they are diffus'd into Flame And these parts are such as we call fat or aiery which consist of a thin moisture compacted with minutest dense parts 16. It falls out too that when the fiery parts within are many and happen upon a convenient moisture they multiply and encrease themselves without any apparent extrinsecall cause and open themixt body it self so that the Vessell cannot contain it but it boyls and runs over as we see in the Must of wine and of other fruits and this kind of action is call'd Fermentation 17. Sometimes too it blazes out in Fire and Flame as appears in Hay and other dry bodies moistned and crowded together which comes to passe by the fiery parts of the dry'd bodies turning the humid parts into fire and at length by their multitude and compressure raising a flame 18. Passion or suffering from Earth is when either by its weight or some other pressure and hardnesse a change is made which even by this is understood to be a division and commonly is wrought two ways For either the parts of one body are intirely separated by the interposition of another body of another nature or else only some are joyn'd to others of the same nature as it happens in liquids when they are swash'd up and down 19. The first of these divisions is made severall ways by breaking cutting cleaving pounding and the like the other by hammering drawing impression bending compression and the like all which appear in themselves to be made by the motion of hard and dense against soft and rare bodies LESSON VIII Of Impassibility Destruction and the Accidents of Mixt bodies 1 THose bodies which are esteem'd not to suffer at all that is no losse as Gold though it melt yet consumes not the Asbestus stone is purifi'd by flames and not endamag'd Hair grows not more flaccid that is its parts are not more loos'ned with water the Adamant is so call'd because neither the hammer nor fire can master it These have got a name through the unskilfulnesse of Artificers 2. For the Moderns have found out how a Diamant may be resolv'd to dust nay even melted as also how to make Gold volatile the Asbestus in the very stone both suffers from a very violent fire and when divided into hairs is able to resist only a moderate one 3. It appears consequentially what must necessarily follow if fire be apply'd to a confirm'd and establisht body For since some parts of a Compound are moister then the rest the first efficacy of the fire will be exercis'd upon them with which if there be any fiery parts mix'd those first fly out with the fire and are call'd Spirits 4. The next are the moist and more insipid parts and they are call'd Flegme Then the more concocted parts in which Earth Fire and Water are well mix'd and they are call'd Oyls or Sulphurs and need a strong fire to extract them 5. That which remains uses by the Chymists to be washt in water wherein they find a more solid part which sinks down and this they call Salt and a lighter part that swimms a top which they throw away as unusefull notwithstanding 't is dry in the highest degree and very efficacious to fix fluid bodies 6. But if a Compound of these two be throughly bak'd in a very strong fire the moisture of the Salt is liquifi'd and the other being clasp'd into it and as it were swimming in it so condenses it into a porous body that it remains alwaies pervious to fire and such a body is call'd Glasse or vitrify'd 7. Whence 't is clear that these bodies are in part made and in part resolved or extracted by the operation of Fire and that they are not Elements but Compounds containing the nature of the whole as appears by Experience 8. Out of what has been said it may be understood what a mixt body is viz. A body coagulated of rare and dense parts in a determinate number bignesse and weight 9. And when many such unite into one a certain homogeneous sensible body emerges serviceable for mans use though it be seldome so pure as to be unmixt with others 10. Hence again it appears that it concerns not a mixt body of what Figure it be since with the same proportion of parts it may be of any especially when one body is compos'd of many little ones All things therefore receive their figure from the circumstances of their Origination 11. For since the same things must be produc'd after the same manner and those that are divers different ways the variety of manners occasions the variety of figures 12. For that which equally dilates every way becomes spherical that which dilates irregularly becomes like a Bowl that which faints in growing longer becomes like a Top. 13. That which cannot extend it self in length becomes parallelly flat that which is in some part defective in breadth becomes a hexagon a quadrate c. that which cannot dilate it self in breadth becomes oblong And thus at large and in generall 't is evident whence proceed the figures of mixt bodies LESSON IX Of the Motion of heavy and light bodies and the Conditions of Acting 1. FRom what has been said we collect that since the Sun either is Fire or at least operates like fire beating upon Earth Water and all other bodies with its Rayes it summons out little bodies which sticking to its Rayes are reflected with them and mov'd from the Centre towards the Circumference 2. By whose motion all the rest must of necessity presse towards the Earth and because the Motion of dense bodies is so much the stronger the denser they are and descending bodies the more they descend the more they repell lesse descending ones there must be wheree're the Sun has any power a Motion of dense bodies towards the Centre and of rare towards the Circumference as experience teaches us there is 3. Whence first we see there can no where be any pure Elements since at least the Rayes of the Sun and the bodies carry'd about with them are mingled every where 4. We see too that dense bodies are heavy and contrarily rare are light and that there is not any inclination requisite in bodies towards the Centre as is evident by the experience of Pumps by which with an easie motion a great weight of water is rais'd or as when we suck a Bullet out of the barrell of a long Gun 5. We see moreover that since this tumult of little bodies ascending and descending swarm's every where place any body in it it must needs be press'd upon by others every where about it and the bodies which are aside on 't must perpetually pierce and enter into it if they find in it lighter bodies which they can repell from the Centre Whence this tumult is even within all bodies and by vertue of it all bodies are mingled 6. Whence again it must needs be that the thin parts of every body consist in a kind of perpetuall
existence in a particular manner as if it were something of It self whence 't is plain that the Intelligence by the act of its own being stands bent to the Body upon which 't is to act according to all the circumstances necessary out of its own knowledge to the Effect 10. On the other side 't is plain both that the Body is susceptible of the desired effect and that the effect follows out of or rather is but the eminency and excesse of its own act or Form that is Quantity upon matter nay of its commonest act or corporeity as also that the Body is in some sort continu'd to the Intelligence by its Form or Substantiall act 11. And though the act of the Intelligence is of another kind yet because the notion of existence to which both dispose is the same the act of the Body must needs from the assistance of the Intelligence grow as it were and be chear'd and consequently more overmaster its possibility and which follows the Substance be made rarer either to the transmutation of the Substantiall Form or within the same nature 12. We answer again 'T is evident that precisely out of the notion of Understanding ther 's a connection between the understander and that which is understood In such an one as receiv's his Science from the Objects the Object is the cause of Understanding in one whose Understanding is His being the being of the thing understood is from the understanding lastly in one whose Understanding is neither his being nor from the object but concreated and naturall to him the changes in that which is understood if it admit of any without the change of existence may be from him 13. Next from hence is understood the operation of a Body wherein that consists viz. in nothing else but in the formall power of existing what it is For let there be three bodies A B C. following one another between the parallell sides of three places or of one place equall to all the three and let an Intelligence rarify A since that cannot encrease unlesse either B be diminish't or driven on so long as 't is easier for B to be condens'd then to drive on C so long B will be condens'd when 't is arriv'd to the term of condensation by little and little it encroaches into the place of C and forces C to enter into the place of another till 't is come into so ample or condensable a field that the rarefaction of A operates nothing else but condensing the farthest body and then the motion ceases 14. The operation therefore of A is to be greater whence follows A 's being united according to some part of it to the place of B Again the operation of B is either to be made lesse and so only to quit its place or else keeping it self in its Quantity to unite it self with the place of C Since therefore to be united to the place of C is nothing else but to be a Magnitude between which and the place of C ther 's nothing interpos'd the whole operation of B and A is no other then to be what they are by a kind of formall consistence 15. Because therefore a body has no operation but division 't is plain that the whole action of a body is reduc'd to Being what it is or a formall consistency in its proportion of Quantity to Matter and its continuity to place and that its true power of acting is infus'd by Intelligences 16. 'T is plain too that an Intelligence by that one rarefactive Vertue can operate whatever is to be done by Bodies For since all corporeall action is perfected by division and division is arriv'd to by this vertue all action of a Body is attain'd to by this vertue LESSON XV. Of the cooperation of the Agents to the making of Substances a rationall Soul and to all other effects 1. HEnce we are arriv'd to the production of Substances For since some are produc'd out of nothing some out of others preexisting the former must of necessity have flow'd immediately from God The Agent therefore which produces out of nothing makes all the other qualities and conditions of the Thing by the notion of existence Existence therefore is first in execution and since the greater is not made for the lesse it must be first too in intention 2. Wherefore since every Agent by acting endeavours to expresse its own essence upon the effect the Essence of him that produces out of nothing must be Existence it self 3. Nor is it to be expected that another Creature should be made use of as to preparing the matter both because Existence is nobler then all the rest in a Thing whence it admits not of any preparation for the rest since preparations are only in the baser in order to a better as also because existence being put the Thing is already put whence the operation upon nothing is compleat by the very putting of existence and consequently of that cause alone which puts existence 4. Supposing then that God has created certain Substances and that because of themselves they are defectible they alwaies have that being from God 't is infer'd that God perpetually poures out the power of being as the Sun Light Imagine now an accidentall transmutation on Body's part such as is explicated in our Physicall discourse and as 't is declared above through certain changes an arrivall to a constancy of being in another degree 5. It must needs be that As when the Earth is turn'd to the Sun or Wood laid on the Fire from the perpetuall and minutable action of the Sun or Fire joyn'd with the mutability of the Earth and Wood sometimes one sometimes another part of the Earth will be enlightned and sometimes one sometimes another part of the Wood will burn So supposing that naturall motions make Matter in severall Sites sometimes capable of a perfecter existence sometimes of a more imperfect from the same constant effusion of existence on Gods side the Substance must needs be sometimes nobler sometimes more ignoble respectively 6. Suppose farther an existent body so chang'd that the matter may be capable of a Form which in its essence includes some notion that exceeds the power of matter is it not plain that out of the very same constant effusion of existence from God a Substance will exist which will be so corporeall that 't will be in some respect Spirituall 7. For since the putting of existence puts a Thing purely at the second causes determinating God to the position of such an existence not that alone is put but whatever follows out of it though it exceed the power of second causes And so it appears how putting the generation of a Man a rationall Soul is put and how the power of nature so concurres to it that yet the notion of Creation or rather of con-creation supervenes and is necessary 8. Lastly how it both is and is-not ex traduce and at once by Generation and Creation and how
the Discourse whilst they tamper with objecting The Work is but short and for a little while the affection of Credulity may be fairly exacted in a Learner that he may clearly apprehend the things propos'd When he shall have understood against what he 's to object there will be liberty enough of disputing You see a Walk or Garden may serve well enough for this exercise I have therefore given you a volume which will not load your Pocket I have follow'd that Method which the necessity of consequences drew on not the rules of Logick prescrib'd though yet it be not averse from this If you blame the Obscurity remember Acroases are so to be published that they become not publick that their penetration may be difficult without a Clue yet not unpassable to a resolute pursuance THE TABLE FIRST BOOK Containing that part of LOGICK which is necessary to Sciences LESSON I. OF Propositions as they are the parts of a Syllogism Pag. 1. II. Of a Syllogism and its Conclusion 4. III. Of the Predicaments in common and the three first in particular 8. IV. Of the rest of the Predicaments 13. V. Of the five Predicables and the signification of words 16. VI. Of Definition Division and Disputation 21. SECOND BOOK Containing those things which concern the Nature of BODIES in common LESSON I. OF the composition of bulk or Bignesse Pag. 27. II. Of the Nature of Quantity and Place 32. III. Of Time and locall Motion 39. IV. Of the four First Qualities 47. V. Of the Elements 51. VI. Of Mixtion and the Second Qualities or those which most immediately follow Mixtion 55. VII Of the manner of Mixtion and the Passion of Mixt things 59. VIII Of Impassibility Destruction and the Accidents of Mixt bodies 65. IX Of the Motion of heavy and light bodies and the Conditions of Acting 68. X. Of the Motions of Vndulation Projection Reflection and Refraction 71. XI Of the Electricall and Magneticall Attractions of hot bodies 76. XII Of the generation of Decomposit or compos'd-of-compounded bodies Plants 79. XIII Of the more universall parts of Plants 82. XIV Of the Accidents of Plants 85. XV. Of the generation and augmentation of Animals 88. XVI Of the Motion of the Heart and some consequents of it 92. XVII Of the progressive Motion of Animals 94. XVIII Of the five senses of Animals 98. XIX Of the Objects of the Senses 101. XX. Of Knowledge and Memory 104. XXI Of Sleep and Dreams 106. XXII Of Passions and the expression of them 109. XXIII Of the communicating Affections to others 112. XXIV Of the seeming-Rationall Actions of Animals 115. THIRD BOOK Containing those things which concern the WORLD and its greater Parts LESSON I. OF the limitation Vnity and composition of the World Pag. 118. II. Of the Mortality kinds of those things that are in the world 121. III. Of the parts of the Planetary world and specially those of the Earth 125. IV. Of the Sea and its Accidents 129. V. Of Fountains Rivers and Lakes 132. VI. Of the Aire and those things that are done in it near the Earth 137. VII Of Clouds Rain Snow Hail 140. VIII Of fiery meteors appearing in the Aire 147. IX Of truly fiery meteors hanging in the Aire 152. X. Of the generation and nature of Winds 156. XI Of Earth-quakes their Effects 163. XII Of the Meteors of the other parts of the world and especially of Comets 165. XIII Of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea and its Accidents 168. XIV Of the Motion of the Earth and the Causes of it 174. XV. Of the Oppositions against the Motion of the Earth and of its Effects 177. XVI Of the Motion of the Aire with the Earth and its Effects 180. XVII Of the Causes of the Motion of the Moon and other Stars 183. XVIII Of the Primum Mobile the Duration and Quiddity of the World 187. FOURTH BOOK Containing that part of METAPHYSICK which explicates the Essentiall Notions of BODIES LESSON I. OF the divisibility of Substance into Formall parts Pag. 191. II. Of the formall parts of Substance in particular 195. III. Of the unity and distinction oâ— Bodies in common 199. IV. Of the essentiall Vnity and Distinction of the Elements and Mixt bodies 203. V. Of the Essence of Animals of the Soul 208. VI. Of the Chief Animal and the essentiall Distinction of Bodies 214. VII Of the mutation of the Individuality in the severall kinds of Bodies 219. VIII Of the proper Action of the Chief Animal 225. IX Of the Soul of the Chief Animal or of the MIND 231. X. Of the Proficiency Deficiency of MAN and of his Essence 236. FIFTH BOOK Containing that part of METAPHYSICK which treats of SUBSTANCES ABSTRACTED from Matter of the Operation of Things LESSON I. OF the Soul's Separation from the Body 243. â—I Of the Science of a separated Soul and its Vnity with the Soul 249. III. Of the Eminency of a separated Souls acts above those it exercises in the Body 255. IV. Of the Felicity and Infelicity of separated Souls and their Immutability 259. V. Of the nature of Existence and its unity with the Thing 264. VI. Of the Existence Simplicity and Eternity of GOD. 267. VII Of the perfection Immutability and Science of GOD. 272. VIII Of the Divine Volition and Liberty 277. IX Of the Divine Names how they are improperly spoken of GOD. 283. X. Of the Degrees of impropriety in the Divine Names 288. XI Of the Existence Nature and Science of INTELLIGENCES 293. XII Of the comparison of Intelligences to Souls and Bodies 297. XIII Of the Distinction Subordination and Number of Intelligences 302. XIV Of the Action of GOD Intelligences and Bodies severally 306. XV. Of the cooperation of the Agents to the making of Substances a Rationall Soul and to all other Effects 213. XVI Of the Government of GOD and the Locality of Incorporeall Things 318. XVII Of the Conservation of Creatures and the Durations of things 324. XVIII Of the Manner of Action on the Subjects side 330. APPENDIX CHAP. I. A Philosophicall Discourse concerning the Creation of Heaven and Earth Pag. 341. II. An Explication of GENESIS concerning the same 345. III. A Philosophicall Discourse of the works of the two first Daies 348. IV. An Explication of Genesis concerning the same 351. V. A Philosophicall Discourse of the works of the other four Daies 354. VI. An Explication of Genesi sconcerning the same 358. VII Some Animadversions about the Text of the first Chapter of Genesis 364. VIII A naturall Discourse of the Creation of Man 370. IX An Explication of Genesis concerning the Creation of Man 372. X. An Explication of the same concerning the Creation of Woman 378. XI An Explication of Genesis concerning Paradise 383. XII The History of ADAM'S FALL out of Genesis 387 XIII Of the Punishment of our first Parents out of the same 391. XIV Of the Evils derived to Posterity out of the same 399. XV. Of the
these notions of hot and cold 11. And among rare bodies 't is apparent the rarest will be the best dividers that is the hotest but among dense bodies those will be the coldest which most streightly besiege the rare bodies and those are such as are most plyant to their parts whence they which are in some measure moist too will be the coldest LESSON V. Of the Elements 1. WE have deduc'd therefore out of the most simple notion of Quantity dissected by the only differences of more and lesse the Rarest body hot in the highest degree and dry but not in the highest degree the Densest dry in the highest degree and cold but not in the highest degree a Heavy or lesse rare body moist in the highest degree but not so hot lastly a Moderately dense body cold in the highest degree but temperately moist 2. These same bodies in as much as Motion proceeds from them to others are active but in as much as they sustain the action of others they are passive chang'd thus in Name not Nature 3. This property also of an Element they have that they cannot be compounded of other things and all things else are compounded of them they being establisht out of the first Differences which of necessity are found in others There are therefore four ELEMENTS 4. You 'l object Since Rare and Dense vary the Quantity by the very nature of Quantity there will be infinite degrees and thence the number of the Elements will neither be four nor indeed finite 'T is answer'd Men do not determine the kinds of things according to the fruitfulnesse of Nature but by grosse and sensible differences according to the slownesse of our Apprehension 5. Thus therefore a Rare body which makes it self and other things be seen we call Fire One that has not this vertue and yet hinders not other things from making themselves seen we call Aire A Dense body which absolutely excludes light we term Earth One that partly admits it and partly repells it we term Water 6. Not that wise men esteem these very bodies to be truly Elements which we are conversant with round about us But that these mixt bodies obtain that name out of the predominancy of some Element in them which they would deserve if drein'd from all dregs they were entirely refin'd into the nature of the Predominant 7. The Elements therefore are Bodies distinguisht purely by the differences of rare and dense and they are collected into four kinds or heads under the terms we have given them 8. Moreover 't is evident that no bounds or figures do properly belong to the Elements out of their own principles that is precisely by their own nature for since they are nothing but quantitative bodies affected with such a rarity or density the nature of Quantity still remains which is every where divisible and terminable and consequently figurable as one pleases 9. But whether there be not some greatest possible bulk in every one of the Elements out of the very nature of density depends upon Metaphysicall principles Neverthelesse out of their common operation a Sphericall figure is most agreeable to Earth and Fire To Fire because its nature being to diffuse it self with the greatest celerity out of a little matter into a great breadth it must of necessity spread it self on all sides that is into a Sphear 10. To Earth as being the Basis foundation about which moist bodies diffuse themselves and by so doing mold it into a Globe 11. But that Fire flames up like a Pyramid proceeds from the resistance of the Aire incompassing it which 't is forc'd to penetrate with a sharp point 12. Again since the Elements are oppos'd to one another only by the differences of rare and dense 't is evident their transmutation into one another is nothing else but rarefaction and condensation 13. 'T is plain too that dense things being forc'd against rare do compresse them and if there be no way to escape do necessarily condense them which condensation if it be enough both in time and degree will of necessity change that which is condens'd into that Element to which such a density is proper 14. But a rare body compress'd if it get out diffuses it self a main out of those straights whence if any dense body that is rarifiable stick to it it carries it away with it and rarifies it 'T is plain therefore that 't will turn it into the nature of the rarer Element if the other circumstances concurre which are necessary to Action 15. Out of all which we may collect that one Element cannot be chang'd into another without being transferr'd through all the intermediate degrees as if you should endeavour to rarifie Earth into Fire first you must raise it into Water then into Aire and at length into Fire 16. For as we have demonstrated above concerning velocity that a Movable cannot be rais'd out of one into another determinate degree but in time so with the same labour the same may be made evident concerning density since the nature of Quantity is equall and constant in both and Velocity is nothing but A certain density of Motion LESSON VI. Of Mixtion and the second Qualities or those vvhich most immediately follovv Mixtion 1. SInce that part of the world which is expos'd to our knowledge is finite and any never-so-little bulk infinitely repeated exceeds the greatest possible it follows that the singular bodies of this part are finite and some actually the least nay that according to the order of the World bodies cannot be divided beyond a certain term 2. There will be therefore in each of the Elements certain minutest parts which are either not at all or very seldome farther divisible When therefore the Elements are forc'd one against another the sides of the rare ones must of necessity become united with the sides of the dense but when they come to be divided again 't is impossible they should not leave some of those minutest parts sticking to the dense bodies 3. For since in the same Quantity the dense part is lesse divisible then the rare that too which is compounded of rare and dense in the same bulk is lesse divisible then the rare part of the same quantity It must needs be therefore that the rare Elements must stick by their minutest parts to the dense which they have once touch't 4. Hence 't is evident that the minutest parts being rub'd off on every side by the ouching together of divers Elements mixt bodies must necessarily be made For if two dense parts touch one minutest rare since the minutest is indivisible there naturally emerges a Compound of the three as hardly divisible as are the dense ones themselves 5. Whence we have the first Distinction of bodies For since the Elements are four and may be joyn'd together by bigger or lesse parts as oft as great parts of one Element redound the body is call'd by the name of that Element 6. Thus have we severall
the visible world but where there is any one Element there Aristotle acknowledges the rest too and indeed with the same Eyes we discern an opake body reflecting the light 6. 'T is objected Animals cannot live in the Moon not Men particularly because in it there is not a variety of Earth and Waters nor rains nor clouds Adde to this a most vehement heat the Sun shining continually upon the same part for fifteen whole days together and never receding in latitude above ten degrees from the part illuminated 7. 'T is answer'd If there be a kind of grosser Aire as 't is observ'd there will of necessity be Water for these grosse vapours are made out of Earth and have the nature of water before though perhaps the Clouds are not so big as to be taken notice of Besides the Almains have observ'd something like a vast cloud in the Moon The extreme heat is moderated by the height of the Mountains the lownesse of the Vallies the abundance of water and woods as we see by experience under the Aequator from which the Sun is at farthest about twenty three degrees distant and but about ten only for half the year from the middle between the Aequator and the Tropick yet this hinders not but those are most happy regions LESSON III. Of the parts of the Planetary World and especially those of the Earth 1. THe greatest part of the world which we have some kind of knowledge of consists of the Sun and six great bodies illuminated by it and some lesser ones which are in a manner members cut off from the greater 2. The bigger bodies are counted by Astronomers Saturn Iupiter Mars the Earth Mercury Venus which 't is certain of the rest by evident experiments of Mars and Saturn by their parity to the rest are opake bodies illuminated by the Sun 3. Mercury is believ'd to have appear'd like a spot under the Sun Venus appears horned like the Moon Iupiter suffers from the Stars accompanying him and they reciprocally from him The Sun alone shines of it self 4. Moreover since light is Fire the fountain of light is the fountain of Fire too The SUN therefore is a vast body consisting of Mountains and Plains which belch out fire and as Aetna Lipara and Hecla are never without flames and especially the Vulcanian Mountains of the new world so much lesse is the Sun 5. Both the clouds of ashes vapour'd out in vast abundance and other bodies mix'd with them which make the Spots in the Sun and the fountains of flames observ'd sometimes more fiercely sometimes more remissely to blaze out witnesse this to be the nature of the Sun 6. The whole body therefore of the Sun or at least as deep as is necessary must needs consist of some matter resembling to bitumen or Sulphur and be intended by nature for nothing but an Esca and food of flames serviceable to other bodies 7. And since we have the same Actour upon the other six Bodies the effects too must needs be analogous upon an analogous matter as we have already prov'd that of all other bodies must be amongst these the Earth by which we are nourisht is the best known to us 8. This our very senses tell us is divided into three parts A solid Substance which we call Earth a liquid but crasse one which we call Water and aninvisible one which we call Aire 9. The Earth is not a Loadstone first because it hangs not on any other for the Stars of the Eighth Sphear are at too great a distance to look for any Magneticall action from them secondly because that vertue in it which attracts the loadstone is not diffus'd through the whole body of the Earth but rests only in the bark of it as it were thirdly because if it were a loadstone it would joyn to some other body as the loadstone does to Iron nor would it be carry'd about in any place or with any Motion of its own but proceed to joyn it self with that other The parts of the Earth are Mountains Valleys Caverns Plains 10. And since we know Fire will make water boil and swell and dilate whatever other bodies are mixt with the water we see too that the Earth both within in its bowells and in its superficies is furnisht with heat to concoct Metals and juyces as in our bodies when the heat abounds with moisture above the just proportion in any part it breeds warts and wens and blisters so hills and mountains must of necessity rise out of the body of this great Mother 11. This is evidenc'd both by ancient and modern Experiments which tell us of Islands cast up in the Sea we hear of cinders belcht out of Aetna and Vesuvius for the most part falling upon and encreasing the Mountains but sometimes too raising fields into Mountains and hence it is that Mountains for the most part ingender Metalls and are full of wholesome hearbs as is generally observ'd 12. Hollow places whether upon the Superficies of the Earth which we call Vallies or Caverns within its bowells proceed from two proper causes the sinking and settling of the Earth into those places which the matter for the Mountains left vacant and the washing away of that matter which by rains and torrents is carry'd otherwhere especially into the Sea Thus the Channells of Rivers are made thus between vast and very high Mountains the Channells of the Valleys are deeper Hence in one place the Earth is hollow'd away in another rais'd LESSON IV. Of the Sea and its Accidents 1. THe parts of water are Sea Lakes Pools Rivers Fountains The Sea is but one since all those parts whereof every one is call'd a Sea communicate among themselves either openly or by hidden Channells as the Caspian discharges it self into the Euxine for otherwise t would overflow with the constant tribute of such great Rivers 2. That the Main does not overflow is because of the amplitude and vastnesse of its surface whence it comes to passe that as much is lick'd up by the Sun into clouds and winds as is pour'd in by so many Rivers as will be evident to one that shall observe how much the Sun in one day draws up out of a little Plash 3. Hence proceeds its saltnesse for since the salt which flows in out of the Rivers makes not them so much as brackish neither could they infect the sea were it not that the sun sucking up the lighter parts the salt remains in the rest 4. Moreover the salt which the sun must necessarily make upon the top out of the concoction of the land-floods which fatten the River-water does not sink down to the bottom both by reason of the motion of the sea continually mingling it together as also because the deeper the water the salter and heavier it is unlesse some speciall cause interpose as perhaps in the mouths of Rivers 5. From the abundance of salt the sea gets both density and gravity moreover that it will not
out with violence they take the shortest line which upon the superficies of a Sphear is the Arch of the greatest Circle LESSON XI Of Earth-quakes and their Effects 1. BUt because we have said there are Caves under ground and both our experience of Pits sunk and many extraordinary effects demonstrate Fire water there too there must necessarily be notable effects of the vapours extracted out of the bowells of the Earth 2. If therefore out of some subterraneous humidbody vapours chance to be rais'd by a subterraneous fire too and they prove too bigg for their place 't is manifest that alwaies increasing and becoming condens'd by the continuall accesse of new vapours they 'l seek themselves a way out according to the force they have where ther 's the easiest passage If that chance to lead into any vast under-ground Cave the Earth will quake with a great impetus and groan but nothing will appear above ground 3. But if the easiest issue be towards the superficies of the Earth the vapour will burst out through it and if it be noxious to Beasts or Birds 't will bring either Death or a Disease along with it making with the eruption either a gaping Hollow or a Mountain according as the Earth either sinks or is sustain'd and as it were vaulted Sometimes 't will bury and swallow up Cities sometimes transport vast pieces of Earth and produce other effects whereof we find expresse memorialls in History 4. The Prognosticks of an Earth-quake they say are an infection of the Fountains with a sulphurious savour an unusuall calmnesse of the Air and Birds a swelling of the Sea without any apparent cause blackish streaks under the Sun of an unusuall length all if they are truly Prognosticks and not onely Accidents which sometimes and not for the most part happen are the effects of a spirituous Vapour bursting out from the bowells of the Earth 5. They are said to happen chiefly in the Spring and Autumn therefore if the opinion be true because the Superficies of the Earth being warm becomes slacker with the rain But I should rather believe it a chance that many should be recorded in Histories about these seasons for both Winter and Summer have felt their Earthquakes and in the Torrid Zone where they are most frequent the differences of Spring and Autumn from the other seasons are very inconsiderable 6. The Sea-shores are most subject to these motions because the subterranious flames and fumes receive no little nourishment from the Sea and the moisture which soaks into the Earth renders it very fit for breeding vapours LESSON XII Of the Meteors of the other parts of the World and especially of Comets 1. THese accidents of our Orbe and its parts which are usually call'd Meteors must necessarily be found too in the other bodies which we have said are enlightned by our Sun And that out of the nature of quantity and the mixture of Rare and Dense if they have their severall degrees and differences 2. Nor in these only but in whatever bodies besides wherein alterations are wrought by the operation of fire upon denser matter for the same reasons 3. 'T is evident too that our Sun cannot warm and enlighten all those bodies that reflect light to us for if it were as far distant from us as Astronomers suppose the Sphear of the Fixed stars 't would appear to us to be but of the sixth Magnitude and consequently it could not communicate to us any considerable either light or heat how much lesse in the situation where 't is could it reflect so far as to us a light of the first Magnitude from any Star so far distant 4. Adde to this that one that should collect from the proportion of the basis of a Cone to its Axis how much light the Sun could reflect to us from the eighth Sphear would find it absolutely invisible Besides the very Aire through which the light passes by little and little drinks up and extinguishes it whence in a thicker Aire it spreads it self a lesse way then in a rarer so that in so vast a journey 't would be utterly deaded and not seen 5. A Meteor of the Planets perceptible by us is a Comet which its very-little Parallaxis convinces to be sometimes sited above the Moon 6. That 't is not fire its constant figure its Tayle not oppos'd to its motion but to the Sun its lasting consistency its matter light and to be seen through and lastly its Motion more regular then we observe in fire largely convince farther that it has nothing of fire but the colour adde to this that Fromundus with his very eyes discern'd the Tayle of that Comet in the Year 1618 to consist of the reflection of the Sun 's light 7. Be it therefore A vapour which partly reflects the light of the Sun partly drinking it in either repells it back again to us by refraction from it self or letting it through by reflection from another body And its fore-part will be the Head it s hinder whether part or something only accessnry to it will be the Tayle 8. And since by this generation of a Comet any figure of its Beard any Motion any winding of its tayle but for the most part the opposition of its Tayle to the Sun and the lesser light of its Tayle then of its Head may be fairly solv'd this intire subject is clearly display'd 9. Out of the same principles may be deduc'd that fading Stars are Comets but so far off that the secundary or refracted light of their Tail by reason of the height either cannot be distinguisht from the body or cannot be extended to us because of its extreme faintnesse as also that its motion cannot be discern'd 10. Even these therefore witnesse that there are Meteors among the very fixed Stars and those so much the more constant and lasting as the bodies out of which they are extracted are larger LESSON XIII Of the Ebbing and Flovving of the Sea and its Accidents 1. SInce out of what has been said it appears that the gravity of the vapours and the straightnesse of their issue are the cause of the violent motion of the winds and that the heaviest vapours are extracted out of the Earth when 't is well moistned It becomes evident that where vapours are rais'd out of the Sea only they are lighter that if they be turn'd into winds without being straightned they will be calm ones And since in the great Pacifick Sea in the Indian Atlantick Ocean quite through the whole Torrid Zone there are vast waters consequently in some measure secure from the incursion of Shore-winds there must needs be light vapours rais'd up by the Sun through all that Tract which the Sun retiring must turn into winds taking that course which the Suns rarefaction of the aire makes most easie this all the year long consequently there must be a continuall East-wind 2. And because the Aire naturally moves in a Circle
Of The BEGINNING Of the WORLD Wherein 't is essay'd how subservient Philosophy is to Divinity Same AUTHOUR Cant. 1. Equitatui meo in curribus Pharaonis assimilavi te Amica mea Printed in the Year 1656. To the READER SInce Philosophy has then attain'd its Dignity when apply'd to Action it renders Man better that is more Man and Christians are initiated to this by Divinity this evidently is the highest pitch of Philosophy to wait on and be subservient to the Traditions deriv'd from God Wherefore I saw it absolutely necessary to fortify the Institutions I would recommend to Thee with a subsignation of Theology Nor was I long to seek whether I should first addresse my self For when after the Notions of Nature digested in common I had expos'd the same in a Collection of the World as it were in an Example by the same rule having exhibited the Action of Things like a sceleton in its Principles in the last Book of Metaphysick I saw my self oblig'd to vest It in the CREATION with the Nature due to It. And since in the ancient Theology we had this accurately decyphered beyond the Attempts of Philosophers but untraceable because the Paths of Nature were unknown It seem'd to me a more expresse Seal of Theologicall Approbation could not be desir'd then that the Institutions should carrie a Torch before the Mysteries of Genesis and from those so discover'd receive themselves with advantage the Glory and Splendor of Authority What more I essay'd thou seest the Issue which I wish may benefit Thee A Theologicall Appendix Of THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD CHAP. I. A Philosophicall discourse concerning the Creation of Heaven and Earth 1. SInce we find by universall experience without any exception that not only the Operations but even the very Subsistence of all bodily Substances is by continued steps brought from possibility to be in act nor can we doubt that the parts and the whole are of the same nature 't is evident the Beginning of the Universe it self if we suppose it manag'd according to the nature of Bodies must proceed by the same rule that from the nearest power and possibility in which it could be it has been rip'ned by degrees to this excellent beauty and did not by instantaneous Creation immediately start into perfection 2. Because therefore God subsists by the very necessity of Being it self and in Being it self there can be nothing of imperfection 't is clear that His ultimate intrinsecall formality and free act preexists before not only the existence but even the very essence of all and every Creature as much as whatever is most essentiall in Him 3. As also that this Being which they have receiv'd from God is the nature of the Creatures nor can they otherwise flow from God then according to their naturall condition Especially since God acts not to attain an end prefix'd to himself but this is His end if we may call any thing an end in respect of God that the Creatures should be so as in his Essence Science and Will He has predesin'd their determinate nature fixed and inviolably to be that the whole Universe might emane His most beautifull Image and in a manner a most adequate participation of Himself 4. So that all things that are to have their most connaturall quality as far as it can stand impartially with the perfection of their fellow bodies this is that which God will'd and what in effect he has brought to passe 5. Be this therefore firmly establisht that God not instantaneously but by a congruous disposition of diverse degrees brought up the world from its deepest possibility that is its simplest and fewest principles to its due perfection 6. Again because neither materia prima nor any other part of a Thing but only Physicall Compound is apt to receive Exiastence and of Physicall Compounds the most simple and as it were most poten tiall that is next above mere possibility are the Elements and something must of necessity have flow'd instantaneously from God It follows that some one or more of the Elements were by Creation call'd by God out of the common Abysse of nothingnesse 7. But not one only Element was created For since Motion does not follow out of the sole vertue of Creation nor could Motion be without Division nor Division without a Substantiall difference of the divider from the divided nor this be made even by Angelicall vertue without time it follows that more Elements were created immediately by God 8. Yet not all the four Since FIRE we call an Element that makes it self be seen which implyes Action but corporeall action is not without motion nor motion from pure Creation 9. But of the other three Elements no one could be conveniently omitted For EARTH and WATER are those we see mixt by Fire through the whole course of Nature and Fire is immediately generated and nourished by AIRE If any one therefore of these three had been wanting the matter had been unfit for Angelicall operation 10. Three Elements therefore were created nor those confus'd in a Chaos for such a confusion had not exhibited the most simple matter but a disorder'd multitude of mixt things since mixt things emerge from a mere confusion of the Elements 11. Earth therefore was the inmost as the densest and of constant nature Aire was the outmost as the most opposite to Earth the middle both Nature and Place water possess'd CHAP. II. An Explication of GENESIS concerning the same 1. LEt 's see now whether the Christians most ancient Theology deriv'd from the Hebrews speaks consonantly to this God saies it in the Beginning created the Heaven and the Earth The Beginning saies not so much a precedency to things that follow'd since it self was something of what was began as that nothing was before it Admirably therefore by this term 't is express'd that the Creation of Heaven and Earth was so instantaneous and in a manner before the rest that neither any Time interven'd nor was it self in Time It shews therefore that they were created out of nothing and that instantaneously and that the rest immediately follow'd out of these once put 2. Nor can it be doubted what it calles Heaven and Earth since the name of Earth is immediately us'd afterwards whence 't is evident that by the remaining name of Abysse is express'd what before was call'd Heaven otherwise the sacred Text is confused and imperfect 3. 'T is added that the Earth was void and empty according to the Hebrew expression solitude and emptinesse or rather of solitude and emptinesse for so the Hebrews often expresse their Adjectives The sense is clear that neither were there men upon the Earth whose properties are fellowship and conversation the privation whereof makes Solitude nor Plants and Animals which as bodies and utensils might fill the place and house of humane habitation 4. It follows that Darknesse was upon the face of the Abysse The word Abysse says a Gulph of waters whose bottom
is unknown or not reach'd and because the most simple manner of reaching is by Sight it properly signifies such a depth of water that Sight cannot reach its bottom Wherefore the sense is most easie that what it had formerly call'd Heaven was a vast diaphanous body upon which there was no Fire to enlighten it It affirms therefore directly that Fire was not created 5. But it subjoyns two parts of the Abysse whilst it says and the Spirit of the Lord was born upon the waters Clearly therefore it affirms three Elements EARTH WATER and AIRE were Created by God but not FIRE And that they were not confus'd is evident in that otherwise it had not been an Abysse that is a capacity of Light and a privation since by the commixtion of Earth the other Elements had been rendered opake Moreover the Spirits being born upon the waters denotes a distinction of Places between the other two Elements 6. But 't is observable that the word was born according to the force of the Originall term speciâ—ies that motion whereby Birds sustain themselves with open wings over their nests least they should crush their young ones and yet to defend them from the cold Whence a certain person amongst the Hebrews explicates it not weighing upon touching but not striking wherefore the Aire cover'd the water but press'd it not 'T is plain therefore that according to the propriety of the expression 't is specifi'd there was as yet no Gravitie and that the Aire is the first of the Elements whose property it is to have any heat in it 'T is evident therefore ther 's no gravitie in the Aire of its own nature and consequently that 't is not an intrinsecall Quality in the other Elements but is in them from the operation of Fire and the order of Agents CHAP. III. A Philosophicall discourse of the vvorks of the tvvo first daies 1. THe Matter of the World being Created it remains that we see what follow'd by the additional operation of Creatures And because the operation of Angels is no other then rarefaction nature wanted its naturall instrument viz. Fire for This we see principally made use of for almost all naturall effects especially the generation of Substances and This is not rais'd out of Water and Earth immediately without first becoming Aire it must be that the Angels or Angel whose task this was by rarefying the Aire rais'd a vast Fire 2. And since there are many sorts of Fire and that which far from the fiery body smoaks no longer but shoots out directly with pure rayes is by a speciall name call'd Light Light must needs have been made by the Angels through the rarefaction of pure Aire as from which no Smoak rises 3. Nor is it lesse certain this must be done in the very confines of Aire and water For since the Angels could not in an instant convert Aire into Light and a locall motion of the neighbouring bodies follows upon rarefaction the Aire must needs have been mov'd whilst 't was yet in the form of Aire and since motion cannot be without a plurality of Substances 't is plain that the Aire divided the water and consequently the first Fire was rais'd in the confines of both 4. Since therefore the Fire being rais'd of necessity acted upon the water it follows that the Waters being stir'd those particles to which the Fire stuck being rarer then the rest and coveting still a larger place by their own and the denser parts of the Water's motion must needs be thrust out into the Aire which is more yielding and those excluded be aggregated together specially towards the Light where by reason of the more vehement action there must needs be greatest abundance of them and more flowing from one side then another since naturall causes work not rigorously even the whole masse of Water and Earth adhering to it by little and little attain a motion towards the same Light so that successively and by parts it rol'd in a Circle and was enlightned having in some places Night in others Day 5. Besides another effect must evidently have follow'd from this production of Light viz. a vast abundance of Clouds be rais'd up into the Aire which by the circulation of the Light about the inferiour Globe must necessarily be remov'd a vast distance from the Globe it self and the Light Whence being no longer sensible of the Globe's attraction they could not by any order of Causes be remitted back towards the Globe Thus therefore ther 's a vast space establisht between the waters in the Globe whence the Clouds were extracted and between those very Clouds themselves which may keep them from one another separate for ever or at least till the end of the World CHAP. IV. An explication of Genesis concerning the same 1. WHat says Theology to this It says And God said Let there be Light and LIGHT was made Speech and command are address'd to another clearly therefore it reaches that by the intermediate operation of Angels Light was made 2. And it was made clearly shews that the making immediately and instantly began viz. that there was no delay in the intermediate Instrument wherefore that 't was an Incorporeall Substance which needed not be mov'd that it might move Moreover the word he said which implyes Knowledge declares it to have been an Intelligent Instrument 3. It adds And God saw the Light that it was good Goodnesse is perfection namely because the nature of the Elements by the addition of Fire was compleat and perfected therefore Light is said to be good Again because the rest of the Elements were passive and Light active therefore Light is call'd good or perfect for what has attain'd an aptitude to produce or make its like is esteem'd perfect in its kind 4. It follows And he divided the light from the darknesse c. 'T is plain this division was made not by Place but by Time since Day and Night are parts of Time and consequently that motion or the diurnall conversion was now begun which is declar'd by those words and he call'd the light Day and the darknesse Night For since as yet Man was not to whom words might be significant He call'd is as much as he establisht the Essence of Day and Night for a name or appellation denotes the essence or quiddity of the Thing nam'd 5. 'T is added and the Evening and the Morning was made one Day in the originall Text and the Evening was made and the Morning was made or the Evening was and the Morning was From which Phrase 't is understood that this motion had for its term whence the Evening and for its term whether the Morning and consequently that the motion was made in a Subject to which it agrees to have Evening and Morning that is in the Earth and that it was from West to East that is towards the Light 6. Again And God said let there be a FIRMAMENT in the midst of the Waters and let it
poison of the Apple was digested into their bowells this effect happened for if immediately as soon as the Woman had eaten her eyes had been opened she would have blusht and not dar'd to appear before her Husband or at least being sollicitous and troubled about the change she felt she would have told it him 8. But how their eyes were opened and how they knew themselves to be naked appears by the following action that they made themselves aprons or girdles to cover with them the parts destin'd for generation Evident therefore 't is that by their eating the Apple their flesh rose and was mov'd without their consent The effect therefore of the Apple was immediately to provoke Lust through the intoxication as it were of luxury to shake off the use or command of Reason 9. The very description too of the Fruit insinuates it to have this vertue For Physicians say that sweet is primely nutritive as consisting of hot and moist connaturall to the Animal and that whatever nourishes does it in as much as 't is sweet Good therefore for food when 't is spoken by way of eminency is what is very nutritive but Seed is made of the superfluity of the nourishment Good therefore to the tast or for food shews it was provokative of lust The splendour too of colour since it proceeds out of a good commixtion of subtle and oily parts is apt to follow the sweetnesse CHAP. XIII Of the Punishment of our first Parents out of the same 1. IT follows in the History And when they had heard the voice of the Lord God walking in Paradise at the cool after noon The Hebrew saies when they had heard the noise of him coming into the garden at the aspiring of the day or day-break and the sense is that God in the Morning with the cool aire which goes before or accompanies the Sun came into the Garden namely to be ador'd by Adam whence when Adam appear'd not but had hidden himself in the middle of the Trees of Paradise that is among the Trees which were very thick He call'd him And this sense seems the better for what could be the end why God should appear a-walking besides that the cool of the day is better understood the Morning then the Evening whence in the Canticles 't is said of the Morning 'Till the day aspire and the shadows be inclin'd for not that which is done by the day retiring but what the day brings along with it is properly attributed to the Day 2. 'T is added how God examin'd Adam and Eve but He punisht the Tempter without an examen as being a profess'd enemy and of a known malice The first punishment is that He should be cursed of all living Creatures for so the primitive expression has it not among living Creatures The second the Latine Interpreter puts to be thou shalt go upon thy breast but the Hebrew word derives from a verb which signifies to sigh or to burst out as it were the issue out of one in travail so that the sense may be In sighing and grief as of one in travail that is Thy whole life and all thy actions shall be full of grief and pain 3. The third is Thou shalt eat Earth but the Hebrew saies thou shalt destroy Dust all the daies of thy life which seems the better for Serpents corrupt the Earth with their breath but do not eat it that I ever read Nor hinders it that in Isaiah we read To the Serpent dust is his bread for That was not to be in the holy Mountain which was the effect of Malediction Better therefore 't is explicated to the Serpent ashes to warm him that is the Serpent shall be no longer an enemy to Man but shall dwell in the Chimnies as 't is read of some domesticall ones whence 't is immediately subjoyn'd They shall not hurt nor kill in all my holy Mountain In the text of Genesis the same word is put for dust which was in the forming of Man that the sense may be Thy design shall not be against Angels like thy self but how thou maist undoe such as are made of Earth 4. Out of what has been said concerning the Tempter it appears ther 's no necessity of interpreting that the Devil should have come to the Woman by the means of a reall Serpent or in the figure of a Serpent but in a form like that in which he came to our Lord Christ For first most of the things that are said agree not to a reall Serpent viz. to be craftier then any living Creature to be able to speak without frighting the woman to speak not of things they saw but of Gods 5. Again his being cursed of all living Creatures his being curst to eat Earth agree not to a reall Serpent and that one only thing which agrees viz. to go in upon his breast since 't is a naturall manner of creeping was had by Creation Wherefore the opinion of a Serpent or a Serpent's figure seems to have proceeded from the equivocation of the Hebrew word or a Metaphoricall use of a Serpent for the Devil 6. The following Prophesy too concerns the Devil not a Serpent For a Serpent is no more an enemy to Man then to the other Animals but the Devil is to Christ and he bruises the heel of Christ in as much as he debauches and masters the lowest rank of Christians or the wicked Christ too breaks his head both because He is to judge the Angels as also because He takes away the power the Devil has in the world 7. There follow the Evils which seize on the Woman through sin that She should have more and harder labours that She should be under the power of her husband and be oppress'd by him And that this violent Subjection proceeds from sin is plain enough since it rises from the indiscretion of both parties Bringing forth also with pain evidently proceeds from the same for even yet many Women under the Aequator bring forth with little or no pain now the pain in Travail comes through the drynesse of the members by reason whereof the Bone cannot give place which is easily conjectured to proceed from the intemperatenesse of the Aire and of Meats 8. Lastly that her Conceptions are more is manifest in respect of Abortions and imperfect Conceptions but whether through the intemperancy of Copulation or the shortnesse of the time of going with child which may be should have been longer and lastly whether because in the immortall state of Paradise there should not have been requisite so copious an Issue therefore the Conceptions should have been fewer 't is disputable 9. Among the maledictions of Adam the rest appear plainly to proceed from the sterility of the Earth but this that he should eat the herb of the field seems from the beginning to have been indulg'd him as a blessing here 't is reputed amongst his punishments But the sense is that he should be compell'd to lay