The BENEFIT of DEATH.

I Am very much pleased with a consolatory Letter of Pha­laris, to one who had lost a Son, who was a young Man of great Merit. The Thought with which he comforts the afflicted Fa­ther, is, to the best of my Memory, as follows: That he should consider Death had set a Kind of Seal upon his Son's Character, and placed him out of the Reach of Vice and Infamy: That while he lived he was still within the Possibili­ty of falling away from Virtue, and losing the Fame of which he was posses­sed. Death only closes a Man's Repu­tation, and determines it as good or bad.

This, among other Motives, may be one Reason, why we are naturally averse to the launching out into a Man's Praise 'till his Head is laid in the Dust. Whilst he is capable of changing, we may be for­ced to retract our Opinions: He may for­feit the Esteem we have conceived of him, and some Time or other appear to us un­der a different Light from what he does at present. In short, as the Life of any [Page 92] Man cannot be called happy or unhap­py, so neither can it be pronounced vi­cious or virtuous, before the Conclusion of it.

It was upon this Consideration that Epaminondas, being asked whether Cha­brias, Iphicrates, or he himself, deserved most to be esteemed? You must first see us Die, said he, before that Question can be answered.

As there is not a more melancholy Consideration to a good Man, than his being obnoxious to such a Change, so there is nothing more glorious than to keep up an Uniformity in his Actions, and preserve the Beauty of his Character to the last.

CHEARFULNESS preferable to MIRTH.

I Have always preferred Chear­fulness to Mirth: The latter I consider as an Act, the for­mer as an Habit of the Mind. Mirth is short and transient, Chearful­ness fixed and permanent. Those are often raised into the greatest Transports of Mirth, who are subject to the great­est Depressions of Melancholy: On the [Page 93] contrary, Chearfulness, though it does not give the Mind such an exquisite Gladness, prevents us from falling into the Depths of Sorrow. Mirth is like a Flash of Lightning, that breaks through a Gloom of Clouds, and glitters for a Moment; Chearfulness keeps up a Kind of Day-light in the Mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual Serenity.

MEN of austere Principles look upon Mirth as too wanton and dissolute for a State of Probation, and as filled with a certain Triumph and Insolence of Heart, that is inconsistent with a Life which is every Moment obnoxious to the great­est Danger. Writers of this Complexi­on have observed, that the Sacred PER­SON, who was the great Pattern of Per­fection, was never seen to laugh.

CHEARFULNESS of Mind is not li­able to any of these Exceptions; it is of a serious and composed Nature; it does not throw the Mind into a Condi­tion improper for the present State of Humanity, and is very conspicuous in the Characters of those who are looked upon as the greatest Philosophers among the Heathens, as well as among those who have been deservedly esteemed as Saints and holy Men among Christians.

COMPASSION, a laudable Virtue.

COMPASSION does not only refine and civilize hu­man Nature, but has some­thing in it more pleasing and agreeable than what can be met with in such an indolent Happiness, such an Indifference to Man­kind as that in which the Stoicks placed their Wisdom. As Love is the most delightful Passion, Pity is nothing else but Love softned by a degree of Sor­row: In short, it is a Kind of pleasing Anguish, as well as generous Sympathy, that knits Mankind together, and blends them in the same common Lot.

HYPOCRISY, the various Kinds of it.

HYPOCRISY, at the fashio­nable End of the Town, is very different from Hypo­crisy in the City. The mo­dish Hypocrite endeavours to appear more vicious than he really is, the other Kind of Hypocrite more virtuous. The former is afraid of e­very Thing that has the Shew of Re­ligion in it, and would be thought en­gag'd in many Criminal Gallantries and Amours which he is not guilty of. The latter assumes a Face of Sanctity, and covers a Multitude of Vices under a seeming religious Deportment.

But there is another Kind of Hypo­crisy, which differs from both these, and which I intend to make my present Subject: I mean that Hypocrisy, by which a Man does not only deceive the World, but very often imposes on himself: That Hypocrisy, which con­ceals his own Heart from him, and makes him believe he is more virtuous than he really is, and either not attend to his Vices, or mistake even his Vices [Page 106] for Virtues. It is this fatal Hypocrisy and Self-deceit, which is taken Notice of in these Words,

The Use and Excellency of CHURCH-MUSICK.

FREQUENT Entertainments of Divine Musick among us in our Religious Worship, would not a little purify and ex­alt our Passions, give our Thoughts a proper Turn, and cherish those Divine Impulses in the Soul, which every one feels that has not stifled them by sensual and immoderate Pleasures.

MUSICK, when thus applied, raises noble Hints in the Mind of the Hearer, and fills it with great Conceptions. It strengthens Devotion, and advances Praise into Rapture. It lengthens out every Act of Worship, and produces more lasting and permanent Impressions in the Mind, than those which accom­pany any transient Form of Words that are uttered in the ordinary Method of religious Worship.

The Benefit of CONVERSATION.

CONVERSATION with Men of a polite Genius is a very useful Method for im­proving our Natural Taste. It is impossible for a Man of the greatest Parts to consider any thing in its whole Extent, and in all its Variety of Lights. Every Man, be­sides those general Observations which are to be made upon an Author, forms several Reflections that are peculiar to his own Manner of Thinking; so that Con­versation will naturally furnish us with Hints which we did not attend to, and make us enjoy other Mens Parts and Reflections as well as our own. This is the best Reason I can give for the Observation which several have made, that Men of great Genius in the same Way of Writing seldom rise up singly, but at certain Periods of Time appear together, and in a Body; as they did at Rome in the Reign of Augustus, and in Greece about the Age of Socrates. I cannot think that Corneille, Racine, Mo­liere, Boileau, La Fontaine, Bruyere, Bossu, [Page 113] or the Daciers, would have written so well as they have done, had they not been Friends and Contemporaries.

The Nature of COURTS.

I Consider COURTS with the same regard to the Govern­ments which they super­intend, as Ovid's Palace of Fame, with regard to the Universe. The Eyes of a watchful Minister run through the whole Peo­ple. There is scarce a Murmur or Complaint, that does not reach his Ears. They have News-gatherers and Intelligencers distributed into their se­veral Walks and Quarters, who bring in their respective Quota's, and make them acquainted with the Discourse and Conversation of the whole Kingdom or Commonwealth where they are em­ployed. The wisest of Kings, alluding to these invisible and unsuspected Spies, who are planted by Kings and Rulers over their Fellow-Citizens, as well as to those voluntary Informers that are buzzing about the Ears of a Great Man, and making their Court by such secret [Page 114] Methods of Intelligence, has given us a very prudent Caution: Curse not the King, no not in thy Thought, and curse not the Rich in thy Bed-Chamber: For a Bird of the Air shall carry the Voice, and that which hath Wings shall tell the Mat­ter.

Of the Infamy of a SPY, and the Caution that is necessary in trusting him.

AS it is absolutely necessary for Rulers to make Use of other Peoples Eyes and Ears, they should take particular Care to do it in such a Man­ner, that it may not bear too hard on the Person whose Life and Conversation are enquir'd into. A Man who is capable of so infamous a Calling as that of a SPY, is not very much to be relied upon. He can have no great Ties of Honour, or Checks of Conscience, to restrain him in those covert Evidences, where the Person accused has no Opportunity of vindicating himself. He will be more industrious to carry that which is grateful, than that which is true. There will be no Occasion for him, if [Page 115] he does not hear and see Things worth Discovery; so that he naturally in­flames every Word and Circumstance, aggravates what is faulty, perverts what is good, and misrepresents what is indifferent. Nor is it to be doubted but that such ignominious Wretches let their private Passions into these their clandestine Informations, and often wreak their particular Spite or Malice against the Person whom they are set to watch.

Inquisitive Suspicions rejected by Great MINDS.

IT is observed of great and heroic MINDS, that they have not only shewn a parti­cular Disregard to those un­merited Reproaches which have been cast upon 'em, but have been altogether free from that impertinent Curiosity of enquiring after them, or the poor Revenge of resenting them.

The Inquisitive PERSON troublesome to himself.

A Man, who in ordinary Life is very Inquisitive after every Thing which is spoken ill of him, passes his Time but very indifferently. He is wounded by every Arrow that is shot at him, and puts it in the Power of every insignificant Enemy to disquiet him: Nay, he will suffer from what has been said of him, when it is for­gotten by those who said or heard it. For this Reason I could never bear one of those officious Friends, that would be telling every malicious Report, every idle Censure that passed upon me. The Tongue of Man is so petulant, and his Thoughts so variable, that one should not lay too great a Stress upon any present Speeches and Opinions. Praise and Obloquy proceed very frequently out of the same Mouth upon the same Person, and upon the same Occasion. A generous Enemy will sometimes be­stow Commendations, as the dearest Friend cannot sometimes refrain from [Page 117] speaking ill. The Man who is indiffe­rent in either of these Respects, gives his Opinion at Random, and praises or disapproves as he finds himself in Hu­mour.

A Reliance on GOD, the Christian's only Support against Misfortunes.

MAN, considered in himself, is a very helpless and a very wretched Being. He is sub­ject every Moment to the greatest Calamities and Mis­fortunes: He is beset with Dangers on all Sides, and may become unhappy by numberless Casualties which he could not foresee, nor have prevented had he foreseen them.

It is our Comfort, while we are ob­noxious to so many Accidents, that we are under the Care of one who directs Contingencies, and has in his Hands the Management of every Thing that is capable of annoying or offending us; who knows the Assistance we stand in Need of, and is always ready to bestow it on those who ask it of him.

[Page 118]The natural Homage which such a Creature bears to so infinitely Wise and Good a Being, is a firm Reliance on him for the Blessings and Conveniencies of Life, and an habitual Trust in him for Deliverance out of all such Dangers and Difficulties as may befal us.

The Man, who always lives in this Disposition of Mind, has not the same dark and melancholy Views of Human Nature, as he who considers himself abstractedly from this Relation to the Supreme Being. At the same Time that he reflects upon his own Weakness and Imperfection, he comforts himself with the Contemplation of those Divine Attributes, which are employ'd for his Safety and his Welfare. He finds his Want of Foresight made up by the Omniscience of him who is his Support. He is not sensible of his own Want of Strength, when he knows that his Helper is Almighty: In short, the Per­son who has a firm Trust on the Su­preme Being, is Powerful in his Power, Wise by his Wisdom, Happy by his Happiness. He reaps the Benefit of every Divine Attribute, and loses his own Insufficiency in the Fulness of In­finite Perfection.

[Page 119]To make our Lives more easy to us, we are commanded to put our Trust in Him, who is thus able to relieve and succour us; the Divine Goodness ha­ving made such a Reliance a Duty, not­withstanding we should have been mi­serable had it been forbidden us.

Among several Motives which might be made Use of to recommend this Duty to us, I shall only take Notice of those that follow.

The first and strongest is, That we are promised, He will not fail those who put their Trust in Him.

But without considering the super­natural Blessings which accompanies this Duty, we may observe that it has a natural Tendency to its own Reward, or, in other Words, that this firm Trust and Confidence in this Disposer of all Things, contributes very much to the getting clear of any Affliction, or to the bearing it manfully. A Person who believes he has his Succour at Hand, and that acts in the Sight of his Friend, often exerts himself beyond his Abili­ties, and does Wonders that are not to be matched by one who is not animated with such a Confidence of Success. I could produce Instances from History, of Generals, who out of a Belief that [Page 120] they are under the Protection of some invisible Assistance, did not only encou­rage their Soldiers to their utmost, but have acted themselves beyond what they would have done, had they not been inspired by such a Belief. I might in the same Manner shew how such a Trust in the Assistance of an Almighty Being naturally produces Patience, Hope, Chearfulness, and all other Dis­positions of Mind that alleviate those Calamities which we are not able to remove.

The Practice of this Virtue admini­sters great Comfort to the Mind of Man in Times of Poverty and Affliction, but most of all in the Hour of Death. When the Soul is hovering in the last Moments of its Separation, when it is just entering on another State of Ex­istence, to converse with Scenes, and Objects, and Companions that are alto­gether new, what can support her un­der such Tremblings of Thought, such Fear, such Anxiety, such Apprehensi­ons, but the casting all her Cares upon him who first gave her Being, who has conducted her through one Stage of it, and will be always with her to guide and comfort her in her Progress through Eternity.

The Force and Effect of CUSTOM.

THERE is not a common Saying which has a better Turn of Sense to it, than what we often hear in the Mouths of the Vulgar, that CUSTOM is a second Nature. It is indeed able to form the Man anew, and to give him Inclinations and Capacities altogether different from those he was born with. CUSTOM has a Mechanical Effect upon the Body, at the same Time that it has a very extraordinary Influ­ence upon the Mind.

CUSTOM has a wonderful Efficacy in making every Thing pleasant to us; our Delight in any particular Study, Art, or Science, rises and improves in Proportion to the Application which we bestow upon it; what was at first an Exercise, becomes at length an En­tertainment. Our Employments are changed into our Diversions. The Mind grows fond of those Actions she is accustomed to, and is dr [...]wn with Reluctancy from those Paths in which she has been used to walk. Not only [Page 122] such Actions as were at first indifferent to us, but even such as were painful, will by Custom and Practice become pleasant.

The Infamy of LIBELS; the Interest of a Government to correct and suppress them.

THERE is nothing so scan­dalous to a Government, and detestable in the Eyes of all good Men, as defa­matory Papers and Pamph­lets; but at the same Time there is nothing so difficult to tame as a satyri­cal Author. An angry Writer, who cannot appear in Print, naturally vents his Spleen in Libels and Lampoons. Our Satyr is nothing but Ribaldry, and Billingsgate Scurrility passes for Wit, and he who can call Names in the greatest Variety of Phrases, is looked upon to have the shrewdest Pen. By this Means the Honour of Families is ruined, the highest Posts and greatest Titles are rendered cheap and vile in the Sight of the People; the noblest Virtues and most exalted Parts exposed to the Con­tempt of the vicious and the ignorant. [Page 127] Would a Government set an everlasting Mark of their Displeasure upon one of those infamous Writers, who makes his Court to them by tearing to Pieces the Reputation of his Competitor, we should quickly see an End put to this Race of Vermin, that are a Scandal to Govern­ment, and a Reproach to human Na­ture. Such a Proceeding would make a Minister of State shine in History, and would fill all Mankind with a just Abhorrence of Persons who should treat him unworthily, and employ a­gainst him those Arms which he scorned to make Use of against his Enemies.

As this cruel Practice tends to the utter Subversion of all Truth and Hu­manity among us, it deserves the ut­most Detestation and Discouragement of all who have either the Love of their Country, or the Honour of their Reli­gion, at Heart. I would therefore hum­bly recommend it to the Consideration of those who deal in these pernicious Arts of Writing, and of those who take Pleasure in the reading of them. As for the first, I have spoken of them before, and have not stuck to rank them with the Murderer and Assassin. Every honest Man sets as high a Value upon a good Name as upon Life itself; [Page 128] and I cannot but think that those who privily assault the one, would destroy the other, might they do it with the same Secrecy and Impunity.

GRATITUDE.

THERE is not a more plea­sing Exercise of the Mind than GRATITUDE. It is accompanied with such an inward Satisfaction, that the Duty is sufficiently rewarded by the Performance. It is not like the Practice of many other Virtues, difficult and painful, but attended with so much Pleasure, that were there no positive Command which enjoin'd it, nor any Recompence laid up for it hereafter, a generous Mind would indulge itself in it, for the natural Gratification that accompanies it.

If GRATITUDE is due from Man to Man, how much more from Man to his Maker? The supreme Being does not only confer upon us those Bounties which proceed more immediately from his Hand, but even those Benefits which are convey'd to us by others. Every [Page 129] Blessing we enjoy, by what Means soe­ver it may be derived upon us, is the Gift of him who is the great Author of Good, and Father of Mercies.

If GRATITUDE, towards one ano­ther, naturally produces a very plea­sing Sensation in the Mind of a grate­ful Man; it exalts the Soul into Rap­ture, when it is employed on this great Object of Gratitude, on this Beneficent Being, who has given us every Thing we already possess, and from whom we expect every Thing we yet hope for.

MODESTY.

NOthing is more amiable than true MODESTY, and no­thing is more contemptible than the false: The one guards Virtue, the other betrays it. True MODESTY is ashamed to do any Thing that is repugnant to the Rules of right Reason: False MO­DESTY is ashamed to do any Thing that is opposite to the Humour of the Company. True Modesty avoids every Thing that is criminal, false Modesty every Thing that is unfashionable. The [Page 130] latter is only a general undetermined Instinct; the former is that Instinct li­mited and circumscribed by the Rules of Prudence and Religion. We may conclude that Modesty to be false and vicious, which engages a Man to do any Thing that is ill or indiscreet, or which restrains him from doing any Thing that is of a contrary Nature.

Nor does this false Modesty expose us only to such Actions as are indis­creet, but very often to such as are highly Criminal. When Xenophanes was called timorous, because he would not venture his Money in a Game at Dice; ‘ I confess, said he, that I am ex­ceeding timorous, for I dare not do an ill Thing.’ On the contrary, a Man of vi­cious Modesty complies with every Thing, and is only fearful of doing what may look singular in the Company where he is engaged. He falls in with the Torrent, and lets himself go to every Action or Discourse, however unjustifi­able in its self, so it be in vogue among the present Party. This, though one of the most common, is one of the most ridiculous Dispositions in human Na­ture, that Men should not be ashamed of speaking or acting in a dissolute or irrational Manner, but that one who is [Page 131] in their Company should be ashamed of governing himself by the Principles of Reason and Virtue.

In the second Place we are to consi­der false Modesty, as it restrains a Man from doing what is good and laudable; and here I shall only dwell upon one Reflection, which I cannot make with­out a secret Concern. We have in England a particular Bashfulness in e­very Thing that regards Religion: A well-bred Man is obliged to conceal any serious Sentiment of this Nature, and very often to appear a greater Li­bertine than he is, that he may keep himself in Countenance among the Men of Mode. Our Excess of Modesty makes us shame-faced in all the Exercises of Piety and Devotion. This Humour prevails upon us daily; insomuch, that at many well-bred Tables, the Master of the House is so very modest a Man, that he has not the Confidence to say Grace at his own Table: A Custom which is not only practised by all the Nations about us, but was never omit­ted by the Heathens themselves. Eng­lish Gentlemen, who travel into Roman Catholick Countries, are not a little surprized to meet with People of the best Quality kneeling in their Churches, [Page 132] and engaged in their private Devotions, though it be not at the Hours of pub­lick Worship. An Officer of the Army, or a Man of Wit and Pleasure in those Countries, would be afraid of passing not only for an irreligious but an ill-bred Man, should he be seen to go to Bed, or sit down at Table, without of­fering up his Devotions on such Occa­sions. The same Show of Religion ap­pears in all their Foreign Reformed Churches, and enters so much into their ordinary Conversation, that an English­man is apt to term them Hypocritical and Precise.

HYPOCRISY preferable to open IMPIETY.

HYPOCRISY cannot indeed be too much detested; but at the same Time is to be prefered to open IMPIETY. They are both equally de­structive to the Person who is possessed with them; but, in Regard to others, HYPOCRISY is not so pernicious as bare-faced Irreligion. The due Mean to be observed, is to be sincerely virtu­ous, and at the same Time to let the [Page 133] World see we are so. I do not know a more dreadful Menace in the holy Writings, than that which is pro­nounced against those who have this perverted Modesty, to be ashamed be­fore Men in a Particular of such un­speakable Importance.

The Benefits of FAITH and MORALITY considered.

RELIGION may be con­sidered under two General Heads: The first compre­hends what we are to be­lieve, the other what we are to practice. By those Things which we are to believe, I mean whatever is revealed to us in the Holy Writings, and which we could not have obtained the Knowledge of by the Light of Nature; by the Things which we are to practice, I mean all those Duties to which we are directed by Reason or natural Religion. The first of these I shall distinguish by the Name of FAITH, the second by that of MORA­LITY. If we look into the more seri­ous Part of Mankind, we find many [Page 134] who lay so great a Stress upon FAITH, that they neglect MORALITY; and many who build so much upon Mora­lity, that they do not pay a due Regard to Faith. The perfect Man should be defective in neither of these Particulars, as will be very evident to those who consider the Benefits which arise from each of them, and which I shall make my present Subject.

Notwithstanding this general Divi­sion of Christian Duty into Morality and Faith, and that they have both their peculiar Excellencies, the first has the Pre-eminence in several Respects.

First, Because the greatest Part of Morality (as I have stated the Notion of it) is of a fixt eternal Nature, and will endure when Faith shall fail, and be lost in Conviction.

Secondly, Because a Person may be qualified to do greater Good to Man­kind, and become more beneficial to the World, by Morality, without Faith, than by Faith without Morality.

Thirdly, Because Morality gives a great­er Perfection to human Nature, by quieting the Mind, moderating the Passions, and advancing the Happiness of every Man in his private Capa­city.

[Page 135] Fourthly, Because the Rule of Mora­lity is much more certain than that of Faith, all the civilized Nations agree­ing in the great Points of Morality, as much as they differ in those of Faith.

Fifthly, Because Infidelity is not of so malignant a Nature as Immorality; or, to put the same Reason in another Light, because it is generally owned, there may be Salvation for a virtuous Infidel, (particularly in the Case of in­vincible Ignorance) but none for a vi­cious Believer.

Sixthly, Because Infidelity seems to draw its Principal, if not all its Excel­lency, from the Influence it has upon Morality; as we shall see more at large, if we consider wherein consists the Ex­cellency of Faith, or the Belief of Re­vealed Religion; and this I think is,

First, In explaining, and carrying to greater Heights, several Points of Mo­rality.

Secondly, In furnishing new and stron­ger Motives to enforce the Practice of Morality.

Thirdly, In giving us more amiable Ideas of the supreme Being, more en­dearing Notions of one another, and a truer State of our selves, both in Regard to the Grandeur and Vileness of our Natures.

[Page 136] Fourthly, By shewing us the Blackness and Deformity of Vice, which in the Christian System is so very great, that he who is possessed of all Perfection, and the Sovereign Judge of it, is repre­sented by several of our Divines as ha­ting Sin to the same Degree that he loves the sacred Person who was made the Propitiation of it.

Fifthly, In being the ordinary and prescribed Method of making Morality effectual to Salvation.

This I am sure is so obvious, that no one can miss it, namely, that a Man cannot be perfect in his Scheme of Mo­rality, who does not strengthen and sup­port it with that of the Christian Faith.

Besides this, I shall lay down two or three other Maxims, which I think we may deduce from what has been said:

First, That we should be particularly cautious of making any Thing an Ar­ticle of Faith, which does not contri­bute to the Confirmation or Improve­ment of Morality.

Secondly, That no Article of Faith can be true and authentick, which weakens or subverts the practical Part of Religion, or what I have hitherto called Morality.

[Page 137] Thirdly, That the greatest Friend of Morality, or Natural Religion, cannot possibly apprehend any Danger from embracing Christianity, as it is preser­ved pure and uncorrupt in the Doctrines of our National Church.

There is likewise another Maxim which I think may be drawn from the foregoing Considerations, which is this, that we should in all dubious Points consider any ill Consequences that may arise from them, supposing they should be erroneous, before we give up our Assent to them.

The Immorality of PERSECUTION.

FOR Example, in that dispu­table Point of persecuting Men for Conscience sake, be­sides the imbittering their Minds with Hatred, Indig­nation, and all the Vehemence of Re­sentment, and ensnaring them to pro­fess what they do not believe; we cut them off from the Pleasures and Advan­tages of Society, afflict their Bodies, di­stress their Fortunes, hurt their Repu­tations, ruin their Families, make their [Page 138] Lives painful, or put an End to them. Sure, when we see such dreadful Con­sequences rising from a Principle, we ought to be as fully convinced of the Truth of it, as of a Mathematical De­monstration, before we venture to act upon it, or make it a Part of our Reli­gion.

In this Case the Injury done our Neighbour is plain and evident; the Principle that puts us upon doing it, of a dubious and disputable Nature. Morality seems highly violated by the one, and whether or no a Zeal for what a Man thinks the true System of Faith may justify it, is very uncertain. I cannot but think, if our Religion pro­duces Charity as well as Zeal, it will not be for shewing itself by such cruel Instances.

The Middle Condition of Life most desirable.

THERE is a beautiful Saying in Theognis, ‘ Vice is covered by Wealth, and Virtue by Po­verty; or, to give it in the verbal Translation, Among Men there are some who have their Vices [Page 139] concealed by Wealth, and others who have their Virtues concealed by Poverty.’

Every Man's Observation will supply him with Instances of rich Men, who have several Faults and Defects that are overlooked, if not entirely hidden, by means of their Riches; and I think we cannot find a more natural Description of a poor Man, whose Merits are lost in his Poverty, than that in the Words of the Wise Man: ‘ There was a little City, and few Men within it; and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, and built great Bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise Man, and he by his Wisdom deliver'd the City; yet no Man remembered that same poor Man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than Strength; nevertheless, the poor Man's Wisdom is de­spised, and his Words are not heard.’

The middle Condition seems to be the most advantageously situated for the gaining of Wisdom. Poverty turns our Thoughts too much upon the supplying of our Wants, and Riches upon enjoy­ing our Superfluities; and as Cowley has said in another Case, ‘ it is hard for a Man to keep a steady Eye upon Truth, who is always in a Battle or a Triumph.’

[Page 140]If we regard Poverty and Wealth, as they are apt to produce Virtues or Vi­ces in the Mind of Man, one may ob­serve that there is a Set of each of these growing out of Poverty, quite different from that which rises out of Wealth. Humility and Patience, Industry and Temperance, are very often the good Qualities of a poor Man. Humanity and good Nature, Magnanimity, and a Sense of Honour, are as often the Qua­lifications of the Rich. On the contra­ry, Poverty is apt to betray a Man into Envy, Riches into Arrogance. Poverty is too often attended with Fraud, vici­ous Compliance, repining Murmurs, and Discontent. Riches expose a Man to Pride and Luxury, a foolish Elation of Heart, and too great a Fondness for the present World. In short, the mid­dle Condition is most eligible to the Man who would improve himself in Virtue; as I have before shewn, it is the most advantageous for the gaining of Know­ledge.

The Means for confirming our FAITH.

HAVING already endea­voured to shew the great Excellency of FAITH, I shall here consider what are the proper Means of strength­ening and confirming it in the Mind of Man. Those who delight in reading Books of Controversy, which are writ­ten on both Sides of the Question in Points of Faith, do very seldom arrive at a fixed and settled Habit of it. They are one Day entirely convinced of its important Truths, and the next meet with something that shakes and disturbs them. The Doubt which was laid re­vives again, and shews it self in new Difficulties, and that generally for this Reason, because the Mind, which is perpetually lost in Controversies and Disputes, is apt to forget the Reasons which had once set it at Rest, and to be disquieted with any former Perplexity, when it appears in a new Shape, or is started by a different Hand. As nothing is more laudable than an Enquiry after Truth, so nothing is more irrational [Page 142] than to pass away our whole Lives, without determining our selves one Way or other in those Points, which are of the last Importance to us. There are indeed many Things from which we may with-hold our Assent; but in Ca­ses by which we are to regulate our Lives, it is the greatest Absurdity to be wavering and unsettled, without closing with that Side which appears the most safe and the most probable.

The first Rule therefore which I shall lay down is this, That when by Read­ing or Discourse we find ourselves tho­roughly convinced of the Truth of any Article, and of the Reasonableness of our Belief in it, we should never after suffer our selves to call it into Question. We may perhaps forget the Arguments which occasioned our Conviction; but we ought to remember the Strength they had with us, and therefore still to re­tain the Conviction which they once produced. This is no more than what we do in every common Art or Science, nor is it possible to act otherwise, consi­dering the Weakness and Limitation of our intellectual Faculties. It is in this Manner that the Mathematician pro­ceeds upon Propositions which he has once demonstrated, and though the De­monstration [Page 143] may have slipt out of his Memory, he builds upon the Truth, because he knows it was demonstrated. This Rule is absolutely necessary for weaker Minds, and in some measure for Men of the greatest Abilities; but to these last I would propose, in the second Place, that they should lay up in their Memories, and always keep by them in a Readiness, those Arguments which ap­pear to them of the greatest Strength, and which cannot be got over by all the Doubts and Cavils of Infidelity. But, in the third Place, there is nothing which strengthens Faith more than Mo­rality. Faith and Morality naturally produce each other. A Man is quickly convinced of the Truth of Religion, who finds it is not against his Interest that it should be true. The Pleasure he receives at present, and the Happiness which he promises himself to receive from it hereafter, will both dispose him very powerfully to give Credit to it, ac­cording to the ordinary Observation, that we are easy to believe what we wish.

It is very certain, that a Man of sound Reason cannot forbear closing with Re­ligion upon an impartial Examination of it; but at the same Time it is as cer­tain, that Faith is kept alive in us, and [Page 144] gathers Strength from Practice more than from Speculation.

There is still another Method, which is more persuasive than any of the for­mer, and that is an habitual Adoration of the supreme Being, as well in con­stant Acts of mental Worship, as in out­ward Forms. The devout Man does not only believe but feels there is a Deity: He has actual Sensations of him; his Experience concurs with his Reason; he sees him more and more in all his Inter­courses with him, and even in this Life almost loses his Faith in Conviction.

The last Method which I shall menti­on for the giving Life to a Man's Faith, is frequent Retirement from the World, accompany'd with religious Meditation. When a Man thinks of any Thing in the Darkness of the Night, whatever deep Impressions it may make in his Mind are apt to banish as soon as the Day breaks about him. The Light and Noise of the Day, which are perpetually solicit­ing his Senses, and calling off his Atten­tion, wear out of his Mind the Thoughts that imprinted themselves in it, with so much Strength, during the Silence and Darkness of the Night. A Man finds the same Difference as to himself in a Crowd and a Solitude; the Mind is stun­ned [Page 145] and dazzled amidst that Variety of Objects which presses upon her in a great City: She cannot apply herself to the Consideration of those Things which are of the utmost Concern to her. The Cares or Pleasures of the World strike in with every Thought, and a multi­tude of vicious Examples give a kind of Justification to our Folly. In our Re­tirements every Thing disposes us to be serious. In Courts and Cities we are entertained with the Works of Men, in the Country with those of God. One is the Province of Art, the other of Na­ture. Faith and Devotion naturally grow in the Mind of every reasonable Man, who sees the Impressions of divine Power and Wisdom in every Object on which he casts his Eye. The supreme Being has made the best Arguments for his own Existence, in the Formation of the Heavens and the Earth; and these are Arguments which a Man of Sense cannot forbear attending to, who is out of the Noise and Hurry of human Af­fairs. Aristotle says, That should a Man live under Ground, and there converse with Works of Art and Mechanism, and should afterwards be brought up into the open Day, and see the several Glories of the Heaven and Earth, he would imme­diately [Page 146] pronounce them the Works of such a Being as we define God to be.

Places of Trust best invested in Men of ge­nerous Principles.

I AM persuaded there are few Men, of generous Prin­ciples, who would seek af­ter great Places, were it not rather to have an Opportu­nity in their Hands of obliging their particular Friends, or those whom they look upon as Men of Worth, than to procure Wealth and Honour for them­selves. To an honest Mind the best Perquisites of a Place are the Advanta­ges it gives a Man of doing Good. Those who are under the great Officers of State, and are the Instruments by which they act, have more frequent Opportu­nities for the Exercise of Compassion and Benevolence, than their Superiors themselves. These Men know every little Case that is to come before the Great Man, and if they are possessed with honest Minds, will consider Pover­ty as a Recommendation in the Person who applies himself to them, and make [Page 147] the Justice of his Cause the most power­ful Solicitor in his Behalf. A Man of this Temper, when he is in a Post of Bu­siness, becomes a Blessing to the Publick: He patronizes the Orphan and the Wi­dow, assists the Friendless, and guides the Ignorant: He does not reject the Person's Pretensions, who does not know how to explain them, or refuse doing a good Office for a Man because he cannot pay the Fee of it. In short, tho' he regulates himself in all his Pro­ceedings by Justice and Equity, he finds a thousand Occasions for all the good-natured Offices of Generosity and Com­passion.

A Man is unfit for such a Place of Trust, who is of a sower untractable Nature, or has any other Passion that makes him uneasy to those who ap­proach him. Roughness of Temper is apt to discountenance the Timorous or Modest. The proud Man discourages those from approaching him who are of a mean Condition, and who most want his Assistance. The impudent Man will not give himself Time to be informed of the Matter that lies before him. An Officer with one or more of these unbe­coming Qualities, is sometimes looked upon as a proper Person to keep off Im­pertinence [Page 148] and Solicitation from his Su­perior; but this is a kind of Merit that can never atone for the Injustice which may very often arise from it.

There are two other vicious Quali­ties which render a Man very unfit for such a Place of Trust. The first of these is a dilatory Temper, which com­mits innumerable Cruelties without De­sign. The Maxim which several have laid down for a Man's Conduct in ordi­nary Life, should be inviolable with a Man in Office, never to think of doing that to Morrow which may be done to Day. A Man who defers doing what ought to done, is guilty of Injustice so long as he defers it. The Dispatch of a good Of­fice is very often as beneficial to the So­licitor as the good Office itself. In short, if a Man compared the Inconveniencies which another suffers by his Delays, with the trifling Motives and Advanta­ges which he himself may reap by such a Delay, he would never be guilty of a Fault which very often does an irrepa­rable Prejudice to the Person who de­pends upon him, and which might be remedyed with little Trouble to him­self.

But in the last Place, there is no Man so improper to be employ'd in Business, [Page 149] as he who is in any degree capable of Corruption; and such a one is the Man, who upon any Pretence whatsoever re­ceives more than what is the stated and unquestioned Fee of his Office. Grati­fications, Tokens of Thankfulness, Dis­patch-Money, and the like specious Terms, are the Pretences under which Corruption very frequently shelters it self. An honest Man will however look on all these Methods as unjustifiable, and will enjoy himself better in a mode­rate Fortune that is gained with Ho­nour and Reputation, than in an over-grown Estate that is cankered with the Acquisitions of Rapine and Extortion. Were all our Offices discharged with such an inflexible Integrity, we should not see Men in all Ages, who grow up to exorbitant Wealth, with the Abilities which are to be met with in an ordinary Mechanick. I can not but think that such a Corruption proceeds chiefly from Mens receiving the first that offer them­selves, or those who have the Character of shrewd worldly Men, instead of searching out such as have had a liberal Education, and have been trained up in the Studies of Knowledge and Virtue.

The Passion of HOPE.

OUR actual Enjoyments are so few and transient, that Man would be a very mi­serable Being, were he not endowed with this Passion of HOPE, which gives him a Taste of those good Things that may possibly come into his Possession. ‘ We should hope for every Thing that is good, says the old Poet Linus, because there is nothing which may not be hoped for, and nothing but what the Gods are able to give us.’ HOPE quickens all the still Parts of Life, and keeps the Mind awake in her most re­miss and indolent Hours. It gives ha­bitual Serenity and good Humour: It is a kind of vital Heat to the Soul, that chears and gladdens her, when she does not attend to it. It makes Pain easy, and Labour pleasant.

Beside these several Advantages which rise from HOPE, there is another which is none of the least, and that is, its great Efficacy in preserving us from setting too high a Value on present En­joyments. The Saying of Caesar is very [Page 152] well known: When he had given away all his Estate in Gratuities among his Friends, one of them asked, What he had left for himself? To which that Great Man replied, HOPE. His natu­ral Magnanimity hindered him from prizing what he was certainly possessed of, and turned all his Thoughts upon something more valuable that he had in View.

I shall make but two Reflections up­on what I have said: First, That no kind of Life is so happy as that which is full of Hope, especially when the Hope is well-grounded, and when the Object of it is of an exalted Kind, and in its Nature proper to make the Person happy who enjoys it. This Proposition must be very evident to those who con­sider how few are the present Enjoy­ments of the most happy Man, and how insufficient to give him an entire Satisfaction and Acquiescence in them.

The Effects of the SPLEEN.

IT is a celebrated Thought of Socrates, that if all the Misfortunes of Mankind were cast into a publick Stock, in order to be equally distri­buted among the whole Species, those who now think themselves the most unhappy, would prefer the Share they are already possessed of, before that which would fall to them by such a Division. Horace has carry'd this Thought a great deal farther, intima­ting, That the Hardships or Misfortunes we lie under, are more easy to us than those of any other Person would be, in case we could change Conditions with him.

As I was ruminating on these two Remarks, and seated in my Elbow-Chair, I insensibly fell asleep; when, on a sudden, methought there was a Proclamation made by Jupiter, that e­very Mortal should bring in his Griefs and Calamities, and throw them toge­ther in a Heap. There was a large Plain appointed for this Purpose. I [Page 155] took my Stand in the Center of it, and saw with a great deal of Pleasure the whole human Species marching one af­ter another, and throwing down their several Loads, which immediately grew up into a prodigious Mountain that seemed to rise above the Clouds.

There was a certain Lady of a thin airy Shape, who was very active in this Solemnity. She carried a magni­fying Glass in one of her Hands, and was cloathed in a loose flowing Robe, embroidered with several Figures of Fiends and Spectres, that discovered themselves in a thousand chimerical Shapes, as her Garment hovered in the Wind. There was something wild and distracted in her Looks. Her Name was FANCY. She led up every Mor­tal to the appointed Place, after having very officiously assisted him in making up his Pack, and laying it upon his Shoulders. My Heart melted within me, to see my Fellow-Creatures groan­ing under their respective Burdens, and to consider that prodigious Bulk of human Calamities which lay before me.

There were however several Persons who gave me great Diversion upon this Occasion. I observed one bringing in [Page 156] a Fardel very carefully concealed un­der an old embroidered Cloak, which, upon his throwing it into the Heap, I discovered to be Poverty. Another, after a great deal of Puffing, threw down his Luggage; which, upon ex­amining, I found to be his Wife.

There were Multitudes of Lovers saddled with very whimsical Burdens, composed of Darts and Flames; but, what was very odd, tho' they sighed as if their Hearts would break under these Bundles of Calamities, they could not perswade themselves to cast them into the Heap, when they came up to it; but, after a few faint Efforts, shook their Heads and marched away, as heavy loaden as they came. I saw Mul­titudes of old Women throw down their Wrinkles, and several young ones who stripped themselves of a tawny Skin. There were very great Heaps of red Noses, large Lips, and rusty Teeth. The Truth of it is, I was surprized to see the greatest Part of the Mountain made up of bodily Deformities. Ob­serving one advancing towards the Heap with a larger Cargo than ordinary up­on his Back, I found, upon his near Approach, that it was only a natural Hump, which he disposed of, with [Page 157] great Joy of Heart, among this Colle­ction of human Miseries. There were likewise Distempers of all Sorts, tho' I could not but observe, that there were many more imaginary than real. One little Packet I could not but take No­tice of, which was a Complication of all the Diseases incident to human Na­ture, and was in the Hand of a great many fine People: This was called the SPLEEN. But what most of all sur­prized me, was a Remark I made, that there was not a single Vice or Folly thrown into the whole Heap: At which I was very much astonished, having con­cluded within my self, that every one would take this Opportunity of getting rid of his Passions, Prejudices, and Frail­ties.

I took Notice in particular of a very profligate Fellow, who I did not que­stion came loaden with his Crimes, but upon searching into his Bundle, I found, that instead of throwing his Guilt from him, he had only laid down his Memory. He was followed by another worthless Rogue, who flung away his Modesty instead of his Igno­rance.

When the whole Race of Mankind had thus cast their Burdens, the Phan­tome [Page 158] which had been so busy on this Occasion, seeing me an idle Spectator of what passed, approached towards me. I grew uneasy at her Presence, when of a sudden she held her magnifying Glass full before my Eyes. I no sooner saw my Face in it, but was startled at the Shortness of it, which now appeared to me in its utmost Aggravation. The immoderate Breadth of the Features made me very much out of Humour with my own Countenance, upon which I threw it from me like a Mask. It happened very luckily, that one who stood by me had just before thrown down his Visage, which, it seems, was too long for him. It was indeed ex­tended to a most shameful Length; I believe the very Chin was, modestly speaking, as long as my whole Face. We had both of us an Opportunity of mending our selves, and all the Con­tributions being now brought in, every Man was at Liberty to exchange his Misfortune for those of another Person.

I saw, with unspeakable Pleasure, the whole Species thus delivered from its Sorrows; tho', at the same Time, as we stood round the Heap, and surveyed the several Materials of which it was composed, there was scarce a Mortal, [Page 159] in this vast Multitude, who did not discover what he thought Pleasures and Blessings of Life, and wonder'd how the Owners of them ever came to look upon them as Burdens and Grievances.

As we were regarding very attentive­ly this Confusion of Miseries, this Chaos of Calamity, Jupiter issued out a second Proclamation, That every one was now at Liberty to exchange his Affliction, and to return to his Habitation with a­ny such other Bundle as should be deli­vered to him.

Upon this, Fancy began again to be­stir herself, and parcelling out the whole Heap with incredible Activity, recom­mended to every one his particular Pac­ket. The Hurry and Confusion at this Time was not to be expressed. Some Observations, which I made upon the Occasion, I shall communicate to the Publick. A venerable grey-headed Man, who had laid down the Cholick, and whom I found wanted an Heir to his Estate, snatched up an undutiful Son, that had been thrown into the Heap by his angry Father. The graceless Youth, in less than a quarter of an Hour, pulled the old Gentleman by the Beard, and had like to have knocked his Brains out; so that meeting the true Father, who [Page 160] came towards him in a Fit of the Gripes, he begged him to take his Son again, and give him back his Cholick; but they were incapable either of them to recede from the Choice they had made. A poor Gally-Slave, who had thrown down his Chains, took up the Gout in their stead, but made such wry Faces, that one might easily perceive he was no great Gainer by the Bargain. It was pleasant enough to see the several Ex­changes that were made, for Sickness against Poverty, Hunger against want of Appetite, and Care against Pain.

The Female World were very busy among themselves in bartering for Fea­tures; one was trucking a Lock of grey Hairs for a Carbuncle, another was making over a short Waste for a Pair of round Shoulders, and a third cheap­ning a bad Face for a lost Reputation: But on all these Occasions, there was not one of them who did not think the new Blemish, as soon as she had got it into her Possession, much more disagree­able than the old one. I made the same Observation on every other Misfortune or Calamity, which every one in the Assembly brought upon himself, in lieu of what he had parted with; whether it be that all the Evils which befal us [Page 161] are in some Measure suited and propor­tioned to our Strength, or that every Evil becomes more supportable by our being accustomed to it, I shall not de­termine.

I could not for my Heart forbear pity­ing the poor hump'd-back Gentleman, who went off a very well-shaped Per­son with a Stone in his Bladder; nor the fine Gentleman who had struck up this Bargain with him, that limped through a whole Assembly of Ladies who used to admire him, with a Pair of Shoulders peeping over his Head.

I must not omit my own particular Adventure. My Friend with the long Visage had no sooner taken upon him my short Face, but he made such a grotesque Figure in it, that as I looked upon him I could not forbear laughing at my self, insomuch that I put my own Face out of Countenance. The poor Gentleman was so sensible of the Ridicule, that I found he was ashamed of what he had done: On the other Side I found that I my self had no great Reason to triumph, for as I went to touch my Forehead, I missed the Place, and clapped my Finger upon my Upper Lip. Besides, as my Nose was exceeding prominent, I gave it two or [Page 162] three unlucky Knocks as I was playing my Hand about my Face, and aiming at some other Part of it. I saw two other Gentlemen by me, who were in the same ridiculous Circumstances. These had made a foolish Swop between a Couple of thick bandy Legs, and two long Trapsticks that had no Calfs to them. One of these looked like a Man walking upon Stilts, and was so lifted up into the Air above his ordinary Height, that his Head turned round with it, while the other made such awkward Circles, as he attempted to walk, that he scarce knew how to move forward upon his new Supporters: Ob­serving him to be a pleasant kind of a Fellow, I stuck my Cane in the Ground, and told him I would lay him a Bottle of Wine, that he did not march up to it on a Line, that I drew for him, in a Quarter of an Hour.

The Heap was at last distributed a­mong the two Sexes, who made a most piteous Sight, as they wandered up and down under the Pressure of their seve­ral Burdens. The whole Plain was filled with Murmurs and Complaints, Groans and Lamentations. Jupiter at length, taking Compassion on the poor Mortals, ordered them a second Time [Page 163] to lay down their Loads, with a Design to give every one his own again. They discharged themselves with a great deal of Pleasure, after which the Phantome, who had led them into such gross De­lusions, was commanded to disappear. There was sent in her stead a Goddess of a quite different Figure; her Moti­ons were steady and composed, and her Aspect serious but chearful. She every now and then cast her Eyes towards Heaven, and fixed them upon Jupiter: Her Name was PATIENCE. She had no sooner placed her self by the Mount of Sorrows, but, what I thought very remarkable, the whole Heap sunk to such a Degree, that it did not ap­pear a third Part so big as it was before. She afterwards returned every Man his own proper Calamity, and teaching him how to bear it in the most com­modious Manner, he marched off with it contentedly, being very well pleased that he had not been left to his own Choice, as to the Kind of Evils which fell to his Lot.

Besides the several Pieces of Mora­lity to be drawn out of this Vision, I learnt from it, never to repine at my own Misfortunes, or to envy the Hap­piness of another, since it is impossible [Page 164] for any Man to form a right Judgment of his Neighbour's Sufferings; for which Reason also I have determined never to think too lightly of another's Complaints, but to regard the Sorrows of my Fellow-Creatures with Senti­ments of Humanity and Compassion.

Of ORATORY.

IT was a common Enquiry among the Antients, Why the Number of excellent Ora­tors, under all the Encou­ragements the most flourish­ing States could give them, fell so far short of the Number of those who ex­celled in all other Sciences? Herodotus says, ‘ That the most useful Animals are the most fruitful in their Generation; whereas the Species of those Beasts that are fierce and mischievous to Mankind, are but scarce­ly continued.’ The Historian instances in an Hare, which always either breeds or brings forth; and a Lioness, which brings forth but once, and then loses all Power of Conception. But in these la­ter Ages we have greater Causes of Com­plaint [Page 165] than the Antients had. Our Mo­derns have greater Advantages towards true and solid Eloquence than any which the celebrated Speakers of Anti­quity enjoy'd.

The first great and substantial Differ­ence is, that their common Places, in which almost the whole Force of Am­plification consists, were drawn from the Profit or Honesty of the Action, as they regarded only this present State of Du­ration. But Christianity, as it exalts Morality to a greater Perfection, as it brings the Consideration of another Life into the Question, as it proposes Rewards and Punishments of a higher Nature, and a longer Continuance, is more adapted to affect the Minds of the Audience, naturally inclined to pursue what it imagines its greatest Interest and Concern. If Pericles, as Historians re­port, could shake the firmest Resoluti­ons of his Hearers, and set the Passions of all Greece in a Ferment, when the present Welfare of his Country, or the Fear of hostile Invasions was the Sub­ject, what may be expected from that Orator, who warns his Audience against those Evils which have no Remedy, when once undergone, either from Pru­dence or Time? As much greater as the [Page 166] Evils in a future State are than these at present, so much are the Motives to Per­suasion under Christianity greater than those which meer moral Considerations could supply us with. But what is now mention'd relates only to the Power of moving the Affections. There is another Part of Eloquence, which is indeed its Master-piece, which is the Marvellous and Sublime. In this the Christian O­rator has the Advantage beyond Con­tradiction. Our Ideas are so infinitely enlarged by Revelation, the Eye of Rea­son has so wide a Prospect into Eternity, the Notions of a Deity are so worthy and refin'd, and the Accounts we have of a State of Happiness or Misery so clear and evident, that the Contempla­tion of such Objects will give our Dis­course a noble Vigour, an invincible Force, beyond the Power of any hu­man Consideration. Tully requires in his perfect Orator some Skill in the Na­ture of Heavenly Bodies; because, says he, his Mind will become more exten­sive and unconfined; and when he de­scends to treat of human Affairs, he will both think and write in a more ex­alted and magnificent Manner. For the same Reason that excellent Master would have recommended the Study of those [Page 167] great and glorious Mysteries which Re­velation has discovered to us; to which the noblest Parts of this System of the World are as much inferior, as the Crea­ture is less excellent than its Creator. The wisest and most knowing among the Heathens, had very poor and im­perfect Notions of a future State. They had indeed some uncertain Hopes, ei­ther received by Tradition, or gathered by Reason, that the Existence of virtu­ous Men would not be determined by the Separation of Soul and Body: But they either disbelieved a future State of Punishment and Misery, or, upon the same Account that Apelles painted Anti­gonus, with one Side only to the Specta­tor, that the Loss of his Eye might not cast a Blemish upon the whole Piece; so these represented the Condition of Man in its fairest View, and endeavoured to conceal what they thought was a Defor­mity to human Nature. I have often observed, that whenever the abovemen­tioned Orator, in his Philosophical Dis­courses, is led by his Argument to the Mention of Immortality, he seems like one awaked out of Sleep, rouzed and alarmed with the Dignity of the Sub­ject, he stretches his Imagination to con­ceive something uncommon, and with [Page 168] the Greatness of his Thoughts casts, as it were, a Glory round the Sentence: Uncertain and unsettled as he was, he seems fired with the Contemplation of it; and nothing but such a glorious Prospect could have forced so great a Lover of Truth, as he was, to declare his Resolution, never to part with his Per­suasion of Immortality, though it should be proved to be an erroneous one. But had he lived to see all that Christianity has brought to Light, how would he have lavished out all the Force of Elo­quence in those noblest Contemplations which human Nature is capable of, the Resurrection, and the Judgment that follows it? How had his Breast glowed with Pleasure, when the whole Com­pass of Futurity lay open and exposed to his View? How would his Imagina­tion have hurryed him on in the Pursuit of the Mysteries of the Incarnation? How would he have entered with the Force of Lightning into the Affections of his Hearers, and fixed their Attenti­on, in Spite of all the Opposition of corrupt Nature, upon those glorious Themes which his Eloquence hath pain­ted in such lively and lasting Colours?

[Page 169]This Advantage Christians have; and it was with no small Pleasure I lately met with a Fragment of Longinus, which is preserved as a Testimony of that Cri­tick's Judgment, at the Beginning of a Manuscript of the New Testament in the Vatican Library. After that Author has numbered up the most celebrated Orators among the Grecians, he says, ‘ Add to these Paul of Tarsus, the Patron of an Opinion not yet fully prov'd.’ As a Heathen, he condemns the Christian Religion; and as an impartial Critick, he judges in Favour of the Promoter and Preacher of it. To me it seems, that the latter Part of his Judgment adds great Weight to his Opinion of St. Paul's Abilities, since, under all the Prejudice of Opinions directly opposite, he is con­strained to acknowledge the Merit of that Apostle. And, no Doubt, such as Longinus describes St. Paul, such he ap­peared to the Inhabitants of those Coun­tries which he visited and blessed with those Doctrines he was divinely commis­sioned to preach. Sacred Story gives us, in one Circumstance, a convincing Proof of his Eloquence, when the Men of Lystra called him Mercury, because he was the chief Speaker, and would have [Page 170] paid divine Worship to him, as to the God who invented and prefided over Eloquence. This one Account of our Apostle sets his Character, considered as an Orator only, above all the celebrated Relations of the Skill and Influence of Demosthenes and his Contemporaries. Their Power in Speaking was admired, but still it was thought human: Their Eloquence warmed and ravished the Hearers, but still it was thought the Voice of Man, not the Voice of God. What Advantage then had St. Paul above those of Greece or Rome? I confess I can as­cribe this Excellence to nothing but the Power of the Doctrines he delivered, which may have still the same Influence on the Hearers; which have still the Power, when preached by a skilful O­rator, to make us break out in the same Expressions as the Disciples, who met our Saviour in their Way to Emmaus, made Use of; ‘ Did not our Hearts burn within us, when he talked to us by the Way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?’ I may be thought bold in my Judgment by some; but I must affirm, That no one Orator has left us so visible Marks and Footsteps of his Eloquence as our Apostle. It may perhaps be won­dered [Page 169] at, that in his Reasonings upon Idolatry at Athens, where Eloquence was born and flourished, he confines himself to strict Argument only; but my Rea­der may remember what many Authors of the best Credit have assured us, That all Attempts upon the Affections, and Strokes of Oratory, were expresly for­bidden, by the Laws of that Country, in Courts of Judicature. His Want of Eloquence therefore here, was the Ef­fect of his exact Conformity to the Laws: But his Discourse on the Resur­rection to the Corinthians, his Harangue before Agrippa upon his own Conversi­on, and the Necessity of that of others, are truly great, and may serve as full Examples to those excellent Rules for the Sublime, which the best of Criticks has left us. The Sum of all this Dis­course is, That our Clergy have no far­ther to look for an Example of the Per­fection they may arrive at, than to St. Paul's Harangues; that when he, under the Want of several Advantages of Na­ture, (as he himself tells us) was heard, admired, and made a Standard to suc­ceeding Ages by the best Judge of a dif­ferent Persuasion in Religion: I say, Our Clergy may learn, that however instructive their Sermons are, they are [Page 170] capable of receiving a great Addition; which St. Paul has given them a noble Example of, and the Christian Religion has furnished them with certain Means of attaining to.

A Contemplation of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of GOD.

ABOUT Sun-set walking in the open Fields, 'till the Night insensibly fell upon me, I at first amused myself with all the Richness and Variety of Colours, which appeared in the Western Parts of Heaven: In Pro­portion as they faded away and went out, several Stars and Planets appeared one after another, t'ill the whole Firma­ment was in a Glow. The Blueness of the Aether was exceedingly heightened and enlivened by the Season of the Year, and by the Rays of all those Luminaries that passed through it. The Galaxy ap­peared in its most beautiful White. To compleat the Scene, the full Moon rose, at length, in that clouded Majesty which Milton takes Notice of, and opened to the Eye a new Picture of Nature, which [Page 171] was more finely shaded, and disposed among softer Lights than that which the Sun had before discovered to us.

As I was surveying the Moon walk­ing in her Brightness, and taking her Progress among the Constellations, a Thought rose in me, which I believe very often perplexes and disturbs Men of serious and contemplative Natures. David himself fell into it, in that Refle­ction, ‘ When I consider the Heavens, the Work of thy Fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained; what is Man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that thou regardest him!’ In the same manner, when I considered that infinite Hoste of Stars, or, to speak more philosophically, of Suns, which were then shining upon me, with those innumerable Sets of Planets or Worlds, which were moving round their respect­ive Suns: When I still enlarged the Idea, and supposed another Heaven of Suns and Worlds rising still above this which we discovered, and these still en­lightened by a superior Firmament of Luminaries, which are planted at so great a Distance, that they may appear to the Inhabitants of the former as the Stars do to us. In short, whilst I pur­sued this Thought, I could not but re­flect [Page 172] on that little insignificant Figure which I my self bore amidst the Immen­sity of God's Works.

Were the Sun, which enlightens this Part of the Creation, with all the Host of Planetary Worlds that move about him, utterly extinguished and annihila­ted, they would not be missed more than a Grain of Sand upon the Sea-shore. The Space they possess is so exceedingly little, in comparison of the whole, that it would scarce make a Blank in the Crea­tion. The Chasm would be imperceptible to an Eye that could take in the whole Compass of Nature, and pass from one End of the Creation to the other, as it is possible there may be such a Sense in our selves hereafter, or in Creatures which are at present more exalted than our selves. We see many Stars by the Help of Glasses, which we do not dis­cover with our naked Eyes; and the finer our Telescopes are, the more still are our Discoveries. Huygenius carries this Thought so far, that he does not think it impossible there may be Stars, whose Light is not yet travelled down to us since their first Creation. There is no Question but the Universe has cer­tain Bounds set to it; but when we con­sider that it is the Work of infinite [Page 173] Power, prompted by infinite Goodness, with an infinite Space to exert itself in, how can our Imagination set any Bounds to it?

To return therefore to my first Thought, I could not but look upon my self with secret Horror, as a Being that was not worth the smallest Regard of one who had so great a Work under his Care and Superintendency. I was afraid of being overlooked amidst the Immensi­ty of Nature, and lost among that infi­nite Variety of Creatures, which in all Probability swarm through all these im­measurable Regions of Matter.

In order to recover my self from this mortifying Thought, I considered that it took its Rise from those narrow Con­ceptions which we are apt to entertain of the Divine Nature. We ourselves cannot attend to many different Objects at the same Time. If we are careful to inspect some Things, we must of course neglect others. This Imperfection which we observe in our selves, is an Imperfe­ction that cleaves in some Degree to Creatures of the highest Capacities, as they are Creatures, that is, Beings of fi­nite and limited Natures. The Presence of every Being is confined to a certain Measure of Space, and consequently his [Page 174] Observation is stinted to a certain Num­ber of Objects. The Sphere in which we move, and act, and understand, is of a wider Circumference to one Crea­ture than another, according as we rise one above another in the Scale of Exist­ence. But the widest of these our Spheres has its Circumference. When therefore we reflect on the Divine Na­ture, we are so used and accustomed to this Imperfection in ourselves, that we cannot forbear in some measure ascribing it to him in whom there is no Shadow of Imperfection. Our Reason indeed assures us that his Attributes are infinite, but the Poorness of our Conceptions is such, that it cannot forbear setting Bounds to every thing it contemplates, 'till our Reason comes again to our Suc­cour, and throws down all those little Prejudices which rises in us unawares, and are natural to the Mind of Man.

We shall therefore utterly extinguish this melancholy Thought, of our being overlooked by our Maker in the Multi­plicity of his Works, and the Infinity of those Objects among which he seems to be incessantly employed, if we consider in the first Place that he is Omnipresent, and, in the second, that he is Omnisci­ent.

[Page 175]If we consider him in his Omnipre­sence: His Being passes through, actu­ates, and supports the whole Frame of Nature. His Creation, and every Part of it, is full of him. There is nothing he has made, that is either so distant, so little, or so inconsiderable, which he does not essentially inhabit. His Sub­stance is within the Substance of every Being, whether material or immaterial, and as intimately present to it, as that Being is to it self. It would be an Im­perfection in him, were he able to re­move out of one Place into another, or to withdraw himself from any thing he has created, or from any Part of that Space which is diffused and spread abroad to Infinity. In short, to speak of him in the Language of the old Philosopher, he is a Being whose Centre is every where, and his Circumference is no where.

In the second Place, he is Omnipre­sent as well as Omniscient. His Om­niscience indeed necessarily and natural­ly flows from his Omnipresence; he can­not but be conscious of every Motion that arises in the whole material World, which he thus essentially pervades, and of every Thought that is stirring in the intellectual World, to every Part of [Page 176] which he is thus intimately united. Se­veral Moralists have considered the Cre­ation as the Temple of God, which he has built with his own Hands, and which is filled with his Presence. O­thers have considered infinite Space as the Receptacle, or rather the Habitation of the Almighty: But the noblest and most exalted Way of considering this infinite Space, is that of Sir Isaac New­ton's, who calls it the Sensorium of the Godhead. Brutes and Men have their Sensoriola, or little Sensoriums, by which they apprehend the Presence, and per­ceive the Actions of a few Objects that lye contiguous to them: Their Know­ledge and Observation turns within a very narrow Circle. But as God Al­mighty cannot but perceive and know every thing in which he resides, infinite Space gives Room to infinite Knowledge, and is, as it were, an Organ to Omni­science.

Were the Soul separate from the Bo­dy, and with one Glance of Thought should start beyond the Bounds of the Creation, should it for Millions of Years continue its Progress through in­finite Space with the same Activity, it would still find itself within the Em­brace of its Creator, and encompassed [Page 177] round with the Immensity of the God­head. Whilst we are in the Body he is not less present with us, be­cause he is concealed from us. ‘ O that I knew where I might find him! says Job. Behold I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot per­ceive him. On the left hand, where he does work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.’ In short, Reason as well as Revelation assures us, that he cannot be absent from us, notwithstanding he is undiscovered by us.

In this Consideration of God Almigh­ty's Omnipresence and Omniscience e­very Thought vanishes. He cannot but regard every Thing that has Being, especially such of his Creatures who fear they are not regarded by him. He is privy to all their Thoughts, and to that Anxiety of Heart in particular, which is apt to trouble them on this Occasion: For as it is impossible he should overlook any of his Creatures, so we may be confident that he regards, with an Eye of Mercy, those who en­deavour to recommend themselves to his Notice, and in an unfeigned Humi­lity of Heart think themselves unwor­thy that he should be mindful of them.

The Happiness of SOULS in HEAVEN.

I Have always taken a parti­cular Pleasure in examining the Opinions which Men of different Religions, different Ages, and different Coun­tries, have entertained concerning the Immortality of the Soul, and the State of Happiness which they promise them­selves in another World. For whatever Prejudices and Errors human Nature lies under, we find that either Reason, or Tradition from our first Parents, has discovered to all People something in these great Points which bears Analogy to Truth, and to the Doctrines opened to us by Divine Revelation. I was late­ly discoursing on this Subject with a learned Person who has been very much conversant among the Inhabitants of the more Western Parts of Africk: Upon his conversing with several in that Country, he tells me, that their Notion of Heaven, or of a future State of Happi­ness is this, That every Thing we there wish for will immediately present it self to us. We find, say they, our Souls [Page 179] are of such a Nature that they require Variety, and are not capable of being always delighted with the same Objects. The Supreme Being therefore, in Compli­ance with this Taste of Happiness which he has planted in the Soul of Man, will raise up from Time to Time, they say, every Gratification which it is in the Humour to be pleased with. If we wish to be in Groves or Bowers, among running Streams or Falls of Water, we shall immediately find our selves in the midst of such a Scene as we desire. If we would be entertained with Musick and the Melody of Sounds, the Consort rises upon our Wish, and the whole Region about us is filled with Harmony. In short, every Desire will be followed by Fruition, and whatever a Man's In­clination directs him to, will be present with him. Nor is it material whether the Supreme Power creates in Confor­mity to our Wishes, or whether he on­ly produces such a Change in our Ima­gination, as makes us believe our selves conversant among those Scenes which delight us. Our Happiness will be the same, whether it proceed from external Objects, or from the Impressions of the Deity upon our own private Fancies. This is the Account which I have re­ceived [Page 180] from my learned Friend. Not­withstanding this System of Belief be in general very chimerical and visionary, there is something sublime in its Man­ner of considering the Influence of a Divine Being on a human Soul. It has also, like most other Opinions of the Heathen World upon these important Points, it has, I say, its Foundation in Truth, as it supposes the Souls of good Men after this Life to be in a State of perfect Happiness, that in this State there will be no barren Hopes, nor fruitless Wishes, and that we shall en­joy every Thing we can desire. But the particular Circumstance which I am most pleased with in this Scheme, and which arises from a just Reflection up­on human Nature, is that Variety of Pleasures which it supposes the Souls of good Men will be possessed of in a­nother World. This I think highly probable, from the Dictates of both Reason and Revelation. The Soul con­sists of many Faculties, as the Under­standing, and the Will, with all the Senses both outward and inward; or, to speak more philosophically, the Soul can exert her self in many different Ways of Action: She can understand, will, imagine, see and hear, love and [Page 181] discourse, and apply her self to many other the like Exercises of different Kinds and Natures; but what is more to be considered, the Soul is capable of receiving a most exquisite Pleasure and Satisfaction from the Exercise of any of these its Powers, when they are gratified with their proper Objects; she can be entirely happy by the Satisfa­ction of the Memory, the Sight, the Hearing, or any other Mode of Percep­tion. Every Faculty is as a distinct Taste in the Mind, and hath Objects ac­commodated to its proper Relish. Dr. Tillotson somewhere says, that he will not presume to determine in what con­sists the Happiness of the Bless'd, because God Almighty is capable of making the Soul happy by Ten Thousand dif­ferent Ways. Besides those several A­venues to Pleasure which the Soul is endowed with in this Life, it is not impossible, according to the Opinions of many eminent Divines, but there may be new Faculties in the Souls of good Men made perfect, as well as new Senses in their glorified Bodies. This we are sure of, that there will be new Objects offered to all those Faculties which are essential to us.

[Page 182]We are likewise to take Notice, that every particular Faculty is capable of being employed on a very great Variety of Objects. The Understanding, for Example, may be happy in the Con­templation of Moral, Natural, Mathe­matical, and other Kinds of Truth. The Memory likewise may turn it self to an infinite Multitude of Objects, e­specially when the Soul shall have pas­sed through the Space of many Milli­ons of Years, and shall reflect with Plea­sure on the Days of Eternity. Every other Faculty may be considered in the same Extent.

We cannot question but that the Hap­piness of a Soul will be adequate to its Nature, and that it is not endowed with any Faculties which are to lye useless and unemploy'd. The Happiness is to be the Happiness of the whole Man, and we may easily conceive to our selves the Happiness of the Soul, whilst any one of its Faculties is in the Fruition of its chief Good. The Happiness may be of a more exalted Nature in Propor­tion as the Faculty employed is so, but as the whole Soul acts in the Exertion of any of its particular Powers, the whole Soul is happy in the Pleasure which arises from any of its particular [Page 183] Acts. For notwithstanding, as has been before hinted, and as it has been taken Notice of by one of the greatest mo­dern Philosophers, we divide the Soul into several Powers and Faculties, there is no such Division in the Soul it self, since it is the whole Soul that remem­bers, understands, wills, or imagines. Our Manner of considering the Memo­ry, Understanding, Will, Imagination, and the like Faculties, is for the better enabling us to express our selves in such abstracted Subjects of Speculation, not that there is any such Division in the Soul it self.

Seeing then that the Soul has many different Faculties, or, in other Words, many different Ways of acting; that it can be intensely pleased, or made happy, by all these different Faculties, or Ways of acting; that it may be en­dowed with several latent Faculties, which it is not at present in a Condi­tion to exert; that we cannot believe the Soul is endowed with any Faculty which is of no Use to it; that when­ever any one of these Faculties is tran­scendently pleased, the Soul is in a State of Happiness; and, in the last Place, considering that the Happiness of another World is to be the Happiness [Page 184] of the whole Man, who can question but that there is an infinite Variety in those Pleasures we are speaking of; and that this Fulness of Joy will be made up of all those Pleasures which the Nature of the Soul is capable of re­ceiving!

We shall be the more confirmed in this Doctrine, if we observe the Nature of Variety, with regard to the Mind of Man. The Soul does not care to be always in the same Bent. The Facul­ties relieve one another by Turns, and receive an additional Pleasure from the Novelty of those Objects, about which they are conversant.

Revelation likewise very much con­firms this Notion, under the different Views which it gives us of our future Happiness. In the Description of the Throne of God, it represents to us all those Objects which are able to gratify the Senses and Imagination. In very many Places it intimates to us all the Happiness which the Understanding can possibly receive in that State, where all Things shall be revealed to us, and we shall know, even as we are known; the Raptures of Devotion, of Divine Love, the Pleasure of conversing with our Blessed Saviour, with an innume­rable [Page 185] Host of Angels, and with the Spi­rits of Just Men made Perfect, are like­wise revealed to us in several Parts of the Holy Writings. There are also mentioned those Hierarchies, or Go­vernments, in which the Blest shall be ranged one above another, and in which we may be sure a great Part of our Happiness will likewise consist; for it will not be there as in this World, where every one is aiming at Power and Superiority; but, on the contrary, every one will find that Station the most proper for him in which he is placed, and will probably think that he could not have been so happy in any other Station. These and many other Particulars are marked in Divine Revela­tion as the several Ingredients of our Happiness in Heaven, which all imply such a Variety of Joys, and such a Gratification of the Soul in all its diffe­rent Faculties, as I have been here men­tioning.

Some of the Rabbins tell us, that the Cherubims are a Set of Angels who know most, and the Seraphims a Set of Angels who love most. Whether this Distinction be not altogether ima­ginary I shall not here examine; but it is highly probable that among the Spi­rits [Page 186] of good Men there may be some who will be more pleased with the Em­ployment of one Faculty than of ano­ther, and this perhaps according to those innocent and virtuous Habits or Incli­nations which have here taken the deep­est Root.

I might here apply this Consideration to the Spirits of wicked Men, with re­lation to the Pain they shall suffer in every one of their Faculties, and the re­spective Miseries which shall be appro­priated to each Faculty in particular. But leaving this to the Reflection of my Readers, I shall conclude, with observ­ing how we ought to be thankful to our great Creator, and rejoice in the Being which he has bestowed upon us, for ha­ving made the Soul susceptible of Plea­sure by so many different Ways. We see by what a Variety of Passages Joy and Gladness may enter into the Thoughts of Man: How wonderfully a human Spirit is framed, to imbibe its proper Satisfactions, and taste the Good­ness of its Creator. We may therefore look into our selves with Rapture and Amazement, and cannot sufficiently ex­press our Gratitude to him, who has en­compassed us with such a Profusion of [Page 187] Blessiegs, and open'd in us so many Ca­pacities of enjoying them.

There cannot be a stronger Argument that God has designed us for a State of future Happiness, and for that Heaven which he has revealed to us, than that he has thus naturally qualified the Soul for it, and made it a Being capable of receiving so much Bliss. He would ne­ver have made such Faculties in vain, and have endowed us with Powers that were not to be exerted on such Objects as are suited to them. It is very mani­fest, by the inward Frame and Consti­tution of our Minds, that he has adap­ted them to an infinite Variety of Plea­sures and Gratifications, which are not to be met with in this Life. We should therefore at all times take Care that we do not disappoint this his gracious Pur­pose and Intention towards us, and make those Faculties which he formed as so many Qualifications for Happiness and Rewards, to be the Instruments of Pain and Punishment.