336 Conclujion and Recapitulation. 
I apprehend however, that we may challenge any nation to enter 
the lift with us for three things. The firft, is an eager defire of 
money, fometimes for the fake of luxury, and fometimes when 
the fnperftuities of life are already poftefied, The fecond, 
a traffic of felling confciences : and the third, the treating per- 
jury and common fwearing as venial evils, in practice, though 
we allow no fuch popifh diftin&ions in theory. In thefe in- 
ftances, I queftion if there is any people under heaven fo 
wicked as ourfelves. We have reduced it to a kind of politi- 
cal system, to regard the almighty asa very careless, sense- 
less being; or as one whofe power is only an objeCt of the 
fear of children. If this were not the cafe, would peasants 
dare to difpute, whether there is any divine law which forbids 
taking money for a vote ? Or whether fuch human inventions are 
obligatory ? Or could they pun on the breach of the command- 
ments, and tell you, he takes the lord’s name in vain, who 
takes nothing for his vote, not him who receives money for it ? 
Woe be to that land whofe peafants turn casuists to deceive 
their own fouls ! And what accumulated curses muff be ex- 
pected to fall on their heads, who have taught them to be thus 
ingenioufly wicked ! Unhappy that nation whofe government is 
carried on by the means of corruption, ftnce the more regu- 
lar the adminiftration of it, the more iniquitous muft the peo- 
ple be; and the greater ftrides will they make to their own 
ruin ! Good god,, what a fyftem is this ! yet were venality to 
ftop with the lower clafles, it might be hoped that heaven would 
with- hold its vengeance : but it goes higher : with fome change 
of circumftances, this cancerous humor is fpread far and 
wide. 
O 
