A. Coffee (as all Berries) is Stomachick; Tobacco a Mafticatory; both moderately taken, are Beneficial, and difcharge the Redundant Serocities by the Salival Glands: But however, Coffee to Excefs, is very prejudicial to the Seminal Vertue; for I knew a Gentlewoman that drank much Coffee, and her Children were imperfect, weak and ill-fhap'd; Nature, by the aforemention'd Excefs, as Phyficians believed, being thereby too much weakened for a perfect Formation.

Q. Why a Horfe with a round Fundament emits a Square Excrement?

the Figure upon the Analagous tues, especially in the Female Sex?
part of the Fatus. As to Long.
ing, which Phyficians call Pica.
or an unreasonable Appetite or
Longing for Coals, Afhes, Pitch,
Clay, &c. is caufed by the Sup-
preffion and Stagnation of the
Menfes in the Uterine Veffels,
from whence enfues a Cachexia
or an ill Habit of Body, and a
Depravation of the Faculties,
which affects the Parts with an
unnatural Difpofition not to be
qualified without fuch unac-
countable or fantastick Diet.
As to Swooning at the fight of
a Cat, . it proceeds chiefly
from the fame Cause as Mark-
ing; for the Rational Soul is
not at all concerned in the A-
ction, because it is against Rea-
fon, but 'tis the Operation, of A. The Cells of the Colon form
the Senfitive Soul: We fhan't the Faces into Oblong Cakes, and
fly to the old Subterfuge of protrude them into the Rectum,
Hereditarinefs, the firft of the from whence they are exonera
Family had. fome other Cause. ted by Sphincter ani, which does
Thus then, as Plants, c. are not form them in the Extrusion,
bent and turned into any Shape the Orifice being big enough to
or Figure, which they never exonerate feveral of them at
diveft when they are Trees; once. They are formed qua-
fo the Prejudice of Education drangularly in the Rectum, by
by Nurfes who are ufed to
threaten the Infant with Bug-
bears, Lyons, Cats, c. may
imprefs fuch a Refentment and
Fear, as Age can never get off;
if a Cat had been the only
Object of this habitual Terror,
we might have fuppofed thofe
Effluviums and Glarings which
are proper to that Species, might
be the Efficient Caufe. But we
have Instances of other Crea-
tures that emit no Effluviums,
&c.

Q. Whether Coffee and Tobacco are not prejudicial to the Seminal Ver

Protenfion and Compreflion up-
on one another, as any other
round or oblong Substances
which are foft, would be, if
they were thruft together: But
yet fome of them are not
fquare on all fides, from this
Reafon, they being discharged
feveral of them at once, thro'
a round Fundament, the whole.
Lump is round, the extremity
and outward Parts of it recei-
ving their Form agreeable to
the thing Forming, when at
the fame time the middle Parts
muft needs be fquare, from
the Reafon above. A wide

Purfe

Vol. II. Purse will admit feveral forts of their acting on the Steel. This Coin at the fame time.

Q. Why Chickens hatch'd in Ovens want Rumps.

Q: Was the Ufe of Wine unknown to the Antidiluvian World?

we think certain, that Matter can't act upon Matter, but by Matter; nor can this be done A. The Queftion_ought not without continual Expence, to be in general Terms, for though in the Cafes mentioned, all Chickens hatch'd in Ovens by Particles fo fine, that we don't want Rumps: This man- can't fenfibly perceive their Oner of Hatching is a very great peration; though we do not Trade in Egypt, particularly in much doubt, but if frequently Grand Cairo, and the Levant;ufed, it might in process of and 'tis very common, that time abate of its Weight or they want fometimes a Rump, Power. Wing or Leg. The Reafon for all, can be nothing elfe but the unevenness of that Heat A. We fee no Reason to beby which they are hatch'd; a lieve it was; Ars longa, vita Hen affords an equal Tempera- brevis, paffes for an undeniable ment of Heat, becaufe Natural; Maxim in our World; but it but 'tis almoft impoffible an held not, in that, where their Artificial Heat fhould have the extraordinary Longevity gave fame Effect, being not always them fuch great Advantages, equally fupplied, or at least not both for the accidental Inven fo placed, but that fome part tion, and rational Improvefhould by reafon of too much ments of all useful Knowledge, Heat impregnate fooner than Now the Life of Man, and his another, or thould fooner cool natural Happiness being one of than another, and confequently the chiefeft things all provide not fo foon perfect fome parts for, 'tis very probable they as it does others. would take all the care poffible to make it run as easy as they could, especially when they were given over to fuch a general Senfuality, that they minded nothing beyond it; but

Q. How does Antimony emit Vertue, and not abate of its quantity?

A. We have Thousands of Inftances more in Bodies which must certainly emit Vertues; the whole Earth was corrupt nor can we give any Rational Account of thofe Vertues, but as inhering in Particles, which convey them hither and thi ther, without any fenfible Diminution of the Subftance. The moft famous is in Load-ftones, which 'twere to be wifh'd might be tried with fome exquifite Microfcopes, Lewentroers, or others, whether there could be any Irradation difcovered in

before God. Nor is it fo easily to be imagin'd, how the whole World could be fo intirely Debauch'd without letting Wine come in for a fhare in't; efpecially Wine being a thing fo Jeafily invented, and almoft dropping of its own accord out of the Grape.

Further, that 'twas in Ufe before the Deluge, feems rather favoured than denied in the

Cafe

Q. Whether the Pentateuch were written by Mofes ?

cafe of Noah, Gen. 9. 20, 21. We read of no Giants after the Noah began to be an Husbandman, Flood but among the Pofterity and he planted a Vineyard; and he of Curfed Cham, Goliah, and the drank of the Wine, and was drun.reft of the Philistines coming ken. Some would, to excufe from Mizraim, and the Anakims the Patriarch, have us believe from Canaan, Gen. 10. he was unacquainted with the Ufe and Nature of Wine, it being newly invented, and fo A: There's more depends on unwittingly drank to Intoxica- this Queftion, than appears at tion. But there's no need of first fight; Spinoza, Mr. Hobbs, this, though a good Man, he was and others of the fame Religi but a Man; and as fuch might be guilty of an Infirmity, as Lot was afterwards of one of a much fouler Nature. Noah, 'tis faid, began (after the Flood) to be an Husbandman, and planted a Vineyard; from which Place we may as well argue, he invented Husbandry, which we know was as old as the Fall; God faying then to Adam, Thou fhalt Till the Ground from whence

thou wert taken.

Q. Whether we may fuppofe the People before the Flood, exceed ed those after; as much in Sta ture and Strength as in Longevity?

on, not daring publickly to fet themselves against the Authority of the Scriptures, for fear of having their Tongues bored,. or their Cheeks branded, have gone a more cunning way to work, denying their Antiquity, in order to leffen their Autho rity, as indeed they would go a fair length towards both, could they once perfwade us that thefe five Books were compofed long after Mofes his time, as well as thofe which follow them long after the Matters contained therein were really tranfacted. However, by their leaves we must take the AffirA. If the Giants and Mighty mative in this great Queftion, Men fpoken of in the fixth of and in order to establish the Genefis, are to be underflood in Truth, fhall firit produce what the common Senfe which the Proof we have for our own OWords feem to bear, it may pnion, then anfwer their Obappear probable, that the gejections againft it; and laftly nerality of Men were not fuch examin their contrary Hypothefis, before the Flood, for they feem and prove the Falfhood and Abto be excepted from the reft of furdity thereof. the World. There were Giants We prove then, that thefe in the Earth in thofe Days, a five Books were really written bout the Birth of Noah, and by Mofes; rft. From the Unialfo after that; fuppofe near verfal Traditional Teftimony or in the Flood, their Race be both of Jews, Christians and ing destroyed by it, umlefs in Heathens, much more than we any accidental Monftrous In-have for Homer's, Pindar's, Virftances, which afterwards hap-gil's, Confufius's Works, which pened. This is obfervable, that from a fingle, narrow, national Bb

Tra

Tradition, we fo firmly believe | mand, why was this asked to be theirs whofe Names they if not unanswerable? So St. bear, that a Man would de- Luke 24. 27. Beginning at Mofes ferve no other Anfwer but and all the Prophets; and to Laughter who affirm'd the con-add no more, St. Mark 12. 26. trary. The Jews and Chriftians none will difpute us: The Antient, very antient Heathens afirm is much. Orpheus him feif, or if not he, one allowed ly very antient, mentions him, his Works, his very Name, as clearly as it could be expreffed in Greek, ('poyens, and that as a Law-giver, ('srou,) a id quotes out of him the fame things we now find in the Wri-juft mentioned, and again in tings which bear his Name.

Have ye not read in the Book of Mofes, how in the Bush God Spake unto him; whereas according to thofe Gentlemen, they might have answered, No, they had never read it in the Book of Mofes, only in that of Ezra, Further, we are able to prove Three of thofe Books at leaft quoted as his. Exodus is called the Book of Mofes in the place

Heb. 9. 19. Leviticus is faid to be the Writing of Mofes, Rom. 10. 5. Deuteronomy in the 7th, of the Acts and the 37th, or what is equivalent, Texts are taken from thence, whereof Mofes is affirmed to be the Author.

But we have infinitely a more fure Word of Prophecy, and are able to demonftrate in this Cafe, as well as feveral others, that thofe who believe Hobs, muft deny our Saviour; for 'tis he who exprefly and frequently appeals to the Books of Mofes, Their Objections against this the Canon being long before Hypothefis, are the feveral Palthat time fixed as 'tis now, fages as they fancy in these as our Adverfaries own, They Writings, which agree not to have Mofes, and the Prophets, fays the time of Mofes; the chief our Saviour; no, they have are thefe following, Gen. 13.7. not Mofes, lays Mr. Hobs, only And the Canaanite and the Per a parcel of Law and Hiftory rizzite dwelled then in the Land; drawn up in his Name by no whence they'd argue,they dwelt Body knows who: Verum ho- not there now, when this was rum? And had but Dives read written; and therefore the Book the Leviathan, though he was of Genefis compofed after the not fo happy to be born when Canaanites were expelled. Of the World was enlight'ned with the fame Nature is that Exfo profound an Oracle, he might preffion, unto this Day, (tho cafily have rejoined upon this rather belongs to the fuc braham,and fill preffed, for fome ceeding Books, Fofbu and Judges, more extraordinary Arguments&c. being rarely if ever found to convert his Brethren, thofe in the Pentateuch.) For, tay he had produced not being Authentick, nor fufficient for the Purpofe. Again, in another I ace, what did Mofes com

they, were not the time where in thofe things were transacted long'd pafs'd, it were not proper for the Hiftorian to fay things

con

Vol. II.

The Athenian ORACLE.

369 371

continued in fuch or fuch a to time prefent, but fometimes
State, till this Day. Another to the Time paft, and that as
Argument is Mofes his fpeak- properly as che other. Thus
ing of himself as a third Per- we may well enough fay, fup-
fon, commending, difcommend- pofing in the Time of WIL-
ing, . which they think he'd LIAM RUFUS, the Nor-
not have done had he wrote mans were then in the Land,
himfelf. Another, the naming referring to their not having
of Places, particularly Dan
Dan, been fo before, or of fuch or
which was not fo called till fuch a Year before pafs'd; fup-
many Years, nay Ages after. pofing one had lived in 65:
Another, the Death of Mofes the Plague was then in the
being defcribed in the laft Chap- City,, not at all affirming it
and laftly, the Coherence not there when we fpoke it.
and Connexion between thofe Now we find good Reafon for
Books, and the fucceeding,, as this Expreffion, the Canaanite.
far as Ezra. And thus we have was then in the Land. Gen. 12. 8.
endeavoured fairly to reprefent becaufe of what follows, The
the Strength of their Objecti- Lord faid, Unto thy Seed will I
ons, whereunto we give thefe give this Land; it being a Com
following, and we hope fatif-mendation of the Faith of A-
factory Anfwers.
braham, that he believed what

ter;

in

And firft, fhould we grant was promifed, when fo little that the High Priefts or Scribes likelihood thereof. Again, Chap. every Age, having the keep- | 13. Ver. 7. There was a Strife ing of the Sacred Canon, made between Abraham's and Lot's what literal or verbal Additi-Herdsmen, and the Canaanite dwelons or Alterations they thought led then in the Land. The Inconfit, as directed by the Spirit of venience and Scandal of their God, to render them more Strife being infinuated, when plain and intelligible to the they were among fuch ill Church, for whofe Ufe they Neighbours;, for which Reawere written : This would fon too, Abraham might urge without more ado clear all Concord between them, and the Controverfie. But we think fays, Let there be no Strife for me there's no need of making ufe are Brethren? of this general Shield, while The fecond Expreffion, Unto we are able to put by every this Day, fignifies an undeterparticular Stroke which has mined Space of Time, more or been made at the Antiquity lefs, and may as well and as of thefe Books. The firft is fairly be applied to a thort the Canaanite and the Perrizzite Time as a long one, Thus 'tis were then in the Land; whence faid of Rahab the Harlot, She they'd argue, they were not faher felf, not her Family, She at the Writing the Hillory; dwelleth in Ifrael unto this day, but we deny that to be a fair Joh. 6. 25. which therefore way of Reasoning: That Par- conid, not be long after the time ticle then relating not always wherein the thing happened. Bbz