Occasional reflections upon several subiects, whereto is premis'd a discourse about such kind of thoughts

DISCOURSE II.

Upon the Mounting, Singing, and Light∣ing of Larks.

THe agreement we had made at our setting forth, that the motion of our Tongues should not hinder that of our Feet towards the River-side, was the cause, that the past Discourses not having discontinued our Walk, by that time they were ended, we began to Traverse certain plow'd Lands, that lay in the way betwixt us and the River. But we had scarce entred those Fields, when our Ears were saluted with the melodious Musick of a good number of Larks, whereof some mounted by de∣grees out of Sight, and others hovering and singing a while over our Heads, soon after lighted on the ground, not far from our Feet.

After we had a while enjoy'd this cost∣less, and yet excellent Musick, both Eusebius and I, chancing to cast our Eyes towards Eugenius, observ'd that his did very at∣tentively wait upon the motions of a Lark, that, singing all the way upwards, and mounting by degrees out of sight, not long after descended and lighted among some

clods of Earth, which being of the colour of her Body, made us quickly loose sight of her. Whereupon Eusebius, who was full as willing to hear as speak, and in the Occasional Reflections that he made, was wont at least as much to aim at the exciting others thoughts, as the venting of his own, begg'd Eugenius to tell us what it might be, which his attentiveness to the motions of the Lark made us presume he was thinking on.

Eugenius after a little backwardness, which he thought Modesty exacted of him, soon answer'd us in these tearms.

Among all Birds that we know, there is not any that seems of so elevated, and I had almost said Heavenly a Nature as the Lark, scarce any give so early and so sweet a wel∣come to the Springing day. And that which I was just now gazing on, seem'd so pleas'd with the unclouded Light, that she sung as if she came from the place she seem'd to go to, and during this charming Song, mounted so high, as if she meant not to stop, till she had reach'd that Sun, whose Beams so cherish'd and transported her; and in this aspiring flight she rais'd her self so high, that though I will not say, she left the Earth beneath her very Sight, yet I may say, that she foar'd quite out of Ours.

And yet when from this towring height she stoop'd to repose or solace her self upon the Ground, or else when to seise upon some worthless Worm, or other wretched Prey, she lighted on the Ground, she seem'd so like the Earth that was about her, that I believe you could scarce discern her from its Clods. And whereas other Birds that fly not half so high, nor seem any thing near so fond of the Sun, do yet build their Nests upon Trees, the Lark does as well build hers upon the Ground, as look like a part of it.

Thus I have known, in these last and worst times, many a Hypocrite, that when he was conversant about sublimer Objects, appear'd, as well as he call'd himself, a Saint; nothing seem'd so welcome to him as new Light; one might think his Lips had been touch'd with a coal from the Altar, his Mouth did so sweetly shew forth Gods praise, and sacred dispensations. In sum, take this Hypocrite in his fit of Devotion, and to hear him talk, you would think, that if he had not been already in Heaven, at least he would never leave mounting, till he should get thither.

But when the Opportunities of advan∣taging his lower Interests call'd him down to deal about Secular affairs here below,

none appear'd more of a piece with the Earth than he, for he look'd as if he had been besmear'd all over with the Earth round about him, and he seem'd, in provi∣ding for his Family, to be of a meaner and a lower Spirit, than those very Men whom in discourse he was wont to undervalue, as being far more Earthy than himself.

Since we know, says Eusebius, that the best things corrupted prove the worst, it can be no disparagement to Piety, to ac∣knowledge that Hypocrisie is a Vice which you cannot too much condemn. And when the pretending of Religion grows to be a thing in request, many betake themselves to a form of Religion, who deny the Power of it; And some perchance, have been pre∣ferr'd less for their Jacobs voice, than for their Esaus hands.

But, Eugenius, let us not to shun one ex∣tream, fondly run into the other, and be afraid or asham'd to profess Religion, be∣cause some Hypocrites did but profess it; His course is ignoble, and praeposterous, that treads the paths of Piety, rather be∣cause they lead to Preferment than to Hea∣ven; But yet 'tis more excusable to live free from scandal for an inferiour end, than not to live so at all: And Hypocrites can as little justifie the profane, as themselves.

It may be, that all that own Religion are not Pious; but 'tis certain, that he that scorns to own it must less be so. And if scoffers at Piety should succeed the Pretenders to it, they cannot be said (as sometimes they would be thought) to be an innocent sort of Hypocrites, that are better than they seem; for Scandal is a thing so criminal, and contagious, that whosoever desires, and en∣deavours to appear evil, is so: To refuse to be Religious, because some have but pro∣fessed themselves to be so, is to injure God, because he has been injur'd. A skilfull Jeweller will not forbear giving great rates for Neck-laces of true Pearl, though there be many Counterfeits for one that is not so; Nor are the right Pearls a whit the less Cordial to those that take them, because the artificial Pearl made at Venice, consist∣ing of Mercury and Glass, for all their fair shew, are rather Noxious, than Medicinal. And indeed our knowledge, that there are Hypocrites, ought rather to commend Piety to us, than discredit it with us; since as none would take the pains to counterfeit Pearls, if true ones were not of Value; So Men would not put themselves to the constraint of personating Piety, if that it self were not a noble Quality. Let us then, Eugenius, fly as far as you please from

what we detest in Hypocrites: But then let us consider, what it is that we detest; which being a bare, and therefore false pre∣tence to Religion, let us only shun such a pretence, which will be best done by be∣comming real Possessors of the thing pre∣tended to.