that translated Grotius's incomparable book-"Of the Truth of the Christian Religion"-into Arabic; and was at the charge of a whole impression, which he took care should be dispersed in all the countries where that language was understood. He was resolved to have carried on the impression of the New Testament in the Turkish language; but the company thought it became them to be the doers of it, and so suffered him only to give a large share towards it. He was at £700 charge in the edition of the Irish Bible, which he ordered to be distributed in Ireland; and he contributed liberally to the impression of the Welsh Bible. He gave during his life £300 to advance the design of propagating the Christian religion in America; and as soon as he heard that the East India Company were entertaining propositions for the like design in the east, he sent £100 for a beginning, as an example, but intended to carry it much farther when it should be set on foot to purpose. In other respects his charities were so bountiful and extensive, that they amounted, as this prelate tells us, from his own knowledge, to upwards of £1000 a year. But as our limits will not allow us to follow the bishop in the copious and eloquent account he has given of this great man's abilities, we must therefore be content with adding the short eulogium by the celebrated physician, philosopher, and chemist, Dr. Herman Boerhaave, who, after having declared Lord Bacon to be the father of experimental philosophy, asserts, that "Mr. Boyle, the ornament of his age and country, succeeded to the genius and inquiries of the great Chancellor Verulam. Which (says he) of all Mr. Boyle's writings shall I recommend? All of them. To him we owe the secrets of fire, air, water, animals, vegetables, fossils: so that from his works may be deduced the whole system of natural knowledge' The reader perhaps may here be pleased to be informed that Mr. Boyle was born in the same year in which Lord Bacon died.

What would not this honourable personage have felt and done, had he lived in the present day, when the great object he so much desired is so rapidly accomplishing! How would he have rejoiced in knowing that the Bible is circulating in almost all languages under heaven!

December 31.

PROVERBS ii. 6. The Lord giveth wisdom, and out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

The great Dr. BOERHAAVE was born 1660. The above words afford the most abundant encouragement to supplicate the throne of grace for increasing light and understanding in divine things. Nor let it be thought enthusiastic for such a creature as man to place his dependence on Him who is the Fountain of light, and who giveth that wisdom which is profitable to direct. The Dr. thought it highly necessary to mingle prayer with his studies and literary exertions, and we

know who hath said, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint."

One of the Reformers, if I mistake not, was engaged in a public disputation in defence of the Reformation, and acquitted himself with great applause. After the business was over, a friend begged to see the notes which he had been observed to write, supposing he had taken down the arguments of his opponent, and sketched the substance of his reply, but was greatly surprised to find he had only written the ejaculatory expressions, More light, Lord, more light, more light." Such a prayer we may well adopt, believing it shall not remain unanswered, for "to him that hath shall be given."

66

We shall conclude the year with the following reflections from Saurin.

"What is our life of thirty, forty, or fourscore years, to the immense duration of eternity? How can we reconcile the part we act here with the wisdom of him who placed us here; and, if I may speak so, the bitterness of the world with the grandeur of its inhabitants? What destination do you assign man? what end do you attribute to his Creator? why did he place him in this world? was it to make him happy? But what? can he be made happy among objects so very disproportioned to his faculties? Are not his fortune and reputation, his health, and his life, a prey to all human vicissitudes? Was it to make him miserable? But how can this agree with the divine perfections, with that goodness, liberality, and beneficence, which are essential to God? Was it to enable him to cultivate arts and sciences? But what relation is there between an occupation so mean, and a creature so noble? Beside, would life then have been so short? Alas! we hardly make any progress in arts and sciences, before they become useless to us! Before we have well passed out of infancy and novitiate, death puts a period to our projects, and takes away from us all the fruits of learning and labour. Before we have well learned languages death condemns us to eternal silence. Before we well know the world, we are obliged to quit it, and we die, when we are just learning to live. If the famous Theophrastus, at the age of one hundred and seven years regretted life, because he just then began to live wisely, what lamentations must other men make? What then was the design of God in placing us here? Was it that we should form and refine piety? But how can a society composed of creatures transient and imperfect be considered as a real and substantial body of bliss? If it hath some solidity and reality when considered abstractly, yet what is it in itself? what is it to you? what is it to me? what is it to any individual member? doth not one law reduce all to dust?

My brethren, there is only one way out of this labyrinth. One single answer is sufficient for all these questions. This world is a place of exercise, this life is a time of trial, which is given us that we choose either eternal happiness or endless misery."

THE END.

INDEX.

Andrews, Bishop, learning and de-Beattie, Dr. idea of the soul, 208.

Bellingham, 111.

Bellarmine, ignorance of, 66.

So-Berkley, Bp. death of, 15.
con-Benedict, St. 172.

Bernard, St. 173.

Beveridge, Bp. learning and piety
of, 52.

Anholt, George Prince of, death Beza, death of, 268.

Bligh, Captain, distress of,
Body wonderfully made, 286.
Boerhaave, Dr. birth of, 351.
Boleyne, Ann, 118

102

Bolton, Rev. Mr death of, 339.
Bolingbroke's testimony in favour
of Christianity, 70.
Boniface murdered, 133.
Bonard, Mr. and Mrs. murdered,
128.

Bonner, Bp. death of, 230.
Booth, Abraham, death of, 26.
Book, first printed, 200. multitude
of, 201. religious, 202.
Boston, Mr. death of, 119.
Boyle, Hon. Robert, character and
death of, 349.
Bradford, John, martyred, 153.
Brown, Rev. J. death of, 142.
Bribery, 205.

Bruce, James, death of, 100.
Brainerd, D death of, 264.
Brute creation, 20.
Brahe Tycho, death of, 270.
Burr, Rev. J. died, 188.
Buckingham, Duke of, 92.
Bugenhagius, 195.
Brutus, 32.

Budgell, suicide of, 105.
Bullinger born, 168.
Buffon, 143.

Burns, Robert, death of, 171.
Bunyan, account of, 221.
Burkitt, Rev. W. death of, 280.

CESAR, Julius, landed in Briton,
217. assassinated, 61.

Cæsar, Augustus, 210.

Cæsarius, 225.

[[Calcutta, black hole at, 143.
Charnock, death of, 180.
Chabrias, valour of, 243.
Chartres, character of, 116.
Charles XII. of Sweden, shot, 331.
Chatham, Earl of, promptness of,

110.

Cecil, Rev. Mr. anecdotes of, 202.
Charles II. death of, 33.
Children, usefulness of, 73, 236.
interesting, 232.

Christ, divinity of, 43. birth of,
332 death of, 72. ascension of,
236. love of, 380.
Christ's Hospital, 267.
Christianity, 70, 141.
Christian, happiness of, 143.
Chrysostom, preaching, 314.
Cicero, birth of, 5. death of, 220,
327.

Clemency, divine, 210.
Clitus, death of, 120<
Columbus, 187.
Comets, 230.

Conder, Dr. saying of, 128.
Consideration, power of, 313.
Conversation, 93.

Consciousness, 208.

Contentment, 203.
Cook, Captain, 132.

Corvinus, forgetfulness of, 66.
Coverdale, Miles, death of, 118.
Cowper, death of, 99.
Cranmer, Abp. born, 154.
Creation of the world, 252.
Cromwell, character of, 227.
Curius Dentatus Marcus Annius,
205.

Crucifixion of Christ, 78.

Cadogar, Rev. W. private devotion Cyprian, conversion of, 248.

of, 18.

Calvin, death of, 125.

Cato killed himself, 32.

Caryl, death of, 34.

Carolstadt, 54.

Carracas, earthquake at, 71.

Charles I. beheaded, 37.

Catharine I. 116.

Catharine II. 160.

Cyrus, 64.

DANBY, Mr. saying of, 311.
Darius, 46.

Darkness, extreme at noon, 14.
Darnley, Lord, murdered, 36.

Character, christian, dignity of, Deists, 185.

43.

Death, 51, 91, 284.

of Christ, 79.

Defence, the, lost, 345.

Democrates, insolence of, 37.

Charles V. resigned his crown, 17. De Witt, 211.
Charles, Rev. Mr. imprisonment Desertion, 98.
Detraction, 210.

of, 19,

Distraction, 137.

Diogenes, 25.

Disputation, evil of, 17.
Dionysius, 177.

Dr. Dodd executed, 151,
Doddridge, Dr. death of, 282.
Domestic religion, 108.
Domitian, cruelty of, 240.
Drunkenness, 171.

Dr. Donne, death of, 75.
Dress, 305.

Druidism, 217.
Dryden, 143.

Dunning, J. See Ashburton.
Duelling, 161.

Duff, missionary ship, 159.
EARL of Kinnowl, death of, 347.
Early piety, 268.
Earthquakes, 71, 288.

Edwards, Dr. Jonathan, treatment
of, 67. meditation of, 259. studies
of, 260.

Edward the Black Prince, 135.
Edward VI piety of, 266.

Faith, 160, 203, 240.
Family prayer, 108.
Faust, Dr. 201.
Fawkes, Guy, 293.
Fear, godly, 192.

Ferrar, Bp. martyred, 74.
Fenelon, born, 192.
Fire of London, 226.

Flavel, Rev. J death of, 149. filial
affection of, 233.

Fleming, Rev R. death of, 166.
Fox, J. death of, 94 relief of, 94.
Fox, G. death of, 304.

Foster, Dr. James, remark of, 240.
Fothergill, Dr. death of, 346.
France, Queen of, beheaded, 272..
Frank, Professor, liberality of, 58.
Francis, St. 173.

Francis I. defeated, 26. death of 51.
French Revolution, 165
Frith, Mr. J. martyred, 156.
Frederick the Great, death of, 207.

GALILEO, discovery of, 10.

Egyptians, their account of time,Gataker, death of, 179.
5. their temples, 247. custom at Gardiner, Col. 121.

their banquets, 307.

Elpidophorus, apostacy of, 218.

George I. death of, 136.
George III. 98, 132, 281.

Elizabeth, Queen. pupil of Ascham.George, the St. lost, 345.
8. born, 232. melancholy death
of, ib.
Ennui, 9.

English, Rev. T. death of, 126.
Epaminondas, 74, 160, 292.
Epicurus, 270.
Epiphany, 10.
Epictetus, 287.

Erasmus, death of, 163.
Erskine, Ebenezer, saying of, 131.
Erskine, H. providence concerning,
196.

Erskine, Rev. R. death of, 296.
Este, de Mary, 327.
Eternity, 5, 352.
Eugene, Prince, valour of, 88.
Eudamidas, 164.
Eudoxus, 97.
Evans, Dr. 195.

Eyre, Rev. John, death of, 72.
Exaggeration, evil of, 212.
Evelyn, epitaph of, 48.

Expulsion of six students from
Oxford, 56.
FATHER, God a, 41.

Georgium Sidus, discovery of, 60.
ericke, Mr. labours and death of,

255.

Gibbon's testimony in favour of
Christianity, 70.

Gouge, Dr. died, 332 character of,
Gill, Dr. happy death of, 269
God a father, 41. goodness of, 123.
332.

Goldsmith, Oliver, peevishness of

80.

Goodwin, Dr. death of, 45.
Gordon, Lord, 134.
Gravity, 70.

Granger, Rev. J. death of, 90.
Granicus, battle of, 119.
Gratianus, fall of, 114.
Grenville, Lord, saying of, 271,
Grey, Lady Jane, beheaded, 37.
Grimshaw, death of, 85...
Grovesnor, Dr. saying of, 128.
Gunpowder plot, 294.
HALE, Mr. death of, 285.
Happiness, 143.

Hall, Dr. death of, 92.