participation of any thing else when all whatsoeuer is or euer was by him was made and from him did proceede So was he the first yet not by priority of time by worthines of nature or by order of beginning for he was before time aboue nature and without beginning but first because all were after him and none equall and together with him And as the first so the last for hauing no beginning he can haue no ending being vnborne he cannot dye if nothing had power to make him what can be able to destroy him Then being the first and the last the beginning and the end he is that he is and shall be that he shall be when all things that are shall not be not as now they are but changed in nature as he can neuer be that is aboue nature and therfore one alone and the same And being the first and the maker of all he was almighty and had all power in him selfe But so he could not be if any other were of like power and could doo as much as him selfe For what is giuen to the one is taken from the other so as what the one hath the other wanteth and to haue any want at all were against the nature of eyther there being no fulnes where there is want nor perfection where defect is found If then a maker and almighty as he must be that is God there can be no partner of his power there ought to be no pertaker of his glory Neither possible is it that life should be giuen by more then one whereof the roote must be one or none for when all things that can be liuing of contrary qualities must consist and life is nothing else but an vnion of body and soule which can neuer be vnited but when those contraries of disposition to one iust and peaceable constitution are reduced wherby nouriture groweth and strength doth ensue it followeth that whatsoeuer giueth life must be of all vnitie without any the least diuersitie within it selfe otherwise if any difference it should haue and not altogether be one wherein it wanted indifferencie more to the one then to the other it would incline So should there be no equality of mixture for partiality of fauour and so no peace no vnity no life should be wherefore one in nature one in number one in all that one which is the authour of life ought to be If it be sayed that Gods may be the same in nature and yet sundry in number and that in them giuing life no such vnity is required but that which may fall into more then one no affinity being betweene the life giuers and the liuing things betweene the nature of Gods and the naturall parts of the world it must be aunswered that in trueth to God neyther nature nor number can be ascribed he being an essence in no sort to be conceaued if not supernaturally and al in singlenes he be considered For although he be not seene of men God seene of men in the glasse of nature but in the glasse of nature yet therin his greatnes doth appeare so much to exceede her compasse as easily they perceaue and assuredly resolue that he is so much aboue and so farre without her reach as that he cannot be subiect to the force of her lawes VVherfore when mortall men according to theyr naturall vnderstanding search for him they finde what he is not and there-vpon conclude him to be that which most probably theyr weaknes can neuer be comprehended VVhereof it hath been that sundry wise learned men haue thought no better way to define what he was then by way of deniall to shew what he was not saying that neyther the heauen nor the skie nor the sun nor the moone nor the elements nor the world was God but the works of God and therfore God to be the maker of all So reason teaching that multiplicity must needes be after vnity and that one there must be before many ones there can be the same concludeth that God which is the first cannot be multiplex sed vnus not many but one Againe sith nothing can be compounded which may not be dissolued it followeth that God which is euerlasting without dissolution could not be but eternall without composition and therefore ens vnum et simplicimum And so being most reasonable it is to thinke that he that is onely and merely one one in all vnity and simplicity is fittest to set at one those things which are of contrary disposition he being not likely to leane to eyther side who hath nothing in him bending to eyther part whereas being many and diuers as diuers they must be if they be manie they could not possiblie make a peace where contrariety mooueth a warre For how should things subiect vnto them by them be drawne together who through diuersity of them selues are not one but stand asunder How should fire end water become friends if as Thales thought Dioge laerti there were one God to doo all out of water and one other as Heraclitus might as wel haue thought to doo as much out of fire There could not nor there needed not an attonement to be made betweene them if both Gods had power a like by eyther without the helpe of other to doo what he would But they must be vnited and coupled as man and wife before any lyuing thing can be brought forth Quippe vbi temporiem sumpsere humorque calorque Concipiunt et ab his oriuntur cuncta duobus Ouid. meta 1. Cumque sit ignis aquae pugnax vapor humidus omnes Res creat et discors concordia faetibus apta est For when moisture and heate haue had temperature They do conceaue from them two springs al increase While fire with water striues made is the creature By vapor moist for breed being apt the warring peace Fire as the man and water as the wife are to be considered who being ioyned in marriage their issue it is whatsoeuer hath life for all liuing things consisting of body and soule there must be moysture to breede a bodily substance and heate to bring foorth a lyuing soule whereof the experience is seene in the egge and in the bird the egge being first a substance full of moysture without life and after a bird by long and continuing warmth quickned and made aliue yet of it selfe neither moysture can make the body nor heate the soule but both well tempered cause and ioyne together both a body and a soule VVherefore sith fire and water must be made friends that heate and moysture may meete and ioyne in one sith a iust temper by an equall temperature of contraries must be made that one constitution of diuers natures as one harmony of sondry times may consist before eyther life can be had or nouriture can be yeelded great reason it is that he that should draw all into one should be but one and alone without the fellowship of any other that
the other wherin it returneth in the euening but that which dwelleth therein and hath rule ouer the same VVhat to set in order such an army of starres and to cause them all to hold one certaine iust course but that to which all things are easie and nothing is impossible VVhat to restraine the fire from ascending and the earth from falling down to keepe the Sea from ouer-flowing and to set peace betweene fire and water in discord to make vnitie and a friendly coniunction between things of contrarie disposition but that power which hath power ouer heauen and earth and doth commaund and controle both nature her selfe and all naturall things whatsoeuer and what should that be but euen that which in power wisdome and perfection is infinite admirable and incomprehensible That of the Grecians is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the sharpnes of his sight and swiftnes of his course because he seeth all and ruleth ouer all in a moment Of the Latines Deus for that of his fulnes and bounty hauing all he giueth all that the world hath of the English God for as much as in respect of excellencie he is only good and goodnes it selfe to be esteemed If then it stand with reason that nothing can make it selfe and no power other then God can be found or imagined sufficient to performe the least of those thinges before mentioned reason doth assure vs that there is a God and ouer and aboue reason euery sence for the light of heauen doth shew it to our eyes and the birds of the ayre doo sound it into our eares we tast it in the fruites of the earth and the sweete sauouring flowers breathe it vp into the very braine of our heads so as we are enforced to feele perceaue and vnderstande the same VVherefore vnreasonable and sencelesse is that man that seeth not and beleeueth not that there is a God Chap. 4. That reason and sence may iudge that there is but one God THe world consisting of heauen and earth it may seeme to haue beene the pleasure of God the maker of them both to place in eyther of them one speciall creature that for excellencie and vnity of nature should be the picture image of him selfe The sunne in heauen and on earth the soule of man to the ende that man of whom chiefely he would be honoured beholding the sunne with his bodily eye and with reason the eye of his minde looking into his owne nature as well without as within him selfe might perceaue that a God there is and that there is but one who doth both shine in heauen as that glorious starre the Sunne and rule on earth as that excellent creature the soule where-vnto all other liuing creatures are subiect Of this it hath been spoken The Sunne a resemblance of God of that it may be sayed that being in the firmament aboue it exerciseth his power on all the creatures below and holding an vnitie in it selfe it disperseth it selfe through the corners of the world and giueth light to euery starre that shineth and causeth life in euery thing that liueth and is of such brightnes that it darkneth the most glittering starres and dazeleth the sharpest eyes although neither starre haue light nor eye sight but by meanes thereof So as verie notably it expresseth the nature and the power of that onely and mighty God who from aboue beholdeth and ordereth all thinges whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer beeing and giueth sight and vnderstanding to all albeit in his greatnes and glory of none he can be seene or vnderstoode and yet as the Sunne is visible to the eye and the soule subiect to the sight of reason God of man in a measure seene and conceaued so God in a measure is truly saied sensibly to be seene and iudicially to be conceaued of all those which haue eyes to behold and reason to consider such creatures as he hath ordayned to be witnesses of his nature But the soule being buried in the body The body the graue of the soule as in a graue which therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the graue of the soule and the Sun shining in heauen openly to be seene the eyes of men haue beene drawne to looke vpward and there to seeke God where manifestly appearing they could not but see him in all glory and maiestie to shine Howbeit in searching to know what he was their errors were as grosse as their opinions were diuers Some thinking the Sunne others the Moone and other-some the whole circuit of heauen By naturall reason impossible to know what God is to be a God And no meruaile that they were deceaued when by the low reach of naturall reason they sought to apprehend the high mistery of that supernaturall power which is infinite and incomprehensible But that it was onely one otherwise they could not thinke reason manifestly teaching that otherwise it could not be For when by consideration of all naturall things it is euident that nothing is of power sufficient to make or to mooue it selfe and that consisting of contraries they are more apt to destroy then able to cause or preserue one another most reasonably it is that there be because of necessitie it is that there must be a maker a moouer and a ruler of them all and how A maker of omnipotencie to doo what he will a moouer of aucthoritie to dispose as he will and a ruler of all goodnes and excellencie to order and preserue all according to his will else were it impossible that the world should haue been made mooued and ordered as it hath been consisting of parts no lesse repugnant in nature then infinite in number VVhich the Grecians well obseruing found out three names aunswerable to those three properties Aristid in hymno in Iouem Dioge Laerti Caelus Rhodi The Grecians by three names expressed the nature of God and gaue them all to one God as agreeable onely to one alone calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somtimes by one and somtimes by the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that wherby all things are caused to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that he giueth life and motion to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of his excelling goodnes in gouerning and preseruing both the whole and euery particuler whatsoeuer VVho so being as in very truth he is the originall cause from which all things doo proceede the roote of life out of which all life doth spring and the fountaine of goodnes from whence all good doth arise flow then is he but one for it cannot be that more then one that cause that roote and that fountaine can be The cause of causes can be but one That cause of causes that is the causer of all things was to haue being before any thing had beginning and be he must onely by and of him selfe for be he could not by
carcasse pampered but wormes by which it shall be deuoured Lastly thinke how vaine the excesse of apparrell is whereof the great varietie sheweth the extreame vanity of the people all cost being lost which is bestowed in the needlesse brauerie thereof It serueth to effeminate the minds of men to prouoke the lusts of the flesh and to kindle pride in the hart and causeth many to want in theyr olde age which had too much in theyr youth whose folly seemeth no lesse then theirs which lade them selues with many clothes in the Sommer and for want goe naked in the VVinter Of all these the vse is needefull but hurtfull is the abuse which being discouered is to be restrained in a well ordered common wealth O that thy people would consider this and make profit thereof in sparing from their bellies to feede the hungry in sauing from their backes to cloath the naked So should they abstaine from euill and doo good they should auoide the offence and procure the fauour of Almightie God and much more able should they be to serue thee for defence of them selues Now here I seeme to heare thee say that calling to minde what before hath beene sayed of the continuall change and neuer resting course of the world and finding thy selfe guiltie of those blemishes wherewith the beauty of Rome was defaced before she fell thou canst not but feare an alteration of thy fortune think thou shalt resemble Rome heereafter in the dayes of her sorrow as heeretofore thou hast done in her flourishing yeares I deme not but that all things of necessitie must alter which are brought forth by nature and I know that as in naturall bodies so in the condition of men of Townes of Citties and of all estates there is a time of growth and a time of decay an houre to flourish and an other to fade seasons of pleasure which haue their termes and turnes of griefe to succeede when they are gone so that the same oft-times are not yesterday and to day the same Nulla sors longa est dolor ac voluptas Sene. Thiestos Inuicem cedunt breuior voluptas Ima permutat breuis hora summis No lot at all doth last paine and pleasure Each other succeede shorter the pleasure Low and high soone find of change like measure I doubt not therefore but thou mayest be as Rome was or as Fraunce is embrewed in thine owne blood wounded with thine owne hand and torne in peeces by thine owne strength or otherwise inuaded and subdued by forraine power as heertofore thy selfe hath been especially the sinnes of thy people prouoking the wrath of thy God against thee Yet giue me fauour to speake and haue patience to heare what truly I shall say Farre other thou art then Rome was when it fell to decay that being set on fire by the burning ambition of great Potentates Marius and Silla Pompei and Caesar equall in power and in place in degree and in dignity hauing vnder them many to kindle and not any ouer them to quench the flame of their desire which being insatiable became intollerable and not being bridedled in time could not be indured long of the common wealth Neyther art thou like thy sister Fraunce whose territories are large farre remoued from the eye of their King whose Towns and Castels are many and strong apt and easie to be held beeing surprised by seditious men hauing neighbours at hand in loue with her beautie enuying her greatnes desiring her spoyle and both ready and able to assist her disobedient Subiects and vnnaturall children and thy selfe thy selfe doest resemble in no sort thy present face being compared with the picture of thy former age VVhen the winde of glory vnder pretence to reuenge an iniurie draue Caesar crosse thy Seas thy name not being then by which now thou art knowne no wonder if vnacquainted with armes and naked without armour thou gauest place at length to a mighty people Romanes practised in warres and led by the chiefe Commaunder of the world VVhen distressed by thy Northerne neere bordering neighbours thou wert enforced to pray ayde for thy defence and seeking friends Saxons diddest foes entertaine to cut thine owne throat how could it be thou shouldest escape thine enemies being strong in the field and thou committing thy selfe to a faithlesse gard who first by deceitfull beauty entrapped thy King and after by open hostilitie possessed thy Crowne VVhen thy bodie vvas parted into seauen partes which was but one and had not one but manie heads what strength what direction couldest thou haue to withstand an vnited force of powerfull enemies Danes attempting with preparation and pursuing with resolution thine ouerthrowe vvhile two of one name Harold but of Nation diuers contended for thy Scepter Edgar a third being by force put from it which of right should haue borne it Norma oportunitie was giuen to set a conquering foote in thy troubled Land not vnlikely to be subdued being discontented for the wrong at home and dismayed with the sodaine sight of an vnlooked for inuasion So wast thou at a battaile well fought and well followed brought vnder the new yoake of a forraine Ruler William Conque the ende of thy former toyle being the beginning of thy future woe Since when often times thou hast been a wofull spectacle to thine owne eyes beholding the fearefull face of ciuill warres wasting thy fields burning thy Townes destroying thy people and shedding the blood of the highest in aucthoritie ouer thee which hath happened through the vniust gouernment of thy Rulers the ambitious humor of thy Potentates or the rebellious harts of thy Commons But this now is not nor hath been many yeares thy case Thou art ruled by law agreeable to iustice and executed with mercy thy Soueraigne submitteth her selfe therevnto that the greatest may not disdaine and the meanest be willing to obey her according to the same Besides thou art instructed in the knowledge of God that of conscience thou shouldest perfome thy duty both to him and her If the weake be oppressed in her grace they finde reliefe if the strong presume too farre her Maiestie doth hold them vnder whereby it commeth to passe that eyther for conscience sake or by force of gouernment thou hast peace and knowest no warre at home And that thou mayest be strong against foraine inuasion thou art furnished with armes and trayned to vse them many braue men hast thou practising the warres abroade ready to returne when thou shalt neede them for thy succour and so fast knit are the parts of thy body the lower with the higher all with the head that thy strength is redoubled within thee Thy body then being one and thy weapons in thine hand hauing strength in thine armes courage in thy hart and wisedome in thy head whom canst thou feare what needest thou mistrust Although thou doest not shine with vertue without all staine of vice though thou breedest and feedest weedes with thy
which sort the world is ouer full who as pictures or images of wood or of stone carry the resemblance but not the substance of those bodies which they represent Xenocrates Vale. mani because he was not prouoked to lust by the wantonnes of Phryne was sayed of her and of others reputed to be an image and not a man Dioge laerti so Carneades and Archimedes were accounted as dead men when they were aliue for as much as their minds being distracted through earnestnes of contemplation the naturall action of their bodies seemed to cease and giue ouer the one being forgetfull at his meate to reach forth his hand to the dish the other not knowing what the matter meant when the Towne of Syracuse was taken wherein he liued his house spoyled and the sword drawne ouer his head whereby he perished But they rather in truth are to be thought dead whose soules are dead for want of vnderstanding and such not to be men as want that which causeth men to be For it is not the barke that maketh the tree but the vegetable power whereby it doth grow and flourish nor the hide that maketh the brute beast but the sensible life by which it hath motion and appetite neyther is it fauour countenance or shape that sheweth a man but that reasonable soule whereby he doth discerne good and euill true and false VVherefore a young man beeing brought to Socrates to be seene Dioge Laer. he bad him speake that he might see him as if by his inward conceite and not by his outward shape hee could perceaue what he was Idem and Diogenes being asked at his returne from the games of Olimpus what assemblie was there aunswered that there was a great assembly and few men accounting the greatest number not to be the same which in outward appearance they seemed to be And Cicero interpreting that precept of Apollo Tuscula 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy selfe sayeth Non credo id praecipit vt membra nostra aut staturam figuramue noscamus neque nos corpora sumus neque ego tibi dicens hoc corpori tuo dico cum igitur nosce te dicit hoc dicit nosce animum tuum nam corpus quasi vas est aut aliquod animi receptaculum ab animo quicquid agitur id agitur a te I doo not thinke he commaundeth that to the ende we should know the stature or feature of our outward parts for bodies we are not neyther I speaking this doo speake to thy body VVhen then he sayeth know thy self he sayeth know thy minde for the body is but as a vessell or receptacle of the minde that which of thy minde is done is done of thee And he againe entering into consideration what man was in expresse words deliuered that he could not be poynted out with a finger In Som. Scipio because mens cuiusque is est quisque the minde of euery man is euery man him selfe And which chiefely is to be regarded the word of truth which cannot erre Gene. 1. hath defined him to be the very image of God him selfe who being spirituall without bodily substance and full of all wisedome and perfection cannot be sayed by the face of a foole to be resembled without extreame folly and impiety Albeit therefore that the greater part which is the grosser sort will hardly be perswaded but that a foolish man is a man yet nothing may more assuredly be resolued then that such wicked fooles as by reason be no◠led to thinke there is a God are not of the number of those which are made in the likenes of God and are to be accounted men by the iudgement of all learned men diuine and prophane But least I may seeme vntruly to affirme that which the world with common consent will gaine say calling generally all men by the name of men be they wise or foolish good or bad religious or vngodly it behooueth me to render some reason why the worser sort are so called and to shew as well what they are as what they are not albeit much harder it be to prooue that which is true then to disprooue that which is false It cannot bee denied but they haue the birth and the shape they leade the life and dye the death of men yet are they not halfe men but monsters amongst men to be reputed That they are men in name but not in truth the reason is because double is the nature of man and a perfect man is a double man in him selfe one without and another within without his body is man and within his minde so as there is both an outward and an inward man and both in one if that one haue the perfection of a man The inward man That within is that same which is sayed to be endued with reason desirous of knowledge apt to societie the image of God the best of all creatures in the world Gene. 2. That which God breathed into the face of Adam whereby he became a liuing soule Gene. 1. that where-vnto hee sayed Rule ouer the fish of the Sea and ouer the fowle of the heauen and ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth and that same whereof the Prophet of God to God him self pronounced Psal 8. saying thou hast made him litle lower then Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honor The outward man The other first was made of the dust of the ground Gene. 3. Gene. 6. of whom God sayed hee was dust and to dust should returne and after that his spirit should not alwayes striue with him because he was but flesh and that as water he falleth vpon the ground and doth not returne a Sam. 4. as grasse he withereth and fadeth as the flower of the field 1 Kings 2. VVhich accordingly was vnderstood by Dauid when his dayes drawing neere that hee should dye he sayed I goe the way of all the earth and being considered in his beginning and after his ende truly as he is by an auntient Father is sayed to be Bernard medita Semen immundum cibus vermium post hominem vermis post vermen faetor et horror Vncleane seede Mans natures by name distinguished wormes meate after a man a worme an ill sauour and a horror VVhich two natures in man as they were found to differ so were they by name distinguished euen at the first the first earthly man being of the Hebrewes called Adam as homo tanquam ex humo Ambros de Isa et anima and the other heauenly of the Chaldeans Enoch which signifieth true man or that man which hath vndertaken and hopeth to call vpon God as if he were not a man or at the least not a true man whose hope is not in God So as a godlesse foole which hath no knowledge or sence of God being that earthly man which is dust flesh and corruption beginning in vncleannes of seede and ending
miraculous sort The water that is cold and moyst and least meete of all the rest to haue the company of fire farre from that and next vnto the earth wherwith it well sorteth being cold and somwhat heauie is bestowed but so as in wonderfull wise it coÌ„passeth surmounteth and ouerfloweth the same beeing penned in with banks not made or deuised by any creature whatsoeuer Then is the ayre which is warme moyst placed betweene fire and water as betweene two aduersaries a stickler being friend to eyther side through qualities agreeable to eyther part It reacheth vp to the one and downe to the other and although it be ioyned to them both which are mighty and mercilesse yet being weake and of small force it doth both preserue it selfe in safety and hold those in continuall peace which continually are disposed to warre So are they martialled in places best agreeing to their natures that according to their most power they may execute their best seruice at the will of their Commaunder And to the end they should all agree in mixture which are diuers or contrarie of nature for that all naturall bodies haue beeing and constitution of them they are each to other so ioyned and coupled in fellowship that they are all in all and hold together a perpetuall friendship The transmutation of elements For fire extinguished passeth into ayre ayre thickned groweth into water water mudded incorporateth into earth and againe earth into water is dissolued vvater into ayre exhaled and ayre into fire extenuated whereby it commeth to passe that none is alone without the others company and all are setled in a common societie which holding they giue constitution to other things and bring no destruction to themselues For as in themselues so in other things considered they are mingled in such sort as one is Maister and the rest giue place which causeth them to rest in peace O the depth of that wisedome and riches of that power which hath placed disposed and ioyned them in so wonderfull wise and to so necessary vse Heereof it is FroÌ„ whence the varietie and diuersitie of creatures that within the bowels of the earth vaines of sundry mettalls quarries of diuers stones are found in colour and nature one differing from another that out of the earth varietie of hearbs and flowers doe spring whereof none in sent leafe and vertue doe agree that trees are vnlike in barke and in fruite that all brute beasts are knowne so vvell a sunder and that as well the fishes of the Sea as the fowles of the ayre are seene infinitely to differ For as the earth is a receptacle of all influences descending from heauen like a mother bringeth forth and feedeth those things which are begotten with in her herselfe receiuing nourishment from water breath from ayre and naturall heate from fire of which according to the seuerall quantities vvhich she receiueth she yeeldeth forth her broode more or lesse perticipating of euery of them but taking most from herselfe because in herselfe shee ouermatcheth all the rest so after the like manner all liuing things bred or fed vpoÌ„ the face of the same and within the depth of the Sea haue theyr beeing being earthly watery or ayriall according to the place of which they are temperature which they receiue and all by the inwarde power they haue to moue or to rest to increase or to decay shew forth that first power whereby strength was giuen to those elements at the first to strengthen all things which of them should consist Hoc opus immensi constructum corpore mundi Manili Astro 1. Membraquae naturae diuersa condida forma Aeris atque ignis terrae pelagique iacentis Vis animae diuina regit sacroque meatu Conspirat Deus et tacita ratione gubernat Et multain cunctas dispensat faedera partes Altera vt alterius vires faciatque feratque This worke of world so huge framed into a body And parts of nature formed formes diuers to bewray Of ayre and fire of earth and sea which low doth lie Soules power diuine doth rule and by a sacred way God doth with all conspire and gouerne secretly And so doth many leagues betweene al parties make That each each others vertue may both giue take Hee which so sayed was deceaued in that hee thought the heauen and the elementes to haue soule and life whereby they are mooued and ordered but he perceaued truly that by the secret working of God they all are gouerned and by him sondry wayes vnited to make and to suffer each others vertue and power But daylie experience may seeme to controle what hath beene sayed touching the places and the peace which the elements are sayed to hold For it is seene that water is drawn vp neere the fire which ought to remaine below the ayre and ayre passeth downe into the earth whose place is prefixed aboue the water whereby their peace is broken and they are at warre amongst them selues the ayre thundering aboue and the earth trembling below True that so it is and fit it should be so the more to shew his aucthority that doth commaund and their dutie which doo obey for thereby appeareth his power in heauen and on earth when he thundereth from heauen and shaketh the earth and that the elements are his instruments to vse at his pleasure when he maketh them to followe and to forsake their nature VVhich is done the water ascending and the ayre passing downe and after the same water falling downe when the cloud is broken and that ayre going vp when the earth is opened and both returning to their appoynted quarter and executing as before their prescribed order to the quiet preseruation of the world The care and the eye perceaue there is a God So as sounding the thunder the eare doth heare and the earth shaking the eye doth see and when both are calmed of both we are assured that one supreame there is whose onely will as dutifull seruants to their onely Soueraigne they all obay VVhereas were they of them selues and subiect to no higher power which could commaund their seruice and correct their disorder in the world nothing should be but a generall Chaos and confusion of all together They could neyther be deuided for each others safetie nor mingled but to each others hurt For would fire continue vnder heauen and aboue ayre without consuming the one or wasting the other The nature of it being continually to befed or immediatly to be extinguished or should not the earth by the ayre be rent a sunder or by the water be ouerwhelmed the ayre pearcing into euery corner and not iâ—â—luring to be smothered and the water ouerflowing whatsoeuer it lyeth ouer No more possible were it they should be mingled and not destroyed following their nature which beeing contrary would neuer suffer them to agree So should they haue no beeing nor cause any other thing to be VVherefore the heauen and the