AX 雪凍 ဦး TO THE I RE A D E R. T has been a long time in my Thought to turn Seneca into English: But whether as a Tranflation, or an Abstract, was the Question. A Tranflation I perceive it must not be, at laft, for feveral Reafons. First, it is thing already done to my Hand, and above fixty Years ftanding; tho' with as little Credit perhaps to the Author, as Satisfaction to the Reader. Secondly, There's a great deal in him, that is wholly foreign to my Bufinefs: As his philofophical Treatifes of Meteors, Earthquakes, the Original of Rivers, feveral frivolous Difputes betwixt the Epicureans and the Stoicks, &c. to fay nothing of the frequent Repetitions of the fame thing again in other Words (wherein he very handfomely excufes himself, by saying, That he does but inculcate over and over the fame Counfels, to thofe that over and over com 2 fame Faults.) Thirdly, his Excellency confists na Rhapsody of divine and extraordinary Hints, tions, than in any regulated Method of Difcourfe; to take him as he lies, and fo go through with , were utterly inconsistent with the Order and the Brevity which I propound; my principal Defign being only to digeft, and common place his Morals, in fuch fort, that any Man, upon Occasion, may know where to find them. And I have kept myself fo clofe to this Propofition, that I have reduced all his fcattered Ethics to their proper Heads, without any Additions of my own, more than of abfolate Neceffity for the tacking of them together. Some other Man in my Place, would perhaps make you twenty Apologies for want of Skill and Ad drefs, in governing this Affair; but these are formal and pedantic Fooleries; as if any Man that first takes himself for a Coxcomb in his own Heart, would afterwards make himself one in Print too. This Abstract, fuch as it is, you are extremely welcome to; and I am forry it is no better, both for your fakes and my own: For if it were written up to the Spirit of the Original, it would be one of the most valuable Presents that ever any private Man bestowed upon the Public: And this too, even in the Judgment of both Parties, as well Chriftians as Heathens: Of which in its due Place. NEXT to my Choice of the Author, and of the Subject, together with the manner of handling it, I have likewife had fome regard in this Publication, to the tim ing of it, and to the Preference of this Topic of Benefits above all others, for the Ground-work of my first Effay. We are fallen into an Age of vain Philofophy (as the holy Apostle calls it); and fo defperately over-run with Drolls and Sceptics, that there is hardly any thing fo certain, or fo facred, that is not expofed to queftion or Contempt. Infomuch, that betwixt the Hypocrite, and the Atheist, the very Foundations of Religion and good Manners are fhaken, and the two Tables of the Decalogue dathed to Pieces, the one against the other: The Laws of Government are subjected to the Fancies of the Vulgar; public Authority to the private Paffions and Opinion of the People; and the fupernatural Motions of Grace confounded with the common Dictates of Nature. In this state of Corruption, who fa fit as a good honeft Chriftian-Pagan, for a Moderator among Pagan Chriftians? To país now from the general Scope of the whole Work, to the particolar Argument of the firft Part of it; I pitched upon the Thenie of Benefits, Gratitude, and Ingratitude, to begin withal, as an Earneft of the reft, and a Lecture exprefly calculated for the Unthankfulnefs of thefe Times: The fouleft undoubtedly, and the moft execrable of all others, fince the very Apollacy of the Angels Nay, if I durft but fuppose a Possibility of Mercy for thofe damned Spirits, that they might ever be taken into Favour again; my Charity would hope even better for them, than we have found from fome of our Revolters; and that they would fo behave themfelves, as not to incur a Second Forfeiture. And to carry the Resemblance yet one Point farther, they do both of them agree in an implacable Malice against thofe of their Fellows that keep their Stations. But, alas !: What could Ingratitude do, without Hypocrify, the infeparable Companion of it; and, in Effect, the bolder, and the blacker Devil of the two? For Lucifer himself never had the Face to lift up his Eyes to Heaven, and talk to the Almighty at the familiar Rate of our pretended Patriots and Zealots; and at the fame time to make him party to a Cheat. 'Tis not for nothing that the Holy Ghost has denounced fo many Woes, and redoubled fo many Cau tions against Hypocrites: plainly intimating, at once, how dangerous a Snare they are to Mankind, and no lefs edious to God himfelf: Which is fufficiently denoted in the Force of that dreadful Expreffion, And your Portion fhall be with Hypocrites. You will find in the holy Scriptures, as I have formerly obferved, that God has given the Grace of Repentance to Perfecutors, Idolators, Murderers, Adulterers, &c. but I am mistaken, if the whole Bible affords you any one Instance of a converted Hypocrite To defcend now from Truth itfelf to our own Experience: Have we not seen, even in our Days, a most pious, and almost faultlefs, Prince brought to the Scaffold by his own Subjects? The most glorious Constitution up, on the face of the Earth, both ecclefiaftical and civil, torn to pieces, and diffolved? The happiest People under the Sun enflaved? Our Temples facrilegiously profaned, and a Licence given to all forts of Herefy and Outrage? And by whom, but by a Race,of Hypocrites, who had nothing in their Mouths all this while, but, The Purity of the Gofpel; the Honour of the King; and, the Liberty. of the People: Affifted underhand with defamatory Pa pers, which were levelled at the King himself, through. the Sides of his most faithful Minifters? This Project fucceeded fo well against one Government, that 'tis now again fet afoot against another; and by fome of the very Actors foȧ in that Tragedy, and after a molt gracious Pardon alfo; when Providence had laid their Necks and their Fortunes at his Majefty's Feet, It is a wonderful thing, That Libels and Libellers, the most infamous of Practices, and of Men; the moft unmanly and freaking of Methods, and Inftruments of Mischiefs; the very Bane of human Society, and the Plague of all Governments: It is a wonderful thing, I fay, that thefe Engines and Engineers fhould ever find Credit enough in the World, to engage a Party: But, it would be fill more wonderful, if the fame Trick fhould pafs twice upon the fame People, in the fame Age, and from the very fame Impoftors. This Contemplation has carried me a little out of my Way, but it has at length brought me to my Text again; for there is in the bottom of it, the highest Oppofition imaginable, of Ingratitude and Obligation. TRE Reader will in fome meafure be able to judge by this Tafte, what he is farther to expect: That is to fay, as to the Caft of my Defign, and the Simplicity of the Stile and Drefs; for that will be the fame; only accompanied with Variety of Matter. Whether it pleases the World or no, the Care is taken: And yet I could wish that it might be as delightful to others upon the Peruful, as it has been to me in the Speculation. Next to the Gospel itself, I do look upon it as the most fovereign Remedy againft the Miseries of human Nature; and I have ever found it fo in all the Injuries and Diftreffes of an unfortunate Life. You may read more of him if you pleafe, in the Appendix, which I have here fubjoined to this Preface concerning the Authority of his Writings, and the Circumstances of his Life; as I have extracted them out of Lipfius. |