pious, because it afflicts and mortifies the Human Spirit and Frame; a Surfeit, or a Debauch, or a Kick on the Guts, or a broken Leg, must be good and pious, for the fame Reafon, if given or

taken with the fame View.

As Fafting ought to be left to every Man's Discretion, because every Man is the best Judge of his Conftitution and his Confcience, fo ought it to be exercifed with exceeding Care and Caution; otherwife it will be apt to four our Tempers, or diforder our Heads, and probably do both. Now, neither Ill-nature, nor Enthusiasm, is any-wife related to true Religion; far otherwise, they are the greatest Enemies which it has. A bitter Spirit, and a raving Brain, may be occafioned or increased by Fafting; but Christianity never produces them, nor owns them. We may faft ourfelves into Peevifhnefs, and call it Chriftian Zeal; and into the Vapours, and call the Wind in our Heads, Inspiration. But, by all this, we only fhew, that we know nothing, at least, poffefs nothing, either of Inspiration or Zeal

BUT the fame immoderate Fafting does not only render People whimfical and pafGonate, and has confequently helped to give Birch to many ridiculous and uncharitable Prin

ciples

ciples of Divinity, which have infatuated and inflamed Mankind; but it also creates narrow Thoughts, and an abject Poorness of Spirit; and renders the Mind prone to Delusion and Slavery. It is manifeft, that a moderate Ufe of the Bleffings and Enjoyments of Life, of which Eating and Drinking are not the least, has a wonderful Tendency to create or improve a good and beneficent Difpofition of Heart; which, in my Opinion, is as abfolutely neceffary to Devotion, as to good Neighbourhood. I can never think, that Ill-nature, or Baseness of Mind, can be an acceptable Oblation to the Wife and Merciful God; or that Religion fhould command what common Senfe forbids, I must own, I am always best pleased after good Meal, and therefore beft difpofed to love God and my Neighbour, which is the Sum of both Tables: I feel, at the fame Juncture, the Love of Liberty, and the Spirit of Whiggifm, strongest in me. And if Eating and Drinking makes us thus bold for our Constitution, let us, we beseech you, in the Name of Public-spirit, promote moderate Eating and Drinking.

IT is a Principle in Politics, that a happy People will never bear a tyrannical Prince: He must therefore make his Subjects wretched, before he can make himself abfolute.

And

this Principle holds equally true, in the Business of Church Dominion. The Laity must be Fools, before they can think the Priests to be Oracles; and they must be Slaves, before they can think the Priests to be Lords. Here then is an unanfwerable Reason, taken from the standing Rules of Ecclefiaftical Polity, why the Lay-Beasts of the People, as Mr. Lefley kindly calls us, fhould be always kept fenfless, always ftarving. I would therefore intreat all my loving Countrymen, that, as they love their Liberty, and the Proteftant Religion, they would love their Victuals.

G.

NUMBER

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NUMBER XXXV.

Wednesday, September 14. 1720.

Of REASON.

EASON is the only Guide given to Men in the State of Nature, to find out the Will of God, and the Means of Self-prefervation. The Senfes are its fubordinate Inftruments and Spies: They bring it Intelligence; and it forms a Judgment, and takes Measures, according to the Discoveries which they make. It compares Things one with another, and chufes them, if they are good; or neglects them, if they are indifferent; or fhuns them, if they are bad. It dif covers a First Caufe, the Maker, Contriver, and Preferver of all Things; and therefore it teaches Submiffion to his Will, Admiration of his Wisdom and Power, and Thankfulness fo his Goodness and Mercy. It distinguishe

Subject

Subjects from Slaves; and fhews the Loveliness of Liberty, and the Vileness of Vaffalage: It fhews that, as to political Privileges, all Men are born equal; and consequently, that he who is no better than others, can have no Right to command others, who are as good as himself, unless, for the Ends of their own Intereft and Safety, they confer that Right upon him, during their good Pleafure, or his good Behaviour.

REASON has invented all Science, pointed out all Commerce, and framed all Schemes for focial Happiness. It has polished Mankind, fet the Greeks above the Barbarians, and the Romans above the Greeks. It has been observed, in Praise of its great Power and Excellency, by a celebrated Moralift, that we have not sufficient Strength to follow our Reafon as far as it would carry us.

To REASON we are beholden for all the Comforts and Conveniencies of Life, next after the first Author of them; and for our Defence against the Affaults of Beasts of Prey, and of one another; and for our Shelter from the Inclemencies of uncertain Weather, freezing us, or scorching us, according to the different Seasons of the Year, The Earth, with all its Abundance, affords but rude and unpleafing Entertainment, without the Dexterity and VOL. II.

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