Ambrose shall remaine in the graue sentences and allegoricall sense And Saint Augustine with Basil shall mount vp in the anagogicall song to resound the supreme accents of the celestiall harmony And for the other celebrated persons who preceded these men till the time of Saint Hierome he in the booke of excellent men numbreth an hundreth thirtie seuen who were knowne by their writings To whom Gennade minister of Marseilles addeth ninetie and one who haue beene followed of many others till the time of Peter the Lombard who emulating Damascene in reducing and distinguishing into fowre volumes the Theologicall doctrine hath giuen faire matter for posteritie to dispute vpon And since then haue encreased so many others of diuers professions nations and languages consenting with an admirable concord in confession of one father author and principle without any meanes of this Vniuers that this point leaueth no doubt but constraineth euerie one to acknowledge that all of them haue beene illuminated and taught by the soueraigne doctor and supreme brightnes from which all truth and light doth issue For likewise he alone the eternall God containeth the source of veritie vnable to be emptied out of which it behooueth vs to exhaust so many and often times as we pretend to giue true instructions and agreeable to the mysteries of his omnipotencie bicause there is no knowledge of the separated substances of the secrets of nature and of God the author thereof which hath not beene diuinely reuealed For diuine things are not touched with our hands and the worldly flie from our senses euery moment From whence it commeth that that which Philosophers call wisedome and certaine science whether concerning celestiall or natural things is nothing else but error or at least a thicke obscuritie But we know so much as the pure bright and cleere vnderstanding placed in the point of mans soule doth behold by meanes of supernaturall light in the mirror of eternitie wherein we contemplate God the father and creator of this Vniuers And when the Philosophers shall confesse him such as nature teacheth religion perswadeth and reason prooueth him then may they concurre with the truth in that which they declare of the elements of the world fire aire water and earth and of the nature of things as heereafter we must discourse But first we will begin to enter into some consideration of the precious treasures and learned instructions wherewith the sacred words of Moses by vs heeretofore heard concerning the creation are fruitfully replenished namely in the space of the sixe daies which he describeth for perfection of this great humaine building as I referre to you ACHITOB to giue vs to vnderstand Of the space of the sixe daies mentioned in the historie of the creation of the world Chap. 12. ACHITOB IF we hold for certaine and vndoubted the fabrication of the vniuers as we haue in all our precedent discourse sufficiently prooued then must we confesse that it is new and made in time according as holy writ teacheth vs and all Mathematicians confirme when by the Genesis of the world they prognosticate the euents that should succeede We haue already made mention of the time since which we hold the creation thereof now must we consider the space of daies which are mentioned by Moses in recitation of this Master-peece of worke of the Almightie wherein the prophet hath concealed a mysterie of high and difficult vnderstanding For as Saint Augustine saith Lib. 2. de cluit Dei cap. 6. The sixe daies wherein God performed his works and the seuenth wherein hee ceased in what sort and manner they are is very difficult or rather impossible for vs to thinke much more to expresse For the daies which we haue now haue their euening and morning the setting and rising of the sunne and the three first daies whereof Moses speaketh passed without the sunne which was created the fourth day Heereof therefore grow profound and deepe questions and principally this Whether all things haue been created togither or in the space of diuers daies In the same book chap. 9. It seemeth that Saint Augustine made no doubt that all was not created in a moment seeing he saith speaking of the creation of the Angels made the first day that the second day nor the third nor all the rest were any other then the first day but that the same one was repeated to make vp the number of six or seuen for the works of God and his repose In the same book chap. 31. In another place he speaketh thus In the seuenth day that is the same day repeated seuen times There haue been also diuers ancient doctors that haue taught the like satisfying themselues with this text of the Wiseman saying He that liueth for euer Eccles 18. Whether all things were created togither or in diuers daâ—es made all things togither They also shewed these reasons All power finite and limited hath neede of time to worke in but not the infinite as that of the soueraigne creator and forasmuch as by an intelligible and eternall word which Saint Basil interpreteth the moment of the will of God all things had their beginning there is no reason why there should be any delay for the creation of the light after the darknes which was vpon the deepe as the prophet declareth and whereof the euening and morning of the first day were made or else of the heauen till the second day Genes 1. the budding foorth of the earth till the third the production of the sunne moone and stars till the fourth the gathering togither of the waters till the fift and to the sixt the forming of man For these reasons I say many great personages would conclude that heauen and earth and all things therein contained were created at one instant charging those which thought otherwise to doe great wrong to the Almightie and soueraigne creator to whom all things are of eternitie presented to suppose that he should operate by tract of time and succession of daies he I say to whom eternity is both the measure and possession togither They alledge also that the prophet repeating the creation which he seemed to haue distinguished by daies said thus in the second of Genesis These are the generations of the heauens and of the earth when they were created in the day that the Lord God made the heauens and the earth and euery plant of the field before it was in the earth and euery herbe of the field before it grew Whereby they say doth euidently appeere that al things were created togither And for that the principall members of this mundane bodie are said to haue been ordained and engendred separately that that must be vnderstood to haue been so expounded according to the order through which man for whom all things haue beene made is very properly induced as the last worke of God according to the common saying of the Peripateticks How the distinction of Gods works must be
subiect to change and the rest are immutable incorruptible persisting alwaies in their estate during the course of this world Stones mettals minerals and such like creatures are of the number of those that haue neither life nor any naturall moouing whatsoeuer but like the earth it selfe The water aire winde and fire are creatures which though they haue not life yet haue they moouing but they are subiect vnto corruption as are all other creatures composed of the elements whether they retaine life or not For by reason that they are compounded of matters and contrarie qualities they doe at length corrupt and are changed not in regarde of their first nature and substance which perisheth not Nothing perisheth in regard of the matter though it change formes but returneth alwaies into the same elements whereof euerie compound consisteth And though stones and mettals be exceeding hard yet are they not exempt from corruption but are consumed by vsage yea euen gold and siluer which are the most precious mettals and of so excellent temper that they resist fire But the celestiall bodies whereof we entreat now consist of such matter nature and substance that being in perpetuall motion they euer perseuere in their entire and first forme not being subiect to any change in their bodies nor any way consuming like to the other creatures winch are vnder them Of the matter or substance of heauen But what this matter or substance is hath beene much disputed on amongst the most learned For some Philosophers haue affirmed that the heauens starres and planets which we behold are compounded of the same elements whereof all other creatures are made but yet of the most pure parts and portions of them And render this reason viz. that they could not be visible if they were not created of visible matter For none can make a visible thing of an inuisible Whereupon they conclude that there is in the composition of celestiall bodies some portion of earth and water which are visible elements and more water then earth because it is more pure and cleere then the earth is and because it hath motion And in that they are most splendant cleere and mooueable they attribute the principall cause thereof to the nature of the aire and fire and the most subtile parts of them whereof say they they are singularly composed But others hold that the heauens consist of another kinde of substance then of the elements which they name a fift-essence of most rare and different substance from the elementarie and much more excellent and noble Others more cunning finde in the heauens diuers and vnequal substances Whereto may seeme to accord that which Americus Vespucius hath declared in the discourse of his third Nauigation to the Indies concerning the magnitude of the stars making mention of three verie great ones called Caponi which are not cleere And many other authors haue noted diuersitie of shining and cleerenes among the stars and that some part of heauen is thicker then the rest But whatsoeuer may be subtilly inuented in this matter it seemeth verie well that heat is the substance of celestiall bodies which is inseparable from brightnes Of heat light and brightnes which is a similitude and semblance of light hauing the substance of it and of heat so annexed with it selfe that it is almost nothing else So that the light brightnes heat may be taken for one selfe same substance and matter of heauen and of all the spheres Which we must moreouer note to be so established and ordained by God that the Sunne Moone and all the other stars and planets are no whit chaunged since the day of their creation any more then their said spheres neither are they more wearied worne Of the continuance and changing of the heauens or corrupted for all the labour which they haue performed by the space of so many yeeres then they were the first day of their creation For you must not holde it for a chaunge and alteration of their natures and qualities in that according to their diuers courses the stars and planets are sometimes far from and sometimes neere to one another and that they haue oppositions coniunctions and diuers and different respects according to the varietie of their motions nor yet for the eclipses of the Sunne and Moone For such changes are not in their proper bodies substance and qualitie but onely in regard of vs and our sight But to this constancie stablenes and continuance of the heauens and the celestiall bodies the words of the kingly Prophet in the Psalmes may seeme to be repugnant Psal 102. when he saith Thou O God hast aforetime layd the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure euen they all shall waxe olde as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not faile Also it is written Math. 24. 2. Pet. 3. that the heauens and earth shall passe That the day of the Lord shall come like a Thiefe in the night and in which the heauens must passe away like a noise of a tempest the elements must melt with heat and the earth with all the workes that are therein shall bee burnt That the heauens being set one fire shall be dissolued Esay 65. 66. Apoc. 21. and that we looke for new heauens and new earth according to the promise of God in whom dwelleth righteousnes All these testimonies yet do not contradict that which we heretofore said concerning the nature of the celestiall bodies For we refer their stabilitie and continuance to the course of all this great world which God hath ordained and established to endure till the consummation and ending thereof in such sort as he hath declared to vs in his word Moreouer it is one thing to speake of the heauens comparing their nature with that of other visible and corporall creatures and another thing when we compare them with the nature of God or of his word as the holy Scripture cōmonly doth Psal 90. For according to the doctrine thereof a thousand yeers are as one day before God wherfore also this visible frame both celestiall terrestrial is nothing else but as a vesture which weareth waxeth old is clean done after that it is worne al out And sith that both heauen and earth are created by the word of God Iohn 1. there is no doubt but they shall faile rather then it For it remayneth for euer like God from whom it proceedeth from all eternitie There is yet diuersitie of opinions amongst the ancient doctors about the vnderstanding of the holy Scripture concerning the matter which we do now treat of For some indeed say that the heauens shall perish with the rest of the world if it so please the creator and if he will haue it so considering that all creatures both visible and inuisible
he returneth to the other without any ceasing rest or fainting Wherein we must especially acknowledge gods woonderfull prouidence who hath created him neither greater nor lesse then is necessary to performe the office which hath beene committed to him And for his greatnes we may truely iudge that it is immense and admirable because that in what place soeuer men may be whether in the east or in the west or in the north or in the south parts yet do they all behold it of one selfesame greatnes And therefore doth the prophet say They which dwell in the vttermost parts of the earth Psal 65. are afraid of thy signes and thou makest them ioyfull with the going foorth of the euening and the morning that is with the rising and setting of the sunne and other planets and starres Wherein we must note that though we commonly say of the sunne that he riseth and setteth as if we spake of a man that went to take his rest in the night after that he trauailed all day yet in truth he neither riseth nor setteth for that he is continually busie How the rising and setting of the sunne must be taken bringing day to some when others haue night But men say commonly so because that in regard of vs he seemeth when he retyreth as if he went to rest at euen-tide and that he riseth in the morning when he returneth vnto vs. Wherfore we say that he is hidden and downe when we see him not and that he is risen when he appeereth at point of day And so do the rude people and children which dwel neere the mountaines accustomablie say that he is gone to hide himselfe behind them And they which are neere the sea suppose that he goeth to plunge wash himselfe therein as the Poets also say accommodating their stile to the vulgar And yet al may behold that he riseth not on the same side where he setteth but on the other quite opposite Whereby is easie to be iudged that he hath not reposed all the while that men slept but hath passed much way And that he still carrieth his light with him for it is a most certaine thing that he hath not deliuered night and darknes to those people and nations by which he passed but light and day But if there be fewe amongst the rude and ignorant which meditate these things so farre there be fewer which consider of the prouidence of God that manifesteth it selfe in this perpetuall changing of day into night and of night into day For there is nothing more contrary then light and darknes and consequently then night and day And yet hath God so well disposed compacted and reconciled these contrarieties togither that if things were otherwise ordained there were neither man nor beast that could long liue vpon the face of the earth And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith Eccles 42. Oh how delectable are all his works and to be considered euen to the very sparks of fire they liue all and endure for euer and whensoeuer need is they are all obedient They are al double one contrarie to another hee hath made nothing that hath any fault The one commendeth the goodnes of the other and who can be satisfied with beholding Gods glory And indeed if the day should last perpetually and equally alike in all parts of the world the heat of the sunne would so scorch euery thing that it would drie vp and consume not onely men and beasts but euen all moisture and humiditie which is in the earth Meruailes of the prouidence of God in the commodities of day and night Whereby all liuing creatures should faile for they could not liue for two causes First because that life doth principally lie in heate and moisture and is conserued by them according to the order that God hath set in nature to guard and maintaine it Wherefore as men and beasts loose their life if their naturall heat be altogither extinguished so doth it likewise befall them when their moisture is entirely consumed For there must be a verie equall proportion in all those qualities which are in the bodies of liuing creatures to wit in heat and coldnes in drines and moisture according to the nature of the fowre elements whereof they are composed for the excesse of the one doth confound the other For which cause God hath so disposed the course of the Sunne that hee distributeth his heate in so good and iust measure that he hindreth the too much coldnes and moisture which might quench the naturall heate and yet doth not so consume them by the heat and drines which he causeth but that there alwaies remaineth so much as is needful for the life of all creatures And for the other reason that they would faile it is that neither man nor any other animall can liue without nourishment to repaire in them that which the naturall heate like a fire incessantly flaming hath consumed of radicall humor in their bodies yet this heat must be likewise maintained that it be not extinguished as wee haue amply discoursed concerning these things in the second part of our Academie For this cause then God hath ordained eating and drinking for the nouriture of all liuing creatures and hath appointed to the earth as to the mother of al the charge and office to produce fruits and other nourishments needfull for them Which she cannot do being by nature cold and drie if as she is warmed by the heat of the sunne she be not also moistned by the waters both of heauen earth And therefore when that the sunne hath heated and dried it vp all day long the night which is the shadow of the earth doth afterwards ensue and taking from vs the sight of the sunne and his light doth by this meanes bring vnto vs darknes which causeth night wherein the Moone who is colde and moist hath her rule as the sunne who is hot and drie hath his rule in the day time And so we must consider these two celestiall bodies very neerely according to their proper effects which we perceiue and experiment heere on earth below Genes 1 as also Moses testifieth vnto vs saying that God created two great lights amongst others to be as regents and rulers the one of day and the other of night So then as the earth and all that it beareth togither with all animals or liuing creatures that it nourisheth are heated and dried vp in the day time by the sunne euen so are they moistned and refreshed in the night time by the withdrawing thereof and by the humiditie and coldnes of the Moone Wherein there especially hapneth a mutuall accord betweene heauen and earth vnder which we comprise the aire waters and al creatures therein contained with their natures and qualities Moreouer in this maruel we are to consider that as men and animals cannot suruiue without nourishment which God hath prouided by the meanes aforesaid so likewise could they not liue without taking some rest
Motion and Place For they say that the principle Motion seemeth to be naturally in all bodies of which some as light are carried aloft others as heauie descend downe and yet are they not forcibly driuen for then violently they would returne to their proper place Neither are they drawen for the place is an accident and draweth no element at all Then forsomuch as all motion is made in place it seemeth verie well that it must be set for one of the principles of all things Now place is the supreme superficies of euerie bodie enuironing the same round about which superficies remayneth the bodie being separated And euerie place is equall to the bodie therein contayned Euerie bodie likewise is in a place and in euerie place is a bodie For euerie bodie hath his extreme superficies and the place cannot be without a bodie considering that euerie place is the highest superficies contayning a bodie And when the place is taken in regard of the roundnes of the heauens it is immutable insomuch as it contayneth the entire bodie of the Vniuers But being considered as the superficies of any particular bodie it is changed by the diuers disposition and alteration of the creatures and remayneth not alwaies the same Behold then that which I haue thought worthie to be summarily noted in regard of the principles whereof the Philosophers dispute and of which and by which namely of the forme and first matter the sensible elements of all corruptible things doe consist and are composed Whereof we are according to the course of our talke to enforme our selues as AMANA you shall presently do Of the elements and of things to be considered in them in that they are distinguished by the number of fower Chap. 38. AMANA WHen we take the heauen in his most proper signification we meane thereby the firmament and the celestiall spheres which couer and encompasse all things that are in the vniuersall world But heauen is likewise taken oftimes for the aire and for the regions next to the spheres because they approch neerest to the nature of them and for that they be elements drawne out of the first principles for the composition of corruptible things And yet in the diuision of the world there are commonly mentioned but two principall parts that is the celestiall and the elementary part as we haue heretofore related Now vnder this last part whereof our ensuing discourse must entreat we must vnderstand all that which is comprehended within the concauitie or hollow vault of heauen vnder the Moone euen to the center of the earth Of the elementary region that is the fower simple elements which are Fire Aire Water and Earth incessantly employed in the generation and corruption of all creatures vnder the which part we comprise all the diuers and innumerable species of all bodies both perfect and imperfect The number and qualities of the elements materially engendred by the naturall commixture and power of the said elements Which cannot be in number aboue fower that is iust so many and neither more nor lesse then there are first qualities predomināt in them which are heat moisture colde and drienes which neuerthelesse alone and by themselues do not constitute an element for they cannot haue the power both to doe and to suffer as it is needfull that there should be in the generation and corruption of all things neither can the foresaid qualities consist aboue two together for feare least contrarie things should be found in one selfe same subiect but being ioyned two and two they are correspondent the one to the other as the qualities of heat and drines which are in the fire the heat moisture which are in the aire cold moisture which are in the water and cold drines which are in the earth But heat cold which are actiue qualities and moisture drines which are passiue qualities are altogether contrarie And therefore can they not cōsist both together in one selfe same element Scituation of the elements wherupon it cōmeth to passe that the fire the water the aire the earth are cleane contrarie one to another which causeth also that the fire as the most subtile lightest element tending naturally vpwards is placed aboue the other three elements and enuironeth the aire round about which agreeth in heate with it which aire encompasseth the water agreeing therewith in moisture and the water is dispersed about the earth and agreeth therewith in coldnes and the same earth as the most heauie and hardest element is heaped and compacted togither in the midst of the whole world containing the center thereof It is certaine that the water enuironeth not the earth cleane round about but is spread abroad by diuers armes branches and lakes which we call seas as well within as about the same for so it was necessarie that some partes of the earth might be vncouered for the health and habitation of liuing creatures so as it hath pleased the soueraigne king of the world to ordaine for the benefit of all things There are then fower elements first foundations of things compounded and subiect to corruption How the number of fowre is note-woorthy in diuers things And by this number of fower perfectly consonant the elementarie world is diuided into these fower partes the firie the airie the watrie and the earthy part so also is this terrestriall frame distinguished into fower points to wit East West North and South as we knowe the like to be in the celestiall bodies And by their diuers motions and courses we obtaine the fower seasons of the yeere to wit the spring sommer autumne and winter From whence likewise proceedeth all aide and fauor to the substance and composition of the creatures comprised vnder these fower kindes that is corporall vegetable sensitiue and reasonable creatures which subsist of these fower qualities hot cold moist and drie We likewise see that all quantitie is diuided into fower to wit into a point into a length bredth and depth There are also fower sortes of motion ascending descending progression and turning round Moreouer if we will here drawe out some mysteries of the Pythagorians we shall knowe that all the foundation of euery deepe studie and inuention must be setled vpon the number of fower bicause it is the roote and beginning of all numbers which exceed fower For a vnitie being ioined to a fower maketh vp ten and in this number all the rest to ten are found as may appeere in this figure 1. 2. 3. 4. Aboue which number of ten as Aristotle in his problemes and Hierocles in his verses vpon Pythagoras reciteth no land nor language hath euer proceeded For the Hebrues Greekes Latins and Barbarians themselues being come so farre as to ten begin againe with an vnitie saying 11. 12. and so forward imitating nature guided by her soueraigne who by the order of tens parteth the fingers of the hands and toes of the feete as the same creator would distribute
the terrestriall celestiall and supercelestiall world by this number of ten as the diuinitie of the Hebrues doth teach and as we haue heretofore made mention The which number likewise doth containe all manner of numbers be they euen odde square long plaine perfect cubicall pyramidall prime or compound numbers And thereby that is by denarie proportions fower cubicall numbers are accomplished so fower is the roote of ten and ten of an hundred and an hundred of a thousand For as 1. 2. 3. and 4. make ten so by tens are hundreds made and by hundreds thousands Moreouer foure containeth all musicall harmonie bicause that therein is the proportion double triple quadruple of so much and an halfe and of so much a third wherof resulteth the diapason the bisdiapason diapente diatesseron and diapason togither with diapente For this cause Hierocles the interpreter of Pythagoras doth so extoll this number of fower that he affirmeth it to be the cause of all things and that nothing can be said or done which proceedeth not from it as from the roote and foundation of all nature And therfore did the Pythagorians sweare by this number as by some holy thing making as may be easily coniectured allusion to that great fower-lettered name of the Hebrues The name of God foure-lettered from whom they receiued their instructions Which name of the holy of holies God eternall and most good requireth no fewer letters among the Greekes and Latines no not amongst the most barbarous nations wherein one may directly beleeue that great mysteries are hidden That the foure elements do found all doctrine and art But not to wander farther from our elementarie region as therein we acknowledge fower elements so many likewise are there in the Metaphysicks to wit the essence the estate the vertue and the action The naturalist also teacheth fower nurses of nature to wit power growth the forme growne and the composition And the Mathematicians haue these fower elements the point the line the plaine and the solid And that which the point is in the Mathematicks the same is the seminarie power in the Phisickes the line is as the naturall growth the plaine or superficies as the forme perfect in greatnes and the solide or cube or deepe bodie as the composition There are amongst the morall philosophers also fower seedes of vertues prudence temperatenes or temperance fortitude and iustice And there are fower faculties found to iudge of things that is vnderstanding discipline opinion and the senses Artificers likewise accustome to settle their buildings vpon fower corners to the end they may be firme and durable wherein they imitate nature which worketh so in all this world And the soueraigne gouernor thereof hath willed that there should be fower foundations of the most perfect eternall and firme law of grace to wit the fower Euangelists Agreement of the elements It then plainly appeereth that not without great mysterie the creator setled fower foundations of all this mundane frame which in admirable proportion doe accord togither as al square numbers which are inclosed by a proper number referre themselues by a middle proportionall to both sides For as we haue said the elements are agreeable one to another with their coupled qualities whereof each retaineth one peculiar qualitie to it selfe and agreeth in the other as by a meane with the next element So that the fower elements are as if each one of them had two hands by which they held one another as in a round daunce or else as if they were conioined and linked togither as with chains and buckles And therefore the water is moist and cold retaining the moisture as peculiar to it selfe and in coldnes participating with the nature of the earth by the moisture thereof it is also allied vnto the aire which also in some measure participateth in heate with the nature of fire Wherefore as the earth accordeth in coldnes with the water so is the water answerable in moisture to the aire and the aire is correspondent in heate to the fire retaining yet neuertheles each of them one proper predominant qualitie But aboue all the Academicks haue inuented a goodly concord betweene these elements in their discourses of the quadruple proportion from which onely their musicall proportions doe proceede for if one passe farther mens eares seeme to bee offended They say then Of the harmonie of the elements that the fire is twise more subtile then the aire thrise more mooueable and fower times more pearsing Likewise that the aire is twise more sharpe then the water thrise more subtile and fower times more mooueable Againe that the water is twise more sharpe then the earth thrise more subtile and fower-times more mooueable And in this proportion haue they found out the harmonie of the elements and shewed that though the fire be sharpe subtile and mooueable the aire subtile mooueable and moist the water mooueable moist and corporall the earth corporall immooueable and dry yet is there a certaine accord and vnion betweene them bicause that betwixt the fire and the earth the aire and water haue been placed by such a couenant that there is the same respect betwixt the fire and the aire that is betweene the aire and the water and betweene the water and the earth and againe that such as the earth is towards the water such is the water towards the aire and the aire towards the fire in correspondencie of qualities and harmonious contrarietie Wherefore they conclude that the harmonie is on all sides so great among the elements that it is no maruell if in their proper places and in their compounds they maintaine and repose themselues with very great and friendly concord Whereby it appeereth that none can induce a goodlier reason why the water doth not ouerflow the earth being higher then it then to say that it will not swarue from this agreement But further concerning this matter what shall we say of those which accept but of three elements namely the aire the water and the earth and reiect the elementary fire I would faine heare you ARAM discourse thereof Of the opinion of those who admit but three elements not acknowledging the elementary fire Chapter 39. ARAM. BEtweene the lowest place and the highest it is necessarie that there shoulde be two places simplie meane to wit the places not exactly lowest nor highest And for that consideration some of the learned conclude that there be so many simple bodies made and consisting of the prime and first matter which are called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is beginnings or elements of those proceedeth the generation of all corruptible things And if probable arguments may ought preuaile each one must acknowledge fower elements in all compound bodies as the most part of those who haue diligently considered the workes of nature are of opinion Now there is none that can doubt of the earth of the water and of the aire because of their
haue the power to doe and to suffer neither also can they consist more then two togegither for else contraries should remaine in one selfe same subiect Neither can heat be ioyned with cold without some meane nor dry with moist Whereupon doth follow that the qualities not contrarie being ioyned two and two together doe declare vnto vs fower well ordered combinations or couplings which do argue vnto vs the fower elements But hearken what the aduers part answereth Such coniunctions and copulations doe onely shew themselues in mixtures and compound bodies for some things being hot in the first degree are also moist and some being cold are drie others are hot and drie others cold and moist and so consquently of the rest But for the elements because that heat and great drines had reduced all things to an ende in steed of ministring a beginning vnto them Nature or rather the author of Nature Of the celestiall heat producing fire hath ordayned a celestiall heat well tempered by which all things should be engendred And by it and by putrefaction and motion the creature called Fire is incessantly produced Whereupon ensueth that though there be a fire yet neuerthelesse it is no element And therefore they conclude that there are but three elements The earth most thicke and heauie seated below the aire most thin and light placed aboue and the water meane betwixt these qualities situate between both They also affirme that vnto these elements it is common to haue no naturall heat because there is no heat but from the heauens and consequently from the soule and from brightnes That the earth because it is exceeding thicke and solide and the aire because it is beyond measure thinne seeme to be least cold but the water which is of meane substance betweene both seemeth to be most cold That the earth because of some certaine thinnesse thereof admitteth heat and therefore is esteemed lesse cold then stones And the aire because of the temperate cleernes and for that by the thinnesse thereof it is easily chaunged is esteemed not onely not to be cold but to be hot though in truth all the elemēts are cold by their own nature Which coldnes is nothing else but priuatiō of heat which heat doth wholly rest in the stars which is a proper celestiall qualitie moouing the bodie which aided by motion produceth fire But say they many may bee deceiued by reason of the violent heat which sometimes maketh impression in the elements For by the action of the starres some parts of the elements are mixed and participate with the nature of the celestiall bodies as Pepper becommeth hot And yet such mingling cannot be said to be an element but a thing composed partly of elements And for the fire which lighteth by the striking and beating of stones that it is likewise an heat of the stars in a bodie rarified by the celestiall power By these reasons then they conclude that two qualities do onely appeere vnto vs the heat of heauen and the proper moisture of the elements and as for drie and cold that they be the priuations of those qualities and that therfore a thing verie hot or verie cold cannot properly be called an element What an element is but that that may be said to be an element which hath no need of nourishment which of it selfe is not corrupt neither wandreth here and there but retayneth a certaine place in great quantitie according to nature and is prepared for generation All which things not agreeing with the fire because it is alwaies mooued neither can subsist without nouriture and burneth the aire which is next it whereby being inflamed it is called a flame for flame is nothing else but the aire inflamed it followeth that it cannot be called an element but rather an accidentall and great heat Behold then how Philosophers do diuersly dispute vpon this matter but our intention is not to giue sentence therein especially against the ancient and generally confirmed opinion which admitteth fower elements Wherefore as leaning thereunto tel vs ACHITOB how they may be considered by the perfect compositions which are in the world Of the perfect compositions which are in the nature of all things by which the fower elements may be considered Chap. 40. ACHITOB. ACcording as we are taught by those who haue first diligently sought out the secrets of nature we shal consider an elementarie fire and the element thereof approching the heauenly spheres by reason of the naturall agreement which they haue together being much greater then there is of the heauens with the aire the water and the earth Now these fower elements do demonstrate themselues by the like number of perfect compounds The agreement of stones with the earth which follow the nature of them to wit by stones mettals plants and animals or sensitiue creatures For stones haue their foundation or originall vpon the earthie corner of this worlds frame because that agreeing with the nature of earth they descend alwaies towards the center except they be such as are ouer-dried and burned as are the pumice-stones which are made spungie in caues full of aire But when they are turned into dust then resuming their proper nature of stones they descend Chrystall and the Beryll are also numbred among stones because that though they may be engendred of water they are neuerthelesse so congealed and in manner frozen that being made earthie they descend downewards which is not the manner of frost and snow So is it with those stones that are bredde in the bladder though they be produced of a waterie humour And all these kindes of stones become so close and solide in their nature with such fastnes and binding that they cannot be molten like mettals although the saide mettals descend downewardes like stones Mettals agreeing with the water And therefore also vpon the second watrie angle of the elementarie world mettals are builded which though they be said to be composed of all the elements yet bicause they are principally made of water they retaine the nature thereof and will melt as Abubacher doth excellently discourse speaking thus We see in mines that by reason of the continuall heate of some mountaines the thickest of the water steweth and boileth so that in tract of time it becommeth quicksiluer And of the fat of the earth so stewed and boiled togither with heate is brimstone ingendred and through continuall heate also are mettals procreated For gold that hath no default is ingendred of quicksiluer and of brimstone that is pure tough cleere and red Siluer of the same liquid siluer and of close pure cleere and white sulphur wherein colour wanteth and something of the closenes surenes and consequently of waight Tinne that is more vnperfect is ingendred of the same causes and parts vnperfect bicause they are lesse concocted and attenuated Lead of the same terrestriall-siluer and full of filth depriued of purenes and surenes and of grosse sulphur or brimstone somewhat red whereto
wanteth fastnes clearnes and waight which makes this mettall vnperfect and impure And Iron is procreated of the same quicksiluer impure tough part earthie and burnt white and not cleere which maketh this mettall base and foule failing in purenes and in waight All which mettals being made of quicksiluer which is waterie doe for this cause retaine the nature of the water To this author accordeth Auicen in his Phisickes and in the epistle to Hazem the philosopher But Gilgil the Spanyard supposed that mettals had been engendred of cinders bicause they sinke in water and melt like the glasse which is drawne from terrestriall-cinders and beaten stone But this concludeth not for mettall sinketh and descendeth by reason of that terrestriall part which it hath incorporated with the liquid part and bicause that the pores which retaine the aire are closed and shut vp And for glasse it is not extracted out of the earthie matter but out of the radicall moisture which is within the cinders and stones For in euery compound are the fower elements though the nature of one hath more domination therein For this cause likewise plants are founded vpon the third angle of the world called airie Concord of the plants with the aire for they doe not growe nor fructifie but in open day and doe properly retaine the nature of the aire which they alwaies require as being fittest and aptest for them Yea the wood it selfe would presently corrupt and rot being depriued of the aire if the watrie humor doe not succour it which participateth with the aire Finally vpon the fourth angle of this fower-faced edifice to wit Animals accord with the fire vpon the fire is the liuing sensitiue creature built whose life as many learned doe teach is by meanes of fire and obtained from the Empyreall heauen and from the spirit of life which is a quickning fire and distributeth life to all the mundane wheeles as we may learne by the oracles of Ezechiel saying Ezech. 1. And the spirit of life was in the wheeles Behold then how vpon the fower bases of the elements are planted fower sorts of perfect compounds to wit stones mettals plants and liuing creatures True it is that vnder euery vniuersall kinde of these there are diuers particular species distinct the one from the other for although stones may be properly earthie yet are they sometimes nominated of some other element which most preuaileth in their composition For doubtlesse all the elements doe meete togither in the procreation of them but chiefly earth and water Whereupon obscure and thicke-darke stones are called earthie-stones and cleere transparent stones waterie Diuersitie of the nature of stones and some also are melted by a great fire to be turned into glasse Some also with raine falling drop by drop are engendred in the shels of oisters as those pearles which are found in the Indian and Britaine seas The chrystal and Beryll are made of water frozen voide of pores or subtile passages so that they can neither receiue heate nor be melted It appeereth also that there is fire in the composition of stones which likewise is forced out of the flint being stroken with a gad of steele To which purpose Hermes amongst his secrets teacheth that a stone doth sometimes spring out of the fire mounting from earth to heauen and then againe returning to the earth that nourished it For mettals likewise Diuersitie of the mettals though they be waterie some of them doe neuertheles retaine the nature of fire as gold and iron one of which imitateth the fire of the sunne and the other the fire of Mars But tinne and copper are airie this receiuing influence from Venus that from Iupiter Siluer agreeth with the moone Lead with Saturne quicksiluer with Mercurie and yet all of them are endued with a waterie nature wil melt and doe differ in waight For as one water doth differ in waight from another so doth mettall from mettall not onely in speciall but also in vndiuisible proportion For common gold differeth in waight from that which the Latines call Obrysum or else Ofiryzum of the Hebrue word Ofir which we call fine golde and which hath been oftentimes purged and refined in the fire and wasteth not therein The gold of Tharsis also doth differ from the gold of India and Hungarie and so of others So likewise doe waters differ in goodnes and in waight according to the region and place wherein they are and by how much they are neerer to the fountaine by so much are they better and lighter And by their waight as Vitruuius will haue it one may knowe the goodnes of the aire according to which he willeth men to choose out places to build houses in Concerning plants although they may be by nature airie A different propertie of the plants yet there are some whose rootes iuice leaues and blossomes are said to be hot in the first second third or fourth degree and others are cold and drie some also are moist which diuersitie happeneth according as the plant obtaineth more or lesse of the nature of one of the elements Diuersitie of nature in animalibus The like is of liuing creatures For though they may properly be said to be of the nature of fire yet are there some which being more earthie delight in the earth as mowles woormes and commonly all creeping things Likewise all fishes are nourished by the water the chameleon by the aire the salamander by fire as some affirme bicause that he long time indureth fire through his excessiue coldnes There are some also which burne with great heate as doues and lions some are cooled with moisture as the lambe and some are dry as hares and deere But neuerthelesse in regarde of their life they are all especially of the nature of fire distinguished by degrees wherefore diuers names haue beene assigned to them being borrowed from the elements or from their qualities Of the celestiall and supercelestiall elements And besides all this which we haue heere discoursed concerning the elements which may bee found in the perfectly compounded substances of this elementarie world many learned men affirme that they are also resident in the celestiall and supercelestiall world But that as they are heere thicke and grosse so by a contrary reason they are pure and cleane in heauen and in it liuing and euery where well doing They say then that these celestiall elements are as the woorthiest excellent portion of those which subsist vnder the moones-sphere in the second degree and which remaine also in the bowels of the earth as the most base and grosse lees of the elements And that in heauen they are certaine vertues or powers and in nature the seedes of things and in the world below grosse formes For as they argue if there were no elementarie powers in heauen how then by the celestiall influences should these elements heere below be engendred and transformed in such sort as that which
all the regions of the earth into East West North and South so must we consider the fower principall winds which proceede out of these fower places one opposite to another Besides which there are certaine others which are called collaterall windes bicause that each of the first hath them vpon the one or other side of them so that those who haue ordinarily written concerning the windes doe appoint to the number of twelue common and ordinarie windes saying also that there are others which are proper to certaine regions and countries according to the nature of their situations and places as we may hereafter finde matter ynough thereof amply to intreat But here it will be good to touch one difficultie which may be alledged vpon our discourse Notable things in the diuersitie of the qualities of the windes and of the aire touching that which we haue said concerning the qualities of the aire For sith that it is hot and moist by nature and that the windes are nothing else but the same are mooued and puffed forwards what may be the cause that the windes doe not all of them retaine the nature of the aire For we knowe by experience that there are as many diuers qualities in the windes as in all the elements for some are hot and drie others hot and moist others moist and cold and some cold and drie Hereupon then we are to note that all creatures which subsist of a sensible and corporall nature are commonly diuided into two kindes which comprise them all The one are simple and the other compound of the first sort are the elements taken euery one alone in their proper and particular nature such as we haue already declared And all other creatures compounded of all the elements conioined togither are of the second kinde Wherefore if the elements were pure not any way mixed one with another then would each of them retaine their naturall qualities purely But bicause they are intermingled one with another they haue their qualities likewise mingled And therefore by how much the higher the aire mounteth by so much the more it is pure neat subtile and thin and by how much the lower it descendeth and approcheth the water and earth by so much the more it is grosse and thicke and partaketh more of the elements neere to which it remaineth And according as it is warmed by the heate of the sunne or by any other heate or else as it is cooled by the absence and default thereof euen so doth it become either more hot or more cold The like also may be said concerning the naturall moisture thereof For according as it is more or lesse mixed with water or neere vnto it so doth it receiue either a more moist or a more drie qualitie So therfore according to the places out of which the windes proceed issue and through which they passe they are hotter or colder drier or moisture pure or impure healthfull and holesome or pestilent and infectious yea euen stinking And for the same cause also it commeth to passe that as the diuersitie of lands and countries is disposed so winds which are felt in one place warme are in another place cold and so is it of their moisture and drines By the same reason also those that are healthfull for some are vnholesome for others and those which bring with them faire and cleere weather in one place doe in another place bring raine and tempests For the propertie of some of them is according to the countries wherein they blowe to chase away the cloudes and to make the aire cleere and the weather faire whereas others doe assemble and heape them togither Whereupon ensueth that some bring raine with them others snowe and others againe haile and tempests according as God hath ordained the causes in nature as the sequele of our discourse shall minister occasion againe to speake of Wherefore pursuing the order of our speech we will consider those things which are conioyned to the fire and aire and doe depend vpon their effects as are thunders and lightnings Whereof ARAM doe you discourse Of thunder and lightning Chapter 43. ARAM. THere is a certaine vniuersall loue and appetite in all creatures which inciteth them all to loue their owne kinde to desire it and to search after it But as their natures are diuers euen so is the loue and the appetite which is in them And therefore there are as many sortes of desires as there are diuersities of natures And thence it is that the fire and the aire doe naturally desire the highest places and doe thither tend euermore as the water and the earth doe require the lowest and doe thereto descend incessantly neither can these elements finde any stay or rest vntill they be arriued at those places which are appointed vnto them by nature And therefore what hinderance soeuer there may be yet euery thing doth alwaies seeke to returne to his naturall home and therein doth all possible endeuour Now here we are to consider the cause of thunders lightnings tempests earthquakes and such like motions and perturbations in the elements For all these things happen when the creatures which by their contraries are hindered from pursuing their owne kinde do fight with those which keepe them backe as if there were open warre betwixt them Which causeth that that which by force can make way doth at last vanquish But bicause of the resistance which there is this cannot be performed without great violence and maruellous noise from whence proceede many admirable effects and namely thunder which hath ministred occasion to many great spirits to search out the causes somewhat neerely But mens opinions as in a very deepe matter are diuers hereupon Of the causes of thunder For some maintaine that thunder is caused by the blowes and strokes that the fire maketh being inclosed within the cloudes which it cleaueth so making it selfe to appeere as is seene in lightnings Aristotle in his Meteors writeth that thunder groweth and proceedeth of hot and drie exhalations ascending out of the earth into the supreme region of the aire being there repulsed backe by the beames of the stars into the cloudes For these exhalations desiring to set themselues at libertie and to free themselues doe cause this noise which is often stopped by nature whilest they fight with the cloudes but when they can gaine issue then doe they make the cloude to cracke like a bladder full of winde that is broken by force Moreouer Plinie imitating the opinion of the Epicure teacheth Plin. hist natur lib. 2. that those fires which fall from the starres as we see often in calme weather may sometimes meete with the cloudes and fall vpon them and that by the vehemencie of this blowe the aire is mooued And that this fire plunging it selfe into the cloudes causeth a certaine thicke and hissing smoke which maketh a noise like an hot iron thrust into water From whence the whirlewindes which we see in the aire
of his comming for since the fathers died all thinges continue alike from the creation Which is as much as if they should say that there is a common and continuall course of nature which hath hitherto continued from the beginning of the world and shall endure for euer without end and without any judgement of God to come Against Atheists For thus prate our idolaters of nature who doe altogither denie the prouidence of God And therefore the blessed apostle doth also adde that they willingly know not that the heauens were of old and that earth that was of the water and the water by the word of God By which things the world that was perished being ouerflowed with waters Likewise saint Peter had before concluded 2. Pet. â— that if God hath not spared the old world but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the troup of the vngodly it cannot be that the wicked which are borne since into the world may thinke that their condemnation sloweth and that their perdition sleepeth For a thousand yeeres are but as one day and one day is as a thousand yeeres before the Lord. Psal 90. And the long terme that God alloweth to men to preuent his iudgement by repentance and amendment shall not hinder him to execute his iudgement yea by so much the more rigorously by how much the more long time and more vilely they haue abused his stay and patience Let vs then imprint this at this present in our memorie concerning our discourse of the waters sustained and hanged in the aire which haue serued God for so terrible ministers in the execution of his iustice when it pleased him to punish the iniquitie of men and to morrow pursuing our subiect we will speake againe of raines and heauenly waters to the end to consider of the admirable prouidence of God which shineth in them euen as you ASER shall giue vs to vnderstand The end of the sixt day THE SEVENTH DAIES WORKE Of Dewes and Raine Chapter 49. ASER. THe prouidence of God hath so disposed the nature of the aire and of the water that these elements seeme to repaire and maintaine one another For there is a place in the aire where water is as it were conuerted into the nature thereof there is another place againe wherein water returneth into his owne natural kinde sauing that whilest it hangeth and is sustained in the aire it is much more light and subtile then that which runneth in the earth for it retaineth more of the earth How the water ascendeth vp from the earth and changeth nature Although then that water is by nature more heauie then the aire yet doth not the heauines thereof let it from mounting vp from the earth because that by the heate of the sunne which attracteth it and other such like naturall causes by which it may be eleuated into the aire this waightines is taken from it or at least is so diminished that it doth then retaine more of the nature of aire then of water and so doth till such time as it hath ascended and attained to the place which God hath assigned to it in the aire For the heate of the sun doth conuert it first into vapors which are drawne out of the least terrestriall and most subtile parts thereof which approch neerest to the nature of the aire For which cause these vapors are more easily conuerted into aire the which resolueth it selfe againe into water then when such vapors are arriued at the middle region of the aire which is the coldest part thereof as well by reason that it is farther distant from the sunne and from all the other celestiall and aetherian fires then the supreme part thereof is as likewise because it cannot be heated like the lowest part thereof by reuerberation of the sunnes heate which scorcheth the earth Wherefore Moses declaring vnto vs how the Lord made the water mount from the earth and conuerted it into vapors saith The Lord God had not caused it to raine vpon the earth Genes 2. neither was there a man to til the ground but a mist or vapor went vp from the earth and watered all the earth For we behold euery day how that after the aire hath beene refreshed by the coolenes of the night the dew falleth in the morning vpon the earth and if the colde hath beene great it is turned into miste white hoarie-frost from which proceed the frosts that doe oftentimes spoile vines and trees which are most tender in colde weather when their branches are yet feeble and they begin to budde And let vs note that there are two sorts of vapors Of two sorts of vapors which make dew and raine which do commonly rise from the terrestriall towards the celestiall region the one is fat and thicke whereof the dewe is made and the other is subtile and thinne which turneth into raine Cornefields are fatned by the dewe which by reason of the thicknes thereof mounteth not very high and if that any part of it be better concocted as doth happen ordinarily in hot countries it resteth condensate through colde vpon the plants and is called Manna Of this it is that Pliny speaketh when he saith Hist nat lib. 11. that the great starres being risen in sommer and specially the most excellent or else when the raine-bowe is ouer the earth and that it raine not but onely make a small dewe which is heated by the sunne-beames that which then falleth is not home but is an heauenly gift and singular medicine for the eies for vlcers and for those accidents which may happen in the nauell and interior parts Which Manna is plentifully gathered in Targa a wildernes of Libya neere to the citie Agades especially when the nights are very faire partly for that they are colder then the day and partly for that the dewes cannot conuert themselues into the substance of clouds because as I said it is condensate by the cold Whereupon ensueth that when the raine is ingendred of vapors the colde cannot be great for then such vapors are attracted by the heate and are presently after thickned by the colde in the region of the aire And therefore there is but little Manna founde when the night is cloudie and lesse when it is rainie for then it melteth Behold then how the fattest part of vapors turneth into dew that which mounteth vp is condensate through colde in the subtile aire Why it raineth but little in summer and diuersly in other seasons and is afterwardes conuerted into raine And bicause that in sommer the heate doth drie vp very neere so much as it attracteth in vapors there is therefore verie seldome little raine therein for considering that in our countries the heate is weake it attracteth by little and little the vapors which the drinesse doth oftentimes consume before they can be conuerted into raine Wherefore it commeth to passe that if it
to intreate of the visible creatures which conuerse in the aire Psal 8. Matth. 6. Luk. 8. Genes 1. and of which the holy scripture speaketh in diuers places vnder the name of the foules of the aire considering also that Moses teacheth that the foules and fishes were created before any of the terrestriall creatures For as there is a greater accord between the two elements of water and aire then of aire and earth euen so is there a more correspondencie of nature between fishes and foules then between beasts of the earth and foules For the flying of birds in the aire is like the swimming of fishes in the water Moreouer there are many water-foules which are as it were of a middle nature betweene those which conuerse but only in the aire or in the earth and which therein receiue their nouriture and betweene the fishes that liue in the waters For these birds flie in the aire like other birds and swim also in the water like fishes and liue partly in the water and partly in the aire But before we intreate particularly of these things it seemeth good to me to note vpon the beginning of our discourse concerning liuing creatures that there are two principall kindes of liuing creatures Of two principall kindes of beasts the first are those which haue life in euery part being diuided and cut asunder called in Latine Insecta bicause of the incisions which they seeme to haue vpon their bodies and which are ingendred of putrifaction The second sort is of perfect creatures to whom the former properties agree not but they haue their generation through propagation and race Now we must hereafter speake of insect creatures And for the perfect Of nine kindes of perfect beasts there are found nine principall kindes of them whereof some remaine onely in the aire and haue no feet as the bird called Manucodiata other conuerse in the aire and in the earth as the Eagle and sundry other birds some are earthly and yet like foules neuertheles as is the Estridge some inhabite both in the earth and in the water as the Beauer called in Latine Fiber some foules swim as the swan some creatures are flying fishes others are altogither earthly as the dog some keepe vnder ground as the Mole others liue in the water onely as the dolphin our speech then shall be concerning these nine kinds of creatures and we wil briefly discourse of some of the most excellent of them Of the bird named Manucodiata Now to begin with the birds according as the order of our treatise doth require we will speake of the Manucodiata commonly called the birde of God or of paradise according to the interpretation of the Indian name which birde is found dead vpon the earth or in the sea in the Isles named The Malucos bicause it is neuer seene aliue out of the aire For this birde onely hath no feete for that it abideth aloft in the aire and farre out of mans sight hauing the body and beake like a swallow both in bignes and forme The feathers of his wings and taile are longer then those of a sparrow-hawke but very slender agreeable to the smalenes of the bird The back of the cock is holow whereby reason sheweth that the hen layeth her egges in this hollownes seeing that she hath the like creuise in her belly so that by means of both these pits she may hatch her egges The meate of this foule is the dewe of heauen which serueth it for meate drinke it neuer faileth but through age onely and so long as they liue they sustaine themselues with their owne wings and their taile being spred out in a roundnes by which meanes it doth more commodiously inhabite in the aire Of Eagles Hist nat lib. 10. Next I proceed to the birds which conuerse in the aire and in the earth of which the Eagle for greatnes and strength beareth away the price Plinie setteth downe sixe kindes of which the least in body called the blacke eagle is strongest and it of all others doth onely nourish her eaglets For all the rest chase and driue away their yoong ones bicause that when they haue them their nailes and clawes are turned vpside downe as if nature woulde declare hirselfe very prouident in this to depriue the eagle of al meanes to helpe it selfe with any more purchase then will euen serue her owne turne for otherwise it woulde destroy all the yoong venison of a countrey therefore through hunger which by this occasion they do then sustaine they become white and hate their yoong ones But the Ossifragi which are another sort of wilde eagles doe as diuers affirme gather togither the yoong eaglets which their dam hath expelled and doe nourish them with their owne And eagles neuer die through age or any other malady but for hunger onely their vppermost beak growing so great and so crooked that it is impossible for them to open their mouthes to feede themselues Their feathers being mingled with the feathers of other birds do deuoure and consume them The Phenix is said to be found in no other place of the world but only in Arabia is very seldome seen It is as big as an eagle Of the Phenix and the plumes of her taile are guilded being intermixed with certaine blew and carnation feathers the rest of her body being of a purple colour She hath her head decked with exquisite plumes and with a tuft of very goodly feathers She liueth sixe hundred and sixtie yeeres as Manilius a Senator of Rome recordeth and so Plinie doth make report And feeling herselfe aged Hist nat lib. 10. she maketh her nest with peeces of cynamon and incense and hauing filled it with all sorts of aromaticall odors she dieth thereupon And out of her marrow and bones there commeth first a worme which afterward turneth to a little birde that in time prooueth another Phenix Some report almost the very same of a birde called Semenda which is found in the midst of India which hath her bill clouen into three parts boared and pearced euery where through and she singeth at her death as the swan doth Afterward by beating of her wings she kindleth a fire made of the twigs of a vine which she gathereth togither wherewith she is burned and of her ashes there is a worme engendred of which springeth againe another like birde Swans are birds cleane white and differ but little from geese Of Swans except in bignes They sing sweetelier then any other foules Their propertie is to teare their yoong ones in peeces and to deuour them for which cause they are very rare to be found And some say that they presage their death by their songs Cranes come from the farthest orientall seas of India into the regions of Europe and do neuer part from any place Of Cranes but that they seeme to do it with counsell and by the common consent of all and by the same meanes they
these waters seeme to haue their Springing out of certaine fountaines which many affirme to be made of the aire yet the verie truth is that their chiefe source is out of the sea which as it is named in Iob is as the wombe out of which all waters both celestiall and terrestriall haue their first originall and do engender repaire themselues continually by the meanes that we haue alreadie heard Why the water is mixed with the earth Now according to the opinion of the Philosophers all reason teacheth vs that this ordinance in nature concerning the distribution of the waters throughout the earth hath beene made of necessitie for the mutuall maintenance of these two elements for so much as the Earth being naturally drie cannot subsist without moisture and contrariwise the flowing water could not haue ought to stay vpon without being propped vp by the earth Wherfore it was necessarie that the earth should giue it place and that it should open all her vaines and conduicts that the water might passe through the same both within vpon it yea and to pierce euen to the highest mountaine tops in which place being pressed with the waight of the earth and also in some place mooued by the aire which driueth it one shall see it issue out in great vehemencie euen as if it were squirted out Whosoeuer then will consider of the whole circuit of the earth shall learne that the moitie of the roundnes thereof is enuironed by the sea which floweth round about it causing the waues thereof to goe and come continually sometimes aloft and sometimes verie low like as if this terrene globe were a bowle cast into the water one part whereof should lye discouered out of it That the water is round and the other couered within it Which water the Philosophers hold to be entirely round hauing the open heauen in euerie part ouer it And this is confirmed by those drops of water which fall vpon the ground or vpon leaues of trees and of herbs which are round If also one fill a vessell top-brim-full of water they may euidently behold that the water riseth and swelleth in the middest making a kinde of round forme In truth by reason that the water is subtile and soft these things are far better comprehended by arguments and concluding reasons wherewith the bookes of the learned are replenished then by the view of the eie Notwithstanding this is verie admirable that if one put neuer so little water into a vessell alreadie brimme-full the vppermost part thereof will shedde ouer and yet if one cast into the same so top-full vessell some heauy thing yea to the waight of twenty pence the water will not spill therefore but will swell onely till such time as it stand much aboue the brimme of the vessell by the rising thereof Moreouer the roundenesse of the water which causeth this doth also make that those which are in the top of a ship do sooner discouer land then those which are in the foredeck or in the sterne thereof so likewise if any shining thing bee fastned to the top of the mast at parting from the port it seemeth that the vessell still goeth downewards till at length the sight of hir will be cleane lost Moreouer how should it bee possible that the ocean sea which enuironeth the earth as being the mother-sea and the receptacle of all the rest doth not run abroad considering there is no banck to with-hold it if it were not of round forme Wherein this is to bee noted that the water of the sea doth in no sort ouerpasse the limits thereof nor doth euer runne but toward the place of the naturall scituation thereof Why the water doth retaine it selfe in it selfe without running abroade Of which the Greeke Philosophers haue rendred an especiall reason by Geometricall propositions and conclusions making demonstration that this water cannot run otherwise what roome or scope soeuer it haue For they say that considering the nature of water is to fall alwaies downeward and that also the sea stretcheth it selfe out so far as it can neuerthelesse according as the declining of the sea can suffer as euery one may see with his eie and by how much the lower it is by so much the more it doth approch to the center of the earth whereupon ensueth that all lynes drawne from that center to the waters neerest to it are shorter then those lines which are drawne from the vppermost waters to the extremity of the sea so that by that meanes the water of the sea doth alwaies decline towards the center from whence it can in no sort fall but doth there retaine it selfe Surely if wee doe neerely consider this maruellous worke of God the sea and waters we shall therein finde goodly mirrors wherein to contemplate his maiestie and greatnes Good christian instructions taken from the waters Ioâ— 38. According as he saith to his seruant Iob Who hath shut vp the sea with doores when it issued and came foorth as out of the wombe When I made the cloudes as a couering thereof and darknes as the swadling bands thereof When I established my commandement vpon it and set barres and doores And said Hitherto shalt thou come but no farther and here shalt thou stay thy proud waues The like is also taught by the Psalmist saying Psas 33. Hee gathereth the waters of the sea together as vpon an heape and layeth vppe the depths in his treasures Which is as much as if hee should say GOD holdeth backe the waters as with a bridle that they may not ouerrunne and couer the earth Wherein we are moreouer to note that the holy Ghost speaketh concerning the sea in this fore-alledged text of Iob and in many other places of scripture as if it had some sense and vnderstanding and that God had caused it to heare his voice and had commanded it as he commandeth men to obey his ordinance although it be a senselesse creature and without life but this is to the end that we may better learne to acknowledge the power prouidence of God ouer all his works For the sea is not onely deafe and depriued of all sense and much more without vnderstanding but also exceeding furious and outragious being mooued by force of windes and tempests in such sort that it often seemeth as if it would ouerrun and swallow vp all the earth with the waues thereof and would rise with the flouds thereof and mount vp to heauen For one may behold how at one time the waues will swell and rise vp like high mountaines and suddenly after wil tumble couch downe like vallies as if the sea would cleaue and diuide it selfe and so discouer the deepe bottome thereof Psal 107. And therefore the kingly prophet hauing diuinely described all things togither with the power that the soueraigne creator hath to raise and to appease such tempests hee exhorteth all men to acknowledge this infinite power of the
like watrie birdes to whom he hath giuen wings agreeable to the element for to sustaine themselues with and fit for their nature as he hath done to the fowles of the aire Genes 1. We also read in Genesis that the Lord did make in one day the birds and fishes and euerie flying thing For as the aire hath more agreement with the water then with the earth and approcheth neerer to the nature thereof so is there more answerablenes betweene the creatures which liue conuerse in these two elements then is between thē the beasts of the earth And therefore we see that the seed of both kindes is multiplied by their egs And we must also note that forasmuch as men can receiue no great fruit nor much profit by fish except in their victuals or in some medicine or such like vse which is not so cōmon as ordinarie nourishment God by his prouidence blessing hath made them so fruitfull that they multiplie and increase woondrously as experience doth euidently manifest vnto vs by the great number of frie or spawne that is found in one only fish Which fertilitie we must beleeue to proceede from the power which the Almightie bestowed vpon them as also vpon all his creatures when he said vnto them Bring foorth fruit and multiplie and fill the waters in the sea and let the foule multiplie in the earth A thing which we must well consider vpon to the end that we may referre to this blessing of God all those commodities which we daily receiue either from those creatures or from the earth it selfe or from the other elements and that we must render him continuall thanks and praises therefore For he hath in no lesse wise blessed all his creatures then the fishes and the birds when by his word he gaue their nature to them in which hee created them and did presently after command them to bring foorth fruit according vnto that nature To the ende then that we may be the more induced to glorifie so great a workeman for the excellencie of his workes which shineth in all creatures let vs now intreat of some fishes most accoūted of by those who haue written of their nature and let vs consider of their singularities and woonders so much onely as the scope of our discourse will permit vs in such sort as we haue declared in our antecedent speeches To you then ARAM I referre the relation concerning this matter Of diuers kindes of fishes namely of the whale of the dolphin of the sea-calfe and others Chapter 63. ARAM. IT is affirmed by all the learned who haue diligently searched out the secrets of nature that the water bringeth foorth both more and greater creatures then the earth doth bicause of the abundance of moisture that is therein And the sea is so ample and so fit to giue nourishment and a gentle and fertile increase of all things by meanes of that generating seede which it attracteth from heauen and the aide of nature ordained by the creator which hath this propertie to produce alwaies something that seemeth new that it is no maruell if there be founde incredible and monstrous things in the water For the seedes of all forms doe so interlace and mix themselues therein as well by the windes as by the agitation of the waues that one may well say as is said commonly that there is nothing on earth which is not in the sea yea The admirable property of nature and that there are many things in it which cannot be found either in the aire or on the earth Now great fishes are chiefly resident vnder the Torrid zone bicause that in the Ocean heate and moisture serue for augmentation Of the whale as saltnes doth for conseruation And in this number is the whale of which the ancients write and whome some moderns call Gibbar bicause that the common whale which some take for the Musculus of Aristotle doth not answere to the description of this which is of incredible hugenes For if we will beleeue histories there haue beene some seene of fower acres of ground in length Plin. lib. 9. hist nat They make an horrible crie and spout out of two holes of a cubite long which they haue neere to their nostrils so much water that they oftentimes drowne ships therewith And of their crests men make faire rods which seeme to be of bone or of horne blacke in colour and like to the hornes of a buffe so flexible that they can hardly be broken they do shine in the sunne as if they were gilded Of euery peece of his crest is a rod made so that in one crest there are many rods Moreouer the bone of his whole head is so great that one might make a ship thereof Of the dolphin And as this kinde of fish is the heauiest and mightiest of all so the dolphin is the swiftest and most ingenious not onely of all watrie creatures but of those of the earth and of the aire For they swim faster then a bird can flie And therefore if this fish were not lowe-mouthed there were no fish could scape him But nature prouiding therefore in putting his mouth vnder his belly hath so restrained him that he can catch nothing but backwards whereby the great swiftnes of such fishes doth euidently appeere Wherefore when the dolphin pressed with hunger pursueth any fish to the bottome and that he hath staied long there alwaies holding winde when he riseth he leapes aboue water with incredible quicknes and force to take breath againe Some haue marked in this kinde of fish that they haue their toong mooueable contrarie to the nature of all other water-creatures Their voice is as when one waileth Their backe is bowed and bendeth outwards they are very louing to men and like well of musicke and indeede they doe not shun men as other fishes doe but come right before ships making a thousand leapes and frisks before them Sometimes also as if they had chalenged the mariners to trie who should goe speediest they take their course along with the ships and doe outstrip them how good winde soeuer they haue Of the seacalf Amongst sea-fish also the sea-calfe is very admirable For he hath vdders and haire and calueth vpon the earth as sheepe bring foorth and is deliuered of the second burthen presently after hir yoong ones He snorts mightily when he sleepeth neere to the shore he bleates and bellowes like a calfe and for that cause beareth the same name The sinnes wherewith he swimmeth serue for feete on ground to goe vpon His hide whereof the Islanders make girdles hath a maruellous propertie for the haire which is thereupon riseth when the sea increaseth falleth when it diminisheth Some holde also that this creature is very capable of discipline easily learning that which is shewed him and that he saluteth people by his lookes and with a certaine noise and shaking that he makes Now let vs speake of the tortoise
vs by the flowing waters and instable substance the Angelicall by fire bicause of the shining of the light and eleuation of the place and the heauen of meane nature is called of the Hebrues by a name signifying the same to be composed of water and fire In this lowe-world life and death striue for the maisterie by a kinde of vicissitude change and rechange all things but in the highest is eternall life and permanent operation and in that of the spheres is certaine assurance of life but there is changing of works and of places The elementarie is built of the perishing substance of bodies the intellectuall of a nature more diuine and excellent and the meane heauen is compounded of bodies but incorruptible and of a disposition conuenient for the nature thereof The third is mooued by the second and the second is gouerned by the first and this remaineth stable in his worke fit for his owne nature vnder the holy of holies the Lord-God almightie which was which is and which is to come And it seemeth that our great prophet of whom we haue learnt the creation of heauen and earth Exod. 25. The figure of the three worlds in the tabernacle oâ— Moses hath euidently described these three worlds in the structure of his maruellous tabernacle For he diuideth it into three parts whereof each doth liuely represent each world so that the first being not couered with any roofe or couering was open and exposed to raine snowes windes sunne heate and cold and which hath more reference to our elementarie world in this former part haunted not onely men both cleane and polluted temporall and ecclesiasticall but also beasts of all sortes and there was likewise bicause of the ordinarie sacrifices and offerings a perpetuall exchange of life and death The two other parts of the tabernacle were closed on euery side and defended from all outward iniurie euen as neither the celestiall nor supercelestiall world can receiue dammage Moreouer these two were honoured with the title of holy yet so that the most secret was named the holy of holies and the other simply the holy or sacred So likewise the sphericall world is holy bicause that it perseuering in the order which was appointed it by the soueraigne creator hath in it no fault or crime but the Angelicall is euen the most holy and most diuine wherein the blessed soules incessantly resound this song Thou art woorthie Apocal. 4. O Lord to receiue honour and glorie and power for thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue been created But moreouer if we consider how the last part of the tabernacle was common to men and to beasts how the second all shining with the splendor of the gold was lighted with the candlesticke diuided into seuen lampes which as many Greeke Latine and Hebrue interpreters will haue doe signifie the seuen planets and how in the third the most holy were the winged Cherubins should we not say that these three partes manifest vnto our sight three worlds To wit this which men and all kind of creatures frequent the celestiall where the planets shine and giue light and the supercelestiall which is the dwelling and abode of the blessed Angels the way to which hath been opened by the crosse and bloud-shed of our Sauiour Iesus Christ true God and true man as the vaile of the temple by which the holy of holies being a type of the angelicall world was separated from the other partes thereof renting and tearing at the death of our Sauiour was a certaine sacrament to vs Matth. 27. Luke 23. Psal 18. Genes 3. For thereby wee had assurance that from thencefoorth was free accesse granted man to the kingdome of God of God I say who flieth aboue the cherubins through the very same entrance that from the beginning for the since of the first man had been barred vp by the lawes of iustice Thus haue we many notable things concerning the diuision of the vniuersall world Why the triple is called one which we may also call One not onely bicause the three worlds do proceed of one onely and selfe cause and tend to the like end or else bicause being duly tempered by numbers they are ioined togither by an harmonious accord and affinitie of nature and by ordinarie succession of degrees but also bicause that that which is in all the three is likewise comprised in one of them and that there is not one wherein all things which are in the other three doe not remaine It is most certaine that that which remaineth in this lowe world is in the vppermost of farre better stuffe and that which is in those aboue is seene also in this of farre woorse condition and as it were of a bastard and sophisticall nature For here heate is an elementarie qualitie in heauen it is an heating virtue and in the Angelicall thoughts an Idea and exemplarie forme Or to shew this more cleerely we haue with vs in this base world the fire which is an element the sunne in heauen is a fire in the supercelestiall region the seraphicke or burning intellect is another fire But let vs note how much they differ The element burneth the celestiall fire quickneth the supercelestiall is imbraced by loue There is also here below water and so there is another water aboue being motresse and mistresse of this belowe which is the moone in the first circle of heauen but the cherubin or cleere-sighted spirituall substances are the waters that flowe aboue the heauen And as touching the disagreeable condition among these three kindes of waters the elementarie humour quencheth vitall heate that of heauen nourisheth it and the supercelestiall hath an intellectuall apprehension of it Furthermore in the first world God the first vnitie ruleth ouer the nine hierarchies of Angels like so many spheres and remaining immooueable mooueth them al vnto him In the celestiall and meane world the imperiall heauen commandeth likewise as a captaine doth his bands the nine celestiall spheres in such sort that though they be mooued by continual agitation yet it remaineth stable by diuine power So likewise is there in the elementarie world after the first matter being the foundation thereof nine spheres or circular reuolutions of corruptible formes that is three of things inanimate which first are the elements then their compounds and thirdly the meanes betweene these two truly mixed and compounded but vnperfectly and such are the impressions which appeere in the aire Then are there three reuolutions of vegetable nature distinguished likewise into three kindes as of herbes shrubs and wood of olde growth And lastly three other of the sensitiue soule which are either imperfect as the Zoophyta or to speake English creatures of a middle condition betweene things sensitiue and plants or very perfect but such as are within the bounds of the fantasie not reasonable and in the third place that which is found excellent in beastes being capable of
now is aire may be conuerted into raine the water exhaled into aire the earth turned into wood which nourisheth the fire and from the wood riseth aire and ashes fal which is earth For these causes also it is very likely that the Astronomers distinguish the signes of the Zodiack and the Planets by the elements attributing three signes to euery of them as we haue already declared But we shal finde enough to content vs concerning this matter when we discourse particularly as touching the firme concord which remaineth betwixt the terrestriall elements and the Planets Which AMANA let be the subiect of your morrow speech The end of the fift day THE SIXT DAIES WORKE Of the agreement betwixt the Elements and the Planets Chap. 41. ASER. AS the celestiall spheres doe follow that vniuersall common course which the first heauen that containeth and encloseth them all doth begin beside the motions that are proper peculiar to each of thē as we haue alreadie heeretofore declared so must we in like sort note that the elements do follow the heauens obserue an order after them euery one in his degree hauing their motions also agreeable to their nature And that likewise there is betwixt them and the celestiall bodies a certaine accord and answerablenes of powers and qualities aptly proportioned by degrees euen as is found in all creatures compounded of them We will then first entreat of this agreement betwixt the elements and the heauens Agreeablenes of the earth with the moone beginning with the earth which is correspondent to the moone in diuers respects For as the earth draweth the water to it and soketh it vp in such sort that it is numbred by the Sages amongst those things which are neuer satisfied to wit with water so doth the moone with a perpetuall attraction draw the water making it sometimes to rise to wit when from the orientall Horizon she cōmeth to the midst of heauen from whence descending to the occidentall Horizon she carieth it away with her with such violence that it seemeth to flie from vs. Againe when the moone runneth in the point opposite to the midde heauen she draweth the water away with her then returning againe to the easterne Horizon she causeth it to follow after her in like sort When she encreaseth also she draweth vp the humors in trees and mens bodies when she waineth she chaseth them downe Againe the earth and moone do agree in the first qualities of cold and drie wherewith the earth is actually and the moone operatiuely replenished which also according to her nature being somewhat terrestriall doth suppe vp the celestiall waters and all the influences of the bodies aboue her which as neerest to vs she doth communicate with vs. For she receiueth from the other planets and principally from the sunne that which she distributeth heere below And therefore Plato in his Banquet saith The moone and earth singular in variety That the moone participateth with the sunne and with the earth Moreouer the moone is singular in varietie whence it commeth to passe that one while she is crooked with hornes another time diuided into equall proportions or halues then being full round she is here and there bespotted somtimes she seemeth vnmeasurably great in hir round fulnesse presently after she appeereth very small now she sheweth very faire towards the north afterwards againe she is couched in the south so within a few daies she submitteth hir selfe to coniunction and by and by is she full and big presently after she is deliuered of the fruit which she had conceiued Now in this great changeablenes the moone doth shew vs that the earth is like vnto hir For now being disrobed of hir ornaments she appeereth blacke afterwards being painted and adorned with herbes and flowers she seemeth very faire One part thereof is stonie another part is marish In one place it is leane in another place fat here abased in vallies there lift vp in mountaines here fertile yonder barren One part is checkered with diuers spots this red that blacke one white another browne One portion is close and clammie another thinne and sandie Moreouer the earth is sometimes void and emptie and then she receiueth the coniunction of the planets whereby in short space being filled she bringeth foorth fruit So then the moone amongst the stars and the earth amongst the elements doe agree in many particulars Now as touching the water The water correspondent to mercury it seemeth to be answerable to Mercurie and to Saturne also For the order of the planets and the correspondencie which they haue to things here belowe did require that next after the earthly moone waterie Mercurie should be situate whome poets haue named the Arbiter or vmpier of the waters then followeth next airie Venus and after hir the sunne which is of the nature of fire Then againe Mars participating of the same force hath his seate next aboue the sunne airian Iupiter aboue Mars waterish Saturne ouer Iupiter and the signe-bearing heauen aboue Saturne as answering to the earth then higher againe is the first mooueable of the nature of fire It is certaine that the nature of Mercurie is by so much more hard to be deciphered by how much his starre is more hidden and harde to be seene and that very seldome too And therefore doe Astronomers affirme that his influent power is secrete by reason that hee easily accepting the nature of the planet wherewith hee is conioyned or of the signe wherein hee is resident seemeth to operate not according to his owne proper nature but as the executor of the influence of another Whereupon he is by them nominated Hermes to signifie that he is as it were interpretor of the other stars intendements For by the testimonie of Ptolemie he drieth vp being with the Sunne he cooleth with the Moone hee fauoureth the vnderstanding with Saturne he bestoweth aduise policie in warlike affaires where stoutnes is required with Mars and conioyned to Venus he engendreth the * One that is of both sexes Anerogyne or Hermaphrodite which must be vnderstood concerning him who exerciseth subtiltie of wit which he receiueth from Mercurie in the second Venus which is disordinate For such a man is effeminate retayning the propertie of both sexes So that Mercurie agreeing with the reasonable discourse and fauouring the same as he is turned towards the superiour stars or else towards the inferiour he likewise produceth diuers effects in so much that his propertie cannot easily be comprehended And yet may he verie aptly be said to be of the nature of water as many Philosophers are of opinion considering that the order of the planets requireth to obserue the harmonie and league of things heere below with those aboue that he should be watrie Moreouer as water doth in washing take away the spot that couereth in such sort that the naked bare forme doth appeere so Mercurie contributing fauour to the promptnes and subtiltie of mens wits
is to them as an interpreter taking away the vaile from strange languages obscurenes from riddles and parables and difficultie from euerie profound and mysticall speech and opening that which is shut vp in the secret cabinets of God and nature presenteth the naked truth to be contemplated Neither must we thinke that the starre of Mercurie performeth this but so far as it may operate in bodies by disposing or else as an instrument of the diuine omnipotency as we haue heretofore declared Concordance of the aire with Venus Let vs now speake of the aire It seemeth to be answerable in nature to Venus which is hot and moist And by the foresaid order of the planets succession in course that it must be referred to Iupiter For this cause the Astronomers haue dedicated to Venus the airie liuing creatures For euen as the aire winde coupleth and conioyneth things seuered so doth the Venerian power whereupon we will note that the Academicks taught how that there were two Venuses the one Etherian and the other Aërian the highest cleanest chasteth and most temperate according with Iupiter and conioyning the superiour diuine and spirituall things the lowest most disordinate slipperie variable and lasciuious which conioyneth in lust the creatures here below Of this Venus so many ribauldries are sung by wanton Poets because she is cause of all euill euen as the other is cause of all good To which speech the saying of Saint Augustine hath relation namely that two loues haue made two cities For the well disposed and good loue of God and the loue of one neighbour to the despising of ones selfe hath edified the citie of God But the peruerse loue of ones selfe to the forgetting of God hath reared vp the citie of the diuell Moreouer the Grammarians deliuer this reason why the power of this starre is called Venus because it doth concur in all things be they good or euill And surely all is filled with loue and nothing is void thereof as all things are full of aire which filleth the naturall appetite that abhorreth emptines By loue saith Boëtius are the heauens conioyned and the elements agree with bodies compounde Through it creatures dwell together the citie is preserued and the common wealth increased Through loue God made the world and doth gouerne it and the summe of all that which he requireth of vs is loue Saint Denis in his Hierarchie speaketh thus The loue of God hath not permitted that the king of all things should remaine in himselfe without fruit And as through loue he is spread abroad in all things without himselfe so hee delighteth to attract all things to himselfe and principally man in whom all is enclosed And therefore when he shall be vnited with God euen so shall all other things be Whether then that we speake of diuine or angelicall or spirituall or quickning or naturall loue we meane a power engraffed and conioyning which mooueth the superiour things to prouidence and care for the good of the inferiour disposeth equall things in a sociable communion and in fine admonisheth inferiour things that they turne themselues to those that are better and superiour Thus speaketh this great Doctor and Philosopher But let vs pursue the subiect of our discourse We haue declared that the Academicks haue taught a double Venus The like may be said of the Aire for we consider it in two parts the one thicke and foggie which is next the earth and the other pure and aetherian next vnto the stars which being heated by force of the winde which mixeth it selfe in all things seemeth to be verie fit for the propagation and maintenance of nature for which reason also the winde and the aire are called by one name of the Hebrewes who call all things according to their properties Finally the elementarie fire is answerable to the Sunne That the fire agreeth with the sunne and to Mars who are both of the nature of fire For as the Sunne is the true and celestiall fire boyling all that which appertaineth to the viands of this great animall the world so this elementarie fire causing all things to boyle by his great heat doth perfect the nourishment of creatures liuing in the earth Both the one and other fire heateth but this driuing the humours inward and the other drawing them out This imparteth his commoditie to that onely which is neere it but the superiour bestoweth his vertue vpon the farthest remote bodies in such sort that the force of his beames pierceth euen to the bowels of the earth where it boyleth and maketh mettals which afterward the elementarie fire purgeth Moreouer as Apollo so named as of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a priuatiue letter in composition and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth multitude as being he who alone contayneth the power of the heauens and of the starres or else because that his vertue and power consisteth of many fires by which he giueth light to all the stars whose naturall vigour produceth not their effects till such time as they bee filled with the powerfull seed of this faire Phebus who is so called of his beauty amiablenes which shineth in him as he is also named Sol as soly-shining or else by a name amongst the Hebrewes which one may interpret That which properly doth subsist because that the light and benefit thereof is proper and peculiar vnto him As this faire planet I say was acknowledged by the ancient Poets and Philosophers for the inuentor of phisicke because of the quickning heat well disposing power thereof so the fire heere beneath doth aptly patterne him by reason that heating the cold frozen creatures it doth in a manner restore their life vnto them So it is heate that giueth life and fruitfulnes For egges are not conuerted into chickens nor the silkeworme into a butterflie neither do plants grow nor yet are liuing creatures nourished and warmed except either by the superior or by the quickning or by the elementarie heat which by a certaine sympathie do seeme to bee of one selfesame kinde as it were through a correspondencie Yea the fire is so fruitefull that it engendreth it selfe and giueth power to other naturall things to engender not by the heate thereof onely but by the force of the light which it receiueth from him who hath said Genes 1. I am the light of the world Wherefore Moses being desirous to make manifest that all things had beene produced by the benefite of the light after that the matter which he calleth earth turned out of darknes was made he saith that presently the light was created as that by meanes of which life and forme must be giuen to all things and aptnes to be seene Which vitall vigor did no doubt consist in the diuine fire which is called the spirit of life the which resting vpon the face of the waters infused into all things the life and the formes by which euery thing might be discerned from other But
let vs now returne to our elementarie world and particularly behold the nature of the fower elements and of things engendred in them and by them Then haue we enough to stand vpon for the common opinion of those who establish this number of fower in that which hath beene already declared and now also in this discourse Let vs first then AMANA heare you discourse of the fire and of the aire and of their maruailous effects Of the fire and of the aire and of the things engendred in them and of their motions and of the Windes Chap. 42. AMANA MAny Philosophers doe diuide all that which subsisteth vnder the concaue of the Moone into three parts one of which they call the highest the other the middle and the third the lowest part The highest they place aboue the middle region of the aire and make as it were the same element partaker with the most pure fire which the ancients nominated Aether because that there the elements are pure subtile thin rare and for that the aire there is very temperate and cleere agreeing with the nature of heauen as to the contrarie in the lower part which is that where we inhabite there is not any sincere element for a sensible element is not pure but all things are there compounded and mixed with the muddie and grosse part of this mundane bodie And concerning the middle region of the aire it is that verie place where the meteors and high impressions do appeere So then aboue the elements are pure beneath the perfect composed bodies do faile by reason of their mixture of the elementary simplicitie in the middle they compound themselues vnperfectly in such sort that one may say that they possesse the middle place betwixt the nature of the elements and of things compounded Now as we haue said before and as the common saying of people is the heauen is often taken for this supreme and middle region of the aire and for the things which are to them conioined and do depend vpon their effects Of the things conioyned and depending vpon the effectes of the fire and of the aire So that in this regard we may vnderstand first two of the fower elements to wit the aire and the fire then all things ingendred in them and by them as windes thunders lightnings haile whirle-windes cloudes Psal 8. Matth. 6. Luke 8. tempests raine dewes frosts snowes and all kinds of fire and such like which arise and appeere in the aire And therein we may also comprise all the creatures which conuerse in it as birds and all creatures that flie euen as the holy Scripture teacheth vs when it maketh mention of the birds of heauen Now the element of fire is knowne to haue his place neerest to the moone being by nature hot and dry and is for this cause lightest hauing his motion quicker then all the elements bicause that lightnes and quicknes is proper to these two qualities heat and drines and therefore also the propertie thereof is to mount alwaies vpwards Of the proper nature of the fire and of the aire vntill that it hath attained to the place destinated vnto it being most conuenient for the nature thereof and which ioineth next vnto the spheres Next the fire the aire possesseth the second place and agreeth in nature with the fire in that it is hot but is contrarie thereto in that it is also moist And therefore the motion thereof followeth that of the fire but it is not so light and quicke by reason of the humiditie which maketh it more heauie and slow That the aire is alwaies mooued And yet it appeereth that it is alwaies mooued bicause that in narrow places small winds doe blow without ceasing For considering that the aire hath the motion thereof tending alwaies vpwards and that it is continually mooued vp and downe it bloweth in a great space very gently but passing through a creuisse or streight place all the violence thereof being drawne togither by reason of the narrownes of the place driueth out flieth vehemently vpon vs after the maner of the waters of great flouds which when it seemeth that they can scarce flowe being vrged through a narrow place or through sluces are constrained to runne out by much force with noise and roring Moreouer according as the aire is mooued either by the heate of the sunne or by the vapors and exhalations which this heat causeth to rise out of the waters and out of the earth or by the waues of the sea or by the caues of the earth and such like causes What winde is we perceiue the aire diuersly agitated For we must note that the windes are nothing else but the aire which is mooued and driuen more violently then ordinarie and which hath his motion more sodaine more violent and strong being driuen and pressed forwards according as the causes are more great or small and according to the places from whence they proceed And this is the reason why the aire is sometimes so peaceable that one cannot feele so much as one onely small puffe of winde but it is as calme as the sea when it is not tossed with any winde or tempest As is euident by those vanes and weathercocks which are set in the tops of turrets and houses for when the winde bloweth not their plates are nothing mooued and yet the aire doth neuer faile to blowe by reason of the perpetuall motion thereof but insomuch as it is not hoised vp and downe it passeth and flieth lightly away without any noise or bruite towards that part whereto we see the point of the vane enclined Of the diuersity of the windes and of the order and boundes of them Sometimes also one may feele some small pleasant and gentle winde to blowe without any violence which is very delectable recreatiue and profitable not onely in regard of men and other liuing things but in respect also of all the fruits of the earth At another time likewise the violence of the windes is so great that it raiseth vp whirle-windes stormes and tempestes which driue the aire with such fury and roughnes that it seemeth they would ouerthrow and confound heauen and earth togither beating downe and carying away all that is before them like a great deluge and water-floud which beareth away with it all that it meets with But though one may suppose so during such tempests yet the course of the windes are not so confused but that all of them obserue their order and certaine places out of which they issue and proceed and their bounds likewise whereat they stay and wherein they are confined as the element of which they are engendred And therefore by experience we see that they follow the course of the Sunne and that they are distributed and disposed according to all the partes of the world as we vsually diuide it hauing respect to the moouing of the spheres For as we diuide the course of the sunne and
but that the windowes of heauen were opened and that raine fell vpon the earth forty daies and fortie nights For which cause also the Psalmist singeth The voice of the Lord is vpon the waters Psal 29. the glory of God maketh it to thunder the Lord is vpon the great waters He was set vpon the floud and he shal remaine king for euer which is asmuch to say as the Lord hath executed his iudgement vpon the wicked by the waters of the floud and that as then he tooke vengeance so it is he that doth for euer remaine iudge of the world and that maketh all creatures to tremble before him Where wee haue great matter of feare and trembling if wee beleeue the word of God and the testimonies which it deliuereth of his iudgements when I say we diligently consider the effects of the nature of the higher elements Therefore whensoeuer wee see close weather and the aire filled with cloudes threatning vs with raine and tempests the sight thereof should alwaies refresh and renew in vs the memorie of this iudgement of God so terrible and vniuersall in the flud to teach vs to walke in more feare of his Maiestie But there are few which thinke thereupon and can make their profite thereof and many to the contrarie doe but iest and scoffe at it as if it were a fable and a fantasie I knowe very well that the scripture saith that God set the raine-bow in the cloudes for signe of an accord and attonement betweene him and men and euery liuing creature to the ende that the waters might neuer after increase to such a floud as should roote out all flesh But we must note that the Eternall doth not here promise neuer to send any deluge vpon the earth Genes 9. Many goodly thingâ— to bee câ—â—â—â—dered in the rainâ—â—â—â—w but onely not a generall and vniuersall floud as the first was in the time of Noah For how many times hath he punished particularly many people with great inundations and deluges of water signifying vnto all that he hath all his creatures at commandement for euer to make them serue either to his wrath or to his mercie according as he will intreat men and hereupon we shall learne that though it seemeth that in the place before alledged the raine-bowe is named as if it had been spred in the aire at that time onely when it was giuen by God as a signe and sacrament of his couenant renewed yet neuertheles we must not doubt but that when God created the causes of this bowe in nature ordained by him he did also create it in the establishing of the world with other creatures But it was not vsed by God for a testimonie of his attonement with mankinde till after the flood So likewise it is certaine that this heauenly bowe hath naturally had at all times the significations which at this present it retaineth to presage raine or faire weather according as it diuersly appeereth But since that the creator hath accepted it for a signe of his couenant it hath had this vantage to be ordained as a gage and witnes of the promises of God And therefore whensoeuer we behold it in heauen we must not onely consider of it as of a naturall thing and as a prognosticator sometimes of raine sometimes of faire weather but likewise as a witnes and memoriall as well of the iudgement of God as of his grace and mercie and of the assurance of the conseruation of all creatures by his prouidence But though it should teach vs nothing of al this but should onely retaine the beautie and naturall signification thereof yet might it serue vs for an excellent testimonie of the maiestie of God and incite vs to giue him praise Eccles 43. For which cause Ecclesiasticus saith Looke vpon the raine-bowe and praise him that made it very beautifull it is in the brightnes thereof It compasseth the heauen about with a glorious circle and the hands of the most high haue bended it For what man is so dull but doth admire the great varietie of so faire colours as appeere in it euen in a substance so fine and subtile that it cannot be perceiued by any corporall sense saue by the sight I know that the philosophers doe teach Of the cause of th◠〈…〉 rainâ—â—bow that as a drop of water which one seeth in the sunne representeth many goodly colours like those in the raine-bowe which is made of a thicke watrie cloud full of drops in the middle region of the aire For euery darke obscure thing is as it were almost blacke as the shadowes doe demonstrate which by reason of their obscuritie seeme to be blacke And when an obscure thing is illuminated if it be bright it passeth in colours according to the abundance of the brightnes Now the cloud is obscure the drops of water are bright for this cause they represent vnto vs colours according to the variety of that light which shineth vpoÌ„ them And forsomuch as the innermost circle of the bow is nerest to the obscure or dark cloud it seemeth coÌ„monly to be blew that in the middle which is more illuminate appeereth greene and the vpper circle which is greatest and most lighted with celestiall brightnes is yellow Forasmuch then as there is a cause of euery thing the Naturalists doe much endeuour themselues to render reasons concerning the diuersities of these colours as Astrologians doe also to argue vpon the diuers predictions of this bowe as presaging sometimes raine sometimes faire weather sometimes winde and sometimes calme and cleere weather Hist nat lib. 2. Yet Plinie saith that it is often seene when it doth not prognosticate any thing and that no heede is taken of it for the time to come But let euery one ascertaine himselfe that it is caused by the beames of the sunne which striking into an hollow cloud are constrained to reuerberate and returne vpwardes toward the sunne And that the diuersitie of colours which are therein represented is made by the mixture of the clouds of the aire and of the fire which are found there togither Moreouer that this bow neuer is but when the sunne is opposit to that cloud and that it exceedeth not the forme of a semicircle also that it appeereth not by night though Aristotle saith that it hath sometimes been then seene But we wil leaue the philosophers to dispute vpon these things and to search the depth of their naturall causes and will conclude this speech and make an end of this day with a point of doctrine concerning the meteors of Christians which is that we must take very good heed not to be of the number of those who boasting of the knowledge of humane sciences haue despised the spirituall and diuine and of whom Saint Peter hath prophecied saying 2. Pet. 3. That there shoulde come in the last daies mockers and contemners of God walking according to their owne lusts which should say Where is the promise
which make the distinctions of eight other windes called sub-principall and which compound their names of their two next collaterall windes expressing the most notable first to wit North-northeast North-northwest South-southeast South-southwest East-northeast East-southeast West-northwest West-south-west Moreouer they that frequent the Mediterran sea as Greekes and Italians do cal the north Transmontano the south Austro east Leuante west Ponante northeast Greco northwest Maestro southeast Sirocho southwest Garbin and so of them compound the names of the other eight windes which are betwixt them as hath beene before declared And we must note that the windes haue commonly euery one their turne in such sort that when one opposite wind ceaseth and is laid his contrarie riseth Notable things in the windes But if at any time the next winde to that which ceaseth begin to blowe it runs byas-wise from left hand to right as the sun doth and one may know the fourth daie of the moone what winde will raigne longest during her time But the easterne windes do longer endure then those which rise towards the west And the sunne doth strengthen the winde and also appease it for at his rising setting they are commonly greatest at noone he calmeth them especially in sommer The winde is also commonly found to lie still either at midday or at midnight for it doth alwaies cease either through great colde or through vehement heate Likewise the raine doth make it cease whereupon this prouerbe sprung vp that little raine allaieth much winde But it is woondrous that the windes which are as it were but a puffe should performe such things as men could not doe with their hands yea though there were a multitude togither For how many people neede there be yea horses and oxen yoked togither to breake burst and pull vp the great and mightie trees which the winde abateth ouerturneth breaketh and rooteth vp with a blast onely And herein we haue goodly matter againe Testimonies of the diuine omnipotencie in the windes whereby to profite in the acknowledgement of the soueraigne maiestie and almightie prouidence of the creator and gouernour of all nature For it is certaine that as the Lord manifesteth himselfe to men such as they may comprehend him to be when he calleth the sound and noise of thunder his voice that he performeth admirable things as we haue alreadie noted we may perceiue that he doth the like also by violence of the windes And therefore the prophet saith I know that the Lord is great and that our God is aboue all Gods Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord Psal 135. that did he in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all the depths He bringeth vp the cloudes from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine he draweth foorth the winde out of his treasures Ierem. 10. It is he saith Ieremie that giueth by his voice the multitude of waters in the heauen and he causeth the cloudes to ascend from the ends of the earth he casteth out lightnings in the raine and bringeth foorth the windes out of his treasures The winde saith the Preacher goeth towarde the south Eccles 1. and compasseth toward the north the winde goeth round about and returneth by his circuits Now if the blasts of the winds be so strong it must needes be that the bellowes out of which they are blowen must be puissant and mightie For although it is written of the wicked Psal 10. that they are so proud and doe presume so much of their force and power that they seeme to be able to ouerthrow men townes and fortified places onely with a blast yet neuertheles it is the Lord who hath the power to abate them and all the loftie and stout with all their forts and bulwarks For all the windes togither are but as one little puffe which passeth from his mouth Wherefore if in breathing onely he driueth and remooueth heauen earth and the sea and all this world performing actes so great and woonderfull what may we esteeme of his soueraigne force when he would imploy his whole power For there is neither winde nor thunder nor deluges of water nor any thing that is comparable to the wrath of God and to the power which he hath to execute his vengeance vpon his enemies But he emploieth his creatures as the ministers of his wrath when and how he pleaseth And therefore the diuine poet in his canticles wishing liuely to describe the assistance that God had shewed him Psal 18. in deliuering him out of the hands of the wicked and in punishing them he proposeth him comming accompanied with fearefull thunders with thicke cloudes with vehement windes and stormes with lightnings tempests great raine hard haile and darke weather so that the foundations of the sea and of the earth couered with waters were discouered and the earth was mooued and trembled the mountaines shooke and bowed bicause of the furie of the wrath of the Lord. For indeede who is God but the Lord and who is mightie but our God Now it is certaine that bicause men cannot comprehēd the greatnes of the power and wrath of God against the wicked the holy Ghost doth often speake of naturall things by the prophets for to make them vnderstand by that which is visible in nature and which may most astonish and affray them So then if we shall consider so many excellent points of doctrine concerning the prouidence of God as are taught vs in the schoole of nature by meanes of the meteors as we haue hitherto discoursed of the cloudes thunders lightnings stormes flouds of water windes whirlewindes and tempestes they will serue vs no lesse for preachers then the celestiall bodies doe to manifest vnto vs especially the iudgements and heauie plagues of the almightie and to make vs oftner thinke thereupon then we doe as also the raines by the fertilitie which they cause in the earth will minister matter vnto vs to acknowledge his blessing and perpetuall grace vpon those who feare and honour him Wherefore wee haue rested long ynough in that which particularly concerneth and is dependent vpon the two higher elements the fire and the aire sauing that before we intreat of the earth and of the water and of the principall things worthy of consideration in them we wil say somewhat concerning the birdes of the aire seeing that we haue already comprised them as in truth they must be amongst the things conioyned and depending vpon the higher elements I will leaue you then ACHITOB to discourse vpon their nature Of the foules of the aire and namely of the Manucodiata of the Eagle of the Phenix and of other wilde foule Chap. 52. ACHITOB. HAuing discoursed though simply like disciples of Christian doctrine and not like masters and professors of naturall philosophie vpon the two higher elements the fire and the aire and hauing considered their nature and effects and the things engendred in them and by them it falleth very fitly for vs
chap. 15 Page 74 Of diuels and euill spirits chap. 16 The third daies worke Page 80 OF the celestiall or sphericall world chap. 17 Page 86 Of the forme and figure of heauen and of the motion thereof as well generall as particular chap. 18 Page 91 Of the circles ingenerall and particularly of the Equinoctiall and Zodiake and of their signes chap. 19 Page 95 Of the two great circles named Colures and of the fower lesse circles and parallels and of the fiue Zones of the world and immooueable circles chap. 20 Page 101 Of the hower-circles and what is done by them in sunne-dials and of the circles which diuide the 12. houses of heauen chap. 21 Page 106 Of the ascensions and descensions of the stars and of the signes and other arkes of the Zodiake and of the orientall and occidentall latitude of the sun or degrees of the zodiacke chap. 22 Page 109 Of the naturall and artificiall daies and of the nights of their diuersitie and cause chap. 23 Page 112 Of equall and vnequall temporall and artificiall howers of the heights of the sunne aboue the Horizon and of his right and reuerse shadowes chap. 24 The fourth daies worke Page 117 OF the substance and nature of heauen and of the celestiall bodies of their continuance change cha 25 Page 121 Of motions ingenerall of their first cause and of their vnion in all nature chap. 26 Page 125 Of the life reason and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies and of the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them chap. 27 Page 130 Of the influence and effects of the planets and starres in things here below either to good or euill chap. 28 Page 135 Of the truth which is found in prognostications of Astrologers and how the starres are appointed by God for signes and that from their influences no euill proceedeth chap. 29 Page 140 Of the planet Saturne and how it is not euill nor anie other starre chap. 30 Page 144 Of the planets ingenerall and how they worke in man not in constraining but disposing chap. 31 Page 148 Of the true Astronomie which the heauens doe teach vs and especially the sunne in his admirable effects chap. 32 The fift daies worke Page 152 OF the rising and setting of the sunne and of the prouidence of God which shineth in the commodities of daie and night chap. 33 Page 157 Of the second course and motion of the sunne and moone for the distinction of yeeres moneths and seasons and of the prouidence of God in these things chap. 34 Page 161 Of the image of God and of his light which is proposed vnto vs in the sunne with the felicitie of mans life in changing of light and darkenes chap. 35 Page 166 Of the eclipses of the sunne and moone and of the image which we haue therein of the constancie which is in God and of the inconstancie of men and of humane things chap. 36 Page 171 Of the beginning of naturall and corruptible things chap. 37 Page 176 Of the elements and of things to be considered in them in that they are distinguished by the number of fower chap. 38 Page 180 Of the opinion of those who admit but three elements not acknowledging the elementarie fire chap. 39 Page 185 Of the perfect compositions which are in the nature of all things by which the fower elements may be considered chap 40 The sixt daies worke Page 189 OF the agreement betwixt the elements and planets chapter 41 Page 195 Of the fire and of the aire and of the things engendred in them and of their motions and of the windes cha 42 Page 199 Of thunder and lightning chap. 43 Page 203 Of the true Meteors of Christians and of the supernaturall causes of thunder and lightning chap. 44 Page 208 Of snowes mists frosts frosts yce and haile chap. 45 Page 212 Of comets chap. 46 Page 216 Of cloudes and vapours chap. 47 Page 221 Of the waters sustayned and hanged in the aire and of the rainebow chap. 48 The seuenth daies worke Page 226 OF dewes and raine chap. 49 Page 230 Of the fertilitie caused by dewes and raine and of the prouidence of God therein chap. 50 Page 234 Of the windes and of their kindes and names and of the testimonies which we haue in them of the power and maiestie of God chapter 51 Page 239 Of the fowles of the aire and namely of the Manucodiata of the Eagle of the Phenix and of other wilde fowle chap. 52 Page 243 Of singing birdes and chiefly of the Nightingale and of sundrie others and of their wit and industrie chap. 53 Page 247 Of the Estridge of the Peacocke of the Cocke and of other fowles chap. 54 Page 251 Of the earth and of the situation immobilitie figure and qualitie thereof chap. 55 Page 255 Of earth-quakes chap. 56 The eight daies worke Page 261 OF the sea and of the waters and of the diuision and distribution of them throughout the earth chap. 57 Page 265 Of the flowing and ebbing of the sea and of the power that the moone hath ouer it and ouer all other inferior bodies chap. 58 Page 269 Of salt fresh and warme waters and of other diuersities in them chapter 59 Page 274 Of the commodities which men reape of the waters by Nauigation and of the directions which sea-men doe receiue from heauen and from the starres vpon the sea chap. 60 Page 278 Of the diuision of lands and countries amongst men by the waters and of the limits which are appointed them for the bounds of their habitation chap. 61 Page 283 Of the commodities which are incident to men and to all creatures by the course of the waters thorough the earth chap. 62 Page 287 Of diuers kindes of fishes namely of the whale of the dolphin of the sea-calfe and others chap. 63 Page 291 Of the image that we haue of the state of this world and of men in the sea and in the fishes thereof chap. 64 The ninth daies worke Page 295 OF fruits and of the fertilitie of the earth and the causes thereof and of herbes trees and plants chap. 65 Page 299 Of the vertue that herbes and other fruits of the earth haue in phisick and in food and of the true vse of them chap. 66 Page 304 Of the diuersitie of plants and of their difference and naturall growth and of their parts of the most excellent amongst them chapter 67 Page 308 Of trees and especiallie of the pine the fir-tree the cypress tree and the cedar chap. 68 Page 313 Of trees bearing cinnamom cassia franckincense mirrh and cloues chap. 69 Page 318 Of trees and plants that beare nutmegs ginger and pepper chapter 70 Page 321 Of the date-tree of the Baratha or tree of India of the Gehuph and of brasill chap. 71 Page 326 Of the citron-tree limon-tree orange-tree oliue-tree and pomegranate-tree chap. 72 The tenth daies worke Page 331 OF mallowes wilde-mallowes purple-violets betonie ceterach and Saint Iohns-wort
the acts and power of this Empire But howsoeuer it be wee haue in the doctrine of the spheres most excellent principles and grounds which prepare men to the knowledge of nature and the author thereof yea which aduance them if they can apply this studie to his proper ende in the vnderstanding of the secrets wisdome and prouidence of God so far as the mind of man can pierce thereinto Let vs then companions direct our sight straight towards the place which wee must apprehend to be blessed to wit towards heauen and let vs especially regard God in his workes as the onely limit whereto we shall and must once attaine ACHITOB. The orderly motions of the heauens the goodly workemanship of so many starry pauilions disposed one aboue the other without any inter-annoiāce in their course the accord agreement power vertue and beautie of the elements the situation stabilitie and largenes of the earth in midst of the waters which continually threaten it and yet drowne it not and so many diuers natures and creatures which are which liue which haue sense and vnderstanding in this whole great Vniuers and serue each one in his place all these things I say are like so many interpreters to teach vs God as their onely efficient cause and to manifest him vnto vs in them and by them as their finall cause Therefore pursuing our first intent sufficiently declared in the beginning of our Academick discourse and according to the processe of the talke by vs obserued in our description of the naturall history of the Microcosme or little world let vs here make companions as it were another history of the Macrocosme or great world first entreating of the creation of the world then of the diuision of the same afterwards of the orders of the spheres of their substance natures and motions of the influences and effects of their planets consequently of the elements and lastly of euery essence and creature therein contained not by a particular description of their kindes which would amount to a work almost infinite but onely of the principall of each sort and so much as wee shall hold sufficient to induce euery one of vs and of those which will deigne to heare vs to consider and highly to praise the wisedome of the father and moderator of all these things in the creation conduction gouernance and end of them and by the vnion of their parts with the whole and among themselues we haue enough to refer the euent of our purpose to their beginning and principall scope which is to know God and his prouidence to the end to glorifie him Declare then vnto vs ASER that which you haue learned of the creation of heauen and earth THE FIRST DAIES WORKE OF THE THIRD TOME OF THE FRENCH Academie Of Heauen and Earth Of the creation of Heauen and Earth Chapter 1. ASER. IF all men guided by reason as Plato very wel said haue a custome to inuocate on God in the beginning of their worke In Tim. whether it be great or little how much more conuenient is it that desiring to dispute of the Vniuers if wee retaine any iudgement at all we should call God to our aide It is very difficult to speake as is requisite of the celestiall bodies and of so many diuers motions as they haue and yet not one hinder another but it is a much more high and intricate matter to finde out the workman and father of all this great world And when we shall haue found him it is altogether impossible vulgarly to expresse the cause reason of his works For though as it is the glorie and infinite wisedome of God shineth in this admirable construction of heauen and earth yet our capacitie is too too smal to comprise so great profound effects so much it wanteth that the toong may bee able to make a full and entire declaration thereof And we cannot hold disputation or argument vpon that which doth not offer it selfe vnto our sense and proper reason as is the creation of the world For therein haue we that woonderfull Architect whom Hermes called the great infinite sphere intellectual whose center is all that which is throughout the world created who performing his worke and giuing motion to all the celestiall bodies doth himselfe continue stable Now that which mouing is not it selfe moued surpasseth al discourses speculations humane and philosophicall and appertaineth to a diuine knowledge the which we ought to impetrate through praiers by reuelation of the holy Spirit euen in such sort as all things naturall are inuented and comprehended by reason demonstration and all morall are obtained by arte and vse Praier to God Then of the soueraigne and true God with his eternal Word and holy Spirit which three are one essence one God in Trinitie of persons Exod. 3. whose name is I will be that I will be or I am that I am Almightie Eternall Creator and gouernor of euery soule and bodie in contemplation of whom consisteth the onely good the true felicitie and blessednes of man whom he himselfe hath created to attaine thereunto a liuing creature reasonable by the gift of vnderstanding and free-will Who being iust permitteth not his creature made according to his owne image to remaine vnpunished hauing sinned and being merciful hath not left him without grace who hath giuen both to the good and euill an essence with the stones a life vegetatiue and full of seede with the plants a life sensuall with the beasts and a life intellectuall with the Angels from whom proceedeth all gouernance all goodlines and all order by whom all that is naturall euen from the highest of heauen to the center of the earth doth subsist of whom are the seedes of formes the formes of seedes the mouings of seedes and of formes who being good hath not left regardlesse not onely the sphericall and elementarie world or else the Angels and man but euen the entrailes of the most small and contemptible amongst creatures neither the lightest feather of the birds nor the least flower of the herbe nor leafe of the tree engrauing in each of all these things the workes of his omnipotencie certaine signes of his glorie and maiestie by the couenant and accord of euery of their parts and as it were by I wot not what manner of peace Of him I say father and moderator of all that which is which liueth which hath sense and vnderstandeth let vs request Companions that with the light of his wisedome he will illuminate our vnderstandings and by his holy spirit direct and gouerne our words meetely to discourse of according as mans power is able the works of his al-mighty hand in heauen and in earth according as our intent is The beginning of euerie thing whatsoeuer is of such waight and importance that on the knowledge of the same dependeth all the science thereof for it is impossible that a man can be skilfull in any thing if he be ignorant
of it It is true that Auerrois doth interpret this text of Aristotle concerning heauen But how should the heauen be this Eternall whom all things should enforce themselues to follow considering that it of it selfe is eternall in fauour of whom the elements heauen it selfe and euerie creature doth worke Doth not the doctrine of Aristotle resound in each point that God is the end of all things in desire of whom they are mooued as to the thing loued and desired But leauing this Arabian Auerrois who studieth in all his works to deface marre many other sentences of his master that he may defend that which he imagineth let vs conclude that according as the Philosophers confesse the elements in their being the plants in their life and fruitfulnes the liuing creatures in a better life and in their condition such as it is imitate in emulation the diuine power and perfection and that man endued with the singular gift of libertie and free will doth in the same imitate God and beareth in a better estate and condition then any other thing his image and semblance By such considerations say I is also prooued the freedome and libertie of God alwaies tending to good according to his good pleasure because he contayneth within himselfe that which hee conferreth vpon others And briefly to answere all their reasons heretofore alleaged let vs hold that that Soueraigne perfection which is in God wanteth not in the lowest degree nor for the cause thereof nor yet that his simple vnitie is distributed into a multitude because that in it selfe by infinite power it contayneth all things Neither doth the intellectuall soule degenerate although as they teach it exerciseth the power to feele Proper faculties to be considered in God to strengthen to cause encreasing and to mooue according to his estate For that we may mount to higher considerations God perceiueth with such his senses as the holy Scriptures attribute vnto him He mooueth all other things himselfe remaining stable he giueth them strength and feedeth them with the foode of his wisedome But hee performeth all these things by a meanes by a perfection power which is vnknowne to humane spirits except they be illustrated with his light And there is in him a fertilitie without trauel which is the fountaine of all other things through which he produceth alwaies within himselfe but outwardly he doth it at the pleasure of his will Which because it is the rule of contingence it is not possible nor fit for vs to search out the cause of the first beginning For when we are thereto arriued Aristotle himselfe doth charge to stay for God hath no need of any precedent disposition nor of helpe neither did feare resistance nor was hindered by space he who in commaunding created all things But the causes of things here below the instruments and subiect framed by his word require a precedent disposition haue need of an application attaine succession of time and seeke such helpes as are requisite for such a one as negotiateth by power limited And therefore as we haue alreadie said when they deduce their reasons from these conditionall and naturall workers to him which is free and deliuered from all these things they fall into diuers errors But if by the workes which they contemplate in this Vniuers they do enforce themselues to attaine to the knowledge of the Soueraigne Architect then let them attribute vnto him all these things after a conuenient perfect manner separating from him all that denoteth feeblenes and impotencie in the worker And then they shall see that the supreme things of the Architype accord by a sweete and melodious consonancie to those which are more base and meane all which are comprised in the creator as in a modell and patterne and contemplated by vs here below as in a shadow or trace But this shadow and much more the trace doth want much of him whom they represent And yet by them as by a token or priuie note we attaine to some obscure knowledge of the creator although his workes doe agree with him neither in different proportion or signification nor yet in al and through all in the same reason but onely by a certaine resemblance they represent vnto vs the perfect fashion of supernall things by their most grosse and base nature euerie one in their degree But this is sufficient concerning this subiect now speake we of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation of the world vndoubtable which we refer to you ARAM to declare vnto vs. Of the authoritie of such witnesses as make the creation and newnes of the world vndoubted Chapter 7. ARAN AS we haue seene how weake and feeble the arguments of Philosophers against the creation and newnesse of the world are so is it expedient also that being readie for the combat we march in battell against them armed with true and strong reasons and vnder the authoritie of very good and approoued witnesses to the end to make vndoubted to all Manie witnesses of the worlds creation that which wee haue already declared concerning the creation of the Vniuers And first we will recite those who being woorthie of credite haue taught it vs. We haue alreadie seene how that the opinion of Plato concerning this generation of the world accordeth with the doctrine of Moses Mercurius Trismegistus in his Pimandre deliuereth in few words the same sacred mysteries rendring the composition of this Vniuers and of the gouernors thereof and of all things created to be vndoubtable And by the baser elements he aduertiseth vs of the pure workemanship of nature vnited neuerthelesse with the thought of the Creator Which elements he affirmeth to be for this purpose established by the will of God onely and yet in farre woorse condition then before they were in the worker Empedocles of Agrigentum and Heraclitus of Ephesus affirme not once but oftentimes the world to be engendred and corruptible Democritus teacheth that it hath had beginning that it one day must perish and neuer againe be renued Hesiod and Orpheus the Poets sing that it hath beene created Thales one of the seuen Sages affirmeth Hieraclus that this round frame is the worke of God Pythagoras Hieraclus his expounder confesse God creator father of all things To which accord Auicen Arabian Algazel Sarrasin Philo no lesse excellent in doctrine then in Greeke eloquence and Alcinois the Platonist who saith It is necessarie for the vniuersall world to be the perfectly-beautious worke of God And many such other authors the most cōmended for learning whom it would be too lōg tedious to rehearse affirme the same But leauing the testimonies of strangers let vs come to such as haue receiued frō diuine oracles A certaine approbation of the doctrine of Moses by supernatural illumination that which they haue taught vnto vs. We haue heard that which Moses teacheth vs concerning the generation of the world now let vs consider how his
mans teaching a meane thing between man and beast as the Zoophyta partaketh of the plant and animal But it may be we haue said more concerning these things then is requisite for our purpose I will onely therefore adde that the mutual vicinity and communication of the worlds which we haue here described is also declared in holy writ For it is written in the Psalmes In wisedome he made the heauens Psal 136. 2. Cor. 12. And Saint Paul saith of himselfe that he was rauished into the third heauen which afterwards he calleth Paradise Psal 103. 104. We read also that the Angels of God are spirits and his ministers a flame of burning fire And thence without doubt it commeth that oftentimes to diuine natures are attributed both celestiall and terrestriall surnames when as sometimes they are figured by starres Apocal. 2. Ezech. 1.3 Apocal. 2. Apocal. 21. sometimes by wheeles and beasts and sometimes by elements as we sometimes also appropriate diuine and celestiall names to terrestriall natures For euen as the three worlds being girt and buckled with the bands of concord doe by reciprocall liberalitie interchange their natures the like doe they also by their appellations And this is the principle from whence springeth and groweth the discipline of allegoricall sense The originall of allegoricall sense For it is certaine that the ancient fathers could not conueniently haue represented one thing by other figures but that they had first learned the secret amitie and affinitie of all nature Otherwise there could be no reason why they should represent this thing by this forme and that by that rather then otherwise But hauing the knowledge of the vniuersall world and of euery part thereof and being inspired with the same spirit that not onely knoweth all things but did also make all things they haue oftentimes and very fitly figured the natures of the one world by that which they knew to be correspondent thereto in the others Wherefore the same knowledge and the grace of the same spirit is requisite for those who would vnderstand and directly interpret such significations and allegoricall meanings Moreouer besides these worlds which we haue also distinguished there is also another a fourth Of a fourth world wherein may likewise be found all that which subsisteth in the others And this is man who for this cause as our doctors shew is vnderstood in the gospell by the name of euery creature then when Iesus Christ commandeth to preach to men the good newes Mark 16. not to beasts nor angels being neuerthelesse enioyned to publish it to euery creature Likewise it is a common vse in schooles to teach that man is a little world and that within him the bodie is composed of the elements the reasonable soule is celestiall the vegetable power common to men and plants the sense common to brute beasts the reason participated to Angels and finally the image of God is therein seene considered But of him we haue sufficiētly intreated in the second part of our Academicall discourses wherefore of this great vniuersall world must our ensuing talke be And as we haue diuided it into three generall parts so must we particularly discourse of them First therefore let vs say something concerning the Angelicall and intellectuall world and of the celestiall intelligences or Angels which ARAM shall be the subiect of your discourse Of the Angelicall and intellectuall world Chapter 15. ARAM. NOw shal I haue great need to say with the kingly prophet Oh that I had wings like a doue Psal 55. wings I say of siluer and shining golde that I might flie vp into the supercelestiall region where resteth true rest true peace and certaine tranquillitie which this wretched worldly corps cannot yeeld Open mine eies you supermundaine spirits but rather thou oh father of them and I shall contemplate the woonder of your citie wherein God attendeth for those that feare him that which eie hath neuer seene eare neuer heard nor any hart woorthily thought vpon Well I wot that many call disputations and searching out of the nature and multitude of angels and their orders vaine questions and fit for idle imaginations but surely they are secrets which Saint Paule himselfe who had beene rapt vp aboue the third heauen hath not onely taught but hath also protested that he had there heard many things ◠Cor. 12. which were not lawfull for him to reueale And I am likewise of beleefe that the full reuelation of the angelicall and intellectuall world is deferred till the last day yet will wee heere speake soberly thereof and as briefly as we can according to that which diuines haue written without any waies offending pietie or christian religion When the holy Scripture speaketh of the creation of the world it is not euidently expressed in what order and how the angels were created Genes 2. That the angels are God his creatures But forasmuch as it is said that God created heauen and all things therein contained it is most certaine that therein are comprised the spirits celestiall as well those that through obedience haue stood in their integritie as those who rebelling against God haue beene cast out vnto destruction Neither is it heereto repugnant that Moses reciting the Genesis or creation of the world maketh no expresse mention thereof For we see how that in silence passing ouer all things which surmount our capacitie or else couering them vnder the mysticall sense of his words for those whom God would fully illuminate with the brightnes of his holy spirite he onely entreateth of those which we behold with our eies yea and that too in familiar and vulgar sort conforming himselfe to the rudenes of the people with whom he had to deale And for this cause hath the opinion of sundry great personages and namely of Saint Augustine beene Lib 2. de ciuit Dei cha 9. 1◠that the angels haue beene signified either by the name of heauen there where it is said In the beginning God made heauen and earth or else by the name of the light which he saith was created the first day But howsoeuer this is doubtlesse that the angels are the worke of God For the holy Scripture doth testifie it in infinite places with a most cleere voice namely in the song of the three children which were in the furnace Dan. 3. who hauing saide Blesse the Lord all his works in pursuite of the narration of them the angels are also named And the prophet saith You creatures of the heauens praise the Lord you which are in the hie places praise him All his angels Psal 148. and all his armies praise him Sith also they are the ministers of God appointed to doe that which he commandeth them as the apostle to the Hebrewes saith there is no doubt but they are his creatures Moreouer the holy Scriptures teach vs that they are alwaies watching for our safetie that they are alwaies readie to
description thereof is properly called Cosmographie which doth comprise in it the first part of Astronomie and Geographie that is the order and reason as well of heauen as of the earth vnder which we vnderstand all natures and essences in them contained And for this cause it seemeth that God being father and author of all things is oftentimes called in the scriptures creator of heauen and earth And as the Greekes did first call the heauen Cosmos bicause of the surpassing beautie so afterward the name of Mundus hath been attributed thereto bicause of the perfect and most pure hiew and neatnes thereof Againe because the world is a solide bodie that is full of celestiall or elementarie substances and because it is of a round and orbicular forme performing a circular motiō without intermission vpon his owne poles round about the earth as about the center thereof it is called a Sphere What a sphere is For a sphere is a bodie contayned vnder one round superficies in the midst whereof is a point from which all lines that are drawne to the circumference are equall Diuision of the world But as we consider the world in this sphere so must we also contemplate it in two distinct parts which manifest themselues by continuall experience and naturall reason to wit the elementarie region continually occupied in generation and corruption in change and alteration of all things as well liuing as not liuing and the celestiall part being of inuariable substance and adorned with innumerable stars as well fixed as wandring which enuiron the saide elementarie region round about so that the elements being diuersly intermingled infused and proportioned are the materiall cause and nouriture of all things and the heauenly part by the light thereof by the motion and influence of the stars is the formall cause of their figure varietie and specificall difference and from it proceedeth their life Now that we may entreat of this first part of the world which we haue named in our first diuision of the Vniuers the world of the spheres we must note that this celestiall region which philosophers call the fift essence thereby meaning that it is of another and more simple nature then the fower elements is by them diuided into eight orbes and particular heauens one ioyning to the other and all concentricall that is hauing one common and selfe same center to wit that of all the world and of these heauens the greatest doth enuiron and by a sphericall order enclose within it that which is next and lesse then it selfe being each discerned by the proper and particular motion of those stars which they containe all which motions do varie one from another And these eight orbes or spheres are the heauen of fixed stars which keepe an vnchangeable distance betweene themselues and for this cause it is called the firmament then follow the seuen planets of which the sunne and moone are properly called Luminaria or great lights Reason of the name of Planets And for Saturne Iupiter Mars Venus and Mercurie they are especially named planets that is wandring in their motions Whereupon we may note in regard of their names that Astrologians to the ende to make their doctrine to be more easily retayned and for certaine good respect and secret reason making themselues like painters to instruct the ignorant haue also named and represented these stars by personages of diuers habits and countenances as likewise they haue disposed vnder diuers figures the twelue signes of the Zodiacke which are certaine stars appointing to one the fashion of a ramme to another of a bull to another of two twinnes and so of the rest So likewise they haue signified the images of heauen which are out of the Zodiacke one by a beare another by an eagle another by an harpe this by a dog and that by a dragon and so of the rest To the sunne it selfe they haue assigned a proper forme and figure as also to the moone And we see that painters haue alwaies made the picture of stars with fiue beames to denote their twinckling light though all of them do not glister so but are of round fashion without points or corporall beames But returne we to our matter concerning the heauens and celestiall spheres and let vs speake of their order and situation Of the order and scituation of the heauens The firmament which is the eight heauen as the highest and greatest of all the rest and as the vttermost ornament and beawtie of all the world doth enuiron round about the heauen of Saturne that of Saturne the heauen of Iupiter that of Iupiter the heauen of Mars and that of Mars the orbe of the Sunne which possesseth the middle place among the seuen planets then the heauen of the Sunne compasseth round about the heauen of Venus that of Venus the heauen of Mercurie and lastly that of Mercurie the heauen of the Moone which is the least lowest of all the rest and placed next about the elementarie region And this number and order of the heauens is commonly receiued of all Astronomers and Philosophers and sheweth it selfe to be such both by naturall reasons and by Mathematicall obseruations Moreouer for so much as by the Astronomers ring and other instruments fitting for the demonstration of this science one may perceiue that these eight spheres are distinguished and separated one from the other certaine reason doth thereupon conclude Of the first moouer which is the ninth heauen that beside these there is a ninth which is called the first moouer which is the guide of the heauens and which by his owne power and violence doth carrie away all the others with it being no whit gouerned by any lower circle but onely by that intelligence which mooueth it or else by the commandement of God to whom all motion is drawen as to the first moouer to the end that the whole harmonie of heauen be not confused as Aristotle in the ende of his Organon prooueth True it is also that some moderne Philosophers doe place betweene the firmament and the first moouer a ninth sphere Of the Chrystalin heauen which they cal the Chrystalline heauen for that some stars are not seene therein And this is because that they cannot perceiue how there might be made in the eight sphere the motion called Trepidation or tottering of the fixed stars if there were not a ninth heauen enclosed within the first moouer For it seemes not likely to them that the firmament which is turned with three motions should be ioyned to the first moouer which is carried with one onely course For this eight sphere hath one daily motion from the west to the east vpon the poles of the Zodiack which is the circle of the signes vpon which according to Ptolomie in each hundred yeeres it rūneth one degree or else in sixty yeers as others hold then hath it the foresaid motion of Trepidation Wherupon they conclude that there is a ninth heauen that
propertie of things correspondent with their said effects Of the names of the twelue signes and the causes thereof The first signe is nominated Aries bicause that the Sunne then beginneth to approch to the highest point and the heate thereof doth increase which mixing with the humiditie that the precedent winter had brought in maketh the temperature of the aire hot and moist which agreeth with the nature of a ram The second signe is called Taurus bicause that when the sunne is therein the heate fortifieth it selfe and consumeth the moisture so that the temperature of the aire tendeth somewhat to drinesse which seemeth very answerable to the nature of the bull which is of greater power then that of sheepe The third signe is named Gemini bicause the Sunne being therein hath his heat redoubled and amongst all kindes of beastes the males and females haue naturall copulation two and two togither to ingender one like themselues and to continue their kinde The fourth signe is said to be Cancer for euen as the crab goeth backward so the sunne entring into this signe retireth backe towardes the Equinoctiall from whence he came making his declinations contrarie to those of Gemini The fift signe is called Leo bicause the sunne being therein by the redoubling of his beames the heate is strong and drinesse great euen as the lion is a puissant beast of hot and drie nature The sixt signe is named Virgo for as the virgine is a weake creature and of her selfe barren so the sunne being in this signe the heate diminisheth and drinesse ruleth whereby the production of things ceaseth and the earth becommeth barren The seuenth signe hath to name Libra bicause the disposition of the aire is then in ballance betweene the wasted heate and new-begun coldnes and bicause also the sunne being in this signe the daies and nights are in ballance betweene the decreasing of the one and increasing of the other The eight is called Scorpio bicause that then the colde ruling with drinesse are great enimies to nature and doe corrupt the aire which hath the proper qualitie of hot and moist whereupon ensue plagues and other dangerous diseases which surprise the creature like the venome of a scorpion which lies in his taile and is engendred of corruption The ninth signe is named Sagittarius for the sunne being in it the too much weakened heate is surmounted by cold whereupon there ensue fogs and frosts and other alterations of the aire as hurtfull to creatures as enuenomed arrowes The tenth signe is nominated Capricornus bicause that the sunne entring thereinto is the farthest that all the yeere it can be from the verticall point so that by rigour of the colde mixed with drinesse which hath then full domination as also by reason of the debilitie of heate the disposition of the aire is melancholie retaining the nature of a goate The eleuenth signe is signified by Aquarius bicause then the drinesse is surmounted by the moisture now beginning the cold neuerthelesse remaining wherefore the aire is cold and moist like water and disposed to snowes and raine The twelfth and last signe is Pisces bicause as fishes are colde and moist following naturally the water hauing yet some little naturall heate euen so is the temperature of the aire then cold and moist hauing yet some heate growing by the approch of the sunne to the vernall Equinoctiall point so that the cold diminisheth And thus much concerning the signes of the Zodiacke and the names to them ascribed for which cause the fixed starres which are in this circle and comprised within the said signes both of the one side and on the other haue been painted according to the fashion of the saide beasts and their influence iudged from the causes by vs here declared and not that the said signes haue taken their names of the nature and disposition of the said starres And by this consideration of the propertie of each signe in the Zodiacke we learne that by the introduction of one qualitie ensueth the expulsion of the contrarie and by the augmentation of the one the decrease of the other Which must onely be vnderstood concerning the qualities happening in the aire by the radiation of the sunne onely being strong meane and weake and the disposition of inferiour things without comprising therein the other constellations and aspects of the planets changing greatly altering the said disposition of the aire neither doe we touch the opinions of professors of iudiciall Astrologie who for other reasons and principles of the said arte attribute to the same signes other qualities then those that we haue expressed But from them wee may extract fower triplicities which make the twelue signes correspond with the fower elements to wit Gemini Cancer Leo with the fire Pisces Aries and Taurus with the aire Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius with water and Virgo Libra and Scorpio with earth Now must we pursue our purpose concerning the circles of the sphere as well great as small mooueable as immooueable the treatise whereof ACHITOB I referre to you Of the two great circles named Colures and of the fower lesse circles and parallels of the fiue Zones of the world and immooueable circles Chap. 20. ACHITOB. BEsides the two principall mooueable circles which haue beene declared vnto vs in the precedent speech there are also demonstrated in the sphere two other great circles whereof one passeth by the Equinoctiall points and the other by the Solstists or sunsteads and poles of the Zodiacke and both by the poles of the world where they are diuided into three angles And by this meanes they part as well the Equinoctiall as the Zodiacke into fower parts the parts whereof answere togither in iust and equall proportion Of two circles called Colures These two circles haue to name Colures that is to say vnperfect because they haue an vnperfect reuolution in turning with the sphere vpon the points of their circumference and not about their proper poles like other circles One of them then is called the Equinoctiall colure and the other the Solstitial colure And the one passeth by the circle of the Zodiacke at the beginning of the signes Aries Libra which are the Equinoctiall signes and the other at the beginning of the signes Cancer and Capricorne which are the Solstitiall signes And it is to be noted that the arck of the Solstitiall Colure comprised betweene the Equinoctiall and one of the Solstists is the measure of the greatest declination of the Sunne which must of necessitie be equall to the arck of that Colure which is betweene one of the poles of the world and the next pole of the Zodiacke For by how much one greater circle declineth from another by so much the poles of the one are distant from the poles of the other because all greater circles are equall and haue one common center and do equally part themselues and likewise their declination is iust in the midst of their cuttings or intersections We must
sith it is so much hidden from man Now in that the celestiall bodies and the elements and all creatures haue their proper motion wherein they continue according to the first ordinance established in nature by the soueraigne creator thereof we are much to admire both the cause and effects of such a constancie I intend heere to speake of a neere cause which is a secret amitie ingraffed into euery creature toward his owne nature For there is a loue Euery creature foloweth his owne nature an appetite or vniuersall inclination in all creatures which vrgeth and inciteth them to desire and search that which agreeth with their nature so that there is none so insensible which hath not in it selfe this amitie innate which euer pusheth it to follow the nature thereof and for this cause may we say that all motions proceed from loue And passing further we may contemplate the loue of God as the eternall source of amitie and inclination of all nature and as the first cause of causes and we shall say that in the same loue God louing himselfe proceeded to his worke which hitherto we haue celebrated and do now meane to prosecute For sith that God is the soueraigne good that all goodnes is by nature louing it cannot be but he must likewise loue himselfe exceedingly and consequently loue all that which he iudgeth to be good insomuch as it proceedeth from him who is the supreme good and the limit of all goodnes This loue then not being able to be idle The loue of God is the first of all motions nor yet the good which it loued would manifest both the one and the other first in the creation of the world namely in that of man and then againe in the restauration and reparation of his fall So we learne that the first motion whereupon all the rest depend is the loue of God which proceedeth from his bountie which he would not keepe shut vp nor inclosed in himselfe but would manifest and communicate it with his creatures whom he hath created to the end that he might be glorified in them and by them And as he loueth them for his owne loues sake and for that they were his worke so hath he set in them the seeds of loue both towards him and towardes themselues according to the diuers nature which he hath conferred vpon them It is then this naturall loue which constraineth them by a secret feeling of nature imprinted euen in those essences which haue neither reason nor vnderstanding to take delight in that which is agreeable to their creator and to follow his ordinance tending all to him and to that which he loueth bicause it is good and therefore good being done according to his will and bicause it pleaseth him to iudge it and approoue it for such Whereupon we may conclude that loue and amitie is the good by which all creatures haue an accord and agreement first with God their creator and then one with another and that vpon the same cause their conseruation and perfection doth depend Of the vnion and accord betweene all creatures Wherefore loue must be the bond and vnion of all the world which is an vniuersall peace and concorde betweene God and all his creatures For the diuine prouidence hath so disposed all the order of them that they be all conioined one with another by such loue and amitie that euen they which seeme to be cleane contrarie are allied reconciled and vnited togither by those which haue more correspondencie betweene them In such sort that we may therein behold a very pleasant and perfect harmonie like as in musicke wherein although it seemeth that the notes tunes and sounds be different one to another yet notwithstanding there is such a moderation in them that they yeeld togither a goodly concord and sweete melodie keeping their proportions times and measures As then by such peace and concord the celestiall spheres follow the generall and common course of the first highest and greatest of all within which they are contained and inclosed performing likewise each of them his particular course without endommaging themselues as we haue heretofore made mention so doe all the elements follow the heauen and obserue their order after it euery one in their degree from the highest to the lowest hauing their motions agreeable to their nature And euen as liuing creatures haue their agreements and coniunctions one with another euery one in his degree according to the couenant and participation of nature which they haue togither and as they are either neere to or farre off one from another euen so is it in the agreement and consent of nature which is betweene the celestiall bodies and the elements and all creatures composed of them For this cause as the angels retaine the first degree among liuing creatures and then man the second next them by reason that in his nature he neerest agreeth with the angels and doth neerest approch them so doth the heauen and celestiall fires retaine the first degree among creatures which are without soule and without life in their proper and conuenient motions according as we haue already declared And as man doth in some sort hold the middle place betweene the angels and the most perfect beasts so doth fire betwixt the heauen and the aire and as the aire doth keepe the middle place betwixt the fire and water so the water is a meane betwixt the aire and the earth But these things will claime a fitter place when we come to intreate of the elementarie world Wherefore we will returne to that which onely concerneth the heauenly bodies which forsomuch as we haue saide to be of the number of those creatures which are without life being contrarie to the opinion of the most famous philosophers my minde is that we should consider neerer of this matter bicause that by the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them it seemeth that they are not altogither depriued of life reason and vnderstanding as ARAM we may learne of you Of the life reason and vnderstanding of the celestiall bodies and of the excellent politicall and militarie order which is amongst them Chap. 27. ARAM. THis being true that all creatures haue a certaine motion agreeable to their nature and a naturall loue which euer vrgeth them to seeke and pursue that which is most naturall for them as hath been already related in our antecedent speech it seemeth that this can hardly come to passe but that there must be in them some kinde of soule and life yea euen in those creatures that are most insensible And more I will say that it is not onely to be presumed that they haue some kinde of life but also a naturall vnderstanding which we may properly name inclination sith there is no essence but can follow his proper course and order in his owne nature and peculiar motions For the stones themselues and mettals by a kinde of soule and vegetatiue life doe
and variable motion so that she causeth to be correspondent to man as to the end and image of the whole Vniuers all the loftie members of it All these properties I say are attributed by sundry Astronomers to the planets in regard of the good which they cause to men Againe others acknowledge some of them to be the cause of many euils and those they call ill planets not celestiall For they say that Saturne is foolish niggardly difficult Euilnes of Saturne inducing to dangers fraud mischiefe treasons violence captiuitie banishment losse periurie contumacie wrath hatred of all good feare anguish griefe burials sorrow and losse of children also that he causeth sorceries empoisonings theft maketh Magicians Of Mars they say that he prouoketh to treason warre Of Mars murder boldnes rashnes pride sedition contention rapine ambushments woundings flights disloialties villanies foolish loue easie offending many cogitations ill counsell and that he maketh princes violent cruell inhumane desirous of bloud and slaughter periured deceitfull inconstant cursing and full of all wickednes and that he foresheweth a mishapen and impudent man and that he is pernicious to birthes causing abortiue fruit Finally that in all parts of heauen he menaceth some mischiefe For the rest I passe them heere in silence that I may not bee too tedious in this matter which some Mathematicians and Poets ascribe to other planets making them cause of many other euils according to the diuers constellations where they doe contemplate them But to speake my minde we like Christians must beleeue and not thinke as many naturalists doe who in stead of acknowledging a God do forge to themselues an Idoll of Nature that it should be the planets or starres who like fountaines or Ladies of vertues properties and powers giue influence to men of the foresaide qualities but onely that in disposing their bodies being compounded of the elements vpon which the planets worke they serue to aide them to abound in vertues or vices according as their minde beeing moderatrix of all their actions doth dispose hir faculties to intend good or euill For this cause we say that to those which want the gifts and graces of Gods spirit all things cannot but succeed badly and the influences of the spheres hurt them rather then otherwise yea some more then other some as to the contrarie the minde of the faithful well instructed doth correct the naughtines of the stars deliuereth himselfe from all peruerse inclination This is it that the thrise great Philosopher Mercurius saith entreating of those whom the diuine power whatsoeuer it was had forsaken leauing and abandoning them to the euill as hee speaketh and all that which was sensible in them For thus saith he Of such the forces of anger appetite which being wel directed would cause euery good worke turne into a nature depriued of reason So then we learne that very vaine is the faith that is giuen to the planets to constellations and to foolish diuinations and superstitious prognostications of Astrologians For true Christians feare not the signes of heauen nor their aspects and regards but do wholly depend vpon the grace of God and of his prouidence which turneth all to the good of his elect Against iudiciall astrologie And therefore though wee condemne not true Astrologie namely Astronomie yet must we not approoue the superstition and curiositie which is in many concerning that part of this science called Iudiciall which they holde for a certaine and infallible doctrine by which may be foreseene and knowne the euents of men But let vs rather hold with that which Ieremie teacheth vs Ierem. 10. saying Feare not the signes of heauen according to the gentiles for the customes of the people are vaine Which is as much as if he had said that such curious obseruations full of superstitions are friuolous and false belonging to pagans and idolaters and not to the people of God For this cause also we haue in the bookes of the other prophets many things spoken against the predictions and prognostications of the Chaldees and Babylonians Esay 47. namely in Isay For God which is aboue all nature hath meanes which men cannot perfectly know either by reason of their ignorance or for that those meanes are supernaturall So that it happeneth that things oftentimes succeede cleane contrarie to that which the Astronomers haue forespoken prognosticated Against the casters of natiuities according to their contemplation But I woulde willingly aske them what foundation they can haue when like prophets they enterprise to foretell men good lucks and ill lucks and all euents which they must expect and chiefly to kings princes and other chiefe personages For where doe they finde when God created the stars and planets that he gaue them commission to reueale to Astrologers what should be the nature and complexion of euery one according to the planet vnder which they should be borne And againe how can such iudiciall science haue certaintie seeing there are a thousand men that are borne euery day in the world in one selfesame countrie at one selfesame time hower and instant one sometimes to be a king and another a poore shepherd being neither like in nature nor like in manners but sometimes more contrarie then fire and water For this is much prooued in many twinnes as the scripture giueth vs a notable example in Iacob and Esau For they were borne so close to one another Genes 25. that Iacob helde with his hand the sole of his brother Esaus foote and therefore the name of Iacob was giuen him And by how much the one was humble good and peaceable by so much the other was proud wicked and warlike And who can beleeue that God hath set marks in any of the signes of heauen to signifie to men that which he hath ordained concerning euery one in his eternall counsell which is hidden from the angels themselues Surely whatsoeuer we can learne is through his holy spirit which he communicateth to such as he pleaseth reuealing to them his secrets as heretofore he did to his most faithfull seruants And therefore he that would haue most certaine prognostications must not goe away to seeke and aske them of other more true Astrologians then the prophets and apostles with their writings For they haue surely foretold all that must come to passe in the world to the very consummation of time and chiefly touching the monarchies empires and kingdoms of the earth namely Daniel And I belieue that God hath not created the stars planets more for kings princes other great personages thē for the simple least Too sound true a prognosticatiō haue we against them all in Isay Isay 60. by which he prophesieth that euery kingdome euery nation which serueth not the Lord shall perish So likewise all the blessings and cursings of the lawe Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. are so many most certaine prophesies of all that which good and bad
that wee shall heere discourse vpon and that the most subtile amongst men can describe is a very small thing in respect of the greatnes and excellencie which their creator hath engraued in them But yet by this which is proposed vnto vs wee may easily consider into what an admiration men should be rauished if it might be permitted them to behold view and contemplate fully and in perfection all the stately works of the heauens and of all the lights in them contained and to vnderstand their natures effects and properties and all the beautie and goodly order which therein is and the great vtilitie which thereby redoundeth to men and to all creatures For all therein is disposed by an excellent order like an host and armie whereof God is the leader and gouernour Deut. 17. Psal 24. Isay 60. And therefore this whole ornament of the heauen and of these faire lights is called in the scripture the host armie and soldiers of heauen and God who is the Lord prince and the great and soueraigne captaine is likewise named the Lord of hosts Moreouer as we haue noted that in the succession of day and night the prouidence of God doth publikely declare it selfe so haue we excellent testimonies in the diuersitie of the monthes Diuersitie oâ— the seasons in the â—eere to testifie the prouidence of God and of the seasons which are throughout the yeere For some are cold others excessiue hot some drie and some wet some temperate and other some vntemperate For according as the sunne doth approch neere or recule from vs or as it is higher or lower according as our sight considereth it and the situation of the places and countries which wee inhabite doth present it vnto vs and that his heate remaineth more or lesse vpon the earth by meanes of his proper and particular course so haue we the daies longer or shorter and the nights likewise and more or lesse hot cold drie and wet weather and more temperatenes and vntemperatenes So that it may seeme that the yeere is distinguished by diuers ages like to the life of man And therefore many say that the spring-time is as the infancie and childhood of the yeere the sommer like the youth and virilitie thereof autumne like the ripe age inclining to oldnes and winter like the decrepite and last age wherein it seemeth that all is mortified and become dead then we behold the spring-time againe returne like a new creation and reparation of the world and consequently al the rest of the seasons not failing of the time ordained to them For as the sunne neuer faileth to bring the day in due time so likewise doth it not faile to distinguish alwaies vnto vs the diuers seasons in euery yeere in such sort as it hath done from the beginning Power of the moone vpon all creatures The moone also hath her proper effects in all these things and is very powerfull as well among liuing creatures as among the fruits of the earth through the changes which are in her For it is seene by experience that according as she encreaseth or decreaseth so doe the humours in all creatures augment and diminish and are tender or firme and change diuersly Moreouer as this planet altereth hir course so doth the weather change in disposition turning sometimes into raine sometimes being faire and sometimes tempestuous But aboue all the power which God hath placed in hir manifesteth it selfe most euidently in the waters of the sea especially in the flowings and ebbings thereof And although that amongst so many effects produced by these two goodly lights Testimonie of the prouidence of God in the harmonie of the seasons of the yeere there are great contrarieties and maruellous differences yet God by his prouidence can reduce them to singular agreement and make them all returne to one bound and point For the excesse of the one is the temperature of the other For as one season is apt to sowe and plant in so is another fit to make the fruits grow and ripen in and another is proper to gather them in and prepare them to serue our vses And as the cold and drought doe much hinder corruptions and infections which might arise through excessiue heate and wetnes so doth heate and moisture temperate the great cold and drinesse and conserue and repaire that which they would destroy so that by the one of these qualities the defect of the other is supplied and the excesse of the one is the temperature of the other as we haue heard that there commeth to passe by the succession of day and night which causeth that many commodities do flow to men and animals By how much the more we consider of these things by so much the more shall we finde occasion to woonder at the works and prouidence of God For whereas the propertie of one contrarie is to destroy another he hath so well tempered and reconciled them that he causeth the one to be preserued by the other yea that the one cannot subsist without the aide of his companion Which taketh place not onely in these things which we haue here alreadie mentioned but likewise in all creatures which are in the vniuersall world For it is all composed of contrarie natures And yet God their father maketh them to fit so well togither that he reduceth all discord into concord and all enimitie into amitie as the example is notable in mans bodie being compounded of elements and qualities cleane contrarie one to another and yet conioined by such a vnitie that the composition and preseruation is most firme and assured so long time as it pleaseth God to maintaine his worke But this matter will be more cleerely expounded when we shall discourse of the elementarie world Yet before we leaue the woorthie subiect which hath been giuen vs to discourse vpon the celestiall fires it will not be a little fruitfull if we consider of the image of God and of his eternall light which is proposed to vs in the sunne and how the felicitie of mans life is represented by changing of the light into darknes Which ARAM I desire that we may heare of you Of the image of God and of his light which is proposed to vs in the sunne with the felicitie of mans life in the changing of light and of darknes Chapter 35. ARAM. THose matters which hitherto haue been by vs deliuered concerning the celestiall bodies although they be very briefly touched of vs yet may they serue for a very good foundation to giue vs some entrance into a more loftie and more excellent Astrologie wherein we haue the word of God for our guide For it is easie for vs alreadie to vnderstand if wee bee well instructed concerning the vnitie of God in trinitie of persons and if we haue in memorie the discourse which we haue helde concerning the creation of heauen and of the celestial bodies what goodly images of this diuine essence we haue pourtraied in them
greatnes and huge extension seene by euery eie But for the fire we onely see the increase the power and simple matter thereof and his force or fountaine is esteemed to be in the concauitie of the moone aboue the aire Of such as say that there is no fire vnder the sphere of the moone Yet some among the naturall Philosophers affirme and maintaine that there is no fire vnder the orbe of the moone neither will acknowledge any other elementary fire but the fires of the celestial bodies and the heate of them which they communicate to all the rest of the creatures And therefore they assigne to these fires all the space which is from the moone to the highest heauen Saying moreouer that sith the heauen is a thing most pure it is not conuenient to place a thing most burning vnder that which is exempt from all qualitie For nature doth alwaies ioine extremities with things of meane qualitie as is found betwixt the flesh and the bones where she hath placed a filme or thinne skinne and betweene the bones and the ligatures she hath put the gristles so betwixt the scull and the braine because it is softer then flesh nature hath placed two filmes the hardest whereof is neerest to the bone of the head Thereupon then they conclude that the aire is much fitter then the fire to bee next the heauens and serue as a meane to ioine them with the earth and water And against it they argue that swiftnes of motion is the cause or argument of the heate and that there is no other fire others againe auouch that this cannot be For say they although that solide substances may by motion be heated as stones lead and liuing creatures yet those which disperse or scatter themselues abroad become thereby so much the colder by how much they are more lightly mooued witnes the aire and the water For all strong and swift windes are cold and riuers that haue a quick course are very cold Againe those that denie the elementarie fire Reasons of such as deny the fire to enuiron the aire do bring this argument to wit that the comets and flames which oftentimes do appeere in the heauens do cause in the aire verie great and as it were intollerable heates Therefore they demand what might happen if the vniuersall world especially the elementarie were enuironed by fire who could hinder but that that fire would inflame the aire and after it all other things sith the heate of the celestiall bodies would thereto giue aide They adde how Auerrois doth esteeme that all brightnes is hot and that the aire is such and that euery moist qualitie doth least of all other resist heate How then say they shall the aire resist the fire which is the most vehement and most sharpe of all elements It is true that this Arabicke author hath said that sometimes the fire is not actually hot but what then shall be his possibilitie We say that some medicines are hot by possibilitie because that being taken they heat woondrously But by what creatures shall the fire be deuoured to the end to reduce it to the qualitie of medicines Moreouer if the fire be not hot then is not the water cold which should be to confound al reason and the very order of the world Againe they demand what it is that letteth the fire that it shineth not and that it is not seene in the elementarie region Againe if fire be in the aire why then the higher we mount doe we finde the aire more cold and why do snowes more abound on the mountaine tops then in the lowest places yea vnder the torrid zone Which neuerthelesse might not seeme strange if one should consider how snowe falleth in winter onely and very colde haile in midst of summer the cause whereof we shall heereafter discouer But say they if one should obiect that the highest places are farthest remote from the reuerberation of the sunne this may be an argument of lesse heate but not of coldnes In fine they adde that if heate were in the highest of the aire in an elementary body it should principally there rest for to cause the generation of things Now for this reason it cannot be there considering that the celestiall heat is it that doth engender as al Philosophers maintaine Thereupon they conclude that this imagination of fire aboue the aire is vaine It seemeth also that be a thing neuer so light as is the fire yet can it not mount so exceeding high and to say that it was caried aloft onely coniecturing so and that the place thereof must be there such Rhetoricall arguments are not woorth rehearsing in serious matters Answere to many reasons which are alledged to prooue foure elements There are some also which to the reasons by vs before touched in the beginning of this speech do replie that it seemeth they do not conclude that there be fower simple bodies but rather the contrarie For for the first betwixt two extremes one meane not two is cōmonly assigned which being considered in regard of the elements there shoulde onely be three in number And for this vulgar opinion that in all compound bodies there are esteemed to bee fower elements the heat which is in mixt and compound substances cannot consist of elementarie fire For if the fire shoulde remaine in them it should much more rest in the herbe called Euphorbium and in Pepper which are of an extreme hot and drie nature and therefore one might more commodiously get fire out of them then out of most colde stones which yet wee finde to bee cleane contrarie Moreouer the distillations wherein many straine themselues to search the fower elements doe demonstrate but three substances onely to wit water for water oile insteed of aire and the earth which is in the bottome Now if that any do say that the reddest part of the oyle doth represent the fire because it is verie sharpe and verie subtile we will answere that such piercing sharpnes of sauour proceedeth from the vehement vertue of the fire which operateth in the distillation Which likewise doth manifestly appeere in the oyle extracted from mettals euerie part whereof is of a verie sharpe sauour Wherefore if euerie thing of such a qualitie representeth the fire it must follow of necessity that in euerie such essence no portion of aire may subsist But all the world doth alleage that there may fower humours be perceiued to remaine in the bodies of all liuing creatures And yet what auaileth that to prooue so many elements Nay what if I should say with Thrusianus expounder of Galen vpon the art of Phisicke that there are but three humors only But leaue we this disputation and let vs speake of a more strong and forcible argument taken from the combinations and coniunctions of the elementarie qualities which are in number fower as we haue heard in our precedent discourse They alone then and apart doe not constitute an element for they cannot
his voice he worketh great things which we know not And who I pray you would not woonder to see the fire and water which are of contrarie natures mingled one with another and lodged both in one lodging and proceeding out of one place together For where remayneth this fire which sheweth it selfe in lightning commeth it not out of the cloudes wherein it is enclosed before they be opened and burst by the thunder And of what substance is the cloude Is it not of water massed vp together which couereth and keepeth in the fire as in an harth For doe not we oftentimes behold while it raineth and great flouds and streames of water do fall so that it seemeth that all the cloudes and the whole aire should melt and resolue into water that great lightnings of fire flash appeere and runne euerie where about like burning darts and arrowes For while the hot exhalations are inclosed in the cloude Causes of the noise and of the lightning of thunder and retayned therein peforce with the violence and contention which is betwixt these contraries the noise of thunder is made And when the matter is so abundant in the cloude that it maketh it to breake and open and that it may reach to the earth then is there not onely thunder and great lightning but also thunderbolts and which are of diuers verie maruellous and fearfull kinds For some bring with them that fire which is not easie to be quenched as we haue alreadie declared others are without fire and pierce through the most solide and firme bodies so that there is no force which can resist them And sometimes also it happeneth that those which are stroken therewith be they men or beasts remaine all consumed within as if their flesh sinewes and bones were altogither molten within their skin it remayning sound whole as if they had no harme so that it is verie hard to finde in what part the bodie was striken We are not then to hold in small accompt that the holy scripture proposeth God vnto vs so often thundring and lightning when it would declare vnto vs his maiesty and how terrible he is and to bee feared For it is certaine that he hath many weapons and of diuers sorts very strong and ineuitable when he will punish men and that his onely will is sufficient to serue him when and how he pleaseth Supernaturall causes to bee considered in thunder And therefore also wee must acknowledge besides these naturall causes which make and engender thunder the prime eternall and supernaturall cause of all things from which proceede so many signes of the meruailous iudgements of God through the ministerie of his creatures oftentimes contrary to that which seemeth to bee ordained by the lawes of nature For when he will thunder vpon his enemies he breaketh and suddainely consumeth them in strange manner And therefore it is written 1. Sam. 2. 7 that the Lord shall destroy those who rise vp against him and that he shall thunder vpon them from heauen And in the battaile which the children of Israel had against the Philistims it is said that after the praier of Samuell the Lord in that day thundred a great thunder vpon his enemies and scattered them and slew them before the host of Israel When Moses also stretched out his rod towards heauen it is said Exod. 9. that the Lord caused thunder and haile and that the fire walked vpon the ground and that haile and tempests stroke many men and beasts in Egypt Moreouer we doubt not but that euill spirits do sometimes raise vp tempests thunder and lightning because that the principall power of them is in the aire And therefore when it pleaseth God to slack their bridle they raise vp terrible and woondrous stormes Which is apparently demonstrated vnto vs in Iob Iob. 1. whose seruants and cattell Sathan burned with the fire which he caused to fall from heauen and by a great winde that he raised he ouerturned the house vpon his children And therefore also the scripture calleth the diuell Prince of this world Ephes 2. 6. and of darknes and of the power of the aire teaching vs also that wee must fight against the euill spirits which are in the celestiall places It is no meruaile then if euill spirits ioyne themselues with tempests to hurt men to their vttermost abilitie For which cause Dauid calleth the inflaming of the wrath of God choler Psal â—8 indignation and anguish the exploit of euill angels Wherefore it is certaine that when God hath a meaning not onely to punish the wicked but also to chastice his owne or to try their faith constancie patience he giueth power to diuels to this effect yet such as that he alwaies limiteth theÌ„ so that they can do nothing but so far as is permitted them Now he permitteth them so far as he knoweth to bee expedient for his glory and for the health of his or so much as the sins and infidelity of men deserue that he may chastice and punish them and bring vengeance vpon them for their iniquities And therefore mee seemeth that to such meteors the Epicures and Atheists should bee sent who mocke at the prouidence of God as likewise the tyrants of this world Against Atheists and Tyrants who treade all iustice vnderfoot to make them thinke a little whether there be a God in heauen and whether he bee without power and without medling in the gouernment of the world For I cannot beleeue that there is any one of them but would be waked out of his sleep how profound soeuer it were when he should heare God shoote out of the highest heauens and should vnderstand the noise of his cannons and should behold the blowes that he striketh For he is in a place so high that all the wicked together cannot make batterie against him nor yet auoid his ineuitable strokes who can slay them with the feare onely which they shall haue of his noise without touching them But though they cannot assure themselues in their harts against this soueraigne maiestie and power of the eternall yet are they so peruerse and wicked that rather then they will render to him the honor and glorie which is due they forge vnto themselues a nature to which they attribute his workes or else beleeue that they happen by chance as things comming by haphazard without any diuine prouidence But leauing such manner of people we will pursue our discourse concerning things engendred in the higher elements entreating of snowes mists frosts and haile the discourse whereof ASER I referre to you Of snowes mists frosts ice and haile Chap. 45. ASER. SIth that God is not subiect to the nature which hee hath created but doth euer rest the Lord and master thereof who can performe both without it and with it all that he pleaseth it therefore followeth that we must refer not to the creatures or to nature the workes which he hath done
into chrystal bicause that from the moone vpwards there are no creatures subiect to corruption and to such changes as those that are vnder the moone Behold then why these men haue supposed such waters to haue beene made partakers of the nature of heauen But what neede is there to trauell in such disputations and to take paines for to haue recourse to allegories when one may be easily satisfied with the literall sense For there is nothing more easie then to make the wordes of Moses cleere and euident being throughly considered For first he hath declared Of the separation of the terrestriall and celestiall waters how that the earth was couered all ouer with water and that there was a great deepe ouerwhelmed with darknes so that the earth did in no wise appeere till such time as God had commanded the waters to retire themselues into their places which he hath assigned for their perpetuall residence And then the earth was discouered euen so much thereof as was needfull for the habitation and nourishment of men and of all the creatures which God did afterwardes create Psal 104. Therefore Dauid as the expounder of Moses words saith That the Lord hath set the earth vpon hir foundations adding straight after That hee had couered it with the deepe as with a garment and that the waters did stand aboue the mountaines but at his rebuke they fled which is as much to say as when God had commanded the waters to retire and to discouer the earth they suddenly obeied the voice of their creator Now Moses hauing spoken of those waters which are resident here belowe on earth gathered as well into the sea as into fountains and riuers he afterwards declareth how God would assigne vnto them another abode in a certaine region of the aire which he first calleth a spreading abroad and after that heauen which the Psalmist also signifieth when he saith of God that he couereth himselfe with light as with a garment and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine which is to say that the light is to the creator like a stately garment wherein we beholde his glorie to shine and glister euery where and that he hath spread abroad the heauens like a pauilion for his habitation Moreouer he addeth The Lord doth lay the iousts of his high chambers amōgst the waters he maketh the great cloudes his chariot He holdeth backe saith Iob the face of his throne and stretcheth out his cloude vpon it Iob. 26. And therefore the Scripture doth also teach vs that God hath oftētimes declared his presence Exod. 13.14.16 40. Acts. 1. manifested his glory both to Moses to all the people of Israell by the cloudes And when Iesus Christ ascended into heauen a cloud taking him bare him vp in the sight of his apostles to declare vnto them and make them sure of the place whither he went vsing this cloude as a triumphant chariot which hath giuen testimonie of his soueraigne and eternall maiestie And therefore it is also written that he shall come in the cloudes of heauen with power and glorie Wherefore if we were well instructed in the sacred word of God we should haue a verie cleere doctrine concerning Meteors and which were much more profitable then that which Philosophers teach For the cloudes would excellently declare vnto vs the magnificence and maiestie of God so often as wee should behold them Matth. 24. and would represent vnto vs all the woonders by vs here mentioned as we shall also be induced to admire them considering more neerely the great miracle of the waters sustained and hanged in the aire as pursuing our purpose I leaue to you ACHITOB to discouer Of the waters sustayned and hanged in the aire and of the raine-bowe Chap. 48. ACHITOB. I Will begin my speech with the saying of the kingly prophet Psal 104. who after that he had appointed the heauens for the pauilion of God ordained the cloudes for the planchers thereof whereupon are raised the loftie chambers that is to say the great spatious waters amassed vp within the cloudes which he also proposeth vnto vs as the chariot vpon which the Eternall is borne being consequently willing to shew what the horses are by which this chariot is drawen and driuen he saith He walketh vpon the wings of the wind He maketh the spirits his messengers and flaming fire his ministers which is as much as if in sum he would declare that men need not labour to mount aloft into heauen there to cōtemplate and behold God sith that hee so cleerely manifesteth himselfe throughout the whole world principally by the celestiall creatures and then by the magnificent and maruellous works which he daily performeth heere in the aire neere vnto vs and before our eies So surely if we must account as great miracles the comming of the Sunne vnto vs and his returne which daily continueth and the courses and motions of all the other celestiall bodies we haue no lesse occasion to account as a thing miraculous and worthie of great wonder that we so often behold here below Wonder of the waters carried in the aire a great cel of waters ouer our heads in the aire sustained by the water it selfe by vapours like to smoke as if they were hanged in the aire and were there borne vp without any stay and prop but by the inuisible vertue and power of God For otherwise how could the cloudes sustaine so great heapes and such deepe gulfes of water considering that they are nothing else but water and do also come at lēgth to resolue into water Againe how without this diuine power could these cloudes be supported in the aire seeing that the aire it selfe seemeth to consist of waters most subtilly distilled beeing very light and in continuall motion For it euidently appeareth that the aire retaineth much of the nature of water because that so ordinarily it conuerteth thereinto beeing inclosed in a cold and moist place so that many fountaines are by this meanes engendred of aire if wee will credite Naturalists And therefore as Dauid saith of the waters which runne about the earth that God hath appointed a bound vnto them which they may not passe nor returne any more to ouerflow the habitation of men so may wee likewise say that he hath bounded the waters that hang in the aire within the cloudes to the end that they may not run loosely astray Iob. 26. And therfore Iob saith He bindeth the waters in the cloudes and the cloud is not broken vnder them For else it is most certaine that so often as these waters should fall vpon the earth they would drowne vp all things whereupon they powred like as when the sea and riuers ouerflow the banks or like a great deluge as came to passe when God punished the world by waters Genes 7. in the time of Noah For it is written that not onely all the fountaines of the great deep were broken vp
raine in sommer the raine is suddenly engendred for when the cloudes are too slowe they are consumed by the drinesse of the sunne And there where the aire is very cold and consequently thicke and grosse the vapor which is thither drawne being very light cannot be condensate bicause of the thicknes of the aire and the thinnesse of the vapor Which causeth that in stead of raine snow is engendred for snowe is a congelation of a vapor not condensate for the subtilitie of his proper substance and for bicause of the thicknes of the aire Wherefore when the cold is great in winter it raineth little And for the spring time bicause that the succeeding day doth consume more vapor then the precedent day had attracted for in the spring time the latter daies are still hotter and haue shorter nights for this cause it raineth then lesse then in autumne and oftner then in sommer or winter But in Autumne showres of raine are commonly great and of long continuance For the sunne being as then still powerfull vpon the earth many vapors are drawen vp But bicause the succeeding day hath still a longer night then the precedent and for that it was also warmer it is necessarie that the vapor should thicken and afterwardes descend And when the earth is moistned then that which did descend is againe attracted lying then vpon the superficies of the earth and being still somewhat deeper then before Whereof are made not onely raines but also rainie and windie cloudes Difference of raine water and earth water Thus haue we in summe then the forme of dewes and raine and the diuersitie of their course and how the earthly and heauenly waters differ from one another the raine water retaining more of the aire and being much purer and lighter then that which doth alwaies remaine in the earth For in comparison of terrestriall water it is like water distilled through a limbeck And yet how light soeuer it be it must neuertheles be heauier then the aire and especially when it is frozen within the cloudes and conuerted into snow or haile which is like stones of ice Wherein it seemeth that this rule of nature and naturall philosophie is not generally true which affirmeth That euery heauie thing doth alwaies drawe downwards considering there are waters hanged in the aire which is much lighter then the waters that it sustaineth Wherefore we must say Cloudes are in the aire as ships are vpon the waters that cloudes are in the aire in the region that is assigned vnto them in such sort as ships are in the water For none doubteth but that stones iron lead and all other mettals yea infinite other things of lesse waight are heauier then the water yet we neuertheles doe behold that there is no burthen so waightie but the water doth easily support it by meanes of a boat or a wooden ship or a galley which shall be euen of it selfe a great and heauie loade And yet the water which will sustaine such a charge cannot beare vp a pinne or a naile or a small peece of gold or siluer or a little stone but all shall sinke to the bottome Now the cause of all these effects is in the participation that the wood hath with the aire which maketh it much lighter then the other bodies which are more solide and massie For by reason that the wood is more open and more loose to giue way to the aire it receiueth lightnes thereof which causeth it to floate vpon the water whereas the other more terrestriall bodies doe sinke thereinto So then the aire sustaineth by meanes of the cloudes the waters which they containe inclosed within them euen as the sea and great riuers sustaine grosse and heauie burthens by meanes of ships For though the cloudes doe consist of water themselues and are engendred of it being drawne into the aire through blowing of the windes and afterwards massed vp in one bodie as we haue already vnderstood yet doe they subsist of a water lesse terrestriall and more airie then those waters which flowe here belowe for which cause they are also more light and more easily sustained by the aire vpon which they floate like ships vpon the sea and other waters And afterwardes when the cloudes returne into their first nature of water and when they be opened to let fall the waters which they containe the water which proceedeth from them doth resume also his proper course according to the naturall heauines thereof and returneth downwards descending to the earth And as ships sinke downe into the water when they are ouercharged as likewise the charges and burdens wherewith they are laden when they are split or broken by violence of windes or by some other force which maketh them dash one against another and against the rocks so is it with the cloudes and with the things which they beare and with the windes also wherewith they are driuen or else are inclosed within them which make a great noise when they striue to issue out so that the cloudes are rent and cracke as the thunders testifie vnto vs and the tempests lightnings and thunder claps which proceede from them as also the great deluges of water which showre downe with great violence and furie But we haue staied long ynough in this matter let vs now consider of the maruellous prouidence of God which shineth in the dispensation of the raine and heauenly waters As AMANA I leaue to you to discourse Of the fertilitie caused by dewes and raine and of the prouidence of God therein Chap. 50. AMANA IN vaine shall we consider in meteors the works of nature which are therein proposed very great and excellent as our precedent speech doth manifest if we doe not learne in the same to consider and acknowledge the prouidence of God gouerning all things as it reuealeth it selfe in sundry sorts For all these goodly visible works must serue vs as images of the inuisible and spirituall things so that all the creatures of God may be competent iudges to condemne vs if by them we doe not learne to acknowledge their and our creator and to obey and honor him as behooueth vs we neede no other iudges I say to make vs vnexcusable before the throne of Gods iustice Rom. 1. according to the testimonie of Saint Paul sith he hath as it were made visible to the eie his diuinitie his power his bountie and his wisdome through his works and that so neere vnto vs as almost to be touched with our owne hands For as this holy apostle in another place saith he is neere to euery one of vs Acts. 17. so that howsoeuer we be blind yet should we at least finde him by groping like those that want sight For he neuer wāteth very euident witnes amongst men in cōferring benefits vpon them namely in giuing them raine from heauen and fruitful seasons according to the subiect we are now to speake of Let vs know then that it is he who
about it is of a round and circular figure in all parts for as for the mountaines valleies they are insensible in regard of the whole globe of earth The roundnes whereof doth euidently declare it selfe by the shadow thereof which sheweth it selfe in the eclipses of the moone to be round for it could not seeme so if the earth were not also of the same forme Moreouer the diuers and certaine supputation that Astronomers calculate concerning the times of the eclipses of the moone according as the places are more orientall or more occidentall doth manifestly conclude the same round forme so also doth the natural inclination of all the parts of the earth and of the water who stil tend downe declining to a lower place and this common descent of euerie part causeth this round figure The earth is of insensible quantitie Consequently it is to be noted that this earthly frame although it be in it selfe of maruellous greatnes yet is it of verie little and insensible quantitie in regard and comparison not onely of all the firmament but also of the sphere of the sunne the same earth being but as a point in the middest of the whole world which is apparantly demonstrated by the foresaid equalities of the daies and nights and by the obseruations of the courses of the celestiall bodies and chiefly of the sunne taken here below by instruments fit for such effects in such maner as if one were in the center of the world For in a little space that one may passe here vpon the earth proceeding from one place to another the view and disposition of heauen doth change and varie notably And in an open plaine place wherein one may stand vpon the earth or be in the sea they may alwaies discouer the one halfe of heauen All which things declare as we haue said that the earth and the water make a round globe which is but as a point and center in regard of the vniuersall world So much for the situation immobilitie figure That the earth onely meriteth the title of a mother and quantitie of the earth which onely aboue all other elements hath merited the title of a mother by reason of the great good which it affoordeth to all breathing liuing creatures For this gentle mother receiueth vs when we are borne shee nourisheth vs being borne she maintaineth and sustaineth vs being nourished and finally when the other elements refuse and leaue vs she receiueth vs into her bosome and couereth vs hauing as it were a perpetuall care of vs. Moreouer she riseth not vp against man as other creatures doe For the water conuerts it selfe into raine snowe and haile it swelleth in surges and waues and ouerfloweth all with flouds the aire thickeneth and ladeth it selfe with cloudes out of which proceede stormes and tempests and the fire is often cause of strange calamities vpon earth But this gentle and debonaire mother maketh hir selfe as a slaue to serue for all the commodities of man For how many things doe we cause hir to beare by force and how many things doth she bestowe of hir owne goodwill What odours and perfumes what sauours what iuices what and how many sorts of colours With what exchaunge and interest doth shee restore that which is lent hir How many sundry things doth shee nourish for man What quantitie of pretious mettals doth shee conceiue and keepe in hir entrailes for his vse Of two kindes of earth And therefore it seemeth that the earth subsisteth not of one onely kinde and indeede Aristotle diuideth it into two the one fossible which may bee digged and the other transmutable which may change qualitie For the fossible earth it doth alwaies remaine the same and is very earth but the transmutable remaineth not the same in kinde and in view for it conuerteth it selfe into mettall or into iuice or into some other matter But before wee doe proceede vnto the consideration of so many admirable effectes produced by the earth wee may now here beholde that we haue summarily set downe particulars enough wherin we may learne to acknowledge the infinite power wisedome and bountie of God the creator Testimonies of the power of God Isay 6. and how according to the testimonie of the angels all the earth is full of his glorie For first of all is not this a great woonder that the earth which is so huge a masse and the heauiest element of all the rest should be hanged in the aire in the midst of the world being so counterpoised that it sustaineth as one may say all the other elements and that it is inuironed by them and by all the other spheres and celestiall bodies it remaining firme for euer not moouing from the place thereof For where are the columnes and the pillers which beare and sustaine it and vpon what foundation are they founded And therefore it is not without cause â—ob 38. that the Lord saith to Iob minding to cause him to acknowledge his power maiestie where wast thou when I laide the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast vnderstanding who hath laide the measure thereof if thou knowest Or who hath stretched the line ouer it to wit to signe and marke out the foundations thereof whereupon are the foundations thereof set Or who hath laid the corner stone thereof And afterwards he addeth It is turned as clay to fashion Wherein it seemeth that he had reference to that that he created the earth as all this great visible world in round forme because it is the most capable of all formes that may be Behold then the testimonie that God himselfe deliuereth to Iob his seruant of the admirable creation of the earth Psal 104. And to the same purpose the kingly prophet saith that God did forme the earth vpon the bases therof that is to say vpon firme foundations so that it shall neuer mooue But what may we say then to the motions and tremblings of the earth which haue euer been knowne and are ordinarily seene This might seeme repugnant to that which Dauid here speaketh and to that which we haue deliuered concerning the immobilitie and firmenes of the earth And therefore mine aduise is that pursuing this discourse we should consider the causes of such tremblings to the end that we may know how that the earth faileth not to remaine euer firme though such shakings happen in some parts thereof which ACHITOB let vs heare of you Of earth-quakes Chap. 56. ACHITOB. FOrasmuch as the earth is not onely heauie by nature but euen the heauiest of all elements and is heaped vp and compacted togither in the midst of the great vniuersall world as the point and center thereof it therefore followeth that it is immooueable and without any naturall motion For if it had any as the other elements haue it is certaine that it must be downwards But bicause that God hath placed the earth in the midst of all his works towards which all heauy
diuersitie of waters Which ARAM I would haue you to discourse of Of salt fresh and warme waters and of other diuersities in them Chapter 59. ARAM. ACcording to the nature of the most woonderfull workes of God in all that which he hath created the maruels are innumerable which may be considered in the sea and in all the waters which proceede out of it and returne into it without any increasing or diminishing in it selfe as we haue already heard And if there were no other thing but that the waters of the sea are alwaies salt and other waters are for the most part fresh would not that be sufficient to teach vs to acknowledge the great power wisedome and bountie of the creator and how puissant he is in all his workes For though that all waters are of one nature as making vp one onely element yet doth he make them of diuers qualities according as he knoweth how to purifie distill and purge or else to mingle and mix them Of the diuers qualities of water and of the prouidence of God therein with his other creatures Whereupon it falleth out that wee haue not onely salt waters in the sea but that there are some found also in fountaines yea oftentimes very neere to other springs of fresh water Wherein the prouidence of God declareth it selfe to bee verie great For if all waters were salt men and beasts could not liue nor the earth fructifie and nourish the fruits thereof because that liuing creatures cannot want fresh water whether it be for their drinke or for their other necessary commodities neither is salt water fit to water the earth considering that salt makes it barren On the other side if all waters were fresh where might men finde salt enough to suffice them for the necessarie commodities of their life For although that there bee some salt-mines and some salt-ground as appeareth by the salt waters of fountaines which passe through such grounds yet the best meanes to haue good salt and in abundance is by the waters and chiefly by sea water What may we say also of so many sorts of water whereof some participate with Sulphure some with allom others with iron or brasse or with other mettals or minerals which do heat some of them in such sort as men make naturall bathes of them hauing diuers vertues and powers which serue for medicines in many kindes of diseases Why the sea-water is salt Now the Philosophers doe much straine themselues to declare the causes of so many maruellous effects For some say that the sunne which is the greatest of all planets drying vp by his heat the moisture of the water and burning and sucking vp all the humiditie of the earth doth by this decoction cause the sea to become salt because the force of the solarie fire doth attract vnto it the most fresh and subtile part of the water making the more heauie and thicke part that remaineth to be salter and of more substance whereof it commeth that the water towards the sea bottome is fresher then that which is aboue Others alleage three efficients which both cause and continue the saltnes to wit the heat of the sunne for the foresaid reasons and also because it maketh the water to putrifie then the continuall agitation thereof by flowing and ebbing which causeth that the sea neither resteth nor runneth a direct course and thirdly the ordinarie receiuing of raine For they say that when salt resteth in the water it descendeth downewards by reason of the waight thereof and when the water runneth it is purified by the earth and that all raine-water because it is heated by the sunne and doth putrifie through tardation and slownes is somewhat brackish But they are much more troubled when they entreat of fountaines For some say that the sea yeeldeth none but salt-waters as is seene by many waters neere it And that those which are fresh become so by a long and vehement course Others maintaine that they be engendred by the aire Now experience manifesteth that their saltnes is diminished by the length and continuance of the course of the water For the farther that wels are from the sea the more fresh they are because the water doth more purge it selfe by the earth ouer which it trauerseth leauing a part of the force thereof and sometimes all of it in the slime and in the sand And here we may note that waters Of fountaines and wels and why the water of them seemeth hotter in winter then in summer especially well waters which doe all come from some springs doe seeme to be hotter in winter then in sommer although they doe neuer chaunge their nature for this proceedeth of the aire which is cold in winter and hot in sommer Through the opposition then of these things one selfe same water seemeth to receiue diuers qualities euen as we see that according to the disposition of our bodie the qualitie of the aire which enuironeth vs is esteemed For when we are hot we do suppose that which we touch to be cold and when we be cold we esteeme that which we touch to be otherwise Wherefore we must iudge euen so of the inner parts of the earth esteeming them to be simply neither hotter nor colder in one season more then in another but onely in respect of the aire Indeed water doth waxe a little warme when through the coldnes of the aire the heat is constrained to retire it selfe downeward in such sort as it cannot issue nor spred it selfe vpon the earth and therefore the snow which doth not ly long vpon it doth commonly make it more fertile for it retayneth the heat in the bowels thereof Moreouer the vppermost part of the earth which the water may come to is of a clammie slime of the nature of brimstone or of salt or of mettall which also causeth that the exhalations enclosed in this part doe heat the water And therefore such waters are either odoriferous or of a bad smell or without any sauour of which qualities one may easily iudge by the smell and taste For some waters sauour not onely of lime or of salt but they doe also boile as in the bathes neere to Padua Why some waters do boile yea such waters are verie ordinarie so that there are few regions but haue some of them But they are most common in Germanie and in Italy And the cause that they so boyle is either fire or putrefaction or else naturall or celestiall heat But for the celestiall heat it seemeth that it cannot be so great especially in winter and in the night time that it should heat the water verie much And for naturall heat it is neuer actuall but in liuing creatures because they haue life and sense Neither is putrified heat so powerfull that it can make water to boile neither is it verie likely that the substance of any thing may be engendred and corrupted at one instant It resteth then that the cause should rather be in
but by force Againe how could men exercise the workes of charitie amongst themselues which workes are very much commended vnto them by God to be done towards their neighbors if euery one could at his pleasure excell his companion As then God hath placed and disposed sundry members in one bodie and yet hath not appointed them one selfesame office but to euery one his owne so hath it pleased him to diuide and distribute his goodnes gifts and graces amongst men to the end that they may one serue another as members of one and the same bodie which can not consist without the reciprocall helpe of all So likewise hath he established the sundrie regions of the earth enriching euerie one of them with certaine particular commodities which do often constraine men to helpe and succour one another and to liue in peace without which they woulde like madde beasts ouer-runne and destroy each other as we wretches doe finde true especially in time of warre But wee may well note vpon this point that although the most mightie do by their hate enimities dissensions reuengements and warres contend oftentimes with all their power to stop and hinder the trafficke dealings and transportations of merchandize from one countrey and out of one place to another especially of foode and victuals yet whatsoeuer they may or can doe bee they kings princes or Emperors they cannot for all that make such a stoppe That nothing can stop the intercourse of men but that they will alwaies passe and scape by some meanes maugre all their powers Wherein wee must acknowledge that seeing God hath ordained that those which beare his image shoulde haue communication one with another for the causes aforesaide and that chiefly by the aide of nauigation it is a great presumption in mighty men to oppose themselues against the order of the Omnipotent and against that communion of benefits which hee will haue to bee maintained amongst men Whom he can constraine to obserue his ordinances euen through their owne couetousnes when their charitie faileth making them to despise all dangers that they may supply where neede is though they be forbidden vpon paine of death For such restraint by commandement is so farre from hindring their couetousnes that it doth more inflame it bicause they expect greater gaine then if there were mutual libertie and therefore they cause more ware secretly to passe and by that meanes they put all to hazard yea they would rather open a way vnder ground like moles or else would flie in the aire like birds then leaue such trading so woonderfull is God in all his works and in the gouernment of all nature For when he pleaseth he serueth his owne turne with the affections and euill works of men yea drawing good out of their euill euen against their owne wils And therefore we may very well affirme that seeing God will haue men trafficke togither it cannot choose howsoeuer they enterprise to the contrarie but that this order must be continued For this cause likewise it was not the will of the creator that the waters should so gather themselues into one place that they might not run through the earth but hee ordained that out of the great Ocean which is like the great bodie of the waters and like the wombe out of which they doe all first spring and wherein they are engendred and whereby they are repaired for euer there should issue diuers armes and members by meanes whereof wee haue the Mediterranean seas lakes floods riuers and brookes So also in this distribution and by the meanes of nauigation God hath giuen vs many other meanes to the ende we might behold with our eies many testimonies of his prouidence engrauen in euery part of the vniuers by the disposition of the works of his almightie hand as they who saile vpon the waters are constrained to acknowledge Of the direction that marriners haue by the stars For as he hath appointed the watrie element to serue men to nauigate therin so hath he established the heauē ordained the stars enchased therin to direct them in the midst of the great gulfs deeps of the sea For when the ships are entred very farre into it they that be therein doe cleane lose the sight of lande so that they cannot iudge by the consideration thereof in what place they are nor vpon what side neither to what place they may bend their course to finde a conuenient port but they must take their directions from heauen And for this cause also though that the heauen be in perpetuall motion and that all the planets and starres doe follow it rising and setting in such sort as they doe not alwaies appeere to men yet there are some of another condition For neere to the place which Astronomers take for the pole there are certaine starres which haue their motion and course so disposed that they are alwaies seene at sea being neuer hidden like the rest and among these that is one which is called the Pole-starre which is neuer seene to remooue except a very little out of one place so that it seemeth the whole heauen turneth about this starre As we also maintaine that it hath the like place correspondent thereto directly ouer against it in the other part of heauen with a like appellation of name as we haue heretofore declared in our discourses concerning the celestiall bodies excepting the difference which is put betweene these two poles taken from their opposite situation in heauen and from the starres which are next vnto them which also haue their course and motion like the rest but doe onely differ in this that rising and setting are not attributed vnto them bicause they may be alwaies seen when the spheres are discerned For when the skie is couered with clouds marriners doe finde themselues very much hindred and troubled For then they prooue that which Iob saith concerning the workes of God to wit Iob. 9. that hee commandeth the sunne and it riseth not and he closeth vp the starres as vnder a signet And that he maketh the starre Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and the Climates of the south doing great things and vnsearchable yea maruellous things without number Whereupon we may note that here is especiall mention made of the septentrionall starres as well bicause that they are more seene then the rest as also bicause it is their propertie to bring and to procure raine and tempests if we may credite Astrologers which cause that the heauen cannot be seene Of Charles hi◠waine And bicause that some of these starres are so disposed that they seeme to represent the figure of a chariot with fower wheeles and they are very much glistering aboue others they are commonly called by the name of Charles-waine bicause also they haue three other very bright starres neere to them placed in such order as if they were cart-horses or oxen Indeede some haue called them the Beare seeing them so cōioined togither taking the foure quarters
wisedome of him and as mirrors wherein he presenteth himselfe euery where before our eies And when we serue him not according to our dutie we are well woorthie to be set to schoole to such masters as being beasts more brute more wilde more sauage then they who liue with vs and are created for to serue vs. It is then as Isay saide to the Israelites who were ingratefull and rebellious against their God The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israell hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstoode And indeed in these two kindes of creatures we haue a goodly example to raise vs out of our sloth and ingratitude towards God if we do but consider onely what benefits do redound vnto vs by the seruice which we haue of oxen in tilling of our lands and drawing of carts and wagons and by asses in bearing all loades and burdens which are laide vpon their backs Wherein we are also to esteeme of the prouidence of God in regard of the forme of the bodies and members of these beasts For he hath so disposed them that their onely figure and composition doth admonish men of the workes wherein these creatures must be imployed of the vses whereto they must be put For oxen do cleerely shew vs that their back is not fit to beare packs nor saddle but that their necke is fitte for the yoke and their shoulders to draw carts and wagons whereby one may easily iudge as also by their heauines that they are vnfit to beare burdens like the asse whose backe head and shoulders are apt for the same Of the docility of Bulles Moreouer shall we not consider of the great bountie and prouidence of God in that he hath created the puissant strong buls so docible that men doe easily teach them to leaue all their fiercenes and make them so tame that a little yoong boy shall lead them like sheepe and put the yoke vpon their necke couple them and make them labour as he listeth This may make vs woonder at the indocilitie and wildnes of man being so difficult to correct and tame For wee see that one onely childe can easily direct a great troupe of beasts be they oxen or buls and gouerne them himselfe But contrariwise the nature of man is so vntoward that many masters and gouernors are scarce sufficient to guide one onely childe And what may we more say in that all the gouernment of these beasts is done without any need to muzzle their mouthes or to tye and fasten them in chaines or halters and without keeping them in bits and bridles like horses which men tame by such meanes Surely wee neede not doubt but if God had not ordayned by his prouidence that oxen and buls should serue men in those vses whereto they would employ them that we should be able to draw no more seruice out of them then out of the wildest beasts that are in the world By so many testimonies then as we haue in the nature of beasts of the puissance bountie and benignitie of the creator of all things let vs conclude that we may verie well say to all such as doe not consider vpon the so admirable workes of God and vpon his prouidence therein that which Iob said to his friends speaking thus Aske the beasts and they shall teach thee Iob. 12. and the fowles of the heauen and they shall tell thee or speake to the earth and it shall shew thee or to the fishes of the sea and they shall declare vnto thee who is ignorant of all these but that the hand of the Lord hath made all these And to morrow companions wee will take a view of the goodly riches and treasures which are hidden within the earth to wit of mettalles and precious stones the discourse whereof ASER you shall begin The end of the eleuenth daies worke THE TWELFTH DAIES WORKE Of mettals and especially of Gold Chapter 93. ASER. AS we haue alreadie contemplated those things which appeere to be most rare vpon the earth so doe we now desire somewhat to refresh our spirits by the consideration of those things which are hidden within the intrailes thereof That then shall be the subiect of our discourse for this day to the end that as the contemplation of the highest heauens did open an entrance into our discourse so we should conclude it by a treatise vpon that which is within the earth neerest to the center of this great Vniuers to wit vpon mettals and stones Not that we intend to speake of them as by a particular description of their nature and species for then I dare affirme that there are so many kindes of mettals engendred within the earth that they cannot be particularly described and sith that nature adorneth the earth with aboue fiue hundred kindes of plants and with as many beasts it is verie likely that she exerciseth no fewer meanes vnder earth whereby to enrich it But as we haue proposed vnto our selues no other ende in all our discourses of heauen of earth and of the creatures therein contayned but onely to consider vpon the most worthie things therein which might incite vs to an holy meditation of the prouidence of God thereby the more to glorifie him euen so will we doe in that which we now intend to declare concerning mettals and precious stones What mettall is and of the kindes thereof Mettall is that which is pliable by the hammer and hard stones are hard but not pliable and wax and mud are pliable but not hard Mettalles are seuen in number as the planets are For gold representeth the Sun siluer the Moone amber called electrum Mercurie iron Mars lead Saturne brasse Venus and copper Iupiter or else wee distinguish them in this sort All mettall is perfect soft and pure as gold or it is pure and hard as siluer or it is hard and impure as iron or it is soft and impure as lead And for amber it is compounded of gold and siluer as cyprus copper is made of brasse and iron containing an equall substance of brasse and of iron which causeth that iron too much concocted and high tincted is easily changed into brasse and rechanged againe into copper But wee will now speake of gold which is the most perfect and purest of all mettalles In very truth nature neuer tooke delight to make a more perfect elementary substance then gold is for it is as pure and neate in the qualitie thereof as are the simple elements whereof it is composed And therefore by good right do wee hold it in price of excellencie far aboue all other riches and do esteeme it in our iudgement to bee much more precious then all other mettalles For beeing in the composition thereof proportioned in equall qualitie fitly correspondent in the symmetry of the elements which compound it it is euen from the originall thereof so purified already as are the simple elements In such sort that by their coniunction togither in
receiue their essence and continuance not from themselues but from God alone Yet for all that do they not thinke that the heauens shall altogither faile nor that God will haue it so And others maintaine that though the heauens must passe and be dissolued according to the word of God that yet this defect shall not be an entire annihilating but onely a certaine chaunge which shall come to them by which they shall be renued in far more perfection Whereto it seemeth that Saint Paule agreeth Rom. 8. when he cleerly testifieth concerning all creatures ingenerall that they are subiect to corruption because of the sinne of man and for that cause they doe attend with great desire for the reuelation and redemption of the children of God because they shal not be relieued nor deliuered from the seruitude of corruption to be in the liberty of the glory of them and restored to their integritie till the day ordayned by the creator for the acceptation of his into eternall felicitie For thereupon ensueth that the heauens and celestiall bodies sigh and grone attending togither with the other creatures this blessed day to be chaunged renued restored which S. Peter likewise teacheth in the place before cited Yea some philosophers accord with him concerning the dissolution of the world by fire but not concerning the cause thereof For they refer it not to the sinne of man which hath infected the heauen the earth and all things contained therein and put the world into disorder and confusion but to the nature of fire which at last consumeth all and whereof they giue a reason by naturall causes There are also some Astronomers who affirme that some change may bee perceiued in the spheres and heauenly bodies concerning their courses and ordinarie motions and that they are somewhat different from those which they haue had from the beginning how they waxe weary are worne and become old in their function like to other creatures although this change doth much lesse appeere in them then in the other works of God but wee will leaue this argument to the professors of Astrologie And let it suffice vs for conclusion of this matter to consider what the stabilitie and continuance of men in this world may be seeing that all other creatures must receiue a change and haue an end yea the very heauens themselues For what are all people in respect of this great Vniuers And againe what is euery one of them particularly in comparison of the generalitie of mankinde and of all those which haue already gone before vs But let vs returne to that which concerneth the heauens and sphericall bodies considering that which doth touch their motions besides that which hath beene already declared which AMANA shall be the subiect for you to discourse vpon Of the motions ingenerall of their first cause and of their vnion in all nature Chapter 26. AMANA EAre we enter into the declaration of the subiect which is now propounded vnto vs to discourse vpon concerning heauen my desire is that wee may cal to our memorie that which we haue already heeretofore heard of the nature of the heauens concerning the matter whereof they are compounded and concerning their beautie stabilitie and continuance For so shall wee reduce the end of our discourse to that principall point whereunto we haue alreadie from the beginning destinated it that is so much the better to acknowledge our God and his prouidence to the end to glorifie him I say then that if we considerately meditate vpon the excellencie of the celestiall bodies we shall therein finde a more expresse image of the eternitie and maiestie of God and of his diuine and immutable nature then in any of all the other visible creatures Moreouer we may accept of them as a testimony and example not onely of the immortalitie which God hath ordained for mens soules which are spirituall natures but also of that which he hath promised our bodies after our resurrection For that hee can accomplish his promise we neither may nor must make doubt of if we beleeue that he is almightie No more must we make doubt of his will sith he hath declared it vnto vs in his word If then he hath beene able to create the heauens and the stars and planets which in them are like splendant precious stones enchased in rings of a matter so firme and durable that it remaineth incorruptible and as it were immortall whether it be taken from the fowre elements or be of an other quint-essence as we haue already heard It shal be no lesse easie for him to make our bodies incorruptible and immortall hauing deliuered them from corruption and death to which through sinne they were subiect Now let vs pursue that which particularly concerneth the heauen in his motion wherein wee haue notable signes of the glorie and bountie of our God Three sorts of motion To vnderstand then sufficiently that which concerneth the present matter we will first note that there be three sorts of motion in the whole world For there is one which tendeth to the midst and to the center of the Vniuers which is in the earth the lowest of elements which motion for that it descendeth is proper to the most heauie elements and to such creatures as do most participate with them Then is there another motion contrarie to the first which alwaies tendeth from the midst and from belowe vpwards and this is proper to the most light elements and to those natures which do neerest approch vnto them and which participate with their qualities more then the rest But the third kinde of motion is that which neither mounteth nor descendeth either one way or other but goeth round euer turning about the midst like a circle or a wheele And this is that which is proper to heauen and to the sphericall bodies being most certaine disposed and composed by a most constant and firme order For though that all the elements and all other creatures which haue motion obserue an order therein yet is it more subiect to change according as the inferior bodies are subiect to the superior But those haue a more certaine course because they depend not vpon other bodies which are aboue them but immediately vpon God without the meanes of any other corporall nature And therefore of all the motions which are in all creatures that of the heauen and heauenly bodies is chiefest and most excellent Of the motion of the spheres attributed to the angels For whereas some attribute the motions of the spheres to the angels as if God vsed their ministerie heerein as we haue already declared whether it be so or not yet this is most certaine that the heauens haue their motion immediately from God seeing there are no corporall natures aboue them whereby they may be mooued For the angels are certaine spirituall creatures on whom if the omnipotent hath imposed this charge we must be content to leaue the vnderstanding thereof to him alone
the liuer in the bodies of liuing creatures which is as the fountaine of blood needefull for all the bodie to giue life thereto and then hath made vaines like riuers to disperse and distribute this blood to euerie member disposing them in such sort as there is not any part but doth by meanes of these vaines receiue as much blood as is needefull for the nourishment and preseruation of the life thereof so likewise he hath ordayned heere below in earth the sea and springs of waters which he afterwards disposeth into euerie place by meanes of fountaines floods and riuers who are as the vaines through which the water that is as the blood of the earth is conueyed and communicated that it may be moistned to nourish all manner of fruits which God hath commaunded it to beare for the nouriture both of men and beasts Wherefore as in one bodie there are many veines some greater larger and longer and some lesser narrower and shorter which neuerthelesse do all answere to one selfe same source and fountaine and then doe diuide themselues into sundrie branches so the earth hath her floods riuers and streames some great others small which haue all their common springs and doe oftentimes ioine themselues together or diuide themselues into diuers branches and armes in such sort as the earth is moistened by them so much as is needfull in euerie part thereof Moreouer as it is watred to nourish the fruits so men and other liuing creatures do thereby receiue their beuerage necessarie for the preseruation of their life Of pleasure mixed with profit in the works of God But amongst all these things we are to consider that God the most-good hath not onely prouided by meanes of them for the necessities of his creatures but euen for their honest pleasures so that it hath pleased him to conioyne an excellent beawtie with profit and vtilitie For how goodly a thing is it to behold the fruitfull islands in midst of the sea the cleere and sweete bubling springs and gentle riuers and floods issuing out of rockes and caues of the earth which tumble downe the mountaines flow through the vallies and glide along the plaines through forrests fields and medowes being decked with many sundrie kinds of branched trees that are planted aside from inhabitants in middest of which infinite little birdes flie vp and downe tuning their voices to sing in sweete melodie and naturall musick What vnspeakable pleasure befalleth to all creatures especially to man to liue amongst such abounding beawties And who will not also admire the great varietie which is in the disposition and distinction that wee behold in the earth by the mountaines rocks valleies plaines fields vineyards medowes woods and forrests especially if we consider the fruits and profits which redound to men thereby besides the gallant diuersitie of infinite delectable pastures beawtified in all sorts For there is not one foote of earth which may not be said to serue to some good vse no not in most desert places Some places are fit for fields and champion grounds others for pastures some for vineyards other for fruitfull orchards and others for high and well growne trees fit for building timber or for fire-wood to the ende that men may helpe themselues therewith in all their needfull vses for firing Some places also are particularly commodious for cattell to graze in by which great gaine and pleasure is receiued And for deserts mountaines and forrests they are the proper retyring places for wilde beasts by which likewise men do not only receiue profit but verie great delectation also and healthfull exercise in hunting of them and which is more such places are verie commodious for houshold cattell which do there feed in euerie place to maruellous profit But let vs note that all these properties and profits should not be found in the earth if it were not conioyned with the water by the course thereof thorough euerie part of it Which water likewise doth cause many and vnspeakable profits that redound to men by fish which remaine not onely in the sea but also in lakes ponds and riuers being of so sundrie kindes and natures that it is not possible to number them In which if the prouidence of God be most admirable Commodities that the waters do bring in fishes and what is to bee admired therein it is especially to be obserued in the sea For how many sorts of fishes are there great little and of meane quantitie and how manie sundrie formes and what diuersitie of Nature I beleeue verily that whosoeuer should vndertake to number them by euerie kinde and particularly should be almost as much troubled as if he would purpose to emptie the Ocean But though there be not any little creature in the sea wherein God doth not declare himselfe and shew himselfe great and admirable yet doth he chiefly manifest himselfe so to be in two things The first is in the hugenes and power of the great fishes which he hath created as whales and such like which seeme to be rather sea-monsters then fishes there being no beast in all the earth so great and strong for there are some that seeme a farre off to be islands or mountaines rather then fishes And the other most wonderfull thing is that the Creator hath set such a correspondencie in many points betwixt the fishes and beasts of the earth that it seemeth he would represent a great part of the one by the other So we see also that many names of earthly beasts are giuen to many fishes because of the similitude and likenes which they haue together in figure and in nature yea it seemeth that God would represent in the fishes of the sea almost all the other creatures which are in the rest of the world For there are some which be called Stars because they are like that shape according to which men commonly paint the starres Moreouer how many are there which beare the shape of earthly creatures yea of many instruments made by men Of the fish called the cock For amongst others there is a fish called the Cocke which is also named by fishers in some countries the Ioyner because it hath almost as much diuersitie of bones and gristles as a Ioyner hath of tooles the forme of which they also represent But if we speake of the sundrie fashions of fishes and of their colours scales heads skins fins and of their vnderstanding industrie and chase and of their shels and abiding places and of their natures and infinite properties who should not haue iust cause to woonder Moreouer haue not men forged many fashions of weapons the forme of which they haue taken from diuers fishes What shall we also say of the finnes and little wings which God hath giuen them to direct them and to hold them vp in the sea and in other waters like birds in the aire and as ships are rowed and guided by oares and the rudder Seemeth it not that God hath created them