was this One Day at an Atheistical Meeting at a Person of Quality's I undertook to manage the Cause and was the principal Disputant against God and Piety and for my Performances receiv'd the Applause of the whole Company upon which my Mind was terribly struck and I immediately replied thus to my self Good God! That a Man that walks upright that sees the wonderful Works of God and has the uses of his Sence and Reason should use them to the defying of his Creator But tho' this was a good beginning to my Conversion to find my Conscience touch'd for my Sins yet it went off again Nay all my Life long I had a secret Value and Reverence for an honest Man and lov'd Morality in others But I had form'd an odd Scheme of Religion to my self which would solve all that God or Conscience might force upon me yet I was not over-well reconcil'd to the Business of Christianity nor had that Reverence for the Gospel of Christ as I ought to have which estate of Mind continu'd till the 53d Chapter of Isaiah was read to him and some other Portions of Scripture by the Power and Efficacy of which Word assisted by his Holy Spirit God so wrought upon his Heart that he declar'd that the Mysteries of the Passion appear'd so clear and plain to him as ever any thing did that was represented in a Glass so that that joy and Admiration which possessed his Soul upon the reading God's Word to him was remarkable to all about him and he had so much delight in his Testimonies that in my absence he begg'd his Mother and Lady to read the same to him frequently and was unsatisfied notwithstanding his great Pains and Weakness till he had learn'd the 53d of Isaiah without Book At the same time discoursing of his Manner of Life from his Youth up which all Men knew was too much devoted to the Service of Sin and that the Lusts of the Flesh the Eye and the Pride of Life had captivated him he was very large and particular in his Acknowledgments about it more ready to accuse himself than any one else could be publickly crying out O blessed God! Can such an horrid Creature as I am be accepted by thee who has denied thy Being and contemn'd thy Power asking often Can there be Mercy and Pardon for me Will God own such a Wretch as I And in the middle of his Sickness said Shall the unspeakable Joys of Heaven be conferr'd on me O mighty Saviour never but through thine infinite Love and Satisfaction O never but by the purchase of thy Blood adding that with all abhorrency he did reflect upon his former Life that sincerely and from his Heart he did repent of all that folly and Madness which he had committed He had a true and lively sense of God's great Mercy to him in striking his hard Heart saying If that God who died for great as well as lesser Sinners did not spâ—edily apply his infinite Merits to his poor Soul his Wound was such as no Man could conceive or bear crying out That he was the vilest Wretch and Dog that the Sun shined upon or the Earth bore That now he saw his Error in not living up to that Reason which God endued him with and which he unworthily vilified and contemned wish'd he had been a starving Leper crawling in a Ditch that he had been a Link-Boy or a Beggar or for his whole Life-time confin'd to a Dungeon rather than thus to have sinend against God How remarkable was his Faith in a hearty embracing an devout Confession of all the Articles of the Christian Religion and all the Divine Mysteries of the Gospel saying that that absurd and foolish Philosophy which the world so much admir'd propagated by the late Mr. Hobbs and others had undone him and many more of the best Parts of the Nation He cast himself entirely upon the Mercies of Jesus Christ and the Free Grace of God declared to repenting Sinners through him with a thankful Remembrance of his Life Death and Resurrection begging God to strengthen his Faith and often crying out Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief His mighty Love and Esteem of the Holy Scriptures his Resolutions to read them frequently and meditate upon them if God should spare him having already tasted the good Word for having spoken to his Heart he acknowledged all the seeming Absurdities and Contradictions thereof fancied by Men of corrupt and reprobate Judgments were vanished and the Excellency and Beauty appeared being come to receive the Truth in the Love of it How terribly did the Tempter assault him by casting upon him wicked and lewd Imaginations But I thank God said he I abhor them all and by the Power of his Grace which I am sure is sufficient for me I have overcome them 'T is the Malice of the Devil because I am rescued from him and the Goodness of God that frees me from all my Spiritual Enemies He was greatly rejoiced at his Lady's Conversion from Popery which he called a Faction supported only by Fraud and Cruelty He was heartily concerned for the Pious Education of his Children wishing that his Son might never be a Wit that is as he explain'd it One of those wretched Creatures who pride themselves in abusing God and Religion denying his Being or his Providence but that he might become an Honest and a Religious Man which could only be the Support and Blessing of his Family He gave a strict Charge to those Persons in whose Custody his Papers were to burn all his profane and lewd Writings as being only fit to promote Vice and Immorality by which he had so highly offended God and shamed and blasphemed that holy Religion into which he had been baptized and all his obscene and filthy Pictures which were so notoriously Scandalous I must not pass by his pious and most passionate Exclamation to a Gentleman of some Character who came to visit him upon his Death-Bed O remember that you contemn God no more he is an avenging God and will visit you for your Sins will in Mercy I hope touch your Conscience sooner or later as he has done mine You and I have been Friends and Sinners together a great while therefore I am the more free with you We have been all mistaken in our Conceits and Opinions Our Perswasions have been false and groundless therefore God grant you Repentance And seeing him again next Day said to him Perhaps you were disobliged by my Plainness to you Yesterday I spake the Words of Truth and Soberness to you and striking his Hand upon his Breast said I hope God will touch your Heart He commanded me continues our Author to preach abroad and let all Men know if they knew it not already how severely God had disciplin'd him for his Sins by his afflicting Hand that his Sufferings were most just tho' he had laid Ten thousand times more upon him how he had laid one Stripe upon another
from Thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practise this my Resolution through Thy Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this World rather than to turn from Thee to the Ways of Sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my Heart from Thee beseeching Thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose wicked Suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield myself a Servant And because my own Righteousness is but menstruous Rags I renounce all Confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone Creature without Righteousness or Strength And for as much as Thou hast of Thy bottomless Mercy offered most graciously to me wretched Sinner to be again my God through Christ if I would accept of Thee I call Heaven and Earth to Record this Day that I do here solemnly avouch Thee for the Lord my God and with all possible Veneration bowing the Neck of my Soul under the Feet of Thy most Sacred Majesty I do here take Thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and Chief Good and do give up myself Body and Soul for Thy Servant promising and vowing to serve Thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of my Life And since Thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only Means of coming unto Thee I do here upon the bended Knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living Way by which Sinners may have Access to Thee and do here solemnly joyn myself in a Marriage-Covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to Thee hungry and hardy bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsome polluted Wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the Feet of the Servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glory but sith such is thine unparallell'd Love I do here with all my Power accept Thee and do take thee for my Head and Husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all Times and Conditions to love and honour and obey Thee before all others and this to the Death I embrace Thee in all Thine Offices I renounce my own Worthiness and do here avow Thee for the Lord my Righteousness I renounce mine own Wisdom and do here take Thee for my only Guide I renounce my own Will and take Thy Will for my Law And since Thou hast told me that I must Suffer if I will Reign I do here Covenant with Thee to take my Lot as it falls with Thee and by Thy Grace assisting to run all Hazards with Thee verily purposing that neither Life nor Death shall part between Thee and Me. And because Thou hast been pleased to give me Thy Holy Laws as the Rule of my Life and the Way in which I should walk to Thy Kingdom I do here willingly put my Neck under Thy Yoke and set my Shoulder to Thy Burden and subscribing to all Thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the Rule of my Words Thoughts and Actions promising that tho' my Flesh contradict and rebel yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole Life according to thy Direction and will not allow myself in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my Duty Only because through the frailty of my Flesh I am subject to many Failings I am bold humbly to protest that unallowed Miscarriages contrary to the settled Bent and Resolution of my Heart shall not make void this Covenant for so Thou hast said Now Almighty GOD. Searcher of all Hearts Thou knowest that I make this Covenant with Thee this Day without any known Guile or Reservation beseeching Thee that if Thou espiest any Flaw or Falshood therein thou wouldst discover it to me and help me to do it aright And now Glory be to Thee O God the Father whom I shall be bold from this Day forward to look upon as my God and Father that ever thou shouldst find out such a way for the Recovery of undone Sinners Glory be to Thee O God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my Sins in thy own Blood and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer Glory be to Thee O God the Holy Ghost who by the Finger of Thine Almighty Power hast turned about my Heart from Sin to God O dreadful Jehovah the Lord God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost Thou art now become my Covenant-Friend and I through Thine Infinite Grace am become thy Covenant-Servant Amen So be it And the Covenant which I have made on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven HENRY GEARING April 11. 1667. 16. For the Christians better Help for the keeping of this Covenant Mr. Allen in his Allarm to the Vnconverted gives this Advice about it This Covenant says he I advise you to make not only in Heart but in Word not only in Word but in Writing and that you wou'd with all possible Reverence spread the Writing before the Lord as if you would present it to him as your Act and Deed and when you have done this set your Hand to it keep it as a Memorial of the solemn Transactions that have passed between God and you that you may have Recourse to it in Doubts and Temptations Mr. Corbet in his Enquiry into the State of his Soul has these Expressions I do not cease says he to lament the more heinous Sins of my Life and cannot forbear the continual imploring of the Pardon of them I do not return again to them and I resolve never so to do I Watch and Pray and strive against all Sin but especially against those Sins to which I am more especially inclined my Conflicts are daily and am put hard to it But I do not yield up my self to any Sin nor lie down in it yea I do not suffer sinful Cogitations to lodge in me I find upon the review of my Life past according to the clearest Judgment that I can make that I have not gone backward but proceeded forward in the ways of Godliness I have been grieved that I am no more elevated in the hope of Heaven and that I cannot attain to a longing desire to be gone hence and to be there with Christ I think with my self sometimes were my Evidences clear for Heaven I would exult to be gone hence this very Hour but I find not this readiness at all times O Lord forgive my ten Thousand Talents I come to Jesus Christ who hath made satisfaction and lay this heavy Reckoning to his Account Lord forgive my Iniquity for it is exceeding great I have done what in me lies to call to remembrance all my remarkable Sins from my Childhood and Youth till now And as far as I can judge I have repented of them both generally and particularly And I now repent of them all from
Execution he was not suffered to speak to the People who much lamented his Death yet was very chearful saying Thanks be to God I am even at home And when he had prayed and made himself ready he went to the Stake and kissed it The Fire being kindled he held up his Hands and called upon God saying Merciful Father of Heaven for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake receive my Soul into thy hands And so stood still without moving till one with an Halberd struck out his Brains Ibid. p. 178. 30. Mr. Bradford as soon as he approached the Stake fell flat on the Ground intending there to pur forth his Prayers to Almighty God for he was not permitted to do it publickly but Woodroffe the Sheriff commanded him to arise and dispatch for the People encreased and pressed upon him Whereupon as soon as he got up he embraced the Stake and kissed it put off his Cloaths gave them to his Servant comforted the Stripling that was to be burned with him and earnestly exhorted the People to Repentance Which so enraged the Sheriff that he commanded his Hands to be tyed His last Words that were audible were Strait is the way and narrow is the gate that leads to salvation and few there be that find it He endured the Flame as a fresh gale of Wind in a hot Summer's Day without any Reluctancy Ibid. p. 189. 31. Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer suffered together but were not permitted to speak at the Stake The Evening before their Execution Ridley washed his Beard and his Feet and bad those that supped with him to his Wedding the next Day demanding of his Brother Mr. Skipfide whether he thught his Sister his Wife could find in her Heart to be there and he answering That he durst say she would with all her Heart he professed to the thereof very glad At Supper-time he was very chearful and merry desiring those there present that went of which number Mrs. Irish his Hostess tho' an eager Papist was one to quiet themselves affirming That tho' his Breakfast was like to be somewhat sharp and painful yet his Supper he was sure would be pleasant and sweet They endured a long time in the Fire with most grievous Pains to the great Grief of the Beholders thro' the Indiscretion of those that composed the Pile burning as it were by piece-meal till at last their Souls mounted as in a flaming Chariot up to Heaven Ibid. p. 203 204. 32. Bishop Latimer when he came to the Stake lifting up his Eyes with a comfortable and lovely Countenance cried out God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able and when the Fire was kindled O Father of Heaven receive my Soul His Blood as he was burning running out of his Heart in such abundance as if all the Blood of his Body had been gathered thither to the great Astonishmnt of the Beholders Ibid. p. 210. 33. Mr. Philpot going into Smithfield and the way being very foul two Officers took him up and bore him to the Stake to whom he said merrily What will you make me a Pope Being got into Smithfield he kneeled down and said I will pay my Vows in the midst of thee O Smithfield and kissing the Stake Shall I disdain to suffer at this Stake when my Lord and Saviour refused not to sufer a most vile Death for me And when the Fire was kindled with much Meekness and Comfort he resigned up his Spirit unto God Ibid. p. 222. 34. Archbishop Cranmer when tied to the Stake thrust first of all his Right Hand into the Fire wherewith he had subscribed to Popery crying out Ah my unworthy Right Hand So that his Hand died a Malefactor and the rest of his Body a Martyr Ibid. p. 228. 35. Bugenhagius drawing near to his End often repeated This is Life Eternal to know Thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ and so quietly departed this Life Aged 73. Ibid. p. 233. 36. Phil. Melancthon in the midst of many Heavenly Prayers surrendred his Soul unto him that gaveit Aged 63. Ibid. p. 241. 37. Hyperius falling sick of a Fever gave diverse Instructions to his Wife for the Education of his Children to his Children for the serving of God and obeying their Mother and when his Friends visited him requested them to bear Witness That he now died in that Faith which he had taught while he lived and so yielded up his Spirit to God Aged 53. Ibid. p. 265. 38. John Brentius falling sick of a Fever made his Will and therein set down a Confession of his Faith received the Sacrament exhorted the Ministers of Stutgard to Unity in Doctrine and a mutual Love always saying That he longed for a better an Eternal Life and so died Aged 71. Ibid. p. 298. 39. Bishop Jewel died praying and prayed dying His last Words worthy to be written with the Point of a Diamond never to be razed out were these A Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me Christ is my Righteousness this is my Body this day quickly let me come unto thee this day let me see thee Lord Jesus He was arrested by Death as he was preaching at Lacock upon those Words Walk in the Spirit and so carried from the Pulpit to Bed from which he never rose more Ibid. p. 311. 40. John Knox a Day or two before his Death sending for Mr. Lawson Mr. Lindsey the Elders and Deacons of the Church told them the Time was approaching which he long thirsted for wherein he should be released from all his Cares and be with his Saviour Christ for ever And now saith he God is my Witness whom I have served with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that I have taught nothing but the true and sincere Word of God I am not ignorant that many have and do blame my too great Rigor and Severity but God knows that in my Heart I never hated those against whom I thundered God's Judgments I did only hate their Sins and laboured according to my power to gain them to Christ That I did forbear none of what Condition soever I did it out of Fear of my God who hath placed me in the Function of his Ministry and I know will bring me to an Account Now Brethren for your selves I have no more to say but to warn you to take heed to the Flock over which God hath placed you Overseers which he hath Redeemed by the Blood of his only-begotten Son And you Mr. Lawson Fight a good Fight do the Work of the Lord with Courage and with a willing mand and God from Heaven bless you and the Church whereof you have the Charge Against it so long as it continues in the Doctrine of the Truth the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Having thus spoken and the Elders and Deacons being dismissed he called the two Preachers to him and said There is one thing that grieves me exceedingly you have
and Books and Collections I can rest my Soul on nothing but the Scriptures and above all that Passage lies most upon my Spirit Titus 2.11 12. The Grace of God that brings Salvation c. 76. Dr. Donn on his Dying-bed told his Friends I Repent of all my Life but that part I spent in Communion with God and doing good 77. Sir Walter Rawleigh in a Letter to his Wife after his Condemnation hath these words If you can live free from Want care for no more for the rest is but a Vanity Love God and begin betimes in him shall ye find True Everlasting and Endless Comfort My dear Wife Farewel Bless my Boy Pray for me and let my True God hold you both in his Arms. 78. Mr. Herbert the Divine Poet to one going about to Comfort him with the Remembrance of a good Work he had done in Repairing a ruinous Church belonging to his Ecclesiastical Dignity made answer 'T is a good Work if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ In the Preface before his Poems 79. Mr. Tho. Cartwright the last Sermon that he made was Dec. 25. on Eccl. 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth c. On the Tuesday following the Day before his Death he was two Hours on his Knees in private Prayer in which as he told his Wife he found wonderful and unutterable Joy and Comfort and within a few Hours after he quietly resigned up his Spirit to God Dec. 27. 1603. Mr. Clark 's Martyrol p. 21. 80. Mr. Paul Baines in his last Sickness had many Fears and Doubts God letting Satan loose upon him so that he went away with far less Comfort than many weaker Christians enjoy Ibid. p. 24. 81. Mr. William Bradshaw exhorted all that came to him to lay a good Foundation for a comfortable Death in time of Life and Health assuring them that their utmost Addresses and Endeavours would be little enough when they came to that Work Ibid. p. 51. 81. Mr. Richard Rothwel foretold his own Death I am well and shall be well shortly said he to some that sent to enquire how he did And afterwards whispering one in the Ear there present said Do you know my meaning I shall be with Christ e're long but do not tell them so And after Prayer smiling said he Now I am well Happy is he that hath not bow'd a knee to Baal He called upon the Company to sing Psal 120. And in the singing of it he died An. 1627. Aged 64. Ibid. p. 71. 83. Dr. Preston the Night before he died being Saturday he went to Bed and lay about three Hours desirous to sleep but slept not Then said My Dissolution is near let me go to my Home and to Jesus Christ who hath bought me with his most precious Blood About Four of the Clock the next Morning he said I feel Death coming to my Heart my Pain shall now be quickly turned into Joy And after Prayer made by a Friend he look'd on the Company turned away his Head and at Five a Clock on the Lord's-Day in the Morning gave up the Ghost An. 1628. Aged 41. or near it Ibid. p. 113. 84. Mr. Hildersam sickening with the Scurvy in the midst of Winter on March 4. being the Lord's-Day was prayed for in the Congregation of Ashby His Son also prayed with him divers times that Day and in the last Prayer he departed March 4. 1631. Had I time to pause upon it methinks the Death of many worthy Persons happening upon the Christian Sabbath is worthy of a special Remark Mr. Hildersam had given order in his Will that no Funeral Sermon should be preached at his Burial Ibid. p. 123. 85. Dr. Tho. Tailour of Aldermanbury expressed himself thus O said he we serve a good Lord who covers all our Imperfections and gives us great Wages for little Work And on the Lord's-Day he was dismissed hence to keep a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven in the Climacterical Year of his Age 56. Ibid. p. 127. 86. Mr. John Carter likewise Feb. 21. 1635. being the Lord's-Day ended his Life with a Doxology The Lord be thanked Ibid. p. 140. 87. Dr. Sibs died Anno 1631. Aged 58. Ibid. Dr. Chaderton Anno 1640. Aged 94. Ibid. 88. Mr. Ball being ask'd in his last Sickness whether he thought he should live or die answered I do not trouble my self about that matter And afterwards how he did replied Going to Heaven apace He died 1640. Aged 55. Ibid. 89. Dr. Potter died about the great Climacterical Year of his Age being suspected to have laid to Heart the Reproaches of some thrown upon him for a Sermon preached a little before at Westminster as too sharp against Innovations in the Church Ibid. 90. Mr. Julines Herrings the Night before his Departure was observed to rise upon his Knees and with Hands lifted up to Heaven to use these Words He is overcome overcome through the Strength of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus unto whom I am now going to keep a Sabbath in Glory And accordingly next Morning March 28. 1644. Aged 62. on the Sabbath-Day he departed Ibid. 168. 91. Mr. John Dod was tried with most bitter and sharp Pains of the Strangury and great Wrestlings with Satan but was Victorious To one watching with him he said That he had been wrestling with Satan all Night who accused him That he had neither preached nor prayed nor performed any Duty well for manner or end but saith he I have answer'd him from the Example of the Prodigal and the Publican One of his last Speeches was with Eyes and Hands lift up to Heaven I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which desire was granted him Anno 1645. aged 96. Ibid. p. 178. 92. Mr. Herbert Palmer after Isa 38 Chap. being read prayed himself to this purpose First for himself That God would heal the sinfulness of his Nature pardon all his Transgressions deliver him from Temptation accept him in Christ c. Then for the Publick the Nation King and Parliament Ministers c. For Scotland and the Churches in France New-England c. Queen's College Westminster the Country his Benefactors c. He departed December 25. 1647. aged 46. He desired his Friends not to Pray for his Life but Pray God saith he for Faith for Patience for Repentance for Joy in the Holy Ghost Lord saith he cast me down as low as Hell in Repentance and lift me up by Faith to the highest Heavens in confidence of thy Salvation The Tuesday before he departed This day Seven-night said he is the Day on which we have used to remember Christ's Nativity and on which I have preached Christ I shall scarce live to see it but for me was that Child born unto me was that Son given c. Ibid. p. 201. 93. Mr. John Cotton to Mr. Wilson taking his last leave of him and praying that God would lift up the Light of his Countenance upon him and shed his Love into his Soul presently answered
and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation Here was a causeless Cry against Christ That the Romans would come and see how just the Judgment of God was They crucified Christ for fear least the Romans should come and his Death was it which brought in the Romans upon them God punishing them with that which they most feared And I pray God this Clamour of venient Romani of which I have given no cause help not to bring them in For the Pope never had such a Harvest in England since the Reformation as he hath now upon the Sects and Divisions that are amongst us In the mean time by Honour and Dishonour by good Report and evil Report as a Deceiver and yet True am I passing through this World Some Particulars also I think it not amiss to speak of And first this I shall be bold to speak of The King our gracious Sovereign hath been also much and â—eed for bringing in of Popery but on my Conscience of which I shall give God a present Account I know him to be as free from this Charge as any Man living and I hold him to be as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law establish'd as any Man in this Kingdom and that he will venture his Life as far and as freely for it and I think I do or should know both his Affection to Religion and his Grounds for it as fully as any Man in England The second Particular is concerning this Great and Populous City which God bless Here hath been of late a Fashion taken up to gather Hands and then to go to the Great Court of this Kingdom the Parliament and clamour for Justice as if that Great and Wise Court before whom the Causes come which are unknown to the many could not or would not do Justice but at their Appointment A way which may endanger many an innocent Man and pluck his Blood upon their own Heads and perhaps upon the City 's also And this hath been lately practised against my self the Magistrates standing still and suffering them openly to proceed from Parish to Parish without Check God forgive the Setters of this I beg it with all my Heart but many well-meaning People are caught by it In St. Stephen's Case when nothing else would serve they stirred up the People against him and Herod went the same way when he had killed St. James yet he would not venture upon St. Peter till he found how the other pleased the People But take heed of having your Hands full of Blood For there is a Time best known to himself when God above other Sins makes Inquisition for Blood and when that Inquisition is on foot the Psalmist tells us that God remembers but that 's not all he remembers and forgets not the complaint of the poor that is whose blood is shed by oppression v. 9. Take heed of this 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but then especially when he is making Inquisition for Blood and with my Prayers to avert it I do heartily desire this City to remember the Prophecy Jer. 26.15 The third Particular is the poor Church of England It hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when Storms have driven upon them But alas now 't is in a Storm it self and God only knows whether or how it shall get out And which is worse than a Storm from without it 's become like an Oak cleft to shivers with Wedges made out of its own Body and at every Cleft Profaneness and Irreligion is entering in while as Prosper speaks L. 2. de Contemptu Vitae c. 4. Men that introduce Profaneness are cloaked over with the Name of Imaginary Religion For we have lost the Substance and dwell too much in Opinion and that Church which all the Jesuites Machinations could not Ruine is fallen into Danger by her own The last Particular for I am not willing to be too long is my self I was Born and Baptized in the Bosom of the Church of England established by Law in that Profession I have ever since lived and in that I come now to die This is no time to dissemble with God least of all in matter of Religion and therefore I desire it may be remembred I have always lived in the Protestant Religion established in England What Clamours and Slanders I have endured for labouring to keep an Uniformity in the External Service of God according to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church all Men know and I have abundantly felt Now at last I am accused of High Treason in Parliament a Crime which my Soul ever abhorred This Treason was charged to consist of these two Parts an Endeavour to subvert the Laws of the Land and to overthrow the True Protesant Religion established by Law Besides my Answers to the several Charges I protested my Innocency in both Houses It was said Prisoners Protestations at the Bar must not be taken I can bring no Witness of my Heart and the intentions thereof therefore I must come to my Protestation not at the Bar but at this hour and instant of my Death In which I hope all Men will be such Charitable Christians as not to think I would die and dissemble being instantly to give God an Account for the Truth of it I do therefore here in the Presence of God and his Holy Angels take it upon my Death That I never endeavoured the Subversion either of Law or Religion and I desire you all to remember this Protestation of mine for my Innocency in these and from all Treasons whatsoever I have been accused likewise as an Enemy to Parliaments No I understand them too well and the Benefit that comes by them too well to be so but I did mislike the Misgovernments of some Parliaments many ways and I had good Reason for it For Corruptio optimi est pessima the better the Thing is in nature the worse it is corrupted And that being the Highest Court over which no other here have jurisdiction when 't is misinformed or misgoverned the Subject is left without all Remedy But I have done I forgive all the World all and every of those bitter Enemies which have persecuted me and humbly desire to be forgiven of God first and then of every Man whether I have offended him or not if he do but conceive that I have Lord do thou forgive me and I beg forgiveness of him and so I heartily desire all to joyn in Prayer with me O Eternal God and Merciful Father look down upon me in Mercy in the Riches and Fulness of all thy Mercies look upon me but not till thou hast nail'd my Sins to the Cross of Christ not till thou hast bathed me in the Blood of Christ not till I have hid my self in the Wounds of Christ that so the Punishment due to my Sins may pass over me And since thou art pleased to try me
his right Wits and Senses conclude that all these brave and curious Beings made themselves or that they happen'd casually by a fortuitous Concourse of Atoms and little Particles of Matter accidentally jumbled together Men have lived now by Succession of Generations several Thousands of Years in the World and yet we never read or heard of any of them that ever saw a House built or a Fly made in this manner We cannot bring the Herbs in our Garden into the due Form and Mixture of a Sallad nor prevail with our Labouring Cattel to come into their Harness and draw in the Yoke nor range Soldiers into their due Order without the Exercise of Care and the Discipline of a Superiour And shall the whole Vniverse be filled with such Plenty and Variety of admirable Creatures and those Creatures made with admirable Wisdom and able to produce admirable Effects and nothing but what is common and visible and which occurs to our outward Senses contribute and concur to the making of them Fie upon such Stupidity and Bruitishness of Thought I do here present the Reader not with a Scheme of what is very common and obvious Things that we may see and hear of every Day every Way we go but the Rarities of Nature the most remarkable Particulars of the visible Creation the Archives and Treasury of this lower World the Repository of Things more strange and wonderful than ordinary And this I do on purpose to rouze and awaken the Reason of Men asleep into a Thinking and Philosophical Temper that if possible when they will wink and sleep and scorn to spend a serious Thought upon the Common Scheme of the World they may startle at Extraordinaries and wind up their Reasons a little higher upon the sight of Wonders But this is not all I aim at the Footsteps of the Divinity are so conspicuous in the Creation that methinks 't is very easie and natural for Human Reason to climb the Porphyry-Tree and ascend as it were by a Scala Coeli from Earth to Heaven from the Individuals here below to the Supreme Creator and Architect above And that Man that doth not improve his Faculties in this Case is unworthy of that Rational Soul he is endowed with And therefore I humbly request my Reader to shake himself and rub his Eyes and look about him first of all to see what Impressions of the Divine Attributes and Excellencies he can meet with upon the several Beings in the World and then fall down upon his Knees in an humble and modest Address and Adoration to the Great Wise and Gracious Creator The greatest Adversaries we have to deal with in this Case are the Wits of the Age some of Epicurus's Litter who deny all Revelation and Scripture-Evidence and take upon them to Philosophize upon the World and so professing themselves to be Wise they become Fools For I am sure the Apostle was no Fool when he tells us The invisible Things of the Godhead may be visibly seen by the Creation of the Things which are made No no themselves in the Judgment not only of St. Paul but even of the Heathen Poet will be found faulty through their Poverty of Wit and their Beggarliness of Reason Tentat enim dubiam mentem Rationis Egestas Ecquaenam fuerit mundi genitalis Origo Lucret. p. 227. And truly as Bishop Fotherby saith concerning his Athaeomastix how the Reader will be affected in the Reading of this Book I cannot tell but myself in Writing of it was no less affected than Tully in Writing his De Senectute being oftentimes so lively touched that I never found in myself a more quick Apprehension both of God's incomprehensible Majesty and Goodness and of Man's most contemptible Littleness and Baseness than by this Contemplation of God in his Creatures finding in myself the Truth of that in Tully Est Animorum ingeniorumque pabulum consideratio contemplatioque Naturae Erigimur latiores fieri videmur humana despicimus cogitantesque supera atque coelestia baec nostra ut exigna minima contemnimus Cic L 4. Acad. p. 38. The Contemplation of Nature is the Food and Nutriment of the Mind it lifts up the Soul and doth so brisk the Spirit that our Minds seem to be more dilated and spread as it were into a Paraphrase 'till at last we scorn Earth and our own Studies here as too little and narrow and fall presenly upon the Consideration of Things more Divine and Heavenly This Reader is the Design of the following Collections to glut and satiate the Mind with a Prospect of meer Nature and to administer a fair Occasion for the raising of the Soul to Higher and more Lofty and Noble Speculations the Study of Divinity and the Glories of the Vpper World which will please and make us happy without any Nauseousness for ever and ever Wonders of Nature PART II. NAture says Dr. Barrow offereth her self and her inexhaustible Store of Appearances to our Contemplation we may without any Harm and with much Delight survey her rich Varieties examine her Proceedings pierce into her Secrets every kind of Animals of Plants of Minerals of Meteors presenteth Matter wherewith innocently pleasantly and profitably to entertain our Minds There are many Noble Sciences by applying our Minds to the Study whereof we may not only Divert them but Improve and Cultivate them c. To do this we have an Unquestionable Right and by it we shall obtain vast Benefit Thus far Dr. Barrow in his Sermons against Evil Speaking We shall therefore here for Method-sake first relate the Wonders of Nature and then proceed to the Wonders of Art In relating the Wonders of Nature we shall first begin with Instances of Sympathy CHAP. I Instances of Sympathy THE Sympathy of the Simple Qualities and the Elements wherein they are found say the Virtuosi of France are the Causes of the Temperament of mix'd Bodies as Antipathy of their Dissolution 'T is they who unite and disunite those Compounds and by approximating or removing them one from another cause all their Motions When these Causes are apparent we take upon us to impute them to certain Qualities and discourse upon them with some Skill and Confidence but where we cannot by searching find out the Cause we fly to Occult Qualities that is Sympathy or Antipathy for a Refuge and Honourable Sanctuary for our Ignorance of which sort may be these that follow 1. Coral stays Bleeding Amber draws Straws the Loadstone Iron Garlick is a Friend to the Rose and Lilly increasing one the others Odour a Man's Fasting-Spittle kills the Viper Eels drown'd in Wine make the Drinker thenceforward hate it Betony strengthens the Brain Succory is proper to the Liver Bezoar a Friend to the Heart The Lungs of a Fox are useful to such as are Phthisical the Intestines of the Wolf is good for the Colick Eyebright for the Eye Solomon's-Seal for the Rupture the Black Decoction of Sena for Melancholy Yellow Rhubarb for Choler White
Heart into several Muscles and assigning to it a Muscular Motion and thereby showing several ways whereby it may be impeded or disturbed he hath done good Service to the Pathalogical Part of Physick 16. Whether Walaeus Bartholin or any other were the first that found out the Circulation of the Blood I cannot say but Dr. Lower's Computation of the Frequency of the Bloods Circulation through the Heart is very ingenious and the Cause he assigns of the florid Colour of it when emitted seems new and probable 17. Dr. Majo hath lately taught us That the Air is impregnated with a Nitro-acrial Spirit and that it difused almost throughout the whole System of Nature and that Fire it self as to its Form and Effence is nothing else but the same Spirit put into Motion and that all Fermentations whether tending to Generation Perfection or Corruption depend on this Spirit 18. Mr. Tyson hath lately observed that many other strong Scented Animals besides the Hycena Odorifera the Civet-Cat the Castor or Beaver the Gazella Indica or Capra Mosci from whence our Musk and the Fishes Sepia Loligo Purpura have sollicular Repositories or Bags near the Exit of the Intestinum Rectum wherein they keep those Humours or Liquors that are the Vehicles of their Scents This he hath observed in Pole-Cats Foxes Weasels Cats c. Which Vessicles or little Bags are found by pairs one on each side of the Gut proportional to the bigness of the Animals To Instance in all the particular Discoveries and Improvements made in Anatomy Physick c. would be a Task sufficient to make up a large Volume by it self CHAP. IV. Improvements in Musick IN Musick it would be too tedious to determine Whether the Improvement or Alteration hath been greater Certain it is That several old English Instruments are laid aside as the Orpharian the Polyphone an Instrument surely not to be despised considering its rare Structue and the esteem had of it by Learned and therefore most Judiciously Musical Persons of this Age viz. Sir F. Pruscan and Dr. Rugely The Bandore the Ghittern Cittern c. The Treble Viol also is much out of Doors since the Violin came so much in request The Base and Lira Viol in the making whereof Wroth was without dispute the best Workman that ever wrought keep pretty well in repute especially the first because it cannot be wanted well in Consert c. 1. The Lute is not wholly laid aside but within this 20 or 30 Years much neglected to what it was formerly notwithstanding the great Improvement of this Instrument among us within a hundred Years by reason of the diversity of Tunings received from France some of whose best Lute-Masters brought over not only these Harp-Tunings but themselves also and by their active Hands and airy Fancies obliged the Musick-Lovers of our Nation with Transcendant Harmony 2. The Fine easie Ghittar whose Performance is soon gained at least after the brushing way hath at this present over-topt the noble Lute Nor is it to be denied but that after the pinching way the Ghittar makes some good work 3. The Theorbo which is no other than an Arch-Lute keeping to the old Tuning is still generally made use of in Consorts And there are yet some among the Judicious who think it the most agreeable and becoming Associate to Vocal Musick The Organ hath been wonderfully advanced of late Years by the addition of several Melodious Stops 5. The Harpsicon is of late mightily Improved by the Invention of the Pedal which brings it so near to the Organ that it only seems to come short of it in Lungs 6. Here may not be unfitly mentioned that Musical Automaton a kind of Harpsicon which by a Clockwork-motion discharges a certain set number of Tunes according as it is would up to this or that Tune Of this sort of Automata there is to be seen a very neat Piece of Art of Reed-work at a House at St. Mary-Overs-Dock the Artificer thereof Mr. Tho. Hill of Westminster His Pitch-Pipe for the Tuning of Musical Instruments to Consort which is particularly worthy note for exactness variety and curious Work above any thing that is to be seen elsewhere of this Nature 7. The Harp is increased in repute and though the Welsh Gut-string formerly gave place to the Irish Wire-string now the Spanish Gut-string comes up with it 8. The Violin is now arrived to a great Perfection of Performance 9. The Flagiolet within this 20 or 30 Years and since that the Flute have been highly in vogue and frequented in use Present State Eng. Part 3. p. 90. c. 10. In Musick to pass by a Harpsecord that I met with at Sir Tho. Penystons with Cat 's Gut-string it hath been lately observed here at Oxford that though Viol or Lute-strings rightly Tuned do affect one another yet most of them do it not in all places alike as has till now been supposed For if the lesser of two Octaves be touched with the Hand or Bow each half of the Greater will answer it but will stand still in the middle and if the greater of the two Octaves be touched on either of its halves all the lesser will answer it but if touched on the middle the lesser will not stir c. Dr. Plot 's Nat. Hist Oxfordsh c. 9. p. 288. Dr. Marsh hath offered a Solution of this Phaenomenon in all its cases Concerning which vide Ibid. One Hooper of Oxford could so close his Lips as to fing an Octave at the same time And I know saith Dr. Plot two other Persons now living here that can do it though their Lips be set in that posture yet they shut them so close that they can by no means pronounce any thing articulate But he that excells them all and indeed to a miracle is one Mr. Jos Dring a young Gentleman of Har-Hall who sings a Song articulately ore Patulo and all in Octaves so very strongly and yet without much straining that he equals if not excells the loudest Organ He performs it in the lower part of his Throat and it came casually on him at first upon over-straining of his Voice Ibid. CHAP. V. Improvements in Astronomy ONE would think the Heavenly Bodies were out of Man's reach or that the Ancient Inhabitants of Phoenicia Egypt Chaldea Greece c. had in so many Thousand Years made so many Observations upon them that nothing more could be added and yet we have made fresh remarks here and useful Discoveries and Improvements not to speak of the World in the Moon which some have asserted and undertaken to make out for very probable or the Foramina and Cavities in others or the new Star in Cassiopea The Fleet Astronomer can bore And thread the Spheres with his quick-piercing Mind he views their Stations walks from Door to Door Surveys as if he had design'd To make a Purchase there he sees their Dances And knoweth long before Both their full-eyed Aspects and secret glances Herbert 1. The
any other Hand I was resolved to go on with it as being fully satisfied that a Work of this kind must needs be of Great Use especially to such pious Minds as delight to observe the Manifestations which God doth give of himself both in his Works of Creation and Providence the former are sufficient to render those who have no other Instructers inexcusable as we are taught by the Apostle Rom. 1.20 And the Excellency of the latter consists in this That they are the real Accomplishments of his written Word So that to Record Providences seems to be one of the best Methods that can be pursued against the abounding Atheism of this Age For by Works of Providence the Confession of a God and the Truth of his Word have been extorted from those very Persons who have boldly denied it Memorable is that Passage of Aeschyles the Persian in Traged who relating his Country-mens Discomfiture by the Greeks gives us this Observation That when the Grecians pursued them furiously over the great River Strymon which was then frozen but began to thaw he did with his own Eyes see many of those Gallants whom he had heard before maintain so boldly that there was no God every one upon their Knees with Eyes and Hands lifted up begging for Mercy and that the Ice might not break 'till they got over The Scepticks of this Age may possibly call such a Passage in Question but what can the most obdurate Atheist say to those Providences about the Jews which were so clearly foretold in the Scriptures and part of 'em are visible to their own Eyes Is not this sufficient to convince them of the Being of an Omniscient God that the Sacred Scriptures are his Revealed Will and that Christianity is the only true Religion We doubt not but those Men who are able to hold out against such a convincing Demonstration will flout at this Undertaking and expose it all they can but they may remember the Conquest which Truth made over their great Champions my Lord Rochester Sir Alan Broderick and Sir Duncomb Colchester all mentioned in the following Work Providences which merit their Thoughts and may serve to stop their Mouths To Name all my Authors would be tedious in the Front of the Book and the more unnecessary because the Reader will find most of them cited in the Work itself Which I believe will not be either unprofitable or unpleasant to any one that reads with Judgment nor unsatisfactory to any that reads without Prejudice I pray my Reader 's Candour if any particular Relation be not reduced to its proper Head or if there be any Repetition of the same Story without necessity or any other Error of the Press that is venial I crave that I may have but due Grains of Allowance made to me as are commonly made in such Cases For I am at least Forty Miles distant from the Press and cannot with any Conveniency to my other Concerns attend the Ingress of it into the World I grant the Work is not Omninibus numeris absolutum in every respect answerable to the first Proposals but so are almost all the Undertakings of finite Reason upon some Account or other short of the first Intentions To be perfectly Wise is the Property of God Almighty For my part I am very sensible of the Depths I have here taken upon me to fathom and do declare openly to the World That the Ways of God are unsearchable and his Footsteps cannot perfectly be traced He doth so tread upon the deep Waters and sometimes flies upon the Wings of the Wind and hides himself in Clouds from common view employing Spirits for his Angels and Flames of Fire at other times for his Messengers For so I think we may justly invert the Order of our common Translation that I declare freely my Comment is infinite short of my Text and my Paraphrase doth not and cannot reach my Subject And indeed who can by searching find out the Almighty to Perfection If some studious and skilful Reader would cause this Book to be Interleaved and add some New Heads of his own and make a Supply for the Defects of the Old Ones it might in process of time be made exceeding useful for Common Places In the mean time I desire my Reader only to look over all these Secondary Causes and little Instruments that are moved here below and look up to and fix his Eye upon the Spring and Original Wheel that gives Motion to all the rest And if there be any thing within the Cope of our Horizon that will give Satisfaction to the Brain on Man this will certainly do it And if it do not the next Step is a sinful Curiosity and dangerous and whatsoever is more than that comes of Evil. From which Evil the God of Heaven deliver us all Amen WILLIAM TURNER A Practical Introduction TO THE History of Divine Providence Being the Author's MEDITATIONS On On The Being of a GOD. On The Works of Creation and Providence On The Existence of a Separate Soul On The Ministry of Angels And On The Future State c. I. The Being of a GOD. NOtwithstanding the Being of a GOD is laid down as the First Principle of our Faith and Religion own'd acknowledged and believed by all yet because in this debauched Age there want not some Monsters that question this Article and are ready if not with their Tongues yet with their Hearts to deny the Lord that made them I shall by way of Introduction to the following History of Divine Providence 1. Prove That there is a God I confess I konw not any that I suspect guilty of profess'd yet since there want not Arguments to implead too many at least accessary to Pratical Atheism I go thô sadly to my ABC to lay down the First Rudiments of Christianity 1. Then I may prove it from the Book of Nature Come thy ways unbelieving Atheist and turn over this Great Volume of the Divine Creation see what a Bible Nature herself presents thee with unclasp'd and open'd the Letters for the most part capital and legible that he who runs may read a God in every Leaf in every Line in every Creature Go gaze a-while at the next little Fly or Flower or but Spire of Grass thou meetest with see the curious Workmanship Artifice Wisdom and Power there is discernable in the make of it and resolve me what Man with all his Wit and Skill is able to make the like to exceed or equallize it Job 12.7 8 9. Or if that will not do take but one of thy Fellow-Beings Man into a studious Disquisition dissect him in all his several Parts tell his Bones his Nerves Veins Ligaments with all the Branches Postures and Vses of them Trace his Nourishment from his Hands to his Teeth to his Palate to his Stomach to his Guts and Milkey Veins to his Liver to his Vena Cava to the right Ventricle of his Heart thence into the Vena Arteriosa and so
into the Lungs and so into the Arteria Venosa and thence again into the left Ventricle of the Heart and so into his Arteries and Veins and whose Body at last I speak not of the dreggy part of Nourishment But what should I talk of the Whole Man take but one of his smallest Parts his Eye see its variety of Colours warry glassy and chrystalline Humors consider the Ends and Uses of them the one to defend the bordering Parts from driness to break the Brightness of Objects continually flowing in and to greaten the Representations of them the other to prepare Nourishment for the Chrystalline and to give to passage for the Species to the Retina that it may refract them from Perpendiculars the last to receive and collect the Representations of Things See its Muscles six in number the first to lift the second to press down the third to move the Eye inwards the fourth outwards the two last to rowl and which it about to the outward and inner Corner See its Nerves a seeing and moving Pair those to carry the Faculty of Seeing with the Species from the Brain or the Visible Represeatation of Things to the Brain those to stir and move them to and fro See its Coats the Tunica Admata fastning the Eye to the Socket the Scleretica divided again into the Cornea and Choroides and Retina all which have their particular Uses Consider their Situation in the most eminent place like Watchmen in long Sockets for the better Safeguard sake Consider the Eye-lidsof how soft a Coat they are made left they hurt that tender part how loose to shut and open that they may be in a constant readiness to cover it from harm or danger how eminent in place to overshadow the Picture and render it more illustrious Consider how between the Musâ—es and sundry Vessels there is Fat interspersed left for want of Heat and Moisture the Motion of the Eye should be hindred And lastly take Notice of that little portion of Flesh placed at the great Corner of the Eye spongy to liquor it but placed over a Hole which goes into the Nose-Bone to stop a continual Weeping Consider these things and withal that the Hundredth part hath not been told thee And say if the Finger of a GOD be not plainly discernable in all this Take some time now and then to know thyself and view but the Contexture of thy Body how thou art trusted with Bones and Sinews how curiously thou art wrought in every Part in every Limb and speak the Truth if a wiser Hand than thine than any Creature 's be not concerned there 2. If thou distrustest thy own Judgment ask thy Neighbours If thy own Convictions be not sufficient in the Case we will give thee leave enough to consult others Go ask thy Fathers and they will tell thee and thy Forefathers thy furthermost Ancestors and they will account to thee what God did in their Days and in the Old Time before them Nay enquire of the Nations round about hee Spain and Turkey and the barbarous Tartary the wild Africans and ignorant Americans and they will all confess with one Mouth this undeniable Truth That there is a God 'T is a Universal Dictate of Nature implanted in all Breasts inserted in all Common-wealths of as large a Spread as Reason and Mankind in the World Rom. 1.19 3. From Miracles Prithee Reader answer me whether or no those Wonders in Nature which we call Miracles be nothing else but a meer Lye and Forgery If not then how comes the World to be so generally imposed on How comes not only the Christian but Jewish Religion to be confirmed and ratified in so fixed a posture as they have been amongst Men Or what makes our Scriptures and Annals and Books of History so big with them If yea then I hope they speak a Divinity and a supernatural Power concerned in the performance of them If it be indeed certain that is constantly reported among us for a Truth That Nature's Bounds are sometimes broken and the ordinary Method of Things and Actions is crossed and turned quite another way if ever the Sun stood still or Angels were seen in an Embassy from Heaven if ever God appeared in a flaming Bush or talked with Man in Clouds and Thunder if ever Sin were immediately punished with a Shower of Brimstone if ever Diseases were cured with a Word and the Dead raised to Life by a Groan or Prayer if ever Blasphemies were smitten with present Vengeance and those who have denied or palpably injured the God of Heaven have smarted immediately for the Guile and Sin as our own Age and Country if we will not deafen our Ears and wink with our Eyes will afford us now and then a notorious Instance I say if these Things are so resolve me who it is so able and bold as to transgress the Laws of Nature And I am sure it can be no other than a God Consider these Things raise up thy Thoughts into an admiration of Him with that Heathen King Nebuchadnezzar when he saw the Children saved in the burning Furnace Dan. 4.23 This Knowledge of God is insufficient to save and bless us Here 't is true we may know so much as will reader us inexcusable but yet not enough to instruct and edifie us unto perfect Salvation In the Scripture we may take a more deliberate View of him we may acquaint our selves better with him we may see him look through the Lattices and commune with his Church in a free and familiar way entertaining a Patriarch in solemn Discourses appearing in Visions in Dreams by Prophets by Vrim by Oracles to his Children and People Having briefly proved the Being of a GOD I shall next prove that GOD is a Spirit I hope I need not spend time here in proving the Existence of a Spirit That there are such Things in Nature i. e. immaterial Beings Substances naked of any Matter or Corporeal Parts invisible to the Eye undiscernable to the Touch without Flesh and Bones as ordinary Creatures have Beings hidden from our outward Senses either filling or traversing the World unseen unobserved for the most part by our weak Intellectuals is so certain a Truth attested by the whole Bulk of Holy Writ by a â—ong Train of History and Tradition both amongst Jews Heathens and Christians by the Suggestions of our own Souls the very exact Character and Pourtraicture of immaterial Spirits that I need not now employ my Pen to enlarge upon this Subject only I shall prove that GOD is a Spirit 1. Because he is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.9 He it is who is the prime Parent of all such Spiritual and Immaterial Substances out of his Bosome did they all come ripened to that Maturity and Perfection of an Existence in the World 't was he made the Angels and Man little lower than them breathing into his Nostrils a more sublime and defecated Substance than any could be squeez'd out of his
little Conversant in and therefore cannot be supposed to say much of it This is certain that they have found out several ways of dissolving Natural Bodies and separating their various Substances by Menstruum Amalgamation Liquation Calcination c. Of Extracting Juices Oils and Spirits out of them of Fermenting Fixing Subliming and Transforming one Metal or Mineral into another as Transforming Tin into Silver or Lead changing Lead again into Tin Antimony into Lead making Lead heavier extracting Quicksilver out of it and again converting Lead into Quicksilver Transforming Brass or Iron into a more worthy Metal drawing Water out of Quicksilver making Quicksilver grow to be a Tree giving a golden Tincture to Silver and Extracting Gold out of it Counterfeiting and Colouring precious Stones polishing of Metals Extracting Salts Tinctures Essences Gums c. Tempering Hardening and Softening Iron c. 4. Sir Christopher Wren contrived how to make Diaries of Wind and Weather and of the various Qualifications of the Air as to Heats Colds Droughts Moisture and Weight through the whole Year and this in order to the History of Seasons with observations which are the most Healthful or Contagious to Men or Beasts which the Harbingers of Blights Mildews Smut c. To this end he contrived a Thermometer to be its own Register and a Clock to be annexed to a Weather-Cock which moves a Rundle covered with white Paper upon which the Clock moving a black Lead Pensil the Observer by the Traces of the Pensil on the Paper may know what Winds have blown during his Sleep or Absence for 12 Hours together he hath discovered also many subtle ways for easier finding the degrees of Drought and Moisture and the Gravity of the Atmosphere and amongst other Instruments hath Ballances that shew the Pressure of the Air by their very easie Inclinations He hath made Instruments also to shew the Mechanical Reason of Sailing to all Winds and others of Resiration for straining the Breath from thick Vapours to try whether the same Breath thus purified will serve again Dr. Plot 's Nat. Hist of Oxfordshire c. 9. par 30. c. 5. The Honourable Mr. Boyle invented a Pneumatic Engine with the help of Mr. Hook called the Air Pump far above that of Magdeburgh by the Assistance whereof he hath accurately Examined the Elastical Power Pressure Weight Expansion and weakness of this Element and has found out so many new things relating to the height and gravity of the Atmosphere nature of a Vacuum Flame and excandefcence of Coals Match Firing of Gun-Powder propagation of Sounds Fluidity Light Freezing Respiration c. that to give an Account of all according to their Merits would be to Transcribe the Author himself Ibid. 6. The same Noble Person invented the Barometer or Weather-Glass whereby the gravity of the Atmosphere hath been daily observed by Dr. Wallis for many Years together and the Quicksilver in the Tube found never to ascend much above 30 Inches and never to descend much below 28 which is supposed to be the whole Latitude of its Variation Ibid. 7. The same Ingenious Dr. Wallis hath observed many Years together the Temper of the Air by a the Air by a Thermometer whereof he kept the Notes still by him very particular for every Day Ibid. Which latter Instrument though graphically delineated by Robert de Fluctibus in a M. S. of 500 Years standing at least yet hath still received other useful Advancements from Sir Chr. Wren who finding the usual Thermometers not to give so exact a measure of the Airs extension by reason the Gravity of the Liquor as it stands higher or lower in the Glass weighs unequally on the Air and gives it a Contraction and Extension besides what is produced by Heat and Cold he thereofre invented a circular Thermometer in which the Liquor can occasion no such fallacy it remains continually of one height and moving the whole Instrument like a Wheel on its Axel Ibid. 8. Mr. J. Jones of Jesus Coll. Oxon contrived a Clock which moved by the Air equally expressed out of Bellows of a Cylindrical Form falling into Folds in its descent much after the manner of Paper Lanthorns these instead of drawing up the weights of other Clocks are only fill'd with Air admitted into them at a large Orifice at the top which is stopt up again as soon as they are full with a hollow Skrew in the head whereof there is set a small brass Plate about the bigness of a silver Half-penny with a Hole perforated scarce so big as the smallest Pins head through this Hole the Air is equally expressed by Weights laid on the top of the Bellows which descending very slowly draw a Clock-line having a counterpoise at the other end that turns a Pully-wheel fastened to the Arbor or Axis of the Hand that points to the Hour which devise though not brought to the intended Perfection of the Inventor that perhaps it may be by the help of a Tumbrel or Fusee yet highly deserves mentioning Ibid. 9. Mr. John Young M. A. of Magdalene Hall hath improved the Hygroscope 'T is made of two Deal or rather Poplar Boards who rationally concluding that the Teeth of the thin pieces of Brass placed across the Juncture of the two Boards must needs in its passage from bearing on one side of the Teeth of the Pinion to the other upon change of Weather make a stand as it were in respect of the motion of the Axel of the Hand thinking a pretty stiff Spring cut on the under side after the manner of a File placed flat and not edg-ways and bearing pretty hard upon an Axel of Copper may turn the Hand upon Change of Weather in the punctum of Reversion without any more than a negative Rest which being an Opinion so very rational and unlikely to fail when brought to the Test I thought fit to propound to the Ingenious Ibid. 10. Dr. Willis hath given us the Anatomy of Blood in his Book de Febribus and declared the true Causes and Nature of Fermentations in the Juices and upon them built his most Rational Doctrine of Fevers Intermitent Putrid and Malignant with particular Observations concerning them much different from the ways of the Ancients 11. To these he hath superadded the Spagyrical Anatomy of Vrin 12. His Method of Diffecting the Brain is new and very Natural And although he was not the first that mentioned two Souls in a Man the Sensitive and Rational yet perhaps no Body hath proved it so well 13. Sir Christopher Wren first found out the way of Injecting Liquors into the Veins of Animals and did exhibit it to the Meetings at Oxford about the Year 1656. by which Operation divers Animals immediately purged vomited intoxicated kill'd or revived according to the quality of the Liquor injected 14. Hence arose the Transfussng of Blood out of one Animal into another by Dr. Lower 1665. 15. The same Author was the first that Published the rrue Method of dividing the