make a Friend of an Enemy, and if he have but the leas [...] Spark of Gratitude and Vertue, my Benignity makes him not only blush at his Offence, bu [...] puts him upon some ingenuous study how to make me amends.

Hath any wrong'd thee? (says See his En­cheridion. Quarls) b [...] bravely reveng'd, slight it, and the work's begun, forgive it and 'tis finish'd. He is below himself that is not above an Injury.

If thy Brother hath privately offended thee, reprove him privately, and having lost him­self [Page 19] in an Injury, thou shalt find him in thy forgiveness. He that rebukes a private fault openly sordidly, betrays it rather than reproves it. The true way to ad [...]nce anothe [...]s Vertue is to follow it, and the best means to cry down anothers Vice is to decline it.

Have any wounded thee with Slanders? meet them with Patience, hasty word [...] ranckle the wound, soft Language dress [...]s it, forgiveness cures it, oblivion takes a [...] the Scar. It is more noble by silence to [...]over an Injury, than by argument to overcome or spread it But in all cases of this nature change conditions with thy Brother, then ask thy Conscience what thou would'st be done to, being resolv d, ex­change again, and do thou the like to him, and thy Christianity shall never err.

I esteem it one of the most substantial Ex­ercises of Religion, to subdue our Passions: and because Anger is the most violent and precipi­tate, I use my most strenuous Endeavours to stifle this in its Embryo. Other Passions take a gradual Rise, and insinuate by steps, but Wrath like Gun-powder takes Fire all at once, and blows a man up before he can look a­bout him. Therefore I have by long and assi­duous Practice labour'd to get the Victory of this turbulent Aflection, and I count it the Masterpiece of Humane Wit to be above all Provocation. I cou'd long ago stop my Hand in the midst of its Career, when aim'd at a faulty Servant, or scurrilous Companion, but now I can bridle the Nerves which wou'd [Page 20] have stretch'd it forth, and curb the officious Spirits which were so ready to sally forth on such an Occasion. I scorn to suffer my Tongue to be my Hand's Deputy, and to lavish out in unseemly Expressions, as if the Height of Man's Wit and Valour lay in a biting Re­partee. Nay, I will not permit so much as my Cheek to change colour, my Eye to spar­kle, or any other part of my Face to receive the least impression of my Resentments, where­by it may be perceiv'd that I am ferment­ed Yet at the same time I am not insen­sible of an Affront, nor void of due Reflexi­on on it. All that I aim at is to comply with the Apostles Advice, To be angry and not to sin.

I have no Pannick Fears of Death upon me neither am I sollicitous, how or when I shal [...] make my Exit from the Stage of this Life. Much less do I trouble my self about the manner of my Burial, or to which of the Elements I shall commit my Carkass. I envy not the Funeral State of Great Men, neither do I covet the Embalming of the Egyptians I wonder at the Phancy of those who desire to be imprison'd in leaden Coffins till the Re­surrection, and to protract the Corruption o [...] their Flesh, out of which they shall be generated de Novo: as if they dreamt of rising whole as they lay down, and carrying Flesh and Blood into the Kingdom of Heaven, with­out a Change.

For my Part I admire the Indian Obse­quies, and were it not against the long esta­blisht Custom of my Country, wou'd sooner bequeath my Body to the Fire, than be in­hum'd, that so I might be sooner resolv'd into the Elements of which I was first com­pounded.

Yet instead of that nearer way to Disso­lution, I can be contented to undergo the tedious Conversation of Worms and Serpents, those greedy Tenants of the Grave, who will never be satisfied till they have eat up the Ground-Landlord.

I do not puzzle my self with projecting now my scattered Ashes shall be collected together, neither do I for that Reason take Care for an Ʋrn to enclose them. I am [...]atisfied, that at the last Trumpet, I shall rise with the same Individual Body. I now carry about me, tho' there may not then be one of the same Individual Atomes to make it up, which are its present Ingredients. For nei­ [...]her are they the same now as they were [...]wenty years ago. Yet I may be properly [...]aid to have the same Individual Body at this Hour, which my Mother brought forth into [...]he World, tho' it is manifest, that there [...]s so vast an Accession of other Particles since that Time, as are enough to make Ten such Bodies as I had then. Which implies such a perpetual Flux of the former, as 'twould be a Solaecism in Philosophy to think I have one of my Infant Atomes now left about me. [Page 22] If after all this, I may be still said to have the same Individual Body as I had then, tho' there be not one of the same Individua [...] Atomes left in its Composition, why may w [...] not assert the same of the Bodies we shal [...] have after the Resurrection? Matter is on [...] and the same in all Bodies, the Individuatio [...] of it, the Meum and Tuum proceeds onel [...] from the infinitely different Forms which actuate it. Thus when my Soul at the Resu [...] rection either by its own Energy, or by th [...] Power of God, and Assistance of Angels, sha [...] be reinvested with a Body, it is proper t [...] say it will be the same Individual Body have now, tho' made up of Atoms which never before were Ingredients of my Comp [...] sition, since not the Matter but the For [...] gives a Title to Individuation.

I am the more willing to believe this wi [...] be the manner of our Resurrection, becaus [...] I think it not Decorous to put the Ange [...] on the Drudgery of Scavengers, as if it shoul [...] at that Day be their Employment to swee [...] the Graves and Channel-houses, to sift th [...] Elements, and take in all the Receptacles o [...] the Dead for Mens divided Dust. Not th [...] I think it impossible for God even this way [...] accomplish the Resurrection of the Dead; tho' th [...] Bodies of all Mankind were crumbled into Dus [...] and that Dust scatter'd before the Wind, or d [...] still'd into Water, or attenuated into Air, [...] tho' those Bodies were eaten by the Beas [...] of the Earth, or the Fish of the Sea, as [Page 23] those Beasts and Fish eaten again by Men. Tho' they shou'd undergo all these Changes and Transmigrations, yet were they still in the great Repository of God. The whole World in this sence being but as one great Store-house, and all the Elements as so many Cells therein, so that wheresoever we shall be laid up, whether in the Bellies of Fishes, Entrails of Beasts, or by various Altera [...]ions become [...]he Food of Men, yet the Great Ar­chitect of all Things knows where to find our scatter'd Remnants. But why should we engage Him in so infinite a Task, when the Work may as well be done a nearer way? And put him to the Expence of multiply­ing Miracles, when fewer will serve the turn? When the Grand Alarm is given, He can soon fit our Souls with proper Matter for their future Bodies, out of the Elements, as well as out of their own Antiquated Embers. The Jewish Rabbins seem to deny the gather­ing together our dispers'd Ashes, and assign the Trouble to a certain small Bone in every Man's Back which they say, never suffers any Putrofaction, but remaining to the last Day in its Primitive Consistency, impassible and incorruptible, is then impregnated by a Dew from Heaven, which diffusing its Vertue like a Ferment, not only animates and quic­kens this Seminal Bone, but also attracts all the Atomes, which formerly constituted the Body, tho' dispers'd in the remotest Corners, and most hidden Recesses of the Ʋniverse, [Page 24] marshalling them in the same Order as they had before their Dissolution, and so in a mo­ment recovering the Body to its Primitive State. But these are gross Conceipts for Christians who believe that our bodies shall in that great and Final Change become Spi­ritual and Immortal, being for ever divested of all the peculiar Circumstances of Flesh, and Blood.

Let the manner be how it will please God, I am ravish'd to think what a bright and serene Morning the Resurrection will prove after the long Night of Death, and the lan­guishing slumbers of the Grave! How vigo­rous and active we shall rise from our Beds of Darkness, how merry and blithe from the melancholy Regions of Horror and Silence! More sprightly than Youth; stronger than Lyons; and swifter than Eagles! Full of Light, full of Joy, we shall soar aloft, and like well-mounted Travellers post it away through the Balmy Air, and liquid Skies, till we arrive at the Place of admirable Man­sions, and be welcom'd to the House of God.

I dare not with some of the Jewish Rab­bins say that all shall not rise at the great Day; much less will I presume with others to par­ticularize so far as to exclude all those who perish'd in Noah's Flood; or with a third sort to confine the Resurrection to the Chil­dren of Israel, as if we that are of the Gen­tiles were not capable of it as well as they! But above all I reject the Censure of the [Page 25] Talmudists, who say, that neither Bilha the Concubine of Jacob that lay with Reuben; nor Doeg that caused Saul to kill Abimelech and the Priests; nor Gehazi the servant of Eli­jah the Prophet, nor Achitophel, David's prime Minister of State, shall rise from the Dead. These are the Memoirs of Hebrew Superstiti­on; Invidious Remarks the peculiar Heresie of that over-weening Nation.

Yet I am more scandaliz'd at some Christi­ans who will not allow Salvation to any man that is not within the visible Pale of their Church, as if the Eternal Sun of Justice were Eclips'd to all that are out of their narrow Horizon. Surely He enlightens every man that comes into this World, and his Rays are not confin'd to Countries or Parties. He shines Universally, and no man can trace him in the Zodiack of his Mercy.

I dare not 'tis true, (with Justin Martyr) canonize the Philosophers, and place Socrates and Heraclitus in Heaven; neither am I sure that Aristotle, by his learned Treatises of Heaven has obtain'd an Inheritance there him­self. 'Tis too officious a Regard, and too bold a Charity, thus happily to dispose of Parti­cular Men. On the other side I dread to pass the Sentence of Damnation on all the anti­ent Pagans, and to aver that none were sa­ved that died before the fifteenth year of Tiberius. Tho' the mere Light of Natural Reason, was not sufficient to conduct them, nor al [...] their Morality, enough to entitle [Page 26] them, to Supreme Felicity; Yet I cannot be perswaded [...]hat the infinite Goodness would doom the vertuous Gentiles to the Abyss of Misery. Neither can any man demonstrate, That Christ was not the Light of the Gen­tiles before his Incarnation, as well as after; And since Abraham saw his Day and was glad, how do we know that Plato, Solon, Lycurgus, Pythagoras, Cyrus, and other wise Law-givers, Philosophers and Kings, men re­nown'd for their Prudence, Temperance, Forti­tude, Chastity, Liberality, and the like Ver­tues might not also be favour'd with a glimpse of the Messias, the desire of all Nations, be­fore he appear'd in the Flesh. Tho' we have no Records in Scripture of Hermes Trismegi­stus, Zoroaster, Phocilides, Homer, Theognes, Epi­ctetus, Theseus and Hercules, yet we cannot be assured, but that they had Faith, and expect­ed the Redeemer to come, as well as Job, who was not of the Holy Line, but a Branch of the Gentiles.

When I consider what Pains some of the wiser Heathens have taken to find out the Truth; when I contemplate a Pythagoras tra­velling through Asia, and particularly conver­sant in Palestine; an Empedocles Journeying into Africk, to learn the Wisdom of the Aegyptians; an Alexander the Great falling at the Feet of the Hebrew High-Priest, I can­not think the Heathen World to be so igno­rant of the true Religion, as is commonly imagin'd. They had a Balaam to instruct [Page 27] them, the Sybills to guide them to the Know­ledge of a future Messias, and for ought I know, some of them might have the Scrip­tures of the Old Testament too, or at least a good part of them, even before that cele­brated Translation of the Septuagint was ex­tant; since it was easie for those Gentiles who had Commerce with the Jews to procure Copies of their Law, especially when they were made Captives in Media, Assyria, Aegypt and Babylon.

An Esther lying in the Bosom of Ahasue­rus, a Daniel sitting at the Right Hands of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzer, and Darius, had fair Opportunities of instructing those Hea­then Monarchs in the Mysteries of the Mosa­ick Law, and surely such Holy Persons wou'd never neglect so noble a Work as prosely­ting the Kings and Princes of the Gentiles to God.

In the Days of Solomon the Fame of the Jewish Nation had reach'd the utmost Parts of the Earth, Kings came from far, and Queens from the remotest Borders of the Con­tinent, to be the Disciples of that Royal Phi­losopher, and Spectators of the Hebrew Gran­deur. How could then the Divine Oracles be hid from the Gentil [...]s, or the Sacred Tradition of Shiloh to come, not be deliver'd to the inquisitive Nations of the Earth! Without doubt the East saw the dawning of the Star of Jacob, and the South could calculate his Meridian, even before he rose. Neither were [Page 28] the North and the West without some glim­merings of his Appearance.

The Wise Men that came to adore him at Bethlehem, perform'd but the Wishes of their Fathers, and the Eunuch of Queen Candaces made no Scruple to become a Christian, when Philip had convinc'd him that He of whom the Prophets had so long foretold, was now come in the Flesh. Surely he was the desi­red of Nations, the Hope of the Gentiles, as well as the Glory of his People Israel. There­fore I cannot number it among the Com­mendations of Christianity, that a great Part of those who profess that Name are so pre­sumptuously uncharitable, as to damn all that were not of the Seed of Abraham before Christ came in the Flesh, as if Salvation were entail'd to one Family, and no man cou'd go to Heaven that was not circumcis'd.

Much rather had I believe, That in the very Instant of Death, God reveal'd the My­stery of Redemption to many innocent and ver­tuous Persons among the Gentiles, and infus'd a saving Faith in Christ into their Souls, at the very moment that their Sences were for­saking their Bodies. Supplying their want of Scripture or Tradition, with the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, when they were taking the last gasp, and breathing out their own.

Or if this be not thought sufficient, I will believe, That when Christ descended into Hell, he preach'd the Gospel to the Spirits which were there in Prison, not only those who [Page 29] were disobedient in the days of Noah, but all such of the Race of Noah, as by com­pleating the Measure of their Sins, had sunk themselves into that fatal Place, whether they were Jews or Heathens. And I cannot un­derstand those Texts of Scripture which men­tion his spoyling of Hell, and leading Capti­vity Captive, if they may not be applyed to his Triumphant Deliverance of some of those Souls which were shut up in the Infernal Ca­verns. Neither do I perceive any Heresie in believing, there might be some Vertuous Heathens in the Retinue he carried with Him from thence to Heaven, as well as some of the Sons of Israel. However, leaving the manner of their Salvation to God, I will con­clude, That it is unreasonable, uncharitable, and has too much of the Jew in it, to pass the Sentence of Damnation on all the Gentiles, since the Holy Ghost has assured us, That God is no Respecter of Persons, but he that in every Nation fears Him, and works Righte­ousness, is accepted of Him.

Besides, methinks if matters were brought to the severest Ballance, it would not appear Heterodox to say, That as all men sin'd in Adam, without their own Personal Knowledge or Consent, so some might be saved in Christ, even without a Particular and Personal Be­lief in Him, of whom perhaps they never so much as heard.

Some Grains of Allowance may be given to the involuntary Frailties of Humane Nature, [Page 30] some Indulgence granted to the invincible Ig­norance of a great Part of Adam's Posterity, who if they knew not the High-way to Hea­ven which was reveal'd to their Brethren the Jews and Christians, might yet be conducted thither by some By-Path, since it is too nar­row a Conceit of God's Mercy to think, that because he had chiefly manifested it in the Royal Road of the Law and the Gospel, there­fore he cou'd never go out of the beaten Track. This were to retrench the Divine Prerogative, and to tye Him up to limited Con­ditions, whose Ways are in the Great Deep, and whose Foot-steps no Created Being can Trace.

The Satisfaction I have of the Soul's Immor­tality, if it amounts not to a Demonstration, may yet be numbred among those Proleptick Ideas that need none, as being self-evident. It is a Parallel with first Principles, and has equal Force on my Understanding; for I am not more convinc'd, That one and two make three, than That the Soul of man is Immortal. So that I make it not so much an Article of my Faith, as a Proposition of my Reason, and a Conclusion of Science. Yet I do not always go so far round about, as by a long Train of Logical Deductions and Inferences, to dispute my self into the Remembrance of my Immorta­lity. This indeed were necessary to perswade another, but I have a nearer Method to com­fort my self with the Demonstration of this Noble Truth, while it becomes an Object of [Page 31] my very Sence, and I can feel that Immortality in my self, which my Reason tells me another is possess'd of as well as I. This is easier to be experienc'd, than utter'd in words, 'tis an Art not to be acquir'd without assiduous Re­flection and strict Animadversion on our own Thoughts. But the Fatigue is more than re­compenc'd with the inessable Pleasure that at­tends it, for when by a long and often re­peated Practice, a man has found the way to keep close Pace with his own Intellect in all its Flights and abstracted Starts from the Body, when he can stand on the Brink of the Immaterial World and perceive what is before Him, perceiving also that he perceives it, then 'tis he enjoys Heaven by Ant [...]cipation, and forestalls his Future Beatitude by tasting Immortality at present. He is risen from the Dead, before he dies; and lives an Eternity of Ages in a Moment. Neither is this a sleep­ing Chimera, or a waking [...]ream, but a real Truth, which as I have said, is easier practi­sed than expressed.

It was but a drowsie Conceit in those Fathers, who phancy'd the Soul shou'd sleep in the Grave till the Resurrection of the [...]o­dy. Had they well traced the Nature of a Spirit from its first Principles, they wou'd [...] have provided a Dormitory for That Being which wou'd cease to be, shou'd it cease to act, since its very Essence implies a Contra­diction to Rest. I cou'd as easily and with equal Reason believe it will be annihilated [Page 32] at its separation from the Body, or at least that it shall be metamorphos'd into something else, since if it continue the same it was be­fore the Dissolution of the Body, it must continue to think, it being indeed nothing else but a pure Thought; and how a Thought can take a Nap, is beyond the Verge of my Philosophy to apprehend, neither do I know of any thing in Divinity that seems to coun­tenance so dull a Theorem. As for those Texts of Scripture, which seem to adumbrate the Supreme Felicity of the Saints by the Notion of Rest, I do not think they mean a Cessation of the Souls natural Energy, for how could it then be capable of that Sera­phick Love, and Joy in the Beatifick Vision, which is the chief Entertainment of the Bles­sed in Heaven? It seems rather to intimate the Soul's Escape and Deliverance from the Troubles and Inquietudes of this Mortal Life, which may very well be call'd a Rest, and yet be consistent with an Activity far sur­passing that which it was endued with in the Flesh. The Scripture clothes many ab­struse Mysteries in familiar Dresses, the bet­ter to accommodate Them to the Concep­tions of vulgar and ignorant People, who make up far the grearest Part of Mankind, and we must not expect the rigid Definiti­ons of Aristotle from the Sacred Pen-Men. But when we come Scientifically, and accord­ing to the Method of the Schools to treat of the Natures of Things, we ought to fit [Page 33] them with proper and Intelligible Terms, and pursue their Essences by a continued Progress, not by wild Fits and Starts.

I have but small acquaintance with the fu­ture State, but this I'm sure there will be no change that will be so surprizing to me as that By Death. It is a thing of which I know but little, and none of the millions of Souls that have past into the invisible World, have come again to tell me how it is.

It is very desirable to know in what condi­tion our Souls will be when they leave the Body, and what is the Nature of that abod [...] into which we must go, but which we ne­ver saw into; and through what Regions we must then take our flight, and after what manner this will be done. 'Tis certain my Soul will then preserve the faculties that ar [...] natural to it, viz. to understand, to will, to re­member, as 'tis represented to us under the Parable of Dives and Lazarus: But alas! we little know how the People of the disembo­died Societies act, and will, and understand, and communicate their thoughts to one ano­ther, and therefore I long to know it. What conception can I have of a separated Soul (says a late Writer) but that 'Tis all Thought.

I firmly think when a mans body is ta­ken from him by Death, he is turn'd into all Thought and Spirit. How great will be its Thought when it is without any hinde­rance from these material Organs that now obstruct its Operations. In that Eternity (as one expresses it) the whole power of the Soul runs together one and the same way. In Eternity the Soul is united in its Motions, which way one faculty goes all go, and the Thoughts are all concentred as in one whole Thought Beverley's great Soul of Man. pag. 292. of Joy or Torment.

These things have occasioned great variety of Thoughts in me, and my Soul when it looks towards the other World and thinks it self near, it can no more cease to be inquisitive about it, than it can cease to be a Soul.

I am not at all edified in the Notion of the Blessed Trinity, by the sight of a Triangle, neither can the whole System of the Mathe­maticks improve my Knowledge in this Point of Divinity. The three distinct Faculties of a Humane Soul are far from illustrating to me the Three Persons in One Essence, since there is a Subordination in the Former, whereas there is an Equality in the Latter. Such Si­militudes and Comparisons seem not to me a Stenography or short Characters, but a false Spelling in Divinity. And tho' to wiser Rea­sons, and more Active Beliefs, they may serve as Luminaries in the Abyss of knowledge, yet my Heavy Judgment will never be able to [Page 36] mount on such weak and brittle Scales and Roundels to the lofty Pinnacles of true Theo­logy. All the force of Rhetorical Wit has not Edge enough to dissect so tough a Subject, wherein the little obscure Glimmerings we gain of that Inaccessible Light, come not to us in direct Beams, but by the faint Reflexi­ons of a Negative Knowledge. And we can better apprehend what it is not, than what it is. In the Disquisition of his Works, I own, that those do highly magnifie Him, whose Judicious Enquiry into his Acts, and deliberate Research into his Creatures return the Homage of a Devout and Learned Pa­raphrase. But in the Contemplation of that Eternal Essence to which no created Thought can be adaequate, I will humbly sit down and silently admire, that which neither the Heart can conceive, nor the Tongue or Pen of Men or Angels can declare as they ought, and as it is.

I do not affect Rhodomontadoes in Religion, nor to boast of the Strength of my Faith: I do not covet Temptations, nor court Dan­gers: Yet I can exercise my Belief in the difficultest Point when call'd to it; and walk stedfast and upright in Faith, without the Crutch of a visible Miracle. I can firmly be­lieve in Christ, without going in Pilgrimage to his Sepulchre, neither need I the Confirma­tion that was vouchsaf'd to St. Thomas that Proverb of Ʋnbelief. However I do not bless my self, nor esteem my Faith the better, be­cause [Page 37] I lived not in the Days of Miracles, nor ever saw Christ or any of his Disciples. Or because I was not one of his Patients on whom he wrought his Wonders. Both their Faith and mine were infus'd by the Ministration of the Sences. And as they be­lieve't because they saw, so I believe, because I hear (undenyable Witnesses give Testimony of) the same Matter of Fact. Nor do I esteem their Faith the more Extraordinary who lived before his Coming, since they raised not a Belief of the future Messias, but on clear Prophesies, and most significant Types, being assured by the constant stream of Tra­dition from Father to Son, that what God had predetermin'd and foretold to Adam in Paradise, to Abraham, to Jacob, and the Pro­phets, should infallibly be accomplish'd in the fulness of Time. And I cannot see where­in their Faith had the Advantage of ours, that it should deserve to be esteem'd more Bold and Noble, since they had an Isaiah to preach the Gospel to Them, who for the Eloquence of his Style, his most accurate and particular Enarration of the Birth of Christ, has acquired the Title of the fifth Evangelist. 'Tis certain both their Faith and [...]ours rests on the Divine Revelation, whether it consist in Prophesie of Things to come, or History of Things past. The ultimate Object of our Belief is one and the same, that is, the Authority of God. They had their Sa­craments also to strengthen their Faith as [Page 38] well as we. They were Baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea, they had Manna from Heaven, and Water out of a Rock in the Earth. They all eat the same Spiritual Meat, and drank the same Spiritual Drink as we, fo [...] they drank of the Spiritual Rock of Ages that followed Them, and that Rock was Christ

I do not conclude from hence, That ther [...] is, no difference between the Sacraments o [...] the Law, and those of the Gospel. Doubt­less there is an Excellency in the Latter to which the Former could not pretend The Elements in Both are Natural, as Wate [...] Manna, Bread, Wine, &c. so that in the Exteriour, neither of Them has the Advantag [...] of the other. They were both also Con­duits of the same inward Grace and Spirit. Only herein lyes the difference, that the Jews had it but by Measure, whereas th [...] Christians receive it in Abundance. The [...] touch'd but the Hem of Christ's Garment but we feed on his Body and Blood. The [...] did but wade in the low Ebb of Grace whereas we swim in the High-Tide an [...] over-flowings of the Holy Spirit. Before th [...] Everlasting Sluces were drawn up; whil [...] the Heavens were kept shut, the Water which are above the Heavens did but disti [...] gently on Mankind, The Divine Influenc [...] came Drop by Drop, here a little and ther [...] a little. But when Christ had once ascended up on High, and open'd the Eternal Gate above, then he showr'd down his Gifts upo [...] [Page 39] Men, and let loose the Flood of Light and Grace, that so it might water the whole Earth, and make glad the City of God, which is the Christian Church.

The Sacraments of Christianity are the Prin­cipal Channels through which Eternal Life is conveyed to our Souls. By Baptism we are transplanted from the Old Stock of the First Adam, and inoculated into Him who is the True Vine, in whom we grow up as Branches, receiving Nourishment and Encrease by the Eucharist, which conveys to us the vital Prin­ciples of Immortality and Salvation. I cannot speak of this tremendous Mystery, without a Circumlocution, nor think of it without a Rap­ture! It is such a Complex of Riddles, as it hath pos'd the stoutest Samsons of the Church to solve: He alone was able to think and speak aright of it in few words, who when he first instituted it, said, This is my Body, This is my Blood. That there is a real Change made in the outward Elements after the words of Con­secration are pronounc'd, is an Article of my Faith; but the Manner how this Change is ef­fected is no Query of my Philosophy. I had ra­ther humbly believe what I cannot comprehend in this Venerable Sacrament; than suffer any vain Disquisitions to stagger my Faith. I see Bread and Wine both retaining the same Taste, Colour, and other natural Qualities of those Creatures. Therefore I conclude there is no Alteration made in that which is the Ob­ject of my Sences. The Change must be in the [Page 40] Spiritual Part, which only falls under the Intel­lect. And yet I believe this Change to be Real, tho' I cannot sensibly perceive wherein, or how 'tis produced. Far be it from me to enter in­to the Secret of those who make a mere empty Figure of the Blessed Sacrament; as if we were made Partakers only of mere Natural Bread and Wine in the Holy Communion. This is to follow the impious Steps of Manicheus and Marcion, who taught that our Saviour had only a Fantastick Figure of a Body, not a Real one; as if they thought the Blessed Virgin Mary brought forth nothing but a Shadow, because she was overshadow'd by the Holy Ghost. This is to outstrip Judas, and begin where his Treason left off: and as he sold his Master's Life, so we should rob the Church of his Body and Blood, which he bequeath'd to her in his last Supper. Doubtless his Body is in the Sa­crament of the Eucharist, but not Bodily, or after a corporeal manner, not invested with all the gross Circumstances of Flesh and Blood, but after a Spiritual Manner, in a Mystery too pro­found for Humane Sence or Reason to compre­hend. I am extremely pleas'd with the An­swer which Queen Elizabeth gave to the Bi­shop of Winchester, when he demanded her Opinion of the Real Presence, said she,

It was an ill-manner'd, as well as an envious Retort of him that stood by and said, Your Highnesses Reply is like the Delphick Oracle, full of Ambiguous Subtilty: He had discover'd more Breeding and Charity, had he told her, That her Answer savour'd of his Wisdom, who, when tempted by the Pharisees with a Question concerning the Lawfulness of paying Tribure to Caesar, took a piece of Money and asked whose Image and Superscription was that stamped on it, they said Caesars, He replyed, Give therefore to Caesar, the Things that are Cae­sar's, and to God the Things that are Gods. It is certainly a necessary piece of Prudence sometimes to obviate the Trains of an Enemy, with a witty Evasion; which may be done without denying the Truth, or violating ones Conscience. Those who wou'd trepan a man with Queries, and make him a Transgressor for a word, deserve to be paid in the same Coin, and by an Ingenious adapting of words and pla­cing of Periods, be bassled in their Design, and sent away like Fools as they came, without any better Satisfaction than they cou'd reap from a Riddle. In my Opinion it is but a Pious Scepticism to suspend our Thoughts from determining the particular Mode of Christ's being present in the Sacrament, since it is im­possible ever to demonstrate so recondite a Se­cret, into which even the Angels themselves, those perfect Intelligences perhaps look with Ad­miration, without improving their Knowledge. It is sufficient to my humble Faith, that my Re­deemer [Page 42] is there, and that when I worthily re­ceive this Blessed Sacrament, I shall receive the Author of it into my Tabernacle, and be united to the Heavenly Spouse. This is the true Hidden Manna which nourishes both An­gels and Men; This is the Bread of Life, which strengtheneth Man's Heart; This is the Wine which rejoyceth God and Man. This is that Heavenly Morsel which God has given us as an Antidote against the Dregs of that Venom we all derive from Adam's eating the forbidden Fruit.

And he is a kind Physician, who, when no­thing else in the Divine Pharmacopaea could be sound available for so great a Cure, applies his own Body, to heal the Distempers of our Souls, and his Blood to restore the Spoyls of Humane Nature. None but the Favourites of the King of Heaven are admitted to this Immortal Ban­quet. None but such as have the Wedding Garment on, can have Access to this Table of Delicacies, this Repast of Royal Dainties. Many indeed (and too many, 'tis to be fear­ed) are licensed to come into the Kings Anti-Chambers, and to sit down in the Church and taste the outward Elements, but it is the Privi­ledge of his Saints only to enter his Cabinet, and be Regal'd with the costly Entertainment of his Secret Table, and to partake in the New Wine of the Kingdom of Heaven.

A Serious Christian once told me, that if ever he was like Paul taken up into the Third Heaven, it was when he first sat down at the Lords Table.

The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the nearest and visiblest Communion that can be had with God and Christ upon Earth. Here are the greatest revivings and the sweetest re­freshings that a Pious Soul is capable of on this side Heaven it self. Other Duties seem to be our work, this our meat and wages, other duties are but preparative to this, Baptism, Pray­ing, Preaching, Hearing, Meditating, Conferring, are all ordained but to sit us for this High and Mysterious Ordinance. Here you have all the benefits of the Covenant of Grace folded up in one Rite. Here is the whole contrivance of Salvation represented in a little Bread and Wine, whereby God invisibly seals up an assurance of his Everlasting Love upon our Hearts.

It is grown even to a Proverb, saith Acosta, among the poor Indians that have entertained the Faith that Qui Eucharistiam semel suscepe­rit, &c. He must never more be unholy that hath once received the Holy Communion.

As to the Posture of Receiving, I am not scru­pulous, being willing to conform to the Cu­stom of those with whom I communicate: I can receive on my Knees without Danger of Ido­latry; or Sitting, without the Guilt of Con­tempt. This latter I esteem of greater Anti­quity, it being the Posture wherein Christ Com­municated to his Disciples at the last Supper, un­less it be said they lay along according to the Mode of the Eastern People in those Days. However I do not think the Position of the Body, but the Preparation of the Soul is re­quired [Page 44] to render one a Worthy Commun icant in these Holy Mysteries.

I censure not the Primitive Christians, not those more Modern ones, who Communicate frequently, yet I should be timorous to ap­proach these Holy Mysteries too often, lest I should incur the Judgment which St. Paul has pronounced on those who eat and drink unwor­thily. I have Charity for others who Cele­brate this Sacrament Monthly, Weekly, or Daily, but I should have little for my self, should I receive this tremendous Mystery of Life, with less Preparation than were requisite to fit me for Death. It being in the Number of those Medicines which either Kill or Cure, according to the Constitution to which they are applyed.

If we examine the Books of Physicians, those Registers of Humane Frailty and Morta­lity, we shall find no less than Six Thousand Diseases on the Score, to which Man's Body is liable. And 'tis to be feared the Distempers of the Soul come not short of the Account. What is Pride but a Tympany? Lust but a Fea­ver? Drunkenness but a Dropsie? Envy and Malice but the Consumption of the Soul? To obviate these and innumerable more Spiri­tual Maladies, God has (as a Token of his Infinite Bounty) given His Ministers Com­mission to dispense to the Sons of Men the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, as a Divine Catholicon, or Cure for [all] the Diseases which are incident to our Souls, but with this [Page 45] Condition, That he who partakes of these Holy Mysteries unworthily, instead of being healed, does but increase his Malady, work it up to a dangerous Crisis, if not to a despe­rate Paroxism, which affords no Hopes, but a fearful Expectation of Judgment to come. Cy­prian tells us two remarkable Stories, that one coming to the Sacrament, after the Minister had given him the Bread, and he going to eat it, it stuck in his Throat Gladium sibi sumens non cibum, saith he, he received his Bane instead of Bread, the other came and took the Bread into his Hand, and when he went to eat it, there was nothing but Ashes in his Hand. This Apprehension, I ingenuously declare, has had such Influence on me, as to restrain me long from approaching the Holy Table. I tremble at the Thought of Eating and Drinking my own Damnation, and of trampling under-foot the Blood of the Eternal Testament.

I love not to humour my Spleen or gratifie my Hypocondria, by inveighing against the Luxury of the present Age, as if it were worse than those of old, and that our Fore-fathers did not Eat and Drink to Excess as well as we: The present Intemperance of Mankind is but the Transmigration of the Former: And our Posterity shall but act o're the Patterns we set them. Drunkenness is as old as Noah 's Flood, and Epicurism begun with Adam. The one had no sooner escaped the Universal Inundation of Water, but he had like to have been drown'd in a Deluge of Wine; And the Other [Page 46] not content with the large Indulgence and Com­mission God had given Him to eat of the Fruits of Paradice, must needs leap the Fence which guarded the Forbidden Tree, and whe [...] he might have Banquetted without Satiety or End on the Varieties which would have given him Life and Immortality, he plays the Glut­ton, and Surfeits Himself with the Plant of Death and Damnation. His Children soon learn'd to tread in their Father's Steps, and Gluttony was equally propagated with Mankind. And tho' that Repairer of Adam's almost Ship­wrackt Progeny could he abstemious, when he might have furnisht his Table with all the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air at one Meal, yet he could not refrain from the temp­ting Fruit of the Vine. His Ebriety was also catching, and the Incestuous Off-spring of Lot ow'd their Original to the Blood of the Grape. Before the Flood Men were busied in Ban­quetting and Riot, so they have been ever since, and so they will be, to the End of the World. Men are great Followers of Anti­quity in the Practice of these Vices.

For my Part I envy not the Board of Vitellius that at one Meal was covered with two Thou­sand Fish, and double that Number of Fowls. Neither do I covet the more Expensive Feasts of Heliogabulus. The refin'd Luxury of Cleo­patra seems to me less Sordid, tho' more Pro­digal, who at one Draught swallow'd down a King's Ransom. It was not her Palate she gra­tify'd in that Rich Potion, but she humour'd [Page 47] the Gust of her Ambition; which is a Sublimer sort of Vice, and may not unfitly be call'd the Gluttony of the Soul, while it Revels on the Breath of Fame, and Epicurizes with a Cha­melion-like Appetite on the Air of Honour.

Intemperance is the Blind side of Mortals; it is our soft Place, where we suffer our selves to be stroak'd and tickl'd to Death by the flattering Serpent. This made Isaac mis-place his Blessing for a Piece of Venison, and his Son to sell his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage. The Italian Proverb hits the Glutton Home when it says, He digs his Grave with his Teeth, and cuts his Throat with the Knife that carves his Meat.

Rioting and Drunkenness were formerly esteemed the National Sin of Germany only, but I believe other Nations may put in for a share in the Charter. It is the Epidemick Vice of the whole World. Men fall passionately in Love with it as if they were of Mucaus the Poet's Opinion, who held, That perpetual Drunkenness was the only Reward of Merit and Vertue. The very Mahometans themselves, who are expresly forbidden by their Law to taste of Wine, being told by Mahomet that there is lodg'd a Devil in every Grape, are sworn Votaries to Bacchus, and the greatest Drun­kards on Earth.

For my own Part, I could be content with the Diet of Johannes de Temporibus, who when he had lived three Hundred years, being ask­ed by the King of France, What method he took [Page 48] to preserve his Life to so great an Age; Re­plied, Intus Melle, extra Oleo. I say, I could be content with his Diet, not so much for the sake of Spinning out my Life to Centuries of years, (which yet I believe were not al­together impracticable in one of my Consti­tution) as that by a constant and habitua [...] Desuetude of merely Animal Enjoyments, [...] might the more closely and vigorously atten [...] the Operations of my Soul, and be always awake to the Superiour Faculties of my Mind and Intellect, Anima Sicca, est Anima Sapiens, was a true Maxim of the Philosopher. And the Sons of Minerva experience it.

I abhor the Superstitious Cant, and Dis­criminating Shibboleth of Enthusiasts, who must needs take upon them to alter the Form of sound Words; as if the Dialect of the Primitive Church were grown obsolete, or that the Apostles understood not the Orthogra­phy of Christian Faith. I like not those Spiri­tual Bouteseus, who take a great Deal of Pains to breed a Quarrel between Religion and Na­ture, and set those two Twins together by the Ears; as if we could not be good Christians, unless we deny our Sense and Reason. Cer­tainly it is not the Business of Religion to Sup­plant and Extirpate Nature, but to prune and rectifie it. Religion is that which polishes and smooths the Roughness of laps'd Humanity, pares away the Vicious Knobs which grow up with us from our tainted Embryo, and by various Instruments of Grace forms and squares [Page 49] us into sit Materials for God's Holy Temple. The Work of Regeneration seems in some manner to copy that of Creation. The Holy Ghost at his first Visit, finds us in our corrupt state, but a meer Chaos, a confused Heap of Passions and Sensual Appetites; our Reason, that Light of our Souls lyes Dormant, smother'd as it were by our Animal Faculties; Darkness covers the Face of this Microcosm, till he give the Word, Fiat Lux, and by a forcible Energy strike some Divine Sparks out of our Flinty Hearts: Thus separating the Co [...]lestial Parts from the Terrestrial, and Sublimating us into the Simi­ [...]itude of his own glorious Essence, Enduing [...]s with Faith, without destroying our Reason, [...]nd inspiring us with Charity, without exter­minating our Passions. Thus I can believe the most transcendent Mysteries of our Religion, [...]nd yet not be guilty of an implicite Credulity [...]nd blind Devotion: And I can practise Chri­ [...]ian Moderation, tho' I cou'd never learn the [...]toical Apathy.

I highly value the Sacred Scripture as the Oracle of Divinity, and Rule of Faith: Yet I [...]steem them not a System of Philosophy, or [...] Pandect of natural Science. They are able [...]o make us Wise unto Salvation, and perfect [...] the Knowledge of God, through Faith in Christ Jesus, but they instruct us not in Mun­ [...]ane Curiosities, nor acquaint us with the Theory of all his Works. That frightful Cau­ [...]on of the Apostle [Beware of vain Philosophy] no Bug-bear to my Studies, nor can it startle [Page 50] my harmless Enquiries into the Secrets of the Elements. I will not be afraid of prying in­to the Circumstances of the Earth, since J [...] [...] has told us, it is hang'd upon Nothing; nor [...] casting my Eyes up to the Heavens, and examining the Motions, Influences and Oper [...] tions, of the Sun, Moon and Stars, since t [...]e same Holy Patriarch was posed with this [...] strological Question by God himself, Ca [...] Thou restrain the sweet Influence of the Pleiad [...] or loose the Bands of Orion? There are ma [...] Natural Observations in the Bible which m [...] serve as Hints or Spurs to more accurate D [...] quisitions: But in no Place that I know o [...] does it set a Non Ultra to those Sober Enqu [...] rers, who by making a Modest and Judicio [...] Search into the Works of the Creation, are c [...] pable of returning a more exact and consummate Praise to the Eternal Architect Indee [...] most (if not all) the Manual Trades in th [...] World, are but the several Species of Pract [...] cal Philosophy: While the Mechanick pu [...] in Execution the Theory of the Student, a [...] what the One dictates from the School of [...] ture, the other Experiments in the Shop [...] Art. Neither would Men know how to ke [...] themselves in Action or maintain Commerc [...] were it not for the Sake of Philosophy. T [...] this are owing all the Advances and Progres [...] ons that Ingenious Men have made in the Callings and Occupations. And every Smit [...] Carpenter, Mason, &c. that makes an Improvement in his Craft or Mystery deserve [Page 51] the Tit [...]e of Virtuoso, and to be number'd a­mong t [...]e Philosophers

Among all the Sciences, there is none to which (had I leisure) I could be more de­voted than to Astronomy, and for this Rea­son I cou'd raise a Pyramid to the Inven­tors of the Telescope, That Happy Midwife to new Discoveries in the Heavens; and think my Self no less oblig'd to Him that first found out the Motion of the Earth. Both have Enfranchis'd me from the Slave­ry of Prepossession, and taught me to unthink the Sentiments of my greener Years. Me­thinks I owe no Allegiance to Ptolomy, and am perfectly wean'd from the Magisterial Di­ctates of the Stagyrite. I cannot so readi­ly believe that the Sun moves above two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Miles every Minute of Time, as that the Earth moves Eighteen Miles in that space. And that the Planet Saturn moves ten, and the fixed Stars a Hundred Times faster and farther than the Sun in the same space, which must be the Consequence of the Earth's standing still, and the Suns Motion. It seems no good Divi­nity to me, to expect that from Gods Infinite Power, which is repugnant to his equal Wisdom and the Laws of Motion which he has Establish'd in the Universe. This were to make one of his Attributes Clash with another, and to calumniate his Holiness, which consists in the Harmony of them all. I adore his Omnipotency, and tremble at the [Page 52] Thought of calling in Question the Power that made All things of Nothing. Yet I think it my Duty to be wise as well as Devout, and to speak rightly as well as reverently of his Divine Perfections. As his word is the Rule of my Faith, so his Providence is the Pole-Star of my Reason. And in the Scrutiny of his Works do not so much enquire what he is able to d [...] as what he uses to do. Being assured tha [...] as nothing is to him Impossible, so he has sta­ted the Being, Actions, Passions, Qualities and Circumstances of all Things, ordering them i [...] exact Number, Weight and Measure. So that à posse Dei ad esse Rei non valet Consequentia. He has fix'd the Laws of Loco-motion in Corporea [...] Substances, and ty'd up the Primum Mobile it self to a certain Proportion of Time and Di­stance, which it can no more exceed, than the smallest Wheel of a Watch.

Such prodigious Whirligigs, as the Heaven­ly Bodies must needs be, in the Ptolomaick Hy­pothesis, makes me giddy to think on't, and I believe they were troubl'd with a Vertigo, that first reel'd upon the Notion: Or they l [...] ­bour'd under the Deception of those at Sea, who sailing within Sight of the Shore, and not being able to perceive the Motion of the Ves­sel that carries them, are apt to phancy the Neighbouring Cliffs, Towns and Trees were under Sail, and steering a contrary Course, since they so appear to do. For not less si­lently do I believe the Earth moves constantly round on her Axis, thus making the Natural [Page 53] Day and Night, without putting the whole Frame of the Universe into an unconceivable Hurry.

The Planet Jupiter is discover'd by the Teles­cope to make the same Circulation in 10 Hours, Mars in 23, and the Sun himself in 28 Days. These are no Chimaera's or Dreams of Po­ets, no Metaphysical Speculations of Nut-shell Brains, but Real Truths, demonstrable by Art and Ocular Experience. And methinks it is a more Ʋniform Idea, if we suppose the Earth to be a Planet like the Rest, and to take its Turn in the Septenary Dance round the Sun, who is plac'd in the Centre of this Vortex, and is the true Apollo, to whose Musick the whole Planetary System keeps Time. I fear not the Lash of Maurolycus, nor the Scourge of his bigotted Brethren. If Copernicus was by [...]hem thought Scuticâ & Flagello dignus, for in­ [...]ovating on the Doctrines of Ptolomy; What was Ptolomy himself worthy of, who entrench'd on [...] greater Antiquity, and undermin'd the Phi­ [...]osophy of Aristarchus Samius, who taught the Motion of the Earth above four hundred years [...]efore Ptolomy was an Infant? For my Part I [...]hink it no Treason against the Common-wealth [...]f Learning to say, I prefer Galileo's Tube to [...]tolomy's Spectacles, and the Discoveries of our English Royal Society, to the blind Conjectures [...]f the Peripateticks, and the wild Speculations [...]f Athen [...].

When I was first inform'd that there were [...]iscover'd four new Stars moving about Jupiter, [Page 54] and three about Saturn, I was as well pleased, as they who received the earliest News of Colum­bus's landing in America. I am so far from being of Alexander's Humour, that instead of weeping, I should heartily rejoyce could I be credibly satisfied, That there are ten Thousand more Worlds, than are already discover'd.

I am naturally Melancholy, and the weigh [...] of this leaden Complexion does so depress my Spirits, That all the Race of Mankind or Earth seems too small to afford Variety enoug [...] for a Relief. This makes me the more willin [...] to believe what my Reason suggests to be true That the Planets are Inhabited. It is a live­ly as well as a Rational Notion; and since the are Dark, Opake Bodies, like the Earth w [...] tread on, having no other Light but what the [...] borrow from the Sun, and seem in all othe [...] Circumstances to be adapted for Habitations, see no Solaecism in Philosophy, nor Heres [...] against the Faith to believe they are really I [...] habited as is this Globe. That they have Su [...] cession of Day and Night, and their Satellites [...] Moons to give them Light by Night, even a [...] we, is demonstrable to the Eye by the help o [...] the Telescope. But there would, in my Opin [...] on, be little need of all this, were there [...] rational Inhabitants in those Coelestial Globes. [...] is a fastidious Pride in Man to phancy all th [...] Glittering Furniture above was only made fo [...] Ornament, or for Shepherds to gaze on in th [...] Night, or for some other Inferior uses of th [...] Sons of Adam. And 'tis a narrow Concei [...] [Page 55] to imagine, that tho' this Globe be plenti­fully Inhabited by all sorts of Animals, not a Turf of Land, nor a Puddle of Water being without its Tenants, yet all those ample and glorious Bodies above should lye empty and vacant, tho' some of them be far bigger than our Earth, and for ought we know, may be ten times more commodious for Habitation. Those Passages in St. Paul's Epistles to the Philippians 2.11. Ephes. 1.9, 10. Colos. 1.16. seem to be calculated for the Inhabitants of those Heavenly Bodies. And his Emphatical words in Ephes. 3.9. seem to be but a Tran­script of the Revelations he receiv'd, and of the Things he saw when he was Rapt into the Third Heaven, viz. That there are some in those Heavenly Places, even Principalities and Powers, to whom the manifold Wisdom of God in Christ was made known, and that they were not only Created by Him, but for Him, and that they and we are all of one Family or Descent. These may be some of the [...] which that Holy Apostle speaks of in 2 Cor. 12.4. Words and Myste­ries which could not be utter'd. And for ought I know, those Beings which he calls Principalities, Powers, Mights, Thrones and Dominions may be no other than the several glorious Colonies of the Coelestial Family dwell­ing in the Stars, who all believe in the same Eternal Jesus, even as we do, and through his Mediation make their Approaches to God the Father. This may be the farther Fellowship of [Page 56] the Mystery of God, hid from the Beginning. This the untraceable Riches of Christ, which put St. Paul to an [...]. O the Depth of his Wisdom! O the Superlative Greatness of his Power! But whether the Planets be Inhabited or no, this I am assured of, and can produce an Hundre [...] Authentick Witnesses, that they are Dark B [...] dies, like the Earth we tread on, and tha [...] they have no Light but what they receive from the Sun, which also they do but partially en­joy like us, by Successive Hemispheres, having their Day and Night measur'd out to them proportionate to the Time they take up in moving round their Centers.

When I have tyred my self with following these visible Motions of Nature, I retire Home again, thinking to take Sanctuary in my self, and find a Rest in the Contemplation of my own Soul: But there I do but commence a new Fatigue, and am hurried about in a perpe­tual Circle by an invisible Energy within me. I think, speak, and act with infinite Variety, yet know not how I perform these different Operations. I know my self to be an Incorpo­real Substance, and can easily feel out my own Independency on the Body. I look on this House of Clay I carry about with me, to be on­ly my Prison. But how I am confin'd to this Prison, I that am but a poor Scintillation or Spark of the Eternal Sun, is a Riddle which I cannot solve. I can better imagine how a Beam of our Visible Sun may be united to a [Page 57] Marble Statue, than that a pure Thought should be fastned to a Clod of Earth, from which it cannot free it self but by Death, though it can pervade all the Ʋniverse beside. What Ce­ment is it that thus closely tyes together two such incompatible Essences, as Heaven and Earth, Light and Darkness, Spirit and Body? This is a Knot must be left for Elias to untye, and is indeed one chief Argument of the Ship­wrack of Humane, Reason, since not only all other Things are obscure to us, but we are so to our selves, the nearest Objects, even our own Domestick Operations are as incomprehen­sible to us, as those that are farthest off. The Things that touch us, nay the very Faculties by which we touch, see, understand, &c. are as distant from us as the Ninth Sphere, & we are as much strangers to our selves, as to the Inhabitants of Terra Incognita. There wou'd be nothing more welcom to me than a History of my Original, for I do not compute my Age or Family, by the short Chronology of the Parish-Register; nor do I think my self much the older by my Mother's Additional Record of Nine Months, I liv'd in her Womb. I esteem her Reckon­ing from my Conception, but the Tragick Me­mories of my Death, and those which by most are accounted the Chambers of Life, and Shops of Generation, are no better in my Judgment than the Receptacles of the Dead, Seminaries of Corruption, the Graves of Souls defunct to the Higher World. For I believe I was then Born when the Morning Stars Sang together, [Page 58] and when all the Sons of God shouted for Joy. I time my Infancy with that of the Universe, and esteem no Man older or younger than my self, no not the Angels themselves, believing that all Spiritual Substances were Created toge­ther, in the Beginning. I will not with some accuse Moses of scantiness in his History of the Creation, because according to the Letter he seems to take but little notice of Immaterial Beings. The Hebrew Cabbala, with the Com­mentaries of their Learned Rabbins, and some of the Primitive Fathers of the Christian Church do sufficiently evince, That there are greater Mysteries contained in the Three first Chap­ters of Genesis, than the bare Letter, or Vul­gar Translations seem to exhibit. There is a Sacrament in that Holy Language, which who­soever partakes of, can be no stranger to the Natural and Divine Truths couch'd under it. To such an One the History of the Terrestrial Adam's Happy State in Paradise, and his Ba­nishment from thence, will be an Hierogly­phick of the Original Beatitude of the Imma­terial World, and the Degeneracy of humane Souls, their Descent from the Aetherial Man­sions, and Consinement to Houses of Clay, as well as of the Fall of Angels. I seem to my self, not without Reason to embrace the Doctrine of the Praeexistence of Souls, since it was among the Credenda of many Antient Sages, a peculiar Tradition of the Jews, and the general Opinion of all the East. That Question which was put to our Saviour concerning the Man [Page 59] that was born Blind, whether it was for his own sins, or those of his Parents, seems clearly to imply, That he was in a Condition or Capacity of sinning before his Birth, which how it could be without supposing the Praeexistence of his Soul, is past my Divinity or Philosophy to unriddle. The various Conjectures also which the Jews made of Christ, according to the Report of his Disciples, when some said he was Elias, others that he was one of the Pro­phets, a third sort, that he was John the Baptist risen from the Dead, are evident Arguments, That the Doctrine of Praeexistence, and a Metempsychosis was establish'd as part of the Creed of that Nation. Of which also that passage in the Wisdom of Solomon is no ob­scure hint, where the Author says, Or rather being a good Spirit, I came into a Body pure and undefiled. Neither am I startled because I find not Christ, or any of his Apostles asserting, or so much as mentioning any such Doctrine. St. John's Hyperbole in the last verse of his Gospel, satisfies me, that I must not expect to find all that our Saviour did and said, register'd by the Evangelists: And St. Paul's frequent Exhortation to hold fast the Traditions that he had imparted to them, whether by Word or Epistle, convince me, That it is not unreason­able to conclude, That he deliver'd many Doctrines in his Sermons, which he had no occasion to mention in his Letters to the Churches: Among which this might be one. However, it is a sufficient Warrant to my [Page 60] Belief, That I no where in all the Scrip­tures can find this Doctrine reprehended. Which, had it been an Errour, cou'd not have escaped the censure of Christ and his Apostles; it being the Universal Tenet of all sorts of Jews, except the Sadduces. When I consider also that Origen and Ammonius taught it in the Schools of Alexandria. (Plotinus himself learn­ing it from the latter) and that all the Pri­mitive Fathers who were Platonists, asserted it not only as a Philosophical, but also as a Divine Truth; I look upon it as an Effect of Gothick Barbarity and Ignorance, which after­wards overspread all Christendom, That nei­ther this, nor hardly any other Point of Platonism were countenanced in the Christian Schools, but only the Dictates of Aristotle and his Ghost Averroes. In fine, that elegant Flourish of St. Augustine, Infundendo creatur, creando in­funditur, is no Rule of my Faith in this Point, since it fastens so many irreverend Conse­quences on God Almighty; neither can I be­lieve the Soul to be ex Traduce, because it carries in its Front so many Inconsistencies in Philosophy, besides the Indignity that is done to the Soul thereby, which amounts to a true Scandalum Magnatum, since 'tis levell'd at the whole Order of immaterial Beings. I must therefore believe, That I had a Being long before I came into this Body, and yet not re­solve the Manner of my Existence into a meer Potentiality, or an unactive slumber in the Bo­som of my Causes, as if I were then but a Semi­nal [Page 61] Idea in the Blood of my Fathers, or a Metaphysical Dream of my present self. I be­lieve I was in a State of greater Activity be­fore I was conceiv'd by my Mother than since she bore me; and for ought I know, have [...]rang'd all the Boundless Tracts of the Ʋniverse, been Naturaliz'd in the several Regions of the Sky and Air, till being tyred with so vast a Ram­ble, and willing to try all States of Life, I was by the Force of a strong Inclination, and the irresistible Charm of rightly adapted Mat­ter, allured into this Terrestrial Body, here to do Penance for the Faults of my Superiour Life, and in this Horizon between the upper and the lower World to make my Choice of Good or Evil, Light or Darkness, Life or Death. This unlocks all the Aenigma's of Pro­vidence; and reconciles the harsher Difficul­ties with which the Immediate Creation or Traduction of Souls is involved. It is the noblest Instrument of Vertue, the sharpest Spur to a Divine Life, whilst it doubles the Hope; we have of being Immortal à Parte post, by assuring us we were so à Parte ante. And that it is not from any Arbitrary Decree of God, inconsistent with the Rest of his Di­vine Perfections, that we shall live for ever, but from our own Nature and Essence, be­ing Created to subsist an interminable Duration of Ages.

I believe those Books of the Holy Scripture which are lost, could they possibly be recover­ed again, would serve as a Lamp to enlighten [Page 62] us in many Obscurities of Religion, History, and Nature: And if the Writings of Jasher, Idd [...] the Prophet, &c. could inform us nothing of the Praeexistence of Souls, 'tis very probabl [...] the more early Oracles of Enoch would, sinc [...] he was but the Seventh Soul that was drench' [...] in Terrestrial Matter, and led so pure and in­corrupt a Life, as wou'd tempt one to believe, That he was awaken'd to the Memory of his former State, which for ought we know, might have no small influence on his succeed­ing Change.

I have often wonder'd where St. Jude had so particular an Account of Michael the Arch-Angels dispute with the Devil about the Body of Moses, that he was able to relate the very words that pass'd between them. Surely the Jews had some Books, or at least Traditions, which were believed to be Orthodox, tho' they were not so much as mention'd in the Sa­cred Canon; for we cannot without great Im­piety imagine that the Holy Saint wou'd impose upon our Belief any thing that was Forreign or Apocryphal. I am apt to conclude from hence, That there were many Traditional Do­ctrines entertained among the Hebrews, which are by us esteemed no better than Fables.

However, tho' I am thus convinced of the Truth of our Praeexistence, and that this pre­sent Life is but a Shadow or Dream in compari­son of what we enjoy'd before our Immersion in the Flesh; yet I wou'd not have this Dream interrupted by any untimely or harsher stroke of [Page 63] Destiny. I shou'd think it no inconvenience to live long! but rather a Blessing, That so a mul­titude of years might scum off the Froth and Sullage of our Appetites and Passions, that so being gradually wean'd from those low Affe­ctions which brought us down to the Earth, we may without any Disquiet or Turbulency re­mount to our Aetherial Homes. For I am apt to think that those [...]ouls who go out of their Bodies, with any remaining Relish upon them of the Body, like Fruit that is either pluck'd off, or shaken down by violent Winds, still retain in their separation, a raw and eager smack of the Flesh, with a languishing Byass toward it. Whereas he that has tarried his full Period, in the Body, parts from it with Ease and Wil­lingness, as Ripe Fruit drops from the Tree. And therefore I do not wonder that the most general Scene of Apparitions, Ghosts, &c. is the Church-yard, or at least that Place where the Body of the Spectrum was buried. And the re­moved Earth which covered the Cobler of Si­lesia 's Body is a shrewd intimation, That there are some Departed Souls, which if they seek not a Reunion with their Bodies, yet endea­vour to hold a kind of Correspondence with them even in the Grave. And tho' the Impossibility of being married again to these their dear Con­sorts, after that final Divorce, were enough, one wou'd think, to cure their Impotent De­sires, yet they burn with a new Lust, and com­mit a Spiritual Adultery in the unlawful Bed of the Grave. These I look on as the [Page 64] Effects of a too early and violent Separation and therefore esteem Methuselah and the Res [...] of the Fathers before the Flood, happy; who prolong'd their years to the utmost standar [...] of Humane Life, and seem'd not so much t [...] die, (for that imports Violence) as volunta­rily to forsake their old Rotten Habitation shake Hands with their Bodies, and so retu [...] to the Aetherial Palaces, from whence they ha [...] so long stragled.

Yet notwithstanding the great Esteem [...] have of long Life, as a Means rather to Im­prove than Impair us; I cannot promise my self to out-live a Jubilee, tho' I have already seen one Revolution of Saturn. Neither do I affect to make Popes, Emperours, Kings, and Grand Seigniours, the Land-marks in the Chro­nology of my self; That were to insult over the Royal Ashes of Princes, besides the Am­bition in Ranking my self in their Number. Methinks I grow old even at those Years when the World counts me Young, and possess the Heritage of David's last Ten Years of Four­score, in the Prime of my Age.

Indeed the whole Earth, and all this Plane­tary World seems to droop and decay. Every Species of Beings grow weak and languid, and seem to draw near their Dissolution. Yet 'tis needless to engage God in the Act, since tho' Creation was above the Force of Nature, yet Mutation is not, and no Annihilation can proceed from that Paternal Essence of Essences. It seems easie to me to believe, That the [Page 65] World will perish upon the Ruins of its own Principles. And tho' the precise Period of its Destruction be not known to the Angels them­ [...]elves, yet there are not wanting some Philo­sophical Rules, whereby one might venture to Calculate its Duration, and by observing the various Attempts, Eruptions and Devastati­ons made by Fire already, one may conjecture [...]bout what Time that most active Element [...]hall be let loose, to destroy this Face of the World, and transform this Superannuated Hea­ [...]en and Earth into New Ones, as the Holy Prophet has foretold. For as to Annihilation, look on it as a Chimera, or Non Entity, which cannot be said to slow from Him who [...]s All-being, and the Fountain of Existence. [...]t were easier to conceive that Cold should [...]e the immediate Effect of Fire, and Dark­ [...]ess the Natural Result of the actual Pre­ [...]ence of Light, than to think that Annihi­ [...]tion or not Being can proceed from Him [...]ho is the Original Source of Being, from [...]hose Divine Power, Wisdom and Good­ [...]ess all Things flow by a Necessary Emana­ [...]on, and continue in their several Perfecti­ [...]ns by as unalterable a Law as that which [...]ave them; so that there can be no Va­nity supposed in their Eternal Subsistence, [...]o Leaps or Starts from Something to No­ [...]ing. It is far more agreeable to the Prin­ [...]ples of Philosophy to conceive, That only [...]e Gross and Corruptible Part of the Uni­ [...]erse shall be subject to the Action of Fire, [Page 66] such as the Earth we tread on with the other Planetary Bodies; but that the purest Aethe [...] shall remain for ever untouch'd, unchang'd the Sanctuary of the Bless'd, the Habitatio [...] of the Spirits of Just men made perfect. I a [...] also confirmed in this Belief by somethi [...] more Sacred and Authentick than natural Ph [...] ­losophy. For when the Royal Psalmist in th [...] Divine Rhapsody calls upon the Heavens [...] Heavens, and the Waters which are above t [...] Heavens to praise God, he gives this for [...] Reason, (viz.) Because he spake and the were made, he commanded and they wer [...] created. He establish'd them to Eternit [...] and for Everlasting Ages: He fix'd a Decree which he will not disannul. Then he calls upo [...] the Earth and all Creatures therein to joyn i [...] the same Act of Praise, but not for the sam [...] Reason; not because the Earth shall endu [...] for ever, but because the Name of God alon [...] is exalted, and his Honour above Heaven an [...] Earth. Which Distinction seems to me a [...] evident Argument of the unalterable Stabili [...] of the Coelestial and Aetherial World, what [...] ever Mutations and Changes the Terresti [...] may be subject to.

That those immense Tracts of quiet and i [...] passible Aether shall be the Seat of the Bless is very consistent with Philosophy, and [...] ways repugnant to Divinity. However, le [...] the Place be where it pleases God, we ar [...] assured that the Entertainment and Joys [...] far surpass all humane Comprehension. Ye [...] [Page 67] tho' we cannot have adequate Conceptions of Supream Felicity, there are some Land-marks by which we may take imperfect Measures of that Region of Promise. The Dim-Light of Natural Reason may afford us a Glimpse, or faint Prospect of those Superlative Joys, and the Opticks of Faith will improve the View. We shall have the same Nature and Faculties there as here, but free from the least Alloy of Frailty and Imperfection. Our Souls shall dis­play the radiant Brightness of their Immortal Essence with stronger Vibrations than the Sun, having no internal Scum of Concupiscence boyl­ing out from the Center of a depraved Will or erroneous Understanding, to blemish and stain those unspotted Orbs of Light; nor a ter­rene gross Body to Eclipse and shut up their Splendors. But being ever Bright and Serene, they shall shine through their Glorified and Spi­ritual Bodies, as the Sun does through the [...]ervious Air, or at least as he does on a Bright Cloud, which drinks in his Beams to reflect them abroad with a more sensible Glory. We shall then see, not by receiving the Visible Species into the narrow Glass of an Organized Eye, we shall then hear without the distinct and curious Contexture of the Ear. The Body shall then be all Eye, all Ear. All Sense in the whole, and every Sense in every Part. In a word, it shall be all over a common Senso­rium, and being made of the purest Aether, without the Mixture of any lower or grosser Element, the Soul shall by one undivided Act, [Page 68] at once perceive all that Variety of Objects which now cannot without several distinct Organs, and successive Actions or Passions, reach our Sense. From this Superlative Te­nuity and Claritude of our Bodies, will aris [...] that ineffable Delicacy in the Sensation of the Soul, which will transport it with Deligh [...] infinitely transcending the Heighth of Mort [...] Voluptuousness, nay and even those more exalted Pleasures which the Vertuous sometime [...] enjoy here on Earth as Foretasts of their futur [...] Beatitude in Heaven. What here excites bu [...] an Ordinary Emotion of Joy in the Soul, wi [...] there produce all Raptures and Ecstasies. We shall be always in Paroxisms of Love, such are the transcendent Beauties of that admirable Place! and such the divinely amorous Bent of the Soul. We shall be always languishing, yet ever enjoying what we languish for: Neither suffering the least Pain through the Want of Fruition, nor through any Satiety that shall at­tend it: But through the Vigour of an Immor­tal Activity, we shall have ever freshly kindle [...] Desires and new Enjoyments, being dissolv'd in a Circle of Beatitude without Measure or End.

Here on Earth Men generally strive to Mo­nopolize Pleasure to themselves, there being few of so generous a Temper as to be sensibly touch'd with Delight, that another shou'd par­take with them in that which they esteem Fe­licity: This is the peculiar Advantage of the Bless'd in Heaven, that even in the Heighth of [Page 69] the Affairs of Immortal Love and Empire, where they possess Eternal Crowns and unfa­ding Beauties, there is no such Thing to be found as a Rival or Competitor, but every one's Joy is enhanc'd by the Enjoyments of a­nother. Every one loves all, and all love every one. Neither wou'd their Felicity be Perfect, cou'd any Member of that Happy Society be suppos'd not to have his full proportion and share of Beatitude. So communicative is the Love and Joy of those Holy Souls, that they must cease to love and enjoy themselves, shou'd they desist from loving and rejoicing in the Happiness of their Fellow-Citizens. And if we may take our Measures of their Joys from our Common Experiences here on Earth, it will be no small Augmentation of their Com­placency, to find those very Friendships which they had contracted here below, translated to the Mansions above, when they shall both see and know those whom they once loved on Earth, how to be made Denizens with them in Hea­ven, with what Ardours will they caress one ano­ [...]her! With what Transports of Divine Af­fection will they mutually embrace, and vent those Innocent Flames, which had so long lain smothering in the Grave! How passionately Rhetorical and Elegant will their Expressions be, when their Sentiments which Death had Frozen up, when he congeal'd their Blood, shall now be Thaw'd again in the warm Airs of Paradise! Like Men that have escap'd a com­mon Shipwrack, and swim safe to the Shore, [Page 70] they will congratulate each other's Happiness with Joy and Wonder. Their first Addresse [...] will be a Dialect of Interjections and short Periods the most Pathetick Language of Surprize and high wrought Joy! And all their after converse eve [...] to Eternity, will be couch'd in the highes [...] Strains and Flowers of Heavenly Oratory, wi [...] Allelujahs intermix'd.

It much sweetneth the thoughts of Heave [...] to me to remember that there are a multitu [...] of my Friends gone thither; to think such [...] Friend that died at such a time, and such a [...] at another time (O! what a number of th [...] cou'd I name) and that all these I shall meet [...] gain. 'Tis true, it's a question with some wheth [...] we shall know each other in Heaven or no? b [...] 'tis none with me; for surely there shall [...] Knowledge cease which now we have, b [...] only that which implyeth our Imperfectio [...] and what Imperfection can this imply? Inde [...] we shall not know each other after the flesh, n [...] by Stature, Voice, Colour, or outward Shap [...] nor by Terms of Affinity and Consanguini [...] nor by Youth or Age, nor I think by Sex, bu [...] by the Image of Christ and Spiritual Relatio [...] beyond doubt we shall know and be know [...] nor is it only my old Friends (such as Esse [...] Russel, Sydney, &c.) that I shall know in He [...] ven, but all the Saints of all Ages, who Faces in the Flesh I never saw. Luther in [...] last sickness being ask'd his Judgment wheth [...] we shall know one another in Heaven, a [...] swer'd thus, Quid accidit Adamo? nunquam i [...] [Page 71] viderat Evam, &c. i. e. How was it with A­dam? he had never seen Eve, yet he asketh not who she was, or whence she came, but saith, She is Flesh of my Flesh, and Bone of my Bone. And how knew he that? Why, being indued with the true knowledge of God, he so pro­nounced; after the same sort shall we be re­newed by Christ in another Life. And we shall know our Parents, Wives, Children, &c. much more perfectly than Adam did then know Eve. In Heaven we shall not only see our Elder Brother Christ, but all our Kindred and Friends that living here in his fear died in his favour, for since our Saviour tells us that the Children of the Resurrection shall be [...] equal to, Luke [...]0.36. Luke 16. or like the Angels who yet in the Visions of Daniel and St. John appear to be acquainted with each other, since in the Para­ble of the miserable Epicure and the happy Beg­gar the Father of the Faithful is represented, as knowing not only the Person and present con­dition, but the past story of Lazarus: Since the Instructer of the Gentiles confidently ex­pects his converted and pious Thessalonians to be his Crown at that great day: Since these Argu­ments, besides divers others are afforded us by the Scripture, we may safely conclude that we shall know each other in a place where, since nothing requisite to happiness can be wanting, we may well suppose that we shall not want so great a satisfaction as that of being knowingly happy in our other selves, our Friends.

Thus far we may venture to speak of the lower Degrees of Coelestial Beatitude, the mutual Love and Entertainment of the Bles­sed. But who has ever mounted to the High­est Scale of Heavenly Bliss? Let him come down and tell us the Mysteries wrapt up i [...] Clouds, the Secrets hid within the Veil of I [...] accessible Light! Let him describe the Wo [...] ­ders of the Beatifick Vision, and say how dee [...] the Rivers of Pleasure are which run by God [...] Right Hand for evermore! For my Part, I must confess, I'm lost in that Abyss of Won­ders, and therefore modestly withdraw my Pen to Subjects more Domestick and within ou [...] Reach, and yet even here I shall but pass from one Abyss to another, since every Thing has a Depth in it not to be fathom'd by our weightiest Sense or most solid Reason.

I have often try'd to dive into the Profun­dities of Death, but still I find my Intellect too light a Plummet, and the whole Thread of Life, though spun out in finest Speculations wou'd still prove far too short to reach that endless Bottom.

'Tis true there have been men that have tryed even in Death it self to relish and taste it, and who have bent their utmost Faculties of Mind to discover what this passage is; but they are none of them come back to tell us the News.

Canius Julius being condemn'd by that Beast Caligula, as he was going to receive the stroke of the Executioner, was askt by a Philosopher, Well Canius, said he, whereabout is your Soul now? What is she doing? What are you thinking of? I was thinking, replyed Canius, to keep my self ready, and the Faculties of my Mind settled and fix'd, to try if in this short and quick instant of Death I could per­ceive the motion of the Soul when she parts from the Body, and whether she has any re­sentment at the Separation, that I may after come again to acquaint my Friends with it.

So that I fancy there is a certain way by which some Men make Trial what Death is, but for my own part I cou'd ne're yet find it out.

I have sometimes thought what would I give for the least glimpse of that invisible World which the first step I take out of this Body will present me with, and that there was nothing in the whole discourse of Death that I durst not mee [...] the boldest way, and have therefore of­ten attempted to look him full in the Face, that I might learn to die generously, but still when it came to the pinch Conscience that makes Cowards of us all, made one of me, and I was forc'd to shrink back with shame.

Yet surely the Terrour is not so much in Death it self, as in the Tragick Pomp that goes before and after it. The tedious Discipline of Sickness, the formal Visits of Relations and Friends, their melancholy Chat, the fright­ful Harangue of the Physician, and our own dismal Apprehensions compose that horrid Scene which renders Death uncomfortable. When the poor Patient that perhaps may yet outlive his Fears of Death, and see Millions drop into the Grave before him, yet dies a Thousand Deaths in his Hag-ridden Phancy, and makes his Bed his Grave by strength of an abus'd Imagination.

'Tis only Fancy gives Death those hideous Shapes we think him in, for indeed Death is no more than a soft and easie Nothing, or ra­ther Natures play-day. I firmly think it is no more to die than to be born, we felt no pain coming into the World; nor shall we in the act of leaving it, though in the first one would believe there were more of Trouble than in the latter, for we cry coming into the World, but quietly and calmly leave it. What is Death but a ceasing to be what we were, before we were, we are kindled and put out; to cease to be and not to begin to be is the same thing. Methinks it is but th' other day I came into the World, and anon I am leaving it; for though I am but in my thir­tieth year, and at present in perfect health and strength, yet I look upon my self as a man that has one foot in the Grave already, for David says se­venty is the Age of man, and I have lived near [Page 75] thirty years of that time already. The longest of my design's now is not above a years extent, I think of nothing now but ending, take my last leave of every place I depart from; alas! there is no fooling with Life when it is once turn'd beyond thirty. Silence was a full answer of him that being ask'd what he thought of Humane Life, said nothing, turn'd him round and va­nisht. Oh how Time runs away! and we are dead e're we have time to think our selves a­live, one doth but Breakfast here, another Dine, he that liveth longest doth but Sup, we must all go to Bed in another World, therefore good night to you here, and good morrow hereafter.

Indeed our whole Life is but one often re­peated Stop to Death, and we are as near it at the first Minute of our setting out as at a hun­dred years end. For Death either keeps an even Collateral Pace with us from our very Birth, or at least he marches but one Step be­hind us all the way of our Life; so that when the appointed Time is come for him to exe­cute his Commission, he soon can reach forth his Hand, arrest us, and stop our further Jour­ney. Man in the Vigour and Prime of his years, Phancies himself in the midst of a vast Plain; he looks behind him, and numbers all the weary Steps of Life he has already taken, per­swades himself that Death must also measure the same space of years in his Pursuit, before he can o'retake Him; then turning his Eyes before, he sees a boundless Tract, an indeter­minate [Page 76] set of years; being thus deluded by the Inchanted Prospect, he rushes on, and bids defiance to pale languid death, imagining he sees him lagging afar off, at the first entrance of all the wide-stretch'd Waste, whereas the nimble Skeleton is as far advanc'd as he, only keeps out of sight, and will never be seen till the very moment he gives the fatal stroke. To whatsoever Light Mans turn his Face, death like his Shadow, whips behind Him still, and is at his Back, but ne're will Face him, till the latest Gasp. And he that can stoutly bear his Looks for that one Moment, shall never see him more to all Eternity. 'Tis but the Fear of this one Moments Pain, that makes our Lives so uneasie all along. And I am really asham'd of this incorrigible Folly of Mortals, who spend so many years in pain­ful Disquisitions how to protract the Pain of one poor moment, and undergo ten times more Labour to escape it, than they can possibly feel in undergoing it. I admire the Resoluti­on of the Indian Wives, who in contempt of Death, scorn to survive their Husband's Fune­ral Pile, but with chaste Zeal, and an undaun­ted Courage, throw themselves into the Flames, as if they were then going to the Nup­tial Bed. Certainly they calculate aright, who reckon the Day of our Death, the Day of our Nativity, since we are then Born to the Pos­session of Immortal Life. For this Reason I honour the Memory of Ludovicus Cartesius the Paduan Lawyer, who in his Last Will and [Page 77] Testament ordered, that no sad Funeral Rites should be observ'd for Him, but that His Corps should be attended with Musick and Joy to the Grave, and as if it were the Day of his Espousals, he commanded that Twelve Suits of Gay Apparel should be provided instead of Mourning for an equal number of Virgins, who should usher his Body to the Church.

It will not, I hope, be an unpardonable Transition, if I start back from the melancholy Horrours of Death, to the innocent Comforts of Humane Life, and from the Immortal Nup­tials of this Italian, pass to the Mortal Emblem, the Rites of Matrimony, the Happiness of Fe­male Society, and our Obligations to Women. 'Tis an uncourtly Vertue, which admits of no Proselytes but Men devoted to Coelibacy, and he is a Reproach to his Parents, who shuns the Entertainments of Hymen, the blissful Amours of the Fair Sex, without which he himself had not gain'd so much as the Post of a Cypher, in the Numeration of Mankind, though he now makes a Figure too much in Natures Arith­metick, since he wou'd put a stop to the Rule of Multiplication. He is worse than Numa Pom­pilius, who appointed but a set number of Vir­gins, and those were free to Marry, after they had guarded the Sacred Fires, the Term of four years: VVhereas if his morose Example were follow'd, all VVomen should turn Vestals against their wills, and be consecrated to a peevish Virginity during their Lives. I wonder at the unnatural Phancy of such as could wish [Page 78] we might procreate like Trees, as if they were asham'd of the Act, without which they had never been capable of such an extravagant Thought, or like Alphonsus King of Spain, would correct the Institutions of Heaven, and say, Had they been present with God, when he commanded Adam and Eve to encrease and multiply, they would have propos'd a bette [...] method for Generation. Certainly he that Created us, and has riveted the Love of Women in the very Center of our Natures, never gave us those passionate Desires to be our incurable Torment, but only as Spurs to our Wit and Vertue, that by the Dexterity of the One and the Integrity of the Other, we might Merit and Gain the Darling Object which should con­summate our Earthly Happiness.

I do not patronize the Smoke of those Dung­hill-Passions, who only court the Possessions of an Heiress, and fall in Love with her Money. This is to make a Market of Women, and prosti­tute the Noblest Affection of our Souls to the sordid Ends of Avarice. Neither do I com­mend the softer Aims of those, who are wed­ded only to the Charming Lineaments of a Beau­tiful Face, a clear Sk [...]n, or a well shap'd Body. 'Tis only the Vertue, Discretion, and good Humour of a Woman could ever captivate me, and I am bless'd in a Mate who has her share both of these and the other exteriour Orna­ments.

I hate the Cynical Flout of those who can afford Women no better Title than Necessary [Page 79] Evils, and the lewd Poetical Licence of Him who made this Anagram, Ʋxor & Orcus — idem. That Oratour whisper'd the Doctrine of Devils, who said, Were it not for the Com­pany of Women, Angels would come down and dwell among us. I rather think, were it not for such ill natur'd Fellows as he, Wo­men themselves would prove Angels

'Tis an ungrateful Return, thus to abuse that Gentle Sex, who are the Moulds in which all the Race of Adam are cast: As if they deserv'd no better Treatment at our Hands, than we usu­ally give to Saffron Bags and Verde Bottles, which are thrown into a Corner, when the Wine and Spice are taken out of them. The Pagan Poet was little better than a Murderer, who allow'd but two good Hours to a VVo­man.

For my Part, I should esteem the VVorld but a Desert, were it not for the Society of the Fair Sex; and the most Polished Part of Mankind wou'd appear but like Hermits in Masquerade, or a kind of Civilized Satyrs, so imperfect and unaccomplish'd is our Virility, without the Reunion of our lost Rib, that Sub­stantial and Integral Part of our Selves. Those who are thus disjoynted from VVomen, seem to inherit Adam's Dreams, out of which no­thing can awake them, but the Embraces of [Page 80] their own living Image, the Fair Traduct of the first Metamorphosis in the VVorld, the Bone converted into Flesh. They are always in Slumbers and Trances, ever separated from themselves, in a wild Pursuit of an intolerab [...] Loss, nor can any thing fix their Volatile De­sires, but the powerful Magnetism of some Charming Daughter of Eve. These are the Centers of all our Desires and VVishes, the true Pandoras that alone can satisfie our longing Appetites, and fill us with Gifts and Blessings, in them we live before we breathe, and when we have tasted the Vital Air, 'tis but to die an amorous Death, that we may live more plea­santly in them again. They are the Guardians of our Infancy, the Life and Soul of our Youth, the Companions of our Riper Years, and the Cherishers of our Old Age. From the Cradle to the Tomb, we are wrapt in a Circle of Obligations to them for their Love and good Offices. And he is a Monster in Nature who returns them not the Caresses of an Innocent Affection, the Spotless Sallies of Vertue and Gratitude. Loue is the Soul of the World, the Vital Prop of the Elements, 'tis the Cement of Humane Society, the strongest Fence of Nature. Earth would be a Hell without it, neither can there be any Heaven where this is absent.

Yet I am no Advocate for those general Lov­ers, who not content to let this active Passion run within the lawful Channel of chast Marri­age, swell it up with irregular Tides, and wanton Flouds of Lust, till it wash away the [Page 81] Banks of Reason and Morality, find out new Passages and Rivulets, encroaching on other Mens Possessions, or at least dilating on the ge­neral waste of the weaker Sex, who ought to be as Gardens enclos'd, or holy Ground not to be prophan'd by the Access of every bold Intruder.

I approve not the Incestuous Mixtures of the Chinese where the Brother Marries the Sister, or next a-kin; nor the Sensual Latitude of the Mahometans, who allow every Man four VVives, and as many Concubines as he can maintain. But above all I detest the wild and Brutal Liberty of that Philosopher, who in his Idea of Humane Happiness, conceiv'd a pro­miscuous Copulation ad Libitum to be a necessa­ry Ingredient of our Bliss.

On the Other side, My Regards to that Sex are not circumscrib'd within such narrow Li­mits, as to exclude any from our Conversation and Friendship, that by any warrantable Title can lay a Just Claim to it; I wou'd have our Commerce with Females as General as is their Number that deserve it, whose Knowledge and Vertue will be a sufficient security from criminal Familiarities, and from the Scandals of the World. There are among that Sex as a­mong Men, Good and Bad, Vertuous and Vi­cious, and a Prudent Man will so level his Cho [...]ce, as not to stain his Reputation, or ha­zard his Integrity. 'Tis no small Point of Dis­cretion, I own, to regulate our Friendships with Women, and to walk evenly on the Borders [Page 82] and very Ridge of a Passion, whose next Step i [...] a Precipice of Flames not kindled from th [...] Altar of Vertue. However, 'tis not impossi­ble to conserve Innocency, on the Frontiers of Vic [...] There is no Difference of Sex among Souls, and Masculine Spirit may inhabit a Womans Bod [...] It is disingenuous to rob Vertue of the Adva [...] ­tages it receives from Beauty, which make [...] appear like Diamonds enchac'd in Gold, a [...] gives it a greater Lustre. Reason it self will [...] pear more Eloquent in the Mouth of a fair Ma [...] than in that of the most Florid Oratour: An [...] there are no Figures in all the System of Rhetorick so moving and forcible as the peculia [...] Graces of that Sex. I am of Opinion that Me [...] can boast of no Endowments of the Mind which Women possess not in as great, if not a greater Eminency. There have been Mus [...] as well as Amazons, and no Age or Nation bu [...] has produced some Females Renowned for their Wisdom or Vertue. Which makes me conclude that the Conversation of Women is no less useful than pleasant, and that the Dan­gers which attend their Friendships and Com­merce, are recompensed by vast Advantages.

But whatever may be adduced against the Friendships we contract with Women, there is not in all the Magazine of Detraction any Wea­pon of Proof against the mutual Intimacies of our own Sex, the generous Endearments of Souls truely Masculine and Vertuous, united by Sympa­thies and Magnets whose Root is in Heaven. No Panegyricks can reach the Worth of these Di­vine [Page 83] Engagements, since they admit not of any Mediocrity, but derive their Value only from their Excess. I have been always slow and cautious in contracting Amities, lest I should run the Risque of his Mistake, who while he thought he had an Angel by the Hand, held the Devil by the Foot: But where I have once pitch'd my Affection, I love without Reserve or Rule. I never entertain without suspicion the warm Professions of Love, which some Men are apt to make at first sight. Such Mush­room-Friendships have no deep Root, and there­fore most commonly wither as soon as they are form'd. Yet I deny not, but that there are some secret Marks and Signatures which Souls ordain'd for Love and Friendship can read in each other at a Glance, by which that No­ble Passion is excited, that afterwards displays it self in more apparent Characters. This is the silent Language of Platonick Love, where­in the Eye supplies the Office of the Tongue; 'tis the Rhetorick of Amorous Spirits wherein they make their Court without a Word. There are some lasting Friendships which owe their Birth to such an Interview, but their Growth and Fastness proceeds from other Circumstan­ces, being cherish'd by frequent Conversation, repeated good Offices, and an inviolate Fide­lity, which are the only proper and substantial Aliment of Love. 'Tis impossible to fix a durable Friendship, where-ever we place a Transient Inclination, because of the insuper­able Necessities which divide particular Men [Page 84] from each Others Commerce or Knowledge after they have begun to Love. In the Orb of this Life Men are like the Planets, which now and then cast friendly Aspects on each other en Passant: But following the Motio [...] of the Greater Sphere of Providence, the [...] are again separated, their Influences dissolv'd and new Amours commenc'd. But I would have my Friendship, resemble the Fixed Sta [...] and Constellations, who in the Eternal Revo­lution never part Company or Interests.

I have ever look'd on those Men to be bu [...] one step differenc'd from Beasts, whose Love is confined only to their own Families or Kin­dred. Such a narrow Affection deserves not to be rank'd in the Praedicament of Humanity. My Love is communicative it makes a large Progress, and extends it self to Strangers, it takes in Men of different Humours and Com­plexions, Customs and Languages, it refuses none that have the Face of Men, but with wide-open'd Arms embraces all that bear the stamp of Humane Nature. And I have this peculiar in my Temper, that I find not the least Reluctancy in loving and doing Good to my Enemies. That which costs others so much La­bour and Toil to perswade themselves to, is to me as familiar and easie, as to laugh at a ri­diculous Object, and I esteem it not so proper­ly a Vertue in my Self, as a Gift of Nature, the Effect of my Constitution.

Yet I cannot pretend to such an universaliz'd Spirit, as to be without my Antipathies. I [Page 85] esteem Hatred to be as necessary and allowable a Passion as Love, provided it be exercis'd on its proper Objects, since as the One fastens us to those Things which procure our Happiness, so the Other snatches us from what would be the Cause of our Misery. I observe, that these contrary Faculties are inherent in all Creatures, neither could the Creation subsist, were it not for the Discords as well as the Agreements of the Elements. The whole Universe subsists by the Opposition of its Parts, and the Epitome of it, our Microcosm is preserv'd by its in­testine Divisions. So that I cannot apprehend a more immediate Way for the Supreme Ar­chitect to overthrow his Works, than by dif­fusing that Nepenthe through the Elements, which should compose their Quarrels, for they wou'd no sooner cease to hate their Contraries, but they wou'd also desist from loving them­selves, and having thus lost the Cement which fastens them together in this exquisite Order, they must necessarily return to their Primitive Chaos out of which they were extracted.

However I will not from these innocent Feuds of inanimate Creatures draw Arguments to countenance in my self a Hatred which is Cri­minal, being assured that among those various Aversions which molest the Quiet of Men, there is hardly one which is not against Reason or Morality. Every Creature bears in its Es­sence the stamp of Infinite Goodness; and 'twere gross Impiety to calumniate any of those Works, on which God Himself has bestow'd [Page 86] an universal Panegyrick, when he pronounc'd them all to be Good. They are all lovely in their Order, and those which our Squeamish Phancies esteem the most odious, have Quali­ties which claim our Love and Admiration. Those venemous Creatures which we shun as the inveterate Enemies of our Race, deserve ou [...] Caresses instead of our Spight, since the Ser­vice they afford us, equals the Hurt we receive from them, and the most Efficacious Medi­cines are sometimes compounded of the fiercest Poysons. In strict speaking, the Devils them­selves are not the Object of my Hatred, ac­cording to their Essence, though they are so by the Malice of their Will. They still retain their Natural Perfections, and the Goodness of their Essence remains the same as it was be­fore their Fall. Their Vigour, Beauty, and Intellectual Accomplishments, have suffered no Detriment from the Depravedness of their Affections, but remain untouch'd, as when they shone among the Hierarchies above. And though God detests and punishes them for their Crimes, yet he Himself loves and conserves their Essence. There is Nothing therefore in Heaven, Earth or Hell but Sin that deserves our Hatred; with all things else we may be enamour'd; and we ought to hate this Mon­ster so much the more, in that by disordering our Natures, it has planted in us those Anti­pathies and Aversions which make us peevish at the Works of God, and hate those Things which we ought to love.

But among all the Species of Hatred, I trem­ble at that which is exercis'd against our own Race, because I find none so violent, none so inexorable as one Man against another. They are not content with the most furious Sallies of this Passion during their Lives, but to con­summate the Height of their Malice, they wil­lingly involve themselves in Death. With Atreus they take Delight in their own Ruine, provided Thyestes may be crush'd in it too. Nay this Passion is Immortal, and descends into the very Grave. The Antipathies of Eteocles and Polenius were translated to the other World, their Hatred surviv d their Breath, it liv'd in their Ashes, and wou'd not suffer their divided Flames to mix in the same Funeral Pile. Above all I abhor the Italians inslexi­ble Cruelty, who bequeath their Hatred as an Inheritance to their Children, adjuring them to Eternal Enmity, with Curses on such of their Off-spring as shall ever make Peace with their Foes.

I quarrel not with that Logick, by which we call a Toad venemous. 'Twou'd prove but a thin Sophistry that shou'd impose on us the Safety of the Experiment; and I doubt our best Metaphysicks wou'd make but a weak An­tidote against the Force of its Poyson. I am not fond of quibbling my self into so dangerous an Absurdity under the Protection of a refin'd Theory, whose Practice wou'd convince me of a foolish Madness, and that I were neither good Philosopher nor Divine. Yet I cannot [Page 88] say I hate even this Creature which is become the Proverb of Humane Hatred: For as much as it carries with it, in its Life and Motion, the Character and Impression of a Divine Artificer especially for this reason, that we have no ca [...] to believe it ever sinned, and consequently thereupon maintains and performs the end and design of its Creation, which tho' it be in a lower Sphere, has this Prerogative beyond Man­kind; that it never yet transgress'd the Rules, nor violated the Laws of its Maker. Nor can I imagine whence our Reflections upon such Creatures should arise, but from a mistaken Knowledge of our selves, and a perfect Igno­rance of the Nature of all things beside. 'Tis under the Prejudice of Education, and the pre­vailing Influence of Custom that we labour, and to which we owe the greatest and most de­tected Errors of our Life. Have not some Peo­ple liv'd upon that, and deliciously too, that is another Man's Poyson? Did not Mithridates take Poyson till the strongest Confection of that kind would not do his business when he wanted it? 'Tis to that we are to ascribe the Mischiefs of Humane Life. For if we could once forsake the false Guide we have been us'd to, and consult our own Reason there's nothing would seem strange to us, nothing uneasie, no­thing dreadful. Therefore after I have a little Descanted upon this Subject, in order to Rec­tifie our Judgments and Reform our Practices, I shall cross the Cudgels, and end this Dis­course.

It is impossible fully to set forth the large Dominion and uncontroulable Power of Custom and common Ʋsage, together with the vast and long Series of Difficulties and Mistakes we lye lia­ble and expos'd unto upon that account. 'Tis the Master of the Mint, and Coins Words and Names for things according to its own pleasure, some­times not at all expressive of the Nature of the thing intended; which have no further signifi­cation than what they obtain by repeated use and frequency. We know very well that no­thing in its own Nature is accidental, and in re­spect of the Supreme Author all things are Re­gular and Designed; but in Reference to us whose purblind Reason can reach no deeper than the Outside, whose Sight is not sharp enough to Dive and Penetrate into the Causes of things, many things prove fortuitous. When Events strange and unexpected fall out, such as we had not the least apprehension or suspicion of before-hand, we call it Chance and Accident. But the Misery is we Terminate there, and ne­ver look to the hand that Order'd it. We at­tribute that to Fortune which is the Effect of a Wise and Skilful Agent. When our Expecta­tions are baulk'd, and our Aims frustrated, we cry 'twas done by chance and think that's all. Whereas we ought to consider that God often­times delights to make our Wisdom Foolishness, and thereby gives us caution not to trust our own Foresight; since the Events of all things are in his Power and at his Disposal. He will be Ey'd in his Providence, and make Men know [Page 90] that the Success of all their Undertakings is at his Discretion. That he is the Sole Governor of the World: That he will be sought unto for his Blessing, and that we must wait his Pleasure and ascribe the Glory of all to Him But this ought not to Encourage us in a Su­pine and Slothful Negligence; That because God does all things according to the Good Plea­sure of his Will, we have nothing to do, but expect he shou'd bring things about for Advan­tage and Satisfaction. For tho' Grace loves to magnifie it self in the Weak, and exerts its Effi­cacy in mean and contemptible Subjects, yet that's no Ground for us to stand Idle, or sit whining and bewailing our Misfortunes, and think God shou'd bear our burden himself. No, these Remarkable Efforts of the Divine Power are to Encourage our Stedfastness, and confirm us in the belief of its undoubted Presence, when our Designs and Endeavours are conformable. It is Impertinent and Ridiculous to expect Re­lief from others, when we are wholly unactive to procure it our selves. We ought to make use of the best Means he affords us, and then Resigning our selves up to him attend the Suc­cess. If it be according to our Desires we must gratefully acknowledge, and thank him for it: If contrary, we must in all Humility submit, confessing his Wisdom infinitely to exceed ours, and that he knows what is better for us than we our selves This is what Divinity teaches us, and cou'd we be instructed by it, might great­ly advance our Peace and Tranquillity in this World.

This is a strain of Prudence, I know, Man­kind can hardly be Skrew'd up to. The Infir­mity of Humane Nature is such, that every Shock of unexpected Adversity makes it stag­ger. VVe are ready to turn Recreants, and yield the day to every puny Evil, that unlook'd for attacks us. 'Tis well if we can support our Spirits and preserve our Courage against a fore-seen Danger; but to be surpriz'd by a Misfortune is to be Overcome. I am of Opinion the Combat would not be Difficult, nor the Victory Uncer­tain, were we but better acquainted with our selves; and knew our own strength, and how to apply our selves to the Work. Some torment themselves with Distracting Apprehensions afore­hand, and doubly possess their Misery in Reality and Fancy. Others immediately sink under the Weight as soon as they feel it on their Shoul­ders. Others fly out into Despair, as if the World were at an End, and they were never to see a good Day again. For my part, as I cannot alto­gether boast of Insensibility, under my afflictions at present; so neither can I complain of being too Apprehensive of them at distance. I can see the Cloud gathering without much Consternation, and comfort my self with this, that perhaps some Wind or other may blow it away, or I am not Infallibly sure it shall break on my Head. I shall have enough of it whenever it comes and do not so much provide to avoid it, as consider of what Importance it may be whether I escape it or no. Perhaps 'tis my Fault, but I am willing to in­dulge it. I have no other Means. I can consider [Page 92] it without too much concern. I approach it with­out Horror. I bring it home to my self, and treat with it as Present, when perhaps it may never come to pass I Inure my self to it, and harden my self in it, by which means it becomes familiar to me, That when it overtakes me I claim acquain­tance with it. This dulls the Edge, and blunts the Sting of an Affliction; which otherwise it may be I should never be able to sustain.

But let us Examine Reason, and see what Arms she can furnish us with for our Defence, against these Violent Assaults. She would in a great measure do our Business for us, could we take her advice, and were there not private Enemies within, that compel us to Surrender before we try our Strength. If our Passions were Disarmed and Subdued, and brought into Obedience to Reason, we might maintain our Ground with less Difficulty, and bid Defiance to Fortune. This ought to be the Subject of our Courage. In this we shall appear more than Conquerors. Let us stop these beginnings and our Business is soon done. Nothing in Nature can be more Tumultuous and Irregular than our own Passions. And with what Face can any Man pretend to withstand the sudden and violent attempts of Fortune, that has no Guard against the inward and unruly mo­tions of his own Soul? Whither do we see some People hurried, by the precipituous Streams of Anger, Love, Hatred, &c. even upon a bare Appre­hension and Jealousie, without the least Disco­very of Cause or Motive? I have seen the Ac­cidental breaking of a Glass, the loss of a Groat, [Page 93] transport some to such a Degree, that they could hardly Compose and Recover themselves for six hours after. They fall foul upon all without Di­stinction, all Company must be Disturb'd where­ever they come, 'tis impossible to give a calm uninterrupted answer to any thing that is ask'd them. They Stamp, Stare, Burn, Rave, Fret, Roar, as if the Day of Judgment was at hand, and they were a going Quick to Pluto. Wherefore do you wring your Hands? Why are those Tears? Why look you so Discontented? You have lost your best Friend. A dear Relation. You are a­fraid you shall be Poor. The Wheel is come upon you. You cannot see how your Estate will hold out, and know not how to Live when that is gone. Poor Wretch! The plain truth is you have lost your Reason. What is become of your Re­ligion, your Faith, your Confidence? Is this the upshot of all your talk of relying on Providence, of trusting God? Do you not Belye your selves? Is he not Able? Is he not Willing? Why are you not Calm? Why are you not Quiet? They may talk as long as they please, but it must be somewhat more than a few fine Words, and pa­therical Expressions, that must convince me of the sincerity of their Profession, who Distrust Providence upon every slender occasion. Are not these brave men, think you? Grace delights to Ac­company a Vigorous and Active Soul, and car­ries it out to perform Atchievements beyond its own strength and above its hopes, but unless our Endeavours comport with our Words, Provi­dence disdains us as unworthy of his Care. What [Page 94] does that Souldier deserve that brags of singly Conquering whole Armies, and turns his Back at the first Charge; nay, runs away perhaps before the Enemy is in view, thro' a slavish despair of his own ability to resist? Our whole Life is a War­fare. We have many Adversaries to Encounter. Some face us in the open Field, and give us leisure to prepare, and require a sixt and determinate resolution to oppose them. Some surprize us be­tween the Hedge and the Ditch, as they say, and expect we should be perpetually armed and up­on our Watch. These are Trials sent on purpose to evidence our Constancy, and if we bear up manfully, our Courage shall be seconded and for­tified with an Almighty assistance. Yet it is a com­mon Observation, that none are more apt to repine, than such whose Tongues can run nimbly in matters of this nature.

To what purpose then shou'd we torment our selves and others? And seeing we are unable to govern our selves or our Affairs, why do we not deliver up our selves to the Con­duct of him who Governs the VVorld? VVhy do we mace­rate our Souls and Bodies when our vain Imaginations be­come successless and ineffectual? Since there is a VVise and Intelligent Moderator, who will bring things about accord­ing to the Methods of his own superlative VVisdom, in defi­ance of Humane Craft and Policy. VVe may lay the Scheme of our Affairs as rationally as we can devise, and back it with our utmost power and diligence, and then we have sa­tisfied our Office and done our Duty for in spite of all, the Issue and Result of all must finally and arbitrarily depend upon the absolute Will and Pleasure of another.

I am perswaded Custom and Example, lead us into more Errors and Mistakes than any thing else beside. I find we submit to them with great ease and little reluctance. Nay, and think our selves very excusable in all the slips we make when we follow that Guide. Our very Dispositions, me­thinks, and natural Inclinations are subdued by them. And [Page 95] in many things drawn to a compliance, even against their own Biass. They Habituate us to Actions, however Ungrate­ful and Disrelishing at their first appearance, and assist us to perform them with Smoothness and Facility. I find the Path rugged when I am out of my usual way, and we are content­ed to jogg on, quietly in a wrong Road, rather than put our selves to the Trouble of finding out the right. 'Tis Brutish and Unmanly not to examine what we do, and to be able to give no better account of our Actions, than that it is the Custom of the Place. To what purpose serve our rational and discerning Faculties, if we suspend their Exercise, and not suffer them to have their Play in their natural and proper Velitations? Why shou'd we debase our own Judgments by a slavish submission to common usage. I then frustrate the end of my Being, for one of the main businesses I have here is to acquire the knowledge of my self. And 'tis for my own Actions I shall be immediately accountable, and not those of other men. Example, I confess, may be of great use, but then it must be manag'd according to discretion. It may serve as a Caution but never as a Rule: It may be admitted into Council, but not entrusted with the Government. It may prove an Excellent Monitor, but a very wretched Dictator. Nor when thus qualified and circumscribed can it be of any ad­vantage to us, without a previous knowledge and under­standing of our selves. 'Tis the VVise man only, that knows his own strength, that shall use it with success. And as such an [...] [...]e has less need of it; so he shall be further removed from it; Insinuating and Usurping Dominion.

I wou'd therefore begin first with my self, ransack my own Soul, and exactly know its frame and constitution. I wou'd muster my own forces first, and dive into the truth of things, and put my Understanding upon the Exercise of its Functi­on, and give my Judgment its full swing. Truth shall be the Subject of my Disquisition, and the End of my Enquiry.

If we look into the behaviour and practice of most men, we shall find Fancy to have the Ascendant over them. The Dread of not succeeding shakes their Resolutions. They are Timorous and Inconstant because they neither know Them­selves, nor what they wou'd be at. Every unsuspected Dan­ger scares them out of their Wits. They create Monsters in their own Brains, and supposing them above their strength [Page 96] to resist, they slavishly resign the little Reason they wou'd seem to be Masters of to every uncommon Evil, not knowing how to withstand or avoid it. It behoves me then to Exa­mine the tendency of my own Desires, and see whether a­ny thing Substantial hath affected my mind. Hath any man met with any thing that gives him a full and compleat sa­tisfaction? Or does he not find his Passions and Appetite to encrease upon him, and require somewhat more even [...] the very Possession and Enjoyments of their Objects? We penetrate no deeper than the Surface, and acquiesce in a Su­perficial Glance. We ought therefore to come out of the Dark, that we may see to walk in the Light. We must Un­learn, what we think we know, to be taught what we ought to know. The first advance towards Wisdom is to renounce our Folly. Our Minds can never be filled with sound and whol­som Knowledge, till they are first Dispossest of their Pre­judices.

I hate to hear People cry out, Why cannot I do thus and thus? Why cannot I manage an Affair like this or that man? I'le tell you, because you are a Fool, and do not know your self: Because you cannot be contented as you are. Uneasi­ness and Dissatisfaction under a Mans present condition, is an assur'd and manifest proof he would carry himself as unhandsomly in another. Nature and Providence hath design'd every man his Task, and that which is most suitable to him. He that cannot Govern a Skuller would make an improper Commander of a Man of War. It would, I profess. make a Man laugh till he expires, to come into a Coffee-house, and behold a Pack of Cits prating of Politicks and State Matters, as if they were all Matchiavels and Mazarins. Had I been the King, says one, that has not Wit enough to commend him for a Rat-catcher, I wou'd have done Thus. Had I been in Council cries another, I wou'd never have advised That. Ye doating Coxcombs! Why don't ye Regulate your Families VVhy do you suffer your VVives to wear the Breeches VVhy do your Daughters run away with the Bullies And your Prentices get to Bed to their Mistresses Amend your selves first, Correct your Domestick Ex­orbitancies, Exemplifie your Prudence in Rectifying your private Affairs. Deal faithfully in your Trades, and become honest Men, and then you shall have leave to [Page 97] prate. I have often considered with my self, what should be the reason Men are so often dis­appointed of their Ends, and baulk'd in their Hopes? They undertake more than they can answer for, and by a ridiculous presumption, enter upon Business they can never accomplish. It is Ignorance that is the ground of all our Miscarriages, and Pride puts us upon Attempts too weighty for our Shoulders. They are Twin-Sisters, and the latter is a Natural Companion of the former. We have every one of us within our own proper Sphere, more work cut out than we know well how to affect: Which one Consideration, could it but duely take place, wou'd be of force enough to discourage us from loading our Shoulders with unnecessary Bur­dens.

I am confident nothing more betrays the Weak­ness and Infirmity of Humane Nature, than Im­patience under our present Circumstances, and a busie Curiosity of prying into the Affairs of other [...]. 'Tis the Employment of a weak under­standing, and a Soul wholly unacquainted with it self, to be impetuously hurried with a desire after things altogether beyond our proper Pro­vince. Surely Nature hath better provided for us, than we can for our selves; and did we but Regularly follow her Dictates, we should not be so often compell'd to our shifts. But the mis­chief is, we are too much prone to Admire every thing we do not possess. A Vanity intol­lerable! Which did it not shroud it self un­de [...] the Covert of Custome, wou'd soon be ab­hor'd [Page 98] and banish'd out of the World. B [...] Common Practice is become its Advocate, and resistibly pleads its defence in a vulgar Judicatur [...] Should we not think a Neighbour crack'd on o [...] side of his Head, who would entertain us a [...] hour or two together, with an exact and a [...] curate Description of some Foreign Countre [...] when all the while he does not know the wa [...] to his own Parish Church? Preposterous madness! to pretend to know every thing, an [...] yet be totally Ignorant of our selves.

It is enough already, that I have lived fo [...] others. Let me at last return home, and d [...] somewhat for my self. Time flies away, Nature decays, and I shall soon find my se [...] most unfit for the Work, when I shall stan [...] most in need of strength to do it. To wha [...] purpose is it, we are so busily concern'd i [...] Exotick Affairs, things neither consiste [...] with our present Peace, nor conducive to o [...] future Happiness?

When I take a review, and give my min [...] leave (as she would often do, did I not impertinently divert her) to Recollect her ow [...] Thoughts, and make a serious Reflection [...] the Employments and Enjoyments too of h [...] past life. Good God! how full of Vanit [...] and Inquietude, and dissatisfaction do they appear? As enforces from me a Subscription t [...] this Fatal Truth; that it is I my self tha [...] have prevented my own happiness, and by a senseless Extravagance, and stupid Self-Igno­rance, undermined the Tranquility of a Life [Page 99] that might have been more Peaceable, and [...]onsequently more pleasant, than the present [...]ospect of any Circumstances now warrant me [...]o expect. I could now almost Hate, and Curse my self, as to my Folly, and Self-Love [...]t self, would justifie my Indignation. But [...]hat is not the Way, and Prudence suggests [...]nother Course. Let me therefore at least preserve what I enjoy, if I cannot Recover what I have lost. Let the consideration of what is past, awaken my diligence for the Future. We have been Fools, and who has [...]ot? Let Wisdome make amends and Can­ [...]el the Shame. I have learn'd at least, this by the Bargain, to know my Distemper, which makes the Cure less difficult. There is somewhat of Good to be extracted from every thing: And Prescriptions in appear­ance contrary, have Eventually proved them­selves Friendly to Nature.

To do our own proper business, and to know our selves, is the only important Employment we have in this World. And he that can do the latier, will never be at a loss in the former. He will avoid all superfluous Undertakings. He can tell how to Reform the Extravagance of his Passions, and correct the Impetuosity of an hot Nature. He will never be obliged to Prosecute the Concerns of Another, while any thing of his own lies on his Hands. Every thing he En­gages in shall be brought to perfection; because he attempts no more than he understands, and is able to Accomplish. This Consideration wou'd [Page 100] fix our Thoughts, restrain and bridle our D [...] sires, and limit our Fancies within their o [...] Bounds.

It has been my Observation ever since I ha [...] been acquainted in the World, That most M [...] are strays, they are guilty of a perpetual Tre [...] pass, and a Clausum fregit may be charg'd upo [...] us all. We see how foolish and impertine [...] soever Men ordinarily are, yet they observe [...] Decorum, and put a constraint upon their Word [...] and Actions, when they are in the Company o [...] Persons reputed Wise, and Good: And an Affront put upon them before such, will be more highly Resented, than if they were all of their own Stamp and Rank. So shou'd we learn to be acquainted, and reverence our selves, and dare to think and speak nothing in our own Presence, we should be ashamed of before a Solomon or a Cato. Let us then for once be­come our own Masters: Let us consult our selves, and take advice of our Reason: 'Tis she alone will instruct us, not only what we have to do, but also govern us in the manage­ment of our Actions, with much less solicitude, and much more facility. The Soveraignty is her Due, our Passions are her Slaves, and she ought to have the Principal, if not the only Con­currence in all our Attempts. Leave the Bu­siness wholly to her, and you shall find she will render the Event at least excusable, let it be what it will.

How vain is it thus to shun our selves, and follow the multitude! That Man must certain­ly [Page 101] deserve Bedla [...], who employs all his time in examining the Estates of others, and values him­self for knowing the particular Concerns of the Noblest Families of the Nation, when yet he is a Stranger to what passes under his own Roof, and can never find leisure to adjust his own private Accounts. For my part, I am a­shamed of my self, That little knowledge I have acquired of my own Temper, if so much as to let me know the necessity I have of know­ing more. It is difficult for us to arrive at a­ny tollerable Information of anothers Humour, and to give a just and regular Estimate of him; we must follow him close, pursue all his Wind­ings, and Turnings, trace him through all his Variations, Forms, and Appearances. Thus we must do with our selves, nor is the Labour quite so perplext. Mankind is all Labyrinth, and Disguise, and never shows the same Face two hours together. I know my self better than all the Men in the World know me, and can be more just and faithful, according to Truth, in my Judgment and Censure. They set up a Rule, and try all Complexions and Tempera­ments by That, wildly, unreasonably, and un­certainly. I daily find them miserably out in their Conjectures of me, even those who think they best know me. They may frame a ge­neral Air of my Humour, by a frequent Con­versation, but are wonderfully mistaken in their Application, as to the Ends, Inducements, and Motives of most of my Actions.

The most stupid Soul that is, will sometimes work upon her self, review her own Thoughts and Inclinations, and would delight to be more Conversant in this Exercise, if we did not in­terrupt her Meditation by the Proposal of ex­ternal Objects, which do not at all concern her. It is the best Acquaintance we can have, and would deal more faithfully and wisely in her Advisements than the best Friend we know up­on Earth. It is, I am confident, the want of this Intelligence that occasions all the Irregula­rities and Disorders we are guilty of. Remem­ber to make Reason and Conscience of your Par­ty, and you will soon perceive your Anxiety, and Torment abated. Then should we not on­ly be Wise, but in a great measure Happy to boot: And for ought I know in as high a De­gree as humane Nature is capable of attaining. For the greatest part of our Felicity, as I take it, in this Life, is placed in a due manage­ment of our Afflictions, or the intire Domi­nion and Monarchy of Reason over our Passi­ons. It is a prejudicate Opinion, begot by Ex­ample, fomented by Education, and inveterate by Custom, which has infected our Minds and debauch'd our Palates, that we can relish no­thing according to it's true, and natural Taste. For the Objects we converse with, have for the most part an indifferent inclination to Good, or Evil, and operate upon us only after the Judgment we make of them. We are Masters of every thing before us, and a wise Man hath an admirable Dexterity of drawing Sweetness [Page 103] from what others call a Calamity: And makes [...]ll the Injuries of Fortune, serve his Designs, and further his Advancement. They are ge­ [...]erally Men of weak Spirits, who are deject­ed wi [...]h Adversity, or exalted with Prosperity. And who is either way affected with these [...]hings, gives a strong Argument of his Imbeci­lity, that he knows not how to live agreeable [...]o either Nature, or Reason. Will any Man Glory in another Man's Excellencies, and va­lue himself, because his Neighbour has a House better furnished than his own? The Case is the same. Whatsoever is in the Power of Fortune, belongs not to us. We ought no more to be concern'd at her Contempts, than elevat­ed with her Favours. She is a capricious God­dess, and the Frailty of Mankind is the subject of her Humour. She swells a Bubble with Pride, and breaks it with Scorn. Whoever trusts her, does but Treasure up to himself an abundant, and inexplicable Matter of Discontent and Per­turbation.

I could (in some fits of contemplative Melan­choly,) fall asleep as soon in a Church-Yard as on my Bed; and am often so weary of dull Life, that my greatest delight is in such Objects as speak most to it's advantage.

I know that I carry a Ghost always about me, and that I my self am a Walking Spirit. This thought allays in me those vulgar Fears of the haunts and visits of Spectres. And as I am not at all afraid of my self, so I am very little ap­prehensive of Apparitions: Nay more, I could [Page 104] wish the Communications more frequent betwix [...] us and the Inhabitants of the Ʋpper World: I would harden our Christian Courage, familiari [...] to us the Thoughts of Separation; and creat [...] in us a more passionate love of the Heaven [...] Country.

I pretend not by the Title of this small Tre [...] tise to any extraordinary Scheme or new draug [...] of Religion for Men of my own Profession much less would I be thought slighly to sug­gest any neglect or deficiency of theirs in the Practice of the Old: I am very well assur'd, that Religio Bibliopolae seems a direct Tautologie But surely it can be no Offence to say, that I could wish we were all more in earnest for Heaven, and that we had all the Wisdome and Vertue that ever appeared in the guise of true Reason in the World, summ'd up and amassed in a Christian Book-seller; especially in a daily, sincere contempt of this World.

No eager pursuit, or restless intemperate de­sire of Wealth or Honour, must be harboured by us, who are to fix our whole hopes on ano­ther Country; and we should confess our selves Strangers and Pilgrims on this Earth, by the Precepts and Examples of all the Holy Prophets and Apostles throughout the whole Book of God. To set any extraordinary value on the World, is to unravel the peculiar Principle of Christianity, and run retrograde to the steps of the Holy Je­sus.