Long Livers:

glorious way to celebrate the wonderful Works of the Almighty , and to do good to Men ( which is all our End and Aim ) and of consequence should we most cordially pray for our Noble and Illustrious Benefactors , and transmit their Name with Honour to remotest Posterity .

Drawing now towards a Conclusion , I shall beg your Attention to two or three Things more , before I take my Leave of you . Avoid all Companies where ridiculing of Religion is thought wittyand more

espe-, cially when the wretched Discourse is turned upon the adorable Mystery of the most Holy Trinity , which is an eternal Doctrine , believed by Wise Meu in all Ages . The ancient Philosophers , who had no revealed Religion , no other Light but the

Light of Nature , taught and believed this most sacred Truth , as I could show in a proper place as clear as the Sun . The Platonics , for Example , to instance no more , acknowledge in the Godhead three Persons ; the first they called the Father of the Universeor of all things ; the

, second the Son and first Mind ; that is , according to Plotinus and Philo , the Divine Intellect , flowing from God the Father , as Light from Light , or the word that is spoken from the Speaker : Hence he was called the Aoys ,

VERBUM , or WORD , Light of Light , and the Splendour of God the Father ; and the third day they called the S pirit or Anima Mundi , which Dove-like fate brooding on the Face of the Waters , and with its celestial , amotorial , genial Heat , hatcht the Universe .

All this , and much more could I shew , if required , from a Cloud of Witnesses , abstracting from the commonly-received Doctrines of Christianity , which these witty Gentlemen ( pretend what they will ) seem to have very little regard to . It is also well-becoming the

Brotherhood to be very respectful to all Clergymen , especially those of the Established Church . In the next place , never on any account connive at what the Wits of the Age call roasting of a Parson ; which besides that it does no ways suit with a

Gentleman or honest Man ( which is the same thing ) is barbarous and cruel ; it brings him that is thus baited into Contempt with the People , who are easily carried

away with flashy nit and Ridicule ( f 01 nothing is so easy as to ridicule Religion ) so that by degrees , when Peojile despise his Instructions , nobody will go to hear him , which is a sacrilegious Robbery of his good Name , according to all Divines ,

a Hinderance to his Preferment , and con . sequently to the better providing for his Family . There is no Tradesman hut would think this Usage very cruel . Take care also not to be concerned in your Dealings with litigious Personswho

, on every Trifle are for going to Law ; rather make up your Difference , though you loose by it . Remember the words of your Divine Master ; If any Man will sue thee at the Law , and take away thy Coatlet him have thy Cloak also . The

, Reason is obvious , vis . lest the Lawyer come with his Fieri facias , and strip thee to the Skin . I speak not of the good , for there are a great many very worthy Members of this Profession , Men of true Honour and Integrityour Bulwarks

, against Ojipression and Injustice ; but I speak of those poor , wretched , ignorant , pitiful Solicitors , Cause-Pedlars , Sowers of Discord , Pettifoggers , and Setters , those

scandalous Vermin of the Law ; those rapacious Harpies , insatiate Cormorants , Cannibals , and Devourers of Mankind , who tear out and gnaw our Bowels , and suck our Blood and Vitals , and for a trivial , scandalous , little , sordid Lucre , bring frequently irreparable Ruin on such as

are so unhappy as to come in their way ; regardless like the deaf Adder , to the Tears of the helpless Orphan and Widow . These are the very Dregs of Mankind , miserable abandoned Wretches , who as they livesowithout a miraculous Act

, , of the Divine Goodness , die without Remorse ; or , if they reflect before they go hence , how raking , how torturing must those dire and dreadful Reflections be , when they find themselves not able to make Restitution for their dishonest Gains ,

and without which it is impossible according to the best Divines to have any Hopes of future Happiness ? These Makebates , Incendiaries , and common Barreters , of all Men are most miserable , for they take such Care by their hapacity ( like some wretched Botchers ) never to be employed twice , and are therefore ever poor , and the Scorn and Contempt ( being