2. By defigning fome new Action. And hence Reft is taken two Ways, one, by Ceffation from Labour; and the other, by fulfilling of the Defire: After both whichWays, God is faid to have refted the Seventh Day, because he ceased to make any new Species or Kinds of Crea was the firft Receptacle of the fold: 1. By Operation of any Affront: Or perhaps a Blow, thing. which the Senfe of Feeling firft refented, and conveyed the Injury to the Paffion; which, by a natural Defect, through Adam's Fall, does erroneously reprefent this Affront to the Understanding, which is the Seat of the Soul; and the Soul wills the Act, as guided by the Understanding. 'l is not fo-tures, that he had not made bereign to the Queftion to add, that fore, for the Souls of Men are no perhaps it is a little too generally new Creation; I mean, what is deliver'd, that all the Faculties of different from the Sum of the the Soul and Body are corrupted Six Days Labour,, no more than by Adam's Fall: It will be found Lyons, Horfes, &c. that he daily hard to be proved, that it has ef-makes by the Series and Chain of fentially weakned any more of Nature, which cannot be denied us, than is common to Beafts; to be his daily Workmanship: As that is to say, our Animal Life, alfo particular Inftances of unac and all the conftitutive Faculties countable Deliverances or Judg. and Parts thereof; for our Souls ments, which he effects not by fhall yet live for ever: We can the Order of Second Caules. number certainly yet and make certain Demonftrations in the Mathematicks; but we are at a Lofs when we come to use our Senfes, to love, fear, chufe, refufe, &c. which are common to Brutes: Adam's Fall has brought our Bo dies into an inevitable State of Mortality, and has diforder'd not only his own, but the wholeState and Frame of Nature; fo that when a pure Soul comes to act in irregular Bodies, it errs not by its own Defect, but by Accident, or Refultance, as a good Mufician plays ill upon an inftrument out of Tune. A to the 4th. 2 That God finished all his Works upon the Sixth Day.We anfwer, that, according to the Schools, Reft is oppofed to Motion, and confequently to Labour: And Motion, in respect to fpiritual Beings, as GOD, Angels, Souls, is two Q. Why a Pump may not be mad to draw Water an hundred Feat deep, as well as twenty four? &c. 4. There are two more Quefi ons, which came along with the fame Letter, viz. Who was the firft that drew Water out of the Earth by a Pump. And, Why there may not be an Invention of Air to do it, as well as continual Labour of Man, Horfe, &c. The firft of these Questions deferves ap Anfwer, the two laft we think not worth the taking notice of; one of them being a Secret, in it felf, not worth a Minute's Stu dy; and the other being too pro fitable an Invention to let go of our Hands, if we know it: However, the firit makes amends, and we are willing to oblige the Gentleman in it; and if he fends again, we defire him not to be fo very angry in being not answered till his Turn comes again. We out have not yet been affured of the Matter of Fat, but take it for granted, as feeing very plaufible Reasons for it. ral Frame of Nature was forced either to fuffer a Vacuum in the reft of the Bottle, or elfe to fend in the Water into it, to fupply its Place, by driving in the Cork to come at it. And this is evident, from this Experiment: Take two Bottles, one larger than other, equally cork'd, and of the like wide (1.) There is a certain intrinfick Vertue and Power in all the Elements, whereby they do as much as the Subject can be paffive) change any part of the other Elements into their own Na-nefs at the Mouth, and you will ture Thus the Air draws up and find that the greater quantity of rarifies little Lakes of Water into it Air will drive farther into its Efelf: Thus Wood, Stones, &c. be-nemies Quarters before it is reing put into Fire, are overcome puls'd, than the leffer., That Elaby it, and imbibe it's hot Qua-fticity, that natural buoying quality. And fo of the rests lity of the Air cannot affimilate it felf to the declining Center of Gravity: From which Reason, an Anfwer is referr'd to the prefent Question, viz. The Air, when it is loofe, and expanded upon the Surface of the Earth or Waters, has a greater deal more Power, than when it is confined within the narrow Limits of a Well; and doubtlefs, a Bottle cork'd, and let down into a very deepWell, would have the above-mentioned Effect many Fathoins Ebber than at the Sea. Now there being no Pum (2.) By this Innate Power and Virtue in the Elements, each one will fruggle and fight with the other, and the ftronger (as in other Natural Beings) will always overcome. Thus Water and Fire mix'd together, will never leave fighting, till the Water is evaporated, and divides its Nature betwixt Earth and Air; or until the Fire is extinguifhed, (that is,)driven from its proper Element, or that which it feeds upon, as Wood, Coals, Sulphur, &c. and its more fubtile part condens'd into Airping without the Affiftance of Air, for it is impoffible that any thing fhould be annihilated, though it may be changed. it cannot reafonably be fuppofed to be aiding fo deep in ite Enemy's Bounds, where it has enough to do to defend it self from its Affault, or that Innate Vertue and Power mentioned before wherewith the other Elements are alto furnished, to conquer their oppofite Aggreffor, when too weak for them. From this laft('tis hoped) we have reafonably concluded, how 2 Bottle,top'dwitha ftrong Cork, and let down fo many Fathoms into the Sen, was forcibly driven into the Bottle; for that little Quantity of the Air having gone too far in a contrary Element, and finding it felf oppreis'd by the others oppofite Power, and being beyond a A. Undoubtedly it's not conve poffibility of farther Relief from nient, but the meaning I fuppete its own, began to gather its is, Whether it be neceflary: We, Strength,as all other Natures do,by anfwer, It's neither one nor t'other Contraction and Union, till the gene-'Tis undoubtedly neceffary never Q. If 'tis convenient to speak the Truth at all times? IT Q. Pray, Gentlemen, what's the Reafon that standing on the Wharf at Greenwhich, at High-water, one may difcover the Sheep feeding in the Ile of Dogs, which at Lowwater we can't difcern, tho' feeding in the fame Place? the Edg of the Bafin just hinders Q. Whether and bow far it's lawful to Difcourfe on worldly Matters on the Lords Day? 4 So far 'tis lawful as they are Neceffary, or disturb not the Holy Reft which is that Day to be obferv'd. 4. A pretty Obfervation, and We believe it may be true; tho' in the first place 'twou'd do well to be certain whether the Sheep are really feeding in the fame Place when they are thus visible or invifible, for it feems probable that at Low-water they may be grazing in the lower Part of the Iiland, just on the Rivage, whereas at High-water they may be fore'd up nearer the middle, and higher Ground, and confequently be feen there; whereas when lower they were invifible. But fuppofing the Fact, exactly as reprefented, we muft now fee for the Reafon : There are two undoubted Appearances in Opticks not altogether unlike this, one of the Rifing and Setting Sun, which fome Mornings and Evenings is feen a-fons indeed formerly fo weak as to bove the Horizon for fome time after, and before the Body is certainly above or below it, and can be demonitrated fo to be by the Kules of Aftronomy. The other, which illuftrates this, is that of a Shiling, or any piece of Money in a Bafin, which if you withdraw your ief from it to fuch a diftance as Q. Iam very much troubled about the Text of Scripture, 1 Thef. 4. 17. Pray without ceafing; it being underfood by fome in the literal Senfe: I defire your Fudg ment and Dire&ion therein? A. There have been fome Per understand thisScripture as you do, but we hoped that the World had now been grown wifer. However, for your Satisfaction, we'll first prove 'tis not to be taken in the literal Sense, just as it founds, and then fhow you in'what Senfe it is to be taken. Not in the literal, because it would cross and interfere interfere vvith other Duties,vve be- to practife, as often as is conveni ing (for example) commanded to ently poffible, by private and de read God's Word our felves, and vout Ejaculations. And if vve do oblig'd to hear it read by others, thus, vve think vve come up to the vvhich we can't do and Pray toge- full meaning of the Apoftle here ther. There are alfo other Duties in his Command to pray without enjoined in the fame Chapter, and ceafing; unless it may also have in appearance as pofitively as this, fome reference to Conftancy in vvhich yet can't admit of a lite-prayer for the fame Bleffing, till ral Interpretation. To go no far-vve have receiv'd it ; according to ther than the vvords immediately that of our Saviour, "That Men preceding these that are Contro- ought always to pray, and not to faint-one of vvhich Expreffions feems to clear and expound the other. verted more Rejoice everNotvvithftanding vvhich vve, are in another place commanded to weep with them Q. There vvasa Maiden, vvith that weep, and that in oppofition vvhom I engaged fo far in Love, to rejoicing with them that re- that I promiled her Marriage, and joice; there being, as Solomon fays, the the like to me, unknovvn to a Time for all things. Novv it be our Friends,the vvhichvvhen they ing plain from vvhat has been faid come to understand, they vvere thar this Precept cannot be taken very much troubled at, and have in a strict literal Senie, We muft fo far vvorkt upon her, that she deenquire in vvhat Senle it is tony'd all that pafs'd betvveen us, be taken, because it must be true and told me pofitively fhe vvou'ď in fome or other. And here 'tis never Marry me: Novv the Queto be remark'd, that vve are not,ition is, Whether I am not at Liin interpreting Scripture to re-berty, notwithstanding my Po cede any further from the very mifes to her, to marry any other, Words than Neceflity compells he having freely discharged me is; vvhence it follovvs, that tho' before Vitmefs from all Obligativve are not to employ all our timeons under her own Hand? in Prayer, yet vve are as great a A. Without doubt fhe has made part of it as is inconfiftent vvithout all your Promifes void, except you other indifpenfible Duties. We are vvere fuch a stark staring Lover as therefore to Pray in private, toto promife you'd have her vvhether pray in our Families, and above all the vvould or no; for tis plain that to join conftantly vvith the Pub- upon no other Terms you can ever lick daily Prayer (unlefs as be keep your vvord: For in this Cafe fore indifpenfibly obftructed) promiles are alvvays understood to vhich have more Promifès made be reciprocal, or at least made to to 'em in the Scripture than any o-fuch Perfons vvhere an impoftherfort of Prayers, and vvhichouribility does not deftroy the DeChurch only, of all that are call'd fign; therefore you are left to Proteftants, have the Advantage your Difcretion, and if you have of. But befides this, We are to Courage enough, may venture the have an Halitual Difpofition for like repulfe from another. Prayer, and actually reduce it in L12 4. The Obligations are reciprocally greater on both fides, the Duty of a. Brother being required, as well as that of a Maiter anda Servant; the one ought to be more kind to his Servant, and the other more diligent, if poffible, and ready to ferve his Master. Q. A Gentleman of a plentiful in all things as an unrelated_MaFate loft it by Misfortunes, info- fter? much that he was obliged to put his Son Apprentice to a Trade which the Son thought beneath him; now his Son hath fuch a Proffer offered him by a Parfon of Quality, as he is perfwaded will in time reftore both his Father and Brethren into as good a flate as heretofore they have been in, but bis Mafter will not part with him upon fuch Propofitions as he is able to make for his Time: For if he leaves his Mafter, it will prove to the great Detriment of his Mfter's Family and if he stays, it will prove greatly to the Damage both of himfelf and Relations: Pray your Speedy Anfwer and Advice in this C fe? Q. It was my Fortune fome time fince to be in the Company of a young Lady, who was with the Liking and Agreement of all Friends, juft entring into the Matrimonial State, fo that it seem' to be a very happy Match, where after fome foft and pleasant Talk which we had together, I foon perceived the formerly had a great Love for me, which I had fometimes before took Notice of, but A. If the Injury will be as great never mentioned any fuch thing, to his Maiter, as the Benefit will only kept a mutual friendly Corte to him, no Man can blame the refpondence, being neither (as Mailer for being unwilling to part then) inclined or capacitated to with the Servant, tho' it is not marry, but, fome words of hers, improbable bur fome way might together with her pleafing ComLe found to relieve them both; pany, excited my lingring Paffion, for if the Advantage he can be to and puffed me up into a Flame of his Master, must be by his under-Love, that I alfo thought, and did ftanding his Bufinels, and tho' a-exprefs the fame to her,and wish'd nother raw Apprentice cannot do the time might be expired, when the like Service, yet why may both our Hearts and Hands fhould not a Sum of Money, and experi-be conjoyn'd,but made no Promife enced Journey-man manage the that I would not do fo; but this Matters Bufinels as well, and get changed her former fix'd Refoluthe Servant his Liberty; tho if tion, that the first time the faw the laft is not to be had, Juftice her other Spark the pick'd a Quarrecnires the contracted Time. rel with him, and blasted all his Q. If a Man takes his Bro-Hopes with a Hat Denyal, and ther to be bis Apprentice, whe-wore fhe'd keep his Company no ther he is bound in Duty to fhew more, merely upon my account; any more Reffect and Kindness, Loon after the time came when Í than to his other unrelated Ser- muit away, being obliged to trarams And if so, wherein? And vel it was not my Happiness tobe whether a Brother fo bound, ought in her Company, any more, not to Reffect and Reverence him to much as when I departed, but the |