am all the Members of the Mystical Body of Christ have Fellowship with the Father and Son by one Holy Spirit with Aâ—gels in their Love Care and Ministries with the Saints in Heaven in their Love and Prayers and with one another in the same Faith Hope Word and Sacrament and therefore shou'd often confer about Heavenly things holding the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace The Operations of the Mind being in their own Nature much more fatigueing than the Labours of the Body it 's my usual Custom on Sunday Night to go somewhat sooner to Bed than ordinary However I durst not adventure to go and compose my self to such a rest as so much resembles Death it self and from which many have awaked in Eternity without recommending my self to the Care and Protection of the Almighty and to this I have endeavoured always to have the greater regard since bâ—sides the Divine Authority which plainly injoyns it it 's a Duty so clearly manifested even by the light of Nature that 't is a wonder almost that any should neglect it I hope you do not Madam take this as either Dictating or Reproving when 't is never meant so by me who have justly entertained quite other Conceptions of you and am so far from supposing my self Pattern in any respect for your Imitation that I should think my self in danger of running into the notion of a Perfectionist if I could but come near you This Madam is the Method in which I wou'd spend the Sabbath and is what I have endeavour'd to practise tho' I must own to my shame with so much weakness and so many Infirmitâ—es that it seems rather an Account of what I ought to do than of what I have done For tho' 't is my Duty to watch narrowly over my Heart Affections and Thoughts and all my Outward Actions and in a more particular manner shouâ—d look upon the Sanctifying of the Lord's Day to be a Principal part of Religion yet I must own I have not been so careful as I ought to Sanctifie the Lord in my Heart on that Day or perform some Duties that were incumbent upon me I have not made 〈◊〉 my Fear and my Dread as I ought but have indulg'd my self in Sloth spoken my own Words and thought my own Thoughts contrary to God's Holy Will and Commandment I must also accuse my self of being too negligent 〈◊〉 Preparing my self to attend upon God in his Solemn and Publick Appointments rushing often into his Presence without that due Preparation which he requires Neither have I behav'd my self in his House with that Fear and Reverence as I ought nor heard God's Word with that Attention which so Awful a Message call'd for nor improv'd it to my Spiritual Nourishment as I ought to have done I am also sensible that I have been more ready to â—ind fault with the Minister than to obey the Message he has brought and have not spoken of other Men and their Affairs with that Care Charity and Aâ—â—ection as I should have done but rather have discover'd their Defects I likewise acknowledge That in singing of Psalms I have not sung with that Grace in my Heart which God's Word requires and have had my Ears more tickled with the Harmony of the Musick than my Soul inflam'd with Zeal to sing the Praises of God I do also confess I have not had such Sorrow and Repentance for my Sins past as I ouâ—â—t nor have used such Diligence in the daily Examining of my Conscience and Amendment of my Life as I should have done I have also reason to be humbled that I han't offer'd up my Prayers unto God with alaâ—â—ity and fervour of Spirit as I shou'd have done but have been often Distracted Slothful and Cold in my Devotions I also acknowledge I have been Proud and Vain-glorious in my Words and Actions I have not thought so humbly of my self as I shouâ—d have done nor kept my Senses in the House of God with that care as became a Christian especially my Eyes and my Ears For all which and many more Errors of my Life which through Neglect and Inadvertency may have escap'd my Cognizance I humbly beg Pardon and Forgiveness of the Father of Mercies Thus Madam with the Pelican have I dissected my Heart to shew you where the Defects of Humanity reside I have here as I told you before made the whole World but principally your self my Confessor I will only add as to this Point That if my Tongue and Heart agree not in this Confession my Confession will be of no value he that confesses with his Tongue and wants Confession in his Heart is either a vain Man or an Hypocrite and he that confesâ—es with his Heart and wants it in his Tongue is either Proud or Timorous Madam having given you some Account how I endeavour'd to spend the Sabbath in Dublin I shall 〈◊〉 inform yâ— how I spent my time on the Week-Days I have told you in the Account I gave you of spending Sunday that 't was my Practice to go to Bed sooner on those Nights than at other times I shall further add That I am no sooner lain down on Sunday Night but I compose my self to rest being so far from being terrified with Apparitions Spectrums and the like as I have heard some have been who for that very Reason durst never lie alone that I humbly Adore thâ— Majesty of Heaven for it I fear nothing but God and Sin When I awake I am transported to find my self so sprightly every way which made me often wonder what an excellent thing Sleep was considering it as an inestimable Jewel for an hour of which if a Tyrant laid down his Crown he should not be able to purchase it That it was that Golden Chain which tyed Health and our Bodies together and that while sleeping none complained of Pains Wants Cares or Captivities And that though the Story of Endymion's Nap for Threescore and Fifteen Years and then awaking as lively as if he had slept but six hours be in it self but a meer Fable yet the Moral is good and plainly indicates the Necessity and Usefulness of Rest to our Natures as instituted by the God of Nature Himself But to proceed in my Journal In the Morning as soon as the Cinque-Ports are open I send up some Private Ejaculations to Heaven giving God thanks that my Eyes are open to see the Light of another Day After this I get up and make my most Solemn Addresses to the Divine Majesty remembrinâ— Randolph's Words First Worship God He that forgets to Pray Bids not himself Good Morrow nor Good Day In these sorts of Duties it has been my conâ—â—ant Practice to be rather short and fervent than long and indifferent And as we ought to make use of every Just and Proper Motive to excite us to 〈◊〉 Duty I will humbly say I have been the moâ—â— constant in my practicâ— of this Morning-Duty as principally out of a
of a Sword and then cut off his Head Poor Teig never offer'd at any Resistance nor endeavour'd to save himself by flight but stood to die like a Fool. Our Red Letter'd Gentlemen were never under such Circumstances here as now for all their Bishops and Regular Clergy are banish'd by Act of Parliament which makes it Death to find any of them return'd again So that now they are wholly depending on the Seculars and every Parish is allow'd his Priest but when he dies there being none to Ordain a new one it must remain without and this will be the State of the whole Kingdom in a little time when the present set of Priests shall be extinct They have also another Law That no Papist shall keep a School nor any one Native of a Foreign Education be admitted to dwell in the Kingdom so that by these Acts I think it will appear plain enough that the Romish Religion is on its last Legs in Ireland and the present Romanists who survive their Priests must conform to the Protestant Religion or live and die without the Exercise of their own I do not pretend to make my Judgment upon these Methods but I think the next Age will have few People inclinable to any more Rebellions against England and some of the Papist Lords have put their Children to be Educated in the Protestant Faith and several Gentlemen have lately abjur'd the Romish These Ghostly Fathers were to render themselves on the first day of May for Transportation at Dublin Cork c. where their Names were enter'd with the Magistrate of the Town ye may guess at the Lamentations which were made at parting with such precious Iewels and Masses were said and Money begg'd for them besides what the People voluntarily gave without asking One old Fryar called Father Kereen who had been a famous Exorcist and excellent good at helping â—attle that were overlook'd or bewitch'd for some of the vulgar are so superstitious to believe this made sale of good store of Holy Water which had helpt to cast out Devils and of several other consecrated Trinckams by which it was said he acquir'd such a Summ of Money as might suffice for his support all his days and such were the Tricks play'd by many of them on their going into Exile as leaving Holy Tokens and taking Catalogues of their Acquaintances Names to pray for them all the Days of their Life Now these Kindnesses deserv'd some returns which they never fail'd of though whether they are as good as their words in remembring them I leave to their own Breasts Before I leave this account of the State of Religion in Ireland I shall acquaint you with the manner of exorcising their Demoniacks though for my part I think the Devil is in the presumptuous Priest rather than the melancholy Person and you may judge how sit such Persons are for honest Society The Exorcist before he goes to work ought by way of a preparative to confess his Sins and receive the Eucharist then he begins the Operation with some short Prayers and tyes the ends of the violet coloured Stole that he wears about the Demoniacks Neck who if outragious must be tyed Hand and Foot then crossing him and the by-standers they go to Prayer and read the 53 Psalm and after a Prayer or two more he thus speaks to the Devil I command thee thou unclean Spirit whoever thou art and all thy Companions that do possess this Servant of God That by the Mystery of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord I. C. by the sending the Holy Ghost and the coming of our Lord to Iudgment thou tell me thy Name and the day and hour of thy Exit with some sign and that thou obey me the unworthâ— Minister of God in all things and that thou offend not this Creature of God or any of the By-standers in their Persons or Goods Then he crosses himself and the Demoniack on the Fore-head Mouth and Breast and reads some Gospel as that of the First of St. Iohn the 16 th of Mark or the 10 th of Luke then falling to Prayer he begs to be enabled to cast forth this cruel Devil then lapping the Stole about the possessed Parties Neck and fortifying him with the Sign of the Gross he lays his Right Hand on the Patients Head and cries out Behold the Cross of the Lord which he shews him Fly from it ye adverse Parties The Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah the Root of David hath overcome Then to Prayer again he goes and begins a new Exorcism saying I exorcise thee most foul Spirit every Incursion of the Adversary every Phantasm and every Legion in the Name of our Lord J. C. ✚ to fly from and be eradicated ✚ out of this Image of God He commands thee who bid thee be plunged from the highest Heavens into the lower parts of the Earth He whom the Sea Winds and Tempests obey commands thee Then when this does not serve turn he falls to scold the Devil after this manner Hear therefore and fear thou Satan Enemy of the Faith and all Mankind thou Introducer of Death and Destroyer of Life Decliner of Justice Root of all Evils Fomenter of Vices Seducer of Men Betrayer of Nations Promoter of Envy Source of Avarice Cause of Discord and Exciter of Sorrow Why dost thou stay Why dost thou resist when thou knowest the Lord Christ can destroy all thy Power Fear him who was sacrificed in Isaac sold in Ioseph â—â—ain in the Lamb crucified in Man and at last triumphed over Hell Then he makes the following Cross in the Forehead of the Possessed Be gone you in the Name of the Father ✚ and of the Son ✚ and of the Holy Ghost ✚ Give way to the Holy Spirit by this â— sign of the Cross of our Lord J. C. Then they go to Prayers and after them another Exorcism is used like the former wherein he calls the Devil many hard Names and tells him of all the Rogueries he has ever committed and bids him be gone for shame since all his Tricks are discovered Madam I wou'd eâ—large in giving a more particular account of the present Condition of the Church and State in this Kingdom of Ireland for as I was a little curious in this matter so I have met with such Ingenious Company since I came here as have been able to satisfie my Curiosity in these Matters but my Observations on the State of Ireland being more properly a part of my Summer Ramble than what relates to my Conversation in Dublin I shall drop it here and proceed to what is more properly Conversation my Design in this Letter as I said at first being rather to tell ye how I liv'd in Ireland than to tell ye what I saw or observ'd there And in the Account of my Conversation with respect to the Occurrences I met with there for that 's the Subject I am still upon I am next to tell ye that having
din'd with I assure my self those Mâ—n 〈◊〉 the Model of their Conversation from London with a little addition of their own Native Vanity unless they are much alter'd from what I knew 'em I take 'em generally to be all acted by a Romantick Honour and every Man of what Rank or Quality soever takes upon him as much as he can the Meen and Equipage Living and Eating of the Nobility especially of those that come from England Even Swearing and Prophaneness they mistake for great Vertues when observ'd in Men of that Rank without considering that the Vice of Swearing springs from a base and vulgar Education who wanting Language to express the vehemence of their Passions have contracted an ill habit of supplying the want of Truth and Eloquence with Oaths If Persons of Quality ever give so barbarous an Example 't is when they are leaâ—t themselves either transported with Pride Passion or Wine But whoever they are that do it they show a very shallow Capacity and weak Apprehension of the dreadful Majesty of God and however he may perhaps please himself with his own Conceit of his Wit and Parts he may be Justly branded with the Name of Fool which Solomon wisely gives to all that fear not God Your often returns from Bnsiness to Retirement was a Priviledge of being a Stranger and far from your Family and Relations I can't be Judge of the Pleasure you found in Montaigns Essays having never read it I heard it once commended by a Man in Reputation for Wit but not so much for Vertue which moved my Curiosity the less and having all I desire in the Port-Royal I confine my self to a very few Books I envy not your Trip to your Auction I have had some of that Pleasure of observing Bidders for Books upon my own Account but wanting your Skill came far short of your Satisfaction Your Recollection of your Actions how hard soever to others is very â—asie to you who remember so exactly all you say and do If you as strictly observe the Motives from whence they spring and view your Actions in a true Light such a Method of Examination constantly used will bring you to all the Perfection attainable in this Life The Divine Contemplation you have so ready upon the sight of every proper Object must needs dispel as you own all melancholly Vapours for the aspiring of the Soul to Heaven brings Heaven to it and by that Light shall best discern its own Defects and Gods Perfections and in a manner transform it into Ioy and Love You give the Characters of several honest Men and one good Wife I suppose you take 'em for some of the Rarities of that City the Places you describe are unknown to me I never took the pains to see 'em and if I had perhaps my own Observation would have come short of your pleasant Description I am little fond of pleasing my sight wherever I live my House and Garden limits my Curiosity which is the Reason I am as much a Stranger to Ireland as those that never were there I am much delighted with the Account you give of the Church and State and am perfectly perswaded my Lord Galway justly deserves the high Character you give him in every respect and sure much of the present Happiness of that Kingdom is owing to his wise Conduct and great Example of Vertue and Piety to my knowledge there 's nothing like it for those People there who live by no Rule but Imitation and the severest Laws would have much less effect on 'em then his obliging Condesention I wonder what 's become of all the Iacobites There are some for certain but not so bare-fac'd perhaps in such a Government as to be noted of Strangers 'T is also matter of great Joy to hear the Bishops and Clergy perform their parts with so much Charity and Condesention to the Dissenters as gives 'em occasion to commend their Moderation and Piety It were much to be wish'd that all our unhappy Differences might be consumed in Flames of Charity and Ireland as much as it has been despised might have the honour to set us that great Example then as that good Prelate Bishop Hall advis'd we should have Peace with all but Rome and Hell 'T is observable there are no Places where Care is so effectually taken to suppress Popery as where they abound most and are best known which may be the reason that in Ireland they have in that point out-done us here It would be a great Pleasure to me to think as you do that the Romish Religion were on its last Legs in Ireland and sure nothing is more likely to produce that effect then those Methods they have taken or which would better secure the Rebellion of that Kingdom beyond all the suppressing Laws for while there are Papists to improve every failing or miscarriage in the Rulers and every defect or weakness in the Capacities of the People to the raising such appearances to delude 'em as may serve to the promoting their own Interest and Religion nothing can be expected but Rebellion and Mischief but they who have the ART OF LIVING INCOGNITO How is it possible to be sure they are rid of 'em as hard to know as their great Patron the Devil when transform'd into an Angel of Light No I have no hopes from the rigor of any Laws made against 'em all my hopes is that as that adulterous Church has liv'd so long she is now grown old and ugly the time is coming that all her Lovers will hate her tear her Flesh and burn her City with Fire all things seem to be preparing for her Execution notwithstanding the French Kings Persecution and who knows but the Pope's mournful Iubilee may not be a Prognostication of it That old Father Kereen I believe I have heard of there was such an one lived at Athlone who used to say he could lay a Spirit for seven year and then again for seven more tho' I am of Opinion they are never wanting to contrive some Impostor when necessary to shew their Power and to delude the People and keep up their Credulity and Superstition Yet I believe as well that they are able to do it when ever there is any real Occasion for it they are many of 'em Men of much Thought and Retirement only designd for the promoting the Kingdom of Satan he can't deny his Assistance for the carrying on his own Work and no question teaches 'em the way he will be dealt with 't is a great Happiness for the poor People to be rid of such Ghostly Fathers their Superstition once cur'd may probably secure 'em from those Miseries The Church you went to where there was Musick gives much opportunity of gazing the Mind having the least part in that Service of all the rest it seems to me you should have had more reason to have yielded to the Eastern Custom of separating the Women from the Men had the Women appeared more