LETTER VII. in defence of RELIGION,

[The fubject continued from Number IX.]

N contradiction to what has been said it will probably be

I urged, that we have a principle of right, as well as one of

felf-love, implanted in our nature, and growing up together with it; a moral fenfe or confcience, which we cannot violate or go againft, without great remorse and compunction, that is, without being felf-condemn'd. This caufes us to approve virtuous actions and characters, and to difapprove the contrary independently on all confideration of their being means of happiness and mifery to us; approbation and disapprobation ever imply pleasure and pain, complacency and diffatisfaction, in those who are the fubjects of them. This then is an intended seasonable check upon the other part of our nature, and will neceffarily prevent any fuch exceffes as have been complain'd of and defcanted on above. In giving an answer to this objection one is naturally led to enquire into the nature and origin of the human appetites. But tho' fuch an enquiry, when properly begun, and judiciously profecuted, will remove this and every other objection that can be brought, yet is it not proper to be now entered upon. I therefore choose to confider it in fome future feperate letters, defiring the reader would now give credit to what I hope shall be then demonftrated to his fatisfaction, viz. that this moral fentiment or feeling is of our own creating and fashioning, generally begot or grounded upon the notion of an all-observing Deity, who obliges to fuch particular actions as by frequent repetitions will, with the concurrence of other caufes, produce the above-mention'd taste or difpofition, which moft, forgetting how it was first acquired, are apt to look upon as the neceffary and immediate effect of our conftitution, or a part of it, Confequently this fenfe will be but imperfectly generated, if

the

the belief of a God has not obtain'd an establishment in the world and all arguments drawn from, or objections urg'd upon, its fuppos'd innatenefs are manifeftly inconclusive, and what will never bear the test of a strict and impartial scrutiny. But granting the benevolent difpotion to be natural, and confequently univerfal, we must conclude the fame of all the other appetites man is poffefs'd of, which as they are stronger or weaker will be more or lefs craving and importunate for their respective objects. Therefore to fuppofe mankind as much under the influence of the benevolent principle as they are of those which stand opposed to it, we are oblig❜d to make a further fuppofition, viz. that it is not only of equal strength and efficacy with every other appetite of the contrary fort, but likewise exceeds all the reft in the means of gratification, juft as they surpass it in number, i. e. as thofe other do unity. Both which fuppofitions are contrary to what we every day fee and feel. If we coolly and difpaffionately furvey the actions of the body of mankind (and from thence our estimate, if we would have a right one, must be taken) we shall find this principle greatly over-match'd by those of a contrary tendency; its effects on fome are scarce difcernible, and when compar'd with other acting appetites it operates very feebly and languidly; and in the best of men it is scarce fufficient, even with the additional aid of religion, to keep them conftantly within the boundaries of virtue, What then could it do, or what in reason is to be expected from it, without the as-, fiftance of this powerful ally? But, without injuring truth, I may fafely affirm, that the human mind, upon enquiry into its nature, and manner of picking up its present furniture, will appear to be as much a mere rafa tabula, in respect of implanted affections, as it is with regard to innate truths.

This and the preceding letters were intended to fhew the usefulness, in those that follow I fhall endeavour to fhew the reality of religion,

R

SIR,

TU

To the STUDENT.

OME hiftorians relate, that the people of Kent, by

furprizing WILLIAM the CONQUEROR in his march with boughs in their hands, which made them appear at a distance like a moving foreft, extorted fome conceffions from that prince. However, as WILLIAM of POITIERS makes no mention of this event, RAPIN fufpects it to be fabulous. But as WILLIAM of POITIERS was a foreigner, and had probably no great regard for the English nation, as is * partly allowed by RAPIN himself, why might he not defignedly pafs over in filence the abovemention'd adventure, as in some respect glorious to them, and (in his opinion, tho' not in reality) difadvantageous to his hero? Be that as it will, fince the Kentish men even at this day enjoy fome extraordinary privileges, peculiar to themselves, and ascribe their enjoyment of them to the preceding memorable event, the account of it handed down to us seems not to be entirely without foundation; and therefore the following speech of STIGAND cannot be deem'd altogether unworthy the attention of the curious.

ORATIO STIGANDI

CANTIORUM

DUCTORIS

Ad GULIELMUM, qui dictus eft VICTOR. Tranflated by a gentleman of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge.

Ccurrunt tibi, dux inclyte, Cantii, amici & tuæ ditioni parituri, fi æquiffimis eorum POSTULATIS concefferis; ut qui libertatem a majoribus acceptam & leges & confuetudines patrias retinere CONTENDUNT, nec in

Hiftoire d'Angleter. par Monf. De Rapin Thoyras, tom. ii. liv. vi. p. 27. A la Haye, 1724.

fervitutem

fervitutem inexpertam redigi, ut nova jura tolerare VOLUNT; regiam enim poteftatem; non' dominatum ferre poffunt.

Illibatâque itaque libertate, refervatifque moribus legibufque priftinis, recipe Cantios, non fervos, fed fide & amore in te affectos fubditos.

Sin libertatem legumque immunitatem auferre niteris, una & vitam auferes.

Malint enim in certo marte tecum dimicare, & fub certis hoftibus in acie fuccumbere, quam in foro fub incertis legibus.

Nam quamquam cæteri fervire Angli fervitutem poffunt; CANTIORUM tamen propria eft LIBERTAS.

The Genuine SPEECH of STIGAND At the Head of the Men of KENT,

To WILLIAM the CONQUEROR.

Yo

OU are accofted, illuftrious general, by the men of Kent, who are ready to fubmit to your government, provided you fhall make proper conceffions to their most equitable demands, being fuch fort of men as are determined to retain that liberty they have received from their ancestors, together with the laws and cuftoms of their country; neither WILL they be reduced to a state of servitude, which they never experienced, or endure a new legiflature; for they can bear with a regal, but not a tyrannical authority.

With their liberty therefore unaffailed, and their ancient laws and cuftoms referved to them, receive the men of Kent, not as a parcel of flaves, but fubjects attach'd to you in loyalty and love.

But if you fhall attempt to deprive them of their freedom and the immunity of their laws, you shall deprive them of their lives alfo..

For

For they had rather engage with you in a determined batHle, and fall under certain enemies, than in a court of juftice under uncertain laws.

For tho' the rest of the English can fuffer flavery, te be free is the property of the men of Kent:

To the LADIES in and about St. JAMES's.

The Petition of JOHN JONES, Citizen and Cordwainer,

Moft humbly fheweth,

HAT your petitioner hath bred up a family of severi children, fix whereof are daughters, and lived in credit and reputation in this city, paying and discharging all just debts, till your ladyfhips thought proper to introduce the cuf tom of wearing these enormous hoops; and fince that time your poor petitioner hath been fo reduced, that his goods, houfehold furniture, and utenfils of trade, even to his end and his awl, have been feiz'd by his landlord for rent, and he himself deprived of the common benefit of breathing the fresh air for fome months paft, except on a funday. And the cause of these many and great hardships, may it please your ladyships, is center'd in the feven abominable hoops which your poor petitioner, for the fake of peace and quietness, hath been obliged to maintain: for every fashion broach'd at St. James's flies like ill fame round the ifland, with incredible speed.

It has been my cuftom to give my wife (or rather her custom to demand of me) once a year a gown and petticoat of a filk of twenty fhillings a yard value, for that, I think, is the price of what you wear at St. Jamess: (however if yours fhould be more, I beg it may be kept a fecret from her) now, ladies, before thefe hoops came in vogue, twelve yards of fuch filk was fufficient for a gown and petti