Miscellanies BY The Right Noble LORD, The Late Lord Marquess OF HALIFAX. VIZ.

  • I. Advice to a DAUGHTER.
  • II. The Character of a TRIMMER.
  • III. The Anatomy of an EQUIVALENT.
  • IV. A Letter to a DISSENTER.
  • V. Cautions for Choice of PARLIA­MENT MEN.
  • VI. A Rough Draught of a NEW MO­DEL at SEA.
  • VII. Maxims of STATE, &c.

LONDON: Printed for Matt. Gillyflower at the Spread-Eagle in Westminster-Hall. 1700.

Sacellum Appollinare.
A Funeral POEM TO THE MEMORY OF THAT Great Patriot and Statesman, GEORGE, LATE Marquiss of HALLIFAX.

AS HEAVEN it Self's on Empire's Axis roll'd,
(For God-Head's but Dominion Uncon­trould;)
[Page 2] So the Crown'd Head, the Sublunary JOVE,
Does, in his Loyal Orb of Glory, move;
With all his Bolts of Fate, in his High-Post
Of Sovereign Pow'r, the Weilded Thunder boast.
But, in the highest tow'ring Flight of KINGS,
'Tis the Great Statesman plumes their Ea­gles Wings;
They move the Great MACHINE▪ He Sets the Springs.
And thus, whilst Pregnant EMPIRE's La­bouring Head
With some vast Off-spring Teems; the States­man's Aid,
To bring the Fair Divine Minerva forth,
Is call'd the Great Lucina to the Birth.
Wisdom and Counsel! 'Tis their Min'string Ray,
Those Bright CROWN-Genij, Cheer th' Imperial Sway:
[Page 3] The Harmony of WORLDS is only Theirs;
Empire but Guides, 'tis They that Tune the Sphere:
Counsel, in Church or State, the Warmth, by Whom
Aaron's and Moses's Budding Wands both Bloom:
Thus MONARCHY, what, tho' She Reigns Alone,
'Tis by her Argus-Eyes She Guards her Throne:
Her Lights an Hundred, tho' her Hand's but One.
Of those Rich Lights, Great HALLIFAX shin'd there;
In Pow'rs whole Constellation, None more Fair:
In Calms or Storms, in every varying Gale,
The Furl'd, the Hoysted, or the Slacken'd Sail;
[Page 4] The Helm to Manage, or the Mates to Cheer,
No Pilot-Hand cou'd ever Worthier Steer:
TRUST, the Magnetick Load-Star of his Soul;
And FAITH, and ZEAL, his Needles to the Pole.
The Studied World was his Long Theam, and All
The Politick Movements of the Mighty Ball:
Yes, the Old World He had Fathom'd o're and o're;
Nay, had there been yet Vnknown Globe's t' explore,
To give that Head, that Reach, those Depths, their Due,
He had stood a Fair Columbus, for the New.
[Page 5] In SENATES, There, with all his Brightest Beams,
Not Michael, to th' Embattl'd Seraphims,
A Mightier Leading CHIEF: Oraculous Sense!
Victorious Right! Amazing Eloquence!
All from that clearest Organ sweetly Sung:
From that bold ENGLISH CICERO's Silver Tongue,
Well might Great TRUTH, and Genuine Justice flow;
For he Lookt Vpward, when he Talkt Below:
Up to ASTRAEA, Heav'ns translated Pride,
Her Righteous Ballance his Great Standard Guide.
In Redress'd Wrongs, and Succour'd Rights APPEAL,
No Hand, in the Judiciary Scale,
[Page 6] More Weigh'd and Pois'd, than HALLI­FAX alone;
Ev'n Half the Great Tribunal, was his Own.
But, in that more Exalted Patriot-Cause,
The Moulding of those Stamps Imperial, Laws;
Then, when the whole Divinity of Pow'r,
In her Collective Strength, that Lab'ring Hour,
In her All-wise Consulting Providence,
Sits, some New Fair Creations to Commence;
In that High Work, for the Great FIAT Fixt,
No Hand like His, the Sovereign ELE­MENTS mixt.
This Fam'd GAMALIEL in the Great State-Schools,
Thus by unerring PRUDENCE Sacred Rules,
[Page 7] No wonder, on that Card'nal Hinge He mov'd;
In Pow'r-Craft Skill'd, that Bold Arts-Master prov'd:
The Great Performing Part He had Study'd thro',
And no less Learnt the Greater Duty too.
The Publick Spirit, and the Active Soul,
More Lively Warmth, than e're Prometheus stole,
Those Champions both of Earth and Heav'n's Just Right,
Bound by their Great Indenture Tripatite,
Their equally divided FAITH must bring,
Betwixt their GOD, their Country, and their King.
In Pow'r and Trust, thro' his whole Life's long Scene,
Never did Honour wear a Hand more Clean:
[Page 8] He from the Israel Prophet's Copy drew;
The Suppliant Naaman for his Grace might sue.
Distress, 'tis true, his Succour ne'r cou'd lack—
But then her Laded Chariots must go Back.
No Syrian Bribe was on his Shoulders worn;
That Tainted Robe such TRUTH and VIRTUE scorn.
Thus, like the Eden Pair, Why is Truth drawn
A Naked Beauty, in Transparent Lawn?
Yes, 'till her Innocence, for Imp'ious Gold,
That Tempting, False Hesperian Apple, Sold;
'Tis from that Fall, Original Blushes came;
'Twas Then She wanted Fig-Leaves for her Sh [...]me.
A Bribe! That most loath'd Thought! Ev'n his whole Roof,
His humblest Menials, that Temptation-Proof,
[Page 9] (So Fair their Leading LORD's Example stands)
Oblige with Frank Full Hearts, but Empty Hands.
His Favours in that Generous Current run,
As Providence vouchsafes Her Rain and Sun.
His Favours Cheaper ev'n than Heav'n's conferr'd:
For, though, like Heav'n, th' Imploring Pray'r He heard;
Yet no Thanksgiving Offrings Return'd:
To his Kind GRACE, no Gumms nor In­cense burn'd.
Ay, and 'twas Nobly Brave! What can more high,
Than an Vnmercinary Greatness fly?
If ought his Obligations must Defray,
He rather chose that Heav'n, than Man should Pay:
[Page 10] Yes, with a Fair Ambition, Just Disdain,
Scorn'd less than JOVE, his Golden Show'rs shou'd Rain▪
And well so High, that Fair Ambition tow'r'd;
For HALLIFAX so Scorn'd and JOVE, so Show'r'd:
Whil'st that vast Affluence Warm'd his Fruit­ful Soyl,
'Till his Rich Glebe, and Loaded Harvest Pile,
With that Increase▪ that Milky Canaan flow'd:
Prosperity thus Reap'd, where Virtue Sow'd.
NATURE and FORTUNE, Here, both Rivals join'd,
Which to their darling HALLIFAX, more Kind,
[Page 11] Should heap the Ampler Mass: Nature her more
Refin'd, and Fortune in her Cours [...]r Oar.
The World but Smil'd, where Heav'n had Smil'd before.
Great Blessings, when by Greater MERIT shar'd,
(Not Providence's Gift, but her Reward,)
Are all Heav'n's Fairest Blazon▪ Noblest Pride;
Th' Eternal DISPENSATION Justifi'd.
The Righteous Distribution ought no less:
So Great 'tis to Deserve, and then Possess.
Nor in Proud Courts, nor States alone, that Great
Dictator! Ev'n in the DESPOTIC Seat▪
In His own narrower Domestic Sway,
His Houshold Sweat Penates deckt so Gay;
To VICE, like Hannabal to Rome, that sworn
Eternal Foe; and VIRTUE's Champion born:
[Page 12] To his own Filial Nursery, so Kind
A FATHER, with those Leading Lights, He shin'd:
HONOVR, so Lovely by that Pencil drawn,
The Early Phosphor to their Morning Dawn:
So Fam'd his equally Paternal Care▪
T' Instruct the Great, and to Adorn the
His Ad­vice to a Daughter.
Fair.
Thus BEAUTY's Toilet spread so all Di­vine,
Her Cabinet Jems so Furnisht from That MINE;
The Virgin, and the Bridal Coronet,
Were, by Kind HALLIFAX, so richly Set;
VIRTUE and INNOCENCE at that full View,
As ev'n th' Original Eden Lanschape drew:
All her whole Hierarchy of Graces; not
One least Enamell'd Heav'nly Spark forgot;
[Page 13] Each Star in the whole Feminine Renown,
From, Cassiopaea's CHAIR, to Ariadne's CROWN.
In the Rich Furniture of that Fair MIND,
Those dazling Intellectual Graces shin'd,
To draw the Love and Homage of Man­kind;
Nothing cou'd more than his firm FRIEND­SHIP Charm:
Cheerful, as Bridal-Songs; as South-Suns, Warm;
And Fixt, as Northern-Stars: When e're He daign'd
The Solemn Honour of his Plighted Hand,
He stood a more than Second Pylades;
Vnshaken, as Immutable DECREES.
But whilst these vast Perfections I Recount,
The Heights to which those Soaring Glories mount:
[Page 14] My Muse thus rapt into that Cheerful Sphear;
Is This her Wailing Dirge? her Funeral Tear?
For his Sad DEATH, to Draw his Glorious LIFE!
Paint Lights for Shades, and Ecstocies for Grief!
Are These the Melancholy Rites She brings,
Fit Ayrs to Tune the Mournful Theme She sings!
Yes, the True Mouruer's in th' Historian Play'd:
What's Present Grief, but Past Delight Dis­play'd?
Counting what once was Ours, we need no more:
To Sum th' Enjoyment, does the Loss Deplore.
Besides, What all our Sable Cavalcade,
To the Great DEAD, our Darkest Funeral Shade?
[Page 15] T' Illustrious Virtue, Grief's an Easy Debt;
Her Glorious Amulet but Cheaply Set:
She finds the Diamond, and We the Jet.
When Learning, Wisdom, Eloquence, Ex­pire,
And the Great SOULS, (Sparks of Ce­lestial Fire)
Back to their Elemental Sourse Retire:
To such Rich DUST, in vain we Pyramids Rear;
For Mausoloeum's are but Pageants there.
What's a poor Short-liv'd Pile of Crumbling Earth,
A Mould'ring Tomb, t' Apollinary WORTH?
Worth, that so far from such a Narrow Bound,
Spreads a Large Field! Moves th' Vniversal Round!
Fills every Tongue! Thus what no Vrn contains,
The World's the Casket to those Great RE­MAINS.
[Page 16] Nor let Poetick Vanity Rehearse
Her Boasted Dreams, Her Miracles of VERSE:
Think, in some poor Recorded EPITAPH,
That Shallow Page of Brass, or Marble Leaf;
Or in some more Voluminous Folio Pile,
A Davideis, or Arthur's Sweating Toil,
Some Sacred WORTHY's Deathless Fame t' Enstal;
Rais'd by her Lyres, like the Old Theban Wall.
No; when Great NAMES ne'r Dye That Work alone,
Is all a Fair Creation of Their Own.
True GLORY Shines by her Own Lighted Beam:
'Tis not the Muses's Song, but Muse's THEAM:
[Page 17] When in Great HALLIFAX, WIT's Pantheon fell,
And Death now husht that Silenc'd ORA­CLE;
From Fair Eliza's Hallowed
Westmin­ster-School.
Heli­con-Walls,
Methinks, I hear a Fatal Summon calls:
When, lo! the Delphick
Dr. Bus­by, who the same same Day.
SEER, that Reverend Bard
Of Sacred Literature's rich Fount, prepar'd
Th' Expiring HALLIFAX, in Death to wait.—
No less Attendant on his Funeral State,
Fate to that ever Honour'd HEAD cou'd owe:
LEARNING it self must shake, at such a Blow.
[Page 18] But, tho' with all this Mine of Learning stor'd;
He Liv'd, and Dy'd, no Niggard of that Hoard:
Witness His own Long Pious Found­ed
His Free-School Foun­dations.
Piles,
Where Nurtur'd ARTS, by His Auspicious Smiles,
Tune their Young Voices to the Muse's Song,
Nerv'd by his HAND to Books, and Virtue, strong.
Thus, as th' Old Israel Patriarch, to his once
Illustrious Twelve▪ HE to His Hundred Sons▪
His Fruitful CHARITY's Adopted Race,
(With all his Tenderest Diffusive Grace,)
Doals, with a True Paternal Glory crown'd,
His Living and His Dying Blessing round.
[Page 19] Yes, from that Hand, the Scatter'd Bread must fall;
He Furnishes those Numerous Pencils, all
To Copy from his Great Original:
Resolv'd, if possible, Resolv'd t' Inspire,
To this Young Nursery, His Cherisht Choire,
His own Rich Soul, their Transmigated Fire.
But, why (if 'tis not a too Bold Offence,
To dare Expostulate with OMNIPO­TENCE,)
Why should Prodigious Worth, from th' Orb it warm'd,
Snatch'd from the Soyl it cherisht, Eyes it charm'd
From its Deserted Charge, unkindly Fly,
Quit th' Earth it Blest, Impoverish Worlds, and Dye?
No, the Kind Heav'ns, in Mercy, to Rebate
That Mighty Loss, the too keen Edge of Fate,
[Page 20] Have circled Virtue in a Fence so High,
As stands so safe, it knows not how to Die;
But Founds its own Proud Immortality.
For, as some Lofty Ceder, long had stood
The Land-mark of the Plain, and Glory of the Wood;
Till the Dread Voice of Fate, Heav'n's An­gry Blast,
The Bolt of the Destroying Thunder cast,
All the tall PRIDE lies Fal'n.— Yet still some Shoot,
Some tender Scyen from the Sacred ROOT,
By it's Nutrimental PARENT-Succours fed,
Springs, Grows, Spreads, Flourishes; till th' Uprear'd Head,
Do's t' all its Great Original HEIGHTS improve,
A Second Pearch for the Fair Bird of JOVE.
[Page 21] So may Great HALLIFAX Himself Survive;
Thus Fall, and thus his Deathless Virtues Live:
LIVE in his Fair SUCCESSION, ever Blest;
Whil'st Honour Builds it own Rich PHAE­NIX Nest.
THE Lady's New-Year' …

THE Lady's New-Year's-Gift: OR, ADVICE TO A DAUGHTER.

Dear Daughter,

I Find, that even our most pleasing Thoughts will be unquiet; they will be in motion; and the Mind can have no rest whilst it is possess'd by a dar­ling Passion. You are at present the chief Object of my Care, as well as of my Kindness, which sometimes throweth me into Visions of your being happy in the World, that are better suited to my partial Wishes, than, to my reasonable Hopes for you. At other times, when my Fears pre­vail, [Page 2] I shrink as if I was struck, at the Prospect of Danger, to which a young Woman must be expos'd. By how much the more Lively, so much the more Lia­ble you are to be hurt; as the finest Plants are the soonest nipped by the Frost. Whilst you are playing full of Innocence, the spitefull World will bite, except you are guarded by your Caution. Want of Care therefore, my dear Child, is never to be excus'd; since, as to this World, it hath the same effect as want of Vertue. Such an early sprouting Wit requireth so much the more to be sheltred by some Rules, like something strew'd on tender Flowers to preserve them from being blast­ed. You must take it well to be prun'd by so kind a Hand as that of a Father. There may be some bitterness in meer Obedience: The natural Love of Liberty may help to make the Commands of a Parent harder to go down: Some inward resistance there will be, where Power and not Choice maketh us move. But when a Father layeth aside his Authority, and persuadeth only by his Kindness, you will never answer it to Good Nature, if it hath not weight with you.

A great part of what is said in the following Discourse may be above the pre­sent [Page 3] growth of your Understanding; but that becoming every day taller, will in a little time reach up to it, so as to make it easie to you. I am willing to begin with you before your Mind is quite form'd, that being the time in which it is most capable of receiving a Colour that will last when it is mix'd with it. Few things are well learnt, but by early Pre­cepts: Those well infus'd, make them Na­tural; and we are never sure of retain­ing what is valuable, till by a continued Habit we have made it a Piece of us.

Whether my skill can draw the Picture of a fine Woman, may be a question: but it can be none, That I have drawn that of a kind Father: If you will take an exact Copy, I will so far presume up­on my workmanship, as to undertake you shall not make an ill Figure. Give me so much Credit as to try, and I am sure that neither your Wishes nor mine shall be disappointed by it.

RELIGION.

THe first thing to be confidered, is Religion. It must be the chief Ob­ject of your Thoughts, since it would [Page 4] be a vain thing to direct your Behaviour in the World, and forget that which you are to have towards him who made it.

In a strict sense, it is the only thing necessary: you must take it into your Mind, and from thence throw it into your Heart, where you are to embrace it so close as never to lose the Possession of it. But then it is necessary to distinguish between the Reality and the Pretence.

Religion doth not consist in believing the Legend of the Nursery, where Chil­dren with their Milk are fed with the Tales of Witches, Hobgoblings, Prophe­cies, and Miracles. We suck in so gree­dily these early Mistakes, that our riper Vnderstanding hath much ado to cleanse our Minds from this kind of Trash: The Stories are so entertaining, that we do not only believe them, but relate them; which makes the discovery of the Truth somewhat grievous, when it makes us lose such a Field of Impertinence, where we might have diverted our selves, besides the throwing some shame upon us for having ever received them. This is mak­ing the World a Jest, and imputing to God Almighty, That the Province he assigneth to the Devil, is to play at Blind­mans-busf, and shew Tricks with Man­kind; [Page 5] and is so far from being Religion, that it is not Sense, and hath right only to be call'd that kind of Devotion, of which Ignorance is the undoubted Mother, without competition or dispute. These Mistakes are therefore to be left off with your Hanging sleeves; and you ought to be as much out of countenance to be found with them about you, as to be seen playing with Babies at an Age when other things are expected from you.

The next thing to be observ'd to you, is, That Religion doth as little consist in loud Answers and devout Convulsions at Church, or Praying in an extraordinary manner. Some Ladies are so extream stirr­ing at Church, that one would swear the Worm in their Conscience made them so unquiet. Others will have such a Divided Face between a Devout Goggle and an In­viting Glance, that the unnatural Mixture maketh even the best Looks to be at that time ridiculous. These affected Appearances are ever suspected, like very strong Per­fumes, which are generally thought no very good Symptoms in those that make use of them. Let your earnestness therefore be reserv'd for your Closet, where you may have God Almighty to your self: In Pub­lick be still and calm, neither undecent­ly [Page 6] Careless, nor Affected in the other Ex­tream.

It is not true Devotion, to put on an angry Zeal against those who may be of a differing Persuasion. Partiality to our selves makes us often mistake it for a Duty, to fall hard upon others in that case; and being push'd on by Self-conceit, we strike without mercy, believing that the Wounds we give are Meritorious, and that we are fighting God Almighty's Quarrel; when the truth is, we are only setting out our selves. Our Devotion too often breaketh out into that Shape which most agreeth with our particular Temper. The Cholerick grow into a hardned Severity against all who dissent from them; snatch at all the Texts of Scripture that suit with their Complexion; and because God's Wrath was some time kindled, they con­clude, That Anger is a Divine Vertue; and are so far [...]rom imagining their ill natur'd Zeal requireth an Apology, that they value themselves upon it, and triumph in it. Others, whose Nature is more Credu­lous than ordinary, admit no Bounds or Measure to it; they grow as proud of extending their Faith, as Princes are of enlarging their Dominions; not consider­ing that our Faith, like our Stomach, is [Page 7] capable of being over-charg'd; and that as the last is destroy'd by taking in more than it can digest, so our Reason may be extinguish'd by oppressing it with the weight of too many strange things; espe­cially if we are forbidden to chew what we are commanded to swallow. The Me­lancholy and the Sullen are apt to place a great part of their Religion in dejected or ill-humour'd Looks, putting on an un­sociable Face, and declaiming against the Innocent Entertainments of Life, with as much sharpness as they could bestow up­on the greatest Crimes. This generally is only a Vizard, there is seldom any thing real in it. No other thing is the better for being Sowre; and it would be hard that Religion should be so, which is the best of things. In the mean time it may be said with truth, That this surly kind of Devotion hath perhaps done little less hurt in the World, by frighting, than the most scandalous Examples have done by infect­ing it.

Having told you, in these few Instances, to which many more might be added, what is not true Religion; it is time to describe to you, what is so. The ordinary Definitions of it are no more like it, than the common Sign-posts are like the Princes [Page 8] they would represent. The unskilful Daw­bers in all Ages have generally laid on such ill Colours, and drawn such harsh Lines, that the Beauty of it is not easily to be discerned: They have put in all the for­biddng Features that can be thought of; and in the first place, have made it an irreconcilable Enemy to Nature; when, in reality, they are not only Friends, but Twins, born together at the same time; and it is doing violence to them both, to go about to have them separated. Nothing is so kind and so inviting as true and unsophisticated Religion: Instead of imposing unnecessary Burdens upon our Nature, it easeth us of the greater weight of our Passions and Mistakes: Instead of subduing us with Rigour, it redeemeth us from the Slavery we are in to our selves, who are the most severe Masters, whilst we are under the Usurpation of our Ap­petites let loose and not restrain'd.

Religion is a chearful thing, so far from being always at Cuffs with Good Humour, that it is inseparably united to it. No­thing unpleasant belongs to it, though the Spiritual Cooks have done their unskilful part to give an ill Relish to it. A wise Epicure would be Religious for the sake of Pleasure; Good Sense is the Foundation [Page 9] of both; and he is a Bungler who aimeth at true Luxury, but where they are join'd.

Religion is exalted Reason, refin'd and sisted from the grosser parts of it: It dwelleth in the upper Region of the Mind, where there are fewest Clouds or Mists to darken or offend it: It is both the Foun­dation and the Crown of all Vertues: It is Morality improv'd and rais'd to its height, by being carried nearer Heaven, the only place where Perfection resideth. It cleanseth the Vnderstanding, and brush­eth off the Earth that hangeth about our Souls. It doth not want the Hopes and the Terrors which are made use of to support it; neither ought it to descend to the borrowing any Argument out of it self, since there we may find every thing that should invite us. If we were to be hired to Religion, it is able to out-bid the corrupted World, with all it can offer to us, being so much the Richer of the two, in every thing where Reason is admitted to be a Judge of the Value.

Since this is so, it is worth your pains to make Religion your choice, and not make use of it only as a Refuge. There are Ladies, who finding by the too visible decay of their good Looks, that they can shine no more by that Light, put on the [Page 10] Varnish of an affected Devotion, to keep up some kind of Figure in the World. They take Sanctuary in the Church, when they are pursued by growing Contempt which will not be stopt, but followeth them to the Altar. Such late penitence is only a disguise for the tormenting grief of being no more handsome. That is the killing thought which draweth the sighs and tears, that appear outwardly to be applied to a better end.

There are many who have an Aguish Devotion, Hot and Cold Fits, long Inter­missions, and violent Raptures. This un­evenness is by all means to be avoided. Let your method be a steady course of good Life, that may run like a smooth Stream, and be a perpetual Spring to fur­nish to the continued Exercise of Vertue. Your Devotion may be earnest, but it must be unconstrained; and like other Duties, you must make it your Pleasure too, or else it will have very little efficacy. By this Rule you may best judge of your own Heart. Whilst those Duties are Joys, it is an Evidence of their being sincere; but when they are a Penance, it is a sign that your Nature maketh some resistance; and whilst that lasteth, you can never be entirely secure of your self.

[Page 11] If you are often unquiet, and too nearly touch'd by the cross Accidents of Life, your Devotion is not of the right Stan­dard there is too much Allay in it. That which is right and unmixt, taketh away the Sting of every thing that would trou­ble you: It is like a healing Balm, that extinguisheth the sharpness of the Bloud; so this softeneth and dissolveth the An­guish of the Mind. A devout Mind hath the Privilege of being free from Passions, as some Climates are from all venomous kind of Creatures. It will raise you above the little Vexations to which others for want of it, will be expos'd, and bring you to a Temper, not of stupid Indifference, but of such a wise Resignation, that you may live in the World, so as it may hang about you like a loose Garment, and not tied too close to you.

Take heed of running into that com­mon Error, of applying God's Judgments upon particular Occasions. Our Weights and Measures are not competent to make the Distribution either of his Mercy or his Justice: He hath thrown a Veil over these things, which makes it not only an Im­pertinence, but a kind of Sacrilege, for us to give Sentence in them without his Commission.

[Page 12] As to your particular Faith, keep to the Religion that is grown up with you, both as it is the bed in it self, and that the reason of staying in it upon that Ground is some­what stronger for your Sex, than it will perhaps be allow'd to be for ours; in re­spect that the Voluminous enquiries into the Truth, by Reading, are less expected from you. The Best of Books will be di­rection enough to you not to change; and whilst you are fix'd and sufficiently con­firm'd in your own Mind, you will do best to keep vain Doubts and Scruples at such a di­stance that they may give you no disquiet.

Let me recommend to you a Method of being rightly inform'd, which can never fail: It is in short this. Get Vnderstanding, and practise Vertue And if you are [...]o Bles­sed as to have those for your Share, it is not surer that there is a God, than it is, that by him all Necessary Truths will be revealed to you.

HVSBAND.

THAT which challengeth the place in your Thoughts, is how to live with a Husband. And though that is so large a Word, that few Rules can be fix'd to it which [Page 13] are unchangeable, the Methods being as va­rious as the several Tempers of Men to which they must be suited; yet I cannot omit some General Observations, which, with the help of your own may the better direct you in the part of your Life upon which your Happiness most dependeth.

It is one of the Disadvantages belonging to your Sex, that young Women are seldom permitted to make their own Choice; their Friends Care and Experience are thought safer Guides to them, than their own Fan­cies; and their Modesty often forbiddeth them to refuse when their Parents recom­mend, though their inward Consent may not entirely go along with it. In this case there remaineth nothing for them to do, but to endeavour to make that easie which falleth to their Lot, and by a wise use of every thing they may dislike in a Husband▪ turn that by degrees to be very supporta­ble, which, if neglected, might in time beget an Aversion.

You must first lay it down for a Foun­dation in general▪ That there is Inequality in the Sexes, and that for the better Oeco­nomy of the World, the Men, who were to be the Law-givers, had the larger share of Reason bestow'd upon them; by which means your Sex is the better prepar'd [Page 14] for the Compliance that is necessary for the better performance of those Duties which teem to be most properly assign'd to it. This looks a little uncourtly at the first appearance; but upon Examination it will be found, that Nature is so far from be­ing unjust to you, that she is partial on our side. She hath made you such large Amends by other Advantages, for the seem­ing Injustice of the first Distribution, that the Right of Complaining is come over to our Sex. You have it in your power not only to free your selves, but to sub­due your Masters, and without violence throw both their Natural and Legal Autho­rity. at your Feet. We are made of differ­ing Tempers, that our Defects may the better be mutually supplied: Your Sex wanteth our Reason for your Conduct, and our Strength for your Protection: Ours wanteth your Gentleness to soften, and to entertain us. The first part of our Life is a good deal subjected to you in the Nursery, where you Reign without Competition, and by that means have the advantage of giving the first Impressions. Afterwards you have stronger Influences, which, well manag'd, have more force in your behalf, than all our Privileges and Jurisdictions can pre­ [...]end to have against you. You have more [Page 15] strength in your Looks, than we have in our Laws, and more power by your Tears, than we have by our Arguments.

It is true, that the Laws of Marriage, run in a harsher stile towards your Sex. Obey is an ungenteel word, and less easie to be digested, by making such an unkind distinction in the Words of the Contract, and so very unsuitable to the excess of Good Manners, which generally goes before it. Besides, the universality of the Rule seem­eth to be a Grievance, and it appeareth reasonable, that there might be an Exemp­tion for extraordinary Women, from ordi­nary Rules, to take away the just Excep­tion that lieth against the false measure of general Equality.

It may be alledged by the Counsel re­tained by your Sex, that as there is in all other Laws, an Appeal from the Letter to the Equity, in Cases that require it▪ It is as reasonable, that some Court of a larger. Jurisdiction might be erected, where some Wives might resort and plead specially. And in such instances where Nature is so kind, as to raise them above the level of their own Sex, they might have Re­lief, and obtain a Mitigation in their own particular, of a Sentence which was given generally against Woman kind. The causes [Page 16] of Separation are now so very course, that few are confident enough to buy their Li­berty at the price of having their Mode­sty so exposed. And for disparity of Minds, which above all other things requireth a Remedy, the Laws have made no provision; so little refin'd are numbers of Men, by whom they are compil'd. This and a great deal more might be said to give a colour to the Complaint.

But the Answer to it, in short is, That the Institution of Marriage is too sacred to admit a Liberty of objecting to it; That the supposition of yours being the weaker Sex, having without all doubt a good Foun­dation, maketh it reasonable to subject it to the Masculine Dominion; That no Rule can be so perfect, as not to admit some Exceptions; But the Law presumeth there would be so few found in this Case, who would have a sufficient Right to such a Privilege, that it is safer some Injustice should be conniv'd at in a very few Instances, than to break into an Establishment, upon which the Order of Humane Society doth so much depend.

You are therefore to make your best of what is settled by Law and Custom, and not vainly imagine, that it will be changed for your sake. But that you may not be [Page 17] discouraged, as if you lay under the weight of an incurable Grievance, you are to know, that by a wise and dexterous Conduct, it will be in your power to relieve your self from any thing that looketh like a disad­vantage in it. For your better direction, I will give a hint of the most ordinary Causes of Dissatisfaction between Man and Wife, that you may be able by such a Warn­ing to live so upon your Guard, that when you shall be married, you may know how to cure your Husband's Mistakes, and to prevent your own.

First then, you are to consider, you live in a time which hath rendred some kind of Frailties so habitual, that they lay claim to large Grains of Allowance. The World in this is somewhat unequal, and our Sex seem­eth to play the Tyrant in distinguishing partially for our selves, by making that in the utmost degree Criminal in the Woman, which in a Man passeth under a much gentler Censure. The Root and the Excuse of this Injustice is the Preservation of Families from any Mixture which may bring a Blemish to them: And whilst the Point of Honour con­tinues to be so plac'd, it seems unavoidable to give your Sex, the greater share of the Penalty. But if in this it lieth under any Disadvantage, you are more than recom­pens'd, [Page 18] by having the Honour of Families in your keeping. The Consideration so great a Trust must give you, maketh full amends; and this Power the World hath lodged in you, can hardly fail to restrain the Severity of an ill Husband, and to im­prove the Kindness and Esteem of a good one. This being so, remember, That next to the danger, of committing the Fault your self, the greatest is that of seeing it in your Husband. Do not seem to look or hear that way: If he is a Man of Sense, he will re­claim himself; the Folly of it, is of it self sufficient to cure him: if he is not so, he will be provok'd, but not reform'd. To expostulate in these Cases, looketh like declaring War, and preparing Reprisals; which to a thinking Husband would be a dangerous Reflexion. Besides, it is so course a Reason which will be assign'd for a Lady's too great Warmth upon such an occasion, that Modesty no less than Prudence ought to restrain her; since such an undecent Complaint makes a Wife much more ridi­culous, than the Injury that provoketh her to it. But it is yet worse, and more unskil­ful, to blaze it in the World, expecting it should rise up in Arms to take her part: Whereas she will find, it can have no other Effect, than that she will be served up in all [Page 19] Companies, as the reigning Jest at that time; and will continue to be the common Enter­tainment, till she is rescu'd by some newer Folly that cometh upon the Stage, and driveth her away from it. The Imperti­nence of such Methods is so plain, that it doth not deserve the pains of being laid open. Be assur'd, that in these Cases your Discretion and Silence will be the most pre­vailing Reproof. An affected Ignorance, which is seldom a Vertue, is a great one here: And when your Husband seeth how unwill­ [...]ng you are to be uneasie, there is no stronger Argument to perswade him not to be unjust to you. Besides, it will naturally make him more yielding in other things: And whether it be to cover or redeem his Offence, you may have the good Effects of it whilst it lasteth, and all that while have the most reasonable Ground that can be, of presuming, such a Behaviour will at last entirely convert him. There is nothing so glorious to a Wife, as a Victory so gain'd: A Man so reclaim'd, is for ever after sub­jected to her Vertue; and her bearing for a time, is more than rewarded by a Triumph that will continue as long as her Life.

The next thing I will suppose, is, That your Husband may love Wine more than is convenient. It will be granted, That [Page 20] though there are Vices of a deeper dye, there are none that have greater Deformity than this, when it is not restrain'd: But with all this, the same Custom which is the more to be lamented for its being so gene­ral, should make it less uneasie to every one in particular who is to suffer by the Effects of it: So that in the first place, it will be no new thing if you should have a Drunkard for your Husband; and there is by too frequent Examples evidence enough, that such a thing may happen, and yet a Wife may live too without being miserable. Self-love dictateth aggravating words to every thing we feel; Ruine and Misery are the Terms we apply to whatever we do not like, forgetting the Mixture allotted to us by the Condition of Human Life, by which it is not intended we should be quite exempt from trouble. It is fair, if we can escape such a degree of it as would oppress us, and enjoy so much of the pleasant part as may lessen the ill taste of such things as are unwelcome to us. Every thing hath two Sides, and for our own ease we ought to direct our Thoughts to that which may be least liable to exception. To sall upon the worst side of a Drunkard, giveth so un­pleasant a prospect, that it is not possible to dwell upon it. Let us pass then to the [Page 21] more favourable part, as far as a Wife is concern'd in it.

I am tempted to say (if the Irregularity of the Expression could in strictness be justified) That a Wife is to thank God her Husband hath Faults. Mark the seeming Paradox my Dear, for your own Instructi­on, it being intended no further. A Hus­band without Faults is a dangerous Observ­er; he hath an Eye so piercing, and seeth every thing so plain, that it is expos'd to his full Censure. And though I will not doubt but that your Vertue will disappoint the sharpest Enquiries; yet few Women can bear the having all they say or do re­presented in the clear Glass of an Under­standing without Faults. Nothing softneth the Arrogance of our Nature, like a Mix­ture of some Frailties. It is by them we are best told, that we must not strike too hard upon others, because we our selves do so often deserve Blows: They pull our Rage by the Sleeve, and whisper Gentle­ness to us in our Censures, even when they are rightly applied. The Faults and Passions of Husbands bring them down to you, and make them content to live upon less unequal Terms, than Faultless Men would be willing to stoop to; so haughty is Mankind till humbled by com­mon [Page 22] Weaknesses and Defects, which in our corrupted State contribute more to­wards the reconciling us to one another, than all the Precepts of the Philosophers and Divines. So that where the Errors of our Nature make amends for the Disadvantages of yours it is more your part to make use of the Benefit, than to quarrel at the Fault.

Thus in case a Drunken Husband should fall to your share, if you will be wise and patient, his Wine shall be of your side; it will throw a Veil over your Mistakes, and will set out and improve every thing you do, that he is pleased with. Others will like him less, and by that means he may perhaps like you the more. When after having dined too well, he is received at home without a Storm, or so much as a re­proaching Look, the Wine will naturally work out all in Kindeness, which a Wife must encourage, let it be wrapped up in never so much Impertinence. On the other side it would boil up into Rage, if the mi­staken Wife should treat him roughly, like a certain thing called a kind Shrew, than which the World, with all its Plenty, can­not shew a more Senseless, ill-bred, forbid­ding Creature. Consider, that where the Man will give such frequent Intermissions [Page 23] of the use of his Reason, the Wife insen­sibly getteth a Right of Governing in the Vacancy, and that raiseth her Character and Credit in the Family, to a higher pitch than perhaps could be done under a sober Husband, who never putteth himself into an Incapacity of holding the Reins. If these are not intire Consolations, at least they are Remedies to some Degree. They can­not make Drunkenness a Vertue, nor a Hus­band given to it a Felicity; but you will do your self no ill office in the endeavouring, by these means, to make the best of such a Lot, in case it should happen to be yours, and by the help of a wise Observati­on, to make that very supportable, which would otherwise be a Load that would op­press you.

The next Case I will put is that your Husband may be Cholerick or Ill-humour'd. To this it may be said, That passionate Men generally make amends at the Foot of the Account. Such a Man, if he is an­gry one day without any Sense, will the next day be as kind without any Reason. So that by marking how the Wheels of such a Man's Head are used to move, you may easily bring over all his Passion to your Par­ty. Instead of being struck down by his Thunder, you shall direct it where and up­on [Page 24] whom you shall think it best applied. Thus are the strongest Poisons turn'd to the best Remedies; but then there must be Art in it, and a skilful Hand, else the least bungling maketh it mortal. There is a great deal of nice Care requisite to deal with a Man of this Complexion. Choler proceed­eth from Pride, and maketh a Man so partial to himself that he swelleth against Contra­diction; and thinketh he is lessened if he is opposed. You must in this Case take heed of increasing the Storm by an unwary Word, or kindling the Fire whilst the Wind is in a Corner which may blow it in your Face: You are dextrously to yield every thing till he beginneth to cool, and then by slow degrees you may rise and gain upon him: Your Gentleness well timed, will, like a Charm, dispel his Anger ill plac­ed; a kind Smile will reclaim, when a shrill pettish Answer would provoke him; rather than fail upon such occasions, when other Remedies are too weak, a little Flattery may be admitted, which by being necessa­ry, will cease to be Criminal.

If Ill. Humour and Sullenness, and not open and sudden Heat is his Disease, there is a way of treating that too, so as to make it a Grievance to be endured. In order to if, you are first to know, that naturally [Page 25] good Sense hath a mixture of surly in it: and there being so much Folly in the World, and for the Most part so triumphant, it giveth frequent Temptations to raise the Spleen of Men who think right. There­fore that which may generally be call'd Ill-Humour, is not always a Fault; it be­cometh one when either it is wrong ap­plied, or that it is continued too long, when it is not so: For this Reason you must not too hastily fix an ill name upon that which may perhaps not deserve it; and though the Case should be, that your Husband might too sowerly resent any thing he disliketh, it may so happen, that more Blame shall belong to your Mistake, than to his Ill-Humour. If a Husband be­haveth himself sometimes with an Indiffe­rence that a Wife may think offensive, she is in the wrong to put the worst sence upon it, if by any Means it will admit a better. Some Wives will call it Ill-humour if their Husbands change their Style from that which they used whilst they made their first Addresses to them: Others will allow no Intermission or Abatement in the Expressions of Kindness to them, not enough distinguishing Times, and forget­ting that it is impossible for Men to keep themselves up all their Lives to the height [Page 26] of some extravagant Moments. A Man may at some times be less careful in little things, without any cold or disobliging Reason for it; as a Wife may be too ex­pecting in smaller matters, without draw­ing upon her-self the inference of being unkind. And if your Husband should be really sullen, and have such frequent Fits, as might take away the excuse of it, it concerneth you to have an Eye prepared to discern the first Appearances of Cloudy Weather, and to watch when the Fit go­eth off, which seldom lasteth long if it is let alone. But whilst the Mind is sore, eve­ry thing galleth it, and that maketh it necessary to let the Black Humour begin to spend it self▪ before you come in and ven­ture to undertake it.

If in the Lottery of the World you should draw a Covetous Husband, I confess it will not make you proud of your good Luck; yet even such a one may be en­dured too, though there are few Passions more untractable than that of Avarice. You must first take care that your Defini­tion of Avarice may not be a Mistake. You are to examine every Circumstance of your Husband's Fortune, and weigh the Reason of every thing you expect from him before you have right to pro­nounce [Page 27] that sentence. The Complaint is now so general against all Husbands, that it giveth great suspicion of its being often ill-grounded; it is impossible they should all deserve that Censure, and therefore it is certain, that it is many times misap­plied. He that spareth in every thing is an inexcusable Niggard; he that spareth in nothing is as inexcusable a Madman. The mean is, to spare in what is least necessa­ry, to lay out more liberally in what is most required in our several circumstances. Yet this will not always satisfie. There are Wives who are impatient of the Rules of Oecomomy, and are apt to call their Husband's Kindness in question, if any other measure is put to their expence than that of their own Fancy. Be sure to avoid this dangerous Error, such a partiality to your Self▪ which is so offensive to an un­derstanding Man, that he will very ill bear a Wife's giving her self such an injurious preference to all the Family, and whatever belongeth to it.

But to admit the worst, and that your Husband is really a Close-handed Wretch, you must in this, as in other Cases, endea­vour to make it less afflicting to you; and first you must observe seasonable hours of speaking. When you offer any thing [Page 28] in opposition to this reigning Humour, a third hand and a wise Friend, may often prevail more than you will be allowed to do in your own Cause. Sometimes you are dexterously to go along with him in things, where you see that the niggardly part of his Mind is most predominant, by which you will have the better opportunity of perswading him in things where he may be more indifferent. Our Passions are very unequal, and are apt to be raised or lessen­ed, according as they work upon different Objects; they are not to be stopped or re­strained in those things where our Mind is more particularly engaged. In other mat­ters they are more tractable, and will some­times give Reason a hearing, and admit a fair Dispute. More than that, there are few Men, even in this instance of Ava [...]ice, so intirely abandoned to it, that at some hours, and upon some occasions, will not for­get their natures, and for that time turn Pro­digal. The same Man who will grudge him­self what is necessary, let his Pride be raised and he shall be profuse; at another time his Anger shall have the same effect; a fit of Vanity, Ambition, and sometimes of Kind­ness, shall open and inlarge his narrow Mind; a Dose of Wine will work upon this tough humor, and for the time dissolve it. Your [Page 29] busness must be, if this Case happeneth, to watch these critical moments, and not let one of them slip without making your ad­vantage of it; and a Wife may be said to want skill, if by these means she is not able to secure her self in a good measure a­gainst the Inconveniences this scurvy qua­lity in a Husband might bring upon her, except he should be such an incurable Mon­ster, as I hope will never fall to your share.

The last supposition I will make, is, That your Husband should be weak and incom­petent to make use of the Privileges that belong to him. It will be yielded, that such a one leaveth room for a great many Objections. But God Almighty seldom sendeth a Grievance without a Remedy, or at least such a Mitigation as taketh away a great part of the sting, and the smart of it. To make such a Misfortune less hea­vy you are first to bring to your Ob­servation, That a Wife very often maketh better Figure, for her Husband's making no great one: And there seemeth to be lit­tle reason, why the same Lady that chuseth a Waiting-Woman with worse Looks, may not be content with a Husband with less Wit; the Argument being equal from the advantage of the Comparison. If you will [Page 30] be more ashamed in some Cases, of such a Husband, you will be less afraid than you would perhaps be of a wise one. His Vnseasonable Weakness may no doubt sometimes grieve you, but then set against this, that it giveth you the Dominion, i [...] you will make the right use of it. It is next to his being dead, in which Case the Wife hath right to Administer; therefore be sure, if you have such an Idiot, that none, except your self, may have the benefit of the forfeiture; Such a Fool is a dangerous Beast, if others have the keep­ing of him; and you must be very undex­terous if when your Husband shall resolve to be an Ass, you do not take care he may be your Ass. But you must go skil­fully about it and above all things, take heed of distinguishing in publick, what kind of Husband he is: Your inward thoughts must not hinder the outward payment of the consideration that is due to him: Your slighting him in Company, besides that it would, to a discerning By stander, give too great encouragement for the making nearer applications to you, is in it self such an undecent way of assuming, that it may provoke the tame Creature to break loose, and to shew his Dominion for his Credit, which he was content to forget for his [Page 31] Ease. In short, the surest and the most approved method will be to do like a wise Minister to an easie Prince; first give him the Orders you afterwards receive from him.

With all this, that which you are to pray for, is a Wise Husband, one that by knowing how to be a Master, for that ve­ry reason will not let you feel the weight of it; one whose Authority is so soften'd by his Kindness, that it giveth you ease without abridging your Liberty; one that will return so much tenderness for your Just Esteem of him, that you will never want power, though you will seldom care to use it. Such a Husband is as much a­bove all the other Kinds of them, as a rational subjection to a Prince, great in him­self, is to be preferr'd before the disquiet and uneasiness of Vnlimited Liberty.

Before I leave this Head, I must add a little concerning your Behaviour to your Husband's Friends, which requireth the most refined part of your Understanding to acquit your self well of it. You are to study how to live with them with more care than you are to apply to any other part of your Life; especially at first, that you may not stumble at the first setting out. The Family into which you are grafted [Page 32] will generally be apt to expect, that like a Stranger in a Foreign Country, you should conform to their Methods, and not bring in a new Model by your own Authori­ty The Friends in such a Case are temp­ted to rise up in Arms as against an un­lawful Invasion, so that you are with the utmost Caution to avoid the least appear­ances of any thing of this Kind. And that you may with less difficulty afterwards give your Directions, be sure at first to re­ceive them from your Husband's Friends. Gain them to you by early applying to them, and they will be so satisfied, that as nothing is more thankful than Pride, when it is complied with, they will strive which of them shall most recommend you; and when they have helped you to take Root in your Husband's good Opinion, you will have less dependence upon theirs, though you must not neglect any reasonable means of preserving it. You are to consider, that a Man govern'd by his Friends, is ve­ry easily inflamed by them; and that one who is not so, will yet for his own sake expect to have them consider'd. It is easily improved to a point of Honour in a Hus­band, not to have his Relations neglected; and nothing is more dangerous, than to raise an Objection, which is grounded up­on [Page 33] Pride: It is the most stubborn and last­ing Passion we are subject to, and where it is the first cause of the War, it is very hard to make a secure Peace. Your Cauti­on in this is of the last importance to you.

And that you may the better succeed in it, carry a strict Eye upon the Impertinence of your Servants; take heed that their Ill-humour may not engage you to take Ex­ceptions, or their too much assuming i [...] small matters, raise Consequences which may bring you under great Disadvantage. Remember that in the case of a Royal Bride, those about her are generally so far suspect­ed to bring in a Foreign Interest, that in most Countries they are insensibly reduced to a very small number, and those of so low a Figure, that it doth not admit the be­ing Jealous of them. In little and in the Proportion, this may be the Case of every New married Woman, and therefore it may be more adviseable for you, to gain the Ser­vants you find in a Family, than to tie your self too fast to those you carry into it.

You are not to overlook these small Re­flections, because they may appear low and inconsiderable; for it may be said, that as the greatest streams are made up of the small drops at the head of the Springs from whence they are derived, so the greater [Page 34] circumstances of your Life, will be in some degree directed by these seeming trifles, which having the advantage of being the first acts of it, have a greater effect than singly in their own nature they could pre­tend to.

I will conclude this Article with my Ad­vice, That you would, as much as Nature will give you leave, endeavour to forget the great Indulgence you have found at home. After such a gentle Discipline as you have been under, every thing you dislike will seem the harsher to you. The tenderness we have had for you, My Dear, is of another nature, peculiar to kind Pa­rents, and differing from that which you will meet wi [...]h first in any Family into which you shall be transplanted; and yet they may be very kind too, and afford no justifiable reason to you to complain. You must not be frighted with the first Appea­rances of a differing Scene; for when you are used to it, you may like the House you go to, better than that you left; and your Husband's Kindness will have so much advantage of ours, that we shall yield [...] all Competition, and as well as we love you, be very well contented to Surrender to such a Rival.

HOVSE, FAMILY, and CHILDREN.

YOU must lay before you, My Dear▪ there are degrees of Care to recom­mend your self to the World in the several parts of your Life. In many things, though the doing them well may raise your Credit and Esteem, yet the omission of them would draw no immediate reproach upon you: In others, where your duty is more particular­ly applyed, the neglect of them is amongst those Faults which are not forgiven, and will bring you under a Censure, which will be much a heavier thing than the trouble you would avoid. Of this kind is the Go­vernment of your House, Family, and Chil­dren, which [...]ince it is the Province allotted to your Sex, and that the discharging it well, will for that reason be expected from you, if you either desert it out of Laziness, or manage it ill for want of skill, instead of a Help you will be an Incumbrance to the Fa­mily where you are placed.

I must tell you, that no respect is lasting, but that which is produced by our being in some degree useful to those that pay it. Where that faileth, the Homage and the [Page 36] Reverence go along with it, and fly to o­thers where something may be expected in exchange for them. And upon this prin­ciple the respects even of the Children and the Servants will not stay with one that doth not think them worth their Care, and the old House-keeper shall make a bet­ter Figure in the Family, than the Lady with all her fine Cloaths, if she wilfully re­linquishes her Title to the Government. Therefore take heed of carrying your good Breeding to such a height, as to be good for nothing, and to be proud of it. Some think it hath a great Air to be above trou­bling their thoughts with such ordinary things as their House and Family; others dare not admit Cares for fear they should hasten Wrinkles? mistaken Pride maketh some think they must keep themselves up, and not descend to these Duties, which do not seem enough refined for great Ladies to be imploy'd in; forgetting all this while, that it is more than the greatest Princes can do, at once to preserve respect, and to neglect their Business. No Age ever erected Altars to insignificant Gods; they had all some quality applied to them to draw worship from Mankind; this maketh it the more unreasonable for a Lady to ex­pect to be consider'd, and at the same time [Page 37] resolve not to deserve it. Good looks alone will not do; they are not such a lasting Tenure, as to be relied upon; and if they should stay longer than they usually do, it will by no means be safe to depend upon them: For when time hath abated the violence of the first liking, and that the Napp is a little worn off, though still a good degree of kindness may remain, Men recover their sight which before might be dazell'd, and allow themselves to object as well as to admire.

In such a Case, when a Husband seeth an empty airy thing sail up and down the House to no kind of purpose, and look as if she came thither only to make a Visit. When he findeth that after her Empti­ness hath been extreme busie about some very senseless thing▪ she eats her Break­fast half an hour before Dinner, to be at greater liberty to afflict the Company with her Discourse; then calleth for her Coach, that she may trouble her Acquain­tance, who are already cloy'd with her: And having some proper Dialogues ready to display her Foolish Eloquence at the top of the Stairs, she setteth out like a Ship out of the Harbour, laden with trifles and cometh back with them: at her return she repeateth to her faithful waiting Wo­man, [Page 38] the Triumphs of that day's Imper­tinence; then wrap'd up in Flattery and clean Linen, goeth to Bed so satisfied, that it throweth her into pleasant Dreams of her own Felicity. Such a one is seldom serious but with her Taylor; her Children and Family may now and then have a random thought, but she never taketh aim but at something very Impertinent. I say, when a Husband, whose Province is without Doors, and to whom the Oeco­nomy of the House would be in some degree Indecent, findeth no Order nor Quiet in his Family, meeteth with Com­plaints of all kinds springing from this Root; The Mistaken Lady, who thinketh to make amends for all this, by having a well-chosen Petty Coat, will at last be convinced of her Error, and with grief be forced to undergo the Penalties that belong to those who are willfully Insigni­ficant. When this scurvy hour cometh upon her, she first groweth Angry; then when the time of it is past, would per­haps grow wiser, not remembring that we can no more have Wisdom than Grace, whenever we think fit to call for it. There are Times and Periods fix'd for both; and when they are too long neglected, the Punishment is, that they [Page 39] are Irrecoverable, and nothing remaineth but an useless Grief for the Folly of hav­ing thrown them out of our power. You are to think what a mean Figure a Wo­man maketh, when she is so degraded by her own Fault; whereas there is no­thing in those Duties which are expected from you, that can be a lessening to you, except your want of Conduct makes it so. You may love your Children without liv­ing in the Nursery, and you may have a competent and discreet care of them, with out letting it▪ break out upon the Compa­ny, or exposing your self by turning your Discourse that way, which is a kind of Laying Children to the Parish, and it can hardly be done any where, that those who hear it will be so forgiving, as not to think they are overcharged with them. A Woman's tenderness to her Chil­dren is one of the least deceitful Evidences of the Vertue; but yet the way of ex­pressing it, must be subject to the Rules of good Breeding: And though a Woman of Quality ought not to be less kind to them, than Mothers of the Meanest Rank are to theirs, yet she may distinguish her self in the manner, and avoid the course Methods, which in Women of a lower size might be more excusable. You must be­gin [Page 40] early to make them love you, that they may obey you. This Mixture is no where more necessary than in Children. And I must tell you, that you are not to expect Returns of Kindness from yours, if ever you have any, without Grains of Allowance; and yet it is not so much a defect in their good Nature, as a shortness of Thought in them. Their first Insufficiency maketh them lean so en­tirely upon their Parents for what is ne­cessary, that the habit of it maketh them continue the same Expectations for what is unreasonable; and as often as they are denied, so often they think they are in­jured: and whilst their Desires are strong, and their Reasons yet in the Cradle, their Anger looketh no farther than the thing they long for and cannot have; And to be displeased for their own good, is a Max­im they are very [...]low to understand: So that you may conclude, the first Thoughts of your Children will have no small Mix­ture of Mutiny; which being so natural, you must not be angry, except you would increase it. You must deny them as sel­dom as you can, and when there is no avoiding it, you must do it gently; you must flatter away their ill Humour, and take the next Opportunity of pleasing [Page 41] them in some other thing, before they either ask or look for it: This will strengthen your Authority, by making it soft to them; and confirm their Obedi­ence, by making it their Interest. You are to have as strict a Guard upon your self amongst your Children, as if you were amongst your Enemies. They are apt to make wrong Inferences, to take Encou­ragement from half Words, and misap­ply what you may say or do, so as either to lessen their Duty, or to extend their Liberty farther than is convenient. Let them be more in awe of your Kindness than of your Power. And above all, take heed of supporting a Favourite Child in its Impertinence, which will give Right to the rest of claiming the same Privi­lege. If you have a divided Number, leave the Boys to the Father's more peculiar Care, that you may with the greater Justice pre­tend to a more immediate Jurisdiction over those of your own Sex. You are to live so with them, that they may never chuse to avoid you, except when they have of­fended; and then let them tremble, that they may distinguish: But their Penance must not continue so long as to grow too sowre upon their Stomachs, that it may not harden in stead of correcting them: The [Page 42] kind and severe Part must have their se­veral turns seasonably applied; but your Indulgence is to have the broader mix­ture, that Love, rather than Fear, may be the Root of their Obedience.

Your Servants are in the next place to be considered; and you must remem­ber not to fall into the mistake of thinking, that because they receive Wages, and are so much Inferiour to you, there­fore they are below your Care to know how to manage them. It would be as good Reason for▪ a Master Workman to despise the Wheels of his Engines, because they are made of Wood. These are the Wheels of your Family; and let your Di­rections be never so faultless, yet if these Engines stop or move wrong, the whole Order of your House is either at a stand, or discomposed. Besides, the Inequality which is between you, must not make you forget, that Nature maketh no such distinction, but that Servants may be looked upon as humble Friends, and that Returns of Kindness and good Vsage are as much due to such of them as deserve it, as their Service is due to us when we require it. A foolish haughtiness in the Style of speaking, or in the manner of com­manding them, is in it self very undecent; [Page 43] besides that it begetteth an Aversion in them, of which the least ill Effect to be expected, is, that they will be slow and careless in all that is injoyned them: And you will find it true by your Experience, that you will be so much the more obey­ed as you are less Imperious. Be not too hasty in giving your Orders, not too an­gry when they are not altogether observ­ed; much less are you to be loud, and too much disturbed: An evenness in di­stinguishing when they do well or ill, is that which will make your Family move by a Rule, and without Noise, and will the better set out your Skill in conducting it with Ease and Silence, that it may be like a well disciplin'd Army; which know­eth how to anticipate the Orders that are fit to be given them. You are never to neglect the Duty of the present Hour, to do another thing, which though it may be better in it self, is not to be unseasonably preferred. Allot well cho­sen Hours for the Inspection of your Fa­mily, which may be so distinguished from the rest of your Time, that the necessary Cares may come in their proper Place, without any Influence upon your good Humour, or Interruption to other things. By these Methods you will put your self [Page 44] in possession of being valued by your Ser­vants, and then their Obedience will natu­rally follow.

I must not forget one of the greatest Articles belonging to a Family, which is the Expence. It must not be such, as by failing either in the Time or measure of it, may rather draw Censure than gain Ap­plause. If it was well examined, there is more Money given to be laughed at, than for any one thing in the World, though the Purchasers do not think so. A well-stated Rule is like the Line, when that is once pass'd we are under another Pole; so the first straying from a Rule, is a step towards making that which was before a Vertue, to change its Nature, and to grow either into a Vice, or at least an Im­pertinence. The Art of laying out Mo­ney wise'y, is not attained to without a great deal of thought; and it is yet more difficult in the Case of a Wife, who is ac­countable to her Husband for her mi­stakes in it. It is not only his Money, his Credit too is at Stake, if what lyeth under the Wife's Care is managed, either with undecent Thrift, or too loose Pro­fusion. You are therefore to keep the Mean between these two Extremes, and it being hardly possible to hold the Ba­lance [Page 45] exactly even, let it rather incline to­wards the Laberal side as more suitable to your Quality, and less subject to Reproach. Of the two a little Money mispent is soon­er recovered, than the Credit which is lost by having it unhandsomely saved; and a Wise Husband will less forgive a shame­ful piece of Parcimony, than a little Extra­vagance, if it be not too often repeated. His Mind in this must be your chief Di­rection; and his Temper, when once known, will in great measure, justifie your part in the management, if he is pleased with it.

In your Clothes avoid too much Gau­dy; do not value your self upon an Im­broidered Gown; and remember, that a reasonable Word, or an obliging Look, will gain you more respect, than all your fine Trappings. This is not said to restrain you from a decent Compliance with the World, provided you take the wiser, and not the foolisher part of your Sex for your Pattern. Some distinctions are to be allowed, whilst they are well suited to your Quality and Fortune, and in the di­stribution of the Expence, it seemeth to me that a full Attendance, and well chosen Ornaments for your House, will make you a better Figure▪ than too much glittering in [Page 46] what you wear, which may with more ease be imitated by those that are below you. Yet this must not tempt you to starve every thing but your own Ap­partment; or in order to more abundance there, give just cause to the least Ser­vant you have, to complain of the Want of what is necessary. Above all, fix it in your thoughts, as an unchangeable Maxim, That nothing is truly fine but what is fit, and that just so much as is proper for your Circumstances of their several kinds, is much finer than all you can add to it. When you once break through these bounds, you launch into a wide Sea of Extrava­gance. Every thing will become necessa­ry, because you have a mind to it; and you have a mind to it, not because it is fit for you, but because some body else hath it. This Lady's Logick fetteth Rea­son upon its Head, by carrying the Rule from things to Persons; and appealing from what is right to every Fool that is in the wrong. The word necessary is miserably applyed, it disordereth Families, and o­verturneth Governments by being so abused. Remember that Children and Fools want every thing because they want Wit to di­stinguish: and therefore there is no strong­er Evidence of a Crazy Vnderstanding, [Page 47] than the making too large a Catalogue of things necessary, when in truth there are so very few things that have a right to be placed in it. Try every thing first in your Judgment, before you allow it a place in your Desire; else your Husband may think it as necessary for him to deny, as it is for you to have whatever is unrea­sonable: and if you shall too often give him that advantage, the habit of refusing may perhaps reach to things that are not unfit for you.

There are unthinking Ladies, who do not enough consider, how little their own Figure agreeth with the fine things they are so proud of. Others when they have them will hardly allow them to be visible; they cannot be seen without Light, and that is many times so sawcy and so pry­ing, that like a too forward Gallant it is to be forbid the Chamber. Some, when you are ushered into their Dark Ruelle, it is with such solemnity, that a Man would swear there was something in it, till the Vnskilful Lady breaketh silence, and beginneth a Chat, which discover­eth it is a Puppet play with Magnificent Scenes. Many esteem things rather as they are hard to be gotten, than that they are worth getting: This looketh as if they [Page 48] had an Interest to pursue that Maxim, because a great part of their own value dependeth upon it. Truth in these Cases would be often unmannerly, and might derogate from the Prerogative, great La­dies would assume to them selves, of be­ing distinct Creatures from those of their Sex, which are inferiour, and of less dif­ficult access.

In other things too, your Condition must give the rule to you, and there­fore it is not a Wife's part to aim at more than a bounded Liberality; the far­ther extent of that Quality (otherwise to be commended) belongeth to the Husband, who hath better means for it. Generosi­ty wrong placed becometh a Vice. It is no more a Vertue when it groweth into an Inconvenience, Vertues must be inlarg­ed or restrained according to differing Cir­cumstances. A Princely Mind will undo a private Family: Therefore things must be suited, or else they will not deserve to be Commended, let them in themselves be never so valuable: And the Expectations of the World are best answered when we acquit our selves in that manner which seemeth to be prescribed to our several Conditions, without usurping upon those Duties, which do not so particularly be­long to us.

[Page 49] I will close the consideration of this Article of Expence, with this short word. Do not fetter your self with such a Re­straint in it as may make you Remark­able; but remember that Vertue is the greatest Ornament, and good Sence the best Equipage.

BEHAVIOUR and CON­VERSATION.

IT is time now to lead you out of your House into the World. A Dangerous step; where your Vertue alone will not secure you, except it is attended with a great deal of Prudence. You must have both for your Guard, and not stir without them. The Enemy is abroad, and you are sure to be taken, if you are found stragling. Your Behaviour is therefore to incline strongly towards the Reser­ved part; your Character is to be im­moveably fixed upon that Bottom, not excluding a mixture of greater freedom, as far as it may be innocent and well timed. The Extravagancies of the Age have made Caution more necessary; and by the same [Page 50] reason that the too great Licence of ill Men hath by Consequence in many things restrained the Lawful Liberty of those who did not abuse it, the unjustifiable Free­doms of some of your Sex have involv­ed the rest in the Penalty of being reduced. And though this cannot so alter the Na­ture of things, as to make that Criminal, which in it self is Indifferent; yet if it maketh it dangerous, that alone is sufficient to justifie the Restraint. A close behaviour is the fittest to receive Vertue for its con­stant Guest, because there, and there only, it can be secure. Proper Reserves are the Outworks, and must never be deserted by those who intend to keep the Place; they keep off the possibilities not only of be­ing taken, but of being attempted; and if a Woman seeth Danger tho at never so remote a Distance, she is for that time to shorten her Line of Liberty. She who will allow her self to go to the utmost Extent of every thing that is Lawful, is so very near going farther, that those who lie at watch, will begin to count upon her.

Mankind, from the double temptation of Vanity and Desire, is apt to turn every thing a Woman doth to the hopeful side; and there are few who dare make an im­pudent [Page 51] Application, till they discern some­thing which they are willing to take for an Encouragement. It is safer therefore to prevent such Forwardness, than to go about to cure it. It gathereth Strength by the first allowances, and claimeth a Right from having been at any time suffered with Im­punity. Therefore nothing is with more care to be avoided, than such a kind of Civility as may be mistaken for Invitati­on; and it will not be enough for you to keep your self free from any criminal Engagements; for if you do that which either raiseth Hopes or createth Discourse, there is a Spot thrown upon your Good Name; and those kind of Stains are the harder to be taken out, being dropped up­on you by the Man's Vanity, as well as by the Woman's Malice.

Most Men are in one sence Platonick Lovers, though they are not willing to own that Character. They are so far Philoso­phers, as to allow, that the greatest part of Pleasure lieth in the Mind; and in pur­suance of that Maxim, there are few who do not place the Felicity more in the Opinion of the World, of their being prospe­rous Lovers, than in the Blessing it self, how much soever they appear to value it. The being so, you must be very cautious not to [Page 52] gratifie these Cameleons at the price of bringing a Cloud upon your Reputation▪ which may be deeply wounded, tho your Conscience is unconcerned.

Your own Sex too will not fail to help the least Appearance that giveth a Handle▪ to be ill-turned. The best of them will not be displeased to improve their own Value, by laying others under a Disadvan­tage, when there is a fair Occasion give for it. It distinguisheth them still the more their own Credit is more exalted, and, like a Picture set off with Shades, shineth more when a Lady, either less Innocent, or le [...] Discreet is set near, to make them appear so much the brighter. If these lend thei [...] Breath to blast such as are so unwary as to give them this Advantage, you may be sure there will be a stronger Gale from those, who, besides Malice or Emulation have an Interest too, to strike hard upon a Vertuous Woman. It seemeth to them, tha [...] their Load of Infamy is lessened, by throw­ing part, of it upon others: So that they will not only improve when it lieth in thei [...] way, but take pains to find out the least mistake an Innocent Woman committeth, i [...] Revenge of the Injury she doth in leading a Life which is a Reproach to them. With these you must be extreme wary, and nei­ther [Page 53] provoke them to be angry, nor invite them to be Intimate.

To the Men you are to have a Behaviour which may secure you, without offend­ing them. No ill-bred affected Shyness, nor a Roughness, unsuitable to your Sex, and unnecessary to your Vertue; but a way of Living that may prevent all course Raille­ries or unmannerly Freedoms; Looks that forbid without Rudeness, and oblige with­out Invitation, or leaving room for the sawcy Inferences Men's Vanity suggesteth to them upon the least Encouragements. This is so very nice, that it must engage you to have a perpetual Watch upon your Eyes, and to remember, that one careless Glance giveth more advantage than a hun­dred Words not enough considered; the Language of the Eyes being very much the most significant, and the most observed.

Your Civility, which is always to be pre­served, must not be carried to a Compliance, which may betray you into irrecoverable Mistakes. This French ambiguous word Complaisance hath led your Sex into more blame, than all other things put together. It carrieth them by degrees into a certain thing called a good kind of Woman, an easie Idle Creature, that doth neither Good nor Ill but by chance, hath no Choice, but [Page 54] leaveth that to the Company she keepeth▪ Time, which by degrees addeth to the sig­nification of Words, hath made her, accord­ing to the Modern Stile, little better than one who thinketh it a Rudeness to deny when civilly required, either her Service in Person, or her friendly Assistance, to those who would have a meeting, or want a Con­fident. She is a certain thing always at hand, an easie Companion, who hath ever great Compassion for distressed Lovers: She censureth nothing but Rigor, and is never without a Plaister for a wounded Reputation, in which chiefly lieth her Skill in Chirur­gery; She seldom hath the Propriety of any particular Gallant, but liveth upon Bro­kage, and waiteth for the Scraps her Friends are content to leave her.

There is another Character not quite so Criminal, yet not less Ridiculous; which is that of a good-humour'd Woman, one who thinketh she must always be in a Laugh, or a broad Smile, because Good-humour is an obliging Quality; thinketh it less ill-manners to talk Impertinently, than to be silent in Company. When such a prating Engine rideth Admiral, and carrieth the Lantern, in a Circle of Fools, a cheerful Con­comb coming in for a Recruit, the Chattering of Monkeys is a better noise than such a [Page 55] Concert of senceless Merriment. If she is applauded in it, she is so encouraged, that, like a Ballad singer, who if commanded, breaketh his Lungs, she letteth her self loose, and overfloweth upon the Compa­ny. She conceiveth that Mirth is to have no intermission, and therefore she will car­ry it about with her, though it be to a Funeral; and if a Man should put a fa­miliar Question, she doth not know ve­ry well how to be angry, for then she would be no more that pretty thing called a Good humour'd Woman. This necessity of appearing at all times to be so infinitely pleased is a grievous mistake; since in a handsom Woman that Invitation is unnecessa­ry; and in one who is not so, ridiculous. It is not intended by this, that you should forswear Laughing; but remember, that Fools being always painted in that posture, it may fright those who are wise from doing it too frequently, and going too near a Copy which is so little inviting, and much more from doing it loud, which is an unnatural Sound and looketh so much like another Sex, that few things are more offensive. That boilterous kind of Jollity is as contrary to Wit and Good Manners, as it is to Modesty and Vertue. Besides, it is a course kind of quality, that throweth a [Page 56] Woman into a lower Form, and degradeth her from the Rank of those who are more refined. Some Ladies speak loud and make a noise to be the more minded, which looketh as if they beat their Drums for Volunteers, and if by misfortune none come in to them, they may, not without rea­son, be a good deal out of Countenance.

There is one thing, yet more to be avoided, which is the Example of those who intend nothing farther than the Va­nity of Conquest, and think themselves secure of not having their Honour tainted by it. Some are apt to believe their Ver­tue is too Obscure, and not enough known, except it is exposed to a broader Light, and set out to its best advantage, by some publick Trials. These are dangerous expe­riments, and generally fail, being built up­on so weak a foundation, as that of a too great Confidence in our selves. It is as safe to play with Fire, as to daily with Gal­lantry. Love is a Passion that hath Friends in the Garrison, and for that reason must by a Woman be kept at such a distance, that she may not be within the danger of doing the most usual thing in the World which is conspiring against her Self: Else the humble Gallant, who is on­ly admitted as a Trophy, very often be­cometh [Page 57] the Conquerour; he putteth on the style of victory, and from an Admirer groweth into a Master, for so he may be called from the moment he is in Possessi­on. The first Resolutions of stopping at good Opinion and Esteem, grow weak­er by degrees against the Charms of Courtship skilfully applied. A Lady is apt to think a Man speaketh so much reason whilst he is Commending her, that she hath much ado to believe him in the wrong when he is making Love to her: And when besides the natural Inducements your Sex hath to be merciful, she is bribed by well chosen Flattery, the poor Creature is in danger of being caught like a Bird listening to the Whilstle of one that hath a Snare for it. Conquest is so tempting a thing, that it often maketh Women mistake Men's Submissions; which with all their fair Appearance, have generally less, Respect than Art in them. You are to remember, that Men who say extreme fine things, many times say them most for their own sakes; and that the vain Gal­lant is often as well pleased with his own Compliments, as he could be with the kindest answer. Where there is not that Osten­tation you are to suspect there is Design, And as strong perfumes are seldom used [Page 58] but where they are necessary to smother an unwelcome scent; so Excessive good Words leave room to believe they are strewed to cover something, which is to gain ad­mittance under a Disguise. You must there­fore be upon your Guard, and consider, that of the two, Respect is more danger­ous than Anger. It puts even the best Un­derstandings out of their place for the time, till their second thoughts restore them; it stealeth upon us insensibly, throweth down our Defences, and maketh it too late to resist, after we have given it that advantage. Whereas railing goeth away in sound; it hath so much noise in it, that by giving warning it bespeaketh Caution. Respect is a slow and a sure Poison, and like Poison swelleth us within our selves. Where it prevaileth too much, it groweth to be a kind of Apoplexie in the Mind, turneth it quite round, and after it hath once seized the understanding, becometh mortal to it. For these reasons, the safest way is to treat it like a sly Enemy, and to be perpetually upon the watch against it.

I will add one Advice to conclude this head, which is that you will let every seven years make some alteration in you towards the Graver side, and not be like the Girls of Fifty, who resolve to be always Young, [Page 59] whatever Time with his Iron Teeth hath determined to the contrary. Unnatural things carry a Deformity in them never to be Disguised; the Liveliness of Youth in a riper Age, looketh like a new patch upon an old Gown; so that a Gay Matron, a cheer­ful old Fool may be reasonably put into the List of the Tamer kind of Monsters. There is a certain Creature call'd a Grave Hobby-Horse, a kind of a she Numps, that pretendeth to be pulled to a Play, and must needs go to Bartholomew-Fair, to look after the young Folks, whom she only seemeth to make her care, in reality she taketh them for her excuse. Such an old Butterfly is of all Creatures, the most ri­diculous, and the soonest found out. It is good to be early in your Caution, to avoid any thing that cometh within distance of such despicable Patterns, and not like some Ladies, who defer their Conversion, till they have been so long in possession of being laughed at, that the World doth not know how to change their style, even when they are reclaimed from that which gave the first occasion for it.

The advantages of being reserved are too many to be set down, I will only say, that it is a Guard to a good Woman, and a Disguise to an ill one. It is of so much use [Page 60] to both, that those ought to use it as an Ar­tifice, who refuse to practise it as a Ver­tue.

FRIENDSHIPS.

I Must in a particular manner recom­mend to you a strict Care in the Choice of your Friendships. Perhaps the best are not without their Objections, but however, be sure that yours may not stray from the Rules which the wiser part of the World hath set to them. The Leagues Offensive and Defensive, seldom hold in Poli­ticks, and much less in Friendships. The violent Intimacies, when once broken, of which they scarce ever fail, make such a Noise; the Bag of Secrets untied, they fly about like Birds let loose from a Cage, and become the Entertainment of the Town. Besides, these great Dearnesses by degrees grow Injurious to the rest of your Acquain­tance, and throw them off from you. There is such an Offensive Distinction when the Dear Friend cometh into the Room, that it is flinging Stones at the Company, who are not ape to forgive it.

[Page 61] Do not lay out your Friendship too lavish­ly at first, since it will, like other things, be so much the sooner spent; neither let it be of too sudden a growth; for as the Plants which shoot up too fast are not of that continuance, as those which take more time for it; so too swift a Progress in pouring out your Kindness, is a certain Sign that by the Course of Nature it will not be long-lived. You will be responsi­ble to the World, if you pitch upon such Friends as at the time are under the weight of any Criminal Objection. In that case you will bring your self under the disad­vantages of their Character, and must bear your part of it. Chusing implieth Approv­ing; and if you fix upon a Lady for your Friend against whom the World shall have given Judgment, 'tis not so well na­tur'd as to believe you are altogether a­verse to her way of living, since it doth not discourage you from Admitting her into your Kindness. And Resemblance of Inclinations being thought none of the least Inducements to Friendship, you will be looked upon at least as a Well-wisher if not a Partner with her in her Faults. If you can forgive them in another, it may be presumed you will not be less gentle to your self; and therefore you must not [Page 62] take it ill, if you are reckoned a Croupiere, and condemned to pay an equal Share with such a Friend of the Reputation she hath lost.

If it happeneth that your Friend should fall from the State of Innocence after your Kindness was engaged to her, you may be slow in your belief in the beginning of the Discovery: But as soon as you are con­vinced by a Rational Evidence, you must, without breaking too roughly, make a far and a quick Retreat from such a Mistaken Acquaintance: Else by moving too slowly from one that is so tainted, the Contagion may reach you so far as to give you part of the Scandal, though not of the Guilt. This Matter is so nice, that as you must not be too hasty to joyn in the Censure upon your Friend when she is accused, so you are not on the other side to defend her with too much warmth; for if she should happen to deserve the Report of Common Fame, besides the Vexation that belongeth to such a mistake, you will draw an ill ap­pearance upon your self, and it will be thought you pleaded for her not without some Consideration of your self. The Anger which must be put on to vindicate the Re­putation of an injured Friend, may incline the Company to suspect you would not be [Page 63] so zealous, if there was not a possibility that the Case might be your own. For this reason you are not to carry your dearness so far, as absolutely to lose your Sight where your Friend is concerned. Because Malice, is too quick sighted, it doth not fol­low, that Friendship must be blind: There is to be a Mean between these two Ex­tremes, else your Excess of Good Nature may betray you into a very ridiculous Fi­gure, and by degrees who may be preferr'd to such Offices as you will not be proud of. Your Ignorance may lessen the Guilt, but will improve the Jest upon you, who shall be kindly sollicitous to procure a Meeting, and innocently contribute to the ills you would avoid: Whilest the Con­triving Lovers, when they are alone, shall make you the Subject of their Mirth, and perhaps (with respect to the Goddess of Love be it spoken) it is not the worst part of their Entertainment, at least it is the most lasting, to laugh at the believing Friend, who was so easily deluded.

Let the good Sence of your Friends be a chief Ingredient in your Choice of them; else let your Reputation be never so clear, it may be clouded by their Impertinence. It is like our Houses being in the Power of a Drunken or a Careless Neighbour; on­ly [Page 64] so much worse, as that there will be no Insurance here to make you amends, as there is in the Case of Fire.

To conclude this Paragraph; If Forma­lity is to be allowed in any Instance, it is to be put on to resist the Invasion of such forward Women as shall press themselves into your Friendship, where if admitted, they will either be a Snare or an In­cumbrance.

CENSVRE.

I will come next to the Consideration, how you are to manage your Censure; in which both Care and skill will be a good deal required. To distinguish is not only natural but necessary; and the Effect of it is, That we cannot avoid giving Judgment in our Minds, either to absolve or to condemn as the Case requireth. The Difficulty is, to know when and where it is fit to proclaim the Sentence. An Aversion to what is Criminal, a Contempt of what is ridiculous, are the inseparable Companions of Understanding and Vertue; but die letting them go farther than our own Thoughts, hath so much danger in it, that though it [Page 65] is neither possible nor fit to suppress them intirely, yet it is necessary they should be kept under very great Restraints. An un­limited Liberty of this kind is little less than sending a Herald and proclaiming War to the World, which is an angry Beast when so provoked. The Contest will be unequal; though you are never so much in the right; and if you begin against such an Adversary, it will tear you in pieces, with this Justification, That it is done in its own defence. You must therefore take heed of Laughing, except in Company that is very sure. It is throwing Snow-balls against Bullets; and it is the disadvantage of a Woman, that the Malice of the World will help the Brutality of those who will throw a slovenly Vntruth upon her. You are for this Reason to suppress your Impa­tience for Fools; who besides that they are too strong a Party to be unnecessarily pro­voked, are of all others, the most dan­gerous in this Case. A Blockhead in his Rage will return a dull Jest that will lie heavy, though there is not a Grain of Wit in it. Others will do it with more Art, and you must not think your self secure because your Reputation may perhaps be out of the reach of Ill will; for if it findeth that part guarded, it will seek one which is [Page 66] more exposed. It flieth, like a corrupt Hu­mour in the Body, to the weakest Part. If you have a tender Side, the World will be sure to find it, and to put the worst Colour upon all you say or do, give an Aggravation to every thing that may lessen you, and a Spiteful turn to every thing that might recommend you. Anger laieth open those Defects which Friendship would not see, and Civility might be willing to forget. Malice needeth no such Invitation to encourage it, neither are any Pains more superfluous than those we take to be ill spoken of. If Envy, which never dy­eth, and seldom sleepeth, is content some­times to be in a Slumber, it is very unskilful to make a noise to awake it.

Besides, your Wit will be misapplied if it is wholly directed to discern the Faults of others, when it is so necessary to be often used to mend and prevent your own. The sending our Thoughts too much abroad, hath the same Effect, as when a Family never stayeth at home; Neglect and Disor­der naturally followeth; as it must do within our selves, if we do not frequently turn our Eyes inwards, to see what is amiss with us, where it is a sign we have an un­welcome Prospect, when we do not care to look upon it, but rather seek our Con­solations [Page 67] in the Faults of those we converse with.

Avoid being the first in fixing a hard Cen­sure, let it be confirmed by the general Voice, before you give into it; Neither are you then to give Sentence like a Magistrate, or as if you had a special Authority to bestow a good or ill Name at your discretion. Do not dwell too long upon a weak Side, touch and go away; take pleasure to stay longer where you can commend, like Bees that fix only upon those Herbs out of which they may extract the Juice of which their Honey is composed. A Vertue stuck with Bristles is too rough for this Age; it must be adorned with some Flowers, or else it will be unwillingly entertained; so that even where it may be fit to strike, do it like a Lady, gently; and assure your self, that where you care to do it, you will wound others more, and hurt your self less, by soft Strokes, than by being harsh or vio­lent.

The Triumph of Wit is to make your good. Nature subdue your Censure; to be quick in seeing Faults, and slow in exposing them. You are to consider, that the in­visible thing called a Good Name, is made up of the Breath of Numbers that speak well of you; so that if by a disobliging Word [Page 68] you silence the meanest, the Gale will be less strong which is to bear up your Esteem. And though nothing is so vain as the eager pursuit of empty Applause, yet to be well thought of, and to be kindly used by the World, is like a Glory about a Womans Head; 'tis a Perfume she carrieth about with her, and leaveth where-ever she go­eth; 'tis a Charm against Ill-will. Malice may empty her Quiver, but cannot wound; the Dirt will not stick, the Jests will not take; Without the consent of the World a Scandal doth not go deep; it is only a slight stroak upon the injured Party and returneth with the greater force upon those that gave it.

VANITY AND AFFECTATION.

I Must with more than ordinary earnestness give you Caution against Vanity, it be­ing the Fault to which your Sex seemeth to be the most inclined; and since Affecta­tion for the most part attendeth it, I do not know how to divide them. I will not call them Twins, because more properly Vanity is the Mother, and Affectation is the Darling Daughter; Vanity is the Sin, and [Page 69] Affectation is the Punishment; the first may be called the Root of Self-Love, the o­ther the Fruit. Vanity is never at its full growth till it spreadeth into Affectation, and then it is compleat.

Not to dwell any longer upon the de­finition of them, I will pass to the means and motives to avoid them. In order to it, you are to consider, that the World challengeth the right of distributing Esteem and Applause; so that where any assume by their single Authority to be their own Carvers, it groweth angry, and never faileth to seek Revenge. And if we may measure a Fault by the greatness of the Penalty, there are few of a higher size than Vanity, as there is scarce a Punishment which can be heavier than that of being laughed at.

Vanity maketh a Woman tainted with it, so top full of her self, that she spilleth it upon the Company. And because her own thoughts are intirely imployed in Self-Contemplation; she endeavoureth, by a cruel Mistake, to confine her Acquaintance to the same narrow Circle of that which only concerneth her Ladiship, forgetting that she is not of half that Importance to the World, that she is to her self, so mistaken she is in her Value, by being her own Ap­praiser. [Page 70] She will fetch such a Compass in Discourse to bring in her beloved Self, and rather than fail, her fine Petty-Coat, that there can hardly be a better Scene than such a Tryal of ridiculous Ingenuity. It is a Pleasure to see her Angle for Commenda­tions, and rise so dissatisfied with the Ill-bread Company, if they will not bite. To observe her throwing her Eyes about to fetch in Prisoners, arid go about Cruizing like a Privateer, and so out or Countenance, if she return without Booty, is no ill piece of Comedy. She is so eager to draw re­spect, that the always misseth it, yet think­eth it so much her due, that when she faileth she groweth waspish, not consider­ing, that it is impossible to commit a Rape upon the will; that it must be fairly gain­ed, and will not be taken by Storm; and that in this Case, the Tax ever riseth highest by a Benevolence. If the World instead of admiring her Imaginary Excellen­cies, taketh the Liberty to laugh at them, she appealeth from it to her self, for whom she giveth Sentence, and proclaimeth it in all Companies. On the other side, if incou­raged by a Civil Word, she is so obliging, that she will give thanks for being laughed at in good Language. She taketh a Com­pliment for a Demonstration, and setteth it [Page 71] up as an Evidence, even against her Look­ing-Glass. But the good Lady being all this while in a most profound Ignorance of her self, forgetteth that Men would not let her talk upon them, and throw so many senseless words at their head, if they did not intend to put her Person to Fine and Ransom, for her Impertinence. Good words of any other Lady, are so many Stones thrown at her, she can by no means bear them, they make her so uneasie, that she cannot keep her Seat, but up she riseth and goeth home half burst with Anger and Strait-Lacing. If by great chance she saith any thing that hath sence in it, she ex­pecteth such an Excessive rate of Commenda­tions, that to her thinking the Company ever riseth in her Debt. She looketh upon Rules as things made for the common Peo­ple, and not for Persons of her Rank; and this Opinion sometimes tempteth her to Extend her Prerogative to the dispencing with the commandments. If by great For­tune she happeneth, in spite of her Vanity, to be honest, she is so troublesome with it, that as far as in her lieth, she maketh a scur­vy thing of it. Her bragging of her Vertue, looketh as if it cost her so much pains to get the better of her Self, that the In­ferences are very ridiculous. Her good Hu­mour [Page 72] is generally applied to the laughing at good Sense. It would do one good to see how heartily she despiseth any thing that is fit for her to do. The greatest part of her Fancy is laid out in chusing her Gown, as her Discretion is chiefly imploy'd in not paying for it. She is faithful to the Fashion, to which not only her Opinion, but her Senses are wholly resigned: so obsequious she is to it, that she would be ready to be reconciled even to Vertue with all its Faults, if she had her Dancing Master's Word that it was practis'd at Court.

To a Woman so compos'd when Affecta­tion cometh in to improve her Character, it is then raised to the highest Perfection. She first setteth up for a Fine thing, and for that Reason will distinguish her self, right or wrong, in every thing she doth. She would have it thought that she is made of so much the finer Clay, and so much more sifted than ordinary, that she hath no common Earth about her. To this end she must neither move nor speak like other Women, because it would be vulgar; and therefore must have a Language of her own, since ordinary English is too course for her. The Looking-gloss in the Morning dictateth to her all the Motions of the Day, which by how much the more studied, [Page 73] are so much the more mistaken. She com­eth into a Room as if her Limbs were set on with ill-made Screws, which mak­eth the Company fear the pretty thing should leave some of its artificial Person upon the Floor. She doth not like her self as God Almighty made her, but will have some of her own Workmanship; which is so far from making her a better thing than a Woman, that it turneth her into a worse Creature than a Monkey. She falleth out with Nature, against which she maketh War without admitting a Truce, those Moments excepted in which her Gallant may recon­cile her to it. When she hath a mind to be soft and languishing, there is somthing so unnatural in that affected Easiness, that her Frowns could not be by many degrees so forbidden. When she would appear un­reasonably humble, one may see she is so excessively proud, that there is no enduring it. There is such an impertinent Smile, such a satisfied Simper, when she faintly disowneth some fulsom Commendation a Man hapneth to bestow upon her against his Conscience, that her Thanks for it are more visible under such a thin Disguise, than they could be if she should print them. If a handsomer Woman taketh any liberty of Dressing out of the ordinary [Page 74] Rules the mistaken Lady followeth, with­out distinguishing the unequal Pattern, and maketh her self uglier by an example mis­placed; either forgetting the Privilege of good Looks in another, or presuming, with­out sufficient reason upon her own. Her Discourse is a senseless Chime of empty Words, a heap of Compliments so equally applied to differing Persons, that they are neither va­lu'd nor believ'd. Her Eyes keep pace with her Tongue, and are therefore always in motion. One may discern that they ge­nerally incline to the compassionate side, and that, notwithstanding her pretence to Ver­tue, she is gentle to distressed Lovers, and Ladies that are merciful. She will repeat the tender part of a Play so feelingly, that the Company may guess, without Injustice, she was not altogether a disinteressed Specta­tor. She thinketh that Paint and Sin are concealed by railing at them. Upon the latter she is less hard, and being divided between the two opposite Prides of her Beauty and her Vertue, she is often tempt­ed to give broad Hints that some body is dying for her; and of the two she is less unwilling to let the World think she may be sometimes profan'd, than that she is never worshipped.

[Page 75] Very great Beauty may perhaps so dazle for a time, that Men may not so clearly see the Deformity of these Affectations; But when the Brightness goeth off, and that the Lover's Eyes are by that means set at liberty to see things as they are, he will naturally return to his Senses, and recover the Mistake into which the Lady's good Looks had at first engaged him. And be­ing once undeceived, ceaseth to worship that as a Goddess, which he seeth is only an artificial Shrine moved by Wheels and Springs, to delude him. Such Women please only like the first Opening of a Scene, that hath nothing to recommend it but the being new. They may be compared to Flies, that have pretty shining Wings for two or three hot Months, but the first cold Weather maketh an end of them; so the latter Season of these fluttering Creatures is dismal: From their nearest Friends they receive a very faint Respect; from the rest of the World, the utmost degree of contempt.

Let this Picture supply the place of any other Rules which might be given to pre­vent your resemblance to it, The Defor­mity of it, well considered, is Instruction enough; from the same reason, that the sight of a Drunkard is a better Sermon a­gainst [Page 76] that Vice, than the best that was ever preach'd upon that Subject.

PRIDE.

AFter having said this against Vanity, I do not intend to apply the same Cen­sure to Pride, well placed, and rightly de­fined. It is an ambiguous Word; one kind of it is as much a Vertue, as the other is a Vice: But we are naturally so apt to chuse the worst, that it is become dange­rous to commend the best side of it.

A Woman is not to be proud of her fine Gown; nor when she hath less Wit than her Neighbours, to comfort her self that she hath more Lace. Some Ladies put so much weight upon Ornaments, that if one could see into their Hearts, it would be found, that even the Thought of Death is made less heavy to them by the con­templation of their being laid out in State, and honourably attended to the Grave. One may come a good deal short of such an Ex­tream, and yet still be sufficiently Imperti­nent, by setting a wrong Value upon things, which ought to be used with more in­difference. A Lady must not appear sol­licitous [Page 77] to ingross Respect to her self, but be content with a reasonable Distribution, and allow it to others, that she may have it returned to her. She is not to be trou­blesomly nice, nor distinguish her self by being too delicate, as if ordinary things were too course for her; this is an unman­nerly and an offensive Pride, and where it is practised, deserveth to be mortified, of which it seldom faileth. She is not to lean too much upon her Quality, much less to despise those who are below it. Some make Quality an Idol, and then their Reason must fall down and Worship it. They would have the World think, that no amends can ever be made for the want of a great Title, or an ancient Coat of Arms: They imagine, that with these advantages they stand up­on the higher Ground, which maketh them look down upon Merit and Vertue, as things inferiour to them. This mistake is not only senseless, but criminal too, in putting a greater Price upon that which is a piece of good luck, than upon things which are valuable in themselves. Laughing is not enough for such a Folly; it must be se­verely whipped, as it justly deserves. It will be confessed, there are frequent Temptations given by pert Vpstarts to be angry, and by that to have our Judgments corrupted in [Page 78] these Cases: But they are to be resisted; and the utmost that is to be allowed, is, when those of a new Edition will forget themselves, so as either to brag of their weak side, or to endeavour to hide their Meanness by their Insolence, to cure them by a little seasonable Raillery, a little Sharp­ness well placed, without dwelling too long upon it.

These and many other kinds of Pride are to be avoided.

That which is to be recommended to you, is an Emulation to raise your self to a Character, by which you may be distin­guished; an Eagerness for precedence in Vertue, and all such other things as may gain you a greater share of the good opini­on of the World. Esteem to Vertue is like a cherishing Air to Plants and Flowers, which maketh them blow and prosper; and for that reason it may be allowed to be in some degree the Cause as well as the Re­ward of it. That Pride which leadeth to a good End, cannot be a Vice, since it is the beginning of a Vertue; and to be pleased with just Applause, is so far from a Fault, that it would be an ill Symptom in a Wo­man, who should not place the greatest part of her Satisfaction in it. Humility is no doubt a great Vertue; but it ceaseth to [Page 79] be so, when it is afraid to scorn an ill thing. Against Vice and Folly it is becoming your Sex to be haughty; but you must not carry the Contempt of things to Arrogance towards Persons, and it must be done with fitting Distinctions, else it may be Inconvenient by being unseasonable. A Pride that raiseth a little Anger to be out-done in any thing that is good, will have so good an Effect, that it is very hard to allow it to be a Fault.

It is no easie matter to carry even be­tween these differing kinds so described; but remember that it is safer for a Woman to be thought too proud, than too familiar.

DIVERSIONS.

THE last thing I shall recommend to you, is a wise and a safe method of using Diversions. To be too eager in the pursuit of Pleasure whilst you are Young, is dangerous; to catch at it in riper Years, is grasping a shadow; it will not be held. Besides that by being less natural it grow­eth to be indecent. Diversions are the most properly applied, to ease and relieve those who are Oppressed, by being too much im­ployed. [Page 80] Those that are Idle have no need of them, and yet they, above all others, give themselves up to them. To unbend our Thoughts, when they are too much stretched by our Cares, is not more natural than it is necessary, but to turn our whole Life into a Holy day, is not only ridicu­lous, but destroyeth Pleasure instead of pro­moting it. The Mind like the Body is tired by being always in one Posture, too serious breaketh, and too diverting looseneth it: It is Variety that giveth the Relish; so that Diversions too frequently repeated, grow first to be indifferent, and at last tedious. Whilst they are well chosen and well timed, they are never to be blamed; but when they are used to an Excess, though very In­nocent at first, they often grow to be Cri­minal, and never fail to be Impertinent.

Some Ladies are bespoken for Merry Meetings, as Bessus was for Duels. They are ingaged in a Circle of Idleness, where they turn round for the whole Year, with­out the Interruption of a serious Hour, They know all the Players Names, and are Intimately acquainted with all the Booths in Bartholomew-Fair. No Soldier is more Obe­dient to the sound of his Captain's Trumpet, than they are to that which summoneth them to a Puppet-Play or a Monster. The [Page 81] Spring that bringeth out Flies, and Fools, maketh them Inhabitants in Hide-Park; in the Winter they are an Incumbrance to the Play House, and the Ballast of the Drawing-Room. The Streets all this while are so weary of these daily Faces, that Men's Eyes are over-laid with them. The Sight is glut­ted with fine things, as the Stomach with sweet ones; and when a fair Lady will give too much of her self to the World, she grow­eth luscious, and oppresseth instead of plea­sing. These Jolly Ladies do so continually seek Diversion, that in a little time they grow into a Jest, yet are unwilling to re­member, that if they were seldomer seen they would not be so often laughed at. Be­sides they make themselves Cheap, than which there cannot be an unkinder word bestowed upon your Sex.

To play sometimes, to entertain Compa­ny, or to divert your self, is not to be disallowed, but to do it so often as to be called a Gamester, is to be avoided, next to the things that are most Criminal. It hath Consequences of several kinds not to be en­dured; it will ingage you into a habit of Idleness and ill hours, draw you into ill mix­ed Company, make you neglect your Civili­ties abroad, and your Business at home, and impose into your Acquaintance such as will do you no Credit.

[Page 82] To deep Play there will be yet greater Objections. It will give Occasion to the World to ask spiteful Questions. How you dare venture to lose, and what means you have to pay such great summs? If you pay exactly, it will be enquired from whence the Money cometh? If you owe, and especially to a Man, you must be so very Civil to him for his forbearance, that it layeth a ground of having it farther improved; if the Gentleman is so disposed; who will be thought no unfair Creditor, if where the Estate saileth he seizeth upon the Person. Besides if a Lady could see her own Face upon an ill Game, at a deep Stake, she would certainly forswear any thing that could put her looks under such a Disadvantage.

To Dance sometimes will not be imputed to you as a fault; but remember that the end of your Learning it, was, that you might the better know how to move gracefully. It is only an advantage so far. When it goeth beyond it, one may call it excelling in a Mi­stake, which is no very great Commenda­tion. It is better for a Woman never to Dance, because she hath no skill. in it, that to do it too often, because she doth it well. The easiest as well as the safest Method of doing it, is in private Companies, amongst particular Friends, and then carelesly, like a [Page 83] Diversion, rather than with Solemnity, as if it was a business, or had any thing in it to deserve a Month's preparation by serious Con­ference with a Dancing-Master.

Much more might be said to all these Heads, and many more might be added to them. But I must restrain my Thoughts, which are full of my Dear Child, and would overflow into a Volume, which would not be fit for a New-Years-Gift. I will conclude with my warmest Wishes for all that is good to you. That you may live so as to be an Ornament to your Family, and a Pattern to your Sex. That you may be blessed with a Husband that may value, and with Children that may inherit your Vertue; That you may shine in the World by a true Light, and silence Envy by deserving to be esteemed; That Wit and Vertue may both conspire to make you a great Figure. When they are separated, the first is so empty, and the other so saint, that they scarce have right to be commended. May they therefore meet and never part; let them be your Guardian Angels, and be sure never to stray out of the distance of their joint protection. May you so raise your Character, that you may help to make the next Age a better thing, and leave Posterity in your Debt for the advantage it shall re­ceive by your Example

[Page 84] Let me conjure you, My Dearest, to com­ply with this kind Ambition of a Father, whose Thoughts are so ingaged in your behalf, that he reckoneth your Happiness to be the greatest part of his own.

THE CHARACTER OF A T …

THE CHARACTER OF A TRIMMER HIS OPINION OF

  • I. The Laws and Govern­ment.
  • II. Protestant Religion.
  • III. The Papists.
  • IV. Foreign Affairs.

Corrected and Amended.

LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1699.

THE PREFACE.

IT must be more than an ordinary provoca­tion that can tempt a Man to write in an Age over-run with Scribblers, as Egypt was with Flies and Locusts: That worst Vermin of small Authors has given the World such a Surfeit, that instead of desiring to Write, a Man would be more inclin'd to wish, for his own ease, that he could not Read; but there are some things which do so raise our passions, that our Reason can make no Resistance; and when Madmen, in two Extreams, shall agree to make common sense Treason, and joyn to fix an ill Character upon the only Men in the Na­tion who deserve a good one; I am no longer Master of my better Resolution to let the World alone, and must break loose from my more reasonable Thoughts, to expose these false Coyners, who would make their Copper Wares pass upon us for good Payment.

Amongst all the Engines of Dissention, there has been none more powerful in all Times, than the fixing Names upon one another of Contumely and Reproach, and the reason is [Page] plain, in respect of the People, who tho' gene­rally they are uncapable of making a Syllogism or forming an Argument, yet they can pro­nounce a word; and that serves their turn to throw it with their dull malice at the Head of those they do not like; such things ever begin in Jest, and end in Blood, and the same word which at first makes the Company merry, grows in time to a Military Signal to cut one anothers Throats.

These Mistakes are to be lamented, tho' not easily cured, being suitable enough to the cor­rupted Nature of Mankind; but 'tis hard, that Men will not only invent ill Names, but they will wrest and misinterpret good ones; so afraid some are even of a reconciling sound, that they raise another noise to keep it from being heard, lest it should set up and encou­rage a dangerous sort of Men, who prefer Peace and Agreement, before Violence and Confusion.

Were it not for this, why, after we have played the Fool with throwing Whig and Tory at one another, as Boys do Snow-Balls, do we grow angry at a new Name, which by its true signification might do as much to put us into our Wits, as the other has done to put us out of them?

This innocent word Trimmer signifies no more than this, That if Men are together in a [Page] Boat, and one part of the Company would weigh it down on one side, another would make it lean as much to the contrary; it happens there is a third Opinion of those, who conceive it would do as well, if the Boat went even, with­out endangering the Passengers; now 'tis hard to imagin by what Figure in Language, or by what Rule in Sense this comes to be a fault, and it is much more a wonder it should be thought a Heresy.

But so it happens, that the poor Trimmer has now all the Powder spent upon him alone, while the Whig is a forgotten, or at least a neglected Enemy; there is no danger now to the State (if some Men may he believed) but from the Beast called a Trimmer, take heed of him, he is the Instrument that must destroy Church and State; a new kind of Monster, whose deformity is so expos'd, that, were it a true Picture that is made of him, it would be enough to fright Children, and make Wo­men miscarry at the sight of it.

But it may be worth the examining, whe­ther he is such a Beast as he is Painted. I am not of that Opinion, and am so far from thinking him an Infidel either in Church or State, that I am neither afraid to expose the Articles of his Faith in Relation to Govern­ment, nor to say that I prefer them before any other Political Creed, that either our an­gry [Page] Divines, or our refined States-men would impose upon as.

I have therefore in the following Discourse endeavour'd to explain the Trimmer's Princi­ples and Opinions, and then leave it to all discerning and impartial Judges, whether he can with Justice be so Arraign'd, and whether those who deliberately pervert a good Name, do not very justly deserve the worst that can be put upon themselves.

THE Trimmer's Opinion. OF THE LAWS AND GOVERNMENT.

OUr Trimmer, as he has a great Ve­neration for Laws in general, so he has more particular for our own, he looks upon them as the Chains that tye up our unruly Passions, which else, like wild Beasts let loose, would reduce the world into its first State of Barbarism and Hostility; the good things we injoy, we owe to them; and all the ill things we are freed from is by their Protection.

God himself thought it not enough to be a Creator, without being a Lawgiver, and his goodness had been defective towards mankind in making them, if he had not [Page 2] prescribed Rules to make them happy too.

All Laws flow from that of Nature, and where that is not the Foundation, they may be legally impos'd, but they will be lame­ly obeyed: By this Nature is not meant that, which Fools and Madmen misquote to justify their Excesses; it is innocent and uncorrupted Nature, that which dispose [...] Men to chuse Vertue, without its being prescribed, and which is so far from in­spiring ill thoughts into us, that we take pains to suppress the good ones it infuses.

The Civilized World has ever paid t [...] willing subjection to Laws, even Conque­rors have done homage to them; as the Romans, who took Patterns of good Laws even from those they had subdued; and at the same time that they Triumph'd over an enslav'd People, the very Laws of that place did not only remain safe, but became Victorious; their new Masters, instead of suppressing them, paid them more respect than they had from those who first made them: and by this wise method they ar­rived to such an admirable Constitution of Laws, that to this day they Reign by them; this Excellency of them Triumphs still, and the World pays now an acknow­ledgment of their obedience to that Mighty [Page 3] Empire, though so many Ages after it is dissolved; and by a later instance, the Kings of France, who, in practice use their Laws pretty familiarly, yet think their Picture is drawn with most advantage up­on their Seals, when they are placed in the Seat of Justice; and tho' the Hieroglyphick is not there of so much use to the People as they would wish, yet it shews that no Prince is so Great, as not to think fit, for his own Credit at least, to give an outward, when he refuses a real worship to the Laws.

They are to mankind that which the Sun is to Plants, whilst it cherishes and preserves 'em. Where they have their force and are not clouded or supprest, every thing smiles and flourishes; but where they are darkened, and not suffered to shine out, it makes every thing to wither and decay.

They secure Men not only against one another, but against themselves too; they are a Sanctuary to which the Crown has occasion to resort as often as the People, so that it is an Interest as well as a Duty to preserve them.

There would be no end of making a Panegyrick of Laws; let it be enough to add, that without Laws the World would become a Wilderness, and Men little less than Beasts; but with all this, the best [Page 4] things may come to be the worst, if they are not in good hands; and if it be tr [...] that the wisest Men generally make the Laws, it is as true, that the strongest do often Interpret them: and as Rivers belong as much to the Channel where they run, as to the Spring from whence they first rise, so the Laws depend as much upon the Pipes thro' which they are to pass, as upon the Fountain from whence they flow.

The Authority of a King who is Head of the Law, as well as the Dignity of Publick Justice, is debased, when the clear stream of the Law is puddled and disturbed by Bunglers, or convey'd by unclean Instru­ments to the People.

Our Trimmer would have them app [...] in their full lustre, and would be grieved to see the day, when, instead of speaking with Authority from the Seats of Justice, they should speak out of a Grate, with a lamenting voice like Prisoners that desle to be rescu'd.

He wishes that the Bench may have a Natural as well as a Legal Superiority to the Bar; he thinks Mens ab [...]lities very much misplac'd, when the Reason of him that pleads is visibly too strong for those who Judge and give Sentence.

[Page 5] When those from the Bar seem to dictate to their Superiours upon the Bench, their Furrs will look scurvily about them, and the respect of the World will leave the bare Character of a Judge, to follow the Essen­tial knowledge of a Lawyer, who may be greater in himself, than the other can be with all his Trappings.

An uncontested Superiority in any Call­ing, will have the better of any distinct Name that Authority can put upon it, and there­fore if ever such an unnatural Method should be introduc'd, it is then that West­minster-Hall might be said to stand upon its Head, and though Justice it self can never be so, yet the Administration of it would be rendred Ridiculous.

A Judge has such power lodg'd in him, that the King will never be thought to have chosen well, where the voice of Mankind has not before-hand recommended the Man to his Station; when Men are made Judges of what they do not under­stand, the World censures such a Choice, not out of ill will to the Men, but fear to themselves.

If the King had the sole power of chusing Physicians, Men would tremble to see Bun­glers preferred, yet the necessity of taking Physick from a Doctor, is generally not [Page 6] so great as that of receiving Justice from a Judge; and yet the Inferences will be very severe in such cases, for either it will be thought that such Men bought what they were not able to deserve, or which is as bad, that Obedience shall be look'd upon as a better Qualification in a Judge, than Skill or Integrity, when such sacred things as the Laws are not only touch'd, but guided by prophane hands; Men will fear that out of the Tree of the Law, from whence we expect Shade and Shelter, such Workmen will make Cudgels to beat us with, or rather that they will turn the Canon upon our Properties, that were in­trusted with them for their Defence.

To see the Laws Mangled, Disguised, Speak quite another Language than their own, to see them thrown from the Dig­nity of protecting Mankind, to the dis­graceful Office of destroying them; and notwithstanding their Innocence in them­selves, to be made the worst Instruments that the most refined Villany can make use of, will raise Mens Anger above the power of laying it down again, and tempt them to follow the Evil Examples given them of Judging without Hearing, when so-pro­voked by their desire of Revenge. Our Trimmer therefore, as he thinks the Laws [Page 7] are Jewels, so he believes they are no better set, than in the constitution of our English Government, if rightly understood, and carefully preserved.

It would be too great Partiality to say they are perfect or liable to no Objection; such things are not of this world; but if they have more Excellencies and fewer Faults than any other we know, it is enough to recommend them to one E­steem.

The Dispute, which is a greater Beauty, a Monarchy or a Common-wealth, has lasted long between their contending Lov­ers, and (they have behav'd themselves so like Lovers, who in good Manners must be out of their Wits,) who used such Figures to exalt their own Idols on either side,. and such angry Aggravations, to reproach one another in the Contest, that moderate men have in all times smil'd upon this eagerness, and thought it differ'd very little from a downright Frenzy: we in England, by a happy use of the Controversie, conclude them both in the wrong, and reject them from being our Pattern, not taking the words in the utmost extent, which is a thing, that Monarchy, leaves men no Liberty, and a Common-wealth such a one, as allows them no Quiet.

[Page 8] We think that a wise Mean, between these barbarous Extreams, is that which self-Preservation ought to dictate, to our Wishes; and we may say we have attained to this Mean in a greater measure, than any Nation now in being, or perhaps any we have read of; tho never so much Cele­brated for the Wisdom or Felicity of their Constitutions: We take from one the too great power of doing hurt, and yet leave enough to govern and protect us; we take from the other, the Confusion, the Parity, the Animosities, and the License, and yet reserve a due care of such a Liberty, as may consist with Mens Allegiance; but it being hard, if not impossible, to be exactly even, our Government has much the stronger Biass towards Monarchy, which by the general Consent and Practise of Man­kind, seems to have Advantage in dis­pute against a Common-wealth; The Rule of a Common-wealth are too hard for the Bulk of Mankind to come up to; that Form of Government requires such a spirit to carry it on, as do's not dwell in great Numbers, but is restrained to so very few especially in this Age, that let the Method appear never so much reasonably in Paper they must fail in Practice, which will eve [...] be suited more to Mens Nature as it is than as it should be.

[Page 9] Monarchy is lik'd by the People, for the Bells and the Tinsel, the outward Pomp and Gilding, and there must be milk for Babes, since the greatest part of Mankind are, and ever will be included in that List; and it is approv'd by wise and thinking Men, (all Circumstances and Objections impartially consider'd) that it has so great an advantage above all other Forms, when the Administration of that Power falls in good hands; that all other Governments look out of Countenance, when they are set in Competition with it. Lycurgus might have sav'd himself the trou­ble of making Laws, if either he had been Immortal, or that he could have secur'd to Posterity, a succeeding Race of Princes like himself; his own Example was a better Law, than he could with all his skill tell how to make; such a Prince is a Living Law, that dictates to his Subjects, whose thoughts in that case never rise above their Obedience, the Confidence they have in the Vertue and Knowledge of the master, preventing the Scruples and Apprehensions to which Men are naturally inclin'd, in relation to those that govern them; such a Magistrate is the Life and Soul of Justice, whereas the Law is but a Body and a dead one too, without his Influence to give it warmth and vigour, [Page 10] and by the irresistible Power of his Virtue, he do's so reconcile Dominion and Allegi­ance, that all disputes between them are silenced and subdued, and indeed no Monar­chy can be Perfect and Absolute without exception, but where the Prince is Superior by his Vertue, as well as by his Character and his Power; so that to screw out Prece­dents and unlimited Power, is a plain dimi­nution to a Prince that Nature has made Great, and who had better make himself a glorious Example to Posterity, than borrow an Authority from Dark Records, raised out of the Grave, which besides their Non­usage, have always in them matter of Con­troversie and Debate, and it may be; affirm­ed, that the instances are very rare of Princes having the worst in the dispute with their People, if they were Eminent for Justice in time of Peace, or Conduct in time of War, such advantage the Crown giveth to those who adorn it by their own Personal Vertues.

But since for the greater Honour of Good and wise Princes, and the better to set off their Character by the Compa­rison, Heaven has decreed there must be a mixture, and that such as are perverse and insufficient, or at least both, are per­haps to have their equal turns in the [Page 11] Government of the World, and besides, that the Will of Man is so various, and so unbounded a thing, and so fatal too when joined with Power misapply'd; it is no wonder if those who are to be govern'd, are unwilling to have so dangerous as well as so uncertain a Standard of their Obedience.

There must be therefore Rules and Laws: for want of which, or at least the Obser­vation of them, it was as Capital for a Man to say that Nero did not play well up­on the Lute, as to commit Treason, or Blaspheme the Gods. And even Vespasian himself had like to have lost his Life, for sleeping whilst he should have attended and admir'd that Emperours Impertinence upon the Stage. There is a wantonness in great Power that Men are generally too apt to be corrupted with, and for that Reason, a wise Prince, to prevent the temptation arising from common frailty, would choose to Govern by Rules for his own Sake, as well as for his Peoples, since it only secures him from Errors, and does not lessen the real Authority, that a good Magistrate would care to be possess'd of; for if the Will of a Prince is contrary either to Reason it self, or to the universal Opinion of his Subjects, the Law by a kind restraint rescues [Page 12] him from a disease that would undo him; if his will on the other side is reasonable or well directed, that Will immediately becomes a Law, and he is arbitrary by an easie and natural Consequence, without taking pains, or overturning the World for it.

If Princes consider Laws as things im­pos'd on them, they have the appearance of Fetters of Iron, but to such as would make them their choice as well as their practice, they are Chains of Gold; and in that respect are Ornaments, as in others they are a defence to them, and by a Com­parison, not improper for God's Vicege­rents upon Earth; as our Maker never Commands our obedience to any thing, that as reasonable Creatures we ought not to make our own Election; so a good and wise Governour, tho' all Laws were abo­lish'd, would by the voluntary direction of his own Reason, do without restraint the very same things that they would have en­joyned.

Our Trimmer thinks that the King and Kingdom ought to be one Creature, not to be separated in their Political Capacity; and when either of them undertake to act a part, it is like the crawling of Worms after they are cut in pieces, which cannot [Page 13] be a lasting motion, the whole Creature not stirring at a time. If the Body has a dead Palsie, the Head cannot make it move; and God hath not yet delegated such a healing power to Princes, as that they can in a moment say to a Languishing People oppress'd and in despair, take up your Beds and walk.

The Figure of a King, is so comprehen­sive and exalted a thing, that it is a kind of degrading him to lodge that power se­parately in his own Natural Person, which can never be safely or naturally great, but where the People are so united to him as to be Flesh of his Flesh, and Bone of his Bone; for when he is reduc'd to the single definition of a man, he sinks into so low a Character, that it is a temptation upon Mens Allegiance, and an impairing that veneration which is necessary to preserve their Duty to him; whereas a Prince who is so joined to his people that they seem to be his Limbs, rather than his Subjects, Cloathed with Mercy and Justice rightly apply'd in their several places, his Throne supported by Love as well as by Power, and the warm wishes of his devoted Sub­jects, like never-failing Incense, still ascen­ding towards him, looks so like the best Image we can frame to our selves of God [Page 14] Almighty, that men would have much ado not to fall down and worship him; and would be much more tempted to the Sin of Idolatry, than to that of Disobe­dience.

Our Trimmer is of Opinion, that there must be so much Dignity inseparably an­nexed to the Royal Function, as may be sufficient to secure it from insolence and contempt; and there must be Conde­scensions from the Throne, like kind show­ers from Heaven, that the Prince may look so much the more like God Almighty's Depu­ty upon Earth; for power without love hath a terrifying aspect, and the Worship which is paid to it is like that which the Indians give out of fear to Wild Beasts and Devils: he that fears God only because there is an Hell, must wish there were no God; and he who fears the King, only because he can punish, must wish there were no King; so that without a principle of Love, there can be no true Allegiance, and there must remain perpetual Seeds of Resistance against a power that is built upon such an unnatural Foundation, as that of fear and terrour. All force is a kind of soul-Play, and whosoever aims at it himself, does by implication allow it to those he plays with; so that there will be [Page 15] ever Matter prepared in the minds of Peo­ple when they are provoked, and the Prince, to secure himself must live in the midst of his own Subjects, as if he were in a Conquer'd Country, raise Arms as if he were immediately to meet or resist an In­vasion, and all this while sleep as unquietly from the fear of the Remedies, as he did before from that of the Disease; it being hard for him to forget, that more Princes have been destroyed by their Guards than by their People; and that even at the time when the Rule was Quod Principi placuit Lex esto: the Armies and Praetorian Bands which were the Instruments of that unruly Power, were frequently the means made use of to destroy them who had it. There will ever be this difference between God and his Vicegeren [...]s, that God is still above the Instruments he uses, and out of the danger of receiving hurt from them; but Princes can never lodge Power in any hands, which may not at some time turn it back upon them; for tho' it is possible enough for a King to have power to satisfy his Ambition; yet no Kingdom has Money enough to sa­tisfie the avarice of under-Work-men, who learn from that Prince who will exact more than belongs to him, to expect from him much more than they deserve, and grow­ing [Page 16] angry upon the first disappointment, they are the Devils which grow terrible to the Conjurers themselves who brought them up, and can't send them down again; And besides that there can be no lasting Radical Security, but where the Governed are satisfied with the Governours. It must be a Dominion very unpleasant to a Prince of an elevated Mind, to impose an abject and sordid servility, instead of receiving the willing Sacrifice of Duty and Obedi­ence. The bravest Princes in all times, who were uncapable of any other kind of fear, have fear'd to grieve their own Peo­ple; such a fear is a glory, and in this sense 'tis an infamy not to be a Coward: So that the mistaken Heroes who are void of this generous kind of fear, need no other ag­gravation to compleat their ill Characters.

When a Despotick Prince has bruised all his Subjects with a slavish Obedience, all the force he can use cannot subdue his own fears; Enemies of his own Creation, to which he can never be reconciled, it being impossible to do injustice and not to fear Revenge: there is no cure for this fear, but the not deserving to be hurt, and there­fore a Prince who does not allow his thoughts to stray beyond the Rules of Ju­stice, has always the blessing of an inward [Page 17] quiet and assurance, as a natural effect of his good Meaning to his People, and tho he will not neglect due precautions to se­cure himself in all Events, yet he is unca­pable of entertaining vain and remote suspi­cions of those, of whom he resolves never to deserve ill.

It is very hard for a Prince to fear Rebel­lion, who neither does, nor intends to do any thing to provoke it; therefore too great a diligence in the Governours, to raise and improve dangers and fears from the People, is no very good Symptom, and naturally begets an inference that they have thoughts of putting their Subjects Al­legiance to a Tryal; and therefore not without some Reason fear before hand, that the Irregularities they intend, may raise Men to a Resistance.

Our Trimmer thinks it no advantage to a Government, to endeavour the suppres­sing all kind of Right which may remain in the Body of the People, or to employ small Authors in it, whose Officiousness or want of Money may encourage them to write, tho' it is not very easie to have Abi­lities equal to such a Subject; they forget that in their too high strained Arguments for the Rights of Princes, they very often plead against humane Nature, which will [Page 18] always give a Biass to those Reasons which seem of her side; it is the People that Reads those Books, and it is the People that must judge of them; and therefore no Maxims should be laid down for the Right of Go­vernment, to which there can be any Rea­sonable Objection; for the World has an Interest, and for that Reason is more than ordinary discerning to find out the weak sides of such Arguments as are intended to do them hurt; and it is a diminution to a Government, to Promote or Counte­nance such well affected mistakes which are turned upon it with disadvantage, when­ever they are detected and expos'd; and Naturally the too earnest Endeavours to take from Men the Right they have, tempt them, by the Example to Claim that which they have not.

In Power, as in most other things, the way for Princes to keep it, is not to grasp more than their Arms can well hold; the nice and unnecessary enquiring into these things, or the Licensing some Books, and suppressing some others without sufficient Reason to Justifie the doing either, is so far from being an Advantage to a Govern­ment, that it exposes it to the Censure of be­ing Partial and to the suspicion, of having some hidden designs to be carried on by these unusual methods.

[Page 19] When all is said, there is a Natural Rea­son of State, and undefinable thing, groun­ded upon the Common Good of Mankind▪ which is immortal, and in all Changes and Revolutions, still preserves its Original Right of saving a Nation, when the Letter of the Law perhaps would destroy it; and by whatsoever means it moves, carrieth a Power with it, that admits of no opposition, being supported by Nature, which inspires an immediate consent at some Critical times into every individual Member, to that which visibly tendeth to preservation of the whole; and this being so, a Wise Prince instead of Controverting the right of this Reason of State, will by all means endea­vour it may be of his side, and then he will be secure.

Our Trimmer cannot conceive that the Power of any Prince can be lasting, but where 'tis built upon the foundation of his own unborrowed vertue, he must not only be the first Mover and the Fountain, from whence the great Acts of State originally flow, but he must be thought so to his Peo­ple that they may preserve their veneration for him; he must be jealous of his Power, and not impart so much of it to any about him, as that he may suffer an Eclipse by it.

[Page 20] He cannot take too much care to keep himself up, for when a Prince is thought to be led by those, with whom he should onely advise, and that the Commands he gives are transmitted through him, and are not of his own growth; the World will look upon him as a Bird adorned with Feathers that are not his own, or consider him rather as an Engine than a living Creature; besides, 'twould be a Contra­diction for a Prince to fear a Common­wealth, and at the same time create one himself, be delegating such a Power to any Number of Men near him, as is inconsistent with the Figure of a Monarch: it is the worst kind of Co-ordination the Crown can submit to; for it is the exercise of Power that draws the respect along with it, and when that is parted with, the bare Chara­cter of a King is not sufficient to keep it up; but tho' it is a diminution to a Prince, to parcel out so liberally his Power amongst his Favourites, it's worse to divide with any other Man, and to bring himself in Competition with a single Rival; a Partner in Government is so unnatural a thing, that it is a squint-ey'd Allegiance that must be paid to such a double bottom'd Monarchy. The two Czars of Muscovy are an Example that the more civiliz'd part of the World [Page 21] will not be proud to follow, whatsoever Gloss may be put upon this method, by those to whom it may be of some use, the Prince will do well to remember, and re­flect upon the Story of certain Men who had set up a Statue in Honour of the Sun, yet in a very little time they turned their backs to the Sun, and their Faces to the Statue.

These Mystical Unions are better plac'd in the other World, than they are in this, and we shall have much ado to find, that in a Monarchy Gods Vicegerency is dele­gated to more Heads than that which is anointed.

Princes may lend some of their Light to make another shine, but they must still preserve the superiority of being the brigh­ter Planet, and when it happens that the Reversion is in Mens Eyes, there is more care necessary to keep up the Dignity of Possessions, that Men may not forget who is King, either out of their hopes or fears who shall be. If the Sun shou'd part with all his Light to any of the Stars, the Indi­ans would not know where to find their God, after he had so deposed himself, and would make the Light (where-ever it went) the Object of their Worship.

[Page 22] All Usurpation is alike upon Soveraignty, its no matter from what hand it comes; and Crowned Heads are to be the more Circumspect, in respect Mens thoughts are naturally apt to ramble beyond what is present, they love to work at a distance, and in their greedy Expectations; which their minds may be fill'd with of a new Master, the old one may be left to look a little out of Countenance.

Our Trimmer owns a Passion for liberty, yet so restrained, that it does not in the least impair or taint his Allegiance, he thinks it hard for a Soul that does not love Liberty, ever to raise it self to another World he takes it to be the foundation of all vertue, and the only seasoning that gives a relish to life, and tho' the laziness of a slavish subjection, has its Charms for the more gross and earthly part of Mankind, yet to men made of a better sort of Clay, all that the World can give without Liberty has no taste; it is true, nothing is sold so cheap by unthinking men, but that does no more lessen the real value of it, than a Country Fellows Ignorance does that of a Diamond, in selling it for a Pot of Ale. Liberty is the Mistress of Mankind, she has powerful Charms which do so dazzle us, that we find Beauties in her which perhaps [Page 23] are not there, as we do in other Mistresses; yet if she was not a Beauty, the World would not run mad for her; therefore since the reasona­ble desire of it ought not to be restrain'd, and that even the unreasonable desire of it cannot be entirely suppress'd, those who would take it away from a People possessed of it, are likely to fail in the attempting, or be very unquiet in the keeping of it.

Our Trimmer admires our blessed Con­stitutions, in which Dominion and Liberty are so well reconciled; it gives to the Prince the glorious Power of commanding Free­men, and to the Subject, the satisfaction of seeing the Power so lodged, as that their Liberties are secure; it do's not allow the Crown such a Ruining Power, as that no grass can grow where e're it treads, but a Cherishing and Protecting Power; such a one as hath a grim Aspect only to the offending Subjects, but is the joy and the Pride of all the good ones; their own inte­rest being so bound up in it, as to engage them to defend and support it; and tho in some instances the King is restrain'd yet no­thing in the Government can move with­out him; our Laws make a distinction between Vassalage and Obedience; between devouring Prerogatives, and a licentious un­governable Freedom: and as of all the [Page 24] Orders of Building, the Composite is the best, so ours by a happy mixture and a wise choice of what is best in others, is brought into a Form that is our Felicity who live under it, and the envy of our Neighbour that cannot imitate it.

The Crown has power sufficient to protect our Liberties. The People have so much Liber­ty as is necessary to make them useful to the Crown.

Our Government is in a just proportion, no Tympany, no unnatural swelling either of Power or Liberty; and whereas in all overgrown Monarchies, Reason, Learning, and Enquiry are hang'd in Effigy for Mu­tineers; here they are encouraged and cherished as the surest Friends to a Govern­ment establish'd upon the Foundation of Law and Justice. When all is done, those who look for Perfection in this World, may look as the Jews have for their Messias, and therefore our Trimmer is not so unrea­sonably Partial as to free our Governments; and from all objections, no doubt there have been fatal Instances of its Sickness, and more than that, of its Mortality, for sometime, tho' by a Miracle, it hath been reviv'd again: but till we have another race of Mankind, in all Constitutions that are bounded, there will ever be some matter [Page 25] of Strife, and Contention, and rather than want pretensions, Mens Passions and Inte­rests will raise them from the most incon­siderable Causes.

Our Government is like our Climate▪ there are Winds which are sometimes loud and unquiet, and yet with all the Trouble they give us, we owe, great part of our Health unto them, they clear the Air, which else would be like a standing Pool, and in stead of Refreshment would be a Disease unto us.

There may be fresh Gales of asserting Liberty, without turning into such storms of Hurricane, as that the State should run any hazard of being Cast away by them; these struglings which are natural to all mix­ed Governments, while they are kept from growing in Convulsions, do by a mutual agitation from the several parts, rather sup­port and strengthen, than weaken or maim the Constitution; and the whole frame, instead of being torn or disjointed, comes to be the better and closer knit by being thus exercised; but what ever faults our Government may have, or a discerning Cri­tick may find in it, when he looks upon it alone; let any other be set against it, and then it shews its Comparative Beauty; let us look upon the most glittering outside of unbounded Authority, and upon a nearer [Page 26] enquiry, we shall find nothing but poor and miserable deformity within; let us ima­gine a Prince living in his Kingdom, as if in a great Gally, his Subjects tugging at the Oar, laden with Chains, and reduced to real Rags, that they may gain him imaginary Lawrels; let us Represent him gazing among his Flatterers, and receiving their false Worship, like a Child never Contradicted, and therefore always Cozen'd [...] or like a Lady complemented only to be abused, condemned never to hear Truth▪ and Consequently never to do Justice, w [...]l­lowing in the soft Bed of wanton and un­bridled Greatness, not less odious to the Instruments themselves, than to the Ob­jects of his Tyranny; blown up into an Ambitious Dropsy, never to be satisfied by the Conquest of other People, or by the Oppression of his own; by aiming to be more than a Man, he falls lower than the meanest of 'em, a mistaken Creature, swell­ed with Panegyricks, and flattered out of his Senses, and not only an Incumbrance, but a Nuisance to Mankind, a hardened and unrelenting Soul, and like some Creatures that grow fat with Poisons, he grows great by other Mens Miseries; an Ambitious Ap [...] of the Divine Greatness, an unruly Gyant that would storm even Heaven it self, but [Page 27] that his scaling Ladders are not long e­nough; in short, a Wild and devouring Creature in rich Trappings, and with all his Pride no more than a Whip in God Al­mighty's hand, to be thrown into the Fire when the World has been sufficiently scour­ged with it: This Picture laid in right Co­lours would not incite Men to wish for such a Government, but rather to acknowledge the happiness of our own, under which we enjoy all the Privilege Reasonable Men can desire, and avoid all the Miseries many o­thers are subject to; so that our Trimmer would keep it with all its faults, and does as little forgive those who give the occasi­on of breaking it, as he does those that take it.

Our Trimmer is a Friend to Parliaments, notwithstanding all their faults, and exces­ses, which of late have given such matter of Objection to them; he thinks that tho' they may at sometimes be troublesome to Authority, yet they add the greatest strength to it under a wise Administration; he believes no Government is perfect ex­cept a kind of Omnipotence reside in it, to exercise upon great Occasions: Now this cannot be obtained by force alone upon People, let it be never so great, there must be their consent too, or else a Nation [Page 28] moves only by being driven, a sluggish and constrained Motion, void of that Life and Vigour which is necessary to produce great things, whereas the virtual Consent of the whole being included in their Representa­tives, and the King giving the sanction to the united sense of the People, every Act done by such an Authority, seems to be an effect of their choice as well as a part of their Duty; and they do with an eager­ness, of which Men are uncapable whilst under a force, execute whatsoever is so en­joyned as their own Wills, better explained by Parliament, rather than from the ter­rour of incurring the Penalty of the Law for omiting it, and by means of this Politi­cal Omnipotence, what ever Sap or Juice there is in a Nation, may be to the last drop produc'd, whilst it rises naturally from the Root; whereas all power exercis'd without consent, is like the giving Wounds and Gashes, and tapping a Tree at unsea­sonable Times, for the present occasion, which in a very little time must needs de­stroy it.

Our Trimmer believes, that by the ad­vantage of our Situation, there can hardly any such sudden Disease come upon us, but that the King may have time enough left to consult with his Physicians in Parlia­ment; [Page 29] pretences indeed may be made, but a real necessity so pressing, that no delay is to be admitted, is hardly to be imagin'd, and it will be neither easie to give an in­stance of any such thing for the time past, or reasonable to Presume it will ever hap­pen for the time to come: but if that strange thing should fall out, our Trimmer is not so streight-lac'd, as to let a Nation die, or to be stifled, rather than it should be help'd by any but the proper Officers. The Cases themselves will bring the Remedies along with them; and he is not afraid to allow that in order to its preservation, there is a hidden Power in Government, which would be lost if it was designed, a certain Mystery, by virtue of which a Nation may at some Critical times be secur'd from Ruine, but then it must be kept as a My­stery; it is rendred useless when touch'd by unskilfull hands: and no Government ever had, or deserv'd to have that Power, which was so unwary as to anticipate their claim to it: Our Trimmer cannot help thinking it had been better, if the Triennial Act had been observ'd; because 'tis the Law, and he would not have the Crown, by such an Ex­ample, teach the Nation to break it; all irregularity is catching, it has a Contagi­on in it, especially in an Age, so much [Page 30] enclin'd to follow ill Patterns than good ones.

He would have a Parliament, because 'tis an Essential part of the Constitution, even without the Law, it being the only Provi­sion in extraordinary Cases, in which there would be otherwise no Remedy, and there can be no greater Solecism in Government, than a failure of Justice.

He would have had one, because nothing else can unite and heal us, all other Means are meer Shifts and Projects, Houses of Cards, to be blown down with the least Breath, and cannot resist the Difficulties which are ever presum'd in things of this kind; and he would have had one, because it might have done the King good, and could not possibly have done him hurt, with­out his consent, which in that Case is not to be supposed, and theresore for him to fear it, is so strange and so little to be com­prehended, that the Reasons can never be presum'd to grow in our Soyl, or to thrive in it when Transplanted from any other Country; and no doubt there are such irre­sistible Arguments for calling a Parliament, and tho it might, be deny'd to the unman­nerly mutinous Petitions of men, that are malicious and diaffected, it will be grant­ed to the soft and obsequious Murmurs of [Page 31] his Majesty's best Subjects, and there will be such Retorick in their silent Grief, that it will at last prevail against the Artifices of those, who either out of Guilt or Interest, are afraid to throw themselves upon their Country, knowing how scurvily they have used it; that day of Judgment will come, tho we know neither the day nor the hour. And our Trimmer would live so as to be pre­pared for it, with full assurance in the mean time, that the lamenting Voice of a Nati­on cannot long be resisted, and that a Prince who could so easily forgive his People when they had been in the wrong, cannot fail to hear them when they are in the right.

The Trimmer's Opinion concerning the Protestant Religion.

REligion has such a Superiority above other things, and that indispensable Influence upon all Mankind, that it is as necessary to our Living Happy in this World, as it is to our being Sav'd in the next, without it man is an abandon'd Creature, one of the worst Beasts Nature hath produc'd, and fit ònly for the Society of Wolves and Bears; therefore in all Ages [Page 32] it has been the Foundation of Government: and tho' false Gods have been impos'd upon the Credulous part of the World, yet they were Gods still in their Opinion, and the Awe and Reverence Men had to them and their Oracles, kept them within bounds towards one another, which the Laws with all their Authority could never have effect­ed without the help of Religion; the Laws would not be able to subdue the perverse­ness of Mens Wills, which are Wild Beasts, and require a double Chain to keep them down; for this Reason 'tis said, That it is not a sufficient ground to make War upon a Neighbouring State, because they are of another Religion, let it be never so differing: yet if they Worship'd nor Ac­knowledg'd any Deity at all, they may be Invaded as Publick Enemies of Mankind, because they reject the only thing that can bind them to live well with one another; the consideration of Religion is so twisted with that of Government, that it is never to be separated, and tho the Foun­dations of it ought to be Eternal and Un­changeable, yet the Terms and Circum­stances of Discipline, are to be suited to the several Climates and Constitutions, so that they may keep men in a willing Acquiescence unto them, without discom­posing [Page 33] the World by nice disputes, which can never be of equal moment with the publick Peace.

Our Religion here in England seems to be distinguished by a peculiar effect of God Almighty's goodness, in permiting it to be introduc'd, or rather restored, by a more re­gular Method than the Circumstances of most other Reformed Churches, would al­low them to do, in relation to the Govern­ment; and the Dignity with which it has supported it self since, and the great Men our Church hath produced, ought to re­commend it to the esteem of all Protestants at least: Our Trimmer is very partial to it, for these Reasons, and many more, and de­sires that it may preserve its due Jurisdicti­on and Authority? so far he is from wishing it oppressed by the unreasonable and malici­ous Cavils of those who take pains to raise Objections against it.

The Questions will then be, how and by what Methods this Church shall best support it self (the present Circumstances consider'd) in relation to Dissenters of all sorts: I will first lay this for a ground, That as there can be no true Religion with­out Charity, so there can be no true hu­mane prudence without bearing and con­descension: This Principle does not extend [Page 34] to oblige the Church always to yield to those who are disposed to Contest with her, the expediency of doing it is to be considered and determined according to the occasion, and this leads me to lay open the thoughts of our Trimmer, in reference first, to the Protestants, and then to the Popish Recusants.

What has lately hapned among us, makes an Apology necessary for saying any thing that looks like favour towards a sort of Men who have brought themselves under such a disadvantage.

The late Conspiracy hath such broad Symptoms of the disaffection of the whole Party, that upon the first reflections, while our thoughts are warm, it would almost per­swade us to put them out of the protection of our good Nature, and to think that the Christian Indulgence with our compassion for other Mens Sufferings, cannot easily deny, seems not only to be forfeited by the ill appearances that are against them, but even becomes a Crime when it is so mis­applied; yet for all this, upon second and cooler thoughts, moderate Men will not be so ready to involve a whole Party in the guilt of a few, and to admit inferences and Presumptions to be Evidence in a Case, where the Sentence must be so heavy, as it [Page 35] ought to be against all those who have a fixed resolution against the Government established? besides [...] Men who act by a Principle grounded upon Moral Vertue, can never let it be clearly extinguished by the most repeated Provocations; if a right thing agreeable to Nature and good Sense takes root in the heart of a Man, that is impartial and unbyass'd, no outward. Circumstances can ever destroy it; it's true, the degrees of a Mans Zeal for the Prosecu­tion of it may be differing, faults of other Men, the consideration of the publick, and the seasonable Prudence by which Wise Men will ever be directed, may give great Al­lays; they may lessen and for a time per­haps suppress the exercise of that, which in general Proposition may be reasonable, but still whatever is so will inevitably grow and spring up again, having a Foundation in Nature, which is never to be destroy'd.

Our Trimmer therefore endeavours to separate the detestation of those who had either a hand or a thought in the late Plot, from the Principle of Prudential as well as Christian Charity towards Mankind, and for that reason would fain use the means of reclaiming such of the Dissenters as are not incurable, and even bearing to a degree those that are as far as may con­sist [Page 36] with the Publick Interest and Security; he is far from justifying an affected separa­tion from the Communion of the Church, and even in those that mean well, and are mistaken, he looks upon it as a Disease that has seized upon their Minds, very troublesome as well as dangerous, by the Consequence it may produce: he does not go about to excuse their making it an indispensable duty, to meet in numbers to say their Prayers, such meetings may prove mischievous to the State at least; the Laws which are the best Judges, have determined that there is danger in them: he has good nature enough to lament that the pervers­ness of a Part should have drawn Rigorous Laws upon the whole Body of the Dis­senters, but when they are once made no private Opinion must stand in Opposition to them; if they are in themselves reasona­ble, they are in that respect to be re­garded, even without being enjoyned, if by the Change of Time and Circum­stances they should become less reasonable than when they were first made, even then they are to be obey'd too, because they are Laws, till they are mended or repealed by the same Authority that Enacted them.

He has too much deference to the Con­stitution of our Government, to wish for [Page 37] more Prerogative Declarations in favour of scrupulous Men, or to dispence with Penal Laws in such manner, or to such an end, that suspecting Men might with some rea­son pretend, that so hated a thing as Perse­cution could never make way for it self with any hopes of Success, otherwise than by preparing the deluded World by a false prospect of Liberty and Indulgence. The inward Springs and Wheels whereby the Engine moved, are now so fully laid open and expos'd that it is not supposable that such a baffled Experiment should ever be tryed again, the effect it had at the time, and the Spirit it raised, will not easily be forgotten, and it may be presum'd the re­membrance of it may secure us from any more attempts of that Nature for the future; we must no more break a Law to give Men ease, than we are to Rifle an House with a devout intention of giving the plunder to the Poor; in this case, our Compassion would be as ill directed, as our Charity in the other.

In short, the veneration due to the Laws is never to be thrown off, let the pretences be never so specious; yet with all this he cannot bring himself to think, that an ex­traordinary diligence to take the uttermost penalty of Laws, upon the poor offending [Page 38] Neighbour, is of it self such an all suffici­ent vertue, that without any thing else to recommend Men, it should Entitle them to all kind of Preferments and Rewards; he would not detract from the merits of those who execute the Laws, yet he cannot think such a piece of service as this, can entirely change the Man, and either make him a better Divine, or a more know­ing Magistrate than he was before, espe­cially if it be done with a partial and un­equal hand in Reverence to greater and more dangerous Offenders.

Our Trimmer would have those mistaken Men ready to throw themselves into the arms of the Church, and he would have those arms as ready to receive them that shall come to us; he would have no supercilious look to fright those strayed Sheep from coming into the Fold again; no ill-natur'd maxims of an Eternal suspicion, or a belief that those who have once been in the wrong can never be in the right again; but a visible preparation of mind to re­ceive with joy all the Proselytes that come amongst us, and much greater earnestness to reclaim than punish them: It is to be confessed, there is a great deal to forgive, a hard task enough for the Charity of a Church so provoked; [Page 39] but that must not cut off all hopes of being reconciled, yet if there must be some anger left still, let it break out into a Christian Revenge, and by being kinder to the Chil­dren of Disobedience than they deserve, let the injur'd Church Triumph, by throwing shame and confusion of face upon them; there should not always be Storms and Thunder, a clear Sky would sometime make the Church look more like Heaven, and would do more towards the reclaiming those wanderers, than a perpetual terrour, which seemed to have no intermission; for there is in many, and particularly in En­glish Men, a mistaken pleasure, in resist­ing the dictates of Rigorous Authority; a Stomach that riseth, against a hard impo­sition, nay, in some, raise even a lust in suffering from a wrong point of Honour, which does not want the applause, from the greater part of Mankind, who have not learnt to distinguish; constancy will be thought a virtue even where it is a mi­stake; and the ill Judging World will be apt to think that Opinion most right, which produces the greatest number of those who are willing to suffer for it; all this is prevented, and falls to the ground, by using well-timed Indulgence; and the stubborn Adversary who values himself upon [Page 40] his Resistance whilst he is oppress'd, yields insensibly to kind Methods, when they are apply'd to him, and the same Man natu­rally melts into Conformity, who perhaps would never have been beaten into it. We may be taught by the Compassion that attendeth the most Criminal Men when they are Condemned, that Faults are much more natural things than Punishments, and that even the most necessary acts of severi­ty do some kind of violence to our Nature, whose Indulgence will not be confined with­in the strait bounds of inexorable Justice; so that this should be an Argument for gentleness, besides that it is the likeliest way to make these Men asham'd of their Separation, whilst the pressing them too hard, tends rather to make them proud of it.

Our Trimmer would have the Clergy supported in their Lawful Rights, and in all the Power and Dignity that belongs to them, and yet he thinks that possibly there may be in some of them a too great eagerness to extend the Ecclesiastical Juris­diction; which tho it may be well intend­ed, yet the straining of it too high has an appearance of Ambition that raises mens Objections to it, and is far unlike the Apo­stolick Zeal, which was quite otherwise [Page 41] employ'd, that the World draws inferences from it, which do the Church no service.

He is troubled to see Men of all sides sick of a Calenture of a mistaken Devotion, and it seems to him that the devout Fire of mistaken Charity with which the Primi­tive Christians were inflam'd, is long since extinguish'd, and instead of it a devouring Fire of Anger and Persecution breaks out in the World; we wrangle now one with another about Religion till the Blood comes, whilst the Ten Commandments have no more authority with us, than if they were so many obsolete Laws or Proclamations out of date; he thinks that a Nation will hardly be mended by Principles of Religi­on, where Morality is made a Heresy; and therefore as he believes-Devotion mis­placed when it gets into a Conventicle, he concludes that Loyalty is so too, when lodg'd in a Drunken Club; those Vertues deserve a better Seat of Empire, and they are degraded, when such Men undertake their defence, as have too great need of an Apology themselves.

Our Trimmer wishes that some know­ledge may go along with the Zeal on the right side, and that those who are in posses­sion of the Pulpit, would quote▪ at least so often the Authority of the Scriptures as [Page 42] they do that of the State; there are many who borrow too often Arguments from the Government; to use against their Ad­versaries, and neglect those that are more proper, and would be more powerful; a Divine grows less, and puts a diminution on his own Character, when he quoteth any Law but that of God Almighty, to get the better of those who contest with him; and it is a sign of a decay'd Con­stitution, when Nature with good diet can­not expel noxious Humours without calling Foreign Drugs to her Assistance; So it looks, like want of health in a Church, when instead of depending upon the power of that Truth which it holds, and the good Exam­ples of them that teach it, to support it self, and to suppress Errors, it should have a perpetual recourse to the secular Autho­rity, and even upon the slightest occasions.

Our Trimmer has his Objections to the too busy diligence, and to the overdoing of some of the dissenting Clergy, and he does as little approve of those of our Church, who wear God Almighty's Li­veries, as some old Warders in the Tower do the King's, who do nothing in their place but receive their Wages for it; he thinks that the Liberty of the late times gave men so much Light, and diffused it so [Page 43] universally amongst the people, that they are not now to be dealt with, as they might have been in Ages of less enquiry; and therefore in some well chosen and dear­ly beloved Auditories, good resolute Non­sence back'd with Authority may prevail, yet generally Men are become so good Judges of what they hear, that the Clergy ought to be very wary how they go about to impose upon their Understandings, which are grown less humble than they were in former times, when the Men in black had made Learning such a sin in the Laity, that for fear of offending, they made a Consci­ence of being able to read; but now the World is grown sawcy, and expects Reasons, and good ones too, before they give up their own Opinions to other Mens Dictates, tho never so Magisterially deliver'd to them.

Our Trimmer is far from approving the Hypocrisie, which seems to be the reign­ing Vice amongst some of the Dissenting Clergy, he thinks it the most provoking sin Men can be guilty of, in Relation to Heaven, and yet (which may seem strange) that very sin which shall destroy the Soul of the Man who preaches, may help to save those of the Company that hear him, and even those who are cheated by the false Ostentation of his strictness of life, may [Page 44] by that Pattern be encouraged to the real Practice of those Christian Vertues which he does so deceitfully profess; so that the detestation, of this fault may possibly be car­ry'd on too far by our own Orthodox Di­vines, if they think it cannot be enough express'd without bending the Stick another way; a dangerous Method, and a worse Extream for Men of that Character, who by going to the outmost line of Christian Liberty, will certainly encourage others to go beyond it: No Man does less approve the ill-bred Methods of some of the Dissen­ters, in rebuking Authority, who behave themselves as if they thought ill manners necessary to Salvation; yet he cannot but distinguish and desire a Mean between the sawcyness of some of the Scotch Apostles, and the undecent Courtship of some of the Silken Divines, who, one would think, do practice to bow at the Altar, only to learn to make the better Legs at Court.

Our Trimmer approves the Principles of our Church, that Dominion is not founded in Grace, and that our Obedience is to be given to a Popish King in other things, at the same time that our Compliance with him in his Religion is to be deny'd; yet he can­not but think it a very extraordinary thing if a Protestant Church should by a voluntary [Page 45] Election, chuse a Papist for their Guardian, and receive Directions for supporting their Religion, from one who must believe it a Mortal Sin not to endeavour to destroy it; such a refined piece of Breeding would not seem to be very well plac'd in the Clergy, who will hardly find Precedents to justify such an extravagant piece of Court­ship, and which is so unlike the Primitive Methods, which ought to be our Pattern; he hath no such unreasonable tenderness for any sorts of Men, as to expect their faults should not be impartially laid open as often as they give occasion for it; and yet he cannot but smile to see that the same Man, who sets up all the Sails of his Rhetorick, to fall upon Dissenters; when Popery is to be handled, he does it so gingerly, that he looketh like an Ass mumbling of Thistles, so afraid he is of letting himself loose where he may be in danger of letting his Duty get the better of his Discretion.

Our Trimmer is far from relishing the impertinent wandrings of those who pour out long Prayers upon the Congregati­on, and all from their own Stock, which God knows, for the most part is a bar­ren Soil, which produces weeds instead of Flowers, and by this means they ex­pose Religion it self, rather than promote [Page 46] Mens Devotions: On the other side, there may be too great Restraint put upon Men, whom God and Nature hath di­stinguished from their Fellow Labourers, by blessing them with a happier Talent, and by giving them not only good Sense, but a powerful Utterance too, has ena­bled them to gush out upon the atten­tive Auditory, with a mighty stream of Devout and unaffected Eloquence; when a Man so qualified, endued with Learning too, and above all, adorn'd with a good Life, breaks out into a warm and well de­liver'd Prayer before his Sermon, it has the appearance of a Divine Rapture, he raises and leads the Hearts of the Assembly in another manner, than the most Com­pos'd or best Studied Form of set Words can ever do; and the Pray-wees, who serve up all their Sermons with the same Gar­nishing, would look like so many Statues, or Men of Straw in the Pulpit, compar'd With those who speak with such a powerful Zeal, that men are tempted at the moment to believe Heaven it self has dictated their words to 'em.

Our Trimmer is not so unreasonably in­dulgent to the Dissenters, as to excuse the Irregularities of their Complaints, and to approve their threatning Stiles, which are [Page 47] so ill-suited to their Circumstances as well as their Duty; he would have them to shew their Grief, and not their Anger to the Government, and by such a Submission to Authority, as becomes them, if they cannot acquiesce in what is imposed; let them deserve a Legislative Remedy to their Sufferings, there being no other way to give them perfect redress; and either to seek it, or pretend to give it by any other Method, would not only be vain, but Cri­minal too in those that go about it; yet with all this, there may in the mean time be a prudential Latitude left, as to the man­ner of preventing the Laws now in force against them: The Government is in some degree answerable for such an Administra­tion of them, as may be free from the Cen­sure of Impartial Judges; and in order to that, it would be necessary that one of these methods be pursued, either to let loose the Laws to their utmost extent, without any Moderation or Restraint, in which at least the Equality of the Government would be without Objection, the Penalties being exacted without Remission from the Dis­senters of all kinds; or if that will not be done (and indeed there is no Reason it should) there is a necessity of some Conni­vance to the Protestant Dissenters to exe­cute [Page 48] that which in Humanity must be al­lowed to the Papists, even without any leaning towards them, which must be sup­posed in those who are or shall be in the ad­ministration of publick Business; and it will follow that, according to our Circumstan­ces, the distribution of such connivance must be made in such a manner, that the greatest part of it may fall on the Prote­stant side, or else the Objections will be so strong, and the Inferences so clear, that the Friends, as well as the Enemies of the Crown, will be sure to take hold of them.

It will not be sufficient to say that the Papists may be conniv'd at, because they are good Subjects and that the Protestant Dissenters, must suffer because they are ill ones; these general Maxims will not con­vince discerning Men, neither will any late Instances make them forget what passed at other times in the World; both sides have had their Turns in being good and ill Subjects. And therefore 'tis easie to imagine what suspicions would arise in the present conjuncture, if such a partial Argu­ment as this should be impos'd upon us; the truth is, this Matter speaks so much of it self, that it is not only unnecessary, but it may be mannnerly to say any more of it.

[Page 49] Our Trimmer therefore could wish, that since notwithstanding the Laws which deny Churches to say Mass in; even not only the Exercise, but also the Ostentation of Popery is as well or better performed in the Chappels of so many Foreign Ministers, where the English openly resort in spight of Proclamations and Orders of Council, which are grown to be as harmless things to them, as the Popes Bulls and Excommu­nications are to Hereticks who are out of his reach; I say he could wish that by a seasonable as well as an equal piece of Justice, there might be so much consideration had of the Protestant Dissenters, as that there might be at sometimes, and at some places, a [...] Veil thrown over an Innocent and retired Conventicle, and that such an Indulgence might be practis'd with less prejudice to the Church, or diminution to the Laws; it might be done so as to look rather like a kind Omission to enquire more strictly, than an allow'd Toleration of that which is against the Rule established.

Such a skilful hand as this is very Ne­cessary in our Circumstances, and the Go­vernment by making no sort of Men entire­ly desperate, does not only secure it self from Villainous attempts, but lay such a Founda­tion for healing and uniting Laws, when [Page 50] ever a Parliament shall meet, that the Seeds of Differences and Animosities between the several contending sides may (Heaven con­senting) be for ever destroy'd.

The Trimmer's Opinion concerning the Papists.

TO speak of Popery leads me into such a Sea of Matter, that it is not easie to forbear launching into it, being invited by such a fruitful Theme, and by a variety never to be exhausted; but to confine it to the present Subject, I will only say a short word of the Religion it self; of its influences here at this time; and of our Trimmer's Opinion in Relation to our man­ner of living with them.

If a Man would speak Maliciously of this Religion, one may say it is like those Dis­eases, where as long as one drop of the infection remains, there is still danger of having the whole Mass of Blood corrup­ted by it. In Swedeland there was an ab­solute cure, and nothing of Popery heard of, till Queen Christina, (whether mov'd by Arguments of this or the other World, may not be good Manners to enquire) [Page 51] thought fit to change her Religion and Country, and to live at Rome, where she might find better judges of her Virtues, and less ungentle Censures of those Princely Liberties, to which she was sometimes dis­posed, than she left at Stockholme; where the good breeding is as much inferior to that of Rome in general, as the Civility of the Religion. The Cardinals having rescued the Church from those Clownish Methods the Fishermen had first introduc'd, and mended that Pattern so effectually, that a Man of that Age, if he should now come into the World, would not possibly know it.

In Denmark the Reformation was entire; in some States of Germany, as well as Geneva, the Cure was universal; but in the rest of the World where the Protestant Religion took place, the Popish humour was too tough to be totally expell'd, and so it was in England; tho' the Change was made with àll the advantage imaginable to the Reformation, it being Countenanc'd and introduc'd by Legal Authority, and by that means, might have been perhaps as perfect as in any other Place, if the short Reign of Edward the 6th, and the succession of a Popish Queen had not given such advantage to that Religion, that it has subsisted ever [Page 52] since under all the hardships that have been put upon it; it has been a strong Compact Body, and made the more so by these Sufferings; it was not strong enough to prevail, but it was able, with the help of foreign support, to carry on an Interest which gave the Crown trouble, and to make a considerable (not to say dangerous) Figure in the Nation; so much as this could not have been done without some hopes, nor these hopes kept up without some reasona­ble grounds: In Queen Elizabeth's time, the Spanish Zeal for their Religion, and the Revenge for 88, gave warmth to the Pa­pists here, and above all the Right of the Queen of Scots to succeed, was while she lived sufficient to give them a better pro­spect of their Affairs: In King James's time their hopes were supported by the Treaty of the Spanish Match, and his gentleness towards them, which they were ready to interpret more in their own Favour, than was either reasonable or became them, so little tenderness they have, even where it is most due, if the Interest of their Religion comes in competition with it.

As for the late King, tho he gave the most glorious Evidence that ever Man did of his being a Protestant, yet, by the more than ordinary Influence the Queen was [Page 53] thought to have over him, and it so hap­pening that the greatest part of his Anger was directed against the Puritans, there was such an advantage to Men dispos'd to suspect, that they were ready to interpret it a leaning towards Popery, without which handle it was Morally impossible, that the ill-affected part of the Nation could ever have seduc'd the rest into a Rebellion.

That which help'd to confirm many well meaning Men in their Misapprehensions of the King, was the long and unusual inter­mission of Parliaments; so that every year that passed without one, made up a new Argument to increase their Suspicion, and made them presume that the Papists had a principal hand in keeping them off; This raised such Heats in Mens Minds, to think that Men who were obnoxious to the Laws, instead of being punished, should have Cre­dit enough to serve themselves; even at the price of destroying the Fundamental Con­stitution; that it broke out into a Flame, which before it could be quenched, had al­most reduc'd the Nation to Ashes.

Amongst the miserable Effects of that unnatural War, none hath been more fatal to us, than the forcing our Princes to breathe in another Air, and to receive the early im­pressions of a Foreign Education; the Bar­barity [Page 54] of the English, towards the King and the Royal Family, mighty very well tempt him to think the better of every thing he found abroad, and might-naturally produce more gentleness, at least, towards a Religion by which he was hospitably received, at the same time that he was thrown off and Per­secuted by the Protestants, (tho' his own Subjects) to aggravate the Offence. The Queen Mother, (as generally Ladies do with Age) grew most devout and earnest in her Religion; and besides, the temporal Re­wards of getting larger Subsidies from the French Clergy, she had Motives of another kind, to perswade her to shew her Zeal; and since by the Roman Dispensatory, a Soul converted to the Church is a Soveraign Re­medy, and lays up a mighty stock of merit, she was solicitous to secure her self in all Events, and therefore first set upon the Duke of Glocester, who depended so much upon her good will, that she might for that reason have been induc'd to believe, the Conquest would not be difficult; but it so fell out, that he either from his own Con­stancy, or that he had those near him by whom he was otherways advis'd, chose ra­ther to run away from her importunity, than by staying to bear the continual weight of it: It is believ'd she had better success [Page 55] with another of her Sons, who, if he was not quite brought off from our Religion, at least such beginnings were made, as made them very easie to be finish'd; his being of a generous and aspiring Nature, and in that respect, less patient in the drudgery of Argu­ing, might probably help to recommend a Church to him, that exempts the Laity from the vexation of enquiring; perhaps he might (tho by mistake) look upon that Religion as more favourable to the enlarged Power of Kings, a consideration which might have its weight with a young Prince in his warm blood, and that was brought up in Arms.

I cannot hinder my self from a small di­gression, to consider with admiration, that the old Lady of Rome, with all her wrinkles, should yet have Charms, able to subdue great Princes; so far from handsome, and yet so imperious; so painted, and yet so pre­tending; after having abus'd, depos'd, and murther'd so many of her Lovers, she still finds others glad and proud of their now Chains; a thing so strange) to indifferent Judges, that those who will allow no other Miracles in the Church of Rome, must needs grant that this is one not to be contested; she sits in her Shop, and sells at dear Rates her Rattles and her Hobby-Horses, [Page 56] whilst the deluded World still continues to furnish her with Customers.

But whither am I carried with this Con­templation? it is high time to return to my Text, and to consider the wonderful man­ner of the Kings coming home again, led by the hand of Heaven, and called by the Voice of his own People, who receiv'd him, if possible, with Joys equal to the Blessing of Peace and Union which his Re­stauration brought along with it; by this there was an end put to the hopes some might have abroad, of making use of [...] less happy Circumstances, to throw him into Foreign Interests and Opinions, which had been wholly inconsistent with our Re­ligion, our Laws, and all other things that are dear to us; yet for all this some of those Tinctures and impressions might so far re­main, as tho' they were very innocent in him, yet they might have ill effects here, by softning the Animosity which seems ne­cessary to the Defender of the Protestant Faith, in opposition to such a powerful and irreconcilable an Enemy.

You may be sure, that among all the sorts of Men who apply'd themselves to the King at his first coming home, for his Pro­tection, the Papists were not the last, no [...] as they fain would have flatter'd themselves, [Page 57] the least welcome; having their past Suffer­ings, as well as their present Professions to recommend them; and there was some­thing that look'd like a particular Conside­ration of them, since it so happened, that the Indulgence promised to Dissenters at Breda, was carried, on in such a manner, that the Papists were to divide with them, and tho' the Parliament, notwithstanding its Resignation to the Crown in all things, re­jected with scorn and anger a Declaration fram'd for this purpose, yet the Birth and steps of it gave such an alarm, that Mens suspicions once raised, were not easily laid asleep again.

To omit other things, the breach of the Tripple League, and the Dutch War with its appurtenances, carried Jealousies to the highest pitch imaginable, and fed the hopes of one Party, and the fears of the Other to such a degree, that some Critical Revoluti­ons were generally expected, when the ill success of that War, and the Sacrifice France thought fit to make of the Papists here, to their own interest abroad, gave them ano­ther Check; and the Act of enjoyning the Test to all in Offices, was thought to be no ill Bargain to the Nation, tho' bought at the Price of 1200000 pound, and the Mo­ney apply'd to continue the War against the [Page 58] Dutch, than which nothing could be more unpopular or less approved. Notwithstand­ing the discouragements, Popery is a Plant that may be mowed down, but the Root will still remain, and in spite of the Laws, it will sprout up and grow again; especial­ly if it should happen that there should be Men in Power, who in weeding it out of our Garden, will take care to Cherish and keep it alive; and tho' the Law for exclud­ing them from Places of Trust was tolerably kept as to their outward Form, yet there were many Circumstances, which being improved by the quick-sighted Malice of ill affected Men, did help to keep up the World in their suspicions, and to blow up Jealousies to such a height both in and out of Parliament, that the remembrance of them is very unpleasant, and the Example so extravagant, that it is to be hop'd no­thing in our Age like it will be re-attempted; but to come closer to the Case in question in this Condition we stand with the Papists, what shall now be done according to our Trimmer's Opinion, in order to the better Bearing this grievance, since as I have said before, there is no hopes of being entirely free from it; Papists we must have among us, and if their Religion keep them from bringing honey to the Hive, let the Govern­ment [Page 59] try at least by gentle means to take away the Sting from them. The first Foundation to be laid is, that a distinct Con­sideration is to be had of the Popish Clergy, who have such an eternal Interest against all accommodation, that it is a hopeless thing to propose any thing to them less than all; their Stomachs have been set for it ever since the Reformation, they have pinned themselves to a Principal that admits no mean: they believe Protestants will be damn'd, and therefore by an extraordinary Effect of Christian Charity, they would destroy one half of England that the other might be saved; then for this World, they must be in possession for God Almighty, to receive his Rents for him, not to accompt till the Day of Judgment, which is a good kind of Tenure, and ye cannot well blame the good Men, that will stir up the Laity to run any hazard in order to the getting them restor'd. What is it to the Priest, if the deluded Zealot undoes himself in the Attempt? he sings Masses as jollily, and with as good a Voice at Rome or St. Omers as ever he did; is a single Man, and can have no wants but such as may be easily sup­ply'd, yet that he may not seem altogether insensible, or ungrateful to those that are his Martyrs, he is ready to assure their [Page 60] Executors, and if they please, will procure a Grant sub Annulo Piscatoris, that the good Man by being changed, has got a good Bargain, and sav'd the singing of some hundred of years, which he would else have had in Purgatory. There's no Cure for this Order of Men, no Expedient to be propos'd, so that tho the utmost se­verity of the Laws against them, may in some sort be mitigated, yet no Treaty can be made with Men who in this Case have left themselves no free Will, but are so muffled by Zeal, tyed by Vows, and kept up by such unchangeable Maxims of the Priesthood, that they are to be left as desperate Patients, and look'd upon as Men that will continue in an Eternal State of Hostility, till the Nation is entirely subdued to them. it is then only the Lay Papists that are capable of being treated with, and we are to examine of what temper they are, and what Arguments are the most likely to prevail upon them, and how far 'tis adviseable for the Government to be Indulgent to them; the Lay Papists gene­rally keep their Religion, rather because they will not break Company with those of their Party, than out of any settled Zeal that hath Root in them; most of them do by the Mediation of the Priests Marry amongst [Page 61] one another, to keep up an Ignorant Posi­tion by hearing only one side; others by a mistake look upon it as the Escutcheo [...]s of the more Antient Religion of the two; and as some Men of a good Pedigree, wi [...] despise meaner Men, tho' never so [...] superior to them by Nature, so these under [...] value Reformation as an Upstart, and think there is more Honour in supporting an old Errour, than in embracing what seems to them to be a new Truth; the Laws have made them Men of Pleasure, by excluding them from Publick Business, and it happen [...] well they are so, since they will the more easily be perswaded by Arguments of Ease and Conveniency to them; they have not put off the Man in general, nor the English­man in particular, those who in the la [...]e storm against them went into other Coun­tries, tho they had all the Advantage that might recommend them to a good Reception, yet in a little time they chose to steal over again, and live here with hazard, rather than abroad with security. There is a Smell in our Native Earth, better than all the Perfumes in the East; there is something in a Mother, tho never so Angry, that the Children will more naturally trust Her, than the Studied Civilities of Strangers, let them be never so Hospitable; therefore [Page 62] 'tis not adviseable nor agreeing with the Rules of Governing Prudence, to provoke Men by hardships to forget that Nature, which else is sure to be of our side.

When these Men by fair Usage are put again into their right Senses, they will have quite differing Reflections from those which Rigour and Persecution had raised in them: A Lay Papist will first consider his Abby-Lands, which notwithstanding whatever has or can be alledged, must sink considerably in the Value, the moment that Popery prevails; and it being a disputable Matter, whether Zeal might not in a little time get the better of the Law in that case; a con­sidering Man will admit that as an Argu­ment to perswade him, to be content with things as they are, rather than run this or any other hazard by Change, in which perhaps he may have no other Advantage, than that his new humble Confessor may be rais'd to a Bishoprick, and from thence look down superciliously upon his Patron, or which is worse, run to take Possession for God Almighty of his Abby, in such a manner as the usurping Landlord (as he will then be called) shall hardly be admitted to be so much as a Tenant to his own Land's, lest his Title should prejudge that of the Church, which will then be the Language; [Page 63] he will think what disadvantage 'tis to be looked upon as a separate Creature, depend­ing upon a Foreign Interest and Authority, and for that reason, expos'd to the Jealousie and Suspicion of his Country-men; he will reflect what Incumbrance it is to have his House a Pasture for hungry Priests to graze in, which have such a never-failing In­fluence upon the Foolish, which is the greatest part of every Man's Family, that a Man's Dominion, even over his own Children, is mangled, and divided, if not totally undermin'd by them; then to be subject to what Arbitrary Taxes the Popish Convocation shall impose upon them for the carrying on the Common Interest of that Religion, under Penalty of being mark'd out for half Hereticks by the rest of the Party; to have no share in Business, no op­portunity of shewing his own Value to the World; to live at the best an useless, and by others to be thought a dangerous Mem­ber of the Nation where he is born, is a burthen to a generous Mind that cannot be taken off by all the Pleasure of a lazy un­manly life, or by the nauseous enjoyment of a dull Plenty, that produceth no good for the Mind, which will be considered in the first place by a Man that has a Soul; when he shall think, that if his Religion, [Page 64] after his wading through a Sea of Blood, come at last to prevail, it would infinitely lessen, if not entirely destroy the Glory, Riches, Strength and Liberty of his own Country. And what a Sacrifice is this to make to Rome, where they are wise enough to wonder there should be such Fools in the World, as to venture, struggle, and contend, nay even die Martyrs for that which, should it succeed, would prove a Judgment instead of a Blessing to them; he will conclude that the advantages of throwing some of their Children back again to God Almighty when they have too ma­ny of them, are not equal to the Inconve­niencies they may either feel or fear, by continuing their separation from the Reli­gion established.

Temporal things will have their weight in the World, and tho Zeal may prevail for a time, and get the better in a Skirmish, yet the War ends generally on the side of Flesh and Blood, and will do so till Man­kind is another thing than it is at present: And therefore a wise Papist in cold Blood, considering these and many other Circum­stances, which 'twill be worth his pains to see if he can unmuffle himself from the Mask of Infallibility, will think it reasona­ble to set his Imprison'd Senses at Liberty, [Page 65] and that he has a right to see with his own Eyes, hear with his own Ears, and judge by his own Reason; the consequence of which might probably be, that weighing things in a right Scale, and seeing them in their true Colours, he would distinguish between the merit of suffering for a good Cause, and the foolish ostentation of drawing in­conveniences upon himself; and therefore will not be unwilling to be convinc'd that our Protestant Creed may make him [...] in the other World, and the [...] this. A few of such wise Proselytes would by their Example draw so many after them, that the Party would insensibly melt away, and in a little time, without any angry word, we should come to an Uni­on, that all Good Men would have Rea­son to rejoyce at; but we are not to pre­sume upon these Conversions, without preparing Men for them by kind and re­conciling Arguments; nothing is so against our Nature, as to believe those can be in the right who are too hard upon us; there is a deformity in every thing that doth us hurt, it will look scurvily in our Eye while the smart continues, and a Man must have an extraordinary Measure of Grace, to think well of a Religion that reduces him and his Family to Misery; [Page 66] in this respect our Trimmer would consent to the mitigation of such Laws as were made, (as it's said King Henry VIII. got Queen Elizabeth) in a heat against Rome: It may be said that even States as well as private Men are subject to Passion; a just indignation of a villainous Attempt produ­ces at the same time such Remedies, as perhaps are not without some mixture of Revenge, and therefore tho time cannot Repeal a Law, it may by a Natural Effect soften the Execution of it; there is less danger to Rouse a Lyon when at Rest, than to awake Laws that were intended to have their time of Sleeping, nay more than that, in some Cases their Natural periods of Life, dying of themselves without the Solemnity of being revok'd, any otherwise than by the common consent of Mankind, who do cease to Execute, when the Rea­sons in great Measure fail that first Created and Justify'd the Rigour of such unusual Pe­nalties.

Our Trimmer is not eager to pick out some places in History against this or any other Party; quite contrary, is very sol­licitous to find out any thing that may be healing, and tend to an Agreement; but to prescribe the means of this Gentleness so as to make it effectual, must come from [Page 67] the only place that can furnish Remedies for this Cure, viz. a Parliament; in the mean time, it is to be wished there may be such a mutual calmness of Mind, as that the Protestants might not be so jealous, as still to smell the Match that was to blow up the King and both Houses in the Gun-powder Treason, or to start at every ap­pearance of Popery, as if it were just taking Possession. On the other side, let not the Papists suffer themselves to be led by any hopes, tho never so flattering, to a Confi­dence or Ostentation which must provoke Men to be less kind to them; let them use Modesty on their sides, and the Pro­testants Indulgence on theirs; and by this means there will be an overlooking of all Venial Faults, a tacit connivence at all things that do not carry Scandal with them, and would amount to a kind of Natural Dispen­sation with the severe Laws, since there would be no more Accusers to be found, when the occasions of Anger and Animosity are once remov'd; let the Papists in the mean time remember, that there is a re­spect due from all lesser numbers to greater, a deference to be paid by an Opinion that is Exploded, to one that is Established; such a Thought well digested will have an influence upon their Behaviour, and pro­duce [Page 68] such a Temper as must win the most eager Adversaries out of their ill Humour to them, and give them a Title to all the Favour that may be consistent with the Publick Peace and Security.

The Trimmer's Opinion in Relation to things abroad.

THE World is so compos'd, that it is hard, if not impossible, for a Nation not to be a great deal involv'd in the fate of their Neighbours, and tho by the felici­ty of our Situation, we are more Indepen­dant than any other People, yet we have in all Ages been concern'd for our own sakes in the Revolutions abroad. There was a time when England was the over-balancing Power of Christendom, and that either by Inheritance or Conquest, the better part of France receiv'd Laws from us; after that we being reduc'd into our own Limits, France and Spain became the Rivals for the Universal Monarchy, and our third Power, tho in it self less than either of the other, hapned to be Superiour to any of them, by that choice we had of throwing the Scales on that side to which we gave [Page 69] our Friendship. I do not know whether this Figure did not make us as great as our former Conquest, to be a perpetual Um­pire of two great contending Powers, who gave us all their Courtship, and offer'd all their Incense at our Altar, whilst the Fate of either Prince seemed to depend upon the Oracles we delivered; for the King of England to sit on his Throne, as in the Su­pream Court of Justice, to which the two great Monarchs appeal, pleading their Cause, and expecting their Sentence▪ declaring which side was in the right, or at least if we pleas'd which side should have the bet­ter of it, was a piece of Greatness which was peculiar to us, and no wonder if we endeavour to preserve it, as we did for a considerable time, it being our Safety, as well as Glory, to maintain it; but by a Fatality upon our Councils, or by the re­fin'd Policy of this latter Age, we have thought fit to use industry to destroy this mighty Power, which we have so long en­joyed; and that equality between the Two Monarchs, which we might for ever have preserved, has been chiefly broken by us, whose Interest it was above all others to maintain it; when one of them, like the overflowing of the Sea, had gained more upon the other than our convenience, or [Page 70] indeed our safety, would allow; instead of mending the Banks, or making new ones, we our selves with our own hands helpt to cut them, to invite and make way for a farther Inundation. France and Spain have had their several turns in making use of our Mistakes, and we have been formerly as deaf to the Instances of the then weaker part of the World to help them against the House of Austria, as we can now be to the Earnest­ness of Spain, that we would assist them against the Power of France. Gondamar was as sawey, and as powerful too in King James his Court, as any French Ambassadour can have been at any time since, when Men talk as wrong then on the Spanish side, and made their Court by it, as well as any can have done since by talking as much for the French; so that from that time, instead of weighing in a wise Balance the power of either Crown, it looks as if we had learnt only to weigh the Pensions, and take the heaviest.

It would be tedious, as well as unwel­come, to recapitulate all our wrong steps, so that I will go no farther than the King's Restauration, at which time the Balance was on the side of France, and that by the means of Cromwell, who for a separate Interest of his own had sacrificed that of the Nation, by joining with the stronger [Page 71] side, to suppress the Power of Spain, which he ought to have supported. Such a Me­thod was natural enough to an Usurper, and shew'd he was not the Lawful Father of the People, by his having so little care of them; and the Example coming from that hand, one would think should, for that Reason, be less likely to be follow'd. But to go on, home comes the King, fol­lowed with Courtships from all Nations abroad, of which some did it not only to make them forget how familiarly they had us'd him when he was in other Circum­stances, but to bespeak the Friendship of a Prince, who besides his other Greatness, was yet more considerable by being re-esta­blished by the love of his people. France had an Interest either to dispose us to so much good will, or at least to put us into such a Condition, that we might give no Opposition to their Designs; and Flanders being a perpetual Object in their Eye, a lasting Beauty for which they have an in­curable passion, and not being kind enough to consent to them, they meditated to commit a Rape upon her, which they thought would not be easie to do, while England and Holland were agreed to rescue her, when-ever they should hear her cry out for help to them; to this end they [Page 72] put in practice Seasonable and Artificial Whispers, to widen things between us, and the States. Amboyna and the Fishery must be talk'd of here; the freedom of the Seas, and the preservation of Track must be insinuated there; and there being combustible matter on both sides, in [...] little time it took Fire, which gave those that kindled it, sufficient cause to smile and hug themselves, to see us both fall into the Net they had laid for us. And it is obser­vable and of good example to us, if we wil [...] take it, That their Design being to set [...] together at Cuffs to weaken us, they kept themselves Lookers on till our Victori [...] began to break the Balance; then the King of France, like a wise Prince, was resolved to support the beaten side, and would no more let the Power of the Sea, than we ought to suffer the Monarchy of Europe, to fall into one hand: In pursuance to this he took part with the Dutch, and in a little time made himself Umpire of the Peace between us; some time after, upon pretence of his Queen's Title to part of Flanders [...] by Right of Devolution, he falls into i [...] with a mighty Force, for which the Spani­ard was so little prepared, that he made a very swift Progress, and had such a Tor­rent of undisputed Victory, that England [Page 73] and Holland, tho the Wounds they had given one another were yet green; being struck with the apprehension of so near a danger to them, thought it necessary, for their own defence, to make up a sudden League, into which Sweden was taken to interpose for a Peace between the two Crowns.

This had so good an effect, that France was stopt in its Career, and the Peace of Aix le Chapelle was a little after concluded. 'Twas a forc'd put; and tho France wisely dissembled their inward dissatisfaction, yet from the very moment they resolv'd to un­ty the Triple knot, whatever it cost them; for his Christian Majesty, after his Con­quering Meals, ever rises with a stomach, and he lik'd the Pattern so well, that it gave him a longing desire to have the whole Piece. Amongst the other means used for the attaining this end, the sending over the Dutchess of Orleans, was not the least pow­erful; she was a very welcome Guest here, and her own Charms and Dexterity joined with other Advantages, that might help her perswasions, gave her such an Ascendant, that she should hardly fail of success. One of the Preliminaries of her Treaty, tho a trivial thing in it self, yet was considera­ble in the Consequence, as very small cir­cumstances [Page 74] often are in relation to the Go­vernment of the World. About this time a general Humour, in opposition to France, had made us throw off their Fashion, and put on Vests, that we might look more like a distinct People, and not be under the servility of imitation, which ever pays a greater deference to the Original; than is consistent with the Equality all Independent Nations should pretend to; France did not like this small beginning of ill Humours, at least of Emulation, and wisely considering that it is a natural Introduction first to make the World their Apes, that they may be afterwards their Slaves. It was thought that one of the Instructions Madam brought along with her, was to laugh us out of these Vests, which she performed so effectually, that in a moment, like so many Footmen who had quitted their Masters Livery, we all took it again, and returned to our old Service; so that the very time of doing it gave a very critical Advantage to France; since it lookt like an Evidence of our returning to their Interest, as well as to their Fashion, and would give such a distrust of us to our new Allies, that it might facilitate the dis­solution of the knot, which tied them so within their bounds, that they were very impatient till they were freed from the re­ [...]aint.

[Page 75] But the Lady had a more extended Com­mission than this and without doubt we double-laid the Foundation of a new strict Alliance, quite contrary to the other, in which we had been so lately engag'd. And of this there were such early appearances, that the World began to look upon us as fal­ling into Apostacy from the common Inte­rest. Notwithstanding all this, France did not neglect at the same time to give good words to the Dutch, and even to feed them with hopes of supporting them against us, when on a sudden, that never to be for­gotten Declaration of War against them comes out, only to vindicate his own Glory, and to revenge the Injuries done to his Bro­ther in England, by which he became our Second in this Duel; so humble can this Prince be, when at the same time he does more Honour than we deserve, he lays a greater share of the blame upon our Shoul­ders, than did naturally belong to us; the particulars of that War, our part in it while we staid in it, and when we were out of breath, our leaving the French to make an end of it, are things too well known to make it necessary, and too unwelcome in themselves to incite me to repeat them; only the wisdom of France is in this to be observ'd, That when we had made a sepa­rate [Page 76] Peace, which left them single to op­pose the united Force of the Confederates, they were so far from being angry, that they would not shew so much as the least coldness, hoping to get as much by our Mediation for a Peace, as they would have expected from our Assistance in the War, our Circumstances at that time considered; This seasonable piece of Indulgence in not reproach­ing us, but rather allowing those Necessities of State which we gave for our Excuse, was such an engaging Method, that it went a great way to keep us still in their Chains, when, to the Eye of the World, we had abso­lutely broke loose from them: And what pass'd afterwards at Nimeguen, tho the King's Neu­trality gave him the outward Figure of a Me­diator, it appear'd that his Interposition was extremely suspected of Partiality by the Con­federates, who upon that Ground did both at and before the Conclusion of that Treaty, treat his Ministers there with a great deal of neglect in his Peace as well as that in the Py­renean and Aix le Chapelle, the King of France, at the Moment of making it, had the thought of breaking it; for a very lit­tle time after he broach'd his Pretensi­ons upon Alost, which were things that if they had been offer'd by a less formidable hand, would have been smiled at; but ill [Page 77] Arguments being seconded by good Armies, carry such a power with them, that naked sense is a very unequal Adversary. It was thought that these aiery Claims were chiefly rais'd with the prospect of getting Luxen­burg for the Equivalent; and this Opinion was confirm'd by the blocking it up after­wards, pretending to the Country of Chi­may, that it might be entirely surrounded by the French Dominions, and it was so pressed that it might have fallen in a little time, if the King of France had not sent Orders to his Troops to retire, and his Christian Generosity which was assign'd for the reason of it, made the World smile, since it is seen how differently his devout Zeal works in Hungary: that specious Rea­son was in many respects ill-tim'd, and France it self gave it so faintly, that at the very time it look'd out of Countenance; the true ground of his Retiring is worth our observation; for at the instance of the Confederates, Offices were done, and Me­morials given, but all ineffectual till the word Parliament was put into them; that powerful word had such an effect, that even at that distance it rais'd the Seige, which may convince us of what efficacy the King of England's words are, when he will give them their full weight, and threaten with his [Page 78] Parliament; it is then that he appears that great Figure we ought to represent him in our Minds, the Nation his Body, he the Head, and joined with that Harmony, that every word he pronounces is the Word of a Kingdom: Such words, as appears by this Example, are as effectual as Fleets and Armies, because they can create them, and without this his word sounds abroad like a faint Whisper, that is either not heard, or (which is worse) not minded. But tho France had made this step of for­ced Compliance, it did not mean to leave off the pursuit of their pretensions; and therefore immediately proposed the Arbi­tration to the King; but it appear'd, that notwithstanding his Merit towards the Con­federates, in saving Luxenburg, the remem­brances of what had passed before, had left such an ill taste in their Mouths, that they could not Relish our being put into a Con­dition to dispose of their Interests, and there­fore declin'd it by insisting upon a general Treaty, to which France has ever since con­tinued to be averse; our great earnestness also to perswade the Confederates to consent to it, was so unusual, and so suspicious a method, that it might naturally make them believe, that France spake to them by our Mouth, and for that Reason, if there has [Page 79] been no other, might hinder the accepting it; and so little care hath been taken to cure this, or other Jealousies the Confe­derates may have entertain'd, that quite contrary, their Ministers here every day take fresh Alarms, from what they ob­serve in small, as well as in greater Circum­stances; and they being apt both to take and improve apprehensions of this kind, draw such Inferences from them, as make them entirely despair of us.

Thus we now stand, far from being In­nocent Spectators of our Neighbours Ru­ine, and by a fatal mistake forgetting what a Certain Fore-runner it is to our own▪ and now it's time our Trimmer should tell something of his Opinion, upon this pre­sent State of things abroad, he first profes­ses to have no Biass, either for or against France, and that his thoughts are wholly directed by the Interest of his own Coun­try; he allows, and has read that Spain used the same Methods, when it was in its heighth, as France doth now, and therefore it is not Partiality that moves him; but the just fear which all reasonable Men must be possess'd with, of an over-growing Pow­er; Ambition is a devouring Beast, when it hath swallow'd one Province, instead of being cloyed, it has so much the greater [Page 80] Stomach to another, and being fed, becomes still the more hungry; so that for the Con­federates to expect a security from any thing but their own united strength, is a most miserable fallacy; and if they cannot resist the Incroachments of France by their Arms, it is in vain for them to dream of any other means of preservation; it would have the better grace, besides the saving so much Blood and Ruin, to give up all at once; make a Present of themselves, to ap­pease this haughty Monarch, rather than be whisper'd, flatter'd, or cozened out of their liberty. Nothing is so soft as the first applications of a greater Prince, to engage a weaker, but that smiling Countenance is but a Vizard, it is not the true Face; for as soon as their turn is serv'd, the Court­ship flies to some other Prince or State, where the same part is to be acted over again, leaves the old mistaken Friend, to Neglect and Contempt, and like an inso­lent Lover to Cast off Mistress, Reproa­ches her with that Infamy, of which he himself was the Author, Sweden, Bavaria, Palatine, &c. may by their Fresh Exam­ples, teach other Princes what they are reasonably to expect, and what Snakes are hid under the Flowers the Court of France so liberally throws upon them, whilst they [Page 81] can be useful. The various Methods and deep Intrigues, with the differing Notes in several Countries, do not only give suspi­cion, but assurance that every thing is put in Practice, by which universal Monarchy may be obtain'd. Who can reconcile the withdrawing of his Troops from Luxenburg, in consideration of the War in Hungary, which was not then declared, and presently after encouraging the Turk to take Vienna, and consequently to destroy the Empire? Or who can think that the Persecution of the Poor Protestants of France, will be ac­cepted of God, as an Atonement for ha­zarding the loss of the whole Christian Faith? Can he be thought in earnest, when he seem'd to be afraid of the Spaniards, and for that reason must have Luxenburg, and that he cannot be safe from Germany, un­less he is in possession of Strasburg? All In­justice and Violence must in it self be grie­vous, but the aggravations of supporting 'em by false Arguments, and insulting Rea­sons, has something in it yet more provo­king than the Injuries themselves; and the World has ground enough to apprehend, from such a Method of arguing, that even their Senses are to be subdu'd as well as their Liberties. Then the variety of Argu­ments used by France in several Countries [Page 82] is very observable: In England and Denmark, nothing insisted on but the Greatness and Authority of the Crown; on the other side, the Great Men in Poland are com­mended, who differ in Opinion with the King, and they argue like Friends to the Privilege of Dyet, against the separate Power of the Crown: In Sweden they are troubled that the King should have chang'd something there of late, by his single Au­thority, from the antient and settled Au­thority and Constitutions: At Ratis bone, the most Christian Majesty taketh the Li­berties of all the Electors, and free States, into his Protection, and tells them the Em­perour is a dangerous Man, an aspiring He­ro, that would infallibly devour them, if he was not at hand to resist him on their behalf; but above all in Holland, he has the most obliging tenderness for the Com­mon-wealth, and is in such disquiets, lest it should be invaded by the Prince of Orange, that they can do no less in gratitude, than undo themselves when he bids them, to show how sensible they are of his excessive good Nature; yet in spight of all these Con­tradictions, there are in the World such re­fin'd States-men, as will upon their Credit affirm the following Paradoxes to he real truth; first that France alone is sincere and [Page 83] keeps its Faith, and consequently that it is the only Friend we can rely upon; that the King of France, of all Men living, has the least mind to be a Conqueror; that he is a sleepy, tame Creature, void of all Ambition, a poor kind of a Man, that has no farther thoughts than to be quiet; that he is charm'd by his Friendship to us, that it is impossible he should ever do us hurt, and therefore tho Flanders was lost, it would not in the least concern us; that he would fain help the Crown of England to be absolute, which would be to take pains to put it into a condition to oppose him, as it is, and must be our Interest, as long as he continues in such an overballancing Power and Greatness.

Such a Creed as this, if once receiv'd, might prepare our belief for greater things, and as he that taught Men to eat a Dagger, began first with a Pen knife; so if we can be prevail'd with to digest the smaller Mistakes, we may at last make our stomachs strong enough for that of Transubstantiation. Our Trimmer cannot easily be converted out of his senses by these State Sophisters, and yet he has no such peevish Obstinacy as to reject all Correspondence with France, because we ought to be apprehensive of the too great power of it; he would not [Page 84] have the kings Friendship to the Confede­rates extended to the involving him in any unreasonable or dangerous Engagements, neither would he have him lay aside the consideration of his better establishment at home, out of his excessive Zeal to secure his Allies abroad; but sure there might be a Mean between these two opposite Ex­treams, and it may be wish'd that our Friendship with France should at least be so bounded, that it may consist with the humour as well as the Interest of England. There is no Woman but has the fears of contraictng too near an intimacy with a much greater Beauty, because it exposes her too often to a Comparison that is not advantageous to her; and sure it may be­come a Prince to be as jealous of his Dig­nity, as a Lady can be of her good looks, and to be as much out of Countenance, to be thought an humble Companion to so much a greater Power; to be always seen in an ill Light, to be so darkned by the brightness of a greater Star, is some­what mortifying; and when England might ride Admiral at the head of the Confede­rates, to look like the Kitching-Yatch to the Grand Louis, is but a scurvy Figure for us to make in the Map of Christendom; it would rise up in our Trimmer's stomach▪ [Page 85] if ever (which God forbid) the power of calling and intermitting Parliaments here, should be transferred to the Crown of France, and that all the opportunities of our own settlements at home should give way to their Projects abroad; and that our Interests should be so far sacrific'd to our Compliance, that all the Omnipotence of France can never make us full amends for it In the mean time, he shrinks at the dismal prospect he can by no means drive away from his thoughts, that when France has gather'd all the fruit arising from our Mi­stakes, and that we can bear no more with them, they will cut down the Tree and throw it into the fire; for all this while, some Superfine States-Men, to comfort us, would sain perswade the World that this or that accident may save us, and for all that is or ought to be dear to us, would have us to rely wholly upon Chance, not considering that Fortune is Wisdoms Crea­ture, and that God Almighty loves to be on the Wisest as well as the Strongest side; therefore this is such a miserable shift, such a shameful Evasion, that they would be laught to death for it, if the ruining Con­sequence of this Mistake did not more dis­pose Men to rage, and a detestation of it.

[Page 86] Our Trimmer is far from Idolatry in o­ther things, in one thing only he comes near it, his Country is in some degree his Idol; he does not Worship the Sun, be­cause 'tis not peculiar to us, it rambles about the World, and is less kind to us than o­thers; but for the Earth of England, tho perhaps inferior to that of many places abroad, to him there is Divinity in it, and he would rather dye, than see a piece of English Glass trampled down by a Foreign Trespasser: He thinks there are a great ma­ny of his mind, for all plants are apt to taste of the Soyl in which they grow, and we that grow here, have a Root that pro­duces in us a Stalk of English Juice, which is not to be changed by grafting or foreign infusion and I do not know whether any thing less will prevail, than the Modern Experiment, by which the Blood of one Creature is transmitted into another; ac­cording to which, before the French can be let into our Bodies, every drop of our own must be drawn out of them.

Our Trimmer cannot but lament, that by a Sacrifice too great for one Nation to another, we should be like a rich Mine, made useless only for want of being wrought, and that the Life and Vigour which should move us against our Enemies is miserably [Page 87] apply'd to tear our own Bowels; that being made by our happy situation, not only safer, but if we please greater too, than other Countries which far exceed us in ex­tent; that having Courage by Nature, Learning by Industry, and Riches by Trade, we should corrupt all these Advantages, so as to make them insignificant, and by a fatality which seems peculiar to us, misplace our active rage one against another, whilst we are turn'd into Statues on that side where lies our greatest danger; to be un­concern'd not only at our Neighbours ruine but our own, and let our Island lie like a great Hulk in the Sea, without Rudder or Sail, all the Men cast away in her, or as if we were all Children in a great Cradle, and rockt asleep to a foreign Tune.

I say when our Trimmer representeth to his Mind, our Roses blasted and disco­lour'd, whilst the Lilies Triumph and grow Insolent, upon the Comparison; when he considers our own once flourishing Lawrel, now withered and dying, and nothing left us but a remembrance of a better part in History, than we shall make in the next Age: which will be no more to us than an Escutcheon hung upon our Door when we are dead; when he foresees from hence, growing Infamy from abroad, confusion [Page 88] at home, and all this without the possibility of a Cure, in respect of the voluntary fet­ters good Men put upon themselves by their Allegiance without a good measure of preventing Grace, he would be tempted to go out of the World like a Roman Philo­sopher, rather than endure the burthen of Life under such a discouraging Prospect. But Mistakes, as all other things, have their Periods, and many times the nearest way to Cure, is not to oppose them, but stay till they are crusht with their own weight: for Nature will not allow any thing to continue long that is violent; violence is a wound, and as a wound, must be curable in a little time, or else 'tis Mortal; but a Nation, comes near to be Immortal, therefore the wound will one time or another be cured, tho perhaps by such rough Me­thods, if too long forborn, as may even make the best Remedies we can prepare, to be at the same time a Melancholy Con­templation to us; there is but one thing (God Almighties Providence excepted) to support a Man from sinking under these afflicting thoughts, and that is the hopes we draw singly from the King himself▪ without the mixture of any other conside­ration.

[Page 89] Tho the Nation was lavish of their Kind­ness to him at his first coming, yet there remains still a stock of Warmth in Mens Hearts for him.

Besides the good Influences of his happy Planet are not yet all spent, and tho the Stars of Men past their youth are generally declining, and have less Force like the Eyes of decaying Beauties, yet by a Blessing pe­culiar to himself, we may yet hope to be sav'd by his Autumnal Fortune; He has something about him that will draw down [...] healing Miracle for his and our Delive­rance; a Prince which seems fitted for such in offending Age, in which Mens Crimes have been so general, that the not forgiving his People has been the destroying of them, whose Gentleness gives him a natural Do­minion that hath no bounds, with such a noble mixture of Greatness and Conde­scention, an engaging Look, that disarms Men of their ill Humors, and their Re­sentments; something in him that wanteth a Name, and can be no more defined than it can be resisted; a Gift of Heaven, of its last finishing, where it will be peculiarly kind; the only Prince in the World that dares be familiar, or that has right to tri­umph over those forms which were first in­vented to give awe to those who could not [Page 90] judge, and to hide Defects from those that could; a Prince that has exhausted himself by his Liberality, and endanger'd himself by his Mercy; who out-shines by his own Light and natural Virtues all the varnish of studied Acquisitions; his Faults are like Shades to a good Picture, or like Allay to Gold, to make it the more useful, he may have some, but for any Man to see them through so many reconciling Virtues, is a Sacrilegious piece of ill nature, of which no generous Mind can be guilty; a Prince that deserves to be lov'd for his own sake, even without the help of a Comparison; our Love, our Duty, and our Danger, all join to cement our Obedience to him; in short whatever, he can do, it is no more possible for us to be angry with him, than with a Bank that secures us from the raging Sea, the kind Shade that hides us from the scorching Sun, the welcome Hand that rea­ches us a Reprieve, or with the Guardian Angel, that rescues our Souls from the de­vouring Jaws of wretched Eternity.

CONCLUSION

TO Conclude, our Trimmer is so fully satisfy'd of the Truth of these Prin­ciples, by which he is directed, in reference to the Publick, that he will neither be He­ctored and Threatned, Laught, nor Drunk out of them; and instead of being conver­ted by the Arguments of his Adversaries to their Opinions, he is very much confirmed in his own by them; he professes solemnly that were it in his Power to chuse, he would rather have his Ambition bounded by the Commands of a Great and Wise Master, than let it range with a Popular Licence, tho' crown'd with success; yet he cannot commit such a Sin against the glorious thing call'd Liberty, nor let his Soul stoop so much below it self, as to be content with­out repining to have his Reason wholly sub­du'd, or the Privilege of Acting like a sen­sible Creature, torn from him by the impe­rious Dictates of unlimited Authority, in what hand soever it happens to be plac'd. What is there in this that is so Criminal, as to deserve the Penalty of that most singular Apophthegm, A Trimmer is worse than a Re­bel? What do angry men ail to rail so against [Page 92] Moderation, do's it not look as if they were going to some very scurvy Extreme, that is too strong to be digested by the more con­sidering part of Mankind? These Arbitrary Methods, besides the injustice of them, are (God be thanked) very unskillful too, for they fright the Birds, by talking so loud, from coming into the Nets that are laid for them; and when Men agree to rifle a House, they seldom give warning, or blow a Trumpet; but there are some small States-Men, who are so full charg'd with their own Expectations, that they cannot con­tain.

And kind Heaven by sending such a sea­sonable Curse upon their undertakings, has made their ignorance an Antidote against their Malice; some of these cannot treat peaceably, yielding will not satisfy them, they will have men by storm; there are others, that must have Plots, to make their Service more necessary, and have an Inte­rest to keep them alive, since they are to live upon them; and perswade the King to retrench his own Greatness, so as to shrink into the head of a Party, which is the be­traying him into such a Unprincely mi­stake, and to such a wilful diminution of himself, that they are the last Enemies he ought to allow himself to forgive; such [Page 93] Men, if they could, would prevail with the Sun to shine only upon them and their Friends, and to leave all the rest of the World in the dark; this is a very unusual Monopoly, and may come within the Equi­ty of the Law, which makes it Treason to Imprison the King, when such unfitting bounds are put to his Favour, and he con­fin'd to the narrow limits of a particular set of Men, that would inclose him; these Honest and only Loyal Gentlemen, if they may be allow'd to bear Witness for them­selves, make a King their Engine, and de­grade him into a property at the very time that their Flattery would make him believe they paid Divine Worship to him; besides these there is a flying Squadron on both sides, that are afraid the World should a­gree, small dabblers in Conjuring, that raise angry Apparitions to keep Men from being reconcil'd, like Wasps that fly up and down, buz and sting to keep Men unquiet; but these Infects are commonly short-liv'd Crea­tures, and no doubt in a little time Man­kind will be rid of them; they were Gy­ants at least who fought once against Hea­ven, but for such Pigmies as these to con­tend against it, is such a provoking Folly, that the insolent Bunglers ought to be laught and hist our of the World for it; they [Page 94] should consder there is a Soul in that great body of the People, which may for a time be drowzy and unactive, but when the Le­viathan is rouz'd, it moves like an angry Creature, and will neither be convinc'd nor resisted: the People can never agree to shew their united Powers, till they are extremely tempted and provoked to it, so that to ap­ply Cupping-Glasses to a great Beast natu­rally dispos'd to sleep, and to force the Tame thing whether it will or no to be Va­liant, must be learnt out of some other Book than Machiavil, who would never have prescrib'd such a preposterous Method. It is to be remembred, that if Princes have Law and Authority on their sides, the Peo­ple on theirs may have Nature, which is a [...]ormidable Adversary; Duty, Justice, Re­ligion, nay, even Humane Prudence too, bids the People suffer any thing rather than resist; but uncorrected Nature, where e're it feels the smart will run to the nearest Re­medy, Mens Passions in this Case are to be consider'd as well as their Duty, let it be never so strongly enforc'd, for if their Passi­ons are provok'd, they being as much a part of us as our Limbs, they lead Men in­to a short way of Arguing, that admits no distinction, and from the foundation of Self-Defence, they will draw Inferences, that [Page 95] will have miserable effects upon the quiet of a Government.

Our Trimmer therefore dreads a general discontent, because he thinks it differs, from a Rebellion, only as a Spotted Fever does from the Plague, the same Species under a lower degree of Malignity; it works se­veral ways; sometimes like a slow Poyson that has its Effects at a great distance from the time it was given, sometimes like dry Flax prepared to catch at the first Fire, or like Seed in the ground ready to sprout up­on the first Shower; in every shape 'tis fa­tal, and our Trimmer thinks no pains or precaution can be so great as to prevent it.

In short he thinks himself in the right, grounding his Opinion upon that Truth, which equally hates to be under the Op­pressions of wrangling Sophistry of the one hand, or the short dictates of mistaken Au­thority on the other.

Our Trimmer adores the Goddess Truth, tho' in all Ages she has been scurvily used, as well as those that Worshipped her; 'tis of late become such a ruining Virtue, that Mankind seems to be agreed to command and avoid it; yet the want of Practice which Repeals the other Laws, has no influ­ence upon the Law of Truth, because it has root in Heaven, and an Intrinsick value [Page 96] in it self, that can never be impaired; she shews her Greatness in this, that her Ene­mies even when they are successful are a­sham'd to own it; nothing but Power full of Truth has the prerogative of Trium­phing, not only after Victories, but inspite of them, and to put Conquest her self out of Countenance; she may be kept un­der and supprest, but her Dignity still re­mains with her, even when she is in Chains; Falshood with all her Impudence, has not enough to speak ill of her before her Face, such Majesty she carries about her, that her most prosperous Enemies are fain to whisper their Treason; all the Power upon Earth can never extinguish her; she has liv'd in all Ages; and let the Mistaken Zeal of prevai­ling Authority, Christen any opposition to it, with what Name they please, she makes it not only an ugly and unmannerly, but a dangerous thing to persist; she has lived ve­ry retired indeed, nay sometime so buried, that only some few of the discerning part of Mankind could have a Glimpse of her; with all that she has Eternity in her, she knows not how to die, and from the darkest Clouds that shade and cover her, she breaks from time to time with Triumph for her Friends, and Terrour to her Enemies.

[Page 97] Our Trimmer therefore inspired by this Divine Virtue, thinks fit to conclude with these Assertions, That our Climate is a Trim­mer, between that part of the World where men are Roasted, and the other where they are Frozen; That our Church is a Trimmer between the Phrenzy of Platonick Visions, and the Lethargick Ignorance of Popish Dreams; That our Laws are Trimmers, be­tween the Excess of unbounded Power, and the Extravagance of Liberty not enough re­strained; That true Virtue has ever been thought a Trimmer, and to have its dwel­ling in the middle between the two Ex­treams; That even God Almighty him­self is divided between his two great At­tributes, his Mercy and his Justice.

In such Company, our Trimmer is not asham'd of his Name, and willingly leaves to the bold Champions of either Extream, the Honour of contending with no less Ad­versaries, than Nature, Religion, Liberty, Prudence, Humanity and Common Sense.

THE ANATOMY OF AN EQ …

THE ANATOMY OF AN EQUIVALENT.

I. THE World hath of late years ne­ver been without some extraordi­nary Word to furnish the Coffee-Houses and fill the Pamphlets. Sometimes it is a new one invented, and sometimes an old one revived. They are usually fitted to some present purpose, with in­tentions as differing as the various designs several parties may have, either to delude the People, or to expose their Adversaries: They are not of long continuance, but af­ter they have passed a little while, and that they are grown nauseous by being so often repeated, they give place to something that is newer. Thus after Whig, Tory, and Trimmer have had their time, now they are dead and forgotten, being supplant­ed by the word Equivalent, which reign­eth in their stead.

[Page 2] The Birth of it is in short this: After many repeated Essayes to dispose Men to the Repeal of Oaths and Tests, made for the security of the Protestant Religion, the general aversion to comply in it was found to be so great, that it was thought adviseable to try another manner of at­tempting it, and to see whether by putting the same thing into another Mould, and softning an harsh Proposition by a plausible Term, they might not have better success.

To this end, instead of an absolute quit­ting of these Laws, without any Condition; which was the first Proposal; now it is put into gentler Language, and runneth thus; If you will take away the Oaths and Tests, you shall have as good a thing for them. This put into the fashionable Word, is now called an Equivalent.

II. So much to the Word it self. I will now endeavour in short to examine and explain, in order to the having it fully un­derstood, First, What is the nature of a true Equi­valent; and In the next place, What things are not to be admitted under that denomination.

I shall treat these as general Propositions, and though I cannot undertake how far they may be convincing, I may safely do it [Page 3] that they are impartial; of which there can be no greater evidence than that I make nei­ther Inference nor Application, but leave that part entirely to the Reader, according as his own Thoughts shall direct and dis­pose him.

III. I will first take notice, that this Word, by the application which hath been made of it in some modern instances lieth under some Disadvantage, not to say some Scandal. It is transmitted hither from France; and if as in most other things that we take from them, we carry them be­yond the Pattern, it should prove so in this, we should get into a more partial stile than the principles of English Justice will I hope ever allow us to be guilty of.

The French King's Equivalents in Flan­ders are very extraordinary Bargains; his manner of proposing and obtaining them is very differing from the usual methods of equal dealing. In a later instance, Denmark, by the encouragement as well as by the ex­ample of France, hath propos'd things to the Duke of Holstein, which are called Equiva­lents, but that they are so, the World is not yet sufficiently convinc'd, and proba­bly the Parties concern'd do not think them to be so, and consequently do not appear to be at all disposed to accept them. [Page 4] Princes enjoyn and prescribe such things when they have Strength and Power to sup­ply the want of Arguments; and according to practice in these Cases, the weaker are never thought to have an ill Bargain, if they have any thing left them. So that the first Qualification of an Equivalent, must be, that the Appraisers be indifferent, else it is only a Sound, there can be nothing real in it: For, where the same party that proposeth a Bargain, claimeth a Right to set the Value; or which is worse, hath power too to make it good, the other may be forced to submit to the Conditions, but he can by no means ever be perswaded to treat upon them.

IV. The next thing to be consider'd is that to make an Equivalent in reality an equal thing in the Proposer, it must be a better thing than that which is required by him; just as good is subject to the hazard of not being quite so good: It is not easie to have such an even hand as to make the Value exactly equal; besides, according to the Maxim in Law, Melior conditio possiden­tis▪ the Offer is not fair, except the thing offered is better in value than the thing demanded. There must be allowance for removing what is fixed, and there must be something that may be a justification for [Page 5] changing. The value of things very often dependeth more upon other circumstances, than upon what is meerly intrinsick to them; therefore the calculation must be made upon that foot, perhaps in most cases; and particularly the want which one of the parties may have of the thing he requireth, maketh it more valuable to him than it is in it self. If the party proposing doth not want the thing he would have in Exchange, his requiring it is Impertinent: If he doth, his want of it must go into the appraisement, and by consequence every Proposer of an Equivalent must offer a bet­ter thing, or else he must not take it unkind­ly to be refused, except the other party hath an equal want of the same thing, which is very improbable, since naturally he that vanteth most will speak first.

V. Another thing necessary to the ma­king a fair Bargain is, that let the parties who treat, be they never so unequal in them­selves, yet as to the particular thing propo­sed, there must be an exact equality, as far as it relateth to the full Liber [...]y of taking or refusing, concurring or objecting, without any consequence of Revenge, or so much as Dis­satisfaction; for it is impossible to treat where it is an Affront to dliffer; in that case there is no mean between the two extreams, [Page 6] either an open Quarrel or an intire Submis­sion; the way of Bargaining must be equal▪ else the Bargain it self cannot be so: For ex­ample, the Proposer is not only to use equal terms as to the matter, but fair ones in the manner too. There must be no intimations of Anger in case of refusal, much less any open Threatning. Such a Stile is so ill sui­ted to the usual way of Treating, that it looketh more like a Breach of the Peace, than the making a Bargain. It would be yet more improper and less agreeing with the nature of an Equivalent, if whilst two Men are chaffering about the Price, one of them should actually take the thing in que­stion at his own rate, and afterwards desire to have his possession confirmed by a formal Agreement; such a proceeding would not only destroy that particular contract, but make it impossible to have any other, with the party that could be guilty of such a practice.

VI. Violence preceding destroyeth all Con­tract, and even thô the party that offereth it should have a right to the thing he so ta­keth, yet it is to be obtained by legal means, else it may be forfeited by his irregularity in the pursuit of it: The Law is such an Ene­my to Violence, and so little to be reconciled to it, that in the Case of a Rape, the Pu­nishment [Page 7] is not taken off though the party injured afterwards consenteth. The Justice of the Law hath its eye upon the first act, and the Maxim of Volenti non fit injurial, doth not in this case help the Offender, it being a plea subsequent to the Crime, which maketh it to be rejected as a thing wrong dated and out of time.

In taking away Goods or Money it is the same thing. The party robbed, by gi­ving them afterwards to the taker, does not exempt him from the Punishment of the Violence: Quite contrary, the Man from whom they were taken is punishable, if he doth not prosecute. If the case should be, that a Man thus taking away a thing with­out price, claimeth a right to take it, then whether it is well or ill founded is not the Question; but sure, the party from whom it is so taken, whilst he is treating to Sell or Exchange it, can never make a Bargain with so orbitrary a Chapman, there being no room left after that to talk of the Va­lue.

VII. To make an equal Bargain there must be a liberty of differing, not only in every thing that is really essential, but in every thing that is thought so by either party, and most especially by him who is in possession of the thing demanded: His Opinion must [Page 8] be a Rule to him, and even his Mistake in the Value, though it may not convince the Man he hath to deal with, yet he will be justified for not accepting what is offered, till that Mistake is fairly rectified and over­ruled.

When a Security is desired to be changed, that side which desireth it must not pretend to impose upon the other, so as to dictate to them, and tell them without debate, that they are safe in what is proposed, since of that the Counsel on the other side must certainly be the most competent Judges. The hand it cometh from is a great Circum­stance, either to invite or discourage in all matters of Contract: the Qualifications of the Party offering must sute with the Propo­sition it self, else let it be never so fair, there is ground for Suspicion.

VIII. When Men are of a temper, that they think they have wrong done them, if they have not always the better side of a Bargain: If they happen to be such as by experience have been found to have an ill Memory for their Word. If the Character they bear, doth not recommend their Ju­stice, where-ever their Interest is concern'd. In these cases, thinking Men will avoid deal­ing, not only to prevent surprize, but to cut off the occasions of difficulty or dispute.

[Page 9] It is yet more discouraging, when there are, either a precedent Practice, or standing Maxims of gross Partiality, in assuming a privilege of exemption from the usual methods of equal dealing.

To illustrate this by an Instance▪ Sup­pose that in any case, the Church of Rome should have an Interest to promote a Bar­gain; let her way of dealing be a little examin'd, which will direct those with whom she treateth, how far they are to rely upon what she proposeth to them. We may begin with the Quality in the World, the least consisting with equal dealing, viz. An incurable Partiality to herself; which, that it may arrive to its full per­fection, is crowned with Infallibility. At the first setting out, she maketh her self uncapable of dealing upon terms of Equali­ty, by the Power she claimeth of binding and loosing, which hath been so often ap­plyed to Treaties, as well as to Sins.

If the definition of Justice is to deal equal­ly, she cannot be guilty of it without be­traying her Prerogative, and according to her Principles, she giveth up the Superiori­ty derived to her by Apostolical Succession, if she degradeth her self so as to be judged by the Rules of common Right, especially of the Bargain should be with Hereticks, who [Page 10] in her Opinion have forfeited the claim they might otherwise have had to it.

IX. Besides, her Taste hath been so spoil­ed by unreasonable Bargains, that she can never bring down her Palate to any thing that is fair or equal. She hath not only judg'd it an Equivalent, but a great Bar­gain for the other side, to give them Ab­solutions and Indulgence for the real Pay­ment of great Sums, for which she hath drawn Bills to have them repayed with Interest in Purgatory.

This Spiritual Bank hath carried on such a Trade upon these advantageous Terms, that it can never submit to the small Pro­fits an ordinary Bargain would produce.

The several Popes have in exchange for the Peter-Pence, and all their other Rents and Fines out of England, sent sanctified Roses, Reliques, and other such Wonder-working Trifles. And by virtue of their Character of Holy Fathers, have used Princes like Children, by sending them such Rattles to play with, which they made them buy at extravagant Rates; besides which, they were to be thankful too, in to the bargain.

A Chip of the Cross, a piece of St. Lau­rence's Grid-iron, a Hair of St. Peter, have been thought Equivalents, for much more [Page 11] substantial things. The Popes being Ma­sters of the Jewel-House, have set the Rates upon them, and they have passed; though the whole Shop would not take up the va­lue of a Bodkin in Lombardstreet upon the credit of them.

They are unconscionable Purchasers, for they get all the Money from the living by praying for them when they are dead. And it is observable, that the Northern part of Christendom, which best understandeth Trade, were the first that refused to make any more Bargains with them; so that it looketh as if the chief quarrel to the He­reticks was not as they were ill Christians, but as they were unkind Merchants, in so discourteously rejecting the Commodities of the growth of Rome.

To conclude this Head, There is no bar­tering with Infallibility, it being so much above Equality, that it cannot bear the Indignity of a true Equivalent.

X. In all Bargains there is a necessity of looking back, and reflecting how far a present proposal is reconcilable with former practice; For Example, if at any time a thing is offered, quite differing from the Arguments used by the Proposer, and inconsistent with the Maxims held out by him at other times. Or in a Publick [Page 12] case, if the same men who promote and press a thing with the utmost violence, do in a little time after with as much vio­lence press the contrary, and profess a det­estation of the very thing, for which they had before imployed all their Interest and Authority. Or if in the case of a Law already made, there should be a privilege claimed to exempt those from the obliga­tion of observing it, who yet should after­wards desire and press to have a new Law made in exchange for the old one, by which they would not be bound; and that they should propose a security by a thing of the very same nature as that which they did not allow to be any before. These Incohe­rences must naturally have the effect of raising suspicion, or rather they are a certain proof, that in such circumstances it is irra­tional for men to expect an effectual Equi­valent.

XI. If whatsoever is more than ordinary is suspicious, every thing that is unnatural is more so: It is only unnecessary but unnatural too to perswade with violence what it is folly to refuse; to push men with eager­ness into a good bargain for themselves, is a stile very much unsuitable to the nature of the thing. But it goeth further and is yet more absurd, to grow angry with [Page 13] men for not receiving proposal that is for their advantage; Men ought to be content with the Generosity of offering good bar­gains, and should give their compassion to those who do not understand them: but by carrying their good nature so far as to be Cholerick in such a case, they would follow the example of the Church of Rome, where the definition of Charity is very extraordi­nary. In her Language, the Writ de Hae­retico Comburendo is a Love letter, and burn­ing men for differing with them in Opini­on, howsoever miscalled Cruelty, is as they understand it, the perfection of flaming Cha­rity.

When Anger in these cases lasteth long, it is most probable that it is for our own sakes; Good nature for others is one of those Diseases that is cured by time, and especially where it is offered and rejected; but for our selves it never faileth, and can­not be exstinguished but with our life. It is fair if men can believe that their friends love them next to themselves, to love them better is too much; the Expression is so unnatural that it is cloying, and men must have no sense, who in this case have no suspicion.

XII▪ Another Circumstance necessary to a fair bargain is, That there must be open­ness [Page 14] and freedom allowed, as the effect of that Equality which is the foundation of Contracting. There must be full liberty of objecting, and making doubts and scr [...]ples: If they are such as can be answered, the party convinced is so much the more con­firmed and incouraged to deal, instead of being hindred by them; but if instead of an answer to satisfy, there is nothing but anger for a reply, it is impossible not to conclude that there is never a good one to give; so that the objection remaining with­out being fully confuted, there is an abso­lute bar put to any further Treaty.

There can be no dealing where one side assumeth a privilege to impose, so as to make an offer and not bear the examination of it, this is giving judgment not making a bargain. Where it is called unmannerly to object, or criminal to refuse, the surest way is for men to stay where they are, rather than treat upon such disadvantage.

If it should happen to be in any Country where the governing power should allow men Liberty of Conscience in the choice of their Religion, it would be strange to deny them liberty of speech in making a bargain. Such a contradiction would be so discourag­ing, that they must be unreasonably sanguine, who in that case can entertain the hopes of a fair Equivalent.

[Page 15] XIII. And equal Bargain must not be a Mystery nor a Secret. The purchaser or pro­poser is to tell directly and plainly, what it is he intendeth to give in Exchange for that which he requireth. It must be view­ed and considered by the other party, that he may judge of the value; for without knowing what it is, he cannot determine whether he shall take or leave it. An as­sertion in general, that it shall be as good or a better things, is not in this a suffi­cient excuse for the mistake of dealing upon such uncertain terms. In all things that are dark and not enough explained, suspicion naturally followeth: A secret generally im­plieth a defect or a deceit; and if a false light is an objection, no light at all is yet a greater. To pretend to give a better thing, and to refuse to shew it, is very near saying it is not so good a one; at least so it will be taken in common construction. A Mystery is yet a more discouraging thing to a Protestant; especially if the Pro­position should come from a Papist; it being one of his great Objections to that Church, that there are so many of them Invisible and Impossible, which are so violently thrust upon their understandings, that they are overlaid with them. They think that ratio­nal creatures are to be convinced only by [Page 16] reason, and that reason must be visible and freely exposed; else they will think them­selves used with contempt instead of equality, and will never allow such a suspected secrecy to be a fit preface to a real Equivalent.

XIV. In matters of Contract not only the present value, but the contingences and consequences, as far as they can be fairly supposed, are to be considered. For Ex­ample, if there should be possibility, that one of the Parties may be ruined by accept­ing, and the other only disappointed by his refusing; the consequences are so extreamly unequal, that it is not imaginable, a man should take that for an Equivalent, which hath such a fatal possibility at the heels of it.

If it should happen in a publick case, that such a proposal should come from the minor part of an Assembly or Nation, to the greater; It is very just, that the hazard of such a possibility should more or less likely fall upon the lesser part, rather than upon the greater; for whose sake and advantage things are and must be calculated in all publick Constitutions. Suppose in any mixed Government, the chief Magistrate should propose upon a condition, in the Senate, Diet, or other Supreme Assembly, either to Enact or Abrogate one or more Laws, by which a possibility might be let in of destroy­ing [Page 17] their Religion and Property, which in o­ther language signifieth no less than Soul and Body; where could be the Equivalent in the case, not only for the real loss, but even for the fear of losing them? Men can fall no lower than to lose all, and if losing all de­stroyeth them, the venturing all must fright them.

In an instance when Men are secure; that how far soever they may be over-run by Violence, yet they can never be un­done by Law, except they give their as­sistance to make it possible, though it should neither be likely nor intended, still the consequence which may happen is too big for any present thing to make amends for it. Whilst the world Possible remain­eth, it must forbid the bargain. Where-ever it falleth out therefore, that in an Exam­ple of a public nature, the Chan [...]ing, Enacting, or Repealing a Law, may na­turally tend to the misplacing the Legisla­tive power in the hands of those who have a separate interest from the body of a People, there can be no treating, till it is demonstrably made out, that such a con­sequence shall be absolutely impossible; for if that shall be denied by those who make the proposal, if it is because they cannot do it, the motion at first was very unfair. [Page 18] If they can and will not, it would be yet less reasonable to expect that such partial deal­ers would ever give an Equivalent fit to be accepted.

XV. It is necessary in all dealing to be assured in the first place, that the party proposing is in a condition to make good his Offer; that he is neither under any for­mer Obligations or pretended Claims, which may render him uncapable of performing it; else he is so far in the condition of a Minor, that whatever he disposeth by sale or exchange may be afterwards resumed, and the Contract becometh void, being originall [...] defective, for want of a suffici­ent legal power in him that made it.

In the case of a strict Settlement, where the party is only Tenant for life, there is no possibility of treating which one under such fetters; no purchase or exchange of Lands or any thing else can be good, where there is such an incapacity of making out a Title; the interest vested in him being so limited, that he can do little more than pronounce the words of a Contract, he can by no means perform the effect of it.

In more publick instances, the impossibili­ty is yet more express; as suppose in any Kingdom, where the people have so much liberty left them, as that they may make [Page 19] Contracts with the Crown, there should be some peculiar rights claimed to be so fix­ed to the Royal Function, that no King for the time being could have power to part with them, being so fundamentally tied to the Office, that they can never be sepa­rated. Such Rights can upon no occasion he received in exchange for any thing the Crown may desire from the People: That can never be taken in payment, which can­not lawfully be given, so that if they should part with that which is required upon those terms, it must be a gift, it cannot be a bargain.

There is not in the whole Dictionary a more untractable word than Inherent, and less to be reconciled to the word Equivalent.

The party that will Contract in spight of such a Claim, is content to take what is impossible to grant, and if he complaineth of his Disappointment, he neither can have Remedy, nor deserveth it.

If a Right so claimed hapneth to be of so comprehensive a nature, as that by a clear inference it may extend to every thing else, as well as to the particular matter in questi­on, as often as the Supream Magistrate shall be so disposed, there can in that case be no treating with Prerogative that swallow­eth all the Right the People can pretend to; [Page 20] and if they have no right to any thing of which they are possessed, it is a Jest and not a Bargain, to observe any Formality in parting with it.

A Claim may be so stated, that by the power and advantage of interpreting, it shall have such a murthering eye, that if it look­eth upon a Law, like a Basilisk, it shall strike it dead: Where is the possibility of Treating, where such a Right is assumed▪ Nay, let it be supposed that such a Claim is not well founded in Law, and that upon a free disquisition it could not be made out; yet even in this case, none that are well advised will conclude a Bargain, till it is fully stated and cleared, or indeed, so much as engage in a treaty, till by way of prelimi­nary all possibility shall be remov'd of any trouble or dispute.

XVI. There is a collateral circumstance in making a Contract, which yet deserveth to be considered, as much as any thing that belongeth to it; and that is the character and figure of the parties contracting; if they treat onely by themselves, and if by others, the Qualifications of the Instruments they em­ploy.

The Proposer especially, must not be so low as to want credit. nor so raised as to carry him above the reach of ordinary deal­ing. [Page 21] In the first, There is scandal, in the other danger. There is no Rule without some Exception, but generally speaking the means should be suited to the end, and since all Men who treat, pretend an equal bargain, it is desirable that there may be equality in the persons as well as in the thing.

The manner of doing things hath such an influence upon the matter, that Men may guess at the end by the instruments that are used to obtain it, who are a very good direction how far to rely upon or suspect the sincerity of that which is propos­ed. An Absurdity in the way of carrying on a Treaty, in any one Circumstance, if it is very gross, is enough to perswade a thinking Man to break off, and take warn­ing from such an ill appearance. Some things are so glaring that it is impossible not to see, and consequently not to suspect them; as suppose in a private case, there should be a Treaty of Marriage between two Honourable Families, and the pro­posing side should think fit to send a Woman that had been Carted, to perswade the young Lady to an approbation and consent; the unfitness of the Messenger must naturally dispose the other party to distrust the Mes­sage, and to resist the temptation of the best Match that could be offered, when con­veyed [Page 22] by that hand, and ushered in by such a discouraging preliminary.

In a publick instance the suspicion arising from unfit Mediators, still groweth more reasonable in proportion, as the consequence is much greater of being deceived. If a Jew should be employed to sollicite all sorts, of Christians to unite and agree; the contra­riety of his profession, would not allow Men to stay till they heard his Arguments, they would conclude from his Religion, that ei­ther the Man himself was mad, or that he thought those to be so, whom he had the Im­pudence to endeavour to perswade.

Or suppose an Adamite should be very sollicitous and active, in all places, and with all sorts of Persons, to settle the Church of England in particular, and a fair Liberty of Conscience for all Dissenters; though no­thing in the World has more to be said for it than Naked Truth, yet if such a Man should run up and down without Cloaths, let his Arguments be never so good, or his Commission never so Authentick, his Figure would be such a contradiction to his business, that how serious soever that might be in it self, his interposition would make a Jest of it.

Though it should not go so far as this, yet if Men have contrarieties in their way of [Page 23] living not to be reconciled; as if they should pretend infinite zeal for liberty, and at that time be in great favour and imployed by those who will not endure it.

If they are affectedly singular, and con­form to the generality of the World in no one thing, but in playing the knave.

If demonstration is a familiar word with them, most especially where the thing is [...]mpossible.

If they quote Authority to supply their want of sense, and justifie the value of their Arguments, not by reason, but by their being paid for them, (in which, by the way, those who pay them have probably a very melancholy Equivalent.) If they brandish a Prince's Word like a Sword in a Crowd, to make way for their own imper­tinence; and in dispute, as Criminals former­ly fled to the Statue of the Prince for San­ctuary; if they should now, when baffled, creep under the protection of a Kings Name, where out of respect they are no farther to be pursued.

In these cases; Though the propositions should be really good, they will be cor­rupted by passing through such Conduits▪ and it would be a sufficient Mistake to en­ter into a Treaty; but it would be little less than Madness from such hands to expect an Equivalent.

[Page 24] XVII. Having touched upon these parti­culars as necessary in order to the stating the nature of an equal Bargain, and the Circumstances belonging to it, let it now be examined in two or three instances▪ what things are not to be admitted by way of Contract, to pass under the Name of an Equivalent.

First, Though it will be allowed, that in the general corruption of mankind, which will not admit Justice alone to be a suffi­cient tie to make good a Contract, that a Punishment added for the breach of it, is a fitting or rather a necessary Circum­stance; yet it does not follow, that in all cases, a great Penalty upon the party offend­ing is an absolute and an entire Security. It must be considered in every particular case, how far the Circumstances may ratio­nally lead a Man to rely more or less upon it.

In a private instance, the Penalty inflict­ed upon the breach of Contract must be first, such a one as the party injured can en­force, and Secondly, such a one as he will enforce, when it is in his power.

If the Offending party is in a capacity of hindring the other from bringing the Ven­geance of the Law upon him. If he hath strength or privilege sufficient to over rule [Page 25] the Letter of the Contract; in that case, a Penalty is but a Word, there is no con­sequence belonging to it. Secondly, The forfeiture or punishment must be such as the Man aggrieved will take; for Example, if upon a Bargain, one of the Parties shall stipulate to subject himself, in case of his failure to have his Ears cut, or his Nose slit by the other, with security given, that he shall not be prosecuted for executing this part of the Agreement; the Penalty is no doubt heavy enough to discourage a Man from breaking his Contract; but on the other side it is of such a kind, that the other how much soever he may be provo­ked, will not in cold Blood care to inflict it. Such an extravagant Clause would seem to be made only for shew and found, and no Man would think himself safer by a thing which one way or other is sure to prove ineffectual.

In a publick Case, Suppose in a Govern­ment so constituted that a Law may be made in the nature of a Bargain, it is in it self no more than a dead letter, the life is given to it by the execution of what it con­taineth; so that let it in it self be never so perfect, it dependeth upon those who are intrusted with seeing it observed.

[Page 26] If it is in any Country, where the chief Magistrate chuseth the Judges, and the Jud­ges interpret the Laws; a Penalty in any one particular Law can have no effect but what is precarious. It may have a loud voice to threaten, but it has not an hand to give a blow; for as long as the Governing Pow­er is in possession of this Prerogative, let who will chuse the Meat, if they chuse the Cooks, it is they that will give the tast to it. So that it is clear that the rigour of a Penalty will not in all cases fix a Bargain, neither is it Universally a true Position, that the increase of punishment for the breach of a new Law, is an Equivalent for the con­sent to part with an old one.

XVIII. In most Bargains there is a refe­rence to the time to come, which is there­fore to be considered as well as that which cometh within the compass of the present valuation.

Where the party Contracting, hath not a full power to dispose what belongeth to him or them in Reversion, who shall suc­ceed after him in his Right; he cannot make any part of what is so limited, to be the condition of the Contract. Further, he cannot enjoyn the Heir or Successor to for­bear the exercise of any Right that is in­herent to him, as he is a Man; neither can [Page 27] he restrain him without his own consent, from doing any act which in it self is lawful, and liable to no objection. For Example, A Father cannot stipulate with any other Man, that in Consideration of such a thing done, or to be done, his Son shall never Marry; because Marriage is an Institution Establi­shed by the Laws of God, and Man, and therefore no body can be so restrained by any power from doing such an act, when he thinketh fit, being warranted by an Authority that is not to be controuled.

XIX. Now as there are Rights inherent in Mens persons in their single capacities, there are Rights as much fixed to the Body Politick, which is a Creature that never dieth. For instance, There can be no Government without a Supreme Power, that Power is not always in the same hands, it is in different shapes and dresses, but still where-ever it is lodged, it must be unlimit­ed: It hath a jurisdiction over every thing else, but it cannot have it above it self. Su­preme Power can no more be limited than Infinity can be measured; because it ceaseth to be the thing; its very being is dissolved, when any bounds can be put to it.

Where this Supreme Power is mixed, or divided, the shape only differeth, the Argu­ment is still the same.

[Page 28] The present State of Venice cannot re­strain those who succeed them in the same power, from having an entire and unlimit­ed Sovereignty; they may indeed make present Laws which shall retrench their present Power, if they are so disposed, and those Laws if not repealed by the same autho­rity that enacted them, are to be observed by the succeeding Senate till they think sit to Abrogate them, and no longer; for if the Supreme Power shall still reside in the Senate, perhaps composed of other Men, or of other minds (which will be sufficient) the necessary consequence is, that one Senate must have as mach right to al­ter such a Law, as another could have to make it.

XX. Suppose the Supreme Power in any State should make a Law, to enjoyn all sub­sequent Law-makers to take an Oath never to alter it, it would produce these following Absurdities.

First, All Supreme Power being instituted to promote the safety and benefit, and to prevent the prejudice and danger which may fall upon those who live under the protecti­on of it; the consequence of such an Oath would be, that all Men who are so trusted, shall take God to witness, that such a Law once made, being judged at the time [Page 29] to be advantageous for the publick, though afterwards by the vicissitude of times, or the variety of accidents or interests, it should plainly appear to them to be de­structive, they will suffer it to have its course, and will never repeal it.

Secondly, If there could in any Nation be found a set of Men, who having a part in the Supreme legislative Power, should as much as in them lieth, betray their Country by such a criminal engagement, so directly opposite to the nature of their Power, and to the Trust reposed in them. If these Men have their power only for life, when they are dead such an Oath can o­perate no farther; and tho that would be too long a Lease for the life of such a Monster as an Oath so composed, yet it must then certainly give up the Ghost. It could bind none but the first makers of it, another generation would never be tied up by it.

Thirdly, In those Countries where the Supreme Assemblies are not constant stand­ing Courts, but called together upon occa­sions, and Composed of such as the People chuse for that time only, with a Trust and Character that remaineth no longer with them than till that Assembly is regularly dissolved, such an Oath taken by the Mem­bers [Page 30] of a Senate, Diet, or other Assembly to chosen, can have very little effect, be­cause at the next meeting there may be quite another set of Men who will be under no Obligation of that kind. The eternity intended to that Law by those that made it, will be cut off by new Men who shall succeed them in their power, if they have a differing Taste, or another Interest.

XXI. To put it yet farther, Suppose a Clause in such a Law, that it shall be criminal in the last degree for any Man chosen in a subsequent Assembly, to propose the repealing of it; and since nothing can be Enacted which is not first proposed, by this means it seemeth as if a Law might be Created which should never die. But let this be Examined.

First, such a clause would be so de­structive to the being of such a Constitution, as that it would be as reasonable to say, that a King had right to give or sell his King­dom to a foreign Prince, as that any num­ber of Men who are entrusted with the Su­preme Power, or any part of it, should have a right to impose such Shackles▪ upon the Liberty of those who are to succeed them in the same Trust. The ground of that Trust is, that every Man who is chosen into such an Assembly, is to do all that [Page 31] in him lieth for the good of those who chose him: The English of such a Clause would be, that he is not to do his best for those that chose him, because though he should be convinc'd that it might be very fatal to continue that Law, and therefore very ne­cessary to repeal it, yet he must not repeal it, because it is made a Crime, and attended with a Penalty.

But secondly, to shew the emptiness as well as injustice of such a Clause, it is clear, that although such an Invasion of Right should be imposed, it will never be obeyed: There will only be Deformity, in the Mon­ster, it will neither sting nor bite. Such Law-givers would only have the honour of attempting a contradiction which can ne­ver have any success; for as such a Law in it self would be a Madness, so the Penalty would be a Jest; which may be thus made out.

XXII. A Law that carrieth in it self Rea­son enough to support it, is so far from want­ing the protection of such a Clause, or from needing to take such an extraordinary receipt for long Life, that the admitting it must certainly be the likeliest and the shortest way to destroy it; such a Clause in a Law must imply an opinion that the greatest part of mankind is against it, since it is im­possible [Page 32] such an exorbitance should be done for its own sake; the end of it must be to force Men by a Penalty, to that which they could not be perswaded to, whilst their Rea­son is left at liberty. This Position being granted, which I think can hardly be deni­ed, put the case that a Law should be made with this imaginary Clause of Immortality, after which another Assembly is chosen, and if the majority of the Electors shall be against this Law, the greater part of the Elected must be so too, if the choice is fair and re­gular; which must be presumed, since the supposition of the contrary is not to come within this Argument. When these Men shall meet, the Majority will be visible be­forehand of those who are against such a Law, so that there will be no hazard to any single Man in proposing the Repeal of it, when he cannot be punished but by the Majority, and he hath such a kind of assur­ance as cometh near a Demonstration, that the greater Number will be of his mind, and consequently, that for their own sakes they will secure him from any danger.

For these Reasons, where-ever in order to the making a Bargain, a Proposition is advanc'd to make a new Law, which is to [...]ye up those who neither can nor will be bound by it, it may be a good Jest, but it will never be a good Equivalent.

[Page 33] XXIII. In the last place, let it be examin­ed how far a Promise ought to be taken far a Security in a Bargain.

There is great Variety of Methods for the Security of those that deal, according to their Dispositions and Interests; some are binding, others inducing circumstances, and are to be so distinguished.

First, Ready Payment is without excepti­on, so of that there can be no dispute; in default of that, the good Opinion Men may have of one another is a great ingredient to supply the want of immediate Perform­ances. Where the Trust is grounded upon Inclination only, the Generosity is not al­ways return'd; but where it springeth from a long Experience it is a better foundation, and yet that is not always secure. In ordi­nary dealing, one Promise may be an Equi­valent to another, but it is not so for a thing actually granted or conveyed; espe­cially if the thing required in exchange for it, is of great value, either in it self or in its consequences. A bare Promise as a single Security in such a case is not an equal pro­posal; if it is offered by way of addition, it generally giveth cause to doubt the Title is crazy, where so slender a thing is brought in to be a supplement.

[Page 34] XXIV. The Earnest of making good a Promise, must be such a behaviour preceding; as may encourage the party to whom it is made to depend upon it: Where instead of that, there hath been want of Kindness; and which is worse an Invasion of Right, a Promise hath no perswading force; and till the Objection to such a Proceeding is forgot­ten, (which can only be the work of time) and the Skin is a little grown over the ten­der part, the Wound must not be touch'd. There must be some Intermission at least to abate the smart of unkind usage, or else a Promise in the Eye of the party injur'd is so far from strengthening a Security, that it raiseth more doubts, and giveth more justi­fiable cause suspect it.

A Word is not like a Bone, that be­ing broken and well set again, is said to be sometimes stronger in that very part: It is far from being so in a Word given and not made good. Every single Act either weakeneth or improveth our Credit with o­ther Men; and as an habit of being just to our Word will confirm, so an habit of too freely dispensing with it must necessarily destroy it. A Promise hath its effect to perswade a Man to lay some weight upon it, where the Promiser hath not only the power, but may reasonably be supposed to [Page 35] have the will of performing it; and further, that there be no visible interest of the party promising to excuse himself from it, or to evade it.

All Obligations are comparative, and where they seem to be opposite, or between the greater and the lesser, which of them ought to have precedence in all respects every man is apt to be his own Judge.

XXV. If it should fall out that the Pro­miser with full intent at the time to per­form, might by the interposition of new Arguments, or differing Advice think him­self oblig'd to turn the matter of Conscience on the other side, and should look upon it to be much a greater fault to keep his word than to break it; such a Belief will untye the strictest Promise that can be made, and though the Party thus absolving himself should do it without the mixture or tempta­tion of private interest, being moved to it meerly by his Conscience, as then informed; yet how far soever that might diminish the Fault in him, it would in no degree lessen the inconveniences to the party who is disappointed, by the breach of an engage­ment upon which he relyed.

XXVI. A Promise is to be understood in the plain and natural sense of the words, and to be sure not in his who made it, if it [Page 36] was given as part of a Bargain. That would be like giving a Man power to raise the value of his Money in the payment of his Debt, by which, tho he paid but half or less, be might pretend according to the letter to have made good the Contract.

The power of interpreting a Promise intire­ly taketh away the virtue of it. A Mer­chant who should once assume that privi­lege, would save himself the trouble of mak­ing any more Bargains.

It is still worse if this Jurisdiction over a Man's Promise, should be lodg'd in hands that have Power to support such an extraor­dinary Claim; and if in other Cases, forbear­ing to deal upon those terms is advisable, in this it becometh absolutely necessary.

XXVII. There must in all respects be a full liberty to claim a Promise, to make it reason­able to take it in any part of payment; else it would be like agreeing for a Rent, and at the same time making if criminal to demand it.

A superiority of Dignity or Power in the party promising maketh it a more tender thing for the other party to treat upon that security. The first maketh it a nice thing to claim, the latter maketh it a dif­ficult thing to obtain.

In some cases, a Promise is in the nature of a Covenant, and then between equal par­ties [Page 37] the breach of it will bear a Suit; but where the greatness of the Promiser is very much raised above the level of equality, there is no Forfeiture to be taken. It is so far from the party grieved his being able to sue or recover Damages, that he will not be allowed to explain or expostulate, and instead of his being relieved against the breach of Promise, he will run the hazard of being punished for breach of Good Man­ners▪ Such a Difficulty is putting all or part of the Payment in the Fire, where Men must burn their Fingers before they can come at it.

That cannot properly be called good pay­ment, which the party to whom it is due may not receive with ease and safety. It was a Kings Brother of England who refus­ed to lend the Pope money, for this reason, That he would never take the Bond of one, upon whom he could not distrain.

The Argument is still stronger against the Validity of a Promise, when the Contract is made between a Prince and a Subject. The very offering a Kings Word in Mort­gage is rather a threatning in case of refusal, than an inducing Argument to accept it; it is unfair at first, and by that giveth great­er cause to be cautious, especially if a thing of that value and dignity as a Kings Word [Page 38] ought to be, should be put into the hands of State Brokers to strike up a Bargain with it.

XXVIII. When God Almighty maketh Covenants with Mankind, His Promise is a sufficient Security, notwithstanding his Su­periority and his Power; because first, he can neither erre nor do injustice. It is the only Exception to his Omnipotence, that by the Perfection of his being he is in­capacitated to do wrong. Secondly, at the in­stant of his Promise, by the extent of his Fore­sight, which cannot fail, there is no room left for the possibility of any thing to inter­vene, which might change his mind. Last­ly, he is above the receiving either Benefit or Inconvenience, and therefore can have no Interest or Temptation to vary from his Word, when once he hath granted it.

Now though Princes are God's Vicege­rents, yet their Commission not being so large, as that these Qualifications are devolv­ed to them, it is quite another case, and since the offering a Security implyeth it to be examined by the party to whom it is proposed, it must not be taken ill that Ob­jections are made to it, even though the Prince himself should be the immediate Pro­poser.

[Page 39] Let a familiar Case be put; Suppose a [...]rince, tempted by a Passion too strong [...]or him to resist, should descend so as to [...]romise Marriage to one of his Subjects, [...]nd as Men are naturally in great haste [...]pon such occasions, should press to take possession before the necessary Forms could [...]e complyed with; would the poor Ladies Scruples be called criminal for not taking [...] Security of the Royal Word? Or [...]ould her Allegiance be tainted by her re­ [...]ing the sacred Person of her Sovereign, because he was impatient of delay? Courte­ [...] in this case might perswade her to ac­cept it, if she was so disposed, but sure the [...] exercise of Power can never claim it.

XXIX. There is one Case where it is more particularly a Duty to use very great [...]tion in accepting the security of a Pro­ [...], and that is, when Men are authorized and trusted by others to act for them. This [...]tteth them under much greater restraints, than those who are at liberty to treat for themselves. It is lawful, though it is not [...]rudent for any man to make an ill Bar­gain for himself, but it is neither the one nor [...]he other, where the party contracting [...]reateth on behalf of another, by whom he [...] intrusted. Men who will unwarily ac­ [...]ept an ill security, if it is for themselves, [Page 40] forfeit their own discretion, and undergo the Penalty, but they are not responsible to any body else. They lie under the Mortification and the loss of committing the error, by which though they may ex­pose their Judgment to some censure, yet their Morality suffers no reproach by it.

But those who are deputed by others to treat for them, upon terms of best advan­tage, though the Confidence placed in them should prevent the putting any limits to their Power in their Commission, yet the Condition implied if not expressed, is that the Persons so Trusted shall neither make an ill Bargain, nor accept a slight Security.

The Obligation is yet more binding when the Trust is of a Publick Nature. The ag­gravation of disappointing a Body of Men that rely upon them, carrieth the Faul [...] as high as it can go, and perhaps no Crim [...] of any kind can outdo such a deliberate breach of Trust, or would more justly mak [...] Men forfeit the protection of humane So­ciety.

XXX. I will add one thing more upon this, Head, which is, that it is not alway [...] a true Proposition, that 'tis safe to rely upo [...] a Promise, if at the time of making it, i [...] is the Interest of the Promiser to make i [...] good. This, though many times it is a [Page 41] good Inducement, yet it hath these Excep­ [...]ions to it. First, if the Proposer hath at [...]er times gone plainly against his visible [...]nterest, the Argument will turn the other [...]ay, and his former Mistakes are so many Warnings to others, not to come within the danger of any more: let the Induce­ments to those Mistakes be never so great and generous, that does not alter the Nature, they are Mistakes still.

Interest is an uncertain thing, It goeth and cometh, and varieth according to times and circumstances; as good build upon a Quicksand, as upon a presumption that Interest shall not alter. Where are the Men so distinguished from the rest of Man­kind, that it is impossible for them to [...]istake their Interest? Who are they that [...]ve such an exemption from humane [...]eailty, as that it can never happen to them not to see their Interest for want of Under­derstanding, or not to leap over it by ex­cess of Zeal.

Above all, Princes are the most liable to Mistake; not out of any defect in their Na­ture, which might put them under such an unfortunate distinction; quite contrary, the blood they derive from wise and great An­cestors, does rather distinguish them on the better side; besides that their great Cha­racter [Page 42] and Office of Governing giveth a noble Exercise to their Reason, which [...] very hardly fail to raise and improve [...] But there is one Circumstance annexed their Glorious Calling, which in this re­spect is sufficient to outweigh all those Ad­vantages; it is that Mankind, divided in most things else, agree in this, to conspire in their endeavors to deceive and mislea [...] them; which maketh it above the power of humane understanding, to be so exactly guarded as never to admit a surprise, and the highest applause that could ever yet be given to the greatest Men that ever wore a Crown, is that they were no oftner de­ceived.

Thus I have ventur'd to lay down my thoughts of the Nature of a Bargain, and the due Circumstances belonging to an Equi­valent, and will now conclude with thi [...] short word. ‘Where Distrusting may be the cause of provoking Anger, and Trust­ing may be the cause of bringing Ruin the Choice is too easie to need the being Explained.

A LETTER TO A DISSEN …

A LETTER TO A DISSENTER, Upon occasion of His Ma­jesties late Gracious De­claration of Indulgence.

LONDON: Printed in the Year 1700.

A LETTER TO A DISSENTER, Upon Occasion of His Majesties late Gracious Declaration of In­dulgence.

SIR,

SINCE Addresses are in fashion, give me leave to make one to you. This is neither the Effect of Fear, Interest, or Resentment; therefore on may be sure it is sincere: and for that [Page 2] reason it may expect: to be kindly received. Whether it will have power enough [...] Convince, dependeth upon the Reason [...] of which you are to judge; and upon your Preparation of Mind, to be perswaded by Truth, whenever it appeareth to you. It ought not to be the less welcome, for coming from a friendly Hand, one whose kindness to you is not lessened by diffe­rence of Opinion, and who will not let h [...] Thoughts for the Publick be so tied or confined to this or that Sub-division of Protestants, as to stifle the Charity, which, besides all other Arguments, [...] at this time become necessary to serve us.

I am neither surprized nor provoked [...] [...] see that in the Condition you were [...] into by the Laws, and the ill Circumstance [...] you lay under, by having the Exclus [...] and Rebellion laid to your Charge, you were desirous to make your selves less un­easy and obnoxious to Authority. Me [...] who are sore, run to the nearest Reme [...] with too much hast to consider all the con­sequences: Grains of allowance are to [...] given, where Nature giveth such strong [Page 3] Influences. When to Men under Suffer­ings it offereth Ease, the present Pain will [...]rdly allow time to examine the Reme­ [...]s; and the strongest Reason can hard­ly gain a fair Audience from our Mind, whilst so possessed, till the Smart: is a little [...]layed.

I do not know whether the Warmth tha [...] naturally belongeth to new Friend­ships, may not make it a harder Task for me to perswade you. It is like telling Lovers, in the beginning of their Joys, th [...] they will in a little time have an [...]. Such an unwelcome Stile doth not [...]ly find Credit: but I will suppose you [...] not so far gone in your new Passi­on, but that you will Hear still; and there­fore I am under the less Discouragement, [...] I offer to your Consideration two [...]gs. The First is, The Cause you have [...] suspect your new Friends. The Second, [...]e Duty incumbent upon you, in Chri­stianity and Prudence, not to hazard the Publick Safety, neither by desire of Ease, [...]or of Revenge.

To the First: Consider that notwith­standing [Page 4] the smooth Language which is now put on to engage you, these new Friends did not make you their Choice, but their Refuge: They have ever made their first Courtships to the Church of Eng­land, and when they were rejected there they made their Application to you in the second place. The Instances of this might be given in all times. I do not repeat them, because whatsoever is unnecessary, must be tedious, the truth of this Asser­tion being so plain, as not to admit a Di­spute. You cannot therefore reasonably flatter your selves, that there is any Incli­nation to you. They never pretended to allow you any Quarter, but to usher in Li­berty for themselves under that shelter▪ I refer you to Mr. Coleman's Letters, and to the Journals of Parliament, where you may be convinced, if you can be so mi­staken, as to doubt; nay, at this very hour, they can hardly forbear, in the height of their Courtship, to let fall hard Words of you. So little is Nature to be restrained; it will start out sometimes, disdaining to submit to the Usurpation of Art and In­terest.

[Page 5] This Alliance, between Liberty and In­fallibility, is bringing together the Two most contrary things that are in the World. The Church of Rome doth not only dis­like the allowing Liberty, but by its Prin­ciples it cannot do it. Wine is not more expresly forbid to the Mahometans, than giving Hereticks Liberty to the Papists: They are no more able to make good their Vows to you, than Men married before, and their Wife alive, can confirm their Contract with another. The continuance of their kindness, would be a habit of Sin, of which they are to repent, and their Absolution is to be had upon no other terms, than their promise to destroy you. You are therefore to be hugged now, on­ly that you may be the better squeezed it another time. There must be some­thing extraordinary, when the Church of Rome setteth up Bills, and offereth Plai­sters, for tender Consciences: By all that hath hitherto appeared, her skill in Chirurgery lieth chiefly in a quick Hand, to cut off Limbs; but she is the worst at healing, of any that ever pretended to it.

[Page 6] To come so quick from another Ex­tream, is such an unnatural Motion, that you ought to be upon your Guard; the other day you were Sons of Belial: Now, you are Angels of Light. This is a vio­lent change, and it will be fit for you to pause upon it, before you believe it: If your Features are not altered, neither is their Opinion of you, what ever may be pretended. Do you believe less than you did, that there is Idolatry in the Church of Rome? Sure you do not. See then, how they treat both in Words and Writing, those who entertain that Opi­nion. Conclude from hence, how incon­sistent their Favour is with this single Ar­ticle, except they give you a Dispensation for this too, and by a Non Obstante, secure you that they will not think the worse of you.

Think a little how dangerous it is to build upon a Foundation of Paradoxes. Popery now is the only Friend to Liber­ty; and the known Enemy to Persecution: The Men of Taunton and Tiverton, are a­bove all other Eminent for Loyalty. The [Page 7] Quakers from being declared by the Papists not to be Christians, are now made Fa­vourites, and taken into their particular Protection; they are on a sudden grown the most accomplished Men of the King­dom, in good Breeding, and give Thanks with the best Grace, in double refined Language. So that I should not wonder, though a Man of that Perswasion, inspite of his Hat, should be Master of the Ceremonies. Not to say harsher words, these are such very new things, that it is impossible not to suspend our Belief, till by a little more Experience we may be inform'd whether they are Realities or Apparitions: We have been under shame­ful mistakes if these Opinions are true; but for the present, we are apt to be incredulous; except we could be con­vinced, that the Priests words in this case too, are able to make such a sud­den and effectual change; and that their Power is not limited to the Sacrament, but that it extendeth to alter the na­ture of all other things, as often as they are so desposed.

[Page 8] Let me now speak of the Instruments of your Friendship, and then leave you to judge, whether they do not afford mat­ter of Suspition. No sharpness is to be mingled where Healing only is intended; so nothing will be said to expose parti­cular men, how strong soever the Temp­tation may be, or how clear the Proofs to make it out. A word or two in ge­neral, for you better caution, shall suf­fice: Suppose then, for Argument's sake, that the Mediators of this new Alliance, should be such as have been formerly im­ployed in Treaties of the same kind, and there detected to have Acted by Order, and to have been Impower'd to give En­couragements and Rewards. Would not this be an Argument to suspect them?

If they should plainly be under En­gagements to one side, their Arguments to the other ought to be received accord­ingly; their fair Pretences are to be look­ed upon as part of their Commission, which may not improbably give them a Dispen­sation in the case of Truth, when it may bring a prejudice upon the Service of those by whom they are imployed.

[Page 9] If there should be men who having for­merly had Means and Authority to per­swade by Secular Arguments, have in pur­suance of that Power, sprinkled Money amongst the Dissenting Ministers; and if those very men should now have the same Authority, practice the same Methods, and Disburse, where they cannot otherwise per­swade: It seemeth to me to be rather an Evidence than a Presumption of the Deceit.

If there should be Ministers amongst you, who by having [...]allen under Tempta­tions of this kind, are in some sort enga­ged to continue their Frailty, by the awe they are in lest it should be exposed: The Perswasions of these unfortunate Men must sure have the less force, and their Argu­ments, though never so specious, are to be suspected, when they come from Men who have mortgaged themselves to se­vere Creditors, that expect a rigorous Ob­servation of the Contract, let it be never so unwarrantable.

If these, or any others, should at this time Preach up Anger and Vengeance against the Church of England; may it not with­out [Page 10] Injustice be suspected, that a thing so plainly out of Season, sprinketh ra­ther from Corruption than Mistake; and that those who act this Cholerick part, do not believe themselves, but only pur­sue higher Directions, and endeavour to make good that part of their Contract which obligeth them, upon a Forfeiture, to make use of their inflaming Eloquence? They might apprehend their Wages would be retrenched if they should be Moderate: And therefore whilst Violence is their In­terest, those who have not the same Argu­ments, have no reason to follow such a par­tial Example.

If there should be Men, who by the load of their Crimes against the Govern­ment, have been bowed down to com­ply with it against their Conscience; who by incurring the want of a Pardon, have drawn upon themselves a necessity of an entire Resignation: Such men are to be lamented, but not to be believed. Nay, they themselves when they have dischar­ged their Unwelcom Task, will be in­wardly glad that their forced Endeavours do not succeed, and are pleased when men [Page 11] resist their Insinuations; which are far from being Voluntary or Sincere, but are squeez­ed out of them by the weight of their be­ing so Obnoxious.

If in the heighth of this great dear­ness by comparing things, it should hap­pen, that at this instant, there is much surer Friendship with those who are so far from allowing Liberty, that they al­low no Living to a Protestant under them. Let the Scene lie in what part of the World it will, the Argument will come home, and sure it will afford sufficient ground to suspect. Apparent Contradicti­ons must strike us; neither Nature nor Reason can digest them: Self-Flattery, and the desire to Deceive our selves, to gra­tifie present Appetite, with all their Pow­er, which is Great, cannot get the better of such broad Conviction, as some things carry along with them. Will you call these vain and empty Suspitions? have you been at all times so void of Fears and Jealousies as to justifie your being so unreasonably Valiant in having none upon this occasion? Such an extraor­dinary [Page 12] Courage at this unseasonable time, to say no more, is too dangerous a Virtue to be commended.

If then for these and a thousand other Reasons, there is cause to suspect, sure your new Friends are not to dictate to you, or advise you; for instance, The Addresses that fly abroad every Week, and Murther us with another to the same; the first Draughts are made by those who are not very proper to be Secretaries to the Protestant Religion: and it is your part only to Write them our fairer again.

Strange! that you who have been for­merly so much against Set Forms, should now be content the Priests should Indite for you. The nature of Thanks is an unavoidable consequence of being plea­sed or obliged; they grow in the Heart, and from thence shew themselves either in Looks, Speech, Writing, or Action: No man was ever Thankful because he was bid to be so, but because he had, or [Page 13] thought he had some Reason for it. If then there is cause in this Case to pay such extravagant Acknowledgments, they will flow naturally, without taking such pains to procure them; and it is unkindly done to Tire all the Post-Horses with carrying Circular Letters to solicite that which would be done without any trouble or constraint: If it is really in it self such a Favour, what needeth so much pressing men to be thank­ful, and with such eager circumstances, that where Perswasions cannot delude▪ Threatnings are employed to fright them into a Compliance. Thanks must be vo­lantary, not only unconstrained, but unsolicited, else they are either Trifles or Snares, that either signifie nothing, or a great deal more than is intended by those that give them. If an Inference should be made, That whosoever thank­eth the King for his Declaration, is by that ingaged to Justifie it in point of Law; it is a greater Stride than, I pre­sume, all those care to make who are perswaded to Address: If it shall be sup­posed, that all the Thankers will be Re­pealers of the TEST, whenever a Par­liament shall meet. Such an Expectation [Page 14] is better prevented before, then disap­pointed afterwards; and the surest way to avoid the lying under such a Scan­dal, is not to do any thing that may give a colour to the Mistake: These be­spoken Thanks are little less improper than Love Letters that were solicited by the Lady to whom they are to be di­rected: so, that besides the little ground there is to give them, the manner of getting them doth extreamly lessen their Value. It might be wished that you would have suppressed your impatience, and have been content for the sake of Religion, to enjoy it within your selves without the Liberty of a publick Ex­ercise, till a Parliament had allowed it; but since that could not be, and that the Artifices of some amongst you have made use of the Well-meant Zeal of the generality to draw them into this Mistake; I am so far from blaming you with that sharpness which perhaps, the Matter in strictness would bear, that I am ready to err on the side of the more gentle construction.

[Page 15] There is a great difference between enjoying quietly the Advantages of an Act irregularly done by others, and the going about to support it against the Laws in being: the Law is so Sacred, that no Trespass against it is to be defended; yet Frailties may in some measure be excused, when they cannot be justified. The Desire of enjoying a Liberty from which Men have been so long restrained, may be a Temptation that their Reason is not at all times able to resist. It in such a case, some Objections are leapt over, indifferent Men will be more inclined to lament the Occasion, than to fall too hard upon the Fault, whilst it is covered with the Apolo­gy of a good Intention; but where to rescue your selves from the Seve­rity of one Law, you give a Blow to all the Laws, by which your Re­ligion and Liberty are to be prote­cted; and instead of silently receiving the Benefit of this Indulgence, you set up for Advocates to support it, you become voluntary Aggressors, and [Page 16] look like Counsel retained by the Prerogative against your old Friend Magna Charta, who hath done nothing to deserve her falling thus under your Displeasure.

If the Case then should be, that the Price expected from you for this Li­berty, is giving up your Right in the Laws, sure you will think twice, be­fore you go any further in such a losing Bargain. After giving Thanks for the Breach of one Law, you lose the Right of Complaining of the Breach of all the rest; you will not very well know how to defend your selves when you are pressed; and ha­ving given up the Question when it was for your Advantage, you cannot re-call it when it shall be to your Prejudice. If you will set up at one time a Power to help you, which at another time, by parity of Reason, shall be made use of to destroy you, you will neither be pitied, nor relieved against a Mischief you draw upon your selves, by being so unreasonably thankful. It is like calling in Auxilia­ries [Page 17] to help, who are strong enough to subdue you: In such a case your Complaints will come too late to be heard, and your Sufferings will raise Mirth instead of Compassion.

If you think, for your Excuse, to expound your Thanks, so as to re­strain them to this particular Case, others, for their Ends, will extend them further: And in these differing Interpretations, that which is back'd by Authority will be the most likely to prevail; especially when by the Ad­vantage you have given them, they have in truth the better of the Ar­gument, and that the Inferences from your own Concessions are very strong, and express against you. This is so far from being a groundless Supposi­tion, that there was a late Instance of it, the last Session of Parliament, in the House of Lords, where the first Thanks, though things of course, were interpreted to be the Approba­tion of the Kings whole Speech, and a Restraint from the further Examinati­on of any part of it, though never so [Page 18] much disliked; and it was with diffi­culty obtained, not to be excluded from the liberty of objecting to this mighty Prerogative of Dispensing, meerly by this innocent and usual piece of good Manners, by which no such thing could possibly be intended.

This sheweth, that some Bounds are to be put to your good Breeding, and that the Constitution of England is too valuable a thing to be ventured up­on a Complement. Now that you have for some time enjoyed the Bene­fit of the End, it is time for you to look into the Danger of the Means: The same Reason that made you desi­rous to get Liberty, must make your sol­licitous to preserve it; so that the next Thought will naturally be not to en­gage your self beyond Retreat, and to agree so far with the Principles of all Religion, as not to rely upon a Death-Bed Repentance.

There are certain Periods of Time, which being once past, make all Cauti­ons ineffectual, and all Remedies despe­rate. [Page 19] Our Understandings are apt to be hurried on by the first Heats, which, if not restrained in time, do not give us leave to look back, till it is too late. Consider this in the Case of your Anger against the Church of England, and take warning by their Mistake in the same kind, when after the late King's Restauration, they pre­served so long the bitter Taste of your rough Usage to them in other times, that it made them forget their Interest, and sacrifice it to their Revenge.

Either you will blame this Procee­ding in them, and for that reason not follow it, or if you allow it, you have no reason to be offended with them; so that you must either dismiss your Anger, or lose your Excuse; except you should argue more partially than will be supposed of Men of your Mo­rality and Understanding.

If you had now to do with those rigid Prelates, who made it a matter of Conscience to give you the least Indulgence, but kept you at an unchari­table [Page 20] Distance, and even to your most reasonable Scruples continued stiff and inexorable, the Argument might be fairer on your side: but since the common Danger hath so laid open that Mistake, that all the former Haughtiness towards you is for ever extinguished, and that it hath turned the Spirit of Persecution into a Spirit of Peace, Charity, and Condescen­sion; shall this happy Change only affect the Church of England? And are you so in love with Separation, as not to be mov'd by this Example? It ought to be followed, were there no other Reson than that it is Vertue; but when besides that, it is become necessary to your Preservation, it is impossible to fail the having its Effect upon you.

If it should be said, that the Church of England is never humble but when she is out of power, and therefore loseth the Right of being believed when she pretended to it: The An­swer is, First, it would be an uncha­ritable Objection, and very much mis­timed; [Page 21] an unseasonable Triumph, not only ungenerous, but unsafe: So that in these respects it cannot be urged, without Scandal, even though it could be said with Truth. Secondly, This is not so in Fact, and the Argument must fall, being built upon a false Founda­tion; for whatever may be told you at this very Hour, and in the Heat and Glare of your present Sun­shine, the Church of England can in a Moment bring Clouds again; and turn the Royal Thunder upon your Heads, blow you off the Stage with a Breath, if she would give but a Smile or a king Word; the least Glimpse of her Compliance would throw you back into the State or Suffering, and draw upon you all the Arrears of Severity, which have ac­crued during the time of this Kind­ness to you, and yet the Church of England, with all her Faults, will not allow her self to be rescued by such unjustifiable means, but chuseth to bear the Weight of Power, rather than [...]e under the Burthen of being criminal.

[Page 22] It cannot be said, that she is un­provoked; Books and Letters come out every Day, to call for Answers, yet she will not be stirred. From the supposed Authors, and the Stile, one would swear they were Underta­kers, and had made a Contract to fall out with the Church of England. There are Lashes in every Address, Challenges to draw the Pen in every Pamphlet: In short, the fairest Occa­sions in the World given to quarrel; but she wisely distinguisheth between the Body of Dissenters, whom she will suppose to act as they do, with no ill Intent; and these small Skirmish­ers, pickt and sent out to picqueer, and to begin a Fray amongst the Prote­stants, for the Entertainment as well as the Advantage of the Church of Rome.

This Conduct is so good, that it will be scandalous not to applaud it. It is not equal Dealing to blame our Adversaries for doing ill, and not commend them when they do well.

[Page 23] To hate them because they perse­cuted, and not to be reconciled to them when they are ready to suffer, rather than receive all the Advantages that can be gained by a Criminal Comply­ance, is a Principle no sort of Christians can own, since it would give an Ob­jection to them never to be answer­ed.

Think a little who they were that promoted your former Persecutions, and then consider how it will look to be angry with the Instruments, and at the same time to make a League with the Authors of your Suffer­ings.

Have you enough considered what will be expected from you? Are you ready to stand in every Borough by Vertue of a Conge d'eslire, and instead of Election, be satisfied if you are Re­turned?

Will you in Parliament justifie the Dispensing Power, with all its Conse­quences, [Page 24] and Repeal the Test, by which you will make way for the Repeal of all the Laws, that were made to preserve your Religion, and to Enact others that shall destroy it?

Are you disposed to change the Li­berty of Debate into the Merit of O­bedience; and to be made Instruments to repeal or enact Laws, when the Roman Consistory are Lords of the Arti­cles?

Are you so linked with your new Friends, as to reject any Indulgence a Parliament shall offer you, if it shall not be so comprehensive as to include the Papists in it?

Consider, that the implyed Conditi­ons of your new Treaty are no less, than that you are to do every thing you are desired, without exami­ning, and that for this pretended Liber­ty of Conscience, your real Freedom is to be sacrificed: Your former Faults hang like Chains still about you, you are let loose only upon Bayl; the first [Page 25] Act of Non-compliance, sendeth you to Jayl again.

You may see that the Papists them­selves do not relie upon the Legality of this Power, which you are to ju­stifie, since the being so very earnest to get it established by a Law, and the doing such very hard things in order, as they think, to obtain it, is a clear Evidence, that they do not think that the single Power of the Crown is in this Case a good Foundation; especial­ly when this is done under a Prince, so very tender of all the Rights of Sovereignty, that he would think it a Diminution to his Prerogative, where he conceiveth it strong enough to go alone, to call in the Legislative help to strengthen and support it.

You have formerly blamed the Church of England, and not without reason, for going so far as they did in their Compliance; and yet as soon as they stopped, you see they are not only de­serted, but prosecuted: Conclude then from this Example, that you must ei­ther [Page 26] break off your Friendship, or re­solve to have no Bounds in it. If they do not succeed in their Design, they will leave you first; if they do, you must either leave them, when it will be too late for your Safety, or else af­ter the squeaziness of starting at a Sur­plice, you must be forced to swallow Transubstantiation:

Remember that the other day those of the Church of England were Trim­mers for enduring you, and now by a sudden Turn, you are become the Fa­vourites; do not deceive your selves, it is not the nature of lasting Plants thus to shoot up in a Night; you may look gay and green for a little time, but you want a Root to give you a Continuance. It is not so long since, as to be forgotten, that the Maxim was, It is impossible for a Dissenter not to be a REBEL. Consider at this time in France, even the new Converts are so far from being imployed, that they are disarmed; their sudden Change ma­keth them still to be distrusted, not­withstanding that they are reconciled: [Page 23] What are you to expect then from your dear Friends, to whom, when ever they shall think fit to throw you off again, you have in other times given such Ar­guments for their excuse?

Besides all this, you Act very un­skilfully against your visible Interest, if you throw away the Advantages, of which you can hardly fail in the next probable Revolution. Things tend na­turally to what you would have, if you would let them alone, and not by an unseasonable Activity lose the In­fluences of your good Star, which pro­miseth you every thing that is prospe­rous.

The Church of England convinced of its Error in being severe to you; the Parliament, when-ever it meeteth, sure to be gentle to you; the next Heir bred in the Country which you have so often quoted for a Pattern of In­dulgence; a general Agreement of all thinking Men, that we must no more cut our selves off from the Protestants abroad, but rather inlarge the Founda­tions [Page 28] upon which we are to build our Defences against the Common Enemy; so that in truth, all things seem to con­spire to give you Ease and Satisfaction, if by too much haste to anticipate your good Fortune, you do not destroy it.

The Protestants have but one Article of Humane Strength, to oppose the Power which is now against them, and that is, not to lose the advantage of their Numbers, by being so un­wary as to let themselves be divi­ded.

We all agree in our Duty to our Prince; our Objections to his Belief do not hinder us from seeing his Ver­tues; and our not complying with his Religion, hath no effect upon our Al­legiance; we are not to be laughed out of our Passive-Obedience, and the Do­ctrine of Non-Resistance; though even those who perhaps owe the best part of their Security to that Principle, are apt to make a Jest of it.

[Page 29] So that if we give no advantage by the fatal Mistake of misapplying our An­ger, by the natural course of things, this Danger will pass away like a show­er of Hail; fair weather will succeed, as lowering as the Sky now looketh, and all this by plain and easie Receipt; Let us be still, quiet, and undivided, firm at the same time to our Religion, our Loyalty, and our Laws; and so long as we continue this method, it is next to im­possible, that the odds of 200 to one should lose the Bett; except the Church of Rome, which hath been so long barren of Miracles, should now in her declining Age, be brought to Bed of One that would out-do the best she can brag of in her Legend.

To conclude, the short Question will be, Whether you will join with those who must in the end run the same Fate with you? If Protestants of all sorts, in their Behaviour to one another, have been to blame, they are upon the more equal terms, and for that very reason it is fitter for them now to be re­conciled. Our Dis-union is not only [Page 30] a Reproach, but a Danger to us; those who believe in modern Miracles, have more Right, or at least more Excuse, to neglect all Secular Cau­tions; but for us, it is as justifiable to have no Religion, as wilfully to throw away the Humane Means of preserving it. I am,

Dear Sir,
Your most Affectionate humble Servant, T. W.
SOME CAUTIONS Offere …

SOME CAUTIONS Offered to the CONSIDERATION Of Those who are to Chuse MEMBERS TO SERVE in the Ensuing Parliament.

LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1699.

Some Cautions offered to the Conside­ration of those who are to chuse Members to serve for the Ensuing Parliament.

I Will make no other introduction, than that it is hoped the Counties and Bo­roughs will remember in general, That besides other Consequences, they will have the Credit of a good Choice, or the Scan­dal that belongeth to an ill one.

The Creators will be thought like their Creatures; and therefore an ill Choice will either be a disparagement of their Under­standing, or their Morals.

There cannot be a fuller Approbation of a thing, than the Chusing of it; so that the fault of the Members chosen, if known be­fore-hand, will be judged to be of the growth of that County or Borough, after such a solemn Approbation of them.

In short, those who send up their Repre­sentatives to Westminster, should take care they may be such as will do them Right, and their Countrey Honour.

Now to the particulars.

[Page 2] I. A very extraordinary earnestness to be chosen, is no very good Symptom: A de­sire to serve the Nation in Parliament, is an English Man's Ambition: Always to be Encouraged, and never to be disapproved.

A Man may not only be willing to stand, but he may declare that willingness to his Friends, that they may assist him, and by all the means becoming a modest and pru­dent Man, he may endeavour to succeed, and prevent the being disappointed in it.

But there is a wide difference between this and the raising a king of petty War in the County or Corporation; entring the Lists rather for a Combat than an Election; throwing Fire-balls to put Men into heat, and omitting to spread no Reports, whe­ther true or false, which may give an ad­vantage by laying a Blemish upon a Com­petitor.

These Methods will ever be suspicious; it will never be thought a Natural thing for Men to take such extravagant pains for the meer sake of doing good to others.

To be content to suffer something for a good end, is that which many would do without any great repugnance: but where a Man can honestly propose nothing to himself, except Troubles, Charge, and Loss, by absence from his own Affairs, to be so [Page 3] violent in the pursuit of so ill a Bargain, is not at all suited to the languishing Virtue of Mankind so corrupted.

Such a self-denying Zeal in such a self-seeking Age, is so little to be imagin'd, that it may without injury be suspected.

Therefore when these blustring Preten­ders come upon the Stage, their natural Temper and other Circumstances ought to be very well consider'd, before Men trust them with the disposal of their Money, or their Liberty.

And I am apt to believe, there could hardly be found one single Man whose other Qualifications would over-balance the Ob­jections that lie against such importunate Suitors.

II. Recommending Letters ought to have no effect upon Elections.

In this I must distinguish; for tho in strictness perhaps there should be no Excep­tion; yet in compliance with long practice, and out of an Indulgence that is necessary in a time when Mankind is too much loose­ned from severe Rules, to be kept close up to them, Letters sent only from Equal Men, doing Good Men right by giving Evidence in their behalf, offering them as fitly qua­lified, when they really are so, and freeing them from unjust Aspersions, may be still al­lowed.

[Page 4] The Letters I mean, are from Men of Power, where it may be beneficial to com­ply, and inconvenient to oppose.

Choice must not only be free from Force, but from Influence, which is a degree of Force: There must be no difficulty, no apprehension that a Refusal will be ill taken, or resented.

The Freeholders must be Freemen too; they are to have no Shackles upon their Votes in a Election: and the Men who stand, should carry their own Letters of Recommendation about them, which are there good Character and Behaviour in the World, without borrowing Evidence, espe­cially when it comes from suspected hands.

Those who make use of these Epistles, ought to have no more advantage from them, that the Muscovites have from the Letters put into their hands, when they are buried, to recommend them to St. Nicholas.

The first should as little get admittance. for Men into the Parliament, as these Let­ters can introduce the Bearers into Heaven.

The Scandal of such Letters lieth first in the arrogant imposing of those that write them, and next in the wretched Meanness of those that need them.

Men must be fallen very low in their Credit, who upon such an occasion have [Page 5] a recourse to Power to support it: Their Enemies could not give stronger Evidence of their not being fit for that which they pretend to. And if the Electors judge other­wise, they will be pretty sure in a little time to see their Mistake, and to repent it.

III. Non-Attendance in former Parlia­ments ought to be a Bar against the Choice of Men who have been guilty of it.

It is one of the worst kinds of Non-Re­sidence, and the least to be excused: It is very hard that Men should despise a Duty, which perhaps is the only ground of the re­spect that is paid to them.

It is such a piece of Sawciness for any one to press for the Honour of serving in Parlia­ment, and then to be careless in Attending it, that in a House where there were so ma­ny Officers, the Penalty had not been im­proper to have Cashier'd them for not ap­pearing at the General Muster.

If men forbear to come out of Laziness, let them be gratified by taking their ease at Home without interruption; If out of small Cunning to avoid Difficulties, and to escape from the Inconvenience of Voting in Critical Cases, let them enjoy that despica­ble pitch of Wisdom, and never pretend to make a Figure where the Publick is to be served.

[Page 6] If it would not be thought advisable to trust a Man immediately after he hath been drawn out of a Gaol, it may be as rea­sonable to look upon one who for his Non­attendance in the House hath been sent for in Custody, as a king of Bankrupt, which putteth him upon unequal terms with those who have been assiduous in the discharge of their Duty.

They who thought fit in one Session to neglect the Publick Business, may be justly suspected, by their standing, in the next to intend their own.

Besides these more deliberate Offenders, there are some who do not Attend even when they are in the House: absent in their Thoughts for want of Comprehending the Business that is doing, and therefore divert­ed from it by any thing that is Trivial.

Such Men are Nusances to a serious As­sembly; and when they are Numerous, it amounteth almost to a Dissolution; it being scarce possible for good sence to be heard, whilst a noise is made by the buzzing of these Horse flies.

The Roman Censors who degraded a Se­nator for yawning whilst there was a Debate, would have much more abundant matter here upon which they might exercise their Jurisdiction.

[Page 7] To conclude this Head, There are so few that ever mended in these Cases, that after the first Experiment it is not at all reasona­ble to take them upon a new Tryal.

IV. Men who are unquiet and busy in their Natures, are to give more than ordi­nary proofs of their Integrity, before the E­lecting them into a Publick Trust can be justi­fied. As a hot Summer breedeth greater swarms of Flies, so an active time breedeth a greater number of these shining Gentlemen.

It is pretty sure, That men who cannot allow themselves to be at rest, will let no body else be at quiet. Such a perpetual Activity is apt by degrees to be applied to the pursuit of their private interest. And their thoughts being in a continual motion, they have not time to dwell long enough upon any thing to entertain a scruple.

So that they are generally at full liberty to do what is most convenient for them, without being fettered by any Restraints.

Nay further; Whenever it hapneth that there is an Impunity for Cheating, these nim­ble Gentlemen are apt to think it a disparage­ment to their Understandings not to go into it.

I doubt it is not a wrong to the present Age, to say, that a Knave is a less unpopu­lar Calling than it hath been in former times. And to say truth, it would be in­gratitude [Page 8] in some Men to turn Honest, when they owe all they have to their Kna­very.

The People are in this respect unhappy; they are too many to do their own business; their numbers, which make their strength, are at the same time the cause of their weak­ness; they are too unweildy to move; and for this Reason nothing can ever redeem them from this incurable Impotency: So that they must have Solicitors to pursue and look after their Interests: who are too often disposed to dispense with the Fidelity they owe to those that trust them; especi­ally if the Government will pay their Bills without Abatement.

It is better these Gentlement's dexterity should be employed any where than in Par­liament, where the ill consequence of their being Members is too much diffused, and not restrained to the County or Borough who shall be so unwary as to Chuse them.

V. Great Drinkers are less fit to Serve in Parliament than is apprehended.

Men's Virtue, as well as their Understand­ing, is apt to be tainted by it.

The appearance of it is Sociable and well-natur'd, but it is by no means to be rely'd upon.

[Page 9] Nothing is more frail than a Man too far engaged in wet Popularity.

The habit of it maketh Men careless of their business, and that naturally leadeth them into Circumstances, that make them liable to Temptation.

It is seldom seen, That any Principles have such a root, as that they can be proof against the continual droppings of a Bottle.

As to the Faculties of the Mind, there is not less Objection; the vapours of Wine may sometimes throw out sparks of Wit, but they are like scattered pieces of Ore, there is no Vein to work upon.

Such Wit, even the best of it, is like paying great Fines; in which case there must of necessity be an abatement of the constant Rent.

Nothing sure is a greater Enemy to the Brain, than too much moisture; it can the least of any thing bear the being continual­ly steeped: And it may be said, that Thought may be resembled to some Crea­tures which can live only in a dry Country.

Yet so arrogant are some men, as to think they are so much Masters of Business, as that they can play with it; they imagine they can drown their Reason once a day, and that it shall not be the worse for it; forget­ting, that by too often diving the Understand­ing [Page 10] at last groweth too weak to rise up again.

I will suppose this fault was less frequent when Solon made it one of his Laws, That it was Lawful to Kill a Magistrate if he was found D [...]unk. Such a Liberty taken in this Age, either in the Parliament or out of it, would do terrible Execution.

I cannot but mention a Petition in the year 1647, from the County of Devon, to the House of Commons, against the un­due Election of Burgesses, who are strong in Wine and weak in Wisdom.

The cause of such Petitions is to be pre­vented by Chusing such as shall not give handle for them.

VI. Wanting-Men give such cause of suspicion where ever they deal, that surely the Chusers will be upon their guard, as often as such dangerous pretenders make their application to them.

Let the behaviour of such Men be never so plausible and untainted, yet they who are to pitch upon those they are to trust with all they have, may be excused, if they do not only consider what they are but what they may be.

As we Pray our selves we may not be led, into Temptation, we ought not by any means to thrust others into it; even [Page 11] though our own Interest was not concern­ed; And sure when it is, the Argument hath not less force.

If a Man hath a small Estate, and a nu­merous Family; where it happeneth that a Man hath as many Children as he hath Tenants, It is not a Recommending Cir­cumstance for his Election.

When it cometh to be the Question with such a Man, Whether he shall be Just to the Publick, or Cruel to his Family? It is very possible the decision may be on the side of Corrupted Nature.

It is a Complement to this Age, which it doth not deserve, to suppose Men are so ty'd up to Morality, as that they cannot be pinched out of it: especially now when it is called Starving not to be Embroidered, or served in Plate.

The Men Chosen to serve their Coun­try, should not be loaden with Suits that may tempt them to assume Privileges; much less under such Necessities as may more immediately prepare them for Cor­ruption.

Men who need a Parliament for their own particular Interest, have more reason to offer their Service than others have to accept of it. And though I do not doubt, but there may be some whose Virtue would [Page 12] triumph over their Wants, let them be never so pressing; yet to expose the Pub­lick to the hazard of being deceived, is that which can never be justifi'd by those that Chuse. And tho it must be allow'd possible for a wanting-Man to be honest, yet it is impossible for a Man to be wise that will depend upon it.

VII. There is a sort of Men that have a Tinsel-wit, which make them shine a­mong those who cannot judge.

Club and Coffee-house Gentlemen, Pet­ty Merchants of small Conceits, who have an Empty habit of prating without mean­ing; They always aim at Wit and general­ly make false Fire.

Their business is less to learn, than to set themselves out; which makes them chuse to be with such as can only be Witnesses of their small Ingenuity, rather than with such as might improve it.

There is a subordinate Wit, as much inferior to a Wit of business, as a Fidler at a Wake is to the lofty Sound of an Or­gan.

Men of this Size are in no degree suited to the business of redressing Grievances, and making Laws.

There is a Parliament Wit to be distin­guish'd from all other kinds; those who [Page 13] have it, do not stuff their heads only with Cavils and Objections.

They have a deliberate and an observing Wit, a Head turned to Publick things; Men who place a greater pleasure in mend­ing a Fault than in finding it out.

Their Understanding directeth them to object in the right place, and not like those who go by no other Rule, than to con­clude, That must be the best Counsel which was not taken.

These Whole-sale Judges shew such a gross and peevish Ignorance, that it appear­eth so openly in all they say or do, That they give loud warning to all considering Men, not to chuse them.

VIII. The dislike of slight Airy Men must not go so far, as to recommend heavi­ness in opposition to it, especially where men are convicted of it by Experience in former Sessions.

As a lively Coxcomb will seldom fail to lay in his claim for Wit; so a Block­head is apt to pretend, That his heaviness is a proof of his Judgment.

Some have an universal Lethargy spread upon their Understanding without excepti­on; others have an Insufficiency [...] hoc, as in some Cases men have [...] hanc; These last can never so [...] [Page 14] thoughts to publick Business, as to give the attention that is necessary to Comprehend it.

There are those who have such a thick Shell upon their Brains, that their Igno­rance is impenetrable, and maketh such astout resistance against Common Sense, that it will never be subdued by it: True Heart of Oak, Ignorance that will never­yield, let Reason beat never so hard upon it; and though their kind Neighbours have at several Elections sent them up to School again, they have still return'd the same in­curable Dunces.

There is a false Gravity that is a very ill symptom; and it may be said, That as Rivers, which run very slowly, have al­ways the most Mud at the bottom; so a solid stiffness in the constant course of a man's Life, is a sign of a thick bed of Mud at the bottom of his Brain.

A dull man is so near a dead Man, that he is hardly to be ranked in the List of the Living; and as he is not to be buri'd whilst he is half alive, so he is as little to be im­ploy'd whilst: he is half dead.

Parliaments are now grown to be quite other things than they were formerly.

In Ancient Times they were little more than Great Assizes; A Roll of Grievances; [Page 15] Magna Charta confirmed; Privileges of Ho­ly Church preserved; so many Sacks of Wool given, and away.

Now there are Traps and Gins laid for the well-meaning Country-Gentleman; he is to grapple with the Cunning of Men in Town, which is not a little improv'd by being rewarded and encourag'd.

So that men whose good Intentions are not seconded and supported by some degree of Ability, are as much the more danger­ous, as they are less criminal than Cun­ning Knaves. Their honest Mistakes, for want of distinguishing, either give a Coun­tenance to, or at least lessen the Scandal of the injurious things that are done to the Publick: and with leave ask'd for so odd an expression, Their Innocent Guilt is as mischievous to the Laws and Liberties, as the most deliberate Malice of those that would destroy them.

IX. There is an Abuse which daily in­creaseth, of sending such to Parliament, as are scarce old enough to be sent to the University.

I would not in this restrain the Definiti­on of these Boys to the Age of Twenty One: If my Opinion might take place, I should wish that none might be chosen into the House of Commons under Thirty; [Page 16] and to make some Equality, I should from the same Motives, think it convenient, That no Lord should have a Vote in Judi­cature under that Age.

But to leave this Digression; I cannot see why the Chusers should not at least make it a Rule among themselves, Not to send any Man to Represent them under the Age of Twenty five, which is the time of Majority in most other places of the world.

Surely it is not that we are Earlier plants than our Neighbours.

Such supposition could neither be justifi'd by our Climate, nor by the degree of Lati­tude in which we are placed; I must there­fore attribute it to the haste our Ancestors had (and not without reason) to free them­selves from the Severity of Wardships.

But whether this, or any thing else, was the cause of our earlier stepping into Man's Estate; so it is now, that according to our Laws, Twenty one is the Age of Discretion; and the Young Man is then vested with a Legal, how defective soever he may be in his Natural Understand­ing.

With all this, there ought to be a differ­ence made between coming out of Pupilage, and leaping into Legislatorship.

[Page 17] It is perhaps inconvenient enough that a man should be so soon let loose to destroy his own Estate; but it is yet worse, that he should then have a Power of giving away other men's.

The Law must make General Rules, to which there always will be some Ob­jections.

If there were Tryers appointed to judge when Leading-Strings should be left off, many would wear them a very great while, and some perhaps with their Gray Hairs; there being no small number of Old Boys in all times and especially in this.

It is necessary therefore to make Excepti­ons to this General Rule, where the Case so much requireth it, as it doth in the mat­ter in question.

The ground of sending these Minors to Parliament ought not to recommend the Continuance of it to those who are Lovers of Liberty; since it was by the Authority and Influence of Great Men, that their Stripling Sons were first receiv'd by the humble depending Boroughs, or the com­plying Counties.

They called it, as many do still, the best School for Young Men. Now Expe­rience hath shew'd us, that it is like a School only in this respect, That these Young­sters [Page 18] when they are admitted, deserve to be whipp'd in it.

If the House of Commons is a School, it must be for Men of riper Age; these are too young to learn there, and being ele­vated by a mistaken smattering in small Po­liticks, they grow too supercilious to learn any where else; so that instead of impro­ving young promising Plants, they are de­stroy'd by being misplac'd.

If then they do themselves hurt by it, it is surer yet that they do the House no good by coming into it.

They were not Green Geese that are said to have sav'd the Capitol; they were cer­tainly of full Age, or else their Cackling could not have been heard, so as to give warning.

Indeed it look'd of late, when the Fashi­on was to have long continu'd Parliaments, as if we might plant a Boy in the House with a Prospect that he might continue there till he had Gray Hairs: And that the same Sapling might have such a Root, as that he might grow up to be Timber with­out being remov'd.

If these Young Men had skill enough to pitch upon some Body in the House, to whom they might resign their Opinion, and upon whose Judgment they might lean with­out Reserve, there might be less Objection.

[Page 19] But to speak Truth, they know as little how to chuse, as those did who Elected them: so that there is no other Expedient left, than the letting them alone.

One may say, generally speaking, That a young Man being too soon qualifi'd for the serious Business of Parliaments, would really be no good Symptom.

It is a sign of too much Phlegm, and too little Fire in the beginning of Age, if Men have not a little more heat than is conve­nient; for as they grow older they will run a hazard of not having so much as is neces­sary.

The Truth is, The vigour of Youth is soften'd and misapply'd, when it is not spent either in War or close Studies; all other Courses have an idle Mixture that cometh to nothing, and maketh them like Trees, which for want of Pruning run up to Wood, and seldom or never bear any Fruit.

To conclude this Head, it must be own'd, That there is no Age of our Life which doth not carry Arguments along with it to hum­ble us: and therefore it would be well for the Business of the World, if young Men would stay longer before they went into it, and old Men not so long before they went out of it.

[Page 20] X. Next to these may be rank'd a sort of superfine Gentlemen, Carpet-Knights, Men whose Heads may be said to be only Appurtenances to their Perukes, which in­tirely ingross all their Care and Applicati­on.

There Understanding is so strictly appro­priated to their Dress; that no part of it is upon pain of their utmost Displeasure to be diverted to any other use.

It is not by this intended to recommend an affected Clown, or to make it a necessa­ry Qualification for a Member of Parlia­ment, that he must renounce clean Linen or good Manners; but surely a too earnest Application to make every thing sit Right a­bout them, striketh too deep into their small stock of Thoughts to allow it Furniture for any thing else.

To do Right to these fine-spun Gentle­men, Business is too course a thing for them, which maketh it an unreasonable Hardship upon them to oppress them with it; so that in tenderness to them, no less than out of care to the Publick, it is best to leave them to their Taylors with whom they will live in much better Correspondence, when the Danger is prevented of their falling out a­bout Privileges.

[Page 21] XI. Men of Injustice and Violence, in their private Dealings, are not to be trusted by the People with a Commission to treat for them in Parliament.

In the 4th of Edw. 3. The King Com­mandeth in his Writs not to chuse any Knights who had been Guilty of Crime, or Maintenance.

These warm Men seldom fail to run into Maintenance, taken in a larger Extent.

It is an unnatural Sound to come from a Man that is arbitrary in his Neighbourhood, to talk of Laws and Liberties at Westmin­ster; he is not a proper Vehicle for such Words, which ought never to be prophaned.

An habitual Breaker of the Laws, to be made one of the Law-makers, is as if the Benches in Westminster-hall should be filled with Men out of Newgate.

Those who are of this Temper cannot change their Nature out of respect to their Countrey.

Quite contrary; they will less scruple to do Wrong to a Nation where no Body ta­keth it to himself, than to particular Men to whose Resentments they are more im­mediately exposed.

In short they lie under such strong Objections, that the over-balance of bet­ter Men cannot altogether purify an Assem­bly [Page 22] where these unclean Beasts are admit­ted.

XII. Excessive Spenders and unreasona­ble Savers are to be Excluded, being both greedy from differing Causes.

They are both of them Diseases of In­fection, and for that Reason are not to be admitted into Publick Assemblies.

A prodigal Man must be, greedy because he thinketh he can never spend enough.

The Wretch must be so, because he will never think he can hoard enough.

The World first admireth Men's Wisdom for getting Money, and then raileth at them if they do not throw it away? so that the Prodigal Man is only the less unpopular Ex­treme; he is every jot as well prepared as the Miser to fall out with his Morals, when once a good Temptation is offered him to lay them aside.

On the other side, some Rich Men are as eager to overtake those that are Richer, as a Running horse is to get to the Race-post, before the other that contendeth with him.

Men often desire to heap, rather because others have more, than that they know what to do with that which they covet with so much Impatience.

So that it is plain, the Fancy hath as great a share in this imaginary Pleasure of Gathe­ring [Page 23] as it hath in Love, Ambition, or any other Passion.

It is pretty sure, that as no Man was e­ver the Richer for having a good Estate, if he did not look after it; so neither will he be the Honester if he hath never so much.

Want of care will always create want of Money; so that whether a Man is a begger because he never had any Money, or be­cause he can never keep any, it is all one to those who are to trust him.

Upon this head of Prodigality, it may be no unreasonable Caution to be afraid of those who in former Service have, been ex­travagantly Liberal of the Publick Money.

Trusting is so hazardous a thing, that it should never be done but where it is neces­sary; so that when Trustees are found up­on Tryal to be very Lavish, even without examining into the Causes of it, (which are generally very suspicious) it is a reasonable part of preventing Wit to change Hands, or else the Chusers will pay the Penalty that belongeth to good Nature so misplaced, and the Consequences will be attended with the Aggravation of their not being made Wiser by such a severe and costly warning.

XIII. It would be of very great use to take a general Resolution throughout the Kingdom, That none should be chosen for [Page 24] a County but such as have either in Posses­sion, or Reversion, a considerable Estate in it; nor for a Burrough, except he be Resiant, or that he hath some Estate in the County, in present or Expectancy.

There have been Eminent Men of Law who were of opinion, That in the Case of a Burgess of a Town not Resiant, the Court is to give Judgment according to the Sta­tute, notwithstanding Custom to the con­trary.

But not to insist now upon that, the prudential part is Argument enough to set up a Rule to abrogate an ill Custom.

There is not, perhaps, a greater Cause of the Corruption of Parliaments, than by adopting Members, who may be said to have no title by their Births.

The Juries are by the Law to be Ex­vicineto; And shall there be less care that the Representatives of the People be so too?

Sure the Interest of the County is best placed in the hands of such as have some share in it.

The Outliers are not so easily kept with­in the pale of the Laws.

They are often chosen without being known, which is more like chusing Valen­tines, than Members of Parliament. The Mo­tive [Page 25] of their standing is more justly to be supposed, that they may redress their own Grievances which they know, than those of the Countrey, to which they are strangers.

They are chosen at London to serve in Cornwall, &c. and are often Parties, before they come to be Representatives: One would think the Reproach it is for a Coun­ty not to have Men within their own Cir­cle to serve them in Parliament, should be Argument enough to reject these Trespas­sers, without urging the ill Consequences in other Respects of their being admitted.

XIV. As in some Cases it is advisable to give a total exclusion to Men not fitly qualified; so in others it is more proper to lay down a general Rule of Caution, with allowance of some Exceptions, where Men have given such proofs of themselves, as create a Right for them to be distinguished.

Of this nature is that which I shall say concerning Lawyers, who, by the same Reason that they may be useful, may be al­so very dangerous.

The Negligence, and want of Applicati­on in Gentlemen, hath made them to be thought more necessary than naturally they are in Parliament.

[Page 26] They have not only ingrossed the Chair of the Speaker, but that of a Committee is hardly thought to be well filled, except it be by a Man of the Robe.

This maketh it worthy of the more se­rious reflection of all Gentlemen, that it may be an Argument to them to quail­fy themselves in Parliamentary Learning, in such a manner, as that they may rely upon their own Abilities, in order to the serving their Countrey.

But to come to the point in question; It is not without Precedent, that Practising-Lawyers have been excluded from serving in Parliament; and, without following those Patterns strictly, I cannot but think it reasonable, that whilst a Parliament sit­teth, no Member of Parliament should plead at any Bar.

The Reason of it is in many respects strong in it self, and is grown much strong­er by the long sitting of Parliaments of late; but I will not dwell upon this: The matter now in question being concerning Lawyers being Elected, which I conceive should be done with so much circum­spection, that probably it would not often happen.

If Lawyers have great Practice, that ought to take them up; if not, it is no [Page 27] great sign of their Ability; and at the same time giveth a suspicion, that they may be more liable to be tempted.

If it should be so in Fact, That no King ever wanted Judges to soften the stiffness of the Laws that were made, so as to make them suit better with the Reason of State, and the Convenience of the Government; it is no Injury now to suppose it possible for Lawyers in the House of Commons, so to behave themselves in the making of New Laws, as the better to make way for the having their Robes lined with Fur.

They are Men used to argue on both sides of a Question; And if ordinary Fees can inspire them with very good Reasons in a very ill Cause, that Faculty exercised in Parliaments, where it may be better encouraged, may prove very inconvenient to those that chuse them.

And therefore, without arraigning a Pro­fession, that it would be scandalous for a man not to honour; one may, by a Suspicion, which is the more excusable when it is in the behalf of the People, imagine that the habit of taking Money for their Opinion, may create in some such a forgetfulness to di­stinguish, that they may take it for their Vote.

[Page 28] They are generally Men who by a labo­rious study hope to be advanced: They have it in their Eye as a Reward for the Toil they undergo.

This maketh them generally very slow, and ill disposed (let the Occasion never so much require it) to wrestle with that Soil where Preferment groweth.

Now if the Supposition be in its self not unreasonable, and that it should happen to be strengthen'd and confirm'd by Experi­ence it will be very unnecessary to say any more upon this Article, but leave it to the Electors to consider of it.

XV. I cannot forbear to put in a Caveat against Men ty'd to a Party.

There must in every body be a Leaning to that sort of Men who profess some Prin­ciples, more than to others who go upon a different Foundation; but when a man is drowned in a Party, plunged in it be­yond his depth, he runneth a great hazard of being upon ill terms with good Sense, or Morality, if not with both of them.

Such a man can hardly be called a Free-Agent and for that reason is very unfit to be trusted with the Peoples Liberty, af­ter he hath given up his own.

It is said, That in some part of the Indies they do so affect little Feet, that they keep [Page 29] them squeezed while they are Children, so that they stay at that small size after they are grown Men.

One may say something like this of Men lock'd up in a Party; They put their Thoughts into such a Narrow Mould, that they can never be enlarged nor released from their first Confinements.

Men in a Party have Liberty only for their Motto; in reality they are greater Slaves than any body else would care to make them.

A Party, even in times of Peace, (tho against the Original Contract, and the Bill of Rights) sets up and continues the exercise of Martial Law: Once inrolled, the Man that quitteth, if they had their will, would be hanged for a Deserter.

They communicate Anger to one ano­ther by Contagion: And it may be said, that if too much Light dazzleth the Eye­sight, too much Heat doth not less weaken the Judgment.

Heat reigneth in the Fancy; and Reason, which is a colder Faculty of the Brain, tak­eth more time to be heard, than the other will allow.

The Heat of a Party is like the Burning of a Fever; and not a Natural Warmth, evenly distributed to give Life and Vigor.

[Page 30] There was a time indeed when Anger shew'd a good sign of Honesty; but that Evidence is very much weakned by In­stances we have seen since the Days of Yore: And the Publick spirited Choler hath been thrown off within time of Memory, and lost almost all its Credit with some People, since they found what Govern­ments thought fit to make their so doing a step to their preferment.

A strong blustring Wind seldom conti­nues long in one Corner.

Some men knock loud only to be let in; the Bustle they make is animated by their private Interest. The outward Blaze only is for Religion and Liberty: The true last­ing Fire, like that of the Vestals which ne­ver went out, is an eagerness to get some­what for themselves.

A House of Commons composed of such Men, would be more properly so many Merchants incorporated in a Regular Com­pany, to make their particular Adventures, than Men sent from the People to serve and represent them.

There are some Splenetick Gentlemen who confine their favourable Opinion with­in so narrow a compass, that they will not allow it to any man that was not hanged in the late Reigns.

[Page 31] Now by that rule one might expect they should rescue themselves from the disadvan­tage of being now alive; and by abdicat­ing a World so little worthy of them, get a great Name to themselves, with the ge­neral satisfaction of all those they would leave behind them.

Amongst the many other ill consequences of a stated Party, it is none of the least, that it tempteth low and insignificant men to come upon the Stage, to expose them­selves, and to spoil Business.

It turneth a Cypher into a Figure, such a one as it is: A man in a Party is able to make a noise, let it be never so empty a sound.

A weak man is easily blown out of his small senses, by being muster'd into a Par­ty; he is flatter'd till he liketh himself so well, that he taketh it extremely ill if he hath not an Employment.

Nothing is more in fashion, than for men to desire good Places, and I doubt nothing is less so than to deserve them.

From Nobody to somebody is such a violent stride, that Nature, which hath the Negative Voice, will not give its Royal Assent to it: So that when insufficient Men aim at being in business, the worst of their Enemies might out of malice to them, pray for their Preferment.

[Page 32] There could be no end, if one did not stop till this Theme had no more matter to furnish. I will only say, Nothing is more evident, than that the Good of the Nation hath been sacrificed to the Animo­sities of the several Contending Parties; and without entring into the dispute which of them are more or less in the right, it is pretty sure, that whilst these Opposite Sets of Angry Men are playing at Foot-ball, they will break all the Windows, and do more hurt than their pretended Zeal for the Nation will ever make amends for.

In short, a man so engaged is retained before the people take him for their Coun­cil; he hath such a Reverse for his Party, that it is not adviseable for those who would chuse him, to depend upon his Pro­fessions. All Parties assuming such a Dis­pensing Power, that by their Sovereign Authority they cancel and dissolve any Act or Promise that they do not afterwards approve.

These things considered, those who will chuse such men deserve whatever follow­eth.

XVI. Pretenders to Exorbitant Merit in the late Revolution, are not without Ob­jections against them, when they stand to serve in Parliament. It would not only be [Page 33] a low, but a Criminal kind of Envy, to de­ny a distinguishing Justice to Men who have been instrumental and active, when the Service of their Countrey requir'd it. But there ought to be Moderation in men's Claims, or else it is out of the Power of our poor Island to satisfy them. It is true, Ser­vice of all kinds is grown much dearer, like Labourer's Wages, which formerly occasio­ned several Statutes to regulate them.

But now the men who only carried Mor­tar to the Building, when it is finished, think they are ill dealt with if they are not made Master-Workmen.

They presently cry out, The Original Contract is broken, if their Merit is not rewarded, at their own Rate too.

Some will think there never ought to be an end of their Rewards; when indifferent Judges would perhaps be puzzled to find out the beginning of their Merit.

They bring in such large Bills, that they must be examin'd: Some bounds must be put to men's Pretensions; else the Nation, which is to pay the Reckoning, will every way think it a scurvy thing to be undone, whether it be by being over-run by our Ene­mies, or by the being, exhausted by our Friends.

[Page 34] There ought therefore to be deductions where they are reasonable, the better to ju­stifie the paying what remaineth.

For example, if any of these passionate Lovers of the Protestant Religion should not think fit, in their manner of Living, to give the least evidence of their Mora­lity, their claims upon that Head might sure be struck off without any Injustice to them.

If there are any who set down great Sums as a Reward due to their Zeal for rescuing Property from the Jaws of Arbitrary Power; their pretensions may fairly be rejected, if now they are so far from shewing a care and tenderness of the Laws, that they look rather like Councel retained on the other side.

It is no less strange, than I doubt it is true, that some Men should be so in Love with their dear Mistress, Old England, with all her Wrinkles, as out of an Heroick Pas­sion to Swim over to rescue her from being Ravish'd; and when they have done the Feat, the first thing after Enjoyment is, that they go about to Strangle her.

For the sake of true Love, it is not sit that such ungentile Gallants should be too much encourag'd; and their Arrogance for having done well at first, will have no right [Page 35] to be excused, if their so doing ill at last doth not make them a little more modest.

True Merit, like a River, the deeper it is the less noise it makes.

These loud proclaimers of their own De­serts, are not only to be suspected for their truth, but the Electors are to consider that such meritorious Men lay an assessment up­on those that Chuse them.

The Publick Taxes are already heavy enough without the addition of these private Reckonings. It is therefore the safer way not to employ Men, who will expect more for their Wages, than the mistaken Borough that sendeth them up to Parliament could be sold for.

XVII. With all due regard to the noblest of Callings, Military Officers are out of their true Element when they are misplaced in a House of Commons.

Things in this World ought to be well suited. There are some Appearances so un­natural, that men are convinc'd by them without any other Argument.

The very Habit in some Cases, recom­mendeth or giveth Offence.

If the Judges upon the Bench should, in­stead of their Furrs, which signifie Gravity, and bespeak Respect, be Cloathed like the Jockeys at New-Market, or wear Jack-Boots [Page 36] and Steenkirks; they would not in reality have less Law, but Mankind would be so struck with this unusual Object, that it would be a great while before they could think it possible to receive Justice from Men so Accouter'd.

It is to some degree the same thing in this Case; such Martial Habits, Blue-Coats, Red Stockings, &c. make them look very unlike Grave Senators. One would almost swear they were Creatures apart, and of a differing Species from the rest of the Body.

In former times, when only the Resiant Shopkeeper was to Represent his Corpora­tion (which by the way is the Law still at this day) the Military Looks of one of these Sons of Mars, would have stared the Quaking Member down again to his Bur­rough.

Now the number of them is so encreased, that the Peaceable part of the House may lawfully swear they are in fear of their Lives, from such an Awful Appearance of Men of War.

It maketh the Room look like a Guard­house by such an ill-suited mixture. But this is only the out-side, the bark of the Argument; the root goeth yet deeper a­gainst Chusing such Men, whose Talents ought to be otherwise applied.

[Page 37] Their Two Capacities are so inconsistent, that Mens undertaking to serve both the Cures, will be the cause in a little time, that we shall neither have Men of War, nor Men of Business, good in their several kinds.

An Officer is to give up his Liberty to obey Orders; and it is necessarily incident to his Calling that he should do so.

A Member of Parliament is originally to be tender of his own Liberty, that other Men may the better trust him with theirs.

An Officer is to enable himself by his Courage, improved by Skill and Expe­rience, to support the Laws (if Invaded) when they are made; but he is not suppos­ed to be at leisure enough to understand how they should be made.

A Member of Parliament is to fill his thoughts with what may best conduce to the Civil Administration; which is enough to take up the whole Man, let him be ne­ver so much raised above the ordinary Level.

These two opposite Qualifications, being placed in one Man, make him such an am­biguous divided Creature, that he doth not know how to move.

It is best to keep Men within their pro­per Sphere; few Men have Understanding [Page 38] enough exactly to fill even one narrow Circle, fewer are able to fill two; especially when they are both of so great compass, and that they are so contrary in their own Natures.

The Wages he hath as a Member, and those he receiveth as an Officer, are paid for Services that are very differing; and in the doubt which of them should be pre­ferrably performed, it is likely the greater Salary may direct him, without the fur­ther inducements of complying most, where he may expect most advantage by it.

In short, if his dependance is not very great, it will make him a scurvy Officer; if it is great, it will make him a scurvier Member.

XVIII. Men under the scandal of being thought private Pensioners, are too fair a mark to escape being consider'd, in re­ference to the point in Question.

In case of plain Evidence, it is not to be suppos'd possible, that Men convicted of such a Crime should ever again be Elected.

The difficulty is in determining what is to be done in case of suspicion.

There are suspicions so well grounded, that they may pretend to have the force of proofs, provided the penalty goeth only [Page 39] to the forbearing to Trust, but not extend­ing it so far as to Punish.

There must be some things plain and ex­press to justify the latter, but Circumstances may be sufficient for the former: As where Men have had such sudden Cures of their ill Humours, and opposition to the Court, that it is out of the way of ordinary me­thods of recovery from such Distempers, which have a much slower progress; it must naturally be imputed to some Speci­fick that maketh such a quick alteration of the whole Mass of Blood.

Where Men have raised their way of Living, without any visible means to sup­port them in it, a suspicion is justified, even by the Example of the Law, which in cases of this kind, though of an inferior nature, doth upon this foundation not only raise Inferences, but inflict Punishments.

Where Men are immoral, and scandalous in their Lives, and dispense familiarly with the Rules by which the World is Govern'd, for the better preserving the bonds of human Society; it must be a confidence very ill placed, to conclude it impossible for such Men to yield to a Temptation well offer'd and pursu'd; when, the truth is the habit of such Bons vivants, which is the fashionable word, maketh a suspicion so [Page 40] likely, that it is very hard not to believe it to be true.

If there should be nothing but the gene­ral Report, even that is not to be neglected.

Common Fame is the only Lyar that deserveth to have some Respect still reserv'd to it; tho she telleth many an Untruth, she often hits right, and most especially when she speaketh ill of men.

Her Credit hath sometimes been carri­ed too far, when it hath gone to the di­vesting men of any thing of which they were possess'd, without more express evi­dence to justify such a proceeding.

If there was a doubt whether there ever was any Corruption of this kind it would alter the Question; but sure that will not bear the being controverted.

We are told; That Charles the Fifth sent over into England 1200000 Crowns to be distributed amongst the Leading Men, to encourage them to carry on Elections.

Here was the Protestant Religion to be bought out for a valuable Consideration according to Law, though not according to Gospel, which exalteth it above any Price that can be set upon it.

Now, except we had reason to believe that the Vertue of the World is improv'd since that time, we can as little doubt that [Page 41] such Temptations may be offered, as that they may be receiv'd.

It will be owed, that there is to be a great tenderness in Suspecting; but it must be allow'd at the same time, that there ought not to be lest in Trusting, where the People are so much concern'd; especially, when the Penalty upon the Party suspected goeth no further than a Suspension of that Confidence, which it is necessary to have in those who are to represent the Nation in Parliament.

I cannot omit the giving a Caution against admitting Men to be chosen, who have Places of any value.

There needeth the less to be said upon this Article, the truth of the Proposition being supported by such plain Argumen [...]s.

Sure no Man hath such a plentiful spring of Thought, as that all that floweth from it is too much to be appled to the Business of Parliament.

It is not less sure, that a Member of Par­liament, of all others, ought not to be ex­empted from the Rule, That no Man should serve two Masters.

It doth so split a Man's Thoughts, that no Man can know how to make a fitting Distribution of them to two such differing Capacities.

[Page 42] It exposeth Men to be suspected, and tempted, more than is convenient for the Publick Service, or for the mutual good Opinion of one another, which their ought to be in such an Assembly.

It either giveth a real dependance upon the Government, which is inconsistent with the necessity there is, that a Member of Parliament should be disengaged, or at least it hath the appearance of it, which maketh them not look like Freemen, though they should have virtue enough to be be so.

More Reasons would lessen the Weight of this last, which is, That a Bill to this effect, commonly called the Self-Denying Bill, pass'd even this last House of Commons.

A greater Demonstration of the irresisti­ble strength of Truth cannot possibly be given; so that a Copy of that Bill in every County or Burrough, would hardly fail of discouraging such Pretenders from Standing, or at least it would prevent their Success if their own Modesty should not restrain them from attempting it.

XX. If Distinctions may be made upon upon particular Men, or Remarks fix'd up­on their Votes in Parliament, they must be allow'd in relation to those Gentlemen, who for Reasons best known to themselves thought fit to be against the Triennial Bill.

[Page 43] The Liberty of Opinion is the thing in the World that ought least to be controll'd, and especially in Parliament.

But as that is an undoubted Assertion, it is not less so, That when Men Sin against their own Light, give a Vote against their own Thought, they must not plead Privi­lege of Parliament against the being arraign­ed for it by others, after they are Convict­ed of it by themselves.

There cannot be a Man▪ who in his De­finition of a House of Commons, will state it to be an Assembly, that for the better re­dressing of Grievances the People feel, and for the better furnishing such Supplies as they can bear, is to continue, if the King so pleaseth, for his whole Reign.

This could be as little intended, as to throw all into one Hand, and to renounce the Claim to any Liberty, but so much as the Sovereign Authority would allow.

It destroyeth the end of Parliaments, it maketh use of the Letter of the Law to ex­tinguish the Life of it.

It is, in truth, some kind of Disparage­ment to so plain a thing, that so much has been said and written upon it; and one may say, It is such an Affront to these Gentle­mens Understandings to censure this Vote only as a Mistake, that, as the Age goeth, [Page 44] it is less Discredit to them to call it by its right Name; and if that is rightly under­stood by those who are to chuse them, I sup­pose they will let them exercise their Liberty of Conscience at home, and not make Men their Trustees, who in this Solemn Instance have such an unwillingness to surrender.

It must be own'd, That this Bill hath met with very hard Fortune, and yet that doth not in the least diminish the value of it.

It had in it such a Root of Life, that it might be said, It was not Dead but Sleeped; and we see that the last Session, it was re­vived and animated by the Royal Assent, when once fully inform'd of the Conse­quences, as well as of the Justice of it.

In the mean time, after having told my Opinion, Who ought not to be Chosen:

If I should be ask'd, Who ought to be, my Answer must be, chuse Englishmen; and when I have said that, to deal honestly, I will not undertake that they are easy to be found.

A Rough Draught OF A …

A Rough Draught OF A NEW MODEL AT SEA, 1694.

LONDON: Printed in the Year 1700.

A Rough Draught OF A NEW MODEL AT SEA, 1694.

I Will make no other Introduction to the following Discourse, than that as the Importance of our being strong at Sea, was ever very great, so in our pre­sent Circumstances it is grown to be much greater; because, as formerly our Force of [Page 2] Shipping contributed greatly to our Trade and Safety. So, now it is become indispen­sibly necessary to our very Being.

It may be said now to England, Martha, Martha, thou art busy about many things, but one thing is necessary to the Question, What shall we do to be saved in this World? There is no other Answer but this, Look to your Moate.

The first Article of an English-mans Po­litical Creed must be, That he believeth in the Sea, &c. without that there needed no General Council to pronounce him capable of Salvation here.

We are in an Island confin'd to it by God Almighty, not as a Penalty but a Grace, and one of the greatest that can be given to Mankind. Happy Confinement that has made us Free, Rich, and Quiet; a fair Portion in this World, and very well worth the preserving, a Figure that ever hath been envied, and could never be imi­tated by our Neighbours. Our Situation hath made Greatness abroad by Land Con­quests unnatural things to us. It is true, we made Excursions, and glorious ones too, which make our Names great in History, but they did not last.

Admit the English to be Giants in Cou­rage, yet they must not hope to succeed in [Page 3] making War against Heaven, which seem­eth to have enjoyned them to acquiesce in being happy within their own Circle. It is no Paradox to say, that England hath its Root in the Sea, and a deep one too, from whence it sendeth its Branches into both the Indies. We may say further in our present Case, That if Allegiance is due to Protection, ours to the Sea is due from that Rule, since by that, and by that alone, we are to be protected; and if we have of late suffered Usurpation of other Methods, con­trary to the Homage we owe to that which must preserve us. It is time now to re­store the Sea to its right; and as there is no Repentance effectual without Amend­ment, so there is not a moment to be lost in their going about it.

It is not pretended to launch into such a Voluminous Treatise, as to set down every thing to which so comprehensive a Subject might lead me; for as the Sea hath little less variety in it than the Land; so the Naval Force of England extendeth it self into a great many Branches, each of which are important enough to require a Discourse apart, and peculiarly applied to it: But there must be preference to some Consideration above others, when the weight of them is so visibly Superior that [Page 4] it cannot be contested. It is there, first, that the Foundations are to be laid of our Naval Oeconomy; amongst these, there is one Article which in its own Nature must be allowed to be the Corner-stone of the Building.

The Choice of Officers, with the Disci­pline and Encouragement belonging to them. Upon this Head only, I shall then take the liberty to venture my Opinion into the World, with a real Submission to those, who may offer any think better for the advan­tage of the Publick.

The first Question then will be, Out of what sort of Men the Officers of the Fleet are to be chosen; and this immediately leadeth us to the present Controversy be­tween the Gentlemen and the Tarpau­lins.

The usual Objection on both sides are too general to be relied upon. Partiality and Common Prejudices direct most Mens Opinions, without entring into the parti­cular Reasons which ought to be the ground of it. There is so much ease in aquiescing in Generals, that the Ignorance of those who cannot distinguish, and the Largeness of those who will not, maketh Men very apt to decline the trouble of stricter Enqui­ries, which they think too great a price [Page 5] for being in the right, let it be never so valuable.

This maketh them judge in the Lump, and either let their Opinions swim along with the Stream of the World, or give them up wholly to be directed by Success. The effect of this is, that they change their Minds upon every present uneasiness, wanting a steady Foundation upon which their Judgment should be formed. This is a pearching upon the Twigs of things, and not going to the Root. But sure the Matter in question deserveth to be examined in another manner, since so much depend­eth upon it.

To state the thing impartially, it must be owned that it seemeth to lye fairest for the Tarpaulin: It giveth an Impression that must have so much weight as to make a Man's Opinion lean very much on that side, it carrieth so much Authority with it, it seemeth to be so unquestionable, that those are fittest to Command at Sea, who have not only made it their Calling, but their Element; that there must naturally be a prejudice to any thing then can be said against it. There must therefore be some Reason extraordinary to support the Argument on the other side, or else the Gentlemen could never enter the Lists [Page 6] against such a violent Objection, which seemeth not to be resisted. I will intro­duce my Argument with an Assertion, which as I take to be true almost in all Cases, so it is necessary to be explained and inforced in this. The Assertion is, that there is hardly a single Proposition to be made, which is not deceitful, and the ty­ing our Reason too close to it, may in ma­ny Cases be destructive. Circumstances must come in, and are to be made a part of the Matter of which we are to judge; positive Decisions are always dangerous, more especially in Politicks. A Man, who will be Master of an Argument, must do like a skilful General, who sendeth Scouts on all sides, to see whether there may not be an Enemy. So he must look round to see what Objections can be made, and not go on in a streight Line, which in the ready way to lead him into a mi­stake.

Before then, that we conclude what sort of Men are fittest to Command at Sea, a Principle is to be laid down, that there is a differing Consideration to be had of such a Subject-matter, as is in it self distinct and independent, and of such a one as being a Limb of a Body, or a Wheel of a Frame, there is a necessity of suiting it to the rest, [Page 7] and preserving the Harmony of the whole. A Man must not in that Case restrain him­self to the seperate Consideration of that single Part, but must take care it may fall in and agree with the Shape of the whole Creature, of which it is a Member. Ac­cording to this Proposition, which I take to be indisputable, it will not I hope appear an Affectation, or an extravagant Fit of un­seasonable Politicks, if, before I enter into the particular State of the present Question, I say something of the Government of Eng­land, and make that the Ground-work of what sort of Men are most proper to be made use of to Command at Sea.

The Forms of Government to which England must be subjected, are either Ab­solute Monarchy, a Commonwealth, or a Mixt Monarchy, as it is now; with those natural Alterations that the Exegency of Affairs may from time to time suggest. As to Absolute Monarchy I will not allow my self to be transported into such Inve­ctives, as are generally made.against it; neither am I ready to enter into the aggre­vating Stile of calling every thing Slavery, that restraineth Men in any part of their Freedom: One may discern in this, as in most other things, the good and bad of it. We see by too near an Istance, what Fra [...]e [Page 8] doth by it; it doth not only struggle with the rest of Christendom; but is in a fair way of giving Law to it.

This is owing in great Measure to a Despotick and Undivided Power; the un­controulable Authority of the Directive Councils maketh every thing move with­out Disorder or Opposition, which must give an advantage, that is plain enough of it self, without being proved by the melancholly Experience we have of it at this time.

I see and admire this; yet I consider at the same time, that all things of this kind are comparative: That as on one side, without Government Men cannot enjoy what belongeth to them in particular, nor can a Nation be secure, or preserve it self in general: So on the other side, the end of Government being, that Mankind should live in some competent State of Freedom, it is very unnatural to have the End de­stroyed by the Means that were originally made use of to attain it. In this respect something is to be ventured, rather than submit to such a precarious State of Life, as would make it a Burthen to a reasonable Creature; and therefore, after I have own­ed the Advantages in some kind of an un­limitted Government; yet, while they are [Page 9] attended with so many other discouraging Circumstances, I cannot think but that they may be bought too dear; and if it should be so, that it is not possible for a State to be Great and Glorious, unless the Subjects are wretchedly Miserable. I am ashamed to own my low-spirited frailty in preferring such a Model of Government, as may agree with the reasonable Enjoy­ment of a Free People, before such a one, by which Empire is to be extended at such an unnatural Price. Besides whatever Mens Opinions may be one way or another, in the general Question, there is an Argu­ment in our Case that shutteth the Door to any Answer to it. (Viz.) We cannot sub­sist under a Despotick Power, our very Being would be destroyed by it; for we are to consider, we are a very little Spot in the Map of the World, and make a great Figure only by Trade, which is the Crea­ture of Liberty; one destroyed, the other falleth to the Ground by a natural Conse­quence, that will not admit a dispute. If we would be measured by our Acres, we are poor inconsiderable People; we are ex­alted above our natural Bounds, by our good Laws, and our excellent Constitu­tion. By this we are not only happy at Home, but considerable Abroad. Our Si­tuation, [Page 10] our Humour, our Trade, do all concur to strengthen this Argument. So that all other Reasons must give place to such a one as maketh it out, that there is no Mean between a Free Nation and No Nation.

We are no more a People, nor England can no longer keep its Name from the mo­ment that our Liberties are extinguish'd; the Vital Strength that should support us being withdrawn, we should then be no more than the Carcass of a Nation, with no other Security than that of Contempt; and to subsist upon no other Tenure, than that we should be below the giving Temp­tation to our stronger Neighbours to de­vour us. In my Judgment, therefore, there is such a.short Decision to be made upon this Subject, that in Relation to England, an Absolute Monarchy is as an unreasonable thing to be wished, as I hope it will be impossible to be obtained.

It must be considered in the next place, whether England likely is to be turn'd into a Commonwealth. It is hard at any time to determine what will be the Shape of the next Revolution, much more at this time would it be inexcusably Arrogant to undertake it. Who can foresee whether it will be from without, or from within, or [Page 11] from both? Whether with or without the Concurrence of the People? Whether regu­larly produced, or violently imposed? I shall not therefore Magisterially declare it impos­sible that a Commonwealth should be settled here; but I may give my humble Opinion, that according to all appearances, it is ve­ry improbable.

I will first lay it down for a Principle, That it is not a sound way of arguing, to say, That if it can be made out, that the Form of a Commonwealth will best suit with the Interest of the Nation, it must for that reason of necessity prevail.

I will not deny but that Interest will not lie, is a right Maxim, where-ever it is sure to be understood; else one had as good af­firm, That no Man in particular, nor Man­kind in general, can ever be mistaken. A Nation is a great while before they can see, and generally they must feel first before their Sight is quite cleared. This maketh it so long before they can see their Interest; that for the most part it is too late for them to pursue it: If Men must be supposed al­ways to follow their true Interest, it must be meant of a New Manufactory of Man­kind by God Almighty; there must be some new Clay, the old Stuff never yet made any such infallible Creature.

[Page 12] This being premis'd, it is to be inquired, Whether instead of inclination, or a leaning towards a Commonwealth, there is not in England a general dislike to it; if this be so as I take it to be, by a very great disparity in Numbers; it will be in vain to dispute the Reason, whilst Humour is against it, al­lowing the weight that is due to the Argu­ment, which may be alledged for it; yet, if the Herd is against it, the going about to convince them, would have no other ef­fect than to shew that nothing can be more impertinent than good Reasons, when they are misplaced or ill-timed.

I must observe, That there must be some previous Dispositions in all great Changes to facilitate and to make way for them: I think it not at all absur'd, I affirm That such Resolutions are seldem made at all, ex­cept by the general Preparations of Mens Minds they are half made before, and it is plainly visible, that Men go about them.

Though it seemeth to me that the Argu­ment alone maketh all others unnecessary, yet I must take notice that▪ besides what hath been said upon this Subject, there are cer­tain Preliminaries to the first building a Commonwealth. Some Materials absolutely necessary for the carrying on such a Fabick, which at present are wanting amongst us, [Page 13] I mean Virtue, Morality, Diligence, or at least Hypocrisy. Now this Age is so plain dealing, as not to dissemble so far as to an outward▪ Pretence of Qualities which seem at present so Vnfashionable, and under so much Discountenance.

From hence we may draw a plain and na­tural Inference, That a Commonwealth is not fit for us, because we are not fit for a Commonwealth.

This being granted, the Supposition of this Form of Government of England, with all its Consequences as to the present Que­stion, must be excluded; and Absolute Mo­narchy having been so too by the Reasons at once alledged, it will without further Examination fall to a Mixt Government, as we now are. I will not say, that there is never to be any Alteration; the Consti­tution of the several Parts that concur to make up the Frame of the present Govern­ment, may be altered in many things, in some for the better, and in others, perhaps for the worse, according as Circumstances shall arise to induce a Change; and as Pas­sion and Interest shall have more or less In­fluence upon the Publick Councils; but still, if it remaineth in the whole so far a a mixt Monarchy, that there shall be a re­straint upon the Prince, as to the Exercise [Page 14] of a Despotick Power, it is enough to make it a Groundwork for the present Question. It appeareth then that a bounded Monar­chy is that kind of Government which will most probably prevail and continue in Eng­land; from whence it must follow (as hath been hinted before) that every considerable Part ought to be so composed, as the better to conduce to the preserving the Harmony of the whole Constitution. The Navy is of so great Importance, that it would be dispa­raged by calling it less than the Life and Soul of Government.

Therefore to apply the Argument to the Subject we are upon; in case the Officers be all Tarpaulins, it would be in reali­ty too great a tendency to a Common­wealth; such a part of the Constitution be­ing Democratically disposed may be suspected to endeavour to bring it into that Shape; where the influence must be so strong, and the Supposition will be the more justifiable. In short, if the Maritim Force, which is the only thing that can defend us, should be wholly directed by the lower sort of Men, with an intire Exclusion of the Nobility and Gentry; it will not be easy to answer the Arguments supported by so great a probabi­lity, that such a Scheme would not only lean toward a Domocracy, but directly lead us into it.

[Page 15] Let us now examine the contrary Propo­sition, (viz.) that all Officers should be Gentlemen.

Here the Objection lierh so fair of its in­troducing an Arbitrary Government, that it as little to be answered in that respect, as the former is in the other. Gentlemen in a general Definition, will be suspected to lie more than other Men, under the Tempta­tions of being made Instruments of unlimit­ted Power; their Relations, their Way of Living, their Tast of the Entertainments of the Court, inspire an Ambition that gene­rally draweth their Inclinations toward it, besides the gratifying of their Interests. Men of Quality are often taken with the Ornaments of Government, the Splendor dazleth them so, as that their Judgments are surprized by it; and there will be al­ways some that have so little remorse for invading other Mens Liberties, that it ma­keth them less solicitous to preserve their own.

These things throw them naturally into such a dependance as might give a danger­ous Biass; if they alone were in Command at Sea, it would make that great Wheel turn by an irregular Motion, and instead of be­ing the chief means of preserving the whole [Page 16] Frame, might come to be the chief Instru­ments to discompose and dissolve it.

The two further exclusive Propositions being necessarily to be excluded in this Question, there remaineth no other Expe­dient; neither can any other Conclusion be drawn from the Argument as it hath been stated, than that there must be a mixture in the Navy of Gentlemen and Tarpaulins, as there is in the Constition of the Govern­ment, of Power and Liberty. This Mix­ture is not to be so rigorously defined, as to set down the exact Proportion there is to be of each; the greater or lesser Num­ber must be directed by Circumstances, of which the Government is to Judge, and which makes it improper to set such Rounds, as that upon no occasion it shall on either side be lessened or enlarged. It is possible the Men of Wapping may think they are in­jured, by giving them any Partners in the Dominion of the Sea; they may take it unkindly to be jostled in their own Element by Men of such a different Education, that they may be said to be of another Species; they will be apt to think it an Usurpation upon them, and notwithstanding the In­stances that are against them, and which give a kind of Prescription on the other [Page 17] side, they will not easily acquiesce in what they conceive to be a hardship to them.

But I shall in a good measure reconcile my self to them by what follows; (viz.) The Gentlemen shall not be capable of bear­ing Office at Sea, except they be Tarpau­lins to; that is to say, except they are so trained up by a continued habit of living at Sea, that they may have a Right to be ad­mitted free Denizens of Wapping Upon this dependeth the whole Matter; and in­deed here lieth the difficulty, because the Gentlemen brought up under the Connivance of a looser Discipline, and of an easier ad­mittance, will take it heavily to be reduced within the Fetters of such a New Model; and I conclude, they will be extreamly averse to that which they call an unreason­able Yoke upon them, that their Original Consent is never to be expected. But if it appeareth to be convenient, and which is more, that it is necessary for the Preserva­tion of the whole, that it should be so; the Government must be call'd in Aid to sup­press these first Boilings of Discontent; the Rules must be imposed with such Autho­rity, and the Execution of them must be so well supported, that by degrees their Impa­tience will be subdued, and they will concu [...] [Page 18] in an Establishment to which they will eve­ry day be more reconciled.

They will find it will take away the Ob­jections which are now thrown upon them, of setting up for Masters, without having even been Apprentices; or at least, without having served out their Time.

Mankind naturally swelleth against Fa­vour and Partiality; their belief of their own Merit maketh Men object them to a prosperous Competitor, even when there is no pretence for it; but when there is the least handle offered, to be sure it will be taken. So, in this Case, when a Gentleman is preferr'd at Sea, the Tarpaulin is very apt to impute it to Friend or Favour: But if that Gentleman hath before his Preferment passed through all the Steps which lead to it, that he smelleth as much of Pitch and Tar, as those that were Swadled in Sail-Cloath; his having an Escutcheon will be so far from doing him harm, that it will set him upon the advantage Ground: It will draw a real Respect to his Quality when so supported, and give him an Influence, and and Authority infinitely superior to that which the meer Sea men can ever pre­tend to.

[Page 19] When a Gentleman hath learned how to Obey, he will grow very much fitter to Command; his own Memory will advise him not to inflict too rigorous Punishments. He will better resist the Temptations of Au­thority (which are great) when he reflecteth how much he hath at other times wished it might be gently exercised, when he was li­able to the Rigour of it.

When the undistinguish'd Discipline of a Ship hath tamed the young Mastership, which is apt to arise from a Gentleman's, Birth and Education. He then groweth Proud in the right place, and valueth himself first upon knowing his Duty, and then upon doing it.

In plain English, Men of Quality in their several Degrees must either restore them­selves to a better Opinion, both for Mora­lity and Diligence, or else Quality it self will be in danger of being extinguished.

The Original Gentleman is almost lost in strictness, when Posterity doth not still fur­ther adorn by their Virtue. The Escutcheon their Ancestors first got for them by their Merit, they deserve the Penalty of being deprived of it.

To expect that Quality alone should waft Men up into Places and Imployments, is as unreasonable, as to think that a Ship, [Page 20] because it is Carved and Gilded, should be fit to go to Sea without Sails or Tackling. But when a Gentleman maketh no other use of his Quality, than to incite him the more to his Duty, it will give such a true and settled Superiority, as must destroy all Competi­tion from those that are below him.

It is time now to go to the Probationary Qualifications of an Officer at Sea: And I have some to offer, which I have digested in my Thoughts, I hope impartially, that they may not be Speculative Notions, but things easy and practicable, if the directing Powers will give due Countenance and In­couragement to the Execution of them: But whilst I am going about to set them down, though this little Essay was made to no other End, than to introduce them, I am upon better Recollection, induced to put a restraint upon my self, and rather retract the Promise I made at the begin­ning, than by advising the particular Me­thods, by which I conceive the good End that is aimed at may be obtained, to incur the Imputation of the thing of the World, of which I would least be guilty, which is of anticipating, by my private Opinion, the Judgment of the Parliament, or seem­ing out of my slender Stock of Reason to dictate to the Supream Wisdom of the Na­tion. [Page 21] They will, no doubt, consider the present Establishments for Discipline at Sea, which are many of them very good, and if well executed, might go a great way in the present Question. But I will not say they are so perfect, but that other may be added to make them more effectual, and that some more Supplemental Expedients may be necessary to compleat what is yet defective: And whenever the Parliament shall think fit to take this Matter into their Consideration, I am sure they will not want for their Direction, the Auxiliary Reasons of any Man without Doors, muchless of one, whose Thoughts are so intirely and un­affectedly resigned to whatever they shall determine in this, or any thing else relating to the Publick.

MAXIMS OF STATE.By a …

MAXIMS OF STATE.

By a late Person of Honour.

LONDON: Printed in the Year 1700.

MAXlMS OF STATE.

1. THAT a Prince who falleth out with Laws, breaketh with his best Friends.

2. That the exalting his own Authority above his Laws, is like letting in his Ene­my to surprize his Guards: The Laws are the only Guards he can be sure will never run away from him.

3. A Prince that will say he can do no Good, except he may do every thing; teacheth the People to say, They are Slaves, if they must not do whatever they have a mind to.

[Page 2] 4. That Power and Liberty are like Heat and Moisture; where they are well mixt▪ every thing prospers; where the are single, they are destructive.

5. That Arbitrary Power is like most other things, that are very hard, they are also very apt to break.

6. That the profit of Places should be measured as they are more or less conducing to the Publick Service; and if Business is more necessary than Splendor, the,Instru­ment of it ought in Proportion to be better paid; that the contrary Method is as im­pertinent, as it would be to let the.Car­ving of a Ship cost more than all the rest of it.

7. That where the least useful part of the People have the most Credit with the Prince, Men will conclude, That the way to get every thing, is to be good for no­thing.

8. That an extravagant Gift to one Man, raiseth the Market to every body else; so that in consequence, the unlimitted Bounty of an unthinking Prince maketh him a Beg­gar, let him have never so much Money.

9. That if ordinary Beggars are whip'd, the daily Beggars in fine Cloaths (out of a proportionable Respect to their Quality) ought to be hanged.

[Page 3] 10. That Pride is as loud a Beggar as Want, and a great deal more Sawcy.

11. That a Prince, who will give more to Importunity than Merit, had as good set out a Proclamation to all his Loving Subjects, forbidding them to do well, upon the pe­nalty of being undone by it.

12. That a wise Prince will not oblige his Courtiers, who are Birds of Prey, so as to disoblige his People, who are Beast of Burthen.

13. That it is safer for a Prince to Judge of Men by what they do to one another, than that they do to him.

14. That it is a gross Mistake to think, That a Knave between Man and Man, can be honest to a King, whom of all other Men generally they make the least Scruple to deceive.

15. That a Prince who can ever trust the Man that hath once deceived him, loseth the Right of being Faithfully dealt with by any other Person.

16. That it is not possible for a Prince to find out such an Honest Knave, as will let no body else Cheat him.

17. That if a Prince does not shew an Aversion to Knaves, there will be an Infe­rence that will be very Natural, let it be never so Unmannerly.

[Page 4] 18. That a Prince who followeth his own Opinion to soon, is in danger of repenting it too late.

19. That it is less dangerous for a Prince to mind too much what the People say, than too little.

20. That a Prince is to take care that the greater part of the People may not be angry at the same time; for though the first beginning of their Ill Humour should be against one another, yet if not stopt, it will naturally end in Anger against him.

21. That if Princes would Reflect how much they are in the Power of their Mini­sters, they would be more circumspect in the Choice of them.

22. That a wise Prince will support good Servants against Mens Anger, and not sup­port ill ones against their Complaint.

23. That Parties in a State generally, like Freebooters, hang out False Colours; the pretence is the Publick Good; the real Busi­ness is, to catch Prizes; like the Tartars, where-ever they succeed, instead of Impro­ving their Victory, they presently fall upon the Baggage.

24. That a Prince may play so long be­tween Two Parties, that they may in time join together, and be in earnest with him.

[Page 5] 25. That there is more Dignity in open Violence, than in the unskilful Cunning of a Prince, who goeth about to Impose upon the People.

26. That the People will ever suspect the Remedies for the Diseases of the State, where they are wholly excluded from seeing how they are prepared.

27. That changing Hands without chang­ing Measures, is as if a Drunkard in a Drop­sey should change his Doctors, and not his Dyet.

28. That a Prince is to watch that his Reason may not be so subdued by his Nature, as not to be so much a Man of Peace, as to be just in an Army; nor so much a Man of War, as to be out of his Element in his Counsel.

29. That a Man who cannot mind his own Business, is not to be trusted with the King's.

30. That Quality alone should only serve to make a shew in the Embroidered Part of the Government; but that Ignorance, though never so well born, should never be admit­ted to spoil the Publick Business.

31. That he who thinks his Place below him, will certainly be below his Place.

32. That when Princes Examples ceaseth to have the force of a Law, it is a sure [Page 6] sign that his Power is wasting, and that there is but little distance between Men's neg­lecting to Imitate, and their refusing [...] Obey.

33. That a People may let a King fall, yet still remain a People; but if a King let his People slip from him▪ he is no longer King.

ADVERTISEMENT.

SInce the Death of the Inge­nious Translator of these Essays, an imperfect Transcript of the following Letter was in­tended for the Press, but having the good fortune to meet with a more correct Copy, I thought my self under a necessity of Publish­ing it with this Third Editi­on, not only to do Justice to his Memory, but to the Great Per­son he Chose for his Patron.

M. G.

A Letter sent by his Lordship to Charles Cotton, Esq upon his New Translation and Dedication of Montaigne's Essays.

SIR.

I have too long delay'd my Thanks to you for giving me such an obliging Evidence of your Remembrance: That alone would have been a welcome Present, but when join'd with the Book in the World I am the best entertain'd with, it raiseth a strong desire in me to be better known, where I am sure to be so much pleased. I have till now thought Wit could not be Translated, and do still retain so much of that Opinion, that I believe it impossible, except by one whose Genius cometh up to that of the Author. You have so kept the Original Strength of his Thought, that it almost tempts a Man to believe the Trans­migration of Souls, and that his being us'd to Hills, is come into the Moore-Lands to Reward us here in England, for doing him [Page] more Right than his Country will afford him. He hath by your means mended his First Edition: To transplant and make him Ours, is not only a Valuable Acquisition to us, but a Just Censure of the Critical Im­pertinence of those French Scribblers who have taken pains to make little Cavils and Exceptions, to lessen the Reputation of this great Man, whom Nature hath made too big to Confine himself to the Exactness of a Studied Stile. He let his Mind have its full Flight, and sheweth by a generous kind of Negligence that he did not Write for Praise, but to give to the World a true Picture of himself and of Mankind. He scorned affected Periods, or to please the mistaken Reader with an empty Chime of Words. He hath no Affectation to set him­self out, and dependeth wholly upon the Natural Force of what is his own, and the Excellent Application of what he borrow­eth.

You see, Sir, I have kindness enough for Monsieur de Montaigne to be your Rival, but no Body can pretend to be in equal Competition with you: I do willingly yield which is no small matter for a Man to do to a more prosperous Lover; and if you will repay this piece of Justice with another, [Page] pray believe, that he who can Translate such an Author without doing him wrong must not only make me Glad but Proud of being his

Very humble Servant, Halli [...]ax.
FINIS.

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