sith it is so much hidden from man Now in that the celestiall bodies and the elements and all creatures haue their proper motion wherein they continue according to the first ordinance established in nature by the soueraigne creator thereof we are much to admire both the cause and effects of such a constancie I intend heere to speake of a neere cause which is a secret amitie ingraffed into euery creature toward his owne nature For there is a loue Euery creature foloweth his owne nature an appetite or vniuersall inclination in all creatures which vrgeth and inciteth them to desire and search that which agreeth with their nature so that there is none so insensible which hath not in it selfe this amitie innate which euer pusheth it to follow the nature thereof and for this cause may we say that all motions proceed from loue And passing further we may contemplate the loue of God as the eternall source of amitie and inclination of all nature and as the first cause of causes and we shall say that in the same loue God louing himselfe proceeded to his worke which hitherto we haue celebrated and do now meane to prosecute For sith that God is the soueraigne good that all goodnes is by nature louing it cannot be but he must likewise loue himselfe exceedingly and consequently loue all that which he iudgeth to be good insomuch as it proceedeth from him who is the supreme good and the limit of all goodnes This loue then not being able to be idle The loue of God is the first of all motions nor yet the good which it loued would manifest both the one and the other first in the creation of the world namely in that of man and then againe in the restauration and reparation of his fall So we learne that the first motion whereupon all the rest depend is the loue of God which proceedeth from his bountie which he would not keepe shut vp nor inclosed in himselfe but would manifest and communicate it with his creatures whom he hath created to the end that he might be glorified in them and by them And as he loueth them for his owne loues sake and for that they were his worke so hath he set in them the seeds of loue both towards him and towardes themselues according to the diuers nature which he hath conferred vpon them It is then this naturall loue which constraineth them by a secret feeling of nature imprinted euen in those essences which haue neither reason nor vnderstanding to take delight in that which is agreeable to their creator and to follow his ordinance tending all to him and to that which he loueth bicause it is good and therefore good being done according to his will and bicause it pleaseth him to iudge it and approoue it for such Whereupon we may conclude that loue and amitie is the good by which all creatures haue an accord and agreement first with God their creator and then one with another and that vpon the same cause their conseruation and perfection doth depend Of the vnion and accord betweene all creatures Wherefore loue must be the bond and vnion of all the world which is an vniuersall peace and concorde betweene God and all his creatures For the diuine prouidence hath so disposed all the order of them that they be all conioined one with another by such loue and amitie that euen they which seeme to be cleane contrarie are allied reconciled and vnited togither by those which haue more correspondencie betweene them In such sort that we may therein behold a very pleasant and perfect harmonie like as in musicke wherein although it seemeth that the notes tunes and sounds be different one to another yet notwithstanding there is such a moderation in them that they yeeld togither a goodly concord and sweete melodie keeping their proportions times and measures As then by such peace and concord the celestiall spheres follow the generall and common course of the first highest and greatest of all within which they are contained and inclosed performing likewise each of them his particular course without endommaging themselues as we haue heretofore made mention so doe all the elements follow the heauen and obserue their order after it euery one in their degree from the highest to the lowest hauing their motions agreeable to their nature And euen as liuing creatures haue their agreements and coniunctions one with another euery one in his degree according to the couenant and participation of nature which they haue togither and as they are either neere to or farre off one from another euen so is it in the agreement and consent of nature which is betweene the celestiall bodies and the elements and all creatures composed of them For this cause as the angels retaine the first degree among liuing creatures and then man the second next them by reason that in his nature he neerest agreeth with the angels and doth neerest approch them so doth the heauen and celestiall fires retaine the first degree among creatures which are without soule and without life in their proper and conuenient motions according as we haue already declared And as man doth in some sort hold the middle place betweene the angels and the most perfect beasts so doth fire betwixt the heauen and the aire and as the aire doth keepe the middle place betwixt the fire and water so the water is a meane betwixt the aire and the earth But these things will claime a fitter place when we come to intreate of the elementarie world Wherefore we will returne to that which onely concerneth the heauenly bodies which forsomuch as we haue saide to be of the number of those creatures which are without life being contrarie to the opinion of the most famous philosophers my minde is that we should consider neerer of this matter bicause that by the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them it seemeth that they are not altogither depriued of life reason and vnderstanding as ARAM we may learne of you Of the life reason and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies and of the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them Chap. 27. ARAM. THis being true that all creatures haue a certaine motion agreeable to their nature and a naturall loue which euer vrgeth them to seeke and pursue that which is most naturall for them as hath been already related in our antecedent speech it seemeth that this can hardly come to passe but that there must be in them some kinde of soule and life yea euen in those creatures that are most insensible And more I will say that it is not onely to be presumed that they haue some kinde of life but also a naturall vnderstanding which we may properly name inclination sith there is no essence but can follow his proper course and order in his owne nature and peculiar motions For the stones themselues and mettals by a kinde of soule and vegetatiue life doe
growe and increase in the earth wherefore it seemeth that they are nourished in the earth like to plants Yet we must note that to speake properly there is neither soule nor life attributed vnto them Foure kinds of soule and life For according to the common rule of the learned there are but fower kindes of soules of life except by abuse of the language this name life be taken generally for the estate of all creatures But when it is taken in his proper signification the soule and life is onely attributed to fower kindes of creatures A kinde of creature of a middle nature betweene plants and beasts that is to herbes trees and plants a nourishing or vegetatiue soule and life to * sensitiue plants as sea-sponges oisters cockles c. a sensitiue to perfect beasts a soule and life cogitatiue or knowing and to men an intellectuall or reasonable soule and life Though therefore that stones and mettals doe increase and grow in the earth yet this is done by addition of matter which is conuerted into their nature rather then by any nouriture which they draw from the earth as plants doe And therefore when we speake properly of life we must vnderstand something more then that which we simply call being And yet one may sometimes signifie the estate or being of any thing by the name of life taking the word generally and not in his most proper signification for the being of euery creature is like the life thereof insomuch as thereby it is conserued in his proper estate Iohn 1. And so it may seeme that Saint Iohn meaneth saying That all things were made by the eternall word of God and that without it nothing was made that was made and that in it was life for here the word Life might be taken for the being of all creatures In this respect it may be permitted vs to say that all creatures haue life but not like any of those which are properly called liuing creatures and each one according to the distinctions by vs before alledged Vnderstanding proper to men and angels onely Now let vs speake of the naturall vnderstanding which seemeth to be in all creatures I know that to speake properly vnderstanding and reason cannot bee attributed but onely to angels and men For though all creatures obserue their order and course in their naturall motions yet doe wee not conclude that they do this by vnderstanding and reason whereof they shoulde participate with men but rather by a naturall inclination which God hath bestowed vpon them to guide and direct them so Yet it seemeth that there is great difference betweene the celestiall bodies concerning which we now discourse and the other creatures which are without life and vnderstanding considering their well ordred motions and incorruptible nature as we haue heeretofore shewed For this is the cause why many Philosophers haue taught Opinions of diuers touching the life and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies that the heauens retained some kinde of life and vnderstanding briefly that the world was an animall or liuing creature for the reasons heeretofore alleaged And therefore some haue supposed that the celestiall and luminary bodies did nourish and preserue themselues by the moistnes and vapors which they attracted and drew vp by their heate out of the water and other elements And for faculties of sense and reason they also considered the same to be in them because that they haue their course and motions so well ordred and comprehended one by another that therein can be found no fault disorder or confusion Which so excellent order could not bee kept nor maintained it seemed amongst them without great reason vnderstanding and wisedome yea more great then is seene in all the men of the world togither For although they were created partakers of these graces and gifts yet so farre are they from maintaining such an order amongst them as do the celestiall bodies that contrariwise there is nothing but disorder and confusion in them and in all their actions For these reasons therefore sundry Philosophers haue concluded that as there are animals or liuing creatures in the earth in the waters and in the aire so likewise are there in heauen and that the sunne and moone the other planets and stars are celestiall animals not onely liuing but also participating of reason and vnderstanding Of the excellent politicall and military order in the heauens yea some haue named them celestiall intelligences And in truth they which haue good skill in Astronomie do consider how the Sunne the goodliest and most excellent of the lights of heauen possesseth the middle place among the seuen planets like the king and prince of them and which hath about him the lords of his court For on one side is Mars the warrior which hath charge of armies and on the other side Mercurie his Orator and ambassador Then is there betwixt him and Mercurie the planet Venus which is the day starre messenger of the morning which alwaies attendeth on the sunne at his rising and setting for she riseth euery day before him and setteth euery day after him and vnder those is the Moone These two planets seeme to be allowed him like mistresses of his house and huswiues of the most moist natures Then aboue Mars is the milde and benigne planet Iupiter to the end to moderate the vehemencie and furie of him And higher yet is Saturne who is cold slowe and sadde wherefore he may the better temperate the heate of Mars and serue the sunne like a sound and well staied counsellor neere about his prince Then may be seene the high heauen commonly called the firmament which containeth all the rest of the stars vnder which the sunne marcheth in his royall magnificence accompanied like a king with his court and armie all in gallant order Is not this then a goodly policie like a royall court a celestiall common wealth and a braue armie wherein euery star and planet keepeth his ranke and order And not onely for these considerations but euen by testimonies of Scripture there are some will vndertake to prooue that the celestiall bodies haue reason and vnderstanding Deut. 32. Isay 1. For the prophets namely Moses and Isay sometimes addressing their speech to the heauens call them for auditors as when they say Oh heauens heauens heare that which I shall speake and giue eare to my words So that they woonder why these holy men should call to the heauens if they had neither soule nor life Psal 148. nor reason nor vnderstanding And the Psalmist in his canticles doth exhort the heauenly bodies to praise God no lesse then the angels themselues But now let vs tell them that if by these authorities we must conclude that the spheres haue in them a soule life sense and reason we might say the like of the aire of the clouds waters fire haile snowe vapors windes yea and of all earthly creatures to the very plants For the
which is of a very strange forme There are found of them in the coast of India so great Of Tortoises that one shell onely is sufficient to couer a good pretie shed And in the countrie of the Chelonophagi there are some isles where they ordinarily vse tortoise shels in stead of boates For we must note that there be three sorts of Tortoises the terrestriall which breedeth in forrests marish ones which breed in fens and watry ones which breed in the sea Those then of this last sort haue insteed of feete so many broad gristles they haue no teeth but the nibbe of their beake is passing sharpe and their vnderchappe doth close as iustly within their vpper chap as a boxe doth with the lidde of it Being in the sea they liue vpon shell fishes for their mouth is so strong and hard that they crush them yea euen stones in peeces yet when they come on land they neuer liue but vpon herbes They lay egges like birds so that sometimes one may finde an hundred togither And they neuer hatch them in the water but putting them into an hole which they make in the ground and couering them well they smooth with their shels vnderneath the place wherein they are and hatch in the night time for a whole yeere long Also amongst the fishes which are famous for their strange operatiue power is the Torpedo or crampfish Of the cramp-fish which is a kind of hedgehogge hath many bristles the touch of whom be nummeth the fishers hands by some naturall and secret vertue And there be many kindes of these fishes who haue all of them their shell couered with bristles very thicke which bristles they vse in stead of feete to staie themselues vpon when they mooue and stirre from one place to another Their head and mouth is the lowest part of them and towards the ground And amongst the rest there is one not of the kinde of this bristled crampfish but a shell fish which the Latins call Remora because it hath such power that if it take hold of the bottome of ships it staieth them Yet we cannot read that any such thing hath beene seene since the time of Caius Caligula the emperor whom Historiographers report to haue beene one time staied in his ship by this fish to his great endommagement Of the Triton But the most woonderfull of all fishes is the Triton otherwise called the sea Bugge for hee hath haire vpon his head the nose of a man a broad mouth and the teeth of a wilde beast His hands fingers and nailes are somewhat like those of a man And the rest of his bodie is couered with a thinne shell with a taile vnder his belly in stead of feete like a dolphin Hist nat lib. 9. Pliny reporteth that in the time of the emperor Tyberius the people of Lisbone sent embassadors onely to aduertise him that in the coast of their sea there was a Triton discouered blowing of an horne in a caue Of the Nereides The Nereides also otherwise called Sirens or Mermaides do very neere approch to humane forme sauing that they bee rough and ful of shels in euery part of their body There are some also who testifie that they haue seene a sea-man hauing the entire forme of a man Finally it is a thing that seemeth altogither incredible that the diuersitie of fishes or rather sea-monsters should be such as they affirme who haue written thereof But we may well beleeue that the facilitie of generation and of life in the waters Of the cause of innumerable formes of fishes is cause of so many strange shapes For heate and moisture consist togither in generation and nourishment maintaineth life and in the sea heate and fatte moisture and nutriment do abound It is also to be noted that by reason of motion the pestilence neuer commeth into the water as into the aire for the sea is euer mooued and the aire is often still For which cause all kindes of creatures may easily be preserued in the sea but not so in the aire Againe fishes mooue themselues in the sea easily and without labour which the beasts of the earth do not who therefore are constrained to be hungrie or necessarily to be consumed by too much labour and trauaile Moreouer the sea freezeth not neither yet is too hot like the earth and like other waters except it be and that very seldome in the superficies thereof which is touched by the aire Therefore through so manie commodities and by the mixture of creatures of diuers kindes many monsters are engendred in the sea so that sometimes when it ariseth by meanes of the flowing thereof one may finde vpon the shore of the westerne Ocean to the number of three hundred kindes of monstrous fishes But although it seemeth that nature would expresse in fishes the formes of all terrestriall creatures put in them some resemblance of shape yet in the hinder part all fishes are except some fewe sea-monsters of a peculiar forme agreeable to their nature and do onely resemble other creatures in the forepart For as the rudder directeth and gouerneth a ship in the sterne so the taile of a fish doth guide it in swimming And for this cause the tailes of all fishes almost are forked But this is most certaine that their sorts and kinds surmount the kindes of other creatures in multitude in greatnes in force and in varietie of shapes But our intent is not heere to number them as we haue said for so we should finde matter enough to make a great volume as others haue done Wherefore to finish this argument and this daies speech see ACHITOB if by our discourses of the sea of the waters and of the liuing creatures which are engendred do liue in them you can deliuer any instruction which may be answerable to that end for which we especially continue our treatise concerning this great vniuers Of the image that we haue of the state of this world and of men in the sea and in the fishes thereof Chap. 64. ACHITOB LEt vs not doubt companions but that we haue a goodly image in this daies discourse of the state of this world and of all mans life For first That the world is like a sea what is this world but a sea wherein we nauigate and are in continuall danger Nay is the sea it selfe so variable so inconstant and so outragious For if we haue neuer so little respite peace and rest like as when the sea is calme and quiet presently there arise such violent whirlewindes stormes and furious tempests as it seemeth oftentimes that heauen earth and all the elements conspire and runne togither to worke nor ruine Yea when this wicked world sheweth vs fairest countenance becommeth most calme and gentle and that it feedeth vs with the fattest morsels then is it most false vnto vs and then are we in greatest danger For when we thinke our selues most sure therein then are
of Autumne Of Grapes so also are they the most nourishing of all the fruits of summer which are not to bee kept and they engender the best nourishment especially when they bee perfect ripe But all Raisins do not nourish after one manner for sweete ones haue a more hot substance and therefore they cause thirst do swell the stomacke and loosen the belly Contrariwise tart ones doe binde doe nourish little and are of hard digestion Greene and sowre ones are naught for the stomacke And the bigger grapes are the better they are especially if they be gathered verie ripe They which are kept hanged vp are best for nourishmēt because their great moisture is dried The fresh verie ripe grape is good for burnings if the wine thereof be prest out betwixt ones hands vpon the hurt places The mother of the wine or grapes being kept and mixed with salt is profitable against inflammations of the dugs hardnes of them through too much abundance of milke The decoction thereof clisterized serueth greatly for dysenterias or fluxes The stones or seeds haue a restringent vertue and are profitable for the stomacke Being parched and beaten into powder it is good to eate with meate against the fluxe and weaknes of stomacke Drie grapes or raisins haue yet greater vertues and properties in the vse of Phisicke and especially they which are sweetest and of most substance as they of Damascus of Cypres and of Candia The meate of them being eaten is good for the cough for the throat the reines and the bladder being eaten with their stones they serue against dysenterias Being boyled in a platter with sugar and flower of millet of barley and an egge they purge the braine being reduced into a plaister with flower of beanes and cumin Propertie of dry Raisins they appease inflammations Besides the nourishment of raisins is so distributed through the bodie according as their nature is sweete to the sweete sowre to the sowre meane to them that participate with both qualities and the sweete full and fat raisins doe nourish more then the sharpe and leane They which are without stones either by nature or art if they be sweet they are so depriued of all astriction so that they be maruellous lenitiue And therefore are they most fit for paines of the breast for the cough for sore throats for maladies in the reines and bladder and are good also for the liuer But we may not here forget to make mention of the fruit of the wilde Vine commonly called in French Lambrusque because of the admirable properties thereof The grapes of it are gathered and put to drie in the shade they are of a restringent vertue good for the stomacke and prouoke vrine they binde the belly and stay spitting of blood Now must wee speake of Wine which is made of the Raisin Of Wine and the properties thereof and grape produced by the vine Concerning it many affirme that it is the most sweete licour of all others the principall aide and chiefe prop of humaine life the chiefe restorer of the vitall spirits the most excellent strengthener of all the faculties and actions of the body reioicing comforting the hart very much and for these causes they say that the Auncients haue called that plant which beareth the fruit out of which wee receiue this wine Vitis quasi Vita life But yet wee must not deceiue our selues by so many praises attributed to wine considering that the vse thereof by the least excesse that may bee doth bring so many euils vpon man that they cannot bee numbred nor sufficientlie bewailed But beeing vsed temperately wee must confesse that it is a thing of greatest efficacie in the world to nourish and strengthen the bodie For it engendreth very pure bloud it is very quickly conuerted into nourishment it helpeth to make digestion in all parts of the bodie it giueth courage purgeth the braine refresheth the vnderstanding reioiceth the hart quickneth the spirits prouoketh vrine driueth out ventosities augmenteth naturall heat fatneth them who are in good health exciteth the appetite purifieth troubled bloud openeth stoppings conuaieth the nouriture throughout the whole body maketh good colour and purgeth out of the bodie all that which is therein superfluous But if wine bee taken without great mediocritie and temperance it doth by accident refrigerate the whole bodie For the naturall heat thereof by too much drinke remaineth choaked euen as a little fire is quenched by a great heap of wood cast thereupon Besides wine is hurtfull for the braine for the marrow of the back bone and the sinewes that grow out of it Whereby it falleth out that this principall part beeing hurt there succeede in time great and dangerous maladies thereupon to wit the apoplexie the falling euill the palsie shakings numbnes of members conuulsions giddines of the head shrinking of ioints the incubus the catalepsia lethargie frensie rheumes deafenes blindenes and shrinking of mouth and lips Moreouer wine immoderately drunke corrupteth all good manners and discipline of life For this is it that makes men quarrellers wranglers rash incensed furious dice-plaiers adulterers homicides in a word addicted to all vice and dissolution Besides it is to be noted that wine is fitter for old people then for them of other ages for it moderateth and mantaineth the cold temperature of ancient folkes which hath come vpon them for many yeeres Of the vse of Wine But it should not be sufferable if we will follow the counsell of the elders for children and yoong folkes to drinke thereof till they attaine to the age of twentie yeeres For otherwise it is as much as to put fire to fire And yet if we would follow the counsell of the Sages it should not be drunke at all except in certaine indispositions which might happen to the bodie according as the vse was in times past in Greece namely at Athens where wine was onely sold in Apothecaries shops as Aqua-vitae now is But aboue all heed must be taken that in the great heat of the yeere wine bee not drunke that is cooled by snow yee or verie cold water as we see by great curiositie done among vs. For it greatly hurteth the braine the sinewes the breast the lungs the stomacke the bowels the spleene liuer reines bladder and teeth And therefore it is no maruell if they which ordinarily vse it are in time tormented with the colicke and paine of the stomacke also with conuulsions palsies apoplexies difficultie in breathing restrainment of vrine stoppings of the inward members the dropsie and many other great and dangerous diseases Of Aquauitae and the manner how to distill it It resteth for conclusion of this discourse that wee say somewhat concerning wine distilled through a limbecke in a bathe of water which the Sages haue called for the admirable vertues thereof Water of Life For to make which Take of the best wine a certaine quantitie according to the vessel wherein you will distill it
chap. 15 Page 74 Of diuels and euill spirits chap. 16 The third daies worke Page 80 OF the celestiall or sphericall world chap. 17 Page 86 Of the forme and figure of heauen and of the motion thereof as well generall as particular chap. 18 Page 91 Of the circles ingenerall and particularly of the Equinoctiall and Zodiake and of their signes chap. 19 Page 95 Of the two great circles named Colures and of the fower lesse circles and parallels and of the fiue Zones of the world and immooueable circles chap. 20 Page 101 Of the hower-circles and what is done by them in sunne-dials and of the circles which diuide the 12. houses of heauen chap. 21 Page 106 Of the ascensions and descensions of the stars and of the signes and other arkes of the Zodiake and of the orientall and occidentall latitude of the sun or degrees of the zodiacke chap. 22 Page 109 Of the naturall and artificiall daies and of the nights of their diuersitie and cause chap. 23 Page 112 Of equall and vnequall temporall and artificiall howers of the heights of the sunne aboue the Horizon and of his right and reuerse shadowes chap. 24 The fourth daies worke Page 117 OF the substance and nature of heauen and of the celestiall bodies of their continuance change cha 25 Page 121 Of motions ingenerall of their first cause and of their vnion in all nature chap. 26 Page 125 Of the life reason and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies and of the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them chap. 27 Page 130 Of the influence and effects of the planets and starres in things here below either to good or euill chap. 28 Page 135 Of the truth which is found in prognostications of Astrologers and how the starres are appointed by God for signes and that from their influences no euill proceedeth chap. 29 Page 140 Of the planet Saturne and how it is not euill nor anie other starre chap. 30 Page 144 Of the planets ingenerall and how they worke in man not in constraining but disposing chap. 31 Page 148 Of the true Astronomie which the heauens doe teach vs and especially the sunne in his admirable effects chap. 32 The fift daies worke Page 152 OF the rising and setting of the sunne and of the prouidence of God which shineth in the commodities of daie and night chap. 33 Page 157 Of the second course and motion of the sunne and moone for the distinction of yeeres moneths and seasons and of the prouidence of God in these things chap. 34 Page 161 Of the image of God and of his light which is proposed vnto vs in the sunne with the felicitie of mans life in changing of light and darkenes chap. 35 Page 166 Of the eclipses of the sunne and moone and of the image which we haue therein of the constancie which is in God and of the inconstancie of men and of humane things chap. 36 Page 171 Of the beginning of naturall and corruptible things chap. 37 Page 176 Of the elements and of things to be considered in them in that they are distinguished by the number of fower chap. 38 Page 180 Of the opinion of those who admit but three elements not acknowledging the elementarie fire chap. 39 Page 185 Of the perfect compositions which are in the nature of all things by which the fower elements may be considered chap 40 The sixt daies worke Page 189 OF the agreement betwixt the elements and planets chapter 41 Page 195 Of the fire and of the aire and of the things engendred in them and of their motions and of the windes cha 42 Page 199 Of thunder and lightning chap. 43 Page 203 Of the true Meteors of Christians and of the supernaturall causes of thunder and lightning chap. 44 Page 208 Of snowes mists frosts frosts yce and haile chap. 45 Page 212 Of comets chap. 46 Page 216 Of cloudes and vapours chap. 47 Page 221 Of the waters sustayned and hanged in the aire and of the rainebow chap. 48 The seuenth daies worke Page 226 OF dewes and raine chap. 49 Page 230 Of the fertilitie caused by dewes and raine and of the prouidence of God therein chap. 50 Page 234 Of the windes and of their kindes and names and of the testimonies which we haue in them of the power and maiestie of God chapter 51 Page 239 Of the fowles of the aire and namely of the Manucodiata of the Eagle of the Phenix and of other wilde fowle chap. 52 Page 243 Of singing birdes and chiefly of the Nightingale and of sundrie others and of their wit and industrie chap. 53 Page 247 Of the Estridge of the Peacocke of the Cocke and of other fowles chap. 54 Page 251 Of the earth and of the situation immobilitie figure and qualitie thereof chap. 55 Page 255 Of earth-quakes chap. 56 The eight daies worke Page 261 OF the sea and of the waters and of the diuision and distribution of them throughout the earth chap. 57 Page 265 Of the flowing and ebbing of the sea and of the power that the moone hath ouer it and ouer all other inferior bodies chap. 58 Page 269 Of salt fresh and warme waters and of other diuersities in them chapter 59 Page 274 Of the commodities which men reape of the waters by Nauigation and of the directions which sea-men doe receiue from heauen and from the starres vpon the sea chap. 60 Page 278 Of the diuision of lands and countries amongst men by the waters and of the limits which are appointed them for the bounds of their habitation chap. 61 Page 283 Of the commodities which are incident to men and to all creatures by the course of the waters thorough the earth chap. 62 Page 287 Of diuers kindes of fishes namely of the whale of the dolphin of the sea-calfe and others chap. 63 Page 291 Of the image that we haue of the state of this world and of men in the sea and in the fishes thereof chap. 64 The ninth daies worke Page 295 OF fruits and of the fertilitie of the earth and the causes thereof and of herbes trees and plants chap. 65 Page 299 Of the vertue that herbes and other fruits of the earth haue in phisick and in food and of the true vse of them chap. 66 Page 304 Of the diuersitie of plants and of their difference and naturall growth and of their parts of the most excellent amongst them chapter 67 Page 308 Of trees and especiallie of the pine the fir-tree the cypress tree and the cedar chap. 68 Page 313 Of trees bearing cinnamom cassia franckincense mirrh and cloues chap. 69 Page 318 Of trees and plants that beare nutmegs ginger and pepper chapter 70 Page 321 Of the date-tree of the Baratha or tree of India of the Gehuph and of brasill chap. 71 Page 326 Of the citron-tree limon-tree orange-tree oliue-tree and pomegranate-tree chap. 72 The tenth daies worke Page 331 OF mallowes wilde-mallowes purple-violets betonie ceterach and Saint Iohns-wort
of it It is true that Auerrois doth interpret this text of Aristotle concerning heauen But how should the heauen be this Eternall whom all things should enforce themselues to follow considering that it of it selfe is eternall in fauour of whom the elements heauen it selfe and euerie creature doth worke Doth not the doctrine of Aristotle resound in each point that God is the end of all things in desire of whom they are mooued as to the thing loued and desired But leauing this Arabian Auerrois who studieth in all his works to deface marre many other sentences of his master that he may defend that which he imagineth let vs conclude that according as the Philosophers confesse the elements in their being the plants in their life and fruitfulnes the liuing creatures in a better life and in their condition such as it is imitate in emulation the diuine power and perfection and that man endued with the singular gift of libertie and free will doth in the same imitate God and beareth in a better estate and condition then any other thing his image and semblance By such considerations say I is also prooued the freedome and libertie of God alwaies tending to good according to his good pleasure because he contayneth within himselfe that which hee conferreth vpon others And briefly to answere all their reasons heretofore alleaged let vs hold that that Soueraigne perfection which is in God wanteth not in the lowest degree nor for the cause thereof nor yet that his simple vnitie is distributed into a multitude because that in it selfe by infinite power it contayneth all things Neither doth the intellectuall soule degenerate although as they teach it exerciseth the power to feele Proper faculties to be considered in God to strengthen to cause encreasing and to mooue according to his estate For that we may mount to higher considerations God perceiueth with such his senses as the holy Scriptures attribute vnto him He mooueth all other things himselfe remaining stable he giueth them strength and feedeth them with the foode of his wisedome But hee performeth all these things by a meanes by a perfection power which is vnknowne to humane spirits except they be illustrated with his light And there is in him a fertilitie without trauel which is the fountaine of all other things through which he produceth alwaies within himselfe but outwardly he doth it at the pleasure of his will Which because it is the rule of contingence it is not possible nor fit for vs to search out the cause of the first beginning For when we are thereto arriued Aristotle himselfe doth charge to stay for God hath no need of any precedent disposition nor of helpe neither did feare resistance nor was hindered by space he who in commaunding created all things But the causes of things here below the instruments and subiect framed by his word require a precedent disposition haue need of an application attaine succession of time and seeke such helpes as are requisite for such a one as negotiateth by power limited And therefore as we haue alreadie said when they deduce their reasons from these conditionall and naturall workers to him which is free and deliuered from all these things they fall into diuers errors But if by the workes which they contemplate in this Vniuers they do enforce themselues to attaine to the knowledge of the Soueraigne Architect then let them attribute vnto him all these things after a conuenient perfect manner separating from him all that denoteth feeblenes and impotencie in the worker And then they shall see that the supreme things of the Architype accord by a sweete and melodious consonancie to those which are more base and meane all which are comprised in the creator as in a modell and patterne and contemplated by vs here below as in a shadow or trace But this shadow and much more the trace doth want much of him whom they represent And yet by them as by a token or priuie note we attaine to some obscure knowledge of the creator although his workes doe agree with him neither in different proportion or signification nor yet in al and through all in the same reason but onely by a certaine resemblance they represent vnto vs the perfect fashion of supernall things by their most grosse and base nature euerie one in their degree But this is sufficient concerning this subiect now speake we of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation of the world vndoubtable which we refer to you ARAM to declare vnto vs. Of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation and newnes of the world vndoubted Chapter 7. ARAN AS we haue seene how weake and feeble the arguments of Philosophers against the creation and newnesse of the world are so is it expedient also that being readie for the combat we march in battell against them armed with true and strong reasons and vnder the authoritie of very good and approoued witnesses to the end to make vndoubted to all Manie witnesses of the worlds creation that which wee haue already declared concerning the creation of the Vniuers And first we will recite those who being woorthie of credite haue taught it vs. We haue alreadie seene how that the opinion of Plato concerning this generation of the world accordeth with the doctrine of Moses Mercurius Trismegistus in his Pimandre deliuereth in few words the same sacred mysteries rendring the composition of this Vniuers and of the gouernors thereof and of all things created to be vndoubtable And by the baser elements he aduertiseth vs of the pure workemanship of nature vnited neuerthelesse with the thought of the Creator Which elements he affirmeth to be for this purpose established by the will of God onely and yet in farre woorse condition then before they were in the worker Empedocles of Agrigentum and Heraclitus of Ephesus affirme not once but oftentimes the world to be engendred and corruptible Democritus teacheth that it hath had beginning that it one day must perish and neuer againe be renued Hesiod and Orpheus the Poets sing that it hath beene created Thales one of the seuen Sages affirmeth Hieraclus that this round frame is the worke of God Pythagoras Hieraclus his expounder confesse God creator father of all things To which accord Auicen Arabian Algazel Sarrasin Philo no lesse excellent in doctrine then in Greeke eloquence and Alcinois the Platonist who saith It is necessarie for the vniuersall world to be the perfectly-beautious worke of God And many such other authors the most cōmended for learning whom it would be too lōg tedious to rehearse affirme the same But leauing the testimonies of strangers let vs come to such as haue receiued frō diuine oracles A certaine approbation of the doctrine of Moses by supernatural illumination that which they haue taught vnto vs. We haue heard that which Moses teacheth vs concerning the generation of the world now let vs consider how his
for riches to the ende that pouertie might not induce them to corruption as Androtion in the second and Philocorus in the third booke of the Athenian affaires do write This man then writing to Polycarpus reprehendeth Apollophanes the Sophister in these very words because he would not admit of the eclipse of the sun which came to passe at the death of the Messias I know not with what spirit thou wert led to diuine Of the eclipse of the sunne at the death of Iesus Christ O Apollophanes when with me conteÌ„plating the eclipse which was against the order of nature at the time that Christ suffered turning thy selfe towardes me thou saidst noble Denis these are the changes which come to passe somtime in diuine things If thou caÌ„st conuince this of vntruth For I was preseÌ„t with thee in coÌ„sideration of so great a prodigy with thee I beheld it iudged of it thought it worthie of perpetual admiration But if any will not yet beleeue this most entire philosopher let him harken to that which the astronomers say Esculus very skilfull and learned in this science taught by astronomicall numbers that the sunne went vnder * The â—amme Aries and the moone vnder * The balance Libra when the sunne failed at ful moone and at that time the Iewes according to their custome celebrated the feast of passeouer Moreouer Phlegron one most excelleÌ„t in reckoning the Olympiads in his thirteenth booke testifieth that in the fourth yeere of the two hundred and second Olympiad there was an eclipse of the Sunne much greater then all those that had euer before hapned at which time was the passion of Iesus Christ Recalling of the sunne in Ezechias daies And for the going backe of the sunne in Ezechias reigne as also that which we reade of the deluge of waters with many other miracles contained in holy writ the auncient memorials of the Persians and Chaldeans do make notable mention thereof And thence coÌ„meth it that the Persian priestes do celebrate the memorie of the triple Mithras that is of the sunne as Denis and Strabo witnes which at the foresaid time appeared to performe a triple course or to stay three times from his accustomed progresse into the west retyring againe into the east by a new kinde of returne for ten howers and then returning againe into the west I leaue for this point the other witnesses Philosophers Gentiles Chaldees Egyptians Phenicians Greekes the Sibilles and many Historians brought for proofe of the supernaturall effectes of omnipotent God by Iosephus Aristobulus Tertullian and Eusebius whereof each by their writings may sufficiently instruct And if authoritie doe ought auaile in disputation let then the deposition of so many Sages preuaile in this point in a matter that Aristotle his fautors denie in words onely Most prudently certaine doth Auicen thinke that motion is neither necessarie nor violent but in a meane betwixt both in such sort that it euer resteth at the pleasure of the Prince And therefore it must be graunted that the second causes are so alligated to the first cause that they doe nothing but as the other commaunds them And yet it so gouerneth those things which it hath created and ordayned that it permitteth them to performe their ordinarie proper motions Now because that it seldome hapneth to the contrary and that the order of their first institution perseuereth in many things and that most commonly therefore did Aristotle iudge that it was naturall and necessarie For as he saith in his treatise of naturall hearing That is naturall which commeth to manie and oftentimes And so could he make no farther search by sensible things But the operations of God By the necessitie of effects one must not conclude the necessitie of the cause and the alliance of things here below with the first cause may not be searched out by discourse of reasons but must rather as we haue declared be learnt of oracles Thus is conuinced of nullitie the progresse which is deduced from necessitie appearing in the effects to the necessitie of the cause because that necessitie of the effects dependeth vpon the order established by the first cause And the effects also are not needefull because they are all particular for the worke of nature is not bounded by the vniuersall All but by each particular which the Peripateticks themselues do rather nominate contingence then necessarie But because the most subtile Philosophers do yet debate that they be eternall and that most needefull is the coherence of the subiect with the worker in which the proper essentiall or the quidditie as they terme it is named of the subiect we may reÌ„der them an other reason for this pretended necessity to wit the correspondence of things with the exemplaries or eternall Ideas celebrated by Plato and defended by many sage and great personages God hath produced all things by himselfe as hath alreadie beene showen For this cannot consist considering that the vniuersall is a simple essence which produceth nothing by the second causes nor by the spirits nor by nature but only by himselfe and also the first cause of all things created before euer any soule or any heauen or any other particular thing whatsoeuer was produced To returne therefore from whence we strayed the effect ensueth the ordinance immutable order of the supreme cause if by the same it be not otherwise instituted And whereas the Philosophers adde farther that the will of God hath equall perfection with the thought which operateth of necessitie we confesse that it taketh place but it is in regard of the worke within himselfe wherby he engeÌ„dreth eternally the perfect image of himselfe his word the absolute Idea and true patterne of all things But we say that he displayeth according to his good pleasure the outward effects that from euerlasting the diuine thought hath described in the word Surely I woonder at the Sages of the world who acknowledge that God is most simple and of himselfe most perfect all other strange thing set apart and yet presently as if they had forgot their doctrine thinke that God hath a needfull bond with things heere below as if he could not subsist without them nor yet be blessed And how is he most simple if he hath a necessary bond with other things How is he prince of all things if he be obliged to the seruice of the most basest What dignitie or what condition hath he of a soueraigne gouernour Briefly to conclude this matter let vs take away all necessitie from the Lord in regard of this round frame and let vs not doubt that the order of this Vniuers shall decay or be destroyed if it be so that the creator doth dispose and varie it at his good pleasure for he doth know how euer to direct in order that which he hath once made and ordayned For none neede to feare the spoile of the worke when the work-master sets hand thereto by whose handling it is rather
vs wee will willingly assigne to them according to our fantasie such vertue that if the world were depriued of them we might hope of nothing but darkenes Wherefore the Lord in this order of the creation causeth vs to see the contrarie and how it is in him and by him that the light subsisteth Now of you ASER we may heare of some excellent mysteries concealed vnder the number of the daies of this mundaine fabrication Of the mysteries hidden vnder the number of sixe in the creation of the vniuers and of the seuenth day of rest Chapter 13. ASER. THat all things consisted in numbers and that there was need of the knowledge of them to conceiue the sacred mysteries of God and nature Pythagoras Plato and all other Academicks haue laboriously taught But they haue spoken so superstitiously and so obscurely concerning the mysteries in these numbers that it seemed they woulde euen coÌ„ceale them from those who were deuoted to the study of their doctrine Plato speaketh thus in his Epinomide If we take away number from the nature of men wee leaue them no whit prudent nor capable of science Of the profit and vse of numbers for the minde can comprehend nothing without reason and none can render a reason for anie thing that is ignorant of number The artes likewise this set apart would altogither perish He assureth vs also that number to wit the vnitie which is God is cause of all good but of none ill And he calleth mans soule a number and reasonable measure by which we measure all things which may be vnderstood and put in practise by vs to the end that in our workes we may eschue all error folly and deformitie Now not onely the Philosophers but also many great personages Christians both Greekes and Latins doe testifie vnto vs by their writings that there be many mysteries in numbers Amongst whom Saint Augustine speaketh thus Lib. 11. de ciuâ—â— Dei cha 30. The reason of numbers is not to be despised of vs which how much it is to be esteemed in many texts of Scripture is apparant to those which marke it diligently And it hath not beene spoken in vaine to the praise of God Thou hast ordred al things in number Wisedome 11. waight and measure Now hereupon we must note that the number waight measure wherby all things haue beene numbred poised and measured subsist not properly in the things created no more then the measure by which the cloth is parted into elles or the weights wherewith euerie thing is weighed or the number by which all things are counted doe consist within the things measured poised or numbred but are doubtles without them So then we contemplate the number waight and measure by which God hath disposed all things In God is the member waight and measure out of the creatures And forasmuch as there is nothing besides all things produced but God it is necessary that in him should consist their number waight and measure In him then is the waight without waight for by it the great worker is not poised but remaineth stable giuing all things the power to be mooued and at last to repose themselues And in truth this frame of the whole world duely proportioned and balanced by waight could not sustaine it selfe if it were not poised by the creator and gouernour thereof who likewise hath the measure by which he moderateth and disposeth all that is contayned therein in well ordered iustice according to the state and proper end of euerie of his workes And in him also are the numbers without number because that all things which are in him are the same onely God And as he is the true vnitie he contayneth in himselfe all number giuing all things the power to be numbred For all multitude ariseth from one and nothing can be one making with any others a multitude if by the participation of the highest one it doth not obtaine the state of vnitie And to it also all things created imitating the course of numbers as the true patterne doth the originall and the end of Gods works endeuoure to returne in such sort as they first proceeded We neede not doubt then but that the consideration of numbers doth therewith import much doctrine Wherefore particularly respecting the distinction of the workes of the Vniuers in sixe daies which is the subiect of our discourse wee will note how many haue acknowledged the number of sixe to be full of deepe mysteries The number of sixe full of deepe mysteries First therfore MathematiciaÌ„s teach that six is the first perfect nuÌ„ber because it is coÌ„pounded of certaine parts perfectly added togither as of one two and three for which cause it is called of the PythagoriaÌ„s Gamon or the Marrying number because all the parts thereof set aside doe make it vp Moreouer some parts of it multiplied together to produce it as sixe times one three times two two times three In this consisteth the perfection of the number which is accomplished by all his parts and but few such haue beene found out by Arithmeticians For within the number of an hundred they haue obserued but that of twentie eight to which they haue attributed such proprietie because it consisteth of fourteene seuen fower two and one as within the number of tenne there is but that of sixe which is accomplished by all his parts Saint Hierom entreating of this number where he writeth vpon Ezechiel saith that it contayneth the sacrament of creatures And in truth there could not be inuented any number more proper for the making of the world then this of sixe which consisteth of a double proportion that it doth next containe in it selfe to wit of fower with two which numbers added togither make sixe which can hardly be found in other numbers but such as are of the nature of sixe as the double triple quadruple or square thereof and such like So then sixe resulteth of that double proportion which makes the diapason in Musicke which is the perfectest and most entire harmonie of all the concords For which it seemeth that Pythagoras would applie it to Natiuities and to Mariages and then it doth consequently verie properly fitte the Creation of the world wherein were celebrated the true nuptials and coniunctions of all things Likewise sixe the first perfect number cannot but aptly agree to God the soueraigne and most perfect creator or to his worke wherein there is no defect Genes 2. And therefore when he had finished and accomplished his workes in sixe daies Moses saith Thus the heauens and the earth were finished and all the host of them But if we will farther proceed in the consideration of this number of sixe we shall see how by the triangled or three-square figure thereof it doth properly accord with the creation of the world For the base or foundation is the number of three the point a vnitie and the number of two is the meane betweene both as appeereth in
first thought whereof it produced the second intelligence and knowing it selfe it ingendred the soule or moouer of the first sphere and this moouer knowing also his worke it proceeded to produce another so successiuely the cause being varied in substance and operation diuers effects were produced Which obscure opinioÌ„ might haue some colour if the first and almightie creator were restrained to produce but one effect onely too absurd a thing to be imagined in the father and author of the vniuers seeing that not a particular but an vniuersall effect is answerable vnto him to wit the world onely and the entire estate of all things as wee haue heeretofore sufficiently declared And so it followeth that this vniuers like a body entire in it selfe and diuers in the members thereof was engendred by one onely father and creator and liues by one onely vniuersall life But we will combate against these Philosophers with more strong weapons maintaining against them according to the truth How God came to his worke that the soueraigne maker came to his worke without being tied by any naturall law but free and franke in euery worke as he pleaseth being abundantly full of all vertue and of all manner of bountie and essentiall good will proceeded to his outward worke as these things haue beene declared vnto vs in our precedent discourse But this by the way albeit the maxime of the Peripateticks be though false that the first cause worketh of necessitie and that it is alwaies of one sort which is most true yet doth it not therefore follow that it should produce but one effect seeing that of the sunne which is euer the same and of the earth which being stable changeth not are produced diuers effects without any varietie comming to their nature yea and without any tilling of the ground For herbes flowers and rootes of diuers kindes do grow therein and many other essences are therein produced by power of the sunne But if these Philosophers tell me that diuers effects appeere in these things because that other particular causes doe worke therein togither they haue left the proofe of this point to their children to wit whether this varietie proceedeth from diuers causes or else from the same sunne fruitfull and full of vertue to engender diuers things Then with how much greater reason may the first true and eternall sonne do it being abundantly full of all fruitfulnes light and life How all things are in God For all things were and are in him not as if they were seated in any locall place but are lodged in his thought from whence producing them he is called their father and creator He onely free from the lawes of nature without any matter presupposed produceth all things yea and the matter it selfe altogither full of fertilitie But the second or naturall cause as Philosophers speake requireth the subiect and matter created by God wherewith it worketh And here doth that take place which the Prince of Peripatetickes saith That in common acceptation of the soule it is conuenient that it be made of nothing and therefore also our Diuines affirme that the angels can create no nature at all and that they are creators of things no more then Gardiners of fruits And therefore all those who haue receiued the light of the truth confesse God alone to be father and author of all things contayned in heauen and in earth whether spirituall or corporall visible or inuisible natures And let vs neuer thinke that in so great consonancie of the Vniuers there are many creators nor that there is any more then one onely king and prince nor many things that consist of themselues For so should there be confusion and discordancie in this great world and so consequently easie dissolution Thus much haue we thought conuenient to be knowne concerning the Intellectuall world wherein hauing spoken of the blessed estate of those angels which are not fallen from God my minde is that we say somewhat concerning those who are fallen from their first estate which we call commonly Diuels or euill spirits We will heare you then ACHITOB discourse of them Of diuels and euill spirits Chap. 16. ACHITOB IF we here discourse somewhat by numbers we shall make more easie way to that which we would vnderstand concerning the diuels yea concerning euery creature I say then euery number after the vnitie attaineth to be a perfect and accomplished number within it selfe Now the vnitie alone totally simple doth not passe from it selfe but therein remaineth in indiuisible and solitarie simplicitie bicause it is most fully content with it selfe not hauing neede of any thing being full of his owne riches But euery number being by nature a multitude doth by the benefit of the vnitie become simple bicause it is capable of simplicitie And although euery number the more it departeth from the vnitie the more it falleth into a great multitude hauing in it selfe more disagreeablenesse more parts and composition yet is there no number how neere soeuer to the vnitie being a multitude and made of vnities that is one by nature An excellent theologicall consideration by numbers but by composition Now if we referre this to diuine matters after the manner of Pythagoras and Plato we shall say thus God alone who proceedeth not from any thing and from whom all things proceede is an entire most simple and indiuisible essence and which deriueth all that he possesseth from himselfe and by what reason he subsisteth by the same reason he is wise he is willing he is good and he is iust And we cannot imagine any essence whereof he may consist but the same being which he is But all other things are not the same essence but are through him and therefore an angell is not this vnitie for so should he be God or else there should be sundry Gods which may not be imagined For what should be one but the vnitie alone It resteth then that the angell must be a number which being so on the other side it is one in multitude as euery number commeth of the vnitie by composition and euery number is imperfect bicause it is a multitude that which is perfect being entirely one So then the angell being a number that is a creature he is not the same being it selfe but he is onely an essence to whom the being arriueth by communication to the end that he may subsist Neither is he vnderstanding it selfe but so he vnderstandeth as being by a spirituall nature capable of vnderstanding Those things that betoken imperfection are incident to the angell as he is a multitude or creature But all that which is perfect and of accomplished forme in him is by reason of the vnitie whereof it is composed and which he receiueth bicause that he is conioined with God who is the simple vnitie from whom all being all life and all perfection is deriued to the creature And therefore the philosophers as also the wise Hebrues â—ll the angels separated
That heauen is of round forme is a sure testimonie vnto vs. So likewise there are many naturall reasons which declare it to be such For all the partes of the frame thereof doe consist of themselues doe sustaine themselues and doe comprehend themselues not hauing neede of any stay or ioint hauing neither a beginning nor ending place Moreouer this roundnes of heauen may be knowne by the sight of the eie For on which side soeuer you behold it you may see the halfe in our hemisphere as it doth shew it selfe which could not come to passe in any other figure but in a round which also is the most perfect and most capable of all other figures to bee comprised in one selfesame circuit and is therewithall the easiest to mooue euery way And therefore it is not onely conuenient but also necessarie for all the heauens and celestiall orbes of which we before intreated as well bicause of the perfection of their essence as by reason of their proper motions which are circular and correspondent to a round forme besides all this bicause these spheres are placed one within another making their reuolutions vpon diuers poles and in diuers spaces of time Which could not be obserued nor the integritie of the whole heauen maintained if the celestiall forme were any other saue round and circular Of the proper and naturall motion of the spheres For the proper and naturall motion of the spheres is circular that is framed equally distant round about their center which is the point in the midst of the world so that neither the whole heauen nor any of the particular spheres doth wholy abandon or passe out of his owne place and situation but onely the partes of them doe incessantly change place in that they turne about their said common center And therefore is this circular motion much more noble and perfect then that which is made by a right line either mounting from the center of the world towards the circumference Of the motion proper to the fowre elements or else descending from it towards the center which motion is proper to the fower elements For fire and aire do mount vpwards but water and earth descend naturally downwards Also fire mounteth higher then aire and earth descendeth lower then water and each of these enuiron the center of the world which is the lowest place of all and farthest from the circumference which is the highest of all So then the circular motion is naturally due and conuenient to the most noble and most simple bodie which is the heauen and most necessarie for it as it appeereth more cleerely to vs by the continuall motion of the starres both fixed and wandring which proceedeth of the onely moouing of their spheres What stars are For we must note that the starres are nothing else but certaine firme cleere and solide partes of their heauens made in round forme like the heauen whose motion they follow which likewise receiue their light from the sunne who is the very source and fountaine whereinto the soueraigne creator hath put the brightnes of the whole vniuersall world Now this circular motion of heauen is found by obseruation to haue two principall differences that is to be made vpon sundry poles and axes and in sundry partes and positions of the world as also in diuers spaces and quantities of times Of the axis of the spheres and of the poles We call that the axis of the sphere which is the diameter that passeth through the same vpon which it is turned and the vttermost points of the same axis are the poles For the whole vniuersall world hath his proper and naturall motion like a liuing creature and euery of the orbes and particular heauens haue also a peculiar motion like to the partes and members of the whole great bodie For which cause as also for diuers other considerations many learned personages haue affirmed that the world is an animal or liuing creature And amongst others Origen is wholy of that minde who enforceth himselfe to prooue it as well by reasons as by authoritie of holy scripture And therefore he saith thus in his booke of principles Though the world be ordained to diuers offices yet the estate thereof must not be thought to be dissonant or any whit disagreeing But euen as our bodie alone is composed of many members Reasons of such as haue said that the world is an animal and is contained by one soule so I thinke we must suppose that the vniuersall world is a great and vnmeasurable animal which as by a soule is sustained by the power and wisedome of God The Platonists doe all with one mouth teach the same thing And among many reasons by which they would confirme this point we will take onely that of Plato in his Timaeus which me thinkes is most excellent There are saith he two motions the one proper the other strange or exterior now that is more diuine which of it selfe is mooued then that which is stirred by the power of another And this motion proper and diuine is in our soules onely from which the beginning of the other strange motion is taken Seeing therefore that all motion proceedeth of the ardor of the world and that this ardor is not mooued by exterior agitation but of it owne accord it is therefore necessarie that there must be a soule Whereupon we gather that the world is an animal and that not without vnderstanding Now if thereupon any aske why heauen changeth not nor becommeth diseased nor dieth nor faileth as other liuing creatures doe The answere of Chalcidius in this point pleaseth me very much Notable difference in the workes of God when he saith commenting vpon Timaeus That which is instituted by God without meanes is free and exempt from change from age from sicknes from oldnes and from death And in this point agree all Academicks as also might bee well proued by circumstance if that be well considered which the sage philosopher Moses declareth to haue beene produced by the creator without helpe or matter and that which hath beene also performed by meanes of the second causes For though man was created and formed by the handes of God yet was hee not made without dust or earth which was a meane subiect But the Eternall hath made the heauens and the whole frame of the world of nothing For which reason it might seeme perpetuall and not perishing For as we haue heretofore declared though the heauens and earth must passe away yet doth not this plainly conclude an annihilating of them but rather a changing and renewing Psal 102. For so speaketh the kingly prophet saying The heauens shall waxe old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed And of this consideration we may frame an excellent reason concerning the immortalitie of the soule bicause it was made without any meanes by God himselfe But leauing this argument let vs pursue that
subiect to change and the rest are immutable incorruptible persisting alwaies in their estate during the course of this world Stones mettals minerals and such like creatures are of the number of those that haue neither life nor any naturall moouing whatsoeuer but like the earth it selfe The water aire winde and fire are creatures which though they haue not life yet haue they moouing but they are subiect vnto corruption as are all other creatures composed of the elements whether they retaine life or not For by reason that they are compounded of matters and contrarie qualities they doe at length corrupt and are changed not in regarde of their first nature and substance which perisheth not Nothing perisheth in regard of the matter though it change formes but returneth alwaies into the same elements whereof euerie compound consisteth And though stones and mettals be exceeding hard yet are they not exempt from corruption but are consumed by vsage yea euen gold and siluer which are the most precious mettals and of so excellent temper that they resist fire But the celestiall bodies whereof we entreat now consist of such matter nature and substance that being in perpetuall motion they euer perseuere in their entire and first forme not being subiect to any change in their bodies nor any way consuming like to the other creatures winch are vnder them Of the matter or substance of heauen But what this matter or substance is hath beene much disputed on amongst the most learned For some Philosophers haue affirmed that the heauens starres and planets which we behold are compounded of the same elements whereof all other creatures are made but yet of the most pure parts and portions of them And render this reason viz. that they could not be visible if they were not created of visible matter For none can make a visible thing of an inuisible Whereupon they conclude that there is in the composition of celestiall bodies some portion of earth and water which are visible elements and more water then earth because it is more pure and cleere then the earth is and because it hath motion And in that they are most splendant cleere and mooueable they attribute the principall cause thereof to the nature of the aire and fire and the most subtile parts of them whereof say they they are singularly composed But others hold that the heauens consist of another kinde of substance then of the elements which they name a fift-essence of most rare and different substance from the elementarie and much more excellent and noble Others more cunning finde in the heauens diuers and vnequal substances Whereto may seeme to accord that which Americus Vespucius hath declared in the discourse of his third Nauigation to the Indies concerning the magnitude of the stars making mention of three verie great ones called Caponi which are not cleere And many other authors haue noted diuersitie of shining and cleerenes among the stars and that some part of heauen is thicker then the rest But whatsoeuer may be subtilly inuented in this matter it seemeth verie well that heat is the substance of celestiall bodies which is inseparable from brightnes Of heat light and brightnes which is a similitude and semblance of light hauing the substance of it and of heat so annexed with it selfe that it is almost nothing else So that the light brightnes heat may be taken for one selfe same substance and matter of heauen and of all the spheres Which we must moreouer note to be so established and ordained by God that the Sunne Moone and all the other stars and planets are no whit chaunged since the day of their creation any more then their said spheres neither are they more wearied worne Of the continuance and changing of the heauens or corrupted for all the labour which they haue performed by the space of so many yeeres then they were the first day of their creation For you must not holde it for a chaunge and alteration of their natures and qualities in that according to their diuers courses the stars and planets are sometimes far from and sometimes neere to one another and that they haue oppositions coniunctions and diuers and different respects according to the varietie of their motions nor yet for the eclipses of the Sunne and Moone For such changes are not in their proper bodies substance and qualitie but onely in regard of vs and our sight But to this constancie stablenes and continuance of the heauens and the celestiall bodies the words of the kingly Prophet in the Psalmes may seeme to be repugnant Psal 102. when he saith Thou O God hast aforetime layd the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure euen they all shall waxe olde as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not faile Also it is written Math. 24. 2. Pet. 3. that the heauens and earth shall passe That the day of the Lord shall come like a Thiefe in the night and in which the heauens must passe away like a noise of a tempest the elements must melt with heat and the earth with all the workes that are therein shall bee burnt That the heauens being set one fire shall be dissolued Esay 65. 66. Apoc. 21. and that we looke for new heauens and new earth according to the promise of God in whom dwelleth righteousnes All these testimonies yet do not contradict that which we heretofore said concerning the nature of the celestiall bodies For we refer their stabilitie and continuance to the course of all this great world which God hath ordained and established to endure till the consummation and ending thereof in such sort as he hath declared to vs in his word Moreouer it is one thing to speake of the heauens comparing their nature with that of other visible and corporall creatures and another thing when we compare them with the nature of God or of his word as the holy Scripture cōmonly doth Psal 90. For according to the doctrine thereof a thousand yeers are as one day before God wherfore also this visible frame both celestiall terrestrial is nothing else but as a vesture which weareth waxeth old is clean done after that it is worne al out And sith that both heauen and earth are created by the word of God Iohn 1. there is no doubt but they shall faile rather then it For it remayneth for euer like God from whom it proceedeth from all eternitie There is yet diuersitie of opinions amongst the ancient doctors about the vnderstanding of the holy Scripture concerning the matter which we do now treat of For some indeed say that the heauens shall perish with the rest of the world if it so please the creator and if he will haue it so considering that all creatures both visible and inuisible
receiue their essence and continuance not from themselues but from God alone Yet for all that do they not thinke that the heauens shall altogither faile nor that God will haue it so And others maintaine that though the heauens must passe and be dissolued according to the word of God that yet this defect shall not be an entire annihilating but onely a certaine chaunge which shall come to them by which they shall be renued in far more perfection Whereto it seemeth that Saint Paule agreeth Rom. 8. when he cleerly testifieth concerning all creatures ingenerall that they are subiect to corruption because of the sinne of man and for that cause they doe attend with great desire for the reuelation and redemption of the children of God because they shal not be relieued nor deliuered from the seruitude of corruption to be in the liberty of the glory of them and restored to their integritie till the day ordayned by the creator for the acceptation of his into eternall felicitie For thereupon ensueth that the heauens and celestiall bodies sigh and grone attending togither with the other creatures this blessed day to be chaunged renued restored which S. Peter likewise teacheth in the place before cited Yea some philosophers accord with him concerning the dissolution of the world by fire but not concerning the cause thereof For they refer it not to the sinne of man which hath infected the heauen the earth and all things contained therein and put the world into disorder and confusion but to the nature of fire which at last consumeth all and whereof they giue a reason by naturall causes There are also some Astronomers who affirme that some change may bee perceiued in the spheres and heauenly bodies concerning their courses and ordinarie motions and that they are somewhat different from those which they haue had from the beginning how they waxe weary are worne and become old in their function like to other creatures although this change doth much lesse appeere in them then in the other works of God but wee will leaue this argument to the professors of Astrologie And let it suffice vs for conclusion of this matter to consider what the stabilitie and continuance of men in this world may be seeing that all other creatures must receiue a change and haue an end yea the very heauens themselues For what are all people in respect of this great Vniuers And againe what is euery one of them particularly in comparison of the generalitie of mankinde and of all those which haue already gone before vs But let vs returne to that which concerneth the heauens and sphericall bodies considering that which doth touch their motions besides that which hath beene already declared which AMANA shall be the subiect for you to discourse vpon Of the motions ingenerall of their first cause and of their vnion in all nature Chapter 26. AMANA EAre we enter into the declaration of the subiect which is now propounded vnto vs to discourse vpon concerning heauen my desire is that wee may cal to our memorie that which we haue already heeretofore heard of the nature of the heauens concerning the matter whereof they are compounded and concerning their beautie stabilitie and continuance For so shall wee reduce the end of our discourse to that principall point whereunto we haue alreadie from the beginning destinated it that is so much the better to acknowledge our God and his prouidence to the end to glorifie him I say then that if we considerately meditate vpon the excellencie of the celestiall bodies we shall therein finde a more expresse image of the eternitie and maiestie of God and of his diuine and immutable nature then in any of all the other visible creatures Moreouer we may accept of them as a testimony and example not onely of the immortalitie which God hath ordained for mens soules which are spirituall natures but also of that which he hath promised our bodies after our resurrection For that hee can accomplish his promise we neither may nor must make doubt of if we beleeue that he is almightie No more must we make doubt of his will sith he hath declared it vnto vs in his word If then he hath beene able to create the heauens and the stars and planets which in them are like splendant precious stones enchased in rings of a matter so firme and durable that it remaineth incorruptible and as it were immortall whether it be taken from the fowre elements or be of an other quint-essence as we haue already heard It shal be no lesse easie for him to make our bodies incorruptible and immortall hauing deliuered them from corruption and death to which through sinne they were subiect Now let vs pursue that which particularly concerneth the heauen in his motion wherein wee haue notable signes of the glorie and bountie of our God Three sorts of motion To vnderstand then sufficiently that which concerneth the present matter we will first note that there be three sorts of motion in the whole world For there is one which tendeth to the midst and to the center of the Vniuers which is in the earth the lowest of elements which motion for that it descendeth is proper to the most heauie elements and to such creatures as do most participate with them Then is there another motion contrarie to the first which alwaies tendeth from the midst and from belowe vpwards and this is proper to the most light elements and to those natures which do neerest approch vnto them and which participate with their qualities more then the rest But the third kinde of motion is that which neither mounteth nor descendeth either one way or other but goeth round euer turning about the midst like a circle or a wheele And this is that which is proper to heauen and to the sphericall bodies being most certaine disposed and composed by a most constant and firme order For though that all the elements and all other creatures which haue motion obserue an order therein yet is it more subiect to change according as the inferior bodies are subiect to the superior But those haue a more certaine course because they depend not vpon other bodies which are aboue them but immediately vpon God without the meanes of any other corporall nature And therefore of all the motions which are in all creatures that of the heauen and heauenly bodies is chiefest and most excellent Of the motion of the spheres attributed to the angels For whereas some attribute the motions of the spheres to the angels as if God vsed their ministerie heerein as we haue already declared whether it be so or not yet this is most certaine that the heauens haue their motion immediately from God seeing there are no corporall natures aboue them whereby they may be mooued For the angels are certaine spirituall creatures on whom if the omnipotent hath imposed this charge we must be content to leaue the vnderstanding thereof to him alone
and variable motion so that she causeth to be correspondent to man as to the end and image of the whole Vniuers all the loftie members of it All these properties I say are attributed by sundry Astronomers to the planets in regard of the good which they cause to men Againe others acknowledge some of them to be the cause of many euils and those they call ill planets not celestiall For they say that Saturne is foolish niggardly difficult Euilnes of Saturne inducing to dangers fraud mischiefe treasons violence captiuitie banishment losse periurie contumacie wrath hatred of all good feare anguish griefe burials sorrow and losse of children also that he causeth sorceries empoisonings theft maketh Magicians Of Mars they say that he prouoketh to treason warre Of Mars murder boldnes rashnes pride sedition contention rapine ambushments woundings flights disloialties villanies foolish loue easie offending many cogitations ill counsell and that he maketh princes violent cruell inhumane desirous of bloud and slaughter periured deceitfull inconstant cursing and full of all wickednes and that he foresheweth a mishapen and impudent man and that he is pernicious to birthes causing abortiue fruit Finally that in all parts of heauen he menaceth some mischiefe For the rest I passe them heere in silence that I may not bee too tedious in this matter which some Mathematicians and Poets ascribe to other planets making them cause of many other euils according to the diuers constellations where they doe contemplate them But to speake my minde we like Christians must beleeue and not thinke as many naturalists doe who in stead of acknowledging a God do forge to themselues an Idoll of Nature that it should be the planets or starres who like fountaines or Ladies of vertues properties and powers giue influence to men of the foresaide qualities but onely that in disposing their bodies being compounded of the elements vpon which the planets worke they serue to aide them to abound in vertues or vices according as their minde beeing moderatrix of all their actions doth dispose hir faculties to intend good or euill For this cause we say that to those which want the gifts and graces of Gods spirit all things cannot but succeed badly and the influences of the spheres hurt them rather then otherwise yea some more then other some as to the contrarie the minde of the faithful well instructed doth correct the naughtines of the stars deliuereth himselfe from all peruerse inclination This is it that the thrise great Philosopher Mercurius saith entreating of those whom the diuine power whatsoeuer it was had forsaken leauing and abandoning them to the euill as hee speaketh and all that which was sensible in them For thus saith he Of such the forces of anger appetite which being wel directed would cause euery good worke turne into a nature depriued of reason So then we learne that very vaine is the faith that is giuen to the planets to constellations and to foolish diuinations and superstitious prognostications of Astrologians For true Christians feare not the signes of heauen nor their aspects and regards but do wholly depend vpon the grace of God and of his prouidence which turneth all to the good of his elect Against iudiciall astrologie And therefore though wee condemne not true Astrologie namely Astronomie yet must we not approoue the superstition and curiositie which is in many concerning that part of this science called Iudiciall which they holde for a certaine and infallible doctrine by which may be foreseene and knowne the euents of men But let vs rather hold with that which Ieremie teacheth vs Ierem. 10. saying Feare not the signes of heauen according to the gentiles for the customes of the people are vaine Which is as much as if he had said that such curious obseruations full of superstitions are friuolous and false belonging to pagans and idolaters and not to the people of God For this cause also we haue in the bookes of the other prophets many things spoken against the predictions and prognostications of the Chaldees and Babylonians Esay 47. namely in Isay For God which is aboue all nature hath meanes which men cannot perfectly know either by reason of their ignorance or for that those meanes are supernaturall So that it happeneth that things oftentimes succeede cleane contrarie to that which the Astronomers haue forespoken prognosticated Against the casters of natiuities according to their contemplation But I woulde willingly aske them what foundation they can haue when like prophets they enterprise to foretell men good lucks and ill lucks and all euents which they must expect and chiefly to kings princes and other chiefe personages For where doe they finde when God created the stars and planets that he gaue them commission to reueale to Astrologers what should be the nature and complexion of euery one according to the planet vnder which they should be borne And againe how can such iudiciall science haue certaintie seeing there are a thousand men that are borne euery day in the world in one selfesame countrie at one selfesame time hower and instant one sometimes to be a king and another a poore shepherd being neither like in nature nor like in manners but sometimes more contrarie then fire and water For this is much prooued in many twinnes as the scripture giueth vs a notable example in Iacob and Esau For they were borne so close to one another Genes 25. that Iacob helde with his hand the sole of his brother Esaus foote and therefore the name of Iacob was giuen him And by how much the one was humble good and peaceable by so much the other was proud wicked and warlike And who can beleeue that God hath set marks in any of the signes of heauen to signifie to men that which he hath ordained concerning euery one in his eternall counsell which is hidden from the angels themselues Surely whatsoeuer we can learne is through his holy spirit which he communicateth to such as he pleaseth reuealing to them his secrets as heretofore he did to his most faithfull seruants And therefore he that would haue most certaine prognostications must not goe away to seeke and aske them of other more true Astrologians then the prophets and apostles with their writings For they haue surely foretold all that must come to passe in the world to the very consummation of time and chiefly touching the monarchies empires and kingdoms of the earth namely Daniel And I belieue that God hath not created the stars planets more for kings princes other great personages thē for the simple least Too sound true a prognosticatiō haue we against them all in Isay Isay 60. by which he prophesieth that euery kingdome euery nation which serueth not the Lord shall perish So likewise all the blessings and cursings of the lawe Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. are so many most certaine prophesies of all that which good and bad
double error and phophaning the contemplatiue doctrine of the heauen which is otherwise of it selfe good and profitable But beside all this I might likewise say that if all things heere belowe were disposed and directed by the gouernance of heauen and the influence of the planets as our naturalists better Philosophers then Christians do maintaine wee should behold nothing saue what were good as being gouerned by good causes And in this case I demand what sould become of those euill influences of the starres vpon which Astrologians do found their predictions Genes 1. I will not heere alleage that which Moses teacheth vs saying that God saw that all things which he had made were good for perhaps they would not beleeue it but let them giue eare to Mercury whom the ancients called the thrice great and supreme in Philosophie Metaphysicks and Theologie For he left written vpon pillars in Egypt as Iamblicus in a long discourse declareth how that all influences of the starres are good Against such as assigne euill to the influences of the stars and if there chance any euill it must be imputed to the indisposed subiect and not to the planets demonstrating this by the brightnes of the sunne which of it selfe is good and yet hurteth the bleare eie because of the badde state thereof Plato also saith Plato in Epimenide God hath made the Moone encreasing and decreasing and hath established the moneths in the yeere and hath taught by a kinde of happie fortune to bring in count the number of them Whereupon ensueth that the earth being most fruitefull conceiueth and engendreth her fruite for the nouriture of man at such times as the windes gently blowe and the raine prosperously droppeth into her lappe But if any euill befall heerein wee must not blame the diuine and celestiall nature but the humane which leadeth an vniust life And the Stoicke Hieracles crieth out in the verses of Pythagoras in these termes Each one through his owne euill ill will be For from the heauenly source no vice doth slow To soile our soules the cause are onely we The blame of mischiefe then on mortals throw And Plato in the sixt booke of lawes and Aristotle in his Politicks do testifie that man hauing attained to the true doctrine becommeth a very diuine and perfect debonaire creature but not hauing beene wel brought vp he be commeth the most cruell of all creatures borne vpon the earth What then remaineth for vs to attribute to the starres I demand of them also who affirme some influences to be euill from whence will they saie that this malice proceedeth Whether from God which commandeth or from the intelligence which mooueth the heauens or from the heauen it selfe Reasons to shew that the influences of the starrs be not euill Surely it cannot come from God who is the soueraigne good the first cause ordaining all things For that is euill or sinne which is done against the will of the creator or which declineth from his iustnes and in nature euill cannot proceed from the spring of goodnes Wherefore it should be too foolish and absurd a thing to thinke that euill should take original from God all-good and that from the soueraigne gouernour shoulde proceed the violation of the lawe seeing that his will is his owne lawe it selfe For the intelligence or angel which some saie continueth in the motion of the spheres and to whom some assigne the cause of euill influences I would faine aske them whether this intelligence doth so worke by the commaundement of his Prince which is the eternall and soueraigne gouernour of the world or else against his will and ordinance If it accomplish any thing according to his precept certainely that cannot be bad for nothing is bad but that which is done contrarie to the order established by the prince of Nature But if it operate against his will it might seeme to turne to the scandall of the Omnipotent creator to suffer his seruants so arrogant in rebellion vnpunished For at the beginning he spared not those amongst the angels who exalted themselues in pride And for the rest who persisted in obedience hee in such sort confirmed them that they cannot sinne any more Whereupon also ensueth that the Intelligences being loyall seruants of the Eternall do not cause euill influences neither yet do dispose any thing to euill since they alwaies accomplish the ordinance of the Soueraigne-good Against such as accuse the heauens to be euill And for those who not being able to blame God nor the moouing intelligence doe accuse the heauens as cause of euill influences I desire them to tell me if the heauens be malitious whence commeth their malice Whether haue they beene created euill or else beene depraued by euill manners Or else their nature failing them did they become euill Certainely they were not created euill by the most good woorker Neither haue they beene depraued by manners or a failing nature because they haue no choise in their workes and for that their motions and influences are naturall and inuariable not of freewill as all Philosophers affirme Againe I aske them whether the heauens giue influence as second causes or as instruments If as instruments then sith they neither mooue nor operate but according to the will of the Prince who created them he should remaine in fault which is alreadie confuted But if it be as second causes seeing the worke is performed by that which liueth the error should be referred to the intelligences who mooue them and are ordayned for soules to the spheres to which we haue also satisfied I will farther adde this point That the heauens do worke either by nature or by will If by nature sith the order thereof is established by God the sentence of Aristotle is woorthie the remembrance where saith What we possesse by nature we are therein neither praised nor blamed for the praise belongeth to the worker and the blame cannot be assigned to the order of the soueraigne Good But if the heauens worke freely being guided by an intelligence it must needs follow that being the causes of so many mischiefes which abundantly light on man they are guided by a furious or else by a couetous soule If by a furious seeing there is a certaine planet which as these Astronomers say doth alwaies designe violent influences wherefore is it not consumed with such a sempiternall furie Moreouer why say men that a planet is inflamed sooner in one house then in another What meeteth it in his owne house or in another that disposeth it to signifie euill Againe how is that inflamed with furie which they affirme to bee immutable But if the heauens be led by couetousnes what profit or gaine do they attract from things here below For this couetous desire remayneth onely in themselues And whosoeuer coueteth euill doth it as the Philosophers say because that he is as it were intoxicated and ouercome by inebriating matter But sith the matter of the
he returneth to the other without any ceasing rest or fainting Wherein we must especially acknowledge gods woonderfull prouidence who hath created him neither greater nor lesse then is necessary to performe the office which hath beene committed to him And for his greatnes we may truely iudge that it is immense and admirable because that in what place soeuer men may be whether in the east or in the west or in the north or in the south parts yet do they all behold it of one selfesame greatnes And therefore doth the prophet say They which dwell in the vttermost parts of the earth Psal 65. are afraid of thy signes and thou makest them ioyfull with the going foorth of the euening and the morning that is with the rising and setting of the sunne and other planets and starres Wherein we must note that though we commonly say of the sunne that he riseth and setteth as if we spake of a man that went to take his rest in the night after that he trauailed all day yet in truth he neither riseth nor setteth for that he is continually busie How the rising and setting of the sunne must be taken bringing day to some when others haue night But men say commonly so because that in regard of vs he seemeth when he retyreth as if he went to rest at euen-tide and that he riseth in the morning when he returneth vnto vs. Wherfore we say that he is hidden and downe when we see him not and that he is risen when he appeereth at point of day And so do the rude people and children which dwel neere the mountaines accustomablie say that he is gone to hide himselfe behind them And they which are neere the sea suppose that he goeth to plunge wash himselfe therein as the Poets also say accommodating their stile to the vulgar And yet al may behold that he riseth not on the same side where he setteth but on the other quite opposite Whereby is easie to be iudged that he hath not reposed all the while that men slept but hath passed much way And that he still carrieth his light with him for it is a most certaine thing that he hath not deliuered night and darknes to those people and nations by which he passed but light and day But if there be fewe amongst the rude and ignorant which meditate these things so farre there be fewer which consider of the prouidence of God that manifesteth it selfe in this perpetuall changing of day into night and of night into day For there is nothing more contrary then light and darknes and consequently then night and day And yet hath God so well disposed compacted and reconciled these contrarieties togither that if things were otherwise ordained there were neither man nor beast that could long liue vpon the face of the earth And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith Eccles 42. Oh how delectable are all his works and to be considered euen to the very sparks of fire they liue all and endure for euer and whensoeuer need is they are all obedient They are al double one contrarie to another hee hath made nothing that hath any fault The one commendeth the goodnes of the other and who can be satisfied with beholding Gods glory And indeed if the day should last perpetually and equally alike in all parts of the world the heat of the sunne would so scorch euery thing that it would drie vp and consume not onely men and beasts but euen all moisture and humiditie which is in the earth Meruailes of the prouidence of God in the commodities of day and night Whereby all liuing creatures should faile for they could not liue for two causes First because that life doth principally lie in heate and moisture and is conserued by them according to the order that God hath set in nature to guard and maintaine it Wherefore as men and beasts loose their life if their naturall heat be altogither extinguished so doth it likewise befall them when their moisture is entirely consumed For there must be a verie equall proportion in all those qualities which are in the bodies of liuing creatures to wit in heat and coldnes in drines and moisture according to the nature of the fowre elements whereof they are composed for the excesse of the one doth confound the other For which cause God hath so disposed the course of the Sunne that hee distributeth his heate in so good and iust measure that he hindreth the too much coldnes and moisture which might quench the naturall heate and yet doth not so consume them by the heat and drines which he causeth but that there alwaies remaineth so much as is needful for the life of all creatures And for the other reason that they would faile it is that neither man nor any other animall can liue without nourishment to repaire in them that which the naturall heate like a fire incessantly flaming hath consumed of radicall humor in their bodies yet this heat must be likewise maintained that it be not extinguished as wee haue amply discoursed concerning these things in the second part of our Academie For this cause then God hath ordained eating and drinking for the nouriture of all liuing creatures and hath appointed to the earth as to the mother of al the charge and office to produce fruits and other nourishments needfull for them Which she cannot do being by nature cold and drie if as she is warmed by the heat of the sunne she be not also moistned by the waters both of heauen earth And therefore when that the sunne hath heated and dried it vp all day long the night which is the shadow of the earth doth afterwards ensue and taking from vs the sight of the sunne and his light doth by this meanes bring vnto vs darknes which causeth night wherein the Moone who is colde and moist hath her rule as the sunne who is hot and drie hath his rule in the day time And so we must consider these two celestiall bodies very neerely according to their proper effects which we perceiue and experiment heere on earth below Genes 1 as also Moses testifieth vnto vs saying that God created two great lights amongst others to be as regents and rulers the one of day and the other of night So then as the earth and all that it beareth togither with all animals or liuing creatures that it nourisheth are heated and dried vp in the day time by the sunne euen so are they moistned and refreshed in the night time by the withdrawing thereof and by the humiditie and coldnes of the Moone Wherein there especially hapneth a mutuall accord betweene heauen and earth vnder which we comprise the aire waters and al creatures therein contained with their natures and qualities Moreouer in this maruel we are to consider that as men and animals cannot suruiue without nourishment which God hath prouided by the meanes aforesaid so likewise could they not liue without taking some rest
For they are not of nature like the heauens and planets which haue continuall motions and yet weare not away And therfore as God hath appointed the day for his creatures to trauell in so hath he ordained the night for them to rest in And as waking is proper to trauell so is sleeping peculiar to rest In which sleepe being requisite and sleepe requiring humiditie and freshnes the better to dispose and induce liuing creatures to sleepe the night is much fitter therefore and for rest bicause of the moist and colde nature thereof then is the day which participateth most with heate and drines And bicause all repose is in the night it is also more quiet then the day neither is there so much noise which may hinder sleepe and rest Wherein we haue yet another commoditie of the distinction and exchange of daies and nights whereto we may likewise adde that which Dauid declareth when he saith Psal 104. Hee appointed the moone to distinguish the seasons the sunne knoweth his going downe Thou makest darknes and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest creepe foorth The lions roare after their praie and seeke their meate at God When the sunne riseth they retire and couch in their dens Then goeth man forth to his worke and to his labour vntill euening Behold heere goodly considerations how God hath prouided for the preseruation of the life of his creatures by meanes of day and night For because that the wilde beasts which liue by praie are dangerous and cruell he so guideth and gouerneth them by his prouidence that he keepeth them quiet and shut vp all day in their caues and dens in such sort that they seldome come foorth but in the night to seeke their praie euen then when men and domesticall beasts retire themselues and rest out of their dangers Thus haue we verie many commodities by the day and the night And more should be found out by a carefull search For all that which we haue hitherto declared is so euident before the eies of euery one that the most rude and simple amongst men must needs consider and vnderstand it But I thinke it most conuenient that continuing the principall subiect of our discourses we shoulde speake of the excellent instructions which do likewise present themselues in the consideration of the second course and motion of the sunne and moone for the distinction of yeeres moneths and seasons whereof we haue heretofore made mention Then to you AMANA I commit this discourse Of the second course and motion of the Sunne and Moone for the distinction of yeeres moneths and seasons and of the prouidence of God in these things Chap. 34. AMANA THe Sunne as we haue heeretofore heard hath two sundrie courses the one by which he bringeth vnto vs night and day and the other by which he distinguisheth vnto vs yeeres and seasons Now euerie one seeth that the sunne passeth and runneth through the heauens it seemeth to many that the heauen stirreth not though in truth it be otherwise For it is the heauen which turneth and taketh and carieth away the sunne with it so causing him to performe his course So likewise euery one knoweth that the daies nights yeeres and times are diuided and measured by the course of the Sunne but the ignorant and common people vnderstand not how this commeth to passe neither doe they consider of it For these causes then there bee many who cannot so-well acknowledge the excellencie magnificence and diuine glorie which shineth in the heauens as they doe who haue beene conuersant in the studie of Astronomie and Astrologie considering that the celestiall light continually lightneth their vnderstanding And without this guide all science little auaileth for the true knowledge of God It is then from Astronomers that wee learne Of the two courses which the sunne hath how that besides the course which the sunne moone do ordinarily make within the space of fower and twenty howers which is commonly called a naturall day as likewise all the other planets and starres make their course by violence of the course of the highest heauen who comprising all the spheres within the concauitie thereof carrieth them away with him and causeth them to performe the same course which he pursueth like to a great wheele that should draw about other lesser ones that were conioined with it Besides I say this common course of all the heauenly bodies the sunne the moone and the other planets haue another course proper peculiar to euery of their spheres which God hath assigned them according to which the sunne performeth his in 365. daies and sixe howers and certaine minutes as long obseruation and daily experience hath taught those who haue diligently applied themselues to the contemplation of the heauens who likewise haue knowledge of the proper course of the moone and euery one of the starres as hath beene alreadie related in our precedent speeches Of the effects of the second course of the sunne and moone Now as by the first course and motion of the sunne we haue a distinction of the daies and nights so likewise by the second course thereof is giuen vnto vs the difference of their length and shortnes and the distinction of the yeeres and diuers seasons For we take the succession of the yeeres from this second course of the sunne as from the moone we haue the distinction of the moneths according to which she encreaseth decreaseth as we ordinarily behold by reason of the diuers opposition of the sunne from whom she receiueth her light in such quantitie as is sufficient for her to shine vpon the earth Eccles 43. So Ecclesiasticus saith That the Lord hath made the moone to appeere according to her seasons which shoulde be a declaration of the time and for a perpetuall signe that the feasts are appointed according to her her light diminishing to the last end and the moneths take their name of her and that she groweth woonderously in her changing Likewise each one knoweth that the moone declareth the times fit to sowe plant loppe in to do other such like businesses whereof one must iudge according to the state and disposition of her So then these two great lights the Sunne and Moone are most notable before all the world forsomuch as euerie one may see with his eies if he be not altogither depriued of vnderstanding the excellent works which God performeth in them and by them Psal 147 And therefore also the holy scripture doth propose them vnto vs more often and more especially to induce vs to consider of the maiestie of God in his works then any other of the celestiall bodies which are infinite in number Which for this cause none can know particularly nor yet number them nor name them saue God alone as his word teacheth vs by his prophet saying He counteth the number of the starres and calleth them all by their names Whereupon we may affirme that all
principally in the sunne who alone is in the world sufficient for the totall vniuers euen as there is but one God who is the sufficiencie of all creatures Moreouer as this visible sunne is a fountaine of light which is neuer exhausted nor yet diminisheth in communicating himselfe with all creatures Eccles 42. but is perpetuall so is it of God concerning whome it is written that he hath garnished the excellent workes of his wisedome being from euerlasting and to euerlasting for euer and that vnto him nothing can be added neither can he be diminished 1. Tim. 6. Moreouer when it is said of God that he dwelleth in vnaccessible light by reason that it is incomprehensible to all creatures Iames. 1. Mal. 4. Iohn 13.8.9.12 Matth. 5. Ephes 6. and when he is called the father of light and his sonne Iesus Christ the sonne of Iustice and the light of the world and his word and likewise they who heare it and who receiue it are called lights candles lampes and burning torches we must by so many testimonies propound vnto vs in our vnderstanding another inuisible and spirituall world of which this same visible and corporall one is nothing but a verie rude pourtraiture an image much differing from that which it representeth so conclude that if this image and picture that which yet we behold not but as in a dim glasse be a thing so goodly and so excellent that indeed it may be couered with the vaile of this All which we so much admire Eccles 43. For we may say with Ecclesiasticus That there are hid yet many greater things then these be and we haue seene but few of his works For as he addeth who hath seene him that hee may tell vs And who can magnifie him as he is Consequently let vs set before our eies all this inuisible and spirituall world replenished with soules and spirits as we behold this visible world replenished with bodies and let vs contemplate twise as many spirituall eies in this intelligible sphere as there be corporall in all men and in other liuing creatures and then let vs mount vp to God and to Iesus Christ our Lord which is the Sonne that illuminateth and lightneth all and so let vs consider how bright this sonne must be and what is the light and splendor of him considering that he is the great Sonne eternall infinite and incomprehensible who hath created that Sunne which we behold the light whereof is not so much in proportion comparable with the least beame of the diuine light as is the brightnes of the least star yea of a candle compared with all this visible sunne or as one drop of water balanced with the huge sea Now let vs consider that if the sight of this heauenly planet be pleasant to vs and bring vnto vs ioy and comfort through his light and heat being cause of so many profits and benefits to all creatures how much more should the contemplation of the great euerlasting Sonne be delightfull vnto vs and what inexplicable benefits doth it bring to men namely to their soules and spirits For this is the true Sunne of iustice which according to the prophet hath health in his wings that is in his beames Mal. 4. by which he maketh men enioy life eternall And therefore verie fitly doth the Scripture compare not onely the knowledge of God but also his fauour and grace and the times of prosperitie and of his aide and succour to the light as also it compareth mens ignorance of God and the times of aduersitie and of his furie and vengeance to the night and to darknes Isay 60. For this cause Isay willing to declare a great grace of God to the people of Israell saith amongst other things Thou shalt haue no more sun to shine by day neither shall the brightnes of the Moone shine vnto thee for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glorie thy sunne shall neuer goe downe neither shall thy Moone be hid for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light and the daies of thy sorrow shall be ended And when the prophets denounce vnto men any great and horrible and fearfull iudgement of God they commonly say that the sunne Isay 13. 24. Ioel. 2. Acts 2. Matth. 24. Isay 34. the moone and the stars shall loose their brightnes that the sunne shall waxe darke and the moone shall be turned into blood and the starres shall fall from heauen and the heauen it selfe shall rowle like a scrowle so that the whole face of the world shall be chaunged as if it should be turned vpside downe and perish cleane And though these things come not to passe iust so in respect of the creatures yet doe the prophets by such manner of speech signifie the greatnes of the iudgements of God and of his wrath when he punisheth man For though the nature which he hath created doth still remaine in one estate yet it happeneth commonly to men according to the feeling which they haue of the wrath of God except they be altogither obdurate against his iudgements as if the whole frame of the world were ouerturned and as if all creatures should set themselues against them to warre vpon them and confound them by rushing on them and running at them Isay 9. On the other side Isay declaring the grace which God would shew to his people speaketh thus The people that walked in darkenes haue seene light they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death vpon them hath the light shined Isay 60. Againe in another place Arise oh Ierusalem be bright for thy light is come and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee For behold darkenes shall couer the earth and grosse darkenes the people but the Lord shall arise vpon thee and his glorie shall be seene vpon thee And the Gentiles shall walke in thy light and kings at the brightnes of thy rising vp But the prophet speaketh in another kinde of language to the people when he talketh to the wicked Isay 59. and telleth them amongst other things Therefore is iudgement far from vs and iustice doth not come neere vs We waite for light but loe it is darkenes for brightnes but we walke in darkenes We grope for the wall like the blind and we feele with our hands as one that were without eies We stumble at noone daies as in darkenes we are in solitarie places as dead men Luke 22. Ephes 6. And therefore also the kingdome of the diuel is called in holy-writ the kingdome of darknes and he which is the king is named the Prince of darkenes But the people of God requesting that the knowledge of him might bee spread abroad throughout the whole earth with all prosperitie and blessednes saith in the Psalmes Psal 67. God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and cause his face to shine amongst vs. So likewise the author of these diuine
generations it is necessarie that something remaine from which they are drawne in their first originall When then any creature is engendred by another if the forme perish and any thing do remaine it must of necessitie be the matter Nothing can cleane perish which the corruption it selfe doth manifest because that nothing can wholy perish so long as it is corrupted For the apple perisheth and is conuerted into wormes so is the wood into cinders when it is burned so water changeth it selfe into vapors and smoke by the heate of the fire or of the sunne Now all vapor and smoke is something for it can stifle a man and if it be receiued and gathered into a vessell it turneth to drops of water Behold then how manifest it is that in all this vniuers there is a certaine thing hidden vnder euerie forme which is not made by common generation nor yet doth perish by corruption and which like some prime subiect being diuided vnder many and sundry formes wee call as we haue alreadie said the first matter not engendred permanent because it perisheth not but remaineth and consisteth according to the effect thereof And when we compare it to the formes we saie that it is by power the same which they are because that it can receiue all formes so that the matter of a childe being formed is said to be a childe by power and by effect it is the subiect whereof the childe may consist for it is a mixture so fashioned and such as one may see it But when it is compared to the forme of the childe it is simplie called a matter by power for if it were such by effect then were it a childe of it selfe not a subiect of him So then by the consent of all Philosophers there is a certaine grosse matter disfurnished of formes but capable of all though by nature it be depriued of all For which cause also they establish with this matter priuation Of priuation of the changing cause for a beginning of naturall things And mounting higher they consider of a changing or working cause by force whereof the matter being wrought and mollified which is onely in power is at length actually performed euen as waxe being plied and softned by handling and working in the hand is fashioned into diuers formes according to the will of him that doth it Of the finall cause And because that nature doth nothing at aduenture but al for some good purpose thence it is that the finall cause is by some considered as a principle Of the forme And likewise because that the neerest end of the working cause is the forme which it taketh out of the bosome of the matter and that for this intent it worketh and mouldeth it to the end to reduce it to a perfect estate to receiue a forme for these causes Aristotle constituteth the forme for the third principle The which cannot be drawne out of the wombe of the matter except it be first disposed and prepared by conuenient qualities and therefore the Philosophers say that about them the maker bestoweth and emploieth all his labour and all the time of the action to the end that the species may presently appeere in a point moment vnseparable as it were for the wages of his paines But the Peripateticks call the worker the cause rather then a principle And the followers of Plato being more cleere-sighted in sacred mysteries doe teach that although the naturall causes do appeere to vs of themselues forming fashioning Thâ—â— naturalâ— causes 〈◊〉 principles and moulding euerie bodie yet neuerthelesse are they not the prime and first causes of euerie thing that is made but rather instruments of the diuine art to whom they serue and obey euen as the hands of a cunning workeman though they compose place and change the whole matter of an house as wood stone and morter and that nothing besides them may bee seene whereto the fashion of the edifice might bee attributed yet are they knowne of vs to be an instrument obeying and seruiceable to the Idea which being seated in the minde of the Architect he performeth and acteth with his hands in sensible matter the worke which he hath conceiued And for this occasion the Academicks speake of these two causes the instrumental and the exemplarie cause when they intreat of the framing of all things Which me thinketh is often confirmed by the Peripatetickes when this axiom is read in their writings Euerie worke of nature is the worke of Intelligence And both the one and the other do confesse that God hath drawne all things out of the matter But because that for to drawe them out the matter must necessarily be presupposed and the forme which thereof is fashioned must be conceiued as also the power or application and disposition of the said matter Three principles according to Aristotle Thereupon are sprung the three principles of naturall things which Aristotle ordayneth to wit matter forme and priuation Which opinion Pythagoras seemed to leane vnto teaching that in the first production of things there were present the Euen and the Odde for the Euen according to the doctrine of those which doe philosophically discourse by numbers and principally the binarie or number of two signifieth the matter and the vneuen or odde betokeneth the forme Moreouer the degrees of formes and things composed are excellently and harmoniously distributed by the Euen and Odde numbers as by their writings we may easily learne But let vs note that that which the Pythagorians signifie by numbers Plato doth abundantly describe by greatnes and smalnes because all that which is doth retaine a greater or lesse degree of essence and perfection which neuerthelesse is distinguished by euen and odde numbers And if one speake of bodies euery one of them hath a great little or meane quantitie which likewise is by the same numbers limited and distinguished But to leaue the curious disputation concerning these things to the Philosophers and so to grow to the conclusion of our speech concerning the principles of naturall and corruptible things we must call that into our memorie which we haue alreadie declared how that the matter stood in need of a worker and ordayner Now this same is none other Of one alone and onely principle but the alone and onely principle of principles and the cause of causes God omnipotent author of the Vniuers who being a soueraigne worker hath produced out of the subiect by him created all compound bodies From whom likewise it is necessarie that all formes doe flow whether they be drawne out of the bosome of the matter as some Philosophers affirme or proceed without any meanes of the forme-giuer as many learned dispute for he must alwaies be said to be engendring and producing which draweth the matter into an effect by any manner whatsoeuer Moreouer Motion and place set by some for principles some subtile spirits do account among the principles of naturall things
raine in sommer the raine is suddenly engendred for when the cloudes are too slowe they are consumed by the drinesse of the sunne And there where the aire is very cold and consequently thicke and grosse the vapor which is thither drawne being very light cannot be condensate bicause of the thicknes of the aire and the thinnesse of the vapor Which causeth that in stead of raine snow is engendred for snowe is a congelation of a vapor not condensate for the subtilitie of his proper substance and for bicause of the thicknes of the aire Wherefore when the cold is great in winter it raineth little And for the spring time bicause that the succeeding day doth consume more vapor then the precedent day had attracted for in the spring time the latter daies are still hotter and haue shorter nights for this cause it raineth then lesse then in autumne and oftner then in sommer or winter But in Autumne showres of raine are commonly great and of long continuance For the sunne being as then still powerfull vpon the earth many vapors are drawen vp But bicause the succeeding day hath still a longer night then the precedent and for that it was also warmer it is necessarie that the vapor should thicken and afterwardes descend And when the earth is moistned then that which did descend is againe attracted lying then vpon the superficies of the earth and being still somewhat deeper then before Whereof are made not onely raines but also rainie and windie cloudes Difference of raine water and earth water Thus haue we in summe then the forme of dewes and raine and the diuersitie of their course and how the earthly and heauenly waters differ from one another the raine water retaining more of the aire and being much purer and lighter then that which doth alwaies remaine in the earth For in comparison of terrestriall water it is like water distilled through a limbeck And yet how light soeuer it be it must neuertheles be heauier then the aire and especially when it is frozen within the cloudes and conuerted into snow or haile which is like stones of ice Wherein it seemeth that this rule of nature and naturall philosophie is not generally true which affirmeth That euery heauie thing doth alwaies drawe downwards considering there are waters hanged in the aire which is much lighter then the waters that it sustaineth Wherefore we must say Cloudes are in the aire as ships are vpon the waters that cloudes are in the aire in the region that is assigned vnto them in such sort as ships are in the water For none doubteth but that stones iron lead and all other mettals yea infinite other things of lesse waight are heauier then the water yet we neuertheles doe behold that there is no burthen so waightie but the water doth easily support it by meanes of a boat or a wooden ship or a galley which shall be euen of it selfe a great and heauie loade And yet the water which will sustaine such a charge cannot beare vp a pinne or a naile or a small peece of gold or siluer or a little stone but all shall sinke to the bottome Now the cause of all these effects is in the participation that the wood hath with the aire which maketh it much lighter then the other bodies which are more solide and massie For by reason that the wood is more open and more loose to giue way to the aire it receiueth lightnes thereof which causeth it to floate vpon the water whereas the other more terrestriall bodies doe sinke thereinto So then the aire sustaineth by meanes of the cloudes the waters which they containe inclosed within them euen as the sea and great riuers sustaine grosse and heauie burthens by meanes of ships For though the cloudes doe consist of water themselues and are engendred of it being drawne into the aire through blowing of the windes and afterwards massed vp in one bodie as we haue already vnderstood yet doe they subsist of a water lesse terrestriall and more airie then those waters which flowe here belowe for which cause they are also more light and more easily sustained by the aire vpon which they floate like ships vpon the sea and other waters And afterwardes when the cloudes returne into their first nature of water and when they be opened to let fall the waters which they containe the water which proceedeth from them doth resume also his proper course according to the naturall heauines thereof and returneth downwards descending to the earth And as ships sinke downe into the water when they are ouercharged as likewise the charges and burdens wherewith they are laden when they are split or broken by violence of windes or by some other force which maketh them dash one against another and against the rocks so is it with the cloudes and with the things which they beare and with the windes also wherewith they are driuen or else are inclosed within them which make a great noise when they striue to issue out so that the cloudes are rent and cracke as the thunders testifie vnto vs and the tempests lightnings and thunder claps which proceede from them as also the great deluges of water which showre downe with great violence and furie But we haue staied long ynough in this matter let vs now consider of the maruellous prouidence of God which shineth in the dispensation of the raine and heauenly waters As AMANA I leaue to you to discourse Of the fertilitie caused by dewes and raine and of the prouidence of God therein Chap. 50. AMANA IN vaine shall we consider in meteors the works of nature which are therein proposed very great and excellent as our precedent speech doth manifest if we doe not learne in the same to consider and acknowledge the prouidence of God gouerning all things as it reuealeth it selfe in sundry sorts For all these goodly visible works must serue vs as images of the inuisible and spirituall things so that all the creatures of God may be competent iudges to condemne vs if by them we doe not learne to acknowledge their and our creator and to obey and honor him as behooueth vs we neede no other iudges I say to make vs vnexcusable before the throne of Gods iustice Rom. 1. according to the testimonie of Saint Paul sith he hath as it were made visible to the eie his diuinitie his power his bountie and his wisdome through his works and that so neere vnto vs as almost to be touched with our owne hands For as this holy apostle in another place saith he is neere to euery one of vs Acts. 17. so that howsoeuer we be blind yet should we at least finde him by groping like those that want sight For he neuer wāteth very euident witnes amongst men in cōferring benefits vpon them namely in giuing them raine from heauen and fruitful seasons according to the subiect we are now to speake of Let vs know then that it is he who
which make the distinctions of eight other windes called sub-principall and which compound their names of their two next collaterall windes expressing the most notable first to wit North-northeast North-northwest South-southeast South-southwest East-northeast East-southeast West-northwest West-south-west Moreouer they that frequent the Mediterran sea as Greekes and Italians do cal the north Transmontano the south Austro east Leuante west Ponante northeast Greco northwest Maestro southeast Sirocho southwest Garbin and so of them compound the names of the other eight windes which are betwixt them as hath beene before declared And we must note that the windes haue commonly euery one their turne in such sort that when one opposite wind ceaseth and is laid his contrarie riseth Notable things in the windes But if at any time the next winde to that which ceaseth begin to blowe it runs byas-wise from left hand to right as the sun doth and one may know the fourth daie of the moone what winde will raigne longest during her time But the easterne windes do longer endure then those which rise towards the west And the sunne doth strengthen the winde and also appease it for at his rising setting they are commonly greatest at noone he calmeth them especially in sommer The winde is also commonly found to lie still either at midday or at midnight for it doth alwaies cease either through great colde or through vehement heate Likewise the raine doth make it cease whereupon this prouerbe sprung vp that little raine allaieth much winde But it is woondrous that the windes which are as it were but a puffe should performe such things as men could not doe with their hands yea though there were a multitude togither For how many people neede there be yea horses and oxen yoked togither to breake burst and pull vp the great and mightie trees which the winde abateth ouerturneth breaketh and rooteth vp with a blast onely And herein we haue goodly matter againe Testimonies of the diuine omnipotencie in the windes whereby to profite in the acknowledgement of the soueraigne maiestie and almightie prouidence of the creator and gouernour of all nature For it is certaine that as the Lord manifesteth himselfe to men such as they may comprehend him to be when he calleth the sound and noise of thunder his voice that he performeth admirable things as we haue alreadie noted we may perceiue that he doth the like also by violence of the windes And therefore the prophet saith I know that the Lord is great and that our God is aboue all Gods Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord Psal 135. that did he in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all the depths He bringeth vp the cloudes from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine he draweth foorth the winde out of his treasures Ierem. 10. It is he saith Ieremie that giueth by his voice the multitude of waters in the heauen and he causeth the cloudes to ascend from the ends of the earth he casteth out lightnings in the raine and bringeth foorth the windes out of his treasures The winde saith the Preacher goeth towarde the south Eccles 1. and compasseth toward the north the winde goeth round about and returneth by his circuits Now if the blasts of the winds be so strong it must needes be that the bellowes out of which they are blowen must be puissant and mightie For although it is written of the wicked Psal 10. that they are so proud and doe presume so much of their force and power that they seeme to be able to ouerthrow men townes and fortified places onely with a blast yet neuertheles it is the Lord who hath the power to abate them and all the loftie and stout with all their forts and bulwarks For all the windes togither are but as one little puffe which passeth from his mouth Wherefore if in breathing onely he driueth and remooueth heauen earth and the sea and all this world performing actes so great and woonderfull what may we esteeme of his soueraigne force when he would imploy his whole power For there is neither winde nor thunder nor deluges of water nor any thing that is comparable to the wrath of God and to the power which he hath to execute his vengeance vpon his enemies But he emploieth his creatures as the ministers of his wrath when and how he pleaseth And therefore the diuine poet in his canticles wishing liuely to describe the assistance that God had shewed him Psal 18. in deliuering him out of the hands of the wicked and in punishing them he proposeth him comming accompanied with fearefull thunders with thicke cloudes with vehement windes and stormes with lightnings tempests great raine hard haile and darke weather so that the foundations of the sea and of the earth couered with waters were discouered and the earth was mooued and trembled the mountaines shooke and bowed bicause of the furie of the wrath of the Lord. For indeede who is God but the Lord and who is mightie but our God Now it is certaine that bicause men cannot comprehēd the greatnes of the power and wrath of God against the wicked the holy Ghost doth often speake of naturall things by the prophets for to make them vnderstand by that which is visible in nature and which may most astonish and affray them So then if we shall consider so many excellent points of doctrine concerning the prouidence of God as are taught vs in the schoole of nature by meanes of the meteors as we haue hitherto discoursed of the cloudes thunders lightnings stormes flouds of water windes whirlewindes and tempestes they will serue vs no lesse for preachers then the celestiall bodies doe to manifest vnto vs especially the iudgements and heauie plagues of the almightie and to make vs oftner thinke thereupon then we doe as also the raines by the fertilitie which they cause in the earth will minister matter vnto vs to acknowledge his blessing and perpetuall grace vpon those who feare and honour him Wherefore wee haue rested long ynough in that which particularly concerneth and is dependent vpon the two higher elements the fire and the aire sauing that before we intreat of the earth and of the water and of the principall things worthy of consideration in them we wil say somewhat concerning the birdes of the aire seeing that we haue already comprised them as in truth they must be amongst the things conioyned and depending vpon the higher elements I will leaue you then ACHITOB to discourse vpon their nature Of the foules of the aire and namely of the Manucodiata of the Eagle of the Phenix and of other wilde foule Chap. 52. ACHITOB. HAuing discoursed though simply like disciples of Christian doctrine and not like masters and professors of naturall philosophie vpon the two higher elements the fire and the aire and hauing considered their nature and effects and the things engendred in them and by them it falleth very fitly for vs
about it is of a round and circular figure in all parts for as for the mountaines valleies they are insensible in regard of the whole globe of earth The roundnes whereof doth euidently declare it selfe by the shadow thereof which sheweth it selfe in the eclipses of the moone to be round for it could not seeme so if the earth were not also of the same forme Moreouer the diuers and certaine supputation that Astronomers calculate concerning the times of the eclipses of the moone according as the places are more orientall or more occidentall doth manifestly conclude the same round forme so also doth the natural inclination of all the parts of the earth and of the water who stil tend downe declining to a lower place and this common descent of euerie part causeth this round figure The earth is of insensible quantitie Consequently it is to be noted that this earthly frame although it be in it selfe of maruellous greatnes yet is it of verie little and insensible quantitie in regard and comparison not onely of all the firmament but also of the sphere of the sunne the same earth being but as a point in the middest of the whole world which is apparantly demonstrated by the foresaid equalities of the daies and nights and by the obseruations of the courses of the celestiall bodies and chiefly of the sunne taken here below by instruments fit for such effects in such maner as if one were in the center of the world For in a little space that one may passe here vpon the earth proceeding from one place to another the view and disposition of heauen doth change and varie notably And in an open plaine place wherein one may stand vpon the earth or be in the sea they may alwaies discouer the one halfe of heauen All which things declare as we haue said that the earth and the water make a round globe which is but as a point and center in regard of the vniuersall world So much for the situation immobilitie figure That the earth onely meriteth the title of a mother and quantitie of the earth which onely aboue all other elements hath merited the title of a mother by reason of the great good which it affoordeth to all breathing liuing creatures For this gentle mother receiueth vs when we are borne shee nourisheth vs being borne she maintaineth and sustaineth vs being nourished and finally when the other elements refuse and leaue vs she receiueth vs into her bosome and couereth vs hauing as it were a perpetuall care of vs. Moreouer she riseth not vp against man as other creatures doe For the water conuerts it selfe into raine snowe and haile it swelleth in surges and waues and ouerfloweth all with flouds the aire thickeneth and ladeth it selfe with cloudes out of which proceede stormes and tempests and the fire is often cause of strange calamities vpon earth But this gentle and debonaire mother maketh hir selfe as a slaue to serue for all the commodities of man For how many things doe we cause hir to beare by force and how many things doth she bestowe of hir owne goodwill What odours and perfumes what sauours what iuices what and how many sorts of colours With what exchaunge and interest doth shee restore that which is lent hir How many sundry things doth shee nourish for man What quantitie of pretious mettals doth shee conceiue and keepe in hir entrailes for his vse Of two kindes of earth And therefore it seemeth that the earth subsisteth not of one onely kinde and indeede Aristotle diuideth it into two the one fossible which may bee digged and the other transmutable which may change qualitie For the fossible earth it doth alwaies remaine the same and is very earth but the transmutable remaineth not the same in kinde and in view for it conuerteth it selfe into mettall or into iuice or into some other matter But before wee doe proceede vnto the consideration of so many admirable effectes produced by the earth wee may now here beholde that we haue summarily set downe particulars enough wherin we may learne to acknowledge the infinite power wisedome and bountie of God the creator Testimonies of the power of God Isay 6. and how according to the testimonie of the angels all the earth is full of his glorie For first of all is not this a great woonder that the earth which is so huge a masse and the heauiest element of all the rest should be hanged in the aire in the midst of the world being so counterpoised that it sustaineth as one may say all the other elements and that it is inuironed by them and by all the other spheres and celestiall bodies it remaining firme for euer not moouing from the place thereof For where are the columnes and the pillers which beare and sustaine it and vpon what foundation are they founded And therefore it is not without cause â—ob 38. that the Lord saith to Iob minding to cause him to acknowledge his power maiestie where wast thou when I laide the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast vnderstanding who hath laide the measure thereof if thou knowest Or who hath stretched the line ouer it to wit to signe and marke out the foundations thereof whereupon are the foundations thereof set Or who hath laid the corner stone thereof And afterwards he addeth It is turned as clay to fashion Wherein it seemeth that he had reference to that that he created the earth as all this great visible world in round forme because it is the most capable of all formes that may be Behold then the testimonie that God himselfe deliuereth to Iob his seruant of the admirable creation of the earth Psal 104. And to the same purpose the kingly prophet saith that God did forme the earth vpon the bases therof that is to say vpon firme foundations so that it shall neuer mooue But what may we say then to the motions and tremblings of the earth which haue euer been knowne and are ordinarily seene This might seeme repugnant to that which Dauid here speaketh and to that which we haue deliuered concerning the immobilitie and firmenes of the earth And therefore mine aduise is that pursuing this discourse we should consider the causes of such tremblings to the end that we may know how that the earth faileth not to remaine euer firme though such shakings happen in some parts thereof which ACHITOB let vs heare of you Of earth-quakes Chap. 56. ACHITOB. FOrasmuch as the earth is not onely heauie by nature but euen the heauiest of all elements and is heaped vp and compacted togither in the midst of the great vniuersall world as the point and center thereof it therefore followeth that it is immooueable and without any naturall motion For if it had any as the other elements haue it is certaine that it must be downwards But bicause that God hath placed the earth in the midst of all his works towards which all heauy
things tende and descende it cannot descende lower then it is by the nature thereof And therefore bicause it is solide and thicke and not liquide and fluent as the water and the aire it cannot glide as they doe nor remooue out of one place into another if it be not by some violence elsewhere mooued and made to stirre and tremble somewhere as it hath happened through diuers and maruellous earthquakes of which histories and the holy scripture it selfe doe giue euidence We must note then that there are diuers sortes of motions by which the earth is so shaken that it lifteth and casteth some parts sometimes vpwardes sometimes downewards Of diuers sorts of earthquakes And it is long of such motions and tremblings that there haue such masses and heapes beene cast out of it that great isles haue beene newly made as Geographers doe witnesse namely the isle of Rhodes and of Selos It sometimes also happeneth that the motions of the earth bee such that it openeth like a great gulph whereinto some parts thereof are cleane swallowed vp and deuoured togither with the countries and townes scituate therein so that there hath beene no marke left of them no more then as if they had neuer beene And it hath often hapned in such cases that some mountaines haue fallen one against another bicause the earth which was betwixt them hath sunck and beene swallowed cleane vp And then one might say that the prouerb is not euer true which saith that two mountaines neuer meet There is yet another kinde of motion wherein the earth mooueth and shaketh sometimes one way sometimes another way and tottereth like a ship that floateth on the water Which kinde of trembling is most dangerous as also when all the motion runneth one way Then is there yet another motion which philosophers properly call trembling to wit when two motions are opposite one to another as if two rammes should rush one against another And this is least daungerous of all although indeede they bee all very fearefull yet the feare is much greater when the tremblings continue with horrible and fearefull sounds like the bellowing of buls and as if the earth and all nature quaked and groaned beeing sore pressed and forced as is oftentimes seene â— the causes of earthquakes Now for the causes of all these kindes of earthquakes I may well say that there is no point in all naturall philosophie wherein the professors of this science finde themselues more intricately intangled nor wherein they more differ in opinions then in this For the Chaldeans and Astronomers referre the causes of motions and earthquakes to the heauen to the starres and to the planets and many philosophers assigne it to the water And yet those which are of this opinion differ amongst themselues For some suppose that the earth floateth vpon the water like a ship bicause it is enuironed with water according to the naturall order of the disposition of the elements whereby it is diuersly mooued Others doe attribute the cause of earthquakes to those waters onely which are inclosed within the vaines and caues of the earth Some also to the fire and some to the windes shut vp within it and some to the heate chased by the colde which striueth against it and causeth it to search an issue out For as the water vndermineth the earth and those places through which it doth passe euen so may the fire doe and if either of them be so inclosed that they cannot finde an easie issue they striue then to doe it by force and violence So doe the windes and the heate chased by the cold So then if the earth be vndermined it is no maruell if the vpper part sinke and fall downe being swallowed vp as into a gulfe considering that the earth bicause of the heauines thereof tendeth alwaies downward towardes the center thereof which is the midst of it and of all the worlde And if the waters or the fire or the windes inclosed and shut vp in the earth or the contrarie qualities which contend one with another cannot finde a passage or issue their power is so great that they constraine the earth which resisteth them and by forcing it make it to cleaue and open and to remooue and to shake in those places wherein it is forced Concerning all which things one may make a neere coniecture Of the force and violence in artillerie by the force and violence which is seene in ordinance and artillerie For euery one beholdeth what force there is by meanes of fire and of the matter inclosed within to wit powder and of the contrarie qualities wherof it is compounded and of the winde that therein is ingendred not onely to driue out with maruellous violence all the charge that therein is but also many times to burst the peece it selfe if there be any resistance to hinder it that it discharge not quickly or if it be not well made and very strong and well proportioned to the charge We behold also what a winde there issueth out and what noise it maketh and how the noise makes the earth to sound and tremble and oftentimes it happeneth that this onely winde killeth those that stand neere the cannons mouth such is the violence thereof although they be not touched at all with the bullet that it shooteth But wee beholde more cleerely in mines which are made vnder ground the violence of this powder when it is therein inclosed with the fire which is set thereto by traines For there is neither towne nor castle be they neuer so well founded nor any fortresse which is not onely shaken but ouerturned also like as by an horrible earth-quake Wherein we may note how that it hath not beene sufficient for men to counterfeit thunders and lightnings in artillerie but they haue also inuented the meanes to represent the motions and shakings of the earth in such manner as we haue signified There are some philosophers also Earthquakes compared to agues who haue taught that the same reason is in earthquakes as there is in the shaking of mens bodies and that they are like feuers and maladies of the earth which come vnto it through diuers causes saue that they hold not all the bodie thereof as they doe in men but onely some partes of it For they argue that the water is in the earth as the blood which hath his course through the vaines of mans bodie and the winde is as the vitall spirits which passe through the arteries thereof And as there happen diuers stoppings in the bodie which hinder the blood and vitall spirits that they cannot keepe their right course and ordinarie passage whereupon their order is troubled and the bodie pained in such sort that grones ensue and difficultie of breathing shakings and such like accidents So is it with the bodie of the earth when any thing happens to it contrarie to the naturall disposition thereof by the meanes which we haue already heard whether by water by fire
forward the floud decreaseth so that the third quarter it is in the same state wherein it was the first quarter Neuerthelesse when the waining moone is halfe round the floud beginneth to rise But when she is in coniunction with the sunne the tide riseth as high as at full moone And when the moone is high and septentrionall the tide is not so vehement as when she is meridionall bicause that being then more neere to the earth she doth the more exercise hir power But many haue indeuoured in this matter to vnderstand Why the ocean doth differ in flowing from other seas why the flowings of the Ocean sea doe reach farther then those of the other Mediterranean seas wherein the ebbings and flowings doe not appeere as in the Ocean Which may be said to proceed because that a thing which is entire hath more power then any part which is separated Also the high sea retayneth in it selfe more of the power of the Moone which worketh vpon it at ease and pleasure beyond all comparison more forcibly then vpon other seas which are narrower and minister lesse meanes to this planet to exercise her rule therein From whence it commeth to passe that lakes and riuers do neuer flow And for the Mediterranean seas they are enclosed about with the earth as in an hauen though there bee some places or some armes of the same seas verie broad Some likewise are verie much subiect to the Moone as the Adriaticke gulfe wherein Venice is builded which ebbeth and floweth twise euerie day like the Ocean And it is to bee noted that such motions are better perceiued on the shore and sea-coasts then in the midst thereof euen as the pulse of the arteries is better knowne in the extremes of the bodie then in the bulk thereof Other causes of the flowing and ebbing of the sea Some also do render this cause of the flowing and ebbing of the sea to wit that though the waters thereof be salt yet were not this sufficient for their conseruation no more then of their neighbor the aire if they had not a continuall motion For we see that sea-water doth presently corrupt beeing in a vessel and not mooued Many also haue noted that in euery reuolution or course of the moone the tyde resteth for three daies long to wit the 7. 8. and 9. day thereof and that when shee is at full all seas do purge themselues by scummes Certainely it is woondrous to see what power this planet hath not onely ouer the waters but also ouer the earth and ouer all liuing creatures Of the power of the moone ouer all creatures Which hath ministred occasion to many Philosophers to suppose that the moone was that quickning-spirit which nourisheth the earth and that also by hir inconstant course approching diuers waies to the inferior bodies shee produced diuers effects sometimes replenishing them and sometimes leauing them void empty Whereof it commeth that all fishes hauing scales and shels do encrease and decrease according to the course of the moone and that all liuing creatures also which haue bloud do feele themselues refreshed when shee renueth It is likewise supposed that the bloud augmenteth or diminisheth in man according as the moone encreaseth or waineth yea that herbes and trees do partake of hir power Aristotle also doth note that those creatures which are readie to die do die onely when the sea ebbeth But in this matter as in all things which do concerne the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean wee must euer haue recourse to the ordinance that the Eternall father of the vniuers hath established in all his creatures according to which they perseuer in obedience to their creator without transgressing one title of his lawes as wee haue a notable example in the sea and in the waters which containe themselues in such admirable sort as in our former speech is declared within their bounds and limits A maruailous inundation of waters in the yeere 1530. And if at any time they ouerflowe as whilome happened in Holland where the water brake through the dams and banks wherewith the countrie is bounded swallowing vp the coast-townes with an incredible losse of men and riches as also at the same time Tiber did so ouerflowe at Rome that it rose in the fields the height of a lance ruinating in fower and twenty howers many bridges and stately edifices the endommagement whereof comprising therein the mooueable goodes lost was esteemed to amount to the value of three millions of golde there being aboue three thousand persons choaked and drowned Such deluges I say doe not come to passe what natural causes soeuer the learned force themselues to render without the expresse command and ordinance of God who will after this sort vse the water to take vengeance vpon those whom he pleaseth to wash from off the face of the earth as being vnwoorthie to dwell longer thereupon And so he himselfe hath prophesied vnto vs saying Luke 21. There shall bee signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and waters shall roare Adding afterwards For the powers of heauen shall be shaken Moreouer we may say that although the celestiall bodies haue no more life sense and vnderstanding then the earth and the sea yet neuertheles they haue as it were a secret feeling by nature of the maiestie of God their creator who causeth them to rise vp against men for their rebellion and wickednes Surely when we see them rise and stand vp against men to worke them euill in stead of doing them good contrarie to the end of their first creation we must consider of them as if they enuied and denied to serue men any more which turne disloyall ingratefull and peruerse towards him from whom their totall good proceedeth As the sunne did witnes when it waxed darke at the death of our Redeemer depriuing those of his light which were risen vp against the eternal Sonne of God that had created them For it is certaine that the creatures do grone and trauell altogither as the scripture saith till such time as Iesus Christ shall come in iudgement Rom. 8. Acts. 3. which is the day of the restitution and restoring of all things foretold by the prophets And which day being neere it is no maruell if God doe daily shew his particular iudgements vpon men to put them in minde of this generall and vniuersall iudgement whereto heauen earth the sea and all creatures shall come togither and therefore also he giueth them so many signes of his wrath by thunders tempests deluges and inundations of water as we haue made mention But let vs proceed to contemplate his other works and great woonders which abound euery where both in the earth and in the sea in other terrestriall waters by which very many commodities do redound to men thorough the prouidence of God And first we will speake of the
it is singular good against hot and contagious feuers This same iuice is of so strong and pearsing vertue that if you powre it out twise or thrise fresh and wash whole pearles therewith steeping them in it and afterwards expose them to the sunne they will within fiue or six daies become as soft as honie in such sort that you may fashion them how you list Likewise if you steepe for certaine howers golde therein it wil diminish in waight In briefe limons doe not much differ from the vertue and nature of citrons but they are commonly somewhat lesse longer and not of so thicke a rinde fuller of iuice sharper in taste almost alike in seede of colour pale Oranges are more round and being ripe they haue a very orient golden colour Of Oranges and of their fruit their peele is thicker then that of limons and more bitter The iuice within whereof they be full is not in all of one taste for some are sweete some sower and some tart Orange-trees are alwaies greene like citron-trees They haue leaues like laurell broad thicke smooth sweete and pointed Their branches likewise are flexible pricklie and couered with a greene whitish coloured barke Their blossomes are white of a very excellent smell and are diligently gathered by perfumers where there is any quantitie for the composition of perfumes Some also distill water of them not onely for the excellencie of the smell thereof but also to serue in medicine especially against pestilent feuers which cause blisters Being taken in drinke it is very profitable when neede requireth to haue infected humors euacuated out of the inner part of the bodie to the outtermost part by sweatings for this water doth cause much sweating and doth greatly comfort the hart The peele of oranges is hotter sharper and bitterer in taste then that of citrons and limons And sweete oranges are hot in all parts but the iuice of all others is cold and resisteth corruption Wherefore they are good against feuers which the sweete are not Moreouer their iuice pressed out of the rinde doth easily inflame and doth also penetrate through great tenuitie within a glasse euen to the wine therein contained Of the Oliue-tree The oliue-tree also is excellent amongst trees and doth require a warme and temperate aire as is that of Prouence It is planted of twigs faire and fruitful yoong branches pulled from off the boughes of the tree being very thicke and of a foote and halfe long Oliue-trees haue long pointed leaues thicke smooth greene aboue and whitish vnderneath bitter in taste and somewhat sharpe They bud in Iulie and haue white flowers hanging in clusters out of which grow the fruit greene at first and as they ripen paler then waxe they purple and at last turne blacke They are gathered in the latter moneths of the yeere being no sooner ripe They are strowed vpon the floore till such time as they become wrinckled Afterwards they are ground and then put into the presse with hot water and so they yeeld their oile The wood of the oliue-tree is faire full of veines speckled massie and burneth as well greene as drie It is in no wise subiect to vermine especially so long as it is planted bicause of the odour thereof which is strong yea it defendeth all other plants therefrom which are neere vnto it as likewise through the bitternesse thereof it causeth Cabbages and Lettuse to die and all other moist herbes which are sowed in the plot with it Of the vse of Oliues Oliues are gathered for two occasions either that oile may be extracted out of them or that they may be reserued for bankets wherein they are serued to excite the appetite but all kindes of oliues doe not serue indifferently for these two vses for the greatest are best to eate and the least to drawe oile out of They which are kept for feasts are conserued in brine and salted vineger in such sort as they retaine their naturall verdure For the propertie of the oliue it hath in it a very restringent vertue for the decoction of the leaues in a clyster staieth the flux of the bellie and the iuice pressed out of the leaues with white wine and raine water restraineth all manner of bloodie flixe The licour which distilleth out of the greene wood as it burneth healeth the itch tetters and ringwormes New oliues being eaten prouoke the appetite and get a good stomacke although they harden the bellie Being very ripe they are moderately hot otherwise they are more binding and cooling The oile that is extracted out of oliues is of singular vertue being either applied outwardly or taken inwardly according to the indisposed parts of the bodie it looseneth and mollifieth the bellie dulleth the malice of poysons and doth subtilly driue them away yea if any venim or burning happen on the skin of the bodie and begin to make an vlcer or sore there nothing is better to heale this hurt then to annoint it with new fresh oile of oliues The Pomegranate tree also is to bee no lesse esteemed of Of the Pomegranate tree and of the fruit thereof then the forenamed trees because of the excellency of the fruit thereof The leaues of it resemble those of the Oliue-tree of a darck-greene colour very thick and full of many red strakes hanging by a red stalke The branches are pliable and full of prickles The blossomes red and open like bels the mouth of them cut in fashion of a star out of which proceede thinne red leaues with certaine small seedes hanged by the midst like them in a rose The fruit is couered with a rinde like vnto leather red without and yealow within full of infinite pointed graines red full of a wine-like iuyce with a stone in them And these graines are separated one from another with maruailous cunning of nature by fine thin yealow skinnes Moreouer there are three sorts of Pomegranates sweete sharpe and winie And the qualitie of them all is restringent but not alike For by their tast you may iudge of their difference And their graines are more binding drying then their iuice the rinde more then the graines and the blossomes haue the same virtue with the fruit And the powder of a Pomegranate dryed in an ouen in a new earthen pot close stopped beeing taken in drinck is maruailous singular to stay the flux of the bellie The leaues also of a Pomegranate tree well beaten or the iuice of them mixed with oile of roses doth verie much ease inueterated paines of the head beeing often laide to the forehead The boughes of this tree do chase away venemous beasts for which cause the ancients were wont to lay them ouer and vnder their beds The decoction of the root beeing drunck doth also kill great wormes in the belly and doth void them out Now haue wee said enough concerning trees for the subiect by vs vndertaken To morrow wee will discourse of the most singular hearbes and rootes to the
rather short then long his head great his throate wide thicke lips bigge hanging eares his eies blew and blacke burning and sparkling his necke thicke and short his brest large and rough his shoulders broad legs thicke and hairy and a short and thicke taile which is a signe of force for the long and small taile noteth swiftnes his pawe and nailes great his barking high bigge and fearefull aboue all vigilant and very watchfull not running heere and there but staied and more slowe then hastie Hunting hounds are of sundrie sorts Of Dogs for the chase They which are swift are either white or browne or gray or blacke And the white are best for they are well winded quicke fierce wil not leaue the chase for any heat whatsoeuer neither will breake off for the prease of hunters nor for the noise and cry of men and they obserue change better then any other kinde of hound and are more certaine but they feare the water somewhat especially in winter-time If they bee cleane white or spotted with red they are the better The browne doth second them and are of a great courage forward quicke and fierce fearing neither water nor cold but they cannot endure heate and are not so easie to gouerne as the white The graie are not so quicke and furious as the rest neither yet the blacke who are commonly the biggest bodied Yet there are good dogs of all haires and colours but to choose a faire and good hound indeed these signes must be obserued His head must be meanly thick more long then flat his nosthrils wide and open eares broad and reasonable thicke crooked reines thicke loines bigge and large hanches faire thighes the right hamme-ioint well knit the taile thicke neere to the raines and the rest small to the end the haire vnder his bellie rough a thicke legge and the pawe of his foote drie and like to the pawe of a foxe great nailes as high behinde as before and the dogge must be short and crooked but the bitch must bee long For open nosthrils declare the dogge to be well winded crooked raines and straight hams signifie quicknes the taile thicke neere to the raines long and small to the end denote strength and force in the raines and that the hound is well breathed haire rough vnder the belly declareth that he is painefull fearing neither water nor colde a thicke legge foxes foote and great nailes demonstrate that he is not heauie footed and that he is strong in members to runne long without tiring Besides houndes there be grey-hounds bloud hounds water-spaniels tumblers and mungrels all which are of diuers kindes but our meaning is not to set downe an entire narration thereof considering that it is not necessarie for that purpose which we haue decreed in our discourses Wherefore we will content our selues to note in generall that there is no beast of greater sense and loue nor more docible then the dog For there be few things fit for the pleasure of man but may he easily taught to this kinde of creatures especially in all points concerning hunting Also histories abound with testimonies of their knowledge and loue towards those that nourish them Plinie reporteth of a dog Hist nat lib. 8. c. 40. which defended his master being assayled by theeues till such time as they had slaine him and that after his death the dog would not leaue his bodie but kept it both from the birds and from other wilde beasts that would haue deuoured it That another dog also knowing one amongst a troupe of people that had slaine his master flew vpon him and bit him with such furie that the murtherer was constrained to confesse the cause of the dogs rage reuealing his owne misdeed Now speak we of the horse Of the Horse which of al beasts is most profitable for man and is full of meeknes and docilitie He is praised in seuen and twentie conditions of which he seemeth to take three of the woman to wit yoong age meeknes of maners and beawtie three of the lion courage force and to be tall before not bowing in the midst nor higher before then behinde three of the Eagle a good eie a little head and to beare his head straight and aloft three of the oxe the foote great thighes moderately thicke and short and strong ioints three of the hart quicknes deliuernes to runne and leape well and lightnes three of the asse strong hoofes an hard skin and a strong and able backe three of the foxe a faire taile agilitie and a faire skinne three of the goose to eate well and quicke and to digest it to haue full bowels and in his pace his feete equally distant without enterfiering and three which are proper to himselfe a quicke and easie pace liuelines promptnes and gallantnes of hart and readines to obey the bridle and spurre without being slow therein If then we will know when an horse is perfectly faire That which is required in a faâ—â—e Horse we must first note that he haue a small head a gallant and faire forehead drie and cleane flesh great and blacke eies and standing out short sharpe and straight eares little drie and thinne lips and not vneuen a wide throat big open and red nosthrils his neck neither too short nor too long but meane loftie not too fat and crooked like an arch and vault with a fine curled long maine also that he haue a large breast soft and bearing out like that of a doue big boned legs but leane and drie of flesh straight high and euen from the foote to the knee thicke long fat sinewie and fleshie thighes but yet answerable to his buttockes sides and flanks high heeles thicke and short ioints and not close to the hoofe which must be hard high round blacke and hollow he must also haue the backe short not bunched nor high like an asses back but euen not too high nor too low broad long great straight and well flesht shoulders a smooth strong massiue thicke and as it were a double crupper a short taile of bone smal strong long haired which he must beare close betwixt his thighes a large and round flanke full sides and long aboue the belly which must be round small and well set vnder the sides that must be broad and long with a little distance from the hinder part to the ioint of the haunch and with small and equall cods How an Horse is good Moreouer he must haue to be good a stately pace a deliuer trot a swift gallop a light course a bounding and sudden leap an assured and readie pace quicke at hand and prompt to turne euerie way to recule backe and to runne suddenly forward not stamping or ratling with his bit nor kicking against the spur but conforming himselfe to the will of his master without starting or being afraid of any thing that he seeth heareth or feeleth not flinging and kicking amongst other horses In a word that horse
defend vs that they direct our waies and haue care of vs in all things Psal 34. Genes 24. And therefore Abraham promised his seruant that the angell of God should be his guide on the way And so often and so many times as God would deliuer the people of Israel out of the hands of their enimies Iudg. 2.6 13. he was serued by his angels to performe this deed 2. King 19. Isay 37. as wee read that the angell of the Lord slew in one night an hundred fowerscore and fiue thousand men in the campe of the Assyrians to deliuer Ierusalem from siege But to stande no longer in so cleere a matter Matth. 4. Luk. 22. Matth. 28. Luk. 24. Acts. 1. I will onely adde this that is said that the angels ministred to Iesus Christ after he was tempted in the desert and that they assisted him in his anguish at the time of his passion and that they published his resurrection and his glorious comming Of the number order names and offices of the angels Dan. 7. But to determine of the number and orders of Angels were me thinketh aboue all humane power For Daniel speaking of the Maiestie of the throne of God saith Thousand thousands of Angels ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him Psal 68. Apocal. 5. And Dauid singeth the chariots of God are twentie thousand thousand Angels Saint Iohn also maketh mention of ten thousand times ten thousand and a thousand thousand that giue glorie to God Matth. 26. and Iesus Christ himselfe witnesseth that there are many legions In briefe all the Scripture reporteth of an infinite number of Angels seruing God whom he employeth in the protection of his elect and by whom he bestoweth his benefits vpon men and doth his other works And for their orders although they be not noted in expresse text of Scripture yet the different names whereby they are described haue affoorded matter subiect to Saint Denis in his celestiall Hierarchie to Iamblicus in his booke of Mysteries to many other moderne diuines to set downe nine orders and degrees of Angels to wit The Seraphins Cherubins Thrones Dominations Vertues Powers Principalities Archangels and Angels all which are celestiall spirits to whom the Scripture attributeth such and the like names according to the ministrie wherein God commandeth them to serue so applying them to our infirmitie For they are called Angels Ephes 1. Col. 1. because God maketh them his messengers to man and vertues because that by them God declareth the power of his hand and Principalities Dominations Powers Signiories because that by them God exerciseth his empire throughout all the world and his armies Luk. 2. Apocal. 19. because as souldiers are about their Prince and captaine so are they present before God to honor his Maiestie and attend his good pleasure to employ themselues about all things that he gaueth them in charge yea sometimes they are named Gods because that by their ministerie they do as it were in a mirrour represent vnto vs the image of God And we see that S. Dan. 12. 1. Thes 4. Dan 10. 12. Michael is called in Daniel the great Prince or captaine and Archangel in S. Iude. And Saint Paule saith that it shall be an Archangell who shall summon the world with a trumpet vnto iudgement Daniel also declareth that the Angell of the Persians fought and also the Angell of the Greekes against their enimies as if he would shew that God hath sometimes appointed his Angels to be gouernours of countries and prouinces Matth. 18. And Iesus Christ telling how the Angels of little infants do alwaies behold the face of his father declareth thereby that there are certaine Angels who haue them in guard Saint Peter also being miraculously come forth of prison Acts. 12. and knocking at the house wherein the faithfull were assembled they that could not thinke that it was he said that it was his angel Yet for al these considerations I hold it a thing of too difficult enterprise for mortall man to constitute and appoint which are the degrees of honor among the Angels and particularly to distinguish one from another by any name or title and to assigne to euerie one his place his abode and office We will therefore leaue these things for curious heads to dispute vpon Yet will we hold our selues ascertained of that which the holy Scripture doth openly declare vnto vs and which may best serue vs to our comfort and for the confirmation of our faith that is That the Angels Gods creatures are disposers and ministers of his beneficence towards vs that such kind of beleefe is a certaine argumēt against Atheists concerning the prouidence of God Of the blessed estate of the angels And for the blessed estate of these celestiall spirits it is certaine that for as much as they haue no whit swarued frō the light wherein God created them they remaine in blessednes and felicitie from which they shall neuer more fall Now if we demaund what this felicitie is Without doubt it is the vision and contemplation of the glorie and Maiestie of God whose face as we said euen now they alwaies behold and to whom they giue praise without ceasing singing with a loude voice this song as Esay declareth Isay 6. Holy holy holy is the Lord of hostes all the earth is full of his glory For there is no good in the reasonable or intellectual creature through which it may become happy but God only Wherfore the cause of the felicitie and happines of the angels is for that they belong to God in such sort that their nature liueth in him is wise by him reioiceth euerlastingly in so great and ineffable a good without death without error without impediment Against those which deny that there are any angels I know well some men be so fantasticall that they make it a doubt whether there bee any angels or spirits The Sadduces in times past held this opinion that by the word Angel was signified nothing else but the motion that God inspireth into men or the power which he sheweth in his works But there are so many testimonies of Scripture which contradict this madnes and histories both ecclesiasticall and prophane are so replenished with woonderfull actes of inuisible spirits as we daily see come to passe that it is a wonder how such ignorance could be in former ages Error of some Philosophers and yet among many remaineth at this day There haue also beene men of great authoritie who discoursing according to the reasons of Philosophie haue dared to affirme that God the first father and author of all things did onely produce one intelligence or angell because say they being alwaies of one manner hee cannot by any naturall reason produce diuers thinges For this cause therefore they woulde limite the powerfull production of God to one onely intelligence which being created of God had recourse to the
by winde and such like Whereto we will adde also this opinion of those who attribute the cause of such motions and tremblings either to the drinesse of the earth which is the occasion that it cleaueth and chappeth and by this meanes giues open way to the aire and to the windes which penetrate thereinto or else bicause of the older age thereof to which they esteeme all creatures subiect whereupon it happeneth to it as to old buildings which being ruinous and almost rotten doe fall downe in some places of themselues These are the diuers opinions of men vpon this matter wherin if we desire to take a very short and sure way to attaine to the true cause wee must referre it to the wrath and iudgements of God bicause that what causes soeuer the learned can inuent the Eternall sheweth himselfe very powerful The true cause of earthquakes and the profit that wee may reape thereby and to be feared therein considering that he hath disposed all of them and that they all depend vpon him alone And surely this is a worke of the omnipotent woorthie to be woondred at and which may well cause men to mooue and tremble before his maiestie For if he shewe himselfe terrible and fearefull by deluges of water by haile thunder lightning stormes and tempests he doth no lesse by the motions and shakings of the earth which are in regarde thereof as thunders are in the aire For seeing that the earth is as the foot of the world and that it is assigned to men for their habitation whither is it that they may haue recourse if it quake vnder them and faile to sustaine them Whither shall they retire if she will allow them no more dwelling in hir but will spue them out as the scripture saith For if it be hard for them to flie before fire Leuit. 19. and before water and to finde harbour against windes thunders and tempests whither shall they flie if the earth will not receiue nor beare them And what dread may inuade them when sometimes it quaketh in such sort that it openeth and is swallowed vp as into a bottomlesse pitte as it came to passe when it swallowed Corah Dathan and Abiram and their families Nom. 16. Who will not bee astonished when it riseth vp ouerturning all euen the highest mountaines and hardest rockes and mooueth it selfe in such sort that it maketh houses and buildings dance like rammes and sheepe that would one butte at another wherewith many are vtterly destroied Examples of meruailous earth quakes as it happened in the yeere 1531. in the realme of Portugall which was so shaken by an earth-quake that at Lisbone the chiefe citie thereof there were ouerthrown almost twelue hundred houses besides a great number of others which were greatly spoiled This horrible earthquake continued the space of eight daies and gaue verie furious assaults fiue or sixe times a day And in the time of the Emperour Tiberius twelue cities in Asia were quite ruinated in one night by an earth-quake And Iosephus recordeth that by another Lib. 1 de bello Iud. thirtie thousand Iewes died So Iustine recounteth that by another earth-quake many cities were destroyed an hundred and seuentie thousand persons perished in the raigne of Tigranes in Armenia What causes then soeuer there may be in nature of so many terrible euents yet we must alwaies haue recourse to the Author and Gouernour thereof without whom it can performe nothing and he it is Psal 135. that bringeth earth-quakes out of his treasures as he doth the winds either by his commaundement without a meanes or by his ministers ordayned thereto or else by some power infused into things the which may according to his good pleasure display it selfe in effect to denounce his iudgments on men For he it is of whom the prophet speaketh The earth trembled and shaked and the foundations of the mountaines were mooued and quaked 2. Sam. 22. Psal 18. and the foundations of heauen were bowed and trembled because he was angrie Wherefore wee may verie well conclude Isay 66. Matth. 5. Acts. 7. that as God declareth his magnificence and woonderfull glorie in heauen which is assigned to bee his seat as his word teacheth vs and as we haue heretofore amply discoursed so likewise he doth manifest it no lesse in the earth which is his footstoole when he causeth it to shake and remooue as if being supprised with some great strong feuer it shooke trembled before him Iob. 9. And therefore Iob also saith The Eternall is wise in heart and mightie in strength who hath beene fierce against him and hath prospered He remooueth mountaines and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath He remooueth the earth out of her place that the pillers thereof do shake Iob. 26. the pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe But now let vs note that all that which we haue here deliuered disprooueth not the earth to remaine alwaies firme immooueable in it selfe in so much as it mooueth not out of the place which was appointed to it by God neither doth it swerue neuer so little considering that the moouings and tremblings are not vniuersall but particular onely in some places in such sort that the foundations thereof are not any whit altered And if we consider well of these things the Earth will serue no lesse for a preacher vnto vs then the aire and the fire yea then all heauen to denounce vnto vs the soueraigne maiestie of the Almightie ruling aboue all his workes as I hope to morrow we may haue goodly testimonies entreating of the water which is dispersed throughout the earth and afterwards speaking of the excellent commodities and pretious riches that these two elements doe yeeld to men into which matter you ASER shall enter with your dicourse The end of the seuenth day THE EIGHT DAIES WORKE Of the sea and of the waters and of the diuision and distribution of them throughout the earth Chap. 57. ASER. THE holy Scripture doth certifie vs how that in the beginning the earth was couered ouer with water and that it appeered not in any sort but onely vnder the forme of a great deepe till such time as God commaunded the waters to retire into the channels and places which hee had prepared for their aboade So that then the earth was discouered euen so much therof as was needfull for the habitation and nourishment of men and beasts But this soueraigne creator of the Vniuers would not haue the waters to be gathered all into one place and not to haue their course through the earth but prouiding for euerie commoditie for his creatures he ordained that out of the great Ocean sea which is as the great bodie of the waters there should issue diuers armes and members by meanes whereof we haue the Mediterran seas out of which againe proceed many other waters as lakes flouds riuers and brookes For although that all