The Christian Virtuoso

[3][4] Boyle was a devout Anglican, and with the rise of science and reason during his lifetime, was troubled by increasing atheism.

[5] On this book's title page (see picture) Boyle states "that, being addicted to experimental philosophy a man is rather assisted than indisposed to be a good Christian."

[7] In the early 17th century the word virtuoso first referred to a gentleman interested in precious stones and antiquities.

In the title Boyle equates a natural philosopher (later to be called a scientist) with a virtuoso, which by the middle of 17th century had already begun to take on this meaning.

These were Of the high Veneration Man's Intellect owes to God, peculiar for his Wisdom and Power (1684), Discourse Of Things Above Reason, inquiring whether a Philosopher should admit there are any such (1681), and Some Considerations touching the Style of the Holy Scriptures (1661).