An. Dom.

379

thage about the middle of the
Third Century, and dy'd a Mar-.
tyr in that City. Before he turn'd
Christian he taught Rhetorick with
great, Reputation: How well he
was qualify'd for this Profeffion, the
learned Reader, may eafily judge.
'Tis granted his Works being
moftly spent on the Difcipline of
the Church, cafuiftical Refolutions
and controverfial Subjects, he does
not often exert his Talent, and
write upon the Stretch. What I
have turn'd into English has ftrong
colouring in the original, and feems
defign'd to touch the Paffions, as
well as convince the Understand-
ing And which is chiefly to be va-
lued, a noble Disengagement from
the World, and a Spirit of Martyr-
dom, is remarkably apparent, and
fhines out in the Writings of this
Father.

St. Gregory, Nazianzen liv'd in the Fourth Century, and was for fome

fome time Bishop of Conftantinople. He was a Prelate of great eminence, and affifted at the Second General Council. As for his Elocution, the learned and judicious Monfieur Du Pin does not fcruple to make him Biblioequal to Demofthenes.

Salvian, who comes more than an hundred Years after, was a famous Ecclefiaftick at Marfeilles, and an Author of no ordinary clafs. But having furnish'd fo little of what he has done I must say no more about him.

As to my Effay on Discontent, rough Accidents and Disappointments in Life give fufficient occafion for that. And if any thing I have faid prevails upon the Conduct, and proves ferviceable to the Reader, I fhall think my felf. oblig'd in the Success, and reckon it the best Reward of the Undertaking.

Noveau

theque Cent. IV.

THE

A

MORAL ESSAY

OF%

PAIN.

Τ

O begin with a Description of the Subject. Pain is an unacceptable Notice arifing from fome Disorder in the Body. When the Continuity of the Organ is disjoin'd, the Nerves difcompofed, and the Mufcles forced into a foreign Situation; when there's a ftop upon the Spirits, when the Parts don't keep their Ranks, but are beaten out of the Figure which Nature has drawn them up in ; then the Mind immediately receives a grating Information of what has happen'd: Which Intelligence is more or lefs troublesome in Proportion to the Disadvantage of the Accident. Now this unwelcome Senfation is what we call Pain. However, we are to obferve, that these violent Impreffions are no more than occafional Causes of our Uneafinefs: B

There

I

There is no natural Connection between thefe Damages done to the Body, and the Confcious Disturbances confequent upon them. Our Pain does not properly grow out of this Disorder, nor proceed from the Operation of these Causes by way of Phyfical Neceffity. For if Pain was the mere refult of Matter and Motion, the whole Creation would in all likelihood be a great Sufferer, and the Elements do terrible Execution upon themselves. The Sea might be frequently troubled without a Metaphor, and a lighted Faggot, it may be, feel as much as the Martyr that was burnt at the Stake. But that Confcioufneß and Thought are never to be fetch'd out of any Revolutions of Matter and Motion, I have fully prov'd elsewhere, whither I refer Moral the Reader *. But tho' Pain is not proEffays, perly ftruck out of any Corporeal Scufunder A fle, nor born of the Labour of the Limbs; Thought. yet God has pleas'd to make fuch an Alliance between the Soul and Body, that when the latter fuffers any remarkable Inconvenience, the other is generally made fenfible of it, and oblig'd to condole the Misfortune. If we enquire into the Moral End of this Neceffity, why the Soul is forced upon fuch unacceptable Sympathy, and tied down to

part zd.

fuch