ciples of Divinity, which have infatuated and inflamed Mankind; but it alfo creates narrow Thoughts, and an abject Poornefs of Spirit; and renders the Mind prone to Delufion 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 a 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 Whiggifms. ftrongest in me. And if Eating and Drinking makes us thus bold for our Conftitution, 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, should be always kept sensless, always starving. 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 difcovers a First Cause, the Maker, Contriver, and Preferver of all Things; and therefore it teaches Submiffion to his Will, Admiration of his Wisdom and Power, and Thankfulness for his Goodness and Mercy. It distinguishe Subjects

Subjects from Slaves; and fhews the Lovelinefs of Liberty, and the Vileness of Vaffalage: It fhews that, as to political Privileges, all Men are born equal; and confequently, 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 Interest and Safety, they confer that Right upon him, during their good Pleasure, or his good Behaviour.

REASON has invented all Science, pointed out all Commerce, and framed all Schemes for focial Happiness. It has polifhed 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 fufficient 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 firft Author of them; and for our Defence against the Affaults of Beafts 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 Seafons 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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Re

Refinements of Reafon. Thus, even the Gifts of Nature, before they arrive at us, and are -made fit for our Ufe, become alfo the Gifts of REASON. Without REASON, we had lived like the Brute Creation, upon raw Fruit, tasteless Herbs, and the cold Spring; or exposed to the merciless Jaws of Famine, when a fevere Winter had frozen up the Stores of the Earth, and locked the Waters under Ice.

REASON checks tumultuous Paffion, the greatest Enemy to the Peace of the Mind, and to the Peace of Society. Hence it has been obferved, by the fame Moralift, that all our rational Pursuits are temperate Pursuits; and that what we pursue with REASON, we never pursue with Violence. REASON fubdues Anger, and prevents Cruelty; it makes a Man lefs fierce than a Lion, and lefs ravenous than a Bear. It is not buman Shape; but human Reafon, that places a Man above the Beasts of the Field, and lifts him into a Resemblance with God himself. Hence it is juftly styled Divina particula Aura; a Ray or Impulse of the Divinity. And, in what Senfe can a Man be faid to be made after the Image of God, unless by his poffeffing that REASON, which is a divine Particle of the GODHEAD? We resemble not our MAKER in Perfon or Complexion; and therefore can only refemble him in REA

SON,