The Second Disposition, was, the Silence of the Night; For Man who is compounded of Body and Soul, doth notably intricate himself in External things by the commerce of the Senses with the Objects; which obligeth him to withdraw himself from visible things, when he intends to apply himself to some serious Study. And as the silence of the Night causeth in the Universe a cessation of noises and clashings in Business, Visits and Colloquies, the Mind is then more at rest. Besides that, Night covering with her Darkness our Hemisphere, our Senses are less distracted, and our Internal Faculties are more united to serve the Operations of the Understanding. Therefore the Author in his two _Liminary Epistles_, makes often mention of his continual Nocturnal Watchings, of his Sweet-smelling nocturnal Studies, and of his Nocturnal and Prophetical Calculations. The Third Disposition, was Solitariness; that is, having no other Conversation then that of his Books, being retired in his Study, Alone. For it seemeth that God commonly maketh use of Solitariness when he doth impart himself to Men, and revealeth them his Oracles: And the _Sybils_ were chosen to be Prophets, as much for their Solitariness, as for their Chastity. The Author saith, that with those three Dispositions he raised himself to the knowledge of future things; which is signified by those words, _Resting upon the Brazen Stool_. _Servius_ in his _Commentaries_ upon _Virgil_, speaking of this Brazen Stool, saith two things of it. The First, that this Stool was a Table set upon a _Trevet_, called by the _Greeks_ τρίπους, and by the Latines _Tripus_. The Second is, that the _Sybils_, or the Priests of the _Delphick_ Temple of _Apollo_, got upon that Table, when they went about to pronounce their Oracles. _Pliny_, in his 33. Book, Chap. 3. saith, that they called those Tables _Cortinas_, and that some were made of Brass for the use aforesaid. From the use of that Brazen _Trevet_ is come the Proverb, _Ex tripode loqui_. When one speaketh like an Oracle. Thus the Author willing to express, that being in his Study in the solitariness of the Night, he raised himself to the Knowledge of Future things, to write them, and transmit them to Posterity; he saith, _He was sitting or resting upon the Brazen Stool_. Thus raising himself, and taking his Pen in hand to write what he should learn, he saith in the Third Verse, that _A slight Flame_, or small Light did insinuate it self in his understanding, by whose splendor and brightness he saw future things.