Year 1345, there was a Conjunction of Sa tarn, Mars, and Jupiter, in the 19th Degree of Aquarius, in the Month of March; which Conjunction (fays he) was always looked upon to be of fatal Confequence to Mankind; and accordingly he fays, it was followed by a ftrange Alteration in the Air, which produced a moft grievous Peftilence, which lafted a long while by fits; ftopping fometimes upon a brisk Froft, or refreshing Shower of Rain; but breaking out a-fresh upón very little Occafion Such as an Eclipfe of the Sun; the rifing of a Meteor, or fuch like. The fecond happened in the Year 161. juft before which Saturn and Mars were in fuch an Oppofition, as was foretold would be fatal to the World. The third happened in the Year 1373. when f Mars and Jupiter were in Conjunction. The fourth happened in the Year 1382. before which Mars and Jupiter were in Oppofition. And the fame Year there appeared a dreadful Comet, feeming to be Twenty Ells in Length. The Year following, for two Months together, viz. Auguft and September, there flew about in the Air, a fiery Body which the Aftronomers call Draco, of a very great Length. The Stars (as we call it) Thot frequently, the Sky was of a deep Red, or Purple Colour, with a very great Chafm, (or Vorago, as he calls it) appearing in one part. All thefe were followed by Abortions in Women; Pains in the Bladder, Sides and Privy Parts; fpecially in the Country which lay under his Tail, or under thofe Signs which were affected by it, " vize viz. Weftward and Northward. The Blood and Choler began to ferment violently, and corrupt. The whole Year was exceeding Dry and Hot, and all People grew Melancholy; which Hippocrates fays, always follow thefe Appearances, Aphor. 7. lib. 2. Upon this followed the Peftilence, which breaking out firft at Avignon in France, fpread it felf over all that Country, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Germany, Britain, Spain and Portugal: In all these Countries, more or lefs, according as they were more or less difpofed to receive it. Thus far that learned Physician; who, thro' the whole Account, feems to infinuate, that all thefe Maladies and Diftempers were principally owing to these Appearances in the Heavens, as their immediate Caufes. Laftly, This Doctrine hath received no small Confirmation, by the learned Dr. Mead's excellent Effay, De influxu Solis & Luna, who begins his Book with this Affertion, That all the Ancients did believe, that the rife and progrefs of fome Diftempers did depend upon the Influence of the Moon: And others (fays he) they have affirmed to be intirely owing to the Influences of the Stars: And the earlieft Accounts we have of Epidemical Diseases, talk largely of the Motions and Influences of the heavenly Bodies; therefore (as he goes on) Hippocrates, in his Epiftle to his Son Theffalus, advifes him to apply himself principally to the Study of Arithmetick and Geometry; becaufe in Diftempers much depends upon the rifing and fetting of the heavenly Bodies. dies. The Truth of which Pofition of Hippocrates, this learned Gentleman doth largely confirm in the progrefs of his Book, by many excellent Reafons, founded upon clear Obfervation and Experience. (2.) THE Second general Cause is, noxious Exhalations from the Earth, which may proceed from various Causes, such as are in fome particular Places; ftinking Marshes, or standing Waters; the Smells of Sinks, or common Shewers; the Stink of dead Bodies unburied; Earthquakes, or fiery Eruptions from the Body of the Earth. A remarkable Instance of Difeafes proceeding from both these Caufes, is that mentioned by the learned Dr. Geo. Baglivi, in his Appendix to his Practice of Phyfick; which was an Apoplexy that in the Year 1694, and 1695, was almoft Epidemical at Rome, and all over Italy; which he imputes firft and principally to the unusual Conftitution of the Weather. The Summer in 1693 was extreme hot and fcorching, which was followed by nipping cold Weather in the be ginning of 1694; and, contrary to the Cuftom of Italy, with a rigid Froft, Snow and Ice. The Campania di Roma and Paglia, which are feldom fubject to Snow, were then covered with it to the highth of a Cubit. The Summer after that was much hotter than the former; infomuch that for five Months together there was no Rain. About the beginning of October, it began to be wet Weather; and continued fuch, with a foutherly Wind, to April 1695, to fuch a degree, that fo much Rain was not feen to F fall Shall be a Concur the last fall at one time within the Memory of Man. After fifteen Days of a concinned Rain, perhaps they had two Days clear Weather, which were followed by heavier Rains than what went before. The fend Cause to which he imputes it, was the malignant Steams raised by fo many Earthquakes as Italy had felt fince the Year 1687, to the Year 1695, in which he wrote. And Seneca, Nat. Quat. cap. 27. fays, That such subterraneous Vapours do caufe Apoplexies. One Expreffion more of his I cannot omit; which, tho' impertinent to the immediate Defign of this Quotation, yet fhews the Author's Thoughts not much different from mine. Perhaps, fays he, fome part of the Epidemical Illness was owing to the Univerfal Grief and Domestick Care occafioned by fuch calamitous Times. All Europe being at the fame time engag'd in a fharp War, the like of which has fcarce been heard ever fince the Foundation of the Universe was laid; fo many Cities rafed and burnt; so many Thousands of Men flain; all Commerce disturbed, and the Avenues of Peace block'd up, that the strongest Hearts can fcarce bear the Thoughts of it. That there $7. Now it is fo highly probable, that in the laft Days there fhall be a Concurrence of rence of all these Caufes. As to the fupeCaufes in riour Caufes, which are the heavenly Influences, by which we understand not only the Operations of the Planets or fixed Stars, but also all Appearances of Meteors, Comets, we have great Reafons to expect them. Thus the Prophet Ifaiah, Chap. 34.4. Days. 34.4. tells us, that in the Day of the Lord's Vengeance, in the Year of his Recompences, for the Controverfy of Sion, v. 8. that all the Hoft of Heaven fhall be diffolved, raxnoor * fay the LXXII, which I have explained before, to fignifie a decay or breaking away of the Parts of any Body; whereby per haps may be fignified, that many other of the heavenly Bodies fhall fuffer a Diffolu tion (perhaps by Fire) like our Earth. And the Heaven fhall be rolled together as a Scroll, and all their Hoft (mála "Asex, fay the LXXII.) Shall fall down as the Leaf falleth from the Vine, and as a falling Fig from the Fig-tree. Whereby poffibly may be understood, that those Bodies thus on fire, may be torn from their proper Centers, and have an excentrick indeterminate Motion, thro' the vast Æther in which they move. The fame Thing is foretold alfo by our Bleffed Lord, Matth. 24.29. Immediately after the Tribulation of thofe Days fhall the Sun be darkened, and the Moon Shall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall from Heaven, and the Powers of the Heavens Shall be fhaken. Where indeed it must be confeffed, that thefe Appearances are to be after the Afflictions of thefe Days of which we are treating, i. e. as to its Fulnefs, as I understand it; but that there fhall be fome preludia or fore-running Appearances long before, is not at all difagreeable to the Analogy of Things; and thefe poffibly may be what St. Luke, Chap. 21. v. 11. calls fearful Sights and great Signs in Heaven: And v. 25. Signs in the Stars; when Mens Hearts hall fail them for fear, and for looking after thofe things F 2 that |