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
you have any brings a Scandal and Disgrace upon your Children reflects shame upon your Relations and makes you to be abhorr'd by all Civil Company It is against Reason for it destroys all Property brings a spurious Issue into Families hinders the Propagation of Mankind debases Humane Nature makes you more Vile than the Brute Beasts It is against Charity not only because of the Discord it occasions in Families but also because the Children of Whoredom are many Times murder'd and continually neglected either in their Maintenance or Education which is destructive both to their Souls and Bodies and upon this Account it was as severely punish'd by the Canon-Law as Murder It is against all the Rules of Christianity There being nothing more severely Censur'd in the Scriptures than Fornication and Adultery Persons who continue in those Practises being therein declar'd unfit for the Communion of the Church here and of the Saints hereafter and liable to Everlasting Damnation This is so plain that I shall not trouble you with quoting Texts for you can turn your Eye no where but you will find what I say to be true that the Holy Ghost Threatens Gods Iudgments upon Whoremongers and Adulterers and that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven We see by Experience that they who give themselves up to this Sin are very seldom if ever reclaim'd but go on in their Wickedness till they become Vile in the Eyes of all the World hateful to Heaven and Earth and fit only to be Fewel for Hell God in his Iust Iudgment giues such Peâ—sons up for the most part to hardness of 〈◊〉 a Reprobate Mind Vile Affections and to work all Uncleanness with Greediness so that instead of being â—it Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in they become Dens for Legions of Unclean Spirits and how often does it appear upon the Trials of 〈◊〉 Thieves and Murderers that theâ—r falling into this Sin of Uncleanness has been the first occasion of their committing those other Crimes which bring them to fatal Ends. It were easie to fill a Volume with Topicks against this Crying and Reigning Sin but your Temper is such that I can scarcely believe you will have Patience to read those short hints I here send you Yet Charity obliges me to give you this Reproof though it be no other than to cast Pearls before Sâ—ine I have clear'd my own Conscience by improving this Opportunity and if you do not Reform upon this fair Warning Remember that it will be a dreadful Witness against you at the Last Day however slight you may make of it now If you have a Husband your Guilt is still the Greater as being aggravated with Perjâ—ry and the odious Crime of Ingratitude Nay perhaps may be attended in Time with Murder of your self Husband or Children you entail a Disgrace upon your Posterity and fill your Relations with Shame The very Name of a Stuâ—â—ipet being as offensive to the Ears of every Modest Person as the sight of a Dead Carkass tâ—â—o of the dearest and nearest Kindred is to our Eyes or the Scent of it to our Nose But for all these known Consequences of a Whorish Life yet there 's more Wantons in Dublin besides Dorinda nay hoâ— common and bare-fac'd as I hinted elsewhere is this Vice grown For there 's my Lord L declares he could Love his Wife above all Women in the World if she were not his Wife The Duke of is of the same Mind and the George and Garter little better Sir Charles follows his Example and most have a Tang of this Rambling Fancy Where is the Man except my self that 's not a C d Or the Woman that so Tempers her self in her Behaviour with Men as if Vertue had settled her self in her Looks and Eyes â— I profess when I have excepted Three or Four Persons I know not where to find her We were wont to say It was a wise Child that knew his own Father but now we may say It is a wise Father that knows his own Child Men and Women as familiarly go into a Chamber to 〈◊〉 one another on a Feather-bed as into a Tavern to be merry with Wine She that does not Dance so lofty that you may see her Silken Garters and learn to forget Shame is no Body Who would think to find Hercules the only Worthy of his Time stooping to the Meanness of being a Servant to Omphale and in the quality of a Wench working at the Rock and Spindle Or to see Mark Anthony lose the World for a Cleopatra a Woman a thing in Petticoats But would Flesh and Blood listen to Prov. 22. 14. and remember that the Child often proves the Picture of the Lover and discovers it Bless'd Conclusion of stoln sweets they 'd ne'er invade the Right of another This Vice was formerly punish't with Death Abimelech made it Death to the Men of Gerar to meddle with the Wife of Isaac and Iudah Condemn'd Thaâ—ar for her Adulterous Conception the Egyptian Law was to cut off the Nose of the Adulteress and the offending Part of the Adulterer The Locrians put out both the Adulterers Eyes The Sermai as Tacitus reports placed the Adulteress amidst her Kindred Naked and caused her Husband to beat her with Clubs through the City and the Cumani caused the Woman to Ride upon an Ass Naked and hooted at and for ever after call'd her in scorn â— Rider upon the Ass And here in England which Argus must needs know and therefore Dorinda make no more Assignations 't is common for Whores to be Whip'd or to do Pennance in a White Sheet and in Scotland they are put into what they call the Stool of Repentance But Dorinda besides the shame that attends Whoring you 'll find if you dare read the Duty of Man P. 21 8. That to accept your Offer is to do Argus many â—nd high Injustices for it is first the Robbing him of that which of all other Things he should count most precious the Love and Fidelity of his Wife nor is this all but it is further ingulfing him if ever he come to discern it in that most tormenting Passion of Iealousie which is call'd the Rage of a Man It is yet further bringing upon him the Name of a 〈◊〉 and though as this Author observes it is very Unjust he should fall under Reproach only because he is injured yet unless the World could be 〈◊〉 moulded it will certainly be his Lot Besides Dorinda if you C d Argus 't is a Robbery as this Author further observes â— in the usual Sence of the Word for perhaps it may be the thrusting in the Child of the Adulterer into his Family to share both in the Maintenance and Portions of his own Children and this is an errand Theft First In respect of the Man who surely intends not the Providing for another Mans Child and then in respect of the Children who are by that Means defrauded of so much as that goes away with And
hour I usually digest the future business of the day Yet Madam as sound as I sleep I dream often You know Madam Thought must be active but I take little heed in the Morning what the Visions of the Night have been unless that Night when I dream of D ne'â— appearing to me and much less care to remember them but my Experience teaches me that the over-night Thoughts come fresh upon me the next day and how to digest and settle them was the Morning business the main whereof next after my Mornings Devotion was to answer those Letters I had receiv'd from England My Custom always is to begin with that of my Wife 's and then to proceed to D ne's and then to my other Relations and 〈◊〉 as near as I can in due order oâ— Place and Affection I seal them in the same manner only I retain that of my Wife 's to be the first perused and last closed Thus Madam I have given you a brief but true Account of my general Method of Living And by such Steps as these through the help of Divine Grace I strive to climb to Heaven and sometimes find my Soul upon the Wing thither before I am aware There is methinks no Object in the World that 's more delightful than when in a Star-light-night I survey the spangled Canopy of Heaven for if my Mind happen to be o'ercast with Melancholy when I look up and view the glittering Firmament and hope in a short time to soar above those starry Regions methinks I breath already the Air of a New World and all those black Vapors that o'erwhelm'd my Soul are fled in an instant I then scorn this Transitory World and all its fading Pleasures considering the Vanity of the one and the Emptiness of the other Tâ—us still my Soul moves upwards as all the heavenly Bodies do But yet as those Bodies are often snatcht away to the West by the rapid motion of the Primum Mobile so by those Epidemical Infirmities incident to human Nature I am often turn'd a clean contrary course though my Soul still persists in her proper Motion And I have oft occasion to be angry with my self when I consider That whereas my bountiful Creator intended my Body tho'a lump of Clay shou'd be a Temple of his Holy Spirit my corrupt Affections shouâ—d turn it so often to a Bedlam and my Excesses to an Hospital But as my Sin troubles me so my trouble for Sin comforts me And I believe there is less danger in committing the Sin I delight in than in delighting in the Sin I have committed In a word Madam I have experienc'd that the way to God is by my self and the way to my self is by my own Corruptions If I baulk this way I err If I travel by the Creatures I wander For the Motion of the Heavens will give my Soul no Rest nor will the Vertue of Herbs increase mine the height of all Philosophy both Natuâ—â—â—â— and Moral being to know my self and the end of this Knowledge is to know God the knowledge of whom is the Perfection of Love God being our chiefest good and the Enjoyment of him our highest Happiness And now Madam having given you a Specimen of my way of Living in Dublin both on the Sabbath and on the Week days I come in the next place to give you a Iournal of my Conversation with respect to the Occurrences I met with here by which you may see what little occasion I gave for the Dubliâ— Scuffle or to the false Dorinda to tempt me to her lewd Embraces It was in April when I came to Dublin and near Eleven a Clock at Night when I landed so that it was with some difficulty that I got a Lodging for that Night for which I own my self beholding to Mrs. Lisle the Widow at the Dukes-head Tavern in Castle-street the first Place I drank at in Ireland I have always the Vnhappiness of being sick at Sea which though it be very irksome to bear yet I find this good in 't that it endears the sence of God's Goodness to me when I come to Land and makes me the more thankful for my Preservation Which having perform'd as well as the Fatigue I had been under would permit I betook my self to my Chamber and slept that Night without Rocking though in the Morning both my Bed and Chamber seem'd to me to have the same motion that my fluctuating Cabin had the day before Being got up the next Morning I again renew'd my Thanks to God for my Preservation at Sea and safe arrival at Dublin And now being drest as it were in Print for my business now was to see and be seen I marched very methodically out of my Lodgings with two I can't say a pair of Gloves in one hand and a Cane in t'other and 't is not long since I had done sowing my wild Oats and now I am earnestly hunting after Gaup-seed You wou'd smile Madam if you had the Picture of your quondam friend at the black Raven like an over-grown Oaf newly come to Town staring and gazing at all the Signs and every thing else in the Strâ—ets pacing out their length and enquiring ever and anon What call ye this Street Who dwells in you great House Whose fine Coach is that For thus I rambled through every Street Alley and corner of this spacious Town as you 'll find at large in my Summer Travels where 200 Persons will see their Pictures that at present little expect it but I leave 'em here to tell ye the first visit I made in Dublin was to Nat. Gun a Bookseller in â—ssex-street to whom I was directed by my Friend Mr. Richard Wild whom I had left behind me in London This Son of a Gun gave me a hearty Welcome and to do him Justice he 's as honest a Man as the World affords and is so esteemed by all that know him He is a firm adherer to the established Government and a declared Enemy to Popery and Slavery So far from dissembling that he knows not how to go about it and will speak his Mind how much soever it may be to his Prejudice He understands Stenography as well as Bookbinding and he himself is a sort of a Short-hand Character for he is a little Fellow but one that contains a great deal And as he is a most incomparable Writer of Short-hand so he speaks it as well as writes it and to compleat his Character He is a constant Shop-keeper without earnest Business calls him to the Drumcondrah This Gun was a constant and generous bidder at my Auctions where he bought a great quantity of Books which he as honestly paid for At Mr. Gun 's Shop I met with Mr. 〈◊〉 another Bookseller but his principal Business is Binding whom I afterwards employed considerably He is a very honest Man but has met with Misfortunes in the World by thinking some others as honest as himself who did not prove so I ask'd Mr.
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
day our Redemption was finish'd by our Saviour's rising from the Dead this change was made in the Apostle's time as appears by their so often meeting on the first day of the Week recorded in the Scripture and that they had our Saviour's Countenance and Authority for it by his appearing so often to 'em in their Assembly on that day I think one need not be so scrupulous about the day but submit to the decision of the Church who probably fetch'd it from the Practice of the Apostles Our Saviour tells us the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath and 't is of more moment to observe the Duties of the day then to be able to answer all Objections and Contentions that ill designing Persons can raise against it That we dedicate a seventh day to God's Service according to his own appointment and upon the first day of the Week in memory of the great Work of our Redemption finish'd upon that day is satisfactory enough to me and if I sincerely perform the Duties of the day I make no question of Gods Acceptance For the resting from bodily Labour so strictly injoyn'd to the Iews I take to be partly abolish'd with the other Ceremonies only retaining so much as is necessary to support the Solemnity of the Day I think none can be too strict in consecrating to God that day as totally as our Frail Natures will permit and tho we can't be all the day besides the publick Service taken up in Prayers and Meditation we may do well to keep our selves out of the way of the World which will soon quench the Flame our Divine Exercises have kindled but there were nothing like the Conversation of Heavenly minded Persons when we can have such and there are Works of Mercy and Compassion very proper for that day which may raise our Minds to Love and Praises to God for making us Instruments in his hand for the good of any body In a word the best Instructor in the Duties of the Lord's Day is Love which will make us do all with diligence and delight by which I may suppose you are animated to what you do or desire to do on that blessed day I agree with you that the Duty of Prayer is manifest even by the Light of Nature That Supream Being that made us can only preserve us and to him we must apply for our well-being but Christians that are dedicated to God in Baptism should take care to sanctify all the Actions of their Lives by Prayer and never do that thing they dare not beg God's blessing upon If we did impute to God the happy success of all our Labours we could not be so wanting to our selves as to neglect that great Favour and Priviledge of a Christian of representing all our Wants and Necessities to God and engaging his Care and Providence in our behalf of beging his holy Spirit which he has promised to those that as it which will lead us into all Truth teaching us to â—â—cuse and condemn our selves for sin and then engage us to the Duty of thankfulness and here I know noâ— where to begin or make an end Innumerable are the Mercies we daily receive and sufficient to imploy all the moments of our Life in the Contemplation of them and were our Hearts truly thankful nothing could be wanting to keep us close to our Duties both to God and our Neighbour whatever different ways and modes we find of expressing it I dare be bold to pronounce That Person a true Child of God that in a deep sence o his own unworthiness looks upon all the mercies he enjoys as the favour and bounty of heaven for which he can never be sufficiently thankful And I do not know a stronger Foundation to build any Persons Conversion upon for if they are born of Christian Parents when they consider that Blessing and Priviledge which Thousands want it must needs engage 'em in his Service who has dealt so Lovingly with 'em But if an Alien from the Church of God should by some great Providence meet with the opportunity of being instructed in the saith how can he chuse but look upon this good Providence as the effect of Gods Merciful kindness to him and work a more kindly Obedience then all the Terrours of Hell I confess the threats of Hell is a way I am little acquainted with yet must own We cannot know Gods Mercy in its full extent without knowing to the full the miseries from which it has redeem'd us But this works naturally upon our Love and turns it into such a fear as works again by Love and makes our obedience chearful and free yet I shall not pretend to censure those that perhaps experience teaches to use harsher methods but I bless God for his more tender dealing with me for I am perswaded those Conflicts and Temptations so many find upon their Death-Beds are the effects of those horrours their teachers infuse into 'em for I may say with thankfulness I never saw any one in that condition of all my Friends that I have Buried And I make no doubt but the subtilty of the Devil is never wanting to make his advantage of our Fears Scruples and Superstitions when he terrifies us with Apparitions and Spectrums It is certainly a great Happiness to be free from the fears of 'em for which you have just cause to bless God and I can speak it by Experience Those Ominous Presages of Persons Deaths or Misfortunes never happen'd to me nor many of my Relations Who all held a Principle against Superstition or any observation of such things Your humble and uncommon Confession of your own Frailties is what we must all own as well as you if we chuse good Principles for our Conduct 't is all the Vertue we can pretend to the exact Performance depends upon many things not in our Power Your neglect and disregard of dressing and fine Cloaths suits the Temper and Inclination of the Wise and Men of Business 't is a weakness even in Women but a great Folly in Men and a true conjecture may be often made of the Intellects of both Sexes by their Dress You have a strange Happiness for a Man of Business to have so much liesure for Divine Contemplation in the Fields and other pleasant Places whereby you furnish your Mind with Pious Ejaculations which serves you upon occasion to obtain Gods Direction Blessing and Conduct in your Affairs 't is then the Business goes pleasantly on when the success is perfectly resignd to God 'T is pitty your great Love to your Wife should make you so uneasie that all your Philosophy could hardly furnish you with Patience enough to support a Months Absence Your excessive loving Temper which I perceive you do not take for a weakness but a Perfection gives you much reason to applaud your great Success in your choice of two Wives successively of so much Merit Tho' you seem so surprised at the 〈◊〉 Company you
Beauty much resembles Iewels in this that tho' they are the chiefest bravery of Nature they are of the least use so one may be very happy without Beauty but when one is possess'd of such a Treasure it ought to be secur'd by Modesty and a discreet value of it and not carelesly expos'd to pleasing but only upon just occasion But a married Woman with such a careless Conduct making no distinction is as ridiculous as a waiting Woman would be who had her Lady's Jewels in her keeping and should lend 'em to the Milk-women to dress up their Pails for dancing My design in all this is to prove there would be no occasion for a Man's defending so hotly either his own or that Lady's Vertue who had a true esteem of her Beauty whether in her own or her Husband's Possession for I am truly moved with Compassion for this incompaâ—able Person you propose for a Pattern to our whole Sex to find she lies under the misfortune of Slander and Enâ—y and tho' she has the support of those sober Ladies that honours her with their Friendship 't is of little force to take off Slander since there is a Charity much in vogue that forbids distinguishing any but what are notoriously bad which in this refined Age are very few that appear so her Husband had been her best support had he believ'd her Vertuous upon his own Iudgment and not upon the Opinion of another I fear your Judgment was not generally priz'd at that rate However I can't but applaud your happy retreat to the cool Country Air after so much heat tho' you carry'd a Disease with ye since there you found a Cure there 's none knows the Pleasures of Gardens and Retirement like those that have liv'd in the hurry of the World for that like other Pleasures must be set off by its contrary The very same Doctrine Mr. Cowley teaches for Retirement I establish for Friendship which never is right or can be lasting without it for till we have cast of those restless Thoughts of pleasing the World and our vain Passions to Persons â—o disposed the Rules of Friendship are as severe as School-Instructions to Boys with their Heads full of Play who are no less blind to all the Pleasures and Advantages of it But how must that Mind be elevated that in Retirement can be every thing to its self Sure the Admonition Instruction and variety of Thoughts a Friend would yield us should infinitely add to the Perfection of such a Life And tho' living Incognito from being seen and known to the sâ—â—â—eless World is a Priviledge to be wish'd yet to be depriv'd of the Society of the Vertuous and Religious is to cut our selves off from the chief Pleasure that give us a taste of Heaven upon Earth with the opportunity of a delightful Improvement of every Moment of our time spent in their Conversation Nor can I think that great Emperor Charles the 5 th could have boasted half that sweetness he found in his change of Life had he wholly retired from the Conversation of the Divine Valdesso but you must ever be a Stranger to the true Pleasures of Retirement as much as you pretend to love it you carry such a busie Mind about with you and croud your Thoughts with Fields Gardens Parks your House and absent Friends How could you take any thought for a House left in the Conduct of such a Wise 'T is only extravagant and disorderly Wives that turn the House out of the Windows in their Husband's absence No question you were as much in Valeria's Thoughts tho' she might not dream in so much danger You might well expect Death in a Distemper so often fatal and the Thoughts you had from that Expectation I believe has taught you Experience and shew'd you how much you were deceiv'd in your hope that to the end of your Life you should think of the World just as youâ— did then when you thought you was leaving it And did you flatter your self to think if time wou'd unweave your Life again to the first Thread you would mend your Conduct You are now convinced of the Vanity of that Presumption not having had Death and the continual Preparations for it so much in your Thoughts as you then promis'd your self This is judging others by my self if it is rash and false I beg your Pardon I confess I always look'd upon Sickness as the greatest of all temporal Evils and Health the most considerable of earthly Blessing What can discompose the Mind like Pain and Sickness One may find a Remedy for all other Misfortunes by resolving all into the Will of God which â—rders nothing to befall us but for good but no Reâ—ignâ—tion â—ver so great can hinder the Sympathy the Soâ—l has with the Body that in those occasions our Thoughts have little Power to entertain any Thought but Patience per force If therefore the Thoâ—ghts of Death and Iudgment Heaven and Hell are necessary to reflect on 't is when we are in Health Sickness discomposes all serious Thoughts for my self I wou'd have nothing to do at that time but to resign my self with all the Patience I could muster up equally accepting release either by Death or Recovery which of 'em God pleases to appoint me and nothing makes us so ready and willing to die as a comfortable assurance of our Salvation which will stand us then in more stead then any reflection on our past Life tho' never so good or the most sâ—â—ious Repentance we can then exercise Nor can I think it a Presumption because not built on our own Performances but upon the Promises of God If it is possible to judge of the truth of any Divine Grace 't is possible to know they are his chosen to whom he gives it How can the Holy spirit witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God if we are Strangers to what â—e witnesses All Divine Graces are the Earnest of our Eternal Inheritance they are the Gifts of God which he never withdraws for his Gifts are without Repentance Nor is Assurance a particular favour to some but to all his chosen that are careful to try themselves and their Graces and for those that fear Assurance should make 'em Libertines they would find the contrary if they had it for it is not the fancy of having but the real Possession of true Grace creates Assurance which will be seen and known by its Effects as a Tree by its Fruits and no such motive to lead a heavenly Life on Earth as a firm Assurance in the Exercise of Divine Graces that we are consigned to a glorious Immortality in Heaven so remote from the Changes and Uncertainties in this Life tho' perhaps in some sort a necessary quality for the imperfect Pleasures this World affords us A little longer Enjoyment of your Earthly Paradice in the Country would have put you upon the search of Business in Town only upon account of Variety and