fay, Whether a wife Man can be | Parents, not allowing me Ne ceffaries; but chiefly my Difcontent arifes from the hiding of God's Face from me, and being deftitute of all Senfe of his Mercy in my Applications to him. 4. In further Answer to your Queftion, we add, That a Suppofition of Unkindness from Parents in not allowing Neceffaries, may be as well an Error of your judgment, as of theirs; and 'tis much the like a wife Man and a Fool at one time? But perhaps the Querifts Senfe was thus, Whether a Man may act prudently, if he has a Complacency in himfelf for making a fine Harangue? To which we anfwer, That all things are good or bad; if his Harangue was good and moral, he had Reafon to rejoice at it, but he ought not to praise himfelf for it, but think of St. Paul's Queftion, What have welier of the Two; for nothing that we have not received? If the Harangue was wicked and immoral, for Wit changes not its Nature, but rather makes it worfe) then the Cafe is quite alter'd, and there's Occafion enough for Self-regret and Dilpleasure. Q. Having heard that there is a Part of the Hebrew Jofephus till extant in the Vatican at Rome but the Reverend Dr. Burnet doubting of it: I defire to know whether that is a real Part of it or not? is abfolutely neceffary in this World, but a moderately Competency of Cloth and Bread; as for Expences, they are not very neceffary amongst Vertuous Companions, who may either Converfe privately, or (which most adds to the Happinefs of Converse) walking together, if the Difpofition of the Body will bear it ; and if Nature would want Refreshment in thofe Intervals, it may be prevented before Hand. Take this for an Infallible 4. That Ingenious Great Maxim, He that cannot be ConMan having doubted of the Re- tent in a mean Condition, canport, we than't pretend to give not be fatisfied in a great one; our Opinion after him, unlefs for 'tis not the Condition in the fame Words; for every which in its felf affords Satisone knows the great Learning faction, but a quiet, peaceful, he has, the Inquifitiveness of refigning Breft; if that be dif his Nature, and the Opportu- ordered, all Enjoyments elfe are nities he had to be fatisfie of only Nominal, and carry but a the reasonableness or unreafon-bare Appearance of Good ableness of the Relation, ren-But fuppole an unreasonableder'd him as capable a Judge nefs of the Parent in the above of it as any Perlon living. mentioned Cafe, you ought not Q. Since you have given me to be disturbed, fince 'tis the the Encouragement of a further Performance of your own DuAufwer upon a particular Re- ty that is the Teft of your lation of the Nature and Occa- Happiness or Unhappiness. Fons of my Difpair, I shall here Epictetus (that great Man, I add, that 'tis the unkindness of had like to have faid more) divides its adequate and proper Object too, which is GOD, if we fhould lay the Scripture by, this may be proved by Realon; for the Diffatisfaction that all other Objects afford, fhows that there's not a due Propor 63 divides all things into two Refemblances of the great OClaffes, viz. Such as are in our riginal) if we miss this, we own Power, or fuch as are out mifs all, and all that we do is of our Difpole. Of the firft, in vain; nor is there any thing he reckons up the Goods of elfe that can make us happy, the Mind, as Learning, Meek- because there muit be a Pronefs, Temperance, Courage, portion betwixt every Power &c. Of the laft, the Goods of and its Object; we distinguish Fortune, (with Chriftians, of not Sounds by the Eyes, nor Providence) as Preferments, Smells by the Ear, but remit Honours, Friends, Relations, every thing to its Proper Senfe. &c. If we are irregular in Now the Mind of Man, ftrictthe firit, we have Reafon to bely fpeaking, being the Man, difturb'd, but only fo far as to(for the Body differs only in its take a greater Care for the Shape from Bruits, being fenFuture, and keep a nearer fual, weak, &c. ) it must have Watch over our felves. If we are disturb'd in the laft, by Loffes or Difappointments of 'em, the Fault deferves I know not whether more Pity or Ridicule; who cries for the Snow in Winter, or the Hea in Summer? Or who's fo di-tion betwixt them and the ftracted as to promife himfelf Soul; for if fo, it would fix to efcape Death, the common there, and feek no further; Lot of all Mankind. If your as the Needle touched with Parents Unreasonableneis is out the Loaditone, is never at reft of your Power to alter, "all that | till it meets with the Northernyou have to do, is to carry | Pole, but then it fixes from faryour felf like a wife honest ther Rambling; now the De→ Man, that is, Secure your own fpair of meeting this great and Duty, and not vex at Impof- only adequate Object, as in the fibilities. As for the other prefent Cafe, may well meet Branch of your Diicontent, with the utmon Horrour and DifViz. Defpair of God's Mer-content; but in Order to Recy, and the hiding his Face gulation of the Querifts, and, from you, this indeed is more other Perfons Diftractions, that fcting to rational Beings may he under the fame Inquiehan a complicated Heap of all rude, we lay down the followhe Mileries, Loffes, Confine-ing Rules. ments, Difappointments, and every thing elfe that we can give the Title of Horror; for En Enjoyment of the fupream Fit, That the Troubles for want of fuch a Happinels are the first Step to the Attainment of it. No Person will purfus · glimmering Light which we fee in the Body of the Moor, when totally eclips'd? A. It proceeds from those refracted Rays which from the ambient Air ftrike upon the Body of the Moon, tho' the Sun fhines not immediately upon it Secondly, The Senfe of this Unhappiness muft either be from the Spirit of GOD, or the Suggestions of the Devil; if the fift, 'tis an Argument of Sonfhip and Adoption, and ought to be fo received, with this Effect upon you, a greater Care and Encouragement in your Duty. If the laft, 'tis an Argument your Cafe is yet the Better, for the Devil difturbs no Body that he is fecure of, but to thofe that he's a-paratively to what it was befraid of lofing, he makes good his old Character, That he is a Lyar from the Beginning. Thirdly, That a Senfe of the Difpleasure of GOD, and the hiding of his Face, is the Cafe of many of his People; fee the Example of the whole Church in Solomon's Song, as alfo in the Lamentations; and for particular Perfons, fee David, a Man after God's own Heart, and our Saviour himfelf upon the Crofs. Q. How comes a Fright to bring a drunken Man to his Senfes agen? -as when we hold our Hand or any other Object before a Candle, especially if at fome Distance from it, tho' it darkens the oppofite Wall com fore, yet 'tis ftill much Lighter than if there were no Candle at all in the Room. Q. What causes the Union of Soul and Body, of fuch different Natures, one an active immaterial Subftance, the other unactive lumpio Clay? 4. Nothing but that Divine Power who made both; nor perhaps does any one elfe certainly know the Manner of this miraculous Union, he having left fome things in Nature beyond the Reach of humane Curiofity, on Purpose to point out a fuperiour Agent and first Being, as necessary in Philofophy as in Divinity or Policy either. 4. We Question whether it will do fo, they having feldom Wit enough to be afraid: But if it does, this may be affign'd Q. If a Man has a Brother, as a probable Reafon thereof; by Nature or Affinity, that owes The Vapours which fly to the Two or Three "Hundred Pound, Head from Stomach, (as the and is not Worth half fo much, Spirits in bottled Ale) in a but goes off with all, with an continued Stream, are by fuch Intention to pay none, or not a Fright checkt in their Mo- half he's able He depofits this tion, and return agen together with a Brother, confiding in with the Spirits and Blood to him, and won't be perfuaded to wards the Heart, which lea-pay as far as it goes: Whether ving the Head freer than be- or no the Brother be oblig'd in fore, may bring 'em a little to Point of Honefty to do Fuftice to their Senfes. the Creditors, in revealing this Money? Q. Whence proceeds that plexions, Features, or common inclinations of different Men, one whereof levés one fort of Fruit or Meat better than another, tho' all the World can tell no Reason why. Q. Why Adam and Eve after the Fall few'd Fig-leaves together, and made themfelves Aprons ? A. Why do Men now fow Cloth together to make themfelves Breeches? Q. Is there any fuch thing as Natural Modefty (in the Cafe above-mentioned) and has not Bergerac Reafon for that contrary Custom which he introdu ces in his World in the Sun? A. The very Question is its own Answer. Every one is obliged to do Juftice, if even himlelf is concern'd, and no Brother can be nearer. He may as well be acceffary to a Robbery as a Cheat; for this is no better, and he is no other; nay, 'tis in fome fort worse than a Robbery on the High Way that I may guard my felf from, but Breach of Faith I cannot; and indeed it feems a Hardship in our Laws, that a poor Shoplift fhou'd be hang'd for breaking in and pilfering a few Goods, not perhaps Five Pound; nay, not perhaps Twenty Shillings Value; and yet one that takes One Hundred, Two Hundred, or a Thousand pounds Worth, after having rioted away one Part of it, thou'd with Impunity carry off the other in the Mint or Fryars, and fend it go-mends it himielf, have practifing after thefame Rate, or elle ed it, he wou'd have been depofit it in a fecond or third chain'd for his Pains, and treaHand, who, if he keeps it ted like a Mad-man as he was, from the Creditors, is just as almost in any Part of our honest as the Pick-pockets Re- World. But 'tis no Wonder ceiver, who hands away the to find one ridicule Modefty, Prey which his Brother Rogue who does as much by Piety it has angled for. felf, any more than that our Q. What's the Reafon of Atheistical Sparks fhou'd follow hating Cheese, and other Antipa-hs Steps, and when they had thies? 4. Very often we believe, nothing in the World but an inveterate Cuftom. Sometimes it has, we own, a deeper Root, and may probably fpring from fome Defire or Averfion in the pregnant Mother. At others, tis an Occult Quality, that is, inplain English, No Body knows what, but a Thing as purely uniccountable as the Com 4. That. Cuftom may do well. enough in an Imaginary World, but will hardly ever take in a World inhabited by any thing that's Humane-and thou'd that mad Author who recom first parted with Religion, fend their fmall Humanity after it. But let 'em fay what they pleafe, there is still fuch a Thing as Natural Modefly, if we can ever know what is Natural, and there certainly muit be fo, which all Nations. and all Men Practile, and own to be fo. They can't have Modefty in Climates where there's no Neccility, and if thue there ftou'd be any found fo ing, when he knew not what bruitifh as to be willing to neg-to make of the Literal. Nor lect it, Nature her felf has have most of the Attempts fince done it for 'em in fuch a Man-made, been more fuccefsful to ner as he has not to any of the rest of the World. Q. Whether it would not be bigbly beneficial to Piety, if the London Divines wou'd meet, and take each of 'em a particular Vice, in the fame Manner as they agreed upon controverted Points in the Two laft Reigns, and each handle his Point with all the Charms of facred Eloquence and Holy Zeal imaginable, fince the common, lifeless and infipid Difcourfes on thofe Subjects never make any deep or lafting Impreffions on the Minds of the Readers? A. They have already done what may be almoft equivalent to this Propofal, in Obedience to Authority, all their Pulpits having been employ'd as the Queriit would have the Preffes; and if those Difcourfes which have been there made, were but that way render'd more Publick, they might go very far in helping forward that Great Reformation of Manners, which the State is fo earneft to accomplish, and all good Men to much defire. Q. How was't poffible that the Dew of Hermon fhou'd defcend upon the Mountains of Sion, when thofe Places are at least a Hundred Miles diftant from each other? 2 any remove one of those Mountains and fet it a little nearer the other. Some fay 'tis the fame fpecifical, though not individual Dew, at which rate we may fay, The -Dew of Tenariff defcends upon HighgateHill, but how naturally let judge. Our laft Tranflation, I confefs, does the Business, though a little too effectually, adding fome Words to clear the Senfe, which are not in the Original. Our Opinion in this Cafe, with all due Refpect and Deference for greater Men of a different Judgment, is, That by the Mountains of Sion here, are meant the Mountains of Gilead, which were part of the Kingdom of Sihon, King of the Amorites, and which are just under Hermon, and that the Word Sion here crept in by the Mistake of the Tranfcriber inftead of Sihon, their Sound being the fame, or very near, though there are fome Letters differing in the Writing. Our Reafons for this Interpretation are, First, The Impoffibility (as it appears to us) of giving any other tolerable Solution of the Place, all thoie already brought being fo Unfatisfactory. Secondly, The Appofiteness of the Metaphor, and the AgreeA. This Question, among o- ment it has with that juit bethers, fo puzzled St. Auftin, fore produc'd. The Pfalmift that the good Father, as was there compares Unity, firft, To usual in thofe Cafes, Allego- the Holy Ointment which from izes away all the Difficulty, Aarons Head, ran down to his and finds out a mystical Mean-Beard, and thence to the Skirts of |