not suffer the Moon to receive any Light from the Sun, without whose Supply she is always a dark Body, for from it she borroweth her Light. Q. What Comparison is there in the Greatness of fome Stars and the Earth ? A. Though the fir Distance of them from the Earth makes their Rays approach our Eyes in a sharp-pointed Angle, whereby they seem to our Sight and Judgment no broader than one HandBreadth ; yet is every fixed Star far greater in Compass than the whole Earth, every wandering Star likewise bigger than the faine, (Venus and Mercury excepted) and likewise Luna, which is but the thirty-ninth part of the Earth; Sol is bigger than the Earth 166 times, Saturn 9; times, Niars 91 times, Jupiter gi; Venus lefser than the Earth 32 times, and Mercury least of all, and is contained of the Earth, three thousand, one Hundred, and forty-four times. e Into how many Regions is the Air divided ? A. The Air is divided into three Regions, by the natural Philosophers both of antient and modern times ; that is to say, into the Highest, Lowest, and Middlemoft. In the highest Region, turned about by the Element of Fire, are bred all Liglitnings, Firedrakes, Comets, Blazing Stars, and fich like ; in the middle Region, all cold and watry Impressions, as Frost, Snow, Ice, and Hail ; in the lowest Region, some what more hot, by reason of the Beams of the Sun reflecting from the Earth, are bred all Clouds, Dews, Rain, and such like. Q. What is the Equinoctial, and wherefore is it so called ? A. The Equino&tial is a great Circle, which being every part equally distant from the two Poles of the World, dividech the Sphere in the very midst thereof into equal Parts, and therefore it js called the Equinoctial, because when the Sun toucheth this Circle, which is but twice in the Year, it maketh the Day and Night of an equal Length; which Equinoctial happeneth the eleventh of March and thirteenth of September. touchech Q. Who was the first that was of Opinion that the Earth moved round the Center of the Sun ? A. Copernicus was the first that declared himself of this Opinion, (a Doctrine very strange in these Times) but now this Opinion is adopted by our ablest Aftronomers. On SOLITUDE. Y ; TE Groves and flow'ry Vales, in you we find; The endless Sweets of Innocence and Love. The Hero gives the Chase of Honour o'er, Streams, Day Beams, The The Trees their Whispers ceas'd, the gentle Gale For the MORNING, GL LORY to thee, my God, who safe haft , And me refresh'd, while I fecurely flept ; Lord, this Day guard me, left I may transgress; And all my Undertakings guide and bless; And as my Vows to thee I now renew, Scatter my by-past Sins as Morning Dew, That so thy Glory may shine clear chis Day, In all I either think, or do, or say. Amen. For the EVENING. F FORGIVE me, deareft Lord, for thy dear Son, many Ills that I , Let not the Sun go down upon my Wrath, nor upon any other unrepented Sin. Let me every Day write at the foot of my Ac: count, Reconciled to my God, and in Charity wirl all the World; that going to Bed with a quiet Conscience, I may fall a-sleep in Peace and Hope. Conscience is God's Spy, and Man's Overleer; God's Deputy. Judge, holding its Court in the whole Soul ; bearing Witness of all a Man's No. ings and Desires, and accordingly excusing, or accusing ; absolving, or condemning; comforting, or tormenting What art thou then the better when none is by, so long as thy Conscience is by. Conscience is the great Register, or Recorder, of the World. 'Tis to every Man his private Norasy, keeping Record of all his Acts and Deeds. Thothe Darkness of the Night may hide us from others, and the Darkness of the Mind may hide us from our felves, yet fill the Conscience hath an Eye to look in secret upon whatever we do ; and tho' in many Men it sleeps in regard of Motion, yet it never Deeps in regard of Obfervation; and notice, it may be hard and seared, but it can never be blinded. Conscience is God's Hiftorian, that writes not Annals, but Journals, the Words, Deeds and Cogitations of Hours and Moments.. Never was there so absolute a Compiler of Lives as Conscience is, it comes not with Prejudice or Acceptation of Persons, but dare fpeak the Truth of a Monarch, as well as of a Slave. Manners make a Man, faith the Courtier : But Sincerity in Religion makes a Man, faith the Divine. Let us endeavour to walk in the Paths of Virtue and Religion, which will certainly entertain us with Pleasure all along the way, and crown us with Happiness at the End. |