Q. Whether Incest be malum in fe? were not fpeedily fatisfied.- A. The highest fort of Inceft, that between immediate Superiors or Inferiors, is undoubted-in Nubibus. All we think fit to ly fo, because never difpenfed advertise him in this Matter is, with by God upon any occafion That for our Words fake and that we e'er read of. That be- the Publick, his private Defires tween Equals may feem other- fhall be now fatisfied, and yet wife, because in a few Inftances he's ftill left at Liberty to take permitted by him; yet in ge- his Course as he thinks convenineral alfo forbidden from the ent. higheft Reafon, namely, the fecurity of Families, and preventing thofe Inconveniencies which would otherwife unavoidably follow, and which may eafily be gueft. But after all, thus much is certain, though God may permit in fome Cafes fuch Infractions, no Man on Earth must ever pretend to do the fame. Q. Whether objective Goodness confifts in the Agreement between the Object and rational Nature, and formal Goodness in the Conformity between the Act and the Rule of Manners? Q Whether Philofophical or Moral Sin be a Humane Act, disagreeing from rational Nature or right Rea Jon; and Theological or Mortal Sin a willing Tranfgreffion of the Love of God? For the Queftions themselves we meet with 'em both in the Hiftory of Europe for the Month of December 1690. p. 159. and 160. as condemned by the Pope, the firft as Heretical, the laft as Scandalous and Erroneous, though they feem so injur'd in the Tranflation, or by the Ori ginal Print, that it's a hard matter to make Sense of 'em, or know what they drive at. But without minding the Holy Fathers Thunder, we'll enquire into the first. In which, by Objective Goodness, I suppose they mean the Goodness of the Object, or a fort of Metaphyfical and Tranfcendental Goodnefs; the Effence whereof I fee no Abfurdity in placing in Aptibility, Conformity, or Agreement; but this not only with Rational Nature, bnt with Senfible too. By formal Goodness A. Were all the Gentlemen fuppofe is meant here moral whom we are willing to obligeGoodnefs, implying a Conforby answering any of their rea-mity to a Law or Rule of fonable Queftions, as impor Manners, which appears fo tunate as he who fent these two much the very Notion of the juft mentioned, both the Book thing, unless the Terms are feller and Authors concerned in mistaken, that I fee not how this ORACLE would have a it can be deny'd.. very ill time cn't. He feems very angry too, and talks of king a Courfe if his Defires t For the laff Queftion.Whe ther Philofophical or Moral Sin be a Humane Ack, which difagrees from from rational Nature and right| Q. Whether the Jewish Custom of Reafon; Theological or Moral obliging all Perfons to Marry at Sin a willing Tranfgreffion of twenty five Years of Age, or elfe the Love of God; Law, I fup-debarring them from Publick Empofe, it fhould be; for I know ployment, were not unjuft? not what Senfe to make of Tranfgreffing Love; I think A. Suppofing any fuch Cuthe Term of Philofophical Sin, ftom, I think it fo far from befor a Humane Act contrary to ing unjuft, that 'tis rather highright Reason, meaning I fuppofe ly commendable and imitable; in relation to Manners, is pro- not for the fame Reason that per enough. And that a more the curtail'd Fox would have wilful Tranfgreffion of God's fain brought the rest of his Law, when actually premedi-Brethren into the fame Fafhion, tated, may without Nonfenfe be but for the good of the Comcalled Theological Sin, tho' it mon wealth, in the Multitude feems a very odd fort of Expref-of whofe People as well as fion. In this appears no Diffi- Counsellors, there is both Safety, culty, but the main Queftion Strength, and Honour. There ftill follows, which the Querift is fcarce fuch a thing as a ufenever takes notice of, and there lefs Mouth in a Kingdom, for fore it concerns not us to exa-though we fit intirely eafier mine, namely, "Whether this "Philofophical Sin, as they call "it, be any Offence against God? Q. Whether the Womans Condition in Marriage be not worse than ges it. than any of our Neighbours, yet there is not the meanest Beggar who fmokes his Pipe, and drinks his Pot of Ale, but pays the Queens Taxes out of it, and thereby contributes to the Mans? the Support of the GovernA. That's much as the mana-ment. Now were those Hands Nature has generally too employ'd, as well as their given the fair Sex Art enough, Mouths, either in the Manu(if that don't look like a Contra- factures of our Country, or the diction) by which if either the Fifheay, or other probable Bufiher felf, or Cuftom, or Law has nefs, what a prodigious Adgiven ours any Advantage, they vantage wou'd it quickly bring may if they please recover more to the Nation? This is grounthan their own again. In Child-ded upon the fole Argument birth only they have without of increafing the Number of doubt much the heavier part of Subjects. But befides, fuch a the Load now, as of the Curfe Law would have farther good formerly; and they have much Effects. 'Twould ftrengthen a more Reason to with the World Nation by having fo many might propagate like Trees, more, fo firmly obliged to dethan 'Man has to defire any fuch fend it; for if a Man won't thing, though one of our own fight for his Wife and ChilSex firft ftarted that odd Whim-dren for what will he do it? fic. A married Man is like a File 24 diven Vol. II. driven into a Bank; he that's fin- little lefs than giving Hoflages gle, only like Mud thrown up for his Fidelity, and bound him against it; one ftands to it when felf to his good Behaviour. If a high Tide comes, while the the Batchelors are angry with other is wafh'd away. Befides this Anfwer, let them thank this State makes them fitter for those who fent the Queftion, nor Council as well as Action. When need we much fear them, fince Men are married, as we generally the married Men are much the fay, they begin to take up, and ftronger fide, and have on their fall a thinking in good earneft, fide as good as all the Burghers whatever they did before. Bo- of Europe. dies Politick confift of Families, and were indeed at first nothing Q. Whether moft Matches in this elfe; and have ftill fuch a Re-Age are not made for Money, and lation to them, that one can-whether they are not generally Smithnct fubfift without the other. field-Bargains? A. I don't admire the Humour of thofe who either to fhew their Wisdom or Ill nature, are always railing at the prefent Age, and admiring the former; and therefore affirm that both in this Age, and all others fince the Golden One, (if they can tell where to find that, 'tis Gold has been the truest Philtrum to procure Love, or at least the Chain that has tied Persons together without it. But then, that Marriages thus made, may be proper If a Man wou'd ferve his Country in his Perfon, let him do fo too in his Pofterity, and do as much for the fucceeding Age as his Father did for the prefent. The Philofophy of a certain late famous Gentleman, has to fpeak the truth, almoft unhinged the World; it takes off all Love to a Mans Country, and makes them confider themfelves as perfect Veficles of the Earth, independent on any thing else, as they think their Fore-fathers were. But the fober part of the World will take leave both ly tiled Smithfield-Bargains, is I to think and act otherwife, they think a Mistake; for there you will confider themfelves as really fee your Horfe rode about, fee all they are, and not according to his Paces at leaft, if not all his fuch a Whimsical Hypothefis as Humours; and yet more, if you feems rather Calculated for the are not a Fool of a Jockey, will World in the Moon, than any fee his Saddle taken off before Civil Community; not but that you buy him. But when you they may be fhort in fome In-marry a Wife ftances of Policy,whereof I think this is one; for why fhould any Man have it in his Power to do Q. Whether 'tis Convenient for a Mifchief almoft with Impuni- Lady to marry one he has an Aven ty, as that Person feems to have, fion for, in Obedience to her Pa. who enjoys a publick Station rents? vant! -your Sex without having before, by en- A. Undoubtedly 'tis not Contring into a married State, done venient, but the Querift in tends L What is your Opinion A. This comes from the Au ; tends Neceffary; we answer,'Tis of the fright in three or four Days: by no means fo. Parents are Querynot to difpofe of their Chil- of this? dren like Cattle, nor to make 'em Miferable because they happened to give 'em Being; thor of the 44 French Queries they are indeed generally gran-I could with he had been parted a Negative Voice, nor am ticular in his Circumftances of 1 fure that will always hold, Time and Place, and then the if they are fignally Unreafona- Relation had been very enterble, if they have given Pertaining, but however, because miffion or Connivance before, he has made an Amends in ftaand after Engagements too deep ting the rest of his Ingenious to be broken, wou'd endeavour Questions, We anfwer, our Oto retract it: But that they pinion is, That 'twas either the have an irrefiftable defpotical, Devil himself, who is never pofitive Vote, none but a Spa- idle in fuch Cafes, unless reniard will pretend, and I'm fure ftrain'd by an over-ruling Powour English Ladies will very un-er, or at leaft fome Witch or willingly grant. Q. What way shall a fhame-fac'd Virgin take to let a Perfon know She Loves him? A. If the Lady who propofes this Queftion has either Hands or Eyes, the need not be taught how to use 'em, unless her Spark is a Fool, or Blind, or never leads her. Female Factorefs of the Devil, who receiv'd both Intelligence and Power for the young Man's unhappy Information: As to his Death by a Fright, 'tis ordinary, and thus effected: The Object (I mean the strange Difcovery of the Thief) being reprefented to his Senfes, and the Senfes conveying too great and fudden a Prodigy for the Understanding to comprehend, the Heart SympaQ. I have a certain Knowledge thiz'd, and was opprefs'd with of a thing that happened not long the Confufion; Now the Heart ago A Gentleman having been being the Seat of Life, NaRobbed, fufpected a Servant of his, ture for the Prefervation of who being innocent fufpected ano. its own Frame call'd in the ther; and to be fatisfied, and clear Blood to its Affiftance, the himself, he went to a Sorcerefs; as Circulation of which being eihe was going, he was met by a Fe ther too violent, or not commale as he believed, who addrefs'd ing foon enough, the whole him thus; I know whether you are Frame fuffer'd too great a going, come along with me, and I Shock for a Reparation; Morwill shew you who has robb'd your tality always feizing, where IrMafter of his Money; the Servant regularities and Difcompofures went with her, and the fhew'd him of Nature prepare the Obthe Shape of the Thief; with which ject. be was fo furprix'd, that he died Q. What Q. What places of Scripture, or ether primitive Authors, do Cenfure Aftrology as finful? Coats of Arms to be Anneal'd, upon that great fatisfaction that I received in seeing several things fo curiously done, and compar4. The Author of the for- ing 'em with the Antiquate Paintmer Queftions of this nature, ings of St. Paul's, which I am having declin'd the Title of an alfo fatisfied were fuch by feAftrologer, tho' not an Ad-veral good Circumftances. This mirer of fome Inftances he has Art of Painting, with the new had in Horary Questions, and Invention of Spot Dials, lately defiring to have no further Ar-known to many of the Gentry guments about this Matter, but of England, is continued at Mr. what are deducible from Sacred Winches, a Glafs Painter in BreadWrit- We fhall, after our Street near Cheapfide; where any Contutation of the whole Body Gentleman may be accommodaof Aftrology by undeniable In- ted to his fatisfaction, in any Anferences, (Vide Vol. I.) add fuch neal'd Draughts or Effigies whatTexts in Sacred Writ, as will ever, and also fee fome of that give the Gentleman his full Sa- old Glafs. tisfaction, fince the twelve Books of Aulius Gellius, Pererius, and Picus Mirandula, fignifie fo little to him, though they fufficiently confute the firft Favourer of it 4. Printing has done more feramongst Christians, I mean Ori- vice, and differvice too, to the gen, the Scholar of Plotinus; World; not only becaufe 'twas the Texts are thefe, Deut. 18. prior in acting, but also because 14, 15. Ifa. 44. 25, 26. Ifa. 2. its Confequences reach beyond 5, 6. Zeph. 1. 5. Jer. 10. 2. the Effects of Gunpowder. AEcclef. 8. 7. and 10, 14. Ifa. gain, as the Caufe is nobler 41. 23. I Cor. 2. II. Pfal. 139. than its Effects, Printing is 2. Act. 19. 19. All which laid more prejudicial than Gunpowtogether, and impartially con- der, fince Gunpowder would be fidered, I hope, will Profelite feldom employ'd in any great the Querift, and force a Sub- Execution, if Printing did not fcription to Truth and our pre-firft raife fuch Difputes and Diceding Reafons. ftractions as are the Caufe of Q. Whether the Art of Painting Glass is different from what was anciently practifed; or whether the ancient Art is not loft, particularly in the two Colours of Red and Blue? Anfw. I can, upon my own knowledge, affirm, that Art not loft, but rather improv'd, haying at this time bespoke two Q. Whether has Gunpowder er Printing done the greatest Mischief to the Worlds? it. |