he plac'd his bearing Priefts and Gods, as others of 'em at Bethel. And a juft Curfe follow'd this Tribe for their Defection, being reduc'd to the lowest ebb for their Sins by the perpetual Incurfions of their Enemy; in whofe exact road they lay open to the Syrians, &c. as being on the utmost Northern Verge of Canaan, about Paneas and the Fountains of Jordan. And hence it seems they were in process of time fo much diminish'd, that the whole Tribe is omitted in the Recital of the Jewish Genealogies in the Chronicles; which Grotius thinks was alfo foretold in Amos 8. 14. They that fwear by the Sin of Samaria, and fay, Thy God, o Dan, liveth, &c. even they shall fall, and never rife up again. Ac. cordingly the fame Author tells us, from the Tradition of the Jews, that this Tribe was reduc'd to one Family, that of Huffim; and from Johannes Antiochenus, that those few of 'em who remain'd, at laft left their own Inheritance, and took fhelter among the Phenicians. And we may obferve, that even Ephraim is not here perfonally mention'd, but the Tribe of Jofeph instead of him; because the Ephraimites were alfo infamous for their Defection and Idolatry. And instead of Dan, Levi is added, for the roundnefs of the number Twelve, perhaps too for the mysterioufnefs of it; tho' he is generally omitted in the old Genealogies, because he had no Portion or Lot (comparatively nor together) as the rest of the Tribes: whereas, according to Hammond and Grotius, this difference was not taken away, and they were all in Christ. Queft. An Neglectus, &ci Whether the Neglect of the Canons and Conftitutions of our Fathers, be not the Caufe of the Sins and Vices of the Age; particularly of Canon 13, 35, 59? Anfw. There's no doubt, if those wholefom Laws were once juftly and impartially executed, and the fpiritual Sword were drawn on all fuch juft occafions, and no other, but we should foon fee a new face of things in our once virtuous and religious Ifland. For the Relaxation of Discipline muft needs caufe a prodigious Increafe to all Debauchery and Mifchief; and to have good Ecclefiaftical Laws at the end of our Prayer-Books, will do no more good than other Laws in our Statute-Books, if they ben't put in execution. And no wonder fome People are fo very angry with thofe Courts, whofe bufinefs 'tis to do it; nor any thing ftrange if they too fhould be corrupted in the general Depravity of the Nation; nor that fome Gentlemen who care for no Yoke, but are for a Virtuofo fort of Religion, ferve God or let it alone, fhould be willing and earnest to get this Rod burnt, which one time or other may happen to make 'em fmart for their Lewdnefs: for what have they to do to plead tender Confciences, who fhow by their Actions they have no Confcience at all; or at leaft, if they e'er had any, have harden'd it into the fame metal with their Laws? Nor S 2 would would there be any need to call in the fecular Sword, were but the fpiritual well manag'd; nor would Chrift be wanting to his Church: but we are apt to believe, both from Experience and Reason, that a juft Excommunication would have vifible effects on those who now fo much defpife it, as we are fure it had in the Primitive Church, even after the times of the Apoftles, and Ananias and Sapphira, who were punifh'd even with Death it felf for Sacrilege under the Gospel. As for those Canons the Querift mentions, there's no doubt but they'd have a great influence on Manners, if duly executed; as we think there's no Christian Nation in the world, befides the English, who make fuch Laws only to break 'em. Particularly Canon 13. Of due Celebration of Sundays and Holydays; wherein 'tis requir'd, That all manner of Perfons 'within the Church of England fhall henceforth celebrate and keep the Lord's Day, commonly call'd Sunday, and other Holydays, according to • God's holy Will and Pleasure, and the Orders of the Church of England prefcribd in that behalf; that is, in hearing the Word of God read and taught, in private and publick Prayers, in acknowledgement of their Offences to • God, and amendment of the fame, in reconciling themfelves charitably to their Neighbours, where difpleafure has been; in oftentimes (therefore more than once or twice, or even thrice a year) receiving the Communion of 'the Body and Blood of Chrift: in vifiting of the Poor and Sick, and ufing all fober and godly Converfation.' Here's one Canon, which alone, if practis'd, would do the business, and reduce us to primitive Piety and Vertue. It obliges, we fee fall manner of Perfons within the Church of England:] thofe therefore who yield it no obedience, muft not pretend to be of that Church, which finds other employment for her Members on Sundays, than walking in the Fields in time of Divine Service, or making the Taverns the Church; which thousands do fo often, till we may almost believe they have forgot there's any other. And as this Canon relates to all Chriftians, fo does the 35th to Minifters, and the Examination of fuch as are to enter into that Sacred Office; which, as Dr. Donne fays, if a King thinks himself too good for, he's not good enough. And that thofe. who are in it, may not difgrace their Character, this Canon is very flrict as to their Examination; which, what it has been formerly we know not, being our felves but just come into the world, but are fure 'tis now as ftrict and folemn as poffible; and have known feveral Perfons, fome of no ordinary Birth, others of no contemptible Learning, who have been put by, when approaching the Altar, for want of other requifite Qualifications. And the People ought to know that they have ftill fo much of a negative Voice in the Ordination of of Minifters, that if they can object any thing against the Manners of a Clerk, and make it good, he fhall be deny'd his Orders and his Majefty has fince his coming to the Crown, in his Letter to the Bishops, particularly requir'd 'em to take more than ordinary care of this Canon, as well as of the Preferment of thofe Clerks who are under their Infpection, according to their Piety and Learning; which he affures 'em fhall be his own measure in fuch Preferments as are in the Crown. And let Envy it felf be judge whether that Promise han't been moft facredly perform'd! The third Canon is the 59th. Ministers to catechize every Sunday, (not once or twice in Lent only.) And this is conceiv'd in as ftrict Expreffions as any of the reft: That every Parfon, Vicar, or Cu" rate, fhall upon every Sun• day and Holyday, before Evening Prayer, for half an hour or more, examine and inftruct the Youth and ignorant Perfons of his Parish, in the Ten Commandments, the Articles of his Belief, and the Lord's Prayer, (perhaps all the old Catechifms, if not more) and fhall diligently hear, inftruct, and teach them the Catechifm fet forth · in the Book of CommonPrayer, (which, by the way, none defpife but thofe that do not understand it, and are unjuftly prejudic'd against it.) And it goes on: All Fathers, Mothers, Mafters and Miftreffes, fhall caufe their Children, Servants, and Appren tices, which have not learnt the Catechifm, to come to the Church at the time appointed, obediently to hear, and be order'd by the Mini'fter, until they have learnt the fame :' which if the Mi nifter neglect, he's to be firft admonish'd, then fufpended; at laft, if he perfift, excommunicated: and Mafters and Miftreffes, c. to be dealt with in the fame manner. Nor let us fancy this an antiquated Canon, like that of Priests Coats or Night caps; for the Obligation must be perpetual as well as the Reason. "Tis true, it lies hard upon the Minifter where there is but one, as in moft Country Cures; and he's oblig'd himself to read Prayers, and preach twice, nay often three times a Sunday, and ride feveral miles befides, as is, to our knowledge, the cafe in many places of the Nation, at a distance from London. All that can be done there is to do all he can, as long as the Day and his Strength hold; and fatify himself that how much fo ever he's defpis'd, whate'er he fuffers here, if he confcientioufly difcharge his Duty in others, as well as this muchneglected Inftance, he knows who has faid, Great shall be his Reward in Heaven. Queft. Whether Innkeepers,Vintners, and all those who keep Publick-Houfes, which in themselves are not only very convenient, but even almost necessary to the Publick, as well as in themselves lawful Trades, when only follow'd on needful occafions, whether they can be fo now,as they are corrupted; fince S 3 they they make their chief advantage from the Sins of others, and confequently 'tis often their business to draw more into excefs, tho' abfolutelyforbidden by the Word of God, and Jo many fevere Threatnings against it: and many Men live in habits of this Sin for many years. Pray tell me whether thefe can be faid to be in a ftate of Salvation? confequently whether they ought not to be debarr'd the Communion, when they ne'er fo muchas intend to forego this Courfe of Life, and therefore can be no true Penitents? Anfw. Any Habit of Sin, there's no queftion, to a Protefiant, will conclude a Man in a State of eternal Mifery, without true Repentance; and thofe moft furely, wherein Men not only do ill things, and have pleasure in thofe that do them, but even perfuade, and almoft force others to fin; going further that way, we are inclin'd to believe, than even the Devil himself can do. And this not only in Publick Houfes, but in private too; it having been for many years almoft the only welcome the English give one another, to make the Gueft as great a Beaft as the Inviter. They deal with one another in drinking as the Abyfine Emperors and Nobility are dealt with in eating: They don't help themselves, but the Children and Waiters, as Ludolphus tells us, cram 'em with Meat; and if any drops upon the Table, up it goes again, a little more moilten'd than before, and not a gobbet to be loft. And this doubtless they think fine Eating, and a princely Entertainment, as well as our Drunkards do here, to turn Li quors into one another's Hogfheads, till the Hoops are ready to fly off. Which he who does, and continues to do, doubtless he's no more fit for the Sacrament, than he is for Heaven. And the Minifter's Duty in that cafe is fufficiently plain from the Rubrick; That if any of those who intend to communicate be an open and ⚫ notorious evil Liver, or have 'done any wrong to his Neighbour by Word or Deed, fo that the Congregation be offended; the Curate, having knowledge thereof, fhall call him, and advertise him, that in any wife he prefume 'not to come to the Lord's Table, till he hath openly declar'd himself to have truly repented and amended, c. Queft. Whether there's any Infeet which shines in the dark befides a Glow-worm; because the Querift lately found a fort of a longifh black Fly, different from a Glow-worm, which hines in the dark in the fame manner ? Anfw. Afhrewd knotty Queftion, that needs a whole Society of Oedipus's to refolve it. But left they fhould not be found, and we not able, we defire the Querift to read it over himself once more, and fee what he can make on't. Queft. A Man dying worth 7000l. willed that if the Child his Wife went with, prov'd a Boy, he should have two Thirds of the faid 7000 and his Wife one Third: if it prov'd a Girl, he should have but one Third, and his Wife two Thirds. But it happen'd, his Wife was deliver'd of both a Boy Boy and a Girl at one Birth. I defire to know how the faid 7000l. Should be difpos'd of according to the Teftator's Will? Anfw. To be exact, Let the Boy lofe two Thirds of what he was to have of the 7000l. as often as the Mother and Daughter lofe one Third a piece of what they were to have; and then the Calculation will be exact, and agreeable to the true Intent of the Will: we can't ha'while to work it out our felves. Queft. Meeting the other Day with your Mercury, which treats of Owndle-well, I was in hopes you had been fo kind as to have anfwer'd my former Requeft. But, finding there only a bare Relation of its drumming, I am forc'd to give you this fecond Trouble, to remind you, That my Intreaty was not to be inform'd of the Hiftory of that Noife, (which, perhaps, 1 understood before as well, even as he, from whom bad you Relation) but of the Philofophy and Prefignification of it. Let me therefore prevail with you to anfwer thefe following Particulars. your 1. Whence fo frange a Sound can proceed, the Water yet remaining (as I know it uses to be) almost perfectly smooth? 2. How it should come to be fo regular, as to resemble a March? 3. What can be the Caufe of its fo uncertain returns? 4. Whether they prefignify any future Events? And what those be conceiv'd to be? may And because your Relator has omitted one quality of this Well, which is, that it is reckon'd much the heft Water thereabouts for making Milk pottage, and is therefore fent for through the feveral Paris of the Town for that Ufe, I am at a loss to know. 5. Ohat there is peculiar to this Water, that makes it fo fingularly proper for this purpofe? Anfw. 1. As for the Drumming, we look upon the Cause to be natural, (tho' we don't deny it in fome fenfe to be fupernatural) the Caufe very probably may be Vapours, proceeding out of the Earth into the Sides of the Well; and it may be eafily try'd in the Night by a Candle let down (on every fide) within the Well: As yet we can give no other Account. the 2. If the fore-mention'd Vapours by the Caufe, Eruptions may be so fituated, as to be regular as well as irregular. 3. If the firft Suppofition be true, it must be the Crifes of the Fermentations of the Earth, which feed Vapours; and, according as the Matter comes to fuch a quantity, which may be longer or fhorter in gathering, accordingly it has the above-mention'd effect. 4. We can't tell you that, but this we are affur'd, that feveral Accidents happen immediately after fuch Events; which would have done fo, if thofe things never had been, because they proceed from another Caufe. 5. Water is always better or worfe, according as it imbibes the Nature of Places through which it paffes; twould be too long to treat diftinctly of 'em here. S 4 Quest |