in them and without them the fierce Wrath of God and Nature as the Blood of innocent Abel did cry awaken the Lord whence Cain's Judgment proceeded And withal we are to remember that the Offerings of such as live the in power and operation of the Spirit of Cain are not accepted of the Lord because they are tainted with the Spirit of Violence and Oppression for every Principle is moved by a sympathetical operation and therefore when Men live and act in the power of God's Love and Light in Jesus Christ the Offerings of such are most grateful and powerfully attract the sweet Influences of God and Nature but where the wrathful Principle reigns without the Love and Light of God it is a meer Devil and does attract Venom and Poyson out of every thing to the encreasing and strengthening of it self The holy Ancients have in many other places of the Scriptures deciphered and endeavoured to describe these two grand Fountains or Principles under the Allegory or Figure of two Brothers But it is to be noted that the younger always obtained the Blessing as the case of Iacob Esau and Isaac and Ishmael which doth contain many great Mysteries for Ishmael is the Son of the Bond-woman where the Forms and Properties of Nature are at strife and contention the same is said of Esau that he was a rough man and a Hunter which Names in the Radix do signifie strong men in the Wrath and Principle of the wild Nature into which most men are fallen nor doth any Religion or Form of Godliness bring profit to the Soul but that only that is void of violence and therefore the Offerings of Cain Ishmael and Esau and many others were not accepted of by the Lord for the fierce Wrath and violent Spirit did reign in them and thence their Offerings proceeded and so could not awaken or open any other Principle but only what was like and from the same Root and Centre If this were well considered so many persons would not content themselves in Religious Forms and giving God long Prayers whilst all this while their hearts are full of Envy Back-biting Contention Oppression Hurrying and Killing Men and Beasts most of them counting it their Right to domineer over the meek humble Spirit of Abel but the Blood of Abel doth cry unto the Lord for Vengeance for this is the great Law of God in Nature that there can be no Evil Violence or unjust Action done be it either to the superiour or inferiour Creatures but there must be retaliation made for the Groans of the oppressed have a natural Force and powerful Inclination to open the Gate of God's Wrath and draw down the Judgments of the Lord because all things were made by one therefore they have but one only Root and Foundation proceeding from that one Lord and Creator they all live and move in him and by his Power and Spirit and are all sustained by his divine hand of Providence which does not respect one and neglect another there being in him no variation or shadow of Change or Passion but equally distributes his Blessings to all his according to the Nature of each one having given every thing it s well being in its self and allotted thereto a certain number of days and ordained proper Food for every Creature therefore whensoever Men shall violate these Laws of God in Nature and work contrary unto them by oppressing the Creatures then the Wrath of the Creator is kindled for every Creature when it is in danger of being hurt or pursued for its Life does as naturally and powerfully cry to the Creator for help in their own natural Language as Men do and tend and fly to that Fountain of Being and Protection for their Lives are as sweet and their Desires to continue it are as strong as Man's 17. Here 't is like I shall be complained of and condemned by the wise Men of this World who count it their right in Nature as Cain did to domineer and Lord it over all Creatures who will say The Creator hath no respect or regard to the preservation or well-being of inferiour Animals but only unto Men and that his Will is that Men should destroy and live upon them and use them as they please Were they not made for that purpose and if we should not destroy them they would destroy us c. Thus they object but the Truth tells every one That there are no Creatures that will hurt or be injurious unto Mankind but only Dogs Bears Foxes and other of the like Nature who are Beasts of Prey and fierce by kind few or none of which are eaten But this Allegation I shall more particularly consider in its proper place Others more materially will urge the Authority of the holy Scriptures to prove that killing and eating of Flesh was according to the Will of God which is true in a certain Sense but from the beginning it was not so but only after Man had disobeyed the Lord his Maker and broken his pure Law and imbarked his corrupt Will and tainted Desires in the fierce Spirit of Oppression and suffered the bestial savage Nature to predominate in him over the divine Principle of God's Love and holy Light as the Scripture doth testifie Gen. 6. The Lord looked down from Heaven and behold every imagination of Man's Heart was evil altogether evil and that continually Also the Lord said The Earth is filled with violence it repenteth me that I have made Man and the Earth was corrupt before God and filled with violence for all Flesh had corrupted his way upon the Earth c Here it appears Man had with his Will and Desires entred into the violent Spirit which had corrupted the Earth and all things therein whence the desire of killing and eating of Flesh and Blood of Beasts did proceed and for this reason the Lord was so provoked to Anger that he said My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he is Flesh yet his days shall be an Hundred and Twenty Here the Lord shortned the Days of Mankind as David saith in another place The Wicked shall not live out half his days If Man had not thus entred into the violent Spirit of wrath the Lord had not destroyed Mankind but being thus incensed he commanded Noah to build an Ark which signifies a place of Safety Peace and Mercy and to take the clean Beasts by Sevens which is a holy Number in Nature comprehending all Mysteries but the unclean by Pairs or Two's which is a Number of Contention as being the first that separates from Unity He was likewise required to take all sorts of Food both for himself and for the Beasts but there was no mention made of Flesh and all the Creatures both clean and unclean that he took with him into the Ark he delivered out again after the wrath of God was assuaged there was no Oppression Violence nor Killing in all that time for if there
boyled 4. Bread and Butter Bread and Cheese 5. Milk and ripe Fruits as Milk and Apples c. 6. Butter and several kinds of Pulses boyled 7. Bread with all sorts of Flesh fit to be eaten 8. Herbs and Flesh. 9. Roots and Flesh. 10. Bread and Eggs but Butter is but an improper Ingredient with Eggs. 11. Bread and Fish 12. Oyl and Fish for Butter is not so good Also Fish is wholsomer boyled in Water than prepared any other way I could nominate many more Mixtures but these are the most natural and agreeable to each other and most of them have mutual and friendly Aspects from their Radixes so that what variation these Ingredients do make 't is for the better they advancing each others Vertues If People could be perswaded to be moderate in Quantity and prefer such simple Viands and proper Mixtures in their food and drink and observe to prepare their Meat according to the Rules before specified most of those cruel Diseases now reigning and raging would be prevented There is abundance more in the observation of these things than the generality of People understand or imagin All that I desire of the Reader is that he would be so friendly to himself to make Tryal for no man can be truly sensible of the Evil of any thing except he separate himself from his Errors and tries the contrary Butchers Tallow-Chandlors Poulterers and many other offensive Trades perceive not those filthy Stinks and Fumes which Slaughter-houses Melting-houses c. send forth except they separate themselves for a while into a more pure and cleaner Air and then they become capable of distinguishing one from the other For the like Reason those that have accustomed themselves to unnatural and improper mixtures of Food or bad Preparations their Pallates and Stomachs are become One with such things and they can as little distinguish the pure natural Taste and Scents of Food from the contrary as the Trades-men afore-said can the noisom fumes of their own Shops and Work-houses There are many Thousands of brave finical Dames in this Nation that are so curious in their Houses and in whitening their Linnen that they themselves can hardly tell what will please them and yet after all they lie on Beds that do really stink worse than Common Houses of Office tho being used to them they do not smell it neither can they so great is the power of the Evil Nature and Custom And in these stinking Dunghills these delicate Madams spend two Thirds of their time and surely then 't is no marvel if they are afflicted with so many Diseases and Weaknesses for if they did commit no other Disorders or Intemperances this alone were sufficient to destroy their Health as I have at large demonstrated in my Discourse of the Generation of that pernicious Vermin called Buggs CHAP. IX The Reasons in Nature why Cities and great Towns are subject to the Pestilence and other Diseases more than Country-Villages The Excellency of Solitude and Advantages of a retir'd Country-Life THe Reasons are 1. That the Air which is the Essential Life of all material Beings is defiled by the Congregating of such Troops of People together whose very Breath is enough to make the Air thick hot and sulpherous 2. The Closeness of the Streets and Houses whereby the pleasant Influences and Salutiferous Breezes of Wind are obstructed which does condense the Air and render it thick and humid 3. The abundance of Smoke that the multitude of Chimnies send forth which is of a keen sharp sulpherous Quality that incorporating it self with the Air encreases its dullness and fills it more full of gross Humidity whence proceeds Stoppages and many Obstructions and Diseases of the Breast and the Blood becomes tainted with a sharp salt Humour that causes the Scurvey and a wearisom Indisposition throughout the whole Body 4. The great Number of Houses of Easement that breath and send forth their putrid Smells and Scents into the Air together with the various Uncleannesses that otherwise proceed from both Healthy and Diseased People together with the Washings and Cleansings of Houses and the fulsom Liquors Flesh and Fish have been boyled in mixed with other loathsom and filthy Excrements all which are continually exposed in the open Air and do wonderfully defile it not forgetting the Smoke Dust and Ashes of Sea-Coal where the same is used which is of a pernicious Nature 5. The vast Number of various sorts of Beasts and other Creatures that are by Droves daily slaughtered and no care taken but their Blood is exposed to the open Air and runs through the Kennels as if it were clean Water and no more notice taken of it whereas the same does not only send forth deadly Smells and pernicious Vapours but fills the Air with Revengeful Spirits which are inhal'd into the Bodies of Men and there stir up Smilies Add to this the great Numbers of stinking Trades which are in such places as Tallow-Chandlers Tanners Dressers of Leather Soap-Boylers c. All these gross Scents Fumes and evil Vapours that Cities are subject to especially great Cities and populous such as Lodon Paris c. their Nature being Saturnine and Martial proceeding from the gross fierce wrathful matter as deriv'd from things wherein the pure Spirituous parts and Balsamick Vertues are destroyed and totally suffocated so that there does remain nothing but the gross phlegmatick Body and poysonous Spirits whose Fumes incorporate themselves with their Similies in the Air and all the Elements and Stars where by a secret and sympathetical power they awaken by degrees the wrathful and poysonous Properties for every particular Quality in Nature has a Key in its self to open the Gates of its own Principle whence proceed Pestilential Airs according to the degree of the awakened Poysons and Wrath there being a certain sympathy between the Terrestrial Bodies and the Coelestial for all things both in Heaven and in Earth have but one only ground and flow from the two grand Principles viz. Good and Evil. For this cause when the original Poysons in Nature and wrathful Spirits are by the occasions before mentioned or any others stirred up that they overcome the pure Vertues they powerfully penetrate all Elements and Bodies and wheresoever they find matter capable or disposed to receive them incorporate themselves and with highest diligence endeavour to destroy the good Vertues and thence arise evil Airs and various Diseases which suddenly seize the Bodies of Men. And this Nature doth not only in the Evil but also in the Good but not in a sensible way but in a Natural by Likenesses where things agree in Number Weight and Measure there they powerfully incorporate and rejoyce and cast out their Contraries A pregnant Example of this we have in Sounds if two Instruments of one sort be turned to an equal pitch strike one of the Strings and the same String on the other Instrument will shake or tremble this I have done my self and also seen it
Nature for the Spirits that were weak before by these Intemperances are made weaker Likewise all Women in this time of their Lying-in should be advised not to drink too freely of any sorts of Liquor especially such as are apt to breed much Milk for fear of sore Breasts and Fevers let them beware of strong Drinks because they heat the Blood and Body beyond Mediocrity evaporate the Volatile Spirits and awaken the Central Fires which ought not by any means to be stirred up 11. Cleanness in Women is a most sublime Vertue and to be had in the highest Esteem and Veneration because of the manifold benefits which do thence proceed it preserves mankind in the very Root which the great Prophet Moses well understood whence arose his Laws of Cleanness and Separation Many of the Ancients did not count it lawful to know a Woman after known Conception 1st Because then the End of Nature is answered and also God's Law 2dly Because then the Inclinations to Copulation in all Females ceaseth except in some depraved Natures and through wanton sinful Provocations as is before mentioned Now this being none of the least Intemperances and Uncleannesses ought to be considered by all People the rather for that it strikes at the Root and corrupts mankind in the very Radix But on the contrary there is nothing more preserves the Fruit sound and healthful than Cleanness and Separation Also if Men did separate themselves from Women all those proper times and seasons which Nature forbids them and did sometimes lie alone and keep themselves Chaste it would render them more healthy strong and full of lively Spirits and more Masculine it being an Effeminating thing for Men and Women to lie always together making no distinction of Uncleannesses or of Sickness there being scarce any particular Intemperance or Uncleanness that destroys more Men Women and Children than this besides it enfeebles the Courage and makes Men low Spirited and also lessens their Affections except in some few dulling Natures in a word it debilitates all the parts and brings an infinit number of Diseases How many thousands of poor Children are yearly destroyed by the Effects of the before-mentioned Intemperances some by Leprous Scabby Diseases Boils and running Sores and the Disease vulgarly called The KING 's Evil but to speak Truth it is the Mother and Father's Evil others with weak Ioynts and Ricketty Distempers and many other Calamities as Consumptions Stoppages Convulsions and windy Diseases But here I am apprehensive that I shall offend the Women by telling them the truth and which any of them might know to be truth if they would but look into themselves and examine things It being a gross Error for any to imagin that Man in the beginning was made as to his outward Man more corrupt or subject to Distempers than the Beasts of the Field all sorts of which are now an hundred-fold more Healthy than Mankind yet both they and Man as to the Elements of the Body are compounded of one and the same matter And as the Creator has endued Man with Wisdom Reason and Understanding above and beyond all other Creatures visible so on the other side there is not a Creature under Heaven of a sounder and more healthy Constitution than Man in his Original nay 't is certain Man is naturally the most compleat for the holy Angels have always appeared in Humane shapes Likewise Man according to his bigness is not only strong but of a great Spirit full of Vigour and the soundness of his Primitive Constitution appears by his long Life in the first Ages Therefore it is not through the Imbecillity of his natural Frame and Composition as some would have it that he is afflicted with such a number of Diseases from and by means of his Intemperance and Uncleannesses in which two Evils Men do surpass all other Creatures and consequently are more diseased than any of them But had Man lived in obedience to the divine and natural Law of God he would as much have surpassed the Beasts in Health as now they do him and Children would be as sound and free from Diseases as the young Ones of other Creatures are had not their Parents corrupted themselves by their Intemperances in their Radix and trained their Children up in the like Inconveniences and this is the true cause of Mans Imbecillities whereby he is become inferiour unto the very Beasts as to Health Not that he was made so in his Creation for we do read that the Ancients were sickly and subject to this and the other Disease nor of the immature Death or Sicknesses either of their Women or especially of their Children whence we may conclude that they were sound and not liable to so many burthensom Diseases as we and our Children are subject to and this we may be the rather confirmed in because the Scriptures do testifie That the days of Mankind were shortned because of their Intemperances as Gen. 6. The Violences and Intemperances of Man had corrupted the whole Earth and all things therein which was the grand cause of infinite Distempers and the shortning of Life an example of this we have in many of the Beasts who are exposed to the unmercifulness of Men and more especially in Horses who in their Radixes are one of the most healthy sorts of Creatures of strong hardy hot Constitutions and Natures nevertheless through the hard usage and strain their cruel Drivers force them unto they become the most diseased of all others Moreover these inhumane Outrages Uncleannesses and Intemperances do awaken Gods Wrath in the Constellations and outward Elements and powerfully as by Simile draw down malignant Influences whence proceed particular and universal Calamities Whereas if mankind did live in the observation of Gods Law in Nature and contented himself with what was needful and suitable to his Nature the same would not only lay a sure Foundation for Health both of Body and Mind but Magnetically attract the benevolent Influxes of the Coelestial Bodies and make even this lower Life a kind of Paradise both for Innocency and pure unsullied Pleasures 12. All Women and Nurses ought to be careful that they do not swathe or bind their young Infants too hard which many are guilty of for the delicate tender Nerves and small Bones of Children cannot endure such usage without great Inconveniency by awakning the internal heat which spreads through all the Body and makes the external parts glow with an unnatural heat which makes the Child fret and cry and that spends its strength and puts its whole Body into disorder And after they have thus pinion'd up the poor Infant and wrapt it in so many Coverings they then cover it up again in a Cradle or Bed but the best of the two is a Cradle where for the most part they are kept over-hot and the pleasant Air prevented of having its free Influences upon them whereby their pure Spirits are suffocated and rendred impure the Circulation
came to destroy For he preached Peace Love and good Will unto all Men and therefore his Doctrine is called The Evangele or Gospel that is to say Ioyful News or Glad Tidings Some there are that do say That if they should not kill and eat the Flesh of the Creatures they could not subsist or live which in a bad sense is true For should they cease from Violence and Killing then that cruel wrathful fierce Life in them could not subsist in such vigour and strength as it does but must of necessity become weak and as it were die that is it would no longer domineer in the Heart over the friendly Principle of God's Love But as to the Health of the Body which is that which I mean Herbs and Fruits will sustain Nature in every respect far beyond the best of Flesh. 16. It is said in Gen. 4. That Adam knew his Wife Eve and she conceived and bore Cain and said I have gotten a Man from the Lord that is from the strong Powers of the Wrath in Nature from whence all Lordliness Pride and Oppression in Government ariseth And she conceived again and bore his Brother Abel and Abel was a Keeper of Sheep that is a Keeper of and Dweller in Innocency But Cain was a Tiller of the harsh Earth which must be broken and torn up by Violence and hard Labour both of Man and Beast which was the Curse that the Lord laid upon Adam And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the Fruits of the Ground an Offering unto the Lord And Abel he also brought of the Firstlings of his Flock and the Lord had respect unto Abel and unto his Offering but unto Cain and his Offering he had no respect And Cain was very wroth and his Countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain Why art thou wroth If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and if not Sin lieth at thy Door and unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him that is unto thee Cain shall be the Desire of my Kingdom of Love and Divine Light but if thou wilt not hearken unto its Counsel and be obedient to my Commandments then thou shalt rule over him that is over the Divine Power as it came to pass for Cain talked with Abel that is the Wrath contended with the Love and Divine Power and it came to pass when they were in the Field that is where the wild harsh Nature does predominate that Cain rose up against Abel his Brother and slew him Here the Wrath prevailed over the divine innocent Principle and destroyed it as it does at this day for those two Brothers did rightly and truly signifie the two grand Principles and the two Seeds that of the Woman and that of the Serpent And the Lord said unto Cain Where is thy Brother And he said I know not Am I my Brother's Keeper Here Cain viz. the Property of Wrath denied the Murther and pretended he had done him no Evil or knew nothing of him But the Lord answered and said What hast thou done The Voice of thy Brother's Blood crieth unto me from the ground and therefore the Lord cursed Cain and tells him he shall be a Fugitive and a Vagabond Then Cain bowed himself and said unto the Lord My Punishment is greater than I can bear Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Earth and from thy face shall I be hid and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall stay me This Confession and Submission did so pacifie the kindled Wrath that the Lord said Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain Vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold and the Lord set a Mark on Cain lest any finding him should slay him This Mark was the Light of the Lord that enlightens every Man that cometh into the World and which does more or less mollifie and withstand the fierce wrathful Powers in Mankind for if this were not the Wrath of Cain would grow so powerful that the Children of Abel would not have any being in this World Then Cain went out from the Presence of the Lord and dwelt in the Land of Nod on the East-side of Eden that is he went into the outward Principle of this World and dwelt in the Land of Vanity at a distance from the divine Principle which is intimated by Eden in which Cain did not live but on one side of it viz. in the operation of both the good and evil Nature which most Men of this World do live in And it is also said That he built a City that is he became strong and powerful in the Property of this World and therefore Cain was an Oppressor and one that did domineer and Lord it over his Brethren and slay the divine Principle of God's Love and hence all Violences Contentions Killing and Works of Darkness for Cain does truly signifie the Fountain of God's Wrath and the original Properties of the Father's Nature and Abel does represent the eternal Principle of God's Love in the Son's Property Cain intimates the Fire and Abel the Light if the meek Spirit of Abel were not overcome and murthered by the fierce Wrath of Cain there would be Peace on Earth as in Heaven and as when Cain arose and contended with and slew Abel he made no resistance this was a true manifestation that the fierce Wrath had got the Victory but Abel's Blood cried unto the Lord. The very same is to be understood in all kind of Oppression both to Man and Beasts they all by a sweet sympathetical operation call for Vengeance for God is no respecter of Persons or Things but whensoever any Creature is oppressed the same doth from the awakened Wrath curse the Oppressor and send up Cries and terrible Complaints to Heaven which moves the Principle of God's Wrath whence so many Judgments fall upon the People nor is it possible it should be otherwise as long as the Spirit of Cain predominates in their Hearts tearing and destroying the Peace and Well-being of one another and of all the inferiour Creatures far worse than the wild Savages of the Desart for when their Bellies are full they do rest satisfied until they are hungry again but Men are become such Belly-gods and Slaves to their Lusts and Passions that they are never satisfied either full or fasting but always contriving Mischief and how they may betray not only those of their own kind but also all other Creatures insomuch that all the Elements mourn and are filled with the Cries Groans and mournful Complaints of their miserable Inhabitants True Religion doth consist in this as our Lord Jesus Christ taught both by Precept and Example that Mankind do no Violence but live in the power and operation of the Spirit of the humble meek Spirit of Abel for every violent Action and Oppression let it be little or much or offered unto whatsoever Creatures does as naturally and spiritually awaken
the Bone or a piece of the Garment of a Man who is himself many Years agone dead and rotten can Cure them of Diseases or preserve them from Dangers But especially when we give them a piece of Bread and tell them 't is Flesh Blood and Bones they think 't is Bread still and are so impudent as to believe their own Eyes before the Dictates of our Priests Heathen Why Do you your selves believe and practice these Absurdities French-man Ye marry and would burn you too if you were in some parts of Christendom and durst say you did not believe them as well as we Heathen Then I bless the good and infinite Being that I have no business in such a Christendom But pray proceed with the Story of your Hugenots French-man We endeavoured to suppress and root them out by severe Laws and open Wars but finding that Course ineffectual we resolved upon a Stratagem to cut them off pretended to be very kind to them and that we desired a perfect Reconciliation and to that purpose made a Match between one of the chief of that Party and a great Lady of ours to solemnize this Wedding the principal Hugonots repaired from all parts of the Kingdom and had the greatest Assurances given them of Friendship But one Night whilst they suspected nothing Souldiers being drawn together at a certain Hour fell upon them in all parts of the City destroying Men Women and Children so that in two or three Hours time there were above Ten thousand of their dead Bodies flung naked into the Streets and the Channels flowed with their Heretical Blood And at that time Messengers were sent to other Cities and Towns to do the like so that in a few days there were above Forty Thousand of them slain Was not this a noble Expression of Zeal for Religion Heathen God keep such bloody Zeal still from our Indian Territories Do your Priests allow of such doings French-man Allow Yes and applaud them too they are the Men that excite us to these gallant Exploits and for a Reward for these Services do forgive us all our Sins and assure us of Heaven Heathen I know not what they may pretend but this I know that God is Love and that such barbarous Cruelties are to him an Abomination And to speak truth so long as men continue Obstinate Revengeful and Contentious and suffer the wild savage Nature and bitter Spirit to reign in their Hearts neither Men nor God can forgive them for Inequality and Discord cannot move Equality such a Spirit is contrary to the Divine Nature and therefore cannot expect Forgiveness till 't is changed and transformed For men cannot draw nigh to the Fountain of Benignity nor be heard of the Sovereign Being but as they become like unto him for every like is moulded by its likeness Blood requires Blood but the Merciful shall find Mercy from the God of Peace and Compassion whose Mercies never fail For this cause we have for many Generations totally abstained from all Violence Oppression and Killing either of Man or Beast for the Groanings and Miseries of those Creatures that suffer Wrong are the beginnings of Trouble and Sorrow to those that do it and do certainly stir up and awaken the fierce Wrath in Nature as the Loadstone attracts Iron French-man These are pretty Nations but methinks impracticable For if we Europians should live the Life you talk of and lay aside Arms and not vindicate our Religion and Liberties by the Sword we should be over-run and be made the greatest of Slaves Have not you heard of the Inroad made at this instant by the Turks into Germany Now would you have us stand with our Arms across and suffer them to over-run all Christendom Heathen I pray what do you account the occasion that moved the Turk to this Expedition French-man Why the Emperor of Germany in certain of his Territories had some of those Hereticks that I described to you but now and he would force them to be of his Religion and to compel them therereunto seized on their Priests and clapt them into Dungeons and Prisons where they were starved and pined away in Want and Misery and others he sold for Slaves and sent Soldiers amongst them to kill and destroy all that would not conform to his Ceremonies Hereupon they took Arms in their own defence and observing their Brethren to live free from such Violences and enjoy their Religion under the Turks paying only such Tribute they desire the Turk to protect them which offends the Emperor and so the Quarrel encreasing the Turks sends an Army against him Heathen This confirms and illustrates what I assert for here you see this Deluge of Calamity had not happened to Germany had they not first stirred up the Wrath and causlesly vexed their Neghbours It appears plainly these Flames arise from Sparks of their own kindling besides Experience shews that none are such Vassals and subject to so many Miseries as those that give themselves to the use of Arms viz. to Guns Swords and the like Weapons of Wrath and most of them perish by the use of them For our own part 't is true we do live in subjection and under the burthen of many great Taxes which are levied on us at the pleasure of the Princes we live under but then they protect us from the Injuries of the Multitude allowing us our free Egress and Regress through their Dominions and unquestioned Liberty for the Exercise of our Religion and manner of living They do not endeavour to peep into our Breasts or examine our Opinions or punish us for not thinking as they do We go freely about our Occasions nor do they permit every Idle Fellow to take away our Goods nor give us abusive Words or hurry us to loathsome Prisons nor are our Sons forced into the Wars They threaten no Punishment to us provided we do not offend the Civil Laws for they matter not what gods we worship nor after what fashion so we are just to men and live peaceably and pay our Tribute If they have our Money they know they cannot want Men that will fight for two Pence a day But we value our Health our Lives Liberties and Religion more than Money We all drink Water and the fragrant Herbs wholsome Seeds Fruits and Grains suffice us abundantly for Food Our Stomachs are clean our Appetites sharp so that we taste the inward Virtue of each thing and sing Songs of Praise to the Creator who affords unto us the plenty of the Earth and the pleasant Dews of Heaven so that as Fish live in the Salt and Brackish Ocean and yet their Flesh is fresh and sweet so we in the midst of a tempestuous troublesome World live Calm and as it were in Paradise French-man I am glad to bear you esteem your selves so happy there are few Mortals that are so content with their Lot but are whining repining complaining and always on the Tenter-hooks of new Hopes and Desires Heathen