Colleges Schools c. Jews THE Jews have had many Colleges not go speak of those mentioned in Scripture Naioth and Gibeah Bethel and Jericho since the destruction of Jerusalem their most famous have been Jabne or Jafne three Miles from Joppa Tiberias or Tzephorias Soran and Pumbedith Hottinger Persians There are many Mandresaes Colleges all over Persia D. of Holstein's Embass Trav. into Musc Tartary c. p. 159. The Persians in their Colleges observe this way the Student Reads two or three lines and the Doctor Expounds them then another Reads two or three more and rises up till the Doctor hath expounded them and bids him sit down again Their Books are mostly the Works of Kadgia Nesir some of Aristotle the Almagestes of Ptolomy which they call Magesti some of Euclide some of Archimedes the Opticks of Ebne Heister Galen Galenous they call him Averroes Abonalt or great Father Hermes Trismegistus Ormous Their chief Historian is Ronze el Zapha who wrote a Chronology from the Creation very Fabulously saying the World was Inhabited by Devils before the Creation c. Taver l. 5. c. 11. The Persians call their Colleges Medrese where there are a great number of Schollars bred up at little Charge out of the Legacies left to the Foundations They allow them a Chamber without Furniture themselves providing a Coverlet and Mattress for themselves They have no certain Masters but sometimes learn of one sometime of another seldom of the Monderes Principal who is generally the greatest Block-head of them all But there are several others in every good Town that Teach the Sciences to purchase Honour to themselves who are therefore liberal to get many Schollars to publish the Wisdom of their Akroom or Doctor Tavern l. 5. Mahometans There are two stately Colleges in Fez for Professors in Diverse Sciences Rosse Also 200 Grammar Schools About the Walls of their Mosquits are diverse Pulpits for their Readers who begin their Lectures shortly after break of day in the Summer They read after Sun-set Mahomet's Law and Moral Philosophy are read To the winter Lectures large Revenues are allowed Books and Candles Rosse Heathens In New Spain they had Schools and Seminaries Idem and Purchas c. Mahometans Near Belgrade the Grand Visier hath Built a Metreseck or College for Students I saw a Student Habited in Green and wearing a Turbant with four Corners which is a peculiar distinction Dr. Brown's Travels Idolatrous Indians The Bramins have a kind of University in a City which is called Benarez where they make all their Exercises in Astrology and where they have Doctors that Expound their Law which they very strictly observe But in regard they are so great a Number and cannot all come to Study at that University they are all very ignorant and consequently very Superstitious Those that go for the most refined Wits being the greatest Sorcerers Tavernier l. 3. c. 3. Tunquin The Tunquinese have a very great inclination for Learning and apply themselves to their Studies with diligence and success for that they cannot be advanced without it to the Offices and Dignities in the Kingdom by Learning I mean the Knowledg of the Laws of their Countrey Mathematicks Astronomy to which all the Orientials have a great Inclination Musick and Poetry Comedy and Tragedy To obtain Nobility in your Youth by Learning you must pass through three degrees of the Syude by close studying eight years and a rigorous Examination and this qualifies for the Office of a Notary Proctor c. The Doucan by studying Musick Astrology and Poesy five years The Tansi by spending four years more in Learning the Chinese Character to such a number of Words The last Examination is made in the great place within the enclosure of the Palace of Tunquin which is a stately Marble structure There the King is present Princes and great Lords of the Court the Manderim for Learning and all the Tansies and many also from distant Provinces come to the Solemnity Some have asserted extravagantly that sometimes there are 30 or 40000 Students present at this Examination but I cannot learn that the number ever exceeds 3000. Eight days are spent in Examination which is performed upon nine Scaffolds built like an Amphitheatre The eight days being passed they all appear again upon the same Scaffolds where in the View of all the World they who faultered in their Examinations are dismissed as unworthy of any Employment the rest are honoured with a Vest of Violet Satin which they presently put on and then take upon them the name of Tansies Then they have given them a list of the Towns and Villages where they are to receive the Rents which the King allows them some more some less To which places when they come the Inhabitants meet them with all sorts of Musick and a guilded Branquar carried by eight men where they divert themselves for three Months and then return to Court to Instruct themselves in the Affairs of the Kingdom and King's House and fit themselves for the Dâ—â—â—nity of a Mandarin Tavernier 's Collect of several Relat. Saracens About the year 1000 the Saracens had a famous Academy at Babylon wherein the Sorences especially Astrology and Physick were I aught Hotting Christians Under Valentinian the Emperor Students were not permitted to stay after 20 years of age lest the Splendor and Vanities of the City should tempt them to forsake the Service of their Countrey Five or six years time was allowed them there and no more Antiq. of the Brittish Churches Cardinal Pool Arch bishop Granmer and since them Dr. Marshal of Lincoln College in Oxon. were of Opinion that they who are designed for the Clergy should be Educated from their Infancy in the Cathedrals or with some Pious and Learned Divines and so inured to a good Life I wish our Universities were not detective in that point of Education which Ladies call Breeding and Accomplishment a Fault incident to all Schools of I earning yea Athens it self Plutarcho Taste the longer they stayed there the greater Clowns they proved Auth. of the Educ of Young Gentlemen Halor and Schalholt Bishops Sees with Petty Schools in Iseland Dr. Heylin Premonitions of Death Jews THE most remarkable Instances of this kind among the Jews we find in sacred Scripture first in the case of Aaron's Death which is foretold to Moses Numb 20.24 Next in the case of Moses which was revealed by God to himself Num. 27.12 13. and thirdly of Elijah's discovered before-hand to the Prophets both of Bethel and Jericho 2 Kin. 3.3 5. c. I say nothing of the Communication of God made of his recret Purposes concerning the Judgments he had decreed against Offenders as the drowning of the old World the Destruction of Sodom c. the drownning of the Egyptians the punishment of the Israelites by War Plague Famine the Earth swallowing up Corah Dathan and Abiram c. nor lastly the Death of our blessed Saviour presignified by Types Prophecy and Christ's own
the Pastor laid upon the Altar the Bread and Wine for the Sacrament were taken viz. common Bread no dispute then about leaven'd or unleaven'd Bread 3. Hence also probably they had Provisions for the Agapae where Rich and Poor feasted together At â—â—â—st probably before the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11. Every one took his own Supper Afterwards in Chrysostom's time it was after the Sacrament for they fasted till the Sacrament 4. The Elements being prepared 1. The Deacon brought Water to wash the Bishop's and Priest's hands I will wash my hands in Innocency v. Constit. Ap. l. 8. 2. They Deacon cryed aloud Mutually embrace and kiss each other this is the holy kiss when thou bringest thy Gift to the Altar c. 3. They prayed for universal Peace wholesom Weather Kings c. See the Form Consist Apost 4. The Minister and People mutually saluted saying Priest The Lord be with you People And with thy Spirit Pr. Let us give Thanks unto the Lord. Peop. It is meet and just so to do 5. The Minister rehearsed the Prayer of Consecration giving Thanks for the Death Resurrection c. of the Son c. for admitting them to those Benefits praying for a closer Union Ending with the Lord's Prayer 6. The Minister cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ans There is one Holy one Lord. J. Ch. 7. They exhorted to participation by a Hymn Come Taste and see that the Lord is good Cyril 8. The Bishop or Priest Sanctified the Elements See the Form in S. Ambros de Sacram. l. 4. c. 5. 9. They brake the Bread delivering it to the Deacon and he to the Communicants then the Cup the Wine mixt with Water For Infants and wealt the Bread dipt in Wine was given 10. The posture was various in Dionys Alezander's time standing Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 9. 11. The People stretch'd out the right hand the left hand being under it Cyril 12. During the Administration they sung Psalms Ps 33. Constit Apost and Hymns 13. Concluded with Prayer and Thank sgiving 14. Saluted each other with a Kiss of Peace signaculo Orationis Tertul. Enlogiae pieces of Bread sent to Catechumens c. Mahometan The Mahometans used Circumcision after the 8th Year when the Child is able to make confession of his Faith where lifting up his Finger he speaks these words There is but one God and Mahomet his Prophet one God and equal Prophets After Circumcision ended they Feast three days together and then they carry the Circumcised to a Bath with great Pomp and then home again presenting him with gifts Circumcision not commanded in the Alcoran The Women are not circumcised but only use the words When any Christian abjures his Faith and is circumcised they are led through the Town with great honour and rejoycing and exempted from Taxes and Tributes Yet the Moors of Egypt circumcise their Daughters cutting off some of their Nymphae M. de Thev The Old Arabians circumcised at thirteen years of age Rosse In Mexico the Priests washed the Newborn Children and let them blood in the Ears Rosse Ancient Heathen In answer to Circumcision and Baptism The Heathen Romans every Citizen gave notice of the birth of their Children to the Prefects of the Treasury in the Temple of Saturn upon the Ninth day for the Male the Eighth for a Female but the Tenth amongst the Greeks upon which day called therefore Dies Lustricus Nominalia the Child was Purified Named They accounted the Child in danger till the seventh day past The supposed Goddess of the day was called Nundina The Grecians on the fifth day had their Midwives to carry the Child and run about a fire made for the purpose for the purification of the Infant and consecrating of it to the Houshold Gods This day was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Holyday on Juvenal Modern Heathen The Inhabitants of Ceilon dedicate a Cock to the Devil by way of Vow in case of sickness Capt. Knox. The most Ancient Historians tell us that the Egyptians were the first that instituted Circumcision or else learn'd it from the Ethiopians thence it came to be used among the Cholchi Phenicians and Syrians Ludolph They of Alnajah circumcise with sharp Stones and Epiphanius quotes the Homerites for the same custom from whence came the Abyssinians Idem The Troglodytes Nigrites and other innumerable Nations use it for cleanliness or for generation as conducive to it or because they have a longer Praeputium idem Among the Abyssins Egyptians and Arabians even the Women are circumcised and the most impudent about the Cape of Good-hope who yet prostitute themselves for a small matter to the Seamen My Author wonders that only in Africa and Asia the Women should have such extuberances as have need to be cut off idem O Bandaron O Uncircumcised is as great a Reproach among these Women as O Arel i. e. O Incircumcised amongst the Jewish Men idem Among the Bannyans the Priests Children and Merchants i. e. Bramins and Bannyans in Baptism anoint with Oyl and cleanse with Water the prophaner sort Men of War and Manufactures have only Water with the point of a Pen opposed to their Foreheads Sir Th. Herb. Diabolical The Witches renounce their Christian Baptism and suffer the Devil to pour Water upon them and take another Feigned Name in their Fictitious Baptism Mart. Delrio Disq Mag. l. 5. Sec. 16. Also for a Pledge they give a Fragment of their Garments and write their Names or make their Marks with their own Hands in the Book of Damned Reprobates ibid. Some offer the Sacramental Bread to the Devil Also the Wizard or Witch in some secret part of the Body hath a kind of a Dug which the Familiar Spirit at certain seasons sucks thereby receiving some service and peradventure infusing some malignant virtue and power into the Witch which serves as a kind of Sacrament to them for the conveyance of continual nourishment Glanv Consid on Witches Dr. d ee when his Son Rowland was sick ready to die made a Vow if God should restore his Son to eat but one meal on Saturdays c. Act. with Spir. p. 10. vid. post cap. de Jejun Mr Mather tells of a Diabolical Sacrament in Bread and Wine Wonders of the Invisible World 7. Fasting Mortification Penances Jewish THE Fasts of the Jews are 1. Publick which are many concerning which we have given account already in the Monthly Festivals save only that we omitted one which is kept in the Month of Tizri or September for the death of Gedaliah Jer. 41.2 2. Private as 1. On Mondays The reasons of which see before in the Chapter of weekly times of Publick Worship 2. Thursdays Which are kept only by the Devouter Sort. The general rule in all their Fastings is to forbear Meat and Drink till the Stars appear but in this they are palpably carnal relying upon the very doing of the Work Dr. Addison Some fast on the 10th of March because Miriam died that day and
the Messengers but a dismal Spectacle Origen chose rather to commit Idolatry than Fornication though that too was his Enemy's Act rather than his own they hailing him up to the Altar and thrusting the Frankincense into his hand Dr. Cave 6. They accounted Uncleanness an heinous sin and amongst all the sins that were punished sharply in the Ancient Church Adultery was one of the chief Marcion being found guilty of lying with a Virgin and therefore thrown out of the Church betook himself to one Cerdon a Master-Heretick and espoused his Doctrines The Punishment for Adultery was perpetual Penance all a Man's Life and scarce admission to Communion at the Hour of Death 'till Pope Zephyrianus A. C. 216. ordered the Penance for a shorter space of time which offended the Afric Churches Tertullian inveighs bitterly against it as a thing unfit in it self and an Innovation in the Church The Council of Ancyra A. 315. set Adultery at 7 Years Penance Can. 20. The Council of Illiberis decreed for the second Fault perpetual penance not to be absolved at Death S. Basil in his Rules of Discipline for Amphilochius sets Fornication at 7 Years Penance Adultery at 15. His Brother Gregory Bishop of Nyssa sets Fornication at 9 Years Penance Adultery and all other kinds of Uncleanness at 18 yet giving liberty to Spiritual Guides to contract c. Justin M. gives an instance of a Woman that had lived lewdly with her Husband but Repenting and Reforming became strictly chaste and sober and would have persuaded her Husband to do the like but he obstinately refusing it begat a quarrel and that quarrel at last became the Matter of publick cognisance and was an occasion for Justin Martyr to write that excellent Apology for the Christians Apol. p. 41. Theodosius provided by a Law That no Woman should marry within a Year at least after her Husband's death and ratified it by a double Penalty Note of Infamy and loss of Dowry and whatever her Husband had bequeath'd to her Muscovites The postures of the Muscovites in Dancing and the insolence of their Women are infallible marks of their bad inclinations We have seen at Moscou both Men and Women come out of the publick Brothel-Houses stark naked and incite some young People of our Retinue to naughtiness by their filthy and lascivious expressions D. of H. Ambass Trav. p. 60. Yet Adultery is look'd upon as a Sin unpardonable A Polander turning Greek to marry a Muscovite Beauty being forced to take a Journey into Poland his Lady in his absence made a shift to be otherwise supplied and had a Child but fearing her Husband's displeasure retired into a Monastery and was shaved Her Husband would fain have got her out again and pardon'd the offence but it would not be permitted it being according to their Theology a Sin against the Holy Ghost not to be pardon'd in this nor the other World Ibid. Mahometans The Law of Mahomet allows four Wives to any and as many Concubines as they please The Great Mogul is said to have four Wives and a thousand Concubines yet had but six Children yet the Mahometan-Priests and some others content themselves with one Sultan Coob-Surroo one of the Mogul's Sons a Prince of a lovely Presence had but one which accompanied him in all his straits for in his younger Years he had been tempted to Rebellion Anon. The Turks in their Bagnio's separate Men from Women The strict Votaries of that Religion marry not at all 'T is observed those Mahometans who have most Concubines and Wives are most jealous and will not suffer their Wive's Brothers or Fathers to come to them except in their presence Honest Women of reputed Chastity will not at any time be seen but by their Husbands but if they are found Incontinent their own Brother's Hands shall be first against them to take away their Lives rather than they shall not be punished In Indolstan is notwithstanding a free Toleration for Whores who are inrolled before they can have liberty to keep such a House Some of them appear before the Mogul singing wanton Songs playing on Timbrals c. Heathens The Hindoes take but one Wife and are not jealous as the Mahometans who have many suffering their Wives to go whither they please Their Widows cut their Hair and live as Creatures neglected by themselves and others some are ambitious to dye with honour in their Husband's Funeral pile and she that is thus resolved never starts back but goes singing to her Death and altho ' not bound yet never offers to stir out of the Flames The Persees in Indostan have but one Wife who likewise is permitted to go abroad The Mogul one day found one of his Eunuchs kissing one of his Women Put her in a hole in the Ground up to her Head there she died in torment parch'd with the Sun after she had lain a Day and a Night crying out Ah! my Head c. The Eunuch in the same place in her sight was cut in pieces The Women of Deyly are handsome and the Gentiles very chaste insomuch that if the Mahometan Women did not by their wantonness dishonour the rest the Chastity of the Indians might be proposed as an Example to the Women of the East M. de Thevenot Trav. l. 3. c. 25. The Persian Women when they go abroad veil their Faces Sir Th. Herb. The Persees severely punish Adultery and Fornication Mandelslo's Travels Haron Wathic Billak a Turkish Chalif kill'd himself with immoderate Venery Hottinger Armenians One Mariage a Deputy from the King and French Company for Trade with Persia at Zulpha by the means of an old Woman Mother of one of his Lacqueys having debauch'd an Armenian Girl whom he kept privately to himself so soon as it was noised abroad all the Armenians were scandaliz'd at it and sent to seize the Bawd to punish her by their Laws as she deserv'd Mariage fled out of his Lodgings to her Assistance but seeing the People in an Uproar and finding the Stones to fly too thick about his Ears he was forc'd to seek his own safety was threatened by the Armenians to be complained of to the King of France and ever after lookt upon with Scorn and Contempt Tavernier's Collection of several Relations c. p. 36. Japonites In Japon Adultery is only punished in the Women Deflouring and Ravishing of Virgins in the Persons of the Criminals and the next of Kin too Idem p. 4. Here the Women live retir'd and are very faithful to their Husbands Ibid. p. 4. The Emperor having put to death one of the Lords of his Court out of hopes to enjoy his Wife she fearing Violence besought the Emperor to give her time to consider which was granted for some few days at the end whereof she shut her self up in a Room with her Children and after she had delivered a Paper to one of her Servants to carry to the Emperor she set the Chamber on fire and burnt both her self and her Children
The Emperor met with nothing else in the Paper but Reproaches of his Tyranny and Attestations of Joy from the Lady that she had the opportunity to sacrifice her self to the memory of her Husband Ibid. Lutherans At Bern the third Adultery is punished with Death which is also the punishment of the fifth Act of Fornication of which I saw an instance while I was at Bern for a Woman who confessed her self guilty of many Whoredoms and designed to be reveng'd on some Men that did not furnish her liberally with Money was upon that account condemned and executed the manner was solemn for the Advoyer comes into an open Bench in the middle of the Street and for the satisfaction of the People the whole Process was read and sentence was pronounced in the hearing of all the Counsellors both of the great and lesser Council standing about the Advoyer who after Sentence took the Criminal gently by the Hand and prayed for her Soul and after Execution there was a Sermon for the instruction of the People Dr. Burnet's Letters Papists in Florence I was much scandalized to see Statues with Nudities here which I do not remember to have seen any where else in Churches Dr. Burnet's Letters Bengal In Bengal Adultery is punished by cutting the Nose yet is very common Pacquet broke open Vol. 2. Siam 'T is burning alive for the Clergy in Siam to have to do with Women but those that cannot contain may quit the Priesthood and be absolved from their Vow of Chastity There are also Nunneries of old Religious Women situate near the Temple that they may be present at the Offices and Prayers there Ibid. Patana The Mahometans in Patana judge Fornication no Sin but Adultery is capital yet the Delinquent may chuse the manner of Death and a near Relation must be Executioner Ibid Moluques Polygamy among the Moluques is lawful and Adultery unpunished Ibid. Japanese The Ecclesiasticks in Japan make a vow of Chastity so strictly to be observed that the least breach of it is punished with the most cruel Death imaginable fixing them in the Earth up to the middle in a Road and all the vulgar Passengers are to strike him in the Neck with a wooden Saw which makes him three or four Days expiring But think them not Chaste for all this for they are allowed the use of Men and Boys Ibid. Yet one Sect of the Ecclesiastics are allowed to marry Ibid. Fermosa Adultery Theft and Murder here are accounted no Crimes the only Sins being their covering their secret Parts at set-times to wear Silk when they should wear Cotton not to have destroyed Children in their Mothers Womb who cannot lawfully bear a Child at 30 or 35 Years of age Ibid. Chinese In China Polygamy is lawful Ibid. Candin In Candin they prostitute their Wives Sisters and Daughters to Strangers in honour of their Idols Ibid. Circassia They seem to adore a Goats-Skin which at the Funeral of the Chief Lords of each Village is set up at its entrance The Privities they cut off and cast against the Wall and if they stick there they worship them Ibid. Madagascar c. In Madagascar the Lower-Ethiopia c. they allow Polygamy Ibid. Mexico Some of the Priests in Mexico to preserve their Chastity slit their Members in the midst and do an hundred things to make themselves Impotent lest they should offend their Gods Purchas Paria In Paria each Man is allowed as many Wives as he lists at least as he can maintain tho they never have the Maiden-heads of any Prostituting them the first Night to the Piaco's Priests or to their appointment who for small matters turn over that drudgery to Strangers Nor do they at any time think their Guests welcome unless they will do the Office of Men to their Wives Sisters c. S. Clark Patience in Sufferings Christians There were Six Methods of Execution Ordinary in the Primitive Times 1. THE Cross ✚ Upon this the Christians Hung till starved with Hunger or dispatched by Birds or wild Beasts S. Andrew continued two whole Days on the Cross Preaching the Gospel all the while Timotheus and his Wife Maura after many other Torments hung nine Days before they compleated their Martyrdom It was the peculiar Punishment of Slaves Traitors and the vilest Malefactors S. Peter and some Egyptian Martyrs were hung with their Heads downwards Constantine took away the use of the Cross 2. The Rack Equuleus because the Man was Horsed upon the Engine by Ropes and Skrews and Pullies a long board was on the Top of it Besides which there was Catasta a Piece of wood like a little Scaffold that the Torments might be more conspicuous In both of them were ungulae pinchers of Iron with sharp Teeth to pull the Flesh by Piece-meal 3. The Wheel sometimes with Iron Pricks on which the person bound was whirled about with a Violent Distortion Thus suffered Felix Presb Fortunatus c. 4. Burning designed for Villains c. 5. Throwing to wild Beasts Bears Leopards Lions c. 6. Condemning to the Mines where was toyling beating with Clubs binding with Chains lying on the Ground Nakedness the Heads half shaved like Slaves a mark in the Face the right Eye pulled out the left foot disabled by cutting of Nerves the Estate forfeited c. To which add 1. Scourging with Rods Plumbate having Leaden Plummets at the ends 2. Beheading c Marcus Bishop of Arethusa being first dawbed with Honey was exposed to Wasps on a Pole in the Sun Some were put into old Ships and turned out to Sea the Vessels being first set on fire Thus an Orthodox Presbyter under Valens the Arrian Emperor was served Concerning the Patience of the Primitive Christians Observe 1. When sought for by Persecutors they cared not to escape So Polycarp refused to Fly tho into the next House Cyprian Commends some Confessors whom he wrote to in Prison that when oft desired to go out of Prison they would not Himself did with-draw from Carthage when sent for to Suffer at Vtica that when he did suffer he might Suffer at Carthage where he was Bishop a thing which he earnestly wished for and it was granted him 2. They Offered themselves The miscrable Creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do verily perswade themselves that they shall surely be Immortal and Live for ever on which account they despise Death and many of them voluntarily Offer themselves to it Lucian de Mort. Peregr Tom. 2. I am quite tired out in Punishing and Destroying the Galileans called here by the Name of Christians according to your Commands and yet they cease not to offer themselves to be slain Nay tho I have laboured both by fair means and threatenings to make them conceal themselves from being known to be Christians yet can I not stave them off from Persecution Tiberianus President of Palestine to the Emperor Trajan Apud Vsser Append. Ignat. O unhappy People if you have a mind to dye have you not
my Salvation I wholly offer up my Soul and Body I cast my self wholly upon his Mercy and Grace c. Ibid. Andrew Willet a little before his death repeated the 146th Psalm and said it was a most sweet Psalm by and by rising out of a Trance to his Wife crying out he said Let me alone I shall do well Lord Jesu and so departed Anonym Robert Bolton in a Quartane Ague after meditating on the Four last Things desiring to be dissolv'd in the pangs of death he breathed out I am now drawing on apace to my Dissolution hold out Faith and Patience your work will quickly be at an end he died aged 60. Anonym William Whately in Sickness comforted himself with Ps 41.1 2. whilst a Friend was praying with him lifting up his Eyes and one of his Hands in the Close of the Prayer he gave up the Ghost aged 56. Idem Ant. Walleus called his Family and exhorted them to the fear of God then took his leave and fell asleep never thoroughly awaking till on the Lord's day at 11 a Clock he expired aged 66. 1639. Hen. Alting the day before his death sang Psal 130. with great Fervency in the Evening blessed his Children and exhorted them to fear God and to persevere in the Truth of the Gospel and so died aged 57. A. 1644. Fred. Spanhemius having preach'd his last Sermon at Easter upon Phil. 3.24 Who shall change our vile Body c. he prayed for his Family and himself and in the Close of his Prayer died 1649 aged 49. Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessis Marley being sick of a continual Feaver often said I fly I fly to Heaven and the Angels are carrying me into the Bosom of my Saviour I know that my Redeemer liveth I shall see him with mine Eyes and I feel I feel what now I speak he died aged 74. Mr. John Bruen of Stapleford in Cheshire Esq the Morning before his Death said I will have no Blacks I love no Proud nor Pompous Funeral neither is there any cause of Mourning but of rejoycing rather in my particular Immediately before his Death Lifting up his Hands he said The Lord is my Portion my Help and my Trust his blessed Son Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer Amen Even so saith the Spirit unto my Spirit therefore come Lord Jesus and kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mouth and embrace me with the Arms of thy Love into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O come now and take me to thy self O come Lord Jesus come quickly O come O come O come and so died aged 65 A.C. 1625. Mr. Will. Perkins to a Friend praying for him said Pray not for the mitigation of my Torments but for the increase of my Patience he died aged 44. A.C. 1602. Edw. Deering As for my Death I bless God I feel so much inward Joy and Comfort in my Soul that if I were put to my choice whether to die or to live I would a thousand times rather chuse Death than Life if it may stand with the Will of God he died A.C. 1576. Melancthon to his Son-in-law Dr. Bucer asking what he would have answered Nothing but Heaven and therefore trouble me no more with speaking to me I have delivered more upon this subject in a former Book called The Christians Companion Mahometans and Heathens A great Solider in eminent favour with the Great Mogul a Mahometan Atheist upon a wound proving Mortal by the occasion of a Hair pluckt off his Breast about his Nipple in wantonness by one of his Women when a dying said Who would not have thought but that I who have been bred so long a Soldier should have died in the Face of my Enemy by a Sword or Lance or Arrow or Bullet or by some such instrument of Death but now am forc'd to confess That there is a great God above whose Majesty I ever despis'd that needs no bigger Lance than a Hair to kill an Atheist a Despiser of his Majesty and so desiring that those his last Words might be told unto the King his Master he died The Dervise that gave his sense of the Apparition at Medina mentioned in the Chapter of Miracles c. died with those Words in his Mouth if my Memory fail me not O thou Woman with the Book in thine Hand have Mercy upon me Heathen Antient. I am not haled to Death but am ascending up to Heaven The last Words of Socrates with the Mortal Cup in his Hand Socrates said Mr. H. Bullinger was glad when his death approached because he thought he should go to Hesiod Homer and other Learned Men whom he should meet with in the other World then how much more do I enjoy who am sure that I shall see my Saviour Christ the Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Holy Men which have lived from the beginning of the World These I say I am sure to see and to partake with them in Joy The Words of Dying Bullinger See more in Erasmus ' s Conviv Religios Cicero in his Dialogue concerning Old Age introduceth Cato Major speaking thus If any God should grant me leave to grow young and cry like an Infant in my Cradle again I would utterly refuse it nor would I be willing as one that hath run his Race out to be called back from the Goal to the beginning again For what Profit hath Life or rather what toil hath it not But whether it hath or no certainly it gluts or satisfies for I am not minded to lament that I have lived which many and they Learned Men have often done nor do I repent my Life because I have so lived that I think I was not born in vain and I depart hence as out of an Inn not from my Home O famous day when I shall go to that Assembly and Council of Divine Souls and depart out of this Rout and Sink Occasions of Conversion Jews EVE Cohan was converted by ocasion of reading the New-Testament which she found in the Chamber of her Dancing-Master in Holland but being threatned and ill-treated by her Mother upon it married her Master came over into England and was baptized at London about half a score Years ago Discoursing once with an Italian Jew concerning the Conditions of Rome he began with great assurance to tell me That at Rome great Wonders were to be seen as a Man that could make his God make and unmake Sins at his pleasure c. closing up his Discourse with a deep Protestation That if he were a Christian the Vices and Doctrines of Italy would strongly tempt him to disown that Name Dr. Addison Christians Matthias Vessenbechius a Lawyer Student at Lovain converted by seeing the Sufferings of a poor Godly Man of that place Ex Melch. Ad. Francis Junius being at Lyons escaped an imminent Death upon which being somewhat awakened to a Sense of Divine Providence he desired to read over the New-Testament of which himself gives this Account When I opened
Womb 70 years without losing her Virginity he exhorted the Grandees to build Hospitals in all Cities Agreeing much with Chacabout in Doctrine Taver Mahometans I Believe 1. That there is but one God and that there is no number in him 2. That Mahomet is the Messenger of God the most excellent and last of all the Prophets That the Christian Religion was to Cease at his Appearance 3. That Jesus Christ was a great Prophet Inspired by the Spirit of God 4. That God is a Being of great Perfection 5. Angels are Executioners of God's Commands without Sex different in Dignity and appointed to several Offices as well in Heaven as Earth 6. Good and Evil only happen because God hath Fore-ordain'd them having writ on a Table from all Eternity things that are and are to be 7. There shall be a general Resurrection of the Dead But before that 1. Anti Mahomet must come 2. Jesus shall come from Heaven to Kill him and Establish Mahometanism 3. Gog and Magog c. 4. A Beast is to come out of Meccha 5. All Living Creatures shall Die Hills fly into the Air the Heavens melt and drop upon the Earth Then shall God renew the Earth and raise the Dead naked but Saints and Prophets clothed and carried by Angels to the Empyrean Heavens 8. The Bad shall suffer Hunger Thirst painful Sweating c. 9. The Pains of the Wicked shall be proportioned to their Merits but shall not last above 50000 years 10. That at the day of Judgment S. Michael with be a Ballance shall weigh the good and bad Actions of Men. 11. They whose good Deeds out-weigh their Bad shall go to Paradise 12. There is a particular Judgment at Death to distinguish the Mussulman from Unbelievers F. Simon out of a Mahometan Dr. Ancient Heathen I Believe in one Supreme God who presides over all the rest who seeth and Governs all things in all places And in as many more Inferior Gods as our Magistrates and Laws shall require us to believe in That the Law of Nature and Reason is the ordinary Rule of our Manners And the Laws of the Nation Of our Religigious Worship That our Souls are Immortal and shall survive our Bodies That they who have defiled themselves with Vice their Souls at Death shall be secluded from the Society of the Gods and be tossed about the Earth but they who have lived well and honestly and have imitated the Lives of the Gods the Souls of these Men shall go to the Stars or Gods from whence at first they came This is extracted especially out of Cicero and Somn. Scip. Diabolical Their Creed is nothing but a Reverse of the Orthodox Faith an open Profession or secret Practice contrary to the Truth which must needs be so pregnant with Blasphemy that it will not be safe to exhibit a Copy of it to common View The Bannyans I Believe that a God of Immense Power Eternal and Provident in the beginning Created the whole World that he made the first Man by Name Pourous and for his Society Created the first Woman Parconty both so innocent that they would not cut any thing that had a Sensitive Life but fed upon Herbs and Fruits that from them sprung two couple of Boys Bramon Cuttery Shuddery and Wise the first a Priest the second a Warrior the third a Merchant the forth a Peasant which Peopled the four Parts of the World but upon their Impiety the World was Destroyed by a Deluge That afterwards upon Mount Meropurbatea God gave the Shaster to Bremaw in Clouds and Lightning for a rule of Living Mr. Hobbes's I Believe that God is Almighty matter that in him are three Persons he having been thrice represented on Earth that it is to be decided by the Civil Power whether he Created All things else That Angels are not Incorporeal Substances but preternatural Impressions on the Brain of Man that the Soul of Man is the Temperament of his Body that the very Liberty of Will in that Soul is Physically necessary that the Prime Law of Nature in the Soul of Man is Self-Love that the Law of the Civil Soveraign is the only obliging Rule of Just and Unjust that the Books of the Old and New Testament are not made Canon and Law but by the Civil Powers that what is written in these Books may be denied upon Oath in times of Persecution That Hell is a tolerable condition of Life for a few years upon Earth to begin at the general Resurrection and that Heaven is a blessed Estate of good Men like that of Adam before his Fall beginning at the general Resurrection to be from thence-forth Eternal upon Earth in the Holy Land Dr. Tenison Precepts or Commands Mahometan THeir Law is divided into eight Precepts or Commandments 1. There is but one God and his Prophet Mahomet 2. Children must be Dutiful to their Parents 3. Neighbours must Love each other 4. They must Pray five times every day 5. A Lent of thirty days is to be kept every year 6. They must be Charitable and give Alms to the Poor 7. Every one must Marry by twenty five years of Age. 8. They must abstain from Murder Pacquet broke open vol. 2. F. Simon makes Five Articles thus 1. There is one God 2. Mahomet is his Messenger 3. They must be exact in Prayers and Alms-deeds 4. And in the Fast of Ramazan 5. And in their Pilgrimage to Mecha Bannyans Their Moral Law hath eight Commandments most of which agree with the Seven which R. Solomon saith Noah taught the World in his time called Noah-Cady 1. Thou shalt not destroy any living Creature for thou and it are both my Creatures 2. Thou shalt not sin in thy five Senses Eyes not beholding Vanity Ears stopt in hearing Evil Tongue uttering no Filthiness Pallat hating Wine Flesh and all live things Hands abhoring all things defiled 3. Thou shalt duly observe set times of Devotion as Praying Washing Elevation Prostration c. 4. Thou shalt not Lie nor Dissemble 5. Thou shalt not be hard-hearted but helpful to others 6. Thou shalt not Oppress nor Tyrannize 7. Thou shalt observe certain Festivals and Fasting days 8. Thou shalt not Steal Sir Tho. Herb. Trav. into Persia out of their Shaster Persees 1. For Behedens or Lay-men 1. Cherish Modesty 2. Cherish Fear 3. Premeditate what you are to do if bad reject it if good c. 4. Let every day's object move to thankfulness 5. Pray daily to the Sun and nightly to the Moon 2. For the Herboods Daroos or Priests Besides those of the Beheden which they are to observe 1. Be constant to the form of Worship in the Zundavastaw 2. Covet not what is another man's 3. Abhor Lies 4. Be not worldly minded 5. Learn the Zundavastaw by rote 6. Keep your selves free from Pollution 7. Teach the Laity how to Comport themselves in Adoration 8. License Matrimony 9. Be frequent at Church 10. Forgive Injuries 11. Upon pain of Life Eternal