On their own Axis as the Planets run, Yet make at once their circle round the Sun; COMMENTARY. Social; and fhewing that they are only two different motions of the appetite to Good; by which the Author of Nature hath enabled Man to find his own happiness in the happiness of the Whole. This he illuftrates with a thought as fublime as that general harmony he describes : On their own Axis as the Planets run, Yet make at once their circle round the Sun; Thus God and Nature link'd the genʼral frame, And bade Self-love and Social be the fame. For he hath the art of converting poetical ornament into philofophic reasoning; and of improving a fimile into an analogical argument; of which more in our next. NOTES. mercy, they made fo profound a progrefs that the One proved, nothing hindered, in Nature, but that the Son might have been the Father; and the Other, that nothing hindered, in Grace, `but that the Son may be a mere Creature. But if, instead of throwing fo many Greek Fathers at one another's heads, they had but chanced to reflect on the fenfe of one Greek word, AПEIPIA, that it fignifies both INFINITY and IGNORANCE, this fingle equivocation might have faved them ten thousand, which they expended in carrying on the controversy. However thofe Mifts that magnified the Scene, enlarged the Character of the Combatants and no body expecting common fenfe on a fubject where we have no ideas, the defects of dulnefs difappeared, and its advantages (for, advantages it has) were all provided for. The worst is, such kind of Writers feldom know when to have done. For writing themselves up into the fame delufion with their Readers, they are apt to venture out into the more So two confiftent motions act the Soul; And one regards Itself, and one the Whole. 315 Thus God and Nature link'd the gen'ral frame, And bade Self-love and Social be the fame. NOTES. open paths of Literature, where their reputation, made out of that stuff, which Lucian calls Exóτos inoxgoos, presently falls from them, and their nakedness appears. And thus it fared with our two Worthies. The World, which must have always fomething to amufe it, was now in good time grown weary of its play-things, and catched at a new object that promised them more agreeable entertainment. Tindal, a kind of Baftard-Socrates, had brought our fpeculations from Heaven to Earth: and, under the pretence of advancing the Antiquity of Chriftianity, laboured to undermine its original. This was a controverfy that required another management. Clear fenfe, fevere reafoning, a thorough knowledge of prophane and facred Antiquity, and an intimate acquaintance with human Nature, were the qualities proper for fuch as engaged in this Subject. A very unpromifing adventure for thefe metaphyfical nurflings, bred up under the fhade of chimeras. Yet they would needs venture out. What they got by it was only to be once well laughed at, and then forgotten. But one odd circumftance deferves to be remembered; tho' they wrote not, we may be fure, in concert, yet each attacked his Adversary at the fame time, faftened upon him in the fame place, and mumbled him with just the fame toothlefs rage. But the ill fuccefs of this efcape foon brought them to themselves. The One made a fruitless effort to revive the old game, in a difcourfe on The importance of the doctrine of the Trinity; and the Other has been ever fince, till very lately, rambling in SPACE. This fhort hiftory, as infignificant as the fubjects of it are, may not be altogether unufeful to pofterity. Divines may learn by these examples to avoid the mifchiefs done to Religion and Literature thro' the affectation of being wife above what is written, and knowing beyond what can be underflood. EPISTLE IV. Of the Nature, and State of Man with respect to 'Happiness. I. FALSE Notions of Happiness, Philofophical and Popular, anfwered from 19 to 77. II. It is the End of all Men, and attainable by all, 30. God intends Happiness to be equal; and to be fo, it must be focial, Since all particular Happiness depends on general, and fince he governs by general, not particular Laws, y 37. As it is neceffary for Order, and the peace and welfare of Society, that external goods fhould be unequal, Happiness is not made to confift in thefe, 51. But, notwithstanding that inequality, the balance of Happiness among Mankind is kept even by Providence, by the two Paffions of Hope and Fear, 70. III. What ✯ the Happiness of Individuals is, as far as is confiftent with the constitution of this world; and that the good Man has here the advantage, & 77. The error of imputing to Virtue what are only the calamities of Nature, or of Fortune, & 94. IV. The folly of expecting that God fhould alter his general Laws in favour of particulars, 121. V. That we are not judges who are good; but that, whoever they are, they must be happiest, & 133, &c. VI. That external goods, are not the proper rewards, but often inconfiftent with, or deftru&ive of Virtue, † 165. That even thefe can make no Man happy without Virtue: Inftanced in Riches, 183. Honours, 191. Nobility, 203. Greatnefs, 215. Fame, 235. Superior Talents, 257, &c. With pictures of human Infelicity in Men poffeffed of them all, ✰ 267, &c. VII. That Virtue only conftitutes a Happiness, whofe object is univerfal, and whoje proSpect eternal, 307, &c. That the perfection of Virtue and Happiness confifts in a conformity to the ORDER of PROVIDENCE here, and a Refignation to to it here and hereafter, † 326, &c. |