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||David Abercreomby, M. D.
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Agi velit ingenio cedere rarus erit.

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e o s b .

Printed for John Weld at the

Crown between the two Tem

ple Gates in Fleettreet, 1686.

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4:

. ... .

ALEXANDER MURRAr
:-

- -o-F

Blackbarronie Esti:
* -

s 1 R,

I Here ofer you not a

[ Trancript,

mor Tran

flation, but my own free,

and perhaps, not quite un

grounded Thoughts on feve

ral Subjeis ; though I pre
tend not to impoe on any

Mans nderianding , my
A 2

omon

The Epitle
own irregular Fancies, as
inclining more to Scepti
cifm in diputable matterf,
than to that Bold, and Ma

gifterial air of Dogmatical |

Philoophers. My chief
Deign then in writing.
and publihing this preent

Trenije, var to furnih the

Virtuoi with matters fit

for ingenious Converations:
Which perhaps I haveper
formid informe meaure, becaue of the great, and not |
unpleaint Variety of things |
it contains. I Jeik every
phere
-

Dedicatory.
where my mind with a Phi
loophical freedom , neither
blaming other mens Fancier,
nor prefilming too much upon
my own Conceits. Andi
I feem to be omewhat Pa
radoxical on jeveral occafi
ons, 'tis more in appearance
perhaps, than in realty: for
thee feeming Paradoxer, if
not overlookt, may appear
to an nnprejudicd, Reader
undenyable Truths, or at
leaft ( which is my utmot
aim ) not to be altogether
improbable. . Offichthings
s

tff

The Epistle

tis fee to every one to dif

pute Pro and Con, as it
ferves his turn, or preent.

Fancy. Wherein I could

rever conceive any thing 0f

a pedantick Humour, but a ,

very Lanful, and Laudable
Exercife of Wit and Abili

ty : which I deignedly add,

becauefome, I know , are :

fopinion; that al kind of

Learning and Ingenuity
hould i. banihed from a
free and familiar Convere:
But I conceive fuch Men
to be either of the dulleft
.
fo rt:
--

Dedicatory.
fort, or Epicureo de grege
Porcos, meer Epicureans,
ar taking delight innothing,
but

: : pleae :

Senes , or revive the I

mages of their paft Pleaurer.

#:: : :
tlemen make a long Story
to every one they meet, of
what they daily either eat
or drink. Others talk per
petually of their Amours ;
Mitreffer , and new In
trigues, and not a fen a
buf your Patience with
fevere Reflestions on their

Neighbours.

But

The Epistle
But fince you are not |
guilty of fuch Irregularities, |
I had, no doubt, fome other.
reaon, than your Intrutti
on, to prefix your Name
before thee Papers. I hall
then perhaps, offend your
Modefiy, but not the Truth,

ifI Jay it was chiefly the

{

great Jhare you have in the

Subjei they treat of: Tis
true, the Antient and preent
-

State of your Noble Family,

and other advantages of
that kind might have engaged me to make you this
.*

Dedicatory.
Preent, had I been ofan

Humor to value Men only

by their outfide, I mean, by: ,
what is without them, and
not rather bytheir real Parts,
and if I myojay; intrine
cal Nobility. Torv indeed,
an outward Repei to a
-

|-

Peron of Quality , yet I

hall pay himno inward Ho-,
mage, if nothing ele recommend him, but the Great-

nef of his Family; whenc

you may eaily judge, that,
homo confiderable
may be in the Eyes of the

::::yoit

World

The Epistle

World on other accounts,

I do value you moi jor |

what is really your own; I.
mean your Ingenuity, Dif
cretion, Widom ; yea, and
Virtue too, (o

: to be

met with in this corrupted

Age we live in. As thee
Endowments of the Mind
are far more taking with me
than any other advantages
of Fortune mphatoever, fo
they were my chief Induce
ments to let you know by
this inconfiderable Preent,
that I am in Really, and
pith

Dedicatory:
without Flattery , which

bate,3

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R

*

E R R A T A.

c':

P:
5. l. 24.Read,and theGrecians. p.7. I. 3. in
higher degree,add, than otheri. l. fb. 4sfalt, R.a

|falt. p. 9. l. 7. R. ingenuoulyp. 35. f. 8. not with

out.p.28.l. 12.infued R.mifued:p.3o.l. 15.R.Springs.
P. ib. l. 17. R. or change p. 35. l. 7. and the former,

&caddisfree p.34.Lf3cRafnof knowable things,

p. 16. l. 19. R. lfs, p. 39. l. 23. heightnes R. |

lightnes,, p 45. l. 6. . the harfheft. p. ib. l. 15.

R. affetations. p. ib. lat l. R. if diffemblingly you
admire them. p. 57. l. 15. R. but not any innate

indifpofition to, &c. p. 61. l. 12. R. had for have

p. 69. l. 23. R.,may dicover 7ovis, &c. p. 71. l.

p. 88. I, 48.-instnces R. inferences

:::::::::::::
231. l. Io. R. Ru
gens querens quem devoret. p. 133. l. 5. R. certain
W 54 R.

;:

ty. p. 135. l. 24.R. ingenuouly. P 139. l. 12.

R. true Gold without a. p. 176. l. io.R. quicken
into Life without them. p. 18o. l. 5. leave out may
before Authrs, and put it in immediately before

haut.
-*
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tuvs

v.

|-

|-

/
A

|-

|-

|--

sE CTI o N 1.

What is meant by that which

Men uually call wit ?
1. That the things we are mot seuaia
ted with, we leaft underfand.
| 2. How few are the true Notions we

have of the mqfi obvious things.

| 3. Several pecious definitions of Wit.
| 4. Its befi and mot accurate decription.
. That Beats are not to be denied al
*

fort of Wit and Reaon.

"Is feeningly improbable, yet
very true, that thethingswe
are mot acquainted with,
we leaft know. Thus Light, than
which, nothing in the whole Creati

|-

on is more conpicuous, is asimpene

trable to the dim Eyes of our Un

dertandingastis viible and obvious

to thoe of our Bodies.

Thus Time
B
fe
|-

(2)
fo generally known and dicours'd
of, is as obcure untome, if not more,
than Eternity it felf. What more
viible than Colours ? Since we fee

nothing elfe; yet if I confult for re- .

folutions fake, Phylofophers, I hall
make no mere of their mot fatisfa

tory Anwers, than that they are,

(at leaft to my weak undertanding)

meer occult qualities, un je ne fray
qnoy, or I know not what. . So far
thee GreatMen, though deervedly
reputed not ordinary Wits, fall ne
vertheles hort, of the true Orgine,
and Mechanim of the mot known

and vifible Objets. TheWind I feel,

and am extreamly fenible of, epeci
ally when boiterous, and blows
hard; what it is, whence it comes,

why it is fo changeable ; and yet in

fome parts of the World fo conftant,

why it moves fidewife and Horizon

tally (as they peak) and not Perpen
dicularly, or from the Circumference
to the Centre on a ftrait Lime, I

never yet could reach, and thought |

always

( 3)

always the Laudable Endeavours of

fuchas have undertaken to give us an
account of thofe hidden, though
mot viible Phinomenas, altogether
unuccesful.

|-

2. What I havefaid ofLightTime,

Colours, e c. and whatever we are
mot converfant within theWorks of

... the Creation, I hall with a noles ap

pearance of Reafon, apply to or
prefeut Subjet: For what the La
- tines call, Ingenium the French, Lef.

prit, the Englih, Wit, is a thing fo

generally known, that there are few

but pretend to be acquainted with

it, and not to want it, or not to

have received as great a meaure

of it, as the very wittieft fort can
pretend to 3 for nothing more true
than this common Word, Qui velit
ingenio cedere rarut erit. Yet even
thoe, on whom Nature has betow

ed it mot Liberally, are put to a

* tand, and know not what to an
fwer, if you pres them to determine

} what in realty it is. But pretending

|-

- -

B2 :

fome

(4)

.*

fometimes to know more than really |

they do, and being reolved to ay |

. any thing rather than nothing, they |

will endeavour to put you off with |

#:: and

empty Words, Splendid |

ecriptions, Tedious Tautologies, |

affeted Metaphors, and whatever |

may feem a ufficient Veil to their Ig- |

norance.

What is it then we com--

monly call Wit? I confes, I never |

either read or heard any thing on

this Subjet, that looks like a fatisfa

tory Reolution of this Quetion :
And perhaps what I hall fet down

here, will prove farhort of thething

I aim at. For I am of Opinion ,
we do fo little undertand the Na
ture of things, that we cannot confi

dently boat yet of any true Noti

on, or Definition.

Yea, [shold that

this very Definition of Man, Howe eft

Animal rationale, fo familiar in the
Schools, is near as imperfe as this,

Homo efi Anima rationalis, Man is a

rational Soul. My Reaon for this af

strtion, is becaue the latter Propo

-

fition

(5) .
fition prefents to my Undertanding
-

nothing but what is im fome Sence

true, though not all the Truth: For

a iman indeed is a rational Soul, tho ,
fomething elfe. Theformer, befides

its obcurity, gives me jut grounds

tofufpet its containing more than
the Truth ; I mean, that this ratio

nal Soul, which in the Second Pro pofition, I conceieve, in a manner

free from matter, is really material,
as dependingon an Organical Body,

as to its firt being, confervation,

, and functions. For if you take a
funder this Notion, and confider it

; in every refpe&, you hall find that

this reafoning faculty, uppoed to
be in man, is never exerted without

the concurrence of the mtter, or

of fme material Phantafin. The

contrary whereof is a prerogative

granted only to thoe perfect Spirits,
the antientPhylofophers called De

mons, and by the Grecians Angels,

who by the priviledge of their mot

{

refined Nature, are happily freed

B3
from

(6)
from that groand maffie fiibtance,
which our Souls, how Spiritual foe
ver they be, are clogg'd with, in this
-

Mortal Life.

3. I cannotthen pretend to give you

a true and genuineNotion of Wit,but
an imperfect, and rude inchoate decription thereof, yet fo general
and comprehenfiv, that it contains
all fuch Creatures, as without any
violence done to the Word, we may

truely call Witty. Yet hall I not fy

with a great Man of this Age, that" |

Wit is, un je ne fray quoy, I know mot |

what: For this would be to fy no
thing
at all, andandannoeafie
anfwer
to all difficulties,
folution
to
.l.

any. Neither hall I call it a certain ||

Liveline, or Vivacity of the Mind
inbred, or radicated in its Nature,

whichtheLatines feem to infinuate by |

the word Ingenium; nor the fubtleft
operation of the Soulabove the reach
of meer matter, which perhaps is

meant by the French, who concieve

HVit to be a Spiritual thing, or a Spi

|-

T1t

( 7)
rit L'eprit. Nor with others, that 'tis
a certain acutene of Undeftanding,
fome men pofie ina higher degree,
the Life of dicourfe, as Salt, with

out which nothingis relihed, a Ce;

leftial Fire, a Spiritual Light, and

what not. Such and thelike Exprei

ons contain more of Pomp than of
Truth, and are fitter to make us
talkative on this Subjet, than to en
lighten our Undertandings. But
what then is Wit? To hold you no lon
ger in fufpence, Witir eithera fenceful

difcoure, word, or Sentence,or a skilfut

-

Aion. This Notion, though hort,

beingas you fee, disjunctive, is up
on this account the more compre
henfive: Where ever then you hall

meet with Sence in dicourfe, &c.

Dexterity and Skill in Ations, there,
and no where elfe you hall meet
with Wit.

As this is fo clear, that it

needs no more proof than the Sun

needs Light, fo I leave it untoucht,
and to your own Meditation, as a
felf-evident Principle, I hall only

B4

fy

(8 )

fay, that Sence is fo necery for

meriting the Honourable Name of

a Virtuofo, and a true Wit; that Men

without this advantageare deferved
y not only reputed mot Witty, but
meer Fools, and fenfeles: Yet do

I not mean that every kind of

Sence in our difcourfe , allowes

our Dicoure to be tiled Witty elfe

the number ofWits would befargrea
ter than we are commonly aware of:
Yet certain it is, there are but few

true Wits, incomparion ofthoe that

have Sence enough, not to be meer
Fools. We fpeak then here not of

Sene only, but of Sencefulnes, nei

ther of a dead, and down right flat
Sence, for nothing more com
mon, but rather of a Lively one,

as being animated by a certain

Tour not uual to the duller fort.
This fort of Sence is not unlike to

abright and polihd Diamond, the

othermay be repreented to us by a
Brute, and unpolihd one: They
are both of the fame Subtance, not
of

(9)
of the fameValue, both of the fame

matter, not of the fame form, I mean

of the fame Light, Splendour and .
-Brightnefs.
4. As to the other part of this
- .

Defcription, wherein I mention a

dexterous or skilful A&tion as a piece

of Wit, I confe ingeniouly, I de

fignd by this Addition to declare ,
, that I am not fo great an Admirer of
mankind, as to think that no other

material Subtance, but that which .

is congenial to my felf, may be, and
defervedly too, called Witty. Phy
lofophers may pretend what they
pleafe, unles they prove themfelves
Semideos, to be more than Men, they
fhall never convince me that they

are otherwie differenced than in

Speech and Figure, from thoe living

Creatures, we call commonly Beats;

and which I have always conceived
to be in reality, Animalia rationalia,
rational Caturer, but of a lower.

Rank, and les perfect than Men.

Neither

( 1o)
Neither fhall any Man laugh me out
of this Phyloophy with their innate
infiin, which in the judgement of
common undertanding, is their firft
nward Mover, and the fole princi
pal of all their Ations.

For unles

you underfand by this Infiin, God

himelf, which would be no lefsfur
prifing, than Deus e Machina, and be

fidesnofatisfatory anfwer, you will

I hopeconfes 'tis nothing elfe but an
obcure and infignificant Word, in

vented only to heighten thattoo vain

conceit we have of our own nature,

by deprefing that of other inferiour

Creatures. For Men confidering the
wonderful, and mot skilful, and ini

mitable Ations of Apes, Elephants,

Swallows, Bees, Dogs, &c. were loath
to allow them to be endowed with

fme kind ofReaon, asifthey hould

thereby range themfelves among the

Beats. Yet beingforced to givefome:

account of thee undoubtedpeices of Witwe daily oberve in that lower

fort of living Creatures, they call'd

ubtily
|-

( 11)

fbtily their mot ingenious tions;

the Products not of Reaon, but of

Infin 3 whereby, if they under

ftood nothing elfe, but an inferiour

fort of Reaon, and in fome par

ticulars far below that of the more
perfect and rational Creatures, they

were only guilty of a wilful and af:

feted obcurity:But if they intended

by this harh Word an entire exclufi

on of all true reafoning, they pre

tend more, than ever they did or
could well prove, as I could eafily de
montrate if ithad not been doneby
others.They wereinvain afraid alrea
dy that ifthey granted once theue of
Reafon to other Inferiour Creatures,

they hould not be ufficiently diftin

guihed themelves, and far enough.
removed from their Condition, as

if befides Shape and Speech, the dif

ferent degrees of Reafon could not

make a feparation wide enough

between Men and Beats : For
thoughtis mot true, that, Simia,

quicquid agat, fmia erit, a

-

'

Ba:
@

| *

( 12 )

|-

the bet willalwaysbebut a Beast Yet

Inever understood why we hould
deny fome hare both of Reafon and
Witto feveral of thoe inferiour Crea

tures, that do things we can neither

imitate, nor account for, without
granting them, in fme meaure, this

reafoning faculty, we would feign

Monopolize to our felves. I would
not then file him an Extravagant,
who hould conceiveas much Reafon

and Wit in an Ape, a Dog, Fox and

Elephant, as in fome Men, though

not meer Fools. However no man

can deny, what chiefly I here aim

at, that Wit is not the Prerogative

of Mankind alone. A Spiders Web

in my conceit, is no le, if not more

ingeniouly contrived than the Wea
vers. I conceivein a Honey Comb,
with Pleafre and Admiration, a ve

ry acurate, and regular piece of For

tification ; the wonderful Texture

and groundleFoundation ofa Swal

lows Neft, do repreent to me more

art, than ever I could be yet fen- | |

-

fible

( 13 )
fible of intheftructure ofthegreatest
Louvers.

s EcT I o N II.
The Caues of Wit.
1. Two different Opinions concerning
the diverity of Witin Men.
2. That it is not occafiomed by the
refpeively greater perfestion of the
*

rganir.

. . . .

3. That one Soul is really perfester than

another.

4. Some curious enquirys relating to thir

propoition anfwered.

. .

5. What things may contribute towards

thepromoting of Wit.
"
Wit be
improve
our
cannot
6. That we
yond the innate perfeion of our
|

Souls.

--

.
e

, "

Eare taughtin the schoci,

I.

that alldiverity of Witin

Men, does originally pring

-

:
t

( 14 )

that oftheir Organs. I fick'tinthis

Dotrine in my greener years, and
beleived - it a while, as many o
thers of greater moment, which I
have bid a farewel to fince, in a riper
Age: For being naturally curious,
and not very credulous, I began to

hake offbydegrees a certainimplicite

|
|

Faith, I had been for feveral years

too much enflaved to 3 having more

than once in my ordinary folitude,

and retired thoughts, Neque enime

cum me aut porticus accepit, aut leu

lus defum mihi, called my felf to an

account upon what grounds I had fo
long ftood up for fch a vulgar Er
ror, I found them all to be movea

ble, untable, and groundiefs; and

firt I thought I was neither confor
mable to reafon, nor common Sence,
to think that a Soul free from mat

ter and Mortality, as I conceived

mine to be, hould entirely depend : |

upona Body, both material and Mor-

tal, epecially as to its Chief, and |

tnot perfectOperarions,as undoubt- |
- i

edly

( 15 )

edly thoe of the Wii are. I had

another more powerful Inducement
not to hake hands with this Opini
on, and bid it adieu, which was that

Iremembred to have been familiarly

acquainted with feveral,both af home
and abroad, who had no viible de

fet in the Organs of their Bodies,

and yet were mot deficient, as to
: the endowments of the Mind.

And

on the contrary, I have known not

a few, who, if you regard only their
out-fide, may look upon Nature as,

a cruel Step-mother, as havingrecei

ved from her no fenible marks of a

Motherly Benevolence; yet if ta

ing thembyanother Byafs, you con

fider their Abilities, you fhall, I am

perwaded, infantly confes, that?

they are more obligd to Nature, or .
God rather, than mot ofthofe who

hav received in a larger meaure,

thofe exteriour Ornaments and Gifts

ofBeauty Forwhy may wenotreckon

the harpnes of their Wit, and other
|

advantages of their Souls to

.

be:
n

( 16 )
a fufficient Compenfation for fome
outward Imperfetions of their Bo
dies. Thus it happens fometimes,

that Blind Men are clearer fighted

than many of thoe who make ufe of

both their Eyes. I had the luck to |

to be acquainted with one of this
Number in Germany, whom I judged
the mot extemporary Wit I ever |
met with. I remember I was once

curious to know what he thought of

Elack, Red, White, and other Co

lours, his anfwer was, he fram'd to

himelf the fame idea of fuch things

that we frame to our felves of occult
qualities.

2.Thusallthingsimpartially weighed
on each fide, I could notafcribe thoe |

differences and manifold degrees of

Wit we oberve among the genera
lity of Men, to any other Caufe with
a greater appearance of Truth, than
to the different perfetions of their
Souls: For meditating fometimes

upon the grounds of this common.

Word, quantum homo homini ":::

lQW

( 17 )
how much onemanfi paffethanother

in Vivacity, harpnefs, penitrancy,

and other intelletual Endowments.

I was inclined to believe fome things

among thoe ImperfeSpirits, for fuch:

arethe Souls of Men, as being each:
of them but a part of the whole
Man, anfwerable to what Divinity
will needs have us to admit, a
mong thoe perfect Spirits, we call
Angels. I was inclined I fy, to

think that there are different Specier

or Hierarchies of Souls, as well as of

other created Spirits. For I conceive

an Angel,and I believetheSchool Di

vines will not give me thelye, to be

farther ditant from the perfection

of a Cherubim, or Seraphim, than a :

Lyon, or any other inferiour Crea--

ture is from that of a Man. Now :

the reafon of this great variety in
that uperiourSpiritual Nature, eta
bliheth the fame, or not an unlike
one in the Souls of Men. The Divines.

then fy, that if God had created

but one fort of things, or one
v

ingle

( 18 )
fngleSpecier,hehad notgivenus fve-|
-

ry Illuftrious Marks of his Power,and

Wifdom; and confequently had bin

lefs glorifyed by us. Undoubtedly
thena Specifical variety of Spirits, as
they peak in the Schools, muft needs
be agreatermanifetation of his Glory, than, to borrow this other Scho

laftick Expreion, a meer numerical ||

one. We may dicoure after the fame |
- manner of our Souls. Foras thegreat
diverity of Bodies furniheth us with
a nobler Idea of Gods Power, than i6
he had created but one kind, or all
*

***

}s ; F T G=-----4C- -::2

||

of one Textures f if I fppoe dif. ||

frent Species, and Hierarchies of
Soulsas of Angels, Hframe, no doubt,
a higher conceit of his perfetions.
Yetnotwithtandingall this, you hall
not be allowed hence to infer, that

there are different Species of Men:

For this Denomination we take from

what is moft obvious to our Sanfs, .

that is from the Bodies. In which we

can oberve no fuch difference,as we |
may eaily take notice of between a |
Hore

( 19).
: Horfe and a Lion, a Lion, an Ape,
-

and a Bird,c this Dotrine will raife

: in our minds a great Repet and Ve

s neration for Men of greater Abilities:
: than we know our felves to be of;
: for wefhall conceive their Soulsarein

y a higher order, as indeed they are,

o and confequently pay to them a due
and proportionable Homage, as Ari
: gels do Honour and Efteem Arch

z angels, and Archangelslikewife Pr

# err, Throner, e3-c. But I mut needs
i here, for your further fatisfation,

i anfwer fome curious inquiries about

: this matter,
o
1. How comes it to pa that a
mot perfect Soul is fometimes lodg
s edina mot defe&uous Body? I an

fwer, thishappens againt the inten

: tion of Nature: for Nature delights
in proportion, and reafon teacheth
- us, there hould be fome proportion

s between the Beauty of the Soul, and

:: that of the Body it lodgeth in, as
the Statelieft Palaces are ordinarily

the dwelling places of the greatet

Princes

(ao)
Princes. 2. Are not the nobleft Souls
more ordinarily lodged in beauti
ful Bodies ? I anfwer they are ; for

the reafon above mentioned, and 'tis

by accidnt, if perhaps the contrary
happeneth. But thefe are the folu-

tions of a meer Naturalit, or of one

that favours too muchNature.Ianfwer
then in Second Inftance, we muft

fearch after the true caue of fuch |

frprizing contingencies in the firft
caue of all things, I mean in God
himelf, who may do,and doesfome

times;what, to our weak Judgements,

Natureneither feems to defire norre
quire. 2. Doth it never happen that
a Soul of the firt or fecond Order, ,

that is a mot perfectone, isfo difa-^

bled, during its tayin a corruptible

Body, as never to dicover its natural abilities? I anwer 'tis not likely

thatfucha cafelbou'd everhappen, or

if it does,this is,as I wasfyingbefore,

againt the intention of Nature, tho'
not of the Author of Nature, anda

meer chance occaion'd by fome con

-

fide-

( 2 1)

fiderable defet of our Organs,which

the Soul, how perfet foever, is not .
able to fupply, becaue it wants a fit
and convenient matter to work up
on.

But hencefome that takenotice

but of few things, and confequent

ly are eafily miftaken, may conclude
the contrary of what I intend to

affert, that the various degrees of Wit

depend on the diverity of our Or
ans ; which cannot be Lawfully in

from what I havefaid, for as

ifwe place the mot imperfect Soul,

that is one of the Loweft Order, in

the mot compleat Body can beima

gined, it hall never for all this, tranf.

cend its own dull nature, and by
confequence hall operate but very

imperfetly, fo if we conceive the

Nobleft Soul that ever God created
in a Body mot ituperfet,that is, de
ftitute of neceary Organs, or having
but the Rudiments of true Organs,

ithall never do what otherwieit had

been able to perform, becaue it can
not dicover to us its abilities in

Lif

( 22 ) ;
Life, but by thefe material intru
ments, nor operate to any perfetion if
they bewanting, or notably defetive.
Which argued only Imperfection in
the Intruments, not in the principal
Agent. Thus the defects we oberve |
in a meer fool, are not really in his |
Soul, but occaioned by the over- |

throw of thoe parts of his Body, |

without which he cannot utter hinn

felf rationally. Whenfoever then I

perceiveby all the mot viible figns
of Health, and good Texture, two
Bdies equally Sound, Perfei, and
Acompliht, and yet a notable diffe
rence between the two Perfons to

whom thoe Bodies belong; a notable

difference Ifay as to their Intelletu
als, Imean Judgement, Sence, Sharp-

nefs and Wit, I conclude infantly

without further deliberation, and
perhaps without Errortoo, that the
one hatha Soul of aLower Rank, and

the other ofa Higher.

3.

Yet

|
|
|
|

(23)
3. Yet I acknowledge willingly .
there may be other Inferiour Caues,

that contribute not a litle to the in

creae of Wit : For how perfect fo

ever we conceive the Soul to be, he

: requires till the help both of Vital

and Animal Spirits. And if thee be
but too few,ornotlively enough, you

: hall find her flow, dull and heavy.

: "Tisnot then an unwholome Advice
: to all fuch as are fenible they have
: received from above, Animam bonam,
; a not very-imperfet Soul 3 to con

: ferve with all pofble care the ne

; cestary Intruments of her mot Spi

ritual Operations; I mean not to

; conumeby exceive Venery, excef.

: five Drink, or any other kind of

Surfeit thoe Spirits, without which

their Souls, though never fo perfest,

: will at but yery imperfestly, andfar

below that degree of perfetion God

: hath allowed them.

{{!

Upon this ac
count, a fober Dyet, or temperate
Life is the bet Preferverboth of Wit
and Health; for nothing more :
-

th2!:

|-

(24)

than this common Word Vinum pro

derate fumptum acuit ingenium, Wine
dothnotonlyftrengthen theStomack|

but likewife quickens the Spirits, if|

moderately made ufe of; as on the |

contrary it weakensthe Stomack,and 1

darkens the Undertanding, iftaken

exceffively, or beyond a proportionable meaure.

--"

- 4. There is as yet another greater |

| Promoter of Wit, we muft not for- |

get, which is to convere often, and |

keep Company withthofethatare re-|
ally Ingenious and Witty: For though ||
your Soul, perhaps, be of the higheft |
Hierarchy, yet it moves not it felf||
eafily, unlesit befirt moved sit muft |
then be rouzd up, and awakened by |
the Company of thoe who can infenfibly improve thof real Talents
God has vouchfafed to betow upon |

it: For as we may boldly judge of

a Mans Temper, or good Humour,
of his good or bad Morals, if once |

we are informed what Company he |

mot frequents 3 f likewife we may
-

"

gues

----- - - -

gefiathi imeleausbythecara
city, and Abilities of fuch as he
is mot converfant with. For expe
rience has taught us more than once,
thatingeniousMenbecome at length

dull and heavy, by frequenting too

much the duller, fort 3 whereof. I
think this.account may begiven with

out fme hew of probability. Ingenious Men have need offme con

sfiderable encouragement to, diplay

thoe Talents they have received
from above. Now neither efteeming
norvaluing much the Efteem ofmean
Capacities, they fall in a manner, in
a certain Lethargy, andare notable
to rouze up their Spirits for want of
fufficient inducements.And this often
happening, begets in them a habir,

they cannot eaily be afterwards rid

of

'

| 5. On the contrary, nothing im

proves us more than a frequent con

verfvrith the wittieftfort, as daily
Experience fheweth 3 and the cu-

ftome of the Ancient Phylofophers,

* -

.*

C ,

who

(26)
who travelled all the World over,
to

fee and hear the Learnedft

||

Men of their times; which example

is followed in this very age we live |
|

in by mot Nations of Europe, the

|

Scots epecially, and the Germans,

and by the Englih of late, who, for
the mot part, become not only
findother, and more polite by their

travelling into Forreign Countries;

ry one may eaily obferve, who will

: butharper too, and Wittier ; as eve" |

beat the pains to compar a meer- |

lyhome-bread Gentleman, with one

thathaseither lived abroad, or con

vers'd much with Strangers, epecially
theingenuous fortat home I lookupi
on the former as a meer Clown, de

ftitute of that Delicacy of Wit ,

and difcerning Faculty, you hall

findupon occaionin the latter. But

allthis is to beundertood cum grano

falis, in thisfuppofition that youhave |

: nota Soul of the lowet Rank, but |

|-

:: that may hold in the Hierarchy |

ofimperfectSpirits, aplace at leastf |

all

( 27 )

e an Archangel, I mean, that is notin

the very lowet Order of Souls: for

: let a Man travel never fo far, and

w converf never fo much, he hall at

# temptin vain the attainment of that

Wit, which by reafon of the innate

:: Imperfestion of his Undertanding,
he is not capable of If then a Fa

# ther mindstofend his Sonabroad, in

a Orderto improve hisUndertanding

lethim conflt firt with himelf, and

others, if he be capable of any con

fiderableimprovement 3 for the firt

- and chief Source in us of Wit is the
Soul it felf, which, all our indeavours

hall not be ableto quicken, if it be

tome rough Stones maybe finoothed
heavy and dull by Nature. Foras
into abright Diamond, becaufethey
contain already what ever is mot
| valuable in a Diamond 3 fo fome
others, for a contrary Reaon, can
never be changedinto fo Noble Sub- .
ftance.

Evenfo, if our Souls be re

ally capable of a further improve:

ment, they may
-

: far improved,
2

R$

(28)

as to attain to no ordinary Perfe

ton 3 but we lo our Time, ifwe |
pretend to equalize them at length
to thoe of a higher Order, and Su-

periour to them in Nature. For I

takethe fupernatural Order, and the
Natural to be proportionably an
fwerable to one another. As then

there is a certain finite number of

Bleffings, wherewith we may, if

we pleafe, work our Salvation, which |
being once granted, and infusd, we
can obtain nomore; fo likewifethere |
is a certain pitch and meaure of Na-|
tural Ability, beyond which, with
all our poible endeavours, we can |
never reach. If then your Soul be |
of the Lowet Hierarchy, you can |

nomore pretend to the Excellency of

a Higher one, than an Angel to be
an Archangel, oran Archangelto bea
Power, &c. . .
,

'

..

.. .. .

( 29 )
S E C T. III.

Different forts of Wits.

1. The great variety of Phyognomy,
and Humane

:',770t#::

ful as that of Humane Souls.

2. OfHabitual, and Accidental Wit. 3. Of Univeral and Singular Wits.

4. That fome Charaffers of Wit are in

confijtent together.

;. Other unuual diffinions of Wit.

i. T Never wondred much at the

great variety of Phyiog

omies and Humane Bodies,

be

aufe I am fully perfwaded that

perfet reemblance in every par
cular, is either impostible, or
in be at the moft, but a work of

eer chance, by a fortuitous Coha

ion of the compounding corpuf.

es into the fame Texture.

But be

ving no fuch Compoition or Tex

.

C3

tllIC

( 3o)
ture in our Spiritual Souls, I ever
look't upon them as more deerving
pieces of Wonder. I was always
then extreamly frprized, and I am
yet, that among fo many Millions of
Rational Souls, God hath created

fince the firt Birth of the World 3

there are fo few, if any at all, refem

bling exactly one another: For tho

they fall not under the reach of our
Eyes, yet we cannot but know infal
libly their real dicrepancies, by the
diverity we oberve in their repe
tive productions, which, as I was

lately faying, fpring originally from

the Soul, though fometimes it may

fffer an occaionalftop, or chanc,

by the Temper of the Body. But
to be more plain, what I fy defer
ved ever my higheft admiration, was
this, that let mens Bodies refmble
never fo much one another, their

Soulsfhall never be near of the fame

temper; by which I meannot only

the fame humour, but likewife the

fame degree of Perfection or Wit.

-

Where

( 31 )
: Whereoffor Methods fake we may
confider two forts: The Firt I call ,
: Habitual, the Second Accidental. An
# habitual Witis proper only to allfuch
and only to fuch as are habitually
e inclin'd, and dipoed to think and .
i peak fenfeflly, and to the Purpofe
on all occafions. And thisis the true
: Character ofthofe that are deferved
u ly called Witty. Such oberve natu
: rally St. Bernard's Judicious Precept,
-

# Verbum bis Veniat ad Limam quam Je

v znel ad Linguam, they think twicebea fore they peak once, leaft their

words hould forertin their thoughts.

# They are wife, dicreet, humble,

: peaceable, and the fittetofa
-

*
a
k
#
*

for the Managment of grea : Affairs.

odut in
The accidental Wit is the Product
it
amanner of a meer chance, and ha
zard, fuch as that of mot, at leaft of
many Women, the mot talkative,
but neither the mot judicious, nor
3

- - - -

themost thinking part of Mankind.

like Wit, bwire":- monjudi

# They fay fometimes, things that look

;-

C1?

( 32 )
::meetly by a fddain vehemency
ftheir Nature, or rathera certain
:olubility of their Tongues, not by

J:dgement, or a ferious rflection,

what proportion their dicoure may
have with the Subjetin quetion,becaue, they feldom tak notice of
the Dictates of their dicerning
Faculty, but follow the fudde |
motions of a mutable and confu

fed Imagination or Fancy. This is

-only to be undertood of that fort
of Women, who are to be accounted
Witles rather, than Witty: For this

accidental Wit we are now peaking

of hlds-fo much of Chance, that
meer Fools may now and then tum
ble upon it. And I am really ofopi
nion, as, Nemo omnibus horis fapit, No
Manhathalways his Wits about him,

fo likewife, Nemo omnibus horis de/ pit, no mans Brainsarefo darknd,but

that he may have on certain occaions
fome Lucid Intervals. We mut not

then judge a Man Witty, as fome

hortfighted People do, becaue :

-------------

(33)
his uttering a Witty word, or two,
by chance rather than by judgement.
*Tisnotone or two Cnverations,nor
| broken pieces of Dicourfe, that we
are to take our meaures by for dest:
ciions of this nature 3 but after, at

leaft fome days familiar convere with .

thofe, whoe Reach and Capacity we.
are curious to know,we may become
capable of making fuch dicove
ries. .

2. Thereis a fecond distintion of

:

Witsworthy our Confideration. Some

we may call Univeral Wits, other

: Singular ones; which Word I take

*

not in the mot obvious Sene, as it.

imports fome peculiar pre-eminency,
but asit maybe determined to imply
- a limitation of Capacity to fome par
ticularSubjet. Fortis mot certain :

:
*
:

that, Non omnia poumus omnes, as

there are many things we cannot
overcome with the ftrength of our -

"
"

Bodies, fothere are farmorebeyond

the greatet Abilities, and longeft

reach of our Suls. Thus a Man may

..
.
C5
prove
*

( 34)
prove an able Mathematician, who
fhall be but an ordinary Divine, and
on the contrary you fhall meet with
mot ubtle School Divines, that are

fimple and dull in all other repets.

Thus likwif you may meet with
fome Phyfitians that can difcoure
pertinently enough of all Tempers
and Diftempers, yea, and prefcribe:

ingeneral twenty different Remedies .

for the fame Difeafe, yet wanta cer

tain practical Judgement, fo necef

ry for a due application, that they
kill unhappily more than they cure.

Ehave beenfamiliarly acquainted with

fome excellent Gameftersat theChefs,

which is thought to require a great

deal of Wit,whom certainly I knewto,
be of little or noUndertanding in alb
other things. Whereof we cangive

no rational. account, unles we fup

po, what I hold to be mot true,
that there are fomeCharaters of Wit
inconfiftent one with another, be

caue they depend upon different

principles; fome pringing from

{

k.

( 35 )
Intellest, and fome from the Imagi
nation, faculties fo oppofite one to
another, that we can hardly everex
cel in them both, becaue the latter.

relies much upon meer proportion,

combination, hape, and fitutation,
and the former
Materialities.

from all fuch,

Hence if a man is a

mot skilful Gamefter at the Chefs,

but cannot penetrate the fbtile
School Difficulties, tis an evident

mark that his Imaginative facul

ty hath the advantage above the
Intelletive. And again, if an able,
Divine find himelfunfit for the Ma

thematicks, Chefs, or any other Me

chanical exercife dependingmuchup

on the hape of things proportion, ,
figure, and fituation, he may cer-,
tainly thence conclude, that Nature,

hath betowed upon him a penetram

cy of undertanding, but no confi
derable quicknes of Imagination..
As to thoe Wits I have called Uni--

verfal, I know not, if in the rigour,

of the Word it may be allowable,

(36)

that there are any fuch in the World.

But taking the thing in a les rigo
rous fenfe, we may fy, That fch:
as have a

general Wit fit for all Sci--

ences, Arts, Employs, oratleaft can

difcoure ingeniouly, and to the

: with a certain air of pro

ability of any Subjet whatoever,
are to be accounted Univerfal Wits.
For this Charaterimplies at leaft,be
fides a not ordinary quicknefs of
Imagination, fome general Notions
Ideas of mot

and

things.

honourable
--

3. But here is a third ditintion,

or rather a third fort of Wits: Fort

fome are flow, and others extemporary.

The latter are Men of a fddain and

extemporary harpne, and much

teemed by the leffer dicerning
fort, becaufe having always an an

fwer at hand to any Quetion what

foever you may propoe to them,
they are never frprized. Such fort
of Men dicover all their abilitiesin

the firt convere you have with 'em',

becaue
-

(37)

becaufethey are not capable to peak

to the purpoe after premeditation 3 a witty Word mut needs iffue out
of their Mouths on a fddain, as
a Lightning out of a dark Cloud.
The Sower Wits, as not being quick

in their replies, are often laught at

by the les undertanding fort. They
conceive eafily enough, but mitru
fting prudently their own Abilities,
venture not to utter their Thoughts,

till they undertand the matter en

tirely, and to the bottom. You

may compare them unfitly to the
Water, that admits eafily of any fort
of Figure, or Charater you pleafe
to frame upon it with your Finger,
but hall in a moment lofe it again. .
They refemble Gold rather, or any

ether Metal hard to be wrought up

on 3 but withall being tenacious,
and a faithful Preferver of whatever

you Carve , upon it. So they

hardly ever let go the Images of

things once conceived. They were

undoubtedly meant
-

brniais:
C

( 38 )
he faid that the Melancholyare
uious and Wity, Ingenioff Melanc
lici, which is not to be undertood
ofa certain black and terretrial Me
lancholy, for this is dulnes it felf,

but of that fort which is animated -

by brisk, lively and vigorous Spirits,

and purified by a clear Flame.
4. I doubt it may not be allowed

here to make a fourth ditinction of

Profound, and Superficial Wits: For

fome have received from above a

kind of comprehenfive Knowledge
of mot things. They feein a manner
as Angels dotheremoteft concluions :
in their firt principles, without any

formal confequence. Such Men aro

not only fit for Humane Society, but
to fit at the Helm, and manage the
weightieft Affairs of Great Kingdoms
and Empires. They are not fome
times much admired by the undicerningfort, epecially in a free and

familiar Convere, becaue they

peak little, being naturally more

::inking and contriving,

-

|-

than talk
atIVE

( 39 )
ative, but what they fay carriesafong
with it fuch a Character of good
Sence, that youfhallintantly difcern
them to:be none of the common fort
Yet as there is othing in the World
Omni ex parte beatum , without a
mixture of fome imperfetion 5
* ,

thefe Great Men are fo taken up

fometimes with their own Thoughts,

and Defigns, that in a familiar con
verfe they feem not to talk to the

purpoes which gives occafionto the

Vulgar, to think that they are really
fimple. Now thefe Wits we call
Superficial , are not indeed wholly
dull, but in the next degree to the
dulleft fort. You hall not be fenfi
ble of their Weaknes at their firft

Complement, their firt utterance

being commonly feneful enough,
Which I have likewife oberved in

fome Fools. , But you hall eafily dif

cern the heightnes of their Brains
in a

c:: difcourfezlet thembut

go on, for peak they muft, and will

fhew in a trice their foppih

:
and

(4o)
fimple Temper, becaue they pretend commonly to know every
thing, though they have but few

clear Notions of any thing. They |

valuethemfelves highly upon the account of a not ordinary Volubility of
theirTongues, as being talkative be
yond meaure, like mot Women,
which the les knowing part of Man-

kind, take to be a piece of Wit.

s ECT.

(41 )
s ECT. IV.

The Character of a Pretender

to Wit.

1. What is here meant by a Pretender

to Wit.
-

2. Some reflestions on the Chimifir. .

3. What is undertood by Leprit de

licats, or a delicate Wit. -

-.

4. That this Charaster of Wit is not

proper to the French alone. :
*-

I.

; * 3.

....i i

I Mean not by a Pretender to

I Wit a meer Fool, but rather

one that hath fome hare in this No

ble Endowment of the Mind. Far

le do I undertand any of thoe

Learned Societies, that make a pe

culiar profeion of promoting real

Knowledge : For we mut needs
confes everal of their Mem
bers not to be meer Pretenders

to Learning, but eminent Virtu- .

-

ofos

(42)
ofos, and great Wits. I mean then
by this fomewhat ambiguousWord,
all fuch as foolihly pretend to more
Wit than God and Nature have re ||
llyallowed them. I conceive them

to be near a kin to thoe uperficia

Wits, we were lately dicourfing of,
and not very unlike the Nominal
Philoophers; becaue their deepeft
reacheth no fartherthah
to the , Etimologies, w Derivation,

::::

and Nature of Names ; upon which

account they prefer themfelves be
fore Men of more fppoed Abilities. They are not clear enough
fighted to dicern whatis true Sence,
or down right Nonfenfe in a Dif.
coure : They are only capable to
jndge of a polite Expreion, of
Word A-la-mode, and other fuch like
Childih niceties. They have, I con
fefs, fome confued Notions of eve

ry thing, which emboldens thean to

debate things that are beyond the

reaeh of their Capacity.

They are

- the profefied Cenurers of Mankind,

and

(43)
and can fpeak good of none, them
felves only excepted:Iconceivethem
to be ever without Reft and Repof,
yea, and the mot miferable of all
Men, becaue mot obnoxious, not

to be envyed, but to envy others.

They are highly offended if you

happen to commend any other in
their Prefence but themfelves, or

any otherMansWorksbut their own;

if perhaps they have appeared in
Publick, wrap't up in a Pamphlet
or two. For theymake it their whole

bufines to cutdeepin the Reputation

ofthofe who fhould, methinks, bea

bove the apiring, and reach of their

Envy. This Manfaythey, in a familiar

Converfe, hath printed fuch a Book, as

know but containing little Truth in
it, they could eaily refute the Argu
ments, and Dorine it offers, if they

judged the matter worthy their while;

he bath, mistaken himelf in feverat

material points, and fpeaks here with

little coherency, and there flatuntruth,

though perhaps they have not

|-

|-

IIlllC

( 44 )
much as feen the Title Page of the
Book they talk thus at random of 3
you hall name no Philoophy, no
Poem, no ingenious Piece, that fuch
men have not perued more than
once, but you'll do them a piece of
fervice not to quetion them too
much upon any particulars, leaft you
dicover their Vanity and Weaknes.
-

They are more guilty than the reft of

Mankind of that general hatred, that
thof of one Profeion conceive ea

fily one againt another : For the

commonWord is but too true,Figulur.
figulum odit. They leave no Stone
unmov'd to ruine the Repute of fuch
asconcur, or hare with them in any
profitable Employ. I know no
People in the World that have lefs

Refpet for, and lefs Knowledge of

Antiquity. I have heard fome of

thoe Irregular Heads call Aritotle,

whom probably they had never

read, a meer Fool, only becaufe

they had declared themelves Car

thefanr.

I have always oberved

this

(s)

this fort of Men to affect extream

ly novelties, but above all newterms

and new coind Words.

Italian

Proverbs, Epigrams, Devifer, pre

meditated and hort Sentences, and

fometimes the harpet both Hebrew,

Greek,and Latine Words.Tispleafnt
to hearfome Phyfitians, epecially the

greener ones, talking perpetually of

Acids and Alcaliis. I dipute not
here the Truth of the thingin itelf,
whether it may be allowed that an
acid, as fome do think, is the gene
ralcaufe of all Diftenpers.

But the

affetions onlyinfpeakingofthe mat

ter, I jutly blame, and look upon

it as a mark of little Judgement, and

Wit. Who would not laugh to heara
Phyfitian reolve all his Patients
doubts with an Acid and an i Al
caly." - ; ; ; ; : C ' ' : ; 2B .;
r

4.

^ "

- -

2. But nothing hall divert yo

more, than the fmiliar ufe of fme

concited Chymits, epecially if dif

emblingly admiring them. - The:

will

(46)
will diplay in a quarter of an hour
feveral great and rare Arcana's, or
Secrets, yet without dicovering any

ofthem,but only that being takenwith

the Bait, you may, buyata high rate,
what once known you hall under
value or value but very little There is

no Diftemper, but fuch Phyitians

|

will undertake to cure. They peak.

great things, and promife Wonders,

as pretending to do more with a do
zen of drops offome Effence, Oyle,

Tinstureor Spirit, than the Galenifis

with a Troop of Simples, andanin- :

finite variety of loathfme Decoti- |
ons They pretend to the great Art of l.
naking Gold, and of converting |
imperfet Metls into perfect. If

you undertand not their Myteries, |

you muft fubmit your judgement,

becaue you are not perhaps a Ma
fter of the Art, who only is able to

comprehend the Frame, and Tex

ture of the Philoophers Stone, of

the Alkaheft, extraveron, of Mer

cury, &c. I have a great

reste:

(47)

z Helmont, that celebrated Chymit,

but more upon the Authority of an
i Eminent Virtuofo of this Nation
# who eteems him, then by a free de

termination of my own Judgement.

# For I mut beg his pardon, if I fy,
: I conceive him to peak fmetimes
like a mad Man, or as if he under
i ftood not what he meant : Becaue

3 as all Men defire naturally to know,

Qmnis homo naturaliter fire deiderat:

fo all Men have a defire no les natu

i ral and vehement to bektown, Om
mis homo naturaliter feiri deiderat 3 If
; then we have any important Secret

i to communicatetorheWorld;thedi

coverywhereofmay redou r:

Honor, and the god of Mankind,

Iam fully perfwaded that nomanisf

indifferntfor theincreafeofhis own

Repute, as to publih itinmediat:

ly, and obstrely, or in chterius,

: few of hone can comprehen:

:onceited,hymift:fi:akt boa:
fing yand biterouly of :::::

Thus when Helmont, and other felf.

- - ---

O Il

( 48)

1:e

Wonders they cando, without di

covering their Methods, fo that they
may be undertood, I am apt to be
lieve that they have but very conf
fed Idea's, and obcure Notions of

thof great Arcana's they talk fo

much of
3.You hall meet with fome other
|-

Virtuoo's that pretend not to thoe

high Strains of

}: but to a certain

politene in their dicoure, and |

Writings; if they meddle fometimes
with th Pen.

Their chief care is

not how tofpeak fencefully, buthow ||

tofpeak politely, wherei. they dif:

cover the weaknes of their Judge
ment, and the hallownfs of their
Wit: For men of great Parts are

wont to expres themelves fignifi

cantly, but without any apparent
affection of too much Polity. This
is the commoidefect offome young

Gentlemen thatliveupontheir Ren:

in, and about London. They think |

themelves ffficiently improved by

frequentingthePlay-Houfe, andtur |
,

|-

ning

(49)
ning over Play-Books, which con
tribute more to the tickling of their
Imagihation, than to the framing
i their Judgment. I confes, never
thele, they may get fome advan
tage by fuch Letures, provided
they take not fo much notice of the
Words, and manner of expreion,
as of the deign and management
of the intrigue, wherein the grea

tet Wit of the piece confifts.

Others again make it a part of
their buines to study the fahionable
Art of Complementing: as beingful

ly perwaded, they can give nobet

ter proof of their Sufficiency, thanby

studyed Complements, which is no

thing elfe bu a piece of French Wit: -

For 'tis almot become Proverbial

amonghe Vulgar French, c'est un hom- .
me d'eprit il fait bjen un Complement.

Such a one is a Witty Gentleman, be

caue he complementeth well. If
the French had no other thing to

be proud of but this Complemental

mode, the greatet Favour I could
|-

do

( 5o)

do them, would be to reckon them

among the Superficial Wits, I have
fpoken of elfwhere 3 and i fear all

things impartially weighed, they can

be hardly allowed any higher Rank.
I know they pretend to a certain delicacy of Wit,which they monopolize
to themelves, as if other Nations
could not reach it, and which they
fay is no otherwie accountable for,
then that it is, as one of their beaux

eprits fpeaketh, un je ne stay quoy, I

know not what. But having lived

near Twenty Years among the
Learnedft fort of them, I think Imay

venture to give a clear and diftinct

notion of What they call delicacy
of Wit, that thereby it may appear

to be no prerogative of the French,

but common enough to all civilized
Nations.

4. i have oberved then that what

they call vm eprit delicat, is chiefly
known by a mooth, eafie and Na

tural expreifion, an acurate and jil:

dicious comparifon, or a feneful

Word

======

( e r N

( 51 )

* Word that may be eafily mistaken

by a common undertanding, or ta
ken in a fenfe it was not intended
* for. That this is a near decription
& of a Delicate Wit : I could eafily

# if it were neceary, prove by thof

* Very Authors, they allow most of
this Charastertoo. I can imagineno
* ther reafon why the French mitake
& themelves fo fr, as to think that .
y other Nations have little or nothing
of this forementioned Delicacy,then

# Becaue they write Romances, and

# Lve Intrigues, whichadmit andre
quire this mooth way of writing, a
more than any of their Neighbours,

: :h generally chofing more fi:

:Subjects havenotfo offen occaion to '';
give Proofs of their being capable
Write delicately.

For it. would

:eenfie to how thischaraerin the

Authors of all Nations, who have

: to handleSubjesthat required it.

. I hall add in the lat Intance,

that thoe whom we caii here f::

|

IX 2

( 52)

tenders to Wit , are commonly betterSpokes-men, than Writersor Pen

men. They frprize thofethat have
never before converst with them,
with an extempory Eloquence, and

an cafie Utterance of their Thoughts

upon any obvious Subjet, by an
extraordinary Volubility of their

Tongues, befides a vehement incli

11ation to be hearkned to in a Pub

lick Converation, as if they were

Oracles 3 hence it is that they think

their reputeleffened, if any otherin

the Company talk more, with grea
ter Authority, or longer than them
felves. But it often happens that
thofe fame Men, who feem to the

the Vulgar fort, fo eloquent in an ex

temporary debate, are at a lo in
cold Bloud, and when on occaion,

they muft recollest themfelves to

write their own Thoughts. Whereof
tak this fhort and rational account:

Such menbeingendow'd with a quick

Imagination, which being ftirred up
in a Debate, furnifheth them with
*

Words

(ss)

Words enough, and with certain ex

temporary Arguments, fiater to dazle

the Vulgar fort, than to perwade a
Solid Wit. On the other fide, their

Intelletive Faculty being but weak,

and now left to it felf, without the

help of an unwakened Fancy, gives

no more Light.

- ,

(54)

S E CT. V.

The Signs of wit.

1. That no Nation can Monoplioze Wit
to its felf.
2. That cold Climats are fitter for the

producing of great Wits, than hot

Countries.

3. That the Englih loe much of their

. Eieemabroad, by writingfo little in
Latine. -

4. The Chief Writers of Great Brit

- talIl.

I.

I: this for no certain fign

of Wit to beborn under Mer

ewry, rather than under Jupiter, Ve

* mus or Mars. A Child may prove
a witty Man, though in the Critical

Minute ofhis conception or birth, he

be not countenanced by the favou
rable Apet, ofany Planet, or Con
ftellation 3 for I am of opinion, that
the Influences of Heaven, the vul- : - gar
D4

(; )
gar Heads talk fo much of, do not

fo much affect our Bodies, as the in

conpicuous Effluviums of the Earth,
we fcarce ever take notice of

Nei

ther do I take it to bea certainmark

of Wit, our being born in this Cli

mate rather than in that, in a hot

Country rather than in a cold, in
the Subpolar Regions, rather than un

:: E ::::: | cannot
ut pity and laugh at the fimplicity of
the "::: : and :::::
who think themelves wittier than

the Northern Nations, only becaue

they live in hotter Climats, fr at

this rate they mut acknowledge the

Moors, Negroes and Indians far be

yond themelves in Wit, which they

will not, I doubt, readily grant. It

was in my Judgement no piece of
Wit in the famous Du Peron to fay of

the Jefuite Iretfier, that he was ingeni

ous for a German. The occafion of
this vulgar Error among Forreigners.

may be thus rationally accounted for.

In the hotter Climats,

becaue

the:
+

( 56 )
Bodies are weaker, the Inhabtants

epecially, if civiliz'd, are more

given to the exercifing of the Mind,
than of the Body. But the Nor
thern Nations tak generally more

delight in the exercife of their Bo

dy, than in that of the Mind, as
being more allured thereunto by
their Natural Courage, good Tem
per, and not ordinary Strength. I
fee not then what other Influence -

the coldne of the Air can have up

on us, than to incline usmore to the
Improvement, of the Naturl En

dowments of our Bodies, than to

the promoting thof of our Souls.
Butin the main here lies the miftake

of thofe felf-conceited Forreigners,

that feeing perhaps a greater number

of Virtofor amongthem,than among

us, they conclude very illegally to

our diparagement, and to their own

advantage, that they have more Wit
than we, whereas they can be allow
ed to raife from hence, no other ra

tional Inference, but perhaps this,

that

|-

( 57) :

that they have more Wits, or rather

more Writers 3 for among twenty

French, Spanih and Italian, that bu

fie the Pres, you hall hardly meet
with two, or three that deferve to
be tiled Witty. The Inhabitants
then of the Northern parts of the

World, delighting genrally more

in Wars, or in Wahlike Exploits,

thanin Writing. No wonderif they

trouble not the Prefs with fuch a
number of ufelcs Books as the hot

ter Clinnats do: which argues a meer

want of Inclination to buie them

felves that way, but notin any inmate.

difpofition to write well. For we

cannot but know by daily Experience:

that no People in the World write:
morewittily than the the Natives of
cold Climats, if once they betake:
themfelves te the Mufes, which minds;

me ofa Saying of thefamous Barklay,

a mot ingenuous Writer, who,

peaks with a generotis frecdom, the.

known Ill and Good of all Nations,.

not fraring the Scots, his own Coun- ,

lD 5,

try

( 58 )

--

d.

try Men, wherein he thought them .

defetive, or worthy of Reprehen.
fion. He hath then, dicourfing of
their Aptitude for all kind of Life
rature, thee obervable Words,

Littere numquam felicius fe habuerunt,

quam cum in Scotos imeiderunt.

know not how to Englih this bold

Expreion. But his meaning, if I
miftake it not, was, that the Mufes
were never happier, than when af
ter all their Travels, they had repai

red unto the Scot3 wherebyhefeemis.

to infinuate that it was not always.
the Fate of this. Nation, no more
than of mot of the Northern Coun
:tries, for the reafon above mentio

med, to havelodged thofe Honoura

ble, Gentle, profitable Guests, but

that when they happened to ftay
any confiderable time among the
, Scott, they did them as much Ho
notar, if rot/mre than any ether
Peoplein Europe. Whereof wenuay
instance as fiufficient prooffs both

Barklegr, Father and Son, the Fa

:
*

---

13OURS,

( 59 )

mous Buchaman the bet of Pets fices

thePrimitiveTimes, theirundoubted
Countryman, whatever others may
pretend to the contrary. Scotus

called defervedy in the Schools,

Do for Subtilis, the Subtile. Dostor,

together with the incomparable Ne

pier, first Inventor ofthe Logarithmes,

and feveral others. I conceive thof
with the Generality of the Under

tanding fort, to be far beyond any

Foreign Writers in the Subjet, they

handl, whether French , Spanih,

or Italian, but what Barkley faith of

thesm: mayikewie befii orthe

Danes, Germavs and Hollanders, Ti
cobrache is a Star of the firt Magni

tude: Kepler, Greijer, Clavius, Na

firadamus, are matchles. But I think
without the offence of any other.

Nation, we may apply more partir

gularly this Sentence to the Englih,

:
nunquam fe felicius haine
runt, quam cum in: Anglos inciderunt.
For the World is obligd to them,

forthe betand newest:

-*

*:

Natural Philoophy, Phyick and A

natomy. But the pitty is they write
fo much in their own Tongue, that
the les knowing fort of Forraigners.
abroad, ask fometimes if there be
any Learned Men in England, be
cau, fome Eminent Philitians excep

ted, few or nome of them write in

latine , the Univeral Language.

There are feveral Excellent Englih

Books that would prove a great in
creafe of the publickgood, and the

. Honour of this Nation, ifthey were

trandated into Latine by an accurate

Polite Pen. Of this number Ireck

en the Works of mot Divines, and

whatever the defervedly renowned

Boyle has hitherto publihed, the
Whole Duty of Man,and theDifour
fes of the Reverend Dr. Tillotfom,&c.
2. Ifhall fay nothing of another

incomparable advantage, that Eng

land has above mot Nations of En
repe. Imean that Learned and Roy

af Society, intituted for the promo

ting of Real Knowledge, and the.
general -

(61)
general Good of Mankind. This is
one of thoe Infinite Bleffings this
Nation received by hislate Majesties
happy Retauration, who was the

Head and firt of this Afembly, not

: only becaue of his Royal Preroga

tive and independency, butlikewife

upon the account of his Princely

Wit and Widom, being not only

in the opinion of all Europe, a mot
wife Prince, but in the Efteem of all

: fiuchas have the Honour to approach

his Sacred Perfon; a mot compleat
Gentlemani. Likewie His Royal
Brother, our preferit . King, be
fides his Princely Virtues, which, s.
-all the World knows; he postesteh.

in a mot High Degree, is likewife

deervedly esteemedinother particu
lar repects. 'Twas oberved at Edin

--

burgh, that none gave a more ratio

: nal account': than his Majesty

,

of that wonderful Shower of Her-

rings, that happened at the South

of Scotland. For whereas the mot

part had recoure to a certain Pan

-

(permia

( 62 )
fermia or univeral feed of every
thing, fpread every where, which
other neceary conditions concur
ring together, might be improved
into a living Creature ; his Ma
jefty folvd more. rationally this
Phnomenon by certain Spouts of

Water that happen fometimes at

Sea, wherein the finall Herringbeing
eafily, with the Help of a Whirlwind,
tofled up into the Air, and carryed
offin a thick Cloud, fell : again

not far from the Shoar.

As to the

| other Members of this Royal Socie

ty, I think I do them no wrong, if

, , H fy that the famous Boyle is the

Chief Pillar thereof: For his Name:

a carries with it fuch a weight of AH

-thority im Forraign Countries, tht:

I have heard ome Eminent Menfay,

- that whatever he poitively affirmsin
v hisBooksisfureandevident Out ofall
this dicoure wemayraiferoour pur
poste this felf-evident Inference that
:Clum atticum is no more an infallible.

Caue or Sign of Wit than Celum Ar

ticum |
V - **
,*

:
:
|

(63)
ficum, I mean that Wit is of all N- -

tions, though not perhaps of all A

ges, fince fome have bin extreamly.
dull, as the Tenth for Infiance, and
fomelikewife both fore and afterAges.
3. Yea I think it no Paradox to
faythat the cold Climats are the fit
tet Soils for the producing of great
Wits. I conceive but two things ne
ceffary for the exitency of what ge
nerally we nndertand by a great
Wit, firft, a Soul of the first, or

at leaft none of the lowet Hierarchy,

I mean one of a not ordinary perfe
tion, whereof I have difcours'd at

largein the Second Stion. Second

ly. A well temperd Body furnihed,
beides the neceary Organs, with a
great quantity of brisk and i ively
Spirits. As to the former point, E
hope you will grant that 'tis in

the Power , of the Almighty to

create most perfet Souls in cold
Climats as well as in hot: Henge

then you can pretnd no advantage.

And for the latter 'tis evident, that

the

(64)
that the Bodies in cold Climats are
better tempered, of a firmer Tex

ture, and fuller of brisk and lively

Spirits, than thofe of hotter Coun
tries, where men are commonly lan

guihing, faint and exhaufted by a

fenfible diffipation of thofe few Spi
rits they live and move by. They

are then little acquainted with the

World, who affirm the pureft Air
to be the only Element for the fub-.

tileft Wits ; fince we know by expe

rience, and'tis generally confested by
all Forraigners, that the Scotch and
the Irih, who breath in novery thin:

Air, are farfubtiler diputants in Di

vinity, Lgick, and fuch like Scho

latick, and Airymatters, than either ||

"the Italians or the French.

I would.

then have Men to ceafe from gazing

upon the Stars,and notlook upon the

|
|
|

Celetial Influences, as the only cau

fs of thof various Charaters of

Wit, we oberve in the World 3 for

. , there may be fome more hidden

Sources of acutene, and le :

- |

(s)
- &ed on:Suchitake toberheinviible
Effuziums of the Earth: For as the
Famous Boyle acutely proves, 'tis
mot probable that they are the
unheaded Caues of
cal Diftempers, fo I thin it no lefs
conformable to reafon, to fy that .
they occafionlikewife the good tem

:::::

per of the mind, by contributing

not a little towards the Health of
the Body ; fr fince 'tismot certain
by daily experience, that the Inha
bitants of this Northern part of the

World, to whatever they apply

themelves entirely becomet length

mot eminent therein, and do far

exceed thereft of Mankind, epceially in Learning, Courage, and all o

ther Warlike Exploits, wemut needs
confes there may be Corpucles iffi
ing out from the coldeft Soil, that
mixing themfelves thorow the Pores
of the Body with the bloud, give it .
fch a Texture, as is requifite to
make it a fit Intrument for the mot

Spiritual Functions of the Souls. 3 llI

( 66 )

am f far from beleiving the vulgar |

fme ancient Romam,that thoe who |

Error, or rather the vain conceit of||

are born in, or near the cold Zones, |

baye few or none of thofenaturai |

Gifts that make a true Virtuoo; I |

am f far, I fy, from beleiving fch |
agro and
that I hold |

ichto be thefittefimenintheWorld |
fr Penetrating Airy, and Subtile
things, and for doing great ones, if
they will be but at the pains, when

occaion ferves to improve their Na

tural Talents. For befides what I |

hv stid, are not we beholden to
the Northern Nations for the No- |
bleft and bet pieces of Art and Wit,

I mean thoe various and ingenious |

Engins, relating to hipping, lifting,
weighing, ei c. invented for the Ufe
and Conveniency of Mankind. The
Gunpowder, the Guns, and mot of

the Mathematical Intruments, efpecially Microcops, Telefcops, - and

Megalecops are the Fruits of their

Indutry. And either the Germans

-

lIl V Cil

( 67 )
invented the Art and Mytery of
Printing, or the Chinefes, who live not in a very hot Country. The live almot as far from the
Equinotial Line as w do, and yet

#:

are accounted inferiour to no Nati

on in the World as te Wit, fharp

|-

nefs,
and Penetrancy
of Judge
, .. .
; ; , ,
:
IIPCII
-

|-

|-

- -, ---- v - -- - - - - -

v
|

-- -

-,

\ -

|-

|-

|-

* ,
|*

- - ||-

***

|-

* N : f

|-

: ||*U .

: ::

|-

- - -

, , v|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

- -

. . ."

:
|-

-- -

- |-

5M . v----

- .

|-

|
|

(e)
s EcT. vi.

|
--

The Signs of Wit in the Fea

tures of the Body, or the
Witty Phyiognomy. . .
1. That Phygnow i neithera grund.
lef or vain Science.

2. The whole Objest of Phyiogno

mey.

3. A rational account of Phyiognomi

cal conjestures,
:#: Head

end its feveral parts, as Forehead,

Face, Hinder Part, Hair, and
|

its Colours, the Stature and its Ae

cident.

4. Ia what fae the Tongue belong t

Phyiognomy.
1. I Know not welf what was his

< Opinion of Phyfiognomy, who

faid that Frons, oculi, valtus, perfpe

mentiuntur, Oratio vero fepijime. The

Forehead, the Eyes, the Face do
|

often

(69) .

do often impoe upon us, but oftner :

yet the Tongue.

Nevertheles

I conceive clearly by this Expreion

thathethoughtit nota vain and quite
groundles Science, elfe he had not

made ue of this double Reftrition,

perfepe fepiime. If then we fail
fometimes, when we judge of Mens
inward Temper by their Phyiogno
my, or conpicuous Featuresoftheir
Bodies, we muft acknowledge inge
nuouly our want of Skill, and in
fight in the matter.

For## the Vi

fible things do manifet the Inviible,

thereare no doubt fome viible Cha

i rasters of our Infide, writen by the

Hand of God in our outward hape.

But as every one cannot read Books,

and falrefs yet Men, thoeCharacters,
how conpicuous foever to fome, and
eafie to decypher, ly hidden, and .
are untelligible miteries to :others. .
Yet as we ma dicover Forr, his

Satelliter, or jupiters Waiters thorow

a good Propect or Telofcop, tho
not with our naked Eye, fo by the .
z

-*

*-

help

( 7o)
help of this curious Art, a vulgar un
derftanding may, to his great fatif:
fastion, fee things, he could never
before either oberve or undertand.

Though I pretend not to any extra

orditary Skill in this prentSubjei,

yet I may be ellowed to fet down

here fme of my own obervations,
grounded upon Reaon and Experience. Becaufe Phyiognomy can
no more pretend to any demon

ftration, than Judiciary Atrology ;

what I hall fy muft be look't upon
at the moft, asprobable conjestures,
and not as certain and poitive deci

fions, which you may follow as in

fallible Rules, to judge of thoe you

convere, or confider. To proceed |

then with fome order and Method,

I conceive the whole Objet of

this curious Science to be compre
hended in thee four Words, Frons,

Oculi, Vultus, Oratio. By the firt

as a Phyiognomist, I undertand
not only the Forehead, but all the
neighbouring parts backwards, as
-

the

(71)
the Hair the Ears, the Hinder part of
the Head, ortheNape of the Neck.
By the fecond, Oculi, Imean what it
literally founds, though we may
allow a larger Signification to the
Word Vultus, and undertand there

by not only the whole Frame and

Conformation of the Face, but alo
that of the whole Body. Oratio

is not to be taken fo much by the

Phyiognomit, for the dicoure it

felf; as for the at junts thereof, as

found fiammering Precipitation, ec.

I hall then, without loofing the due
repects I owe to the Author of the
forementioned Sentence, invert it

thus to my preent defign, in lieu

of faying Frons, Oculi, vultur, per
fpe mentiuuiur Oratio verofepijime,
I do affirm and maintain that, Front

Oculi vultus verum perfepe loquuntur,

Oratio vero fepifizie. The Front,
the Eyes, the Face, fpeak often the
Truth, and dicover really what we

are, but the Tongueas yet more fre

quently. .

2. To

( 72 )

- 2. To begin with the Fore-part,

and Highet of the Face orForehead:

We may confider its Breadth, its

Length, its Prominency or Height 3
I take the length thereof, from the
ditance between the two Temples,
the Breadth from the Root of the
Nofe upwards to the Coronal Suture.
I fay then a Forehead both broad,
long, and fomewhat prominent, or |
not quite flat, is a more than ordi
narymark of a folid Judgement, and
a harp Wit. Becaue thoe Dimn

fions cannot bethus enlarged, but by

a mot perfet Soul, and able to ex

tend thus the Matter it informs, or

which is all alike for my intent, by a
: number of Animal Spirits, who
eing brisk, ative and lively, make
room for themfelves. Ifaid Promi
ment, or not flat.: For though flat

nefs of the Forehead, providd other

necelary conditions be not wanting,
may be often confiftent with under
tanding and Capacity, yet it hew
eth fome natural deficiency either in
- -

'
-

the

(73)

# the Soul or in the Spirits, that could

* not thruft forward their Work.
But I know no greater difdvan

tage, or more ominous of this part

# we are peaking of, than its nar

# rownes, or ftraitnefs, whether we
take the narrownes thereof from

- the Root of the Nofe upwards, or

* from the Right Temple to the Left;
for this is bt a too viible mark of

a very imperfect Soul, and of an ex

W traordinary want of Spirits: A

# thof few that fch puny Heads do

lodge, are withal Dormantin a man
ner, and cannot for want of Room

either dilate themelves, or give

any Light. This you hall believe
the more probable, if you take par

ticular notice of thoe that are naturally Fools, . and filly. For you
hall carce meet with ne of them
that wants this mark of his In

firmity. What I have faid of the

Forehead, may be likewife under
tood of the whole Head: The Bulk

Whereof, generally peaking, ifpro

.

por

( 74 )

portionable to the Body is no ill

mark, and I take the contrary to be
a vulgar Error, confuted by daily
Experience, and the aforefaid rea
fons. And if one contrary may dif
cover another, I remember to have

feen at Amterdam, in theHouf near

the Temple, wherein the natural

Fools are kept, to the number of

three or four, whoe Heads did

not frpafs in Bulk an ordinary mans

Fift. Now if Nature hath fo propor
tionably enlarged a Mans Head, as
if it had intended to make two of

of one, by giving him a Forehead

qualified in theaforefaidmanner,and
likewifa high and bulky hinder part,
you hall hardly fail, if you fy, that
fch a one is not of an ordinary Wit
and Capacity. But that you miftake
nothinghere, Itake the hinder part
of the Head to be high or bulky,
when it it is not cutin a manner even

down, but over-reacheth the hollow

of the Neck. For the Perpendicular |

delcent of the Head, o that the

(75)

hinder part and the Neck be upon `

the fame Perpendicular Line, is cal

led pleaantly by the French, Lecoup

dehach, the Axe-trock, and is:

i rally thought a carce ever ailing

fignof a mean Wit: Becaue Ifancy
the hinder part of the Head is the

Magazine of the Soul, where the

Species and Images of things are con
ferved. This may be the reafon
why being defirous to recover the
memory of a forgotten thing, we
turn naturally our hand back thither,

as if we intended to awaken our

Memorative Spirits. For I doubt
not but the Memory is a great help,
and Promoter too of Sharpnes,

Judgement and Knowledge, becaue

it repreents faithfully tous all fuch
Circumtancesas are necefiary for the
right framing of our Reflections. If
then Nature hath deprivedus ofthis
back Room, we may neverthe

les have, perhaps, fome no incon

fiderable Talents, but none in ave
ry high degree.

Ea

3. A

( 76 )

3. As for the Hair,four things may

be confidered concerning them. I.
Their lying flat on theHead.2ly.Their
curling 3ly. Their quantity. 4 ly.
their Colour. The Firt fignifies
Dulnefs, if they be not fomewhat
curled at the ends, becaufe this fhew
eth a want of Heat. The Second fome

greater harpnes, becaue it fppo

feth fme more heat. The Third, if

very confiderable, and accompany-,
ed with thicknes, is a fign of too ma-ny Excrementitious Parts, and of a
too materialSubtance of the Brains.

Of the Fourth for Methods fake, I

hall diftinguih but three forts, the

black and the fair Colour, as two
extreams, the Chefnut Colour, as a

middle between them both. TheFair

is a furer mark of Wit, Judgement,

and good Sence, than the Black, be
caufe 'tis originally occafioned by the
|

movement of brisker, clearer, and

more lively. Spirits.

Whereas the

Black, I mean the deepeft fort, may

foinetiniesimporta Melancholy, hea |
|-

vy ,

( 77 )
.
vy and dull Temper, as being ofan
-

exceeding Compact and cloe Tex

ture, yet tis often produced by the
motion of more active Spirits, but
which are tempered with Ter

retial ones. And when this happens.

- 'tis no ill Omen: But the Cheafnut

- Colour is to be preferr'd before

the other two, as proceeding not

from the A&tion of meer Terre

- trial, or of meer airy Corpucles
- but from a jut mixture of both.
4. I had almot forgot the Ears,
}

whereof the Bulk only is confidera

:
|

ble in relation to Phyiognomy, be

caue if they be refpetively too
great, or not proportionable to the
Head, they are reckoned common
ly to be a fign of dulnes. The rea
fon of the Vulgar is, becaue fuch
People refemble long Ear'd Aes. But
'tis more rational to fy, that this

;
0

is occaioned by the weakne of an

|
f

Imperfect Soul, who made one part

proportionably larger than the other.
Becaue though it aimed indeed,
-

E3

as

( 78 )
as all things do by theimpule of Na
-

ture, at the mot perfet,yet it could

not reach it, as being none of the

Highet, or of the firt Hierarchy of
Souls.

But to turn about now from

the Ears to the Eyes ; they are not

only windows through which the Soul

looketh out to us,but through which

likewife we look into it, and by

their Light dicover eaily its real
perfetions, and abilities. I know but
three things in them worthy a Phyfiognomiff's Obervation, their Big
nefs, their Situation, their Colour.

The black eye repreents to usa ju

dicious Soul, but none of the fhar

pet, becaue of the too compact Na

ture of the Inftruments it makes ue

of, I mean of the Spirits. The blew

grayih is more common, andiffome

otherConditionsbe not wanting,may
- be a good proofofacutenesandfoli
dity, becaufe of a proportionable
mixture of maffie and airy Corpuf
cles , fubfervient to the Futi

ons of the Mind. The largene isan

equi

( 79 )
equivocal Sign, either ofDulne, or
it, becaue the great eyes are not
commonly fparkling like theStarsin

the Firmament, but of a fixt Light,

like that of moft Planets. The little

Eyes then, or of no exceive fiz,

but quick, and contantly parkling,

are reputed to be infallible marks of
Sharpnes and Wit, becaue of the

brightne, agility, and livelines

ofthe Spirits they move and fhine by.
The Situation of the Eye makes but

littleto our purpofe. Yet may not

we be allowed to fy that the deep

eye heweth as much weaknes in the

Soul, as vigour in the Sight, or Vifi

onit felf; and on the other fide, that
the prominent Eye, which the French
call a fleur de peau, may dicover its

good Temper and Strength. I ex

plain my felf thus. Becaue of the

weaknes of our viive Faculty, we

apply a Tellecop or Propet clofe
to our Eye, whereas if it were ftron
ger and more vigorous, we could fee
the Objets through the Propet re
|-

E 4.

moved,

(8o)
moved, and at fome diftance from our

Eye.

Confider - then the deep or

hollow Eye, as a Propet joyning

moreclofely in a manner to the Soul,
and the Prominent omewhat more

ditant 3 and you hall inftantly un

dertand why H take the Prominency
of the Eye for a mark of greater vi
gour in the Soul,as likewife wherefore

I affirm the contrary of a deep Eye 3

which fpplyeth, in fome manner,
this imperfection of the Soul ; be
caufe gathering clofely together the i
vifal Beams, it repreents to us the
Objets at a greater ditance, but not
fo well thofe, or not at all, that |
ly at our fides, unles we turn about
to them. I know this comparifon is.

lame in fome repects,but Omnis com

paratio claudicat, you know elfe it

would change its Nature.
|

5. As for the other part of the ob

jest of Phyiognomy, which the La

iines call Vultus, Vifage or Face, and
whereby here I undertand not only
the conformation of the Face, but

(81)

of the whole Body z I hall onlyfy

if we take it by the firt Bya, we

fhall find nothing obervable in it

but the Colour and the Shape. The
Face fmewhat inclining to a natural
and habitual pale, does-in our Cly
mate promif mot 3 becaue the Spi

rits feem to be always refining with

in by ferious thoughts, attentive pe
culations, or ingenious contrivances.

The fair Completion likewife, be

caue of the clearnefs of ther Spi
rits, hews a well dipoed Scul, but
not always very muchacutenes. As

to the hape,morelengththan breadth

is to be mot commended 3 forfuch

commonly have the hinder part of
the Head very large, which, as we

faid lately, isa good mark. . . .

Now if we take the word vultur

precifely for mans out-fide, or out

ward appearance, we may confi
der two things, his Stature, and the

accidents thereof. As to the firt, the |

talleft men generally peaking, are

not always :
becaue in

:#

fiich,

(82 )

fch, as in High Houes, the uppermot Room is commonly the worft

furnihed,their Spiritsbeingtoo much
difperfed to produce any confidera
ble Effet. The middle fize, for the
functions of the Mind, as well as for

thofe of the Body, is the mot ad

vantagious. I hall fay mothing of
the adjuncts of the Body, fave that
'tis obfervable that the crooked, lame

'and blind,are ordinarily poflefed of .

notordinaryendowmentsofthemind,
whereof I can give no other rational
account, than by faying that thishap

pens through a peculiar difpofition of

anuniveral providencefpplyingthus
abundantly the defects of the Bo
dy, by imparting to the Nobler part,
the Soul, a peculiar perfetion, and

Beauty. Outofall this we may con

clude not withouta a how of proba

bility, that, Frons, oculi, vultus, vernme

perfepe loquuntur.Oratio verofpiime:
The Front, the Eyes, the Face peak,

often Truth, and dicover what re

ally we are, but our Tongue yet
-

m ore

|
}

(83 )
more frequently layeth us open to
the undertanding fort, and per

chance more certainly too, epecial

ly if we take it for the very fb

ftance of the things we fy, for then

by the coherency, or incoherency of

our dicourfe, we betray our felves.
eithr to be Fools or wife, dull or
Witty. But as a Phyiognomit pre
cifely, Imean here the out-fide only,
if I mayfo fpeak, and theaccidents of

our Speech, as the Sound, Precipitati

on, Stammering, Duration, &c. As

to the Sound: To peak High and

boiterouly withoutany rational oc
cafion, is a furer mark of a harp voice

than of a fharp Wit. Precipitation

proceeds fometimes, I confes from
a too quick apprehenion, that con
ceives more things than the Tongue:
can well utter in a fhort time; but

more eften tis occaiond by the con

fued Idea's of the Soul. By the du
ration of our dicoure, I meanthat
exceive one, whereby we become

inufferable to thoe we convere;

: '.

3 / )

(84)
as being talkative beyond meaure, |
whick I take to be no fign either of
Wit or judgement, unles we admit
that the talkative fort are the witti

eft, and mot judicious, which no

man of Sence will ever grant, as be

ing fufficiently confuted by obvious

reafon,and daily experience: For as,
Loquaciores aviumque minores,thefinal
left Birds, for Infance, the Sparrows,

Nightingales, &c. make more moife

than the greater ones do 3 as the Ea
gle, the Swan, &c. So thoe petits
eprits, hallow Wits, and fuperficial |

Undertandings are commonly more

talkative than the Judicious,and mot

thinking fort of Mankind.

SE CT

(85)
sect vil

The Imperfection of humane

Wit and Knowledge.
. That Science does rather make us
humble than proud.

. That our clearefi Knowledge of Na

tural things is but meer Sceptiffme,
and the Learnedft Men, but meer
.

Scepticks.

. That we have a felf-evidence of fome

truths, but no true demontration of

mot things we undoubtedly believe.
. That meer matter may do by God's

Omnipotency what our foul uppoed

Spiritual, performs. . .
. That not only the Myfieries of our

Religion, but the moff Obvious and

known Objects are above the reach of

our limited Capacities.

4.

|-

/**

T: a common fying, Scientia

: M , Inflat a but I doubt if it be

-

|-

not

( 86 )
not likewife a vulgar Error : For I

am fo far from believing thats true

Knowledge does puff up a Man, and

fwell him with Pride, that I can con

ceive nothing fitter to make us truly
humble without either Hypocrifie or
Diffimulation. "Tis eafie to conje
ture upon what grounds I run thus
contrary to the Stream, and the ge
neral Opinion of mot men, becaue
methinks 'tis evident that the chief

Source of true Humility, & Humiliati- on too, is a perfet knowledge of our :

own Weaknes and Imperfections, of
our Incapacity, and little Infight in

mot things, which I take to be proper to thof only, who are the mot

knowing fort of Mankind. I look

upon fuch as true Scepticks in this
Senfe, That whatever is not laid open
to their Eyes, either by the Light of
an undeniable demontration, or by
fome fort of felf-evidence, they juft-,

ly doubt of Becaue they under-ftand perfestly the difficulties on both

t
fides, which holdingtheir JudgemenIII?
----:

e-

(87)

n equilibrio, equally in the middle,

and i fufpence, hinder them from
joyning clofely with either of the ex
treams. Hence itappears thatas the

greatet Wits have mot Doubts, fo

the Dullih are commonly thoe that

doubt almot of nething. I peak

not here in matters of Faith, for as

Chritians, we are meer Believers,

not Phylofophers, butof Nature and

Natural things, of the World, and
what it contains, or whatever is

within us, or without us : whereof

we have fo little Knowledge,that the
felf-evident principles excepted, we know nothing evidently, or at leaft

by demontration. We know in
deed certainly that we are, as having
fomefenible Foundation both in Ef.
fence and Exitency, That there is
in us a certain internal principle,
whereby we move, ubfift, andunder
ftand, which we call the Soul. But

how it performs all thee things,

whatit is, whether Spiritual or Cor

poral we know not: I believe my

'*'

Soul

|-

( 88 )
.
Soul to be both Immortal and Spiri
tual.

And I have read feveral Trea

tifs pretending to a clear demon

ftration of its Spiritual Nature, which

I coud never yet fee, nor any Im
partial judge, I am afraid, hall ever
befenible of becaue we can have no

certitude from the light of Reafon

that he hath either being, or opera
tion, not depending upon matter,
or fome Material Phantama ; and
what in the other Life hall be her

way of ating, we hall not know fo

long as we remain in this. - I am not

altogether unacquainted with the

chief Prerogatives of our , Souls,
which are to conceeive, and frame
: general Notions, to precind, or ra

ther divide by her harp Edge the

matter, into various parts fverally
intellegible, to raife Influences from !
the general to the particular, and
from the particular, though more
Illegally to the general, to remem
berthings paft, enviage the preent,

and frame notunlikely conjectures of

---what

(89).

|-

# - what is to come. But all thisamoun

ting to no more than to fome de

of probability, offers nothing
like a demontration of the Spiritu

ality of our Souls. For I conceive

no reafon why God, who made all

things of nothing, may not likewife
make what he pleafeth of fome
thing. Where is there then any con

tradiction, if we fy that God, who

created the Matter of nothing, may
change the fame into a being capable
to do, and in a more perfet man
ner to whatever our Soul performs.
For I conceive it to be but a meer .

prejudice, and not reafon that leads

usto fy, that whatever thinks, or
reafons, is of a SpiritualNature. Tis
obervable then, whenfoever we pre

tend to reveal by demontration

fuch hidden Myfteries, we always
fiuppoe what in firt Infiance we
hould prove, I mean that Godis nei
ther fo powerful to elevate the mat
terto what he pleafeth, nor fb

as to change it into a form capab #

-

Ot

( 9o)
of mot perfet operations, orat leaft
of thof that we allow to our Souls,

fppoed to be Spiritual. But if we

undertand not the nature of our
Souls, we can conceive almot as

little of the Fabrick of our Bodies,

Herewe are Admirers, and not Phi

lofophers, fince we can give but a

very imperfet, and a fcarce rational
account of what we behold in our
felves, and know not neither how
we live, how we grow , how we
move, norfron what part ofthe Bo
dy the Bloud beginsto circulate, or
in what part of the eye the vifi
on is made, or whether the Child
breaths in the Womb or not, &c.
In one word, the whole Texture of

our Body is fuch a piece ofwonder

to the undertanding fort, that it

feems to fome to be no lefs beyond

the reach of our capacity, than

the very Nature of a meer Spi

rit. .

|-

--

2. I do firmly believe what all

true Chritians believe 3 but thisfun
- da

( 91 )
damental article of all Religon, that
there is a God, though I wereno
Chritian, I could prove to my felf,
and perhaps to others too, by a con
vincing demontration : Yet fuch is
- the weaknes, or rather the darknes

of Humane Undertanding, that the

cleareft demontrations of this im

portant Truth are refuted by fome

one or other, whoe obtinacy they
cannot conquer. And Wafques, if I
- mifremember not, a ubtile Romih
Divine, after a large confutation of
whatever had been faid before his

time, in order to prove the Ex

itency of a Soveraignbeing, admits
at length but a meer moral demon
ftration of this Fundamental point,

though fo evidentindeed, thatit cuts away all pretence, and excues to

infidelity. Asto the other myfteries,
for Intance the Trinity, and Gods
contingent degrees, which our rea
fon reacheth not 3 tis a piee

of madnes and folly for us to

endeavour their dicovery by the
~

light

(92 )

fight of reafon. Yet they may bein

culcated to the People, though infi
nitely above their cmprehenfive fa
culty, as being Articles of meer Be
lief, and not at all within the reach

of humane Undertanding. I could

not but mile to hear a certain Mini

fter once preach on this Subjei, be

caue he very confidently affureThis"
Auditory, that he would prove the
exitence of the Trinity with no lefs
evidence than the fbtileft Philofo

pher could demontrate the being of |

God in Nature, and his Unity. How ||

far he performed this, 'tis neither

worth your while to hear, nor mine to relate. I hall only fy, that he |
fhewed himelf all along a very ill

Philoopher, and a wore Divine.

3. But what wonder if men are

fo hort fighted in things fo far above

the reach of their Capacity, fince

they know not the Nature and Na
tural properties of the mot familiar
- and obvious Objets. I do in vain

make my Application either to the

,

Old

(93)

Old or New Philoophy for thein

telligence of the mot common

things. I am for Intance as little fa
tisfied, when I am told, that what

ever I fee under fo many different

figures, hapes and fizes, is only oc
caioned by avarious Texture and co

alition of Corpucles, I am, I fy ,

as little fatisfied with this, as with

Aritotle's matter and formunited together, I know not how : For tofay
a thing belongs to this or that Species
or kind, becaufe it hath a certain

texture that we can give no further

account of, is a Notionalmot as ob

fcure unto my dim Undertanding,

as if you had instanced for Anfwer,

. A matter informed by a certain fpecifical

form. On ach fide you fee by the
very word certain we infinuate e

nough our doubtfulnefs and un

certainty of the thing. What more
known than the Hitory of the eb
bing and flowing of the Sea: The
dulleft Mariner can give you a fatif.

fatory relation thereof; but you

(94)

may expetin vain arational account

of the fame from the ableft Phylo

fopher. To attribute with the greateft number of Philoophers: this

wonderful Phnomenonto the Stars,

or more particularly to the Moon,
is but an ingenuous confeffion of
their ignorance, and depair ofabet
ter anfwer. For it being certain

that when the Moon is in the upper

Quadrant of our Meridian, the Wa
ters are not only fwelled here, but |
likewife in the oppofite part of the
Earth towards our Antipodes 3 Ican
not conceive how the Moon pierceth

through fuch a thick and maffie Bo

dy as the Earth, fo as to heighten
the Waters beneath.

I'mfureheats

notat fuch a ditance, either by heat

orby light, for herheatis not trong,

and her light is but very weak, and

neither of them can penetrate above

ten foot within the uperficies of the .

|

Earth.

Her occult and fecret Influ

ences, I neither undertand, nor look

upon as an anwer capable to fatisfie3.

( 95)

a curious enquirer. The movement

of the Earth, by which fome en

deavour to give an account of this
regular movement,we oberve in the
Seas, befides the uncertainty of this
principle contributes but little or no
thingtowards the folution of this in

fperable difficulty; and Maurus, his

Angel movingthus orderly this great . .
and vaft Body, is but a gues, and at
moft but an ill grounded Opinion.
4. If we come now afhoar, and
travel over the habitable Trats of

the Continent, whatan infinite num

ber of obvious, but mot hidden

Myteries hall we dicover every

where. I hall offer but two at pre
ferit to your confideration, the Load

ftone, and Quickfilver, or Mercury.

The former is an unpolihd piece of
Work, and looks like an excremen

titious part of Nature: But Who an

give us a tolerable account of its at
trative faculty, why it draws, and
holds clofely Iron , rather than any

other Metal; why it thruftsfrom :

.

the

( 96 )
the Needle with one Pole, and at

trats it again with the other; and |

why it declines more or les, or not
at all in feveral parts of the World,
ec. Philoophers are commendable
for doing their utmoft endeavours,
and fqueezing their brains to anfwer

fuch difficulties 3 but I fear after all

their Sweats, and laborious Specu- |

lations, they hall never fatisfie either

themfelves on this fubjei, or others.
Mercury is clearer indeed to the Eye
than the Loadtone, but as obcure

if not more, to our darkned Un

dertanding. Tis the very riddle of

Nature, FEnigma natur, tisa Mon

fter compounded of meer contrarie

ties, as being round and harp, cold,
and in the opinion of fomehot too,
light and heavy, moit and dry, cor
ruptible and incorruptible, always

the fame, and yet mot changeable,

inviible, and by an eaie recovery of |
it felf viible again: I ever admired |
above all this, its compatnefs and |

cloe texture; for it admits not the |

fub

(97)
Subtileft Air, and giving no acces to
the points of Fire, it flyeth from be
foreit.

5. But I need not have recourf to

the confet Prodigies of Nature, te
fhw how far we are from undertan

ding any thing to the bottom. The

very Sciences themfelves are not fuch
to us, if narrowly look'tinto. I have
reafon to examine the Truth of Eu
clides demontrations, fince I fee the

Impoibility of a common Segwent,

as they peak, demonftrated to my
Weak Judgement by Proclus, and
again contradited with no lefs evi
dence by other able Mathematicians.

To ay nothing of the duplication of

the Cub, the Squaring of the Circle,
and other Gordian lenots of this

Nature-5 I doubted always of the

very-Foundation of GeoInetry, I

mean of the true Notion of a point.

For when I hear this trange de

fcription, Punfum eficujus pars nulla

I beginto wonder what that can

be, that though notFa Spirit, hasno
Ima
-

( 98)

Imaginable parts: and then conclu

ding there's no fch thing in being.
I take the true Objet of Geometry
as a Line that is made of Points,
and a Superficies compounded of
Lines,tohave no other Foundationin

Effence or Exitency, but my own |

Conceit and Fancy. I am moreover
fo little fatisfied with the groundlefs

grounds, and Principles of judiciary

Aftrology, that I fancy it the mot
vain, and mot uncertain of all Sci
ences, and thofe that admireit to be
none of the judicious fort. I confes,

the

Heavens are great Volumes, |

wherein we may read the wonderful

effets of Gods infinite Power and

Widom 3 but you hall fee no Cha-|

raters there that expres the Con

tingency of things to come, and the

occaional determinations of our free

Wills.

For what connexion can

any rational man imagine between |

the Afpets of the Stars, and a Childs
being one day either a King or

an Emperour, or to dye fuch

a
death.|

death.

We know neither the Na

ture, Properties, nor Influences of

the Celetial Bodies ; how can then

aman, not a meer Fool, prefiume to

determine their contingent. Effects.

Atronomy indeed is fomewhat bet
tergrounded.

But how manythings

are we yet here ignorant of the

quantity of the natural year hall
neverbe exactly determined, becaufe
we can never know the critical Mi
|w
.

nute.cf the Suns firt tep backward

from oneTropick towards the other.

The newKalenderis notas yet perfet,
and may one day ftand in need to
be correted a fecond time: We can

give but a very uncertain account of

the Nature of Comets, and debate

often about their hight, periods,

movement and - bulk 5 whether

the light of the fixedStars be innate,

of only borrowed from the Sun, we

are not as yet certain. We do but
gues at their real ditance from us
and among themelves. We peak

rafhly, and perhaps, upon not very

F 2

good

( Ico)
good grounds, of their wonder
fl Rapidity and Swiftnes. I hall
fay nothing of an infinite number
of other things, that we can give
no rational account of, as for In

france, of Antipathy, Sympathy,

Poions, and of that fort of Re

medies, we call Specificks. If I chance

to meet with two men I never faw

before, I find my felf more inclind

to ferve the one than the other, but

why, I am to feek. As foon as the

Lamb cometh into the World, it

flyeth from before the Woolf, as

from a known Enemy: Now by what

kind of Impule or Impreion, it be

haves it felf fo rationally, I hall wil

lingly learn from any of the Modern,

or Antient Philoophers. Theftrange
effets of Poyfons are bt too well

known, whereof fme are quick,

fome are flow, fome cold, and others

hot. But they all agree in this, that

they detroy at length the tructure

of our Bodies. I remember to
have been prefnt at the overture

( 1o1 ) .
---of a Lady, that had certainly been
.

poyfon'd, which nevertheles we

could not affirm by any viible Im

preions made upon her inward

Parts, the alteration made by this
fbtile Poyfon being quiteinfenible.
I am of opinion that in this Life we
fhall never reach to a perfet know

ledge of fuch odd pieces of Won

der.

Let us then acknowledge that

there is no true Philoophy in the

World butSceptififin ; not that I take
Scepticks here formen that doubt of

every thing, yea; and of their own

* Exitency too, for 'tis, perhaps, a
vulgar Error to believe that there
were ever any fuch in the World,and
withall not meer Fools: I mean them

b4Scepticks thoe that are come

to fuch a pitch of Knowledge, as to
doubt rationally of every diputa- ble matter, becaue feeing nothing
under one light only, and looking
narrowly into the reafons of both
fides, they dicover but fome few, or
:

F 3

1Il Of G.

( 102 ) .
more degrees of probability without
the very Twilight of Evidence.
S E C T. VIII.

The Character of a great

Wit.

1. That there are few great Wits.

2. Who are not to be reckoned among the
great Wits.

3. The trueft notion of a great Wit.

4. That great Wits are Wary in their

decio, and not at a Dogz.4

#ical.

5. The diference between Aristoileana

Decartes.

--

6. Thomas Aquinas upon what account

to be mot efteemed.

|
|
|

1. "I Doubt, if I may not fay of great

Wits, what Cicero fys fome

where of great Orators, that fcarce

one was feeninan Age:Foras Aritotle
- calls

( 103 ) ,

calls little men comely, but not bau

tiful, fo likewife I take the moft

part of thoe that the World ad-mires mot, to be but jolly Wits, der
eprits jolly, as not throughly defer
ving, becaue of fome confiderable
deficiency, a more honourable Title,

or rather not filling in all fenfe

what is in rigour meant by a great
Wit: For I conceive none to be
fuch, who has received but one Ta

* lent, though in a juft meafre: Thus

- a man may be an excellent Poet, a
skilful Atronomer, a good Geoma
trcian, a fbtile Logician, and yet.

unfit for all other Sciences ; fuch an

one then can be reckoned but a

mong the jolly Wits, and that is Ho

nour enough for him. I do far les

judge thoe to be great Wits, who

undertand nothing, but what is be

yond common Sene and Undertan

ding, as thee ::::: Whym
fies, abtracted Idea's , and , Airy
Notions, that fill the empty heads of

fome fpeculative Virtuoo's.

F 4

Nei
ther

( 104 )

ther could I ever havea great Opi

mion of fuch, as preferring them
fves before the reft of the World,

condemn whatever flows not from

their own Pen, or whatever is be
yond the reach of their fhort Capa

city. For this is no more than what

the duller fort are equally capable.
of. I am likewife fomewhat out of
conceit with mot of our Modern

Philoophers, who will have none to

be really Witty and Ingenious, but
fuch as undertand perfetly Mecha
mifin, or the Texture and Struture

of things, or how to knit, weave

and knead one Corpucle with ano
ther.

For at this rate Apothecaries,

Smiths and Bakers, and the ret of

the Mechanical Tribe, are to be ac

counted true Philoophers.

Yet I

ever conceived Philoophy to be

fomething beyond the reach of this

common fort, and would be very

loath to become either a Smith or a
Baker, in order to gain the Honou

rable Name of a true Philoopher.

-

( 105 )
I have a great repet, and I am fr
ced to it by the very name, for
what we call in England Divines,
yet I look not upon them as great

Wits, becaufe if they be good Chri

ftians, they muft renounce the uf
of their Wit, and believe the mot

inconceivable Myteries of Religion

upon no better ground, than the
Simpleft fort, that is upon the freft

ofall, the Authority of a Divine, tho

obcure Revelation.

I conceive then

to be hort, no other Notion of a

great Wit, than what Sceptififin af

fords me: Not that I mean a man

that doubts of every thing, but ra

ther one that can fhow demontra

tively theincertitudeofall diputable

matters, thoe of Faith, with which
we meddle not, laid afide. The
doubts of fuch men are not meer

Negative ones, for thoe areground

lefs, but rational, poitive , and

grounded upon fuch reafens as

may demontrate our little Capaci

ty, and Infight into mot diputa

F 5

ble

( 106 )

ble things. So as the greatet Wit of

Angels,confiftsin knowing; the great
eft Wit in Men confifts in doubting:
whoever than after a due confidera

tion of any difficulty in what Sub

jet foeverfeeth the Pro and the Con,
or whatever may be faid for main
taining either part of the contra
dition fo clearly, that he is forced
to ballance his undertandingin the
middle by an almoft equal Weight
of counterpoizing Reafons : This
Man Ifay, and no other may aflume

to himir without Uurpation, the

Name of a great Wit : You fhall
eafily know him either by his dif
coure, or by his Writings. He is
not of the Humour of certain Dog
maticalHeads, who becaue they fee
thingsbutunder one light, undertake
boldly todeterminethe greatet diffi
culties at the very firt hearing of
them. But the Man we are peaking of being wary and cautious, re

quires time to confult with himelf

about the matter, beforehe ventures
-

tQ

. ( Io7) -

to give a poitive anfwer which fome

times occaions the les undertan-,

ding fort to take him to be none of

the harpeft 3 and when he is come

to a refolution upon the cafe propo

fed, his Deciions are fo moderate,
fo prudent, and fo far from being

too daring and bold, that they

|

fcarce ever amount to more than tor

the detrmination of fome degrees:

of probability, if the thing bereal
ly doubtful. I have always admird.

this Characterin the Honourable Ro

bert Boyle: Tis to be met with every

where in his Writings, and is obfr

vable likewife in his dicoure, if he

be required an anwer to any con-,

fiderable difficulty. Yet if it chance

that fome Eminent Virtuo expres,
themfelves fometimes in doubtful

matters, as if they judged them evi

dent, this is not to be wondred at,
becaue as fome Men cannot expres.

well their Thoughts, others have:

fuch an eafie utterance, that through
the Heat of dipute, or quicknes of

------

( 1c8)

magination, they do often make

tlie of Words fignifying more, than
really they intend. But generally
fpeaking when yon hear a man fy,
he can give an evident account for

instance of the ebbingand flowing of

the Sea, of the fits of the Ague, of
the attractive faculty in the Load
ftone, of the nature of Poions, and
Specificks whether exteriour or inte
riour, of the Origine of the Winds,
of the folution of Gold by Aqua Re
gia, and not by Aqua fortis, of the

folution of Silver by Aqua fortis, and

not by Aqua Regia, and a thouand
other abtrufe difficulties of that na
ture ; you may be fure that his in
ffficiency is nothing inferiour to his
vanity and prefimption. I fall much
fhort upon thisaccounty of the great
Efteem fome have for Difcartes, be

caue he pretends too much to evi

dent Truths, and will have us before :

we are fit for his Philoophy, to

make our Undertanding Tabulam ra

fam, as a fimooth board, capable of

.

any

-----V-----

( 1o9)

any Charater by craping out of

it the Pitures of all things it was
fraught with from our greener years,

as if none had ever poken Truth but

himelf, or as if our intelletive fa

culty being thus naked, was not e

qually dipoed to be wrought upon
by error, as wellas by Truth. Some
of his Followers betray themfelves
to be but half witted, when they de

ny a thing, becaufe Arifiotle, whom

they are not acquainted with, affir

med it, and pretended it to be an

evident Truth, becaue forfooth Dif:
cartes held it.

2. To do bo.hthefe Philoophers

: though with the learnedt part

of the World, I apprehend Aritotle
to be far beyond Difcartes, as to
fharpnes, depth, and penetrancy of

Wit: They have poken both many

things to the purpoe, and probable
enough, and many others likewife
with a greater appearance of falfe
hood than Truth.Themain difference .

I find between them both only

|-

( 1 Io)
fifts in this, that Arifiotle undertook
to debate and dicusmatters beyond |
the reach of Humane Capacity. Such |
I reckon to be the Infinite, whether
in number, or matter, the Diviibili
ty and Compoition both of the fluent |

and permanent continuum. Difeartes |

fpeaketh of Matter and Motion, and |
things indeed lefs ubtile, but more
intelligible; yet I conceive his con
cluions drawn from thence to be n

demonftrations 3 and if any of his

Diciples look upon them as fuch, I
fear he is either prejudic'd, or fees

things but under one light: I havefo

good opinion of Difartes his judge- |
ment, that Ibelieve he intended not |

, to give us a true demontration of

God in his Metaphical Meditations,

though grounded, if I miiemember not, upon thef two principles, firft,

that whatever we have, a clear and

. diftint Idea of exits, or may exit.

Secondly,that we have a clear and di
ftinct Ideathat God is in Nature. For I

know not why I may not have a

clear: ||

( 111)
clear and diftinct Idea ofanyimpoffi
-

ble thing, fince our Knowledge re

ceiveth not fo much its qualificati

ons fromits Objei, as from the man
ner of its tendency towards the

Objet, which may be clear, th

the Objet be confued. - Again, no
man of good fenfe will take this pro
poition, Deus et, God exits, for one
of thoe we call Notas perfe, known
immediately by their own felf-evi
dence, without a Medium or reafon

to prove them. Nevertheles this

muft happen in our caf, if we have a
clear and diftinct Idea of Gods being
really exitent in nature, or of his

being poible: For if I conceive an

infinite good poible, tis confequen

tial that he really exits, fince in this
very notion theatual exitency isin

cluded, as being a mot material per

fetion.

3. Let us not then impoe upon

our felves, and take for demontra

tion by a certain Precipitation of

judgement, what at the utmot

:
ret

( 1 12)
reth but a fair fhow of probability.
I may methinks beallowable to mi
truft a Mans Capacity, when he pre

tends to know all things to the bot

tom, or to fy nothing, what is not
either in it felf, or by confequence
clear and evident. I have always

been a great admirer of Thomas

Aquinas, the Angelical Dotor, and
do look upon him as a trancending
Wit, but meerly upon this account,

that hefeems to be certain ofnothing

though in Corpore articuli, he tands
at length ftiffly to one part of the
contradition , and anwers the Ar

guments for the other. But you may

eaily gather both from the difficu
ties he propofth to himelf, and his
anfwers that he pretended no more

than to doubt rationally of difputa

ble matters; and more than this can

not be expeted from the capacity of

Man , who has no comprehenfive

knowledge of natural things, as An

gels have. I take then an ingenuous

Ignorant to be of themoft ingenious

n ---

( 113 )
or knowing fort: I mean one that
profeffeth fincerely he knoweth no
thing certainly, but who withal, be
-

caufe of his penetrancy, and great

Wit, can give a rational, though not
a demontrative account of every
thing. Such an one I conceive ca
pable to defend probably, and no

further, whatever you may propoe

to him. For few things are toa man
- of this Charater felf-evident.

He

doubts not only of the poffibility of

ever doubling the Cub, or fquaring
the Circle, of fixing of Mercury,
of making malleable Glafs, &c. But
he dicovers without Telefcops,
Stains, and Spots in the very Stars
themelves, I mean Obcurity, Falfe
hood, uncertainty in the cleareft
and mot approved Notions, Errors,

Miftakes, and fometimes flat Devia

tions from the Truth in the moft ac
curate Authors.

He neither admires

the old Philoophy, nor dotes upon

the New, but takes up the Cudgels
indifferently for either, as it ferves his

tUlII].

( 114 )
turn, or his fancy. He is notalways
fatisfied with what we call Mathe

matical Dennonftrations, and dif

covers them often to bebut falfe ap

paritions, impofing eaily upon a
weak undertanding. He crupleth

at the vulgar Opinions, and values

them no more than vulgar Errors.
This is the Sentiment ofanhonoura

ble Gentleman, whom I repet as a

great Wit; I haveheardhimfy more
than once, that he found by experi
ence the mot vulgar Opinions to
be flat untruths, which he has inge
niouly proved to convition in fve
ral of his mot learned Books. Ne

vertheles, though fuch Men feem

to be fatisfied with nothing, , not
through Pride, for they are of the
Humbleft fort, but through Know
ledge, yet they are defirous to learn
from the meaneft Capacities, as well
knowing that their Undertanding,
how vaftfoever, is but of alimited ex
tent, and not Omnifcient. Tho they be

fparing of their Elogiums, as admi

ring

( 1 1 5)

ringnothingyet they arefeldom guil

ty of detration, of too much bla

ming, or rafhly condemning other

mens labours 3 and if Books receive

their Fates from the Capacity of the

Readers, 'tis a good Fortune for a
well pennd Piece to fall into fuch

mens hands: for being great Artits

themelves, they are thbet Judges

of Arts, and do praie moderately
what they judge to deferve it, or
faynothing at all of what they either
~

cannot, or will not commend.

(116)
SE CT. IX

The Origine and Progres of

Wit.

1. The extent of Adam's Wit.

2. The natural endowments of Mis
mind, not defroyed by his Sins.
3. That we owe to the gyptians, Ara
bians, Grecians, Romans, the

greatei part of Humane Sciences.

4.Of the Gymonofophiftsand Druids,
and their Dorine.

5. That this preent Age furpaeth al

the foregoing Centuries, as to Wit,
JKnowledge and Learning.

|
- |

1. A Dam was not only the firft

man in the World, but the

firt Wit : for as being the King of

all other inferiour Creatures,

I do

rationally fancy he was fitted to fuch

an eminent Dignity, with proporti
onable Gifts, and Talents.

This be
Ing

( 117)
ing Gods uual way of providing for
his Creatures whenfoever he minds

to exalt them.

I conceive then, firft

Adam's Undertanding fraught with

clear and diftinct Idea's of all natural

things. He was, I doubt not, a good

Alchimii, and an ingenious Atro
nomer, an accurate Geometer, a fb

- tile Logician, and a very acute Phi

lofopher. But yet I cannot fy that
he was a very witty Husband becau

of his too imple and blind compla

cency to his Wife, which occaioned
his ruine, and that of his Poterity.

We mut not think nevertheles that

his Fall darkned his Undertanding;
though it corrupted his will : For I

fppof he was not unlike to the An

gels, as to this point: of whom the

Divinesaffirm, non funt vulnerati in

Naturalibus, after their Sin commit

ted, they retained yet all their na

tural endowments, as not being

wounded in their Intellectuals. He

could then I fancy, and did really

propagate to Poterity a part ofWit

his

( 118 )
Wit and Knowledge: Not that I ,
think Wit to behereditary, fince we
know certainly by daily experience, ,
that the mot ingenious men beget
fometimes the dulleft Children. My

meaning only is, that he taught his

Sons and Daughters, what he him
feffnever learned but from God im

mediately, fo they became in a hort

time by hisInstrutions wellvers in

mot sciences, and skilflinali Arts, |

whichthey invented firt for neceffi
ty's fake, and then for conveniency.
Thus Wit flourihed in the World as

by a lineal decent, till the days

of Noah : When all Fleh had corrup
ted their way, that is their Wit z Ozz
mis caro corruperat viam fuam.

It

was confin'd then in the Ark to a

little number, and if the Ark had

plit, it had intirely perihed. The

}::
after the retreat of the
Waters from above the Face of the

Earth, claimed more right to it for

feveral hundred years, thanany other

Nation of the World. Every Crea

|-

ture

( 1 19 )
ture was to them a piece of Divini
ty, and what fignifyed nothing to
other Nations, reprented to them

profound Myteries. Their Hierogli

phicks are evident proofs of theirin
genious meditations. To them, . afs
much as to the Arabians, we owe

the knowledge of Atronomy, and

of mot other Sciences: Yetas men
are obnoxious to various changes,

this mot ingenious Nation became at

length fo dull, as to acknowledge,
and worhip Cats, Dogs and Rats for
itsGods.But the Grecians fucceeding
in their Room, took upon them to

be the great Instructers of the World,

and were never equald but by the
Romans. I know not what to make
of Plato , whether we hould call

him a God or a Man : I hall only

fy, he juftly deferves to be tiled

Divine, Divinus Plato, becaufe of

his high Sentiments of God,andthofe

Notable pieces of Divinity he has
left to Poterity. Anacharfis, Anax

ageras, Pythagoras, Euclides, are

- -

:
a y

( 12o )
ally Stars of the firt magnitude, and
were the greatet Wits of their times:

But the Romans at length fubduing

the Greciams, became their Mafters,

not only by the happy ucces of their |

Arms, but alo by their Wit, Learning |

and Eloquence: For if we reflect but |

a moment upon the preent condition |

of the Grecians, wehallintantly con- |
clude, that whenfoever the body is |
enflaved, the mind is commonly ub- |
dued, or at leaftlofeth much of its |
natural vigour and harpnes, becaue |
of its dependency upon the body. |

The Athenians under the Roman Yoke |

were no more called then, as before, |
Scientiarum Omnium Intentrices Athe

me, the Inventors of all Arts and |

Sciences. The Mufs had now de-|

frted Athens to follow the Roman |

Conquerours, to
Seat
of the World then, Rome. The Ro

::::::

mans now on the other fide began to |

propagate,
with their own ||
Authority, Wit, and Knowledge, |

through the ret of the World3, yet

the

the

Gymnoophii:

flourihd before

them, as fome facy in the Eaft In

er. I, know not what fort of Men
they were, but if we believe the

relations offom not unlearned Tra

vellours, they taught not very im
pertinent. Dotrines concerning f.
nother life, a Rewarder, and Puniher of Crimes, of the Exitency, Om
nifciency, Goodnes and Immenity

of God...'Tis reported that they

delighte mushin that pleaantfal
| cy of Tranmigration of their Souls;
which Dotrine I take to be mot
:
f:

truein this Senf, that Menin all ages

do arif fo like unto thoe thathave

gone befre them, as to Wit, Sharp:

e and Learing; tht we innft nt
quarrel much with fuch as admit a
certain reprentative Metemp, coffs,

or Tranmigration of Souls from ne

Body into another:Which i fancy

was the Opinion of the Firt Tran:
zaigrators, and is conceived to have

been the meaning of the Indian

Gymnoophifis, . The Druides like

wife
G
- -

( 122)

wife, before ever the Roman Eagles |

appeared on this fide of the Alps,
were look't upon as great Wits a- , :

mong the Gauls. Yet I could learn |

almot nothing of this Tribe abroad, |
though I have been very inquiitive

after their Dotrine, Dicipline, and

Manners, but that they lived in re
mote places, as upon Mountains,
where I have feen fome of their Mo

numents, and in Woods much refor- |

ted to bythegenerality of the People |
that conulted them upon all occafi
ons, and doubtful Cafes, as Oracles.

Yet I was informd that they held

the World eternal, and thought it

a felf-evident Contradiction that any
thing hould be made of nothing.
They could not admit in God any

forefight of contingent effects, asal- l.

together inconfitent in their Fancy
with their Contingency. Neverthe
les the Gauls were but a blunt and |
dull fort of People, underthef felf. ||
conceited and peculative Mafters.

Yet no fooner the Romans had pof.

ff

( 123)
; feffed themfelves ofthe greatet part
of the World, but the Gauls and
mot other Nations began toimprove
more particularly their Natural Ta
.

|-

lents,

2. Nevertheles I believe, I hall -

not be contradited, if I fy that

fince the Roman Empire was torna
fiinder by its own diviions, and in
| tetine Broyls,Witand Learning made
a greater Progres in the World than
ever they had done during the prof.
perous Days of the Roman great
nefs. , Fer not to peak of Gunnery,
! Printing, Sailing, whereofeither the
i Romans knew nothingat all, or never
came neer the skill of after Ages,
they can pretend to no infight in
Chymitry, and had made but few
dicoveries in Natural

in compare to what the Wits of our

Age have made in both, to the great
|
|
|

benefit of Mankind. Yea I am of

Opinion, that if Cicero came now into

the World again, he would beforced
to tudy afreh his : Tongue, and
-

learn

( 124)
learnstomus the new ignifications of
mamy Latine Words, which weeither
borrow, or invent to exprefs new |

things, and that were perhaps quite |

unknown to him : Such I reckon to

be mot Chymical terms, as Precipi

tation, Solution, Stratification, Volati
fatiou, &c. Some of the Antients
I confes, were Eminent Mathemati

cians, as Ptolemy, Euclides, ec. But

Methinks we have no reafon to yield

to them in this point 3 fince befides

many new thingswehave dicovered
that they never dreamt of; wemay

juftly boaft of the renowned Napers

Divine Invention, I mean his admi

rable Logarithmes, whof Properties

and Nature the more you tudy, the
greater Wonders you hallmeet with.
take this Divine Art, for I know

no Elogium below it, to be the very

Key of Mathematicks Since what for

merly could not bedonewithoutlong

and tediousMultiplications andDivif

ons may now be performd by a fimple

Addition and Subtraction, Operati

OIIS

( 125 ) .
ons fo easte, that a Man but of a
-

mean Capacity may become capable

in lefs than a days time; to teach
them. first bi: ai . . . . . .

3. I hall not forget here another

no lefscurious, and more necefiary

piece of HVit, or regarding more

nearly the common good. I have
feenin, France; Holland, Germany,

many fad effects of whatwe call Her

miam or Rupture: And being curi
ous to know the beft Methods of cu

ring it;Is converst the renownedst

Artifs,
this account, in mot

parts of Europe; But could neverbe

fatisfied with what I either could in
vent-my-felf, vor learn from others,

concerningthmainInstritmentsmade
*

ufeof in thisimportnt, cure, I mean

the Truffes, whether Umbilical, or
others. But allmy doubts were fully
cleared, andmycuriofity entirely fa
tisfied, fince I met with Mr. Smitha

Scotch Gentleman, livingin the Black

Fryers; in London. To do him ju
ftice, without the leaft defign efei
*,

G 3

- ther

( 126 )
ther intereft or concern, I never met
with any either at home or abrad
comparable to him in the Art and

Skill of cuing this fad Diftemper.

I conceive

#: chiefSecret to confift

in two things. - Firt, in making

Truffes fo light and eafie to carry,
that whereas othersfometimes weigh
fveral Pounds, whereof Hhave feen
one in his own Houe, his exceed not

nine or ten Ounces. Secondly, fo fit

ted to the Body, that they follow ex
exactly its movement:whether vio

lent or natural, asif they were in

corporated in amannerto the Peron |
that wearsthem. He defignstopub
lih at

: i his Method,

which undoubtedly will proveagreat

common Good. But I hould wea
ry out your patience, would I be at
the pains to fet down here all the

great advantages of this Age we live

in, above the

:::::::

Though the Antient Romans may jut

ly pretend to have been greater Ma

fters of the Latine Tongue than we

*

.*

3 TC

|
~

( 127 )
are now : Yet I can infiance three

Linguits near our times, that may

juftly be reckonedamong the purets
of the Polite, Age of Augutus, I
mean Buchanan, Petavius, Maffeiwr.
The firt is well known, and is most
natural and fmooth, whether he
rites Vere or Profe: upon his ac
* -

---

- -

. ,

\; . r !

'

count it was faid, that

- - - e ..

... -::

'

origit

-"..."... ji

Romani Imperii fuit eliz Scotia limet

Romanieloquii Scotia limes erit.
His Tranlation of the Palms is
as far beyond that of Father Mag
metr, therjestite; as a Mafter-piece
is before the meer Rudiment of a

Prentice.

Petavius and Maffeius, foi

well known all the Learned World

over, #ay be ranged with thofe of

the Primitive times for the Purity of
their Style: But however, though we
may yield to the Romans in this

point, and grant that they knew

their own Tongue better then For
reigners, yet we hall ever pretend
G. 4.

the:

( 128)

|-

. . .

the Advantageinfeveral other things,

of great Wit. Our Warlike Engines,
our Artificial Fireworks, as Bombs,
Carcafs, Grenads; Our Telefcops,

Microcops, &c. and a thouando

ter obvious pieces of Art to be met
with in every corner of Europe, do

manifetly how that our times are

improved, if not perhaps in Virtue,

at leaft in real Knowledge, far be

: all the foregoing Ages

|-

- -

... -- *
".

-,

* f

- -- *

- - .

.... * *

* ,

': {

'

:,:

, ... "

::
****. :) ... 1 - 3 1., ti ..." (G. ? : ;; :::
1*

1.

-+---+==I7IIw:
...

*f

: "" : :b: }; 72 sitt -, : , : ,

*

i;

'

: : : * **
*

: i

! :::

*** ,
-

* * *

.--

* ,

* :
i.

--

- -

-;

--

|-

|-

.! oz: #8 r. i:,...' ! ,

**

* * **

|-

,* *

*, *3* * * * --1

** *

** *

toti: ; brgin: 23 , sE CT.

:o : zi i'1 2:3 Io ::2::: : , : ;

" "f:: : ; ; ; j;

. .. .
*... ;)

!3

f
-

. . .

. ..

* ** , :,:
-'

*4. i
*

# ***
-r

7TH

|-

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-

|-

. . . . 3"" :

<

; ;

;. . .

|-

- -.

::-

- -

faz , ! ', - . ::::::: <- #

2 :

. .f

g, ; *

z
|-

- - -*

( 129)
s CT, X.

; , , , ,'',

|-

2 ; **: , , 1 f.

" .i. >

* *

-1

' 1.

- ,
,
|

**

r .

** *

The abue of Wit.

r. That we make fometimes a good ufe

of bad things.
-

*1 :

2. The common and eneral clea, pur

upon Men by Trademen, Lawyers,

" and otherf.

#:: ,

the Primum

mobile of
|

4.The vin and unuccesfulattempts of

* Learned Men.

5. Tiefuil flatour offichas starch

after the Philoophers Stone.

6:i:i:i:i:is:Airolgy.
7. That the Angels know not the :a.
r

of our Hearts, and why.

8; That private Men ought not tomed
- 1 ",

dle- with
Publickaffairs. .
-

7E do often make an ir

: H. A.

i ufe of the bet things, as,

alo ometime a good ue of the
:\, x x V -

wort. Thusthat great Overthrow

er
of the
Texture of Humane Bo
. . .
.
-

. 219. .

G5

dies,

( 13o)

dies, Poyfon, we turn into wholfome

Remedies, and Powerful Antidotes.

I know nothingworfe than Sin,which

nevertheles has proved an occaion
of Salvation to many through Hu
mility and Humiliation, its ordinary
Effects. St. Peter was never truly
humble, till by a flat denyal of his
Saviour, he became experimentally
enible of his own Weaknes. St.

Thomass Incredulity, or misbelief,

wrought not only in him an increae
of Faith, but likewife in the reft of

the Chritian World. For Ilookup

on it as a most powerful indutiveto

believe the Myftery of the Refur
retion,

becaue it occafion'd the

Convition of thofethat then doubt

ed of this Important truth, or

might perhaps in after times doubt

of it.

For who can hereafter mi

strust this point, if he reflects but

a moment with what evidence Chrift

proved to St. Thomas the Realty of
his Body: But now 'tis as true n.

the other fide, as I was ayingalittle

beforer
-*" -...

# s

V. i 5 i, )

before, that we mifufe frnetimes

the bet things, as a fickly and difor
derly contitutionturnhebeft Eood
not into a good Subtance,

v.

but into,
: Venom, , , Thus Wit;
the

Noble
ob t of Natural Gifts, is made
often an Intrument of all kind of
Wickednes. I conceive it was not

faid of the Devil only, Circuit tan

quam Leo rugens querens quam devorer,

That he runs to and fro like aroaring

Lyon, to prey upon, and devourthe

firt he meets with This is likewife

the chief and ordinary bufines of
mot Men in this corrupted age we
live in. Some indeed like Roaring
Lyonshold the World in a perpetual
Stir, and Fear, by claimingright to
whatever they can reach by their
Arms. Others again make not an
openWar like Lyons, but moregrafi

ty like Foxes, lay fecret Ambuhes

to their unthinking Neighbours. I

would with there were ng Trd:
men in the World, : :
live as well without themia I know:
********* * * indeed

indeed they are thought necery

for the Good and Benefit of Man-

kinds but the unjtift meastres they

'ufe frnetimes for their own private
ends, under pretence of promotin

the CommonGood, makes me fpea

ths, and wih we could want them:
Fr I am of Opinion, that to trade
with many, and to Cheat, are much
about one: I hall not except that

Noble, and neceary Art I do pro

fest myelf whereini wih the nun

ber of able, and Constientious Men,
did equal that of meer Pretenders,
andbold Adventurers. I doubt not
but there are GoodMenofall Trades

as efall Religions; yet haveknown

fme Godly Trademn, as to their
out-fide, prove at length the grea-

teft Cheatsunder Heaven. They had

no deubt read in Scripture this paf:

fage; Utilis omi pitr, that Pi

styististfilforeverything: Whence
they concluded; that it might bevie

tilfarthe gaining of Money too, the

bestethings in their Coceiand
****----

3C--

: ( 133)

acordingly thought ita piece of Pol

y and not of Wit, te adventure the

entting of a Pfirst in the High-way,

fince they could do it with greater

:curity: and gertainly : long

|

Prayers,reformed Hookorby whai

ever they might gain the effen of

tht the det withal, and could

expst any thing from. " "
.
nothi
fa;
fili
ng
of the Di
2. i
|

--

'

vers and manifold tricks of Lawyers,

who becom oftn onafddain

rich, though by the Law; yet ver

they wold tihdoubtedly agree

unlawfully: If inen were not'm

mong themelves, and giv theih lefs

to : It was nt the nly fad effst
of Oriinal Sin; that our Bodies

fhuld bet obnoxious to the crt

handling of fme Phyfitians, and
ourSonis to theihterefddeciions of

fancifi. Eastifts, but likewi:tha

our Gods, ubtnce and Riches,

hould be plunderd and pillagd, by

thoe

: who pretend to

Rcure: em tlus by certain

Me-

( 134 )

Methods of equity and Jutice: Rut

this diforder, I mean this perpetual
reflexupon our own privateconcerns,

is not only to be met with in Atrio,

: the outer Court, : got into
the very Santuary it felf, into the

: Pulpit, where no fich

: be expeted. . I doubt
not but if we could fee into the
Breaftsoffeveral Preachers,wefhoud

there dicover that theirgreatetZeal

aims either at fome Preferment, if
they have none, or a fatter one then

that they are posteed of Neither do

Ifear the guilt of a rah Judgement,
by peaking thus freely my mind,
fincetis commonlyfaid, though per
haps it be buta meer calumny, that
Church-Men dicoure more toge

ther of their Livings, than of the

:::::

means how to amend their

haps, or other Mens irregular live.

y: "ii":artably : post tha:

this is but the defect of fome few
particular Men, and not of the Ge

anys for i dk wonder:

CC

( 135)
fe a debaucht Clergy-Man, thana
judas amongt Chrit's Apotles. Ne
vertheles I pretend not that Clergy
Men, as well as others, may, not
makeufe of their Witfortheir peculi
rends: I allow them thento preah
either for a Behefice, or for a bet

ter Benefice, provided this be but

their Secondary Motive, and not the
* firt mover

:all their A&tions,

or

provided perhaps, by being inabled

to do more good, they pretend t
glorifie God more "in a Higher
Condition , than in a lower ! Inall

this I conceive nothing Irreular:

Neither do I deny but that an inge

nious Tradefinan may, and oughtto

gain

: his Ingenuity, cheating only,

and the Art of Circumventing one

another, I condemn 3 which I ob

ferve to be but too uual amongem:

For ifthey have to do with a man
that either undertands not their

Tricks, or ingeniouly relies

their Word, and Honesty, 'tis odds

but conulting their dtarly be:

te
-

( 136)
Intereft, more than what Jutice re
quifes of them, they will pretend
to have infed him kindly, as they
fpsaky:, when they have really put a

::

But as the eclip

s.offomeStarsargueiiota general
darknesin all thereft, what I lately

faid of 2Church-Men, may likewife

be undertood of Mechanicks, and

all Trademenyriwhereof feveralare

Concientious,ydandwell meaning
Men, fo welligrounded in the Max
ims- of true Honour and Honefty,
that they Gwould not for all the
Wrld have done a bafething f g :
-agai Iram fatisfyed that men mifue
not onlyif:thee ingeniolist faculties
they have received from God to the
Corruption of their Morals, but
likewife to the intangling and depra
ving of their Intellectuals. I laugh

more-at; thanIdo pity the unucces

fulattemps offuchs pretend togive
us a true Notion of the Infinite, that
isofathing infinitely abovethereach

of our conceiving Faculty, or to

-

IIle

( 137) .
inform the World with Aristotle
what or how many parts either time
or matter is componded of Def.
carter, if not f fbtile as Aritotle, is

n my Judgement more prudent, for

having left untouch't fuch infolvable,

and ueles Difficulties. The Pom

pous Notions of Eternity, as aperpe"

iuum munt, perptualnnt, infian;

infinitum,

: inite Intant, #:

immobile, an immoveable moment,

##:e:i:i:i:i::::::::
poeio, a perfest and whole poffefff;

on allatolice ofan interminablelife.

are butivinandairyGonesits, fitter

to embroyf:9fundertandings;

thant give :::::::::::: real

Light towards the dicovery of the

Object they popofe. "We may tr:
ly fay of Et :y what an antieht
hilfpher faids f God , {th
more we think on it, the lew
know whattis; which mayb like

wife applyedts many other things;

vbl, as to time; place, mo:

commonly thought les inconcei

; ; ,:

2.Il Ci

( 138 )
andmatter, whereofas I have never

read any fatisfactory Notions, fo I

think it not worth my whileto make
any new attempts about a Subjet

which I humbly conceive to be fome

degreesbeyond the reach of my weak
... Abilities. What a ftrange conceit is

it infome to conume whole years,

and thegreatestpart of their days in

farchinga perpetualmovements&at
the fame time wholly
lly artificial: A

French Jefuite pent unfiuccesfully a

::::::: Life, and a confiderable

m of Money in this vain attempt,

gdroming at lngth without haver

out the eternal move-

o: thing by the
::::::::::
his

Life, but this pleaant Epitaph after

his Death, Patri, queranti motum per
petuum requies eterna. ::: : , , , ,

| 4. I takeitlikewie to be a lo of
time, which I would not value; if
it provednot alo fometimes the los

of Mens Fortunes, to earchafter,

though

( 139)

* - though perhaps it may be found out

# what they call commonly the Philo
fophers Stone. A Man of a great
# Etate, who dyed at length in an
: Hopital, faid, a little before his
z Death, he could wih his mot im
i placable Enemy no greater misfor--

a fortune than to become an Alchi

i mift, orga Chryopeian, I mean one

that endeavourstofind out the Tex

:
#
#
:

ture neceffry for the contitution of

a true Gold: This Texture Ifancy
is known to the Angels, whether
geod or bad, becaue they have an

: intutive and comprehenive Know

edge too, irii fome degrees, of the

whole Creation: But I have just rea
fonto doubt if any Man haasiyet

tumbled uponit.: And which makes

equally fr my purpoe, though we
w

were certain to find out atlengththis

wonderful Art, sall would be in vain

id andloftabour, yea, and of a dange

i rous confequence too. Becaue Prim
s ces beingjuftly ) jealous offuch in
a duftrious Artists, would either ufe
:

. -*

them

(14)

them hardly, or keep them in per

petual Prifon, leaft they hould fr

nih their Enemies, or their ubjects,

with an eafie Method of Heaping up
Treaures; which would renderthem
le confiderable, by dividing thus
intomany hands, and in great quan
tities rithe things they are mot
courtegrand repested for byithe
vulgar fort; Gold and Silver. But I

conceive noworfe ufe of Wit, than

tobe bufie about acquiringtoo much

infight in Judiciary Afrology, which

a man cannot beintirelyaddited to,

without being already come to the

Years of Dorage in the Opinion of

the Wifer frt. Ioften do wonder how

rational. Men are not deterr'd from

the Study of this vainocienc, by

the very weakme. pf its imainary

|
|

Principles, and uffernot themfelves

to be:

: out of it, bythenotori

ouly falfpreditions of fchrashave

pretended to the greatet infight in
this matter.

The Great Duke's Mule

is a known Story 3 whoe Horoftop

et
being
|-

( 141 )
beingenquired for under the Notion
of a Baftard from thoe that were

then efteemed motreminent in:

ciary Atrology 5 the import of their

anfwer was not only what really was

not to come to pas, but what cold
never happen: For fomei promis'd
to this pretended Baftard the Empire,
others the Triple Crown, fome would
needs have him to become one day
agreat Lawyer, others a great Cap
tain, and othersragain a Saint. So

extream was the folly of thoe Irre

gular Heads, who defrved not only to be pointedat for their inffferable
Vanity, but likewife to be feverely
puniht for daring to thruft upon
M

the World at this rate thee flat un

truths, and prefiuming to play the

Prophets, without the leaft proof of
their being infpired, or fo much as
of a fufficient Capacity for the Fra

ming of probable conjctures. . . .

4. 'Tis not only in my Judgement

a Sin which we hould chiefly fear, to
conult with Magicians and

wi:

( 142 )
if therebeany, concerningcontingent
effets and contingencies 5 epecially
fuch as depend upon the free deter
mination of our wills, which the An

gels, of whatoever colour, if I may

fosfay, know no more than I do.
Though becaue of their natural a
cutenes, they gues a great dealnea
rer what we are to determine our

felvesto, by the preent Temper and

Difpofition of our Bodies. I know
indeed that the inmate perfection of
the Angelical Nature, as all Divines generally teach, requireth a perfet
Knowledge of our free Determi
nations, as well as of our neceary
ones. But I am told likewife by the
greatet Mafters of Divinity, that
God never concurs with them to

fuch a Knowledge, becaufe he is re

folved to maintain the priviledge of
Mankind, whoe Prerogative it is,
asof other Commonwealths, to have

all Freedom, either of concealing

from , or communicating to For

reigners their Secrets. Thus if I ad

-

drefs

( 143)

dref my Thoughts to the Devil, r

to an Angel, I do not improbably

: think, that God being now freeby

# my confent, and yielding up my

a right from that Obligation he has

$ put upon himelf, the Angel realy
i knows, and undertands what I
z think 5 but if I do not direct after
: this manner my Thoughts, or will
z not dicover them to any other Crea

s ture : God has puta tye upon him

a felf, grounded upon the Priviledge

is of a Free Commonwealth, as that of

# Mankind is, not to lend a helping

a hand to the Dicovery of my ecret

# Thoughts. Sincethen the Devilcan

# not attheutmoftframebut very weak
::: conjetures of things to come, epe

; cially if they be contingent : It is not

# only ufeles, buta not ordinary piece
:; of madnes, to take advice from,

; and conflt with them, who in all

W

:nn: ** have

first confilted

5. Thereare other things of great

# Moment, wherein we may miapply

#

Olli"

( 144 )
our Wit, and pend our time not on

ly tono purpoe, but likewifeto our

great damage too. I am for in
tance but a private Man, and a ve
ry inconfiderable Member of the

|
|

Qommonwealth too,foasitnever was

my Lot, nor in all appearance ever

willbe, to hare with others that de

|
|

ferve it better in the Government of 4

State Affairs; yetifI amas the Tray

or Holloway faid of himelf, 4too pub

lick Spirited Man, pretending to

meddle with things that Iam not an

fwerable for, as not beingentrufted
to my Charge, I neither do in this |
as if I were ei

caf behave my felf,

ther Witty, or wife. What a piece
of folly isit then to cenfre the Acti
ons of our Lord and Soveraign, be

caue perhaps they fquare not to the

fanciful conceits of our irregular

Heads. For fince, we can never in

reafon fuppoe but that he aims at

nothing more than the Peace, Hap

pines, and common good of the

Nation, as being ineparable f:

1S
-

|-

(ns)
his own concerns, and wellfare : if

you perhaps through a criminal mi

ftake chance to be of another Opi
nion 3 you may certainly conclude

from thence tht you undertand not

the Publick concerns fo well as lae

does, whe fits at the Helm, and is

by Gods fpecial command to watch

over us all, as a Flock committed to

his vigilancy and truft.

As the Stones cut by the prestript

of an Archytest into Triangles,

Squares, Cubes, Pyramids, know

not why they are thus haped: For
this being the buines of the Archi

test, or Mafter Mafon, who hascon

ceived a clear and distinst Idea of

whole Building, he orders ac, cordingly whatevr he thinks fit
ting for the compleating thereof.
Should then thoe Stones to follow
the

out this comparion, complain of

their being cut after this, or that
manner, or of their not being fet in

the Frontefpiece, ratherthan in fone :

inconfiderable corner of the Building:
H

Woul\

( 146)

Would this in your opinion, be either rational or ffferable, fince

they know nothing of the Underta

kers defign. . W run yet much more
counter to reafon, and the Subor

dination that God has etablihed

in this World, when we prefme to
ft up for Judges of our Soveraign,
or dare to quetion upon what ac
count he does this or that, iflue out
this or that Order, as if we under
ftood better thanhe, the Publick In
tereft, which God has entruted to |

him, not tous. We hall never then |

be ueful Members to the Common
|

wealth we make a part of, unles

we keep within the bounds of our

Refpestive Stations. Tis then fafer

and a greater piece of Wit in a

Tradefinan for intance, to mind )

his bufine, and Dometick con

erns,

rather than to afperfe the

Government byhis malicious refleti

ons, or which is yet worf, to write

, editious Pamphlets, and calumniato

ry libelsin
oppoition
to his Superi
:
-otrs

( 147 )
ours. Such Men have a great account to render one day to God
for this diforderly ue of their Wit. I
conceive the Devil himelf with

his Hellih Tribe, to be but in one .

point worf than thoe troublefom
Spirits 3 that he is not capable of
Repentance. But I need not enlarge
on this Subjet, fince to thegreatad

vantage of the etablihed Govern

ment, 'tis daily handled with fo much .
accuracy by that very ingenious,
and truly Loyal Gentleman, Sir Roger L' Etrange.
-

( 148)
s ECT. XI.
The ufe of Wit.

|
|

Y. That Wit is fometimes the occafon

of great diforders.
2. That a mitty man may live happily
in a folitude.
3. That the common word, Man is a
*

|-

fociable Animal, is only to be un

derfiood of the duller fort.

|
4. The Duty of a Chritian.
5. That the clear light of Reaon may
contribute fomewhat towards the in
creae of the dark Light of Faith.
|

6. Divine revelation to be propoed by,

and received from the Univerfal

Church.

|-

7. The vulgar Error, that of three |

Phifitians, two are Atheifts confu-

- 8. The frefaid Reproach preed home,

, to fome Divines, epecially to thof
of the Romih Church, with a grea
ter appearance of Truth.
|
-

9.The

( 149 ) .
9. The uefulnef of matural Philoo-

phy, and the befi method of Lear

zzzzzg.

1o. That we wift conform our Dif.

coure to thoe we convere with $ amel
mot make an affelfed how of Wit

before the duller Sort.

1. TT may be a Paradox, though no

untruth, that Wit is the wort

of Gods Gifts betowed upon Mankind, ifwe Judge a thing bad, that

either is the occafion or cau of

evil, and michief: For it is not only

* the Headwel of Rebellion, Sedition,

and Herefie, which we may eaily
dicover , whether we reflet upon

our times, or by a tart backwards

takea view of the foregoing Ages;
but 'tis alo the Inventer of tho in
numerable Engins made ufe of by
men fr the Ruine of Mankind, un

der pretence either of a neceary

defence, or jut attack: Yet as by
Malice, or miapplication, it may be
a fit Intrument for evil 3 fo if we

H 3,

tlIII] .

( 15o)

turn it once the right way, it may

prove the mot ueful, asundoubted
ly it is the mot hining participation
of the Divine Nature.And I know not

why Aritotle faid, that a Man who

cn live in a retired folitude muftbe
either a God, or a Beaft: Since for

this I conceive nothing elfe requiite

but a not too narrow Wit: For Spi
ritualis homo omnia judicat,theSpiritu
al Man, that's the Witty, dicerns,
and makes ufe of every thing. Of
fch an onetis truly faid, Numquame
minus folus quam cum folus, that he
is never in better company, than
when he is with no body 3 for then

in his retired Thoughts he callshim

flf to an account, and examines fe

verely all his own ations, thoughts

and Words. I know not then where

upon 'tis grounded, that a Man is a

fociable Animal, and loves to live to
gether with his like in Nature and
Shape. For I have always oberved

the wittyet fort of men todelight

more in their retired Solitudes, than
-

in .

( 151 )

. .

in the greatet Crouds. If this com

mon. Maxim be not a vulgar Error,
as I believe tis none, it cannot be

undertood but of the duller Sort, .

who being once alone, areia allfenf

alone, and with no body, becaue.
they are no Company to themelves;

I mean they know not how to play

the time away, with what either is
within or without themelves: But
fuch as can at the Philoophers part

with whatever they fee feel,ortoch,

do neither need, or incline much to

converf except perhaps thof that

are of a no les, or rather of greater
Abilities thanthemelves. Nay Books

to fuch men are not necelary Com

panions in their Retirements: For

they can want their Company too,

though not fo well as that of Men.
One of thefe three they are always
converant with, themelves, God, or
the Obvious Works of his Power,
that are without us. I conceive nt,
tis true,what Godis; for how hould
he be what he is, if I could compre-

H4

hend

( 152)
hend him, yet I may apprehend him .
-

to be a being infinitely perfet : that

is to fy, whof Perfetions are num

berles. I need not them, if I pleafe,

want a Subjet to think on when

algne, ifconfidering apartthof per

ftions one after another 3 I mea
fure, as far as I can reach, their di- .

menions, their length, their breadth,

and their depth. So I hall now me
ditate upon his Power, and then con

template the trange effets thereof

in the works of the Creation, which

I hall always conceive infinitely be

low what he could have done, or

may yet do. I hall again repreent

to my felf, though very imperfetly,
the brightnefs of his Glory in the
Sun, Moon and Stars, his conftancy
in the Earth, his ativity in the Fire,
the depth of his Effence in the bot
tomlefs' Seas, and the leaft of his
Creatures hall be unto me a fair Co
py of his Widom , Goodnes, and

other Perfections.

t-

( 153)

2. But if I make no other ufe of

my Wit than this, I am but a meer

Moralit, and not a Chritian 3 for
as fuch I mut lay afide my Philoo
- phy, and believe what I conceive not

upon theinfallible Authority ofan ob

fcure Revelation. Nevertheles, th
my Religion forbids me to play the
Philoopher, yet if I pretend to a
rational belief, I prefme nothing a

gaint its true Maxims. As I look thenz

upon the meer light of Faith to be:
fomewhat dark, fo I know the light
of reafon to be fomewhat clearer:
May not I then joyn thoe two Lights.
together, and make perhaps a greater one of them both ? I believe the
myftery of the Trinity, though. I
comprehend it not 3 I think it not
unlawful to flatter my own Weaknes.

with the difcovery of fome Rudi-ments thereof in my Soul, as being,

one in Nature, and threefoldin Ope-ration, I mean, as having three di-ftinct Faculties, the Memory, Under

ftanding and Will. The Incarnati-H 5. . .

*

oi::

(154)
on is above the reach ofan Angelical
Undertanding: The Angels them
felves by the meer light of Nature
could not but judgeit impoible. Tis

a trange Metamorphosts, that faith

only teacheth me to be real. Stile
me not neverthclefs quite imperti

ment, if for my own fatisfation I en

deavour to perfwade to my felfthe
poibility thereof, by what I fee
daily in Nature, in the grafting of
one Tree upon another, fothat two
Natures become now but one by
union, nd one almot individual -

Principle of their Common Produfi

ons.

The refurretion of our Bo

dies, or that after fo many Changes,

and different Shapes of Worms, Ser
pents, Birds, Fihes, or whatever
may feed uponus, wehallbeat length
our numerical felves again, is a thing
thatI incline to believe upon experi

ence, when I oberve fome-Liquors

or Waters, perfetly corrupted, to

recover themelves, though neith er

this, aortheforegoing Motives, could

CV EC

( 155 )
ever make me a Chritian without
the Authority of Divine Revelation,

which I neither take from the Ro

zwih, Englih, nor Greek, but from
the Catholick and Univeral Church,

conceiv'd by the Unbyafd and Un

derftanding fort to be compounded
of all fuch, and the like particular

true Chritian Affenblies.

Thus

what all true Chritians grant, and

never debated, this and no other I

take to bean article of Divine Faith,

neceary to Salvation, if ufficiently
propoed. I look upon the ret as
Supernumerary, or at the utmost as.

probable opinions, that may be dif

puted to and fro amongt School
men, but ought not to be imposd!
upon Chritians, as Articles ofDivine
Faith, without the belief of which,
their Names are rafd out of the

Book of Life.

I believe then not

only that thereisa CatholickChurch,

CredoEcclefamCatholicam,butlikewife,.

Credo Ecclefe Catholice, I believe

whatever it unamiouly decides:

( 156)
| for, Audi Eccleiam, hearken to the

Church, is a true obligation, but the

| . Romanifi is extreamly prejudic'd,

|

when he means always the Romih

Church , as if it were, as it now

ftands, truly univeral 3 whereas tis

bu a Member, and a very unfound
one too ofthat great Body, we muft

|-

all fubmit to.

I have obferved

another common miftake of the lefs

dicerning Sort of Romanifis which is

this, They pretend to a confiderable
advantage over Protetants from
Antiquity, but reflect not that their
Church is no otherwie ditinguihd

fromthe reformedpart oftheWorld,

thanby meer Novelties, and Myfte
nies unheard of in the firft three Cen-

turies: For I know no other mate

rial difference between a Protetant
and a Romanifi, but that the former
adheres clofely to the Doctrine :
Primitive times, whereas the latter

takes foran articie ofDivineFaith,not

only what the univeral Church held
from alltimes,but whatever the parti
:

|-

cular

( 157 )

cular Church of Rome hath declard

fince to be reveald. Yet becaufe I was.

ever of opinion that every, man muft

ftand,orfall by the verdit of his own

Confcience; I think itneither fit, nor

a goodue of Wit toquarrel with any

man upon theaccount ofhis Religion.
3. I hall therefore do better per
haps, to clear in this point thof of
my own Profeion, I mean the Phi
fitians, from a foul and too general
afperfion of the vulgar fort, alledg
ing that they are not much concern'd
with what we call Religion. Fortis
commonly, to our great fcandalfaid
Ex tribus medicis duo Athei, that of

three Phyfitians there are but two

Atheifts. Iam without Prejudice, ofa

quite contrary opinion, and think it

no Paradox to fy, that none are fo

Religious as Phyitians, or at leaft,

that none have greater opportunities
to raife theirSoulsto the highet De

gree of Perfestion: Whichif I prove

to convition, nothing inore can ra

tionally be required for the taking

-

away

( 158)
away this general fcandal of our
Profstion. What I hallfay of Phy

fitians muft needs be undertood of

'their near Relations, the natural

Philoophers, who likewife, if we
credit the bigotted part of Mankind,

are no great Patrons ofeither Virtue

or Religion.
Would one think that two contrary Caufes could have the fame |
Influence, or the fame effet, yet no

thing more conformable to Truth.

Thus I hold that asignorance is com-

monly the Mother of Devotion in

moft men, I mean in the duller fort

of Mankind , fo Knowledge, the

oppoite extream, begets undoubt
edly Piety and Religion, in fuch as

have eyes to dicover God in the

Works of his Power. , But who has

a greater conveniency for making of

fuch ueful Dicoveries than Phyiti

ans, whether we confider the Objet

of their Art, or the Subjet thereof.
The former I take to be, whatever
is contained in the three Kingdoms,as
.. .
.
they
|-

====

4-

( 159 )

--

they peak, in the Animal, Vegetative

and Mineral : where they cannot

but admire that Soveraign being, Fa

therly Providence over Mankind,
in the prodution of whatever may

prove inftrumental to the conferva

tion of our Health and Life. The.
- katter I apprehend to be no other

than that wonderful Engine of our

Body, whof wonderful Struture
may furnih them with higher Senti
ments of God, than that of the Uni

verf it felf. Thus a Phiitian confidering this most ingenious Fabrick,

cannot but raife his thoughtstowards

the Maker thereof.

For no man in.

his Wits will take the Coition, or ra

ther Cohalition of all the parts of our

Body into fuch a comely and propor
tionable texture, to be meer fortui
tous, and not the real effect of Art

and Widom. - I know not then .

whereon is grounded the general
prejudice againt this noble and ne
ceffary Science, which the Divines .
themfelves, epecially thoe of the
Romih

- -

( 16o)

Romih perfwafion feem to be more

concerned in than Phyitians.

For

he was not perhaps guilty of a very

flat untruth, who inverting thus the
common word faid, Ex tribus Theolo
gici duo Athei, That of three Divines

its odds but two are Atheifts, or in

my lefsfevere judgment perhaps,meer
Deifts; becaue pretendingfometimes
to circumfcribe our Myfteries with
in the Circumference of their narrow

Undertandings 3 they often fall

from believing, what by their Weak
Reafon they cannot reach, and fo
turning Chritianim into Deifin,
they ceafe to be in their Hearts what

for intereft fake they make an out

ward Profeion of

The Romih Di

vines, to the great Scandal of the

World, bufie themelves in their

Schools, in laying open the Argu

ments that humane acutenes inay

frame againftthepoibility of Chrit's

Incarnation 3

as if their anfwers.

grounded upon thee obcure princi

ples of Faith, could prove evident
-

COHl.-

( 161 )

confutations offich Objetions, as

feem to us to rely upon Evidence. I
know nofhorter way than thisto De

ifn, and thence by degrees to A- theifin ; when they teach that the

mot illuminate Angel could not b

the meer light of Nature fall info
: the leaft fufpicion ofthepoffibility of
an Hypotatical Union 3 do they not
occaion to the weaker fort to
think that this Mytery is not only

above, but againt reafon? Yet I

was fcandalizd at nothingmorethan
neitherto hear, nor propof any de
monftration of the exitency of God,
: which they pretend not to confute
with a how of probability, asif A} theim werea probable opinion,which
# feems to be the confequence of their
# Dotrine 3 for though each one
|

claims to a demontration of Gods

being atually in nature, yet no two

h do ever agree upon the fame: what

# the one affirms, the other denies with
i equal grounds, as he pretends, from .
# Reafon: So that by their principles
-

|-

they

( 162 )
they muft holdit probable that there
-

is no demontration of a Soveraign

Being, which I look upon as a dan

gerous, and a too bold Aflertion.

4. The only then profitable ufe of

Wit in fuch matters of Religion as

over-reach our weak Capacity, con

fiftsin captivating our Undertanding
by an humble ubmiion to the be
lief of the Univerfal Church.

As to other inferiour Subjects, I

know nothing fitter to improve our.
Intelletuals, than the Study of natu
ral Philoophy : Forit filleth not our

Heads with vain and airy Notions,

with infignificant School Terms, and
Pedantick Niceties, but aims at the
promotinginus of real Knowledge:
. Yet I am not fo much out of conceit

with the School Dotrine, as to put

no value upon it atall. That part of

it they call artificial Logick, I ap
prehend not only to be ueful, but
neceffary for the quickningof our dif.
courfing Faculty: for I have always

oberved fuch as undertand not the

-

Art

( 163 )

Art ofa Syllogifin,or the Arifiotalian

Method of drawing Coherent Con
cluions, to raife often very illegal

Inferences , which you can fcarce

make them fenible of, becaufe be

ing not acquainted with the general,

and particular Laws of a formal dif
coure ; they feldom diftinguih be
tween what is concluded vi forme,
as they peak, and what is only con
cluded vi materie.

I mean when a

propoition is effentially true, and

becaue of its dependancy upon a
nother, and only accidentally, or be

caue of the Subject it expreffeth.

Yet I am of opinion that the Analy
tick Methodis to be preferrd before
the Syllogitick,becaufe, befidesthat
theformer, meanofanalyfie and refo

lution contains, if well managd, the

Subtance of thelatter; it bringeth a
long with it more Ornaments than is.
confiftent with naked Enthimemas,&

harfhSyllogy fins.I know not neverthe

les ifany ofthef Methods be fit for

young Beginners 3 for Iincline much . .

-

tO

( 164 )

to think, that our Imagination, tho

generally ftronger in our greener

years, than our Judgement, yet being more various and changeable
than in our Riper Days, muft needs.
firt ofall be brought to fome degree

confiftency: which may eaily be

done by following the cutom of
fome Antient Mafters, who would
have their Scholars to learn firt the
Mathematicks, as the eaieft Princi

ples and Demontrations both of

pratical and fpeculative Geometry;
Not fo much upon the account of
the great Evidence of fuch Sciences,
as chiefly becaue they depend upon,
Figure and Proportion, two things.
neceary and fufficient for the fixing
of our inconfiant. Imaginations.
5. I have no more to fay of the
ue of Wit at prefent, except what
may regard our familiar and daily
Converations : We are then to re
flet with whom we have to do : For

if they be really our Mafters in all

fenf, or judged generally beyond
-

the

( 165)
the common reach; whatever abi

lities we find our felves gifted with,

we mut rather keep them clofe than
diplay them vainly in their prefnce,.
leaft we feem either to think too

much of our felves, or not enogh

of them : To whom, as occaion

ferves, we ought to pay without flat

tery, the Homage due to their grand
Geniuss. If perchance we converf .

with thoe that we judge not fuperi

our to our felves, we may take more
Freedom, but if we are in Company
of the duller fort, we muft conform

our Difcourfsto their Capacity, and

not to our own. For to behave our
felves otherwife, I mean to endea

vourin our Convere with fuch men,

to ay nothing but what carryeth a-long with it a certain Character of
Wit, and Sharpnes, would be a no

lest piece ofFolly then, as they com

monly fay, Projicere Margaritas ante
porcos, to caft Pearls before Swine
becaue they could neither digeft,nor

be fenfible of fuch a Spiritual Food.

:

"

( 166 )

Irenember upon this occafion paf.

fage of two Gentlemen, who hearing
a third fy, that an Embaadour was

an Honourable Spy, oppoed warmly :

this exprefion, as carrying in its
Fontan apparent Contradition,and ,
that an honourable Spy could amount
to nothing more than an Honourable

Rogue.
ough they feem'd to be
ingenious enough , yet they could
not bemadefenible of their miftake,
nor conceive fomewhat of Wit in this

refletingway offpeaking, and more |

Senfe too than every mean Capaci
ty is aware of

S E C T.

(167)
s ECT. XII.

That great Wits are notat all

times equally Witty.
1. Several imperfestions of great Wii,

and why they make not always ufe

of their Wit.

2. That ourPaions aregreat obtacles to

the exercife of our Wit.
,.
3. Someparticular canfs of our acciden
tal dulnefs.

4. A wholfom adviseto Patients.

5. The caue why fometimes they recover
not, or not fofoon.

6. Several notable defests obervable in

fome famous Writers.
7. An advice to fuch as write Books.
I -

A S I conceive nothing to be

of a long continuance that

may have an end, fo Ithink nothing
in rigour perfect, that contains not

all Imaginable perfections; I know

- .

'

IlOf

( 168 )
not then why we hould call any

man perfect, and not rather in com- :

pare to others lefs Imperfect 3 fince
the imperfection of Mankind confifts

not only in the real want of feveral

ferfetions, but likewife in this, that |
-men are not always capable of ma-|

kingufe of thee great Abilities, that |

God perhaps has betowed liberally |
upon them, which may, and does !
frequently happen upon feveral ac
counts.

Firt, becaue the perfeteft Soul

in the World is but of a limited Ca

pacity, and confequently cannot at

all moments apply it felf to every
Objet with an equal attention : For

Pluribus intentus minor et adfingula

Senfur, the more objets we confi
der ofatonce, the lesnotice we take

of each one in particnlar. - And if it

betrue that fome of the Antients, as
Car, if I mifremember not, could

write, peak, and dictateatthe fame

time 3 fure I am, he could perform
neither ofthethree,with thatacuracy,
-

he

( 169) ,

had he done either of them feveral

ly. Tis then the prerogative of a

Soveraign being only to undertand
all things equally ; the perpetual
contemplation of his own effence not
hindring him from looking into the
Secrets of our Hearts, and weighing
the leaft ofour Thoughts: Men then
even the Wittyeft fort, by reafon of
their limited abilities,when too much

applyed to one objet, feem to for

get allothers: And thus dicovering

their own Weaknes, become fme

times a Subjet of laughter and

fport to thoe they chance to con

vere with. St. Thomas, deervedly

called the Angel of the School, was
look't upon as very dull and imple,
when atthe EmperorsTablehe broke
out ona fuddaininto thef words,Con

cluum et contra Manacheos, the Con

vition of the Manichees ! Or its con

cluded againt the Minachees, which

though reported by fomeas a fign of
his profound Wit, and great Capa
city 3 I take in the quite contrary,
|-

tO

( 117)

to bean infallible mark of a veryli

mited Genius, as not being capable
of performing two things at thefme
time: But the mot obervable de

ficiency of thoe Men, we efteem

great Wits, lies here, that they are
not only not equally capable of ma

ny things at once, but what fme

timesthey cando to admiration, they

are again within a fhort time intirely

unfit for.

Thus a mans converf

will be often charmingly pleaant,

and witty, whom you hall find at
othertimes dull and heavy. Which

I may in Second Infiance uppofe to "

proceed froma ertain neceffary, or
voluntary Wearynefs of the Soul:

For I fee no caufe why it may not

fall weary, as well as the Body.
The difference only is that thelatter
becomes weary becaue of the los of
its moft lively parts, the Spirits; the
former becaue of its limited nature,

and weakfaculties, or rather through

a natural defire of change and va

riety. Thirdly, we are not our felves

upon

( 17o)

upon all occafions, becaufe of our

too green and domineering paffions:
whether they be of forrow, envy,
hatred or anger, which turnall our
natural harpnes and Viva city into
malicious contrivances, and fits of
Fury. When we have conceived

an extream averion from any per

fon, by inveighing againt him upon
all occaions, we how no more Wit

than can be expeted froma colding

:

Woman:No wonder then if we ceafe

fmetimesto be ingenious, fince we

are often over-ruled by our undaun

ted paffions, which overthrow yet
more the inward temper of our
Souls, than the outward Texture of
our Bodies.

Neverthele we muft

confes that it is not always in our

Power, either to peak or write
wittily at all times, or with thatac
curacy we are really capable of The

Great Homer is not always himelf,

but fometimes of a dull and fleepy
Humour, Quandoque bonus dormitat

Homerus 3 but I undertand Man

-

I 2

kind

, ( 172)
kind better than to wonder at fuch

accidental deficiencies in the greatet

Men, becaue I am fenible of this
common, but mot true Word, Nemo

omnibus koris fapit.No man has always

his Wits about him. For as the very

change of Weather changeth fome

times the Temper of our Bodies, f
it does alter that of our Souls: We

hall then at fome Hours of the day

both write, and fpeak eaily, and

wittily too, good fenfe: Atfome o

thers, we may fcratch our heads long
enough before we awaken, and re
vive again our almot dead Spirits.
Which gives me occaion fometimes
to think, though no juft grounds,

that our Soul is really material, and

of a very changeableTexture too,

finceit paffethfoeafily, andin fucha
hort time from one extream to ano
ther: For I would conceive in its

upposd Spiritual Nature, a more

contant and durable Temper. Yet
I apprehend that feveral things may
occaion in usthis accidental dulnefs:

And
|-

|-

( 173 )

And firft, the very Company we

convere with, eitherwe eftcem not

enough, or too much. In he for

mer cafe we want encouragement to

endeavour to how our Wit, becaue
we think not thoe we peak to
worth our while, or deerving our
peculiar application: In the latter

we are kept in awe by a prudentfear

of the Cenure, and inward flight of
fuch as we have a high Efteem, and
Veneration for... But as I know no=

thing more prejudicial to Wit, than

Want and Poverty 3 fo I conceive
thofe common Sentences, Ingenii lar
gitor venter, vexatio dat intelleifum ,

est c. that Hunger, Vexation and

Trouble do make men witty, to be
but meer illuions, and vulgar Errors

grounded only upon this, that the

very dullet of Men in great Straits
will make odd hifts to rid them

felves of the preent Necefiity. We

muft needs then confe., Virtutibus .

Obfiat res auguta domi, That a light

Prfe, as the Scots fy, makes a hea
-

I 2

Zyy

( 174)
vy Heart, and very unfit to exert
thoe not ordinary Abilities we are
perhaps, gifted with. Befides, fuch

is the Nature of Mankind, that with

opt fome encouragement, or prof. |

pet of reward, 'tis not in our Pow
er to do our utmot endeavours in
any enterprize whatoever.
2. I pretend to no extraordinary |
Skill in Phyick, yet I know no cu
rable diftemper 3 , but methinks I
could cure, provided I want not the

necery encouragements from my

Patient, which if you look upon as
a piece of Covetoufhefs, you difco

ver more of a cenfring, than of a

fharp and confidering Genius: For
as it is highly my concern, that you
recover your Health by my care.
So I cannot but defire your recovery mot earneftly, tho I expeted
no juft falary for my laudable endea
vours: Whereby I intend only to

give this wholfom advice to the Pa

tient, as much for his concern, as

or the Phyfitians intereft, that if

( 174 )

hefail todohisduty'isoddsifheo
ther,how confcientious andskilful foever perform uccesfully his part, not
deignedly,northroughMalice,but be-caufe fuch is the natural contitution

of Men, that they cannot ferve GQd

himelf but upon the account of

fome proportionable reward. - So if

you would have your Phyitian take

* notice of every particular circum
ftance of your ditemper, to apply
uefully his Skill for your recovery,

it will be a piece of Wit n you not

to let him want too long his due.
For elfe it will not be in his Power

to makenfe,toyour advantage ofthat

Wit God hasgiven him, becaue you

encourage him not, by doing what

he juftly expects, and may lawfully

require. I doubt not but more Pa

tients have perihed through their
own narrownes, than by either the

Ignorance, or wilful neglect of their

Phyitians.

14.

3. I

( 17 6 )

3.Iknow not why fomeNations now,

as the Grecians, and others, produce
fcarcea Witinan Age, whichformerly
were in fo great repute through
eut the whole World, but becaue

they are not awakened out of their

Lethargy by that powerful indutive
to do great things, a proportiona
ble reward, which may quicken
them into life again thof, whofe

Wits fem to be buryed in their Bo

dies. So thoe Princes that aregreat

promoters of Learning, and Lear.
ned Men deferve from them an Apo
theofr, a fort of Divine Honour, be
caue they hold of them the very
Life of their Souls, their Wit, by the
daily encouragementsoftheir Prince
ly Liberalities.

I muftim this place remember you,

that the greatet Witsceaf fmetimes.

to give light before the years of
Dotage, either becaufe the Organs
without which the perfeteft Soul

cannot make us fenfible of its Abili

ties, are corrupted by urirregulari
tles,

( 177 )
ties, or perhaps becaue of the Na
|-

tural limitation of Humane Capaci

ty, which could reach no further.
4.As to the wittyeft Authors,there is:

not onlya differenceamongthem,uch

as is between different Stars: But the
fame Author is fometimes fo unlike
unto himelf, that ope would take

him to beanother. I admire the Firt

Six Books of the

neid,and the Sixth

above all. I meet with nothing in all.

the reft that deerves my admirationOvid's Love-Letters are incompara
bly well done, they are peundmoft
fmoothly and wittily 3 but he negle
ted himelf too much in thoe he

wrotein the place of his banihment.

There are fome excellent pieces in his
Metamorphois; fuch I alwaysfancied:
his decription of the Old Chaos, and
the Rudiments of the World, Pha --

ton's journey to his Father the Sun,

the debate between Ajax and Olif

fs, &c. admire nothing more in
Lucan thantheunevennes of hisStyle,
he flies high, and on a fuddain low
I 5.

again

( 178)
again in the fame Page, and fme
times in the fame Verfe; you halt
read none fo elevated upon fome
occaions, and none fo flat on other
rencounters: Claudian and he are

near of a Temper. Livy by his long

and Minute narratives wears out his

own Wit, and the Readerspatience.

His bet pieces in my Judgement are

isHaranguer, or thoe feneful
Speaches he puts in the Mouths of
Statemen, and greatCaptains. Ihave

had alo a great Veneration for Cice

ro, yet f am very fenible that he

is not himelf upon all occaions. I
find few of his Pleas fo well penn'd,

as that he made in defence of Milo.

He knows not what he would be at
in his Book de Natura Deorum, and

his, beft:Interpreters, Ifancy, as Ef

calopier, &c. and others, do but

gest at histheaning: Asto the Ac

guracy, and Politene of Exprefst
om, he's every where the fame; and

the bet Mafter of the Latine Tongue

Aristotle is beyond envy it felf, tho

11Qt:

( 179)

-, --------

not every where beyond reach': the

newPhiloophers peak more ditint

ly, and give more fenfible Notions

of mot things. His bet Pieces I take

to be his articial ngie, or rt of

arguing conformably to certain infallible Rules, his Politick, his Poesry,

his Reihorick and his Morals. He is.

a very Obcure Metaphyfitian, be--

caue he handled fuch matters as are

. beyond the reachof Humane Under

tanding, and thought it not enough

: every thingwasthis or that:

by a various Texture, but would.

needs further enquire into the Pro- perties of the compounding_parts,

whether they were Finite, or Infinite,.
obnoxious to an endles diviion, or
not, &c. Thus he propofeth to us
alpable, and intelligible difficulties,
ut very obtrufe, myfterious, and

unfatisfactory folutions.

What I have faid of the Antients,

I may likewie fay of our Modern.

Wits. For there are but few of em:

eminent in everything, andmoffof

( 18o)

|-

them eminent, in nothing.

But I

muft not end this Section without gi

ving you fome rational account of
this unevennes obervable in moft

may Authors. Firt then we have re

courfe to that common anwer to all
fci difficulties, the limitation of

humane Capacity 3 but becaue this

is toe genera, I hall fyfomething
no lefs to the purpoe , and more
particular. I may be allowed then

to ay in Second Intance, that opr

own indicretion is commonly the
caufe of this diforder: For as we

never write wittily, but when our

Imagination is exalted to a certain

degree of heat, detrutive to our
cold dulnefs 5 fo when our Spirits
are fpent by a long and ferious ap
plication, it would then prove a
pieee of prudence in us to lay afide
our Pen, and meditate n mere n

the Subjet till we recover our loft

Spirits, and firt vigour. Hbelieve
Vigil kept this Precept; fince he
fhentneer Thirty years in the com
.

posture

( 181 )
pofre of his Poem 3 but our Folly
is fach, that black paper we muft,

though our Soul be not able to at

its part, becaue of thefppoed want
of Necefiary Intruments, furnihing
us with as lively Ideas as befo.
Which fancyful Humour I appre

hend to be the true Caufe, why

we writenot always fo well as really
we could have done, if we had bro

ken off our work till the return of

our better temper and dipoition,

Whereof I find a not unfit Analogy

in a Subjet fomewhat like to that
we now treat of

I fee no other

caue of the great difference as to

Wit among Children of the fame Pa
rents, but becaue the latter oberve

notthe fitteft times for the act ofge

neration, coming together, when
their Seedsare either yet raw, or not

fo elaborated and pirituous, as is.

requiite. Soif marryed People un
dertood the critical, and fitteft Mi

nute for this duty of Marriage, or

would contain themelves fo long as
they

|-

( 182 )
they were not fit for it, they would
undoubtedly be more fatisfied with
their Children, than fome of them

have reafon to be 3 becaufe I fancy

the former would not be fo unlik
oe another, as to the endowments

of the Mind. We may proportiona

bly dicourfe at the fame rate ofour
Spiritual Children, our Writings :

: may all refemble one another

n not unlike ftains of Wit, if we

manageour felvesrightinonceiving
of them. .
-

. .

'

, *

* - --

|-

|-

|-

~i

|-

;
|-

|-

r.

:
s.

} : - . ,,- ; }

's i

SECT:
#:

: ?

:: | '

(183)
S E CT. XIII.

The art of writing wittily.

1. Why fome do frak ill, and write
well, and fezie do ariteill, and peak,

well.

2. That me ought # # to confder, be

fore reunaertake to write, if the Sub
jest be not beyond our natural Abili
ties.

. .

3. What ue me areto make of Anthor.

That we wrong our felves by not pe
rufing our own Wit.

4. That fonteare profefi Robbers of other

Mens Works, as fveral Germans,
and other fubtile Thiever, as not a
few French undoubtedly are.

5. That we mui not betoo postive in

our affertion#

'

6. Aritotles oifurity instaned in

Jameste examples:

'

';

*I:
be thought not out of
purpoeto enquirein thisplace
|-

why

-----------

( 184)
why fome do peak ill and write
-

well, and on the contrary, why o

thers fpeak well, and writeill. The

difficulty I confefs is confiderable,

and I am not fully refolved in the
caf. Yet it may be faid that this
proceeds from fome of the different
Charaters of Wit we have poken
of elewhere. For fome are flow
in conceiving, becaue, perhaps they

have a too weak Undertanding, and .

fear too much to be miftaken 3 fo
their utterance upon this account is
very, uneafie : and fuch peak their
Thoughts fo imperfetly, that one

: think they had but a very fu

perficial Undertnding. Neverth
es they are fometimcs excellent Pen
Men , and the fittet Men in the .

World to appear in Print 3 becaue

the uneafines of their , utterance

comes rather from a certain warines,

and Weakne perhaps too of the

Imagination, thn from any real de
fest of Judgement. But as for thoe

that peak well, and write ill; if by

this

( 185 )
this expreion we mean that fme

do peak great Sene, who cannot

write fenefully; I think I may be
allowed to fy, that there is no fuch

thing poible. For whooever cari

fpeak Sence, I know not why he may
not likewife couch it upon Paper,
f he pleaf. But if perchance we
undertand by peaking well and

wittily, a certain facility, eafines

ofexpreion, the Volubility of the
Tongue, or a certain how of Elo
quence without either great Sence,
or acutenes, there are I confes ,
many half-witted Men, and more
yet of the Weaker Sex that peak
well, though they write not wittily,
becaue of the hallownes of their

Judgement, which is rather a help

than a hindrance to their talkative
humour 3 epecially if they have,
as commonly they want it not, any

quickne of Fancy. For fuch Peo

ple, 'tis no lefs ufeles to precribe
Rules of writing wittily, than to
teach Fools how to peak to the pur
pof.
2.The
-

( 186.)
2. The firt Precept then of this
art, I conceive to be no other but

the confideration of the Subjet we

We muft in the firft

are to treat of

inftance confider ifit benot perhaps,

beyond the reach of our Abilities:

For, Non omnia poumus omnes, Nec om

mis frtomnia tellus,there are but very
few equally capable ofeverything 3
Was not Cicero the Prince of Orators,
but had no inclination towards Po-

etry, wherein Ovid was eminent 5 .

who again had no other confidera
bleTalent we know of The latter .
had proved, Ifancy, a very ordina
ry, and lefs perhaps than an ordina
ryWriter of Plea's, and the former
but a dull, uneafie, and conftrained

Poet. Our firt Study then mut be

of our felves, and of our Genius, to

know, Agid valeant Humeri, quid

frre rectifant, what we are really ca
pable of Hfthen perhaps we are fen

fible of our fitnes for any Science

whatoever , we may be the more

daring to write our thoughts indif

-

ferently

( 187)
ferently uponan Subjet: But this
we cannot certainly know withouta

frequentTryalofour Capacity However, 'tis mot certain there is till

one thing we are fitter for, than for

any other, and to this we mut ap
ply our felves more particularly: but

it may be here enquired, how hall

we know what Nature has made us
chiefly for ? I anwer, Firt, almoft
after the fame manner that we know
our Vocation, or Call to any State

of life,as to a marryed,or fingle life 3

by the very inclination we find inus
to this, or thatkind of Study, which

not being given tous in vain, muft

needs be a fign of our fitnes to fuc
ceed therein. I anfwer Secondly,
whatever we do with greatet faci

lity, that undoubtedly we are born

to. Thus if I conceive more eaily

whatever depends upon Figurehape

- and Proportion 3 or if I can make a
Mathematical Demontration with

le difficulty than a Vereora Poems

I hali ratherapply my felf to Mathe

s ( 123 )
i 3. Now having found out by the

foregoing Method what I may with

bet ucces undertake, I rnuft then

follow thef particular Rules, and

Precepts that regard the Subjet I
write of

But my chief care hall be

to perufe often thoe that I know

certainly to be eminent in that Art,

or Science I apply my felfto: Thus

if I mind to write natural Philoophy,

I hall conult the Englih Philoopher,

Boyle, or the Famous Verulam. Yet

without any defign to plunder or
pillage them, for I know nothing
more; detrutive t the improve

ment of Wit, than the tealing hu

mour of fome Writers, who fome
times make great Volumes of other
Mens Labours 3 which is not fo much

always a fign of their incapacity, as

of their Lazyne, and miftruft of
their own Abilities ; if we can be at

the pains but to think by our felves,

and to write nothing but olir own
thoughts, we may perhaps become

at length fenible by experience, that

WG;

( 189.)
we are nothing inferiour to thofe,

whoe borrowed Wit we had made

our own. "Tis a great Commenda

tion of an Author, when it may be

truly faid, that what he writes is not
borrowed , which is not fo to be

undertood, as if he hould write

#

always things never any dreamt of

before him 3 for this is impoible,
fince the Beaux Eprits muft needs
fometimes jump together by chance,
s to the Subtance, though not as

to the Tour, and manner of Wri

ting. My meaningis, that aningenious

Man ought not to copy out any mans

Works, but write his own Thoughts
and Meditations, as if he were alone

in the World without the help of

Books.

I know no Author in this

Age fo much earcht into as the Fa

mous Robert Boyle, and by fuch s
enrich their works with his ingeni
ous contrivances though they are
neither fo civil, nor fo grateful, as
to make an Honourable mention of
him. Takenius has been more

g:

OI

( 191 )

of this fault than any other that I

know of. Buttoreturn to what I was

aying , how can we ever improve

that i at God perhaps has betowed upon us in a larger meaure than : |

we are aware of, if we never make

ue of it, or exercie it, which we

do not, though we write every year

a Volume, fo long as we are meer

Trancribers, and not true Authors.

As the French dofrequently reproach

this to the Germans, fo they fay com

monly, - Qu'un livre dAlman, ceft |

un livre ou il n'y a rien de l'autheur, '
That there is nothing in a Germans
Book, of the Author , bit his Name.
Which Iconfesingenuouly not a few
- of that Nation to be guilty of. But
yet whilft they put other Mens pro
dutionsin room of their own, which

perhaps would proveas good, if not

better then theirs, they are fo

jut as to name the Authors with

proportionable Elogiums 3 , upon

which account I look upon them as ,
Publick and profet Robbers, ra
-

ther va

( 19o)
ther than fubtile Thieves, whichI

take to be the Character of the

French Writers, who teal wherever

they meet with any thing that may . .

ferve their turn, and returning no ac

knowledgement to the Author from

whom they take they willcunningly,
* &wittily too,pretend they have fme

z reafon notto acknowledge the theft,

y as being moulded now into another
frame and hape 3 which fome of
them do to the very deceiving ofthe
... Author himelfat the firft view: and

: this I reckon to be the height of the

French Wit, as fcarce reachingto the
invention ofanything, but perhaps of
; new modes: For thisNationis now fo

us'd to plunder, and pillage their

: Neighbours,thatif they layafidewhat

they have ftolm out of Spanih, Italian,
:

German and Englih Books, what is

| properly their own, would not make

! a very large Volume. .

e 4. Being then fully refolved to be .

Authors, rather than either Rob
bers with the Germans, or

T:

|-

W1t

( 192 )

with the French 5 we hall conceive

firt a general defign, whereunto all

the particulars of the piece muft be

either directly, or indirectly related:

But though I eteem a mean Author
more than either a German Robber,
or a French Thief ; yet I do allow
thof following ues of other Mens
Labours : Firft Imay, and ought to
perufe them for the quickning of my
fancy, and for the acquiring of what
we call, a Style, or an accurate and
polite elocution 3 not that we ought

to borrow their witty Words, Leurs !

boms mots: For 'tis better to utter ;
our felves in our own language, than
to peak in other Mens terms: But

my meaning is, that the perual of

what they have written, whether it
regard our Subjet or not, may by
heightning our Imagination, hinder
us from a too flat way of writing.
- Thus if I mind to write an Elegy, I
fhall firt run over fome choice piece

of Ovid, or one of his more polite ,

Letters.

It will be ueful to -read

fome

( 193 )
fme : of Cicero, Virgil, Livy,

" _

e.c. beff I undertake to write a

Latine Oration, an Hitory, or
Poem. The fame advice is to be fol

lowed, what Language foever we

writein, whetherit be French or Fn

glih. If the Authors we perufe have

written upon the fame Subjet, we

muft endeavour to improve what

they have faid, or confute their Er

rors that deferve to be taken notice

of: wherein we are to take heed a
bove all things not to be too pofi
tive, as if we pretended to demon
*

ftrate every, thing we fy 3 for this

would betray us to be none of the '

mot knowing fort : For I think it

no Paradox to fy, that the very

|-

things we are fure of, and hold for

undoubted Truths, we can no more
: by the Light ofan undemiable

emontration, than what we look

upon as meer Opinins, and uncer

tain Conjetures. For fince I know
nothing but by the help of my falli
ble , and often failing Snes 3

|-

|-

do

( 194)

do I know but I am imposd upon .

by the very things I think, Itouch,

I feel, I hear. This affirmative way
of debating may be allowed in the
Schools, where the conceived infalli

bility of the Mafters is neceary, both

for gaining and confrving their
Credit among their Scholars 3 but it
muft be avoided, cane pejus & angue,
aboveall thingsby a fober, witty and
judiciousWriter. This necery mo
deration is obervable every where
in the Works of the renowned Boyle:
I do certainly believe he thinksmore

beforehefays, fuch a thing perhaps ir,

than others do bfore they poitive

ly affirm', it isundoubtedly fo.

5. Obcurityis another defe we
muft be careful to hun, fince, prima

virtus orationis perpicuitas et, the .

chiefand mot necery Ornament
of any dicoure, isit perfpicuity and
clearnes. I have a very ill opinion
of a mans Capacity, when whatever

he writesis a miftery to the Under-

ftanding fort: Yet I hall be fo far ,

A

fa

( 195 ) .

favourable to the Chymifis , ; as to

think there may be fome real fecrets,

and Myfteries known only to them

felves, which they will not reveal to

- others. But I mut beg their Pardon, if Iincline more to believe their

affected Obcurity to be nothing

elfe but a Childih vanity, or rather

a pecious Nonfnce, propoed to

the World in obcure Terms, in

order to gain Credit among the ig

norant fort of Men, who commonly
admire nothing more than what they
leaft undertand. This defetisjuft
ly reproacht by the New Philoo
phersto the Peripateticians, and toA

ritotle himelf, epecially in his defi

nitions where perfpicuityismoft ex
peted, and is mot necefiary.
I hall intance fome few examples
for proof of what I fay. If then

you ask Arifiotle the nature of what

we call a quality,he hall give you in
tantly this miterious definition,
2ualitas etaqua quales quidam dicun
tur.
|-

I know not how either to En

K 2
glih

( 196)

glih, or make fenfe of this obcure

Notion; butis all one asif you had
defind white to be that whereby we
are madewhite.Iam fure every rational Man undertandsbetterwhat move

ment is, than its definition given by

Arifiotle, Aius entis in potentia qua
tenus in potentia,which befides its ob

fcurity,farbeyond that of the thing it

intends to clear,is, Firt, fuch a piece
of Nonfence, that I defie any man in

the World tomake intelligible Englih

ofit, without a largeComment; and

Secondly, it contains an evident con
tradition in adjefo, as they peak,

in the very terms: Since the former

words, atus entic in potentia, are al

together inconfitent with the latter,

Suatenus impotentia. Locus, or place,
we undoubtedly conceive better ,

than what Aritotle faith, in order to

furnih us with a clearNotion there

of: For I thought always I under
ftood infome meaure what it was,till
I heard Aritotle call it, Superficies
prima acris ambientis immobilis, the
-

1III

( 197 )
immoveable furface of the ambient

Air. Now my weak head is full of

endlefs doubts, and I umidertand no
-

more what I undertood fome thing

of before, by its own felf-evidence;
for firt I undertand not how the fur

face of the Air is immoveable: Se

condly, I know not why a Body

a Stone, for infrance, in vacuo, hould

:
|
*

, be no where, becaue it is not fr

rounded with Air. I apprehnd
Thirdly, the Natural place ofevery
thing to be nothing elfebut the Ima
ginary and immoveable fpace thaeit

fills with its three Dimenions, depth,

;

breadth and length, which Arifio

tle definition makes no mention of.
s I hall fay nothing of that other

"Notion ofhs relating to Time, which

he calls, Motus fecundum prius, & po

ferius, that is literail, and veri

tim, a movement according to what
is before, and according to what
is behind, what more clear ? Auditure

admii rifum teneatis amici. But to

peak ingenuouly 3 all this argies
-

K3

IlC)

( 198 )

no defect of Capacity in Aristotle,but

only betrays him to be guilty of
attempting I hall not fy preten

ding to give us exact definitions of

things that are above the reach of

Humane Capacity 3 fuch as Time,

Place, Movement, &c. becaue they

re primary Principles, whereof we

may give perhaps, fome imperfet
Decriptions, but no true Noti
Ons.

We are not only tofhun obsturity

in our definitions, which ought to

be always felf-evident to any man,
undertanding the terms they are
conceived in, but likewife in every
particular Word, and Sentence, if it
can be avoided.

For I take it to be.

a vulgar, anda filly error, that great *

Wits are commonly obcure, mite
rious and cloudy 3 becaufe, as I am
fully perfwaded that perfpicuity is
the chief, and mot neceary Orna
ment of our Dicourfe, fo I conceive
it to be the beft Charater of a true

Wit. We mut then give to what

-

QVer:

"

( 199 )

- -

ever we write, all the Evidence, arid

plaines the Subjet can bear, which

we hall perform the more eafily, if

we fhun with all poible care a too.

great multitude offuperfluous Repetitions, as likewife Subjets, that are .

not only hard to be undertood,

but which no Humane Capacity can

compa. A too great affetation of

: and hard Words, offar fetcht
Expreionsisjuftly condemned by the
Polite and wittieft fort of Writers:

For fince Words are the Images of

our thoughts , we muft make choice:

of thoe that are their bet repreen

tatives.

Whatever then is made

ue of in common dicoure by fuch

as peak well, and naturally, that is.

fittet for us to makechoice of Thus
our Style fhall be mooth , natural
and eafie, without either obcurity, .
or that mifterious Nonfenfethatfome
weak . Heads naturally incline to 3.

and is termed by the French, du Ga-

limathias.

But I know nothing that

may contribute more towards the:

|

K. 4,

clear

( 2oo )
clearnefs, and finoothing of our dif
coure, then a fitandingenious com
parifon, not more infifted on than

is neceary, nor too frequent. The

Englih Philoopher, I mean the Fa

mous Boyle, undertands better than
any I ever yet read, the art of illu
trating, and proving too, what he
affirms by witty and natural compa
rifons. As his Style is every where

fimooth and clear; I know no better

Mafter of natural Philoophy, not
only upon theaccount of his Dotrine
and ingenious Solutions of the grea
teft difficulties, but likewife for his

extraordinary perpicuity and clear

nefs.
|

( 2or)

secT. xiv.
{

If Women can be really witty.

1. HWhy fome alledge that Wowem cannot
be really witty.

2. Some weak Objeions anfrered.

3. That their Wit appears mot in ma

maging of intrigues, whether good
or bad. . . .
4. A true Story of a Ladies dexterity
to be rid of two Husbands.
-

5. That as little men may be comely not

beautiful, :/: Women can bereck
- omedamong the beauxEpirits,though
we may allow feveral of them place
among thoe whom the French cal

Eprits jlly, or jolly Wits.

1. COme, who make it their whole
O bufines to imveigh againft.
- Women, though perhaps they be mot

quite out ofconceit with them, may

be apt to think that they are rather
:

K5

H.R.

( 202 )
maturally wilful, than Witty ; be
caue,
, they were made of
-

one of Adams Bones, and not of his

Brains ; yet 'tis certain they may .

* claim a jut right toitas well as Men,

and fometimes to widom too 3 The

coldnes of their Temperismo argu

ment to me of their ftupidity or dul-

ne;for befides, that the melancholly,

though cold, are commonly ingeni
ous, This fpposd coldnes of their
temper is often correted by fuch a
degree of heat, as may improve {
them into real Wits. Their Bodies,
confefs, are not off cloe a texture

as thoe of Men, as being both fof

ter, and more moit : Blitin all this.

H fe nothing inconfiftent with their

being really witty. And if we are

not convinced as yet of this felf-evi
dent truth by reafon, daily experi

ence may eaily clear all our doubts.

Speak they not to the purpoe in a
familiar converfe, and as good Senf
as moft Men 3 yea, fome of them

can act the Philoophers part, com

.

poe

( 203 )

po Books, and write Verfestoo;not:

very impertinently. And if we will

peak our mind impartially , they

have fomewhat more of a fuddain,

and extemporary Wit than Men

themfelves,

who can fpeak. Sence,

but after Meditation 3 wheras,

they talk fometimes to the purpoe,
without being at the pains of much:
thinking. Shall we doubt of their
acutenes, ifwe reflect but a moment
upon their quick Reparties in certain:
Rencounters, wherein Menare like

Equus, & Afinus quibus non efi in*l

leus,

:::::: : : : if the

beauty of the Soul be proportiona

ble to that of the Body 3 we have
reafon to think that as they exceed:

eur Sex in the former, fo they have:

fome confiderable advantage over
us in the latter too, whereof they:

give fometimesbuttoo certain proofs:

by circumventing, and impofing up
on the Greatet Head pieces amongt:
Men 3 which is nothing elfe but an
V

::::: a very good thing,

their
Wit

( 204)

Wit. Sampon could neither be over

omenor out-witted by thePhilistins,

but ubtiler Dalila put a cheat pon
him, that coft him at laft his life
Solomon was the wifet Man of the

Age helived in, yet he was prevai

led upon by the forcible perfwafions
of his Concubines to adore falfe

Gods. Abigail with a fhort Harrangue

triumph'd over David's warlike re
folutions. And Adam himelf could
not refift the Rethorick of his Wife .

Eve, but ubmitted to her as to his

Mafter. So true it is that Women
have out-witted the greatet men in
all ages, and forought I know, the
World turns yet round at their dif
cretion. But nothing fhewethmore
their Wit, than their ubtile man

agement of intrigues, whether of

Love or Revenge 3 for they can dif.

fmble better than Hypocrifieit felf,

and put what Face they plea pon

their Seeret, and real Deigns. I hall
fet down here on this occaion what

happened in France not many years

agO,

(295)

ago, as being a true Fat, and no

Romance ; though becaufe of the

oddnes of the thing, it looks fome

what like one.

2. When the French Kinginvaded

Holland in the year 72. ifImifremem
ber not, the Nobility, as 'tis uual

on fuch occafions, followed him by

his expre Comand from all parts of

the Kingdom : A Gentleman of a
mean Fortune, but of Good Paren

tage, in obedience to his Soveraign, .

and befides incouraged by a promife
of fome coniderable Preferment,

refolved to leave his Lady, being

marryed but Three Months before,
and to hazard his life for the increafe
of his finall Fortune.

But whether

hewas not very Uxorious, or which

I am more apt to believe, had bin
wholly taken up with Military Af
fairs, he never in the fpace of Five
years abence informd her once
what condition he was in. She
began then to fufpe&t him killed in
fomerencounter. But allher doubts

"

Were

( 206 )

were at length cleared by a Letter

fhe received from one of hisintimate
Friends, who was very well infor
med of his continual Silence all the

while of this long abence. He af:

fured her then by his Letter of her:

Husbands death, becaufe he judged

his recovery out of a Diftemper he
was thenin,impoffible.He added,that
hewas comingto prefenther with her
Husbands Diamond Ring, as a part
of his laft Will, and a mark of his
inoft fincere Love and Affetion to

wards her: And accordingly not

thinking that his Friend could reco
ver, fets forward for France. He
failed not at hisarrival to preent the
Lady with the Ring, and atthefame
time with his Sevice, if perchance
fhe diflik't him not, ashe profeft he

did not diflike her. She eem'd, as

Women commonly do uponfuch oc
cafions, to be fomewhat hy at firt,
and urprized at his unexpected offer.
Bt weary now of a folitary Life,
and fearing he hould not meet with
* -

fo;

---, -

----

(297)

fo good an opportunity again, he

thought it a piece of Prudence to.
layholdonit ; and fo beingat her Li

berty, as he thought, he engaged

within a few daysto this Second Hus
band 3 who not ufing her near, fo
kindly, as the firt, though,as ithall
appear hereafter, he never really lo
ved him neither ; he began to wih

. for a change,and that it would pleae

God to rid her of this Husband as

he had already delivered her of the:
Firt when he recovering unexpe
tedly out of that Diftemper, his
Friend, but now his Rival, had left

him in without any hopes ofrecove

ry, comes on a fddain home, not

knowing any thing of his wifes fe

cond Marriage.

Being foon infor

med of the whole matter, and how

innocently it had happened on her

- fide, he appeared to be fomewhat

fatisfied, and told her that he was

ready to live with her again, if he
was willing to part with her preent

Husband, and however that the Law

would

(2c8)

--

would right him in this caf. It was

accordingly ordered that he hould
leave her fecond Husband, and re

turn to the firft again, wherewith

fhe appeared to be well fatisfied, be
. capfe of her hard ufage from her fcond Husband : They liv'd then a

whiletogether very contentedly and

he doted on her more than ever he

did when he was firft marryed : She

failed not touf himlikewife with all imaginabe kindnes, which fo gain'd
his heart, that he could not cros her

in any thing 3-yea, not in fchthings

as were neither lawful nor allowa

ble.

As he was ftill highly concer

ned ifany thing hould difpleafe her,

or put her in a melancholly temper,
he inquired of her one day why he
appeared to be fomewhat dejeted $
*

how can I be other, replyd fhe,

fince H know certainly that you are
in a greater dangerthen ever you was

in the Holland Wars, becaue my

econd pretended Husband, as I at
credibly inform'd, is reolved to
-

|-

mur

 ( 209)
murther you, that he may enjoy me
-

again. I hear indeed he is going

for Burgundy, but I know he will

make but a fhort tay there. So you

may eaily judge, that loving you as

tenderly as I do, I hall never hava

moment of Reft either by Night or
Day, till I be rid of my too well
grounded fear, by preventing fome
way this defigned blow , which
at once would kill two, and be

th occafion of a deferved, though

fhameful death to a third, the Exe

cutioner himelf, your Rival: Her:

i Husband being extreamly frpried

i at this dicoure knew not whattore
| fblve upon 3 but beingnear concernd
in the caf, and loving her more than
his life, he took a fuddain reolution
to do whatever he would put him

upon. This ubtile Lady takingno

tice of this yielding humour he was
in, poke tohim thus again, or to this.

effect; you fem to bein doubt what

you have to do: You muft then re--

folve, for I know your RivalsIIlOUIf

Hu;
-

( 21o )
mour, and there is no middle, either
to kill or be killed,and all wife mer,
methinks, will prefer the formerbe
fore the latter:Now becaue Icannot

fiffer you to expoe your felf to the

leaft, hazard, I hall furnih you this
Night with the fitteft Opportunity.

that can be devied of doing your

felf, and me too, a mot important
piece of Service. Your Rival then
will come about Six of the Clock,

as he hath given me notice by a

Letter, to take his leave of mebefore his departure for Burgundy,

which civility I hall not only admit,

but invite him likewife in your pre
fence to Supper, under pretence of a
pretendedReconciliation tobemade

up between him and you. The Gen

tleman comes ashe had promis'd,and
yielded with all his heart to their Ci
vil offers, being now almot fully
perfwaded, that as in Holland, and
Flanders he had had all things in
Common with his Friend, this jun
&ture would furnih him with an
OVCr--

(211)
z overture to the like privacyathome,
: which was all that he either aimdat,

a or card for. Before the Gentleman

came to take his leave of the Lady,

they hadcontrived, andagreedupon

; themanner of his Death, which wa
z to prefs upon him feveral Healths,
z and when he hould bealmot infen

fible of whatwas doing about him,

; to diffolve fome Strong and Heady
y Soporifick in his Wine, that fo they
might the more eaily trangle him,
the Servants being firt dipatcht out

2 of doors upon pretended Errants.

z The murther thus executed without

a refitance or noie; the Lady took

after this manner her meafres for

; foncealing this horrid fact, and hi
z ding the Body from the eyes of the
z World. She defired her Husband

| to take it upon his houlders, while

| fhe would bearup the Legsupon hers.
for his greater eae in carrying it.
Thus they went quietly along toge
, ther about Midnight by a back door

through the Garden, traight to the

-

|-

R. iv

(212 )
River that waht the very walls

thereof: But as they were thus in

their March, the Lady tyed dexte

roufly in more than one part, the

dead Mans Cloaths with thoe of her

living Husbands, which he, as being

intent upon the compleating of

the buines, could neither miftruft, |

v

norbe fnible of They were come

near to the River, when he told

him to go as near as he could, and

being now upon the very brink
of the precipice, he mot un
mercifully thruft him over, and fo
both headlong down together
into the River. Thus fhe got her
felfrid of both her Husbands at once,
whom it feems he had equally dis
lik't. It may be yet fomewhat to
my purpoe to tell you, that being ,
returned home, he made a great ftir

among her Servants, as if he had

known nothing of the matter, and
ask't them often if they had not met
with her Husband and the other Gen

tleman, for that he feard they had

-

'

chal

( 213)

|-

challenged one another, and had

gone to fome remote place agreed
upon, to put an end by the Sword
to their old Quarrels: But though
this was for a while the general opi

nion of the Town, the two Bodi

; being found two Months after by
: fome Fiher-men bound together,and
the Lady being upon fufpicion ap

prehended, and according to the

Laws of that Country, infuch doubt
fiii cafs , threatmed with extraordi
:

nary Tortures, if he would not

confes her crime:Shemade atlength

a full dicovery of the whole matter :

And fffered by the ordr of the Ju

ftice what he had well deervedan,
infamous Death.
-

*-

- 3. Let us makehere but this one

reflestion : Could therebe a greater
| wickednes than this, and at the fame

| time a greater abue of Wit; where

| by we feeclearly that this weaker Sex
nothing ofreal Weaknes when
|

*
|

reolve upon a defign, whether

| they
bad, as this was, or good, as :
|

Qt

( 214)

of Judith, who in my judgement

cheated not Holofernes fo

out of his life, as this Woman did

her two Husbands out of theirs.

I pretend not by this difcoure to

puffWomen upwith Pride, for they

are but too proud already ; my de-4
fign only is to how that they ought
not to be undervalued by Men, asif
they were little better than Fools,

and had no kind ofrealWit; fince ;

their very Malice and Tricks do de-
monftrate the contrary. But neverthele, though it may be allowable

to call fome Women fine Wits ,

becaue of fome peculiar vivaci

ty they are gifted with ; yet few
of them can pretend to be great
Wits , fuch a Character requir
ing a contant temper of the
Soul, which they , becaue of their

changeable humour, are not capable

of I hall not perhaps bejuftlyftyled impertinent, if I fy, that fince
Wit depends mot upon the perfeti- ,
Oil

tsus" einerette: :
-

|-

QII]

( 2 15 )

from Godfo perfetSouls as Men, be

; caufe by Gods fpecial appointment
they are to obey, and Men to com
mand;they are tobsServants,andMen -

;
|

their Mafters: Now 'tis conformable

to the Widom of that al wife being,

that as they are inferiour to us by

: the condition of their State, fo they

fhould be likewife far fhort of Men,

#

as to the innate endowments of the

: Mind. Yet I deny not butthat God

may, and does fometimes lodge a

| Soul of the Firt Hierarchy, I mean a

z mot perfect onein a Womans body ;

bnt thisis not uual, and feldomhap

pens, but when he pleaes to make
4 choice of Women to ruleover great
# Empires, and whole Nations, which

hinders not the generality of them,

from falling far fhort of thoe emi
nent abilities that men are deferved

ly eteemed for.

I conceive the

| French to be more fenible of the

truth of this Dotrine than mot o-

|
|
*

ther Nations, becaue by their Salick

Law, Women can claim no right a

mong

|-

( 216)
mong them to the Soveraign com

mand. I hall not fay, it would per

haps,prove to our greatadvantage, to

put the fame affent upon them by
giving place to this Law amongt us;
but fre I am that England would be
no more a Purgatory for Men, as it
is commonly faid to be, and would
not ceafe neither to be a Paradife

for Women, if the Salick Law were

once etablihed in every private

Houfe and Family of this Kingdom.

( 217 )

s EcT. xv.

The witty Phifitian, or the

chief Secret of Phyick.
-

1. How

| 79

: a thing it is to become

a good Phytian.
2. What ir chiefly required in a good
Phytian. . . . . . . 3. Why a man may know the whole Ma
teria medica, and not be a good Phy
fitian.
4. That the unfuccesfulnef of, or
harm done by a remedy, is rather to
be aferibed to the Phytian, than to
-

|-

any defest in the Remedyit felf.

I.

Conceive no Art fo

hard to

compa, asthat which makes -

a true Phyfitian 3 Divinity it felf

compared to it is but a Play : Forone
may be a not infufficient Divine, if

He can but dicoure probably of :

what may beundertoodin our my-,

V

fteries,

( 218 )

myfteries, and confe by an humble

belief his ignorance of whatever
is beyond the reach of his Capacity,
whereby I mean that the : intri:
cate difficulties, and miteries of the

Critian Religion may be eaily fur

mounted by a blind fubmiion of
our Undertandings unto Gods ob

fcure Revelation.

But whether I

confider the Speculative, or practi

cal part of Phyfick , I meet every
where with infperable difficulties.

I reprent firt to my felf whatever

is contained in the Three Kingdoms,
not of England, Scotland and Ire
land only, but of Three of a far

larger extent, the Mineral, the Ve

getative, and the Animal : And on a
fuddain I fall into defpair of ever

undertanding to the botttom the

1eaft thing they contain : Icanfcarce

fix in my dull head the very names

of Metal, Minerali, Plants and A

nimals 5 and far lefs their infinite

Properties, and Medicinafes. Re

festing again upon our corruptible

Bo
* - 4.

- N

( 219 ) }

Bodies, my Thoughts are put to a

tand, when I am preft to give a
rational account either oftheir tem-,

pers, or diftempers. Yet if I pretend

to be but an ordinary Phyitian, I

mut have a fort of comprehenfire :

Knowledge of this Engine, our Soul

moves, and of allits particular Mo

tions; which being upon feveralac
counts an inuperable difficulty,

what wonder if the ableft Phyfitians'

mitake not only fometimes a mns
diftemper, but which is of a worfe

conequence, take fmetimes one for

another : Becauf two different Di

feafes may have fuch an affinity in ,

theirSymptoms , that they can pre

tend to no infallibility in diftingui-" hing them. On the other fide,when i

conider the obcure Origine ofmot :

Diftempers, I am quite out of hu- :
mour with the Practice of Phyick.
|I may but too eafily mitake that,

i without the Knowledge of which:

; I cannot cure my Patent, the true:

| caue of his difeafe 3 yea, I wonder

how
.

. L 2

( 22o)

how any Mandareventure to tudy

Phyick, if he perufe but a moment
Hypocrates his firt Aphorifm, Vita
longa, ars brevis, occafo celeris,experi-,
mentum difficile, judiciumpericulofum, .

O life is too hort, and the Art is

of an infinite extent, the occafion

gives us eaily the flip ; the Experi

ence is hard, :::::: and dange
rous, and it is not eafie to difcern
well., either the Remedies, or the

Diftempers: We can have then but

little certainty of the Cure, epeci
ally if we take notice of what fol
lows in the fame Aphorifin, Oportet .
autem non modo feipfum exhibere que
oportet facientem, fedetiam egrum ac
prefentes, & externa, that the Pati
cnts Recovery depends not only up
on the Phyitians care and skill, but
nole upon the Patient himelf, who
mut contribute towards his own

eure by an exact ubmiffion, and

fcrupulous, performance of what he

is order'd to do, take , or oberve.

And befids, all our endeavoursare
ufeles,

( 221 )
ufefef; if thoe that wait upon him
-

"-

|-

do not their Duty, or if perchance

thofe things that the Old Man calls
external, andare withoutus,as whol

fom food , good air , &c. be wan

ting. , Out of all this dicourt I

rait the fame inference that mde
my firt propofition in the begin
ning of this Section, That there is
nofmall difficulty to become a good
Phyfitian ; yet on the other part,
one would think that there is no
thing more eafie,becaufe of the great
number of Phyitians to be met
with every where, whom we know
- in all other repets to be but meer
Blockheads. If the Knowledge of .

Phyfick were a thing fo hard to at

tain to , and beyond the common
reach,

could either a Taylor, or

a Shoemaker, and the reft of theun

learned Tribe pratice Phyick, as

able and Famous Dotors. I confes
if there were no more required to

be a Phyfitian than what the les un

dertanding fort, or the Mobile con

L 3.,
ceives
-

|-

( 222 )

ceives to be neeffary, the whole

World might foon be turn'd into a

Colledge of Phyfitians: It is not

then the Knowledge of a Receit, or

two not unfuccesful on fome, or

fveral occaions that give us right

to this honourable Tittle, nor the art
of making up this or that Phyical
Compoition, unles we will foolihly
reckon up old doting Wives, and
Apothecaries Prentices, with the
ableft Dotors. Yea, I maintain it

to be no Paradox tofy, thata man

my comprehend perfetly the whole
- Materia medica , and an hundred

good Remedies againt every parti

cular Diftemper , and yet prove a

very infignificant , and ignorant

Phyitian too. Becaufe the chiefSe

eret of Phyick confifts not in the

goodnes of the Remedy, but in
; the due application thereof, with

regard to time, place, the Temper

of the Patient, and other Circum
ftances. Whoundertands this, and

no other, is a true Phyitian, as be

Ing.

(223)

|-

ing capable to, cre the wort di

ftempers, by not very odd, nor far

fetcht Remedies. Whether there

be any Paniceas, or univeral Re
medies againt all fort of diftempers, -

here examine 3

I hall not

but fure I

am that Opium perhaps for dimirAh

ing of pain excepted ; there are no

fuch found as yet: and though

there were any of this Latitude, I

would till look mpon them as meer

Intruments that may mifcarry by

the unskilfulnes of thofethat handle

r

them. I am then fenible that feve

*

|-

.*

s-

|-

ral are quite mitaken , when they

complain that fuch a Remedy did

wrong their Bodies, or increae their
| Diftempers, whereas the Phyfitian

only is to be blamed 3 who, tho'

he precribed a thing in it felfvery
good, neither undertood the criti
cal Minute it was to be given in,
nor his Patients constitution , iior
other Circumtances which we muft

needs take notice of, elfe we ma

p ecribe the bet remedies to no

L. 4. .

purp o

 ( 224)
purpoe. A Phyitians Wit then ly
eth not in framng modifh Receits,
and prefcribing a numberlefs num
ber of Remedies, whether Chimi
cal, or Galenical, but in a certain pra
tical judgement, which is not got
in the Univerfities, of applying what
is fittet for the cure of the Diftem
per, with

: to time, place,

theftrength of the Patient, and o

ther Circumtances. I look there

fore upon fuch as fell Secrets againft

all forts of diftempers, to be meer
Cheats 3 becaue if their Remedies
be indeed Panaceas, or Univerfal,
this Charater I allow not to be in

trinfecal to them, but meerly extrn

fecal, as derived from the practical
Judgement offuch as prefcribe them
fccesfully, which as they cannot
fell, nor communicate, meither cam

they either fell, or communicate

their Secret: Hence we may con
clude what a piece of imprudence,
or rather madnes it is, to take Re

medies from the hands of meer Em

pericks,

( 225)
pricks, without the advice of fme
Judicious Phyitian 5 becau, as I
was faying lately, our recovery de
pends not fo much upon the good
ne ofthe Remedy, as upon a due
application thereof. For we are
taught both by reafon, and experi
ence, that we may either kill or

cure with the fame Remedy diffe

rently applyed, and to different
Subjets,ornot in the fame Circum
ftances.

(226)

----

sEcT. xvi.
The ingenious Art
,
flating.

of Tran
-

1. The difficulty of a good Trana

- tiert:

- -

2. The Art of Tranlativg compared to

- the Art of Portraying. .

3. In which of th two Languages the

Tranlator ought to excell, whether

in thathetranlates from, or in that

hetranlates in to.

4. The Faults and Miiakes of Jowe.

Tranlators.

5. That good Latine Tranlations do

always out-do the Originals.
1. rTYNe would think that there
-

is no great Wit , nor no.

yery much art neither, in making

of a good Tranlation 3 but how
far they are deceived, we may eafily.
conjesture by the infinite number of
-

bad

( 227 )
bad Tranlations done in this City: ,
-

For as an Ingenious Gentleman did.

lately oberve, fome of the Tranla

tors undertand not the Language

they. Tranlate from, others under

tand not the Language they Tran

flate into, and others again under

tand not the Subjet they tranlate:

What wonder then if they fall not

only often very hort of the Origi;

nal, but befids furnih the World

with stich imperfit Copies, as may

ruine the repute of the Authors, in

the judgement of thoe tht know
them not. I concivethen, and re

quire in a ingenious Tranlator fich

parts, as fear w hallinget with but
n a very mall Numiber. We muft

not therithink that a manis qualified

to make, for Intance, a good En

: Verion out of French, becaue

----

e has ftayed a year or two, or if

you pleaf, frme years in France,

unles he undertand the very. Cri
ticiim, and Tour of the Language,
which can carce be attained to,

3 :- -

- - - - > i -----------

.
*

**

btt

----

caso
but by thoe who have been bred .
up from their greener years among
the Politet fort

of that Na

tion 3 and befides, havemade good

ufe of their time by writing, pea

king, converfing, reading, and all

fch exercifes as are the fitteft for
acquiring the perfect Knowledge
of any Language. Tis thena piece
of Simplicity in fme Bookfellers to
make their application for the Tran
flating of : Books, to fch as
have been but a year or two in

France, or which isyet worfe, have

never eftirr'd from home 3 tho I -

grant they may by their private

Study undertand in fome mea
fre the French Tongue, yet I
am fure that they never conceive

aright the whole Energy, Pith and

Delicacy of the Phrafe 5 the know
. ledge whereof is fo neceffary, that
without it,the verion cannot but be

very imperfect, and to the difadvan

tage of the Author, Mot ofthoe

hat tranlate Novels being fnfible
:

--

: * --

|-

of

( 229)

of their infifficiency as to this part,

pa by, and fpply what they un
derftand not by fome irregular
Fancy of their own, and fometimes.
not very much fitted for the pur
poe. I conceive then the Ar of
Tranlating to be like unto that of
Portraying. He is a very mean
Painter, who can but repreent the

meer Lineaments, and external

Shape of a Mans Face. The chief

Secret of this Art confifts in draw

ing to life the very Soul it felf; I.

|
|

mean, in repreenting the very Air,

Temper, Humour and Completion.
For a Manis not drawn to Life, un
lefs the mot habitual indifpofition
of his Soul fhine in the Piece. So
I may proportionably fy, to turn
French into flat Englih precifely, is
notbeyond thereach of the meaneft
Capacity; but it is a piece ofharder
work than the unexperiencd are a
ware of, to repreent the Original
to life: This requires, befides a ripe

Judgement, an extraordinaryquick
nefs
-

|-

(230)
ne of the Imagination, with an
eafie andingeniousutterance. And
here I think it is not amit enquire

in which of the two languages the

Tranlatorought to excel, whether
in that he tranlates from, or in

that he tranlates into. I think it

then no paradox to affert a perfet
Knowledge of the former to be

more neceary than that of the lat

-ter: my reafon is, becaue if I under

ffand ever fo well the Tour, for

intance, of the Englih; this will a:
vail me but little, if Icomprehend
not that of the French likewife toge
ther with its whole

or without this fore

owledge

I hall never be able to make a tre

and Natural Copy of the Original, .

how Politely foever I do write in

Englih. For a goodd Englih Wer:

foi confists not in the goine of

the

::::: abolutely confidered

in it felf, but repectively to the O

riginal, which it mut repreent and

equal, if poible; in allSene. - Qii

the

( 231)

the other fide, though I undertand

not fo eminently the Language th
, Verion is doneinto, yet if Ib Ma
| fter of the Language the Orignal is:

written in, I hall be capable oftran-,

| - flating it exatly and well. For in.
this cafe Ihall be fenible of the leaft
|
expreion that hall fall hort of my
Author, and fo with a little more
application, I may reach him at
length by changing the Phrafe or Ex

preifion , which is not very uneafie.

to do, till comparing the Original
with the Copy, I find them nothing.

inferiourto each other, or rather as

near as poibly they can be. A
good Tranlator then, may in fome

repect be as much eteemed, as the

Author himelf: For fure I am that
fometimes the ingenious fort find it,
a harder Task to tranlate, than to,
write, or to invent themelves: be
caue it is eafier , no doubt, to ex-,
prefour own thoughts, thenthof of
other Mens , which are often none

of the clearet.
*- - ----

Their obcurity

may
, , ... - *

( 232)

fometimes prove a lawful excue

for our mitakes, but we can, un

der no pretence, hun a jut and de-

ferved confufion, ifthrough ourown

ignorance we quite abuf and mifre
prent our Authors. I fear he was
of this number who tranlated, Ee

pont Euxine , the Euxine Bridge, in

lieu of the Euxine or Black Sea, be
tween Motis and Tenedos, as alfo
that other, who tranlates thus the

receit of an eminent Phyfitian, Re

pulveris panonici Rubri, &c. take of

the Powder of Red Cloath Two Ouncer,
as if Panonicus was derived from the
Latine Word Pannus, Cloath, and
not from Pannonia, the name of
Country.
z

3. I hall in this place take notice

of what but few perhaps reflet up
on, that as the living Languages of
Europe are but jargons compared to
the Latine, fo all Books done out

of French, Spanih, Italian, &c. in

to Latine by an accurate, and Polite

Pen, and in a true and Natural Style,

-

".

3 TC ,

are always far beyond the Origi

nal: becaue this Language carry
eth along with it a certain Energy
that no other reacheth. I hall give

youa proof of what I fy by tranflating thefe enfuing Verfesto demsn

ftrate to you the wide difference be
tween thoe two Languages. The
Four firt were
Man more

:::::

esteemed by fome than he deferves.

The Anwer was made by an Emi

minent Virtuoo, and a Famous Phi

lofopher, of whom I have fpoken

feveral timesin this Treatif. -

The

|-

: :

(234)
|-

The Deits Plea. . . . .

|-

N: Religioneafie firt, and plain,

|

Tales madeit mytery, offerings made it gain;

Sacrifices, and Feats were at length prepard,

The Priefts eat Roat-meat, and the People fard.

The Christian, Plea: :

-*
-

* *
-

* *

- - -

\TAtural Religin does indeed diplay

The duty offerving God, but mot the way;

Man of himelf, fickle, perverfe and blind,

A Precipice fooner than away could find : _
- what worhip God wfi hav, himelf mfteach,
1.And fo he did by thoe helfent toprach; e
Who Dotrines worthy to be thought Divine, , , ,
-Confirmd by Miracles where his Power difhine;
(And by thfe wonders, infances did give
f things as firange, as they bid usbelieve )
Who profer'd endles joys; but lives requird,
Worthy of Men that to fuch joys afpird ;
Who what they taught, fo much believ'd and priz'd,
Tht for itsfake they all thingsreife difpirry-And both by its ftrit Rules, their lives did guide,.
And to attet its Truths, moft gladly dyd,
And without Arms fubdu'd the World ; fave thofe

Whom to clear Truths (not parts, but) Vice made

-, , Foes.
- * * .

Deifz

( 235 )

~)
-

|
|

- -

Deifni
Defenst. , , s',
I: facilis
Primum, obvia cunstit
.
|-

Religio; fimulac piafra misteria finxit,

Protinus illa pium, fit per pia munera, lucrum,

Wistima cea cadit, convivia opima arantur,

ptima peque vora, populasimf: Sacerdos.

'
|-

|-

-- - -

, Christianimi Defeno. .

.
se -

[Mfita nature pietatfervire Tonanti

: : :
I Religioquejubent : methodum, ed neutra,modunq;
~ Edocet: hanc methodum, null monftrante, modumv

Nen feiaf : malus, & fragilis quoqve, cecu, ubique

Mille modor mortis, pereundi mille Figuras * A * *
venies citius? quan qua ratione colndum A
"$it Peus: ipe modum hunc doceat Deus, ipe docebit
Et docuit, quoties veteres docuere Prophte,
strecneque novi, qua fit ratione colendus,
| Dinin quoiies gracula digna figida .
|- *
.*

Expstere Gregi : tot, que, miracula firmant

- Divine virtutisepur : pregrandibus ipi

... :
-. , e

Zli dista equarentfastis, tam mirapatrarunt

9gam, que, mira, fides docuit : ed et ampla merent

Premia promifere, rgaudia necia finis z :: t.

Gaudia, qne furampostant fine crimine vitam,

Et que perpetuis ad gaudia talia votis
Hinc apirantes deceat, doceatque nepotes :
Quod docuere, fide pariter teniere, fidegue
Do#rine par uque fuit : fed & illius ergo ' .
Sub pede calcarunt tudia n contraria vulgus . . . ;
Quicquid agit, cecique animos ardoribus urget. . ,
Vivendi quoque Norma fides his extitit : ipam . .
*

Sanguine fignarunt leti, dum morte probarent,

Armatumque orbem Gens hec fuperaret inermis,

Hostantum excipias Clarifima

:
!!E C0HfClt
Quos non ingenium, fed mens mueco
ciam1710 Ulf,
- ----- 3 ------2--

* *
-

NOW

Now

(236)
":::
the Original with
-

::

the Verfon, and if you undertand.

the one as well as the other.youhall, .
I doubt not, confes, that the latter

as being more exprefive than the

former,offers to your thoughts a fller Idea ofthe Authors meaning than

they themfelves could expre in
this inferiour Dialet.
. I apprehend then Horace, Virgil,

Ovid,and other Primitive Mafters of

the Latine Tongue to be wrong dand

weakned by theveny bobaranlators,

becaufethey appearnow inaDiguie,

and under a borrowed Apparrel,and
not fo Majetical neither as they
firtappearedin. Yetifweundertake
for the Common Good, fuch fort of
Tranlations,weareto oberve exact-.

ly this one Precept above all others,

to expref, the full Sence of the Author,

without a too fcrupulous regard to
every particular Word and particle,
unles it be judgcd material to the

expreing ofhis intent, and meaning

F I N I S.

Books Printed for, and are to

esta

by John Weld, &c.

1.

He Lives of Illutrious Me

written in Latineby Corne-,

lius Nepos, and done into Englih by `
fveral Hands, 8. the 2d. Edition.

2. Several Dicoures tending to

promotePc ice and Holynefsamongft
Chritians, 8. By Tho. Manton D.D.

3. A Set of Copies of the Round

Hand now in ufe 5 written by john
Calmore in Warwick Street, near Cha

ring Cro, Westminster.

{ --

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B Y
9

|- *

|-

Sir George Mackenzie. || %

L O N D 0 N,

Printed for facob Tonfon at the fudges Head

in Chancery-lane near Fleettreet. 169o.

==

...

-"

--

I
|-

|-

|*ex:
**. *. * ::

==---

For the Honourable

R0 BERT B0 TL, Equire.

Know nothing (Sir), more incon
fiient with right Reafon, or which

deerves more to be Reformd a

mongi Learned men, than their way
f Dedicating Books : And that we
may the better undertand what ought
to be done in this Age, let us look back,
into what was done by the Antients.
The Poets didindeed invoke their

Gds or the Mafes in the beginning of

their Works, but that was rather to

btain their aftance, than to bestow

upon them Panegyricks; but their
praifing the :# was a fafe Subje
in which they could not exceed: And
therefore, though thefe Invocations

"ere the first occafon of writing Dedi

cations toMortals, yet Flattery in this

made them mitake their Model fo

far, that at lafi fome of the Poets did

likewife invoke the Affiance of their

Emperours,

* |

Emperours, as if they had been Gods

as well as Patrons.

Others of the Poets did very anti

ently Dedicate their Works to Men al

fo, as Hefiod who was older than Ho
mer, dedicates or rather addrees his

firt Poem to Perfes ; but 'tis very of

fervable, that he and others in fuch
like Addrees, rather excite the Per

fons to whom they addref to Vertue

and Glory, than magnify them for ha

: attain'dto the perfestion of either

or both. 7 et fome of thefe Poets have
left us Dedications fo excellent, that

they are as little to be imitated as

cenfur'd, fuch as :
Hor. Epifi. 1. Lib. 2.
Cum tot fuftineas & tanta Negocia folus :
Res Italas Armis tuteris: moribus ornes :

Legibusemendes: in publica Commoda peccem,

Si longoSermone morer tua tempora, far.

And others ofthem,fuch as Virgil,

end their Poems with very decent and

delicate Complements, as that which

cloes the 4th Book of his Georgicks,

Hc uper arvorum cultu pecorumq; canebam,
Et fuperarboribus: Cfar dum magnus adaltum
Fulminat Euphratem bello, Victorq; volentes

Per populos dat Jura, viamq; affectat Olympo.

|-

which

which exceed, in my humble Opinion,

the famd and large Dedications of
Grotius and Caufabon.

It was uualamongt the modeff An

tients,to addres their Books to fuch

as they thought able to correi them,

feeking ratherAdvice than Patromage:
And thus Plutarch tells us in the

Life of Lucullus, That Scylla ha

ving wrote an Hitory, fent it to Lu
cullus to be corretted; and areoermaz,
theGreek wordued there,

feems to me to import only adlocutio,

And I think that the Antients have

found Protettion and Patronage even

in thoe Addrees wherein Advice

was fought for; who durft have cen

fur'd, asTully obferves, what Brutus
or Pomponius Atticus approved?
Some alo prefixt modet Prefaces,
wherein they acknowledged the Fa

vours done them, and told the occaion

oftheir Writing, as Vitruvius to Au
gutus ; others did thereafter in imi
ration of the Writers of Tragedies
and Comedies,addres themfelves in
a Prologue, as Valerius Maximus to
A 2.

Tiberius;

Tiberius; and this I think he did

to give his Fancy.fcope, as a Poet, to

praie with the Latitude that Poets

take; for that is the firt Debauch

I find committed of this kind,

for he could not have faid greater
things to a worfe Man.

# /hun which Exces, fomegave to

their Books the Names of the Mufes,as
Herodotus; or of men of great Merit,
as Plato did in his Socrates, or Tully
in Llius,c. orele omitted all Ad
drees, as Thucidides, Livy, Saluft,
or at mot extended not their Addref

fes beyonda mere Compellation, fuch

as that in St. Luke to Theophilus,

by which poibly may be meant any

Chritian under this appellativeName,
rather than a particular Patron or
Friend, as fome Books are now addref
fed to the Chritian Reader, in imi

tation it may be of him ; for 'tis ob

fervable that the Church-men imi

tated this Kenra esipiae, of St. Luke,

and thus Origen dedicates his Book
again/?Celfus,with this Compellation,
eixs: Aggestas : And Euebius names.
his

his Patron estan six est.

At lat the word Dedication was

brought in by Flattery, and Books

were dedicated to Men in imitation of
their dedicating Temples,Statues,and
other things to the Gods ; nor did this
extravagant way of exceive praifing
ever appear till the World was under
Tiberius corrupted in all its Morals.

This depraved Cutom was alo much

heightned by the Panegyricks.made by

Pliny to Trajan, and by Euebius to
the Great Conftantine, who thought
that they might more juffly praie the
good than others might impiousEmpe
rours, tho' I am afraid the Eloquence
which charms us in thoe two Dicour

fes, hall never he able to account for

the ill Example they have given.
My defign in allthis is to/hew,7hat
we can as little jutify our Flattery by
the Prattice of the Antients as b the

Principles of Reaon, by whichthey al

ways regulated their Eloquence; And
therefore it feems tome, that Dedica
tions/hould be brought back to the an
tient Model, either of a naked Com
pellation

pellation which fatisfes abundantly.

Friendhip, or of acknowledging Fa
vours which fatisfes gratitude, or of
exciting the perfons to whom we write,
to deferve thoe praifes which are now
mot unjutly betow'd upon them,which
is a Chritian Duty. And I cannot but
oberve three very ill Confequences

which arife maturally and necearily

from cur late Dedications; the frft is,
That they learn men to lye and flatter,

and Cutom hath almot legitimated

this Crime, and made it a Duty Se

condly, They have poifon'd the very .

Fountains of Truth Jo far, that Pote

rity can hardly ditingnih betwixt
thofe who have deferv'd well or ill,

Flattery thinking always ft to fupply

by its exceive praies, what is wanting
in due merit ; and therefore by how
much their Patrons deferve ill, they

prafefo much the more, and the on

ly mark of Vertue in an Authoror Me

rit in a Patron now is, that there is

no extraordinary thing faid in an

Addres to the one by the other;

who can believe an Author/peaks truth
1#

in his Bok, wh yes and flatters in

its very beginning; or that a patro,
has any modesty or common Jene,who

Juffers himelf to be fo impoed upon ?

If the Patron believe what the An

ther/Bys, he must be a faol; and if he

believes him mot, he

muff think the

Authorone; and/nce they who lye im

probably;are thought fools in allthings

ee, why not in this too, in which they

exceed the mot Romantick Trave.

lers, for they only would impoe on us

in things which ve know we; ut the/

in things wherein we cannot zur dico
ver them ? and I wonder why they do
not as well praife the Fench Wing for

having foundout America,or for hav

ing vanqui/ht Alexander th Great,

as for thofethings which they of late

aferibe to him in their Dedications.
Thirdly, Our late Dedication

have

really corrupted the Eloquence

of the

48%; fr whereas the true ornaments

f Plequence are to be natural amai.

fntin expreingour Thoughts,

thee

Dedications have blown ou fiyle into

a ympany, andhave ruined #2an.

ral

.*

ral Beauty by fulfome and ill placed

auhing Paints: Which

fxt d : made Chryippus, as

:::::::::.
Laertius
us, de
#: yr i- cry
_all tells
Dedications

:::::::

to Kings and Prin

aaay

ces, left they hould en

tice men to Flattery;

wesztprnar

but this were to run from

one Exce/s to another.

I Deign, Sir, nothing in this Ef

fay, but to hold out a Lanthorn to thoe
who are ready to plit on a Rock; and
I wih rather that this may be one of
the Works that may follow me,

than one of thoe that may bring

me Reputation : And I fend this
to you as Lucullus did to Scylla
for Correstion ; er as Cicero did

to Atticus, as a token of our Friend

fhip, and of my jut eteem of your
Piety and Learning.
|

G. M. -

** ~==

== ~

~~~~

PART I
How weakly Men reaon in
matters of greatei Impor
fance.

TT may eem a bold Underta

king in any man to owne

right Reaon in this Age, it

being the declared Enemy of
9ur interefts and inclinations, for

it may poibly excite man to re

fle upon what the World and

himelf does, and fo inpire him

with thoughts contrary to thoe
Which are generally received, and

that is the only unpardonabl Er

rour.

It may likewife feem ridi

culous to think, that there is any

Common Standard of Reaon a
-

A 2

mongt

[ 4 ]
mongt men, fince that charms
in one Country, which is abhor

red in others, and the very ima

ginary, lines which divide Kingdoms, feem likewife to divide their

way of thinking, and to make a

different Geography in the Reaon
which they adore, as well as in
the Earth on which they tram

ple ; every Age of the World has

almot had a different way of rea

foning, and every Age in Man

fuggets to him contrary thoughts,
in the preent he condemns what

himelf formerly admird : So lit

tle influence has it upon the beft

refind Judicatures and Aemblies,

that the mot infallible Church

men, the mot learned Judges, |

and the mot zealous Patriots muft

truft to Voting, becaue they can

not to Reaoning, and they are
by this likewife fo often miled,
that it may be expeted men will

one day agree to decide matters

by the fewet Votes, as the wifer
-

\,

have

[ 5 ]
have always told us, that Votes
are rather to be weighed, than

;
;

i
#
|
z

numbred. It has often grieved

me, that men could gues the de
ciion and determination of any
point to be debated, before they
heard the Reaons to be produced
upon either fide, and to hear thm

i laugh at fuch as trufted to the

e folidity of the Reaons they were
g to produce, being fully convinced
3 - that the point would be determined by Intereft, and not by Rea-

fon. The Inka of Peru was much

in the right, when he regreted, s

that his Predeceors had not obliged him to worhip a reafonable

Man; yet his choice in this had
been unfuccesful ; for it would
have been as hard to have found
him , except he had believed his
Prieft, who had undoubtedly told
him he was the man. And thoT
believe not that French Phyician
who affures us, he found in his
Travels a Nation that differed al

[ 6 ]

together from us in our way of

reafoning, as if God defign'd to
fhew Mankind that his Omnipo
tency is not tyed in this to any

known meaures; yet I fee, even

amongt our felves, that Conve
niency (the gentler name of A

varice) Pride, Revenge, Bigotry,

Education, and every thing elfe
pas for Reafon, except Reaon it
felf, which makes me oft-times cry
out, Is this that noble Creature for
med after the Image of God, for
phom Chrit dyed, and who is to be

Co-beir with him of his everlaffing

Kingdoms. All which notwith
ftanding it is undeniably true, that
there is fomething in man more
fublime than can be afcribed to
fleh and blood, that dull matter
could never inpire him with thefe

penetrating; fubtil, comprehenfive,

generous, and elevated thoughts,
which made the Pagans believe,
that his Soul was particula Divin
Natur, a parcel of that fame Di
|

[7]
vine Subtance of which the Gods

were formed, and that men fo

qualified were demi-Gods, and

God Almighty himelf has by a
furer Revelation revealed to us,
that this Noble Soul was formed

after his Image, and it was mot

confequential that God who is in
finite, being to communicate him
- elf to fome of his Creatures, to
the end his Greatnes and Good

nefs might be known to them, he

hould in drder to this breathe in

to them fomewhat that might

comprehend, at leaft, fome Ideas

of that infinite Perfetion ; and

therefore it was neceary that the
Soul hould be an image of what
was infinite, and that we might
undertand this from fome exte

riour and fenfible repreentations

and things, he has formed his very
body (the Casket, wherein that
Noble Jewel is kept) after a very
wonderful manner, thus by mall

and interceptible Rays darted in

|-

A 4

tO

[8 ]

to his Eye, the repreentations of

the vaft Hemiphere, are imprin
ted fo on that little Tablet, that

it eems as great and diftint there,

as in the Original ; all he ever

heard is laid up in his memory,

as diftintly as-Papers in a Ca
binet. And almot by the fame

motion of the Tongue ; or at

leaft, without any tudied va

riation, vaft numbers of delicate

words, or harmonious founds,

do, in a way unknown, and

unperceptible by Fleh and Blood,

fally out in mighty Swarms and

Armies, which paffing thus un

dicovered, through the Air, en

ter at many thouand Ears i

the fame Figure, Ranks, and

Files, wherein they were at firt

fpoke; and there, in a piritual

way, they charm fome, and en

rage others; they animate fome,

and difcourage others ; working
almot as great varieties as they
bring.

*"Divine

[ 9 ]

Divine Widom alo forefeeing

that Intereft would perfwade men
to pull all to pieces, whilft cach

drew all to himelf, he impret up

on this Soul common Principles,
which even thoe mut reverence

who neglet them, and therefore

they err, not in the rule, but in
the application, and cheat them

felves by Subterfuges, the recur

ring to which infers necearily,
that thee Principles are fubmitted
to by the mot ftubborn,and fome

what repeted by the wildet in

fublunary matters ; and yet in
what concerns our immortal Souls,
and eternal ftate, we are more

negligent, as will appear too lear

ly by thee following Particulars
which I have claffed according to
their different inferences.
I have oft-times admird to fee
|

men bufied about nothing,fave ex

ternal andfenual Objects; but it

is yet tranger to find , that. a
that
mongt fuch as are<- convincid,
KnoW
*

* A

[ ro J
Knowledge is as much to be pre
ferrd to all other things, as the
Soul is to the Body ; there are
yet fome fo fenual, even in this
point, that the knowledge they
feek after is but a meer delicate

fenfuality. Mathematicians confi

der chiefly how to meaure Bo

dies, Phyicians how to know and

cure men, as Souldiers do how

to detroy them. But the tudy

of Chritian Morality (which has
for its Objet the Soul of Man

heightned by the Chritian Reli

::

teaching him how to un

ertand the duty of that Soul to

God) is too much negleted, as
a thing obvious and eafie : Where
as when our Saviour came into the

World, he neither taught Mathe

maticks, Medicine, nor Phyiolo
gy, tho' all thee were much con
fidered in that Age wherein he
affumd our Nature ; and he could
have made himelf as much ad

mird by clearing myfterious

, [ rr ]
doubts in thee, as by working
-

Miracles; but he paffing by all

thee as lefs ueful Notions, and

fuch as too frequently divert and

ditrat,rather than inform; he de
| clares he was come to make Man

happy, and begins his Minitry

by an admirable Sermon on the
Mount, whereby, in order to the
making him happy, he teaches
him to reafon rightly upon his
duty to God and Men : and it is

ftrange, that we hould think dull

matter is able to afford more no

ble Contemplations, than that fubtle, that fublime, that vaft, and
that nimble Soul, which retains

fo far the Image of its Maker, as

to be infcrutable in all its facul
ties :

and Oh what wonderful

Springs and Motions, what va

rious windings and flights, what
boundles and new Spheres and
Worlds are there in his Refleti

ons, and what things are daily

faid, and Volumes written on the

[ 12 1
Love to Women, which is but the

excurion of one of them. Our

difeafes cannot conceal themfelves

being tyed to matter, but the dif

eafes of our immortal Souls are fo

concealed by Self-love, which

loves to cover its own imperfeti
ons, and to hide its own retreats,

that they are paft finding out;

and if a little Microfcope can dif
cover to the Eye new and trange
things in Objets that have been
daily feen, without being confide
red for many Ages; what won
derful dicoveries

may ferious

thinking men make in fo immenfe

an Objet that has been fo much

negleted ? epecially fince the

thoughts of Man do change and
vary themfelves into as many
fhapes, and give themfelves as
many colours as they pleafe : and

every Duty, or Errour is really a

different Objet as they are in
conjuntion with, or in oppoition

to one another; whereas all other

Objets

I 13 ]
Objects are incapable of fuch Va
riations either from themelves or
others : And tho God has de

fign'd to be known in his Works,

yet he eems on purpoe to have
made the knowledge of them fo
unfearchable to Natural Philofo.

phers, and the fucces fo little able

to reward or honour their Endea

vours, to the end they might the

more relih Moral Philoophy,
which is then only uncertain when

like the other it grows more a Sci

ence than a Duty.
,
In my reafoning I will ue the

Forms prefcribd by God himelf

in his holy Scriptures; wherein
when he would convince man of
his Folly, Sin, or Ingratitude, he

argues with him from his own

conceions, in thee cafes, or his
own pratice, on all other occafions : As for inftance, when he

fends Nathan to David, he asks

him what the Man deerv'd, who

having great Herds and Flocks.

[ 14 ]
of his own, took a poor Man's
Lamb out of his Bofom ? And

David, having in great anger

fworn that he hould die, Na
than then tells him, it was his

cafe, and condemns him from

his own mouth : And God fays

to his People, who acknowledgd
him to be their Lord and Fa

ther, but walk'd not fuitably to

their acknowledgment. If I be
a Father, where is mine Honour,

and if I be a Maffer, where is

my Fear ? Malach. 1. 6. He calls
to them, Iai. I. 18. Come, let us

reafon together; and admiring the

unreafonablenes of unthinking
Man, he appeals to the Heavens
and Earth, Hear, 0 Heavens,

and give ear, O Earth, for the

Lord hath poken ! I have nou
rihed and brought up Children,
and they have rebelled againt me ?

The Ox knoweth his Owner, and

the A/S, his Maffers Crib : But

Irael doth not know, my People

da

[ 15 ] .

do not confider ! And in the fe

veral Gopels, we find our blef.

fed Saviour, after the fame man

ner, confuting the Jews, and con

vincing all his Hearers. Nor do

I find o much delicate reafoning
in any of thoe Books, highly
eteemd by our Men of Sene,
who flight too much that admi
rable one, which God himelf
owns as his facred Word : And
I admire cur Saviour, as much

for his Reafonings as for his Mi

racles.

Thus when he would con

vince Men of the folly of care

ing immoderately for the things
of this World, he asks them,

What profit hall it be to gain

all the World, that foon perihes,
if they lofe their own Soul,
which is Immortal ? And which

of you, (ays our Lord) by taking

thought, can add one cubit to his
fiature And urges them, not to
fear want, becaufe, if they who

are finful know how to provide

[ 16 ] .
for their own Families , how
much more fhall your Father,
which is in Heaven, know how

to provide for you, if ye be

his Children ? Behold, (fays our
blefied Maker) the Fowls of the

air, for they fow not, neither do

they reap, yet your Heavenly Fa
ther feedeth them ; are not you
much better than they ?

For etablihing this my Po

fition, it is fit to confider, that
fuch as are reafonable, endea

vour to fhew it in the greatet

concerns; and it implies a want,
or weaknes of Reaon, to be ex
at and delicate in inconfidera

ble and filly things, and yet to

err and be careles in matters of

greatet conequence : And who

would not laugh at an Ambaf
fadour or a General, who would

value himelf upon his Dancing

or Playing upon the Lute, , be
ftowing upon thee Exercifes the

time due to his King, Country,

anr

[ 17 ]
and Negotiations ; which makes
me admire, why in this foolih
Age, we call thee Men of good .
Senes, and trong Spirits, who
can criticife Virgil, fuvenal, Livie,
Zacitus, or it may be, underftand
-

the Mathematicks, or Converfa

tion ; whilft we are convinc'd,

that albeit they believe there is

a God, yet they mind him not,
and care les for their Souls than

they do for any of their ordi

nary recreations, tho they are
forc'd to tremble at its ill condi- .

tion, when they begin to con

fider it.

One of the things which

prompted me to write this Book,
was the reading of a French Trea
tife, De la fuieffe, wherein, tho
he made me expet great mat
ters, by promifing to learn us
to think juftly ; yet it only
taught how to chule true Epi- . .
thets, or undertand Criticims,
and uch trivial knacks : But,
alas,

[ 18 ]

alas, it is more to be regreted,

that Men hould have the fenf

to laugh at others, for not ha

ying confidered the Plot and de

fign of their Plays ; whifft ma

ny who pas for refind Wits,
Want one in their whole life;
and where the want of it is not

only a greater hame, but is of

greater anger, fince a Man can

not err here without being rui

ned to all eternity : And one

of thee great Wits, without a

folid deign in his life, appears

to me, like a glorious, first-rate

Ship , magnificently equippd,

richly gilded, and abundantl

provided of all neceries ; but
becaue it wants a Rudder, and

a skilful Pilot, fiutuating in a

great Storm, and near a dan
gerous Shore, on which it is dri
Ven with violence, threatend by
the Wind, and overflown by the
Billows; fometimes fhatter'd by

one Rock, and fometimes by another,

\,

[ 19 ]
.
nother, till at laft it finks down

irrecoverably info an unfathom

able and dreadful Abys.

Whe

ther then is the Owner of this

Ship, who looks on unconcern
edly, and perhaps, would not
leave his Whore, Game, or Sup

per ; or that Poet, who wrote

his Play without a Plot, mot to
be contemn'd ? Yet he who has

no deign to fave his immortal

Soul from endlefs torments, is a
much greater Fool than either;
which recommends to me the

fenfe of a Wifer, tho a Heathen

Poet, on this fubjet, and which
I wih the whole Tribe would

feriouly confider.
Dicite, miferi, & cauas cognofcite rerum,
Quid fumus, & quidnam viuri gignimur, ordo.
Quis datus, aut met quam mollis flexus & unde.
Quis modus argento, quid fas optare, quid afper.
Utile nummus habet : ptrie carique propinquis
Quantum elargiri deceat : quem te Deus eff

ffit & humana qua parte locatus es in re.

It is a pleaant thing to hear

US

I ao l
us admire Men, for confidering
exatly the Anatomy, Specialities,
and Natures of Fihes, ^ Fowls,

Flies, and other Infets ; and yet

never confider whence them

felves came, whither they are
going, or what is their duty
whilft they remain here. And
I wonder why we hould think
it juft, to look upon Men in

Bedlam, tho' they be very rea

fonable in many things, if they
be very ditrated in any one;
as I know one, who feemd a
dicreet Perfon, and could con
vere mot pertinently in every

thing, till they poke of the Moon;

but upon hearing that nam'd,
fell inflantly a taring, and into
great extravagancies, ; believing

himelf to be Secretary to the

Moon : And others will be dif
creet enough, till you mention
the name of fuch a Man or Wo

man ; and yet we do not con

clude

fuch

mad and ditrated,

who,

[ 21 ]

who, tho' they undertand to

meaure Heaven, never defign to
enter into it; and who can e
loquently convince Men of eter

nal Torments, and fright them

from the wicked coure which

lead to thefe , , and yet ruine.

themelves on the precipices a
gaint which they guard others.
And

who would not think a

Phyician mad, for all his skifl,

if after he had made a learned

difcourfe, to prove a liquor to be

Poifon, he hould drink it off

himelf; and yet more, if he

would not take an Antidote, tho

ready, and which he knew would

fecure him.

I hall but lightly touch that

ridiculous ad impudent extrava
gance of
who, rather pre
tending to Vreafon, than having
it, take pains to perfwade them

felves and others, that there is not

a God, whilft even the fubtilty

which they ufe, when they are .

|-

endea

[ 22 ]

endeavouring to prove this their

Affertion, does necearily prove

his Being : It being impoible,

that Matter and Chance, (their

great Idols) could forge and po

lih fuch fubtile notions : And

how can they imagine, that fince

their own little Affairs could not

be mariaged without forefight and

condu, that yet this Great and
Glorious Univerfe, which com
prehends fo many Millions, fuch

as they, hould be fo exatly

and juftly governed, by blind
Chance ? If there were no Men
fillie and humorous Af

but the

ferters of this Opinion, I hould

be afham'd to bring Man as an

inftance of the Power and Wif
dom of God :

Let us then con

fider this Creature, formd of I

know not what, fed, breathing,

and growing in the Womb, we

know not how; but from thoe

depicable beginnings, one rifes

in a fhort time, to meaure the
-

Heavens,

[ 23 ]
Heavens, to calculate their Mo
-

tions, and to imitate their Light

| ning and Thunder; another does

||

for his own Glory, form fuch

Models of Religion as feduces, and

draws after him Millions of Men,

contrary to their former Interefts,

as well as former. Inclinations :

A Third, by his Skill, Condu, .

and Courage, makes even the
remoteft Countries of the World

to tremble, overturning, and con

founding that World, whereof
he is fo mall a part : And a
:

Fourth, by drawing weetly, and

ently together very ditant and

:::::: reflections, and thoughts,

which come readily, as it were,

upon his call, from their fevera

repofitories, forms an Harangue,
or a Poem, which pleaes or tor

ments the hearers irrefftably, as

they have commiion from their
Author ; it being harder to refft

them than to make them: Can

fo

[ 24 ]
fo regular things be acribd to
wild Chance,

or fuch fubtile

things to dull Matter, which by its

Nature,moves necearily and with
out choice? The bet contriv'd Ma
chine can only repeat ; but Man
chufes his own thoughts, and va

- ries or changes them as he pleafes.

. .

I defire our Wits to confider,that

every thing which they fee, or

know, is fo marvelloufly fitted to

fome ufe, that as they could not
be wanted, fo they cannot be
contrived better : And it is ridi

culous to anwer with Epicurus,

(who, tho he denied Providence,

yet denied not a Deity) that thefe
things were not made for thee
ufes, as we pretend, but were, in
proces of time, made ue of to
thee ends by Wit or Neceity :

For even Bruits do immediately

after they are brought forth, run
to thoe things which they need,
*

with

H=mm=

[ 25 ]

with greater exatnefs than Man

could teach them; and how could

Men, by Reaon, make every

thing ueful, if fo infinite a Being
did not diret and upervie their
almoft infinitely various Neceffi

ties and Defigns, and intrut them, .

by the ufe of Thinking, (that

wonderful Engine) to accommo

date every, thing to its true ufe.

The next thing I recommend to

them, is to confider that all the

Principles of Jutice and Govern

ment, without which, the World

could not fubfift, depend upon

the belief of this infinite Being ;
for how could I convince a Man

without this, that it were not

fit to poyfon his Brother for an
Etate; or his Prince, when he

thought that by that he might

tep into his Throne; which oft

times might be done covertly

enough, to ecape the punifhment
of Laws, if they could that of
Confcience: Nor is it of any force
-

tO.

[ 26 ]

to tell us, that Politicians have

only invented this for their own
conveniency, fince even this an

fwer prefuppoes that there was

a pre-dipoition on the Spirits
of Men, to receive and ubmit to
this impreion, which is an un
anfwerable proof of its truth ;

and this trick had not been long

believ'd, had it been only fuch ;
nor could their inventions fecure

us againt private Treachery, tho

it could againt open Force; nor
can I omit to obferve from this

anwer, how unfit thee Men

would be to govern others, and
how unfufferable they are under
all Governments ; who thus ex
poe to contempt that which they

confes to be the great Engine

of Government. I might fike

wife urge the confent of all Na
tions, which, by how much they
became the more polihd and ci- .

vilizd, do fo much the more ret

on this belief. The ertainty that
-

has

t 27 J
has arifen from Preditions which
are above Nature, and the won

erful Effets wrought by Mira

cles, even againt it, are confirm'd

to us, by the unerring tetimony

ef thoe Senes, which our

- theifts make the only and fure
tet of Knowledge. And do not
we perceive, that that light of
:

Reaon, which by contant and

-

:
reflections, in time,
ifcoverd, overcame, and baffled
every Cheat and Errour ; has
notwithtanding, more fully fixd,

acertain'd, and clear'd the Being

of a God, whoe Power affords

us fuch Protetion; and whoe

Providence affords us fuch beau

tiful and pleaant Contemplati
ons, that to love that life, with
eut believing his Being, is to be
without that Sene and Wit which

. thee wild Scepticks pretend to ;

who, whilft they fhun to be mi
ferable, make themelves fo, and
whilft they pretend to pas for
*

B 2

wits,

' >,

[ 28 I

Wits, demontrate themelves to

be Fools, and Brutih. I purpoe
ly avoid the proof of this by

Metaphyical Arguments, becaue

God's own way of proving it, is,

by defiring us to confider, the

Sun, Moon, and Stars, and the
other Objets which are obvious

to all Men; for it was fit, that

what was to be univerfally be

liev'd, s hould be inferr'd from

what was univerally feen: And .
fuch as undertand not thoe Me
taphyical Notions, are apt to

believe that there is a defign to

impoe upon them.
:

But fince our curiofity mut be

always fomewhat fatisfied with

Arguments raied above Sene,

I hall offer this one: It cannot

be deny'd, but that there is fome

thing in Man that can compare

two or more different things,

fuch as, Whether the pain of th
Head or the Leg be greatet ?
- -^
|

And

|-

[ 29 ]

And that this cannot be done by

any thing that is material, is

very clear; for if fo, it muft be
done by fomething that touches

at once both the things to be

compared, and no material thing
can do that in the fame points;

and if it be in different points,

then it cannot judge of the dif
ference Lbetwixt the two ; for
they muft be touched in omc common : point, elfe there can *
be no i application of the mate

rial Judge, to both, at the fame

judgment

time :: And if this

mut be made by fomething in

Man that is immaterial, and fo
is able to extend its indiviible

felf to both the things te be

compared;

then it necearily .

- follows, that this mut be a Spi

rit; for there can be nothing im
material bur a Spirit ; and if

we can once comprehend a Spi

rit, we can never deny there is.

a God : For the hardeft

*'

::::
tilat

[ 3o ]
that are objeed againt his Be
-

ing, are thoe which ftrike a

gaint the Being of Spirits in ge
neral.

Becaufe few

or non "are re

ally ditrated by this kind of

Madnes, tho' they could wih

they were, by fmothering their

Reaon with Illuions, that they
may cover their Crimes to them

felves, with the hopes of Impu

nity, I haften to another kind
of unreafonable Men, who, tho
they acknowledge there is a God,
do yet, by a deplorable negli
gence, little mind how to pleafe
and obey him.

And that I may

enforse upon my Reader, the

weaknes of their Reaonings, I
wih any of us would think,
that if a Society of Men were

Shipwrackd upon, or fent Prifo

ners to an unknown Ile, were
it not mot unreafonable for them,

to fit Reading: Dicourfing,

or

Gam

[ 31 ]
Gaming, and not to think who
were Mafters -of that Ile, and
how they might live in it; and
if they learnd that it belongd

|-

to a great Prince, who had ab

folute power of Life and Death,

were it not unreafonable, not to

defire to obtain his friendhip

But much more to reje it, if
he offer'd it with Riches and

Preferment, upon no other con

dition, fave that they would attend
at his Court, love him, and not .

wrong one another? But this is

our condition in a muh ftrong
er cafe ; for we are here in a

World created by God Almighty,

in which he can kill and pre
ferve, not the Body only, but

the Soul too; nor for fome time

only, but for ever; nor requires
he any harder condition of us, .
- than that we would love the

Lord our God with all our Hearts,

and our Neighbours as our felves;

which are fo

far from being hard

B-4,

Leflons, .

[32 ]

Leffons, that one would think

we could not but take great de

light in them, if they were not

prefcribd to us as our Duty: For
if a Man be admird once for

his great Courage, Condu, or

Learning, who would not be

pleasd with being allow'd to
converfe with

him ?

Who a

mongt us would not have taken

pains to have been lovd by C
far, as his Friend, but more, as
his Son ? But if Cfar had been

as expert a Mathematician as he
was a Souldier, and could have

burnt his Enemies Ships, like

Archimedes ; if he had invented.

Gun-powderfor his Magazins, and

found out the whole new World,
as well as conquerd a confide
rable part of the old: How much
more would we yet have eteemd

him : And to proceed further, if

this: Cfar could either have favd

his own life, by knowing the

fecrets of, or by killing alone
all

|-

[33 ]

all his Affaffinates, or prolongd

for many hundreds of years
that of his Servants ; we hould
yet more have rejoyced in his
Service and Adoption : But what
is all this to the Infinite Perfeti

on of the Great King of Kings,

whoe Servants, Friends, nay, and
adopted Sons we may be ? He

it is who governd Car, as

he does the Flies or Ants, who,
|

with - one

word made Cfar,

and all the Wrld, whereof he

conquerd only a part, which he

was notable to retain. By whoe
skill, the Heavens were ftretch

ed out, in which, 'vain Cfar`s

greatet Ambition was to be a

little Star: Who not only knows,
but in one moment, governs all
the various, and almot infinite

thoughts and deigns of Angels,

Men, and Devils ; and who forces

them all, how contrary foever

to one another, to agree in the
B5

great

r 34 ]
great

defigns he

has in

govern

ing the World.

Who would not rejoyce to .

ferve a Mafter, that knew when

he were innocent, and who, as

he is exatly jut to his Ser

vants, fo could not be imposd

upon by others, to their preju

dice; and tho even fwarms of

Witneffes combined againt them,

could fee through the Mifts
that they threw up , which
no Earthly Mafter, how jut fo
ever, can do ? But fuch is our

Heavenly Mafter, who can alo

not nly enrich us when we are
poor, and cure us when we are
fick; but can tame our Paffions,

illuminate our Ignorance, trength

en our Inclinations, fweeten our
Tempers, and make all thefe Joys
compleat, by the removal of all
Fears or Jealoufies that can end

or lefen them. Can we give a

ny reaonable account, why we,
|-

hould

[ 35 ] "

hould be careful to keep the

Road exatly, if we knew there
were great Precipices on every
hand, into which whoever fell,
were irrecoverable; and yet know

ing, that in our voyage to E

ternity, there are Precipices that .
lead to dreadful Pits of Fire and

Brimftone, kindled by the wrath

of an angry God: We notwith:

ftanding, go on carelefly, laugh

ing at fuch as admonih us, and

minding little trifles, which we

are convind will pleae no long

er than we poes them.

How falfly do we reafon, in
reflecting on our felves and c
thers For we think them mad

who endeavour not to get them

felves cur'd, when they find they
are tormented with Gout and

Gravel ; yet who amongt us is

at any pains, fo much as to feek
remedies for his Paffions and Vi-

ces, which of all other Dieaes

-

-|

, tOrmeflt

[ 36 ]
torment us mot :

And if we

heard a Fellow in Livery, value

himelf upon the Richnes of his
Suit, would we not efteem him

an airy and foolih Creature ? But

if we aw a Man who were con

demned, and going to the Scaf

fold, admire himelf, and talk of
his Power and Glory, would we
not conclude him diftrated? And

yet this is the true State of a

Vain and Glorious Monarch, who
has nothing but what he has re

ceivd from an Infinite. God, who

can recal it when he pleaes ;
and who, whilft he talks of his

Glory and Greatnefs, is by that

God condemnd to die, as irre
deemably, as muft the meaneft
Slave, over whom heinfults. And

fince we would laugh at a vain

Coxcomb, who, whilft he were

entertaining his friends in his Ma

fter's houfe, as if it were his own,
were taken out of it by the ears,
and forc'd to tremble under the
lafh;
*

[ 37 1
lah; how ridiculous muft we con
clude Belhazzar (and which is the
cafe of too many other great Men)

who whilft he was feafting all his

Nobles, and perwading them of
His independance, was feized by
an irrefitable horrour which hak'd
him all to pieces.
I doubt not for all this but Lear

ned men will think they may juft

ly value themelves on their own

great Parts and Skill ; and you

may read long Letures made by
them on this Subjet ; but how
unreafonable are they in this, fince

thee Endowments are given them

- as external things are given to
others ; and a School-Boy may
more juftly admire himelf, be
caue he can repeat excellent lines
made by another : or a man, becaue the borrowed Furniture, that
he would make us believe to be

his own, were within, and not

without doors, or were finer than

-

|-

that

[38 ]

that borrowed ftuff which ano

cher had, whom he depis'd.

If

two poor men hould borrow, the

one ten, and the other a thoufand

pounds, the difference of the bor

rowed Summs - hould not ceafe

to leave both of them equally

poor. But he is really a wife and

reaonable man, who knowing

that what he has is borrowd, en
deavours not to boat of it as his

own, but to repay as much as he

can the Intereft to the true Owner
for the Loan. Let us then con

clude this Period with the Apo

ftle's jut reafoning, I Cor. 4. 7.

For who maketh thee to differ from

another ? and what haft thou that

thou did? not receive Now if thou

did/t receive it, why doff thou glory

assif thou hadff not received it ?
Being once in company with a .
great Wit, who feeing two poor
Chair-men weat in carrying a

gros corpulent vain Fellow; he

cryd

[39 ]

cryd out, that he had rather be

hangd than ferve fomeanly fuch a
Rogue. Whereupon I told him he
was doing a meanerthing, in bear

ingup the Extravagancies ofa vio

lent and tyrannous Statefman, to

pleae whoe extravagant humour,

had feen him fweat more than

thefe poor men did ; who had alo

in this the advantage of him, that

they did fo to get bread for their

Family, whereas he did the other
to feed that Ambition and Avarice

which tended to detroy him

felf.
#

. .

Man's unreafonablenes appears

alo in the unfuitablenes of the
Means he ufes, to the Ends he pro

poes to himelf. Who would not

think him a Fool, who would en

deavour to cure a mad Dog by

putting a golden Collar about his

Neck ? Or who would think to

cure a Fever in a man by betow

ing a great Office on him? But

ATC

[ 4o ]

are not men fuch Fools, when they

think they can quiet their Paffions
by Riches, or their Minds by ad
vancement ? Spiritual diftempers
are to be curd by piritual means,

and as the finet Thoughts cannot

feed the body, fo neither can the

greatet Riches, or any other ex

ternal thing fatisfie the immaterial
Soul.

If I were defirous to get Pre

ferment, would not I endeavour
to pleae him from whom I were

to expet it, and not his Enemies?

but tho we fay that we expet,
or at leaft wih to be Favourites

to God Almighty, and to be by

him happy for ever ; yet we pend
not our time in obeying him, but
in ferving openly and affiduouly
the World, the Devil, and our
own Lufts, which are his declar'd
Enemies ; and that too fo refo
lutely, that any reafonable man

cannot upon confidering our ai

ons, but conclude; That either we , !

J

card

4: ]
, car'd not for what he could give,
or elfe that we were fubtle enough

to cheat him, or trong enough to

over-power him. .
..

.;

', :

-,

If a man were going to live in

another Country, would he not
endeavour to accutom himelf to

the Cutoms of it, and to carry

with him things that were ueful,

in that Country? And, would wei

not laugh at him, if he pent his
time in building and adorning
that Inne which he were to
leave? But this is our condition;
who betow all our thoughts om

the things of this World, from

which we hould expe to remove
every moment, and in which we
cannot tay long. : .
It is mot trange that men, to
fecure themfelves againt Fortune,
hould put themelves more and .
more into its power : For the re-:

medies we ufe are to grow richer

-

and .

[42 ]
and greater, and nothing ubjeis
us more to accidents than thefe

d ; for it is for thefe that men

are purued, and detroyed, and
they are oftner crimes than de

God has promifed, that if we

feek we /hall fd, if we knock

it hall be opened ; fo that Prayer

is the true way to attain to what
is defirable: and men may pray
fecurely at their own Bed-fide, or
in walking about their own Field.
But yet men will leave this fure, .
fafe, and eafie way; and fail to
the Indies amidft torms, and tra

vel through the Defarts of Arabia

amongft Thieves, to get unnecef
fary Riches ; expoe themfelves
to Cannons, and watch in Camps

toget Honours, truting the Seas,

Winds, and Cannons more than
their own kind and merciful Fa

ther, who made and governs all

thee.
-

when
:

( 4; }

- When we have Children, we

are very defirous to leave themi

well fecurd, , and confequently:

provide them. Eftates; but tho,
we take pains to breed our Colts;

and Hawks, we take no painsin

teaching our Children their duty,
to their Mafter, as we do thoe

Beafts ; and probably by notibe

ing bred to a juft way of reaonel

ing, they may loe by one extra
vagance all that we have leftthem,

or at leaft live unhappily in not

knowingshow.xto ue it aright|
And the fame:Pavents:which .
would beftow their. Eftates to free .

their Children from burning for a

month in a Fever, will, to get
them a little addition to that fame:

ftate, breed them fo, as may oc

cafion their burning to all Eter
nity.

If any man were guilty of Cri

mes, and fo needed the King's
Pardon, would we not think him
a meer Brute, if he hould
"

int:
O

[44 ] .

offeekingit earnetly and fincere

ly, run up and down railing at him,
and reviling his Laws ? Yet mot
of our Wits, who have indeed

more guilt than wit, and are not

fure what moment they fhall be
damn'd for ever, make it their

: rather:anport, to treat
in ridicule his Divine Majesty and
Laws i to : frii'r pr t : : :
- Let us a little examine the ur-

reaonablenes of mens arguing in

matters of Honour, o wherein tney

pretend to befo exatyi and deli

cate; i and we hall be convinc'd

how weak their Reaon is.

. .

And in the firt place, would

not right Reaon ditate to us, that

thoe things are fitteft formen of
Honour, which are mot approv'd
and recommended by that Judge

whom all acknowledge to underftand beft what is great, glorious,

and jut ? Who would believe any
thing to be honourable for a Soul
dier, which Car or Marehal
Turennt

[ 45 ]

Turenne had condemned as unjut

and mean? And if this Rule hold,
z we muft conclude, That it is the

* Almighty God, the Glorious Ma

ker of Heaven and Earth, and of
the heart of man, and not the in

folent Courtier, the huffing He

tor, or the unftable and igno
rant Rabble, who muft give the

Rules to jut Honour, and true

Grandeur. ', Nor hould the beft

of moral men be able to perwade

us, that any thing is honourable,
but according as it, agrees With
the

::::::::::

tent and Infallible J

: for if

he be nfallible, it , is ridiculous
:

that his judgment hould not be

acquiec'd in ; and if wethink him
not Infallible, we cannot think he
is God. :

ifany man hould call one per

jurd, epecially if he were a Per

fon of Qualit, he would reent

it irrecocileably; and yet are not

all fuch as are guilty of Adul

tery

[ 46 ]

tery; guilty of Perjury? and to

aggravate this Perjury, t is Per
jury againt a Lady, to injure
whbfh; and te whin the breach

of an ordinary:promie would
be thought a fhfnefal Orin;
but yet much more, when it is

conidered, that upen that Oath

the Lady had deliver'd her felf

tip, a by the like Oath had

foraken all the ret of Mankind:
So then, if Petjry be a Villainy,
When eommitted in the mot tri
vial things; ahd to a perfea who

never obligd s: what can it

then be; wheri ethmitted in the

greatet ncern, and when the

Oath was given in the mot con
trate mhner, and under the

reatet bligation tot the mot

deerving perfon, and to rre of

that delicate Sex, which the mot

unworthy are unwilling to injure
or cheat :

: I doubt riot, but all who pre

tend to Reaon, will acknowledge,
--

"

that

[ 47 l
.
that ngratitude is the mot abo
-

minable of all Vices, and mot

inconfitent with true Honour.

And if a Prihce had obliged one,
of his Subjets, behaving himelf
as a kind Father to him, would
he not be a very Rogue if he
were ungrateful; but yet more,
if he refued to obey: hm, after

many Promies nd Vows, nay,

and after many Pardons, having feveral times relaped again and
again into thoe Crimes, and even

employed the Fores, with which

the King had trute him, againt

himelf? And yet the King of
Kings, and our Heavenly Father,
having heaped hourly fuch favours
on us, that it needs a mans whle
time to repeat them, becaue ev
ry moment of our time makes

part of them, we ungrateful Mif

# creants employ all the ftrength

of our Spirits and Bodies in of

fending him daily, to that height,
: that tho we our felves tremble
|

when

[ 48 ]
when we think with confufion
upon them, and vow againft, and
mourn for them; yet we reafona

ble, men return with the Dog to

the vomit, and with the Sow to

the puddle, and add the breach

of our new Vows to our old fins.
... I know that Pride has form'd

for its own defence a body of Law

call'd Point of Honour ; as one in

tance whereof, amongt others, I

urge how unreafonably mn re
pair, their Honour, in endeavour

ing to take a man's life for a word,

damning bth themelves and him,

and by way of Complement draw
ing innocent men (and fuch or
dinarily as have the greatet Kind
nefs for them) into the fame ha
zard and condemnation; which in

pight of all the Gallantry imagi

nable, does prove how little ue

of true Reaon men have, tho

they value themelves very much,
as if they were the fole Mafters of

it. For this is not only contrary

:

|-

tO

- -*

I 49 ]
|-

to the Law of God, the true

- Fountain of Honour, asofall good,
but to the Laws of our Country:
And what can be more abfurd,

than that fome private, young, and

ranting Hestors hould be able to

make that pas for generous and

gallant, which whole Nations afembled have after much reafon
ing and deliberation condemned

*-

as a Crime in all Ages and Coun

tries; and even the fame men,

who brag of this when enragd,

and in the field, condemn it in
Parliament and in cold blood ?

But nothing dicredits this He- ,

roim more, than that thofe, who

would not yield up their revenge

to God, nor their Concience, -

- have been frighted from it by the

French King and the Gallows.

If one man give another the

Lye, he mut pay down his life,

becaue a Man of Honour would

rather chule to dye than to be a

Lyar, or rather thoughtone; but

*

this

this Man of Honour will fatter,

tilf all Men laugh at him for

ying fo grofly; and this Elo

quence of Knaves muft likewife
friake his Patron a Fool, for be

pable to believe what nn

|-

blieves, vehimelf; fs that this

Ffarterer, who yet pasts for a
Man f true Honour, makes him

- felf a Liar, and his Patron a Fool.

How oftentimes alo have we feen

thee Men of Honour lie and fiat
ter to promote Ftioh, and to

pleafthe Multitude, which they

were thereby defigning to cheat,

as if the addition of a Cheat
could make a Lie honourable.

Rebellion" and Pimping are No

ble flights of Glory and Kind

#s; to which, fahionable Men,

and Men of Honour can only
pretend, and a Prerogative de

d to thoe Men woare tru

l virtuous. If Men, who are

tendr of their Reputation, were

reaonable, would they not :
-

Cr

I 51 ]
fider, that all thee their Crimes
- and Vices are known to that

Great God, who is the Fountain.

of Truth, and the Rule of Pu

rity, and hall at the Great Day
be known to Men and Angels?
If a Lady confidered, that all
her unchaft thoughts, and a Perr
fon who paesfor an Honeft Man,
that all his Secrets and Cheats

would be dicoverd to their Neigh

bours, though as guilty as they,
it would confound them : . How

then will all Men look, when the

Sins they are endeavouring to

cover, fhall be laid open in that
Illutrious Aembly, where In
nocence and Knowledge hall be
in fuch high perfetion ? How

ean we then be judgd Reaon

able Creatures, when we dare do

that before the Almighty God,

who is of purer eyes than that

he can behold iniquity, which

we durft not attempt before our

own Servants, Cwho

depend on
2.
llS,

[ 52 ]

|-

. . .

us, and are as frail as our felves ?

And if we cannot abide the Ac

cuation i of our own Confcience,

how hall webe able to hold up
our Faces in fo glorious a Judi
cature ? And I can Men be Rea

fonable ; Creatures, and yet not .

mind fo great a Concern?
. Fame, that tacite acknowledg
ment of Immortality, even in
thoe who believe it not, is pur

fued fo extravagantly, that Ido

latry it felf is not more inexcu
fable: For to gain the opinion
of a

brutal multitude, we fa

crifice to them our Duty, our

Qiet and our Security; and what

defign, can we have, or return

carstwa expet for all this ? For

ifive be not Immortal, what fignifies our being efteem'd, when

we are to have no being? And
why r hould we give our felves

real; Trouble for an imaginary

Good ? And if we believe- the

Christian Religion, it teaches :

-

v^

tilat

[ 53 ] .

that either we mut be favd: or

damn'd ; if fav'd, Fame from Men

, will fignifie nothing; when we

dicover how foolih we were to
adore fuch Worms ; if damn'd,

that which made, a great part

of our Crime, cannot be an al

leviation of its Punihment. But

if a Man, abelieving there, is a
God, did argue juftly, he would

value highly the being efteem'd

by that Widome that cannot err,

and, whoe fuffragelizwill laftoto

all Eternity. i. Mehrgah only raife
our Charater, without being able
to raife our Merit, but our great
Mafter can really emake us: me
rit, and open the eyes of others
to underfandit, whn true, which:
hoiMan can do, and histietem:

brings Rewards f fuitablarito iiitsi

Greatnes; and thereforegis only
worthy of our pains, epecially,

- if we bestowed that faiasvin

frving him, whiche wej dopiin

gaining Esme ; we might

7
rOr

[ 54 ]

from his goodnes what can ne

ver be valuable", when obtaind.

from Men, becaue of their mean

nefs ; or fecure, becaue of their

Injutice or Caprice. If we faw

any of our acquaintance running

up and downt among mean and
ignoramt People, to perfwade them
to praie and admire hiin, 3 we

would laugh at his folly, as

3S

well

vanity ; but this is the con

dition of us poor: blind Sinn

who are fick and, dejested, if

our filly, blind Fellow-Mortals

do not admire us, and praie our
I have remark'd in my own

time, that fome, by taking too

much care to be esteem'd and ad
mird, have by that coure misd
theiraim, whit others of them;
who fhunnd it, did meet with it,

as if it had fallen on them, whit

it wasifying:from the others;

which proceeded from i th funfit
means: chefe able and reagiriable
f:

Men

|-

[ 55 ]

- Men took to 'etablih their Re

putation. It is very strange to
hear Men value themelves upon
their Honour, and their being
Men of their word in Trifles,

when yet that fame Honour can

not tie them to, pay the debts
they have contrated, upon :fo:
lemn Promifes ... of ecure ad

:{peed repayment, starving poor

Widows and Orphans, to feed
their Lufts ; and adding thus,
Robbery and Opprefien to the
gihbndurable breach: of, |- Trust.
*,

Agdi howl gan we think them

Men of Honour, who, when a

Potent and Foreign Monarch is

opprefing his weaker Neighbours,

hazard their very lives to afist

him, tho they would rail attar
ny of their acquaintances that
meeting a ftrong Mn, fighting

:
f:

:::::

the

nger in his Opprestion. . . . . .

:
furt and innost:plant

patheto)
? !!

m:w:en:
4

tUC

[ 56 ]

true Popularity, is to be juft ;

for all Men efteem him moft,
who fecures mot their private
Intereft, and protets beft their
Innocence ; and all who have a-

ny notion of a Deity, believe that

Jutice is one of his chief Attri
butes ; ; and that therefore, who
ever is juft, is next in Nature to

Him, and the bet Piture of Him;

and to be reverencd and lovd :
But yet, how few trace this Path,

Men churing rather to toil

ITO

and vex themelves, in feeking

Popular Applaufe, by living high,
and in profufe Prodigalities, which
are entertaind by Injutice and
| Oppreion, as if rational Men
would pardon Robbers,

becaufe .

they feafted them upon a part

of their own Spoils; or did let
them fee fine and glorious Shows,
made for the honour of the gi
Ver, upon the expence of the

robbdfpectators. But when a

-

vinuous Perfon appears. ora:

-

- -

|-

|-

IS

[ 57 ]
his

Meie a:

ohey'd only by:

th charmingi fore Hof his

fon, all. Men think him, deced:

ed from that Heaven which he.

ferves, and to him they gladly.

pay
the nobleoTribute
of deerv.
ed Praifes,
;; ;
:} *
Another great Clas of ::
ments, to prove how ill Men

reaon in matters of greatet im

portance, may bei brought; from
the Contraditions we are guilty

of in our Conduct. As for In

tance, Life is the thing in the
World mot valud, f. for without

it, we can enjoy nothing; and

yet, foi unreafonable are we, that

for a Complement, we will ha

zard it o far, as may benrather

call'd a lofing of it. When time

is going, we cry out againt Providence, for having made it fo

hort, and when; it is gone, we

would give all the World to re-

deqmit ; and yet, we are yeary

of it fo far as to betow Money
C5

upon

*[

58 ]

pn any thing thr will help to

and give itaway: in Vi;

:
, to fuch; to whom we would

~ !

not give anythingele. We would

for na Money quit i dne Year of

our Life;o and yet for the fame |

Money; which we fo undervalue {

in the expres exchange, mot

Men do really give away very

many of their beft years, fince

they are pent in gaining Money.
We exclaim againt Tyranny,

Uurpation and Oppreion, and

. |

in this we are much in the right:

but why then do we admire, and

s cry up fuch as have been great

Oppreors and Uurpers, as Alex:
ander, gafar for in this we are
hot only unjut supon the frat

ter, but Enemies to out felves}

for that efteem we put upon them

who have been fuch, invites o ,

thers to makeus the prey of out :
own Errors. ti; iis 3,3 l 'as'

. . Most Men de admire; and pre

fer thmfelvesto all others, which
-

is

[ 59 ]
is a great proof of our unreafon

ablenes; but yet, even thee tan

not tay with themelves, and by
being afraid to look into their
own hearts, contradit the efteem
which yet at all times they have
for themelves, to an unfufferable :

Exces. All Men destre to prefer

the bet Company ; ; and when
Men prefer any Company to the
being alon, they demontrate
that themfelves are not the beft.

Mot Men, when they are young,

contemn Riches, and love them
when they are old'; and

our Wits corn to think, or fay

- with the vulgar, yet even thee

are fwayed as much, and as tron

iy by vulgarvices, as thoe who

never exclaimd againt the un
thinking Crowd. : All Creatures
ftand in awe f others, accord

ing to the eteem they have of

...them ; and the we admire our :

own Perfetions, and value our

felves far above our proportion,
yet

[ 6o l :

yet tand we not in awe to com- :

mit wickednes when alone, which :
we durft not commitif others were |
prefent ; and thus we are fo un
reaonable, that we want a due
reverence and efteem for our felves,

where we ought to have it, and

have it exceively where we ought

to want it totally.

Self love, the

falest th the

fubtileft of all Reafoners, endea

vours to perwade us, that in re

venge, we hall, by feeing our
Enemies ruined, remain our felves

the more excellent Creatures, our

Rivals being thus depres'd : And

this is that hid reaon which ju
tifies to us that. Paion which is
truly mot inhumane. But what

an improper Argument is this,

for we are not one, whit the
more excellent, that ; another is

ruined by an Accident. Another

Argument brought by Revenge,

is, that thus we hall ecure our ;
felves againft, our Enmies, and

fo |

[ 611

fo Revenge would pas with us

under the diguife of Self-defence;
but becaue this would feem cow-

'

ardly, and be in effe, a tacite

acknowledgment of Fear; we ra
# ther fay, that in Revenge, we
will teach others not to attack
us. But all thefe are falfe rea

fonings; , for no Man fecures his

true Quiet by Revenge, for it
raies an Enemy within, which
is always preent, i and able to

diquiet : And all Men conclude -

themelves obliged to detroy the

Revengeful Man, by the fame Ar-

gument that he purfues his Re

venge ; and thus a Man is tor-

tured by it till it be fatisfied; and

frighted by itiafter he has pre:

vail'd, of; aldefic:::

:, et

:: Moft Men defire to be in Em

ployment, from a ecret defire to
be admird; whereas when theyi

are in Employments; they doenot

thofa:Just and Witumus ithings;
for which (thbyiwouldt beotruly:
, ** *

*: , * * , , ,

',

admird:

[ 62 ]

admirid : # And, albeitgSelf-love

makes thern believe,

that the

being feard is a mark of true

Dominion ; yet they confider
not, that even Dominion is only

at the bottom defireable, becaue

it is a fign of Merit and innate
Excellency ; , and does pleae, be
caue it makes us believe, by the

Suffrage of others, that we are

Noble and Excellent Perons, of
which, even the leaft reaona

ble cannot feriouly be perwad

ed, except they believe they
have done virtuous things. And
-

thus it were more reafonable to do

what is really virtuous, than to

cheat our felves, with thinking

that others admire us.: And it
is very unreafonable not to do

thingsi rather for Virtue it felf,

than for the Applaufe which fol.

lows it, finceithat Applaufe de

riyesoits deireablenes from Vir

tuesiitnd fo:Wituesit elf hould

*****win*:
: ': }

WS: , ,

[ 63 ]
fhews yet more the weaknes of
our Reaon, th in this welconsi

tradit the undeniable Sentiments

of Mankind, yet we are cheat
ed into it by a miftake, as if

:
:#

it were eaier to attain to the

Applufe of Virtue, than to Vir
tue it felf; whereas, quite con
trary, it muft be more difficult
to attain Applaue, i fince it de
pends upon many thouands of
Rivals and capricious Fools; where

as Virtue prings from a Man's

ewn Breaft, and we may have
it, and keep it, in pight of all
Mankind. .
..
. .

* Every Man alo, may in his

private Station and Employment,

#::::::::::::::::
confirm this: Pruth! Andilthus

a Courtier heuld confider,

that

:::::: : :

how arid prayite a Setiu

:::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::
$

*-

ta, as aus kar:

|-

);

[ 64] .
do nothing, toidipleae that Su-,
periouri Power, i for gaining; the

favour of that Prince who adores him; and who would not
think him mad, who would fcorn
to depend on a Monarch, but
would take pins to flatter his

Footman ? When a Lawyer obferves that Men take fuch pains

J to fecure in Law an Intereft that

cannot be fecur'd againt Acci

dents, he afhould in reafon con

clude, that it is brutih not to

take more pains to fecure that
which fhall never fail: And when
Ar

he oberves how zealouly the

Eldeft. Men defend a Life that

Accidents, nay, and Nature pro

bably will end with the Proces,

hould he not confider, wha:

pains hould be taken to fecure
a Life that continues for ever,

from that are; and thoe

:
licknees,
gven before Death
that

make this Hennifesable rii

*******ki:

|
|

I 65 ]
by his Enemies, hould abandon
|

his Watch, and pend his time in

Gaming and Drinking, or hould

loe. the glorious opportunity of

defeating them, for a Feaft; or,
as Mark Anthony, for a Mitrefs:

Epecially, if they be fuch Ene

mies, whom we : know, would

not only kill, but tormentius to

Death, werehe not to be account

ed a Fool ? But that is our cafe;

for being furrounded with Temp

tations and Devils, we:

::::

timegin:Toyes and Triflesti and

whilst we hear that others have

:

receiv'd an Immortal Crown, for

having overcome their Spiritual

f"
|1=

mies, we, who value Fame

and Glory fo much, pend our

time in pleafings two nsr three
filly Couriidrs, whom we depie
whilft we attend them, and laugh

at the Actions which we eem to

admire. Au Merchant were,ridi

culous, if he hould pend his

Stock and his time in b":
-

- *

-*

.*

3 CS

I 66 ]

Wares that were unfahionable in

that Country where he has his

ie

abode ; and yet mot Men em

ploy themelves wholly in gather

ing Riches, and getting that Know
which can neither be car

ied to Heaven with them, nor

can comfort them when they are

in Hll ri:And I have oft applauda

edifichestretmark of a Gentlews

man, who hearing a whole So

tante fr agreat Wit, toiderhem,
that his Fatherhad

::::::::

Estadestiwhich the had peel av

mongt Wheres, that he hadfim:
felf-married a Whore, ang had
changd, the Orthodox Religion,

ihiwhich he was bred up; Xorg

wor, and was not devouerit;

that neithers and defied+he:
to conider: if that Man destrw
to be calid a Wit ? a fst pr: ::

:Nrare we only unreaonable

vics;
but the very meaurestake
we
: ::: .
in: puesting our Pleaures jan
*

' - .

[ 67 ]

take in being Virtuous, fhew how

weak our Reaon is, and how ill
we ue it. i For our Friendhip is

for the mot part but the prefer

ring thoe for whom we have a
| kindnes,to thoe who defervebet

ter both our kindnes and thoe

employments ; and thus we rob

the Commonwealth, to repayithe

debt our Gratitude owes. The
Courage of many is but a hypo
critical diguifing of their fear, or

abdullignorance of their danger.

For when a man goes to Battel,

heffears to dye;bottordigail
this fear, he confiders the hame

of flying, and knowing certainly

that i his Reputation wouldi be

ruined, he fears more this certain

| los; than the hazard of being

| kill'd : but if he cannot attain it

that, he at leaft braves it out, and

endeavours to cheat others, when
he cannet ftisfie himelf. :, s:

:Liberality and Charity are:bff:

tines but theidiguiediefststs of
ost

Vanity,

[ 68 ] .

Vanity, wherein men tacitely de

fign rather their own perpetuity,
than the advantage of thoe on
whom they beftow what is gi
ven, in which they at very un
* reafonably : for if they lent it to
God, he would retore it with a
very cenriching intereft : But in
betowing dit on Fame, they be
. . .

stow it ono a Cheat) which has

oft deceived both them and others.

Ang it till eems trange, that we

will betowiit on that Multitude

(for Fame and the Multitude are

dieimething); to preferve any

one of whom from trving, we
weuld not betow one farthing
And yet the World efteem

who doi fuch things: mre than

they do reafonable and judicious

perons: satrgo si : : : : : : :
It is one of the chief and fun
damental Dictates of Reaon, that

we houldsdoi to otherszasow

would with them to do to usi But

tho we exclaim againtour Equals,
-

poor

>

[ 69 ]

poor Mortals, if they refufe us

|this meaure, yet we allow it not

|to our great King and Soveraign.

If we heard that any who pre
|tended to be our friend, did fit
|tamely and hear us rail'd at, and

|contemnd, we would conclude

|them bafe and treacherous; and a

|King would for this treat His Sub
jets as Rebels; but yet we fit
| not only to hear impious Crea
|tures rail at Religion, and oft
| times at Providence it felf, with
| fo little reentment, that we com

|ply and

even admire the Micre

ant. I remember that I fugget

1 ed once to a Peron of Quality,

who was bufie about his Ac

| compts, to confider if our Steward hould pend our Rents up

on his own Affairs, or upon
maintaining his own Family or

'Luxury, and much more if he

* hould riot it away with our Ene

#
mies, would we not hate him as
#

a Rogue, and at leaft recal the

-*.

Truft

[ 7o ]
|-|
-

Truft we gave him. But the Great

Mafter of the Family of the Faith
ful having appointed us only to be:
|--

Stewards, not to appropriate, but

to betow the Etates he gave us for

the ue of his poor Children and
Servants, preferring us kindly tas
much as may fatisfie our Conve-

niency, for fo the Scripture, and

even Reaon: it felf, teaches us:
(for why hould the Wife God
have i betowed fo much upon
fome, whilft others want, if he
had not defign'd to level all by
this neceity of distribution):yet
we fee his Children ftarve, whilft
we employ the portions due to
them upon the Wicked who are
his Ehemies. And thus we ufe
the Almighty God at the rate we
would not fuffer from the meaneft
of our Servants.

And fo unrea

fonable are even fuch as are con

vincid of the reaonablenes of

Charity, that by doing their cha

ritable
actions in publick,
they
:::: .
AP
- lofe

[7 ]
* loe the reward, by not prestrving
|4
*

the true defigh of it i for as our

Saviour argues,Mar. 6.4. It is very -

jufi, har fi:ethey bestow their chav

| ty t gain the aj plaufe of men, they
|

be rewarded with the applaufe

| for: which they befowed it ; And

{

:
cari they expect a reward
om God, to pleae whom it was

given; and he is not obliged to

| not
repay what was not lent him: And

| they cannot expect double pay

|j

ment, for being paid by men, the

Obligation is fully fatisfied. . .
- I iall conclude thee Oberva

| conclude
tions witheurwhat
ordinarily we
unreaonable lives,
| and that is Death bd Repentance,
which of all things is the mot

unreaonable. For if we believe

the Rewards and Torments which
attend our future tate, and make

the delay fo dangerous, why de

:A:d:e:eventier
of thefe, why repent we? The
one cannot but mke our preent
.. .
pleastres
-

|-

,^

[7 ]
pleafufes very bitter, by the fear
that muft thereupon hauntus; and

the other cannot but needlefly cut

off the pleaures which we ex

clude as inconfiftent with true Re

pentance. But which of us being

. condemnd to horrible Torments,

would delay to feek remffion

till the lat hour? or being invited

to leave our Cottage to receive

a plentiful Etate, would delay to

undertake his Journey and yet
we eaily delay our Repentance,
which can only preferve us, con
demn'd Sinners, from eternal Torments ; and which would certain

ly bring us, poor Wretches, to that

Inheritance of immortal Glory.
And tho we condemn our felves

- for leaving the dipatch of our

little Concerns till the lat hour,

yet we delay that great and ne

ceffary Work, on which a long

Efernity hangs, for every trifle.
And that which aggravates much :
this Negle, is, that the Reaons
, which

[ 731

| which encourage us to it are as

weak, as the thing it felf is ab
furd and dangerous. For the hope
we may live, has for its founda
| tion a frail Body, that every ac
cident can detroy ; and it is a
wonder, that when we hear of

fo many unexpested deaths, we

hould not tremble to think, what
: if I had dyed ? And tho' the Mer
cy of God be as infinite as his
Jutice, yet it is infupportable in
folence in us to think, that we
can be fav'd when we pleafe : this
is not only to undervalue him as

the laft thing to be chofen, which

implies that our infinitely glorious

Maker is of all things leaft wor
thy of our choice, but in this we
exalt our felves above him, as if
we might command him to be
ftow upon us Heaven and Hap
pines when-ever we thought fit
to call for it.

And which of us

would betow the meaneft favour

upon him, who would reolve to

oppoe,
D

[ 74]

oppoe, or but neglet us as lo

:::::::

as he pleasd. The
us the unfitter, not only to crave,

but even to receive, Mercy ; and

ince all our life, albeit as piouly .

pent as humaqefrailty can allow,
is hort enough, for fo great a
Work ; what can we expect from
a few fickly hours ditrated by .
new pains, and amazed at fo ma
ny, old fins ? And the Scripture

having commanded us to repent,

and bring forth, good Works; it ,

has everywhere madegood Works

and a fubequent Amendment of
our Livs, the mark as well as
fruit, of finere. Repentance : and

therefore fince a Death-bed Re

petance muft want this proof, it :

cannot but be by fo much the

more uncomfortable tous and our,

friends. Nor is there any gene

rs Soul, who having receiv'd for
grat, and i undeerved; a Pardon,

wQuld not defire to be able to:

live, that he might magnifia that

Infinite

[ 75 ]
nfinite God to whom he ow'd it.
I know that the Thief on the

Cros has been a tumbling-block

to many others; but we reafon

very weakly from this infance of

God's Mercy : for he by believing

the Divinity of our Saviour a
midft all that ould have been faid

againt it, when, even the Jews

were defiring him to come down
from the Cros, and they would
believe in him, and the other

Thief was reviling him ; did evi

dence as much Faith in that con

trated Span when dying, as the

bet of us can do in a prolong'd
Life. And it being fit for the

Saviour of the World to hew his

Power and Mercy when he was

leading Captivity captive, that

happy Thief can be no Precedent
for us who remain unconverted,

after fo many Miracles, that no

reaonable man can now doubt of,

epecially if he never heard, as

it's probable, of that Gopel which

-

D 2.

we

[76 ]

we have fo oft undervalued, and if

he has not negletedformeroffers of

Mercy which we have fo oft con-.
temnd. And hall we prefume on
God's Goodnes, becaue one man

was fav'd, and but one, to preferve

Mankind from depair ; not re

membring, that as the Thief ob

taind a Pardon when he fought |
it, fo Efau found no place for Re
pentance, tho he fought it earneft
Jy, Heb. 12. 17. And tho' thoe ,
who came in at the lat hour,got as
much as thoe who had wrought
at the firt; yetitis remarkable,that
it is faid, they came not fooner,
becaue no man had defired them.

But let me conjure any noble Soul

to confider, that if God be wor

thy of the Adoration of Angels

through all Eternity ; and that we
confes, that to walk, like Enoch,
with him, will be fo amiable and

glorious, why hould we delay it

for Pleaures that are unworthy of
a reafonable Soul, and which laft
-

but

[ 77 ] .
but for a moment ? For at leaft
we loe fo much unexprefible Joy
and Pleaure; and in delaying our
Repentance we continue to be fick
when we may be whole, to be
blind when we may fee, to be
poor when we may be rich, to
lye in Prion when we may live at
Liberty, and to be Slaves to our
Enemies when we may b Heirs

to a Kingdom. All which induce

me to believe, that they who de

lay Repentance, defign not to re

pent, but flatter themelves with
a falfe conceit of it ; for to repent

is to be grieved, and no man who

is grieved can put it off at his

pleaure, no more than a man can

be griev'd or not as he pleaes. As

alo if a man refolv'd fincerely to
repent, 'tis neceary that he were
convinc'd of the greatnes of his
danger, and were actually afham'd
as well as afraid thereof; and if

he were truly touch'd with thee

Convitions, he would not con
D 3
tinue

[78 ] . . . .
tinue in the Courfes which occa

fion'd them.

And to finih all, is

it not the height of unreaonable

nefs for a man to continue to do

thee things, of which he knows

he muft be afham'd, and for which

he reolves to be exceedingly trou

bled and afflited? And if we were

coming into a Room where a man

were wounding himelf, would we
not conclude him yet madder if
he told us, that he would give
himelf more and more, becauf

fuch a man got fo many Wounds,

and yet was cured.

Let me therefore conclude this

Difcoure with the noble and juft

Reafoningus'd by St. Peter, 2 Epit.

3. Io, 1 r. But the day of the Lord
wiff come as a thief in the night, in
the which the Heavens will pafi a
way with a great noife, and the Ele
ments fhall melt with a fervent heat,
the Earth alo and the works that

are therein fhall be burnt up : See

ing then that all thee things fhall be
diol.

[ 79 }

diolved ,

what manner of perfons

ought ye to be in all holy Converfa
tion and Godlinefs
And what a frighted Creature
will the greatet Hero be, when
he finds himfelf in the midft of

a burning World, having greater

terrors within his Breaft than thefe,
rais'd by an Omnipotent God, and
which will force him to cry to
the Hills and Mountains to fall

upon him, and cover him from

the face of this angry Judge ? . .
But thee great and fad Truths

need (alas) to be preach'd by an

Angel, to Hearers tanding upon
the brink of their Grave, and ha

ving Heaven and Hell open'd be

fore them.

D4

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I 81 I

P A R T II.
Whence proceeds it that Man
is fo unreaonable, and how

to improve our Reaon.

T T is indeed very trange,
that Man, who improves
daily fo much in all Arts .
-* and Sciences, that are nei

-:
-

ther fo neceary, fo eafie, nor

fo advantageous to us, hould
ftill decreae

in this excellent

Study, this Noble and Ueful

Knowledge : Let us then enquire

a little into the occaions of thefe
Errours in his reafonings, and

we hall find them fo filly, that

D 5 ,

they

s*

82 ]

they alo dicover tol us new

Weaknees in hisReaon.
I know that we generally

charge this on Man's Atheim, im

gining he would reaon juftly, if
he believ'd the Principles I have
laid down ; but this is a miftake,
Y

for Atheifts reafon mot weakly,

as well as others, and mot inconfequentially to their own Prin
ciples : for even Atheifts difquiet
themfelves for Fame and Money,
and by Whoring and Drinking
detroy their Bodies, which is all .

they dote upon, and hould pre

ferve, and which fhews their un-

reafonablenes, according to their

own Principles ; and that Infide
fity is not the caue of: falferea
#

foning appears clearly,becauefuch :

as are not Athelfts, reaon falfly ;
and we may oberve, that fuch as

believe that by the ill Diets they

ue, their terrible pains will be r

newd, doyet adventure on thm;

oh, that they only of all Man

-

. .. . .

kind

[ 83 } * :
kind were the unreafonable Men!

But how : unreafonable are they,

| who believing there is a Crown
| of Glory refirv'd for thoe that

| will run that Heavenly race, chufe

rather to fit Tipling and Gam-

ing ; that believe the Son of

God tands tretching out his
arms, ready to: preferver them,
and yetiwill rather fink down
into that fearful Pit, from which ,

ther is no redemption; who will

rather ftarve than feek that Hea

venly Manna, and languih of

their Wounds, than feek the Balm

of Gilead, from the hand of a

loving Father; whom no Judg:
ments on others can awaken, nor

Mercies to themelves can ob

dige ; Sickamidt fo many Cures ;

Por, amidst fuch Plenty; Blind,
notwithftanding fo much Light;

and Infenible, in pight of forma

ny Convitions.g. . . . . . . .
i But how can Men reaon well,
finde they neither undertnd the

tIUtG

[ 84 3
true ufeof Reaon, nor what Man
is? And thefe are the two firft and

great occafions of our Errours. :

As to Reafon, let ius examin
our felves narrowly, and we hall
find that. Men think they need

not Reaon in the great and con

fiderable defigns of Life, as if

thee were matters to be taken

upon truft ; And as: if Reafon

were to be us'd only in matters
of State, or in Debate or Trade.
And I defire to know, who fits
down to reafon with : himelf,

why he lives fo orfo, or to know,

if what he does, is according to

the Rules given him, for regulat

ing his Ations. I have my felf

pent Twenty years in reafon
ing eagerly to fecure other Mens
Etates; but I have pent very
little time to confider, by a no
bler reafonings, why do I pend
fo much time in reafoning for o
ther Men, and yet fo little for

my felf? tho in the mean time,

*

2-

[ 85 ]

| I do but too much prefer my

felf to all others ? : You: will find

fome Divines very bufie in argu:

ing, whether God from all Eter
nity could have made Creatures,

and yet thefe Men will never con

fider what hall become of them
in Eternity. The cure, then tf
this; nis tot confider Reaon; not
as: a Tool; ueful for Gain or

Fame only, but as a Square, put

in our hands, i by our kind God,
to infirut us how to make tour
Ations ftraight and even ;' and
as a Workman does firt mind

to have all regulated by his Square,

and after his work is finihed,
applyes the Square to what he
has made; fo ought we, when

any thing is deignd by us, re

folve to do all in it by the
rules of Reafon, and when : the

Ation is ended, examin if it be

fo : And to invite us to this,

God has not oblig'd us to feek

for this any foreign or remote
: "a

Remedy

[ 86 ]
Remedy ; ; no, nor to owe our

Remedy to any other; but has

plac'd his Candle in our Breafts,
and honour'd us with the be

ing our own Governours and

Direors. . . Let us then think,
and :: think of imatterse of

Im

portance, and of matters: that

import us ; letus thinkiasi much
of Heaven, which cannot be ta
ken from us, when once wetare

pofeed of it, as we do of tem

poral Estates, in the poeion of
which i we cannot: b fecured.

Let us think: as much upon our

felves, whom we value too much,

as upon others, whom we value
fOO

little.

13. :

We ue oft-times our Reaon

to: argue falfly for Intereft, " or
by: Prekingagement, and this de*
bauches our Reaon, after which
it continues eaily in this Ervoor:
For this takes off that Reverence

and Esteem wedought tod have

for justreaoning Thus Iziwyers

- t :

favour

[ 87 ]
:

favouring ftill, and being obligd

to maintain the caue of thoe
who have retain'd them, force

their Reaon to find Arguments

for their own fide ; Divines think

ing themfelves obligd to defend
*

the Poitions of that Church

wherein they were born, reafon

ftill in its defence : States-Men,

to fortifie their Partie, endeavour

to perwade all Men ito embrace

it ; and Orators, not excepting

the Philoophers amongst them,

to beautifie their dicoures, urge

things that are meer Flourihs,

having much i Luftre, but n
Strength; great inflances where

of are to be een in Seneca, and

generally in all the Heathens, who,

as I hall fhew exprestyelewhere,

were forc'd, by not knowing the
true Principles whereupn Reaon
was to be built, to maintain by
fale reafonings the true Principles

that they deign'd to recommend.

- We do likewife form: our

:
--

-*-

|-

M:
ity

[ 88 ]

'

lity by our Intereft, and guide

noti our Intereft by our Morals ; i
and after we have -formd any
Deign, we find out Reaons to
perwade us that it is juft : And
thus we oft-times mitake Intereft,

Imagination, and Prejudices, for

olid Refon; the true cure where

ef lies in being painful and curi
ous in our firt Reaonings ; and
as careful, not to commit Errours

by falfe and careles Arguings,

in matters of aeternal Happines, ,
as Mathematicians are in their
Demontrations about Figures and
Concluions, which cannot fecure

them againt one Misfortune, nor

add one day to their Lives. . . .

Bigotry, and falfe conceptions

of Religion, do alfo darken much

our Reaon ; for fometimes, by

implicit Faith and Infallibility,

great Tyrants over Rea

on ) we accutome our felves

to Lazines, wherein we loe the

habit of Reaoning ; and fome

-

times

E 89 ]
times by impofing upon us thin

inconfitent with it, and by teac

ing us that it is a dangerous

Guide, we lefen, our own eteem
for it , ' and create infenibly in
our felves a Jealoufie that it is an

Impoture ; and, we baffle it fo

on thee occafions, that at other
-

: ::::
: ::::
:
ftrength.
I confes, that
it ough
in a jut fubmiion yield :
commands who made it, nor
hould we hear the Servant when

the Mafter peaks: ; but except

when the will of God does ex

prefly ordain ones Reaon to fub;

mit, we ought not to deny our
felves the true exercife of it, to

pleae Men, who undertand not

its true trength, or do upon de
figns impoe on us the abandon

ing of it. And this has infected

us fo far, that by it all other
Sciences did fall very low. And

if fome bold Defender, fuch as

Cartes and others, had not :

|-

pos

I 9 ]
posd, we had been led by implicit
Faith, in all the Objets of Know-

ledgeas well asin al the Objets of

Faith ; and every School-man
would have exacted as muchabolute ubmiffion to his own Ditates,

as we hould pay to the une

ring Commands of our infallible
Creator. And dft-times Self-love
paffing for Religione, blinds us

whii: it prm:tamination:
As a clear intance wheref i
hall defire any wife Man to
conider, that if this were true
Zeal which ed Men to hazard
all they have for the ridiculous
difference about indifferent Cere

moniesor Tenets, why do they not

hazard all they polie for the

defence of the Christian Religion
againt the Turks; 'ince in found
Reaon, and by a Mathematical

certainty, the whole is to be

preferred to a part ;

and to

prove that this is the effect of

Self-love, and not of true Devo
tion,

| I 91 ]
tion, it is very obervable, that
the lefs the differences be in fuch

cafes, we are ordinarily the more

paffionate in them, being inclin'd

rather to have our Sentiments fu
ftaind, than the Commands of

God obeyd ; mot men being to

themfelves their own only God,

and being afham'd that they

hould err even in the meaneft
circumftance.

.*

Men may think me infolent

when I tell them that they under
ftand not themelves, but they
fhould bear this from me, who

would willingly wifh that they

could juftly tax me of a Lye in
it. But for my fecurity I muft
put them in mind, that Monfieur
Pafchal told them before me, that
he had laid afide the tudy of the
Mathematicks, becaue few un
dertood to converfe with him in

it, and betook himelf to confider

Man ; as thinking that a Subjet

fo near, and of fuch concern to

0

|-

|-

every

[ 92 ]
every one, that all could not but
undertand it ; and yet he found
this le undertood than the other.

But that I may contribute my

mean Endeavors for clearing them
in this, I muft defire them to confider, that Man being created to
love and admire God, it muft
, follow
neceary confequence,
that God was to be the Center of

|-

all his Knowledge ; and right |

Reafon was a drawing of all his

Concluions as fo many Lines, to .

ret upon God as that Center. But

Man defigning to exalt himelf,
does by a woful m.ftake make
himel the Center, and Stlf-love,
as another Reafon, draws all into
this defign. And thus, whereas
we hould tudy to undertand the
excellent Works of the Creation,
that in them we may undertand
the Infinitenes of that wonderful
Creator ; we tudy them only
thereby to adorn our own Spirits,

and thus to raife an Efteem in

-

others

. [ 9; }

i others for us : and crook in all

| the Concluions we make to our

| felves and our Conveniency, as :

| the Center of all our Defigns. And
; thus we have invented new Scien-:

ces, Arts; and Recreations, fuch

: as Criticims: Rraillery, Comedies,

3 Tragedies, &c. meerly that our

* Works may be admird as much .

: as his And therefore it is im

# poible we can ever reafon juffly,

I fince all the Lines of our Reaon

i ing tend to a wrong Center; but :

; if we return to our Duty in refol

: ving to love and admire him, and

a not our felves, every Concluion .

being drawn from true Principles
a and Poitions, would recover its :
: original treightnes. And thus if

we ador'd God more than Kings

# and Princes, we would not dif:

y
#

pleafe God to pleae them, that

we might be enrich'd or advancd
by them. If we tudied only to
know him in his Creatures, and
not to raife our own Fame by
-

them,

[ 94 ]

them, we would not toil and vex

our felves to acquire Fame; nor.

forget ferving and adoring him,

that we might get time to know

in;

thofe Sciences, and be eteem'd

for, and delighted in that Learn-,

ing Self-love, amongt its other

Cheats, hinders us to tudy Chri
ftian Morality, becaue that would
let us fee how vile, and frail we

are ; and therefore, as a diver

fion, it carries us impetuouly

to tudy other Sciences, wherein
we may admire our own Wit and ;

!
:

Sagacity : but that which eems . }

to me the true Notion of Learn-.
ing is, that it hould be a defign }
to know and admire God in his

Works; for: which Natural Phi

loophy and Mathematicks are to

be ftudied ; in his Providence, .

which we may know by History;

in his Jutice to be known by .
Law; and in his gverning the
Soul of Man, which is the bje

Men rise:w: " :

.

all

I 95, 1
all, in himelf and the Myteries
of our Salvation,

: by Di

: vinity when well dir

A Proof of which, as well as a

new Caufe of our Errours and

Reaoning is, That the firt Rule,

by which our Reaons are fquared,

and dirested, are the Writings of

thoe Illutrious Heathens, who in :
our Youth are recommended to us

as the only Guides and Patterns:

The bet of which, fuch as Plato,

Epitetus, Seneca, and others, be

ing abolutely ignorant of Mans

::::::
which is Original
in, could not but miftake the
Remedies of his Atual Trangref.

fions ; and knowing nothing more

excellente than their own Reafon,

they concluded it was fufficient.

And having from their Poets and
Traditions learned mean , low

thoughts of their Gods, who were

inithofe days made the chief A
trs of the fins they hould have :

punihed, and decribd as more

< f:

employd

[ 96 ] . . . .
employd in fatisfying their own
Paions, than in governing of the
World. Thofe

:::::::::

did not only equal themelves to,

but raied themelves above the "

Gods, whom they taught others i

ahd thenfelves to adore. And to

that height did this , mitake in :

their Reaoning fly , i that Seneca
concludes his Wife man much pre
ferable to the Gods, becaue the

good they did, aroe from the

neceity of their own Nature;

whereas man being left to a free

dom in his Ations, made them

good by his own wife choice.

Epistetus founds his Philoophy
upon that only Principle, That the
things within us are in our own pow

er, but the things without us are not.

Whereas St. Paul from Heaven

affures us, That of our felves, as

of our felves, we can do no good.
And our own Experience doth

mot convincingly agree with St.

Paul, againt Epitetus, And where

[ 97 ]

as a Principle in any Science .

fhould be an uncontrovertedTruth,

we find daily that this Principle

is an abfolute Lye. For that man
who thinks that he can with an

unerring hand govern his Paffi

ons, has never undertaken the

fubduing of them. And video

meliara, proboque, deteriora fequor,
agrees much better with our own
Experience, as well as with St.
Paul, who, tho among the great
eft- of Saints, complains juftly,
Rom. 7. 15. That which I would,
that do I not ; but what I hate,
that do I : and therefore is for

ced to cry out, Who hall deli

ver me from this body of Death ? .

Cicero's Dicoure concerning the
Nature of Gods, and Plato's Dia

logues of the Immortality of the

Soul, may convince us how weak

ly thoe great Patterns of Philo

ophy do reafon, even upon thoe
Subjets where Reafon was not

altogether miftaken. And from

E

thoe,

[ 98 ]

thofe, and all the Writings of the

Ancient Pagans, I do more juftly
conclude, That thoe great Ideas
which our Mafters have given us
of them, and the Eloquence which
fhnes every where in their Wri

tings, have milled us from the

ways that lead to the New Jeru
falem ; and from admiring the

Beauty of Holines which fhines

in thoe Scriptures, which have
God Almighty and the Holy One
of Irael for their Author and
Subjet, and in which we are

taught to expet more help from

Heaven, than from our felves, a
gaint our innate and riginal Cor
ruption, which is more to be o

vercome by praying than think

ing, and can never be overcome
without that Humility and Self
denial, which was abolutely
unknown to the Heathens, as I

hope to prove in another Dicourfe,

where thee thoughts' hall have

their full cope. . . . . ::: : I

[ 99 ]
I am far from deigning in this
-

to root out Self-love, but rather

to diret and improve it. For

certainly God has grafted Self

love in every Man's Heart, to

the end, Man might thereby be

the more obligd to love him, to
whom he owes all thoe Excel
lencies which he loves in him

felf, and that he may be there

by obligd to preferve himelf as
a part of the Univere, and which ,

is in general preferv'd by every

Mans loving himelf; and fo far
has God allow'd this Self-love,
that he punihes Man when he .
detroyes himelf. But that Self:
love which I here inveigh againft,
is a falfe and impoture paffion,
:| whereby Man makes himelf the

Spring, from which all his De

| figns follow, the Mark at which
| they aim, and the Rule by which
: they are to be fquared, than which
| nothing can be more unreaona
:

ble.

For how can

we jutifie
E2
- Oll

- [ Ioo ]

our felves, in requiring abolute

deference from all that is ours, if

we yield it not to that Infinite

Being to whom we owe all; and

as he brought us out of nothing,

fo we hould till remember that
we are nothing before him. If

every Man, made himelf the

Rule, and drew all to himelf,
what a ditrated thing would
this World be, and how impof
fible would it be for any Man
to live comfortably in it ? And

as a private Man would be e

steemd mad, who in a Court,
. would think that all things hould

be deignd there for his Glory

and Pleaure : So much more is
Man a ditracted Creature, when
he makes himelf the chief aim

ofali his Actions. Whereas, if a

Courtier take great care, to Pleae
the Monarch, and to deign his

Glory and Advantage, he will i

:
raie himelf in a fecurer, i
as well as ' a juter way.
.

. . . .

And
there-

[ Ior ]

therefore becaue Selflowe is fo

ftreng an Oratour, and is till
at the bottom of all perfwafion,

we hould examine cautiouly,

what is urged upon us under the
diguie of Self-love, and whether
we do really love our felves when

we yield to thoe things to which

|

we are tempted. I hall conclude

this Period with a fad Affertion,

That in pight of all that Men

profefs, yet too many really, at
the bottom, mitake themfelves

fo far, as to think that they have

no original Frailties, and therefore
that they are able to command

their Paions, and that they need

no Divine Affiftance, that they

are nothing elfe, fave that body

v

which we fee, that they are not

to die fofoon, and that the things

they are doing now are the on

ly things to be card for, and

will remain with them for ever.
And if mot Men have this Idea

of themelves, I defire to know

E 3

hoW.

[ 1o2 ]
how they can draw jut conclu
|

fions from fuch miftaken Prin

ciples.
-

Another caue of our Reaon

ing fo weakly, is, that the things

of another World are too remote

to feem great to us, and too pi

ritual to be difcerned by carnal

Eyes. The leaft thing, when

plac'd immediately before , our
Eyes,will intercept, and exclude all
further propet ; and even the
leaft conpicuous Objets, and
Senual things do, by a conftant
tide of emanations, flow in con
tinually upon us, fo as to fill

our thoughts, and leave little

room for any thing elfe. But
as a Remedy to this, let us con
-

fider, that fince even Corporeal,and

Senfual Pleaures charm us only
when we think much upon them,
it follows, that thinking is the
Source, and Origin of Efteem :
tho w fee not the Riches of a

golden Mine, yet our belief will

make

|-

[ 1o3 ] .

make us toil for it, and the hope

of fucceeding to an Etate will
oblige us to follow eagerly what
that hope fuggets. And fince
Faith is the evidence of things
not feen, it does repreent things
to come, with a certainty, that
makes them prefent ; and albeit
it may be objeted, that we have

feen fome fuch things as thefe

. . Mines, and Worldly Succeions,

and therefore it is that we be

lieve and love them more; yet

that is of no moment : For the
miracles that Men have heard of,

and the wonderful works of Pro

vidence which we daily fee, e
fpecially when born in upon us,
by the convition of our own

Conciences, feem as trong mo

tives as any that fenfe can af
ford Confcience, that luminous

Senfe of the Soul, being tronger, . .

and more perfwafive to any that
will hear it, than any of our dull

and outward Senes, which have

E 4
only

[ Io4 ]
only affifiance from tupid Fleh
and Blood: Converation alo a

bout things Spiritual and Divine,

will be in place of Senual Etna
nations to us, and will repreent
a future Life, and the World to

come to a hearkning Soul, as if

it were preent; nor will the Al
mighty fail to affift that Elo
quence which has him for its
only and ultimate cope.

The Soul cetrtainly being a Spi

ritual fubtance, can more eafily
unite it felf to immaterial Ob

jets, fuch as a future tate of

Happines, than to the terretrial
Objets, with which we fill it ;

and the only fault is in us, who

do not apply our felves to the
thinking on thefe. Do we not
find that fuch as afpire to Fame
are more taken with it than any
Man is with Meat or Drink, yea,

and Life it felf, for the conqueft

whereof all thefe are contemnd:
And yet Fame is a meer imma
-

terial

[ Io5 ]

terial Objet, that has nothing

affeting the Senes otherwife tha
by thinking nothing Preent, no
thing orporeal ; and generally,
the Spirit of Man is more pleasd
with Expetation than with a

ny preent Poffeffion whatoever;

fo far, that if we expet any lit
tle accident, it will buie more

our thoughts, and faften them

more to it than a thouand things
of greater value already pofsid.

- This then can be no fuch hard

task as our lazines perwades it
to be.

Tho' we be convinc'd of the

truths on which I have founded

my Obervations, yet we advert

not to them, nor heed them.

Thus tho' an Objet were mot

conpicuous, yet if we dote fo

upon any other, as never to

turn our eyes that way, we hall

not be taken with either its Va

lue or Beauty.

We are bred up

in a great eteem for the things

E 5

of

[ ro6 ]

of this World, and fo are rather

pre-engagd than blind, and buy
not that Pearl of price, becaue
, we have laid out our Stock on

other trifles, which is a great de

fet in our Reaon, and for which
we would contemn other Mer

chants : And this is to be cur'd

by having a true value for things,

and by retifying all our Ides;

and therefore, he who refolves

to reafon juftly, hould begin firft

to confider, when any thing og---cus, of what ufe it may be;
and of what value it is. As for
inftance, Is this Land, for which

I am finfully providing Money,

worth Heaven ?. ' or this Man,

whom I am to pleae,

abler

to make me happy than God .

Almighty, to whom in this I

preler him ? And fo, like a skil

ful Chymit, refolve every thing

into its true Principles, and then
try its value ; and like a Mer-

chant, who has been often cheated,

|-

refolve

[ Io7 ]
refolve at laft to confider what

fuch things are worth, whether

they will be fahionable where

we are going, and whether they

will return us the Stock we lay out upon them ?
For improving this thought,
we hould confider, that tho' we
-

|-

dicover truths, yet we do not- N

take time to ponder them fuffici-.

ently : And thus, tho we be

convinc'd, yet we improve not
fufficiently our convitions. Self
love, and the love of Eafe has
us'd us to a partial and fuperfi
cial way of enquiry ; and from
this alo proceed thee wanderings
which weaken thoe pious Medi

tations, and difturb that carneft

nefs in Prayer, by which we can

only procure a jut illumination

in our reafoning ; defultorines

of thought grows daily when it

is not leffend, and the next days
wanderings are the punihment
of thoe which we fuffered to
v
prevail
-

[ Io8 ]

prevail yefterday. But hould we

not be afhamd, that we can

not think our Salvation worthy

of fome ferious hours, fince it

is that which God Almighty has

contantly defignd, and follow'd
from all Eternity, tho' we are
far more concerned in it. And
that we can fpend many entire

hours upon a quetion of Law

or Mathematicks, and yet can
not fix our thoughts upon that
Infinite Being, in whom there

are far more infinite Perfetions;

an Objet that can never be ex

haufted, where every thought

would , open a new Scene of
thoughts, yet more delightful ;
by which, Angels have been for
many thouands of years detaind
in contant raptures, contemplat
ing thoe admirable Myteries,
which the Scripture tells us,
the Angels defire to pry into,

finding by a contant enquiry,

new matter of holy Learning,
*

and

and

[* 1o9:]
bleffed Curiofity

and are

faid by God himelf to have

learnd this from thoe happy

Chritians to whom thoe myfte

ries were firt reveald, Eph. 3. 8.

Learn then, O Chritian, to ma
nage thy Spirit, try firt by
what means thou ueft to fix
it on other occaions, and im
proving thefe from the obvious

that pious fixation

will yield above all others; beg

humbly, by Prayer, a new fup
ply to thy rative Forces, acknow
. ledge to God that thou haft taught |
thy own thoughts this feditiouf.
nefs and tumultuarinefs of which

thou complainft, and hope, that

as by frequent yieldings thou fed
deft that Vice into a habit, fo

that by frequent and refolute op

poitions thou mayft deftroy that

obtinate and dangerous habit,
|

and introduce a

which will make thy

One,

fixdnes
fi

eafie and pleaant. Frequent rea

fonings

[ I Io J. "

fonings do alfo not only make

us argue more trongly and eafily, but do warm us into a con
vition firft, and then into a love

for that for which we contend : .

And thus Lawyers are oft-times

convincd, even in the ill Caues

they plead; and , Hereticks fix
themelves in their Errors, by
frequent cohtets for them. Why
then hould we not argue more

frequently both againt our felves,

and with others, upon thefe ex
cellent Truths, by which alo we

fhould be engagd in honour to

walk futably to thefe truths, of
which we profefs to others that
we are convinc'd ? And who
could be fo aburd, , as after he

has been debating againt another

for his Drinking, yet would in
vite him to a Debauch? But, alas,
every Man loves to debate in his
own Calling, except the Chritian:
And it is become as much a hame

to talk of Devotion as it ought

tO
' ,

 II I J

to be our Glory and Delight; and

men feem afraid to debate, left by
being too much convinc'd of what

they ought to do, they hould be

too much terrified for what they
have done ; and fo thefe Convi

tions beget an uneafines to them,

when to gratifie their humour,

they are tempted to renew their

fins.

, ' '

Hypocrifie - affords us a clear

proof of this partiality, as well as

of Man's contraditing himelf;
for to confes thereis a God who is
Omnifcient, who knows the fe

crets of hearts, and before whom

there is nothing hid in Heaven

or Earth, and yet to think that

we can conceal our thoughts from

his all-leeing Eye, implies a flat
~

Contradition ; as it alo does to

care for nothing but what may,

caue an eteem in our felves, for

our felves. . We really value o
ther mens approbation, becaufe ,
-

it confirms us in our own : nor

would
-,

[ 1 12 ]
would the vainet man alive va

lue all the flatteries imaginable, if

he thought he could not deferve

them. Yet in Hypocrifie we muft
know, that we deferve not the

applaufe to which we pretend, and it is worthy of our thoughts to

enquire impartially, how men can .
reconcile thefe in themfelves ; for
the mot debauched Reaon will
not adventure upon any Contra

dition without fome feeming re

conciliation. And tho' at the firft

it may feem that want of confide

ration is the caue of this, yet

this cannot be; for if we know

not that we are maquing, it is
no Hypocrifie; and on the con
trary, Hypocrifie requires great
refletion, becaue it needs much

precaution. , The Reaon then of

the firt mut be, That as to God
we truft our Repentance, and to
his Mercy ; as if forfooth, we did

him little wrong, by making his

Creature appear more excellent
than
-

|-

[ 113 }
than it is, and as if it might pre
judge his Service to let others fee,
that we are many times more wick
ed than they, or that we did God

good Service in encouraging o

thers to be Pious by our good Ex
ample, and that we by Hypocri
fie do only raife an efteem, or
come to an employment by which

we may be truly ferviceable to

Go n our other ations.

But I

really think, that the Heart of

Man is fo narrow, that it can hold

only one Scheme of thoughts at

once, and therefore this little Soul

being fild with a defire of ap

plaue, and with the hame of be
ing filly and undeferving, it re
flets indeed, but all its refletions
look that way. The man is full
of this, and intent upon it, and
fo he fees not the Contradition,

how palpable foever it be ; but

yet it is fo notorious and difcer
nable, that I may juftly conclude
his Reaon , weak, if not blind,
4

who

[ I 14 ]
who does not difcern it.
/

Te

Cure then of this fubtile Cheat

muft be by puruing this Impo

fture into its fecret reces, by fee

ing this Player before he put on

his fine Cloaths and Diguies, by
turning all our thoughts to God,
and from our felves, adverting fe
rioufy and impartially to every

little circumtance in the deign

that is to be confidered. * * * I have oft-times admired the

prevalency of Cutom above Rea

fon ; and tho Brutes, who want

Reaon, or Children, in whom it
is yet fcarce ripened, be led by it ;

yet what a trange thing is it, that

in men who have Reaon in ma

turity, Cutom becomes not only

a fecond Nature, but overcomes
Nature, and is a fecond Nature,

becaue it almot extirpates Rea

fon, which was our firt Nature.

For tho' the older we grow, our

Reaon hould grow the tronger,
yet it falls till weaker, and melts
|-

|-

,"

fo

[ I 15 ]
fo before Cuftom,that even the ver
tuous and dutiful Ations we do,
-

feem rather the effets of Cuftom

than of Reaon.For if they proceed

ed from Reafon, the fame Reafon
which prompted us to do them,

would cblig ustoatvertuoulyon

all other occaions. And we fee that
we alter our Vertues as the Fa

fhions and Cutoms of our Coun

try change. But to conclude this

expotulation, I cannot but won
der that a man fhould be calld
reafonable, after he has trufted

the making Laws and Moulds for

living happily and dutifully to
the Multitude or Crowd, the

wort of all Judges; and which

we our felves contemn as an igno

rant, giddy, and capricious Rab

C.

Of which influence of Cutom

over Reafon, many different Cau

fes occur to me ; for fometimes I
think that Cutoms etablih and
fix themfelves in us whilft we are

yet.

[ I 16 ]

yet young, that Reaon can nei

ther defend it felf nor us, epe
cially as to unufual Pleaures,
which are the proper and natural
objets of our firt years: and like

Weeds that have overgrown the

ground, tho' never fo fertile, they
hinder the better Plants from

growing up. To prevent which,

it is neceary that we teach young
ones to reafon very early, and ac
cutom them to a Christian Lo

gick, that is better than what .

they can learn in the Schools.
Thus we may make Custom it
felf ueful rather than hurtful to

Reafon, and teach it to ferve,

whereas now it governs.

And I

know one who curd his habitual

Swearing by arguing with him

felf, That fince even the King's
Enemies were able

to reftrain

themelves from peaking Treaon,

by refleting on its dangerousconfe
quences, it was trange, that he

who was convinc'd that Swearing

did

[ I 17 ]
did draw on more dangerous con

fequences, could not abtain from

a cutom that was altogether hate

ful, without the leaft allay of
pleafure or advantage, to which
the others might pretend.
Sometimes I think, that Cu

ftom having the force of the Mul

titude which fupports it, they all

concur to pull back a well refol

ved Man from his vertuous refo

lutions; and Cutom prevails ra

ther by numbers than by trength:
And to prevent this, it is neceffa
ry for a man who refolves to
, Reaon juftly, to withdraw for
fome time from the Crowd: Prov.

18. 1. - A man, ays Solomon, ha

ving feparated himelf, meddleth

with all Wifdom ; and Seneca tells

us, That fanahimur modo ctu

Jeparemur. Jeus Chrit alo who
has triumphed over the World, is:
by ftrong Interceions, to be ca!--

led in againt this potent Enemy,

who has hewn us, that he can
throw
-

[ 12o ] .

is none dares refift it ; it is able to

aftonifh as well as convince: norare
men fo wicked as not to defire to

be affifted by fome happy Genius,

in what they are convincedis beft.

And every man almot ftands on
ly in awe of another, expeting

and wihing fome Moes to ander

take their delivery. , ;

Generally Self-love eems to

lead into thefe Sentiments, as

thinking the Multitude will cry

up their own inclinations, and is
unwilling to check that Multitude

from which it expests applaufe ;

and whoe many Suffragesit needs

to maintain it, againt that inward
fenfe it has of its own weaknes
and fillines: and this is to be cu

red by a noble reflestion upon the

dignity of our firt Creation; and
a defire to be again like to that

God whoe Imageat firt we were,

and whoe Sons we mayeyet be,
istiwa can eraile our hopes above
thost: lower Sphres of enual
:

Joys

[ 121 ]

Joyes and Pleaures which poy

fon us when they feem weet,
and cheat us when they appear
great.
One of the dreadful effes of

our following the Example of o-

thers, is, that we think it is fuf.

ficient to be as reafonable as they:
And thus we foolih and unrea

fonable Mortals, tint and bound

one anothers goodnes; now this

we hall eaily perceive to be mot

unreafonable, when we confider
that, no Man will fatisfie himelf

in being as powerful or rich as

his Neighbours ; tho' thee be
much lefs defireable for a , Soul

: and Spirit, which is the Image of

: San Infinite God, and is, after all
its beft endeavours here, very
far from attining to that degree
of perfetion which is even re

aquifite to the life of a Chritian.

* z Devotion is a Race, 3 and who is

-t that when he runs with many

Rivals, will content himelflito

F
be

[ 122 ]

be in the throng, epecially if

the Prize be confiderable : , And

therefore the Apotle exhorts us

to forget thoe thing: which are
Behind, and to reach forth to thoe
things that x are before, prefing
towards: the mark, for the prize
vf:thezhigh calling in Chrit Jeus,

Phil. 3. 14. We are not only

obliged to : prefs on to obtain
the Crown, but being purued by
our piritual Enemies, we are con

cernedoto ufe all the peed that

is pofible. And would not we
conclude: him mad, who if he
were purfu'd for his life, would

not defire to be paft all danger,

but conterit himelf that he were
notithe latiamongt thoe who
vendeavoured to ecape e i ...

It is ftrange.

that notwith

-ftanding that Cutom does fo lead

.fus when we goi not where we
2iought to go, sbut where others
hauergone:before us, yet we oft

etimisere to arcontrary ":::

-

'i

2Il

I 123 ] .
and by a contrary reaon, which
is as falfe and more dangerous .
than the other, reafoning weakly

and falfly from a defign and de

fire to be fingular, and confe
quently to be admird; thus even
whilft in this we oppoe the mul
titude, we deign to pleae them
too ; , for no Man admires what
does not delight him ; and pro
bably, thee fame contraditors
would have chofen rather to

have gone to Fame in the beaten

by a direct pleafing and
following of them; but findin

::

::::::: them in it, whi

they could not pas by, they,

by a long and a dangerous circuit,

:run before, and endeavour to keep

the Pas on their Rivals, and hin

der them from coming, up at
Fame ; and tho' they want the
multitude at preent, yet they
hope to make them follow, elle

they would not differ from them;

for few would care to continue
-

F 2

alone

. I 124 ]
alone till the laft, tho' they love
to be fingular at firft ; yet this
humour is a very great Enemy
to true reaoning, for it intro
duces a habit of arguing falfly;
and it is difficult in this dark
etate to recover our road ; if we

once quit our light, one errour

emboldens us to commit another,

and it is the punifhment of it,
when committed ; even e thee

who care not to oppoe Truth,

love to be conequential in their
oppoition ; for to do otherwife,

were to be guilty of a double

and more palpable vice in rea
-foning,

.. .. ?

. Another great hinderance to

right Reaoning, is Senuality :

For though I am far from be
ing of their opinion, who think
the Soul nothing but the Animal'
Spirits; fince we cannot conceive

how matters can think o deli

cately and ubtily, yet there is
no doubt but the tempers of the
:
- * *
Body

[ 125 ] .
Body has great influence on the
Mind ; and that Sobriety does
purifie the Blood, and make thee

animal Spirits fitter Organs: for

the Soul ; as on the other hand,
Drunkennes drowns it, Glttony

ftupifies it, and even after that

time has diffipated thoe loads

which oppres the Soul, there

remains a tock of dregs which
are eaily iflmd into Luft, Rage,
and other brutal Paffions, whicl

in a more lafting manner inflave

it, ' herefore Pagans. have re
commended, Sobriety as a Diet

for the Soul as well as the Bo

dy, and the Scripture Fafting, as

a Religius Duty ; and, fince

there is none of us fo Brutal,

but if we were about to Preach,
Plead, or affift in a publick Ju:
dicature, we, would i beicareful
:

to avoid all thefe Exceffes, left

thereby our Reaon might be di

fturbed .br clouded; we rought |

much more to hun them, with

; ::

F 3

an

i n
an Eye to the fervice of an Infi
nite God, and the preervation
of our immortal Souls, minding
in this the obervation of the

Prophet, Wine, and new wine

take avay the heart; and the ad
vice of our Saviour, See that

you be not overcharged with Jur

feiting and drunkennes.
There remain yet two vigo
rous Enemies to our Reaon to

be fubdued, Bigotry and Raillery;

contrary to

: ::::
one another ; Bigotry treating
things : : ::::
which

cred, and Raillery treating things .

Sacred as ridiculous, yet they

both conpire againt our Reaon,

and are the favourite extravagan

ciesofthetimes, whichoblige: me
to infift the more upon them.

I define Bigotry to be a laying

too much tres upon any circum
tantial point of

::::::::
lothereffen

hip, anehemakingaliot

tial Duties ubervient thereto,

:

- and

".

[ 127 ]

and got its name from an occaion

extravagant like it felf. Rollandfirft
Duke of Normandy, be-

Du Lange verb.

ing eobliged to do ho- :"

les
mag

to Char

of : for :::y, refus'd

- -

to kis his Foot, except the King

would raie it himelf to his mouth;
and when it was told him that the

Solemnity confifted in his tak

ing up the King's Foot and kif

fing it, he anwerd, Ne ferbigt,
that is to ay in old Norman,

Not fo by God; Whereupon the

King and Court derided him, and
the Normans were from that oc

cafion called Bigots, as they who

adhered pertinaciouly to Ridicu

lous Extravagancies. Thee latter
Ages having, in this dotage of the

World, produc'd
who
mitaking Reformation for Hu
mur, and feeing fome Devout

Men admired for eparating from

Idolatrous and Superfitious Chur
ches, becaue they would not
*

F 4

reform

[ 1 12 ]
would the vainet man alive va

lue all the flatteries imaginable, if

he thought he could not deferve

them. Yet in Hypocrifie we muft
know, that we deferve not the
applaufe to which we pretend, and -

it is worthy of our thoughts to

enquire impartially, how men can
reconcile thefe in themfelves ; for

the mot debauched Reaon will

not adventure upon any Contra

dition without fome feeming re

conciliation. And tho' at the firt
it may feem that want of confide

ration is the caue of this, yet

this cannot be; for if we know

not that we are mafquing, it is
no Hypocrifie; and on the con
trary, Hypocrifie requires great
refletion, becaue it needs much

precaution. The Reaon then of

the firt mut be, That as to God
we truft our Repentance, and to .
his Mercy ; as if forfooth, we did

him little wrong, by making his

Creature appear more excellent
than
-

[ 113
than it is, and as if it might pre
judge his Service to let others fee,
that we are manytimes more wick
ed than they, or that we did God

good Service in encouraging o

thers to be Pious by our good Ex
ample, and that we by Hypocri
fie do only raie an eteem, or
come to an employment by which

we may be truly ferviceable to

Go n our other ations.

But I

really think, that the Heart of

Man is fo narrow, that it can hold

only one Scheme of thoughts at

;

once, and therefore this little Soul

being fill'd with a defire of ap

plaue, and with the hame of be
ing filly and undeerving, it re
flets indeed, but all its refletions
look that way. The man is full
of this, and intent upon it, and
fo he fees not the Contradition,

how palpable foever it be ; but

yet it is fo notorious and difcer
nable, that I may juftly conclude
his Reaon , weak, if not blind,
who

[ I 14 ]
who does not difcern it.

Te

Cure then of this ubtile Cheat

muft be by puruing this Impo

fture into its fecret reces, by fee

ing this Player before he put on

his fine Cloaths and Diguies, by
turning all our thoughts to God,
and from our felves, adverting fe
riouffy and impartially to every

little circumftance in the deign

that is to be confidered.

; "

I have oft-times admired the

prevalency of Cutom above Rea

fon ; and tho Brutes, who want
Reafon, or Children, in whom it
is yet carce ripened, be led by it ;

yet what aftrange thing is it, that

in men who have Reaon in ma

turity, Cutom becomes not only

a fecond Nature, but overcomes
Nature, and is a fecond Nature,

becaue it almot extirpates Rea

fon, which was our firt Nature.

For tho' the older we grow, our

Reaon hould grow the tronger,
yet it falls till weaker, and melts
|-

|-

**

fo

[ 115 1
fo before Cuftom,that even the ver
tuous and dutiful Ations we do,

feem rather the effets of Cuftom

than of Reaon.For if they proceed

ed from Reafon, the fame Reafon
which prompted us to do them,

would cblig us toatvertuoulyon

all other occaions. And we fee that
we alter our Vertues as the Fa

fhions and Cutoms of our Coun

try change. But to conclude this

expotulation, I cannot but won
der that a man fhould be calld

reafonable, after he has truted

the making Laws and Moulds for

living happily and dutifully to
the Multitude or Crowd, the

worft of all Judges; and which

we our felves contemn as an igno-

rant,
giddy, and capricious Rab
C.
|

Of which influence of Cutom

over Reaon, many different Cau

fes occur to me ; for fometimes I
think that Cutoms etablih and
fix themfelves in us whilft we are
yet.

[ I 16 ]

yet young, that Reaon can nei

ther defend it felf nor us, epe
cially as to unuual Pleaures,
which are the proper and natural

objets of our firt years: and like

Weeds that have overgrown the
ground, tho' never fo fertile, they
hinder

the better Plants from

growing up. To prevent which,

it is neceary that we teach young
ones to reafon very early, and ac
cutom them to a Christian Lo

gick, that is better than what

they can learn in the Schools.
Thus we may make Custom it
felf ueful rather than hurtful to

Reafon, and teach it to ferve,

whereas now it governs. And I

know one who curd his habitual

Swearing by arguing with him
felf, That fince even the Kings
Enemies were able

to reftrain

themelves from peaking Treaon,

by refleting on its dangerousconfe
quences, it was trange, that he

who was convinc'd that Swearing

-

did

[ I 17 ]

did draw on more dangerous con

fequences, could not abtain from
a cutom that was altogether hate
ful, without the leaft allay of
pleafure or advantage, to which
the others might pretend.
Sometimes I think, that Cu

ftom having the force of the Mul

titude which fupports it, they all
concur to pull back a well refol
ved Man from his vertuous refo

lutions; and Cutom prevails ra

ther by numbers than by trength:
And to prevent this, it is necefla
ry for a man who refolves to

Reaon juftly, to withdraw for

fome time from the Crowd: Prov.

18. 1. A man, ays Solomon, ha

ving feparated himelf, meddleth
with all Widom ; and Seneca tells

us, That fanabimur modo caetu

feparemur. Jeus Chrit alo who
has triumphed over the World, is:
by trong Interceions, to be ca!--

led in againt this potent Enemy,

who has hewn us, that he can
-

throw

[ I 18 ]

throw out and difpoffes that De

vil whoe name is Legion : but
the Multitude is never fo corrupt,
but that ftill fome are to be found

who can affift us in reaoning

juftly upon things; and we hould
alo remember, that we value fo

little the Multitude, that we tand

not in awe of what they fay of

us, when we are gaining Money,

or fatisfying our Pleaures : why
then hould we till pend all we:

have, and deny our felves all Plea

fure in following Cutom, or court
ing Fame ; fince Cutom and
Fame are but the Ditates of the
Multitude, an Homage which un
thinking men are forced to pay
the Rabble, becaue they dare not
feriouly reflet on what they do ?

Or which defigning men pay them

in hopes to make them firt Tools
to their Ambition, and thereafter .
Slaves to their Tyranny.

, But at other times the trength

of Cutom flows from our lazines,
:

who

I 119 ]
| who love the way that is chalked
out to us, and think it fafe to
follow, rather than lead the crowd;

cheated to this by a cowardly Hu

mility, which proves our never

having confidered the Noblenes of

our own Origine : which is to
be cured by a generous reolution

of depifing difficulties ; and of

being Slaves, as all perons are,
who love better to obey, than to
examine the Ditates of others ;

and, we are mot unreafonable,

when we have fo trong defires
to lead the Multitude to our ruine,
as in feditious Tumults and Fati

ons ; and yet will be content to

be tamely led by them in what is

much nobler and of greater con
fequence.

How

much

more

do we praie thoe great Legila

tors, who govern'd the Multitude
by their Vertues, than thoe Sy
cophants who adored them by

fubmiions ? There is Light in

Vertue and Religion, and there

.

--

1S

[ 12o ] .

is none dares refift it ; it is able to

aftonifh as well as convince: norare
men fo wicked as not to defire to

be affifted by fome happy Genius,

in what they are convincedis bet.
And every man almot ftands on
ly in awe of another, expeting
and wihing fome Moes to ander
take their delivery. ,

. '

Generally Self-love eems

lead into thefe Sentiments, as

thinking the Multitude will cry

up their own inclinations, and is
unwilling to check that Multitude

from which it expests applaufe ;

and whoe many Suffragesit needs

to maintain it, againt that inward
fenfe it has of its own weaknes
and fillines: and this is to be cu

red by a noble reflestion upon the

dignity of our firt Creation; and
a defire to be again like to that

God whoe Image at firt we were,

and whoe Sons we mayeyet be,
if we can eraile our hopes above

thost: lower Sphdres of enual

Joys
-

[ 121 ] .

Joyes and Pleaures which poy

fon us when they feem weet,

and cheat us when they appear

great.
One of the dreadful effets of

our following the Example of o:

thers, is, that we think it is fuf.

ficient to be as reafonable as they:
And thus we foolih and unrea

fonable Mortals, tint and bound

one anothers goodnes; now this
we hall eaily perceive to be mot
unreafonable, when we confider
that, no Man will fatisfie himelf

in being as powerful or rich as

his Neighbours ; tho' thefe be
much lefs defireable for a , Soul

and Spirit, which is the Image of

an. Infinite God, and is, safter all

its beft endeavours here, very

far from attining to that degree
of perfetion which is even re

aquifite to the life of a Chritian.

zevotion is a Race, 3 and who is

-it, that when he runs with many
Rivals, will content himelfito
- **

be

[ 122 ]
be in the

throng, epecially if

the Prize be confiderable : And

therefore the Apoftle exhorts us

to forget thoe things which are
Behind, and to reach forth to thoe

things that are before, prefing

towards: the mark, for the prize

of the high calling in chrif Jeus,

Phil. 3. 14. : We are not only
obliged to prefs on to obtain

the Crown, but being purued by

our piritual Enemies, we are concernedoto ufe all the peed that
is pofible.

And would not we

conclude: him mad, who if he

were purfu'd for his life, would

not defire to be paft all danger,

but conterit himelf that he were

notithe latiamongt thoe who

vendeavoured to ecape i ei
.." It is ftrange, that notwith

-ftanding that Cutom does fo lead

.fus when we go not where we
zlought to ga, sbut where others

hauergone beford us, yet we oft

timiesfert to a contrary
|-

'i

"":
,
an

[ 123 ] .
and by a contrary reafon, which
is as falfe and more dangerous .
than the other, reafoning weakly

and falfly from a defign and de

fire to be fingular, and confe
quently to be admird; thus even
whilft in this we oppoe the mul
titude, we
to pleae them
too; for no Man admires what
does not delight him ; and pro
bably, thee fame contraditors
would have chofen rather to
have gone to Fame in the beaten
by a direct pleafing and
following of them; but findin

::

a Crowd before them in it, whi

they could not pas by, they,

by a long and a dangerous circuit,

:run before, and endeavour to keep ,

the Pas on their Rivals, and hin

der them from coming, up at
- Fame ; and tho they want the
multitude at preent, : they

hope to make them follow, elle

they would not differ from them;

- for few would care to continue
.

F 2

alone

||

. I 124 ]

alone till the laft, tho' they love

to be fingular at firft ; yet this
humour is a very great Enemy
to true reaoning, for it intro

duces a habit of arguing falfly;

and it is difficult in this dark
etate to recover our road ; if we

once quit our light, one errour

emboldens us to commit another,

and it is the punifhment of it,
when committed; even e thoe
who care not to oppoe Truth,
love to be confequential in their

oppoition ; for to do otherwife,

were to be guilty of a double
and more palpable vice in rea
-foning.
L
-- ~~
|-

Another great hinderance to

right Reaoning, is Senuality :

For though I am far from being of their opinion, who think

the Soul nothing but the Animal'

Spirits; fince we cannot conceive

how matters can think fo deli

cately and fubtily, yet there is
no doubt but the tempers of the
:
- *
**
Body

[ 125 ] .

"

Body has great influence on the

Mind ; and that Sobriety does

purifie the Blood, and make thee

animal Spirits fitter Organs: for
the Soul; as on the other hand,
Drunkennes drowns it, Glttony
ftupifies it, and even after that
time has diffipated thoe loads

which oppres the Soul, there

remains a tock of dregs which
are eaily iflmd into Luft, Rage,
:

and other brutal Paffions, whicl

in a more lafting manner inflave

it, Therefore Pagans have re
commended, Sobriety as a Diet
#

for the Soul as well as the Bo

dy, and the Scripture Fafting, as

a Religius Duty ; and, fince

there is none of us fo Brutal,

but if we were about to Preach,
Plead, or affift in a publick Ju:
dicature, we, would i beicareful
to avoid all thefe Exceffes, left

thereby our Reaon might be di

fturbed,;br clouded; we rought
much more to hun them, with
. .

F 3

|-

an

. [ 126 ]
an Eye to the fervice of an Infi
nite God, and the preervation
of our immortal Souls, minding
in this the obervation of the

Prophet, Wine, and new wine

take avay the heart ; and the ad
vice of our Saviour, See that

you be not overcharged with Jur

feiting and drunkennes.
There remain yet two vigo
rous Enemies to our Reaon to

be ubdued,
Raillery;
which tho' they be contrary to
one another ; Bigotry treating
things that are ridiculous as Sa=
cred, and Raillery treating things
Sacred as ridiculous, yet they
both conpire againt our Reaon,
and are the favourite extravagan
cies of the times, which obliges me

::
:::: :
tantial point of : of Wor
fhip, and the making allothereffential Duties fubervient ":::
the more
I define Bi
to be a layi
too much
any
tO

.
2

[ 127 ]

and got its name from an occaion

extravagant like it felf. Rollandfirft
Duke of Normandy, be-

Du Lange verb.

ing
obliged to do ho :*"
mage to Charles

of : for :::y, refus'd

-

to kis his Foot, except the King

would raie it himelf to his mouth;
and when it was told him that the

Solemnity confifted in his tak

ing up the King's Foot and kif

fing it, he anwerd, Ne ferbigt,
that is to ay in old Norman,

Not fo by God; Whereupon the

King and Court derided him, and
the Normans were from that oc

cafion called Bigots, as they who

adhered pertinaciouly to Ridicu

lous Extravagancies. Thee latter

Ages having, in this dotage of the
World, producd
who
miftaking Reformation for Hu
mur, and feeing fome Devout

Men admired for eparating from

Idolatrous and Superfitious Chur
ches, becaue they would not
|-

F 4

reform

[ 128 ]

reform great and fundamental

Errours, imagined that every
thing was to be ftuck at with
the fame zeal which thee hew

ed in matters of greatet confe

quence, and by a farther effet of
the fame zeal, they proceeded to
force others to concur with them

in their extravagancies, which

furpriing ditraction forced Men
to betow on them the name of
Bigots ; Supertition could not

fo well agree to them, that be

ing only an exceive Worhip

paid to a Deity, true or falfe,
from 'ango ill-grounded fear of
michief from it: nor could dogmatifing ferve, , that. being only
a pbfitivenes: in: any Opinion,

jyned: to the vanity of think

irig, that the Dogmatizer had
right to ditate to others ; nor
Opiniarity, becaue that confifts
only in adhering too tify to a- ,

ny Qpinion in pight of the beft |

Reaons; , nor Schim, becaue it :

[ I29 ]
*

is an unneceary feparation; nor

Herefie, for tho it is an obti

nate Errour in fome important

point, yet it is always in mat
ters of Faith ; whereas Bigotry
refts only in matters of mall im
portance ; , but tho Bigotry pro

perly relates to matters Ecclef

aftical in our late acceptation,

yet it is by an eafie tretch u

fed to exprefs opiniatrities of all
kinds; and if we confider its 9

riginal, we muft conclude, that

it has been drawn to matters

Eccleiatick, , and is appropria

ted now to them, becaue they
are the mot remarkable and fre

quent inftances or effets of this

michievous Principle.

For we

may juftly fay, that Bigotry is the

Hypochondriacim of Reafon, the

Bedlam of Religion, and the Ape

of Infallibility.
Inflances of this Bigotry, as
-

they are very frequen: they

: are very ancient. The Apotles
F

them

[ rgo J
themelves were forc'd very earr

ly to inveigh againt Zeal that

was not according to Knowledge;
and the chief of their Scholars,

who had been fo happy as to

hear them preach, did yet rend
the Church by a dreadful Schim,
which foon after grew to that

heighth, that the Wetern Church

excommunicated the Eatern, for

differing from them in the ob

fervation of Eater.

: The bet way to deter Men

from pending their time and

-zeal in the fervice of Bigotry,

either as its Chaplains, or as its
Emiries or Executioners, will

be to confider the great defes,

under which it labours, and the

fad effets which it produceth.

The firt pernicious effe of

- Bigotry, is, that it obtrudes on
us things of no moment as mat
ters of the greatet importance.

Now, as it would be a great de .

fet in a Mans fenfe to

":Star3 .

I 131 ]
Star for the Sun ; or in an O

ratour to infift tenaciouly on a

point which deerved no confide
ration ; fo it mut be a much

greater errour n a Chritian to .

prefer, or even to equal a meer

circumftance to the olid points
,
;
of Religion.
But thee miftakes become

more dangerous, by inducing their

Votaries to believe, that becaue .
they are Orthodox in thee mat

ters, they are the only People

of God; and all who joyn not
are Aliens to the Commonwealth

of Irael: And from this fprings

firft, that they, as Friends of
God, may be familiar with him,
and, as Friends do one to another,

may peak to him without di

tance or premeditation; thence
it is that we hear dreadful

nonfenfe infolently vented in ex

temporary Prayers, fuch as would
induce one to think that they

do not believe him to be a God

tO
*

[ 132 ]
- to whom they hew for little re

afpet ; for who can think that

Infinite Widom can confider them

as Friends, who dare addres to

him fo unfuitably? Bigotry hav

ing thusi corrupted our reafoning
in matters of Religion, iteafily de
praves it in the whole coure of
our Morals and Politicks.

The Bigots in the Second place

proceed to fancy, that they who
differ from them are Enemies to

God, becaue they differ from

God's People; and then the Old
Tetament is confulted for ex

prefions denouncing Vengeance

againt them : All Murders be

come Sacrifices by the Example
of Phineas and Ehud ; all Rapines
- are hallowed by the Iraelites

borrowing the Ear-rings of the

Egyptians ; and Rebellions have

- an hundred forc'dTexts of Scrip
'ture brought to- patronife them. .
"But I oftentimes wonder where

they find Precedents in the Old |-

Tefta-

I 133 l
Tetament: for Murdering and
Robbing Mens Reputations, or .
for lying fo impudently for what
they.think the good Old Caufe;
which God forefeeing, has com
manded us not to lie, even for
his fake.: , :
,

":::Third link of this Chain,

is, That they fancying them
felves to be the only Irael, con
clude that God fees no fin in

them, all is allowable to them;

and (as one of themelves faid)

They will be as good to God ano

ther way.

. .

The Fourth is, That fuch as

differ from them are Baftards,

and not the true Sons of God,

and therefore they ought to have

no hare of this Earth, or its
Government ; hence flow thefe

holy and ueful, Maxims, Domi

nion is founded in Grace, and

the Saints have the only right to

govern the Earth; which being

once upon an occafion earnetly

-

prefs'd

[ 134 ]
prefs'd in Cromwel's little Parlia
-

. ment, it was anfwered by the

Preident of his Council, That

the Saints deerved all things,

but that Publick Employment
was fuch a drudgery that it would
be unjuft to condemn the Saints

to it, and that the fecureft way

to make the Common-wealth hap
py, was to leave them in a pi
ous retirement, interceding for
at

the Nation
Grace.

the Throne . of

The Fifth Errour in their rea

foning, is, That feeing their o
pinions flow immediately from
Heaven, no earthly Government

can condemn any thing they do,

in profecution of thefe their O
pinions ; , thence it is that they
raife Seditions and Rebellions with

out any cruple of Concience,

and believing themelves the Dar
lings andFriends of God,they think
themelves above Kings, who are
: only

[ 135 ]

- .

only their Servants and Execu

tioners.

It may feem trange, that

fuch Principles as . Bigotry fug
efts hould be able to produce

||

# trange effets, and many

fan

ciful perons pretend it to be

from God, becaue it prevails fo.
But this wonder will be much

leffen'd if we confider firft, That

the greatet part of Mankind are

weak or difhoneft, and both thee
upport Bigotry with all their

might. Many virtuous Men alo

promote its Intereft from a mi
ftaken good nature, and vain

Men from a defign of gaining

Popularity. Thee who are dif
oblig'd by the Government joyn
their Forces with it, to make to

themelves a Party ; and thoe

who are naturally unquiet or

fatious, find in it a pleafant

z divertifement ; whereas on the
other fide, few are fo concernd

for Moderation and Truth

.

:
t|16

( 136 ]
the Bigots are for their belov'd,
Conceits.

..*" '

'

There is alo a tinfel Devo

tion in it which dazles the Eyes
of unthinking People ; and this
arifes either from the new Zeal,
that like Youth, is ftill vi-

gorous, and has not as yet fpent .

it felf fo as that it needs to lan

guih ; or elfe, from the Bigot's

being confcious that his Opinions
need to be diguis'd under this
hypocritical Mask.
Severity alo encreafes the num

ber and Zeal of Bigots. Humane

Nature inclines us wifely to that
pity which we may one day need;

and few pardon the Severity of

a Magitrate, becaue they know
not where it may ftop. I have

known alo fome : very ferious

Men, who have concluded, that

fince Magitrates have not often

times, in other things a great

concern for Devotion, their for

wardnes againt thee Errours
muft.

I 137 ]
muft arife either from the cru

elty of their temper, or from

fome hid defign of carrying on a

particular Intereft, very different
from, , and oft-times inconfiftent
with the Religious Zeal they pre
tend. And generlly, the Vul

gar believe that all Superiours

are inclin'd to triumph over thoe
who are ubjected to them ;
many have alo a ecret perfwa

fion that the Magitrates are :

in League , with the , National

Church, and its Hierarchy, which
they, fufpe to be upported

by them, becaue it maintains

their Intereft, and they are apt

t confider Churchmen but as

Penioners, a: as Partizas to

the Civil Magistrate. . . .

Many are drawn into the e

teem of fuch Opinions as they

fee Men - fuffer difficulties for.
But this miftake was forefeen by
the Primitive Church, who there- .

fore declared that non Pena, ed

Caua

[ 138 ]

caua facit Martyrem. Chritian

Prudence does not allow a Man

to fell his precious Life for an

incompetent Price; Forwardnes
that way does not always re
commend an Opinion : Men of
have died with

::::::

mnefs; Pagans, yea, Women

: : ::::::::
any of thee Bigots or Enthu
afts. The ::::::::

have hewed a courage beyond

::::::: Intance of fan

astical Bigotry; an Hundred
Thouind ::::::::::
tamely their Nations being en
flav'd by the Tartars, without

making any Effort to recover

their Liberty, choe rather to
dye than conform to the Tartars,

in turning up their Muftaches

after their Mode; Vanity well
diguis'd can flatter Men with

the Glory of Martyrdom ; and

its obervable that this Firmnefs
faints often where Executions are
|Private;

[ 139 ]
4
|

Private ; however, this hould

prevail with a Wi Magiftrate,
never to make Religious Opini
ons Criminal.
The true Cures then of this Dif.

eafe feem to be, Firft, to endea

vour to plant Reaon early and

carefully in the Hearts of Young

ones, or to recover it in thoe

of more advanced Years ; for

this is a more olid and effeu

al way, than_the immediate op

pofing, or offering to cure this

Imperfetion it felf, will prove;
Meri love their o!

::::
abroad

Acquaintance; Traveli

much
Cure ;
for fuch as convere only with
thoe of their own Perf
, are

daily warmd into new degrees

of Zeal; whereas, when we fee
that Men of true

fenfe differ

from us, we will be inclind from

a Chritian Modety and Humi

lity, firt to, doubt our own Q

pinions, and then to hear Ifi
-

ftrutions :

[ 14o ]
frutions : The Orthodox Clergy

fhould by their Pious Lives con

duce to this Cure ; and even La

icks hould, by their ferious and

Devout Converation, , convince

them that Sincerity and Piety

are not infeparable from fueh hu
moreus Conceits. , Thefe poor
deluded: People , hould sconfider
what. Michiefs and Defolations

thoe Vulcanos of Zeal havebrought

upon this Iland by their dread
fua Erupions ; there being gbut

yery few Famlies, in which fome

f their Children have not beert

facrificed to this Moloch :. Nor
cano ourirNavies or --Armies fe
cure; us ! while, this Enemy lodg

9th within us, nand isi cherifhed

by us., Theyofhould alo con

fider, that Religious . Reaon

left to it felf. will at last.over

ome thoe prejudices, which, like

Meteors, may; fhine for a times

but will at laft vanih into the

common and undiftinguihd Air.
But

[ 141 ]

|-

But the bet of all Remedies,

| is, to confider feriouly the Do.
| trine and Pratice of our Blefied
Saviour (to form our Reafon by
: which is the great defign of this

| Eay), and therefore they hould

remember, that our Saviour forefeeing the inconfequentialnes of
their Ations, did oberve, "that

they did tart at Straws, and fwa:

low i Camels ; that they tithed
the Mint and Annife, but forgot

the great things of the Law. ur

Saviour's reafoning in the Parable
of the Publican and Pharifee,
fheuld humble all piritual Pride;
and his humble and 'fubmiffive

Form of Prayer hould bridle the

indicretion of all rude Addrefrs;
He uffered the Sons of Zebedee

to call for Fire from Heavh, that

he might thereby, intruct the
World how unuitable their Zeal

-was to his Gopel; he reaoned

againt fighting Peter, that if his
#

:
}:

King

[ 142 ]

Kingdom were of this Earth, his

Servants would fight for him ;
- and if he needed any Affiftance,

he might call for Legions of An

els : Nor can I think, after this
ntance ,

our Saviour would

have truted Peter, in his ab

ene, with two Swords, fince

he was fo forward in his own

when he had but one:

t if others will be fo blind

as not to follow our Saviour's

: of reafoning,

let us at leaft
follow it, in praying for them,
;

becaue they know not what

they are doing ; yet I wih both

2 they and we would confider,
that we reemble too much at

this time the unhappy Jews, who,

: fighting amongt

themelves,

for finall matters, relating to

their Religipus Rites, occaioned
their being totally detroyed, and

:::::::-- who be
<---

: them.,

G :

, il

I 143 ]

I know no greater enemy to juft

thoughts or Reafoning than Rail
lery and Satyrs, and the new way

of reaoning by ridiculous Similies.

Most Men are fo famous for this .
kind of arguing, and do by it
confute and baffle fo much all

who oppoe it, that it paies

for the tronger way of Reafon
ing, Vitory being till account
ed the Effet as well as the Re

ward of trength : But yet this

way looks fo fillie to Men when
they retire and are alone, that

they begin to wonder what it

was tha: pled them o before

they left the converation. And &

therefore I think it worth my

pains to earch a little into the

caues of this vulgar errour, why .
Men are fo much pleaed with
raillery, and why it prevails fo
in the World at this day : . . .
: The firt caue of this, in my
opinion, is, that Men naturally

love Truth, as the Eyes do Light,

:

Of

[ 144 ]
or Bruits Food; for Truth is in

deed the Light and Food of the

Soul ; yet miffing it, after much
enquiry, and a paffionate fearch,
. they do either conclude there is
none, and fo laugh at all others
who feekit, or in revenge, con
temn, it: as a Cheat; and this

breeds at firt Raillery and Sa

tyrs; even as we fee, that when
Gallants are rebuked by a fevere
Mitres, they pleae or revenge
themelves in railing at her, or
treating her in ridicule. As
States-men and Courtiers feldom
fail, when thrown off, to ufe the

- Court , and Employments from

which they are falln, after the

fame manner. 5 And - fince too

few feek after Truth it felf, na

ked and unrewarded; others a

gain weary of the toils and fverity required in true reaoning;

reft on this, s the eafieft; even
as Men i contnt themfelves with

gilded Plate, when: they cannot

'# ',

attain

[ 145 ]
| attain to true Gold ; and Raillery
| has become by this as ordinary as
the falfe Jewels, with which fo

many now pleae themfelves, in

ftead of true ones; and at a di
ftance, and on the publick Thea

tre, even of bufines, the one ap

pears brisker than the other.
Raillery pleafes alo mens Self
love better than Truth; for Truth
is too fevere to flatter our Vanity,
and too honeft to ferve our Re

venge ; , whereas Raillery does

tempt the Jefter to flatter him
felf, and is an ordinary occafi
}

on for others to flatter him as

a formidable Wit: Nor can the
World find fo fit a Tool for Re

venge as Raillery; fince few durft

; even for fear of checks of Con

cience stab their Neighbour, or

) |

* for Honour wound him when his

.1

F|

f!

back is turn'd, if it were not in

a pleaant jeft, which makes Ma

i lice pas for Wit, and cheats the

Satyrifts into a belief that they
4

defign

[ 146 ]

defign not to wrong him, but to

pleae the company: The Hearers
alo would hate fuch Enemies to

Mankind, if they were not fo ra

vihd with the way, that they
had not time to think on the Ma
lice. This misfortune alo attends

it, that it tempts men to do or

fay many things on which they

would not otherwife adventure ;

refuming that their Wit, which

is fo much admird, will alfo fright
or bribe others from accufing or
punihing them.
-

Truth is a fober and equal Plea

fure, free from all tranports and

hateing them, and fo eems dull

and flat to young and warm Spi
rits ; whereas that paffion which
accompanies Raillery, either in

Joy or Revenge, is more vigorous

and elevated ; and it is indeed a
wonder to think what force and

energy there is in the Soul, when ,

the Sails of its Imagination are
filled with the properous gale of
Ap|

[ 147 ]

Applaufe, and by what fecret

fprings the Fancy is able to raife
it to fuch heights when it is

warmly pleasd; or what infinite

numbers of ravihing Images ap
pear to a ftrong Fancy : And how
it creates fo many pleaant notions
out of other Mens Infirmities:

And what great variety and new

nefs it conftantly produces, form

ing always various Scenes of Joy, to

the wonder even of fober men : .

I deny not, but fome do from

good Nature, and to pleae the
onveration, coff and jeft, and,

as I faid formerly, fome feeing

it fo much admird, think it is

truly good, it being a kind of mo

dety, to believe that good which
pleaes others ; and fome feeing
Vitory attend it, think it is the

ftrongeft way of arguing; and,

thus this Weed rifes and preads,
and we fit with delight under the

refrehing fhades; and with thee

raptures of Malice or Pleaure,
-

G 2

Scof

[ 148 ]
Scoffers are fo much taken, that

they have not the leifure to think

on what they ought to do, or
even on what they are doing ;
and thus they forget frequently
the duty they owe to great men,
to whom they have acces, and
can hardly keep themelves with
in that moderation in Converfa

tion, Eating, Drinking, and o

ther Exercifes that are requifite

for preerving Health and Qiet,

or for oberving the Rules of
Decency and Dicretion : I con
clude, That Jefting and Satyrs are

fo far from being a relaxation of

Spirit to thoe who are wearied
with ferious Employments, as is
pretended, that they are oft-times
rather a new and ftudied toil,

and mot of thee extravagan

cies

could carce be pardon

ed; like bitter and four Fruits

which can hardlybe eaten, except

when confeted with great care and
expence.

But if we look further

into

[ 149 ]
into the matter, we hall find that

nothing wrongs more both Rea

fon and Piety, and is more de
ftrutive to true Friendhip, or
more inconfiftent with Sincerity.

For clearing whereof we may ob

ferve, thatevery Faculty of the Soul
contributes in a peculiar way to
our reaoning: the Judgment does

bring folid Arguments, the Me

mory Infiances,

Examples, and

Citations, the Fancy or Imagina

tion beautifies rather than illumi

nates its Objets with Similies,

Metaphors, and other Rhetorical

Figures; fo that Raillery neglet.

ing the other two, ports it felf
lightly amidftthofe Flowers, with
out minding the great bufines;
and I have oberved, that few
who have been once bewitched

with this way, ever minded any

other.

This fuffers them not to

penetrate further than the outfide

of things, and fo it is impoffible,

that they who ufe it as their con
G 3

tant

[ 1 5o ]
tant divertifement, can have any

deep thoughts, or can fearch into.

the bottom of Affairs.

I have alo oberved, that Rail

lery aries oft times from an un

dervaluing of all perfons and
things, and nothing can be more
contrary to Religion or Govern

ment than this is. To Religion,

becaufe, when a Man contemns
all that God has created, he un

dervalues what the Almighty

himelf was pleaed with, and

rejoyced in, and fcorns thoe great

Exemplars of Piety and Devotion,
whom God has called his Friends,
and Men after his own heart; and
fo in effet he concludes, that

God (blefied be his holy Name)

made not good choice, and knew
not how to value men a-right.
And therefore I ftand aftonihd

to hear Ballads againt Moes and

David fo much admird by fuch
as confes there is a God, that

the Scriptures are his Ditates,

and

[ 151 ]

A.

and they the Pen-men of thee

Scriptures, and o Secretaries to
God : Nor do fuch Scoffers make

States-men ; for none are

uch, fave they who from a Prin
ciple of Convition and Perfwa

fion, manage publick Affairs to

the advantage of thoe who em
ploy them : Whereas they who
believe that nothing is worth
their pains, can never do any

thing with affetion and vigour ;

and fince they care not for the
things themfelves, and corn fuch
as employ them, they muft ne
ver care for what Events attend .
them. Have we not feen fome of

thee great Wits prove the worft

of all States-men in our own

days? and as far belw the mean

nefs in management as they were
|--

above

the

Sharpnes.
|

wifeft

in Wit and

What Friends , alo

thefe prove is ufficiently under

ftood to thoe whom they have
loft for a Jeft, after all the fer
G 4

viccs

[ 1 52 ]

vices they could have done them :

And it is very obervable, that
if Three or Four of them be in

a Room, they who remain after

fuch Converations will fall on him

who is gone with all the malice

imaginable; and we very feldom
fee two fuch Wits true Friends. .
I hall end thee Refletions

with this Addition, that gene

rally Satyrs are made up of
Impiety, Malice or Baudery ;
the Firt, unworthy of a Chri
ftian; the Second, of a Gentle
man; and the laft, of a fober
Man; and in which Railers have

Atheifts for their Mafters, faty

rical Waps for their Comrades,
and

oft-times

Fools and mad

Men for their Superiours.

Un

happy Men who do things that

they muft be afhamd of, and
whereof, the pleaure is lefen'd
in the preent time by checks of

Concience, and grows bitter af.

terwards by fear of Torments; a

a

quality

[ 153 ]
quality our Saviour never coun

tenanc'd, which his Favourites

have ever zealouly decry'd, in

which Buffoons and Players have

exceeded the greatet Kings, the
moft Renowned Hero's, and the
Wieft men ; a cowardly extra

vagancy which ever attacks the

Weak, and a mercilefs humour

which triumphs over the Unfor

tunate; upon which accounts all
men make it their Intereft to ex

poe the Scoffer, as finding in his

Ruine their own Self-defence ;
and becaue they know he can

not be pleaed except they be

miferable, therefore they con
clude, that they cannot be fecur
ed till he be humbled.

I defign not by this to leffen

the efteem due to true Wit, and
that pleaantnefs n converation
which arifes from it as Flowers

do from the Root. The Almigh

ty certainly defign'd to make all
men happy, and there is no hap
pines

[ 154 ]
pinefs without pleaure ; and as
he rejoyced, when he aw that
all that he had made was good,
fo he was defirous that Man might
find out this good, both for mak

ing himelf thereby happy, and

for inviting him the more to
- magnify the Creator, and there

fore to weeten the miferies which

naturally imbitter humane Life :
God has illuminated fome with a

pleaantnes of humour, which

rejoyces the Society into which
they come, as the Sun illuminates
the Room into which it enters;

thefe are they who having peace

of Concience at home, are there

by allowed to be glad ; and who

having Wit, employ it in turning

the right fide of things to them,

undertanding as well to find out
what is pleafant in any Objet as
Artits do to find a Mine of Gold

in a barren Mountain.

This is

the true ufe of Wit ; and if at

any time they ue it to treat

Vice

[ 155 ]

Vice or Extravagancy in ridicule,

it is not from Malice to the Per-

fon , but from defire to re

form him, and Mankind by him.
There is a jutice in Scourging,

' Defaming, and Banihing Vice ;

and this Juridition is given by
Heaven immediately to fuch as
have fenfe; of whom, upon that

account, the greatet Rulers tand

in awe; and fo much reverence

is due to them, that the reft of

Mankind beftow applaufe accord

ing to their inclinations: Bitter

nefs, then, and fullen Morofenes
in Wit is the tyranny of this Ju
rifdition: If it be infolent, it is

but the wrong fide of this delicate

Piture, a flahing Light, which
at firft dazles, but thereafter blinds;

a delicious Fruit corrupted into

bitternes, and a beautiful Face

wrinkled by fretting humours.

The Ancients termd Wit a Salt;
and that is not fit for Food, but for

Seafoning; it may be us'd plenti

fully

[ 156 ]

fully in Converation, moderately

in Bufines, but never in Religion.

They who enterinto a Fation do

not properly reafon weakly: but

defert Reaon altogether, as one
does who leaves his own to go into
another Country,whereofthe Laws

Cutoms and Language are diffe

rent. The defign and center of
Fation is to drive on fuch a Projet,
and adhere to thoe who profecute

it. And therefore nothing muft be

allow'd or argud but with repet
to thefe. Henceit is that in vain you
reaon with them; for one may
tranfubtantiate as foon as convert
them, all that their Friends fay is
unanfwerable, and they contemn
and fcorn what is faid by their Ad

verfaries when they cannot anfwer

it; there is no crime they dare not
commit, for the Guilt feems but

mall when divided amongt fo ma

ny bearers, they warm themfelves

by clubbing intoa kind of belief,and

they vote themfelves into a fhadow
of

|
1
|

( 157 )
of Infallibility; whilft they cry out
againt others as Slaves to the Go
vernment,theybecome really Slaves
to the Fation, their Liveries and

Chains being feen by all, except

themfelves; but the great Salary
with which their Bondage is to be

rewarded, is Applaufe from their

Friends, or it may be the Mob, to
whom naturally their Appeal lies,

, and the getting into the Govern

ment, where they will be abhorred

for pratifing every thing they for

merly decry'd, &o have that repu

tation for which they toil'd,blafted
by their own old Arguments; this

extravagancy isin it felffo unaccep

table to all devout and reafonable

men, that it is forc'd to ufe Railery

to baffle Religion by Bigotry, and
Reafon by Railery;and Ibelieve that
Fation was the firft introducer of

the one into the Church, and of

the other into the State.

My chiefeft wih then hall be,

that God who has ennobled me
with

( 158 )
with right Reafon, may make me
happy in the right ufe of it ; that
I may neither fell it for Money,
*

nor barter it for Fame ; and that

it may never be dazled by the

fhining brightnes of Favour, nor

clouded by the black fhadows of
Fear; and tho the portion be

ftowed upon me be very mall,

that yet I may employ that one

precious Talent fo, as that I may

have from my Glorious Mafter
that only defireable Charater,

Well done, good and faithful fervant, thou haft been faithful in a
few things, enter thou into the joy

of thy Lord,

|
.

--~~~--|--

~~~~ ~~~~*~*= ~~~~

--._.~~--

----.

z.

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