■"*'■ A REPL Y T O The religious Scruples againft ino* culating the Small-pox, REPLY T O The Objections made againft taking the Sjnall Pox in the Way pf Inoculation from principles cf Confcipnce. /$v • @^r> in a\>. J"'• LETTER2^ To a Friend in the Cowtry* By a Minifter in Boftm IfVWtf 7fo» faid Jefus unto them* J will ask you one Thing} IS IT LAWFUL TO SAVE LIFE Qft TO DESTROY IT? Luke 0. 9r %$t %tyx\s ^mprefiton* BOSTON; printed for S. Gerrijh in Corn-Hill, and J. ?hi!liM || the Statipners Arms near the Jown-pocH. 1739. > onr r : < in flk4l'l>'f>^'4>'f"^4"l>i^ ^t>^'t"|>|f><^>^^vt'4'4'4>£ ^"t"t>j^'|>^>|><^>4>4>^^ To the READER. THE following fetter was wrote and publiftid more than eight Tears agos* when the Tom was in great Diftrefs by the fpreading of the Small Pox, which had not vifited it for nineteen Tears before ; and when the new Method of receiving the Diftemper by Inoculation firft began to be put in Practice among us. It foon appear d that the Hazard of Inoculation was much lefi than of common Infection, yet it met with much Oppvftti™. &** a few of thofe who expetled to undergo the Diftemper, had re- ligious Scruples in their Minds againft re- ceiving it in this Way; and fuch would fre- quently ask my Thots about the Lawfulnefs ef it, with all the Signs of conjcientiom Doubters. It was certainly my Duty to an- fwer them according to the befi Light 1 had, leaving them then to judge for themfehes. And having often done this in a private Way, to fave Time and Trouble to my felf and otherx, / publifhed the following Reply to all or mo ft of the Objections f then met with. 1 endea- voured to make the Anfwers fhort and plain% And Jo to fit them fat common %7fe. The fteadet Reader will eafiiy perceive that fome of the Qbjeftions relate to the peculiar Circumftan- ees of Bofton at that Time; and he may^ perhaps, think many ofthdni weak and trifling; yet they were fuch as were commonly offer d, and in fttch Qajes the weakefi mu(t be conde- fcended to. i And now that the Diftemper has again vifited the Town, W Inoculation is ftill in fom meafure the Subjecl of Difpute, I have teen applied to for my Confetti to another fmpreffion. I know of no Reafbn to be againft [ it, my Jhots continuing ft ill the fame, and my Opinion in favour of the Praftice being more confirmed: And 1 think 1have Jaid nothing that can offend ajny, but fuch as wilt ajfume to themfehes the Government' of others Conferences, or will be difpleas d with any thing that does not agree with their efpoufed Sentiments* By the be ft Infer mat ion I can ^get % tht learned and pious, both Divines andVhyfi- cians, do more and more give into the Prac* the, here and in England. Soon after the following Letter was printed here in Bofton, it was reprinted in London, together with the Reverend Mr. ColmanV Account of the' Method and Succeft of this Praftice; to whid was prefix d an hiftorical Introduction by the Reverend Ijfr, Ncah / have the Satisfaftio^ ti to fee that Gentleman fay of the 'Anfwefi; that He thinks they ate cieat andfoiidg but whether they are fufficient to encou* rage confcientious and tender Parents* to provide for the fafety of their Children iri this Way, itiuft be left Q He fays) to the Judgment of every Reader. This indeed is a Cafe 1 have not eiireftly anfmered; nor did t think there was much Occafitm for it. It has always been allow A that Parents have & Tower to ail for their Children, in Things wherein their Lives, as well as other Inte* refts, are concern d, till they are capable t$ judge and aft for themfehes. And I believe few Parents who are clear in it for them" felves, wilt negleft it for their Children. I would take this Opportunity, now that the Praftice is- leftformidable than it was, and comfit^twuble Numbers are like to go into it, to caution Perfons againft Oiling rafhly and precipitantly in fo tender and important an Affair. I would advife none to go into it without a due regard to their Conftitution, and fuch a Preparation of their Bodies as the Phyftcian whom they confult may advife to. Much left fhould any dare to venture upon it till they have ferioufly endeavour d by the Help of divine Gracey to get the great Con- ctrns of their Souls well fecur'd; and till they have fuch a Satisfaction in their own Minds, as that they can in this way as well as the other9 other] refign themfehes and theirs, to thefo* yereign Difpofal of Heaven.' Notwithstand- ing the great and unqueftionable Advantage on the fide of Inoculation, You may mifcar- ry under it; and I cant but expert fome wilt, if any Number take the Diftemper in this way: For I don't fuppofe it agreeable, to the Wif- dom of God in the Government of Man, to grant any Means that /halt be an infallible Security from Death, by fuch a mortal Dif \ temper, therefore look upon your felves as faffing a Trial for your Lives, and aft accor- dingly. While you hope to live, be furt prepare to die. And then, If it pleafe the King of Heaven, let your life be given you at your Petition, zndyour Children at your Requeft! W. Cooper. Bofton; March 4; ^ 1729.-30. 1 1 v> * V. C i ) '& •$• .f. A A ?.$ & A A A A ,f. * A A A A A A C *** ^ ¥» 3£{ ^ J9g ** ^ $** ^ ; f*-i ffi&i fit m ¥H *tt «* «»S ?«? 5*5 %ff ?*•$ 5w« ?* >-s 5w? 5»* ?■»•? ^ J** f*5 *»-$ ?ms * i$ «s 2K «S %£ &5 REPLY TO THE Religious Scruples againft Inocula- ting the SMALL POX. In a Letter to a Friend. SIR, THE new Method of receiving the Small Pox by Incifion (or In- oculation as 'tis commonly call'd) has been, you know, the Subject not only of plentiful Diicourfe* but of angry Debate, and fierce Contention among us in this Town. And it is a very un- happy Circumftance attending us here, that almoft every thing that is now done or doing among us, if it be at all of a publick Nature, creates Heats and Animo- ficies. I am in hopes pur good People will by and by be fenfible of the Folly and ^'" ' " B Mifchief Afifchief of this, and come to fuch a Tem- per as will.fuffer them to differ from one another, without being angry with one a- nother. In the mean Time, I hope that the People in other Towns where the Di- ftemper has made its Entrance, will pre- ferve a better Temper, if any among them fhould put this Method into Pradtke. However fome among us may appear againft it out of Party and Prejudice, yet there are many who are confci- entioufty averfe to it, I believe; and, if thefepreferve'the Meekneft of Wifdom, they are (as a very Reverend Perfon has lately faid of them> greatly to be commended j and honoured, in that they will not a€t a- gainft a doubting Confcience. I perceive that the Scruples and Objcu ' Prions commonly ofler'd by People here, have fuch a Force upon your Mind, a9 keeps you from going into this Method, • which may, by the Blefling of Heaven, be your Safety and Pcefervation. Now Friend/hip, (the Offices of which fhould be facredly regarded by us) obliges me to attempt to relieve and help you, in a Matter wherein your Life, fo precious in it felf, and defervedly dear to me, is fo ttiuch concerned* For Ca) For Satisfaction about the Method and Succefs of this Pra&ice, I refer you to the Obfervations on it made and pub- Jifli'd by the Reverend Mr. Colman; hav- ing been my felf a Witnefs to moft of the Inftances lie mentions. But that which you want Satisfaction a- bout is, the Scruples and Objections of a confcientious or religious Nature, which are commonly ofFer'd by People againft this Method. Thefe I mall endeavour to an- fwer and refolve, as I am abfe, in a few Words ; and if they afford you any Light or Satisfaction refpedring the fame, you may communicate them to whom you pleafe; and if it fhould be thought worth while to make them publick, I think none can cenfure me for ftarting out of my Line, or medling with what is none of my Bufinefs, fince the Thing I am now upon relates to Religion and Confcience. Obj. i. One great Thing urg'd againft this Practice is, That it is not lawful for me to make my felf fick when I am well. Or vo- luntarily to bring a Diftemper upon my felf. Avf To bring Sicknefs upon one's felf for its own fake, is what no Man in his right Wits would do. But to make my felf fick in fuch a Way, as may prabably ferve my Health, and fave my Life, and with B v fuch (4) fuch a Defign, is certainly fitting and rca- fonable, and therefore lawful. This is eve- ry Day pra&is'd among People without any Scruple, in Purges and Vomits, and other Things in medical Ufe. Now, if I may lawfully make my felf fick by taking fomething in at my Mouth, why not by putting fomething in at my Arm ? Or, if I may lawfully make my felf fick for one Day, why not for two Days, or more, as the Cafe may require ? Aye, but this is to bring a Diftemper upon my felf. I think it can hardly be calfd bringing it upon my felf, when the Cafe is fo with me, (not having had the Diftemper, and living in an infected Air) that I can't but expect to undergo it in a very little time. I know indeed God can preferve me from the Inv fe&ioi}; but when my Neighbours all round me are vifited, I know of no War- rant that any particular Perfon has to ex-: peel: an extraordinary Prefervation. He that has no Reafon to think, but that he is as liable to the Small Pox as other People S are, and yet keeps in the Way of it, ox- pcftitg that God will preferve him untouch'd, however lome may give it the Name of J Truft, and Faith, and the like, I cannot h..;c look upon it and qal) it Preemption. In ihort, I can't but think, when I am in. fuch Circumftances, that I can neither ra- tionally nor warrantubly expert rp cTcape: the (s) the Diftemper, that it is then lawful for me to bring upon my felf a leffer Degree of it, to prevent a greater. I'll put the Cafe thus,1 If I have not had the Small Pox, it is to be fuppofed there is in my Body, what I'll call the Fuel of that Diftemper, and there on.y w «nrs the lighting of a Spark to kt this Fuel on burning. The Air I breath in is full of thefe Sparks ; and I may expect every Breath I fetch to draw fome of them in : Jf now it appears upon daily Experi- ence, that by making an Incifion in my Arm, and letting the Spark in that Way, the Fuel will burn with lefs Fiercenefs, and confequently Danger, why may'nt I take it in that Way ? Why muft I needs ftay till it comes jn at* my Mouth or Noftrils, or thro* fome of the porous Parts of my Body ? For my Part, I think the Law of Self-Prefervation, which is God's Law, re- quires me to take this-Method of Safety, whereby (to ufe the apt Words of another) the Difeafe is, thro'Gods commonBlefling, happily converted into a Remedy. Obj. 2. But ought we not to wait Gods Time for it ? Anft I think then it the Time Providence calls inc to this Method of Safety, when I am in imminent and immediate Danger of the Diftemper the other Way, Should any one go into the Practice of Inoculation, our CO but of a Bravado, without his being in known hazard of the Diftemper by the common Way of Infection, I fhould not think it warrantable. But then is God's time for us to ufe Means of Safety, when we are in apparent Danger of any deadly or deftru&ive Evil. Obj 3. But 'tis obje&ed again, Can we not truft God ? . Anf I fuppofe every Body will allow chat the Ufe of Means is not inconftftent with Truft in God; and why there cant be Truft in God in the Ufe of this Means* asweH as other, I cannot imagine. Obj. 4. But, it is a going front God to Man. Anf. How ! Can't we make Ufe of Men; and Means in a Time of Danger without 1 going from God > If any, like Afa, I00& J to the Phy/hciatr, and not to the Lord, they/ I are very irreligious and profane theteinj 1 But if any do principally and in the ftrft Place fcek to God, may they not then in- nocently and lawfully make ufe of the hft human Help the Providence of God affords diem ? I rnuft profefs and declare on the Part of many of the inoculated, that they, ^nd their (Friends concern'd for them, have gone into the Pra&ice, with many Prayers' ro Gpd, and other fujtable Expreflions o£. fruft and pevot'tQii, Olj. I if) Obj. 5. But ftill fome fay; this Practice looks to them, like taking God's Work- out if his Hand. Anf. Indeed this Diftemper can arreft none without a Commiflion from God. But yet it is not inflicted by God's immediate Hand; we receive it in a Natural Way, and by Means of fecond Catfes ; and this we do in the Way of Inoculation, as well as of com- mon Infection. If we have the Small Pox in either of thefe Ways, it is ftill the Work of God : For all the fecond Caufes de- pend on and act under Him the flrft Caufe. And, the Application of < Means natural for this or that End, is it not an Application to the God of Nature > If God does not co- operate by his aftual Providence, can the Effect be produc'd > For, Who is he that faith, and it Cometh to paft, when the Lord commandeth it not ? What is there of the Hand or Power of Man in this Work, after: the Incifton is made, and the Matter ap- ply'd > The Work is ftill left with God, and we muft wait upon him for his actual Influence and Bleffing, even as theHuf- bandman does for the Rain and Sun-mine of Heaven, after the Seed is thrown into the Earth. Obj. 6. But the Small Pox is a Judgment of God, fent to pmtifh and humble us for our Sins; (8) Sins ; and what fha 11 we fo evade it, and think to turn it away from us ? Anf. I fully agree, to it, that it is a fore Judgment of God upon us for our. Sins, which we have much deferv'd : And it is greatly to be lamented that it has no bet- ter Effect upon the Hearts of.Mw...—*-. But is it unlawful to ufe Means for our Prefervation from a defolating Judgment > Efpecially, if at the very Time that God fends the Judgment, he ihews us a Way to efcape the Extremity and Deftruction at kaft, if not the Touch of it. If a gracious God ihews us • fo much Mercy as this un- der the Judgment, does it become us to put it away from our felves, or rather ihould ive not accept it with Adoring Thankful* neft Z Obj. 7. But fome have faid to me, Thk [Method tends to take off the. Fears of rhk Diftemper from the Minds of People 5 and who knows of what fpiritual Advantage thefer Fears might be to them t In Anfwer to this I would ask* wbethec God cannot make the Mercy of their Pre- fervation and Recovery ,in this Way, of fpiritual Advantage to them alfo,. and by that lead them to Repentance > And, } truly hope, the Salvation of God beftow'd jupon fome in this Way, as well as the o- ther, will have a gracious fanftifying EfTe$ upon ilpbri tfcefn, under the powerful Working of the Spirit of eca\ife of the unhappy' Confequents- of it among, us ; the Feuds and Contention, Sin and Mifchief that it has occafioned.—— Anf Of this, I hope, I am a mournful Spec- tator ;And it has made me fundty times rea- dy to take up that Willi, Oh that I hah Wings tike a Dove I And I muft freely declare, that I look upon that Spirit of Party and Divifton that is reigning among us, to bb a forer Judgment of God upon us, than the Diftemper tyhich has fo diftrefs'd us. But yet, I am far from thinking that the Eadnefs of the thing in its felf is to be ar- gu'd or infer'd from this Effeft of it. Fot does not the fame Effect attend many o- ther things unqueftionably good in thcm- felves; fuch as the building of Houfes for the Worfhip of God, the Choice of Mini- fters, and of Perfons to ferve in the State, fife ? Nay, the very preaching of the Gof- C pel C 10 ) . pel in the World, tho' it be the Gofpel H of Peace, and the Gofpel of Salvation m too, has been, and is, accidentally, thro' the Corruption of Men's Hearts, and under J the Influence of the envious Enemy of Mankind, the Occafion of all this; accor- ding as our Saviour has foretold that it Would be, faying (Mat. 10. 34, 3 f.) Thinks not that I am come to fend Peace on Earth: 1 came not to fend Peace but a Sword. For I am come tofet a Man at variance againft hit Father, and the Daughter againft her Mo- ther, and the Daughter-in-law againft her Mother-in-law. And a Mans Foes fhafl be i they of his own Houfe. Obj. 9. Some frame an Objection againft this Practice from the Decrees of God. They fay that God has predetermin d and fixed the Period of every one's Life, beyond which no- thing fha/iIprotraft it*, fo that if his time he come, Inoculation will not fave the Per- fon's Life. Anf But this Argument may as well be urg'd againft the Ufe of all Phyfick, \ nay, even ot Food, as againft this Practice. * I truly believe, as my Bible teaches me, that God has hYd the Period of every one's Life; but I alfo believe, that he has done it with a Regard to Second Caufest I or that Courfe of Nature which he has 1 eftabliiffd ; the End and Means are deter* mind together. He that has fix'd ,in his own (II) own Counfel how long we fliall live, has alfo determin'd, that by fuch and fuch Means, our Lives fliall be continued to that Period of Time. And how does any one know, but this is to be the appointed Means, of their prefervation in Life ? Obj. 10. Some have ask'd, Whether we ould affure them their Lives in this Way ? Anf. It is ftrange that any fhould put the Queftion ! when there is none can give the Affurance of this, not in the moft inno- cent and common Means, that are every Day made ufe of: Why then fhould they de- mand it in this ? I know of one who died under a Vomit. Another, whom I alfo knew, died by pulling out a Tooth; the bleeding at the Gums, after the Extraction of the Tooth could not be ftopt, and \n a little Time he died. And for my own part, as much as I am now for Inoculation, I am not at all fhy to fay, that a Perfon may mifearry under it: For God is Sovereign, and will keep us in a Dependence upon him, in the Ufe of all Means. But if jt appear from Matter of Fact, and Experi- ence truly reprefented, that the Hazard in this Way is far lefs than that of accidental Contagion, this I conceive is fuffkieir to legitimate the Practice, and juftify any one's going into it, when there is Occafion, C * Obj. ('12) Obj. ri. But fuppofs I /hottlddie ht the Way of Inoculation, would it not make a dying Hour very dark to mf; to think that I usd ' Means to bring it upon my felf? Anf- This is a Queftion, I muft confefs, i Was been the inoft affefting to me, of any that have related to this Matter. But af- ter the moft ferious Cofcftderation I have j beftow'd upon it, I thus think ; If a Ptr- fon fhould die under Inoculation, hp dies \ in the Ufe of the moft likely Means he ; knew of, to faye his Life in a Time of common Peril ,• he dies then in the Way of Duty, and> in Gods Way: If the Bleffing is denied, he muft, humbly refjgn thifc his frail Ufe, unto the* God of it, hooking for the Mercy of our Lord Jefus Cbrift unto Eter- nal Life. Obj. iz. The,re is one thing more faid againft this Practice, which I am loth to-; take any Notice of, becaufc of the Fropha*, nzfi. of it,- bqt it being fq frequently in the J Mouths of People, T cannot burnamc it. Tis this, Thai it is originally from the De- vil. , Anf. Sure this is the Effect of Tranf- port ! I will return a better Anfwer to it than it deferves: If it be a Methoda/Safet), and a Benefit to Mankind, as hithepto jt ap? ' pears to be, how came the Devil to be the Author of it ? Was he ever a Bsnefaftor tp \ (*?) Mankind ? No : But he i$ 4 Murderer from the Beginning. Every Age of the* World produces fome new imd ufefol Dif- coveries, in one Profeffton, Art and Science or another : And jif this Drfcovcry be re- ferv'xl for our Day, why fliould it not be accepted in all Places with aS Thapkfaheft* In a Word r I cannot hut^ think its. Origi- nal derived elfewhere, becaufe my Bible teiches me, that every good and perfeft Gift comes down from the Father of Lights* As to that Objection, of tbe Danger of others catching the Diftemper from the Ino- culated, there needs only this to be faid; That as tis to be fuppos'd, the Practice will not be gone into till the Danger of Infection becomes common in a PJacs, fo there may be Methods eafily taken, ta prevent its hazarding of others that can't yet come into it. And J think there oughj; to be a prudent Care in this refpect. Thus, Sir, I have freery given you my Thoughts about this Practice, fo muck.fpo* ten againft. I muft now leave you to judge for your felf, praying God to/hem you hit Way* If you come into the Prac- tice, J know you will not do it in carnal Security 1 for that may provoke God to deny the Bleffing. And, if God pleafe to give \\ the defir d Supgefs, you'll religiouf- ( l4> ly give Glory to him; not only for deli- vering you from Death, but for faving you from fuch a Bed of Corruption, as others have many wearifome Days and Nights ap- pointed them in ; you'll think your felf the more obligd to thank and praife your kind Thyftcian, (I mean the Great One) who has Wrought your Cure by fo gentle a Method. I have no more to add, but my Prayers, that you and I may be made meet for, and, in God's Time, brought fafe to, that World, where there fhall be no more Sick- nefs, nor any more Death, ; where Sin, and all the penal Confequences of it, fliall be done away for ever. I am, Bofion] Tour hearty Friend, Nov. 2,0. 1721. and Servant. T0STSCK1TT. HAving Room left for it, I would tafce the Liberty to offer to your View, me of Principles, (which I ta*£ frpm that, truly great Man, and bright Orna- ment of the Eftabliili'd Church, Biftop Wif- kins) in the farpe Way and Method as is us'd jn the Matheniaticks, confuting pf Poftutita, Definitions and Axioms \ which Pofifcripi. are indeed no other than the common Dic- tates of Nature, and agrcable to the Rca- fon of all Mankind ; and which being ap- plied to Inoculation, feem unanfwerably to juftify the Practice, fuppofing the Proba- bility of Sliccefs to be much greater on that fide. A Scheme of Natural Principles.1 Poftulatum. F.very Thing is endow*d with fuch a natural Principle, whereby it is necef- farily inclind to promote its own Preferva- tion and Well-being. Defin. i. That which hath in it a Fitnefi to promote this End, is called Good. And on the contrary^ that which in apt to hinder if, is called Evil. Among ft which there are fe- veral Degrees, according as Things have more or left Fitneft, to promote or hinder this End. Defin. %. The leffening or efcaping of Evil is to be reckoned under the Notion of Good. The leffening or loft of Good is to be reckoned under the Notion of Evil. Axiom i. That which is Good is to be chofen and profecuted, that which is Evil is to be avoided. x# Zk* &****!. Good ts ** be preferred befof* foftfcript. before the left, and the leffer Eyi ie en- -dvzed rather than the greater^:: 0t uch kinds of Things or Events, as will m »iJ.y come to pafs, may fall under i^ompa- i. ct4tiou, and be e/timated as to their feveral p\ tkgrees, as well as Things prefent. Becaufe j when fuch a Space of Time is elaps'd, "that \ which is now future, will become frefent. . 4. And thus likewjfe is if for fuch Things 'as may probably come to pafs. f. A prefent Good may rcdfonable be par* ted with, upon a probabtjt Expectation of a future Good which is more excellent. 6. A prefent Evil is to be endurd, for the avoiding a probable future Evil, which i$ fat greater. a 7- The greater the Evil is, the more Rea- fon is there to venture the tofs of a lefs GooJ9 or the Suffering of a lefs Evil, .for the efca- pingofit. - .'• » \ j .. ...to F I N I S.., a