The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
%^0 LETTERS, TRACTS, iffc,aJl tills muft be to a great mind, how vexatious to bethus affrighted, and to be in perpetual fright •, howrnifufferable to be abufed by a low perfon, before anaflembly of low and contemptible people; you certainlymufl fee the wifdom of withdrawing, and fecurlngourfelves from fuch infolent and ignoble ufage.We conduct ourfelves like philofophers, and are determinedto follow nature, vivere fecundam naturam.We are men of genius; the king has fmgled us outfrom among all the learned men in Scotland, to beregents and profeflbrs ; and from the eminence onwhich we ftand, we perfedlly difcern the littlenefeand folly of the vulgar.Spiritum Grai^ tenuem Camoena:,Parca non ruenda dedit, et malignumSpernere vulgus.As we move in the regions of philofophy, we wantto have elbow-room : We gain our money as we can,and choofe to fpend it as we pleafe ; we choofe toenjoy that freedom, and partake of thofe pleafureswhich nature offers, and philofophy allows. In thisphilofophic temper we mean no harm, but good toevery man ; no hurt, but pleafure to any woman. Ifphilofophy hath not yet made us quite perfect, wehave however but few and very flender faults ; medi'ocribus et quels ignofcas vitiis : And if we now and thenmake fome flight deviations from the dull routine oflife, muft v/e be judged, be difciplined, be penancedas the vileft of the people are ? This is a treatmentnot to be borne, not to be fubmitted to by free minds.No nobleman, no gentleman of rank or fortune in thecountry, no wealthy merchant in the city, who happensto be a delinquent, though he fhould be in fiftyrelapfes, is ever called to any account, even in pariflieswhere the minifters are the ftridleft and moflzealous in Scotland. And muft we be hunted downfor one or two flight offences, while others are freelypermitted to range about at large ? If our clergy had
LETTERS, TRACTS, IffC.24^cn'ility, they would not trouble us; but fmce theyhave luch dehght in that kind of work, they ought,(which I muft confefs they commonly do) they oughtto fatisfy themfclves with molelliug the poorer fort oftradefmen and country people who are fooner frightened,and more tame under the iafh of their difciplinethan we choofe to be.Though I may feem keen againfl kirk-profecutions,I aiTure you that the greateft part of us are fober, cooi>and mortified perfons, in no danger of fpending ourmoney at a tavern, or being any ways mifled by thatother paffion which fubjects to fcandal. In this refpe£lwe are perfe£lly and conflitutionally chafte^We are really as innocent and harmlejfs as any in theworld ; and of this our wives can give ample telliniony.But if there be two or three of a more brilkand lively turn, it is our buhnefs to protect them, andnot fuffer ourfeives to be maltreated by kirk-feffionsor minifters, who are fo low perfons in comparifonof us. And if once we had a feparate chapel, it will,be natural for us, upon any aberration, (for DiahoHvirtus ed in linnhis) to Ao public penance there, if thatis judged neceflary to fopite the cry that may havebeen raifed in town. This indeed will ftill be a hardfliip\ but it will be milder than otherv/ife ; it willbe making tompeai'ance in a houfe of our own, anilwhere ourfeives are the principal perfons. The offender,who has unfortunately been detedled, will beadmonifhed by one of ourfeives, by one of his brethrenphilofophers, who will be very gentle to him,both from a philofophical perfuaiion that the thinghe ftands for is no crime, and probably alfo from aremembrance that he himfclf hath often fallen intothe like flips, and forefeeing that he may foon, if detected,have occafion to compear in the fame place,and be rebuked by the fame gentleman he is now rebuking.Beiides, he will be rebuked before a numberof fraiik^ bhthe, and polite people, who have rna^y
- Page 197 and 198: SERMONS. 189to pay ? Think on juili
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LETTERS, TRACTS, IffC.24^cn'ility, <strong>the</strong>y would not trouble us; but fmce <strong>the</strong>yhave luch dehght in that kind <strong>of</strong> work, <strong>the</strong>y ought,(which I muft confefs <strong>the</strong>y commonly do) <strong>the</strong>y oughtto fatisfy <strong>the</strong>mfclves with molelliug <strong>the</strong> poorer fort <strong>of</strong>tradefmen and country people who are fooner frightened,and more tame under <strong>the</strong> iafh <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir difciplinethan we cho<strong>of</strong>e to be.Though I may feem keen againfl kirk-pr<strong>of</strong>ecutions,I aiTure you that <strong>the</strong> greateft part <strong>of</strong> us are fober, cooi>and mortified perfons, in no danger <strong>of</strong> fpending ourmoney at a tavern, or being any ways mifled by thato<strong>the</strong>r paffion which fubjects to f<strong>ca</strong>ndal. In this refpe£lwe are perfe£lly and conflitutionally chafte^We are really as innocent and harmlejfs as any in <strong>the</strong>world ; and <strong>of</strong> this our wives <strong>ca</strong>n give ample telliniony.But if <strong>the</strong>re be two or three <strong>of</strong> a more brilkand lively turn, it is our buhnefs to protect <strong>the</strong>m, andnot fuffer ourfeives to be maltreated by kirk-feffionsor minifters, who are fo low perfons in comparifon<strong>of</strong> us. And if once we had a feparate chapel, it will,be natural for us, upon any aberration, (for DiahoHvirtus ed in linnhis) to Ao public penance <strong>the</strong>re, if thatis judged neceflary to fopite <strong>the</strong> cry that may havebeen raifed in town. This indeed will ftill be a hardfliip\ but it will be milder than o<strong>the</strong>rv/ife ; it willbe making tompeai'ance in a houfe <strong>of</strong> our own, anilwhere ourfeives are <strong>the</strong> principal perfons. <strong>The</strong> <strong>of</strong>fender,who has unfortunately been detedled, will beadmonifhed by one <strong>of</strong> ourfeives, by one <strong>of</strong> his brethrenphil<strong>of</strong>ophers, who will be very gentle to him,both from a phil<strong>of</strong>ophi<strong>ca</strong>l perfuaiion that <strong>the</strong> thinghe ftands for is no crime, and probably alfo from aremembrance that he himfclf hath <strong>of</strong>ten fallen into<strong>the</strong> like flips, and forefeeing that he may foon, if detected,have oc<strong>ca</strong>fion to compear in <strong>the</strong> fame place,and be rebuked by <strong>the</strong> fame gentleman he is now rebuking.Beiides, he will be rebuked before a number<strong>of</strong> fraiik^ bh<strong>the</strong>, and polite people, who have rna^y
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