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himself their Curfe, inftead of their Bleffing, was not long before he felt the terrible Confequences of it; for, going one Night along the Street, he was affaulted, on a fudden, by an evil Spirit, which, ftriving fo hard to feize on him, that he found it pretty difficult to escape its Clutches, caufed him to make a lamentable Outcry for Relief. This raifing the Neighbourhood, who came to their Doors with Lights, he ran directly to one of them, and catching faft hold by him, and calling earneftly upon Heaven, would in no wife let him go, till his dreadful Enemy had forfaken him and vanished. Being then carried into a House, and fomewhat recovered of his Fright, he took Shame to himself, gave the Account before related, and reformed his Life ever after.

Another of the fame Stamp, having fo far given Way to the Devil, that, becaufe his ancient Father had fome Way croffed and angered him, he was bent upon Revenge, took a Journey to Rome, from which he was not very far diftant, with a full Intent to put his wicked Defiga into Execution. In his Way thither, he met a Man trave ling the fame Road, with whom he foon fell into Difcourfe; and who asking him the Occafion of his Journey, and being informed thereof, told him he was going on the fame Account, and defired they might be Companions together, whereto the other readily confented. Being come to Rome then, and having farther agreed, to have not only the fame Lodging, but the fame Bed, when Night came, the young Man, thoughtless of any Danger, and too full of Malice to commit himself to the Divine Protection, foon fell into a profound Sleep.

This was the Opportunity his hopeful FellowTraveller, who was no other than the Devil in a Human Shape, wanted. Accordingly, he caught the poor fleeping Profligate by the Throat, and endeavoured

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endeavoured to ftrangle him; whereat the unfortunate Wretch awaking, and finding himself in fuch a terrible Plight, called earnestly upon God for Help, which was foon mercifully fent him from on high; his Enemy being immediately forced to quit his Hold, and fly away, with fuch a Noife, that it alarmed the whole Inn, who thought the Roof would have fallen in upon them, the Tiles. tattling down in abundance. In effect, the Innkeeper coming into the Room, to fee if all was fafe, found the unhappy young Man alone, and rather dead than alive; who immediately gave him the Account before related, with Tears in his Eyes, vowing, after this miraculous Deliverance, never more to be guilty of the like Sins.

Our Reason for inferting thefe two laft Examples was, that tho' we do not find the former proceeded any farther, than difrefpectful Behaviour to his Parents; and though the Offence of the latter went no farther than Intention, yet did they both narrowly and miraculously efcape a moft dreadful End; leaving this ufeful and inftructive Leffon to Pofterity, to be careful how they are guilty of the flightest Difobedience to Parents; fince they may fee hereby, how feverely even Crimes only inten tional are punished.

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To fay the Truth, we have dwelt the longer on this and the foregoing Commandment, becaufe we are but too fenfible, how little Regard is paid to either of them by the modifh Gentry of the pre fent Times; and the Reafon of this is plain; many who would fart at the bare Mention of Murder, Adultery, and Theft, think it no Manner of Harm, to take the Air, make a Vifit, and chat, that is, goffip and back bite, over a Difh of Tea on Sundays; nor yet to laugh at and ridicule the old Folks (as they call their Parents) and their mufty Mo-rals, behind their Backs.

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We could enlarge yet much farther on the fame Head, but think this fufficient; and therefore go en to the next Commandment.

CHAP. VI.

Of the good and bad Confequences of the Obfervance, or Non-Obfervance of the Sixth Commandment.

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Hou fhalt do no Murder. One would think the Words of this Commandment were fo clear, as not to want any Explanation, and yet there is hardly any one more grievously misunderstood: And the Reason thereof is, we are none of us willing to understand any thing that makes against ourfelves; fo that most of us, if we keep clear of cutting Throats, ftabbing, fhooting, and poifoning, or knocking out Brains, imagine ourfelves very free from violating this Law.

Greatly however are we deceived: Did we never fully our Neighbour's Character? If we have, we are Murderers. Did we never throw a Man into Prifon for a juft Debt, when unable to pay, and there leave him to perish? If we have, we are Murderers. Did we never force, tempt, or fuffer our Neighbours to drink to Excess? If we have, we are Murderers. Have we never been guilty of Oppreffion, by fcrewing People down in their Prices, fo that they could not live by their Labour; or by overworking our Children, or Servants, not allowing them reasonable Reft and Refreshment! If we have, we are Murderers. Have we fuffered our Neighbour to perish for Want, when we were L 5

able

able to relieve him? Then alfo are we Murderers.

Thefe may be, perhaps, and we doubt not, will be, very difagreeable Truths to many, but nevertheless they are real Truths, and fuch Truths as, if we disregard them, will one Day condemn us, .and cause us to be placed amongst the Goats on the Left Hand. What then fhall we fay to those Purple Homicides, thofe Million-Murderers, thofe Royal Savages, whom Heaven in its Anger, feems to have fent as the worft of Plagues, to be the Scourge of a guilty World?

The King of Poland dies, France, with Defign to make him afterwards his Tool, to over-run the Empire, fets Stanislaus up, against his own Will, to be a Candidate for that Crown, and procures him to be elected by Bribery; and because the Emperor, who forefaw his own Ruin in that Promotion, endeavoured to obftruct it, by all lawful Means, his Moft Chriftian Majefty, in conjunction with fome other Royal Banditti, invades his Dominions with Fire and Sword, fpreading Deftruction and Defolation around him like a baleful Meteor; and when Great Britain offers her Mediation to put a Stop to fuch diabolical Ravages, fhe is told, the Moft Chriftian King's Honour is highly concerned therein, and no Power in Europe fhall give Law unto him.

So this pretty Punctilio of Honour coats two or three Millions of Lives! Could any thing but a Devil incarnate act worfe? But that fuch Perfons never think seriously of Death, aud a Future State, can he poffibly think this Excufe will be accepted at the Day of Judgment? His Honour we fuppofe was likewile greatly interested in promo-ting and fupporting a Rebellion in thefe Kingdoms, in favour of a Popish Pretender, with the

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charitable Intent to reduce them to a Dependance ever after upon France, and to convert all the good People, by the wholefome Difcipline of Fire and Faggot!

His worthy Sifter alfo of Spain, not to be behind with him, and having a Couple of Sons, whom fhe had a Mind to make Kings, right or wrong, (wherein he was but too well affifted by the Ambition of fome Princes, and the Infatuation of others,) without the leaft plaufible Pretence, invades Naples, Sicily, Parma, Placentia, Savoy, and Piedmont, fhedding a Sea of Blood, and carrying Ruin and Devaftation every where. But blinded as fhe is, by her infatiable Ambition, and more than Luciferian Pride, does the vainly think any of thofe empty Excuses wherewith the coloured over thofe unjuft Enterprizes, will pafs with the A mighty? Or, that thofe many Millions, the Plunder of her wretched Subjects, wrung from them to fupport her nefarious Schemes, by being now beftowed on her delufive and flattering Priefts, will be able to bribe the Judge of all Men, and accepted as a Commutation? If he does, we fear, without a hearty and fincere Repentance, fhe will find herself grievously miftaken."

In effect, one would wonder what fuch Wretch es, who make no more Account of the Lives of Men, than of the Beafts that perifh, can poffibly think of themselves, if indeed they ever think feriously, or by what Rules they govern their Conduct! Do they really imagine that a Diadem fanctifies all Manner of Villany? Or, that thofe Crimes which would denominate any other Man a Robber, Murderer, and Ruffian, lofe their Nature when acted by them, and become Virtues? Do they believe the Ratio ultima Regum, will be allowed of by the King of Kings? Or that Sic volo, fic jubeo, ftat pro Rations Voluntas, will be accepted as a good

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