is take many Orders at a time; the Election of their Patriarch is feldom Canonical; for he which gives moft to the Grand Seignior, commonly preferr'd before the reft of his Brethren; wherefore there has often been more than one, which has taken the Quality of Patriarch, at the fame time; and in the Year 1671. there were four Patriarchs living together. For the Greeks being very ambitious, they feek all the ways polfible to come to this Dignity, which has been no little Caufe of the Dif orders and Troubles that has happen'd in their Church. diligent in bis Employment, that he may be able to maintain his Family. Yet many Children are promised as a Bleffing, and wou'd undoubtedly prove fo, if Parents educated them as they ought, fince that has fuch an Effect on them, that they commonly prove obedient, or difobedient, accord.. ing to it. And where Children are dutiful, tho' a little is parted with to bring them up, they doubly recompence it, and if ever, through the change of Fortune, their Parents come to want in their old Age, they are always ready to help and affift them, to the utmost of their Power. Q. Since the Defign of Marriage is to propagate ones kind, whence comes it to pass that the generality of Men efteem their If Jue, if numerous, a Curfe, or at leaft an Incumbra rance and great Affliction? Since the Increase of all ufeful Animals is acceptable, and accounted a Beffing, whe ther the Increase of Mankind must not be efteem'd to particular Perfons as well as the Publick, a greater Mercy? And whether it is lawful for a Married Couple in Health, by any means to avoid the increase of their Bodies? A. Every one loving himself above all things, and looking up on the Poffeffions of this World to be no fmall part of his Happiness, and being obliged to quit a part for the maintenance and fupport of his Pofterity, if he confults his Senfes, he will be apt to think too many Sharers a great Misfortune; for if a Man has an Estate, and a numerous Iffue, he must live fomewhat nearer to provide for them; and if he has none, he ought to work the harder, and be the more Where there is a mutual Confent, and the Constitution of their Bodies will bear it, we believe Perfons may act according to their Inclination in this Cafe; but if they cohabit together, no indirect means is lawful to be used to prevent the having Children. Q. Whether there is an Hell, or not? All the Poems written by the Ingenious Pindarick Lady, having a peculiar Delicacy of Stile,and Majesty of Verfe, as does fufficiently diftinguish em from all others; and having much gratified many of our Querifts, by inferting in our Oracles thofe Poems fhe lately fent us, we are willing to oblige them once more with the following Pindarick Poem, which we bave here Printed Word for Word, as we receiv'd it from her. A Pindarick to the Athenian Society. I. I'V 'VE toucht each String, each Mufe I have invokt; Copes my unequal Praife; Dryden! A Name I ne'er could yet rehearse, II. And now methinks I rise; But till the lofty Subject baulks my flight, Until the God into my Breaft fhall mightier Thoughts infuse. III. When III. When the lewd Age, as ignorant as accurft, Scarce one of eithers Champions ventur'd to oppose; Till prompted with a generous Rage, IV. Successfully go on, T'inform and blefs Mankind as you've begun; The frantick World's imagin'd Joys to be, V. For, ah1 Forgive me Heaven, I blush to say't, VI. Until by you, VII. Oh, VII. Ob, could my Verfe, With equal Flights, to after-Times rehearse And Death it felf, wants Power to controul, Is the Divine Composure of my Soul; A Friendship fo exalted and immenfe, A Female Breast did ne'er before commence. Doggrel Oracle. Q. Whether ye bave told moft Stories falfe or true? OME tell me, I Athenian Crew, A. Whatever falfe before, 'tis now a true Story, That in your kind Notice we have reafon to glory. Q.2. Say whether if I do ye ftill believe, I do my Self, or you yours most deceive? A. If you a Poet born, you most deceive us, We're now at leaft fincere, and pray believe us! Q.3. Who is your Father in Divinity ? Or who your Mafter in Philofophy ? A. Who e'er in thofe, not you in Poetry. Q4. Whether your Questions be not most your own ? Or how your Coin from foreign may be known? A. Some Rays more bright in other Questions thine, Than in our own; Exempli grat. in thine. Q.5. Whether your Homage to the Female Things, To them, or to your felves, moft Pleasure brings? A. E'en much alike; tho', Sir, to tell you true, There's far more Pleafure in your wit and you. Q6. If your Advice will fave a Doctor's Fee, Or from a hungry Lawyer's Clutches free? A. Yes, if you'll ufe't; be temperate and poor, Thofe two Difeafes ne'er fhall vex you more. Q.7. Pray tell me why I am the only one Sought oft your Anfwers, but received none? A. Not A. Not out of difrefpect, pray don't mistake us ! But left the answering fo much wit thou'd break us. Q8. If I may hear from Athens in a Week, Or to fome other Oracle must feek. A. Wonder not, if more late our Anfwer come, You know a while the Oracle was dumb. Q. Or, to conclude, wou'd not a weekly Satyr Be a fit Inftrument to mend the Matter? A. Nay, if on Senfe you once begin to stumble, 'Tis time to part; your Friends and Servants bumble, &c. Q Tho' I'm fatisfied the Chri- | ftian Religion does directly tend to the Happiness of Mankind, both bere and hereafter; yet I defire your Answer to this Question: Whether, fince it has gain'd the Civil Power, it has been the occafion of more good or harm? A. The Chriftian Religion can never be faid to have been the neceffary and proper Cause of any Evil, or to have given any just occafion for't. Not but that occa fion may have been taken, where none has been really given, as Sin takes occafion by the Commandment: At least this is certain, that what's good can have no real, or neceffary Influence on the production of Evil; tho' Evil may accidentally cleave to itsProductions, as Sin first came into the World; and, as our Saviour fays, he came not to fend Peace but a Sword. 'Tis we then, who are called Chriftians, that have been the real Caufes of thofe Evils which have difturb'd the World, fince Chriftianity came into it; for to think that it felf has been the juft occafion of 'em, is as falfe in Morals, as the old Heathen Calumny was against 'em in natural Evils; when they used to charge the Chriftians, as the Caufes of Droughts and Earthquakes, and all Publick Ca lamities: What Mischief has been, is owing to the want of Chriftia nity, not to the Profeffion of it. And those who make this Obje ction, ought to confider the Confequence of it; for if Chriftian Religion has been more trouble. fome to the World fince it has been backt by Civi! Authority, than it was before, it's plain that it muft be owing to the Authority, not to the Religion; unless a good thing cou'd change it Nature, and grow mifchievous, meerly becaufe lawful Authority does eftablish and defend it. But we are apt to believe the quite contrary follows to what fome have afferted in thefe Matters; and that, as the Fathers have pleaded in the Cafe already mention'd, there have been fewer Mifchiefs in the World fince Chriftianity came to be eftablish'd, than there were before, as bad as we are, and as much degenerated by Profperity from the Primitive Chriftians, tho' tis certain that Christianity is ftill the fame. Many very ill Customs and Ulfages have been broken by Chriftian Emperors, as the bloody Sports of the Theatres and Gladiators; the pub lick allowance of the Stews, and fhameful Tribute from theas: a:ad |
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