matter cherishes and rules it and produces every creature introducing into every one it s own form but being that this work-master had need of fire to soften and to prepare the matter variously for various uses God produced it For V God said let there be light and there was light ver 3. this is described as the third principle of the World meerly active whereby the matter was made visible and divisible into forms the light I say perfecting all things which are and are made in the World therefore it is added VI And God saw the light that it was good ver 4 that is he saw that all things would now proceed in order for that light being produced in a great masse began presently to display its threefold virtue of illuminating moving it selfe and heating and by turning about the World to heat and rarifie the matter and so to divide it for hence followed first of all from the brightnesse of that light the difference of nights and days VII He divided the light from darkness and called the light day and the darknesse he called night and the evening and morning were the first day ver â— that is that light when it had turn'd it self round compassed the World with that motion made day and night The second effect of light was from heat namely that which way soever it pass'd it rarified and purified the matter but it condensed it on both sides upward and downward whence came the division of the Elements this Moses expresses in these words VIII And God said let there be a Firmament that it may divide betwixt the waâ—er above and the waters below ver 6. God said that is he ordained how it should be let there be a Firmament that is let that light stretch forth the matter and let the thicker part of the matter melting and flying from the light thereof make waters on this side and on that above as they are the term of the visible World but below as they are a matter apt to produce other creatures under which the earth as thick dregs came together that was done the second day XI Therefore God said let the waters be gathered together under heaven into one place and let the dry land appear and it was so and God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of the waters he called seas and he saw that it was good ver 9 10. and so on the third day there came the foure greatest bodies of the World out of the matter already produced Aether that is the Firmament or Heaven Aire Water and Earth all as yet void of lesser creatures therefore said God X Let the earth bud forth the green herb and trees bearing seed or fruit every one according to his kinde ver 11. this was done the same third day when as now the heat of Coelestiall light having wrought more effectually began to beget fat vapours on the earth whereinto that living spirit of the World insinuating it self began to cause plants to grow up in various formes according as it pleased the Creator this is the truest original and manner of generation of plants hitherto that they are form'd by the spirit with the help of heat but as the heavens did not always equally effuse the same heat but according to the various form of the World one while more midly another while more strongly the fourth day God disposed that same light of heaven otherwise then hitherto it had been namely forming from that one great masse thereof divers lucid Globes greater and lesser which being called stars he placed here and there in the Firmament higher and lower with an unequall motion to distinguish the times and this Moses describes v. 14 15 c. thus XI And God said let there be light made in the Firmament of heaven that they may divide the day and the night and may be for signes and for seasons and for days and for years that they may shine in the Firmament and enlighten the earth therefore God made two great lights and the starres c. This done then after all the face of the World began to appear beautifull and the heat of heaven more temperate began to temper the matter of inferiour things together after a new manner so that the spirit of life now began to form more perfect creatures namely moving plants which we call animals of which Moses thus XII God said also let the waters bring forth creeping things having a soul of life and flying things upon the earth c. v. 20. the waters were first commanded to produce living creatures because it is a softer Element then earth first reptiles as earth-wormes and other worms c. because they are as it were the rudiment of nature also swiming things and flying things that is fishes and birds animals of a more light compaction that was done on the fift day with a most goodly spectacle to the Angels but on the sixth day God commanded earthly animals to come forth namely of a more solid structure which was presently done when the spirit of the World distributed it self variously through the matter of the clay for thus Moses XIII God said let the earth produce creatures having life according to their kind beasts and serpents and beasts of the field and it was sâ— v. 24. so now the heaven of heavens had for inhabitants the Angels the visible heaven the starres the air birds the water fishes the earth beasts there was yet a ruler wanting for these inferiour things namely a rationall creature or an Angel visibly clothed for whose sake those visible things were produced Therefore at the last when God was to produce him he is said by Moses to have taken counsel in these words XIV Then God said let us make man after our own image and likenesse who may rule over the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the air and beasts and all the earth c. Therefore he created man out of the dust of the earth and breathed in his face the breath of life c. v. 26. and cap. 2. v. 7. so man was made like to the other living creatures by a contemperation of matter spirit and light and to God and the Angels through the inspiration of the mind a most exquisite summarie of the world and thus the structure of the Universe ought to proceed so as to begin with the most simple creature and end in that which is most compound but both of them rationall that it might appear that God created these onely for himself but all the intermediate for these Lastly that all things are from God and for God flow out from him and reflow to him But that all these things might continue in their essence as they were disposed by the wisdome of God he put into every thing a virtue which they call Nature to conserve themselves in their effence yea to multiply whence the continuation of the creatures unto this very day and
and more and more and more purifying it from crudities III To keep the particular Ideas or forms of things For one the same spirit of the universe is afterwards diduced into many particularities by the comand of God so that there is one spirit of water another spirit of earth another of metals another of plants another of living creatures c. and then in every kind again severall species Now then that of the seed of wheat there springs not a bean much lesse a walnut or a bird c. is from the spirit of the wheat which being included in the seed formeth it self 〈◊〉 body according to its nature From the samâ— spirit is the custody of the bounds of nature for example that a horse grows not to the bignesse of a mountain nor stays at the smalnesse of a cat IV To form it self bodies for the use of future operations For example the spirit of a dog being included in its seed when it begins to form the young doth not form it wings or 〈◊〉 or hands c. because it needeth not those members but four feet and other members in such sort as they are fit for that use to which they are intended Because some dogs are for pleasure others to keep the house or flocks others for hunting and that either for hares or wild bores or water foul c. namely according as the Creator mingled the spirit of living creatures that they should have Sympathy or Antipathy one with another Every ones own spirit doth form it a body fit for its end whence from the sight of the creatures onely the use of every one may be gathered as the learned think because every creature heareth its signature about it Of the nature of light I THe first light was nothing else but brightnesse or a great flame sent into the dark matter to make it visible and divisible into form For in the primitive language light and fire are of the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence also comes the Latine word VRO and verily the light of heaven doth really both shine and burn or heat II God put into the light a threefold vertue 1 of spreading it self every way and illuminating all things 2 of moving the matter with it being taken hold of by burning and inflaming 3. of heating and thereby rarifying and attenuating the matter All these things our fire doth also because it is nothing else but light kindled in the inferiour matter III. But when as that light could not extend his motion upwards and downwards for it would have found a term forthwith it moved it self and doth still move in a round whence came the beginning of dayes IV And because the matter rarified above heat being raised by the motion of the light the grosser parâ—s of the matter were compelled to fall downward and to conglobate themselves in the middest of the Vniverse which was the beginning of the earth and water V The light therefore by this its threefold vertue light motion and heat introduced contrariety into the World For darknesse was opposite to light rest to motion cold to heat whence came other contraries besides moist and dry thin and thick heavy and light c. of which c. 4. VI From the light therefor is the disposition and adorning of the whole World For the light is the onely fountain both of visibility and of motion and of heat take light out of the World and all things will return into a Chaos For if all things lose their colours and their formes in the night when the Sun is absent and living creatures and plants die in winter by reason of the Suns operation being not strong enough and the earth and the water do nothing but freeze what do you think would be if the luminaries of heaven were quite extinguished Therefore all things in the visible World throughout are and are made of the matter in the spirit but by the fire or light CHAP. III. Of the motion of things THe principles of things being constituted we are to see the common accidents of things which are Motion Quality and Mutation For our of the congresse of the principles if the World came first motion out of motion came quality and out of quality again came various mutations of things which three are hitherto in all created things as it shall appear I Motion is an accident of a body whereby it is transferred from place to place The doctrine of naturall motions how many they are and how they are made is the key to the understanding of all naturall actions and therefore most diligently to be observed II Motion was given to things for generation action and time For generation for nothing could be â—gotten without composition nor composed without comming together nor come together without motion For actions because there could be none without motion For time that it might be the measure of the duration of things For take the Sun and the Starres out of the World nothing can be known what where when all things will be blind dumb deaf III Motion is either simple or compound IV Simple motion is either of spirit or of light or of matter V The motion of the spirit is called agitation whereby the spirit agitates if self in the matter seeking to inform it For the living spirit would not be living if it should cease to agitate it self and strive to subdue the matter in any sort whatsoever This motion is the beginning of the generation and corruption of things For the spirit in every thing in flesh an apple a grain wood c. doth by agitating it self soften the parts that it may either receive new life or it may fly out and the thing purrifie VI The motion of the light is called diffusion whereby the light and the heat diffuse themselves into all the parts For fire were not fire nor heat hear if it should cease to diffuse it self and liquifie the matter And from this motion of the fire all the motion of the matter draws its originall as the experience of the senses testifies For grosse and cold things as wood a stone ice c. want motion of themselves which notwithstanding when fire is put to them they forthwith obtein as it may be demonstrated to the eye let there be a kettle full of water put wood underneath it behold all is quiet but kindle the wood you shall presently see motion first in the wood flame smoak and starting asunder the coals by and by in the water first evaporating afterwards turning it self round at length boyling and galloping but remove away the fire again all the motion will cease again by little and little so in a living body an animall take away heat forthwith not onely motion but also mobility will cease the members waxing stiffe Furthermore although there be divers motions in things yet the Originall is every where the same heat or fire which being included in
keeping pace for some weeks with the same fixed stars or else retrograde sometimes outstripping them in their course XV Venus and Mercury depart not from the sun unlesse it be to the sides both ways Venus 47 degrees Mercury 23 degrees So that sometimes they go before the sun sometimes they follow him sometimes they lie hid under his rayes Note Venus when she is the morning star and goes before the Sun is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lucifer when she is the evening star she is called Hesperus XVI As for their light Mars is very fiery and calefactive ♄ is pale and very frigifactive ♃ and ♀ are of a benigne light ☿ changeably sparckling ☽ shines with a borrowed light onely of which more by and by Note That the stars and planets do not sparkle by reason of their greater distance for then ♄ should sparkle more then Mercury vvhereas we find the contrary but by reason of their flaming For fire or light cannot rest therefore the polar stars because they are least stirred with the common motion twinckle most XVII Because the Moon is near to the earth and placed in a grosse air she moves most slowly and also her body is grosse and obscure like a globous cloud For it is not distant from the earth above 60 semidiameters of the earth The Moon by reason of her opacity doth not shine of her selfe or else very weakly but on that side that she is illuminated by the Sun on that side she shines like a looking glasse the other halfe being obscure Note Because the Moon was to rule the night a weak light and that but borrowed was given her and because she was appointed to shew lesser times Months a motion different from the Sun was given her that by her departure from the Sun and by her returning she might designe the progresse of the moneths and that it might be done more evidently she was placed below the sun that she might appear to us with her face enlightned after divers manners For vvhen she runs with the Sun in the same signe of the Zodiack she doth not appear to us because her enlightned face is turned toward the Sun but her obscure face to us But when she is opposite to the Sun we beholding her on the same side which looketh toward the Sun see all her luminous face Lastly in the intermediate places we see her encreasing or decreasing in light according as she turns her enlightned face to us or turns it from us by reason of the diversity of her position in respect of the Sun and us XIX When the Moon at the change comes directly under the Sun she obscures him as to us when at the full she is directly opposite to the Sun she enters into the shadow of the earth and is her selfe obscured and this they call the Eclipses of the Luminaries Hence it appears that the Sun is not obscured after the same manner that the Moon is For the Moon is really obscured that is deprived of light as being fallen into the shadow but the Sun is not deprived of light but is only covered from us that it cannot as then enlighten the earth with his rayes therefore the earth is then more truly eclipsed then the Sun Now God ordained Eclipses 1 That we might understand that all our light is from the Sun 2 That the magnitude of the Luminaries and of the earth might be found out 3 To finde the true longitude of countries but that belongs to Astronomers this last to Geographers Of Comets XX Comets are accessory stars which somtimes shine and go out again for the most part with tayles or busbes of hair We reckon them to the heaven and stars not to the air and meteors because they are not generated in sublunary places as Aristotle thought but in the highest Heaven even above the Sun which 1 Their motion swifter always then the Moon it selfe 2 Their parallax lesse then the Moons somtimes none at all do shew XXI Comets are not vapours kindled but a reflexion of the Suns light in vapours so far elevated The first is easily proved For if a Comet were a vapour kindled it could not last halfe an hour For nothing can be kindled but a sulphury matter but that is consumed in a moment as it appears in Gun-powder Lightning a Chasme a falling star c. but histories relate that comets have lasted three years The second is shewed because comets 1 Cast a taile from the Sun as the Moon doth a shadow for those dry vapours are not an opacous body like to the Moon but semidiaphanous 2 They are eclipsed as Campanella testifies by the shadow of the earth as well as the Moon which vvould not be if they burned with their own fire N. W. That which is reported of a fulphureous matter or stone which fell from a burning comet if it be true it is to be thought that it was made of some fiery meteors not of a comet XXII The ends of comets are that it may appear 1 That the whole heaven moves not the stars only 2 That it is liquid and transmeable not hard like Chrystall 3 That vapours ascend so high and that there are mutations every where in this visible world Vapours I say whether exhaling from this our inferiour world or from the supercelestiall waters For there is nothing to the contrary why we should not hold that they also exhale and are spread abroad into the thinner region of the stars Of aëriall Concrets that is Meteors XXIII By reason of the perpetuall confluxe of exhalations in the air from all the Elements many things are daily there concreted but of small continuance For the air is full of exhalations even when it seemeth clear For it cannot be so pure here near the earth but it will have something watery oily or salt alwayes admixt with it Things concrete of these were anciently called Meteors because they are made on high for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies high XXIV Of humid exhalations are made watery meteors fiery of dry XXV Watery meteors are mists clouds rain hail snow dew frost We must see them every one apart how they are made XXVI A mist is a watery exhalation half concrete which being that by reason of its density it cannot elevate it selfe creeps on the ground XXVII A cloud is a gathering together of thin vapours and elevated upward in the highest of the air They are gathered together most of all over the sea and standing waters because there most exhalations are made and from thence they are driven through divers parts of the world by the windes and increased with exhalations arising elsewhere Hence in every region rain comes most often from that part which lies nearest to the sea as with us from the West XXVIII Rain is the resolution of a cloud into water and the falling of it by drops N. 1 That resolution is alwayes made by the condensation of the vapour but there is not alwayes the
a septenary gradation For we have understood that whatsoever there is besides God it is either an Element or a Vapour or a Concrete or a Plant or an Anâ—â—all or a Man or an Angell and that the whole multitude of creatures is ranked into these seven Classes or great Tribes In every of which there is some eminent virtue flowing from the essence of the Creatour yet every latter including the former For In Elements Being is eminent Vapours Motion Concretes Figure or Quality Plants Life Living creatures Sense Men Reason Angels Understanding See the house which Wisdome hath built her having hewn out her seven pillars Prov. 9. 1. See the seven Stairs which the King of Heaven hath placed in the entry of his inner house Ezek. 40. 22. The six first degrees are of visible creatures the seventh of invisible Angels After the same manner as there were nine dayes wherein God wrought and rested the seventh six Planets in heaven of inferiour light the seventh of extraordinary brightnesse the Sun six baser metals on earth The seventh exceeding all in perfection gold c. And as Salomons Throne had six inferiour steps to every of which there were six inferiour Leoncels adjoyned after all in the seventh place stood the Throne and by it two Lions 1 King 10. 19 20. So the King of eternity when he built him a visible throne of glory erected six visible degrees of corporeous creatures to every of which he added their Leoncels that is their virtues and their powers and last of all about the throne on high he placed the strongest of the creatures the Angels mighty in power Psal. 103. 19 20. But now what mean the seven planets in heaven what mean the seven continents on earth the seven kinds of meteors seven kinds of metalls seven kinds of stones c the seven combinations of tangible qualities the seven differences of taste the seven vitall members in man the seven tones in musick and other things which we meet with throughout all nature yea and in the Scripture the number of seven is every where very much celebrated and sacred For what do the seven dayes of the week point at what are the seven weeks betwixt the Passeover and Pentecost what the seventh year of rest what the seven times seventh of Jubilee what do all these portend I say but that it is the expresse Image of that God whose seven eyes passe through the whole earth Zach. 4. 10. and whose seven spirits are before his Throne Apoc. 1. 4. yea who doth himselfe make a mysticall eighth with every degree of his creatures For in him all things live aud move and have their being which live and move and have a being Acts 17. 28. and he worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. 6. and all these are as it were him himselfe Eccles. 43. 27. and yet none of them is he himselfe Job 12. 9. 10. but because all these have some effigies of the divine essence and operate that which they operate by virtue thereof hence it is that he being above all without all and beneath all is the true mysticall eighth of all Of whom that Syracides may conclude our meditation though we say much we shall not yet attain thereto The sum of the doctrine is that he is all For what ability have we to praise him For he is greater then all his works The Lord is terrible and very great marvellous is his power Extol the Lord in praise as much as you can For yet he wil be greater then all praise Eecl 43. 30. c. Therefore let every spirit praise the Lord Hallelujah Psal. 150. And thou my soul praise the Lord Psal. 103. 1. Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts Heaven and earth are full of his glory Isai. 6. 3 Hallelujah A Short APPENDIX TO PHYSICKS Touching the Diseases of the Body Mind and Soul and their generall Remedies I. A Disease is the corruption of an Entity in some part thereof and a disposition of it to totall perishing that is death Therefore both the Body Mind and Soul hath its diseases II The diseases of the body are various scarce to be numbred and oft-times mâ—â—t A disease added to a disease is called a ymptome of a disease III A disease of the body is either by solution of that which is continued or by distemper of humours IV Solution of that which is continued is either by a rupture or a wound A rupture is prevented by bewaring falls and violent motion A wound is avoided by shunning of those things which can cleave cut prick rent tear or bruise or hurt anyway and both are to be cured by the Chirurgion N. W. The cure of a Wound is desperate if any vitall member be hurt as the heart the brain the liver the entrals c. For then the vitall actions are hindred and soon after cease 2 If any member be quite lost it cannot be set on again because the spirit hath not wherewithall to passe into the part that is severed V The distempers of the humours and the diseases that come from thence always proceed from some of these 6 causes namely either from 1 Crudity 2 Inflation 3 Distillation 4 Obstruction 5 Putrefaction 6 Inflammation VI Crudity in the body is nutriment not sufficiently concocted namely either Chyle or bloud which comes I from the quality of meat and drink when they are taken too raw flegmatick unwholesome which the concoctive faculty cannot well subdue 2 from the quantity when more meat and drink is put in then it is able to alter and assimilate unto the body For hence undigested and not assimilated humours burthen the body like strangers and not pertaining thereunto 3 For want of exercise when the naturall heat is not stirred up nor strengthened to perform its office lustily in the concoction of meats From such like crudities diverse inconveniences follow For 1 if the crudity be in the stomack it causes loathing of food for so long as the first food is not digested there can be no appetite to any other Again children have an appetite to eat earth chalk coales c. according as the crudities are turned into the likenesse of any matter For like desireth like 2 If there be a viscous crudity adhering in the ventricle or in the guts being warmed it takes spirit and is turned into wormes which gnawing the bowels stir up evill vapours by their motion whence also come phartasies very hurtfull to the head Lastly ctudity under the skin in the bloud and flesh begets palenesse and when it is collected and putrified scabs ulcers c. Crudity is prevented by a temperate diet as to Food Sleep and daily exercises and cured 1 by violent expurgation 2 by strong exercises 3 by the use of tart meats and drinks 4 by comforting the stomack with such things as heat both within and without VII Inflation is much and grosse vapour exhaling from the crudities that are gathered together and stretching the members And
this Moses intimated adding touching animals XV And God said increase and multiply v. 22. by the virtue of which command and words let there be made let it produce let it put forth c. Things are made and endure hitherto and would remain if God would without end unto aeternity Gods omnipotency concurring no longer immediately unto particular things as before but nature it self always spreading forth her vertue through all things which thing derogates nothing from the Providence of God nay rather it renders his great power wisdome goodnes more illustrate for it comes from his great goodness that the greatest and the least things are so disposed to their ends that nothing can be or be made in vain from his wisdome that such an industry is put into nature to dispose all things to their eâ—ds so that it never happens to erre unlesse it be hindred lastly from his power that such an immutable durability can be put into the universe through such a changeable mutabilitie of particulars so that the World is as it were aeternall Therefore the veins of the strength artifice and order of this nature must be more throughly searched that those things which we have here in few words hinted out of Moses may be more illustrated by the constant testâ—mony of Scripture reason and senses and a way made to observe one thing out of another An Appendix to the first Chapter We have said that it may be gathered out of those words of Moses In the beginning God created the heaven that the invisible World was the beginning of the works of God that is the heaven of heavens with the Angels Now that by this heaven is to be understood the heaven of heavens and the Invisible or Angelicall World appeares plain I. Out of Scripture which 1 mentions the heaven of heavens every where but their production no where unlesse it be here 2 Moses testifies that the invisible heavens were stretched out the second day and the fourth day adorned with starres therefore another heaven must necessarily be understood in this place namely a heaven that was finished in the same moment for that the particle autem inferres hee created the heavens and the earth terra autem but the earth was without form c. III This reason evinces the same those things which are made by God are made in order now an orderly processe in operation is this that a progresse be made from more simple things to compound things therefore as the most compound creature man was last produced so the most simple and immateriall creatures Heaven and the Angels first of all III And what would we have more God himself testifies expresly that when he made the earth the Angels stood by him as spectators for so saith he to Job Where wast thou when I founded the earth when the morning starres sang together and all the sonnes of God shouted Job 38. 4 7. calling the Angels morning starres because they were a spirituall beam and that newly risen sonnes of God because they were made after the image of God therefore when we hear that the earth was founded the first day it must needs be that the Angels were produced before the earth And if the Angels then certainly the dwellings of the Angels the heaven of heavens and that in full perfection with all their hosts as it were in one moment aud this is the cause why Moses speaks no more of that heaven but descends to the forming of the earth that is the visible World how the Creator took unto himself six dayes to digest it as we will also now descend CHAP. II. Of the visible Principles of the World matter spirit and light WE have seene God shewing us how the World arose out of the Abysse of nihilitie let us now see how it standeth that so by seeing we may learn to see and by feeling to feel the very truth of things And here are three principles of visible things held out unto us matter spirit and light that they were produced the first day as three great but rude Masses and out of those variously wrought came forth various kinds of creatures therefore we must enquire further whether these three principles of all bodies have a true being and be yet existent least any errour be perhaps committed at the very entrance by any negligence whatsoever but now seeing that no more doubts of matter and light this onely comes to be prooved that by that spirit which hovered upon the face of the waters a certain universall spirit of the world is to be understood which puts life and vigour into all things created for the newnesse of this opinion in physicks and the interpretation of that place by Divines with one consent of the person of the holy spirit give occasion of doubting But Chryâ—ostome as Aslacus cites him and Danaeus acknowledgeth that in this place a created spirit which is as it were the soul of the world is more rightly to be understood and it is proved strongly I By Scripture which testifieth that a certain vertue was infused by God through the whole world susteining and quickening all things and operating all things in all things which he calleth both a spirit and a soul and sometimes the spirit of God sometimes the spirit of the creatures For example Psal. 104. v. 29. 30. David saith thus when thou receivest their spirit that is the spirit of living creatures and of plants they die and return to their dust but when thou sendest forth thy spirit that is the Spirit of God again they are recreated and the face of the earth is renewed but Job 27. 3. says thus as long as my soul shall be in me and the spirit of God in my nostrils see the soul of man and the spirit of God are put for the same which place compared with the saying of Elihu the spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Omnipotent hath put life into me c. 33. v. 4. opens the true meaning of Moses namely that the spirit of God stirring upon the waters produced the spirit or soul of the world which puts life into all living things Now that this is disposed through all things appears out of Ezechiel where God promising the spirit of life unto the dry bones Ezech. 17. v. 5 14. which he cals his Spirit bids it to come from the four Winds v. 9 therefore Augustine lib. imperf sup Gen. ad lit and Basil in Hexamero call this spirit the soule of the world And Aristotle as Sennertus testifies says that the spirit of life is a living and genitall essence diffused through all things but the testimony of Elihu is most observable who speaks thus Who hath placed the whole World If he namely God should set his heart upon it and should gather unto himself the spirit thereof and the breath thereof or his spirit and his breath For the Hebrew affix is rendred both ways all flesh would die together and man would
lime Lastly great fires are nourished with water We see also that there is sometime hot sometime cold water not onely in rivers but also breaking out of fountains according as it is affected yet it may not be dissembled in the mean time that air is more prone to heat by reason of its rarity water to coldnesse by reason of its thicknesse XXVII The water at first covered the earth round about but on the third day of the creation it was gathered into certain channels which are called Seas Lakes Pooles Rivers c. That this was done at the command of of God Moses testifies in these words Let the waters be gathered together into one place that the dry land may appear Gen. 1. v. 9. but David relating the processe of the creation describes the manner also Ps. 1â—4 v 6 7 8 9. That thunders were raised by which the Mountains ascended the valleys descended but the waters were carried steep down into their channels and that in this sort a bound was set them that they might not return to cover the earth Whence it is very likely that that discovery of the surface of the earth was made by an earthquake but that the earthquake was produced by the fire sunk into the earth which giving battle to the cold there conglobated shook the earth and either caused it to swell variously or rent it asunder Whence those risings aâ—â— fallings in the surface of the earth that is mountains and valleys were made but within caves and many hollow places This done the waters of their own accord betook themselves from those swelling eminencies to thc low and hollow places This pious conjecture will stand so long as no more probable sense can be given of this Scripture And what need many words common sense testifies that mountains are certainly elevated valleys and plains depressed therefore of necessity that was sometime so ordered but not in the first foundation of the earth the second day for then the grosser parts of the matter flowing about poised themselves equally about the center therefore it was about the third day when the face of the earth appeared and the waters flowed into their channels But besides perhaps God doth therefore permit earthquakes yet to be sometimes and by them mountatains and valleys and rivers to be changed that we may not be without a pattern how it was done at the first XXVIII The water then is divided into Seas Lakes Rivers and Fountains XXIX The sea is an universall receptacle oâ—â—â—aters into which all the rivers of the earth unburthen themselves Which uery thing is an argument that the sea is lower then the earth for rivers run down not up again XXX The sea is one in it self because it insinuates it self into the Continent here and there as it were with strong arms it hath gotten severall names in severall places That great Sea encompassing the earth is called the Ocean those armes dividing the Continent Bayes or Gulfs For all those gulfes are joyned to the Ocean except the Caspian or Hyrcanian Sea in Asia yet that is thought to have channells within the earth whereby it joyned to the Ocean XXXI The Sea is cf unequall depth commonly srom an hundred to a thousand paces yet in some places they say that the bottome cannot be found Hence the sea is called an Abysse It is probable that the superficies of the earth covered with the water is as unequal as this of ours standing out of the water namely that in some places are most spacious plaines in other places valleys and depths and in other places mountains and hils which if they stand above the water are called Islands but if they be hidden under the water shelves XXXII The water of the Ocean faileth not because huge rivers and showres continually flow into it neither doth it cverflow becruse it doth always evaporrte upwards in so many parts of it Of the earth XXXIII The earth is the most dense bedy of the world as it were the dregs and setling of the whole matter And therefore gross opacous cold heavy XXXIV It hangeth in the middle of the universe encompassed with air on every-side For being that it is on every side encompassed with the heaven and is forced by the heat thereof on every side it hath not whither to go or where to rest but in the aequilibrium of the universe XXXV The earth is every way round For the forme which at the first it received from the light of heaven wheeling about it it yet retaineth except that in some places it is elevated into mountains and hils by the thunder which was sent into its bowels the third day in other places again it is pressed down into valleys and plains for the running down of the rivers but that doth not notably hinder the globosity thereof XXXVI The better part of the superficies of the earth is yet covered with water the lesser part stands out of the water where it is called dry land or continent or if it be a small portion an Island There are seven Continents of the earth Europe Asia Africa America Peruviana America Mexicana Magellanica or Terra Australis and Terra Borealis but there are Islands innumerable XXXVII The earth is in its outward face in some places plain in others mountainous but within in some places solid in others hollow That appears in Mountains and Mines of metal where is to be seen here stones or clay very close compact there dens and most deep caves and endlesse passages which must needs be thought to have been the work of the thunder sent into the earth the third day of the creation which penetrating and piercing its bowels so tore them Now there are in the earth not only spacious caves and holes but an infinite number of straighter veins and as it were pores which is plain enough by experience XXXVIII The cavities of the earth are full of water air fire For being that there are cavernes passages and pores they must needs be filled and that with a thin matter Of air no man will doubt But that there are waters in the cavernes under ground appeares in the mines of mettall and is proved by the testimony of the Scripture which in the history of the deluge saith that all the fountains of the great deep were broken up Gen. 7. v. 11. Lastly that there is fire under the earth we have already seen Aphorism 16. which it is credible is the relicks of the lightning raised within the bowels of the earth the third day of the Creation Psalm 1â—4 v. 7. left there for the working of minerals but nourished with sulphureous and bituminous matter spread through the bowels of the earth CHAP. VII Of Vapours IF the Light of Heaven had wrought nothing else upon the matter but melt it together into the formes of the Elements as it was variously rarified or densified the world had remained void of other living creatures But it ceaseth not passing through the
Elements themselves to scorch them and scorching them to attenuate them and attenuating them to resolve them into vapours of which condensed again many severall species of things are progenerated Now then the nature of vapours shall be laid open in the following Aphorismes I Vapour is an Element rarified mixed with another Element For example the vapour of water what is it but water rarified and scattered in the air smoak what is it but an exhalation of wood or other matter resolved II Vapour is generated of the grosser Elements earth water air as of all mixt bodies Of water the matter is evident For being set to the fire it evaporates visibly set in the sun it evaporates sensibly because even whole Pools Rivers Lakes are dried up by little and little by the heat of the sun That the earth exhales you may know by sense if you put a clot into a dish of earth or pewter and pour in water so oft upon it and let it evapourate with the heat till there is nothing left neither of the water nor of the clay For what is become of the clot it is sure enough turned into aire with the parts of the water The vapour of air is invisible yet it appears that there is some 1 In a living body where all acknowledge that there are evaporations through the skin and the hair For then the vapours that go out what are they but the vapours of the inward vapours far more subtle then the vapours of water 2 Fruits herbs spices c. dried yea very dry spread from them an odour now an odour what is it but an exhalation But not in this place a watery exhalation being that there is not any thing watery left in them therefore airy That mixt bodies do vapour is without doubt forasmuch as the Elements of which they do consist do vapour Understand not only soft bodies sulphur salt herbs flesh c. but the very hardest For how could a thunder-bolt be generated in the clouds if stony vapours did not ascend into the cloud and it is certain that stones exposed to the air for some ages as in high towers grow porous how but by evaporation and what is the melting of metals but a kind of vaporation for though the metall return to its consistency yet not in the same quantity because something is evaporated by putting to the heat III Heat is the efficient cause of vapour which withersoever it diffuseth it selfe attenuating the matter of bodies turns it into vapour For this is the perpetuall virtue of heat to rarifie attenuate and diffuse IV All is full of vapour throughout the world For heat the begetter of vapours is no where wanting so that the World is nothing else but a great Vaporarie or Stove For the earth doth alwayes nourish infinite store of vapours in its bowels and the sea boiles daily vvith inward vapours and the air is stuft full of them every vvhere And vve shall see hereafter that the skie is not altogether free from them But living bodies of Animals and Plants are noâ—hing but shops of vapours and as it vvere a kind of Alembecks perpetually vaporing as long as they have life or heat V Vapours are generated for the progenerating of other things For all things are made of the Elements as it is vvell known Stones Herbs Animals c. but because they cannot be made unlesse the Elements themselves be first founded they must of necessity be melted vvhich is done vvhen they are resolved into vapours and variously instilled into things to put on severall formes And hence it is that Moses testifies that the first seven days of the world when there was yet no rain a vapour went up from the earth to water the whole earth that is all things growing out of the earth Read with attention Gen. 2. ver 4 5 6. VI Vapours are the matter of all bodies For vvho knoweth not that vvaters and oiles are gathered out of the vapours of Alembicks vvho seeth not also that smoak in a chimney turns into soot that is black dust yea that soot gets into the wals of chimneys and turnes into a stony hardnesse After the same manner therefore that clouds rain hail stones herbs are made of the condensed vapours of the Elements and living creatures themselves and in them bloud flesh bones hairs are nothing but vapours concrete vvill appear more clear then the light at noon day VII Vapours then are coagulated some into liquid matter as water spittle flesh or pulp some into consistent matter as stones bones wood c. That appears because those liquid things may be turned into vapours and consistent things into smoke which they could not if they were not made of them for every thing may be resolved into that onely of which it is made VIII The motion of vapours with us is upwards because among the thicker elements they obtein the nature of thinner For certainly the vapour of water is thinner then water it self yea thinner then the very air which though it consist of smaller parts yet they are compacted And therefore vapor suffers it self to be prest neither by water nor air but frees it self still getting upwards hence it is that plants grow upwards because the vapour included spreading it self tends upwards IX One vapour is moist another dry one thin another thick one mild another sharp c. For those qualities which are afterwards in bodies are initially in their rudiments that is vapours which we may know by experience For dry smoak pains the eyes which a humid vapour doth not there you have sharpnesse smels also which are nothing but exhalations of things do not they sufficiently manifest sharpnesse sweetnesse c and Chymicks gather Sulphur salt and Mercury out of smoak Therefore all qualities are in vapours more or lesse whence the bodies afterwards made of them get such or such an habit or figure X Vapours gathered together and not coagulated cause wind in the air trouble in the sea earthquake in the earth Of winds XI Wind is a fluxe of the air ordained in nature for most profitable ends For winds are 1 the besomes of the world cleansing the elements and keeping them from putrefying 2 the fan of the spirit of life causing it to vegetate in plants and all growing things 3 the charriots of clouds rains smels yea of heat cold whether soever there is need that they should be conveyed 4 Lastly they bestow strong motions for the uses of men as grinding sailing XII The ordinary cause of wind is store of exhalations one where enforcing the air to flow elsewhere We may in our hand raise a kind of wind four manner of ways namely by forcing or compressing rarifying and densifying air which shall be shewed by examples by and by and so many wayes are winds raised in the world yet they are all referred to that first cause vapours as shall be seen by and by I said that wind may be raised by
Southern or Antartick Betwixt these two poles the heaven is turned vvith its exact globosity describing a circle in the midst betwixt the two poles vvhich they call the Aequator Now that tract vvhere the stars arise above the earth is called the East or the Sun-rising the opposite to it vvhere they set is called the West or Sun-setting and these four angles of the World are called the four quarters of the World and the four Cardinal Points 3 That the stars of the highest sphear commonly called the fixed stars are globes of vvondrous greatnesse in themselves the greatest of them exceeding the globe of the earth an hundred and seven times and the least of them exceeding the same globe eighteen times 4 That the numerable stars are found by us one thousand tvventy tvvo but God knovves the number of the innumerable For the Galaxias or milky way it is the whitest tract of heaven is found by accurate perspectives to be a company of very smaâ— stars and there are some other like tracts observed in heaven though lesse and of these the vvords of God Gen. 15. v. 5. are to be understood 5 That the visible stars reduced into certain figures vvhich they call coelestiall signs in number 69 12 vvhereof about the Aequator are by a peculiar name called the Zodiaque But this Zodiaque declines with one half of it toward the North with the other part towards the south the signes are comprehended in this distick 1 2 3 4 5 Sunt Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo 6 Virgo 7 8 9 10 11 Libraque Scorpius Arcitenens Caper Hydria 12 Pisces 1 2 3 The Ram the Bull and Twins to th' Spring belong 4 6 5 To Summer Crab and Maid and Lion strong 7 8 9 Autumne hath Scales and Scorpion the Bow 10 11 12 Goat Water-tanckard Fishes Winter show 6 That the distance of this starry sphear from the earth is found above two hundred thousand semidiameters of the earth and a semidiameter of the earth contains 3600 of our miles VIII A very great portion of most ardent light is conglobated in the sun so that it may seem the onely fountain of light and heat For were it not for the sun we should have perpetuall night for all the rest of the stars forasmuch as at high noon we are in darkenesse presently if the sun be but covered Now touching the sun these following Axiomes are to be noted 1 That it was made so great as might suffice both to illustrate the whole world and to heat and vaporate the whole earth that is 160 times greater than the earth 2 That it is such a distance elevated from the earth as might serve so as neither to burn it nor leave it destitute Psal. 19. v. 7 for it is placed almost in the middle space betwixt the starry sphear and the earth 3 That it is carried with a flower motion then the stars in their highest sphear For whereas it seems to be turned about equally as the starrie sphear is yet it is every day left behind almost a degree of which the whole circuit of the sphear hath 360 whence it comes to passe that in 365 dayes it compasseth the whole spear as it were going back and after so many dayes returns to the same star again And this we call the time of an year or a solar year 4 And that it may serve all sides of the earth with its light and heat to wit by turns that retardation is not made simply though the middest of the world under the Aequator But under the Zodiack bending to the North on this side to the South on that side Whence comes the division of the year into four parts Spring Summer Autumn and Winter and the inequality of dayes to those that inhabite without the equinoctiall For when it declines to those on the North it makes summer with them and the longest days and so on the contrary And by how much it is the more verticall to any part of the earth it heats it so much the more by reason of the direct incidence and repercussion of the rayes IX And because it was not convenient that the sunne and stars should always operate after one and the same manner for variety is both pleasing and profitable to all nature there were six other wandring starres added over and besides which running under the same Zodiaque and by certain turns entring into conjunction one with another and with the sunne might variously temper his operation upon inferiour things These wandring starres are called Planets of which there are seven reckoning the sun for one X The Planets therefore are the suns coadjutors in governing the world which differ in site course magnitude and light XI Three of the Planets Saturn ♄ Jupiter ♃ Mars ♂ are above the sun Venus ♀ Mercury ☿ and the Moon ☽ below so in a most decent manner as it were compassing about the sides of their King It is probable that the stars are carried higher or lower in heaveÌ„ for the same reason as clouds in the air or wood in water that is according to their different degrees of density or rarity For as thick wood swims under the water either with all or with half of its body covered but light wood swims on the top and watry clouds ascend not far from the earth but dry and barren clouds very high so the globes of the stars are carried some higher than others according to the thicknesse of their matter and light XII The upper Planeâ—s are bigger then the earth but the lower are lesser For it is found that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth equall 91 Globes of the earth ♄ 95 ♃ 2 ♂ 160 ☉ doth coÌ„tein the 28 part of the earth ♀ 105 ☿ 39 XIII By how much the higher any Planet is and neerer to the highest sphear so much the swifter it moveth by how much the lower and neerer to the earth so much the flower For Saturn because he is next to the eighth sphear is rolled about almost equally with it yet he also fals back by little and little so that he runs through the Zodiaque moving backward in the space of almost thirty years Jupiter in twelve years Mars in almost two the Sun as was said in a year Venus encompasseth the Sun in five hundred eighty three dayes Mercury in one hundred and fifteen dayes the Moon because she is slowest of all remaining behind every day 13 deg measures the Zodiaque in 27â…“ dayes XIV The higher Planets do so observe the sun that approaching nigh unto him they betake themselves into the highest place going from the sunne they sinke lower towards the earth And for this cause both their magnitude and their motion vary in our eyes for when they are neerer to the earth they seem greater but more remote lesser Again the higher they are the slower they move and then they are called direct the lower they descend the swifter so that they seem either stationary
those bitter and salt waters of the sea namely because they come by distillation to the spring head For they say that the sea water being distilled that is resolved first into vapours then into drops in an Alembick looseth its saltnesse by the same reason then the deep under ground evaporating salt waters sendeth them fresh out of fountains neverthelesse And what need words For clouds gathered of the vapours of the sea send down fresh showers Sâ— how excellently the truth of things agree with it selfe still LIV Medicinall waters are made of the various tinctures of the metals and juices of the earth from which they receive the virtue 〈◊〉 healing and savour For example hot waters or baths aâ— made of bitumen burning within Therefore they exhale sulphur manifestly bâ—â— sharpish waters relish of iron coper vitrioâ—allom c. of which earthly concretes it wilâ— be now time to speak Of earthly concretes which are called Minerals LV Minerals are earthly concretes begotten of subterrane vapours as clods concret juicesî metals and stones These are called minerals from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if you shonld say from the earth They call them also Fossiles because they are digged that all these are begotten of subterrane vapours and subterrane fire appears by the example of our body wherein bloud choler flegme melanlancholy urine spittle fat flesh veins nerves membranes gristles bone c. yea the stone and gravell are made of the vapours of food concocted and digested as shal be seen hereafter Now as these parts of ours are formed within the body by the heat included so minerals are generated in the bowels of the earth not elsewhere For the earth with its most deep passages and veins winding every way where infinite vapours are generated and perpetually distilled in a thousand fashions is that great work-house of God wherein for the space of so many ages such things are wrought as neither art can imitate nor wit well find out LVI Clods are digged earths infected only with fatnesse or some colour and apt to be soaked as 1 Clay 2 Marle 3 Chalk 4 Red earth 5 Paintings or painters colours as lake vermilion oker azure or blew verdigrease 6 Fullers earth in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 Medicinall earth as sealed earth Lemnian Armenian Samian c. These colours seem to be nothing else but the soot of the subterrane fumes variously distilled and those earths nothing else but a various mixture of liquors distilled also variously and brought to such or such a quality LVII Concrete juices are fossiles indued with a savour or some sharp virtue apt to be dissolved or kindled as sulphur niter salt allome vitriol arsenick which painters call orpiment antimonie or stibium such like N. Those juices seem to be nothing else but the cream of subterrane liquors variously distilled LVIII Metals are watery fossiles apt to be melted cast and hammered as gold silver brasse or copper iron tin lead quick-silver N. 1. That they are progenerated of fire this is enough to testifie that they are oft times taken hot out of the veines so that the touch will not endure them For in winter when all herbs are white with frost those which grow over the veins admit of no frost because of the hot exhalation within hindering concretion so also trees by the blewnesse of their leaves shew the veines of metals 2 Now that metals are made of vapours this is an argument that they are wont also to be procreated in the very clouds For examples are not unknown even in our age of bodies of brasse or iron of no small weight falling from heaven 3 That metals are made of watery vapours their liquabilitie shews now they are coagulated by virtue of salt Therefore the drosse of iron is salt and bitter 4 Quicksilver alone is alwayes liquid never consistent as a perpetuall witnesse of the watery nature of metals Other metals swim upon it because it hath the most compacted substance of all gold only excepted which therefore it receives only into it selfe 5 Whether metals differ in their species or only in degree of purity and hardnesse and in heat we leave now in suspense LIX Stones are earthly fossiles hardly compacted apt only to be broken in pieces That stones are earth coagulated with water and fire bricks and pots teach us for here art imitates nature Yet the severall formes of stones shew that they are not earth simply concrete but a masse concrete of divers most grosse earthly vapours with a various temperature of humours LX Stones are either vulgar or precious LXI A vulgar stone is earth most hardly compacted the principall kinds of which are seven The gravell stone the milstone the pumice-stone the flint to which I refer the Smiris wherewith glasse is cut and iron polished the whetstone and the touch stone or Lapis lydius the marble and the loadstone N. Every kind have their differences again 2 A great stone is called saxum or a rock a little one gravell and sand 3 Most mountains are stony and yield metals because the subterrane fire on the third day of the creation swelling the earth here made it self many channels and passages breathing through which it doth variously exhale melt mix and boile the matter which is not done so copiously under plains LXII Pretious stones are are called gems because they are the gums of stones sweating in the bowels of the earth Hence comes their clearnesse and brightnesse that is to say from their most thinâ— and accurate straining even more then in the gums of trees for wood hath looseâ— pores then stones LXIII All gems are transparent and pellucid but some onely transparant as these three the Diamond the Chrystall the Beryllâ— Others coloured with all and thoseâ— according to the diversity of their colours of sveâ—â— sorts 1 Bright and burning the Carbuncle the Chalcedon the Chrysolite 2 Yellow the Jacinth and Topaze 3 Green the Emerald and the Turquois 4 Red or purple the Rubie and the Granate but the Carnelous and the Onyx are more pale 5 Skie-coloured the Saphir and the Amethyst 6 Black the Morion 7 Changeable as the Jasper the Agat the Chrysoprase N. 1. That Chrystall is never found unlesse it be Hexagonall which is the miracle of nature And that it is growes in arched cels under ground dry and closed where the wind enters not for some years hath been experienced at Kings Itradeck in Bohemia Anno 1618. For elegant chrystals were found hanging from the stones of the arches like Isicles of an exact Hexagonall forme but in the silver mines of Catteberge there are found far more Of other gems we have nothing to say in particular N. 2. Stones that are wont to grow in some living creatures are usually reckoned amongst precious stones as the pearl in sea shell fishes the Bezoar the Chelidonius the Alectorius the Bufonites c. also Corall and Amber But these two are to be