ers: But then God Almighty, by his Providence, frequently interpofes, that more of them fhall fall in one Place than in another, to punish Mankind for their Faults, and this is a Jurifdiction, which God continually keeps over Nature, for the Government of the World; or elfe Nature would be God, and not he, and Men would not have that Dependence upon him which they ought. Now the Exercife of this Jurifdiction cannot be called properly a Miracle. For a Miracle is a violent Perturbation of the Laws of Nature, a wonderful and uncommon Superfeding of them, as when Fire is made not to burn, or Iron to fwim in the Water; but this providential Interpofition is a gentle leading and direction of Nature, in a Courfe not much different from her fettled Laws, is ordinary and frequent, and fo not generally admired. Nature it felf is all originally miraculous, and owing to a Divine Power, but by being frequently vifible, is not fo furprifing; and this Law of providential Interpofition is as much God's Natural Law in governing the World, as the others are in preferving it. 'Tis to this Interpofition of Divine Providence, that Chriftians in their Prayers appeal; and this is more rational and agreeable to the Wisdom and Goodnefs of God, and the humble Dependence of a Creature, than any other fanciful Schemes of a Phyfical Predetermination, or an Atheiftical Fatality.

14. Nor do we pray to God, as thinking thereby to Christians weary him out by importunate Solicitations, or to give think not to him a Knowledge of our Wants, &c. but we ask because weary God he has commanded us, and upon our fo doing, has told by Prayer. us we shall receive, And there is the fame Reafon, why God fhould require Prayer of us, as he should do any other Moral Duty; becaufe this makes us better Men. The frequent Returns of this Duty calls us off from the Confideration of worldly Things, and put us upon the Meditation of the Divine Nature, his Wifdom, Juftice and Goodness; to the end, that by frequently contemplating them, we may imitate thofe adorable Perfections. And the doing this every Day, will much more influence Hh 4 a Man's

Nor to flatter him by Thankfiying.

a Man's Mind, than now and then a little philofophick Talk about them. This will give Men a firm Reliance upon God's Goodnefs, which the fluctuating Thoughts of all Sorts of Infidels, do in vain with for; this will excite in our Souls fuch a new Principle of Grace, as fhall enable us to conquer a corrupt Nature, and to defpife the World; this will enable us to love God with the most ardent Affection, and by Degrees will fit and prepare us for another more fpiritual Life.

5. Befides, you are guilty of another Mistake, when you think that we Chriftians put up our Thanksgivings to God, out of Opinion, that God has a fond liking to hear himself commended by us. This is a wanton Way you have got of reprefenting Matters odioufly; by which falfe Light you put a Fallacy upon your felf, making things at first look ridiculous, and then never afterwards examining them. But what intelligent Chriftian, I pray, had ever this Notion of Praise; we praise God, both because he has commanded this Tribute from us, and because it is à Moral Duty, and highly reasonable so to do; and not becaufe we think to flatter him by it. If Gratitude be a Duty to God, Praife is fo; and if we are obliged to think of God's Favours, we ought to fpeak of them. For in fuck Cafes Words do naturally follow our Thoughts, and when Men's Hearts are enlarged by a deep Senfe of a noble Benefit, their Words will fpeak their inward Joy. And what Reason is there, that there fhould not be as great an Indication of our Gratitude towards God, as there is towards Men? Grateful Thoughts alone tranfitorily pafs off from the Mind, but Words make them ftay longer upon it, and help to fix them there. A bare Meditation on God's Benefits is oftentimes cold and flat, whilst a vocal Praife is always accompanied with Warmth and Vigour, and a noble Elevation of the Soul. When a Man thinks only of God's Goodnels, his Thoughts go no farther than himself, but in Oral Thanksgivings we invite others to an equal Praifé, and excite that Gratitude in other Men's Minds, which our Hearts abound with. Ah! dear Friend, never let your ill Principles lead you to

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run down thefe Duties of Prayer and Thanksgiving, which are the only Stay of Happiness which Mankind has in this World; without these he is an elated Fool in Profperity, and a miferable dejected Wretch in Adverfity; he has no Hope of Pardon, and no Expectation of Reward: Quit not this Hold, whatever you do, and pray to God for his Grace and Favour to enlighten your Mind, even whilft you are an Unbeliever; and if to this you join your car neft Endeavours to be fatisfied in your Doubts, God may give you Grace to believe and practice that Holy Religi on, which you now fo much defpife. But have a care of totally abandoning the Worship of God, for then you can have no pretence to his Favour; and, tho' you were willing, I am afraid, you will never be able to be a Believer.

envy

Phil. Your warm Difcourfe makes me a little ferious, the Hap much very and I must needs own that I pinefs which good Chriftians receive, in their Devotions and Dependence upon God; but I have long been used to a more rational and philofophick Way. However your Arguments feem to carry Weight with them, and your Advice is good; and I'll affure you I will give them But in the mean while, I both a juft Confideration. will proceed to fome other Duty, which Chriftianity en joins; and which I have Exceptions to.

Now you Chriftians profefs a Virtue, which you ca Mortification, thereby pretending to abridge your felves of fome very innocent Pleasures: But methinks this is perfect fuperftitious Folly. For God Almighty gave us thefe good Things to enjoy them, and I think we are Coxcombs if we do not. Indeed we ought not to profecute our Satisfactions by Injuftice, or to purchase our Pleafure, at the Expence of anothér Man's Grief; but what reafon is there, why a Man fhould not be as happy as he can, when he does no Body any harm? I do not contend, that a Man fhöuld become a Beaft for Pleafure; but, when God has provided for us like Gentlemen, why hould we live like Mönks?

Cred

Mortification area fonable Duty.

Cred. You very much mistake the Chriftian Duty of Mortification, in thinking it to be an unreasonable Injunction. For there is nothing commanded of this Nature in the Gofpel, but what is agreeable to the justest Reafon For, when we are commanded by our Saviour, in the Jewish Phrase, to pluck out our Eye, and cut off our Hand that offends us; that is, to tear away from our Souls the most darling Affection which may occafion us to fin; or when the Apostles tells us, 'tis our Duty to crucify the Flesh with the Affections and Lufts; there is nothing in these Injunctions, but what unprejudiced Reafon will agree to. Every one must own, that 'tis our Duty, to arrive at as great a Pitch of Virtue as we can, or however to avoid every known Sin; now, without Mortification and Selfdenial, to do this is hardly poffible, Our Paffions are head-ftrong Things, and are not to be governed, by only denying them unlawful Enjoyments; if we gratify them to the height, in all they may innocently enjoy, they will quickly crave what is noxious. A Man, that never denies himself an indifferent thing, when Temptations are ftrong, knows not how to deny himself a bad one. Therefore all the Parts of Mortification and Self-denial, are very reasonable and ufeful, to make a Habit of Virtue more eafy to us, and to arrive to a more exalted Degree of it. Do you your felf be Judge, if a Man fhall not be more perfect in the Duty of Temperance, that is very Sparing in the use of strong Drinks, than one that takes care only not to drink them quite fo long, till his Rea fon be infatuated by them. The first keeps fuch a wide Distance from Intemperance, that there is no fear of falling into it, but the other walks fo near the Brink of the Precipice, that a thousand Accidents may make him mifcarry. Is not a Man farther removed from the Sin of Gluttony, lefs liable to impure Thoughts, and better qualified for ferious Study, religious Exercifes and Devotion, that eats always fparingly and frequently intermits his ordinary Meals, than one that eats every Day to Repletion? Is not a Man lefs liable to fall into unlawful Anger, that checks this Paffion upon the justest Occca

fions, that accuftoms himfelf to a calm and fober Way of Converfation, and has learn'd to bear the greateft Indignities with a Spirit of Meeknefs; than one, that fuffers his Mind to be ruffled with this Paffion, upon every little petty Offence? Nay, even corporal Severities, if they be not cruel or fanciful, or done with a Design of Satisfaction, or fuperftitioufly, may have their ufe to wean and deter Men from Sin, and ftrengthen them in a Habit of Virtue.

Phil. Another Fault I find with the Chriftian Religion, is for forbidding Polygamy or Concubinage. For what reafon is there, that this Religion fhould deny Mankind that Right, which they claimed in the Patriarchal Times, and under the Law? If it was unlawful or Inconvenient then, why did God allow it? Or if he faw any Inconvenience in it in latter Times, he might as well have forefeen it many Ages before. So that 'tis plain, by God's allowing it to the Patriarchs, and by the general Practice of the World, Mankind has a Right to this Privilege; and therefore 'tis an unjuft Ufurpation upon their Liberties, in your new Religion, to abridge them of it. Befides, Nature it felf condemns this Prohibition, by making Men more prolifick than Women; for a Man may have an hundred, but a Woman can feldom have above a dozen Children; a Woman is fterile before the is fifty Years old, whilft Men retain their Fecundity, oftentimes, to the Extremity of old Age. To fay nothing of the Decay of the Beauty and Gracefulness of the other Sex fooner than of ours; by which Nature does, as it were, fhew, that it is Time they should be laid afide, when they become unagreeable. Therefore for a Man to be clogged for his whole Life-time, to one Woman, upon thefe extraordinary Disparities, is unreasonable. But, if your Chriftian Legiflators would fuffer us to manage Matters, we would contrive a Way to make Matrimony a very pleasant thing, to increase the Breed of Mankind, and to people the World fafter.

Cred. Pray, good Philologus, let us have no more of this lewd Reafoning, which is fit only for the Rakes of the Town,