annexed pain to thofe very Ideas, which delight us. Thus heat, that is very agreeable to us in one degree, by a little greater increase of it, proves no ordinary torment; and the most pleasant of all fenfible objects, light itself, if there be too much of it, if increased beyond a due proportion to our eyes, caufes a very painful fenfation. This is wifely and favourably fo ordered by Nature, that when any object does, by the vehemency of its operation, diforder the inftruments. of fenfation, whose structure cannot but be very nice and delicate, we might by the pain be warned to withdraw, before the organ be quite put out of order, and fo be unfitted for its proper functions for the future. The confideration of those objects that produce it, may well persuade us, That this is the end or use of pain. For though great light be infufferable to our eyes, yet the highest degree of darkness does not at all disease them; because the causing no disorderly motion in it, leaves that curious organ unarmed, in its natural ftate. But yet excefs of cold, as well as heat, pains us; because it is equally deftructive to that temper, which is neceffary to the prefervation of life, and the exercise of the several functions of the body, and which confifts in a moderate degree of warmth; or, if you please, a motion of the infenfible parts of our bodies, confined within certain bounds.

Beyond all this, we may find another reason why God hath fcattered up and down feveral degrees of Pleafure and Pain, in all the things that environ and affect us; and blended them together, in almost all that our thoughts and fenfes have to do with; that we finding imperfection, disfatisfaction, and want of compleat happiness, in all the enjoyments which the creatures can afford us, might be led to feek it in the enjoyment of him, with whom there is fulness of joy, and at whofe right kand are pleasures for evermore.

Though what I have faid, may not, perhaps make the Ideas of Pleafure and Pain clearer to us, than our own experience does, which is the only way that we are capable of having

them:

!

them; yet the confideration of the reafon, why they are annexed to so many other Ideas, ferving to give us due fentiments of the wifdom and goodness of the fovereign Disposer of all things, may not be unfuitable to the main end of these enquiries: the knowledge and veneration of him, being the chief end of all our thoughts, and the proper business of all Understandings."

[To be continued.]

1'.

MR.

FRENCH MERCY.

Some Account of Mr. PETER MAURU.

R. Peter Mauru, was born at Loifi, in Brie. When the edict at Nantz was repealed, he preferred his confcience to all other confiderations, and refolved to leave his native country. But he was stopped in Burgundy, carried to Bezanfon, and there condemned "to the Galleys for ever!"

2 Before he came to the Galleys, he was coupled in the way with Philip de Boucher. And because Philip was not able to carry his chain, Mauru raifed the collar with his hands above his head, and being stronger than him, bore it on his own head and fhoulders, carrying in that manner all the burden, in the heat of the dog-days.

3. One of his companions fays, "The patience of that confeffor of Jefus Chrift is not to be imagined. One cannot conceive, how a man could fuffer what he has fuffered, and does fuffer continually, and yet live. He was fix or seven times fick near unto death. But his long and dangerous illneffes did not hinder him from being in all the fummer expeditions. And he is actually now in the expedition, covered with fweat and blood. He is a prodigy of humility, of piety and conftancy. I do not think there is a greater faint upon earth."

4. "You

"You defire, fays he to a friend, that I would give you the particulars of what they have done to me. I cannot. It would take up too much time. But what is all this, to the treasures that are reserved in heaven? You defire me to tell you, how many blows I have received with cudgels or hoopRicks? Sometimes above forty a day, for eight or ten days following: every day, above twenty. And this is a little painful; but the joy I feel in fuffering for Chrift, alleviates all the pain. And after we have fuffered, the confolations of Christ abound in us by the Holy Ghoft. And he hath not only comforted and rejoiced my foul, but affured me, He will fupport me to the last breath.

5. "When I was put on board, the Captain enquired why I was fent to the Gallies? And learning it was for my Religion, he fixt me to the form near the pump, and fet one over me, to put me continually upon needlefs labour. But he only tired himself, and seeing me complain of nothing, he went away. They then fhifted my feat, that others might abuse me: but they too foon became my friends. Finding these means ineffectual, they tried others. They gave orders to an officer, to do whatever he would with me; only not to kill me. Every day the Captain contrived fomething new. Sometimes he would make me fupply all the forms in the Galley with water. Sometimes he said, they had given me a letter, or that fome one had spoken to me, though he knew the contrary and all was, to find a pretence to beat me. He made me go with a great chain about me, to tap water-barrels. And one of them falling down, he caufed another, whom he had fent with me, to beat me fo, that thofe who faw it, threatened bring him before the Mayor. Afterwards he made me clean. all the quarters of the Galley, and now and then shewed the Quarter-mafter fome ftains, to make me be beaten, and encouraged the galley-slaves to abuse me. Finding they would not, he removed them all, and picking out the most wicked of the Turks and Moors, placed them about me. But it was

VOL, V.

M

Jabour

labour loft; for all of these were more civil to me than the others had leen. Sometimes he gave me no bread in the morning, but kept me falling till one or two o'clock. Sometimes he coupled me with others, to carry cordage, who promised to work me to death. But God fupplied me not only with ftrength and patience; but alfo with joy, to fuffer all for the love of my Saviour. And those who had threatened to work me to death, before the day was ended, defired me, Not to go fo faft.

6. “If my body fuffered by day, my foul was glad in my Saviour day and night. My heart fed on that hidden manna, and poffeffed a joy the world knows nothing of. The ease of my body did not continue long; for in a little time they brought oars, to exercife the new comers. And while I was learning to row, they took occafion to beat me at their pleafure: yet frequently telling me, I might avoid all this, if I would return to the holy Roman Church? When we put to fea, the rigour both of the work and the blows often brought me to death's door. At our return I fell into a great sickness, for about a month. After I had been ill eleven days, they' carried me to the Hofpital, where they expected my death daily. But though I was not able to flir, yet I felt no pain. And the broth they gave me, bad as it was, seemed to me the best food I ever eat. I faid daily, This is the day of deliverance: I shall fuffer no more pain. good to releafe me yet.

But God did not fee When I began to recover, they carried me on board again. That day the fever returned, and I was ill in the Galley, from fome days before Chriftmas till Eafter.

7. "Here they ufed me as ill as they could, wanting me to die, to fave the credit of the Miffionaries, who had affured them, That I could not live a year, being under their curfe So, many perfons endeavoured to certify what they faid. But God made them all liars. There were fome in all the voyages, who, to make themfelves fport, caufed me to be beaten

beaten continually. When they faw me lift up my eyes to heaven, they faid, God does not hear Heretics.' While we were at fea, no day paffed, wherein I was not brought to fuch a condition, that I was ready to die. The other flaves, as miferable as they were, affifted me all they could. But in all the excess of pain which my flesh felt, my God did not leave me comfortlefs. And I am still ready to fuffer whatever pleases him, being allured he will make me more than conqueror."

8. After having fuffered thus, for above ten years, (with no intermiffion, but when they were afraid of his dying under the blows; for which they would have been called in queflion) his health was totally deftroyed; and he fell into an extraordinary weakness, with a continual cough that gave him no reft day or night, till, with such a teflimony of Faith: and Love as confounded even his tormentors, he yielded up. his foul to God.

He was in a languifhing condition from the end of the year 1695, till the April after. The following teftimony of him is given by one of the galley-flaves.

"I did not believe Monfieur Mauru was fo near death, when I was with him yesterday. He spoke with the fame earneftness, as he was formerly used to do, and defired me to thank you for all your favours to him, and to tell you, He waited, with refignation, the Lord's hour."

Another that was with him when he died, writes, "He made an end answerable to his life. He preferved his fenfes as found to the laft gafp, as when he was in perfect health: his faith and conftancy were brighter than ever. As his body. grew weaker, his foul raised itself up with more zeal and vi gour towards heaven. Those who had long waited to pervert him from the truth, were then conftrained to forfake him, and to leave his holy foul in the hands of that fovereign Shepherd, who conducted it into the everlasting paftures.