tage of it against me,
by saying, that Nothing could be a real Benefit, that did not conduce
to a Man's eternal Happiness; and that it was evident, that the Things,
to which I gave that Name, did not. I agree with him, that a Man's
Salvation is the greatest Benefit he can receive or wish for; and I am
persuaded, that, speaking of Things Spiritual, the Word is very proper
in that Sense; the same may be said of the Words Profit, Gain, and, if
you please, Lucre; but I deny, that without any Addition, this is the
common Acceptation of them; in which, I hope, I may have the Liberty to
make use of Words with the Rest of my Fellow-Subjects. All temporal
Privileges and worldly Advantages whatever, are call'd Benefits, and a
Thousand Things are beneficial to the Body, that have Nothing to do
with the Soul. So a Felon may have the Benefit of the Clergy; such are
Benefit-Tickets; and so a Man may go in the Country for the Benefit of
the Air. I would ask this wise Gentleman, when he reads, that a Play is
to be acted for the Benefit of such a one; which he thinks it is, the
Money the Person receives, or the Performance it self, that contributes
most to his eternal Happiness.

But I am more cautious and exact, than my Enemies imagine: If I would
have made my Readers to understand, that the Vices of Men often prove
of worldly Advantage to those who commit them, tho' it is very true,
yet in this Case, I would not have used the Word Benefit in so general
a Manner: for as Nothing is of greater Concern to every individual
Person, than his future Welfare, Nothing can be Beneficial to him, in
an unlimited Sense, that might destroy, or any Ways interfere with his
eternal Happiness: But this eternal Happiness cannot at the soonest
commence till after this Life; and when a Man is dead, he ceases to be
a Member of the Society, and he is no longer a Part of the Publick;
which latter is a collective Body of living Creatures, living upon this
Earth, and consequently, as such, not capable of enjoying eternal
Happiness. A Miser may go directly to Hell, as the Reward of his
Avarice and Extortion, at the same Time, that the great Wealth he
leaves, and the Hospital he builds, are a considerable Relief to the
Poor, and consequently a Publick Benefit.

If a Man should affirm, that the Publick is wholly incapable of having
any Religion at all, it would, perhaps, be shocking to some People; yet
it is as true, as that the Body Politick, which is but anothe