In order to reform the Vices of this Town' which, as we have faid, hath fo mighty an Influence on the whole Kingdom; it would be very inftrumental to have a Law, made, that all Taverns or Ale-houfes fhould be obliged to dif mifs their Company by Twelve at Night, and fhut up their Doors; and that no Woman fhould be fuffered to enter any Tavern or Alehoufe upon any Pretence whatfoever. It is eafie to conceive what a number of ill Confequences fuch Law would prevent; the Mifchiefs of Quarrels and Lewdness, and Thefts, and Midnight Brawls, the Difeafes of Intemperance and Venery, and a Thoufand other Evils needlefs to mention. Nor would it be amifs, if the Mafters of thofe Publick Houses were obliged upon the feveret Penalties, to give only a proportioned quantity of Drink to every Company. and when he found his Guests difordered with Excefs, to refufe them any more.

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I believe there is hardly a Nation in Chriftendom, where all kind of Fraud is practifed in fo unmeafurable a degree as with us. The Lawyer, the Tradefman, the Mechanick, have found fo many Arts to deceive in their feveral Callings, that they far outgrow the common Prudence of Mankind, which is in no fort able to fence against them. Neither could the Legiilature in any thing more Confult the Publick Good, than by providing fome effectual Remedy against this Evil, which in feveral Cafes deferves greater Punishment than many Crimes that are capital among us. The Vintner, who by mixing Poifon with his Wines, deftroys more Lives than any malignant Difeafe; the Lawyer, who perfwades you to a Purchafe, which he knows is mortgaged

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mortgaged for more than the Worth, to the Ruin of you and your Family, the Goldsmith or Scrivener, who takes all your Fortune to difpofe of, when he has before-hand refolved to break the following Day, do furely deferve the Gallows much better than the Wretch, who is carried there for ftealing a Horfe.

Ir cannot eafily be anfwer'd to God or Man, why a Law is not made for limiting the Prefs; at leaft fo far as to prevent the Publishing of fuch pernicious Books, as under pretence of Free-Thinking, endeavour to overthrow thofe Tenets in Religion, which have been held invioJable almoft in all Ages by every Sect that pretend to be Chriftian, and cannot therefore with any Colour of Reafon be called Points in Controverfy, or Matters of Speculation, as fome would pretend. The Doctrine of the Trinity, the Divinity of Chrif, the Immortality of the Soul, and even the Truth of all Revelation, are daily exploded, and denied in Books openly Printed; though it is to be fuppofed, neither party will avow fuch Principles or own the fupporting of them to be any way neceffary to their

Service.

IT would be endlefs to fet down every Corruption or Defect, which requires a Remedy from the Legiflative Power. Senates are like to have little Regard for any Propofals that come from without Doors; though under a due Senfe of my own Inabilities, I am fully convinc ed that the unbiaft Toughts of an honeft and wife Man, employed on the Good of his Country, may be better digefted, than the Results of a Multitude where Faction and Intereft too often prevail; as a fingle Guide, may direct the Way,

better

better than Five hundred who have contrary Views, or look afquint, or fhut their Eyes.

I fhall therefore mention but one more Particular, which I think the Parliament ought to take under Confideration; whether it be not a Shame to our Country, and a Scandal to Chritianity, That in many Towns, where there is a prodigious Encreafe in the Number bath of Houfes and Inhabitants, fo little Care fhould be taken for the Building of Churches, that Five Parts in Six of the People are abfolutely hindred from hearing Divine Service? Particularly here in London, where a fingle Minifter with One or Two forry Curates, hath the Care fome times of above Twenty Thoufand Souls incumbent on him. A Neglect of Religion fo ignomious in my Opinion that it can hardly be equal led in any civilized Age or Country.

BUT, To leave thefe airy Immaginations of introducing new Laws for the Amendment of Mankind what I principally infift on is a due Execution of the old; which lies wholly in the Crown, and in the Authority derived from thence. I therefore turn to my former Affertion; that, if Stations of Power, Truft, Profit, and Honour, were conftantly made the Rewards of Virtue and Piety, fuch an Adminiftration muft needs have a mighty Influence on the Faith and Morals of the whole Kingdom: And Men of great Abilities would then endeayour to excel in the Duties of a religious Life, in order to qualify themselves for Publick Service. I may poffibly be wrong in fome of the means I prefcribe towards this End; but that is no material Objection against the Defign it felf. Let thofe, who are at the Helm con

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trive

trive it better, which perhaps they may eafily do. Every body will agree, that the Difeafe is manifeft, as well as dangerous, that fome Remedy is neceffary, and that none yet applied hath been effectual; which is a fufficient Excufe for any Man, who wishes well to his Country, to offer his Thoghts, when he can have no other end in view but the Publick Good. The prefent Queen is a Prince of as many and great Virtues as ever filled a Throne: How would it brighten Her Character to the present and after Ages, if She would exert Her utmost Authority to inftill fome fhare of thofe Virtues into Her People, which they are too degene rate to learn only from Her Example. And, be it spoke with all the Veneration poffible for fo excellent a Soveraign, Her best Endeavours in this weighty Affair, are a most important Part of Her Duty as well as Her Intereft, and Her Honour.

BUT, it must be confeft, that as Things are how, every Man thinks he has laid in a fufficient Stock of Merit, and may pretend to any Employment, provided he has been loud and frequent in declaring himself hearty for the Government. 'Tis true, he is a Man of Pleasure, and a Free-Thinker, that is, in other Words, he is profligate in his Morals, and a Defpifer of Religion; but in Point of Party, he is one to be confided in he is an Afferter of Liberty ahd Property; he rattles it out against Popery and Arbitrary Power, and Prieft-Craft, and High Church. 'Tis enough: He is a Perion fully qualified for any Employment in the Court, or the Navy, the Law, or the Revenue; where he will be fure to leave no Arts untried of

Bribery,

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Bribery, Fraud, Injuftice, Oppreflion, that he can practice with any hopes of Impunity. No wonderfuch Men are true to a Government,' where Liberty runs high, where Property, however attained, is fo well fecured, and where the Add miniftration is at laft fo gentle: 'Tis impoflible they could chufe any other Constitution, without changing to their Lofs.

FIDELITY to a prefent Establishment is indeed the principal Means to defend it from a foreign Enemy, but without other Qualifications will not prevent Corruptions from within, and States are oftner ruined by these than the other.

To conclude. Whether the Proposals I have offered towards a Reformation, be fuch as are moft prudent and convenient, may probably be a Question; but it is none at all, whether fome Reformation be abfolutely neceffary; because the nature of things is fuch, that if Abuses be not remedied, they will certainly encreafe, nor ever ftop till they end in the Subverfion of a Common-wealth. As there must always of neceffity be fome Corruptions, fo in a well inftituted State, the executive Power will be always contending against them, by reducing Things (as Machiavel fpeaks) to their fr Principles, never letting Abufes grow inveterate, or multiply fo far that it will be hard to find Remedies, and perhaps impoffible to apply them. As he, that would keep his Houle in Repair, muft attend every little Breach or Flaw, and fupply it immediately, elfe Time alone will bring all to Ruin; how much more the common Accidents of Storms and Rain; He mu live in perpetual Danger of his Houfs fal

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