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
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
it without any motion in him of noueltie And there is no Philosopher which prooueth the contrarie by any demonstration concerning this newnesse which they presuppose in God but do ful oftentimes contradict themselues And so it is that Aristotle in his booke of the world after hauing in the beginning declared God Prince Gouernour and Creator of this Vniuers doth afterwards denie it proceeding by reasons deriued from sense For thereby hee endeuoureth to demonstrate the eternitie of the worlde and amongst other arguments he vseth this same It is most certaine that the agent either of deliberate purpose or by nature if he be good putteth the good in practise as much as in him possiblie lieth if there be nothing to hinder him Certainly we cōfesse that the good is naturally addicted to communitie But we hold that although the agent by his labour industrie endeuoureth with all his power to get the good and obtaine it yet neuerthelesse in the distribution thereof he bestoweth it in such manner and sort as he pleaseth Why should we not then affirme that the supreme Creator through his immutable and omnipotent will hauing from euerlasting the good for his obiect to the end to put it in practise doth according to his good pleasure proceed to the performance thereof But if any passing farther will argue that the good doth naturally become common heereto mounting much higher then Philosophie doth require we answere That for euer God who is the soueraigne good doth encrease himselfe in his sonne and spirit coeternall by which sonne and through which holy spirite one sole essence and substance he produced of eternitie and continually the exemplaries and Ideas of all thinges by an eternal measure alwaies present being the worke and possession altogither We tell thee then O Epicure that God remained not in sloth idlenes before the Creation of the world Iohn 1. he that by the testimonie of Iesus Christ doth alwaies worke whereof none knoweth but the Creator saue onely the sonne and he to whom the sonne shal haue reuealed him And he which is most blessed in himselfe slept not O Cicero no more then hauing no neede of any thing beside himselfe he framed not this worldly tabernacle for his owne vse with so great beautifulnes but rather for man not foolish or wicked but iust and wise or at least Prouerb 8. that in this terrestriall habitation he might learne wisedome and goodnes to be made at length a woorthy citizen of the celestiall palace This is the delight and pleasure which his sapience receiued in the compasse of the earth and in the sonnes of men as the wiseman saith But neither Aristotle nor Auerrois nor Cicero nor the Epicures and Atheists of our time haue attained to such supreme Philosophie as to vnderstand this language of the holie Ghost Excellent well did that thrise woorthie Mercury the prince and most ancient of all Philosophers acknowledge as the whole worke of his Pymander doth testifie and himselfe also when he saith that God whom some call Nature mixing himselfe with man performed a wonder surpassing the reason of all woonder wherein beholding his owne image he smiled vpon him through great loue and gratifying him as his owne sonne gaue him all his workes to serue him to the ende to reduce to himselfe all things by him with whom he was mixed but himselfe before any thing else because that being purified and acknowledging his diuine race hee might bee made most woorthie of God The eternall omnipotent then had no neede of tooles to frame the worlde with hee I saie that by his onelie commandement performeth all things Neither had he need of helpe to produce formes who is himselfe the Architype and giuer of all formes and replenished with all fecunditie Neither is it a strange thing that the elements should obey him which by his worde onely haue beene setled in their places Neither dwelt he in an hole or a corner nor in darknes whom heauen earth cannot containe nor comprehend and who is all light but within the ample temple of this immēse intellectuall sphere whose cēter is al that which euery where subsisteth There hee inhabiteth those euerlasting ages which no thought except himselfe can comprise It is no maruel therefore if humaine reason be so often deceiued in the search of that which is enclosed in the closets and cabinets of the soueraigne worke-master and reuealed but to very fewe And for the saying of Alcinois that there is nothing beside the world whereinto the world can be dissolued I answere him that we teach not that it must be consumed and brought to nothing though it hath had a beginning of enduring But say it is so God shall haue no need of any thing for this businesse no more then he had neede of a subiect to make and compose his worke of by reason that his creation or dissolution is free and deliuered from the lawes of naturall generation and corruption as we haue heeretofore already declared Neither had he neede of helpe O Auicen who through his proper power and according to his owne good pleasure performeth of his owne liberalitie all things not by nature and necessitie as those imagine to whom the eternall power of God and his loue for which he created the world are hidden as in the processe of our discourse we may more amplie declare But first let vs heare of AMANA concerning those things which haue caused the Philosophers to erre from the truth Concerning those causes which haue made the Philophers to erre from the knowledge of truth and of their ignorance concerning God and his workes Chapter 6. AMANA WE may by our precedent discourse easilie vnderstand what be the strongest engins which the Philosophers haue planted but in vaine against the wals of supernall veritie in this point concerning the creation and we need not thinke it strange that they be deceiued for it is a doctrine not vsurped by humane arrogancie but infused into the harts of the small ones and humble through illumination by the holy spirite which mocketh such as thinke themselues wise scorne all others leauing them in the darknes of their blinded presumption as contrariwise the same spirit directeth conducteth those whom he replenisheth with his owne vertue to contemplate in most cleere brightnes the excellent mysteries of God and nature But to the end that we may partly proceed to the discouery of their ignorance who do arrogantly assume vnto themselues the name of wisedome abusing euen to this day many vnskilfull in the knowledge of pietie by their graue ornate writings being in shew and apparance like somewhat that sauoreth as it were solide entire true profitable though being profoundly examined one may finde therein all cleane contrarie a maruellous repugnancie not only generally betweene them all but euen in the particular writings of each of them I would willingly aske to be resolued of them in this point how is it
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
Consent of the doctrine of Iesus Christ with that of Moses woorthie to bee beleeued to them that which surpasseth all admiration the doctrine of the celestiall and diuine messenger Iesus Christ the true Messias annointed with diuine graces aboue anie other prophet doth accord Who allowing and approouing the doctrine of Moses openeth and reuealeth many secrets which he receiued of God his father and announceth the perfection of true religion wherewith his apostles haue so filled the whole worlde that euen to this day all the wise men in euerie part of the world do embrace and reuerence so excellent doctrine as that wherein shineth so much diuinity and celestiall brightnes that without comparison it surpasseth all humane doctrine Let vs receiue it then euen all of vs that desire wisedome bicause that neuer any more excellent did euer yet appeere to mortall men neither shall euer appeere heereafter And let vs not make a staie in that that Socrates knoweth some thing or that Anaxagoras seeth the light in darknes or that Democritus draweth vertue out of pits or that Empedocles enlargeth the path of his spirit or that Archesilas and Carneades attaine to some newe kinde of knowledge or that Aristotle prooueth that which flieth from sence But let vs giue full faith to the authoritie of so many irreprochable witnesses who make the generation of the world vndoubtable to vs and let vs proceed to the reasons which further confirme it vnto vs and which ACHITOB we desire to heare of you Of the reasons making for the Creation and newnes of the world Chapter 8. ACHITOB AMongst those other arguments which we haue heard some Philosophers obiect against the creation of the world one hath bin the disconueniencie of the newnes thereof with eternall God not being able to perceiue how and which way it might come to passe for by reason of the consideration of such a like question to wit which of the egge or of the birde was first engendred seeing that the egge without the birde nor the bird without the egge could not subsist they haue imagined that this world was eternall and that the beginning of euerie thing engendred was the ende likewise thereof through a perpetuall course and proceeding But let me aske these doctors Reasons for the newnes of the world whence commeth this newnes which we behold euerie day in all things of this world For there is nothing which suffreth not vicissitude and chaunging Auerrois saith that this proceedeth from new reuolutions which notwithstanding are auncient by an euerlasting succession and that there is the stay where the oldnes and newnes is conserued For which cause also some haue affirmed that heauen is some part new some part old But for as much as these Philosophers do teach that reuolutions are made by those disposing spirits which are called the seruants of the creator or of the first moouer doth it not thereupon follow that there is no stay in the heauens but that they mooue anew to accomplish that which the first moouer doth propose in a certaine time to be performed and who remayning stable doth giue motion to all the rest Wherefore we may say that the beginning of newnes cannot bee from heauen nor through the spirits but by the first moouer who at his good pleasure commandeth and all things are made and afterwards renued by a secret order within himselfe not constrayned by any necessitie For so it is that God proceedeth to his worke and so prosecuteth it without being otherwise bound to base things which Aristotle himselfe accordeth to when he declareth that he is blessed without any good that is strange or not of himselfe And farther I would willingly know with what kinde of measure they would meate out the Vniuers who beare such fauour to the eternitie of the world If by time it be measured then is not eternall for those reasons which we haue deliuered heretofore in the discourse concerning the time of the Creation If by eternitie it selfe then let them remember that that is a possession altogither separated from time and from motion as hath beene to vs sufficiently declared How then can this world be eternall which is equall in age to Time and altogither subiect to Motion That the world cannot be eternall But if any one yet would hold that it is eternal let him tell me whether it endureth by the selfe same eternitie which is in the blessed God or by some other If it be by another sort of eternitie then should there be diuers eternities of gouernours and of kindes which should sauour of the nature of the infinite and also many infinitenesses should be contained in this world which is so small If they will say that the world subsisteth of the same eternitie by which God is certainely such are not worthie of any answere but rather to be mocked at who thinke the spheres and their mouers to be measured with God for eternal enduring differeth not from God But that which is changeable according to Nature and operation cannot be measured with the same compasse as he who is altogether vnchangeable They will tell me that the eternitie of the world differeth from that of the first agent because the one being altogither diuine is a possession at once altogether and the other is successiue But I answere them that if it be successiue it hath certaine portions now such portions cannot be infinite and therefore such eternitie hath a beginning and successiue ending Now if it be limited and bounded with these termes how can it be that it may agree with the eternall who is not closed or limited by any ending Besides by what reason may this be called eternall to which alwaies something is added by a continuall succession For one can adde nothing to the infinite neither doth it encrease at all And therefore I aske them againe that if their eternitie subsisteth what do become of the new reuolutions Shall we say they are conioyned with the former or else that they begin a new infinitenesse If they graunt the first then will they be more in number then infinite Auerrois saith that this is no more disagreeable to successions then to numbers that infinite tens be infinitely repeated which amount to so much as innumerable hundreths without making any more encrease in one part then in another But good God who can heare these things with a quiet eare By an impossible supposition which he deuiseth in numbers and which neuer commeth to passe he would resolue the inconueniences which depēd vpon infinit reuolutions which he saith did precede al eternity And for the other point to thinke that the new reuolutions should begin a new infinitenes we haue already answered that saying that many infinitenesses cannot be imagined in this world But here leauing the successions numbers I would farther request these defēders of the eternity of this round frame to tell me whether the moouing spirits knowe the reuolutions or not If they
this figure Now euery worke proceedeth from the three persons in the Godhead to the vnitie from which the outward works performed in time are vnseparable they tend also to an end to which all things addresse themselues and the passage to proceed thither is the number of two which we may properly attribute to the matter first created by God to forme thereof all his workes For the first beginning of the production and order of creatures was the matter which in respect of number representeth the nature of the binarie and seemeth to be reduced to the vnity by the forme which beareth the shape of the ternary so that on euery side of the premised figure of the number of sixe the ternarie tendeth to the vnitie by the binarie And by this consideration we may make way to the most high contemplation of the number of seauen Of the number of seuen and his excellencie attributed to the rest of the Lord. For we make no doubt that when we shall be all reduced to the vnitie as we tooke our originall from it then shall the rest of the sabbaoth ensue that is figured by the seuenth day wherein it is said that God ceased from his workes and which shutteth vp and closeth the course and circle of all daies Now that this number of seauen hath beene much reuerenced by men of ancient times we haue many witnesses For the Iewes because of the sabbaoth as Saint Hierome writeth vpon Esaie did honour it much And Aulus Gellius and Macrobius vpon the dreame of Scipio do shew great mysteries out of this number of seauen which they call full and perfect and attribute great power to it in the sea and amongst men And the Pythagorians as saith Chalcidius commended it for the best most naturall and most sufficient number Moreouer it is composed of three which is the first vneeuen number that cannot be diuided by any numbers for vnitie is no number though it giueth all numbers the power to be numbred and of fowre which is a full euen number the first double number of all others For this cause the number of seuen is oftentimes vsed for vniuersall generall and to signifie perfection Prouer. 24. As it is written The iust shall fall seuen times a day and shall rise againe that is how often or how many times soeuer he falleth Psalm 119. he shall not perish Againe I will praise thee seuen times a day which in an other place is thus spoken His praise is euer in my mouth Psalm 34. And we may finde manie places in holy Scriptures wherein the number of seuen hath customably beene vsed for the vniuersalnes of any thing whatsoeuer and to demonstrate a perfection And so doth saint Iohn in the Apocalyps â—poc 1. writing to the seuen churches and speaking of the seuen spirits which are before the throne of God For it is certaine that he compriseth there all the vniuersall church and proposeth God in his Maiestie accompanied with innumerable blessed angels But among all the great mysteries which the ancients haue acknowledged to be concealed in the seuenth day by which the rest of the Lord is recommended after his worke perfected and finished this is the most notable by which they teach vs â—he true signiâ—â—tion of the â—â—â—baoth day that this Sabbaoth day signifieth the repose of those which rest in the Lord euen as the ioy of the house betokeneth the ioy of those which reioice therein although that not the house it selfe but something else do make them ioyfull and like as the effect being signified by the efficient cause an epistle is called ioyfull to declare the pleasure of those whom it delighteth by reading thereof Likewise when the Scripture recounteth that God rested we must not take it childishly as if he who by an intelligible and eternall worde spake and it was made had trauailed in his worke but vnderstanding by this manner of speech that God ceased from all worke because he no more created any new kindes of creatures we may conueniently referre his rest to the rest of those whom hee himselfe causeth to remaine in eternall rest after that he hath first drawne them to himselfe by faith in this life Whereas also the prophet hauing made mention in each of the sixe precedent daies of the creation of euening and morning doth mention no such matter of the seuenth day it seemeth hee woulde signifie that this Sabbaoth day was ordained to represent the great and last day of euerlasting rest wherein there should be no more anie such distinction of euening and morning nor of day and night as now is but altogither light by which we shall contemplate God face to face in true and perfect felicitie such as eie hath neuer seene eare neuer heard nor euer hath entred into the hart of man Which wee must doubtlesse beleeue was figured to the Iewes by the rest of the Sabbaoth commanded in the law for these names Rest and Sabbaoth in the Hebrew toong full of mysteries signifie both one thing In which matter we may farther note how the sacred historie declareth that man was created the sixt day which was the â—euen of the Lords rest for this agreeth well to the principall thing which the Lord intendeth in his law to wit to admonish man that he was not placed in the world but to returne at length to him who set him there and to seeke his rest in him Thus haue we sufficiently spoken of the subiect which we first entreated of for else if we shoulde fully prosecute the mysteries included in the historie of the creation of the worlde we should haue matter enough to make vp a verie great volume We will therefore proceed to the particular consideration of the famous workes contained in the glorious frame of the world And first we will speake of the diuision thereof that we may afterward discourse with more ease concerning the parts thereof Then AMANA let vs heare you concerning this point Of the diuision of the vniuersall world Chap. 14. AMANA THe learned and venerable antiquitie figureth and maketh the vniuersall world to be one and threefold as signifying and representing though very farre off and much behinde the omnipotent triple-one most wise and most good worker by whom it hath been created Euseb lib. 11. de prepar Euangel Plat in Phedro Of the three worlds formed and ordained For there is the vppermost world of all which Diuines name the Angelicall and philosophers call the intellectuall world which as Plato saith was neuer yet sufficiently praised Then is there the celestiall world or that of the spheres which succeedeth and is next the first and the third and last is the elementarie world which we inhabite vnder the concauitie of the moone Now as this is the world of darknes so is the Angelicall world the world of light and the world betwixt both is tempered with light and darknes The elementarie world is designed to
equall parts But such circles as haue their centers out of that of the sphere are called lesser circles of which those onely that haue their middle points alike distant from that of the whole heauen are equall one to another being by so much the smaller by how much their center is farther from the center of the whole And therefore they which haue their centers vnequally distant from that of the heauen are vnequall and that is greater then the rest whose middle point is neerest to that of the sphere and consequently the one is by so much the more vnequall to the other by how much the center of the one is farther distant from the center of the other And it is to be noted that all circular motion of any heauen and planet whatsoeuer must be considered and measured by meanes of a greater circle to wit that which is directly placed betweene the poles of the same motion and is equally distant from the same because it is a circle of the greatest circuite and swiftnesse that may be designed by the same motion Some circles are mooueable and some are immooueable But wee must vnderstand that among all the circles there is one part mooueable that is incessantly turning therewith and the other fixt and immooueable seruing for to discerne the better the accidents and effects of the sphericall motions and moouing circles First then to entreate of the mooueable circles as likewise to prosecute that which wee haue heard in our precedent discourse that there be two principall motions of heauen whereof one is of the vniuersall world making his reuolution from the east towards the west and the other contrarie from west to east as is proper to the planets we must imagine in the sphere of the world two principall circles to wit the Equinoctiall or Equator seruing for the first of those motions and the Zodiack or Ecliptick for the second The Equinoctiall then is a great circle Of the equinoctiall circle diuiding the totall sphere into two equall parts being placed directly betweene the two poles of the world and equally distant in all parts from them By the which circle is measured and considered the prime and vniuersall motion of the whole world and consequently the time which is nothing else but the measure of the succeeding of the same motion which is alwaies of one selfesame course and quicknes and whereof the said circle is called the Equator Vnder which the sunne directly comming which is twise euery yeere the daies are of equall length with the nights throughout the whole world for which cause likewise the same circle is called the Equinoctiall that is the circle of equall nights And the poles thereof are those of the whole world about which the vniuersall and regular motion is made whereof that which is in the north parts is called by the same name Of the poles of the world either the pole Artick north-pole or septentrionall which is alwaies seene where we inhabite and about which there is a certaine figure of seuen fixed stars turning circularly which is called the great Beare or most coÌ„monly the Waine And the other pole opposite to this is named the pole Antartick south-pole or Meridionall being towards the south is alwaies hid from vs. For the second great and principall circle among those which are mooueable Of the zodiack it is nominated the Zodiack or Eclipticke or else the oblique circle and it is that wherein the twelue signes are placed of diuers names and figures being indeed obliquely placed in respect of the Equinoctiall and poles of the world so that one halfe thereof extendeth towarde the north or pole artick and the other moitie declineth toward the south and pole antarticke And this circle is the very path way of the sunne and rest of the planets all which keepe their peculiar motion in the Zodiack to the end to distribute their influence and vertue vpon the earth for the life and production of all things Now the Zodiack both diuide in the midst the Equinoctiall and is thereby diuided also into two equall halfes Of the equinoctiall pâ—inâ— and solstists And the points of these intersections are called Equinoctiall points because the sunne being in them they daies are vniuersally equall to the nights as also the points of the foresaide Zodiack which are meanes betweene the said Equinoctiall points are named Sunsteads or Tropicks that is to say stations or reuersions of the sunne bicause that it arriuing about those points the meridian altitudes and artificiall daies do long remaine in one estate without any notable variation as also for that comming to the said Sunsteads it returneth towards the Equinoctiall And thus the two Equinoctiall points and the two Sunsteads diuide the Zodiack into fowre parts answerable to the fowre seasons of the yeere which are the Spring Sommer Autumne Of the foure seasons of the yeere and Winter Of which the Spring time beginneth at that Equinoctiall point from which the sunne by his proper motion commeth and enclineth towards the highest point called Verticall Sommer beginneth at the Sunstead next following Autumne at the other Equinoctiall and Winter at the second sunstead so that the said Equinoctiall points are called by the names of the foresaid seasons And because that euery naturall action hath beginning middle and end Diuision of the zodiack into twelue parts called signes therefore each of these said quarters of the Zodiack is diuided into three equall parts and so the whole Zodiack into twelue which parts are named signes because they signifie and designe the most notable and apparant mutations of things heere belowe being chiefly caused by the yeerely course of the Sunne along the Zodiack Euery of the said seasons of the yeere is likewise diuided into three parts and the whole yeere into twelue called moneths that is to say measures of the time wherein the sun passeth the said twelue signes And as the twelue moneths haue beene diuided some into thirty and others into thirtie one naturall daies euen so is euery signe parted into thirtie degrees and the whole Zodiack into 360. Then euery degree into 60. prime minuts and euery prime minute into 60. seconds and so consequently into other subdiuisions so farre as one will Wherein is to be noted that this number of 60. must alwaies be obserued because it may be diuided into more equall parts then any other number vnder 100. Now forasmuch as the sunne according as it is remooued or approcheth neere the highest points called Vertical doth cast foorth his beames more directly 〈◊〉 obliquely vpon the earth for this cause also the heate and proper action of the starres and planets is more forcible or feeble in things here belowe and according as it findeth them prepared causeth diuers effects Which diuersitie is notoriously apparant from signe to signe And therefore the twelue signes of the Zodiack are called by certaine proper names extracted from the nature and
propertie of things correspondent with their said effects Of the names of the twelue signes and the causes thereof The first signe is nominated Aries bicause that the Sunne then beginneth to approch to the highest point and the heate thereof doth increase which mixing with the humiditie that the precedent winter had brought in maketh the temperature of the aire hot and moist which agreeth with the nature of a ram The second signe is called Taurus bicause that when the sunne is therein the heate fortifieth it selfe and consumeth the moisture so that the temperature of the aire tendeth somewhat to drinesse which seemeth very answerable to the nature of the bull which is of greater power then that of sheepe The third signe is named Gemini bicause the Sunne being therein hath his heat redoubled and amongst all kindes of beastes the males and females haue naturall copulation two and two togither to ingender one like themselues and to continue their kinde The fourth signe is said to be Cancer for euen as the crab goeth backward so the sunne entring into this signe retireth backe towardes the Equinoctiall from whence he came making his declinations contrarie to those of Gemini The fift signe is called Leo bicause the sunne being therein by the redoubling of his beames the heate is strong and drinesse great euen as the lion is a puissant beast of hot and drie nature The sixt signe is named Virgo for as the virgine is a weake creature and of her selfe barren so the sunne being in this signe the heate diminisheth and drinesse ruleth whereby the production of things ceaseth and the earth becommeth barren The seuenth signe hath to name Libra bicause the disposition of the aire is then in ballance betweene the wasted heate and new-begun coldnes and bicause also the sunne being in this signe the daies and nights are in ballance betweene the decreasing of the one and increasing of the other The eight is called Scorpio bicause that then the colde ruling with drinesse are great enimies to nature and doe corrupt the aire which hath the proper qualitie of hot and moist whereupon ensue plagues and other dangerous diseases which surprise the creature like the venome of a scorpion which lies in his taile and is engendred of corruption The ninth signe is named Sagittarius for the sunne being in it the too much weakened heate is surmounted by cold whereupon there ensue fogs and frosts and other alterations of the aire as hurtfull to creatures as enuenomed arrowes The tenth signe is nominated Capricornus bicause that the sunne entring thereinto is the farthest that all the yeere it can be from the verticall point so that by rigour of the colde mixed with drinesse which hath then full domination as also by reason of the debilitie of heate the disposition of the aire is melancholie retaining the nature of a goate The eleuenth signe is signified by Aquarius bicause then the drinesse is surmounted by the moisture now beginning the cold neuerthelesse remaining wherefore the aire is cold and moist like water and disposed to snowes and raine The twelfth and last signe is Pisces bicause as fishes are colde and moist following naturally the water hauing yet some little naturall heate euen so is the temperature of the aire then cold and moist hauing yet some heate growing by the approch of the sunne to the vernall Equinoctiall point so that the cold diminisheth And thus much concerning the signes of the Zodiacke and the names to them ascribed for which cause the fixed starres which are in this circle and comprised within the said signes both of the one side and on the other haue been painted according to the fashion of the saide beasts and their influence iudged from the causes by vs here declared and not that the said signes haue taken their names of the nature and disposition of the said starres And by this consideration of the propertie of each signe in the Zodiacke we learne that by the introduction of one qualitie ensueth the expulsion of the contrarie and by the augmentation of the one the decrease of the other Which must onely be vnderstood concerning the qualities happening in the aire by the radiation of the sunne onely being strong meane and weake and the disposition of inferiour things without comprising therein the other constellations and aspects of the planets changing greatly altering the said disposition of the aire neither doe we touch the opinions of professors of iudiciall Astrologie who for other reasons and principles of the said arte attribute to the same signes other qualities then those that we haue expressed But from them wee may extract fower triplicities which make the twelue signes correspond with the fower elements to wit Gemini Cancer Leo with the fire Pisces Aries and Taurus with the aire Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius with water and Virgo Libra and Scorpio with earth Now must we pursue our purpose concerning the circles of the sphere as well great as small mooueable as immooueable the treatise whereof ACHITOB I referre to you Of the two great circles named Colures and of the fower lesse circles and parallels of the fiue Zones of the world and immooueable circles Chap. 20. ACHITOB. BEsides the two principall mooueable circles which haue beene declared vnto vs in the precedent speech there are also demonstrated in the sphere two other great circles whereof one passeth by the Equinoctiall points and the other by the Solstists or sunsteads and poles of the Zodiacke and both by the poles of the world where they are diuided into three angles And by this meanes they part as well the Equinoctiall as the Zodiacke into fower parts the parts whereof answere togither in iust and equall proportion Of two circles called Colures These two circles haue to name Colures that is to say vnperfect because they haue an vnperfect reuolution in turning with the sphere vpon the points of their circumference and not about their proper poles like other circles One of them then is called the Equinoctiall colure and the other the Solstitial colure And the one passeth by the circle of the Zodiacke at the beginning of the signes Aries Libra which are the Equinoctiall signes and the other at the beginning of the signes Cancer and Capricorne which are the Solstitiall signes And it is to be noted that the arck of the Solstitiall Colure comprised betweene the Equinoctiall and one of the Solstists is the measure of the greatest declination of the Sunne which must of necessitie be equall to the arck of that Colure which is betweene one of the poles of the world and the next pole of the Zodiacke For by how much one greater circle declineth from another by so much the poles of the one are distant from the poles of the other because all greater circles are equall and haue one common center and do equally part themselues and likewise their declination is iust in the midst of their cuttings or intersections We must
the true east and west according as the true place of the sunne declineth more or lesse from the Equinoctiall The arcke then of the Horizon which is betweene the true east and the center of the bodie of the sunne when it is come to the easterne part of the Horizon is called the orientall latitude of the sunne and that which is comprised betweene the direct west and that same center when it is in the west part of the Horizon is called the occidentall latitude of the sunne As also the latitude of the starres is taken from the Zodiacke towards the one or other pole thereof For all stars both fixed and wandring hold their longitude and latitude of the Zodiacke as of the Equinoctiall their declinations ascensions and descensions So that the latitude of the sunne both orientall and occidentall is necessarily northerly one halfe of the yeere and the other halfe it is southerly And likewise the orientall latitude is equall to the occidentall in one day And bicause the variation of each latitude proceedeth of the diuersitie of the sunnes declinations they are therefore such on the septentrionall part as on the meridionall Consequently you must note that in the right sphere the foresaid orientall or occidentall latitude is such without difference as is the declination of the sunne bicause the right Horizon passeth by the poles of the world and sheweth both the one and other But in the oblique sphere those latitudes are greater then the declinations of the sunne and so much the greater and more different as the pole of the world is eleuated aboue the oblique Horizon and the place of the sunne declineth from the Equinoctiall So that the greatest are those of the solstists which doe most decline from the Equinoctiall and besides these there are fower points in the Zodiacke which haue equall latitude both orientall and occidentall that is two on the north side and two on the south side But thus much may suffice concerning this matter for our purpose And that we may not swerue from the substance of our former discourse it will be good for vs to intreate of the daies both naturall and artificiall which are caused by the prime and regular motion of the whole sphere with the nights likewise as you ARAM can manifest vnto vs. Of the naturall and artificiall daies and of the nights of their diuersitie and cause Chap. 23. ARAM. AMongst the most excellent and note-woorthie things which depend vpon the first and vniuersal motion of the whole heauen and vpon that which hath been expounded in our forepassed talke there appeereth next to be handled the vnderstanding of the greatnes and quantitie of the daies and the partes of them called howers as also of the heights of the sunne aboue the Horizon and of the shadowes as well right as oblique Beginning then with the daies you must note that some are called naturall some artificiall daies which with vs are named properly daies though indeede they be but parts of naturall daies and so of nights Of naturall daies Now the naturall day is nothing but the time of the entire reuolution of the bodie of the sunne about the world made by the naturall and proper motion of the vniuersall sphere which reuolution must alwaies begin at the Meridian circle and comprehend the time which is from one noone till the next ensuing But bicause the sunne this while goeth contrarie in his owne peculiar course the point of the Equinoctiall which is vnder the Meridian with the sunne performeth his reuolution sooner then the sunne it selfe Wherefore you must adde to the entire reuolution of the Equinoctiall the ascension being taken in the right sphere from the part of the Zodiacke which the sunne hath passed that while to haue the entire reuolution of the sunne and the true measure of the naturall day For all accidents of ascensions which happen in the right Horizon are common to euery Meridian circle in the right or oblique sphere whereupon ensueth that the true naturall daies are vnequall one to another both bicause of the proper motions of the sunne as also bicause of the said ascensions taken in the right sphere For the sunne by reason of the obliquenes of the Zodiacke declining on either side from the Equinoctiall which onely is the measure of time is irregular in his owne proper motion and performeth not euery naturall day a degree precisely but sometimes a little more sometimes a little lesse And though it should make a degree iust yet would not the ascension in the right sphere be equall For these causes then the true naturall daies are vnequall But this inequalitie is scarcely to be perceiued by vulgar iudgement and sensible obseruation Moreouer it is to be vnderstood that forasmuch as the motions of the planets and the middle coniunctions and oppositions of the sunne moone cannot bee reduced into tables nor calculated but by equall daies and euen reuolutions of times there must be assumed for this cause certaine naturall daies one like alwaies to another which are called middle or meane daies containing each the entire reuolution of 360. degrees of the Equinoctiall and aboue that 59. minutes and almost eight seconds of a degree Which make vp the quantitie of the regular and middle motion of the sunne correspondent to one of the said euen and meane naturall daies according to which daies the tables of the foresaid motions are composed and calculated And by this meanes the proposed terme of an entire yeere is reduced into true natural daies which of Astronomers is called the Equation of the daies Of artificiall daies and nights For the artificiall day thereby is vnderstood that part of the naturall day which the sunne maketh passing from the east by south to the west through the proper and vniuersall motion of the whole world During which time the sunne illuminateth the superior part of the Horizon for which occasion the said part of the naturall day is properly termed day And that which remaineth thereof being comprised betweene the west to the east passage of the sunne is named night during which time the shadow of the earth is aboue the said Horizon in forme of a round Pyramis which doth then depriue that superior part of the light and shining of the sunne whereby the darknes is caused which is called night And also the two twylights that is Of the twylights the cleerenesse which we see before sunne rising and after sunne setting are parts of the night For the true artificiall day beginneth when the sunne is in the east part of the Horizon and endeth when he passeth to the west And these daies and nights are called artificiall bicause that according to the diuers and artificiall situation of the sphere and according to the true place of the sunne in the zodiacke they doe differ in quantitie one from another To vnderstande which varietie you must knowe Of the diuersitie of the daies and nights that in all
artificiall daies of what length soeuer they bee there rise aboue the Horizon sixe signes of the zodiacke beginning at the true place of the sunne and the other sixe signes which begin at the opposite point do rise in the night time bicause that the zodiack and Horizon are great circles of the sphere which do alwaies diuide one another equally And according as with the sixe eleuated signes by day or night any part or quantitie of the Equinoctiall doth arise aboue the Horizon either more or lesse by so much the artificiall daies and nights are of shorter or longer continuance so that the ascension of the eleuated signes by day is the true measure of the artificiall day and the ascension of the other eleuated signes by night is the measure thereof Because then that in the right sphere togither with the moitie or one halfe of the zodiack wheresoeuer it begin the moity of the equinoctial doth precisely rise aboue the Horizon for this cause therefore the artificiall daies are equall to the nights in the said right sphere So that all the reuolutions of naturall daies comprised betweene the two Tropickes are diuided by the right Horizon into two iust halfes and at right angles like the Equinoctiall But in the oblique sphere the daies are neuer equall to the nights but twise a yeere that is when the sunne is in the first point of the signe of Aries and of Libra which points are for this reason called the two Equinoctiall points For in the oblique sphere there are but the two halfes of the Zodiacke comprised betwixt the saide Equinoctial points which may haue equal ascensions because that the two Colures do neuer agree with the Horizon which cannot diuide the zodiacke and Equinoctiall also into two equall parts togither except in the same Equinoctiall points Whereof the one is neuer with the Horizon without the other because the said greater circles are in them diuided into two exact halfes But out of these Equinoctiall points while the sunne is in that halfe of the zodiacke that declineth from the Equinoctiall towards the Pole which is eleuated aboue the Horizon that is from the vernall-Equinoctiall-point by the Sommer-Solstist to the Autumne-Equinoctiall-point the artificiall daies are longer then the nights And during the time that the sunne is in the other part of the said zodiacke which declineth towards the opposite Pole which is depressed vnder the said Horizon the nights are longer then the daies which inequalitie is so much the more by how much the sunne is neerer to the Solstists and the sphere is more obliquely placed in respect of the Horizon So that the artificiall daies encrease from the winter-Solstist by the Vernall-equinoctial-point to the sommer Solstist do decrease from the same by the Autumne-Equinoctial-point to the winter-Solstist I do not heere particularize the diuersitie of daies which commeth to passe all the yeere long from degree to degree being a thing little necessary for the substance of our discourse and which they may easily learne that will studie vpon the Astronomicall sphere But that we may finish this day without going from our sphericall matter let vs speake somewhat concerning the howers of the day and heights of the sunne and of his shadowes the declaration whereof I commit ACHITOB to you Of equall and vnequall temporall and artificiall howers of the heights of the sunne aboue the Horizon and of his right and reuerse shadowes Chapter 24. ACHITOB. HAuing entreated of naturall and artificiall daies it now resteth that we say somewhat concerning the parts of them which are called howers Euen as then there are two principall and great circles in the sphere the zodiacke and the Equinoctiall so likewise are there two maner of howers one sort are equall and naturall taken from the Equinoctiall the other vnequall temporall or artificiall deriued from the zodiacke Of equall howres Equall howers are spaces of time measured by the ascension or reuolution of one halfe signe that is of 15. degrees of the Equinoctiall For time must be diuided according to this circle which is the measure thereof And though the Equinoctiall be first diuided as euerie other circle into twelue equall parts called signes and each of those into thirtie degrees like the zodiacke yet neuertheles because that each signe demaundeth more time to be eleuated aboue the Horizon then the facilitie of distinction and supputation of time requireth therefore is euerie signe diuided into two equall parts And so in the whole reuolution of the Equinoctiall are 24. halfe signes of 15. degrees a peece which make the distinctions and measures of 24. howers diuided by the hower-circles whereof we haue heretofore spoken Which howers we call equall as wel by reason of the equalitie of the 24. halfe signes as also because that one requireth no more time to be eleuated aboue the Horizon then the other And for that the Equinoctiall is the measure of the regular and naturall motion of the whole world and that euerie signe is measured naturally and commonly by the said equall howers they are therefore called naturall and common howers We must know then that the sunne maketh his entire reuolution about the earth betweene one noone and the next following according to the naturall daies in 24. howers and one fifteenth part of an hower because the same reuolution comprehendeth the whole Equinoctiall which is the measure of 24. howers and 59. minutes and 8. seconds besides which are almost one degree which is the fifteenth part of the measure of one equall hower Concerning vnequall howers Of vnequal howers they are referred to the zodiacke being in number 24. that is twelue of the artificiall day and twelue of night And the day-howers begin at sunne-rising and those of night at sunne-set And they be all vnequall one to another whereby they haue their name Which that we may well vnderstand we must note that in all artificiall daies and nights of what quantitie soeuer they be there riseth aboue the Horizon one halfe of the zodiacke comprehending sixe signes which begin in day at that degree where the sun is and at night in that degree which is diametrally opposite And thus there are eleuated by day twelue halfe signes as many by night And as one halfe signe of the Equinoctiall maketh the space of an euen hower so one halfe signe of the zodiacke maketh the space of an vnequall hower Whereby appeereth that in each day and night there are twelue vnequall howers in the day and twelue in the night And that these howers must be vnequall one to another it appeereth in this because that the zodiacke by reason of the obliquenes thereof cannot be the measure of time but the Equinoctiall onely Wherefore it is necessarie that the time of the saide howers should be measured by the arcks of the Equinoctiall coascending aboue the Horizon togither with euerie halfe signe of the zodiack contayning fifteene degrees And for that the arcks of the zodiacke which are
by reason the minde may alwaies moderate and correct And taking occasion vpon this matter let vs come to the true Astronomie and Astrologie of Christians which is to contemplate the glorie and greatnes of God by the worke of the heauens as ACHITOB finishing this daies worke you may relate to vs. Of the true Astronomie which the heauens teach vs and especially the sunne in his admirable effects Chap. 32. ACHBTOB IT is not without cause that the prophet saith The heauens declare the glorie of God Psal 19. and the earth sheweth the worke of his hands For thereby he euidently teacheth that the worke of the spheres and their well ordred motion doe demonstrate as with the finger euen to our eies the great and admirable prouidence of God their creator euen as if the heauens should speake to euery one In an other place it is written Eccle. 43. This high ornament this cleere firmament the beautie of the heauen so glorious to behold is a thing full of hough then that the heauens haue neither voice nor speech like men yet when the workmanship of them and the goodly images pourtraied and placed in them do present themselues vnto vs it is as much as if God spake to vs. For sight belongeth to the eies as hearing doth to the eares and that which offereth it selfe to those The heauens are visible words which preach vnto vs God is as the sound is to these Wherefore in very deede we may call not onely the heauens sunne moone and starres but all other creatures also visible words which speake to the eies as those which are in sound and voice doe speake to the eares If likewise we can very well vnderstand dumbe folkes by the signes which they make vs say that they speake by signes why then should we not harken to the language of God speaking by the heauens and by the signes which he hath placed in them For may we not truly say that they speake vnto vs by signes And if we call bookes dumbe teachers bicause they teach by the meanes of writing which they lay before our eies what fairer booke may wee see written in a fairer letter and of more neate impression and printed with goodlier characters then this great booke of the whole vniuers and chiefly of the heauens Againe if it be needefull for vs to seeke out images to represent God that so he might become visible to vs where may we finde them fairer and more liuely and which speake vnto vs a language most easie to be vnderstood if we be not altogether deafe Wherefore it is not without good cause that when God willing to make his greatnes his magnificence and prouidence known to his people saith by Esay Lift vp your eies on high Isay 40. be hold who hath created these things which is he that bringeth out their armies by number and calleth them all by their names By the greatnes of his power and mighty strength nothing faileth This is it in all these considerations that Dauid in the place before alledged after he hath acknowledged that there is no language nor speech where the voice of the heauens is not heard doth further adde that their line is gone foorth through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world meaning by this line the magnificent frame and excellent workmanship of them For all is so well made and composed therein by the workmaster that it seemeth to haue been all drawne out by line rule and compasse And when he speaketh of their words he vnderstandeth the marke and impression which is in them by which they preach vnto vs in stead of words And for this cause also he saith before that one day vttereth speech vnto another day and one night teacheth knowledge vnto another night which is as much as if he should say that one day teacheth and preacheth another and the night doth the same bicause that from day to day and from night to night God manifesteth his power and glorie And let vs note Of the excellency of the sunne and true testimonie of the prouidence of God that the prophet proposing vnto vs the heauens thus in generall as true preachers of his diuine prouidence maketh principall and expresse mention of the Sunne bicause it is the most goodly creature the most agreeable most profitable and necessarie for men and for all the rest of the works of God For this cause also euery one giueth more heed vnto it then to all the other celestiall bodies For it is by the course and meanes of the Sunne that we haue ordinarily daies and nights and that they be sometimes longer sometimes shorter and another time equall as hath been already told vs and also that we haue the distinction of yeeres and of the diuers seasons of them as of the spring time summer autumne and winter and of the time fit to sowe plant till the earth and to gather the fruites thereof and generally to performe all other workes necessarie for the life of man And then may very well bee considered the course and compasse of this goodly light which is from the one end of heauen to the other end and how there is nothing that is hid from the heate thereof Shall we let passe in silence the gallant course which euery day it maketh compassing the whole world in the space of fower and twenty howers without being any whit wearie For from the hower that God hath created it it hath neuer desisted from worke day nor night and hath neuer failed one iot neither shal cease so long as the world shal endure And therefore it is also said in Ecclesiasticus The sunne also a maruellous instrument Eccles 43. when it appeereth declareth at his going out the worke of the most high And presently after Great is the Lord that made it by whose commandement it doth runne hastily Then speaking in generall of all the planets and starres It is a campe saith he pitched on high shining in the firmament of heauen the beautie of the heauens are the glorious starres and the ornament that shineth in the high places of the Lord. By the commandement of the holy one they continue in their order and faile not in their watch And who is it except the blinde that beholdeth not this goodly sunne to passe out of his pauilion like a magnificent king that marcheth foorth of his palace Who seeth not the faire countenance that he sheweth to all being as the eie and mirrour of the whole world Who vieweth not his trim locks and the golden haires and yellow beard of his raies by which he spreadeth his light and heate vpon all creatures In such sort that as none can auoide his heate so none can flie from his light For as it is written By the word of the Lord are his works Eccles 42. Eccles 43. The sunne that shineth looketh vpon all things and all the works thereof are full 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
but that the windowes of heauen were opened and that raine fell vpon the earth forty daies and fortie nights For which cause also the Psalmist singeth The voice of the Lord is vpon the waters Psal 29. the glory of God maketh it to thunder the Lord is vpon the great waters He was set vpon the floud and he shal remaine king for euer which is asmuch to say as the Lord hath executed his iudgement vpon the wicked by the waters of the floud and that as then he tooke vengeance so it is he that doth for euer remaine iudge of the world and that maketh all creatures to tremble before him Where wee haue great matter of feare and trembling if wee beleeue the word of God and the testimonies which it deliuereth of his iudgements when I say we diligently consider the effects of the nature of the higher elements Therefore whensoeuer wee see close weather and the aire filled with cloudes threatning vs with raine and tempests the sight thereof should alwaies refresh and renew in vs the memorie of this iudgement of God so terrible and vniuersall in the flud to teach vs to walke in more feare of his Maiestie But there are few which thinke thereupon and can make their profite thereof and many to the contrarie doe but iest and scoffe at it as if it were a fable and a fantasie I knowe very well that the scripture saith that God set the raine-bow in the cloudes for signe of an accord and attonement betweene him and men and euery liuing creature to the ende that the waters might neuer after increase to such a floud as should roote out all flesh But we must note that the Eternall doth not here promise neuer to send any deluge vpon the earth Genes 9. Many goodly thingâ— to bee câ—â—â—â—dered in the rainâ—â—â—â—w but onely not a generall and vniuersall floud as the first was in the time of Noah For how many times hath he punished particularly many people with great inundations and deluges of water signifying vnto all that he hath all his creatures at commandement for euer to make them serue either to his wrath or to his mercie according as he will intreat men and hereupon we shall learne that though it seemeth that in the place before alledged the raine-bowe is named as if it had been spred in the aire at that time onely when it was giuen by God as a signe and sacrament of his couenant renewed yet neuertheles we must not doubt but that when God created the causes of this bowe in nature ordained by him he did also create it in the establishing of the world with other creatures But it was not vsed by God for a testimonie of his attonement with mankinde till after the flood So likewise it is certaine that this heauenly bowe hath naturally had at all times the significations which at this present it retaineth to presage raine or faire weather according as it diuersly appeereth But since that the creator hath accepted it for a signe of his couenant it hath had this vantage to be ordained as a gage and witnes of the promises of God And therefore whensoeuer we behold it in heauen we must not onely consider of it as of a naturall thing and as a prognosticator sometimes of raine sometimes of faire weather but likewise as a witnes and memoriall as well of the iudgement of God as of his grace and mercie and of the assurance of the conseruation of all creatures by his prouidence But though it should teach vs nothing of al this but should onely retaine the beautie and naturall signification thereof yet might it serue vs for an excellent testimonie of the maiestie of God and incite vs to giue him praise Eccles 43. For which cause Ecclesiasticus saith Looke vpon the raine-bowe and praise him that made it very beautifull it is in the brightnes thereof It compasseth the heauen about with a glorious circle and the hands of the most high haue bended it For what man is so dull but doth admire the great varietie of so faire colours as appeere in it euen in a substance so fine and subtile that it cannot be perceiued by any corporall sense saue by the sight I know that the philosophers doe teach Of the cause of th◠〈…〉 rainâ—â—bow that as a drop of water which one seeth in the sunne representeth many goodly colours like those in the raine-bowe which is made of a thicke watrie cloud full of drops in the middle region of the aire For euery darke obscure thing is as it were almost blacke as the shadowes doe demonstrate which by reason of their obscuritie seeme to be blacke And when an obscure thing is illuminated if it be bright it passeth in colours according to the abundance of the brightnes Now the cloud is obscure the drops of water are bright for this cause they represent vnto vs colours according to the variety of that light which shineth vpoÌ„ them And forsomuch as the innermost circle of the bow is nerest to the obscure or dark cloud it seemeth coÌ„monly to be blew that in the middle which is more illuminate appeereth greene and the vpper circle which is greatest and most lighted with celestiall brightnes is yellow Forasmuch then as there is a cause of euery thing the Naturalists doe much endeuour themselues to render reasons concerning the diuersities of these colours as Astrologians doe also to argue vpon the diuers predictions of this bowe as presaging sometimes raine sometimes faire weather sometimes winde and sometimes calme and cleere weather Hist nat lib. 2. Yet Plinie saith that it is often seene when it doth not prognosticate any thing and that no heede is taken of it for the time to come But let euery one ascertaine himselfe that it is caused by the beames of the sunne which striking into an hollow cloud are constrained to reuerberate and returne vpwardes toward the sunne And that the diuersitie of colours which are therein represented is made by the mixture of the clouds of the aire and of the fire which are found there togither Moreouer that this bow neuer is but when the sunne is opposit to that cloud and that it exceedeth not the forme of a semicircle also that it appeereth not by night though Aristotle saith that it hath sometimes been then seene But we wil leaue the philosophers to dispute vpon these things and to search the depth of their naturall causes and will conclude this speech and make an end of this day with a point of doctrine concerning the meteors of Christians which is that we must take very good heed not to be of the number of those who boasting of the knowledge of humane sciences haue despised the spirituall and diuine and of whom Saint Peter hath prophecied saying 2. Pet. 3. That there shoulde come in the last daies mockers and contemners of God walking according to their owne lusts which should say Where is the promise
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
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
the fire considering also that heat hath but little motion except it attaine to the height thereof whereas otherwise it doth quench it selfe And therefore it is that matter which burneth vnder the earth that ministreth this puissant heat which doth so warme the water And wee may moreouer note that all those waters which boyle so are naturally light and haue some medicinable facultie and propertie And yet they are not to be so much accounted of as that which is fit for common vsage in mens affaires to preserue health What water is best For good water hath neither colour smel nor sauour and is passing cleere and being drunke it abideth not long in the belly such they say is the water of the riuer Euleus which falleth from the mountaine Zager by Susiana whereof the kings of Persia did make prouision in their expeditions and warlike voyages For to the preseruation of health water is no lesse to bee carefully chosen Diuers causes of cold waters and their tasts colours and smelles then aire Now as warme waters are famous for the reasons heretofore deliuered so there are some waters also verie much admired for their great coldnes whereof snowe marble mettals cold aire sudden motion and the great fall from aloft euerie one in his degree may be the cause Againe the sauours or tastes of waters are verie diuers and the principal cause thereof is heat For sodden earth which is of sundry sorts giueth a tast to water according to the quality thereof And the like reason is concerning colours for fine thin clay doth cause the colour of waters but thick clay tarrieth not in water and therefore dieth it not The same cause is also in the difference of smels And alwaies waters that are of a good smel are profitable for creatures but stinking waters cause diseases for as Philosophers say contrarie causes appertaine to contrarie things Good water likewise is lightest as that which fleeteth aboue other water be it in riuers springs or wels From whence it commeth that fresh water floateth vpon sea water which likewise being more massiue and waightie beareth more heauie burdens And amongst fresh waters the water of Rhodanus or Rosne in France swimmeth vpon that of the lake of Geneua passing ouer the midst thereof Also many rare properties and great woonders are written concerning waters with the causes of them as that Of a floud which ran not on the sabboth day which is reported by Iosephus of a certaine floud in Iudea neere Syria which ranne euery day except vpon the Sabbaoth day which was reputed a matter religious and as a myracle although that this might happen and come to passe through a naturall cause if we will so argue to wit that no more water was gathered into this floud by orderly spaces then was sufficient to runne for sixe daies and not for the seuenth in such sort as Phisitions render a like cause concerning the renewings or fits and ceasings of feauers For the world is the great man as man is the little worlde But not stretching this discourse any farther we will onelie note for conclusion thereof that in the diuersitie of the kindes of waters that which is gathered togither in one place is salt Of the diuers appellations of waters is called the sea the fresh water so gathered togither is called a lake if it mooue not at all it is named a marish or fen but if it be somewhat deepe it is a standing poole and if it runne then is it a riuer if it gather through raines or by snowe then is it a torrent or raine-floud and if it spring it is a fountaine which is euer the best water and doth slowliest putrifie For it is least moist and is most concocted by the heauenly heate Also the lightest water doth hardliest corrupt for which cause it is most fit for the maintenance of mans life as approching neerest to the substance of the aire by which we breath We haue said enough then concerning this matter But me thinketh that our succeeding discourse requireth that we should entreate of those commodities which men receiue by waters through nauigation which ACHITOB shall be the subiect of your discourse Of the commodities which men reape of the waters by nauigation and of the directions which sea-men receiue from heauen and from the starres vpon the sea Chap. 60. ACHITOB AMongst such things as are woorthie of consideration in the sea and in other waters we must not passe ouer in silence those goodly commodities and great profits which they bring vnto men by the meanes of nauigations and of the dealings and trafficks which they exercise by them For it is to be noted that euery land and countrey cānot be furnished with al commodities bicause God hath so disposed therof that some abound in those things which othersome do greatly want stand in need of But by meanes of sayling by water all that which can be required may be transported from one countrey to another with very small trouble charges so that one nation may communicate those commodities with another which the creator hath particularly bestowed on them all each granting mutuall helpe to the other by this meanes Wherin surely we may acknowledge the prouidence of God to be verie great manifold Of the prouidence of God in distribution of his gifts For first the Lord hath disposed of his creatures and distributed his treasures according to the diuersity of landes and countries euen in such manner as he diuideth his gifts and graces amongst men For he bestoweth not all either vpon one or vpon two or vpon three or vpon any other certaine number of them And therefore there neuer hath beene nor shall be any one which either could or may surpasse all others so much that hee may haue no need of another or that hath sufficient for himselfe For if one man possessed all he would thinke himselfe to be no more a man but a God rather and would therefore contemne all others Moreouer it is most certaine that if euery one were so well furnished with all things that they might all surpasse one another there would be no humane societie For one would make no account of another but being all puffed vp with pride whereto they are naturally enclined there woulde arise a thousand quarrels and dissensions amongst them as wee ordinarily see to happen amongst the proud mightie puissant and rich For seeing that charitie which should dwell amongst men can take no place how could they be vnited and allied togither in amitie if they were not constrained therto through necessitie and if it be a difficult matter to conioine and maintaine them in peace and mutuall good will what neede soeuer they haue one of another one may easilie iudge what woulde ensue if they had not necessitie for their mistresse to this effect which causeth them to do in spight of al their abilities that which she cannot obtaine of them
great and dangerous temptations and afflictions Now the tyrannie malice crueltie and peruersnes of the wicked serueth in all these things for his children and to his glorie through his prouidence notwithstanding that he hateth all the wicked vsing them only as rods and scourges to chastise and punish those whom he pleaseth as he is likewise serued by diuels without approouing their works insomuch as they proceed from themselues But there is more yet For considering that God hath not created men like vnto beasts onely to liue in this world with a corporall temporall life but hath made them to immortality and eternall life like the angels he will then by the aduersities which he sendeth vnto them heere giue them to vnderstand that other blessings doe attend for them far greater then those which may be tasted vpon earth and which are common betwixt them and beasts Behold then the fruit which me seemeth must be gathered in our discourse this day now to morrow wee will step out of the sea and waters to take land againe and to consider vpon the treasures and benefits therein which it produceth for the commoditie of men and the diuersitie of creatures that liue therein whereof ASER you shall begin to discourse The end of the eighth daies worke THE NINTH DAIES WORKE Of fruits and of the fertilitie of the earth and the causes thereof and of herbs trees and plants Chap. 65. ASER. AS the holy scripture teacheth vs that before God did create the beasts of the earth Genes 1. he commaunded the earth that was discouered and free from the waters to bud foorth the bud of the herbe that seedeth seede the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kinde which hath his seede in it selfe vpon the earth and it was so we must likewise vnderstand that this commandement had not such vertue for that time onely but that it endureth and remaineth alwaies and so will doe till the consummation of the world For all herbes trees and plants that the earth euer hath borne doth beare or shall beare euen from the creation of the same vntill the end of the world doe proceede from the first ordinance and eternall word of the soueraigne by which all things haue beene created Wherefore Moses to the ende that men might acknowledge this diuine power which maketh the earth so fruitful doth expressely tell vs that God gaue this fertilitie before there was any sunne moone or starre in heauen For hee saith that these goodly lights were created the fourth day but that the production of herbs What is the cause of the fertility of the earth trees plants was on the third day Thereby then we must learne that although the sun moone and starres besides the husbandrie of man do serue by the ordinance of God for to make the earth fertile yet for all that it can bring foorth no fruit if the word and blessing of the Almightie do not giue it power For as it was fertile before it was aided by the starres euen so is it now in regarde of the tillage and husbandrie of man For there was neither man nor beast when it budded foorth the fruites which God commanded it to beare yea so much wanteth it to become fruitful by the trauell of man that to the contrarie it hath lost very much fertilitie and a great part thereof hath become barren since his first creation bicause of his sinne For in lieu of the blessing that God at first gaue thereunto Genes 3. he said afterwards to the man that it should be cursed for his sake and that it should bring foorth thornes and thistles and that he should eate the fruits thereof in sorrow For these causes then we must alwaies haue respect to the power of the word and of the blessing of God by which all things haue been created in their order as we haue heretofore declared and man last of al as the master-peece of the Lords worke Who hauing determined in his eternall counsell to create man after his owne image and likenes to the end that he might in this visible world represent his creator as in his most liuely semblance was not onely pleased to build him his lodging first to wit the whole world but would also replenish and furnish it euery where to the end that nothing might be found emptie But that which is herein to bee chiefly considered is that this diuine prouidence hauing giuen essence to all corporall creatures hath therewithall prouided necessarie meanes to keepe and preserue them all in their natures For minding to giue life to birds to fishes and to the beastes of the earth he had already prepared their foode before he had created them and had ordained the earth as the mother and the nurse of all creatures which are engendred and which dwell and are conuersant therein How creatures are nourished and preserued and in the waters and aire also for the birds and fishes Moreouer as all bodies are composed of fire of aire of earth and of water so the Lords will was that all these enimies should conioine togither and receiue aide one from another to the preseruation of liuing creatures by vertue of the alliance and agreement which is not onely betwixt the said elements but also betwixt them and the celestiall spheres as wee haue alreadie discoursed For considering that they be the principles of things hauing life they cannot liue nor be naturally conserued but by meane of the very same elements from which they take their originall And therefore the prouidence of God causeth that they doe all accord togither to nourish and maintaine those creatures which he hath made and created But seeing that we are in talke of the fertilitie of the Earth Of the fertility of the earth ordayned by God to that ende according as we haue declared who is it that can number the diuers kinds of herbs of trees and of all sorts of plants which it produceth And who is it that can but onely name and finde proper denominations agreeable vnto them And if we should speake of their diuersities and varieties in rootes in stalks in stockes in tops in branches in boughes in leaues in shapes in flowers in colours in seeds in fruits in tastes in smels and in sauours who would not maruell verie much We see how the Lord speaking onely of the Lilly of the field doth testifie that Salomon in all his royaltie was not adorned like one of those and therefore he bringeth it as a testimonie of his goodnes in reproch of those which take care for their clothing as if they distrusted in the prouidence of God Matth. 6. Luk. 12. and as if they supposed him not able enough to apparell them or at least that he had not so much care of men as he hath of the herbs and flowers of the field which he endueth and decketh with so gallant clothing with so many sorts of excellent faire colours and yet