ferrable before it, and yet we are unwilling to have an equal Regard to humane Contrivance, with the glorious Works of God. Your fecond Thoughts on this Subject are therefore defired by fome that are greatly in Love with the Lunar Influence?

Anfw. We can't recant what we have faid on this Subject, till we fee better Caufe than what this Letter offers: It may be further urged, that tho' the Moon may want her Light for fome Time in the Month, yet its no fair Confequence that God made her in vain, at leaft for that Time; for fuch a Change does very remarkably fignalize the Power of God, and confequently gives us thereby Occafion to glorify him: But why fhould we argue that Things are in vain, that to us are invifible, or unaccountable? What then becomes of the late Discovery of that Infinity of Stars in Via leftea, by Telefcopes, if they were made in vain for fo long a Time; (which yet we can't grant till we know whether there are more Worlds above us to which they might be ferviceable;) 'tis yet more Honour to the Maker, that we can make new Difcoveries of his Works, which therefore are not in vain, fince they anfwer that End. But to the Tides, 'tis evident enough the Moon is not the Caufe of 'em ; for as the learned Dr. Wallis has very well obferv'd in his Letter to Mr. Boyle, (Royal Tranfact. N. 16. p. 263.) That if this fancy'd magnetick Vertue, which fome would afcribe to the Moon, does draw the

Waters to it. or drive them from it, it wou'd be always High-water when the Moon is vertical, and Vice verfa, which are both falfe, and it wou'd be witht that this great Man's Hypothefis of the Earth's Motion making the Tides, had been as firm, as 'tis full of Wit and acute Invention: But it will be hard for him, (or be fore him for Galileus) to give us any Reason why the Earth's Motion fhou'd influence and throw thofe vaft Waters, first one way, and then another, when the largest Meres we have in England, or other Countries, (which have no Communication with the Sea) remain fteddy and unmoveable, notwithstanding they are commonly fine and thinner than the Water of the Sea; but 'tis easier to find very good Obje

ions, than lay down a true Hypothefis in this, or many other Cafes, therefore we fhall fay no more of it.

Queft. I read about a Week ago your Answer to a Question concerning the Eternity of the World, which you refolved in the Negative. The Arguments you made use of were very inge. nious and very good, notwithStanding I found Place for the following Objection: Viz..

The Will of God to create the World was certainly e⚫ternal; that is, from all Eternity God had the Will to create the World; the Effect of that Will could not be feparated from the Will it felf by any Time; (there being no Time) therefore the Effect of that Will to create the • World

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• World (that is the Creation of the World it felf) not being feparable from the Will it felf, muft of Confequence have been as eternal as the Will it felf.

Anfw. If the Divine Being is One unfucceffive, and unalterable in his Nature, free from the Power of Time or Place, and therefore moft properly call'd in facred Writ, I am; which alfo further informs us, that a thousand Years are but the fame Thing to him as one Day, and Vice verfa, it follows that this is vain, and fo convertible that the quite contrary Inference might be drawn from it; for if God's Will cou'd not be feparated from the Effect by any Time, when Time was not, how cou'd it be join'd to the Effect of making a great Part of the World, in any Time before Time was; for the Sun, Moon and Stars, which are the proper Measure of Time, were not firft made: But all this is Quibble and Noife, and the Knot is eafily unty'd, for if God's Will cou'd not be feparated from the Effect by any Time when Time was not, it might be fufpended according to the Circumftances of how and when, which his Will alfo at the fame Inftant determin'd. Those that will take the Pains to read that incomparable Piece, entituled, The Bulk and Selvidge of the World, may have

more Satisfaction about the Du ration of Time, Eternity, &c. than they can eafily promife themselves, after the Difficulties that Dr. More and others have embarrass'd thole Subjects withal.

Queft. Gentlemen', Confider the meaning of the 21, and 22. Verfes of Exodus, and pray your Judgments thereon-Whether all wilful Abortions are actually Murder?

Anfw. Abortions or willful Mifcarriages by Phyfick are not countenanced by this Text, that being Murder in the Intention, tho' it cannot be actually Murder, because the Text makes this pofitive Difference; if a Woman fortuitously or by fome Chance be caused to mifcarry, if no further Mischief enfue, but only the Loss of her unripe or unlive Fruit, then a Fine muft be paid; therefore the that caufes her own Mifcarriage wilfully, deferves corporal Punishment, and great Repentance is required to obtain Pardon of God; but if the Fruit or Child was alive, then Life was to go for Life, it was Murder in Fact: This Law was moft wifely ordained to reftrain the Rigour of Husbands, who would profecute another Man to Death for any Thing that could be pretended a Mifcarriage, tho' it were a false Conception, Mola, or a monstrous Embrio.

Queft. A Lady of an extraordinary Shape, (but inclining to fat) fears her Fat may grow exceffive, and therefore defires your Advice, what she shall do in that Cafe? and in case you (in your next Mercury) will prefcribe a Method for obtaining her Defire, (viz.) stopping, or (rather leffening) her Fat, a way will be found out for an ample Requitat of fuch a Favour, provided you prefcribe a practicable Method.

Answ

Gentlemen, I cou'd not tell how to make you understand me in fewer Words, but if you please, this is the Subftance of what 1 defire, whether I am perjur'd, it being a cuftomary Oath, and in a publick Concern? How far, or whether my Oath to the Mother of the first Woman was binding, the Daughter not long after was contracted to another? Whether I was guilty of Breach of Promife in the fecond, and whether I am oblig'd to marry the third, or whether I may marry any other who will enable me to pay my Debts, and make Reftitution to my Sifters, &'c. Whether my Mother's Curfe (the repenting) be of any Validity? Whether I ought to receive the Sacrament in the State I am now in, I mean upon an unfeigned Repentance of my Sins palt, untill I am confirmed by a Bishop? Gentlemen, I do humbly defire your Advice in thefe Diftractions, and am refolv'd to follow your Directions, and if ever I am in a Capacity will find out fome Way to acknowledge your Kindness: I am, Gentlemen, your unfortunate Supplicant, but hope much Comfort from your Advice?

Anfw. As to the Matter of Accounts, Swearing where you believ'd (or was not perfwaded but that) you forfwore your felf, if it is not to the Injury of any Body, your Sin was only againft God Almighty, and must be confefs'd to him, and begg'd Pardon for; if it was in order to injure any Perfon, you ought to make Reftitution, or refolve to do it

fo foon as you can. As for your Promife and Oath to the Mother of the first Woman, it was a Wickedness if you did not defign what you faid, but 'twas no Contract with the Daughter; however, the Daughter being afterwards contracted to another, your Obligation ceases. As for your Promife to the fecond, your Sin was breaking your Promife with the Mother, and living fo ill as to difcourage her from giving you Entertainment, which probably the would not have done, if you had acted otherwise. As for your Obligations to the third Lady, if you had not enjoy'd her but upon Condition of Marriage, you ought to proceed and fatisfy the World publickly, notwithstanding the unhappy and mean Circumftances attending; but if otherwife, 'tis our Opinion that you are free, for Marriage is a facred Inftitution, and its Ends are ill anfwer'd in tying ones felf to an Adultress, at least one that has not given very good Evidence of Repentance for being fo. As to your marrying a fourth, it depends upon your Management of the third, and what has pafs'd betwixt you, which you have not been particular enough in to give us a true Notion of the State of the Cafe, which therefore we defire you wou'd open to fome learned Divine for your Refolution. As to your Mother's Curse, you may affure your felf it can have no Influence upon your Soul, if you repent and become

a good

a good Man, we know not what it may as to your Body or temporal Concerns, for its a more dreadful Thing to be difobedient to Parents, and turn their Bleffings into Curfes than every Body thinks of: As for your Repentance, you ought to be as particular and refolv'd as you can, before you approach the Sacrament, and it wou'd be very well to have a particular Spiritual Guide always ready at Hand to confult with upon Occafion. You ought to be confirm'd before you communicate, (if you can conveniently) 'tis the Order Chrift's Church has obferv'd, which is all we think you have demanded of us.

Queft. In Chefhire their is a River called Dee, this River upon the Fall of much Rain rifeth but little, but if the South Wind beat long upon it, it fwells and overflows the Ground adjoining; I defire your Answer.

Anfw. The Wind driving the Sea round, will raise the Waves higher than the Access of Waters, therefore it's not to be wonder'd it fhould effect the fame on this River.

Queft. 'Tis reported that the Compofition whereof China Ware is made, lyes many Years under Ground before it is fit for that Use: What is your Opinion? Can you tell the Compofition? Anfw. The Compofition is Powder of Glafs, calcin'd Bones, Powder of Lead, and Red, White, Yellow, or other Earths, according to the Colour you defign; thefe are

melted in a Furnace like as Glafs at our Glafs-houses, and it becomes a fluid Metal, which they caft in Claymoulds environ'd with Lead, and when cold is this vitrified Earth or China Ware: Whereas the Outfide only of our fine earthen Ware is glased with fuch a Sort of Compofition.

Queft. Whether a ftritt Care of the Education of all Children, and conftant, certain and proper Employments, would not more successfully root out Vice, than all the Pains and Terrors of Punishments?

Anfw. If Education cou'd confer Grace and Virtue, ex opero operato, as the Schoolmen jabber, there wou'd be no doubt of what the Gentleman fuppofes in his Query, because Love is a more ingenious, and a more forcible Motive than Fear

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But confidering the Nature of Man, the Fear of Punishment is at least as neceffary to reftrain him from ill Things, as the Love of Virtue or Hope of Reward. Adam was purely innocent, than any Child can be fuppofed, tho' never fo ftrictly educated, and had fuch Principles of Knowledge and Goodness created with him, or infpired into him (as all but a few Hereticks unanimoufly believe) as might have been more than equivalent to the beft Education, and yet God Almighty himself thought fit to threaten Death to preferve him in his Obedience; and tho' even this did not keep our firft Parents from finning, yet it preferv'd them a few Moments more in their