The moralist, or, A satyr upon the sects shewing some disputing passages by way of dialogue, between a well-principled lay-man, and a professor of theology : with reflections upon some modern writings and actions, particularly the late absconding of a certain B--- / by the author of the Weesils. Brown, Thomas, 1663-1704. 1691 Approx. 37 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A29781 Wing B5063 ESTC R6855 11617643 ocm 11617643 47913 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A29781) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 47913) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 484:17) The moralist, or, A satyr upon the sects shewing some disputing passages by way of dialogue, between a well-principled lay-man, and a professor of theology : with reflections upon some modern writings and actions, particularly the late absconding of a certain B--- / by the author of the Weesils. Brown, Thomas, 1663-1704. [4], 20 p. ; 20 cm. [s.n.], London : 1691. The Weesils, an attack on Dr. Sherlock, was by Thomas Brown. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng 2004-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-01 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-02 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2004-02 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE MORALIST : OR , A SATYR UPON THE SECTS . SHEWING Some Disputing Passages by way of DIALOGUE , between a Well-Principled LAY-MAN , and a Professor of THEOLOGY . With Reflections upon some Modern Writings and Actions , particularly the late Absconding of a certain B — . By the Author of the Weesils . LONDON , Printed in the Year , MDCXCI . THE MORALIST . The Argument of the First Section . The Pastor proves his Case is good , The Reasons much too strong to fall ; The Moralist declares they should Be plainer shown , or not at all . SECTION 1. Pastor . OF all good works that tend to Heavenly Rest , And Peace of Souls , Instruction is the best : And Writing was by Providence design'd , That Blessing to distribute to Mankind . Thus none of Ignorance can fairly plead , Since those that cannot hear the Truth , may read ; And if in Childhood are in Letters learn'd , The Law 's so plain it needs must be discern'd . Mor. The Laws of Truth we know should all be plain , No Impious Fallacy disturb the Brain ; But be in th' Bosom of the Priesthood worn Naked and Innocent , as Babes new born . Church-Writers should be Just too in their Station , And Virtue teach without Prevarication . The Golden Robe ne're should for pompous show , But Sacrisice , before the Altar Bow ; Pride should be routed , Avarice expell'd , Symony scorn'd , and Lust of Greatness kill'd : And when all this your Work Divine we see , You may pretend t' Instruct the World and Me. Pastor . Earths dazling Joys , alas , your Reason blinds , Instruction is not proper for all Minds . Thistles and Weeds upon the Soyl are grown , Your Garden must be dug before 't is sown . You , that with shallow Sophistry withstood Those Tenets I late offer'd for your good , Can never of much Fertile Judgment boast , And so by consequence Instruction's lost ; My Reasons else had satisfied your doubt : Moral . What Sir , before you make your Reasons out ? The World was ill-contented with your first , And to attone , your second are your worst . Thus you , like Horses floundring in the Mire , By strugling are less able to retire : For till your Reasons can to Magick rise , Our Understandings Charm , and Seal our Eyes ; Till by your Art you can our Senses win , To think all Dreams that we have heard and seen , Some wise Observers will ( you need not doubt ) Detect , and make your Contradictions out . Past. Those Contradictions which you think extream , Were only Doctrins on a different Theme , Which Duty , and a tender Conscience too , Oblig'd me at their different times to do . Thus tho in former days the Theme was plain , 'T is wisely alter'd in the present Raign . Allegiance now must guide us what to do , Moral . So Reason then must not be Reason now ; Because the Heavens have sent another K — The Church of England is not the same thing , But must her Tenets change in every Case , To get her Son a Title , and a Place : This is your Theme , your Zeal too springs from hence , More than your great Allegiance to your Prince . Past. You might an Inference more Just have chose , Nor ought to draw Conclusions from Suppose , Which since all false — an obvious proof must be , Of your absurd defect in Loyalty . Did you your Monarch's Cause and Country's take , You 'd then believe I swore for Conscience-sake . Moral . No more than I believe at the Church-door , All that is gather'd , given to the Poor . And yet with humble heart , and Soul sincere , The Easie Yoke I , of Subjection wear . Still wish our Soveraign's Glory more sublime , And that his happy days may out-last Time. My Country too I wish a happy Chance , And to Crown all , a Conquest over France . Nor do I in despite , or mov'd with Spleen , Against your Reverend Order use my Pen ; In base Contempt , or as by Hell inspir'd , To make your Sacred Function less admir'd ; But only Rally what I read of late , And which you since so weakly vindicate . And as it is your Province to Expose , And Swinge our Vices with Spiritual Blows : To lash the Atheist for his Non adoring , And the whole Town for Drinking and for Whoring . So where I find a Hypocrite in Black , That does not his own Preaching Councel take , Neglecting Duty , Idly wast the day Amongst the Sons of Vice in Wine and Play ; Or if I find out one that in pretence Of Doctrin , shall Impose upon my Sense ; Help'd by Fallacious Arguments , make out Things that are false , and leave my Soul in doubt ; Affirm sound Systems of Divinity , And e're three years are past the same deny ; Only to such its Rage my Satyr shows , To all the rest with humblest Duty bows . Past. Through the thin Veil of your Discourse I see , That you particularly aim at me . My Conscience is the Butt at which you shoot , And my late Writings urge you to Dispute : Possest with Malice which the Crowd does sway , You Cry me down before my Cause you weigh . My Reasons else could vanquish any one , Moral . Your Reasons , what ? for Writing Pro and Con ? For altering former Scrolls in later days , And Preaching on one Text two different ways ? These are the Reasons that you shou'd have shown , And not for Swearing , that 's already known . Past. My Vindication then you think a fault ; Moral . Faith it 's so dull , it is not worth my thought . You by the Town were counted weak before , For giving any Reasons why you Swore . And whosoe're bad Reasons worse de●ends , Rather than gain , does often lose his Friends . Past. Did you find nothing there that could surprize ? Moral . Yes , twenty Thousand strong Tautologies , To make the Treatise swell to twelve pence price . The Convocation-Book to Atoms torn , The Case 'twixt Princes made , and Princes born ; With Jaddus , Jehu , Joash , Athaliah ; Extend the utmost Bounds of your Sophia . Past. What you think Sophistry in my Intent , Is proper to the Rules of Argument : For if we History should cease to quote , To vindicate the passages we wrote : Our Propositions would be ne're approv'd , And less the Reader 's Understanding mov'd . Moral . For all your quoting and industrious pain , I find your Writing not a Jot more plain ; Unless you would our Approbations raise , For Torturing one poor word ten Thousand ways : As lately you have us'd the Convocation , Past. That Secret should be publick to the Nation . That more than Sacred Book first made me Wise , Reliev'd my Conscience , and unseal'd my Eyes ; Inform'd my Soul what I before ne're heard , And taught my Feet the Path to be preferr'd : Instructed , and with Influence Divine , From Fortune's Ills secur'd both me and mine . This caus'd my Reverence of it , besides Fames Extollment , and the Credit of King J — . Who took peculiar Notice of the matter , As I have quoted from the * Observator . From which fam'd piece my first good hint did come ; Moral . You might as well have had it from Tom Thumb . Past. Thus when ill Arguers in Topics fail , The humour turns , and they begin to Rail . Moral . No , I can rather laugh at what you say , And your quotation with derision pay . He that can slip so many Authors o're , So fam'd for Controversies learned Power ; Who Reason to her highest Throne do lift , To stoop so low and make so poor a sbift : As well may Scribble in the second place , The Legend of the Scots from Chevy-Chase ; Or through the World the business of each State , From the mean trifling heads of a Gazett . Past. Your Criticisms I oft have weigh'd before , But can have patience ; pray go on , what more ? Mor. The next that from my Spleen did Laughter draw , Is your Ridiculous Jargon about Law ; As for Example , Legal powers declare , That powers with Law-concurring Legal are : But then there are strange different kinds of Law , Which not confirm'd , whoever Legal saw : And when we speak of Law and Legal Powers , Unless we know what Law that Law assures . We never shall from thence Conclusions draw , Nor Judge of Legal powers from powerful Law. Past. As you have made i● , 't is strange Stuff indeed , You 've quite exchang'd my Flower , and brought a Weed . Mor. If with this Sense you think to baffle ours , And your Tautologies must pass for Flowers , ' Take this as from a Friend , where e're they grew , T is the worst Nose-gay e're deck'd your Pew . Past. True Controversie in each Line appears , And every Paragraph sound Judgment bears . There are more Notions then the Case does need ; Mor. 'T is true , much more then any one will read : Unless he 'll sit six hours to doze and pore , And be as Wise just as he was before . For in Opinion almost all the Nation Agree , it ne're was Writ for Confutation ; But for the Profit as the Sale begins , To make your Court , and treat your Spouse with Pins . Past. Your Railery turns Spite and Nonsense now , That I can Argue , all the Town allow . And tho my Logick bears too deep a Sense , It will Confound , if it can ne're Convince : Dispute's a Gem to which I 've long pretended , Mor. Defending too , what cannot be defended , Is equally your Talent ; for let him That e're had Sense and Reason in Esteem Turn o're the Pages , and observe each place , 'Twixt your ALLEGIANCE and RESISTANCE-Case . And let me be the Idiot of the Nation , If e're he thinks 't is fit for Vindication . Past. Always one Tone is an ungrateful hearing . Mor. T is this I strike at , I ne're mind your Swearing . Past. Already I have stated plain my Case , I wrote according to the Time's Distress ; Perhaps my Judgment was erroneous too . Mor. Right , and perhaps it is erroneous now : Our Souls mean while are in a happy Station , To fix on what you preach for our Salvation ; The Canons of our Church too well are known , Tenets and Methods are too plain set down , To cause Mistakes in a fair shiny Day In him , who long has travell'd the same way ; And if base Int'rest like a Cloud comes on To shade that Light which like a Planet shone : The Case is obvious , and must be thought Not as the Doctrin's , but the Doctor 's Fault . Past. Self-preservation the great Law of Nature , Gives us a fair Excuse upon this matter , Which at all Seasons will not let us do , Nor write the things we yet confess are true . Moral . How much beyond you were the Ancients then ; When th' Sacred Priesthood , those Immortal Men , Rather than from their pious Morals swerve , Would die a thousand Deaths , burn , hang and starve , Firm Conscience trusting in their great Creator , Thought preservation the worst Law of Nature ; But some of you think to attone for sins , You must your selves indulge , and save your Skins : Let 's please our selves , ye cry , whilst we 're alive , T is our best Moral to submit and Thrive . Past. Tho 'mongst the famous Ancients some there were That did their Martyrdom with Glory bear ; Tho some disdain'd a King or Conquerors Frown , Others there were that did Allegiance own , And like me to submit , themselves dispose , When e're they found 't was senseless to oppose . So Jaddus in his Pontisicial Robe , The Conqueror having half subdu'd the Globe , His Glittering Mitre veil'd , and Homage paid , Nor more his late unhappy Prince obey'd ; But Worship gave , as all the rest had done , Like a true Persian to the Rising Sun. Mor. Tho with the Brave that gain'd but small esteem , The Case is somewhat more excus'd in him ; Since in a Vision at his time of Need Th' Almighty told him how he should proceed : Sacred Decree ! the Action did allow , And Providence in Whispers taught him how , From whose Commands Obedience right he knew . Did any Saint descend to whisper you ? Past. Tho Angels mix not with our human Life , Yet I had Whispers too . Mor. From whom ? Past. My Wife ; Sweet as when Beauty did at first appear , A Thousand Charms were sounding in my Ear ; Her close Endearments all my Senses fir'd . Her Tongue , her Touch , her every part inspir'd ; Nor Could I cease , but must in Judgment joyn , Crying , ah Love , my Sense and Soul is thine ! Mor. And so this Fondness and uxorious Passion Produc'd your Reasons first , then Vindication : Hot Blood in Nonage of our Time may rage , But should methinks be calmer at your Age ; For sure a Man of Learning and of Wit , That had been bred at wise Gamaliel's Feet , Should well have weigh'd the Censure of the Town Oh his first Error , e're a second shown ; And not in tedious Prose unprofitable , Fit only to amuse and dose the Rabble ; Publish a Jest to all the Men of Sense , And ban●●● those it never can convince . The wise Theologist half angry now , Was answering sharply , when the Maid below Inform'd him in the Room that 's next the Street Rogers staid for him to correct a Sheet ; The Bus'ness of Importance well he knew , And from his teizing Disputant withdrew : But how the rest o' th' the Argument went on , In the next Section shall at large be shown . The End of the First Section . THE MORALIST . The Argument of the Second Section . The Pastor whips the Vicious Age , And to a pious Life directs ; The Moralist diverts his Rage , And th' Errors blames of differing Sects . SECTION II. AND now the Disputant with speed return'd , Whilst Glowing Rage within his Bosom burn'd , Which tho he stifled to appear more wise , The strugling Flame yet sparkled through his Eyes ; Perplex'd to see his blunt Antagonist Against him thus in Argument persist ; And now perceiving that he had mistook The Text , in Vindication of his Book , Thought it the wisest way to shift the Scene , And tune his Mazor on another Strain , T' attack his Opposite ; and thus begins To discipline with pious Rage his Sins . Past. In coveting the Name of Moralist , Your mean Thoughts of the Priesthood is express'd , Partly through Ignorance , and partly Pride , Your own Opinion excels all beside ; And tho' 't is rather Atheistical , Then tends to true Morality at all , Since you usurp that Title for no Cause But thoughts that in our Doctrin you find Flaws , Which though is as erroneous as your Sense , And th' Wise or Pious never can convince ; Yet the bare Name you think will win the day , And the weak Judgment of the Vulgar sway , Whilst the mean time 't is only a Disguise , To cover ( to the Church ) your prejudice . Mor. You vainly now your Breath in Error waste , I have no Prejudice , tho some distaste , Receiv'd from some Opinions lately found , Whence I perceive you daily losing Ground : To stick to Morals then most safe must be , When Pastors Juggle with Divinity . Past. What you call Jugling is no worse Offence , Then that our Doctrin does not suit your Sense ; Vice in your depraved Hearts so rooted is , That even despairing of Eternal Bliss : To carp at Trifles you take each occasion , And th' only Reason is your Reprobation ; And tho upon a Title you insist , And guild the Atheist with the Moralist ; Were your Offences throughly understood , I doubt there 's little Room for Moral Good. Mor. Kind Charity becomes a Churchman still . Past. And too much , gives Encouragement to ill ; 'T is oft our Charity that whets your spite , And makes you think that we our Duty slight ; Unhappy Times ! When such as scarce are fit to be call'd Men , Brutish , and grown degenerate with sin , So learn'd in all Hell's Catalogue of Ills , That no new Mischief can corrupt their Wills , Should purge our Souls , and teach the Priesthood Grace , When in their own no goodness e're took place , And if I said were Reprobate , 't is true . Mor. And Reprobate they may be still for you , Conversion lately takes so slow a course , They have no Will , and what you teach no , Force ; The Fault is somewhere , you are learn'd and wise , Your Cause so good it cannot want Disguise , General your Knowledg , and your Method rare , And have the Knack of Preaching to a Hair ; And yet 't is thought by more than half the Nation , That you have lately lost some Reputation . Past. Some few ill-wishers to the Government , That shew their Spite . Mor. No , something else is meant ; Their common Interest that Thought controwls , It must be something that concerns their Souls . Past. The Care of Souls claim'd my serenest Thought , Whom with my utmost Skill and Sense I taught ; Nor surely was my Labour ill bestow'd , Since to Salvation is one common road , Where when Morality does trudge along , Faith and good Works can never guide us wrong ; This daily was my Theme , this still I teach , This Text with Candor and good Conscience Preach , And by this Tenet all that err convince . Mor. But will you hold this Tenet three years hence ? If Heaven thought fit to make a Change again , Would you not waver in another Reign ? As late you have ( 't is thought ) from th' Churches Rules , For Interest sake , and to confirm us Fools , Who to your Principles did Altars raise , And eccho'd what you taught in former days . Past. My Judgment in the Function of a Priest Takes off desire of Worldly Interest ; A simple plainness , and a Soul sincere In my Converse and well-spent Life appear ; The Vulgar talk indeed of my great hopes , Of Myter'd Crowns and Pontificial Copes , As if my best Celestial Thoughts could prize The gilded Trash of sublunary Joys ; But dimly do their Eyes my Heart behold , Or see my scorn of Wealth , my hate of Gold ; And till my Pen has fix'd me in this state , 'T is vile to say it does prevaricate ; Let me the Honour , e're they rail , receive , When it does happen I can give 'em leave . Mor. 'T is thought indeed you aim at Dignity . Past. Meer spight , I find your Aim is not at me Alone , but at our whole Fraternity . Mor. You know I have denied that once before , My Satyr Lashes none because they swore , But as I sound base Gain their Senses lead , For that convine'd , more than the Book you read ; The Sacred Sons of true Divinity Untouch'd , shall always be rever'd by me ; But where I with a pamper'd Dielate meet , Contriving Treason without fear or Wit , That to promote Rebellion shall be drawn , And in the Nations Ruin stain his Lawn ; That shall pretend the Apostles to succeed , Yet follow 'em in no one vertuous Deed , In Prayer unweildy , and too fat to Preach , Neglect his Function Politicks to teach , State-Butcher turn , endeavouring all he could His hapless Country to involve in Blood. A Reverend Hypocrite , whose Sighs and Tears , Staining the Awful Sacred Robe he wears , As Perjur'd Sinon the Trojans did of Old , Poys'ning the Crowd with hopes of Fame and Gold , Shall wish his Country to a Tyrant sold. When such a Sanctity in Masqacrade Is found , and to the Nation publick made , The Ephod , and the Sattin , ●hat before Adorn'd the Fiend , shall be in pieces tore ; Whilst o're his Head its lash the Satyr rears , And th' abus'd Crosier breaks about his Ears . Pastor . Where such you find , your worst abuse is right . Moral . Or where I see a Canti●● , Hypocrite , With whites of Eyes turn'd up , and s●eaking Tone , Haing and Humming like a Bag-pipe Drone , That Nonsence shall for three long Hours rehearse , And Divine Worship turn into a Farce . That shall like B — gis in the Pulpit say , Where are my Pretty Ladies all to day ; In Bed I warrant , Sluggards as they are ; Oh fie upon 't , would I were with 'em there , I 'd read a Lecture should their Zeal renew , And make them mind the Church more than they do . Then round the Room , his Gogling Eye-balls throw , Whilst stiff Devotion warms him from below . Monsters like this who can forbear to hate , Or if I sind 'em meddling in the State , And steepled Churches to their Tribe run down ; Because the Houses were they Cant have none : Offend true Doctrine with malicious Harm , And rail at Orthodox religious Form ; Contemn the Law , and the Church Liturgy Call by the hated Name of Popery , And by the Curse of stubborn Will increase Vile Faction , and disturb the publick Peace , Till Ruine does their Native Land o'reflow , And private Fewds ingenders common Woe ; On such as these the Lash should reach the Blood. Past. 'T is equal Reason , and I own it should . Moral . Or if I see a Crew of sullen Brutes , In Wisdom Idiots , and in Action Mutes ; That ne're can vent Abhorrency of Sin , Till the Spirit first is conjur'd from within ; But being mov'd with horrid Tone shall gabble , And with incongruous stuff amuse the Rabble ; For simple plainness greedy to be priz'd , Tho nothing else but Villany disguis'd , And sneaking Phiz by Nature stigmatiz'd . For should Court Honour send her proud command , Or Profit beckon with her golden Hand ; The groaning Saint straightway a Fiend appears , And Hells broad Mark upon his Forehead wears , Almighty Gain his Reason does trapan , Gain charms both inward and the outward man ; And Honesty is always valued best , When most concurring with their Interest : Interest the supream Blessing of their Souls , That even the Joys of Providence controuls , Provokes the Spirit , rarifies the Sence , Enlightens some , and others does convince ; For this they cheat , lye , snuffle , pray and cant , This hour act Belial , and the next a Saint ; To lash this Tribe Heaven does my Muse inspire , And moral Justice knots the VVhip with VVire ; For tho Religion is sincere and plain , Their comick Methods are absurd and vain . Past. All this is right , and Praises should belong To such sound Truths , if from another Tongue ; But who Instruction can from you receive , That weighs well how licentiously you live ; Your erring Soul o'regrown with Vanity , Ruin'd , does like unweeded Gardens lye , Choak'd with Impiety and rank Offence , The Tares once sown were never weeded thence ; What Vice is extant that you have not known ? Whose Crimes more vile and numerous than your own : In all the deadly Catalogue , who e're With weighty Sins had Burdens more severe ; How then without a Blush , a lasting Red , Our little Venial Crimes can you upbraid ? Which seem , if with your own you them display , But as a drop of Water to the Sea. Moral . I own the Errors of my Human Nature , And know some of your Tribe are little better ; Only your Envy , Avarice , and Pride , Under the black Robe you may better hide , And open Crimes have still a less degree , Than those hid under base Hypocrisy . Past. Then you believe your self a Moralist . Moral . That I pretend to 't shall appear in this , Justice and Honour with regard I prize , And Virtues Laws have still before my Eyes ; And tho Offences cannot be withstood By the frail Government of Flesh and Blood , Yet Reason daily glittering in my Sight , Still makes me take in Folly less delight . I would not wrong my Neighbour of his Coin , Nor with the Tyrant in oppression joyn ; Th' unhappy Poor I would not rudely treat , Nor let vain Pride affront the Man of Wit. Pursue my Foe with an unmanly Hate , Nor to be great , be factious in the State ; Rebellious Tenets too I would not try , Nor swear to things I could not justifie : My Oath as sacred to my Soul should be , As my Devotion to the Deity ; And since Regard which to my Soul is due , Must principally be consider'd too , To my Creator with an awful care , I would confess my Sins , and pay my Prayer ; Reflect on the srail Bliss of mortal Station , And never seek by Proxy for Salvation . Humanity is frail , your sacred Gown In all Obedience I allow and own ; Revere the Morals of the pious sort , And take their Counsels with a thankful Heart , But since the general Error of Mankind , As well your Tribe , as ours , may chance to blind , Since you but weakly can your selves desend From Vices , which you dayly reprehend ; I must believe an Interest may be made In Heaven , and Souls be sav'd without your Aid . Past. Without all scruple , moral Vertue is A great step to the Souls immortal Bliss ; But why you should believe our help to bring You there , is an unnecessary thing , I can't imagine , if you don't confess , 'T is done to make the Priesthoods Fame the less , For when by Heavens decree , Priests first were made , 'T was doubtless thought , some Souls might want their aid . Moral . The Brood of Priests first were of Aarons strain , Their Sence refin'd , their Doctrines wise , and plain , A Soul might reach Seraphical degree , Without being banter'd by sly Sophistry . What once they preach'd was Orthodox they knew , No Convocations lack'd to prove it true , But solid Reason guiding their designs , Instructed all and made 'em true Divines . Past. Are they less skilful then , in these our days ? Moral . Yes , if 't is true . what half the Nation says . Past. The People still have some by-ends for Railing , Some other Sect that hopes to be prevailing , In expectation to exalt their own , Unite their Force to throw our Fabrick down ; Which yet will hardly fall at their command , Some Pillars yet have strength enough to stand ; And the high Building firmly will sustain , Spite of the Power that would the Conquest gain . Of Jarrs , and Civil Strife , this is the Cause , 'T is this our Country to its Ruine draws ; Moral . If th' Church occasions this Intestine Rout. Pray grant me then , to save my Soul without , If from your Tribe , instead of Righteous Peace , Curs'd Feuds and Animosities increase ; If still about your Worship , and your Forms , The tortur'd Nation is Involv'd in Harms ; And proud Preheminence is still the thing , That to us all does this Confusion bring ; Which tho it shews much Malice , and more Pride , The Jarring Party never can decide , I think to stick to true Morality , As precious a Soul-saving Grace must be : And I , as soon to Heaven , may find my way , As if I fram'd my Heaven from what you say . For Doctrine oftentimes Erroneous is ; Faith and good Works are certain Rules to Bliss . Past. Your Argument , because it looks like Sense , May tempt the Rabble , and much ill commence ; And Atheistical Opinions be , Drawn from your Tenets of Morality . For if the People , what you say , should own , 'T would be a means to cry our Function down : Thus he that stiles himself a Moralist , Will vilely think he does not need a Priest , And argue why our Stipends he should pay , Since he to Heaven has found an easier way . Moral . To hinder that , take heed still what you do , Look what you Preach , and what you Write , be true . Be not to Pride nor Avarice inclin'd , But give a good example to Mankind ; Consider you are always look'd upon With more regard than any other Man , And any Vices that appear in you , Look much more Horrid than in us they do . But above all , Write less ; yet if you cant Forbear , tho now you no such profit want , For our Instruction , henceforth , use your Pen , And if you 'd rank amongst the Prudent Men , Ne're try to Vindicate your last agen . POSTSCRIPT IS only Necessary , at present , to let the Reader know , that tho the Moralist makes bold to Censure a certain Learned and Religious Pastor , for wasting his precious time , about the worst piece of Work ( as most People believe ) that ever he took in hand , yet I must inform him , it was not the only Reason for setting his Morals against the others Arguments ; nor , indeed , could that alone , give cause enough for the solid design of Morality , tho it might , for matter of Dispute and Argument . But to deal Genuinely , there was a double reason for Writing this Satyr , first meeting with the Vindication of some Logical , Divine , and Historical Tracts , at first ill enough Stated , and then worse Resolv'd , especially by leaving the main matter unanswered , of which that Author is principally Accus'd , viz. The reconciling the Case of Resistance with the Case of Allegiance . And in the second place , having the Misfortune , lately , to observe some , who pretend to be Sons of the Church of England , so Negligent of their Duty , and Careless of their great Office , that they are rather sit to be exposed as Scandals to their Holy Mother , than to serve at her Altars ; particularly one , that I am sure will find himself out when he views this Page , and whom I could Uncase like a Rabbet , and shew his Hypocrisie bare and naked to the World , if the respect I had for some others of the Reverend , and the Coat in general , did not , through good Manners , hinder my Intentions , for where I am sensible that a Preacher abounds in Malice , Detraction , Pride , Lust , and Hipocrisie , 't is very difficult for me , that profess my self a Satyrist , and know my self wrong'd , to spare him upon the account of good Breeding , or think him a good Teacher of the Congregation , in general ; that I , as well as others , have observ'd to make a whole Sermon for no other purpose but to influence a pretty young Gentlewoman how necessary it was for her Souls salvation to cleave to him and his feeling doctrine . Now what the rest of his Flock had to do with his Amours , I leave the Reader to judge , who I know will only laugh as the Lady did to see him make his Grimaces , and tell an Out-of-the-Way story , so little satisfactory to the People , and so very insignificant to her . I confess , I cannot well follow that Toping Country Vicars Advice , who bid me not do as he did , but do as he taught . For my own part , I love a good example , and such , to the great disgrace of the Church , 't is believ'd , have been very much wanted of late ; those that do show it , are not concern'd here , I 'm sure , and those that do not , 't is reason should have a gentle Reprimand , for 't is that which causes our Enemies to get so much ground , and makes Religion so little esteem'd ; and 't is this chiefly , not Malice nor Impiety , that has drawn this from the Pen of the Moralist . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A29781-e70 * Vid. Vind. page 2. Vid. Vind. page 11. Vid. Vind. page 20.