pleasant a place was Paradise and what made it so but the artificiall order fashion and growing of all sorts of trees fit for food and shadow Wee must observe our owne faultinesse with sorrow and humiliation for that we have not observed more seriously and usefully this worke of God Wee have perpetuall use of Timber and fuell we eate much fruit from these trees we reape the benefit of this work of God from time to time We sit upon wood we feed upon wood we dwell under wood under trees cut downe and fitted for our use wee cannot step out of doors but our eyes are fixed upon some tree or other great or small but we take not notice of God in this worke and praise his name that made all these trees Let us mend this fault and stir up our selves to consider God in this worke praise him for fruitfull trees and all other kinds of trees Let us acknowledge his power wisdome goodnesse in them his exceeding bounty tender care to man that hath so furnished the world with innumerable sorts of trees Let us bee carefull of preserving these workes of nature for our owne use and the use of Posterity let us set and plant trees for after ages CHAP. V. ON the fourth day were made the Sunne Moone and Starres which are as it were certaine Vessells wherein the Lord did gather the light which before was scattered in the whole body of the Heavens The Hebrew word translated Lights signifieth Lamps Torches or other things which shine forth and give light It was a great work of God in making and ordering the Sun Moone and other heavenly bodies This worke is often spoken of in Scripture Gen. 1. 14. Psalm 104. 19. 20. 21 22 23. Psalme 136. 7. 8. 9. Psalm 148. He calleth upon the Sunne Moone and Starres of light to praise God and Psal. 19. Hee saith of the Sun God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun In another place he saith he guideth the stars and calleth them by their names The wonderfulnesse of these works of God is seene First in the very matter and substance of them which is wonderfull and inexplicable who can tell what the Sunne is made of 2. In their quantity both in respect of multitude greatnesse For multitude they be innumerable and for magnitude many of the starres are farre greater then the earth 3. In their qualities which are principally three 1. Their figure the fittest for motion and use round and orbicular 2. Their brightnesse and shining especially the splendour of the Sun and Moon 3. Their durablenesse they doe not change 4. In their motion which is very swift and regular 5. In their effects working so constantly and variously in the seasons of the yeare The most beautifull bodies of the Starres which we see fastned in Heaven are not Gods as Plato in Timaeo called the Starres by the worshipping of which the blinde Gentiles and the Jewes also horribly polluted themselves but excellent workes of God by the contemplation of which wee ought to be stirred up to acknowledge and celebrate the Majestie glory wisedome and power of the Creator Psal. 8. 3. 4. First for the Sunne that is called the greatest light and that most truly and properly both for the body and substance of it and also for the brightnesse and abundance of light which is in it For the most skilfull Mathematicians have demonstrated that the very body of the Sunne doth exceed the whole earth in bignesse 166. times King David did aptly compare the Sun to a Giant for strength refreshed with wine for the heate to run his course for his swift motion The Sun is the glorious servant of all the world therefore it hath its name in Hebrew from serving The continuall motion great swiftnesse exceeding heate admirable brightnsse of the Sun doth utter the praise of God Psal. 19. 3 4 5. The Sun is the fountaine of heate and light the life of the Universe the great Torch of the world and the Ornament of Heaven The Sun is fitly scituated being in the midst of the sixe other Planets neither too high nor too low Altins egressus coelestia tecta cremabit Inferius terras medio tutissimus ibis Ovid. lib. 2. de Metamorph. See Dr. Brownes Enquiries lib. 6. chap. 5. Secondly the Moone is also called a great light not for the bignesse of the body of it but because it is the lowest of all the Planets nearest unto the earth and therfore appears biggest of all next unto the Sunne and gives to the earth a greater light then any of the starres which are farre greater in substance and brighter in light Some say it is the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea for it agreeth exactly with the revolution of the Moon it causeth it 1. by its motion as it brings its beames 2. by its beame as that brings the influence 3. by infusion as that stirs the waters It is called in Latine Luna à lucendo saith Tullie or because solâ lucet nocte saith Varro In Hebrew Jareach Jerech which words signifie a month because it is renewed every moneth A starre is the thicker part of Heaven round and full of light In the day the glistering light of the Sunne obscures all the stars but in the night how many hundred thousand of them doe we see besides those that are hidden from us in the other part of the Sphere which is not seene by us The number of stars set upon the Globe are 1025. and divers of them have proper names All the stars of the Heaven are not numbred nor cannot since divers of them are so small but these 1025. are the principallest amongst them and all that have ever beene accounted of Philosophers distinguish them into fixed stars and Planets The Planets are apparently 7. Saturn Jupiter Mars then the Sun in the midst as it were the King of all after Venus Mercury and the Moone Neither Moses Job nor the Psalmes the most frequent in Astronomicall observations mention any of the Planets but the Sun and Moone Of these stars some are greater then other and are distinguished into sixe sorts of bignesses Their proportions are thus delivered viz. A star of the first bignesse or magnitude is 107 times bigger then the earth A Starre of the second magnitude ninety times bigger then the Earth A Starre of the third bignesse 72. times bigger then the Earth A Star of the fourth bignesse is 54. times bigger then the globe of the earth A starre of the fift magnitude is 36. times bigger then the Earth A starre of the sixt bignesse is eighteene times bigger then the globe of the earth We are to bewaile our own great folly and blindness that wee have not more admired honoured feared loved that great worker to whom these Creatures doe point us We do not often enough tell our selves this Moone this Sunne these stars could not nor
not whether to referre it and God created not accidents without subjects The worke of the second day were two-fold 1. That most vast firmament viz. that space between the earth and skie the Hebrew word signifieth the extending of any thing or the thing it selfe 2. The division of the waters above from the Waters below that is of the clouds which are in the middle Region of the Aire from the Fountaines Rivers and Sea which remain under the lowest Region But by the name of Clouds and Waters above the firmament we may understand all the Meteors both waterie and fiery which were created then in their causes Jer. 10. 13. The approbâ—tion given of other dayes is here omitted in the Hebrew not because Hell was created on this day as the Hebrews say but because this work of distguishing the waters was yet imperfect and finished on the third day The worke of the third day was three-fold 1. The conflux or gathering of the waters below into one place in regard of the greater part of them called Sea that so they might not over-flow the earth and by this command of Gods they still continve so Luther said well that all a mans life upon the earth is as great a miracle as the Israelites passing through the red sea 2. The drying of the earth to make it habitable and fit for nourishing plants and living creatures 3. The producing of Herbes and Trees of all kinds The works of the fourth day were the Lights both greater as Sun and Moon and lesser as the other starres placed in the Heavens as certaine receptacles or vessells wherein the Lord did gather light which before was scattered in the whole body of the heavens 2. The use of them they were to give light to the world to distinguish the night from the day the day from the week as also to distinguish seasons Summer and Winter Spring Autumne Seed-time and Harvest They are Signes 1. Naturall by them we may guesse of the Weather Matth. 16. 2 3. from the colour and figure of the Moon some will conjecture what weather is like to be 2. Civill Husbandmen Gardners Fishermen Mariners gather observations from them 3. Ecclesiasticall to know the New Moons and spirituall stâ—ange apparitions in them are signes of Gods anger as extraordinary Eclipses Blazing-starres The works of the fifth day were The Fishes of the Sea and Fowles of the Aire divers iâ— nature shape qualities vertues and manners of living the fishes were appointed to increase multiply and fill the waters and the fowles to increase multiply and flie in the aire The worke of the sixt day is two-fold 1. All terrestriall bruite creatures Beasts Cattle and every thing which creepeth upon the earth in their kinde having vertue and power from God to increase and multiply 2. Man male and Female Adams body of the dust of the earth viz. that hee might have in his owne bosome an argument and incentive of humility left for his excellency he should waxe proud against God Eves body out of a rib of Adam for a signe of most neare conjunction and love betwixt man and wife The Creation ceased in man as in the Master-piece of Gods skil and as in the end to which all other things were destinate For all other Creatures by the bountie of the Creator were to serve Adam as their Lord and Prince CHAP. III. I Shall now insist more largely on the particular Creatures and draw some Consectaries from them saying little of the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men because I intend more fully to treat of them by themselves The Creation of the Heavens is a great and wonderfull worke of God the Heavens were not alwayes neither came they by chance or any other way but by the wonderfull power of God creating them So the Scripture telleth us often Psal. 102. 15. Esay 40. 12. and 22. and 42. 5. and 45. 2. and 48. 13. God frequently challengeth to himselfe the glory of this exceeding great worke alleadging it as an effect of his wonderfull power and greatnesse The excellency and greatnesse of this worke appeares in divers things 1. The abstrusenesse of the matter 2. The perfection of the forme 3. The exceeding hugenesse of its quantity 4. The height of it 5. It s swift motion Lastly the excellent usefulnesse of if for the Creatures here below and all other things contained in it First the matter of the Heavens is darke and hidden and goes beyond the power of mortall creatures certainly to determine of it Philosophers know not what to say here some of them doe thinke that the upper heavens are made of the same matter with these inseriour bodies and some againe do deny it and thinke it consists of another which they call the fifth Eâ—sence because they perceive it to bee of such different working and qualities front the things below 2. The perfection of the Figure of the heavens and all the Starres of heaven doth marvellously grace it for it is of an Orbicular or round forme a Circle encompassing the earth and waters round which is of it selfe also for the maine Orbicular and this concerning the Starres our senses do declare and concerning the whole Heavens the motions of the Starres which our eye doth tell us for the Sunne riseth every morning over against the place it did set the evening before and so evinceth that its course is round The round figure is the most beautifull strong perfect and capacions figure and this may minde us of Gods Infâ—â—itenesse Perfection and unchangeablenesse 3. Consider the hugenesse of its quantity for who can measure the back-side of heaven or tell how many miles space that mighty Circle doth containe the Globe of Earth and water is very great but all that is as it were an undiscernable Point compared to the whole Globe of heaven how incomprehenâ—â—bly great is he which hath made a building so great The whole circuit of the heavens wherein are the fixed Staus is reckoned by Astronomers to be a thousand and 17. millions of miles at least 4. It is a high and stately building Job 22. 1â— 160. millions of miles high from earth to heaven it is so farre by the Astronomers rules It is a wonder saith one that we can look up to so admirable a height and that the very eye is not tired in the way If this ascending line could be drawne right forward some that have calculated curiously have found it five hundred yeares journey unto the starrie heaven This putteth us in minde of the infinite mercy and goodnesse of God Psalme 103. 3. and of his Majestie the highest heavens are a fit Palace for the most High Psal. 104. 3. 5. It s admirable swift motion and revolution in 24. hours which our conceits cannot follow teacheth us that God is farre more swift and ready to helpe us in our need A Bullet out of a Musquet flies swiftly
it will fly 180 miles an hour according to its motion The Sun moves swifter 1160000 miles in one houre the fixed stars some of them 42 millions of miles each houre 6. The use of it is admirable the motion of the heavenly bodies is the cause of generation and corruption here below if they should cease moving the being of sublunary bodies would cease The inferior heavens are fitted for the generation of Meteors Raine Snow Thunder Lightning by its fit distance as it were from the Earth and Starres Here is room for the making and shewing of them all The lower part of it also by reason of its thinnesse and subtilty is fit for the flying of Birds and for the breathing and the living of man and beast and it is fitted to be enlightned by the Sun-beames and to receive that illumination and heat without which the Creatures here below could not subsist and the starres câ—iefly the Sunne are placed at a convenient distance and it is fitted for the swift motion of the heavenly bodies in regard of its raritie and subtilnesse which if it were thick grosse could not have so speedy a passage through or about the same especially the highest heavens are fitted for the inhabitation of those immortall persons some of which doe and others shall inhabite a being so spacious bright and every way glorious that the multitude of those happy persons may have space enough to see the beauty of GOD. The Philosophers divide the Regions of the world into two Regions the Celestiall and Elementary Region The Celestiall they divide into divers Orbes or Globes for the Heaven of heavens sedes Beatorum the feat of the blessed Saints and Angels they had little knowledge of if any at all The first moveable as they termed it the highest Orbe by the unspeakable swift circumrotation of which they thought all the other Orbes were carried from East to West in the space of 24. houres This is the tenth Globe or Orbe the next they call the Chrystalline or watry Orbe because it is cleare bright and apt to to shine through as water The next is the Starrie heaven which hath eight Spheares one for the fixed Stars and seven other for the Planets each Planet having as they say his distinct Orbe Saturne is the uppermost next Jupiter then Mars in the middest the Sunne then Venus next Mercurie the laâ—t and lowest of all is the Moon So is the division of the heavenly Region the Elementary they divide into the region of fire next to the Moone and of aire next to that and that they distinguish into three Regions the highest middle and lowest then that of the Water and Earth compounded together so they But now the Scriptures divide the World into two parts Heaven and Earth as you read in the first words of the Bible In the beginning God made heaven and earth By Earth it meaneth this Globe of Earth and Water where men Beasts and Fishes are By Heaven all the space from the Earth upward and of this heaven it maketh three parts 1. The highest Heaven the heaven of Heavens 1 Kings 8. 27. the habitation of God himself and all his Saints Angels Job 14. where God reveals his glorious presence to them for ever This is called by Paul the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. 4. for its scituation above the Aire and skie both which have the name of Heaven and Paradise 2 Câ—r 12. 4. because the earthly Paradise was a figure of it and because it is a place of endlesse joy pleasure 2. The Starry Skie where the Starres are it is described in Job to be firme as a molten Looking-glasse 3. The lower Heavens all that place above our heads to the Starrie Heaven Hence the Clouds are called the clouds of Heaven and the Fowles of Heaven and Birds are said to flie in the face of the Heavens Every one is to fall out with himselfe and blame himselfe for slighting and neglecting the consideration of this work that offers it selfe so constantly to our eyes even this so curiously wrought Curtaine which God hath spread forth especially let us blame our selves for not seeing God in the workman-ship of heaven that wee take not notice of him as the Author of it and raise our hearts higher than the heavens to him that measures them forth as with a Span we should beleeve that he is so Great Good and Wise as this Heaven proclaimeth him the Maker thereof to bee Let us see and bewaile this blindnesse there is no place in the earth which hath not the Heavens spread over it Oh that we could put our selves in minde of him that did spread out the Heavens and remember that he sees us every where for where any worke of his is to be seen surely theâ—e is himselfe to be seen and there he sees all things that are there especially let us learne to presse this knowledge upon our will and affections that it may beget in us obedience love feare joy confidence and other holy vertues without which all talking yea and thinking of God is idle and fruitlesse Let us presse our selves to become subject to him who hath the heavens at command because he made them to love him that hath formed for our use so excellent an house so richly vaulted above see the invisible things of him that made all in these things which you behold thy conversation should bee there where Christ is Col. 3 There is thy Fathers house thine owne Countrey thy inheritance It is a great deale of comfort to Gods people that have such a Father who can so easily stretch out Heaven trust in him for house-roome that can build a world with so much ease For the Angels because I intend to speak more largely of them afterwards I shall here only answer one question athem Why are they not spoken of in the Creation where man and beasts are mentioned and why is not the speciall day named wherein they were made Answ. Not so much for feare the Jewes a people prone to Idolatrie should have worshipped them for then by the same reason Moses should have forborne to have mentioned them in the whole story of Genesis which was publisht at the same time and to the same people that the first part of it but it may be to give us to understand that God did not use any of their help in the Creation and had no need of them at all but made the whole world without them or because hee relates the making of sensible things only but that they were created appears Coloss. 1. 16. The Scripture hath not so clearly expressed the precise time and day of their Creation therefore Ambrose and Danaeus confesse that they know not when they were created But it is probable they were made with the Heavens which some say were made the first others the second day As man was then first made after his habitation the earth was
f The Beasts of the earth are here distinguished into three ranks 1. Catell that is all tame domestical Beasts 2. Creeping things whereby are understood those which have no feet as Serpents those which have but very short as Wormes Ants. 3. Beasts whereby are understood all wilde Beasts which have their name from life in the Hebrew All Philosophy is in the firstâ—Chapter of Genâ—sis Baâ—sil Ambrose Zanchie Polanus have drawn discourses of Philosophy hence Of the Heavens the Angels Elements and Light the Creation of days nights 1. Of the Heavens g Among all Geometricall Figures the sphaericall or the round is the most perfect and amongst all naturall bodies the heaven is the most excellent It was therefore good reason the most beautifull body should have the most perfect and exquisite shape Mr. Pemble h The earth is round but not precisely There are Hills like Warts and Vallies like Wrinkles in a mans body Exact roundnesse is not found in any body but the Heavens i How else could it containe the Sun Moon and Starres in convenient distance from the earth one from another k Mr. Greenhil on Ezek. p. 104. l Bishop Hall in his Contemplations on the Creation The Heavens for height Prov. Vide Fullers Miscellanea l. 1. c. 15. Insita à Deo vis quae in scripturis saepe appellatur praeceptum Domini est causa motus * Mr. Greenhil ubi supra Philosophers say the Heavens worke upon Inferiour bodies by three instruments viz. Light Motion Influence a Some say the Orbes are contiguous each â—o other cloâ—ely infold each other as the skinnes of an onâ—on containe one another and others thinke there is no such varâ—ety or maltitude of Orbes but alone one first moveabâ—e in which they conceive the fixed starres to be placed and they think the planets move not in Orbes but of themselves as birds flie in the ayre b It is called the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7 c It is called by the Greeks â—ast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is altogether shining because of the great number of Starres in it a Psal. 104. 2. There he alludes to Gen. 1. 6. â—et there be a Firmament or stretching forth God made the heavens with as great ease as one can stretch out a curtaine when it is folded up How beautifull art thou that hast adorned the heavens saith Job Consectaries from the Angels * Quia Moses ruditatise nostrae accommodare voluit ideo quae aâ—tiora nostro captu erant praetermissis ea tantùm commemoravit quae sub oculis sunt Zanchius de Sâ—mb Apost Ego Mosen puto voluisse populo creationem rerum aspectabilium proponere nihil de invisibilibus dicere unde in toto sex dierum opere ne unius quidem invisibilis Creaturae mentionem fecit Mercerus in Gen. 1. 1. idem habet in caput secundum versum primum idem habet Pareus Of the four Elements 1. â—f the earth A Base is the lowest part of a pillar The dry land appearing firm above the waters God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erets of which our English name Earth is derived and hath the sound of it Nec circumfuso pendebat in aere tellus ponderibus librata suis Ovid met Carpenter in his first booke of Geog. ch 4. saith the earths circular motion is probable Copernicus said that the earth moved the heavens â—ood still See more of this after about day and night Aristotle would have Earth-quakes to proceede from a spirit or vapour included in the bowels of the earth 2d. of his mereors 7. ch which finding no way to passe out is enforced to tutne backe barred any passage outseeks every corner and while it labours to breake open some place for going forth it makes a tumultuous motion which is the Earthquak It is 1. universall which shakes the whole earth in every part at least in the upper face the cause whereof is not naturall but the immediate and miraculous power of God such a one hapned at our Saviours passion 2. particular that which is limited to some one or more particular places What Thunder is in the clouds the Earthquake is in the Earth Exod. 17. 6. Numb 20. 2. 2 King 3. 16. 20. The qualities and use of the Aire Acts 17. 28. Fire is a most subtill Element most light most hot most simple immiâ—t Therfore the Persians worshipped fire as a God the Chaldeans adored Ur and the Romans worshipped holy fire Job 38. 19. 24. See Sir Walter Ralegihs history of the world l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 7. If this light be not spirituall it approacheth nearest unto spirituality and if it have any corporality then of all other the most subtil pure for as it is of all things seen the most beautifull and of swiftest motion so it is most necessary and beneficial Sir Walter Raleigh It is a great paradoxe to think light to bee a bodie which yet is maintained by Sir Kenelm Digbie in a Booke lately set forth But that light should be a spirituall substance is much more absurd for how then should it be visible Consectaries The eye cannot see any thing without a double light Lumine innato an inward light in the Christalline humour of the eye 2. Lumine illato an outward light in the aire and on the object Gen. 1. 4. 5. * The daâ— is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentle or tame because it is appointed for tame creatures or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I desire because it is to be desired In Latine it is dies à Deo of God as a divine thing The night is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strike as in latine nox à nocen do of hurting Dies Diem docet Alpham Beta Corrigit * It runs say Astronomers aâ—ove a 1000. miles within the compaâ—e of every minute this incredible swiftness gave occasâ—oâ— to Copernicus and others to conceive the globe of the earth did rather move the Sun stand still See Dr. Hackwels Apologie and Carpenters Geography Some thinke there is a greater probability the earth should move round once a day then that the heavens should move with such an incredible swiftness scarce compatible to anâ— naturall bodie Others deny it grounding their opinion upon Scripture which affirmes the earth to stand fast so as it cannot be moved and upon sense because we perceive it not to move and lastly upon reasons drawn from things hurled up and let fall upon the Earth Masteâ— Pemble in his briefe introduction to Geography page 12. * The night easeth the burthen of the day the day driveth away the terrour of the night Consectaries from day and night Night is the time of rest Sleepe is the paranthesis of our troubles Psal. 104. 20. 21 22 23. Spiritual blindness Sol exprobrat dormientem Erasm. Esay 40. 5. * Meteora à loco quia
encompasse the earth what then is the whole globe of Earth and water and yet that whole globe is a thing of nothing in comparison of heaven and yet all that is nothing in comparison of God O how great is hee and how much to be admired Great not in quantity and extension of dimensions but in perfection of Essence How great is hee that is beyond Earth Sea and world and all more then these are beyond Nothing And let us a little compare our selves with this great and wide Sea The Sea is but part of this Globe yet hath in it water enough to drowne all the men that are in the world if either it were suffered to overflow as once at Noah's flood or else they were cast into it so that all men are but a small trifling thing in comparison of this Sea and then what am I must every one say to himselfe and what compared to God the maker of the wide Sea and this wide world Oh how nothing is man am I my selfe among other men and why am not I humble before God why do I not cast downe and abase my selfe in his presence and carry my selfe to him as becommeth so poore meane and small a creature to so Infinite and great a Creator Let us morally use the things wee see else the naturall knowledge will doe us no good at all We may see in the Sea a map of the misery of mans life it ebbeth and floweth seldome is quiet but after a little calm a tempest ariseth sodainly So must I looke for stormes upon the sea of so troublesome a world For the great worke of Navigation and so of transportation of things by Sea and for the fitnesse of the Sea to that use wee must praise God every man hath the benefit of it By vertue of it wee have Pepper Cloves and Mace Figs and Raisms Sacke and Wines of all sorts Silkes and Velvets and all the commodities of other Kingdomes distant a thousand of miles from us and by this they have from us such commodities as our Land affords above theirs There is no art which helps more to inrich a Nation and to furnish it with things for State pompe and delight And yet how is it abused by Marriners who behold Gods wonders in the Deepe being the worst of men and never good but in astorme and when that is gone as bad or worse then ever The materialls of a ship are wonderfull First it is made of the strongest and durablest wood the Oake and Cedar Now it is a strange worke of God to make such a great tree out of the earth 2. The nailes in it are made of iron that the pieces may be closely compacted 3. Tarre and pitch to stop every crevise that no water or ayre might enter this they learned of God himselfe who bid Noah to plaister the Arke within and without with pitch 4. Cords made of flaxe a multitude of strange things concur to this worke What pitty is it that Souldiers Marriners as was said who are sosubject to dangers have such frequent experience of Gods goodnesse and mercy to them in their preservation should generally be so prophane and forgetfull of God For the Souldier it is an olde saying Nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur And for the Marriuer nautarum vota is grown into a proverb In the third dayes worke were likewise created grass herbs plants and trees The first is grasse or greene herbe which is that which of it selfe springs up without setting or sowing 2. Herbe bearing seed that is all herbs which are set or sowne and encrease by mans industry The third trees and plants which are of a woody substance which beare fruit and have their feede which turnes to fruit in themselves God by his powerfull word without any help of mans tillage raine or Sun did make them immediately out of the earth and every one perfect in their kinde grasse and herbs with flowers and seedes and trees with large bodies branches leaves and fruites growing up suddenly as it were in a moment by Gods word and power The great power of God appeares in this Hee is able to worke above nature without meanes the fruitfulnesse of the earth stands not in the labour of the Husband-man but in the blessing of God He also caused the earth to yeeld nourishment for such divers herbs and plants yea herbs of contrary qualitie will grow and thrive close one by another when those which are of a nearer nature will not do so The herbe was given at first for mans use as well as beasts Gen. 1. 9. Psalm 104. 14. Herbs are one wonderfull worke of God The greatnesse of the worke appeareâ—h in these particulars 1. The variety of the kinds of herbs 2. The variety of their uses of their shapes and colours and manner of production and of their working growth Some come forth without seede some have seede some grow in one place some in another some are for foode some for medicine and some for both That out of the earth by the heate of one Sunne with the moysture of one and the same water there should proceede such infinite variety of things so differing one from another is a wonder some are hot in operation some cold some in one degree some in another some will draw some heal some are sweete some sowre some bitter some of middle tasts In the bowells of the earth the Lord created gold silver precious stones and the face of the earth above was beautified with grasse herbs and trees differing in nature qualities and operations Plants grow till they dye whence they are called vegetables At the first herbs were the ordinary meate of men Gen. 1. 20. and they have continued ever since of necessary use both for meat to maintain life and for medicines to recover health Solomons wisedome and knowledge was such that hee was able to set out the nature of all plants from the highest Cedar to the lowest Mosse 1 Kings 4. 33. We must here condemne our stupidity and blindnesse of minde that are not provoked many times by this particular to magnifie the name of God When a man hath occaslon to travell through a Close or ground how great store of herbs seeth hee whose nature yea names he is ignorant of yet admireth not God in them nor confesseth his power and goodnesse Secondly we are to lament the fruite of our sin which hath made us blinde there is nothing hurtfull to mans bodie but some herb or other rightly applyed would cure it It is a great and worthy worke of God to make grasse on the earth Psal. 104. 14 15. and 147. 8. He maketh grasse to grow upon the mountaines The omnipotent power of God was exercised to make this creature else it could not have beene and at his appointment it came forth This is one of the benefits which God promiseth to his people upon their
did not make themselves They could not possibly be without any beginning at all for they are but parts of the whole world and no part of any whole can be eternall because there must be something before that did unite those parts together wherfore they were made by some superiour essence and more excellent then themselves and that is God How great how wise how good how infinitely excellent is He whose hand framed and ordered these things The Sunne ariseth to us constantly the Moone also keepes her course with like constancie Doth not that mighty armie of stars which in a cleare night shew themselves even speake to us as it were to consider of his incomprehensible excellencie which made and rules them Let us accustome our selves hereafter to these meditations if God had not beautified heaven with these excellent bodies light and heate could not have been equally and in due quantity conveyed into all the quarters of the world We must observe this worke so as to praise God for it to informe our selves of his nature and strive to worke more love feare obedience and confidence in our selves towards him The Apostle saith that in the times before the Gospell the Gentiles might have found God as it were by groping Acts 17. 27. Now we that have the Scripture to direct us as in the day-light shall not wee finde God out by these illustrious works of his CHAP. VI. THe fift dayes worke was the Creation of all living creatures which live and move in the two moist Elements the water and the aire viz. Fishes and moving creatures which live and move in the waters and all kinde of Fowles which flye in the open Region of the aire divers in nature shape qualities and manner of living The Hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature is derived is used as here so in other Scriptures frequently first to signifie creeping or moving forward without feete as Genes 7. 21. and Levit. 11. 19. and secondly also to bring forth abundantly as here and also Exod. 1. 7. Fishes breed and bring forth young in great abundance more then any other creatures do by the multitude of spawn they would encrease beyond all measure and number if by one meanes or other the spawne were not devoured and consumed Who can render a reason of their ability to swim so in the waters to support themselves in the midst of the waters convey themselves up and down in it Fishes are in Scripture termed Reptilia Psal. 104. 25. In the great and wide Sea there are things creeping innumerable both small and great so called because things when they swim seeme to creep along in the water As birds have their wings and traines by meanes whereof they cut their way and make smooth passage through the aire so fishes are furnished with finnes wherewith they guide themselves in their swimming and cut the current of the streames aud waves for their more easie passage wherein their course is directed by their taile as shtps are conducted by their Helm The Sea gives more and greater dainties then the earth those that did most affect to please their pallate of olde set great store by fishes and paid dearer for them then flesh God hath furnished them with a strong power of encreasing Birds bring forth some foure or five in a nest some three and some but two the most but twenty as the little Wren for being so little the kinde would bee consumed by the things which devoure such weake creatures if those that be did not bring forth very many but every fish brings forth a great multitude many hundreds as we may see in their spawne That God should give unto these things a power to multiply so very fast is wonderfull and it is agreeable to reason too for the fishes doe more devoure one another then the beasts doe the greater being much more ravenous then any beast as being bigger and their stomacks by an antiperistasis of the cold water more vehement in digesting They are said to bee without number Psal. 104. 25. not simply but to us for wee cannot tell the number of them though God which made them doe know the particular number of them Hee can tell how many fishes there bee in the Sea though to us they exceed the power of counting yet he hath the precise and exact number of them We know not the kinds of fishes how much lesse the particulars There be saith Plinie of fishes and other creatures living in the Sea one hundred seventy and sixe severall and distinct kindes What Philosopher can tel how many Dolphins Herrings Whales sword-fishes there be in the Sea The Echeneis Remora or stop-ship but halfe a foot long is able to stay the greatest ship under saile Keckermannus humori frigido à Remora fuso adscribere videtur qui aquam circa gubernaculum conglaciet in Disput. Phisic The Cramp-fish Torpedo is able to benum and mortifie the armes of the lustiest and strongest Fishers that be by touching onely the end of any part of an angle-rod which they hold in their hands although they stand aloft and a great way from her hence it hath its name quod torpore manus afficiat because it benummeth the hands The Naturalists tell us of one fish which they call the Uranoscope which hath but one eye and that in a verticall point on the top of the head directly upward by which it avoids all rocks and dangers There have been known Whales sixe hundred foot long and three hundred 60. foot broad some like mountains some like Islands God himselfe speaking of his owne power of all the creatures rehearseth onely two the Behemoth Job 40. 15. to the end that is the Elephant and the Leviathan Job 41. per totum that is the Whale this being the greatest among the Fishes as that among the beasts The Sword-fish hath a beake or bill sharp pointed wherewith hee will drive through the sides and planks of a shippe and bore them so that they shall sink withall The Dolphin is said to bee a fish of such exceeding great swiftnesse as that oftentimes he outstrippeth a ship under sail in the greatest ruffe and merriest wind in swiftness of course In this fish is propounded to us an example of charity and kind affection toward our Children as Plinie in his description of the nature of this fish sheweth and Aelianus l. 5. c. 18 As also of his singular love toward man whereof Aelianus produceth strange examples It may seeme strange that it should please the Pope to forbid flesh to men rather then fish i. the lesse dainty and luxurious before the more for what is of some alleadged that the curse fell upon the earth and not the Seas is fondly affirmed seeing when it is said cursed bee the earth By earth is meant the whole globe of the earth consisting
description of a horse Job 39. 19. to 26. If Bankes had lived in elder times he would have shamed all the Inchanters of the world for whosoever was most famous among them could never master or instruct any beast as hee did his Horse That story of Androdus the Lion is commonly known Vide Auli Gellii noctes Atticas l. 5. c. 14. There is in some kind as much of the Creator in the Ant as in the Lion in the former excellent skilfulesse in the other power and majestie CHAP. VII AMong the works of Creation the principall are the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men. The name Angell comes of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Messenger sent forth from some superiour person or State to deliver a message and to declare the mind of him or them that sent him The Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name of an Angell in the Old Testament signifies also a Messenger but yet in a more full and large sense For it siguifies such a Messenger as doth not onely deliver and declare a Message by word of mouth but also doth act and execute indeed the will of him that sent him and doth performe his worke enjoyned as a faithfull Minister and servant First of all it signifieth that chiefe and principall Messenger and Ambassadour of God his Sonne Jesus Christ who is called Mal. 3. 1. The Angell of the Covenant 2. Pastors are called Angels Revel 2d. and 3d. Chapters being Gods messenger sent to the Church Thirdly this word is most frequently used to signifie the heavenly Spirits who are so called because they are both ready to be sent on Gods message and often are sent out to doe the will of God Gen. 19. 1. Psal. 103. 20. 21. Matth. 18. 10. That there are Angels is proved out of Scripture where they are often mentioned Psal. 68. 17. Dan. 7. 10. Col. 1. 16. and 2. 10. Hebrews 12. 12. and by the manifold apparitions of them Genesis 3. 24. Cherubims that is Angels appearing in the forme of flying men to keepe the entrance into the Garden Abraham entertained Angels unawares They were sent to destroy the filthy Sodomites and the Cities about them that ranne into the like exorbitancies An Angel stopped Abrahams hand which he lifted up according to Gods Commandement to slay his only sonne Isaac Abraham told Eleazar that God would send his Angel with him to prosper him in the businesse of taking a wife for his son Isaac An Angel of the Lord met Hagar and sent her backe to her Mistresse when through discontent shee had plaid the Fugitive An Angel appeared to Zacharie and foretold the conception and birth of John the Baptist. An Angel acquainted the blessed Virgin that she should conceive our Saviour in her wombe by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost A multitude of Angels celebrated the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour with an hymne of joy Angels Ministred to Christ after his temptation in the wildernesse and in his bloody agony in the Garden An Angel acquainted the women with his resurrection after he had terrified the men that were set to keepe the Sepulchre and rolled the stone from the doores thereof An Angel also set Peter at liberty when he was imprisoned betweene two souldiers An Angel shooke the foundation of the Prison wherin St. Paul and Silas were laid fast in the stockes An Angel shewed unto John the vision of the Revelation at the appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now besides these and many more apparitions of the heavenly Spirits we read that the Angels of God are many thousands yea millions and of the company of innumerable Angels and of Angels pitching their tents about the righteous and holding them up in their hands and chasing the wicked and destroying them And besides the testimonie of Scriptures the Heathens also had some notions of them as appeares in their writings but indeed it was in some respect a false notion for they conceived them to bee a certaine kinde of pettie Gods and did performe worship unto them the evill Angels beguiling them and if there bee evill Angels there must needes bee likewise good The Angels are diversly called in Scripture Psalme 104. 4. to expresse their nature and Angels to their office as Messengers sent from God they are called Sonnes of God Job 1. 6. 38. 7. Yea Elohim Gods Psal. 8. Cherubims Gen. 3 24. Ezek. 10. 1. from the form they appeared in viz. like youths Seraphims Esa 6. 2. for their ardour and fiercenesse in the execution of Gods anger Watchmen or the watchfull ones Dan. 4. 10. 13. being in heaven as a watch tower and keeping the world Starres of the morning Job 38. 7. from their brightnesse of nature a flaming fire Psal. 104. 4. because God useth their helpe to destroy the wicked In the New Testament they are called Principalities for their excellencie of nature and estate and powers for their wonderfull force Reasons why God made Angels The will power of God therefore they are because God saw it fit to make them yet two reasons may be rendred of this worke 1. God saw it fit to raise up our thoughts from meaner to more excellent creatures till we came to him first things say some were made which had no life then living things without sense as plants and trees then sensible then reasonable 2. It was convenient that every part and place of the world should be fill'd with Inhabitants fit for the same as the aire with birds the earth with beasts and men the Sea with fishes and the heavens which we behold with Stars the highest Heavens with Angels God is the maker of Angels These glorious Creatures which shall have no end had a beginning as well as the silliest beast bird or fish and they are equally beholding nay more because they have received more excellent endowments unto God for their being with the silliest worme And though Moses mentions not in particular either the act of creating them or the time yet St. Paul saith that by him were all things made visible and invisible and it is evident by discourse of reason that the Angels were made by God For either they must be made by God or some other maker or else they must be eternall for whatsoever is not made by some maker cannot be made at all and whatsoever is not at all made is eternall Now if the Angels were eternall then were they equall with God in selfe-being they might bee called selfe-subsisting essences and so should be equall with God standing in no more neede of him then hee of them owing no more service homage and praise to him then hee oweth to them and so they were Gods as well as he and then wee should have multitude of Gods not onely one God and so should not God bee the first and best Essence there being so many others beside him as
Good and Omniscient as hee wherefore they must bee made by some Maker because they cannot bee Eternall and if made then either by themselves or some other thing besides themselves not by themselves because that implies and absolute contradiction if by some other thing then by a better or worse thing not by a more meane for the lesse perfect cannot give being to a more perfect thing for then it should communicate more to the effect then it hath in it selfe any way which is impossible that any efficient cause should doe not by any better thing then themselves for excepting the Divine Majestie which is the first and best there is no better thing then the Angels save the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ which could not bee the Maker of them because they were created some thousands of yeares before the humanity was formed in the Virgins womb or united to the second person in Trinity Wee are not able to conceive of their Essence they are simple incorporeall Spirituall substances therefore incorruptible An Angell is a Spirituall Created compleat substance indued with an understanding and will and excellent power of working An Angel is a substance 1. Spirituall that is void of all corporeall and sensible matter whence in Scripture Angels are called Spirits Psal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Therefore the bodies in which either good or evill Angels appeared were not naturall to them but only assumed for a time and laid by when they pleased as a man doth his garments not substentiall but aeriall bodies they were not Essentially or personally but only locally united to them so that the body was moved but not quickned by them 2. Created by which name hee is distinguished from the Creator 3. Compleate by which an Angel is distinguished from the reasonable soule of man which also is a spirituall substance but incompleate because it is the essentiall part of man 4. Indued with 1. an understanding by which an Angel knoweth God and his works 2. a will by which he desires or refuseth the things understood 3. An excellent power of working by which hee effects what the will commands this is great in them Psalm 103. 20. See 2 Kings 19. 35. The Angels are most excellent creatures when the highest praise is given of any thing it is taken from the excellencie of Angels Psal. 78. 25. 1 Cor. 13. 1. They are called holy Angels Luke 9. 26. Marke 8. 36. therefore they are cloathed with linnen Dan. 11. 4. to signifie their purity and are called Angels of light 2 Cor. 12. 14. to note the purity wherein they were created All the Individuall Angels were made at once and as God made Adam perfect at the first so they were made of a perfect constitution They have all our faculties save such as be badges of our weakenesse they have no body therefore not the faculties of generation nutâ—ition augmentation They have reason conscience will can understand as much as we doe and better too they have a will whereby they can refuse evill and chuse good a conscience reasonable affections though not such as depend upon the bodie They are endowed with excellent abilities know more of God themselves us and other things then we doe love God themselves and men are obedient to God The good Angels obey God 1. Universally in all things Psalme 103. 20. 2. Freely and readily make hast to doe what hee would have done therefore they are said to have Harps Revel 15. 2. as a signe of their chearfull mind 3. With all their might they serve God with diligence sedulity therefore they are said to have wings to flie 4. Constantly Rev. 7. 15. and 14. 4. They have incredible strength and therefore by an excellencie they are called strong in strength Psal. 103. 20. Angels of the power of the Lord Jesus 2 Thess. 1. 7. Powers Rom. 1. 38. One Angel is able to destroy all the men beasts birds and fishes and all the creatures in the world and to overturne the whole course of nature if God should permit it to drowne the earth againe and make the waters overflow it to pull the Sunne Moone and Starres out of their places and make all a Chaos therefore we reade of wonderfull things done by them they stopt the mouths of Lions that they could not touch Daniel they quencht the violence of the fire that it could not touch so much as a haire of the three Childrens heads nor a threed of their garments they made Peters chaines in an instant fall from his hands and feet they can move and stir the earth say the Schoolemen as appears Matth. 28. 2. The Angels shooke the foundation of the Prison where Paul and Silas lay and caused the doores to flie open and every mans bands to fal from him They destroyed the first borne of Aegypt Sodome and Gomorrah One Angel slew in one night in the host of Senacherib and hundred fourscore and 5000. men Reas. Their nature in respect of bodily things is wholy active not passive they are of a spirituall nature what great things can a whirl-wind or flash of lightning doe They are swift and of great agility they have no bodies therefore fill not up any place neither is there any resistance to them they move with a most quick motion they can be where they will they move like the winde irresistibly aud easily without molestation and in an unperceivable time they move more swiftly then the Sun can dispatch that space in as few minuts which the Sun doth in 24. hours They have admirable wisedome 1 Sam. 18. 14. and 14. 20. the knowledge of the good Angels is increased since their Creation for besides their natural knowledg they know many things by revelation Dan. 9. 22 23. Matth. 1. 20. Luke 1. 30. either immediately from God or from his Word Ephes. 3. 9 10. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Luke 15. 18. by experience and conjecture How an Angel doth understand is much disputed their understanding is not infinite they know not all things Mar. 13. of that day the Angells know not againe they cannot know future contingent things any farther then God reveales these things to them neither can they know the secrets of mans heart 1 Kings 8. 39. Psal. 7. 10. for that is proper to the Lord alone They are said indeed to rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner but that is no further then their inward conversion puts it selfe forth into outward actions They do not know the number of the Elect nor the nature of spirituall desertions the manner of mortifying sin unlesse by the Church and Ministry of the word So againe for the manner of their knowledge that of the Schooles about their morning and evening knowledge is vaine but it is plain they know discursivè as well as intuitivè though some say they are creaturae intelligentes but not ratiocinantes There are three degrees of their knowledg say the Schoolmen