Some Affertions of M. Voltaire cenfured.

for 3 centuries. How inexorable the god! furely there must be fome attractive qualities in the fouls of thofe Stuarts, which affift the hand of fate, and direct her vengeance.

If by the term, perfecute, he means to exprefs an unjust feverity, then that fatality, according to which the affairs of mankind are governed, has the attribute of injuftice effentially belonging to it. And this fame hiftorian, has accufed the very god, that he fays, governs the affairs of mankind.

fuch mifereants will charge the measure of driving away that king, as an act of injuftice a K. whom owns, was in the order of the Jefuits, a fociety, much more fit for the fervices of the prince of darkness, than for those of a British throne, religion, or humanity.

Thou fon, thou worshipper of fate. accufe, fentence, damn thy god, for not ordering the affairs of minkind bet ter; and pretend not to fix any edm upon the names we have in joyful remembrance. But yet more to the point. The defign of this wonderful history, is plainly to revive the languifhing dying caule of Jacobitifm; and render the crown precarious upon the head ut die prefent royal family: this, I fay, is the obvious defign of the hiftory, called, the age of Lewis the FourteenthFor with what unexampled impudence does the writer affect the legitimacy of birth, and the right of claim to the crown of these realms, in the Italianbaftard family!

"Queen Anne, facrificing the rights of blood and her own inclinations to the good of her country, ufed her intereft to have the fucceffion settled, and properly fecured to the house of Hanever. Again, Q. Anne excluded from

New Arguments for the Corn Bounty:

father of the heavens, lead us not into
temptation, but however deliver us from
that evil one; Popery! the reproach of
our understanding; the fcandal of hu-
manity; the utmoft difgrace of the
christian name; and the moft deteftable A
corruption of the religion of Jejus! a
fuperftition that V-himielf cannot dif-
tinguish from deism, neither that from
fat alijm ?
A PROTESTANT.

Arguments from a Letter printed in the Stamford Mercury of Jan. 4, 1753, Je- B leted to compleat thoje in this Volume about the Corn County.

T is notorious that there are certain

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emiffaries bufy on all occafions, where bounties have been paid for encouraging our trade, to decry them amongit the people. The whale and C herring filheries are recent inftances of this, and alfo of the vaft advantages accruing to trade from a bounty allowed by the government, tho' thefe could not well exceed 20,000l. a year; the recollection of which induces me to fufpect that the uncommon induftry used at the prefent about the taking off the bounty upon corn, is not from the real zeal of perfons intercited in trade, but an effected one: for really all the arguments made ule of, are to far from proving the utility of abridging that bounty that they are point black againit it.

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605.

nufacturers in general, for whom the writers affect fo much concern; (See p. 359) for wherever any thing is manufactured, let the reafons for the manufacture's being in that place be what they will, the people refiding nearest that place must be cheapest served with that commodity. Take off your bounty,you will certainly leflen your growth in corn, which will confequently make it dearer to the poor in times of scarcity, to provide against which is the wifeft policy for a populous nation. But corn, I affert, is as much a manufacture as cloth, iron ware, &c. It is manufactured in plenty here, by the encouragement that is given; and tho' this does promote the exportation of it when there is a glut, yet it is the caufe of plenty being certain at all times, by which our own poor are amply recompenfed, and our manufactures efficacioufly carried on.

Take the growing of corn as a manufacture, that it is most interefting cannot be denied, upon account of the immenfe riches it brings to us, and which none of our manufactures can be in compeDtition with. It is faid labour is grown dearer, which thefe writers would have. imputed to the bounty upon corn. So much the better for the nation, if this is fo; but I deny that labour is dearer, but money is become cheaper; and the great abundance of it came by the exportation of corn, which hath reduced money to half the value it was formerly. When the bounty was given money was 6 per Cent. it is now at 3 per Cent.- But money is not always the true ftandard of the worth of things. An hour's work, 50 years ago, or at 5000 miles distance, in regard to money, may be very different, but an: hour's work is the fame every where and at all times. In the Spanish Weft Indies an hour's work may be paid as Inuch money for as two hours work here, becaule of the cheapnefs of money there; but labour against labour is the trueft valuation at all times and in all places.

To lay that this bounty tends only to make corn cheaper to foreigners, who would otherwife buy it of us at a greater price, or at our own price, is a fallacy; as it fuppofes that none can furnith that commodity but Esgland; befides, it infinuates that a merchant makes his price according as he buys; whereas he is always inquiring where he can tell his F commodity for the highest price he can get, even tho' he had it given him; and is very far from making a prefent of it to the foreigner. For the truth is, the affair is fo near in balance between our rivals in trade and us, that the giving the bounty, or not giving it, will turn the feale, and has done it already, to our own great advantage."

Our wife ancestors, when they gave the bounty, expected it would make us a corn nation, which we were not at that time. Experience hath convinced us of the rectitude of the measure; take away the fountain from whence it is derived, and you will, by little and little, fee yourlelves fall off again from being fo the conlequences of which will be felt moll of all by the poor ma-,

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Before bounties were granted to the corn trade, corn was often at 65. a bushel; it now very rarely reaches that price. Our fore fathers were not then afraid of enhancing the price of corn to the poor manufacturer by the expartation; tho' thele writers are, money now is at half the value, and that jame jum only continued as a bount without any craving for more, y increase of our wealth is apt

when

606

Corn, Wages, Land-Tax.-Matter of the Heavens.

wing to it. Experience, I think, fo ufficiently proves the continuance of the bounty to be right, and the reduction of it to be wrong, that it is fcarce worth dwelling any longer upon this part of the queffion.

If corn being dearer fhould make labour fo, it is no lofs to the labourers in general; for they receive more by the advance of wages than they pay in proportion for the advance of corn.

A

It is the greateft abfurdity for any o ́e
to imagine, if great wealth comes into B
a country by the industry of the inhabi
tants, that the poor are not to mend their
condition in common with their fel-
lows, by raifing their wages, which
they have justly done. Depreffing them,
and grinding their faces by oppreffion
feems to be the taste too much at pre-

fent; to humour which tyrannical ipi- C
rit we are, I fuppofe, to attribute the
prefent raifing of wages to the high
price of corn; which, all circumstances
confidered, is pofitively at half the price
it was formerly; notwithstanding this
there is no room to reduce the bounty
one farthing, if we intend to export it
to foreigners, or to continue ourselves
acorn nation. If ftarving of foreign-
ers is to be the fcheme, why do we
furnish our rivals in trade with beef,
cloth, cheese, fifh; and not rather keep
them all at home, in compaflion to our
poor labourers and manufacturers?

I must beg leave to obferve that this bounty, heing given to the merchants out of the cultoms, to encourage the exportation of corn, is the only reafon of any weight, that has been urged for continuing the land tax at 3. per pound. It is alleged, that this is as good as 6 d. given back to the land, fo it ought to be replaced by continuing 1. more upon the land than it would otherwife be; and that, confequendly, taking off the bounty might be the tak ing off the land tax. By this the m-r-y themselves confels, that the bounty is given to the land and not to foreigners, knowing that the cornfactor always gives the farmer a better price for his corn, in confideration of the bounty; which is granting what I contend for.

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fons in it. (See p. 415.) Cm idus has a paffage in this place, which gives me a fincere pleature and fatistaction) He fays, he will be fo ingenuous as to confefs, that among all the fimilitudes that have ever been offered to view,to illuftrate this high myfterious doctrine, none is more copiers, particular, and promifing, than this, which he thinks might be made out in a great variety of inftances, if their w/tom of philosphy be true. In this entirety agree with him, and think, that as the philofophy is the bafis of all, and is-by its nature capable of demonftration by ferfe, it fhould be the first thing to be fetled; for which reafon I could with, thole who have drawn up comments upon, and explanations of any parts of it, would publish them to the world. Candidus has favoured us with two objections to it. 1, He thinks that it does not appear, that the matter of the heavens is one, or uniform and afs, if the matter of the fan, moon, planets, and fars be the fame. To this I an fwer, that Mr H. by bearens does not mean the ory of the un, moon, and Hars, but the faid in which they are placed. As this is a point Mr H. is very full and clear in, from one end of his writings to the other, my brother Candiens will excufe me, if i cannot think he has read the books he is answering. The zả vùɔjection is, that it does not appear, that the matter of the heavens fubfils and

acts in three conditions, and no more. nor lek; Mr 11. feeming to multiple 'the conditions, by fpeaking of parti cles of cold and darkness, as well as of fire, light, and spirit. Anfwer--Cola and darkness are relative terms, implying the manner in which our fenfes of jeeing and jeding are affected, when the fpirit prevails above the light, in the mixture of the fluid near us. And as to the precife difference between fire, light,and spirit," i.e. the inflant when the fluid ceases to be the one, and becomes the other, they are fo interwoven together, and the tranftion to infinitely beyond any of our fentes, that it is impofible for man, or perhaps any but him who created and formed them, exactly to ascertain it. Thele are all the objections I meet with to the SS philofophy as explained by Mr H. It Candious has any more, I fhail be glad to hear of them, cither in a Mag. or (which I fhould rather chule) a pamphlet, having at prefent a little leifure time upon iny hands, which I can. not, I am fure, better beltow, than in the company of fo ingenious an author, le

Emblems of the divine Perfons and their Ations.

polite a gentleman, and fɔ fair an adveriary.

he true.

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607

three agents in nature, and their actions, are used by God in his werd for the divine perfons and their actions, i. e. as emblems of them, and he certainly foreknew when he created them that he fhould make that ufe of them, there can be no doubt, I think, but that from their very creation they were intended for that ufe (among others) and made fit for it. But the xixth Pfalm compared with Rom. i. 19, 20, is, in my poor opinion, an exprefs paffage in SS that proves this, and Candidus fhould not have denied it, without replying to what Mr H. and others have faid in the affirmative.

We come now to an obiection against the natural agents reprefenting the divine, even fuppofing the philofophy to Candidus cannot think that A the perfons of the Trinity confift of particles of a finer or groffer nature, or that they charge into one another, and circulate from center to circumference, as the natural agents do.-I fhould have a very bad opinion of him, if he could. Change of condition from er fs B to fine, and vice verla, by circulation, is only the mechanical manner in which matter is preferv'd in motion and actior. The nature fubftance,and manner of exittence of Jehovah, confidered abstract dery in his effence, is above the ken of mortal, or perhaps created fight, nor dare 1 indulge one thought or conjecture about it. But that matter fupported mechanically, does perform actions in nature, fimilar or analogous to thofe performed by the divine perfons in grace-that the acti ons of fire reprefent thofe of the fir perfon, the actions of the material light thofe of the ineffable, and the acti. ons of the natural thote of the holy spirit --that they fhew us, how that which is the economical part of one, is yet the joint action of all three-and the effence is undivided, tho' the perfons in it perform leparate parts in the fcheme of redemp fon-Thefe are the points Mr H. maintains, and Canaidus should have op. pated. But all this he feems to allowI confels (fays he) that the first person is in SS frequently called, and compared in fire, the fecond to light, and the third to spirit. And is this, we may fuppofe induced them to apprehend that there three conditions of the heavens were defigned emblems of the Trinity; and this thought was perhaps confirmed, upon their finding out, as they conceive, that these three agents are the candles and continuers of ail motion in nature; and that in such a manner, as to be a very beautiful illustration of the diflint parts which the three ⚫dicine persons take in the works of grace?" Molt certainly this is the cafe, and what Mr H. atempts to prove. But then Camidus fays that, were all this freely allowed, he apprehends this conclufion ought not to be drawn, until it be •proved by fome exprefs patlages ofSS,

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But there is a grand objection ftill behind, which is, that tho fire is often in SS ufed for the first perfon, light for the fecond, and spirit for the third, yet it is not conftantly and invariably fo, but they are changed, aud uled promifcuously-fire is ufed for the fecond and third perfons, and light and spirit for the firft. The inftances are as follow:-ft, Chrift is compared to a refiner's fire-AnfwerFire and its actions reprefent the economical part of the first person, in burnDing up fin and pollution,and by that means purging and purifying that which has it. "Chriff was himlelf purified and refined by luffering this fire-The dros of our fixe was taken away from his filver, which could ftand the fire for us, and fo a ref fel came forth for the finer. Since which be fits as a retiner of others, and has the fire put into his hands for that parpole. He tries every man, and his work, by fire, and will at the last day try the world by it. He will burn up the wicked as fabble; but the faints, who have bought of him gold that is tried in the fire, and clothed themselves with it, fhall be able, thro' him, to abide the day of his coming, and fhine the brighter for that fire which confumes the others. So fre tho' the economical part of the r perfon, is exercifed by and thro' the glorified man Chrift ejus. As is the Jpirit too, which is expressly in SS faid to be his, and sent by him. The whole Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, re. prelented by fire, light, and spirit, and all their parts, of taking vengeance, luminating, and infpiring, economically dillinet, are, during the rule and kingdom of Chrift, manifefted to menin, and through him, in whom dwells fullness of the godhead (the Trinity) to

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that God intended them, and we then, and who is therefore in the Gia Tei

།?

as an emblem of himself, in ki, effence, and perfonality; which has never been • done. My triend will parcom me. if i think this almott felf-evident. For if the

tament called, tho' that word be plural. The zu initance, of the baptim by the Holy Ghoft and fire, or t perfeti pa ipcution of the Whole

608

Fire, Light, and Spirit.-Of a blind Gentleman.

is plain from what has been faid. The 3d is a text in St John-God is light, and the blood of Jefus Chrift his fon cleanfetb us from all fin. By God in this place is plainly meant the Trinity confidered as the father of the man Chrift, to which therefore light is applied, not to the first perfon of the Trinity, in contradiction to the fecond. The fame is to be faid of the fourth inftance-God or the father is a fpirit. But tho' thefe texts will not ferve Candidus's purpose for defroying the emblem, they will ferve mine to eftablish it; for if God be fire, God be light, and God be fpirit, then are there three perfons in one God, and fire, light, and fpirit, whofe names they take, are emblems of them.

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nefs and method. As he kept mot forts of tools, he would perform mott forts of work. He would make boxes, chefts, traps for vermin, bird cages, and indeed many other things with ulet nefs and beauty, for his private amu.2ment. In publick, his company was inftructive and entertaining, his good fenfe and moral reflection would command attention, and his pleasant stories, tales, &c. which he would tell with all advantages, excite mirth-As a paBrishioner he attended at veftries, where his advice was frequently asked and followed, and he was thought a proper perfon to examine the parish officers ac counts and regulate the work- house hu. finefs, and being chofen an auditor accordingly, he fhewed a comprehensive knowledge and accurate judgment. He was never better pleated than with the company of his relations, friends, and acquaintance at his houfe, where their entertaiment was of the beft, and that in plenty. His bounty extended not to every froller at his gate, but his poor neighbours, whofe wants he knew, feldom went away empty, not by the con

But Candidus, not willing to lofe an inch of ground with me, has one obfervation more upon this head, viz. C that even granting these objections were all removed, and the compariton appeared completely exact, yet fimilitudes only illuftrate, but prove nothing.' Similitudes out of a man's own head do not. But if God reveals a doctrine, and then gives us a fimilitude of it in nature,

and tells us it is fo-fo far is it from be-Dnivance of the fervants, but with the

ing no proof, that it is the frongest God can give, or man receive while in the body, as it is bringing piritual truths to demonftration by fenfe, and fhews us falvation by Christ, God and man, literally wrote in jun beams in the figured book of nature, in a language intelligible to every nation under heaven.

As this is a subject fit for ever to employ the tongues of men and angels, you will I hope éxcufe its taking up fo much of your room, and believe me to be Yours, &c. INGENUUS.

ence.

Mr Jofiah Spearman, late of Plaistow in Effex, Gent. was born about the year 1683, and at the age of five years he totally and irrecoverably loft his fight, by a high fever. He took delight to be read to, and what he heard would retain, and repeat any paffage of confequence at any distant time. He walked nimbly about his houfe, gardens, or any place he knew, and would turn a corner without feeling as well as if he faw, ftop at a tree, flower, or any thing, and fhew it, prune a tree with great exact

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knowledge and confent of the mafler.His eftate which lay round him, was not very large, but he husbanded it with care and economy; the leaft thing amifs was repaired immediately, whereby he kept his old tenants. and feldom wanted new: This, with his lady's domeftick œconomy, enabled him to live genteely; and his laying out his money in his neighbourhood made him beloved and respected.He never would be impoled on, dealt as much as poffible with ready money, and carefully discharged his bills twice a year. FA bill of parcels was delivered with all that was bought upon credit, and which was always kept to compare with the general bill: The labour and hire of all who worked by the day was always booked, fo that it was next to impofible that he fhould fuffer by fraud. He always took care to inform himfelt by 1ome friend or neighbour that he could truft, and whofe capacity he knew, of the circumstances of any affair which he was about to tranfact, and would advife, perhaps not with one only, but feveral, fo that he knew more perfectly the ftate of his affairs than many gentle. H men that could fee.-His money went thro' no fingers but his own, and he would pay a bill with furprising readi nefs: The confufed mixture of gold and filver was no hinderance, he would

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