of aire as winds 3. Watery which retain the nature of the water as snow and rain 4. Earthly which being begot of earthly vapours are also digged out of the Earth as metals stones The efficient cause is God according to that of the Psalmist haile snow ice winde and storm do his will The remote matter of the Meteors are Elements the next matter are exhalations which are two-fold fumus vapor smoak is of a middle nature between earth and fire vapour between water and aire If it come from the earth or some sandy place it is fumus a fume or kinde of smoak if it come from the water or some watery place it is a vapour Vapours or exhalations are fumes raised from the water and earth by the heavenly bodies into one of the three Regions of the aire whence divers impressions are formed according to the quality and quantity of the exhalations Thunder is a sound heard out of a thick or close compacted Cloud which sound is procured by reason of hot and dry exhalations shut within the cloud which seeking to get out with great violence rend the cloud from whence proceeds the tumbling noise which we call Thunder The earth sends out partly by its own innate heat and partly by the external heat and attraction of the Sun certain hot and dry steams which the Philosopher cals exhalations and these going up in some abundance are at last enclosed within some thick cloud consisting of cold and moist vapours which finding themselves straightned do with violence seek a vent and break through the sides or low part of the cloud There is first a great conflict and combate there of the contrary qualities a great rumbling and tumbling and striving of the exhalations within the cloud until it break forth into a loud and fearful crack Then the exhalation by its heat incensed in the strife proves all on a slame as it comes in the aire and that is Lightning Lastly the exhalation falling down upon the earth is so violent that sometimes it breaks trees sometimes it singeth and burneth what it meets with it kils mâ—n and living creatures and in the most abundance of it there is a Thunder-bolt begotten through exceeding great heat hardning the earthly parts of it God hath power over the Thunder He commands it rules it orders it for time place manner of working and all circumstances the Thunder in Egypt at the delivering of the Law proves this Therefore in the Scripture it is called the voyce of God and the fearfulnesse and terriblenesse thereof is made an argument of the exceeding greatnesse of God that can at his pleasure destroy his enemies even by the chiding of his voyce in Egypt he smote them with haile lightning thunder and with stormy tempest At the delivering of the Law mighty thunder-claps made way to the Lords appearance and were his harbingers to tell of his coming and prepare the hearts of the people with exceeding great awfulnesse and obedience to receive directions from him The Lord puts down Iob 40. 9. with this question Canst thou thunder with a voyce like God speak terribly and with as big and loud a voice as thou canst and if thy voice be answerable to loud thunder either in terriblenesse or loudnesse then will I confesse my self to be thy equal and Elihu reasoned for God by consideration of this great work David Psal. 29. sheweth the greatnesse of God in the greatnesse of this mighty sound But it pleaseth God to effect this work not immediately but mediately using natural and ordinary causes according to his own good will and pleasure for the effecting thereof There do arise from the ends of the earth as the Scripture speaks that is from all quarters of this inferiour part of the world consisting of earth and water certain steams or fumes partly drawn up thence by the heat and influence of the Sun and other Planets or Constellations partly breathed out of the earth by the natural heat thereof Whereof some are hot and moist being us it were of a middle nature betwixt water and aire some hot and dry being of a middle nature betwixt fire and aire as some Philosophers think of which two as of the matter are brought forth these strange things which we see in the aire and among the rest Thunder Though thunder be first in nature being by the violent eruption it makes out of the cloud the cause of fulgurations yet we see first the lightning before we hear the Thunder because of the swiftnesse of the fire above the aire and because the eye is quicker in perceiving its object then the ear This is done for the benefit of the world that by shaking of the aire it might be purged and made fit for the use of man and beast being cleansed from those ill and pestilent vapours which otherwise would make it too thick grosse and unwholsome for our bodies for this is one special end of winds thunders and the like vehement works that are in the aire besides the particular work for which God assigneth them and therefore with thunder likely is joyned much rain because the cloud is dissolved at the same time and sometimes violent winds and tempests because the exhalation inflamed snatcheth with it self such windy fumes as it meets withal in the aire and so by violent stirring the aire purgeth it and openeth the parts of the earth by shaking and moving it 1. We must turn all this to a spiritual use viz. to instruct us in the fear of him that is Lord of Hoasts who shews his greatnesse in these mighty deeds of his hand to which purpose alwaies the Scripture speaks of it exhorting the mighty to give unto the Lord glory and strength in regard of this 2. We must observe God so in this and all his great works as to cause our minds to increase in the knowledge of his excellency and our hearts in the love and fear of him All his works are therefore exhorted to praise him because we by all should learn his praise and greatnesse How able is God to destroy sinners how quickly and in a moment can he bring them to ruine let him but speak to the thunder haile tempest and they will beat down and consume his adversaries before his face O then tremble before him 3. We must learn to put our confidence in God and boldly to promise our selves deliverance when he promiseth it God is wonderful in making and ruling the clouds This is a work which God doth often alledge in Scripture to prove his greatnesse Iob 37. 26. He binds the waters in a garment Prov. 30. 4. that is makes the Clouds How as it were by an even poysing of one part with the other God makes these Clouds to hover a great while over the earth before they be dissolved is a thing worthy admiration and greatly surpasseth our knowledge Iob 38. 34. Psal. 14. 78. and Prov. 8. 28. Psalm 104. 3. The
temper of Spring and Autumn Job 37. 1. to 6. Plutarch in the life of Flaminius reporteth that there was such a noise made by the Grecians after their liberty was restored that the birds of the aiâ—e that flew over them were seen to fall down by reason that the aire divided by their â—â—y was made so thin that there was no strength in it to bear them up therefore the thunder must needs rarifie and make thin the aire If it be a great cloud it is called nubes if but a little one it is called nubecula ab obnubendo operiendo coelum The clouds are called the bottles of heaven Iob 38. 37. The windows and flood-gates of heaven Gen. 7. 11. Mal. 3. 10. the fountains of the deep Prov. 8. 28. and the watery roof of Gods chambers Psal. 104. 3. The pavilion chariot and treasure of the Lord Psal. 18. 11. 2 Sam. 32. 12. swadling bands for the Sea Iob 38. 9. The cloud is a thick moist vapour drawn up from the earth by the heat of the Sun to the middle region of the aire and by the coldnesse there further thickened so that it hangeth until either the weight or some rosolution cause it to fall down Mr. Perkins on Jude 12. Consectaries Job 37. 11. to 〈…〉 17. Job 36. 32. Psal. 91. 1. Psal. 104. 3. a Great rain is called Nimbus small rain imber Amos 4. 8. b Though all men should unite all their wits purses and hands together to make or to hinder one showr of rain they are unable Rich men great wise men have not these waters at command The lesse a creature can do to effect it the more doth the greatnesse of God shine forth in it In Aegypt there is seldom rain it is made fruitfull by the inundation of Nilvs In Iudaea rain is not so frequent as with us Ierome saith He never saw rain there in the Moneths of Iune and Iuly hence rain in Harvest was there unusual Prov. 26. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 16. * As they do in the Indies Verbum Dei comparatur pluviae Deut. 32. 2. Ideoque Hebraei uno verbo Jorah doctrinam pluviam efferunt Mollerus Thaumantis filiam dixere Iridem â—oetae Colores ejus tam exacti ut vix artificis possit exprimere manus Confectaries from the Rain and Rain-bow Job 5. 8 9 10. Jam. 5. 17 18. See Gen. 9. 13. Hos. 14. 5. Valesius de sacra Philosophia The Art of Glasle-making is very highly valued in Veâ—â—ce for whosoever comes to be a master of that profession is reputed a Gentleman ipsa arte for the Art sake and it is not without reason it being a rare kinde of knowledge and Chymistry to transmute the dull bodies of dust and sand for they are the only main ingredients to such a diaphanous pellucid dainty body as we see crystal-glasse is which hath this property above gold and silver to endure no poison Howel of Venice p. 38 39. a Lib. 37. ch 2. * Lib. 2. c. 1. b Psal. 104. 24. 135. 7. It is a dry and hot fume ascending upward and beaten back again by the coldness of the middle region and some comes downward again sideling with more or lesse violence as the fume is larger or subtiller and the cold more or lesse Ventus à violentia vehementia nomen habet quòd veniat abundè magna vi irruat in uaum aliquem locum Mag. Ph. Some think the Angels cause the winds to blow Rev 7. 1. but that is but a conceit Prov. 30 4. Amos 4. 13. ' The profit of the winde Dr Fulk of Meteors It made Adam tremble when God came in the winde 1 Cor. 12. 11. Matth. 8. 26. Jer 18. 17. * Metalla i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which is ingendered or bred about or with some other thing as gold about silver and silver about brasse Pliny lib. 33. chap. 6. Metals naturally grow as some observe in Lands most barren Nature recompensing the want of other things with these hidden treasures Purchas his Pilgrimage l. 8. c. 1. Sect. 3. See more there Of Metals gold is esteemed most precious as most enduring both age and fire and least subject to rust Latini uniones vocant non quia nun quam duo simul reperiantur ut Solino proditum Isidoro verùm quia ut melius ait Plinius Nulli duo reperiantur indiscreti Voss. de orig progress Idol lib. 4. cap. 47. Third dayes work Psal. 104. 8 9. * It is called Mare either from the Latine Amarum or the Chaldee Marath fignifying also bitter because the Sea-water is bitter and salt For the use of man and all other living creatures God made a separation of the earth and water causing the water to sink down into huge hollow chanels prepared to receive it that so the dry Land might appear above it We must consider the earth and waters 1. Absolutely as they are Elements and solid bodies so the water hath the higher place being â—â—â—nâ—er 2. In respect of the superficies of either so the superficies of the earth is higher Carpenters Geography If we campate the Coasts and the nearest Sea then the Land is higher then the Sea But if we compare the Land and the main Sea then the Sea is higher then the Land and therefore the Sea is called Altum where ships flie faster to the shore then from it Nos vivimus in ipso mari sicut aquae diluvii quiâ—decim cubitis superiores fuerunt altissimis montibus Ita etiam num Oceanus superat terram trium ulnarum altitudine Sed quare non obruit nos Quia Deus posuit terminum mari Idem videre est in omnibus furoribus mundi tumultuantis adversus Ecclesiam Lutherus in Genes 35. * Carpenter in his second book of Geography cap. 10. saith the perpendicular height of the highest mountains seldome exceeds ten furlongs See Sir Walter Rawleighs History of the World l. 1. c. 7. Sect. 11. and Purchas his Pilgrimage lib. 5. cap. 13. Sect. 1. Nothing is to be seen but snow at the top of the Alpes which hath lain there beyond the memory of man and as some say ever since the Floud Raymunds Mercurio Italico p. 252. * Insâ—â—lae portiones terr sunt Oâ—â—ano â—â—nâ—lae ortus varia haâ—ent principia Emersere quaedam ex mari ac continenti avâ—lsae quaedam aggesta nonnullis ortum dedit materia Johnston Thaumatographia naturalis Duo maxima quae Mari tribuuntur mira saâ—â—câ—o reciprocatio Johnstoni Thaumatographia naturalis Aâ—â—â—â—alsedine quidem salum vocatur Poetis ob amarâ—rem autem dictum est mare Naâ— mare amarus veniunt ab Hebraeo â—â—â— quod notat amarum esse Vossius de origine progress Idol lib. 2. cap. 68. * It is called Reciprocatio aestus maris because it is caused by a hot exhalation boyling in the Sea or because the Sea suffers as if it boiled again with heat Brierwood de
and praise him Gods great works call for great praise Commend him with our tongues and speak good of his Name Psal. 19. 2. The Heavens declare the glory of God i. e. give occasion to man of declaring it 5. This is a comfort to those who acknowledge God to be such a one as he is Is not he rich enough to maintain them Wise enough to direct them Strong enough to protect them If thou want goodness he can create in thee a new heart it may comfort the godly in regard of the Resurrection God can raise them up at the last day 6. It is a great terror to the wicked which do not fear but despise him God will hate despise and destroy them God can do it he made Heaven and Earth and he will do it because he is true he hath threatned it Oh the misery of that man which hath him for his enemy 7. We may learn from all the creatures in general 1. To bewail our Rebellion against God which all of them reprove for they all stand in their kinde and station in which God set them at first The Sunne rejoyceth to runne his course the Sea keepeth her bounds the Earth stands upon her foundation the Heavens keep their motion and declare Gods glory the very Windes and Seas obey him 2. All of them teach the invisible things of God Rom. 1. 20. as was before-shewed 8. We should make a right use of the creatures use them 1. Devoutly 1 Tim. 4. 5. in Faith Rom. 14. 14. ult with Prayer and Thanksgiving Mat. 15. 36. Act. 27 35. 2. Soberly 1 Cor. 10. 31. 3. Thankfully 1 Tim. 4. 4. Having handled the works of Creation in general I now proceed according to Moses his Method to a more particular enarration of each dayes work The whole first Chapter of Genesis may be thus divided 1. The Author of the worlds Creation God 2. The Work 3. The Approbation of it Verse 1. In the beginning of time or being therefore the World was not eternal Iohn begins so and took it hence But beginning there may mean from Eternity or as here Christ did not begin then but was then Prov. 8. 22. Bara Elohim Gods Created That difference between the Noun Plural and Verb Singular saith Rivet signifieth not the mystery of the Trinity but is an Idiotism of the Hebrew Tongue in which such Enallages are frequent as Numb 32. 25. Most of our men take the joyning of a Singular Verb with the Plural Elohim for a mystical expressing the holy Trinity But the Jewish Grammarians make it an Enallage of number chiefly to expresse excellency in the Persons to whom it is refer'd Mr Seldens Titles of Honour part 1. chap. 6. However there is no difference in the thing it self for the Name of Gods being taken here essentially not personally is common to the three Persons Gods created is as much as the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost created for elsewhere it is manifest from Scripture that not only the Father but the Sonne and holy Ghost also created the world Created signifieth an act of infinite power and is not communicable to any creature i. Ex nihilo fecit quidem potentissimè ac magnificentissimè Junius Heaven and Earth In the first day were created Heaven and Earth as it were the foundation and roof of the building Psal. 104. 5. Isa. 40. 21 22. The work of the first day was 1. Heaven under which name are comprehended partly the Empyraean first and immovable Heaven which is called in Scripture the third Heaven and Heaven of Heavens Ephes. 4. 10. 2 Chron. 6. 18. Acts 1. 11. and partly the celestial Spheres which it is probable were made the first day but without those lights of the Stars with which at length in the fourth day they were adorned the Hebrew word for Heaven being of the Dual number may imply both The heavenly Intelligences or Angels the Inhabitants of the invisible Heaven were then made as is probable saith Chemnitius Coelum id est extimum illum hujus universitatis ambitum cum super coelestibus incolis illius spiritualibus formis atque intelligentiis Gen. 2. 1. Job 38. 7. Iunius in loc 2. The four first simple things or elements as some think Earth Water Air Fire and the fitting of them for use by making day and night Though others hold that the Air and Fire are comprehended under Firmament the work of the second day For the Earth there is He emphatical this Earth which we dwell in though then unpolished The Earth is described in the second verse It was without form and void Informity and Vacuity in the original without inhabitants and without ornament the Earth and Waters were joyned together among themselves the waters at first did encompasse and cover the Earth round about as it were a cloathing and garment Psal. 104. 6. Darknesse was on the face of the deep that is the waters which inclosed the earth in themselves Vers. 3. There is an extraordinary Light mentioned the ordinary fountain of light is the Sunne which in what subject it did inhere is not certain Some say water in the thinner parts of the Superficies some the heavenly Spheres others say the Element of fire for that say they is either included under light or we know not whether to referre it and God created not accidents without subjects The works of the second day were twofold First That most vast firmament viz. that space between the Earth and Skie The Hebrew word signifieth the extending of any thing or the thing it self Secondly The division of the waters above from the Waters below that is of the clouds which are in the middle Region of the Air from the Fountains Rivers and Sea which remain under the lowest Region But by the name of Clouds and Waters above the Firmament we may understand all the Meteors both watery and fiery which were created then in their causes Ier. 10. 13. The approbation given of other dayes is here omitted in the Hebrew not because Hell was created on this day as the Hebrews say but because this work of distinguishing the waters was yet imperfect and finished on the third day The work of the third day was threefold First The conflux or gathering of the waters below into one place in regard of the greater part of them called Sea that so they might not overflow the Earth and by this command of Gods they still continue so Luther said well that all a mans life upon the Earth is as great a miracle as the Israelites passing thorow the red Sea Secondly The drying of the earth to make it habitable and fit for nourishing plants and living creatures Thirdly The producing of Herbs and Trees of all kindes The works of the fourth day were the Lights both greater as Sun and Moon and lesser as the other Stars placed in the Heavens as certain receptacles or vessels wherein the
rains nor merchandize doth need Nilus doth all her wealth and plenty breed The Romans accounted it their Granary Lastly The greatnesse of the works which must meet together for making and distributing of ram doth magnifie the work The Sunne by his heat draws up moist steams and breath from the earth and water these ascending to the middle region of the Air which is some what colder then the lower are again thickned and turn into water and so drop down by their own heavinesse by drops not all together as it were by cowls full partly from the height of place from which they fall which causeth the water to disperse it self into drops and partly because it is by little and little not all at once thickned and turned into water and so descends by little portions as it is thickned So the Sun and other Stars the earth the water windes and all the frame of Nature are put to great toil and pains as it were to make ready these Clouds for from the ends of the earth are the waters drawn which make our showrs God is the first efficient cause of rain Gen. 2. 5. It is said there God had not caused it to rain Iob 5. 10. Ier. 14. 22. Zech. 10. 1. 2 The material cause of it is a vapour ascending out of the earth 3. The formal by the force of the cold the vapours are condenâ—ed into clouds in the middle region of the Air. 4. The end of rain to water the earth Gen. 2. 6. which generation and use of rain David hath elegantly explained Psal. 147 8. The cause of the Rain bow is the light or beams of the Sun in a hollow and dewy cloud of a different proportion right opposite to the Sun-beams by the reflection of which beams and the divers mixture of the light and the shade there is expressed as it were in a glasse the admirable Rain-bow We should be humbled for our unthankfulnesse and want of making due use of this mercy the want of it would make us mutter yet we praise not God nor serve him the better when we have it Ier. 14. 22. intimating without Gods omnipotency working in and by them they cannot do it If God actuate not the course of Nature nothing is done by it let us have therefore our hearts and eyes fixed on him when we behold rain sometime it mizleth gently descending sometimes fals with greater drops sometime with violence this ariseth from the greater or lesse quantity of the vapour and more or lesse heat or cold of the Air that thickneth or melteth or from the greater or smaller distance of the cloud from the earth or from the greater purity or grosnesse of the Air by reason of other concurring accidents either we feel the benefit or the want of rain likely once every moneth Let not a thing so admirable passe by us without heeding to be made better by it Want of moisture from above must produce praying confessing turning 1 King 8. 35 36. The colours that appear in the Rain-bow are principally three 1. The Cerulean or watery colour which notes they say the destroying of the world by water 2. The grassie or green colour which shews that God doth preserve the world for the present 3. The yellow or fiery colour shewing the world shall be destroyed with fire Dew consists of a cold moist vapour which the Sunne draweth into the Air from whence when it is somewhat thickned through cold of â—he night and also of the place whether the Sunne exhaled it it falleth down in very small and indiscernable drops to the great refreshment of the Earth It falleth only morning and evening Hath the rain a Father or who hath begotten the drops of Dew Out of whose womb came the rain and the hoary frost of Heaven who hath genared it saith God to Iob Chap. 38. 28 29. A frost is dew congealed by overmuch cold It differs from the dew because the frost is made in a cold time and place the dew in a temperate time both of them are made when the weather is calm and not windy and generated in the lowest region of the Air. Hail and ice is the same thing viz. water bound with cold they differ only in figure viz. that the hail-stones are orbicular begotten of the little drops of rain falling but â—ce is made of water continued whether it be congealed in rivers or sea or fountains or pools or any vessels whatsoever and retains the figure of the water congealed Though Ice be not Crystal yet some say Crystal is from Ice when Ice is hardned into the nature of a stone it becomes Crystal more degrees of coldnesse hardness and clearness give Ice the denomination of Crystal and the name Crystal imports so much that is water by cold contracted into Ice Plinie in his natural History saith The birth of it is from Ice vehemently frozen But Dr Brown in his Enquiries into Vulgar Errors doubts of it The windes are also a great work of God he made and he ruleth the windes They come not by chance but by a particular power of God causing them to be and to be thus he brings them out of his treasures he caused the windes to serve him in Egypt to bring Frogs and after Locusts and then to remove the Locusts again He caused the winds to divide the red Sea that Israel might passe He made the winds to bring quails and the winds are said to have wings for their swiftness the nature of them is very abstruse The efficient causes of them are the Sun and Stars by their heat drawing up the thinnest and driest fumes or exhalations which by the cold of the middle region being beaten back again do slide obliquely with great violence through the air this way or that way The effects of it are wonderful they sometimes carry rain hither and thither they make frost and they thaw they are sometimes exceeding violent and a man that sees their working can hardly satisfie himself in that which Philosophers speak about their causes The winde bloweth where it listeth we hear its sound but know not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth It is a thing which far surpasseth our understanding to conceive fully the causes of it They blow most ordinarily at the Spring and fall for there is not so much winde in Winter because the earth is bound with cold and so the vapour the matter of the winde cannot ascend nor in Summer because vapours are then raised up by the Sun and it consumes them with his great heat These windes alter the weather some of them bringing rain some drinesse some frost and snow which are all necessary there is also an universal commodity which riseth by the only moving of the air which air if not continually stirred would soon putrifie and infect all that breath upon the earth It serves to condemn our own blindnesse that cannot see God
earth is 4. Whether Islands came since the floud See Dr Browns Vulgar Errors refuted by Mr Rosse c. 13. 5. What is the cause of the saltness of the Sea The water of the Sea is salt not by nature but by accident Aristotle refers the saltish quality of the Sea-water to the Sun as the chief cause for it draws up the thinner and fresher parts of the water leaving the thicker and lower water to suffet adustion of the Sun-beams and so consequently to become salt two things chiefly concurre to the generation of saltishnesse drowth and adustion Therefore in Summer and under the torrid Zone the Sea is salter Our Urine and Excrements for the same reason are also salt the purest part of our nourishment being imployed in and upon the body Lydiat attributes it to under-earth or rather under-sea fires of a bituminous nature causing both the motion and saltnesse of the Sea Vide Voss. de orig progress Idol l. 2. c. 68. The Sea is salt 1. To keep it from putrifaction which is not necessary in the flouds because of their swift motion 2. For the breeding and nourishing of great fishes being both hotter and thicker 6. What is the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea There have been many opinions of the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea De quo plura pro ingeniis differentium quam pro veritatis fide expressa Some say it is the breathing or blowing of the world as Strabo Albertus Magnus One said it was because the waters getting into certain holes of the earth were forced out again by Spirits remaining within the earth Macrobius said it was by meeting the East and West Ocean Cicero seems to ascribe it only to the power of God others for the most part ascribe it to the various light or influences of the Moon which rules over all moist bodies Some attribute it to certain subterranean or under-sea fires The final cause of the Seas motion is the preserving and purging of the waters as the Air is purged by windes Isaiah alludes to the ebbing and flowing of the Sea chap. 57. 2. Coelius Rhodiginus Antiq. Lect. lib. 29. cap. 8. writeth of Aristotle that when he had studied long about it at the last being weary he died through tediousness of such an intricate doubt Some say he drowned himself in Euripus because he could finde no reason why it had so various a fluxion and refluxion seven times a day at least adding before that his precipitation Quoniam Aristoteles non coepit Euripum Euripus capiat Aristotelem Since Aristotle could not comprehend Euripus it should comprehend him But Dr Brown in his Enquiries seems to doubt of the truth of this story And Vossius lib. 2. de orig progress Idol cap. 69. denies that Decumani fluctus are greater then the other nine for he saith that he and his friends often observed it at the Sea that they were no greater then the others Other Questions there are concerning Rivers What is the original of Springs and Rivers What manner of motion the running of the Rivers is whether straight or circular As one part of the waters and the far greater part is gathered into one place and much of it hidden in the bowels of the earth and there as it were imprisoned or treasured up by making the Sea and dry Land so another part of them was appointed to run up and down within the earth and upon it in Springs and Rivers which Rivers are nothing but assembling of the waters into divers great chanels from the fountains and springs which the Psalmist describeth by its matter and use or effect Psal. 104. 10. He sendeth the springs into the valleys which run along the hils that is He made the Springs and Fountains to conveigh waters from place to place the use of this is to give drink unto the beasts even unto the wilde Asses who quench their thirst there vers 11. There be many other uses of Springs and Rivers but this is noted as the most manifest and evident Another use is for the Fowls which have their habitation in the Trees which grow near and by means of these Springs and there they sit and sing vers 12. These Springs bring up so much moisture to the upper parts of the earth as causeth Trees to grow also for Fowls to build and sing in * Some of the waters were drawn up into the middle region of the world and changed into Clouds that so they may be dissolved and poured down again from thence upon the hils also and other places which cannot be watered by the Springs that so the whole earth may be satisfied with the fruit of Gods works Iohn Baptista Scortia a Jesuite hath published two Books of the River Nilus Wendeline hath written a Book which he calleth Admiranda Nili It seemeth not without cause that the name Paper is derived from Papyrus growing in Nilus so much Paper hath been written thereof Purchas his Pilgrimage lib. 6. cap. 1. The soyl of Aegypt is sandy and unprofitable the River both moistning and manuring it Yea if there die in Cairo five thousand of the plague the day before yet on the first of the Rivers increase the plague not only decreaseth but meerly ceaseth not one dying the day after Id. ibid. The name Nachal a Torrent is given to this River in the Bible Numb 3. 5. Iosh. 15. 47. Isa. 27. 12. 2 Chron. 7. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the name Nilus is derived from it The Poets feigned that Iupiter Neptune and Pluto divided the Universe and that Neptune had the Sea for his part which is called Neptunus either à nando from Navigation or a à nubendo from Covering because the Sea covers the earth and Pontus the Nations about Pontus thought no Sea in the world like unto their own and doubted whether there were any other Sea but that whence Pontus was used for the Sea in general The Sea is a wide and spacious place Psal. 104. 25. The great deep the womb of moisture the well of fountains the great pond of the world The reason of the greatnesse and widenesse of it is the multitude of waters which were made by God at the first which because they did cover the earth and inclose it round it must needs be farre greater then the earth and therefore when God saw fit to distinguish the dry land from the earth must needs have very great ditches cut for it in the earth and caverns made to hold it and therefore the earth in the Scripture is said to be spread out upon the Sea because a great part of it is so in respect of the waters that are under it Again The principal use of the Sea and waters thereof was that it might supply vapours for making of the Clouds by the attraction of the Sun and native heat of the Sea in respect of some fire which God
the Sun runs through them God doth this great work it is thought to be caused by the turning round of the highest Sphere or the Firmament which pulling along with it self the inferiour Orbes makes them to move according to its course but who can give a reason why that Sphere it self should go so swiftly even much more swiftly then the Sun because it is far higher then the Sun as much as that is higher then the earth but the immediate power of God who doth move all in moving this one But that God should make the Sunne fulfil such a daily race to make day and night it highly commends the work Again the usefulnesse of it is great for if it should be in any place alwaies night what could they do how should they live How would any thing grow seeing the nights are cold light and heat being companions and cold and darknesse companions If no light had been in the world the world would not have been a place fit for living things But if one half onely of the world should have had light with it alwaies it would have caused excessive heat and so would have burnt up and consumed all things and been no lesse harmful then the defect of heat but now the succession of one of these to the other viz. light and heat to darknesse and cold doth so temper them by a kinde of mixture that it is in such proportion in every place as is necessary to bring forth all sorts of living things especially the fruits of the earth So God hath assigned such a way and race to the Sun which by his presence makes day and by his absence night as was fit and onely fit for the quickning enlivening and comfort of every kinde of living creature so that upon this course the wel-being yea the very being almost of all things doth depend We should lament and bewaile our exceeding great blindnesse that live day after day and night after night and yet busie not our selves about this work nor seâ— God in it though it be so constant as it was never stopped but twice sâ—nce the beginning of the Creation viz. in Hezekiah's time by going back of the Sun and in Ioshuah's time by stopping of the Sun for a certain time by the immediate power of God We have the profit of the day and of the night but neither in one nor other do we mark the wisdome goodnesse and power of God In the night men rest and refresh their bodier with sleep wilde beasts then wake and hunt for their prey In the day men and tame creatures make and dispatch their businesse and eat and drink and wilde beasts then rest in their dens God is still working for us our thoughts are still idle towards him thir is a proof of our Atheisme and estrangement from him this is the blindnesse of our minds a not being able to discern of things by discourse of reason and the power of understanding for the conceiving of which just and plain reasons are offered unto us There is a natural blindnesse of the eye when it is unable to discern things by the light of the Sun this is felt and complained of but spiritual blindnesse of minde is when it is unable to discern supernatural truths which concern the soul and another and better life by the use of reason and help of those principles which are as light unto it this is not felt nor lamented but it is therefore not felt because it is so natural to us and because we brought it into the world The beginning of the cure of spirituall blindnesse is to see it let us see it therefore and be troubled at it why do not I see Gods great work in making night and day to succeed each other Let us look up to God in this work and meditate on it at fit times in the morning so soon as we are awake and begin to see the darknesse vanquished and the light conquering and that the Sun is raised above our Horizon and is come to visit our parts again it were a fruitful thing to think thus How great a journey hath the Sun gone in this little time wherein I have been asleep and could observe nothing and now returned again as it were to call me up say Lord thou hast made night I have the benefit of it and now light visits me O that I could honour thee and magnifie thy power and the greatnesse of thy hand and use the light of the day to do the services that are required at my hand in my place Again in the evening a little before we sleep we should think of the great work of making day for these many hours the Sun hath been within our sight and shewed its beams and light unto us and hath run a long race for our good bringing with it lightsome cheerfulnesse the companion of the day Now it is gone to the other part of the world to visit them that God might shew his goodnesse to one place as well as to another Where a multitude of things concur to one effect with which none of them in particular is acquainted there we cannot but know that one common wisdome ruleth them all and so it is in the working of the Sun Moon and Stars to make the Seasons of the day and night and of Summer and Winter therefore some common wisdome must over-rule all of them There is a spiritual light in our Horizon whereas Judaisme and Turâ—isme is darknesse and Popery a glimmering light We should pray to God to give us spiritual light and be thankful for it He makes day and night also in respect of prosperity and adversity weeping may continue for a night this vicissitude keeps the soul in growth in good temper as the other is profitable for the body pray to God to send Christ to them which sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and vouchsafe to make it day with them as well as with us He hath said in his word that he will discover the glory of his Son and all the earth shall see it together CHAP. IV. Of some of the Meteors but especially of the Clouds the Rain and the Sea the Rivers Grasse Herbs and Trees BY the name of Clouds and Waters above the Firmament Gen. 1. We may understand all Meteors both watery and fiery which were then created in their causes and so by clouds and winds Psal. 104. 3. must be understood all the Meteors the great works of God by which he sheweth himself and worketh in this lower Heaven They are called Meteors because they are most of them generated aloft in the aire Zanchius saith there are foure sorts of Meteors others make but three sorts 1. Fiery which in the Supreme Region of the aire are so enflamed by the fire that they are of a fiery nature as Comets Thunder 2. Airy which being begotten of dry vapours of the earth come near the nature