fpirit in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge to find out curious, works, to carve, donc. The forefaid principally essential parts in painting and carving being the same, nay, we may suppose delineation the first work in a picture ) to precede carving, fince the draught of a figure is made before they begin to carve it. After they began in black and white, the first Authors according to Plin. lib. 35, cap. 1, 2, 3. were Ardices the Corinthian, and Telophanus the Sicyonian ; then Cleophantes the Corinthian brought up the use of colours, tho' principally but one ; whence Historiographers called it Monochroma. Apollodorus the Athenian afterwards began the use of the pencil; Cimon Cleondus added much perfection by foreshortning. After Paneus began the art of drawing by the life ; Parrkafius the Ephesian farther adornd the art, by bringing up the manner of shadowing; and Apelles added the last pero fection, which was perspective.

Q. Your knowledge being as unconfin'd as yoаr thoughes, I desire your folution of the following question. A paper being delivered to a Lady, upon forfeiture of a kiss caab night befcre the went to bed, if she did not restore it to the fame person, without adding io, or diminishing from; whether the shall be allowed to cut out a piece of the paper, or put in another instead thereof?

A. By no means, for then the infringes both con. ditions ; for she cannot put in another piece till the hath diminish'd it ; and when it is diminish'd, 'tis an addition to put in another picce.

Q: 'Tis said you ready are to bear,

And by advice redress
Misfortunes that attend the fair,

When virtue's in distress.
Then wretched I your aid implore,

For none more right can claim
To virtue, tho distress'd and poor,

I've still preferu'd my fame.
generous youth I once enjoy'd,
His fortune was his word,

Which oft with honour he employ'd,

For Britain's common good.
But, oh! by fatal chance of war,
of all my hopes bereft,

'
i defiture do now despair,

No expectation left ?
A. Lady, chear up, exert fresh charms,

Nor thus dejected be,
For they that deal in love and arms

Must disappointments fee.
Virtue, that star which gilds your breast

With such resplendent light,
Shall tempt a fage from diftant East,

That Thall your worth requite.
And fince the darling hero fell,

To serve the British crown,
His glorious name shall ever dwell,

Etablish'd by renown.
Q. The opinion of the ancient fathers are mighty vari-
ous and abtrufe concerning the death of St. John she
Evangelist.

A. They who say that he died a martyr may be
suppos'd to ground it upon Mat. xx. 2 3.

where our Lord addressing himself to this Apostle, and his brother James, thus prophesies concerning them, re shall drink of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. But this prediction was remarkably fulfilled, when by the command of Domitian he was thrown into the dreadful caldron, but was miraculously rescued from the boiling oil ; for then he was. a martyr in intention, tho' not in fact.

They, who say that he was translated like Enoch and Elijah, found their mistake upon John xxi. ver 2 2. If I will, that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee But as this opinion is in a manner confuted by th succeeding verse, fo St. John did really tarry till Chrift came in the clouds of heaven, (in the strange phænomena, that made their appearance in the sky) to 2venge himself on the unbelieving fems, and destroy those his obstinate enemies, wbo perversely faid, W

NS

will

1

will not have this man to reign aver is. Besides, bow : translation can agree with the expresion, what if he tarry till I come ? we know not. They who conclude from the foremention'd text, that he is now Deeping in his grave, and consequently in a state of infenfibi lity, deny bim an happinessenjoy'd by common Saints, who no sooner are diffolu'd then they are with Chrijf.

To pass therefore from fables to the truth. We subscribe to that account, which informs us, that at the very conclusion of the first century in Trajan's reign, he died a natural death at Ephesus, aged near an hundred years. And as he was also buried in that bis metropolitan ( as we may call it) city, fo several of the fathers take notice, that in their time his tomb was still remaining in the church, which was erected to his honour, and receiv'd his name.

Q. Gentlemen, I can by no means agree to your explication of St. John about Abraham, but will give you one more rational ; which I expect you will either confute or publish.

'Tis said, Abraham rejoyced ( or desired) to see my day, und faro it. Before Abraham was, I am: Or (As Piss rendred by Grotius) I was firft. Abraham faw Cbrift? day in the spirit of prophecy, be fax it as coming, not a prefent ; be forefam the time, when it should be.

Secondly, se. Austin has confef'd that Chrift is said to ke before Adam, not actually, but in the decree and ordination of Gad, in mente divina ; and fo St. Peter ex

; plains it, 1 Pet. i. 20. Wha verily was fare-ordaind from the foundation of the world (de yon mind Gentle men?) But what was made manifesi (only) in these lafe times: In like manner, be is callid the Lamb. pain from the foundation of the world, which also can be explain'd 720

than in mente divina, ahfa in John. xvii. 3. 'Tis true, the Jews did not apprehend in what fenk our Lord meant be was before Abraham ; but neither did he care they should, for finding them arverse from truth and piety ; be often fo Spake to some of them as to perplex and affront their blindness, and arrogance yet mare, and not to inftrust them. See for this Luke viii10.

A. Sir,

other ways

2

A. Sir, as you call our interpretation in question: so we beg leave to make a retaliation, and call your logick in question. If the Lamb llain from the foundation of the world muft necessarily refer to the dis vine decree, because (as you fay)it cannot be explain's another way ; by what logical connection does it follow, that a different paffage, which may

be explain’d another way, must refer also to the same decree? If St. Peter says, ( for we miod it, Sir) that Christ was præ-existent to the foundation of the world in the fore-ordination of God, does be therefore deny him to be præ-existent to the same foundation, by an other manner of existence ? Does the one any ways exclude the other ? May not both be competent to the same Chrif; the latter wita regard to his God. head, the forner with reference to the union of the manhood with the Godhead ? And this may equally confute your quotation from St. Auftin.

Had our Saviour deliga'd no more, than, by the sense you expound the passage in, to acquaint the Jews, how without abfurdity Abrabam might have seen his day : It seems more natural for him to have faid, before Abraham was, my day was ; but you forget to consider ( which we wou'd intreat you to obe serve) that the Jews have here alter'd the nature of the question, when they say, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and halt thou feen Abrabam ? But now, had Chriji only answer'd, that he was præ-existent to Abraham in mente divina, or the divine decree, tbis indeed is a reason why Abraham might have seen bim, but surely none at all why he might have seen Abraham ; and yet the latter is the question immediately put to him by the Jews: You therefore have your eye too much upon our Saviour's first sentence concerning Abrahans, and therefore take no notice, how the Jews in their reply had turn'd the question.

But in the instances, you produce, there is ng fuch expression as I am, which can denote no less than an eternal Being ; and therefore on this account also

N6

they

:

CODE

they prove nothing againft the interpretation, we have given fo remarkable a paffage.

Q. What is the meaning of that expreffion in i Cor. xv. 29. Why are they then baptized for the dead ?

A. Not to take notice of an opinion which depends upon a custom, not in being in this Apostle's time, we agree to that exposition of St. Chryfoftom's, Why are they then baptiz'd in expectation of the refurrection of the body? Or, which tends to the same purpose, Why are they baptiz'd for the benefit (for so the Greek particle may fignify) of their dead bodies ? Namely, that tho' they muft be fown in difhonour, they may be rais'd in glory.

Q. We read in the Pfalms and other places concerning the Leviathan : Now I defore to know by what name we call this fish now?

A. We call it a Whale.

Q. Your opinion of the words of St. Mark ix. 49. For every one shall be falted with fire.

Á. Some expound it thus: As falt is a preservative from, and a symbol of incorruption ; so the import of the expression is, that the persons intended in the preceding verses shall be always burning in unquenchable flames, and yet never be consum'd.

Others expound it thus : For every one ( that, namely, would be faved) muft undergo the fiery tryal, must resist the most severe temptations, such as cutting off an hand, c. mention'd in the foregoing part : And this latter exposition feems best to agree with the fucceeding context.

Worthy and illuftrious fons of resplendent Phoebus, from a just confideration of the mean and low conceptions of us poor groveling mortals, and the powerful and illuminating rays of your divine genius, by whom are dispelld and fcatter'd all the dark clouds and chick mists of buman imperfection and weakness; I at laft, amidft the numerous throng of votaries approach your altar, but with this previous poftulatum, that your godships would be more extensive and particular in the explication of the subsequent problem,

pre the fin