and by their Industry after it they make a publick indication how much they are inclined to her The little Infants that are hanging at their Mothers Breasts and whose reason as yet lies buried in the Flesh are fearful of Grief and in love with Pleasure bemoan themselves when the former touches them and are in an Expansion of Joy when the other gives a flattery to their Sences When a more ripen'd age has refin'd their faculties and the objects they entertain themselves with have discovered to them their Beauties their thoughts are wholly busied after their Prosecution their reason contrives ways how to acquire them and following the instinct of Nature they do what they can to satisfie their desires and give their minds contentment The Poets imitating the Oracles by their frequent hitting upon truths in their Verses have fained that Orpheus drew Beasts to him through the sweetness of his voice that those who shunn'd the sight of men were easily brought over by his elevations and cadences that their wild and savage dispositions was forgotten by his melody and that by this kind of mirth and pleasure he made those creatures become familiar which he could no wayes reclaim by his address The Politiâ—ians acknowledging this secret and Learning by experience the efficacy and power of Pleasure have made use of it in all their designs by it they have kept the people in Obedience put a stop to Rebellion in States and Kingdome and have kept off those dangers that have threatned Ruine The Republique of Athens owes its conservation to the divertisments of her Poets and their playes have won them over more subjects then the happiness and success of their Arms. For combating with the peoples passions they have preâ—tily stollen into their minds duty with Pleasure the same scenes which have diverted them have taught them virtue and they have carryed away that from the Theater which they could never get from Philosophy The Lawyers who are so expert in their decisions and ought to know the properties of every thing to determine our differences accord with the sentiments of nature in saying that Man is alwayes inclined to Pleasure that the privation of it is sufficient to cause him to break his promises and that he may permissively fail in his word to a young Lady when sickness has spoilt the body and left a visible deformity upon the face It seems a shock to the inclinations of this common Parent that a man should be obliged to marry her who ceases to be delightful to him and that she should unjustly exact the continuation of his love when she has lost that attraction which begat it in him Almighty God who prescribes an end in all his Actions and who often makes known his designs by those circumstances that are attended upon them has given us this assurance that Pleasure to a Man is natural since he created him in a place of Delicacies and afforded him a Paradice for his first Habitation If we may credit the ancient Fathers in their Descriptions of it the Earth did never bring forth any thing more beautiful since all things that was there plac'd conspired to his felicity 'T was the very Mansion-house of all imaginable Charmes the retrait in which all Happyness was circumscribed and the inchanted Castle of the Poets The Fountains that gently fell from the small declining Hills the Streams which made their intricate but pretty meanders over the flourishing Meadows charm'd his ears with the delightful and purling noise of their Waters the Trees did charge themselves with Fruits for the pleasing of his taste all things he could look upon ravish'd his sight the Beasts were no less his Domestiques then his Slaves and as the former was the agreeable supporters of his life so these respected his orders and shew'd their Obedience to his commands All the Seasons were in a delicate confusion with the Spring the Cold did never freez up his members the Sun warm'd but had no power to burn him and the Stars were to surround him with their most Benign influences The Earth from whose bosom He receiv'd his being gave him a share of all her Treasures She covered her self with Flowers to be a delight to him and in her Verdant and Forrest Tapistry invited him to his repose and if at any time she took away any of her Beauties it was only to present him with a greater variety far more agreeble In a word Pleasure and Man are born together it is the end of all his Operations and he may be said to have obtain'd it when once he comes to enjoy it It would be needless for me to make use of other Arguments to enforce this truth and as it would be to no purpose to prove the fire heats the Earth is heavy and all the Starrs are incircled with light so it shall suffice me to say that Pleasure is common to all creatures that Man seeks it as his happiness that Nature diffused it in all her parts and that God himself did give him his creation in an Earthly Paradice for his assurance that it was natural to him But as no Maxim is so sollid as not to meet with its adversaries and that even those themselves who love the truth yet do sometimes persecute it they give out that this Sentiment is an enemy to Vertue that it shocks Modesty and is not to be defended without bringing Confusion into the World For if Volupty be natural to us and if we are permitted to follow its motions who will not presently cry out and think that we may lawfully commit Whoredoms without any punishment carry away our Neighbors Wives and make Marriages the occasion of our Libertinage and Sensuality This Objection he that speaks much to will be Impertinent to very little purpose Nature does not oppose her self to the Laws of God she abhorrs whatever he forbids and as all her Light springs from him she adores his Will and observes his Ordinances All that displeases him is an offence to her and He has never yet forbid any thing which she has not inspired into us an horror for and aversion to do it Does He detest the Adulterer She looks upon him as a Monster and gives all the Nations in the world an abhorrence of him If he makes Pleasures unlawful She condemns them likewise She persuades all her Children to fly from them and as she is Obedient she observes all the commands of her Soveraign The third Discourse That Good Honest and Profitable is inseperable from Pleasure AS Qualities have their Oppositions so have they likewise their Resemblances Logick which seperates their properties can never divide their Essence and they agree in Unity although they are composed of different Species The Mistery of the Trinity which Astonishes all Theologie and has made all Ages sweat about the discovery of it concludes in one and the same nature a Pluralitie of Persons the Father is not the Son and the Holy Spirit is
different from them both As they make diverse species their proprieties do no whit agree together the Passive Generation cannot be attributed to the Father nor the procession to the Son without confounding the power of the Father the wisdom of the Word and the love of the Holy Spirit Yet notwithstanding they are all Three reconciled in one and the same Divinity and the diversity of their Persons is no hindrance at all to the unity of their Nature What appears so difficult to the conception in Theology seems evident in the Morall The Good that is the object of it and which makes the Glory of all its instructions is expanded in all its branches its Division stands not in opposition to its Unity and if it makes use of different Names it neither changes Quality or Condition It is every way agreeable the Pleasure makes its principal difference and it never does attract the Mind before it has stirr'd it up by its surprising Charms Vtility which is as the soul of Polititians appears always under its habits and Philosophers are not such courtiers of Honesty but that they hope from it to receive Satisfaction But the better to mix this confusion we must observe that the Desire is continually under disquietudes that its violence keeps us in suspence and its Languishing does often equal the vigor of the most rigorous Distempers For it is as Shame-fac'd as it is Cruel and we ought to confess our Miseries as oft-times as we make any Wishes Nothing but their accomplishment can afford us satisfaction and put us into a Sedate and quiet temper Indeed we swim in Pleasure when our desires change into Effects when we possess whatsoever we did propose for our Content and when we see our Fears vanished and our Hopes established But this Joy is of no longer a continuance then whilst we are ingaged in the search of a Good It lessens it self by its possession and we cease to be satisfied and contented as soon as we see our greedy desires in repose and our ambitions have their satisfaction He who to secure himself from Poverty passes the Seas despises dangers finds out Lands Incognito with the hazard both of his Safety and his Life and all to get him Riches is no longer affected with the pleasure of them then whilst he is heaping them up and as the profitable Gain does charm his Travels so is his delight of them lost and gone as soon as they are loâ—k'd up in his Coffers He languishes after the Treasures he has not and disregards what are in his own possession and only those good things which he hopes for can give his Thoughts contentment The Ambitious Man is as much unhappy as him that is Covetous for when he is sweating with the pains he takes to get himself Honors imploying the credit of his Friends hat so he may come to be above them and often taking on him an undecent humility that at last he may arrive at some Eminency in the World the Glory only then appears delightful to him when he beholds it as the recompence of all his Labors and Humiliations But no sooner are his desires accomplish'd and he has made his Inferiors of his Equals but he languishes in the midst of his Honors he only regards those that are yet wanting to him and being push'd on by the inquietude of his desires he does acknowledg no other happiness then that which promises him the Dignity and Preferment he earnestly thirsts for What is the joy of a Philosopher when he is become conqueror of his Passions and master of those slaves that would oppress his Liberty he does no violence to himself but such as gives him Pleasure all his pains are agreeable to him and he reckons all his Combats happy ones since they lead him unto Victory But has he excluded Vice from his breast is the object of his affection become that of his hate and has he subjected that which before did Tyrannize over him His vertue is forsaking him his pleasures dwindle and he must combat with new Difficulties if he would procure to himself Delights This Principle granted it is no hard task to prove that honesty and Profit are in affinity with Pleasure and it is only she that ingages us in their pursuit For the profitable good is not disireable only for its self sake since that the possession of it is Sterile and gives no satisfaction to those who are once made masters of it It must be Pleasure that moves them to it representing it under a form that is agreeable and appearing beautiful as well as profitable to make one be in love with it Eating which is so necessary to Man is ever follow'd with pleasure and I doubt whether we should be at the trouble of self-preservation if we were not invited to it by the contentment as well as by the necessity Riches which are made the Divinities of the world and which most Men idolize would be in little esteem amongst us if they did not discover the pleasures they give to those that have them ayeâ— and flatter them with an assured Felicity For they display all that possibly can make them divertive they show them stately Structures rich Habits Tables spread with all the varieties capable to please their Tast advanâ—agious Marriages and a vast retinue of Servants who attend their Persons and observe their Commands All this Pompous Gayety ravishes their Affections and makes them without any Difficulty consecrate their cares and diligence in the Acquest of those goods which promises them so many advantages 'T is true the seeking of that good we call Honest is more pure it is not beholding to strange â—avors to satisfie its Lovers and it is to do an injury to its Merit to desire any thing above its self But yet it ceases not to have its Charms as well as Profit it is the Glory as well as the Ornament of those who possess it all Mankind has a Reverence for it and as it has the Wicked for its admires so all good Men too load it with their Panegyricks Honor is its Appanage and portion all persons that regard it give it their praises and those spectators must become enemies to it that can refuse it this recompence Knowledg which is one part of it does it not create a bundance of delight and pleasure in the Learned And can they mount up into the Heavens make a discovery of the Stars sound Nature and penetrate into the Abysms of the Earth without a transport As she is the light of our Understanding she with it infuses joy into our Souls exalts us above our self and without ever changing our condition the seems to make us pass out of darkness into light from a Prison unto Freedom and from Death to Life None but those who are ignorant can question this truth and who having never been exempted from the phlegmy conceits of their dull and gross bodies are not sensible of its Sweetness and
leads us to Felicity Our Repose begins from its contempt and we derive our Pleasure and Contentment from having obtained a preheminence over an enemy that triumphs over Victors and Conquerors The Second Discourse That the sufferings of Martyrs are mingled with abundance both of Profit and Pleasure THose that are Idolizers of their bodies and think they offend a Divinity when they do any thing to hurt them cannot be persuaded that Parricide can be innocent among Christians that a Man may lawfully conspire against his own person and expose his life for the glory of his Creator They condemn all those of Simplicity and Folly who render themselves up to this Generous Passion and who abandon themselves to Executioners upon the hopes of Recompence What say they is God become a Tyrant since he has sent his Son upon the Earth has he who has Saved us now a design to Destroy us and will he have us dye because he has given us our lives he suffered for all Men his Death procures their Happiness and we but unprofitably aspire to be Martyrs since he has expiated upon the Cross all our Offences by the sacrifice of himself God is not delighted with Cruelty he refuses the blood of Bulls and Goats and he is satisfyed when he finds Repentance in our hearts and hears his Praises in our mouths These Reasons though they have some semblance of Truth only content base and abject Spirits who have a horror for all things that may incommode them and who reject the Martyr because they know not his advantages and his pleasure But those brought up in the school of the Son of God know that Martyrdom is a favor and not a cruelty that if he is bleeding yet he is dutiful that he comes to help our weaknesses that he wounds us but to heal us and that he does not give us death but to lead us to a life of Immortality Tyrants are the Ministers of Heaven the blood they draw from our Veins open to us the Gates thereof and makes us enter into it with violence Also God proposes Martyrdom to us under the name of a Combat that so we may vanquish the Demon that has overcome us beat down him that has defeated us and cause Glory to succeed Infamy and Servitude Vertue is the Dispensatrix of Honor she distinguishes the orders of the Happy seperates the Widdows from the Virgins and establishes the Martyrs in a throne above the Confessors But where should be this diversity if there was an equality of Merits in Heaven and how would these Starrs differ between themselves if they had all one and the same beauty and lustre Preference is the mark of Merit not to be obtain'd but by Force and Sufferings Life must be despised here on earth if we will pretend to injoy an honorable place in Heaven So that Martyrdom is an ingenious Tyrant that kills us to save us and an innocent Crime that o'rwhelms us with Confusion to crown us with Glory If we will believe Tertullian it is an obliging Cruelty that tears away our life to give it us again that despoils us to make us Rich and that making us to be the imitators of the Son of God assures us to have a part in his felicity In short Tyrants rather deserve the name of Benefactors then Enemies since they oblige in persecuting us and it is more for our advantage to have their hatred then their kindness and their promises For all the cruelty they can invent conspires to our happiness Torments stifle our Passions flames kindle our Charity their rage is the beginning of our Merit and carries us up to Heaven to receive its recompence From thence it is that we call the passion of Martyrs their birth-day because it ingenders them to Life in engaging them to Death and causes them to begin an Eternity in ending their miserable life But that which still he igntens the glory of Martyrs and renders their death more Illustrious is that they seem to add a perfection to the passion of Jesus Christ and to end what he begun on the Cross St. Paul presum'd to boast of this honor he was assur'd that his afflictions were the accomplishment of his torment and that his dejections and his miseries deriv'd their Elogies from his sufferings He knew his actions were valuable only from the motives that begat them that his passion might dispute preheminence with his since the cause of it was more Noble and Lofty St. Paul suffred for Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ suff'red but for the World St. Paul was persecuted for his Saviorus sake but the Son of God indur'd death for the sake of Rebels St. Paul combated for the glory of his Master and Jesus Christ was expos'd to infamy and death to give liberty to Slaves Tertullian likewise whose Sentences are so Pompous and weighty has said the passions of Martyrs might be desir'd by those in Bliss that the Son of God might wish for them in Heaven and that their wounds were capable of making him jealous if he was susceptible of this passion Then if Sufferings are so advantagious to Martyrs they are not sure less agreeable to them if they exercise their Courages they charm their Wills and if they cause paâ—n and anguish in their Bodies they fill their Souls with delights and pleasures They rejoyce in the midst of Torments because they rest upon their Soveraign's word whom they know is as true as he is powerful and that he who is a spectator of their combat will be the glory and recompence of it They know that what they indure is nothing comparatively to what they hope for that their Pain is short and their happiness will be Eternal that their torments are not of many moments continuance and the reward they look for will be more lasting then all the Ages yet to come This hope relives their Courage charms their Griefs confirms their Constancy and renders them Victorious in the midst of all their afflictions This pleasure then must needs be mighty since it works such strange Effects and makes these Champions contemn all the sentiments of Nature For as if Pleasure had inchanted their minds they still are preferring Infamy to Honor they go into Prisons as into places of safety they receive Stripes as favors they are thankful to those Executioners that tear them in pieces lye down on burning Coals as on beds of Roses and with joy they suffer the plucking out of their Eyes cutting off their Arms and the distilling of their Bodies drop by drop upon flaming Coals The grace that works all these Miracles is a charm that elevates their minds increases the strength excites their courage and causes them without Pain to triumph over the cruelties of their Tormentors over the malice of Demons and over the extremity of their Tortures Though the quality of a Martyr be so Illustrious and that Almighty God hath reserv'd it for these Heroes whom he has brought