^^GENTLEMAN ^ INSTRUCTED A ^\ In the Conduft of a ^Virtuous and Happy "^^'^ LIFE i^ ^§ c^ ?3 e^ Written for the Instruction of a Young Nobleman. tE^e Second (tnitim. LONDON: g ^Printed forE.EvETs at the Gref» Dragon in St. Paul's Church- Yard. 1704 ^ ^ f- u ^ P l-^ /^^^y dn^/i^t/'^mH'^r-jpi^ip: HJI'^fr ^ The Pubiidier to the Gentry. PRovidence having put the follow- ing Dialogues into my Hands 5 I take the Boldnefs to offer 'em to the View of thePnblick under your Prote- ftion. Thev were only intended by the Author for the private Inftruftion of a Young Nobleman ^ on whom they have wrought fuch admirable Effeds, that its Pity (methinks) to bury 'em in Privacy, and to coiiiine 'em to one Clofet. The Author's Defign is cha-- ritable (I am fure) but whether he has been happy in the Execution, I wholly leave to your Judgments. He runs through the Duty of a Gentle- man and of a Chriftian 5 he points at the (hortefl: Way toGreatnefs and Goosl- nefs^ and furnifties you with Materials to live with Honour in this World, and in Glory in the next. A 2 Seeing The Piibmcr to the Seeing therefore this little Treatife comes on fo kind an Errand, it will (I pre fume) meet with a Cwil Recep- tion: For MelTengers of good News are feldom unwelcome. But nothing has emboldened me fo much to caffc thefe few Pages at your Feet, as a fincere Tcndernefs for your Perfons. If s Wifdom to have an An- tidote at Hand when we fufped Poi- fon, and dangerous to vifit a Pefl-houfe without a Prefervative. Alas, Gentle- men, you fuck in Poifon, you live in Infe£lion ^ Wealth, Grandnre^ and Ex- ample plot your Ruin, and Flattery difguifes the Danger ^ Lewd Books are of the Cabal, they dart Poifon to the Heart through the Avenues of the Eyes, and convey Death through Plao^fure. In St. Peters Days the Devil made his Round to prey on the Unwary 5 but now he has almoft eafed himfelf of that Labour 5 he ads no more in Perfon but by Deputy 5 he has com- miflion'd Poets to Rhim^ you into De- ftrudion, and fees Libertines to argue you G E NT RT. you into Hell 5 and certainly lie ha^ had greater Succefs againft Mankind under the Shape of an Author^ than of a Lion 5 your Clofcta are ftockt with defaming Lampoo>is^ lewd Plays ^ and fcandalous Foerrjs ; you read thefe hel- lifh Papers with Pleafure and Tranf- port 5 they foften Nature, emafculate the Mind, and by Degrees metanior- phofe the Reader into as errant a Beaft as the Poet 5 the Stile charms, the Ex« prefSon is lufcious, and the Contri- vance no lefs inviting than theSubjt;d*. All thefe petty Artifices confpire to enflame Senfe, to enliven Paffion, and debauch the Will. Again, to whet Appetite^and increafe Defire, Care is taken to fet off Ladies with all the Allurements of Eafinefs and Condefcendency 5 they are difcar- d^d not only of Modefty,but of Shame ^ fo that, if the Originals rcfcrnble the Copies, if the Sex be as ill prepared for Defence at home, as on the Stage, the Conqueft will be made without the Exrence oi Artillery or Bo,v/bs. A 5> But The Piihlifberto the But this is not enough 5 the Poeis take upon 'em the Office of Engineers too ; they trace out the Approaches, point the Cannon, order the Attack, ^nd then cry, Gentlemen^ fall on. For why do they expofe not only to the Eyes in the Play-houfe, but in Print paft Bz^utalities, but to perfuade you to ad'em over again ? And why do they enter upon Particulars, buttodicv/ you the Method ? They ranfack Mulberry Garde/f^ Epfom Wells^ and other pub- Wck Scenes of Debauchery, for the Subjed of your Entertainment ; their Plots and Counterplots are only layd to trapan V\^men, and gull HeirefTesj befides, few" licentious Intrigues mif- carry. This is a fly Innuendo to the Audience and the Reader, thatSuccefs will certainly waitupon their Attempts', and by Gonfeqaence it's a ftrong Pro- vocation to enter upon Aftion. And becauG: Nature has flampt on thQ Face of Vice, Deformity and Hor- ror, tliefe ungr^.teful Features are (ha- ded with charming Appellations, tht Sin G E NT Rr. Sin lies out of Sight under a Varnidi, and nothing appears but the Pleafure. For this Reifon the moft overt Invita- tions to Evil muft be Chriften*d, jB/Z/1?/j doHx, Levpdnefs muft be ftiled Gallan- try^ and the StevpesV\2iC^s oi Divtrfion. Why are innocent Names put on cri- m^inal Things, but to confound No- tions? but to gild over Difhonefty, (as Apothecaries do Pills) that it may go down without any Checks or Convul- fions of Confcience ? Seeing you thus clofely befieged on all fides, and ftanding on the Brink of Deftrudtion 5 and (what is worfe) void of Fear, nay, lulled into a mortal Le > thargy, without any Apprehenfion of your Danger 5 I have brought thefe Dialogues to your Refcue, and may aJGTure you with fomeConfidence,they'll prove moft ufeful and highly benefi- cial, if you will vouchfafe to perufe 'em with unprejudiced Minds and un- biafs'd AflFedtions. They lay before your Eyes the moft important Parts of vour Duty both to A 4 God The Fiibtijloer to the God and Men ; the Snares of theWorld, and Wilds of the Devil 5 the Caufes of your Mifcarriage, and fure Methods either to prevent or retrieve 'em 5 and what can you defire more, but a fincere Pvefolution to apply thefe Remedies that are prefcribed ? I am fenfible we live in an Age devoted toCenfure and Criticifm^ and therefore I have thought fit to obviate znObje&ion or two. Some may think the Author treats Quality with too much Freedom, and Nobility with too ' tie flef])ed : But, Gentlemen, pray Lerrien:iber5 there is a great Difference between your Perfons^ and your Vices 5 thefe be honours, not thofe. It were ridiculous to Compliment Griminals, or to Reverence Felons on the Hurdle 5 your Failures are brought upon the Scaffold, not for Triumph, but for ExeGUtion z^ to receive Pun ifli- ment, not Applaufe 5 what Wonder then if he handles rufly thofe Faults he condemns ? If he tears off the Vi- zors that conceal a loathfome Defor- mity G E NT RT. mity under a falfe but tempting Supers ficies ? He has a mind to difcounte- nance 111, to withdraw you from the Embraces of thefe treacherous Syrens, that enchant your Reafon, and capti- vate your AfFeftions in order to mur- der your Souls; 5 that offer you imagi- nary Pleafures, to reward your Credu- lity with real Torments. This is cer- tainly a charitable Dcfign, but withal imprafticable, unlefs each Vice be haled to the Bar, and all their Trea- fo?js^ Forgeries andl/^^pojiures be brought to Light, and proved upon em as clear as the Day. For, Gentlemen, (give me leave to fpeak freely) you love Vice under the Mask of Pleafure, almoft to dotage^ no- thing can wean your Affedtions from its bewitching Charms, but a Demon- ftration that you are moft wretchedly impofed upon. Others may perchance take it ill that the Author fports fometimes upon too ferious a Subject, and by Confequence tranfgreffes the Rules of Decency. A 5 Eut 7%e Flihimcr to iB ikit you mud: confivier, we live irr an Age thai' ranks Serioufnefs among Hie Vices, and Pvaillery among the Ylitues. Alas, Gentlemen, the Spr-^ iwe-Facnlfy takes Place of the Rcafo^ nable ; Rifthiie and Rationale have changed Places fince Arijiotle sDsiys ^ the Propriety has (lept into the Defi^ nftion of Man, and baniOi'd his moft eiTential Fn9;redient amon^ the AcrJ- der/U, R.^earon without Force is out w Fafnion-; it muft appear in a Scara- moHchc\ Drefs to obtain an Audience, and moft bring Delight as well as In- ftruftion, to be welcome. \ The Author condefcencis to your We^knefs 5 and furely you will not cenflire his Civility, nor burlefque his Judgment, for paying Deference to t'our Quality : Beiides, he is fenfible, V'ict has been lau-ght into Praftice and Reputation, and Virtue into Contempt. Why therefore may not Virtue regain its Poftby the fame Method it Idft it-> And why miy not the Gentry be fport- ad itito their \y\^:^j^^ as they have been G E NT RT rallied out of it ? Some Poifons calF for Treacle, others for Fire : But that of xh^Tarar^tuU niuft be fetcli'd out by Mufick. A Peal of Laughter enervates the Force of this Neapolitan Venom, and a Brace of Minuets expells it.Wha knows but your Diftemper is of the fame Nature ? At leaft defperate Dif- eafes are proper for Experiments; and though no Remedy fucceed, its a Sa- tisfaftion to have applied all. In fine, I fling this fmall Book at your Feet, and if you will be pleafed to perufe it with Leifure and Reflefti- .on, it may not only furnifh you with Inftruftion, but with Pleafurc 5 not fuch, indeed, as courts Senfe, and gra- tifies the beaftial part, but fuch as is proportioned to the fupreme and lead- ing Faculty, fuch as feaft a Soul, and regales an Intelligence. ToHY mofi Ob. Servant y I. T. D. The The Preface. \1VE me Leave ^ Dear Reader^ to .y tiOder in the following Conferences with afharaBer of the Author. He is dead^ and h) Qonfequence out of the Reach of Varfity. And as the Regularity ofhk Life gives no hold to Satyr, fo the Ex- cellency of hisVirtues raife him alcove Flat- fcry. Many Reafons perfuade me to con- ceal his Name 5 hit more to publiflj his rare Merits. Exa^^ple has flrange Attradtives ; the Way to Virtue by Precepts (as the Philo- kphcr notes) is long^ but by Example :hort and eafie : Like the Ljiconick Dia- :5? it exprejfes much in a little^ and drives Arguments more home than Lo- gick or Rhetorick. Seeing therefore^ Gentlemen have continually before*'their Eyes fo many Statues of Vict in all Po' fiures^ it's time to prefent ^em with one of Virtue^ that they m.ay be convincd^ Pie- The PREFACE. ty is within their Reach, as well as within th^ir Obligation:^ and that they may live within the Circle of their Duty, without jieppini^ o:it of the Worlds or debarring themfelves the Freedom of Society and Converfaticn. And, indeed, the Life of this Gentle^ man is a plain and flanding Evidence^ that Men transform Palaces into Places of Debauchery, not Palaces Men into De* bauchces ; and that Courts vrould be inno- cent, if Courtiers could refolve to remain l^xXitbim was of aFamdy as ancient as the Conquefi :^ and, what is parlicuLirin all the Civil Wars and Revolutions of State, his Anceflors were fo happy, as to jiand by their Prince in Spight ofFa&ion and Intereji, nor could they ever be pre- vailed upon to part with their Loyalty for any ProfpeB of Preferment. They chofe rather to fall in the Defence of Jujiice^ than fo triumph with proJperousZJfurpers^ Eufebius had the good Fortune to be born of a Mother, whofe Wifdom vied with her Piety ^ and both^ indeed, were exr The P R E F A C E. exfraoj^dinary. She tra'wed him up from the Cradle in the Duties of a Chriflian i^ and I PI ay fay ^ he both loved. God^ and feared. hir/Kfofoon a^ he was able to fnvn^ a. right Notion of his Perfe&ion : And thefe firfl Imprejfions funk fa deep, that neither Age nor Employments were able to wear 'em off. He was fent io the Univerfity under the CondrtB of a prudent Governor^ who endeavour d by Precept and Example to improve in him thofe Seeds of Virtue his Mother hadfowed fo early. He applied hi mf (If to Philofophy with Eager ntfs and Appetite, and made a Progrefs anfwera- ble to his piercing Wit and ajjiduotfs Ap* plication h yet he always laokt on Learn- ing as the Acceffory, and Piety as the Principal : That (hefaid) wa^s a meer Embelifldment, this anindtfpenfabltOKXr ty ; So that in Reality this was his Bu- jlnefs, that his Giver/ion. Tet he was none of thofe Plodders^who feem to disband fromCompany^ and tofor^ fwear.Converfation 5 who place Virtue in Soxvcrnefs^ and confound Piety withSpleen. No^^ The PREFACE- No ^ he rras free^ ca//e, and cheerfnl^ and never refufed to partake of thofe Sports that recreate the Alind^ a^d eafe the Bo^ . dy^ without Prejudice to Confcience. To pawn Innocence forPIeafure, (faidhe) is to over-rate the one, and to under- value the other^ To laugh whilft we fin, is (in fome Sort) to renew the bar- barous Cruelty of Nero^ who play*d while i?^///e burned 5 or the foolifh Te- merity of the Indian Phtlofopherj who fung on the funeral Pile. Indeed^ fHch an nn^ifnal ConduB wai gaTjcdaty in a Place^ where ITouth gives fnore time to the PraSice of Epicurus'x Morals, than to thz Study ^/ AriftotleV Philofophy ^ or where at leafi Learning // n/ore a la mode than Piety :^ bnt this. Admiration foon pafs'd into Efleem^ and he who at firft was look' d^ on as a Monfter, in Procefs of time was fliled an Angel. He left the Univerfity to vi fit the Camp-^ and made fever al CampagneS7/;;/^er N. N, Neither Interefi nor Ambition cal/ed him into the Field 5 the only Aim ofhk RefoJution mas to learnt, the Myfteriss of War^ Tlie PREFACE. Wd}\ that he wight be one Day in a Capa- city to ferve his Prince with Honour ^ancl his Country with Succefs. Piety feidom follows an Army. Soldiers fcem to leave Confcience in their Winter' ^arters^ as well as Religion^ that they tp/ay fin without Cheeky and be damned VPithoiit Apprehenfion. Eufebius difap- proved this ill Husbandry. Our Care (faid he) muft rife with the Danger 5 and feeing we are not affured of an Hour, it's Madnefs to negleft our Soul one Moment. I fuppofe^ (continued he to a Friend) when we put on a Red Coat, we put not ofFChriftianity, nor receive a Commiffion from God to live at Pleafure, when we enter into the Service of our Prince 5 no, no^ let us diQ like Men, but live like Chriftiansj this is the only Way to leave an honou- rable Memory in this World, and to find a glorious Reception in the next. His Life in the Camp was anfwerahle to his Principles^ he prayed half an Hour an hk Knees Morning and Evenings and mver omitted to be prefent at pnblick IPrayers 5 The PREFACE. Prayers 5 whe^f he was not on Duty^ he would never fuff^er either prophage or oh* fcene Difconrfe. For (fatd he) it's hard to hear without Sin thofe things that can't be fpoke without Offence ; to permit Crimes, is to abet *em. When he could not excufe an Officer^ Faulty he always leffend it ; and fpoke ill of no Body but himfclf. He compared Detra* &ors to your Italian Bravoes, who attack People behind^ and ftab Bodies at una* wareSy ivhilfl thofe kill a Mans Reputa- tion. One Ddy an Officer told him^ Wat called for Courage , not Virtue 5 that Pvefolution carried the Day, not Confcience. That is (replied he) Ambition chal- lenges the time of War, Diverfion the time of Peace, and Sin every Moment of your Life 5 but then who will claim the Moment of your Death ? God ! Alas, Sir, you'll neither have the time nor the Thought to difpofe of it fo advantagiouflv 5 as you live in Sin, fo in ali Probability you'll die in It. You The PREFACE. You are iniftaken. Sir ; Sin enervates the Mind, not Piety ^ and could we read theThoUs^-htsof our Soldiers, w^ mould find too little Confcience drove more of 'em out of the Field at the Battle of N". than too much. A Man muft be either an Atheifl:, or mad^ to front Danger in Sin. Eufebins proved beyond Demonjiration thnt Virtue is no Rnemy to Valour :y he brciithcd nothing bnt Sieges^ Battels and Expeditions 5 he went to Combats with as compofed a Countenance^ as others march to Triumphs ^ and^ like Hannibal, was the firfi in the Fields and the laji out of it 5 he generally ask'dthe moji dan- gerous Poft, and fought Perils, as if he had a tnind to fall:^ yet he always came off with Safety and Applaufe ^ Providence feemed to have made him Proof agatnft Ball ar?d Sword ^ and his Virtue armed hin; acdhifi Fear. Beh/g challenged once to a Duel, he anfwer d coldly. Sir, though I fear not yourSvVord, I tremble at my Maker's A^nger ^. I dare venture my Life in a The PaEFACE. r.ocd Canfe, but cannot hazard my Soul in a bad one. TJl charge up to the Cannon's Mouth, but want Cou- rage to (lorm Hell. Ar^d when a Friend told him , he muft either Fight, or forfeit his Honour. You are mi- ftaken, (^ replied Eufhhius) Til gain Ho- nour by my Difgrace, and Olew the World I am no Coward, by daring cenfure and obloquy. He is courage- ous and brave, who ftands up for Con- fcience againft the falfe but prevailing Maxims of Cuftom and Opinion, not he, who betrays his Duty, and dreads more an imaginary Imputation, than^ a real Crime. Eukhius retHmed from the Army with Glory:, and brought off' his Piety in Triumph. He was received by his Majier with open Arms^ and advancd to an honour abh Poji. He labour d for his BenefiSors Intcreft^ not his oipn :^ and ufed to fay. The Prince fhould al- ways carry off the Profit, and the Sub- j:d[ the Glory of doing well. He coild not end^ire to purchafe At- tendants With fair PromifeSy and then to re- The PPxEFACE. reward theirExpe&atioft with Difappoi^t" me>/t. His Inttntions were as fimere as his V/ords^ and he never promifed a Fa- vokv^ hut he defignd. it. He co:dd not end lire to tantalize Pretendants with gay Hopes^ and in the End difmifs *em with an airy Compliment. This is (faid he) to fpeod their time, and drain their Purfe with infignificant Waiting, to tempt their Patience, and in the End to draw 'em to be your Enemies. Eufebius found at laji, that Innocence is not above the reach of Envy ^ and that in Courts Virtue is off en punijVd^ and Vice rewarded. A Club of Courtiers ca^ hard againji him^ and perfuaded the Prince to difcard him. He bore this Dif grace with an Evennefs of Temper^ that furprized his Enemies^ and^ like the Sun in an Eclypfe^ all gazed on him with Ad- miration. Though he was overpower d^ he coif Id not be overcome, He look'd bright ter under a Cloudy than in the fall Meri- dian of his Grandure^ and all concluded he was no lefs in Misfortune^ than he had been in the high :ji Splendor of Glory. A The PREFACE. A Friend tcniptecl him to firike in nth a FaUion agnihjl his Prince :^ b it^ he received the Propofition with In- dignation and Triorror. No, Cf'^id he) I had rather be wretched without aFault, than great with a Crime : Duty call'd me to my Matter's Service, not Intereft ; and ril rather pawn my Life, than for- feit my Loyalty ^ my high Pretenfions ]ie in the other World, not in this ; my Prince raifed me to a confiderable For- tune, now he thinks fit to di (charge me, ril thank him for the Favour, and not repine at his Juftice. I accepted the Station at his Command v*^ith Grati- tude, and I quit it with Refignation. He Teas received again intoFavour:^ yet this unexpcBed Turn wrought no Altera* tion in his Humour ^ he rofe with the fame X)nc oncer nednejs he fell \ he was above the Charms of Profperity^ and Proof ^- gainfi the Stroke of Adverfity 5 neither good Fortune pup him up^ nor had de» prefs'd him ^ he never thought ofReveng'- ing thofe Affronts he had received from hk Rivalsy but ufed his Power with Mo- deration^ The PREFACE. deration/ J and returned Civility for TJn- kindnefs. He retired at the Revolution from Bn/inefs^ and gave himfeVf "wholly to the PraStice of Virtue 5 he was advancd in ICears.and refolvd to devote theRemain- der of his Days to Eternity. I may die foon (faid he) but can't live long; its Prudence therefore to manage every Moment as thelaft, becaufe it may be fo. He difcharged hk Debts immediate- ly^ faying^ this was too preffing and too important a Bufinefs, tobe trufted to an Hours Integrity, that many fuf- fer in the next World for a Succeffor's Negleft in this. One that lived fo well^ could not die ill ; for every Mans Death is a Copy of his Life^ and exaUly refemhles the Or i^ ginal. In his laji Sicknefs he (f)ewed all the Bravery of a Soldier^ and all the Pie- ty of a Chrijiian 5 he bore the Dolors of his Dijicmper not only with Patience^ but Tranfport^ and looked Death in the Face roith the fame TJndanntednefs he often beheld the Enemy in Battel. Sir, (faid he The P R E F A C F. he tv his Nephew flanding) remember you are born to the fame Fate, yoa may read your Deftiny in mine 5 yoa will once be in the fame Circumftances you fee me 5 yon know not when you mufc take the laft Farewel of Life ^ Death ftealsupon us like a Thief, and ftrikes without Noife, without Warn- ing : Seeing therefore you are never fe- cure, be always prepared, leave no- thing to Chance or Hazard; a Surprize is poffible, and (whatisworfe) irrepa. rable. Never pretend to (how yourWit by difputing Principles, nor think you own your Reafon moft, when you leafl: own your Faith. Tiiis is to place Wit in Folly, and Reafon in Impiety. Pra- dice Virtue, this is your only Bufinefs, it will make you content in this World, and open a fair Profpeft of Felicity to the next» His Words feemd tipt with Fire^ they pierced the Hearts of all that were pre^ Jent^ and warmed their Affe&ions 5 whilfi all Mourned^ he alone was joy fid. In fine ^ recommending his Soul to the Mercy of his The PREFACE. his Redeemer^ he gently expired^ leaving behind a Pattern for Gentlemen s Imita- tion. Thus died Eufebius a Scholar, Soldier, and Courtier, and in all thefe States a Saint. Let Gentlemen learn by this Example^ they may be Great and Good 5 and that they may difcharge themfelves with Glory of all the Offices of Society^ without be- fraying the Duty of a Chriflian. A A Gentleman Inftruded;, &c. DIALOGUE I. Neander a Toung Gentleman dejires Eu- febius to injlru^ him in the Duty of a Gentleman. Eufehiiis. 1£ "V" TElcome Dear Neander : %/%/ What fair Wind has ▼ V blown me the Fa- vour of fo early a Vifit ? This is extraordi- aary. Neander. Pray; Why fo? my Bufinefs has been up and abroad, thefe two Hours j is it not high time to follow it ? Enf. Ay ! But our Town Sparks have fomething of the Oxvl^ they rife at Night. and lie down in the Morning. They'ob- ferve a moft exad Symmetry in diforder, and like Lobfiers go backwards \ in a word, B they t ^ A Gentleman inftra^cd^ Sec. they turn Nature Top(ie-tur\^ie, or read it backwards : Its Gentile and Modifli to out- fleep the Sun, and an Argument of Peafantry to do like other Men. Nean. I have left the College too lately to be acquainted with the Cuftoms of the Town : I have not open'd the CeremonUl^ nor perufed the Ritual da mode : Yet me- thinks, to turn Night into Day is an odd Metamorphofis: Nature (fure) never in- tended Eyes for Darknefs : Gloe-worms indeed are obliged to Night, it fets 'em off^ and makes their faint Luftre fparkle with more ecUt. But why Men Ihould dote on Shades, and range in Obfcurity, I can't Di- vine, unlefs they long to duel with Pofts sind try a Rubber at Loggerheads *, in (hort, its.a Battilh Humour, and jars with my Gon- Ititutioii. Euj\ JFor all that, you mud take up with Night ', and be reconciFd to Darknefs, if you intend to ftand fair with our own Town Sparks^ they are of the Family of A4digara^ true Sons of Night and Erehns. Light (trikes too hard on their 'Eyes, it dazles 'em like Opium : It even works on the Brain and ftu- pifies^ burthen, towards the Evening they return to themfelves, and adjourn to the Ta- vern, and from thence fafly out upon the Wafch, and imanfully ftorm Giafswindows. la A Gentleman injlrnciedy Sec. 5 In fine^ Their Dufinefs and Reafon fleep in the day and>, rife when Wife Men go to Bed. Now I fuppofe you intend to enter into the Confraternity, you'il not want mofl: kind Invitations : Thefe Blades lie on the Catch-, and place Sentinels on Oxford Road to give Notice when a Price draws near^ that is, when a Gentleman leaves the College •, and then they fly to the Innocent Youth like Ea- gles to the Quarry *, they proffertheir Ser- vice^admire his Parts, Compliment him into Snares, wheedle him into Debauchery , Empty his Pockets, Wound his Soul, Stab his Reputation ^ and when they have Mar- tyred his Innocence, and Imbezzelcd his E- ftate, kick him out of their Company, and fo exit the Young Squire. Nean, A Man (I fee) mufl; carry his Wits about him at London ^ he muft ftand on his Guard to prevent a Surprize, and fufped Friends, notto be over-reach'd by Enemies. Like the Lion he muft fleep with his Eyes o- pen : Well^ a danger forefeen is half avoid- ed. Eufcbiiis^ I have been diford^red fince my arrival, aad thought lall Night more Hours, than I flept Minutes. Ettfeb. What / Are you fmitten fo foon ? Some Female Beauty has (I. fuppofe) ftorm'd your Heart, and Good-Nature has beat the B 1 Chamitdc. 4 A Gentleman inflru&ed^ &c. Chamade. The Articles are ( no doubt ) drawn up and Signed ^ unlefs perchance you refolve to furrender at Difcretion : But in good earneft, Has Liberty given you a Surfeit ? Has Freedom galFd you ? Will you try how neatly you can dance in Fetters, and caper in Trammels ? This is a Sample of Univerfity Breeding •, your Collegians are a pack of awkard Animals, full of Wit, but without judgment to manage it \ one would think they fludied not to grow Wife, but Fools •, to lofe their Reafon, or to forget the life of it. They no fooner enter into the World, but, like Children, they chace e- very Butterfly, and run on the Spur to their Ruin. Ah-, Dear Nemdcr I take Care \ a precipitate Choice makes way for a long Repentance ^ ftifle the firft Sparks of Love, time will quickly Fan 'em into a Flame j a green Wound is eafily healed, but a feftered One ends in a Gangreen. N'c^.n. Under Favour, you run riot on a falfe Conjedui e. I am not Heart«Sick, but Town Sick, Eiffeb. Town-Sick ! This is, without per- ad venture, an Outlandifh Diftemper ^ there is not one Receifc for it in our London Dif- penfatory : However, the Difeafe is not dan- gerous, for I find no mention of it in our Weekly Bills of Mortality, in what Mould for A Gentleman inftru&ed^ &c. 5 for God's Sake were you caft? Surely you are of fome more refined, more Celeftial Temper, than other Gentlemen, without Senfe, without Paffion •, in fine, all Angel ; all Seraphin- Nean. Not fo neither. Ehfeb. What then ? Nean. Why Sir ? I am a Man, fubjeft to all the Infirmities of Human Nature •, but I would not willingly furrender my Reafon, nor quit the Privilege of Nature \ I would not throw up my Claim to Heaven for any earthly Pretenfion : In fine, I have no Incli- nation to go to Grafs with Nehttchadonor^nr ; nor to lie in the fame Bed with Brutes. I am a Man by Nature, and a Chriftian by Grace, and would neither debar my Reafon, nor throw a Scandal upon my Profeflion : In a Word, ril iave my Soul. Eufeb. Nea>?der^ Let me embrace thee-, I was juft lighting a Candle (as Dio^e?7e: did at Athens) to find a Man in London, I thought Piety had taken leave of our Nation, and that Chriftianity had flown over to the Con- tinent \ but, God be thank'd, we have left among us one Man, and one Chriflian ^ fo that the whole Species is not extinft. We live in a mad World, without Method, without Order \ we feem to play at Crofs Oiiefli€m : Virtue and Vice have changed R 3^ Places, ^ A Gentleman hj^ridted, &c. Places, and almofi: Names, and ev-en Wit is confounded with Folly ; Rcafon confifts no more in the life, but in the Abufe of it. Gentlemen debauch them felves into Credit, and draw Fame from Impiety -, the whole Bufinefs of Chriftians lies in confuting their Belief by their Fraftice : Thefe monftrous Irregularities have ( more than once ) mo- ved me to fufpeft, that the moft Wife, and Thinking part of Mankind is coopM up in BedUm^ whillt Mad-men and Fools range a- bont the Town in Coaches. This Man whines away at a Strifrnpet'^s Feet, his Eftate, his Health, and his Soul loo ^ another drowns his Reafon in Claret 5ind Cavary^ he plays the Brute all the Week, and rifes a Man on Sptnday Mormng : A Third delivers himfelf up to his Palate, and con- demns his Wit to drudge for his Gluttony \ be judges of Meats by the Price, not by the Tall ; and thofe only regale his Appetite, that drain his Pnrfe ^ his Study is to provoke Huns;er, not to lay it, and feldom rifes from the Table, till a Surfeit forces him to call for a B^fon. A Fourth has perchance received the Lie^ and in a HufFbauls out for Satisfaftion, (/. (\) a St-ib ^ the Stage is prepared, and up the HeU&rs jump with drawn Swords, (like the Raman Slaves) to give Di/erfion to the Spe- (t\ators : A Gefttleman irfftru&ed^ &C. 7 dators : If this be not Folly and Madnefs without Mafque or Difguifc, pray give me theirDefinitioni its hard to determine whe- ther this Conduci be a fitter Objeft for He^ racUtHs^s Tears, or Democritm*% Laughter \ its a Compound of Farce and Tragedy, but a Vein of Folly runs throughout the whole Mafs. ' Religion keeps pace with our Realbn, and is juft regarded as much. Methinks our Worfhip fmells fomething of Pagan- ifm, for we adore God (as the Heathens did' Hercules^ with Showers of Stones and Brick-- bats, (F/Z.J of Oaths and Blafphemies •, this is the only Homage we think fit to pay our Maker ; and indeed it is a kind of Recogni- zance, and is fo far commendable, as it puts us in Mind there is fuch a thing to believe in, and to pray to, as well as to fwear by. Now why we fhould be fo fparing of our Prayers is a hard Qpeftion. Some may perchance imagine the Pojflure of a Suppliant is below an Englijli Courage •, befides> its an uneafie Figure, and argues much Want or great Covetoufnefs, two hea- vy Imputations for a Gentleman \ moreover,, Kneeling is a Mark of Subjeftion and Bafe- nefs •, for I was once told, that a Yeoman on his Legs was taller and greater than a Prince on his Knees: This is a rough Draught of B 4 our 8 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ &c. our Town Wit and Religion, without one dafh of Satyr or Hyperbole : They are both '^t a low Ebb, and God knows when the Tide will turn. Nemder^ ftand on your Guard, and look to your Confcience, as well as to your Purfe ^ for I allure you, the one is in lefs Danger than the other ; unlefs you carry a watchful Eye over your Thoughts and A- (f^ions, you will fall into Snares that are laid to entrap Innocence. Neand, However, Surely God has not ti- ed up our Duty to Iinpcffibilities ^ he tells us, his Yoke is eafie and his Burthen lights and then afiures us by the Mouth of his Apo- Pile, that our Power is always equal at leafl: to the Temptation ^ we may therefore dif- charge our felves of all the Offices of Lite ^nd Converfation, without overlooking the Duty of a Chrillian \ for certainly God ne- ver framed our Tongue for Silence, nor our Reafon for Solitude -^ we may handle 'em both right^ as well as vorong^ and employ 'qm to a good life, no lefs than to an ill one, I hope there is no neceffity of failing intoffj'^r, and of taking up in the Wildernefs o^ Thehais^ nor of running ito a Convent^ or of receiving Holy Orders at Rome ^ for though thefe Good Fathers may walk pretty fecurely to Heaven, yet 1 underftand they make the Voyage a- loae • Now I fcql no Charms in Cellhacy -^ and A Gentleman injlruBed^ &c. 9 and befides, they are by Law difleized not only of their Birthright, but even of the Be- nefit of the Clergy •, fo that they can chim no Liberty but that of the Prifon, no Pro- perty but the Gallows. I have no Inclinati- on to fiing up my Eflate, and as little to lay it at the Mercy of Greedy Favourites ^ nor to fly to Heaven by the way oiTib^m : I would not withdraw from Society, nor forfwear Company, nor (like old Timon) disband from my own Species. Enfeb. You have Reafon •, God condemns us not, as Pharaoh^ to the Drudgery of ma- kingBricks without furnilhing us withMateri- als ^ he proportions his Grace to our Wants, and never commands us to fight on unequal Terms •, the Advantage lies on our fide, and if we give ourAdverfary the higher Ground^ our Defeat muft lie at our own Door ; we may be over-come,but can't be over-power- ed i our Cowardife gives Temptation the day, not our Weaknefs. Befides, Virtue is not confin'd to Place or Condition ^ it may be pradifed in Towns as well as in Defarts ^ and no lefs by Cour- tiers, than Peafants : nay it ihines (methinks) in a Palace, like the Sun in the Meridian, with Pomp and Majefty ^ for what can evea Fancy paint more Charming and more Glo- BiouSj thaa Grandees neither abjedt in Ad- B 5 verlity. 10 A Genl leman injlrn^ed , See. verfity, nor infolent in Profperity ^ than Courtiers peaceable ia the noife of Affairs, Temperate in the midft of Excefs, unchange- able in Viciffitudes, and conftant in all the turns of Fortune ; untainted with Lufts, compofed in Tumults, and fmiling at all thofe things, that are either expefted or feared by others •, than Men who have the Power to do what they will, and the Will to do nothing but what is juft and reafona- ble? This is no Platonick but a Chriftian Virtue •, it is not only found in Fiftion and Romance, but has been commended to Pra- ftice ) it has appeared more than once on our//«9n;^(?;;,fupported by Dignity, and wait- ed on by all the Magnificence of Power and Royalty : You may therefore hold your E- ilate without flinging up your Title to Hea- ven* Nea?7, Indeed had Providence cut off my Claim to Heaven, when it entruftedme with a Loraflnp^ I fhould have been no Gainer by the Bleffing , notwithilanding though V^irtue be in my Power^ if Vice be in my Will, I flial], without Queftion, be miferable : Let me therefore defire you to favour me with fome Rules,by which I may fhape myCourfeii you haveftemm'd the Tides of Youth, and beat back Temptation with Courage and Succefs ; thefe Waves that have paft by you, ruQi. A Gentleman inflrn^ed, 8cc. I t rufh on mc •, fo that the Danger is certain^ my Efcape doubtful. 1 fling my felf into your Arms. I have at leafl: learnt the firft LefTon of Prudence, viz.. To fubrait to the Advice of thofe whom Age and Experience have fufficiently inftrufted. Nea?!. My Age is on its Declenfion, yet I am not (God be thank'd) afham'd to live^or afraid to die ^ I neither contemn Life^ not overvalue it *, and therefore expeft my quietpt^ efl with Patience, and will welcome my Dif- charge. 1 have withdrawn from the Hurry and Tumult of worldly Affairs, and now lead a Retired, but not an Ignoble Life : I gave my laft Farewel to the Court, not by Force, but Choice •, and indeed^ it de- ferves no Thought but of Contempt. I have tafted of Bad Fortune, and of Good-, but never placed my Happinefs in the one 5 or my Mifery in the other v nor have I entred into the World like a Mute, merely to fill the Stage, No, I once made no contemptible Figure by my Prince's Benevolence, and though in the con- fufion of the Government, 1 fell from m.y Poll, I carried off my Honefty in Triumph, and expofed my Eftate to fecure my Loyalty v yet, God be prais'd, I am not brought to the Basket j though I had rather live on Charity than Rapine, and wou'd loonereavn my 12 j^Genfteman wjiru^ed^ &€• iTiy Bread by the Sweat of my Brow, than of my Confcience. In my Retirement, I have had occafion to ftudy Things, and ta refieft on Men, and have made Obfervations on both, fb that I am not quite unprovided of thofe Qualities the Office you impofe up- on me requires : Til therefore take the Li- berty to counfelyou as a Friend, not as a Mailer •, let us retire into my Glofet. DIALOGUE 11. Eufebius inftrn^s Neander in the Duty of a Chriftian. Cnfik XT'OU muft ad two Parts i of a \ Gentleman, and of a Chtiftian: We'll difcourfe of the latter at our next Meeting, and at prefent only touch the for- mer. Some Gentlemen keep up to their CharaQ:er without the adventagiousHelps of Precepts, or Education •, you may read their Birth on their Faces -^ their Gate and Mei?7 tell their Quality •, they both Charm aujd Awe, and at the fame time ftafn Love ^nd Reverence •, their Extraftion glitters yijder all Difguifes ^ it fparkles inSackcloth*^ ^d breaJvS through all the Ctouds of Pover- ty A Gentleman injlru^ed^ &c. 15 ty and Misfortune \ there is a je ne fcay quoy in their whole Demeanour, that tears off the Vizor> and difcovers Nobility though it fculks incognito \ they are refer ved without Pride \ and familiar without Meannefs j they time their Behaviour to Circumftances, and know when to ftand on tip-toe, and when to ftoop : In fine, their moft trivial Adi- ons are Great^ and their Difcourfe is No- ble. Others feem to be born Gentlemen to fhame Quality •, one would fwear Nature in- tended to frame 'em for the Dray^ and Chance flung 'em into the World with an EfcHtchem : They are all of a piece, Qown without, and Coxcomb within •, and fo like Foflingtons are graced with Titles to play the jife by Patent : Thefe of the firft CUffe need no Precepts, and thofe of the Second de- ferve none •, however, Counfel may be ufe- ful to others •, for Behaviour is acquired like other Arts, by Study and Application^ I. To begin the Part of a Gentleman, per- fwadeyourfelf, its your Duty, andlntereft to adt it well •, for whofoever looks upon it as a matter of fmall Concern will come off with Difefteem 5^ he will follow the Bent of Nature, aad fwim. down the Stream of In- clinatioii, 14 -4 Gentleman inflrtt&ed^ Sec. clination, rather than ftrive agaiaft it ; for who will balk Humour, or fence againft ill Cyftoms for nothing ? This I take to be the Reafon, why fo many in Converfation fall below their Station i they fancy a Title fup- ported with Means, places 'em in a Region above the Niceties of Breeding*, that a Sir gilds the moft unbefeeming Behaviour, and a Coronet dignifies Rufticity \ but this is a miftake •, for as Gentlemen ftand above the Crowd, fo they lie more open to View and Cenfure : For Aftionsare not rated by Men, but Men by Aftions ^ and if thefe fmell of the Clown, or fute with the Peafant, Right IVorjhipfnl muft be content with thofe Titles; for the Moh knows well enough, that Gen- tlemen can claim no Refpeft from Nature : they are all of the fame Matter, and the Soul of a Laz^arm is of as refined a Metal as that of Dives J and therefore, if they fee no ad- vantage, on Quality's fide, but a Coach and Six V they be apt to think themfelves as good Men as their Mafters, though not fo Rich ; and that they are beholden more to Chance or Injuftice for their Fortune, than to Me- rit. II. Let not your Family be the Subjeft of your Difcourfe^ nor fling the Regifters of your A Gentleman infirnSfed, &C. 1 5 yourGenealogy on theTable before all Com- pany ', this Topick is both Fulfom and Un- gentile •, its a fhrewd Argument you are big of Conceit, and more obliged to your An- ccltors for your Blood, than for your Wit ; though your Great Grandfather rode Ad- miral at Sea with 2000/. per anmm^ if he has left Pofterity no other Mark of Jiis Great- nefs, but his Vices, I fhall rank him among the molt wretched Creatures that ever brea- thed •, feeing the height of his Station only rais'd him above the Vulgar to proclaim his Shame, and render his Infamy more perfpi- cuous i its a Madnefs to take the meafure of our Deferts by the parts of our Forefa- thers, their Perfonal Worth adds not one Hairs breadth to our Stature : We may en^ ter upon their Eftates, and perchance upon thei r Titles, but not upon their Virtues j thefe are neitherentailed on the Family, nor alienable by any Deed of Convey- ance. Befides, whoever rakes in the Afhes of the Dead, may fall upon the Stench inftead of Perfumes ; for after Enquiry, who knows but you may find the Source of your Nobili- ty tainted with Treafon, and that the very Title you bear is the price of Difloyalty ? Now though according to the Proverb, Thofe Children are hapfy vphofe Parents are in Hell\ 1 6 A Gentleman infirn&edy &c. Hell'^ yet certainly, a Son (hould not boafi: of the Purehafe, nor look big becaufe iiis Fa- ther is miferable : Let your Anceftors there- fore lleep in their Graves, and be not fo foolifh as to difturb em by your Vanity \ a^ dopt their Virtues by Imitation and Pra- dice i but have a care of their Vices. I ho- nour Nobility fet off with Merit, but whea he has no other Prop than Money and Patent •, I always compare it to thofe proud Temples of Egypt^ that under Gilt Frontispieces, and AznrU Vaults, lodged nothing but Statues of B^s and Crocodiles. 1 value more an In- nocent Ploughman, than a Vicious Prince :, and prefer his Nobility who has built a great Fortune, upon Worth and Virtue, before his, who by Succeffion receives one. III. As its ungentile to boaft of our Family, fb its no lefs Mean and Child ifli to fpend Rhetorick on our Performances. If your Prince and Country honour you with a high Eniployment, either in the Camj> or the Bench, difcharge your felf of the Trull with Reputation : deferve Panegy ricks, but play not the Orator your felf ^ though you are as Eloquent as Tully^ you'll only labour to fpoii at good Subject, and whilfl: you vainly fet off your own Feats^ you'll meet wkh^ nothing but A Gentleman inJirnSfed^ See. 17 but Shame and Infamy . N. N. was an excel- lent Souldier, he fear*d nothing but Fear ; he chofc always the ^^«, and was often the firfl: Man on the Breach •, all admir'd his Cou- rage, and prais'd it ^ and even thofe who difapproved his Conduft, did Juftice to his Valour i but this Gentleman loft at Table, the Glory he had won in the Fields and talk- ed away in his Winter Quarters the Honour he had pnrchafed the whole Campaign. I did this Jpdid he, at the Siege of ^, and thu at the Battle of ^ ^ had I not feized on fuch a Poft at "^ ^, the Army had been in Danger : One would have thought all the Generals and Soldiers had been in Garrifon, and that iV*. iV. with his fmall Brigade alone, defeated the Defigns of theRv^ck This overgrown Vanity coft him dear ^ for inftead of gaining the Reputation of a General, he went off with that of a Fop, and all concluded he was too ambitious of Praife to deferve any. Your deep Rivers move with a filent Majefty, {hallow Brooks alone make a Noife and Tumult among Pebles. The great Marfhal tie Tu-ene never fpoke of himfelf, but forced, and even then, with Modefty : And though the King was wholly indebted to the wife Conduft of this Gallant Man for many Vifto- ries, yet he never faid fo : No, he won U lay Mifcarria^es at his own Door, and Suc- cefs 1 8 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ 8cc cefs at that of his Officers and Soldiers ^ this made him appear great even in his Over- throw, and generally his Moderation was more glorious to him than Vidtory. Imi- tate the Silence of this Hero^ not the noifie Impertinence of Fools ^ carry off the Satis- faction of great Adions, and let others go with the Honour of praiiing 'em, and let People rather learn your Atchivements at the Stationers, thanat your Table, IV. Avoid the modifh Rant of Oaths, and Im- precations : It's an ungentile Dialeft, as well as unchriftian, and clafhes both with the Rules of Breeding, and of the Gofpel. Cu- ftom indeed has made 'em fafhionable, but neither civil nor lawful j For Vice can ne- ver plead Prefcription. I know it lies un- der the Protedion of Number and Qiiality ; but 111 things have no right to Sanftuary : Becaufe Vermin fwarm.,mufl: they be permit- ted to encreafe ? Shall the Number ot Felons plead for Pardon ? No, no, the Cuftomari- nefs of 111 things makes 'em worfe -^ and the more they muft be difcountenanced, and taught Difcipline. In a Word, whatever jars withReligion,and cuts upon goodBreed- ing, is below a Gentleman : And therefore in Spight of Example and Pradice, I muJl caution A Ger^tleman inflru cicely &c* 19 caution you againft fome parts o^Enelijh Ci- vility ^ for though they go for Content in the £;?^ ///J; Dominions, they 11 not bear the Tefts of other Nations. For Example, Bamn ye^ fays one, / am lladtofee yoH : Is not this a quaint Salutati- on ? Firft to pack me away to Hell ? and then to protefl: he is glad to fee me fo con- veniently lodgM ? What Provifion will thefe Blades make for their Enemies, if they place their Friends fo untowardly ? Cer- tainly, they fancy Hell is a fine Seat, and that the Damned are in a fair way of Promo- tion? Damn ye Dog how doft doe ? crys another : This feat Compliment implies Damnatioa and Transformation too : Its a Compound of Curfe and Raillery. I am plunged into Hell, dafht out of the Lift of Rationals, and then with a Taunt ask't how I do. Why ? a Man in Fire and Brimftone is not altoge- ther at his Eafc, and a reafonable Creature curft into a Dog not very fond of the Meta- morphofis. A third very gentilely accofts a Friend he has not perchance feen of a twelve- month, Te Son of a Whore where have yoi^ been f This is an EngHfl) Addrefs to a Title : Its a kind of Staple Commodity of the Na- tion, and like our Wool muft notbctranf- ported 20 A Gentleman infiru^ed^ &c. ported under Pain of Confifcation : But furely we need not lay fo fevere an Embargo on the Ware, for its ten to one 'twill never find Vent in any other Nation on this fide of the Canaries ; a handful of Dirt well applied is as civil a Compliment, though not quite fo cleanly. Son of a Whore ! There is abun- dance of Freedom in the Expreflion, but not a grain of Breeding : Unlefs you meafure Behaviour by the Dialeft of Billwgfgate and the Bear-Garden. Certainly thefe Gentle- men are no Admirers of Charity -^ why elfe do they dignifie Whoredom ? For Whore ftands for a Mark of Quality, a diftinguifli- ing Charafter^ otherwife the Salutation would appear courfe and homely ^ but by their Leave, few are in Love with Crofs^ hars i and to be Brother to a By-blow, is to fee a Baftard once removed. I know we fling a Veil on thefe Expref- fipns, and walh over their Foulnefs with fair Pretences. Damn ye (fays one^ and Son of Whore Hand merely for Cyphers^ or on- ly ferve to enliven a Period, and to make the ExprefTion more bluftering ^ I confefs Whore and Damnation are near of kin, and often go together ^ But for all that^^the Silli- nefs of the Excufe can t ftifle the monltrous Inciviltyof the Compliment-, for though it fignifies, nothing to him who receives it, ia A Gerttleman injlrn&ed^ Sec, 2 1 in good time it will fignifie much to him that fpoke it : For the' a Frieud may let fuch Curfes fall to the Ground, God will put 'em to Account •, and though they ftand for Cy- floers in England^ they may purchafe eternal Torments in Hell. They are, fays another, Marks of Engl^ Familiarity, pure Sallies of Kindnefs and Demonftrations of Friendfbip. No doubt, to deliver over to Satan, an old Acquain- tance, without asking his Confent to the Conveyance, is Freedom with a Vengeance \ but at which End of the Compliment is his kindnefs ? In fhort, Neander^ fuch expref- *lions grate the Organ, and turn the very Faculty of Hearing into aBur then ; they arc high Symptoms of a a lewd Inclination and of a depraved Completion •, for when the Breath fmells rank, the Stomach is infefted. In (hort, fuch 2i Jargon is a Breach of Civi- lity, its a a Ruftick Cam^ an uncreditablc Dialed •, nor is the whole Pojfe of Bullies a- ble to ennoble it. V. When Civility obliges you to vifit La- dies, pray keep your Compliments to the Rules of Chriftianity •, there is no Necef- fity of laying Religion at the Door with your 2 2 A Gentleman injlrHtied^ Scc. your Golojlooes^ nor of denying God when you entertain her Ladylhip : For certainly Breeding is not incompatible with Religion, and a Man may make an Addrefs aUmode without apoftatizing from Chriflianity : Yet though the Worfhip of the Virgin Mary^ be difallov/ed of, we may adore Ladies with- out the Breach of a Statute, and commit I- dolatry not only without Reproof, but e- ven without Sin : One fwears, Heaven fits in his Smiles^ and Hell in his Frowns, A fe- cond ftiles her Saint •,. tho' perchance her La- dyfhip is more flockt with Beauty than Pie- ty, and her Face better provided with Grace, than her Soul : A third enlarges her Perfe-^ dtions ; he ranks her among the Angels ^ and to compleat the Folly with Blafphemy, a fourth deifies her: Thefe Pagan Compli- ments are the Standard of Courtfhip, the Scale of Ceremony^ and theMeafureofgood Breeding. But after all, Praftice can never blanch over the Foulnefs of thefe daring Ex- prefllons •, every Syllable breaths Frenzy and Blafphemy •, nor is there any way to ac- quit thefe raving Platonicks of a Crime, but by fuppofing 'em unreafonable. A few Pim- ples handfomely fprinkled would very effi- cacioufly diflodge t\\^ Angel^ as perchance her Lewdnefs has banifli'd the Saint •, and a few fni.ill Pox would chequer her Divinity, and A Gentleman inJiruSfed^ &C. 25 aad tumble the Goddefs into a Monfter \ and then Hell might as well perch on her Smiles, as on her Frowns. But Rallery apart, tho' we fling Impiety out of the Quellion, fuch Addreffesare plain Satyr, and invedive on the Sex : For they fuppofe Women either extravagantly proud or fuperlatively filly ; DOW the very Suppofition is both ungentile and fcandalous. 1 am fenfible indeed the Sex is no Enemy to Hyperbole in Courtfhip ^ Wo- men are more fond of thefe GlalTes that con- ceal Difproportions, than of thofe that re- prefent 'em \ they can't well diftinguifh be- tween Flattery and Merit, and as they ea- gerly defire thefe Perfeftions that are proper to their Sex, fo they eafily are perfwaded they poflefs 'em \ for we foon believe, what we earneftly defire : So hence it is, that they take a pleafmg Rallery for a ferious Truth, and even fometimes a Lamfoon for a Panegy- rick i but then an ungrateful Truth puts 'em into a Ferment •, it rufles their good Hu- mour, and fours their Blood. Something therefore may be allowed to Cuftom and their Conftitution •, flatter their Ladyjlnps into an even Temper, rather than reafon 'em out of it, provided you keep within a mean,and Itep not beyond the Bounds of De- cency •, but to break into Flights of Impiety, into Raptures of Blafphemy, is to play the Fool and the Atheift. VI. 24 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ &c. VI. Gentlemen have fo much time on their Hands that they know not how to fpend it j its a Burthen and a Charge, and fo like Pro- digals they rather fling it away than take Pains to improve it. I counfel you therefore to fet afide fome Hours for Reading ^ its a handfome Diverfion, and conveys Profit through Pleafure ^ the Intelledi is a grateful Soil i but then like a Field it requires ma- nuring. By Reading you join paft Ages to the prefent, you Travel into ^Jia^ jifrka zn&Jmerka without expence, without dan- ger, nay without walking out of your Clo- fet. Senfual Pieafures rather ftupifie than delight, they play upon the Organ, and dull the Appetite, they are often brutal, and fel- dom innocent ^ but thofe of the Undcrftand- ingfhine brighter, they are of a more refined Metal, free from Drofs and void of Repen- tance \ they extend the Faculty, and render it more rational •, they rather whet Defire than glut it, and fcrew up Man's topping Prerogative, P.eafon^ up to the higheft Pitch. A Gentleman furnifh'd with Reading, can never be at a Lofs to fet on foot, and carry on a handfome Converfation •, he is always well ftockt, and carries his Provifions about him i whereas others are forc'd to fetch Mat- ter A Gentte^utn i^jimCfed^ ScO. 2 5 ter from the Kennel or the Stable, and too too often from the Stews^ their Difconrle h a Compound of Smut and Rallery, enlivened always with Fooleries, and fometimes fea^ foned with Oaths and Blafphemies : Non- fenfe, in fine, though not the moft credita- ble, is the moll innocent and lefs blamable Ingredient. Good God ! how often have I loft Patience, and fretted away good Hu- mour in the Company of Gentlemen of fair Eftates, and of noble Extraction •, methought they had ferv'd an Apprentice/hip under Grooms or Dog-boys •, they eternally gra- ted my Ears with Hounds and Horfes, and broke out into fuch clamorous Tumults, as if they had been drawing up the Grievances of the Nation, or pelting the Prerogative ^ yet after ail, the Queftion was only, whe- ther Pafs or Lrfht'foot got the better iafl Chace. Racing and Hunting are indeed lau- dable Recreations ^ and upon Occalions may be difcourll of;, but then, to harp perpe- tually upon thefc Creatures, is an intallible Argument their Thoughts are mean, and too vtreak wingM to foar above the Bcaft. Some Years ago 1 took a Turn beyond the Seas, and made a confiderable Stay in thofe Parts : Ac my Return, I gave a Viiit to an old Acquain- tance ^ a Man of Charader, of Eftate, of an ancient Family, and Deputy Lienttnam of C a County; 76 A Gentleman wjlritdfed^ &c. County i he was at Tables a Hawking^Bag hung on the left fide, and a Bumpkin guarded the right ^ his Hat, Coat and Wigg were all of a piece, more fit for a Scare^Crow than a Dcftity •, his Memory was as fhort as his Wigg ; for foine Years Abfence had wiped out our Acquaintance •, he knew me not, and in- deed, I was no lefs puzzled to find my friend under fo ilovenly a Difguife : However, at length we renewed our old Species, and then he very warmly embraced me with this Salutation ^ E^ifehii^y by God I am gUd to fee thee: I expeded he would follow this quaint Compliment with an Enquiry intomyHealth, or fatisfied his Curiofity with a Rehearfal of my Travels ^ that he would ask in what Po- Iture I left our Allies 5 whether they made Preparations for the Siege of Namur^ or MonfuHT for that of Maeftricht *, whether Prince Eugene entered Cremona with greater Glory, or left it with greater Infamy •, whe- ther I'nbtfgen did better to receive a Stab from A'hihoriy^ than quarter ^ or whether this l)rave Baron died like a Fool or a Hero : In fine, what Advantage the Imperiaiills got by the Vidory at Luz^z^ara:^ or whether the Pro- fit would ballance the Expence of Powder and Shot, laid out in the Emvire on the Thank%iving-D3y. No, A Gentleptitn injirn^ed^ &C. 27 No, the Gentleman's Curiofity never tra- velled fo far i he had confined his Know- ledge within the Bounds of his own Coun- try ; all the reft of the World was Terra in^ co£mta to hhJVoyO:fip: He fell immediately upon the Excellency of Tobacco ; and then hailed me to the Stable, that I may pay my Refpedl to Bobtail \ and in the way honoured me with an accurate Account of his Poultry. Oh! faid I to my felf, had this Liemcnmt hunted lefs, and read more \ had he cultiva- ted his llnderftanding, and let a Field or two lie//t//.9Tr, he might have been Company for Men : But alas he was the Darling of the Family \ he heftored it at Home, whilft he fliould have been at School and Abroad ^ was made a Man at Fifteen, to be a Child and Coxcomb at Threefcore. I would not have you upon all Occafions difcourfe in Sylloglfm, nor deliver your Thoughts in Mood and Figure : Such Philo- fophical Cant futes better with a Pedant, than a Gentleman j and may pafs in the School, but not in the Parlonr. Neither prcfs upon Company a racimm^ nor Mr. Boyleh Pondm t^tmofph^ra ; a civil Converfation may be managed handfomely in either Mypothc/tf^ and I conceive Difcourfe profper'd no lefs in the Days of good old Materia Prima^ than in the Reign of desCanesh Third Element. C 2 You 28 A Gentleman injlr^/^ed^ &c. Yon may alfo let the Grand Afo^ul fit qnietly at ^gra^ and Prcfier Johj in Ethiopia • few Gentlemens Knowledge Travels fo far from Home. France^ Sfain and Italy lie more conveniently ^ befides Claret^ MaUgo^ and Flasks of Florence have given us fonie No- tions of thofe Kingdoms. Time your Subjed-, Good things fpoke out of Seafon, lofe their Value. 1 would not harangue a Lady in Greeh^ nor a Coun- try Vicar in Hebrexv : For alas, her Learn- ing goes not beyond French^ nor his above Latin: Difcourfe mud be adapted to the Company ; and it takes more when it natu- rally ilides in, than when drawn in by Head and Shoulders. In a Word, Niander^ en- rich yovir Underftanding by the Knowledge of things that become your Qiiality , and when you are doubly equip% ( I mean with a fair Eflate, and a good Fund of Learning j what czvi yon deOre more, but an ordinary Stock of Prudence tu lay them out at Ad- vantage ? VfL Converfe not ordinarily with Perfons above your Rank, nor with thofe that are below it;, that will endanger your Eftate, this your Breeding. A Man of looo Pound per jiinum^ can't long keep Pace with one of Tenthoufand , he'll infallibly lag, and jade by A Gentleman hiflrHCied^ &C. 29 hy the way :j and perchance be forc't to take in at the next jayl: Or, if in time he re- folve to foreftal his Ruin, he muft fall out the Riot of a (hort Car/javal with a long Lent ; he muft ftint hinifelf to a fhort Pit- tance, and lop olT a Branch to fecure the Stock : For Eftate- Wounds feder into a Gangrene, and nothing but the Saw or Seer- ing-Iron can flop the Infection. But on the other fide, to herd with Pea- fan ts is a kind of voluntary Degradation ^ its to break your Efcutcheof?^ and to com- mence Yeoman. Peafantry is a Difeafe (like the Plague ) eafily caught by Convcrfation \ its a Colour that takes on any Subjeft, and ieldom wears off: Why then fliall a Ferfoa of Honour forfeit his Patent without Trea- fon? Clowns are a fort of encroaching Animals : give an Inch, they'll take an Eli, and repay your Familiarity with Contempt and Outrage : If you intend to oblige 'em to a Diftance, ftoop not below your Station, nor fet 'em on equal Ground •, if once you make 'em Companions, they'll ufurp the Au- thority of Mafters •, for they want Prudence to manage a Familiarity, but not Impudence to abufe it : But take Care not to Brow- beat Vm, nor pretend to keep 'em under too fe- vere Difcipline; for the moll defpicable and cowardly Creatures, if forc't, will turn and fiy in your Face. G j VIIL S^ A Gentleman hjiru&ed^ Sec. VIII. Some Gentlemen are fo punftilious and nice, that they look on Biifinefs as a thing below their Level: No, they'll not look on their Accounts, though their Efl-ate lies in an Agony •, as it there were no Difference between Prucknce and Trading. But certain- ly Wifdom jars not with Quality^ and I hope, one may be a good Husband without turning Clown : Its no Branch of a Gentle- man's Prerogative to be bubled out of Houfe and Home. When Expences run high, is It not fit at leall to provide againft Fraud arid Circumvention ? Prodigality on the one f^dt. and Fraud on the other will foon drain iin Eftate to the Lees. Do not therefore all by Deputy : To trufl a Steward too much, is to expofe his Vertue. Honefty is not al- ways Proof againft Temptation , Men often cheat without Scruple, when they can doit without Fear. Remember, that Nobility ilript of Means-, makes no gentile Figure*, it can't ftand without golden Supporters: Model therefore your Expences by your In- come, and refleft you poffefs Lands , not Mines •, two thoufand expended and one re- ceived will not ballance Accounts at the Year's End : If you are wile live on the Crop, mt oa the Land y coavey not a Lordfhip to London A Gentleman inflrn&ed^ &C. 3 ^ London in a Bill of Exchange, nor QTiXX'j Acres in your Pocket *, they thrive well in Coun- try Air, but fall into Confumptions and He- ft icks at White- Hd\ and Croomforters^ and foon expire -, and then you muft run upoa the Common^ or live on Charity or Courtefy ; or Chamelion like, on the Air, unlefs you had rather turn Knight Errant on the King's high Way , or take up your Qiiartcrs at Tyhnrn, Believe me , Ne- ^nder^ Poverty is unfalhionable in our Days, and Dependance uneafy •, take Care there- fore of the main Chance, lay by a Refervc for Age and Accidents: A new Lordfinp does not ( like a Vkocnix') jump out of the Afnes of the old : No, when it is gone, Hope follows it •, nothing remains but Beggary, Contempt, Defpair, and Repen- tance. Be neither Covetous nor Prcfi/fe •, Extreams are vicious ^ that feems lefs gentile, and this more foolifli. I hate to fee a Gentleman (like a Snail) draw in his Figure to fave his Parfe, and not only want the Conveniences, but even the Neceflaries of Life in the Face of Abundance : This is almofi: to antedate Mifery, and to turn the Fable of Tamdnsin^ to a real Story. I would no more truft fuch a Mifer^ than a Foot- P<^id or a Cut-Pur fe ^ he who Iqvcs Money more than himfelf, will 0^4, infallibly 5 2 A Gentle wan i^;Jinf3ed^ Sec. infallibly rate it above Honcfly, and "he ^11 ftretch a Point, and Dnloofe Confcience when Opportunity opens any ProfpeO: of GaLa : For to a Mi/i.r Knavery and Couze- rage are nnqueftionable Ax/oms^ and onght to be fuppofed as a PoftMLn^rn : In a Word, its a bafe Employment to lie on Earth, and to itand Sentinel to Intercfl: •, 1 would neither fawn on Money for Money's Sake ^ nor duck and drake It 2LV^-c^y for a Frolick : No^ I wonld not part with my Liberty for a Spanipi Plot a ^ nor with a Shilling for a good Morrow ; that would be to overvalue Slavery -, and this to imder-rate Silver. 1 et your Equipage run even with your Purfe and Quality. Starve not your felf to feed Lacqueys ; iior give 'em a Coach (as N. N.i^xd) to fave their Liveries. Handfome Regales fometimes, buoy up Credit, cberifh Friendfhip, nourifli Mirth, and breath Life and Spirit into Converfation ^ though they fmk your Purfe, they do not drain it; at ieaft you'll receive Credit for your Mo- ney. IX. A continual Application to Bufinefs works upon the Brain, it exhauftsthe Spirits, and undermines Health : Nature muft not be run dovv;jj allow k tiBic to. breath \ if you are always A Gentleman wjlru&ed^ &c. 55:, always on the Spur, you'll jade it. Exchange therefore fometimes your ferious Employ- ments for honeft and gentile Recreations y they refrefh the Mind, unburthen Nature, enliven the Faculties, and pour new Life and Vigour into the Body : Chufe thofe that are more diverting and lefs expenfive 5 a Pleafure overpurchafed is a real Torment, and then if they require Study and Applica- tion, you do not fo much eafe Nature as change the Burthen. I would not have yru venture upon Games of Hazard, unlefs Ci- vility oblige you, and even then Itake no more, than you dare lofe without PalTion i Thofe Plays, like Quick Sands, fwallow E- flates at a fitting ^ they devour a Man's Pa- tience, and caft Nature into a Ferments Good God ! How uneafy have I feen Game- fters ? Methought they fat on Thorns^ or Tentersj you might fee Paflionin their Gc- ftures, and read Defpair on their Faces ^ they broke through all the Barriers of Mo- deft y andDeconim^and diced away theirMonjr firft, and then flung Patience after it. Had Force ftretcht thefe Gamefters on thatRack^ I fhould have pitied their Misfortune •, but when I refleded they were their own Execu- tioners; let'erafuRer (faid I) nothing but Stripes can teach Fools Wifdom, norreftoro: mad Men to their Wits. 54 A.) a Club of DefperaJoes without Religion, without Confcience, a Vdckof Kerie^ado ChrU (liam who are a Scandal to their Profeffion, and a Shame to their Nature ; vote Murder 42 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ Sec. a brave ASion^ and you obtrude this A- theiftical Error for the univerfal Opinion of Mankind, for the Standard of Honour and Bravery. Why ? Such Men's Judgments are as falfe as their Principles, and their Opini- ons as depraved as their Manners ^ becaufe Rafcals extol Per jury •, Highway-men, Rob- bery •, and Debauchees, Lewdnefs, are thefc creditable and innocent Vocations? Becaufe Perjury, Robbery, and Licentioufnefs are common, are they lawful ? Befides, can any thing be more extrava- gantly fooliih, than the Punctilios of a Duel- lift ? One has given me the Lie ; to wipe off the Affront, I muft provoke him to tilt at my Lungs. Ay, but Right ftands for you! bnt what if Fortune ftand for your Anta- gonift ? Right is a dull Weapon , unlefs Skill and good Luck manage it, the clande- ftine Revenges of the Italiar?s are cruel and diabolical, but at leaft they are lefs foolifii than ours 5 they will not bath their v/ounded Honour in their own Blood, but in that of their Enemy ; and therefore they attack un- awares or by Proxy ^ but we revenge at our own Expeuce, nay and upon our felves, and fometimes at aDifadvantagetoo ^ as if to re- trieve our Honour we mull die like Fools. I know not what Charms others may fee in a Stab, 1 had rather be fentinto the other World A Ge^itleman infiru^ed^ &c. 45 World by the Hangman than a Duellift i a Duel is an ill Diftemper to die of, though poflibly Atheifts may think it a gentile one ; and I am confident thefe Martyrs of Honour will be difcompofed when they find their- Reception in the next Life falls fhort of their Expeftation. Death, Nea7ider^ is a great Leveller. Ti- tles, Quality, Wealth with all their Appur- tenances leave us with the lafl: Breath : A Clown will meet with Refpedt if he be innocent, and a Prince with Contempt if guilty^ our Treatment will anfwer our Adions, not our Birth •, a Scavenger that dies in Peace with God fhall be conveyed in- to Glory i and a Lo-rd that expires inSin in- to Torments. XIL Some Gentlemen refine Breeding too much i they aff'eft a Singularity in Behavi- our as well as in Religion, and fo make themftlves ridiculous to appear gentile •, thefe are a Httorogemous Race of Gentlemen fome call Fops, and others Beaus*, they are a Compound of Farce and Ceremony, a Mixture of Mlmkk and Tragedian'^ had their Mothers made a Voyage to the Indies ^ 1 (hould fufpedt they had feme Relation to an 44 -^ Gentleman infiruSed^ Sec. j^pe: For certainly they are of a mixt Species, and often the Beaft predominates ^ but always the Coxcomb; if the Bean has more Wit, the Ape has more Judgment •, thefe Gentlemen fpeak like Puppets, and walk by Clock Work:^ they pafs the Morn- ing between the Glafs and the Toylct^ and fummoii to their Leve the whole Pofe ofTay- lors^ Barbers^ and Senifftreffes -^ they value more the Art of dr effing well, than the knack of paying : And whilft others admire their Folly, like young Narcijfns^ they contemplate their own Beauty : Pray leave thefe People and their Behaviour to themfelves, and if you can t avoid their Company, catch not their Grimaces: Its true you muft prepare for an Attack ^ for like People ftruck with thePlague, they love to give the Infeftion ; if they find you refty, they '!! not fail to diredt your Motions and anatomize your Com- portment, aad then you mult expeft to be lampooned in Verfe, or pelted in Profe; but they always meet with poor Caffandras For- tune,, never to be believed *, Their yeas go for ?7 he counts the Hairs of his Head, and regifters his Steps in the Folio of his Om- ?nfcience. Now God being Goodnefs it felf, he can't v;ait upon us with an ill Defign. He Hands over us as a Guardian, not as a Spy ^ as a Friend, not as an Enemy •, he confiders our Conflitution, and pries into all Circumftan- ces, that he may time his Favours, and fo enhance their Value, by adapting 'em to our NecelTitics. As his Goodnefs alTures us he means well, fo his Wifdom gives us Security and Caution, that he can't be deceived in the Choice of ttiofe things he defigns for us -^ he can't give us A Gentleman inflru&ed^ &c. 57- us a Stone for a Loaf, nor a Scorpion for a Ei(h, nor Poifon for a Medicine : So that we are fare on the one fide, that nothing befals us unawares, but either by his Permifllon or Command ^ and on the other, that he either permits or commands it for our Good •, and that it certainly will prove fo, unlefs we de- feat his charitable Defigns, by Impatience or Blafphemy, and by a ftrange felf-creai- tive Powe turn his Bleflings into Curfes. Now, what Misfortune can make Impreffiou on a Mind fo ftrongly fenced ? It will Hand the moft fiery Trial, without an Oh^ with-- out a Wry Face •, for it has both Faith and Reafon to fupport it : And then he that will weep, that has all the Reafon in the World to laugh, mufl: be fond of Tears, and in. Love with Torment. It's true, this DoSrine is extind In Pra- ftice : We fnarl at Providence, we difpute. his Orders, andburlefque his Decrees^ we fcream out at the lighteft Touch of his gen- tle Hand, and turn our felves into all the Poftures of Impatience ^ we neither receive his Favours with Thanks, aor Gorreftion with Patience. But this irrational Gonduft argues much^ Peevifhncfs, and more Infidelity. For thefe People mufl: either doubt of his Power, or dare not trufl: his Goodnefs \ and then the/ deny both by Illation. - D5 K^V 5^ AQenlteman in^ruUed^ 6cc. Ah ! Dear Neander^ commit your Con- cerns to the Management of God •, ask no temporal BlefTing, but with a fiat vcUmtas tMa ; refufe no Affliftion ^ receive that with Gratitude, this with Refignation , and if you can't defire CrofTes, at leaft accept 'em, and remember always, that thofe things often prove more prejudicial we pray for, thaa thofe we fear. We are an America^ an undifcovered Re- gion to our felves, our Defires fly not only before Reafon, but Refledion ^ fo that we are fo far from knowing what is good for tis, that w^e know not what we would be at : Our Fancy over-flioots Nature, and ( like a Fool's Paradice) reprefents Objefts in bor- rowed Colours and falle Shapes : Deluded therefore by vain Glajfes and deceitfulOpf/c^^, we dote by Hazard, and hate at Random :, we embrace a deformed Le^h for a charming Rachel:^ court Ha ppioefs, and efpoufe Mife- ry. But God, who built our Fabrick, knows our Gonftitution ^ he dives into our Tem- per, and comprehends all thofe things we ei- ther eagerly purfue, or paffionately fly from; lie fees the Employment of thefe will convey us to Eternal Felicity, and the PofTeflion of thofe into Endlefs Torments. He therefore gives Vv^hat we feared, and refufes what we dcfircd. Now , is it not a Kindnefs ta be A Gentleman inflni&ed^ 8cc. 59 be thus rnercifally cruel ? Is it not a Favour to bauk our Pretenfions ? and a real Misfor- tune to be fortunate ? VII. We ean never withdraw our felves from God's Immenfity : He reigns in Hell no lefs than in Heaven •, he exercifes his Juflice a- mong the Damned, and his Mercy among the Bleficd •, he dwells in Woods, and walks in Cities \ he retires with us^ into Soli- tude, and accompanies in Converfation ; he is in all Places, and fees all Things ; he fathoms our Defires, he counts our Words, he fcans our Adtions, and reads our Thoughts. Imprint this Truth with indelible Chara- fters in your Memory, and recommend it to your daily Confideration •, 'twill teach you both Caution and Refpeft-, 'twill curb the diforderly Sallies of Nature, and bind our Faffion to its good Behaviour. You will not have the Face to ffcep beyond the Bounds of Duty, nor fcarce be tempted to trangrcfs it. Nature, I confefs, is unruly, 'twill run away with us, unlefs we keep a ftrong and watchful Hand over it ^ but then the very Thought that God ftands by, will blow over thofe Fames of Faffion, that dim lleafon, and- us into Ti anfgreffions. Before ^O A Gentteman injiru&ed^ 8cc Before a grave Man we dare not fall into Indeceny ^ his very Prefence gives a Check to Appetite, and flops Senfuality in its full Career : So that Lewdnefs and Debauche- ry are forc'd to retire, and to give Place to Shame. Who violates the Law in the Face of Au- thority, that has both Will and Power to re- venge the Contempt, gives an evident Proof, that either Life is uneafie to him, or that he is not compos mentis^ and by Confequence de- ferves Bedlam rather than Tyburn. Yet hu- man Juftice ads in a narrow Sphere •, it reaches but to Life, and can't purfue the Cri- minal beyond the Grave. If therefore the Sight of a Man, and the Apprehenfion of Death, have fuch a Tranfcendency over us, as to cool the Fire of Paffion, to difcounte- nance an unbefeeming Sally, and to repeal any Aflault upon our Virtue •, certainly, a ftrong Perfuafion, that God is prefent, that he looks on us to crown our Virtues, and to chaftife our Vices, can't be lefs efficacious -^ for he is Soveraign Difpofer of our Souls and Bodies j he is able to tumble thefe into wo- thw£^ and thofe into He/l ^ we may baffle hu- man Juftice, either by Flight, Money, or Favours, but we cannot fly out of God's Do- minion •, his Anger can neither be appeafed with Bribes, nor ibftened with Tears, nor cverccme with Entreaties, Now^ A Gentleman inflrn&ed^ &c. 6i Now, a Man who with the Eyes of Faith continually beholds this dreadful Majefty ho- vering about him, with the Reward of Vir- tue in one Hand, and the Sword of Revenge in the other, will take Care of his Behavi- our, and not fell his Innocence for a Fleet Pleafure in Hand, and Eternal Torments in Remainder. Let me therefore once more intreat you (by all that is Dear, by all that is Sacred) to carry this Confideration along with you in all our Bufinefs, in all your Paflimes, its Company will neither betrou- blefom nor expenfive, but I am fare it will be advantageous. VIII. God's Infinite Greatnefs entitles him to Homage, and our Dependance calls upon us to pay it : We cannot acknowledge too foon his Authority, becaufe we cannot relpeft it too much : We are the Work of his Hands, the Objeft of his Mercy, and (hall once be Eternally that of his Love or of his Hatred \ of his Love, if we execute his Commands :j but of his Hatred, if we tranfgrefs 'em. Ju- ftice therefore and Gratitude i Hopeof Hea* ven, and Fear of Hell, preach Virtue and Obedience to his moft Holy Injunftions. Yet alas! this Voice of Thunder is not able to awake our young Gallants. (Like fo many bewitched Sampfom) they llcep in the Bofom of 6i A Gentlemafi infintlied^ Sec. of fafcinating Pleafures, that lull 'em into pkafing Trances, imaginary Delights, to plunge 'em into real Torments. One would think they either disbelieved a future State^ they are fo unconcerned for the frefent ^ or that they had a Patent to do ill ^ or at leafl: gn Aflurance of Pardon and Repentance. Their Study is to learn Sins ^ their Employ- ment to commit 'em, and grand Diverfion to applaud their Impieties. Tell thefe de- luded Creatures they walkover Precipices, and fport on the Brink of Deftruftion : That to live a Debauche, is to die a Repro- bate. They anfwer your charitable Admo- nition with a Joak, or a Frown, and very coldly reply, That Youth w^as made for jPleafure, and Old Age for Repentance. Good God ! that Men ot Wit and Parts Ihould fo wretchedly fool themfelves into Ruin. Were our Souls no longer lived than our Bodies, did they fink into nothing when we ceafed to breath, that Atheiftical Rant, Eje^ bibe^ gaude^ eras moYieynur^ would not ))e quite unreafonable. Conld we look into the Future, and read Mr Deitiny \ could we call up a Horofcope of our Death,vas Aftro- logers do of our Life ^ were we fure that f-ras mQTiermtr^ we might equip our felves to Pay for a Journey to Hell ^ and make to morrow as great Preparations for Heaven : But A Gentleman infirH&ed^ &C. 63 But alas ! we dwell in a Region, where Cer- tainties are fo twilled with Uncertainties, that though we know we mull die, yet we are as ignorant of the Time, Place and Man- ner, as the Child unborn, Perchance Di- vine Juflice may arreft us in the very Heat of our Lewdnefs ^ it may drag us from the Stews to Judgment : The firft time we clofc our Eye-lids may be the laft : We may only deep in this World to wake in the next j we may only open our Eyes to fee flrange Flames, and return to our Senfes to feel 'em. Sudden Deaths are not miraculous : The Bills of Mortality aflure us they are too ordi- nary : But thefe Accidents furprize your Debatichees oftner, than thofe who live within the Bounds of Temperance and Mo- deration. They over-charge Nature with continual Excefs, and fet all the Humour of the Body in an Uproar : And how eafie is it for thefe Humours in fuch a Hurry and Tu- mult, to crowd in upon the Heart? or to fly up to the Brain ? or to impede the play- ing of the Lungs, and on a fudden flop Re- fpiration ? But though God fhould deal more merci- fully with thefe Men than they deferve, tho' he Jhould give 'em both Time and Leifure to repent, it's ten to one they'll die in their Sins, and carry into the next World thofe Crimes they committed ia this. For 6^ A Gentleman infirn^edy &c. For two things are neceffary for a tho- rough Repentance -, C^od^ Grace, and Man's Cooperation •, without that we cannot re- pent, and without this he v;ill not pardon^ If therefore the Dijfficulty to be overcome be greater at threefcore, than at twenty^ andGrace be lefs, it's odds they'll not repent at threefcore, but ^W certainly will be grea- ter, and f/?/V infallibly will be lefs: There- fore its odds, that the final Refolutions of thefe unfortunate Gentlemen will vanifli into Smoak, and end in eternal Defpair and Punifhment. I prove the Difficulty will certainly be greater. Philofophy and Experience teach us, that a frequent Relapfe into any Diforder ingenders a Habit, (that is) a Facility and Propenfion to reiterate the fame Adions. And this takes its Force from the Frequency of the Praftice : For though in natural Pro- duftions there is a certain Point of Growth and Perfeftion, yet in Morals there is no fuch Term ^ both vicious and virtuous Ha- bits may go on in infinitum: Hence It hap- pens, that an inveterate Cuftom twills and winds it felf into our very Nature ^ it finks into our Bones, and enters into our Confti^ tution. Now, if all the frightful Reproach- es of Confcience, all the Calls of Grace, the difraalProfped of thofe Shades below, the charming A Gentleman injirn&ed^ 8cc. 65 charming Allurements of Heaven above,were too feeble to reftrain Nature alone ^ will they filence the Clamors of mutinous Paffi- ons, curb the Violence of Nature back'd by Cuftom, and inflamed with ill Habits? No, no : Nature feconded by a Habit^ (like a Load'ftone armed with Iron) draws ten times ftronger. He who groans under the Weight of a Feather, will fall under that of a Mill-ftone. Now, as ill Habits byals Nature, and make it more impetuous, and lefs governa- ble •, fo in our Suppofition, Grace the chief aclive Principle, is iefs. For Grace is a free Gift, no Debt, allter Gratia non ej]et j we muft receive it as a meer Benevolence, and cannot ask it as our Due. Is it probable God will pour down upon his mortal Enemies thefe Streams of Favour and Bounty, as plentifully as on his Friends ? on thofe who blafpheme. him twenty Years together, as on thofe, who adore him ? on thofe, who abandon their Duty out of a de- terminate Ma'ice, as on thofe, who fall by Surprize? It's certain he will not: For God will vot he Uiight at • and can the Wit of Man invrnt a more compendious, and at the fame time a more biting Rallery, than by tramp- ling under Foot this Divine Gift, that colt our great Redeemer Torrents of Sweat, and Rivers, 66 A Gentleman inflrnBed^ &c. Rivers of Blood ? than by making his Good- ntfs the Ground of our Ingratitude ? than by refuiing to repent, becaufe he is prone to pardon ? If God be juft, ( as certainly he is) he'll ftop the Coaduft of his Mercy, and rain down a Deluge of Malediftions on thofe rebellious Giants, that attack the moftHigh, ane turn his greatefi; Attributes againft his own Breaft. Neand. What you fay (as to the main) is true •, but give me leave to tell you, there is a dafli of Hyper boly in your Difcourfe : Man's Malice can't weary God's Mercy -, he can pardon more Sins than Man is able to commit ^ nay, and will, if we fling our felves at his Feet, and fue for Mercy. A contrite Heart, E^tjebim^ is a moving Specta- cle, it difarms God's Juftice, and melts it into Mercy ^ and as he receives thofe Pro- digals that return, fo he furnilhes 'em with Grace for their Voyage. Enfeb. Neander^ God's Goodnefs weighs down Man's Malice -^ our Obftinacy can't tire his Mercy ; he'll give both Pardon and Heaven to thofe who ask 'em •, his Word ftands engaged, and he can't fly back. But then, where has he promifed that invete- rateSinners fhall askPardon?It'struealfo,that the molt profligate Debauchees have Grace fufficient ta work Repentance. But what fignifies A Gentleman in(irn£ied^ &c. 6j llgnifies a Power to do good, with a Will to do Evil ? There is not a damned Soul ia Hell, that did not once findit felf in the fame Gircumftances. Is it lefs miferable, becaufe once it might have been happy ? Alas / this fad Meditation fuggefts new Matter to their Defpalr, becaafe it reprefents their Mifery^^ together with their Folly, the Sole Ganfe of their Misfortune. Nean, Pray, Enfebius^ don't difgrace God's darling Virtue, Mercy ^ nor condemn poor Sinners to the worfl of Torments, Defpair. Whilfi thne is Life^ there is Hope^ They wba never thought of Pardon in their Lives^ found it at their Death. What ? he who died for Man, can he have the Heart to damn him ? The very Thief on the Crofs, though abandoned by Men, was carefs'd by his lo- ving Saviour ; and for one humble mememt^ mei^ received Mercy in this World, and Pa- radife in the other. Eitfeh, Miftake me not, (Dear Nemder) I am not for grafping an Immenfity, nor for prefcribing Bounds to an infinite Being ^ I knov/ God's Mercy is above the Skies: But then his Juftice finks below the Abyfs ; judkia ejus ^b^jfus multa. We Can't take the Hight of that, nor fathom the Depth of this. They are both equal, (/. f. ) infinite j nay^ they are the fame thing : For juftiee is Mer- cy, 68 A Gentleman inflru^ed^ Sec. cy, armed with Revenge, and Mercy is Ju- ftice, difpofed to Pardon : Why then fliould we dread it in one Drefs, as well as dote on it in the other ? I am not for caftingMen into Defpair. As it is the greateft of Tor- ments, fo it's the blackeft of Crimes, and the mofb irrational : This antedates Dam- nation, and gives us over to Execution be- fore God has pronounced the Sentence. To damn our felves out of a Fear of being damned, is the Top of Madnefs j the non plfis ultra of Frenfy, to think my Salvation impoffible, is to make it fo j not to hope for Heaven, is the next Way to lofe it. But then if I hate Defpair, I abhor Prcfumption j if that leads us to Hell by a dired Line, this does the Bufinefs as efRcaciouily. For can we outrage our great Mafter more, than when we bend his auguft Attributes to our Lewdnefs ? and build the Babel of our A- bominations upon his Goodnefs ? and our Crimes upon his Mercy ? Is not this to fport with Majefty ? to rally Authority ? and to play with Goodnefs ? And pray what Dif- ference is there between defparingof Mercy, and burlefquing it ? This impious Mirth, (^Neander) will once end in Sorrow, and thefe Peals of Laughter, in gnafliing of Teeth : But becaufe our Libertines put a great Strefs on the good Thief s Converfion, and A Gentleman infiru&ed^ &c. 6q and fancy their Deaths will refemble his, no lefs than their Lives \ 'twill not be amifs to examine the Point. Firfi. St. Bernard iQ]\% US, that this Thief's Converfion is the only Example fto be found in Scripture) of a deferred Repentance that was fuccefsful. But, with Submiffion, St. Bernard miftook in the Calculation : For this was not properly a deferredRepentance.The Thief anfwerM the firft Call of his agonizing Saviour •, the firft Glance of his Sacred Eyes wounded his fiuful Soul, and melted his hard Heart into Love and Sorrow. Secondly, The Theif received Pardon and Paradife : But what did he to defervethis miraculous Favour ? He adored Chrift, not feated on a Throne of Glory, but covered with Shame and Infamy, torn with Whips, pierced with Thorns, outraged by his Enemies, forfaken by his Friends: Befides fome fay. Life was offered this Malefador, if he would deny Chrift : But he chofe rather to die with him, and for him, than to live with- out him. So that now the Caufe of his Death was changed, and he, who was faftned to the Crofs a Robber, expired on it a Martyr. Thirdly. God fealed his Pardon ; but this Adi of Grace was granted on the Day of Mercy j and yet of fo many Sinners that were Spectators of this bloody Tragedy, we knov/ 70 A Gentleman ^nflru&ed^ 8cc. know but this Thief, who was fo fortunate as to ask Pardon, and to receive it. Tell me then, Dear Nemdcr^ ought we not ra- ther draw Motives of Fear from the Misfor- tune of thoufands, than of Prefumption from the good Luck of one ? If you look on the right Hand of our dying Lord, pray caft an Eye upon the left \ and if you behold on the one fide a Saint, you'll difcover a Repro- bate on the other. Let therefore Gentle- men learn Fear from the Damnation of the one, as well as from the other a dangerousSe- curity. And I counfel all Chriftians to draw this Conclufion from the different Deaths of thefe two Malefaftors, that it's a Madnefs to defpair, and Temerity to prefume *, mus efi ne difveres^ unicus ne fr(zfiimas. Wherefore confecrate the firfl: Fruits of Reafon to God ^ you can't begin the Pra- ctice of Piety too foon, but may too late ; Nature untainted with Vice may be wrought with eafe into any Form, and caft in any Mould. It's a kind of tabula rafa^ a Blank^ that almoft with the fame Facility receives the Charafters of jingd^ and of Devil ^ but when once it'sftained'with Sin, when it s by- afled by ill Habits, and worfe Principles, you will find it ftubborn and rebellious. Be not then fa foolifh as to prefer Dagger before Security, and to tiirn Pkafure into ToiL Take A Gentleman irtfiru^ed^^Q. Ji Take Occafion by tk^tFore-tcf^ it quickly paf- fes, and feldom returns. IX. Religion is the Ground-work of Salvati- on ^ and therefore you can't be too tender of a thing that fonearly concerns your eternal Happinefs. I recommend this Point to your Care with greater Eagernefs, becaufe at pre- fent it lies under all the Difadvantage of Contempt, and I fear the Gentry hare a greater Hand in the Scandal, than the Com- monalty. Nothing, indeed, enters more frequently in Difcourfe j it's the vulgar To- pick of Converfation, the Subjedt of our Heats, the Source of Divifions, and by Confequence of our Misfortunes : Yet not one of a hundred knows the very Meaning of the Word, and not two in a thoufand agree upon the thing •, the very Idea's we have of it are wild and monllrous. I have heard with Indignation andHorror, fome Gentlemen pronounce ex Cathedra^ That Religion is a Grievance, no Duty, be- caufe it controuls our moll nobly Faculty, the Underflanding, and enfla/es us to blind Obedience. Others weigh Religion by Intereft, and proteft, that Orthodoxy and Profit go to- gether : So that in thofe Mens Theology T'urctfm^ with a lOQo per am. is more credi- ble, than Chriftianity with 500. Others / 72 A Gentleman inflrudted^ &c. Others again confound Religion with Fa- ftion, and fo to carry a black Defign ftrike in with any Conventicle, they cry out for Liberty of Confcience, although they have none for Reformation, though they delight iu Tumults, and feign the j4r2gel to play the Fiends Others, like an abandoned Brat, drop it at Church- mens Doors, and fancy it's aMon- fter of their Begetting. Crafty ( fay they) J^igling and Irtterefi brought it forth, whilft Superftition and Policy maintains it. But by thefe Gentlemens leave, Religion is neither the Product of Spleen, nor the Fruit of Imagination ^ its neither a Sratift's Engine, nor a Parfons Invention ^ it came from Heaven, and was planted on Earth by Ghrift and his Apoftles j and we mufl either believe it here^ or burn for our Infidelity hereafter ^ He that belleveth^ and is bapiz^ed^ [hall befavcd j bi4t he that belkvcth not^ Jhall be damned, Thefe are our Saviour'sWords, and they will be received, I fuppofe, by Chriftians. The Apoftle delivers the fame Doftrine j Without Faith it is imfojfible to f leafs God* Now without doubt God made Heaven for his Friends, not for his Enemies : for thofe who pleafe him, not for thofe who contemn his Laws, and fport with his moft peremptory Commands, A Gentleman inftru&ed^ &C. 75 Command. Again St. AngHflin tells us, *^ Vhi vera fides non efi^ tiec foteft vera cjfe ju^ ftitia. But ti's Frenzfand IllulSon to excefs, to fancy, that a Man not truly juft will be ad- mitted into tbe eternal Joys of Heaven \ it follows therefore very Juftly that Salva- tion is a Chymasra out of Ghrift's Church, and by confequence, that all thofe Libertine Gentlemen, who play with Religion, and fport with Faith, are in a fair way to deplore eternally their fadious Impiety. I would have 'em fpend fome cool Thoughts on the Matter, and confider ferioufly, whether a Petty, Brutifh, nay, Atheiftical Satisfaftioni can countervail a perpetual Mifery, and whe- ther they would not give more pregnant Proofs of Wit and Judgment by enquiring after the true Religion, than by lampooning all. Tell me not you lead a moral Life, yoit walk by the Light of Reafon, and frame your Condudt by its inviolable Maxims ; that you neither cnrfe God, nor wrong your Neigh- bour •, that you neither invade his Lands, nor impeach his Reputation \ that your Hands are not dipt in Blood , nor your Tongue in Gall •, that you defile no Man's Bed, nor encroach on his Property : Thefe Negatives will never unlock Heaven's Gate, E nor * Dc Ser. Dei in raontc, C» 19* 74 A Gentleman inflru^ed^ &c. nor jjlace you in Blifs. Faith muft car- ry a Torch before you, otherwife you'll ramble in the Dark, and wander in Error, till the Flames of Hell difpiay the Miftake, and at the fame time punifh it* But do you think, Neander^ that thofe Men, who talk down Religion, and cry up Morals, are at the Bottom greater Friends to the one, than to the other ? Alas ! no ; their Aftions are as libertine as their Belief j and if we may judge by Appearance, they have no more of the Man, than of the Chri- ftian: For whoever faw thefe mighty Advo- cates of Morals, thefe Aflertors of Regula- rity, ever ftand up in Defence of Virtue, but when they actually condemn'd it in Praftice? I have often indeed heard your qualified De- bauchees talk molt feelingly of Sobriety over Cham^ane^ of Temperance at a full Table : And I once met with a Proftitute, that ex- tolled Chaftity like a Vefial You muft there- fore, when you meet with infidel Moralifts, fuppofe, they only commend Virtue in Jeft, but praftife Vice in good Earneft, and that they are as far from enflaving their Paflions to the Laws of Nature, as their Judgments to Divine Revelation. Take not Religion upon Credit-, there are in the World Teachers of falfe Tenets, as well as Coiners of falfe Crowns j and as you bring A Gentleman infirn&ed^ &C. 7 5 bring thefe to the Touch-Stone, fo you mufl: bring thofe. To believe, you know not why, is rather Stupidity than Faith ^ it's to unfence Religion, to lay it open to the weak- eft Aflault of Schifm and Herefy. k fine, to believe nothing, is Madnefs, and to be- lieve any thing, Folly. He is truly happy who walks between thefe two Extreams,and neither believes too much nor too little. X. The Religion you muft embrace, is that which Chrift revealed, and his Apoftles preach'd : This may be denied by a Jew or Tnrk^ but not by a Chriftian. For, being God, he had' Authority to command, and we have an indifpenfable Obligation to obey ; nor could he fet up Impoftures for Truths, or impofe Falfhood under the Mask of divine Revelation. The Apoftles indeed were Men, but infpired from Heaven, and confequently no more fubjed to Error, than the divine Spirit that gave his Oracles through the Or- gans of their Mouths. This is a Summary of your Duty to God, that you owe your Neighbour Ihall be the Subjed of our next Entertainment. In the mean time you muft be my Gueft to Day, pray refufe me not the Favour. Neaj7.\ am at yourCommand^ but let me de- fire you to give me thefe excellentDocuments E 2 in y6 A Gentleman injirn&ed^ &c, in writing ^ they are too long to be remem- bered, and tooufeful to be forgot. Enfeb. V\\ comply with your Defires, and at my Leafure fet down what I can call to Memory. DIALOGUE IV. Whether Gentlemen are obliged topaUtfe Virtue. " QCarce was Dinner ended, but in came O ^^ EleutheriHs an Acquaintance of Eufe- *' bins ; he was a Gentleman of a worthy Fa- *^ mily, and of an Eftate fuitable to his Cha- *' rafter. Liberty and Pleafure were his dar- " ling Paffions \ and I have heard him fay, *' he had rather want Grace than Wit, al- " though he had no great Provifion of either. *^ He could not endure to be crowded with ^' Vifits, or yoak'd in Ceremony, becaufe *' fuch Formalities entrenched on Freedom, " and put Liberty under Gonftraint •, and for " this reafon he never Avent to Court : For *' he compared Courtiers to fo mapy Slaves, *^ who move in Fetters, and live for others, *' not for themfelves ^ fometimes to work'd- " down Labourers, more j5t for Sleep than *^ Pleafure. A Gentleman inflru&ed^ &c. 77 «^'Pleafure. In fine, he valued Eafe above '^ Greatnefs, and Senfuality above Confci- *• ence, fo that his Name jumpt with his Hu- " mour i his Religion was of the lalt Edition, '' that is, Puritanifm cut on Independency^ and *• garnifh'd with an O/^o of upftart Novelties j *^he afcribed Man's Juftification to Faith a- " lone, and therefore condemnM goodWorks '' as Heterodoxies Encroach ments upon Chri- '' ftian Liberty, and Grievances to the Sub- " je(ft : Hence he hated Humiliation- Days, '^ and could never be perfuaded to faft,till he '' had regaled his Appetite. One Day he mo- '^ ved that the Statute de comhnrendo H^zretm '' might be revived, and executed upon a ^' Per fan ^ for faying that efiote perfect was ad- ^' drefTed to Gentlemen ^ he look'd upon it *^ as afcandalum magnatum^ and a clipping of '^ the Privilege of Peerage. In fine, he *' w^ of Opinion, that Fancy was the only **^Rule of a Gentleman's Faith, and Pleafure " that of his Adions. EnfekW^lcome^Ele^therks^ pray fit down. Why fo thoughtful and recollefted ? I fup- pofe yen are come from your Devotions, Morning-Service is juft done. £/e//rfo^.Why,Man,thi^i§notth«L^r^'sDay^ Et^feb. Pray of what Religion are you? ElfHthc. I am a Chrifiian, E .3 Enfeff^ §2 -^ Gentleman wjiru&ed^ &c. En/eh. Ay, that may be, but of what Perfuafion ? For that Notion reaches a great way : There are Chrifiian Pafifis^ Chrifiian Tnrh^ and Chrifiian Irfdels ; and then there are Protefiants^ and Trne Proteftants ; and in fine, there are Etcetera Chnftians^ with which of thefe do you convene ? Elemhe. With all, and with neither, that is, I have drawn off the Spirits from each, and left the Capa mortuum behind •, in fhort, my Religion is rfew and modifh : *Tis grin- ned at indeed by fome, but praftifed by the greater and more witty Part of the Nobili- ty ; 'tis Reformation upon Reformation. Eufeh. Mettle upon Mettle, is aSolecifm in Heraldry^ and why not Reformation upon Reformation in Religion ? but under Favour if general Pradice hits right with the Pre- cepts of your Religion, they are Fly-blown \ and were I difpofed to dogrel it, I would only glofs upon thatText.Follow myCounfel, EleHtherins ; fay common Praftice clafhes with its Maxims, or elfe you'il give too great an Advantage to Criticifm and Enqui- ry. Forif whatyoufay be true, your Reli- gion is without Fence, without Rampart, and a little P.eafon will batter the whole Fa- brick about your Ears^ for when the Quefti- on is about good and evil, Pradtice ftands on the wrong fide, Butj Sir^ let us wave Dif- putci ^ A Gentleman injiru&ed^ 8cc. 85 pute •, fuppofing you are a Chriftian, what Harm is there in going to Church on a Feria? Eleiithe. What Harm is it to fink my Cha- rafter, and fling up my Charter ? Enfeb. Why Praying and good Works come not within the Statute of Treafon, I hope ? FAeuthe. Take care, you may flip into a Prem^a^e before you are aware. Liberty and^^' Property are edged Tools now a days, few have meddled with them without a Scar. Eiifeb. You are in a very merry Vein to Day, but methinks the Subjeft bears no Rai- lery. Prithee (Drollery apart) what do you mean by Liber ty^ Property^ and Tr^mumre <* Eleuthe. In fliort then Gentlemen are not tied up to Works oiSufererogation^ to Virtue, Perfedion, and twenty other Niceties \ all the World knows that Chriftians are free- born Subjefts, exempt from the Bondage of Precept and Ceremony. They date their Liberty from the Moment of their Baptifm ; and a Learned Clerk, let me tell you, was of Opinion, that the very Ten Command- ments expired with the Synagogue. Now, Sir, to bring Gentlemen upon their Knees to incumber their Liberty with Laws and Sta- tutes, is to touch 'em in the moll fenfible Part. Englijlmen will ftand for their Birth- right, and not give up tamely foconfidera- E 4 bla §0 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ 8c€. ble a Priviledge ; and if you ftrive to wreft it out of their Hands, you may perchance repent of the Attempt. You will have to do with Numbers and Power : and though Truth Hands for you, if Force fides againit you, the Field will be loft. Nvand, This is Liberty indeed witha Ven- geance. Nature at this rate, and Senfuality, are let Icofe, and have a large Field to walk in. Eecaufe Chrift came into the World to banifh Sin, Man may open the Gate to all A- bominations \ he may break through all the Barriers of Nature, Reafon and Religion \ he ir^ay cofen and murder not only with Impu- nity, but alfo with Devotion. I would have ycu draw up a Petition againfl Goals, Pillo- ries, and Execution •, nay, it would not be amifs at your next C^jf^^- /^^^/i^j^- A fiembly, to i^ote dov/n Hell alfo as a Grievance to the freeborn Subjects of the Covenant. Eleuthe. Nay, indeed the Parfon fl:rain*d the Point, he hasoverfhot th«Truth and him- felf too ; But ril maintain at leaft, that Gen- tlemen are not bound up to what Divines call Virtne and Perfe^lion ; thefe Fooleries look well enough in a Canonical CafTock, or a Clergyman's Drefs, but in Scarlet and Gold Lace, they make a lean Figures they walk in Embroidery, as little David did in SauPs Armour, very awkardJy^ and rather fur- nifh A Gentleman if^rn&ed^ &c. 8 1 Difli Matter for Diverfion, than for Edi- fication. Enfeb. Though this Thefts has lefs of Scan- dal than the formerjam fure 'tis equally falfco For tell me, have not our Gentlemen and topping Mortals received from the Liberal Hands of God, a far greater Allowance of Favour, than Vulgars ? Elenthe. No doubt of it *, Nobility it felf is a Favour of the firft Clafs \ it raifes a Man above the Croud and Smoak of the World, it entitles him to Honour and Refped^ the Prince moves here below, as the Sun does above in Glory and Magnificence •, Gentle- men are Stars placed about him for Pomp^ State and Ornament ^ befides, Gentlemens . Bodies have a finer Texture of Parts, than thofe of a meaner Condition j their Com- plexion is more bright and fprightly j their Air more polite ^ In fine, Nature is like Carvers, who fiubber over thofe Pieces that arecondem'd to Obfcurity, and polifli thofe with the lafl Exadnefs that ftand in View. Eufeb. You argue right for me ; but then you confute your ovfnThc/is. For if Gen- tlemen have recei^^'^d more Favours than the Peafant, certainly they are oblig'd in Honour as well as Duty, to make a more ample Re- turn of Gratitude. For, fuppofe a Prince has raifcd one from the Degree of a Page to E s that 86 A Genttemm injiru&ed^ &G., that of a Lord or Captain of his Guards, that he has at the fame time flung in i loo© pe7- ann. to fupport the Title, and fet off his Digni- ty ; has not this new dated Peer a more ftraitr Obligation to ferve his Royal Benefaftor^ than a Dray-man^ that only enjoys the com-^ mon Proteftion of the Government ? This'is our Cafe to a Hair. You grant on the one Hand, that fuch a Man lies not only under the common and fundamental Duties of a- Subjeft, but alfof under the additional Ties of Gratitude to ferve his Prince ^ and on the other you confefs, that God has with greater Profiifenefspour'd outhisLiberality onGen- tlemen^thanonClownsandTradefmen • why then is not their Obligation greater to ferve him ? Elemhe. Their very Station and Rank, is^ their Patent of Exemption •, in fliort, they have no time : For you muft allow a Gentle- man Ten Hours for Sleep, a Quarter for his private Affairs, Two Hours to faunter from the Stable to the Dog- kennel^ Three for Dinner, and as many for Supper ^ almoft Six for the Tavern, Cofl'ee-houfe and The- ati;e ; fo that you may fee here remains no time for God and Virtue. EHfeh. Your Arithmetic'k^ overballances -your' Chrifdanity. Is it not ridiculous, ( I mean impious ) to take the length of a Man's Duty by his Pradice, to argue from A Gentleman inftrnl^ed^ &C. 87. Fact to Right^ and Subpene Tranfgreflion to witnefs for the Breach of a Precept? You have carv'd out a Gentleman's Time exadil/! enough, but not jullly, and I doubt muck whether he will Itand to it in the nextWorld tho' he may perchance in this. God bids 'um watch and pray in the Gofpely and St. Panl in his Epiftle recommends Sobriety andCha- ftity. Now 1 think Men feldoni watch or pray while they fleep, and as feldom learn Sobriety in Taverns, or Chaftity in Brochels^ or Morality in profligate Converfation •, tell me then not what Gentlemen do, but what they fhould do^ which in fliort is this : As they have but one Affair to manage, which is their Salvation, fo all their Thoughts and Aftions muft look that Way •, if any Motioa^ warps from this Center^ they fwerve from their Duty; they muft balk Appetite, not gratify it ; and either ftifle Paffions, or fet- ter'um; they muft be humble in Profperity^, and great in Adverfity, (/. e.) they muft bear that with Moderation, this without Glamours or Impatience ; they muft rather forfeit their Lives thanConfcience, and poft- pone Pleafure to their Duty. Thefe are the Offices of Gentlemen : For Men were placed in this World to cultivate Virtue, and to en- joy the Fruit of it hereafter •, tho' they la- bour.and fweat from the, Cr^^/ AQentUntan inJlrHBed^ Sec. 85 as well as your Neighbour ; and fometimes your PafTion runs fo faft, that it diftances your Reafon : For I think you grant that the bare Obfervation of God's Commandments will carry a Man to Heaven, what then have we to do with your Works of Supereroga- tion, Mortification, and Aufterities? The very Word implies Counfel only, not a Pre- cept, and by Confequence no Obligation. Erjfeb. I grant what you defire, but then I muft add, that without thefe Works of Su- pererogation, as you call 'urn, you'll never keep thofe Commandments. You can't hit a Mark, nnlefs you level higher. Gravi- ty finks the Arrow under the firllLineof DireSion in Spight of the Impulfe. T his is our Cafe, Nature draws towards the Center, 110 lefs than Weight v 'tis wanton and liber- tine, and loves to range in the Latitude of fenfual Pleafure, not within the Compafs of Law and Regularity. Now, if you loofe the Rein, and give it the whole Line of Duty to play in, 'twill break through that Re- ftraint, and carry you. beyond it For let me tell you. Appetite is not carefled into Duty, but beaten into it i, and Paflions are not to be tam'd by Condefcendence. Like the Mobile, the more Liberty you give 'urn, the more they a^k ^ they muft be dieted and brought low, other wife they'll fly in your Eacco, 90 A Gentleman injlrn&ed^ Sec. Face. In fine, if you will not have 'um, asfe what is unjuft, refufe 'urn what is lawful , be- fides. Indulgence arms 'urn, it gives 'um a Profpeft of their own Power and your Weaknefs ; and then if each finglebeaMatch- for aCyam^ who can refifl the whole Band drawn up in a Body ? You boggle at great^ Sins, but fwallow little ones without Scru- ple or Remorfe ^ you fhut your Ears againft the inward Calls of God's Grace, and ftrug- gle with his Infpirations. All thefe things^ are petty Qparrels with your Maker ; they are Contempts and Difrefpefts, tho' not Treafons. In fine, they are Sins. Now, whofoever dare look a little Sin in the Face without Horror, will foon commit great ones with Pleafure •, for they are both really SinSjandmuftbe repented of ^ the Difference lies only in the Greatnefs on the one fide,, and in theLittlenefs on the other. When Marius was fentagainft the Ciwi^r/, his Soldiers durft not look theEnemy in the Face •, their Gygan- tick Stature and Barbarous Afped cow'd the Romm Bravery : But when they had beheld thefe hdixhdLXOXi^Germans three Days from the Camp, their Spirits revived, and their con^ gealed Courage began to circulate through every Vein ^they not only fought 'um, but overcame. Juft fo a Man educated in the Sriiijcipks of Chriftianity^ caunot think of the.: A Gentleman inflrn&ed^ &C. 91 the Breach of a Commandment without trembling, without ConvDlfions ^ but then he flides into trivial CommKTions ; At firft, a Damp rifes over his Stomach) he is crop^ lick, uneafie, he continues on his Courfe, and Confcience begins to flumber ^ its Re- proaches are faint •, its Strings fcarce percep- tible -, Cuftom flings in aDofe of Op/^w,and then it falls into a Lethargy •, and when Man is once arrived at this Pitch of Infenfibility, he boggles at no Impiety ^ he breaks through God's Commands, and will ftorm Hell to la- tisfiePaffion. From whence comes this, but from yourPrinciple,^/?^^6'^^//^;7^^;? are not tied up to Firtne^ Patience^ Humility f For, did fuch Gentlemen mortifie Appetite, and crufh Senfuality in the Cradle ^ did they place all their Satisfaftions in an abfolute Obedience to their Maker's Will, and never allow Na- ture and Senfesany Play-days, they would not have broke open the Inclofures of Duty, rior left all in common to Licentioufnefs ^ they had never made their Inclinations their Law, nor Pleafures the fole Boundaries of their Adions : For that Aphorifm is mofl: true, Nemo refente fit turpijfimns^ no Body jumps into III on the fuddain ^ Negli- gence, and Diftruft, weaken God's Com* mands,before we venture to break 'em.Now, fuppoSng all Men uq obliged to Virtue, irt natu- 88 A Gentleman inflrH&ed^ &c. naturally follows, that this Obligation lyes harder on Gentlemen. Firfi^th^y lie more in the Reach of Temp- tation, than People of an inferiour Rank y more in View of the Enemy ^ their Gircum- ftances then require Vigilance •, they mull ftand Gentinel, and place Out-Guards for fear of a Surprise. A poor Man, that can fcarce furniih Neceflaries for Life, has nei- ther the Means nor Thought to pamper Luxury ^ Nature is work'd down, and rather cries out for Reft than Pleafure. In fliort, he can fcarce live, much lefs riot •, Pride can't come at him, it muft pafs through Muck, Smoak, and Penury to reach him. Now, this Vice is too high ftomach'd to ftoop fo low, it loves not to lie on a Dung- hil, or fleep on Straw ^ and a man that dai- ly fees and feels nothing but Want and Mi- fery, muft be mad before he can be proud, or grow vain upon any fond Prefumption : Be fides. Appetite is fo kept under by Necef- lity, that it can fcarce crawl ^ its very De- fires reach no higher than Bread to fubdue Hunger •, and Cloaths, to fence ofFCold,and vail Nackednefs. No ill Objeftpafles through the poor Man'sEyes into theHeart-, they draw in no Species but thofe of Beafts and Dung- hils -, fo that whatever they behold is either rebating or innocent, la fine, they are be- lovf A Qentteman w(iru£ied, &C- %9 low Temptation, and likea fmall difmantled Village, not worth feizing. But Gentlemen ftand the Mark of every Temptation, the Worlds the Flefh^ and the Devil^ feem to have enter'd a triple League againfl: them •, they are mark'd out for Slaughter and Sacrifice j they live in the midft of Plague and Infefti- on, and can't take one Step without meeting Danger, nor breath without taking in Con- tagion*, the World fawns on them •, Pailions revolt, and the Devil calls Nets to enfnare them ^ fine Sights debauch the Eyes, Mufick the Ears, Ragou's the Tafte, Perfumes th^ Smell, and falfe Principles the Underftand- Jng ; Wine heats the Paflions, and Delicacies put 'urn in a Ferment -, fo that a Gentleman is befet on all fides •, each Vice batters his Conftancy, and aflaults his Innocence. Now, what Way can he come off with Viftory ? He muft raife Counter-Batterief, and dis- mount thofe Engines that play upon him ^ he muft make a Sally, and face Pride with Hu- mility, Luxury with Continency, Intempe- rance with Sobriety, and Love of Pleafure with that of Duty : In Morals as well as Phy- ficks Contraries alone defeat Contraries. Does not Nature tell us, as well as Experi- ence, that when the Attack is brisk and vi- gorous, the Place will infallibly be taken, unlcfs the Defendant beat off Force with Force, 94 ^ Gentleman injiru&ed^ &c. Force, and tire out the Aflailants with Refo- lution. Secondly. The Faults of the bafer fort of Mankind are Perfonal ^ they never fpread i^ like an ^/?c?/?/^Ar)' they ftrike but one*, the Mif- chief ends where it begun, and one Life fa- tisfies its Fury. But Gentlemens Crimes be- come univerfal, like the Plague they fweep away whole Families, and drive Mortality and Defolation before um. For the Vulgar are an apifhGeneration,they live onlmitation, and are carried away by theExample of Great ones, as the inferior Orbs by the Motion of the fuperior ^ fo that if a Mafter throws his Vices among the Family, they are foon pick'd up, and wore as Robes of Honour. For Ser- vants that know their Fortune depends on a Mailer's Smile, will not eafily difpleafe him : They eye every Motion , lludy his Humour, and ftrike in with his Inclination : They ap- plaud his Extravagancies firft, and then adopt them by Pradice. And thus by this abomi- nable Gomplaifance, Slaves oftentimes work themfelvesinto their Mailers Favours, and not feldom into their Ellates and Dignities. And then when Vice is fo extravagantly re- warded, both with Eftate and Pleafure, when a Man can debauch himfelf into a com- petent Fortune, without other Charges or Expence, than thatot Confcience, 'tis odds he'll A Gentleman in^rnUed^ &C. 95 he'll venture on the Entreprize. Befides, Sins fupported with Efcittcheon and Title pafs for Grandeur : Nay, and Vice at the Head of a pompous Retinue is often miitaken for Virtue. For the Vulgar judge by the Eyes, not by Reafon •, and whatever appears great^ they conclude ^W, as if Glittering and Value were Synonimous. Who has fpread this lilufion through the whole Mafs of thefe Mortals, but the Nobility ? Gen- tlemen therefore, befides the direft Obli- gation of Obedience they owe to God, they lie under a collateral one of Charity towards their Neighbours, and by Confequence, their Failings carry Scandal along with 'um,as well as Difobedience ^ fo that every Grime they commit, may be calFd Legion. Eleiithe. 'Tis time to take a little Breath, you'll over-heat your Lungs, and difcom- pofe your Fabnck. But pray, Sir, under Fa- vour, are M^^^xs Coaler sex ojficioi or muft they be Bayl for their Servants good Behavi- our? Eufeb. No, but then they muft not be their Murderers. Eleuthe. Why I fuppofe yon don't intend to caft fcandalous Reflexions upon the whole Progeny of Matters ? Have a care they may bring an Adion of Calumny againft you j 'tis dangerous for a fingle Man to engage with Numbers. Eti[e. ^2 A Gentleman inftru^ed^ &c. Enfeh. Let us notdifpute of the Name, 1 fay you ftab Souls; if this be not Murder^ *tis fomething worfe^ and if our Laws take no Cognizance of it, God's do. Elenthe. What Matters muft play the Chaplains to their Families, as N, N. did ; they muft on with the SarfUce and Tiffet^ and preach to the Text of Fifthly Beloved ir it fo f Is our Brother gone afiray ? Tea verily to Ferdition. ^///Laughing andDrolery,are greatReliefs at a non-fliis, I have often feen fome in Con- verfatiou, when their Stock ot Reafon was laid out, extream lavifli of fuch Impertioen- eies. Leave the Pulpit to the Parfon^ but preach within your own Walls ; at leaft by Example : This is more perfuaflve than Words; 'tis within your Sjjhere, within the Liberties of your Office and Obligation too ; or at leaft Ihroud your own Abomina- tions under a Cover ; let them not take Air, they'll fit more eafie on your Confcience, and not entangle others ; if you'll not couple together the Office of Chaplain and Malter, don't that oi Gentleman and Devil. EleHthe. I perceive by your Difcoufe, that Gentlemen will not gain your good vVill, nnlefs they put on Fetters, and fee their Keepers. Slavery is not fo valuable a Blef- fing, as to be purchas'd. People often buy Liberty, A Gentleman inflrkSed^^Q. 93 Liberty, but feldom Chains. I muft ftand forfooth upon Refervednefs and Cere- mony with my Lacquay or Groom, put a Reftraint upon my Freedom, mure up my Mouth, and ftifle Mirth, or elfe cry out, Jack^ HYider Favour ! Or, Pray he not fcanda^ lit*d\ Is not this to put Jack in the Coach, and perch my Lord behind it ? to place Tom in the Parlour^ and bind over Right IVorjljip" ful to the Kitchen ? In fhort. Speculation and Theory may approve your Morals, Praftice cannot. We hire Mens Service, not their Devotion. Enfeh. Very well, according to your Ca- fuiftry , Precedents vye the Standard of Right, and then in the fame Fignreand Mode it follows plain enough, that becaufe Men damn themfelves, they do it juftly, and wc are eternally miferable by Law. The Con* fequence is Logical enough, but not too Chriftian. However, if Hell have fuch won- derful Charms, run into its Embraces : But remember there is no Return •, and look be- fore you jump, elfe you may condemn your Folly, but not amend it. Quick Refoluti- ons are foon repented. Eleuthcrius arefe in a Heat^ and walled 4- boHt the Room^ his Pnlfe beat high^ and one might read the Trouble of his Mind on his Cheeks. EUuthei yB A Gentleman inflru&ed^ 8cc. Eleuthe. I love not thefe fevere Morals i they cow the Spirits, disjoynt Converfation, and clog Freedom. Spleen begot 'em, Me- lancholy nurs^em, and Envy recommend- ed 'em to the Pulpit. For, I find thefe Men are the great Champions of Virtue, that are notable to be vicious^ and thofe declaim moft againft Pleafure that are pafl: enjoying it. Yet thefe falfe Devotees will needs impofe on Gentlemen, and fet their Impotence as a Law for others. Enfeb. Look ye, there is no Harm done ; you are ftill Mafter of your PraOiice, though neither of us can command Principles •, thefe come not within the Precinft of your Liber- ty ; are neither fubjeft to Change or Alte- ration i Semper idem^ is their Motto. In a Word, Sir, I mould not my Difcourfe to an Humorift's Inclination, but to the Rules of Truth. Judgment and Conviction move my Tongue, not Adulation. If I have im- pofed on you, unmask the Impofture ^ if not, let good Humour run in its ordinary Chan- nel. To ftrike in with a Patient's Difeafe, is not Kindncfs, but Cruelty -, and I believe you had rather be eafed of aDiftemper with Coloquimida^ than be be fent into the next World with Jdifs, Eleuthe. It's true, but I would not be de- barred of Elbow Room, nor willingly fit in the A Gentleman inJiruSed^ &c, 79 the Stocks^ or be awed by a Groom or a Foot-Boy. I would not bid Defiance to Cod- fcience, nor war upon the Almighty. I am willing to condefcend to an Agreement upon HonourableConditions* EHfeb. What? Will you ftanduponTerms with your Maker ! and Article with your Creator ? id eft^ you*ll vouchfafe to be his Servant, provided he takes off all Reltraint from Nature, and give you leave to live at Difcretion ? Fye, iyCjEleuthemis^ you are too weak to grapple with the Omnipotent ; when he commands, you mult obey. Elenthe. Right, when he commands j the Queftion it not dejure but defaflo^ not whe- ther he can command thefe Trifles you fpoke of, but whether he has commanded 'em. For in Ihort, we bawl upon the Topick of Vir- tue and Vice, and yet we fcarce know what we wou'd be at. For what one Country approves, another condemns •, and what de- ferves the Halter under ^»^ f/^-z/^/^/^^ merits a Patent under another. The Lacedemonians rank'd fubtil Thefts among the Virtues, and punilh'd your clumfy Lurchers j as if the Sin confided in the Difcovery alone. In other Places it's an Aft of Piety to feed heartily on a deceafed Relation, and an unpardona- ble Crime to deliver a Father over to the Mercy of Worms, 95 A Gentleman inJirH&ed, &c. Enfeb. What do yon mean ? Elenthe. I mean , that Good and Evil^ Sight and Wrongs Virtue and Vice, lie much in Fancy and Education •, that Policy and Cuftom coin thefc different Notions. Why elfe is the fame thing Good under one Meri^ diarj^ and Evil under anotfier ? Popery in Italy^ France and S^ain is voted Orthodox j in England Heterodox. Beyond Seas Falling and Celibacy are meritorious; in England Cq^ libacy is fuperftitious^vain and hypocritical. So that inConclufionjC^^^^and Bad vary with the Climate, and by confequence take their Being from Imagination, Intereft, or Civil Authority, unlefs you'll fay that all Mens Reafofl is not of the fame Species. Eufeb. No doubt, you have harangued ex- cellently on the Text of Libertinifm ^ why don't you confound all Religions, as well as all Aftions ? Neand. I believe he does : For if Virtue and Vice differ only in Name, Faith and Infi- delity may eafily be reconciled, and then Mahametifm may put in as good Pretenfions to Revelation as Chriftianity. Eufeb. Prithee, Eleutberins^ talk no more of Faith, of Church, of Religion 5 thy Breath fmelis rank enough to fly-blow Truth, and to taint the Gofpel. Eieutheo A Gentleman inJirnSed^ &c. 97 Eleiithe. Adieii •, my Bufinefs calls upoa me. Pray let our next Converfation be more palatable. Enfeb. By all means •, we'll talk of Wine^ Women^ and Veni[on Pafiies j thefe are pala- table Topicks for Epicures and Scavingers, but not for Gentlemen and Chriftians. Elenthe. Gentlemen your humble Servant. Eufeb, You fee, Neander^ Eleiuhermis uni- verfal Praftice, drawn up in ftiort j can Blindnefs, Stupidity, and Madnefs foar high- er ? Like crowned Viftims thefe unhappy Creatures dance and ling under the fatal Stroak without Concern, without Senfe of the Danger ! They laugh and droll one Mo- ment, and begin the next to weep eternally. Oh Frenzy ! They poll in full Speed in the broad Way to Perdition, and will needs be told they fpur to Heaven ! What Notions have thefe Men of the other World, who live fo madly in this ! Surely they fancy the Soul flafhes into nothing, when the Body falls into Duft, and that they die like Beafts, they live fo like 'em. Yet thefe are your well-bred Gentlemen, your Men of Parts and Merit : And indeed one mud have ex- troardinary Breeding to compliment our felves into Hell •, one mufl: be witty to Mad- nefs, and prudent to Folly, to contrive our eternal Mifery fo efficacioufly. But feeing; F they 98 A Gentleman injir;i&ed^ S A Gefttleman inflrH^Jed^ &C. 107 ftate ? a well fnrnifh'd Table ? and upon Oc- cafion tofmile? Eitfeb. I anfwer firfl:^ though thefe Acti- ons taken in Retail are not criminal, yet taken in a Lump they can t be innocent. For is it lawful, do you think, to confecrate all the Moments of your Life to Eafe and Plea- fure ? to carefs Paflion, and court Senfuali- ty, to make Satisfadion the Principal and End of all your Defires and Endeavours, and not to give Virtue the very Place of an Ac— cellbry ? What mean thofe Precepts of Self^ Denial^ of pijf^'fi'rig-, of mortifying the Sallies of the FleJJj P Do they ftand for Cyphers in the: Gofpel, or were they made meerly to tranf- grefs ? Did the Son of God efpoufe our Na- ture with all its InSrmities? Did he fufFesr Hunger, Perfecution, Whips, and Death to- purchafe us Grace, to be drawn from //-fWf- Park to the Theatre ? from thence to Balls and 1 Feajls? Did we come into the World to> dance Menuets and Klcadones ? to fing jiir$.^ either amorous or uncharitable ? Secondly^ To fee a Play that is either inaa— center inflrudive, is no Sin. But then to^ fee five hundred Plays, that from tht Pro^ logue to the Epiloaue^ are either ftuft with* Blafphemy, or larded with AtheifnT, or em°- broidered with Smut and Ribaldry,, is tu Sin. Can a Chrifnan with a fafe Confcienc^ take Kleafure ia hearing, the Name of hh Re-^ deei.T;«r loB A Gentleman inftrnBed, &c. deemer reviled, in feeing every part of his crucified Saviour recrucified in horridOaths.^ Does a Speftator of this fecond Crucifixion bear him more Reverence, thanthofeof his Firft ? Can you fee without a Crime, Virtue brought every Evening to the Scaffold either as a Criminal or a Harlequin to be punifh'd ©r hooted at ? and Vice tread the Stage firfl with Pomp, and then go off with Reward ? Is it not a Sin to countenance one ? And who countenances thofe Scenes of Liber tinifm but thofe who pay the Players and applaud the Poet ? I do not fay it's aCrime precifely to dance fometimes at a Ball^ to fing an j^ire aUmodey to enjoy a fair Eftate, to fit at a full Tcble, or to wear zgawdy Mantua^ if you clear Ac- counts with "Merchants and Taylors. But, Madam, thefe Amufements are waited on by fo violent, fo provoking Temptations^ that a Lady fmitten (totranfport and do- tage with thefe Vanities) will certainly fall into many crying Offences, and by Confe- quence draw down upon her finful Head both the Maledidtions and Vengeance of our Bleffed Saviour. For alas! if the mofl: Watchful are fometimes furprized, are not thofe in Dan- ger who fleep in the very Camp of their Ene- mies ? If thofe Chriftians can fcare over- come A Gentleman inflrn&ed^ &C. 109 ' come the Allurements of Vice, who confine themfelves to Retirement and Solitude ; who check Appetite •, who baulk Paffion, and crucifie the Flefh •, will thofe withftand the Attacks of Concupifcence; the Aflaults of Satan, the fawning Charms of the World, who inflame the Blood with high Feeding ? who imbolden Paflion by a criminal Conde- fcendence? and foolilhly brave the Force of the Devil's battering Engines without the Armour of Prayer, Humility and Mortifica- tion? Lady. Pray, Sir, be pleafed to cut out fome Work for Ladies ^ fet 'em a Task, and regulate their Employment. I fuppofe you'll remove us at leaft four Miles from London^ as the Government does on Occafion Papifis j or provide us with Wheels and Flax-, or confine us to the Dairy to make Cheefe-Cakes and Cuftards for the Family. Eufeh. No, Madam, Town-Air is proper for your Complexion. I am not for Remo- val into the Camfagne^ nor for gracing your Ladyfhip with the Title of Spinftrefs •, (tho' perchance the Law does) I am of no levelling Principles j Quality has Prerogatives, and I would have you maintain 'em : But then if you are a Lady, you are alfo a Chriftian, and muft make good the Charafter, id eft^ you mult love thoie very things you hate, and hate no J Gentleman i^fim&ed^ &G. hate thofe you dote on ; Eafc is your Darlings and Pleafure your Favourite Inclination ^ you muft withdraw your Affedion from the one, and profecute the other with Averll- on ^ you pamper your Body to Excefs, and carefs it almoft to Idolatry •, you muft treat it like an Enemy •, you muft cut off all fuper- fluous Sollicitude, and ftint it to what is meerly necelTary ; your Equipage and Furni- ture muft anfwer your Rank, not your Va- nity i and you muft meafure 'em alfo by your Husband's Eftate, as well as by his Quality ; you muft educate your Children in the Fear of God, and give "em^ Breeding fuitable to their Extradion. ''Her Ladyfliip flew out into a Faffion^ *'and had not EleHtherins returned in the " Nick of time, EnfehiHs might have found *' by Experience, that good Counfel is often- " times ill received: But£/^/^^W/V^'sPrefence " Gonjur'd the Tempeft. He begged Enfehim^s '' Pardon for having difappointed hira " and told him ingenioufly, he came from " beating the Drum, to invite two Volun- '^ teers to continue the Combat, that they re- " fufed to enter into Service. '' Pray, Sir, replied EnfehiHs^ let the Coa- " troverfy fleep-, I have delivered my Opi- ^' nion, if it jars with yours, 1 cannot help " it 5 you are your own Matter. After fome ^' m« A Gentieman irifirn&ed^ 8cc. 1 1 1 '^indifferent Difcourfe, Eufehiits returned " home, and the next Day gave a Vifit to ^' Ncayider^ and profecuted his former Dif- ^^ courfe thus. DIALOGUE Vf. Eufebius inflrui^s Neander in the Dn^ ties that regard our Neighbour. EVfeh. I toucht briefly at our laft Meeting the Branch of Chriftian Duty that re- lates to God. ril now fum up the mofl: elTea- tial Parts of your Obligation towards your Neighbour. r. Love your Nelghhour^ as your felf^ fays the Text '^ and our blefTed Redeemer afTures us, that Love, Concord and Union are the mofl: difl:ingui(hing Qualities of a Chrifl:ian. The primitive Believers fet fuch a Value on this darling Virtue of God made Man, that one Heart feem'd to animate all their Bodies^ and one Soul to govern all their Adions : fo that the very Heathens, who hated their Re- ligion, admired their Charity, and were forc'd to confefs, that nothing but a Divine Hand I r 2 A Gentlentaf2 inftm^ed^ &c. Hand could ftrike that Heavenly Concord from fuch a Difcord of Humours, Inclinati- ons and Interefts. And left Self-Love might reftrain the Word Troximus^ and as the Jews confine it, to Country-men, Friends and Relations, our Saviour has been pleas'd to extend it to all Mankind ^ fo that without Diftinftion, with- out Limitation, it takes in the whole Spe- cies. Whofoever bears the Imprefs of God o\\ his Forehead, though he carry that of the Be aft on his Heart, is ftill our Neigh- bour. No Diftaace of Place can cut off the Affinity, no Length of Time can wear out the Obligation. Nor muft this Divine Virtue only play on our Tongue, or evaporate into gentile Dif- coarfes, or fmoothComplimcnts wrapt up in Terms of Courtdiip ^ no, it muft not end in Grimace or Ceremony, but ftand the Teft of Aftion •, fine Proteftations of Kindnefs too, too often vail traiterous Defigns, and fugar'd Words poifonous Intentions : Nor is ic a new Treachery to prefent the Olive of Peace with one Hand, and the Stiletto with the other. II. Chriftian Charity taken in its full Lati- tude, implies Precepts both negative and fo^ fitive y by thofe you are moft feverely forbid to A Gentleman in(lrH£ied^ &C. 115 to contrive any Mifchief againfi: your Neigh- bour \ by thefe you are commanded to be as ufeful to him as your Circumftances permit^ and his Neceffities require. IIL Hence you mufl not invade your Neigh- bours Honour, nor make any Attempt up- on his Reputation : A good Name is no coa- temptible Treafure ^ the Wife Man prizes it above an Eftate \ it fets off Birth, and gives an Air even to Poverty \ it Ihines brighter than Wealth, and fparkles more than all the Tinfel Gawdry of Fortune \ it fupports Grandure, and fweetens Misfor- tune. A Bankrupt that has loft his Coin, if he has not forfeited his Honour, has a Rc- fource at Command. Though his Fortune be fallen, he has a Fund to rebuild it on : But a Man without Honour is dead to all the Of- fices of Society and Commerce •, now when his moral Capacity lies in the Grave, his Phydcal one alone creates Mifery and Con- tempt to himfelf. Sport for fome, and Pity for others. God has fo entailed this Bleffing to every Individual, that it's not at our Difpofal \ we can neither make over this Property by Deed of Gift, Bill of Sale, or mortgage it at Pleafurc. Much lefs can any other Man lay any I T 4 A Gentleman wjlru^ed^ See. any Claim to it. You may commence a Sute of Law againfl me, if you think I am your Debtor ^ but you can't put in a Bill againfl: my Honour. If I have wrong'd you, fuie for Satisfaction •, (train my Goods, but aflail not my good Name. Yet, Good God! with what a Freedom, with what Boldaefs do we attack our Neigh- bour's Reputation ? One would think Fame like bonaadtfpota^ Goods without Owner be- longed to the firft Invader. Detraction is univerfally the Difcourfe aU mode^ not only among the Frie, but alfo a- mong the Nobility. Our Converfitions are begun and carried on at our Neighbour'sEx- pence, and fo we laugh and riot at free Colt 3 we darg out his mofi: fecret Failings to the Bar, nay, and hale 'em to Execution with- out Authority, vvithout Warrant, yes, with a greater Crime. Suppofe his Crimes are real •, what then ? Who made us Judges? who commiffioned us to hang the Delinquent Z;^ £jl^^/> /* to pro- claim on the HoufeTops what he com.mit- ted in his Glofet? Though he has loH his Honour in the Sight of God, he ftands fair in the Efteem of Men, and has Right to con- tinue fo, till his Crimes betray themfelves, and expofe his Iniquity to the Publick \ if he has done ill, God will call him toafevere Aecount A Gentleman injiru^ed^ &c. 1 1 5 Account, but we muft not intermeddle. It's our Duty to pity a Sinner, and to pray for hiin, but not to upbraid him. J only jelled, (fays one.) But why muft I pay for your Diverfion ? Though you publifh my Faults in Jeft, you ftab my Reputati- on in Earneft. But befides, by this very Ex- cufe you acknowledge your felf a Fool, to prove your Innocence: for to jefi and to pUy the Fool are in Pradice Synonimous. He is my Enemy, (fays another.) Did you inform the Company of this Circum- ftance, you might perchance detraft more, and fin lefs , for who believes an Enemy? On fuch an Occafion all goes for Satyr and inveftive. When the Heart is out of Tune, the Tongue never goes right ; but you v/het and oyl your Darts, that they may pierce deeper. You command me to conceal your PafTion, and then Detect my Life to (hew me for a Mpnfterj and thus you call in Artifice to fccond Malice, and mifufe your Wit^ to ruine an Innocent, and to enhance your Guilr. But why am I your Enemy ? Becaufel would not refolve to be yoar Ditfe, Youfet Traps to enfnare me ^ I difcovered the Am- bufcadc, and had Wit to avoid it : And thus you take the Liberty to befpatter my Fame, becaufe you wanted Power to affront my Perfon. Yet> Il6 A Gentleman inflrudted^ &c. Yety though I am your Enemy, you are not, I fuppofe, an Infidel. If I have failed in my Duty, mufl you betray yours for Com- pany ? You are a Chriftian, and muft there- fore either forget or forgive. My Impiety cannot warrant yours. Revenge is canfa major^ and only belongs to the Court of the molt High. At his Bar alone we muft plead our Caufe, and from his upright Judgment we muft exped Redrefs Ah, Dear Neander I let us turn our Eyes homeward, and examine our own Condud j we may perchance find there Matter for Sa- tyr, and Work for Repentance. Here we may blame without Detradion, and con- demn without Sin. But it's both mean and nnchriftian, flike Flies) hover about our Neighbour's Sores. Put a Centinel over your Tongue-, it's a flippery Member ^ Na- ture has framed it for Motion, and Malice has fitted it for any Mifchief-, a Child can fet it a running, but all the Force of Reafon, all the Checks of Confcience are not able to ftop it in its Carreer. But above all things be cautious and tender of Ladies Reputations: A Woman's Honour, like her Sex, isfoftcomplexion'd^ the ve- ry Breath fullies its Luftre, and a Touch daihes it in Pieces. Wounds made by the Tongue, (like the biting of Crocodiles ) are above. A Gentleman inJirnSfedj &c. 1 17 above the healing Virtue of Balfam^ and the Skill of Surgery. Qj^od demihus laceravit^ niiTiciuam fanatur. An indifcreet Word bolt- ed out at random, without Defign, without Malice, oftentimes ftabs the Fame of the fe- male Sex, and every Wound is mortal. My Blood has often curdled in my Veins, when I hear'd Gentlemen magnify their in- famous Conquefts, and raife cruel Trophies on the Ruins of Women*s Honour ^ I had not Patience to hear their Bravades, nor Power to hinder 'em. What will thefe People blulh at, (thought I ) who proclaim their Infamy, and promulge their Shame ? Certainly they muft think it a fine thing to be a Monfter, why elfe do they triumph in Lewdnefs, and fport with Debauchery ? Thefe mighty Victories are either real or Pretended j if real, can Fancy frame any thing more difingenuous, more diabolical, than firft to wheedlea Lady outof her Inno- cence, and than to proftitute her Honour to the wanton Caprice of a Club of Reprobates, who will not fail todifcover her Shame at the next Rendezvous, and to multiply their own Crimes by lampooning hers. Here is a Brace of Sins, both fmell ftrong of Malice, both forbode Damnation. If 1 18 A Ger7tleman inflru&ed^ 8cc. If pretended only^ the Crime is yet of a deeper Die ^ it's of a more formidable A- fped, of a more gygantick Size : Here is In- nocence at the Blocks and Guilt commits the Murder. I know in the next World God will call to a mofl: fevere Account thefe Chrifliah Can.bals that welter in Bloody and Hike fa- mifli'd Wolves) worry their own Species. But I would have the Wifdom of the Nation make fome Provifion againft fuch brutal, fuch inhumane Attempts. Why fhall a High-way-man hang for taking my Purfe, and a Rake gounpunifh'd, who invades my Honour? Why fliall a Rape upon a Wo- man's Body be revenged with a Haulter, and Violence upon her Fame be rewarded with Applarfe ? If the Faults be greater, why are not the Funifhments at leaft equal ? Why is there not a Reflraint on the Tongue as well as on the Hands? Is it becaufe it's lefs Capable of Difcipline? What, muft the Greatnefs of the Mifchief be a Plea for Impu- nity ? Becaufe this funy fetuUnt Member commits more difmal Crimes than our whole Body, muft it enjoy a more uncontrolled Li- berty ? I would have thefe Beafts of Prey forc'd out of Savagenefs and Cruelty by Law and Difcipline •, they (hould be clapt in the Pound, or cooled with a hot Iron -or at leaft A Gcntlayidn w^rnUul^^c. 119 kafl we fhould keep in Pay a Brigade of Hunters to ferret out Defiamators, and to clear the Nation of this noxious Vermine^ as once we did of Wolves : But I fear the Diftemper is paft Cure •, thofe who are infe- ded carry the Contagion to the Grave. Not one in a thoufand repents. Neand, Why fo ? Is Detraftion one cf thofe Sins that are neither pardoned in this Life nor the other ? True Sorrow is a Ca- tholicon,an univerfal Salve for all the Wounds of Confcience. Euftb, Right, true Repentance has a kind of Omnipotence ; it difarms divine Juftice, and turns God into iMercy \ but then it muft be true^ rcal^ fwcere. Now, do ye think, thefeMen of Honour (as they are pleasM to ftile themfelves) will ever refolve to repair a ruin'd Reputation at the Expences of their own ? Will they fet a disjointed Fame at their own Charge ? No, no ! Neand. Can't I reinftate a Man in the jult Poflenionof his Honour, without forfeiting ray own ? Exprefs your Mind clearer, 1 conceive not what you would be at. Eiiftb, Detraction is a Sin againft Juftice, and therefore by the Laws of God and Na- ture the Offender lies under an indifpenfable Obligation of indemnifying the injured Per- foa. Non remit titnr feccatum^ dotiec rejlitua- tur 120 A Gentleman inJtrH&ed, &c. tnr ahUtHm. Now the Detrador rifles his Neighbour's Honour, he blafls his Reputa- tion, he muft therefore make good the Lofs ^ and as the Tongue is guilty of the Theft, fo it muft make Satisfaftion. For the Wounds of Honour are only heal'd by the Inftrument that made 'em. The Criminal muft acknow- ledge his Fault, he muft confefs that Paflion run away with his Reafon •, that Malice car- ried him beyond his Duty, and Truth alFo ; that what he laid to his Neighbour's Charge, was hatch'd in his own Brain, or taken up- on Credit ^ and if a bare Afleveration will not do the Work, he muft back his Confef- lion with an Oath. Neand. This is fevere : What muft a Gen- tleman give himfelf the Lye ? Flefh and Blood cannot pra&ice fuch rigorous Morals ^ the Remedy is worfe than the Difeafe •, and if your Cafuiftry be Orthodox, it's eafier for a Camel to pafs through the Eye of a Nee- dle, than for a Detractor to enter into Hea- ven. Etifcb. Under Favour, Neander^ the leaft Sin is a greater Evil^ than the greateft Infa- my i and I hold it much more eafie to blufli for an Afperfion, than to burn for it eter- nally. Neand. Don't Men charge up to the Ca- non's Mouth, to gain Honour, and leave their AGtntkmm injlruSed^ Scc. 17 1 their Bodies in the Breach to be carried off with Applaufe ? Nay, do they not often- times march up to the Out-works of Hell, to maintain their purchafed Reputation? Can you therefore think that thofe Bravoes^ who tremble more at the Shadow of a Dif- grace, than at all the Terrors of Damna- tion, will buy Pardon at the Expence of their Honour ? Eiifeh. The Queftion (Dear Neander') is not what Men do, nor what Men will do, but what they fhould do. Were Praftice the Standard of Duty, we might reform the Gofpel, as well as the Calendar ^ we might turn thofe Woes God has pronounced a- gainft Injuilice, Drunkennefs, and Whore- dom, upon Jufticc, Sobriety and Charity : For it's certain thefe Virtues are invifible in Praftice, and thofe Vices are too too fafhio- nable. But, Neander^ though Curtom and Pradlice may enhance Guilt, they cannot lelTen it. Men are fond of Honour to Madnefs and Frenzy. It's a mil me tangere •, the leaft At- tempt upon this darling Folly is often re- venged with Murder. But then, methinks, the Inclination we have to conferve our own Fame, fhould infpire fome Tendernefs for that of our Neighbour. For have we not Rcafon to fuppofe, he is no lefs acquainted G with 122 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ &c. with the Value of this ineftimable Treafure, than our felves, and that he would be as un- willing to expofe it to the Mercy of petulant Tongues ? Perchance, Neander^ I rate it to the Height of its Worth, yet I give God's Favour the Preference : One Grain of his DivineGrace out- weighs aTun of aHeftor's Reputation. In a Word, I would live an Age under the Stroaks of the mofl: picquant Difgrace, I would (heath in my Breaft all the Darts of Malice, Envy and Poverty, ei- ther to die innocent, or repentant j for all thefe Miferies are fleeting and tranfitory •, but the Reward of Virtue, and the Punifti- ment of Vice are both eternal. If therefore your Men of Honour will rather ftand by their Crimes, than recant, 1 would have ^eni trained up in the Difcipline of Bedlam : A Switch is the belt Remedy againft Mad- nefs. Befides, why is an humble Confeffion a degrading Satisfaftion? The Name of a Chriflian is glorious \ how then can the Du- ty lie under Reproach? If the Profeffion be honourable, the Pradice of it cannot be fhameful. Why then do we tremble at Sha- dows, and run from Monfters that take their Deformity from Imagination ? I did not blufh to wound my ^Neighbour's good Name •, why Piiould I be alhamed to heal A GefJtleman injiru^ed^ 8cc. 123 heBl it ? Sia fhould be waited on by Infamy, as it is by Remorfe ^ and Repentance fhould be accompanied by Glory -, but by a Strange legerdemain the Devil has turn'd the Tables, and attacked Shame to this, and Impudence to that : But however. Repentance is an ho- neft Aft i it's worthy of a Man, and the in- difpenfable Duty of a Chriftian j why then fhould it fear a Witnefs? The Difference between good and ill Men lies not in the E- fleem of Virtue, b«tinthePraaice; for both equally value it. But the firft only pofTefs it, becaufe the others will not go to the Charge of procuring it. Neand. Pray is not Fear a clownifh Vice ? a female Weaknefs ? Does it not fit ungen- teely on Quality ? Now what can bring a Gentleman to the Bar, and clap him on his Knees, with a Pray forgive me in his Mouth, but this mean PafTion ? ^ Enfeb. You are miftaken •, Cowardice and Fear are neither Synonimous in Philofophy, nor Morals: That is always a Vice, this is often a Virtue. When Prudence commands Fear, Boldnefs is Temerity and Folly : It's Cowardice to defpond and link under a Dan- ger, that Valour can fubdue \ but it's Rafli- nefs to engage v/ith one above the Strength of humane Force. Has then a Gentleman Kiefs Courage, becaufe he trembles at thcim- ^ G 2 partial 1^4 -^ Gentleman inflm&ed^ 8cc. Partial Juftice of an enraged Deity ? becaufe ^e dares not wreftle with the Omnipotent, Or ftand the Shock of his Fury f becaufe he'll rather repent than die in Obflinacy ? and rather return to his Duty, than fuffcr eter- nally for tranfgreiring it ? Neander^ let not the wild Notions of our pretended Gentle* men be your Guides ^ their Principles are as corrupt as their Praftice, and their Reafon is as bad as their Confcience. Neand. Are you not a Member of the Port-Royal Club ? Enfeh, Why do you ask this Queftion? Neand. I am told they are mighty Patrons de la morale fevere *, they preach up Rigour to luch an ex|orbitantHeigth,thatone would think God's great Prerogative Mercy was ei- ther wore out, or extinft. Your Morals have a Flavour of Rigorifm ^ they are fower^ morofe^ ill-^natHr^d^ and call for a Dram of Charity. For look ye, Sir, Detraflion ( as the World goes ) is no Phantom, it's a very real thing, and keeps good Compa- ny* : This alone pours Life into Converfati- on ^ it quickens Difcourfe ^ without it Mirth would languifh, and good Humour fleep. I have feen your Sevemh-form Wits, as mute, (as if their Mouths were padlock'd) when any feriousand innocent Subjeft came in their Way i but when their Neighbours Conduft , A Gentleman injlruSfed^ &c. 125 Conduft was brought before 'em, their Tongues run before their Confcience v#they would take his Life in Pieces, they would rip up his Breaft, difled his Thoughts, and then draw Dcmonftrations from meer Con- jeftures \ they would hand his Reputation about the Table, till it fell to the Ground, and blow over it, till it fmell as rank as the Breath that caufed the Stench, and difgorged the Infeftion. Notwithftanding thefe Peo- ple hoped to be faved, without ftooping to the Satisfaftion you fpeak of. In fhort, eve- ry Man endeavours by Detradion and Out- rage to undermine his Brother's Fame, and no Man fo much as thinks of repairing it. Nay, I never heard the Clergy recommend it to dying Perfons as a Duty \ but either as an Aft of Decency, or of Edification. Can I fuppofe, you are better informed of a ftrift Obligation than the Minifiry ^ or better vers'd in Cafuiftry than Divines ? Eujehins^ let us damn no Body. Enfeb. I remember when ftigraatized Vil- lains with Narratives and Difcoveries Jibel- led honeft Patriots into Newgate^ and cut off their Honours and Lives with Fears and Jea- loufies ; when they fowed the Innocent in Bear-Skins, and then fet all the Beagles of the Faftion about their Ears j when they profaned Old Bailies with Perjuries, any G 3 butcheredd 176 A Gentleman injlru^ed^ See. butchered their Fellow -Subjea's Fame at the Bir, to quarter their Bodies' at fyhnrn. The{^ Knights of the Pofl: flung not up, I fappofe, their Pretenfions to Heaven : Tho' I have not feen any Recantation. Yet I am fure, unlefs God nulls all the Laws of Na- ture, 2nd calls in the Gofpel, or iflues out tinder his great Seal an Ammjiy^ they'll fall mon of their Expeftation. ^ I confefs, this Difeafe of the Tongue is Epidemical -^ the life of Speech has fo fwer- ved from its Original Inftitution, that it's become an Incumbrance and a Snare to Man- kind. I look upon the Faculty rather as a Penalty than a Prerogative ; and were we devefted of it, though you (hould be unfit for Converfation, we might hope to be more innocent. Now^ whether our Calumni- ators hope to be faved, is a Qiieftion. I am apt to believe their Religion and Con- fcience are of a Peice,and that they confine their Fears^ Hope, and Defires within the Compafs of this World : For certainly, the Dread of eternal Fire might cool their Pafli-' oiis, and check their Malice. Were they perfuaded of another World, would they not fall with more Scruple, and rife with more Vigour ? But if they hope for Salvati- on without Satisfa that either to refpeft or honour another, is to invade his Property, and tofetagainll him an uru!{)ing Competitor. Hence he runs in Quell of a Foil, to make his own Perfecti- ons appear more gawdy, and fparkle with more Eckt. Now what can give a more charming A Gentleman injlru&^d^ &c. 1 29 charming Turn to his fuppofed Talent, than his Rival's Folly ? Hence he rallies up ia a Body all the Auxiliary Forces of Anger and Revenge •, he takes the Field, and maraudes upon his Fame ^ he difTecls the poor Crea- ture's AAions, and expofes the whole Ana- tomy of his private Tranfgrefiions to the View and Cenfure of the Publick. For he wifely fancies, that the Fabrick of his Vanity will ftand unmoveable on the Ruins of a Ri- val's Reputation. Did the Breafts of the proud and haughty-minded Men lie open to Sight -, could we rifle all the abftrufe and dark Recelfes of their Hearts, what Sallies of Joy (hould we difcover at the moft innocent Overfights.of a Competitor? And then, whoever crows within at the Misfortune, will proclaim it at the firfl: Occalion : For Joy, like Grief, is a ftifling Humour, nnlefs it throws ofFthe Opprefiion. If therefore you defire to fpeak ill of no Body, think not too well of your felf ^ fet not too exorbitant a Price upon your Merits •, remember you are no Phoenix, the only indi- vidual of your Species \ thofe Qiialities you poifefs are meer Gratuities, the EfTcdh of' God's Liberality, not of your Defer ts ^ you had no Right to be, much lefs to be great beautiful, or rich. Is it not a Madnefs there^ fore for you who can lay Claim to notbine.- G 5 . tOY' 130 A Gent tern an injirn^ed^ &c. to engrofs all the Gifts of Nature and For- tune? Think not, God has exhaufted his Treafury on you alone-, hefcatters his Fa- vours where he pleafes; and if he provides more plentifully for your Neighbour, than for you, why do you complain f Mufl you be evil becaufe God is good ? Mufl you cafl; a malicious Glance on another, becaufe he has received fome Marks of his great Ma- ker's Kindnefs ? Difcompofe not your Thoughts for other Peoples Advantages, but enioy your own with Thankfulnefs. Fix jufl Bounds to your DefireSjas well as to your Undertakings^ otherways youll reer up ima- ginary Caftles of Greatnefs^ to create to your felf a real Torment. But if you will contend for aa honourable Poft, manage the Conteft fairly \ pulh on your Pretenfions with Virtue and Generofi- ty. Let Merit bear away the Prize, not outrage, and if your Rival carry off the Advantage; rather applaud the Gonquefty than revile him. By lefTening his Parts or Conduft you burlefque your own ; but thea if you complain, and curfe in a Corner, you only betray yonr Impotence, ill Nature, and Impiety: In fine, look at your Failings and his through the fame Glafs, and you'll fee an humbling Spedacle i^ you'll behold fo many Objefts worthy of Blame, that you'll have Bo greai Stomach to ceafure others. Ea- AGefsdeman infirn[ied^ &C. 131 Envy isthefecond Source of Detraftion. This is an ill-natur'd Vice, it loves 111 for Iirs fake, and takes Pleafure in Torment j it's a kind of Turn-key by Birth, and an Exe- cutioner by Profeflioni it feeds on Stench, and fucks Rats-bane from Balms, and Infefti- on from Perfumes-, it never does a good Turn, but when it defignsanill one-, and feldom takes things by the right Handle 5, Mifchief makes up its Employment, Plagues and Famines its Diverfion-, its Smiles are like blazing Comets, which either hatch Trea- fon, or* portend it. What Wonder, if a Man poflefs^d by this Fiend Plays the Devil, who is Surnamed Accnfator Fratrum f But though any Mifchief lies within the Reach of an envious Man's Wilh, many are removed out of the Verge of his Power : Some move too high to be (hot at,, others too low i but neither Place nor Station is a fofiicient Fence againfl the Tongue. A Dwarf may engage with aGyantatthis Wea- pon, or a Clown with a Lord. And for this Reafon' when the envious Man can't come at his Antagonill's Perfon, he fets upon his^ good Name, and falls foulupon his Honour ^ and when by the Help of keen Satyr and falfe Glalfes? he has beat down the Outworks that fenced his Fortune from Infult and Ruin^ he draws his Cannoa nearer, andraifes Bat^ te.ries> t^2 A Gentleman injlrH&ed] &c. teries againft his Grandure and Eftate that fapport it : For he knows that the bell built Fortune can't be ftable, when Reputation (that propt it) is removed. Thus we fee Socrates kept hh Gvoimd^ and even triumph- ed over the Calumnies of his Accufers^ whilft his Reputation interpofed. But when a buffooning Comedian drollM him into Con- tempt, he appeared no lefs guilty before the Judges, than defpicable on the Stage. So that in Conclufion Envy found him guilty, and the Senate pronounced the Sentence, Methinks it's fuperfluous to difluade a Man from this Vice. Interell is more pow- erful thanReafon. We dote on Pleafure, and run from Pain by the Inftinft of Nature. Who will not rather chufe a Prifon with Sa- tisfadion, than a Palace with Torment ? But an envious Man, inftead of following the Currentof Nature, bears up againft it. He labours for Labour's fake, and drudges for the meer Expedation of Mifery. He leads the Life of Caw^ haunted with the Speftres of his own Crimes from within, and with a thoufand Jealoufies from abroad ; other Peoples Happinefs creates his Torments ^ their Profperity gnaws his Entrails, and his Impotence, to over-cafl: the Sunlhine of their good Fortune, claps him on the Wheel. Now a Man that can fall in Love with Pain^ and: A Gentleman injlrnlied^ &C. 1 35 and court Difquiet, mufl not be call in the fame Mould, that other Mortals are : And therefore I Ihould think it as eafie to difluade People from Envy, as from vaulting down a Precipice, But befides, a Man that envies others, is always paid in the fame Coin ^ his Honour will be as roughly handled •, when one con- tells with Multitudes, he Hands on the low- er Ground, and fights at a Difadvantage, This is the envious Man's Cafe. For he can't but know the difingenuous Defcantsono- thers Aftions will reach the Ears af the Of- fended Perfons. Defaming Reports have a miraculous Sympathy with thofe thatDi- ftance of Place is notable to dead the Eccho j they rebound from Tongue to Tongue, are toflcd from Hand to Hand, till they come to the Knowledge of the Injured ^ and general- ly (like Snow-Balls ) they encreafe in the journey. What a grating Noife then will they make in the Ears of the defamed Per- fon ? Will not he think of Reprifals ? Will he not treat your Honour with as little Regard as you have his? and God fend fuch aa eafie Satisfaftion may affwage his Refentment, When Men fit Judges in their own Gaufe^ they make the Bills of Lofies and Damage rifC' high ^ who knows but they may de- mand. 134 ^ Gmtleman inflrn d^ed^ &c. mand Blood, and facrifice your Life to the Manes of their murderM Reputation ? In fine, Nea^der^ remember you muft die. When Death hath fealed your Eyes, you'll find all the Darts of the Tongue fliot at your Neighbour, ftick in your own Soul j you'll feel the Smart, but will find no Lenitive, no Cure : Why then Ihall we run headlong into thofe Crimes we muft either deplore here, or burn for hereafter ? Let us look before us, and not like Beafts follow the meer Im- preflions of PaflTion. Let us Ihow we areMen, not by our Vices, but by our Virtues. To have Reafon, and ad againft it, is to debafe our Species. IV. As God has fenced our Neighbour's Fame, fo he has been careful to guard Jbis Pofleflions againft all the Attempts of Avarice and In- juftice. Non /nraberisj fays he in the Deca- logue, ThoHJkdtmtfteal'^ and then he threa- tens the Criminal with the Sentence of his high Difpleafure, unlefs he cancels the Tranfgrefllon with a fincere Repentance. I apprehend , Neander , fome Gentlemen miftake this Command : They fancy it reaches only Pads, Cut-purfes, or High- way-men: Bat this is a Miftake; it takes in all w=ho ad againft the Laws of Juftice jand for A Gentleman infirH&ed, &c. 155 for this Reafon I fear, that many who hang at Tyburn, ar-e often lefs Criminal, than fome of thofe who ftand Speftators of the Tragedy, or perchance who fate on the Bench. For in all Kingdoms, Laws are (as 5^/iV. For let me tell you, Ne^ ander^ the Juftice of a Caufe fprouts up, ajid thrives miraculoufly under a Fee. But though thefe Men carry the Suit in the Eyes of the World, they lofe it at God's high Court of Juftice, and their Souls alfo ; nor is there any Difference between thefe Over-reachers andCut-purfes ^ but that they are ten times more CriminaL Among the Laceddmomans a clearer Theft Pafs'd for a Virtue. Are not fome Chriftians of the lame Peifualioa? Butfor all that, though a StfartAn 1^6 A Gentleman injlrH&ed^ &c. 5p^rf^?? Jury might PoflTibly find 'em mtgml- ty^ they'll find no fuch Indulgence in the Vale of Jehofaphat. I never yet underftood, how SoUicitati- ons, and Recommendatious of Caufes to the Judges, how double and tripk Fees could be well reconciled with this Law, Thonjlmlt not fteal: For either you doubt of the Integrity of the Bench, or you do not. If the firft, you caft a Scandal on theFace of the Govern- ment J you arraign either theCapacity or the Integrity of the Prince j i, e. you fufpeft he wants Judgment in the Choice of Magi- ft rates, or has advanced on Pu rpofe thofe w ho would betray the Propriety of the Subjed. Nowfuch an /^7;///^^^t? is difrefpeftful, rafliV and highly unchriflian. Butbefides, if really you doubt of the Judge's Integrity, your Condud is foolifh. For if a Judge will fell afavoarable Sentence to the Plaintif, he'll be no lefs kind to the Defendant, if he out-bids him. A Man then fhould be firft fure of Succefs, before he parts with his Mony, otherwife he will be gulled out of his Preteniions,and pay for his Difappointment. Again this Pradtice runs quite counter to all the Didates of Confcience and Juftice. For if Gain and Intereft be a Magiftrate's weak fidcj if I know he meafurcs Right by the A Gentleman infiru^edy & C. 157 the Weight of Silver, and barters Law for Mony, can I pamper his Inclinatioa ? or feed his corrupt Appetite ? or ftrike in with his finful Diftemper ? No more, certainly, than I can with a fafe Confcience pufh him down a Precipice ^ for if it be a Sin to per- mit one, when lean hinder it, is it not a Sin to perfaade a Crime ? nay, to buy .one ? If the fecond •, i, e. If you fuppofe your Bufmefs lies in the Hands of upright Men, that fquare their Verdids by the Laws, not by Partiality and Favour, why are you eter- nally upon the Hoof? why do you tire them and your felf too with tedious Applications ? VVhy do you drain your Pockets to enrich Pettifoggers and Attornies ^ This Trouble is fuperfluous, and the Expence unneedful. In a A^ord, Sir, the Conduft is either unprofi- table or unjuft. But if you doubt in your Caufe, let it fall, at lead pufh it on no farther, with your Cre- dit or Purfe;, for all you can exped, is to gain a Sute, and lofe your Soul. Neandcr, If 1 can juggle a Neighbour out of anErtate by Q]jirks of Law, and by a gentile Turn of the Hand buble him out of a coafide- rable Sum, may I not put him to graze upon the Common, without any Obligation to reflore ? Eufek* 138 A Gentleman inflm&ed^ &c. Etifeb. The very Queflion is a Scandal not only to Chriftianity, but to humane Nature •, you are obliged not only to return the Capi- tal, but to Indemnifie him for all the Loiles confequent thereto. Neand. Nay, Sir, I am of your Opinion % for why fhould a Man gain by his Crimes ? Yet once I fell into the Company of a Man of parts, of Charafter and Repute in his Coun- try, who thought otherwife of the Matter : We difcours'd thePoint, yet I could never get iiim over to my Opinion : He held fo faft to Non-reftitution, that there v/as no nfioving him. A hearty Repentance, (faid he) without Reftitution, makes a fufficient Attonement for the Offence. He told me I was unskiil'd in Cafuiftry. I confefs'd 1 had read no Ca- fuift but the Bible and Nature. Eufeb. With SubmiflTion to the Gentle- man's Charafter, Parts and Station •, he was either a great Fool, or a fuperlative Knave, fit for Bedlam, or Newgate. Was he not a Lawyer ? Neand, He had ftudied in the Inns of Court. Etifeb. I thought fo. It's a healing Do- drine for a wounded Confcience^a palata^ ble and ealie Remedy, a Catholkon for all the Aches of the Mind, and the Gripes of an over-charged Stomach i and perchance the A Gentleman inflru^ed^ &C. 139 life is univerfal, otherways once at leafl: in a Twelvemonth we might fee a Drjes tfanf- formed into a Lazarns^ a Lord into a Laqiiayy and a L.W^ into a Chamber-maid ^ we might feethofewhofit Majeftically in Coaches with along Wig, and a Snuff-Box ^ /-^ ^^'^^ fit behind 'em. Good God! how many gaw- dy Birds would make as naked a Figure as the Daw in the Fable, it their Peacock Plumes were returned to their Owners. Neander^ pray tell that Gentleman 1 am neither fatis-. lied with his Confcience nor his Skill •, he that will not reftore ftolen Goods, is more criminal, than him that conceals 'em ^ and he that will keep an ill-purchafed Eftate ia Spightof Juftice, will feize on the next that lies in his way, and then how can he under- ftand Cool and Littleton^ who can't read the very Alphabet of Nature ? A hearty Re- pentance without Reftitution is a Dream. Dear Neander^ never raife the Pile of a great Fortune on a Bottom of Fraud and In ju- ftice-, it's an unftable Foundation, and un- able to bear the monftrous Weight of Grimes, they crufh in a Moment the bell built Stru- fture, and entomb the Criminal, together with all his Grandure, under the Ruins of his towering Babel, The Triumphs of un- jufl Men are always fhort lived. God takes Pleafurein ftrangling 'em in the very Cra- dle 140 A Gentleman injiru&ed^ &c. die i they pafs like Lightening and leave no- thing behind but Smoak and Vapor : their Fall is no lefs amazing than their Rife ; they pafs off like Phantoms, or elfe live in Penury and Contempt,or die like Reprobates-, they carry the moil legible Marks of God's Malediaionitampton their Foreheads, and tear almoft all Men without being pitied by any j fo that Divine Vengeance begins their Torments in this WorW to continue 'em eternally in the other. I'll not follow this crying Vice through its Branches, nor make an entire Difledion of all its Parts ^ it runs through all the Veins of Commerce, and almoft Converfation ^ it's found in Play, as well as in Contrafts, and is no more innocent under one Shape, than under an other •, you may call it Overreach- ing, or Outwitting, if you Pleafe, but the Change of Names makes no Alteration of the Thing: Natures depend not on F^^ncy or Caprice, they are the fame in Spight of Cuftom and Difguife. V. I mud now caution you againft Lewdnefs. It's a noifom Employment to grope in Pu- dles, and to dig in Mack. And therefore ru only skim the Surface, and let the offen- five A Gentleman infiru&ed^ 8cc. 141 five Dreggs lie at the Bottom. You know God has enafted this Law in the Decalogue, Thoiijhalt not commit Adultery : This Precept does not onely reftrain Afts of Lewd- nefs, but even Thoughts and Defires : For Impurity in Idea draws after it a real Hell; the Smoak that vanifhes in a Moment, kin- dles an eternal Fire. Neand. I fuppofe neither Gentlemen of the Court, nor Officers of the Army, come within the Compafs of this Prohibition. God furely and Nature have iflued out in their Favour a Patent of Exemption. Eufeb. Truly, Neander^ I never read that either God or Nature had fuch a Deference for the Court and Army, or fo great a Re- fpeft for Quality. Why, Man, let our Courtiers be as great as Alexander^ and our Soldiers as valiant ; there fits a more Au- guft, and a more powerful Mafter above, whofe Commands they mult obey, or fmart for the Tranfgreffion.TheSword has noPrivi- lege above the Plow, nor has Quality any Right above Peafantry, but to greater Tor- ments : Potentes patenter torment a patientur. JSteand, If it be fo, our Gentlemen and Souldiers are all (truck with a Lunacy. They feem to have entred into an AUbdation a- gainlt Divine Authority, and endeavour by Praftice to repeal the Statute 3 as if God's Laws 142 A Gentleman injirn&edy &c. Laws could ceafe per defnetHdinenty as well as human. When St. Vad bids every Man take uxorem^ if he meant a Mifs^ the Counfel is followed even to a Scruple i but if he did not, our Conduct is fcandalous to Impudence, and God'sAuthority is flighted beyondContempt and Infolence. Enfeb. The Evil lies deep, and the Difeafe reaches to the Lands End j few are clear of the Infedion •, Lewdnefs is no more a Diver- fion i no, it's become the grand Bufinefs, the Employment of Mankind •, nay, it's im- proved to Science alfo j Love Intrigues turn on Method, and are carried on by Demon- ftration : So that Attempts upon Chaftity come off generally with Succefs. For Wo- men in our Age are as 111 furnilh'd for Re- liflance, as an old Spanijh Town for a Siege. But then the Dons, when forc'd to furren- der, article for their Honour : This they'll bring off^ though the Town ftay behind in the Hands of the Conquerors. But our fe- maleDefendants ftand not upon fuch Niceties; they deliver up their Modefty, and go off with Ignominy : Confufion I will not fay ; for Blulhes are out of Fafhion, unlefs when its a Queftion to pradice the Cbrillian Virtues of Sobriety, Temperance, and Chaftity. I have more than once taken a Survey of our Gentry, and I find nine of ten ruin'd by this A Gentleman injiru&ed^ &c. 145 this unlucky Vice i to all Intents and Pur- pofes, they have forfeited their Honour, morgaged their Eftates, impaired their Healths, their Bodies fall under the Weight of Lewdnefs, their Purfes are fcarce able to fupport it. So that if thefe Young Sparks would take the Pains to caft up their Ac- counts, they would find their Pleafures have brought 'em in no other Profit but Poverty, Difeafes, and more than oneCaufe of Repen- tance. Good God ! why muft Appetite have fuch a ftrange Afcendant over Reafon ? why muIlMan thus tranfgrefs the End of Creation? Appetite was made to obey, Reafon to com- mand. To change their Offices is to throw down the Enclofure between Man and Beaft. Is it not a Madnefs to fell this Prerogative for a petty Satisfaftion ? that like the Book of the Afocalyfs leave a fweet Flavour in the Mouth, and Bitternefs in the Heart ? But fuppofe Man will enjoy Pleafure, is nothing palatable but Dirt and Mire? muft he turn Goat or Baboon before he can be pleafed ? Certainly, he is enamour'd of their Nature ; he dotes fo much on their Paftimes ^ and I am apt to believe he would range on their Hills, or fport on their Trees among a Herd of Females. But take all together, I fear the Pleafure does not come up to Expeftation, The Gall out- 144 ^ Gentleman inflrudicd^ &c. out- weighs the Hony. For let us fuppofe, a Man pofiTefs'd by the unclean Devil of brutifli Love, he lodges all the Torments of the Damned in his Heart, and, what is worfe, theirGuilt •, hefhiversand burns, he hopes and defpairs, he dreams in Company, and talks in Solitude ; all the Features of his be- lo'J'ed Objedt meet in his Imagination to wound his Heart, and turn the Idol he adores into a Devil to lafh him j his Fears keep Pace with his Fondnefs, and Jealoufie treads on the Heels of both, and all confpire to make him wretched. For though Love looks pleafing and pretty in Romance, in Life it's Monfter, Tyrant and Fury. A Lover knows, that a Woman, who has withdrawn her Fidelity from God, will for- fake a Gallant at the leaft Profpcd of Ad- vantage. Hence Difquiet feizes on the Brain, and Jealoufie rifes from Hell, to clap him on the Torture •, like the Devil in the Gofpel, it fometimes flings him into the Water, fome- times into the Fire ^ he watches his Treafure with the Eyes of an Araus^ and lays a hundred Amlufcades to find his Mifery, and her Infi- delity •, fo that, though Wfs be faithful, Monfieur is fure to be miferable. I fay nothing here of Averfion, Hatred, En*vy, and a thoufand other Vipers, that worry his Heart and prey upon bis Vitals, In A Gentlemm inflrn&ed^ Scc. 145 Infliort, inabefotted Lover alone are cen- tred all the Frenzies and Follies of Bedlam, but thatof Mirth. So that Envy can fcarce wifh him more unhappy, nor Malice render him more unfortunate : But if the Intrigue be carried with a Perfon of anunfpotted Re- putation, and who ftands fair in the Opinioa of the World, nay, and who perchance fets up for a Liicretia and Fefial^ What Endea- vours are made to court incognito ? and to play out of Sight ? But if after all, the Sla quickens in her Womb, and that withiri nine Months fhe be in Danger to fall into Fits of the Mother \ what Pangs^ what Throws, what Convulfions tear this poor Creature's Breafl? and her Gallant's too ? In how lively Shapes does Imagination paint her Folly ! She differs all the Torments of Child-birth at the very Inftant of Conception ^ befides thofe of Rage, ofDefpair, and Confufion, and in the End perchance refolves to conceal one Sin by the Help of another ^ /. e. Lewdnefs by Murder ^ and thus a poor Innocent, who came into the World by a lefs Sin, is fean out of it by a greater ^ and then in all Proba- bility the Tragedy that begun at Midnight in Darknefs and Privacy, often ends at Mid- day on a Scaffold. Mud not therefore one be void of Reafon to take a petty Pleafure in Hand, with fuch a Crowd of Troubles in H Re- 1 4^ A Gentleman infiruBed^ &c. Reverfion ? Ought we not to fence againfl: a Vice, fo charming on the one Hand, and fo imeafie on the other ? Neand. What are the beft Prefervatives a- gainft this Epidemical Diftemper ? Enfeh. Take this as a Principle, that Chaftity is a Gift of God •, and therefore im- plore continually his Divine Affiftance ; re- ly on his Grace, not on your Force ^ and if you be fo happy, as not to fall, give him the Glory of the Triumph, and believe, that whofoever prefumes on his own Valour, has already meafured half the Precipice : God protefts the Humble, and liumbles the Proud. Secondly^ Keep Love at a Diftance, or it will fur prize you •, when once it has ftormed the Heart, it forces Reafon to furrender ^ and when Appetite commands, whenPaflion domineers, what can be expected but Brutal- ity ? Lock up the Gates of your Senfes, and, as in Frontier-Towns, examine the Palfen- gers. Love, like a Proteus^ borrows all Shapes, and makes its Approaches at all Sea- fons,^ fo that you mull ftand upon your Guard, if you intend to avoid a Surprize; and if you can keep this Traitor at Arm's- length, Lewdnefs will neither have the Face, nor find the Opportunity to aflail you. But if you admit this Tyrant, if you lodge him in your Breaft, you will have Caufe to de- plore A Gefttlewan inJiruSfed^ &c. 147 plore your Slavery, aad perchance eternal- ly. For in a Word, Love, like a Viper, eats into the Heart, that warms it, and returns Death for the Favour. Thirdly^ Flight is the beft Defence, the mofl: fecure Rampart againft the Darts of Lafcivioufnefs •, you may as well hope to freeze in Fire, as to converfe innocently ia the midfl: of Occafions. I am of Teniillian\ Opinion, that it's eaiier to die for Chaftity, (as the World goes) than to live with it in Balls^ Fifits and Entertainments, And I look upon it as a certain Truth, that many of the Sex, who have furrenderM their Honour to the Flatteries, Importunities, and Dalliances of Gallants, would have refufed it to tfa« Cruelty of Hang-men. Enter not therefore into the TUy^Houfe-^ it's the Palace of Afmod^us^ the Seat of Lewd- nefs, the Nurfery of Debauchery. It's with us as the Fornkes were at Rome^ only with this Difference, that thofe Grimes are learn'd, contriv'd, and refolvM on here, the Romans aftually committed under the black Shade of thofe infernal Vaults. For my part I am of Opinion, that a Chriftian cannot with a fafer Gonfciencc enter into the Play-Houfe, than into a Brothel; as things are managed there. Temptation is ftronger on the Stage, and more inviting. The Blacknefs of the H 2 Vice 148 A Gentleman injir/^&ed^ &c. Vice lies under a Difguife^ it's blanch'd over with all the Art of Wit and Gawdry ^ fo that nothing appears but the charming Part, which fafcinates the Eyes, captivates the Ears, dozes the Intelka, and fires the Paffi- ons, and then to plain tjic Way for Action. The Poet burlefques the Terrors of the other World •, he paints the Devils rather like Scharamouches to divert, than like Executi- oners to torment : He blafphemes the Maje- fty of God to bring him under Contempt, and fo blunts all the Darts of Fear and Ap- preheofion ^ and then, when Objeds draw, when PalTions ftand prepared, and Reftraint is removed, what can be reaibnably expect- ed, but Proflitution ? But befides, the Stage not only removes Fear of Puniihment^but even rewards Debauchery : For who are they that carry ofFApplaufeand Fortunes but Rakes and Proftitutes ? The Poet puts all his Wit in the Mouths of Rooks and Bullies ^ and if an honeft Man appear, he is fnre to be hooted at, and generally goes off both Fool and Cuckold* Is not this to condemn Virtue? to execute it in Effigie ? and to canonize Vice by Deputy ? Is not this to fay, Gentlemen and Ladies beware of Chaflity and Virtue, they are out of Date in our Age •, you'll forfeit four Honour by maintaining it, and grow ridiculous, if you continue A Gentleman iujiru&ed^ &c. 1 49 continue innocent. The {borteft Way to Repute, is, to drive over Confcience, to blufli at Honefty, and praftife Incontinence. What Virtue is Proof againft fuch murdering En- gines ? If Hell be a Place of Diverfion, (as the Poets endeavour to perfuade the Audi- ence) if God be a Scare-crow, ifChaftity be infamous, and Impurity creditable, who will not rather be lewd with Credit, than chaft with Reproach ? I would have both Poets and Players enter a little into themfelvesj they have all contributed to run down Vir- tue and Religion, and to bring Libertinifm and Atheifm into Fafliion. Thofe prepare the Poifon, thefe prefent the Potion, dafht with all the palatable Ingredients of Pomp - and Magnificence, that it may go down with Pleafure, and work with Efficacy. I am a- fraid in the next World they'll beforcM to anfwer for the Sins ofthePoetandAdors,as well as for thofe ot the Chriftian, unlefs by a timely Repentance, and publick Recanta- tion,they ask Pardon of God, and Forgivenefs of the Nation, which they have rymed al- mofl: out of Religion, and played out of Con- fcience. Fourthly^ When Temptation invites, draw up all the difmal Confequences of this wretched Sin, and fix your Thoughts upon . 'cm. Other Crimes, like the Adder, carry H J their 150 A Gentleman wjirn&ed^ 8cc. their Poifon in their Head ^ this is a Scor- pion, that licks up its Venom in its Tail. For though then Sin be charming, it's Se- quels ar« dreadful. The Infedion flies up to the Brain, like the Sting of the Taramda •, and tho' thofe that are bit by this poifonous Infedt, can dance out the ftiipifying Hu- mour, and may be fidled into their Wits, the others are paft Cure •, they remain in Spight of Homily and Exhortation, ftupid, brutal. Without Judgment, without Honour, ivithout Senfe, and oftentimes without Mo- Jiy^ but never without Folly, Sighs, Jea- loufles, Rage and Defpair. Fifthly^ That your AfFeftions may not Ileal abroad, nor likeButter-flies flutter from one Objeft to another, chain 'em by Lawful Wedlock to a Wife. I know at prefent. Ma- trimony (thatin St. P^/vfs Days was honou- rable) lies under no creditable Circumftan- ces ; and we are in part obliged to the Stage- Poets for the Afperfion. They reprefent this Divine Inflitution under all the Re- proaches of Slavery and Folly, and paint both Sexes fo fcandaloufly lafcivious, that the Charafter is enough to deter Chriftians from the Engagement. I fuppofe thefe Gen- tlemen are fee'd by the Stews, to Hand up for the Improvement of their Trade i^ and for this Reafon they labour fo heartily, to per- fuade A Gentleman inftrn&ed^ &c. 151 fuade People, Lawful Pleafures tafte flat and infipid, as if the only charming Circumftance of Pleafure were the Unlawfulnefs of the Aftion. This Doftrine is calculated exact- ly for the Praftice of Lucifer and his AlToci- ates, but not forChriftians: Itfmells ofSmoak and may iu good time heat the Preachers. Beware of Jealoufie. A Wife is often made faithful by not fufpefting her of Infi- delity ^ but when without Reafon, you que- llion her Loyalty ^ you only tempt her to be- tray it. I have heard of a Lady,that kept her Conjugal Vow, whillther HusbaPxd thouj^i^ht fhe did ^ but when he accufcd her failly, and blafted her Reputation, fiie murdered her Innocence to revenge the Injury. Some Women are of Opinion, there is little Diffe- rence between being unchafV, and being thought fo i and therefore go off with the Satisfaction of Infidelity, as well as with the Infamy. A thoufand, thouf^nd times hap- py is that Couple, that by a wife Forefight prevents thofe Misfortunes, that fpring from Diverfityof Conftitutions and Humours, or at lead fupport with Patience, what Pru- dence can't avert, and fo improve Neceffity into a Virtue. V. If God has blefsM you with Children, (fays the Scripture, Trov. 7.) inftruft 'em. H 4 God 152 A Gentleman inflru&ed^ &c. God has ingrav'd this Law in the very Heart of Nature, and mare than once promulg'd it in the Bible, that Parents might be well convinced of this grand Duty, and be per- fiiaded to comply with it \ and yet it feems, that no Law is lefs underftood, and more univerfally neglefted in Pradice than this. Some Parents, more cruel than the O- Ihich, bring Poor Creatures into the World, and then abandon 'em. Others, like Apes, are 'Co fond of their Brood, they kill 'em with Kindnefs : Thofe areguiltyof Negli- gence, th^efe of Indulgence •, and all betray their Duty, and by confequence their Gon- Itience. I have been often fcandallzM at the infup- portable Negled of fome Parents \ they made no Difference between their Laquays and their Children, but that they carefs'd thofe, and eternally tormented thefe •, they herded with-the Grooms and Carters, and owed all their Education to the Stable and Kitchen j and if they fent 'em fometlmes to School, 'twas oniy to rid the Houfe, not for their Inftruciion. They never took the pains to inform themfelves, whether the Mafter was black or white? Whether religious or impious ? A Turk or a Chriftian ? Good God ! faid 1 to Sir N. N. what do you mean ? You will not hire a Cook without examining his A Gentleman wflru&ed^ &c. 155- his Talents, nor take a Groom without Good Security of his Skills (yet the one is only to fer ve the Belly, the other to curry Horfes) and will you truft a Child to the Care of a Man, who, for ought you know, has neither Science nor Religion ? Nor have I beheld with Patieuce' the do- ting Fondnefs of others. I have feen my Young Mafter often play the Lion in the Fa- mily, and my tender Lady, the Mother, ap- plaud his Infoleace,like ih^ Romans in Semca's Days. She would embrace the Spark, when^ file fhould have chid him ^ nay, and kifs him for thofe very things ftie fhould have whipt him. To crofs the Child, is to ftab the Mo- ther^ and if he whimpers, (he cries in good Earneft -, his Pafllons grow upon him with Age,and a foolilh Indulgence emboldens 'em ; he asks what he pleafes, and obtains what he demands i a refufal fets him on Fire, and then my Young Jufiter begins to thunder : My Lady trembles at the Tempeft (lie has raifed ^ and inftead of laying it by a fober Correftion, (he foolilhly augments it by a thoufand Carefles : Hs is coach'd to Compa- ny, to Balls, and the Play-Houfe, and muft be Speftator of / without fowing : Choak all Tendency of fo 1 5^ A Genileman inftru&ed^ 8cc. early a Pride, or elfe it will grow to his Ru- in. I blufh at the unchriftian ConduS: of thofe Parents, who teach little Creatures^ before they can walk, to climb up to the ve- ry Pinnacle of Honour •, who would make 'em Pages to Antichrift to be great, and would counfel 'em to be Mahometans for the vain Satisfaftion of feeing 'em Bafla's : When you have furnifh'd 'em with Virtue, and provided for their Soul,kt em think of a Set- tlement, and aim rather at a Poft that is gen- tile, than great : An elevated Fortune is fel- dom obtained without vaft Crimes, and al- ways fupported by greater. Scccndly^ Cultivate them with thofe Arts and Sciences that fute with their Capacity and Condition. For thofe that have nothing to do, do always more than they ought , and though they are unfitfor ahandfom Occupa- tion, they are capable of a vicious one. Thirdly^ Give not all your Means to the El- deft •, leaveaProvifionforall: A young Gen- tleman that begins the World without Mony, ends it withoutConfcience: When I muftrack Hiy Brain to Ihe^ I have neither time nor lea- fur e to think of /mW '^^'^//. Neceflity is the Mother of Vice, no lefs than Abundance y Tiiid Want is both more troublefome thanAf- iiaencc, and equally dangerous : Befides^hovv will you have a Gentleman pufh forward^ who A Gentleman injlrn&ed, &C. 157 who has nothing to improve? Can heraife a Fortune withoutTools to work with? with- out a Fund to lay the Foundation? Poverty- palls the molt generous Spirits; it cows In- duftry, and cafts Refolution it felf into De- fpair. When you have acquitted your felf of thcfe three Points,you have done the part of a Father i the reft you muft leave toProvidence, who watches over its Creatures, and never abandons thofe,who comply with theirDoty. VI. YourCaremuft not ftop at your Children, let it reach your menial Servants , though you are their Mailer, you are alfo their Fa- ther. And for this Reafon the Romans called Houfekeepers Panes famillas^^zt\\Qv% of the Houlhold. Befides, as a Chriftian you are their Brother, and have the Church of Chrift for your Common Mother ; all thefe Relati- ons deferve a Tendernefs on the one fide, and on the other impofe an Obligation on you to enquire into their Behaviour, and to provide for their Inftruftion ; don't fo over- charge *env with Labour, that they can find no time for God. You can't exaft fo continual a Service, nor is it in their power to comply with you. They owe more Obedience to God than to- you •, and you tranfgrefs your Djty, when your Coinnnands crofs upon his. Nor is it fuflicieat to allow 'cm time to look iato 158 J Gentleman^inftru&ed^ &c. into the Concerns of their Souls, you muft fee they imploy it well : Let em meet at Prayers at leaft once a Day, and punifli thofe that negleft this Duty. Suffer not in your Houfe a Debauchee, though never fo ufeful. Who is a Traitor to his Maker, will betray a Matter at the firfl: Occafion. A Man without Confcience is always without Honefty. Be- lides, Lewdnefs and Knavery are catching, and one infeded Perfon fuffices to fcatter the Contagion. Take this for a Principle. The more you take to Heart God's Intereft, the more he'll take Care of yours*, he'll crown your Enterprizes with Succefs, or raife your Soul above the Stroak of Misfortune. In fine, you'll either enjoy Profperity withaChriftian Moderation, or bearAdverfity withPleafure. VII. Confine not Charity within the Walls of your ownHoufe, noremploy it wholly about the Spiritual Good of your Neighbour ^ let the Body feel the EfFefts of its Tendernefs, as well as the Soul. When he groans under the Pangs of Poverty,and ftruggles withNe- cefiity, relieve his Indigence out of your own Store- Houfe-, let the Meafureof your Cha- rity be the Extent of your Ability and of his Want : What you lay out on the Poor, is not fpent, but put to Intereft ^ God is Security for the Reimburfcment^ fo that the A Gentleman injlruBed^ &c. 159 Payment is infallible. I have feen fome Gen- tlemen open-handed enough, but then they difperfed their Charities withfounhandfomc a Grace, that, methought, they did ill in doing good, and refafed an Alms whilft they gave one •, they feem'd to infult over a poor Creature's Mifery, and feldom open'd their Purfe, till they had vented their Gall. This is not to relieve the Indigent, but to throw Shame upon Want, and Confufion up- on Neceffity ^ it's to hang Weight to their Burthen,and to fret Poverty with Contempt : Befides, it lofes the very Nature of Alms ; for that is not received gratis^ that is pur- chafed with Blufhes, and at the Expence of Patience. A companionate Look oftentimes refrefhes more, than a Crown with a fevere one. And (methinks) I had rather be fent away with a civil Gcd be withyou^ than be en- tcrtaind with Peevifhnefs and ill Nature. A fmall Favour well timed becomes confide- rable : The very manner of giving adds to the Gift. Keep not therefore the Poor at a Bay, nor rack 'em with Queftions -, to what Purpofe do thefe Preliminaries ferve, . but either to feed your Curiofity,or to fpend a fretting Humour ? We are of the fame Nature •, our Bodies are made of the fame Clay, and our Souls by the fame Hand. The Difference between the Rich and Poor comes not l6o A Gentleman inflm&ed^ &c. not from Nature or Merit, but from the Or- dination of Providence. Some are born to no other Eftate then that of their BrethrensCha- > rity, that they may praQife Patience , and o- thers to Abundance, that they may exercife Charity ', fo that the Virtue of thefe ftand in- debted to the Mifery of thofe^ and theGiver is no lefs obllgM than the Receiver. VIII. Begin to praftife the Virtues of a Chri- ftain betimes ^ accuftom your Palate to 'em before you have tailed Vice, they'll relifli better i a fmall Refolution plains the Way to Heaven in the Beginning, and turns God- linefsinto Pleafure ^ but if you ftay till Sins have flufht the Paffions, and (harpen'd Appe- tite, nothing but Violence can fecure you v you will not be able to advance one Step without a Combat; you mult fight your Way through all the Squadrons ; the Flefb, the World, and the Devil will draw up to op- pofe you \ and when thefe Enemies are head- ed by vitious Habits, God knows, whether you will ever befo hardy, as even to attempt a Conqueft fo hazardous on the one fide, and fo laborious on the other. IX Indeed a Chriflian Behavw -■ among Gen- tlemen is fb unufual^ thav you iim: venter to he out of Fallyon, you uraic Hand :hs Shock . of ^ A Gentleman infiruSfed^ &c. i6^ of llalkry, aad perchance the Stroak of a LiiTjpoon •, but thefe Weapons (lick in the Skin, and although they are pufht on with all the Violence of Malice and Profansnefs, are not able to draw Blood, or to touch your Reputation. I have often been aftonifh'd at fome Gentlemen, who praftifed Virtue at Home, and Vice in Company ^ who betray'd their Confcience to avoid a Blufh. This is, faid I, to fall into the wretched Biindnefs of fome favage Indians^ v;ho adore the Devil, that he may do 'em no Harm. If Rakes glo- ry in Evil, why fliould youbeafhamed at Good ? That carries along its Condemnation, and this its Juflification. Surely Shame fits more naturally on Guilt than Innocence. But eould vv^e dive into a wicked Man's Heart, could we pierce into his Soul^ we fhould read moft vifible Traces of Shame andConfufion •, evei^y Moment he calls an Eye on his Vices and his Neighbour's Vir- tues. For let me tell you, Ncander^ Piety has an amiable Afpeft, it charms its very Perfccutors, and even thofe who fbigmatize it in Practice, admire its Beauty. So that, though fometimes they let fiie a Rallery^ and (hoot a joke, thefe petty Arrows flie at random, and never come near your Honour: Nay, take it for a general Rule, that thofe Rakes, who flirt at a Chriftiaa Demeanour, have afecret Elleem for it. Oh, l62 A Gentleman injiruBed^ &c. Oh, faid one, I muft draw in ray Piety, and mew it within my own Walls ^ I have almoft loft my Chriftian Name, and am fcarce known, but by that of Bigot. Pray, Sir, faid I, let us not ftartle at Sounds, nor run away from Buffoons ^ let us conftrue the Word, and frame right Notions, and then we fhali find, that Bigot in the Jargon of Reprobates is nothing elfe but a Man that believes Re- gion, and dares profefs it •, that boggles at Oaths, and bluflies at Perjuries^ that will elevate his Spirits with old Hocl^ or new Champancj^ but not drown his Reafon ^ that has not Courage to laugh at Hell, nor the Impudence to play upon Heaven ; that fome- times does good Aftions, and always fears bad ones. This is the Highth of a Blgot^s Devotion, according to the modern life of the Word •, fo that it imports nothing hurt- ful, nothing infamous, unlefs itbeaDifgrace to profefs Honefty upon Occafioas, to pra- dife Morality, and to have a good Confti- ence. But let Debauches burlefque your Piety, muft you abandon it ? Will you abjure Chri- ftianity, becaufe fome Libertines fport with Religion? or commence Atheift, to humour Fools ? Why then will you be feared out of Piety, or teazed out of Morality ? Is it ho- nourable in Spight of Rallery to acknow- / edge A Gentleman inflruBed^ &c. 163 ledge a God ? and a Difgrace to ferve him ? Is it a Credit to be a Chriftian, and a Shame to be a good one ? No certainly •, let us put things together, and aft confequently \ let us call in Reafon to govern Fancy. Befides, who are thefe Men that awe us ? AClubof Animals^that have more Mony than Wit,and moreQuality than Confcience,aPack of Hedors^that liveill,and judge worfe ^ that are pitied by fome, and fcorn'd by others ^ the very Panegy ricks of thefe Men areSatyrs, Praife out of their Mouths is fcandalous, and Blame is glorious.M^w^^r,fufer not your felf to be laught out of Heaven, nor rallied into Helljifyou can't bear the reproachingFrowns and Smiles of a Man, how will ye endure the Frowns of an angry Deity ? If theLafh of a pe- tulantTongue be fo fenfible^aiTure your felf the Pains of Fire andBrimftone will be more infup- portable. Virtue in aDungeon is preferable to Sin on the Throne, and Innocence in the Pillo- ry is more honourable thanGu ilt on the Bench. X. If yon love yourSoul^aad refolve to fave it, a /Old the Converfation oPLibertines and A- theifts^ like theBafilisk theirEyes dartPoifon, and theirTongues fpeak Deaths they are Sa- tan^Deputies, and Devils by Proxy. A Liber- tine is half Fiend, half Beaft ^ Pleafure is his SumrnHmBonum^ this he places in Sin like the Devil, and in Mirelike the Swine ^ he circles from 164 -4 GentUman tnflru^ed^ 8cc. from theTavern to thePlay-Houfe,from hence to the Stews, and returns to his Lodging the fameWay ^ fo that hiswholeStudy is tolearn Wick^dnefs, and his whole Bufmefs to pra- ftife it-, his Difcourfe is a Compound of Smut and Blafphemy •, his Entertainment unchrifti- an, and his Dialeft diabolical ^ he would fain monopolize theWit of the Nation,but wants both Fund and Patent-, his Knowledge reach- es no further than a Gazette or the Courant, and on Occafions he ventures to vent Non- fenfe in Meeter ^ his Religion is univerfal, calculated for all Meridians -, he has one for a Calm,another for a Storm, one fovEnrope^^nO' ther ior Jmeriea ^ fo that it's as difficult to be defined as zDisjunEiive ^ mEngland he ftickles for his Bifhops ^ in Scotland BgzxnQ: 'em y he is a Jew at Amjlerdam^ a Mnjfdman at Co??flami' nofle ; a Tapill at Rome^ and a Cahlmfi at Ge- fieva : In a Word, he is any thing without, and nothing within \ fo that his whole Reli- gion turns upon Convenience and Intercft, and is comprized in^thefe Verfes. Queft. What^s Orthodox andtriu Believing ^gair^fi aCorifcicme? Anf. A good Livir-g. Quell. What mahs rebe!ii?g againfl Kings ^ good old Caufe ? Anf. A dmlni firings. Qv^t^AVhat makes all DoBrine flam and clear'} Anf. About two hundred Pound a Tear. Queft. And that which was proved true before Prove falfe ajrain ? Anf. Two hundred more, XL A Gentleman infiru&ed^ &c. 165 XI. An Atheifl is an otrergrown Libertine *, and if we believe his own Genealogy,he is aByblom begot byHazard, and fluns into theWorld by Neceflity^ he moves by Wheels, and has no more Soul than a Wind-mill -, he is thruft on by Fate, and acls by meer Compulfion •, he is no mdreMafter of hisDeeds than of hisBeing ; and therefore is as conftant to his Word as the Winds to .the fame Corner ; fo that an Atheifl: by his own Principles is a Knave per /^,and an honeft Man only ferAccidensXn fine, he ftarts out of Dufl: and vanifhesinto nothing. Neand, All my Concerns are in the Hand of a Man, who will not be very fond of thisCha- rafter, yet he fets up for on Athiefl, and fup- ports theFraternity with Arguments and Au- thority. Eufeb. M^;;^fr,difcharge him out of Hand, he'll certainly ruin your Soul, and may pofli- bly embezzle your Eftate. A round Hurrican of Atoms may drive him into the PofTeffions of your Lands, and you out of 'em. A brisk PufFmay convey out of fight a neceflary Inden- ture,or raife high theBill of Reparations-,there is no coming near a Man with Safety, that's void of Confcience ^ no trufting him that afts byFates,or moves by Defl:iny ^ if he be aSlave to impulfe, he is not Mafter of his Honelty. Neand. Though he abjures God, he upholds Rearon,and keepsTouch with Probity ^ he va- lues t66 A Gentleman injiru^ed^ &c. lues Honour, and would forfeit Life to main- tain it. Mnfeh. Then he is made up of Contradidi- ons,and one part of hisCreed ftabs the other ; if there be no God, your Friend is the Spawn of Cafualtry ; the Child of Matter and Mo- tion, a Heap of Duft with a Complex of Ubi- cations, aFigure without Soul,a Statue with- outLife ^ he is all Matter likeBeafts, no more capable of Reafon than an Ape, of Virtue than BaalamhM%ox of Honour thanC^//>^/^*sCon- fuL In fine, withdraw your Concerns, or you may one Day repent your Confidence: For I m uft once for all tell you,Honour withoutCon- fcience,w ithoutReligion, will yield tolntereft. iVi?^;^^.This cannot be done lb foon j endea- vour,II befeech you, to gain him •, overturn his Principles, and the ConqueJffc will be eafie ; you can't oblige him more than by entering into a Difpute •, and the fliorteftWay to win his Favour, is to quarrel with his Tenets. Eufeb. Difpates indeed are natural to A- theifts •, for no Men maintain with greater Eagernefs they are in the right, than thofe that fufped they are in the wrong ; like Men in a dangerous Road they love to travel in Company,and fo draw inProfelytes to march to Hell with a Caravan. But, Neander^t\{\% Itch of arguing is a terri- bleArgument, they are feared with Doubts, and haunted with Sufpicions that God is no Chymasra •, A Gentleman injirn&ed^ 8cc. 162 Chymserai it's aSign thatConfcience is uneafy, and makes fome Attempts to break all the Barriers of Ignorance, Pride and Blafphemy. However, Til comply with your Delires, and wait upon the Gentleman, when you command me : Although I muft tell you, a converted Atheift is a Phccnix fcarce feen in an Age i for he is a Mixture of Pride and Ig- norance, of much Senfe and little Reafon j he confutes Arguments with Laughter^and pre- tends to frown Demonftration it felt into So- phiftry. How can Truth (I do not fay fub- due) but even reach fuch a Man ? You may as foon fetch down the Moon with aCannon- Bal], as convince him. Neand, It's truc \ but Charity armed with folid Reafons may perchance foften his Obfti- nacy j and altho' you lofe your Labour,you'll meet at lealt in the next World the Reward of your Zeal. Til tell him you intend to make him a Vifit. Eitfeh. I am content, Neander^ I have drawn a ftiortScheme of your Duty, and wifli you fo happy as to comply with it ^ it will prove the bell Support of this Life, and the greateft Comfort in the other. God has in- terwoven Man's Felicity with his Duty, and twifled his Intereft with Pleafure. A Good Man is feldom uneafy,and an ill one is always unquiet^ one muft be blind not to difcover the Canker at his Heart through all the glit- tering 1 68 A Gentlemdft inflruBed^ &c. tering Pageantry of Greatnefs and Power ^^ he may rant and langh, but can't be merry ^ For certainly their is a great Difference be- tween Noife and Mirth ^ their Lives are as unlike as their Ends ^ and thofe are as diffe- rent, as the Pains of the Damned are from the Joys of the Blefled. '-^ Neander took Leave of EufehiHs^ with a " Promife to call upon him the nextMorning. ^' He went immediately toTheomachns^sLodg' '^ ings (this was theAtheift'sNameJ he open- " ed freely his Delign, and ask'd him, If Bu- " finefs would permit him to enter upon a '' Conference with EnfehiHs. ^' ThcomachH< rccdvcd the Propofal with a " Tranfport of Joy, and told JSleander he was " infinitely oblig'd to him, for offering fo fair ^' an Occafion of making Acquaintance with a ^' Man fo much talked of. For (continued he) " I have often heard great Commendations " both of his Virtue and Learning, and fliall '' by this Interview be able to judge,whether " his Merits equal his Fame, Bcfides the ^' Greatnefs of my Adverfary will fecure my " Credit, tho' Fortune declare againft me. *' Neander^ after fome mutual Compliments, ^' returned to hisLodgings,witha Refolution " to mind Theomachns of his Promife the next ^/ Morning. FINIS. A