,,occasional ,,thoughts ,in reference to a ,vertuous or ,christian ,,life4 ,,london1 ,printed for ,a4 and ,j4 ,churchil at the ,black ,swan in ,pater-noster ,row4 #agje4 ,,the ,,preface4 ,the following discourse was written some ,years since1 not without the thought that1 possibly1 it might be of farther use than for the entertainment of the ,writer3 ,yet so little express ,intention was there of ,publishing the ,product of those leisure ,hours it employ'd1 that these ,papers lay by for above two ,years unread1 and almost forgotten4 ,after which time1 being perus'd and ,corrected1 they were communicated to some ,friends of the ,authors1 who judging them capable to be useful1 they are now sent into the ,world in that ,hope4 ,there is nothing pretended or suppos'd to be in them which is not obvious3 but ,truths the most evident1 are sometimes overlook'd1 or not sufficiently and universally attended to3 ,and where these are ,truths of moment1 it is no ill ,service1 by frequent representations of them1 to procure them attention4 ,i think there can be few heartily concerned for the ,vice and ,immorality that abounds amongst us1 who have not sometimes reflected upon loose or careless ,education1 as one cause thereof3 ,but yet the great weight that right ,instruction and ,discipline of ,youth1 is of1 in respect both of ,peoples present and future ,felicity1 is 7as ,i take it7 far from being generally so settl'd in the ,minds of ,parents1 as to be steadily look'd upon by them as the one thing to that degree necessary1 that without due care taken thereof1 all other indeavours1 to render their ,children happy1 either in this ,life1 or in that which is to come1 are likely to be very inefficacious4 ,that right ,instruction1 in regard of ,vertue1 consists in joining together1 inseparably1 good ,principles with early ,habits1 either of these being insufficient without the other1 is likewise1 ,i presume1 no new ,thought3 ,but is yet what appears to me to be very little reflected upon4 ,when this is duly consider'd1 ,people cannot1 ,i think1 but be soon convinc'd from what ,hands the right ,instruction spoken of1 ought to come2 for nothing can1 in my ,opinion1 be more obvious than that is4 ,if these ,,occasional ,,thoughts shall produce better digested ones from any other ,hand2 or shall themselves be any way serviceable to the reducing or directing of one single ,soul into the paths of ,vertue1 ,i shall not repent the ,publishing them3 ,and however useless they may be to this end 7sincerely aim'd at7 yet the very ,design will intitle them to no unfavourable reception3 ,for but to indeavour to contribute1 in the least degree1 to the ,honour of ,god1 or ,good of ,mankind1 can never stand in need of ,pardon4 ,and such a ,modesty or ,fear of displeasing any as withholds ,men from enterprising the one1 or the other of these1 where nothing but their own ,credit is hazarded1 should the design not succeed1 is1 on the contrary1 very blameable4 ,besides these two ,motives1 could ,i need any other to ingage me in the defence of ,vertue1 ,i should find yet a very powerful one in that dutiful ,affection which ,i pay1 and which every ,subject ows to a ,,good ,,prince3 ,since the ,,queen1 ,i am fully perswaded1 would not so much rejoyce in the ,accession of great ,kingdoms to her ,dominions1 as to see the ,people1 already happy in ,her ,government over them1 indeavouring to make themselves and one another so1 in following the great ,example which ,she sets them of ,vertue and ,piety4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,occasional ,,thoughts ,in reference to a ,vertuous or ,christian ,,life4 ,there is no so constant and satisfactory a ,pleasure1 to those who are capable of it1 as ,rational ,conversation gives3 ,and to me1 depriv'd of that ,enjoyment1 the remembrance thereof1 is1 in my present ,solitude1 the most delightful ,entertainment3 ,wherein some of my leisure hours will not1 ,i hope1 be mispent1 should this engage me to prosecute such ,thoughts as were lately suggested to me by others4 ,the which taking their rise from a particular ,enquiry1 and thence proceeding to a general ,consideration of the ,folly and ,madness of ,rational ,creature's acting1 as if they had no other ,principle to direct or determin them1 than the ,incitements of their ,passions and ,appetites1 comprehended at once the unhappiness of ,mankind1 both ,here and ,hereafter4 ,since those ,breaches of the ,eternal ,law of ,reason1 which disorder ,common-wealths and ,kingdoms2 disturb the ,peace of ,families2 and make by far the greatest part of the ,private ,infelicities of ,particular ,persons in this ,world1 are what the ,sovereign ,disposer of all things has ordain'd1 shall render ,men miserable in a future ,life also4 ,a survey of which ,moral ,irregularities1 as bringing into view a large ,scene of ,human ,depravity1 does indeed furnish matter for melancholy1 rather than pleasing ,contemplations3 ,but the ,mind is sometimes no less affected with ,delight1 wherein there is a mixture of sadness on ,subjects1 which in themselves consider'd are ungrateful1 than on occasions the most welcome to us3 ,and such a just zeal in any for the interests of ,vertue1 as makes them1 with a ,charitable concern1 reflect on the miscarriages of others1 and thence take occasion to examine their own ,actions by the true ,rules and ,measures of their ,duty1 expresses a disposition of ,mind too becoming ,rational ,creatures1 and too seldom met withal1 not to please1 tho' excited by ,representations which are disagreeable2 provided they are of such a matter as is not then new to our ,thoughts4 ,that the ,gross of ,mankind do every where live in opposition to that ,rule of ,nature which they ought to obey1 is a sad ,truth2 but that we who have this ,rule enforc'd by a clearer ,light1 are included herein1 and do in this find the source of many ,evils1 not only fear'd1 but which we actually feel1 are ,considerations yet more affecting1 and not a little aggravated in that1 within ,memory1 this heretofore sober ,nation has been debauch'd from ,principles of ,vertue and ,religion1 to such an excess of ,vice and ,prophaneness1 that it has been ,fashionable to have no shame of the grossest ,immoralities2 and ,men have thought even to recommend themseves by avow'd ,impiety4 ,a ,change which could not be consider'd without extream regret by all who either were in earnest ,christians1 or who truly lov'd the ,prosperity of their ,country3 ,and as upon this occasion there was reason to be sensible that nothing operates so powerfully as the example of ,princes2 some have been of later ,years induc'd to hope for a revolution in our ,manners1 no less advantageous than what has hitherto secur'd those ,civil and ,religious ,liberties1 without which it is impossible for ,vertue to subsist among any ,people whatsoever4 ,but ,experience shows that ,humane ,nature is much easier led into ,evil1 than reduc'd from it2 and that inveterate ,maladies are difficultly cur'd4 ,when ,men's ,practices have infected their ,principles and ,opinions2 and these have had time again reciprocally to confirm them in their ,vicious ,habits and ,customs1 the whole ,constitution is corrupted2 and the ,personal ,vertue then of the ,prince 7however conspicuous7 will not1 without a concurrence of other means1 influence farther than to make 7it may be7 some change in the ,garb1 or ,fashion of ,men's ,vices4 ,a due and vigorous ,execution of proper ,laws against ,immorality and ,prophaneness1 is that alone which will effectually restrain them3 ,and a right care had of ,education1 is the only humane means of making ,people truly ,vertuous4 ,whenever our inferiour ,magistrates shall be such as will be a terror to ,evil doers1 and encouragers of those who do well1 and when ,parents shall be perswaded that it is in their power to procure to their ,children more valuable ,treasures than ,riches and ,honours2 the ancient ,vertue of our ,ancestors will then quickly be equall'd1 if not surpass'd1 by that of their ,posterity3 ,but till then1 it is in vain to expect that any great ,advances should be made towards an ,amendment1 as necessary to our present and ,national1 as to our ,personal and ,future ,happiness4 ,what the force of ,education is upon our ,minds1 and how by a due regard had to it1 ,common-wealths and ,kingdoms have flourished1 and become famous2 and how much this has been recommended by ,wise ,men in all ,ages1 requires but a small consideration of ,humane ,nature1 and ,acquaintance with ,history to inform us2 nor is any thing more obvious to observe than the power of ,education4 ,this matter yet has no where been ordinarily look'd after1 proportionably to the moment it is visibly of3 ,and even the most sollicitous about it1 have usually employ'd their care herein but by halves with respect to the ,principal ,part in so great a concernment2 for the information and improvement of the ,understanding by useful ,knowledge1 7a thing highly necessary to the right regulation of the ,manners7 is commonly very little thought of in reference to one whole ,sex2 even by those who in regard of the other1 take due care hereof4 ,but to this omission in respect of one ,sex1 it is manifestly very much to be attributed1 that that pains which is often bestow'd upon the other1 does so frequently1 as it does1 prove ineffectual3 ,since the actual assistance of ,mothers1 will 7generally speaking7 be found necessary to the right forming of the ,minds of their ,children of both ,sexes2 and the ,impressions receiv'd in that tender ,age1 which is unavoidably much of it passed among ,women1 are of exceeding consequence to ,men throughout the whole remainder of their ,lives1 as having a strong and oftentimes unalterable influence upon their future ,inclinations and ,passions4 ,as those ,persons who afforded that agreeable ,conversation ,i have mention'd1 were the greater part of them ,ladies1 it was not strange if they express'd much displeasure at the too general neglect of the ,instruction of their ,sex2 a ,reflection not easily to be avoided by them1 when their thoughts upon the miscarriages and unhappiness of ,mankind in general1 terminated in a more peculiar ,consideration of that part which those of their own ,condition had in the one1 and the other4 ,wherein the ,conversation concluded where it had begun2 the occasion which introduced it having been the ,enquiry of a ,lady1 ,what was the ,opinion of one in the ,company concerning a ,book ,intitled ,conseils d',ariste sur les ,moyens de conserver sa ,reputation8 ,of which 7she said7 she had heard divers ,persons of ,merit and ,quality1 speak very differently3 ,some as if it contained the most useful ,instructions that could be given for the rendring any young ,lady such as her best ,friends could wish she should be2 and others1 as relishing too much of an ,antiquated severity1 not indulgent enough either to the natural and agreeable ,gaiety of ,youth1 or to that innocent ,liberty now in use1 deriv'd like most of our other ,fashions1 from that ,nation where these ,counsels were thought needful4 ,i remember not the ,book you speak of enough to answer to your desire1 7reply'd the ,person to whom this ,enquiry was address'd7 but what you say is objected to these ,conseils is without doubt impertinent1 unless the ,precepts therein meant to be condemn'd1 are shown to be in themselves faulty2 it being certainly otherwise no matter of exception to them that they are not ,indulgent to what an ,age1 the ,manners whereof they were intended to correct1 had establish'd or found agreeable4 ,this ,objection yet can hardly 7,i think7 be less just1 than such a ,character of any ,book of this ,nature1 as some it seems give of this3 the ,author whereof pretended not 7as ,i suppose7 to so much in his ,design1 as these ,people find in his ,performance4 ,and the nature and extent of a ,christian's ,duty is but little in their thoughts1 who think that any ,rules dictated by ,prudence1 or ,experience of the ,world1 and directed to the ,glory of a good ,name1 are such ,instructions as can render any one what they ought to be4 ,a solid ,vertue can alone do this2 the ,possession whereof is infinitely preferable to that of ,reputation2 with which yet it is so rarely unattended1 that one may affirm there is no so secure and easie a way 7especially for a ,lady7 to acquire and conserve the ,reputation of being ,vertuous1 as really to be so4 ,but ,vertue is not 7tho often so misrepresented7 included in ,innocency2 or does consist in a partial ,practice of ,actions praiseworthy2 for its extent is equal to our liberty of ,action2 and its ,principle the most ,active one of the ,mind2 ,vertue being the natural result of a sincere desire to conform in all things to the ,law set us by our ,maker2 which who so truly endeavours1 will not find much occasion for such kind of ,advices as the above-mentioned ones1 either to correct their ,faults1 or teach them to put a mask over them2 an ill use sometimes made of this sort of ,instructions3 ,however a better might be1 since it is true1 that young ,people from the ,experience of others may learn many things in reference to their ,conduct1 the knowledge whereof they would buy too dear at their own4 ,the difficulty yet that there is in applying general ,rules to particular ,cases1 makes 7,i presume7 ,books of this sort1 how good soever in the kind1 of less advantage to those who most need them1 than some imagine them to be4 ,this which was then said on the ,subject of these ,conseils 7lying by accident in the way7 suggests to me now two things1 wherein the ,documents ordinarily given to such young ,ladies1 as are intended to have the best care taken of their ,instruction1 are1 ,i think1 very defective2 and the fitter to be redress'd1 as being of peculiar ill consequence in a ,sceptical1 loose and unthinking ,age2 wherein ,wit is apt to pass upon many for ,reason4 ,the first of these is1 ,that those ,notions1 or ,ideas of ,vertue1 and consequent ,rules of ,action1 which are usually given to such young ,persons1 do rarely carry along with them an entire conviction of their ,truth and ,reasonableness3 ,whence if these ,instructions at any time happen strongly to cross the ,inclinations of those to whom they are given1 it will appear rational to question their ,solidity3 ,and when ,principles that thwart ,people's passions or interests1 come once to be doubted of by them1 it is great odds1 that they will sooner be slighted1 than better examin'd4 ,now1 this want of apparent ,truth and ,reasonableness1 is not only where the ,notions and ,precepts giv'n1 are in themselves such as either in ,whole1 or in ,part1 are not ,true or ,rational2 but also 7oftentimes7 where they are altogether conformable to right ,reason3 ,in which cases1 the want of apparent ,reasonableness1 proceeds from a defect of such ,antecedent ,knowledge in those who are design'd to be instructed1 as is necessary to the seeing their ,reasonableness of the ,instructions giv'n them2 that is to say1 ,to their discerning the conformity with1 or evident deduction of such ,instructions from some ,truths which are unquestion'd by them3 the which should be the ,principles of ,true ,religion1 so clearly made out to them1 as to be by them acknowledg'd for ,verities4 ,religion being 7as ,i shall take it at present for granted7 the only sufficient ground or solid support of ,vertue2 ,for the belief of a ,superior1 ,omnipotent ,being1 inspecting our ,actions1 and who will ,reward or ,punish us accordingly1 is in all ,men's ,apprehensions the strangest1 and in truth the only stable and irresistible ,argument for submitting our ,desires to a constant ,regulation1 wherein it is that ,vertue does consist4 ,how far ,natural ,religion alone is sufficient for this1 is very fit to be consider'd3 ,but ,i conclude that among us1 there are few who pretend to recommend ,vertue1 but who do so either with no respect at all to ,religion1 and upon ,principles purely ,humane1 or else with reference to the ,christian ,religion4 ,the first of these1 it is already said1 will be ineffectual2 and it is no less certain that the ,christian ,religion cannot be a solid ,foundation for ,vertue1 where ,vertue being inculcated upon the ,declarations of the ,gospel1 those who are thus instructed1 are not convinc'd of the ,authority and ,evidence of that ,revelation2 which but too commonly is the ,case3 ,instructors1 instead of ,teaching this necessary previous ,knowledge of ,religion1 generally1 supposing it to be already in them whom they instruct1 who in reality neither have it1 or have ever been so before-hand ,taught1 as to make it a reasonable ,presumption that they should have it4 ,whence all the ,endeavours of making them ,vertuous in consequence of their ,christianity1 are but attempting to raise a real ,superstructure upon an only imaginary ,foundation2 for ,truths receiv'd upon any other ,ground than their own ,evidence1 tho' they may1 perhaps1 find entertainment1 yet will never gain to themselves a sure hold upon the ,mind2 and so soon as they become troublesome1 are in great danger of being question'd2 whereby whatever is ,built upon them1 must be likewise liable to be suspected for fallacious3 ,and however empty ,declamations do often-times make livelier impressions upon ,young ,people than substantial ,reasoning1 yet these impressions are1 for the most part1 easily effac'd2 and especially are so out of their ,minds who naturally are the capablest of right ,reason2 as among other instances appears in this1 that prophane ,wits do often even railly ,women of the ,best ,parts 7,religiously ,bred as they call it7 out of their ,duty3 ,these not seeing 7as they should have been early ,taught to do7 that what they have learn'd to be their ,duty is not grounded upon the uncertain and variable ,opinion of ,men1 but the unchangeable nature of things2 and has an indissolvable ,connection with their ,happiness or ,misery4 ,now those who have the ,direction of ,young ,ladies in their ,youth1 so soon as past ,child-hood1 whether they be the ,parents1 ,governesses1 or others1 do not1 most commonly1 neglect the ,teaching them ,that which is the ,ground and ,support of all the ,good ,precepts they give them2 because that ,principles of ,religion are by them believed to be unnecessary2 or are not in their ,thoughts2 but because they presume1 as has been said1 that those now under their ,care are already sufficiently instructed herein2 viz4 ,when their ,nurses1 or ,maids1 ,taught them their ,catechisms2 that is to say1 ,certain ,answers to a ,train of ,questions adapted to some approv'd ,system of ,divinity4 ,that this is sufficient ,instruction in ,religion1 is apparently a ,belief pretty general3 ,and not only such ,young ,ladies as have newly put off their ,bibs and ,aprons1 but even the greatest ,number of their ,parents1 and ,teachers themselves1 would1 yet less than ,they1 be pleas'd if one should tell them that those who know so much as this1 may nevertheless be very ,ignorant concerning the ,christian ,religion2 these ,old ,people no more than the ,young ,ones1 being able to give any farther ,account thereof than they have thus been taught4 ,it is yet true that many who have ,learn'd1 and who well remember long ,catechisms1 with all their pretended ,proofs1 are so far from having that ,knowledge which ,rational ,creatures ought to have of a ,religion they profess to ,believe they can only be ,sav'd by1 as that they are not able to say1 either what this ,religion does ,consist in1 or why it is they ,believe it2 and are so little instructed by their ,catechisms1 as that1 oftentimes1 they understand not so much as the very ,terms they have ,learn'd in them3 ,and more often find the ,proportions therein contain'd1 so short in the ,information of their ,ignorance2 or so unintelligible1 to their ,apprehensions2 or so plainly contradictory of the most obvious ,dictates of common ,sense2 that ,religion 7for the which they never think of looking beyond these ,systems7 appears to them indeed a thing not ,built upon1 or defensible by ,reason3 ,in consequence of which ,opinion1 the weakest attaques made against it1 must needs render such ,persons 7at the least7 wavering in their ,belief of it2 ,whence those ,precepts of ,vertue1 which they have receiv'd as bottom'd thereon1 are1 in a ,time wherein ,scepticism and ,vice1 pass for ,wit and ,gallantry1 necessarily brought under the suspicion of having no solid ,foundation2 and the recommenders thereof1 either of ,ignorance1 or ,artifice4 ,but the not making ,young ,people understand their ,religion1 is a fault not peculiar in regard to the instruction of one ,sex alone1 any otherwise than as consider'd in its ,consequences2 whereby 7ordinarily speaking7 ,women do the most inevitably suffer2 as not having the like ,advantage 7at least early enough7 of ,correcting the ,ignorance1 or ,errors of their ,child-hood that ,men have4 ,the other thing which ,i imagine faulty1 does more peculiarly concern the ,sex1 but is yet chiefly practic'd in regard of ,those of it who are of ,quality1 and that is1 the insinuating into them such a ,notion of ,honour as if the praise of ,men ought to be the ,supreme ,object of their ,desires1 and the great ,motive with them to ,vertue3 ,a ,term which when apply'd to ,women1 is rarely design'd1 by some ,people1 to signifie any thing but the single ,vertue of ,chastity2 the having whereof does with no more ,reason intitle a ,lady to the being thought such as she should be in respect of ,vertue1 than a handsome ,face1 unaccompany'd by other ,graces1 can render her ,person truly ,amiable4 ,or rather1 ,chastity is so essential to1 singly1 so small a part of the ,merit of a ,beautiful ,mind1 that it is better compar'd to ,health1 or ,youth1 in the ,body1 which alone have small ,attractions1 but without which all other ,beauties are of no ,value4 ,to perswade ,ladies then that what they cannot want without being contemptible1 is the chief ,merit they are capable of having1 must naturally either give them such low thoughts of themselves as will hinder them from aspiring after any thing ,excellent1 or else make them believe that this mean ,opinion of them is owing to the injustice of such ,men in their regard as pretend to be their ,masters4 ,a belief too often endeavour'd to be improv'd in them by others4 ,but whether any ,natural1 or ,design'd ill consequence follow from hence or no1 this is certain1 that a true ,vertue is the best ,security against all the ,misfortunes that can be fear'd1 and the surest ,pledge of all the ,comforts that can be hop'd for in a ,wife1 viz4 such a ,vertue whose ,foundation is a desire above all things1 of approving our selves to ,god2 the most opposite ,principle whereunto is the making the ,esteem of ,men the chief ,end1 and ,aim of our ,actions2 as it is propos'd to be of ,their's who have the empty ,idea of ,glory set before them as the great ,motive to1 and high ,reward of that particular ,duty1 which 7as if it included all others7 does ordinarily ingross the ,name of ,vertue1 with regard to ,women4 ,a very wrong ,motive this1 to ,those who aim at what is truely ,honourable1 and such as may 7and often does7 as well produce an ill1 as a good effect4 ,but these wrong or partial ,notions of ,vertue1 and ,honour1 are the ,product only of such ,men's ,inventions as are unwilling to regulate their own ,actions by the ,universal1 and ,eternal ,law of ,right2 and therefore are ever desirous to find out such ,rules for other ,people1 as will not reach themselves1 and as they can extend and contract as they please4 ,in saying of which1 it is not deny'd1 that the love of ,praise may be sometimes usefully instill'd into very ,young ,persons1 to give them the desire of ,eminence in things wherein they should endeavour to excel3 ,but as this ought never to be made the incitement to any ,vertue but in the earliest ,childhood of our ,reason1 so also at no time should ,glory 7which is the ,reward only of ,actions transcendently ,good1 either in kind1 or degree7 be represented as the purchase of barely not meriting ,infamy3 ,the apprehension of which1 is a much stronger perswasive to most ,people not to do amiss1 than that of ,glory1 which cannot consist with it3 ,for no ,body can rationally think that ,glory can be due to them for doing that1 which it would be shameful in them not to do4 ,but there is yet a farther ,folly and ill ,consequence in ,men's intitling ,ladies to ,glory on account of ,chastity which is1 that the conceit hereof 7especially in those who are ,beautiful7 does ordinarily produce in them a ,pride and ,imperiousness1 that is very troublesome to such as are the most concern'd in them4 ,one whose business it was to remark the ,humours of the ,age1 and of ,mankind in general1 has1 ,i remember1 made a ,husband on this occasion to say1 ,such ,vertue is the ,plague of ,human ,life1 ,a ,vertuous ,woman1 but a ,cursed ,wife4 ,and he adds1 ,in ,unchaste ,wives1 ,there's yet a kind of recompencing ,ease1 ,vice keeps 'em ,humble1 gives 'em care to please4 ,but against clamorous ,vertue1 what ,defence8 ,if ,mr4 ,dryden did distinguish herein1 between real ,vertue and that ,idol one of ,men's ,invention1 he was1 perhaps1 not much in the wrong in what he suggests3 ,but if he design'd in this a ,satyr against ,marriage1 as a state in the which a ,man can no way be happy1 it appears then how much ,vertue is prejudiced by this foreign ,support1 whilst it becomes thereby expos'd to such a ,censure2 which if it may be ,just in reference to a vain ,glorious ,chastity1 yet can never be so of a truly ,vertuous one3 ,obedience to the ,law of ,god1 being an ,universal ,principle1 and admitting of no ,irregularity in one thing any more than in another1 which falls under it's ,direction4 ,it is indeed only a ,rational ,fear of ,god1 and desire to approve our selves to him1 that will teach us in ,all things1 uniformly to live as becomes our ,reasonable ,nature2 to inable us to do which1 must needs be the great ,business and ,end of a ,religion which comes from ,god4 ,but how differently from this has the ,christian ,religion been represented by those who place it in useless ,speculations1 ,empty ,forms1 or ,superstitious ,performances8 ,the ,natural ,tendency of which things being to perswade ,men that they may please ,god at a cheaper ,rate than by the ,denial of their ,appetites1 and the ,mortifying of their ,irregular ,affections1 these ,misrepresentations of a pretended ,divine ,revelation have been highly prejudicial to ,morality3 ,and1 thereby1 been also a great occasion of ,scepticism2 for the ,obligation to ,vertue being loosen'd1 ,men easily become ,vicious2 which when once they are1 the ,remorse of their ,consciences bringing them to desire that there should be no future ,reckoning for their ,actions2 and even that there should be no ,god to take any cognizance of them2 they often come 7in some degree at least7 to be perswaded both of the one1 and the other of these4 ,and thus1 many times1 there are but a few steps between a ,zealous ,bigot1 and an ,infidel to all ,religion4 ,scepticism1 or rather ,infidelity1 is the proper ,disease our ,age1 and has proceeded from divers ,causes3 ,but be the remoter or original ones what they will1 it could never have prevail'd as it has done1 had not ,parents very generally contributed thereto1 either her by negligence of their ,children's ,instruction2 or ,instructing them very ill in respect of ,religion4 ,it might indeed seem strange to one who had no experience of ,mankind1 that ,people 7however neglected in their ,education7 could1 when they came to years of ,judgment1 be to such a degree wanting to themselves1 as not to seek right ,information concerning ,truths of so great ,moment to them not to be ,ignorant of1 or mistaken in1 as are those of ,religion4 ,yet such is the wretched ,inconsideration ,natural to most ,men1 that 7in fact7 it is no uncommon thing at all to see ,men live day after day1 in the pursuit of their ,inclinations1 without ever exerting their ,reason to any other purpose than the gratification of their ,passions2 and no wonder can it then be if they give in to the belief1 or take up with a blind ,perswasion of such ,opinions as they see to be most in ,credit2 and which will also the best suit their turn8 ,absolute ,atheism does no doubt the best serve ,their's1 who live as if there was no ,god in the ,world2 but how far so great ,non-sense as this1 has been able to obtain1 is not easie to say3 downright ,atheism being what but few ,men will own4 ,to me it appears 7in that ,those who will expose themselves to argue against the ,existence of a ,god1 do rarely venture to produce any ,hypothesis of their own to be fairly examin'd and compar'd with that which they reject3 ,but that their opposition to a ,deity1 consists only in ,objections which may as well be retorted upon themselves1 and which at best prove nothing but the shortness of ,humane ,understanding7 to me1 ,i say1 it appears from hence probable that the greatest part of ,atheistick ,reasoners1 do rather desire1 and seek to be ,atheists1 than that in reality they are so4 ,men1 who are accustom'd to ,believe without any ,evidence of ,reason for what they ,believe1 are1 it is likely1 more in earnest in this wild ,opinion3 ,and in all appearance very many there are among us of such as a ,learned ,man calls ,enthusiastick ,atheists1 viz4 who deny the ,existence of an ,invisible1 ,omniscient1 ,omnipotent1 first ,cause of all things1 only through a certain ,sottish disbelief of whatsoever they cannot either see or feel2 never consulting their ,reason in the ,case4 ,that there are some who do thus1 their ,discourses assure us3 ,the ,actions of many others1 are unaccountable without supposing them to be of this ,number2 and it is very suspicious that to this ,atheism as to a secret ,cause thereof1 may be attributed the avow'd ,averseness of many ,men to reveal'd ,religion1 since in a ,country where ,people are permitted to read the ,scriptures1 and to use their ,reason freely in matters of ,religion2 and where1 in effect1 there are so many ,rational ,christians1 'tis hard to conceive that ,men can be long ,scepticks in regard of ,christianity1 if they are indeed hearty ,deists2 and fully perswaded of the ,truths of ,natural ,religion4 ,but it being sufficiently obvious that want of ,instruction concerning ,religion does in a ,sceptical ,age dispose ,men to ,scepticism and ,infidelity1 which often terminates in downright ,atheism2 let us see whether1 or no1 ,ill1 by which ,i mean1 all irrational ,instruction in regard of ,religion1 has not the same ,tendency4 ,it is as undeniable as the difference between ,men's being in1 and out of their ,wits1 that ,reason ought to be to ,rational ,creatures the ,guide of their ,belief3 ,that is to say1 ,that their ,assent to any thing1 ought to be govern'd by that proof of its ,truth1 whereof ,reason is the ,judge2 be it either ,argument1 or ,authority1 for in both ,cases ,reason must determine our ,assent according to the validity of the ,ground it finds it ,built on3 ,by ,reason being here understood that ,faculty in us which discovers1 by the intervention of intermediate ,ideas1 what ,connection ,those in the ,proposition have one with another3 ,whether certain2 probable2 or none at all2 according whereunto1 we ought to regulate our ,assent4 ,if we do not so1 we degrade our selves from being ,rational ,creatures2 and deprive our selves of the only ,guide ,god has given us for our ,conduct in our ,actions and ,opinions4 ,authority yet is not hereby so subjected to ,reason1 as that a ,proposition which we see not the ,truth of1 may not nevertheless be ,rationally assented to by us4 ,for tho' ,reason cannot from the ,evidence of the thing it self induce our assent to any ,proposition1 where we cannot perceive the ,connexion of the ,ideas therein contain'd2 yet if it appears that such a ,proposition was truly reveal'd by ,god1 nothing can be more ,rational than to believe it3 since we know that ,god can neither ,deceive1 nor be ,deceived3 ,that there are ,truths above our ,conception1 and that ,god may 7if he so pleases7 communicate these to us by ,supernatural ,revelation4 ,the part of ,reason then1 in regard of such a ,proposition as this1 is1 only to examine whether it be indeed a ,divine ,revelation3 which should ,reason not attest to the ,truth of2 it is then evidently ,irrational to give1 or require assent to it as being so4 ,and as plainly ,irrational must it be to give1 or require assent to any thing as a ,divine ,revelation1 which is evidently contrary to ,reason2 no less being herein imply'd than that ,god has made us so as to see clearly that to be a ,truth1 which is yet a ,falshood2 the which1 were it so1 would make the ,testimony of our ,reason useless to us2 and thereby destroy also the ,credit of all ,revelation2 for no stronger proof can be had of the ,truth of any ,revelation than the ,evidence of our ,reason that it is a ,revelation4 ,now if the ,christian ,religion be very often represented as teaching ,doctrines clearly contrary to ,reason2 or as exacting belief of what we can neither perceive the ,truth of1 nor do find to be reveal'd by ,christ1 or his ,apostles3 ,and1 7what is still more7 that this pretended ,divine ,religion does even consist in such a ,belief as ,this2 so that a ,man cannot be a ,christian without believing what he neither from ,arguments or ,authority has any ,ground for believing2 what must the ,natural ,consequence of this be upon all whoever so little consult their ,reason1 when in riper ,years they come to reflect hereupon1 but to make them recal1 and suspend1 at least1 their assent to the ,truth of a ,religion that appears to them thus ,irrational8 since an ,irrational ,religion can never ,rationally be conceived to come from ,god4 ,and if ,men once come to call in question such ,doctrines as 7tho' but upon slender ,grounds for it7 they had received for unquestionable ,truths of ,religion1 they are ordinarily more likely to continue ,scepticks1 or to proceed to an intire disbelief of this ,religion1 than to take occasion from hence to make a just search after its ,verity3 ,the want either of ,capacity1 ,leisure or ,inclination for such an inquiry1 disposing ,men1 very generally1 to neglect it2 and easily to satisfy themselves in so doing1 from a perswasion that the ,christian ,religion is indeed self condemn'd3 ,those whom they imagine to have understood it as well as any ,men1 having never taught them that this ,religion does so much as pretend to any ,foundation in1 or appeal to ,reason1 that ,faculty in us which distinguishes us from ,beasts1 and the ,actual use thereof from ,mad-,men2 but indeed ,taught them the contrary3 ,and thus prejudg'd1 it truly is that the ,christian ,religion1 by those who disbelieve it1 has usually come to be rejected2 without ever having been allow'd a fair ,examination4 ,from what has been said1 ,i think it does appear1 that ,ill1 that is to say1 ,irrational ,instruction concerning ,religion1 as well as want of ,instruction1 disposes to ,scepticism3 ,and this being so1 what wonder can it be that ,scepticism having once become fashionable1 should continue so8 the un-instructed1 and the ill-instructed1 making by so great odds1 the ,majority4 ,for ,those who have no ,religion themselves1 do not often take care that others should have any3 ,and ,they who adhere to a misgrounded ,perswasion concerning ,religion1 retaining a ,reverence for their ,teachers1 do1 in consequence thereof1 commonly presume that their ,children cannot be better taught than they have been before them2 which is generally 7as has been said7 only by the learning of some approved ,catechism2 wherein1 commonly enough1 the first principles of ,religion are not1 as they should be1 laid down1 but suppos'd3 and from whence ,those who learn them1 learn nothing except that certain ,propositions are requir'd to be ,believed1 which perhaps1 they find inconceivable by them2 or 7at best7 whereof they see neither use1 nor certainty3 ,these ,catechisms yet being represented to ,children by those whom they the most ,esteem1 and ,credit1 as containing ,sacred verities on the ,belief of which ,salvation does depend1 they quickly become afraid to own that they are not convinc'd of the ,truth of what is deliver'd in them3 ,for the greater part among our selves are instructed in ,religion much after the same manner that that good ,lady of the ,church of ,rome instructed her ,child2 who when the ,girl told her1 she could not believe ,transubstantiation2 ,reply'd1 ,what8 ,you do you not believe ,transubstantiation8 ,you are a naughty ,girl1 and must be whip'd4 ,instead of having their reasonable ,inquiries satisfy'd1 and incourag'd1 ,children are ordinarily rebuk'd for making any3 from whence not daring in a short time to question any thing that is taught them in reference to ,religion2 they1 7as the ,girl above-mention'd was7 are brought to say1 that they do ,believe whatever their ,teachers tell them they must ,believe2 whilst in ,truth they remain in an ignorant unbelief1 which exposes them to be seduc'd by the most pitiful ,arguments of the ,atheistical1 or of such as are disbelievers of reveal'd ,religion4 ,the ,foundation of ,all ,religion is the belief of a ,god2 or of a ,maker and ,governour of the ,world2 the evidence of which1 being visible in every thing2 and the general ,profession having usually stamp'd it with awe upon ,children's ,minds1 they ought perhaps most commonly to be suppos'd to ,believe ,this1 rather than have doubts rais'd in them by going about to prove it to them3 because those who are uncapable of long deductions of ,reason1 or attending to a train of ,arguments1 not finding the force thereof when offer'd to prove what they had always taken for a clear1 and obvious verity1 would be rather taught thereby to suspect that a ,truth which they had hitherto look'd on as unquestionable1 might rationally be doubted of1 than be any ways confirm'd in the belief of it4 ,but if any doubts concerning the ,existence of ,god1 do arise in their ,minds1 when they own this1 or that this1 can be discover'd by discoursing with them3 such doubts should always be endeavour'd to be remov'd by the most solid ,arguments of which ,children are capable4 ,nor should ,they ever be rebuk'd for having those doubts2 since not giving leave to look into the grounds of asserting any ,truth1 whatever it be1 can never be the way to establish that ,truth in any rational ,mind2 but1 on the contrary1 must be very likely to raise a suspicion that it is not well grounded4 ,the belief of a ,deity being entertain'd2 what should be first taught us should be what we are in the first place concern'd to know4 ,now it is certain that what we are in the first place concern'd to know1 is that which is necessary to our ,salvation2 and it is as certain that whatever ,god has made necessary to our ,salvation1 we are at the same time capable of knowing4 ,all ,instruction therefore which obtrudes upon any one as necessary to their ,salvation1 what they cannot understand or see the evidence of1 is to that ,person1 wrong ,instruction2 and when any such unintelligible1 or unevident ,propositions are delivered to ,children as if they were so visible ,truths that a reason1 or proof of them was not to be demanded by them1 what effect can this produce in their ,minds but to teach them betimes to silence and suppress their ,reason2 from whence they have afterwards no ,principle of ,vertue left2 and their practices1 as well as opinions1 must needs 7as is the usual consequence hereof7 become expos'd to the ,conduct of their own1 or other ,men's ,fancies8 ,the existence of ,god being acknowledg'd a ,truth so early receiv'd by us1 and so evident to our ,reason1 that it looks like ,natural ,inscription2 the ,authority of that ,revelation by which ,god has made known his ,will to ,men1 is to be firmly establish'd in ,people's ,minds upon its clearest1 and most rational evidence2 and consequentially ,they are then to be refer'd to the ,scriptures themselves1 to see therein what it is that ,god requires of them to believe and to do2 the great ,obligation they are under diligently to study these ,divine ,oracles being duly represented to them4 ,but to exhort any one to search the ,scriptures to the end of seeing therein what ,god requires of him1 before he is satisfy'd that the ,scriptures are a ,revelation from ,god1 cannot be rational3 since any ones saying that the ,scriptures are ,god's ,word1 cannot satisfy a rational and inquisitive ,mind that they are so3 and that the ,books of the ,old and ,new ,testament were dictated by the ,spirit of ,god1 is not a self evident ,proposition1 but a ,truth that demands to be made out1 before it can be rationally assented to4 ,it should also be effectually ,taught1 and not in ,words alone1 ,that it is our ,duty to study and examine the ,scriptures1 to the end of seeing therein what ,god requires of us to believe1 and to do4 ,but none are effectually1 or sincerely taught this1 if notwithstanding that this is sometimes told them1 they are yet not left at liberty to believe1 or not believe1 according to what1 upon examination1 appears to them to be the sense of the ,scriptures3 for if we must not receive them in that sense1 which1 after our best inquiry1 appears to us to be their meaning1 it is visible that it signifies nothing to bid us search1 and examine them4 ,these two things1 viz4 a rational assurance of the ,divine ,authority of the ,scriptures1 and a liberty of fairly examining them1 are absolutely necessary to the satisfaction of any rational ,person1 concerning the certainty of the ,christian ,religion1 and what it is that this ,religion does consist in3 and ,he who when he comes to be a ,man1 shall remember that being a ,boy he has been check'd for doubting1 instead of being better inform'd when he demanded farther proof than had been given him of the ,divine ,authority of the ,scriptures3 or that he has been reprehended for thinking that the ,word of ,god contradicted some ,article of his ,catechism2 has just ground1 when he reflects thereupon1 to question1 whether or no1 the ,interaction of his ,childhood has not been an ,imposition upon his ,reason2 which he will no doubt be apt to believe the more1 when others shall confidently affirm to him that it has been so3 ,and in that ,age of ,men's ,lives when they are in the eagerest pursuit of ,pleasure1 it is great odds 7as has been already observ'd7 that if1 in regard of ,religion1 they come to lose the belief of what they have once thought unquestionable1 they will more often be perswaded that there is no ,truth at all therein1 than set themselves seriously to find out what is so4 ,how dangerous a thing then is such ,instruction in ,religion1 as teaches nothing unless it be to stifle the ,suggestions of our ,natural ,light8 ,but that such ,instruction as this1 is all that the far greatest ,number of ,people have1 there is too much ground to conclude1 from the visible ,ignorance even of the most of ,those who are ,zealous in some ,profession of ,christian ,faith1 and ,worship3 ,few of ,these not being at a loss to answer1 if ask'd1 either1 ,what the ,faith of a ,christian does consist in8 ,or1 ,why they believe such ,articles concerning it1 as they profess to believe8 ,that their ,god-fathers1 and ,god-mothers ingag'd for them that they should believe so2 is a reason for their doing it that ,i suppose1 there are but ,few who would not be asham'd to give2 as seeing that a ,mahumetan could not be thought to assert his ,faith more absurdly in the ,opinion of any indifferent ,by-stander1 and yet it is evident that no better a reason than this have very many for their ,belief4 ,what is the chief and highest end of ,man8 is a ,question which1 methinks1 supposes the resolution of more antecedent ,questions1 than ,children1 untaught1 can be presum'd to be resolv'd in4 ,but be this ,question ever so proper to begin a ,catechism withal1 the answer hereto1 viz4 ,that ,man's chief and highest end is to glorifie ,god1 and enjoy him for ever2 is not surely very instructive of an ignorant ,child4 ,it is a good ,question in the same ,catechism2 ,how doth it appear the ,scriptures are the ,word of ,god8 ,but who would imagine that for the information of any one who wanted to be inform'd herein1 it should be answer'd1 ,that the ,scriptures manifest themselves to be the ,word of ,god by their ,majesty and ,purity3 by the consent of all the ,parts1 and by the scope of the whole2 which is to give all ,glory to ,god3 by their ,light and ,power to convince1 and convert ,sinners2 to comfort and build up ,believers to ,salvation3 ,but the ,spirit of ,god bearing ,witness by and with the ,scriptures1 in the ,heart of ,man is alone able fully to perswade that they are the very ,word of ,god4 ,one would almost be tempted to suspect that ,men who talk'd thus1 were not themselves thorowly perswaded that the ,scriptures were indeed the ,word of ,god2 for how is it possible not only for a ,young ,boy1 or ,girl1 but even for an ,indian ,man1 or ,woman1 to be by this answer more convinc'd than they were before1 of the ,scriptures being what they are pretended to be8 ,to assure any rational inquirer of ,which1 it is necessary they should be satisfied1 ,that the ,scriptures were indeed written by those whose ,names they bear2 ,that these ,persons were unquestionable ,witnesses1 and ,faithful ,historians of the matters they relate2 and that they had such a ,guidance1 and ,direction from the ,spirit of ,god as led them to deliver all necessary ,truth1 and to preserve them from all error prejudicial thereunto3 which ,things have so good evidence1 that none who are not manifestly prejudic'd1 can refuse assent thereto1 when they are duly represented to them3 but without having weigh'd this evidence1 the ,divine ,authority of the ,scriptures may1 possibly1 be by some firmly believ'd1 but cannot be so upon the conviction of their ,reason4 ,the ,instruction then of most ,peoples ,younger ,years being such as we have seen in regard of ,religion3 and ,vertue1 viz4 ,the right regulation of our ,passions1 and ,appetites1 having 7as has been abovesaid7 no other sufficient inforcement than the ,truths of ,religion2 can it reasonably be thought strange1 that there is so little ,vertue in the ,world as we find there is8 or that correspondently to their ,principles1 ,peoples ,actions generally are 7at best7 unaccountable to their ,reason8 ,for ,time1 and more ,years1 if they give strength to our ,judgments whereby we may be thought able to inform our selves1 and correct the errors and defects of our ,education1 give also strength to our ,passions2 which grown strong1 do furnish and suggest ,principles suited to the purposes and ends that they propose2 besides1 that ,ill ,habits once settl'd1 are hardly chang'd by the force of any principles of which ,reason may come to convince ,men at their riper ,age3 ,a ,truth very little weigh'd2 tho' nothing ought more to be so with respect to a vertuous ,education2 since rational ,religion1 so soon as they are capable thereof1 is not more necessary to the ingaging ,people to ,vertue1 than is the fixing1 and establishing in them good ,habits betimes1 even before they are capable of knowing any other reason for what they are taught to do1 than that it is the ,will of ,those who have a just power over them that they should do so4 ,for as without a ,knowledge of the ,truths of ,religion1 we should want very often sufficient ,motives1 and ,encouragements to submit our ,passions and ,appetites to the ,government of ,reason2 so without early ,habits establish'd of denying our ,appetites1 and restraining our ,inclinations1 the ,truths of ,religion will operate but upon a very few1 so far as they ought to do4 ,by ,religion ,i understand still ,reveal'd ,religion4 ,for tho' without the help of ,revelation1 the ,commands of ,jesus ,christ 7two positive ,institutions only excepted7 are1 as dictates likewise of ,nature1 discoverable by the ,light of ,reason2 and are no less the ,law of ,god to rational ,creatures than the injunctions of ,revelation are2 yet few would actually discern this ,law of ,nature in its full extent1 meerly by the ,light of ,nature2 or if they did1 would find the inforcement thereof a sufficient ,ballance to that ,natural love of present pleasure which often opposes our compliance therewith2 since before we come to such a ripeness of understanding as to be capable by unassisted ,reason to discover from the ,nature of ,things the just measures of our ,actions1 together with the obligations we are under to comply therewithal2 an evil indulgence of our ,inclinations has commonly establish'd ,habits in us too strong to be over-rul'd by the ,force of ,arguments2 especially where they are not of very obvious deduction4 ,whence it may justly be infer'd that the ,christian ,religion is the alone ,universally adapted means of making ,men truly ,vertuous2 the ,law of ,reason1 or the ,eternal ,rule of ,rectitude being in the ,word of ,god only1 to those of all capacities1 plainly1 and ,authoritatively deliver'd as the ,law of ,god1 duly inforc'd by ,rewards and ,punishments4 ,yet in that ,conformity with1 and necessary support which our ,religion brings to the ,law of ,reason1 or ,nature1 that is to say1 to ,those dictates which are the result of the determinate and unchangeable ,constitution of things 7and which as being discoverable to us by our rational ,faculties1 are therefore sometimes call'd the ,law of ,reason1 as well as the ,law of ,nature7 ,christianity does most conspicuously and evidently appear to be a ,divine ,religion2 viz4 to be from the ,author of ,nature2 however incongruous some ,men may phancy it to be for ,god supernaturally to reveal to ,men what is naturally discoverable to them1 by those ,faculties he has given them3 ,the which conceit together with not considering1 or rightly weighing the inforcements which ,natural ,religion needs1 and receives from ,revelation1 has very much dispos'd many to reject reveal'd ,religion4 ,whereunto such ,notions of ,christianity as agree not to the ,attributes of an ,infinitely ,wise and ,good ,being1 which ,reason teaches the first cause of all things to be1 have also not a little contributed2 for from hence many ,men1 zealous for the ,honour of ,god and lovers of ,mankind1 have been prejudic'd against the ,truth of the ,christian ,religion3 ,in consequence whereof they have reasonably concluded that there was no such thing as reveal'd ,religion2 and from thence have again infer'd that ,men had no need thereof to the ,ends of ,natural ,religion4 ,those yet who think ,revelation to be needless in this regard1 how well soever they may1 possibly1 intend to ,natural ,religion1 do herein entertain an ,opinion that would undermine it3 ,experience shewing us that ,natural ,light1 unassisted by ,revelation1 is insufficent to the ,ends of ,natural ,religion3 ,a ,truth necessary to be acknowledg'd to the having a due value for the benefit that we receive by the ,revelation of ,jesus ,christ2 and many1 who profess belief in him1 have not a right estimation of that benefit on this very account1 viz4 as thinking too highly1 or rather wrongly of ,natural ,light3 notwithstanding that nothing is more undeniably true than that from the meer ,light of ,nature ,men actually were so far from discovering the ,law of ,nature in its full extent or force1 as that they did not generally own1 and but very imperfectly discern1 its prescriptions or obligation4 ',tis also alike evident that as ,christianity has prevail'd1 it has together with ,polytheism1 and 7in great measure7 ,idolatry1 beaten out likewise the allow'd ,practice of gross ,immorality2 which in the ,heathen ,world was countenanc'd1 and incourag'd by the examples of their very ,gods themselves2 and by being frequently made even a part in ,religious ,worship4 ,for the ,truth of this effect of ,christianity we must appeal to ,history2 from whence if any one should imagine they could oppose any contrary example1 it could 7,i think7 be taken but from one only ,country2 wherein 7if the ,historian says right7 ,morality was more exemplary than in any other that we know of for near #djj ,years that its ,pagan ,natives possess'd it2 whose exterminators 7calling themselves ,christians7 made it a most deplorable ,scene of ,injustice1 ,cruelty and ,oppression1 bringing thither ,vices unknown to those former ,inhabitants4 ,but what only can follow from this example is1 ,that a ,people1 having a continu'd ,succession of ,princes1 who study to advance the good of the ,community1 making that the sole ,aim of their ,government2 and directing all their ,laws1 and ,institutions to that ,end 7which was the peculiar felicity of those happy ,americans7 will without other than ,natural ,light much better practice all social ,vertues1 than ,men set loose from ,law and ,shame2 who tho' ,baptiz'd into the ,name of ,christ have not yet so much as a true ,notion of ,christianity1 to the which1 may certainly be added1 or than any other ,people1 who tho' they have the ,light of the ,gospel among them1 yet are not govern'd by the ,laws thereof2 and a truly ,christian ,common-wealth in this sense1 remains yet to be seen in the ,world2 which when it is1 the ,vertue1 and ,felicity of such a ,people will be found much to surpass the 7perhaps partial7 account which we have of that of the ,peruvians2 whose so long uninterrupted ,succession of ,excellent ,princes1 is what only is admirable in the account we have of them2 and not the ,force of the ,light of ,nature in those ,people1 who being apparently of tractable1 gentle dispositions1 and tir'd with the ,miseries of a ,life to the last degree ,brutish1 did from the visible wretchedness and inconveniences thereof1 gladly obey such whom they believed were 7as they told them they were7 ,divinely sent to teach then a happier way of living4 ,and in the ,vertues which these their first ,lawgivers taught them1 their ,successors easily retain'd them2 continuing still to maintain in them a perswasion of their ,divine ,extraction1 and ,authority4 ,from the which it will be found that this instance of the ,peruvian ,morality makes for the need of ,revelation to inforce ,natural ,religion1 and not against it4 ,but how far ,revelation is needful to assist ,natural ,light1 will be the best seen in reflecting a little upon what we receive from each of these ,guides that ,god has given us4 ,and if it shall appear from thence that ,natural ,religion has need of ,revelation to support it2 and that the ,revelation which we have by ,jesus ,christ is exquisitely adapted to the end of inforcing ,natural ,religion2 this will both be the highest confirmation possible1 that to inforce ,natural ,religion or ,morality1 was the design of ,christianity2 and will also shew that to the want of their being in earnest ,christians1 is to be attributed the immorality of such who1 professing ,christianity1 live immoral ,lives4 ,the consequence from whence must be1 ,that to reclaim a ,vicious ,people1 it should be consider'd1 as the most effectual means of doing so1 how to make ,men really1 and in earnest ,christians4 ,to see what light we receive from ,nature to direct our ,actions1 and how far we are ,naturally able to obey that ,light2 ,men must be consider'd purely as in the state of ,nature1 viz4 as having no extrinsick ,law to direct them1 but indu'd only with a faculty of comparing their distant ,ideas by intermediate ,ones1 and ,thence of deducing1 or infering one thing from another2 whereby our ,knowledge immediately received from ,sense1 or ,reflection1 is inlarg'd to a view of ,truths remote1 or future1 in an ,application of which ,faculty of the mind to a consideration of our own ,existence and ,nature1 together with the beauty and order of the ,universe1 so far as it falls under our view1 we may come to the knowledge of a ,first ,cause2 and that this must be an ,intelligent ,being1 ,wise and ,powerful1 beyond what we are able to conceive4 ,and as we delight in our selves1 and receive pleasure from the objects which surround us1 sufficient to indear to us the possession and injoyment of ,life1 we cannot from thence but infer1 that this ,wise and ,powerful ,being is also most ,good1 since he has made us out of nothing to give us a ,being wherein we find such ,happiness1 as makes us very unwilling to part therewith4 ,and thus1 by a consideration of the ,attributes of ,god1 visible in the ,works of the ,creation1 we come to a knowledge of his ,existence1 who is an ,invisible ,being3 ,for since ,power1 ,wisdom and ,goodness1 which we manifestly discern in the production and conservation of our selves1 and the ,universe1 could not subsist independently on some substance for them to inhere in1 we are assur'd that there is a substance where unto they do belong1 or of which they are the ,attributes4 ,which ,attributes of ,god would not be discoverable by us1 did we not discern a difference in ,things2 as between ,power and ,weakness1 ,benevolence and no ,benevolence1 or its contrary2 and betwixt directing means to an ,end1 and acting at hap-hazard without any design1 or choice3 ,a knowledge1 which1 by whatever steps convey'd into the mind1 is no other than a seeing things to be what they are1 and that they cannot but be what they are4 ,from which diversity and immutability in the ,nature of things1 there necessarily arises a diversity of respects and relations between them1 as unchangeable as the things themselves3 wherein the ,will of the ,creator in reference hereunto is reveal'd to every intelligent ,agent1 so far as he is made capable of discerning these relations1 dependencies and consequences2 and whatsoever with respect to his own ,actions1 such a ,being finds resulting from any of these as most conformable to the design of his ,creator in making him such a part as he is of the whole1 he cannot but consider as the ,will of ,god1 thereby dictated to him2 since otherwise1 ,god would act contradictiously to his ,wisdom in making him what he is4 ,we being then indu'd1 as we are1 with a capacity of perceiving and distinguishing these differences of ,things2 and also with a liberty of acting1 or not1 suitably and agreeably hereunto2 whence we can according to the preference of our own minds1 act either in conformity to1 or disconformity with1 the ,will of the ,creator 7manifested in his ,works no less than the ,will of any ,humane ,architect is in his7 it follows1 ,that to act answerably to the nature of such ,beings as we are1 requires that we attentively examine1 and consider the several natures of ,things1 so far as they have any relation to our own actions4 ,which attentive consideration of the ,works of ,god objected to our view1 implies an exercise thereupon of that ,faculty in us by which we deduce1 or infer1 one thing from another3 ,whence 7as has been said7 our knowledge immediately deriv'd to us from sensation1 or reflection1 is inlarg'd by the perception of remote1 or distant ,truths4 ,the more obviously eminent advantages accruing to us from which faculty of reason1 plainly make known the ,superiority of its ,nature2 and that its suggestions1 ought to be hearken'd to by us preferably to those of ,sense2 where these 7as it too often happens7 do not concur4 ,for did we know nothing by ,inference and ,deduction1 both our knowledge and injoyment would be very short of what they now are2 many considerable pleasures depending almost intirely upon ,reason2 and there being none of the greatest ,enjoyments of ,sense which would not lose their best ,relish1 separated from those concomitant satisfactions which accompany them only as we are rational ,creatures4 ,neither is it our greatest happiness alone which is manifestly provided for in our being indu'd with this ,faculty2 but our much greater safety1 and preservation likewise2 since these require a capacity in us of foreseeing distant ,events1 and directing means to an ,end1 oftentimes through a long train of ,actions2 which is what we can only do by that in us1 whereby the ,relations1 ,dependencies and ,consequences of things are discoverable to us4 ,but as ,reason is that which either in kind or degree1 differences ,men from ,brutes2 and that there are few1 if any1 who would lose this distinction1 it is by common consent acknowledg'd that ,reason is in respect of all others1 a preferable indowment4 ,and if ,beasts1 only inferiour to ,men in the advantages of this ,faculty1 appear hereby intended to be subjected to ,men1 it cannot be less evident ,that that part in ,men which they have in common with ,beasts1 was likewise design'd by their ,maker to be subjected to their ,reason also4 ,from ,all which1 it undeniably follows that we do not act answerably to the ,will1 or pleasure of ,god1 in making us such ,creatures as we are1 if we either neglect the ,search of those ,measures of our ,actions prescrib'd to us by the discernable ,natures of ,things2 or1 if seeing these1 we yet conform not our selves thereunto4 ,now for any ,creature knowingly to oppose the ,will of its ,creator1 is not only disingenuity in regard of what is owing from it to its ,sovereign ,benefactor1 and ,folly in respect of that dependence which it has on him for its ,being1 as it is commonly represented to us to be2 but is also in the ,nature of ,things 7simply consider'd7 so repugnant to right ,reason1 that were such a ,creature consistent with it self herein1 and could act pursuantly to ,that ,will1 it would operate to its own destruction2 since its ,existence evidently depends upon ,that of its ,maker2 whose ,will1 as reveal'd to us1 being but a different consideration of his ,attributes1 the knowledge whereof is all the ,knowledge we have of ,god1 cannot be so much as conceiv'd by us separable from the ,being of ,god2 unless the ,god1 which we conceive1 be a ,fiction of our own ,imagination1 and not the ,creator of ,all ,things2 who is an invisible ,being only knowable to us in1 and by1 the exemplifications of his ,attributes3 ,the infinite ,perfection1 and the inseparable ,correspondence1 and ,harmony of which 7discernable in the ,frame and ,government of the ,universe7 plainly tells us1 ,that the ,divine ,will cannot be 7like ours7 successive ,determinations without dependance1 or connection one upon another2 much less inconsistent1 contradictory1 and mutable2 but one steady1 uniform1 unchangeable result of infinite ,wisdom and ,benevolence1 extending to1 and including ,all his ,works4 ,so that ,sin1 or disobedience to our ,maker is manifestly the greatest ,nonsense1 ,folly and contradiction conceivable1 with regard purely to the immutable perfection of the ,divine ,nature2 and to the ,natural constitution of things1 independently upon any positive command of ,god to us1 or his irresistible power over us4 ,but as without a capacity in ,the ,creature to act contrary to the will of the ,creator there could be no defect1 or self-excellency in any ,created ,being2 contrariety to the ,will of ,god is therefore permitted in the ,universe as a necessary result of ,creaturely imperfection1 under the greatest endowment that a ,created ,being is capable of having1 viz4 ,that of ,freedom or ,liberty of ,action3 ,and as the constitution of such ,creature1 as this1 implies that what is best in reference to the design of the ,creator1 and of its own ,happiness1 should not be always necessarily present to the ,mind as ,best2 such a ,creature may oppose the ,will of his ,maker with various degrees of ,guilt in so doing2 or 7possibly7 with none at all2 for no ,agent can offend farther than he wilfully abuses the ,freedom he has to act4 ,but ,god having made ,men so as that they find in themselves1 very often1 a liberty of acting according to the preference of their own ,minds1 it is incumbent upon them to study the ,will of their ,maker2 in an application of the ,faculty of ,reason which he has given them1 to the consideration of the different respects1 consequences1 and dependencies of ,things1 so as to discern from thence1 the just measures of their actions in every circumstance and relation they stand plac'd in2 which measures are nothing else but the dictates resulting from those views which such a consideration of things as this gives us1 of what is consonant1 or not so1 to the design of the ,creator in every particular1 wherein we are concern'd to act4 ,and these manifestations of his ,will1 thus discoverable to us1 ought to be regarded by us1 as his ,commands4 ,yet however certain it is1 that the dictates of ,reason1 or ,nature1 discernable by our natural ,faculties1 are the commands of ,god to us1 as rational ,creatures2 it is equally true that the love of happiness 7which consists in pleasure7 is the earliest1 and strongest principle of ,humane ,nature2 and therefore whatever measures ,reason does1 or might1 prescribe1 when particular occasions occur1 the sentiment of what ,men find pleasing or displeasing to them1 however contrary to those dictates of right ,reason1 is very apt to determine their choice4 ,god yet who is the ,author of ,order1 and not of ,confusion1 has fram'd all things with ,consistency1 and ,harmony2 and however1 in ,fact1 it too often happens that we are misled by that strong desire of happiness implanted in us1 yet does this no way necessarily interfere with our acting in an intire conformity to the prescriptions of the ,law of ,reason2 but the contrary3 ,for from hence it is that this ,law has its ,sanction1 viz4 ,that1 duly considering it1 we shall evidently find our happiness1 and misery1 are annex'd to the observance1 or neglect1 of that unalterable ,rule of ,rectitude1 discoverable to us by the ,nature of ,things2 so that this ,rule of ,rectitude1 or ,eternal ,will of ,god1 has also the force of a ,law given to it by that inseparable accord that there is betwixt our happiness or misery1 with our obedience1 or disobedience1 hereunto4 ,thus our duty and happiness1 can never be divided1 but when we prefer a less happiness to a greater2 and therein act not conformably to the dictates of our natural desire of happiness1 or pleasure2 which two ,terms differ only in this1 that we apply the ,term ,pleasure to any agreeable ,sentiment1 or ,sensation1 how small1 or short soever in its duration2 but that of ,happiness1 only to such degrees of pleasure1 as do1 in some considerable degree1 out-ballance our ,evils4 ,that we are many ways capable of receiving pleasure1 we experimentally find2 every sense furnishes something to delight1 and please us1 in its ,application to ,objects suited to a grateful exercise thereof4 ,and the operations of our own ,minds upon the ,ideas presented to them by our ,senses1 afford us also other pleasures1 oftentimes preferable by us to those that we receive immediately from ,sense4 ,but be our pleasures excited how they will2 or whatsoever they consist in1 ,those that ,men receive from the ,gratification of antecedent desire1 are the pleasures that they have the strongest relish of4 ,a ,good not desir'd1 making 7comparatively7 but a small ,impression upon us4 ,now the ,gratification of their desires is not always in ,men's ,power1 but oftentimes it is so4 ,it is then often in their choice to procure to themselves pleasure1 or not4 ,whence it is reasonable for them to inquire1 since happiness consists in pleasure2 and the ,gratification of their ,desires1 and ,appetites1 always gives them pleasure2 whether1 or no1 to ,gratifie ,these should not therefore always be that which should determine their actions in pursuance of this their chief ,end8 ,that happiness consisting in pleasure1 we are so much the happier as we enjoy more pleasure1 must unquestionably1 be found true2 but that the ,gratification of ,men's ,desires and ,appetites cannot therefore be that which should always1 as they are rational ,agents1 determine1 or regulate their actions in pursuit of happiness1 is no less evident2 in that we perceive our selves1 and the ,things to which we have relation1 to be so fram'd1 and constituted1 in respect one of another1 that the ,gratification of our present ,desires and ,appetites1 does sometimes for a short1 or small pleasure1 procure to us a greater1 and more durable ,pain3 and that on the contrary1 the denial1 or restraint of our present ,desires1 and ,appetites1 does sometimes for a short1 or small ,pain1 procure to us a greater1 or more durable ,pleasure4 ,since then that we should act contrary to our own end therein1 and prefer less pleasure to greater1 it is apparent that the ,gratification of our present ,appetites cannot be that which always1 as we are rational ,agents1 proposing to our selves happiness for our chief end1 should determine1 or regulate our voluntary actions2 present ,appetite telling us only what will give us present pleasure2 not what will1 in the whole1 procure to us the most pleasure4 ,what else then appears to be the ,rule1 or ,measure of ,men's actions acting purely with respect to the pursuit of happiness as their chief ,end1 but the determinations of that ,faculty in them which1 in reference to the different properties and relations discernable in ,things1 can alone be the ,judge what will1 in the whole1 procure to them the most pleasure8 ,and thus the very desire of happiness1 or love of pleasure1 rightly pursu'd1 does oblige us to make the determinations or dictates of ,reason1 and not the suggestions of present ,appetite1 the ,measure1 and ,rule of our actions in our pursuit after happiness4 ,which that we might possess was no doubt the end of our ,creator in giving us ,being2 since he could not stand in need of1 or be better'd by our ,existence4 ,and if that we might be happy was the end for which ,god made us1 it is most certain that he has neither set any such measures to our ,actions1 or put any such unhappy ,biass upon our ,minds1 as shall necessarily contradict this his end4 ,whence it again appears that the love of ,pleasure implanted in us 7if we faithfully pursue it in prefering always that which will1 on the whole1 procure to us the most pleasure7 can never mislead us from the observance of the ,law of ,reason3 ,and that this ,law enjoyns only a right regulation of our natural desire of pleasure1 to the end of our obtaining the greatest happiness that we are capable of3 so that there is an inseparable connection1 or relation of ,moral ,good and ,evil1 with our ,natural ,good1 and ,evil4 ,to assert therefore that our chief ,good does consist in pleasure1 is far from drawing after it any such consequence as many have pretended it does1 in prejudice to the ,law of ,reason1 that ,natural ,revelation of ,gods ,will to us2 since no ,man can upon due consideration thereof ,judge1 ,that the ,gratification of his present ,appetites ought to be to him the ,measure or ,rule of his ,actions in consequence of ,pleasures being his chief ,good3 experience it self1 we see1 contradicting such a consequence3 and that so evidently that ,i think we do not in fact find that even ,those1 who the most indulge to their ,passions and ,appetites1 do so as believing upon a cool examination thereof1 that to do thus is the truest ,wisdom1 in consequence of our greatest ,good consisting in pleasure2 but such ,men indulge to their present ,appetites meerly as being strongly induc'd 7contrary oftentimes to the suggestions of their own minds therein7 thro' the love of pleasure1 and abhorrence of pain1 to do1 or forbear whatever they find will procure to them the one1 or free them from the other at the present ,time2 the ,gratification whereof ,they prefer to that which is ,future4 ,it is however true that such declamations as are sometimes made against pleasure absolutely 7not the irregular pursuit of it7 as if pleasure was in its own ,nature1 a false1 and deceitful1 not a real and solid ,good1 have produc'd this ill effect1 that many from the absurdity hereof are confirm'd in an evil indulgence of their ,appetites1 as if to ,gratifie ,these was indeed the truest ,wisdom of a rational ,creature1 in consequence of pleasure1 being his chief ,good4 ,but they judge not thus from a due examination1 or any examination at all of the nature of ,things1 but from a ,reason 7if it may be call'd so7 of opposition4 ,for so ridiculously weak are a great part of ,men in their ,reasoning1 that seeing they are in the wrong who oppose them1 they become from thence as much perswaded1 and as well satisfy'd that the contrary to such ,mens ,assertions is true2 or that themselves are in the right1 as if they saw that these things really were so4 ,this arguing yet is no more irrational than that whereby a palpable ,truth is deny'd1 only because some have indeavour'd to draw1 or have been thought to have drawn ill consequences from it3 ,which is yet all the ground of not allowing that ,pleasure1 and ,pain1 are truly ,good1 and ,evil2 the denying of which1 can be of no ,service to ,morality1 but the contrary1 since ,moral ,good1 and ,evil1 consider'd antecedently to any positive ,law of our ,maker1 are apt to be thought but a ,notion where that inseparable ,relation is overlook'd which there is between actions denominated by us vertuous1 or vicious1 and the ,natural ,good1 and ,evil of ,mankind4 ,christians1 perhaps1 need not the confederation of this to inforce their obedience to the ,will of their ,maker2 but as it is a great recommendation of the ,precepts of the ,gospel to find that they have an exact correspondence with1 and conformity to the ,nature of ,things3 ,so also those who are not influenc'd by1 as not being yet thorowly perswaded of this ,divine ,revelation1 will sooner be induced to imbrace ,vertue1 and contemn the allurements of ,vice1 when they see ,these to have the very same reality1 in ,nature as their ,happiness and ,misery have2 than when 7tho' ever so pompously set out7 ,vertue appears founded only upon nice1 or subtle ,speculations4 ,but some ,men there are so far from approving of any ,notion or ,theorem being advanc'd with respect to ,deists whereby1 as such1 they may be induc'd to the love of ,vertue 7which is the best predisposition to the entertainment of ,christianity7 that they are ready to treat as not being themselves ,christians if not as ,atheists1 any one who in the view of gaining thus much upon these ,men assert ,vertue by any other ,arguments than such as they will not admit of1 viz4 those drawn from ,revelation4 ,however true yet it is that happiness1 or our chief ,good1 does consist in pleasure2 it is no less true that the irregular ,love of pleasure is a perpetual source to us of ,folly1 and ,misery4 ,that we are liable to the which irregularity1 is but a necessary result of our ,creaturely imperfection3 for we cannot love pleasure1 and not love present pleasure3 and the love of present pleasure it is which misleads our narrow1 and unattentive ,minds from a just comparison of the present1 with what is future4 ,nor is it a wonder if we are oftentimes thus mislead2 since we frequently wander from the right way with less excuse for doing so3 ,men1 not seldom1 going astray from ,reason1 when the love of present pleasure is so far from misguiding their variously frail ,natures1 that its allurements will not retain them in the paths of ,vertue2 and tho' ,reason only has ,authority to set ,bounds to their desires1 they subject both ,them1 and ,her to an ,unjust and ,arbitrary ,dominion1 equally ,foreign to both3 ,a thing manifest1 not only in instances here and there1 but in the examples of whole ,nations2 who either by positive institution1 or allow'd of ,custom1 have transgressed against the plainest prescriptions of ,reason1 in things so far from gratifying their ,appetites1 as that they are contrary1 and even sometimes grievous to ,mens natural desires4 ,to account for which1 will not here be impertinent2 nor 7in order to the doing so7 to consider first what the ,terms ,vertue and ,religion have1 in their vulgar acceptation1 every where generally stood for4 ,religion has1 ,i think1 been rightly defin'd to be the knowledge how to please ,god1 and thus taken1 does necessarily include vertue1 that is to say1 ,moral ,rectitude2 but as ,men have usually apply'd these ,terms ,vertue and ,religion1 they stand for things very different and distinct1 one from another4 ,for by a ,vertuous ,man1 in all ,countries of the ,world1 or less ,societies of ,men1 is commonly meant1 by those who so call any one1 such a ,man as steadily adheres to that ,rule of his ,actions which is establish'd for a ,rule in his ,country ,tribe1 or ,society1 be that what it will4 ,hence it has been that ,vertue has in different ,times and ,places chang'd ,face2 and sometimes so far1 as that what has been esteem'd ,vertuous in one ,age1 and in one ,country1 has been look'd upon as quite the contrary in others3 tho' in all ,times and ,places1 wherein ,men have not degenerated into a downright ,brutish1 or altogether ,animal ,life 7as some whole ,nations have done7 but have set any ,rules1 or ,measures to their ,actions1 the dictates of right ,reason have more1 or less1 taken ,place with them1 so far as the manifest advantages1 or rather necessity thereof to the subsistence or convenience of ,society1 has directed ,men4 ,and so much as ,custom1 or the ,injunctions of some ,lawgiver inforc'd these dictates of ,reason1 or ,nature1 so far and no further1 did obedience thereunto denominate ,men ,vertuous2 without any distinction made in reference to these prescriptions1 as being ,precepts of the ,eternal ,law of ,right1 or as obligatory any other ways than as being part of the ,law1 or ,fashion of that ,country1 or ,society1 wherein these ,rules had prevail'd or were establish'd4 ,a firm and steady adherence to which1 whether conformable1 or not1 to the ,law of ,reason1 being alike that which ever intitled ,men to be esteem'd ,vertuous among those who profess'd to live by the same ,rule4 ,now since ,man is a ,creature that has variable1 and disagreeing ,inclinations1 as having passions very changeable1 and oftentimes contradictory one to another1 there is not any fix'd ,rule1 or ,measure1 whatsoever that can possibly be set to his ,actions1 which can constantly be adher'd to by him1 without some difficulty1 or uneasiness2 because any steady1 and unalterable ,rule must necessarily oftentimes1 thwart and cross his changeable ,appetites1 and differing ,inclinations2 even altho' that ,rule was contriv'd1 and intended ever so much1 to be indulgent to the ,passions1 and ,desires of ,humane ,nature in general4 ,conformity therefore of ,mens actions to any fix'd1 and unvariable ,rule1 is a thing of some difficulty1 be the ,rule what it will3 ,and therefore ,transgression against that ,rule which ,men profess'd themselves oblig'd to act by1 has always1 every where been2 and but few ,men comparatively1 were strictly ,vertuous3 ,that is1 did in all things conform1 or sincerely endeavour to conform their ,actions to that1 which they acknowledged for the ,rule of them4 ,those yet who believ'd a ,superior ,invisible ,power that made them1 could not be satisfy'd with themselves in ,transgressing against that which they thought ought to be their ,rule3 ,for however they understood this ,rule to be deriv'd1 they yet believ'd it carry'd with it1 some way or other1 an obligation upon them to ,obedience2 since otherwise they would not have look'd upon it as a ,rule4 ,now1 as they could not know that ,god would not punish their ,disobedience to ,that which they look'd upon as obliging them to ,obedience2 but1 on the contrary1 had more1 or less1 ,reason to apprehend that he would do so1 ,they therefore 7thinking him to be an exorable as well as an ,omniscient1 and ,omnipotent ,being7 were hereby on ,these occasions taught to deprecate his ,vengeance1 and implore his ,mercy3 ,and hence the more ,guilty and ,fearful came to invent ,attonements1 ,expiations1 ,penances and ,purgations1 with all that various ,train of ,ceremonies which attended those ,things2 ,naturally imagining that the ,divine ,nature resembled their own2 and thence believing that they should the more easily appease his ,anger1 and avert the effects of his ,wrath1 if by such means1 as these1 they did1 as it were1 in ,gods behalf ,revenge upon themselves their ,disobedience to him4 ,and as the ,solemnity of these ,matters requir'd peculiar ,hands to ,execute them2 and ,devotion exacted that such should be liberally rewarded1 and highly respected for their ,pious performances2 from hence the profit which some reap'd by these things1 as well as the satisfaction that others found therein1 who were unwilling to be rigorously restrain'd by the ,rule of their ,actions1 yet were uneasie under the reproaches of their ,consciences when they transgressed against it1 made these ,inventions1 and the value set upon them1 to be daily improv'd2 till ,men at last have sought to be1 and have effectually been perswaded that they might render themselves acceptable to ,god without indeavouring sincerely to obey the ,rule by which they profess'd to believe they were oblig'd to live2 and that even when they did think that this was a ,law giv'n them by ,god himself4 ,now the great practicers1 and promoters of the abovesaid things1 are every where ,those who are generally esteem'd1 and call'd ,religious4 ,whence the ,term ,religion appears ordinarily to have stood for nothing else1 but some ,expedient1 or other1 found out to satisfy ,men that ,god was satisfied with them1 notwithstanding that their ,consciences reproach'd them with want of ,conformity to the acknowledg'd ,rule1 or ,law of their ,actions4 ,having premis'd thus much concerning the ,notions ,men vulgarly have had of ,vertue and ,religion1 let us now proceed to see how it has come to pass1 ,that they have with ,allowance1 ,approbation1 and oftentimes1 with injunction of their ,lawmakers and ,governours1 transgress'd against the most visible ,dictates of the ,law of ,nature1 or ,reason1 in ,things not favourable to their ,natural ,passions and ,appetites2 but even1 sometimes1 contrary thereunto2 as are denying themselves the lawfullest ,enjoyments of ,life2 ,macerating their ,bodies2 ,prostituting their ,wives2 and exposing their ,off-spring and ,themselves to cruel ,torments1 and even ,death it self4 ,the cause of which ,i think appears plainly to be2 that ,mankind having been generally convinc'd that there was a ,maker of themselves and of the ,world1 who they concluded was as well able to take cognisance of what they did1 as to produce them into ,being2 and to whom they could not believe that all the ,actions of his ,creatures were alike pleasing1 or displeasing2 they became fearful 7as has been said7 of incurring his displeasure1 whenever they did any thing which their ,consciences reproach'd them for3 ,from the which ,fear of a ,superior invisible ,power1 inspecting their ,actions1 they were early induc'd to hearken to1 and follow such who profess'd themselves to have some ,knowledge ,supernaturally reveal'd to them of ,god's ,will4 ,and we find1 in the ,histories of all ,nations1 that the generality of ,mankind were perswaded 7contrary to the ,sentiments of some ,modern ,deists7 ,that it was a thing very congruous to the ,divine ,being1 that he should in this way reveal to ,men his pleasure concerning them2 since the greatest part1 every where1 did with little difficulty give ,credit to such who had the confidence to affirm to them1 that they were sent by ,god to teach them what he required of them3 the which being so1 a submission of ,mens ,reason to the dictates of suppos'd inspir'd ,teachers must necessarily follow3 and they from thence become liable to be impos'd upon1 all the ways that could serve the ends of such who made use of this pretence to promote thereby any ,interest of their own1 or others4 ,and as there is scarce any ,country can be nam'd where there has not been these pretences to ,revelation2 so no ,instance1 ,i believe1 can be found of any ,institution or generally approv'd of ,practice1 opposite to the obvious ,dictates of ,nature1 or ,reason1 and not in ,favour of ,mens ,appetites1 which does not appear1 or on good ground may not be presumed to have been receiv'd on this pretence of ,supernatural ,revelation2 which has ever procur'd the firmest adherence to any ,new ,institution whatsoever2 and was very sufficient to make the absurdest things be swallow'd equally with the most reasonable2 it being undeniably true1 that whatever ,god does ,command1 his ,creatures are under an equal ,obligation of ,obedience thereunto4 ,some ,men1 it is likely1 there have1 in all ,ages and ,places1 been1 who were too ,sagacious to admit of that as ,revelation from ,god1 which manifestly oppos'd ,natural ,light2 and who needed a proof of the ,divine ,mission of such pretenders as these4 ,but the unthinking ,multitude were ever ,credulous2 and thence have been always practic'd upon in various kinds1 and measures1 as has best suited the occasion3 ,those who have had vicious ,inclinations1 or little ,aims1 and short views1 having impos'd upon them suitably to their ,ends3 ,and such as have had larger comprehensions1 generous designs1 and ,minds above ,vulgar1 ,base and ,sordid ,passions1 having answerably to their ,aims1 serv'd themselves of the same credulity4 ,of the last kind were such who have propos'd the reclaiming of ,men from vices more obviously prejudicial to ,society1 and civil ,government2 thereby to erect or restore some flourishing ,kingdom1 or common-wealth2 ,and these1 tho' they have deceived ,men1 in making them believe that their ,laws were ,divinely inspir'd1 have yet deservedly been ,honour'd by them as ,benefactors1 because of that happiness which they procur'd to them thereby1 in this ,world2 beyond which1 their views extended not1 as having no knowledge of a future ,life4 ,the which sort of ,men1 however rational1 and ,vertuous they were1 yet 7like other pretenders to ,revelation7 that they might the better procure ,authority to their ,dictates1 did with their civil ,institutions1 mix ,holy ,mysteries2 and that usually as peculiar ,secrets taught them by some ,divinity4 ,they also1 how much soever they1 perhaps1 secretly contemn'd such things1 did yet generally pay a great outward regard to matters of ,religion2 which have ever abounded in the best ,govern'd1 and most ,flourishing ,kingdoms1 and ,common-wealths4 ,now 7as has been already said7 the exact observers of the civil ,institutions of their ,country1 or ,customs of their ,ancestors1 were look'd upon as ,men of ,vertue2 and whoso apply'd himself eminently to the observation of such superstitions as consisted of ,sacrifices1 ,processions1 ,lustrations1 c4 with a various ,train of ,pompous ,ceremonies1 diversify'd according to the ,phancies of their ,authors1 was look'd upon as a ,religious ,man2 whilst there was a third sort of ,men 7inconsiderable always in their ,number7 who judged1 by the true rule of ,reason1 what was right1 and what was wrong1 in the first of these2 and who contemning the ,fopperies of the last1 were oftentimes 7thro' their means who most found their ,account in those ,matters7 in danger of passing with the silly ,people for ,atheists3 such as search for their opinions1 and the ,measures of their ,actions in the ,reason and ,truth of ,things1 having always been very unacceptable to ,those whose ,interest it has been to keep up the ,credit and ,authority of vain ,traditions and ,superstitious ,practices2 because if ,these should be hearken'd to1 ,those ,apprehended that they should become useless4 ,men of this third sort are ,they who are vertuous in a ,rational and ,christian estimation2 for if adherence to the ,rule of ,mens ,actions 7be that what it will7 denominates ,men vertuous among those of their own perswasion therein2 then ,that which denominates a ,man vertuous amongst ,those who take the prescriptions of right ,reason1 or of the ,gospel 7for these are but one1 and the same1 differently promulg'd7 for the ,rule of their ,actions1 must be an adherence to the ,law of right ,reason1 or of this ,revelation3 ,which ,rule1 is not 7as all others are7 a changeable1 because 7as we have seen7 no ,arbitrary thing2 it being founded in ,relations1 and ,connexions1 which are as immutable as that determinate constitution in ,things1 which makes every thing what it is4 ,from whence it has been that such ,men in all ,ages1 and ,places1 as were above the prejudices of their ,country ,religion1 and ,manners1 viz4 such as we have now spoken of1 have ever had much the same ,sentiments in respect of ,vertue4 ,but these have always been but a small ,number3 ,custom1 and blind ,opinion1 have ever govern'd the ,world2 and the light of ,reason has neither appear'd to ,men to be1 nor in ,fact been any where sufficient to direct the generality of ,mankind to ,truth2 as some imagine it capable of doing2 who because of that clear ,evidence which ,reason gives to those verities that ,revelation has already taught them1 think that they owe1 or might have ow'd to this light of ,reason what they are not indebted to it for2 and what it is a ,thousand to ,one odds they would not have receiv'd from it1 had they been ,born where there was no other than ,natural ,light4 ,for we find not any ,country in any ,age of the ,world1 wherein ,men did generally acknowledge1 by the meer force of ,reason1 ,natural ,religion in its full extent2 or where the ,law of ,nature was by the ,light of ,nature universally own'd4 ,some ,dictates of it as suggested by necessity1 or convenience1 having only been receiv'd1 7as has been already said7 but not distinguish'd from the most ,arbitrary ,institutions of ,men2 altho' it is probable that the greater ,conformity any ,law had to the dictates of right ,reason1 it did the more universally and easily obtain ,belief of its being divinely reveal'd to him who pretended so to have receiv'd it2 and this apparently it was which gave so great ,success to the ,peruvian ,lawgivers2 whose ,idolatry was the most specious that was possible2 and whose ,rules of ,living 7pretended to have been receiv'd by them from the ,sun1 their ,father1 and ,vicegerent of ,pachacama1 the ,supream ,invisible and ,unapproachable ,god7 were highly suitable to the dictates of right ,reason4 ,this ,law nevertheless not being receiv'd by that ,people but as a ,supernatural ,revelation1 the great ,morality of the ,peruvians affords no ,argument against1 but 7on the contrary7 proves strongly the need of ,revelation2 since whatever ,force of ,reason these ,natural ,truths did appear to this ,people to carry with them1 when represented as divine ,commands1 this light had never yet attracted their sight purely by its own ,brightness2 nor ever has any where done so1 but here and there in a few ,instances of ,persons of more than ordinarily inquisitive ,minds2 and 7probably7 for the most part1 exempted by a happy priviledge of ,nature from the servitude of sensual1 and sordid ,passions4 ,and tho' nothing can be more evident to those who reflect thereupon1 than that ,mens ,actions should be regulated1 and directed by that ,faculty in them which shows them the different properties1 relations1 and dependencies of things1 and not by their ,appetite1 which only can tell what will at the present please1 or offend them2 not what will1 upon the whole1 procure to them the most pleasure1 or uneasiness2 yet such appears to be the unreflecting ,nature of the generality of ,mankind1 and such their fondness of present pleasure1 as either not to consider this ,truth1 or when they do so1 to be induc'd 7in consequence thereof7 to obey the most manifest dictates of ,reason1 or ,natural ,light1 which will lay any restraint upon their pleasing1 and1 oftentimes1 violent ,inclinations3 ,much less will they be at pains to search for any such ,measures of their ,actions in the ,constitution and dependances of things2 which is indeed what the far greater part of ,men have not the ,capacity1 or ,leisure to do3 ,neither are ,any able to do this so early as to prevent their irregular ,inclinations from being first strengthen'd and confirm'd by ill habits3 which when once they are1 ,reason does in vain oppose them1 how clear soever her dictates appear4 ,on the contrary1 our ,passions grown strong1 do usually so far corrupt our ,reason as to make her joyn parties with them against her self2 we not only doing amiss1 but likewise finding ,arguments to justify our so doing1 even to our selves as well as others4 ,but there is still1 beyond this1 a farther impediment to ,mens obeying the ,law of ,nature1 by vertue of the meer ,light of ,nature2 which is1 that they cannot1 in all circumstances1 without ,revelation1 make always a just estimate in reference to their happiness4 ,for1 tho' it is demonstrable that the ,law of ,reason is the ,law of ,god1 yet the want of an explicite knowledge of the penalty incur'd by the breach of that ,law1 makes it not to be evident to all ,men that the incuring of this penalty shall 7in all cases7 make the preference of breaking this ,law1 an ill ,bargain3 which it may1 sometimes not be to many1 in regard of the discernable natural consequences of such a ,transgression4 ,for tho' observance of the ,law of ,reason is1 in the constitution of ,natural ,causes1 visibly to those who consider it 7generally speaking7 the means of our greatest happiness1 even in this present ,world1 yet if there be no future ,life 7which that there is1 is made certain to us1 only by the ,revelation thereof in the ,gospel7 to answer in for ,transgression of this ,law2 the breach of it may1 tho' not naturally1 yet accidentally1 in some cases1 conduce to ,mens greater happiness2 and1 very often1 notwithstanding that to have obey'd the ,law of ,reason they may discern would have been better for them than to have follow'd their ,appetites1 had they been early so accustom'd1 yet now that they have contracted different ,habits1 which are like a ,right ,hand1 or ,eye to them1 the difficulty of a new course of ,life may appear too great for the attempt of it to be adviseable2 since the consideration of the shortness and uncertainty of ,life may make ,men apt to say to themselves on such occasions1 ,who would lose the present ,hour1 ,for one that is not in his ,power8 ,or not be happy now he may1 ,but for a ,future ,blessing stay3 ,who know not he shall live a ,day8 ,the ,revelation of an ,eternal ,life after this1 with an express ,declaration of ,everlasting ,rewards and ,punishments annex'd to our ,obedience1 or ,disobedience1 to the ,law of ,nature 7tho' such a ,future ,state may be reasonably infer'd from all things happening alike to the ,good1 and to the ,bad in this ,world1 and from ,men's ,natural desire of ,immortality7 is yet but a necessary inforcement of the ,law of ,nature to the far greatest part of ,mankind1 who stand in need of this knowledge1 and are uncapable of an ,inference so repugnant to what their ,senses daily tell them in the case2 and wherein the ,truth asserted has scarcely ever procur'd an unwavering assent from the most rational of the ,heathen ,philosophers themselves4 ,now the unquestionable certainty of a ,future ,state1 wherein ,men shall receive ,everlasting ,rewards1 and ,punishments1 we alone owe the knowledge of to ,jesus ,christ1 who only has brought ,life and ,immortality to ,light4 ,the willingest to believe the ,souls ,immortality were before our ,saviours coming1 at best1 doubtful concerning it2 and the generality of ,mankind1 were yet far less perswaded of it4 ,fables indeed concerning a life hereafter 7wherein there were ,rewards and ,punishments7 the ,greeks had2 and from them1 they were deriv'd to some other ,nations2 but that for ,fables they were taken is evident1 and we are expressly told so by ,diodorus ,siculus1 who applauding the ,honours done to ,good ,men at their ,funerals1 by the ,egyptians1 because of that warning and encouragement which it gave to the ,living to be mindful of their ,duty1 says1 ,that the ,greeks1 as to what concern'd the ,rewards of the ,just1 and the ,punishment of the ,impious1 had nothing among them but invented ,fables and ,poetical ,fictions which never wrought upon ,men for the ,amendment of their ,lives2 but on the contrary1 were despis'd and laugh'd at by them4 ,whether1 or no1 ,men should subsist after ,death depending plainly upon the good ,pleasure of their ,maker1 the ,pagan ,world 7to whom ,god had not reveal'd his ,will herein7 could not possibly have any certainty of a ,life after this4 ,arguments there were 7as has been said7 that might induce rational ,men to hope for a future ,existence as a thing probable2 and they did so3 ,but the ,gross of ,mankind saw not the ,force of these ,reasonings to be perswaded thereby of a thing so inconceivable by them as that the ,life of the ,person was not totally extinguish'd in the ,death of the ,body2 and a ,resurrection to ,life1 was what they thought not of1 the certainty of which1 together with future ,reward and ,punishment1 by enabling us to make a right estimate concerning what will most conduce to our happiness1 plainly brings this great encouragement to our ,observance of the ,law of ,god1 that it lets us see our happiness1 and our ,duty1 are inseparably united therein2 since whatever pleasure we voluntarily deprive our selves of in this ,world from preference of ,obedience to ,god's ,commands1 it shall be recompenced to us manifold in the ,world that is to come3 ,so that now we can find our selves in no ,circumstance1 wherein our ,natural ,desires of ,happiness1 or love of ,pleasure1 can rationally induce us to depart from the ,rule of our ,duty4 ,the little which has been said1 do1 methinks1 sufficiently evince the need of ,revelation both to ,teach and inforce ,natural ,religion3 ,but the defectiveness of the ,light of ,nature to this end1 is a ,verity of so great use to be establish'd1 that the consideration thereof should not be left upon such short ,reflections as these2 was not this ,truth at large made out in a late ,treatise intitled1 ,the reasonableness of ,christianity as delivered in the ,scriptures4 ,a work which the unhappy mistakes and disputes among us concerning the ,christian ,religion1 makes useful to all ,men2 and which has been peculiarly so to many1 as the only ,book wherein they have found the insufficiency of ,natural ,light to ,natural ,religion1 has been fully shewed1 although that to reconcile ,men to1 or establish them in the belief of ,divine ,revelation1 nothing was more requisite to make this appear1 in an ,age wherein the prevalency of ,deism has been so much and so justly complain'd of4 ,but against the insufficiency of ,natural ,light to the ends of ,natural ,religion1 the ,world having been so many ,ages without it1 is1 by some1 thought an ,objection3 ,for1 if ,supernatural ,light had been so needful as is pretended to be1 how could it comport1 say they1 with the ,wisdom of ,god not to have given it to ,men sooner and more universally8 ,to judge of all the ,ends and ,designs of the ,divine ,wisdom in the ,creation or ,government of the ,world1 is to suppose that we have a comprehension of ,god's ,works1 adequate or commensurate thereunto2 which is not only to conceive of his ,wisdom as not being infinite1 but even to circumscribe it within very narrow bounds4 ,if the ,wisdom of ,god1 7like his other ,attributes7 does infinitely surpass our reach1 his ,views must1 for that reason1 be necessarily oftentimes1 as much beyond our short ,sight4 ,for us then1 when we see not the reason why any thing is1 to take upon us to say that such a thing does1 or does not comport with the ,wisdom of ,god1 must needs be the highest ,folly that can be1 since it implies a presumption1 that we see all in respect of such a ,subject that ,god sees3 ,and the ,objection here made turns only upon the unaccountableness of the ,divine ,wisdom herein to our ,understandings4 ,for ,god's dealing thus with ,men1 can by no means be said by us to imply any contradiction to his ,wisdom4 ,whilst we having an assurance highly ,rational 7from those numberless ,worlds which surround us7 that we are but a small part of the ,intellectual ,creation of our ,maker2 and being certain that our abode here bears but a very inconsiderable proportion of ,time to millions of ,ages1 and is as nothing to ,eternity1 cannot tell but that to know much more than we do1 in this ,state1 of the intire ,scheme of ,providence with respect to the whole extent of intelligent ,beings1 may be necessary to our seeing the ,beauty of anyone part of the design of our ,creator4 ,and it is the most suitable to the ,all-comprehensive ,wisdom of ,god for us to conceive1 that without having this knowledge1 we may be far less able to judge of the ,divine oeconomy1 in reference to his ,dealings with us here1 than he who should see but one ,scene of a ,dramma1 would thereby be capacitated to judge of the ,plot or ,design of the whole4 ,in ,objecting therefore against the need of ,revelation to support ,natural ,religion1 because that we understand not why1 if ,revelation was necessary to this end1 the ,world had it no sooner3 ,men are guilty of so great an ,absurdity as to argue from a ,matter only unknown to them against the reality of that evidently is3 ,which is always irrational to do2 but is especially so1 when1 if we cannot answer what is ,objected1 we yet see plainly that ,that ,objection may be very answerable1 and accountable for1 even to our ,conceptions2 were but our views a little more enlarged1 and such as1 perhaps1 they shall be hereafter4 ,but in urging this consideration as sufficient to silence any ,objection to the needfulness of ,revelation from its lateness and want of ,universality2 ,i suppose not that the ,divine1 oeconomy is herein actually incomprehensible by ,men2 or at least1 may not be accounted for1 if not demonstratively aright1 yet suitably to the ,divine ,attributes3 and a due reflection upon the intire design of ,christianity1 so far as it is reveal'd to us1 will1 it is likely1 conduct us best to a sight hereof4 ,but our present business is not this inquiry1 but to see what those advantages are which we receive by the ,revelation of ,jesus ,christ1 the design of whole coming into the ,world appears to have been1 to inforce the ,rule of ,rectitude1 by setting it in a clearer ,light1 with the manifest ,attestation of ,divine ,authority1 and promulging it as the ,law of ,god1 by ,declaration of eternal ,rewards and ,punishments1 annexed to the observance or breach thereof4 ,yet to deliver clearer and more excellent ,precepts of ,morality2 to attest to the ,divinity hereof by ,miracles2 or to bring ,immortalitie to light1 were not 7as the means of inforcing ,natural ,religion7 the whole business for which ,christ took our ,nature upon him4 ,it was a ,decree as immutable as the ,divine ,nature1 that no unrighteous thing should have everlasting ,life3 ,wherefore all1 both ,jews and ,gentiles having broken the ,law1 and being thereby condemn'd 7since the ,law necessarily requir'd perfect ,righteousness1 and could admit of no abatement thereof7 ,christ came to establish betwixt ,god and ,man1 a ,covenant of ,grace in order to ,mens obtaining eternal ,life1 which they could not obtain by the ,works of the ,law4 ,the which ,covenant of ,grace was1 that to as many as believe in his ,son1 taking him for their ,king1 and submitting to his ,law1 ,god would grant remission of their ,sins2 and that this their ,faith should be imputed to them for ,righteousness2 that is1 accepted of by him1 in lieu of perfect ,obedience1 in all such who sincerely indeavour'd to live up to the ,precepts of ,christ1 their ,lord4 ,men have ever been solicitous1 to reconcile ,pardon of ,sin to the ,purity of ,god's ,nature1 which has expos'd them 7as we have seen7 to divers ,delusions1 and to wearisome and costly ,superstitions2 even sometimes to the giving the ,fruit of their ,bodies to attone for the sins of their ,souls4 ,all the ,forms of ,pagan ,religion have abounded with ,institutions of this ,nature2 and that of the ,jews consisted very much of tiresome and unpleasant performances2 which being ,types and ,shadows of him that was to come1 were practis'd to the same purpose4 ,all which things we are freed from by the ,gospel2 ,christ having offer'd up himself once for all1 through whom forgiveness of ,sin is preached to as many as believe in him1 truly repenting of their past ,sins1 and walking in newness of ,life1 conformably to the ,law of him their ,master2 but and if1 thro' humane ,weakness or ,imbecillity1 we do ,sin1 he is our ,advocate with the ,father1 who for the sake of him his ,beloved ,son1 will justify1 or accept as ,righteous1 those who truly believe in him1 whence we are justify'd by ,god's free ,grace or ,favour1 and not by the ,works of the ,law1 against which all have transgressed1 and fail'd of a perfect ,obedience4 ,the great end then of ,christianity is 7in short7 to teach us effectually to renounce all ,ungodliness and every evil work1 by declaring to us1 that if we sincerely repent of our ,sins past1 and indeavour1 for the time to come1 to obey the ,law of our ,lord and ,master ,jesus ,christ1 which is no other than the ,law of ,reason1 or the eternal ,rule of ,right1 we need not despair of ,god's ,mercy from the ,imperfection of our ,obedience2 since he will for the sake of his ,son1 pardon their ,sins who believe in him3 ,sincere indeavours after perfect ,righteousness being accepted in those who believe in ,christ as if they attained it1 which is call'd1 the ,righteousness of ,faith4 ,and thus our ,blessed ,lord1 that he might purchase to himself a peculiar people zealous of good ,works1 has propos'd to his ,followers the strongest ,motives and ,encouragements that are conceivable to induce free ,agents to ,obedience1 putting them at once upon using their utmost ,diligence to fullfil the ,law2 yet1 at the same time1 delivering them from the fear that their defective ,righteousness should render their ,labour vain in the ,lord1 by assuring them that he will be merciful to their ,sins4 ,the which ,christian ,doctrine concerning the forgiveness of ,sins 7contrary to that of other ,religions7 effectually obliges ,men to use their utmost care not to commit ,sin1 and leaves no room for the ,lusts of their ,hearts1 or devices of cunning ,men to deceive them by any ,superstitious ,inventions of expiating or attoning for ,transgression2 whereby ,vertue 7as we have seen7 was always undermin'd4 ,for1 tho' in the ,christian ,religion1 there is an abatement of the rigour and severity of the ,law1 which could not but require an unsinning ,obedience2 yet we are therein taught1 that ,jesus ,christ is the only ,attonement for ,sin3 ,and such a ,faith in him as makes us to become his obedient ,subjects1 is the only means to us of ,salvation3 ,an inforcement of the ,law of ,righteousness which was wanting to the ,pagan ,world2 whose persuasion of the placability of the ,divine ,nature 7as we have seen7 generally taught them1 only to find out such imaginary ways of appeasing ,god's ,anger1 and expiating for their ,sins1 as did more or less supersede their indeavours after ,obedience to the ,law4 ,whence it appears that the assurance of future ,existence1 with the knowledge of eternal ,rewards and ,punishments annex'd to ,mens ,observance1 or not observance of the ,law of ,reason had ,men had it1 without the ,revelation of the ,gospel1 would not have been so universal or powerful an inforcement of ,obedience to them as it is to us2 to whom together with this1 is preach'd also the ,doctrine of forgiveness of ,sins1 through ,faith in ,jesus ,christ4 ,for the consciousness of transgression against this ,law1 which1 under such a ,penalty exacted their ,obedience1 must either have driven ,men into despair of being accepted by ,god1 whence they would have given over the indeavours of obeying him as a fruitless ,labour2 or else if they believ'd that ,god would accept of some ,compensation for their defective ,righteousness1 they would have been induc'd no less1 but even more strongly from their knowledge of a future ,life1 than they were without it1 to seek to attone the ,divine ,wrath by such ways as would inevitably draw on a neglect of conformity to his ,law4 ,whereas ,christianity doth provide against both these ,mistakes1 in that it assures us that ,god will accept of our imperfect ,obedience for the sake of his ,son1 if we believe in him1 and withal sincerely indeavour to obey him2 whereby ,faith does plainly not make void1 but establish the ,law1 it laying the highest ,obligation as well as ,encouragement that is possible upon ,men to do their utmost to live up to the ,prescriptions of it4 ,and thus the ,christian ,religion1 we find1 is every way admirably adapted by the ,divine ,wisdom1 to the end of inforcing the eternal ,law of ,reason or ,nature2 which evidently needed this inforcement4 ,from whence it is manifest1 that whoso directly or indirectly teaches ,men to look upon ,christianity as separable from ,morality1 does the most that is possible misrepresent it2 and therein 7as effectually as they can do so7 undermine both ,natural and ,reveal'd ,religion2 the latter of which dispences not with any breach of the former2 and exempts us only from the burthen of such outward performances as have no ,efficacy to the making ,men better1 but often do make them very much worse2 they conceiving that they are able1 thereby1 to expiate or attone for their ,sins2 whence they become less careful in regard of their ,duty3 ,a ,natural effect of all those things1 beneficial alone to the contrivers or directors of them2 who1 by means thereof1 have liv'd in ,ease and ,plenty upon other ,peoples ,labours1 whilst they 7instead of repining thereat7 were skilfully taught to reverence them for their usefulness4 ,such ,men as these profited not a little by the superstition of the ,people2 and therefore could not but always have an interest opposite to that of ,vertue3 ,since the more vertuous ,men were1 the less they stood in need of1 or minded those ,matters1 of which these managers of ,mysteries and ,ceremonies had the gainful direction4 ,no wonder then at all was it that the ,gospel found so much opposition1 whose design was so ,diametrically contrary to the interest of a ,party every where in such ,power and ,credit2 and whose ,author so expresly declared1 that his coming was to abolish all such ,institutions and ,practices4 ,the ,power of ,god yet prevail'd in spight of that of ,men2 and ,christianity in a little time had spread itself through the ,roman ,empire4 ,what remedy then remain'd more fit to be devis'd by the ,devil or evil ,men1 to make the ,gospel of no effect1 than under specious pretences of owning and honouring it1 to corrupt it with the old ,pagan ,principles and ,practices1 introduc'd under a ,christian ,disguise8 ,but it being so plainly deliver'd in the whole ,tenour of the ,new ,testament1 that ,christ being once for all offer'd up1 there remained no more ,sacrifice for ,sin2 and that he came to teach ,men to worship ,god in ,spirit and1 in ,truth4 ,there was no room left for the searchers for their ,religion in these ,holy ,oracles to be led into the formerly mention'd ,pagan ,superstitions4 ,the ,scriptures therefore must be discarded1 or1 what was the same thing1 shut up from vulgar ,readers3 ,which were all but those who had made it their interest to mislead others by their ,explications3 ,the which1 together with vain ,traditions1 supported by the ,authority of reverend ,names1 coming in the place of ,scripture1 were enjoyn'd to be receiv'd equally with ,divine ,truths on ,terrour of eternal ,punishment to as many as could be so persuaded1 but to be sure of ,temporal ,penalty to all who durst withstand this violence done to the common reason of ,mankind4 ,the which ,spirit of ,imposition and ,persecution began to shew itself very early among the ,professors of ,christianity3 ,and so soon as these were arm'd with secular ,power1 they fail'd not to make use of it one against another1 for imposing of ,humane ,inventions to the neglect of what all profess'd to believe ,god indispensibly requir'd of them4 ,the which ,mystery of ,iniquity1 tho' it already worked1 in the ,apostles ,days1 yet could not be reveal'd even 'till the power of ,heathen ,rome was taken out of the way3 ,and ,christianity had ,civil as well as ,ecclesiastical ,jurisdiction1 by their ,religions1 becoming that of the ,empire3 ,which1 when it did1 ,antichrist soon appear'd in his full ,dimensions2 and the ,christian ,world became a very ,aceldama2 ,a ,history of which 7sad as it is7 might perhaps1 with some pleasure1 be perus'd1 were those ,tragedies now at an end2 or the ,reformed part of ,christendom had no share in the ,guilt4 ,we generally indeed exclaim against the ,cruelties of the ,roman ,church exercis'd over ,men1 on account or pretence of ,religion3 ,and it is true1 that they have excell'd herein2 yet all ,parties among us1 proportionally to the extent of their ,power1 have practis'd the same thing2 and the ,best1 when restrain'd from it by the ,civil ,magistrate1 make it evidently appear1 that they bear that restraint uneasily4 ,but whilst the first ,spring1 which moves such ,animosities is a desire in ambitious and ill ,men or ,dominion2 well-meaning ignorant ,people are misled by these from the ,truth of the ,gospel1 to such ,zeal for some distinguishing ,tenets or ,forms as if the stress of ,christianity lay in those things3 ,and that our ,religion consisted not in such a ,faith in ,jesus ,christ1 as to receive him for our ,king1 becoming his obedient ,subjects2 but in the belief of ,opinions1 which have no influence upon our ,practice1 to the making us live more vertuously2 or in ,worshipping ,god after some peculiar ,mode or ,fashion4 ,and thus among us ,christians1 as heretofore in the ,heathen ,world1 ,vertue and ,religion are again distinguish'd2 and ,religion as something more excellent 7and1 to be sure1 more easy7 does still1 as formerly it did1 eat out ,vertue4 ,among our selves it is true1 that those of the ,establish'd ,church do generally dislike a distinction often made by some others of a ,moral and a ,religious ,man2 ,nor1 usually1 are our ,divines wanting to represent from the ,pulpit the necessity there is of a good ,life to render ,men acceptable to ,god4 ,but many who condemn such a ,doctrine as separates ,religion from ,morality1 do yet in their practices make the like distinction1 which may well be presum'd to have been one great cause of their having preach'd up ,vertue so ineffectually as they have done4 ,that which ,people say having ordinarily less influence upon others1 than what they see them ,do4 ,and in regard of our earliest ,apprehensions concerning ,vertue and ,religion1 it is certain that these are form'd in ,children much more from what they observe in the ,conversations or ,actions of such ,persons as they esteem1 than by set ,discourses that they now and then hear from the ,pulpit2 which they can neither understand nor attend to early enough to receive from those ,principles that shall influence them4 ,but so soon 7at the least7 as they are capable of minding and understanding ,sermons1 they 7where the thing is remarkable by others7 do also take notice of it1 if he who frequently recommends a good ,life to them1 does not in his own ,conversation1 and in the respect he expresses for ,vertue in the ,persons of others1 shew that he indeed prefers it answerably to the ,praises he gives it4 ,and if such a ,preacher1 as this1 shall openly live in the practice of any known ,immorality2 or not doing so himself shall yet manifestly prefer in his esteem those who do so1 is it not natural1 for them who look upon this ,man as a guide to ,heaven1 to conclude from hence1 that in reference to the obtaining of ,eternal ,happiness1 ,vertue is not the thing1 the most essentially requisite2 and much less certainly will they think it to be so with respect to this present ,world1 if they find their pious ,instructor not only to choose the ,society of ,persons ,profligate and ,debauch'd for his ,friends and ,companions2 but also 7on all occasions7 to labour the promotion of the like ,men to ,employments of the highest ,truth1 in preference of others of acknowledg'd ,integrity and ,sobriety of ,life3 ,the avow'd ,reason whereof being only that the first of these are by the ,doctor held the more ,orthodox in ,religion2 is it not unavoidable1 even to a ,child1 to conclude1 that ,vertue is not the best recommendation in his ,opinion1 whatever he sometimes seems to assert1 when he is shewing his ,rhetorick in the ,pulpit4 ,and since he is an ,authoriz'd ,teacher of ,religion1 will not 7so far as his example influences7 ,vertue and ,religion be probably consider'd as distinct things1 the latter of which1 as it always has had1 always will have the preference4 ,the same ,consequence with this must needs1 in like manner1 follow1 where ,parents 7whose ,practices have usually the greatest ,authority with their ,children7 do in this manner express their uncharitable ,zeal for their ,opinions1 by them call'd ,orthodoxy3 ,and such1 no less effectually1 teach the separating of ,religion from ,vertue1 than those whom they1 perhaps1 greatly condemn for making this distinction in ,terms2 tho' it is true1 that ,that sort of ,men who do use this distinction in their ,discourses1 do seldom fail of practising accordingly3 ,none having usually a more fiery ,zeal than such ,people have for their ,orthodox1 or1 what is call'd by them1 sound ,doctrine2 and the only difference is1 that these ,men are herein more consistent with themselves than the former1 since their ,words and their ,actions correspond4 ,nor less consentaneous to their ,opinions are they1 in not taking much ,pains to inculcate into their ,children 7as they not often do7 the ,principles and early ,habits of ,vertue3 ,for if ,vertue1 or ,morality is so far from being any way that which shall intitle ,men to ,salvation1 that it is not so much as a means1 or good predisposition to what shall do so1 7,god oftentimes to shew his ,free ,grace preferring the greatest ,persons to the most ,moral ,reasons7 which is what these ,peoples ,teachers frequently tell them2 as there appears indeed but little ,reason why they should be vertuous1 so there cannot be any more why they should indeavour to make others so4 ,those of these ,sentiments are yet generally 7tho' not methinks alike conformable to their ,doctrines7 very ,solicitous for what they call ,religious ,education4 ,but how little this will supply the defect of early ,principles1 and ,habits of ,vertue1 will be visible when we reflect upon what that1 which they esteem to be ,religious ,education does consist in2 for commonly it is only in ,teaching ,children some ,form of sound ,words as they conceive them to be2 in the greatest part1 unintelligible to their ,learners1 or uninstructive of their ,ignorance2 and in accustoming them to hear many ,sermons2 which do as little inform them2 and wherein ,morality is too often represented as1 no ways1 available to ,salvation3 and1 what is still worse1 even 7sometimes7 as that which shall rank ,men among the hateful to1 and accursed of ,god4 ,the reading of the ,bible is1 ,i presume 7at the least7 as much practic'd by those as by the generality of any other ,perswasion2 but they study no more than others do to understand it2 and 7on the contrary7 are rather with greater tenaciousness so possess'd by the ,sentiments and ,opinions of their ,teachers1 as to be almost uncapable of consulting the word of ,god without prejudice2 or observing any thing therein that is contrary to the ,doctrines of their ,sect3 that ,analogy of ,faith by which they are sure the ,scriptures ought always to be interpreted2 the obscurest parts whereof their ,teachers insist the most upon2 whence the ,ignorantest ,persons of these as well as the more knowing1 are usually far less conversant in the plain ,doctrines of ,jesus ,christ1 than in ,st4 ,pauls difficult ,epistles2 which1 as heretofore1 many who are unlearn'd wrest to their own ,destruction1 tho' their needs1 ,i think1 no skill but that of ,attention to what the ,apostle is speaking of1 to see that he teaches none of those ,doctrines which many are taught to believe he delivers to the prejudice of ,morality1 or good ,works2 but quite the contrary4 ,now what help can such ,instruction as this give to the subduing the corrupt ,affections1 and the bridling betimes the inordinate ,desires and ,appetites of ,humane ,nature1 whereby ,men are inabled to live like rational ,creatures1 and to acquit themselves well in all the ,relations they shall be hereafter plac'd in1 in the ,world8 ,when it does not so much as perswade them1 or even allow them to think that these are the things by which they shall be judg'd at the ,last ,day2 but substitutes in the place hereof groundless ,conceits1 and a presumptious1 ,faith1 which so far teaches them to neglect ,obedience as that if they pursu'd the just consequence of their own ,doctrine 7a thing few ,people do7 they would have no ,morality at all3 ,and how rarely soever these consequences are follow'd so far as they would lead ,men1 yet that they are too much so1 is visible in that little concern which such ,people take 7as has been now observ'd7 in training up their ,children betimes in the knowledge and practice of ,vertue2 so necessary to the making them hereafter ,vertuous1 that rarely are any found eminently to be so1 where this means has been neglected2 even many who are always very sincere in the ,profession of ,religion1 having 7thro' the want of this early care taken of them7 their ,passions never subjected to their ,reason2 which renders them all their ,lives long uneasie to themselves1 and others3 ,whereby also the very profession of ,religion is dishonour'd1 and evil spoken of4 ,in the ,church of ,england1 7whatever her ,articles may be thought to teach7 there are not many now who hold these ,opinions2 and such as do not so1 rightly looking upon ,vertue as the great perfection of ,humane ,nature1 and the ,end which ,christianity is intended to promote1 do accordingly 7if they are serious in their ,religion7 instruct their ,children much better than those abovementioned are wont to do theirs2 at least1 they design it3 ,for it is true that the performance does often fall short2 because 7as has been said7 their ,actions correspond not with their ,instructions2 and also from hence ,that ,zeal for ,morality makes some1 in recommending thereof1 too forgetful of that ,doctrine of ,faith1 without which1 as works avail not1 so also the greatest encouragement to1 and inforcement of ,morality1 is lost4 ,and when any who are profess'd ,teachers of the ,christian ,religion do this1 such ,men do frequently confirm in their wrong ,apprehensions concerning it1 those whom they would convince of mistaking the design of the ,gospel2 since ,faith is so evidently therein the ,doctrine of ,salvation1 that ,they who never preach it1 are not altogether without ,reason suspected either of not understanding ,consequences1 or else of not being in earnest ,christians1 but conceal'd ,deists1 and ,betrayers of the ,christian ,religion4 ,altho' the ,truth herein for the most part is1 that one ,error unhappily produces another1 and the partial regard of some to the ,doctrine of ,faith 7which yet they misrepresent7 as if the whole business of our ,salvation consisted in ,that1 has been an occasion to other ,men of as partially espousing the ,doctrine of ,good ,works2 whilst in their heat against what is contrary to ,truth in respect thereof1 they establish not sufficiently that ,justifying ,faith of the ,gospel1 by which alone ,men shall obtain ,eternal ,life1 and not by their ,works3 the best ,men's ,obedience having 7as has been already observ'd7 imperfection in it2 from whence all are necessarily condemn'd by the ,rigour of the ,law1 and must accordingly be found ,guilty1 by him1 ,who is of ,purer ,eyes than to behold ,iniquity2 had not ,god1 in ,mercy to ,mankind1 been pleas'd to establish a ,new ,covenant of ,grace in compliance with the ,terms whereof1 viz4 ,faith in his ,son1 they may obtain ,eternal ,life4 ,a ,doctrine 7as has been seen7 the most highly conducing that is possible to the making ,men labour after the perfectest ,obedience4 ,the ,exalters of ,faith therefore in opposition to ,good ,works do not more undermine ,morality1 than the ,advancers of the ,doctrine of ,good ,works to the ,exclusion of ,free ,grace1 do undermine ,reveal'd1 and in consequence thereof1 ,natural ,religion also4 ,the which two sort of ,men divide1 if one may so say1 a good ,christian betwixt them2 the latter whereof take the ,soul and ,spirit of ,christianity1 but cannot be acquitted of neglecting what is not less essential in the ,doctrine of our ,salvation2 and that not only because what ,god has joyn'd ,man cannot disjoyn2 but also because it is an ,eternal ,verity1 that such ,creatures as we are1 cannot consistently with the ,attributes of ,god1 any other way than that of ,justification by ,faith1 be intitled to ,eternal ,life4 ,for the ,dispensation of the ,gospel is not a meerly ,arbitrary thing2 but is the result of ,infinite ,wisdom1 and ,goodness1 for the ,salvation of ,men4 ,and if the ,beauty and ,harmony of its ,divine ,contrivance is not to all ,men evident1 it is because they search not for the ,christian ,religion purely1 as it is deliver'd in the ,scriptures1 but take it up together with the mixtures of ,humane inventions1 and conceits2 wherein ,additions and ,substractions have been made to the ,truth of ,god1 at ,mens ,pleasure3 ,whose several ,systems and ,notions1 whilst every one yet indeavours to support by ,scripture ,authority1 many become thereby discourag'd from the study of those ,holy ,oracles1 as being perswaded from hence that the ,bible is 7at best7 a ,book too difficult to be understood by them2 if not truly1 a ,rhapsodie of contradictions1 that may be brought alike to assert any thing that shall come into ,men's ,fancies to prove from thence4 ,what then should those who would cure1 or prevent all ,mistakes prejudicial to the right understanding the ,christian ,religion so carefully do1 as to perswade and ingage ,people diligently and with unprejudic'd ,minds to study the ,scriptures2 and not 7as is usual7 to embrace ,opinions concerning ,religion first1 and then consult the ,scriptures only to fortifie from thence their preconceiv'd ,sentiments8 for doing thus they do in effect1 but rely blindly upon the ,teachings of ,men1 and such ,men too 7as ,god knows have themselves for the most part7 as blindly follow'd others2 whilst here and there some few 7as having more refin'd ,wits1 and disdaining such ,shackles as the generality like to wear1 yet not loving the ,truth in the ,simplicity thereof7 have sought to improve and adorn it by their ,philosophical ,conceits1 and ,notions2 a ,thing no less dangerous than the ,former4 ,for to such as are better pleas'd with curious ,speculations1 than plain and obvious ,verities1 it is very apt to happen that a ,favourite ,hypothesis1 or ,opinion1 shall run quite away with their ,reason and ,judgment3 which when it does1 the ,scriptures are sure to be interpreted with conformity to that as if it were an ,eternal1 and ,unquestionable ,principle of ,truth4 ,and thus too often is it seen that the ,sacred ,doctrines of ,divine ,revelation are submitted to be try'd by ,philosophical ,fancies1 as a ,criterion of their ,truth2 which is truly a more direct disservice to ,christianity than the above-mentioned implicite ,faith1 since this evidently exposes even the ,divine ,authority of the ,christian ,religion to be question'd4 ,for when any1 especially if such whose profession it is to be ,teachers of this ,religion1 shall either argue against the plain ,sense of what is deliver'd in the ,scriptures1 meerly because it is not reconcileable to their preconceiv'd ,sentiments3 or to those of their ,admir'd ,masters of ,reason2 or else shall insist upon some of their own or these ,mens ,theorems as necessary to be believ'd in confirmation of any thing taught by our ,saviour1 or his ,apostles2 what can the ,natural effect of this be1 but to make such as have not the leisure1 or inclination to examine the ,truth of this ,revelation1 ,sceptical in regard thereof2 by perswading them that those themselves who are rational ,men amongst the very ,teachers of the ,christian ,religion1 are not very clearly and fully convinc'd of its ,divine ,authority2 since if they were1 they would certainly submit their ,opinions to be try'd by the ,scriptures1 and not warp the ,scriptures to a compliance with their ,opinions2 or think the ,doctrines contain'd in them needed any other confirmation to support them4 ,and wherefore must it be thought that such ,men1 as these1 are not convinc'd of the divine ,revelation of the ,christian ,religion1 but from hence1 that they 7who will be presum'd to have examin'd this matter the best of any ,men7 do find indeed some flaw or just cause of doubt in the evidence thereof8 ,from whence it is that they prefer their ,natural ,reason as a surer ,teacher than that ,revelation2 however on some occasions they speak highly of it4 ,and as ,men of this ,philosophical ,genius have usually more ,vertue than those who hoodwink'd follow their ,leaders2 or than such who look upon ,vertue as no part of ,religion2 there will1 on this account1 as also for the ,reputation of their uncommon ,science1 be probably a distinguishing esteem had of such3 ,whence the apparent want of deference in these ,men to the ,scriptures 7liable to be look'd upon as some degree of ,scepticism7 is of dangerous ,example2 which is obviously manifest in that direct tendency this has to satisfie those in their infidelity1 who cannot1 or will not1 find leisure to examine for themselves the ,truths of ,religion4 ,but there is also a farther ill influence which apparent want of deference to ,scripture ,authority in those who pretend to believe 7and1 much more1 to teach the ,gospel7 has3 ,and that is to the countenanceing too much that ,multitude who preferring the ,christian ,religion1 do in their ,practical that which these ,men do in their ,speculative ,opinions1 viz4 make the dictates of the ,gospel their ,rule so far only1 as they are vouch'd for and ,authoriz'd by their ,reason1 infected1 as it is1 by ,custom1 ,passion1 or ,worldly ,interest2 which is done by very many who would be offended to have their belief of the ,scriptures ,question'd4 ,but however they profess to own them1 none who act thus can be rationally thought to be sincerely perswaded of their divine ,authority1 altho' it is possible that many such ,men may have no intire disbelief thereof neither2 it being barely not assenting1 which is the ,natural ,effect of ,ignorance in those who have good ,sense enough to see that it is irrational1 to be confidently assur'd of what they have not sufficient ,reason to be so assur'd of4 ,now this want of a firm assent to the ,divine ,authority of the ,scriptures in such as yet profess to own them for the word of ,god1 is unquestionably evident when such ,men acquiesce not in the ,precepts of the ,gospel1 as the ,rule of their ,actions1 any farther than they find those ,precepts to be ,authoriz'd by the ,testimony of their ,reason3 ,of which manner of acting many very common examples may be easily brought4 ,it is true that how much soever a ,man is perswaded of the ,authority of any ,rule1 a strong ,passion1 or ,apparent ,interest may yet seduce him from the ,obedience due to its prescriptions2 but such a ,transgression being accompanied with ,regret1 or followed with ,repentance1 the ,rule is still as much acknowledg'd as if it were obey'd2 and none1 on the score of a contrary practice1 are chargeable with a disbelief thereof1 but such who do1 on a deliberate ,choice and without ,remorse1 transgress against it2 which many professing to be ,christians not only themselves do1 but even teach their ,children the like3 in which latter case it cannot be suppos'd that they are misled by the strength of any prevailing ,passion4 ,that we should forgive our ,enemies and be patient under injuries 7for instance7 are1 as plainly as words can make them so1 commanded in the ,scriptures2 yet how many are there professing to believe that the ,scriptures are the ,word of ,god1 who1 as if no such ,commands as these were deliver'd by ,christ1 or his ,disciples1 do both ,practice and ,teach1 the not putting up ,affronts unreveng'd2 and this only because the ,fashion of the ,country has establish'd it1 that a ,gentleman cannot do so with ,honour8 ,a ,term which herein signifies nothing1 but agreeably to certain measures of acting that ,men have ,arbitrarily made for themselves1 and which are not founded upon any ,principle of right ,reason2 however to be obey'd1 it seems1 by a ,gentleman preferably to the ,commands of ,christ4 ,if there are ,cases wherein from want of a due provision in ,governments against some sort of ,injuries it may be thought that ,men are excusable in asserting their own ,cause1 yet thus much is at the least certain1 ,that this ,precept of ,forgiveness could not be transgress'd against1 as it very frequently is1 by ,men professing to believe the ,authority of the ,scriptures1 if such were indeed fully perswaded that it was a divine ,command which prohibited the avenging of our selves4 ,but others there are 7contrary to these ,men7 who would find it altogether condemnable for a ,man to hazard his own1 and anothers ,life in a ,duel1 or ,rencounter 7tho' caus'd by the ,transport of ever so just a provocation7 who would see no ,evil in his mispending of his ,time1 consuming ,day after ,day1 and ,year after ,year1 uselesly to himself1 or others1 in a course of continual ,idleness and ,sauntring2 as if he was made only to ,eat and to ,drink1 or to gratifie his ,senses4 ,and how few ,parents are there of ,quality1 even among such as are esteem'd the most vertuous1 who do not permit their ,daughters to pass the best part of their ,youth in that ,ridiculous ,circle of ,diversions1 which is pretty generally thought the proper business of ,young ,ladies2 and which so ingrosses them that they can find no spare ,hours1 wherein to make any such improvements of their understanding1 as the leisure which they have for it exacts from them as rational ,creatures2 or as is requisite or useful to the discharging well their present1 or future ,duties8 ,some formal ,devotions are 7perhaps7 necessary to some of ,these1 to preserve them even in their own good esteem2 and they that can regularly find half an ,hour1 or an ,hour in a ,day to employ in private upon this1 and in reading some pious ,book1 together with1 it may be1 a certain ,number of ,chapters in the ,bible1 need nothing more to make them be cry'd up for great examples to the ,age they live in2 as if all this while there were no ,precepts for these ,people in the ,gospel1 concerning the improvement of their ,time1 and ,talents1 as things whereof they must one ,day be accountable4 ,for others it may be they cannot but see that there are such ,commands2 but the ,sacred ,law of ,fashion has made endless ,idle ,visits1 and less ,innocent ,entertainments1 the indispensibly constant ,employment of those of their ,condition3 and when they are grown ,old in the perpetually repeated round of such ,impertinence and ,folly1 they have but labour'd much in their ,calling4 ,another ,instance how little many1 who profess to believe the ,scriptures1 do apparently look upon them as the ,rule of their ,actions1 we have in regard of the ,precept not to ,covet2 which is as much forbidden by the ,law of ,god as not to ,steal1 or ,cozen a ,man of what is his property3 ,and yet the same ,parents who have bred their ,children in such a ,sense of the ,enormity of these last ,vices1 as that they oftentimes seem to them like things that they are ,naturally uncapable of1 are so far from teaching them to restrain their ,exorbitant ,desires1 that very oft they themselves with care inspire these into them3 ,whence it is sufficiently clear that the difference made between ,stealing and ,cheating1 or ,coveting 7alike forbidden by the ,law of ,god7 is from hence1 ,that ,ambition is thought a ,passion becoming some ,ranks of ,men1 but ,cheating or ,stealing not ,vices proper for a ,gentleman4 ,a distinction that must needs refer to some other ,rule than that of the ,gospel2 which therefore is not ,that which1 as a ,divine ,law1 does prescribe to such ,men the ,measures of their ,actions4 ,to bring but one instance more of the ,commands of ,christ being comply'd with but so far only1 as they do comply with some other ,rule prefer'd thereto by such as yet pretend to be ,christians2 ,chastity 7for example7 is1 according to the ,gospel1 a ,duty to both ,sexes1 yet a ,transgression herein1 even with the aggravation of wronging another ,man1 and possibly a whole ,family thereby1 is ordinarily talk'd as lightly of1 as if it was but a ,peccadillo in a ,young ,man1 altho' a far less ,criminal ,offence against this ,duty in a ,maid shall in the ,opinion of the same ,persons brand her with perpetual ,infamy3 ,the nearest ,relations oftentimes are hardly brought to look upon her after such a dishonour done by her to their ,family2 whilst the ,fault of her more guilty ,brother finds but a very moderate reproof from them2 and in a little while1 it may be1 becomes the ,subject of their ,mirth and ,raillery4 ,and why still is this wrong plac'd distinction made1 but because there are measures of living establish'd by ,men themselves according to a conformity1 or disconformity with which1 and not with the ,precepts of ,jesus ,christ1 their ,actions are measur'd1 judg'd of8 ,a thing which would be unaccountable if ,men were indeed heartily perswaded of the ,divine ,revelation of our ,saviours ,doctrine2 and did not profess to believe this but because it is the ,fashion of their ,country so to do2 and that their ,parents have done so before them2 or1 at most1 that possibly they may have receiv'd from their ,education some impressions which will not permit them to reject the ,christian ,religion1 any more than firmly induce their ,assent to the ,truth of it4 ,that ,men who have any ,vertue1 or ,sobriety1 and who are not intirely destitute of good ,sense1 can suffer in themselves such an uncertainty about what is of so great moment to them as the ,truths of the ,christian ,religion1 is indeed strange2 but as the slightest ,arguments against any ,truth have some weight to those who know not the ,evidence of that ,truth1 so also such as have never been accustom'd1 whilst ,young1 to exercise themselves in any ,rational ,inquiry1 do usually in a more advanc'd ,age look upon the easiest ,labour of this kind as painful3 ,and thence 7for the most part7 do either lazily think it best to acquiesce1 as well as they can1 in such ,mens ,sentiments as they have imagin'd the best to understand this matter2 or else are readily inclin'd from the disagreement1 and contrariety of ,peoples thoughts about it1 to take a ,resolution of not troubling themselves at all concerning it2 as being a thing wherein there is no certainty to be found1 and probably therefore but little ,truth3 ,an ,opinion which the too commonly avow'd ,scepticism of the ,age helps much to confirm unthinking ,people in2 and that the more1 because to doubt of what the most believe 7tho' few have any other ,reason for so doubting but that others do not doubt7 has very much prevail'd in our ,days to intitle ,men to the ,reputation of more than ordinary ,wit and ,sagacity4 ,but the ,scepticism among us has truly been so far from being the effect of uncommon ,light1 and ,knowledge2 as that it has been1 and is much owing to the preceding fashionableness of a very general ,ignorance1 both in regard of ,religion1 and also of other useful ,sciences2 for ,men's not knowing how profitably1 and with pleasure to employ their ,time1 is apparently one great cause of their ,debauchery2 and so long as the ,consciousness and ,shame of not acting like rational ,creatures is not extinguished in them1 the uneasiness of that remorse puts them ,naturally upon seeking out ,principles to justifie their ,conduct upon2 few ,men being able to indure the constant ,reproaches of their own ,reason3 ,whence if they do not conform their ,actions to the dictates of that1 they will ,naturally indeavour to warp their ,reason to a compliance with their practices3 ,a reconcilement one way1 or other1 between these1 being necessary to the making ,men1 that are not very profligate indeed1 in good conceit1 or even at ,peace with themselves4 ,by that want of ,knowledge which ,i have ventur'd to say is fashionable1 ,i understand not only ignorance among ,men1 who have leisure for it1 of ,arts and ,sciences in general2 but also1 and especially the want of such particular ,knowledge as is requisite to every one for the well discharging either their ,common or peculiar ,business and ,duty2 wherein ,religion is necessarily included1 as being the ,duty of all ,persons to understand1 of whatever ,sex1 ,condition1 or ,calling they are of4 ,now to affirm that the greater part of ,people are ignorant concerning that which is not only their ,duty to know1 but which also many are so sensible they ought to know1 as that they pretend to understand it enough to be either zealous about1 or else to contemn it2 and to assert likewise that they want the knowledge of what is peculiarly belonging to them1 in their particular ,station1 to understand2 are such ,charges as ought not to be alledg'd1 if they are not so evidently true1 as that we cannot open our ,eyes without seeing them to be so4 ,in respect of ,religion1 it is1 ,i think1 universally allow'd to be true of the common ,people of all sorts 7tho' surely not without ,matter of ,reproach to some1 or other1 whose ,care their better ,instruction ought to be7 that they are very ignorant4 ,but we will consider here only such superior ,ranks of ,persons1 in reference to whom what has already been said1 has been spoken3 ,and to begin with the ,female ,sex1 who certainly ought to be ,christians2 how many of these1 comparatively1 may it be presum'd that there are1 from the meanest ,gentlewoman to the greatest ,ladies1 that can give any such account of the ,christian ,religion1 as would inform an inquisitive ,stranger what it consisted in2 and what are the grounds of believing it8 ,such ,women as understand something of the distinguishing ,opinions of that ,denomination they have been bred up in1 are commonly thought highly intelligent in ,religion2 but ,i think there are but very few1 even of this little number1 who could well inform a rational ,heathen concerning ,christianity itself3 ,which is an ,ignorance inexcusable in them1 tho'1 perhaps1 it is very often the effect only of the want of other useful ,knowledge1 for the not having whereof1 ,women are much more to be pitty'd than blam'd4 ,the improvements of ,reason1 however requisite to ,ladies for their ,accomplishment1 as rational ,creatures2 and however needful to them for the well ,educating of their ,children1 and to their being useful in their ,families1 yet are rarely any recommendation of them to ,men2 who foolishly thinking1 that ,money will answer to all things1 do1 for the most part1 regard nothing else in the ,woman they would ,marry3 ,and not often finding what they do not look for1 it would be no wonder if their ,off-spring should inherit no more ,sense than themselves4 ,but be ,nature ever so kind to them in this respect1 yet through want of cultivating the ,tallents she bestows upon those of the ,female ,sex1 her ,bounty is usually lost upon them2 and ,girls1 betwixt silly ,fathers and ignorant ,mothers1 are generally so brought up1 that traditionary ,opinions are to them1 all their lives long1 instead of ,reason4 ,they are1 perhaps1 sometimes told in regard of what ,religion exacts1 ,that they must ,believe and ,do such and such things1 because the ,word of ,god requires it2 but they are not put upon searching the ,scriptures for themselves1 to see whether1 or no1 these things are so2 and they so little know why they should look upon the ,scriptures to be the ,word of ,god1 that but too often they are easily perswaded out of the ,reverence due to them as being so3 ,and 7if they happen to meet with such bad examples7 are not seldom brought from thence1 even to scoff at the ,documents of their ,education2 and1 in consequence thereof1 to have no ,religion at all4 ,whilst others 7naturally more dispos'd to be ,religious7 are either 7as divers in the ,apostles ,days were7 carry'd away with every wind of ,doctrine1 ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the ,truth2 ,weak1 ,superstitious1 ,useless ,creatures2 or else1 if more tenacious in their ,natures1 blindly and conceitedly weded to the ,principles and ,opinions of their ,spiritual ,guides2 who having the direction of their ,consciences1 rarely fail to have that also of their ,affairs and ,fortunes4 ,a ,wife of which sort proves1 very often1 no small unhappiness to the ,family where she comes2 for this kind of ignorant ,persons are1 of all others1 the most ,arrogant2 and when they are once intitl'd to ,saintship for their blind ,zeal1 as nothing is more troublesome than they in finding fault with1 and censuring every one that differs from them1 so to their ,admirers 7who lead them as they please7 they think they can never pay enough for that ,incence which is offer'd them3 ,the dearest ,interests of ,humane ,life being1 oftentimes1 thus sacrific'd to a vain ,image of ,piety2 whilst makers of long ,prayers have devour'd ,widows ,houses4 ,but what is here said implying that ,ladies should so well understand their ,religion1 as to be able to answer both to such who oppose1 and to such who misrepresent it2 this may seem1 perhaps1 to require that they should have the ,science of ,doctors1 and be well skill'd in ,theological ,disputes and ,controversies2 than the ,study of which ,i suppose there could scarce be found for them a more useless ,employment4 ,but whether such ,patrons of ,ignorance as know nothing themselves which they ought to know1 will call it ,learning1 or not1 to understand the ,christian ,religion1 and the grounds of receiving it2 it is evident that they who think so much knowledge1 as that1 to be needless for a ,woman1 must either not be perswaded of the ,truth of ,christianity2 or else must believe that ,women are not concern'd to be ,christians4 ,for if ,christianity be a ,religion from ,god1 and ,women have ,souls to be sav'd as well as ,men2 to know what this ,religion consists in1 and to understand the grounds on which it is to be receiv'd1 can be no more than necessary ,knowledge to a ,woman1 as well as to a ,man3 ,which necessary ,knowledge is sufficient to inable any one so far to answer to the ,opposers or ,corrupters of ,christianity1 as to secure them from the danger of being impos'd upon by such ,mens ,argumentations2 which is all that ,i have thought requisite for a ,lady2 and not that she should be prepar'd to challenge every ,adversary to ,truth4 ,now that thus much knowledge requires neither ,learned ,education1 or great ,study1 to the attaining of it1 appears in that the first ,christians were mean and illiterate ,people2 to which part of ,mankind the ,gospel may rather be thought to have had a more especial regard than that they are any way excluded from the ,benefits thereof by incapacity in them to receive it4 ,in the ,apostles ,days there were not many ,wise who were call'd1 and he tells us that after that the ,world by ,wisdom knew not ,god3 it pleased ,god by the foolishness of ,preaching to save them that believe1 and tho' to the perfect the same ,apostle says1 he did ,preach ,wisdom1 yet it was the simplicity and plainness of the ,christian ,religion that made it to the ,jews a stumbling block1 and to the ,greeks foolishness4 ,from whence1 we see that all ,theorems too abstruse for ,vulgar ,apprehensions1 which ,christianity is believ'd to ,teach1 however ,divine ,truths1 are yet no part of the ,doctrine of ,salvation4 ,there is not therefore this pretence to impose upon any one the belief of any thing which they do not find to be reveal'd in ,scripture2 the doing of which1 has not only caus'd deplorable dissentions among ,christians1 but also been an occasion to multitudes of well meaning ,people of having so confus'd and unsatisfactory conceptions and apprehensions concerning the ,christian ,religion as tho' perhaps not absolutely1 or immediately prejudicial to their ,salvation1 yet are so to their seeing clearly that ,christianity is a rational ,religion2 without which few will be very secure from the infection of ,scepticism1 or ,infidelity1 where those are become fashionable1 and prevailing4 ,a danger to which many ,women are no less expos'd than ,men1 and oftentimes1 more so4 ,whence it is but needful that they should so well understand their ,religion as to be ,christians upon the ,convictions of their ,reason2 which is indeed no more than one would think it became every ,christian1 as a rational ,creature1 to be2 were this not requisite in regard of ,scepticism1 and ,infidelity1 as to some it is not2 there being1 no doubt1 many a ,country ,gentlewoman who has never in her ,life heard ,question'd1 or once imagined that any one in their ,wits could ,question the ,articles of her ,faith2 which yet she her self knows not why she believes4 ,from the too ,notorious ,truth of what has been said in reference to the little that ,women know concerning ,religion1 it must be granted that the generality of them are shamefully ,ignorant herein4 ,as for other ,science1 it is believ'd so improper for1 and is indeed so little allow'd them1 that it is not to be expected from them3 but the cause of this is only the ,ignorance of ,men4 ,the ,age1 we live in1 has been1 not undeservedly1 esteem'd a knowing one3 ,but to the ,learned ,clergy much has been owing for its having obtain'd that ,character2 and tho' some few ,gentlemen have been the greatest advancers of ,learning amongst us2 yet they are very rare who apply themselves to any ,science that is curious3 ,and as for such knowledge as is no less than requisite for ,men of ,families1 and ,estates to have in regard of the proper business of their ,station2 it may1 ,i think1 be said that never was this more neglected than at present2 since there is not a commoner complaint in every ,county than of the want of ,gentlemen ,qualified for the ,service of their ,country1 viz4 to be ,executors of the ,law1 and ,law ,makers2 both of which it belonging to this ,rank of ,english ,men to be1 some insight into the ,law which they are to see ,executed1 and into that ,constitution which they are to support1 cannot but be necessary to their well dischargeing these ,trusts3 ,nor will this ,knowledge be sufficiently ,servicable to the ,ends herein propos'd1 without some ,acquaintance likewise with ,history1 ,politicks1 and ,morals4 ,every one of these then are parts of ,knowledge which an ,english ,gentleman cannot1 without blame1 be ,ignorant of1 as being essential to the duly ,qualifying him for what is his proper business4 ,but whether we farther look upon such ,men as having ,immortal ,souls that shall be for ever ,happy or ,miserable1 as they comply with the ,terms which their ,maker has propos'd to them2 or whether we regard them as ,protestants1 whose ,birthright it is not blindly to ,believe1 but to ,examine their ,religion2 ,or consider them only as ,men whose ample ,fortunes allow them leisure for so important a ,study1 they are without doubt oblig'd to understand the ,religion they profess4 ,adding this then to what it is above concluded a ,gentleman ought to know1 let us examine how common such ,knowledge only is amongst our ,gentlemen1 as we see1 without just matter of ,reproach to them1 they cannot want3 ,no one1 ,i think1 will deny that so much knowledge as this is so little ordinary1 as that those are apparently the far greater number who have never consider'd any part hereof as an ,acquisition1 which they ought to make2 and that they are but a few comparatively1 and pass among us for ,men extraordinary1 who have but a competent knowledge in any one of the above-mention'd things4 ,what is by the ,obligations of their ,duty exacted from them in this regard1 seems to be very little reflected on by them2 and as for other ,considerations1 which1 as ,gentlemen1 might be thought to induce them1 their ,ancestors care has distinguish'd them from their ,tenants1 and other inferior ,neighbours1 by ,titles and ,riches2 and that is all the distinction which they desire to have2 believing it1 in respect of ,knowledge1 sufficient1 if they did once understand a little ,latin or ,logick in the ,university2 which whoso still retains1 altho' he has made no use thereof to the real improvement of his understanding1 is yet thought very highly accomplish'd1 and passes 7in the ,country7 for ,learned4 ,as to ,religion1 by the little which most ,gentlemen understand of that1 and by the no shame which they ordinarily enough have in avowing this their ignorance1 one cannot but suppose that it is pretty commonly thought by them a matter1 the understanding whereof does not concern them3 ,that the ,publick has provided others to do this for them3 ,and that their part herein is but to maintain 7so far as by their ,authority they can7 what those ,men assert4 ,thus wretchedly destitute of all that ,knowledge which they ought to have1 are 7generally speaking7 our ,english ,gentlemen3 ,and being so1 what wonder can it be1 if they like not that ,women should have ,knowledge2 for this is a quality that will give some sort of superiority even to those who care not to have it8 ,but such ,men as these would assuredly find their account much better therein1 if tenderness of that ,prerogative would teach them a more legitimate way of maintaining it1 than such a one as is a very great impediment or discouragement1 at the least1 to others in the doing what ,god requires of them4 ,for it is an undeniable ,truth that a ,lady who is able but to give an account of her ,faith1 and to defend her ,religion against the attaques of the ,cavilling ,wits of the ,age2 or the ,abuses of the ,obtruders of vain ,opinions3 ,that is capable of instructing her ,children in the reasonableness of the ,christian ,religion2 and of laying in them the ,foundations of a solid ,vertue2 that a ,lady 7,i say7 no more knowing than this does demand1 can hardly escape being call'd ,learned by the ,men of our days2 and in consequence thereof1 becoming a ,subject of ,ridicule to one part of them1 and of ,aversion to the other2 with but a few exceptions of some vertuous and rational ,persons4 ,and is not the incuring of general dislike1 one of the strongest discouragements that we can have to any thing8 ,if the assistance of ,mothers be1 as ,i have already affirm'd it is1 necessary to the right forming of the ,minds1 and regulating of the ,manners of their ,children2 ,i am not in the wrong in reckoning 7as ,i do7 that this care is indispensibly a ,mothers ,duty4 ,now it cannot1 ,i think1 be doubted1 but that a ,mothers ,concurrence and ,care is thus necessary1 if we consider that this is a work which can never be too soon begun1 it being rarely at all well performed1 if not betimes undertaken2 nothing being so effectual to the making ,men vertuous1 as to have good ,habits and ,principles of ,vertue establish'd in them before the ,mind is tainted with any thing opposite or prejudicial hereunto4 ,those therefore must needs much over-look the chief ,business of ,education1 or have little consider'd the ,constitution of ,humane ,nature1 that reckon for nothing the first eight or ten ,years of a ,boys ,life2 an ,age wherein ,fathers1 who seldom are able to do it at any time1 can neither charge themselves with the care of their ,children1 nor be the watchful inspectors of those that they must be trusted to2 who usually and unavoidably by most ,parents1 are a sort of ,people far fitter to be ,learners than ,teachers of the ,principles of ,vertue and ,wisdom2 the great ,foundation of both which consists in being able to govern our ,passions1 and subject our ,appetites to the direction of our ,reason3 ,a ,lesson hardly ever well learnt1 if it be not taught us from our very ,cradles4 ,to do which requires no less than a ,parents ,care and ,watchfulness2 and therefore ought undoubtedly to be the ,mothers business to look after1 under whose ,eye they are4 ,an exemption from which1 ,quality 7even of the highest degree7 cannot give2 since the ,relation between the ,mother and ,child is equal amongst all ,ranks of ,people4 ,and it is a very preposterous ,abuse of ,quality to make it a pretence for being unnatural4 ,this is a ,truth which perhaps would displease many ,ladies were it told them1 and therefore1 probably1 it is that they so seldom hear it3 ,but none of them could be so much offended with any one for desiring hereby to restrain them from some of their expensive and ridiculous ,diversions1 by an employment so worthy of ,rational ,creatures1 and so becoming of maternal tenderness1 as it is just to be with them for neglecting their ,children3 ,a ,fault that women of ,quality are every way too often guilty of1 and are perhaps more without excuse for1 than for any other that they are ordinarily taxable with4 ,for tho' it is to be fear'd that few ,ladies 7from the disadvantage of their own ,education7 are so well fitted as they ought to be1 to take the care of their ,children1 yet not to be willing to do what they can herein1 either as thinking this a matter of too much pains for them1 or below their ,condition1 expresses so senseless a ,pride1 and so much want of the affectionate and compassionate ,tenderness natural to that ,sex and ,relation1 that one would almost be tempted to question whether such ,women were any more capable of1 than worthy to be the ,mothers of ,rational ,creatures4 ,but natural ,affection apart1 it should be consider'd by these1 that no one is ,born into the ,world to live idly2 enjoying the ,fruit and ,benefit of other ,peoples ,labours1 without contributing reciprocally some way or other1 to the good of the ,community answerably to that ,station wherein ,god 7the common ,father of all7 has plac'd them2 who has evidently intended ,humane kind for ,society and mutual ,communion1 as ,members of the same ,body1 useful every one each to other in their respective places4 ,now in what can ,women whose ,condition puts them above all the ,necessities or ,cares of a mean or scanty ,fortune1 at once so honourably and so usefully1 both to themselves and others1 be employ'd in as in looking after the ,education and ,instruction of their own ,children8 ,this seems indeed to be more particularly the ,business and ,duty of such than of any others3 ,and if example be necessary to perswade them that they will not herein do any thing mis-becoming their ,rank1 the greatest ,ladies amongst us may be assur'd that those of a ,condition superior to theirs1 have heretofore been so far from thinking it any abasement to them to charge themselves with the instruction of their own ,children1 that 7to their ,immortal ,honour7 they have made it part of their ,business to assist to that of other ,peoples also1 who were likely one day to be of consequence to the ,common-wealth4 ,and could the bare ,love of their ,country induce1 among many more1 the great ,cornelia1 ,mother of the ,gracchi1 and ,aurelia the ,mother of ,julius ,caesar1 to do this for the ,sons of ,noble-men of ,rome to whom they had no ,relation but that of their common ,country1 and shall not the like consideration1 or what is infinitely beyond this1 that of their ,children being hereafter for ever happy or miserable1 accordingly as they live in this ,world1 prevail with the ,ladies of our ,days1 who call themselves ,christians1 to employ some of their ,time and ,pains upon their own ,off-spring8 ,the care of which 7as has been said7 should begin with the first ,years of ,childrens ,lives1 in curbing at the earliest appearance thereof1 every their least evil inclination2 and accustoming them to an absolute1 constant1 and universal ,submission and ,obedience to the ,will of those who have the disposal of them3 ,since they will hardly ever after 7especially in a great ,fortune7 be govern'd by their own ,reason1 who are not made supple to that of others1 before they are able to judge of fit and unfit1 by any other measure than as it is the ,will1 or not1 of such whom they believe to have a just ,power over them4 ,as they do become capable of examining and determining their ,actions by ,reason1 they should be taught never to do any thing of consequence heedlesly2 and to look upon the ,dictates of their ,reason as so inviolable a ,rule of their ,determinations1 that no ,passion or ,appetite must ever make them swerve therefrom4 ,but instead of following this ,method1 it is commonly thought too soon to correct ,children for any thing1 'till the ,season is past for this sort of ,discipline2 which1 if it come too late1 is commonly so far from producing the good it was design'd for1 that losing the benefit of ,correction 7which1 if duly apply'd1 is of infinite use7 it turns to a ,provocation2 and renders stiff and incorrigible a ,temper it was meant to supple4 ,nor is it seldom that through this wrong tim'd ,discipline1 together with that remisness and inequality wherewith ,childrens ,inclinations are over-rul'd1 their ,parents ,government over them seems to them not a ,natural1 and just right establish'd for their benefit1 but a ,tyrannick and ,arbritary ,power1 which accordingly they without ,remorse disobey1 whenever they believe that they can do so with ,impunity3 ,and what is still worse1 their evil ,dispositions1 for the most part1 are not only not timely enough restrain'd1 but ,children are actually taught to indulge to their naturally irregular ,inclinations1 by those ,vicious or wretchedly ignorant ,people1 who are plac'd about them2 and who almost universally instil down-right ,vice into them1 even before they can well speak2 as ,revenge1 ,covetousness1 ,pride and ,envy3 ,whilst the silly ,creatures who do them so unspeakable ,mischiefs are scarce capable of being made to understand the harm that they do2 but think ,parents ill-natur'd1 or that they have fancies fit only to be smil'd at1 who will deny their ,child a thing for no other reason1 it may be1 but because he has desir'd it3 ,and who before he is trusted to go alone will check his ,resentment1 ,impatience1 ,avarice1 or ,vanity1 which they think becomes him so prettily2 neither will suffer him to be rewarded for doing what they bid him to do4 ,this ,i am sure1 that who so has try'd how very little ,sense is to be met with1 or can be infus'd into ,nurses1 and ,nurse-,maids2 and with what difficulty even the best of them by those who make it their business to watch over them1 are restrain'd from what they are perswaded has no hurt in it1 will soon be satisfy'd how little fit it is to trust ,children any more than is necessary1 in such ,hands4 ,and no wiser than such1 if not much worse1 are the greatest part of those who are usually their immediate ,successors1 viz4 young ,scholars and ,french ,maids1 erected into ,tutors and ,governesses1 only for the sake of a little ,latin and ,french4 ,in ,mr4 ,l---- s excellent ,treatise of ,education1 he shews how early and how great a ,watchfulness and ,prudence are requisite to the forming the ,mind of a ,child to ,vertue2 and whoso shall read what he has writ on that ,subject1 will1 it is very likely1 think that few ,mothers are qualify'd for such an undertaking as this3 ,but that they are not so is the ,fault which should be amended3 ,in the mean time nevertheless1 their presum'd willingness to be in the right1 where the ,happiness of their ,children is concerned in it1 must certainly inable them1 if they were but once convinc'd that this was their ,duty1 to perform it much better than such ,people will do1 who have as little ,skill and ,ability for it as themselves2 and who besides1 that they rarely desire to learn any more than they have1 are not induc'd by ,affection to do for those under their care all the ,good that they can4 ,since then the ,affairs either of ,men's ,callings1 or of their private ,estates1 or the ,service of their ,country 7all which are indispensibly their ,business7 allows them not the leisure to look daily after the ,education of their ,children2 and that1 otherwise1 also they are naturally less capable than ,women of that ,complaisance and ,tenderness1 which the right ,instruction and ,direction of that ,age requires2 and since ,servants are so far from being fit to be rely'd upon in that great concern1 that to watch against the ,impediments they actually bring thereto1 is no small part of the care that a wise ,parent has to take2 ,i do presume that 7ordinarily speaking7 this so necessary a ,work of forming betimes the ,minds of ,children so as to dispose them to be hereafter ,wise and ,vertuous ,men and ,women1 cannot be perform'd but by ,mothers only4 ,it being a thing practicable but by a very few to purchase the having always ,wise1 ,vertuous and well ,bred ,people1 to take the place of a ,parent in governing their ,children2 and together with them such ,servants and ,teachers1 as must peculiarly be employ'd about them2 ,for the ,world does not necessarily abound with such ,persons as these1 and in such circumstances as not to pretend to more profitable employments than ,men of one or two thousand ,pounds a ,year 7and much less those great numbers who have smaller ,estates7 can often afford to make the care of governing their ,children from their ,infancy to be4 ,the procuring of such a ,person as this may 7by accident7 sometimes be in such a ones ,power2 but to propose the ingaging for reward whenever there shall be need for them1 vertuous1 wife1 and well-bred ,men and ,women1 to spend their time in taking care of the ,education of young ,children1 is what can be done but by a very few2 since the doing this would not be found an easy charge to the greater part of almost any rank amongst us2 unless they would be content for the sake hereof to abridge themselves of some of their extravagant ,expences2 which are usually the last that ,men will deny themselves4 ,it is indeed wonderful 7if we consider ,men as rational ,creatures7 to see how much ,mony they will often bestow1 not upon their ,vices only1 7for this is not so unaccountable7 but upon meerly fashionable ,vanities1 which give them more ,trouble than ,pleasure in the enjoyment3 ,yet at the same time be as sparing1 as is possible1 of cost upon a ,child's ,education2 and it is certain1 that for ,rewards considerable enough to make it worth their while1 those of a far different ,character from such as for the most part undertake it1 would be induc'd to accept even the early charge of ,childrens ,instruction4 ,but every ,gentleman of a good ,family1 or good ,estate also1 is not in ,circumstances to propound such sufficient ,rewards2 and for what the most can afford to give1 very few capable of performing this matter well1 will trouble themselves about it2 at least with such ,pupils as must be attended with ,nurses or ,maids4 ,wherefore no other remedy1 ,i believe1 can be found but in returning still to our ,conclusion1 ,that this great concernment1 on which no less than ,peoples ,temporal and ,eternal ,happiness does mightily depend1 ought to be the ,care and ,business of ,mothers4 ,nor do ,women seem less peculiarly adapted by ,nature hereunto1 than it can be imagin'd they should be1 if the ,author of ,nature 7as no doubt he did7 design'd this to be their ,province in that division of ,cares of ,humane ,life1 which ought to be made between a ,man and his ,wife4 ,for that softness1 gentleness and tenderness1 natural to the ,female ,sex1 renders them much more capable than ,men are of such an insinuating ,condescention to the ,capacities of young ,children1 as is necessary in the ,instruction and ,government of them1 insensibly to form their early ,inclinations4 ,and surely these distinguishing ,qualities of the ,sex were not given barely to delight1 when they may1 so manifestly1 be profitable also1 if joyn'd with a well informed ,understanding3 ,from whence1 viz4 from ,womans being naturally thus fitted to take this care of their little ,ones1 it follows1 that besides the injustice done to themselves thereby1 it is neglecting the ,direction of ,nature for the well breeding up of ,children1 when ,ladies are render'd uncapable hereof1 through the want of such due improvements of their ,reason as are requisite hereunto4 ,that this has been no more reflected upon from a ,principle of ,pitty to that tender ,age of ,children which so much requires help1 seems very strange3 ,for what can move a juster ,commiseration than to see such poor innocents1 so far from having the ,aid they stand in need of1 that even those who the most wish to do them good1 and who resent1 with the deepest ,compassion1 every little ,malady which afflicts their ,bodies1 do never attempt to rescue them from the greatest evils which attend them in this ,life1 but even themselves assist to plunge them therein1 by cherishing in them those ,passions which will inevitably render them miserable8 ,a thing which can never be otherwise whilst ,women are bred up in no right ,notions of ,religion and ,vertue2 or to know any use of ,reason but in the service of their ,passions and ,inclinations2 or at best of their 7comparatively trivial7 ,interests4 ,to assert upon this occasion1 that ,ladies would do well1 if1 before they came to the care of ,families1 they did imploy some of their many idle ,hours in gaming a little ,knowledge in ,languages1 and the useful ,sciences1 would be1 ,i know1 to contradict the ,sense of most ,men2 but yet1 ,i think1 that such an ,assertion admits of no other ,confutation than the usual one which opposite ,opinions to theirs are wont to receive from ,people who ,reason not1 but live by ,fancy1 and ,custom2 viz4 being laugh'd at3 ,for it cannot be deny'd that this ,knowledge would hereafter be more1 or less1 useful to ,ladies1 in inabling them either themselves to teach their ,children1 or better to over-see and direct1 those who do so3 ,and tho' ,learning is perhaps the least part in ,education1 it is not to be neglected2 but even betimes taken some care of1 least a ,habit of ,idleness1 or ,inapplication of the ,mind be got1 which once contracted1 is very hardly cur'd4 ,this being so1 and that the beginnings of all ,science are difficult to ,children 7who cannot like grown ,people fix their ,attention7 it is justly to befear'd that they should by the ill usage they receive from the impatience and peevishness of such ,teachers1 as ,servants1 or ,young ,tutors1 take an ,aversion to ,learning 7and we see in effect1 that this very frequently happens74 ,for the ,teaching of little ,children so as not to disgust them1 does require much greater ,patience and ,address1 than common ,people are often capable of2 or than most can imagine1 who have not had experience hereof4 ,but should such ,teachers as we have spoke of1 have the necessary complaisance for those they ,teach1 there is then1 on the other side1 a yet greater danger to be apprehended from them1 which is that their ,pupils will become fond of them2 the bad effect of which will be1 ,that by an ,affectation ,natural in ,children of imitating those they ,love1 they will have their ,manners and ,dispositions ,tinctur'd and ,tainted by those of ,persons so dear to them4 ,now both the inconveniences here mention'd1 might1 at least in great measure1 if not wholly1 be ,remedy'd1 would ,mothers but be at so much ,pains as to ,teach their ,children either altogether1 or in good part themselves1 what it is fit for them to learn in the first ,eight or ,ten ,years of their ,lives4 ,as to ,read ,english perfectly2 ,to understand ordinary ,latin2 and ,arithmetick2 with some general knowledge of ,geography1 ,chronology1 and ,history4 ,most1 or all of which things may at the above-said ,age be understood by a ,child of a very ordinary capacity2 and may be so taught ,children as that they may learn them almost insensibly in ,play1 if they have skilful ,teachers3 ,it seems to me therefore that ,young ,ladies cannot better employ so much of their ,time as is requisite hereto1 than in acquiring such ,qualifications as these1 which may be of so great use to them hereafter2 however1 if any who have not made this early ,provision of such ,science1 are yet truly desirous to do their ,children all the good that is in their ,power to do them1 they may1 tho' not with the same ,facility1 yet be able to instruct them alike1 notwithstanding that disadvantage2 and ,mr4 ,l---- on the ,experience thereof1 has asserted1 ,that a ,mother who understands not ,latin before hand1 may yet teach it to her ,child2 which1 if she can1 it is not to be doubted but that she may do the same of all the rest2 for such a ,superficial ,knowledge as will serve to enter any one in every of the above-named ,sciences1 is much easier attain'd than the ,latin ,tongue2 and if a ,mother have ever so little more ,capacity than her ,child1 she may easily keep before him1 in teaching both him and her self together2 whereby she will make herself the best ,reparation that she can for her past neglect1 or that of her ,parents herein3 ,who yet1 perhaps1 not from negligence may have declin'd giving her this advantage4 ,for ,parents sometimes do purposely omit it from an apprehension that should their ,daughters be perceiv'd to understand any learned ,language1 or be conversant in ,books1 they might be in danger of not finding ,husbands2 so few ,men1 as do1 relishing these accomplishments in a ,lady4 ,nor1 probably1 would even the example of a ,mother herself who was thus qualify'd1 and likewise understood1 as is afore-said1 her ,religion1 be any great incouragement to her ,daughters to imitate her example1 but the contrary4 ,for this ,knowledge1 one part whereof is so strictly the ,duty of a ,christian1 and the other so inconsiderable to those whose ,time commonly lies upon their ,hands1 would in itself1 or in the consequences of it1 expose a young ,woman of ,quality 7especially if not thought unfit for the fashionable ,commerce of the ,world7 to be characteriz'd or censur'd1 as would not be very pleasing to her4 ,for if it be consider'd1 that she who did seriously desire to make the best use of what she knew1 would necessarily be oblig'd 7for the gaining of ,time wherein she might do so7 to order the ,course1 and manner of her ,life something differently from others of her ,sex and ,condition1 it cannot be doubted but that a ,conduct1 which carry'd with it so much ,reproach to ,woman's ,idleness1 and disappointment to ,men's ,vanity1 would quickly be judg'd fit to be ridicul'd out of the ,world before others were infected by the example4 ,so that the best ,fate which a ,lady thus knowing1 and singular1 could expect1 would be that hardly escaping ,calumny1 she should be in ,town the ,jest of the ,would-be-,witts2 tho wonder of ,fools1 and a ,scarecrow to keep from her ,house many honest ,people who are to be pitty'd for having no more ,wit than they have1 because it is not their own ,fault that they have no more4 ,but in the ,country she would1 probably1 fare still worse2 for there her understanding of the ,christian ,religion would go near to render her suspected of ,heresy even by those who thought the best of her3 ,whilst her little ,zeal for any ,sect or ,party would make the ,clergy of all sorts give her out for a ,socinian or a ,deist3 ,and should but a very little ,philosophy be added to her other ,knowledge1 even for an ,atheist4 ,the ,parson of the ,parish1 for fear of being ask'd hard ,questions1 would be shy of coming near her1 were his ,reception ever so inviting2 and this could not but carry some ill intimation with it to such as ,reverenc'd the ,doctor1 and who1 it is likely1 might be already satisfy'd from the ,reports of ,nurses1 and ,maids1 that their ,lady was indeed a ,woman of very odd ,whimsies4 ,her prudent ,conduct and ,management of her affairs would probably secure her from being thought out of her ,wits by her near ,neighbours2 but the ,country ,gentlemen that wish'd her well1 could not yet chuse but be afraid for her1 lest too much ,learning might in ,time make her ,mad4 ,the saving of but one ,soul from ,destruction1 is1 it is true1 a noble recompense for ten ,thousand such ,censurers as these2 but it is wondrous strange that only to be a ,christian1 with so much other ,knowledge as a ,child of ,nine or ,ten ,years ,old may1 and ought to have1 should expose a ,lady to so great ,reproaches2 ,and what a shame is this for ,men whose woful ,ignorance is the alone ,cause thereof8 ,for it is manifestly true that if the inimitable ,author of ,les ,caracteres1 ou les ,moeurs de ce ,siecle1 had demanded in ,england1 who forbids ,knowledge to ,women8 ,it must have been answer'd him1 the ,ignorance of the ,men does so2 and the same ,answer ,i think he might have receiv'd in his own ,country4 ,monsieur ,bruyere says indeed1 and likely it is1 ,that ,men have made no ,laws1 or put out any ,edicts whereby ,women are prohibited to open their ,eyes2 to ,read2 to ,remember what they ,read1 and to make use thereof in their ,conversation1 or in composing of ,works4 ,but surely he had little ,reason to suppose1 as he herein does1 that ,women could not otherwise than by ,laws and ,edicts be restrain'd from ,learning4 ,it is sufficient for this that no body assists them in it2 and that they are made to see betimes that it would be disadvantageous to them to have it4 ,for how few ,men are there1 that arrive to any ,eminence therein8 tho' ,learning is not only not prohibited to them by ,laws and ,edicts2 but that ordinarily much ,care1 and ,pains1 is taken to give it them2 and that great ,profits1 oftentimes1 and1 always1 ,honour attends their having it4 ,the ,law of ,fashion1 establish'd by ,repute and ,disrepute1 is to most ,people the powerfullest of all ,laws1 as ,monsieur ,bruyere very well knew2 whose too ,satyrical ,genius makes him assign as ,causes of ,womens not having ,knowledge1 the universally necessary consequences of being bred in the want thereof4 ,but what on different occasions he says of the ,sex1 will either on the one part vindicate them1 or else serve for an ,instance that this ,ingenious ,writers ,reflections1 however witty1 are not always instructive1 or just ,corrections4 ,for either ,women have generally some other more powerful ,principle of their ,actions than what terminates in rendering themselves pleasing to ,men 7as he insinuates they have not7 or else they neglect the improvement of their ,minds and ,understandings1 as not finding them of any use to that purpose2 whence it is not equal in him to charge it peculiarly 7as he does7 upon that ,sex 7if it be indeed so much chargeable on them as on ,men7 that they are diverted from ,science by une curiosit toute differente de celle qui contente l',espirt3 ou un tout autre gout que celuy d'exercer leur ,memoire4 ,yet since ,i think it is but ,natural1 and alike so in both ,sexes1 to desire to please the other1 ,i may1 ,i suppose1 without any ,injurious ,reflexion upon ,ladies1 presume1 that if ,men did usually find ,women the more amiable for being knowing1 they would much more commonly1 than now they are1 be so4 ,but the ,knowledge hitherto spoken of has a nobler ,aim than the pleasing of ,men1 and begs only ,toleration from them2 in granting whereof they would at least equally consult their own advantage3 as they could not but find1 did ,they not by a common ,folly1 incident to ,humane ,nature1 hope that contradictions should subsist together in their ,favour2 from whence only it is that very many who would not that ,women should have ,knowledge1 do yet complain of1 and very impatiently bear the ,natural1 and unavoidable consequences of their ,ignorance4 ,but what sure ,remedy can be found for ,effects whose ,cause remains8 and on what ground can it be expected that ,ignorance and uninstructed ,persons should have the ,venues which proceed from a rightly inform'd ,understanding1 and well cultivated ,mind8 or not be liable to those ,vices which their ,natures incline them to8 ,and how should it otherwise be than that they1 who have never consider'd the ,nature and ,constitution of ,things1 or weigh'd the ,authority of the ,divine ,law1 and what it exacts of them1 should be perswaded that nothing can be so truly profitable to them as the ,indulgence of their present ,passions1 and ,appetites8 ,which whoso places their ,happiness in the satisfaction of1 cannot fail of being themselves miserable1 or of making those so who are concern'd in them4 ,humane ,nature is not capable of durable satisfaction when the ,passions and ,appetites are not under the direction of right ,reason3 ,and whilst we eagerly pursue what disappoints our expectation1 or cloys with the ,enjoyment1 as all irregular pleasures1 however ,natural1 do2 and whilst we daily create to our selves desires still more vain1 as thinking thereby to be supply'd with new ,delights1 we shall ever 7instead of finding true ,contentment7 be subjected to uneasiness1 disgust and vexation3 ,the unhappy state more1 or less1 of all who want that ,knowledge which is requisite to direct their ,actions suitably to the ,ends which as rational ,creatures they ought to propose3 and as can inable them profitably to employ their ,time4 ,but since ,examples do the best perswade1 let us see1 with respect to ,women1 in the most considerable ,instances1 what plainly are the ,natural consequences of that ,ignorance which they usually are bred in2 and which ,men think so advantageous to themselves4 ,we will suppose then a ,lady bred1 as the generality of ,men think she should be1 in a blind belief concerning ,religion2 and taught that it is even ridiculous for a ,lady to trouble her ,head about this matter2 since it is so far from being a ,science fit for her1 that it indeed properly belongs only to ,gown-,men3 and that a ,woman very well ,merits to be laugh'd at who will act the ,doctor3 ,her ,duty in the case being plain and easie2 as requiring only of her to believe and practice what she is taught at ,church1 or in such ,books of ,piety as shall be recommended to her by her ,parents1 or some ,spiritual ,director4 ,this is generally1 ,i think1 the ,sense of ,men concerning the ,knowledge which ,ladies ought to have of ,religion3 ,and thus much1 ,i doubt not may suffice for their ,salvation4 ,but the saving of their ,souls 7tho' it were herein as sure as it is possible7 is not1 ,i suppose1 all that ,men are ,solicitous for in regard of their ,wives2 their own ,honour in that of those so near to them1 does ,i think1 much more frequently and sensibly employ their ,care3 ,and that1 too often1 appears to be but very weakly secur'd by such an implicit ,faith as this4 ,for these ,believers 7especially if they are thought to have any ,wit1 as well as ,beauty7 will hardly escape meeting some time or other1 with those who will ask them why they ,believe2 and if they find then that they have no more ,reason for going to ,church than they should have had to go to ,mass1 or even to the ,synagogue1 had they been bred amongst ,papists or ,jews1 they must needs1 at the same time1 doubt whether1 or no1 the ,faith they have been brought up in1 is any righter than either of these2 from whence they will1 7by easy steps7 be induc'd to question the ,truth of all ,religion1 when they shall be told by those who have insinuated themselves into their ,esteem and good ,graces1 that indeed ,all ,religions are1 alike1 the ,inventions and ,artifices of cunning ,men to govern the ,world by2 unworthy of imposing upon such as have their good ,sense3 ,that ,fools only1 and ,ignorants are kept in ,awe1 and restrain'd by their ,precepts2 which1 if they observe it1 they shall ever find1 are the lest obey'd by those who pretend the most to obtrude them upon others4 ,that this is ,language which ,women often hear is certain3 ,and such a one as knows no reason for what she has been taught to believe1 but has been reprov'd1 perhaps1 for demanding one1 can very hardly avoid being perswaded that there is much appearance of ,truth in this2 whence she will soon come to conclude1 that she has hitherto been in the wrong1 if upon any scruple of ,religion1 she has not gratify'd her ,inclination1 in whatever she imagines might tend to make her ,life more pleasing to her4 ,and should a young ,lady1 thus dispos'd1 find a ,lover whom she thinks has a just value for all her good ,qualities1 which at best1 perhaps1 procure her but the cold ,civility of her ,husband1 it is odds that she may be in danger of giving him cause to wish she had been better instructed1 than may possibly suffice for her ,salvation3 ,which1 whatever happens1 none can pronounce1 may not be secur'd from the allowances due to so great ,ignorance1 or at least by any timely ,repentance3 ,whilst ,honour1 if not intirely ,ship-wrack'd1 it is scarce reasonable to hope1 should suffer no ,diminution on such an occasion2 the which1 that ,women the most vertuously dispos'd1 may never be within distance of1 will1 in an ,age like this1 be best provided for by their being betimes instructed in the true ,reasons and ,measures of their ,duty2 since those1 who are so1 are not only better able to defend their ,vertue1 but have also the seldomest occasion for such a defence4 ,men1 how ill soever inclin'd1 being aw'd by1 and made asham'd to attaque with so pittiful ,arguments1 as ,vice admits of1 such as they see are rationally ,vertuous2 whilst easy ignorance is look'd upon as a ,prey expos'd to every bold ,invader3 ,and whatever ,garb of ,gravity or ,modesty it is cloath'd withal1 invites such very often1 even where the ,charms of the ,person would not otherwise attract them4 ,but as such ,men who think that the understanding of ,religion is a thing needless to ,women1 do commonly much more believe all other rational ,knowledge to be so2 let us see how reasonably these same ,men who willingly allow not to ,ladies any employment of their ,thoughts worthy of them as rational ,creatures1 do yet complain1 that either ,play is their daily and expensive pastime2 or that they love not to be at home taking care of their ,children1 as did heretofore ,ladies who were honour'd for their ,vertue2 but that an eternal round of idle ,visits1 the ,park1 ,court1 ,play-houses and ,musick ,meetings1 with all the costly ,preparations to being seen in publick1 do constantly take up their ,time and their ,thoughts4 ,for how heavy an ,accusation soever this1 in itself1 is1 may it not justly be demanded of such ,men as we have spoken of1 what good they imagine ,mothers who understand nothing that is fit for their ,children to know1 should procure to them by being much in their ,company3 ,and next1 whether they indeed think it equitable to desire to confine ,ladies to spend the best part of their ,lives in the ,society and company of little ,children2 when to play with them as a more entertaining sort of ,monkeys or ,parroquets1 is all the pleasing ,conversation that they are capable of having with them8 ,for no other ,delight can ignorant ,women take in the ,company of young ,children2 and if to desire this1 is not equitable or just1 must it not be concluded1 that the greatest part of those1 who make the above-mention'd ,complaints1 do really mean nothing else thereby1 but1 by a colourable and handsome pretence1 to oblige their ,wives1 either to be less expensive1 or to avoid1 it may be1 the occasions of gaining ,admirers which may make them uneasy8 ,neither can such1 possibly1 be presum'd upon any ,principle of ,vertue1 to disapprove those ways of anothers spending their ,time1 or ,mony1 which themselves will either upon no consideration forbear2 or else do so only1 from a preference of things as little1 or yet less reasonable2 as ,drinking1 ,gaming1 or ,lew'd ,company4 ,such ,persons of both ,sexes as ,these1 are indeed but fit ,scourges to chastise each others ,folly2 and they do so sufficiently1 whilst either restraint on the one side begets unconquerable hatred and aversion2 or else an equal indulgence puts all their ,affairs into an intire confusion and disorder3 ,whence ,want1 mutual ill ,will1 ,disobedience of ,children1 their ,extravagance1 and all the ill effects of neglected ,government1 and bad ,example follow2 till they make such a ,family a very ,purgatory to every one who lives in it4 ,and as the ,original cause of all these mischiefs is ,peoples not living like rational ,creatures1 but giving themselves up to the blind ,conduct of their ,desires and ,appetites2 so all who in any measure do thus1 will accordingly1 more or less1 create vexation to each other1 because it is impossible that they should ever be at ease1 or contented in their own ,minds4 ,there being then so very few reasonable ,people in the ,world1 as are1 that is to say1 such who indeavour to live conformably to the ,dictates of ,reason1 submitting their ,passions and ,appetites to the ,government and ,direction of that ,faculty which ,god has given them to that end2 what wonder can it be that so few are happy in a ,marry'd ,estate8 ,and how little cause is there to charge their ,infelicity1 as often is done1 upon this ,condition1 as if it were a necessary ,consequence thereof8 ,the necessities of a ,family very often1 and the injustice of ,parents sometimes1 causes ,people to sacrifice their ,inclinations1 in this matter1 to interest2 which must needs make this ,state uneasy in the beginning to those who are otherways ever so much fitted to live well in such a ,relation2 yet scarce any vertuous and reasonable ,man and ,woman who are ,husband and ,wife1 can know that it is both their ,duty and ,interest 7as it is7 reciprocally to make each other ,happy without effectually doing so in a little time4 ,but if no contrary ,inclination obstruct this ,felicity1 a greater cannot certainly be propos'd1 since ,friendship has been allow'd by the wisest1 most vertuous1 and most generous ,men of all ,ages to be the solidest and sweetest pleasure in this ,world3 ,and where can ,friendship have so much advantage to arrive to1 and be maintain'd in its ,perfection1 as where two ,persons have inseparably one and the same ,interest2 and see themselves united1 as it were1 in their common ,off-spring8 ,all ,people1 it is certain1 have not a like fitness for1 or relish of this pleasure of ,friendship1 which therefore1 however preferable to others in the real advantages of it1 cannot be equally valuable to all4 ,but where there is mutually that predominant ,disposition to vertuous ,love1 which is the ,characteristick of the most excellent ,minds1 ,i think we cannot frame an ,idea of so great ,happiness to be found in any thing in this ,life1 as in a ,marry'd ,state4 ,it seems therefore one of the worst ,marks that can be of the ,vice and ,folly of any ,age when ,mariage is commonly contemn'd therein2 since nothing can make it to be so but ,mens ,averseness to1 or incapacity for those things which most distinguish them from ,brutes1 ,vertue and ,friendship4 ,but it were well if ,mariage was not become a ,state almost as much fear'd by the ,wise1 as despis'd by ,fools4 ,custom and silly ,opinion1 whose consequences yet are 7for the most part7 not imaginary1 but real ,evils1 do usually make it by their best ,friends thought adviseable for those of the ,female ,sex once to ,marry2 altho' the ,risque which they therein run of being wretched1 is yet much greater than that of ,men2 who 7not having the same inducements from the hazard of their ,reputation1 or any uneasie dependance7 are1 from the examples of others ,misfortunes1 often deter'd from seeking ,felicity in a condition wherein they so rarely see1 or hear of any who find it2 it being too true that one can frequent but little ,company1 or know the ,story of but few ,families1 without hearing of the publick ,divisions1 and ,discords of ,marry'd ,people1 or learning their private ,discontents from their being in that state4 ,but since the cause of such unhappiness lies only in the corruption of ,manners1 were that redress'd1 there would need nothing more to bring ,mariage into credit4 ,vice and ,ignorance1 thus1 we see1 are the great ,sources of those ,miseries which ,men suffer in every state4 ,these1 oftentimes1 mingle ,gall even in their sweetest ,pleasures2 and imbitter to them the wholesomest ,delights4 ,but what remedy hereto can be hop'd for1 if rational ,instruction and a well order'd ,education of ,youth1 in respect of ,vertue and ,religion1 can only 7as has been said7 rectify these ,evils8 ,for vicious and ignorant ,parents are neither capable of this1 or generally willing that their ,children should be instructed or govern'd any other ways1 than as themselves have been before them4 ,one might hence therefore1 it may be1 reasonably believe1 that ,god reserves to himself1 by some extraordinary interposition of his providence1 that ,reformation which we are assur'd1 will some time be effected4 ,but yet if all ,persons1 eminent by their ,quality1 who merit not to be rank'd among the ,vicious and ,ignorant1 would give the ,example1 much would thereby be done towards the introducing of a general amendment3 ,since these could make a greater care of ,education in the above-mention'd ,respects1 become1 in some degree1 ,fashionable3 ,and even a reasonable thing will not want ,followers1 if it be once thought the ,fashion4 ,we have seen also that ,mothers1 in regard of their ,childrens ,instruction1 ought to take upon themselves1 as their proper ,business1 a very great part in that concernment2 and one would think that there were no inconsiderable number of ,ladies amongst us1 who might1 with hopes of success1 be address'd to1 that they would indeavour to acquit themselves herein of their ,duty4 ,i mean all such as are unhappily ,marry'd2 for what so good ,reparation can they find for the misfortune of having foolish and vicious ,husbands1 who neglect or treat them ill1 as the having ,children honour'd for their ,vertue1 and who shall honour and love them1 not only as their ,parents1 but as those to whom they owe much more than their ,being8 ,to perswade such whose ,heads are full of ,pleasure1 and whose ,hours pass gaily1 to seek their satisfaction in things of which they have never yet had any tast1 could not reasonably be thought other than a vain ,attempt3 ,but they who are wretched1 one would think1 should be easily prevail'd with to hearken to any ,proposition1 which brings but the least glimpse of ,happiness to them2 and were that tenderness of their ,children1 which ingages ,mothers to do them all the good they can1 less natural than it is to ,vertuous ,women1 one would imagine1 that when from these alone they must expect all their ,felicity in this ,life1 they should readily contribute what is in their ,power to the securing to themselves this only ,blessing which they can propose2 and which they cannot miss of1 without the greatest increase imaginable to their present unhappiness3 ,childrens ,ill-doing being an ,affliction equal to the ,joy of their doing well4 ,which must be an unspeakable one to such ,parents as are conscious1 that this is in great measure the ,fruit and ,effect of their right direction4 ,nor is there any thing which a vertuous ,man or ,woman does not think they owe1 or is too much for them to return to those to whom they believe themselves indebted for their being such4 ,how great a ,felicity then may a ,mother1 unhappy in the ,relation of a ,wife1 7by procuring to herself such ,friends as these7 lay up for her declining ,age1 which must otherwise be more miserable than her unfortunate ,youth8 ,and how much better would she employ her time in this care1 than in the indulging to a weakness1 very incident to tender ,minds1 which is to bemoan themselves1 instead of casting about for ,relief against their ,afflictions1 whereby they become but yet more soften'd to the ,impressions of their ,sorrow1 and every day less able to support them8 ,they are usually 7it is true7 the most ,vertuous ,women who are the aptest to bear with immoderate ,grief1 the ill ,humour1 or unkindness of their ,husbands3 ,but it is pitty that such1 who 7in an ,age wherein the contrary is too often practis'd7 have more ,vertue than to think of returning the ,injuries they receive1 should want so much ,wit as not to repay unkindness1 with a just contempt of it3 ,but instead thereof1 foolishly sacrifice their ,lives1 or the ,comforts of them 7which is our ,all in this ,world7 to those who will not sacrifice the least inclination to their reasonable ,satisfaction3 ,and how much wiser and more becoming ,christians would it be for such ,ladies to reflect less upon what others owe to them1 and more upon what they owe to themselves and their ,children1 than to abandon themselves1 as too many do1 to a fruitless ,grief2 which serves for nothing else1 but to render them yet less agreeable to those whom they desire to please2 and useless in the ,world3 ,diseases1 and1 in time1 constant ill ,health being the almost never failing ,effects of a lasting ,discontent upon such feeble ,constitutions4 ,but ,i take leave to say1 that the fault of those who make others thus miserable1 and the weakness of such who thus suffer their ,minds to think under ,adversity1 are in a great measure both owing to one and the same ,cause1 viz4 ,ignorance of the true ,rules and ,measures of their ,duty2 whereby they would be taught to correct every excess2 together with the want of such other ,knowledge 7suitable to the ,capacity and ,condition of the ,person7 as would both usefully and agreably employ their ,time3 ,this ,knowledge1 tho' not perhaps of a ,nature immediately conducing to form1 or rectify the ,manners1 yet doing so1 in a great measure1 by restraining or preventing the irregularities of them4 ,for as ill natur'd and vicious ,men1 if they know but how pleasantly and profitably to employ those tedious hours which lye upon their ,hands1 would be generally less ,vicious1 and less ill ,humour'd than they are2 so ,women of the most sensible ,dispositions would not give up themselves to sorrow that is always hurtful1 and sometimes dangerous both in their ,honour and ,salvation 7excess of ,tenderness1 when abus'd1 too often producing ,hatred1 and that ,revenge7 if they were not only very little inform'd as to what ,god requires of them2 but also very ,ignorant in regard of any kind of ,ingenious ,knowledge1 whereby they might delightfully employ themselves1 and divert those displeasing ,thoughts which 7otherwise7 will incessantly ,torment1 and ,prey upon their ,minds4 ,she who has no ,inclinations unbecoming a ,vertuous ,woman1 who prefers her ,husbands ,affection to all things in the ,world2 and who can no longer find that pleasure in the ordinary ,circle of ,ladies ,diversions1 which perhaps1 they gave her in her first ,youth1 is but very ill provided to bear ,discontent where she proposes her greatest satisfaction1 if she has nothing within her self which can afford her pleasure1 independently upon others3 ,which is what none can lastingly have1 without some improvement of their rational ,faculties2 since as ,childhood1 and ,youth1 wear off1 the relish of those pleasures that are suited to them1 do so too2 on which account the most happy would not ill consult their advantage1 if by contracting betimes a ,love of ,knowledge 7which is ever fruitful in delight to those who have once a true taste of it7 they provide in their ,youth such a ,source of ,pleasure for their ,old ,age as ,time will not dissipate1 but improve2 by rendring their ,minds no less vigorous1 and its ,beauties yet more attracting1 when the short ,liv'd ones of their ,faces are impair'd1 and gone4 ,whilst those whose ,youthful ,time has been devoted to ,vanities1 or ,trifles1 ,age does inevitably deliver over either to melancholy ,repentance1 or 7at best7 to the wearisome ,languishings which attend a ,life deprived of ,desire and ,enjoyment4 ,now in the pursuit of that ,pleasure which the exercise and improvement of the understanding gives1 ,i see no ,reason why it should not be thought that all ,science lyes as open to a ,lady as to a ,man3 ,and that there is none which she may not properly make her ,study1 according as she shall find her self best fited to succeed therein2 or as is most agreeable to her ,inclination3 provided ever1 that all such ,knowledge as relates to her ,duty1 or is1 any way1 peculiarly proper to her ,sex1 and ,condition1 be principally1 and in the first place her ,care3 ,for it is indeed very preposterous for a ,woman to employ her ,time in enquiries1 or speculations not necessary for her1 to the neglect of that for ,ignorance whereof she will be guilty before ,god1 or blameable in the ,opinion of all ,wise ,men2 ,and to do this1 is plainly no less irrational and absurd1 than for one destitute of necessary ,cloathing1 to lay out what should supply that want upon things meerly of ,ornament4 ,there is yet1 methinks1 no difference betwixt the ,folly of such ,learned ,women1 and that of ,learned ,men1 who do the same thing1 except that the one is the greater ,rarity4 ,but it is not perhaps very seasonable to propose that ,ladies should have any greater ,accomplishments or ,improvements of their ,understandings than the well discharging of their ,duty requires1 till it is thought fit for them to have that3 ,the advantages of which to ,men themselves1 and the necessity thereof to a right ,education of their ,children of both ,sexes are too evident1 when reflected upon1 not to obtain ,encouragement of so much ,knowledge in ,women from all who are ,lovers of ,vertue1 were it not true that ,conviction does not always operate4 ,the ,law of ,fashion or ,custom1 is still to be obey'd1 let ,reason contradict it ever so much3 ,and those bold ,adventurers are look'd upon but as a sort of ,don ,quixots2 whose ,zeal for any ,reformation puts them upon ,combating generally receiv'd ,opinions1 or ,practices2 even tho' the ,honour of their ,maker be concern'd therein3 ,or 7what is nearer to most7 their own ,private and ,temporal ,interests4 ,i am sure that a just consideration of both these furnishes every one with very cogent inducements to make what opposition they can to ,immorality1 both by amending their own faults1 and by indeavouring to prevail upon others to correct whatever has contributed to the making us a vicious ,people4 ,for1 not to say that it is a rational as well as ,pious ,fear that ,god by some signal ,judgment upon such as have abus'd many ,mercies1 should make an example of them for the deterring of others1 it is more certain 7tho' usually less reflected upon7 that it is no way necessary to the punishment of any ,wicked ,ungrateful ,nation1 that ,god should interpose1 by some extraordinary act of his ,providence1 to inflict upon them the due ,reward of their ,disobedience1 and ,ingratitude3 ,since so fitly are all things dispos'd in their ,original ,constitution1 and the order of ,nature to the ,all-wise ends of their ,maker1 that 7without his especial ,interposition in the case7 the establish'd course of things does bring to pass the effects that he sees fit in respect of the ,moral1 as well as of the ,natural ,world2 nor scarcely can any ,people from the avenging ,hand of the ,almighty1 in the most astonishing ,judgments which can render them an eminent example of his ,displeasure1 receive any severer ,chastisement1 than what they will find in the ,natural result and consequences of their ,moral ,corruption when grown to an ,extremity4 ,it would be to enter into a large ,field of ,discourse to shew how experience has always attested this4 ,and we perceive1 but too sensibly1 that ,vice proportionably to its measure1 carries along with it1 its own ,punishment1 to need that we should search for ,foreign1 or ,remote examples in proof hereof4 ,a general ,contempt of ,religion towards ,god3 ,want of ,truth and ,fidelity amongst ,men3 ,luxury and ,intemperance1 follow'd with the neglect of industry1 and application to useful ,arts and ,sciences1 are necessarily attended with misery1 and have been usually also1 the ,fore-runners of approaching ,ruine to the best and most flourishing ,governments which have been in the ,world4 ,and as in the same proportion that these things do any where prevail1 so must naturally the unhappiness of such a ,people2 it is evident1 that for any ,prophane1 ,debauch'd1 or ,vicious ,nation to expect a durable ,prosperity1 is no other than to hope that ,god will in their ,favour 7who have justly incur'd his ,indignation7 withhold the natural ,effects of that ,constitution and ,order of things1 which he has with infinite ,wisdom ,establish'd3 ,a ,conceit too contradictious to ,reason1 as well as too ,presumptuous for any one1 ,i suppose1 to entertain4 ,,finis4