which he refides, infinite fpace gives room
to infinite knovv'Iedge, and is, as it were, an
organ to omnifcience.

'vA.'ere the foul feparate from the body, and
v.'ith one glance of thought Ihould ftart be-
yond the bounds of the creation, fl'iould it
for millions of years continue its progrefs
through infinite fpace with tlie fa:ne aitivity,
Jt^would Itill find likli witliin the embracs
of its Creator, and cjicon-pilicd ri;i:nd with
the i-mmenuty of the GoJhcr.d. While we
are in tTie body he is not icf, prefent v.itb us,
becaufe he isceacealcd from us, ' Oh that



12



ELEGANT EXTRACTS,



Book I.



* I knew where I might find him! (fays

* Job.) Behold I go forward, but he is not

* there ; and backward, bi>t I cannot per-

* ceive hira : on the left hand, where he
^ does work, but I cannot behold him: he
f hideth himfelf on the right hand that I

* cannot fee him.' In fnort, reafon as well
as revelation, affures us, that he cannot be
abfent from us, notwithftanding he is un-
difcovered by us.

In this confideration of God Almighty's
omniprefence and omnifcience, every un-
comfortable thought vanilhes. He cannot
but regard every thing that has being, efpe-
cially fuch of his creatures who fear they are
not regarded by hira. He is privy to all
their thoughts, and to that anxiety of lieart
in particular, which is apt to trouble them
on this occafion ; for, as it is impomble he
fhould overlook any of his creatures ; fc we
may be confident that he regards, with an
eye of mercy, thofe who endeavour to re-
commend themfelves to his notice, and in
unfeigned humility of heart think themfelves
-unworthy that he ftiould be mindful of them.
Speftator.

§ 8. Moti'ves to ^iety and Virtue, dra^wh from

the Omnifcience and Omniprefence of the

Deity.

In one of your late papers, you had occa-
fion to confider the ubiquity of the Godhead,
and at the fame time to Ihew, that as he is
prefent to every thing, he cannot but be at-
tentive to every thing, and privy to all the
modes and parts of its exiftence : or, in
other words, that his omnifcience and om.ni-
prefence are co-exiftsnt, and run together
through the whole infinitude of fpace. This
confideration might furnifh us with many
incentives to devotion, and motives to mo-
rality ; but as this fubjeft has been handled
by feveral excellent writers, I fhall conuder
it in a light in which I have not feen it
placed by others.

Firft, How difconfolate is the condition
of an intelledual being who is thus prefent
with his Maker, but at the fame time re-
ceives no extraordinary benefit or advantage
from this his prefence !

Secondlv, How deplorable is the condi-
tion of an intelleftual being, who feels no
cdier efFefts from this his prefence, but fuch
as proceed from divine wrath and indigna-
tion 1

Thirdly, Kow happy is the condition of
that intellectual being, who is fenfible of his
Maker's prefence from the fecret effects of
his mercv and loving-kindnefs !



Firft, How difconfolate is the condition
of an intelledlual being, who is thus prefent
with his Maker, but at the fame time re-
ceives no extraordinary benefit or advantage
from this his prefence! Every particle of
matter is actuated by this Almighty Being
which paffes through it. The heavens and
the earth, the ftars and planets, move and
gravitate by virtue of this great principle
\yithin them. All the dead parts of nature
are invigorated by the prefence of their
Creator, and made capable of exerting their,
refpedfive qualities. The feveral inlfintls,
ill the brute creation, do like wife operate
and work towards the feveral ends which are
agreeable to them, by this divine energ\v
Man only, who does not co-operate with hig*
holy fpirit, and is unattentive to his pre-
fence, receives none of thefe advantages from
it, which are perfedtive of his nature, and
neceffary to his well-being. The divinity
is v.ith him, and in him, and every where
about him, but of no advantage to him. It
is the fame thing to a man without religion,
as if there were no God in the world. It is
indeed impofllble for an infinite Being to re-
move himfelf from any of his creatures ; but
though he cannot withdraw his effence from
us, which would argue an imperfedion in
him, he can withdraw from us all the joys
and confolations of it. His prefence may
perhaps be neeeflary to fupport us in oar
exiftence ; but he may leave this our exift-
ence to itfelf, with regard to its happinefs
or mifery. For, in this fenfe, he may caft
us away from his prefence, and take his holy
fpirit from us. This fmgle confideration one
would think fufficient to make us. open our
hearts to all thofe infufions of joy and glad-
nefs which are fo near at hand, and ready to
be poured in upon r.s ; efpccially when we
confider. Secondly, the deplorable condition
of an intclleduai being, who feels no other
effects from his Maker's prefence, but fuch
as proceed from divine wrath and indig-
nation !

We may affure ourfelves, that the great
Author of nature will not always be as one
who is indifferent to any of his creatures,
Thofe who will not feel him in his love, \vili
be fure at length to feel him in his difplea-
fure. And how dreadful is the condition of
that creature, who is only fenfible of the
being of his Creator by what he fuffers from
him ! He is as effentially prefent in hell as
in heaven ; but the inhabitants of thofe ac-
curfed places behold hira only in his wrath,
and flirink within the flames to conceal them-
felves from him. It is not in the power of
ima?inatioa



KcOK. I.



MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.



r5



imagination to conceive the fearful effects of
Omnipotence incenfed.

But I fhall onlyconfider the wretchednefs
of an intellectual being, who, in this life,
lies under the difpleafure of him, that at all
times, and in all places, is intimately united
with him. He is able to difquiet the foul,
and vex it in all its faculties. He can hinder
any of the greateft comforts of life from re-
freihing us, and give an edge to every one
of its flighteft calamities. Who then can
bear the thought of being an out-caft from
his prefence, that is, from the comforts of
it, or of feeling it only in its terrors ? How
pathetic is that expoftulation of Job, when
^ot the real trial of his patience, he was
made to look upon himfelf in this deplor-
able condition ! * Why had: thou fet me as a

* mark againft thee, fo that 1 am become a

* burden to myfelfr' But, thirdly, how
happy is the condition of that intellectual
being, who is fenfible of his Maker's pre-
fence from the fecret effects of his mercy and
ioving-kindnefs !

The bleffed in heaven behold him face to
face, that is, are as fenfible of his prefence
as we are of the prefence of any perfon
whom we look upon with our eyes. There
is dcubtlefs a faculty in fpirits, by which
they apprehend one another, as our fenfes do
material objects; and there is no queftion
bat our fouls, when they are difembodied,
or placed in glorified bodies, will by this
faculty, in whatever part of fpace they re-
fide, be always fenfible of the divine pre-
fence. We, who have this veil of Jlefli
(landing between us and the world of fpirits,
iraift be content to know the fpirit of God
is prefent with us by the eiTefts which he
produceth in us. Our outward fenfes are
too grofs to apprehend him ; we may how-
ever cafte and fee how gracious he is, by his
influeuce upon our mands, by thofe virtuous
thoughts which he awakens in us, by thofe
fecret comforts and refrefiiments which he
conveys into our fouls, and by thofe ravifn-
ing joys and inward fatisfadtions which are
perpetually fpringing up, and diffufing them-
lelves among all the thoughts of good men.
He is lodged in our very effence, and is as a
foul v/ithin the foul, to irradiate its under-
ftanding, rectify its will, purify its paflions,
and enliven all the powers of man. Hov/
happy therefore is an intellectual being, who
by prayer and meditation, by virtue and
good works, opens this communication be-
tween God and his own foul ! Though the
whole creation frowns upon him, and all
stature looks black about him, he has Jais



light and fupport within him, that are able
to cheer his mind, and bear him up in thd
midit of all thofe horrors which encompafs
him. He knows that his helper is at band,
and is always nearer to him than any thing
elfe can be, which is capable of annoying or
terrifying him. In the midft of calumny or
contempt, he attends to that Being who
whifpers better things within his foul, and
whom he looks upon as his defender, his
glory, and the lifter-up of his head. In his
deepeft folitude and retirement, he knows
that he is in company with the greateft of
beings ; and perceives within himfelf fuch
real fenfations of his prefence, as are more
delightful than any thing that can be met
with in the converfation of his creatures.
Even in the hour of death, he confiders the
pains of his diffolution to be nothing elfe
but the breaking down of that partition,
which ftands betwixt his foul, and the fight
of that Being who is always prefent with
him, and is about to manifeft itfelf to him
in fulnefs of joy.

If we would be thus happy, and thus fen-
fible of our Maker's pfefence, from the fecret
effedts of his mercy and gocdnefs, we mufc
keep fuch a Vv-atch over all our thoughts, that
in the language of the fcripture, his foul
may have pleafure in us. We muft take care
not to grieve his holy fpirit, and endeavour
to make the meditations of our hearts al-
ways acceptable in his fight, that he may
delight thus to refide and dwell in us. The
light of nature could direft Seneca to this
doctrine, in a very remarkable paflage among
his epiitles ; Sacer i>jeji i?z nobis fpiritus, botio-
rum mnJommque cvftos et ohfer-jalsr ; et qriem-
admodu??i ?!os ilium tra£iamus, ita et ille ncs.
' There is a holy fpirit refiding in us, who
' watches and obferves both good and evil
' men, and will treat us after the fame man-
' ner that we treat him.' But I ihall con-
clude this difcourfe with thofe more empba-
tical words in divine revelation ; ' ♦ If a man
• love me, he will keep my words ; and my
' Father will love him, and we v/ill come
' unto him, and make our abode with
' him.' Spcaaior.

§ 9. O^ the Immortality of the Soul.

I was yefterday walking alone in one of
my friend's woods, and lolt myfjlF in it very
agreeably, as I v>as running o - r in ray
mind the feveral arguments that eibblilh this
great point, which is the bafis of raoralirj^,
and the fource of all the pleafing hopes and
fecret joys that can arife in the heart of a
rcafonable



ELEGANT EXT R A C T S,



14

reafonable creature. I confidered thofe feve-
ral proofs drawn,

Firft, from the nature of the foul itfelf,
and particularly its immateriality; which,
though not abfolutely neceffary to the eter-
nity of its duration, has, I think, been
evinced to almolt a demonftration.

Secondly, from its paflions and fenti-
ments, as particularly from its love of exift-
ence, its horror of annihilation, and its
hopes of immortality, with that fecret fatif-
fattion which it finds in the pradice of vir-
tue, and that uneafinefs which follows in it
upon the comraiffion of vice.

Thirdly, from the nature of the Supreme
Being, whofe juftice, goodnefs, vvifdom, and
veracity, are all concerned in this point.

But among thcfe and other excellent argu-
ments for the immortality of the foul, there
is one drawn from the perpetual progrefs of
the foul to its perfedion, without a poffibi-
lity of ever arriving at it ; which is a hint
that 1 do not remember to have feen opened
and improved by others who have written on
this fubjeft, though it fcems to me to carry
a very great weight with it. How can it
enter into the thoughts of man, that the foul,
which is capable of fuch immenfe,perfeftions,
and of receiving new improvements to all
eternity, fnall fall away into nothing almoft
as foon as it is created ? Are fuch abilities
made for no purpofe ? A brute arrives at a
point of perfeftion that he can never pafs :
in a few years he has all the endowments he
is capable of; and v.-ere he to live ten thou-
fand'more, would be the fame thirg he is at
prefent. Were a human foul thus at a ftar.d
in her accomplifhments, were her faculties
to be full blown, and incap.blc of farther
enlargements, I could imagine it might fall
away infenfibly, and drop at once into a
fiate of annihilation. But can we believe a
thinking being, that is in a perpetual pro-
grefs of improvements, and travelling on
from perfeftion to perfedion, after having
juft looked abroad into the works of its
Creator, and made a few difcoveries of his
infinite goodnefs, wifdom, and power, muft
perifh at her firft fetting out, and in the very
beginning of her enquiries ?

A man, confidered in his prefent ftate,
feems only fent into the world to propagate
his kind. He provides himf?lf with a fuc-
cclibr, and immediately quits his poll to
make room for him.



Book t.



Ha



Il^rcdem alterius, 'velut undajuperve7iit uvdam.
HoR. Ep. ii. 1. 2. V. 175,



Heir crowds heir, as in a rolling flood

Wave urges wave. Creech.

He does not feem born to enjoy life, but to
deliver it down to others. This is not fur-
prifing to confider in animals, which are
formed for our ufe, and can linifh their
bufmefs in a ftiort life. The filk-worm,
after having fpun her taik, lays her eggs and
dies. But a man can never have taken in
his full meafure of knowledge, has not time
to fubdue his paffions, eftablifli his foul in
virtue, and come up to the psrfedion of his
nature, before he is hurried off the ftage.
Would an infinitely wife Being make fuch
glorious creatures for fo mean a purpofe ?
Can lie delight in the produdion of fuch
abortive intelligences, fuch fhort-lived rea-
fonable beings ? Would he give us talents
that are not to be exerted ? capacities that
are never to be gratified ? How can we find
that wifdom which Ihines through all his
works, in the formation of man, without
looking on this world as only a nurfery for
the next, and believing that the feveral
generations of rational creatures, which rife
up and difappear in fuch quick fucceflions,
are only to receive their firft rudiments of
exiftence here, and afterwards to be tranf-
planted into a more friendly climate, where
they may fpread and liourifli to all eternity ?
There is not, in my opinion, a more
pleafing and triumphant confideration in re-
ligion, than this of the perpetual progrefs
which the foul makes towards the perfedion
of its nature, without ever arriving at a
period in it. To look upon the foul as
going on from, ftrength to flrength, to con-
iider that Hie is to fliine for ever with nevr
accclTions of glory, and brighten to all eter-
nity ; that flie will be ftill adding virtue to
virtue, and knowledge to knowledge ; car-
ries in it fomething wonderfully agreeable
to that ambition which is natural to the
mind of man. Nay, it muft be a profped
pleafing to God himfelf, to fee his creation
for ever beautifying in his eyes, and draw-
ing nearer to him, by greater degrees of re-
femblance.

Methinks this fingle confideration, of the
progrefs of a finite fpirit to perfedion, will
be fuificient to extinguifh all envy in inferior
natures, and all contempt in fuperior. That
cherubim, which now appears as a God to
a human foul, knows very well that the
period will come about in eternity, when
the human foul fnall be as perfed as he him.-
felf no\v is : nay, when file fliall look down
upon that degree of perfedion as much as

ills



, Book I. MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.



Jhe now falls Hiort of it. It is true, the
higher nature ftlil advances, and by that
means preferves his diliance and fiiperiority
in the fcale of being; but he knows that,
how high foever the itation is of which he
ftands pofTefTed at prefent, the inferior nature
will at length mount up to it, and fhine
forth in the fame degree of glory.

With what aftonifliment and veneration
may we look into our own fouls, where
there are fuch hidden ftores of virtue and
knowledge, fuch inexhaufted fources of per-
fedion ! We know not yet what we fhall be,
nor will it ever enter into the heart of man
to conceive the glory that will be always in
referve for him. The foul, confidered with
its Creator, is like one of thofe mathemati-
cal lines that may draw nearer to another for
all eternity without a poffibility of touching
it : and can there be a thought fo tranfport-
ing as to confider ourfelves in thefe perpe-
tual approaches to him, who is not only the
ftandard of perfeftion, but of happinefs !

Speilator,

§ 10. The "Duty of Children to their Parents.
I am the happy father of a very towardJy
fon, in whom I do not only fee my life,
but alfo my manner of life renewed. It
would be extremely beneficial to fociet}-, if
you would frequently refunie fubjefts which
ferve to bind thcfe fort of relations faftcr,
and endear the tics of blood with thofe of
good-will, proteftion, obfervance, indul-
gence, and veneration. I would, methinks,
have this done after an uncommon method;
land do not think any one, who is not capa-
ble of writing a good play, fit to undertake
a work wherein there will ncccffarily occur
fo many fecret inftinc'ts and biaffes of human
nature, which would pafs unobferved by
common eyes. I thank Heaven I have no
outrageous offence againft my own excellent
parents to anfwer for; but when I am now
and then alone, and look back upon my paft
life, from my earlieft infancy to this time,
there are many faults v/hich I committed
that did not appear to me, even until I my-
felf became a father. I had not until then
a notion of the yearnings of heart, which a
man has when he fees his child do a laudable
thing, or the fudden damp which feizes him
when he fears he will aft fomething un-
worthy. It is not to be imagined what a
remorfe touched me for a long train of
childifh negligences of my mother, when I
faw my wife the other day look out of the
window, and turn as pale as afl:ies upon fee-
ing my younger boy Hiding u]?on the ice.



^5



Thefe flight intimations will give you to
underftand, that there are numberleis little
crimes, which children take no notice of
while they are doing, v.hich, upon rcfieftion,
when they fliall themfelves become fathers,
they will look upon with the utmoft forrovr
and contrition, that they did not regard
before thofe whom they offended were to bs
no more feen. How many thoufand things
do I remember, which vvould have highlj-
pleafed my father, and I omitted for no
other reafon but that I thought what he pro#
pofed the effed of humour and old ao-e,
which I am now convinced had reafon and
good fenfe in it ! I cannot now go into the
parlour to him, and make his heart glad
with an account of a matter which was of no
confcquence, but that I told it and aftcd in
it. Hie good man and woman are long
fmce in their graves, who ufed to fit and
plot the welfare of us their children, while,
perhaps, we were fometimes laughing at the
old folks at another end of the houfe. The
truth of it is, were we merely to follow
nature in thefe great duties of life, though
wc have a flrong inftinft towards the {M;r-
forming of them, we fhould be on both
fides very deficient. Age is fo unwelcome
to the generality of mankind, and grriwth
to'.vards manhood fo defirable to all, that
refignation to decay is too difficult a talk in
the father; and deference, amidfi: the im-
pulfe of gay defires, appears unreafonable to
the fon. There are fo few who can grow
old with a good grace, and yet fewer who
can come flow enough into the world, that
a father, were he to be afuiated by his de-
fires, and a fon, were he to conful't hirafelf^
only, could neither of them behave himfelf
as he ought to the other. But v/hen reafon
interpofes againit inftind, where it would
carry either out of the interefts of the other,
there arifes that happieft intercourfe of good
ofiices between thofe deareft relations of
human life. The father, according to the
opportunities which are offered to him, is
throwing down bleflings on the fon, and the
fon endeavouring to appear the worthy ofT-
fpring of fuch a father. It is after this
manner that Camillus and his firft-born
dwell together. Camillus enjoys a pleafin»
and indolent old age, in vv-hi'ch paffion ig
fubdued, and reafon exalted. He waits the
day of his dilTolution v.ith a refignatiori
mixed with delight, and the fon fears the
acceffion of his. father's fortune with diffi-
dence, left he fliould not enjoy or become it
as v.cll as his predecefibr. Add to this, that
th€ father koows he leaves a friend to the
tluidreo.



16



ELEGANT EXTRAC T S,



Book h



children of his friends, an eafy landlord to
his tenants, and an agreeable companion to
his acquaintance. He believes his fen's
behaviour will make him frequently re-
membered, but never wanted. This com-
merce is fo well cemented, that without the
pomp of faying. Son, be a friend to fuch a
one when I am gone ; Camillas knows, be-
ing in his favour is diredion enough to the
grateful youth who is to fucceed him, with-
out the admonition of his mentioning it.
Thefe gentlemen are honoured in all their
neighbourhood, and the fame effeft which
the court has on the manners of a kingdom,
their charaflers have on all who live within
the influence of them.

My fon and I are not of fortune to com-
municate our good aftions or intentions to
fo many as thefe gentlemen do ; but I will
bebold'to fay, my fon has, by the applaufe'
and approbation which his behaviour to-
w-ards me has gained him, occafioned that
many an old man, befidcs myfelf, has re-
joiced. Other men's children follow the
example of n-.ine ; and I have the inexpref-
fible happinefs of over-hearing our neigh-
bours, as we ride by, point to their children,
and fay, with a voice of joy, " There they
go." Spe Bator.

§ II. The Strength of parental Affcilio?!.

I went the other day toviiit Eliza, who,
in the perfeft bloom of beauty, is the mo-
ther of feveral children. She had a little
prating girl upon her lap, who was begging
to be very fine, that Hie might go abroad ;
and the indulgent mother, at her little
daughter's requeft, had juft taken the knots
off hei- own head to adorn the hair of the
pretty trifler. A fmiling boy was at the
fame time carefling a lap-dog, which is their
mother's favourite, becaufe it pleafes the
children; and (he, with a delight in her
locks, which heigluened her beauty, fo di-
vided her converfation with the two pretty
prattlers, as to make them both equally
chearful.

As I came in, fhefaid, with ablufh, * Mr.
Ironfidej though you are an old batchelor,
you rauu not laiigh at my tendernefs to my
children.' I need not tell my reader what
civil things I faid in anfwer to the lady,
whofe matron-like behaviour gave me infi-
nite {litisfa*5lion : fmce I myfelf take great
pleafure in playing with children, and am
feldora unprovided of plums or mafbles, to
make my court to fuch entertaining compa-
nions.

Whence is itj faid I to myfelf when I was



alone, that the afFeftion of parents is fo in-
tenfe to their offspring ? Is it becaufe they
generally find fuch refemblances in what
they have produced, as that thereby they
think themfelves renewed in their children,
and are willing to tranfmit themfelves to
future times ? or is it becaufe they think
themfelves obliged by the diftates of huma-
nity to nourifh and rear what is placed fo
immediately under their protection ; and
what by their means is brought into this
world, the fcene of mifery, of nccefTity ?
Thefe will not come up to it. Is it not ra-
ther the good providence of that Being,
who in a fuper-eminent degree protefts and
cherifhes the whole race of mankind, his
fons and creatures? How fliall we, any other
way, account for this natural affeftion, fo
fignally difplayed throughout every fpecies
of the animal creation, without which the
courfe of nature would quickly fail, and
every various kind be extinft ? Inftances of
tendernefs in the moft favage brutes are fo
frequent, that quotations of that kind are
altogether unnecefTary.

If we, who have no particular concern in
them, take a fecret delight in obferving the
gentle dawn of reafon in babes ; if our ears
are foothed with their half-forming and aim-
ing at articulate founds ; if we are charmed
with their pretty mimickry, and furprlfed at
the unexpected ffarts of wit and cunning in
thefe miniatures of man : ^hat tranfport
may we imagine in the breafts of thofe, into
whom natural inftinft hath poured tender-