ended and the next began And now if it be further demanded why God commanded the Israelites at their return out of Egypt to alter the beginning of their yeare from Autumne unto the Spring unlesse it had been so of old To that it is answered thus viz. that there are two reasons for it 1. The one is this They coming out of Egypt from the bondage of Pharaoh were to begin their yeare from that time in memorie of their deliverance And therefore it is said in Exod. 12. 42. It is a night to be much observed to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations 2. And not onely so but also at the same time of the yeare as God had determined it there was a better and a greater deliverie to be wrought for mankinde namely such a delivery as should free him from the bondage of Satan by the death of Christ. Now this may be called the Deliverie of deliveries of which that other out of Egypt was but a figure because it was but from a corporall bondage whereas this was from a spirituall And thus came the yeare to be changed which ever before pointed to the time of mans creation but now it is made to point another way namely to the time of mans redemption by which God taught his Church then typically delivered how to expect the acceptable yeare of the Lord and time of mans redemption which was both proclaimed and purchased by that Lambe of God who taketh away the sinnes of the world whose offering upon the crosse was at the same time of the yeare when that Paschal lambe by which he was prefigured was slain which time why it is severed from Autumne hath been shewed Yea thus came the first to be last and the last first thus came Nisan to get the dignitie from the other moneths and to be called the beginning or first monethâ—…in the yeare At which we need not marvell for the time of mans redemption was a more worthy mark from whence to reckon then the time of his creation And thus have I delivered what I finde and verily think to be most probable in this matter Unto which may be added that as the evening was before the morning so was the Autumne before the Spring for the yeare and the day have a kinde of analogie between the one and the other as may be seen in the seventh day compared with the seventh yeare and therefore they do well serve the one to expresse the naturall beginning of the other CHAP. III. Containing a discourse of such things as are pertinent to the first dayes work Sect. 1. Of God the Architect of all and of the first part of the first dayes work TIme by whose revolutions we measure houres dayes weeks moneths and yeares is nothing else but as it were a certain space borrowed or set apart from eternitie which shall at the last return to eternitie again like the rivers which have their first course from the seas and by running on there they arrive and have their last for before Time began there was Eternitie namely GOD which was which is and which shall be for ever without beginning or end and yet the beginning and end of all things Aeternitas enim Dei solummodo naturae substantialiter inest saith one that is Eternitie is substantially onely in the nature of God When Moses therefore would have known Gods name he tells him Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you By which name saith Junius he would have himself known according to his eternall essence whereby he is discerned from all other things which are either in heaven on the earth or elsewhere Which in another place is thus illustrated Egosum Primus Ultimus praeter me non est Deus I am the First and the Last and beside me there is no God Esay 44. 6. Or thus Before the day was I am he and there is none that can deliver out of my hand Esay 43. 13. To which that of the Psalmist doth well agree Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting to everlasting Psal. 90. 2. Thus we see that before ever any thing was God onely was who gave both a beginning and a being unto every thing that is and he in respect of his divine essence is but one Yet so as in that single essence of his there be three divine subsistences or persons all truely subsisting whereof every one is distinct from other and yet each hath the whole Godhead in it self and these are the Father Sonne and holy Ghost 1. John 5. 7. 1. The Father is a person who from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne 2. The Sonne is a person from all eternitie begotten of the Father 3. The holy Ghost is a person eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne as the holy Scriptures witnesse These thus distinct in person not divinitie All three in one make one eternall Trinitie From which eternall and undivided Trinitie the whole world consisting of things visible and invisible took beginning as the originall words Elohim and Bara do well expresse For Elohim being a word plurall doth signifie Dii Gods but being joyned with a word singular namely Bara which is Created they then together shew that there are three persons in the Deitie and that the three persons are but one God who did create Or thus Those two words being the one of the singular the other of the plurall number do note unto us the singularitie of the Godhead and pluralitie of the persons And not onely so but they also shew that the three persons being but one God did all of them create For such is found to be the proprietie of the Hebrew phrase Elohim bara Creavit Dii The Gods created 1. Of the Father it is witnessed that he created as the fountain of goodnesse For saith S. James Every good and perfect gift is from above cometh down from the Father of lights Jam. 1. 17. Of whom and through whom saith S. Paul are all things Rom. 11. 36. 2. Of the Sonne it is witnessed that he created as the wisdome of the Father For when he created the heavens saith Wisdome I was there Prov. 8. 27. And again By him were all things created that are Coloss. 1. 14 15. namely by him who did bear the image of the Father and was the Redeemer of the world 3. And lastly of the holy Ghost it is witnessed that he createth as the power of the Father and the Sonne For by his Spirit he garnished the heavens and by his hand he hath formed the crooked serpent Job 26. 13. and chap. 33. 4. Or as the Psalmist hath it By the word of the Lord were the heavens made
viz. God commanded this elementarie light to be that so the thinner and higher element severed from the aire might by his enlightning operation effect a light some shining and the aire according to the nature thereof receive it which to the fire was an essentiall propertie to the aire an accidentall qualitie approved of God as good both to himself and the future creatures Thus some But others except against it affirming that this light was moveable by the presence of it making day and by its absence making night which could not have been had it been the element of fire unlesse it be more or lesse in one place then in another and not equally dispersed Or as Pareus answereth it could not be the element of fire because that is above the clouds according to the common rules of Philosophie and therefore in his judgement the fierie element was not untill the second day being created with the Expansum or stretching out of the aire But unto these exceptions I think an answer may be framed as I perhaps shall afterwards shew you Thirdly if as some have done we should think that this was the very light of the sunne and then in the sunne or in such a cloud or subject as was the matter of the sunne the text would be objected against it which affirmeth that the sunne was not untill the fourth day for the creation of that was but then although the light was before Fourthly Aquinas saith Lux primo die fuit producta secundum communem lucis naturam quarto autem die attributa est luminaribus determinata virtus ad determinatos effectus secundum quod videmus alios effectus habere radium solis alios radium lunae sic de aliis Whereupon he concludeth that howsoever it was it was but an informed light untill the fourth day Now therefore amongst a multitude of opinions which are besides these already mentioned I for mine own part cannot but preferre this as the best namely that the light for three dayes space wanted a subject such as now it hath and yet it did perform the same office which now it doth being fastened to a subject or to the bodie of the Sunne which is Vehiculum lucis A Chariot for the light For we may easily perceive that in the works of creation there is such an harmonious order observed as that there may be an union and reduction of all things of one kinde to their own heads and centre As for example the upper waters must be severed by the out-spread firmament and the lower must repair all to one sea as their naturall subject and as for heavie substances they hasten downwards and the light ones they fly upwards In like manner that light which at the first was dispersed and fixed to no subject doth presently as soon as the sunne was unite it self unto that body as now it is This of all other seemeth to me the best opinion to pitch upon and the most probable in this kinde which may well be as an Embleme how God will one day gather his elect from all coasts of heaven to the participation of one glorie S. Paul applieth it to our regeneration thus God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts c. that we who were once darknesse are now light in the Lord. And in this consideration I think we need not much dissent from them who would have the element of fire signified by it which opinion was before mentioned for howsoever it be that that element be now dispersed or wheresoever placed yet it might be that the first light shined from it thus I say it might be because we may not reason à facto ad fieri or from the order of the constitution of things in which they now are to the principles of their institution whilest yet they were in making And for further proof of this I do easily assent to them who have probably affirmed that the starres and lights of heaven contain the greatest part of this fire as afterwards in the fourth dayes work shall be more plainly shewed This I have said as seeming to me the best and most probable tenent although perfectly to affirm what this light was must be by our enlightning from him who commanded that it should shine out of darknesse Of which shining and darknesse seeing the Sunne was not yet made which by his course and turning about makes it day and night at the same time in divers places it may be said that it was day and night at the same instant now over the face of the whole earth which made one therefore say that the first darknesses were not loco divisae sed planè depulsae à luce ut nusquam essent yet so as that they should either return or depart according to the contraction or expansion of this first light caused by a divine dispensation Thus Pareus And now of thee oh bright-shining creature it may be said that hadst thou never been the beautie of the world had been as nothing For thou art the beautie of all the beauties else as saith Du Bartas Gods eldest daughter Oh how thou art full Of grace and goodnesse Oh how beautifull Quest. But if God made the Light was he not before in darknesse Answ. No For he needs not any created light who is himself a Light uncreated no corporall light who is a spirituall one God is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1. Joh. 1. 5. He made this light for our mortall journey on earth himself is the Light of our immortall abode in heaven neither did he more dwell in this light that he made then the waters were the habitation of the Spirit when it was said that the Spirit moved upon the waters But see there was Night Light and Day before the Sunne yet now without it there is neither which sheweth that we must allow God to be the Lord of his own works and not limit his power to means And surely as it was before man was made so shall it be after he is dissolved For then as the Prophet speaketh The Sunne shall no more be thy light by day neither shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Lastly unto this amongst many things let me adde but one thing more God made light on the first day so Christ arose from death on the same day being the first of the week And he is the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world Of which light if we have no portion then of all creatures man is the most miserable Sect. 3. Of the intercourse between day and night WHat now remaineth God called the light Day and the darknesse Night 'T is true Th' All 's Architect alternately decreed That Night the Day the Day should Night succeed Of both which we have more then
the time of the worlds creation with a confutation of the first Sect. 2. Their reasons shewed who suppose the time to be in the Spring Sect. 3. That the world began in Autumne with an answer to their first reason who endeavour to prove it was in the Spring Sect. 4. An answer to their second reason Sect. 5. An answer to their third reason Sect. 6. An answer to their fourth reason Sect. 7. Concluding the time to be Autumne CHAP. III. THe third Chapter concerneth the first day of the world and is divided into three Sections Sect. 1. Of God the Architect of all and of the first part of the first dayes work Sect. 2. Of the creation of Light Sect. 3. Of the intercourse between day and night CHAP. IIII. THe fourth and fifth Chapters concern the second day with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it and are divided into these following Sections Paragraphs and Articles Sect. 1. Of the Expansum or stretching out of the heavens called the Firmament Sect. 2. Of the waters above the heavens Sect. 3. Of the matter of the heavens c. CHAP. V. THe fifth Chapter beginneth with the second part of the second dayes work and hath two Sections Sect. 1. How to understand the word Heavens Sect. 2. Of the Aire together with such appearances as we use to see there This Section hath seven Paragraphs Parag. 1. Of the division and qualitie of the Regions in the Aire Parag. 2. Of Meteors first in generall then how they be divided in particular Parag. 3. Of Fierie Meteors such as are said to be pure and not mixt This Paragraph hath thirteen Articles 1. Of burning Torches 2. Of burning Beams 3. Of round Pillars 4. Of Pyramidall Pillars 5. Of burning Spears Streams or Darts 6. Of dancing or leaping Goats 7. Of flying Sparks 8. Of shooting Starres 9. Of flying Launces 10. Of Fires in the Aire two kindes 11. Of Flying Dragons or Fire-Drakes 12. Of Wandring Lights 13. Of Licking Lights Sect. 2. of the fifth Chapter still continued Parag. 4. of the second Section It concerneth Fiery Meteors impurely mixt This Paragraph hath three Articles 1. Of Comets c. 2. Of New stars their matter and significations 3. Of Thunder and Lightning Parag. 5. Of such Meteors as are Fiery onely in appearance This hath seven Articles 1. Of the Galaxia that it is no Meteor 2. Of Colours in the Clouds 3. Of many Sunnes and Moons 4. Of Beams or Streams of Light 5. Of Circles or Crowns 6. Of the Rain-bow 7. Of Openings or Chaps in the skie Parag. 6. Of Watery Meteros and of their severall kindes This Paragraph hath eight Articles 1. Of Clouds and their matter 2. Of Rain 3. Of Dew 4. Of Frosts 5. Of Snow 6. Of Hail 7. Of Mists and their kindes 8. Of the Cobweb-like Meteor Parag. 7. Of Aiery Meteors This hath five Articles 1. Of divers opinions concerning Winde 2. Of Winde what it is c. 3. Of the division of Windes c. 4. Of the qualitie and nature of Windes 5. Of Whirl-windes Storm-windes c. CHAP. VI. THe sixth Chapter treateth of the third day together with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it Here befoure Sections and two Appendices Sect. 1. Shewing into how many main parts the businesse of this day may be distinguished Sect. 2. Concerning the first thing done viz. The gathering together of the Waters which God Almighty calleth Seas This Section disputeth seven Questions 1. How the Waters were gathered together 2. How they could be gathered but to one place seeing there be many Seas Lakes Rivers and Fountains farre asunder 3. Whether they be higher then the Earth 4. Whether there be more Water then Earth 5. Whether the Earth be founded upon the Waters 6. The originall of Rivers as also why the Seas be salt and Rivers fresh 7. Of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea Unto which Section an Appendix is joyned and it concerns strange properties in certain Wells Waters and Fountains Sect. 3. Of the Drie-land appearing after the Waters were gathered wherein the cause of Earth-quakes together with the compasse and circuit of the Earth is shewed Sect. 4. Of the Sprouting Springing and Fructification of the Earth wherein the varietie and vertues of sundry Herbs and Trees is largely discovered according to the best Authours Unto which two last Sections an Appendix is joyned concerning all kinde of Metals as Gold Silver Stones of all sorts and such like things as are under ground CHAP. VII THe seventh Chapter concerneth the fourth day together with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it namely the Matter Names Natures Motions and Offices of the Starres It hath three Sections Sect. 1. An entrance towards the discourse of the Stars and Lights Sect. 2. Of the Matter Place Motion and Height of the Starres c. This Section hath two Articles 1. That the Starres consist most of a Fiery matter and are cherished by the Waters above the Heavens as was mentioned Chap. 4. 2. Of their Order and Place in the Skie and why one is higher then another Sect. 3. Of those offices given to the Starres when they were created This third Section hath three Paragraphs Parag. 1. Shewing that their first office is to shine upon the Earth to rule the Day and Night c. Here we have two Articles 1. Of Light what it is and whether the Sunne be the onely fountain of Light 2. Of the Starres twinkling and Sunnes dancing Parag. 2. Of that other office viz. that the Starres should be for Signes c. This Paragraph hath three Articles 1. That the Starres work upon the inferiour world and are signes of future events 2. Whether it be not a derogation from the perfection of things created to grant that the Starres may give an inclination to Man in his actions 3. Of Predictions or understanding the Signes Parag. 3. Of that other office wherein the Starres were made as it were heavenly clocks This hath three Articles 1. Of Seasons as Spring Summer c. 2. Of Dayes and their kindes c. 3. Of Yeares and their kindes c. CHAP. VIII THe eighth Chapter concerneth the creatures made in the fifth day of the world viz. Fish and Fowl This Chapter hath two Sections Sect. 1. Of Fishes their names kindes properties together with sundry emblemes drawn from them Sect. 2. Of the names kindes and properties of Fowls with many and sundry emblemes drawn from most of them CHAP. IX THe ninth Chapter concerneth the creatures made in the sixth and last day being such creatures as live neither in the Aire or Water but upon the Earth This Chapter hath likewise two Sections Sect. 1. Of Beasts their properties names kindes c. together with sundry emblemes drawn from many of them Sect. 2. The creation of Man being created male and female and made according to the image of God together with the institution of Marriage and blessing
dayes of weekly labour and that the seventh age shall begin at the resurrection as was figured in Henoch the seventh from Adam who died not as did the six before him but was taken up into heaven Unto this I assent as probable But that each age should have a thousand yeares is still denied and as in setting them down according to Scripture will be manifest The first is from the creation to the floud and this by S. Peter is called the old world 2. Pet. 2. 5. The second is from the floud to Abraham Matth. chap. 1. The third from Abraham to David Matth. chap. 1. The fourth from David to the captivitie Matth. chap. 1. The fifth from the captivitie to Christ. Matth. chap. 1. The sixt is the time after Christ called in many places the last age and the last of times as in Hebrews chap. 1. 1. God saith the Apostle who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Sonne And again S. Peter calls this the last of times 1. Pet. 1. 20. S. John also saith Little children it is the last time 1. John 2. 18. These I grant to be the six ages of the world but who is so mad as to say or think that there were just thousands of yeares betwixt each or any of them The Septuagints make more then thousands between some of them and the Hebrews they make lesse excepting the first age Yet if you will know their lengths according to that which is none of the worst accounts take them thus and this account I may afterwards prove in another work The first hath 1656 yeares The second if we end it at the beginning of Abrahams peregrination and giving of the promise hath the just number of 423 yeares The third if we end it at the death of Saul and beginning of Davids kingdome after him containeth the number of 866 yeares The fourth if we begin the captivitie in the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar hath 448 yeares The fifth containeth the length both of the Chaldean Persian and Grecian Monarchies together with so much of the Roman greatnesse as was past before Christ came into the world amounting in all to the summe of 605 yeares or there abouts although we reckon no further then the birth of Christ. But go rather to his baptisme and then this age is 634 c. The sixth and last hath so many yeares as are from the time of mans redemption untill now for hitherto this age hath continued and shall not be ended untill the last trumpet be blown and Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Arise you dead and come to judgement be sounded in our eares To which purpose divine Du Bartas that noble Poet brings in our father Adam speaking of these ages thus setting them down as if the speech had been uttered by him to his sonne saying The First begins with me the Seconds morn Is the first Ship-wright who doth first adorn The hills with vines that Shepherd is the Third Who after God through strange lands leads his herd And past mans reason crediting Gods word His onely sonne slayes with a willing sword The Fourth 's another valiant Shepherdling That for a cannon takes his silly sling And to a scepter turns his shepherds staff Great Prince great Prophet Poet Psalmograph The Fifth begins from that sad Princes night Who sâ—…es his children murdred in his sight Or from poore Iudahs dolefull heavinesse Led captives on the banks of Euphrates Hoped Messias shineth in the Sixt Who mockt beat banisht buried crucifixt For our foul sinnes still selfly-innocent Must fully bear the hatefull punishment The Last shall be the very resting-resting-day Aire shall be mute the waters works shall stay The earth her store the starres shall leave their measures The sunne his shine and in eternall pleasures We plung'd in heaven shall aye solemnize all Th' eternall sabbaths endlesse festivall Thus farre Du Bartas But from hence I proceed and on the sudden I have met some other sorts of calculatours For so various are mens searching heads that these things have not onely been boulstered out by Rabbinicall traditions sabbaticall symboles and the like but also by sundry other fancies Some have pretended revelations and thereby deluded many Amongst whom learned Gerard makes mention of a certain woman of Suevia in Germanie who was called Thoda she in the yeare of Christ 848 prophesied that by the apparition of an Angel it was revealed unto her that the world should end that very yeare After whom there were others as true prophets as her self namely in the yeares 1062 1258 1345 1526 1530 c. He in the yeare 1526 ran up and down the streets in the citie of S. Gallus in Helvetia crying with horrid gestures that the day of the Lord was come that it was present And he in the yeare 1530 did so strongly prevail with some that he perswaded them the last yeare of the world was come whereupon they grew prodigall of their goods and substance fearing that they should scarcely spend them in so short a time as the world was to continue But this surely was an Anabaptisticall trick and a chip of that block which maketh all things common boasting of visions and dreams in an abundant manner Others have pitched upon certain Mathematicall revolutions and thereby constituted a time amongst whom Ioannes Regiomontanus is said to be one who partly thought that the yeare 1588 should adde an end to the world because at that time was a great conjunction of Saturn Jupiter Mars Upon which occasion I remember these verses Post mille expletos à partu Virginis annos Et post quingentos rursus ab orbe datos Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus Ingruet is secum tristia multa trahet Si non hoc anno totus malus occidet orbis Si non in nihilum terra fretúmque ruent Cuncta tamen mundi sursum ibunt atque deorsum Imperia luctus undique grandis erit That is When from the Virgins birth a thousand yeares With full five hundred be compleat and told The Eightie Eighth a famous yeare appeares Which brings distresse more fatall then of old If not in this yeare all the wicked world Do fall and land with sea to nothing come Yet Empires must be topsie turvie hurl'd And extream grief shall be the common summe Which what it was the event hath shewed Others again dream of secrets in Cabalisticall conclusions Some subscribe to Analogies taken from Jubilees or from the yeares of Christs age and the like Yea and to omit many sundry others have their tricks and devices in Arithmeticall numbers whereby they can directly calculate the time and make the superstitious multitude admire them and lend a more then greedie eare to their feared predictions Such a one was he who out of these words MUNDI
omnipotence in not working all at once but sheweth that he worketh all things according to the counsell of his will which in this work of creation prosecuted both by an order of time and degrees is so farre from eclipsing his power that it rather doth demonstrate both his power and wisdome to be infinite and that he hath so done his marvellous works that they ought alwayes to be had in remembrance Psal. 111. 4. For in wisdome he hath made them all And why not all at once was because the counsell of his will was otherwise But may we not yet enquire a further reason why it pleased the Almighty thus to will such a space and would not rather produce this All perfect at once This perhaps may be thought a question too curious to be determined because Gods will is a sufficient reason in all his actions and therefore it is better left then looked into Which surely might well be so if the reasons urged prove too eagle-eyed and unprofitable not bettering us in our dulnesse or want of knowledge But otherwise if they instruct man in any thing pertinent to his present condition and inform him so as he may be somewhat reformed by them then they may be urged without the brand of nicenesse or imputation of curiositie First therefore we may joyn with them who say that perhaps it pleased Gods infinite perfection to take this leisure because if the creatures had been made all at once they might be thought to be increate and not made at all nor yet to have the like sense of their infirmitie as now they have one seeing another made before them Secondly seeing the world was thus perfected by degrees before man was who being made was the chief inhabitant of it me thinks so orderly to raise such a sumptuous palace for mankinde whilest yet mankinde was not what was it but the declaration of a greater kindnesse and a demonstration proving how kinde how carefull and how gracious God would be to us ever after being made and therefore now we must not distrust him but in all our wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct our paths Prov. 3. 5 6. For so he hath promised and so he doth perform to all that love and fear him causing every thing to work together for their good nay for their best as the Apostle speaketh Or as the Psalmist hath it No good thing shall he withhold from them who live a godly life Psal. 84. 12. Thirdly by this example mankinde may reade a lecture against himself if heedlesly or hastily he behave himself in any work and shall not rather proceed soberly and by degrees making haste as it is said by leisure For true it is that with us a soft pace goes farre Which made one fix this contemplation upon the works of creation saying How should we deliberate in our actions which are so subject to imperfection seeing it pleased Gods infinite perfection not out of need to take leisure Upon thought of which let us Make sober speed for 't is observ'd by proof That what is well done is done soon enough Festina lenté Nam sat citò si sat bene Thus having as it were considered the first part of the first dayes work we may now come more nearely to that which is the beauty of it I mean the Light which some call Gods eldest daughter or the first distinguished creature wherewith the Lord decked the world as with a garment Sect. 2. The creation of the Light ANd now concerning this bright creature no sooner did God say Let it be but lo it was He commanded that it should shine out of darknesse as speaks the Apostle and that being separated and set apart from the darknesse the first of dayes might be and Gods good works appeare beginning with the Lights proceeding to shew forth his exceeding glory But of this resplendent creature without which the beauty of the rest could not be seen there are no few opinions 1. Some would have it a spirituall Light and so under it they comprehend the creation of Angels But surely in my judgement their opinion is the founder who make it a naturall and materiall Light onely such as now is in the Sunne the Index of time and the worlds bright eye For as the office of the Sunnes light is now to distinguish between the Day and the Night so was the office of this Light being commanded to shine out of darknesse before the Sunne was made which being made was the subject ever after to retain it If it were otherwise or any other light where is it now shall we say that it is either extinguished or applied to some other use surely I think not because God who made all by the power of his word needed no instrument or help in the work of his creation And therefore that Light which at the first made his works appeare is no spirituall Light but such and the same that now is in the Sunne And yet perhaps as Aquinas thinketh it was but Lumen informe quod quarto die formatum est An informed Light which on the fourth day had its perfect form And as for the creation of Angels it is not like that they were made this first day but on the fourth day For it is very probable that there was the like order observed in making of the invisible world which was in the visible and that on the second day not onely the visible but also the invisible heavens were created yet so as both of them remained as it were unpolished or unfinished untill the fourth day For then as the outward heavens were garnished with Starres so might the inward and highest heavens be beautified with Angels This me thinks is not obscurely pointed at in Job chap. 38. vers 7. Where wert thou saith the Lord to Job when the starres praised me or sang together and all the sonnes of men shouted for joy it being here evident that when the Starres were made the Angels also had then their being rejoyced before God which was but upon the fourth day of the creation All this I say might well be thus although Moses doth not directly mention it which was because he applied himself to the simple capacitie of the people describing the creation onely of sensible things being that which at the first he intended and did in plain tearms testifie in the beginning of his historie when he said These Heavens and this Earth of which I spoke before And further were the creation of Angels comprehended under the creation of the heavens and light what were this but to leave the literall sense which is to be followed in the historie of the creation and to cleave unto Allegories But secondly concerning this Light others think that the element of fire was signified by it whose effect is light and whose act and qualitie is to enlighten which made one therefore say that The uncreated Light
manifold use and benefit The night easeth the burden of the day the day driveth away the terrour of the night The night burieth our cares and doth what she can to drown all our griefs in a silent sleep the day serveth for our needfull labours is the wicked mans just terrour the mother of truth and true beauties onely glasse wherein she may both see her self and be also seen The night serveth to temper the dayes exceeding drought and to cool its heat for by moistning the aire it makes the earth to fructifie the day again warmeth the coolnesse of the night melting the white hoarie haires of winters beard and with a reviving cherishing and nourishing of things as well sensible as vegetative addes life afresh into the dying universe serving as I said before for the need full labours of man For as the Psalmist hath it The sunne ariseth and then man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the evening Psal. 104. 22. And so also for the night it is destinated or appointed for quiet and sleep wherein the wearied bodies of living creatures are refreshed and their strengths repaired the noisome beasts now come forth and feed lest coming in the day they might be a terrour unto men For as the Psalmist again recordeth Thou makest darknesse that it may be night wherein all the beasts of the forrest do move as the lions roaring after their prey and the like vers 20. But of this enough And now last of all when this dayes work was done or brought to an end God is said to view it and behold there was nothing amisse That is Moses speaking according to our capacities telleth us that God doth approve and ratifie that work now done which before he purposed to make So Eve and Morn conclude the first of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. IIII. Of the second day and of such things as are pertinent to the work done in it Sect. 1. Of the Expansum or stretching out of the Heavens COncerning this dayes work what it was we finde it thus expressed And God said Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so And God called the firmament Heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day Gen. 1. 6 7 8. This is the narration of what was done And here let us consider first of the Firmament then of the waters which it separateth and lastly of the severall Heavens together with the regions of the aire and of such appearances as we use to see there unto which if any thing else be met withall pertinent to this dayes work it shall be added The word Rakiah translated Firmament signifieth Expansum or expansionem which is a stretching out not onely from the earth but about the earth so that the world being mans house the Firmament is as the vaulted roof of it Or as Hyperius observeth it is tanquam theca quaedam omnia quae Deo ipso inferiora sunt inclusa continens as a certain husk shell or box inclusively containing all things without the Heaven of heavens or which are below that place where God doth manifest his glorie Which also is further to be seen in the hundred and fourth Psalme at the second verse where it is said that God hath stretched out the heavens as a canopie or extendisse incurvando coelos tanquam conopeum as some reade it by which comparison it seemeth that the Firmament is not so much expansum ratione extensionis à centro quà m circa centrum not so much a thing stretched out by reason of its distance from the centre as about the centre And again we call it the Firmament because in the stretching out it was not weakened but made strong In which regard expositours do well observe the difference which is between Rakiah and Karah For the word which is here used they reade it Rakiah and say that it doth properly signifie a thing made strong by stretching out being therefore contrary to the word Karah which is to break in stretching And the Greeks likewise that they may give a full expression according to the proprietie of the word do translate it and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to make strong or firm and thus also the ancient Greek Philosophers observed calling the whole compasse of the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning the very utmost bound of them which is not so weak that it should be broken in the stretching but strong and farre more free from a fluid nature then is that aire which the concave of it keepeth and holdeth The Latines also call it Firmamentum and we in our speech the Firmament which in respect of its extension is the whole compasse of heaven on all sides being as it were the case of the visible world and all things in it as hath been shewed Sect. 2. Of the waters above the Heavens BUt from the concavitie of this firmament we may passe to the convexitie of it And now if it be considered as it is convex then we shall come to the examination of that which God assigned as proper to it most especially viz. that it separate the waters from the waters For this out-spread firmament is by its office to separate and to be not above the waters but between them and therefore those waters which it separateth cannot be such waters as are in the clouds but rather above the concave of the firmament If they be such as are in the clouds then are they rather in the middle of the firmament then the firmament in middle or between them And this made one argue thus saying Expansio in nubium regione aut finitur aut ulteriùs extenditur si ibi finitur stellas infra nubes constitutas esse oportet Sin ulteriùs extenditur supercoelestes aquâ—…s ab inferioribus expansio non sejungit sed nubes potiùs unam expansionis partem ab altera dispescunt Atqui utrumque horum à Mosis narratione absonum Tutissimè igitur aquas coelestes supra sidera esse constitutas totúmque illud quod à globo terrae aquae sursum expanditur coeli velaëris nomine contineri sentiemus That is The out-spread firmament either is ended in the cloudie region or is further extended If it be ended there then the starres must needs be under the clouds because they are within the firmament Gen. 1. 6. But if it be further extended then the supercelestiall waters are not separated by the firmament but rather the clouds sever one part of the firmament from the other both which are against Moses his narration Therefore we may safely think that the celestiall waters are above the starres c. In which regard it
the Firmament that is appointed to this separating office but the whole Firmament as any one may see if he do but observe the words of God producing and assigning it Neither do we finde that the Firmament is any more then one To divide it into parts so as they imagine is not to divide it into parts but rather to make so many Firmaments as they imagine parts like as every scale of an onyon is a severall and differing scale and not one the part of another And besides neither is there the same reason between the parts of water and these supposed parts of the Firmament for then when God made the Sunne Moon and Starres he would not have said Let them be in the Firmament but above the Firmament for they are farre higher then the clouds yet I say they being higher then the clouds he is said to place them but in the Firmament and they being no more but in it how improperly do we affirm those things to be above it whose places are lower then either Sunne Moon or Starres And secondly admit Job tells us that there are waters bound up in thick clouds doth not Jeremie also tell us that they are drawn up in vapours from the earth which as hath been shewed cannot at all times be but then when there is a naturall concourse of causes to effect it whereas the out-spread Firmament is to be alwayes between them separating them not at times but continually And as for the rain proceeding from those waters which we call the clouds it stayeth not long in the aire but forthwith falleth down again shewing that of right their proper place is here below and therefore we make not three kindes of waters as if we would be contrary to Moses in saying that there are other waters above the concave of the Firmament which on this second day of the worlds creation were separated from all other waters Wherefore observe but this they being separated on this second day how could they be such as the aire affordeth for the middle Region of the aire which is the place for the clouds was not untill the third day Not untill the third day I say because it is found by experience and from sufficient witnesse proved true that the tops of the highest mountains do reach up unto that place which we call the middle Region of the aire being some of them more loftie then the clouds As for example in Iapan there is a mountain called Figeniana which is some certain leagues higher then the clouds And in Ternate among the Philippine Islands there is a mountain which as Mr. Purchas in his pilgrimage relateth is even angry with nature because it is fastened to the earth and doth therefore not onely lift up his head above the middle Region of the aire but endeavoureth also to conjoyn it self with the fierie Element And of the mountain Athos between Macedon and Thrace it is said to be so high that it casteth shade more then thirtie and seven miles Also the mount of Olympus in Thessalie is said to be of that height as neither the windes clouds or rain do overtop it And although I omit sundry others of exceeding height it is also written of another mount so high above the clouds that some who have seen it do witnesse that they have been on the top of it and have had both a cleare skie over their heads and also clouds below them pouring down rain and breaking forth with thunder and lightnings at which those below have been terrified but on the top of the hill there was no such matter This surely was that mountain which Mr. Lydiat meant when he said that etiam aestivis diebus even in the summer time when the clouds are at the highest those on the top of the mountains have had fair weather and withall perceived that there was plentie of rain about the middle height of the same hills Thus we see that there are lofty mountains And indeed their loftines is the cause of a middle Region for the hils hindering the aire from following the motion of the heavens do make it about their tops a fit convenient place to thicken these vapours into clouds which by the attractive power of the heavenly bodies are drawn up thither Wherefore that I may conclude the place of the middle Region being both caused and also overtopped by sundry high mountains it will appeare that there was no middle Region of the aire untill the third day because the waters were all over the earth and standing above the hills untill that very day For then and not before God gathered them together unto one place and made the drie land to appeare which before was covered with waters as with a garment Psalm 104. Rarior aqua saith one velut nebula terras tegebat quae congregatione densata est The thinne water like a mist or wet cloud covered the earth which by gathering together was made thick In which regard it may be said saith Aquinas that it was as naturall for the water to be every where about the earth as for the aire to be about both water and earth yet neverthelesse propter necessitatem finis saith he for the necessitie of the end namely that plants and living creatures should be upon the earth it was meet that the earth should be so uncovered and the waters so gathered that the drie land appeare Now this was a work pertinent unto the third day and before this work done there could be no middle Region and the middle Region being on this day and not before how can the waters in the clouds be those waters which were separated by the out-spread Firmament on the second day Neither do I here argue à facto ad fieri because in the very creation of this Firmament God then said Let it be between the waters that is even then beginning its office and art of separating them Which that it is even so we see he speaketh next concerning the lower waters and makes no more mention at all of those upper ones because he had already done with them and left them in their place unto which he had appointed them But furthermore this tenent is not a little helped by a consideration of the cataracts or windows of heaven which in the dayes of Noah were opened and poured down rain by the space of fourty dayes For me thinks the clouds could not be those windows of heaven because it rained fourty dayes and before it left raining the waters were higher then the hills being when fourty dayes were ended fifteen cubits above the highest mountains as in the historie of the Floud is manifest And hereupon it was that one once by the same reason concluded and said that either it did not rain fourty dayes which assertion we are sure is false or else it rained from some other where then from the middle Region For seeing the middle Region it self was
them who say that an effect may be called naturall two manner of wayes first in regard of the causes themselves secondly in regard of the direction and application of the causes If we consider the meer secondary and instrumentall causes we may call this effect naturall because it was partly performed by their help and concurrence but if we consider the mutuall application and conjunction of these second causes together with the first cause which extraordinarily set them on work we must needs acknowledge it to be supernaturall Now then although we have built upon reason and so found that before fourtie dayes fully ended the middle Region it self was drowned whereupon it could not rain from thence yet in so doing we do not argue amisse for it is no whit derogating from the power of the Almighty to ascend up higher till we finde the cause of this long rain and also the place from whence it came seeing that when we have so done we shall plainly finde that in regard of the direction and application of the cause it was extraordinarily set on work by a divine dispensation and so the effect was supernaturall I may therefore now proceed and that I may make the matter yet a little plainer concerning these cataracts or windows of heaven and so by consequence of the waters also above the heavens this in the next place may be added namely that Moses setteth down two causes by which there grew so great an augmentation of water as would drown the world the one was the fountain of the great deep the other was the opening of the windows of heaven Now if these windows were the clouds then it seemeth that the waters were increased but by one cause for the clouds in the aire come from the waters in the sea which by descending make no greater augmentation then the decresion was in their ascending And although it may be thought that there are waters enough within the bowels of the earth to overflow the whole earth which is demonstrated by comparing the earths diameter with the height of the highest mountains yet seeing the rain-water is made a companion with the great deep in the augmentation of the drowning waters I see no reason why that should be urged against it especially seeing it is found that the earth emptied not all the water within her bowels but onely some For thus stand the words The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained their store therefore was not spent when they had sufficiently drowned the world but their fury rather was restrained when they had executed Gods purpose by climbing high enough above the hills Cardinall Cajetane was conceited that there was a mount in Paradise which was not overflown and there forsooth he placeth Henoch The like dream also they have amongst them concerning Elias And as their champion and Goliah Bellarmine is perswaded all those mountains onely were overflown where the wicked dwelt Iosephus also reporteth out of Nicholas Damascenus that the hill Baris in Armenia saved many who fled thither for succour But these are dreams and devices which are soon overthrown by Moses in his foresaid evident text where the words are so generall that they include all and every mountain under not onely the Aiery heaven as Cajetane collecteth but under the whole Heaven without exception And now after all what hindereth that there should not be waters above the concave of the Firmament and that the opening of the windows of heaven should not be more then the loosing of the clouds For it is affirmed and not without reason you see that the rain or a great part of it which fell in the universall Floud came from an higher place then the middle Region of the aire and that the upper waters are to be above the Firmament and not the parts of it is an assertion well agreeing to Moses his description of this second dayes work For as hath been shewed concerning the fowls and stars it is true that they are but in the Firmament and not above it neither is there any more Firmament then one seeing Moses mentions not a second The fowls indeed fly above the earth as the text it self speaketh in Gen. 1. 20. but not above the Firmament their course being as Iunius reads the place versus superficiem expansi coeli or ante expansum or coram expanso coeli but never supra expansum And as for the starres the text likewise saith ver 15. Let them be for lights in the out-spread firmament mentioning never more then one and the same Firmament But for the waters it is otherwise The Firmament is appointed to separate them as being between and not above them Esto expansum inter aquas it is learned Iunius his right version of the place ut sit distinguens inter aquas Fecit ergò Deus expansum quod distinguit inter aquas quae sunt sub expanso inter aquas quae sunt supra expansum That is Let there be a firmament between the waters c. Between the waters as having waters above it And how unlike it is that the upper waters should be placed otherwise let the former reasons witnesse For all things considered we need not stand so much upon Pareus his reading Super quasi in expanso and desuper expanso as if they were but above or on high within the concave as are the fowls and starres this I say we need not stand upon seeing Iunius readeth Supra expansum without any such nice salving although he thinketh with Pareus that these upper waters are no higher then the middle Region of the aire And also admit that some derive the word Schamajim or Shamajim which signifieth Heavens from Sham There or in that place and from Majim Waters concluding thereupon that these waters which we now speak of must be There viz. in the heavens and not above them although some I say make this derivation yet others derive the same word otherwise And no few be there who not without reason do suppose that it is no derivative nor compound word at all but rather that the Ismaelitish word Schama which signifieth nothing else but High or Above doth proceed from this word Schamajim which in English we reade Heavens In which regard the Etymologie helpeth nothing to prove the adverse part And yet as I said before let the reader take his choice For perhaps he may now think after all that if there be waters above the starry heaven and that part of those waters descended in the time of the Floud that then the Heavens would have been corrupted and dissolved as some have said the rain falling through them from the convexitie of the out-spread Firmament Sect. 3. An objection answered concerning the nature of the Heavens examining whether they be of a Quint-essence BUt concerning this it may be said that it is not known whether the heavens be of
Comets be burnt consumed and wasted in the starrie heavens it seemeth that there is no great difference between them and things here below for if there were it might be thought that they would not suffer such earthly matter to ascend up their territories such I say as doth either wholly or in part compose them Wholly or in part I adde because perhaps even the heavens themselves may afford some matter towards the generation of them especially if they be new starres such as Aristotle never saw wherefore he writes that a Comet consisteth altogether of an hot drie and a kinde of oylie exhalation drawn from the earth and questionlesse in such as are utterly below the moon it is even so but if they â—…e higher and continue longer they as well as new starres may have some help from such matter as the heavens afford towards the generation of strange appearances which though they have yet that they have no earthly matter is not excluded because next under God the efficient cause of these things is attributed to the starres and their operation for when they are aptly and conveniently placed and aspected then by their power working upon things here below they draw up hot drie and oylie exhalations and these exhalations afford unto Comets that matter whereof they consist Ptolomie attributeth much in this kinde to Mars and Mercurie and so do many others else beside him and why the yearely aspects of these starres do not alwayes produce such effects is because they are not alwayes aspected in the same manner but sometimes in one part of the heavens sometimes in another and cannot therefore produce their intended effects without either the meeting or avoiding of apt or inconvenient occurrences But I conclude and do yet affirm that the nature of the heavens is certainly such that the waters above the heavens might passe or issue through them in the time of the Floud and yet the heavens not be dissolved nor suffer damage by their falling damage neither in corrupting them nor yet in leaving a vacant place by coming all away of which in the fourth dayes work when I come to speak of the starres I shall adde yet something more CHAP. V. How to understand the word Heavens and of the severall Regions of the aire together with a consideration of such appearances as we use to see there Sect. 1. ANd now to go on with the residue of this dayes work God saith Moses called the firmament Heavens c. By heavens in this place Moses meaneth onely the visible heavens because he speaketh onely of the visible part of the world And yet the same word which is here used is sometimes put for the aire wherein windes clouds and fowls do flie sometimes for the upper Firmament where the sunne moon and starres are set and sometimes for the high places where Angels dwell And hereupon it was that S. Paul mentioned the third heavens wherein he saw things unspeakable The first of these is like to the outward court of Solomons temple and is the most open to us The second is like his inward court lesse open and abounding with starrie lights or lamps never going out And the next is as the Sanctum Sanctorum whither he is entred once for all who is a Priest for ever and maketh intercession for us In the two lowest is no felicitie for neither the fowls nor starres are happie It is the third of these alone where the blessed Trinitie enjoyeth it self and the glorified spirits enjoy it And questionlesse in this highest part must needs be more then exceeding glorie seeing the other two within the concave of the Firmament are so full of wonder But of the one of them I shall need to speak little in this dayes work yet of the other under it as being more pertinent something must be added Sect. 2. Parag. 1. Of the Aire and the severall Regions in it VVE may therefore now if you please look into the Aire and here following the common path and separating it from the starrie heaven I must say that it is divided into three stages or Regions although I verily think as afterwards shall be shewed when I come to speak of the starres that all this space even from the earth to the eighth sphere is nothing else but aire The highest Region is said to be exceeding hot and also drie by reason of the neighbourhood that it hath with the fierie element as is said and with the starres by the force of whose beams it receiveth heat which is also much increased by following the motion of the heavens The lowest Region is somewhat contrary for it is said to be hot and moist hot chiefly by the reflection of the sunne-beams meeting with the earth and moist by reason of the proper nature of the aire and also by reason of the vapours exhaled out of the earth and water This is the qualitie which commonly is attributed to this Region But I think that we may rather say it is variable now hot now cold and sometimes temperate differing according to the times and seasons of the yeare In which regard Du Bartas writeth thus Warm-temper'd show'rs do wash it in the Spring And so in Autumne but more varying In Winter time 't is wet and cold and chill In Summer season hot and soultry still For then the fields scorched with flames reflect The sparkling rayes of thousand starres aspect The chief is Phoebus to whose arrows bright Our Globie Grandam serves for But and White Neither is it altogether variable in regard of time but also by reason of the diversitie of place some climates being more hot and drie some more cold and moist then others which cometh to passe according to their distance from the Equinoctiall towards either of the Poles Thus for these two Regions But now concerning the middle Region it is alwayes cold yet surely in its own nature it would be warmer then the Region which is here below were it not cooled by a cold occasioned by the reflection of the Sunne-beams For they reflecting upon the earth drive up above the beams of their reflection much cold from below which being daily supplied is kept as a continuall prisoner between the heat above and the heat beneath Or if you will take it thus namely that it is cold but not extreamly cold yet cold I say it is in respect of the two other Regions which are hotter then it And this coldnesse happeneth partly through the causes before expressed and partly by reason of the Aire in it which cannot follow the motion of the heavens seeing it is hindred by the tops of the mountains And hereupon it is that the Philosophers make this a rule saying that the farrenesse from a circular motion gives quietnesse coldnesse and heavinesse even as the nearnesse gives motion heat and lightnesse Which in this thing concerning the middle Region is found to be true the
diseases were felt rivers dried up and plagues were increased Tamerlain K. of the Scythians and Parthians with an innumerable host invadeth Asia calling himself the WRATH OF GOD and DESOLATION OF THE EARTH as did Attilas of whom it is written that he named himself THE SCOURGE OF GOD. 6. Also in the yeare 1529 appeared foure Comets and in the yeares 1530 1531 1532 and 1533 were seen in each yeare one Lanquet saith that there were three within the space of two yeares upon which these and the like changes and calamities followed viz. A great sweating sicknesse in England which took away whole Myriads of people The Turk in the quarrell of Iohn Uvavoyda who laid claim to the crown of Hungary entred the said kingdome with two hundred and fiftie thousand fighting souldiers committing against the inhabitants thereof most harsh and unspeakable murders rapes villanies and cruelties A great famine and dearth was also in Venice and the countrey thereabout which swept away many for lack of sustenance The sweating sicknes also vexed Brabant and a great part of Germanie and especially the citie Antwerp where it consumed five hundred persons in the space of three dayes Great warres concerning the Dukedome of Millain between the Emperour Charles the fifth and Francis the French King All Lusitania or Portugall was struck with an Earth-quake insomuch that at Ulisippo or Lisbon a thousand and fifty houses were thrown down and 600 so shaken that they were ready to fall which made the people forsake the citie and runne into the fields and as for their churches they lay upon the ground like heaps of stones Upon this followed a great pestilence in those parts But a little before viz. in the yeare 1530 was a great deluge in Brabant Holland Zeland and the sea-coasts of Flanders as also an overflowing of the river Tyber at Rome occasioned by unseasonable tempests of winde Upon the neck of which troubles the Turk comes again into Hungarie and Austria but he was beaten back and a great company of his men slain and taken Unto which may be added how the sect of the Anabaptists not long after brought new tumults into Germanie 7. And for that last Comet in the yeare 1618 saith a Germane writer Praesagium ipsius jam â—…heu est in manibus nostris meaning that they felt by dolefull experience the sad events which followed after it Wherefore seeing these and the like accidents have been attendant upon the appearing of Comets it may well be said that although they have their causes in nature yet Nunquam futilibus excanduit ignibus aether The skie never burnt with such fires in vain For as one saith Loquitur cum hominibus Deus non modò linguâ humanâ per Prophetas Apostolos Pastores sed nonnunquam etiam ipsis Elementis in formas imagines diversas compositis That is God speaketh with men not onely with the tongues of men by Prophets Apostles and Teachers but sometimes also by the very Elements composed or wrought into divers forms and shapes there being a Theologicall end of sending Comets as also a Naturall and Politicall end But first before I come to that I think it not amisse to speak something concerning these their events and accidents namely whether it can be shewed why they should be wrought either so or so To which it is answered that in some sort we may give reasons for this and shew the causes of their significations For being Comets they consist of many hot and drie Exhalations And hot and drie Exhalations do not onely stirre up heat drie and parch the aire which may cause drought especially when much of the earths fatnesse is drawn away with the Exhalation and drought bring barrennesse but also the bodies of living creatures upon the distemper of the aire are mainly hurt suffering detriment in the consumption of their radicall moisture and suffocation through the poysonous breathings which the bellows of the bodie suck in and receive insomuch that there cannot but be sicknesses plagues and much mortalitie Besides which that they should usher in warres seditions changes of kingdomes and the like may also proceed from the same cause For when the Aire is distemperately heated then it is very apt so to disorder and dry up the bloud in humane bodies that thereby great store of red and adust choler may be purchased and this stirreth up to anger with the thought of many furious and violent actions and so by consequent to warre and from warre cometh victorie from victorie proceedeth change of commonwealths and translations of kingdomes with change of Laws and Religion for Novus Rex nova Lex New Lords new Laws Unto which also may be added that because great personages live more delicately then other men and feed more daintily having as many new fashions in their diets as in their clothes for their boards as for their backs that their bodies therefore are more subject to infection and will take the poyson of an intemperate aire before more temperate livers whereupon necessity inforceth that they die sooner in such a calamitie then other people as he once witnessed that said Plures pereunt gulâ quà m gladio Besides the death of great ones is more remarkable then when inferiour persons die so that if but some of them be taken away in common calamities it is as if they were onely aymed at because they are obvious to every ones eye as cities standing upon hills which cannot be hid And now that our bodies should follow the temperature of the Aire is nothing doubted seeing every lame aking or bruised joynt doth witnesse it even to the very ignorant But that our mindes and manners should follow the temperature of the bodie is more strange and wonderfull Yet true it is that by the mediation of humours and spirits as also through ill disposed organs the minde also suffereth For the bodie is Domicilium animae the souls house abode and stay so that as a Torch saith one gives a better light and a sweeter smell according to the matter it is made of in like manner doth our Soul perform all her actions better or worse as her organs are disposed or as wine savours of the cask where it is kept so the soul receives a tincture from the body through which it works For the Understanding is so tied to and captivated by his inferiour senses that without their help he cannot exercise his functions and the Will being weakened so as she is hath but a small power to restrain those outward parts but suffers her self to be overruled by them of which I shall have occasion to speak more in the fourth dayes work untill when I leave it in the mean time adding that Comets do not alwayes when they bring sicknesses corrupt the aire through immoderate heat and drinesse but sometimes also through immoderate heat and moisture as also by immoderate windes which may bring the
same power remains still in the starres to exhale the matter as well after it comes into the highest Region of the aire as before it came there neither need we then imagine an abatement of their exhaling vertue Object 1. But perhaps it may be thought that the nature of the place above the Moon doth sufficiently denie the ascent of any terrene Exhalation so high there being too great a difference between the one and the other between the matter ascending and the matter of that place whither it ascendeth Answ. To which I may partly answer as before in the 4. Chapter and 3. Section that seeing the out-spread Firmament in the creation was taken from that masse of matter which lay here below and separated from it rather then created of any newer matter that therefore I say there cannot be so great a difference as to bring in such an Antipathie as will not at all suffer any terrene Exhalation to scale those flammantia moenia mundi or battlements of heaven but rather that without reluctancie or any great striving the one may admit of the other and entertain it as a guest neare of kin unto it self or unto the nature of that place where the continuing starres have ever had their residence For if I urge it further it may well be proved even by opticall demonstration that the great vast space from the earth as high as the fixed starres themselves is not of a diverse nature from the Aire for if it were then there would be a multitude of Mediums between the sight and the thing visible but there is no multitude of Mediums For where there is a multitude of Mediums there the beams which come to the sight from the thing visible would beget a multiplicitie of refraction in the said raies or beams but it is manifest that there is onely one refraction found in the beams of the starres and that but onely when they are neare to the edge of the Horizon at which time the ascending vapours are between our sight and them And therefore there is but one kinde of Medium by which the starres offer themselves to our sight And being but one Medium there cannot be such diversitie of natures between the heavens and things compounded of the elements Whereupon it may be concluded that an Exhalation may ascend into the territories of the starry heaven and so by consequent have a mutuall concurrence with such matter as the heavens do naturally afford towards the generating of supralunary Comets or new admired starres Indeed I must confesse that were I of Pythagoras his opinion I then would cry out with Auditus in the Comedie Heark heark list list now c. What are you deaf do you not perceive the wondrous sound and the celestiall musick the heavenly orbs do make with their continuall motion Or I would imagine firm spheres or solid orbs and so set an undoubted stoppage and hinder the passage of any Meteor above the Moon But seeing that tenent is made the fit subject of laughter I therefore passe it over Object 2. But may not the Element of Fire stand in the way and so consume such matter as ascendeth before it come beyond the Moon Answ. To which it is answered that the chiefest cause why men have been perswaded to think that Fire is generated immediately under the spheres and that within the concave of the Moons orb the said Fire as it is there generated hath there its place of residence is for no other reason but because of an imagined attrition of the spheres and orbs Which seeing they are taken away and that all is filled with Aire the Elementarie fire is not hindred from ascending but may have a more loftie station For questionlesse this kinde of fire as it is not visible to the sight so neither may it be thought any other thing then the more subtill light and hot part of the Aire in which regard it must needs be both in and of that part which is nearest to the highest heavens For both the motion of the heavens is there most swift and also there is the greatest neighbourhood to that infinite number of starres fixed in the heavens An earthly Exhalation may therefore climbe above the Moon and yet not runne through a fiery purgatory or be consumed by the way Mr. Lydiat our countreyman his opinion is that if we consider of this Element not as it is absolutely pure then the greatest part of it is in the starres of which see more in the fourth dayes work and some also is under ground as being there a great cause of generating metals occasioning the burning and breaking out of sundry sulfurous hills and the like But of this enough And in the consideration of it I have made way you see for the admittance of terrene Exhalations to joyn their forces towards the effecting of supralunarie Comets or new and strange admired starres This I say I have proved as a thing both possible and not unlike But that they do alwayes therefore thus concurre I am not certain neither will I stand curiously to decide it Let therefore learned Tycho his tenent go for currant concerning Cassiopea's starre that the heavens onely were the materiall parents of it and especially the Galaxia or white milkie way unto the edge of which place whilest it appeared it was situated and continued visible in the same for the space of 19 moneths or thereabouts And thus I conclude adding herewithall concerning other Comets whose station hath been supralunarie and time of continuance any thing long that if in them there could be any right to challenge a portion out of the same storehouse then questionlesse they were tyed to rest beholding both to the heavens and also to the earth for the matter of their composure But for ordinary Comets the case must needs be otherwise seeing their place and small continuing time confirm it These things for mine own part I think more probable then if I should affirm that the Planets afforded certain Exhalations which by force of the Sunne are expired and exhaled from them and being exhaled are made the matter of all kinde of Comets above the Moon yea and New starres also as some affirm consist of no other causes wherein they dissent from Tycho thinking contrary to him that the Galaxia affords no matter toward the composure of these appearances For as Fromondus a late writer affirmeth Simon Marius beheld a New starre in the yeare 1612 in Andromeda's girdle and one Iustus Prygius beheld another in the constellation of Antoninous Kepler in the yeare 1602 saw one in the constellation of Pisces and David Fabricius in the yeare 1596 saw another in the Whale all of them farre enough distant from the Galaxia or milkie way But suppose all this must the continuing starres therefore needs be forced to waste their own bodies and spend themselves in teeming such ample portions of matter as are required for glittering
Comets or New strange shining starres Surely if they should suffer their bodies to be thus exhaled they could not choose but fall into a deep consumption and be visibly disproportioned in their shapes and figures farre otherwise then we see them For it is a long time since the world began and no few Comets have had their seats above the Moon where they all cry out against an opinion so improbable shewing that the changes would be such as would be apparant and visible enough to every vulgar eye Besides it cannot but be granted that for ordinary Meteors every starre and Planet hath an exhaling vertue as well as the Sunne why therefore should they now desist and leave it all to him who if he may have this libertie will at the last suck them all to nothing These men may well imagine as they do mountains in the Moon with woods and groves seas and rivers and make every planet another world but yet 'twere good they knew that God made all but one althoûgh the parts be two and that Adam being cast out of Paradise was sent to till the ground and labour the earth which he sought not with the man in the Moon for he knew that that was not to bud forth with fruit bear trees and the like because it had another office For Let the earth saith the Almightie bring forth grasse herb fruit trees c. but let there be lights in the Firmament the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night Also if the Sunne should work thus among the starres and that there should be vapours exhaled from their bodies how comes it to passe that we perceive no clouds in the Ethereall vault and that we cannot see them glide between starre and starre flying upon the wings of such windes as must necessarily upon the admittance of this tenent be generated there Perhaps they will answer that these things may be and we not see them by reason of the great distance between us and them Well be it so yet know that although we could not see them we should sometimes feel them and perceive our mother earth to be watered with showers of rain when we see nothing but a cleare skie over us But it may be they again will answer that the starres do not frequently afford such Vapours and Exhalations but sometimes onely and then if they be not copious enough to make such a cloud as may shine like a Comet or blazing starre they are rather dispersed into nothing then turned into rain for their matter is too hot and drie to make a rainie cloud In good time The starres do not frequently afford such Exhalations and why so I pray surely the sunne is never so farre distant from some one Planet or other but that he would make this his operation appeare if he had at all any such working or power of exhaling matter from them and if not a waterie yet a drie cloud might be visible The starres surely are of such a nature that they be rather fed and nourished by vapours then compelled to suffer an unwilling wasting caused by an exhaling vertue which is improperly given onely to the Sunne because onely to him and from whence these Vapours come which upon all likelihood do continually nourish the starres shall be shewed in the fourth dayes work Neither do some exempt the Sunne from these evaporations but affirm that day and night he also expireth vapours from him which others again denie because they imagine that this publick lamp of the world ought to be more immortall lest being extinct he should be quite without light and afford the world nothing but black and dismall darknesse That therefore which before I affirmed joyning in part with Tycho who fetcheth matter from the Galaxia seems to me farre more probable concerning the generation of these appearances For first the Galaxia doth sensibly appeare as if it were an ample storehouse and had large portions of matter reserved onely for such purposes which when there is a working in nature apt and convenient to produce it is liberally afforded and sent thither where the most power is to attract it And secondly that an earthie Exhalation may sometimes be admitted to joyn with the abovesaid matter this seems to me a reason because like other low and ordinary Meteors these also shew themselves or first begin to shine in the Autumnall season and not in the Spring Summer or Winter Quarter Article 3. Of Thunder and Lightnings NOw it followeth that I speak of such fierie mixt Meteors as are of lesse continuance then Comets or blazing starres and by their generall names they are called Thunder and Lightnings Concerning the first which is Thunder it is not properly any kinde of Meteor but rather an adjunct or depending effect For Thunder is nothing else but a sound heard out of a thick or close compacted cloud which sound is procured by reason of hot and drie Exhalations shut within the cloud which seeking to get out with great violence do knock and rend the cloud from whence proceeds that rumbling noise which we call thunder For when an Exhalation which is more hot then ordinary meets with cold and moist vapours in the middle Region of the aire and are inclosed all together in an hollow cloud it cannot but be that they fall at variance and by this strife being driven together the Exhalation is made stronger and either by the motion or by an Antiperistasis it is set on fire which violently breaking the clouds whilest it seeks for libertie gives an horrid sound A similitude may be taken from a chest-nut apple or egge breaking in the fire or from the cracking of moist wood or any such like thing for this is apparent that when any inclosed hot winde is holden and withholden so as it can have no vent it will then seek it self a way by breaking the skin shell or case and in the breaking seeing it is with violence it must of necessitie make a noise And thus it is in thunder But observe that in thunder the noise made is not alwayes of a like sound for in respect of the hollownesse thicknesse or thinnesse of the cloud and small or great force of the Exhalation the sound is altered A great crack is caused when the cloud is very hollow his sides thick and the Exhalation very drie and copious which if it break the cloud all at once then it maketh a short and terrible crack much like the sound of a gunne If it rend the cloud all along breaking out by leisure then it makes a noise like to the rending of broad cloth or the ratling of stones out of a cart A small crack is caused when either the cloud or Exhalation is but weak or the cloud strong and the Exhalation of some little quantitie And in small thunders it sometimes falleth out that when the sides of the cloud are stronger then the force of
and land with many a tempestuous blast and unwished breathings Moreover this also may be observed that the long continuance of the windes in any of these quarters produceth these and the like effects As first the East winde breedeth in cholerick bodies sharp fevers raging madnesse and perilous apostumations Secondly the South winde breedeth corrupt humours and in hot bodies cramps giddinesse in the head or the falling sicknesse pestilence and cruel fevers viz. when they blow long in the winter This is held to be the most unwholesome winde Thirdly the West winde breedeth phlegme in moist bodies it procureth sleep causeth apoplexies and the like and is never so churlish as when winter begins to approach And last of all the North winde is good against the pestilence and yet in cold bodies it breedeth plurifies coughs gouts and in some squincies and sore throats but yet of all windes it is held to be the wholesomest although it be sharp in our winter moneths And this also note that a continuall still summer is a signe of plague or earthquake for a standing aire putrifieth and an enclosed winde shaketh the ground Artic. 5. Of whirlwindes storm-windes and fired whirlwindes A Whirlwinde is a winde breaking out of a cloud rowling or winding round about which may be caused two manner of wayes First when two or more contrary windes blowing from divers places meet together Secondly when the matter of winde being an hot and drie exhalation breaketh out of a cloud in divers parts of it coming through the said holes with more then an ordinary violence Or rather thus Imagine a windie exhalation bursting out of a cloud to be so driven that by the way it happeneth to be pent between two clouds on either side of it against which beating it self and finding a repercussion it is forced to turn and whirl about even as we see in the streets of cities when the winde is beaten from two walls and meeteth in the middest of the street for then there is made a little whirl-puffe which whisking round about taketh up the dust or straws and bloweth them about as doth the great and fearfull whirlwinde it self which hath brought not onely amazement and terrour to mortalls but also much harm and mischief Plinie is perswaded that vineger thrown into one of these blasts will break it because vineger is of a cold qualitie and the exhalation hot and therefore the one is as it were quelled and quenched by the other The Greeks call a whirlwinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latinists turbo or vortex Also a sudden storm-winde is called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines procella and this happeneth either when a windie exhalation is thrown down and encompassed in a thin course of clouds newly overcast or else when a windie exhalation is come to an extraordinary thicknesse and violently moved out of a cloud to the darkening of the aire without inflammation or burning for when it burneth they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incendo to burn or set on fire And this last is that which we call a fired whirlwinde being an exhaled blast set on fire either by an Antiperistasis by repercussion or violent detrusion from the cloud wherein it was enclosed for it is made apt to be fired in regard that it consisteth of an exhalation which hath more fattie substance in it then other windes which burn not And know that it differeth from lightning chiefly in these respects first because lightning consisteth of a more subtil and thin matter for although a fired whirlwinde have a more thin spirit or blast then a whirlwinde or a stormie winde yet it is not so tenuous as the spirit of fulmen or lightning Secondly because lightning is more flamie and lesse breathie the one having more windie spirits in it then the other The conclusion of this dayes work ANd thus at the last I have let you take a view with me of what is pertinent to this dayes work We have seen good reader the framing of the out-spread Firmament with the lifting up of the waters over it we have examined the nature of the heavens and scarce found them of a quint-essence we have searched what heavens they were which Moses meant when he said God called the firmament Heavens From thence we proceeded to the severall regions of the aire examining their temperatures and qualities and thereupon we fell into an ample consideration of such appearances as are usually seen in any of those Regions discoursing at large both of fierie waterie and aierie Meteors And this being all which this day affordeth I may here make and end and say That eve and morn conclude the second day And in his work God findeth no decay CHAP. VI. Wherein is contained a survey of the third dayes work together with such things as are pertinent to it Sect. 1. Shewing into how many main parts the businesse of this day may be distinguished BEing come from the second to the third dayes work I cannot say with Virgil now Ille ego qui quondam gracili modulatus avenâ But rather on the contrary Ille ego qui superis volitabam nuper in oris Nunc humilis sequor arva soli nunc tenuia presso Ore loquor Because in the former day the work belonging to it compelled my winged pen to soar aloft not suffering her to come unto the ground till now For she was to walk above the Firmament and view the out-spread buildings laid in the flowing waters then through the Regions of the liquid aire she was to trace a path which finished she must be content to frame her self unto a lower pitch before any leave be granted to ascend again And indeed I think it is what both she and I desired for we were long detained there And now having both of us obtained our wishes we finde that Gods inspired pen-man holy Moses so setteth down the admired work of his Almighty maker done on this third day of the world that into three main parts it may be severed for by viewing the words which he hath written of it the same will be apparent And God saith he said Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the drie-land appeare and it was so And God called the drie-land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas and God saw that it was good And God said Let the earth bring forth grasse the herb yeelding seed and the fruit-tree yeelding fruit after his kinde whose seed is in it self upon the earth and it was so And the earth brought forth grasse and herb yeelding seed after his kinde and the tree yeelding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kinde and God saw that it was good And the evening and the morning were the third day This is the summe of all which as before was said consisteth of
propinquitas dat motum calorem et levitatem and thereupon it comes to passe that we have coldnesse in the middle Region the cause first beginning it being in respect of the hills which hinder the aire from following the motion of the heavens as in two severall places of the second dayes work I have declared Sixthly I would also know why an arrow being shot upright should fall neare upon the same place where the shooter standeth and not rather fall beyond him seeing the earth must needs carry him farre away whilest the arrow flyeth up and falleth down again or why should a stone being perpendicularly let fall on the West side of a tower fall just at the foot of it or on the East side fall at all and not rather be forced to knock against it We see that a man in a ship at sea throwing a stone upright is carried away before the stone falleth and if it be mounted up in any reasonable height not onely he which cast it but the ship also is gone Now why it should be otherwise in the motion of the earth I do not well perceive If you say that the earth equally carries the shooter aire arrow tower and stone then methinks you are plainly convinced by the former instance of the ship or if not by that then by the various flying of clouds and of birds nay of the smallest grashopper flie flea or gnat whose motion is not tied to any one quarter of the world but thither onely whither their own strength shall carry them some flying one way some another way at one and the same time We see that the winde sometimes hindereth the flight of those prettie creatures but we could never yet perceive that they were hindered by the aire which must needs hinder them if it were carried alwayes one way by the motion of the earth for from that effect of the earths motion this effect must needs also be produced Arm'd with these reasons 't were superfluous To joyn our forces with Copernicus But perhaps you will say it is a thing impossible for so vast a bodie as the heavens to move dayly about the earth and be no longer then 24 houres before one revolution be accomplished for if the compasse were no more then such a distance would make as is from hence to Saturns sphere the motion must extend in one first scruple or minute of time to 55804 miles and in a moment to 930 miles which is a thing impossible for any Physicall bodie to perform Unto which I must first answer that in these mensurations we must not think to come so neare the truth as in those things which are subject to sense and under our hands For we oft times fail yea even in them much more therefore in those which are remote and as it were quite absent by reason of their manifold distance Secondly I also answer that the wonder is not more in the swiftnesse of the motion then in the largenesse of the circumference for that which is but a slow motion in a little circuit although it be one and the same motion still must needs be an extraordinary motion in a greater circle and so I say the wonder is not more in the motion then in the largenesse of the circumference Wherefore he that was able by the power of his word to make such a large-compassed bodie was also able so to make it that it should endure to undergo the swiftest motion that the quickest thought can keep pace with or possibly be forged in imagination For his works are wonderfull and in wisdome he hath made them all Besides do but go on a while and adhere a little to the sect of Copernicus and then you shall finde so large a space between the convexitie of Saturns sphere and the concavitie of the eighth sphere being more then 20 times the distance of Saturn from us and yet void of bodies and serving to no other purpose but to salve the annuall motion of the earth so great a distance I say that thereby that proportion is quite taken away which God the Creatour hath observed in all other things making them all in number weight and measure in an excellent portion and harmonie Last of all let me demand how the earths motion and heavens rest can agree with holy Scripture It is true indeed as they alledge that the grounds of Astronomie are not taught us in Gods book yet when I heare the voice of the everlasting and sacred Spirit say thus Sun stand thou still and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon I cannot be perswaded either to think teach or write that the earth stood still but the sunne stood and the moon stayed untill the people had avenged themselves on their enemies Neither do I think after this that it was the earth which went back but the sunne upon Ahaz his diall in the dayes of Ezekias For when God had made the earth what said he did he bid it move round about the heavens that thereby dayes weeks moneths and yeares might be produced No. What then This was its office and this that which it should do namely bud and bring forth fruit for the use of man And for motion it was absolutely and directly bestowed upon the heavens and starres witnesse those very words appointing to the sunne and moon their courses setting them in the heavens so as they should never rest but be for signes and for seasons for dayes and for yeares And so also the wise Siracides understood it saying Did not the sunne go back by his means and was not one day as long as two I conclude therefore and concluding cannot forget that sweet meditation of a religious and learned Prelate saying Heaven ever moves yet is that the place of our rest Earth ever rests yet is that the place of our travell and unrest And now laying all together if the cause be taken away the effect perisheth My meaning is no more but thus that seeing the earth is void of motion the ebbing and flowing of the sea cannot be caused by it but dependeth upon some other thing Or again were it so that the earth had such a motion I should scarce beleeve that this ebbing and flowing depended on it For as I said before if this were the cause it could never be that the course of ebbs and flouds should keep such a regular alteration as they do day by day Neither could it produce a cause why the tides should be more at one time of the moneth then at another Nor yet as some suppose could the waters be suffered to flow back again but alwayes must be going on as fast as they can toward the Eastern part of the world But I leave this and come to another It was a mad fancie of him who attributed the cause to an Angel which should stand in a certain place of the world and sometimes heave up the earth above the waters
which will drown bastard children that be cast into it but drive to land them that be lawfully begotten Or is not this strange which he also mentioneth of a certain well in Sicilia whereof if theeves drink they are made blinde by the efficacie of the water The like I finde in other authours concerning certain fountains in Sardinia for it is said that they have this marvellous propertie namely that if there be a cause to draw any one to his oath he that is perjured and drinketh thereof becometh blinde and the true witnesse seeth more clearely then he did before Solinus and Isiodore report it Solinus also and Aristotle make mention of a water called the Eleusinian or Halesinian spring which through the noise of singing or musick is moved as if it danced or capered up and down whereas at other times it is still and quiet But I conclude and as that honoured Poet cannot but say Sure in the legend of absurdest fables I should enroll most of these admirables Save for the reverence of th' unstained credit Of many a witnesse where I yerst have read it And saving that our gain-spurr'd Pilots finde In our dayes waters of more wondrous kinde Unto which in things that are strange and not fabulous let this also be added that God Almighty hath proposed infinite secrets to men under the key of his wisdome that he might thereby humble them and that seeing what meer nothings they are they might acknowledge that all are ignorant of more then they know for indeed this is a rule Maxima pars eorum quae scimus est minima pars eorum quae nescimus The greatest part of those things which we know is the least part of those things which we know not Sect. 3. Of the drie-land appearing after the gathering of the waters THe waters were no sooner gathered but the drie-land then appeared and this may be called the second part of the third dayes work For the end of the gathering of the waters was that the earth might shew it self and not onely so but that also it might appeare solid and drie Two things therefore saith Pareus did the earth in this act principally receive one was that it might be conspicuous the other that it might be solid and drie and both depended upon the law of great necessitie For first had it been continually covered with waters how could it have been a place for habitation either man must have been otherwise then he is or else the earth must as it was be uncovered Secondly were it uncovered and not also drie and solid it could not conveniently have bore up those living creatures weights and other things which tread and presse upon it Whereupon Expositours well witnesse that earth is so named from the Hebrew Erets which say they implieth a thing trod and runne upon by the creatures on it and heavenly orbs about it The same word spoken of particular places is englished land as the land or earth of Canaan and the like Here then it appeareth that this was that time when the earth received her proper elementarie qualitie which it had potentially before but not actually till now Now therefore it being not onely uncovered but also made drie it might easily be distinguished from the other three elements of fire aire and water For the proper qualitie of the fire is heat of the aire is moisture of the water is coldnesse and of the earth is drinesse These qualities I say are most proper and peculiar to them yet so as the aire is not onely moist but of a moderate heat as being nearest to the element of fire the water not onely cold but also moist as coming nearest to the nature of aire and the earth not onely drie but something cold as being hoast or landlord to the water and upon these terms the elements are combined together there being in all an harmonious order pointing to him who in number weight and measure hath constituted all things I will not go about to prove that the earth is the centre of the world for fear I should be like to him who disputed whether snow were white onely I will adde that even as an infant is potentially rationall by nature but is made rationall in act by youth or yeares so it was with the earth both before and after the drying of it Unto which let this also be joyned that the earth is not so arid or drie that it is void of all moisture for then it would be dissolved and fall into dust But it is arid and dry that it might be solid and firm retaining in the mean time even in the solid parts of it such a conveniencie of humour that all parts may both be glewed together and also have sufficient nutriment for the things which like to a teeming mother she either bringeth forth or nourisheth in her wombe Thus was the earth prepared and thus was it made a fit habitation for man to dwell on But as if man were not alwayes worthy to tread upon such a solid foundation we see it often shakes and quakes and rocks and rends it self as if it shewed that he which made it threatened by this trembling the impietie of the world and ruines of those which dwell upon the earth For though the efficient materiall and formall causes of an earthquake be naturall yet the finall is the signification of an angry God moved by the execrable crimes of a wicked people according to that of David in the 18 Psalme at the 7 verse The earth trembled and quaked the very foundations of the hills also shook and were removed because he was wroth Fear chills our hearts What heart can fear dissemble When steeples stagger and huge mountains tremble The Romanes in times past commanded by publick edict that prayers and supplications should be made in time of an earthquake but they must call upon no god by name as on their other holy-dayes for fear they mistook that god unto whom it belonged And the most ancient of the Grecians called Neptune the shaker and mover of the earth because they supposed that the cause proceeded from the fluctuations and flowings of waters up and down in the hollow places under ground Others thought that the shaking proceeded from the downfalls of subterranean dens or caves and that sometimes whole mountains sunk in and they caused the trembling But by that which I said before in the generation of windes it appeareth that what it is which is the cause of windes above the earth is also the cause of trembling and shaking in the earth For when it happeneth that aire and windie spirits or Exhalations be shut up within the caverns of the earth or have such passage as is too narrow for them they then striving to break their prisons shake the earth and make it tremble Now this imprisonment is said to be caused thus namely when the earth which is dry by nature
devoted pilgrims count this way For sure the world is but a gaudie ball Whose quilt is vanitie no joy at all Rouze then thy minde witcht mortall from the ground Think of that place where true joyes may be found Choak not thy soul with earth for thou dost winne Nought for thy care but punishment of sinne Rouze then I say thy thoughts think what it is To be partaker of eternall blisse For when the drie-land God did make appeare 'T was not that man should think his heaven's here Sect. 4. Concerning the sprouting springing and fructification of the earth I Am now come to that which I called the third and last part of this dayes work and it is the budding and fructification of the earth For after God had discovered it and made it drie he commands it to bring forth every green thing as grasse herbs trees c. by which he caused it to change a mourning black and sad-russet weed into a green gallant rich enameled robe and ladylike to paint it self in braverie having green grassie locks whose hair doth not more adorn then profit whose rosie cheeks are not more admired then for their vertues wisht whose frank free fragrant fruitfull breasts do so nourish her own children sprung from her never resting wombe that they again adde nourishment to other things both man and beast gaining by her never ending labours For God by saying Let it bring forth did not onely give an abilitie or power of bringing forth but brought that power also into act causing this act to be so begun that it might be continued from thence to the very end of time And to this purpose we see it is that the herb must bring forth seed and the tree bear fruit For God would not that either the herb should be sterill or the tree barren but with their seeds and fruits according to their kindes by which it was and is that their kindes both were and are preserved For first we see the buds spring up these at the first are tender but afterwards growing a little older we call them herbs the herbs being of convenient growth bring forth flowers under the flowers grow and wax ripe the seeds the seeds being ripe and cast into the ground do again bring forth the tender buds and they herbs in their severall kindes and so on as before by which you may see how God hath constituted a never ending course in nature being the same in the trees also as well as in the herbs For their tender branches do not grow to be woodie but by little and little then they aspire to the height and name of trees and being trees they blossome from their blossomes arise fruits and within their fruits be seeds and in those seeds resteth the power of other sprouts or tender shoots Now some would observe from hence that here is mention made of three kinde of plants and fruits that the earth bringeth forth viz. the bud the herb and the tree which by others are distinguished into herbs shrubs and trees But I rather think the bud is to be exempted and not taken as one peculiar thing proper to a kinde of its own For as I have already shewed that which is the bud may be taken either for the tender shoot of any herb or grasse or else for the tender and unwoodie branches of shrubs and trees for that which they be in their sprouting they are not in their perfection neither are they in their perfection what they be in sprouting And is it not an endlesse wonder to see the varietie growth power and vertue of these the earths rich liveries some great some lesse some little some low some large some long some whose vertue excells in this some whose power appeares in that some hot and moist some cold and drie some hot and drie some cold and moist Of all which I purpose to give my reader a taste that thereby he may be driven to admire the rest Herbs hot and moist ANd first of all I begin with Basil in Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Ocimum Basilicum or Râ—…gium This is an herb hot in the second degree and somewhat moist Galen would not that this herb should be taken inwardly because it hath a kinde of superfluous moisture joyned to it but being applied outwardly it is good to digest distribute or concoct We in England seldome or never eat it yet we greatly esteem it because it smelleth sweet and as some think comforteth the brain But know that weak brains are rather hurt then holpen by it for the say our is strong and therefore much smelled unto it proeureth the headaeh and as the authour of the haven of health affirmeth out of Hollerius Basil hath a strong propertie beyond all these For saith he a certain Italian by often smelling to Basil had a scorpion bred in his brain and after vehement and long pain he died thereof Moreover that we shunne the eating of it is also necessary because if it be chewed and laid afterwards into the sunne it engendreth worms Mr Thomas Hill in his art of gardening testifieth that the seeds of Basil put up into the nose procure sneezing and being mixed with shoemakers black do take away warts killing them to the very roots The wilde Mallow is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a 〈◊〉 of pain and in Latine it is Malva sylvestris It hath a certain moderate and middle heat in it together with some moisture The leaves stamped with a little hony and one anointed with them shall not be stung by bees wasps or the like Borage is a common herb and yet some account a fourefold difference in it as thus Garden Borage white-flowred Borage never dying Borage so called because fair blew flowers ripe seeds and buds for new flowers may be seen all at once on it and also another kinde of Borage which is little differing from the former excepting that the flowers look fair and red This herb is hot and moist in the first degree Unto this may be joyned Buglosse which according to Dioscorides as Mr. Gerard writeth is the true Borage whereupon saith he many are of an opinion that the one is but a degenerate kinde from the other In the Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Latine Lingua bubula Plinie giveth a reason of this name which is because it is like an oxes tongue Moreover he likewise calleth it Euphrosynum from the effect namely because it maketh a man merry and joyfull For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Laetitia and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth some such thing as doth laetitiam adferre or bring mirth which he witnesseth of this herb to be true saying that being put into wine it increaseth the delights of the minde Plin. lib. 25. cap. 8. The like is also said of Borage Ego Borage gaudia
desire to speak a word or two of things growing under ground and within the earth which as briefly as I can shall be handled in the following Appendix An Appendix to the two former Sections discoursing somewhat concerning Metalls and such like things as are under ground IN the second dayes work I had occasion to speak of Fiery Aierie and Watery Meteors all which by the Philosophers are named bodies imperfectly mixt being but a little durable And now being to speak of things under ground I am come to bodies more perfectly mixt and of a longer continuance because they consist of a more solid and constant concretion of Elements Their names in generall are either Mineralia Mineralls Fossilia or Metalla They are Mineralia because they are generated in Mines that is in the veins pores and bowells of the earth They are Fossilia from Fodio to dig because they are digged out of the earth And they are Metalla Metalls from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to search or finde out because with much labour and cost they are sought out of the veins and bowells of the earth That name which I insist upon is this last And that the kindes of Metalls may the better be remembred this short table would be observed Metalls are either Principall which are of themselves as Sulphur and Mercurie being as it were the father and mother of all metalls Lesse principall derived from the principall more pliable pure more Gold Silver lesse having either more Brimstone or Quicksilver lesse pliable Hard stones common solid shining not shining full of pores as the Pumex and Tophus precious more noble shining more lesse noble shining lesse Brittle or of a friable nature easie to be brought into crumbes And these are all kindes of precious earths and sucks of the earth as Terra Lemnia Samos Bitumen Sal c. Of these kindes I purpose to speak a word or two which shall be as it were to explain the table to such as know it not The first or principall metalls are Sulphur and Mercurie These are of themselves because other metalls do not help to make them but they help to make other metalls Sulphur or Brimstone is said by some to be the fat of the earth with fiery heat decocted unto his hardnesse which is the cause that it so speedily is enflamed and burneth even in water Or thus Sulphur is a metallick substance or matter consisting of a more subtill Exhalation fat and unctuous shut up within the veins of the earth It will burn sooner then the fat of beasts for although it be fatter then Brimstone yet it is farre colder Mercurie or Quicksilver is a slimie water mixt with a pure white earth which metall for the matter whereof it doth consist is thin cold and heavie Or thus Quicksilver is a metallick matter consisting of a waterie vapour more subtil then ordinary which is mixed with earth to conglutinate or knit it together and by the heat of Sulphur it is digested into what it is It pierceth metalls because of the extream thinnesse which together with the heat of it makes it be in continuall motion and the motion by a Metaphor causeth it to be called Quicksilver Moreover it is also called Mercurie because as Mercurie is joyned to all the Planets so this to all metalls or as Mercurie is moved many wayes so this is apt for any motion The lesse principall metals are derived from these first I call them lesse principall because they are not of themselves but produced by the help of the other two These I divide into two sorts the pliable and the lesse pliable Pliable metals are pure and that either more or lesse The more pure are Gold and Silver Gold is the onely purest of all metals and is composed of a most pure red Sulphur and of the like Quicksilver they are red but not burning This metall is onely perfect all other be corruptible It is perfect because it is concocted with sufficient heat and mixture of Sulphur whereas all other metals either are not so well concocted or else they have not the due quantitie of brimstone and as it is affirmed by the Alchymists because nature in all her works seeketh the best end she intendeth of all metals to make gold but being hindred either for want of good mixture or good concoction she bringeth forth other metals although not so precious yet in their severall uses every way as profitable if not more for it is scarce a question f whether there be more use to the necessitie of mans life in Iron and Lead then is in Gold and Silver Gold never rusteth both because of the purenesse of its parents free from poisonous infection and also because it is so solidly composed that no aire which causeth all things to corrupt can be received into it This perfection together with the rarenesse and beautie of it hath caused fond mortals to doat so much upon it as they do Nay will not one pound or ounce of this go further then ten either ounces or pounds of honestie The Poets saying agreeth to it Aurea nunc verè sunt secula plurimus auro Venit honos This is the golden age not that of old For now all honour 's to be bought with gold And hereupon I think it is that most men dispraise this metall and yet but few who would not have it Diversas hominum videam cùm sparsa per artes Ingenia est cunctis ars tamen una viris Omnibus idem animus gratos sibi quaerere nummos Omnis inexhaustas undique poscit opes When I behold the wits of men inclin'd To divers arts I all of them do finde In this one art to meet they shun no pain Wish'd wealth to heap up and augment their gain Nay they are not common fetches and plots but strange and bloudie damned practises which are often used to get and obtain the riches of the world Which Ovid could discern a long while since and therefore he saith Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum Iámque nocens ferrum ferróque nocentius aurum Riches those fond enticements unto ill Are digged up and iron which doth kill But Gold it is which doth more harm to men Then iron blades though steel'd though sharp though keen Or as another saith Aurum deâ—…tructor vitae princépsque malorum O quà m difficiles nectis ubique dolos O utinam natum nunquam mortalibus esses Dulcia suppeditas quae nocumenta viris Gold lifes destroyer and of mischiefs chief Oh what strait wiles dost thou knit past belief Would thou hadst ne're been born to mortall wights Sith harm to men rests in thy false delights These are the complaints But it is neither in Gold nor Iron or the like that these evils rest the causes of ill ought rather to be imputed to the devil and wicked men For true it is All goods are good to good men that well
out of some experiment very busie in tempering brimstone sulphureous powder of dried earth and certain other ingredients in a mortar which he covered with a stone and growing dark he took a tinder-box to light him a candle into which whilest he assayed to strike some fire a spark by chance flew into the mortar where catching hold of the brimstone and salt-peter it fired with a sudden flash and violently blew up the stone The cunning Chymist guessing which of his ingredients it was that produced this effect never left till he found it out then taking an iron pipe he crammed it full of the said ingredient together with some stones and putting fire to it he saw that with great furie and noise it discharged it self Soon after he communicated this his invention to the Venetians who having been often vanquished by the Genowaies did by help of these bombards or gunnes give them a notable discomfiture which was in the yearâ—… of our Lord 1380 as Bucholcerus writeth in his chronologie saying Hoc tempore BOMBARD Ae ad hominum perniciem inventae sunt excogitatâ—… à Bertholdo Nigro Chymista ut quidam volunt Monacho Germano Wherein we see that he calls them bombards invented for the ruine of men For by these saith he it comes to passe that now in a manner all the force of the footmen all the splendour of the horse and all right warlike power doth shamefully cease lie dead faint and dull Polydore also saith that of all other instruments which ever were devised to the destruction of man the gunnes be most devilish In which regard sith he was not well instructed concerning the Almains name that invented them he addeth yet thus much more saying For the invention he received this benefit that his name was never known lest he might for this abominable device be cursed and evill spoken of as long as the world remaineth And in the continuation of Carions chronicle by Caspar Peucer it is also said that about the beginning of Wanceslaus his reigne That raging kinde of engine and tormenting torture which from the sound we call a bombard was found out by a Monk the devil being the chiefest enginer or master-workman For it was their care that seeing the authoritie of idle superstitions should decline and fade by little and little which through these authors had bewitched the mindes of mortalls and cast them into eternall destruction this might therefore succeed by them the same authours as another kinde of mischief which should rage against their bodies as that other had done against their souls To this purpose Peucer And indeed an experiment of his speech we then beheld when the upholders of that tottering kingdome would have traiterously tried to have sent at once even all the peers of this our land piece-meal into the aire But he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord himself was our keeper so that their sulphureous fire could neither burn us by day nor sâ—…are us by night although Faux were taken the night before among the barrells and wished that then sith he had done so much and could do no more his match with fire had toucht the powder Oh never let the mem'rie of that day Flie from our hearts or dully slide away God thought on us that we remembring this Might think on him whose hand defendeth his But whither am I transported now These foure although they be the principall kindes of salt digged from the ground yet there be other also amongst which those Spanish mountains would be remembred where there is a salt cut out and drawn as stones are out of a quarrie in which place it afterwards increaseth and filleth up the gap with more salt again Du Bartas calls this the brine-quar-hill in Arragon And as for Salt digged out of waters or watrie places or not digged from under ground it is thus caused namely by the heat of the sunne percocting those waters which are extreamly salt For when salt waters are throughly concocted by the sunne they are so dried congealed and thickened that in their shores by their banks and often upon their very surfaces or superficies they render liberally good store of Salt Thus in the summer time is the Tarentine lake of which Plinie speaketh turned into â—…alt the salt being in the surface of the waters to the depth of a mans knee So also in Sicilie in the lake Coranicus And in some rivers the water is known to runne underneath in its ordinary course whilest the uppermost part is turned into salt as about the Caspian straits which are called the rivers of salt and also neare the Mardi and Armenians whose countreys are in Asia But leaving these I come to the second kinde of Salt which is artificiall and made or boiled salt For although the matter be naturall yet the making is by art From whence it comes to passe that of one and the same salt water this man will boil better Salt then that man and he then another Yea some out of water lesse salt will boil and make better Salt then others out of fountains more salt Many be the places where they make Salt after this manner by boiling of salt water neither is this kingdome of ours destitute of such fountains or wells For at the towns called the Witches in Cheshire there is a brinie water which by boiling is turned into white Salt And the same water is said to be as good to powder any kinde of flesh as brine for within 24 houres it will powder beef sufficiently A great blessing of God to raise up such springs for our use so farre within the land as also an evident argument that the Sea is made salt by the substance of the ground of which I have spoken my minde already And here unto all this I could adde the necessitie of Salt which is such that we cannot well live without it and therefore it is the first thing that is set on the table and ought to be the last taken away according as one translateth out of Schola Salerni saying Salt should be last remov'd and first set down At table of a Knight or countrey clown This I confesse as pertinent might be added but it is now high time to put a period to the discourse of this dayes work Take the rest therefore all in one word and then it is thus The eve and morn conclude the third of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. VII Concerning the fourth day together with such things as are pertinent to the work done in it Sect. 1. Being as it were a kinde of entrance into this dayes work which treateth of the starres and lights THe structure of the earth being adorned with herbs trees and plants in the third or former day Moses now returns to shew both how when God beautified the heavens bedecking that vaulted roof with shining lights and beauteous
the seas seemeth no bigger then a flying dove They shew of the same greatnesse in India in England They enlighten all parts of the earth alike and appeare the same indifferently to all and therefore must needs be of an extraordinarie bignesse And secondly as soon as the sunne ariseth all the starres are hid which shews his greatnesse And further if the sunne were not of such greatnesse as Artists give unto it how could all the world be enlightned by it Sect. 2. Of the Matter Place and Motion of the Starres with other like things which are also pertinent Artic. 1. That they consist most of a fierie matter and are cherished by the waters above the heavens BY Heaven and Earth which Moses saith were created in the beginning we are to understand all and every part of the whole Universe whose matter was created at once and made as it were the store-house for all things else as alreadie in the first dayes work I have declared Howbeit some contend that the starres and lights of heaven were not made out of any matter either of the earth or the waters or of heaven or any thing beside but immediately out of nothing Which certainly is scarce agreeable to the whole scope of creation For in the beginning the matter of all was made And perhaps as it was proper to the earth to bring forth herbs grasse and trees at the command of God in the third dayes work so also perhaps it was as proper to the heavens in some sort to afford the matter of the luminaries and otherstarres as soon as God said Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven And herein those Philosophers were not much amisse who defined the starres to be the thicker part of their orbs Yet neverthelesse not so to be followed as if the heavens afforded any solid orbs unto which as the knots in a tree or the nails in a wheel or the gemme in a ring the starres are joyned For besides that which I have alreadie spoken of the whole space within the concavitle of the firmament viz. that it is but aire yet purer and purer the higher we climbe which I proved in the second day both by opticall demonstration height consumption and motion of Comets with the like besides that I say there be other reasons also to declare it For not onely certain Poets have confessed as much calling the Skie Spirabile coeli numen as we reade in Virgil or a Liquid heaven as Ovid tells us saying Et liquidum spisso secrevit ab aëre coelum nor yet is it confirmed by the testimonie of Plinie alone who followed herein the opinion of ancient Philosophers but even reason also and exquisite modern observations have made it plain For suppose there were solid orbs or that this concave were not filled with liquid aire would it not follow that there should be as it were penetratio corporum or that one Sphere should cut another in sunder Questionlesse it would For the Planets move so up and down that they often enterfeir and cut one anothers orbs now higher and then lower as Mars amongst the rest which sometimes as Kepler confirms by his own and Tycho's accurate observations comes nearer the earth then the Sunne and is again eftsoons aloft in Iupiters sphere And doth not Tycho's Hypothesis and Systema of the world make it also plain that the sphere of the Sunne must be interfected by the orbs of Venus Mars and Mercury which could not be if the heavens were impenetrable or differed toto genere from this soft aire wherein we live and move And now see this figure framed according to Tycho's demonstration Thus Tycho describeth the wayes and situations of the Planets The starres therefore move in the heavens as birds in the aire or fishes in the sea and the like yet so as their bounds are set which with great regularitie to the admiration of their Maker they constantly come unto depart away from in their appointed times and determined orders and therefore said to be set in the firmament of heaven vers 17. those of the fixed ones being as equally distant one from another now and at this very day as at the first when God Almightie made them and those of the wandring ones as constant in their courses as ever yet from the first time they began to move Whereupon saith Tycho Semper judicavi naturalem motûs scientiam singulis Planetis congenitam vel potiùs à Deo inditam esse quâ in liquidissimo tenuissimo â—…there cursûs sui normam regularissimè constantissimè observare coguntur Yet neverthelesse we may not think that therefore they are living creatures animated with a soul and endued with life and reason but rather and in very deed as even now I said let this be an argument to shew and declare the admired wisdome of their Makeâ—… according to that of David in the 19 Psalme Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei The heavens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie work For The sunne cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber and rejoycath as a giant to runne his course And yet again it is a thing very probable that those amongst the Iews who made cakes for the Queen of heaven who burnt incense to the Sunne Moon Planets and host of heaven who dedicated horses and chariots to the Sunne did not onely do it because they worshipped them as gods but also because like some amongst the Philosophers and others amongst the Fathers they thought them to be living creatures Sure we are that Moses puts them not into his catalogue amongst such creatures as he reckoneth to have life and therefore who will say they live They may move and yet be inanimate as fire which is of power to move waste and consume aire inclosed is able to shake the earth water carrieth ships boats and barges flows this way and that way yet is no living creature hath no soul minde or reason Also it may be granted that they are daily nourished by vapourie humours and are as it were fed by such kinde of food yet no living creatures For no man will denie a transmutation of the elements but rather easily grant that they one nourish another for conservation of the Universe And in such a kinde or not farre differing it is that the stars may be nourished by watrie humours and have their beams made wholesome to the world although they be no living creatures All which may be seen more largely proved in Lydiats Praelectio Astronomica where having discoursed of the matter of the heavens and starres as also of the portions and transmutation of the elements he proveth that there is such a penurie of water here below that it cannot be supplied ad mundi non dicit aeternitatem sed diuturnitatem propter inaequales elementorum transmutationes not supplied without the consumption of the aire were not the waters divided The one
part whereof is circa mundi medium from whence may be had in readinesse alwayes that which is sufficient to water and fructifie the earth and leave a place for habitation The other circa mundi extremum as in a great treasure and plentifull store-house from whence per mediam aëris naturam both the starres are cherished their beams made wholesome to the world and also the expense of these lower waters salved in what is needfull for the earth as a bad debter either sends back none or little of that which it borrowed not being easily turned into any other element From whence saith he we may answer that question amongst the ancient Ethnick Philosophers mentioned by Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unde nutriatur mundus And indeed for mine own part I also think that the starres are of such a nature or substance that in their kinde they stand in need of daily sustentation like a lamp which can burn no longer then the oyl lasteth which ever feeds it For the heavens are subject to change and alteration neither is there any necessitie compelling us to attribute a quintessence to either of them especially seeing we are certain that the world is not eternall but that we may as well and as probably grant them to be of the same nature with the elements as formerly I have related Which being granted I suppose them to be chiefly of a fierie nature and this perhaps they took from the highest part of the aire in the supream height of heaven which reacheth to the utmost extent of the out-spread firmament For there is that which we call the Elementarie fire there I say and not in a lower place although Aristotle would have it in concavo lunae or next under the orb of the moon of which see more in the second dayes work And herein I do willingly also embrace the opinion of Plato that the starres for the most part are fierie yet so as they in some sort participate also of the other elements that thereby their bodies may be as it were glewed together and firmly concreted into a durable lump differing no otherwise from a Comet then ice doth from crystall or a cleare solid gemme from bright brittle glasse An experiment whereof we have in that new starre of Cassiopea's chair which because it was of a more solid composition then ordinarie comets and of a nearer nature to the matter of the continuing starres did therefore appeare like one of them lasted a long while with them before it was extinguished for had it not been exalted to a great perfection and solid composition of the parts it had been gone extinct and vanished a long while sooner And in granting to them something of every element although their greatest portion especially in the sunne be fierie it comes to passe that they have differing qualities of which see more afterwards in the Astrologicall part of this dayes work Neither shall I need to stand upon it as a thing necessary for me to prove whether they make warm the aire and us by any heat which is formally in them or by the attrition made with their beams Onely know that it is hotter in summer then in winter because when the beams of the sunne come nearest to a perpendicular trajection their heat is the greater because their reflexion is the stronger But leaving this give me leave to proceed and to prosecute more fully the matter in hand that thereby I may shew my meaning now more clearely concerning the daily nourishment of these bright heavenly lamps For as hath been said seeing their chiefest matter is of that nature of which it appeareth to be they must of necessitie be nourished out of some store-house or other otherwise the world comes to decay impavidum ferient ruinae and the very ruines will strike him who fears it not For satisfaction therefore in this it cannot be amisse to remember the opinion amongst sundry of the ancient Philosophers who said the truth and yet erred in declaring it as Cleanthes who allowed the matter of the sunne to be fierie and that it was nourished by humours attracted from the ocean Also Anaximander and Diogenes after whom Epicurus and the Stoicks thought in like manner that the sunne was nourished by waters and lest it should perish through any defect of aliment they fondly supposed that the oblique motion which it had from one Tropick to another was to finde out moist humours that thereby it might live perpetually Now these things very worthily were held by Aristotle to be ridiculous and absurd as in the second book of his Meteors at the second chapter is apparent Yet neverthelesse succeeding times did in a manner pitch still upon the same tenents and would not onely have the sunne and rest of the Planets but even all the other starres nourished by vapours and watrie humours as well as they For amongst others it was Cicero's opinion in his second book De natura deorum making the sea and waters of the earth their daily store-house See also Seneca in his 6 book and 16 chapter of Naturall questions and Plutarch in libello de Iside and Plinie in his Naturall historie lib 2. cap. 9. whose words are these Sydera verò haud dubiè humore terreno pasci c. These indeed spake the truth but as I said before they erred in declaring it For it is nothing probable neither may it be granted that all the seas or waters in the world are able to afford moisture enough for such a purpose And therefore smile I at those fable-forgers Whose busie-idle style so stiffly urges The heav'ns bright Saphires to be living creatures Ranging for food and hungry fodder-eaters Still sucking up in their eternall motion The earth for meat and for their drink the ocean Nor can I see how th' earth and sea should feed So many starres whose greatnesse doth exceed So many times if starre-divines say troth The greatnesse of the earth and ocean both For here our cattell in a moneth will eat Sev'n times the bulk of their own bulk in meat Wherefore be pleased to call to minde what was formerly mentioned in the second day concerning the waters above the heavens set apart from these below by the out-spread Firmament but how it is that there they are and that the out-spread Firmament is able to uphold them let the alledged reasons in the foresaid day be again remembred And then observe that these waters were certainly separated for some purpose for Deus Natura nihil faciunt frustra God and Nature make nothing in vain He made all things in number weight and measure saith Solomon so that there is nothing which was not made for something I do therefore consent again to those who suppose that these waters do daily nourish and cherish the starres thereby also so tempering and ordering their beams that they may remain wholesome to the world turning also and attenuating those drops with
eyes can see Sect. 3. Of the offices given to the Sunne Moon and Starres in the day of their creation Paragr 1. Shewing that their first office is to shine upon the earth to rule over the day and night c. Artic. 1. Of light what it is and whether the Sunne be the onely fountain of light THe former part of my discourse hitherto in this dayes work was chiefly founded upon these words Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven and upon these And God made the starres also But now I come to speak of their offices The first whereof is that exquisite one above the rest I mean their bright and radiant shining by which the dismall clouds of foggie darknesse are daintily devoured and the sweet comelinesse of the worlds ornament made apparent For without light all things would appeare like the face of hell or horrour and each parcell of the worlds fabrick lie buried in black obscuritie dismall squalour Whereupon one speaketh worthily saying that amongst those qualities subject to sense there is none more fit to shew the due decorum and comely beauty of the worlds brave structure none more fit then light For where it spreads it self either above us or below us all things are then encompast with such a splendour as if a golden garment were dilated over them or curiously put upon them Let it not then be ashamed to shine shew it self to the praise of him who made it For Praise him sun and moon praise him oh ye stars and light was Davids song But to proceed Authours make a difference between Lux and Lumen It is called Lux as it is in the fountain that is in a bodie which is lucid of it self as in the sunne so saith Zanchius But it is Lumen as it is in some Medium that is in corpore diaphano as is the aire or water Lumen enim nihil aliud est quà m lux lucisve imago in corpore diaphano From whence may be gathered that that primarie light which we comprehend under the name of Lux is no other thing then the more noble part of that essence which is either in the sunne moon or starres and so far as a corporeall substance may be given to fire it may be also attributed to that which is properly called light being in and of those lamps of heaven which were made ex primava luce chiefly and so came to appeare of a fiery colour Whereupon Patricius writing against the Peripateticks saith Lux est essentia stellarum Nihil enim aliud flamma quà m lumen densius lumen non aliud quà m flamma rarior Calor quoque non aliud quà m ignis rarefactus atque diffusus ignis non aliud quà m calor densatus sive lux compacta Take therefore my meaning rightly lest I be supposed to be much mistaken And again concerning Radius which is a Beam or Ray it is no primarie light neither but rather as Patricius also writeth it is Fulgor à Luce exiliens in rectam acutam figuram seu in modum Pyramidis Coni promicans To which Scaliger is affirming saying Lux est alia in corpore lucido ab eo non exiens alia à corpore lucis exiens ut Lumen Radius And Zaharel also saith Lux alia est propriè dicta in astris ipsis alia à luce producta in perspicuo Whereupon I cannot but be perswaded that light in it self properly primarily taken must be an essentiall propertie as formerly I have related but to the aire or other things enlightned by it it is an accidentall quality approved of God as good both to himself the future creatures For although it be commonly said of compound things that they are such as we may distinguish of them in ipsam essentiam susceptricem in eam quae ipsi accidit qualitatem yet here the case proves otherwise because the sunne and starres have susceptam semel secúmque immixtam lucem And again as saith Theodoret Lucem quidem condidit ut voluit Quemadmodum verò firmamento aquas divisit ità lucem illam dividens ut voluit luminaria magna ac parva in coelo collocavit And as touching the brightnesse of the starres the sunne may well be called Oculus mundi The eye of the world For he is indeed the chief fountain from whence the whole world receiveth lustre shining alone and enlightning our whole hemisphere when all the other starres are hid From whence some Philosophers and Astronomers have been of opinion that the fixed starres shine not but with a borrowed light from the sunne Plutarch in his 2 book and 17 chap. of the opinions of Philosophers saith that Metrodorus and his disciples the Epicures have been of this minde But according to the mindes of the best authours and nearest equipage to truth the starres are called lights as well as the sunne and moon although there be a difference between them either of more or lesse For Paul distinguisheth between the starres and sunne non privatione lucis sed tantùm gradu And when God said Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven he made not the sunne alone but the sunne moon and starres the light in the starres being in very deed darkened by that in the sunne which doth but differ in degree from that in them Whereupon it is that the starres shew themselves by night onely when the sunne is hid or in some deep pit whither the sunne-beams cannot pierce If therefore we cannot see them Id non solis non stellarum culpâ fit sed oculorum nostrorum hic est defectus ob solaris enim luminis copiam ac vigorem debilitantur Also some adde their influences as that of the Little dogge the Plâ—…iadas and others being plain testimonies of their native light For if they had not their proper and pâ—…culiar light being fo farre distant from the inferiour bodies it is thought they could not alter them in such sort as they sometimes do and evermore the further they be from the sunne the better and brighter we see them And as for the diversitie of their influence the differing qualitie of the subject causeth this diversitie So that though this light for the first three dayes was but one in qualitie it came to have divers effects as soon as it was taken and bestowed upon the starres and lights And perhaps as there is in them the more of this fire the â—…otter is their qualitie but little fire and more water the moister and cooler and so also the more earthy substance the darker Neither do I think that we may altogether exempt the moon from her native light For although she shineth to us with a borrowed light yet it is no consequence to say she hath therefore no own proper light There is saith Goclenius a double light of the moon Proper and Strange The Proper is that which is Homogeneall to it self or
of Kings chap. 17. 16. and chap. 21. 3. and chap. 23. 5. and in Jeremie chap. 19. 13. and in Zeph. chap. 1. 5. and in the Acts chap. 7 42. For in all these places the holy Ghost calleth the starres the host and armies of heaven thereby amplifying the divine power of God by the force and power of these glorious creatures and this also is further confirmed by that in the song of Deborah Judg. 5. 20. where it is expressely testified that The starres fought from heaven the starres in their courses fought against Sisera Thus farre Scripture And now let experience also speak that thereby they who will not frame their understandings to be taught by the one but will seek for strange expositions may be forced to yeeld and acknowledge the truth by compulsion of this other in the front whereof I cannot but remember the noble Poets saying Senselesse is he who without blush denies What to sound senses most apparent lies And ' gainst experience he that spits fallacians Is to be hist from learned disputations And such is he that doth affirm the starres To have no force on these inferiours 1. As for example when the sunne shifts his habitation how diversly are the seasons differing insomuch that although the frostie beard of winter makes us tremble and shiver through extremitie of cold the warm lustre of the summers raies causeth us on the contrary to sweat and as it were pant through heat 2. Also the terrible accidents that succeed eclipses may not be forgotten nor vilipended for these testifie that the sunne by his heat and light quickeneth after an admirable fashion all earthly creatures being as it were the sourse and conserver of vitall heat and that the moon also hath a great power over inferiour bodies For if it were otherwise such lights coming to be hidden from the earth where there is a continuall revolution of generation and corruption could not cause after their eclipses the nature of inferiour things to be so altered and weakened as they are both in the elements and also in bodies composed of them 3. And furthermore who seeth not how orderly the tides keep their course with the moon of which I have spoken in the third dayes work 4. Also it is an observation that seldome faileth viz. that we have thunder and lightning in the summer time at the meeting of Mars with Jupiter Sol or Mercurie and for the most part great windes when Sol and Jupiter or Jupiter and Mercurie or Mercurie and Sol are in conjunction 5. And again the increase and decrease of bodies or of marrow bloud and humours in the bodie according to the increase and decrease of the moon doth speak for that horned queen and signifie that her vertue is not little For as she fills with light the marrow abounds in bones the bloud in veins the sap in trees the meat and moisture in the oister crab and creafish 6. Moreover experience also teacheth that all such wood as is cut for timber if it be not cut after the full moon will soon be rotten 7. Also those pease which are sown in the increase never leave blooming And as some report the pomegranate will bear no fruit any longer then just so many yeares as the moon was dayes old when it was first set and planted The Heliotropium with certain other flowers and plants we likewise see that they keep their course with the sunne And Plinie reports in his 37 book at the 10 chapter that the Selenite is a stone which hath the image of the moon in it increasing and decreasing according to her course in the heavens And doth not Cardan also report for certain as Sir Christopher Heydon it may be affirmed that the heavens in some sort do work upon mens mindes and dispositions And hereupon it comes to passe that Mars doth sometimes sow the seeds of warre by his working upon adult choler and the like Or the aire being greatly out of tune causeth not onely many sicknesses but strange disorders of the minde and they breaking out into act do many times disturb states translate kingdomes work unluckie disasters and the like of which I spake before in the second dayes work And now know that if the operation of the heavens in this be but so farre forth as the soul depends upon the bodily instruments all that is done to the soul is but an inclination for there can be no compulsion where the cause is so remote And therefore let it be observed that it is one thing to cause another thing to occasion or one thing to inferre a necessitie another thing to give an inclination The former we cannot averre to be in the power of the starres forasmuch as mans will which is the commandresse of his actions is absolutely free from any compulsion and not at all subject to any naturall necessitie or externall coaction Howbeit we cannot deny a certain inclination because the soul of man is too much indulgent to the body by whose motion as one worthily observeth it is rather perswaded then commanded There is therefore no Chaldean fate to be feared nor any necessitie to be imposed upon the wills of men but onely an inclination and this inclination is not caused by an immediate working of the starres on the intellectuall part or minde of man but occasioned rather mediately or so farre forth as the soul depends on the temperaments and materiall organs of the bodie In which regard I hope never to be afraid of the signes of heaven neither is there cause why I should ever curse my starres seeing I know in this the utmost of their power And as it was said to that Apostle My grace is sufficient for thee so may every one take it for granted that there is a second birth which overswayes the first To which purpose one makes this an observation Iustè age Sapiens dominabitur astris Et manibus summi stant elementa Dei Do godly deeds so shalt thou rule the starres For then God holds the elements from warres Or as another not unfitly also speaketh Qui sapit ille animum fortunae praeparat omni Praevisumque potest arte levare malum The wise for ev'ry chance doth fit his minde And by his art makes coming evils kinde And in a word that pithie saying of Ioannes de Indagine shall close this Article Quaeris a me quantum in nobis operantur actra dico c. Dost thou demand of me how farre the starres work upon us I say they do but incline and that so gently that if we will be ruled by reason they have no power over us but if we follow our own nature and be led by sense they do as much in us as in brute beasts and we are no better For agunt non cogunt is all that may be said Artic. 2. Whether it be not a derogation from the perfection of things created to grant that the starres have any kinde of power
and superstitious vain inventions with this their lawfull skill And for us experience hath travelled in the manifestation of the severall qualities belonging to the lamps of heaven For as we know the fire to be hot the water moist this herb to be cold that to be drie so also by observation it doth manifestly appeare that the sunne gives heat and cherisheth the moon moisteneth Mars drieth and so of the rest Or thus ♄ Saturn is cold and drie stirres up and increaseth melancholy ♃ Jupiter is temperately hot and moist works most upon sanguine complexions stirring up and increasing that humour ♂ Mars through his heat and immoderate drinesse stirres up and increaseth choler and so often proves an accidentall cause of brawlings fightings warres and the like beside such sicknesses as may come by the superabundancie of that humour ☉ Sol is moderately hot and drie greatly cherishing all kinde of creatures ♀ Venus is cold and moist but it is in a temperate manner and as for her operation it is seen most in flegmatick complexions ☿ Mercurie is said to be drie in respect of his own nature but joyned to any of the other Planets he puts upon him their natures and works as they work Then followeth the Moon and she is well known to be the mistris of moisture Neither can you truely say that it is impossible to finde their natures to be either thus or thus for it is but 30 yeares that the longest of these did ever spend in his periodicall revolution and but 72 yeares as Tycho teacheth can runne about whilest the fixed starres alter one degree in their longitude Insomuch that Saturn whose period is but 30 yeares cometh twice to the same point of heaven before the eighth sphere is moved one degree and Jupiter whose revolution is 12 yeares cometh 6 times to the same place and Mars who accomplisheth his period in little lesse then 2 yeares meets 36 times with the same starres in the same place and as for the Sunne Venus Mercurie and the Moon their meetings with them be oftner Also it is certain that the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is once every 20 yeares and Mars and Saturn visit each other in lesse then every two yeares by means whereof it is no hard thing or as a thing impossible to finde out the simple natures either of the Planets or fixed starres And from these natures thus known and their mixtures and places observed it is that the effect is foreseen and the judgement given which if it be modestly carefully deeply and deliberately done by one well versed or conversant in these things doth for the most part happen as is foretold for the most part I say and not alwayes For as the Physician knoweth that the same portion of either single or mixed simples will not work upon all bodies alike so neither can the like portion and power of qualities stirre up or work alwayes ad idem but may sometimes receive either intention or remission according to the indisposed aptnesse of the subject the elements or elementary bodies not alwayes admitting of their powers alike or when they be overswayed by more potent and prevailing operations For universall and particular causes do many times differ and then the one hinders the operation of the other As for example particular causes as the conjunction of Venus and the Moon or some such like meeting may promise rain snow or sleet when universall causes which are not so easily seen do often turn it into more fair and warm weather And so also particular influences may seem to work upon such or such humours and thereupon make the bodie subject to this or that sicknesse and the minde enclined to this or that kinde of action with many such other like things howbeit it may so happen that nature may be at this time so abstrusely shut up that what we see not may overpower and work beyond what we see A man had need therefore have Argus his eyes to pierce throughly into these causes and examine without rashnesse either what may help or what may hinder otherwise his judgement may fail him even in things wrought by the course of nature for of other things he ought not to judge And indeed when there is a divers mixture of qualities all in a manner of equall portions as it may sometimes be how hard a thing is it then to finde out without a sound judgement the true event for there be many difficulties proceeding from the weaknesse of our judgements And for that again which I said before of natures abstruse kinde of working although I be no Stoick to tie Gods mightie hand to second causes yet I verily suppose that all things are not beyond the course of nature which seem to be extraordinarie but even many strange seeming things are wrought by the power of nature as sometimes in unwonted storms tempests droughts strange appearances or other like accidents And this again I also think that one man may see the cause when another cannot whereupon it comes to passe that there is such diversitie of judgements and thwarting of opinions many times about one and the same thing Also I might adde something which one or other will be readie to object concerning the devils permission in raising unwonted windes storms and such like Or I might speak not onely of Gods power but of his providence likewise in disposing his creatures to manifest their operation rather in one place then in another which is an act proceeding from his secret purpose and divine wisdome as when the clouds according to his decree do disburden themselves of their wearie drops rather here then there or there then here For saith he in the 4 chap. of Amos at the 7 vers I have caused it to rain upon one citie and it hath not rained upon another and the citie where it hath not rained was barren But I shall not need to meddle further For notwithstanding these difficulties it is manifest enough that the signes of heaven may be both sought into and also in some ample measure understood For it is true that God Almightie having both set and foreseen the course of nature long before doth now uphold it by his providence instrumentally to perform his will Neither every day doth he make the windows of heaven to stand open or the fountains of the great deep to be broken up nor yet doth he every day make the sunne or moon to stand still or the shadow to go back or an Eclipse to be at a quite contrarie time or the moon again to arise before her usuall course but hath undoubtedly left his works to be sought out of all those who take pleasure therein and according to that portion of sound judgement which he hath given to every one they may understand either more or lesse of these signes For as one starre differeth from another in lustre and beautie so one mans knowledge and better judgement transcends not seldome
equall houres in which space of time the sunne is carried by the motion of the Primum Mobile from any one part of heaven untill it comes to the same point again This kinde of day amongst divers nations hath divers beginnings England the 17 Provinces some part of Germanie the Mysians and the Romanes account from midnight untill midnight because at that time as is supposed our Lord was born and from hence as Verstegan thinketh came the word Seanight being a week of dayes and nights or a Sennight The Babylonians Persians Norimbergians c. begin at sunne-rising and so do our lawyers in England ending again at sunne-setting for he who hath a summe of money to pay on a set day by bond neither before nor after sunne need tender his money These I say begin at one sunne-rising accounting untill the next according to that of Plinie Babylonii saith he inter duos solis exortus And as for the Umbrians Arabians and Astronomers they reckon from noon untill noon again But the Athenians Jews Silesians Italians Bohemians c. account alwayes from the evening or setting of the sun beginning their day when the night approacheth and the sunne departeth being as it were gone to his bed or western rest 1. They who begin from midnight may seem to have this warrant viz. that the sunne is then again returning towards our Hemisphere and as I said before midnight is that time when the sunne of righteousnesse arose to the world For it is supposed that Christ was born about the middle of the night whilest the shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks The day therefore beginneth from midnight 2. Again they who account from the time of sunne-rising have this plea saying that the day is fitly to take beginning when the cause thereof viz. the sunne doth first appeare and shew himself to the inhabitants of the world calling them out unto their daily labours and summoning them by his beauteous light to arise and leave their sleepie beds Therefore when the sunne ariseth the day beginneth 3. Also they who reckon from noon suppose that they ought to account from that time when the sunne is in the most eminent place of heaven and hath the greatest number of eyes enlightned by it And as for Astronomicall calculations this also is the fittest time because it falleth alwayes at one and the same certaintie The day therefore beginneth from noon 4. Last of all they who begin from the setting of the sunne have the truest and strongest plea. For this beginning is agreeable to the whole progresse of the worlds creation and best fitteth the divine institution of naturall dayes being in very deed a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of night and day as of right it ought to be For darknesse was before the diurnall light and God saith the Apostle commanded that light should shine out of darknesse And so the evening as well as the morning was pertinent to one and the same day of which see more in the first dayes work Artic. 3. Of Yeares A Yeare being the chief and most usuall part of time whereby the ages of men of the world and other things are principally measured is the periodicall revolution of the sunne through Mazzaroth or the twelve signes of the Zodiack Job 38. 32. For by the sunnes uncessant motion a set number of dayes are as it were wheeled about to terminate one yeare and to give each season his due period of time And in a true measured yeare there is not alwayes a set or certain equalitie For there is either the great or the lesser quantitie In the greatest quantitie a yeare hath 365 dayes 5 houres 56 minutes and 53 seconds And in the least quantitie 365 dayes 5 houres 44 minutes and 38 seconds But if we reckon according to the course of the moon then a yeare is that space of time wherein the moon after some conjunctions with the sunne is again in conjunction with him not farre from that place where she first met him Or if we reckon by the other starres it is then that space of time which the sunne spendeth after his departure from any starre untill he returneth to the said starre again And in all these the sunne hath the chiefest preheminence is the only guide and most remarkable measurer Whereupon I may not omit what I finde observed by Expositours viz. that a yeare hath the name in Hebrew from Shanah signifying a changing or iteration which is in regard of the sunnes returning after a yeares end to the same point of heaven where it began And as for the circuit of the moon which we commonly tearm a moneth it is derived from another word signifying to ronew because in that space the moon is again renewed neither is it found in any place of Scripture that these names are perverted or the one of them taken to signifie the other but by the one say they is meant a yeare and by the other a moneth See Gib on Gen. chap. 5. quest 2. and Ainsworth on Gen. 1. 14. In Latine the yeare is called Annus because we may say of it revolvitur ut annulus For as in a ring the parts touch one another circularly joyning each to other so also the yeare rolleth it self back again by the same steps that it ever went whereupon it came to passe that the Egyptians amongst other their hieroglyphicks used to paint out the yeare like a snake winding her self as round as a ring holding her tail in her mouth Et sic sua per vestigia volvitur annus The name likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it hath from the Greek is agreeable to the foresaid derivation And all this concerning naturall yeares But as for Politicall yeares they be those which are diversly used by divers nations in their accounting of times and they differ in lengths according as the computatours fail in skill to regulate them to the motion of the heavens That which we now use is the Julian yeare instituted by Iulius Cesar who by the help of Sosigines an Egyptian an expert Mathematician amended the old Romane yeare and brought it to that form in which we now have it making it to consist of 365 dayes and 6 houres which 6 houres are not reckoned every yeare but once every fourth yeare being then increased to the just length of a day which is alwayes inserted or put in the next before the 6 Calends of March causing the said Calends to be twice repeated from whence that yeare is called Bissextile of bis and sex twice six or Leap-yeare because by this adding of a day from thenceforth the fixed holydayes and the like do as it were skip or leap one day further into the week then they were the former yeare Now the mean length of the Tropicall yeare being defined to have no more then 365 dayes 5 houres and 49 minutes sheweth that this Julian yeare is somewhat greater then
it should be exceeding the exactest measure which can be had by the quantitie of eleven minutes or there abouts causing thereby by little and little to be an apparent anticipation of the Equinoctiall and Solstitiall points insomuch that the Vernall equinox whose place at the first Councel of Nice was upon the 21 day of March is now come to be upon the 10 day of March The reformation of which errour hath been wished for by divers learned men and in some sort performed by Pope Gregorie the 13 using likewise in it the help of Christopher Clavius and some others who in the yeare 1582 brought back the Equinoctiall day to the same place it was at the said Nicene Councel by cutting off 10 dayes in the moneth of October writing in the Calender next after the fourth day the fifteenth day by means whereof all their moneths begin ten dayes sooner then ours as do also all those feasts whose place is fixed and not moveable Now in this reformation it was likewise ordered that the yeare should consist of 365 dayes 5 houres and 49 minutes And that the Equinox might not be subject any more to anticipation in 400 yeares they thought it fit to omit three Leap-yeares The first whereof will fall into the yeare of Christ 1715 the second into the yeare 1848 and the third into the yeare 1982 if God suffer the frame of the world to stand so long Howbeit in thus doing although the alteration will be very little yet the reformation is not exactly true because there is an inequalitie of anticipation in the Equinoctiall as the great Masters in Astronomie teach us being as they say in some ages more and in some lesse But seeing as I said the alteration will be very little if it ever come to that it is fit the Leap-year be then omitted And thus am I come now to the end likewise of this fourth dayes work wherein after my plain manner I have discoursed upon every such thing as is pertinent to the work done in it Let me therefore concluding say with Moses The Eve and Morn confine the fourth of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. VIII Concerning the creatures created in the Fifth day of the world and they were Fishes and Fowls Sect. 1. Of Fishes their kindes properties c. NOw follow the works of the Fifth day which when I consider I cannot but admire the harmonious order which the Almightie observeth in the whole progresse of his creating For as yet the world was but like an emptie house without inhabitants a stately structure having no moving creature with life and sense to be living in it not so much as a poore flie a fish or a bird to taste the goodnesse of things created and made But in this and the next day the building thus framed and cheer provided he brought as it were his guests to participate of his delicates alwayes provided that things inferiour should serve things superiour making his best work last namely Man unto whom the other works were put in subordination to shew me thinks that the end is the perfection of every thing And now see the first day was for the matter The second brought it into a better form stretched out the heavens and lifted up the waters which are above them The third did not onely shew the face of the earth by the gathering together of those waters under heaven but also adorned it with herbs trees and plants The fourth beautifies the vaulted roof of the sparkling firmament with funne moon and starres In the fifth and sixth he makes all kindes of living creatures furnishing first of all the waters and aire with their inhabitants and last of all the earth And for those many creatures in the waters and aire their creation was effected in this fifth dayes work so that every kinde of fish and all kinde of birds were now produced God onely said it and it was done as by viewing the text of Moses will appeare For in all his works he spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created But to proceed We need divide the whole of this day into no more then two parts The one of Fishes the other of Birds That of fishes is the formost and therefore the varietie of those creatures would be first admired And see how Moses ushers them The greater ones are placed in the forefront For God saith he made great whales And then he proceedeth to adde something concerning the other species of smaller creatures living and moving in the water saying And every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kinde Pareus and other Expositours also by the word which is commonly translated great whales understand the biggest kinde of sea-beasts and monstrous fishes of the largest greatnesse And indeed the epithet great is not added to the whale without cause For the word tannin signifieth a serpent dragon or a great fish and the whale or great fish is the greatest of all living creatures as in Job 41. 33. In the earth there is none like him His jaws are likened to doores vers 14. his scales to shields vers 15. Out of his nostrills goeth smoke as out of a seething pot or caldron vers 20. he maketh the sea to boil like a pot vers 31. Munster writeth that neare unto Iseland there be great whales whose bignesse equalizeth the hills and mightie mountains which are sometimes openly seen and these saith he will drown and overthrow ships except they be affrighted with the sound of trumpets and drummes or except some round and emptie vessels be cast unto them wherewith they may play and sport them because they are much delighted with such things But above all this he affirmeth to be a good remedie against such dangerous whales to wit that which the Apothecaries call Castoreum tempered with water and cast into the sea for by this as by a poyson they are utterly driven and banished to the bottome Other authours mention farre greater whales then these And Olaus Magnus writeth that there are many kindes of whales For some he affirmeth to be rough-skinned and bristled and these contain in length 240 feet and in breadth 120. others are smooth and plain and these are lesse being taken in the North and Western ocean Some again have jaws with long and terrible teeth of 12 or 14 feet in length and the two dog-teeth are farre longer then the rest like unto horns or the tusks of a boar or elephant This kinde of whale hath eyes so ample and large that sometimes 15 20 or more men may sit in the compasse of one eye and about either eye there be 250 horns ad rigidam vel placidam anteriorem vel posteriorem motionem ventilationem serving also to defend the eyes either in a tempestuous season or when this fish is assaulted by any other sea-beast Physeter or the Whirl-pool-whale hath a
first like maggots and they do as their dammes before them and then die And let this creature end my discourse concerning the things done in this fifth day wherein not able to mention all I have toucht at some and those so excellent as I could have spent more time in their better view were it not that the succeeding day hastens his dawning In the phrase of Moses I will therefore conclude and concluding say The Eve and Morn confine the fifth of dayes And God gives to his work deserved praise CHAP. IX This ninth chapter concerneth the creatures made in the sixth and last day namely creatures living neither in the aire nor water but upon the earth and these be of two sorts the brute beasts and Man This chapter hath two Sections Sect. 1. Wherein is both a division and entrance into this dayes work as also a discourse of the first part of it concerning the brute beasts whose creation was in the first part of the day THe just period of the fifth day being come to an end the sixth approacheth wherein God Almightie shutteth up the creation of every species and after all he resteth from his works watcheth by his providence over each part and parcell of the world which he had made And in this day he first produced the brute beasts living upon the face of the earth then he comes to the creation of man and makes him the Colophon or conclusion of all things else in whose nature he placed the greatest dignitie of any creature that is visible for man is of a middle between the beasts and Angels transcending the one and yet not worthy to equalize the other as afterwards when I come to that particular shall be declared with other things pertinent to his creation And now that the terrestriall beasts and he should be made both in one day is worth observing for had he been to live in the aire he might have seen the sunne with the flying fowls and have been created when they were made or had his habitation been in the waters the fish and he might both at once have been produced But being made neither to swimme with the fishes nor flie with the birds but live upon the earth it was most harmonious that the terrestriall beasts and his creation should in the same day the one succeed the other And that the end might shew the perfection of the work the prioritie of time is given to the beasts but the excellencie and prioritie of all appeares in man who was made Lord of the creatures and in whom God had placed a surpassing condition and by farre a more noble nature For whereas they are led by sense he hath reason whereas they look downwards and groveling from the skie his countenance is erect and his looks are mixt with majestie whereas they are animate without an immortall soul he liveth when he dieth and hath a soul which death it self knows not how to kill and whereas their bodies fall and never rise again his riseth when it is fallen and is like seed sown which sprouteth up when the time is come If this then be both the order and cause of such an order in this dayes work I must leave the most excellent piece untill the last and begin first to look and observe how the beasts in their severall kindes and daintie squadrons march up and down and walk from out the shop of their Creatour being brought to perfection even as soon as that powerfull word who spoke it did onely say it Let them be It would I confesse require no small volume to discourse of all Howbeit even in a few the glory of their Maker will well appeare and with that thought let us name some by which we may admire the rest And first consider what a strong vast creature the mighty Elephant is known to be There is no creature saith one among all the beasts of the world which hath so great and ample demonstration of the power and wisdome of Almighty God as the Elephant both for proportion of body and disposition of spirit and it is admirable to behold the industrie of our ancient forefathers and noble desire to benefit us their posteritie by searching into the qualities of every beast to discover what benefits or harms may come by them to mankinde having never been afraid of the wildest but they tamed them and the greatest but they also set upon them witnesse this beast of which we now speak being like a living mountain in quantitie and outward appearance yet by them so handled as no little dog could be made more serviceable tame or tractable They are usually bred in the hot eastern countreys for by reason they cannot well endure the cold they delight most in the East and South as in India and some places of Africa And before the dayes of Alexander Magnus there were never any in Europe but when he fought against Porus King of India he became master of many and how bravely they fought at the first for their masters and received many wounds Curtius hath related These Indian Elephants are most commonly nine cubits high and five cubits broad and in Africa they be about eleven foot high and of bignesse proportionable to their height Their colour is for the most part mouse-coloured or black and yet there was once one in Ethiopia all white as Mr. Topsell relateth They have a skinne so hard excepting on their belly that it is a very hard matter and in a manner impossible to pierce it with any sword spear or iron It hath on it very few hairs and is very full of chaps or crevises in which there is such a savour as invites the flies to a continuall feast howbeit they pay deerly for their cheer for although the Elephant cannot make use of his tail to drive them away yet by shrinking of himself close together he incloseth the flies within the chaps and so killeth them He hath a long trunked nose mighty teeth foure whereof be within his mouth serving to grinde his meat and two hang forth as afterwards shall be shewed He hath a tail slender and short and legs of an infinite strength his head is very great so that a mans head may as easily be thrust into it as his finger into the mouth of a dog but yet his eares and eyes are not equivalent to the residue of his other parts for his eares are small and their matter like to the wings of a Bat or Dragon and some bred in some places have no eares at all Their eyes likewise are like the eyes of swine but very red Two of their teeth as I said grow farre out of their mouthes one of which they alwayes keep sharp to revenge injuries and defend themselves and the other is lesse sharp being often used to root up plants and trees for their meat and commonly they grow out to the length of ten feet this is that which we
in the woods of Prussia like unto the common sort of Bulls excepting that they have shorter horns and a long beard under the chinne They be cruell and spare neither man nor beast and when any snares or deceit is prepared and set to take them or if they be wounded with arrows or the like they labour most vehemently to revenge their wounds upon him that gave them which if they cannot do then through madnesse by rushing and stumbling on trees they kill themselves A frantick beast which when he taketh harm And cannot give dies whil'st revenge is warm Such savage beasts there be in humane shape Whose moodie madnesse makes them desperate And 'cause they cannot harm their hurting foe They harm themselves and shew their malice so The Elk cannot live but in a cold countrey as in Russia Prussia Hungaria Illyria Swetia Riga and such like Olaus Magnus hath written much of this beast and so hath Topsell out of Albertus Gesner and others and Plinie describeth it to be a beast much like an Ox excepting for his hair but others call it Equi-Cervus a Horse-Hart because it hath horns like an Hart and is used in some countreys to draw men in coaches and chariots through great snows and over ice They be exceeding swift and strong and will runne more miles in one day then a horse can in three as Topsell mentions in his historie of foure-footed beasts The Buffe hath an head and horns like an Hart the body like a Bull or Cow as also the feet and most commonly the colour of an Asse Howbeit being hunted he is said to change his colour which as some imagine cometh to passe like as in a man whose countenance changeth in time of fear This is that beast of whose skinne men make them Buffe-leather jackets and in Scythia it serveth to make breast-plates of strength able to defend from the sly force of a fierce dart Of Deere there be more kindes then one Amongst those which be termed Fallow-Deere there is the Buck and the Doe the one being the male the other the female And concerning the Red Deere there is the Hart and Hinde the Hart being the he and the Hinde the she Then again there is another sort bearing the names of Roes of which the male is the Roe-buck and the female the Doe These creatures are said to be their own Physicians and as it were not needing the help of man can cure themselves through a secret instinct of nature and the providence of God their maker for by feeding on that precious herb Dictamnum or Dittanie mentioned before in the third dayes work they cure themselves of their cruell wounds and so become whole again and for other ills they have other herbs The males are horned which they cast off once every spring and being disarmed Pollards they use to keep themselves close hidden and go not forth to relief but by night and as they grow bigger and bigger they harden in the sunne they in the mean time making some proof of their strength against hard trees and when they perceive them to be tough and strong enough then they dare boldly go abroad thinking themselves well armed now again Plinie saith they can endure to swim thirty miles endwayes and when they are to passe any great river to go to Rut in some isle or forrest they assemble themselves together in herds and knowing the strongest and best swimmer they put him in the forefront and then he which cometh the second stayeth up his head upon the back of the first and all the rest in like manner even-unto the last but the foremost being weary the second ever takes his place and he goes back unto the hindmost The said authour also witnesseth that the right horn of an Hart is of a soveraigne and precious vertue and as a thing confessed of all the Hart is known to fill up the number of many yeares as was proved by the Harts of Alexander caught about an hundred yeares after his death with rings and collars on them shewing no lesse Being hunted and ready to be taken by the hounds they will for their last refuge fly to houses and places of resort choosing rather to yeeld unto man then dogs They go to Rut about the midst of September and at the end of eight moneths they bring forth young sometimes two calves at once and these they practise to a nimble using of their legs from the very beginning leading them up to high rocks and teaching them to leap runne and fly away as occasion serveth A fit embleme of carefull parents who teach their children whilest their yeares be green instructing them betimes in the right way wherein they ought to walk according to that of Solomon Train up a childe in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. And again in their flying to man when the hounds oppresse them they be fit emblemes of those who fly to that God in the cloudie dayes of dark affliction whom before they sought not after for saith the Lord In their affliction they will seek me early And is it not often seen that Misery can open those eyes which happinesse hath closed and abate that Tympanie which prosperitie hath ingendered Yes verily For as the waters of the sunne which Curtius mentions are cold at noon when the Aire is hottest and hot at midnight when the Aire is coldest so it is with us our zeal is coldest in the sunne-shine of prosperitie but gathers heat when trouble cometh And if trouble cannot do it nothing can Moreover this also is not impertinent I have read of the Hart saith one that he weeps every yeare for the shedding of his head though it be to make room for a better So do I see the worldling go away sorrowfull at this very saying Go sell all that thou hast though it be for treasure in heaven the reason of which is because men do not look at what they are to have but what they are to part with and at any time will be for one bird in the hand rather then five in the bush yet slight it not but mark it well He that consults with his bodie for the saving of his soul will never bring it to heaven neither is it any harm to lose the worse for finding of the better nor any thing in hand too deer for that happinesse which is yet to come No matter therefore though we sow in teares so we may reap in joy for as the difference between time and eternitie is unspeakable so it is also betwixt heaven and earth Also this I likewise finde that when the Hart is taken by the hounds or any other device of the hunters he will then shed forth teares as well as when he casteth his head So should a penitent and a watchfull sinner who is carefull to avoid the wiles of the devil he
obvious to the sight d Fulk e Iste locus vult quâ—…d ventus sensibus deprehendi nequeat certus locus ubi ventus flarâ—… incipias desiâ—…at notari non possit vis enim ejus tantùm sentiatâ—… Havenreut * Psal. 104. 24. a Plin. Lib. 2. cap. 47. b Origan de effect cap. 5. c Ibid. d Lib. 2. cap. 22. The mariners reckon 32 windes f Orig. Ephes. lib. de effect cap. 6. a Windes blowing into the haven and famous citie of Panormus or Palermo in Sâ—…cilie b In a book called a generall description of the world c Origan Ephem de effect cap. 5. Their qualities according as they commonly blow Norths qualitie Souths qualitie Easts qualitie Why the East and North windes sometimes bring rain for a whole day West windes qualitie d Lib. 1. carm od 4. The effects of a long-continuing winde at certain seasons A signe of plague and earthquake a Lib. 2. cap. 48. Typhon * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est verberare 〈◊〉 Prester A conclusion repeating the sum ne of this dayes work a Aeneid lib. 1. Questions concerning the waters which are said to be gathered together Quest. 1. Which sheweth how the waters were gathered together * Ezek. 1. 16. * Job 38. 10. Quest. 2. Shewing how they were gathered to one place * Esay 40. 22. * Dr. Fulk in his Met. lib. 4. saith that some lakes are so great that they bear the names of seas among which he reckoneth this Caspian sea a As Duina major and Duina minor called also Onega Look into the maps of Russia or Moscovia b Viz. the Euxine Baltick and Scythian or Northern seas Quest. 3. Shewing whether the waters be higher then the earth c Herodot in â—…terpe in lib. sequent Plin. lib. 6. cap. 39. * Psal. 104. d Met. lib. 1. cap. 14. e De subtil lib. 3. pag. 123. Quest. 4. Shewing whether there be more water then earth * 2. Esdr. 6. 42. Quest. 5 Shewing upon what the earth is founded * Wisd. 11. 22. * Job 26. 7. Quest 6. Shewing why the sea is salt and rivers fresh i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. de Met. lib. 2. cap. 1. k Lyd. dâ—…â—…ig foâ—… cap. 8 9. l viae under the water The sea made salt by the substance of the ground that is my opinion Of rivers and from whence they proceed Arist. de Met. lib. 1. cap. 13. n Lib. 2. cap. 103. †Aëriall vapours are partly a cause of springs o Goclen Disput. Phys. cap. 39. ex Plat. in Phaed. * Plato did but expresse Moses meaning Gen. 7. 11. in other words How springs come to be fresh seeing the sea is salt p Putei prope mare falsi longiùs minùs procul nihil Ial Scal. exercitat 50. The benefit and use of waters Quest. 7. Wherein is shewed the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the sea q Zanch. Tom. 3. lib. 4 cap. 1. quest â—… thes 1. * Note that this is pertinent to the openest seas as the Atlantick and Southseas and especially between the Tropicks where is a constant Easterly breath caused by the superiour motions which draw together with them not onely the element of fire but of the aire and water also r De placiâ—… â—…los lib. 3. cap. 17. Dr. Fulk 〈◊〉 liâ—… 4. t Antiquarum lecti 〈◊〉 lib. 29. cap. â—… u Iuâ—… Mart. Greg. Naz. Aescâ—…ines orat contra â—…tes L. Valla Dialog de lib. arbitriâ—… c. x Livie saith that it is not seven times a day but â—…emere in modum venti nunc huc nunâ—… ilâ—…c rapitur lib. 8. dec 3. The earth hath no circular motion * Viz. chap. 4. sect 2. and chap. 5. sect 2. Paragraph 1. y Lâ—…sberg 〈◊〉 iâ—… 〈◊〉 terra diâ—…r pag. 7. * Wiâ—…d 11. 22. * Joâ—…h 10. 12 13. Esay 38. 8. z Motus terra is nothing but Germinatio terrâ—… Gen. 1. * Ecclus. 46. 4. * Bish. Hall * Revel 16. 5. This is the most probable cause why the Sea ebbs and flows z Sir Christopher Heydon in his defence of Judiciall Astron. chap. 21. pag. 432. a Idem pag 433. cap 21. Why all seas do not ebbe and flow Why fresh waters do not ebbe and flow Psal. 107. 23 24. Water used in stead of vineger Water used in stead of burnt wine Water which makes men drunk A water which is deadly to beasts but not to men A purging killing water A water which makes horses mad A cold burning water A water which will both rosâ—… and bake A river which breedeth flies A water which maketh oxen white Water which maketh sheep black or white Water which makes them red b Plin. lib. 31. cap 2. See also 〈◊〉 2 cap. 103. A water like to the former A water cold in the day and hot in the â—…ight A water turning wood into stone A river which rests every seventh day c In his 3 day A strange well in Idâ—…mea Poysoning waters d Plutarch See also Just. lib. 12. and Curt. lib. 10. A water which makes cattell give black milk Poysoning waters Water which makes men mâ—…d A water that spoils the memorie A water which procureth lust A water which causeth barren nesse and another which causeth the teeth to fall c. e For this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 where 〈◊〉 you may 〈◊〉 of â—…nother that sharpeâ—…eth the senses Fountains of oyl Waters of a strange temper Of the fountain Dodone Waters which work miracles * In which he was deceived it was rather to trie their strength and make them hardie as Verstegan well declareth Restitâ—… cap. 2. pag. 45. f Dâ—… 〈◊〉 cap. 51 52. g Dâ—… 〈◊〉 3 day We ought to make the best uses of the strangest things i Hâ—…iditas non est â—…stimanda ex irrigatione sed ex propria deâ—…nitione quod scilic et difficulter alieno termino clâ—…uditur Iam videâ—…us â—…quam includi faciliùs certis limitibus quà m aâ—…rem ergo c. Quod autem aqua magis â—…ectat id fit propter crassiorem substantiam Cùm eâ—…im humiditas aqua in denâ—…ore materia hâ—…reat ideo est magìs unita proinde efficacioâ—… ad humectandâ—…m Aeris verò humiâ—…tas tam crâ—…ssam substantiam siâ—…ut â—…qua non habet propâ—…erea tantum madorem corporibus 〈◊〉 â—…equit quod quandoque exiccâ—…re videatur id non est per se sed per accidens 〈◊〉 per exhalationes c. k Efficiens est calor solis simul ignis subterraneus quibus suppeditant tres superiores planetae l Causa materialis est spiritus seu vapor in terrae visceribus conclusus exire contendens m Forma est ipsa concussio terrae agitatio exhalationum terrae inclusatum The cause of earthquakes n Origaâ—… de effect cap. 9. ex Holy c. The kindes of earthquakes n Plâ—…t 〈◊〉 Tiâ—… A digression touching the new found world The attendants of an earthquake Signes of an earthquake Effects of earthquakes p
starres which like glittering saphires or golden spangles in a well wrought canopie do shew the admired work of the worlds brave palace And seeing this was not done before the sprouting of the earth it may well be granted that they are but foolish naturalists who will presume to binde Gods mighty hand in natures bands and tie him so to second causes as if he were no free or voluntarie agent but must be alwayes bound to work by means And again the Text declareth that the sun moon and starres were all unmade before this present day and yet it saith there was light before But it was then a dispersed shining and now united to these bright lamps of heaven that that riding and they running like fierie chariots might not onely rule the day and night but also distinguish the better and more harmoniously the dayes from nights seasons weeks moneths and yeares and not onely so but be also for signes of something else Also God made them saith the Text. See then the folly of those who make them gods and vainly do adore them For let it be observed that although the sunne and moon be called the greatest lights yet if they be worshipped they are abused to the greatest darknesse and they that deifie them may damnifie themselves by being as blinde as the heathen Gentiles and as superstitiously addicted as some of old amongst the Jews whose answer to the Prophet Jeremie was that they would not do according to his teaching but follow rather the desperate bent of their own bows in worshipping the moon as Queen of heaven As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth cut of our own mouth to burn incense to the Queen of heaven and to poure out drink-offerings unto her as we have done we and our fathers our kings and our princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Of which they give this reason For then say they we had plentie of victuals and were well and saw no evil Jer. 44. 16 17. By which last words it well appeareth that it was fear as much as any thing else which made them thus advance this practise And truely fear is an effect proceeding from the nature of superstition and so farre prevailing that it will there make gods where it doubteth most of danger as the Egyptians did in making fortune a goddesse For they kept an annuall feast in honour of her deitie giving thanks for the yeare which was past and earnestly imploring her favour for the yeare to come It was Pluâ—…archs observation that the superstitious alwayes think the gods readie to do hurt By means whereof he accounteth them in worse case then malefactours or fugitives who if they once recover the Altar are there secured from fear where neverthelesse the superstitious are in greatest thraldome And from hence arose that ancient saying Primus in orbe deos fecit timor And hence it also was that the heathen in institution of their sacrifices did offer as well to all their gods that they should not hurt them as for any help they expected from them An example whereof we have again among the poore silly Indians who sacrifice their children unto the devil at this very day because they be mainly afraid of him And of old as it is storied we have the example of Alexander Magnus who sacrificed to the sunne moon and earth that thereby he might divert the evil luck which as he feared was portended by an Eclipse but a little before And the Jews did not onely burn incense to the Queen of heaven but offer up cakes unto her also as in Jer. 7. 18. From which kinde of idolatrie Job did thus acquit himself saying If I have beheld the sunne when it shined or the moon when it walked in brightnesse or if my heart hath secretly enticed my mouth to kisse my hand unto it or by way of worshipping it then this were iniquitie that ought to be punished chap. 31. verse 26. It ought indeed to be punished because God Almightie had forbidden it as in Deut. 4. 19. Beware lest thou lift up thine eyes to heaven and when thou seest the sunne and the moon and the starres even all the host of heaven shouldest be driven to worship and serve them which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven And in Jerem. chap. 10. vers 2. Learn not the way of the heathen and be not dismaid at the signes of heaven for the heathen are dismaid at them Which is as if it should be said The way of the heathen is to worship their gods with a servile fear and attribute divine honour to the creature But you which are my people do not you so for God willeth not that the works of his hands should be worshipped Or thus He there teacheth them to have their trust so firmly fixed on him that what disaster soever the heavens in the course of nature should threaten unto them they ought not to fear it For Astra regunt homines sed Deus astra regit And again Moses in the text calls the sunne and moon two great lights the greatest of which even the sunne it self seemeth to our eyes but little and yet by rules of art is found farre greater then the earth that thereby we may learn not to trust our senses too much in heavenly things Last of all let me prevent a question The moon is lesse then any starre For Tycho makes Mercury but 19 times lesse then the earth whereas the moon is lesse by 42 times how then can the moon be called a great light seeing her bodie is no bigger Take this answer The sunne and moon are called great lights partly from their nature effects because they give more light then other starres The sunne appeareth alone in the day not because he is alone but because through his exceeding brightnesse the other starres cannot be seen The moon also in her brightnesse obscureth many starres and being more beautifull then any other hath worthily the chief preheminence in ruling the night as the Scripture speaketh Or thus They be called great lights say some according to the custome of the Scripture speaking according to the capacitie of the simple for in outward appearance they are the greatest And yet as great as the greatest is if one should go about to perswade the vulgar that the earth is of a farre lesse circuit they would scarce beleeve it making the sunne of the bignesse of some wheel and the moon as much in compasse as the breadth of a bushel howbeit S. Ambrose gives sensible and apparent reasons of greatnesse in the sunne and moon even by daily experience For first they appeare of like quantitie to all the world whereas herds of cattel being espied farre off seem as ants and a ship discerned farre in
to be the dweller in that house built out of clay and reared from the dust And in this last piece God stampt his image for it consisted not in the figure of the bodie any otherwise then as the organe of the soul and in that regard being a weapon with it unto righteousnesse it had some shadow thereof For to put all out of doubt the Apostle sheweth how we are to understand the image of God in man in one place speaking thus Which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes. 4. 24. And in another place Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him Coloss. 3. 10. By which it appeareth that this image consisteth not so much in any resemblance between the substance of the soul and the essence of God though both be immortall nor yet in the naturall faculties thereof as of understanding will and memorie taken as emblemes of the Trinitie but in the knowledge and illumination holinesse and justice of the soul which are now wrought in man by grace and then were given by creation For that image is now lost and cannot be had till it be renewed but the substance of the reasonable soul with the naturall faculties and powers thereof are not lost therefore therein is not expressed this image according to which mankinde was made Mankinde and not man alone for Moses addeth that male and female created he them to shew that woman as well as man was partaker of the same image the last that had it and yet the first that lost it for though she were the last in creation yet the first in transgression as the Scripture speaketh But perhaps you will think the Apostle denieth this saying The man is the image and glorie of God but the woman is the glorie of the man In which it must be considered that the Apostle denieth not the woman as she is a creature to be made in the image of God but speaking as she is a wife and considering of them by themselves he then is more honourable and must have the preeminence in which the woman is rightly called the glorie of the man because she was made for him and put in subjection to him A womans rule should be in such a fashion Onely to guide her houshold and her passion And her obedience never's out of season So long as either husband lasts or reason Ill thrives the haplesse familie that shows A cock that 's silent and a hen that crows I know not which live more unnaturall lives Obeying husbands or commanding wives But to come more nearely to the creation of Woman she was made whilest Adam slept For when he had named the beasts according to their natures he was cast into a sleep and that God might finde a help meet for him he takes a help out of him performing it rather sleeping then waking that neither Adams sight might be offended in seeing his side to be opened and a rib taken forth nor yet his sense of feeling oppressed with the grief thereof and therefore it is said God caused not a sleep but an heavie sleep to fall upon man and he slept Which in a mystery signified that deadly sleep of the second Adam upon the crosse whose stripes were our healing and building up again whose death was our life and out of whose bleeding side was by a divine dispensation framed his Spouse the Church It was then from the side of Man that Woman came builded up out of a rib taken from thence not made out of any part of his head which if we seek the meaning in a mystery shews that she must not overtop or rule her husband nor yet made out of any part of his foot to shew that man may not use her as he pleaseth not trample or contemne her but made out of a rib taken from his side and neare his heart that thereby he might remember to nourish love and cherish her and use her like bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh And being thus made she is married to Adam by God himself who brought her unto him to shew saith one the sacred authoritie of marriage and of parents in marriage a mutuall consent and gratulation followeth likewise between the parties lest any one should tyrannically abuse his fatherly power and force a marriage without either love or liking And thus are two made one flesh in regard of one originall equall right mutuall consent and bodily conjunction Flesh of his flesh and bone made of his bone He framed woman making two of one But broke in two he did a new ordain That these same two should be made one again Till singling death this sacred knot undoe And part this new-made one once more in two Yea since of rib first framed was a wife Let ribs be Hi'roglyphicks of their life Ribs coast the heart and guard it round about And like a trustie watch keep danger out So tender wives should loyally impart Their watchfull care to fence their spouses heart All members else from out their places rove But ribs are firmly fixt and seldome move Women like ribs must keep their wonted home And not like Dinah that was ravisht rome If ribs be over-bent or handled rough They break if let alone they bend enough Women must unconstrain'd be pliant still And gently bending to their husbands will The sacred Academy of mans life Is holy Wedlock in a happy wife And last of all being thus made and married they are blessed with the 〈◊〉 of increase and multiplication in their own kinde A glorious pair and a goodly couple sure they were having neither fault to hide nor shame and yet not so much glorious in the ornaments of beautie which made them each to other amiable as in the majestie and soveraigne power ingrafted in them to cause the creatures with an awfull fear and respective dread come gently to them submitting like subjects to their King Or as one speaketh Him he made The sov'raigne Lord of all him all obey'd Yeelding their lives as tribute to their King Both fish and bird and beast and every thing Naked these couple were but not ashamed and yet not impudent or shamelesse creatures for shame is the fruit of sinne and therefore before sinne entred this nakednesse of their bodies shewed the nakednesse and simplicitie of their mindes All which continued till the sly envies of subtill Sathan buzzed in their eares a cunningly deceiving note and tainted their eyes with curiositie For the fairnesse of the apple helpt to hatch the foulnesse of the fault gave longing to the palate and action to the hand to reach and convey it to the curious taste and yet the taste could not then discern how death and it went down together And certainly if this fell not out or happened in the evening end or cool of this day it was soon after as in the second chapter of
this book I have declared Wherefore I will now conclude and concluding say God saw the works which he had made And good he found them all If therefore now they faint or fade 'T is 'cause Man caught a fall For ev'ry creature groneth deep A change they wish to see They travail seek they want and weep Till sonnes of God be free For then they likewise freedome have No longer kept in pain Come therefore quickly Lord we crave Renew this world again And in its kinde it being free 'T will praise thy name as well as we FINIS SOLI DEO GLORIA A Table of the principall and most remarkable matters contained in this book ABraham he had skill in the signes of heaven and taught the same to the Egyptians 347 The second age of the world was from the floud to Abraham 16 Achates the Eagles stone 295 Adam he fell soon after his creation 36 37 Adamant or Diamond the most precious of all stones and how to soften it 292 Adder and his properties 490 Adulterie An embleme against it by an example taken from the Sargon 381. Adulterous men like to the Cuckoe 406 Aeschynomen a strange kinde of herb 273 Affliction opens the eyes of securitie 480. One patient in trouble like to the stone Amiantus 299. False friends flie away in affliction 293. 405. Affliction ought to be taken patiently by an embleme from the Camel 444 Ages of the world 15. There be six ages but not of equall thousands 16 Agnus castus and the properties 274 Aire From the earth to the highest Firmament nothing but aire 116. See more in the word Regions Alabaster 291 Alborach a beast frequent in Turkie on which they fable Mahomet was carried into heaven 457 Alexander deceived by Apes 472 Alpine-mouse and the strange properties of it 468 Alume and the severall kindes thereof 304 Amber 303 304. Amber-greese 368 America A conjecture how America came at the first to be unknown 233 Amethyst a stone of power to resist drunkennesse 294 Amiantus a stone which the fire cannot hurt 299 Amphisbena a serpent with two heads 489 Ampelite a black pitchie earth of the same nature with our coals 301 Amphitane a stone of neare nature to the load-stone 298 Anacrampseros an herb causing love 272. Sowbread is of the same qualitie ibid. Androdamas is a stone stopping anger and furie 299 Angels when they were created 53. How Manna is said to be Angels food 157. The oath of the 7th Angel in the Revelation 27 Angelica and the vertues thereof 261 Anger restrained by the Sardius 295. as also by the Androdamas 299 Antiperistasis what it is 92 Apes and their kindes 471 Arbore de Rais or the tree of roots growing in India and called the Indian fig-tree 280 Arbore triste or the sad tree 281 Arguments to prove that the world began and must also end 2 3 Arions storie how to be credited 379 Aristotle 1. he drowned himself in Euripus 210 Armadill an Indian beast 457 Arsmart or Water-pepper 259 Arsnick rightly described and the kindes thereof 300 Artichoke 264 Asbestos a strange stone which being once fired cannot be quenched 298 Asp 492 Asphaltus or black Bitumen 302 Asterite a stone bearing in it the image of the sunne 294 Astrologers many times too busie 10. bold and wicked 351 352 sequent Atheists kick against the pricks 4 Atlantick island was once and had kings raigning in it but now it is a sea 233 Autumne described 356. The world was made in Autumne 32 41 42 43 c. B BAck Good against strains in the back 268 Badger 482 Balaena a kinde of whale Their love to their young with an instruction from thence 368 Barble a warie fish 383 Barnacles or Geese which grow upon a tree 282 Barrennesse Good against barrennesse 262 Bartas a divine Poet 4. His opinion of the worlds end 9. His description of the worlds ages 17. His opinion of the worlds beginning 4. His opinion of the Chaos 49. His opinion of the waters above the heavens 63 64. His opinion of the Regions 85. His opinion of wheat rained 147. His opinion of strange waters 227. His commendation of the vertues of herbs 267. His opinion opposite to those who make the starres living creatures 322 Basil and the vertues thereof 244 Basilisk or Cockatrice 486 Bat 404 Baum or Balm 245. It is good to close wounds 246. Bees are much delighted with Baum ibid. Beam a burning Meteor 90 Beams or streams seeming to burn 133 Beard Good to make the beard grow 254 Bear 475. A storie of a man saved by a Bear ibid. Bears love hony 476 Beasts Brute beasts not to be renewed in the end of the world 6 Beaver and his properties 452 Beautie The beautie of the heavenly bodies after the world is purged by fire 7 Bees 420. They lose their life with their sting ibid. Difference of bees ibid. Their king and common-weal 421. They never breathe ibid. The female bee supposed to be the drone 422. Their order of going to rest and work ibid. Their physick 423. The manner of their swarming ibid. How to keep them from stinging 244. See more in Thyme and Baum. Good against their stinging 425 Beggars How cunning beggars use to blister their arms and legs 260 Bellie The bellie destroyeth many by an embleme taken from the mouse 467 Bermuda-birds and their properties 418 Betonie and the sundry vertues thereof 266 Birds of Paradise 418 Bitumen and the kindes 302 Black-bird 402 Blasting Dew 158 Bleeding A bleeding herb 272 For bleeding at the nose 255 Bloud Times when it rained bloud together with the cause 149 Bloud-stone or the Haematite 297 Spitting of bloud and how to help it 247. 303 Boas and the properties 488 Bodie Our bodies follow the temper of the aire 104. 341. The parts of the bodie 497 498 499 Boldnesse We must not be too bold in things above our reach 9 Bole-armoniack what it is and what it is good for 300 Bombyx or the Silk-worm 425 Borage 245 Boy A storie of a Boy and a Dolphin 380 Brain Things good for the brain 247. A Scorpion bred in the brain 244. The animall spirits go from the brain 497 Brasse and Copper 288 Bream 388 Breath Good against a stinking breath 250 Brionie and the properties 256 Brown Umber 301 Bruises Good against bruises 269 Bubo or the great Owl 402. He is thought to be an ominous bird 403 Buffe and his properties 478 Bugill and Byson described 477 Buglosse See Borage Bulls and their natures 477 478 Burstnings good against them in children 260. Good against them in old folks 269 Butterwort and the properties thereof 252 C CAjetane confuted together with Bellarmine concerning Noahs Floud 75 Calamarie being a fish called the Sea-clerk 384 Calcedon is a stone which expelleth sadnesse 294 Callicia an herb turning water into ice 272 Camel 443. The Horse the Camel great enemies 444. Stuffes made of Camels hair ibid. The Cameleopard 445 Cantharus