my letters, Ἐπὶ καλὴ, & chaft; Αλλ' ubi nunc eft 'Oux oda; Sir Sodes advife me, Which way to come at her, Aut fooner, aut later, Nullus fum, if he fcorn xai defpife me. A. Si to covert unknown, χαρίτων μία's gone, reclufa eft in Danae's tower: But memento Diefpiter's fhower. Kai nil poteft rolvoy controul ye; There's a world in the moon: To us fhe feems bright, Whofe dictates fo fafe can we follow; And of what themselves are not fure, Is able alone This mighty great doubt for to cure? More illuftrious orbs, And fo difregards his fimall fifter, VOL.II. Cc That That as oft as this globe He fcarcely can fay he mist her. - Not to add new conjectures, Amidft fo much doubt, Perhaps might but caufe a derifion. Q. Should not I (hapless youth!) cease to complain, To cure the raging anguish of his mind. 4. Rightly you judge, 'tis folly to complain, I'm now about thirty, ftrong, vigorous, and hearty; Have ferv'd in love's wars, but com'd off without scars; And weary of women, who're painted and common, Would Wou'd now run the course, of for better for worse, Thefe being premis'd, I'd now be advis'd, With every grace revers'd in her face, Or make my advances by way of romances, For if you've fo much good, to bear with your touchwood, Nor when the fcolds, mind her, nor to gun-powder grind her, Nay and kifs her when drunk, by mistake for a punk, Q.Gentlemen,(why is the Apofile's Creed call'd fymbol A. As the word is deriv'd from the Greek EvμBA, which fignifies to throw together; fo it may take its denomination from that opinion, that the twelve Apostles threw in every one his article, to Cc 2 the the compofition of the whole. And tho' we are not of opinion, that the Apoftles did fo, yet they who were anciently fo perfuaded, might be the authors of the term. Some think that the word proceeds from the cuftom of the heathens, who upon their admiffion to their facred rites were made acquainted with those marks of distinction, which they call'd fymbols, whereby they might know one another, and not fear the danger of any bold intrufion. And as the Apostles Creed was the diftinguifhing mark of the orthodox Chriftians, fo (like the heathen fymbols) it was carefully conceal'd from others, and not communicated to the very catechumens. Others think it more probably deriv'd from a military term, from the watch-word of centinels, or other diftinguishing marks, cuftomary with foldiers. And the word thus deriv'd, might very probably be adapted in thofe early times by a Church that was truly militant. Q. Having no clear idea, how they who defiring to receive the holy Sacrament, put up bills in the church in their own behalf, can be included in the publick prayers, you will oblige me by an explanation of the matter. A. It must be own'd that the cuftom is not altogether fo exceeding proper, and fprang originally. (as we may rationally fuppofe) from an unthinking zeal: for fome obferving that fo many forts of people have the advantage of being particularly remembred in the devotions of the congregation, might have thence, (tho' inconfiderately enough) concluded, that all their defires might be remembred there. And as we are very prone to imitation, a few precedents might foon advance to a common ufage. But fince the cuftom is become fo general, we may comply with the defires of fuch petitioners, and include the matter of their petitions in that expreffion of being afflicted or diftreffed in mind. For fince they who intend to become communicants, defire the prayers of the congregation, out of a fenfe of their Own own unworthiness; and fince fuch a fenfe of unworthiness is a diftrefs, an affliction of mind to the humble penitent, we may therefore include the above fpeci fied communicants in those extenfive words, we com mend to thy fatherly goodness, all those who are any way afflicted or diftreffed in mind, body, or estate. Q. A. commits a fecret murder, for which he flew from juftice, and in his exile comes acquainted with B: who in five or fix years acquaintance expresses great friendShip to A. with fignal and repeated obligations, till within this month A. for a trifle highly difobliges B. who is fo enraged to find himself fo affronted, protefts that his mifdemeanour to B. fhall coft him his life, for that he will difcover the refidence of the faid A. to the relations of the deceas'd, fo that A. may be brought to justice. 'Now, Sirs, the fact being true, and the relation also impartial, Whether it is a crime in B. to fulfill his proteRations; and altho' it is coherent to the laws of the land, yet in the fight of the Almighty, whether it may be proper for men to imagine it ipfo facto murder, fince it is not done for the fake of justice, but to facrifice A. to the refentments of the other, of what nature and degree you think the crimes? A. Since the blood of a murder'd perfon cried un to God for vengeance, and unless pacified, defileth a land, our duty both to God and our country, lays on us an indifpenfible obligation to detect, if in our power, the inhuman actor. Were not B. previously oblig'd to make a difcovery of 4. his proteftations could no ways engage him to the pursuit of his revenge, fince nothing can oblige us to an unwarrant able action. When Herod had rafhly fwore to what involved him in no fmall perplexity, he should have fear'd not fo much his oath as the murder of the innocent, and have penitently bewail'd his rashness, in that he had made perjury to become neceffary. The beft therefore, nay the only advice we can give to B. is to repent of the proteftations he has made with fo wicked an intention, to divest himself of all revengeful thoughts, to put on the chriftian towards his of Cc 3 fending |