Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/12

The PREFACE. ; and under the Cover of ome Allegory or Riddle. But, What can be aid more to the Honour of This Symbolical Way of Morallizing upon Tales and Fables, then that the Widom of the Ancients has been till Wrapt up in Veils and Figures; and their Precepts, Councels, and alutary Munitions for the Ordering of our Lives and Manners, Handed down to us from all Antiquity under Innuendo's and Alluions''? For what are the Ægyptian Hierogliphicks, and the whole Hitory of the Pagan Gods; The Hints, and Fictions of the Wie Men of Old, but in Effect, a kind of Philoophical Mythology: Which is, in truth, no other, than a more Agreeable Vehicle found out for Conveying to us the Truth and Reaon of Things, through the Medium of Images and'' Shadows. But what needs any thing more be aid for the Reputation and Authority of This Practice and Invention, conidering the Frequent and the Edifying Ue of Apologues in Holy Writ: And that our Bleed Saviour Himelf, has not only Recommended, but Inculcated, This way of Teaching by Parables, ''both in his Doctrine and Example, as the Means that Divine Providence made ue of for the Gaining of Idolaters and Infidels over to the Chritian Faith? What was it that brought, even David himelf to a Sight and Detetation of his Sin in the Matter of Uriah, and to a Sene of his Duty, but the Prophet Nathan's telling him a Story at a Ditance (and by God's Own Direction too) of'' a Rich Man that had a World of Sheep himelf, and yet forc'd away a Poor Man's Only Lamb from him, that he Lov'd as his Own Soul? How did David ''take Fire at this Iniquity in Another Man, till upon econd Thoughts his Concience brought it home to his Own Cae, and forced him to pas Judgment upon Himelf? Now This is but according to the Natural Bias of Humane Frailty, for every Man to be Partial to his own Blind-ide, and to Exclaim againt the very Counterpart of his Own Daily Practice. As what's more Ordinary, for Example, then for the mot Arbitrary of Tyrants, to et up for the Advocates and Patrons of Common Liberty; or for the mot Profligate of Scoffers and Atheits, to Value themelves upon a Zeal for the Power, and Purity of the Gopel? In two Words, What's more Familiar then to ee Men Fighting the Lord's Battels (as they call it) againt Blasphemy and Prophanenes, with One hand; and at the ame time offering Violence to his Holy Altars, Church and Miniters with the Other: Now Thee People are not to be dealt withal, but by a Train of Mytery and Circumlocution; a Downright Admonition looks liker the Reproach of an Enemy, then the Advice of a Friend; or at the Bet, it is but the Good Office of a Man that has an Ill Opinion of us: And we do not Naturally Love to be Told of our Faults by the Witnees of our'' Failings. Some People are too Proud, too Surly, too Impudent, too Incorrigible, either to Bear, or to Mend upon the Liberty of Plain Dealing. Others are too Big again, too Powerful, too Vindictive, and Dangerous,