same supernatural and extraordinary Power by which at the first he gave it existence For my own part I constantly believe that it had a beginning and shall have an ending and judg him not worthy of the name of a Christian who is not of the same mind yet so as I believe both to be matter of faith Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God Heb. 11. 3. And through the same Faith we understand likewise that they shall be again unframed by the same Word Reason may grope at this truth in the dark howbeit it can never clearly apprehend it till it be enlightned by the bright beams of Faith Though I deny not but that it is probable though not demonstrative and convincing Arguments may be drawn from the discourse of Reason to prove either the one or the other I remember the Philosophers propose a question Uirum Mundus filo generall concursu Dei perpetâ—â— durare possit and for the most part they conclude it affirmatively even such as professed the Christian Religion and for the proof of this assertion they bring in effect this reason The Heavens say they are of a nature which is not capable of it self of corruption the loss of the Elements is recovered by compensation of mixt bodies without Life by accretion of living bodies by succession the fall of the one being the rise of the other as Rome triumphed in the ruines of Alba and the depression of one Scale is the elevation of another according to that of Solomon One generation passeth away and another generation cometh but the Earth abideth for ever Eccles. 1. 4. Again all Subcoelestial Bodies as is evident consist of Matter and Form now the first Matter having nothing contrary unto it cannot by the force of Nature be destroyed and being Created immediately by God it cannot be abolished by any inferiour Agent And as for the Forms of Natural Bodies no sooner doth any one abandon the Matter it informed but another instantly steps into the place thereof no sooner hath one acted his part and is retired but another presently comes forth upon the Stage though it may be in a different shape and to act a different part so that no proportion of Matter is or at any time can be altogether void and empty but like Vertumnes or Proteus it turns it self into a thousand Shapes and is alwayes supplied and furnished with one Form or other by a power Divine above Nature but to proceed such and so great is the Wisdom the Bounty and the Omnipotence which God hath expressed in the Frame of the Heavens that the Psalmist might justly say The Heavens declare the glory of God Psal. 19. 1. The Sun and the Moon and the Stars serving as so many Silver and Golden Characters embroidered upon azure for the daily Preaching and Publishing thereof to the World And surely if he have made the floor of this great house so beautiful and garnished it with such wonderful variety of Beasts of Trees of Herbs of Flowers we need wonder the less at the Magnificence of the Roof which is the highest part of the World and the nearest to the Mansion House of Saints and Angels Now as the excellency of these bodies appear in their Situation their Matter their Magnitude and their Spherical and Circular Figure so specially in their great use and efficacy not only that they are for Signes and Seasons and for Days and Years but in that by their Motion their Light their warmth and Influence they guide and govern nay cherish and maintain breed and beget these Inferiour Bodies even of Man himself for whose sake the Heavens were made It is truly said of the Prince of Philosophers Sol homo generunt hominem the Sun and Man beget Man Man concurring in the generation of Man as an immediate and the Sun as a remote cause And in another place he doubts not to affirm of this inferiour World in general Necessa est Mundum inferiorem super in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibus continuari ut â—â—â—â—is inde Virtus â—â—rivetur It is requisite that these inferiour parts of the World should be co-joyned to the Motions of the higher Bodies that so all their Virtue and vigour might be from thence derived There is no question but the Heavens have a marvellous great stroak upon the Air the Water the Earth the Plants the Mettals the Beasts and upon Man himself at least wise in regard of his body and natural faculties To let pass the quailing and withering of all things by their recess and their reviving and resurrection as it were by the reaccess of the Sun I am of opinion that the sap of the trees so precisely follows the motion of the Sun that it never rests but is in a continual agitation as the Sun it self which no sooner arrives at the Tropick but he instantly returns and even at the very instant as I conceive and I think it may be demonstrated by experimental Conclusions the sap which by degrees descended with the declination of the Sun begins to remove at the approach thereof by the same steps that it descended And as the approach of the Sun is scarce sensible at his first return but afterwards the day increases more in one week than before in two in like manner also fares it with the Sap in Plants which at the first ascends up insensibly and slowly but within a while much more swiftly and apparently It is certain that the Tulip Marigold and Sun-flower open with the rising and shut with the setting of the Sun so that though the Sun appear not a man may more infallibly know when it is high noon by their full spreading then by the Index of a Clock or Watch. The Hop in its growing windeth it self about the Pole always following the course of the Sun from East to West and can by no means be drawn to the contrary choosing rather to break then yield It is observed by those that Sayl between the Tropicks that there is a constant set Wind blowing from the East to the West Saylers call it the Breeze which rises and falls with the Sun and is always highest at noon and is commonly so strong partly by its own blowing and partly by over-ruling the Currant that they who sayl to Peru cannot well return the same way they came forth And generally Marriners do observe that caeteris paribus they sayl with more speed from the East to the West then back again from the West to the East in the same compass of time All which should argue a wheeling about of the Air and Waters by the diurnal Motion of the Heavens and especial by the motion of the Sun Whereunto may be added that high-Sea springs of the year are always nearer about the two AEquinoctials and Solstices and the Cock as a trusty Watchman both at midnight and break of day gives notice of the Suns approach These be the strange and secret effects of
there being no difference betwixt that Vail and my Cloak with which the Sun is covered but only in bigness And the truth is that the Sun then suffered no more by the intervening of the Moon then from Pericles Cloak or daily doth from the Clouds in the Air which hinder the sight of it or by the interposing of the Planet Mercury which hath sometimes appeared as a spot in it But whether these Ecclipses either cause or presage any change in these inferiour Bodies I shall have fitter occasion to examine hereafter and so I pass from the Consideration of the substance to the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies Motion is so universal and innate a property and so proper an affection to all Natural Bodies that the great Philosopher knew not better how to define Nature then by making â—â— the Engineere and Principle of Motion and therefore as other Objects are only discernable by the sense as colours and sounds by hearing Motion is discernable by both nay and by feeling too which is a third sense really distinguished from them both That there is in the Heavenly Bodies no motion of Generation or Corruption and of Augmentation or Diminution or Alteration I have already shewed There are also by reason of the incredible swiftness of the first Mover and some other such Reasons dare deny as Copernicus doth that there is in them any Lation or Local motion herein flatly opposing in my judgment both Scripture Reason and Sense But take it as granted without any dispute that a Local motion there is which is the measure of Time as Time again is the measure of Motion the Line of Motion and the Thred of Time being both spun out together some doubt there is touching the Mover of these Heavenly Bodies what or how it should be some ascribing it to their Matter some to their Form and some to their Figure and many to the Angels or Intelligences as they call them which they suppose to be set over them For mine own part I should think that all these and every one of them might not unjustly challenge a part in that Motion the Matter as being neither light nor heavy the Form as well agreeing with such a Matter the Figure as being Spherical or Circular the Intelligence as an assistant in the Matter is a disposition for where light Bodies naturally move upward and heavy downward that which is neither light nor heavy is rather disposed to a Circular motion which is neither upward nor downward In the Figure is an inclination to that motion as in a Wheel to be carried round from the Form an inchoation or onset and Lastly from the intelligence a continuance or perpetuation thereof as that great Divine Hooker in his Ecclesiastical policy 5. 69. Expresseth saith he Gods own Eternity is the bound which leadeth Angels in the course of their perpetuity the perpetuity the hand that draweth out Coelestial Motion that as the Elementary substances are governed by the Heavenly so might the Heavenly by the Angelical As the Corruptible by the Incorruptible so the Material by the Immaterial and all Finites by an Infinite It is the joynt consent of the Platonicks Peripateticks Stoicks and all noted Sects of Philosophers who acknowledg the Divine Power with whom agree the greatest part of our Christian Doctors That the Heavens are moved by Angles neither is there in truth any sufficient means beside it to discover the being of such Creatures by the discourse of Reason The most signal Motions of the Heavens beside their Reâ—rogations Treoidations Librations and I know not what hard Words which the Astronomers have devised to reconcile the diversity of their observations are the Diurnal Motion of the fixed Starrs and Planets and all the Coelestial Spheres from East to the West in the compass of 〈◊〉 four and twenty hours and the 〈◊〉 Motion of them all from the West to 〈◊〉 These Motions whether they perform themselves without the help of Orbes as Fishes in the Water or Birds in the Air or fastned to their Spheres as a Gemme in a Ring or a Nail or knot in a Cart Wheele I cannot easily determine howbeit I confess we cannot well imagin how one and the same body should be carryed with opposite Motions but by the help of somewhat in which it is carryed As the Marriner may be carryed by the Motion of his Ship from the East to the West and yet himself may walk from the West to the East in the same Ship or a Flie may be carried from the North to the South upon a Cart-Wheel and yet may go from the South to the North upon the same Wheele but howsoever it be it is evident that their Motions are even and regular without the least jarr or discord variation or uncertainty languishing or defect that may be which were it not so there could be no certain demonstrations made upon the Globe or Material Sphere which notwithstanding by the Testimony of Claudian are most infallible as appears by those his elegant Verses upon Archimedes admirable invention thereof Jupiter â—â— paervo cum cerneret aethera vitrâ— Risit 〈◊〉 superos talia dicta dedit Huc 〈…〉 alis progressa potentia curae Jam 〈◊〉 fragili luditur Orbe labor Jura Poli â—erumque fidem â—igesque Deorum Ecce Syracusus transtulit arte Senex Inclusus variis famulatur spiritus astris Percurrit propriâ—m mentitus signiser annum Et simulatiâ— novo Cynthia mense redit Jamque suum volvens audax industria Mundum Gaudet Humana sydera mense regit When Jove within a little glass survaid The Heavens he smil'd and to the Gods thus said Can strength of Mortal Witt proceed thus far Loe in a fraile Orbe my works matched are Hither the Syracusians art Translates Heavens form the course of things and human fates Th' included Spirit serving the Star decked signes The living Work in constant Motion windes Th' adulterate Zâ—diak runs a Natural year And Cynthias forg'd horns monthly new light bear Viewing her own world now bold industry Triumphes and rules with human power the skie The Gentiles saith Julian As Cyril in his third Book against him reports it Violentes nihil eorum quae circa caelum minus vel augere nâ—que ullam sustinere de â—rdinatum affectionem sed congruam illius motionem ac bene optatam ordinem definitas queque leges Lunae definites ortus occasus solis statutis semper temporibus merito Deuâ— Dâ—i solium suspicabantur Seeing no part of Heaven to be diminished and decreased to suffer no irregular affection but the Motion thereof to be as duly and as orderly performed as could be deâ—ired the waxing and waining of the Moon the rising and setting of the Sun to be setled and constant at fixed and certain times they deservedly admired it as God or as the Throne of God The order and Regulation of which Motions we shall easily perceive by taking a particular view of them I will
touch only those of the Planets The proper Motion of Saturn was by the Ancients observed and is now likewise found by our Modern Astronomers to be accomplished within the space of thirty years that of Jupiter in twelve that of Mars in two that of the Sun in Three hundred sixty and five dayes and almost six hours neither do we find that they have quickned or any way slackned these their courses but that in the same space of time they always run the same races they have passed These then are the bounds and limits to which these glorious Bodies are perpetually tyed in regard of their Motion these be the unchangeable Laws like those of the Medes and Pâ—rsianâ— whereof the Psalmist speaks He hath given them a Law which shall not be broken Psal. 148. 6. Which Seneca in his Book De divina providentia well expresses in other words AEterna legis imperio prâ—â—â—dunt they move by the appointment of an eternal Law that is a Law both invariable and inviolable That which Tully hath delivered of one of them is undoubtedly true of all Suturni stella in suâ— cursu multa miracula efficiens tum ante â—dende tum râ—tardando tum vespertinâ—s temporibus delitesendâ— tum matutinis rursum se aperiâ—ndâ— nihil tamen immutat sempiternis saeculerum aetatibus quam â—adim eiisdem tâ—mporibus efficiat Lib. 2. de nat Deor. The Planet Saturn doth make strange and wonderful passages in his Motion going before and sometimes coming after withdrawing himself in the Evening and sometimes again shewing himself in the Morning and changeth himself nothing in the continual duration of ages but still at the same season worketh the same effects And in truth were it not so both in the Planet and in all other Starrs it is altogether impossible that they should supply that use which Almighty God in their Creation ordained them unto that is To serve for Signs and Seasons for dayes and for years to the Worlds end Gen. 1. 14. And much more impossible it were that the year the month the day the hour the minute of the oppositions the Conjunctions and Ecclipses of the Planets should be as exactly calculated and foretold One hundred years before they fell out as at what hour the Sun will rise to morrow morning To which perpetual aequability and constant uniformity in the Coelestial Motions the Divine Plâ—io accords Nec errant nec praeter antiquuâ— ordinem revolvuntur Neither do they run at randum nor are they rolled beyond their ancient order Aristotle in his Book De Mundo breaketh out in this passionate admiration thereof Quod nunquam poterit aequart caelesti ordinâ— volubilitati cum sydera convertantur exalâ—issiâ—a norma de alioin aliud seculum What can ever be compared to the order of the Heavens and to the Motion of the Starrs in their several Revolutions which move most exactly by a rule or square by line and level from one Generation to another There were among the Ancients not a few nor they unlearned who by a strong fancie conceived to themselves an excellent melody made up by the motion of the Coelestial Spheers it was broached by Pythagoras entertained by Plato and stifly maintain'd by Macrobrius and some other Christians as Bede Boetius and Ansâ—lm Bishop of Canterbury But Aristeâ—le puts it off with a jest in his Lib. 2. de Caelo Cap. 9. as being Lâ—pide Musice dictum factis autem impossibile a pleasant and Musical conceit but in Effect impossible in as much as those bodies in their Motion make noise at all Howsoever it may well be that this conceit of theirs was grounded upon a certain truth which is the Harmonical and Proportionable Motion of those Bodies in their just order and sâ—â— courses as if they were ever dancing the rounds and the Measures In which regard the Psalmist tells us That the Sun knoweth his going down he appointeth the Moon for seasons Psal. 104. 19. Which words of his may not be taken inâ—â— proper but in a figurative sence the Prophet therefore implying that the Sun observeth his prâ—â—cribed Motion so precisely to a point that in the least jâ—tâ— he never erreth from it And therefore he is said to do the same upon knowledg and understanding Non quod animatus fit aut ratione â—ut atur saith Basil upon the place Sâ—d quod juxtâ—â— terminum divinitus prescriptum ingrediens semper eâ—â—dem cursâ—s â—â—rvat ac mensuras suas custodit Not that the Sun hath any Souâ—â— or use of understanding but because he keepeth his courses and measures exactly according to Gods prescription But the Motion of the Heavens puts me in mind of passing from it to the Light thereof As the Waters were first spread over the face of the Earth So was the Light dispersed through the Firmament and as the Waters were gathered into one heape so was the Light knit up and united into one body as the gathering of the Waters was called the Sea so that of the Light was called the Sun As the Rivers come from the Sea so is all the Light of the Stars derived from the Sun and lastly as the Sea is no whit lessened though it furnish the Earth with abundance of fresh Rivers So though the Sun have since the Creation both furnished and garnished the World with Light neither is the store of it thereby deminished nor the beauty of it any way stained What the Light is whether of a corporeal or incorporeal Nature it is not easie to determine Philosophers dispute it but cannot well resolve it Such is our ignorance that even that by which we see all things we cannot discern what it self is But whatsoever it be we are sure that of all visible Creatures it was the first that was made and comes nearest the name of a Spirit in as much as it moveth in an instant from the East to the West and piercing through all transparent Bodies and still remains in it self unmixed and undivided it chaseth away sad and melancholy thoughts which the Darkness both begets and maintains it lifts up our minds in meditation to him that is the true Light that Lightneth every man that cometh into the World himself dwelling in Light in accessible and cloathing himself with Light as with a Garment And if we may behold in any one Creature any spark of that Eternal Fire or any farr-off dawning of Gods brightness the same in the beauty and vertue of this Light may be best discernedâ— Quid pulchâ—rrimus Luce saith Hugo de sanctoVictore quae cum in se colorem non habeat omnium â—amâ—n rerum colores ipsâ— quodammodo colorat What is more beautiful then Light which having no colour in it self yet sets a lustre upon all Colours And St. Ambrose Unde Vex Dâ—i in Scriptura debuit inchoare nisi a Lumine unde Mundi ornatus â—â—si a Luce exordium sumerâ— frustra enim esset si non videretur From whence should the voice of God