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A05102	The third volume of the French academie contayning a notable description of the whole world, and of all the principall parts and contents thereof: as namely, of angels both good and euill: of the celestiall spheres, their order and number: of the fixed stars and planets; their light, motion, and influence: of the fower elements, and all things in them, or of them consisting: and first of firie, airie, and watrie meteors or impressions of comets, thunders, lightnings, raines, snow, haile, rainebowes, windes, dewes, frosts, earthquakes, &c. ingendered aboue, in, and vnder the middle or cloudie region of the aire. And likewise of fowles, fishes, beasts, serpents, trees with their fruits and gum; shrubs, herbes, spices, drugs, minerals, precious stones, and other particulars most worthie of all men to be knowen and considered. Written in French by that famous and learned gentleman Peter de la Primaudaye Esquier, Lord of the same place, and of Barree: and Englished by R. Dolman.; Academie françoise. Part 3. English	La Primaudaye, Pierre de, b. ca. 1545.; Dolman, R. (Richard)	1601 (1601)	STC 15240; ESTC S108305	398,876	456

in the principles and first causes of the subiect which he desireth to know contrariwise hauing well knowne them the vnderstanding of the effects which thereupon ensue of the vertues and qualities which thereby redound of the actions which therof proceed of the degrees which therein are established of the bounds and limits whereto these first causes tend to obtaine their perfection declareth it selfe as of it owne accord without great difficultie and much paine This was the cause why many sages in old time despising the care of temporall affaires addicted themselues altogether to search out the cause of all nature so that the most excellent of them would boldly discourse of the originall and making of the world But the saying of Plato remaining euer true that it is as hard to finde out the maker and father of this All as to speake properly of him being found out it so falleth out that the most part of them who haue entreated of so loftie a matter haue erred straying by diuers by-waies yea euen all those whom the Son of Iustice hath not fully illuminated with his supreme brightnes Thereupon it proceeded that the philosophers haue beene diuided into diuers and contrarie opinions about this question whether the world hath beene from euerlasting or whether it hath beene of late whether of necessitie or else by the free will and motion of God Aristotle with all the troupe of those Diuers opinions of the Philosophers in th●● argument of the being of the world who beleeue nothing but that which they can inuent and comprise by naturall reasons and syllogismes taken from sensible things which guide them to a certaine demonstration not being able thereby to vnderstand how and wherefore heauen earth haue beene created affirme that they were neuer made but that they haue beene from eternitie But Plato followed of a great number of the most cleere-sighted wisemen hath confessed the generation of the world which he teacheth to be ordered and disposed by compleat and perfect numbers vnder the vaile of which the obscure notes of hidden sense it seemeth that he would hide the close mysteries of the creation of the vniuers to those which were not yet instructed in such secrets which onely may be comprehended by a pure and celestiall cogitation diuinely infused For let vs know that there is no certaintie at all of this doctrine except for those to whom the minde by a special and supernaturall grace is sharp being fashioned and formed by meditation of the immutable substance of God himselfe and by a secret operation of the holy Ghost to beleeue that it is the Eternall who by his word hath made all nature For so the Soueraigne Creator talketh with man and establisheth a certaine testimonie of his truth in the heart of him when he hath made him proper and meet to heare him with the best and most excellent part of his vnderstanding in regard whereof he is said to be made according to his owne image But although these things may be knowne being nor far remote from our interiour How the creation of the world may be belieued or exteriour senses yea so that they may be called present and whereof no doubt is to bee made especially being supported by authoritie of good witnesses yet those things which surpasse the ordinarie puissance of the minde because by our owne iudgement we cannot credit them must be considered and beleeued according to that couenant of verities which they announce vnto vs who haue known thē by our vnderstanding peaceful and duely purged so that we may adde faith to such holy personages as God hath made capable of his light and which instruct vs not in the things which they haue imagined but in such as they haue heard receiued from diuine oracles It is then of their authoritie that he must make a buckler whosoeuer will meetly debate of God and of his workes and of his prouidence in the gouernance of them And when the wings of Nature faile vs in so loftie a contemplation we must take to vs those of diuine grace and when the naturall light fadeth and is readie to die to require an infused and supernaturall illumination The world is greatest of all things visible and God of all things inuisible That the world is we perceiue but that God is we beleeue Now that he hath made the world we can better beleeue of no bodie then of God himselfe But where haue we heard that In his word whereto we must giue credit concerning those things whereof it is expedient that we should not be ignorant and which we of our selues are not able to vnderstand Now he hath spoken first by his prophets then by himselfe in the person of our Redeemer and lastly by the Apostles and disciples We heare him speaking aloude where Moses the father of diuines Genes 1. and master of Philosophers saith In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth The prophet was not there present but the wisedome of God by which al things were made and which by an incomprehensible vertue conueieth it selfe into holy minds and doth direct them and declare all his works without any noyse at all by his spirit which can doe all beholdeth all encourageth all and passeth through all purified spirits of vnderstanding and abideth in his elect And the blessed Angels who alwaies behold the face of their father speake to them also and announce the secrets of the eternal Maiestie to all them I say in such sort as it pleaseth the Omnipotent to make them worthie One of these was Moses who teacheth vs that God almightie made this great Vniuers A witnesse so excellent and worthy that by him we must belieue in God whom we perceiue as it were through the same wisedome and spirit which reuealed vnto him the creation of the world who prophecied almost two thousand yeeres before of the high-mysteries of Christian faith confirming also his whole doctrine by miracles prodigies oracles and prophecies wherewith all his writings abound And therefore hauing confidence in his testimonie we call God Creator of all things thereby inferring that he is author principall and first cause of all essences which cause by manner of speech ought to be full of all things if this Maxime of the Peripatetickes be true That none can giue away of that which he hath not And therefore the Poet the honor of our age very learnedly saith Ere time forme substance place to be themselues attained Du Bartas in the 1. of his weekes All God in all things was and God in all remained For there is nothing produced by nature or formed by arte but first it hath abiding in that which performeth it So euerie creature is engendred by vertue of that seede wherein it was at first by power included so each worke liueth in the minde of the workeman before he puts it in practise So had the worlde perfect being in the thought of God before it was

THE THIRD VOLVME OF THE FRENCH ACADEMIE Contayning a notable description of the whole world and of all the principall parts and contents thereof As namely of Angels both good and euill of the Celestiall spheres their order and number of the fixed stars and planets their light motion and influence Of the fower elements and all things in them or of them consisting and first of firie airie and watrie meteors or impressions of comets thunders lightnings raines snow haile rainebowes windes dewes frosts earthquakes c. ingendred aboue in and vnder the middle or cloudie region of the aire And likewise of fowles fishes beasts serpents trees with their fruits and gum shrubs herbes spices drugs minerals precious stones and other particulars most worthie of all men to be knowen and considered Written in French by that famous and learned Gentleman Peter de la Primaudaye Esquier Lord of the same place and of Barree and Englished by R. Dolman LONDINI Jmpensis Geor. Bishop 1601. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir WILLIAM MOVNSON Knight YOur emploiments Right Worshipfull in sundry hir Maiesties forraine seruices both by sea and land and also for your farther experience and satisfaction in diuers other noble enterprises beeing accompanied with a sharpe and iudicious obseruation of things memorable and the perusing of many excellent and rare writers must of necessitie haue made you not onely expert in matters of war and estate but also most singularlie well read in God his great booke of nature I meane the admirable frame of this Vniuers or whole world Wherein the infinite varieties and sorts of creatures like so many visible wordes doe proclaime and publish vnto man the eternitie infinitie omnipotency wisedome iustice bountie and other essentiall attributes of his dread and soueraigne creatour Wherefore I doe here present vnto your Wor. the discourse ensuing not as a teacher to instruct you in things vnknowne but as a faithfull remembrancer to recall matters to your minde which are there already both by speculation and experience most soundly imprinted It may please you then to accept of this mine homelie translation not so much for mine owne sake who am able to deserue lesse then nothing as for the Authors worthines being a Gentleman as appeareth out of this other parts his learned ACADEMIE most rarely qualified and likewise for the excellencie of this present worke of his both in regard of the method the matter and the scope For the methode is most exact and agreeable to rules of art proceeding from generalles to particulars and from the whole to the parts The matter or subiect is most noble so that if according to Aristotle all arts and sciences doe receiue their perfection from the dignity of the obiect then certes of all others Theologie excepted this science is the most excellent hauing so spacious so beautifull and so fruitfull a fielde to manure as the whole world and all things therein contained Neither is the scope any whit lesse charitable and christian tending partly to the information of mens vnderstandings and the reformation of their errors but most especially ayming at the glorie of the creator vnto whom onely is due all submission and honor Finally considering the authors manner of handling this discourse and the varietie of choise-writers both ancient and of our times which hee alledgeth for confirmation of sundry truthes and for other purposes purging by the fire of his exquisite iudgment the drosse of their opinions from the pure mettall and in all places adorning their gold and siluer with the most orient and inualuable pearles of holy scripture I deemed it in all respects most worthy to shroude it selfe vnder your Wor. patronage London this 28. of March 1601. Your Wor. most readie to be disposed of RICHARD DOLMAN To the Reader MOunt on this worlds maiestike theater Suruey the spheres and euer-burning lamps Pierce through the aire fire earth and water Admire Jehouahs hosts and royall camps Rang'd in batallions and seemely troupes At sight whereof the proudest Atheist droupes Surmount the spheres view those ghostly wights Jnhabiting a world supercelestiall Then stoupe trembling see those ghastly sprights Plung'd aie in deepest firie gulfes infernall And frighted thence looke al the world aroūd What other natures-wonders may be found R. D. Sonnet CE que Dieu fit et fait d'admirable en son monde Ce qu'on en peut auoir de plaisirs et de biens Et d'enseignemens beaux diuins et terriens BARREE icy l'instruit par celeste faconde Mais quel saint trucheman ô Nimphe-Angloise blonde T'apprent ces hauts discours qui rauissent les tiens C'est mon gentil DOLMAN ieune laurier des miens Le qui de des neuf seurs qui en langues abonde O toy heureuse donc d'auoir ce traducteur Comme ta soeur Françoise heureuse est de l' Autheur Mais plus heureuse encor quand par estudes saintes Des grands oeuures de Dieu en ce liure depeintes Si bien cognoistres Dieu qu'au mieux d'ame et de coeur En crainte amour et foy le seruires sans feintes I' attens le temps PIERRE CASTEL The speciall and principall matters handled in this third Tome of the French Academie as it is diuided into seuerall daies works and distinguished by Chapters The first daies worke Page 1 OF the Creation of Heauen and Earth Chap. 1 Page 7 Of time which tooke beginning with the world Chapter 2 Page 12 Of the insufficiencie or nullitie of reasons framed concerning the nature of the world against the creation thereof chap. 3 Page 15 Of the reasons taken from motion and the moouing intelligences against the creation of the world and of the insufficiencie of them chapter 4 Page 20 Of many other deuises which they inuent who pretend to ouerthrow the doctrine of the creation of the world performed by the creator thereof chap. 5 Page 24 Concerning those causes which haue made the Philosophers to erre from the knowledge of truth and of their ignorance concerning God and his works chap. 6 Page 29 Of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation and newnes of the world vndoubted chap. 7 Page 34 Of the reasons making for the creation and newnes of the world chapter 8 The second daies worke Page 39 COncerning the errors of those Philosophers which say that God doth his outward worke of necessitie chap. 9 Page 45 Of the reasons which conclude that God proceeded of franke and free deliberation to the worke of the world chap. 10 Page 49 Of one onely principall and first cause of the Vniuers chap. 11 Page 54 Of the space of the sixe daies mentioned in the historie of the creation of the world chap. 12 Page 59 Of the mysteries hidden vnder the number of sixe in the creation of the Vniuers and of the seuenth day of rest chap. 13 Page 64 Of the diuisions of the vniuersall world chap. 14 Page 68 Of the Angelicall and intellectuall world

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

the acts and power of this Empire But howsoeuer it be wee haue in the doctrine of the spheres most excellent principles and grounds which prepare men to the knowledge of nature and the author thereof yea which aduance them if they can apply this studie to his proper ende in the vnderstanding of the secrets wisdome and prouidence of God so far as the mind of man can pierce thereinto Let vs then companions direct our sight straight towards the place which wee must apprehend to be blessed to wit towards heauen and let vs especially regard God in his workes as the onely limit whereto we shall and must once attaine ACHITOB. The orderly motions of the heauens the goodly workemanship of so many starry pauilions disposed one aboue the other without any inter-annoiāce in their course the accord agreement power vertue and beautie of the elements the situation stabilitie and largenes of the earth in midst of the waters which continually threaten it and yet drowne it not and so many diuers natures and creatures which are which liue which haue sense and vnderstanding in this whole great Vniuers and serue each one in his place all these things I say are like so many interpreters to teach vs God as their onely efficient cause and to manifest him vnto vs in them and by them as their finall cause Therefore pursuing our first intent sufficiently declared in the beginning of our Academick discourse and according to the processe of the talke by vs obserued in our description of the naturall history of the Microcosme or little world let vs here make companions as it were another history of the Macrocosme or great world first entreating of the creation of the world then of the diuision of the same afterwards of the orders of the spheres of their substance natures and motions of the influences and effects of their planets consequently of the elements and lastly of euery essence and creature therein contained not by a particular description of their kindes which would amount to a work almost infinite but onely of the principall of each sort and so much as wee shall hold sufficient to induce euery one of vs and of those which will deigne to heare vs to consider and highly to praise the wisedome of the father and moderator of all these things in the creation conduction gouernance and end of them and by the vnion of their parts with the whole and among themselues we haue enough to refer the euent of our purpose to their beginning and principall scope which is to know God and his prouidence to the end to glorifie him Declare then vnto vs ASER that which you haue learned of the creation of heauen and earth THE FIRST DAIES WORKE OF THE THIRD TOME OF THE FRENCH Academie Of Heauen and Earth Of the creation of Heauen and Earth Chapter 1. ASER. IF all men guided by reason as Plato very wel said haue a custome to inuocate on God in the beginning of their worke In Tim. whether it be great or little how much more conuenient is it that desiring to dispute of the Vniuers if wee retaine any iudgement at all we should call God to our aide It is very difficult to speake as is requisite of the celestiall bodies and of so many diuers motions as they haue and yet not one hinder another but it is a much more high and intricate matter to finde out the workman and father of all this great world And when we shall haue found him it is altogether impossible vulgarly to expresse the cause reason of his works For though as it is the glorie and infinite wisedome of God shineth in this admirable construction of heauen and earth yet our capacitie is too too smal to comprise so great profound effects so much it wanteth that the toong may bee able to make a full and entire declaration thereof And we cannot hold disputation or argument vpon that which doth not offer it selfe vnto our sense and proper reason as is the creation of the world For therein haue we that woonderfull Architect whom Hermes called the great infinite sphere intellectual whose center is all that which is throughout the world created who performing his worke and giuing motion to all the celestiall bodies doth himselfe continue stable Now that which mouing is not it selfe moued surpasseth al discourses speculations humane and philosophicall and appertaineth to a diuine knowledge the which we ought to impetrate through praiers by reuelation of the holy Spirit euen in such sort as all things naturall are inuented and comprehended by reason demonstration and all morall are obtained by arte and vse Praier to God Then of the soueraigne and true God with his eternal Word and holy Spirit which three are one essence one God in Trinitie of persons Exod. 3. whose name is I will be that I will be or I am that I am Almightie Eternall Creator and gouernor of euery soule and bodie in contemplation of whom consisteth the onely good the true felicitie and blessednes of man whom he himselfe hath created to attaine thereunto a liuing creature reasonable by the gift of vnderstanding and free-will Who being iust permitteth not his creature made according to his owne image to remaine vnpunished hauing sinned and being merciful hath not left him without grace who hath giuen both to the good and euill an essence with the stones a life vegetatiue and full of seede with the plants a life sensuall with the beasts and a life intellectuall with the Angels from whom proceedeth all gouernance all goodlines and all order by whom all that is naturall euen from the highest of heauen to the center of the earth doth subsist of whom are the seedes of formes the formes of seedes the mouings of seedes and of formes who being good hath not left regardlesse not onely the sphericall and elementarie world or else the Angels and man but euen the entrailes of the most small and contemptible amongst creatures neither the lightest feather of the birds nor the least flower of the herbe nor leafe of the tree engrauing in each of all these things the workes of his omnipotencie certaine signes of his glorie and maiestie by the couenant and accord of euery of their parts and as it were by I wot not what manner of peace Of him I say father and moderator of all that which is which liueth which hath sense and vnderstandeth let vs request Companions that with the light of his wisedome he will illuminate our vnderstandings and by his holy spirit direct and gouerne our words meetely to discourse of according as mans power is able the works of his al-mighty hand in heauen and in earth according as our intent is The beginning of euerie thing whatsoeuer is of such waight and importance that on the knowledge of the same dependeth all the science thereof for it is impossible that a man can be skilfull in any thing if he be ignorant

builded and the very Idea thereof was contained in it by which this great architect when it pleased him performed his outward worke as saint Augustine verie learnedly discourseth in a long treatise vpon this text of Scripture All things were made by the word Iohn 1. and in it was life c. And thereby we learne that God almightie the vnit from which all number proceedeth and whereto all multitude referreth it selfe did increase himselfe in himselfe before he communicated his vnitie with creatures engendring one eternitie and by an alone vnique action neuer disturbed his linage full of vnderstanding the very image of the father his worde the perfect patterne of the worlde and his loue and power the holie Ghost which allieth the vnderstanding with the thought three persons in one essence and substance Afterward this Godhead though in it selfe it was soueraigne good not hauing neede of any strange thing yet woulde he according to his owne bountie in him consisting produce the outward worke of the worlde whereinto spreading himselfe by a kinde of processe of well ordered degrees and disposing through admirable workmanship the harmonicall formes of the heauens the angels and men by him created to be made partakers of felicitie contemplating these maruailes were rauished and carried away with meditation of spirituall things and by the beautie of his workes and ornament of his creatures haue learned to acknowledge the father of this Vniuers Who moreouer performed not so great a worke in such manner as mortall men accustome to labour who cannot do any businesse themselues if they haue not stuffe and tooles fit for it nay and then cannot do it according to their desire But God created all of nothing without helpe without counsell That God made all of nothing by himselfe by his worde by the power of his holie spirit in such time and manner as he hath pleased of his owne franke and free will Therefore it is written He spake and it was done Psalm 33. Psal 135. Ierem. 31. he commanded and the worlde was created Also The Lorde hath done whatsoeuer he pleased in heauen and in earth and in all the depths And againe Oh eternall Lord behold thou hast made heauen and earth by thy great power and by thy stretched out arme nothing is impossible to thee Briefly holy writings are filled with texts to this purpose which giue vs certaine testimonie that the works of God are not subiect to any other cause then to his only omnipotent will and that thereby the worde being spoken those things which were not haue beene created as well the substance as the fashion of them and also the worde Creation doth properly import so much according to the stile of holie-writ Beholde then summarily that which we learne of the originall of the worlde we will consequently consider as neere as may be of this notable and excellent doctrine and of certaine arguments which some vse to the contrarie Wherefore AMANA if you thinke good you shall frame the subiect of your discourse vpon the time wherein this Vniuers began to be builded Of Time which tooke beginning with the World Chapter 2. AMANA THe matter which we entreate of Hierom. in prolog Gal●● Au●ust 〈…〉 vpon Genes●● hath alwaies beene accounted of the Sages to be of such depth and profunditie that it was ordered amongst the ancient Hebrewes that any who had not attained to ripe age good yeeres might not meddle with the creation Of this prohibition doth S. Hierome make mention And therefore Saint Augustine vpon Genesis searching out the deepe secrets hidden vnder the vaile of simple words therein contained speaketh to the Reader in this manner Comprehend this if thou canst if not not leaue it to them which are more learned But make profite of the Scripture which abandoneth not thy weaknesse but like a mother steppeth foote by foote an easie pace with thee For it speaketh in such sort that in height it scorneth the proude in depth it astonisheth those which are attentiue to it It feedeth the great with truth and nourisheth the small ones with milde and familiar discourse And in truth in each part of Moses writings the treasures of all Philosophie are by him discouered like as if they were closely hidden in some field chiefly in this place which we haue intended to entreat of touching the creation For of deliberate purpose he argueth in Philosophie of the originall of all things of God of the degree number and order of the parts of this great world We neuerthelesse hauing confidence in this saying of the Psalmist Psal 119. That the word of God doth illuminate and giue vnderstanding to the simple and that it serueth for a light to our pathes we may be bolde to touch so loftie a point But before we proceed to consider of the precious treasures and learned doctrine wherewith the sacred sayings of the prophet touching the creation are replenished it will be good that we discourse a little of the principall arguments whereupon manie better Philosophers then good Christians haue obiected against this doctrine of framing of the world And I will willingly begin with this old question of the Epicure Why God made the world in the time that Moses declareth which the atheists of our time haue renewed to wit Why in the time that Moses recordeth it pleased the eternal God to create heauen and earth which he had not made before If they which say thus woulde thereby inferre that the worlde hath beene eternall without any beginning and for that cause it seemeth to them that God made it not they are too farre wide of the truth and sicke of the mortall disease of impietie For besides the manifold tellings and propheticall testimonies which make the creation of heauen and earth vndoubtable euen the world it selfe by his motion and well ordered changing the gorgeous shew of all things visible therein contained not speaking one word do after a sort cry out that it was made that it could be no otherwise formed then by God who is ineffablie inuisibly glorious For it is not to be supposed that a thing of most exquisite order reason should haue bin made by chance that a deed most soueraigne could haue any other father then soueraigne nor so goodly a worke anie other architect then one essentially goodly And therefore all the schooles of those Philosophers which haue had any whit of diuine sense affirme with one consent that there is nothing which more prooueth that God hath made the world and that it is gouerned by his care prouidence then the only beholding of the whole world and consideration of the beautie and order thereof But see heere what imagination not grounded on sense putteth into the mouthes of many What did God say they before he created the world why staide he till then or why staide he not a little longer In these and such like doubts they inwrap themselues making

no difference betweene the condition of God and our owne betweene his eternall essence and that of those things which haue once had a beginning But with a discreete and pleasant answere Saint Augustine resolueth those which demaunde what God did before the fabrication of the world He was busie saith he cutting downe wood in the forrest to burne the rash and curious who remember not what they themselues did yesterday and yet dare inquire what God hath done of eternitie But that I may speake to the most subtile let the best learned among them tell me what they intend by this worde before whereof they inquire Time began with the world If they meane the passing away oftime they deceiue themselues because time tooke beginning with the world And if by the worde they imagine something concerning eternitie they abuse themselues also for therein is neither before nor after For eternitie is an entire being at once altogither without any proceeding Whereby it is euident that their question is nothing Time therefore cannot accord with eternitie nor be eternall seeing eternall hath no processe It is therefore a foolish question why before time was God created not the temporall world as if there had beene some succeeding seasons before any succession did consist for one cannot with any reason imagine any time before the stablishing of the vniuers Yet Aristotle whom the atheists will rather beleeue then the word of truth prooueth no other thing when he enforceth himselfe to declare the eternitie of the world then that time was neuer without the world nor the world without time which the Sages say march in equall pace with the place Wherefore as there is nothing beside place appertaining to place so there is nothing beside time belonging to time And for those which aske why the creator made not his world later I againe request them that setting apart the worke of the vniuers they would assigne me their before after then I will render them a reason why God created not the world sooner or later It is most certaine that they shall be constrained to confesse that before the order entercourse of the Spheres there was neuer any before or after which are the conditions of time And therefore their rash demaund deserueth no other answere except we recount vnto them the pleasant saying of Democritus which is not vnfit for our purpose in this place No man regards that which is before his feete and yet we see many sound the secrets of heauen and curiously seeke after the mysteries of God Of those which take from the world the beginning of time There are others also who disputing more subtilly of these matters agree verie well that the world was made but they will not allow that it had a beginning of time but of his owne creation so that it hath alwaies had a being in some sort which they cannot vnderstand Those found their opinion vpon this pretext to defend that God should not do any action new or of chaunce for feare least men should beleeue that that came suddenly into his minde which before he had not determined to make the world and that he who is immutable in all things should create it through a new-sprong thought Now as they make doubt concerning the time which they would not haue begun with the vniuers let me aske them also why the world was set in that place where it resteth rather then any other where For if they suppose infinite spaces of time before the generation of the vniuers in which it seemeth not that God could rest from worke they may aswell beleeue many spaces of place out of the world wherein if any could affirme that the Omnipotent hath not been idle they should be forced to dreame with the Epicure of innumerable worlds But if they answere me that the thoughts of men are vaine by which they suppose of infinite places sith there is no place out of the world I may tell thē also that they are ill-grounded in the consideration of time sith there was neuer any before the world And therefore as it is no consequence that God framed the vniuers rather by aduenture then by diuine reason not in any other place but in that wherein it is though mans capacitie cannot comprise the same diuine reason by which it was so made So is it no consequence that we should denie that it happened to God by chaunce or by a new imagination when he created the world rather in one certaine time then before seeing that the times precedent how long-soeuer we may imagine them should be equally past away comparing them with eternitie by an infinite space at once and there should be no difference why an auncient time should be preferred before a latter Wherefore we must all beleeue that the world was made with the time and that time tooke beginning with the world Of the will of God in the worke of the Creation and that notwithstanding in making it God chaunged not his eternall counsell nor his immutable will but according to his inscrutable prouidence and bountie innate he would when he pleased compose the large frame of the vniuers full of his image And here the definition which Aristotle maketh of Time serueth to our purpose to wit that it is the measure of motion For if immutable eternitie is easily discerned from Time who perceiueth not that time had neuer beene if some creature had not beene made who might chaunge the created species by moouing For that which giueth time his course is the chaunging of things when they giue place one to another and one succeed another because they cannot consist all at once together Let vs conclude therefore seeing that the holy and most true writings expresse that In the beginning God created heauen and earth we may assure our selues there was nothing before then and that doubtlesse the world was not made in time but with it For that which is done in time is done both before and after some time after I say that which is past and before that which is to come Now before the world there was no creature by the chaungeable motion of which time might haue proceeding Wherefore the world and time haue the same beginning by the will of almightie God and according as is declared vnto vs in his word against which there is no other reason of Sophists which can conclude any reasonable apparance as you ARAM may amply declare in the processe of our discourse Of the nullitie of reasons framed concerning the nature of the world against the creation thereof Chap. 3. ARAM. THis sentence of Simonides the ancient poet is wel woorthie to be celebrated by the mouth of euery Christian man God alone hath the glorie to be supernaturall For what other cause can we inuent of his workes but his onely free-will But what rashnes rendreth man so audacious as to enquire the cause of Gods will seeing it is The will

in the primitiue production free from all lawes of nature whereto by right the prince thereof is not obliged And we agree also that euery thing which is produced must first be included in some other power before it be effected but we say that naturall things remained first in the matter and the world and diuersitie of substances were comprised in the Ideas or exemplaries resident euerlastingly in God And so doe the Platonists maintaine who mounting much higher then the Peripateticks agree with that which Saint Iohn saith Iohn 1. That all things were made by the word and that in it was life which brought foorth all things and that in it the world before was by power comprised Wherefore these be no dreames as Aristotle calleth them but the Ideas of Plato but those are sighted like the bat who see not the things most manifest in nature thereby to acknowledge the author of nature And to the end that we loosen the strongest knot of their arguments to wit Nullitie of the argument Nothing of nothing can be made That of nothing nothing is created I would desire them to expound me their sentence bicause it is doubtfull and ambiguous for if the sense be thus that of nothing by arte or nature nothing is made bicause they require the matter whereupon to worke we willingly accord But what is this to purpose concerning the supreme and almightie architect whom nature doth follow after as farre as arte doth nature as all philosophers confesse For according as the naturall agent bounded and subiect to motion time and succession is lesse and more disable in essence so is it lesse in performance then he who is free and at libertie from all lawes of nature But if they meane that of nothing to wit after it hath no being nothing is created then haue they left it to this present to discusse and to all posteritie for euer Wherefore we haue a spacious field to denie them that which is neither prooued nor euident in it selfe If they inferre that this nothing reiecteth all manner of causes then we consent to them in this point But in the creation or generation of the world we presuppose as truth requireth a working and soueraigne cause who in the infinite vertue of it selfe containeth the matter subiect and fashion to bestow the meanes the disposing qualities and all that which is requisite to reduce and bring to perfection any busines Behold then how all these arguments conclude nothing against the doctrine of the worlds creation no more these other reasons deriued from the motions and their bounds which the Peripateticks doe farther induce against the same as pursuing this matter ACHITOB we may heare of you Of the Reasons taken from motion and the moouing Intelligences against the Genesis of the world and of the nullitie of them Chapter 4. ACHITOB THE Peripateticks whereof now adaies manie may be found perseuering in their naturall speculations Nullitie of the argument of materiall generations in respect of the diuine peece of worke and considering that motion consisteth in that which is mooued or ingendred or else in the subiect of transmutation and because no substance did precede the primitiue production of the world thereupon they conclude that it was neuer created But it is no maruell if they be greatly abused seeing they would neuer swarue from their sense and sensible things whereof no pure and sincere truth can be gathered because that by them or by the reasons on them founded we cannot attaine to the knowledge of diuine mysteries which are intellectuall farre remote from any substance moouing succession or other sensiblenes And therefore they much deceiue themselues when they in such sort argue of these grosse material generations comparing them with the diuine master peece of worke which surpasseth all meanes of nature They maintaine that all direct or forward motion cannot be perpetuall because it requireth infinit space which nature is not able to endure but circular motion because it passeth nothing infinit may be perpetuall Now in eternall things the consequence is good from the power to the being One may then say they thereby assure himselfe of the eternitie of the world But see a goodly reason to presuppose that to be perpetuall and infinite which they pretend to prooue Auerrois proceedeth farther and saith that it is impossible for the world to haue had any other disposition then such as at this present it hath and that being exempt from all contrarietie it followeth that in no wise it is corruptible and therefore was not engendred But who reuealed vnto him that which he supposeth of the state of the world With what measure pretendeth he to meat out the puissance of the soueraigne workeman Other vaine arguments of Philosophers By what authoritie dares he limite out the power of the infinite so that hee may not destroy and builde vp at his good pleasure I say then that the passing away of heauen hath another kinde of bound and limit then the earth and the very rest it selfe whereto as with one minde all Philosophers teach all motion doth tend All motion tends to a rest But forasmuch as motion begetteth time and time it selfe is the measure of motion thereby it commeth that forging their arguments vpon one part of time they misse and faile in reason when they dispute thus If the world was not before it tooke beginning seeing this before is an appendix of time then it followeth that time shoulde precede motion which is his cause and progenitor Again they say In euery instant and moment assigned is the beginning of time to come and the end of time past then time hath beene before this first instant and consequently motion and the world But the cause of these errors proceedeth from the misunderstanding of words when they woulde barre that this worde before should signifie any thing else then some part of time For as well in the diuine as prophane writings of all authors who can speake fitly and properly we may finde that this particle before signifieth more then a part of time for sometimes it denoteth the extreme as is said in the Prouerbes Prou. 8. The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way before he created any thing I haue had principalitie from euerlasting Eccles 24.12 and before the earth And in Ecclesiasticus He created me from the beginning and before the world Ouid himselfe in his Metamorphosis vseth this manner of speech Before the sea the earth and heauen which couereth all things though that being of a fine and subtile spirite he was not ignorant that time slideth away by reason of the turning of heauen Moreouer this worde Ante signifieth amongst the Latins the highest degree whereof is deriued Antistes he which is principall and cheefe among others Sith therefore this particle before hath diuers significations why will our Peripateticks restraine it to denote any other thing but onely a portion of time

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

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

concerning the reasons making for the creation the historie whereof will put vs altogither out of doubt in that which toucheth the principall arguments of the Philosophers against it if wee doe amplie entreate of their errors when they maintaine that God worketh of necessitie and not of free and franke will which will serue vs to morrow for a subiect to begin the daies discourse The end of the first daies worke THE SECOND DAIES WORKE Concerning the errors of these Philosophers which say that God doth his outward worke of necessitie Chapter 9. ASER. I Thinke companions we were yesterday sufficiently entangled in the discourse of the creation of the world about that which concerneth the doubt that remaineth in many But ere we doe farther enter into the cabinets of God and nature it would not be vnfruitefull if wee yet haue an other pull with the Philosophers about this question Whether of necessity or of free choise and franke will God was prouoked to worke For they supposed that the condition of necessitie was fitter and more conuenient then was the matter of contingence and therefore they appropriate it to God Wherein they thinke verily to want no reasons for their purpose and that these make specially for them That God worketh by his proper substance If the worke of God be of necessitie or voluntarie and not by any borrowed vertue That the effectes of the world are of necessity because they seeme in no wise to proceed of a contingent cause that by the same reason is to be considered the inuariable and necessarie order of thinges to the end that the vniuers be not confounded or troubled Moreouer the Philosophers supposed that it was a very vnfit thing for the diuine vnderstanding to worke of necessity and the diuine will to worke freely considering that it is no lesse perfect then the diuine thought Now though that we concerning these considerations night take out of the quiuer of reasonable discourse arrowes enow against these Sages of the world yet for that this point doth particularly touch the diuinity it may suffice to say with Plato that one cannot picke out so great a mysterie by reasons but seeke to learne the same by oracles For it is sufficient to know that the great lawgiuer recordeth that God spake Genes 1. Psalm 33. and it was done and that with him agreeth the kingly prophet saying he commaunded and it was established to conclude that all the scriptures teache vs the same doctrine But here let vs declare that that which seemeth thus to disturbe the Philosophers is nothing at all For they presuppose a necessarie disposition to bee more perfect then the contingent cause which they haue left to prooue to those that should come afterwards Now I beseech you do we not more esteeme a Prince who directeth euerie thing according to his owne good pleasure then if vrged by nature or any other prouocation constrayning him he should set his hand to any busines Who will blame libertie which as the Prouerbe saith is hardly bought for gold That I say which they themselues thinke to haue beene graunted man for a most singular good What perfection what praise should be attributed to most loftie thoughts if they were euer forced to performe that which is good Liberty profitable for all things What dignitie might appertaine to a great king if he did all things necessitie constrayning him and nothing of a generous heart And seeing by common consent we acknowledge God to be the Prince of the world what glorie and honor should be giuen him for his gouernment for his wisedome for his iustice for his clemencie if of necessity and constraint he were drawne on to maintaine that which is in his tuition What grace what seruice and adoration should we owe him Why is it entred into nature to sacrifice as Aristotle saith Why are we obliged as Auerrois himselfe teacheth to magnifie God the creator in prayers and sacrifices If God doth all things of necessitie what profiteth all this For what cause is it conuenient for vs to pray Prayers are fit for men if God be not appeased by prayer To what ende hath all mankinde in euerie age in all places of euery nation beene addicted to adore a diuinity Surely we may thereof gather that prayers are fit for men and that it is naturally grafted in our minds that God is mooued by them So manie reasons then may well conclude that the author of Nature doth neuer negotiate of necessitie And for that that he worketh by a proper substance that is not of eternitie except in the spiritual worke from himselfe wherof we haue spoken in the 5. of our discourse But for the outward worke he proceeded thereto according to his owne will when it pleased him not constrayned by any causes for hee is the onely and principall cause of all things nor for hope to get any good for that he of himselfe is blessed not hauing neede of any other good God is not subiect to any order of nature Furthermore also the necessarie effects conclude not any necessitie in the prince or in the first cause considering that the second causes which Plato and the other Sages call his seruants doe worke by his commaundement in determined order so that the necessitie that therein is dependeth vpon his commaundement or vpon the order from which he absolueth them according to his owne good pleasure Dan. 3. And thereof came it that the fire burned not the children in the Chaldean furnace that the sunne stayed his course by the space of a day at Iosuahs commandement that it went backe ten lines or ten howres Ios 10. 2. Kings 20. in the time of Ezechias That it was eclipsed at full moone during the passion of Iesus Christ The Peripatetickes Atheists and Epicures will laugh at this and will say scoffingly which of the Philosophers recounteth these things These sellers of lyes which teach the lawes are madde saith Auerrois But herein sith question is made concerning diuine mysteries what haue wee to doe with such contemners of all pietie The sentence wherein we make stay hath beene celebrated by those which could iudge And men doe rather beleeue one that affirmeth then a thousand that denie for negation concludeth nothing And why should we care then though they denie altogither in words that which many witnesses yea and most wise do assure to haue prooued in effect The holy letters testifie it whereto we rather giue credit then to Aristotle and all his schollers And amongst a thousand most famous Philosophers and Christian Martyrs which consent to this doctrine of truth Areopagus of the Athenians is Saint Denis Areopagita so called of the Areopagus or streete of Mars which was a court and assembly among the Athenians first of nine persons elected by the chiefe Magistrates and afterward encreased to the number of fiftie of the most principall as well for learning holines of life and wisedome as also

the worke of the Vniuers is freely and willingly and franke will of God in his worke begun in time we will argue more liuely thus Seeing that the partes of this vniuers are so disposed that without any contrarietie or contradiction they might haue been otherwise ordered it followeth that they are contingent and not ordained of necessitie but of free will Auerrois saith We confesse not that the partes of the world could be altered bicause the world is an animal But I answere in what place of Aristotle learnt he this manner of disputing He will that his authoritie should be for a principle of demonstration Moreouer from whence draweth he the consequence Let him tell me if the world be an animal whether is it sensible or insensible If it be void of sense then is it no animal If it be sensitiue doth it see then doth it heare doth it smell doth it taste doth it eate Whether the world be an animall But say we confesse the world to be an animal as it seemeth that Plato and many other Sages would affirme surely it is no animal contained vnder the kinde of animals For all things in this frame are diuided by all philosophers into a former diuision before you come to the animal But let vs confesse that it may be called an animal by some kinde of answerablenes and likenes Wherefore then could not the disposition of the partes thereof be otherwise ordained Why should it be disagreeable for man to haue onely one eie in his forehead as it is reported of some Why could it not be made to the other creatures the vpper iaw moouing and the vndermost firme as the crocodile alone hath Why haue not sundry beasts two knees like the camell Surely these and such like things haue been so disposed by the soueraigne creator that without any contradiction or contrarietie might haue been otherwise ordained if we presuppose not the condition of the nature specified such as the creator himselfe hath according to his will prefixed But let vs farther proceede concerning the animall the world Of the course and straight passage of the Ocean By what necessitie hath the sea bin in such sort disposed that the ocean should passe through the narrow straights of Abyla Calpe high mountaines which antiquitie called Hercules-pillers What neede is there that from thence it should spread it selfe in length and bredth That then it should stretch it selfe into the Tuscan or Tirrhene sea afterward gathering it selfe into the Adriaticke gulph then enlarging it selfe into the Siriacke sea so running about by the Egean which for the beautious number of isles therein contained is named the Archi-pelagus or princesse of seas and from thence shrinking betweene most narrow passages the Helespont is made And againe the Propontick where it dilateth it selfe and where againe it is straightened is called the Thracian Bosphorus Then this Ocean being once againe widened there is made the sea Euxine that is to say the host since the manners of the barbarous nations haue been polished and made ciuill for it was first called Axenes that is the inhumane host bicause of the cruell and fierce nature of the dwellers thereabout And againe mixing it selfe with the lake of Meotis it is named the Cimmerian Bosphorus What neede is there also why Nilus passing by the Ethiopians and Arabians into Egypt and Tanais passing through the one and other Scythia Of Nilus and Tanais and running almost into the midst of the lake of Meotis should distinguish and separate the three partes of the world And by what other needfull ordinance is one part of the earth laid lowe in vallies another stretched out into plaines this part raised vp in billocks that lifted vp in loftie mountaines and that the flouds and euer-running fountaines and streames doe flowe in their seasons Of what necessitie also are some beasts of the earth fruitfull others barren these drie and those moist Might not we easily without any contrarietie or repugnancie imagine all the circuit of the earth to be plaine soft and bearing fruit And if God can performe that which we cannot thinke as all the Sages who haue beleeued in him doe affirme why can he not doe that which we may imagine Which if he can easily performe these things then are not of necessitie no otherwise then of eternitie disposed in such sort as we see them but according and how and when it hath pleased the soueraigne creator of them Now ynough is saide of these things we must farther proceed in the consideration of Gods works wherein will greatly aide vs the vnderstanding of one onely principall and prime cause of the vniuers that we may afterwards comprehend the maruellous effects thereof And herein ARAM let be the subiect of thy discourse Of one onely principall and first cause of the Vniuers Chapter 11. ARAM. THose who haue bin commonly called the Sages of the world haue so much differed in their doctrine euen in the search which they haue made of nature following the course of their speculations that amōgst them who haue bin nourished in one family learned vnder one master there are great contrarieties either in doctrine in manners in religion or in the end to which all these things tende Which is chiefly hapned vnto them by hauing setled the building of the world vpon badde and discordant foundations affying in their owne powers and inuentions too feeble for so waighty a charge as by rehearsing some points of their principles we may easilie vnderstand Diuers opinions of Philosophers touching the beginning of the world Thales Milesius supposed that the water was the beginning of all things bicause all the members of euery liuing creature seemed to be nourished by water which as it is placed in the middle of the world so doth the watrie humour abide in the center of the bodies of animals from whence it ministreth nourishment to all the rest of the members But his auditor Anaximander was of aduise that I wot not what infinitenes called the boundlesse matter was the principall subiect and first of essences and bicause that by nature such matter hath neither forme nor quantitie hee thought that this was the substance of perpetuall generation in such sort that infinite worlds were already past and heereafter infinitely to arise Anaximenes his disciple attributed the causes of all things to the infinite aire And his hearers Anaxagoras and Diogenes disagreeing togither one of them woulde perswade that the infinite matter wouen with diuers parcels of all sorts and kinds according to the condition thereof had beene beginning to it selfe And the other that the aire indued also with diuine reason was the matter of things Leucippus Democritus and Diodorus affirme that before all things there were certaine Atomoes or little indiuidable bodies some smooth others sharpe some round others partly made of angles partly turned and pointed and some crooked to be perceiued by reason onely solide without any vacuitie not ingendred immortall

vs by the flowing waters and instable substance the Angelicall by fire bicause of the shining of the light and eleuation of the place and the heauen of meane nature is called of the Hebrues by a name signifying the same to be composed of water and fire In this lowe-world life and death striue for the maisterie by a kinde of vicissitude change and rechange all things but in the highest is eternall life and permanent operation and in that of the spheres is certaine assurance of life but there is changing of works and of places The elementarie is built of the perishing substance of bodies the intellectuall of a nature more diuine and excellent and the meane heauen is compounded of bodies but incorruptible and of a disposition conuenient for the nature thereof The third is mooued by the second and the second is gouerned by the first and this remaineth stable in his worke fit for his owne nature vnder the holy of holies the Lord-God almightie which was which is and which is to come And it seemeth that our great prophet of whom we haue learnt the creation of heauen and earth Exod. 25. The figure of the three worlds in the tabernacle o● Moses hath euidently described these three worlds in the structure of his maruellous tabernacle For he diuideth it into three parts whereof each doth liuely represent each world so that the first being not couered with any roofe or couering was open and exposed to raine snowes windes sunne heate and cold and which hath more reference to our elementarie world in this former part haunted not onely men both cleane and polluted temporall and ecclesiasticall but also beasts of all sortes and there was likewise bicause of the ordinarie sacrifices and offerings a perpetuall exchange of life and death The two other parts of the tabernacle were closed on euery side and defended from all outward iniurie euen as neither the celestiall nor supercelestiall world can receiue dammage Moreouer these two were honoured with the title of holy yet so that the most secret was named the holy of holies and the other simply the holy or sacred So likewise the sphericall world is holy bicause that it perseuering in the order which was appointed it by the soueraigne creator hath in it no fault or crime but the Angelicall is euen the most holy and most diuine wherein the blessed soules incessantly resound this song Thou art woorthie Apocal. 4. O Lord to receiue honour and glorie and power for thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue been created But moreouer if we consider how the last part of the tabernacle was common to men and to beasts how the second all shining with the splendor of the gold was lighted with the candlesticke diuided into seuen lampes which as many Greeke Latine and Hebrue interpreters will haue doe signifie the seuen planets and how in the third the most holy were the winged Cherubins should we not say that these three partes manifest vnto our sight three worlds To wit this which men and all kind of creatures frequent the celestiall where the planets shine and giue light and the supercelestiall which is the dwelling and abode of the blessed Angels the way to which hath been opened by the crosse and bloud-shed of our Sauiour Iesus Christ true God and true man as the vaile of the temple by which the holy of holies being a type of the angelicall world was separated from the other partes thereof renting and tearing at the death of our Sauiour was a certaine sacrament to vs Matth. 27. Luke 23. Psal 18. Genes 3. For thereby wee had assurance that from thencefoorth was free accesse granted man to the kingdome of God of God I say who flieth aboue the cherubins through the very same entrance that from the beginning for the since of the first man had been barred vp by the lawes of iustice Thus haue we many notable things concerning the diuision of the vniuersall world Why the triple is called one which we may also call One not onely bicause the three worlds do proceed of one onely and selfe cause and tend to the like end or else bicause being duly tempered by numbers they are ioined togither by an harmonious accord and affinitie of nature and by ordinarie succession of degrees but also bicause that that which is in all the three is likewise comprised in one of them and that there is not one wherein all things which are in the other three doe not remaine It is most certaine that that which remaineth in this lowe world is in the vppermost of farre better stuffe and that which is in those aboue is seene also in this of farre woorse condition and as it were of a bastard and sophisticall nature For here heate is an elementarie qualitie in heauen it is an heating virtue and in the Angelicall thoughts an Idea and exemplarie forme Or to shew this more cleerely we haue with vs in this base world the fire which is an element the sunne in heauen is a fire in the supercelestiall region the seraphicke or burning intellect is another fire But let vs note how much they differ The element burneth the celestiall fire quickneth the supercelestiall is imbraced by loue There is also here below water and so there is another water aboue being motresse and mistresse of this belowe which is the moone in the first circle of heauen but the cherubin or cleere-sighted spirituall substances are the waters that flowe aboue the heauen And as touching the disagreeable condition among these three kindes of waters the elementarie humour quencheth vitall heate that of heauen nourisheth it and the supercelestiall hath an intellectuall apprehension of it Furthermore in the first world God the first vnitie ruleth ouer the nine hierarchies of Angels like so many spheres and remaining immooueable mooueth them al vnto him In the celestiall and meane world the imperiall heauen commandeth likewise as a captaine doth his bands the nine celestiall spheres in such sort that though they be mooued by continual agitation yet it remaineth stable by diuine power So likewise is there in the elementarie world after the first matter being the foundation thereof nine spheres or circular reuolutions of corruptible formes that is three of things inanimate which first are the elements then their compounds and thirdly the meanes betweene these two truly mixed and compounded but vnperfectly and such are the impressions which appeere in the aire Then are there three reuolutions of vegetable nature distinguished likewise into three kindes as of herbes shrubs and wood of olde growth And lastly three other of the sensitiue soule which are either imperfect as the Zoophyta or to speake English creatures of a middle condition betweene things sensitiue and plants or very perfect but such as are within the bounds of the fantasie not reasonable and in the third place that which is found excellent in beastes being capable of

mans teaching a meane thing between man and beast as the Zoophyta partaketh of the plant and animal But it may be we haue said more concerning these things then is requisite for our purpose I will onely therefore adde that the mutual vicinity and communication of the worlds which we haue here described is also declared in holy writ For it is written in the Psalmes In wisedome he made the heauens Psal 136. 2. Cor. 12. And Saint Paul saith of himselfe that he was rauished into the third heauen which afterwards he calleth Paradise Psal 103. 104. We read also that the Angels of God are spirits and his ministers a flame of burning fire And thence without doubt it commeth that oftentimes to diuine natures are attributed both celestiall and terrestriall surnames when as sometimes they are figured by starres Apocal. 2. Ezech. 1.3 Apocal. 2. Apocal. 21. sometimes by wheeles and beasts and sometimes by elements as we sometimes also appropriate diuine and celestiall names to terrestriall natures For euen as the three worlds being girt and buckled with the bands of concord doe by reciprocall liberalitie interchange their natures the like doe they also by their appellations And this is the principle from whence springeth and groweth the discipline of allegoricall sense The originall of allegoricall sense For it is certaine that the ancient fathers could not conueniently haue represented one thing by other figures but that they had first learned the secret amitie and affinitie of all nature Otherwise there could be no reason why they should represent this thing by this forme and that by that rather then otherwise But hauing the knowledge of the vniuersall world and of euery part thereof and being inspired with the same spirit that not onely knoweth all things but did also make all things they haue oftentimes and very fitly figured the natures of the one world by that which they knew to be correspondent thereto in the others Wherefore the same knowledge and the grace of the same spirit is requisite for those who would vnderstand and directly interpret such significations and allegoricall meanings Moreouer besides these worlds which we haue also distinguished there is also another a fourth Of a fourth world wherein may likewise be found all that which subsisteth in the others And this is man who for this cause as our doctors shew is vnderstood in the gospell by the name of euery creature then when Iesus Christ commandeth to preach to men the good newes Mark 16. not to beasts nor angels being neuerthelesse enioyned to publish it to euery creature Likewise it is a common vse in schooles to teach that man is a little world and that within him the bodie is composed of the elements the reasonable soule is celestiall the vegetable power common to men and plants the sense common to brute beasts the reason participated to Angels and finally the image of God is therein seene considered But of him we haue sufficiētly intreated in the second part of our Academicall discourses wherefore of this great vniuersall world must our ensuing talke be And as we haue diuided it into three generall parts so must we particularly discourse of them First therefore let vs say something concerning the Angelicall and intellectuall world and of the celestiall intelligences or Angels which ARAM shall be the subiect of your discourse Of the Angelicall and intellectuall world Chapter 15. ARAM. NOw shal I haue great need to say with the kingly prophet Oh that I had wings like a doue Psal 55. wings I say of siluer and shining golde that I might flie vp into the supercelestiall region where resteth true rest true peace and certaine tranquillitie which this wretched worldly corps cannot yeeld Open mine eies you supermundaine spirits but rather thou oh father of them and I shall contemplate the woonder of your citie wherein God attendeth for those that feare him that which eie hath neuer seene eare neuer heard nor any hart woorthily thought vpon Well I wot that many call disputations and searching out of the nature and multitude of angels and their orders vaine questions and fit for idle imaginations but surely they are secrets which Saint Paule himselfe who had beene rapt vp aboue the third heauen hath not onely taught but hath also protested that he had there heard many things ● Cor. 12. which were not lawfull for him to reueale And I am likewise of beleefe that the full reuelation of the angelicall and intellectuall world is deferred till the last day yet will wee heere speake soberly thereof and as briefly as we can according to that which diuines haue written without any waies offending pietie or christian religion When the holy Scripture speaketh of the creation of the world it is not euidently expressed in what order and how the angels were created Genes 2. That the angels are God his creatures But forasmuch as it is said that God created heauen and all things therein contained it is most certaine that therein are comprised the spirits celestiall as well those that through obedience haue stood in their integritie as those who rebelling against God haue beene cast out vnto destruction Neither is it heereto repugnant that Moses reciting the Genesis or creation of the world maketh no expresse mention thereof For we see how that in silence passing ouer all things which surmount our capacitie or else couering them vnder the mysticall sense of his words for those whom God would fully illuminate with the brightnes of his holy spirite he onely entreateth of those which we behold with our eies yea and that too in familiar and vulgar sort conforming himselfe to the rudenes of the people with whom he had to deale And for this cause hath the opinion of sundry great personages and namely of Saint Augustine beene Lib 2. de ciuit Dei cha 9. 1● that the angels haue beene signified either by the name of heauen there where it is said In the beginning God made heauen and earth or else by the name of the light which he saith was created the first day But howsoeuer this is doubtlesse that the angels are the worke of God For the holy Scripture doth testifie it in infinite places with a most cleere voice namely in the song of the three children which were in the furnace Dan. 3. who hauing saide Blesse the Lord all his works in pursuite of the narration of them the angels are also named And the prophet saith You creatures of the heauens praise the Lord you which are in the hie places praise him All his angels Psal 148. and all his armies praise him Sith also they are the ministers of God appointed to doe that which he commandeth them as the apostle to the Hebrewes saith there is no doubt but they are his creatures Moreouer the holy Scriptures teach vs that they are alwaies watching for our safetie that they are alwaies readie to

That heauen is of round forme is a sure testimonie vnto vs. So likewise there are many naturall reasons which declare it to be such For all the partes of the frame thereof doe consist of themselues doe sustaine themselues and doe comprehend themselues not hauing neede of any stay or ioint hauing neither a beginning nor ending place Moreouer this roundnes of heauen may be knowne by the sight of the eie For on which side soeuer you behold it you may see the halfe in our hemisphere as it doth shew it selfe which could not come to passe in any other figure but in a round which also is the most perfect and most capable of all other figures to bee comprised in one selfesame circuit and is therewithall the easiest to mooue euery way And therefore it is not onely conuenient but also necessarie for all the heauens and celestiall orbes of which we before intreated as well bicause of the perfection of their essence as by reason of their proper motions which are circular and correspondent to a round forme besides all this bicause these spheres are placed one within another making their reuolutions vpon diuers poles and in diuers spaces of time Which could not be obserued nor the integritie of the whole heauen maintained if the celestiall forme were any other saue round and circular Of the proper and naturall motion of the spheres For the proper and naturall motion of the spheres is circular that is framed equally distant round about their center which is the point in the midst of the world so that neither the whole heauen nor any of the particular spheres doth wholy abandon or passe out of his owne place and situation but onely the partes of them doe incessantly change place in that they turne about their said common center And therefore is this circular motion much more noble and perfect then that which is made by a right line either mounting from the center of the world towards the circumference Of the motion proper to the fowre elements or else descending from it towards the center which motion is proper to the fower elements For fire and aire do mount vpwards but water and earth descend naturally downwards Also fire mounteth higher then aire and earth descendeth lower then water and each of these enuiron the center of the world which is the lowest place of all and farthest from the circumference which is the highest of all So then the circular motion is naturally due and conuenient to the most noble and most simple bodie which is the heauen and most necessarie for it as it appeereth more cleerely to vs by the continuall motion of the starres both fixed and wandring which proceedeth of the onely moouing of their spheres What stars are For we must note that the starres are nothing else but certaine firme cleere and solide partes of their heauens made in round forme like the heauen whose motion they follow which likewise receiue their light from the sunne who is the very source and fountaine whereinto the soueraigne creator hath put the brightnes of the whole vniuersall world Now this circular motion of heauen is found by obseruation to haue two principall differences that is to be made vpon sundry poles and axes and in sundry partes and positions of the world as also in diuers spaces and quantities of times Of the axis of the spheres and of the poles We call that the axis of the sphere which is the diameter that passeth through the same vpon which it is turned and the vttermost points of the same axis are the poles For the whole vniuersall world hath his proper and naturall motion like a liuing creature and euery of the orbes and particular heauens haue also a peculiar motion like to the partes and members of the whole great bodie For which cause as also for diuers other considerations many learned personages haue affirmed that the world is an animal or liuing creature And amongst others Origen is wholy of that minde who enforceth himselfe to prooue it as well by reasons as by authoritie of holy scripture And therefore he saith thus in his booke of principles Though the world be ordained to diuers offices yet the estate thereof must not be thought to be dissonant or any whit disagreeing But euen as our bodie alone is composed of many members Reasons of such as haue said that the world is an animal and is contained by one soule so I thinke we must suppose that the vniuersall world is a great and vnmeasurable animal which as by a soule is sustained by the power and wisedome of God The Platonists doe all with one mouth teach the same thing And among many reasons by which they would confirme this point we will take onely that of Plato in his Timaeus which me thinkes is most excellent There are saith he two motions the one proper the other strange or exterior now that is more diuine which of it selfe is mooued then that which is stirred by the power of another And this motion proper and diuine is in our soules onely from which the beginning of the other strange motion is taken Seeing therefore that all motion proceedeth of the ardor of the world and that this ardor is not mooued by exterior agitation but of it owne accord it is therefore necessarie that there must be a soule Whereupon we gather that the world is an animal and that not without vnderstanding Now if thereupon any aske why heauen changeth not nor becommeth diseased nor dieth nor faileth as other liuing creatures doe The answere of Chalcidius in this point pleaseth me very much Notable difference in the workes of God when he saith commenting vpon Timaeus That which is instituted by God without meanes is free and exempt from change from age from sicknes from oldnes and from death And in this point agree all Academicks as also might bee well proued by circumstance if that be well considered which the sage philosopher Moses declareth to haue beene produced by the creator without helpe or matter and that which hath beene also performed by meanes of the second causes For though man was created and formed by the handes of God yet was hee not made without dust or earth which was a meane subiect But the Eternall hath made the heauens and the whole frame of the world of nothing For which reason it might seeme perpetuall and not perishing For as we haue heretofore declared though the heauens and earth must passe away yet doth not this plainly conclude an annihilating of them but rather a changing and renewing Psal 102. For so speaketh the kingly prophet saying The heauens shall waxe old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed And of this consideration we may frame an excellent reason concerning the immortalitie of the soule bicause it was made without any meanes by God himselfe But leauing this argument let vs pursue that

which we began to say concerning the principall differences of the circular motion of the heauens Wherefore the first and vniuersall motion of all the spherick world is that which we see is made round about the earth Of the first and vniuersall motion of heauen from the east by south towards the west alwaies with one and the same orderly celeritie and swiftnes and without any ceasing which performeth his course in a naturall day which is diuided into fower and twenty equall howers as is plainly shewed vnto vs by the ordinarie course of the sunne So that the whole heauen and each of those celestiall spheres doe followe the saide daily motion though it be not proper to them but accidentall in that they are the parts of the vniuersal world For as we shal presently see euery sphere hath an other proper and particular motion But this same whereof we speake doth in such sort by accident agree with all the parts of the world that the most thinne and subtile elements especially fire and the superior region of the aire are in like sort caried away therewith So likewise doth the sea though it enuironeth not the earth round about in some sort follow this motion by ebbing and flowing euery naturall day not performing an entire reuolution Wherefore nothing but the earth remaineth vnmooueable bicause of the waight and insensible quantitie of it in respect of the whole world as being the center thereof The stablenesse whereof is very necessarie that so both the vniuersall and each particular motion may be discerned for otherwise there should be a confusion in stead of harmonie And for this cause many haue supposed that this whole Vniuers generally considered is the first very true moouer of the vniuersall motion and not any heauen or particular orb Now for the second kinde of circular motions Of the second kinde of circular motions it is that which is proper to euery of the eight spheres and celestiall orbs which are the parts of the whole heauen from the firmament to the sphere of the moone For each of these spheres as is euidently perceiued by the starres enchased therein which can haue no motion but according to their heauen performeth his owne naturall and peculiar motion contrarie to the first and vpon other poles and axes to wit from the west by south towards the east And the entire reuolutions of those spheres are done and finished in diuers spaces of time to wit of the greater superior more late of the lesse and inferior being next to the elements more soone For the heauen of fixed stars according to the most likely opinion and apparent obseruation of Astronomers performeth his owne reuolution in thirtie sixe thousand common yeeres without bissext whereof each containeth 365. naturall daies Saturne the highest planet in thirtie yeeres Iupiter which hath his circle much lower in twelue Mars in two the Sunne in 365. naturall daies almost one fourth part of a day which make vp the time and space of a yeere For one shall alwaies finde that number of daies being runne out the shadow of the sunne to be such as if you marke it was the yeere before at the very same instant yea to the difference scarce of a minute Of the bissextile day or leap yeere Whereby it commeth that from fowre yeere to foure yeere is reckoned a bissextile day which serueth to make the yeere answerable to the course of the sunne The reuolution of whom Venus and Mercurie do neere approch vnto and for the Moone she maketh hirs in seuen and twentie naturall daies and almost one third part of a day so that in so small time shee maketh as much way in regard of vs as Saturne doth in thirtie yeeres because he is the farthest from and shee the neerest to the earth which causeth her course to be shorter then any other planet Of distances betweene the spheres And this is the consideration which hath giuen occasion to many to cast the distances and spaces which are betweene the spheres saying that there is nineteene times so much distance betweene the Sunne and Moone as is between the Moone and the earth so of the rest Pythagoras himselfe Plinie in his naturall history lib. 2. a man very ingenious counted by his calculation as Plinie relateth that there were 125000. stades or furlongs betweene the earth and the circle of the Moone and that from the Moone to the Sunne there were the double of them and betweene the sunne and signes of the Zodiacke the triple Now a stade or furlong was measured by the ancients to consist of one hundred fiue and twentie common paces or else of seuen hundreth and fiftie feete But so certainly to determine of the dimensions and distances betweene the spheres shoulde me thinketh be too great an enterprise for the capacitie of our spirits Yet may the curious by some infallible reason of Geometrie or rather by imagined coniectures resolue vpon it And to conclude our discourse concerning the motions of heauen we see that though by the rapiditie violence of the continuall motion of the first moouer all the spheres are caried away with it in the space of fower and twentie howers from east by south towards the west returning by north or midnight towards the east A good cause o● the motions of the spheres yet neuerthelesse euery one of them hath his proper and particular motion cleane contrarie to the vniuersall that is from the west towards the east Which is chiefly done because that by the reuerberation of these contrarie motions the aire may bee parted and dispersed which otherwise would heape and gather togither and become immooueable and heauie because of the continuall reuolution of the worlde turning alwaies one way And besides these principall differences of the circular motion of the heauens all the planets haue other motions of farther consideration which are called circuits of the great reuolution and which doe concurre in the great yeere which is taken for the time when all the planets shall fully finish their courses togither But we haue said enough concerning this matter considering the entent of our discourse wherefore we wil prosecute as briefly as we may the other particularities seruing for the knowledge of the spheres euen so much as we shall hold needfull for our present historie of heauen and earth Then you shall discourse to vs ARAM of those circles which shew themselues in the sphere and of the diuersitie and disposition of them Of the circles in generall and particularly of the Equinoctiall and Zodiack and of their signes Chapter 19. ARAM. IN the sphere of the world are two kinds of circles demonstrated whereof some are named greater Of the greater and smaller circles of the sphere and some lesser circles They which haue one selfesame and common center with the whole heauen are called greater circles and are one equall to another and do diuide the globe into two

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 cōmonly 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 p●in● 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

also consider in the sphere fower principall lesser and mooueable circles whereof the two first doe limit out the whole obliquenes of the Zodiacke and the declination thereof from the Equinoctiall as also the conuersions of the Sunne towards it And these circles are nominated Tropickes Of the two tropick● that is turning or conuertiue because they passe by the two Solstists of the Zodiacke That then which passeth by the first point of Cancer which is the Sommer-Solstice is called the Tropicke of Cancer or sommer-Tropick and that which passeth by the first point of Capricorne or winter-solstice is named the winter-Tropicke or Tropicke of Capricorne being therefore one equall to another because they are equally distant from the Equinoctiall For the two other lesser circles Of the two polary circles they are those which be described about the poles of the world by the poles of the zodiack limiting the deuiation or distance of the said poles and for this cause they are called polarie-circles and do retaine the names of the Poles of the world For one is named the North or Arcticke-circle and the other the South or Antarcticke-circle being also equall one to another by the same reason as is vnderstood of the Tropicks And you must note that these said fower lesser circles do diuide the whole sphere into fiue parts or principall regions commonly called Zones whereto as many parts or diuers regions answere vpon the terrestriall globe Of the fiue zones of the world which Zones are different as well in figure and greatnes as also in nature or accidental disposition caused chiefly by the radiation of the sunne The first then of these fiue parts or regions of the sphere is comprehended betweene the two Tropicks diuided by the Equinoctial in the midst for which cause it is the most ample of all the rest The two extremest and smallest are comprised about the poles of the world within the Arcticke and Antarticke circles wherefore the one is called the North and the other the South Zone And the other two are meanes betweene the greatest which is middlemost and the two extremest or least which are about the poles of the world being larger towards the two Tropickes then towards the polary circles which togither are the boūds of them And among these fiue Zones which enuiron the earth some parts of them are become habitable Of the causes which make some parts of the earth habitable and others not and others not by meanes of the diuers effects caused by the sunne For the meane region about the equinoctial is for three causes temperate First because the sun being vnder or about the said Equinoctiall it maketh a greater circuit in the Vniuersall motion of the whole world and runs faster away for which cause his heat maketh not so great impression vpon the earth Secondly because it passeth suddenly from the South to the North part by reason of the transuers disposition of the Zodiacke about the Equinoctiall And thirdly because the daies are there equall with the nights whereby the heate of the one is tempered by the coldnes of the other But about the Tropicks the heat is excessiue in Sommer First because the sunne is then in those stations wherein his shining endureth longer vpon the earth and by reason also that he performeth lesse compasse and passeth slowly away whereby his heat taketh more deepe impression And besides all this the daies are longer then the nights in such sort that the heat of the one surmounteth the cold of the other For the two polarie regions and the circumiacent parts it is manifest that they are far out of the funs way whereof ensueth that by the too much oblique radiation thereof heat is there exceeding feeble and cold great and intollerable Finally in the midst or about the two other foresaide regions betweene the Equinoctiall and poles of the world the disposition of the aire is temperate as well by reason of the commixture of the heate which is about the Tropicks and the cold which is about the polarie circles as bicause of the meane radiation of the sunne that is to say neither too direct nor too oblique So then the middle Zone comprised betweene the two Tropicks is temperate about the midst intemperate through excessiue heate about the extremities thereof whereupon it is in this part called the Torrid-zone bicause the sun doth alwaies turne about it And the two polarie and extreme regions are perpetually intemperate through colde And the two meanes are temperate about the midst and in one extreme thereof intemperate with heate and in the other with cold But thereof followes not that all intemperate places should be inhabitable but onely very hard and difficult to dwell in Hitherto hath our talke been concerning the principall and mooueable circles of the sphere Of immooueable circles and first of the Horizon now let vs intreate of the immooueable Euen then as the Zodiack Equinoctiall are the two chiefest amongst the mooueable circles so are the Horizon and Meridian amongst the immooueable By the Horizon is meant a great circle imagined in heauen which diuideth that halfe of heauen which is seene from that halfe which is not seene that is which parteth the Hemisphere vnder vs from that which is aboue vs. And to this same circle one of the poles is alwaies the verticall point and the other pole is the point opposite Wherefore by how much each place hath his point higher by so much doth the Horizon of each place differ for there are so many Horizons as there be particular places And therfore the Horizon of those which haue the verticall point that is the point which is right ouer head vnder the Equinoctiall is named the right Horizon bicause it must needes passe by the poles of the world and diuideth the Equinoctiall at right angles one equall to another Whereupon it is also called a right sphere bicause it seemeth to bee rightly placed in respect of that Horizon and the starres to make their motion directly by the vniuersall motion of the sphere But the Horizon of those whose zenith is out of the Equinoctiall towards the one or other pole of the world is called oblique bicause that one of the poles to wit that which the verticall point is next to is eleuated aboue the said Horizon and the other pole is so much depressed vnder the same which for this occasion doth diuide the Equinoctiall at oblique angles vnequal one to another Wherefore also the sphere is said to be oblique bicause it is obliquely placed in respect of the said Horizon and the starres turne obliquely in the vniuersall motion And therefore it is euident that all direct Horizons are of one selfesame disposition but amongst the oblique there are as many differences of obliquitie as are distances betweene the verticall point and the Equinoctiall or as the eleuation of the pole is diuers aboue them For the Meridian it is a great circle

the said howerly circles which are all of them then called Verticall circles Cause of the diuersitie of dials or quadrants Those dials therefore or quadrants which are made to take the height of the sunne are composed by diuers considerations for some depend vpon sections made by the foresaid hower-circles as those which are grauen on the face of the Equinoctiall and are therefore called Equinoctiall-dials or else vpon the plaine of the Horizon which are named Horizontall or vpon the face of the Verticall-circle which diuideth the Meridian at right angles which are erected towards the south and are nominated Verticall In which three sorts of dials the hower-spaces are noted by straight lines proceeding out of one onely point which representeth the center of the world and the Index or gnomon to shewe those howers representeth the Axis vpon which the heauen maketh his first and vniuersall motion The other sunne-dials depend vpon the coextension or impression of the foresaid hower-circles as those which are described vpon the face of the Meridian circle and are erected towards the east or west being named Laterall and can serue but onely for the forenoone or afternoone or such as are made vpon the face of the sixe howers circle hanging and inclining towards the south by the axtree of the world for this cause named hanging-dials In which two sorts of dials the hower-spaces are designed by parallell lines and the Indexes by the axtrees of the circles or else they are described and erected perpendicularly vpon the face of the said circles And in all the fore-recited dials and such like the hower-spaces are vnequall and haue notable difference one from another except those onely which are drawne vpon the face of the Equinoctial bicause it alone is diuided into euen portions by the hower-circles whereof the proiection in Plano must obserue equall spaces And by consequence it is euident that only Equinoctiall and Horizontall dials serue for all howers of the day at all times of the yeere and the Verticall onelie sixe howers before and sixe howers after noone the hanging-dials ten howers fiue before and fiue after noone and the Laterall from sunne rising till noone or from noone till sunne set Moreouer it is manifest that all these dials except the Equinoctiall dials must be described particularly according to the proper eleuation of the pole aboue euery oblique Horizon bicause the hower-spaces and Indexes are diuers according to the varietie of the said polary-eleuations But the Equinoctiall dials may serue vniuersally in applying them according to the height of the Equinoctiall aboue euery oblique Horizon because those spaces are equall and of one sort But breaking off this talke of dials Of the twelue howses of heauen let vs now entreate of those circles which with the Horizon and Meridian diuide the whole heauen into twelue equall portions which are named the twelue houses of heauen First then is to be noted that as the sunne and the rest of the planets in performing their reuolution by their proper and peculiar motion in the Zodiack according to the radiation of the sunne being notably diuersified from signe to signe and according to the disposition of elementarie substances do imprint their influence and vertue diuersly causing sundry effects vpon the earth so likewise these faire celestiall lights being turned euery day about the earth by the first and vniuersall motion of the whole sphere do make the verie like mutation of their power and influence vpon the terrestriall globe by the variation of their shining as may be marked from signe to signe either mounting aboue or descending vnder the Horizon Circles that deuide the twelue houses of heauen For this cause you must diuide the entire sphere of the world in regard of the Horizon being right or oblique into twelue equall parts or signes which are called houses that is notable mansions of heauen Which is done by the proper Horizon and Meridian with fowre other great circles and particular Horizons passing by the two intersections of the said proper Horizon and Meridian circle and diuiding euery quarter of the principall Verticall circle which maketh right angles with the said Meridian comprehended betweene the said Meridian and the Horizon into three signes which amount togither to the number of twelue And these houses or notable mansions of heauen begin at the east side of the Horizon and the first sixe are distributed vnder it and the other sixe aboue it according to the order of the twelue signes of the Zodiack and the proper motion of the planets which is from the west eastward So that by the Horizon with the Meridian the fower principall angles of the saide houses are distinguished that is the east angle which is named the Horoscope being the beginning of the first house the west angle of the Horizon whereat beginneth the seuenth house and the midde heauen which is the third angle and there beginneth the tenth house and for the fourth the angle vnder earth where beginneth the fourth house by the Meridian Agreeablenes of the twelue houses with the diuers seasons of the yeere Euen so as we haue heard as the colures distinguish the two Equinoctiall points and the two Solstists or sunsteads of the zodiack which are the foure notable points therof agreeing with the fower angles aforesaid For the Horoscope agreeth with the vernal Equinoctial point mid-heauen with the sommer Solstice the west angle with the Autumne Equinoctiall point and the angle vnder the earth with the winter Solstice and so consequently the fowre quarters of the foresaid Vertical circle are correspondent to those of the Zodiack which make the fowre seasons of the yeere and each whereof is diuided into three signes as also euery quarter of the said circle into three houses equall to those signes so that the sixe houses which are aboue the Horizon do accord with the sixe septentrionall signes of the Zodiack and the sixe other houses with the south or Meridionall signes And these twelue houses of heauen are called by diuers names for those fowre which begin at the fowre foresaid angles are named Angularie houses the next fowre following are called Succedent and the rest Cadent Moreouer we must note that in the right sphere each of these houses comprehendeth one signe of the Equinoctiall because this circle is ioyned with the foresaid Verticall and all the circles which distinguish them passe by the poles of the world because they consist in the foresaid sections of the Horizon and Meridian which hath caused many to erre in this point who would make the distinction of the said houses in the Equinoctiall both in the oblique and in the right sphere lightly following the authoritie of Ptolomie not noting how that author had the sphere right to him so that in that respect hee spake well referring the manner how to distinguish the saide houses in the oblique sphere to the iudgement of all good Astronomers Finally it is to be vnderstood

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

creator of heauen earth causeth so many fruits to grow in this round-masse through the distillations of raine and through the heate of the Sunne wee hold in great admiration this woorthie naturall Alchimie which he hath set before our eies in the nature by him created Of true naturall Alchymie For all this world is to him as a fornace and a limbeck wherein he maketh so many goodlie and profitable distillations that it is altogither impossible to expresse in words their woorth and valew The earth is this fornace and all the plants and trees so many limbecks And if we haue in such estimation the distillations made by men following some imitation of nature this surely is a kinde of Alchymy very woorthie of great reputation and woonder For let vs consider onely what it is that hee extracteth out of a vine stocke and the branches There is no doubt but that this is a plant of no great shew so that many haue doubted whether it might rightfully be counted amongst trees for besides that it is crooked it is so weak that it cannot stand vpright nor sustaine not onely the branches thereof but euen it selfe if it be not alwaies propped at leastwise when it riseth neuer so little high And yet this is a marueilous and very rare Limbeck wherein God conuerteth water into wine and maketh it to distill out The like may we saie of Oliue-trees figge-trees and many other fruite-trees sauing that they make more shew and retaine more of the nature of a tree then the vine doth For all the excellent liquors and fruits which we draw out of these plants and all others are principally caused by the heat of the sunne and by the waterings of raine from heauen which by this meanes seemeth to change nature and put on diuers formes And yet this sun by meanes of whom as by a fire God performeth so many sundry and admirable conuersions and distillations hath not his face smeared with coles to kindle and maintaine his fire nor yet his faire eie soiled therewith or with any smoke So then I hold them very wise who profite in the contemplation of this Alchymie and emploie their time and cunning therein as husbandmen do who till the earth attending in good hope after their trauell the blessing which is promised them of God as he also doth daily send vpon the earth by the effects of the sunne moone stars and planets of the aire clouds raine and such other meanes which it pleaseth him to vse for the same purpose Psal 127. For we may fitly say with Salomon that without this blessing it is in vaine for those which eate the bread of their trauel Deut. 11. to rise earely to goe late to bed For it is he that hath promised the first and the latter raine aswell for the time to sowe in as for to ripen and gather fruits in vsing for this purpose according to the testimonie of the prophet great cloudes in forme of chariots Psal 18. 104. whereupon being borne on the winges of the winde he maketh the windes his messengers And sith we are in this talke before we deale with any other subiect let vs acquit our selues of that which we haue promised to entreat in a particular discourse concerning the windes the charge whereof ARAM I impose vpon you 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. ARAM. Hist nat lib. 2. ACcording to the testimonie of Plinie there are more then twentie Greeke authors and manie other ancients who haue entreated of the nature of the winds But to know from whence they proceeded the difficulties doubts are great vncertaine amongst them and amongst all the philosophers Yet that is the onely truth which the diuine poet teacheth vs saying Psal 135. That the Lord draweth the windes out of his treasures Aristotle in his Meteors maintaineth that the windes are produced by the heate of the sunne which it seemeth that the author of the naturall historie doth contradict when he saith that there are certaine caues wherein the windes are ordinarily engendred as may be seene in a deepe pit which is in the coastes of Dalmatia at Senta wherein if one cast any thing how light soeuer it be there issueth sodainelie out a whirle-winde although the weather be neuer so calme and faire And in many obscure places in houses one shall commonly feele a certaine small winde as if it were enclosed therein But we must note that there is much difference betwixt these particularities or small puffes caused by exhalations which proceed out of the earth and that which is properly named the winde For they are not felt in one place onely but haue their course generally through all the earth and their meanes limited therein to exercise their power Diuers opinions concerning the generation of windes And therefore whether the winde be engendred by continual motion of the heauen or by the crosse motions of the planets which goe contrarie to that of the firmament or else that the winde be an aire driuen by the sundry turnings of the spheres and by the multiplicitie of the beames of the celestiall signes or else that it proceed from stars particularly appointed to ingender it or from the fixed starres for all these opinions are found amongst Philosophers yet neuerthelesse we see by experience that the winde is subiect to the rules and lawes of nature that it hath his determinate course although mans wit cannot pierce to sound the reason of this secret But for the names and species of these windes they haue amplie entreated thereof True it is that the ancients made mention but of fower windes which they comprised vnder the fower parts of the world And then the naturall Philosophers appointed twelue giuing them names taken partly from the regions from which they proceeded and partly from the effects and qualities which they cause vpon the earth But the Hydrographers and marriners account sixteene Of the names and kindes of the windes To haue the vnderstanding of which wee must note that euery horizon is diuided into fower quarters by two right lines which crosse in the center thereof the one of which is correspondent to the Meridian circle and the other to the verticall circle which diuideth the same Meridian at right angles which lines demonstrate the fower principall parts of the earth that is the East West North and South part of which proceed the fower principall windes to wit out of the Septentrionall part the North winde from the Meridionall the south from the Orientall the East and from the Occidentall the West Betweene which are other middle and notable windes whose names are compounded of those of the fower foresaide windes and are therefore called North-east North-west South-east and South-west Then againe each distinction of these eight windes is consequently diuided into two equall parts

into gold as in many yeeres space lead turneth into siluer The mines thereof are more ordinarie then gold mines for Fraunce Italy Spaine England Germanie and many other regions of Europe do beare siluer in diuers places as well as the other parts of the world And it is there engendred in fower manners to wit either in the earth which being gathered together and then molten in the fire doth yeeld siluer or in lead wherwith it is often found mingled or in brasse or in stones out of which it is also extracted by fire For in the mountaine called Mons regius stones retaine verie much siluer which being also put into the fire there is found in euerie pound of siluer that runneth out of them halfe an ounce of gold at least Siluer is also many times found to be mixed with copper as in Alsaria neer to the Rhine in the mountaines of Saint Anne and in Meissen for there are stones full of copper in which is great abundance of siluer And when it is separated from lead it leaueth a scumme Of litharge which we call Lithargyrium which is a kinde of impure lead Of quicksiluer retayning some vertue of siluer For quicksiluer though it agree in name with siluer yet it approcheth neerer to gold for it is like vnto it in tenuitie and waight and to siluer in colour onely But for all this it is no mettall but a water condensate not by heat for it is not hardned nor by cold for then it would be a stone or mettall but by some other terrestriall rare and pure portion wherby it commeth to be verie waightie and cold splendent and liquide and is therefore rancked among those mettalline substances which differ but little from water and indeed the mountaines where quicksiluer groweth are verie greene and full of fountaines Of amber Let vs speake now of Amber which wee haue put into the number of mettals Many authors do disagree verie much in the discourse of Amber For some reckon that which is called Electrum amongst pliable and hard mettalline substances others will not acknowledge it to be any other then a gumme of a tree which is verie much like to that of the Pine and Fir-tree producing Rosin and is verie common in Arabia the happie Philemon writeth that in two places of Scythia Amber is digged out of the ground like a kinde of stone and in one place it is white in another yealow But omitting this argument we will follow those who make Amber a mettall whose nature and propertie is in meane betwixt gold and siluer and that such is the true and natural amber as that which we vse in our beads is artificial And it partaketh more of gold then of siluer because it is more pure and perfect and apt to be wrought For if it did consist more of siluer it could not endure the forge and hammer There are vessels made thereof for beautie and profit for good amber doth discouer poysons in these two manners by cracking and making the signe of an arch within For when the rare humiditie thereof commeth to be consumed by the force of venim it cracketh and the colour changing it seemeth that in steed of the great splendor thereof there doth a kinde of staine represent it selfe like vnto an arch Now that this kinde of amber is verie rare it is not because there is not enough to be had in mines but auarice and ignorance of the vertue thereof causeth that the gold is extracted whereby it ceaseth to be amber Concerning Iron it is taken out of the earth Of iron and to make it malleable the masse thereof is when it is taken vp laid to drie in the sunne and that which is earthy doth soften in the raine as that which is moist doth melt by the sun and the most sharp part thereof which is as the venim of it is consumed by the fire The mines of this mettall are common in Europe as in diuers parts of France which are enriched by the forges that are there set vp to bring this minerall substance to his perfection Which by how much the more it is concocted and purged by so much the more is it better in goodnes in such sort as that which is earthy doth at last turne to scales and drosse and the most subtile part thereof doth conuert into steele after it hath beene well purged and a little marble added thereto And this is artificiall steele Of steele For there is in many places naturall steele namely in Persia very good in the Chaldean Isle and neere Damascus whereof the best cemiters in the world are made which cut so well that there is no rasor bee it neuer so well steeled and tempered that hath a more fine and sharper edge For this cause some say that there are some kindes of steele and iron so excellent that waight for waight they are esteemed of greater price then gold Moreouer men may see what art can doe in iron when by much beating thereof and through the power of water iron bee it neuer so thin is made vnfrangible by blowes because that such water by meanes of fire doth consume the terrestriall and waterie excrement which is found in this mettall When then the iron is brought to be most pure most hard and most light then is it most subtile and therefore most strong and resisteth best Lead consisteth of foure kindes For there is black common Of lead low-pricked lead white which is ordinarily called tinne Bisemutum which is of meane quality betwixt black and white and is rare and knowne but to few people though it bee found in the mountaines of Bohemia and the fourth kind is compounded of Stibium The ore of lead is molten in furnaces prepared for that purpose and beeing molten it is let runne through pipes out of the furnace whither the workmen will And whilest it remaineth very hot they cast cleere water vpon it to make the foure arise which waxeth very massiue hard to breake yealow and bright as glasse and this is that which is called litharge of lead But this difference is betwixt white lead and true tinne Of tinne that this doth alwaies grow with siluer the other doth grow of it selfe in such sort that tinne is almost white lead blaunched by siluer Brasse as wee haue already said is made of a matter verie neere approching to that of iron Of brasse and copper and so also is copper But brasse hath this propertie that it neuer rusteth as iron and steele doth and therefore it will continue longer In times past also it was verie vsuall to make armor and bucklers thereof yea and launces likewise witnes Homer who recounteth that Menelaus pursued Paris with a brasen launce Flutes and pipes of organes and other musicall instruments are commonly made of brasse but it doth properly agree with trumpets because it maketh a great noise in dorick musicke and inflameth men to combat

swimme aboue water but chrystall sinketh to the bottome That chrystall is best which is white and cleere as water It melteth with verie great fire and doth conuert into glasse whereof there are verie faire vessels made In vertue it is restringent and is therefore good for such as are sicke of Dysenterias to drinke in good sharp wine after it is wel and subtilly beaten to powder The Ancients made a bowle of chrystall wherewith phisitions cauterized those which feared the fire and common fearing iron to do which they laide the same bowle directly toward the beames of the sunne by the reuerberation whereof they did their surgerie worke vpon the grieued part Now in this little which we companions haue declared concerning mettals and precious stones we may imagine that if there be sufficient matter to admire the effects of nature ordayned by the diuine prouidence what might we thinke if we should enterprise to speake of fiue hundred kindes of mettals earths and precious stones which the earth hideth within her bowels But sith that we haue attayned to the ende of our discourse which is to glorifie God in the knowledge and contemplation of his most noble creatures let vs aduise our selues how to giue some good instructions vpon that which hath beene deliuered concerning minerals and stones hidden vnder ground as ARAM you can declare vnto vs. Of the instructions that men must take in that gold and siluer are hidden vnder the ground and of their vse and abuse as also of precious stones Chapter 99. ARAM. AS God declareth a great and maruellous prouidence in all his creatures as we haue discoursed intreating vpon them so also doth he manifest it vnto vs in the creation of mettals especially of gold siluer which are esteemed for the most precious For we see how he hath hidden them in the most deepe places of the earth hath couered them with great and high mountaines so that to dig and draw them out of their profound caues men must therein so trauell as if they had enterprised to ouerturne and to transport these loftie hils from one place to another and to search and pierce through the earth from one side to another For how is it searched by such as worke in mines It is a maruell that they are not alreadie come vnto the Antipodes considering the deep pits gulfes and holes whereinto they are descended Iob. 28. Iob hauing spoken of gold and siluer doth presently make mention of the bounds of darknes and shadow of death And in verie truth they are things which doe fitly agree with these two minerals For they are hidden in verie obscure and darke places and couered with a verie thicke shadow yet cannot this limit the couetousnes and auarice of men notwithstanding that God hath sufficiently admonished them to moderate themselues seeing that he hath so hidden the gold and siluer which prouoketh their auarice making them so furious and insatiable And therefore I might verie well compare them to bruite beasts yea to a flocke of sheepe For although that they daily behold by many experiences Men compared to a flock of sheepe the calamities which fall vpon the world through auarice and especially vpon those which are entangled with this vice yet cannot one take example by another but doe all followe one by one like poore brute beasts and sheepe following one another when they are leade to that slaughter house or when there is some one amongst them that hath lead the way to the rest and hath made the first leape For what daunger soeuer there bee yea though it were to tumble headlong downewards into some bottomelesse pit it is sufficient if one begin the daunce for hee shall presently haue good companie yea such as there is not one of the whole troupe but will lustily rush after without thinking vpon any danger Who doth not see that it is euen so in mans life For according as some haue wickedly begun others pursue them and the latter cannot discouer their owne follie by that of the former nor yet correct it by so many examples as they haue of euill ends and pernicious euents which haue willingly fallen vpon the couetous For this cause the prophet hauing described the follie and presumption of men which thinke to build an eternity vnto themselues with temporall riches he addeth Their way vttereth their foolishnes Psal 49. yet their posteritie delight in their talke like sheepe they lie in the graue death deuoureth them See there the shepheard and the flock of the couetous death and the sepulchre Now our meaning is not here to blame the vse of gold and siluer but onely the abuse Of the right vse of gold and siluer For wee behold the great commodities that men haue by communicating one with another and mutuallie aiding one another in all that which is rare and exquisite amongst them and that by meanes of those mettals and mony that is coined thereof For so may they furnish themselues of all things necessary for their vse for their life and according to their wish not onely from one country to another but as wee may well say from one end of the world to another And if by their auarice they abuse not this great commoditie it wil bee much more profitable to all But their vnsatiable couetousnes of gaine is cause that the amiable communication and the good desire of one neighbor to profite another which should bee by meanes of gold and siluer is conuerted oftentimes into plaine robberie For their harts are so set on fire with loue of riches that they propose no other determination vnto themselues saue to heape vp treasures by a deceitfull meanes which neuerthelesse they doe neuer enioy in peace and content beeing no more able to settle their couetousnes and asswage their appetite then to quench a great fire with laying dry wood vpon it but that it wil alwaies encrease and enflame the more And to speake truth what is this gold and siluer but a little yealow and white earth And if there bee any difference it is onely in that the substance is more hardned and what doe they differ therein from the basest hard stones It is onely in colour Why then doe men trauaile and take great care to heap vp gold and siluer rather then to heap vp dust earth and stones But indeede this is much worse for they heap vp an vnhappy treasure when for earth and clay they gaine vnto themselues the treasure of the curse of God Abat 2. For it is written Cursed be hee that heapeth vp that which is not his how long will he lade himselfe with thick clay But what This clay so yealow and white firme and exquisite doth dazzle their eies more then any thing else and yet for all that it is but earth And therefore it is but opinion that causeth one thing to be esteemed more then an other For if men had giuen that value to other mettals

into chrystal bicause that from the moone vpwards there are no creatures subiect to corruption and to such changes as those that are vnder the moone Behold then why these men haue supposed such waters to haue beene made partakers of the nature of heauen But what neede is there to trauell in such disputations and to take paines for to haue recourse to allegories when one may be easily satisfied with the literall sense For there is nothing more easie then to make the wordes of Moses cleere and euident being throughly considered For first he hath declared Of the separation of the terrestriall and celestiall waters how that the earth was couered all ouer with water and that there was a great deepe ouerwhelmed with darknes so that the earth did in no wise appeere till such time as God had commanded the waters to retire themselues into their places which he hath assigned for their perpetuall residence And then the earth was discouered euen so much thereof as was needfull for the habitation and nourishment of men and of all the creatures which God did afterwardes create Psal 104. Therefore Dauid as the expounder of Moses words saith That the Lord hath set the earth vpon hir foundations adding straight after That hee had couered it with the deepe as with a garment and that the waters did stand aboue the mountaines but at his rebuke they fled which is as much to say as when God had commanded the waters to retire and to discouer the earth they suddenly obeied the voice of their creator Now Moses hauing spoken of those waters which are resident here belowe on earth gathered as well into the sea as into fountains and riuers he afterwards declareth how God would assigne vnto them another abode in a certaine region of the aire which he first calleth a spreading abroad and after that heauen which the Psalmist also signifieth when he saith of God that he couereth himselfe with light as with a garment and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine which is to say that the light is to the creator like a stately garment wherein we beholde his glorie to shine and glister euery where and that he hath spread abroad the heauens like a pauilion for his habitation Moreouer he addeth The Lord doth lay the iousts of his high chambers amōgst the waters he maketh the great cloudes his chariot He holdeth backe saith Iob the face of his throne and stretcheth out his cloude vpon it Iob. 26. And therefore the Scripture doth also teach vs that God hath oftētimes declared his presence Exod. 13.14.16 40. Acts. 1. manifested his glory both to Moses to all the people of Israell by the cloudes And when Iesus Christ ascended into heauen a cloud taking him bare him vp in the sight of his apostles to declare vnto them and make them sure of the place whither he went vsing this cloude as a triumphant chariot which hath giuen testimonie of his soueraigne and eternall maiestie And therefore it is also written that he shall come in the cloudes of heauen with power and glorie Wherefore if we were well instructed in the sacred word of God we should haue a verie cleere doctrine concerning Meteors and which were much more profitable then that which Philosophers teach For the cloudes would excellently declare vnto vs the magnificence and maiestie of God so often as wee should behold them Matth. 24. and would represent vnto vs all the woonders by vs here mentioned as we shall also be induced to admire them considering more neerely the great miracle of the waters sustained and hanged in the aire as pursuing our purpose I leaue to you ACHITOB to discouer Of the waters sustayned and hanged in the aire and of the raine-bowe Chap. 48. ACHITOB. I Will begin my speech with the saying of the kingly prophet Psal 104. who after that he had appointed the heauens for the pauilion of God ordained the cloudes for the planchers thereof whereupon are raised the loftie chambers that is to say the great spatious waters amassed vp within the cloudes which he also proposeth vnto vs as the chariot vpon which the Eternall is borne being consequently willing to shew what the horses are by which this chariot is drawen and driuen he saith He walketh vpon the wings of the wind He maketh the spirits his messengers and flaming fire his ministers which is as much as if in sum he would declare that men need not labour to mount aloft into heauen there to cōtemplate and behold God sith that hee so cleerely manifesteth himselfe throughout the whole world principally by the celestiall creatures and then by the magnificent and maruellous works which he daily performeth heere in the aire neere vnto vs and before our eies So surely if we must account as great miracles the comming of the Sunne vnto vs and his returne which daily continueth and the courses and motions of all the other celestiall bodies we haue no lesse occasion to account as a thing miraculous and worthie of great wonder that we so often behold here below Wonder of the waters carried in the aire a great cel of waters ouer our heads in the aire sustained by the water it selfe by vapours like to smoke as if they were hanged in the aire and were there borne vp without any stay and prop but by the inuisible vertue and power of God For otherwise how could the cloudes sustaine so great heapes and such deepe gulfes of water considering that they are nothing else but water and do also come at lēgth to resolue into water Againe how without this diuine power could these cloudes be supported in the aire seeing that the aire it selfe seemeth to consist of waters most subtilly distilled beeing very light and in continuall motion For it euidently appeareth that the aire retaineth much of the nature of water because that so ordinarily it conuerteth thereinto beeing inclosed in a cold and moist place so that many fountaines are by this meanes engendred of aire if wee will credite Naturalists And therefore as Dauid saith of the waters which runne about the earth that God hath appointed a bound vnto them which they may not passe nor returne any more to ouerflow the habitation of men so may wee likewise say that he hath bounded the waters that hang in the aire within the cloudes to the end that they may not run loosely astray Iob. 26. And therfore Iob saith He bindeth the waters in the cloudes and the cloud is not broken vnder them For else it is most certaine that so often as these waters should fall vpon the earth they would drowne vp all things whereupon they powred like as when the sea and riuers ouerflow the banks or like a great deluge as came to passe when God punished the world by waters Genes 7. in the time of Noah For it is written that not onely all the fountaines of the great deep were broken vp

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 thing● to bee c●●●●dered in the rain●●●●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● 〈…〉 rain●●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 vpō them And forsomuch as the innermost circle of the bow is nerest to the obscure or dark cloud it seemeth cōmonly 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