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:
Ω ταν, bono fis chear,
Nec fo languid appear;

But memento Diefpiter's fhower.
Sinas χρύσον to be
Mediator for thee,

Kai nil poteft rolvoy controul ye;
For tis Βοῦς ἐπὶ γλώτης
Will oftend how the plot lies,
Ως καὶ Φοίβου Τελέται βουλή.
Q. Aftronomers fay,

There's a world in the moon:
Now what fays your godship, Apollo?
For if by your light

To us fhe feems bright,

Whofe dictates fo fafe can we follow;
Since all their fine lectures
At beft are conjectures,

And of what themselves are not fure,
Apollo, or none,

Is able alone

This mighty great doubt for to cure?
A. Apollo furveys

More illuftrious orbs,

And fo difregards his fimall fifter,

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That

That as oft as this globe
Her light did difrobe:

He fcarcely can fay he mist her. -
But to fo many lectures,

Not to add new conjectures,
His fons will not give a divifion;
For to lay about,

Amidft fo much doubt,

Perhaps might but caufe a derifion.

Q. Should not I (hapless youth!) cease to complain,
That I have lov'd a charming nymph in vain ?
Is it a wonder that I ha'n't prevail'd,
This curfe is on the rhyming tribe entail'd,
Since I, tho' vers'd in every skilful art,
Meft apt to foften lovely Daphne's heart,
Could not to my embraces e'er perfuade
The coy, difdainful, and obdurate maid.
But if this ancient tale you don't believe,
To late examples fure you'll credit give.
Immortal Cowley's fad complaints will prove,
That he was unsuccessful in his love.
Harmonious Waller wrote fuch moving verfe,
As might the hardest hearted virgin pierce;
Yet Sachariffa never was inclin'd

To cure the raging anguish of his mind.
If fuch as thefe were in their love unbless'd,
Who noble talents each of glorious wit poffefs'd,
Then I, unhappy youth, should not complain,
That I have lov'd a charming nymph in vain.

4. Rightly you judge, 'tis folly to complain,
Where all your pray'rs and wishes will be vain:
Fortune, not merit, makes a mistress kind,
Cupid, you know, is, as he's painted, blind,
Thence are his fmiles unfure, and changeable as wind.
Q. May't pleafe you, Apollo, 'advife a young fellow
Who wants refolution, to come t' a conclufion
In a certain affair, deferves all his care.

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,
And finish my roving in that way of loving;
But want an eftate to jointure my mate,
And long bags of money, to endow my honey;
For father and mother begot first my brother,
Yet I have enough to be poverty-proof.

Thefe being premis'd, I'd now be advis'd,
If I fhould importune, a widow of Fortune,
To have and to hold her very good gold,
And take with her hand, her houses and land.
·Be fhe ugly, or old, ill-natur'd, or scold,

With

every grace revers'd in her face,

Or make my advances by way of romances,
To a nymph of eighteen, of a beautiful mien;
Good-humour'd and witty, obliging and pretty;
And take to my arms, a treasure of charms,
Not chaff'ring for portion, like a covetous whorefon,
But a lovely young fair is (tho' not a great heiress,
Whilft virtue and honour fit fmiling upon her)
A charm will affure ye, and fully fecure ye,
From all your wild fits, and restore you your wits:
A. Since you've madea retreat in your vigour and heat,
Hav'ing from thofe wars got, where a fear is a blot,
Where honour's complying, with nothing but flying,
Keep in a whole skin, with a found nose and shin:
Therefore we advise ye, be not fuch a nifie,
For lucre of money to wed an old Croney,

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,
Yet when cool and fober, as the fun in October,
Her phiz and her mien will give you the spleen,
Or fend you a roving to your old way of loving.

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

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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

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fending