are diverted from them; they being united only by Thought. And that the Collection the Soul makes of many Ideas by the Memory, which have been prefent, the Union whereof fubfifts no longer, is not lefs wonderful than the Mind's predicting many things which it has never feen nor heard of. This Opinion is refuted, by confidering that the Object of Prophecy relates to contingent things, which equally may or may not happen; which alfo abfolutely depends on the Freewill of Man, over which no Creature hath any power: therefore no one can foresee the Actions of free Intelligenbut that perfect Being which governs them; fo that the Spirit of Prophecy is only the Gift of God. Tho' grant ing it the immediate Gift of Heaven, it is the Opinion of many Perfons, it does not follow from thence but that fome natural Difpofitions are fitter ces, to receive it than others. Some of the Schoolmen, and Commentators upon Ariftotle, have thought that a fublime Mind and a great Soul, who has been well educated, is the most proper to penetrate into the Obfcurity of future Events. Yet thefe vain Notions are confounded by Experience, God having generally chofe his Prophets from amongst the most illiterate Perfons; probably left if he had bestow'd this Gift upon the learned, they (being naturally a little proud) might have look'd upon it as a Prerogative of a great Wit. As for that Opinion of the Antients, who thought Virginity might contribute to the Spirit of Prophecy, 'twas only caus'd by an effect of the Devil's Malice; who, to impose on the People, commanded what whoever approach'd his Altars, fhould abstain from this Commerce of Women: Vos quoque abeffe procul jubeo, difcedite ab aris And yet he took all forts of fand Chastity. Children do, and draw Conjectures from it. Altho' this plainly fhows that the Antients did not believe a great Genius a requifite Qualification for a Prophet: and therefore they chofe a Country-Maid, who was chafe and civilly educated for the Prieftefs of Apollo. And 'tis not improbable but the Devil made use of this Craft, the better to imitate the true Prophets; as Plutarch tells us, he X 3 once once caus'd Fire to fall from Heaven upon the Sacrifice of Paulus Æmilius in the Town of Amphipolis. Queft. I must beg your Opinion concerning an unhappy Gentlewoman of my Acquaintance, who had a Child by one who left her mifera ble. After which another Gentleman fell in love with her but would not marry her, because he knew her former Miscarriage; but they made ftrict Vows to God, and each other, in a Church, and at feveral other times: after which he own'd her for his Wife to all the World, and has had feveral Children by her. Neither have broke their Vows,but live faithfully with each other. The reafon of their not making use of the fet Form of Matrimony, is, because he can't bear the Reproach twould be to him, being a very high-spirited and paffionate Man. She doubts not of his Fidelity, only defires your Advice, in point of Religion, Whether he may come to the Sacrament, the Ceremony of the Matrimonial Words being only Law, and the Vow to God is all, which they have not broken? as Anfw. You feem to argue very warmly for your Acquain tance, as if you were nearly concern'd in the matter. But 'tis the fame, let it fall where 'twill. The Excufes here mention'd, being as common thofe of Clippers and other Offenders, who fancy they only break the King's Laws, which they flatter themfelyes is no Crime againft Heaven. The truth is, in both cafes they firft run into Wickedness; and then, when they find fomething within that won't let 'em reft, are always coining Excu fes to give 'em a little eafe, Nothing is more common than the cafe we here meet with, and 'tis impoffible to tell how many thousands have been ruin'd by the fame methods. Your Friend, it feems, was refolv'd to go on as he had begun, and to atone fome A&s of Folly with a Habit of Wickedness; fince nothing can be plainer than that she lives in a courfe of Fornication. Some Solemnity before Witness has been, in all Nations, accounted neceffary to Matrimony; whereas if Concubinage were fufficient, nay and this on a formal Compact, there would be ne'er a Whore in Venice. But befides this, the particular Laws of our Country. require a publick Contract for Life, as effential to Marriage; illegitimating whatever Children are born out of fuch lawful Wedlock: and there's no doubt but those who refift the jutt Ordinances of their Country, fhall receive to themselves Damna. tion. Not to add the Sin againft the Church as well as State, which as we have known feparated, fo may at any time be diftinguish'd from one another And this fame Church tells her, That whoever is in Adultery, or any other grievous Sin, are to epent before they come to that Holy Table, unless they'd eat and drink their own Damnation : And no Repentance certainly, while fhe goes on in her Sins. Queft I have left a young Lady's Affections, of a confiderable Fortune, by the Treachery of a preg tended Bofom Friend; who being fa miliar in the Family, has given her feveral forged Letters in my name, which he has refented fo ill, that I defpair of recovering my Intereft in her. Your Advice how I shall punish him, and recover her Favour, will oblige yours, &c. Anfw. 'Tis well if this Bofom-Friend of yours (a HeFriend we hope) ben't himself in love with the Lady: If he be, your best Revenge will be to undeceive and marry her. But the question is, how you fhall do it: If you can't fpeak with her, you must write to her, and vindicate your felf, or get fome better Friend than your former to undertake the Office. Queft. Gentlemen, your Anfwer is defir'd to thefe following Queries: 1. Whether it is the Duty of every good and humble Chriftian, to look upon himself to be the worst and greatest of Sinners? 2. How fuch a Man may with truth affirm himself to be fuch a one, becaufe perhaps he hears and fees others fwear and lye, and commit other grievous Sins which he commits not? Anf. No, it can never be any man's Duty to believe a Falfhood. St. Paul indeed fpeaks fomething of himself, that feems to found like what the Querift aims at; but he foon adds the reafon, because be perfecuted the Church of Chrift. 'Tis true, every Man ought to confider his own Sins with all their juft Aggravations, but he can never think 'twill please God to accufe himself where he is not guilty. Which is a falfe Humility, not that true Chriftian Temper which teaches us to think juftly, tho' moderately, of Things, and Perfons. We fay, a good Man can never be oblig'd to think or call himfelf what he is not; efpecially he ought to have a care he does not confefs that to God, which he does not believe himfelf, and would be very angry if any other fhould believe it of him: much less to call himfelf the worst of Sinners, when he believes himself one of the beft of Saints; nay, that the reft of Mankind are fhut up in God's wrath, which the Pharifees did believe, tho' the Publicans and Hariots fooner enter'd into Heaven. In short, our Judment is, that true Humility confifts chiefly in this; namely, making as large Allowances for the Weakneffes of others, and as little for our own; and on the other fide, magnifying another man's Virtues, even tho' he's our Enemy, and thinking as temperately and modeftly of our own Accomplishments, as will confift in both cafes with the Rules of Truth and Justice. Queft. A beneficed Clergyman being indebted to fevere Creditors, who will not accept of fuch Payments as his Circumstances enable him to make, is constrain'd to abTent from his Living to avoid a Prifon. Quære, Whether he ought to refign the Living, fince he cannot perfonally attend it; or, if he is not oblig'din Confcience to refign it, whether the Bishop may lawfully,cr. should in Confcience deprive him,an able Curate being kept upon the place? You are defir'd to confider this feriously, and answer it as fully as poffible, because it may afford X 4 matter matter for your farther difcuffing. Anfw. We hope this is not another old Gentleman; but if it be, we fhall endeavour to give it a juft Answer. He ought firft to confider with himself, whether his own Extravagance or Folly han't reduc'd him to fuch Extremities: there being not many Inftances where a Man keeps a good Reputation, that his Creditors will be fo violent as these are here reprefented, But however he finds it, he is not, we think, oblig'd immediately to refign; fince tho' he can't at prefent attend it in perfon, he may perhaps hereafter be in better Circumstances: nor is there any neceffity of its being neglected, tho' he himself can't be prefent at it; which if it be, and he leaves none to officiate, he virtually refigns it, tho' he makes no formal Refignation. Tho' we humbly conceive, his Ordinary is not oblig'd to deprive him nor can it fairly be done, if there be one who takes good care of his People in his abfence, un no a lefs in fuch a cafe where actual Refidence is requir'd, and no room for a Difpenfation; and this, fuppofing there are Immoralities, r. alledg'd and prov'd against him. For fhould things come to the worst, Sequeftration of the Profits of the Living might in time fatiffy his Creditors; and if it be confiderable, fome allowance made out of it for his own Neceffities: or upon fuch Agreement made, he himself might ferve the Cure, if it were not more advifable to get a Chap lain's Poft at Sea, or in the Army; the readiest way to recover his fhatter'd Fortunes. Queft. Some time fince a Brother of mine was in trouble, and I his Bail for a certain Sum of Money; which he not being able to pay, I was forc'd to pay it for him. This vex'd me fo much, that I wore, and made a folemn Vow to my felf, that whatever might happen to him for the future, I would never concern my felf to help or affift him as long as I liv'd. It now happens that my Brother is in great want, and has a great charge upon him; he has Friends that are kind to him, and by their means a good Place is offer'd him gratis, provided he could raise a Sum of Money to get clear of fome Debts. has made his application to me, and has alfogotten several of his Friends to fpeak to me to affift him in this his Extremity; offering me fuch Security, as I'm well fatisfy'd is enough for the Money requested: but I've refus'd all Propofals, without giving any other reason than that I would not do it. Pray be fo kind as to give me your Opinion, whether I ought to keep my Vow, or to relieve my Brother, for I'm like to follow your Directions. He Anfm. The Corban did not excufe the Jews from doing ought for their Relations. There's no more doubt but that your Vow was rafh, or that you therein oblig'd your felf to what was unnatural; for it can be no better, to let your Brother perish, when you are in a capacity of relieving him, even fuppofing him to be an ill Man, when it does not appear but his Poverty is his greateft Crime, Your Vow therefore being rath, rafh, and the matter of it, as has been faid; you are, we think, firft oblig'd to ask God pardon for making it, and then to relieve your Brother, if he can get no body elie to affift him in his extremity. Queft. If I undertake an Enterprize,and engage my felf by Oath to perform it, and recollecting my felf, upon fecond thoughts I alter my Refolution, thinking what I defign'd both dangerous and finful; Pray which of the two Evils fhould 1 chufe; to pursue my Defign, or break my Oath? Anfw. See the Anfwer to the foregoing Queftion. Queft, I was the night before Valentine's Day in company with two Gentlemen, who agreed with me to draw Valentines according to the ufual custom; and amongst feveral Ladies then nam'd, Iinferted my Miftrefs (whom I never can nor hall forget) whom 1 fo ftrangely fell in love vith, as I gave you an account in a former Mercury. Her Name being written as ufual, and eight others with her, we being very merry, one of the Company propos'd that we should folemnly wow by all the ways imaginable to endeavour the gaining that Perfon whofe Name we should happen to draw, and till their deaths never accept of any other. This we all agreed to, and the Names being roll'd up, I happen'd to draw my Miftrefs; and the other two Gentle men refolv'd to make good their Vow, and court the Lady that fell to their share, telling me I am obLig'd to the fame. Pray what shall I do in this matter? Anfw. Perjury is now grown fo common a Sin, that few fo much as ftartle at it, but will ftill run upon rafh, and fometimes impoffible Vows and Oaths, as if there were nothing Sacred in either, or any Curfe attending the breach of 'em. Thus in the prefent cafe one would have thought the Querift fhould have had work enough on his hands already, but yet it feems he was for cutting out more; for what would he have done, if his Miftrefs fhould have fallen to one of his Friends, and he had any other of the eight for his fhare? Nor has he any great reafon to flatter himself, that he fhall obtain her Perfon, becaufe blind Fortune has thrown him her Name. However, fince he's now faft by Vow, as well as Inclination, we know no way for him, but to take the advice we have already given him, to begin his attack again, and follow it with more vigour than ever; and after he has done all that lies in his power, if he won't have him, he's abfolv'd from his Vow, fince he never pretended to marry her whether the would or no. Queft. Some Ladies, very cautious about a Lye, are extremely defirous to know what it is? Anfw. 'Tis what they tell every day; and therefore why do they trouble us with fuch a Question? Queft. Many fcruple to Say Amen to the Comminations on Afhwednefday, because they think they do therein curse their Neighbours: whereas our Saviour bids us bless, and curfe not. Your Fudgment is defir'd in this matter. Answ, |