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Show "Tg ^^{Love, Or, The Chriftian P.ineefs * ^ggS** Even >«-»«' does tat ff"'\??£ftants break. ^£%35S3$&S-« "* [M Valerius. Shelnall be brought to Jp»dy £ « » • « * I muft in time fome Remedy provide, To^^a^rne their Youth was taught, Ron on in new Opinions blindly• boW^ Neglect, contemn, and then affault the old. Th'inf ftious madnefs feizes every part, And f o m the Head diftills upon the Heart. And firft, they think their Princes^Faith not True, And then prefume to offer him a new, Which if refus'd, all Duty from em caft, To their new Faith, they make new Kings at laft. T ° P W . Thofe Ills by kle<ontents are often wrought, That bv their Prince their Duty may be bough.. They head thofe Holy Faftions which they hate, To fell their Duty at a dearer Rate. But, Sir, the Tribune is already here With your fair Captive. Max • Bid e m both appear. • Enter S. Catharine, Valerius, Apollonius, Guards. See where fhe comes, with that high Air and Meen, Which Marksin Bonds, the greatnefs of a Queen 1 What pity 'tis! but I no charms muft fee In her, who to our Gods is E n e m y . - - f T ^ Fair Foe of Heav'n, whence comes this haughty Pride, L Or is it Frenzy does your Mind mifguide To fcorn our Worfliip, and new Gods to find ? S.Cath. Nor Pride, nor Frenzy, but a fetled Mind, Enlightned from above, m y way does mark. Max. Tho' Heaven be clear, the way to it is dark. Cath. But where our Reafon with our Faith does go. We're both above enlightned, and below. But Reafon with your fond Religion fights, For many Gods, are many Infinites: This to the firft Philofophers was known, W h o , under various names, Ador d but one. Though your vain Poets after did miftake, W h o every Attribute a God did make. And fo obfcene their Ceremonies be, As good Men loath, and Cato blufh'd to fee. Max. W a r is m y Province, Prieft, W h y ftand you mute? You gain by Heaven, and therefore fhould difpute. Apol. In all Religions, as in ours, there arc- Some folid Truths, and fome things popular. The Popular in pleating Fables lie, The Truths in Precepts of Morality, And thefe to Humane Life are of that ufe, That no Religion can fuch Rules produce. S. Cath. Then let the whole Difpute concluded b« Betwixt thefe Rules and Chriftianity. Apol And what more Noble can your Doctrine Preach, Than Virtues which Philofophy does teach? 7be Royal Martyr. '' To keep the Paffions in fevereft awe, To live to Reafon, ( Nature's greateft Law ) To follow Virtue, is its o w n Reward- And Good and 111, as things without Regard. S.Cat*. Yet few could follow thofe ftrift Rules they gave - For Humane Life will Humane Frailties have: And Jove of Virtue is b«t barren praife, Airy as Fame, not ftrone enough to raife The Actions of the Soul above the Senfe. Virtue grows cold without a Recompence. W e virtuous Acts as Duty do regard, Yet are permitted to expect Reward. Apoll. By h o w much more your Faith Reward affures, So much more frank our Virtue is than yours. S. Cath. Blind M e n ! you feek even thofe Rewards you blame.- But ours are folid, yours an empty name. Either to open Praife your Acts you guide, Or elfe reward your felves with fecret Pride. Apol. Yet ftill our Moral Virtues you obey: Ours are the Precepts, though apply'd your way. S.Cath. Tis true, your Precepts are the fame we teach. But in our Practice they much higher reach. You but forbid to take anothers due , But w e forbid even to defire it too. Revenge of Injuries you Virtue call, But we forgivenefs of our wrongs extol 1: Immodeft Deeds you hinder to be wrought, But we profcribe the leaft immodeft Thought. So much your Virtues are in ours refin'd, That yours but reach the Actions, ours the Mind. Max. Anfwer in fhort to what yrou heard her fpeak. [To Apol. Apol. Where Truth prevails all Arguments are weak. To that convincing Power I muft give place: And with that Truth, that Faith I will embrace. Max. O Traitor to our Gods, but more to m e , Dar'ft thou of any Faith, but of thy Prince's be ? But fure thou rav'ft , thy foolifh Error find: Caft up the poifon that infects thy Mind, And fhun the Torments thou art fure to feel. Apol. Nor Fire, nor Torture, nor revenging Steel, Can on m y Soul the leaft Impreflion make: H o w gladly, Truth, I fuffer for thy fake! Once I was ignorant of what was fo, But never can abandon Truth I know: M y Martyrdom I to thy Crown prefer , Truth is a Caufe for a Philofopher. S. Cath. Lofe not that Courage which aleavendoes infpire, [To Apollonius. But fearlefs go to be Baptiz'd in Fire. Think Visa Triumph not a Danger near: Give him your Blood , but give him not a Tear. Go, and prepare m y Seat: and hovering be . Near that bright fpace which is referv'd for me. Max. Hence with the Traitor, bear him to his Fate. Apol Tyrant, I fear thy Pity, not thy Hate: A Life Eternal I by Death obtain. Max. Go, carry him, where he that Life m a y gain. S Exeunt Apollonius, Va- Placid. From the Enchantrefs all thefe Ills are come j_ lerius and Guards* You are not fafe till you pronounce her Doom. Each Hour fhe lives a Legion fweeps away, She'll make your Army Martyrs in a day. Max. 'Tis luft this Chriftian Sorcerefs fhould Dye J (Would I hacl never prov'd her Sorcery :) Not that her charming Tongue this change has bred j Lfsar 'tis fomething that her Eyrt hive fed, I U |