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without giving them proper warning, and calling them to repentance and reformation. One, Noah, a famous preacher of righteousness, was the instrument raised up on this occasion, and to be sure the man preached faithfully and fervently; but I had he pleasure of hardening the people's hearts to that degree, that ne met with nothing but abuse for his pains. Every body accounted him to be a frantic enthusiast, fanatic, or methodist ; till the divine patience was quite worn out, and their destruction came upon them by a deluge, which swept them all from the face of the earth, except this same Noah and his family; and for my part I do not remember a time, on which hell had so many visitants at once as then.

AVAR. But how could Noah and his family be saved, when the deluge came upon all the earth?

FAST. Why, Avaro, it was by the help of a ship, which he was taught to build. For this same Noah was the first ship-carpenter in the world, and although a prince, he was not above labouring with his hands. But it galls me to think, how the Almighty mixes mercy with judgment, for in this destruction which he brought upon the old world, he taught the new world the most necessary and useful art of navigation, by means of which he wil spread the knowledge of himself over all the earth.

After this I set up my lofty standard on the plains of Shinar; multitudes flocked to it, and became my humble servants. It was now I projected the scheme of erecting a tower equal in altitude to Jacob's ladder. Two special advantages I alledged to them would accrue from it when finished. The first to perpetuate their name to the latest posterity: the second and greatest advantage would be, that thereby they might bid defiance to the Almighty. Such provision being made for their safety, that, on the first appearances of judgment begun, they might retire to the tower, where the waters could not follow them. But here you may observe, I played the devil with the children of men, for although I flattered them with such advantages, I believed in my heart, that such a presumptuous, daring undertaking, would have provoked the Almighty, utterly to have destroyed them root and branch. And indeed at one time I thought I had gained my point, for he did come down and confounded their language in such a manner, that the great design miscarried. It was diverting to hear the bricklayer call for mortar, and lo, a box of brick was brought him; another calls for bricks, and the server runs for a board of mortar; one calls out for a level, and he receives a plumb-line; another asks for a square, and a level is brought him. The bricklayers provoked to see themselves mocked by their servants, not as yet knowing their language to be confounded, began to lay their resentment upon the bones of the labourers; and the labourers considering themselves as very ill-used, returned, the abuse upon the builders, and thus ther

quarrelled and bickered, till they were fain to leave off the work, and betake themselves to other employments.

But alas! cousin, in this affair the devil was outwitted; for we all thought, that this haughty attempt would have provoked God utterly to destroy them; but he made use of our project only to send them abroad to people the earth, the more widely to make his glories known. And to the deep mortification of all our black fraternity, especially father Belzebub, upon the ruins of the tower was written in everlasting characters, the following motto, "Here the devil overshot himself." But this was a trifling disappointment in comparison of many others, some of which I may perhaps give you an account of.

Wherever the sons of Noah went, I went along with them, and not a great number of years had the earth been dry, before 1 persuaded them to forge, found, and carve to themselves objects of religious adoration, more agreeable to their fancy, than the God who made them; and by this means it was, that pagan idolatry was introduced which, strictly speaking, is the religion of pride alone; even as the present Roman catholic religion is that of pride and covetousness. I will tell you strange things, of my government, Avaro, at a time convenient; but as we were coming along, you mentioned somewhat about the clergy of France, pray what of them, cousin?

AVAR. I have often, sir, made honourable mention of the dutiful disposition of my dear children the French parsons; but I nad some years ago, occasion to try an experiment, which greatly quickened their devotion, and clothed the face of all the country with poignant sorrow. By their unwearied pursuit of the interest of the church, that is to say, by their coaxing, wheedling, and threatening of people, out of their goods and chattels, for the benefit of the clergy; they were grown so fat and purseproud, they were not able to say half of the masses they were paid for, nor to attend upon the duties of their pretended devo tion; which persisting in, they themselves would have contributed, to the opening of people's eyes, to discover the cheat.

I imagined that nothing could be more suitable, than physic, to purge off some of their grossness. I went straight to Versailles, demanded an interview with the most Christian Lewis, and accordingly was introduced by one of the lords of his bedchamber. As soon as he had done me greeting after the roya! manner, proportionable to his very great esteem for me, I opened the conversation in the following manner: "My royal friend," said I," perceiving that you have been ransacking the world. lately, in quest of gold, to supply your pressing and growing wants, I am come to inform you where you may meet with store of moidores, yea, treasures in abundance, without travelling out of your own dominions."--" Is it possible," said he, "I -"Is pray thee lovely spirit, where are the golden heaps to be found ?"

replied, "the clergy, the clergy, sir, are so overgrown in riches, that they are hardly able to say an hospitable mass for the dead, or even to go about to cheat and defraud people out of their money and souls as heretofore."--" Ungrateful villains," said he, "to hoard up their money to lie by them useless, when I, their king, am just at the point of becoming bankrupt! I'll ease them of their burden, I warrant you; I'll let them for once know, that they have another master besides the pope, and leave it to them to replace their stores the nearest way they can." I was not afraid but my scheme would work to my mind, for I took him at the very nick of time when the king of England had emptied his coffers, by destroying his naval force and trade; and, poor gentleman, he knew not well how to fill them again.

Glad of such an opportunity, he assembled the heads of the clergy, and demanded of them an exorbitant sum, in the way of a free gift; a very genteel way of robbing the church indeed. The holy gownsmen, like dear children of their good Avaro, showed themselves as tenacious of their gold, as the paw of a lion is of its prey. They used every argument which priestly subtilty could invent; they lugged in both heaven and earth as protectors of their property; yea, they even told him that to command them to part with their money, was no less than robbing the Almighty, just as if the Almighty and they were partners in the trade of priestcraft. But clergymen have the advantages of all princes in that their cause is always the cause of God; although God has in reality nothing to do with them or it. They held both with teeth and hands, rather than generously to assist their sovereign, though now become almost insolvent. But you know the proverb, "The weaker goes to the wall;" and so it was with them. He being stronger than they, prevailed, and although their money came from their coffers like blood from their hearts, they were obliged to comply. But I can assure you, the parting with it cost them more real distress of soul, than ever the selling of their consciences to obtain it had done. The sorrow of the priests is for the most part a farce, but their sorrow on this occasion was deep and unfeigned.

It was not a great while after that moidores failed a second time, and other resources being drained, he again had recourse to the sons of the clergy; and did by them as they commonly do by the laity. I mean, their money being gone, he was content with stripping them of their plate; so that were you now to see the cabinet of a French priest, you would find it as empty of plate as Glaud the shepherd's pantry. And I am of opinion, that Lewis having found the way to their nest, he will take care they be no more overgrown in riches. But to repair their late losses they can now look out for a prey, with as much penetration as an eagle, and are rapid as a panther in seizing on it.

FAST. It is my opinion, cousin, that, if princes were to take

care that the church should not become too rich, there would not be so many religions as there are; but who would not be a priest, or a nun, when they may roll amidst the blessings of both worlds; and under the pretence of religious retirement, enjoy every thing grateful to the flesh, in the greatest luxuriance, without any labour or toil of their own. I assure you, cousin, if I were not a devil, I would choose to be a priest myself.

AVAR. Being a priest is not such a great privilege now as it has been, though it is still preferable to any trade of the lay kind: the expulsion of the Jesuits has been very injurious to priestcraft. The church is sure to thrive in the reign of a prince who is under the direction of a jesuitical confessor; and the priesthood will always find in him a powerful protector: but I fear much that the princes of Europe, from their late advances, will at last throw off the yoke of ecclesiastical tyranny.

FAST. In fact, cousin, it is not a little strange, that they have not done it ere now. Nothing can be more preposterous, than for a prince who hath sovereign sway over extensive dominions, to be under the controul of an arrogant priest, as if it were by him that kings reign and princes decree judgment. Or as if he were the prince of the kings of the earth.

However, cousin, you forget that it is time for us to go on our nocturnal circuits. Mine is very extensive, I must therefore bid you adieu. To-morrow morning let us meet here.

DIALOGUE VII.

INFIDELIS AND IMPIATOR.

FROM what I had heard and seen, you may think I took care not to be too late, in attending the sable gentry in Horrida Vallis, where I was got before any of them arrived; and prepared for taking down their discourse, the first of which, that I heard, was by Infidelis to Impiator.

INFID. How illustrious is thy throne? How extensive are thy dominions, oh! great Impiator, my son! Before you, the greatest grandees of the earth do bow. Will you please my son to finish your account of the remaining part of your territories?

IMP. I will, sir, and you may observe that the fifth canton is that of the adulterers and fornicators. These are divided into literal and mystical. The class of literal adulterers and fornicators, are so fashionable and notorious a people, that a description of them seems unnecessary; and so very disagreeable, that it would be offensive to you. I shall therefore do no more than describe their dwelling, and assure you, sire, that every individual

of them is a very humble servant to your son Impiator. Their dwelling is on the banks of a river, the source of which is in the court which runs through every part of the king's dominions, carrying the inhabitants along with it; and at last disembogues itself in hell, where all adulterers and fornicators shall infallibly be tormented, as a proper counterbalance for their fleshly pleasures; where instead of women they shall have devils; instead of wine the sulphurous liquid, and instead of beds of down, the boisterous billows of Phlegethon.

Next to them are the mystical adulterers, and fornicators. By whom I mean all that have any commerce with the whore of Rome, that old bawd with the scarlet gown or in other words, all who have the mark of the beast, either on their foreheads, or their right hands, and such who have this mark upon both.

By those who have the mark of the beast upon their foreheads, I mean the worthy preachers, and hearers of the Armenian doctrine of the church of Rome; as also the strait-hooped gentlemen, who believe with the charitable Italians, that there can be no true faith but that which they profess, nor salvation but in their community. The far greater part of the clergy belong to the former, and the good Sandemanians, belong to the latter class of doctrinal papists, or mystical adulterers.

By these who have the mark of the beast upon their right hand, I mean the practical papists; the whole bulk of the holy catholic church, and besides them, all that do the works of the beast, after the example of that orthodox church. By the works of the beast some understand every part of religion which is not founded upon scripture institution. Such, say they, are consecrating of churches, and baptising of bells; dedication of meeting-houses to certain saints or angels, as the patrons of parishes; the worshipping of saints and angels, by celebrating an annual festival in honour of their name; such are your observers of high festivals, abstinence from meat at certain seasons of the year; worshipping towards the east, as if God were not every where present. Bowing at the name of Jesus, as if it was more august than that of Jehovah, &c. Such, sir, with many more whom I might name, are the mystical adulterers and fornicators.

INFID. Aye, but my son, you have not told me which are the fornicators, and which the adulterers: I want to hear that, for the one is usually distinguished from the other.

IMP. Yes, sir, they are distinguishable enough for the practical professed papists profess not the least degree of relation to Jesus Christ, as the head of the Christian church, but own themselves to be the adorers of the whore who sits on many waters, are held to be the fornicators; whereas nominal protestants, profess themselves married to Jesus Christ, as the great head of the Christian church, and notwithstanding this pretended marriage with him, maintain a doctrinal commerce with the

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