fition, the more fufible it is faid to be. From whence it is fuppofed that Tin has moft of it, because it melts fooneft, which is probable enough by agreement and fubtil combination of Tin and Mercury, in the Art of making Looking Glaffes. fhafts only for Air to pierce thofe Adits, the Work being commonly fo wet and dirty that a Man can fcarcely ft and to it two or three hours together. And as for the danger, both Lives and Eftates are hazarded by it, the latter through the vastness of expence and uncer⚫ tainty of profit, fome having laid out to the value of Eight or Ten thousand Pounds, in an Adit to a Tin Work, which after all has prov'd worth nothing; and Work men have oft loft their Lives by Damps, or the falling in of the Earth, notwithstanding all the Caution and Expence used to prevent it. The finding of Metals has always been with difficulty, labour, and hazzard. And in order to the difcovering of Mines feveral methods have been purfued, fome have obferved Dreams, as if God Almighty that way reveal'd thefe Treafures to 'em; others have depended much upon the Rof-crufian Rod, cut under certain Conftella tions and Conjunctions; fome Q. I am defired by a very fober, have regarded the colour of Sheeps boneft young Country-Gentleman, Teeth; others the Sands of Ri- though a Diffenter, to propose this Vers. But it appears moft reafo- Question to you, in this Order as nable to obferve the peculiar Plants, follows: His Father is a Church and forts of Stone and Earth, near of England man, but fo covetous, the place where Metals have been that though he hath 400 1. per already found, and of them and Annum, will not allow his Son athe Mineral Stones or Oar to keep bove 40 1. per Annum to live upa quantitty of each as famples. on, suppos'd because be diffents: But when we have discover'd where whereupon the Son learns Merit is, it is often very difficult to chandifing, though you may judge come at it; fometimes by the at firft it could be but little, with hardness of Rocks, (which are fo fmall a Stock; by reason of bis open'd by Fire, Water, or Vine- Merchandise he was forc'd to come gar) as Hannibal made his way to London to dispatch fome bufithrough the Alps: Sometimes by nefs could not be done without bis their great depth in the Earth, prefence. The next day after he and fometimes occafioned by came to Town, meets a Lady be Springs of Water which 'arife in liked fo well, that he must needs the bottom of the Works; and dodge her till he found where she this must be drawn out by Pumps, lived, as he thought; but was de(for which Mill-Pumps are beft) ceived. In great concern he was or elfe let out by Adits, which to find out who she was; but the are new ways cut out from the bot- next Sunday be fees her at the tom of an adjoyning Valley, into Meeting-house be us'd to go to: the Hill where the Mine lies The The Second fight fo enflam'd him labour is also very great, through that nothing could be more; but digging fo deep, drawing out forefolved not to lose fo good oppor much Rubbish, making many tunity, dodges her again, and Gg finds difpleafes and offends the Lady, that the purposely avoids him as often as she can (nay Sometimes when she cannot prevent the feeing or being seen by him, the will make as if he were not well, and lay her Head against the Pew,) would it not be wildom in the Gentleman to leave off going to that Church? He also defires your Opinion whether it may be lawful or finful in him to Court her if he can find a convenient opportunity? And to endeavour to perfuade her to break promife with another to marry him? And finds out the place of her abode; but finds her and ber Parents Church of England People; be cannot be quiet till he breaks his Mind to the Lady; but she being a 3 or 4000 1.. Lady, is carefully watch'd, and not to be spoke wubal, but before her Parents; much time being Spent to no purpofe, in finding occafions to speak to her, at last be refolves to go to the Houfe,where he told his Mind to the Parents, the Lady not be ing to be feen; they tell him fhe is engag'd already to another; be believes not, writes to her. She, by the Father, anfivers, she is fo;fhould fhe confent, and ber Pathat will not do; he is so deep in rents too; Whether it would be Love, he cannot overcome it. He lawful for him to marry her duleaves the Meetings, goes toring the other Man's life; unless Church, and twice a week fees the Lady. But fke, to cross him, (even in the Church) turns her Self always fo as he can have but one fight all the while he is at Church, which not fufficing, he waits at the Door, and overtakes ber in the Street, &c. and is refolved never to Court any other Lady as long as this is unmarry'd; for be fays be cannot fancy any befides. Richer Matches bave been propofed to him, but in vain, be can think on no other. And this be cannot Court, because already engag'd. I advis'd him not to go to that Church where fhe ufes to go, and fo by degrees to wean himself from ber; but he faith the very thoughts of that is death to bim, though he fears that every time be fees her, he breaks the two firft Command ments, if not the feventh; nav, in fome manner the tenth. Now feeing there is no hopes of ever gaining her Parents leave, and that the very fight of him so he could utterly refufe? Which if he fhould do, if he may Court her? And can gain her and her Parents confent to marry her? The Gentleman determines to fol low your directions and advice in the Cafe; and is refolved to go no more to that Church, if you advise him fo. A. We would advise our tender Confciene 'd Querift to examine why the Commands of a Father are not ftrong enough to prevail with him to go to Church, and yet the fight of a fair Mittress draws him thither continually; which if he juttly confiders, he'll find 'tis more Humour than Reafon that makes a Diffenter of him. He may take this by the bye only for his Edification. Then as for his Love Affair, if there were none of thefe mighty Obitacles, the Match would be very improper for him, or at leaft for the Lady, they being of contrary Perfuafions, which generally occafions a great deal of difference between Perfons after please and gratifie? Were I an Epicure (faith Herbert) I woulll after Marriage, few Husbands be ved to give themselves up to all manner of fenfual Delights, yet there is fo little that can be ftrained from this common fin, that certainly, unless they intended to do the Devil a pleafure, rather than themselves, they would never fet their black Mouths against Heaven, nor blafpheme the Great God who fits inthroned there. tradiction in their Wives, though of meer Opinion. But as there is a pre-engagement, both Honour and Religion oblige him to defift; and after fuch cold Treatment, if he has a fpark of Reafon, 'twill contribute very much to his Cure. As for all his buts, and ifs, that he fhould win the Lady, gain her Father, be permitted by her other Lover, whether he may lawfully marry her, (though there appears nothing probable from whence he can conclude any fuch thing) yet if all this fhould happen without his having any hand in the matter, he may lawfully take her for bet ter for worse; Although as matters ftand, he must not so much as lift up a little Finger to disturb the happy Lovers; and therefore will do most prudently to fhun the fight of her as much as poffi-rible Name, of the Lord our God, ble. Q. Having a near Relation much addicted to Swearing, &c. I defire, in one of your Oracles, you'd difcourfe fomething of the Greatnefs and Heinoufnels of this Sin. A. First confider, that this fin of common fwearing, is a fin which hath little or no temptation to commit it. The Two great Baits by which the Devil allures Men to wickedness, are Profit and Pleafure. But now, this common rafh fwearing is the most unprofitable, barren fin in the World; What Fruits brings it forth, but only the abhorrence and deteftation of all serious Perfons, and the tremendous Judgment of God! Again, what pleasure is there in it? Which of his Senfes doth it How grievous indecency is it, at every turn to fummon our Maker, and call down Almighty God from Heaven, to attend our Pleasure, to vouch our idle Prattle, to fe cond our giddy Paffions, to concern his Truth, Juftice, Power, in our trivial Affairs. What Prefumption is it, with unhallowed Breath, to vent and tofs that Great and Glorious, Holy and Reverend, Fearful and Ter the great Creator, the Mighty So vereign, the Dreadful Judge of all the World? That Name which all Heaven with profoundest Submiffion doth adore; which the Angelical Powers, the Brighteft and Pureft Seraphims, without hiding their Faces, and reverential Hor rour, cannot utter or hear; the very thought whereof should strike an awe through our Hearts, the mention whereof should make any fober Man to tremble? The Jews permit not their Children to ufe the Name of God till feven Years old, that they may retain a greater Veneration for that Holy and Reverend Name e; and therefore the firft Salutations of Children are plainly, May you have a good Day, I wish you a good Sabbath, &c. The G & 2 Name of God is, or may be "written in it: So that the holes of the Walls are always to be feen ftuck full of them; for the fame reason they ufe no Paper when they go to ease them"felves. "A fight, it is no lefs ftrange "than ridiculous, to behold the Honour they do unto the Camel at his return into Conftan tinople, which carried their Al"choran (amongst a Caravan of many thousand Pilgrims, to "wards Mecha) crowding about "him, as led through the Streets, fome pulling off his Hairs, and "preferving them as Relicks, fome kiffing him,others with hisSweat befmearing their Eyes and Mr. Turner in his History of all Religion, p. 321. tells us, "The "Perfians are mightily addicted "to ill Language and Curfing; "but they never blafpheme God; "for if they fhould hear one "Swear, or with themselves at "the Devil, they would cry out "in aftonishment, Is not that "Fellow a Fool, to give himself "to the Devil, and renounce Paradife? All their Oaths are, "Ser-azire-fha(by the King's be-" "loved Head Jor Erva Pigumbir," Faces; and at laft cutting him "(by the Spirit of the Prophet.)" into little gobbets and giving "I remember, once at Galata, "thereof to eat to their Friends walking with some of the French "and Families. "Amballador's Servants, we faw "two Turks at Cuffs: In the end "after 1000 Curfes on one fide," "the other replied no more than "this, I wish thy Soul may have ་་ " He further tells us, page 325. "That Chryfoftom preach'd many Sermons to the People of An"tioch against Swearing; but they being weary of the Subno more repofe in Paradife,“ ject, ask'd, When he would "than the Hat of a French man "leave off preaching? To whom hath in this World; alluding" he anfwered, When you leave "to their putting them off fo " often. ་་ "The Mahometans never men"tion the Name of Christ, but "with high Reverence and Re"spect. "off Swearing: Would you have "the Plaifter taken away, before "the Wound be cured? "The best way of obferving an Oath is, if you neither use "it frequently, nor rafhly, nor "in common matters, nor for the amplification of Speech, nor "confirmation of a Relation, "In naming the Name of God, they muft bow, and add," "Maft High, Bleffed, Mighty, &c. but in things neceffary and folemn, and where there is no o"ther way to procure Credit. The Great Mogul himfelf" would fpeak most respectfully "of our Saviour Chrift. If the Mahometans find a bit of Paper in the way, they "take it up, and put in fome" "place of a Wall, because the "With the Scythians the "Swearers Punishment was loss of his Eftate; with the Perfians "Bondage; with the Grecians " cutting cutting off the Ears; with the Romans throwing down a fteep "Rock. "With the English, formerly payment of one Shilling, but "what now we know not, till "the New A& against Prophane "Swearing is publifht. Thus far Mr. Turner. We shall only add, fubdue as much as you can all inordinate Paffion and Angers for Anger is ufually the cause and provocation of Oaths and Blafphemies. [perly be called Savages. The humane, those who live in the Country with their Families; and the Civil, fuch Men who, though they live in Cities, make but little noife, and do not much frequent the World. QI know it has been an Opinion long received, that there have been Sybils (but in what Number has not, as I can find, ever yet been agreed on;) and that thofe Prophecies under their Names was a Truth, and not a Anger is a Fire in the Heart; Fiction. This I received as well and Swearing is the Smoke of this as others, till reading an Author Fire that breaks forth at the Mouth: the other day, who afcribes all and those who are violently hurried the Writings under their Names. with this Paffion, de ufually find to one, and though he seems not nothing fo ready at hand as an to doubt but that there were Oath; which if they cannot be fuch things written, yet he affirms, revenged on him, whom they con- they all proceeded from one Perceit to have done them the injury,fon; I defire to know what may they Fling against Heaven it Self, and thereby feem to take an impious Revenge upon the Almighty God. Q3. I have heard fuch as lead a folitary Life diftinguished into Divine, Savage, and Civil Perfons; and being my felf addicted to a retired Life, defire you'd give me a fhort account of their difference. A. Those have been thought to forfake the World upon a Divine account, who have imagined themselves, through a fupernatural inftinct, induced to quit the Commerce of Mankind, that they might be the more free from all Temptations, and have the greater liberty, without interruption, to contemplate upon God, and the prefent and future ftate of the Soul. And fuch as through an averfion to Man, have retired into Deferts, are those who may pro be faid for it, and if there can be any good reasons given, or Authority brought to prove it likely that there was but one Sybil? A. 'Tis true the Learned have been of divers Opinions about the one |