and by their Industry after it they make a publick indication how much they are inclined to her The little Infants that are hanging at their Mothers Breasts and whose reason as yet lies buried in the Flesh are fearful of Grief and in love with Pleasure bemoan themselves when the former touches them and are in an Expansion of Joy when the other gives a flattery to their Sences When a more ripen'd age has refin'd their faculties and the objects they entertain themselves with have discovered to them their Beauties their thoughts are wholly busied after their Prosecution their reason contrives ways how to acquire them and following the instinct of Nature they do what they can to satisfie their desires and give their minds contentment The Poets imitating the Oracles by their frequent hitting upon truths in their Verses have fained that Orpheus drew Beasts to him through the sweetness of his voice that those who shunn'd the sight of men were easily brought over by his elevations and cadences that their wild and savage dispositions was forgotten by his melody and that by this kind of mirth and pleasure he made those creatures become familiar which he could no wayes reclaim by his address The Politiâ—ians acknowledging this secret and Learning by experience the efficacy and power of Pleasure have made use of it in all their designs by it they have kept the people in Obedience put a stop to Rebellion in States and Kingdome and have kept off those dangers that have threatned Ruine The Republique of Athens owes its conservation to the divertisments of her Poets and their playes have won them over more subjects then the happiness and success of their Arms. For combating with the peoples passions they have preâ—tily stollen into their minds duty with Pleasure the same scenes which have diverted them have taught them virtue and they have carryed away that from the Theater which they could never get from Philosophy The Lawyers who are so expert in their decisions and ought to know the properties of every thing to determine our differences accord with the sentiments of nature in saying that Man is alwayes inclined to Pleasure that the privation of it is sufficient to cause him to break his promises and that he may permissively fail in his word to a young Lady when sickness has spoilt the body and left a visible deformity upon the face It seems a shock to the inclinations of this common Parent that a man should be obliged to marry her who ceases to be delightful to him and that she should unjustly exact the continuation of his love when she has lost that attraction which begat it in him Almighty God who prescribes an end in all his Actions and who often makes known his designs by those circumstances that are attended upon them has given us this assurance that Pleasure to a Man is natural since he created him in a place of Delicacies and afforded him a Paradice for his first Habitation If we may credit the ancient Fathers in their Descriptions of it the Earth did never bring forth any thing more beautiful since all things that was there plac'd conspired to his felicity 'T was the very Mansion-house of all imaginable Charmes the retrait in which all Happyness was circumscribed and the inchanted Castle of the Poets The Fountains that gently fell from the small declining Hills the Streams which made their intricate but pretty meanders over the flourishing Meadows charm'd his ears with the delightful and purling noise of their Waters the Trees did charge themselves with Fruits for the pleasing of his taste all things he could look upon ravish'd his sight the Beasts were no less his Domestiques then his Slaves and as the former was the agreeable supporters of his life so these respected his orders and shew'd their Obedience to his commands All the Seasons were in a delicate confusion with the Spring the Cold did never freez up his members the Sun warm'd but had no power to burn him and the Stars were to surround him with their most Benign influences The Earth from whose bosom He receiv'd his being gave him a share of all her Treasures She covered her self with Flowers to be a delight to him and in her Verdant and Forrest Tapistry invited him to his repose and if at any time she took away any of her Beauties it was only to present him with a greater variety far more agreeble In a word Pleasure and Man are born together it is the end of all his Operations and he may be said to have obtain'd it when once he comes to enjoy it It would be needless for me to make use of other Arguments to enforce this truth and as it would be to no purpose to prove the fire heats the Earth is heavy and all the Starrs are incircled with light so it shall suffice me to say that Pleasure is common to all creatures that Man seeks it as his happiness that Nature diffused it in all her parts and that God himself did give him his creation in an Earthly Paradice for his assurance that it was natural to him But as no Maxim is so sollid as not to meet with its adversaries and that even those themselves who love the truth yet do sometimes persecute it they give out that this Sentiment is an enemy to Vertue that it shocks Modesty and is not to be defended without bringing Confusion into the World For if Volupty be natural to us and if we are permitted to follow its motions who will not presently cry out and think that we may lawfully commit Whoredoms without any punishment carry away our Neighbors Wives and make Marriages the occasion of our Libertinage and Sensuality This Objection he that speaks much to will be Impertinent to very little purpose Nature does not oppose her self to the Laws of God she abhorrs whatever he forbids and as all her Light springs from him she adores his Will and observes his Ordinances All that displeases him is an offence to her and He has never yet forbid any thing which she has not inspired into us an horror for and aversion to do it Does He detest the Adulterer She looks upon him as a Monster and gives all the Nations in the world an abhorrence of him If he makes Pleasures unlawful She condemns them likewise She persuades all her Children to fly from them and as she is Obedient she observes all the commands of her Soveraign The third Discourse That Good Honest and Profitable is inseperable from Pleasure AS Qualities have their Oppositions so have they likewise their Resemblances Logick which seperates their properties can never divide their Essence and they agree in Unity although they are composed of different Species The Mistery of the Trinity which Astonishes all Theologie and has made all Ages sweat about the discovery of it concludes in one and the same nature a Pluralitie of Persons the Father is not the Son and the Holy Spirit is
different from them both As they make diverse species their proprieties do no whit agree together the Passive Generation cannot be attributed to the Father nor the procession to the Son without confounding the power of the Father the wisdom of the Word and the love of the Holy Spirit Yet notwithstanding they are all Three reconciled in one and the same Divinity and the diversity of their Persons is no hindrance at all to the unity of their Nature What appears so difficult to the conception in Theology seems evident in the Morall The Good that is the object of it and which makes the Glory of all its instructions is expanded in all its branches its Division stands not in opposition to its Unity and if it makes use of different Names it neither changes Quality or Condition It is every way agreeable the Pleasure makes its principal difference and it never does attract the Mind before it has stirr'd it up by its surprising Charms Vtility which is as the soul of Polititians appears always under its habits and Philosophers are not such courtiers of Honesty but that they hope from it to receive Satisfaction But the better to mix this confusion we must observe that the Desire is continually under disquietudes that its violence keeps us in suspence and its Languishing does often equal the vigor of the most rigorous Distempers For it is as Shame-fac'd as it is Cruel and we ought to confess our Miseries as oft-times as we make any Wishes Nothing but their accomplishment can afford us satisfaction and put us into a Sedate and quiet temper Indeed we swim in Pleasure when our desires change into Effects when we possess whatsoever we did propose for our Content and when we see our Fears vanished and our Hopes established But this Joy is of no longer a continuance then whilst we are ingaged in the search of a Good It lessens it self by its possession and we cease to be satisfied and contented as soon as we see our greedy desires in repose and our ambitions have their satisfaction He who to secure himself from Poverty passes the Seas despises dangers finds out Lands Incognito with the hazard both of his Safety and his Life and all to get him Riches is no longer affected with the pleasure of them then whilst he is heaping them up and as the profitable Gain does charm his Travels so is his delight of them lost and gone as soon as they are loâ—k'd up in his Coffers He languishes after the Treasures he has not and disregards what are in his own possession and only those good things which he hopes for can give his Thoughts contentment The Ambitious Man is as much unhappy as him that is Covetous for when he is sweating with the pains he takes to get himself Honors imploying the credit of his Friends hat so he may come to be above them and often taking on him an undecent humility that at last he may arrive at some Eminency in the World the Glory only then appears delightful to him when he beholds it as the recompence of all his Labors and Humiliations But no sooner are his desires accomplish'd and he has made his Inferiors of his Equals but he languishes in the midst of his Honors he only regards those that are yet wanting to him and being push'd on by the inquietude of his desires he does acknowledg no other happiness then that which promises him the Dignity and Preferment he earnestly thirsts for What is the joy of a Philosopher when he is become conqueror of his Passions and master of those slaves that would oppress his Liberty he does no violence to himself but such as gives him Pleasure all his pains are agreeable to him and he reckons all his Combats happy ones since they lead him unto Victory But has he excluded Vice from his breast is the object of his affection become that of his hate and has he subjected that which before did Tyrannize over him His vertue is forsaking him his pleasures dwindle and he must combat with new Difficulties if he would procure to himself Delights This Principle granted it is no hard task to prove that honesty and Profit are in affinity with Pleasure and it is only she that ingages us in their pursuit For the profitable good is not disireable only for its self sake since that the possession of it is Sterile and gives no satisfaction to those who are once made masters of it It must be Pleasure that moves them to it representing it under a form that is agreeable and appearing beautiful as well as profitable to make one be in love with it Eating which is so necessary to Man is ever follow'd with pleasure and I doubt whether we should be at the trouble of self-preservation if we were not invited to it by the contentment as well as by the necessity Riches which are made the Divinities of the world and which most Men idolize would be in little esteem amongst us if they did not discover the pleasures they give to those that have them ayeâ— and flatter them with an assured Felicity For they display all that possibly can make them divertive they show them stately Structures rich Habits Tables spread with all the varieties capable to please their Tast advanâ—agious Marriages and a vast retinue of Servants who attend their Persons and observe their Commands All this Pompous Gayety ravishes their Affections and makes them without any Difficulty consecrate their cares and diligence in the Acquest of those goods which promises them so many advantages 'T is true the seeking of that good we call Honest is more pure it is not beholding to strange â—avors to satisfie its Lovers and it is to do an injury to its Merit to desire any thing above its self But yet it ceases not to have its Charms as well as Profit it is the Glory as well as the Ornament of those who possess it all Mankind has a Reverence for it and as it has the Wicked for its admires so all good Men too load it with their Panegyricks Honor is its Appanage and portion all persons that regard it give it their praises and those spectators must become enemies to it that can refuse it this recompence Knowledg which is one part of it does it not create a bundance of delight and pleasure in the Learned And can they mount up into the Heavens make a discovery of the Stars sound Nature and penetrate into the Abysms of the Earth without a transport As she is the light of our Understanding she with it infuses joy into our Souls exalts us above our self and without ever changing our condition the seems to make us pass out of darkness into light from a Prison unto Freedom and from Death to Life None but those who are ignorant can question this truth and who having never been exempted from the phlegmy conceits of their dull and gross bodies are not sensible of its Sweetness and
Delight The Fourth Discourse That Pleasure is the soul of Morral Vertues NOthing is so great a Scandal to the Stoicks as the low and petty Rate that is put upon Vertue they look upon all those little less then Sacrilegious that do dishonor her and never think any punishment too rigorous to chastise their Insolence As they are inamoured with her Love they call her the Divinity of the Earth they make her the Standard of all their Noble Actions and they wish Monarchs would as well relie upon her conduct as the meanest of their Subjects Epicurus who is just of an opposite Sentiment and who has given Pleasure the preference to Vertue is reckoned among them no better then a Monster they have thought a Man must quit his reason to side against her and prostrate a Soveraign unto Her whom she disdain'd to accept of for a Slave But without doubt those Philosophers are too severe in their condemnation which makes me think they have not sufficiently conceiv'd the meaning of their Adversary in that they have charg'd him with so many Reproaches For did they take the pains to examine Soveraign Good in its nature they would find themselves in no disagreement at all with him they seek that in effect which they blame in Appearance and are no otherwise enemies to him but in their way of expression For if they affirm that Vertue is contented with her own perfections that she despises all advantages that are forrein to her and only to be possest of her is sufficient to make one live happy in the world The Epicureans likewise will yield this Gâ—ory to her and make their protestations that they look upon her as the most profitable of al good things But they will never acknowledg her to be Man's felicity since she only conducts him to it and never makes her self desirable but for the love of that pleasure which she promises For that happy life which they would have begin from an enjoyment of her is nothing but the pleasure which they establish and which seperating the means from the end that leads to it they are oblig'd to prefenâ— to Vertue Indeed Pleasure seems Natural to the Vertues the most severe of them do seek her as well as the most diverâ—ive and though their contentment is more reserv'd and hid it is no whit the less true and real As she is the chief and peculiar good of Man clearing up his reason and fortifying his will she very agreeably slides into his soul and if she somtimes amazes her Spectators she still affords her admirers most plentiful Delights and Satisfaction Those Heroes who make Fortune their diversion and laugh at it contemning her power and with an equal unconcern beholding her favors and affronts have done well to acknowledg that there is a certain pleasure in the Vertue that charms them since they preferr its injoynments to Riches and Honors accounting themselves happy in their poverty and extracting Glory from that which makes others Miserable That Philosopher who has made himself Tamous in History in his choice of a Tubb for his Mansion house and so as it were to bury himself alive in the midst of Athens speaks but the satisfactions that he there received and though he was depriv'd of all things he did not forbear disputing his Felicity with the most pompous and lofty Soveraigns His abode was more pleasant to him then their Pallace he considered it as a Temple from whence he delivâ—red his Oracles and depising the Ornaments of rooms of Entertainment he look'd upon his own as very well accommodated since it had vertue for its Hostess the Water that quench'd his thirst and the dry parched Bread that satisfied his hunger he thought need give no place to to their Delicacies and as they did purely satisfy Nature they left no disgusts which are the usuall punishments of their extravagant seeding He got the conquest of all the passions that insulted o'r Kings Fear and Grief were banished from his soul and while these lament the loss of Battles and afflict themselves with the revolt of their subjects and groan under the weight of their Diadems he enjoy'd a sweet Repose and liv'd in a profound and undisturbed Tranquility If he shun'd the Courts of Princes it was because he knew the troublesom cumber and distraction of them if he refus'd publick Dignities it was because he counted them as specious Servitudes and if he preferr'd the caelibate life to Marriage it was because the name of Zantippe was odious to him and that he look'd upon the society of Women as such who would always be commanding though they were born to obey In short this Philosopher enjoy'd a perfect freedom his miseries were only in appearance and contemning the grandeurs of the World he could boast in this of being the most happy Man amongst all the Philosophers and the most puisant of all Kings If Pleasure has triumph'd over Poverty in the person of Diogenes if its sweetness has overcome its cruelty and has put an agreeableness into the most incompliant and unwelcome of all vertues it has no less Empire over the rest of her companions Those that seem to be the most dis-interessed do propound her to themselves iâ— all their enterprizes and though they would be thoâ—ght to shun her yet they take their measures by her movements Friendship which derives all her Glory from the sincerity of her Affections has yet a passionate earnestness for her it loves it in the object it reveres its presence contributes to her happiness and she never makes her approaches to it but to receive from thence satisfaction There is nothing more pure then the vertue of the Ancients who have expos'd themselves to dangers not valuing their lives but choosing an inevitable death to preserve their Countries from those mischiefs which have threatned them It seems those generous Spirits had no other Sentiments then those of Honor they had only a regard to Vertue when they made themselves Victims to her Notwithstanding we may say that Pleasure was the life and soul of all their actions they stirr'd not but as she did move them and though they sought out miseries they were not less the Slaves of Pleasure They imagined that Posterity would give them Elogies that their Children would become the peoples love Histories would publish their Valour their Statues would be Ornaments and Decorations of publick places and all Mouths expanded in the celebration of their Names and all Pens imployed in relating their Merits Death which is so terrible to the Cowardly did appear to them but a petty Evil in comparison of the honors they promised to themselves and as they were animated by the desire of Glory they only considered the Immortality that would crown their actions Justice which pleases it self with Rigour and most of her time is taken up in the chastisements of Criminals has not any Sentiments more pure and reâ—in'd When a Father is inrag'd against his Son and
support of States the glory of their Army the defence of their Frontiers and as the inhancement of their Reputation and Wealth But as this advantage is Pompous so it is difficult to acquire to deserve the name of Victorious we must ingage our selves in Wars expose our persons to infinite Dangers and abandon to the Discretion of Fortune both our Liberty and Life Now Force and Magnanimity â—urmounts all these difficulties it glories in seeking out the Enemy in setting upon Afflictions in faceing Death and in making up to whatever appears Terrible in the world Iâ— we will credit a Roman Philosopher it is a generous vertue exalting us beyond a capacity to â—ear a Science that teaches us to beat back Dangers contemn Travels and provoke unto Sufferings and Calamities For Evil is the object of this Noble Habitude and it cannot be said to subsist in nature if it has not Enemies to combat with and Difficulties to conquer Some have confounded Force with Valour they have thought that Courage was reserv'd for Conquerors and that one ought to be constantly in Battles and gaining Kingdoms to merit the name of Mighty and Victorious But Certainly they have but imperfectly known the nature of Force the most Glorious Actions are not always the most Dangerous An affliction is often more difficult to get the master of then an Enemy and I question if a Man deserves not more to be Renown'd for induring Death with a firm resolution in his Bed then for despising it in a Battle Who is there but knows that the valour practised in Armies is more â—ure and true in Beasts then in Men that those of the Female kind are as capable of it as the Males and that both of them do strive with as earnest a contention for the possession of a Meadow as Kings do for the Conquest of a Nation But there is this difference that the force of Beasts is true and real and that of Men oft-times but in shew and appearance the one is Natural the other is mixt with Artifice the one purely regards Profit or Glory the other ingages us in Perils but â—â—ough the fear of Death or apprel 〈◊〉 of the Poverty which threatens us Who observes the addresses of Humane Valour wilâ—â—te that it is but a Sage dejection and weakness of mind that fore-sees the Danger so as to avoid it that overcomes one Passion by another and that suffers one Mischief to secure himself from a greater To what purpose serve the managing of Horses and the Hall of Arms but to teach us how to turn tail with a good Grace and to become an honorable Coward there 's no doubt but a Shop-prentice might overcome the most Couragious if that Valour consists in taking his time keeping himself in Posture and in observing all those rules that teach us to beat back our Adversary But true Valour despises Artifice it considers it to be the evil but not the means of escaping and it is as little accustomed to ward off Blows as to fear them The Lacedemonians have bannish'd all masters of Arms out of their States and chose rather to be redevable for their victory to Nature then Industry There is none but will commend the valour of that person who dares ingage with a Bear cope with a Lyon and grapple with a wild Boar that is coming with full force and power upon him because Art and Cunning has no part in this combat but he makes an absoâ—ute Exposal of himself to the fury of his enemy As Valour rejects all craft so it is an enemy to all Circumventions it will not have a victory that shall be Dishonorable it fancies it derogates from its Grandeur when it has recourse to Fraud for the obtaining of it It hopes to conquer as soon as it begins its combats by Counsel Arms and looks upon it self inferior to its Adversary to make use of Stratagems to subdue him Fraud is a discovery of weakness and we must confess our selves conquer'd when we are fain to use shameful means to arrive at our designs If Force should be without disguise and if it should contemn those low subtleties that may give it advantage it is also necessary that it should be illuminated in its Conduct that it should know the danger it has to surmount the difficulties that may hinder its Victory and that it find out ways of vanquishing or at least diverting them For Force is not a blind Temerity that loves danger or that ingages its self in it but upon necessity but a Science that teaches us to distinguish Evils to seperate them from their contrary and to preferr the imaginary and apparent ones to those that are effectual and true That Man is not to be accounted valiant that 's push'd on by the violence of his Choller or relying upon the strength of his body praecipitates himself into dangers and seems to be afraid of nothing only because he would be thought above the power of being frightned and shaken but well may he who knowing the evil and abhorring it does yet attacque it with Courage and put himself in a posture of giving it a Repulse according as it needs and the occasion will suffer him A valiant Man's ingagements ought also to be Just he should not fight but for the defence of Equity and he should rather regard the subject of his Enterprizes then their recompence Victory is not always the reward of Valour the most Couragious are generally the most unfortunate and oft-times they are forc'd to yield to their Enemies who have neither their conduct nor courage To teach us that true Valour resides in the heart that it is rather a product of the Soul then Body and that he may call himself no longer Victorious then whilst he is braving of Dangers despising Death and making head to his Enemies From all that has been said it is easy to inferr that force as well as what accompanies it is obtain'd for Pleasure that it does not give Battles but to obtain it that it is as well its end as its recompence and that it never attacques Troubles but to procure us Pleasure For Evil is odious it shocks our inclinations instead of drawing them and we should never resolve to destroy it if we did not promise to our selves joy and satisfaction from the Defeat Death is the terriblest of all evils it makes a seperation between the Soul and Body it breaks the most strict and perfect Friendships that ever were in the world and taking upon it the state of a Soveraign it brings down the goodliest works of Nature to the Dust and nothing This snatches the dear Wise from the arms of her most affectionate Husband robs the Father of his only Son and brings sadness into Families and desolation into Kingdoms But have we overcome the fear of Death then will this Monster appear to us as a favor from Heaven and we shall look upon it as a way that
they loved and serv'd upon Earth If 't is objected that we are the Children of God that the Eternal Father has admitted us into His family and that it only belongs to Slaves and Hirelings to look for the price of their labors we shall not offend the sentiments of Nature if we say a Child loves his Father with so much the greater affection as the favors he has received have been multiplied upon him and as he promises himself after his death the possession of his Estate A Slave would dispute this glory with him had he but the same assurances from his Master and possibly this Son whose affections seem so sincere would convert his love into hatred if his Father should drive him out of his house and make a shew of deputing another to be Heir in his place In short who would trouble himself with adoring God if he did not take care of his creatures why should we bestow on him our affections since he neglects to take any cognisance of them and why should we afflict our bodies and curb our inclinations and imploy our whole life in the defence of his interests if our combats were to have no rewards and our victories no Lawrels Also Almighty God who knows our weakness and that we act but through interest allures us by the hopes of Felicicy he promises his glory to those who will keep his Commands and he ingages himself to make them pertakers of his happiness He assures his votaries that all the powers and faculties of their Souls shall be satisfied that their understandings shall behold the truth of what they have believed that their minds shall injoy the good they have sought after and that their memories shall be filled with the bounties they have been entertained withal during the time of their residence upon Earth But though we should have Sentiments sufficiently purified as not to consider the glory that attends us in Heaven that all our desires were terminated in God and that we hoped for nothing from him but only the honor of giving him our whole love we could not deny but there was abundance of sweetness and contentment in this duty that his commands are mixt with pleasures and that He who obliges us to render him our affections does invite us to it by innocent and harmless Delights He assures us that his Law is very agreable that there is great satisfaction in the doing of his Will and that Peace and Glory ever do attend those who ingage themselves in his service The Charity he influences in our hearts and the Grace whereby he prevents our desires give a charm to the difficulties which are incountred by us they make our Fear give place to Love and thrust us on to imbrace with eagerness and pleasure that which Nature looks upon with horror There is nothing able to Astonish us when we are seconded by his power and can see him as Coadjutor in all the rencounters of our life Martyrs do laugh at Tyrants and contemn the cruelty of Butcherly executioners when they are animated with his Spirit They account their Punishments in the number of their greatest favors and are so charm'd with the pleasure it pours into their Souls that they are often fearful least the mildness of their Passion should be a prejudice to their Merit We see them likewise extended upon the Cross as upon a Throne imbracing their Tormentors as their Benefactors acknowledging the indulgence of their Tyrants when they are sentencing them to death and preferring the most violent Torturs to those that are most gentle and easy 'T is this same pleasure that takes away Children from the arms of their Parents that makes them choose a Cloyster to be buried there alive to be spoil'd of their rich and costly Habits to cloth themselves with Cords and Sack-clothes and to quit their delicate and sumptious Dishes only to feed upon Roots and Pulse 'T is this innocent satisfaction and pleasure that animates Christians against themselves that obliges them to the mortifying of their bodies to bring them unto the subjection of the mind which stirs them up against their proper passions and which forces them with much agreeableness to make an absolute and intire Sacrifice of themselves for the glory of their Redeemer The Yoke of Jesus Christ is only uneasy to sinners the hardness of their hearts makes the weight of it heavy to them and they do not account his commands grievous but because they are the vow'd slaves of the Devil But have they broken off with this enemy of Mankind has grace taken possession of their hearts and are they left charm'd by its attractions then they perceive their Pains converted into Delights what seem'd before impossible to observe appears now facile and easy and they are amaz'd that they have stood out so long the bearing of a burden which gives them such Pleasure and Contentment Love finds nothing difficult to be conquer'd it charms the affliction that attacques it and as if it had borrow'd the secrets of Magick it changes pains and miseries into very pleasing and agreeable Divertisments It meets with sweetness in suffering it treats its persecutors with the name of friends and never reckons its self more happy then when it becomes passive for the cause that it reveres It is delighted with difficulty because it is a proof and tryal of its Constancy the labors and travel it indures relieves its faithfulness and the joy it looks for from its possession shall compleat and end its happyness The Third Discourse That Repentance is a chastisement very agreable and advantagious THere is no necessity at all to have a notable piercing and discerning judgment to find out that Sin is the greatest of all Evils that it perverts the Nature changes the Man to become bestial and makes of a Child of God the Slave of the Devil Neither need we be learned in Theology to know that Malice is prejudicial and bloody to the Soul that it reduces it to nothing and brings death to a Spirit that God hath made Immortal Holiness which is the form of it quits it as soon as it receives this Monster and makes a divorce with Grace to fall into the embraces of its enemy It s empire would be Eternal if that Almighty God did not come to our succour and furnish us with weapons to expell this Usurper Oft by an excess of bounty he adds his favors to our deliverance and renders us happy after he has redeemed us from Servitude For Repentance which abolishes our crimes stifles our evil inclinations and reinstates us into Grace and favor with our Maker does contribute our felicity and obliges us to call our faults happy ones because it changes our Pride and Insolence into Modesty causes innocence to succeed our malice and equals our condition to that of the greatest things that ever have been upon the face of the Earth The Holy Scripture observes none more famous then St. John the Baptist