and Serofity being thrown out, by that means acquire a Sharpnefs which pricks and vexes the nervous Parts, and fo excites coughing: Where fore thofe Remedies have been chiefly prefcrib'd, as incline to Sleep, and corrected Laudanum, which thickning fubtile Catarrhs temper their Acrimony, and qualify the Cough. Experience alio tells us that half a Dram of Brimftone, with a Scruple of Benjamin, taken Morning and Evening in the Yolk of an Egg, is a good Remedy; for this fome have commended the eating boil'd Garlick and Onions. The Pleurify is chiefly caus'd by fome fharp Humour, which mixing with the Blood or its Serum, violently moves and conftrains the Blood or its Serum to go out of the Veins: Thus they being thrown out of their courfe, difperfe through the Membrane which covers the fides, and fometimes alfo into the Lungs; which Blood or Serum corrupting, caufes Coagulations and Inflammations in those Parts. This has been difcover'd by the opening of fuch who have dy'd of the Distemper. To remedy which, this Sharpnefs must be thrown out which is in the Veins, and the Blood again diffolv'd. In Pleurifies which are not malignant, all forts of fix'd and volatile Alkalys are prefcrib'd. To cure the Phthick, the Acrimony, and corrofive Acidnefs of the Blood, which ulcerates the Lungs, must be corrected, which is done by

zoar Mineral, the gentle Mercury of Van Helmont, and divers Balfamick Remedies. We have an Account of fome who have been cur'd through Sympathy, by fpitting in a Napkin, and tying it up to dry in the Smoak of the Chimney; the Relaters do not impofe this upon any one's Faith, but leave every one who pleases to be convinc'd by Experience, as they fay they have been. In refpect to the Cholick, Garlick boil'd in Milk is faid to be a powerful Remedy against this Paffion of the Inteftines, and now and then to take a Drachm of Sperma Ceti, Some fay the Scurvy is contagious, and that there is not a greater number of Salts and Sulphurs in the Laboratory of a Chymift, than there is in the Blood of those who are infected with it: For this is prefcrib'd the Juice of WaterCreffes, and other antiscorbu tick Plants, because they have their volatile Salt in their Juice; and Steel to fuch whofe Humours are less sharp, as well as Diaphoretick Antimony, and many other volatile and fix'd Alkalicks.

Queft. A Perfon that has been a very good Liver in all refpects, that has nothing to accuse himself of, except general Failings, has nevertheless fometimes very great Temptations to doubt of his Salvation, which makes him very uneasy; and tho' naturally of a chearful Temper, the Thoughts thereof fo disturb him, that he is at fuch times very melancholy. Several Friends have difcours'd

him about it, fome of which tell him there can be no Affurance in this Life, tho' others say there may, and think he has a great deal of reafon to hope he may one Day be in that number. These divided Fudgements, together with his own Doubts, very much afflict him: Wherefore if you'll give him your Thoughts upon this Query, whether there can be any certainty of Salvation in this Life, he hopes he may find great Satisfaction from them, and shall always think himself infinitely oblig'd to you.

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Anfw. Thefe melancholy Notions very oft in good Perfons proceed from the ill Temperament of the Body; and where it is fo, the Caufe muft first be remov'd before the unhappy Effect can cease. But for those who have the fect use of their Reason, have liv'd pious Lives, they may be abfolutely affur'd, by the Promifes of God, that if they perfevere in the Duties of Chriftianity, they fhall obtain Salvation; and that 'tis only in this Eftate that they muft continue to fecure their eternal Happiness: In which they may remain fo ftedfaft by the Affiftance of God's Grace, that there is no Temptation whatever, but they fhall be able to refift, either by that Grace they have already receiv'd, or that which God is ready to grant them whenfoever they fhall fincerely and fervently defire it of him.

Queft. Is it the Custom of remote Countries to teftify their Sorrow for the lofs of Friends, by wearing of different Apparel? And

if it is, do they put on black, as we do in thefe Parts, or any other Colour? And what Reason can be given for our making choice of that Colour, preferable to all ethers?

Anfw. Black is the fittest Emblem of that Sorrow and Grief the Mind is fuppos'd to be clouded with; and as Death is the Privation of Life, and Black a Privation of Light, 'tis very probable this Colour has been chofen to denote Sadnefs, upon that account. And we often find, altho' it is better difcern'd by the Senfes, than exprefs'd by Reason, That it is not only apt to put us in mind of pat Griefs, but also to excite new. This the melancholy Perfon is very fenfible of; and moft, if not all, would be fo, had not the Commonnefs of fuch Dreffes fo accuftom'd us to 'em, as in fome measure to diminish this natural Effect. Tho' 'tis not improbable but one reason why the Mind becomes fad at the fight of black, may be, because when it appears in the Body, it is generally a fign of death, becaufe it is produc'd by the Mortification and Extinction of the Spirits: A living Body being full of Vivacity and Brightness, whereas a dead one is gloomy and difmal; for at the fame Moment the Soul leaves the Body, a dark shade feems as it were to be drawn over it. So that this Colour is not only a proper Reprefentation of Grief and Sadness, but also of Death, which is the cause of it; and has upon

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the account of mourning been preferr'd by moft People throughout Europe. Yet feveral Nations have exprefs'd their Grief for the Lofs of the dead by wearing other Colours, and gave as they thought as good Reasons for it; the Syrians, Cappadocians, and Armenians ufe Sky-Colour, to denote the place they wish the dead to be in, viz. in the Heavens. The Egyptians yellow, or fillemot, to thew that as Herbs being faded become yellow, fo Death is the end of human Hope. And the Ethiopians grey, becaufe it refembles the Colour of the Earth, which receives the dead. And indeed almoft all Mankind, excepting fome barbarous People, have lamented the Death of their Friends, and fhew'd their Sadnefs by External Mourning.

Queft. Has the Bishop of Rome always been acknowledg'd as fuperior to all other Bishops, as the Papifts tell us, who say it was never difputed or contradicted, but by Hereticks, as they term us, fince the pretended Reformation?

Anfw. Let them but confult. the Decrees of the Council of Nice affembled together by the Emperor Conftantine, and they'll find 'twas fo far from being approv'd, that the Bifhops made particular Decree, to maintain, as they call'd it, the antient Custom, that all the Bishops through Egypt, Lybia, and Pentapolis, fhould be under the Superiority of the Bishop of Alexandria, notwithstanding the Endea

vours of the Bithops of Rome to ufurp, and withhold it from them : And that the Church of Antioch and other Provinces and Churches fhould each one entirely retain their peculiar Privileges.

Queft. What were the Decrees in the Lateran Council, that the Greeks and Latins differ'd about?

Anfw. The Greeks had fome diflike to thefe following ones.

That the Chrifm and Eucharift fhould be kept under Lock and Key.

That a private Confession of Sins fhould be made once every Year.

That an Election made by the Civil Magiftrate, in fpiritual Promotions, fhould be of no force.

That any Perfon in Ecciefiaftical Orders fhould not, without great Cause, promife Fealty to any Layman.

That the Laws made by Princes fhould not prejudice Churches.

That Ecclefiaftical Perfons fhould be exempted from all Contributions.

That Tribute fhould not be paid before Tenths.

And that the Relicks of Saints fhould not be shown out of a Casket.

So high was the Diffenfion, that the Greeks would not touch thofe Altars that the Latins had offer'd up the Hoft on, till they had wafh'd and purify'd them: They likewife new baptiz d thofe whom the Latins had before baptiz'd.

Queft. I defire the favour of fome short Answer to these Opi

That the Power of God, and the Power of Nature being the fame, if any thing happens above the Power of Nature, we must confefs that things happen which are above the Power of God, which is abfurd.

If Miracles proceed from Effects which are above our Conceptions, we can prove nothing of 'em, because we cannot draw any clear Confequence from a Principle, whereof we comprehend nothing. And further, that Miracles are limited Effects, which ought not neceffarily to have a Caufe, whofe Perfections have no Limits; fo that Miracles do not neceffarily prove the Being of a God.

Anfw. To the Firft; That altho' thefe Faculties are the fame thing in God, yet it is no Impediment, but that to understand and to will may be very different Acts; even; as altho' the Mercy and Juftice of God, be only one and the fame Perfection in him, to punifh and to forgive are two Acts, which ought not to be confounded.

The Second Opinion fupposes what we deny, viz. That the Power of God and the Power of Nature is but one and the fame thing. It is equally abfurd to affirm, that thofe things that we call Miracles, are only certain rare Events, which happen in confequence of fome Laws of Nature which are unknown

As to the Laft, 'Tis false that we cannot conclude any thing that is clear from an Effect which is above the Capacity of our Minds; fince it is certain we may evidently conclude this, that the Caufe of fuch an Effect is as much above us, as this Effect furpaffes our Understanding. Those who fee any Machine which produces a furprising Effect, and who are abfolutely unacquainted with the Mathematicks, not conceiving how it can be perform'd, may they not, nay even ought they not to conclude, that this Machine has fome Author, who has much more Knowledge than they have? But if an Effect be limited, it does not follow from thence that the Caufe muft be limited too; for fuppofing a Caufe, the. Perfections whereof were not limited, whatever it would produce, mult however be limited in this refpe&t; because it is contradictory, that one being abfolutely perfect should be produc'd by another. fides, there are limited Effects, which must neceffarily have a Caufe whofe Power is infinite, as in the Refurrection from the dead For 'tis impoffible to conceive that a Power which is bounded can in a moment re-establish a rotten Carcafe in the very fame con

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