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Man's Soul. What fhall it profit us if we gain the whole World by fuch a Lofs? What Pleasures or Profits can we fecure the Enjoyment of, or what Pains or Miferies can we flatter ourselves to be safe from without it? Thofe very Paffions, which expofe us to the Baits of Corruption, would, if we faw the Hook, or confidered the fatal Confequence, deter us from it. Fear would alarm us with Danger, Avarice with arbitrary Rapine, and Pride with Dependence. For what Slave can call his Life, or his Riches his own? What Slave who reflects, but muft feel them depending on the Pleafure and Caprice of his Matter! How mean and despicable a State the Dependence on the Will of another is, a Moment's Thought will fuggeft to the Man of Spirit; how dreadful and how wretched a State it is, a little Knowledge in Hiftory will convince us. For on the one Side, can any thing be meaner than to be the Slave of fuch a Creature as ourfelves, whom God and Nature have ranked in no higher an Order of Being, perhaps a lower Degree of the fame Order; and on the other Part, what Painter, what Orator can defcribe with fuitable Horrour, the dreadful Scenes which abfolute Power hath acted in the World's Theatre; the Cruelties which Tyrants have inflicted, and Slavesendured! Nor are thefe Tragical Inftances confined to one C 2 Country

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Country, to one Period, they attend Slavery wherever the Monster goes, and are infeparable from her. A little Reflection therefore, a little Reafon, a little Wisdom will protect us from fo Weak, fo mad a Bargain, on the Confideration of our own Welfare only for it is a Bargain, which he must not only be a Villain, but a Fool too, who makes.

And furely the leaft Grain of Goodness, tho' it were no larger than a Mustard-Seed, will prevent us from bringing fuch Mifery on others: The fmalleft Degree of paternal Affection, will infpire us to abhor the Thought of bequeathing fuch a Legacy to our Children. But if their Good, their Advancement be intended by any fuch wretched Acquifition; if in order to make them rich, we make them Slaves; if we build fine Houfes for them, to hold by flavish Tenures; if we purchase for them vain and light Titles, together with real and heavy Chains, let us affure our felves, they would be more obliged to us, if, like the Inhabitants of the Mountains and Deferts, we left them their Freedom and Dens for

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our Choice, at least, if it was foolishly intended for their Welfare.

But, if neither a due Understanding of, nor Regard to our own, or our Children's Intereft in this World, can have any fway with us; yet let the dreadful Denunciation in the Text, frighten us from this horrid Vice: Let us fhudder at the Apprehenfion of drinking the Wine of the Wrath of God, poured out without Mixture, into the Cup of his Indignation; of being tormented for ever and ever with Fire and Brimftone, in the Prefence of the Angels. A dreadful Sentence, indeed, and which, he must have more than mortal Bravery, or Folly, who can hear unmoved. But if there be a Perfon, the Hardness of whofe Heart or Head, will receive no Impreffion from this Judgment, confidered at a Dif tance, and applied to a Crime, not à Perfon yet will it not fail to affect the most fool-hardy, when the Voice of God fhall pronounce it in his Prefence, and against himfelf.

To go about to exaggerate fuch Punishments, as the Wrath of God, and eternal Mifery, would feem ftrange and abfurd. Let a Man attend but a Moment, let him open his Ears only, and he will receive an Idea from the Words I have read, not to

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