of 8 marks or 22 pounds, and 22 inches long, by this increase of a 7th part, is brought to the length of I leagues, that is, about 300 English miles.

But amazing as this extent is, it is not the utmost bounds to which the ductility of gold may be carried. One ounce only of gold is fometimes used to cover one ingot, and drawn to the length I have mentioned, and by the time it has paffed the flatting wheels, the gold that covers the filver lamina, must have its thickness reduced to lefs than the millionth part of a line; that is, a twelve millionth of an inch. This is beyond the reach of our conception, Imagination cannot plumb her line fo low.

But, Sir, (I faid) May not the gold be divided into mall grains feparate one from another, but yet near enough to give their colour to the filver? Though we may not be able to fee the thing, yet I think it may be imagined; the gold on the lamina doth not form a continued, leaf.

Experience, good Sir, demonftrates the contrary, -that every point of filver hath its cover of gold. Put a piece of this gilt wire in aqua fortis, the filver will be diffolved, and the gold left a perfect, continuous tube. It is an amazing thing! And thews the astonishing power of the firft caufe! As to the reafon of this ductility, and why gold in fuch a

manner

manner adheres to filver, so as never to part from it, if the 22 pounds of filver gilded with one ounce of gold could be extended by art for ever, this is past four finding out. It is a fecret of nature we cannot form any idea of

Calignofa nocte premit Deus.

Ribble went on. Thefe are the things most remarkable in relation to gold; and I have only to add, that as to the manner of getting it, it is found fometimes in glebes or clods, confifting of gold alone; fometimes in a powdry form, and then called gold-duft, or fand-gold, in the fands and mud of rivers and brooks; but most commonly in whitith clods, dug out of mines of vaft depth, and intermixed with filver and various foffils. This they reduce by fire to a mass of metal, and by aqua regia or aqua fortis, the gold is eafily taken out of the ore.

It

And as to gold's being fo yielding and ductile by human art, it is to be observed, that in return it exerts a greater power on the human mind. Paffive it is in its ductility, but more active in its influence on man. is a greater tyrant than a flave. It drives repeated millions of the human race to death and hell. King of metals as it is, bright and glorious to behold, and what procures innumerable bleffings to mankind; yet, with out the grace of God, to moderate the paffion A a 3

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for

Mr. Rib

ble's con

his reli

and advice.

for it, and to direct the mind in a true use of it, it is more dangerous to beings on a trial in a first state, than even poverty can be in this lower hemisphere. What villainies are daily committed to get it! What iniquities daily perpetrated by those who have plenty of it! Lead us not into temptation, fhould relate as well to too much of it, as to a total want of it; and it is well prayed,In all time of our wealth, good Lord deliver us.

In my opinion, neither poverty nor riches, clufion, but a middle ftate, is the thing we should containing defire. It is in this condition, we can best gious live foberly, or with a found mind, and conthoughts duct ourselves as thofe who have an intelligent fpirit to prefide in body. Too much gold most commonly inverts this order, and produces an apoftafy that fets the inferior powers in the throne, and callaves the mind to the body: It gives the paffions the commanding influence, and makes reafon receive law from appetite.

"

If we look into the world, we find too often, in this cafe, that wealth is big with innumerable fins. The rich are filled with wine, wherein is excefs, and fhew an unbridled diffolutenefs of manners, Their eyes behold strange women, and their hearts utter perverse things. Instead of regarding the common good, they commit the most extra

M

vagant injuries. Of fuch a hardning nature is too much gold, that it tends to make conscience infenfible and stupid, and renders it for ever unapt for impreffion. Then whoredom and wine, and new wine, take away the heart, and men are made to forget the law of God.

But having neither poverty nor riches, in the calm middle state, having all reasonable conveniencies, we can fairly come by; a vast variety of creatures for our food, and wine in its feafon, to make glad the beart; we may then partake of the bounties of providence, with a fober freedom, and at the fame time, can beft lay up for ourfelves a good foun dation, or fecuity for the time to come, that we may lay hold of eternal life.

Tho' it is with a profpect of difficulties, that all must enter upon religion, and with labour and difficulty, maintain our ground, and acquit ourselves like chriftians, that is, refift the devil in all his affaults, overcome the world in its enfnaring influence, and mortify the irregular inclinations of nature; yet in the happy middle ftate, where there is no poverty nor riches, that is, great wealth, we can make everlafting glory and felicity our governing aim, and bound our ambition and defires by nothing fhort of the refurrection of the dead. We may live in a full and ready: fubmiffion of the foul to the authority of A a 4 God's

God's word, Things eternal may have the afcendant in our practical judgment, and then with pleasure we become followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Good Sir, this is all our fowing time, and whatsoever a man foweth, that shall he also reap. He that foweth to his flesh, shall of his flesh reap corruption; but he that foweth to the fpirit, fhall of the fpirit reap everlasting life. And therefore, whether your lot be caft in the happy middling state, or you were born to thoufands a year, let wisdom be your rule, and prefer that happiness which has everlasting duration, in the realms of light above, to any prefent good that can come in competition with it. Do not fpend money for that which is not bread- and your labour for that which fatisfieth not. Do not employ your pains for that which hath vanity written upon it, by the word of God, by the teftimony of the wifeft men, and by frequent experience; but let your principal regard be for your immortal foul, when nothing can be given in exchange for the foul. Implore the light and grace of the good spirit, and by the quickening influences of the Father of the universe, and the exertion of your whole ftrength, let it be the principal labour of your every day, to make advances in the divine life, and be a bleffing to fociety

wherever