Men must here begin to unlearn what their Parents and grave Instructors have told them in the very tenderest part of their care; and learn to suspect some of their first and plainest Notions of things. They are now to be taught how they might Be, without a Creator; and how, now they are, they may live best without any Dependance on his Providence. They are call'd to doubt of the Existence of God, or if that be allow'd them, 'tis only to question what Notice he takes: His Wise Providence at every turn is charged with Neglect, and often not for, that which has something of Precedent, supporting the Wicked, but which is dreadfully New disappointing their Lusts. Things they are no longer ashamed of, but publickly own, without so much as pretending to hide them from God, whom they are not afraid to treat as blind, or as giving Consent.
Thus is His Holiness turn'd to the vilest Reproach, his perfect Knowledge mention'd with scoffing, and his infinite Power despised.
Had we nothing to oppose to this; but that sense of things which is natural to Us, and which even with all these Arts is not quickly defaced, we could not but stand amazed at such Presumptions as these, in so poor, and ignorant, and short lived a Creature as Man; who came naked but lately out of the Earth, and must soon return to that condition again; who finds his sight bounded in every thought, and meets with a thousand stops in all his Designs; who every step that he takes, wants some one to help him, and can scarce avoid being conscious of that Hand to which he ows his Support. And yet as if it was honour to rave, this impotent Wretch must still be daring at something above him, as if he reckon'd it weakness to own of what he was made, and thought any submission too great a price to pay for being preserv'd.
This cou'd not be accounted less than a Monstrous Extravagance, had we no other Rule than that of Reason to measure it by; and a Man with only his senses about him, would have a horrour to be thus Entertain'd. How then shall he that professes the Christian Religion, be able to bear so licentious a Treatment of all that is Good? a little degree of temperate Zeal wou'd turn him against such Abuses as these, and a middle proportion of Faith spread over the World, wou'd keep these Places from being so throng'd in their present State as they shamefully are.
They whose Dependence is on them, are so apprehensive of this; that they are very industrious to weaken the force of that Revelation which darts it's rays so strongly against them, and discovers the vileness of that, they wou'd have Men admire. Redeemer and Saviour are Titles bestow'd upon infamous persons, which shews what sense they have of the want of him to whom they belong: And for what they are pleas'd to mention as Sins, they are sure to find as slight an Attonement. They make very bold with the Grace of God, and crave Inspiration to serve the ends of Lust and Revenge: In which that they may have nothing to check them, all Flames but their own are meer Fancies and Dreams; the sickly Thoughts of a future Account must be banish'd away, and Conscience dismissed as a weak and Cowardly thing.
That nothing may bind it, the Holy Scripture is used as a Fable, and at every turn brought out in disguise to be the better exposed: They will allow it to be but one of these two, either Imposture or Madness. And they who profess to make it their Rule, and to lead others by it, are scorn'd and traduc'd as running into Frenzy or Cheat, that no body else may have any regard to them or their way.
And when the Fences are thus broken down, what hopes can we have any Virtue shou'd stand without being impair'd at the least? Nor do they stick to pursue their design, but go on overturning the natures of things as fast as they can, and they have met but with too much success.
The Sense of God being pretty well laid, the next thing to be sunk is all Respect to Superiours here; A Prince seldom appears to advantage, and 'tis easie to guess what use of this the Subjects will make. Imposing on Parents, and despising their Age is made a Mark of Spirit and Wit, and few are brought in dull enough to Obey. False Notions of Honour are here proposed as the ground of Esteem, and something of Wildness must go to the gaining Applause. To set up for themselves is the first thing young People must learn, and to think it brave to trample on all that stands in their Way: No Greatness like a thorough Revenge, nor any Spirit so Mean as that which forgives; Abusing those that honestly help them with their Labour, or Goods, has briskness and Reach, and a lively Cheat go's off with more Reputation than paying ones Debts.
Their Friendships are built upon serving their Pleasures, and so cannot but be as loose as that which holds them together: They who are Constant in breaking their Vows, shall here be caress'd as Faithful and True; but to shew Fidelity where it is ow'd, is too formal a business for those who have the sense to be free, and can relish nothing but what is forbid.
This makes them treat all Regular Love with that Stile of contempt, as if keeping of Measures was unbecoming our nature; and it was a shame to have the Bed undefiled. They mix with Marriage all the disagreeable things they can find to turn the single against it, and make those that are in weary and sick of so flouted a State: To increase their uneasiness under which Holy and Prudent Restraint, wandring Images are dressed up with all possible skill to affect them, and their heads are filled with the ways, of bringing these strange Desires to pass.