An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

CHAP. IV.

Some Philosophical Meditations. Concerning Antipathies and Sympathies. Of the Lodestone. Of the Nature and Wonderful Effects of Lightning. That Thunder-Storms are often caused by Satan; and sometimes by good Angels. Thunder is the Voice of God, and therefore to be dreaded. All Places in the habitable World are subject to it more or less. No Amulets can preserve men from being hurt thereby. The miserable estate of Wicked Men upon this account, and the happiness of the Righteous, who may be above all disquieting fears, with respect unto such terrible Accidents.

Some Philosophical Meditations. Concerning Antipathies and Sympathies. Of the Loadstone. Of the Nature and Wonderful Effects of Lightning. That Thunder-Storms are often caused by Satan; and sometimes by good Angels. Thunder is the Voice of God, and therefore to be dreaded. All Places in the habitable World are subject to it more or less. No Amulets can preserve men from being hurt thereby. The miserable estate of Wicked Men upon this account, and the happiness of the Righteous, who may be above all disquieting fears, with respect unto such terrible Accidents.

Having thus far Related many Remarkable Providences, which have happened in these goings down of the Sun; and some of the particulars, (especially in the last Chapter) being Tragical Stories: The Reader must give me leave upon this occasion a little to divert and recreate my mind, with some Philosophical Meditations; and to conclude with a Theological Improvement thereof. There are Wonders in the Works of Creation as well as Providence, the reason whereof the most knowing amongst Mortals, are ⟨p. 100⟩not able to comprehend. Dost thou know the balancings of the Clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge? I have not yet seen any who give a satisfactory reason of those strange Fountains in New Spain, which Ebb and Flow with the Sea, though far from it; and which fall in Rainy Weather, and rise in dry; or concerning that Patnear St. Bartholomew's into which if one cast a stone though never so small, it makes a noise as great and terrible as a clap of Thunder. It is no difficult thing to produce a World of Instances, concerning which the usual Answer is, an occult Quality is the cause of this strange operation, which is only a Fig-leaf whereby our common Philosophers seek to hide their own ignorance. Nor may we (with Erastus) deny that there are marvellous Sympathies and Antipathies in the natures of things. We know that the Horse does abominate the Camel; the mighty Elephant is afraid of a Mouse: And they say that the Lion, who scorneth to turn his back upon the stoutest Animal, will tremble at the Crowing of a Cock. Some Men also have strange Antipathies in their natures against that sort of Food which others love and live upon. I have read of one that could not endure to eat either Bread or Flesh. Of another that