,a ,serious      ,,proposal      ,,to   
,,the      ,,ladies1      ,,for ,,the   
,advancement of their      ,true and    
,greatest      ,,interest4      ,in two 
,parts4      ,by a ,lover of her ,,sex4 
,,london3      ,printed for ,richard    
,wilkin at the ,king's-,head    in ,st4 
,paul's ,church-,yard1 #afig4           
,a ,serious    ,,proposal    ,,to ,,the 
,,ladies4      ,,ladies1    ,since the  
,profitable ,adventures that have gone  
abroad in the ,world  have met with so  
great ,encouragement1 tho' the highest  
advantage they  can propose1 is an      
uncertain ,lot for such matters as      
,opinion1 not real  worth1 gives a value
 to2 things which if obtain'd are as    
flitting  and fickle as that ,chance    
which is to dispose of them2 ,i         
therefore  persuade my self1 you will   
not be less kind to a ,proposition that 
comes  attended with more certain and   
substantial ,gain2 whose only design is 
to improve your ,charms and heighten    
your ,value1 by suffering you no  longer

 to be cheap and contemptible4 ,its aim 
is to fix that ,beauty1 to  make it     
lasting and permanent1 which ,nature    
with all the helps of ,art  cannot      
secure1 and to place it out of the reach
 of ,sickness and ,old  ,age1 by        
transferring it from a corruptible ,body
 to an immortal ,mind4  ,an obliging    
,design1 which wou'd procure them inward
 ,beauty1 to whom  ,nature has unkindly 
denied the outward1 and not permit those
 ,ladies  who have comely ,bodies1 to   
tarnish their ,glory with deformed      
,souls4  ,wou'd have you all be wits1 or
 what is better1 ,wise4 ,raise you above
  the ,vulgar by something more truly   
illustrious1 than a sounding ,title  or 
a great ,estate4 ,wou'd excite in you a 
generous ,emulation to excel  in the    
best things1 and not in such ,trifles as
 every mean person who  has but ,money  
enough may purchase as well as you4 ,not
 suffer you to  take up with the low    
thought of distinguishing your selves by
 any  thing that is not truly valuable1 

and procure you such ,ornaments as  all 
the ,treasures of the ,indies are not   
able to purchase4 ,wou'd help  you to   
surpass the ,men as much in ,vertue and 
,ingenuity1 as you do in  ,beauty2 that 
you may not only be as lovely1 but as   
wise as ,angels4  ,exalt and ,establish 
your ,fame1 more than the best wrought  
,poems and  loudest ,panegyricks1 by    
ennobling your ,minds with such ,graces 
as  really deserve it4 ,and instead of  
the ,fustian ,complements and ,fulsome  
,flatteries of your ,admirers1 obtain   
for you the ,plaudit of ,good ,men and  
,angels1 and the approbation of ,him who
 cannot err4 ,in a word1 render  you the
 ,glory and ,blessing of the present    
,age1 and the ,admiration and  ,pattern 
of the next4    ,and sure1 ,i shall not 
need many words to persuade you to close
 with  this ,proposal4 ,the very offer  
is a sufficient inducement1 nor does  it
 need the set-offs of ,rhetorick to     
recommend it1 were ,i capable1  which   
yet ,i am not1 of applying them with the

 greatest force4 ,since you  can't be so
 unkind to your selves1 as to refuse    
your real ,interest1 ,i  only entreat   
you to be so wise as to examine wherein 
it consists2 for  nothing is of worse   
consequence than to be deceiv'd in a    
matter of so  great concern4 ',tis as   
little beneath your ,grandeur as your   
,prudence1  to examine curiously what is
 in this case offer'd you1 and to take  
care  that cheating ,hucksters don't    
impose upon you with deceitful ,ware4   
,this  is a ,matter infinitely more     
worthy your ,debates1 than what ,colours
 are  most agreeable1 or what's the     
,dress becomes you best4 ,your ,glass   
will  not do you half so much service as
 a serious reflection on your own       
,minds1 which will discover             
,irregularities more worthy your        
,correction1  and keep you from being   
either too much elated or depress'd by  
the  representations of the other4      
',twill not be near so advantageous to  
consult with your ,dancing-,master as   

with your own ,thoughts1 how you  may   
with greatest exactness tread in the    
,paths of ,vertue1 which has  certainly 
the most attractive ,air1 and ,wisdom   
the most graceful and  becoming ,mien3  
,let these attend you and your ,carriage
 will be always  well compos'd1 and     
ev'ry thing you do will carry its ,charm
 with it4 ,no  solicitude in the        
adornation of your selves is            
discommended1 provided  you employ your 
care about that which is really your    
self2 and do  not neglect that particle 
of ,divinity within you1 which must     
survive1  and may 7if you please7 be    
happy and perfect1 when it's unsuitable 
and much inferiour ,companion is        
mouldring into ,dust4 ,neither will  any
 pleasure be denied you1 who are only   
desir'd not to catch at the  ,shadow and
 let the ,substance go4 ,you may be as  
ambitious as you please1  so you aspire 
to the best things2 and contend with    
your ,neighbours  as much as you can1   
that they may not out do you in any     

commendable  ,quality4 ,let it never be 
said1 ,that they to whom pre-eminence is
 so  very agreeable1 can be tamely      
content that others shou'd surpass them 
in this1 and precede them in a better   
,world6 ,remember1 ,i pray you1  the    
famous ,women of former ,ages1 the      
,orinda's of late1 and the more  ,modern
 ,heroins1 and blush to think how much1 
is now1 and will hereafter  be said of  
them1 when you your selves 7as great a  
,figure as you make7  must be buried in 
silence and forgetfulness6 ,shall your  
,emulation fail  there only where 'tis  
commendable8 ,why are you so            
preposterously  humble1 as not to       
contend for one of the highest ,mansions
 in the  ,court of ,heav'n8 ,believe me1
 ,ladies1 this is the only ,place worth 
contending for2 you are neither better  
nor worse in your selves for  going     
before1 or coming after now2 but you are
 really so much the  better1 by how much
 the higher your station is in an ,orb  
of ,glory4  ,how can you be content to  

be in the ,world like ,tulips in a      
,garden1 to  make a fine shew and be    
good for nothing2 have all your ,glories
 set  in the ,grave1 or perhaps much    
sooner6 ,what your own sentiments are ,i
  know not1 but ,i can't without pity   
and resentment reflect1 that those      
,glorious ,temples on which your kind   
,creator has bestow'd such exquisite    
workmanship1 shou'd enshrine no better  
than gyptian ,deities2 be  like a       
garnish'd ,sepulchre1 which for all its 
glittering1 has nothing  within but     
emptiness or putrefaction6 ,what a pity 
it is1 that whilst  your ,beauty casts a
 lustre all around you1 your ,souls     
which are  infinitely more bright and   
radiant1 7of which if you had but a     
clear  ,idea1 as lovely as it is1 and as
 much as you now value it1 you wou'd    
then despise and neglect the mean ,case 
that encloses it7 shou'd be  suffer'd to
 over-run with ,weeds1 lie fallow and   
neglected1 unadorn'd  with any ,grace6  
,altho' the ,beauty of the mind is      

necessary to secure  those ,conquests   
which your ,eyes have gain'd1 and ,time 
that mortal ,enemy  to handsome ,faces1 
has no influence on a lovely ,soul1 but 
to better and  improve it4 ,for shame   
let's abandon that ,old1 and therefore  
one wou'd  think1 unfashionable         
employment of pursuing ,butter-flies and
 ,trifles6  ,no longer drudge on in the 
dull beaten road of ,vanity and ,folly1 
which  so many have gone before us1 but 
dare to break the enchanted ,circle     
that custom has plac'd us in1 and scorn 
the vulgar way of imitating all  the    
,impertinencies of our ,neighbours4 ,let
 us learn to pride our selves  in       
something more excellent than the       
invention of a ,fashion2 ,and not       
entertain such a degrading thought of   
our own worth1 as to imagine  that our  
,souls were given us only for the       
service of our ,bodies1 and  that the   
best improvement we can make of these1  
is to attract the  ,eyes of ,men4 ,we   
value them too much1 and our selves too 

little1  if we place any part of our    
desert in their ,opinion2 and don't     
think  our selves capable of ,nobler    
,things than the pitiful ,conquest of   
some  worthless heart4 ,she who has     
opportunities of making an interest in  
,heaven1 of obtaining the love and      
admiration of ,,god and ,angels1 is too 
prodigal of her ,time1 and injurious to 
her ,charms1 to throw them away  on vain
 insignificant men4 ,she need not make  
her self so cheap1 as  to descend to    
court their ,applauses2 for at the      
greater distance she  keeps1 and the    
more she is above them1 the more        
effectually she secures  their esteem   
and wonder4 ,be so generous then1       
,ladies1 as to do nothing  unworthy of  
you2 so true to your ,interest1 as not  
to lessen your ,empire  and depreciate  
your ,charms4 ,let not your ,thoughts be
 wholly busied in  observing what       
respect is paid you1 but a part of them 
at least1 in  studying to deserve it4   
,and after all1 remember that ,goodness 

is the  truest ,greatness2 to be wise   
for your selves the greatest ,wit2 and  
that ,beauty the most desirable which   
will endure to ,eternity4    ,pardon me 
the seeming rudeness of this ,proposal1 
which goes upon a  supposition that     
there's something amiss in you1 which it
 is intended  to amend4 ,my design is   
not to expose1 but to rectifie your     
,failures4  ,to be exempt from mistake1 
is a privilege few can pretend to1 the  
greatest is to be past ,conviction and  
too obstinate to reform4 ,even  the     
,men1 as exact as they wou'd seem1 and  
as much as they divert  themselves with 
our ,miscarriages1 are very often guilty
 of greater  faults1 and such1 as       
considering the advantages they enjoy1  
are much  more inexcusable4 ,but ,i will
 not pretend to correct their ,errors1  
who either are1 or at least think       
themselves too wise to receive          
,instruction from a ,womans ,pen4 ,my   
earnest desire is1 ,that you ,ladies1   
would be as perfect and happy as 'tis   

possible to be in this imperfect  state2
 for ,i love you too well to endure a   
spot upon your ,beauties1 if  ,i can by 
any means remove and wipe it off4 ,i    
would have you live up to  the dignity  
of your ,nature1 and express your       
thankfulness to ,,god for  the benefits 
you enjoy by a due improvement of them3 
,as ,i know very  many of you do1 who   
countenance that ,piety which the men   
decry1 and  are the brightest ,patterns 
of ,religion that the ,age affords2 'tis
 my  grief that all the rest of our ,sex
 do not imitate such ,illustrious       
,examples1 and therefore ,i would have  
them encreas'd and render'd more        
conspicuous1 that ,vice being put out of
 countenance1 7because ,vertue  is the  
only thing in fashion7 may sneak out of 
the ,world1 and its  darkness be        
dispell'd by the confluence of so many  
shining ,graces4  ,the ,men perhaps will
 cry out that ,i teach you false        
,doctrine1 for  because by their        
seductions some amongst us are become   

very mean and  contemptible1 they would 
fain persuade the rest to be as         
despicable and  forlorn as they4 ,we're 
indeed oblig'd to them for their        
management1 in  endeavouring to make us 
so1 who use all the artifice they can to
 spoil1  and deny us the means of       
improvement4 ,so that instead of        
inquiring  why all ,women are not wise  
and good1 we have reason to wonder that 
there are any so4 ,were the ,men as much
 neglected1 and as little care  taken to
 cultivate and improve them1 perhaps    
they wou'd be so far from  surpassing   
those whom they now despise1 that they  
themselves wou'd sink  into the greatest
 stupidity and brutality4 ,the          
preposterous returns  that the most of  
them make1 to all the care and pains    
that is bestow'd  on them1 renders this 
no uncharitable1 nor improbable         
,conjecture4 ,one  wou'd therefore      
almost think1 that the wise disposer of 
all things1  foreseeing how unjustly    
,women are denied opportunities of      

improvement  from without has therefore 
by way of compensation endow'd them     
with greater propensions to ,vertue and 
a natural goodness of ,temper  within1  
which if duly manag'd1 would raise them 
to the most eminent  pitch of heroick   
,vertue4 ,hither1 ,ladies1 ,i desire you
 wou'd aspire1  'tis a noble and        
becoming ,ambition1 and to remove such  
,obstacles as  lie in your way is the   
design of this ,paper4 ,we will         
therefore enquire  what it is that stops
 your flight1 that keeps you groveling  
here below1  like ,domitian catching    
,flies when you should be busied in     
obtaining  ,empires4    ,altho' it has  
been said by ,men of more ,wit than     
,wisdom1 and perhaps  of more malice    
than either1 that ,women are naturally  
incapable of  acting ,prudently1 or that
 they are necessarily determined to     
folly1 ,i  must by no means grant it2   
that ,hypothesis would render my        
endeavours  impertinent1 for then it    
would be in vain to advise the one1 or  

endeavour the ,reformation of the other4
 ,besides1 there are ,examples in  all  
,ages1 which sufficiently confute the   
,ignorance and ,malice of this          
,assertion4    ,the ,incapacity1 if     
there be any1 is acquired not natural2  
and none of  their ,follies are so      
necessary1 but that they might avoid    
them if they  pleas'd themselves4 ,some 
disadvantages indeed they labour under1 
and  what these are we shall see by and 
by and endeavour to surmount2 but       
,women need not take up with mean       
things1 since 7if they are not wanting  
to themselves7 they are capable of the  
best4 ,neither ,god nor ,nature  have   
excluded them from being ,ornaments to  
their ,families and useful in  their    
,generation2 there is therefore no      
reason they should be content  to be    
,cyphers in the ,world1 useless at the  
best1 and in a little time  a burden and
 nuisance to all about them4 ,and 'tis  
very great pity that  they who are so   
apt to over-rate themselves in smaller  

,matters1 shou'd1  where it most        
concerns them to know and stand upon    
their ,value1 be so  insensible of their
 own worth4 ,the ,cause therefore of the
 defects we  labour under is1 if not    
wholly1 yet at least in the first place1
 to be  ascribed to the mistakes of our 
,education1 which like an ,error in the 
first ,concoction1 spreads its ill      
,influence through all our ,lives4      
,the ,soil is rich and would if well    
cultivated produce a noble ,harvest1  if
 then the ,unskilful ,managers1 not only
 permit1 but incourage noxious  ,weeds1 
tho' we shall suffer by the ,neglect1   
yet they ought not in  justice to blame 
any but themselves1 if they reap the    
,fruit of this  their foolish ,conduct4 
,women are from their very ,infancy     
debar'd those  ,advantages1 with the    
want of which they are afterwards       
reproached1 and  nursed up in those     
,vices which will hereafter be upbraided
 to them4  ,so partial are ,men as to   
expect ,brick where they afford no      

,straw2 and  so abundantly civil as to  
take care we shou'd make good that      
obliging  ,epithet of ,ignorant1 which  
out of an excess of good ,manners1 they 
are pleas'd to bestow on us6    ,one    
would be apt to think indeed1 that      
,parents shou'd take all possible  care 
of their ,childrens ,education1 not only
 for their sakes1 but even  for their   
own4 ,and tho' the ,son convey the ,name
 to ,posterity1 yet  certainly a great  
,part of the ,honour of their ,families 
depends on their  ,daughters4 ',tis the 
kindness of ,education that binds our   
duty fastest  on us3 ,for the being     
instrumental to the bringing us into the
 ,world1  is no matter of choice and    
therefore the less obliging2 ,but to    
procure  that we may live wisely and    
happily in it1 and be capable of endless
  ,joys hereafter1 is a benefit we can  
never sufficiently acknowledge4  ,to    
introduce poor ,children into the ,world
 and neglect to fence them  against the 
temptations of it1 and so leave them    

expos'd to temporal  and eternal        
,miseries1 is a wickedness for which ,i 
want a ,name2 'tis  beneath ,brutality2 
the ,beasts are better natur'd1 for they
 take care of  their offspring1 till    
they are capable of caring for          
themselves4 ,and if  ,mothers had a due 
regard to their ,posterity1 how ,great  
soever they  are1 they wou'd not think  
themselves too ,good to perform what    
,nature  requires1 nor through ,pride   
and ,delicacy remit the poor little one 
to  the care of a ,foster ,parent4 ,or  
if necessity inforce them to depute     
another to perform their ,duty1 they    
wou'd be as choice at least1 in  the    
,manners and ,inclinations1 as they are 
in the complections of their  ,nurses1  
left with their ,milk they transfuse    
their ,vices1 and form in  the ,child   
such evil habits as will not easily be  
eradicated4    ,nature as bad as it is  
and as much as it is complain'd of1 is  
so far  improveable by the grace of     
,,god1 upon our honest and hearty       

endeavours1  that if we are not wanting 
to our selves1 we may all in some1 tho' 
not in an equal measure1 be instruments 
of his ,glory1 ,blessings to  this      
,world1 and capable of ,eternal         
,blessedness in that to come4 ,but  if  
our ,nature is spoil'd1 instead of being
 improv'd at first2 if from  our        
,infancy we are nurs'd up in ,ignorance 
and ,vanity2 are taught to be  ,proud   
and ,petulant1 ,delicate and            
,fantastick1 ,humorous and ,inconstant1 
'tis not strange that the ill effects of
 this ,conduct appear in all  the future
 ,actions of our ,lives4 ,and seeing it 
is ,ignorance1 either  habitual or      
actual1 which is the cause of all sin1  
how are they like  to escape this1 who  
are bred up in that8 ,that therefore    
,women are  unprofitable to most1 and a 
plague and dishonour to some men is not 
much to be regretted on account of the  
,men1 because 'tis the product  of their
 own folly1 in denying them the benefits
 of an ingenuous and  liberal           

,education1 the most effectual means to 
direct them into1 and  to secure their  
progress in the ways of ,vertue4    ,for
 that ,ignorance is the cause of most   
,feminine ,vices1 may be  instanc'd in  
that ,pride and ,vanity which is usually
 imputed to us1  and which ,i suppose if
 throughly sifted1 will appear to be    
some way  or other1 the rife and        
,original of all the rest4 ,these1 tho' 
very  bad ,weeds1 are the product of a  
good ,soil1 they are nothing else but   
,generosity degenerated and corrupted4  
,a desire to advance and perfect  its   
,being1 is planted by ,,god in all      
,rational ,natures1 to excite them      
hereby to every worthy and becoming     
,action2 for certainly next to the      
,grace of ,,god1 nothing does so        
powerfully restrain people from ,evil   
and stir them up to ,good1 as a generous
 ,temper4 ,and therefore to be          
ambitious of perfections is no fault1   
tho' to assume the ,glory of our        
,excellencies to our selves1 or to      

,glory in such as we really have  not1  
are4 ,and were ,womens haughtiness      
express'd in disdaining to do  a mean   
and evil thing1 wou'd they pride        
themselves in somewhat truly  perfective
 of a ,rational nature1 there were no   
hurt in it4 ,but then  they ought not to
 be denied the means of examining and   
judging what is  so2 they should not be 
impos'd on with tinsel ware4 ,if by     
reason of a  false ,light1 or undue     
,medium1 they chuse amiss1 theirs is the
 loss1  but the ,crime is the           
,deceivers4 ,she who rightly understands
 wherein  the perfection of her ,nature 
consists1 will lay out her ,thoughts and
  ,industry in the acquisition of such  
,perfections3 ,but she who is kept      
ignorant of the matter1 will take up    
with such ,objects as first offer       
themselves1 and bear any plausible      
resemblance to what she desires2  a shew
 of advantage being sufficient to render
 them agreeable baits  to her who wants 
,judgment and ,skill to discern between 

reality and  pretence4 ,from whence it  
easily follows1 that she who has nothing
 else  to value her self upon1 will be  
proud of her ,beauty1 or ,money and what
  that can purchase2 and think her self 
mightily oblig'd to him1 who  tells her 
she has those ,perfections which she    
naturally longs for4  ,her inbred       
self-esteem and desire of good1 which   
are degenerated into  ,pride and        
mistaken ,self-love1 will easily open   
her ,ears to whatever  goes about to    
nourish and delight them2 and when a    
cunning designing  ,enemy from without1 
has drawn over to his ,party these      
,traytors within1  he has the ,poor     
unhappy ,person1 at his ,mercy1 who now 
very glibly  swallows down his ,poyson1 
because 'tis ,presented in a ,golden    
,cup1 and  credulously hearkens to the  
most disadvantageous ,proposals1 because
  they come attended with a seeming     
esteem4 ,she whose ,vanity makes  her   
swallow praises by the wholesale1       
without examining whether  she deserves 

them1 or from what hand they come1 will 
reckon it but  gratitude to think well  
of him who values her so much1 and think
 she  must needs be merciful to the poor
 despairing ,lover whom her ,charms     
have reduc'd to die at her feet4 ,love  
and ,honour are what every one  of us   
naturally esteem1 they are excellent    
things in themselves and  very worthy   
our regard1 and by how much the readier 
we are to embrace  what ever resembles  
them1 by so much the more dangerous it  
is that  these venerable ,names should  
be wretchedly abus'd and affixt to their
  direct contraries1 yet this is the    
,custom of the ,world3 ,and how can she 
possibly detect the fallacy1 who has no 
better ,notion of either than  what she 
derives from ,plays and ,romances8 ,how 
can she be furnished with  any solid    
,principles whose very ,instructors are 
,froth and emptiness8  ,whereas ,women  
were they rightly ,educated1 had they   
obtain'd a well  inform'd and discerning
 ,mind1 they would be proof against all 

those  ,batteries1 see through and scorn
 those little silly ,artifices which    
are us'd to ensnare and deceive them4   
,such an one would value her self  only 
on her ,vertue1 and consequently be most
 chary of what she esteems  so much4    
,she would know1 that not what others   
say1 but what she her  self does1 is the
 true ,commendation and the only thing  
that exalts  her2 the loudest ,encomiums
 being not half so satisfactory1 as the 
calm  and secret ,plaudit of her own    
,mind1 which moving on true ,principles 
of  ,honour and ,vertue1 wou'd not fail 
on a review of it self to anticipate    
that delightful ,eulogy she shall one   
day hear4    ,whence is it but from     
ignorance1 from a want of ,understanding
 to  compare and judge of things1 to    
chuse a right ,end1 to proportion  the  
,means to the ,end1 and to rate ev'ry   
thing according to its  proper value1   
that we quit the ,substance for the     
,shadow1 ,reality for  ,appearance1 and 
embrace those very things which if we   

understood we  shou'd hate and fly1 but 
now are reconcil'd to1 merely because   
they  usurp the ,name1 tho' they have   
nothing of the ,nature of those         
venerable  ,objects we desire and seek8 
,were it not for this delusion1 is it   
probable a ,lady who passionately       
desires to be admir'd1 shou'd ever      
consent to such ,actions as render her  
base and contemptible8 ,wou'd she  be so
 absurd as to think either to get love1 
or to keep it1 by those  methods which  
occasion loathing and consequently end  
in hatred8 ,wou'd  she reckon it a piece
 of her ,grandeur1 or hope to gain      
esteem by such  excesses as really      
lessen her in the eyes of all           
considerate and  judicious persons8     
,wou'd she be so silly as to look big   
and think her  self the better person1  
because she has more ,money to bestow   
profusely1  or the good luck to have a  
more ingenious ,taylor or ,milliner than
 her  ,neighbour8 ,wou'd she1 who by the
 regard she pays to ,wit1 seems to make 

some pretences to it1 undervalue her    
,judgment so much as to admit the       
,scurrility and profane noisy ,nonsense 
of men1 whose ,fore-heads are  better   
than their ,brains1 to pass under that  
,character8 ,wou'd she be  so weak as to
 imagine that a few airy ,fancies joyn'd
 with a great  deal of ,impudence and   
ill-nature 7the right definition of     
modern ,wit7  can bespeak him a ,man of 
sense1 who runs counter to all the sense
 and  reason that ever appear'd in the  
,world8 than which nothing can be an    
,argument of greater shallowness1 unless
 it be to regard and esteem him  for it4
 ,wou'd a ,woman1 if she truly          
understood her self1 be affected  either
 with the praises or calumnies of those 
worthless ,persons1 whose  ,lives are a 
direct contradiction to ,reason1 a very 
sink of corruption1  by whom one wou'd  
blush to be commended1 lest they shou'd 
be mistaken  for ,partners in or        
,connivers at their ,crimes8 ,will she  
who has a jot  of discernment think to  

satisfy her greedy desire of ,pleasure1 
with  those promising nothings that have
 again and again deluded her8 ,or  will 
she to obtain such ,bubbles1 run the    
risque of forfeiting ,joys  infinitely  
satisfying and eternal8 ,in sum1 did not
 ignorance impose  on us1 we would never
 lavish out the greatest part of our    
,time and  ,care1 on the decoration of a
 ,tenement1 in which our ,lease is so   
very  short1 and which for all our      
industry1 may lose its ,beauty e'er that
  ,lease be out1 and in the mean while  
neglect a more glorious and durable     
,mansion6 ,we wou'd never be so curious 
of the ,house and so careless of  the   
,inhabitant1 whose beauty is capable of 
great improvement and will  endure for  
ever without diminution or decay6       
,thus ,ignorance and a narrow ,education
 lay the ,foundation of ,vice1  and     
,imitation and ,custom rear it up4      
,custom1 that merciless torrent  that   
carries all before it1 and which indeed 
can be stem'd by none  but such as have 

a great deal of ,prudence and a rooted  
,vertue4 ,for  'tis but ,decorous that  
she who is not capable of giving better 
,rules1  shou'd follow those she sees   
before her1 least she only change the   
instance and retain the absurdity4      
',twou'd puzzle a considerate ,person   
to account for all that ,sin and ,folly 
that is in the ,world 7which  certainly 
has nothing in it self to recommend it7 
did not ,custom  help to solve the      
difficulty4 ,for ,vertue without        
question has on all  accounts the       
preeminence of ,vice1 'tis abundantly   
more pleasant in  the ,act1 as well as  
more advantageous in the ,consequences1 
as any  one who will but rightly use her
 reason1 in a serious reflection on  her
 self and the nature of things1 may     
easily perceive4 ',tis ,custom          
therefore1 that ,tyrant ,custom1 which  
is the grand motive to all those        
irrational choices which we daily see   
made in the ,world1 so very  contrary to
 our present interest and pleasure1 as  

well as to our  ,future4 ,we think it an
 unpardonable mistake not to do as our  
neighbours  do1 and part with our ,peace
 and ,pleasure as well as our ,innocence
  and ,vertue1 meerly in complyance with
 an unreasonable ,fashion4 ,and  having 
inur'd our selves to ,folly1 we know not
 how to quit it2 we go  on in ,vice1 not
 because we find satisfaction in it1 but
 because we are  unacquainted with the  
,joys of ,vertue4    ,add to this the   
hurry and noise of the ,world1 which    
does generally so  busy and pre-ingage  
us1 that we have little time and less   
inclination  to stand still and reflect 
on our own ,minds4 ,those impertinent   
,amusements which have seiz'd us1 keep  
their hold so well and so  constantly   
buz about our ,ears1 that we cannot     
attend to the ,dictates  of our ,reason1
 nor to the soft whispers and winning   
persuasives of the  divine ,spirit1 by  
whose assistance were we dispos'd to    
make use of it1  we might shake off     
these ,follies and regain our ,freedom4 

,but alas6 to  complete our misfortunes1
 by a continual application to ,vanity  
and  ,folly1 we quite spoil the         
contexture and frame of our ,minds1 so  
loosen  and dissipate1 that nothing     
solid and substantial will stay in them4
 ,by  an habitual inadvertency we render
 our selves incapable of any serious    
and improveing thought1 till our minds  
themselves become as light and  frothy  
as those things they are conversant     
about4 ,to all which if  we further add 
the great industry that bad people use  
to corrupt the  good1 and that          
unaccountable back wardness that appears
 in too many  good persons1 to stand up 
for and propagate the ,piety they       
profess2 7so  strangely are things      
transposed1 that ,vertue puts on the    
blushes which  belong to ,vice1 and     
,vice insults with the authority of     
,vertue67 and we  have a pretty fair    
account of the ,causes of our           
non-improvement4    ,when a poor ,young 
,lady is taught to value her self on    

nothing but her  ,cloaths1 and to think 
she's very fine when well accoutred2    
,when she  hears say1 that 'tis ,wisdom 
enough for her to know how to dress her 
self1 that she may become amiable in his
 eyes1 to whom it appertains to  be     
knowing and learned2 who can blame her  
if she lay out her ,industry  and ,money
 on such ,accomplishments1 and sometimes
 extends it farther  than her           
misinformer desires she should8 ,when   
she sees the vain and  the gay1 making  
,parade in the ,world and attended with 
the ,courtship  and admiration of the   
gazing herd1 no wonder that her tender  
,eyes are  dazled with the ,pageantry1  
and wanting ,judgment to pass a due     
,estimate  on them and their ,admirers1 
longs to be such a fine and celebrated  
thing as they8 ,what tho' she be        
sometimes told of another ,world1 she   
has however a more lively perception of 
this1 and may well think1 that  if her  
,instructors were in earnest when they  
tell her of hereafter1  they would not  

be so busied and concerned about what   
happens here4  ,she is it may be1 taught
 the ,principles and ,duties of         
,religion1 but  not ,acquainted with the
 ,reasons and ,grounds of them2 being   
told 'tis  enough for her to believe1 to
 examine why1 and wherefore1 belongs not
  to her4 ,and therefore1 though her    
,piety may be tall and spreading1  yet  
because it wants foundation and ,root1  
the first rude ,temptation  overthrows  
and blasts it1 or perhaps the short     
liv'd ,gourd decays and  withers of its 
own accord4 ,but why should she be      
blamed for setting  no great value on   
her ,soul1 whose noblest ,faculty her   
,understanding  is render'd useless to  
her8 ,or censur'd for relinquishing a   
course of  ,life1 whole ,prerogatives   
she was never acquainted with1 and tho' 
highly  reasonable in it self1 was put  
upon the embracing it with as little    
reason as she now forsakes it8 ,for if  
her ,religion it self be taken  up as   
the ,mode of the ,country1 'tis no      

strange thing that she lays it  down    
again in conformity to the ,fashion4    
,whereas she whose ,reason is  suffer'd 
to display it self1 to inquire into the 
grounds and ,motives  of ,religion1 to  
make a disquisition of its ,graces and  
search out its  hidden ,beauties2 who is
 a ,christian out of ,choice1 not in    
conformity  to those among whom she     
lives2 and cleaves to ,piety1 because   
'tis her  ,wisdom1 her ,interest1 her   
,joy1 not because she has been          
accustom'd  to it2 she who is not only  
eminently and unmoveably good1 but able 
to give a ,reason why she is so1 is too 
firm and stable to be mov'd  by the     
pitiful ,allurements of sin1 too wise   
and too well bottom'd to  be undermin'd 
and supplanted by the strongest ,efforts
 of ,temptation4  ,doubtless a truly    
,christian ,life requires a clear       
,understanding as  well as regular      
,affections1 that both together may move
 the ,will to  a direct choice of ,good 
and a stedfast adherence to it4 ,for    

tho' the  heart may be honest1 it is but
 by chance that the ,will is right if   
the ,understanding be ignorant and      
,cloudy4 ,and what's the reason that  we
 sometimes see persons unhappily falling
 off from their ,piety1 but  because    
'twas their ,affections1 not their      
,judgment1 that inclin'd  them to be    
,religious8 ,reason and ,truth are firm 
and immutable1 she  who bottoms on them 
is on sure ground1 ,humour and          
,inclination are  sandy ,foundations1   
and she who is sway'd by her ,affections
 more than  by her ,judgment1 owes the  
happiness of her ,soul in a great       
measure  to the temper of her ,body2 her
 ,piety may perhaps blaze high but  will
 not last long4 ,for the ,affections are
 various and changeable  mov'd by every 
,object1 and the last comer easily      
undoes whatever its  ,predecessor had   
done before4 ,such ,persons are always  
in extreams1 they  are either violently 
good or quite cold and indifferent2 a   
perpetual  trouble to themselves and    

others1 by indecent ,raptures1 or       
unnecessary  ,scruples2 there is no     
,beauty and order in their lives1 all is
 rapid and  unaccountable2 they are now 
very furious in such a course1 but they 
cannot well tell why1 and anon as       
violent in the other extream4 ,having   
more ,heat than ,light1 their ,zeal     
out-runs their ,knowledge1 and  instead 
of representing ,piety as it is in it   
self1 the most lovely and  inviting     
thing imaginable1 they expose it to the 
contempt and ridicule  of the censorious
 ,world4 ,their ,devotion becomes       
ricketed1 starv'd  and contracted in    
some of its vital parts1 and            
disproportioned and  over-grown in less 
material instances2 whilst one ,duty is 
over-done  to commute for the neglect of
 another1 and the mistaken person thinks
  the being often on her knees1 attones 
for all the miscarriages of her         
,conversation3 ,not considering that    
'tis in vain to petition for those      
,graces which we take no care to        

practise1 and a mockery to adore those  
,perfections we run counter to1 and that
 the true end of all our ,prayers  and  
external ,observances is to work our    
minds into a truly ,christian  temper1  
to obtain for us the ,empire of our     
,passions1 and to reduce  all irregular 
,inclinations1 that so we may be as like
 ,,god in ,purity1  ,charity1 and all   
his imitable excellencies1 as is        
consistent with the  imperfection of a  
,creature4    ,and now having discovered
 the ,disease and its cause1 'tis proper
 to  apply a ,remedy2 single ,medicines 
are too weak to cure such complicated   
,distempers1 they require a full        
,dispensatory2 and what wou'd a good    
,woman refuse to do1 could she hope by  
that to advantage the greatest  part of 
the ,world1 and improve her ,sex in     
,knowledge and true ,religion8  ,i doubt
 not1 ,ladies1 but that the ,age1 as bad
 as it is1 affords very  many of you who
 will readily embrace whatever has a    
true tendency  to the ,glory of ,,god   

and your mutual ,edification1 to revive 
the  ancient ,spirit of ,piety in the   
,world and to transmit it to succeeding 
,generations4 ,i know there are many of 
you who so ardently love ,god1 as  to   
think no time too much to spend in his  
service1 nor any thing too  difficult to
 do for his sake2 and bear such a hearty
 good-will to your  ,neighbours1 as to  
grudge no ,prayers or ,pains to reclaim 
and improve  them4 ,i have therefore no 
more to do but to make the ,proposal1 to
 prove  that it will answer these great 
and good ,ends1 and then 'twill be easy 
to obviate the ,objections that ,persons
 of more ,wit than ,vertue may  happen  
to raise against it4    ,now as to the  
,proposal1 it is to erect a ,monastery1 
or if you will  7to avoid giving offence
 to the scrupulous and injudicious1 by  
names  which tho' innocent in           
themselves1 have been abus'd by         
superstitious  ,practices17 we will call
 it a ,religious ,retirement1 and such  
as  shall have a double aspect1 being   

not only a ,retreat from the ,world  for
 those who desire that advantage1 but   
likewise1 an ,institution  and previous 
discipline1 to fit us to do the greatest
 good in it2  such an ,institution as   
this 7if ,i do not mightily deceive my  
self7  would be the most probable method
 to amend the present and improve  the  
future ,age4 ,for here those who are    
convinc'd of the emptiness  of earthly  
,enjoyments1 who are sick of the vanity 
of the world  and its impertinencies1   
may find more substantial and satisfying
  entertainments1 and need not be       
confin'd to what they justly loath4     
,those who are desirous to know and     
fortify their weak side1 first do  good 
to themselves1 that hereafter they may  
be capable of doing more  good to       
others2 or for their greater security   
are willing to avoid  temptation1 may   
get out of that danger which a continual
 stay in  view of the ,enemy1 and the   
familiarity and unwearied application of
  the ,temptation may expose them to2   

and gain an opportunity to look  into   
themselves to be acquainted at home and 
no longer the greatest  strangers to    
their own hearts4 ,such as are willing  
in a more peculiar  and undisturb'd     
manner1 to attend the great business    
they came into the  world about1 the    
service of ,,god and improvement of     
their own ,minds1 may  find a convenient
 and blissful recess from the noise and 
hurry of the  world4 ,a world so        
cumbersom1 so infectious1 that altho'   
thro' the grace  of ,,god and their own 
strict watchfulness1 they are kept from 
sinking  down into its corruptions1     
'twill however damp their flight to     
heav'n1  hinder them from attaining any 
eminent pitch of ,vertue4    ,you are   
therefore ,ladies1 invited into a place1
 where you shall suffer  no other       
confinement1 but to be kept out of the  
road of sin3 ,you shall  not be depriv'd
 of your grandeur1 but only exchange the
 vain ,pomps  and ,pageantry of the     
world1 empty ,titles and ,forms of      

,state1 for the  true and solid         
,greatness of being able to despise     
them4 ,you will only  quit the ,chat of 
insignificant people for an ingenious   
,conversation2  the froth of flashy ,wit
 for real ,wisdom2 idle tales for       
instructive  discourses4 ,the deceitful 
,flatteries of those who under pretence 
of  loving and admiring you1 really     
served their own base ends for the      
seasonable ,reproofs and wholesome      
,counsels of your hearty well-wishers   
and affectionate ,friends1 which will   
procure you those perfections  your     
feigned lovers pretended you had1 and   
kept you from obtaining4 ,no  uneasy    
task will be enjoyn'd you1 all your     
labour being only to prepare  for the   
highest degrees of that ,glory1 the very
 lowest of which is  more than at       
present you are able to conceive1 and   
the prospect of it  sufficient to       
out-weigh all the ,pains of ,religion1  
were there any in  it1 as really there  
are none4 ,all that is requir'd of you1 

is only to  be as ,happy as possibly you
 can1 and to make sure of a ,felicity   
that  will fill all the capacities of   
your ,souls6 ,a happiness1 which when   
once you have tasted1 you'll be fully   
convinc'd you cou'd never do  too much  
to obtain it1 nor be too solicitous to  
adorn your ,souls with  such tempers and
 dispositions1 as will at present make  
you in some  measure1 such holy and     
,heavenly ,creatures as you one day hope
 to be in  a more perfect manner2       
without which ,qualifications you can   
neither  reasonably expect1 nor are     
capable of enjoying the ,happiness of   
the ,life to come4 ,happy ,retreat6     
which will be the introducing you  into 
such a ,paradise as your ,mother ,eve   
forfeited1 where you shall  feast on    
,pleasures1 that do not like those of   
the ,world1 disappoint  your            
expectations1 pall your ,appetites1 and 
by the disgust they give  you put you on
 the fruitless search after new         
,delights1 which when  obtain'd are as  

empty as the former2 but such as will   
make you truly  happy now1 and prepare  
you to be perfectly so hereafter4 ,here 
are  no ,serpents to deceive you1 whilst
 you entertain your selves in these     
delicious ,gardens4 ,no ,provocations   
will be given in this ,amicable         
,society1 but to ,love and to good      
,works1 which will afford such an       
entertaining employment1 that you'll    
have as little inclination as  leisure  
to pursue those ,follies1 which in the  
time of your ignorance  pass'd with you 
under the name of love1 altho' there is 
not in nature  two more different       
things1 than true ,love and that brutish
 ,passion  which pretends to ape it4    
,here will be no ,rivalling but for the 
,love  of ,,god1 no ,ambition but to    
procure his ,favour1 to which nothing   
will  more effectually recommend you1   
than a great and dear affection to each 
other4 ,envy that ,canker1 will not here
 disturb your ,breasts2 for how  can she
 repine at anothers well-fare1 who      

reckons it the greatest part  of her    
own8 ,no ,covetousness will gain        
admittance in this blest abode1  but to 
amass huge ,treasures of good ,works1   
and to procure one of the  brightest    
,crowns of ,glory4 ,you will not be     
solicitous to encrease your  ,fortunes1 
but to enlarge your ,minds1 esteeming no
 ,grandeur like being  conformable to   
the meek and humble ,,jesus4 ,so that   
you only withdraw  from the noise and   
trouble1 the folly and temptation of the
 world1  that you may more peaceably    
enjoy your selves1 and all the innocent 
,pleasures it is able to afford you1 and
 particularly that which is  worth all  
the rest1 a ,noble1 ,vertuous and       
,disinteress'd ,friendship4 ,and  to    
compleat all1 that ,acme of delight     
which the devout ,seraphic ,soul        
enjoys1 when dead to the ,world1 she    
devotes her self entirely to the        
,contemplation and fruition of her      
,beloved2 when having disengag'd her    
self from all those ,lets which hindred 

her from without1 she moves in  a direct
 and vigorous motion towards her true   
and only ,good1 whom now  she embraces  
and acquiesces in with such an          
unspeakable pleasure1 as is  only       
intelligible to those who have tried and
 felt it1 which we can no  more describe
 to the dark and sensual part of        
,mankind1 than we can the  beauty of    
,colours and harmony of ,sounds to the  
,blind and ,deaf4 ,in fine1  the place  
to which you are invited is a ,type and 
,antepast of ,heav'n1  where your       
,employment will be as there1 to magnify
 ,,god1 to love one  another1 and to    
communicate that useful knowledge1 which
 by the due  improvement of your time in
 ,study and ,contemplation you will     
obtain1  and which when obtain'd1 will  
afford you a much sweeter and more      
durable delight1 than all those pitiful 
diversions1 those revellings  and       
amusements1 which now thro your         
ignorance of better1 appear the  only   
grateful and relishing ,entertainments4 

,but because we were not made for our   
selves1 nor can by any means so         
effectually glorify ,,god and do good to
 our own ,souls1 as by doing  ,offices  
of ,charity and ,beneficence to others2 
and to the intent that  every ,vertue1  
and the highest degrees of every ,vertue
 may be exercis'd  and promoted the most
 that may be2 your ,retreat shall be so 
manag'd as  not to exclude the good     
,works of an ,active1 from the pleasure 
and  serenity of a ,contemplative ,life1
 but by a due mixture of both retain    
all the advantages and avoid the        
inconveniencies that attend either4 ,it 
shall not so cut you off from the world 
as to hinder you from bettering  and    
improving it1 but rather qualify you to 
do it the greatest ,good1  and be a     
,seminary to stock the ,kingdom with    
pious and prudent ,ladies1  whose good  
,example it is to be hop'd1 will so     
influence the rest of  their ,sex1 that 
,women may no longer pass for those     
little useless and  impertinent         

,animals1 which the ill conduct of too  
many has caus'd 'em  to be mistaken for4
    ,sidenote3 ,mr4 ,nor4 ,conduct of   
,hum4 ,life4    ,we have hitherto       
consider'd our ,retirement only in      
relation to  ,religion1 which is indeed 
its main1 ,i may say its only design2   
nor can this be thought too contracting 
a word1 since ,religion is the  adequate
 business of our lives1 and largely     
consider'd1 takes in all  we have to do1
 nothing being a fit employment for a   
rational ,creature1  which has not      
either a direct or remote tendency to   
this great and  only end4 ,but because1 
as we have all along observ'd1 ,religion
 never  appears in its true ,beauty1 but
 when it is accompanied with ,wisdom    
and ,discretion2 and that without a good
 ,understanding1 we can scarce  be      
truly1 but never eminently ,good2 being 
liable to a thousand  seductions and    
mistakes 7for even the men themselves1  
if they have not  a competent degree of 
,knowledge1 are carried about with every

 wind  of ,doctrine7 ,therefore1 one    
great end of this ,institution shall be1
  to expel that cloud of ,ignorance     
which ,custom has involv'd us in1 to    
furnish our minds with a stock of solid 
and useful ,knowledge1 that  the ,souls 
of ,women may no longer be the only     
unadorn'd and neglected  things4 ,it is 
not intended that our ,religious shou'd 
waste their  time1 and trouble their    
heads about such unconcerning matters1  
as  the vogue of the world has turn'd up
 for ,learning1 the impertinency  of    
which has been excellently expos'd by an
 ingenious ,pen1 but busy  themselves in
 a serious enquiry after necessary and  
perfective  truths1 something which it  
concerns them to know1 and which tends  
to their real interest and perfection1  
and what that is the excellent  ,author 
just now mention'd will sufficiently    
inform them4 ,such a course  of ,study  
will neither be too troublesome nor out 
of the reach of a  ,female ,virtuoso2   
for it is not intended she shou'd spend 

her hours in  learning words but things1
 and therefore no more ,languages than  
are  necessary to acquaint her with     
useful ,authors4 ,nor need she trouble  
her self in turning over a great number 
of ,books1 but take care to  understand 
and digest a few well-chosen and good   
ones4 ,let her but  obtain right ,ideas1
 and be truly acquainted with the nature
 of those  ,objects that present        
themselves to her mind1 and then no     
matter whether  or no she be able to    
tell what fanciful people have said     
about them3  ,and throughly to          
understand ,christianity as profess'd by
 the ,church  of ,england1 will be      
sufficient to confirm her in the truth1 
tho'  she have not a ,catalogue of those
 particular errors which oppose it4     
,indeed a ,learned ,education of the    
,women will appear so unfashionable1    
that ,i began to startle at the         
singularity of the proposition1 but was 
extremely pleas'd when ,i found a late  
ingenious ,author 7whose ,book ,i  met  

with since the writing of this7 agree   
with me in my ,opinion4 ,for  speaking  
of the ,repute that ,learning was in    
about #aej years ago1 ,it  was so very  
modish 7says he7 that the fair ,sex     
seem'd to believe  that ,greek and      
,latin added to their ,charms2 and      
,plato and  ,aristotle untranslated1    
were frequent ,ornaments of their       
,closets4 ,one  wou'd think by the      
effects1 that it was a proper way of    
,educating them1  since there are no    
accounts in ,history of so many great   
,women in any  one ,age1 as are to be   
found between the years #ae and #afjj4  
,sidenote3 ,mr4 ,wotton's ,reflect4 on  
,ant4 and ,mod4 ,learn4 p4 #cdi1 #cej4  
,for since ,,god has given ,women as    
well as ,men intelligent ,souls1 why    
should they be forbidden to improve     
them8 ,since he has not denied us  the  
faculty of ,thinking1 why shou'd we not 
7at least in gratitude to  him7 employ  
our ,thoughts on himself their noblest  
,object1 and not  unworthily bestow them

 on ,trifles and ,gaities and secular   
,affairs8  ,being the ,soul was created 
for the contemplation of ,truth as well 
as  for the fruition of ,good1 is it not
 as cruel and unjust to preclude  ,women
 from the knowledge of the one as from  
the enjoyment of the  other8 ,especially
 since the ,will is blind1 and cannot   
chuse but by  the direction of the      
,understanding2 or to speak more        
properly1 since  the ,soul always ,wills
 according as she ,understands1 so that 
if  she ,understands amiss1 she ,wills  
amiss4 ,and as ,exercise enlarges       
exalts any ,faculty1 so thro' want of   
using it becomes crampt   lessened2 if  
therefore we make little or no use of   
our ,understandings1  we shall shortly  
have none to use2 and the more          
contracted and  unemploy'd the          
deliberating and directive ,power is1   
the more liable  is the elective to     
unworthy and mischievous options4 ,what 
is it but  the want of an ingenious     
,education1 that renders the generality 

of  ,feminine ,conversations so insipid 
and foolish and their solitude so       
insupportable8 ,learning is therefore   
necessary to render them more  agreeable
 and useful in company1 and to furnish  
them with becoming  entertainments when 
alone1 that so they may not be driven to
 those  miserable shifts1 which too many
 make use of to put off their ,time1    
that precious ,talent that never lies on
 the hands of a judicious  ,person4 ,and
 since our ,happiness in the next       
,world1 depends so far on  those        
dispositions which we carry along with  
us out of this1 that  without a right   
habitude and temper of mind we are not  
capable of  ,felicity2 and seeing our   
,beatitude consists in the contemplation
  of the divine ,truth and ,beauty1 as  
well as in the fruition of his          
,goodness1 can ,ignorance be a fit      
preparative for ,heaven8 ,is't likely   
that she whose ,understanding has been  
busied about nothing but froth  and     
trifles1 shou'd be capable of delighting

 her self in noble and  sublime ,truths8
 ,let such therefore as deny us the     
improvement of our  ,intellectuals1     
either take up his ,paradox1 who said   
that ,women have  no ,souls1 which at   
this time a day1 when they are allow'd  
to ,brutes1  wou'd be as unphilosophical
 as it is unmannerly1 or else let them  
permit us to cultivate and improve them4
 ,there is a sort of ,learning  indeed  
which is worse than the greatest        
,ignorance3 ,a ,woman may study  ,plays 
and ,romances all her days1 and be a    
great deal more knowing  but never a jot
 the wiser4 ,such a knowledge as this   
serves only to  instruct and put her    
forward in the practice of the greatest 
,follies1  yet how can they justly blame
 her who forbid1 or at least won't      
afford  opportunity of better8 ,a       
rational mind will be employ'd1 it will 
never be satisfy'd in doing nothing1 and
 if you neglect to furnish it  with good
 materials1 'tis like to take up with   
such as come to hand4    ,we pretend not

 that ,women shou'd teach in the        
,church1 or usurp  ,authority where it  
is not allow'd them2 permit us only to  
understand  our own duty1 and not be    
forc'd to take it upon trust from       
others2 to  be at least so far learned1 
as to be able to form in our minds a    
true  ,idea of ,christianity1 it being  
so very necessary to fence us against   
the danger of these last and perilous   
days1 in which ,deceivers  a part of    
whose ,character is to lead captive     
silly ,women1 need  not creep into      
,houses since they have ,authority to   
proclaim their  ,errors on the ,house   
top4 ,and let us also acquire a true    
,practical  ,knowledge such as will     
convince us of the absolute necessity of
 ,holy  ,living as well as of ,right    
,believing1 and that no ,heresy is more 
dangerous than that of an ungodly and   
wicked ,life4 ,and since the  ,french   
,tongue is understood by most ,ladies1  
methinks they may much  better improve  
it by the study of ,philosophy 7as ,i   

hear the ,french  ,ladies do7 ,des      
,cartes1 ,malebranche and others1 than  
by reading  idle ,novels and ,romances4 
',tis strange we shou'd be so forward to
  imitate their ,fashions and           
,fopperies1 and have no regard to what  
really  deserves our ,imitation6 ,and   
why shall it not be thought as genteel  
to  understand ,french ,philosophy1 as  
to be accoutred in a ,french ,mode8     
,let therefore the famous ,madam        
,d'acier1 ,scudery1 c4 and our own      
incomparable ,orinda1 excite the        
,emulation of the ,english ,ladies4     
,the ,ladies1 ,i'm sure1 have no reason 
to dislike this ,proposal1 but ,i  know 
not how the ,men will resent it to have 
their enclosure broke down1  and ,women 
invited to tast of that ,tree of        
,knowledge they have so long  unjustly  
,monopoliz'd4 ,but they must excuse me1 
if ,i be as partial  to my own ,sex as  
they are to theirs1 and think ,women as 
capable of  ,learning as ,men are1 and  
that it becomes them as well4 ,for ,i   

cannot  imagine wherein the hurt lies1  
if instead of doing mischief to one     
another1 by an uncharitable and vain    
,conversation1 ,women be enabled to     
inform and instruct those of their own  
,sex at least2 the ,holy ,ghost  having 
left it on record1 that ,priscilla as   
well as her ,husband1  catechiz'd the   
eloquent ,apollos and the great ,apostle
 found no fault  with her4 ,it will     
therefore be very proper for our ,ladies
 to spend part  of their time in this   
,retirement1 in adorning their minds    
with useful  ,knowledge4    ,to enter   
into the detail of the particulars      
concerning the ,government  of the      
,religious1 their ,offices of ,devotion1
 ,employments1 ,work1 c4  is not now    
necessary4 ,suffice it at present to    
signify1 that they will  be more than   
ordinarily careful to redeem their      
,time1 spending no  more of it on the   
,body than the necessities of ,nature   
require1 but by  a judicious choice of  
their ,employment and a constant        

industry about  it1 so improve this     
invaluable ,treasure1 that it may       
neither be buried  in ,idleness1 nor    
lavish'd out in unprofitable concerns4  
,for a stated  portion of it being daily
 paid to ,,god in ,prayers and ,praises1
 the  rest shall be employ'd in         
innocent1 charitable1 and useful        
,business2  either in study in learning 
themselves or instructing others1 for   
it is design'd that part of their       
,employment be the ,education of  those 
of their own ,sex2 or else in spiritual 
and corporal ,works of  ,mercy1         
relieving the ,poor1 healing the ,sick1 
mingling ,charity to the  ,soul with    
that they express to the ,body1         
instructing the ,ignorant1  counselling 
the ,doubtful1 comforting the           
,afflicted1 and correcting  those that  
err and do amiss4    ,and as it will be 
the business of their lives1 their meat 
and drink  to know and do the ,will of  
their ,heavenly ,father1 so will they   
pay a strict conformity to all the      

,precepts of their holy ,mother the     
,church1 whose sacred ,injunctions are  
too much neglected1 even by  those who  
pretend the greatest zeal for her4 ,for 
besides the daily  performance of the   
,publick ,offices after the ,cathedral  
manner1 in the  most affecting and      
elevating way1 the celebration of the   
,holy ,eucharist  every ,lords ,day and 
,holy-day1 and a course of solid        
instructive  ,preaching and             
,catechizing2 our ,religious1           
considering that the holy  ,,jesus      
punctually observ'd the innocent usages 
of the ,jewish ,church1  and tho' in    
many instances the reason of the        
,command ceas'd as to  him1 yet he wou'd
 obey the letter to avoid giving offence
 and to  set us an admirable pattern of 
,obedience2 therefore1 tho' it may be   
thought such pious ,souls have little   
occasion for the severities of  fasting 
and mortification1 yet they will        
consider it as a special part  of their 
,duty to observe all the ,fasts of the  

,church1 viz4 ,lent1  ,ember1 and       
,rogation-days1 ,fridays and ,vigils2   
times so little  heeded by the most1    
that one wou'd scarce believe them set  
apart for  ,religious ,purposes1 did we 
not find them in the antiquated         
,rubricks4  ,and as their ,devotion will
 be regular1 so shall it likewise be    
solid  and substantial4 ,they will not  
rest in the mere out-side of ,duty1 nor 
fansie the performance of their ,fasts  
and ,offices will procure them  license 
to indulge a darling ,vice3 ,but having 
long since laid the  ,ax to the root of 
sin1 and destroy'd the whole body of it1
 they will  look upon these holy times  
of recollection and extraordinary       
,devotion  7without which ,fasting      
signifies little7 as excellent means to 
keep it  down1 and to pluck up every the
 least ,fibre that may happen to remain 
in them4 ,but we intend not by this to  
impose any intolerable burden  on tender
 ,constitutions1 knowing that our ,lord 
has taught us1 that  ,mercy is to be    

prefer'd before ,sacrifice3 and that    
,bodily ,exercise  profiteth but a      
little1 the chief business being to     
obtain a a divine  and ,god-like temper 
of ,mind4    ,and as this institution   
will strictly enjoyn all pious and      
profitable  ,employments1 so does it not
 only permit but recommend harmless and 
ingenious ,diversions1 ,musick          
particularly and such as may refresh the
  ,body without enervating the ,mind4   
,they do a disservice to ,religion  who 
make it an enemy to innocent ,nature1   
and injure the ,almighty when  they     
represent him as imposing burdens that  
are not to be born4 ,neither  ,,god nor 
,wise men will like us the better for an
 affected severity and  waspish         
sourness4 ,nature and ,grace will never 
disagree1 provided we  mistake not the  
one1 nor indulge the petulancy of the   
other2 there  being no ,displacencies in
 ,religion1 but what we our selves have 
unhappily made4 ,for true ,piety is the 
most sweet and engaging thing           

imaginable1 as it is most obliging to   
others1 so most easie to our  selves4   
',tis in truth the highest ,epicurism1  
exalting our ,pleasures  by refining    
them2 keeping our ,appetites in that due
 regularity which  not only ,grace1 but 
even ,nature and ,reason require1 in the
 breach  of which tho' there may be a   
,transport1 there can be no true and    
substantial delight4    ,as to ,lodging1
 ,habit and ,diet1 they may be quickly  
resolv'd on  by the ,ladies who shall   
subscribe2 who ,i doubt not will make   
choice  of what is most plain and       
decent1 what ,nature not ,luxury        
requires4  ,and since neither ,meat nor 
,cloaths commend us unto ,,god1 they'll 
content themselves with such things as  
are fit and convenient1 without         
occasioning scruple to themselves or    
giving any trouble or offence  to       
others4 ,she who considers to how much  
better account that ,money  will turn   
which is bestow'd on the ,poor1 than    
that which is laid out  in unnecessary  

,expences on her self1 needs no         
,admonitions against  superfluities4    
,she who truly loves her self1 will     
never waste that  ,money on a decaying  
,carkass1 which if prudently disburs'd  
wou'd procure  her an eternal ,mansion4 
,she will never think her self so fine1 
as when  the backs of the ,poor do bless
 her2 and never feast so luxuriously  as
 when she treats an hungry person4 ,no  
perfume will be thought so  grateful as 
the ,odour of ,good ,works1 nor any     
,wash so beautifying as her  own tears4 
,for her ,heroick ,soul is too great to 
ambition any ,empire  but that of her   
own ,breast1 or to regard any other     
,conquest than the  rescuing poor       
unhappy ,souls from the slavery of ,sin 
and ,satan1 those  only unsupportable   
,tyrants2 and therefore what ,decays she
 observes in  her face will be very     
unconcerning1 but she will with greatest
 speed  and accuracy rectify the least  
,spot that may prejudice the beauty of  
her lovely ,soul4    ,in a word1 this   

happy ,society will be but one ,body1   
whose ,soul is  love1 animating and     
informing it1 and perpetually breathing 
forth it  self in flames of holy desires
 after ,,god and acts of ,benevolence to
  each other4 ,envy and                 
,uncharitableness are the ,vices only of
 little and  narrow hearts1 and         
therefore 'tis suppos'd1 they will not  
enter here  amongst persons whole       
,dispositions as well as their ,births  
are to be  ,generous4 ,censure will     
refine into ,friendly ,admonition1 all  
,scoffing  and offensive ,railleries    
will be abominated and banish'd hence1  
where not only the ,words and ,actions2 
but even the very ,thoughts and         
,desires of the ,religious tend to      
promote the most endearing ,love and    
universal ,good-will4 ,thus these       
innocent and holy ,souls shou'd run     
their ,race1 measuring their hours by   
their ,devotions1 and their days by  the
 charitable ,works they do4 ,thus wou'd 
they live the life of ,heaven  whilst on

 ,earth1 and receive an ,earnest of its 
,joys in their hearts4  ,and now1 what  
remains for them to do at ,night1 but to
 review the  ,actions of the ,day8 to   
examine what ,passions have been        
stirring8 ,how  their ,devotions were   
perform'd8 in what temper their ,hearts 
are8 what  good they have done8 what    
progress they've made towards ,heaven8  
and  with the plaudit of a satisfied    
,conscience sweetly to sleep in peace   
and safety1 ,angels pitching their      
,tents round about them1 and he that    
neither slumbers nor sleeps rejoycing   
over them to do them good4    ,and to   
the end that these great designs may be 
the better pursu'd and  effectually     
obtain'd1 care shall be taken that our  
,religious be  under the tuition of     
persons of irreproachable ,lives1 of a  
consummate  ,prudence1 sincere ,piety   
and unaffected ,gravity4 ,no ,novices in
 ,religion1  but such as have spent the 
greatest part of their lives in the     
study  and practice of ,christianity2   

who have lived much1 whatever the time  
of their abode in the world has been4   
,whose ,understandings are clear  and   
comprehensive1 as well as their         
,passions at command and ,affections    
regular1 and their ,knowledge able to   
govern their ,zeal4 ,whose scrutiny     
into their own hearts has been so exact1
 that they fully understand the         
weaknesses of humane ,nature1 are able  
to bear with its defects1 and by  the   
most prudent methods procure its        
,amendment4 ,plentifully furnish'd  with
 instructions for the ,ignorant and     
comfort for the disconsolate2  who know 
how to quicken the slothful1 to awaken  
the secure1  to dispel  the doubts of   
the ,scrupulous4 ,who are not ignorant  
when to use the ,spur  and when the     
,rein1 but duly qualified to minister to
 all the spiritual  wants of their      
,charge2 ,watching over their ,souls    
with tenderness and  prudence2 applying 
fitting ,medicines with sweetness and   
affability4  ,sagacious in discovering  

the very approaches of a fault1 wise in 
preventing1 and charitable in bearing   
with all pityable ,infirmities4  ,the   
sweetness of whole ,nature is           
commensurate to all the rest of  their  
good ,qualities1 and all conspire       
together to make them lov'd  and        
reverenc'd4 ,who have the perfect       
government of themselves1 and  therefore
 rule according to ,reason not ,humour1 
consulting the good of  the ,society1   
not their own arbitrary sway4 ,yet know 
how to assert their  ,authority when    
there is just occasion for it1 and will 
not prejudice  their ,charge by an      
indiscreet remissness and loosening the 
,reins of  discipline4 ,but what        
occasion will there be for rigour1 when 
the  design is to represent ,vertue in  
all her ,charms and native ,loveliness1 
which must needs attract the eyes and   
enamour the hearts of all who  behold   
her8 ,to joyn the sweetness of ,humanity
 to the strictness of  ,philosophy1 that
 both together being improv'd and       

heighten'd by grace1  may make up an    
accomplish'd ,christian1 for she who is 
truly so1 is  certainly the best-bred   
and best-natur'd person in the world1   
adorn'd  with a thousand ,charms1 most  
happy in her self and most agreeable and
  beneficial to all ,she converses with8
 ,and that every one who comes  under   
this holy ,roof may be such an amiable1 
such a charming ,creature1  what faults 
they bring with them shall be corrected 
by sweetness not  severity2 by friendly 
,admonitions1 not magisterial ,reproofs2
 ,piety  shall not be roughly impos'd1  
but wisely insinuated1 by a perpetual   
,display of the ,beauties of ,religion  
in an exemplary ,conversation1  the     
continual and most powerful ,sermon of  
an holy ,life4 ,and since  ,inclination 
can't be forc'd1 and nothing makes      
people more uneasy than  the fettering  
themselves with unnecessary ,bonds1     
there shall be no ,vows  or irrevocable 
,obligations1 not so much as the fear of
 ,reproach to  keep our ,ladies here any

 longer than they desire4 ,no3 ,ev'ry   
act of our  ,religious ,votary shall be 
voluntary and free1 and no other tye but
  the ,pleasure1 the ,glory and         
,advantage of this blessed ,retirement  
to  confine her to it4    ,and now ,i   
suppose1 you'll save me the labour of   
proving1 that this  ,institution will   
very much serve the ends of ,piety and  
,charity2 it is  methinks self-evident1 
and the very ,proposal sufficient proof4
 ,but if  it will not promote these     
great ends1 ,i shall think my self      
mightily  oblig'd to him who will shew  
me what will2 for provided the good of  
my ,neighbour be advanc'd1 'tis very    
indifferent to me whether it be  by my  
method or by anothers4 ,here will be no 
impertinent ,visits1  no foolish        
,amours1 no idle ,amusements to distract
 our ,thoughts and  waste our precious  
time2 a very little of which is spent in
 ,dressing1  that grand devourer and its
 concomitants1 and no more than         
necessity  requires in sleep and eating2

 so that here's a vast ,treasure gain'd1
  which for ought ,i know may purchase  
an happy ,eternity4 ,but we need not    
rest in generals1 a cursory view of some
 particulars will sufficiently          
demonstrate the great usefulness of such
 a ,retirement2 which will  appear by   
observing first a few of those          
inconveniencies to which  ,ladies are   
expos'd by living in the ,world1 and in 
the next place the  positive advantages 
of a ,retreat4    ,and first1 as to the 
inconveniences of living in the ,world2 
no very  small one is that strong ,idea 
and warm perception it gives us of its  
,vanities2 since these are ever at hand1
 constantly thronging about  us1 they   
must necessarily push aside all other   
,objects1 and the ,mind  being          
prepossess'd and gratefully entertain'd 
with those pleasing  ,perceptions which 
external ,objects occasion1 takes up    
with them as  its only ,good1 is not at 
leisure to tast those delights which    
arise  from a ,reflection on it self1   

nor to receive the ,ideas which such a  
,reflection conveys1 and consequently   
forms all its ,notions by such  ,ideas  
only as it derives from sensation1 being
 unacquainted with  those more excellent
 ones which arise from its own          
operations and a  serious reflection on 
them1 and which are necessary to correct
 the  mistakes and supply the defects of
 the other4 ,from whence arises a very  
partial knowledge of things1 nay1 almost
 a perfect ignorance in things  of the  
greatest moment4 ,for tho' we are       
acquainted with the ,sound of  some     
certain words1 viz4 ,god1 ,religion1    
,pleasure and ,pain1  ,honour and       
,dishonour1 and the like2 yet having no 
other ,ideas but  what are convey'd to  
us by those ,trifles we converse with1  
we frame to  our selves strange and     
awkward notions of them1 conformable    
only to  those ,ideas sensation has     
furnish'd us with1 which sometimes grow 
so  strong and fixt1 that 'tis scarce   
possible to introduce a new ,scheme of  

,thoughts and so to disabuse us1        
especially whilst these ,objects are    
thick in our way4    ,thus she who sees 
her self and others respected in        
proportion to that  ,pomp and ,bustle   
they make in the world1 will form her   
,idea of ,honour  accordingly4 ,she who 
has relish'd no ,pleasures but such as  
arise at  the presence of outward       
,objects1 will seek no higher than her  
,senses  for her ,gratification4 ,and   
thus we may account for that strange    
insensibility1 that appears in some     
people when you speak to them of  any   
serious ,religious matter4 ,they are    
then so dull you'll have much  ado to   
make them understand the clearest       
,truth3 ,whereas if you rally  the same 
persons1 or chat with them of some ,mode
 or ,foppery1 they'll  appear very      
quick1 expert1 and ingenious4 ,i have   
sometimes smil'd  betwixt scorn and     
pity1 to hear ,women talk as gravely and
 concernedly  about some trifling       
disappointment from their ,milliner or  

,taylor1  as if it had related to the   
weightiest concerns of their ,souls1    
nay1  perhaps more seriously than others
 who wou'd pass for ,good1 do about     
their eternal ,interest2 but turn the   
talk that way1 and they grow as  heavy  
and cold as they were warm and sensible 
before4 ,and whence is  this1 but       
because their heads are full of the one1
 and quite destitute  of such ,ideas as 
might give them a competent notion of   
the other1 and  therefore to discourse  
of such matters1 is as little to the    
purpose as  to make ,mathematical       
,demonstrations to one who knows not    
what an ,angle  or ,triangle means4     
,hence by the way1 will appear the great
 usefulness  of judicious ,catechizing1 
which is necessary to form clear ,ideas 
in  the mind1 without which it can      
receive but little benefit from the     
,discourses of the ,pulpit1 and perhaps 
the neglect of the former1 is  the      
reason that the great plenty of the     
latter has no better effect4  ,by all   

which it appears1 that if we wou'd not  
be impos'd on by false  ,representations
 and ,impostures1 if we wou'd obtain a  
due knowledge of  the most important    
things1 we must remove the little ,toys 
and ,vanities  of the world from us1 or 
our selves from them2 enlarge our       
,ideas1 seek  out new ,fields of        
knowledge1 whereby to rectify our first 
mistakes4    ,from the same ,original1  
viz4 the constant flattery of external  
,objects1 arises that querulousness and 
delicacy observable in most  ,persons of
 fortune1 and which1 betrays them to    
many inconveniencies4  ,for besides that
 it renders them altogether unfit to    
bear a change1  which considering the   
great uncertainty and swift vicissitudes
 of  worldly things1 the ,greatest and  
most established ought not to be        
unprepar'd for2 it likewise makes them  
perpetually uneasy1 abates the  delight 
of their enjoyments1 for such persons   
will very rarely find  all things to    
their mind1 and then some little        

disorder which others  wou'd take no    
notice of1 like an aching ,tooth or     
,toe1 spoils the  relish of their ,joys4
 ,and tho' many great ,ladies affect    
this temper1  mistaking it for a piece  
of ,grandeur1 'tis so far from that1    
that it  gives evidence of a poor weak  
,mind1 a very childish ,humour1 that    
must  be cocker'd and fed with ,toys and
 ,baubles to still its frowardness1 and 
is like the crazy stomach of a sick     
,person1 which no body has reason to  be
 fond of or desire4    ,this also       
disposes them to ,inconstancy1 for she  
who is continually  supply'd with       
variety knows not where to fix2 a ,vice 
which some ,women  seem to be proud of1 
and yet nothing in the world so         
reproachful and  degrading1 because     
nothing is a stronger indication of a   
weak and  injudicious mind4 ,for it     
supposes us either so ignorant as to    
make a  wrong ,choice at first1 or else 
so silly as not to know and stick to it1
  when we have made a right one4 ,it    

bespeaks an unthinking inconsiderate    
,mind1 one that lives at ,random1       
without any design or end2 who wanting  
judgment to discern where to fix1 or to 
know when she's well1 is ever           
fluctuating and uncertain1 undoing to   
day what she had done yesterday1  which 
is the worst ,character that can be     
given of ones ,understanding4    ,a     
constant ,scene of ,temptations and the 
infection of ill company1 is  another   
great danger which conversing in the    
world exposes to4 ',tis a  dangerous    
thing to have all the opportunities of  
sinning in our power1  and the danger is
 increas'd by the ill ,precedents we    
daily see of those  who take them4      
,liberty 7as some body says7 will       
corrupt an ,angel1  and tho' it is      
indeed more glorious to conquer than to 
fly1 yet since  our ,vertue is so       
visibly weakened in other instances1 we 
have no  reason to presume on't in this4
 ',tis become no easy matter to secure  
our ,innocence in our necessary         

,civilities and daily ,conversations1   
in which if we have the good luck to    
avoid such as bring a necessity  on us1 
either of seeming rude to them1 or of   
being really so to ,,god  ,almighty1    
whilst we tamely hear him1 our best     
,friend and ,benefactor  affronted and  
swallow it1 at the same time1 that we   
wou'd reckon't  a very pitiful ,spirit  
to hear an ,acquaintance traduc'd and   
hold our  ,tongue2 yet if we avoid this 
,trial1 our ,charity is however in      
continual  danger1 ,censoriousness being
 grown so modish1 that we can scarce    
avoid  being active or passive in it2 so
 that she who has not her pert jest     
ready to pass upon others1 shall as soon
 as her back is turn'd1 become  a ,jest 
her self for want of ,wit4    ,in       
consequence of all this1 we are         
insensibly betray'd to a great loss  of 
time1 a ,treasure whose value we are too
 often quite ignorant of  till it be    
lost past redemption4 ,and yet          
considering the shortness and           

uncertainty of ,life1 the great work we 
have to do1 and what advantages  accrew 
to us by a due management of our time1  
we cannot reconcile it  with prudence to
 suffer the least minute to escape us4  
,but besides our  own lavish ,expences  
concerning which one may ask as ,solomon
 does of  ,labour1 ,what ,fruit have we 
of all that ,sport and ,pastime we have 
taken  under the ,sun8 so unreasonable  
is the humour of the ,world1 that those 
who wou'd reckon it a rudeness to make  
so bold with out ,money1 never  scruple 
to waste and rob us of this infinitely  
more precious ,treasure4    ,in the last
 place1 by reason of this loss of time  
and the continual  hurry we are in1 we  
can find no opportunities for           
thoughtfulness and  recollection2 we are
 so busied with what passes abroad1 that
 we have  no leisure to look at home1   
nor to rectifie the disorders there4    
,and such an unthinking mechanical way  
of living1 when like ,machines  we are  
condemn'd every day to repeat the       

impertinencies of the day  before1      
shortens our ,views1 contracts our      
,minds1 exposes to a thousand  practical
 ,errors1 and renders ,improvement      
impossible1 because it will  not permit 
us to consider and recollect1 which is  
the only means to  attain it4 ,so much  
for the inconveniences of living in the 
,world2 if we  enquire concerning       
,retirement1 we shall find it does not  
only remove  all these1 but brings      
considerable advantages of its own4     
,for first1 it helps us to mate ,custom 
and delivers us from its ,tyranny1      
which is the most considerable thing we 
have to do1 it being nothing  else but  
the habituating our selves to ,folly    
that can reconcile us  to it4 ,but how  
hard is it to quit an old road8 ,what   
courage as well  as prudence does it    
require8 ,how clear a ,judgment to      
overlook the  ,prejudices of ,education 
and ,example and to discern what is     
best1 and  how strong a ,resolution     
notwithstanding all the ,scoffs and     

,noises of  the world to adhere to it8  
,for ,custom has usurpt such an         
unaccountable  ,authority1 that she who 
would endeavour to put a stop to its    
,arbitrary  ,sway and reduce it to      
,reason1 is in a fair way to render her 
self the  ,butt for all the ,fops in    
,town to shoot their impertinent        
,censures  at4 ,and tho' a wise ,woman  
will not value their ,censure1 yet she  
cares  not to be the subject of their   
,discourse4 ,the only way then is to    
retire from the ,world1 as the          
,israelites did out of gypt1 lest the   
,sacrifice we must make of its ,follies 
shou'd provoke its ,spleen4    ,this    
also puts us out of the road of         
,temptation1 and very much redeems  our 
,time1 cutting off those extravagancies 
on which so much of it  was squandered  
away before1 and furnishing us          
constantly with good  employment1       
secures us from being seduc'd into bad4 
,great are the  ,benefits of holy       
,conversation which will be here        

enjoy'd2 ,as ,vice is1  so ,vertue may  
be catching2 and to what heights of     
,piety will not she  advance1 who is    
plac'd where the sole business is to be 
,good1 where  there is no pleasure but  
in ,religion1 no contention but to excel
 in  what is truly commendable2 where   
her ,soul is not defil'd nor her ,zeal  
provok'd1 by the sight or relation of   
those ,villanies the ,world abounds     
with8    ,and by that ,learning which   
will be here afforded1 and that leisure 
we  have to enquire after it1 and to    
know and reflect on our own minds1 we   
shall rescue our selves out of that     
woful incogitancy we have slipt  into1  
awaken our sleeping ,powers and make use
 of that reason which ,,god  has given  
us4 ,we shall then begin to wonder at   
our ,folly1 that amongst  all the       
pleasures we formerly pursued1 we never 
attended to that most  noble and        
delicious one which is to be found in   
the chase of truth2  and bless our      
selves at last1 that our eyes are open'd

 to discern1 how  much more pleasantly  
we may be entertain'd by our own        
,thoughts1 than  by all the ,diversions 
which the world affords us4 ,by this    
means we  are fitted to receive the     
influences of the holy ,spirit and are  
put  in a due frame of ,devotion4 ,no   
doubt but ,he has often knock'd at the  
door of our hearts1 when the croud and  
noise of our ,vanities would  not suffer
 us to regard or hear him1 and could    
find no admittance  when our house was  
so fill'd with other company4 ,here     
therefore is  the fittest place for his 
,entertainment1 for being freed from    
outward  disturbances1 we are entirely  
at leisure to attend so divine a ,guest4
  ,our ,devotions will be perform'd with
 due attention1 those ,objects that     
used to distract being now remov'd from 
us2 simplicity of desire will  beget    
simplicity of thought1 and that will    
make our mind most intense  and         
elevated1 when we come to address our   
selves to the ,throne of  ,grace4 ,being

 dead to the things of this world1 we   
shall with greatest  fervour petition   
for those of another2 and living always 
in a lively  and awful sense of the     
divine ,majesty1 our hearts will ever be
 dispos'd  to approach him in the most  
solemn1 serious and reverent manner4    
',tis  a very unseemly thing to jump    
from our ,diversions to our ,prayers2 as
  if when we have been entertaining our 
selves and others with ,vanity1  we were
 instantly prepar'd to appear in the    
sacred presence of ,,god4  ,but a       
,religious ,retirement and holy         
,conversation1 will procure us a  more  
serious ,temper1 a graver ,spirit1 and  
so both make us habitually  fit to      
approach1 and likewise stir us up to be 
more careful in our  actual preparations
 when we do4 ,for besides all other     
improvements of  ,knowledge1 we shall   
hereby obtain truer ,notions of ,,god   
than we were  capable of before1 which  
is of very great consequence1 since the 
want  of right apprehensions concerning 

him1 is the general cause of ,mistakes  
in ,religion1 of ,errors in             
,speculation1 and ,indecorums in        
,practice2 for  as ,,god is the noblest 
,object of our ,understanding1 so       
nothing is more  necessary or of such   
consequence to us as to busie our       
thoughts about  him4 ,and did we rightly
 consider his ,nature1 we shou'd neither
 dare to  forget him1 nor draw near to  
him with unclean hands and unholy       
hearts4    ,from this sacred ,mountain  
where the world will be plac'd at our   
feet1  at such a distance from us1 that 
the steams of its corruptions shall  not
 obscure our eye-sight1 we shall have a 
right prospect of it and  clearly       
discern that all its ,allurements1 all  
those ,gaities and  ,pageantries which  
at present we admire so much1 are no    
better than  insignificant ,toys1 which 
have no value but what our perverse     
,opinion  imposes on them4 ,things which
 contribute so very little to our real  
,good1 that even at present1 which is   

their only season1 we may live  much    
happier without than with them2 and     
which are so far from being  necessary  
to our ,felicity1 that they shall vanish
 and be no more when  that is consummate
 and perfect4 ,many are the ,topic's    
from whence we  might declaim against   
the vanity of the world1 but methinks   
,experience  is so convincing that it   
supersedes all the rest1 and wou'd      
certainly  reclaim us from the          
immoderate love of earthly enjoyments1  
did we  but seriously hearken to it4    
,for tell me1 ,ladies1 if your greatest 
,pleasures are not attended with a      
greater sting2 when you think to  grasp 
them1 do they not either vanish into    
,air1 or gall your fingers8  ,to want or
 to enjoy them1 is equally tormenting2  
the one produces in  you the ,pain of   
,hunger the other of ,loathing4 ,for in 
reality1 there  is no good in them1     
nothing but the ,shadow and ,appearance2
 if there  were1 you cou'd not so easily
 loath your old ,delights and be so fond

  of variety1 what is truly desirable   
never ending in disgust4 ,they are  not 
therefore ,pleasures but ,amusements    
which you now pursue1 and which1        
through your ignorance of better ,joys  
pretend to fill their place1  toll you  
on with fair pretences and repay your   
,labour with defeated  ,hopes4 ,joys not
 near so lasting as the slightest toy   
you wear1 the  most capricious ,humorist
 among you is more constant far than    
they4  ,come hither therefore and take a
 true view of 'em1 that you may no      
longer deceive your selves with that    
which profits not1 but spurning  away   
these empty nothings1 secure a portion  
in such a ,bliss as will  not fail1 as  
cannot disappoint you6 ,a ,felicity     
which depending on ,,god  only and your 
own ,minds1 is out of ,fortunes reach1  
will place you  above the ,batteries of 
the world1 above its ,terrors and       
,allurements1  and enable you at once to
 triumph over and despise it4 ,and what 
can  be more glorious1 than to have a   

mind unshaken by the blandishments  of  
,prosperity1 or the rough shocks of     
,adversity2 that passes thro'  both with
 the same indifferency and integrity1 is
 not to be tempted by  either to a mean 
unworthy and indecent ,action8          
,farther yet1 besides that holy         
emulation which a continual view of  the
 brightest and most exemplary ,lives    
will excite in us1 we shall  have       
opportunity of contracting the purest   
and noblest ,friendship2  a ,blessing1  
the purchase of which were richly worth 
all the ,world  besides6 ,for she who   
possesses a worthy ,person1 has         
certainly obtain'd  the richest         
,treasure4 ,a ,blessing that ,monarchs  
may envy1 and she who  enjoys is happier
 than she who fills a ,throne6 ,a       
,blessing1 which next  to the love of   
,,god1 is the choicest ,jewel in our    
,celestial ,diadem2  which1 were it duly
 practis'd wou'd both fit us for ,heav'n
 and bring it  down into our hearts     
whilst we tarry here4 ,for ,friendship  

is a vertue  which comprehends all the  
rest2 none being fit for this1 who is   
not  adorn'd with every other ,vertue4  
,probably one considerable cause of the 
degeneracy of the present ,age1 is the  
little true ,friendship that is to  be  
found in it2 or perhaps you will rather 
say that this is the effect  of our     
corruption4 ,the cause and the effect   
are indeed reciprocal2 for  were the    
,world better there wou'd be more       
,friendship1 and were there  more       
,friendship we shou'd have a better     
,world4 ,but because ,iniquity  abounds1
 therefore the love of many is not only 
waxen cold1 but  quite benumb'd and     
perish'd4 ,but if we have such narrow   
hearts1 be so  full of mistaken         
,self-love1 so unreasonably fond of our 
selves1 that  we cannot spare a ,hearty 
,good-will to one or two choice         
,persons1 how  can it ever be thought1  
that we shou'd well acquit our selves of
 that  ,charity which is due to all     
,mankind8 ,for ,friendship is nothing   

else  but ,charity contracted2 it is 7in
 the words of an admired ,author7  a    
kind of revenging our selves on the     
narrowness of our ,faculties1  by       
exemplifying that extraordinary ,charity
 on one or two1 which we  are willing1  
but not able to exercise towards all4   
,and therefore  'tis without doubt the  
best ,instructor to teach us our duty to
 our  ,neighbour1 and a most excellent  
,monitor to excite us to make payment   
as far as our power will reach4 ,it has 
a special force to dilate our  hearts1  
to deliver them from that vicious       
selfishness and the rest of  those      
sordid ,passions which express a narrow 
illiberal temper1 and are  of such      
pernicious consequence to ,mankind4     
,that institution therefore  must needs 
be highly beneficial1 which both        
disposes us to be ,friends  our selves  
and helps to find them4 ,but by         
,friendship ,i do not mean any  thing   
like those intimacies that are abroad in
 the ,world1 which are  often           

combinations in evil and at best but    
insignificant dearnesses1 as  little    
resembling true ,friendship1 as modern  
,practice does ,primitive               
,christianity4 ,but ,i intend by it the 
greatest usefulness1 the most  refin'd  
and disinteress'd ,benevolence1 a love  
that thinks nothing  within the bounds  
of ,power and ,duty1 too much to do or  
suffer for its  ,beloved2 ,and makes no 
distinction betwixt its ,friend and its 
self1  except that in ,temporals it     
prefers her interest4 ,but tho' it be   
very  desirable to obtain such a        
,treasure1 such a ,medicine of ,life as 
the  wise man speaks1 yet the danger is 
great least being deceiv'd in our       
choice1 we suck in ,poyson where we     
expected ,health4 ,and considering  how 
apt we are to disguise our selves1 how  
hard it is to know our  own hearts much 
less anothers1 it is not advisable to be
 too hasty  in contracting so important 
a ,relation2 before that be done1 it    
were  well if we could look into the    

very ,soul of the beloved ,person1 to   
discover what resemblance it bears to   
our own1 and in this ,society we  shall 
have the best opportunities of doing so4
 ,there are no ,interests  here to      
serve1 no contrivances for another to be
 a stale to2 the ,souls  of all the     
,religious will be open and free1 and   
those particular  ,friendships must be  
no prejudice to the general ,amity4 ,but
 yet1 as in  ,heav'n that region of     
perfect ,love1 the happy ,souls 7as some
 are of  opinion7 now and then step     
aside from more general ,conversations1 
to  entertain themselves with a peculiar
 ,friend2 so1 in this little emblem  of 
that blessed place1 what shou'd hinder1 
but that two ,persons of a  sympathizing
 disposition1 the make and frame of     
whose ,souls bears  an exact conformity 
to each other1 and therefore one wou'd  
think were  purposely design'd by       
,heaven to unite and mix2 what shou'd   
hinder them  from entering into an holy 
combination to watch over each other for

  ,good1 to advise1 encourage and       
direct1 and to observe the minutest     
fault in order to its amendment4 ,the   
truest effect of love being to          
endeavour the bettering the beloved     
,person4 ,and therefore nothing  is more
 likely to improve us in ,vertue1 and   
advance us to the very  highest pitch of
 ,goodness than unfeigned ,friendship1  
which is the most  beneficial1 as well  
as the most pleasant thing in the world4
    ,but to hasten2 such an ,institution
 will much confirm us in ,vertue and    
help us to persevere to the end1 and by 
that substantial ,piety and  solid      
,knowledge we shall here acquire1 fit us
 to propagate ,religion  when we return 
into the ,world4 ,an habitual ,practice 
of ,piety for some  years will so root  
and establish us in it1 that ,religion  
will become  a second ,nature1 and we   
must do strange violences to our selves1
 if  after that we dare venture to      
oppose it4 ,for besides all the other   
,advantages that ,vertue has over ,vice1

 this will disarm it of ,custom1  the   
only thing that recommends it1 bravely  
win its strongest ,fort and  turn its   
own ,cannon against it self4 ,how almost
 impossible wou'd it  be for her to sin1
 whose ,understanding being clearly     
illuminated  with the knowledge of the  
,truth1 is too wise to be impos'd on by 
those  false ,representations that sin  
wou'd deceive it with2 whose ,will  has 
found out and united it self to its true
 ,centre2 and having  been long         
habituated to move in a right line1 has 
no temptation  to decline to an         
,oblique4 ,whose ,affections have daily 
regaled  on those delicious ,fruits of  
,paradise which ,religion presents them 
with1 and are therefore too sublime and 
refin'd to relish the muddy  ,pleasures 
of sensual ,delights4 ,it must certainly
 be a ,miracle if such  an one          
relinquish her ,glory and ,joy2 she must
 be as bad as ,lucifer  himself1 who    
after such ,enjoyments can forsake her  
,heaven4 ',tis too  unreasonable to     

imagine such an ,apostacy1 the          
supposition is monstrous  and therefore 
we may conclude will never1 or very     
rarely happen4 ,and  then what a blessed
 ,world shou'd we have1 shining with so 
many stars  of ,vertue1 who not content 
to be happy themselves alone1 for that's
  a narrowness of mind too much beneath 
their ,god-like temper1 would  like the 
glorious ,lights of ,heaven1 or rather  
like him who made them1  diffuse their  
benign ,influences where-ever they come4
 ,having gain'd an  entrance into       
,paradise themselves1 they wou'd both   
shew the way1 and  invite others to     
partake of their felicity4 ,instead of  
that ,froth and  ,impertinence1 that    
,censure and ,pragmaticalness1 with     
which ,feminine  ,conversations so much 
abound1 we should hear their tongues    
employ'd  in making ,proselytes to      
heaven1 in running down ,vice1 in       
establishing  ,vertue and proclaiming   
their ,makers ,glory4 ',twou'd be more  
genteel to  give and take instructions  

about the ornaments of the ,mind1 than  
to  enquire after the ,mode2 and a      
,lecture on the ,fashions wou'd become  
as  disagreeable as at present any      
serious discourse is4 ,not the ,follies 
of the ,town1 but the ,beauties and the 
,love of ,,jesus wou'd be the most      
polite and delicious ,entertainments4   
',twould be thought as rude and         
barbarous to send our ,visitors away    
uninstructed1 as our foolishness at     
present reckons it to introduce a       
pertinent and useful ,conversation4     
,ladies of ,quality wou'd be able to    
distinguish themselves from their       
,inferiors1 by the blessings they       
communicated and the good they did4     
,for this is their grand ,prerogative1  
their distinguishing ,character1  that  
they are plac'd in a condition which    
makes that which is every  ones ,chief  
business1 to be their ,only employ4     
,they have nothing to  do but to        
glorifie ,,god1 and to benefit their    
,neighbours1 and she who  does not thus 

improve her ,talent1 is more vile and   
despicable than the  meanest ,creature  
that attends her4    ,and if after so   
many ,spiritual ,advantages1 it be      
convenient to mention  ,temporals1 here 
,heiresses and ,persons of ,fortune may 
be kept secure  from the rude attempts  
of designing ,men2 ,and she who has more
 ,money  than ,discretion1 need not     
curse her ,stars for being expos'd a    
prey  to bold importunate and rapacious 
,vultures4 ,she will not here be        
inveigled and impos'd on1 will neither  
be bought nor sold1 nor be  forc'd to   
marry for her own quiet1 when she has no
 inclination to it1  but what the being 
tir'd out with a restless importunity   
occasions4  ,or if she be dispos'd to   
marry1 here she may remain in safety    
till  a convenient ,match be offer'd by 
her ,friends1 and be freed from the     
danger of a dishonourable one4 ,modesty 
requiring that a ,woman should  not love
 before ,marriage1 but only make choice 
of one whom she can love  hereafter2    

,she who has none but innocent          
affections1 being easily able  to fix   
them where ,duty requires4    ,and      
though at first ,i propos'd to my self  
to speak nothing in  particular of the  
employment of the ,religious1 yet to    
give a ,specimen  how useful they will  
be to the ,world1 ,i am now inclin'd to 
declare1  that it is design'd a part of 
their business shall be to give the     
best ,education to the ,children of     
,persons of ,quality1 who shall be      
attended and instructed in lesser       
,matters by meaner ,persons deputed to  
that ,office1 but the forming of their  
minds shall be the particular  care of  
those of their own ,rank1 who cannot    
have a more pleasant and  useful        
employment than to exercise and encrease
 their own knowledge1 by  instilling it 
into these young ones1 who are most like
 to profit under  such ,tutors4 ,for how
 can their little ,pupils forbear to    
credit them1  since they do not decry   
the ,world 7as others may be thought to 

do7  because they cou'd not enjoy it1   
but when they had it in their power1    
were courted and caress'd by it1 for    
very good ,reasons and on mature        
deliberation1 thought fit to relinquish 
and despise its offers for a  better    
choice8 ,nor are mercenary people on    
other accounts capable of  doing so much
 good to young ,persons2 because having 
often but short  views of things        
themselves1 sordid and low ,spirits1    
they are not like  to form a generous   
temper in the minds of the ,educated4   
,doubtless 'twas  well consider'd of    
him1 who wou'd not trust the breeding of
 his ,son to  a ,slave1 because nothing 
great or excellent could be expected    
from a  person of that condition4       
,and when by the increase of their      
,revenue1 the ,religious are enabled  to
 do such a work of ,charity1 the        
,education they design to bestow  on the
 ,daughters of ,gentlemen who are fallen
 into decay will be no  inconsiderable  
advantage to the ,nation4 ,for hereby   

many ,souls will  be preserv'd from     
great ,dishonours and put in a          
comfortable way of  subsisting1 being   
either receiv'd into the ,house if they 
incline to  it1 or otherwise dispos'd   
of4 ,it being suppos'd that prudent ,men
 will  reckon the endowments they here  
acquire a sufficient ,dowry1 and that  a
 discreet and vertuous ,gentlewoman will
 make a better ,wife than she  whose    
mind is empty tho' her ,purse be full4  
,but some will say1 ,may not ,people be 
good without this confinement8 may  they
 not live at large in the ,world1 and   
yet serve ,,god as acceptably  as here8 
',tis allow'd they may2 truly wise and  
vertuous ,souls will do  it by the      
assistance of ,,god's ,grace in despite 
of all temptations2  and ,i heartily    
wish that all ,women were of this       
temper4 ,but it is  to be consider'd1   
that there are tender ,vertues who need 
to be  screened from the ill ,airs of   
the ,world3 many ,persons who had begun 
well might have gone to the ,grave in   

peace and innocence1 had it not  been   
their misfortune to be violently        
tempted4 ,for those who have  honest    
,hearts have not always the strongest   
,heads2 and sometimes the  enticements  
of the ,world and the subtil            
insinuations of such as lie in  wait to 
deceive1 may make their ,heads giddy1   
stagger their ,resolutions1  and        
overthrow all the fine hopes of a       
promising beginning4 ',tis fit          
therefore1 such tender ,cyons shou'd be 
transplanted1 that they may be          
supported by the prop of ,vertuous      
,friendship1 and confirm'd in ,goodness 
by holy ,examples1 which alas6 they will
 not often meet with in the  ,world4    
,and1 such is the weakness of humane    
,nature1 bad ,people are not  so apt to 
be better'd by the ,society of the      
,good1 as the ,good are to be  corrupted
 by theirs4 ,since therefore we daily   
pray against temptation1  it cannot be  
amiss if we take all prudent care to    
avoid it1 and not  out of a vain        

presumption face the danger which ,,god 
may justly permit  to overcome us for a 
due correction of our ,pride4 ,it is not
 impossible  for a man to live in an    
infected ,house or ,town and escape with
 ,life and  ,health1 yet if he have a   
place in the ,country to retire to1 he  
will  not make slight of that advantage2
 and surely the ,health of our ,souls   
is of greater consideration than the    
health of our ,bodies4 ,besides1  she   
has need of an establish'd ,vertue and  
consummated ,prudence1 who  so well     
understands the great end for which she 
came into the ,world1  and so faithfully
 pursues it1 that not content to be wise
 and good her  self alone1 she          
endeavours to propagate ,wisdom and     
,piety to all within  her ,sphere2 ,but 
neither this ,prudence nor heroic       
,goodness are easily  attainable amidst 
the noise and hurry of the world1 we    
must therefore  retire a while from its 
clamour and importunity1 if we          
generously  design to do it good1 and   

having calmly and sedately observ'd and 
rectify'd what is amiss in our selves1  
we shall be fitter to promote a         
,reformation in others4 ,a devout       
,retirement will not only strengthen and
  confirm our ,souls1 that they be not  
infected by the worlds ,corruptions1    
but likewise so purify and refine them1 
that they will become ,antidotes  to    
expel the ,poyson in others1 and spread 
a salutary ,air on ev'ry ,side4    ,if  
any object against a ,learned           
,education1 that it will make ,women    
vain and assuming1 and instead of       
correcting encrease their ,pride3 ,i    
grant that a smattering in ,learning    
may1 for it has this effect on  the     
,men1 none so ,dogmatical and so forward
 to shew their ,parts as  your little   
,pretenders to ,science4 ,but ,i wou'd  
not have the ,ladies  content themselves
 with the shew1 my desire is1 that they 
shou'd  not rest till they obtain the   
,substance4 ,and then1 she who is most  
knowing will be forward to own with the 

wise ,socrates that she knows  nothing3 
nothing that is matter of ,pride and    
,ostentation2 nothing but  what is      
attended with so much ignorance and     
imperfection1 that it  cannot reasonably
 elate and puff her up4 ,the more she   
knows1 she will  be the less subject to 
talkativeness and its sister ,vices1    
because she  discerns1 that the most    
difficult piece of ,learning is to know 
when to  use and when to hold ones      
,tongue1 and never to speak but to the  
purpose4    ,but the men if they rightly
 understand their own interest1 have no 
reason to oppose the ingenious          
,education of the ,women1 since 'twou'd 
go  a great way towards reclaiming the  
men1 great is the influence we have     
over them in their ,childhood1 in which 
time if a ,mother be discreet and       
knowing as well as devout1 she has many 
opportunities of giving such a  ,form   
and ,season to the tender ,mind of the  
,child1 as will shew its  good effects  
thro' all the stages of his ,life4 ,but 

tho' you should not  allow her capable  
of doing good1 'tis certain she may do  
hurt3 ,if  she do not make the ,child1  
she has power to marr him1 by suffering 
her fondness to get the better of       
discreet affection4 ,but besides this1  
a good and prudent ,wife wou'd          
wonderfully work on an ill man2 he must 
be a ,brute indeed1 who cou'd hold out  
against all those innocent ,arts1  those
 gentle persuasives and obliging methods
 she wou'd use to reclaim  him4 ,piety  
is often offensive when it is           
accompanied with indiscretion2  but she 
who is as ,wise as ,good1 possesses such
 ,charms as can hardly  fail of         
prevailing4 ,doubtless her ,husband is a
 much happier ,man and  more likely to  
abandon all his ill ,courses1 than he   
who has none to  come home to1 but an   
ignorant1 froward and fantastick        
,creature4 ,an  ingenious ,conversation 
will make his life comfortable1 and he  
who  can be so well entertain'd at home1
 needs not run into ,temptations  in    

search of ,diversions abroad4 ,the only 
danger is that the ,wife be  more       
knowing than the ,husband2 but if she be
 'tis his own fault1 since  he wants no 
opportunities of improvement2 unless he 
be a natural  ,block-head1 and then such
 an one will need a wise ,woman to      
govern  him1 whose prudence will conceal
 it from publick ,observation1 and at   
once both cover and supply his defects4 
,give me leave therefore to  hope1 that 
no ,gentleman who has honourable        
designs1 will hence-forward  decry      
,knowledge and ,ingenuity in her he     
would pretend to ,honour2 ,if he  does1 
it may serve for a ,test to distinguish 
the feigned and unworthy  from the real 
,lover4    ,now who that has a spark of 
,piety will go about to oppose so       
,religious  a design8 ,what generous    
,spirit that has a due regard to the    
good of  ,mankind1 will not be forward  
to advance and perfect it8 ,who will    
think  #ejj pounds too much to lay out  
for the purchase of so much ,wisdom and 

,happiness8 ,certainly we shou'd not    
think them too dearly paid for by  a    
much greater ,sum1 did not our pitiful  
and sordid ,spirits set a much  higher  
value on ,money than it deserves4 ,but  
granting so much of that  dear ,idol    
were given away1 a person thus bred1    
will easily make it  up by her          
,frugality  other ,vertues2 if she bring
 less1 she will not  waste so much as   
others do in superfluous and vain       
,expences4 ,nor can ,i  think of any    
expedient so useful as this to ,persons 
of ,quality who are  over-stock'd with  
,children1 for thus they may honourably 
dispose of  them without impairing their
 ,estates4 ,five or six hundred pounds  
may be  easily spar'd with a ,daughter1 
when so many thousands would go deep2   
and yet as the world goes be a very     
inconsiderable ,fortune for ,ladies  of 
their ,birth1 neither maintain them in  
that ,port which ,custom makes  almost  
necessary1 nor procure them an equal    
,match1 those of their own  ,rank       

7contrary to the generous custom of the 
,germans7 chusing rather  to fill their 
,coffers than to preserve the purity of 
their ,blood1 and  therefore think a    
weighty ,bag the best ,gentility1       
preferring a wealthy  ,upstart before   
the best ,descended and best ,qualified 
,lady2 their own  ,extravagancies       
perhaps having made it necessary1 that  
they may keep up  an empty shadow of    
,greatness1 which is all that remains to
 shew what  their ,ancestors have been4 
,does any think their ,money lost to    
their ,families when 'tis put in  here8 
,i will only ask what course they can   
take to save it1 and at  once to        
preserve their ,money1 their ,honour and
 their ,daughters too8  ,were they sure 
the ,ladies wou'd die unmarried1 ,i     
shou'd commend their  ,thrift1 but      
,experience has too often shewn us the  
vanity of this  expectation4 ,for the   
poor ,lady having past the prime of her 
,years in  ,gaity and ,company1 in      
running the ,circle of all the ,vanities

 of the  ,town1 having spread all her   
,nets and us'd all her ,arts for        
,conquest1  and finding that the ,bait  
fails where she wou'd have it take2 and 
having all this while been so           
over-careful of her ,body1 that she had 
no  time to improve her ,mind1 which    
therefore affords her no safe retreat1  
now she meets with ,disappointments     
abroad1 and growing every day more  and 
more sensible1 that the respect which   
us'd to be paid her decays  as fast as  
her ,beauty2 quite terrified with the   
dreadful ,name of ,old  ,maid1 which yet
 none but ,fools will reproach her with1
 nor any wise  ,woman be afraid of2 to  
avoid this terrible ,mormo1 and the     
scoffs that  are thrown on superannuated
 ,virgins1 she flies to some            
dishonourable  ,match as her last1 tho' 
much mistaken ,refuge1 to the disgrace  
of her  ,family and her own irreparable 
,ruin4 ,and now let any ,person of      
,honour  tell me1 if it were not richly 
worth some thousand ,pounds1 to prevent 

all this mischief1 and the having an    
idle ,fellow1 and perhaps a race of     
beggarly ,children to hang on him and to
 provide for8    ,cou'd ,i think of any 
other ,objection ,i wou'd consider it2  
there's  nothing indeed which witty     
,persons may not argue for and against1 
but they who duly weigh the ,arguments  
on both sides1 unless they be  extreamly
 prejudiced1 will easily discern the    
great usefulness of  this ,institution4 
,the ,beaux perhaps1 and topping ,sparks
 of the  ,town will ridicule and laugh  
at it4 ,for ,vertue her self as bright  
as she is1 can't escape the lash of     
scurrilous ,tongues2 the comfort  is1   
whilst they impotently endeavour to     
throw dirt on her1 they are  unable to  
soil her ,beauty1 and only defile and   
render themselves the  more             
contemptible4 ,they may therefore if    
they please1 hug themselves  in their   
own dear folly1 and enjoy the diversion 
of their own insipid  ,jests4 ,she has  
but little ,wisdom and less ,vertue1 who

 is to be frighted  from what she judges
 reasonable1 by the scoffs and          
insignificant noises  of ludicrous ,wits
 and pert ,buffoons4 ,and no wonder that
 such as they  who have nothing to shew 
for their pretences to ,wit1 but some   
scraps  of ,plays and blustring         
,non-sense2 who fansie a well adjusted  
,peruke  is able to supply their want of
 ,brains1 and that to talk much is a    
sign of ,ingenuity1 tho't be never so   
little to the purpose1 no wonder  that  
they object against our ,proposal3      
',twou'd indeed spoil the ,trade  of the
 gay fluttering ,fops1 who wou'd be at a
 loss1 had they no body  as impertinent 
as themselves to talk with4 ,the        
,criticism of their  ,dress wou'd be    
useless1 and the labour of their ,valet 
de ,chambre  lost1 unless they cou'd    
peaceably lay aside their ,rivalling1   
and one  ,ass be content to complement  
and admire another4 ,for the ,ladies    
wou'd  have more discernment than to    
esteem a ,man for such ,follies as      

shou'd  rather incline them to scorn and
 despise him4 ,they wou'd never be so   
sottish as to imagine1 that he who      
regards nothing but his own brutish     
,appetite1 shou'd have any real         
affection for them1 nor ever expect     
,fidelity from one who is unfaithful to 
,,god and his own ,soul4 ,they  wou'd   
not be so absurd as to suppose1 that    
,man can esteem them who  neglects his  
,maker2 for what are all those fine     
,idolatries1 by which  he wou'd         
recommend himself to his pretended      
,goddess1 but mockery and  delusion from
 him who forgets and affronts the true  
,deity8 ,they wou'd  not value          
themselves on account of the ,admiration
 of such incompetent  ,judges1 nor      
consequently make use of those little   
trifling ,arts that  are necessary to   
recommend them to such ,admirers2       
,neither wou'd they  give them          
opportunity to profess themselves their 
,slaves so long till  at last they      
become their ,masters4    ,what now     

remains1 but to reduce to ,practice that
 which tends so very  much to our       
advantage4 ,is ,charity so dead in the  
world that none will  contribute to the 
saving their own and their neighbours   
,souls8 ,shall  we freely expend our    
,money to purchase ,vanity1 and often   
times both  present and future ,ruin1   
and find none for such an eminent good  
,work1  which will make the ,ages to    
come arise and call us ,blessed8 ,i     
wou'd  fain persuade my self better     
things1 and that ,i shall one day see   
this  ,religious ,retirement happily    
setled1 and its great designs wisely and
  vigorously pursu'd2 and methinks ,i   
have already a ,vision of that lustre   
and glory our ,ladies cast far and near2
 ,let me therefore intreat the  rest of 
our ,sex1 who tho' at liberty in the    
world1 are the miserable  ,slaves of    
their own vile affections1 let me       
intreat them to lay aside  their        
,prejudices and whatever borders on     
,envy and ,malice1 and with  impartial  

eyes to behold the ,beauties of our     
,religious4 ,the native  innocency and  
unaffectedness of whose ,charms1 and the
 unblameable  ,integrity of their       
,lives1 are abundantly more taking than 
all the  curious ,artifices and studied 
,arts the other can invent to recommend 
them1 even bad men themselves being     
,judges1 who often betray a secret      
,veneration for that vertue they wou'd  
seem to despise and endeavour  to       
corrupt4 ,as there is not any thing1 no 
not the least shadow of  a motive to    
recommend ,vice but its fashionableness 
and the being  accustom'd to it1 so     
there is nothing at all forbidden in    
,vertue but  her uncouthness4 ,acquaint 
your selves with her a little1 and      
you'll  wonder how you cou'd be so      
foolish as to delight in any thing      
besides6  ,for you'll find her          
,conversation most sweet and obliging2  
her ,precepts  most easy and beneficial2
 her very tasks ,joys and her           
,injunctions the  highest ,pleasures4   

,she will not rob you of any innocent   
delight1 not  engage you to any thing   
beneath your ,birth and ,breeding2 but  
will put a  new and more grateful relish
 into all your ,enjoyments1 and make    
them  more delicious with her           
,sweetness4 ,she'll preserve and augment
 your  ,honour1 by allying you to the   
,king of ,heaven2 secure your ,grandeur 
by fixing it on a firm bottom1 such as  
the caprice of ,fortune cannot  shake or
 overthrow2 she'll enlarge your ,souls1 
raise them above the  common level1 and 
encourage that allowable ,pride of      
,scorning to do a  base unworthy action2
 ,make you truly amiable in the eyes of 
,,god and  ,man1 preserve even the      
,beauty of your ,bodies as long as 'tis 
possible  for such a brittle thing to   
last1 and when it must of necessity     
decay1  impress such a loveliness on    
your ,minds1 as will shine thro' and    
brighten your very ,countenances2       
enriching you with such a stock of      
,charms1 that ,time which devours every 

other thing1 shall never be able  to    
decay3 ,in a word1 'tis ,vertue only    
which can make you truly happy in  this 
world as well as in the next4    ,there 
is a sort of ,bravery and ,greatness of 
,soul1 which does more  truly ennoble us
 than the highest ,title1 and it        
consists in living  up to the dignity of
 our ,natures1 being so sensible of our 
own worth  as to think our selves too   
great to do a degenerate and unbecoming 
thing2 in passing indifferently thro'   
,good and ,evil ,fortune1 without  being
 corrupted by the one or deprest by the 
other4 ,for she that can  do so1 gives  
evidence that her ,happiness depends not
 on so mutable a  thing as this ,world2 
but1 in a due subserviency to the       
,almighty1 is  bottom'd only on her own 
great ,mind4 ,this is the richest       
,ornament1  and renders a ,woman        
glorious in the lowest ,fortune4 ,so    
shining is  real worth1 that like a     
,diamond it loses not its lustre tho'   
cast on  a ,dunghill4 ,whereas1 she who 

is advanc'd to some eminent ,station and
  wants this natural and solid          
,greatness1 is no better than ,fortunes 
,may-game1 rendered more conspicuous    
that she may appear the more            
contemptible4 ,let those therefore who  
value themselves only on  external      
accomplishments1 consider how liable    
they are to decay1 and  how soon they   
may be depriv'd of them1 and that       
supposing they shou'd  continue1 they   
are but sandy ,foundations to build     
,esteem upon4 ,what  a disappointment   
will it be to a ,ladies ,admirer as well
 as to her  self1 that her ,conversation
 shou'd lose or endanger the ,victory   
her  eyes had gain'd6 ,for when the     
,passion of a ,lover is ,exchang'd for  
the ,indifference of a ,husband1 and a  
frequent review has lessen'd  the wonder
 which her ,charms at first had rais'd1 
she'll retain no  more than such a      
formal respect as decency and good      
breeding will  require1 and perhaps     
hardly that1 but unless he be a very    

good ,man  7and indeed the world is not 
over full of 'em7 her worthlesness has  
made a forfeit of his ,affections1 which
 are seldom fixt by any other  thing    
than ,veneration and ,esteem4 ,whereas a
 wise and good ,woman is  useful and    
valuable in all ,ages and ,conditions3  
she who chiefly attends  the one thing  
needful1 the good part which shall not  
be taken from  her1 lives a cheerful and
 pleasant ,life1 innocent and sedate1   
calm  and tranquill1 and makes a        
glorious ,exit2 being translated from   
the  most happy life on ,earth1 to      
unspeakable happiness in ,heaven2 a     
fresh  and fragrant ,name embalming her 
,dust1 and extending its ,perfume to    
succeeding ,ages4 ,whilst the ,fools1   
and the worst sort of them the  wicked1 
live as well as die in ,misery1 go out  
in a snuff1 leaving  nothing but stench 
and putrefaction behind them4    ,to    
close all1 if this ,proposal which is   
but a rough draught and rude  ,essay1   
and which might be made much more       

beautiful by a better ,pen1  give       
occasion to wiser heads to improve and  
perfect it1 ,i have my end4  ,for       
imperfect as it is1 it seems so         
desirable1 that she who drew the        
,scheme is full of hopes1 it will not   
want kind hands to perform and  compleat
 it4 ,but if it miss of that1 it is but 
a few hours thrown away1  and a little  
labour in vain1 which yet will not be   
lost1 if what is  here offer'd may serve
 to express her hearty ,good-will1 and  
how much  she desires your ,improvement1
 who is      ,,ladies1      ,your very  
humble ,servant4      ,,finis4          
,letters concerning the ,love of ,,god1 
between the ,author of the ,proposal  to
 the ,ladies1 and ,mr4 ,john ,norris2   
wherein his late ,discourse1  shewing   
that it ought to be intire and          
,exclusive of all other ,loves1 is      
farther clear'd and ,justified1 #hvo4   
,printed for ,richard ,wilkin4          
,a ,serious      ,,proposal      ,,to   
,,the      ,,ladies1        ,,part ,,ii3

        ,wherein a ,method is offer'd   
for the ,improvement    of their ,minds4
        ,,london3      ,printed for     
,richard ,wilkin at    the ,king's ,head
 in ,st4 ,paul's    ,church-yard1 #afig4
            ,to her ,royal ,highness    
,,the      ,princess ,,ann of ,denmark4 
,,madam1    ,what was at first address'd
 to the ,ladies in ,general1 as  seeming
 not considerable enough to appear in   
your ,royal ,highnesses  ,presence1 not 
being ill receiv'd by them1 and having  
got the ,addition  of a ,second ,part1  
now presumes on a more ,particular      
,application to  ,her who is the        
,principal of them1 and whose           
,countenance and ,example  may reduce to
 ,practice1 what it can only ,advise and
 ,wish4    ,and when ,i consider you    
,madam as a ,princess who is sensible   
that the  ,chief ,prerogative of the    
,great is the ,power they have of doing 
more  ,good than those in an ,inferior  
,station can1 ,i see no cause to fear   
that your ,royal ,highness will deny    

,encouragement to that which has  no    
other ,design than the ,bettering of the
 ,world1 especially the most  neglected 
part of it as to all ,real ,improvement1
 the ,ladies4 ,it is by  the ,exercise  
of this ,power that ,princes become     
truly ,godlike1 they  are never so      
,illustrious as when they shine as      
,lights in the ,world by  an ,eminent   
and ,heroic ,vertue4 ,a ,vertue as much 
above ,commendation as  it is above     
,detraction1 which fits equally ,silent 
and ,compos'd when  ,opprest with       
,praises or ,pursu'd with ,calumnys1 is 
neither hurt by  these nor better'd by  
the other2 for the ,service of ,,god1   
and  the ,resembling ,him1 being its    
only ,aim1 ,his ,approbation in a soft  
and  inward ,whisper1 is more than the  
loud ,huzza's and ,plaudits of  ten     
thousand ,worlds4    ,i shall not       
therefore offend your ,royal ,ear with  
the nauseous strain  of ,dedications2   
for what can one say1 when by how much  
the more any  ,person deserves          

,panegyric1 by so much the less they    
endure it8 ,that  your ,royal ,highness 
may be ,all that is truly ,great and    
,good1 and have  a ,confluence of       
,temporal1 ,sanctify'd and ,crown'd with
 ,spiritual and  ,eternal ,blessings1 is
 the unfeigned and constant desire of   
,,madam1      ,your ,royal ,highnesses  
,most ,humble and most      ,obedient   
,servant4            ,,the              
,introduction1      ,containing a       
farther      ,,perswasive      ,,to     
,,the      ,,ladies      ,to endeavour  
the      ,improvement of their ,minds4  
,the favourable reception which the     
graver and wiser part of the ,world     
were pleas'd t'afford to a former ,essay
 towards th'improvement of the  ,ladies1
 has encouraged her who made it to      
prosecute that design a  little further1
 and to try if she can reduce to        
,practice what appears  so well in      
,notion and ,speculation4 ,for how      
customary soever it be  for ,writers to 
mind no more than their own ,reputation1

 to be content  if they can make a      
handsom flourish1 get a ,name among the 
,authors1  come off with but a little   
,censure and some ,commendations2 or if 
there  are a few generous ,souls who're 
got above either the ,hope or ,fear of  
vulgar ,breath1 who do not matter much  
what is dispens'd more commonly  by     
fancy or passion than by ,judgment1 they
 rest satisfied however in  a ,good     
,intention1 and comfort themselves that 
they've endeavour'd  the ,reformation of
 the ,age1 let those look to't who will 
not follow  their ,advices3 ,yet give   
her leave to profess that she desires   
the ,good  of the ,world rather than its
 ,applauses1 and cou'd with much greater
  pleasure have found her ,project      
condemn'd as foolish and impertinent1   
than see it entertain'd with delight and
 approbation1 and yet no  body          
endeavouring to put it in ,practice2    
since the former wou'd only  have       
reproach'd her own ,understanding1 but  
the latter is a shame to  ,mankind1 as  

being a plain indication that tho they  
discern and commend  what is ,good1 they
 have not the ,vertue and ,courage to   
,act accordingly4  ,were't altogether   
impossible t'improve her ,sex1 were     
,women irremediably  condemn'd to folly 
and impertinence1 how much soever she   
desires their  amendment1 she wou'd make
 a ,vertue of ,necessity and endeavour  
to be  content without it1 but it will  
give her the greatest uneasiness to've  
found out a ,method which every one     
judges so much to their advantage1  if  
she can't persuade them to make use of  
it4    ,and can you ,ladies deny her so 
cheap a ,reward for all the ,good-will  
she  bears you1 as the ,pleasure of     
seeing you ,wise and ,happy8 ,can you   
envy  her the ,joy of assisting at ,your
 ,triumphs2 for why does she contend    
for ,laurels but to lay 'em all at the  
,ladies feet8 ,why won't you begin  to  
think1 and no longer dream away your    
,time in a wretched incogitancy8  ,why  
does not a generous ,emulation fire your

 hearts and inspire you  with ,noble and
 becoming ,resentments8 ,the ,men of    
,equity are so just as  to confess the  
errors which the ,proud and             
inconsiderate had imbib'd  to your      
prejudice1 and if you still allow them  
the preference in  ,ingenuity1 they're  
convinc'd it is not because you must1   
but because  you will4 ,can you be in   
,love with servitude and folly8 ,can you
 dote  on a mean1 ignorant and ignoble  
,life8 ,shall an ,ingenious ,woman be   
star'd on as a ,prodigy1 since you have 
it in your power to inform the  ,world1 
that you can every one of you be so1 if 
you please your selves8  ,it is not     
enough to wish and to would it1 or      
t'afford a faint ,encomium  upon what   
you pretend is beyond your ,power2      
,imitation is the heartiest  ,praise you
 can give1 and is a ,debt which ,justice
 requires to be paid to  every worthy   
,action4 ,what ,sentiments were fit to  
be rais'd in you to  day ought to remain
 to morrow1 and the best ,commendation  

you can bestow  on a ,book is           
immediately to put it in ,practice2     
otherwise you become  self-condemn'd1   
your ,judgment reproaches your ,actions1
 and you live a  contradiction to your  
selves4 ,if you approve1 ,why don't you 
follow8  ,and if you ,wish1 ,why shou'd 
you not ,endeavour8 especially since    
that wou'd reduce your ,wishes to ,act1 
and make you of ,well-wishers to        
,vertue and ,good sense1 become glorious
 ,examples of them4    ,and pray what   
is't that hinders you8 ,the singularity 
of the ,matter8 ,are  you afraid of     
being out of the ordinary way and       
therefore admir'd and  gaz'd at8        
,admiration does not use to be uneasy to
 our ,sex1 a great  many ,vanities might
 be spar'd if we consulted only our own 
conveniency  and not other peoples ,eyes
 and ,sentiments3 ,and why shou'd that  
which  usually recommends a trifling    
,dress1 deter us from a real ,ornament8 
,is't not as fine to be first in this as
 well as any other ,fashion8            

,singularity is indeed to be avoided    
except in matters of importance1  in    
such a case ,why shou'd not we assert   
our ,liberty1 and not suffer  every     
,trifler to impose a ,yoke of           
,impertinent ,customs on us8 ,she who   
forsakes the ,path to which ,reason     
directs is much to blame1 but she  shall
 never do any thing ,praise-worthy and  
excellent who is not got  above unjust  
,censures1 and too steady and well      
resolv'd to be sham'd  from her ,duty by
 the empty ,laughter of such as have    
nothing but airy  ,noise and ,confidence
 to recommend them4 ,firmness and       
strength of ,mind  will carry us thro   
all these little persecutions1 which may
 create us  some uneasiness for a while1
 but will afterwards end in our ,glory  
and  ,triumph4    ,is it the difficulty 
of attaining the ,bravery of the ,mind1 
the ,labour  and ,cost that keeps you   
from making a purchase of it8 ,certainly
 they  who spare neither ,money nor     
,pains t'obtain a gay outside and make a

  splendid appearance1 who can get over 
so many difficulties1 rack their        
brains1 lay out their time and thoughts 
in contriving1 stretch their  ,relations
 ,purses in procuring1 nay and rob the  
very ,poor1 to whom the  ,overplus of a 
full ,estate1 after the owners          
,necessaries and decent  ,conveniencies 
according to her ,quality are supplied1 
is certainly due1  they who can surmount
 so many difficulties1 cannot have the  
face to  pretend any here4 ,labour is   
sweet when there's hope of success1 and 
the thing labour'd after is ,beautiful  
and ,desireable3 ,and if ,wisdom  be not
 so ,i know not what is2 if it is not   
worth while to procure  such a temper of
 mind as will make us happy in all      
,conditions1 there's  nothing worth our 
,thoughts and ,care1 'tis best to fold  
our hands with  ,solomon's ,sluggard and
 sleep away the remainder of a useless  
and  wretched ,life4    ,and that       
success will not be wanting to our      
,endeavours if we heartily  use them1   

was design'd to be evinc'd in the former
 ,essay1 and ,i  hope ,i have not lost  
my ,point1 but that the ,theory is      
sufficiently  establish'd2 and were     
there but a ,general ,attempt1 the      
,practice wou'd  be so visible that ,i  
suppose there wou'd remain no more place
 to  dispute it4 ,but this is your      
,province ,ladies3 ,for tho ,i desire   
your  improvement never so passionately1
 tho ,i shou'd have prov'd it feasible  
with the clearest ,demonstration1 and   
most proper for you to set about2  yet  
if you will believe it impossible1 and  
upon that or any other  prejudice       
forbear t'attempt it1 ,i'me like to go  
without my ,wishes2 my  ,arguments what 
ever they may be in themselves1 are weak
 and impertinent  to you1 because you   
make them useless and defeat them of the
 ,end they  aim at4 ,but ,i hope better 
things of you2 ,i dare say you          
understand your  own interest too well  
to neglect it so grosly and have a      
greater share  of sense1 whatever some  

,men affirm1 than to be content to be   
kept any  longer under their ,tyranny in
 ,ignorance and ,folly1 since it is in  
your  ,power to regain your ,freedom1 if
 you please but t'endeavour it4 ,i'me   
unwilling to believe there are any among
 you who are obstinately bent  against  
what is praise-worthy in themselves1 and
 ,envy or ,detract from  it in others2  
who won't allow any of their ,sex a     
capacity to write  ,sense1 because they 
want it1 or exert their ,spleen where   
they ought  to shew their ,kindness or  
,generous ,emulation2 who sicken at     
their  ,neighbours ,vertues1 or think   
anothers ,praises a lessening of their  
,character2 or meanly satisfie          
ill-nature by a dull ,malicious ,jest at
  what deserves to be approv'd and      
imitated4 ,no ,ladies1 ,your ,souls are 
certainly of a better ,make and ,nobler 
temper1 your ,industry is never  exerted
 to pull down others but to rise above  
them1 the only ,resentment  that arises 
at your ,neighbours ,commendations is a 

harmless blush for  your own ,idleness  
in letting them so far outstrip you1 and
 a generous  ,resolution to repair your 
former neglects by future diligence2    
,one need  not fear offending you by    
commending an other ,lady in your       
,presence1  or that it shou'd be thought
 an affront or defect in good breeding  
to  give them their lawful ,eulogies3   
,you have too just a ,sentiment of your 
own ,merit to envy or detract from      
others1 for no ,body's addicted to      
these little ,vices but they who are    
diffident of their own worth2 ,you  know
 very well 'tis infinitely better to be 
good than to seem so1  and that true    
,vertue has ,beauty enough in her self  
t'attract our hearts  and engage us in  
her service1 tho she were neglected and 
despis'd  by all the ,world4 ',tis this 
therefore you endeavour after1 'tis the 
approbation of ,,god and your own       
,consciences you mainly esteem1 which   
you find most ascertain'd by an humble  
,charity1 and that you never  merit     

,praise so much1 because you never make 
so great a progress in  what is truly   
praise-worthy1 as when your own defects 
are often in your  eyes t'excite you to 
watch against and amend them1 and other 
peoples  ,vertues continually           
represented before you in their         
brightest lustre1  to the end you may   
aspire to equal or surpass them4    ,i  
suppose then that you're fill'd with a  
laudable ,ambition to brighten  and     
enlarge your ,souls1 that the ,beauty of
 your ,bodies is but a  secondary care1 
your ,dress grows unconcerning1 and your
 ,glass is  ne'er consulted but in such 
little intervals of time as hang loose  
between those hours that are destin'd to
 nobler ,employments2 you now  begin to 
throw off your old ,prejudices and smile
 on 'em as antiquated  ,garbs2 false    
,reasoning won't down with you1 and     
glittering ,non-sense  tho address'd to 
your selves in the specious appearance  
of ,respect  and ,kindness1 has lost its
 haut goust2 ,wisdom is thought a better

  recommendation than ,wit1 and ,piety  
than a ,bon-mien2 you esteem a  ,man    
only as he is an admirer of ,vertue1 and
 not barely for that he  is yours2      
,books are now become the finest        
,ornaments of your ,closets1  and       
,contemplation the most agreeable       
,entertainment of your leisure  hours2  
your ,friendships are not cemented by   
,intrigues nor spent in  vain           
,diversions1 but in the search of       
,knowledge1 and acquisition of          
,vertuous ,habits1 a mutual ,love to    
which was the ,origin of 'em2 nor  are  
any ,friends so acceptable as those who 
tell you faithfully of your  faults and 
take the properest method to amend 'em4 
,how much better are  you entertain'd   
now your ,conversations are pertinent   
and ingenious1  and that ,wisdom never  
fails to make one in your ,visits8      
,solitude is  no more insupportable2    
you've conquered that silly dread of    
being  afraid to be alone1 since        
,innocence is the safest ,guard1 and no 

,company  can be so desirable as ,,god's
 and his holy ,angels conversing with an
  upright mind2 your ,devotion is a     
,rational service1 not the repetition   
of a ,set of good words at a certain    
season2 you read and you delight  in it1
 because it informs your ,judgments1 and
 furnishes ,materials for  your thoughts
 to work on2 and you love your ,religion
 and make it your  ,choice because you  
understand it2 the only ,conquest you   
now design  and lay out your care to    
obtain is over ,vice and ,prophaneness2 
you  study to engage men in the love of 
true ,piety and ,goodness1 and no       
farther to be ,lovers of your selves    
than as you are the most amiable  and   
illustrious examples of 'em2 you find   
your ,wit has lost nothing  of its salt 
and agreeableness by being employ'd     
about its proper  business1 the exposing
 ,folly2 your ,raillery is not a whit   
less pleasant  for being more           
,charitable1 and you can render ,vice as
 ridiculous as  you please1 without     

exposing those unhappy ,persons who're  
guilty of  it2 your ,humour abates not  
of its innocent gaity now that it is    
more  upon the ,guard1 for you know very
 well that true ,joy is a sedate and    
solid thing1 a tranquility of mind1 not 
a boisterous and empty flash2  ,instead 
of ,creditors your doors are fill'd with
 indigent ,petitioners  who don't so    
often go without your ,bounty as the    
other us'd to do  without their just    
demands2 nor are you unjust to some     
under colour  of being ,charitable to   
others1 and when you give ,liberally1   
give no  more than what is lawfully your
 own4 ,you disdain the base ungenerous  
,practice of pretending ,kindness where 
you really mean none2 and of  making a  
poor ,country ,lady less instructed in  
the formalities of the  ,town than your 
selves1 pay sufficiently for your       
seeming ,civility and  kind             
,entertainment by becoming the ,subject 
of your mirth and diversion  as soon as 
she is gone2 but one may now pretty     

securely relie on your  ,sincerity1 for 
when this lower sort of ,treachery is   
abhorr'd1 there  can certainly be no    
place for that more abominable one of   
betraying  and seducing unwary          
,innocence4 ,i do not question ,ladies  
but that this  is the ,practice of the  
greatest number of you1 and would be of 
all  the rest were it not for some      
little discouragments they meet with1   
which really are not so great as their  
own modesty and diffidence of           
themselves represent 'em4 ,they think   
they've been bred up in ,idleness  and  
,impertinence1 and study will be irksome
 to them1 who have never  employ'd their
 mind to any good purpose1 and now when 
they wou'd they  want the method of     
doing it2 they know not how to look into
 their  ,souls1 or if they do1 they find
 so many disorders to be rectified1 so  
many wants to be supplied1 that frighted
 with the difficulty of the  work they  
lay aside the thoughts of undertaking   
it4 ,they have been  barbarously us'd1  

their ,education and greatest ,concerns 
neglected1  whilst their imprudent      
,parents and ,guardians were busied in  
managing  their ,fortunes and regulating
 their ,mien2 who so their ,purse was   
full and their outside plausible1       
matter'd not much the poverty and       
narrowness of their minds1 have taught  
them perhaps to repeat their  ,catechism
 and a few good ,sentences1 to read a   
,chapter and say  their ,prayers1 tho   
perhaps with as little ,understanding as
 a ,parrot1  and fancied that this was  
,charm enough to secure them against the
  temptations of the ,present world and 
to waft them to a better2 and  so thro  
want of use and by misapplying their    
,thoughts to trifles and                
impertinencies1 they've perhaps almost  
lost those excellent ,capacities  which 
probably were afforded them by nature   
for the highest things4  ,for such as   
these ,i've a a world of ,kindness and  
,compassion1 ,i regret  their misfortune
 as much as they can themselves1 and    

suppose they're  willing to repair it   
and very desirous to inform themselves  
were't not  for the shame of confessing 
their ,ignorance4 ,but let me intreat   
them  to consider that there's no       
,ignorance so shameful1 no ,folly so    
absurd  as that which refuses           
,instruction1 be it upon what account it
 may4 ,all  good ,persons will pity not 
upbraid their former unhappiness1 as not
  being their own but other ,peoples    
fault2 whereas they themselves are      
responsible if they continue it1 since  
that's an ,evidence that they  are silly
 and despicable1 not because they cou'd 
not1 but because  they wou'd not be     
better ,informed4 ,but where is the     
shame of being  taught8 for who is there
 that does not need it8 ,alas1 ,human   
,knowledge  is at best defective1 and   
always progressive1 so that she who     
knows the  most has only this advantage1
 that she has made a little more speed  
than her ,neighbours4 ,and what's the   
,natural ,inference from hence8 ,not  to

 give out1 but to double our diligence2 
perhaps we may out-strip  'em1 as the   
,penitent often does him who needs no   
,repentance4 ,the worst  that can be is 
the perishing in a glorious attempt1 and
 tho we shou'd  happen to prove         
succesless1 'tis yet worth our while    
to've had such a  noble design4 ,but    
there's no fear of ill success if we are
 not wanting  to our selves1 an honest  
and laborious mind may perform all      
things4  ,indeed an affected ,ignorance1
 a humorous delicacy and niceness which 
will not speculate a notion for fear of 
spoiling a look1 nor think  a serious   
thought lest she shou'd damp the gaity  
of her humour2 she  who is so top full  
of her outward excellencies1 so careful 
that every  look1 every motion1 every   
thing about her shou'd appear in ,form1 
as  she employs her ,thoughts to a very 
pitiful use1 so is she almost past      
hopes of recovery1 at least so long as  
she continues this humour1 and  does not
 grow a little less concern'd for her   

,body that she may attend  her ,mind4   
,our directions are thrown away upon    
such a temper1 'tis to no  purpose to   
harp to an ,ass1 or to chant forth our  
,charms in the ,ears of  a deaf ,adder2 
but ,i hope there are none so utterly   
lost in folly and  impertinence3 ,if    
there are1 we can only afford them our  
,pity for our  ,advice will do no good4 
,as for those who are desirous to       
improve and only want to be assisted    
and put into the best method of doing   
it1 somewhat was attempted in  order to 
do them that service in the former      
,essay1 in which they may  please to    
remember that having remov'd that       
groundless prejudice  against an        
ingenious ,education of the ,women1     
which is founded upon  supposition of   
the impossibility or uselessness of it1 
and having  assign'd the reasons why    
they are so little improv'd1 since they 
are  so capable of improvement1 and     
since 'tis so necessary that others  as 
well as themselves shou'd endeavour it2 

which reasons are chiefly  ,ill-nurture1
 ,custom1 loss of ,time1 the want of    
,retirement1 or of  knowing how to use  
it1 so that by the disuse of our        
,faculties we seem  to have lost them if
 we ever had any2 are sunk into an      
,animal life  wholly taken up with      
sensible objects2 either have no ,ideas 
of the  most necessary things or very   
false ones2 and run into all those      
mischiefs which are the natural         
,consequences of such mismanagement2 we 
then proceeded to propose a ,remedy for 
these ,evils1 which we affirm'd  cou'd  
hardly be rectified but by erecting a   
,seminary where ,ladies  might be duly  
,educated1 and we hope our ,proposition 
was such that all  impartial ,readers   
are convinc'd it wou'd answer the       
,design1 that is1  tend very much to the
 real advantage and improvement of the  
,ladies4  ,in order to which it was in  
general propos'd to acquaint them with  
,judicious ,authors1 give them          
opportunity of ,retirement and          

,recollection  and put them in a way of 
,ingenious ,conversation1 whereby they  
might  enlarge their prospect1 rectify  
their false ,ideas1 form in their ,minds
  adequate conceptions of the ,end and  
,dignity of their ,natures1 not only    
have the ,name and common ,principles of
 ,religion floating in their ,heads  and
 sometimes running out at their ,mouths1
 but understand the design  and meaning 
of it1 and have a just apprehension1 a  
lively sentiment  of its ,beauties and  
,excellencies2 know wherein the ,nature 
of a true  ,christian consists2 and not 
only feel ,passions1 but be able to     
direct  and regulate their ,motions2    
have a true ,notion of the ,nothingness 
of  ,material things and of the reality 
and substantialness of immaterial1  and 
consequently contemn this present ,world
 as it deserves1 fixing  all their      
,hopes upon and exerting all their      
,endeavours to obtain the  ,glories of  
the next4 ,but because this was only    
propos'd in general1 and  the particular

 method of effecting it left to the     
,discretion of those  who shou'd ,govern
 and ,manage the ,seminary1 without     
which we are still  of ,opinion that the
 ,interest of the ,ladies can't be duly 
serv'd1 in the  mean time till that can 
be erected and that nothing in our power
 may be  wanting to do them service1 we 
shall attempt to lay down in this second
  part some more minute ,directions1 and
 such as we hope if attended to  may be 
of use to them4            ,,the        
,second ,part    ,,of ,,the             
,,proposal    ,,to ,,the    ,,ladies4   
,,chap4 ,i4        ,of the ,mutual      
,relation between ,ignorance and ,vice1 
and ,knowledge      and ,purity4        
,sidenote3 ,part ,i4 page #bb1 c4       
,what are ,ignorance and ,vice but      
,diseases of the ,mind contracted in its
  two principal ,faculties the          
,understanding and ,will8 ,and such too 
as  like many ,bodily distempers do     
mutually foment each other4 ,ignorance  
disposes to ,vice1 and ,wickedness      

reciprocally keeps us ,ignorant1 so     
that we cannot be free from the one     
unless we cure the other2 the  former   
part of this ,proposition has been      
already shewn1 and the latter  may      
easily be made apparent2 for as every   
,plant does ,naturally draw  such juices
 towards it as serve for its ,nutrition1
 as every ,creature  has an aptness to  
take such courses as tend to its        
preservation2 so  ,vice that spawn of   
the ,devil1 that ,ignis fatuus which    
can't subsist  but in the dark night of 
,ignorance1 casts forth ,vapours and    
,mists to  darken the ,soul and eclipse 
the clear light of ,knowledge from her  
,view4 ,and tho a ,wicked ,man may      
pretend to ,wit1 tho he have never so   
much ,acumen and ,facetiousness of      
,humour1 yet his ,impiety proclaims  his
 ,folly2 he may have a lively ,fancy1 an
 ,intriguing ,cunning and  ,contrivance1
 and so may an ,ape or a ,fox1 who      
probably if they had but  ,speech1 tho  
destitute of ,reason1 wou'd outdo him in

 his own way2 but  he wants the         
,ingenuity of a ,man1 he's a ,fool to   
all ,rational ,intents  and ,purposes4  
,she then who desires a clear ,head must
 have a pure ,heart2  and she who has   
the first in any ,measure will never    
allow her self to  be deficient in the  
other4 ,but you will say what degrees of
 ,purity are  requisite in order to     
,knowledge1 and how much must we ,know  
to the end  we may heartily endeavour to
 ,purify8    ,now in ,order to satisfie 
this demand ,i consider1 ,that there are
 certain  ,notices which we may call the
 ,rudiments of ,knowledge1 which none   
who  are ,rational are without however  
they came by them4 ,it may happen       
indeed that a habit of ,vice or a long  
disuse has so obscur'd them that  they  
seem to be extinguish'd1 but it does    
only seem so1 for were  they really     
extinguish'd the person wou'd be no     
longer ,rational1 and  no better than   
the ,shade and ,picture of a ,man4      
,because as ,irrational  ,creatures act 

only by the ,will of him who made them1 
and according to  the ,power of that    
,mechanisme by which they are form'd1 so
 every one  who pretends to ,reason1 who
 is a ,voluntary ,agent and therefore   
,worthy  of ,praise or ,blame1 ,reward  
or ,punishment1 must ,chuse his ,actions
 and  determine his ,will to that       
,choice by some ,reasonings or          
,principles  either true or false1 and  
in proportion to his ,principles and the
  ,consequences he deduces from them he 
is to be accounted1 if they are  ,right 
and ,conclusive a ,wise ,man1 if ,evil1 
,rash and ,injudicious a ,fool4  ,if    
then it be the property of ,rational    
,creatures1 and ,essential to  their    
very ,natures to ,chuse their ,actions1 
and to determine their  ,wills to that  
,choice by such ,principles and         
,reasonings as their  ,understandings   
are furnish'd with1 they who are        
desirous to be rank'd  in that ,order of
 ,beings must conduct their ,lives by   
these ,measures1  begin with their      

,intellectuals1 inform themselves what  
are the plain  and first ,principles of 
,action and ,act accordingly4    ,by    
which it appears that there are some    
degrees of ,knowledge necessary  before 
there can be any ,human ,acts1 for till 
we are capable of  ,chusing our own     
,actions and directing them by some     
,principle1 tho we  ,move and ,speak and
 do many such like things1 we live not  
the ,life of a  ,rational ,creature but 
only of an ,animal4 ,if it be farther   
demanded what  these ,principles are8   
,not to dispute the ,number of 'em here1
 no body ,i  suppose will deny us one1  
which is1 ,that we ought as much as we  
can  to endeavour the ,perfecting of our
 ,beings1 and that we be as happy  as   
possibly we may4 ,for this we see is    
,natural to every ,creature of  what    
sort soever1 which endeavours to be in  
as good ,condition as its  ,nature and  
,circumstances will permit4 ,and now we 
have got a ,principle  which one would  
think were sufficient for the ,conduct  

of our ,actions  thro the whole ,course 
of our ,lives2 and so indeed it were1   
cou'd we as  easily discern wherein our 
,happiness consists as 'tis natural to  
wish  and desire it4 ,but herein lies   
our great mistake and misfortune1 for   
altho we all pursue the same end1 yet   
the means we take to obtain it  are     
,indefinite3 ,there needs no other      
,proof of this than the looking  abroad 
into the ,world1 which will convince us 
of the ,truth and raise  our ,wonder at 
the absurdity1 that ,creatures of the   
same ,make shou'd  take not only so many
 different1 but even contrary ,ways to  
accomplish  the same ,end6 ,we all agree
 that its fit to be as ,happy as we can1
 and  we need no ,instructor to teach us
 this ,knowlege1 'tis born with us1 and 
is inseparable from our ,being1 but we  
very much need to be ,inform'd  what is 
the true ,way to ,happiness4 ,when the  
,will comes to ask the  ,understanding  
this ,question1 ,what must ,i do to fill
 up my ,vacuities1 to  accomplish my    

,nature8 ,our ,reason is at first too   
weak1 and afterwards  too often too much
 sophisticated to return a proper       
,answer1 tho it  be the most important  
concern of our ,lives1 for according as 
the  ,understanding replies to it so is 
the ,moral ,conduct of the ,will1 pure  
and right if the first be well          
,inform'd1 irregular and vitious if the 
other be weak and deluded4 ,indeed our  
power of ,willing exerts it self  much  
sooner than that ,rational ,faculty     
which is to ,govern it1 and  therefore  
'twill either be left to its own range1 
or to the ,reason of  another to direct 
it2 whence it comes that we generally   
take that  ,course in our search after  
,happiness1 which ,education1 ,example  
or  ,custom puts us in1 and1 tho not    
always1 yet most commonly1 we tast of   
our first seasoning2 which shou'd teach 
us to take all the care we can  that it 
be ,good1 and likewise that how ,good   
soever it appear1 we be not  too much   
,wedded to and biass'd by it4 ,well     

then1 the first light of our            
,understanding must be borrow'd1 we must
 take it on trust till we're  furnish'd 
with a ,stock of our own1 which we      
cannot long be without if  we do but    
employ what was lent us in the purifying
 of our ,will1 for as  this grows more  
regular the other will enlarge1 if it   
clear up1 that  will brighten and shine 
forth with diffusive ,rays4    ,indeed  
if we search to the bottom ,i believe we
 shall find1 that the  ,corruption of   
the ,heart contributes more to the      
,cloudiness of the  ,head1 than the     
,clearness of our ,light does to the    
regularity of our  ,affections1 and 'tis
 oftner seen that our vitious           
,inclinations keep  us ,ignorant1 than  
that our ,knowlege makes us ,good1 ,for 
it must be  confess'd that ,purity is   
not always the product of ,knowlege2 tho
  the ,understanding be appointed by the
 ,author of ,nature to direct and       
,govern the ,will1 yet many times its   
head-strong and ,rebellious ,subject    

rushes on precipitately1 without1 its   
directions4 ,when a ,truth comes  thwart
 our ,passions1 when it dares contradict
 our mistaken ,pleasures  and supposed  
,interests1 let the ,light shine never  
so clear we shut our  ,eyes against it1 
will not be convinc'd1 not because      
there's any want  of ,evidence1 but     
because we're unwilling to ,obey4 ,this 
is the ,rise  of all that ,infidelity   
that appears in the ,world2 it is not   
the ,head  but the ,heart that is the   
,seat of ,atheism4 ,no ,man without a   
brow of  ,brass1 and an ,impudence as   
strong as his ,arguments are weak1 cou'd
  demur to the convincing ,proofs of    
,christianity1 had not he contracted    
such diseases in his ,passions as make  
him believe 'tis his ,interest to       
oppose those that he may gratify these4 
,yet this is no ,objection  against what
 we have been proving1 it rather        
confirms what was said  concerning the  
mutual ,relation between the            
,understanding and the ,will1  and shews

 how necessary it is to take care of    
both1 if we wou'd improve  and advance  
either4           99       99       99  
99       99    ,sidenote3 ,where we must
 begin4    ,the result of all then1 and 
what gives a satisfactory ,answer to the
  ,question where we must begin is this2
 that some ,clearness of ,head1  some   
lower degrees of ,knowledge1 so much at 
least as will put us on  endeavouring   
after more1 is necessary to th'obtaining
 ,purity of ,heart1  for tho some       
,persons whom we vulgarly call ,ignorant
 may be honest  and ,vertuous1 yet they 
are not so in these particulars in which
 they  are ,ignorant1 but their         
,integrity in ,practising what they     
know1 tho  it be but little1 causes us  
to overlook that wherein they           
,ignorantly  transgress4 ,but then any  
eminent degree of ,knowlege1 especially 
of  ,moral and ,divine ,knowlege1 which 
is most excellent because most          
necessary and useful1 can never be      
obtain'd without considerable  degrees  

of ,purity3 ,and afterwards when we have
 procur'd a competent  measure of both1 
they mutually assist each other2 the    
more ,pure we are  the clearer will our 
,knowlege be1 and the more we ,know the 
more we  shall ,purify4 ,accordingly    
therefore we shall first apply our      
selves  to the ,understanding1          
endeavouring to inform and put it right1
 and in  the next place address to the  
,will1 when we have touch'd upon a few  
,preliminaries1 and endeavour'd to      
remove some ,obstructions that are      
prejudicial to both4          ,,chap4   
,,ii4        ,containing some           
,preliminaries1 ,as ,i4 ,the removing of
 ,sloth      and stupid ,indifferency4  
,,ii4 ,prejudices arising4 7#a47 ,from  
,authority1 ,education and ,custom4     
7#b47 ,from ,irregular ,self-,love1     
and ,pride4 ,how to cure our            
,prejudices4 ,some ,remarks upon ,change
      of ,opinions1 ,novelty and the    
,authority of the ,church4 ,,iii4 ,to   
arm our selves with ,courage and        

,patient ,perseverance against          
7#a47 ,the ,censures of ill ,people1 and
 7#b47 our own ,indocility4      ,,iv4  
,to propose a ,right ,end4              
,sidenote3 4 ,i4    ,the first thing ,i 
shall advise against is ,sloth1 and what
 may be  joyn'd with it a stupid        
,indifference to any thing that is      
excellent2  shall ,i call it            
,contentedness with our ,condition how  
low and imperfect  soever it be8 ,i will
 not abuse the ,word so much1 'tis      
rather an  ungenerous inglorious        
,laziness1 we doze on in a ,circle with 
our  ,neighbours1 and so we get but     
,company and ,idleness enough1 we       
consider  not for what we were made1 and
 what the ,condition of our present     
,state  requires4 ,and we think our     
selves good humble ,creatures for this1 
who  busy not our ,heads with what's out
 of our ,sphere and was never design'd  
for us1 but acquiesce honestly and      
contentedly in such ,employments  as the
 generality of ,women have in all ,ages 

been engaged in2 for why  shou'd we     
think so well of our selves as to fancy 
we can be wiser and  better than those  
who have gone before8 ,they went to     
,heav'n no doubt1  and we hope that by  
treading in their steps we likewise in  
due time  may come there1 ,and why      
should we give our selves any farther   
trouble8  ,the lowest degree of ,bliss  
in that happy place is more than we     
deserve1  and truly we have too much    
,humility and ,modesty to be ,ambitious 
of a  higher4    ,thus we hide our      
faults under the borrowed name of       
,vertue2 an old  device taught us by the
 ,enemy of our ,souls1 and by which he  
has often  deceiv'd us4 ,but 'tis all   
mistake and nonsense to hope to get to  
,heaven1 if we stint our ,endeavours and
 care for no more but just to  get      
there4 ,for what's at the bottom of this
 pretended humble temper8  ,no real     
,love to ,,god and longing to enjoy him1
 no appetite for ,heaven1  but since we 
must go thither or to ,hell when we quit

 this dear beloved  ,world1 a taking up 
with that as the more tolerable place4  
,had we  indeed any true ,idea of the   
,life to come1 did we but fix our ,eyes 
and ,thoughts in the ,contemplation of  
that unconceivable ,blessedness1        
'twou'd be impossible not to desire it  
with the warmest vigor1 not  to be      
,ambitious of all we are able to attain4
 ,for pray wherein do  the ,joys of     
,heaven consist1 but in the ,fruition of
 ,,god the ,only and  ,all satisfying   
,good8 and how can we ,enjoy ,him but by
 ,loving him8 ,and  is it not the       
property of that ,passion to think it   
can never ,enjoy  enough but still to   
thirst for more8 ,how then can we ,love 
,,god if we  do not ,long and ,labour   
for the fullest ,enjoyment of him8 ,and 
if we  do not ,love ,him how are we like
 to ,enjoy ,him in any the least        
,degree8 ,he needs neither our ,services
 nor our ,company1 ,he loses nothing  of
 ,his ,happiness1 tho we will not fit   
our selves to receive those             

,communications of it ,he is desirous   
t'impart to us2 and therefore we've  no 
reason to think ,he will force ,his     
,bliss upon us1 render those  ,faculties
 ,he has given us needless1 and make us 
,happy how unfit soever  we are for     
,beatitude4 ,what did we come into the  
,world for8 ,to ,eat and  to ,drink and 
to pursue the little ,impertinencies of 
this ,life8 ,surely  no1 our ,wise      
,creator has ,nobler ,ends whatever we  
have2 ,he lent us  hither to pass our   
,probation1 to ,prepare our selves and  
be ,candidates  for ,eternal ,happiness 
in a better4 ,and how shall this be done
 but by  ,labour and ,industry8 ,a      
,labour indeed1 but such as carries its 
,reward  with it1 besides what it is    
entituled to hereafter4    ,the ,truth  
is1 that the ,condition of our ,present 
,state is such1 that  we can't do any   
thing1 much less what's ,great and      
,excellent without  some ,pain and      
,weariness of the ,flesh2 even our very 
,pleasures are  accompanied with ,pain1 

nor wou'd they relish without it1 this  
is the  ,sauce that recommends them4    
,and why then shall we be averse to the 
taking a little ,pains in that ,case    
only in which 'twill be worth our       
while8 ,a ,title1 an ,estate1 or ,place1
 can neither be got nor kept  without   
some difficulty and trouble2 an ,amour1 
nay even a paltry ,dress  can't be      
manag'd without some ,thought and       
,concern1 and are our ,minds  the only  
thing that do not need1 or not deserve  
them8 ,has our ,bountiful  ,lord set no 
limits to our ,happiness but the        
,capacity of our ,nature1 and  shall we 
set less1 and not strive to extend our  
,capacities to their  utmost reach8 ,has
 the obliging ,son of ,,god thought  no 
difficulties too  mighty1 no ,pain too  
great to undergo for the ,love of us1   
and shall we  be so disingenuous and    
ungrateful as to think a few hours      
,solitude1 a  little ,meditation and    
,watchfulness too much to return to his 
,love8 ,no  certainly1 we cannot have   

such narrow groveling hearts2 no we are 
all  on ,fire1 and only want to know    
wherein to employ our ,activity1 and how
  to manage it to the best advantage1   
which if we wou'd do we must in the     
next place4      4 ,,ii4 ,disengage our 
selves from all our former ,prejudices1 
from our  ,opinion of ,names1           
,authorities1 ,customs and the like1 not
 give credit to  any thing any longer   
because we have once believ'd it1 but   
because it  carries clear and           
uncontested ,evidence along with it4 ,i 
shou'd think  there needed no more to   
persuade us to this1 than a             
consideration of  the mischiefs these   
,prejudices do us4 ,these are the grand 
hindrance  in our search after ,truth2  
these dispose us for the reception of   
,error1 and when we have imbib'd confirm
 us in it2 ,contract our ,souls  and    
shorten our views1 hinder the free range
 of our ,thoughts and  confine them only
 to that particular track which these   
have taken2  and in a word1 erect a     

,tyranny over our free born ,souls1     
whilst they  suffer nothing to pass for 
,true that has not been stampt at their 
own  ,mint4 ,but this is not all their  
mischief1 they are really the root of   
,scepticism2 for when we have taken up  
an ,opinion on weak ,grounds and  stifly
 adher'd to it1 coming afterwards by    
some chance or other to be  convinc'd of
 its falseness1 the same disposition    
which induc'd us to  receive the        
,premises without ,reason1 now inclines 
us to draw as false a  ,conclusion from 
them2 and because we seem'd once well   
assur'd of what  now appears to have    
nothing in't to make us so1 therefore we
 fancy  there's nothing certain1 that   
all our ,notions are but ,probabilities1
  which stand or fall according to the  
,ingenuity of their ,managers1 and  so  
from an unreasonable ,obstinacy we pass 
on to as unreasonable a  ,levity2 so    
smooth is the transition from believing 
too easily and too  much1 to the belief 
of just nothing at all4    ,but pray    

where's the force of this ,argument1    
,this is true because  such a ,person or
 such a ,number of ,men have said it4   
,or1 which commonly  weighs more1       
because ,i my self1 the dear ,idol of my
 own ,heart have  sometimes embrac'd and
 perhaps very zealously maintain'd it8  
,were we  to ,poll for ,truth1 or were  
our own particular ,opinions            
th',infallible  ,standard of it1 there  
were reason to subscribe to the         
,sentiments of the  ,many1 or to be     
tenacious of our ,own4 ,but since ,truth
 tho she is  bright and ready to reveal 
her self to all sincere ,inquirers1 is  
not  often found by the generality of   
those who pretend to seek after her1    
,interest1 ,applause1 or some other     
little sordid ,passion1 being really    
the ,mistress they court1 whilst she    
7like ,religion in another ,case7 is    
made use of for a ,stale to carry on the
 ,design the better2 since we're        
commonly too much under the power of    
,inordinate ,affections to have our     

,understandings always clear and our    
,judgments certain1 are too rash1  too  
precipitate not to need the assistance  
of a calmer thought1 a more  serious    
review2 ,reason wills that we shou'd    
think again1 and not form  our          
,conclusions or fix our foot till we can
 honestly say1 that we have  without    
,prejudice or ,prepossession view'd the 
matter in ,debate on all  sides1 seen it
 in every light1 have no bias to encline
 us either way1  but are only determin'd
 by ,truth it self1 shining brightly in 
our eyes1  and not permitting us to     
resist the force and ,evidence it       
carries4  ,this ,i'me sure is what      
,rational ,creatures ought to do1 what's
 then the  ,reason that they do't not8  
,laziness and ,idleness in the first    
place2 ,thinking is a pain to those  who
 have disus'd it1 they will not be at   
the trouble of carrying on a  thought1  
of pursuing a ,meditation till it leads 
them into the confines  of ,truth1 much 
less till it puts 'em in possession of  

her4 ',tis an  easier way to follow on  
in a beaten road1 than to launch out    
into the  main ,ocean1 tho it be in     
order to the making of new ,discoveries2
 they  therefore who would be thought   
knowing without taking too much pains to
  be so1 suppose 'tis enough to go on in
 their ,fore-fathers steps1 to say  as  
they say1 and hope they shall get as    
much ,reputation by it as those  who    
have gone before4    ,again ,self-love1 
an excellent ,principle when true1 but  
the worst and  most mischievous when    
mistaken1 disposes us to be retentive of
 our  ,prejudices and ,errors1          
especially when it is joyn'd as most    
commonly  it is with ,pride and         
,conceitedness4 ,the ,condition of our  
present ,state  7as was said before7 in 
which we feel the force of our ,passions
 e're we  discern the strength of our   
,reason1 necessitates us to take up with
  such ,principles and ,reasonings to   
direct and determine these ,passions  as
 we happen to meet with1 tho probably   

they are far from being just  ones1 and 
are such as ,education or ,accident not 
right ,reason disposes  us to2 and being
 inur'd and habituated to these1 we at  
last take them  for our own1 for parts  
of our dear beloved selves1 and are as  
unwilling  to be divorced from them as  
we wou'd be to part with a ,hand or an  
,eye  or any the most useful ,member4   
,whoever talks contrary to these        
receiv'd  ,notions seems to banter us1  
to persuade us out of our very ,senses1 
and  does that which our ,pride cannot  
bear1 he supposes we've been all along  
deceiv'd and must begin anew3 ,we       
therefore instead of depositing our  old
 ,errors1 fish about for ,arguments to  
defend 'em1 and do not raise            
,hypotheses on the ,discoveries we have 
made of ,truth1 but search for          
,probabilities to maintain our          
,hypotheses4 ,and what's the result of  
all  this8 ,having set out in a wrong   
way we're resolv'd to persist in it1 we 
grope in the dark and quarrel with those

 who wou'd lead us out of it6    ,but is
 there no ,remedy for this disorder1    
since we hope that ,all are  not        
irrecoverably lost1 tho too many are so 
invellop'd in ,prejudice  that there's  
little probability of disengaging them8 
,why really the  best that ,i can think 
of at present is1 to ,resolve to be     
,industrious1  and to think no ,pains   
too much to purchase ,truth2 to consider
 that our  ,fore-fathers were ,men of   
like ,passions with us1 and are         
therefore not  to be ,credited on the   
score of ,authority but of ,reason2 to  
remember  likewise our own ,infirmity1  
the shortness of our ,views1 and the    
bias  which our ,passions and secular   
,interests give us2 generously to       
disengage our selves from the deceptions
 of sense1 from all sinister  and little
 ,designs1 and honestly to search after 
,truth for no other  ,end but the ,glory
 of ,,god1 by the accomplishing of our  
,own and our  ,neighbours ,minds1 and   
when we have humbly implor'd1 as now we 

may very  well hope for the ,divine     
,assistance1 that the ,father of ,lights
 will  shine upon us1 and that ,he who  
is the ,way1 the ,truth and the ,life   
will lead us into all ,truth2 why then  
we shou'd do well to take notice1  ,that
 it is of no great consequence to us    
what our old ,opinions are  any farther 
than as we persist in 'em2 that there's 
no necessity that  they shou'd be true1 
but 'tis highly necessary we shou'd fix 
on what  is so2 therefore these also    
must be made to pass the ,scrutiny1 and 
be  cashier'd if they stand not the     
,test of a severe ,examination and sound
  ,reason4    ',tis a great mistake to  
fancy it a reproach to change our       
,sentiments1  the infamy lies on their  
side who wilfully and unreasonably      
adhere to  'em4 ,not but that it is mean
 and shameful to be ever on the tip-toe1
  and indeed to change in any ,case     
where pure and disinteress'd ,reason    
does not oblige us to it4 ,to be once   
willing to alter our sentiments  if     

there be just occasion for't1 wou'd for 
ever after secure us from  ,changing1 to
 which the ,precipitate and ,obstinate  
are most liable2  whereas such as       
suspend their ,judgments till after a   
sufficient  ,examination and ,weighing  
of all things they see cause to fix     
them1  do seldom ,change1 because they  
can hardly meet with any ,reason to do  
so2 and indeed whatever may be the      
,character of a ,wit1 ,stay'dness and   
,deliberation is that of a ,wise        
,person4    ,but as there is an extream 
on one hand in being too resolutely bent
 on  our ,old ,opinions1 so is there on 
the other in inordinately thirsting     
after ,novelty4 ,an ,opinion is neither 
better nor worse for being ,old  or     
,new1 the ,truth of it is the only thing
 considerable2 tho properly  speaking   
all ,truth is ,antient1 as being from   
,eternity in the ,divine  ,ideas1 'tis  
only ,new in respect of our             
,discoveries4 ,if we go about  to assign
 a ,reason for this insatiable desire of

 ,novelty1 ,i know not  how to find a   
better than our ,credulity and easy     
assent to things  inevident4 ,truth     
being the proper ,object of the         
,understanding it does  naturally search
 after it1 and tho this search will     
never wholly cease1  because our        
,understandings are more capacious than 
our ,discoveries1  and the view of one  
,truth is but a ,preparative to look    
farther2 yet  had we clear and certain  
,evidence for our ,conclusions1 tho that
 wou'd  not end our ,inquiries1 it wou'd
 however satisfie us1 so far at least   
as they had gone4 ,whereas on the       
contrary your hunters after ,novelty    
are commonly never satisfied1 they pull 
down to day what they had built  up     
yesterday1 and ,why8 ,but because they  
concluded too soon8 and their  ,novel   
,hypothesis is founded on ,fancy or     
,passion1 or any thing rather  than     
,right ,reason4    ,but when ,i speak of
 the little deference that is to be     
given to ,names1  ,authorities1 and     

receiv'd ,opinions1 ,i extend it no     
farther than to  matters purely         
,philosophical to mere ,humane ,truths1 
and do not design  any ,prejudice to the
 ,authority of the ,church which is of  
different  consideration4 ,for tho it be
 necessary even in this ,case1 to       
deposite  whatever may look like a      
,prejudice1 arising from that particular
 way  of ,worship1 whereby that         
,communion in which we've been ,educated
 is  distinguish'd from all other       
,christians1 yet as to the ,substantials
  of ,faith and ,practice1 tho every one
 be allow'd to ,examine1 for they  will 
bear the ,test1 yet it is not fit that  
he shou'd draw ,conclusions1  contrary  
to what has been already determin'd by  
the ,catholick ,church1  or even by that
 particular ,church of which he is a    
,member1 unless where  it does plainly  
and evidently contradict that sense of  
,holy ,scripture  which has been        
receiv'd by the ,church ,universal4 ,nor
 is this a giving  up our selves to     

,authority barely as such1 'tis only a  
modest deference  to ,truth4            
,philosophical ,truths are not open to  
every ,inquirer1 an  elevated ,genius   
and great application of ,mind is       
requir'd to find them  out1 nor are they
 of that importance but that ,men may   
give ,scope to  their ,thoughts1 and    
very often think1 tho indeed            
unreasonably1 that  they're oblig'd in  
point of ,honour to defend their own    
,hypotheses4  ,but the ,articles of our 
,faith and the great ,principles of     
,christian  ,morality are of another    
,nature1 ,,god wou'd have all ,men to be
 sav'd and  to come to the ,knowlege of 
these ,truths1 tho he did not design 'em
  all for ,philosophers1 and therefore  
they carry a ,proof and ,evidence       
suited to the very ,vulgar1 which he who
 runs may read1 which every one  ought  
to acquiesce in1 tho according to their 
leisure and capacity 'tis  fit they     
inquire why4 ,and being a matter of the 
highest concern such  as our ,eternal   

,happiness or ,misery depends on1 it may
 reasonably be  suppos'd 7tho to the    
shame of our ,folly we sometimes find   
the contrary7  that ,men won't play fast
 and loose in a ,business of so vast    
importance1  but that all ,christians   
have as they are oblig'd seriously and  
fully  consider'd it1 and especially    
those who are more peculiarly set apart 
by the ,divine ,appointment for the     
study of ,sacred ,truths4 ,so that to   
acquiesce in the ,authority of the      
,church1 so far as it is here pleaded   
for is no more than this1 ,the calling  
in to our assistance the ,judgment  and 
,advice of those whom ,,god hath set    
over us1 and consequently whom he       
assists in a more especial manner1 to   
discharge that ,function to which  he   
has call'd them2 and1 in such disputable
 points as we're not able  to determine 
for our selves1 a quiet submission to   
the ,voice of our  ,guides1 whom        
,modesty will incline us to think have  
greater ,abilities  and ,assistances1 as

 well as more ,time and ,opportunity to 
find out the  ,truth than we4    ,as    
,prejudice fetters the ,understanding so
 does ,custom manacle the ,will1  which 
scarce knows how to divert from a ,track
 which the generality  around it take1  
and to which it has it self been        
habituated4 ,it wou'd  be too large a   
digression1 to examin throughly a       
,subject so fit to be  consider'd1 being
 it is the root of very much ,evil1 the 
last refuge of  ,vice where it fortifies
 it self when driven from all other     
retreats4  ,we shall therefore forbear  
to enquire from what mistakes it draws  
its  force1 what ,considerations are    
proper to disarm it of its power1 and   
what else might be of use to deliver us 
from its ,slavery1 and only  remark2    
,that tho great deference is to be paid 
to the ,ways and ,usages  of the ,wise  
and ,good1 yet considering that these   
are the least number  of ,mankind1 'tis 
the ,croud who will make the ,mode1 and 
consequently  it will be as absurd as   

they are3 ,therefore ,custom cannot     
,authorise a  ,practice if ,reason      
,condemns it1 the following a ,multitude
 is no excuse  for the doing of ,evil4  
,none but the ,weak and ,inconsiderable 
swim down  with the ,torrent1 brave     
,spirits delight to stem the ,tide1 they
 know  no ,conquest so ,glorious1       
because none so difficult1 as that which
 is  obtain'd over foolish and          
ill-grounded ,maxims and sinful         
,customs2 ,what  wou'd they not do to   
restore ,mankind to their ,lawful       
,liberty1 and to  pull down this worst  
of ,tyrannies1 because it enslaves the  
very ,souls  of ,men8       ,,iii4 ,but 
a ,generous ,resolution and ,courageous 
,industry are not only  necessary to    
enable us to throw off ,sloth and to    
,conquer the ,prejudices  of ,education1
 ,authority and ,custom1 the same       
,resolution and ,courage  which help'd  
us to this ,victory1 must secure and    
continue to us the  ,fruits of it4 ,we  
shall have need of ,patience and        

constant ,perseverance  thro the whole  
course of our ,lives if we mean to      
prosecute the noble  ,design we have    
begun2 we must not think the ,business  
is over when we  have smooth'd the      
entrance2 there will still be           
,difficulties1 tho no  insuperable ones1
 but such as will wear off by degrees1  
the greatest  uneasiness being in the   
first effort4 ,and tho our ,progress    
shou'd  not happen to be answerable to  
our ,desires1 there's no reason to be   
discourag'd1 we shou'd rather be        
animated by such noble ,desires to      
greater ,industry4 ,where's the ,glory  
of an easy ,victory8 ',tis ,labour  and 
,cost that inhanses the value of every  
thing4 ,and to the end we  may not be   
discourag'd1 'tis fit that we arm our   
selves against all  ,accidents by       
considering them before hand4 ,we have  
the ,malice and  ,industry of many      
,cunning and ,powerful ,adversaries1 as 
well as our  own indocility to contend  
with4 ,the grand ,enemy of ,mankind is  

very  unwilling that they shou'd arrive 
at that ,state of ,innocence and        
,perfection from which he fell1 and of  
all the ,artifices he makes use of  to  
hinder it1 scarce any's more effectual  
than the mischief he excites  us to do  
one another4 ,what are they employ'd in 
but his ,service who  will neither do   
any thing that's excellent themselves1  
nor if they  could hinder1 suffer it to 
be done by others8 ,who employ all their
  little ,wit and ,pains in ,scoffing at
 such who they say in derision  wou'd be
 wiser then their ,neighbours8 ,we must 
be content to suffer  a scornful fleer1 
a parcel of hard ,names and a little    
ridiculing1  if we're ,resolv'd to do   
such things as do not deserve 'em4 ,dogs
 will  bark at the ,moon1 and perhaps   
for no other reason but because she is  
out of their reach1 elevated above them4
 ,but the ,author of our ,nature  to    
whom all the ,inconveniencies we are    
liable to in this ,earthly  ,pilgrimage 
are fully known1 has endow'd us with    

,principles sufficient  to carry us     
safely thro them all1 if we will but    
observe and make use  of 'em4 ,one of   
these is ,generosity1 which 7so long as 
we keep it  from degenerating into      
,pride7 is of admirable advantage to us 
in this  matter4 ,it was not fit that   
,creatures capable of and made for      
,society1  shou'd be wholly             
,independent1 or ,indifferent to each   
others ,esteem  and ,commendation2 nor  
was it convenient considering how seldom
 these  are justly distributed1 that    
they shou'd too much regard and depend  
on them4 ,it was requisite therefore    
that a desire of our ,neighbours  ,good 
,opinion shou'd be implanted in our     
,natures to the end we might be  excited
 to do such things as deserve it1 and   
yet withall a ,generous  neglect of it1 
if they unjustly withheld it where it   
was due4 ,there's  so little reason that
 we shou'd be discourag'd from what is  
truly  excellent and becoming on account
 of being ,scoft and ,laugh'd at for    

it1 that on the contrary this is a new  
accession to our ,glory1 we  never shine
 so ,illustriously as when we break thro
 these little ,clouds  and ,oppositions 
which impotently attempted to obscure   
our ,rays4 ,to be  ,reproach'd for      
,weldoing is a higher ,encomium1 than   
the loftiest ,praises  when we do not   
deserve them3 ,so that let the ,world   
think as it list1  whilst we are in the 
pursuit of true ,wisdom1 our ,reputation
 is secur'd1  our ,crown is furbishing  
and tho it do not shine out in this     
,envious and  ,ill-natur'd ,world1 it   
will however1 which is infinitely more  
desirable  appear in all its ,lustre and
 ,splendor in a better4    ,and as we   
disregard the ,censures of ill ,people1 
so are we patiently to  bear with our   
own backwardness and indocility4 ,there 
goes a good deal  of ,time and ,pains1  
of ,thought and ,watchfulness to the    
rooting out of  ,ill-habits1 to the     
fortifying our ,minds against foolish   
,customs1 and  to the making that easie 

and pleasant which us'd to be irksom to 
us4  ,but we ought not to be            
disheartn'd1 since 'tis necessary to be 
done1  and we cannot reasonably say 'tis
 ,impossible1 till we've attempted and  
fail'd in't4 ,but then let's attempt it 
in the most prudent ,method1 use  the   
properest ,means1 allow sufficient ,time
 for their ,operation and to  make the  
essay3 ,let's not set about it by fits1 
or in one or two good  ,moods1 nor      
expect it will be done on a sudden1 but 
by degrees and in a  proper season1     
making it our main ,design and          
,business1 and then ,i dare  confidently
 affirm the success will answer the     
,pains we have spent  about it4      4  
,,iv4 ,but one thing more1 and then ,i  
shall go on as well as ,i can1  to lay  
down what seems to me the best ,method  
for ,improvement4 ,whoever  wou'd ,act  
to purpose must propose some ,end to    
themselves1 and keep it  still in their 
,eye thro'out their whole progress4     
,life without this  is a                

disproportionate unseemly thing1 a      
confused huddle of broken1              
contradictory ,actions1 such as afford  
us nothing but the being asham'd  of    
'em4 ,but do we need to be taught our   
,end8 ,one wou'd rather think  there    
were no occasion to mention it1 did not 
,experience daily convince  us how many 
there are who neglect it4 ,what ,end can
 ,creatures have but  their ,creators   
,glory8 ,and did they truly understand  
their own ,happiness  'tis certain they 
wou'd have no other1 since this is the  
only way of  procuring their own        
,felicity4 ,but it is not enough to have
 barely an  implicit and languid desire 
of it1 'twere much better to hold it    
ever  in view1 and that all our ,actions
 had in their proportion a warm and     
immediate tendency thither4 ,this wou'd 
stamp the impression of ,holiness  upon 
the most indifferent ,action1 and       
without this what is ,materially  and to
 all outward appearance very good1 is   
really and truly no better  than a      

specious folly4 ,we are not made for our
 selves1 nor was it  ever design'd we   
shou'd be ador'd and idoliz'd by one    
another4 ,our  ,faculties were given us 
for ,use not ,ostentation1 not to make a
 noise in  the ,world1 but to be        
serviceable in it1 to declare the       
,wisdom1 ,power  and ,goodness1 of that 
,all-,perfect ,being from whom we derive
 ,all our  ,excellencies1 and in whose  
,service they ought ,wholly to be       
employ'd4  ,did our ,knowlege serve no  
other purpose than the exalting us in   
our  own ,opinion1 or in that of our    
,fellow ,creatures1 the furnishing us   
with  ,materials for a quaint           
,discourse1 an agreeable ,conversation1 
'twere  scarce worth while to be at the 
trouble of attaining it4 ,but when  it  
enlarges the ,capacity of our ,minds1   
gives us nobler ,ideas of the  ,majesty1
 the ,grandeur and ,glorious ,attributes
 of our adorable ,creator1  ,regulates  
our ,wills and makes us more capable of 
,imitating and ,enjoying  him1 'tis then

 a truly sublime thing1 a worthy ,object
 of our ,industry3  ,and she who does   
not make this the ,end of her ,study1   
spends her ,time  and ,pains to no      
purpose or to an ill one4    ,we have no
 better way of finding out the true ,end
 of any thing1 than by  observing to    
what ,use it is most adapted4 ,now the  
,art of ,well-,living1  the ,study of   
the ,divine ,will and ,law1 that so we  
may be ,conformable to  it in all       
things1 is what we're peculiarly fitted 
for and destin'd  to1 what ever has not 
such a ,tendency1 either ,directly or at
 least  ,remotely1 is besides the       
purpose4 ,rational ,studies therefore   
next to  ,,god's ,word bid fairest for  
our ,choice1 because they best answer   
the  ,design above mention'd4 ,truths   
merely ,speculative and which have no   
influence upon ,practice1 which neither 
contribute to the good of ,soul  or     
,body1 are but idle ,amusements1 an     
impertinent and criminal wast  of ,time4
 ,to be able to speak many ,languages1  

to give an ,historical  ,account of all 
,ages ,opinions and ,authors1 to make a 
florid ,harangue1 or  defend right or   
wrong the ,argument ,i've undertaken1   
may give me higher  thoughts of my ,self
 but not of ,,god1 this is the ,knowlege
 that pufeth  up1 in the ,words of the  
,apostle1 and seldom leads us to that   
,charity  which ,edifieth4    ,and as   
the ,understanding so the ,will must be 
duly directed to its ,end  and ,object4 
,morality is so consonant to the ,nature
 of ,man1 so adapted  to his ,happiness1
 that had not his ,understanding been   
darkn'd by the  ,fall1 and his whole    
,frame disorder'd and weakened1 he wou'd
 ,naturally  have practis'd it4 ,and    
according as he recovers himself1 and   
casts  off those ,clouds which ,eclipse 
his ,reason1 so proportionably are his  
,actions more agreeable to ,moral       
,precepts1 and tho we suppose him       
ignorant of any higher end1 he will     
however do such things as they  enjoyn  
him1 to th'intent he may be easy1 obtain

 a good ,reputation1 and  enjoy himself 
and this ,world the better4 ,now were we
 sure that ,reason  wou'd always        
maintain its ground against ,passion and
 ,appetite1 such an  one might be       
allow'd to be a good ,neighbour1 a ,just
 ,ruler1 a plausible  ,friend or the    
like1 and wou'd well enough discharge   
the ,relative ,duties  of ,society1 and 
do nothing misbecoming the dignity of   
,human ,nature4  ,but considering how   
weak our ,reason is1 how unable to      
maintain its  ,authority and oppose the 
incursions of sense1 without the        
assistance  of an inward and ,spiritual 
,sensation to strengthen it1 'tis highly
  necessary that we use due endeavours  
to procure a lively relish of our  true 
,good1 a ,sentiment that will not only  
,ballance1 but if attended to  and      
improv'd1 very much out-weigh the       
,pleasures of our ,animal ,nature4  ,now
 this is no otherwise to be obtain'd    
than by directing the ,will in  an      
elicit ,act to ,,god as its only ,good1 

so that the sole ,end of all its        
movements1 may be to draw near1 to      
acquiesce in and be united to him4  ,for
 as all ,natural ,motions are easie and 
pleasant1 so this being the  only       
,natural ,motion of the ,will must needs
 be unspeakably delightful  to it4      
,besides that peculiar delectation1     
which this ,fountain of ,joy  bestows as
 a ,donative1 on all who thus sincerly  
address themselves to  him4 ,so that it 
is not enough to be ,morally ,good      
because 'tis most  ,reputable and       
,easie1 and most for our ,pleasure and  
,interest in the  present ,world1 as    
this will never secure our ,duty1 so is 
it too low an  ,end for a ,creature     
,capable of ,immortality to propose1    
nothing less than  an intire devoting of
 our selves to the ,end for which we    
were made1 the  ,service and ,enjoyment 
of the most amiable and only ,good1 can 
keep us  ,constantly and ,uniformly in  
our ,duty1 or is a ,design that's worthy
 of  us4          ,,chap4 ,,iii4        

,concerning the ,improvement of the     
,understanding4 ,i4 ,of the             
,capacity of the ,humane ,mind in       
,general4 ,,ii4 ,of ,particular         
,capacities4 ,,iii4 ,the most common    
,infirmities incident to      the       
,understanding and their ,cure4 ,,iv4 ,a
 ,natural ,logic1 ,and      ,v4         
,rhetoric propos'd4 ,,vi4 ,the          
,application and ,use of our            
,knowlege4      ,the perfection of the  
,understanding consisting in the        
,clearness and  ,largness of its view1  
it improves proportionably as its ,ideas
 become  ,clearer and more ,extensive4  
,but this is not so to be understood as 
if  all sorts of ,notices contributed to
 our ,improvement1 there are some       
things which make us no wiser when we   
know 'em1 others which 'tis  best to be 
ignorant of4 ,but that ,understanding   
seems to me the most  exalted1 which has
 the ,clearest and most ,extensive view 
of such ,truths  as are suitable to its 
,capacity1 and ,necessary or ,convenient

 to be  ,known in this ,present ,state4 
,for being that we are but ,creatures1  
our  ,understanding in its greatest     
,perfection has only a limited          
excellency4  ,it has indeed a vast      
extent1 and it were not amiss if we     
tarried a  little in the ,contemplation 
of its ,powers and ,capacities1 provided
  that the ,prospect did not make us    
giddy1 that we remember from whom  we   
have receiv'd them1 and ballance those  
lofty ,thoughts which a view  of our    
,intellectuals may occasion1 with the   
depressing ones which the  irregularity 
of our ,morals will suggest1 and that we
 learn from this  inspection1 how       
indecorous it is to busy this bright    
side of us in mean  things1 seeing it is
 capable of such noble ones4    ,human  
,nature is indeed a wonderful ,composure
 admirable in its outward  structure1   
but much more excellent in the ,beauties
 of its ,inward1 and  she who considers 
in whose ,image her ,soul was ,created1 
and whose ,blood  was shed to ,redeem   

it1 cannot prize it too much1 nor forget
 to pay  it her utmost regard4 ,there's 
nothing in this ,material ,world to be  
compar'd to't1 all the gay things we    
dote on1 and for which we many  times   
expose our ,souls to ruin1 are of no    
consideration in respect of  it4 ,they  
are not the good of the ,soul1 its      
happiness depends not on  'em1 but they 
often deceive and withdraw it from its  
true ,good4 ,it was  made for the       
,contemplation and ,enjoyment of its    
,,god1 and all ,souls are  capable of   
this tho in a different degree and by   
measures somewhat  different1 as we hope
 will appear from that which follows4   
4 ,i4 ,truth in general is the ,object  
of the ,understanding1 but all  ,truths 
are not equally ,evident1 because of the
 ,limitation of the ,humane  ,mind1     
which tho' it can gradually take in many
 ,truths1 yet cannot  any more than our 
sight attend to many things at once3    
,and likewise1  because ,,god has not   
thought fit to communicate such ,ideas  

to us1 as are  necessary to the         
disquisition of some particular ,truths4
 ,for knowing  nothing without us but by
 the ,idea we have of it1 and ,judging  
only  according to the ,relation we find
 between two or more ,ideas1 when we    
cannot discover the ,truth we search    
after by ,intuition or the immediate    
companion of two ,ideas1 'tis necessary 
that we shou'd have a third by  which to
 compare them4 ,but if this middle ,idea
 be wanting1 though we  have sufficient 
,evidence of those two which we wou'd   
compare1 because  we have a ,clear and  
,distinct ,conception of them1 yet we   
are ,ignorant  of those ,truths which   
wou'd arise from their ,comparison1     
because we  want a third by which to    
compare them4    ,to give an instance of
 this in a point of great consequence1  
and of  late very much controverted tho 
to little purpose1 because we take  a   
wrong method1 and wou'd make that the   
,object of ,science which is  properly  
the ,object of ,faith1 the ,doctrin of  

the ,trinity4 ,revelation  which is but 
an exaltation and improvement of ,reason
 has told us1 ,that  the ,father is     
,,god1 the ,son is ,,god1 and the ,holy 
,ghost is ,,god1 and our  ,idea of the  
,godhead of any one of these ,persons1  
is as clear as our  ,idea of any of the 
other4 ,both ,reason and ,revelation    
assure us that  ,,god is ,one ,simple   
,essence1 ,undivided1 and ,infinite in  
all ,perfection1  this is the ,natural  
,idea which we have of ,,god4 ,how then 
can the ,father  be ,,god1 the ,son     
,,god1 and the ,holy ,ghost ,,god1 when 
yet there is but  ,one ,,god8 ,that     
these two ,propositions are true we are 
certain1 both  because ,,god who cannot 
lie has ,reveal'd 'em1 and because we   
have as  clear an ,idea of 'em as it is 
possible a ,finite ,mind shou'd have of 
an ,infinite ,nature4 ,but we cannot    
find out how this should be1 by the     
bare ,comparison of these two ,ideas    
without the help of a third by which  to
 compare them4 ,this ,,god has not      

thought fit to impart to us1 the        
,prospect it wou'd have given us wou'd  
have been too dazling1 too bright  for  
,mortality to bear1 and we ought to     
acquiesce in the ,divine ,will4 ,so     
then1 we are well assur'd that these two
 ,propositions are true1 ,there  is but 
one ,,god2 ,and1 ,there are three       
,persons in the ,godhead3 but we  know  
not the ,manner how these things are4   
,nor can our acquiescence be  thought   
,unreasonable1 nor the ,doctrin we      
subscribe to be run down as  absurd and 
contradictory by every little warm      
,disputer and ,pretender  to ,reason1   
whose ,life is perhaps a continual      
contradiction to it1 and  he knows      
little of it besides the ,name4 ,for we 
ought not to think it  strange that     
,,god has folded up his own ,nature1 not
 in ,darkness1 but  in an adorable and  
inaccessible ,light1 since his ,wisdom  
sees it fit  to keep us ignorant of our 
own4 ,we know and feel the ,union       
between  our ,soul and ,body1 but who   

amongst us sees so clearly1 as to find  
out  with ,certitude and ,exactness1 the
 secret ties which unite two such       
different ,substances1 or how they are  
able to act upon each other8 ,we  are   
conscious of our own ,liberty1 who ever 
denies it denies that he  is capable of 
,rewards and ,punishments1 degrades his 
,nature and makes  himself but a more   
curious piece of ,mechanism2 and none   
but ,atheists  will call in question the
 ,providence of ,,god1 or deny that he  
,governs  ,all1 even the most ,free of  
all his ,creatures4 ,but who can        
reconcile  me these8 ,or adjust the     
limits between ,,god's ,prescience and  
,mans  ,free-will8 ,our ,understandings 
are sufficiently illuminated to lead us 
to the ,fountain of ,life and ,light1 we
 do or may know enough to fill  our     
,souls with the noblest ,conceptions1   
the humblest ,adoration1 and  the       
intirest ,love of the ,author of our    
,being1 and what can we desire  farther8
 ,if we make so ill a ,use of that      

,knowledge which we have1 as  to be so  
far puffed up with it1 as to turn it    
against him who gave it1  how dangerous 
would it be for us to have more         
,knowledge1 in a ,state  in which we    
have so little ,humility6 ,but if vain  
,man will pretend to  ,wisdom1 let him  
first learn to know the length of his   
own line4    ,tho the ,human ,intellect 
has a large extent1 yet being limited as
 we  have already said1 this ,limitation
 is the ,cause of those different       
,modes of ,thinking1 which for          
distinction sake we call ,faith1        
,science  and ,opinion4 ,for in this    
present and imperfect ,state in which we
 know  not any thing by ,intuition1 or  
immediate except a few first ,principles
  which we call ,self-evident1 the most 
of our ,knowlege is acquir'd by         
,reasoning and ,deduction3 ,and these   
three ,modes of ,understanding1  ,faith1
 ,science and ,opinion are no otherwise 
distinguish'd1 than by the  different   
degrees of ,clearness and ,evidence in  

the ,premises from whence  the          
,conclusion is drawn4    ,knowlege in a 
proper and restricted ,sense and as     
appropriated to  ,science1 signifies    
that clear ,perception which is follow'd
 by a firm  assent to ,conclusions      
rightly drawn from ,premises of which we
 have  clear and distinct ,ideas4 ,which
 ,premises or ,principles must be so    
clear  and ,evident1 that supposing us  
reasonable ,creatures1 and free from    
,prejudices and ,passions1 7which for   
the time they predominate as good  as   
deprive us of our ,reason7 we cannot    
withhold our assent from them  without  
manifest violence to our ,reason4       
,but if the ,nature of the thing be such
 as that it admits of no  undoubted     
,premises to argue from1 or at least we 
don't at present  know of any1 or that  
the ,conclusion does not so necessarily 
follow as  to give a perfect            
satisfaction to the ,mind and to free it
 from all  hesitation1 that which we    
think of it is then call'd ,opinion4    

,again1 ,if the ,medium we make use of  
to prove the ,proposition be            
,authority1 the ,conclusion which we    
draw from it is said to be ,believ'd2   
,this is what we call ,faith1 and when  
the ,authority is ,,god's a ,divine     
,faith4    ,moral ,certainty is a       
,species of ,knowlege whose ,proofs are 
of a  compounded ,nature1 in part       
resembling those which belong to        
,science1  and partly those of ,faith4  
,we do not make the whole ,process our  
selves1 but depend on another for the   
immediate ,proof1 but we our  selves    
deduce the ,mediate from ,circumstances 
and ,principles as  ,certain and almost 
as ,evident as those of ,science1 and   
which lead us  to the immediate ,proofs 
and make it unreasonable to doubt of    
'em4  ,indeed we not seldom deceive our 
selves in this matter1 by inclining     
alternately to both extremes4 ,sometimes
 we reject ,truths which are  ,morally  
,certain as ,conjectural and ,probable  
only1 because they have  not a ,physical

 and ,mathematical ,certainty1 which    
they are incapable  of4 ,at another time
 we embrace the slightest ,conjectures  
and any thing  that looks with          
,probability1 as moral ,certainties and 
real ,verities1  if ,fancy1 ,passion or 
,interest recommend them2 so ready are  
we to be  determin'd by these rather    
than by solid ,reason4    ,in this      
enumeration of the several ways of      
,knowing4 ,i have not  reckon'd the     
,senses1 in regard that we're more      
properly said to be  ,conscious of than 
to ,know such things as we perceive by  
,sensation4  ,and also because that     
,light which we suppose to be let into  
our ,ideas  by our ,senses is indeed    
very dim and fallacious1 and not to be  
relied  on till it has past the ,test of
 ,reason2 neither do ,i think there's   
any  ,mode of ,knowlege which mayn't be 
reduc'd to those already mentioned4     
,now tho there's a great difference     
between ,opinion and ,science1 true     
,science being immutable but ,opinion   

variable and uncertain1 yet there  is   
not such a difference between ,faith and
 ,science as is usually  suppos'd4 ,the 
difference consists not in the          
,certainty but in the  way of ,proof2   
the ,objects of ,faith are as           
,rationally and as ,firmly  ,prov'd as  
the ,objects of ,science1 tho by another
 way4 ,as ,science  ,demonstrates things
 that are ,seen1 so ,faith is the       
,evidence of such  as are ,not ,seen4   
,and he who rejects the ,evidence of    
,faith in such  things as belong to its 
,cognizance1 is as unreasonable as he   
who denies  ,propositions in ,geometry  
that are prov'd with ,mathematical      
exactness4    ,there's nothing true     
which is not in it self demonstrable1 or
 which  we should not pronounce to be   
true had we a ,clear and ,intuitive     
,view  of it4 ,but as was said above we 
see very few things by ,intuition1      
neither are we furnish'd with ,mediums  
to make the ,process our selves  in     
,demonstrating all ,truths1 and         

therefore there are some ,truths which  
we must either be totally ignorant of1  
or else receive them on the  ,testimony 
of another ,person1 to whose            
,understanding they are clear and       
manifest tho not to ours4 ,and if this  
,person be one who can neither be       
,deceiv'd nor ,deceive1 we're as certain
 of those ,conclusions which we  prove  
by his ,authority1 as we're of those we 
demonstrate by our own  ,reason2 nay    
more ,certain1 by how much his ,reason  
is more ,comprehensive  and ,infallible 
than our own4    ,science is the        
following the ,process our ,selves upon 
,clear and ,evident  ,principles2 ,faith
 is a ,dependance on the ,credit of     
another1 in such  matters as are out of 
our ,view4 ,and when we have very good  
,reason to  submit to the ,testimony of 
the ,person we ,believe1 ,faith is as   
,firm1 and  those ,truths it discovers  
to us as truly ,intelligible1 and as    
strongly  ,prov'd in their kind as      
,science4    ,in a word1 as every ,sense

 so every ,capacity of the              
,understanding has  its proper ,object4 
,the ,objects of ,science are things    
within our ,view1  of which we may have 
,clear and ,distinct ,ideas1 and nothing
 shou'd be  determin'd here without     
,clearness and ,evidence4 ,to be able to
 repeat  any ,persons ,dogma without    
forming a ,distinct ,idea of it our     
selves1  is not to ,know but to         
,remember2 and to have a ,confuse       
,indeterminate  ,idea is to ,conjecture 
not to ,understand4    ,the ,objects of 
,faith are as ,certain and as truly     
,intelligible in  themselves as those of
 ,science1 as has been said already1    
only we  become persuaded of the ,truth 
of them by another ,method1 we do not   
,see them so clearly and distinctly as  
to be unable to disbelieve  them4 ,faith
 has a mixture of the ,will that it may 
be rewardable1 for  who will thank us   
for giving our ,assent where it was     
impossible to  withhold it8 ,faith then 
may be said to be a sort of ,knowlege   

capable of  ,reward1 and ,men are       
,infidels not for want of ,conviction1  
but thro an  ,unwillingness to ,believe4
    ,but as it is a fault to ,believe in
 matters of ,science1 where we  may     
expect ,demonstration and ,evidence1 so 
it is a reproach to our  ,understanding 
and a proof of our ,disingenuity1 to    
require that sort  of ,process peculiar 
to ,science1 for the ,confirmation of   
such ,truths  as are not the proper     
,objects of it4 ,it is as ridiculous as 
to reject  ,musick1 because we cannot   
,tast or ,smell it1 or to deny there is 
such a  thing as ,beauty because we do  
not hear it4 ,he who wou'd ,see with his
  ,ears and ,hear with his ,eyes may    
indeed set up in ,bedlam for a ,man of  
an extraordinary reach1 a ,sagacious    
,person who won't be impos'd on1 one    
who must have more ,authentick proofs   
than his dull ,fore-fathers were        
content with4 ,but ,men of dry ,reason  
and a moderate ,genius1 ,i suppose  will
 think ,nature has done very well in    

allotting to each ,sense its  proper    
employment1 and such as these will as   
readily acknowlege that  it is as       
,honourable for the ,soul to ,believe   
what is truly the ,object  of ,faith1 as
 it is for her to ,know what is really  
the ,object of her  ,knowlege4 ,and were
 we not strangely perverse we shou'd not
 scruple  ,divine ,authority when we    
daily submit to ,human4 ,whoever has not
 seen  ,paris has nothing but ,human    
,authority to assure him there is such a
  place1 and yet he wou'd be laugh'd at 
as ridiculous who shou'd call it  in    
question1 tho he may as well in this as 
in another ,case pretend that  his      
,informers have designs to serve1 intend
 to impose on him and mock  his         
,credulity4 ,nay how many of us daily   
make that a matter of ,faith  which     
indeed belongs to ,science1 by adhering 
blindly to the ,dictates of  some famous
 ,philosopher in ,physical ,truths1 the 
,principles of which we  have as much   
right to examine1 and to make deductions

 from 'em as he  had8    ,to sum up all3
 ,we may know enough for all the        
purposes of ,life1 enough  to busie this
 active ,faculty of ,thinking1 to employ
 and entertain the  spare ,intervals of 
,time and to keep us from ,rust and     
,idleness1 but we  must not pretend to  
fathom all ,depths with our short ,line1
 we shou'd  be ,wise unto ,sobriety1 and
 reckon that we know very little if we  
go  about to make our ,own ,reason the  
,standard of all ,truth4 ,it is very    
certain that nothing is ,true but what  
is conformable to ,reason1 that  is to  
the ,divine ,reason of which ours is but
 a short faint ,ray1 and  it is as      
certain that there are many ,truths     
which ,human ,reason cannot             
,comprehend4 ,therefore to be throughly 
sensible of the ,capacity of the  ,mind1
 to discern precisely its ,bounds and   
,limits and to direct our  ,studies and 
,inquiries accordingly1 to ,know what is
 to be ,known1 and  to ,believe what is 
to be ,believ'd is the property of a    

,wise ,person4  ,to be content with too 
little ,knowlege1 or to aspire to       
over-much is  equally a fault1 to make  
that use of our ,understandings which   
,,god has  ,fitted and ,design'd them   
for is the ,medium which we ought to    
take4 ,for  the difference between a    
,plow-man and a ,doctor does not seem to
 me  to consist in this1 ,that the      
,business of the one is to search after 
,knowlege1 and that the other has       
nothing to do with it4 ,no1 whoever has 
a ,rational ,soul ought surely to employ
 it about some ,truth or other1  to     
procure for it right ,ideas1 that its   
,judgments may be true tho  its         
,knowlege be not very extensive4 ,but   
herein lies the difference1  that tho   
,truth is the ,object of every          
,individual ,understanding1 yet  all are
 not equally enlarg'd nor able to       
comprehend so much2 and they  whose     
,capacities and ,circumstances of       
,living do not fit 'em for it1  lie not 
under that obligation of extending their

 view which ,persons of  a larger reach 
and greater leisure do4 ,there is indeed
 often times a  mistake in this matter1 
,people who are not fit will be puzling 
their  heads to little purpose1 and     
those who are prove ,slothful and       
decline  the trouble2 and thus it will  
be if we do not throughly understand our
  selves1 but suffer ,pride or ,ease to 
make the estimate4      4 ,,ii4 ,it is  
therefore very fit that after we have   
consider'd the  ,capacity of the        
,understanding in general1 we shou'd    
descend to the view  of our own         
particular1 observing the bent and turn 
of our own ,minds1  which way our       
,genius lies and to what it is most     
inclin'd4 ,i see no  reason why there   
may not be as great a variety in ,minds 
as there is  in ,faces1 that the ,soul  
as well as the ,body may not have       
something in  it to distinguish it1 not 
only from all other ,intelligent        
,natures but  even from those of its own
 kind4 ,there are different proportions 

in  ,faces which recommend them to some 
,eyes sooner than to others1 and tho    
,all ,truth is amiable to a ,reasonable 
,mind1 and proper to employ it1  yet why
 may there not be some particular       
,truths1 more agreeable to each         
individual ,understanding than others   
are8 ,variety gives ,beauty to the      
,material ,world and why not to the     
,intellectual8 ,we can discern the      
different ,abilities which the ,wise    
,author of all things has endow'd  us   
with1 the different ,circumstances in   
which he has plac'd us in  reference to 
this ,world and the ,concerns of an     
,animal ,life1 that so  we may be       
mutually useful1 and that since each    
single ,person is too  limited and      
confin'd to attend to many1 much less to
 all things1 we  may receive from each  
other a reciprocal advantage1 and why   
may we not  think he has done the like  
in respect of ,truth8 that since it is  
too  much for one1 our united ,strength 
shou'd be employ'd in the search of     

her4 ,especially since the ,divine      
,being who contains in himself all      
,reality and ,truth is ,infinite in     
,perfection1 and therefore shou'd be    
,infinitely ,ador'd and ,lov'd2 and ,if 
,creatures are by their being so        
uncapable of rendering to their         
,incomprehensible ,creator an ,adoration
  and ,love that's worthy of him1 it is 
but decorous that they shou'd  however  
do as much as they can4 ,all that       
variety of sublime ,truths of           
,beautiful and ,wondrous ,objects which 
surround us1 are nothing else but  a    
various display of his unbounded        
,excellencies1 and why shou'd any of    
'em pass unobserv'd8 ,why shou'd not    
every individual ,understanding be  in a
 more especial manner fitted for and    
employ'd in the disquisition  of some   
particular ,truth and ,beauty8 ',tis    
true after all our researches  we can no
 more sufficiently ,know ,,god than we  
can worthily ,love him1  and are as much
 unable to find out all his ,works as we

 are his ,nature1  yet this shou'd only 
prompt us to exert ,all our ,powers and 
to do our  best1 since even that were   
too little cou'd we possibly do more4   
,we  can never offer to him so much     
,praise as he deserves1 and therefore it
  is but fit that he shou'd have ,all   
that ,mankind can possibly render  him4 
,he is indeed immutable in his own      
,nature1 but those discoveries  we daily
 make of his ,operations will always    
afford us somewhat ,new and             
,surprizing1 for this ,all-glorious ,sun
 the ,author of ,life and ,light is  as 
inexhaustible a ,source of ,truth as he 
is of ,joy and ,happiness4    ,if then  
we are convinc'd that there's some      
peculiar ,task allotted  us1 our next   
business will be to enquire what it is4 
,to know our own  ,strength and neither 
to over not underrate our selves is one 
of the  most material points of ,wisdom1
 and which indeed we are most commonly  
ignorant of1 else we shou'd not reach at
 all1 how unable soever we are  to      

attain it1 nor make so many successless 
attempts and be forc'd to  come off with
 that pitiful ,apology1 ,i was mistaken1
 ,i did not think  it4 ,but we can      
scarce duly estimate our ,understandings
 till we have  regulated our ,wills1    
reform'd ,self-love and a train of      
immortified  ,passions1 which it is not 
our ,business to speak of here1 we shall
 have  occasion to do't hereafter4 ,let 
it suffice that we remark a frequent    
,error which these engage us in1 that   
is1 an aptness to lessen the ,human     
,mind1 to detract from its ,grandeur and
 abridge its ,powers when we  consider  
it in ,general1 and as great a          
forwardness when we look on our  selves 
to extend our ,abilities beyond their   
bounds4 ,are we conscious  of a ,defect8
 the shallowness of ,human ,reason at   
large must bear the  blame1 we ,harangue
 very excellently on the ,ignorance and 
,vanity of  ,mankind1 and it were well  
if we rested there1 and wou'd forbear to
  murmur even at our ,creator himself   

for allowing us so scanty a ,portion4   
,but if ,reason has shone out1          
dispelling those ,clouds which ,eclips'd
 the  bright face of ,truth1 we arrogate
 all to our selves4 ,my ,discovery1  ,my
 ,hypothesis1 the ,strength and         
,clearness of ,my ,reasonings1 rather   
than the ,truth are what we wou'd expose
 to view2 'tis that we ,idolize  our    
selves and wou'd have every one ,admire 
and ,celebrate4 ,and yet all  this is no
 more perhaps than another has done     
before us1 or at least  might have done 
with our ,opportunities and ,advantages4
 ,the reverse of  this procedure wou'd  
become us better1 and it were more      
,glorious as  well as more ,just to     
ascribe the ,excellencies of the ,mind  
to ,human  ,nature in the ,lump and to  
take the ,weaknesses to our selves4 ,by 
this  we shou'd both avoid ,sloth1 7the 
best use we can make of our ,ignorance  
and ,infirmity being first to be humbled
 for1 and then sedulously to  endeavour 
their ,amendment7 and likewise secure   

our ,industry from the  ,mixtures of    
,pride and ,envy4 ,by looking on our own
 ,acquisitions as a  general ,treasure1 
in which the ,whole have a ,right1 we   
shou'd pretend  to no more than a share2
 and considering our selves as ,parts of
 the  same ,whole1 we should expect to  
find our own account in th' ,improvement
  of every part of it1 which wou'd      
restrain us from being puft up with  the
 ,contemplation of our ,own1 and from   
repining at our ,neighbours             
,excellencies4 ,for let ,reason shine   
forth where it may1 as we can't         
engross1 so neither can we be excluded  
from sharing in the ,benefit1  unless we
 wilfully exclude our selves2 every one 
being the better for  ,true ,worth and  
,good ,sense1 except the little ,soul'd 
,enviers of 'em4    ,to help us to the  
,knowledge of our own ,capacities the   
,informations  of our ,friends1 nay even
 of our ,enemies may be useful4 ,the    
former if  ,wise and ,true will direct  
us to the same ,course to which our     

,genius  ,points1 and the latter will   
industriously endeavour to divert us    
from  it1 and we can't be too careful   
that these don't disguise themselves    
under the specious appearance of the    
former1 to do us an ill-turn the  more  
effectually4 ,for it is not seldom seen 
that such as pretend great  ,concern for
 us1 will press us on to such ,studies  
or ,ways of ,living as  inwardly they   
know we are unfit for1 thereby to       
gratify their ,secret  ,envy1 by        
diverting us from that to which our     
,genius disposes1 and in  which         
therefore they have reason to suppose we
 wou'd be ,excellent4 ,but  tho we may  
make use of the ,opinions of both1 yet  
if we will be ,sincere  and ,ingenuous  
we cannot have a more faithful ,director
 than our own  heart4 ,he who gave us   
these ,dispositions will excite us to   
the ,use and  ,improvement of 'em2 and  
unless we drive him from us by our      
,impurity1  or thro negligence and want 
of ,attention let slip his secret       

,whispers1  this ,master within us will 
lay most in our view such ,lessons as he
  wou'd have us take4 ,our care then    
must be to open our ,eyes to that ,beam 
of ,light which does in a more especial 
manner break in upon us1 to fix  them   
steadily1 and to examine accurately     
those notices which are most  vividly   
represented to us1 and to lay out our   
,thoughts and ,time in the  ,cultivation
 of 'em4 ,it may be our ,humor won't be 
gratified1 nor our  ,interest serv'd by 
such a ,method4 ,other ,business or     
,amusements put on  a finer ,garb1 and  
come attended with more ,charms and     
,grandeur1 these  recommend us to the   
,world make us ,belov'd and ,illustrious
 in it3 ,whilst  the followers of ,truth
 are despis'd and look'd askew on1 as   
fantastick  ,speculatists1 unsociable   
,thinkers1 who pretend to see farther   
than  their ,neighbours1 to rectifie    
what ,custom has establish'd1 and are so
  ,unmannerly as to ,think and ,talk out
 of the ,common way4 ,he who speaks     

,truth makes a ,satyr on the greatest   
part of ,mankind1 and they are not  over
 apt to forgive him1 he contradicts the 
vogue of the ,times1 is so  hardy as to 
lay open ,mens darling ,errors1 to draw 
a lively ,picture of  their most secret 
,corruptions1 a ,representation which   
they cannot bear4  ,their ,gall is      
touch'd proportionably as their ,wounds 
are more deeply  search'd into1 altho it
 be only in order to a ,cure4 ,they     
therefore who  ,love ,truth shall be    
,hated by the ,most1 who tho they openly
 pretend to  ,honour1 yet secretly      
,malign her1 because she reproaches     
them4 ,and as  a plausible ,life is not 
often a very ,religious one1 which made 
the  best ,judge pronounce a ,wo on     
those whom all ,men shall speak well of1
  so neither is the most ,just and      
,illuminated ,understanding the most    
admir'd and trusted to1 but a plausible 
,speaker1 as well as a plausible        
,liver1 commonly bears away the ,bell4  
,if then we consult our ,passions  and  

,vanity we shall go near to determine   
amiss1 and make that use of  our        
,intellectuals which ,fancy or ,interest
 pushes us on to1 not which  ,nature has
 fitted us for4 ,hence it is that those 
who might have done  very well in some  
,studies and ,employments1 make but     
bungling work when  they apply          
themselves to others4 ,we go on apace   
when the ,wind and ,tide  are on our    
side1 but it costs us much ,labour1 and 
we make little speed1  when we ,row     
against both4    ,and as a due          
,consideration of our ,particular       
,capacity wou'd put us  right in our own
 ,studies1 so wou'd it keep us from     
clashing with our  ,neighbours1 whom we 
many times ,contend with not so much out
 of a ,love  to ,truth1 as thro a humor 
of ,contradiction1 or because we think  
this  the best way to shew our ,parts1  
and by this tryal of ,skill to exalt    
our selves above them4 ,but is there no 
better way to discover our              
,penetration1 and to try our ,strength1 

than by a ,malicious and ,litigious     
,opposition8 ,the field of ,truth is    
large1 and after all the ,discoveries   
that have been made by those who have   
gone before1 there will still  be       
untroden ,paths1 which they who have the
 ,courage and ,skill may beat  out and  
beautify4 ,if then instead of ,jostling 
and ,disputing with our  ,fellow        
,travellers1 of bending all the force of
 our ,wit to ,contradict  and ,oppose   
those advances which they make1 we wou'd
 well understand1  duly ,employ and     
kindly ,communicate our ,peculiar       
,talent1 how much more  ,service might  
we do our ,lord1 how much more useful   
might we be to one  another8 ,what vast 
,discoveries wou'd be made in the wide  
,ocean of  ,truth8 ,how many ,moral     
,irregularities wou'd be observ'd and   
rectify'd8  ,we shou'd be restrain'd    
from aspiring to things above our reach1
 move  regularly in our own ,sphere1 not
 abuse those good ,parts which were     
given us for ,common ,benefit1 to the   

,destruction of our selves and  others1 
be in a fair way to discern the ,defects
 of our ,mind and to  proceed to the    
,cure of 'em4      4 ,,iii4 ,we have    
already exprest our thoughts concerning 
the ,capacity  and ,perfection of the   
,understanding1 and what has been said  
if duly  consider'd1 is sufficient to   
bring every particular ,person          
acquainted  with their own defects4 ,but
 because they who need ,amendment most1 
are  commonly least dispos'd to make    
such reflections as are necessary to    
procure it1 we will spend a few ,pages  
in considering for them1 and in         
observing the most usual defects of the 
,thinking ,faculty4    ,if we are of    
their ,opinion who say that the         
,understanding is only  ,passive1 and   
that ,judgment belongs to the ,will1 ,i 
see not any ,defect  the former can     
have1 besides ,narrowness and a         
disability to extend  it self to many   
things1 which is indeed incident to all 
,creatures1  the brightest ,intelligence

 in the highest ,order of ,angels is    
thus  defective1 as well as the meanest 
,mortal1 tho in a less degree4 ,nor     
ought it to be complain'd of1 since 'tis
 ,natural and ,necessary1 we may  as    
well desire to be ,gods as desire to    
,know all things4 ,some sort of         
,ignorance therefore1 or ,non perception
 we cannot help2 a ,finite ,mind1       
suppose it as large as you please1 can  
never extend it self to ,infinite       
,truths4 ,but no doubt it is in our     
,power to remedy a great deal more  than
 we do1 and probably a larger ,range is 
allowed us than the most  ,active and   
,enlightned ,understanding has hitherto 
reach'd4 ,ignorance  then can't be      
avoided but ,error may1 we cannot ,judge
 of things of which  we have no ,idea1  
but we can suspend our ,judgment about  
those of which  we have1 till clearness 
and evidence oblige us to pass it4      
,indeed in  strictness of ,speech the   
,will and not the ,understanding is     
blameable  when we ,think amiss1 since  

the latter opposes not the ,ends for    
which  ,,god made it1 but readily       
extends it self as far as it can1       
receiving  such ,impressions as are made
 on it2 'tis the former that directs it 
to  such ,objects1 that fills up its    
,capacity with such ,ideas as are       
foreign  to its ,business and of no use 
to it1 or which does not at least oppose
  the incursions of ,material things1   
and deface as much as it is able  those 
impressions which ,sensible ,objects    
leave in the ,imagination4  ,but since  
it is not material to the present       
,design1 whether ,judgment  belongs to  
the ,understanding or ,will1 we shall   
not nicely distinguish  how each of 'em 
is employ'd in acquiring ,knowledge1 but
 treat of 'em  both together in this    
,chapter1 allotted to the ,service of   
the ,studious1  who when they are put in
 the way may by their own ,meditations  
and  ,experience1 rectifie the mistakes 
and supply the ,omissions we happen to  
be guilty of4    ,they who apply        

themselves to the ,contemplation of     
,truth1 will perhaps  at first find a   
,contraction or ,emptiness of ,thought1 
and that their  ,mind offers nothing on 
the ,subject they wou'd consider1 is not
 ready  at unfolding1 nor in            
representing correspondent ,ideas to be 
compar'd  with it1 is as it were asleep 
or in a ,dream1 and tho' not empty of   
all  ,thought1 yet ,thinks nothing      
clearly or to the purpose4 ,the ,primary
  ,cause of this is that ,limitation    
which all ,created ,minds are ,subject  
to1 which ,limitation appears more      
visible in some than in others1  either 
because some ,minds are endow'd by their
 ,creator with a larger  ,capacity than 
the rest1 or if you are not inclin'd to 
think so1 then  by reason of the        
,indisposition of the ,bodily ,organs1  
which cramps and  contracts the         
,operations of the ,mind4 ,and that     
,person whose ,capacity  of receiving   
,ideas is very little1 whose ,ideas are 
disorder'd1 and not  capable of being so

 dispos'd as that they may be compar'd  
in order to  the forming of a ,judgment1
 is a ,fool or little better4 ,if we    
find this  to be our ,case1 and that    
after frequent tryals there appears no  
hopes  of ,amendment1 'tis best to      
desist1 we shall but lose our ,labour1  
we  may do some ,good in an ,active     
,life and ,employments that depend on   
the  ,body1 but we're altogether unfit  
for ,contemplation and the ,exercises of
  the ,mind4 ,yet e'er we give out let's
 see if it be thus with us in all       
,cases3 ,can we ,think and ,argue       
,rationally about a ,dress1 an          
,intreague1  an ,estate8 ,why then not  
upon better ,subjects8 ,the way of      
,considering  and ,meditating justly is 
the same on all ,occasions4 ',tis true1 
there  will fewest ,ideas arise when we 
wou'd ,meditate on such ,subjects as    
we've been least conversant about2 but  
this is a fault which it is  in our     
power to remedy1 first by ,reading or   
,discoursing1 and then by  frequent and 

serious ,meditation1 of which hereafter4
    ,as those we have been speaking of  
are hindred in their search after       
,truth1 thro a want of ,ideas out of    
which to deduce it1 so there are        
another sort who are not happy in their 
,enquiries1 on account of  the multitude
 and ,impetuosity of theirs4            
,volatileness of ,thought1  very        
pernicious to true ,science1 is a fault 
which ,people of warm  ,imaginations and
 ,active ,spirits are apt to fall into4 
,such a ,temper is  readily dispos'd to 
receive ,errors and very well qualified 
to propagate  them1 especially if a     
volubility of ,speech be join'd to it4  
,these thro  an immoderate nimbleness of
 ,thinking skip from one ,idea to       
another1  without observing due ,order  
and ,connexion1 they content themselves 
with a superficial view1 a random       
glance1 and depending on the vigor  of  
their ,imagination1 are took with       
,appearances1 never tarrying to         
penetrate the ,subject1 or to find out  

,truth if she float not upon the        
,surface4 ,a multitude of ,ideas not    
relating to the matter they design to   
think of rush in upon them1 and their   
easie ,mind entertains all comers  how  
impertinent soever2 instead of examining
 the ,question in debate  they are got  
into the ,clouds1 numbring the ,cities  
in the ,moon and  building ,airy        
,castles there4 ,nor is it easie to cure
 this ,defect1 since  it deceives others
 as well as those who have it with a    
shew of very  great ,ingenuity4 ,the    
vivacity of such ,persons makes their   
,conversation  plausible1 and taking    
with those who consider not much1 tho   
not with  the ,judicious2 it procures   
for them the ,character of ,wit1 but    
hinders  them from being ,wise4 ,for    
truth is not often found by such as     
won't  take ,time to examine her        
,counterfeits1 to distinguish between   
,evidence  and ,probability1 ,realities 
and ,appearances1 but who thro a conceit
 of  their own sharp-sightedness think  

they can pierce to the bottom with  the 
first glance4    ,to cure this          
,distemper perfectly perhaps it will be 
necessary to  apply to the ,body as well
 as to the ,mind3 ,the ,animal ,spirits 
must be  lessen'd1 or rendred more ,calm
 and ,manageable2 at least they must not
  be unnaturally and violently mov'd1 by
 such a ,diet1 or such ,passions1       
,designs and ,divertisments as are      
likely to put 'em in a ferment4         
,contemplation requires a ,governable   
,body1 a sedate and steady ,mind1  and  
the ,body and the ,mind do so           
reciprocally influence each other1  that
 we can scarce keep the one in tune if  
the other be out of it4 ,we  can neither
 ,observe the ,errors of our ,intellect1
 nor the ,irregularity  of our ,morals  
whilst we are darkned by ,fumes1        
agitated with unruly  ,passions1 or     
carried away with eager ,desires after  
,sensible things and  vanities4 ,we must
 therefore withdraw our ,minds from the 
,world1 from  adhering to the ,senses1  

from the ,love of ,material ,beings1 of 
,pomps and  ,gaieties2 for 'tis these   
that usually ,steal away the ,heart1    
that seduce  the ,mind to such          
unaccountable ,wandrings1 and so fill up
 its ,capacity  that they leave no room 
for ,truth1 so distract its ,attention  
that it  cannot enquire after her4 ,for 
tho' the ,body does partly occasion this
  fault1 yet the ,will no doubt may in  
good measure ,remedy it1 by using  its  
,authority to fix the ,understanding on 
such ,objects as it wou'd have          
,contemplated2 it has a ,rein which will
 certainly curb this wandring1  if it   
can but be persuaded to make use of it4 
,indeed ,attention and  deep ,meditation
 is not so agreeable to our ,animal     
,nature1 does not  flatter our ,pride so
 well as this agreeable ,reverie1 which 
gives us  a pretence to ,knowledge      
without taking much ,pains to acquire   
it1 and  does not choak us with the     
humbling thoughts of our own ,ignorance1
 with  which we must make such ado e're 

it can be enlightened4 ,yet without     
,attention and strict ,examination we   
are liable to false ,judgments on  every
 occasion1 to ,vanity and ,arrogance1 to
 ,impertinent ,prating of  things we    
don't understand1 are kept from making a
 ,progress1 because we  fancy our selves
 to be at the top already1 and can never
 attain to true  ,wisdom4 ,if then we   
wou'd hereafter think to purpose1 we    
must suffer our  selves to be convinc'd 
how oft we have already thought to none1
 suspect  our ,quickness1 and not give  
our desultory ,imagination leave to     
ramble4    ,and in order to the         
restraining it we may consider1 what a  
loss of  ,time and ,study such irregular
 and useless ,thoughts occasion1 what a 
,reproach they are to our ,reason1 how  
they cheat us with a shew of            
,knowledge1 which so long as we are     
under the power of this giddy ,temper   
will inevitably escape us4 ,and if to   
this we add a serious perusal of  such  
,books as are not loosly writ1 but      

require an ,attent and ,awakened  ,mind 
to apprehend1 and to take in the whole  
force of 'em1 obliging  our selves to   
,understand them throughly1 so as to be 
able to give a  just account of them to 
our ,selves1 or rather to some other    
,person  intelligent enough to take it  
and to correct our mistakes1 it is to be
  hop'd we shall obtain a due poise of  
,mind1 and be able to direct our        
,thoughts to the thorow discussion of   
such ,subjects as we wou'd ,examine4    
,such ,books ,i mean as are fuller of   
,matter than ,words1 which diffuse a    
light through every part of their       
,subject1 do not ,skim1 but ,penetrate  
it to the bottom1 yet so as to leave    
somewhat to be wrought out by the       
,reader's own ,meditation2 such as are  
writ with ,order and ,connexion1  the   
,strength of whose ,arguments can't be  
sufficiently felt unless we  remember   
and compare the whole ,system4 ',tis    
impossible to prescribe  absolutely1 and
 every one may easily find what ,authors

 are most apt  to stay their ,attention1
 and shou'd apply to them4 ,but whenever
 they  ,meditate1 be it on what ,object 
it may1 let 'em fix their ,minds stedily
  on it1 not removing till it be        
throughly ,examin'd1 at least not until 
they have seen all that's necessary to  
their present purpose4    ,doing so we  
shall prevent ,rashness and             
,precipitation in our ,judgments1  which
 is occasion'd by that ,volatileness we 
have been speaking  of1 together with an
 over-weaning opinion of our ,selves4   
,all the  irregularities of our ,will   
proceed from those false ,judgments we  
make1 thro want of ,consideration1 or a 
partial ,examination when we do         
consider4 ,for did we ,consider with any
 manner of ,attention1 we cou'd  not be 
so absurd as to call ,evil1 ,good1 and  
,chuse it as such1 or  prefer a less    
,good before a greater1 a poor          
,momentary ,trifle1 before  the ,purity 
and ,perfection of our ,mind1 before an 
,eternal and ,immutable  ,crown of      

,glory6 ,but we seek no farther than the
 first ,appearances of  ,truth and      
,good1 here we ,stop1 allowing neither  
,time nor ,thought to  search to the    
bottom1 and to pull off those ,disguises
 which impose on  us4 ,this             
,precipitation is that which gives birth
 to all our ,errors1  which are nothing 
else but a hasty and injudicious        
,sentence1 a  mistaking one thing for   
another1 supposing an ,agreement or     
,disparity  amongst ,ideas and their    
,relations where in reality there is    
none1  occasion'd by an imperfect and   
cursory view of 'em4 ,and tho' there are
  other things which may be said to lead
 us into ,error1 yet they do it  only as
 they seduce us into ,rash and          
,precipitate ,judgments4 ,we love       
,grandeur and every thing that feeds our
 good ,opinion of our ,selves1 and      
therefore wou'd ,judge off hand1        
supposing it a disparagement to our     
,understandings to be long in           
,examining1 so that we greedily embrace 

whatever seems to carry ,evidence enough
 for a speedy ,determination1  how      
slight and superficial soever it be4    
,whereas did we calmly and  deliberately
 ,examine our ,evidence1 and how far    
those ,motives we are  acted by ought to
 ,influence1 we shou'd not be liable to 
this ,seduction4  ,for hereby the       
,impetuosity of a warm ,imagination     
wou'd be cool'd1 and  the extravagancies
 of a ,disorderly one ,regulated2 we    
shou'd not be  ,deceiv'd by the ,report 
of our ,senses2 the ,prejudices of      
,education2 our  own ,private ,interest1
 and readiness to receive the ,opinions 
whether  ,true or ,false of those we    
,love1 or wou'd appear to ,love because 
we  think they will serve us in that    
,interest2 our inordinate thirst  after 
a great ,reputation1 or the ,power and  
,riches1 the ,grandeurs and  ,pleasures 
of this ,world1 these wou'd no longer   
dissipate our ,thoughts  and distract   
our ,attention1 for then we shou'd be   
sensible how little  ,concern is due to 

them4 ,we shou'd neither mistake in the 
,end and ,object  by not employing our  
,understandings at ,all about such      
things as they  were chiefly made for1  
or not ,enough1 or by busying them with 
such as  are out of their reach1 or     
beneath their ,application2 nor shou'd  
we be  out in the ,method of our        
,meditation1 by going a wrong or a round
 about  way4 ,for the ,,god of ,truth is
 ready to lead us into all ,truth1 if we
  ,honestly and ,attentively apply our  
selves to him4    ,in sum1 whatever     
false ,principle we embrace1 whatever   
wrong ,conclusion  we draw from true    
ones1 is a disparagement to our         
,thinking ,power1 a  ,weakness of       
,judgment proceeding from a ,confuse and
 ,imperfect view of  things1 as that    
does from want of attention1 and a hasty
 and partial  ,examination4 ,it were    
endless to reckon up all the false      
,maxims and  ,reasonings we fall into1  
nor is it possible to give a ,list of   
them1 for  there are innumerable ,errors

 opposite to one single ,truth4 ,the    
,general  ,causes have been already     
mention'd1 the ,particulars are as many 
as  those several ,compositions which   
arise from the various mixtures of  the 
,passions1 ,interests1 ,education1      
,conversation and ,reading1 c4 of       
particular ,persons4 ,and the best way  
that ,i can think of to ,improve  the   
,understanding1 and to guard it against 
all ,errors proceed they  from what     
,cause they may1 is to regulate the     
,will1 whose ,office it  is to determine
 the ,understanding to such and such    
,ideas1 and to  stay it in the          
,consideration of them so long as is    
necessary to the  ,discovery of ,truth2 
for if the ,will be right the           
,understanding can't  be guilty of any  
,culpable ,error4 ,not to ,judge of any 
thing which we  don't ,apprehend1 to    
suspend our ,assent till we see just    
,cause to give  it1 and to determine    
nothing till the ,strength and          
,clearness of the  ,evidence oblige us  

to it4 ,to withdraw our selves as much  
as may be from  ,corporeal things1 that 
pure ,reason may be heard the better2 to
 make  that use of our ,senses for which
 they are design'd and fitted1 the      
preservation of the ,body1 but not to   
depend on their ,testimony in our       
,enquiries after ,truth4 ,particularly  
to divest our selves of mistaken        
,self-love1 little ,ends and mean       
,designs1 and to keep our ,inclinations 
and ,passions under ,government4 ,not to
 engage our selves so far in any  ,party
 or ,opinion as to make it in a manner  
necessary that that shou'd  be ,right1  
lest from wishing it were1 we come at   
last to persuade our  selves it is so4  
,but to be passionately in ,love with   
,truth1 as being  throughly sensible of 
her ,excellency and ,beauty4 ,to embrace
 her how  opposite soever she may       
sometimes be to our ,humours and        
,designs1 to  bring these over to her1  
and never attempt to make her truckle to
  them4 ,to be so far from disliking a  

,truth because it touches us home1  and 
lances our tenderest and dearest        
,corruption1 as on the contrary  to     
prize it the more1 by how much the more 
plainly it shews us our  ,errors and    
,miscarriages4 ,for indeed it concerns  
us most to know such  ,truths as these1 
it is not material to us what other     
,peoples ,opinions  are1 any farther    
than as the ,knowlege of their          
,sentiments may correct  ,our ,mistakes4
 ,and the higher our ,station is in the 
,world1 so much the  greater need have  
we to be curious in this particular4    
,the mean and inconsiderable often      
stumble on ,truth when they seek not    
after her1 but she is commonly kept out 
of the way1 and industriously  conceal'd
 from the ,great and mighty2 either out 
of ,design or ,envy1 for  whoever wou'd 
make a ,property of another must by all 
means conceal  the ,truth from him2 and 
they who ,envy their ,neighbours        
,preeminence in  other things1 are      
willing themselves to excel in exactness

 of ,judgment1  which they think and    
very truly1 to be the greatest          
,excellency4 ,and to  help forward this 
deception1 the ,great instead of being  
,industrious in  finding out the ,truth1
 are generally very impatient when they 
meet with  her4 ,she does not treat them
 so tenderly and fawningly1 with so much
  ,ceremony and ,complaisance as their  
,flatterers do4 ,there's in her that    
which us'd to be the ,character of our  
,nation1 an honest ,plainness and       
,sincerity1 ,openness and blunt         
,familiarity3 ,she cannot mould her self
  into all ,shapes to be rendred        
agreeable1 but standing on her ,native  
,worth is regardless of ,out-side and   
,varnish4 ,but to return from this      
,digression4    ,above all things we    
must be throughly convinc'd of our      
entire  ,dependance on ,,god1 for what  
we ,know as well as for what we ,are1   
and  be warmly affected with the ,sense 
of it1 which will both ,excite us to    
,practise1 and ,enable us to ,perform   

the rest4 ,tho' we are ,naturally  ,dark
 and ,ignorant1 yet in his ,light we may
 hope to see ,light1  if with the ,son  
of ,syrac we ,petition for ,wisdom that 
sits by his  ,throne to labour with us1 
and ,sigh with ,david after his ,light  
and ,truth4 ,for then he who is ,the    
,light that ,lightneth every one who    
comes into the ,world1 the ,immutable   
,truth1 and ,uncreated ,wisdom of  ,his 
,father1 will ,teach us in the way of   
,wisdom and lead us in right  ,paths1 he
 will instruct us infinitely better by  
the right use of our  own ,faculties    
than the brightest ,human ,reason can4  
,for in him are all  the ,treasures of  
,wisdom and ,knowlege which he          
,liberally dispences to  all who        
,humbly1 ,honestly and ,heartily ask 'em
 of him4 ,to close this  ,head3         
,whatever the ,notion ,that we see all  
things in ,,god1 may be as to  the      
,truth of it1 'tis certainly very       
commendable for its ,piety1 in that  it 
most effectually humbles the most       

dangerous sort of ,pride1 the being     
,proud of our ,knowlege1 and yet does   
not slacken our ,endeavours after       
,knowlege but rather ,excites them4     
,sidenote3 ,art of ,thinking4     ,,iv4 
,as to the ,method of ,thinking1 if it  
be proper for me to say  any thing of   
that1 after those better ,pens which    
have treated of it  already1 it falls in
 with the ,subject ,i'me now come to1   
which is1 that  ,natural ,logic ,i wou'd
 propose4 ,i call it natural because ,i 
shall not  send you further than your   
,own ,minds to learn it1 you may if you 
please  take in the assistance of some  
well chosen ,book1 but a good ,natural  
,reason after all1 is the best          
,director1 without this you will scarce 
,argue well1 tho you had the ,choicest  
,books and ,tutors to ,instruct you1    
but with it you may1 tho' you happen to 
be destitute of the other4 ,for  as a   
very ,judicious ,writer on this ,subject
 7to whose ,ingenious ,remarks  and     
,rules ,i am much obliged7 well         

observes1 8,these ,operations of the    
,mind proceed meerly from ,nature1 and  
that sometimes more perfectly  from     
those who are altogether ignorant of    
,logic1 than from others who  have      
learn'd it40    ,that which we propose  
in all our ,meditations and ,reasonings 
is1 either  to deduce some ,truth we are
 in search of1 from such ,principles as 
we're already acquainted with2 or else1 
to dispose our ,thoughts and            
,reasonings in such a manner1 as to be  
able to ,convince others of those       
,truths which we our selves are         
,convinc'd of4 ,other ,designs indeed   
,men may have1 such as the ,maintenance 
of their ,own ,opinions1 ,actions  and  
,parties without regard to the ,truth   
and ,justice of 'em1 or the  ,seduction 
of their unwary ,neighbours1 but these  
are ,mean and ,base ones1  beneath a    
,man1 much more a ,christian1 who is or 
,ought to be endow'd  with greater      
,integrity and ,ingenuity4    ,now      
,reasoning being nothing else but a     

,comparison of ,ideas1 and a  deducing  
of ,conclusions from ,clear and ,evident
 ,principles1 it is  in the first place 
requisite that our ,ideas be ,clear and 
,just1 and  our ,principles ,true1 else 
all our ,discourse will be ,nonsense and
  ,absurdity1 ,falshood and ,error4 ,and
 that our ,idea may be ,right1 we  have 
no more to do but to look attentively   
into our own ,minds1 having  as was said
 above1 laid aside all ,prejudices and  
whatever may give a  false tincture to  
our ,light1 there we shall find a ,clear
 and ,lively  ,representation of what we
 seek for1 unsophisticated with the     
,dross  of false ,definitions and       
unintelligible ,expressions4 ,but we    
must not  imagine that a transient view 
will serve the turn1 or that our ,eye   
will  be ,enlightened if it be not      
fix'd4 ,for tho' ,truth be exceeding    
bright1  yet since our ,prejudices and  
,passions have darkned our ,eye-sight1  
it  requires no little ,pains and       
,application of ,mind to find her out1  

the neglect of which ,application is the
 ,reason that we have so little  ,truth1
 and that the little we have is almost  
lost in that ,rubbish of  ,error which  
is mingled with it4 ,and since ,truth is
 so near at hand1  since we are not     
oblig'd to tumble over many ,authors1 to
 hunt after  every celebrated ,genius1  
but may have it for enquiring after in  
our  own ,breasts1 are we not           
inexcusable if we don't obtain it8 ,are 
we not  unworthy of ,compassion if we   
suffer our ,understandings to be        
over-run  with ,error8 ,indeed it seems 
to me most ,reasonable and most         
agreeable  to the ,wisdom and ,equity of
 the ,divine ,operations1 that every one
  shou'd have a ,teacher in their own   
,bosoms1 who will if they seriously     
apply themselves to him1 immediately    
,enlighten them so far as that is       
,necessary1 and direct them to such     
,means as are sufficient for their      
,instruction both in ,humane and ,divine
 ,truths2 for as to the latter1  ,reason

 if it be ,right and ,solid1 will not   
pretend to be our sole  ,instructor1 but
 will send us to ,divine ,revelation    
when it may be had4    ,,god does       
nothing in vain1 he gives no ,power or  
,faculty which he has  not allotted to  
some proportionate use1 if therefore he 
has given to  ,mankind a ,rational      
,mind1 every individual ,understanding  
ought to be  employ'd in somewhat worthy
 of it4 ,the ,meanest ,person shou'd    
,think as  ,justly1 tho' not as         
,capaciously1 as the greatest           
,philosopher4 ,and  if the              
,understanding be made for the          
,contemplation of ,truth1 and ,i know   
not what else it can be made for1 either
 there are many ,understandings  who are
 never able to attain what they were    
design'd and fitted for1  which is      
contrary to the ,supposition that ,,god 
made nothing in ,vain1 or  else the very
 meanest must be put in a way of        
attaining it3 ,now how  can this be if  
all that which goes to the composition  

of a ,knowing  ,man in th'account of the
 ,world1 be necessary to make one so8   
,all have  not leisure to ,learn        
,languages and pore on ,books1 nor      
,opportunity to  ,converse with the     
,learned2 but all may ,think1 may use   
their own  ,faculties rightly1 and      
consult the ,master who is within them4 
,by ,ideas we sometimes understand in   
general all that which is the  immediate
 ,object of the ,mind1 whatever it      
,perceives2 and in this large  ,sense it
 may take in all ,thought1 all that we  
are any ways capable of  ,discerning3   
,so when we say we have no ,idea of a   
thing1 'tis as much  as to say we know  
nothing of the matter4 ,again1 it is    
more strictly  taken for that which     
represents to the ,mind some ,object    
distinct  from it1 whether ,clearly or  
,confusedly2 when this is its import1   
our  ,knowledge is said to be as ,clear 
as our ,ideas are4 ,for that ,idea which
  represents a thing so ,clearly1 that  
by an ,attent and ,simple ,view we may  

discern its ,properties and             
,modifications1 at least so far as they 
can  be ,known1 is never false2 all our 
,certainty and ,evidence depends on  it1
 if we ,know not ,truly what is thus    
represented to our ,minds we know       
nothing4 ,thus the ,idea of ,equality   
between #b and #b is so evident that  it
 is impossible to doubt of it1 no       
,arguments could convince us of the     
,contrary1 nor be able to persuade us   
that the same may be found between  #b  
and #c4    ,and as such an ,idea as this
 is never ,false1 so neither can any    
,idea  be said to be so1 if by ,false we
 mean that which has no ,existence2  our
 ,idea certainly ,exists1 tho' there be 
not any thing in ,nature  ,correspondent
 to it4 ,for tho' there be no such thing
 as a ,golden  ,mountain1 yet when ,i   
think of one1 'tis certain ,i have an   
,idea of it4    ,but our ,ideas are then
 said to be ,false1 or rather ,wrong1   
when they  have no ,conformity to the   
,real ,nature of the ,thing whose ,name 

they  bear4 ,so that properly ,speaking 
it is not the ,idea but the judgment    
that is ,false2 we err in supposing that
 our ,idea is answerable to  something  
without us when it is not4 ,in simple   
,perceptions we are  not often deceiv'd1
 but we frequently mistake in           
,compounding them1  by ,uniting several 
things which have no ,agreement1 and    
,separating  others which are           
,essentially ,united4 ,indeed it may    
happen that our  ,perceptions are faulty
 sometimes1 thro the ,indisposition of  
the ,organs  or ,faculties1 thus a ,man 
who has the ,jaundice sees every thing  
ting'd  with ,yellow1 yet even here the 
,error is not in the ,simple ,idea but  
in  the ,compos'd one1 for we do not    
mistake when we say the ,object appears 
,yellow to our ,sight1 tho' we do1 when 
we affirm that it does1 or ought  to do 
so to others4 ,so again1 when the ,mind 
does not sufficiently  ,attend to her   
,ideas nor ,examine them on all sides1  
'tis very likely  she will ,think amiss1

 but this also is a false ,judgment1    
that which  is amiss in the ,perception 
being rather the ,inadequateness than   
the  ,falshood4 ,thus in many ,cases we 
enquire no farther than whether an      
,action be not ,directly ,forbidden1 and
 if we do not find it ,absolutely       
,unlawful1 we think that sufficient to  
,authorize the ,practise of it1  not    
considering it as we ought to do1       
,cloathed with the ,circumstances  of   
,scandal1 ,temptation1 c4 which place it
 in the same ,classes with  things      
unlawful1 at least make it so to us4    
,rational ,creatures shou'd endeavour to
 have right ,ideas of every thing  that 
comes under their ,cognizance1 but yet  
our ,ideas of ,morality1 our  thoughts  
about ,religion are those which we      
shou'd with greatest speed  and         
diligence rectifie1 because they are of 
most importance1 the ,life  to come1 as 
well as all the ,occurrences of ,this1  
depending on them4 ,we  shou'd search   
for ,truth in our most abstracted       

,speculations1 but it  concerns us      
nearly to follow her close in what      
relates to the ,conduct  of our ,lives4 
,for the main thing we are to drive at  
in all our ,studies1  and that which is 
the greatest ,improvement of our        
,understandings is the  ,art of         
,prudence1 the being all of a ,piece1   
managing all our ,words and  ,actions as
 it becomes ,wise ,persons and ,good    
,christians4    ,yet in this we are     
commonly most faulty2 for besides the   
deceits of our  ,passions1 our ,ideas of
 ,particular ,vertues and ,vices1 ,goods
 and ,evils1  being an assemblage of    
divers simple ,perceptions1 and         
including several  ,judgments are       
therefore liable to mistake1 and much   
more so considering  how we commonly    
come by them4 ,we hear the ,word that   
,stands for such  a ,thing1 suppose     
,honor1 and then instead of enquiring   
what it is at  the ,fountain-head the   
,oracles of ,,god1 and our own1 or the  
,impartial  ,reason of the ,wisest and  

the ,best1 ,custom and the ,observations
 we  make on the ,practice of such as   
,pretend to it forms our ,idea1 which   
is seldom a ,right one1 the ,opinions   
and ,practices of the ,world being  very
 fallacious1 and many times quite       
opposite to the ,dictates of  ,reason   
wou'd we but give ear to them4 ,for what
 a strange distorted ,idea  of ,honor   
must they needs have1 who can think it  
,honourable to break  a ,vow that ought 
to be ,kept1 and ,dishonourable to get  
loose from an  ,engagement that ought to
 be ,broken8 ,who cannot endure to be   
tax'd with  a ,lye1 and yet never think 
fit to keep their ,word8 ,what do they  
think  of ,greatness who support their  
,pomp at the ,expence of the ,groans and
  ,tears of many ,injur'd ,families8    
,what is their ,idea of ,heaven1 who    
profess to ,believe such a thing1 and   
yet never endeavour to ,qualifie        
themselves for the ,enjoyment of it8    
,have they any ,idea at all of these    
things when they speak of 'em8 ,or1 if  

they have1 is it not a very false  one8 
,now that we may avoid mistake the      
better1 and because we usually join     
,words to our ,ideas even when we only  
,meditate1 we shou'd free them from  all
 ,equivocation1 not make use of any     
,word1 which has not a ,distinct  ,idea 
annex'd to it1 and where ,custom has    
join'd many ,ideas to one  ,word1       
carefully separate and distinguish them4
 ,for if our ,words are  ,equivocal1 how
 can we by ,pronouncing such and such1  
excite the same  ,idea in another that  
is in our own ,mind1 which is the ,end  
of ,speech1  and consequently how can we
 be ,understood8 ,and if sometimes we   
annex  one ,idea to a ,word1 and        
sometimes another1 we may for ever      
wrangle  with those who perhaps wou'd be
 found to agree with us if we           
,understood  each other1 but can neither
 ,convince them1 nor clear up the       
,matter  to our own ,mind4 ,for         
,instance3 ,shou'd ,i dispute ,whether  
,evil were  to be ,chosen8 ,without     

defining what ,i mean by ,evil1 which is
 a ,word  customarily apply'd to things 
of different ,natures1 and shou'd       
conclude  in the ,affirmative1 meaning  
at the same time the ,evil of ,pain1 or 
any  ,corporal ,loss or ,punishment1 ,i 
were not mistaken1 tho' another ,person 
who annexes no other ,idea but that of  
,sin to the word ,evil1 might  ,justly  
contradict me and say that ,i was4 ,or  
if in the ,process of my  ,discourse1 ,i
 shou'd without giving notice of it1    
substitute the ,idea  of ,sin instead of
 that of ,pain1 when ,i mention ,evil1  
,i shou'd argue  falsly4 ,for it is a   
,maxim that we may ,chuse a less ,evil  
to avoid a  greater1 if both of them be 
,corporal ,evils1 or if one of them be  
so1  and we chuse it to avoid a ,sin1   
between which and the ,evil of ,pain    
there is no ,comparison3 ,but if the two
 ,evils propos'd to our ,choice  be both
 of them ,sinful1 that ,principle will  
not hold1 we must ,chuse  neither1      
whatever comes on't1 ,sin being         

,eligible no manner of way4    ,thus    
many times our ,ideas are thought to be 
false when the fault is  really in our  
,language1 we make use of ,words without
 joyning any1 or  only loose and        
indeterminate ,ideas to them1 ,prating  
like ,parrots who  can ,modify ,sounds1 
and ,pronounce ,syllables1 and sometimes
 martial them  as a ,man wou'd1 tho     
without the use of ,reason or           
understanding any  thing by them4 ,so   
that after a long ,discourse and many   
fine ,words1 our  ,hearer may justly ask
 us what we have been saying8 ,and what 
it is we  wou'd be at8 ,and so a great  
part1 of the ,good ,breeding of the     
,world1  many ,elegant ,complements pass
 for nothing1 they have no meaning1 or  
if they have1 'tis quite contrary to    
what the ,words in other ,cases         
signifie4    ,from the ,companion of two
 or more ,ideas clearly ,conceived      
arises  a ,judgment1 which we may lay   
down for a ,principle1 and as we have   
occasion ,argue from4 ,always observing 

that those ,judgments which we  take for
 ,axioms or ,principles1 be such as     
carry the highest ,evidence  and        
,conviction1 such as every one who will 
but in the least ,attend may  ,clearly  
see1 and be fully convinced of1 and     
which need not another  ,idea for their 
,demonstration4 ,thus from the          
,agreement which we plainly  perceive   
between the ,ideas of ,,god and of      
,goodness singly consider'd1  we discern
 that they may be joyn'd together so as 
to form this  ,proposition1 ,that ,,god 
is ,good3 ,and from the evident         
disparity that  is between ,,god and    
,injustice1 we learn to affirm this     
other1 ,that  he is not ,unjust4 ,and so
 long as we ,judge of ,nothing but what 
we see  ,clearly1 we can't be mistaken  
in our ,judgments1 we may indeed in     
those  ,reasonings and ,deductions we   
draw from them1 if we are ,ignorant of  
the  ,laws of ,argumentation1 or        
,negligent in the ,observation of them4 
,the ,first and ,principal thing        

therefore to be observed in all the     
,operations of the ,mind is1 ,that we   
determine nothing about those things  of
 which we have not a ,clear ,idea1 and  
as ,distinct as the ,nature of  the     
,subject will permit1 for we cannot     
properly be said to ,know any  thing    
which does not ,clearly and ,evidently  
appear to us4 ,whatever we  see         
,distinctly we likewise see ,clearly1   
,distinction always including           
,clearness1 tho this does not           
necessarily include that1 there being   
many  ,objects ,clear to the view of the
 ,mind1 which yet can't be said to be   
,distinct4    ,sidenote3 ,les ,princip4 
de la ,philos4 de ,m4 ,des ,cartes4 ,pt4
 ,i4 4 #de4    ,that 7to use the ,words 
of a ,celebrated ,author7 may be said to
 be  8,clear which is ,present and      
,manifest to an attentive ,mind2 so as  
we say we see ,objects ,clearly1 when   
being present to our ,eyes they         
sufficiently ,act on 'em1 and our ,eyes 
are dispos'd to regard 'em4 ,and  that  

,distinct1 which is so ,clear1          
,particular1 and ,different from all    
other things1 that it contains not any  
thing in it self which appears  not     
manifestly to him who considers it as he
 ought40 ,thus we may have  a ,clear1   
but not a ,distinct and ,perfect ,idea  
of ,,god and of our own  ,souls2 their  
,existence and some of their ,properties
 and ,attributes  may be ,certainly and 
,indubitably ,known1 but we can't ,know 
the ,nature  of our ,souls ,distinctly1 
for ,reasons too long to be mentioned   
here1  and less that of ,,god1 because  
he is ,infinite4 ,now where our         
,knowlege  is ,distinct1 we may boldly  
deny of a subject1 all that which after 
a  careful ,examination we find not in  
it3 ,but where our ,knowlege is only    
,clear1 and not ,distinct1 tho' we may  
safely ,affirm what we see1 yet  we     
can't without a hardy ,presumption ,deny
 of it what we see not4 ,and  were it   
not very common to find ,people both    
,talking and ,writing of  things of     

which they have no ,notion1 no ,clear   
,idea2 nay and determining              
,dogmatically concerning the intire     
,nature of those of which they cannot   
possibly have an ,adequate and ,distinct
 one1 it might seem impertinent  to     
desire them to speak no farther than    
they ,apprehend4 ,they will tell  you   
,peremptorily of ,contradictions and    
,absurdities in such matters as  they   
themselves must allow they cannot       
,comprehend1 tho others as ,sharp       
sighted as themselves can see no such   
thing as they complain of4    ,as       
,judgments are form'd by the ,comparing 
of ,ideas1 so ,reasoning  or ,discourse 
arises from the ,companion or           
,combination of several  ,judgments4    
,nature teaches us when we can't find   
out what ,relation one  ,idea bears to  
another by a ,simple view or bare       
,comparison1 to seek for  a ,common     
,measure or third ,idea1 which ,relating
 to the other two1 we may  by ,comparing
 it with each of 'em1 discern wherein   

they agree or differ4  ,our ,invention  
discovers it self in proposing readily  
apt ,ideas for this  ,middle ,term1 our 
,judgment in making ,choice of such as  
are ,clearest and  most to our purpose1 
and the excellency of our ,reasoning    
consists in  our ,skill and ,dexterity  
in ,applying them4    ,invention indeed 
is the hardest part1 when ,proofs are   
found it is not  very difficult to      
manage them4 ,and to know precisely     
wherein their  ,nature consists1 may    
help us somewhat in our enquiries after 
'em4 ,an  ,intermediate ,idea then which
 can make out an ,agreement between     
other  ,ideas1 must be ,equivalent to1  
and yet ,distinct from those we compare 
by  it4 ,where ,ideas agree it will not 
be hard to find such an ,equivalent1    
and if after diligent search we cannot  
meet with any1 'tis a pretty  sure ,sign
 that they do not agree4 ,it is not     
necessary indeed that our  ,middle ,idea
 be ,equivalent in all respects1 'tis   
enough if it be in such  as make the    

,comparison3 ,and when it is so to one  
of the ,compar'd ,ideas  but not to the 
other1 that's a ,proof that they do not 
agree amongst  themselves4    ,all the  
,commerce and ,intercourse of the ,world
 is manag'd by  ,equivalents1           
,conversation as well as ,traffick4 ,why
 do we ,trust our  ,friends but because 
their ,truth and ,honesty appears to us 
,equivalent  to the ,confidence we      
repose in 'em8 ,why do we perform ,good 
,offices to  others1 but because there's
 a proportion between them and the      
,merit  of the ,person1 or our own      
,circumstances8 ,and as the way to know 
the  ,worth of things is to ,compare    
them one with another1 so in like manner
  we come to the ,knowlege of the ,truth
 of 'em by an ,equal ,ballancing4  ,but 
you will say1 ,tho ,i may learn the     
value of a ,spanish ,coin by  ,weighing1
 or ,comparing it with some other ,money
 whose ,standard ,i  know1 and so       
discern what proportion it bears to     
those ,goods ,i wou'd  exchange2 yet    

what ,scales shall ,i find to weigh     
,ideas8 ,what ,hand so  even as to poize
 them ,justly8 ,or if that might be     
done1 yet where shall  ,i meet with an  
,equivalent ,idea when ,i have occasion 
to use one8    ,in answer to this       
,demand ,i consider1 that as ,light is  
always visible  to us if we have an     
,organ to receive it1 if we turn our    
,eyes towards  it1 and that nothing     
interpose between it and us2 so is      
,truth1 we are  surrounded with it1 and 
,,god has given us ,faculties to receive
 it4 ,if  it be ask'd1 ,why then do we  
so seldom find it8 ,the ,reason is1     
because  instead of making right use of 
our ,faculties we employ them in keeping
  it out2 we either shut our ,eyes1 or  
if we vouchsafe to open them1  we are   
sure to view it thro such unsuitable    
,mediums as fail not to  misrepresent it
 to us4 ,as for those few ,noble        
,spirits1 who open the  ,windows of     
their ,souls to let in ,truth1 and take 
the ,films of ,interest1  ,passion and  

,prejudice from before their ,eyes1 they
 will certainly be  ,enlighten'd1 and   
cannot miss of obtaining as much ,truth 
as they are  capable of ,receiving4     
,for1 to go on with the ,comparison1 as 
we can ,see  no farther than our own    
,horizon1 tho the ,light shine never so 
bright  around us2 and as we cannot     
discern every ,object even within that  
,compass ,clearly1 nor ,any ,distinctly 
but what we particularly apply  our     
selves to2 ,so neither are our          
,capacities large enough to take in     
,all ,truth1 as has been often said1 nor
 are we capable of attaining  ,any1     
without ,attention and diligent         
,examination4 ,but if we carefully      
,consider those ,ideas we already have  
and ,attend to those ,truths we  are    
acquainted with1 we cannot want ,mediums
 to discover more1 if our  ,enquiries be
 after that which is within our ,reach4 
,he who is the  ,fountain of ,truth is  
also a ,,god of ,order1 and has so      
regularly connex'd  one ,truth with     

another1 that the discovery of one is a 
step towards a  further ,progress2 so   
that if we diligently ,examine those    
,truths which1  we ,know1 they will     
clear the way to what we search after3  
,for it seldom  happens but that the    
,question it self directs us to some    
,idea that will  serve for the          
,explanation or ,proof of it4    ,there 
is no ,object1 no ,accident of ,life but
 affords us matter of  ,instruction4    
,,god has so dispos'd all the ,works of 
his ,hands1 all the  ,actings of his    
,providence1 that every one of 'em      
ministers to our  ,improvement1 if we   
will but ,observe and ,apply them4      
,indeed this ,living  ,ex ,tempore which
 most of us are guilty of1 our making no
 ,reflections1  our ,gay and ,volatile  
,humour which transports us in an       
,instant from one  thing to another1    
e're we have with the ,industrious ,bee 
suck'd those  ,sweets it wou'd afford   
us1 frequently renders his gracious     
,bounty  ineffectual4 ,for as the       

,diligent-hand maketh ,rich1 whil'st the
 ,slothful  and ,prodigal come to       
nothing1 so the ,use of our ,powers     
improves and  ,encreases them1 and the  
most ,observing and ,considerate is the 
,wisest  ,person3 ,for she lays up in   
her ,mind as in a ,store-house1 ready to
  produce on all ,occasions1 a ,clear   
and ,simple ,idea of every ,object that 
has at any time presented it self4 ,and 
perhaps the difference between  one     
,womans ,reason and anothers may consist
 only in this1 that the one  has amass'd
 a greater number of such ,ideas than   
the other1 and dispos'd  them more      
,orderly in her ,understanding1 so that 
they are at hand1 ready  to be apply'd  
to those ,complex ,ideas whose          
,agreement or ,disagreement  cannot be  
found out but by the means of some of   
'em4    ,but because ,examples are more 
familiar than ,precepts1 as             
condescending  to shew us the very      
manner of ,practising them1 ,i shall    
endeavour to  make the matter in ,hand  

as plain as ,i can by subjoining        
,instances to  the following ,rules1    
which ,rules as ,i have not taken wholly
 on ,trust  from others1 so neither do  
,i pretend to be the ,inventer of 'em4  
,we have heard already that a ,medium is
 necessary when we can't discern  the   
,relation that is between two or more   
,ideas by ,intuition or a  simple ,view4
 ,could this alone procure us what we   
seek after1 the  addition of other      
,ideas wou'd be needless1 since to make 
a shew of ,wit  by tedious ,arguings and
 unnecessary ,flourishes1 does only     
,perplex and  ,incumber the ,matter1    
,intuition being the ,simplest1 and on  
that account  the best way of ,knowing4 
,rule ,i4 ,and therefore we shou'd in   
the first place1 ,acquaint our  selves  
throughly with the ,state of the        
,question1 have a ,distinct ,notion  of 
our ,subject whatever it be1 and of the 
,terms we make use of1 knowing          
precisely what it is we drive at3 that  
so we may in the second4      ,rule     

,,ii4 ,cut off all needless ,ideas and  
whatever has not a necessary  ,connexion
 to the matter under ,consideration1    
which serve only to  fill up the        
,capacity of the ,mind1 and to ,divide  
and ,distract the  ,attention4 ,from the
 neglect of this comes those causless   
,digressions1  tedious ,parentheses and 
,impertinent ,remarques which we meet   
with in  some ,authors4 ,for1 as when   
our ,sight is diffus'd and extended to  
many  ,objects at once we see none of   
them ,distinctly2 so when the ,mind     
grasps  at every ,idea that presents it 
self1 or rambles after such as relate   
not to its ,present ,business1 it loses 
its hold and retains a very  feeble     
,apprehension of that which it shou'd   
,attend4 ,some have added  another ,rule
 7viz47 ,that we ,reason only on those  
things of which  we have ,clear ,ideas2 
but ,i take it to be a ,consequence of  
the first1  and therefore do not make it
 a distinct one3 ,for we can by no means
  ,understand our ,subject1 or be well  

acquainted with the ,state of the       
,question1 unless we have a ,clear ,idea
 of all its ,terms4      ,rule ,,iii4   
,our ,business being stated1 the next   
,rule is ,to conduct our  ,thoughts by  
,order1 beginning with the most ,simple 
and ,easie ,objects1  ,and ascending as 
by ,degrees to the ,knowlege of the more
 ,compos'd4 ,i  need not tell you1 that 
,order makes every thing1 ,easie1       
,strong and  ,beautiful1 and that the   
,superstructure is neither like to ,last
 or  ,please unless the ,foundation be  
duly laid1 for this is obvious to the   
most ,superficial ,reader4 ,nor are they
 likely to solve the ,difficult1  who   
have neglected or slightly pass'd over  
the ,easie ,questions4 ,our  ,knowledge 
is gradual1 and by passing ,regularly   
thro ,plain things1 we  arrive in due   
time at the more ,abstruse4      ,rule  
,,iv4 ,in this ,method we are to        
practise the ,fourth ,rule which  is1   
,not to leave any part of our ,subject  
unexamin'd1 it being as  necessary to   

,consider ,all that can let in ,light1  
as to shut out what's  ,foreign to it4  
,we may stop short of ,truth as well as 
over-run it2 and  tho we look never so  
attentively on our proper ,object1 if we
 view but  half of it1 we may be as much
 mistaken1 as if we extended our ,sight 
beyond it4 ,some ,objects agree very    
well when observ'd on one side1  which  
upon turning the other shew a great     
disparity4 ,thus the ,right  ,angle of a
 ,triangle may be like to one part of a 
,square1 but compare  the ,whole1 and   
you'l find 'em very different ,figures4 
,and a ,moral  ,action may in some      
,circumstance be not only ,fit but      
,necessary1 which in  others1 where     
,time1 ,place1 and the like have made an
 alteration1 wou'd  be most ,improper2  
so that if we venture to ,act on the    
former ,judgment1  we may easily do     
amiss1 if we wou'd ,act as we ought1 we 
must view its  ,new ,face1 and see with 
what ,aspect that looks on us4    ,to   
this ,rule belongs that of ,dividing the

 ,subject of our ,meditations  into as  
many ,parts1 as we can1 and as shall be 
requisite to ,understand  it perfectly4 
,this is indeed most necessary in       
difficult ,questions1  which will scarce
 be unravell'd but in this manner by    
,pieces3 ,ever  taking care to make     
,exact ,reviews1 and to ,sum up our     
,evidence justly  e're we pass ,sentence
 and fix our ,judgment4      ,rule ,v4  
,to which purpose we must ,always keep  
our ,subject ,directly  in our ,eye1 and
 ,closely pursue it thro all our        
,progress2 there being  no better ,sign 
of a good ,understanding than ,thinking 
,closely and  ,pertinently1 and         
,reasoning dependently1 so as to make   
the former part  of our ,discourse a    
support to the ,latter1 and ,this an    
,illustration  of ,that1 carrying ,light
 and ,evidence in ev'ry step we take4   
,the  neglect of this ,rule is the      
,cause why our ,discoveries of ,truth   
are  seldom ,exact1 that so much is     
often said to so little purpose2 and    

many  ,intelligent and ,industrious     
,readers when they have ,read over a    
,book  are very little wiser than when  
they began it4 ,and that the two last   
,rules may be the better observ'd1      
'twill be fit very often to look over   
our ,process so far as we have gone1    
that so by rendring our ,subject        
,familiar1 we may the sooner arrive to  
an ,exact ,knowlege of it4      ,rule   
,,vi4 ,all which being done we are in a 
fair way towards keeping  the last      
,rule1 which is1 ,to judge no further   
than we ,perceive1 and  not to take any 
thing for ,truth which we do not        
evidently ,know to be  so4 ,indeed in   
some ,cases we are forc'd to content our
 selves with  ,probability1 but 'twere  
well if we did so only where 'tis       
plainly  ,necessary4 ,that is1 when the 
,subject of our ,meditation is such as  
we cannot possibly have a ,certain      
,knowlege of1 because we are not        
furnish'd with ,proofs which have a     
,constant and ,immutable ,connexion     

with the ,ideas we apply them to1 or    
because we can't perceive it1  which is 
our ,case in such ,exigencies as oblige 
us to ,act presently1  on a cursory view
 of the ,arguments propos'd to us1 when 
we want time  to trace them to the      
bottom1 and to make use of such means as
 wou'd  discover ,truth4    ,i cannot   
think we are often driven to such       
straits in any considerable  ,affair1   
tho ,i believe that very many ,subjects 
may be propos'd to us1  concerning which
 we cannot readily pass our ,judgment1  
either because we  never consider'd them
 before1 or because we are wanting in   
some ,means  that lead to the ,knowlege1
 of 'em4 ,in which ,case ,reason wills  
that we  suspend our ,judgment till we  
can be better ,inform'd2 nor wou'd it   
have  us remit our ,search after        
,certainty1 even in those very ,cases in
 which  we may sometimes be forc'd to   
,act only on ,probable ,grounds4 ,for   
,reason  can't rest satisfy'd with      
,probabilities where ,evidence is       

possible1 our  ,passions and ,interest  
may1 but ,that does not incline us to   
leave  off ,enquiring lest we happen to 
meet somewhat contrary to our ,desires4 
,no1 ,reason requires us to continue our
 ,enquiries with all the ,industry  we  
can1 till they've put us in ,possession 
of ,truth1 and when we have  found1     
enjoyns us to follow her1 how opposite  
soever she may cause our  ,latter       
,actions to be to our ,former4 ,but by  
this we may learn 7and so  we may by    
every thing that such weak and fallible 
,creatures as we are1  perform7 to think
 ,candidly of those whose ,opinions and 
,actions differ  from our own4 ,because 
we do not know the necessity of their   
,affairs1  nor in what ill              
,circumstances they are plac'd in       
respect of ,truth4    ,and now to ,apply
 what has been said2 ,the ,state of the 
,question being  ,distinctly known1 and 
certain ,ideas fixt to the ,terms we    
make use of1  we shall find sometimes   
that the ,difference which was suppos'd 

to be  between the ,things themselves1  
is only in words1 in the divers ways we 
make use of to express the same ,idea4  
,for if upon looking into our selves we 
discern1 that these different  ,terms   
have but one and the same ,idea1 when we
 have corrected our  ,expressions the   
,controversie is at an ,end1 and we need
 enquire no  further4 ,thus1 ,if we are 
ask'd ,whether ,,god is ,infinitely     
,perfect8  ,there needs no ,intermediate
 ,idea to compare the ,idea of ,,god    
with that  of ,infinite ,perfection1    
since we may discern them on the very   
first  view to be one and the same ,idea
 differently express'd1 which to go     
about to explain or prove were only to  
cumber with needless words1  and to make
 what is ,clear1 ,obscure4 ,for we      
,injure a ,cause instead of  ,defending 
it1 by attempting an ,explanation or    
,proof of things so ,clear1  that as    
they do not need1 so perhaps they are   
not ,capable of any4    ,but if it be   
made a ,question ,whether there is a    

,,god1 or a ,being  ,infinitely         
,perfect8 ,we are then to ,examin the   
,agreement between  our ,idea of ,,god  
and that of ,existence4 ,now this may be
 discern'd by  ,intuition1 for upon a   
,view of our ,ideas we find that        
,existence is a  ,perfection1 and the   
,foundation of all other ,perfections1  
since that  which has no ,being cannot  
be suppos'd to have any ,perfection4    
,and tho  the ,idea of ,existence is not
 ,adequate to that of ,perfection1 yet  
the  ,idea of ,perfection ,includes that
 of ,existence1 and if ,that ,idea were 
divided into parts1 one part of it wou'd
 exactly agree with ,this4 ,so  that if 
we will allow that ,any ,being is       
,infinite in ,all ,perfections1  we     
cannot deny that that ,being ,exists2   
,existence it self being one            
,perfection1 and such an one as all the 
rest are built upon4    ,if unreasonable
 ,men will farther demand1 ,why is it   
necessary that ,all  ,perfection shou'd 
be ,centred in ,one ,being1 is't not    

enough that it  be parcel'd out amongst 
many8 ,and tho it be true that that     
,being who  has all ,perfection must    
needs ,exist1 yet where's the ,necessity
 of an  ,all-,perfect ,being8 ,we must  
then look about for ,proofs and         
,intermediate  ,ideas1 and the          
,objection it self will furnish us with 
one4 ,for those  ,many whose ,particular
 ,ideas it wou'd have joyn'd together to
 make a  ,compound one of               
,all-,perfection1 are no other than     
,creatures1 as will  appear if we       
consider our ,idea of ,particular ,being
 and of ,creature1  which are so far    
from having any thing to distinguish    
'em1 that in all  ,points they resemble 
each other4 ,now this ,idea naturally   
suggests to us  that of ,creation1 or a 
,power of giving ,being to that which   
before the  exerting of that ,power had 
none1 which ,idea if we use it as a     
,medium1  will serve to discover to us  
the necessity of an ,all-,perfect       
,being4    ,for in the first place1 what

 ever has any ,perfection or ,excellency
  7for that's all we mean by ,perfection
 here7 must either have it of it  self1 
or derive it from some other ,being4    
,now ,creatures cannot have  their      
,perfections from themselves because    
they have not their ,being1  for to     
suppose that they ,made themselves is an
 ,absurdity too ridiculous  to be       
seriously refuted1 'tis to suppose them 
to ,be and not to ,be at  the same time1
 and that when they were ,nothing1 they 
were able to do  the greatest ,matter4  
,nor can they derive either ,being or   
,perfection  from any other ,creature4  
,for tho some ,particular ,beings may   
seem to  be the ,cause of the           
,perfections of others1 as the          
,watch-maker may be  said to be the     
,cause of the ,regular ,motions of the  
,watch1 yet trace it  a little farther1 
and you'l find this very ,cause shall   
need another1  and so without ,end1 till
 you come to the ,foundation-head1 to   
that  ,all-,perfect ,being1 who is the  

last resort of our ,thoughts1 and in    
whom they ,naturally and ,necessarily   
rest and terminate4 ,if to this it  be  
,objected that we as good as affirm that
 this ,all-,perfect ,being is  his own  
,maker1 by saying he is ,self-,existent1
 and so we fall into the  same          
,absurdity which we imputed to that     
,opinion which supposes that  ,creatures
 were their own ,maker4 ,the reply is   
easie1 ,that we do not say  he ,made    
himself1 we only affirm that his ,nature
 is such1 that tho we  can't            
sufficiently ,explain because we can't  
comprehend it1 yet thus  much we can    
discern1 that if he did not ,exist of   
himself no other ,being  could ever have
 ,existed4 ,so that either ,all must be 
swallow'd up in an  ,infinite ,nothing1 
if ,nothing can properly have that      
,epithet1 and we  must suppose1 that    
neither we our selves1 nor any of those 
,creatures  about us ever had1 or ever  
can have a ,being1 which is too         
ridiculous to  imagine1 or else we must 

needs have recourse to a ,self-,existing
 ,being1  who is the ,maker and ,lord of
 all things4 ,and since ,self ,existence
  must of necessity be plac'd somewhere1
 is it not much more ,natural  and      
,reasonable to place it in ,infinite    
,perfection1 than amongst poor1  frail  
,creatures1 whose ,origin we may trace1 
and whose ,end we see daily  hastning8  
,to ,sum up all3 ,since there are       
,innumerable ,beings in the ,world1     
which  have each of them their several  
,excellencies or ,perfections2 ,since   
these can no more derive their          
,perfections than their ,being from     
themselves or from any other ,creature2 
,since a ,self-,existing ,being is  the 
result of our ,thoughts2 the ,first and 
only ,true ,cause1 without  whom it is  
impossible that any thing should ever   
have ,existed2 since  ,creatures with   
their ,being receive all that depends on
 it from him  their ,maker2 ,since none 
can give what he has not1 and therefore 
he who  ,communicates an innumerable    

variety of ,perfections to his          
,creatures1  even all that they enjoy1  
must needs contain in himself all those 
,beauties and ,perfections he is pleas'd
 to ,communicate to ,inferior  ,beings2 
nothing can be more ,plain and ,evident 
than that there is a ,,god1  and that   
the ,existence of an ,all-,perfect      
,being is ,absolutely necessary4        
,perhaps these ,arguments are not in    
,form1 ,i do not oblige my ,self to     
follow servilely the ,rules of ,art1 nor
 know ,i what better ,judges will  think
 of 'em1 but they seem to me to be      
,clear1 ,rational and ,concluding1      
which is all ,i aim at4 ,and ,i hope the
 ,reader will receive from hence  more  
light into the way of ,arguing1 than she
 cou'd have gain'd had ,i  spent as many
 ,pages in prescribing ,rules and giving
 trifling ,examples1  which when they   
are known1 merit only to be forgot      
again4 ,but if some  are better pleas'd 
with the usual way of ,syllogism1 and   
think an  ,argument cannot be rightly   

managed without one1 for their          
,satisfaction  we will add another      
,instance4    ,suppose the ,question    
were put ,whether a ,rich ,man is       
,happy8 ,by a ,rich  ,man understanding 
one who possesses the ,wealth and ,good 
things of this  ,world1 and by ,happy   
the ,enjoyment of the ,proper ,good of  
,man4 ,we compare  the two ,terms       
,riches and ,happiness together1 to     
discern if they be so  much one and the 
same1 that what is affirm'd of the one  
may be laid of  the other2 but we find  
they are not4 ,for if ,riches and       
,happiness were  terms ,convertible1    
then all who are ,happy must be ,rich1  
and all who are  ,rich must be ,happy1  
to affirm the last of which is to beg   
the ,question1  and the contrary appears
 by the following ,argument1 which makes
 use of  ,satisfaction with ones own    
,condition for the middle ,idea or      
,common  ,measure4    ,he who is ,happy 
is satisfied with his ,condition and    
free from ,anxious  ,cares and          

,solicitude 7for these proceeding from  
the want of ,good1 he  who enjoys his   
proper ,good cannot be subject to them47
 ,but ,riches do  not free us from      
,anxieties and ,solicitude1 they many   
times encrease  them1 ,therefore to be  
,rich and to be ,happy are not one and  
the same  thing4    ,again1 ,if there   
are some who are ,happy and yet not     
,rich1 then ,riches  and ,happiness are 
two distinct things4 ,but a ,good ,poor 
,man is ,happy 7in  the ,enjoyment of   
,,god who is better to him than         
,thousands of ,gold and  ,silver17      
therefore ,riches and ,happiness are to 
be distinguish'd4    ,we may further    
consider1 that if the ,enjoyment of     
,riches can make a ,man  ,happy         
according to our ,notion of ,happiness1 
they must be his ,proper  ,good4 ,now if
 we compare the ,idea of ,riches with   
that which we have of  ,man1 we shall   
find in the former nothing but what's   
,material1 ,external  and ,adventitious1
 but our ,idea of the latter represents 

to us somewhat  that ,thinks1 and so is 
of an ,immaterial and more noble        
,nature1 a ,nature  altogether different
 from the former1 and much more         
excellent and  ,superior to it2 and by  
,consequence the less ,noble cannot be  
the ,good of  the more1 nor a ,body or  
an ,extended ,substance1 the ,proper    
,good of the  ,mind1 a ,spiritual or    
,thinking ,substance4 ,so that upon the 
whole matter  we find1 that we cannot   
affirm a ,man is ,happy because he is   
,rich1  neither can we deny it2 ,riches 
consider'd absolutely in themselves1    
neither make a ,man ,happy nor hinder   
him from being so4 ,they ,contribute  to
 his ,happiness or they ,obstruct it    
according to the ,use he makes of  'em4 
,as for the ,common ,rules of           
,disputation they do more frequently    
,intangle  than ,clear a ,question1 nor 
is it worth while to know any more of   
them  than may help to guard us from the
 ,sophistry of those who use them1  and 
assist us in the managing an ,argument  

fairly1 so long as it is  ,tenable1 and 
till we are driven from it by the meer  
dint of ,truth4 ,to  be able to hold an 
,argument ,right or ,wrong may pass with
 some perhaps  for the ,character of a  
,good ,disputant1 which yet ,i think it 
is not1  but must by no means be allow'd
 to be that of a ,rational ,person2 it  
belongs to such to detect as soon as may
 be the ,fallacies of an ill  one1 and  
to establish ,truth with the ,clearest  
,evidence4 ,for indeed  ,truth not      
,victory is what we shou'd contend for  
in all ,disputes1 it  being more        
,glorious to be ,overcome by her than to
 ,triumph under the  ,banners of ,error4
 ,and therefore we pervert our ,reason  
when we make it  the ,instrument of an  
,endless ,contention1 by seeking after  
,quirks and  ,subtilties1 abusing       
,equivocal ,terms1 and by practising the
 rest of  those little ,arts every      
,sophister is full of1 which are of no  
service  in the discovery of ,truth1 all
 they can do is to ,ward off an         

,opponents  blow1 to make a ,noise and  
raise a ,dust1 that so we may escape in 
the  ,hurry1 our ,foil being            
undiscover'd4    ,it were endless to    
reckon up all the ,fallacies we put on  
our selves  and endeavour to obtrude on 
others4 ,on our selves in the first     
place1  for however we may be pleas'd in
 the ,contemplation of our own ,craft   
or to use those softer ,names we are apt
 to give it1 our ,acuteness and         
,ingenuity2 who ever attempts to impose 
on others is first impos'd on  himself1 
he is cheated by some of those grand    
,deceivers1 the ,world1  the ,flesh1 and
 the ,devil1 and made to believe that   
,vain-glory1 ,secular  ,interest1       
,ambition or perhaps ,sensuality or     
,revenge1 or any the like  contemptible 
,appetites are preferable to ,integrity 
and ,truth4    ,sidenote3 ,art of       
,thinking ,pt4 #c4 ,ch4 #ai1 #bj4       
,neither is it necessary to reduce the  
most usual ,sophisms to general  ,heads1
 since that's already very well         

perform'd in a ,book to which  ,i'de    
rather refer you1 than be at the trouble
 of ,transcribing1 having  nothing to   
add but this1 that if ,i be not         
mistaken1 all the false  ,arguings      
enumerated there1 and what others you   
may happen to meet  with may be         
discover'd and avoided by the ,rules    
already given1 and do  indeed proceed1  
so far as they relate to the            
,understanding1 from the                
,non-observation of some of 'em4    ,but
 it is to little purpose to guard our   
selves against the ,sophisms of  the    
,head1 if we lie open to those of the   
,heart4 ,one irregular ,passion  will   
put a greater ,obstacle between us and  
,truth1 than the brightest              
,understanding and clearest ,reasonings 
can easily remove4 ,this every  one of  
us is apt to discern in others1 but     
we're blind to it in our  selves4 ,we   
can readily say that it is ,pride or    
,obstinacy1 ,interest  or ,passion or in
 a word ,self-love that keeps our       

,neighbour from  ,conviction1 but all   
this while imagine our own ,hearts are  
very clear of  'em1 tho' more ,impartial
 ,judges are of another ,mind4    ,i    
wish there were no ,reason to think that
 there are some who attempt to  maintain
 an ,opinion which they know to be      
false1 or at least which they  have     
cause to suspect1 and therefore         
industriously avoid what wou'd  manifest
 their ,error4 ',tis hop'd however that 
the greatest part of the  ,disputers of 
the ,world are not of this number1 and  
that the reason why  they offer their   
,neighbours ,sophistical ,arguments1 is 
because they  are not aware of it       
themselves2 ,that what makes them so    
,positive is  their firm persuasion that
 they are acted only by a ,zeal for     
,,god1 an  honest ,constancy and ,stanch
 ,integrity1 tho at the very same time  
quite  different ,motives move them     
under these ,appearances4    ,and indeed
 he must be an extraordinary good ,man1 
a ,wonder scarce  produc'd in an ,age1  

who has no ,irregular ,passion stirring2
 ,who  receives no ,manner of ,tincture 
from ,pride and ,vitious ,self-,love1   
to which all are so prone1 and which    
hide themselves under so many           
disguises2 ,who is got above the ,world 
its ,terrors and ,allurements1  has laid
 up his ,treasure in ,heaven1 and is    
fully ,contented with his  ,present     
,circumstances1 let them be what they   
will1 having made them  the boundaries  
of his ,desires2 who knows how to live  
on a ,little very  happily and therefore
 receives no ,bias from his own         
,conveniency1 nor is  weigh'd down by   
the dead ,weight of his ,appetites and  
,interests2 which  ought to be the      
,temper of every ,person who wou'd find 
out ,truth1 and  who desires to make a  
,right ,judgment in all things4    ,we  
all pretend to this it's true1 and think
 our selves ,injur'd if  it be not      
believ'd that we are ,disinteress'd and 
free from ,passion1  that no ,humour or 
,private ,end1 nothing but an honest    

,zeal for ,truth  gives warmth to our   
,discourses2 and yet it often happens   
that e're we  ,conclude them1 we give   
just occasion to have it thought1 that  
how large  soever our ,knowlege in other
 things may be1 we are not well         
acquainted  with our own ,hearts4 ,all  
which consider'd1 how confidently soever
 we're  perswaded of our own ,integrity1
 tho we think we have penetrated to the 
very bottom of our ,hearts1 it wou'd not
 be amiss to suspect our selves         
sometimes1 and to fear a ,bias1 even at 
the very instant we take care to  avoid 
one4    ,for ,truth being but ,one1 and 
the ,rational ,faculties not differing  
in ,kind but in ,degree1 tho there may  
be different ,measures of               
,understanding1 there could not be such 
,contradictions in ,mens ,opinions  as  
we find there are1 even in those who    
examin as well as in those  who do not1 
were they acted only by the ,love of    
,truth1 and did not  ,self-,love        
perswade them that they shall find their

 own particular  account by such an     
,opposition4 ,i wou'd not be so         
understood as if ,i  thought that in all
 ,controversies one side must needs be  
,criminal1  if not by ,wilfully         
,opposing ,truth1 yet at least by an    
indulgence of  such unmortifi'd         
,passions as estrange them from her4    
,no1 without doubt  great allowances are
 to be made on the score of ,education1 
,capacity1  the ,leisure1 and           
,opportunity of ,information we have    
had4 ,but this we  may venture to say1  
that had we but a ,modest ,opinion of   
our selves1  believing it as possible   
for us as for those who contradict us to
 be  mistaken1 did we behave our selves 
answerable to such a belief2 were  we   
seriously convinc'd that nothing is so  
much our ,interest as a  readiness to   
admit of ,truth1 from what ever ,hand it
 comes1 greatest  part of our ,disputes 
wou'd have a better ,issue than we      
generally find4  ,at least if we cou'd  
not be to happy as to ,convince one     

another1 our  ,contests wou'd be manag'd
 with more ,temper and ,moderation1     
wou'd not  conclude in such a breach of 
,charity1 or at best in such a ,coldness
 for  each other1 as they usually do4   
,if we consider wisely we shall find it 
to be our ,present ,interest as  well as
 our ,future1 to do that in ,reality    
which all of us ,pretend to1  that is1  
to ,search after and to ,follow ,truth4 
,and to do it with all  that ,candor and
 ,ingenuity which becomes a true        
,philosopher as well  as a good         
,christian1 making use of no ,arguments 
but what we really  believe1 and giving 
them up contentedly when we meet with   
stronger4  ,our ,present ,interest1     
which is that which weighs most with the
  generality1 and to which we make all  
other considerations give place2  ,for  
what is it we ,contend for8 ,they who   
have such little ,souls as to  bait at  
any thing beneath the highest ,end1 make
 ,reputation their ,aim1  and with it   
that ,authority and ,wealth which       

usually attends it4 ,but  now           
,reputation cannot be acquir'd1 at least
 not a lasting one1 by  ,fallacious     
,reasonings2 we may perhaps for a while 
get a ,name by them  amongst unwary     
,persons1 but the ,world grows too      
quick-sighted to be  long impos'd on4   
,if a ,love of ,truth do not1 yet ,envy 
and ,emulation  will set other heads a  
,work to discover our ,ignorance or     
,fraud1 they  are upon the same ,design1
 and will not suffer us to go away with 
the  ,prize undeservedly4 ,and besides1 
with how ill an ,aspect must he needs   
appear who does not ,reason fairly1 and 
by consequence1 how unlike is  he to    
gain on those who hear him8 ,there are  
but three ,causes to which  false       
,arguments can be refer'd1 ,ignorance1  
,rashness1 or ,design1 and the  being   
suspected for any one of these hinders  
us very much in acquiring  that         
,reputation1 ,authority or ,preferment  
we desire4 ,i must confess were  we sure
 the ,fallacy wou'd not be detected1 and

 that we shou'd not lie  under          
,suspicion of it1 we might gain our     
point2 for provided the ,paint  do not  
rub off1 good ,colouring may serve a    
present turn as well as a  true         
,complection3 ,but there is little      
reason to hope for this1 because  of    
what was just now mention'd1 and for    
other ,reasons that might be  added4    
,now what can be more provoking than the
 ,idea we have of a ,designing  ,person8
 of one who thinks his own              
,intellectuals so strong and ours  so   
weak1 that he can make us swallow any   
thing1 and lead us where  he pleases8   
such an one seems to have an ,intention 
to reduce us to  the vilest ,slavery1   
the ,captivation of our ,understandings1
 which we  justly reckon to be the      
highest ,insolence4 ,and since every one
 puts in  for a share of ,sense1 and    
thinks he has no reason to complain of  
the  distribution of it1 whoever        
supposes that another has an            
over-weaning  ,opinion of his own1 must 

needs think that he undervalues his     
,neighbours  ,understanding1 and will   
certainly repay him in his own ,coin1   
and deny  him those advantages he seems 
to arrogate4    ,the most we can say for
 our selves when the weakness of our    
,arguments  comes to be discover'd1 is  
that we were mistaken thro ,rashness  or
 ,ignorance1 which tho more pardonable  
than the former1 are no  recommending   
,qualities4 ,if we argue falsly and know
 not that we  do so1 we shall be more   
pittied than when we do1 but either way 
disappointed4 ,and if we have added     
,rash ,censures of those who are not  of
 our ,mind1 ,pride or ,positiveness to  
our ,errors as we cannot so  handsomely 
,retreat so neither will so fair a      
,quarter be allow'd as  those who ,argue
 with ,meekness1 ,modesty and ,charity  
may well expect4  ,so that when we have 
cast up our ,account and estimated the  
,present  ,advantages that false        
,arguings bring us1 ,i fear what we have
 got by  a ,pretence to ,truth1 won't be

 found to countervail the loss we shall 
sustain by the ,discovery that it was no
 more4 ,which may induce us 7if  other  
,considerations will not7 to be wary in 
receiving any ,proposition  ourselves2  
and restrain us from being forward to   
impose our ,sentiments  on others4      
,after all1 'tis a melancholy reflection
 that a great part of  ,mankind stand in
 need of ,arguments drawn from so low a 
,motive as  ,worldly ,interest1 to      
persuade them to that to which they have
 much  greater inducements4 ,it is      
strange that we shou'd need any other   
considerations besides the bare         
performance of our ,duty1 and those     
unspeakable advantages laid up for all  
such as do it sincerely1  hereafter4    
,when we have the ,approbation of ,,god 
and the infinite ,rewards  he has       
propos'd to those who study to recommend
 themselves to him1  for our            
,encouragement1 how low are we sunk if  
the ,applause of ,men and  the little   
,trifles which they can bestow weigh any

 thing with us6 ,i  am therefore almost 
asham'd of proposing so mean a          
consideration1 but  the degeneracy of   
the ,age requir'd it1 and they who      
perhaps at first  follow ,truth as the  
,jews did once1 for the ,loaves only1   
may at last be  attracted by its own    
,native ,beauties4    ,sidenote3 ,l'art 
de ,penser1 p4 #bb4      4 ,v4 ,as      
,nature teaches us ,logic1 so does it   
instruct us in ,rhetoric  much better   
than ,rules of ,art1 which if they are  
good ones are nothing  else but those   
,judicious ,observations which ,men of  
,sense have drawn  from ,nature1 and    
which all who reflect on the ,operations
 of their own  ,minds will find out     
'emselves4 ,the common ,precepts of     
,rhetoric may  teach us how to reduce   
,ingenious ways of speaking to a certain
 ,rule1  but they do not teach us how to
 ,invent them1 this is ,natures work and
  she does it best2 there is as much    
difference between ,natural and         
,artificial ,eloquence as there is      

between ,paint and ,true ,beauty4 ,so   
that  as a good ,author well observes1  
all that's useful in this ,art1 8is the 
avoiding certain evil ways of ,writing  
and ,speaking1 and above all an         
,artificial and ,rhetorical ,stile      
compos'd of false ,thoughts1 ,hyperboles
  and forc'd ,figures which is the      
greatest fault in ,rhetoric40    ,i     
shall not therefore recommend under the 
name of ,rhetoric an ,art  of speaking  
floridly on all ,subjects1 and of       
dressing up ,error and  ,impertinence in
 a quaint and taking garb2 any more than
 ,i did that  ,wrangling which goes by  
the name of ,logic1 and which teaches to
 dispute  for and against all           
,propositions indefinitely whether they 
are  ,true or ,false4 ,it is an abuse   
both of ,reason and ,address to press'em
  into the ,service of a ,trifle or an  
,untruth2 and a mistake to think  that  
any ,argument can be rightly made1 or   
any ,discourse truly ,eloquent  that    
does not illustrate and inforce ,truth4 

,for the design of ,rhetoric  is to     
remove those ,prejudices that lie in the
 way of ,truth1 to ,reduce  the         
,passions to the ,government of ,reason2
 to place our ,subject in a  ,right     
,light1 and excite our ,hearers to a due
 consideration of it4  ,and ,i know not 
what exactness of ,method1 pure and     
proper ,language1  ,figures1 insinuating
 ways of ,address and the like signify1 
any farther  than as they contribute to 
the ,service of ,truth by rendring our  
,discourse ,intelligible1 ,agreeable and
 ,convincing4 ,they are indeed very     
serviceable to it when they are duly    
managed1 for ,good ,sense loses much  of
 its efficacy by being ill express'd1   
and an ill stile is nothing  else but   
the neglect of some of these1 or over   
doing others of 'em4    ,obscurity1 one 
of the greatest faults in ,writing1 does
 commonly  proceed from a want of       
,meditation1 for when we pretend to     
teach others  what we do not understand 
our selves1 no wonder that we do it at a

  sorry rate4 ',tis true1 ,obscurity is 
sometimes design'd1 to conceal an       
erroneous opinion which an ,author dares
 not openly own1 or which if it  be     
discover'd he has a mind to evade4 ,and 
sometimes even an honest and  good      
,writer who studies to avoid may        
insensibly fall into it1 by reason  that
 his ,ideas being become familiar to    
himself by frequent ,meditation1  a long
 train of 'em are readily excited in his
 mind1 by a word or two  which he's us'd
 to annex to them2 but it is not so with
 his ,readers who  are perhaps strangers
 to his ,meditations1 and yet ought to  
have the  very same ,idea rais'd in     
theirs that was in the ,authors mind1 or
 else  they cannot understand him4 ,if  
therefore we desire to be intelligible  
to every body1 our ,expressions must be 
more plain and explicit than  they      
needed to be if we writ only for our    
selves1 or for those to whom  frequent  
,discourse has made our ,ideas familiar4
    ,not that it is necessary to express

 at length all the ,process our ,mind   
goes thro in resolving a ,question1 this
 wou'd spin out our ,discourse  to an   
unprofitable tediousness1 the           
,operations of the ,mind being much     
more speedy than those of the ,tongue or
 ,pen4 ,but we shou'd fold up our       
,thoughts so closely and neatly1        
expressing them in such significant  tho
 few words1 as that the ,readers ,mind  
may easily open and enlarge  them4 ,and 
if this can be done with facility we are
 ,perspicuous as well  as ,strong1 if   
with difficulty or not at all1 we're    
then perplext and  ,obscure ,writers4   
,scarce any thing conduces more to      
,clearness1 the great ,beauty of        
writing1 than ,exactness of ,method2 nor
 perhaps to ,persuasion1 for by  putting
 every thing in its proper place with   
due ,order and ,connexion1  the ,readers
 ,mind is gently led where the ,writer  
wou'd have it4 ,such a  ,stile is ,easy 
without ,softness1 ,copious as that     
signifies the omission  of nothing      

necessary1 yet not ,wordy and ,tedious2 
nor stuft with  ,nauseous ,repetitions1 
which they who do not ,think before they
 ,write and  dispose their ,matter duly1
 can scarce avoid4 ,the ,method of      
,thinking has  been already shewn1 and  
the same is to be observ'd in ,writing1 
which if  it be what it ought2 is       
nothing else but the communicating to   
others  the result of our frequent and  
deep ,meditations1 in such a manner as  
we judge most effectual to convince them
 of those ,truths which we  believe4    
,always remembring that the most natural
 ,order is ever best2  that we must     
first prepare their minds by removing   
those ,prejudices and  ,passions which  
are in our way1 and then propose our    
,reasons with all  the ,clearness and   
,force1 with all the ,tenderness and    
,good-,nature we can4    ,sidenote3     
,lock of ,hum4 ,und4 ,b4 #c4 ,ch4 #g4   
,and since the ,clearness and ,connexion
 as well as the ,emphasis and  ,beauty  
of a ,discourse depends in a great      

measure on a right use of the           
,particles1 whoever wou'd ,write well   
ought to inform themselves nicely  in   
their ,proprieties4 an ,and1 a ,the1 a  
,but1 a ,for1 c4 do very  much perplex  
the ,sense when they are misplac'd1 and 
make the ,reader  take it many times    
quite otherwise than the ,writer meant  
it4 ,but this  is not a place to say all
 that this ,subject deserves2 they who  
wou'd  have much in a little1 may       
consult an ,ingenious ,author who has   
touch'd  upon't1 and from thence take   
hints to observe how these little words 
are applied in good ,authors1 and how   
themselves may best use them to  express
 the several ,postures of their own     
,minds4    ,in a word1 ,i know not a    
more compendious way to good ,speaking  
and  ,writing1 than to chuse out the    
most excellent in either as a ,model  on
 which to form our selves4 ,or rather to
 imitate the ,perfections of  all1 and  
avoid their mistakes2 for few are so    
perfect as to be without  fault1 and few

 so bad as to have nothing good in them4
 ,a true ,judgment  distinguishes1 and  
neither rejects the ,good for the sake  
of the ,bad1  nor admits the ,bad       
because of the ,good that is mingled    
with it4 ,no sort  of ,style but has its
 excellency and is liable to defect3 ,if
 care be  not taken the ,sublime which  
subdues us with ,nobleness of ,thought  
and  ,grandeur of ,expression1 will fly 
out of sight and by being ,empty and    
,bombast become contemptible4 ,the      
,plain and ,simple will grow ,dull and  
,abject2 the ,severe dry and ,rugged1   
the ,florid vain and impertinent4 ,the  
,strong instead of rousing the ,mind    
will distract and intangle it by  being 
,obscure2 even the ,easy and            
,perspicuous if it be too diffuse1 or   
ever delicate tires us instead of       
pleasing4 ,good ,sense is the principal 
thing without which all our polishing is
 of little ,worth1 and yet if  ,ornament
 be wholly neglected very few will      
regard us4 ,studied and  artificial     

periods are not natural enough to       
please1 they shew too much  solicitude  
about what does not deserve it1 and a   
loose and careless  ,style declares too 
much contempt of the ,public4 ,neither  
,reason nor ,wit  entertain us if they  
are driven beyond a certain pitch1 and  
,pleasure it  self is offensive if it be
 not judiciously dispenc'd4    ,every   
,author almost has some beauty or       
blemish remarkable in his ,style  from  
whence it takes its name2 and every     
,reader has a peculiar tast  of ,books  
as well as ,meats4 ,one wou'd have the  
,subject exhausted1  another is not     
pleas'd if somewhat be not left to      
enlarge on in his  own ,meditations4    
,this affects a ,grave that a ,florid   
,style2 ,one is for  ,easiness1 a second
 for ,plainness1 a third for ,strength1 
and a fourth  for ,politeness4 ,and     
perhaps the great secret of ,writing is 
the mixing  all these in so just a      
proportion that every one may tast what 
he likes  without being disgusted by its

 contrary4 ,and may find at once that by
  the ,solidity of the ,reason1 the     
purity and propriety of ,expression1 and
  insinuating agreeableness of ,address1
 his ,understanding is ,enlightned1  his
 ,affections subdued and his ,will duly 
regulated4    ,this is indeed the true  
,end of ,writing1 and it wou'd not be   
hard for  every one to judge how well   
they had answer'd it1 wou'd they but lay
  aside ,self-,love1 so much of it at   
least1 as makes them partial to their   
own ,productions4 ,did we consider our  
own with the same ,severity1 or  but    
,indifferency that we do anothers       
,writing1 we might pass a due  ,censure 
on it1 might discern what ,thought was  
,crude or ill exprest1  what ,reasoning 
weak1 what passage superfluous1 where we
 were flat and  dull1 where extravagant 
and vain1 and by ,criticizing on our    
selves do  a greater kindness to the    
,world than we can in making our        
,remarques on  others4 ,nor shou'd we be
 at a loss1 if we were ,impartial1 in   

finding  out ,methods to ,inform1       
,persuade and ,please2 for ,human       
,nature is for the  most part much alike
 in all1 and that which has a good      
effect on us1  will generally speaking  
have the same on others4 ,so that to    
guess what  success we are like to have1
 we need only suppose our selves in the 
place of those we ,address to1 and      
consider how such a ,discourse wou'd    
operate on us1 if we had their          
,infirmities and ,thoughts about us4    
,and if we do so ,i believe we shall    
find1 there's nothing more improper     
than ,pride and ,positiveness1 nor any  
thing more prevalent than an  innocent  
compliance with their weakness3 ,such as
 pretends not to  dictate to their      
,ignorance1 but only to explain and     
illustrate what  they did or might have 
known before if they had consider'd it1 
and  supposes that their ,minds being   
employ'd about some other things was    
the reason why they did not discern it  
as well as we4 ,for ,human ,nature  is  

not willing to own its ,ignorance2      
,truth is so very attractive1  there's  
such a natural agreement between our    
,minds and it1 that we care  not to be  
thought so dull as not to be able to    
find out by our selves  such obvious    
matters4 ,we shou'd therefore be careful
 that nothing pass  from us which       
upbraids our ,neighbours ,ignorance1 but
 study to remove't  without appearing to
 take notice of it1 and permit'em to    
fancy if they  please1 that we believe  
them as ,wise and ,good as we endeavour 
to make  them4 ,by this we gain their   
,affections which is the hardest part of
 our  ,work1 excite their ,industry and 
infuse a new ,life into all ,generous   
,tempers1 who conclude there's great    
hopes they may with a little pains      
attain what others think they ,know     
already1 and are asham'd to fall  short 
of the good ,opinion we have entertain'd
 of 'em4    ,and since many wou'd yield 
to the ,clear ,light of ,truth were't   
not  for the shame of being overcome1 we

 shou'd ,convince but not ,triumph1  and
 rather ,conceal our ,conquest than     
,publish it4 ,we doubly oblige  our     
,neighbours when we reduce them into the
 ,right ,way1 and keep it  from being   
taken notice of that they were once in  
the ,wrong1 which is  certainly a much  
greater satisfaction than that blaze of 
,glory which is  quickly out1 that noise
 of ,applause which will soon be over4  
,for the  gaining of our ,neighbour1 at 
least the having honestly endeavour'd   
it1 and the leading our own ,vanity in  
,triumph are ,real ,goods and such  as  
we shall always have the ,comfort of4   
,it is to be wish'd that such           
,propositions as are not attended with  
the ,clearest ,evidence were  deliver'd 
only by way of ,enquiry1 since even the 
brightest ,truth  when ,dogmatically    
dictated is apt to offend our ,readers1 
and make  them imagine their ,liberty's 
impos'd on1 so far is ,positiveness from
  bringing any body over to our         
,sentiments4 ,and besides1 we're all of 

us  liable to mistake1 and few have     
,humility enough to confess themselves  
,deceiv'd in what they have confidently 
asserted1 but think they're  obliged in 
,honour to maintain an ,opinion they've 
once been ,zealous  for1 how desirous   
soever they may be to get rid on't1     
cou'd they do it  handsomely4 ,now a    
,modest way of delivering our           
,sentiments assists us in  this1 and    
leaves us at liberty to take either side
 of the ,question as  ,reason and ,riper
 ,consideration shall determine4    ,in 
short1 as ,thinking conformably to the  
,nature of ,things is ,true  ,knowledge1
 so th' expressing our ,thoughts in such
 a way1 as most  readily1 and with the  
greatest ,clearness and ,life1 excites  
in others  the very same ,idea that was 
in us1 is the best ,eloquence4 ,for if  
our  ,idea be conformable to the ,nature
 of the thing it represents1 and  its   
,relations duly stated1 this is the most
 effectual way both to  ,inform and     
,perswade1 since ,truth being always    

amiable1 cannot fail  of attracting when
 she's plac'd in a ,right ,light1 and   
those to whom  we offer her1 are made   
,able and ,willing to discern her       
,beauties4  ,if therefore we throughly  
understand our ,subject and are         
,zealously  affected with it1 we shall  
neither want suitable words to explain1 
nor  perswasive ,methods to recommend   
it4    ,and since ,piety and ,vertue    
shou'd in spite of the mistaken ,customs
  of the ,age be the principal ,theme of
 a ,christians ,conversation2 that      
which those who bear that ,sacred ,name 
ought always to regard some way  or     
other1 even when it might be            
unseasonable to speak of it directly1   
the way to be good ,orators is to be    
good ,christians1 the ,practice of      
,religion will both instruct us in the  
,theory1 and most powerfully  inforce   
what we say of it4 ,did we truly relish 
the ,delights of ,,god's  ,service1 we  
cou'd neither refrain from talking of   
the ,pleasure1 nor be  so ill-natur'd as

 not to strive to ,communicate it2 and  
were we duly  warm'd with a ,zeal for   
his ,glory and concern for our          
,neighbours ,soul1  no ,figures of      
,rhetoric1 no ,art of ,perswasion wou'd 
be wanting to us4 ,we  shou'd diligently
 watch for ,opportunities1 and carefully
 improve them1  accommodating our       
,discourse to the ,understanding and    
,genius of all we  cou'd hope to do good
 to4    ,besides1 by being ,true        
,christians we have ,really that ,love  
for others  which all who desire to     
perswade must pretend to2 we've that    
,probity  and ,prudence1 that ,civility 
and ,modesty which the ,masters of this 
,art say a good ,orator must be endow'd 
with2 and have pluck'd up those         
,vicious ,inclinations from whence the  
most distastful faults of ,writing      
proceed4 ,for why do we chuse to be     
,obscure but because we intend to       
,deceive1 or wou'd be thought to see    
much farther than our ,neighbours8  ,one
 sort of ,vanity prompts us to be       

,rugged and ,severe1 and so possess'd   
with the imagin'd ,worth and ,solidity  
of our ,discourse1 that we think  it    
beneath us to ,polish it3 ,another      
disposes us to ,elaborate and  ,affected
 ways of ,writing1 to ,pompous and      
improper ,ornaments2 and why  are we    
tediously ,copious but that we fancy    
every ,thought of ours is               
extraordinary8 ,contradiction is indeed 
for our advantage as tending to  make us
 wiser1 yet our ,pride makes us         
impatient under it1 because it  seems to
 ,lessen that ,esteem and ,deference we 
desire shou'd be paid us4  ,whence come 
those sharp ,reflections1 those imagin'd
 strains of ,wit1  not to be endur'd    
amongst ,christians1 and which serve not
 to ,convince  but to ,provoke1 whence  
come they but from ,ill-nature or       
,revenge1 from  a ,contempt of others   
and a desire to set forth our own ,wit8 
,did we  write less for our selves we   
should sooner gain our ,readers1 who are
  many times disgusted at a well writ   

,discourse if it carries a tang  of     
,ostentation3 ,and were our ,temper as  
,christian as it ought to be1  our ,zeal
 wou'd be spent on the most ,weighty    
things1 not on little  differences of   
,opinions4    ,i have made no           
distinction in what has been said       
between ,speaking and  ,writing1 because
 tho they are talents which do not      
always meet1 yet  there is no material  
difference between 'em4 ,they ,write    
best perhaps  who do't with the gentile 
and easy air of ,conversation2 and they 
,talk  best who mingle ,solidity of     
,thought with th' agreableness of a     
ready  ,wit4 ,as for ,pronunciation1 tho
 it takes more with some ,auditors  many
 times than ,good ,sense1 there needs   
little be said of it here1  since ,women
 have no business with the ,pulpit1 the 
,bar or ,st4 ,stephens  ,chappel3 ,and  
,nature does for the most part furnish  
'em with such a  ,musical ,tone1        
,perswasive ,air and winning ,address as
 renders their  ,discourse sufficiently 

agreeable in ,private ,conversation4    
,and as to  spelling which they're said 
to be defective in1 if they don't       
believe  as they're usually told1 that  
it's fit for 'em to be so1 and that to  
write exactly is too ,pedantic1 they may
 soon correct that fault1 by            
,pronouncing their words aright and     
,spelling 'em accordingly4 ,i know  this
 ,rule won't always hold because of an  
,imperfection in our ,language  which   
has been oft complain'd of but is not   
yet amended2 ,but in this  case a little
 ,observation or recourse to ,books will
 assist us2 and if  at any time we      
happen to mistake by ,spelling as we    
,pronounce1 the fault  will be very     
,venial1 and ,custom rather to blame    
than we4    ,i've said nothing of       
,grammar tho we can't ,write properly if
 we  transgress its ,rules1 supposing   
that ,custom and the reading of ,english
  ,books are sufficient to teach us the 
,grammar of our own ,tongue1 ,if  we do 
but in any measure attend to them4 ,and 

tho ,women are generally  accus'd of    
,writing false ,english1 if ,i may speak
 my own ,experience1  their ,mistakes   
are not so common as is pretended1 nor  
are they the only  ,persons guilty4     
,what they most commonly fail in is the 
,particles and  ,connexion1 and that    
generally thro a ,briskness of temper   
which make  them forget1 or ,hast which 
will not suffer 'em to read over again  
what  went before4 ,and indeed1 those   
who ,speak true ,grammar unless they 're
  very ,careless cannot write false1    
since they need only peruse what        
they've ,writ1 and consider whether they
 wou'd express 'emselves thus in        
,conversation4    ,sidenote3 ,art of    
speaking4    ,but for this and for      
,figures1 c4 and indeed for all that    
relates  to this ,subject1 ,i must refer
 you to an ,ingenious ,treatise which   
handles it fully1 and to which ,i'me    
oblig'd in great measure for what       
little skill ,i have4 ,observing only1  
that whatever it is we ,treat of1  our  

,stile shou'd be such as may keep our   
,readers ,attent1 and induce  them to go
 to the ,end4 ,now ,attention is usually
 fixt by ,admiration1  which is excited 
by somewhat uncommon either in the      
,thought or way  of ,expression4 ,we    
fall a sleep over an ,author who tells  
us in an  ordinary manner no more than  
we knew before3 ,he who wou'd ,take must
  be ,sublime in his ,sense1 and must   
cloath it after a ,noble way4 ,his      
,thoughts must not be superficial1 such 
as every one may fall into at  the first
 glance1 but the very ,spirits and      
,essence of ,thinking1 the sum  of many 
hours ,meditation folded up in one      
handsome and comprehensive  ,period1    
whose ,language is ,intelligible and    
,easy that the ,readers  may not lose   
the pleasure of the ,kernel1 by the pain
 they find in  cracking the ,shell4 ,the
 most difficult ,subject must be made   
easy by  his way of handling it2 tho his
 ,matter may deserve a ,meditation1 yet 
his ,expressions must be so ,clear that 

he needs not be read twice to  be       
,understood2 these are to be ,natural   
and ,familiar1 condiscending  to the    
meanest ,capacity1 whilst his ,thoughts 
are ,great enough to  entertain the     
highest4 ,he ,discourses always on a    
,useful ,subject in a  manner agreeable 
to it1 and pleases that he may          
,instruct2 ,nothing seems  ,studied in  
his whole ,composition1 yet every thing 
is ,extraordinary1 a  ,beautiful        
,harmony shining thro all its parts4 ,no
 ,sentence is ,doubtful1  no word       
,equivocal1 his ,arguments are ,clear   
and his ,images ,lively2 all  the ,ideas
 he excites in your ,mind1 as nearly    
resemble the thing they  represent as   
,words can make them4 ,whilst th'       
exactness of his ,method1  and ,force of
 his ,reason ,enlighten and ,convince   
the ,mind2 the ,vivacity  of his        
,imagination and insinuating ,address1  
gain the ,affections and  ,conquer the  
,will4 ,by the weight and closeness of  
the former you wou'd  take him for an   

,angel1 and the tender and affable      
sweetness of the  last bespeaks him a   
,friend4 ,he considers that as mere     
,florish and  ,rhetorick are good for   
nothing1 so neither will bare ,reason   
dull and  heavily express'd perform any 
great matter1 at least not on those who 
need it most1 whose ,palates being      
deprav'd their ,medicines must be       
administred in a pleasing ,vehicle4     
,since ,mankind are averse to their     
,real ,happiness1 he does not only tell 
'em their ,duty but ,interesses  them in
 it2 and thinking it not enough to run  
'em down with the  strength of ,reason1 
he draws 'em over to a ,voluntary       
,submission by  th' attractives of his  
,eloquence4 ,for he has a peculiar ,turn
 and ,air  which animates every ,period1
 so that the very same ,truth which was 
dry and ,unaffecting in a vulgar        
,authors words1 ,charms and ,subdues you
  when cloath'd in his4 ,he shews no    
more warmth than may convince his       
,readers that he's heartily persuaded of

 the ,truths he offers them2 and  if it 
is necessary at any time to make use of 
,figures to give a more  ,lively        
,representation than plain ,expressions 
cou'd1 to discribe his  own ,passions   
and excite the same in others upon a    
just occasion1 in  a word to awaken a   
,stupid and ,clear the ,mind of a       
,prejudic'd ,reader1  his ,figures are  
duly chosen and discreetly us'd4 ,for he
 knows that  scarce any thing speaks a  
greater want of ,judgment than the      
shewing  concern where there needs none1
 or is a worse fault in ,oratory than   
the polishing a ,wrong or a ,trifling   
,thought1 the neatness of whose  dress  
may strike with ,admiration perhaps at  
first sight1 but upon a  review it will 
certainly appear ,contemptible4 ,and    
therefore as he does  not abound in     
,superfluous ,ornaments1 so neither does
 he reject any  thing that can promote  
his ,end1 which is not his own          
,reputation1 but  the ,glory of his     
,,god and his ,neighbours ,edification4 

,he considers the  narrowness of the    
,humane ,mind1 and says all that is     
necessary but no  more2 ,understands it 
so well as to know what will move and   
,please1  and has so much command of    
himself as to give over when he has done
  enough4 ,yet he can exhaust the most  
fruitful ,subject without making  the   
,reader weary2 for when he enlarges it  
is in ,things not ,words1 and  he       
mingles ,variety without ,confusion4    
,all the divers excellencies of         
different ,stiles meet in his to make up
 a perfect one1 ,strength and  ,ease1   
,solidity and ,liveliness1 the ,sublime 
and the ,plain4 ,he's neither  so ,lofty
 as to fly out of ,sight1 nor so humble 
as to become ,creeping  and             
,contemptible4 ,his ,strength does not  
make him ,rugged and ,perplext  nor his 
,smoothness ,weak and ,nice2 tho every  
thing is ,neat1 there's not  a grain of 
,affectation2 he is gratefull to the    
,ear1 but far remov'd  from jingling    
,cadence4 ,brief when there is occasion 

without ,dryness  or ,obscurity1 and    
,florid enough to entertain th'         
,imagination without  ,distracting the  
,mind4 ,there's not an ,antiquated or   
,barbarous ,word to be  found in him1   
all is ,decent1 ,just and ,natural2 no  
peculiar or ,affected  ,phrases1 whether
 ,courtly or ,clownish1 ,grave or       
,burlesque4 ,for ,plain and             
,significant ,language is ever best1 we 
have a mistaken ,idea of ,learning  if  
we think to pretend to't by sending our 
,reader every minute to the             
,dictionary4 ,words out of the common   
way are only allowable when they        
express our ,sense with greater ,force  
than ,ordinary ones cou'd1 or when  they
 are so significant as to ease us of    
,circumlocutions1 a hard word  which ,i 
cou'd not avoid without using half a    
dozen words4    ,after all1 it may not  
be amiss to take notice that ,ornaments 
are common  to ,falshood and ,truth1 but
 ,clearness and strength of ,reasoning  
are not4  ,they who wou'd propagate     

,error usually disguise it in ,equivocal
 ,terms  and ,obscure ,phrases2 they    
strive to engage our ,passions1 rather  
than  to ,convince our ,reason1 and     
carry us away in the torrent of a warm  
,imagination4 ,they endeavour to refute1
 or if they can't do that1 to  ,ridicule
 the contrary opinion1 and think this   
,sufficient to establish  their own4    
,being much better skill'd in pulling   
down former ,systems  than in building  
new ones1 for it requires no great skill
 to ,object1  and there are many ,truths
 which we're very ,certain of1 and yet  
not able  to answer every ,impertinent  
,enquiry concerning 'em4 ,their greatest
 ,art  is in confounding things1 in     
giving a probable ,air to what they     
write1  in pretending to ,demonstration 
where the nature of the ,truth does not 
require't1 and in evading it where it   
does4 ,an ,immoral or ,heretical        
,discourse therefore may be ,cunningly  
but not well writ1 for we can  never    
plead for ,error and ,vice with true    

,eloquence4 ,we may trick'em  up in a   
handsom ,garb1 adorn'em with quaint     
,expressions1 and give them  such a     
plausible turn as may enable them to do 
very much ,mischief2 but  this is only a
 fulsom ,carcass1 the substance and     
,life are not there if  ,vertue and     
,truth are wanting4      4 ,,vi4 ,for it
 is to little purpose to ,think well and
 speak well1 unless  we ,live well1 this
 is our ,great ,affair and truest       
,excellency1 the  other are no further  
to be regarded than as they may assist  
us in this4  ,she who does not draw this
 ,inference from her ,studies has       
,thought in  vain1 her notions are      
,erroneous and ,mistaken4 ,and all her  
,eloquence is  but an empty noise1 who  
employs it in any other design than in  
gaining  ,proselytes to ,heaven4 ,i am  
therefore far from designing to put     
,women on  a vain pursuit after         
unnecessary and useless ,learning1 nor  
wou'd by any  means persuade them to    
endeavour after ,knowledge cou'd ,i be  

convinc'd  that it is improper for 'em4 
,because ,i know very well that tho a   
thing  be never so excellent in it self1
 it has but an ill grace if it be not   
suitable to the ,person and ,condition  
it is apply'd to4 ,fine ,cloaths  and   
,equipage do not become a ,beggar1 and a
 ,mechanic who must work  for daily     
bread for his ,family1 wou'd be wickedly
 ,employ'd shou'd he  suffer 'em to     
starve whilest he's solving             
,mathematical ,problems4 ,if  therefore 
,women have another ,duty incumbent on  
'em1 and such as is  inconsistent with  
what we here advise1 we do ill to take  
them from it3  ,but to affirm this is to
 beg the ,question1 and is what ,i will 
never  grant till it be better prov'd   
than as yet it appears to be4 ,for if   
the  ,grand ,business that ,women as    
well as ,men have to do in this ,world  
be to  prepare for the next1 ought not  
all their ,care and ,industry to ,centre
  here8 and since the matter is of      
,infinite ,consequence is it equitable  

to deny 'em the use of any help8 ,if    
therefore ,knowledge were but any  ways 
,instrumental1 tho at the remotest      
distance1 to the ,salvation of  our     
,souls1 it were fit to apply our selves 
to it2 and how much more  when it is so 
necessary1 that without it we can't do  
any thing that's  ,excellent1 or        
,practise ,vertue in the most ,perfect  
manner4 ,for unless we  ,understand our 
,duty and the ,principles of ,religion1 
we don't perform  a ,rational ,service1 
it is but by ,chance that we are ,good  
or so much as  ,christians4 ,we are     
their ,property into whose hands we     
fall1 and are led  by those who with    
greatest ,confidence impose their       
,opinions on us2 ,are  as moveable as   
the different ,circumstances that befall
 us2 or if we  happen to be ,constant in
 our first way1 it is not ,reason but   
,obstinacy  that makes us so4 ,a great  
deal of ,good will be omitted1 and very 
much  ,evil1 or ,imperfection at least1 
stick to us1 if we are not throughly    

acquainted with the ,law of ,god and the
 secret springs and windings of  our    
,hearts1 which is scarce to be obtain'd 
without much ,meditation and  the helps 
that study affords4    ,and as when a   
rash young ,traveller is about to run   
into dangerous  places beset with       
,thieves and full of ,precipices1 if you
 have any  hearty concern for his       
safety1 you'l not think it enough barely
 to  shew him his way1 or even to tell  
him of the ,danger1 especially if  the  
entrance seems fair and inviting and    
treacherous ,companions are  upon the   
watch to decoy him into it3 ,but you'l  
expose it in all its  frightful         
,circumstances1 endeavour to quicken his
 vigilance and excite  his ,passions1   
and all little enough for his ,security4
 ,so it cannot be  thought sufficient   
that ,women shou'd but just know whats  
,commanded and  what ,forbid1 without   
being inform'd of the ,reasons why1     
since this is  not like to secure them  
in their ,duty4 ,for we find a ,natural 

,liberty  within us which checks at an  
,injunction that has nothing but        
,authority  to back it2 ,and tho        
,religion is indeed supported by the    
,strongest  ,reasons1 and inforc'd by   
the most powerful ,motives1 yet if we   
are not  acquainted with 'em1 'tis all  
one to us as if it were not4 ,but having
  spoke of this in the first part we    
shall not farther enlarge on it here4   
,perhaps it will be objected that we've 
said the great ,truths of  ,religion    
carry a force and ,evidence suited to   
the very ,vulgar1 and that  ,,god has   
not design'd ,all for ,philosophers4    
,and therefore if the way  to the most  
necessary ,knowlege be so very plain1   
and all ,capacities  are not fitted for 
higher attainments1 what needs this ado 
about th'  ,improvement of our minds8   
the only thing necessary is to be good  
,christians1 and we may be that without 
being ,philosophers4 ,suppose we  may3  
,this will ,justify such as want ,time  
and ,capacity1 but can never  excuse the

 ,sloth and ,stupidity of those who have
 both4    ,for unless we have very      
strange ,notions of the ,divine ,wisdom 
we must  needs allow that every one is  
placed in such a ,station as they are   
fitted for4 ,and if the necessity of the
 world requires that some  ,persons     
shou'd ,labour for others1 it likewise  
requires that others  shou'd ,think for 
them4 ,our ,powers and ,faculties were  
not given us for  nothing1 and the only 
advantage one ,woman has above another1 
is the  being allotted to the more noble
 employment4 ,no body is plac'd without 
their own fault1 in such unhappy        
,circumstances as to be incapable of    
,salvation1 but some are plac'd in such 
happy ones as to be capable of          
attaining much greater degrees of       
,happiness than others if they do not   
neglect them3 ,and shou'd these last do 
no more than the very utmost  that is   
expected from the former1 ,i know not   
how they wou'd acquit  themselves1 or   
what account they cou'd give of their   

great ,advantages4  ,and therefore tho  
no body shall be condemn'd because they 
,cou'd not1  yet we have reason to fear 
if our ,case be such as that we ,might  
but  ,wou'd not receive ,instruction4   
,she then who makes this ,objection must
  not take it amiss if we ,judge of her 
in other ,cases according to what  she  
,pleads in this3 ,she must never set up 
for a ,wit1 or a censurer  of her       
,neighbours1 must not pretend to be a   
fine ,lady or any thing  extraordinary3 
but be content to herd amongst the      
,drudges of the ,world  who eat ,their  
,bread in the ,sweat of their ,brows1 if
 she says she wants  ,leisure2 or in a  
less acceptable rank amongst the ,fools 
and ,ideots1  or but one degree above   
them1 if she says she wants ,capacity   
for this  ,employment4 ,it is one thing 
to be content with ,ignorance1 or rather
  with a less degree of ,knowledge1 on  
account of the ,station that ,,god  has 
plac'd us in1 and ,another to ,chuse and
 ,delight in't thro a ,stupid           

,carelesness1 a fear of ,trouble1 or an 
,inordinate pursuit of the ,cares  and  
,pleasures of this ,mortal ,life4 ,this 
last only shews our ,disesteem  of our  
,souls1 our ,contempt of ,,god and the  
,talents he has given us1  and exposes  
us to all the dreadful consequences of  
such a neglect2 to  ,punishments to     
which not only those who misemploy their
 ,lord's ,talent1  but even they who    
don't employ it at all1 are ,obnoxious4 
,and indeed as unnecessary as it is     
thought for ,women to have ,knowledge1  
she who is truly good finds very great  
use of it1 not only in the  ,conduct of 
her own ,soul but in the management of  
her ,family1 in the  ,conversation of   
her ,neighbours and in all the ,concerns
 of ,life4  ,education of ,children is a
 most necessary ,employment1 perhaps the
 chief  of those who have any2 ,but it  
is as ,difficult as it is ,excellent    
when  well perform'd2 and ,i question   
not but that the mistakes which are made
  in it1 are a principal ,cause of that 

,folly and ,vice1 which is so much      
complain'd of and so little mended4 ,now
 this1 at least the foundation  of it1  
on which in a great measure the success 
of all depends1 shou'd  be laid by the  
,mother1 for ,fathers find other        
,business1 they will not  be confin'd to
 such a laborious work1 they have not   
such opportunities  of observing a      
,childs ,temper1 nor are the greatest   
part of 'em like  to do much good1 since
 ,precepts contradicted by ,example     
seldom prove  effectual4 ,neither are   
,strangers so proper for it1 because    
hardly any  thing besides ,paternal     
,affection can sufficiently quicken the 
,care  of performing1 and sweeten the   
labour of such a task4 ,but ,tenderness 
alone will never discharge it well1 she 
who wou'd do it to purpose must         
throughly understand ,human nature1 know
 how to manage different ,tempers       
,prudently1 be ,mistress of her own1 and
 able to bear with all the little       
humours and follies of ,youth1 neither  

,severity nor ,lenity are to be  always 
us'd1 it wou'd ruin some to be treated  
in that manner which is  fit for others4
 ,as ,mildness makes some ungovernable1 
and as there is a  stupor in many from  
which nothing but ,terrors can rouse    
them1 so sharp  ,reproofs and ,solemn   
,lectures serve to no purpose but to    
harden others1  in faults from which    
they might be won by an agreeable       
,address and  tender application4 ,,god 
himself waits to be gracious and        
administers  his ,medicines in the most 
proper season1 and ,parents shou'd      
imitate  him in this1 for the want of   
observing it1 and of accommodating their
  ,methods to the several ,dispositions 
they have to deal with1 is perhaps  the 
reason that many ,pious ,persons lose   
the fruit of their ,pains and  ,care4   
,nor will ,knowledge lie dead upon their
 hands who have no ,children to         
,instruct2 the whole ,world is a single 
,ladys ,family1 her opportunities  of   
doing good are not lessen'd but         

encreas'd by her being unconfin'd4      
,particular ,obligations do not contract
 her ,mind1 but her ,beneficence  moves 
in the largest ,sphere4 ,and perhaps the
 ,glory of ,reforming this  ,prophane   
and ,profligate ,age is reserv'd for you
 ,ladies1 and that the  natural and     
unprejudic'd ,sentiments of your ,minds 
being handsomly  express'd1 may carry a 
more strong conviction than the         
,elaborate  ,arguments of the ,learned4 
,such as fence themselves against the   
,cannon  they bring down1 may lie open  
to an ,ambuscade from you4 ,and whilst  
the  strong arguings of the ,schools    
like the ,wind in the ,fable1 seems but 
to  harden these ,sturdy ,sinners1 your 
,persuasions like the ,suns mild and    
powerful rays1 may oblige them to cast  
off that ,cloak of ,maliciousness  in   
which they are so much intangled4 ,and  
surely it is worth your while  to fit   
your selves for this3 ',tis a ,godlike  
thing to relieve even  the ,temporal    
wants of our ,fellow ,creatures1 to keep

 a ,body from  perishing1 but it is much
 more ,divine1 to ,save a ,soul from    
,death6 ,a  ,soul which in his estimate 
who best knows the value of it1 is worth
  more than all the ,world4 ,they who   
are thus wise shall shine as the        
brightness of the ,firmament1 and they  
who turn many to ,righteousness  as the 
,stars for ever2 which is a ,glory we   
may honestly ,contend for1  a ,beauty we
 may lawfully ,covet2 ,o that we had but
 ,ambition enough to  aspire after it6  
,o that we had but so much at least as  
we see daily  thrown away on a poor     
transitory ,earthly ,diadem1 which sets 
uneasy on  his head who wears it1 and   
which a longer arm may wrest from his   
,brows6  ,but alas it was in our        
fore-fathers days that the ,kingdom of  
,heav'n  was took by violence2 they     
thought nothing1 and we think every     
thing  too much to ,do or ,suffer to    
obtain it6 ,not but that it is still as 
bright and glorious1 as truly           
attractive1 but we are dull and stupid  

we  shut our eyes and won't behold its  
,charms4 ,were we but duly sensible  of 
this we shou'd think no ,posterity so   
desireable as the ,offspring  of our    
,minds1 nor any state so great as the   
carrying a large ,train of  ,followers  
with us to the ,court of ,heaven6 ,so   
much ,knowledge therefore  as is        
necessary to engage and keep us firm in 
our ,christian ,course1 to  fit us to   
help others in theirs1 to stir us up to 
pursue1 and direct us  in our endeavours
 after one of the brightest ,crowns of  
,glory1 does very  well become us2 and  
more than this ,i do not contend for1   
being far from  desiring that any one   
shou'd neglect her ,necessary ,affairs  
to amuse her  self with nice            
,speculations4 ,no2 ,she who has a      
,family is discharging  part of her     
,christian ,calling whilst ,she's taking
 care for its ,support  and ,government1
 and wou'd be very much out1 if she     
lock'd her self in  her ,study1 when her
 ,domesticks had need of her direction4 

,but there  are few of those to whom ,i 
write1 who have not a good deal of time 
to  spare1 if you reckon whats thrown   
away on fantastic ,impertinencies1  and 
'tis this ,i wou'd have better employ'd3
 ,were not a ,morning more              
advantageously spent at a ,book than at 
a ,looking-,glass1 and an  ,evening in  
,meditation than in ,gaming8 ,were not  
,pertinent and ,ingenious  ,discourse   
more becoming in a visit1 than ,idle    
twattle and uncharitable  ,remarks8 than
 a ,nauseous repetition of a set of fine
 words which no  body believes or cares 
for8 ,and is not the fitting our selves 
to do  ,real ,services to our           
,neighbours1 a better expression of our 
,civility  than the formal performance  
of a thousand ridiculous ,ceremonies1   
which  every one condemns and yet none  
has the ,courage to break thro8         
,,chap4 ,,iv4        ,concerning the    
,regulation of the ,will and the        
,government of the      ,passions4      
,as the ,capacity which we find in our  

selves of ,receiving and ,comparing     
,ideas is what we call the              
,understanding1 so the ,power of        
,preferring  any ,thought or ,motion1 of
 ,directing them to ,this or ,that thing
 rather  than to another is what we mean
 by the ,will3 ,whose ,regularity       
consists  in a constant ,tendency       
towards such things as ought to be      
,prefer'd1 or  in a word1 in ,conformity
 to the ,will of ,,god4 ,that ,,god's   
,will is the  ,rule of ours is methinks 
so plain that it needs no proof2 for why
 do  we ,prefer a thing but because we  
,judge it ,best8 and why do we ,chuse it
  but because it ,seems ,good for us8   
,now ,,god being ,infinitely ,wise all  
his  ,judgments must be ,infallible1 and
 being ,infinitely ,good he can ,will   
nothing but what is best1 nor prescribe 
any thing that is not for our           
,advantage4 ,this is ,i dare say what   
every one ,thinks if they think at  all 
about the matter and is the ,rule they  
wou'd ,act by did they give  themselves 

leave upon all occasions duly to        
,consider and ,weigh what is  propos'd  
to them4    ,but as there are some      
,ideas which our ,understandings receive
 so early  that they seem to be born    
with us1 which are never totally absent 
from  our minds1 and are in a manner the
 source of all the rest2 so there  are  
certain ,motions or ,inclinations       
inseparable from the ,will1 which  push 
us on to the use of that ,power1 and    
determine it to the ,choice  of such    
things as are most agreeable to them4   
,nor shou'd we do amiss  in following   
these ,inclinations did they keep that  
,impression which  the ,author of       
,nature gave them1 which is towards     
,good in general1 or  towards himself1  
for he only is our ,true ,good1 and     
these are the ,wings  of the ,soul which
 shou'd carry it on vigorously towards  
him4    ,whether there is not in us an  
,inclination to do what is ,fit1 that is
  to think and ,act agreeably to a      
,rational ,nature1 without considering  

our own particular advantage ,i shall   
not here dispute4 ,for whether  this be 
so or no1 'tis certain that in our      
present ,circumstances1 we  cannot      
separate ,fit and ,good in ,reality1 tho
 we may have distinct  ,ideas of them4  
,what is really proper for ,rational    
,creatures to do1  tending necessarily  
to their ,happiness1 and nothing being  
able to make  them truly ,happy but that
 which is fit to be done4 ,besides1 so  
pure an  ,inclination being wholly      
abstracted from ,self-,love and         
,prejudice is not  subject to any       
,irregularity1 and so needs not be      
spoken of here2 and  perhaps so few are 
acquainted with it1 that it will hardly 
be known  what we mean by it4    ,an    
,inclination therefore after ,happiness 
is that to which we shall at  present   
reduce all the rest2 which ,happiness we
 pursue by removing  as far as we can   
from that which is uneasie to us1 and by
 uniting  our selves as much as we are  
able to some ,good which we suppose we  

want4 ,the former of these being indeed 
a pursuit of ,good1 tho not  so         
,directly as the latter4 ,good then is  
the ,object of the ,will1 and  hitherto 
one wou'd think there were no           
probability of our straying from  the   
,will of ,,god1 and that there were so  
little need of advising us  to ,will as 
,,god ,wills that it is impossible we   
shou'd ,will otherwise2  because        
whenever we oppose our ,wills to his1 we
 change in a manner the  very           
,constitution of our ,nature and fly    
from that ,happiness which we  wou'd    
pursue4    ,but the misfortune is as has
 been once observ'd already1 that we    
,will e're we are capable of examining  
the ,reasons of our ,choice1 or  of     
viewing our ,ideas so exactly as we must
 if we wou'd ,judge aright4  ,and the   
frequent repetition of such unreasonable
 ,choices makes them  ,customary to us1 
and consequently gives a new and wrong  
bias to our  ,inclinations1 which upon  
all occasions dispose the ,will to the  

,choice  of such things as we suppose1  
tho by mistake1 to contribute to our    
,happiness4 ,add to this1 that the      
,passions which are certain ,commotions 
in the ,bloud and ,animal ,spirits      
accompanying these ,inclinations1       
design'd in the ,order of ,nature for   
the good of the ,body1 as the           
,inclinations were intended for the     
,good of the ,soul1 do so unite  us to  
sensible things1 and represent 'em with 
such advantage1 that  ,spiritual ,good  
which seems at a greater distance       
relishes very little1  and abstracted   
,truths do not find us so ,impartial as 
to examin them  throughly1 and to give  
them their due ,weight1 when they're    
ballanc'd  against such things as may be
 ,seen and ,felt2 these being commonly  
preferr'd1 not for their intrinsic      
worth1 but for their outward ,shew  and 
the ,bulk they carry4    ,that we always
 endeavour to be ,happy is sufficiently 
evident1 and that  we too frequently fly
 from ,,god who only can make us so1    

,experience  sadly ,demonstrates4 ,which
 cou'd not be did we not grosly mistake 
our  ,happiness1 as we certainly do     
whenever we ,will any thing in          
opposition  to the ,will of ,,god1      
whatever ,appearance of ,good it may    
happen to carry4  ',tis true the ,will  
does always pursue ,good1 or somewhat   
represented to  it as such1 but it is   
not always1 or rather very seldom1      
determin'd  to the ,choice of what is in
 it self the greatest ,good4 ,and though
 ,i  suppose we always ,chuse that which
 in that ,juncture in which it is       
propos'd seems fittest for our ,present 
turn1 yet it is often such  as we wou'd 
not prefer1 did we impartially examin   
and observe the  ,consequences4 ,but we 
will not do that1 chusing rather to ,act
 by the  ,wrong ,judgments we have      
formerly made1 and to follow blindly the
  ,propensities they have given us1 than
 to suspend our ,inclinations as  we    
both ,may and ,ought1 and restrain them 
from determining our ,will1  till we    

have fairly and fully examin'd and      
ballanc'd1 according to the  best of our
 ,knowledge1 the several degrees of     
,good and ,evil present  and future that
 are in the ,objects set before us4 ,the
 neglect of which  is at once both our  
,fault and ,misery2 ,our ,fault in that 
we precipitate  our ,choice1 refusing to
 ,consider sufficiently to rectifie our 
,mistakes4  ,and our ,misery because we 
shall certainly be ,disappointed sooner 
or  later1 and be convinc'd that what   
was so ,hastily and ,unreasonably       
,chosen1 ought not even then to have    
been prefer'd1 how ,pleasant soever  it 
appear'd1 seeing it neither ,was nor    
,cou'd be ,good for us4    ,it seems    
indeed the greatest wonder in the ,world
 how any ,man in his  ,senses can prefer
 the short ,pleasures of ,sin1 which are
 attended even  in this ,life with ,pain
 and ,shame1 and a thousand             
,inconveniencies1  to the ,present      
,delights of ,vertue1 and the ,prospect 
of a ,felicity  ,infinite and ,eternal1 

if he does at all compare them4 ,an     
,eternity of  ,joys must needs be       
preferable to ,fifty or ,threescore     
,years of ,sinful  ,pleasures1 weigh    
them in what ,scales you please1 and    
supposing these  much greater than ever 
any ,sinner found 'em1 especially since 
they are  attended with ,eternal ,pains1
 and no perverse ,inclination can make  
us  think otherwise if it will allow us 
to consider4 ,but it will not allow     
,consideration1 or if it does a little  
permit it1 it deceives us however  with 
fallacious ,salvoes4 ,it fixes our      
,thoughts on a ,present ,uneasiness     
which it says must be remov'd1 and our  
,desires gratify'd at any rate1  without
 suffering us to weigh the ill          
,consequences of doing so4 ,and  perhaps
 the ,wrong bias which we receive from  
our ,evil ,inclinations does  not       
consist in the persuading us that a     
,present ,sinful ,pleasure or  ,profit1 
is the ,greatest ,good1 or that it ought
 to be ,prefer'd before  the ,favour of 

,,god and ,eternal ,beatitude1 which    
whenever we ,think of  we must needs    
acknowledge to be infinitely greater1   
but in keeping us  from a full          
,conviction that th' one can't be       
,chosen without ,renouncing  th' other1 
and in making us unwilling to examine   
throughly1 lest we  shou'd want the     
pretence of ,ignorance or ,passion to   
excuse what our  ,consciences can't but 
,reproach us with as an unworthy        
,choice1 whenever  we permit our selves 
to ,reflect4    ,so that the great      
aggravation of ,sin seems to consist in 
this1 ,that  the commission of it is a  
pretending to be ,wiser or ,stronger    
than  ,,god1 an attempt to out-wit him  
by ,fineness1 or else by plain ,force   
to wrest his ,felicity from him whether 
he ,will or no4 ,for seeing we  always  
,will ,happiness1 and yet wou'd be      
,happy after another manner than  ,,god 
,wills we shall1 we express a ,desire1  
and an ,endeavour so far as  we're able 
to ,oppose and ,alter his ,will and     

,order1 by reconciling the              
gratification of a present unreasonable 
,appetite with the ,enjoyment of        
,happiness1 tho he has declar'd they    
can't be reconciled1 and made it in  the
 ordinary course of things impossible   
they shou'd4    ,sidenote3 ,mr4 ,boyle  
,style of ,scripture4    ,the ,will of  
,,god then is the ,rule of ours1 and if 
it be ask'd how we  shall come to the   
,knowledge of it8 the ,answer is ready1 
that the  ,eternal ,word and ,wisdom of 
,,god declares his ,fathers ,will unto  
us1 by  ,reason which is that ,natural  
and ,ordinary ,revelation by which he   
speaks to every one2 and by that which  
is call'd ,revelation in a  stricter    
,sense1 which is nothing else but a more
 perfect and infallible  way of         
,reasoning1 whereby we are ,clearly and 
,fully instructed in so  much of ,,god's
 ,will as is fit for us to know4 ,we    
must therefore ,improve  our ,reason as 
much as our ,circumstances in the ,world
 permit1 and to  supply its deficiency  

,seriously1 ,devoutly and ,diligently   
study the ,holy  ,scriptures 8than which
 7to use the words of a most excellent  
,person7 a  ,christian needs understand 
no other ,book to know the duty of his  
,faith  and ,life1 tho indeed to        
understand it well1 'tis ordinarily     
requisite  that a pretty number of other
 ,books be understood40    ,sidenote3   
,see ,p4 #aad1 c4    ,in the former     
,chapter we have laid down a ,method of 
using our ,reason so  as to discover    
,truth1 by observing of which 'tis hop'd
 we may escape  from considerable       
,errors1 and consequently from great    
,offences4 ,and  tho ,i can't say we    
shall never be ,mistaken nor ,chuse     
amiss1 yet our  ,infirmities will be    
very pitiable1 such as our ,just and    
,merciful ,lord  ,god will never impute 
to us1 tho we our selves ought to be    
humbled for  and always endeavouring to 
rectifie 'em4    ,after all1 the best   
way to be further ,instructed in the    
,knowledge of  our ,duty is to ,practise

 so much of it as we ,know already4 ,by 
keeping  ,,god's ,commandments1 we get  
such a sound and strong ,constitution of
  ,soul1 as leads us naturally to our   
,true ,good4 ,for as a healthy person   
whose ,tast is not vitiated1 is directed
 by that1 without examining  the        
,philosophy of ,bodys to such things as 
are fit for the nourishment  of his own3
 ,so a ,divine ,sensation gives us a    
lively relish of what's  ,good1 and a   
perfect aversion to the contrary4 ,it   
endues the ,soul not  only with a       
,sagacity of ,understanding to discern  
readily what is best1  but likewise with
 such a ,regularity of ,will1 as makes  
it even ,hate and  ,abhor all evil ways4
    ,a most desirable ,temper no doubt1 
the very top of ,human ,felicity1 but   
how shall we obtain it8 ,we find our    
selves under the power of quite         
contrary ,inclinations and ,relishes1   
and how to get rid of 'em we know  not4 
,this is indeed a very wretched         
condition1 the only thing that  deserves

 our ,sorrow1 yet the ,case is not so   
desperate1 but that by the  help of an  
,almighty ,physician we may be ,cured1  
if in good earnest we  set about it4    
,and because the not discerning our true
 ,happiness and the  being accustom'd to
 pursue a false one is the cause of our 
,disorder1  somewhat must be done by way
 of ,meditation and somewhat by way of  
,exercise4    ,now ,i know not any      
,subjects more proper for our           
,meditation on this and  all occasions1 
than our own ,nature1 the ,nature of    
,material ,beings1 and  the ,nature of  
,,god2 because it is thro the mistake of
 some of these that  our ,inclinations  
take a wrong bias1 and consequently that
 we transgress  against ,,god1 our      
,neighbour and our selves4 ,for did we  
consider what  we ,are1 that ,humane    
,nature conflicts in the ,union of a    
,rational ,soul  with a ,mortal ,body1  
that the ,body very often ,clogs the    
,mind in its  noblest ,operations1      
especially when indulg'd4 ,that we stand

 not singly  on our own ,bottom1 but are
 united in some measure to all who bear 
a  ,human ,form1 especially to the      
,community amongst whom we live1 and yet
  more particularly to those several    
,relations we may have in it4 ,did we   
go on to consider what are the proper   
,duties and ,enjoyments of such a       
nature as ours1 that is1 what           
performances do naturally result from   
those ,capacities we find our selves    
endow'd with1 which may therefore  be   
reasonably expected from us1 and what   
sort of ,pleasures we are made  to      
relish4 ,again1 were we so far at least 
,philosophers1 as to be able  to pass a 
due estimate on ,material ,beings1 did  
we know 'em so well as  not to prize    
them above their real value4 ,did we in 
the last place  contemplate the ,author 
of our ,being1 from whom we ,derive and 
to  whom we owe our ,all2 and insted of 
prying saucily into his ,essence1  7an  
insufferable presumption in ,creatures  
who are ignorant of their  own7 or      

pretending to know more of him than he  
has thought fit to  communicate in his  
,word1 and in that ,idea of ,infinite   
,perfection which  he has giv'n us1     
,frequently1 ,seriously and ,humbly     
,meditate on what he  has been pleas'd  
to unveil4 ,did we but employ so much of
 our ,time and  ,thoughts on these      
things as we do on our ,sins and        
,vanities1 we shou'd  not be long in    
discerning the good effects4    ,for ,i 
question not but that we shou'd be      
convinc'd that the ,body is  the        
,instrument of the ,mind and no more1   
that it is of a much ,inferior  ,nature1
 and therefore ought to be kept in such 
a ,case as to be ready  on all occasions
 to serve the ,mind4 ,that the true and 
proper ,pleasure  of ,human ,nature     
consists in the exercise of that        
,dominion which the  ,soul has over the 
,body1 in governing every ,passion and  
,motion according  to ,right ,reason1 by
 which we most truly pursue the real    
good of both1  it being a mistake as    

well of our ,duty as our ,happiness to  
consider  either part of us singly1 so  
as to neglect what is due to the other4 
,for if we disregard the ,body wholly1  
we pretend to live like ,angels  whilst 
we are but ,mortals2 and if we prefer or
 equal it to the ,mind we  degenerate   
into ,brutes4 ,the former indeed is not 
frequent1 it is only  to be found       
amongst a few ,scrupulous ,persons1 who 
sometimes impose  such rigors on the    
,body1 as ,,god never requires at their 
hands1 because  they are inconsistent   
with a ,human ,frame4 ,the latter is the
 common and  dangerous fault1 for the   
most of us accustom our selves to tast  
no  other ,pleasures than what are      
convey'd to us by the ,organs of ,sense1
 we  pamper our ,bodies till they grow  
resty and ungovernable1 and instead  of 
doing ,service to the ,mind1 get        
,dominion over it4    ,thus we learn    
what is truly to ,love our selves3 for  
tho ,self-,love as it  is usually       
understood has a very ill ,character and

 is the ,root of ,evil1  yet rightly    
apply'd it is ,natural and ,necessary1  
the great inducement  to all manner of  
,vertue4 ,they cannot be said to ,love  
their ,body who  wou'd not willingly    
suffer a little pain in a ,finger to    
preserve  an ,arm1 much more to save    
their ,life2 nor do they in reality love
  themselves1 who wou'd not readily     
suffer any uneasiness in their ,body1   
which may conduce to the good of their  
,mind2 and who do not prefer the  least 
probability of bettering their condition
 in the next ,life1 to all  the         
,conveniencies of this1 nay even to     
,life it self4    ,again1 when we       
consider that we are but several ,parts 
of one great  ,whole1 and are by ,nature
 so connected to each other1 that       
whenever one  part suffers the rest must
 suffer with it1 either by ,compassion  
or else  by being punish'd for the want 
of it1 we shall never be so absurd as   
to fancy we can do ourselves a ,service 
by any thing ,injurious to our          

,neighbours4    ,and finding both that  
we're endow'd with many excellent       
,faculties1  which are capable of great 
,improvement1 such as bespeak in us     
somewhat  too ,divine1 to have it once  
imagin'd that it was made for nothing   
else  but to move a portion of ,matter  
#gj or #hj ,years2 to ,act only on the  
,stage of an ,unjust and ,ill-natur'd   
,world1 where ,folly and ,wickedness    
usually go away with the ,reward that is
 due to ,wisdom and ,vertue3 ,and  yet  
that for all these ,excellencies1       
somewhat is still wanting to  complete  
our ,happiness1 we do not find intire   
,felicity in our selves1  but we are    
conscious of many wants which must be   
supply'd elsewhere4  ,we therefore look 
about to see where we may meet with this
 ,supply1 and  ,material ,beings with   
which were compass'd do first present   
themselves4  ,these are the ,objects of 
our ,senses1 it is at their presence    
that the  ,body tasts all its           
,pleasures1 no wonder therefore if it   

endeavour to  persuade us that our ,good
 is here1 tho a little ,consideration1  
if not  our frequent disappointments    
when we seek no further1 were sufficient
  one wou'd think to convince us that it
 is not4 ,for when we come to  weigh 'em
 in an impartial consideration we       
discern1 that as they are  ,,god's ,work
 they have a ,perfection suitable to    
their several ,natures1  and are as     
perfect as is consistent with the       
several ,ranks and ,stations  they are  
plac'd in1 so that consider'd           
,positively they are not to be          
,contemn'd1 since they set forth the    
,wisdom1 ,power and ,goodness of their  
,maker4 ,but if we compare them with the
 ,human ,soul they appear of  little    
value1 and of none at all in comparison 
of ,him who made them2  and since their 
,nature is beneath1 and their ,worth    
much less than ours1  we cannot find our
 ,happiness in 'em4 ,they contribute    
'tis true to the  ,preservation and     
,ease of the ,body1 they help to make it

 fit for the  ,service of the ,mind2    
,but since a very few of 'em will do    
this1 the rest  are but a load and      
trouble1 so far from being useful1 that 
they indeed  hurt us1 unless they're    
made to minister to ,charity and        
,contemplation4    ,let then these      
little things be drawn aside1 these     
,clouds that hide  the most adorable    
,face of ,,god from us1 these ,mud-walls
 that enclose  our ,earthly ,tabernacle 
and will not suffer us to be pierc'd    
with the  ,beams of his ,glory1 and     
wounded1 not to ,death but ,life1 with  
the ,arrows  of his ,love and ,beauty4  
,in him we find that infinite ,good     
which alone  can satisfie us1 and which 
is not to be found elsewhere6 ,somewhat 
in  which we lose our selves with       
,wonder1 ,love and ,pleasure6 ,somewhat 
too  ineffable to be nam'd1 too         
,charming1 too ,delightful not to be    
eternally  desir'd6 ,and were we not    
sunk into ,sense1 and buried alive in a 
croud  of ,material ,beings1 it might   

seem impossible to think of any thing   
but  ,him4 ,for whether we consider the 
,infinite ,perfection of his ,nature1   
or the ,interest we have in1 and our    
intire dependance on him4 ,whether  we  
consider him as ,maker and ,governor of 
all things1 as filling all  places1     
intimately acquainted with all ,events1 
as ,righteous in all his  ways1 and holy
 in all his works4 ,whether we          
contemplate his ,almighty  ,power2 or   
what seems more suitable to our         
,faculties and ,condition1 the          
,spotless ,purity of his ,nature1 the   
,moral ,rectitude of his ,will1 which   
guided by ,infallible ,wisdom always    
,chuses what is ,best4 ,and more        
particularly his ,infinite ,goodness1   
his ,beneficence to the ,children of    
,men2 that he is not only ,good in      
himself1 but that he is also ,our       
,good1 the only ,amiable ,being1 who is 
altogether ,lovely1 and worthy  of ,all 
our ,love1 the ,object of our ,hope1 the
 ,sum of our ,desire1 the  ,crown of our

 ,joy1 without whom we shall for ever   
,languish and ,grieve2  ,enjoying whom  
we have nothing to ,fear1 nor any thing 
to ,hate but what  wou'd deprive us of  
that ,enjoyment4 ,if we consider how    
much he has  done to render us capable  
of this ,happiness even when we fled    
from it2  what affronts he has put up1  
with what ,patience he bears our        
,follies  and solicits our ,return1 in a
 ,word1 all the ,wonders of his ,love in
  ,christ ,jesus6 ,we cannot sure do    
less than fix our ,thoughts for ever on 
,him1 and devote our selves ,intirely to
 ,him6 ,all our ,passions will be       
,charm'd1 and every ,inclination        
attracted6 ,we shall no more dispute his
  ,will1 nor seek exemption from it1 but
 with all ,sincerity of ,heart1 and     
ardent ,desire cry out1 ,lord what wilt 
thou have me to do8 ,not my ,will       
,lord1 but thine be done6 ,the business 
of our ,lives will be to improve  our   
,minds and to stretch our ,faculties to 
their utmost extent1 that so  we may    

have the fullest enjoyment our ,nature  
will admit1 of this ever  satisfying and
 yet ever desirable1 because an         
,infinite1 and our ,true1  ,good4    ,as
 to what is to be done by way of        
,exercise1 not to enter too far into    
the ,philosophy of the ,passions1       
suffice it briefly to observe3 ,that by 
the ,oeconomy of ,nature such and such  
,motions in the ,body are annext  in    
such a manner to certain ,thoughts in   
the ,soul1 that unless some  outward    
force restrain1 she can produce them    
when she pleases barely  by willing     
them2 and reciprocally several          
,impressions on the ,body  are          
communicated to1 and affect the ,soul1  
all this being perform'd by  the means  
of the ,animal ,spirits4 ,the ,active   
,powers of the ,soul1 her  ,will and    
,inclinations are at her own dispose1   
her ,passive are not1  she can't avoid  
feeling ,pain or other sensible         
,impressions so long  as she's united to
 a ,body1 and that ,body is dispos'd to 

convey these  ,impressions4 ,and when   
outward ,objects occasion such          
,commotions in the  ,bloud and ,animal  
,spirits1 as are attended with those    
,perceptions in the  ,soul which we call
 the ,passions1 she can't be insensible 
of or avoid  'em1 being no more able to 
prevent these first ,impressions than   
she  is to stop the ,circulation of the 
,bloud1 or to hinder ,digestion4 ,all   
she can do is to ,continue the ,passion 
as it was begun1 or to ,divert it  to   
another ,object1 to ,heighthen or to let
 it ,sink by degrees1 or some  way or   
other to ,modifie and ,direct it4 ,the  
due performance of which is  what we    
call ,vertue1 which consists in         
governing ,animal ,impressions1  in     
directing our ,passions to such         
,objects1 and keeping 'em in such a     
pitch1 as right ,reason requires4    ,by
 which it appears that it is not a fault
 to have ,passions1 since  they are     
natural and unavoidable1 and useful too2
 for as the  ,inclinations are the      

,wings of the ,soul1 so these give ,life
 and ,vigor  to the ,inclinations1 by   
disposing the ,body to act according to 
the  ,determination of the ,mind4 ,but  
the fault lies here1 we suffer 'em too  
often to get the ,mastry of the ,mind1  
to hurry it on to what ,objects  they   
please and to fix it there1 so that it  
is not able to consider  any ,idea but  
what they present4 ,whereas the ,soul   
can if she please1  and if she makes use
 of her ,authority in time1 divert the  
,course of  the ,spirits1 and direct 'em
 to a new ,object1 by ,limiting or      
,extending  her ,ideas1 and by laying   
aside those the ,passions excited1 and  
entertaining new ones4 ,nay1 if we do   
but forbear to revolve such             
,considerations as are apt to continue  
the ,commotion of the ,spirits1 it  will
 cease of it self4 ,this is what we can 
and ought to do1 and  if we do not      
perform it1 we act rather like the      
,slaves of ,sense than  ,creatures      
endued with ,reason2 but if we do1 we   

can hardly receive any  ,injury from the
 ,passions4    ,the way therefore to    
,govern 'em is to be always in a ,temper
 fit for  this1 ,recollect and          
,compos'd1 holding our ,minds in as even
 a poise as  ever we can between ,mirth 
and ,melancholy1 one of which ,stupifies
 the  ,soul and the other ,dissolves it2
 and both of 'em weaken and dispose it  
for ,passion4 ,nothing but what feeds   
the ill humor will make ,impression     
whilst it is under the power of this1   
nor any useful thing stay  in it1 but it
 lies open to all manner of evil1 when  
it is violently  agitated by that4 ,too 
much of either rendring us unfit to     
,converse  with our selves or others2   
such a mixture of both as makes us      
,serious  without ,sourness1 and        
,chearful without ,levity1 being the    
happy ,temper4  ,it is by surprize that 
the ,passions injure us1 they violently 
attack  our ,reason when she is not     
prepar'd to receive them1 so that the   
,will  is determin'd all of a sudden by 

,confuse ,perceptions and ,sensations4  
,nor is it easie to repulse them when   
once they have gain'd ground1  because  
they often bribe our ,guard1 and get the
 ,mastry of us by those  very           
,considerations which shou'd have been  
arm'd against 'em4 ,but  ,recollection1 
a sedate and sober frame of ,mind1      
prevents this ,mischief1  it keeps our  
,reason always on her ,guard and ready  
to exert her self2  it fits us to ,judge
 truly of all occurrences1 and to draw  
advantage  from whatever happens4 ,this 
is the true ,art of ,prudence1 for that 
which properly speaks us ,wise1 is the  
accommodating all the ,accidents  of    
,life to the great ,end of ,living4 ,and
 since the ,passiveness of our  ,nature 
makes us liable to many ,sufferings     
which we cou'd wish to avoid1  ,wisdom  
consists in the using those ,powers1    
which ,,god has given us the  free      
disposal of1 in such a manner1 as to    
make those very things which  befal us  
against our ,will1 an occasion of ,good 

to us4    ,for if we do not live like   
,machines1 but like ,reasonable         
,creatures1  that is if we ,observe1    
,examine and ,apply whatever comes under
 our  ,cognizance1 every ,turn in our   
own and our ,neighbours ,life will be   
,useful to us4 ,it is not to be deny'd  
that we're generally ,critical          
,observators on our ,neighbours1 but    
,i'm afraid it is with an ,ill not a    
,good ,design4 ,we do't to feed our     
,pride by an ungenerous insulting over  
their ,infirmities1 or thinking to      
,excuse and ,justifie our own ,faults by
  theirs4 ,but we seldom set a mark on  
the ,precipices from whence they  fell  
that we may avoid 'em1 or note their    
,false ,steps1 that ours may be  more   
,exact4    ,and indeed as things are    
usually manag'd1 since ,modesty1        
,breeding1 or  ,sheepish ,cowardise1    
restrains even those who are capable of 
bettering  ,conversation1 from ,edifying
 ,discourses1 the only use we can make  
of  that ,time which the ,world borrows 

of us and ,necessary ,civility exacts1  
is to lay in ,matter of ,observation4 ,i
 do not mean that we shou'd make        
,ill-natur'd ,remarks1 or ,uncharitable 
,reflections on ,particular ,persons1   
but only that we take notice of the     
several workings of ,human ,nature1  the
 little turns and distinctions of       
,various ,tempers2 there being  somewhat
 peculiar almost in every one1 which    
cannot be learn'd but by  ,conversation 
and the ,reflections it ,occasions4 ,for
 as to the main1 we  learn it by looking
 into our own ,hearts1 one ,person being
 but the  ,counterpart of another1 so   
that they who thorowly ,know themselves 
have  a right ,idea of ,mankind in      
general1 and by making reasonable       
allowances  for ,circumstances1 may     
pretty well guess at ,particulars4      
,but even the ,knowledge of our selves  
is not to be had without the  ,temper   
here recommended4 ,for since the        
,passions do mostly depend on the       
,constitution of the ,body1 ,age1       

,education and way of ,living2 so that  
the same ,object does not only ,affect  
several ,persons differently1 but       
variously moves the very same ,person at
 several ,seasons2 and there was  once a
 time perhaps1 when that which puts us  
now in a ferment had no  power to move  
us3 ,we must therefore to the general   
consideration of  ,human ,nature already
 spoken of1 add a more minute inquiry   
into our own2  ,observing our           
,particular ,passions1 that especially  
to which we're most  inclin'd by        
,nature1 on which all the rest in a     
manner depend2 and all  the             
,peculiarities that are to be found in  
our own ,temper4 ,very great  things    
many times depending on a trivial       
,humour2 nor is it so often  ,reason1 as
 our particular way of using it that    
determines our ,thoughts  and ,actions4 
,now nothing less than a continual      
,watch and ,application  can procure us 
a sufficient ,acquaintance with our     
selves1 we cannot  well discern what    

,objects most sensibly touch us2 which  
is our weakest  side2 by what means it  
is ,expos'd or ,strengthened2 how we may
 ,restrain  or rightly ,employ a        
,passion we cou'd not ,prevent2 and     
consequently grow  strong by our very   
,infirmities1 whilst we make them an    
occasion of  ,exercising and ,encreasing
 our ,vertue unless we're always in a   
watchful  ,frame1 unless we make        
,remarks even whilst the ,passion is    
working1  and ,constantly attend the    
least beatings of our own ,heart4 ,our  
own  ,heart which is indeed one of the  
best ,books we can ,study1 especially   
in respect of ,morality1 and one        
principal ,reason why we're no better   
,proficients in useful ,knowledge1 is   
because we don't duly consult it4       
,again1 we shou'd endeavour to render   
,spiritual and ,future things as        
,present and ,familiar as may be1 and to
 withdraw as much as we can from        
sensible ,impressions1 especially from  
such as attack us violently4  ,she whose

 ,mind is busied about the former will  
find 'em of ,weight and  ,moment        
sufficient to employ all her ,passions1 
whilst the other will be  scarce taken  
notice of2 or be look'd on with         
,indifferency1 because they  appear to  
deserve very little ,admiration1 ,joy1  
or ,sorrow1 and are not  of value enough
 to discompose the ,mind4 ,and tho we   
have not ,ambition  to aspire to ,st4   
,paul's ,perfection1 who was ,crucified 
to the ,world  and the ,world to him1 a 
greater ,character than that of         
,universal  ,monarch2 tho we think it   
impossible to be wholly ,insensible to  
it  whilst we live in it3 ,yet sure we  
can't deny that it is ,possible1 and    
very much our ,duty1 to be more         
indifferent to the ,objects of ,sense   
than  the most of us are4 ,for we       
certainly do amiss if we fix our ,eyes  
and  ,thoughts so constantly on 'em1 as 
that at last we take them for the  most 
considerable things1 and imagine that   
our ,happiness is here2 or1  tho we     

can't be so gross as to believe this1   
yet if we act as if  we did2 ,it wou'd  
become us much better to argue1 that the
 ,possession  of these ,worldly         
,advantages which ,mankind so much      
contend for1 is ,good  if it can procure
 us ,eternal ,felicity2 and that the    
,want of 'em is an  ,evil1 if it exclude
 us from the ,kingdom of ,heav'n4    ,by
 which we learn how necessary it is to  
,retire and ,meditate  frequently2 and  
how much it becomes us to keep out of   
the way of  ,theatrical ,shows and      
inordinate ,merriments1 and not so much 
as to  enter into a ,parley with those  
,pomps and ,vanities we renounc'd in our
  ,baptism4 ,for tho some extraordinary 
,tempers may make use of these to  stir 
up the ,powers of their ,soul1 and to   
give them a greater aversion  to        
,vanity1 as some ,poysons are said to be
 ,antidotes against others1  yet for the
 most part they have an ill ,effect3    
,because they deprive  the ,soul of real
 ,joy and divine ,serenity1 by making   

too strong an  ,impression on the       
,senses1 whereby the ,animal ,spirits   
are very much  ,mov'd and ,exhausted1   
and being spent on trifles the ,mind is 
left ,dull1  ,unactive1 and ,melancholy 
too1 especially if it ,reflect on its   
,actions  as it ought2 so natural and   
necessary is it1 that ,vain ,mirth      
shou'd  conclude in ,heaviness4         
,sidenote3 ,les ,passions de l',ame4    
,again1 the ,passions consider'd as     
,bodily ,impressions only1 excite us    
many times to the ,gratification of the 
,animal in prejudice of the  ,rational  
,nature4 ,for tho ,mankind had          
,originally no ,appetites but what      
might ,innocently be satisfied2 yet     
since our ,degeneracy1 and that we  have
 lost the true ,relish of ,good and     
,evil1 they often give us false  alarms1
 stirring us up to ,pursue or ,avoid    
what indeed we ,ought not1  if we       
consult our ,good in the ,main1 and not 
the pleasing of a ,part1  nay the ,worst
 part of us4 ,but if we consider 'em as 

attending our  ,inclinations1 they can  
do no hurt1 let 'em be as ,brisk and    
,active as  they can1 provided they fix 
on their ,proper ,objects4 ,now what    
these are  is to be found by the ,nature
 of the ,passions1 by which we are led  
to  the ,use of 'em1 since every thing  
ought to be employ'd about that which   
it is fitted for4 ,but this being       
already accounted for by ,des ,cartes   
and ,dr4 ,more1 in his excellent        
,account of ,vertue1 ,i cannot pretend  
to add any thing to what they have so   
well ,discours'd4 ,only as a  further   
confirmation of what has been already   
said we may observe2 ,that  ,admiration 
gives ,rise to all the ,passions2 for   
unless we were ,affected  with the      
,newness of an ,object1 or some other   
remarkable ,circumstance1  so as to be  
attentively engag'd in the              
,contemplation of it1 we shou'd  not be 
any wise mov'd1 but it wou'd pass by    
unregarded4 ,and therefore  'tis very   
necessary not to be struck with little  

things1 or to busie  our ,minds about   
'em1 but to fix all our ,attention on1  
and to keep all  our ,admiration for    
things of the greatest moment1 such as  
are those  which relate to another      
,world4    ,we may further observe1 that
 there is a leading ,passion almost in  
every one1 to which the ,temper of their
 ,body inclines1 and on which  the rest 
do in a manner wholly depend1 especially
 if it be confirm'd  by ,education and  
,custom1 so that if we duly manage this1
 we have  the ,command of all4 ,some are
 more subject to ,fear1 some to ,hope1  
to ,joy1 ,sorrow or the like1 than      
others2 but ,love seems to be  the      
predominant ,passion in every one1 and  
that which makes one of  the former more
 remarkable than another1 is only       
because it has been  oftner mixt with   
,love4 ,and indeed1 since this is at the
 bottom of  all the ,passions1 one wou'd
 think they're nothing else but         
different  ,modifications of it1        
occasion'd by some ,circumstance in the 

,subject  or ,object of this ,passion4  
,thus ,desire is a ,love to ,good       
consider'd  as ,future2 ,hope the       
,passion that disposes us to believe we 
may1 and  ,fear that we shall not obtain
 it4 ,joy is a pleasant ,commotion  of  
the ,soul in the ,fruition of the ,good 
we ,love2 and ,sorrow a  disagreeable   
one occasion'd by the want of it1 or    
presence of its  contrary4 ,the like may
 be said of the rest1 for even ,hatred  
tho it  appear directly opposite to     
,love1 may be refer'd to it1 the very   
same  motion that carrys the ,soul      
towards ,good1 carrying her also from   
those  things which wou'd deprive her of
 it1 which on that account are call'd   
,evils1 and why do we ,hate any thing1  
but because it does some way or  other  
hinder our ,enjoyment of what we ,love8 
,if therefore our ,love be ,right1 the  
rest of our ,passions will of course  be
 so2 and our ,love which is a motion of 
the ,soul to joyn it self to  that which
 appears to be grateful to it1 will then

 be right when our  ,notions of ,good   
and ,evil are2 ,that is1 when we do not 
take up with  ,imaginary or ,particular1
 but pass on to the ,sovereign ,good1 to
 ,,god who  is the only proper and      
adequate ,object of our ,love1 as ,sin  
is of our  ,hatred1 all things else     
being no otherwise to be ,pursued or    
,avoided1  than in proportion to the    
,relation they bear to these4 ,so that  
if we  ,love ,,god with ,all our ,soul1 
as ,he certainly ,deserves1 and as we   
certainly ,must if we wou'd be ,happy2  
we shall be so taken up with the        
,contemplation and ,admiration of his   
,beauties1 have so boundless an         
,esteem1 such an awful ,veneration for1 
and so great a ,contempt of  all things 
in ,comparison of ,him2 that our        
,desires will be carried  out after     
nothing but ,,god1 and such things as   
may further our ,union  with ,him4 ,his 
,favour1 and the ,light of ,his         
,countenance will be the  ,object of our
 ,hopes1 nor shall we much ,fear any    

thing but ,his  ,displeasure4 ,no ,grief
 will pierce our ,heart but for our many
 ,offences  against1 and our ,imperfect 
,enjoyment of ,him4 ,we shall perfectly 
,hate all evil ways1 be ,jealous of ,sin
 at the remotest distance1 and  suspect 
every thing that has the least          
appearance of a ,temptation4 ,we  shall 
be extremely ,watchful over all our     
,actions1 and never ,resolve  upon any  
till we're fully assur'd it is          
conformable to his ,will and  ,pleasure4
 ,whither will not our ,emulation rise1 
what ,difficulties  won't our ,courage  
surmount1 when th' ,enjoyment of a ,,god
 is what  we aspire to6 ,the defects of 
our ,services1 and our failings in our  
,duty towards ,him1 will be the only    
occasion of ,shame2 for ,reproach  from 
,men when suffer'd for ,his sake will be
 counted a high ,encomium1  and his     
,approbation our only ,glory4 ,if ever  
we are ,angry it will  be when ,his     
,laws are ,contemn'd and ,right ,reason 
violated2 a just  ,indignation will     

arise when the ,worthless are ,prefer'd1
 and ,merit  is left unregarded4 ,his   
,favourites will be ours1 we shall      
dispense  our ,good-will to every one   
proportionably as they are dear to ,him2
  and shall think our ,gratitude can    
never enough express it self1 to  that  
,bountiful ,being from whom we receiv'd 
our ,all4 ,and ,oh6 with what  ,joy and 
,satisfaction of ,mind shall we proceed 
in every step of  this6 how pure and    
exalted is that ,pleasure1 how highly   
entertaining1  which results from the   
right use of our ,faculties1 and        
,fruition of the  ,sovereign ,good6     
,happiness is the natural ,effect as    
well as the ,reward  of an ,ardent ,love
 to ,,god1 and what necessarily flows   
from it1 ,universal  ,piety3 ,that ,holy
 ,soul is always serene1 and full of    
unutterable ,bliss1  whose ,reason      
,directs1 and whose ,passions readily   
,obey1 whilst both are  ,guided by his  
,will and ,spirit who is ,infallible4   
,she tasts a ,pleasure  which the ,world

 can neither give nor take away1 nor can
 ,worldly ,minds  so much as ,imagine   
it3 ,she is satisfied with the ,past1   
,enjoys the  ,present1 and has no       
,solicitude for1 but a ,joyful          
,expectation of what's  approaching4    
,for why the ,dawnings of a ,blisful    
,endless ,day1 break  forth already in  
that ,happy ,mind1 whose ,temper and    
,constitution is  ,heavenly2 it has a   
,foretaste1 and thereby a well-grounded 
,assurance1 of  never-ceasing ,joys to  
,come6    ,so far 7by the way7 is       
,religion from being an ,enemy either to
 ,nature  or ,pleasure1 that it perfects
 the one1 and raises the other to the   
greatest height4 ,it teaches us the true
 ,use of the ,creatures1 keeps  us from 
expecting more in them than we can ever 
find1 and leads us to  the ,enjoyment of
 the ,creator who only can satisfie us4 
,for ,i wou'd  fain know of any         
experienced ,person1 whether any of the 
,delights of  this ,world did ever      
answer ,expedition when ,enjoy'd1 and   

whether the  ,joys of ,religion do not  
exceed it8 ,we come to the first with   
mighty  hopes and are always            
,disappointed1 to the last we approach  
with ,fear  and ,trembling1 supposing it
 will rob us of all the ,satisfactions  
of  ,life1 we shrink at the ,pain and   
,difficulty1 and thats the only thing   
in which after a little ,trial we find  
our selves much mistaken4 ,good         
,christians being indeed the truest     
,epicures1 because they have the  most  
tastful and highest ,enjoyment of the   
greatest ,good4    ,sidenote3 ,ladies   
,calling4    ,for ,,god is too ,kind and
 ,bountiful to deny us any ,pleasure    
befitting  our ,nature2 he does not     
require us to relinquish ,pleasure1 but 
only  to exchange the ,gross and        
,insipid for the ,pure and ,relishing1  
the  ,pleasures of a ,brute for those of
 a ,man4 ,he wou'd not have us enslav'd 
to any ,appetite1 or so taken up with   
any ,created ,good whatever1 as not  to 
be able to maintain the ,empire of our  

,reason and ,freedom of our ,will  and  
to quit it when we see occasion4 ,and   
this is all that the ,rules  of         
,self-,denial and ,mortification tend to
 so far as they are ,rational1  they    
mean no more than the procuring us a    
,power and ,disposition to do  that     
which we come now in the last place to  
recommend1 which is1 ,to  sanctifie our 
very ,infirmities1 to make even the     
disorderly ,commotions  of our ,spirits 
an occasion of producing ,holy          
,passions4 ,it were better  indeed if   
they were rais'd upon a right           
,principle2 that the ,passions  did not 
move the ,mind1 but the ,mind the       
,passions2 and that the ,motives  to    
,religion were not ,sensitive but       
,rational4 ,however in the ,infancy  of 
our ,vertue1 it may not be amiss to make
 some use of our ,vices1 and  what we   
advise if it serve no other end1 'twill 
help at least to break  ,ill-,habits and
 that's a considerable benefit4         
,agreeable to which did  an excellent   

,author bespeak the ,ladies sometime    
ago3 ,let her that  is ,amorous1 place  
her ,love upon him who is the ,chiefest 
among ten  thousand2 she that is ,angry 
turn her edg against her ,sins2 she that
 is  haughty disdain the ,devils        
,drudgery2 she that is ,fearful dread   
him who  can destroy1 both ,body and    
,soul in ,hell2 and she that is sad     
reserve  her ,tears for her ,penitential
 ,offices4 ,which1 with the rest of that
  ,authors ,ingeniuous and ,kind        
,advice1 ,i heartily wish were not only 
to be  seen in their ,closets1 but      
transcrib'd in their ,hearts and        
,legible in  their ,lives and ,actions4 
,now in order to this1 if our guard has 
been surpriz'd1 and some  sensible      
,impression has strongly broke in upon  
us1 so that we find our  selves all in a
 ferment1 let us manage the ,opportunity
 discreetly1  change the ,object and    
hallow the ,passion4 ,which is no very  
difficult  thing1 for when a ,passion is
 boyling it will spend it self on any   

,object that we please to fix it on4    
,and the ,proper ,objects of our        
,passions1 being most considerable in   
'emselves1 and naturally most apt  to   
move us if we'll but give them fair     
play1 that is allow 'em a place  in our 
,thoughts1 they'll work out the other1  
and make our ,passions what  they shou'd
 be3 ,we have a plain ,instance of this 
in ,afflictions1 in  which our ,grief is
 at first excited by some outward       
,cause1 and when  that has softned us1  
the ,spirit of ,,god who is never       
wanting unless we  ,neglect or ,quench  
him1 improves this ,worldly into a      
,godly ,sorrow that  worketh ,repentance
 not to be ,repented of4    ,besides1 as
 there is a ,pleasure in the ,passions  
as well as in all the  genuine          
,operations of ,nature1 so there's a    
,pain accompanying 'em when  misplac'd1 
which disposes the ,mind to a readiness 
to rectifie them1  that so it may enjoy 
the ,pleasure without mixture of ,pain4 
,if therefore  we assist it with a      

little ,meditation1 it will readily come
 over2 and  tho we may find it difficult
 absolutely to quash a ,passion that is 
once  begun1 yet it is no hard matter to
 transfer it1 so that it may pour  forth
 it self in all its pleasing transports1
 without fear of danger1  or mixture of 
uneasiness4    ,but a ,caution will not 
be amiss1 which is1 that we don't       
mistake the  ,fits of ,passion for a    
,spirit of ,piety and ,devotion4 ,they  
are good  beginnings 'tis true1 but if  
we're only wafted up to ,heaven in our  
,closets1 and shew forth nothing or very
 little of it in our ,lives  and        
,conversations1 we may cheat our selves 
with the conceit of being  ,holy1 but   
neither ,,god nor ,man will be so       
impos'd on4 ,she who mourns  for her    
,sins1 tho never so bitterly1 and yet   
returns to them at the  next occasion1  
gives a very good ,evidence of her      
,weakness1 but none of  her ,repentance4
 ,she who pretends to never so great    
transports of ,love  to ,,god1 and yet  

is wedded to the world1 can part with   
nothing for his  sake1 nor be content   
and easie when ,he only is her ,portion1
 gives ,him  good words1 and makes ,him 
many fine ,complements and that's the   
whole  of the matter4 ,she who makes    
shew of great ,awe and ,reverence       
towards  the ,divine ,majesty at ,church
 and has no regard to ,him in the ,world
  his larger ,temple1 as good as        
declares that she thinks his ,presence  
confin'd to a place1 or that she hopes  
to commute a ,days neglect for  an      
,hours ,observance1 and expresses her   
,contempt of ,,god much more than  her  
,veneration4 ,how can she profess to    
,hope in ,him who is ,anxious and       
,solicitous about the least ,event8 ,or 
say that her ,desires are fix't on      
,,god who has a great many ,vanities and
 ,sensual ,aptites to be ,satisfied8    
,nor are we less out of the way when we 
tincture our ,religion with our         
,passions1 and fashion an ,idea of it   
according to our own ,complection  not  

the tenor of the ,gospel4 ,hence comes  
that great diversity we meet  with both 
in ,practice and ,theory1 for as there  
is somewhat ,peculiar  almost in every  
ones ,temper1 so is there in their      
,religion4 ,is our  ,disposition ,sad   
and ,cloudy1 are we apt to take         
,offence1 ,suspicious  and hard to be   
pleas'd8 we imagine ,,god is so1        
,religion is not our ,joy  but our ,task
 and ,burden1 we become extremely       
scrupulous and uneasie  to our selves   
and others4 ,and if ,resolution and     
,daring be joyn'd with  our ,melancholy1
 and ,temptations fall pat in our way1  
we discard such  a troublesome ,religion
 and set up for ,atheism and            
,infidelity4 ,on the  other hand1 if    
we're ,fearful and ,timerous our        
,superstition has no  bounds1 we pay    
less regard to those ,laws our ,maker   
has prescrib'd1 than  we do to those    
,chimera's our own ,fancy has invented  
to reconcile ,him4  ,a mistake which the
 ,brisk and ,jovial are sensible of1 but

 not of the  contrary extreme they run  
into2 they discern that ,,god's ways are
 ways  of ,pleasantness1 and all his    
,paths are ,peace1 that ,good           
,christians  live the ,happiest ,lives1 
'tis their ,duty to ,rejoyce evermore1  
and all  the good things of the ,world  
are at their service4 ,all which is very
  true1 but then it is as true1 that    
their ,pleasures are not ,sensual  but  
,rational and ,spiritual1 which is not a
 lessening1 but an ,addition  to their  
,character2 that we are to ,use the     
,world so as not to abuse  either our   
selves or it1 to testify on all         
occasions our ,moderation and  ,contempt
 of it1 to be ready to quit it1 nay even
 to part with ,life it  self when ever  
they come in competition with our ,duty4
 ,in a word1 if  our ,anger against our 
own ,sins provokes us to be ,peevish    
with others1  tho not so good as they   
shou'd be1 it goes too far4 ,if our     
,zeal finds  fault with all who do not  
come up to our ,heights1 or who don't   

express  their ,devotion in our way1 it 
is not according to ,knowlege1 that is1 
it  is not ,discreet and ,christian4 ,if
 our great ,love to ,,god takes us up so
  much1 that we think we may be morose  
and ill-natur'd to our ,neighbour1  we  
express it in a very disagreeable way3  
,and ,i dare say it wou'd be  more      
acceptable to ,him1 if insted of        
spending it all in ,rapture and         
,devotion1 a part of it were employ'd in
 ,imitating his ,beneficence to  our    
,fellow-,creatures4    ,to wind up all2 
,the ,sum of our ,duty and of all       
,morality1 is to have a  ,temper of     
,mind so absolutely ,conform'd to the   
,divine ,will1 or which is  the same in 
other words1 such an ,habitual and      
,intire ,love to ,,god1 as  will on all 
occasions excite us to the ,exercise of 
such ,acts1 as are  the necessary       
consequents of such a ,habit4 ,this     
frame and ,constitution  of ,soul is    
what we must all our ,life time ,labour 
after1 it is to be  begun1 and some     

,proficiency made in it whilst we stay  
on ,earth1 and  then we may joyfully    
wait for its ,consummation in ,heaven1  
the reason  why we cannot be perfectly  
,happy whilst we tarry here1 being only 
because we can have this ,temper but    
,imperfectly4 ,the want of which is  the
 ,hell of the ,damn'd1 the degree of    
their misery bearing a proportion  to   
their opposition to the ,divine ,will4  
,for ,happiness is not without  us1 it  
must be found in our own ,bosoms1 and   
nothing but a ,union with  ,,god can fix
 it there2 nor can we ever be ,united to
 ,him any other wise  than by being like
 ,him1 by an ,intire ,conformity to his 
,will4    ,now she who has obtain'd this
 blessed ,temper1 whose ,will is ,right1
 and  who has no ,passion but for       
,,god's ,service1 is pleas'd that his   
,wisdom  shou'd ,chuse her ,work1 and   
only prepares to dispatch it with the   
greatest ,diligence and ,chearfulness4  
,she keeps ,all his ,precepts1 and  does
 not pick and ,chuse such as are for her

 turn1 and most agreeable  to her own   
,humor2 but as she does every thing for 
,his ,sake1 so is she  easy and pleas'd 
under all his ,dispensations2 is truly  
indifferent to  ,applause1 and fully    
content with ,,god's ,approbation4      
,indeed the ,conquest  of our ,vanity is
 one of our last ,triumphs1 and a       
,satisfaction in all  ,,god's ,choices  
for us1 from a full ,conviction that    
they are most for our  advantage1 the   
best ,test of a ,regular ,will and      
,affections4 ,for these  are heights to 
which we can't arrive till we have      
travers'd over all  the ,paths of       
,vertue1 and when once our ,passions are
 reduc'd to this1 ,i  know not in what  
they can oppose us4    ,not but that    
we're strictly oblig'd to ,provide for  
honest things in  the ,sight of ,men as 
well as of ,,god1 to do nothing but what
 is of  ,good ,report2 to ,abstain from 
all ,appearance of ,evil2 not to give   
,occasion of ,slander to those who      
desire and ,seek it2 but to ,let  our   

,light so shine before ,men1 that they  
may see our ,good-works and  ,glorify   
our ,father who is in ,heaven4 ,but when
 we have done this1 and  have taken all 
possible care to approve our selves to  
,,god and ,man1  can we be at ,ease if  
we fail in the latter8 ,are we more     
desirous of a  ,good than a ,great      
,reputation8 and wou'd we not to get a  
,name amongst  our ,fellow ,servants1 do
 any thing that may in the least        
,offend1 or be  less acceptable to our  
,common ,master8 ,can we bear the being 
,censur'd  as ,singular and ,laugh'd at 
for ,fools1 rather than comply with the 
evil  ,customs of the ,age8 and are we  
much more ,covetous of the ,substance   
,vertue1 than of the ,shadow ,fame8 ,if 
it be so we're pretty sure  that all is 
,right1 and that ,,god's will is the    
,rule1 and his ,glory the  ,end of all  
our ,actions4 ,it goes to a good ,womans
 heart to receive that  ,commendation   
which the good-nature or ,civility of   
another bestows on  her1 when she knows 

she does not ,merit it1 and to find     
whilst she's  applauded abroad1 a       
thousand ,follies1 ,mistakes and        
,weaknesses in her  own ,mind4 ,all the 
use that she makes of her ,credit and   
,esteem in the  ,world1 is to excite her
 to ,deserve it1 tho at present perhaps 
she does  not1 and ,really to come up to
 that ,character which all are          
,ambitious  to have4    ,again1 what is 
said of ,submission and a perfect       
acquiescence in the  ,divine ,will1 is  
not to be so understood as if it were a 
fault to change  our ,circumstances when
 we're fairly and honestly call'd to't1 
or that  we might not seek by honourable
 ways to enlarge them if they sit too   
strait4 ,but it is design'd to correct  
that ,complaining humor1 which  makes us
 always dissatisfied with the ,present1 
and longing after a  ,change2 which1 how
 ,religious soever we wou'd appear1 is a
 very sure  sign that our ,passions are 
not mortified nor our ,will reduced to a
 due  ,regularity3 ,as hers is without  

doubt who can be pleas'd when even her  
most innocent ,desires are denied1 when 
she is disappointed in what she  thinks 
her ,best ,designs4 ,for such an one has
 nothing in her ,temper that  ,sensible 
,impressions can so strongly fasten on1 
as to discompose her  ,mind2 and what   
can she meet with to seduce her to      
,unlawful1 who desires  not to be her   
own ,chuser in ,lawful and ,indifferent 
things8    ,the ,laws of ,,god have a   
,natural and ,inward ,goodness1 which   
wou'd  recommend them to a ,rational    
,mind tho they were not injoyn'd1 and   
therefore no wonder that ,temper        
inclines one1 ,conveniency another1 and 
,reputation a third to the ,practise of 
some of them4 ,but a ,will duly         
regulated passes over these and is acted
 by a higher ,motive1 she who is        
,religious upon a ,right ,principle     
regards the ,will of ,,god only1 for    
that  and that alone is able to carry   
her ,uniformly and ,constantly thro all 
her ,duty4 ,thus ,acts of ,beneficence1 

,liberality and ,charity1 are full  of  
,lustre1 they procure for their         
,possessor a lofty ,character1 and      
therefore whether we ,value them or no1 
we're willing however to seem  to be    
fond of 'em4 ,we fancy what mighty      
things we wou'd do were we in  such or  
such a ,persons ,circumstances1 and long
 to be ,rich and ,great  that we may    
,relieve the ,needy and ,rescue the     
,oppressed4 ,but we are  not so forward 
in aspiring after ,poverty1 tho nothing 
shews a ,braver  ,mind than the bearing 
it ,nobly and ,contentedly2 we care not 
to be the  ,oppressed ,person1 that we  
might exercise ,meekness and            
,forgiveness1  ,patience and            
,submission4 ,not but that the ,vertues 
of ,adversity are as  lovely in         
themselves1 and as ,acceptable to ,,god 
as those of ,prosperity1  or rather more
 so1 because they express a greater     
,love to ,,god1 are  more opposite to   
,vicious ,self-,love1 and do more       
eminently declare the  ,veneration we   

have for the ,divine ,wisdom and        
,goodness1 which we can  ,adore and     
,delight in1 which we can ,justify and  
,applaud even in the  most uneasy       
,circumstances4 ,but they don't make so 
great a ,figure in  the ,world1 they    
don't feed our ,vanity so much1 nor are 
so agreeable to  ,flesh and ,bloud1 and 
that's the reason why we care not for   
them4    ',tis true we profess that we  
desire ,riches and ,honour1 a great     
,reputation and ,theater in the ,world1 
on no other account but to do ,,god     
,service4 ,but if we are real in this1  
why don't we perform so much as  we     
might in our ,present ,station8 ,alas6  
we ,cheat our selves1 as well  as       
endeavour to impose on others2 and under
 ,pretence of seeking ,,god's  ,glory1  
in ,reality pursue nothing but our own4 
,for had we indeed that  ,esteem for    
,,god and ,intire ,conformity to his    
,will1 which is at once both  the ,duty 
and ,perfection of all ,rational        
,beings1 we shou'd not complain  of his 

,exercise of that ,power1 which a       
,prince or even an ,ordinary  ,master   
has a ,right to2 which is1 to set his   
,servants about such work as  he thinks 
them fittest for4 ,if we allow that     
,,god ,governs the ,universe1  can we so
 much as imagine that it is not         
,govern'd with the ,greatest  ,justice  
and ,equity1 ,order and ,proportion8 ,is
 not every one of us plac'd  in such    
,circumstances as ,infinite ,wisdom     
discerns to be most suitable1  so that  
nothing is wanting but a careful        
observation whither they lead  us1 and  
how we may best improve them8 ,what     
reason then to complain of  the         
,management of the world8 and indeed    
except in the ,morals of ,mankind  which
 are visibly and grossly deprav'd1 ,i   
see not why we shou'd so much  as wish  
for any alteration4 ,the ,wicked        
,prosper sometimes and what then8  shall
 we grudge them their ,portion here1    
since that's their ,all1 and  alas a    
very sorry one6    ,besides1 this world 

is not a soil for perfect ,happiness to 
,grow in1  ,good and ,evil are blended  
together1 every ,condition has its      
,sweet and  ,bitter1 we maybe ,made by  
,adversity and ruin'd by ,prosperity    
according  as we manage them4 ,riches   
and ,power put opportunities of doing   
,good  into our hands1 if we have a     
,will to ,use them1 but at the same time
  they furnish us with ,instruments of  
doing ,evil4 ,they afford us at once    
the ,conveniences of ,life and fuel for 
irregular ,appetites4 ,they make us     
known to others1 but many times hinder  
us from being acquainted with  our      
selves4 ,they set us in view1 so that if
 our ,example be ,bright it  becomes the
 more ,illustrious2 but we must also    
remember that our ,faults  are as       
conspicuous as our ,vertues1 and that   
,peoples eyes are most  intent on those1
 and most inquisitive to find 'em1 so   
that even our  innocent ,liberties are  
many times misconstrued4    ,by         
,obscurity1 and a ,narrow ,fortune1     

we're depriv'd of somewhat  ,necessary  
or ,commodious to our ,present ,living1 
but are quickned to a  more diligent    
concern for a ,life to ,come2 we don't  
find our ,good things  here1 and common 
,prudence will teach us to take care    
that we may  enjoy them hereafter4 ,if  
we do not ,possess much1 we have not    
much to  ,lose1 nor such great ,accounts
 to make2 have little ,business and less
  ,authority with others1 but hereby the
 more ,command of our own ,time and     
,thoughts4 ,our ,vertue is plac'd in an 
ill-light1 and our ,wisdom rejected     
with a ,what ,impertinents are these1   
who pragmatically attempt to  ,instuct  
their ,betters8 but we have fewer       
,temptations to shock the one1  and     
greater ,advantages1 as things are      
commonly manag'd to improve both4       
,we're expos'd to the ,contempt and     
,outrage of the ,world1 but that makes  
us less in love with it1 and more ready 
to welcome ,death1 whene'er it  brings  
the kind ,releasing ,summons4    ,it may

 be thought a considerable omission that
 no directions have bin  given1 any     
further than the management of our ,own 
,inclinations and  ,passions2 tho't be  
very advantageous to know how to deal   
with other  ,peoples1 both in regard of 
,education1 and of the ,influence that  
they  have on ours4 ,but ,i have this to
 say1 that ,education is a beaten       
,subject1 and has been accounted for by 
better ,pens than mine3 ,and that  in   
this as in all other things1 we are to  
treat our ,neighbours as we  do our     
selves1 shew 'em the unsuitableness of  
those ,objects which  ,irregular        
,affections pursue1 and persuade them to
 a willing use of such  methods as we   
take to ,cure our own4 ,it requires ,i  
confess1 no little  ,skill to do this to
 purpose1 and to convince them that1    
we're really  their ,friends1 whilst we 
strive to divorce them from such        
,objects as  they're endear'd and       
fastned to by a thousand tyes3 ,and this
 is so nice  a matter1 so laborious a   

task1 that the more ,i consider it the  
more  unable ,i find my self to give sit
 ,directions for the performance of  it4
 ,they who wou'd do that1 must have a   
more exact ,knowlege of ,human  ,nature1
 a greater ,experience of the ,world1   
and of those differences  which arise   
from ,constitution1 ,age1 ,education1   
receiv'd ,opinions1  outward ,fortune1  
,custom and ,conversation1 than ,i can  
pretend to4 ,and  perhaps there is no   
need of ,directions since few will      
attempt to  practise them2 for if a     
,passion that is young and tender gives 
us work  enough1 as the difficulty of   
,education plainly shews it does1 they  
had  need be very ,kind1 very ,good1 and
 very ,wise1 who set about the ,cure of 
an ,old and inveterate one4 ,nor can    
they who have so much ,divinity in      
their ,mind as to design such a noble   
work1 be thought to stand in need  of   
any advice how to perform it4           
,however1 ,i'll venture to say in       
general1 that we must never oppose      

,commotion with ,commotion1 nor be in   
,passion our selves if we wou'd  reform 
anothers1 else we lose many good        
,opportunities and seem to seek  the    
gratification of our own humor rather   
than our ,neighbours good4 ,no          
discouragements shou'd shock us1 no     
ungrateful returns shou'd lower  our    
,temper1 but we must expect and be      
prepar'd to bear many repulses  and wild
 disorders1 and patiently sustain that  
greatest uneasiness to  a ,christian    
,mind1 the bitter appearance that our   
,hopes are lost1 and  that all the      
,labour of our ,love is ineffectual6 ,we
 must abound both in  ,good-,nature and 
,discretion1 and not seldom make use of 
quite contrary  ,means to bring about   
the ,end we aim at4 ,removing all ,fuel 
from the  ,passion sometimes2 and       
sometimes ,indulging it as far as       
,innocently we  may2 and if nothing else
 will do1 give it line enough1 that so  
it may  destroy it self in its own      
,excesses4    ,but ah6 will any one     

drive us to such a desperate ,remedy as 
often  ,kills1 and cannot ,cure without 
a very great ,care1 and a more than     
,ordinary assistance of ,,god's ,grace1 
which they have little reason  to hope  
for1 who abandon themselves to          
,temptations1 and push things  to such  
,extremities6 ,will nothing less than   
,temporal ,ruin which  unreasonable     
,passions naturally end in serve to     
prevent ,eternal8 and it  were well if  
even that wou'd do1 for they usually    
involve in both4 ,if  therefore such as 
are in ,passion are capable of hearing  
any thing but  what soothes 'em in their
 own way1 ,i wou'd beg of 'em for       
,,god's sake  and their own1 to grant   
but this one very easy and equitable    
,request1  which is ,calmly to ,hear and
 to ,consider what may be said against  
their  darling ,passion4 ,for if it be  
,right it will stand the test of all    
that  can be urg'd against it2 if it be 
not1 is it ,good for them to retain  and
 cherish it any longer8 ,and if they    

refuse to listen to the ,kind1  tho     
according to them1 unseasonable and     
mistaken advice that is given1  and seek
 no further than for ,arguments to      
,justifie themselves1 do  they not by so
 great a ,partiality secretly confess   
that they are in  the ,wrong1 and wou'd 
not have it discover'd that they are so1
 because  they're resolv'd with or      
without ,reason to continue their       
irregular  ,passion8    ,and the cause  
of this strange ,resolution seems to be 
this1 ,that a  ,passion of any sort     
having got the hank of one1 it becomes  
so ,natural1  so ,agreeable1 that the   
going about to wean them from it1 looks 
like an  attempt to deprive them of all 
their ,joy2 and they're hardly persuaded
  to part with what's a ,present        
,delight1 let its ,consequences be what 
they may1 and tho the quitting of it be 
in order to th' enjoyment of  that much 
,sweeter1 as well as ,nobler ,pleasure1 
which arises from  the due use of       
,reason2 and with which those ,wise and 

,holy ,souls are  entertain'd1 who      
prefer the relishes of a ,rational      
before those of an  ,animal ,life4      
,but they ought not to think us their   
,enemies1 when we endeavour their       
,cure1 tho we happen to ,lance and      
,scarifie them4 ,they who are ,sick of  
,passion are like ,people in a          
,lethargy1 insensible of their ,danger2 
nay they're fond of their ,disease1 and 
set themselves against our  ,medicines2 
tho the greater unwillingness they show 
to be ,disturb'd1  so much the more need
 of ,rousing 'em out of their pleasing  
slumber4  ,the more secure they think   
themselves1 the more wretched is their  
,condition1 for that's a sign that the  
,passion has got an intire  ,possession 
of their ,soul1 and has fortified all   
its ,avenues against  ,reason and       
,wholesome ,advice4 ,and 'tis worth     
being remarqued1 that our  ,inclinations
 how ,innocent and ,harmless soever they
 appear1 are always  to be suspected if 
the ,passions that accompany them are   

violent4 ,for  ,violence does not       
,answer but ,destroy the ,use of        
,passion1 it hinders  th' ,operations of
 the ,soul1 insted of disposing the     
,body to follow her  ,directions        
,vigorously4    ,and as to the          
,influence that another ,persons        
,passion may have on us1  enough has bin
 said to warn us1 not to dally with the 
,flame when our  ,neighbours house is on
 ,fire1 lest we be consum'd in it2 and  
carefully  to avoid doing any thing     
which may excite1 or encrease their     
,passions4  ,but when we discern that   
the ,plague is begun1 let's remove with 
all  possible speed out of the infected 
,air4 ,great ,passions arise from very  
small beginings1 and that which appear'd
 ,innocent at first if allow'd  on that 
account1 does often become our ,ruin1 or
 gives us at least the  greatest trouble
 in overcoming it4          ,the        
,,conclusion4      ,sidenote3 ,p4#gb1 c4
    ,thus you have ,ladies1 the best    
,method ,i can at present think of for  

your ,improvement1 how well it answers  
my ,design the ,world must judge1  if   
you are so favourable as to think it    
comes up to't in any measure1  what     
remains but to put it in ,practise1 tho 
in the way in which you  live1 'tis not 
probable that all of you either ,will or
 ,can1 for reasons  mention'd in the    
first ,part1 and particularly because of
 the great  waste of your ,time1 without
 ,redeeming of which there's nothing to 
be  done4 ,it is not my intention that  
you shou'd seclude your selves from  the
 ,world1 ,i know it is ,necessary that a
 great number of you shou'd  live in it2
 but it is ,unreasonable and ,barbarous 
to drive you into't1  e're you are      
capable of doing ,good in it1 or at     
least of keeping  ,evil from your       
selves4 ,nor am ,i so fond of my        
,proposal1 as not to  lay it aside very 
willingly1 did ,i think you cou'd be    
sufficiently  serv'd without it4 ,but   
since such ,seminaries are thought      
proper for  the ,men1 since they enjoy  

the fruits of those ,noble ,ladies      
,bounty who  were the foundresses of    
several of their ,colleges1 why shou'd  
we not  think that such ways of         
,education wou'd be as advantageous to  
the  ,ladies8 or why shou'd we despair  
of finding some among them who will  be 
as kind to their own ,sex as their      
,ancestors have been to the other8      
,some ,objections against this design   
have already been consider'd1 and  those
 which ,i have since met with are either
 too trifling to deserve a  serious     
,answer1 or too ,ill-natur'd not to     
require a severer than ,i care  to give 
them4 ,they must either be very         
,ignorant or very ,malicious who        
pretend that we wou'd imitate ,foreign  
,monastries1 or object against  us the  
,inconveniencies that they are subject  
to2 a little attention  to what they    
read might have convinc'd them that our 
,institution is  rather ,academical than
 ,monastic4 ,so that it is altogether   
beside  the purpose1 to say 'tis too    

,recluse1 or prejudicial to an ,active  
,life2  'tis as far from that as a      
,ladys ,practising at home is from being
 a  hindrance to her dancing at ,court4 
,for an ,active ,life consists not      
barely in ,being in the ,world1 but in  
doing much ,good in it3 ,and  therefore 
it is fit we ,retire a little1 to       
furnish our ,understandings  with useful
 ,principles1 to set our ,inclinations  
right1 and to manage  our ,passions1 and
 when this is well done1 but not till   
then1 we may  safely venture out4    ,as
 for those who think so ,contemptibly of
 such a considerable part of  ,,god's   
,creation1 as to suppose that we were   
made for nothing else but to  ,admire   
and do them ,service1 and to make       
provision for the low concerns  of an   
,animal ,life1 we pity their mistake1   
and can calmly bear their  ,scoffs1 for 
they do not express so much ,contempt of
 us as they do of  our ,maker2 and      
therefore the reproach of such          
incompetent ,judges is not  an ,injury  

but an ,honor to us4    ,the ,ladies ,i 
hope pass a truer estimate on           
themselves1 and need not  be told that  
they were made for nobler purposes4 ,for
 tho ,i wou'd by  no means encourage    
,pride1 yet ,i wou'd not have them take 
a mean and  groveling ,spirit for true  
,humility4 ,a being content with        
,ignorance is  really but a ,pretence1  
for the frame of our nature is such that
 it is  impossible we shou'd be so2 even
 those very ,pretenders value themselves
  for some ,knowlege or other1 tho it be
 a trifling or mistaken one4  ,she who  
makes the most ,grimace at a ,woman of  
,sense1 who employs all  her little     
skill in endeavouring to render         
,learning and ,ingenuity  ridiculous1 is
 yet very desirous to be thought        
,knowing in a ,dress1  in the           
,management of an ,intreague1 in        
,coquetry or good ,houswifry4  ,if then 
either the ,nobleness or ,necessity of  
our ,nature unavoidably  excites us to a
 desire of ,advancing1 shall it be      

thought a fault to do  it by pursuing   
the best things8 and since we will value
 our selves  on somewhat or other1 why  
shou'd it not be on the most substantial
  ground8 ,the ,humblest ,person that   
lives has some ,self-,esteem1 nor is it 
either ,fit or ,possible that any one   
should be without it4 ,because we       
always ,neglect what we ,despise1 we    
take no care of its ,preservation and   
,improvement1 and were we throughly     
possess'd with a ,contempt of our       
selves1 we shou'd abandon all ,care both
 of our ,temporal and ,eternal          
,concerns1 and burst with ,envy at our  
,neighbours4 ,the only difference       
therefore between the ,humble and the   
,proud is this1 that whereas the  former
 does not prize her self on some        
,imaginary ,excellency1 or for any      
thing that is not truly ,valuable2 does 
not ascribe to her self what is  her    
,makers due1 nor ,esteem her self on any
 other account but because  she is      
,,god's ,workmanship1 endow'd by him    

with many excellent ,qualities1  and    
made capable of ,knowing and ,enjoying  
the ,sovereign and ,only ,good2  so that
 her ,self-,esteem does not terminate in
 her ,self but in ,,god1  and she values
 her self only for ,,god's sake4 ,the   
,proud on the contrary  is mistaken both
 in her ,estimate of ,good1 and in      
thinking it is her  ,own2 ,she values   
her self on things that have no real    
,excellency1 or  which at least add none
 to her1 and forgets from whose         
,liberality she  receives them3 ,she    
does not employ them in the ,donors     
,service1 all  her care is to ,raise her
 self1 and she little considers that the
 most  excellent things are distributed 
to others in an equal1 perhaps in a     
greater measure than to herself1 they   
have opportunities of advancing  as well
 as she1 and so long as she's puft up by
 this ,tumor of ,mind1  they do really  
excel her4    ,the ,men therefore may   
still enjoy their ,prerogatives for us1 
we mean  not to intrench on any of their

 ,lawful ,privileges1 our only          
,contention  shall be that they may not 
out-do us in promoting his ,glory who is
  ,lord both of them and us2 ,and by all
 that appears the generality will  not  
oppose us in this matter1 we shall not  
provoke them by striving  to be better  
,christians4 ,they may busy their ,heads
 with ,affairs of  ,state1 and spend    
their ,time and ,strength in            
recommending themselves  to an uncertain
 ,master1 or a more giddy ,multitude1   
our only endeavour  shall be to be      
absolute ,monarchs in our own ,bosoms4  
,they shall still  if they please       
dispute about ,religion1 let 'em only   
give us leave to  ,understand and       
,practise it4 ,and whilst they have     
unrival'd the ,glory  of speaking as    
many ,languages as ,babel afforded1 we  
only desire  to express our selves      
,pertinently and ,judiciously in ,one4  
,we will  not vie with them in thumbing 
over ,authors1 nor pretend to be walking
  ,libraries1 provided they'll but allow

 us a competent ,knowlege of the  ,books
 of ,,god1 ,nature ,i mean and the ,holy
 ,scriptures3 ,and whilst they          
accomplish themselves with the ,knowlege
 of the ,world1 and experiment  all the 
,pleasures and ,follies of it1 we'll    
aspire no further than to be  intimately
 acquainted with our own ,hearts4 ,and  
sure the ,complaisant and  ,good natur'd
 ,sex will not deny us this2 nor can    
they who are so well  assur'd of their  
own ,merit entertain the least          
,suspicion that we shall  overtop them4 
,it is upon some other account therefore
 that they object  against our          
,proposal1 but what that is ,i shall not
 pretend to guess1  since they do not   
think fit to speak out and declare it4  
,some indeed are pleas'd to say1 that   
tho this appears in ,speculation  to be 
a very ,happy and ,useful way of        
,living1 it will be quite another  thing
 when reduc'd to ,practice4 ,variety of 
,humours will occasion  ,resentments and
 ,factions1 and perhaps other           

inconveniencies not yet  foreseen2 nor  
can we expect that every ,person there  
will be of such  an agreeable1 obliging 
and teachable ,temper1 as neither to    
,give nor  ,take ,offence4 ,and         
supposing the first ,company were as    
tractable and as  happily cemented by   
the mutual love of ,vertue1 and prudent 
,management1  as we cou'd desire1 yet   
how can we be secure of their           
,successors1 or  that this as well as   
other good ,institutions shall not      
degenerate8    ,i agree so far with this
 ,objection as to grant that our        
,proposal is  not such a piece of       
,perfection that nothing can be said    
against it1  but is there any thing in  
this ,world that is so8 ,or do ,men use 
to quit  their ,employments and ,houses1
 their ,wives and ,children1 ,relations 
and  ,friends1 upon every little pet1 or
 because they very often find trouble   
or disagreeableness8 do they not rather 
if they are good ,christians1  bear with
 ,infirmities and endeavour to mend     

them8 ,he then who wou'd  ,object to    
purpose must shew that the ,good it may 
do is not equivalent  to the ,evil which
 may attend it2 that the ,ladies will   
suffer greater  ,inconveniencies with1  
than without it1 and that it will not in
 the  ,main be best4 ,otherwise we shall
 take liberty to believe that it is     
,humor1 ,covetousness or any thing      
rather than ,reason which restrains him 
from ,approving and ,promoting it4      
,there is a certain ,pride in the ,mind 
of ,man1 which flatters him that he can 
,see farther and ,judge better  than his
 ,neighbour1 and he loves to feed it by 
scrupling and objecting  against what   
another proposes1 who perhaps has not   
over-look'd those  fine discoveries in  
which he hugs himself1 but having view'd
 them on  all sides has discern'd and   
despis'd their insignificancy4 ,i wou'd 
only ask our ,objectors whether they    
think the ,world so good as that  it    
needs none1 or so bad as that it is not 
capable of ,amendment8 ,if  neither of  

these1 let them tell me whether         
,complaining and ,wishing will  ever do 
the business1 or who is the greatest    
,benefactor to ,mankind1 he  who finds  
fault with every ,project set on foot to
 better and improve  them1 because it is
 not exactly after the ,pattern in the  
,mount1 that  is indeed according to his
 own tooth and relish2 it is not beyond 
exception1 but has a touch of ,humane   
,weakness and ,ignorance mingled  with  
it8 ,or he who vigorously and sincerely 
with a pure heart and a  diligent hand1 
sets about doing what he ,can1 tho not  
so much as he  ,wou'd1 were his         
abilities greater8 ,we're all apt enough
 to cry out  against the ,age1 but to   
what purpose are our ,exclamations      
unless we go  about to ,reform it8 ,not 
faintly and coldly as if we were        
unconcern'd  for the success1 and only  
wou'd do somewhat to still the          
reproaches  of our ,consciences and to  
exalt us in our own ,imaginations1 with 
the ,pompous ,idea of ,zeal and ,public 

,spiritedness2 but with all our  ,might1
 with an ,unwearied ,industry and       
,vigor1 ,i'me asham'd to say  like that 
which the ,instruments of ,satan express
 in making ,proselytes  to ,wickedness  
and ,prophaneness2 but rather with such 
as becomes  the ,servants of ,christ1   
which bears some sort of proportion to  
the  ,greatness of our ,master1 the     
,importance of the ,work and the        
,excellency  of the ,reward4    ,we do  
not expect that all who come into this  
,society will be perfect1  but we will  
endeavour to make them and our selves so
 as much as may  be4 ,nor shall any be  
admitted who either have not1 or are not
 desirous  to have1 that ,divine yet    
humble1 that ,great and ,generous1 yet  
,meek and  ,condescending ,spirit1 that 
unfeigned ,love to ,,god and all        
,mankind which  was in ,christ ,jesus4  
,we set no other ,rules than those of   
the ,gospel1  ,christianity being the   
highest ,improvement of a ,rational     
,nature1 and  every one's oblig'd to    

keep its ,institutions whether they     
,live in such  a ,society or out of it4 
,and as for that degeneracy which it may
 fall into1 'tis too general  an        
objection to have any weight1 and may as
 well be urg'd against  ,universities1  
all sorts of ,government1 and indeed    
against every  thing1 as against this4  
,may be's and if's are endless1 and he  
who undertakes to provide against all   
,future ,contingencies1 either  believes
 no ,,god or fancies himself to be one4 
,a ,prudent ,man will look  as far as he
 can1 and provide to the utmost of his  
,knowlege and ,power1  but when that's  
done1 he knows he's but a ,man and      
therefore can't  possibly ,forsee and   
,remedy all things4    ,let's then do   
what we ,can1 and leave the rest to our 
,great ,benefactor  and ,governor1 but  
let us set about our own part1 not only 
when the  way is open and easy1 who     
shall give us thanks for that8 but in   
spite  of all ,difficulties and         
,discouragement1 since we have so       

,glorious a  ,leader1 so indefatigable  
in his ,labours1 so boundless in his    
,love1 such  an ,omnipotent ,assister   
who neither wants ,power nor ,will to   
help us4 ,the  ,peevishness and         
,obstinacy of such as ,quarrel with our 
,labour of ,love  and set themselves    
against all we can do to serve them1    
will only add  to our ,laurels and      
enlarge our ,triumphs1 when our         
,constancy in doing  ,good has at last  
o'ercome those ,perverse ,opposers of   
it4      ,the ,end4      ,,errata4      
,page #bb4 ,line #ai4 dele yet1 p4 #ca4 
l4 #ac d4 not only----but  against1 p4  
#gf4 l4 #e4 r4 imm'diate1 p4 #hg4 l4    
#aa4 r4 ,body1 p4 #afh4  l4 #ag4;f4 of  
r4 the1 p4 #aji1 l4 #h1 after ,thoughts 
add to1 p4  #ace4 ,marg4 l4 #d4 r4 ,part
 ,i4 4 #de1 p4 #ahj4 l4 #ae4;f4 a r4 an1
 p4  #ahe4 l4 #i4 f4 bad r4 had1 p4     
#bfj4 l4 #c4 r4 ,ingenious4             
,books printed for ,ric4 ,wilkin at the 
,king's-,head in ,st4      ,paul's      
,church-yard4      ,a ,serious ,proposal

 to the ,ladies for the ,advancement of 
their true and  greatest ,interest3     
,part #a4 ,by a ,lover of her ,sex1 the 
#c;d4 ,edition4    ,letters concerning  
the ,love of ,god1 between the ,author  
of the ,proposal  to the ,ladies and    
,mr4 ,john ,norris4 #ho4    ,bishop     
,patrick's ,glorious ,epiphany4 #ho4    
---- ,his ,search the ,scriptures4 #abo4
    ,dr4 ,abbadie's ,vindication of the 
,truth of ,christian ,religion1 against 
the ,objections of all modern ,opposers4
 #ho4    ,dr4 ,woodward's ,natural      
,history of the ,earth4 #ho4    ,an     
,answer to ,w4 ,p4 his ,key about the   
,quakers ,light within and ,oaths2  with
 an ,appendix of the ,sacraments4 #ho4  
,the ,lives and ,acts of the ,holy      
,apostles comprehensively and plainly   
related according to the ,holy          
,scriptures and the ,writings of the    
,primitive ,fathers of most approved    
,authority4 #ho4    ,a ,letter to the   
,honourable ,sir ,robert ,howard3       
,together with some  ,animadversions on 

a ,book entituled ,christianity not     
mysterious4 #ho4    ,the ,inhuman       
,cardinal1 or ,innocence betray'd1 a    
,novel4 #abo4    ,ibrahim1 the #acth4   
,emperor of the ,turks1 a ,tragedy3     
,both written  by ,mrs4 ,mary ,pix4     
,the ,unnatural ,brother3 ,a ,tragedy1  
by ,edward ,filmer1 ,l4,l4,d4           
,,finis4      ,transcriber's ,note3     
,the corrections listed in the ,errata  
have been incorporated into the         
original4    ,inconsistent punctuation  
and capitalization are as in the        
original4    ,inconsistent spelling and 
hyphenation are as in the original4