Sa. Forbear these Compliments, the Friendship between you and I is greater than that we should thank one another for any Service done.  I have not bestow’d this Kindness upon you, but only made a Return of it to you.  I think the Amends is sufficiently made, if my most sedulous Endeavours are acceptable to you.  There is no Reason you should thank me for repaying this small Kindness, for those uncommon Kindnesses I have so often receiv’d from you.  Indeed I merit no Praise, but should have been the most ungrateful Man in the World if I had been wanting to my Friend.  Whatsoever I have, and whatsoever I can do, you may call as much your own as any Thing that you have the best Title to.  I look upon it as a Favour that you take my Service kindly.  You pay so great an Acknowledgment to me for so small a Kindness, as tho’ I did not owe you much greater.  He serves himself that serves his Friend.  He that serves a Friend does not give away his Service, but puts it out to Interest.  If you approve of my Service, pray make frequent Use of it; then I shall think my Service is acceptable, if as often as you have Occasion for it you would not request but command it.

OF RASH VOWS.

The ARGUMENT.

This Colloquy treats chiefly of three Things, 1.  Of the superstitious Pilgrimages of some Persons to Jerusalem, and other holy Places, under Pretence of Devotion. 2.  That Vows are not to be made rashly over a Pot of Ale:  but that Time, Expence and Pains ought to be employ d otherwise, in such Matters as have a real Tendency to promote trite Piety. 3.  Of the Insignificancy and Absurdity of Popish Indulgencies.

ARNOLDUS, CORNELIUS.

ARNOLDUS. O! Cornelius, well met heartily, you have been lost this hundred Years.

Co. What my old Companion Arnoldus, the Man I long’d to see most of any Man in the World!  God save you.

Ar. We all gave thee over for lost.  But prithee where hast been rambling all this While?

Co. In t’other World.

Ar. Why truly a Body would think so by thy slovenly Dress, lean Carcase, and ghastly Phyz.

Co. Well, but I am just come from Jerusalem, not from the Stygian Shades.

Ar. What Wind blew thee thither?

Co. What Wind blows a great many other Folks thither?

Ar. Why Folly, or else I am mistaken.

Co. However, I am not the only Fool in the World.

Ar. What did you hunt after there?

Co. Why Misery.

Ar. You might have found that nearer Home.  But did you meet with any Thing worth seeing there?

Co. Why truly, to speak ingenuously, little or nothing.  They shew us some certain Monuments of Antiquity, which I look upon to be most of ’em Counterfeits, and meer Contrivances to bubble the Simple and Credulous.  I don’t think they know precisely the Place that Jerusalem anciently stood in.