friendly phrase anâ— I will shew thee things that must be hereafter Freinds unbosome secrets one to another These secrets of the Lord are with them that feare him By thus conversing with these Revelations we come to be immediatly in the Spirit Rev. 4. 2. It s a blessed preservative against the infection of sin Our mindes are apt to wantoâ—nesse and giddinesse Oh! but how doth the consideration of Jesus Christ set forth in his seven eyes and seven hornes Rev. 5. 4. his providence and his power cut off this wanton giddinesse It s a great evil to backslide in heart Oh! but eying these promises keeps the minde intent on God the minde thus set sweetly invoaks the heart and holds it to a re-ingagement of better behaviour Formality is one of the great evils that besets us which is when we act on low grounds common custome and example and with low spirits Let these promises dwell richly in you and you will be higher We are never worse then when we are earthly-minded now nothing is so proper to work off that as to be moulded by these Gospel-prophesies and promises This is a way to advance your life of faith and love God opens his bosome secrets in dearest love in these promises and this is mighty to cause a rebound of love in your souls He gives you great and precious promises and your faith receives them Oh then let your faith work by love and love by faith and both be fixed on this blessed object of God in his promises To live by faith is to have faith acted in our present lives and that according to the promises of the present age To love is actually to close with God as the cheife and most sutable good and this he appears to be in his promises Behold here a proper course to Conquer difficulties and discouragements The best of Saints have their ebbings and damps their heart-divisions and heart-contractions Turne oh turne to the promises and then it will be full Sea with you the light and heat there will easily expel your dumps and damps and at once unite and enlarge you I am sure you would be watchful and dutiful and I am sure also that this trading with promises will keep you waking and working Shall I minde you how apt you are to nod to grow secure and carelesse and is it not from hence that you forget the promises of this latter age did you weight them well you would finde how much work lyeth on you and lyeth undone It s a good thing to give thanks to praise is pleasant and comely and doth there not lie a sweet hidden vertue in Gospel-promises to promote this work The Revelations of these latter times by the Prophet John how is it interwoven with Saints praises with Church-praises Rev. 4. 8 9 10 11. Thou art worthy to receive glory and honour Rev. 7. 12. Blessing Glory and Wisdome and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God for ever and ever Rev. 11. 17. We give thanks to thee Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Rev. 15. 3 4. They sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes O thou King of Saints who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name Rev. 16. 5. Thou art righteous O Lord who art and wast and shall be because thou hast thus judged Rev. 19. 1. Alleluja Salvation Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgements To conclude then you must be a praysing people as well as a praying people converse more with God in his promises and you cannot but be praysing of him CHAP. V. Sheweth that Christ being about to performe his promises causeth alterations in the Natural bodies of Heaven and Earth which is thus demonstrated FIrst Christ hath given a being and constant course to Heaven and Earth 2. He maintains that being 3. The creatures thus made are at his beck 4. It s his pleasure that sometime they should step aside from their ordinary constant course 5. Christ governs this turning aside 6. These Turns carry with them the nature of Signes Four Reasons added and Uses I will shake the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and the dry Land These words according as was laid down in Chapter three being taken Grammatically and properly they afford this observation That When Christ is about to performe his prophetical promises he causeth alteration in the bodies and natural courses of Heaven Earth Sea and dry Land Heaven and Earth in their prime and litteral signification hold out that great frame that God in the beginning formed out of nothing Now in this great Fabricke are the alterations we speak of I should not have pitched on this observation but that I finde the holy Ghost in all the eminent turns to make some impression and mention this way It was a great turne reduced all the world to eight persons but then you know the windows of Heaven were opened and the fountains of the great deep broken up and the raine was upon the Earth Gen. 7. 12 13. To turne Israel out of Egyptian bondage was a great turne and then the Red Sea must be dryed up Exod. 14. 16. At the giving of the Law Exod. 20. 8. there are thundrings and lightnings and the voyce of a Trumpet and the mountain smoaking Israels preservation in the Wildernesse was a whole continued series of Turnes and then we read of a Pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire Num. 14. 14. they had water out of the Rocke followed them 1 Cor. 10. 4. and Mannah rained down Exod. 16. 35. So in the New Testament at the birth of Christ there is a Star which is callep His his Star in the East Mat. 2. 2. At the death of Christ Mat. 27. 51. The earth quakes and rocks rend and the graves were opened At the sending of the Spirit Acts 2. 2. suddainly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty winde and Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed the place was shaken When Paul and Sylas must be delivered out of prison Acts 16. 26. suddainly there was a great Earthquake Now to cleare this observe 1. Jesus Christ hath given a being and a constant course of operation to Heaven and Earth Sea and dry Land John 1. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Prov. 30. 4. He ascends up to Heaven and descends he gathereth the winde in his fist he binds the waters in a garment and establisheth all the ends of the Earth Psal 104. 2. He covers himselfe with light and layes the beames of his chambers in the waters He maketh clouds hit Chariots and rides on the wings of the winde Psal 19. 4 5.
He sets a Tabernacle for the Sun and gives it a race to run 2. Jesus Christ doth not onely give them a being but also maintains what he hath given gives them a constant course and maintains them in it as men and Saints have their constant work to do so likewise have other creatures and Christ upholds them and their course too Psal 75. 3. I beare up the pillars of the earth Heb. 1. 2 3. By him are the world 's made and he upholds all things by the word of his power Jer. 31. 35. He gives the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Mâ—on and Stars for a light by night divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roare and to shew their constancy of operation Jer. 33. 20. there is mention made of the Covenant of the day and the Covenant of the night which none can break 3. These things thus made and maintained by him are at his beck He made three dayes together without a Sun Gen. 1. by reflecting the element of fire downward as some say and made the nights by reversing it upward Psal 136. 6. Whatsoever he pleased that did he in heaven earth in the sea in the deep places Heaven and Earth Sea and deeps are all at his pleasure V. 7. He maketh the vapour to ascend and lightnings for the raine he bringeth the winde out of his Treasuries Psal 147. 15. He sends his command forth his word runneth very swiftly His word his command is enough to make all run as he made all by his word so by his word and will he governs all Math. 8. 27. He rebukes the winde and the Sea and they obey him His rebuke and the creatures obedience fall in together 4. It s his pleasure sometime that they should step aside from their ordinary course The ordinary course of the Sun is to be running of his race But Josh 10. 12. Sun stand thou still in Gibeon and thou Moon in the vally of Ajalon The ordinary course is for the heavens to give down raine but in Ahabs time 1 Kings 17. 1 there was neither dew nor raine The ordinary course for the earth it is to bring forth corne and grasse for the food of man and beast but in Joseph's time Gen. 41. 54. The dearth was in all Lands 5. That Jesus governs them in all these turnings aside that is he acts them and orders them to his ends and interests and so there is a sweet harmony in their excentrical motion When the Sun stood still in Joshua's time it was that Israel might be avenged of the Amorites their enemies The dearth was in all Lands that so Joseph might be exalted and Israel provided for It raines or raines not that God might be honoured in the word of his Prophet Elijah the Tishbite When God takes away the power of burning from the fire it was that his servants the companions of Daniel should not be consumed but walke in the midst of the fire and have no hurt Dan. 3. 25. God will not onely shew his goodnesse to his people by the ordinary and common course of creatures but sometime he makes them step aside out of their common course to answer their prayers and help them in their streights and Now in our dayes though he workes not miracles he works wonderful things Miranda though not Micacula Though he worke not against the course of the creatures nature yet he alters it so that it gives us cause to wonder yea and withal in this way he brings vengeance on his and his peoples enemies It 's light in Goshen when darknesse is on all the Land of Egypt Isa 24. 20. The Earth reels too and fro like a Drunkard and shall be removed like a Cottage The transgression thereof shall fall heavy upon it and it shall fall and not rise again 6. That these Turnes in Heaven and Earth thus ordered by Christ carry with them the nature of signes Luke 21. 21. There shall be Signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars and upon the earth distresse of Nations and perplexity the Sea and the waves roaring Acts 2. 19 I will shew wonders in heaven above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the earth beneath blood and fire and vapour of smoak A Signe is that which besides it selfe introduceth some other thing into the understanding as when you see smoak your understanding doth not terminate in the smoak but riseth higher to think of some fire that causeth that smoak So when you see these strange postures in these natural bodies your minde resteth not barely in the contemplation of them but your understanding looks on them as fore-runners of other things that shall follow after Now among signes some are Rememorative Demonstrative Prognostical Practical Rememorative signes are such which call to minde things past and so refresh the memory the Bow in the clouds tells us God did destroy the world by water though he will do so no more Demonstrative signes are such which declare a thing present as smoak is a signe of present fire fire then burning Prognostical signes are such as foretel in general things to come Thus God may and sometime doth by these changes in these natural great bodies signifie and foretel that there shall be great turns and changes in the great bodies Politique of Kingdomes and Common-wealths but what these particular turnes shall be and the several issues of them the signes in heaven and earth cannot foretel for they are not practical signes Practical signes are such as in their nature cause and produce those things whereof they are signes but such signes the heavens and earth are not they do not in their nature cause the turnes of Nations nor are the turnes of Nations their effects Now whether this position do contribute any favourable aspect to judicial Astrologie that we shall shew in the Appendix joyned to this Treatise and passe it by now onely resolve this Question Why doth Christ when he intends great turnes in States make such changes in Heaven and Earth I answer in four Reasons This is the beginning of Christ his taking to himselfe his great power Rev. 11. 17. Christ hath all power on earth as well as in heaven he is sovereigne Lord of all creatures as well as King of Saints Col. 1. He is the First borne of every creature as well as head of the Church and therefore he doth thus manifest himselfe There be many fore-runners before the King comes reckon these among the least and lowest of Christs servants yet surely what knees they have they bend to him They are ready with their motion and conjunctions to honour him and in their language to tell you of his transcendent glory that is following They are obedient and step aside out of their ordinary way to let you know of their Lords drawing nigh Christ could
and that which is perfect receives not a change into a worse condition So then though we ascribe a change to Angels we make not their condition worse They â—ave a stable being and so continue in their wisdome strength and happinesse buâ— yet are liable to change in regard of their ministration which may be applyed unto diverse things Angeli sunt mutabiles quoad applicationem virtuâ—um ad diversa Aquin. when that virtuous efficacious power which is in Angels is applyed to things that are diverse one from another and such things as have some opposition one against another in their nature the Angels themselves are said to be changed because there is a change in the object about which their power is conversant the object not being the same now that formerly as for example It is a cleare truth they were alway ministring spirits for the good of those who be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. But it hath been the condition of these heires to differ little from servants to be here lost afflicted persecuted forsaken and in these cases in this their low condition Angels have served for their good but surely their heavenly Father intends his sonnes and heires a better portion a portion better then that of affliction and tribulation and that not in heaven onely but somewhat better upon earth when as it is Rev. 21. 1 2. The holy City the New Jerusalem shall be coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband when the Tabernacle of God shall be with men and he shall be amongst them then Joy Peace Truâ—h and Glory shall be unto them Now while Angels are ministring to these heires these Saints thus changed in their condition May not the ministration and Angels in regard of it be said to be changed Mutatio convenit Angelis in quantum â—de novo applicantur ad aliquod ministerium change agreeth to Angels so far forth as they are applyed to some ministration anew It 's no derogation to good and holy Angels to attribute to them such a change as a new ministration inferrs When as the witnesses prophesied in sackcloth all the time of Antichrist his 1260 dayes and were slaine I question not but the Angels were in all those dayes ministring spirits for the good of these prophesying dying witnesses but when these witnesses shall have a resurrection and ascention and glory The spirit of life from God enters into them Rev. 11. 11. They ascend up to heaven in a cloud v. 12. Now I doe as little question but the Angels were ministring spirits for their good but being there was so vast a distance of the condition of these witnesses and so great a change as from death to life from slaughter to glory from earth to heaven pardon me if I conceive the Angels in this their administration to be shaken and changed I shall say no more of this but give you my farther thoughts in this following Observation Jesus Christ in the great Turning Providences of the latter Age employes the ministration of Angels It was so of Old when Israel was delivered out of Egypt Exod. 23. 20. Behold I will send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way The giving of the Law was an eminent turne but that was ordained by Angels Gal. 5. 19. In the time of the Judges an Angel appeares to Gideon Judg. 6. 12. And again to Manoah Judg. 13. 2. About Ahabs time when Israel were become Idolatrous and Ahaziah fel sicke 2 Kings 1. 3. The Angel of the Lord spake to Elijah After the Captivity when the Temple was to be built Zacharies prophesies are full of the apparitions of Angels Zach. 1. 8. How great was the turne when Christ was to be borne and then Luke 1. 28. An Angel salutes Mary and it was no small turne when he came to suffer and then you finde Angels ministring In the prophesies of the time after Christ all the Visions are by Angels when the Easterne and Westerne Empires are destroyed Rev. 8. 7 8. and 9. 11. The Angels sound the Trumpets When the last plagues are to befal the Romish Antichrist the Angels pour out the Vials and when the Bride the Lambs Wife is to be seen then an Angel must shew it Rev. 21. 9. Now to cleare this observe 1. Jesus Christ God-man is head of Angels Col. 1. 16. They were all made by him and for him and so they are called Michael's Angels Rev. 12. 7. they are to serve and worship him Heb. 1. 6. being all made subject to him 1 Pet. 3. 22. They are his host and he orders and commands them Gen. 22. 1 2. Christ is the second Adam from heaven heavenly and his host must be like himselfe an heavenly host Luke 2. 13. A multitude of the heavenly host were praysing God Christ hath the great interest in Angels they are first for him and then for us Angeli non sunt facti propter hominem principaliter faith Aquinas Angels are not made for man principally They are indeed made for us but more for Christ for us subordinatly for Christ principally who must be â—iâ—st served When he was in his state of abasement he said he could pray to the Father and he would send him more then twelve Legions of Angels and hereafter when he shall come forth in state thousand thousands shall minister unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before him when he shall be revealed from heaven with the Angels of his power 2 Thess 1. 7. Mark the power that Angels have it s his power and they being so great a body he must have preeminence above them Angels are to serve Christ not in his person alone but in his Saints his members also Heb. 1. 14. They are spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immaterial substances and ministering spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serving in a publicke way sent forth as the Apostles were sent forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an immediate Commission from Christ To minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be heavenly Deacons for their sakes who shall be heirs of salvation Psal 91. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee which is extendible to the Members of Christ as well as to Christ himselfe Angels have charge of them from and under him Psal 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them When Jacob is on his way the Angels of God met him Gen. 32. 1. When Daniel is in the Lyons Den God sends his Angel to shut the Lyons mouths Dan. 6. 12. When Peter is in prison an Angel delivers him Acts 12. 8. and though Lazarus dye a beggar yet shall he be carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. Angels are to serve Christ and his Saints in the destruction of their enemies 2 Kings 19. 35. That night the Angel smote in the Campe of the Assyrians 185000. And
Kingdome is spiritual Rom. 14. 17 Not in meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Princes may beare rule over mens persons and estates but Jesus Christ over mens consciences He imprints his Law upon them and gives them power to reflect both on that Law and their own wayes by it he accuseth or excuseth lets terrour or peace into the conscience as seemeth good to him His Commands and Promises carry a blessed spiritualnesse with them and so do his Rewards When you serve him it must be in spirit and truth when you pray it must be in the spirit Jude v. 20. and when you heare it must be what the spirit sayeth to the Churches Rev. 3. 6. If you take on you to preach it must not be with the entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and with power Col. 2. 4. and if you sing it must be spiritual Songs making melody with grace in the heart to the Lord Col. 3 16. In a word you are as lively stones built up a spiritual house an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. and verse 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercyes of God that ye present your bodies a lively Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. 2. His Kingdome is Vniversal over all Saints in all places and ages He is yesterday and to day and the same for ever he ruled Israel of old and he rules his people now his administration was unto them outward and visible and shall it not be so again in the latter dayes Amos 2. 9 10 11. I destroyed the Amorite before them I brought them up from the land of Egypt and led them forty years through the Wildernesse to possesse the land of the Amorits and I raised up of your sons for Prophets and of your young men for Nazarites saith the Lord. He brought up he led he destroyed he raised he did all then and will do all hereafter Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ not now one Kingdome or Nation as then not this or that Kingdome and no more but the Kingdomes of the world are become his he shall not alwayes be crouded into a corner of the world but as it is v. 1. 7. He shall take unto himselfe his great power and reigne and reward his servants the Prophets and the Saints that feare his Name both small and great here and there and everywhere 3. Thy Throne oh God is for ever and ever Heb. 1. 8. the heavens perish and waxe old as a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not faile His Kingdome then is Eternal Dan. 2. 44. The God of heaven hath set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever It shall not be destroyed by any adverse power nor shall it decay of it selfe but it shall break all adverse power and it shall stand for ever and as it is an eternal Kingdome so it determineth men to an eternal state Rev. 1. 18. I live for evermore Amen and have the keyes of Hell and Death wherefore Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Math. 10. 28. 4. Lastly his Kingdome brings in perfect peace and liberty Isa 9. 6. He is the everlasting father and Prince of peace Isa 24. 23. The Lord shall reigne in mount Sion and in Jerusalem before the Ancients gloriously not onely reigne in heaven but in Sion and that gloriously Isa 25. 8. He shall swallow up Death in Victory and the Lord will wipe away teares from all faces and the rebuke of the people shall he take away from all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Death teares rebuke shall be taken away what safety and hapinesse must then follow Isa 52. 13. Behold my servant shall dwell confidently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high Isa 60. 19. 20. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neiiher shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away 3. The third and last thing that we learne from hence that Christ is King of Saints is the excellency of his Subjects and the glory of his holy ones 1. Christ is King and the holy One of God and his Saints shall be more Saints shall appear to be his holy ones Sanctity shall be more exalted in them then ever yet our eyes have seen Joel 3. 17. Then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no strangers passe thorow her any more Zach. 14. 20. In that day shall there be upon the bels of the horses Holinesse to the Lord yea every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holinesse to the Lord of Hosts and there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts 2. They shall live in safety Isa 60. 18. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise Joel 2. 18. In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the feild and with the fowles of heaven and I will breake the Bow and the Battel ouâ— of the earth and will make them to lie down safely 3. Saints enemies shall be brought to ruine Zach. 10. 11. The pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart away It is usual to expresse the enemies of the Church by the names of the old grand enemies Assyria and Egypt and you see what shall become of them they shall be brought down and depart away Isa 14. 2. The house of Israel shall possesse strangers in the land of the Lord for servants and for handmaids and they shall take them captive whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors Rev. 20. 7 8 9. Satan shall goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel But fire shall come down from God out of heaven and
a spiritual instinct and inward inclination so as not to be satisfied without you taste the sweetnesse of it desire it in the sincerity of it and with the sincerity of desire that ye may grow thereby Accretio est mutatio minoris quantitatis in majorem usque ad terminum praefinitum a naturâ Growth is the change of a lesse quantity and degree of grace into a greater when you passe from your little knowledge faith and love to a greater measure then you grow God hath given his word for to strengthen as well as to beget us and the sincere word is the word that makes you grow and that word for that end should have our strong first born desires The noble Bereans Acts 17. 11. received the word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And it will be no lesse noblenesse in you to receive and search to receive with readinesse and retaine with gladnesse the word of truth This will argue the honesty and goodnesse of your hearts Luk. 8. 15. thus to heare and keep and bring â—orth fruit with patience You must like Mary ponder Christs sayings in your hearts giving more earnest heed to the things which you have heard lest at any time you should let them slip Heb. 2. 1. Coming to the Lords Table you must examine your selves and so eate of that bread and drink of that cup which is no lesse th en the Communion of the body and blood of the Lord and thus judging your selves you are discerning the Lords body and are not condemned with the world you being thus entertained in Christs bosome as guests at his Table you must not forget your poor Brethren that be in want This communicating is doing good and a Gospel Sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased it is extensive to all but especially to those who are of the houshold of faith The blessed Gospel teacheth us not onely to do but suffer This is a special gift Phil. 1. 29. To you its given on the behalfe of Christ not onely to believe but suffer Suffering makes way for patience and patience must not onely work but have a perfect worke Jam. 1. 4. You must not onely be patient but glory in tribulation knowing that our patience worketh experience and experience hope What although men should revile you and say all manner of evil against you let it be falslely and for Christs sake and then rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven who are now strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfullnesse So that if you suffer as Christians for Christs cause and with the spirit of Christ you should not be ashamed but glorifie God on that behalfe counting your selves happy to be reproached for the Name of Christ for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you Here followeth the Appendix mentioned in the Fifth Chapter of this Book IT was laid down in the fifth Chapter That when Christ works great changes in Kingdomes and Common-wealths he sheweth signes in the heaven above and in the earth beneath and that occasioned this Question Quest Whether those signes in heaven which Christ sheweth do not favour or countenance Astrological Predictions Ans To which I answer negatively Those Signes that Christ sheweth do not in the least favour their Predictions Now that you may more fully take in the compasse and meaning of this answer we shall first shew you what we grant concerning the Stars and then what we deny Now we grant these five things 1. That the Stars have a powerful ruling excellency by their light heat and motion They are not like the paints in a Chamber which we look on but they work not on us The seat and station of the Stars tell us that they are not placed there to disgrace the Heavens but that they have that in their being which answers so high a place and work to their ends So Job 38. 31. Canst thou binde the sweet influences of the Pleiades Stars have their influences that is their virtue and power extended to others Psal 8. 3. When I consider the Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained The Stars then are Gods Ordinances creatures ordained by him and by him for us to consider of Luke 21. 26. The powers of heaven shall be shaken The powers of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sure such as are not weake but strong in their operation therefore Psal 136. 9. The Moon and the Stars are said to rule the night 2. We grant that the Stars by their light heat and motion do work great alteration in the Aire the first heaven as being neerest to it God hath placed the creatures neer one another that they might act conjoynedly The clearnesse or cloudinesse of the Aire may relate to the Stars the Stars also are considerable in the moisture or drynesse of the Aire If the wind be Aer motus the Aire moved I know not but that motion may some what relate to the virtue of the Stars 3. We deny not but that the Stars having this power over the Aire they do by the aire diversly affect compound bodies that breath in this aire This our experience teacheth us In faire weather we are more Frollick our spirits are up we are more apt to sing to move cheerfully our phantasies are more busie and our motion more pleasant whereas in thick foggy weather our brains are clouded and we are heavy and dull of Action Heat cold moysture and drynesse are the four principal qualities of compounded bodies and surely the temperature of the Aire works much on these as is observable when we are sick 4. Scripture speakes plainly That they are for times and for seasons for days and for years Gen. 1. 14. The lights in the firmament are to divide the day from the night and to be for seasons for days and years Seasons are such times as are proper and peculiar to some actions and bodies He appointeth the Moon for seasons and the Sun knoweth his going down Psal 104. 19. Seasons are such portions of time as if a man come forth to act in he shall finde an advantage to his work from the time which advantage he will misse if he go not forth then Thus in sowing the growth and fruit depends not onely on the commiting of the seed to the ground but committing it to the ground in a certaine time which is therefore called sowing Season sow before or after that time and your labour will not thrive and this sheweth the goodnesse of that promise Gen. 8. 22. While the earth remaineth Seed-time and Harvest and Cold and Heat Summer and Winter Day and Night shall not cease Thus learned Mr. Aynsworth explaines Job 9. 9. concerning the four Seasons of the year Which maketh Arcturus Orion