because they still labour but when they haue accomplished and performed their worke and deliuered such fauour to terrestriall things as they were charged with And for the soule whereof Plotin makes mention one may likewise affirme that it shall not cease to giue life to the Vniuers when it shall cease to mooue For as we haue alreadie heard we maintaine not the annihilating of the elements of the world or the parts thereof but rather the resting after the motion in such sort as all nature must be in the ende after sundrie reuolutions reduced to the rest of the Sabbaoth vnknowne to many learned men Let all those then who trouble themselues without meane or measure to search out the end of the worldly frame or contend about the originall thereof here fixe their foote least running without ceasing in their fantasies after this perpetuall moouing they neuer rest and least by no light they can behold their repose being alwaies troubled with a continuall course Now then ASER I leaue to you to prosecute the confutation of diuers other arguments vpon this matter of the Creation Machinations Of many other deuises which they inuent who pretend to ouerthrow the doctrine of the Creation of the world performed by the Creator thereof Chapter 5. ASER. BEsides that which we haue hitherto heard concerning the reasons and arguments whereupon many depend who denie that the world had a beginning I finde that such are willingly induced to thinke Reasons against the doctrine of the creation of the world that by reason of this new creation or generation of the Vniuers there might seeme to arise some new deuise in the Creator because of the newnes of the worke by consequence an alteration of his mind or will which cannot happen to the most perfect and immutable neither within himselfe for nothing can mooue it selfe nor outwardly without himselfe for then that should consist and encrease which was without him by the empairing and wearing away of the most infinite These are the termes which Aristotle Auerrois Moses of Egypt and their disciples vse alleaging many other considerations which Cicero in the person of the Epicure enueighing against Plato in his fluent and eloquent speech hath collected in the discourse of an oration Cic. 1. of the nature of the Gods With what eies saith he coulde your Plato behold the arte and composition of so great a worke by the which he saith the world was builded and composed by God What inuentions of buildings What iron workes what lifting leauers what engins what ministers had he in so great a businesse How is it that the aire fire earth and water coulde obey to the worke-master whence issued the fiue formes whereof all the rest are formed falling out fitly to compose the soule and produce the sense And a little after he proceedeth I woulde faine aske these fellowes why vpon a sodaine these builders of the world started vp who had beene a sleepe by the space of innumerable ages For though there was then no world yet were there certaine ages although they were not such as are made of a number of daies and nights by course of yeeres for I confesse that those could not come to passe without the turning of the world but there was of infinite time a kinde of eternitie which no terme nor circuit of time did measure Neuerthelesse none can diuine of what space it hath beene because it falleth not into humane sense that there could be any time then when time was not Then in such an vnlimited space why should the prouidence be idle why should he flie labour and what cause was there why God like the Sheriffe of a citie should desire to adorne the world with signes and lights If it were to them that God might the better dwell at his ease he had then an infinite time before dwelt in darknesse as if in an hole or by-corner But if we thinke that he hath thus beautified heauen and earth because he delighted in the diuersitie thereof what may this pleasure of God be whereof he was so long time before depriued May it be for loue towards man as you might inferre that God made all these things But hath this loue beene for wisemen or for fooles if for the wise then to small purpose God wot hath this so exceeding great compiling of things beene made If for the foolish first there was no occasion why God shoulde seeke to deserue any thing of the euill then what hath he gotten when euery one being a flatte foole is most miserable in that he is not wise For what can we name that 's woorse then follie hitherto Cicero Alcinois speaking like him doth farther adde That sith there is nothing beside the world which may do it violence it can suffer neither maladie nor consumption nor any dissolution at all Forasmuch then as it must perpetually endure it followeth also that it hath beene without beginning Auicen according with him saith He which negotiateth by the power of another may instantly produce that which before he coulde not for hee must attend the pleasure of such as worke with him but the first that worketh by his proper power needes not attend but worke continually Behold then how the seruants of the world contend for the dignitie of their prince endeuouring to make him eternall as if volūtarily subiecting themselues to a continuall reuolution they woulde defeat themselues for euer attaining to any rest wherein consisteth true felicitie But we must fight for the soueraigne Creator which is our peace and true Sabbaoth defending like good and valiant warriors his eternall rest whereto all reuolution of the world doth referre it selfe and presently it will appeere hee himselfe aiding vs how weake those engins are which our aduersaries haue planted against his worke and against the wall of truth Answere to the arguments of the Philosophers First we will consent to Aristotle and to the defenders of his doctrine that there came to God by the framing of the vniuers a new imagination but full of reason and without any alteration in his nature or will and moreouer the same new-minde was properly reall and all one with his eternall will towards the generation of the world to performance whereof he also proceeded according to his good pleasure But I woonder at so many instances as they intend to found vpon this new-thought seeing we behold how assidually many new things are produced wherof returneth a new-thought either towards God framing or gouerning or at least as they say so as may be towards their wished and desired end I demand then why should the new-thought of creating the world make more against the maiestie of God and not the inuention of the new partes thereof euery moment arising Algazel Sarasyn holds it not vnmeete that the most perfect agent hauing all conditions thereto cōcording deferred neuerthelesse to produce his worke in effect so long as he pleased and that then he performed
distributeth the raine and heauenly waters by an admirable prouidence who also keepeth them hidden when he pleaseth in such sort that there is no cloud seene in the aire and sometimes for so long space that the earth becommeth drie and as it were burnt vp with the beames of the Sunne for want of moisture from heauen 1. King 17. 18. as it was in the dayes of Elias And then he executed the sentence wherwith he threatned the transgressors of his law when he denounced to them by Moses Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. that he would make the heauen as brasse and the earth as iron that is to say that there should come no more raine from heauen then if it were of brasse whereupon doth also follow that the earth not being moistned with water from heauen should become barren bearing no more fruit then if it were of iron For as it is written The earth which drinketh in raine that commeth oft vpon it Heb. 6. and bringeth forth herbes meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God But that which beareth thornes and briers is reprooued and is neere vnto cursing whose end is to be Burned And therefore likewise the Prophet saith in the Psalmes Psal 107. that God turneth the flouds into deserts and springs of water into drynes and the fruitfull ground into saltnes which is as much as if he should say that he maketh it altogether barren as if one had sowed salt there Adding also afterwards that it is for the wickednes of those that dwel therein that contrariwise he turneth the deserts into pooles of water and the drie-land into water-springs making it an habitation for such as were famished who there sow the fields and plant vines which bring forth yeerly fruit For this cause the Lord being angrie with his people saith by Isay Isay 5. I will commaund the cloudes that they shall distill no raine vpon my vine-yard Meaning by this kinde of speech his people whom he hath elected And surely the holy spirit would giue vs to vnderstand this one thing more in this text that as the earth waxeth barren if it be not watred by raine from heauen so men cannot performe any thing if God powre not downe his grace vpon them as he causeth the raine-waters to showre downe vpon the earth Wherefore as it is vnfruitfull not being watred from heauen euen so is mankinde when God withdraweth his blessing For we are all cursed by nature as the earth is as we euen now heard the Apostle giue euidence When therefore it pleaseth the creator he commandeth the cloudes to distribute their waters to the end that the earth may be moistned watred to make it fertile And therfore the kingly Prophet saith againe Thou visitest the earth and watrest it Psal 65. Of the fertility caused by raine thou makest it verie rich the riuer of God is full of water thou preparest the corne for so thou appointest it Thou watrest abundantly the furrowes thereof thou causest the raine to descend into the valleies thereof thou makest it soft with showres and blessest the bud thereof Thou crownest the yeere with thy goodnes and thy steps drop fatnes Meaning by the steps or paths and walkes of the Lord the cloudes for that the Scripture proposeth him vnto vs walking vpon them and by fatnes he vnderstandeth the raine which droppeth vpon the earth as it doth also serue therefore And in another Psalme he againe recordeth The Lord watreth the mountaines from his loftie chambers which is as much to say as God causeth it to raine vpon the mountaines to make them fruitfull And therefore he further addeth That the earth is filled with the fruit of his workes Wherein the Prophet doth also expound his owne meaning saying before that the Al-mightie laide the planchers of his high chambers amongst the waters and after that he hath generally entreated of the fertilitie which God bestoweth vpon the earth by meanes of the raine he doth declare it more particularly Psal 104. saying He causeth grasse to grow for the cattell and herbe for the vse of man that he may bring foorth bread out of the earth and wind that maketh glad the heart of man and oyle that maketh the face to shine and bread that strengthneth mans heart The high trees are satisfied euen the Cedars of Libanon which he hath planted That the birds may make their nests there the Storke dwelleth in the firre-trees Where we cleerely behold how God sendeth his blessing vpon the earth by meanes of the raine to the ende that it may bring foorth fruits not onely for the nourishment of men but also for the commoditie of beasts Which may serue vs for a certaine testimonie of his prouidence towards mankinde Testimony of the prouidence of God towards men For if he hath care of the bruit beasts which he hath created for men there is no doubt but he hath much more care of them whom he hath created after his owne image and semblance and aboue all of his children and elect And for this cause also the Psalmist signifieth how that God hath not onely beene carefull to prouide for their necessities as for the necessities of other creatures but it hath also pleased him to bestowe vpon them pleasures and honest comforts conuenient both for his Maiestie as also for the nature of man when hee saith that GOD hath giuen wine to man to make him merrie and oyle to make his face shine For although he alreadie had the waters for drinke and which might suffice him to staunch his thirst and for his necessarie beuerage it hath neuerthelesse pleased him through his great liberalitie to bestow wine vpon him also which is a much more delicious drinke and which doth so comfort him that it bringeth ioy pleasure to him And for oyle it doth not onely serue in meates and medicinall ointments but also to make compositions and sweete sauours to beawtifie and refresh mans countenance Which specialities the prophet would not omit because that in his daies oyle was in great vse to make such precious ointments as the auncients vsed to annoint themselues withall as is now adaies done with oyle of Spike and other such odoriferous oyles and sweete water 2. King 4. And if God hath at some times multiplied by the hands of his faithfull ministers the poore widowes oyle as his worde teacheth vs he causeth it to abound much more euerie day when he maketh it encrease in the lands which he hath destinated to that purpose conuerting the water which runneth vpon the oliue trees into oyle yea and that water which droppeth vpon the earth into corne and bread which he dayly doth much more abundantly multiply then in times past hee did the poore widowes meale by Elias 1. King 17. Matth. 14. 15. yea then Iesus Christ did multiply the loaues in the wildernes And therefore if we shall consider how the Al-mightie
forward the floud decreaseth so that the third quarter it is in the same state wherein it was the first quarter Neuerthelesse when the waining moone is halfe round the floud beginneth to rise But when she is in coniunction with the sunne the tide riseth as high as at full moone And when the moone is high and septentrionall the tide is not so vehement as when she is meridionall bicause that being then more neere to the earth she doth the more exercise hir power But many haue indeuoured in this matter to vnderstand Why the ocean doth differ in flowing from other seas why the flowings of the Ocean sea doe reach farther then those of the other Mediterranean seas wherein the ebbings and flowings doe not appeere as in the Ocean Which may be said to proceed because that a thing which is entire hath more power then any part which is separated Also the high sea retayneth in it selfe more of the power of the Moone which worketh vpon it at ease and pleasure beyond all comparison more forcibly then vpon other seas which are narrower and minister lesse meanes to this planet to exercise her rule therein From whence it commeth to passe that lakes and riuers do neuer flow And for the Mediterranean seas they are enclosed about with the earth as in an hauen though there bee some places or some armes of the same seas verie broad Some likewise are verie much subiect to the Moone as the Adriaticke gulfe wherein Venice is builded which ebbeth and floweth twise euerie day like the Ocean And it is to bee noted that such motions are better perceiued on the shore and sea-coasts then in the midst thereof euen as the pulse of the arteries is better knowne in the extremes of the bodie then in the bulk thereof Other causes of the flowing and ebbing of the sea Some also do render this cause of the flowing and ebbing of the sea to wit that though the waters thereof be salt yet were not this sufficient for their conseruation no more then of their neighbor the aire if they had not a continuall motion For we see that sea-water doth presently corrupt beeing in a vessel and not mooued Many also haue noted that in euery reuolution or course of the moone the tyde resteth for three daies long to wit the 7. 8. and 9. day thereof and that when shee is at full all seas do purge themselues by scummes Certainely it is woondrous to see what power this planet hath not onely ouer the waters but also ouer the earth and ouer all liuing creatures Of the power of the moone ouer all creatures Which hath ministred occasion to many Philosophers to suppose that the moone was that quickning-spirit which nourisheth the earth and that also by hir inconstant course approching diuers waies to the inferior bodies shee produced diuers effects sometimes replenishing them and sometimes leauing them void empty Whereof it commeth that all fishes hauing scales and shels do encrease and decrease according to the course of the moone and that all liuing creatures also which haue bloud do feele themselues refreshed when shee renueth It is likewise supposed that the bloud augmenteth or diminisheth in man according as the moone encreaseth or waineth yea that herbes and trees do partake of hir power Aristotle also doth note that those creatures which are readie to die do die onely when the sea ebbeth But in this matter as in all things which do concerne the ebbing and flowing of the Ocean wee must euer haue recourse to the ordinance that the Eternall father of the vniuers hath established in all his creatures according to which they perseuer in obedience to their creator without transgressing one title of his lawes as wee haue a notable example in the sea and in the waters which containe themselues in such admirable sort as in our former speech is declared within their bounds and limits A maruailous inundation of waters in the yeere 1530. And if at any time they ouerflowe as whilome happened in Holland where the water brake through the dams and banks wherewith the countrie is bounded swallowing vp the coast-townes with an incredible losse of men and riches as also at the same time Tiber did so ouerflowe at Rome that it rose in the fields the height of a lance ruinating in fower and twenty howers many bridges and stately edifices the endommagement whereof comprising therein the mooueable goodes lost was esteemed to amount to the value of three millions of golde there being aboue three thousand persons choaked and drowned Such deluges I say doe not come to passe what natural causes soeuer the learned force themselues to render without the expresse command and ordinance of God who will after this sort vse the water to take vengeance vpon those whom he pleaseth to wash from off the face of the earth as being vnwoorthie to dwell longer thereupon And so he himselfe hath prophesied vnto vs saying Luke 21. There shall bee signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and waters shall roare Adding afterwards For the powers of heauen shall be shaken Moreouer we may say that although the celestiall bodies haue no more life sense and vnderstanding then the earth and the sea yet neuertheles they haue as it were a secret feeling by nature of the maiestie of God their creator who causeth them to rise vp against men for their rebellion and wickednes Surely when we see them rise and stand vp against men to worke them euill in stead of doing them good contrarie to the end of their first creation we must consider of them as if they enuied and denied to serue men any more which turne disloyall ingratefull and peruerse towards him from whom their totall good proceedeth As the sunne did witnes when it waxed darke at the death of our Redeemer depriuing those of his light which were risen vp against the eternal Sonne of God that had created them For it is certaine that the creatures do grone and trauell altogither as the scripture saith till such time as Iesus Christ shall come in iudgement Rom. 8. Acts. 3. which is the day of the restitution and restoring of all things foretold by the prophets And which day being neere it is no maruell if God doe daily shew his particular iudgements vpon men to put them in minde of this generall and vniuersall iudgement whereto heauen earth the sea and all creatures shall come togither and therefore also he giueth them so many signes of his wrath by thunders tempests deluges and inundations of water as we haue made mention But let vs proceed to contemplate his other works and great woonders which abound euery where both in the earth and in the sea in other terrestriall waters by which very many commodities do redound to men thorough the prouidence of God And first we will speake of the
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
vnderstood That that which is the first in intention is the last in execution but the meanes betweene keeping a like order doe succeed from the first till the last By such reason therefore the diuision of daies mentioned in Genesis must be referred not to the time but to the order which is to be considered in the producement of things created Thus much for their opinions But others contend to the contrarie and maintaine that God hath distinguished the creation of the world by certaine degrees and course of daies according as Moses describeth them to keepe vs the more attentiue and to constraine vs to abide in the consideration of his works For it is most certaine that we passe lightly ouer the infinite glorie of God which shineth vnto vs here below and the vanitie of our vnderstanding doth willingly carrie vs away To correct which vice his diuine bountie would temper his works to our capacity And they which hold this opinion haue noted how the text before cited out of Ecclesiasticus wherein this word togither is read is not properly so in the Greeke copie but the Greeke word signifieth likewise or in common and hath relation not to the time but to the vniuersalnes and communitie of creatures Now to reconcile these diuers opinions me thinketh we may say that for the matter and rich seede of all the beauties and richesses of the vniuers it hath been created of God all in one moment but that afterward he gaue forme to it taking out of them the works which he did in the sixe daies For thus the prophet speaketh Genes 1. v. 1.2 God in the beginning created the heauen and the earth And the earth was without forme and void and darknes was vpon the deepe and the spirit of God moued vpon the waters Behold then the matter of this All which had his being all at once the chaos the embryon created of nothing which was to take forme figure place and abiding according to the order and disposition of all his partes and which in the meane while was sustained by the secret power of God Afterward when Moses addeth Then God said Let there be light Vers 3.4.5 and there was light And God saw the light that it was good and God separated the light from the darkenes and God called the light day and the darkenes he called night So the euening the morning were the first day In this I say and in all the rest which ensueth concerning the workes of God in the fiue other daies is shewed vnto vs the forme that God gaue to the matter in the space of them creating and forming all creatures celestiall and terrestrial contained in the whole Vniuers See then how we may resolue this question whether all things were created togither or in diuers daies and thus we may reconcile their sundrie opinions Let vs farther note S. August de ciuit Dei lib. 11. ca. 7. how Saint Augustine accustomed to mount as we haue said with the wings of contemplation vnto the Anagogicall sense discoursing vpon this point concerning the light which was said to haue beene created the first day with euening and mormng three daies before the sun confesseth freely that it is farre-remote from our sense what light this is and by what alternate motion the euening and morning were made and he vseth this disiunctiue question whether it were some corporall light that is some lightsome bodie in the highest parts of the world farre from our sight or else a light without bodie in some place whereat the sunne was shortly after kindled or else by the name of light Gal. 4. was signified the holy citie of Angels and blessed spirits whereof the Apostle saith Hierusalem which is aboue is the eternall mother of vs all in the heauens Therefore in another place also this great doctor of the church referreth the euening and morning to the science and knowledge of angelical thoughts calling it morning when by the view of things created knowne in themselues where there is darkenes and most deepe night these blessed spirits aduaunce themselues in the loue of God And if louing and contemplating him they acknowledge all things in him which knowledge is much more certaine then if one should view them indirectly then is it day But it is euening when the angell turneth himselfe from God to things created regarding them not in him but in themselues And yet this euening commeth not to night because these angelicall thoughts neuer preferre the workes before the workman neither haue them in greater estimation for so should it bee most profound night Behold then how deepely Saint Augustine doth discourse in this place concerning the euening and morning But for the place before-cited concerning the point of the light he referreth the same termes euening and morning to the condition of our soule For he saith that that which it can know and vnderstand in comparison of the knowledge of God is like an euening and that yet when it is bent to praise and loue the creator then doth it returne to morning And for the distinct daies concerning the workes of God he applyeth them likewise to the orderly and perfect knowledge of things produced The distinction of the daies inferred to the acknowledgement of the workes of God saying thus When the minde stayeth in the knowledge of it selfe then is there one day when in the acknowledgement of the firmament which betwixt the water beneath and aboue is called the heauen then is the second day if concerning the earth the sea and all things fructifying which keepe themselues in the rootes of the earth there is the third day and when it stayeth in the acknowledgement of the lights both the greater and lesser and of the stars there is the fourth day if of the creatures which liue in the waters there is the fift day if of terrene things and man himselfe there is the sixt day And thus doth this good father trauell to discouer the great mysteries closed concealed vnder the couert of Moses words which in the relation of his historie hee doth most vndoubtedly apply to the capacitie of the rude and common people with whom he had to deale deliuering to the wise and more learned enough wherewith to satisfie their mindes But without farther disputing about this present matter wee may note that in the creation of the light wherewith the world was to be adorned was the beginning of forme giuen to the matter of the world and of the distinction of creatures Yea in that the light did precede the sun moone which were created but the fourth day God would thereby testifie that in his onely hand light is resident and that he can conferre it vpon vs without any other meanes For we are so enclined as nothing more to alligate the power of God to those instruments and organes wherewith he serueth himselfe because that for as much as the sun moone do minister light vnto
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
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
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
by winde and such like Whereto we will adde also this opinion of those who attribute the cause of such motions and tremblings either to the drinesse of the earth which is the occasion that it cleaueth and chappeth and by this meanes giues open way to the aire and to the windes which penetrate thereinto or else bicause of the older age thereof to which they esteeme all creatures subiect whereupon it happeneth to it as to old buildings which being ruinous and almost rotten doe fall downe in some places of themselues These are the diuers opinions of men vpon this matter wherin if we desire to take a very short and sure way to attaine to the true cause wee must referre it to the wrath and iudgements of God bicause that what causes soeuer the learned can inuent the Eternall sheweth himselfe very powerful The true cause of earthquakes and the profit that wee may reape thereby and to be feared therein considering that he hath disposed all of them and that they all depend vpon him alone And surely this is a worke of the omnipotent woorthie to be woondred at and which may well cause men to mooue and tremble before his maiestie For if he shewe himselfe terrible and fearefull by deluges of water by haile thunder lightning stormes and tempests he doth no lesse by the motions and shakings of the earth which are in regarde thereof as thunders are in the aire For seeing that the earth is as the foot of the world and that it is assigned to men for their habitation whither is it that they may haue recourse if it quake vnder them and faile to sustaine them Whither shall they retire if she will allow them no more dwelling in hir but will spue them out as the scripture saith For if it be hard for them to flie before fire Leuit. 19. and before water and to finde harbour against windes thunders and tempests whither shall they flie if the earth will not receiue nor beare them And what dread may inuade them when sometimes it quaketh in such sort that it openeth and is swallowed vp as into a bottomlesse pitte as it came to passe when it swallowed Corah Dathan and Abiram and their families Nom. 16. Who will not bee astonished when it riseth vp ouerturning all euen the highest mountaines and hardest rockes and mooueth it selfe in such sort that it maketh houses and buildings dance like rammes and sheepe that would one butte at another wherewith many are vtterly destroied Examples of meruailous earth quakes as it happened in the yeere 1531. in the realme of Portugall which was so shaken by an earth-quake that at Lisbone the chiefe citie thereof there were ouerthrown almost twelue hundred houses besides a great number of others which were greatly spoiled This horrible earthquake continued the space of eight daies and gaue verie furious assaults fiue or sixe times a day And in the time of the Emperour Tiberius twelue cities in Asia were quite ruinated in one night by an earth-quake And Iosephus recordeth that by another Lib. 1 de bello Iud. thirtie thousand Iewes died So Iustine recounteth that by another earth-quake many cities were destroyed an hundred and seuentie thousand persons perished in the raigne of Tigranes in Armenia What causes then soeuer there may be in nature of so many terrible euents yet we must alwaies haue recourse to the Author and Gouernour thereof without whom it can performe nothing and he it is Psal 135. that bringeth earth-quakes out of his treasures as he doth the winds either by his commaundement without a meanes or by his ministers ordayned thereto or else by some power infused into things the which may according to his good pleasure display it selfe in effect to denounce his iudgments on men For he it is of whom the prophet speaketh The earth trembled and shaked and the foundations of the mountaines were mooued and quaked 2. Sam. 22. Psal 18. and the foundations of heauen were bowed and trembled because he was angrie Wherefore wee may verie well conclude Isay 66. Matth. 5. Acts. 7. that as God declareth his magnificence and woonderfull glorie in heauen which is assigned to bee his seat as his word teacheth vs and as we haue heretofore amply discoursed so likewise he doth manifest it no lesse in the earth which is his footstoole when he causeth it to shake and remooue as if being supprised with some great strong feuer it shooke trembled before him Iob. 9. And therefore Iob also saith The Eternall is wise in heart and mightie in strength who hath beene fierce against him and hath prospered He remooueth mountaines and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath He remooueth the earth out of her place that the pillers thereof do shake Iob. 26. the pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe But now let vs note that all that which we haue here deliuered disprooueth not the earth to remaine alwaies firme immooueable in it selfe in so much as it mooueth not out of the place which was appointed to it by God neither doth it swerue neuer so little considering that the moouings and tremblings are not vniuersall but particular onely in some places in such sort that the foundations thereof are not any whit altered And if we consider well of these things the Earth will serue no lesse for a preacher vnto vs then the aire and the fire yea then all heauen to denounce vnto vs the soueraigne maiestie of the Almightie ruling aboue all his workes as I hope to morrow we may haue goodly testimonies entreating of the water which is dispersed throughout the earth and afterwards speaking of the excellent commodities and pretious riches that these two elements doe yeeld to men into which matter you ASER shall enter with your dicourse The end of the seuenth day THE EIGHT DAIES WORKE Of the sea and of the waters and of the diuision and distribution of them throughout the earth Chap. 57. ASER. THE holy Scripture doth certifie vs how that in the beginning the earth was couered ouer with water and that it appeered not in any sort but onely vnder the forme of a great deepe till such time as God commaunded the waters to retire into the channels and places which hee had prepared for their aboade So that then the earth was discouered euen so much therof as was needfull for the habitation and nourishment of men and beasts But this soueraigne creator of the Vniuers would not haue the waters to be gathered all into one place and not to haue their course through the earth but prouiding for euerie commoditie for his creatures he ordained that out of the great Ocean sea which is as the great bodie of the waters there should issue diuers armes and members by meanes whereof we haue the Mediterran seas out of which againe proceed many other waters as lakes flouds riuers and brookes For although that all
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
Eternall and those great works and woonders which he declareth in the sea and to haue recourse for their deliuerance out of all dangers to the creator and true Lord of the waters and of the windes and of all nature But yet wee must heere consider the obedience that the sea sheweth euen in the greatest furies therof to the commandement which God hath deliuered to it from the first creation thereof For although it be often mooued as we said yet doth it containe it selfe shut vp within the boundes which were appointed vnto it by the ordinance of God as if it were afraide to run out and durst not passe farther as hauing heard and vnderstood that which the creator thereof had commanded and had engrauen it in memorie for euer And therefore we may see that after it hath swollen risen aloft in waues and that it hath menaced the earth as if it would ouerflowe it and couer it againe with the deepe as at the beginning it is neuerthles arrested and beaten backe to returne into the proper gulfes thereof which are assigned for it to lodge in euen by a very little sand onely For what is the sea shore but sand onely which is a kinde of loose earth like the dust and is easily driuen with the winde And yet the word of God which hath giuen commandement to the sea which is so horrible and fearefull a creature being mooued is of such power that this small sand is sufficient to make it keepe within the confines and limits thereof and to breake the furious waues thereof as if he who hath established this ordinance in nature stood in presence vpon the shore side to command it to doe so and that for feare and reuerence of him it returned to hide it selfe in the deepe How much more then should his word and voice mooue the harts of men breaking cleauing and pearsing them thorough if they were not harder then stones and rocks and more senselesse then the waters For this cause the Lord saith by Esaie Isay 66. And to whome shall I haue respect but to him that is afflicted and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words And Ieremie shewing to the people of Israel the malice and rebellion which was in them Ierem. 5. against the Lord their God doth giue them the sea for a patterne and referreth them to learne to obey their creator after the example thereof Let vs learne then that the sea and other waters do not ouer-passe their bounds and limits but when it pleaseth God that they should ouerflow to chastice men by deluges and flouds as it oftentimes commeth to passe through his iust iudgement But it shal bee your office ACHITOB to speake of this point discoursing vpon the ebbing and flowing of the sea whereupon me thinkes the order of our speech doth require that wee should entreat 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. AMANA IF wee do not refer all things to the heauenly disposition of him who hath framed and compassed all with his hand and doth gouerne all by his prudence and sustaineth all with his power it will be very difficult yea impossible for vs to declare the causes and reasons of his works in an humane discourse which are of such authority that they may put a good spirit out of all scruple and doubt Yea euen in the subiect which wee intend now to entreat of to wit the flowing and ebbing of the sea The searching out of which secret did so trouble a certaine great Philosopher some say Aristotle that beeing vpon the shore of Euboea now called Negropont onely to search out and to behold the naturall cause thereof and not beeing able to enforme himselfe sufficiently therein it did so vex him that chafing at nature himselfe and against the water he cast himselfe into the sea saying to it sith I cannot comprehend thee yet shalt thou haue the honor to comprehend mee and keepe mee within thy gulfs and indeed he was heere swallowed by the deepe And certes this ordinary ebbing and flowing of the ocean according to which it goeth commeth spreadeth it selfe abroade and then doth euery day retire without euer fayling in the order thereof must needes be a most wonderfull thing And that which is most admirable therein is that the flowing and ebbing thereof doe follow the course of the moone Of the ebbing and flowing of the sea To which planet likewise is attributed with most apparant reason the cause of this flowing and ebbing she beeing as the regent of the seas and waters by the appointment of the soueraigne creator as is seene by experience and by the agreeablenes of nature which they haue togither For wee must note that as the moone encreaseth or waineth so is it with the state of the flowing of the sea And therefore although that it happen diuersly yet the principall cause of the motion thereof resideth in his planet For betweene the two times that she riseth which is in fower and twenty howers wherein she compasseth the whole earth the sea doth twise flow doth as oftētimes ebbe And when the moone beginneth to mount in the east then doth the floud rise and the sea swell till such time as this planet doth attaine to our right meridian which is in the mid-heauen and that it begin to decline towardes the west at which time the water ebbeth Yet neuertheles all those six howers wherein the moone maketh hir course towards the line of mid-night opposite to our noone-line the floud returneth and increaseth till after it hath passed that line and then it doth ebbe againe till such time as the said regent thereof the moone returne againe aboue our horizon It is most certaine that the floud doth neuer returne iust at that very hower and instant wherein it flowed the day before But this doth proceede likewise from the course of the moone which seruing for these base and inferiour things and not rising euery day at one selfesame instant she doth draw the course of the sea with hir in such sort that the tide is more late and of shorter continuance at one time then at another and yet doth not the distance of time betweene the tides change one whit for it endureth six howers in ebbe and so long time in flowing But here we meane not all manner of howers as our common howers are according to the different situation of places but we meane equall and equinoctial howers by consideration whereof the ebbing and flowing of the sea will be found alwaies of like time as is abouesaide Moreouer from seuen daies to seuen daies the flowing is found different by the same power of the moone for it is but very small the first quarter thereof and till it be halfe round In the second quarter it alwaies encreaseth till full-moone at which time the sea is at hir greatest height From thence
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
which is of a very strange forme There are found of them in the coast of India so great Of Tortoises that one shell onely is sufficient to couer a good pretie shed And in the countrie of the Chelonophagi there are some isles where they ordinarily vse tortoise shels in stead of boates For we must note that there be three sorts of Tortoises the terrestriall which breedeth in forrests marish ones which breed in fens and watry ones which breed in the sea Those then of this last sort haue insteed of feete so many broad gristles they haue no teeth but the nibbe of their beake is passing sharpe and their vnderchappe doth close as iustly within their vpper chap as a boxe doth with the lidde of it Being in the sea they liue vpon shell fishes for their mouth is so strong and hard that they crush them yea euen stones in peeces yet when they come on land they neuer liue but vpon herbes They lay egges like birds so that sometimes one may finde an hundred togither And they neuer hatch them in the water but putting them into an hole which they make in the ground and couering them well they smooth with their shels vnderneath the place wherein they are and hatch in the night time for a whole yeere long Also amongst the fishes which are famous for their strange operatiue power is the Torpedo or crampfish Of the cramp-fish which is a kind of hedgehogge hath many bristles the touch of whom be nummeth the fishers hands by some naturall and secret vertue And there be many kindes of these fishes who haue all of them their shell couered with bristles very thicke which bristles they vse in stead of feete to staie themselues vpon when they mooue and stirre from one place to another Their head and mouth is the lowest part of them and towards the ground And amongst the rest there is one not of the kinde of this bristled crampfish but a shell fish which the Latins call Remora because it hath such power that if it take hold of the bottome of ships it staieth them Yet we cannot read that any such thing hath beene seene since the time of Caius Caligula the emperor whom Historiographers report to haue beene one time staied in his ship by this fish to his great endommagement Of the Triton But the most woonderfull of all fishes is the Triton otherwise called the sea Bugge for hee hath haire vpon his head the nose of a man a broad mouth and the teeth of a wilde beast His hands fingers and nailes are somewhat like those of a man And the rest of his bodie is couered with a thinne shell with a taile vnder his belly in stead of feete like a dolphin Hist nat lib. 9. Pliny reporteth that in the time of the emperor Tyberius the people of Lisbone sent embassadors onely to aduertise him that in the coast of their sea there was a Triton discouered blowing of an horne in a caue Of the Nereides The Nereides also otherwise called Sirens or Mermaides do very neere approch to humane forme sauing that they bee rough and ful of shels in euery part of their body There are some also who testifie that they haue seene a sea-man hauing the entire forme of a man Finally it is a thing that seemeth altogither incredible that the diuersitie of fishes or rather sea-monsters should be such as they affirme who haue written thereof But we may well beleeue that the facilitie of generation and of life in the waters Of the cause of innumerable formes of fishes is cause of so many strange shapes For heate and moisture consist togither in generation and nourishment maintaineth life and in the sea heate and fatte moisture and nutriment do abound It is also to be noted that by reason of motion the pestilence neuer commeth into the water as into the aire for the sea is euer mooued and the aire is often still For which cause all kindes of creatures may easily be preserued in the sea but not so in the aire Againe fishes mooue themselues in the sea easily and without labour which the beasts of the earth do not who therefore are constrained to be hungrie or necessarily to be consumed by too much labour and trauaile Moreouer the sea freezeth not neither yet is too hot like the earth and like other waters except it be and that very seldome in the superficies thereof which is touched by the aire Therefore through so manie commodities and by the mixture of creatures of diuers kindes many monsters are engendred in the sea so that sometimes when it ariseth by meanes of the flowing thereof one may finde vpon the shore of the westerne Ocean to the number of three hundred kindes of monstrous fishes But although it seemeth that nature would expresse in fishes the formes of all terrestriall creatures put in them some resemblance of shape yet in the hinder part all fishes are except some fewe sea-monsters of a peculiar forme agreeable to their nature and do onely resemble other creatures in the forepart For as the rudder directeth and gouerneth a ship in the sterne so the taile of a fish doth guide it in swimming And for this cause the tailes of all fishes almost are forked But this is most certaine that their sorts and kinds surmount the kindes of other creatures in multitude in greatnes in force and in varietie of shapes But our intent is not heere to number them as we haue said for so we should finde matter enough to make a great volume as others haue done Wherefore to finish this argument and this daies speech see ACHITOB if by our discourses of the sea of the waters and of the liuing creatures which are engendred do liue in them you can deliuer any instruction which may be answerable to that end for which we especially continue our treatise concerning this great vniuers 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. ACHITOB LEt vs not doubt companions but that we haue a goodly image in this daies discourse of the state of this world and of all mans life For first That the world is like a sea what is this world but a sea wherein we nauigate and are in continuall danger Nay is the sea it selfe so variable so inconstant and so outragious For if we haue neuer so little respite peace and rest like as when the sea is calme and quiet presently there arise such violent whirlewindes stormes and furious tempests as it seemeth oftentimes that heauen earth and all the elements conspire and runne togither to worke nor ruine Yea when this wicked world sheweth vs fairest countenance becommeth most calme and gentle and that it feedeth vs with the fattest morsels then is it most false vnto vs and then are we in greatest danger For when we thinke our selues most sure therein then are
to the professors of this science and put all their confidence in them but will moreouer in stead of vsing the aduise and assistance of good and learned phisitions addresse themselues more willingly to Empiricks and such as are ignorant or else are sorcerers enchanters witches and worshippers of diuels If then our desire be not to faile with the one nor the other we must rest in that way which is shewed vs in Ecclesiasticus to wit Honor the Phisicion with that honor that is due vnto him because of thy necessitie Eccles 38. for the Lord hath created him For of the most high commeth healing and the Phisition shall receiue gifts of the king The knowledge of the Phisition lifteth vp his head and he shall be in admiration The Lord hath created medicines of the earth he that is wise will not abhorre them Exod. 15. Was not the water made sweete with wood that men might know the vertue thereof So hath he giuen men knowledge that he might be glorified in his woondrous works Which is as much to say that as God hath sweetned the bitternes of the waters in the desart by meanes of woode which he caused Moses to cast thereinto so likewise doth he manifest his power by the arte of Phisicke shewing marueilous effects thereby And therefore the wise man doth adde With medicines God healeth men and taketh away their paines Of such doth the apothecarie make a confection and yet he cannot finish his owne worke for of the Lord commeth prosperitie and health ouer all the earth And finally he exhorteth the sicke to praie saying My sonne faile not in thy sicknes but praie vnto the Lord and he will make thee whole leaue off from sinne and order thine hands aright and clense thine hart from all wickednes Then giue place to the physition for the Lord hath created him let him not goe from thee for thou hast need of him The hower may come that their enterprises may haue good successe for they also pray vnto the Lord that he woulde prosper that which is giuen for ease and their phisicke for the prolonging of life Wherein namely this holy personage doth euidently declare what is the vertue of phisitions if they desire that the Lord would blesse their works without whose blessing they can neuer come to a prosperous ende Behold then what seemed good vnto me to note concerning the true vse of the great and excellent gifts which God communicateth with vs for the maintenance of mans life And pursuing this subiect let vs speake somthing more particularly concerning the diuersity and singularitie of diuers plants the discourse whereof ARAM I commit to you Of the diuersitie of plants and of their difference and naturall growth and of their parts and of the most excellent amongst them Chapter 67. ARAM. Foure kindes of plants THE learned teach that there are fower kindes of plants to wit trees shrubs vnder-shrubs and herbes Now a tree is that whose stocke waxeth greene euerie yeere and therefore groweth to great height as the peare-tree The shrub called of Latines Frutex is that whose stocke remaineth for many yeeres together but it groweth not verie high as the rose-tree and the myrtle The vnder-shrub called Subfrutex resteth also vpon the stock but exceedeth not the height of herbes as the broome And the herbe is that which hath neither stalke nor stock as housleeke sage or else hath a stock but so as it changeth euery yeere as the fennell And yet a fift kind may be added between the herbe the shrub as rue bicause that sometimes it groweth great like a shrub and sometimes remaineth like other herbes which is also vsuall to the cabbage But generally all plants may attaine to great height by husbandrie Also amongst sallet-herbes specially those which are greene doe oftentimes growe into shrubs by the industrie of man in winter time whereby it appeereth that we must not take the true difference of plants and of their kindes by their greatnes or growth no more then in that the leaues of plants are not all of one bignes or bicause they alwaies stay vpon some and fall off from others or bicause they differ in colour or else bicause one plant is barren In what wee must take the difference of plants and another beareth fruit But wee must take this difference in foure things which are the vertue and propertie the odour the sauor and the shape of the leaues buds fruit barke and rootes and generally of the whole plant Of which fower differences the principall is the facultie vertue or propertie for the vertue proceedeth from the forme and the forme is that which distinguisheth the kindes And therefore though the willowe and the Vitex called Agnus castus haue their leaues and barke alike it should neuertheles be a manifest error to vse the one for the other For the Vitex is hot and drie in the third degree of which it hath this marke that it driueth away ventosities and flourisheth first amongst all trees but the willow is cold and moist flourishing very late and causing ventosities Now for the odour or sent one may euidently knowe by them the temperature of plants And therefore they which are of one kinde although the one growe in India and the other in Scythia yet doe they necessarily participate with the selfe same principall vertues And for the sauour and figure they are discerned by the taste and eie wherein it is necessarie to imploy much diligence and labour to iudge well concerning the difference of plants Those then which are alike in forme in power in odour and in taste may without doubt bee accounted of one selfe same kinde For we search out the names of them according to their vertues Whereupon ensueth that they which haue one selfe same vertue may be comprised vnder one kinde though the herbalist call them by sundrie names according to the proportion of their figure Now some plants doe growe naturally in fieldes and forests some in the sea others in riuers others on the shore side some in marishes some amongst stones sands and grauell some in pits and so of others in such like places For the place in which they growe or to which they are remooued and the temperature of the aire are much auailable to cause them growe and fructifie Through which occasion there are higher trees more flourishing fairer to behold and more charged with leaues and fruit The place and temperature of the aire of great efficacy in the production of plants in some places rather then in other Whereupon ensueth that such as loue mountaines as the Cedar Saple Pine the Turpentine tree Box tree Iuniper tree Beech and the Plane-tree doe there growe high and faire as in the plaines and lowe forrests the Oke the Beech the Corke-tree the Elme the Maple the Ash the Hasell-tree doe growe best But neere to riuers and â—atrie places the Plane-tree the Alder the white and blacke Poplar the
equall power there is engendred so delicate and perfect a mixture of indissoluble vnion composing an accord so faithfully that there is made thereby an incorruptible paste which is permanent to all eternity in the excellencie and goodnes thereof Wherefore gold cannot bee vanquished by iniurie of time and of antiquitie neither can containe in it selfe nor support any excrescence and superfluitie of rust For though it bee put into the water or fire and there remaine for any long space of time yet is it neuer stained neither doth accept any other quality but that which is naturall nor yet doth faile any whit which is the particular priuiledge that it hath aboue other mettalles For they are all subiect to alteration and therefore change and corrupt for a small matter and accept a good or bad qualitie in their originall or end But gold is incorruptible and therefore not subiect to such mutations yea though it bee drawne out in so small wire that it be as fine as threeds in a spiders web and though it be buried in most piercing medicaments as are sublimatum and verdegrease salt and vineger that it remaine two thousand yeeres therein it will not for all that bee corrupted but contrarywise the more refined but all gold hath not one selfe same perfection for their mines and sources are different in goodnes Sometimes also gold is counterfait sophisticate and falsified through the infidelitie or auarice of those who mingle it and multiplie it with other mixtures of mettals of lesse value and lesse pure then it is But pure and refined gold is alwaies perfect by nature in all those qualities which wee haue already touched How gold is found And it is found in diuers manners to wit mixed with sand as in Bohemia on the shore-side amongst the waters neere to Goldebourgh and Risegronde and amongst the stones in mountaines as in Calecut and in the Indies But the first generation thereof is at the top of mountaines in the highest places because that the sun doth there more easily purifie that which retaineth too much earthines in it And when the raine and torrents do flowe downe the mountaines they carry the gold downe with them to the foote thereof where it is gathered amongst the sand or else in waters neere thereunto whither it is driuen by violence of the flouds except perhaps the ground open with those raines and the gold doe there stick as it oftentimes chaunceth And that which is alwaies found in the entrance of the mine is not the finest but the farther you goe the finer and purer it is of better waight and greater value That then which is found in waters and riuers is fished for and is in forme of little graines and in rocks and mountaines it is taken out by deluing and digging Three sorts of gold-mines And therefore there are holden to bee three sorts of gold mines For some are called pendent some iacent and others oblique and running The pendent are those which are found in the superficies of mountaines and haue the earth vnder them They which are iacent or lie are belowe in the fielde and plaine ground carried thither by torrents and stormes of raine And the other that are oblique haue a crosse course whether it bee in that which hangeth or lieth all whereof is driuen by flouds into the next riuers for which cause there are riuers throughout all the world the sand whereof seemeth to bee of azure and gold hauing indeede pure and fine graines of good gold How gold is taken out of mines Now according as the mines are so are there diuers meanes vsed to take out the mettall For in those places which are dry without water they which are expert in the veine of mines hauing true knowledge what may be in that place do cause it to be digged eight or ten foote deepe and as many foote long and broad and as they proceede in their worke they still wash the earth that is digged vp continuing so till such time as they finde the gold which is sometimes so deepe that they are driuen to set vp arches of wood ouer them that the earth may not ouerwhelm them And when the mines are pendent along the mountaines the difficultie is then more great wherefore they also set vp engines to defend them from dangers which are there verie imminent For some to wit those that dig into the rocke are quite hidden therein euen as those that cut stone are within a quarrie others creepe scrambling vp the sharpe rockes with a basket at their backes seeking out the earth of the mine to carrie it to the water others wash the same earth in a sieue by meanes whereof the gold is separated remayning in the sieue after that the earth is runne out by little and little Moreouer out of these mines there issueth a stinking breath or damp which doth oftentimes choake and kill them that worke therein being not able to indure so bad an aire some also are drowned by waters which suddenly gush out of those places where they haue digged when they thinke not of any such thing quickly ouerwhelming them before they can make signe to those that are aboue to helpe them Againe these miserable poore soules are oftentimes affrighted by euill spirits who inhabite in great numbers in those hollow and solitarie places as many haue experimented to their great hurt For sometimes it happeneth that these diuels tumble great stones and whole rockes vpon them throw downe their engines ouerturne their ladders breake their cordage and doe a thousand other mischiefes whereby men are oftentimes slaine Concerning riuers wherein the graines and sands of gold are found the dangers are not so great therein but the paine is no lesse For if the riuer be little the Indians vse to emptie and let it out till it be dry and then take off the bottome thereof and wash it as beforesaid and if the water be verie great they turne it out of the channell which done they goe to gather the gold in the midst of the riuer betwixt the stones and great pibbles so that sometimes there commeth greater profit by this fishing then by washing the digged earth to separate the gold But howsoeuer yet is there great paines alwaies vsed to obtaine the riches of this mettall so much coueted by men and whereof the abuse is verie great as we may in some sort touch after that we haue spoken of other mettals which shall serue AMANA for the subiect of your discourse Of Siluer Amber Iron Lead Brasse and Copper Chap. 94. AMANA THE most noble amongst mettals next to gold is siluer for although that copper in colour and lead in waight do neerest approch vnto gold yet in tenuitie of substance in purenes and fastnes Of siluer siluer is so like vnto it that good siluer may be rightly said to be imperfect gold in substance failing in colour and that by succession of time it is sometimes changed
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
things tende and descende it cannot descende lower then it is by the nature thereof And therefore bicause it is solide and thicke and not liquide and fluent as the water and the aire it cannot glide as they doe nor remooue out of one place into another if it be not by some violence elsewhere mooued and made to stirre and tremble somewhere as it hath happened through diuers and maruellous earthquakes of which histories and the holy scripture it selfe doe giue euidence We must note then that there are diuers sortes of motions by which the earth is so shaken that it lifteth and casteth some parts sometimes vpwardes sometimes downewards Of diuers sorts of earthquakes And it is long of such motions and tremblings that there haue such masses and heapes beene cast out of it that great isles haue beene newly made as Geographers doe witnesse namely the isle of Rhodes and of Selos It sometimes also happeneth that the motions of the earth bee such that it openeth like a great gulph whereinto some parts thereof are cleane swallowed vp and deuoured togither with the countries and townes scituate therein so that there hath beene no marke left of them no more then as if they had neuer beene And it hath often hapned in such cases that some mountaines haue fallen one against another bicause the earth which was betwixt them hath sunck and beene swallowed cleane vp And then one might say that the prouerb is not euer true which saith that two mountaines neuer meet There is yet another kinde of motion wherein the earth mooueth and shaketh sometimes one way sometimes another way and tottereth like a ship that floateth on the water Which kinde of trembling is most dangerous as also when all the motion runneth one way Then is there yet another motion which philosophers properly call trembling to wit when two motions are opposite one to another as if two rammes should rush one against another And this is least daungerous of all although indeede they bee all very fearefull yet the feare is much greater when the tremblings continue with horrible and fearefull sounds like the bellowing of buls and as if the earth and all nature quaked and groaned beeing sore pressed and forced as is oftentimes seene â— the causes of earthquakes Now for the causes of all these kindes of earthquakes I may well say that there is no point in all naturall philosophie wherein the professors of this science finde themselues more intricately intangled nor wherein they more differ in opinions then in this For the Chaldeans and Astronomers referre the causes of motions and earthquakes to the heauen to the starres and to the planets and many philosophers assigne it to the water And yet those which are of this opinion differ amongst themselues For some suppose that the earth floateth vpon the water like a ship bicause it is enuironed with water according to the naturall order of the disposition of the elements whereby it is diuersly mooued Others doe attribute the cause of earthquakes to those waters onely which are inclosed within the vaines and caues of the earth Some also to the fire and some to the windes shut vp within it and some to the heate chased by the colde which striueth against it and causeth it to search an issue out For as the water vndermineth the earth and those places through which it doth passe euen so may the fire doe and if either of them be so inclosed that they cannot finde an easie issue they striue then to doe it by force and violence So doe the windes and the heate chased by the cold So then if the earth be vndermined it is no maruell if the vpper part sinke and fall downe being swallowed vp as into a gulfe considering that the earth bicause of the heauines thereof tendeth alwaies downward towardes the center thereof which is the midst of it and of all the worlde And if the waters or the fire or the windes inclosed and shut vp in the earth or the contrarie qualities which contend one with another cannot finde a passage or issue their power is so great that they constraine the earth which resisteth them and by forcing it make it to cleaue and open and to remooue and to shake in those places wherein it is forced Concerning all which things one may make a neere coniecture Of the force and violence in artillerie by the force and violence which is seene in ordinance and artillerie For euery one beholdeth what force there is by meanes of fire and of the matter inclosed within to wit powder and of the contrarie qualities wherof it is compounded and of the winde that therein is ingendred not onely to driue out with maruellous violence all the charge that therein is but also many times to burst the peece it selfe if there be any resistance to hinder it that it discharge not quickly or if it be not well made and very strong and well proportioned to the charge We behold also what a winde there issueth out and what noise it maketh and how the noise makes the earth to sound and tremble and oftentimes it happeneth that this onely winde killeth those that stand neere the cannons mouth such is the violence thereof although they be not touched at all with the bullet that it shooteth But wee beholde more cleerely in mines which are made vnder ground the violence of this powder when it is therein inclosed with the fire which is set thereto by traines For there is neither towne nor castle be they neuer so well founded nor any fortresse which is not onely shaken but ouerturned also like as by an horrible earth-quake Wherein we may note how that it hath not beene sufficient for men to counterfeit thunders and lightnings in artillerie but they haue also inuented the meanes to represent the motions and shakings of the earth in such manner as we haue signified There are some philosophers also Earthquakes compared to agues who haue taught that the same reason is in earthquakes as there is in the shaking of mens bodies and that they are like feuers and maladies of the earth which come vnto it through diuers causes saue that they hold not all the bodie thereof as they doe in men but onely some partes of it For they argue that the water is in the earth as the blood which hath his course through the vaines of mans bodie and the winde is as the vitall spirits which passe through the arteries thereof And as there happen diuers stoppings in the bodie which hinder the blood and vitall spirits that they cannot keepe their right course and ordinarie passage whereupon their order is troubled and the bodie pained in such sort that grones ensue and difficultie of breathing shakings and such like accidents So is it with the bodie of the earth when any thing happens to it contrarie to the naturall disposition thereof by the meanes which we haue already heard whether by water by fire